Archive of Our Own ^beta

Sunny the Trash Mammal

Aubrey was used to taking hits from life. In fact, she prided herself in being able to take them as well as she did. She managed to survive when her parents began to bicker and fight. She survived the divorce and him leaving, she even survived her mother being a neglectful mess for four years while not being traumatized. Even her friends split too! And NO, she doesn't care what that therapist says. She doesn't have latent anger, trust issues, and a violent streak a mile long. Nope, no police reports means it didn't happen!

But the hardest hit, and one she was slowly nursing the wound for, was the truth about Mari. She thought she would beat Sunny’s head into a red stain when he told them the truth. All she saw was red, just like she did when she almost killed Basil. Honestly, that was the only reason she stormed out instead of doing something she would no doubtedly regret for a long time. The fresh memory of her almost committing the same act as Sunny.

She rolls over, trying to get comfortable yet again under her fluffy comforter. Why did she always think about this crap at 3 AM? Every single sleepless night was because of her reflecting on her life. Dr. Stevens said that this was a natural part of the healing process, she calls bullshit on that.

Even with her constant repetition of the events on her most sleepless nights. She never really remembered how she ended up outside of that convenience store, having smoked through half a pack of illegally obtained Camels. She didn't even have a fake ID, her best guess was that she threatened the clerk with bodily harm of some sort, or they could tell that she didn't want to be fucked with. She was watching as the sun slowly set, perking up when she heard the padding of soft feet.

“Fuck off before I...” The words died in her throat as she saw the figure The figure outlined by orange. There stood Sunny in all his emaciated glory. He just had on a hospital gown that fluttered in the breeze, his fuzzy slippers damp from a puddle, and casually dragged his IV stand with him down the sidewalk.

She just stared in awe at this legendary dipshit as he sat on the curb. She was sure she heard the smack of his ass cheeks on the pavement as he joined her. “Excuse me what the FUCK do you think your doing.”

“Needed air.” Was all she got in response.

“And you... snuck out of the hospital, walked four blocks away, and managed to find the ONE convenience store I'm trying to have my slow breakdown IN FRONT OF!” Aubrey prodded at the boy's chest, her anger cooling a touch when she realized she could feel his ribs.

“What will it take for you to talk about... before?” On top of being a fugitive from the hospital due to the big gaping hole in his face, he also must have stolen someone else's balls while he was running away from nurses.

“I don’t know how high you are off painkillers, but we are NOT talking about that, nope! I’m gonna try and give myself lung cancer, and then, I'm gonna take you back to the hospital, and break your KNEECAPS so you can't escape!” she pauses “You could get sick.” 

She ground out the butt with her trembling fingers and lit another. Well, she tried too as Sunny snatched it from her lips. “If I eat this, will you talk to me.” She had never seen Sunny looks so serious in his entire life. It would be scary if this weren’t the stupidest thing, she's heard all day.

“Are you kidding me? Really?” Sunny nodded with a grim expression, it was his sacred duty to talk to her. “Fine you goblin! You eat TWO of them and I’ll talk. If you vomit though I’ll drag you back to your room after beating you senseless!” The mask of a hooligan was an easier one to wear than a girl who was about 15 seconds from ugly crying in a parking lot and latching onto this Jack Skellington looking motherfucker.

With a nod he stuffed them into his face and began chewing furiously. Aubrey slowly raised her head from her hand and stared at this man. He was chewing with ferocious determination, even as his eye watered.

“What the... Vance tried a bite on a dare, and he puked so hard he lost three pounds of taffy!” He just stared her dead in the eyes as his cheeks bulged and brown liquid began to leak at the corners of his mouth. Then he swallowed.

With dead fishlike eyes and green tinged features, he gripped her shoulders like a vice, and pulled her close to his face. “Before I throw up, my mom is adopting you.”

She chuckled as she remembered the two uninterrupted minutes of vomiting that came after. She didn't even think he had that amount of food left in him, but it just kept coming. The best part was after that, as he whipped away his tears, he just asked for Aubrey to buy him a soda. The balls on this goblin.

It turns out Sunny’s mother, and hers she guessed, but she would never say that out loud, was a social worker. She had been so absent the past few months before the move trying to get a promotion, and she succeeded. Apparently, Sunny decided to take some pictures of her house before they got her with Hero and sent them to his mother. From there it was a laughably easy case to get her out of her bio mom’s care, and into a new home in Nearby City.

Aubrey couldn't believe it had been a year already. Sure, it was tense at first. But now life was good! Sure, she missed the hooligang (Kim most of all), but they still found ways to meet up, or if little else play Uno online while screaming at each other. Her eyes glanced around the room, lit dimly by her phone light. She could see clean clothes hanging through a crack in her closet door. Bun-Bun and her coal-colored sister, Nub-Nub (never let Sunny name anything, it’s always a disaster) were snoozing away in their large hutch. A few softball trophies shadowy outlines rested on her dresser.

Softball had been more the product of a lie than anything. More of an excuse to keep the nail bat she “found” at the dump to play. Ms. Suzuki had been delighted to encourage her hobby, and unfortunately Aubrey had been good at it. With that, good grades, and a stable home life, her hooligan days were long over. She missed those days of neglect and wanton destruction of property and faces. She missed starving and living in a garbage house a whole lot less, however. She sighed, such a heavy price to pay for three meals a day and a clean home.

Had she lost it? Her love of violence, of being a punk? Where had she gone so wrong? One year of living with Sunny and she didn't want to randomly fistfight any of her friends anymore. She didn’t care if her therapist called it “healthier coping mechanisms” she was losing her edge dammit! When was the last time she destroyed or defaced public prosperity, ranted about how the man was keeping her down? When did she become boring? She went to bed at 10 pm so she would have plenty of energy for softball practice for god's sakes! Oh no is this what growing up is? 

Before she could have an existential meltdown about mortgages and office work, her salvation was upon her. A noise downstairs. It sounded like someone was in the kitchen. But that was impossible, Ms. Suzuki was out of town for a conference, and her (sort of) new brother passed out for 12 hours at a time, and barely ate and preferred to be a goblin in his room after school. That left only one other option. 

Home invader. God must exist to bestow such a gift unto her. The gift of legally beating a man within an inch of his life in your own home then seeing him get dragged to jail. Her gay heart soared at the thought, and she leapt out of bed like a child of on Christmas morning. Fishing her trusty old nail bat out the back of the closet, and grabbing her boombox with metal mixtape, she crept down the stairs. Her bunny slippers muffling her quiet descent into the darkness of the first floor. Oh, what a joy it would be, sending someone to the hospital clad in bunny themed pj’s as Slayer blared. Her heart raced with anticipation as she kicked the door to the kitchen open, pressing play. “YOU CHOSE THE WRONG HOUSE TO…”

The words died in her throat as she beheld the scene before her. Scraps and plastic packaging torn haphazardly littering the floor. Bits of food and liquid scattered around or dripping from the cabinets. The only light in the room shone from the fridge, showing its insides raided and trashed. Whatever it was froze from its crouched position before its food storage god. Its long pink tail going still as it slumped to the floor, the triangle of fur running down its back puffed up in surprise. She could barely make out the pale skin of their sides as it slowly turned around.

Its brown ears were sticking up, alert as it slowly swiveled its head. The poncho of fur on its shoulders, chest and back was grey and matted with whatever this thing had been eating. In its paws, a whole ass onion with a bite taken out of it. Aubrey slowly realized it was wearing cat pj’s with no shirt, the fuzzy fabric marred with what looked like pasta sauce from one of the broken jars. In the darkness, one eye shone back at her. Nooo fuckin way.

“Sunny…. Sunny is that you?”

He just slowly lifted the onion and took another bite. She could feel her gourd rising as he chewed. With a mouth half full of Shrek food, he spoke. “What? I was hungry”

“You deserve that stomach ache you know.” Aubrey huffed as she mopped the floors, Sunny had helped for a time before putting his head down at the kitchen table. Apparently living off coffee and toast, then gorging yourself on everything that you can get your hands on is a poor life decision. Her fuzzy brother only groaned in response. 

“I had to clean up after your weak ass, I DIDN'T get to beat up a robber, and my gremlin brother is doing FURRY ROLEPLAY AT 4 AM ALONE. NOW TAKE THEM OFF!” She then decided to give the ears he was wearing a yank. 

Two things tipped her off to something being deeply wrong. The first was that his head came up with the tug, and second, besides the pained yelp he gave, was the fact that his human ears were not behind these fuzzy ones.

Aubrey let go of the ears with a scream, the hollow bonk of his skull against Ikea furniture only drew a groan from him. “Pain…”

“Wait, this isn't some weird fetish thing, or a meme?” His head slowly shook just grinding his aching forehead into the wood. “Well how the fuck dude? Did you get bitten taking out the trash or something by rat Jesus?”  Another shake of the head before he blurted out “My mind goblin did this! And I'm hungry all the time and I want to stalk in the night! damn it.”

“Okay, that's more words than I have heard from you in a week! Is this something to do with that weird tulpa you got?” Why the hell did her brother always make things weird. No way some imaginary friend can turn you into an animal human hybrid. Right?

“Look he said he was tired of watching me fail. So, he made me more rat like because I quote ‘rats have less impulse control then you do.’”

“Watching you fail at what exactly?” Aubrey stopped and just stared into the soul of her trash brother. It was rare that this had any effect, but he was visibly squirming. His mouth twisted as his cheeks began to bulge a bit. “Well, your spaz?”

“He did it because I can't confess to Basil!” The words just came out faster and faster, the scared look in his eye grew. “He's perfect and cute and a little crazy but that’s what I like in a guy! I’ve been hanging out with him once a week for like four months and every time he thinks its just a FRIEND HANGOUT. I WANT IT TO BE A BOYFRIEND HANGOUT! BUT IM TOO SHY AND HE'S DENSER THAN KEL. THAT PIANO GOBLIN DID THIS TO ME AND I'M TRYING TO CONTAIN MY FREAKOUT BUT I CAN'T STOP TALKING, OH GOD IS THIS WHAT BEING KEL IS LIKE. MAKE IT ST-”

The slap that was given to Sunny’s face felt so damn good to give. Aubrey just grinned as he rubbed his face. “You gonna stop being a little bitch now?” Sunny nodded, it looked like he was trying to say something but holding it back. “Now…. I’m gonna ignore the fact you didn’t tell me you were trying to date Basil, or even MEET him. Cause I know your shy ass, and I’m proud you even go OUTSIDE more than once a week.” She sat down, putting her bat on the table. 

“So, you gotta confess to flower boy, and this will all go away?” Another nod, however, he was covering his mouth with one hand, and white knuckling the table. “Well, that’s-” 

“I WANT TO PIN HIM DOWN AND-” The rest came out as a muffled set of words as Aubrey slapped a hand over his mouth. “You really can't help yourself from saying or doing things. Can you?” A shake of the head. “Okay...but when I take off my hand, you will NOT scream any deranged sexual fantasies about Basil. Or you will lose teeth. Got it?” He nodded.

As she removed her hand from his face he sighed, he wasn't used to just...speaking out all his thoughts. “Sorry Mommy” Oh...oh no. He didn’t just say that right. He didn't just say that to his VERY lesbian sister. All he could hear was Omori laughing hysterically in his head as he slowly looked up, prepared to meet his maker. 

Her expression was unreadable, he had faced his literal demons, yet they did not invoke fear like this pink haired girl did. “I am going to give you the benefit of the doubt. You are literally a rat man. And you can't seem to control your words. So, unless you want to die, choose your next words carefully.” He nodded, but the laughter in his brain grew louder, and louder. This was not good. He tried to get up, but she held her hand up. “No. I need you to tell me that you will try and keep it under control.” 

