Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

A dark forest stretched out before him, seemingly forever. Everything was harshly contrasted in black and white, from clusters of leaves, to tangled roots, to the nooses that hung from each and every tree. Nothing on his right side was limned in white, though, no matter where he turned his head. The reason being that he didn't have an eye to see with on that side.
 
 He held out his hands. Pale, but still with the all-important hint of color in them. He was still him.

 He shuddered at the thought of who else it could have been.
 
 Sunny continued deeper into the forest, giving a wide berth to the loops of rope as they swung in a nonexistent breeze. It felt like they would lash out and around his neck in an instant if they got close. More than feeling, he knew they would, in the way that dreams inform their dreamers.
 
 Carefully, deliberately, he came to a glade of sorts in the constricting forest. His heart began to pound in his chest like a drum.
 
 It was familiar, even in black and white. A playground. There were swings, a slide, a tetherball pole, and even hopscotch squares. There was something wrong here, though. One of the swings had a broken chain, the slide was twisted at the end, the tetherball pole was tether-less, and the squares were haphazard and crooked. It felt like Sunny could just barely hear children giggling, if he listened hard enough. If all of this was here, then what was to the back of the playground? Sunny continued forward.
 
 The answer was a small field of white egret orchids where he was sure a picnic blanket would have been. Where one was, in a certain sense. Sunny stood for a moment in silence before continuing on, down a narrow path amid the trees. He still kept his distance from all of them, of course. All the way to a stump in the middle of a crossroads. A hole yawned at the base, it seemed a little small for him to enter, though. So rather than try, he looked inside. He felt compelled to.

 Within, he saw a brightly-colored room. There were all manner of toys and games inside. Cards, an old television, jacks, everything anyone could want in order to play. Sunny turned his head more to scan his blind spot. Three children were playing at something. They all had blue-ish hair. One wore a checkered jersey, and was quite short. He was yelling at a girl with a pink bow and a teal nightgown. A taller boy with striped pajamas and mess hair was making placating gestures between the two.
 
 His eye lingered on the scene awhile, before noticing a white door at the back. A door he thought he would never see again.
 
 He felt his heart tighten and his breathing quicken. First at the idea that door represented, then even more so when he saw the knob turn.
 
 A monochrome boy walked out, his expression was neutral, and he had a shiny knife in his hand. The other children waved and said hello. But the boy ignored them, locking eyes with Sunny.
 
 A sharp pain began to spike into his right eye. He clutched it, but it did nothing to stop the feeling. It was like a red-hot iron stake was jammed into it. he pulled away from the stump, rolling all the while. The worst of the pain wasn't the intensity, it was the fact that it was very famliar. He had felt it multiple times, both here and-
 
 His eye opened. Sunny shot up in bed, immediately clutching his hand to his right eye. Or what was left of it, at any rate. Pain still stabbed into it in the waking world, making him tangle his own bedsheets with writhing. His leg hit the bedpost, adding to his pain, but also giving him a moment of clarity.
 
 Right, he had to calm down. He had to-
 
 He couldn't. It was exactly as scary as he thinks. This was a dishearteningly common occurrence, waking some nights or suddenly having attacks as his mind tried to tell him what he already knew. That his eye was gone. Destroyed.
 
 He needed to get some aspirin, hopefully it would be enough to let him sleep off this particular episode. He swung his feet over the bed and stopped, suddenly wondering.
 
 Do I even want to go back to sleep?
 
 He sat and looked around his room awhile. The city lights filtered through the blinds on his window, casting bars on the floor. The bookshelf on the far end was sparse, but it held all the important books he liked. Especially his photo album. By the shelf was a desk strewn with papers, and with notebooks in every cubby, even a sketching pad or three. Of course, on the wall were some few newer photos he couldn't make out in the dark, but he knew them by heart. On the wall because putting them into the album didn't seem quite right. It was still unfamiliar. No matter how many times he moved things around, he never felt comfortable like he used to back home.
 
 It had been two years and he still hasn't called his new apartment his home. He shook his head at the thought. 
 
 He decided to look at the time. If it was late enough he would just stay awake and far, far away from that thing in his dream. Taking his phone and flipping it open, he noticed first that it was three in the morning, then noticed that he had messages. All from the same source.
 
 Basil
 
 Basil: Suny re yu thre?
 Basil: sry fine
 Basil: sorry
 Basil: sorry
 Basil: but if you wake up then maybe can you
 Basil: no
 Basil: sorry sorry sorry sorry
 
 Sunny gathered his breath. Trying to clear his mind of the stabbing in his right side. Three in the morning was a good enough time to wake up.
 
 Basil
 
 You: r u still awake
 
 Almost instantly, it came up.
 
 Basil: yes
 Sunny: do u want a call
 Basil: yes

 Sunny pulled up the contact list and pressed the green button on the keypad.
 
 "H-hello..?" Basil's voice was a whisper.
 
 "Basil? Nightmare?"
 
 "Yeah..."
 
 "The meadow?"
 
 "H-how d-did you..!?"
 
 "Hunch. Want to tell me?" Sunny rubbed his brow, massaging away the pain. He was always good at getting at what the other boy was feeling or thinking. He still remembered talking to the Stranger in his dreams, who implied that Basil might not live if he was left alone. A chill ran up his spine at the thought. Sometimes he really wondered if he was right. Basil had been holding those shears long before he got in.
 
 "Um... It was the meadow, with the big tree. But when I went over, I noticed the rope and-!" Basil's voice hitched with a sob.
 
 "Like the others?"
 
 "Yes! But No! Um... Yes... but w-w-when I g-g-g-got close..." Basil's voice was hitching more. Sunny could practically see the scene on the other end of the call. Basil crumpled to the floor in a heap, tears falling from his eyes. Sunny waited though, and listened. It was really what he did best.
 
 "Um..! It was..! Me... I was in th-the noose. B-but everything was still green and th-there were fl-flowers and... yeah..."
 
 That was different. Usually when Basil had "the meadow dream", he would get closer and closer to a great tree, and the sky would turn red, and blood would cover his hands. Then he would see a noose, and from it, Mari would be hanging. This one was almost tame by comparison. No foreboding skies, no blood, no shadows with eyes, yet all the more shaking because of it when Sunny compared it to a certain familiar playground.
 
 "S-Sunny? Are you there?" The voice shook him from his reverie.
 
 "I'm here."
 
 "Good... I'm um... I'm sorry, Sunny, it's so late and I probably just messed up your sleep."
 
 "I was awake."
 
 "You were awake? Now? Did you have a nightmare too? Was it-?" He was already getting panicked over Sunny's health, and as much as Sunny wanted to respond by talking about his eye, this was Basil he was talking to.
 
 "I'm fine."
 
 "Are you sure?"
 
 "Yeah."
 
 "Oh... Good. Good, I'm glad you're okay, Sunny."
 
 That's right. He was okay.
 
 Everything is going to be okay.
 
 ---
 
 Sunny held the knife in a tight grip, levying its edge for the task at hand. He shivered, and then cleared his mind, bringing it down in an easy motion.
 
 The sandwich in front of him was now cut diagonally. Diagonal being the best cut, according to him. Idly, he wondered if Hero would agree with him, as one sandwich connoisseur to another. He had been wondering a lot about his hometown. Aside from Basil, he hadn't heard much over the past two years. One year after the truth had come out, it was just the quiet basics, and a mostly dead group chat. Everyone was polite, and present for questions, but it wasn't active. Fair, Sunny would think, after he had-
 
 He put the knife down.
 
 The next year saw a little more action. Kel would post more and more, and Basil added pictures of flowers. A few, at first, and with encouragement from Aubrey, soon they were all talking again, sometimes even on a group call. Well, as much of a group call as it can be when Kel and Aubrey are on it. 
 
 He took up his sandwich and moved to the living room. He hadn't actually seen them in two years. He hasn't even seen Mari in all that time, either her grave, or in his dreams. Sunny felt his stomach suddenly revile at the piece of sandwich he had just eaten. Two years was too long, even if his mom was busy, or he had a constant onslaught of tests to catch up to college readiness.
 
 Outside the window, he could see the first day of his last summer vacation. For a second, he thought of something important he had been keeping in his room. A promise to someone.

 Sunny picked up his phone, abandoning his sandwich.
 
 Friend Chat

 Sunny: I want to visit
 
 He waited.
 
 And waited.
 
 And waited...
 
 Kel: WOO SUNNY'S COMING OVER!!
 Kel: need a place?
 Hero: Kel, we don't have a room to give him, remember?
 Kel: ?
 Hero: Mom is going to make my side of the room into Sally's this summer.
 Hero: Sorry, Sunny. I can try to ask if you can have the couch, but things might become difficult.
 Hero: Mom hates having company while she's remodeling.
 
 Sunny tensed a little. Part of him wondered if it was less because of the renovation and more a matter of comfort, on Hero's part. It wouldn't be surprising, at any rate. He heard a chime.
 
 Friend Chat
 
 Basil: You can stay with me, Sunny!
 Aubrey: Ye its fine
 Aubrey: ur on the couch
 Basil: I can make space in my room
 Aubrey: or that 2
 
 Why was Aubrey responding? Was she offering her home? It didn't seem quite like it. And no one else was questioning it either.
 
 Friend Chat
 
 Sunny: its fine
 Sunny: can just vist 4 1day
 Basil: But then you won't be here long at all
 Kel: Ye bro I wanna see you.
 Aubrey: when did u start calln sun, bro
 Kel: Just now
 Hero: If you visit this weekend, I'll be back in town too.
 Sunny: ok
 Kel: WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 Sunny put his phone down. A part of him wondered where that enthusiasm was these past two years. He sure hadn't received any-
 
 Calm down. That's not the point. The point is that he was going to be going home.
 
