Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“I’m going to get my ears pierced.”

Kel has literally known Hero his entire life. In fact, he has known his whole family his entire life. Having lived consistently with the them for nearly fourteen years, it’s only natural to have certain expectations in how they would act like in a given situation.

Hero has already started this conversation off by shattering nearly everything Kel thought he knew about his older brother. Hero wouldn’t outright declare something like this at the dinner table. Hero was someone who would politely ask for something in the most non-confrontational way possible. His older brother would sooner face a room covered with spiders than dare say something so bold and blunt to his parents without leaving any room for arguement. Where his usually suave smile was supposed to be, lay his mouth firmed into a slight frown as he looked down at his dinner with fake interest. Everything about Hero right now felt wrong.

It’s a little scary. Not that Kel would ever admit to that.

Now their mom was as predictable as they come. Even with Hero acting so not-Hero-like, Kel knew what to expect from his mother. Sure his brother’s behavior will make her fluster a bit from shock but any moment now she’ll bounce back with vigor.

“Hero!” She would say aghasted with slowly building outrage. “What has gotten into you? Are you going through a rebellious phase? Would you do that to your poor mother??” The hammy guilt tripping was her way of countering Hero’s normally polite requests that she disliked. It was only natural she would lay it on as thick as possible right now. “Please at least consider my health before even suggesting such a thing!”

On the other hand, dad’s reaction varied occasionally. Sometimes he would simply let the conversation carry out without his input (that’s normally when it’s a petty arguement between Kel and his mother) but other times (mostly when Hero is involved) he would attempt to placate his wife to at least hear Hero out. Kel can see it now.

“Now now,” dad would hum calmly, gesturing his hands as if he could physically lower the tension by patting it down. “Hero is a teenager now. Kids his age tend to want to find ways of expressing himself.” There were also times when their father actually agreed with mom’s argument, but would try the more diplomatic approach. “Why don’t we think about this a little more together, Hero? Getting an ear piercing isn’t something you can undo very easily once it’s done.”

Even Kel’s own reaction was clear to him.

“Why would you want HOLES in your EARS anyway? Kel would ask with confusion painted his face. “That’s so weird! Weirder than someone wanting to dye their hair pink or something!” Perhaps he would throw in a playful heckling to bring the point home. “What, do you want holes as big as Sweetheart’s hole in her stomach in your ears? Seriously bro, what’s the point?”

Yeah, that’s exactly how the rest of the family would react to Hero being very strange. Maybe it would end up with Hero nervously stating that it was just a joke and apologizing for alarming everyone. Maybe Hero got suckered into trying to get his ears pierced because someone at school asked him to get one with them and he just couldn’t say no; secretly hoping for his family’s complete shut down would finally put it to rest. Heck, Kel could almost accept that this wasn’t actually Hero, but Hero’s secret evil twin named Villain trying to ruin his brother’s good reputation. Either way, things would get settled and their very predictable yet lively family would contine on with dinner.

Except none of those things happened. Hero just made his out of character declaration of rebellion and nothing but heavy silence followed for a few solid minutes. Mom and dad exchanged nervous looks with each other while Kel kept his mouth shut, hoping he didn’t have to get dragged into whatever what was happening. Hero merely continued to look down as if waiting for the ground to swallow him whole.

For you see, Kel’s family was just barely recovering from another earth shattering change that shook up their status quo. Hero, Kel’s good natured older brother has only just recently come back to him a little worse for wear.

It’s been only a couple weeks since Hero’s close to a year long break from life came to an end, and everyone was still on edge with trying to make things “normal” again. Kel’s ears still stung from the phantom words his brother screamed at him. He couldn’t help but shield his mind away from the sheer harshness of those shouts. Hero soon came rushing right back to him with a big hug, sobbing out words of shame and regret. That had given Kel the comfort he sorely needed, but the damage was done.<\p>

Thankfully things started to change for the better for once after that horrible night. Kel’s talented and well mannered older brother started making his comeback at top speed. Hero’s efforts to catch up with the school he missed implied that he was on the right track to graduate on time if he kept the momentum up. He tried to smile the same way he used to do when he catches Kel staring at him. He...

He doesn’t cook anywhere near as much as he used to, but Kel can’t find himself complaining. Just having anything close to his brother back was incredible compared to not having him at all for so long. Hero was doing amazingly compared to the past year, so it was hard to be nothing but supportive of him.

Kel just wished everyone would stop feeling like they were surrounded up eggshells whenever something seemed off with Hero, Kel himself included.

“Kel.” The younger sibling jolted at his name being called, seeing that Hero has finally rose his head again to give him a smile. It... it’s a little sadder than it used to be before Mari... Before last year, but still. It was something. “You said something about showing me the newest Pet Rock game you got?”

Hero didn’t really care about the Pet Rock franchise. Kel knew that. The young boy knew what an act of apology from his brother looked like. He had been doing that far too much lately, and it was starting to seriously annoy Kel. A year ago, Kel would normally call his brother out on it, but that wasn’t normal anymore. Hero always being a bit sorry looked like it was going to be the new normal for at least a little while longer.

“Yeah, sure.” Kel grumbled, pouting a little in an effort to make his displeasure known as much as he could without it being risky. That got a laugh from Hero that actually sounded genuine. Kel will take it.

Another week passed, and Hero now walked around with studs that blended in with his skin pressed against both of his ears. They were barely noticeable if you aren’t looking for them, so it was easy to forget they were there half the time. Kel wondered if that was also Hero’s way if apologizing to not only Kel, but to mom and dad as well.

Kel wanted to ask why Hero even bothered with it if he went out of his way to choose a pair as unnoticeable as possible, but he doesn’t. He catches Hero fidget with them whenever he was particularly stressed and thinks no one was looking, so maybe there was a point to it after all.

In the end, Kel accepted the studs in Hero’s ears as another part of his new normal.

Chapter Text

Years steadily marched on. Kel’s normal continued to morph in minor and major ways without any sign of stopping.

Hero managed to graduate on time. That itself wasn’t at all surprising since Kel’s brother was always the type to succeed once he put his mind to it. The last few summers of Hero’s High School career were packed considering all the extra schooling his brother had to do to make up the difference on top of all the extracurricular activities Hero threw himself into during the school years. With his brother continuously keeping himself busy and their shared best friend group disbanding, Kel felt pretty lonely.