“Only if you step on me”

“Sorry again... I really can't stop talking and I hate it so much. I miss keeping stuff in my brain.” Aubrey sighed as she applied makeup to his new black eye, he had not been able to shut up while they got him ready. “Is that why your so quiet? You just monolog at yourself like a captain spaceboy knockoff?” At least he looked embarrassed while he nodded

“Dude, it's fine. Let’s just cover up this totally deserved black eye, then I can find Ms. Suzuki's wine and drown this memory. I had no idea how horny on main you really were.” he just mumbled in response

Sunny hesitated as he looked in the mirror. He was currently wearing one of Aubrey's jackets, some metal band thing. It was 3 sizes too big for him, but it was the best way to hide the poof of grey fur he had, although the stuff on his neck was peeking out. His ears pinned down with one of her hair bands and a hood to hide that as well. The shades were to cover his black eye and the other more serious eye problem. Black jeans that he raided from her closet with a belt to keep them up. His new tail tucked down one of the baggy pant legs.

“I look like a drug dealer with anorexia.” Both slowly look at each other, before the first snicker passed Aubrey's lips.

“You look like a PSA about what happens if you forget to eat by jerking off to too much hentai.” Both were barely containing it now, the tension melting, just one more push.

“I look like my fashion game is weaker than Mari’s knee” Almost there.

“No Sunny, I think it's strong, like an old jump rope.”

Both collapsed into laughter. A loud howling kind that made them lose any sense of inhibition. They slumped into each other, clinging to the other as their knees began to give out. They fell to her bedroom floor, fuzzy pink carpet tickling their faces as their muffled howls were muted. They laughed till it hurt, till tears rolled down their faces and sunk into the plush floor covering. Their sides ached; their lungs burned as the last of the giggles escaped their lungs in little wheezes.

“Holy shit dude, were you always this funny?” Aubrey looked over to her brother from another mother, who remained face down. “Yea, just never been brave enough to say anything, well ever say anything. Took me 4 years to start working on that issue. Also wash your rug, it tastes like ass.” He rolled onto his back as he spit out some pink lint, sticking out his tongue in disgust.

“Well maybe you should talk more instead of living in your cave. You could hang out with some of my softball pal’s. Their pretty cool.” She idly scratched behind one of his ears, the fall had let them escape their hair. He stiffened for a moment before he relaxed. “Dude that feels amazing... I’m touch starved as hell.”

She couldn’t help it. Bunny ownership had taught her one thing. See sad fuzzy thing? Pet until no longer sad! Even if it was her brother, who looked like he was having a stroke. “Oh god I’d pay for this every day!”

She snorted, scratching a bit more, that passive anxiety that seemed built into a boy like Sunny slowly melted. “Jesus why don’t you buy a body pillow or something, you used to love stuffed animals... Or better yet leverage that old crush to get some sibling cuddles.” 

She paused her scratching for a moment. “You were like my only male crush ever. Even if it ain’t happening not. Even with all the stuff last year you still are important to me nerd.”

The rat shied away from her questioning look. He briefly considered just not saying a word. But the words would come whether he wanted them too or not. Maybe he can get rid of some of this instinct with Aubrey. Maybe if he just got it all out there, he wouldn't blurt every thought.

“Honestly? I was afraid it would make our new deal weird. Like, I get crushes on everyone who treats me like a person and not the goblin I really am. I know you don’t roll that way and I don’t want to risk making you think that and getting uncomfortable.” 

He fiddled with his hands, looking at the fur and paw pads. “I mean, I don’t want to make you hate me again. I mean lord knows why you forgave me so easily” The ceiling was so interesting right now, it's not like he could feel his sister's brown eyes boring into his skull.

“Sunny, let's back up a bit. One thing at a time, because this a rare opportunity where you’ll answer honestly. Normally all I get is that fisheye look or memes before you scurry away. Pun intended.” she continued her scratching, Sunny looked ready to bolt before his muscles untensed with the euphoric feeling. “First off though, I wish you told me you thought that. I thought we said no more secrets?”

Without a word she stood and stretched, looking down at the prone rat boy. “You're a fantastic listener, and it helped me a lot, but I want to help you to.” With an indigent squeak he was picked up and tossed onto her bed. “HEY, I'm not a ragdoll you know.” The former punk rolled her eyes as she dragged over a chair. “How about this then numb nuts. You answer my questions, and I’ll pet you, and maybe. MAYBE. I’ll help you out for your date, okay? Oh, and if you try to run, I’ll make sure you can’t try again.”

“This isn't optional, is it?” That hooligang trademark grin stretched across her face, Aubrey would make a better cat then rat for sure. “Nope, unless you want me to tell Ms. Suzuki about Basil. You know how bad she was when I dated Shirly for a bit.” 

Sunny paled, mom would talk to her for hours about her dates and how cute they were. He did not want to be held in that kind of conversational trap. “Fine. go ahead. Basil is worth this cruel and unusual treatment.” Of course, he put his hand to his head, sighing like some sort of Shakespearean maiden. If he was gonna be tortured like this, he can be a dramatic little bitch. “Oh, fuck off, you deserve some tough love... Anyway.”

“Why aren't you eating normally.” Holy shit she’s going for the throat. Sunny didn’t answer, just closed his eyes, and leaned into the scratches. He would focus on that and be quiet. He did not like how soft that came out of her, like the words threatened to break him if spoken aloud.

“You’ll have to admit it eventually. How you really feel. I know your mad about the whole me trying to get you to kill yourself thing. But I am here to protect you. If you want to live on you have to tell someone.”

“Fuck you piano goblin, you turned me into a RAT, and you’ve been laughing all day! Is this some sick joke?” With his eyes closed, Omori just stood before him, outlined in black with a look of...concern? The expression on his 12 year old face was very foreign, and it unsettled Sunny.

“It was more of a me-me at first” Sunny shuddered at that, he swore he did it on purpose. “Just a little push to help you admit what you feel to Basil. But it seems maybe the best way for you to get help is to get your “Dommy Mommy” to bully you to seek it.”

“OH, SHUT THE FUCK UP” Even with his eyes closed, he could feel himself blushing.

Omori just laughed. “Oh, I will... But you won’t” and with that he was gone, only the tightening pressure in his chest grew. Oh no.

Aubrey was very confused. He had managed to stay silent as she scratched for a bit, then he blushed like a tomato. And now he was squirming on the bed like he was gonna die. “Hey uh…. Sunny are you okay?” The concern in her voice only seems to make it worse! “Shit are you okay?! SUNNY?” She shook him, but he just kept his eyes shut, and his lips twisted into a grimace.

She squealed as he shot up suddenly, giving him space as he began to talk. “NO, I'M NOT OKAY! Nothing is okay and it will never be okay!” She never heard him this loud, his ears flaring and his fur raising on his neck like an angry possum.

 “I don't eat because I don't deserve it! I don't sleep because I don't deserve it. I don't deserve comfort! I don't even TRY to talk to people because I don’t deserve it! All I am a murder! I killed Mari but you all forgave me! I ruined Basil’s life, I killed your sister figure, I murdered Hero’s chance at love. I am a monster! I only deserve the bare minimum, at BEST.” Tears poured down his face, though he didn't notice “I should have been the one who di-”

Aubrey didn’t hesitate to put this moron in his place for a second time, only feeling slightly guilty from how satisfying the smack. Sunny held the new red mark on his face to match the last one. “Now listen here, you little SHIT. We didn’t forgive you so you could go back and hide in your room again!” She advanced, Sunny backing away on his hands, trying to find more purchase. “It was an accident! WE all love you, even that moron Hero, NOW COME HERE DAMN IT” The rat let out a totally manly and not at all high pitched squeal as a pink haired missile collided with him and knocked them off the bed.

He was dead, the fists would begin to fly, and he would die a messy bloody death. But no, it was a death grip, the first hug she's given him since that day at the hospital. She clung to him like he would disappear at any moment. Aubrey shook, her head pressed firmly into his chest. He didn't like this. He had never seen her like this. She was strong, but he didn't like how small she looked right now. 

“You didn't leave that damn house to seclude yourself AGAIN okay.” An ineffectual punch smacked his arm, again and again as she shook more. “You fucked up, but I don't care! You're here now! If you waste your life, then Mari’s was a waste!” Nothing more had to be said, they laid on her floor like that for a while. Nothing else needed to be said

Both sat at a nearby diner as they awaited Basil’s bus. Aubrey was there as his “Emotional support bitch” and to also make sure he ate something. Aubrey watched like a hawk as he managed to finish his third omelette. She was abusing his inability to say no to food to make sure he wasn't malnourished. What a sneaky bitch.

“Ugh I’m full. Why are you doing this to a poor smoll boy!” Aubrey rolled her eyes as she ate another bite of her burger. She glanced at her phone. She had been looking at it as he gorged himself on okay breakfast food. “Oh, you shouldn't worry about me. You should worry about what mo- I mean your mom is gonna do”

Sunny froze, that smug look made his blood run cold. His mom was a bit overactive in his life now, and Aubrey was grinning like a predator with a fresh kill. “What did you do, what were you doing while I was eating.” 

“Well, after our little collective breakdown, and our good cry I may have hit up Ms. Suzuki. About how you're not eating, or exercising, or socializing like you said you would.” Sunny began to sweat, oh dear god. “So, I may have told her everything. And I found out my bro was lying this entire time about doing better and following his therapist’s advice” 

Sunny glared “You did not.” Aubrey just grinned wider “The fuck I did little brother!” She did her best Mari impression as she pinched his cheek, which he batted away. “Your mom is pissed. So, guess who's getting more therapy, a nutritionist, and a gym membership? You are!”

“Aubrey, your death will be a bloody violent affair, nothing will be left but a red smear. Eons from now, your name will be whispered as an example of what not to do. Lest you be erased.” With a swift motion he buried his fork into the table. He stared at the vibrating utensil, wedged into the dark wood deep enough it took a few tugs. Aubrey began to tear up as her sniffling reached his ears.

“Oh my god... you just said your first death threat! I'm so proud of you!” Sunny groaned as he let his head impact the table for the second time today. “I knew you had it in you! That delinquent instinct! Soon we’ll have you jaywalking and breaking windows!”

“Aubrey noo”

“AUBREY YES! Tell me, if I told you to hop into a van, and we were going to beat up some anti-LGBTQ+ people at some dumb rally, what would you say”

Sunny didn’t even try to stop himself, it had been a while since she had been so excited. It’d help him maybe not talk so much to Basil. “I would ask if we needed to bring an extra bat to make sure their kneecaps were broken”

The noise coming out of his sister was like a slowly deflating helium balloon. When he bothered to look up, she was positively glowing with excitement. It was like a snapshot of the girl he knew before the accident, and that noise was just growing louder in pitch. “Fuck the police.” He murmured, staring directly into her eyes

Aubrey just held her chest. “Shit! Who knew my brother could be so RAD. Okay, I’m gonna take you with me and Kim on one of our damaging public property outings! You haven't lived if you haven’t run from the cops at least once!”

“Why would I interrupt your date? You only get to do it like once a month.” Aubrey felt her face heat as Sunny slowly raised an eyebrow from behind his shades. He said nothing, the eyebrow just climbed and climbed. Fuck she needed a out! “So, what did you mean when you said you get crushes easily.”

“Please… don’t make me start talking about my disastrously bi tendencies.” Sunny tried to cover his face. “Not in public.” 

“Ohhh no, you can’t wiggle out of this one. Spill! I thought you were like, asexual until today.” Sunny shook his head slowly. “No, social anxiety helps me hide it. But if anyone is even a bit nice to me, holds my hand, or pets my hair. Boom, attracted to them.” Aubrey just stared. Oh, this was going to be good.