 ---
 
 Faraway was nearly the same as the day he left. Sneakers were still strung over a telephone wire. There was road construction, but on different streets this time. The church still had those creepy statues that felt like they were judging passerby, and the park was full and brimming with activity.
 
 For that matter, Basil's house was the same, too. The same rows and masses of plants outside, and the same green door. The last time he had been in here...
 
 Sunny's eye began to throb again at the thought. Had a cloud crossed in front of the sun or something? It suddenly seemed darker.
 
 He could just turn, visit Mari, and leave.
 
 No, he had been asked over. He was being expected.
 
 He knocked on the door.
 
 Rather than blonde and green, pink and white filled his vision. Long pink hair, but a stripe was shaved clean, above her right ear. She had dark blue contacts, jean shorts, and a familiar jacket over her crop top. What really caught his eye, though, was the small scar on her brow.
 
 "Oh hi Sunny, didn't expect you to be here so early." Aubrey said, giving him her best smile.
 
 It looked a little scary still, but that was okay.
 
 She dropped her hand onto his head and ruffled through his hair.
 
 "It's been too long. Come on in!"
 
 "Ah... yeah."
 
 "Still as talkative as ever, I see." She showed the way inside. The place was mostly the same, but the television was new, and there were more sprouts than flowers. Also the fact that Aubrey was here, welcoming him in.
 
 "Sorry I haven't like... Been around. Life got a little wild and-"
 
 "Aubrey? Are you talking to Kim?" A new voice came in from the hall, and Basil filled the doorway. He was in a green t-shirt, and had a daisy in his hair this time. He was also wearing jean shorts, prompting the stray wondering who had borrowed whose shorts. A tiny smile came to his face, and he thought he caught the barest glimpse of a blush.
 
 "O-oh... Um... hi, Sunny..!"
 
 Aubrey snickered.
 
 "Come on now, you've been talking about how excited you were all week and now you're all stammers?"
 
 "I-I was not! I was just... You know... I..."
 
 "God... Sunny, go give him a hug or something before he explodes." She clapped him on the back and he started forward. This should be easy, they used to hold hands all the time. At least, he's pretty sure. It feels like Basil was always the touchy type, but four years of vivid dreams and waking nightmares may have marred things and... Well, friends hug, right?
 
 They hug and don't remember being pinned down and having their eye dug out with gardening shears. Don't remember, don't remember, don't remember.

 At least this was softer. This definitely wasn't being pinned. He let out a sigh.
 
 "It's... I'm glad to see you, Sunny."
 
 "I am too."
 
 "Wow. I'd say 'get a room' but you two already have one." Aubrey's most teasing grin met the pair of them as they broke their hug. "I'd offer my room and all but..."
 
 "Your room?" Sunny tilted his head.

 "Oh! No one told you? I'm living with Basil now. After what happened with my mom, he took me in. It's been... An experience. Did you know this little fucker's eyes glow in the dark?"
 
 "Aubrey..!" Basil whined.

 "Yeah, it scared the hell out of me my first night." She gave a small laugh.
 
 "I... Be honest Sunny, my eyes don't do that, do they?"
 
 Sunny didn't even have to consider, he knew exactly what Aubrey meant.
 
 "They catch light really well. In the dark."
 
 "Ohhhh..." Basil covered his face. "That sounds so creepy..."
 
 Sunny couldn't disagree, more thoughts of the night he had confronted Basil bubbled up. 
 
 "Relax, Basil. I think it's cool now." Aubrey said before flopping on the couch. Watching her make herself at home was an odd sight indeed.
 
 "Aubrey?"
 
 "What is it, Sunny?"
 
 "What happened with your mom?"
 
 "Oh. It's not a fun story, and it's all over now, are you sure you want to hear it?"
 
 "Yeah." Sunny's curiosity was tearing him apart. What happened to Aubrey while he was gone?
 
 "Is it okay, Basil?"
 
 "Yeah! It's a sad story but... It has a happy ending, doesn't it?" The words elicited a small, genuine smile from Aubrey, who looked around the home before she started.
 
 "Alright. Sunny you... remember what my old house was like, right?"
 
 Sunny nodded.
 
 "Yeah. That. It got to the point where I just... Couldn't deal anymore. So I got everything together and started to clean while I waited on Kel and Basil. I thought it would be fine, it's not like I ever got any resistance from her any other year of my life. It went well, I saw bits of floor I haven't seen in forever. Cathartic, even. Like cleaning out all the garbage in my own mind too about..." She looked to Sunny. His eye stabbed again when she finished the thought. "Stuff. Then I started picking up things in the living room and that's when it all went to hell.
 
 "The first word I heard out of that woman since dad left. She said 'don't.' It was creepy, kind of. Like all slurred and warped and creaky. She actually wanted all that trash around. I wasn't going to just leave it though, it made me so fucking sick and-! Sorry, right. I just started throwing bottles and stuff away, cleaning up the kitchen. Then I turned and she gave me this." Aubrey thumbed the scar along her brow. "Bitch actually hit me with a bottle. Her own daughter... She finally gets away from the television and it's to yell and scream and holler that I'm stealing from her. That's about when Basil and Kel and Hero showed up. Yeah, I was surprised that he was there too. They took me out of there while I was still reeling. Hero stitched my eyebrow back together, even."
 
 "That's um... That's when I asked Aubrey if she wanted a room. Ever since, well... There's a room going unused here, and it's not like my parents are ever here."
 
 "No one else could take me anyway. Kim's house is full, Angel's sister has her hands full... Mikhael is just... no. So I'm staying with Basil while I work at the Fix-It. He's even teaching me how to take care of the gardening section. Kel helped me grab my things and now we're here."
 
 Sunny sat there in disbelief. Something so major had happened, and he had no idea. There wasn't even a whisper about it. His friends had all been through something together. The kind of together that didn't involve him. He wished, so fervently, that someone had told him, or he had been called on,  or he could have been there just to be there for his friend. He suddenly became aware that he was clenching his fist, his nails dug into his palm. He should have been here.
 
 He had to calm down, being emotional right now wasn't going to help anyone. What was he even angry at anyway?
 
 "Sunny? Are you alright?" Aubrey asked. Shoot. He had been quiet too long.
 
 "Fine. It's just... crazy."
 
 "Yeah. It was." She offered a smile. "But everything turned out alright. Now, no more sad stories, we should do something now that you're here! Where do you want to go first?"
 
 After that declaration, he suddenly felt dread at mentioning what he had planned first. No more sad stories... Maybe he could go later, or when they were all together they could have a picnic, just like two years ago.
 
 "Um... let my put my things away. Where should I sleep?"
 
 Basil stood and rubbed his arm nervously.
 
 "Oh, you can have the couch or... You can... You know... You can sleep in my room! If it's okay with you, I mean. It would definitely be quieter, especially if Kim is going to be-"
 
 "BASIL!!" Aubrey had turned a bright red, from one ear to the other.
 
 Oh.
 
 Aubrey and Kim.
 
 Oh.
 
 Even Sunny couldn't help but blush at the thought.
 
 "Ah! I'm sorry, it just kind of..! I was, um..! Sorry!"
 
 Aubrey held her face in her hands before looking up at Sunny again.
 
 "So um, yeah. Couch or Basil."
 
 "Basil." Sunny shouldered his bag.
 
 "I've already got some places open, follow me!" Basil danced shyly around Aubrey's punching range and led on down the hall. Basil's room was still a right turn, then farthest on the left. For a reason Sunny couldn't quite put his finger on, it gave him some comfort that he had the same room as ever.
 
 With that comfort though, there was also the memory of his last night in this room. His ruined eye began to itch and hurt a little at the thought. This was the door where it all happened. He began to feel short of breath, and he could swear that something warm was running down his right cheek. It would be a lot easier if this door was just... erased. That would be for the best, if it just didn't exist at all, so he didn't have a breakdown here in the hall. If it just wasn't... here.
 
 The door began to fade, showing a blank wall behind it. He reveled in the thought.
 
 "S-Sunny? Are you okay?"
 
 The voice snapped him back to reality. Right, running away...
 
 "Yeah..."
 
 "If.. I know it might be... I can pull out your bedding to the living room! I understand if-"
 
 "No. I'm okay." He set his feet and opened the door himself.
 
 Basil's room was very different from how he remembered it. The bed was now in the center, under the window. Shelves of plants covered the walls in patterns Sunny was sure were certain were optimal for each plant, even if he didn't exactly know why it was the case. The carpeting had been entirely replaced, and recently by the look of it. In the corner was a bookshelf, and on the opposite side, next to the bed, was a cot with a futon piled on it. It seemed like Basil had wanted to make a good impression.
 
 "I know you have a hard time sleeping, so if you want, you can have the bed. I don't mind taking the cot!"
 
 "I'll be alright." It was only partially a lie. If he really couldn't sleep, then maybe he'd ask about switching.
 
 "Um, I can call Kel and tell him that you're here, I'm sure he'd be happy to see you too! Then we can all go out and do something." Basil stopped when he noticed that Sunny hadn't even opened his bag. "Are you really okay, Sunny?"
 
 "It's... different."
 
 "Oh! Yeah, Aubrey helped me redecorate and everything. She's really handy!"
 
 Not exactly what he meant, but it was okay.
 
 "So meet with Kel?"
 
 "I'll text- No. I should call him. Make yourself comfortable, Sunny!" Basil cheerily left, phone in hand.
 
