Archive of Our Own

“And then he up and leaves…! I haven’t even seen him for d-”

Tap

A drop of rain, as cold as the conversation that preceded it, made itself known as it slid down Aubrey’s nose and back onto the ground below. Visibly dejected, she released her death grip on the swings’ chain– an aftereffect of what she considered to be a very frustrating discussion– and held out her palm, letting it slowly become soaked.

“Do you feel that too, Sunny? Looks like it’s raining…” Aubrey’s residual scowl slowly shifted to a face of disappointment as she looked over to the one person she trusted enough to confide in. 

Her closest friend. Sunny Suzuki.

Aubrey watched as she dug her heel into the sand pit below, stopping all swaying and looking up with a thousand yard stare that anyone besides her would assume was one of complete uncaring. Behind her cliff-faced demeanor and shy way of speaking, however, Aubrey recognized her as someone who’s beautiful soul couldn’t be defined by words. She meant everything to her.

“Mm… the sky is turning so gray too…” Sunny said as her mouth formed into a tiny ‘o’ shape, a distant sadness and anxiety laced in her voice.

Aubrey stood up, growing more fearful of the idea of having to return to her house, somewhere she couldn’t call her home in a million years. She looked at her companion, a similar look of dread only she could notice was painted across her face as she played with her fingers, avoiding eye contact. Surely Sunny didn’t look like this because of what she had told her, right? She felt guilty putting her burden onto her shoulders, but she never seemed to mind; the biggest smiles she’s ever shown to her were when she was comforting her, after all. She appreciated it so much.

Seemingly out of nowhere, Sunny grabbed her hand, successfully breaking her from her guilty thoughts.

“Do you wanna come… to my house? Only if you want to of course,” She traced her thumb around the back of her hand, something she often did when she herself was feeling nervous. She shudders internally at the way Sunny lovingly held her hand; something so lovely about the way she grabs it when she’s in a state of distress. Aubrey dissolved into the warmth she radiated, forgetting about her troubles completely. “W-we can even invite the others, I’m sure even Kel would be happy to see you with how long we’ve all been apart recently…” They both let out a small giggle at the mention of Kel, even Aubrey admitted seeing him would be a nice change of pace from how things have been going. “I’d have to convince… Mari… but I’m sure she’d be happy to see you too!”

Aubrey noticed a small hesitation in her voice at the mention of her sister, but for the life of her couldn’t imagine why. It’s been so long since she’s seen her, and thinking about it made her consider her offer despite the inevitable repercussions, one of which being a completely soaked room. She knew how important it was to both Sunny and Mari, but she secretly cursed the miserable recital practice that dragged the two people that meant the world to her away, sometimes for days at a time. It hurt her even more knowing deep inside she had to reject her offer in favor of fixing her roof so water doesn’t flood her entire house, her previously ditched scowl returning to her face. All she could think about is how miserable her life must seem to outsiders. 

Aubrey sighed deeply, her hand slipping out of her friend’s. “S-sorry Sunny, I have to feed Bun-Bun… turns out caring for a bunny is hard work!” She chuckled weakly at her technically true statement, trying to lighten her spirits.

Sunny looked down, anxiety and defeat clearly making a mark on her psyche as she went back to fiddling with her fingers. She looked away, the tiniest bit of what Aubrey recognized as hope made its way onto her face for a split second as she nervously prepared to speak, gazing into her eyes with what she saw as a deep resolve.

“Let- let me come with you,” Sunny said, the slightest bit of urgency in her voice. “I don’t… I know you don’t want people over but-” She broke eye contact, opting to study her empty seat on the swings. “I don’t want you to be alone there…”

Aubrey hesitated, drawing a blank on what to say. Sunny’s asked this before, with her always having to turn her down in the end. Her house, her wretched hovel that brings into question the true meaning of the phrase “there’s no place like home” is long-considered by her to be something nobody but her immediate family should bear witness to. That’s not to say she hasn’t considered it, Sunny of course being the only person she would ever think to let near her disaster of a home. She felt so ashamed thinking about it, despite how much her mere presence would alleviate the stress of being within its walls; her vibration mending the rotted wood planks of her unfinished attic back to their former state. It’s hard not to consider such an offer. She just couldn’t stand the possibility of seeing her hurt, to have an encounter with her awful mother, to see how truly bad it is. The thought of someone like Sunny, as delicate and as beautiful as a newly bloomed tulip, getting berated and screamed at for doing nothing wrong… it makes her sick to her stomach, the thought making tears nearly spill out. She refused to be careless.

“Sunny, look at me,” Aubrey said, taking both her hands into her own one final time. “I’ll be fine, okay? I always am, even if it is super hard being there… You being there would only get you hurt, and if something were to happen to you I wouldn’t know what to do with myself.” She slipped her hands out of Sunny’s tight grasp and gently wrapped them around her neck, pulling her fully into her own warmth; the feeling of her soft but slightly disheveled pigtailed hair brushing against the side of her shoulder and face is something Aubrey hoped to never forget. She hesitantly reciprocated, gently weaving her arms around her chest and squeezing her torso with the strength of a baby kitten.