“Everyone? That's a lot Sunny. You can’t be horny for everyone'' She just got a nod in response as his pale face flushed. “What about Kel?”

“Kissed him when I was eleven, he put me down super gently. That himbo is as asexual as they come. Too bad.”

Sunny pulled up his menu to hide his blush, but it was also a convenient way to block the spray of coffee that came out of her mouth. She coughed loudly and wheezed a bit. “S-seriously! Ha! You are sure that denial did not make you stay inside for 4 years.”

Sunny just mumbled behind his menu, she could tell the little bit of exposed fur on his wrists was puffing. “I don’t know, did you become a delinquent cause of your daddy issues?”

Oh. Oh, that's how it's going to be. 

“Vance”

“Cute and oddly nice. He shared his good taffy with me, and I really wanted him to roll me up in a blanket and treat me special.”

“The Maverik”

“A bit weird, but honestly with some work he could be fun. Either get him into cosplaying stuff for my approval, or I just dress in a maid outfit, and he’d worship the ground I walk on.”

“Angel”

“If he called me Oni-San I think I’d die and fight the world to keep that cute smile going. Besides, he’d be fun to teach... things...:”

“Charlene”

“Big and quiet, I feel like we would have a lot in common, besides she’s good friends with Basil. I feel like she could tie us up, or maybe we tie HER up.”

“Hero.”

“Oh god he’s so handsome, and nice, and charming and… not even gonna go there. If I acted on any of that it would give me the kind of complex that would make a psychologist drool.”

“Please stop Aubrey” Sunny whined behind the menu, his hands were shaking as Aubrey got herself together. “Nope, I got one more.”

Sunny was shaking, between getting laughed at in his head, Aubrey was exploiting the poor rat boy and his poor horny brain. “Maybe now you won't let your GROSS biological functions leak into my space.” 

“I gotta ask. Why Basil? I mean you were always close as kids but not that close. Hell, I thought you were asexual till today! And why not tell me? I thought we all agreed no more secrets.”

When he dared to put down the menu a little bit, he saw her hurt expression. “Oh, please no Aubs.” There was the lip wobble, how can a girl he knew could easily take on two cops from experience, have perfected a kicked puppy look.

“Basil just brightens up my life okay! He has the anxiety of a chihuahua, but he just keeps going! I admire that so much! I thought it was like unhealthy codependency. But I waited and waited, just keeping in contact to see if that changed with therapy but no! The crush persisted! Every little cute mannerism, every little damn smile he gives me fucking STABS my heart! So, then I thought maybe I was just a horny teenager. But no! Sure, I think about tying him up and all the stuff a bi disaster like me can think of, but I dream about us living together, cuddling, doing TAXES. TAXES AUBREY. I just want to spend ETERNITY with him and make up for the four years I left him alone. I don’t just like him, I LOVE HIM. I adore him and I want to spend the rest of my life repaying for those four years and making sure he's happy and safe for the REST OF HIS LIFE. HIS SMILE MUST BE PROTECTED.”

The outburst came out loud and fast, Aubrey watched in open mouthed shock. Sunny was panting, his throat hurt, and he could feel himself blushing up a storm as the middle-aged waitress came up with a smirk. “You kids gonna be ordering anything else? I don't think this one need anything with how much he wants to meet his sweetie pie.”

Her grin mirrored Aubrey’s as he pulled his drawstrings closed to hide as much of his face as possible and ran off to the bathroom. Both ladies laughed hard as Aubrey pounded on the table. “That lover boy has it bad huh? Reminds me of my hubby.”

Aubrey just looked up, tears in her eyes “Lady you don’t know the half of it.”

As he sat in the locked bathroom, trying to will the red off his face, he allowed himself a grin. Sure, Sunny had been embarrassed in front of a bunch of people in a public place. Sure, he wanted to die right there on the spot! But he had not warned Aubrey of his newest compulsion. Digging through his pockets, ignoring all the loose change he picked up on the way here, he pulled out Aubrey's phone. Seems like rat’s are kleptomaniacs. But he was putting it to good use!

It was unlocked, thankfully, so it made this part painfully easy. He rolled his eyes at all the emoji’s next to Kim’s name and pressed call. His anxiety flared a bit, but it would be worth it. For revenge! It took a few rings before she picked up.”

“Aubs, I swear to god its 10 AM! Its Saturday, I want to sleep in!” Her frustration was apparent, but he was on a mission.

“No this is Sunny, I stole her phone because I didn’t have her number, also hi. And sorry for beating you and Vance up that one time.”

The pause was palpable for a moment before he heard sharp barks of laughter over the phone.

“Oh my GOD. She’s rubbing off on you! And don’t worry about it, its water under the bridge, I respect your sis too much to hold a grudge. But what is this about?”

Sunny grinned, one that matched Aubrey’s “Well, just wanted to let you know Aubrey has been in love with you for like two years. And is too much of a coward to admit it”

The line with quiet, but he kept going. “She sleeps with a picture of you sometimes. Once I caught her kissing it when she didn’t think I was home.” He just tapped his leather clad paw on his pants. “She has it bad for you.”

He just heard sputtering into the phone line, he had fried her. “Anyway, here’s where she’s gonna be all day” He fired off a text with Aubrey's number before deleting it. “And here is money to get a cab here.” From Aubrey’s PayPal, of course. “Just think about it. You have the chance to sweep big bad Aubrey off her feet like a fairy tale prince, and she will never be able to live it down.”

“Sunny... Well, I have many questions but I’m way so happy to care. I’d kiss you if we weren’t both gay!”

The shock giving away to bubbling excitement. “Oh, I’m a disaster bi, but I keep it in my head, unlike THE MAVERICK. If you want ill be your token gay male friend though”

“Oh my god yes, okay, you’re my new Bi best friend. Well, a male one anyway. We’ll gonna talk later but I got Aubrey to catch and fluster!”

“Oh! Bring a schoolgirl outfit and some rope!”

“Wait what-”

“Anyway, bye!” He hung up as she tried to stop him. Oh, tease Sunny will you, let's see how you handle it! Rest now sister, for your demise is quick approving.

“Basil, why are you all worried? Aren’t you happy you’re going to see Sunny?”  Kel asked as he sipped his Orange Joe carefully. He always wore orange to cover up any stains that his main beverage might add, but his mother was catching wise to the fact his shirts would somehow gum up the washing machine and make the entire house smell like burnt oranges. But one bad rock of the bus made his efforts to be low key futile, splashing the sputtering teen in the face.

Basil didn’t even look at him smugly for that. Okay something was seriously wrong. Looking over, Basil was just pouring anxiety out. Like... almost double. But not quiet. Not enough for two Basils. More like Basil plus Pre-exam Hero. He was surprised he hadn’t vibrated through his seat at this rate. “Basil, what’s up... you’re like looking bad dude. Well not physically bad! More like brain got yeeted into bad place bad. The no dopamine zone! The sad sack scene! The... uh…. that’s all I got.”

“I-I’m gonna do it this time. I’m gonna tell Sunny how I feel about him. I’m not gonna chicken out this time!” Basil clenched his fist, trying to gather his determination. That brave face lasted for all of ten seconds when Kel said

“Wait haven’t you said that ten times. Like every time you visit Sunny?” Basil just groaned and put his head in his hands. He was right, he was a coward. He didn’t know how to do this. “I want to do it I’m just afraid. What if he says no? What if… what if he stops talking to me? What if I have to change my name to THYME AND MOVE TO MEXICO?”

Kel knew just what to do. He put a steadying hand on Basi’s shoulder, who let out a yelp of surprised as he looked into his grinning friends face. “Basil, relax. If he doesn’t, Sunny won’t abandon you. I don’t think Sunny knows anyone that’s straight. I don’t think he’s gonna be homophobic.”

Basil raised an eyebrow. “Hero is…”

“Pan. He just has an extremely specific type it seems. He likes the smug ones. Clearly.” Kel just shrugged. “

“Oh... huh. Your right! Even if he says no Sunny will be my best friend. but I don’t know if... he…”

“Rolls that way?” Kel rolled his wrist as Basil blushed. The idea of hugging Sunny’s hand, hugging him kissing him made him blush. What made him blush harder is that despite his thin frame, was the fact that he could easily overpower him and do whatever he want-

“Getting excited Basil?” Kel just grinned wider, one that would fit on Mari very easily. “Look, I know for a fact he at least like boys. I don’t want to assume otherwise but I at least know that.” 

“But how do you KNOW. I mean sure he dresses like the gay curator of an art gallery but that’s not proof!” Oh, he was starting to work himself up again. He didn’t want to do this, but he had no choice. Kel’s hand was forced.

“I’m gonna be real, as your emotional support bro, that I KNOW he likes boys.”

“BUT HOW-”

“He kissed me when we were twelve. He said had a crush on me because I made him smile all the time. I let him down gently, he took it well!” Basil’s mind came to a screeching halt, his expression went flat as he slowly looked over at Kel. He felt those eyes bore into him. Some hidden malice brought to the surface. He was glad there was no jump rope around.

“Basil, relax, I ain’t interested.” Basil blinked, the murder in his eyes replaced with confusion. “Really? But you always…” Basil wasn’t exactly the most subtle with his persuasion. But Kel seemed even less so!

“I’m ace, Basil. Touch is my love language but not more then cuddling and hugs. And Sunny wanted much more then that. I let him down easy. We still shoot the gossip about boys, sometimes girls… anyone really.”

Basil felt himself flush. He had been making assumptions again, he felt slightly guilty for thinking he was competition. Honestly, it made a lot more sense now that he thought about it. “Sorry, sorry. I just REALLY like him.” A beat passed “WAIT GIRLS?’

“Oh, Sunny is horny for a lot of people. He’s bi as bi can be. He gets crushes so easily. BUT. Even knowing that, he has a massive soft spot for you. So don’t worry, you just have to tell him how you feel!”

Basil grinned at the thought for a moment. He had a chance! All he had to do was admit his feelings to Sunny in a public space, most likely with a bunch of people seeing.

“Kel just groaned as he saw the dread in his eyes and the shakes start again. This was going to be a long day. He was gonna bail and go shoe shopping after this, but he seemed he needed to stick close in case Basil had a heart attack. Or an anxiety attack. OH, or a panic attack! So many attacks could happen, and he was ready to help!

“STAY HERE. Please. Its already bad enough that I have no stopgap between my brain and my mouth. I don’t need you playing big sister too.” Sunny gestured widely as Aubrey just sipped her coffee, the little place by the bus station was nice. It was also where she had promised to stay. “Fine, fine I get it your spaz! I stay here, you call me if you need to beat anyone up! It's not rocket science!”

Sunny wanted to correct her but… “Only racists, bigots, or homo/transphobes, creepy dudes… huh. The list of people that I’m okay with you beating within an inch of their life is surprisingly long. I should be concerned about that…”

She had never been prouder. Her brother was going up into someone with a good, natural taste of violence. This was heaven. “Go on then, Shoo! Basil is gonna be waiting for you, and do you really want to leave him hanging?” Sunny just stared at her for a while after that one. Deciding whether he should throttle her for that pun, unaware of it or not.

But she was right, so off he went, waiting outside the bus stop with bated breath. After two false bits of hope, where one old lady had called him a hoodlum, the Faraway connecting bus finally rolled into the stop. Sunny could understand Kel much better now, without his normal composure, he felt like vibrating out his clothes. He had to stop his tail from wagging in the back of his pants. Then, Sunny saw him.

He was dressed to impress and that just made his heart SING. Well, that's not true, he was wearing the same sweater vest button up combo as he always did. But God DAMN, He wore it GOOD. There was a new thing, his hair, he had it in a long braid now with little flower clips accessorizing it.