Thankfully, Kel’s natural friendly energy managed to make him new friends throughout those years, and their company helped with the loneliness a bit. Starting friendships from scratch wasn’t terrible, but a part of him felt like it wouldn’t be possible to be as close to his new friends as he was with his old. Perhaps the fallout amongst his childhood friends had changed Kel more than he intially thought. He always felt Hero had become more reserved since Mari’s... passing, so maybe the same could be said for himself.

Kel’s new normal changed in ways both big and small. Now that he had expanded his social group, he exposed himself to all types of new people that he had never even considered before. Cris for one was a pretty awesome girl whose passion for swimming was something he found admirable. Her influence helped inspire Kel to try taking sports more seriously to see if any suited him. He was growing taller everyday and grew a fondness for basketball after Hero gifted him a ball for Christmas years ago, so perhaps that would be a good fit for him?

Not only did Cris open his eyes to his potential with sports, but she was one of his many other friends who made him rethink his stance on hair dye. In the past, Kel couldn’t understand why someone would want to dye their hair unnatural colors like pink or purple. Now though, if one of his buddies ever decided to dye their hair all the colors of the rainbow, Kel would just compliment them with a thumbs up.

The same can be said for piercings. He has met people who went way more hardcore compared to the measly one in each ear Hero had. Some didn’t even stop with their ears, but that risked crossing over to concepts that Kel still didn’t see himself comfortable with. He was not sure if he’ll ever be ready to accept them anytime soon, but that wasn’t the point.

Kel’s change in perspective led him to start reconsidering his brother’s studs. It felt like a waste for Hero to take the steps to ensure his piercings never closed and not even have noticeable ones. For the past few years his family had avoided talking about them. The last thing Kel wanted was to step on any of his brother’s landmines again, but he also had a feeling Hero was holding himself back out of fear his family would reject him. Which is what made Kel talk with his parents about giving Hero a little surprise, and the perfect opportunity was their family portrait.

Pictures always left Kel feeling a little somber. They reminded him of Basil and his beloved photo album filled with sweet memories long gone. Before he could lose himself to the bittersweet clutches of nostalgia, Kel was shook out of it by a sudden, high-pitched wail from his parents’ room. Outside of losing Mari, one of the other biggest changes in Kel’s life was the recent birth of his baby sister, Sally. Little Sal had to be the cutest baby Kel has ever seen, and he swore his older brother instincts started to develop the moment he laid eyes on her. However, his precious sister had the lungs of a seasoned opera singer, and tested Kel’s brotherly love for her every night when she wakes whole house up at ungodly hours daily.

Kel thought he hated mornings as a child, but nothing makes having to wake up early worse than a newborn baby whose screams like it was the end of the world. Kel couldn’t help the grumble escape his mouth as Sal’s cries only made tying his blue tie all the more irritating.

“Believe it or not,” Kel lifted his head over to the sound of his brother’s voice from across their shared room, “you were even louder than Sally is back when you were a baby, Kel.” Hero shot him an amused look as he straightened his suit jacket. His own orange tie perfectly fitted around his collar. Show off.

“As if you can remember that, bro!” Kel scoffed as he gave up on his tie for the time being to place his hands on his hips. “You were like what? Three?”

“That just proves how loud you were back then.” Hero fired back with a slight sing-songy tone as he crossed over to the younger brother’s side of the room. Either Hero was in a particularly cheery mood, or Kel was mere seconds away from a headlock/noogie combo attack. “It was so bad that it got burned into my memory.”

“Yeah right!” Kel stood his ground, confident that his brother wouldn’t dare risk messing up his hair or suit. His bravo was rewarded when Hero stopped in front of him and undid his own necktie.

“Follow my lead, okay.” Hero prompted as he took the two ends of his tie to redo it. Thankfully he went at a slow enough pace that Kel followed along with relative ease. The younger sibling wondered if their dad should have been the one to teach him, but quickly discarded thought. Hero probably explained it better than their old man could anyway. Once the two brothers pulled their ties taut, the crying from other room ceased. There wasn’t much time to appreciate the new found quiet when their mother’s voice called soon after.

“Boys!” There was a sharp knock at the door. “I finally got Sally ready and settled! Head downstairs! The camer man is waiting!”

Hero let out a short sigh as he turned to leave the room, but looked back curiously to see his brother not following. Much to his surprise he witnessed Kel undo his necktie but before he can scold him, Kel plastered a cheeky grin on his face.

“I want to tie this myself without help!” Kel explained to his baffled older brother. “Don’t worry, I’m pretty sure I got it. You go on ahead!” Hero didn’t look very convinced so Kel hastily added, “You won’t be around for much longer. I need to get used to being on my own here!”

Hero’s mouth closed with a barely audible click. It was true. Almost immediately after graduating, he threw himself right back into his studies and started applying to all sorts of universities. Faraway Town was hours away from any form of higher education, so in order to continue his schooling, Hero was going to have move out. The next huge change for this family was just around the corner.

“Well... I’ll leave you to it then.” Hero replied calmly. Kel can just feel the sad smile forming on his brother’s face. Unfortunately, that smile was present enough to be considered normal even now. “Try not to take too long, okay?”

Kel didn’t turn around until he head the door close behind him. He felt guilty for playing that card when it seemed like Hero had been in brighter spirits, but he couldn’t think of another excuse to get his older brother out of the room. What he said was partly true though. Kel gazed over at his brother’s side of the room. The numerous trophies, medals, and plaques from all of Hero’s accomplishments littered the area. One would think Kel would be burning with jealousy, and while a bit of envy was there, he mostly felt a lot of pride for all the hard work his brother had put in over the years. That dark year of Hero barely responsive in his bed seemed so far behind them now.

After sharing a room for as long as he could remember, Kel had to brace himself for the new normal of not even living in the same town as his older brother anymore.

Kel shook himself out of his melancholy and managed to redo his necktie in only two tries. He felt very accomplished. Rushing over to his drawer, Kel dug out a box buried underneath numerous clothes that didn’t fit him anymore. He wanted to make sure Hero wouldn’t accidentally stumble across it if his brother put away Kel’s clothes for him.

The dreaded feeling of nerves started invading his body, so Kel quickly snatched the box before jogging out of the room. The sounds of his family with the occasional voice of the photographer his father had hired grew louder as Kel hurriedly made his way down the stairs. Not yet wearing shoes, Kel slide himself into the living. His mother scolded him only briefly as he took in the setup. Their father had taken down the old fancy couch their grandmother had given them from the attic. Hero must have helped him this morning as Kel fought valiantly to steal a couple more hours of sleep after Sal’s wailing. The small backdrop behind it must have been brought over by the photographer themselves.

