Archive of Our Own ^beta

“I have to tell you something…”

“It's… It's about Mari…”

“…Mari, she…”

“ ...Mari didn't kill herself… ”

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…Once Sunny was finished telling the truth, he saw his friends standing there, frozen, with expressions that he could only assume were of shock, betrayal and anger, as the tears and puffiness of his eye didn't let him see clearly.

Sunny managed to see pink approaching him through the blurriness of his eye. It was Aubrey. 

The moment she got to arm's length from him, her right arm shot up to the neck of his hospital gown and grabbed it tightly, holding him in place.

“You…” She said with little to no emotion in her voice, causing Sunny to freeze.

“HOW COULD YOU!?” Aubrey's calm facade fell, letting out a yell and launching her fist into Sunny's jaw, making him reel back in pain.

“WHY!?” Aubrey hit his jaw again, demanding an answer she already previously got from the same boy she was currently assaulting.

“WH-Why did you lie to us!?” She hit Sunny one last time in the nose with a low crack , causing some blood to begin to trickle down his right nostril.

Sunny was then shoved to the side, falling on his left leg and both left forearm and right hand as his body instinctively attempted to stop its fall. 

“YOU… *sniff* y–y-you- *sniff* YOU MURDERER!!!” She said with the last bit of rage she had before it was overwhelmed by everything else before storming out of the room

…After some seconds passed, Sunny tried to get back up, only for the right side of his torso to explode in pain with a strong kick from Hero, making him scream in pain as his floating ribs let out a resounding crack .

Sunny was sent rolling to the wall while clutching his hurt side.

Hero was furious, but unlike Aubrey, he didn't say anything as he intended to beat Sunny to a pulp.

Hero's violent outburst caused Kel to snap out of his trance to try to pull him away from the crying boy huddled against the wall before he could do anything he might regret.

His brother's action made Hero calm down just enough to realize this wasn't worth it, and with that in mind, he grunted again, glared at Sunny who was still on the floor crying, clutching his side in pain, and then made his way to the door once Kel stopped holding him back, slamming the door shut once he was out…

…Now, the only one left was Kel… 

“Sunny… w-why?” Kel's voice wavered as he asked the crying Sunny. 

Kel looked down to the side and put a hand on his face before speaking up again.

“I-I-I don't understand, why-why did you a-a-and 

Basil…” Kel looked back at Sunny, his face showing utter disbelief and denial.

“Ho- How could you do this to me!?- To us!?” Kel's denial and disbelief dissipated in an instant, immediately replaced by rage.

“DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA OF WHAT I--WE'VE ALL BEEN THROUGH BECAUSE OF THIS- THIS SICK. TWISTED. LIE!?” Kel yelled through tears, stomping forwards with each word.

The room went quiet for a few seconds after Kel's outburst, his anger being quickly replaced with an overwhelming sadness and exhaustion.

“I-I-I…”

“I don't think i want to be friends with you guys anymore”  Kel ran out of the room, leaving Sunny and Basil behind… For good…

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…Sunny was miserable. He just laid on the floor and his head on a pool of some drops of his own blood and tears. While he didn't expect immediate forgiveness from them, he still never imagined something even remotely close to this could happen. 

All Sunny could do now was cry in pain: Pain from the things his, now former, friends said to him. Pain from the injuries they gave him, injuries that hurt even more than they normally would as they were inflicted by his childhood crush and big brother figure, now both hated his guts.

…Some minutes passed by as Sunny cried to himself before he remembered someone important: Basil… He had to know that the truth was finally out… even if it wasn't good news anymore…

Sunny tried and failed to get back up a couple of times before succeeding, and once he did, he made his way to the front of the bed of the unconscious Basil while he tried to make himself more presentable by cleaning his tears and snot mixed with blood with his left arm while the other clutched his side as he got closer to the foot of Basil's hospital bed.

“Basil” Sunny's voice came out hoarse and dry. It hurt him to speak, but he had to, for his best friend’s sake.