“BASIL!” He did not let out a girly squeal as he was swung around. Whoever it was they were dressed suspiciously! Was this the weirdest mugging that had ever happened. Until he saw the wide grin and excited grin. “Sunny? Let me down, I'm getting dizzy!” The world was spinning as Sunny laughed and laughed. 

“Oh! Sorry, sorry, sorry... I’m just so excited! I love your hair! It’s really cute.” Sunny was dressed like a punk, was smiling, and talking more than he did in a week. And on top of that he called him cute. CUTE. He could feel his face growing hotter as he was sat down. His head swimming from the compliment, and the growing nausea.

“U-uh... thanks Sunny... you’re... talkative!” He smiled shyly, a tiny bit worried, he wasn't manic again hopefully. “What’s with the new look? NOT THAT I DON'T LIKE IT. Its just uh….”

“I look like an emo drug dealer?” Basil couldn't help but let a giggle out as he nodded. Wow Sunny was still witty in his chatty state. He was starting to like it. “I lost a bet with Aubs, so she got to pick out my outfit.”

“Oh… uh that’s... nice.” Sunny winced. Aw shit, that's still a sensitive subject. They were okay around each other but its hard to sweep four years of bullying under the rug. Neither quiet knew how to deal with it.

Well, if Omori was gonna keep him talking, then he would say it. “Look, I know it's your call to forgive and move on. But they did it for us. But let’s not talk about it today, today is about YOU and I got so many plans.”

“Wait, what?” Plans? The last two trips they just sat in a coffee shop while Sunny looked adorable. Sure, he had wished to do a bit more with him, but he cherished those quiet moments. But here Sunny was, grinning like a maniac, eye glinting thorough the shades as he nodded.

“Mhm! Were gonna have so much fun today, dude! Come on!” Both blushed violently as Sunny grabbed Basil’s hand and led him on. Basil’s mind was fried as he just mumbled incoherently. Sunny was so forward! So brave and dashing! It was making it so much harder to confess! But he would do it! Somehow.

Sunny was glad the hood was covering his face. He could feel it burning violently as he held Basil’s hand in his gloved one. He didn’t even process it before he took it, but it felt nice. Hell, it even felt right! Like that hand was made for holding. He stuffed that thought down, there would be plenty of time to confess later. He had planned this for so long, and he had no ability to be hesitant anymore. He’d manage. Somehow.

“Huh, this is going better then I expected.” Aubrey nearly jumped out of her skin as she snapped her head around to the source of the noise. She had been spying on the two lovebirds. Had to make sure Sunny didn’t spill the beans on his condition, or puss out like a bitch. She was more surprised when she saw Kel just eating a hot dog.

“I thought Sunny would take him for coffee again. They’ll confess this time! Those two are pining hard.” He punctuated this point with a bit bite, chewing the tube of meat rapidly.

“Kel... What the FUCK ARE YOU Doing HERE?” Aubrey didn’t know what pissed her off more that Kel knew what was going on before her, or that this moron had managed to spook her enough to jump. He just shrugged.

“Why are you spying on the Sunny D?”

“Cause I’m his sister and I’m worried his rat ass is gonna do something dumb. I’m the emotional support bitch.” Oh, damn it she said that out loud.

Kel was looking at her with an empty expression.

“Look, I’ll explain later, but first, why are you here?”

“Oh. I expect Basil to just panic at some point and need medical attention, or both Sunny and Basil needing medical attention. I'm just here to watch them and wish Basil the best for his confession.” Huh. for once Kel wasn’t being a complete dipshit.

“I KNEW IT! Okay then beanpole, we’re gonna follow them, and make sure nothing bad happens. There are plenty of weirdos in the city… and Sunny cant stop talking.”

“I’m sure that's an exaggeration.”

“Anyway, are you excited? I didn’t know this place existed until like a week ago.” Sunny handed him a ticket. Basil was still in a bit of shock. Sunny had been talking the entire time they had made there way here. He could hardly get a word in edgewise. It was overwhelming.

‘Er... you, okay? Is it the way I’m dressed? Is it hot? ARE YOU HAVING A STRO-” A hand was slapped over his mouth, and Basil took a deep breath.

“Sunny. I’m fine. It’s just you’re talking like Kel, and I can't get a word in edgewise. Sure, you're dressed a little funny, but you're suddenly talking a lot. Are you okay?”

His cheeks were beginning to puff until he stopped wiggling. Basil kept the hand on, taking the sunglasses off as he looked into Sunny’s good eye. “Now I’m gonna take my hand off your mouth, and I’m gonna let you talk. But please, answer my questions... okay?”

He got a nod and slowly took off the hand. “Sorry, … I uh... am on a new medication! But it makes me talky, and sensitive to light. Well more then I normally am, cutie.”

“H-huh?”

“You heard me, you're cute.” He grinned at Basil’s blush, maybe this wasn't so bad. “But I can't stop myself. But forget it. I want to know more about these flowers!” Basil felt a hand grip his own as he was led on, his leather glove oddly soft in his hand. Huh, it was odd that he had gloves, but he was enjoying this a lot to be honest. And Sunny seemed so happy! He’ll wait to confess near the end. Honestly, he was surprised Sunny planned anything besides staring in an art museum or cafe! Maybe that was a bit mean. But this was a whole new Sunny!

“Oh! Those are Spider Lilies. I’ve never seen one in person before!” Sunny tuned out as Basil began to ramble. He loved listening to him talk so much, but sometimes, he had to just zone out. If not for his own tiny attention span, for the fact Basil could go on for hours about this kind of thing, and he was too busy looking at how adorable he got when excited.

He would have to cut him short at some point, there was a lot more to do today but they had all the time in the world

Meanwhile, two dumbasses peaked over a park bench. One was eating a pretzel with an empty headed grin, the other was fuming. “I can’t believe you convinced me to buy your ticket Kel. You said you didn’t have any money!”

“Oh, I lied” he said before stuffing the rest of the pretzel into his gob “I have the money, I just let people assume I’m a moron and they just grumble and pay for things. I mean I took the bus here and bought a hotdog! I must have my wallet!” He swallowed before giving her a goofy grin. Aubrey stared at him.

“Honestly, I should be mad but I’m more impressed by the fact your scamming people, doing crime is more my thing. Also, you owe me twenty bucks now.” Kel groaned but just kept watching the lovebirds. “Jeez, at this point Basil should just work here as a tour guide.”

Aubrey nodded but they were interrupted by a cough behind them. Before them stood the one thing on each that everybody could agree should be eradicated off the face of the earth. A fuckboy.

“How do you fair today M’lady? Would you per chance enjoy a walk around the park with me?”

Aubrey groaned. It was Leo. She had heard about him from some of the Softball girls. He would hit on you until you turned him down or you snapped at him. Then he would spread nasty rumors. Just being around this repulsive shitbag made most the girls run even if they were compelled by his threats.

Kel just stared at this Cheeto encrusted being. Normally he was all for making new friends, but he didn’t want to be anywhere near this person. He was wearing a shirt that would make Guy Fieri weep with joy, stranded with careless wipes of his hand. His greasy hair flipped back into a ponytail, and a fedora covering the rest of his oil soaked scalp. To finish off this combo, his cargo shorts looked days old, and he was wearing sandals with socks.

Kel expected this guy to get decked in the face, but to his shock, Aubrey just offered a thin, but placating smile. “Leo, I’m busy right now, maybe some other time?” Okay in what bizzarro world was he in that Aubrey wasn’t starting easy violence against someone. He was almost proud, until he opened his mouth again. “Is this Chad bothering you? I know how pushy they can get to a fragile flower such as yourself.” Kel was sure he was going to see somebody die today if the vein on her forehead was anything to go by. But again, he watched in real time as she shoved all that anger down and kept smiling.

“Kel? No, he’s a friend from my old town. We’re keeping an eye on my kid brother to make sure his date is going well. Maybe we can meet up some other time.”

Kel didn’t know if this man was oblivious, dumb, or both to hit on Aubrey. He may have grown up in small town America, but he also grew up surrounded by gay people, and had a transgender brother. Yet this basement dweller was hitting on the gayest lady he had known in his entire life! Kel feared this man, one who outshone his own oblivious nature by several degrees. No pity, just fear that something this gross could exist in real life. 

Yet what worried him was that Aubrey was being nice to this creature, this goblin of a man. Why would she do that? Wait Sunny told him about this. Apparently, she was trying to avoid the delinquent life or something now! That’s good, but Aubrey would always have that temper. And despite what Hero said about violence, some people deserve to have the stuffing beat out of them! Or at least told off for being creepy as hell. Kel and Aubrey both went to say something, when he parted his chapped fish lips to speak again.

“Wait that’s your brother? He pointed to the two holding hands a short distance away as they both looked at the Orchids in the greenhouse. Basil looked even more animated through the warped glass, and Sunny wore a dumb Kel style smile as he nodded along, his head empty as his stomach. The back of one of his pantlegs was wiggling a bit. Before they could even answer his question, he continued.

“He’s gay? Ew.”

Leo didn’t notice the air growing colder around him, and thus continued to dig his own grave. “You should keep your distance from him then. I don’t want a pure heart like you getting caught up in that kind of lifestyle.” He continued, not noticing the pink haired punk beginning to shake, or the wide grin of the tall tan boy having something grow behind it.

“It’s degenerate! It’s wrong! It’s Adam and EVE not-” he was stopped as a large strong hand clasped hard onto his boney shoulder. The Chad his fair lady was hanging out with was touching him! He looked up to spaz out, but the words died in his throat.

The Kilowatt grin had been replaced instantly, to something much more unfriendly. His grip was iron, and he could feel his nails digging into his pasty skin. “Hey Aubrey? Do you know how to get blood off light up Sketchers?” The grin didn’t reach his voice or his eyes.

Aubrey just stared at Kel. She was holding it all in, trying to be the better person but if Kel, the puppy of a man she had grown to begrugeingly respect over the years was this fed up too. Maybe she could let loose a bit. All peace and no violence makes for a very dull Aubrey.

She grinned back at him, matching his violent expression. Her boys were growing up! Sunny had some balls now, and Kel was going to help her tear this homophobic asshole a new one! Maybe today was a good day after all!

“But of course, my Orange Joe loving friend!” She grabbed the sputtering Leo’s other shoulder as they began to drag him behind a building, his heels digging in as the dread begam to set in. “You can do a lot of damage to someone without making them bleed a drop!”

“Oooh… How about you show me how?”

“Gladly!”

lin

ebreak

Sunny looked around, he had sworn he had seen a flash of pink but shrugged when he couldn’t find it. He was too engrossed watching the pretty boy about him gush about flora. It was almost amazing to see how the layers of anxiety melt away as he talked about something he was passionate about. The world faded around them, only the glowing outline on Basil as he pointed at plants, and the smell that hung heavy in the greenhouse.

And that’s when his hand brushed into the large cactus.

“OW FUCK!” Basil nearly jumped out of his skin as he heard Sunny scream. He went to reach out to him but found one of his hands intertwined with Sunny’s. How long had they been holding them like that? sure, they did it a ton as kids, it helped calm them both. But it was different now, it made his heart beat a bit faster, and something bloom in his chest.

He shover thoughts thoughts aside as he held his gloved hands. “Oof. You picked a bad one to touch” Three long spines pierced the cheap fake leather, directly into the back of his hand.

“I-it hurts.” Sunny’s voice wobbled, he had always had a weak pain tolerance.

Sunny was not enjoying this, at all. Pain mixed with apprehension at Basil finding out about his current affliction. Sure, there were bandages covering his paws under the gloves, but the fur made them seem oddly lumpy. “Okay Sunny, this is gonna hurt. But you gotta be brave, okay?” Sunny nodded as he let out a whine.