 Sunny took his time. He hated to admit it, but he was looking for any gardening shears Basil may have kept in here. Reasonably, there would be, just as a convenience if nothing else. He stopped looking, he was being dumb. Basil offered his room and he was looking for weapons. His black hair tickled at his nose, causing him to brush it away before opening his bag. It was a large duffel bag, far larger than was needed for a weekend in Faraway. The reason why was immediately apparent when it was opened. A violin case sat on top of everything else. He opened the latch, checking that everything was in order. It wasn't the smartest idea to carry it in the bag, but it was better than hand-carrying it on a crowded train. Besides, he felt somewhat relieved it was a secret. If everyone had seen it then they would all be thinking about... that. He just started to wonder if it was worth it to bring it at all.
 
 Then what did he practice for so long for? He would find time to perform for real. He came to his solution just in time to hide it again before Basil came back, Aubrey following behind.
 
 "Kel should be on his way now. He seemed... excited."
 
 "Yeah, even I heard him, and I was down the hall." Aubrey added with a smirk.
 
 "You should think about where to go, maybe we can catch up at the secret spot!"
 
 "Or go shopping. Or.. Oh shit that's right. Can we go to Othermart before nightfall? I was just getting ready to go get some candy and stuff when you showed up."
 
 Sunny nodded.
 
 "Cool. Sorry about all that."
 
 Sunny made a disarming gesture before motioning to move to the living room. It was better to wait for Kel there rather than out in the oppressive summer. The television was also a good distraction for the others, allowing him to focus on his thoughts instead. Perhaps he should visit Mari alone. It seemed everyone was more excited for a fun weekend. or maybe they would accompany him tomorrow, and listen to his hard work. His hard work at bringing up the past, he added with some sourness.
 
 There was relentless pounding on the door now, causing all three on the couch to look at one another before Aubrey touched down from the arm of the sofa.
 
 "Kel! Quit pounding al-!" She started as she opened the door, only to have an orange blur rip past her and to the couch. It was just barely enough time for Sunny to be thankful he stood up, because Kel seemed intent on picking the young man up and swinging him all around.

 "Sunny!"
 
 "Hi... Kel..." Even Sunny's words seemed to struggle to get out of his iron grip.
 
 "Geez, Kel. It hasn't been that long." Aubrey chided him. Sunny idly wondered how two years wasn't "that long".
 
 "It doesn't matter how long! Any time a man spends away from his comrades in arms... Is too long!" Kel was now holding Sunny in one arm, the other stretched out before him in dramatic fashion. Sunny wondered where "comrades in arms" came from. Fighting against Aubrey's gang?
 
 "You're such a dork."
 
 He smiled and let out a laugh, loosening his grip on Sunny. Kel was as tall as ever, and his hair was held in a messy, short ponytail. Instead of an orange jersey, this time it was a t-shirt stamped with the logo for Orange Joe.
 
 It smelled like Orange Joe too.
 
 "Sunny, be honest, am I a dork?'
 
 Sunny considered all available evidence before arriving at an answer. He held his index finger and his thumb just barely apart.
 
 "Wow, betrayed by my own best friend!" He ended the words with a good-natured laugh, which spread to the others in turn. Aubrey approached him and gave him a hug.
 
 "Thanks again for the... everything."
 
 "No problem, Aubrey. You know we always have your back, right?"
 
 "I won't forget it."
 
 The pair of them looked at one another with some kind of understanding. Sunny had been expecting fighting, but instead had been greeted with a surprisingly tame scene.

 "So what should we all do?" Kel led with a blissful look.
 
 "Well, Aubrey needs to go to Othermart before dark." Basil explained. "Aside from that, we have all day to ourselves."
 
 "I'm starving, let's get something to eat first. Is Gino's okay?"
 
 "Is Hero going to be here tomorrow? Doesn't your family always get food from there when he comes in? I don't want to get it two days in a row." Aubrey had her hands in her jacket pockets.
 
 "Yeah but we always get sandwiches from there. We can get a pizza for today and worry about the rest tomorrow!"
 
 There was no arguing with the kind of logic that involved pizza. The town of Faraway beckoned to them all. The town was far less quiet with the four of them walking and talking among themselves. Kel spent most of the time walking alongside Sunny, explaining that he had been accepted into college on a basketball scholarship. Aubrey added that she might be going next year, depending on how things worked out. All three seemed pleasantly surprised to hear that Sunny was also going, having caught up on his studies. They would get all the way to the red-and-white checkered table of Gino's before Kel go to ask the next question.
 
 "So do you know what you're majoring? I sure don't. Like, why can't it just be basketball if I'm already there because of it?"
 
 "Ah.. I'm not sure either. Maybe..." He thought to the violin case, reminded that he had hidden it. "Ah, nothing. Not sure."
 
 "You two have four years to think about it, I'm sure something will stick!" Basil offered, doing his best to impart confidence to the pair. It was then when someone with red glasses passed by to the counter, pausing when her eyes landed on a certain member of their table.
 
 "K-Kel..? Oh.. Um, h-hi." She said shyly.
 
 "Huh? Oh hi, Mincy! How's the drawing going?" Kel gave his best grin.
 
 "Huh? O-Oh! It's very good s-so far, thanks to you! Um.. S-speaking of maybe you could help me with a new project tomorrow?" She brushed some hair from her eyes.
 
 "Sorry, Sunny here's got dibs on me tomorrow! But maybe some other time?" 
 
 Sunny idly wondered what his answer would be if he hadn't been there. It left an inexplicable twinge.
 
 "No, that's fine! It's okay, sorry." She flustered away.
 
 "Huh, she didn't even get her order taken. Think she changed her mind?"
 
 Aubrey's grin widened.
 
 "Wow~. Can't believe out little Kel is so popular with the ladies, what would Cris think about all the attention you get?"
 
 "...What? What does Cris have to do with any of this?" He looked genuinely lost.
 
 "Kel. Don't tell me... Aren't you and her dating?"
 
 "Why would we be dating?"
 
 "... Have you just not noticed anything?"
 
 "Noticed what? Now I'm scared."
 
 "Dude, have you not noticed how how Mincy and Cris get all red around you lately? Don't tell me you're so thick that all the flirting you've been doing back and forth has all been... an accident."
 
 "Flirting!? But I'm just being nice, I'm not a charmer like Hero or anything."
 
 "Oh... my God. Kel, I seriously don't know what to do with you." Aubrey held her hands in her head. Sunny felt like he could tell why. Kel had taken after his brother in a way clearly none of them had expected. Kel the lady-killer, it was almost too much. Sunny felt a laugh come up to his throat.
 
 "I feel so lost."
 
 "Tell Hero all about it, I'm sure he'd love to clue you in."
 
 "Maybe I will!" With that declaration, the bell at the counter rang, and Kel got up to get their order. Not before giving a gesture to Aubrey that said, "See if I don't ask him. Bet."
 
 She laughed and shook her head, sending pink waves down her back. 
 
 "What about you two weirdos, find any special ladies?" A sly smile split her lips. "Or any special gentlemen, I wouldn't judge."
 
 If Basil could turn any more red, he'd end up looking like a tomato.
 
 The thing was, Sunny knew exactly why. He wasn't confused at all by his friend's fervent disavowal of having anyone in mind.
 
 He just didn't know how to answer yet. He didn't want to find one at the moment, either. Being back here was stressful enough, as his eye reminded him.
 
 ---
 
 The group was at Basil's front door yet again. After pizza, they had gathered things at Othermart. Some extra food for a picnic, the candy Aubrey wanted, and some few things that might be useful. Sunny had half a mind to buy a first aid kit at the pharmacy but kept that particular urge quiet. Now the group was back at Basil's, groceries in tow and soon to be filed away. Kel and Aubrey were arguing over something among the rustling bags, giving Sunny plenty of time to think out his plan.
 
 He wanted to have a picnic with Mari tomorrow. Everyone would be reunited again, and maybe he could talk to the others about bringing his violin. Or at least, the fact that he had it at all. Sunny's mind began to wander a little bit to earlier, when Aubrey imparted her story. That's right, maybe the others would prefer not being reminded on the first weekend they had been really reunited.
 
 Hair fell into his good eye as he shook his head. No, they would understand.

 There was a knock at the door.
 
 "I'll get it!" Kel grinned and pranced over before Aubrey could even get half the distance.
 
 "Heeeey Au- KEL!"
 
 "KIM!?"
 
 "Yeah it's Kim, who else would it be!?" The newest addition shouted out, and was then revealed as Aubrey shoved Kel aside.
 
 "Why are you so surprised she's here?" She said, pulling her girlfriend inside.
 
 "I... Wasn't until she shouted." Kel looked stupefied.
 
 Kim was mostly the same, to Sunny's eye, but she had more hair, for lack of a better description. Instead of having half her head shaved, it was only a strip, exactly like Aubrey's but on the opposing side. She was wearing a blue hoodie again, but this one was short-sleeved with pom-poms on the drawstrings. Also her glasses were oval and black now. The pair of girls kissed.
 
 "Hey Aubs."
 
 "Hey Kim. Here you go." She plopped a few round candies into her hand.
 
 "Oh! New flavor! You're too much of a sweetheart, damn..."
 
 Sunny had to hold back a snicker at the sudden mental image of Aubrey dressed in a magical girl outfit, mimicking a certain obnoxious person's laugh. Then again, the more he thought about it, they did both have pink hair, a ribbon, and a spiked weapon...
 
 Hm, he could dissect that particular line of thought later. Right now it was being interrupted anyway.
 
 "Hey what's up, Basil? Oh hey! It's Kel's weird friend too. Sunny, you get the flowers me and the other idiots sent in way back when?" She held out a hand, which Sunny took. Her grip was a lot lighter than he expected.
 
 "Um... Yeah. It was nice, thank you."
 
 "Hey, anything for a friend. That's how the fearsome Scooter Gang rolls. Even when it's Mikhael. If you need something, you can call on us, I promise we won't beat you up this time."
 
 "We won when it wasn't six on two..." Kel grumbled, clearly not meaning to be heard but was entirely audible anyway.
 