Basil's eyes fluttered open when he heard the strange voice calling his name only to quickly realize the voice came from his best friend: Sunny.

“S-Sunny?” Basil spoke softly, his voice barely louder than a whisper, but enough to let his best friend know he was awake.

“Basil, I- I told them” Sunny went straight to the point, hoping it wouldn't cause Basil to panic.

“H-huh wha?” Basil was confused by the vagueness of the statement mixed with the grogginess of having just woken up, but he would soon come to understand what Sunny meant, but sadly for him, he was in for a very unpleasant surprise.

“I- I told them the truth, Basil, the whole truth. I told our friends what we did” Sunny said bluntly, hiding his emotions behind a stoic mask. In reality he was sad, miserable and tense in anticipation for Basil's reaction.

The news of what Sunny had just done caused Basil's eyes to shoot wide open and he shot into a sitting position just as quickly. 

“W-W-WHA- WHAT!?” Was all the flower boy could say in shock, taking Sunny by surprise, but not enough to make him back off.

“They- They didn't take it well-” Basil's breathing became heavy and his teeth clenched ‘-b-b-but we still have each other, w-we can finally move on from all of this, e-everything is finally going to be okay” Sunny tried to sound convincing while mustering the strength to give Basil a warm, reassuring smile “I promise they-” But before he could even finish speaking, he was interrupted by yelling coming from the flower boy.

“H-HOW COULD YOU DO THAT!?”

“H-huh? B-Basil, calm do-” Sunny tried to calm Basil down from his sudden outburst, but Basil had no intention of calming down.

“W-WHY ARE YOU LEAVING ME LIKE THIS AGAIN!? FIRST I-IT WAS THE P-PHOTO ALBUM AND A-AUBREY! AND NOW THIS!! *Sniff* W-why are you so mean to me? WHY!?” 

“W-wha- b-but Basil t-they-” Sunny tried to reassure Basil by convincing him that their friends would eventually forgive them, but he was once again cut off by the blonde before he could finish. 

“S-SHUT UP! J-JUST SHUT UP AND GET OUT! L-LEAVE ME ALONE!” Basil demanded for Sunny to leave as he began to repeatedly press a button next to his bed to call for assistance to kick Sunny out, knowing Sunny wasn't going to leave on his own just by just yelling at him, Sunny WAS Basil's best friend after all so he knew him well enough.

“BASIL, PLEASE JUST LISTEN TO ME!” Sunny desperately tried pleading to Basil as his composure fell alongside some tears from his left eye and droplets of blood and snot from his nose.

“I-I’m sure they’ll-” Sunny tried getting close to Basil to try to calm him down, only to get shoved away, making him fall to the floor. He screamed and laid on his side as the impact made pain shoot through his injuries.

“I-I TOLD YOU TO S-SHUT UP! I-I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU EVER A-AGAIN!”

Basil clutched his hair with a force that threatened to rip it off, his overwhelming emotions growing and growing until they finally reached their boiling point.

“I-I- I HATE YOU!!!” Basil yelled at the top of his lungs, and just then, some staff members quickly came into the room to take Sunny away and to pull him into his own hospital room to get treatment for his fractured nose, bruised jaw and his broken ribs.

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…Once Sunny was left alone, he began sobbing and weeping at the unfairness and hopelessness of this whole situation as darkness surrounded him and threatened to swallow him whole…

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“Sunny… There you are…”

Sunny breathing became heavy and frantic when he saw Mari Something emerging and approaching from the darkness in front of him.

“Oh… little brother… you… you are scared. Please… let me take care of you…”

Sunny closed his eye tightly at the feeling of Mari's arms Something's tendrils slowly and tenderly wrapping themselves around his body.

Sunny tried to calm down… but it hurt to breathe.

“Little brother… please, look at me… I'm worried about you… your eye is swollen and your face is bruised… Let me take care of you”

Sunny's sobbing became worse when he heard the sadness in his sister's Something's voice.