“Close your eyes, okay? Well, eye.” He followed his order, squirming all the while. He almost jumped out of his skin as he felt Basil grasp the end of one. “I’m going to pull one out on three okays.” He felt himself nod. He was trying not to cry but he could feel the tears on the edge of his closed eye. He was going to be big and tough!

“One.”

“Two”

He was sure he loved Basil more then he loved himself, life, or good pizza. That was all forgotten as Basil betrayed him, yanking out all three in one fluid motion as he let out a girly yelp. “See? It wasn’t that bad.?”

Sunny looked like a kicked puppy, his lower lip wobbling as he rubbed his aching hand. “Oh, shush you, let me see.” Before he could be stopped, the glove was removed. The moment of silence was uncomfortable. This concerned, scolding eyes of Basil boring past his sunglasses made him feel even worse.

“Sunny, what happened to your hand. Why didn’t you tell me they were hurt!”

Oh god he was asking questions. He couldn’t employ his defence of deadpanning and shrugging now! He could feel the need to speak welling up in his chest. Oh, jeez oh no, he can’t ruin the date with his sudden descent into being an unwilling furry! Oh no he had to lie.

This presented a problem, as Sunny couldn’t tell a convincing lie to save his life. Despite being able to live most of his life as an emotionless husk, he still wore his heart on his sleeve. He had a lot of small bits of body language, that if you knew him, would make reading him as easy as a book. And if anybody knew him, it was Basil. On top of that, his lies were always the most unbelievable garbage in the world! He was boned, screwed, DOOMED. He squirmed as Basil’s gaze grew more and more pointed. He couldn’t hold it back much longer. He was going to blow it.

“Oh that? I burned my hands trying to learn how to cook with Aubrey. I accidently missed lunch and breakfast again and my hands were too shaky when handling oil. It’s not that bad but the bandages and gloves were to keep it safe while it heals.” What the absolute fuck. That was a real, convincing lie! He didn’t fidget, he didn’t wince, his voice didn’t even crack! Maybe being a rat wasn’t so bad. He was riding the wave of this falsehood euphoria as he was broken out of it by Basil’s voice.

“Sunny. You know you need to eat three meals a day! Then again, I can’t really be mad at you for trying to learn a new skill… Or you taking care of yourself.” Basil inspected his hand with both of his. He could feel the gardeners rough, strong hands even through the bandages. It made his heart quicken a bit more. Honestly, it felt nice.

“Well, it seems bandaged well, and clean too! I’m proud of you.” Basil beamed at him as Sunny rubbed the back of his head. Drinking in that sweet, sweet validation as he felt a soft pair of lips kiss the top of his hands, both froze as Basil kissed the spot where the spines had been moments before.

Basil knew he had fucked up. Why did he do that? WHY THE HELL DID HE DO THAT. Back in the day, when Mari was still around, she would always kiss the kid’s cuts and scrapes better. At some point, admiring her like a big sister figure, Basil had begun to do the same. But only for Sunny. If he didn’t get his wound kissed better, he would wince and whine for an hour. Besides, seeing that beaming smile after red eyes and tears filled Basil with butterflies! You know, in hindsight, he should have figured out he was gay a lot earlier then sixteen.

“You can always make the pain go away Basil. Thanks.” That wide grin that had become a rarity since childhood made a brilliant return. He tried to stammer something out but was quickly hugged tight. Sunny felt so warm, and oddly thinner than the jacket made him think.

“What would I do without you Basil…” Sunny tightened the hug a bit as it was slowly returned, nothing in the world felt as good as this embrace.

“Well…. Be in juvie with one more eye?” Both laughed quietly, Basil always had a wicked dark sense of humor, despite his looks. One to many crimes shows with his grandma, who seemed to not give a single fuck in her entire life. She was the best.

“Don’t forget I’d still have my good jump rope too!” Basil let out a back of laughter as he snuggled into his neck a bit. This was nice. But biology had other plans, Sunny’s stomach growled like a caged animal.

“Oh, you hungry Sunny?” He tried not to pout as the flower boy broke the hug and nodded.

“Yea, starving really. Come on, I know a good bistro near here that we can stop at before the surprise.”

Basil tilted his head as Sunny returned his glove to his hand, intertwining their fingers once again. He brought the hand up and returned the gesture from earlier, his lips touching the back of Basil’s hand as the blond shivered. He was adorable when he blushed and depending on how he reacted when he admitted his feelings, he would see it much more.

“Oh, you’ll find out. Come on, cutie!” Basil found himself dragged along, his face aflame with red and his mind reduced to a stuttering mess. Sunny always used touch as his way of showing affection. Right now, all he can think about was if it was also his love language.

“Huh, I feel like I’m understanding the appeal of being a punk!” Kel was currently using a fast food napkin to wipe the blood off his light up kicks. His bare feet tapping a soft rhythm into the pavement below. Aubrey was already passed that step, using rubbing alcohol to get the red stains out of her own white sneakers. The street was a bit busy, but nobody even batted an eye as they cleaned themselves up outside the drug store.

“See? You could’ve made a decent punk, but your too cheery to be pissed off.” She snarked as she checked her shoes, giving a nod as she slipped them on, her bunny sock clad feet were growing cold. “Here, after wiping off the most of it, soak a napkin in the disinfectant and slowly wipe the stain away. Works most the time.”

Kel nodded as he got to work, it amused her to no end that he still wore light up shoes, even as a seventeen year old tower of a man. There was some part of Kel that would always take pleasure in such childish things. A year ago, she would say that’s what pissed her off the most, that childish spark that was never muted by time. But it was a lie, she envied him if anything. She was forced to grow up.

“Heh, gotta keep positive Aubs. I mean who else in this group has a stable mental state? Well... more stable.” The way he said that was a bit worrying. Kel not being the happy go lucky dork that seemed to walk through most traumatic experiences without a scratch?

“Are you... okay?” Kel thought about it before shaking his head.  “We can talk about that some other time. What did you mean by Sunny is a rat anyway? Name calling isn’t nice you know.”

“No, I’m not calling him a rat you dummy. He is a rat person.” Aubrey pulled out her phone and showed the dipshit, as his eyebrows creeped up.

“Aubrey why are you showing a picture of Kim dressed like a nurse”

Aubrey blushed hard as she swiped her commission out of his view. “THATSTHEWRONGONEITSTHISONE”

Kel just stared at the shy looking rat Sunny. Huh. This was weird and spooky and he didn’t like it. Well! Time to repress this and pretend nothing is wrong. It’s worked up to this point, and it would work forever!

“Why does Sunny have a fursona?” Kel cock his head as Aubrey face palmed. He was doing this on purpose, he was deflecting. She could feel it.

“Okay, can we just stop pretending this is normal and were both fine. I promise I won’t make you face the fact your as not okay as the rest of us with that false positivity later. But now I need you to stop pretending everything is fine. It’s not.”

“... Well, I can try” Kel sighed as his smile just fell off, letting out a deep sigh. “Why dose weird and bad shit just constantly happen to us man. I’m so tired bro.” She didn’t expect to get this far to be honest. Kel had never let that smile drop unless he was extremely stressed. A crack in his optimistic armor, willing allowed to show.

“You want to... talk about it?”

Kel went to shake his head, but Aubrey wouldn’t judge him, and maybe she’d understand. “It’s probably nothing but, I don’t feel appreciated at home. At all really. The folks went to visit Hero at his dorm and took Sally with them. And Hector.”

“Wait what? They took everyone, including the dog, with them, and just left you alone? That’s fucked dude.” Kel went to speak but was interrupted. “AH, AH, AH. No talkie. I’m gonna say this ONCE. And if you ever tell anyone I said this? You are going to be found dead in a ditch with a six pack of Orange Joe shoved in your as-” 

“Okay, okay I get it jeez. Say your piece.” He waved her off as she grasped his shoulders tightly. Looking dead in his eyes.

“You deserve better. You don’t get enough attention and that’s not okay. Your parents worry about Hero but not you. He has a therapist, he has a support system, but do you? I know that…”

She shuddered “It’s not like my mom. You’re fed, taken care of, clothed. But they neglect you emotionally. Me and Sunny worry you know? Sure, might not seem as bad, but still”

Kel’s grin was slipping as she could feel him tremble. “If you ever need to talk, reach out to me or Sunny, okay? You’ve done so much for all of us, but that doesn’t mean you can’t feel bad too. Okay?” She knew not to push too much, Kel would just clam up and refuse help. Say he was fine. In that was he was the same as Sunny, all she could do was extend the olive branch and see how he would react.

Kel grinned again, collecting himself for a moment, before speaking. “I’ll take you up on that sometime, okay? But seriously why dose Sunny have a fursona.”

“That’s the thing, that’s him right now, apparently his weird imaginary friend did that to him. It won’t turn him back unless he confesses to Basil.”

Kel just nodded, that made sense. Flawless logic really. “Okay, but Basil likes Sunny, and the other way around. Why turn him into discount Master Splinter?”

She almost answered, but her phone beeped. “Aw shit, they’re on the move.” She looked over to his raised eyebrow. “Ms. Suzuki asked me to help make sure he doesn’t get lost sometimes. I’ll explain on the way.’

“OKAY, RACE YA” And there he goes, barefoot as he holds his shoes. For a moment she just let him run until she realized something “HEY DIPSHIT, YOU DONT KNOW WHERE YOUR GOING”

Sunny was not having a good time. In fact, he thought he was going to die any moment now. At any time, he would be smiting of the face of the planet, his wretched little life snuffed out. He was hungry and waiting for his sandwich. A fate nobody should have to suffer.

And worse still, Basil had left him to wait on the nice outdoor area, alone, foodless, and lonely. He was going to starve! Die of loneliness, both. He tapped his fingers on the metal table in front of him, enjoying the shade. Honestly, he was baking alive too, and he knew by the end of the day he’d be a sweat stained mess.

A noise made his pinned ears almost prick up, looking to the sidewalk, he watched as a man dumped half a taco into the bin and walk on. Did he not finish that? It was a taco! Its not like a taco is hard to eat! Its a crime to waste like that. And he was hungry.

He was four steps away from the trashcan before he stopped himself. What the hell was he doing? It was a sidewalk trash can, stuffed with garbage that had been baking in the sun all day. It smelled awful... and wonderful.

“Aren’t your hungry greedy guts? Why not have a nice garbage snack?” The snickering echoed through his head.

“Omori, what the FUCK are you doing to me? why dose it smell so…”

“Good? Well, you are a rat! Impulsive, hungry, and with a pallet to match! Besides, you are trash! Might as well eat it.”

Oh god why was he so TEMPTED. The taco rested on top was just an appetizer! There was half a tuna sub almost bubbling from the afternoon heat, a melted ice cream cone dripping onto half a gyro, its thick milky goodness beginning to curdle. It was a buffet in a can! He felt himself take another step.

“No! This is super gross! Stop making me do-”

“Oh, I’m not making you do it, its your rat instincts, nothing I’m doing. It’s just a pleasant side effect for the punishment of your denial of your feelings. YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MANY WET DREAMS OF YOURS I GOTTA WATCH! Its repulsive!”

“Do you really think I want you to watch? Really? I’m still scarred from that time I caught you and Stranger! My eyes can’t unsee that! You two look like children! It’s weird as hell!”

“My age is your fault ! Besides, I do it to make him happy! I’m not a coward like you!”

“You are me you moron! You’re just stuck permanently at twelve years old. Which is why you’re such a moody bitch!” He felt his body take another step. He was so close now. The smell of rot and garbage baking in the sun assaulted his nose. It was both awful and a siren song, repulsing him and stirring his apatite to new extremes.