Wow, their parents are really going all in on this potrait. Then again, with the newest addition to the family around, and Hero on his way out, it was only natural that this picture should be as special as possible. That’s what made the occasion perfect for Kel’s late graduation gift. Kel shared a quick look with his parents when Hero was busy helping with the setup. They nodded back to him once noticing the box with supportive smiles. Kel took a breath.

“Ah, I almost forgot! Hey bro!” Kel suddenly shouted, catching Hero’s attention. Kel walked up to his older brother, before unceremoniously holding out the small box for Hero to take. “It’s kinda late, but congrats on graduating! You worked super hard!”

Hero just blinked in confusion before his expression shifted into sheepish acceptance. “Aw, Kel...” he sighed fondly as he took the box. “You didn’t have to get me anyth-“

“Yeah, yeah, yeah!” Kel interrupted as the nerves finally hit the pit of his stomach. He really needed this to get done quickly. If Hero liked it, then Kel can have some relief. If he didn’t... well it was just like ripping off a bandaid. “I didn’t have to, but I did! Open it already!”

Kel’s hastiness earned him a chuckle from Hero as he opened the box and took a look inside. After seeing the smile freeze on his brother’s face, Kel imagined the rest of the world froze along with it. With widen eyes, Hero took out the pair of black studs and just stared at them for a good few moments. Kel shot a concerned look over his brother’s shoulders at their parents, who only looked just as nervous as he felt.

“Yeah well, you’ve been wearing those same studs for years now, so I thought maybe you were due for a new pair?” Kel quickly filled the silence. God, he messed up. Just like he did back when Hero was too depressed to leave his bed all those years ago. “And I figured black just goes with everything while not being so in your face about it. I-I mean, I’m only going off of what I noticed my friends wear, so I might be wrong about that?”

Kel sighed in frustration. Why was Hero so quiet? If his brother was going to blow up at him, he rather it be sooner rather than later. At least this time Kel braced himself for the potential fallout. For some reason this lull feels worse than what little he can remember happening back then.

“Look, if you don’t like them I can return them. I just-“

“No!” Kel flinched a bit as his brother suddenly sprung back to life. Hero noticed, and sobered up immediately with an apologetic look before continuing. “I mean, I love them, Kel! I just... wasn’t expecting anything like this.”

Hero took a deep breath before giving his younger brother one of the brightest smiles Kel has seen from him in a long time. There was a bit of sadness still in there, but it was vastly dwarfed by the sheer amount of gratitude in Hero’s eyes. Kel finally felt the nerves in his belly dissipate.

“Thank you, Kel.” Hero added on in a quiet, but genuine tone. “Seriously.”

“Oh c-come ooon!” Kel let out a laugh as the seriousness in Hero’s voice made him feel a bit awkward, but not in a bad sense. “They’re just a pair of studs. No need to make a big deal about it, bro!”

Hero let his brother laugh off his heartfelt thank you with a fond grin before it grew wider. If Kel hadn’t been so busy playing off the thoughtfulness of his gift, he might have caught onto his brother’s nefarious plot sooner.

“You know what this calls for~?” The sing-songy voice came back with vengeance. Kel froze as a whole different set of nerves kicked into high gear.

“Hero, don’t you dare-!”

But Kel was too late.

“A big brotherly hug!” The younger boy was powerless against Hero’s attack filled with sibling affection. He was ensnared by the tight grasp of his brother’s arms, and the nuzzling Hero gave Kel’s hair with his cheek was a million times more embarrassing than any normal noogie could accomplish. “I love you so much!”

“Ah! My hair! Our suits!” Kel cried in pure shame. In front of the camera man no less! “Why are you like this!?”

Their parents merely laughed at the one-sided display of their sons’ brotherly love. Traitors.

“Now, that’s enough you two.” Their mother called out, finally showing mercy for her younger son’s pride. “Hero, let us see what Kel got you.”

Unable to ignore his mother’s call, Hero finally released Kel. The younger brother made a big show of establishing boundaries by wazing his arms around as Hero happily showed off his brand new studs to their parents.

“Oh those look nice.” Their father commented with a hum. “Why don’t you put them on for the photo?”

Hero blinked in surprise before he smilied sheepishly at his dad’s suggestion. “Would... would that be okay? I mean,” Hero fingered his old studs in his ears before continuing his worries, “they’ll show up more...”

“I don’t see why that would be a problem, champ.” Their dad assured.

“They’ll go perfect with your suit, Hero!” Their mom added on before turning her gaze down to little bundle in her arms. “Don’t you think so too, Sally~?” The newborn let out a generic baby sound, which both parents chose to interpret as approval.

Hero blushed, before he carefully undid his usual piercing to replace them with the new ones. Kel looked on and smiled even as he fixed his hair from the brotherly assault. This was exactly why Kel chose this moment to give Hero his gift. He wanted to show his brother that they’re all supportive of the man he’s become and whoever he’ll be later on in life. Now if only Kel can do something about their mom’s instance about Hero being a doctor...

“Come on Kel!” Hero called over as he replaced his old piercings in the small box and placed it inside his suit pocket. “You’re holding up the picture!”

“And whose fault do you think that is?” Kel playfully sneered back as he took his place behind the couch next to Hero. Their parents were already sitting on the couch with Sally angled towards the camera in their mother’s arms. This new family portrait marked a whole new beginning in their ever changing normal.

Kel felt like he could handle just about anything else life can throw at him from there on. Little did he know that life seemed too eager to test his resilience.

Chapter Text

Perhaps the universe felt the pressing need to challenge his belief that he could handle anything, because life came at him gun’s a blazing.

It all started when his mother told him a FOR SALE sign was planted in front of Sunny’s house. He hadn’t heard a thing from his old best friend for nearly four years, yet suddenly it was like he was on the verge of losing everything all over again. He felt like he was the same twelve year old twerp that had no control of the change that took everything near and dear to him away.

Except Kel was a sixteen year old teenager that somehow only grew more stubborn as time went on. Sure Hero’s long since moved out of Faraway Town, Aubrey had been hanging out with the wrong crowd, and Basil’s been... avoiding Kel for a reason that was unknown to him, but Sunny had been right next door this whole time! He couldn’t let things end like this without a fight! After months of calling only to be meant with Sunny’s mother politely stating that her son wasn’t available, suddenly the FOR SALE sign had a big SOLD sticker plastered on the front.