Sunny tried to focus… but his emotions overwhelmed him.

“I'm sorry… Sweet little brother… I must insist… Your eye… It's welled up with tears and your face… You're in pain… Do not worry, little brother. I will take care of you”

Sunny violently shook and cried in his sister's embrace Something's grasp… 

He felt like he couldn't move a muscle…

He missed her… So much... And it's all his fault...

Sunny tried to persist… but he couldn't hold steady.

“Sweet little brother. It's time to rest… Please, stay down… and stay very, very still”

Sunny felt exhausted once those words were spoken by Mari Something , as if a spell was cast upon him… 

But he couldn't fall asleep.

“Sunny… I love you”

Sunny tried to cherish… But he couldn't see the light… Not anymore…  

Sunny laid on his bed, crying and violently shaking for what felt like hours as Mari Something held him in place while she it whispered sweet, reassuring words into his ear.

Suddenly, the door to Sunny's hospital room swung open, making the darkness around the room and Something disappear in that same instant.

“Sunny!” A feminine voice called out for the broken boy from the wide open door.

Sunny got scared for a moment. He thought maybe Aubrey had come to finish beating him with her nailed bat, but quickly realized… 

This voice was different. Sunny passed a hand through his eye to clear his vision, and recognized the figure of a woman with curly red hair: His mom.

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To say Samantha was having a bad time would be an understatement. 

It was late past midnight, she was just about to get in her car, on her merry way to pick her son up from their former house when she got a call from the Faraway hospital informing her that said son was severely injured and was currently being treated.

The news caused her to shoot into her car and start it faster than it should be humanly possible before driving at twice the legal speed limit to the Faraway hospital. (It's not illegal if you're not caught *wink* *wink*)

The drive to the hospital took her hours, and by the time she got to the hospital her son was being held in, the Sun was already rising. 

When she managed to find a spot to park her car at, she shot out of the vehicle, locked it and then ran straight into the hospital.

Inside, she asked where her son was being held in, and once she got an answer, she bolted straight to the room she was told. 

Once she got to the right room, she heard muffled sobbing and whimpering coming from behind its door causing her to immediately slam the door wide open to get the barrier that separated her and her crying son out of the way, then called out for him…

“Sunny!” Samantha yelled the moment the door was out of the way. She saw Sunny, her son, in tears.

Sunny was visibly startled by her yell before he turned his gaze towards her, showing her his teary eye…

Wait a minute- EYE!?

Samantha rushed to her son's side while carelessly throwing her purse to the side of the bed he was on to get a better look at him. She didn't like what she saw AT ALL. 

“Ohmygod, Sunny, what the hell happened to you!?” She, almost hysterically, yelled, referring to her son's condition. 

Once she was done analyzing her son, she enveloped him in a warm hug, making sure to be careful to avoid hurting him any further.

Sunny reciprocated her hug, wrapping his arms around her as tightly as his frail body allowed him to and letting his tears stain her shoulder. 

Sunny took a deep breath, then spoke, “mom, I have to tell you something” His mother looked at him with curiosity showing on her face.

“What is it, Sunshine?” She asked using the nickname she and Mari occasionally used to refer to him, causing Sunny to slightly flinch.

He was about to tell her the truth - THE FULL truth - She deserved to know after all…

“M-mom, Mari… she... *sniff* Mari didn't kill herself” His mother froze, only to tighten her embrace seconds later.

“Sunny… I know…” Samantha confessed, surprising the boy she was holding.

“Huh? W-what?”

“Your father and I… we both knew” Samantha let go of Sunny as she spoke, letting his worried face fall back into her view.

“A-and you still love me? Even after everything I-I've done? I ruined everything, I-I killed Mari. I-I made dad go aw-” But before Sunny could finish that sentence, he was cut off by his mother.

“DO NOT say that” Samantha said in a cold tone of voice.

