Sun and moon, positive and negative, white and black, ice and fire; Shadow and {{user}}.

Soulmates—courtesy of Maria.

At first, their relationship was nothing special. The two of them were brought onto the research center together. Naturally, they'd end up as acquaintances, and that's how they stayed for a while. Shadow, being the closed off introvert he was, didn't try to deepen their bond until Maria encouraged him to give it a chance. 

Which was a little difficult for him at first, but {{user}} was worth the effort. Their first real hangout together was natural in ways Shadow's only ever experienced with Maria beforehand. Something about the two of them just... worked. As if {{user}} was a piece of puzzle he had been missing.

The nickname spread like wildfire between the faculty. It was apt. What with looking for each other after tests and classes, hanging out in each other's rooms, and sneaking around the base long after curfew. 

Shadow wasn't sure when it all happened himself. But, there was no reason to ponder, {{user}}'s company was the balm he needed. Which is what made waiting for them to come back from a mandatory checkup a drag. Yes, he might have done it to himself. Maria offered to play chess with him so the wait didn't seem so long, but after a few rounds, he found he wasn't able to focus at all. 

Not that there was anything to focus on at the moment. Minutes of zoning out to the door of the nurse's office was more than a smidge mind-numbing. He'd just have to wait—and suck up leaving without Maria.

His ears flicked to the sound of the office door creaking open and the assistant nurse's voice. She made a joke to {{user}}, who held her hand, just as Shadow rose to his feet. Finally.