Shadow Slave - One Shots

The door bursted open with a force that made the walls tremble. 

Before Sunny could even react, something crashed into him. 

'The he-'

A weight slammed against his chest, nearly knocking him back.

But before he could even begin to process what was happening- 

Arms wrapped around him. 

Tightly. 

And then-

Effie broke. 

"I'm sorry." 

The words left her in a choked sob, muffled against his shoulder. 

"I'm so sorry." 

She was trembling. Her body was warm against his, but her grip was crushing, as if letting go would make him disappear again. 

Sunny froze. 

His mind, still reeling from the revelation of the Spell's return, struggled to catch up with the sudden presence of someone.

No, not just someone.

Effie. 

Her weight pressed into him, and her sobs only grew stronger. 

"For everything," she gasped. "For every bad thing, for every time I- every time we-" 

She hiccupped. 

"For forgetting you." 

A sharp pang lanced through his chest. 

She knew. 

She remembered. 

Sunny's breath hitched, but before he could say a word, more footsteps echoed through the space. 

Cassie. 

Kai. 

Nephis. 

His Cohort. 

They stood in the doorway, each of them carrying the same expression - shock, grief, disbelief. 

Cassie's blindfold was damp with tears. 

Kai's usual perfect composure was shattered, his lips parted, his eyes filled with something unreadable. 

And Nephis- 

She was as still as stone, her silver eyes locked onto his. 

But he could see how puffy her eyes were.

Effie's cries echoed through the basement.

"You were alone," she sobbed. "For four years, Sunny, four god damn years." 

Her fingers curled into his back, clutching his shirt like it was the only thing keeping her from falling apart. 

"The funny thing is." she laughed through the tears, shaking her head. "I even flirted with you." Her voice cracked. 

Sunny's hands, which had been frozen at his sides, finally moved. 

Slowly. 

Then, as Effie's cries wracked her body, he wrapped his arms around her. 

And held on.

*******

Effie's sobs eventually stopped, turning into small, shaky breaths against his shoulder. 

Her grip loosened, just slightly, and after a long moment, she pulled back, wiping her eyes furiously with the heel of her palm. 

Sunny looked down at her puffy red eyes.

He should have said something. 

But his mind felt like it was stuck, his thoughts moving sluggishly, like he was watching all of this from outside his own body. 

None of this felt real. 

It was too much. 

The Spell returning. 

His fate being restored. 

His friends, the people who had forgotten him for years, suddenly remembering everything, storming into his shop, crying.

Apologising. 

He felt the sudden urge to say something.

Before he could, the words left him before he could even think about them. 

"I missed you guys." 

His voice came out soft. 

And he smiled. 

A real, small, tired smile. 

The moment the words left him, something in the room cracked. 

Nephis, who had been trying her best to stay calm, had broken.

She took a single step forward before collapsing into him, her arms wrapping around him so tightly that it almost knocked the breath from his lungs. 

She buried her face against his shoulder, her body trembling.

Sunny's arms came up instinctively, embracing her. 

Then, barely above a whisper, she spoke. 

"I'm sorry." 

Sunny closed his eyes. 

He tightened his arms around her just a bit and whispered back. 

"It's okay."