Only a few more hours. Only a few more hours.

And then his spinal column heals with a distinctive cracking and gasp of agony.

"Shit shit shit—Terel, love, I—should I do it again? I don't know if it could screw something up if I do it this late—"

"How long... Must be- Two days? One day left? Just. Bring the shadows back."

"The last hours are worst, it only gets worse and worse, they're resting so they can give you as much time uninterrupted as they can—"

Time for failing to not scream, then.

Would you look at that, she altered her biology enough to be able to cry.

He tries to clamp his mouth shut on the desperate idea that springs up - a way to stop the pain - but says it anyway. "If you love me make the shadows do the thing or kill me."

"No—Terel—please don't ask me this, anything but this—it'll be worse, I—"

Okay he can shut his mouth and repeat defiant swears against the pain in his head, fuck you pain.

She clings to him extremely hard and sobs and tries to be as soothing as she can and pretty much fails.

Time passes. Terel manages to restrain himself to choked painful noises and occasional 'you didn't say it would be this bad'. His skin starts visibly changing. It's probably about time for the shadows to start their thing again, right? Right?!

Right. Please?

They do.

It's peaceful here again. The Shadows look sympathetic, for however you can see it on nonhuman faces.

She breathes more easily, then, and continues snuggling him.

His heart beats faster eventually. Last stage. He starts breathing harder. The shadows are tired but still holding. Pain going through the shadows' efforts?

Gods she hopes not but it's almost there almost ending he'll be fine forever—

He twists and flinches as his heart stops... And it's done.

"The end?" The shadows ask, "Can we release him from the change?"

"Yes."

"Sadde!" He looks at her and his eyes widen. "Oh stars oh stars I'm so sorry... I should've kept quiet."

And now she zips to his arms and hugs him as tightly as she can.

He hugs back. With newborn strength. "I- I- I was so selfish, I just wanted it to stop, I'm sorry."

"—ow, might want to—not squeeze that hard—"

"-Oh." He lets up, a fair bit more than is necessary. "Sorrysorrysorrysorry."

"It's okay—how are you—is it awesome—you're so beautiful and I love you so much."