Only three days were left for Kel to try to reconnect with his estranged neighbor. Plucking up all of his courage, Kel marched over next door for his final shot, promising that if nothing came from it he’ll throw in the towel. He braced himself for the final nail in the coffin for his former best friends in his heart, so he honestly didn’t know what to do when the much smaller teen opened the door to stare vacantly at him.

Things sort of snowballed from there.

Then the two of them catching Aubrey and her friends bullying Basil happened. Then Basil asking Kel and Sunny to get his photo album back from Aubrey happened. Then cornering Aubrey in the church only to get beaten up by her happened. Then fishing the photo album out from Aubrey’s trash can and returning it to Basil happened. Then Kel promising to come back for Sunny the next morning for Hero’s return home from college happened.

Then Kel picking Sunny back up the next day to help with errands in Hero’s welcome back dinner happened. Then hearing from Basil’s caretaker that he was missing happened. Then Aubrey pushing Basil into the lake by their old secret hangout spot in a fit of rage happened. Then Hero showing up and jumping into the lake to save Basil and Sunny in the nick of time happened. Then Kel and Hero spending the second to last night of Sunny’s time in Faraway Town at their neighbor’s near empty house happened.

Then one of Aubrey’s friends showed up in the morning to ask for help happened. Then Hero leading Kel and Sunny into Aubrey’s house to check on her and all of them making up happened. Then finding out Basil’s grandmother was rushed to the hospital the evening before happened. Then Kel, Hero, Sunny, and Aubrey all just hanging out for the first time in four years happened. Then the four of them went to visit Mari’s grave with Hero and Sunny going there for the first time since the funeral happened. Then seeing the old treehouse in Sunny’s yard, and promising to always to there for each other from now on happened. Then Basil isolating himself after coming back from visiting his grandmother from the hospital, and the four of them deciding to spend the night at Basil’s house to be there for him happened.

Then finding Sunny and Basil beaten and bloodied on the floor of Basil’s room happened. Then the three of them following their two unconscious friends to the hosptial happened. Then Sunny making his way out of his room, breaking what must have been all sorts of hospital rules, and finding them all in Basil’s room happened.

Then Sunny telling Kel, Hero and Aubrey the truth behind Mari’s death happened.

Kel’s world blurred the moment his brother started screaming. Next thing he knew, Hero was storming out of the room, and Aubrey quietly followed with her hands balled up into fists. Kel just stayed in the room even after a few nurses arrived to take Sunny back. He was only vaguely aware when Basil tried to talk to him, rapidly rambling about “something” with multiple eyes and sharp teeth. “Something” that was the real cause of Mari’s death. Basil begged his friend to understand that “something” was to blame for all their misfortunes. It all became too much, and Kel finally rushed out of the room.

Why does this keep happening to them? Kel was starting truly to believe that he and his childhood friends could be together again after four years of being apart. He thought they could finally put Mari’s sudden death behind them, and they swore to always be there for each other for now on. So why does it feel like life is ready to take everything away from him again? It was only when he managed to stumble his way to one of the hospitals waiting rooms, did things start to sink in. As if he was in the middle of a four way collision with giant trucks hitting him from all sides. Everything had hit him all at once.

Everything.

Kel’s father had rushed them back to their house after the twelve year old just got his haircut. His dad was supposed to get one too, but suddenly they were on their way to get back home as soon as possible. The shock of police cars and men in uniforms right next to their house confused and frightened Kel. He caught a glimpse of Hero as one of the officers was trying to talk to him, but their mother was hovering over her oldest son like a protective hawk. His father left his side to go over to them, leaving Kel just to watch completely at a loss. His brother spent that night in their parents’ room, leaving Kel on his own for the rest of that horrible night.

It was only early next morning did Kel finally heard the news that Mari was gone.

Hero... Their mom said Mari was found hanging from a tree in the backyard of her house that afternoon. Police kept visiting a couple days after, asking for his brother. Their mom always had a loud voice, but Kel couldn’t recall any other time he heard her sound so scary. Hero spent anytime he could just huddled under the covers of his bed in their shared room. Whenever Kel tried to talk to him, his brother just begged him to stop. Kel couldn’t help but listen.

Soon things started changing too fast for Kel to process. The police stopped coming and Mari’s funeral came and went. Hero stopped leaving their room after they buried Mari, and isolated himself from the world. Basil seemed to be everywhere Kel wasn’t. Sunny followed Hero’s lead by never leaving his own house. Aubrey kept trying to pester Kel to tell her how the others were doing, so the young boy started talking to other people to avoid her. Kel was losing everything right before his eyes, and he felt powerless to stop it.

Suddenly nearly a year passed with Hero still nothing more than a lump on his bed. Kel was at his limit. He was tired of life taking everything away. He at least wanted his brother back. So Kel tried.

“You know... Mari wouldn’t want to see you like this.”

Even with all these horrible memories flashing before his eyes, Kel still couldn’t bring himself to recall exactly what Hero screamed at him that night. The only part that came to him was the tail end of his brother’s tirade.

“Mari... Mari! I... I want to see Mari!”

Kel finally snapped back into present. He suddenly wanted to see Hero. No. Kel NEEDED to see Hero. Thankfully he later found his brother along with Aubrey waiting for him in the parking lot. The two of them seemed to have been stewing in the frontseats of the car his brother borrowed from their dad. Kel never felt more relieved to be alone in the back. The three of them were dead silent on the drive back home.

Even after the brothers dropped off Aubrey at Kim’s house, the on-going silenced continued with no end in sight. Even though the trip was supposed to be short, it felt like an eternity as all of Kel’s nerves bellyflopped into his stomach.

Still the younger teen needed to keep his eyes on his brother. Kel found himself fixating on one of Hero’s studs that was barely noticeable from the angle he had been sitting in. Kel couldn’t recall noticing his brother wearing the black ones he’d given to him months ago even once since his brother’s return. Did Hero switch back to the ones that blended with his skin more? Admittedly, the pass few days had been so action packed that Kel didn’t even think of checking to see if Hero ever wore the new studs. Not that he would dare ask his older brother about them at this moment. The train of thought was a welcome distraction nonetheless.