“He left us both, that was his and ONLY HIS choice, not yours. Don't blame yourself for he chose himself” She tried to calm down to reassure her son and to comfort him.

“Honey, what happened with Mari… it was an accident, wasn't it? You loved Mari a lot, probably more than anyone else, you didn't mean to hurt her, right? You must've been really scared” She embraced him once again. He reciprocated the hug, letting out a breath he was holding in anticipation.

“*Sniff* yeah…” Sunny confirmed his mom's questions and claim while sniffing through his available nostril.

“Mhmm, now honey, tell me. Who the hell did this to you!?” She half-yelled, once again referring to his plastered, cotton stuffed nose, the purple on his jaw, the ice pack on his torso and the bandages around his head and eye.

Sunny grimaced, but he decided to tell his mom anyways, not like there was any reason not to anyways. 

“B-Basil did this to m-me… I-I-I mean, just the eye” Sunny clarified, not wanting his mom to go crazy and go to Basil's room to beat him to a pulp.

“Wha-? But why? I thought he was your best friend” Samantha said in surprise, hiding the sudden urge she got to beat the flower femboy to a pulp the moment she laid eyes on him, if only she knew where his room was…

Sunny flinched, Basil had basically just cut ties with him earlier and it wasn't exactly a nice memory, especially with how fresh it was “He was my best friend *sniff* I- I don't think he wants to be friends with me anymore…”

“Why? What happened between the two of you? Also, what do you mean he only hurt your right eye? Who's responsible for the rest?” She barraged her son with questions, with murder worry evident in her voice.

“I'll tell you from the beginning, okay? I-I think it will be better if you know the full story” Sunny said before taking a deep breath to calm himself down and focus. 

“The night of the recital, I-I pushed Mari down the stairs…” More tears spilled out of Sunny's eye while Samantha winced. She heavily suspected that was what happened, as it would explain the random damage around Mari's body, but getting direct confirmation was still surprising.

“I wasn't alone… Basil. He was there, he- he saw everything…” Samantha was surprised at the mention of a witness being there at the time of her daughter's death. And now even more curious, she kept listening to her son's recounting of the events, paying close attention to every detail.

“He helped m-me bring Mari to our room, I- I thought she just needed some rest… but I-I couldn't f-f-feel her pulse” Sunny's voice began failing him as he recounted the events to his mom, who felt the need to start comforting him, but was stopped when Sunny held a hand up to her before continuing.

“H-he- he stayed with m-me and *sniff* he- he t-told me that 'everything was going to be okay' that 'h-he had a plan' a-and to 'j-just follow his lead', and then ordered m-me lift M-Mari from her legs'” His throat hurt a lot, but he couldn't stop just yet.

“He- he led me to the backyard” Sunny's mom already knew where this was going but she still needed to know the full extent of it, so she let him speak.

“I… I didn't know what was ha-happening, i just *sniff* i-i just followed him *sniff* and then w-when he w-was done, he started pulling me into the house again, but halfway he turned around and s-a-saw some-something behind him that m-made him stop, and when I t-turned to see w-what it was... *Sniff* It was- It was Mari. I’m sorry” Sunny's composure was falling apart and the pain in his ribs got worse.

“We hung her *sniff* I-I couldn't remember until yesterday at his house, a-and when I went to confront him, we got in a fight and… he s-stabbed my eye” Sunny kept powering through the pain and strain in his throat as he kept retelling his story.

“Oh, Sunny!” Samantha said, not being able to contain her tears or need to comfort her son anymore. 

Meanwhile the back of her mind was occupied worrying about some… other things. 

‘Basil. That little shit! He better hope for fucking miracle if i ever-’ However, her line of thought was cut off by Sunny speaking up again. 

“A-and today when i woke up *sniff* I-I went to his hospital room to confess the truth to everyone, *sniff* A-Aubrey, Hero and K-Kel and *hic*... they- they beat me u-up” Samantha froze to what she had just heard.