 "Huh? What's that Kel? You want a rematch or something?" She sounded tough, but her grin showed that she was just joking.

 "Yeah, you want to face me in a game of basketball? You can even have Aubrey on your team!"
 
 "You're just choosing basketball because you're taller than me. I'll show you what a big mistake you're making, nerd!"
 
 The two held the tense atmosphere before breaking into a fit of giggles. 
 
 The six of them spent the remainder of the night making a small dinner, preparing picnic food, and then settled in front of the television to watch an old movie. Aubrey and Kim were snuggled on the couch, while Kel was kicked to the floor where Basil sat next to Sunny. The shadows grew long, and one movie blended into another until Sunny couldn't pay attention much longer. Night fell this way, announced by a panicked Kel shouting that he had to head home before his mom gave him an earful about being out late. Even two years later, that hadn't changed a bit. The girls went to their room with a wave, while Sunny followed Basil into his. At this hour of the night, the moon wasn't very visible through the window.
 
 Thank goodness, then it would probably look a little to familiar to the night two years ago. He let out a tiny breath of relief before he saw two pale-green circles floating in front of him. It took him a second to realize they were eyes. Eyes from a familiar, strange shadow...
 
 Then the rest of Basil came into focus.
 
 "S-Sunny? You look scared... I-is something-? Did I um..?"

 "Your eyes really do catch the light."
 
 "Ahh! I'm sorry! Um! Ohhhhh it's so creepy!"

 Sunny's breathy laughter filled the room.
 
 "It's okay." He set out to get ready for bed, removing his eye patch before heading to the bathroom to change. He knew full well what kind of fluster he might be in for if he just changed in the room.
 
 Sunny's reflection greeted him, it was as he expected, his hair was a little messier, a little longer, and there was a scar over his right eye. It looked like there was a normal eye there, but it was fake. Honestly, it was more of a pain to have it than not, Sunny was shocked at how many people were tricked by it, and would do things in his blind spot thinking that he could see. The patch was the easiest way to tell everyone to please stop putting things on his right side. Some even got the message. He brushed his teeth, followed by washing his face. What should he do about tomorrow? He had to-
 
 A shadow loomed behind him. A face with a crooked snarl, and a single eye at one end of the mouth. Tendrils branched out all across the room. He could practically feel its sickly breath on the back of his neck.
 
 Deep breaths, deep breaths.
 
 The worst part was that this wasn't the familiar one that had haunted him those four years. This was one he had seen only once. The last time he had been here.
 
 He hadn't even seen his own Something for two years. He would prefer it to this oppressive thing that only reminded him of his nightmares about Humphrey. At the thought of being scared by a whale, he felt a spark of light in his heart. Enough to get him to clear his mind. He could imagine what the others would say to that. With the thought of his friends in his heart, he faced the mirror again.
 
 Only him.
 
 Sunny returned to Basil's room, finding him fluffing pillows and setting his flower down on the nightstand. With a wordless wave, Sunny moved to the futon, getting himself as comfortable as he could, while listening to Basil rustle into his own bed.
 
 "H-Hey Sunny?"
 
 "Hm?"
 
 "I um.. Nothin- No. Um, I mean. I was wondering how you were doing?"
 
 "Fine."
 
 "Are you sure? I know you used to have a little crush on Aubrey when we were younger, I was a little worried you might be sad if you still... um..."
 
 He honestly thought about it. He wasn't sad, exactly. It was more the feeling that something had changed. His childhood crush now had someone. It's not like he had intended to confess it with all his heart, but it was weird that he had never had the chance to. That only led into thoughts of how everything might have been if he hadn't...
 
 "S-sorry..." Basil's voice dripped with regret.
 
 "It's okay." Sunny held a hand up. The moonlight had just started streaming in, and he let it bleach his arm. "I'm fine. It's just... different."

Chapter Text

Sunny was wandering once again. It was dark, terribly so, as his dreams usually were. Dark and filled with screaming or blood or eyes. This time, though, he was only on a path marked like a road. The sounds of the ocean were all around him, but there was no water, exactly. No water, but bubbles sprang to life and rose, showing various scenes. Children climbing a ladder to space. Teenagers fighting a cult. The four kids being chased by a spider. The teens again, this time all gathered by a church door. No matter which bubbles he looked into though, there was no trace of a certain person. Someone familiar that they all loved.
 
 He hadn't seen her in two years, and he really wanted to right now.
 
 Up ahead, on this strange, never-ending highway, it felt like there was more. A deep place. A place he remembered as somewhere where old memories had gone to be forgotten.
 
 He wasn't sure what he would find down there, now. But he also didn't like the thought of the someone he was looking for being down there. So he followed a path, down into the dark.
 
 It was pitch-black down here, occasionally giving rise to a glowing coral. The bubbles here were all of different scenes. A spaceport among purple plants. A resort inside of a shipwreck. A rainy garden patch. All looking as though they were still there, somewhere in this world. At the bottom of it all, the dream told him, would be where she was. If she was down there then she was in danger. Danger from a great and too-powerful creature. He began to run through the dark, his own descent leaving bubbles behind. Down ladders, past a grey, dead coral, and through a tunnel, to a cavern where he was sure water once spilled in from above. Now it was dry, and his fear became confusion. Nothing was here. Not the thing he was scared of, and not the person he was looking for. He kicked at a stray rock before sitting down on a pier. All this way and it had been for nothing. He wasn't needed.
 
 At the thought, a series of bubbles rose from the dry pond. In these, though, were scenes he didn't recognize.
 
 A girl was lying in bed. She was crying.
 
 A girl was lying on the floor, bleeding. Sunny wanted to help.
  
 A girl was surrounded by friends all helping her. None of them mentioned his name.
 
 Sunny felt something build in his chest. He knew the feeling.
 
 He was angry. No one had called him. He had been sitting at home when his friend needed him most. No one mentioned him or reached out to him or just gave him a chance to show that he was better, and that he was still concerned about them. They stole his chance to show that he cared.
 
 He was angry with himself next. Of course they wouldn't, after everything he did. If he hadn't screwed up so much, if he was just a little better, if he walked away, or taken two steps to the right then everything would be fine. Even after that, he was only making it worse. Everyone else was moving on with their life, and here he was as the only person who wanted to do, what? Fix what?
 
 Another bubble rose. He wiped his eye and looked to see what his mind wanted to torment him with now. There was nothing inside this one, though, just his reflection. And the reflection of someone else.
 
 Sunny whipped around, and found a boy standing there. He had short, black hair and a neutral expression. He wore a black tank top, and striped shorts. A knife was in his right hand. The two stared at one another. Sunny already wanted to yell and be sour, this seemed like the perfect opportunity. This thing was back.
 
 "You... Need me?" Omori asked, tilting his head.
 
 "You're the last thing I need right now." Sunny huffed.
 
 "You need me, though. You just got your friends back. What would they say if they knew about these thoughts?"
 
 "..." Sunny waved the other one off.
 
 "You don't want them to leave. You don't want to miss their lives. You have to hide that thought then." Omori held out his hand. "Give it to me. I will keep it safe."
 
 Sunny considered it. Omori had already caused him more than enough trouble. What kind of scheme was this now? The last time they met, the pale boy had told him he was better off dead, and that everyone hated him. Now he was offering to help?
 
 "...What are you going to do with it?"
 
 "Hide it. I will protect you. Any way I can."
 
 Sunny hated, no, loathed admitting it, but the boy was kind of right. He couldn't just vent like that to his friends. He couldn't just tell them that he felt left out when it was clear they were doing as much as they could stand to handle. When they were all so barely back together.
 
 "...Only for the weekend?"
 
 "Okay."
 
 Sunny reached out with his left hand. He couldn't help but shake slightly at memories of Omori's knife cutting into him. Even as a dream it felt so real. He took Omori's hand in his own, and watched as his arm went pale, just like it had in the moonlight. He took his anger...
 
 And he pushed it down.
 
 ---
 
 Sunny wasn't angry anymore when he woke up. It was kind of silly that he had gotten so worked up about it when it was their first, fragile day back together.
 
 Basil wasn't in his bed, and light was streaming in through the window. Sunny quietly donned his eye patch before heading out to the kitchen.
 
 "Oh, good morning, Sunny!" Basil's cheery face greeted him, he was standing over a pan, and had a pink apron on. Kim and Aubrey waved from behind their own plates. "I decided to let you sleep in a little, I hope you don't mind."
 
 "It was nice."
 
 "Yay! I um, I don't normally eat bacon, but I think Kel said that you liked it?" Basil was responded to with a nod from Sunny.
 
 "Woah, you don't eat bacon? But it's bacon!" Kim seemed shocked.
 
 "It's so... weird. And salty!"
 
 "Thought you'd be fine with salty flavors." Aubrey murmured into her coffee, just barely audible.

 "Huh? What did you say?" Basil looked genuinely puzzled as he plated everything.
 
 "Nothing. Eat your eggs before Kel gets here, he'll steal them right off of your plate."
 
 "Oh is he coming by early?"
 
 "Yeah, he said something about needing to pick up Hero first. Knowing him he probably shot out the door the moment he woke up. He's super eager about driving, and it's a little scary."
 
 "Well, it's ten now, I'm sure we have plenty of time to hide all this food in our stomachs, hehe."
 
 It was the first time he had heard Basil giggle in what felt like a long time. Sunny realized that he had missed it.
 
 With that, the four of them all sat around the table to eat. Some news and spotty plans cropped up. Mostly the idea of having a picnic in the old hangout, or maybe meet up with Aubrey's other friends for a pick-up game or two of basketball. Clothes shopping was also high on the list, the other three members of the table seemed excited about a sale or something.
 