Finally the car pulled into the driveway and Kel quickly unbuckled his seatbelt with the fullest intention of sprinting into the house in a frenzy, but he was stopped when his brother spoke at last.

“I’m sorry, Kel.” Hero’s voice was hoarse and weak. The shuddering breaths coming from him made it clear that he had been crying. “I... I’m so sorry...”

Kel paused as he watched his brother’s shoulders quaked and forehead lower to touch firmly against top of the steering wheel. Even though Kel had blocked out most of what Hero screamed at him 3 years ago, he still remembered his brother’s crying vividly. Back then Hero had towered over him. His enraged misery shook Kel to his core. Now looking at his brother’s shaking back as he tried to keep himself together, Kel couldn’t help but think his brother looked so small.

Maybe Hero had been small back then too, but Kel wasn’t brave enough to see it.

Kel chose not to say anything in response to Hero’s apology. Instead he exited the car and closed the door behind him. Instead of rushing into the house like he had planned though, Kel walked over and knocked on the driver’s window. Hero jointed up in shock to stare at his little brother. His eyes were red and swollen from tears. Kel wouldn’t be surprised if Hero had been crying ever since he left Basil’s hospital room. He knocked on the window again to break the young adult out of his trance, and Hero found himself completely engulfed in a tight hug the moment he opened the door. Then Hero broke down.

“It won’t be like last time, Kel!” The older sibling wailed as he returned the hug tenfold. Any attempt at keeping his composure was discarded as he continued his pleading. “I’ll keep trying! I won’t let you, or mom, or dad, or Sally down... I-I swear!”

“I believe you, Hero...” Kel sucked in the biggest breath he can manage to keep himself from losing it completely. His brother needed him. A few tears welled in his eyes, but he stubbornly kept them from falling. “And you’ll never let any of us down, okay? We’re all so proud of you...”

The two of them embraced in the driveway for a long time. Hero was still buckled in and had to twist his body in an awkward angle while the seatbelt dug into Kel’s shoulder, but neither brother seemed to care. It went on so long that Kel couldn’t keep his tears from falling any longer, but it felt alright. Even if the two of them were crumbling, they still had each other to keep them from breaking completely.

Chapter Text

If time travel were possible, Kel would totally travel back a year in time purely because he was sure sixteen year old Kel would give him the biggest high five ever. Well, of course he would do lots of other things with a time machine considering the way his life has been up until this point, but Kel wasn’t about to let past regrets get in the way of his good cheer. It was a lot of work, but Kel feels like he and his friends had come a long way since last year.

The rest of Sunny’s prolong stay in Faraway Town was a mess of many things; good and bad. It felt like just his brother’s mental state was a mixed bag. Thankfully, Hero didn’t relapse back to his depressive state, or completely consume himself with his studies. However, Kel would catch him just... spacing out at random for up to 20 minutes at a time. He would also visit Mari somewhat often, either with Kel or just by himself. Hero avoided seeing Sunny or Basil in the hospital though, opting to just wait in the car whenever he dropped his younger brother off.

Kel couldn’t fault his brother for that.

Much to his pleasant surprise, Aubrey made it a point to talk to him whenever the two bumped into each other. She tried to play it off as no big dea when she would ask Kel about how the others were doing, but he can feel her brace herself for rejection. Kel couldn’t blame her. The situation was eerily similar to four years ago after Mari’s death. Aubrey had demanded Kel to tell her about the well being of their friends back then, leading the twelve year old boy to become overwhelmed and leave her behind. Kel wasn’t going to let the threat of change deter him anymore.

So Kel and Aubrey talked about anything and everything. About what the last few years apart from each other was like, to how they want things to be moving forward. It even led to him convincing Aubrey to visit Sunny and Basil in the hospital a couple times before Sunny’s time in town finally ran out for real. He was given the all clear to leave, and his mother was going to take him to their new home in the city.

Kel couldn’t help but gawk when his brother unbuckled his seatbelt and left the safe haven in the car to join them in seeing Sunny off. Hero quietly allowed the teens say their goodbyes to the youngest. Surprisingly, yet unsurprisingly enough, Aubrey cried the hardest while Kel ruffled her hair as his way of comforting her. The taller teen himself was fighting tooth and nail to keep his own tears from spilling over, but a few traitorous teardrops went down his face regardless. Basil’s face was curiously dry, but judging from how red and swollen his eyes were, it was obvious he had already did his own crying. Perhaps he and Sunny already said their goodbyes.

“You better keep in touch Sunny!” Kel’s voice was bright, if a bit choked up. “Don’t make me come knocking on your door over in the city!”

Sunny didn’t say anything in return, but managed a tentative thumbs up at Kel’s friendly threat. The quiet teen stayed as stone face as ever, but the slight shine in his dark eye wasn’t missed by his friends. Sunny was just about to get into his mom’s car when suddenly,

“Sunny!”

Hero’s voice called out, making Kel and the others freeze in shock. They had honestly thought the college student was content with his presence alone serving as his send off. Obviously, Hero had other plans. The oldest of the group stepped forward to stand in front of their youngest. For a split second, Kel was scared his brother had reach his limit again and was about to lash out. However, the look in Hero’s eyes was not one of anger or despair. It was determination.

“I... Sunny I-!” Hero swallowed harshly, seemingly struggling with his words before he started again. “What I said before, about the move being good for you...? I really meant that! I still mean that. So...”

Hero flashed another one of his sad, yet still genuine smiles that Kel has long since gotten used to. His brother’s melancholy grin has held a lot of things over the years. Kel has seen apologies, care, gratitude, and all sorts of other feelings mixed in, yet he couldn’t quite place this one right away.

“Do your best. I’ll do the same, okay?”

Oh! It was understanding. Oh...

Sunny blinked before the tears welling up in his eye finally spilled over. He forcefully nodded his head before flashing his childhood friends with a watery smile which they all returned. Then Sunny entered his mom’s car and left as they waved after him until they couldn’t see the vehicle anymore.

Not long after Sunny’s official departure, Basil was sent away somewhere. Kel freaked out a bit at the news, but after Polly assured him that it was out of Basil’s best interest, Kel managed to calm himself down. Polly had proven again and again that she truly cared for Basil and wanted to help him in anyway she could. Thankfully, wherever Basil was sent to, they allowed him with Internet access to keep in touch.

That last part sure helped Kel when he had to stop Aubrey and the rest off the Hooligans from going on some sort of quest to find the plant loving boy.