“At least I’m not about to eat garbage! You can’t resist can you, the smell of garbage, of the FESTERING TRASH. I’ll enjoy every bit of your suffering... But perhaps I can help you CURB your forbidden apatite... For a price.”

He was within arm’s reach of it now and losing the mental battle as the rat brain gnawed at his will.

“What do you want! Wait... no you can’t be serious.”

“Come on its not even that big a deal!”

“I’m not buying you a fucking katana! That’s fucking stupid as fuck! You weeb!”

“It’s like a knife but bigger! Come on its so fucking cool!”

“No, you’ll end up getting someone fucking killed!”

“FOLDED. JAPANESE. STEEL''

“God you are a fucking child no! hmm. but I may have an idea”

“If it isn’t cool swords, I’m not interested. I’d even settle for three new knives!”

“What if I join kendo club at school?”

“Huh?”

“It’s like a sport where you fight each other with wooden swords. I could let you borrow my body for a bit, maybe switching off every other time.”

“.... Acceptable.”

Suddenly the smell really hit him, his hand an inch from the taco. He gagged as he rushed back to the table and sat down, trying to ignore the odd look he got from a passing woman.

“Can we still ask for a katana for our eighteenth birthday?”

Sunny just sighed as he face palmed “fine, fine….”

However, that’s when his phone began to ring. Oh, thank God a distraction, he placed it to the side of his folded up fuzzy ear. “Hell-”

“WHERE THE FUCK IS SHE KNIFE BOY? I DONT SEE HER COTTON CANDY PUNK LOOKING ASS ANYWHERE AROUND HERE”

Sunny almost dropped the phone then and there, even with his ears pinned to his head like this his hearing was absurdly good. That meant that the pissed off voice of Kim was currently echoing around in his head violently.

“Jesus Christ quiet the fuck down. You don’t need to scream. Are you sure she’s not there?”

“You think anyone could MISS Aubrey in a crowd?”

“Fair point.” He picked at a bit of flecking green paint on the metal table. “I’m pretty sure she’s following me on me and Basil’s date. That lying bitch…. Ugh I’m not a child.”

“You have like a dozen anxiety disorders, and a love of knives. I’m not that surprised she’s a wee bit concerned.”

“How do you… ugh fucking chatty lesbians. Do you want the hook up or not?” He was tempted to face time her just so he could glare her down. However, he had better things to do then argue with his sister’s crush.

“Do I have a crippling candy addiction and a crush on bubble gum haired psychopaths? I thought you were gonna hook me up!”

“And I am! Here” He shot her a quick text. “That’s the access code to that find your location thing for her phone. Shes always losing that shit. CONSTANTLY. Even when its in the sofa half the damn time. Chase her down and use that anger to take charge girl. She’s a coward.”

It was quiet on the other end, before muffled laughter filled his ear. “Man, you sound like the stereotype of a gay best friend in a lesbian Hallmark movie! That shit is so fucking cheesy.”

Sunny just grumbled. “You want my help or not.”

“I do, just enjoying screwing with you nerd. You may be more talkative, but its still fun to tease you! You trying to pollinate that flower huh?”

“Basil isn’t a flowering plant Kim, but eggplants are.”

“Shut up. Thanks for the help, and good luck on that date! Lord knows you two deserve to be happy.”

Sunny just froze. The thought Kim might know about the accident caused his blood to freeze over.

“W-what you talking about?”

The seconds that followed only his heartbeat could be heard. “Oh, I mean you guys just seem to be anxiety given human form. You deserve to be happy too!”

Oh, thank God Aubrey didn’t tell her. He would have to at some point, but he was not going to think about that today. Happy today trauma later. “Well thanks. Good luck on your punk hunt.”

“Thanks, its not like it’ll be that ha- SHES FUCKING TWO MILES AWAY. FUCK”

And the call was over. Uh oh, someone was in trouble

Aubrey shivered, brought out of her laughing fit. She felt someone walking over her grave, for just a moment, impending doom hunger over her like a veil. That was soon forgotten as Kel slowly peeled the last bit of gum off his dirty, bare feet. Only to step on a new fresher piece. “OH, COME ON, HOW MUCH GUM CAN PEOPLE CHEW” Today had been the best.

He sighed as he put down the phone, the hoodie may be hot, but the pockets were super big! Pockets are rad, that can hold all the neat shiny things he had picked up today. Oh jeez, it was worse than he thought. He needed to quell the rat instinct. But all he wanted to do was eat, steal, and drag Basil into a dark place and make a nest. Well, the last one was new, but maybe he could stuff the feelings down by indulging one of them. He had a plan.

When Basil came back, he found that his food had arrived. But a bowl of tomato basil and half a tuna sandwich were the least interesting thing at the table. No, the more interesting thing was watching Sunny absolutely destroying a bread bowl of mac and cheese bigger than his head. Not only eating that massive thing at a pace that would put Kel to shame.

“Sunny I… wow that’s a lot of mac and cheese. Aren’t you worried you wont finish it?” Sunny looked up, his face thoroughly Mac’d as he shook his head. “Nah, I’ve been super hungry lately. To be fair, I’ve always been super hungry, I just used guilt to kill my apatite!” HOW. He was indulging his rat, but words still slipped forth unprompted.

“Well, its good that you’re trying to get healthier!” That was not the expected reaction, at all. “I’m glad in general we’re getting... better.” The blond fidgeted, hoping he wasn’t bringing down the mood. 

He felt a leather clad hand squeeze his hand, his eyes meeting the shades as Sunny grinner, face splattered like an eager toddler. “Hey, we are getting better. We’re sitting outside on a nice sunny day, our friends are just a phone call away, and I’m eating more calories than I should eat in two days. I’d say things are better!”

The smile that brought to Basil’s face tickled Sunny’s heart. It was the thing he missed the most and swore that he would never let him lose it again. “Want a bite? It’s really good.”

“No thanks! You look like your hungry. Did you forget to eat again?”

“No, I’ve been eating since like 4 AM. Constantly. Honestly, its a bit worrying. Basil gave him some side eye as he bit into his own sandwich. “Any meals besides microwaved steak Sunny. I swear you have no taste.” Oh my god he didn’t miss this, that smug ass Basil smirk when he teased him. People thinks he’s baby and all that, but this flower fucker could hit you where it hurt. 

“Well let’s see… I ate twelve hotdogs, a two pound bag of shredded cheese, seven tasty sodas, all the SpongeBob popsicles, half a cold pizza, four breakfast platters, a two pound bag of gummy worms I swiped while Aubrey did my makeup, all the celery, two raw onions and this bread bowl of mac I’m going to destroy.” Sunny counted each off on his fingers, deep in thought as he stuffed another spoonful into his eager gob.

There were many things that run alarm bells in that sentence. Basil just stared as he tried to process what he was just told. Half of that was enough to put Kel into a food coma, and once he saw Kel eat an entire cake before anyone noticed. “Wait, you can buy those SpongeBob popsicles? I thought you could only get them at an ice creme truck!’ 

“I know right! But no, they sell them at some stores. Me and Aubrey destroy those bad boys. Eating somethings face just makes it taste better.” 

“Did you ever see those bunny ones I used to like. I still remember the look on Aubrey’s face when I bit the ears off it in one bite.” Basil giggled at the memory of that, the look on her face was so priceless.

“Yea I remember you little shit. You said you bit the ears off so it couldn’t hear its own screams, but you denied it when she tried to tell on you. Nobody believed her!” Even with his muffled hearing, he could still hear the muffled scream of his sister nearby. Along with someone holding her back as she raged about “That little blond twunk set me up.” Hah, serves her right. Looks like they are being followed though. Oh well, they won’t be for long.

“Yea we got them, but they don’t taste super good. Like bad strawberries, also they just get ALL over your face.”

Basil scoffed as he sat next to Sunny, scooting closer. “Like your one to talk, you look like a wolf that just killed cheese filled deEr! Let me get this.” With a smug little grin, and rosy cheeks Basil proceeded to wipe his face as Sunny squirmed. “I’m not five years old dammit. Lemme have my Mac Attack in peace!”

“No, you’re gonna get cheese on Aubrey’s clothes.” Basil held his chin as he cleaned away the cheese and sweat on his mouth. Although the shades were opaque, Basil knew he was looking at him. It felt nice to touch Sunny again. God he was clingy, he had been holding his hand all day, and just sitting and eating made him desire his touch more. Well, the feeling at least, the leather got in the way.

As he finished, he noticed the napkin didn’t just have cheese covering it, foundation also came away. Loosening its grip in the summer heat the faintest hint of purple was visible under those shades, and that set off alarm bells.

“Sunny '' Sunny heard the calm in his voice, and he clearly didn’t like it. “Take off those sunglasses.”

“I uh, my right eye is sensitive to light, and I can’t take it off.” Maybe the rat deception wasn’t the strongest, considering the flat look he got in return.

“The eye, that I carved out of your skill, is somehow, sensitive to the sun.”

“Exactly!” Wait that wasn’t a good thing to admit too! Stop laughing Omori! This isn’t funny.

While he was distracted by his own twelve year old persona mocking him for being a dipshit, his shades were snatched. Basil only winced a bit at the view of jagged scar tissue that normally was hidden under an eyepatch. A spike of guilt lancing through his gut but was distracted at the frankly obvious foundation used on his other eye.

“Sunny! that isn’t even your shade!” Sunny just pondered how he would know so much about makeup. Wondering it enough to the point that he didn’t stop as Basil wiped away the shitty cover up job. Sunny was too busy thinking about Basil with lipstick, well until he heard the gasp.

“Sunny. What the fuck happened to your EYE!” The shock of hearing this sweet, sweet flower boy say naughty words was one thing, but having him seeing his shiner had opened a big old can of anxiety.

“Uhh…. would you believe I fell?”

“No, you didn’t fall down the stairs, your scarecrow figure would shatter like glass.”

Oh, shit Basil was mad and expecting answers. He had that adorable little frown, the crossed arms, the pretty blue eyes and had the fury of hell behind them He was, in fact, peeved. Normally this would be to the delight of Sunny, as Basil would use passive aggression and psychological warfare to utterly destroy the person who provoked his ire, but he was not staring down the metaphorical barrel.

“And don't you shrug at me either, Mister! Your gonna give me an answer in ten, or I’ll be forced to take drastic action.” He was bluffing, he wouldn't do a damn thing.

“Ten”

Oh god why was he counting down, oh god pressure makes this work so much different! How can he lie to him, okay relax, he have time to come up with something sent his anxiety? Okay, come up with a convincing lie. Aubrey and Basil had been on tense terms, he don't want to make it worse! Relax, take a breath, you have time!

“7”

WHAT THE FUCK, did he just skip two numbers? Okay, THINK BRAIN THINK. You created a whole fake world, how hard is it to lie convincingly. Wait, channel your inner rat!

“4”

OH, SHIT HE GOT DISTRACTED AGAIN. All he could really think about is how he wanted to bury his entire face into that bread bowl and get lost in the sauce. Oh god damn it is this what its like to be food driven? How did Kel live like this, this was no way for a person to live! Then again is he a person right now?

“3”

Are rats’ people, even if they are half human? Dose he have civil rights. Could he be the beacon of a new transhumanist eutopia? He didn’t really want to be a rat forever, sitting with a tail was annoying, but he was willing to sacrifice for the cause.

“1”

Oh, fuck it.

“Aubrey found out I was a bi disaster and started teasing me. So, I told her I used to have a crush on her, and she threatened to beat me up. So, in comical fashion, I asked her to step on me. She then punched me so hard I think I saw Mari for a second.”