 Pounding on the door again. Basil got up to answer it this time.
 
 "Kel, we can hear you withou-" Basil froze at the doorstep.
 
 "Hey guys! Oh man, you are not going to believe this. Come on in, bro!"
 
 Kel waved in the next person as though he were a waiter conducting someone to their seat. A man with messy brown hair and a sheepish expression stepped in. He was wearing a navy-blue shirt and jeans.
 
 "Oh come on Kel, stop being so dramatic."
 
 "It's not every day we get a new member of the group!"
 
 That made Sunny's ears perk up. He leaned in his seat to look at the doorway to see Hero shake his head before offering a hand to someone else. A young woman stepped in. She had short black hair, and a bright smile on her face. He was wearing a dress that fell to her knees.
 
 "Everyone, this is my um... This is my girlfriend, Stephanie."
 
 Sunny's heart stopped. The words sounded alien, almost.
 
 "Hello everyone, Henry told me a lot about you all. You've all known each other or a long time, haven't you?"
 
 Kim was the one to break the silence.
 
 "Who the hell's Henry? I thought your name was Hero."
 
 That line triggered an explosive blast of laughter from Aubrey. Kel joined in on that, followed by a few snickers from Basil.
 
 "They all call you Hero? That's so adorable!" Stephanie called out. "How did that start? Did he save a cat or something?"
 
 The ones who were laughing all looked at one another, then devolved into another fit of hysterics. Aubrey waved her over.
 
 "Have I got a story for you. Tell me, have you ever seen him eat a sandwich?"
 
 "Aubrey please..." He looked thoroughly embarrassed already.
 
 Sunny rose from his seat. He began to feel something turn in his stomach. He needed the bathroom, for many reasons. He nodded and waved politely, giving his best tiny smile. Then he excused himself to the bathroom. Slowly, so it didn't look like he was running away. Anything he could do to tell everyone that he was okay.
 
 The bathroom was a lot darker than he remembered. That stabbing pain continued.
 
 Hero's girlfriend. Hero? Had a girlfriend now? It felt... completely surreal. Hero and Mari were still right next to one another in his mind. The idea that someone else was there was just strange.
 
 Idly, his mind flashed to old dreams. Hero on a stage, and a girl with pink hair and an obnoxious laugh at his side. The others at the table were saying something, he felt sure of it, but he couldn't focus on it at all. He hated the thought too much. More than that, he hated that he hated it. Hero deserved to be happy, didn't he? It's not like he really was still with...
 
 It's not like he could be...
 
 Sunny looked back up to the mirror. A tear streaked down one side. That same hate reviled up in his stomach again. He was crying over a moment Hero had probably fought so hard to have. He was going to ruin it with his own stupid sadness. He was going to be the depressive one. He was going to break apart his group again, he was really going to drag them all-
 
 He was no longer in the mirror, and there was no bathroom behind him. It was a starry sky, and a colorful room watched over by a cat. Children played cards, but standing in front of him was Omori.
 
 The boy held out his hand again.
 
 "I'll hide it."
 
 Sunny reached out.
 
 He took his sadness...
 
 And he pushed it down.

 Sunny washed his face. He though his reflection was a little more pale, but it must just be the lighting. His eye still throbbed a little as he turned to leave. He was just fastening his eye patch when he heard a knock on the door. He opened it to find Hero.
 
 "H-Hey Sunny... It's been awhile." He put a hand up in greeting. "Oh. Was your eye bothering you?"
 
 "...Yeah."

 "May I?" Hero held out his hand in offering. Half of Sunny wanted to run from the whole scenario, but the man looked so relieved. Relieved that it was physical and not... So he unhitched his eye patch again, allowing himself to be seated on a closed toilet cover. Hero prodded around the area, noticing any slight winces and the like.
 
 "Is everything okay with it? There's no sign of infection, or any chips." He suddenly noticed that it had been more than a minute. "Sorry, med school has gotten to me, I guess."
 
 "It's okay."
 
 Silence.
 
 "Sunny um... How are you doing? Here, I mean." Hero was clearly intending to mean "Basil's house." The way he heard it, he had been the first one to find him bleeding out.
 
 "...It's okay so far."

 "I was worried when Mom and Dad couldn't host you, but... family stuff."
 
 "Yeah."
 
 More silence.
 
 "... Is everything going okay with your schooling? I remember Kel telling me that you had gotten caught up."
 
 "I did." The conversation was making his eye pain seem tolerable. At least that had provided him with an excuse for leaving the room.
 
 "That's good." Hero grinned before closing some distance. "I do mean it when I say that I'm happy to see everyone back together. After what happened with Aubrey I got a little worried and..." Hero looked like he had a lot he wanted to say, but none of the words that would explain exactly what.
 
 "I heard. You stitched her eye?"
 
 "I did. I wish I could have prevented the scarring though."
 
 "I think she likes it."
 
 "R-really? Well... That's kinda like her, I guess." Hero and Sunny stood awhile before Hero closed the final bit of distance and gave Sunny a tentative hug. "Welcome back."
 
 The gesture, the slight trepidation in what was normally an emphatic bear hug almost made Sunny want to cry.

 But he wasn't sad anymore, he decided.
 
 The pair came back to the kitchen. Basil glanced over nervously at the pair. He looked from Hero's smile, to Sunny's usual expression. The gaze broke when Kel asked a question.
 
 "So what are we going to do today?"
 
 "We were just talking about that. What did we decide on, again?" Aubrey called out to him.
 
 "Well, a picnic was our best idea so far. Also, Aubrey, Kim, and I want to go shopping." Basil said, his warmth returning.
 
 "There are seven of us though, we'll need to take two cars." Kim added.
 
 "Someone can squish in between the seats. Or Sunny can just sit in my lap!" Kel was, true to warnings, stealing a cold piece of bacon from Basil's plate.
 
 "Kel. That's totally unsafe." Hero chided him while he went back to Stephanie's side.

 "Yeah but the other way is to borrow Dad's car! Do you really want to drive right now, Hero?"
 
 "It's just to the next town over."
 
 "Guys. I can drive." Aubrey was twirling a strand of pink hair around her finger.
 
 Kel slapped the table. 
 
 "There! That's settled then! Aubrey and I will get us wherever we need to go."
 
 It was decided Kel would take Hero and Stephanie, while Aubrey went with Kim, Basil, and Sunny in tow. Aubrey's vehicle had definitely seen better days, and it took more than a few minutes to refuse to take Kel's car while he got his father's. The mall in question wasn't that far, right on the edge of Faraway and a neighboring town. Right on the edge to the point where it was hard to tell which town it actually belonged to.
 
 Sunny guessed that only people who do taxes cared.
 
 The mall itself was a clean, new affair. Storefronts all showed off the latest clothes and wares, all attempting to outbid their neighbors for attention. Sunny in particular was interested in finding a book, but couldn't help but be dragged along when not only Kim and Aubrey, but Basil as well, all swept everyone else along into a clothing store.

 "Hey Aubs, I know you like your jacket and all, but don't you want something lighter?" Kim was shuffling through a rack.
 
 "Says the girl wearing a hoodie."
 
 "It's short-sleeved! You look ready for the fall or something."
 
 "I just like it, okay? Oh... Maybe this t-shirt..." Aubrey squinted at the price.
 
 "Ah, these shorts are so cute, look, they have sunflowers on them!" The third said, holding them up.
 
 It was the happiest that Sunny had seen Basil. Also the most dejected and bored he had seen Kel. He gave the young man a pat on the shoulder. Be strong, Kel. For our friends.
 
 "Oh Basil, was it? Are you shopping for your girlfriend?" Stephanie asked from her place alongside Hero. The flower boy blushed more than a little, suddenly looking nervously to the clothes and back to himself. The tension was only broken when a t-shirt landed on his head.
 
 "There, it's the same as one that you always like to borrow." Aubrey was talking to Basil, but looking at Stephanie, as though she was gauging her.
 
 "Oh... For yourself..?"
 
 "Well... Um... I.. They're..."
  
 Kel's arm fell hard on Basil's shoulders. He had the look about him like he was about to make a grandiose speech.
 
 "Yeah! Basil's always looked good in this kind of stuff! Have you ever seen him with a flower crown? I bet he's the only one who could still pull it off." He gave a theatrical sniffle. "Our little Basil, at least we know where all of Aubrey's cuteness went."
 
 "Hey! I'm plenty cute!" Aubrey punched at the young man, who was dancing just out of reach of some choice hits. Enough time to see Basil looking from the t-shirt Aubrey had thrown at him back to his feet. Sunny remembered seeing this once before, it was the day Kel had talked about, the day everyone learned how to make flower crowns. Everyone had said that the boy really wore one well, and he flustered in much the same way, eventually coming to a compromise of always wearing a flower.
 
 Making everyone else happy. He could do that.
 
 "Those are cute." His voice was as deadpan as ever. You would think, however, that Sunny had just handed him some divine revelation.
 
 "Um! Do you really think so?" His voice got a little louder than normal in a swell from excitement. Sunny gave a thumbs-up, just like he did that day. Finally, Hero broke in as well.
 
 "Yeah, Basil. Really pick out what you like!" He gave a wink, and with the encouragement, it seemed even Stephanie came into line with this little fact of their friend group.
 
 "You know, now that Kel said it, I can imagine it. Wait, does that mean you know how to make them? No one ever taught me when I was a girl."
 
 "Um..! It's been awhile, but I might still remember. If you want to learn, then while we're having our picnic..?"
 
 "Sounds good. Teach me well, sensei."
 
 Sunny was happy. He still had that. His frustrations and his sorrows could wait to be teased out at home, for right now, things were working out with a little smile and positivity. Helping him cope... That was what Omori was originally made for, after all.
 