Soon that hectic summer finally came to and end. Hero returned back to college, and the two teens left in Faraway Town started their senior year of high school. He and Aubrey continued their renewed friendship, and Kel even managed to befriend most of the Hooligans to boot. He still clashed with Kim and The Maverick, but nothing too terribly serious other than petty squabbles.

Before his brother left though, Kel made sure to make a chatroom with himself, Hero, and Aubrey to keep in touch. He fully intended to add Sunny and Basil later on, but didn’t want to pressure them right off the bat. Kel was determined to keep communication up between himself and his two wayward friends. He tried to introduce at least five different topics throughout the day to get keep Sunny and Basil talking to him. During the rare times when either of the two started a conversation all on their own, he would dive right into the subject with gusto, even if he didn’t really have much to add. Unlike Kel at age 12 who was too intimidated to risk ruining things even further than they already were, older and wiser Kel was determined to keep everyone in touch. His efforts paid off.

Basil agreed to join the group chat after two months of private messages and careful proding from Kel and Aubrey independently. Then they hit a bit of a snag when Hero suddenly went MIA for nearly two weeks conveniently after Basil’s first day being added, but Hero quickly apologized for his sudden disappearance after he returned. Apparently midterms had kept him busy. Thanks to Kel privately checking on his brother though, Kel eventually got the full truth from him. Basil joining after so long with little warning had completely blindsighted Hero. The fact that it happened while he was stressing over important exams didn’t help matters.

Kel made a mental note to give his brother a better heads up when Sunny was ready to join. Of course that note was rendered useless when Hero himself messaged him about whether or not it was okay if Sunny was added just a few days afterwards. Apparently, even though Kel had been persistent in his messages to their quiet friend, Hero was being just as diligent while managing results. The usual initial rush of envy when his brother excelled in something Kel himself was trying to accomplished was quickly discarded when the younger brother remembered the look of understanding Hero gave Sunny before the youngest left. Perhaps this had less to do with Hero being naturally talented, and more to do with he and Sunny being able to identify with each other.

Regardless, Kel couldn’t help the feeling of joy to have a place where all his best friends gathered together, even if it wasn’t in person. The five of them had gotten themselves into a comfortable place when Aubrey reminded Kel that there was still some stuff his friends needed to be caught up with in the brothers’ lives.

Aubrey: Hey Hero when did you get your ears pierced?

Sunny: :0?!

Basil: huh?.? hero has a ear piercing?

Basil: simce when???

Basil: *since

Aubrey: I only noticed them when I tugged at one of his ears last year.

Aubrey: Don’t ask

Aubrey: It felt weird to ask him back then and I just remembered.

Kel couldn’t help but feel his old nerves shoot up at the mention of the once taboo subject. Sure he and his parents had expressed support to Hero’s decision over a year ago, but it wasn’t like the holes in his brother’s ears ever came back up in natural conversation since. At first, Kel waited for his brother to chime in so he can follow his lead, but there was no sign of Hero responding.

Well if the pass year had taught Kel anything, it was that sometimes it’s worth to boldly take the lead even when it’s scary.

Kel: Oh yeah!

Kel: During high school Hero just declared that he was going to get his ears pierced!

Kel: We were like D:!!!

Kel: It really came out of nowhere! XD

Aubrey: Oh so even a Boy Scout like Hero had a rebellious phase

Aubrey: Good job >:)

Hero’s continued silence was just about to drive Kel into a fit of worry until the college student finally responded.

Hero: Well actually... It wasn’t out of nowhere at all. At least, it wasn’t for me anyway.

That made Kel blink. He always figured that Hero hadn’t just wake up that day with the sudden decision to pierce his ears, but he never worked up enough courage to ask why. Just like how he never asked Hero why he decided against wearing his new black studs in favor of the barely noticeable ones. Was his brother really going to explain himself in their chatroom with their friends of all places?

Aubrey: So it wasn’t a sudden need for expression? Shame.

Aubrey: But seriously I never took you for a ear piercing type of guy.

Hero: Ahaha. I guess I really don’t seem like one, do I? Honestly, I always thought earrings looked really cool. I was thinking about getting my ears pierced for nearly a year before I finally said I would. Didn’t really have the nerve until then.

Aubrey: Well hey good for you!

Aubrey: Could have probably gotten a better pair though I didn’t notice them until I touched one of them

Hero: Well, Kel brought me some new ones as a graduation present, but I feel like those should be worn for special occasions.

Oh. That makes some sense.

Kel: Ahhhhh!

Kel: Another mystery solved! :D

Hero: Ahaha. I didn’t mean for it to be a mystery, Kel.

Aubrey: What a spaz.

Kel: D:< !

Hero: Guys, not now...

Sunny: Hero ummm...

Basil: sunny is using words!

Oh wow. Looks like today is just filled to the brim with surprises for Kel. There was only one way he think of reacting;

Kel: :000000!!!!

Sunny: XP

Hero: What’s up, Sunny?

Kel watched Sunny start writing, stop, and start again. The usually quiet teen even through text seems like he had something important to say.

Sunny: Actually, do you think we can talk about it in private? I don’t want to accidentally ask you something you weren’t comfortable with here. You don’t have to answer me though either. I’m just curious is all. In fact, you can just say no to me here too.

The future basketball star inhaled deeply once Sunny’s message finally dropped. He wasn’t surprise to hear that Sunny and Hero still chatted independently from the chat after his realization when Sunny was first invited in, but he honestly couldn’t tell just what Sunny had to ask his brother that he didn’t feel comfortable in front of the others. Especially if it had anything to do with the current conversation.

Hero: Of course. I don’t have a problem with that Sunny. Be right back guys!

Sunny: -_- /

Kel was left just hovering over his keyboard in anticipation. Judging by how suddenly quiet the chatroom had just gotten, he had the feeling that Aubrey and Basil were in similar states. Whatever the youngest and the oldest were discussing, Kel hoped that they would at least share some it with the rest of them. He wouldn’t hound them on it, of course, but the idea of another potentially big secret not being shared amongst all of them hit Kel in all the wrong places.

After what felt like forever, the chat sprung back to life.

Hero: Wow. I always say Sunny has the best memory out of all of us, but he still ends up surprising me every time.

Sunny: :( ?

Hero: No, it’s okay. I don’t mind. Honestly, I’m relieved you asked. I should probably talk about stuff like this more...

Deep even breathes. That’s what Mari always told Kel when he got too excited as a kid.