Well, its to late to hold it in now. It’s kind of a relief that he fucked up so badly, he doesn’t have to worry about confessing. Basil will leave, and he’ll live his life alone in his room as a horrific abomination against all known gods. As he deserves.

Well Sunny thought that until he started to shake. Basil wouldn’t make eye contact as he slowly put his head down, sides heaving. “Uh, you okay there?” Sunny went to rub his back but then it started. First a snort, escaping the blonde like a gout of steam. The giggle that followed sounded almost delirious as he shook more, fist pounding weakly on the table. 

“Its not funny Basil! She dragged me into her room for GIRL TALK.” That broke the seal, Basil was just openly laughing now, face hidden. Each gout of it getting louder and louder. Even if at his expense, it did bring some solace to Sunny’s heart. It was like the peals of a bell, like your being mocked by tinker bell.

“Y-you said WHAT?” Basil peeked his eyes out from his arms.

Might as well lean into it. “Well, I also called her Mommy.”

If he was losing it before, then his sides were now in orbit. Laughing and laughing until it was just spastic giggles, his eyes wet and his nose running. He was positivity glowing, any sign of guard he had was gone. His anxiety mashed. If anything, even if at his own expense, Sunny just felt a swell of pride.

For that brief moment, it was if a single day hadn’t passed. The same twelve year old he used to know was there. The rest of his life, Sunny knew he would do anything to protect that smile.

Wordlessly, he returned the favor, wiping Basil's nose as he softly held his chin. The laughter replaced with quiet and a fierce blush. If anything, he was more determined to confess then before. He was trusting his instincts now, although bothersome, reassured him that he had found a willing mate. Although he wasn’t going to phrase it like that.

“Feel better? You look less tense.” Basil just nodded, to busy gazing into that pretty brown eye. His grin, his new confidence? It was drawing Basil in more. He knew he had to confess today. Sunny was going to be his, and if anyone got in their way? Well, he had a compost heap, and Polly wouldn’t ask too many questions.

“Oh my god they are adorable. My two best bros in LOVE” Kel swooned as they watched. The pedestrian bridge on the corner allowed them the prefect vantage point. They couldn't hear a damn thing. But even Aubrey could tell that he was smashing it out the park. Her heart had frozen when Basil had sat next to him and wiped his face. But Sunny somehow managed to play it off.

One part was extremely happy for her friend brother, but a small bit of her was not. In fact, this little bit of her felt a pang of envy, surehe had been mutated into hybrid, but he would be able to confess. She had no doubts now, if the fact his right pantleg was wiggling from what she assumed was his tail wagging. Or at least she hoped it was.

Kel’s general cheer and rooting for her brother just made that bitter little feeling hurt more. Sunny was being braver than her! Aubrey, the gang leader, ass kicker, vandal. The toughest thing to ever come out of Faraway. That couldn’t confess to the girl who had caught her eye. She couldn’t do it for four years. Now she was too far away to take the shot, or that’s at least what she told herself. If it was the truth, or a convenient way for her to continue to chicken out was not a thought she wanted to explore. All she knew was being gay, doing crime, and softball, but always seemed to falter at the gay bit.

“Aubrey are you okay... you uh... are destroying that bottle. When Aubrey looked at the empty bottle of tasty soda in her grip, it was a mangled heap of plastic, crushed in her vicelike grip.

“Shut up and drink your Orange Joe.” Kel was about to follow up on that when he froze.

Kel was not a smart man, but he was one that listened to his heart. This had led to many dumb decisions, disastrous consequences, and other such un pleasantries. However, it had been just as useful. It drove him to get Sunny out of his house, to mend fences, to enjoy all the little things in life.

Kel lived by his heart, and his gut. So, when his gut screamed at him to back away, to the opposite side of the bridge from Aubrey, he was a bit confused. Aubrey hit him all the time, and his gut didn’t really care about it. When he looked around though, he quickly found the source of the gut feeling. He scrambled as far aw ay from Aubrey as he could get, holding his hands up and making no sudden movements. 

Aubrey was greeted by this threat violently, as in being spear tackled from a dead sprint. She was barely able to let out a squeak of surprise before they went rolling. Whoever attacked he showed no hesitation. No concern with rolling around on the dirty, concrete pedestrian bridge, during the day. Finally, a worthy foe! Her bloodlust would be sated this day.

Is wat she thought until her shoulders were pressed firmly in the ground. Kim was the last person she expected to see today, and only the third to last person she expected to assault her so violently. What caused her entire cognitive functions to fail was her outfit.

Kim’s face was twisted into an admittedly, attractive scowl of rage, her cheeks bright red. Her glasses were nowhere to be seen, instead, purple eyes were staring into her soul. Her normal attire, fit for roughhousing was replaced with an entirely different ensemble. She stared at the cute skirt that pooled around where she sat on her stomach, straddling Aubrey’s prone form in knee socks and brown leather shoes. Her top matched, and her hair was stylishly swept to the side. She looked like a sailor scout that looked like her speciality was being a butch.

“FUCKING FINALLY. YOU KNOW HOW LONG IVE BEEN RUNNING AROUND THIS GOD FORSAKEN CITY. FOUR HOURS.” Each sentence was punctuated with her slamming her shoulders into warm pavement. Aubrey offered no response, her mouth opening and closing as her brain short circuited at the sight before her.

“I HAD TO WALK SO MANY BLOCKS IN THESE SHITTY SHOES, LOOKING LIKE A DISCOUNT HENTAI PROTAGONIST. MY FEET HURT, THESE CONTACTS ITCH, AND I'M SO FUCKING PISSED OFF.” Aubrey’s brain barely noticed the new bruise her shoulders would no doubtly gain, and just managed to get out a singly utterance. “Buh?”

“THATS ALL YOU HAVE TO SAY, YOU GAY DISASTER?! DO I GOTTA SPELL IT OUT FOR YOU. FINE!” Aubrey was then assaulted in a much more pleasant way. Her senses flooded with Kim, her soft lips, her clenched fists around her collar as she dragged her up, it wasn’t how she dreamed this would happen, it exceeded any of her wildest dreams. Well except for the fact she could see Kel taking photos out of the corner of her eye.

When Kim broke away, her scowl was replaced with a shy smile, a fiercer blush, and her eyes looking off to the side. “I love you, you moron. Have for years.  And I thought it was one sided until your knife wielding brother told me fucking otherwise!”

Aubrey just gaped “W-wait what? Sun-” She was interrupted with a finger to her lips. “NUH, UH, UH. You were to much of a coward, so today is MY day. We’re going to your house and were gonna make up for lost time!”

Her mind was reeling too much to fight being put into a bridal carry. It was all too much. “What? Buh...” Aubrey managed to eloquently utter as Kim began her march.

“Hey uh, can I come with?” If looks could kill, the one Kim gave Kel would have him crumpled at the bottom of a staircase. “Wait, wait, hear me out. Aubs already showed me where her new place is while we were following Sunny!” Kel knew he had to land this landing perfectly. He was a fresh piece of meat to an angry lioness, and she could still kick the crap out of him with her hands full of Aubrey.

“I ain’t gonna third wheel or anything. I’ll stay downstairs while you catch up.” Of course, he said this with finger quotes, and Kim let out a snort, about to charge. Stick the landing! “And I stay downstairs, watch LOUD distracting tv, and shoot you a text if Ms. Suzuki gets home early.”

Kim eyes swirled about, looking left and right above his head, mentally weighing her options before offering an open palm. “Fine, asexual wingman, but if you peek, I’m castrating you.”

“Peek? Ew. Nooo thanks.” Kel couldn’t resist smacking the palm a little harder than he should have as he led the way.

“D-don’t I have a say in this.” Kel would treasure the befuddled voice that came out of her till the day he died. Both he and Kim answered, both with a resounding “NO”

While they marched on, Kel just grinned an evil, unseen smile. Foolish beings, slaves to their biological urges. They had been tricked; he wasn’t there to play wingman! Well, he still was but that was not his true goal. No, he knew of a freezer in that house, filled with to the brim with pizza rolls, with those SpongeBob popsicles. And more importantly, the pint of Orange Joe ice cream. The only one he had ever seen, a limited edition that Sunny had bought just to taunt him. Yes, his plan was going perfectly.

“Sunnny, I keep tripping. Are we there yet?” Basil had not complained much when Sunny insisted he put the blindfold on. But he had been led on forever, with Sunny giggling quietly every time he stumbled a bit, but his firm hands on his kept leading him on.

He wished this moment would last forever. Although he whined, it was in jest. With his eyes covered, and his ears flooded with city noise, all he could focus on were his small steps and Sunny’s hands. He wanted to remember every small detail, every little blemish of them. In case, well in case he was wrong. Too bad those gloves were in the way.

“Okay, okay. Sorry I was leading you in circles for the past few minutes. It’s funny seeing your face all scrunched up and concentrated.”

“Sunny that’s mean!” He couldn’t help but stomp his foot childishly. No wonder everybody thought he was a middle schooler. He was almost old enough to go into the army damn it! He didn’t care of he had been sticking out his tongue in concentration and wore overalls still. He was mature!

“Here. Just don’t look behind you, okay?”

With the blindfold removed, all he saw was Sunny and the street behind him. Huh. Huh, you know now that he was looking under that hood more, he didn’t see Sunny’s ears. Before he could think about this Sunny began to speak.

“Just. Let me get this all out. Don’t interrupt, okay?” Basil felt himself nod. His heart was beating out of his chest. What... Was this.

“I abandoned you for four years. Nothing I could ever do could make up for it, not even a little bit. What I put you through, was horrific. I’m not talking about Mari. I’m talking about four years of you being alone.”

His eye was watering, his shades long since discarded. He wanted to say something, anything to comfort him, but couldn’t. “I didn’t even think what that could do to you. You mean so much to me, you were, no, you are my best friend. You’re so patient with me, so forgiving, and so damn nice! I don’t deserve it.”

“Sunny...”

“No, I don't. That's why I’m going to make up for it.” That flash of determination across his features made his heart thump even harder. “I’m gonna be the friend I should have been all those years ago. I’m going to be by your side, through thick and thin. Hell, or highwater! I'm going to, no, I promise if you call me, I’ll come running.”

“But first, I have a promise that has been five years in the making. Turn around.”

As a child Basil always had one wish, one thing he would always ask for when his birthday came around. Every time, he was refused. It was too far for his grandmother to drive, and his absentee parents didn’t care enough to grant this one wish. A place that promised endless fun, games, and prizes. A place Sunny had managed to convince his parents to celebrate after the concert. 

It was a gift for Basil. It had to be, as a child Sunny had hated noise, and people. And here and now, as a man on the cusp of adulthood, Basil stared at his forgotten childhood dream. Standing before him, in all its glory, was a Chuck E. Cheese. Maybe maturity was overrated.

Basil just looked around in wonder as he sat at the wooden picnic style booths. He had expected it to look round down and grimy. He had spent years specifically looking up pictures of this place and they always disappointed him. It helped squash that bit of childhood disappointment. But this place was immaculate! Sunny came rolling up with the pizza, and two sodas.

“I was worried you were gonna hate this honestly, or I misremembered it.” Sunny took a slice before immediately stuffing it into his face. 

“No, I always wanted to come here. Are we allowed into the play place?” Basil was hopeful, peering into the tube maze that laid before him. Its depths promised adventures.

“Normally no, however, my girl Kate hooked me UP.” A hand waved form the kitchen. “She’s a friend in one of my art classes. She works here and helped me rent the place out! Its just the two of us.”

Oh god this beautiful man. The things he was going to do to him. If he managed to confess at least. “That must have been expensive though.”

“Oh, it wasn’t. At least money wise.”  Sunny was looking down, scratching at his paper plate as Basil grinned. It was his turn to fluster.