 ---
 
 Basil and the girls had their bags of clothes in tow, and Sunny had a new book in his arms. A story about some mysterious traveler and the maid they loved, as Basil summarized. Now the picnic was next in line, and the seven of them were being accompanied by a picnic basket, A flowerpot in Basil's arms, and Kel's commentary of all the history of the route there.
 
 "Down there's the church. Over that way is where I live, and where Sunny used to live! Yeah, we were next-door neighbors! Then over that way is where Aubrey almost broke my nose, but that's also where I play basketball..."
 
 Only he could find excitement in a tiny little nothing town. It was kind of refreshing. All the way, through the busy park, where he caught sight of Hero and Kel's parents, they were there with Sally. Hero's dad gave him a proud look before turning back to the grill, and before the group disappeared into the treeline.
 
 The path was always a little hard to follow at first, but once they found the first abandoned traffic cone, the rest was easy. All opening up to a deceptively deep lake with a statue in the center. In one "corner" of the clearing, there were pinwheels; white, green, orange, blue, pink, and purple. At the other end was a picnic blanket already set out. This one seemed to belong to someone in Aubrey's group, though. Basil replaced a withering flower with his new one.
 
 A hero sandwich from Gino's, cookies from the bakery, pasta salad from Basil, and countless other little odds and ends found their way to their destinies, as all seven sat around to eat. For a short time, it was really like nothing had changed. It was the group, together.
 
 Sure, it wasn't with Mari like he wanted, but he could bring that up later. With the good feelings he had going, with the bad ones he had pushed back down, everything would be okay, no matter what the others chose.
 
 The food was mostly eaten when Sunny noticed that Basil was weaving flowers together for a captivated Stephanie. Aubrey was alongside him doing much the same.
 
 He wondered if he could have done it if he had practiced more instead of run off with Kel.
 
 "Wow, that's incredible! How did you learn this?"
 
 "Oh, Mari taught us all!" Kel was grinning contentedly. Despite the shining attitude he said it with, a chill seemed to fall over everyone. Especially Hero.
 
 "Mari?"
 
 "Yeah... She was terrific at everything she did. A lot like Hero!" Kel hung his arm around Sunny. The gesture was clearly warm in spirit, but the only thoughts were that Kel was just digging a bigger hole with his faux pas. Like he was preemptively siding with him, and Sunny would give anything not to catch the young man in fire meant for him.
 
 "Who's Mari?" Stephanie's question fell drew everyone's eyes from Sunny to Hero to Basil and back again.
 
 "My... Sister." Sunny eventually choked out.
 
 "Oh you have a sister! Wow, I wish I did."
 
 "I... Thought you had a brother." Hero was deflecting.
 
 "Yeah but brothers are different!"
 
 The others all rallied around the new talking point.
 
 Flower crowns with Mari was a good memory, happy, but bringing it up had resulted in this. Even if Kel had brought it up... Well maybe it was best that he had. It informed Sunny to be more careful. Clearly Hero hadn't had a talk yet about what had happened.
 
 But, what about all the happy moments that he might have wanted to share? He had been eager to join Kel in reminiscing, but seeing he reaction of the others... It was a stupid idea after all. He was just going to cause more strife. His thoughts followed him all the way to the pier. Someone had brought up the idea of sitting by the lake, but he couldn't remember who. Every sound seemed to be muted.
 
 He looked into the lake. He saw reflections, familiar ones.
 
 A boy in striped pajamas, a boy in a checkered tank top, a girl in a mint nightgown, a boy with a flower crown, and a monochrome boy. A monochrome boy who held out his hand.
 
 He took his happiness...
 
 And he pushed it down.
 
 ---
 
 Everything had changed.
 
 He couldn't talk about his happy childhood, he couldn't explain why he was sad, he was angry but telling anyone would only hurt.
 
 No one needed him to help, or listen anymore. No one would listen to him in turn either, he'd just be dropping huge burdens, all tied to a past they seemed to want to forget. The rest all stayed together though, and had all gotten a little stronger because of it. They forged the bonds, and now he felt more on the outside. Big things weren't discussed around him. They had all moved on. They didn't need Mari in their lives anymore.
 
 He did though.
 
 They went on, and he still trailed behind. He might as well be her tombstone for all the good he did.
 
 Something hideous began to take root in him that day, and now at night, quiet and alone. Not fueled by anger, or fear, or sadness, he was just cold. Cold and tired.
 
 They would be better off if he had never come back.
 
 The door cracked open. Basil stood there in his new outfit.
 
 "Um..! It's not too much, is it?" Sunny shook his head no in response. He looked exactly like Basil should, for lack of a better expression.  Relief seemed to wash over his friend's face.
 
 "I'm glad! It's really comfortable and everything."
 
 Sunny made no response, just looking. Basil sat on his own bed.
 
 "Hey S-Sunny? Are you alright? You've been really quiet. Like, more..."
 
 "I'm okay." He was okay. He was going to be okay.
 
 ... He wanted to see Mari. Everything else felt so alien now.
 
 "If... You're sure." Basil shuffled, then moved from his bed to Sunny's cot, sitting on it. "I just... Want you to know that I'm h-here, you know?"
 
 No. Basil was the one who needed him. Calling him late at night. If he leaned too hard on him, he would break. He'd hate to see his face if he ever told Basil that his eye still hurt.
 
 "I-! I mean it! I'm always relying on you, but I want you to rely on me a little too!" Basil's sudden outburst caught him by surprise. Had Sunny accidentally let something slip? Would it... be okay if a tiny piece slipped? As he thought, Basil's fingers began to find Sunny's, and lightly, barely intertwined on the futon.
 
 Intertwining, tangling, gripping. Sunny could feel Something's breath on him again. It was behind him, all around him, looming over him, waiting to consume him, if he went any further.
 
 "It's just... You look like... You need someone."
 
 Sunny shook his head. His personal way of saying he was fine. Basil didn't need to know about this Something.
 
 "Okay.. But if you're not feeling well... Um, I had a surprise planned for tomorrow. I wasn't supposed to say anything, but if you're not up to it when you wake up, you can tell me, okay?"
 
 "Okay."
 
 Basil patted his hand before returning to his bed and putting out the light.
 
 "Sweet dreams, Sunny."

Chapter Text

Around him was a pastel playground. Children all ran around and played among themselves, jump rope and hopscotch, some sat on the swings or went down the slide. Everything was colorful and bright under a violet sky. Pinwheels turned in the distance, catching the pleasant breeze. He looked down at his arms. Stark white, and one hand was holding a knife.
 
 Omori wandered the park, wondering what there was to do today. The possibilities were endless.
 
 At one corner of the park was a picnic blanket. Four kids all sat around it. A girl with a pink bow took notice of the new arrival.
 
 "Omori! You're finally here!" She ran over from the blanket to Omori and did a little twirl. "We were all waiting for you!"
 
 "Aubrey! You almost knocked over my milk!" The boy in the checkered shirt shouted, grasping a bottle tight to his chest.
 
 "Oops..."
 
 "Hehe, Kel always seems really excited whenever he finally gets some, doesn't he?" A boy with minty green hair said while grabbing some pasta salad.
 
 "Well, he has to if he wants to be taller." The boy in the striped pajamas offered.
 
 "Just you wait, Hero! Next year will be it, I can feel it in my bones!" Kel was grinning.
 
 "So what do you want to do, Omori? Aubrey asked while clutching her stuffed toy to her chest. "Oh! We can go to the beach! Or to Rain Town, I got a new coat I can show off! Can you guess what color it is?"
 
 "Hold on Aubrey." Hero raised a hand. "First we should all eat, don't you think? Come on, I made a bunch of things for everyone. I think you'll especially like these sandwiches." He held out a plate of diagonally-cut sandwiches. The best kind.
 
 "O-Omori? Is something wrong?" Basil's voice sounded a little shaky.
 
 Something was wrong. Someone wasn't here. He missed her a lot, to the point where he might not even mind seeing the dark, one-eyed shadow of his old nightmares, or in the cracks and rifts in Headspace.
 
 There might be a way to see her again. But not in Headspace. The boy was sure of that much. 
 
 He looked to his friends, they all smiled warmly at him. They were all waiting to do some kind of fun adventure with him.
 
 Then he would, after he reunited everyone.
 
 Omori waved and headed home, they would all wait for him until he got back.
 
 Through the stump and into the colorful Neighbor's Room, watched over by the same Big Yellow Cat. Omori's favorite, watching over the thing most precious to him. He then rested a hand on the white door at the back of the room. 

 "O-Omori? What are you..?"
 
 Basil? He shouldn't be here. The others should all be waiting. Omori turned, and the flower boy was there, behind him.
 
 "It's just... You seemed really alone and... Well you always listen to me, so I can do the same for you, right?" He ended with a smile.
 
 Omori turned back to the door.
 
 "W-Wait! Please, I really want to help."
 
 Omori didn't need help, he wasn't furious, or miserable, or having a manic fit of fancy. He hid all those things. He was just doing his role and protecting everyone.
 
 "Please, Sunny."
 
 This was a complication. Omori offered a hand to Basil, who happily took it up, but then Omori started taking him to the door.
 
 "You want to... Show me something in there? Come to think, I don't think I've ever seen your room before!"
 
 Omori nodded and opened the door.
 
 Welcome to White Space.
 
 There was everything that Omori needed here. A laptop, a box of tissues, his sketchbook, and Mewo, all on or near a white blanket. A wire hung from the ceiling, ending in a light bulb that glowed red, then yellow, then blue.
 
 He promised to hide it, and even that wasn't enough. Omori had to take action.
 
 Basil entered the room as well.
 
 "Wow... This all feels familiar? The floor is cold, though. Are you okay in here?"
 