Kel: Come on you two!!! Just spit it out! This vagueness is way too much! DX

Hero: Easy Kel...

Hero: The truth is the only other person I ever told about wanting earrings back then was Mari.

The group had made an unspoken agreement that whenever Mari’s name was said, the others stayed silent until the one who mentioned her name said their piece.

Hero: I tried to be subtle about it, but she saw right through me naturally. Like always, she did everything she could to support me. She would show me all sorts of magazines with guys having piercings and talk about all kinds of different types. She put way more thought into it than I ever did. Ahaha...

Then was a noticeable lull in activity, but before Kel could break out of his trance at his brother’s confession to respond someone beat him to the punch.

Sunny: Mari... I remember that she would spend a long time in the jewelry section just starring at the earrings. She would go as far as to hold them up to her ear and considered which one was the best. She always had that serious look on her face when she was focusing on something important.

Pause.

Sunny: My parents thought she wanted to pierce her ears herself. Dad nearly had a heart attack at the thought.

Kel laughed at that. From what he remembered of Sunny and Mari’s father was that he was as stone face as Sunny at times, but had a noticeable weak spot for his daughter. He had vivid memories of the old man giving Hero a hard time whenever he caught the two being too flirty, only for Mari to give him an even more hard time right back. Kel can only imagine the playful bullying Mari subjected her dad when he worried over her poor unblemished ears. Kel settled from his laughter feeling relieved. Sunny most definitely added that last bit to ease the bittersweet feeling that came over the chat whenever Mari came up. Despite everything, he was glad to be best friends with him and the others again.

Hero: In the end, she surprised me with these studs. The idea was to ease mom and dad into the idea before trying anything more flashy. Not that I ever thought I’d be ready for flashy ones though.

Kel: So...

Kel took a deep breath. Things will be alright. Sunny had already did all the heavy lifting. Hero won’t get mad. His brother is stronger than that.

Kel: Is that the real reason why you don’t wear the other pair?

Kel: Because Mari gave those to you?

The answer was immediate.

Hero: No!

Hero: I mean maybe that’s a part of it, but what I said before wasn’t a lie either! Yes the studs Mari gave to me are important, but the ones you gave to me are just as important, Kel!

Hero: So I decided to wear Mari’s gift more often to remind me to keep going. Then I can wear yours when something special happens to remind me of all the amazing things I still have.

Man, Aubrey was right. Hero really is the biggest sap during times like these. A lot of the time, Kel wished his brother and all there friends were here with him in person. The idea that most of their interactions were through screens still made him feel pretty lonely.

Now he was thankful that he was physically alone at the moment, so the others wouldn’t have to know that his brother’s sappy speech actually moved him to literal tears. His reputation would be ruined forever.

Aubrey: Okay okay that’s enough heartfelt declarations of love thats like what the fifth one this week?

Basil: ahaha... weren’t you the one who did the last three of those?

Aubrey: Shut it Basil!

Basil: :3c

Sunny: ;)

Aubrey: Teaching the two of you emojis was a mistake

Hero: *^_^ *

Aubrey: Hero how could you do this to me?

Kel let out a good haughty laugh at that. The kind that threatened to shake his whole belly loose. He tried to pretend that the tears that followed were from the laughter. Now, he just needed to think of the most obnoxious emoji to get Aubrey to snap at him and get into one of there famous petty squabbles.

Kel: :PPPPPPPPPPP ****

Aubrey: I KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE KEL

The normal from all those years ago was long gone, but Kel was looking forward to the new types of normal he can forge with his precious friends for years to come.

Chapter Text

“Happy anniversary, Hero!”

Mere moments before, Mari was simply admiring Hero’s relaxed state.  The two of them managed to have nearly the whole day to themselves while their younger friends were kept company by Basil’s kindly grandmother.  Bless her dearly.  Sure, Mari loved her brother and the rest of their friend group, but there was always something more at ease with just having Hero for herself for a prolong period of time.  With the others around the teenage boy felt the need to be the responsible, attentive one while Mari herself more indulged in their inner mischief.  With just the two of them though, they can just be themselves.  They weren’t the “older siblings.”  They we’re just Hero and Mari.  Nothing more and nothing else.

Of course, they went through a major change in their dynamic once they two of them officially started dating.  Suddenly Hero’s harmless yet genuine flirting had more weight, and Mari’s general need to make things work out just right started applying to their time together.  The hard gaze from Mari’s father that was always sent Hero’s way had grown more severe, and Mari’s endless support for Hero’s dream of being a chef was on a collision course with his mom’s demand for him to go to medical school.

Still, the two teens were best friends turned loving couple.  The growing pains seemed small compared to the opportunity to explore their mutual feelings in such a new, exciting way.  Take now for instance.

Mari couldn’t help but relish the caught off guard expression on her boyfriend’s face as it quickly morphed into mild panic.  She simply help out a small box in her hand as she let his thoughts wildly trying to recall any potential event of note that could have possibly, inspired this.

Naturally there was none.  As far as Mari was concerned, she didn’t need a specific date to surprise Hero with a gift.  Her boyfriend’s ever growing pile of cookbooks were a testament to her gift giving whimsy.  Of course, Hero was just as bad as she was with all the terribly sweet little favors he gave to her in return.  From books filled with cute cats to his delicious picnic meals, Mari felt properly spoiled enough that it only prompt her to just get him more gifts in their little endless cycle of gift giving.

This gift in particular was pretty special though, so Mari thought it would be fun to playfully make her boyfriend sweat a bit to ease him into it.  Plus, it’s always fun to mess with Hero.  Thankfully for the two of them, Hero noticed the smug grin she couldn’t quite repressed on her face and his panic calmly settled into exasperated fondness.

“Oh no!” Hero somehow managed a tone that both sounded troubled while clearly dripping in deadpanned sarcasm.  Mari could have cried with pride with how developed his humor has gotten over the years with her if she wasn’t valiantly trying her best from cracking into laughter.  “I completely forgot the three day anniversary of you convincing Kel to try dog food!  How could I be so careless?”

All it took to push her over the edge was the smallest of huffs that somehow sounded just disheartened enough.  Mari let out a snort of laughter as Hero let his performance drop to admire his girlfriend’s glee.  Mari had to pull herself together before her original purpose was lost.

“Okay okaaay!” Mari settled herself down enough to catch her breath.  “This is just a ‘I like you, so here you go!’ gift for you!  No anniversary necessary!”