She got closer, and began to whisper in Sunny’s ear. “Promise we’ll see each other again soon?”

Aubrey felt her shudder, followed by a shaky, unsure nod. An inevitable concession to a battle she was never going to win.

“G-great!” She quickly unlatched herself from Sunny, her face noticeably more bashful. “Um… We’re gonna get soaked if we keep standing here, so… I’ll see you later I hope…?”

Sunny nodded slowly, staring at her v-shaped smile as she took a few steps backward, before turning around and running out of the park, down the street and back to her decrepit home. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Staring at the door in front of her, Sunny felt the weight of her entire life slowly being placed onto her chest; every piano key, every sheet of music, every violin string, every obligation placed on her unwillingly yet of her own accord. She loathed her own house at this point, its comforting white and cream coloration long having turned oppressive. 

And within its walls, her sister lurked. 

She couldn’t bear to risk an encounter; luckily she was only here to stick her hand through the door. 

Sunny told herself that she shouldn’t be afraid of her sister, reminding her of the immense love and admiration she has for her which was always reciprocated. She knew she had no business complaining about the work she put her through, it’s something she needed to do if she wanted to make her happy. Recital practice wasn’t for another 4 hours anyway, she has plenty of time as long as she gets back not a second late. If she played her cards right it would be more than enough time for what she needed to do.

She winced at the direction her mind was turning, shaking her head and looking at the door’s handle with as much determination as she could muster. Putting her hand to the wet metal, she gently opened the door and reached for her umbrella hanging from the coathanger, not bothering to stick her head in.

Stepping away from her door, Sunny internally counted the number of steps it takes to reach the sidewalk. Each step– counting 15 in total– granted her a sense of relief, each foot placed in front of the other a weight off her shoulders. 

She couldn’t help but think about where she was going, a concoction of worry and resolve forming in her head as she made her way to her friend’s house. If the conversation they had on the swings just a few minutes ago was any indicator, Sunny would feel miserable leaving her alone in that… place. She didn’t exactly know how to articulate her feelings toward her living situation, but they were all too negative. She tried to think of herself as someone who didn’t– couldn’t– truly hate others, especially with a burning passion; Aubrey’s parents brought this idea of hers into question.

Turning the corner onto her street, Sunny was hit with an apprehension she hadn’t felt up until now. She wouldn’t be mad at her for showing up, right? She did say she would be fine on her own… Absolutely not. After hearing what she did today, this was for the best. She won’t– can’t– let her be alone there.

As her house came into view from the suburban forest patch blocking it, its rotting state became evident to Sunny.

It had gotten so much worse.

It had been a long while since Sunny had been around Aubrey’s house, seeing the state of her front yard had put things into perspective for the girl. When she mentioned the issues her family had with hoarding and extreme trash buildup– always insisting with an almost defensive nature that this was due to her mother’s overwhelming laziness– it never really occurred to her what that entails. Imagery of filled trash bags thrown haphazardly to the left of her house and a blown over trash can had never crossed her mind. This was especially true when considering the last time she had been here Aubrey’s lawn seemed almost pretty, if a bit disheveled: freshly cut grass, newly-bloomed wildflowers, the odd traffic cone placed haphazardly near the back, and their friend’s pinwheels blowing freely in the wind. 

Staring at the six pinwheels on the right side of her yard, now glistening with rainwater, she recalled a memory formed only a few months ago.

Sunny and her friends all waited outside for Aubrey to get ready, a long drive awaiting their whole group. Today they were going to the beach, and Sunny couldn’t be more happy.

The girl looks up to her window, its blinds drawn, and wonders when she would be coming down. She has so much to tell her after all, and today they would be sitting next to each other! It was the first time in her life she could recall being excited for a long car ride. 

Sunny’s attention falls on her four friends, waiting alongside her. It seems like they’re talking, though Sunny had tuned them out long ago by this point.

Basil turns to her, handing out a white pinwheel and pointing to Hero staking his blue one in the dirt, instructing her with excitement to do the same.

One after the other, they all place their pinwheels in a neat line. Mari laughs excitedly and talks about doing this to the yards of all the friends. Everyone couldn’t agree more.

It’s been too long since they’ve all been in one place together, Sunny concluded. Just another reason to hate this stupid recital, just another reason to not want to go back to her wretched house. To think this entire situation was because she wanted to spend more time with Mari… Softly sighing, she made her way up Aubrey’s driveway, walking on its outskirts to stay out of sight from her room’s window, all while she tried to avoid stepping in the small bits of trash littered around her driveway. Sunny hated seeing her forced to live like this so, so much. She concluded that if she said no, she could always-

Her thoughts were interrupted by a loud, abrasive one-sided shouting match coming from inside her walls. Stopping at the front door, she leaned her body gently against the wet wood and cupped her ear to the door panel, worry and dread for one of her closest companions overtaking her psyche in an instant. Her heart rate uncomfortably accelerated as she started to listen in.