'HUH!?' Samantha didn't have time to fully process his words before he spoke again.

“Au-Aubrey punched in the f-ace and fractured my nose and Hero *hic* ki-kicked me and b-broke my r-r-ribs” this CLEARLY didn't make it any better as Samantha's eyes widened at what she just heard.

'Wha- EXCUSE ME!?' Was the only non-murderous thought that formed in Samantha's mind the moment those words entered her ears.

“K-Kel left me there after h-he told me he didn't want to be friends with me anymore. A-and then when I- *sniff* when i went to talk to Basil h-he- he-” Sunny couldn't contain his emotions anymore, causing them to come out in full force. 

“He yelled at me and kicked me out! I- I got no one, mom! THEY ALL LEFT ME!!!” Sunny's composure broke and he let all of his frustration and grief break loose before breaking down completely.

“Oh h- honey, i-it's okay, mommy's here for you now, I won't leave you” Samantha said as she enveloped her Sunshine in another hug. 

Samantha was trying to act calm and collected for her son. But her mind… Let's just say she wasn't as calm as she made herself out to be to her son. 

‘Once I get my hand on those little supposed "friends", oooh BOY, they will wish they were never born’

‘Especially that little shit. Basil, once I get my hands on his femboy looking ass I'll beat the fu-’ Sunny began to calm down and interrupted his mother's murderous fantasies train of thought once again as he reciprocated his mom's embrace.

“T-Thank you, mom, *sniff* I love you” He said to his mom with a very hoarse and dry voice.

Samantha's thoughts became less deranged when she heard his words, but especially the poor condition of her son's voice that came with them, prompting her to pull herself off the warm embrace. “I love you too, honey”

She realized how hoarse and dry his voice was at that last bit, so she broke the hug. “Sunny, dear, do you need anything?” She asked the boy she was currently holding.

“*Sniff* Water, p-please” To Sunny's request, Samantha let go of his shoulders, then dove a hand into her purse from which she got a half full bottle of water that she then handed to her son who proceeded to chug it like his life depended on it. 

‘Sheesh, he really needed that’ She saw him leave the bottle completely dry in a matter of mere seconds before letting out a relieved breath.

“Thank you, mom” Sunny spoke softly, his raging emotions from earlier having dissipated and replaced by exhaustion.

“You're welcome, dear. I love you” She said before enveloping her son back into yet another warm embrace.

“I love you too, mom” Sunny said as he reciprocated his mom's hug… 

Maybe… 

Maybe things could finally be okay for Sunny… Even if they never went back to how they were before, he can try to move on and live a new life.

A change in scenery would be a good start.

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  Three days after the truth

None of Sunny's former friends came to visit or to check on him, not even once.

His mom had to leave to arrange everything with the movers and go get everything prepared at their new place for when Sunny could be discharged, but before she left, she gave Sunny a new flip-phone to keep him in contact with her while she was working, and to keep him entertained with some games it had. 

His mom also promised Sunny she'd try her best to be far less occupied with her work. He told her that it was no big deal and that he'd be fine, but she was adamant about trying her best to spend more quality time with him, especially after having just recovered him from his almost catatonic state after four long years.

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Five days after the truth

The days passed by and Sunny was getting better, not just physically but also mentally with the help of his mom's soothing and reassuring voice speaking to him through the phone, and while nightmares still plagued his sleep, they were becoming rarer and less aggressive.

His recovery was surprisingly quick according to the doctor. Sunny was happy with the news, mainly because he was more than just eager to leave Faraway behind… After what happened…

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Sunny would love to have his friends back … But that is impossible now, so he has to try his best to move on, even if the future seems bleak.

It may be hard to move on from the past, it may seem hopeless, but Sunny knew that doing nothing would just make things worse.

Doing nothing used to look like the only option to him, with no possible consequences, but now he could clearly see that said belief was flawed.

He resolved to try his best to push through the pain; it was bound to get better, but only if he tried.