 Omori nodded. He turned to his sketchbook and looked through it, then at the laptop. All of the keys are in place. Basil, in the meantime, had been drawing nearer and nearer to the light bulb. The last visitor broke the other one.
 
 He was ready this time.
 
 Basil was under it now, illuminated in changing colors. A shadow began to stretch out at his feet. Tendrils and sharp teeth, a single eye among the jumble. The larger the shadow became, the more this Basil began to change. Blonde hair, shorts with sunflowers on them, he also became taller, even if not by much.
 
 "Sunny..?"
 
 That was it. Omori stood and acted.
 
 The white floor was splattered with red. Omori saw the fear in his eyes. 
 
 "Why..?" A tear dropped, and then the rest of him followed, sliding off of the shiny knife in Omori's hand. The shadowy Something still cast by the multi-color light bulb. Omori simply stood on the blanket, feeling reviled at the sight. As much as he was able to, at any rate.
 
 He was going to go find his big sister, and then everyone could be together again. Just like they all used to be.
 
 He pointed the knife, still slick with blood, at his stomach, and stabbed himself.

 ---
 
 He was awake, listening to Basil's breathing. He had something he wanted to do tonight. He waited until the sound proved to be steady before taking his duffel bag and pulling out the violin case. He took it in hand and slipped on his shoes.
 
 Then he stopped in the kitchen and took a knife as well. He could see himself in it. Monochrome, pale white and inky black.
 
 Only him.
 
 The streets were dark, some few pools of yellow light were the only break along the way. Except on his right side, where pastel colors reigned and the same purple sky slowly turned overhead. The occasional Bunny or the like bounding by. He passed by Aubrey's house. Her old house, at any rate. There was only a miserable blue glow in the window, and even more trash outside.
 
 He continued on. To the church. The door would be locked at this hour, but he was also a little healthier. With some small difficulty, he vaulted the fence. The cemetery stretched out before him.
 
 He had seen other cemeteries on his passage from city to town. None were ever as well kept as this one, though. The gifts and offering were always changed, the stones were kept clean, and the scent of flowers was in the air. His goal was on at the back of the graveyard.
 
 HERE LIES OUR DEAREST MARI
 THE SUN SHINED BRIGHTER WHEN SHE WAS HERE

 He didn't feel the need to cry, or felt any relief at finally being here. He just set his two important tools down. A knife and a violin case. He reached out, but retracted his hand. He wanted to pick one.
 
 He picked up the instrument, and sat alongside the stone, leaning on it.
 
 "I miss you."
 
 Silence.
 
 He set the item to his neck briefly, then put it back down.
 
 Would Mari blame him for doing this? Was it too selfish?
 
 ...
 
 What would Basil think?
 
 His mind wandered... Basil never dealt with being alone well.
 
 He wasn't alone, though. He had the others. They all had each other and someone else.
 
 Another look to his hand. There was a reflection behind him. Ebony tendrils, gaping mouth, single eye keeping watch over him. Something to ignore.
 
 He took his fear...
 
 And he-
 
 He pu-
 
 He pushed it-
 
 He felt something crack deep in his heart. A memory. A memory of another time that he had been here. Another time that he had very nearly... The same cold, empty feelings.
 
 He was afraid. Afraid of the fact that he had walked all the way out here, that he was doing this. He shut his eyes tight...
 
 And everything was white.
 
 Omori stood in front of him. There was a light bulb dangling from the ceiling. It glowed in three colors.
 
 "Why?" Omori asked.
 
 "... I can't."
 
 "You want to see her. Your friends already left you behind there. But we can all be together again. Here."
 
 "It's not the same..." Sunny sighed out, wringing his hands.
 
 "It's all exactly the same." Omori tilted his head with a genuine lack of understanding. "Everyone there changed, they're not the same as your friends, are they?"
 
 "No... They still are. They all want me to be there. They invited me. Basil calls me when he could just talk to Aubrey."
 
 "So that's your reason for fighting me? They all want you? What will you do when they don't anymore? What about what we want? What happens when you fight and break up again because of that?" He pointed at the bulb behind him.
 
 Sunny rubbed his arm. He didn't know.
 
 "You want to be with your friends. You want to be with Mari. You don't want to hide what you want. I can help with all of that. Let me."
 
 Sunny could feel it with all his heart. He desperately wished anyone else was here. He wished Aubrey would tell him to fight for some happiness, or that Hero would tell him that they would all tackle this together. He wished Kel would clap a hand to his shoulder and tell him that they would always be friends, no matter what. He wished the Basil would be here, and tell him how much he was cherished. Most of all though, he wished Mari was here. She always gave him the best advice. She would talk about how she was always here for him, or that there was a lot left to see, and that his friends all loved each other in a very real sense of the word. That he might sometimes be alone, but he could rely on them when he most needed. Always and ever the source of any wisdom he ever had, his savior in more ways than one. He gave a self-defeating smile as he remembered the time he was pulled from the lake by her. What would he have done if she wasn't there? Give up and wait to be saved, apparently.
 
 Although she would probably just say, "Sometimes your friends are far away, or they won't notice that something bad has happened. But then you have to tell them. Tell them and they'll be right there again, that's real friendship! They'll fight for you, so fight for your own sake, too!"
 
 A tear fell.
 
 Oh...
 
 That was what Mari meant when she had said that she would always be there.
 
 Sunny hadn't realized he had fallen to his knees. He got back up, and held something familiar in his hands. Familiar, yet different. His new violin.
 
 "Again?"
 
 "Again."
 
 Omori slashed wildly with his knife, the blade caught the light.
 
 "I only wanted to help. You created me, you wanted to be here."
 
 Sunny tried his best to fend off the hail of stabs with his bow, before returning with a swipe in turn.
 
 "I don't. Not anymore." He performed three quick strikes.
 
 "Aubrey didn't need your help. What would you have even done anyway?" A red hand rose, and shattered at a high note.
 
 "Kel's happy memories are all ruined because of you." A knife sank into Sunny's leg, then was removed with a shake.
 
 "Hero doesn't see you as a brother anymore, does he?" A swipe knocked Omori down, but he got up once more.
 
 "Basil wants to love you, and you'll mess everything up." The skies turned red, and the edge of the boy's knife drew a wicked line on Sunny's arm.
 
 "Why are you even alive?" Red hands closed off any escape. 
 
 "All my friends... They would want me to live." It was hard to breathe.
 
 "Everyone else has changed. They all moved on, and you're holding them back. Why are you even alive? Is it because you're scared what your Basil will do? Not good enough. Sick. Pathetic. Cowardly." Each of the last three statements were punctuated with a mad, hacking stab, ending with Sunny's right eye. Pain shot into it, as memories of that night replayed in his mind. Blood running down his cheek, an impossible pain, the look on Basil's face as he went from fear of Something to the terror of realization.
 
 Sunny...
 
 The memory of the smile they shared in the hospital, genuine relief at life.
 
 The memory of his friends all welcoming him again, the stupid things they all talked about.
 
 The memory of how hard he had fought to get his new violin. The promise he made to Mari that day.
 
 ...Did not succumb. He opened his eye, put his bow under one arm, and laid it on Omori's shoulder. He began to answer his last question. For his friends, but also, he realized with some bittersweet sense, not for them.
 
 "No... Because there are things I want to do. I want my sister to be proud of me."
 
 "She's not there."
 
 "I know."
 
 "She'll never tell you that she's proud of you."
 
 "I know."
 
 The pair of them looked at one another. Eventually, Omori turned, holding out his left hand, and the light bulb fell into it. Then he brought it back, dropping it unceremoniously into Sunny's hand.
 
 "You're giving up?"
 
 "No."
 
 "I won't either."
 
 "... I'll see you again." He faded away. Like this room, though, he was still somewhere. He always would be.
 
 Sunny threw the light bulb to the ground. He had Something- No. He had something he had to honestly face.
 
 ---
 
 Basil woke up. It was a beautiful sunny day!
 
 Speaking of Sunny... He had to check if his best friend was awake or not. Oh, the futon was empty. That was strange, Sunny was usually the type to sleep in. He probably wasn't making breakfast, he had inherited a lot from his sister, but cooking wasn't among those things.
 
 Basil put his hand down and hit something hard.
 
 "Ow."
 
 "...Sunny!?" The boy was in Basil's bed.
 
 Oh my God, he was in his BED.
 
 "Loud."

 Basil was definitely being loud, flustering this way or that.
 
 "Um..! I'm sorry! I didn't hit your-!? Um!"
 
 "You did." Sunny rubbed the right side of his face.
 
 "I'm so, so sorry. Are you okay? D-do you need anything? At all?"
 
 "It's fine. Just hurts sometimes." Sunny took Basil's arm and gently laid a hand over it. The warmth felt nice. "It's fine now."

 They stayed like that, Basil's attitude not completely relaxing even in that time.

 "C-could you n-not s-sleep?"
 
 "No."
 
 "Oh! I could h-have traded w-with you!" He was clearly happy that he didn't.
 
 "Basil."
 
 "Y-yes!?"
 
 "I want to visit Mari today. Is it okay?" Sunny tensed a little into his friend. Basil thought he could hear a tear hit the bed, but he could just as easily been imagining it.
 
 "Huh? Yeah, of course it's okay Sunny. Do you want me to come with you?"
 
 Sunny's single eye met Basil's. He seemed to be searching for something. Then his gaze settle firmly on the other's, and nowhere else.
 
 "Yes."
 
 "Okay then."
 
 The door swung open. Aubrey stood tall in it, smirk slowly spreading into a mad smile.
 
 "Finally. Vengeance!" 
 
 "Aubrey!" Basil whined out.
 
 "I should have known you couldn't wait, you've been close to combusting ever since Sunny got here." She noticed the camera alongside the door and snapped a picture, much to Basil's embarrassment. 
 
