Work Text:
Sunny hadn’t been in the headspace for a long time, but when he was there it was like he had never left. Aubrey was there with Kel, Hero and Basil too… but of course, there was Mari. Same as the day he left her. She looked normal from a distance, but as he got closer, she would warp and melt, being made unrecognizable.
These dreams would usually end with him jolting up out of bed in a cold sweat. After coming to his senses he would always remember Aubrey was just across the hall.
He tip-toed out of his room, trying to avoid the squeaky boards in front of his mom’s room, hearing her gentle snores inside. The poor lady worked 8-hour shifts some days and he didn’t want to disturb her much-needed rest.
He arrived at Aubrey’s door and opened it quietly. She was laying there with her face illuminated by her phone screen, seemingly not noticing the door opening.
“psst. aubrey.” Sunny whispered.
Aubrey drew a quick breath and looked over.
“Jesus. You scared me.”
“Sorry. Couldn’t sleep.”
“Neither could I, sun-bun. Wanna talk about it?”
Sunny’s ears became bright red. If they could glow, they would probably illuminate the room. Despite being her boyfriend for the last 5 and half months he never could get over the nicknames she gave him.
He just nodded.
Aubrey threw open the covers. Her bed was only slightly bigger than his, but it was enough for the two of them to fit.
He slid in next to her and rolled himself up.
“What’s up?” Aubrey asked, petting his head.
“I saw Mari again.” he whispered back.
Aubrey’s face went from a soft smile to a wince. She knew how painful it was for him and could only hope that maybe one day he’d grow out of it. The moonlight in the window shined on his face over her shoulder and she could see the still drying lines the tears had made on his cheeks.
“Oh, Sunny... Come here.” she muttered as she wrapped her arms around his head and brought him in closer.
“It’s… just so hard to let go of her…”
Sunny started to cry silently again.
Aubrey cupped his face with one hand and with the other she pushed his eyepatch off his face. He never liked taking it off, much rather having it taken off, he was way too self-conscious about the way it looked, but with Aubrey it was OK.
She gave a reassuring smile and planted a kiss on his forehead, wiping his tears ever so gently with her thumbs.
“Shh. Just cry. Just cry.”
Sunny did so, his breaths controlled but shaky. Aubrey just held him close and kept stroking his head and back.
They stayed like that for quite some time, laying in her arms and crying. Eventually, his breaths calmed down and his eyes ran dry of tears.
“So why were you up?”
Aubrey always liked that about him. Despite all his own problems he still took the time to look out for her and ask her how she was feeling.
“Just reading through Twitter. Pretty pointless seeing as nothing new at this hour anyway.”
Sunny half-laughs silently. “I guess so. What time even is it?”
Aubrey rolled out of their embrace and looked at the digital clock beside her. It read 12:54 AM. Had it really been that long? Not that she minded.
“Almost 1. You planning on going back to your own bed?”
“...Do I have to?”
Aubrey sighs and rolls back over to him, she took his hands and put them around her neck.
“No. Never.”
She tilted his head up and leaned in for a kiss. Sunny leaned into her as well, their lips intertwining.
“I love you so much, Aubrey.” Sunny said, in a brief respite from the kiss.
His face had a light blush on it, only illuminated by the white moonlight that poured in through the window. He wasn’t embarrassed, but just enjoying the moment.
To Aubrey, he was perfect. She wanted nothing else at that moment other than to be intertwined with him.
“Do you mean it?”
Sunny buried his face in her neck.
“Yes.”
Aubrey felt her eyes get wetter. She had never heard anyone else say those words except for Sunny, and even though this might be her hundred and something time hearing them, they somehow meant more when they were entangled together in bed like this.
She looked down at Sunny’s face, buried in her neck and craned down to kiss his head.
“Thanks, Sunny.”
Aubrey let him pull away out of her shoulder and adjust himself to roll onto his back.
Aubrey did the same, grabbing his hand in between the two of them. She could feel herself getting sleepy. She laced her fingers with his and felt his fingers wind back around hers. She thought for a moment what his mom would think when she found the two of them laying like this.
To hell with what she thinks.
“I love you too Sunny…” she whispered out, fading into unconsciousness.
Sunny heard her whisper and gently squeezed her hand in affirmation. After all these years, he really did still love her like the day he met her.
Together, their hands intertwined, they drifted asleep.