Chapter Text
It's a peaceful day. Or rather, it was a peaceful day.
Aubrey leaned back upon the Suzuki household's couch, pinned by a Sunny that used the crook of her neck as a makeshift pillow. Not that she ever minded, hugging her boyfriend and drawing him closer. She could feel the small smile tickling her skin, the warmth spreading throughout, and sighed in contentment. She could sit here forever and then die a happy woman.
Still, despite her reverie, Aubrey had a question bouncing in her mind. Something that spawned a few days ago, from an eventful badminton match. It was an innocent question, not at all important or urgent. But she wanted to entertain it, and her curiosity could only be contained for so long....
Oh, what was the harm? "So, Sunny." Aubrey said.
Sunny shifted a bit in her grip. "Mm?" He said.
"What would you have used that ticket for, anyway?" She asked. "You know, that 'do-anything-you-want' ticket?"
A delicious scent began to waft into the living room. From the kitchen, no doubt; Sunny had lunch cooking in the oven. What it was, he wouldn't say. He liked his surprises, much like Mari loved her little tricks.
But Aubrey shook her head. "Come on, Sunny." She grazed a hand through his hair, as a smug little smile formed. "Whatever it is, I won't bite.... Maybe I'll even--"
"Marriage...." Sunny murmured.
Aubrey blinked. "--Huh?"
"I would've proposed." The boy tightened his hug. "Then used the ticket...."
"You.... You were going to use it to propose....?"
"Mhm...."
Aubrey glanced at the far wall.
"Aubrey, I can't love you enough...." Sunny said, voice far deeper than it should be. He conjured a black box from his pocket. "Marry me!" He commanded, displaying a brilliant diamond ring.
"S-Sunny...." Aubrey gasped. She glanced around, seeing all the eyes on them. Embarrassment just about ran her over. "I love you, but this is too much! I'm supposed to be the tough girl, and I'm still...."
The words died on her lips as Sunny flourished a familiar ticket. "I'm sorry, Aubrey, but I won't let that get in the way of our love!" He declared, the 'do-anything-you-want' slip swaying in the convenient breeze. It turned to rose petals, and oh my, was that a vested suit Sunny was wearing? "I want you to marry me, Aubrey! I want to spend the rest of my life with you!!"
"Sunny, I...." She let out a girlish sigh, but it sounded more like a squeal. "I'll do it, I'll marry you! I'll be by your side forever....!"
"Sunny, that's...." Aubrey said, as she trembled. She couldn't help the growing smile, and its ends soon reached her eyes. "That's wonderful! It sounds amazing!"
It was the definition of romance! Sunny using the ticket to sweep her off her feet and away to a life of husband and wife.... Oh dear god, her cheeks just burned at the thought! If she wasn't clinging to her boyfriend, she would've held her cheeks up and sighed like she was living a dream.
"Oh, it sounds perfect!" Aubrey continued to gush. "I can't wait! It'll be--"
"I can't." Sunny interrupted.
Aubrey swore she heard a record scratch. "--Wait, what?"
"I didn't win. So I don't have a ticket...."
Aubrey's eyes widened.
'He.... doesn't have the ticket.' She realized. Why would he have the ticket? The boys had to win, and she and Mari got sneaky at the last minute....
....Oh god, she made a terrible mistake. Her heart plummeted to the depths. She.... She just flirted away the perfect proposal, didn't she?
"W-Well!" Aubrey spoke up, a little too squeaky. "You just need a ticket, right!? I mean, I could just give you one....!"
"Mmn...." She felt him shake his head. "Wouldn't feel right...."
Aubrey felt something break.
Ding!
Sunny pulled his head away from her. "Lunch is ready." He said, unlatching himself from Aubrey. "I'll go get it...."
She didn't quite feel or even notice his departure. She stared at the far wall, with an eye twitch as her only sign of life.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Aubrey screamed within the dark void. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!" She fell to her knees, hammering at the pitch black with her fist. "AAAAAAAAAAAA!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!" She yanked out a chunk of darkness, and started beating the darkness with it. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!"
"C-Calm down, boss....!" A sharply-dressed Auby said into a microphone, sweating bullets. "I-It's okay, it's just a proposal--"
"M-Ma'am!" A more modestly suited Auby burst into the room, hair frayed with scorch marks on her skirt. "Bad news, the Aubys have gone into a full-blown riot!"
"ARE YOU SERIOUS!?" The Head Auby slammed down on the metallic pedestal, inches away from damaging the controls. "How bad is it now!?"
"Really bad, ma'am. They-- They broke the Bun-Bun statue!!"
"No...." The Head Auby slumped to her knees. "Not the golden bunny....!"
"W-What do we do, ma'am!?" The Secretarial Auby looked ready to panic. "They want their proposal, and they want it now!"
"O-Okay, just--" The Head Auby took a deep breath. "Tell them it's a delay. The proposal's coming, there's just a roadblock."
"But what if--"
"There's no time to worry! We have to get this situation under control before there's a meltdown! Now go! GO!!"
The Secretarial Auby nodded and dashed out of the control room. The Head Auby took another deep breath. "Alright. Now I just need to calm her down...." She whispered, before turning back to the microphone.
Aubrey's hands balled into fists. This.... This was a disaster-- no, a catastrophe! But it wasn't an absolute loss. Sunny told her what his plan was. He.... He just needed to have that ticket, right? But he had to earn it....
....Mari, she had to talk to Mari about this! She was the one who caused this whole debacle in the first place. She would have a better idea on how to get that ticket in his hands, and she should take responsibility for this mess anyways!! Sure, Aubrey would've never found the perfect proposal without Mari, but she was just as bad with Hero!
Aubrey tried to take a deep breath, but peace eluded her. Now that she knew what she wanted, she had to get it. She wouldn't be at ease until Sunny had that ticket in his hands, and she'll get it in his hands, come hell or high water!