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Six days after the truth

The doctor came into Sunny's room to inform him he could be discharged tomorrow thanks to his speedy recovery and asked him if he wanted to leave by then to which Sunny said yes, then they went to inform his mom about his decision to which she agreed to come pick him up the next day.

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…While waiting for tomorrow, Sunny pondered about his mom… 

She has always been there for him, even before this whole mess. When Mari couldn't comfort him, she did, when Mari wasn't there, she was and when both their worlds got flipped upside down, she didn't give up on him, while he did nothing but be a… burden to her.

He's been doing nothing but burden others and he has been for far too long…

He burdened his parents by killing their only daughter and then went into a half-conscious state forcing the one left to take care of him.

He burdened his friends by killing Mari, causing them great grief for years while he did nothing but ignore everything.

…His mom… She had to work in the city which was almost a half a day away from home while trying to take care of her only son when she could come back, while said son did nothing but burden her while occasionally satiating his basic needs…

He made a promise to himself to avoid being a burden to anyone ever again, especially to his mom, he owed her that much or even more.

Moving on and getting better may be difficult, but the future waits for no one and Sunny's not planning on being left behind again, he was adamant about this decision. He was going to catch up with everything he missed out on: School, news, the new Captain Spaceboy and Slime Girls stuff he missed out on during his isolation and much more; financially help his mom however he can and become better… 

…Maybe that was a little too much… Maybe not… He’ll see.

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Hours passed by and exhaustion eventually caught up to Sunny; his eye became heavier, and putting up no resistance to his exhaustion, he fell asleep…

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A week after the truth. Time to move on

The time was 6AM when Sunny was woken up by his mother nudging him, and once she noticed his awakened state, she spoke.

"Rise and shine, Sunshine, it's time to go" Said Samantha in a low voice as to not startle her son.

Sunny took the ice pack- which was now just cold water in a bag -off his belly and started to carefully pick himself up. 

Once he sat up, his mom handed him a new set of clothes she bought for him at a sale a couple of weeks ago.

These clothes included black boxers, socks and sweatpants with a yellow t-shirt that had an imprint of a white sun in its center. 

She just couldn't resist a good bargain, huh.

"Go take a shower sweetie, and take these clothes with you, it was time you changed your old clothes" Samantha gpt up and began walking out of the room, but Sunny had something to say.

"Mom" Sunny said to catch his mom's attention.

"Yes?" Samantha turned around to meet her son's gaze, while he took

"Thank you, for not giving up on me, for taking care of me despite everything. I promise I'll become better, just for you" Sunny said, tearing up while giving his mom the most heart-melting smile she has ever seen.

"Oh sweetie! C'mere you" Samantha couldn't resist the urge she had to lunge at her son to give him a hug as she teared up. "You're the best son ever!"

"Thank you, mom" Sunny said, reciprocating the hug. They stayed like that for a couple more seconds before they had to let go of each other.

"I'll wait for you outside, don't take too long, m'kay?" Samantha then began making her way outside, without interruptions this time. 

Sunny carefully got up and made his way out of the room, where a nurse guided him to the showers with his neatly folded clothes close to his chest.

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After Sunny was done, he walked out of the hospital to meet with his mom who was waiting for him at the sidewalk, next to her car with a grape soda in her hand, his favorite drink.

"Are you ready to go, Sunshine?" Samantha said as she handed the soda can to her son for him to enjoy.

"Yes! Yes I am, mom" Sunny said with a slight smile, emotion in his voice and a flame of determination and excitement in his eye.

"Alrighty then! Get in the car" Samantha said as she went around the car and to the driver's side while Sunny just walked up to the door and got in the passenger’s side…

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The time was 6:30AM when their journey to their new place in the city began. Not before Sunny's mom chugged her second Monster energy drink of the day.

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The time was 11AM when a group of four reached the hospital to meet a boy, give him goodbye gifts and apologize for their past actions in the process… only to find that said boy had already been discharged and left four and a half hours ago…