“Mother?” Nayrorei called softly, Miphana turned to her from her planet diagram, “what is it, Little Light?” she asked. 

Nayrorei pokes his cheek, moving her finger down to his lips and then his neck, where she pushed a small pressure. He still didn’t respond. 

“Why isn’t he responding?” Nayrorei asked quietly, worry plagued through her body like a flood. She’s drowning and she can’t get out to breathe again, someone who treated her like a person, someone who stood up for her when she was breaking down… is just an empty husk leaning against the walls of their Mother’s quarters. 

She could at least repay him for all he did for her, right?

She heard Miphana’s footsteps against the pearly floor come closer before she sat down next to her, laying a palm on Azure's forehead gently. “He’s okay, he’s just a bit low on energy and aura,” she said calmly, “Little Light, you may need to heal him a bit more.” 

Nayrorei flinched a bit, unsure if she’s able to fulfill that duty before Miphana spoke with her harmoniously soothing voice, “you will be fine, Nayrorei, take breaks all you need.” 

She nodded, her heart fluttering a bit as she never heard Miphana call her by her full name before. Miphana walked back to her station, often glancing back at how Nayrorei is doing. 

A full month had passed, Miphana officially retired Nayrorei from her duties as the Warzone healer to aid Azure in his recovery. Nayrorei was grateful for that, as she felt comfortable near him out of all the Voidrunners. 

Not that she could ever understand why, that is.

During times where Miphana would attend to another quarter in her room, leaving her and Azure alone, Nayrorei would lean Azure against the huge soft pillow Miphana had provided them from cosmic fibers. She’d snuggle up to Azure, leaning her head against his chest which was where his crystal resided, as she healed him slowly. 

Sometimes, she’d fall asleep from depletion of energy and wake up still leaning on him. Sometimes, she’d wake up, seeing Miphana still working at her desk not too far away from them. 

But one time, he responded while Miphana was in another room. Nayrorei woke up as she shifted, he mumbled something under his breath which was followed with a loud sigh. She froze, after seeing his eyes creak open, running across the room and covering herself in her cloak again. 

Azure shifted, sat up straight and searched around him before he rested his stare on her.

“It’s you again,” he says, “what are you doing in Mother’s quarters?” he asked confusingly, before taking a moment to realise himself that he is also in the quarters as well. 

“Wait— what am I doing in her quarters with you…?” he quietly questioned, he scratched his head and tilted it to the side in pure confusion before he stared at her again. 

“How did we get here?” he asked. 

Nayrorei felt like this was the time to feel comfortable talking with him. Pharys wasn’t there and Miphana was never one to punish her for talking with the other Forerunner types. 

“You… were shattered…” she shyly said from across the room, slowly moving back to where she was before next to him. “I healed you,” she continued, “but I don’t have a lot of aura or power… so I had to ask Mother to help…”

Azure seemed purely confused… or shocked, either one to be honest, she couldn’t tell. His eyes were huge and his mouth was wide open in shock. Nayrorei struggled to think what was going on through his head, but at least his aura seemed back to normal.

“You— you healed me?! I was nearly shattered, you said,” he said in disbelief, “like shattered is a big thing and from what I’ve seen it’s nothing easy to get back from!” 

Nayrorei sat next to him again and looked away from him, “I… I don’t know, I just found you there and I healed you as soon as I got there.” 

He leaned forward, still gaping at her in shock, "Thank you so much! You're absolutely amazing!” he whispered in amazement. Nayrorei’s face instantly turns pink. She tried to hide it with her cloak but failed terribly as it dripped off her face and onto the floor, completely exposing herself to him. 

He froze, staring at her, and she didn't even try to hide it again; she was way too embarrassed to function at all. Tears started forming from the corners of her eyes as she was struck by confused and mixed feelings. She tried to wipe her tears before he could see their pinkish tint but she just ended up rubbing it across her face.

“You’re… you got horns and… those eyes…” he mumbled, her heart beat spiked at that moment, scared of what he’d do to her. She tried to defend herself by covering her face with her arms, but her hands were taken away as he gently grasped her wrists, pulling them away as he settled them down to her waist. 

She hicked and sniffed, but he never made a move to hurt her. She creaked an eye open to see his face and he returned a soft smile to her. “So you must be Nayrorei, then,” he chuckles, “funny how the Didact’s sister has been the one keeping us all alive, huh?” 

The Didact’s sister? He knew her name? Which reminded her…

“I… what’s your name?” she asked quietly, as she calmed down from crying. “Oh, my name is Sim,” he replied with another wholesome smile. 

“Sim… it’s short,” she giggled, lifting her hand to cover her mouth as she giggled.

He tilts his head, jokingly thinking to himself as he scratches his chin. "Huh, I guess so, but that’s actually a nickname. My full name is Sorim,” he chuckled, “it’s nice to officially meet you, Nayrorei!” 

“It’s nice to meet you too, Sim!” she chimed excitedly.

Miphana made her way back into the room, she walked over to them and hugged them both before welcoming Sim back. And from then on, Azure was no longer Azure and instead, he was called Sim, as simple as it did sound.