 "Please don't!"
 
 "No way. This is payback for coming into my room without knocking that one time." She leaned easily against the door. "Glad your whole confession thing worked out though, you look cute together."
 
 "B-But I haven't even..!"
 
 "...Oops. Hey Sunny, do me a favor and act surprised when Basil walks you home?"
 
 "Okay." He gave a thumbs-up from the bed.
 
 "Both of you!!" Basil squealed.
 
 "I'll go make a large breakfast. It'll take awhile so relax, sleep in a little." With an evil smile she shut the door behind her.
 
 Basil had his face in his hands. He seemed thoroughly lost.
 
 "So... Um... Yeah. That's... I mean I always... If you're not... Comfortable, I don't, um, mean you have to..." He cleared his throat. "It's okay if you don't want to, I mean. I know there's... a lot."
 
 Sunny honestly considered. He had known about Basil's crush for a very long time. It's not like it was surprising. It just felt strange. It was different. He didn't really have anyone to guide him, either. What do people who are in love do that's so different from friends? What happens if it turns out that they don't love one another?
 
 Sunny realized that once again, he had to walk forward on his own.
 
 But he had also done it once before. And he had the proof on his hands. One of which took Basil's hand.
 
 He gave his answer, and the two laid aside one another for awhile.
 
 ---
 
 Breakfast was large indeed, as promised. French toast, bacon, sausage, eggs, hash browns, all of the fixings. Nothing was burnt either, which surprised Sunny.
 
 He wasn't sure why, surely the years that she lived with her mother made her learn how to cook, if just to feed herself. Towards the end, while plates were being cleaned and some jokes exchanged, there was a knock at the door. Kel, Hero, and Stephanie were all there.
 
 "Hi everyone!" Hero started with his signature grin and wink.
 
 "Hey, Hero." Aubrey held up a hand in greeting.
 
 "Oh hey is there food?" Kel greedily approached the counter.
 
 "Yeah but it's all gone, nerd." Kim called out after him.
 
 "Aw, man. Hey wait! A spare sausage!"
 
 "That's gross Kel, you're like a vulture." Kim stuck her tongue out in disgust.
 
 "Whatever gets me what I need to grow! So, what are we doing today?"
 
 Basil and Sunny looked at one another. It was okay. He could at least offer.
 
 "I... Want to visit Mari today."
 
 The room was quiet. 
 
 The Kel took up the line.
 
 "Sure, Sunny. It's been awhile, hasn't it?"
 
 Hero shook his head.
 
 "I don't know if..."
 
 "Come on, Hero. When's the last time you went to see her?" Aubrey tore off a piece of bacon. "I'm up for it, I visit every Sunday anyway."
 
 "She's Sunny's sister, right? Does she still live here?" Stephanie asked, revealing the fact that no one had-
 
 "Hero... Did you not talk about it? After we all told you to?"
 
 "It's complicated..."
 
 "No it's fucking not!" 
 
 Sunny's ears perked up. Aubrey was scolding Hero, not the other way around. The usual way. A fight was brewing... So he ended it.
 
 "Hero... You don't have to come."
 
 "Bullshit! We should all be there-"
 
 "It's fine." Sunny chewed his words awhile. "I just need to give her something. No one has to come." He felt Basil squeezing his hand, telling him that he would be there.
 
 "...Come on, bro." Kel put a hand on his shoulder.
 
 "Sunny... Do you really want me along?" Hero asked. The young man was about to answer but was cut off.
 
 "I want you to be." Kel answered. "I want to go and I want you to come along, for the both of us."
 
 "Same here." Aubrey added.
 
 "...Okay."
 
 "Kim, Stephanie? You two coming?" She shook her hair out and stood. "We're going to the cemetery."
 
 "I... Oh... I'm so sorry. This is really important to you all, isn't it?"
 
 "I'll keep an eye on her, go on and do your thing, Boss Lady." Kim offered, and the two parted ways with a kiss. "Hey Steph, ever play Sprout Mole Eater Three?"
  
 Sunny grabbed his bag before leaving with his friends in tow. Walking the town with friends, just like the oldest days. Exactly like then except for Aubrey spitting as she passed her house.
 
 The church was illuminated in a myriad of colors, the stained glass showing its full splendor on the way to the back of the graveyard. Exactly where he had been just last night. He set his bag down again. Allowing time for Aubrey to draw close and put her hand on the marker.
 
 "Hey Mari... It's me again." She smiled. "It's not just Basil here with me to see you. Some nerdy kid with black hair is here, you might know him." She sighed out a laugh. "Turns out that he had something to give you. Even Kel and Hero joined."
 
 "Hey, I come by sometimes too!" Kel huffed. "...It's good to be here, though."
 
 Silence. The only sound was Basil, replacing the white egret orchid.
 
 "Well? Hero?" Aubrey had her hands in her jacket pockets.
 
 "H-Hi. Mari." He squeaked out. "It's... I'm here."

 "Hm? What do you have there, Sunny?" Basil was watching Sunny rummage in his bag.
 
 There was a violin case on his bag. He unclasped it and examined the instrument to make sure everything was in order. Then he drew up and set it to his neck, testing a note.
 
 "That's..." Basil started, but left the words to fall.
 
 "Hi big sister. I finally made it back." He sniffled. "It's hard... I miss you a lot, still.
 
 "I got caught up with school. I can't believe it, but I'm going to college this fall. Um.. Music theory. Fancy name for me playing the violin. I... Um... I don't know if I'm doing the right thing though. I think I just wanted to remember... I mean... Is it okay for me to take a part of you forward with me?
 
 "Either way... um.. Here. I wanted... I should have given you this sooner. I'm sorry."
 
 With tears down one side, he readied himself to play. In his dreams, he once done this once before. But the piano was never answered here, where his real friends were. So he finished it now. Maybe it was his imagination, but he heard the hint, the suggestion that the other half had once been there.
 
 He fell to his knees as the last note faded. His vision was blurry and he felt arms around him. Then another pair. Then another one over them all.

 He was stuck by the thought that he might have missed having this moment.
 
 He had swam to the surface. It was the most difficult thing he had done.
 
 ---
 
 "Did you seriously never tell her anything about Mari?" Aubrey looked over her shoulder. The group was walking along a sidewalk. The reasoning was that it was to "cool down" but it also now provided the perfect place to talk, apparently. 
 
 "It's... What do I even say to her? We all know what happened, but it's not like I can just... say everything." Hero was walking alongside his brother. He seemed tired.
 
 "I know but like, anything at all? You kind of left us all hanging on what to do."
 
 "Do we have to talk about this right now?" Hero answered, and then looked in shock next to him as Kel spoke up.
 
 "I do." Everyone was looking at him. "It's like... I want us all to be happy too. I get it but like, I don't think friends just never talk about hard things. We kind of learned that the hard way, didn't we?"
 
 "Yeah... With..." Hero glance to the remaining boys.
 
 "With Aubrey." Another look of surprise all around. "She was about to get killed for cleaning a house. What if we were a little late?" He looked back to Sunny. "That's the same day I started posting more to the group text. To make sure that I could still listen to everyone. And I'm tired of being apart from everyone I love, what's even the point of smiling if your friends aren't going to see it?"
 
 "...That was surprisingly thoughtful, Kel."
 
 "Hey, I'm a big brother now! It's a big responsibility!" He rapped his chest with his knuckles in a prideful way. "Seriously though, you should tell her something. Do you want some help?"
 
 "I'll be around too if you want." Aubrey added. "I'm sure Basil and Sunny agree."
 
 "Um... If y-you want." Basil said. Sunny could feel the thrum of his heart straight through the hand.
 
 "I'll think about it." He ran a hand through his mess of hair. "It's not like I just, stopped thinking about her. I still do, every day. But it might be hard for... awhile. I promise that I won't just... run away, though."
 
 "We'll get through it together. Some knucklehead told us all that once before." Aubrey glanced sidelong again, clearly wanting to change subjects now that she had talked to Hero. "Speaking of together... So what are we calling you two?"
 
 Basil blushed furiously. Kel seemed to finally take notice.
 
 "What do you mean, Aubrey? We're still calling them Basil and Sunny, right?"
 
 "Kel... You were doing so well."
 
 "Huh?"
 
 "They're clearly holding hands."
 
 "Yes, and? They used to do that all the time."
 
 "Wait really?" Aubrey seemed surprised by the news.
 
 "Yeah! So much that I wanted to do it too! It must be fun... Hey, let's do it!" Kel snagged Hero's hand, and then Sunny's in the other. "Come on Basil, get Aubrey! Group hand-hold!"
 
 "Yeah. Come on, Aubrey!" Hero added, a smile finally back on his face.
 
 "...You guys are such dorks." She snatched Basil's hand, and at Kel's lead, the five of them raced down the street.
 
 "Last one home is a rotten egg!"
 
 "That doesn't make any sense!" The pink-haired girl said, even as she picked up the pace.
 
 Every day wouldn't be like this, Sunny knew. Not every fight would end in a hand-holding race. Not every relationship would end up the same as it used to be either. Sometimes they may fight, or hide something. Sometimes old memories would rear their head, never fully going away no matter how far down they had been hidden. He would have to keep answering their call, now and in the future. There would be more work, more resolutions to find.
 
 For a brief moment, He saw a reflection in the window of a familiar house. A boy in an orange jersey, his brother in blue, a girl with black hair and a pink ribbon, a blonde boy in a green polo, and a boy with short, black hair. Beside them all was an older girl, wearing a smile and long hair, the same color as her brother.
 
 They were all the best of friends, even through the cracks and hardships, fights new, and old, and problems yet to solve. But for a single moment, they were off on another adventure.
 
 He made sure to cherish them all deep within his heart.