Mari nudged the box over to Hero, urging the older teen to take it out of her hand.  Despite him catching onto her mischief, she noticed Hero was still flushed at her actions.  Gosh, why does her really hot boyfriend has to be so dang cute on top of it all?

“Don’t worry, this isn’t a proposal!”  Mari had to let one last tease out of her system.  “I haven’t challenged your mother for your hand JUST yet, after all.”

“I sure hope you’re completely joking about fighting my mom, Mari…” Hero laughed sheepishly, well aware of his girlfriend’s growing frustration with his dramatic mother.  Without another word, Hero took the box.  “Can I-?”

“Yes, open it already!” Mari demanded, a bit of her nerves escaped from her giddy giggle.  She knows this would be a controversial gift, but it was one Mari was sure Hero would love to get.  She loved making her boyfriend as happy as he made her.

With that last bit of encouragement, Hero carefully opened the box.  Once he saw the contents inside his face morphed from confusion, to wide eyed awe, and finally settled on concerned excitement.  Mostly concern though, which was expected.

“We’ve talked about you wanting to get your ears pierced for the longest time.” Mari declared with determination.  She had to strike before Hero psyched himself out.  “Plus I read that you needed to keep some studs in your ears for at LEAST 6 weeks to keep your piercings from closing, so you’re gonna need these when you do!”

“O-oh Mari…” Hero finally found his voice again and he flickered his eyes away from the studs back to his well meaning girlfriend.  “This is really nice of you, and I love them, but my mom…”

“I made sure to get a pair that matched your skin tone as much as possible!  She’ll barely have to notice them!”  Mari’s supportive steamroll was at full force now.  “Plus, if you get your ears pierced during the summer, they can have all the time they need to health, so you wouldn’t have to wear them at school or anything!  I even found a good place at the Close By Town’s mall that uses a piercing gun to keep the pain at a minimal!”

Mari had done all the research once she confirmed Hero’s desire to pierce his ears.  She even went as far as to look at all of the stores in Close By Town’s mall that sold earrings and compared them to her own ears to see just how noticeable they where with Hero in mind.

It was honestly a pretty fun time because she could feel the needless worry her father was experiencing behind her back.  Those fears only grew more once Sunny started helping her in his own way.  Considering how her father kept Hero nervously waiting at the door under his intense gaze whenever the teenage boy came to visit or pick her up at home, Mari decided he can stand to worry over nothing for her boyfriend’s sake.

Hero looked back down at his gift.  He looked less tense as he gazed fondly at them, but there was an air of bittersweetness that Mari didn’t like seeing on his face at all.

“My mom’s never going to allow it.”  It was an absolute fact.  Hero’s mom had all the expectations in the world for her oldest.  “After all, what would my patients say…”

That last sentence was said in a tone very much not Hero’s, so Mari knew it wasn’t his own thoughts.  She didn’t hesitate speaking against them.

“Doctors have to deal with patient’s opinions.”  Her words when far too blunt for the playful atmosphere she was shooting for, but she couldn’t help it.  She felt like she had to make her words as strong and unmoving as possible to combat the insistent demands of her boyfriend’s mom.  “Chefs on the other hand-“

“Mari, please.” Hero uncharacteristically interrupted Mari, flinching a bit as he did.  He always had a tough time speaking over people, even when he was so obviously uncomfortable as he was now.  “Not now…”

The teenage girl had to literally bite her lip to stop the conversation in it’s tracks.  For as much as she wanted to support Hero in anyway she can, she didn’t want to push him too hard or else she would be no better than the pushy woman she was fighting against.  It was a delicate balance.  One which she hadn’t maintained as well as she hoped.

Now for example.

Mari became preoccupied with thoughts on how to salvage this moment.  Making a random joke felt insensitive.  Changing the subject would probably be better but to what?  She didn’t want to completely step away from the earrings or else her intentions could be completely lost, but to keep pushing for them would do the exact opposite to of what she wanted.  What’s the best course of action here?

Of course, it was that moment when Hero’s nature charm dwarfed Mari’s overthinking tirade.

“H-hey Mari!” There was still some wariness, but his tone was back to being somewhat light.  “Over here!”

Mari turn back to her boyfriend with a questioning look before she was forced to bite her lip once again to keep from immediately snorting.

“How do I look?”

Hero, the love of her life, had removed the studs from their box and was holding them in front of his ears.  The true crowing jewel of the scene was the fact that he was flashing her his best charming grin.  She can practically hear the sparkles surrounding his bedroom eyes.

He had long since accepted that his girlfriend was forever immuned to “the look” inherited by his father, but Hero has learned that using it on her at complete random times was handy in a pitch if he wanted her to laugh easily.  Mari should have know Hero would be the one to rescue their moment.  Deescalating situations was one of his many talents.

“Like a dork.” Mari finally responded once she recovered from the sudden attack of laughter.  “A very handsome dork.  Just the way I like it!”

Mari’s counterstrike was complete with a seductive wink.  While Hero’s flirty look was ineffective against her, her own efforts almost never failed to hit their mark.

The mark being Hero’s flushing cheeks and his charming grin morphing into a nervously pleased smile.  Perfect.

The two of them shared a laugh as the last bit of tense left the air.  This is what made all the complications of their new dynamic all the more worth it.  Being best friends for so long helped the more serious moments past easier.  Knowing and trusting each other made them feel at ease,

Hero was the one to settle first before he carefully placed both studs the palm of his hand.  He looked down at them, eyes filled with nothing but love.

“I really meant it though.  I love them.”  Hero look back to Mari with the same loving look, no forced charm in sight.  Now that look is what gets to Mari, but thankfully she played it off well enough that he hasn’t caught onto it to yet.  “Thank you so much, Mari.”

“No thanks are necessary.” Mari hummed before coming in close to lean on his shoulder.  “Your smile is more than enough.”

Mari closed her eyes as the two of them basked in the moment.  After all, it was a rare chance for them to have an entire day to themselves without needing to look after their brothers and younger friends.  No need to be responsible babysitters or playful instigators.

Of course, the young couple would have to address the future eventually.  Hero would have to choose to follow his own desires or the desires of those around him.  Mari would have to continue learning how her perfectionist nature would effect those around her.  Things were bound to change around them and adapting was a must.

For now though, they can just be Hero and Mari.  Two teens in love with their whole lives ahead of them.

They had plenty of time.