“Oh what, do you owe her a date?” He hoped not, otherwise he was going to go cry in the ball pit. It seemed like the best place to mourn his lost love in this amazing place.

“N-no. More like… I owe her seven commissions. And their all gay cat boys.”

“Huh.” Basil just nibbled his pizza. He didn’t even pretend to look surprised as Sunny squirmed. He sighed and tried to drown his nerves in okay pizza and over carbonated soda from a cup with a mouse face on it.

“Are they going to have barbed cat dicks?” Sunny was glad he was looking away from Basil when he was taking his sip. It was forcibly ejected from his mouth as he was left coughing and sputtering.

“Its a simple question” Sunny’s eye looked into those ice blue orbs and found no mercy. “Are you going to be drawing barbed penises to pay for this visit.”

Sunny wanted to die on the spot, he just yanked his hood down as much as he could. He couldn’t see that adorable smug face anymore, it belonged to a DEMON. A flower demon, of poison oak, perhaps.

The silence hung heavy for one of them as a feminine voice rang out. “Nah, just normal dicks!”

Sunny waited what felt like an eternity, hoping beyond hope that this torment would end. That when he looked up, he would be at the gates of Hell, looking Satan in the face. He would shake his hand, congratulate him for the speed run world record, then hand a pitchfork over to a demon that looked like a combo of Mari and Aubrey.

But when he peeked out, he found no way out. Basil just swirled his cola in his hand, looking down and him through blonde bangs. “Sunny, are you making furry porn.” His posture spoke of complete, conversational domination. He knew he had won

His brain went blank. First the flower SWORE, and now this? Soon he’ll be talking about his crippling hentai addiction, or how he want’s Sunny to tie him up. Well, the last one wouldn’t be so bad. He had no way out, no way to deflect, no way to escape. Well, time to just get shameless.

Sunny looked up, his face slowly hardening into practiced stone. Basil didn’t relent, keeping his jaunty posture, covering his mouth as he let out a giggle. “Oh, have you gotten your composure? You going to show me your fursona?”

Sunny didn’t flinch. He didn’t move, he didn’t breathe. He simply raised his hands up, wrists going limp as he moved then slowly to the side.  “Nyaaaaaaaa…”

It hung in the air, the deadpan meow echoing through the child friendly fun center, now a house of sin.  Basil’s hands shook violently, slowly sitting down the cup as he tried to keep composure. He could do it! he could keep teasing Sunny! He just had to hold it in. He just ha-

“u owkai mwister bwasil?”

A sound akin to a teapot slowly releasing gouts of steam slowly escaped Basil’s likes as he slowly turned redder and redder. He just slumped down, collapsing in on himself. 

“Need a moment?” Basil just nodded wordlessly, slumping further. “Okay! I’m gonna go get tokens.” Patting his head, he ventured forth

This was life. This was as good as it could get. They had spent some time on games, skee ball, a game where you caught bumblebees that Basil thought was the most adorable thing he’d ever seen. He didn’t even want the tickets. He didn’t really care, some of the louder games made his sensitive ears hurt, but anything to give Basil a special day.

He had spent his tokens on the ice cream vending machine. All of them. Something about watching the cooler open, a hose falling to suck your treed up, and drop it in a chute tickled his rat brain something fierce. So here he was, neck deep in a massive ball pit, finishing off his third iced treat. He unwrapped his last treat, looking Charles Entertainment Cheese in his sherbet face. “Long live the king” With that bit of reverence he shoved the entire thing into his mouth.

He looked at the twist of tubes, mesh, and pure child stimulation above him. Basil was somewhere in there. It had been a race to find the slide to the ball pit. He had found it laughable, but from the mutterings he could tune into, someone was having much more trouble.

If he let the flower boy twist in the wind any longer, he would be all doughty and flustered. “MARCO” He hear a sniff echo through the tubes and out the slide. “P-polo”

He sounded like he was at the other end, he just kept alert, removing his headband to listen a bit better, ahh much better. Oops, he was heading the wrong way. “Marco” There was a beat, then he started heading the right way again. “Polooo”

They continued this, Sunny allowing himself to relax in this plastic orb heaven. He pulled his tail out, letting it stretch. It was going to cramp up at this rate. Every once and a while, he called out with a Marco. He should have been paying attention, but it was just so relaxing. He didn't realise the last polo was getting closer before it was too late.

“Pooolooo!” with a flurry of movement, all Sunny saw was balls, endless balls. He had been driven deep by the blond piledriver. He just groans as his head spun. “Ughhh” The impact had disorientated him something fierce. Biting back the pizza attempting to rise back up his gullet, he tried to figure which way was up.

“Sunny? Are you okay?” Basil’s words died as he looked at that wagging tail sticking out of the back of Sunny’s jeans. He was weakly trying to burrow his way out. He twisted and squirmed, clawing his way down and around until he popped his head back out the balls. His large ears perked up; his hood knocked askew as he made eye contact with the stunned blond.

All he did was let out a panicked squeak, and burrow back down, only his tale visible as the pile of balls vibrated softly. Basil made no sudden moves; he was unable to. His head was simply empty. He had been joking about Sunny being a furry, but this was further beyond that. Those ears moved. And so had the tail, he had seen where it connected to his tailbone. This was beyond weird.

But those thoughts were squashed, as he heard a sniff. He waded over, approaching the burrowed one. “Sunny…. uh…. are you…” The words died in his mouth.

How was he meant to handle this? He was confused . But it was clear Sunny was upset, and that was the last thing he wanted to see.

“I-I didn’t want you to see me like this.” The pile of balls murmured.

“What do you mean like this Sunny? Your just uh... cosplaying your fursona right?” A bold faced lie, there was no way he could afford such realistic looking gear.

“No…. Remember my weird brain goblin.”

Basil blinked, patting the mound of multicolored balls. “Uh, the one that kept you inside your house for 4 years?” Basil believed him when he was told about his friends’ counterpart, well mostly. He had no doubt that he existed, in the same way that he and Sunny had hallucinated odd blob like shadows hunting them. 

“He was tired of me being a coward... so he made me a rat. They don't have impulse control.” 

“Sunny, you’re not a coward!” Basil huffed. “You came out today, your more talkative then ever, you even went to a crowded garden! Things you couldn't have done even months ago! How is that not brave?” 

“That wasn’t me, just the rat! I’m still the coward I’ve always been, I was just forced to talk all the time, eat way too much, and stuff. And I can’t turn back until I do something I know I can’t do!”

He shifted deeper into the balls, wanting to get away from what he was sure were judging blue eyes. “J-just leave me alone. I’m trash…”

That was the dumbest thing Basil had herded all day, and he had been riding with Kel in a bus for 2 hours. “Sunny, look at me.” The balls didn’t move a bit. “SUNNY. LOOK. AT. ME.”

With a cautious eye, Sunny peeked out of the balls. His large brown furred ears perked up, swiveling in his direction a bit. His normally tamed hair was sticking out with a dozen cow licks. It was not fair. How could one man be so fucking perfect, even when he was magically made half pest. Basil just gestured for him to come out, as he sat on the edge of the ball pit. Sunny hesitantly came closer, but stopped just shy of standing up, his form mostly hidden.

“Aw not so bad. It’s cute! Not that you weren’t cute before! You were...I ... uh.” Anxiety forcing words to bubble forth from his lips beyond his control. The attempt to divert attention, he did the only thing his panicked mind came up with as he blushed. He reached out a shaky hand, scratching between the ears of the skittish looking rat-boy.

The effect was immediate, he let out a satisfied huff as he leaned into his eager fingers. “See? It isn’t so bad. Just focus on my fingers, okay?” Basil was aware of how close they both teetered to the edge for a moment. Somehow, despite the fears to the otherwise, these days they brought out the best in each other. 

Sunny provided him with grounding. Any nightmare or anxious scenario that he could come up with were easily dispelled. Plot holes and inconsistencies picked out with pinpoint precision. Texts that made him sag with visible relief, silly counter theories offered, or worries minimized.

Sunny always knew what to say, to keep those shadows at bay with the greatest of ease. Although not talkative, he could text at an insane rate, or just listen quietly on the phone. It was no exaggeration to say that Sunny had helped him manage his anxiety to the point it was more a nuisance then crippling. Therapy helped too but still.

In exchange, Basil helped in the little ways he could. Reminders to eat and drink water, suggestions of taking a walk while they chatted. Sunny had been so close to falling back into bad habits, and he had been none the wiser for a long time. Until he checked with Aubrey. It had been a touch couple of chats, but they had come to an understanding. With an extra pair of eyes Sunny could be kept honest. But today had been leaps and bounds above what he could normally manage before needing quiet time.

It was like his hand was made for the spot between Sunny’s ears. His palm could lie flat without squishing the furred appendages. It was oddly satisfying. In the same way, Basil felt, whole around Sunny. He just wanted to spend his days around him, every good day and bad day. They could take on the entirety world as long as they kept hand in hand.

Sunny had moved his head to his lap as he silently mused. There would be time for his confession later. “You said you needed to do something to turn back right?” He got a sleepy nod in response. “What is it then?” Sunny just kept quiet, enjoying the moment.

“I… I gotta tell you something.” He wanted to stop, but of course, his vocal impulse reared his ugly head. “But I don’t want to ruin this.” Looking up, all he got was a head tilt, those pretty blue eyes meeting his own. “Our friendship. Sometimes I feel, that if I blink it’ll be gone again. I’ll just wake up in my room, with only four walls and what I did for company. I Don’t want to push my luck, I have far more then I deserve already!”

Basil had yet to respond, He grabbed him by the armpits and hoisted him out of the ball pit. The Gardner was always stronger than he looked. He patted the edge to join him, and he did. The view wasn’t exactly scenic, just a slide, a ball pit, and a tangle of tubes and obstacles hanging over them. In a way it was almost sad, a place meant for fun, holding host to such a serious conversation.

“You feel like you have your hands full, and if you try to grasp for anything else, you'll lose it all?” Sunny just nodded dumbly. He could feel the eyes on him again. He was not brave enough to meet them. Until the feeling of soft lips on his cheek forced his posture to bolt up. Basil lingered for a moment before pulling back.

Oh god why did he do that, he still didn’t know! He could have read it wrong. Oh god, oh jeez, he was gonna leave! He was gonna be left alone in a Chuck E Cheese after confessing. How would he recover? Adopt plants? At this rate he would have to build a greenhouse! A crazy plant man till the day he dies!

Sunny knew the telltale signs of a spiral a mile away. If Basil could be brace, so could he. With a firm grip he grabbed Basil’s chin and kissed him. His eye squeezed shut in a combination of apprehension and excitement. Oh, they were even softer than he expected. He could taste his mint lip balm and feel his cute little breaths and his pounding heart. He slowly broke away, giving the flower boy a small grin. “I think we were both reaching for the same the-”

The now normal boy was quickly tackled into the ball pit by a twink missile. The balls broke the fall though. Basil was clinging to his chest, rubbing his face into his hoodie as he sniffled. “I've been dreaming of this since we were kids you know…. and it... It just doesn't feel real!” Sunny just grinned and slowly pet the blond tangle of hair obscuring his vision. “I know.” 

What a blessing it was that his thoughts could stay his thoughts now. Although he couldn't keep them all to himself anymore. He wanted Basil to know how loved he was. “Remember when you told me, that we’d make new memories together? Well…” He slowly held Basil’s cheeks. “I love you.”

With no hesitation he launched into another kiss, eager to feel his lips upon Basil’s yet again. Somehow, he knew this was just the first of many more to come, but this would be the one he remembered the most. Maybe being a rat wasn’t so bad after all.