“Aubergine… Are you kidding me ?!” A raspy voice shouted, targeting Sunny’s friend.

“I-I didn’t know it was going to…” Sunny’s ears perked up at the voice of Aubrey, her voice sounding so scared; backed against a wall. Sunny mentally debated opening the door– breaking the lock if she had to– in an effort to rescue her from her horrible mother before it escalated any further than it seemed to have already. She remembered Aubrey’s words about how harsh her mother could be, how Sunny could get hurt, and nearly disregarded them before forcing herself to stop for her sake. Hearing her berated hurt so badly, damaging her psyche in ways she didn’t think possible until now. Tears threatened to spill out as she listened further.

“Hah! What a load of horseshit! ” Her voice rang through the walls, Sunny absorbing her vitriol like a sponge. “ Dealing with your father is bad enough, I am NOT taking this from some pest that lives in my attic. You’re fixing your bullshit failure and you’re not allowed out of your room for… God, who cares, a long-ass time!”

What feels like an eons-long silence was followed by a gruff, faux-threatening “ Understand? ” barely audible through the door’s surprisingly thick paneling. Sunny tilted away from the door, she couldn’t take hearing this anymore. Forcing her to do work on the roof while it’s raining? Aubrey’s countless words said to her on the swings about her parents flooded her mind, grounding her and reminding her of the growing feeling of unfiltered malice in her gut. If she didn’t do something, anything , she doubted she would be able to live with herself.

All modes of function were lost on Sunny as footsteps, soft but uneven, started making their way toward the door and simultaneously her exact location. Not wanting an encounter with Aubrey’s mother just yet, the possibility of it being her slim but low, Sunny darted the corner to the right side of their house and crouched down. Just out of sight, perfect. A cocktail of the most extreme emotions Sunny could feel at that moment ran through her: panic, anxiety, an overwhelming anger… and most troubling, worry. It cut through her; a hole stabbed through her gut, one that couldn’t be healed until she knew Aubrey was okay.

It overwhelmed her so much that she didn’t even notice Aubrey now towering over her to her right, tear marks painted down her cheeks, a sad confusion plastered all over her face.

“S-Sunny!?” Aubrey let out, bending her knees down to get on equal level with her friend. “What the heck are you-”

Before she could finish, she found herself tackled in a tighter-than-usual hug from Sunny, her embrace forcefully exhaling the last bits of air from her lungs and lifting them both back to their full height. Expressions of affection, especially those with such force and urgency, are rare for the girl, but Aubrey wasn’t quick to think about the whys of such a situation. She was just so glad to feel Sunny’s warmth again after being stripped of it so unfairly just minutes prior. She could swear her world turns colder in both a literal and figurative sense whenever she’s out of her general area, and feeling Sunny hug her with so much pure emotion after such a cold series of events all but confirmed her theory. Needless to say she was quick to reciprocate, clinging onto her dearest friend for life as they felt each other shake heavily, their warm embrace calming their nerves by the second.

“A-Aubrey, I… I-I’m so… sorry… ” Sunny shakily spoke into Aubrey’s shoulder, holding her tighter with each word said as tears threatened to spill from her eyes. “Y-you, um, scared me with what you told me a-at the swings… I didn’t know it was… I-I just… want to help, please let me help…”

“S-Sunny… it’s okay, I promise!” Aubrey lied, a little too hastily. “It’s too… too d-dangerous for you here, okay? A-and besides… there isn’t much you can do-”

Sunny quickly interrupted her, urgency laced in her pleading voice. “You’re wr-... That’s not… true! It’s not… Aubrey, I heard how loudly she was… y-yelling… and after what you said… it would hurt me so bad to leave you- you-... alone here… Please … at least let me stay with you,”

Aubrey would be lying if she had said she wasn’t glad Sunny had shown up. Having someone who cares enough about her to suffer through the misery of her home life alongside her made her feel exceedingly special, if a little selfish. The only problem with this was that it was Sunny who was offering. Sunny(!!!!), her bright and soft ray of sunshine who she cared about more than anything; she couldn’t stand that she was once again being selfless to her own detriment. 

A concoction of different anxieties manifested whenever she thought of the possibility, the same ones that always plague her mind whenever she even considered letting Sunny past her door.  Thoughts of her getting hurt, of her parents finding out about her presence and berating both her and Aubrey for as much as letting her sit around in her room. She thought about the fear of her looking at the state of her house rather than hearing about it; it being so much worse than she imagined, and Sunny thinking less of her for it. Leaving her for it. It hurt too much to think about, and trying to push the thoughts down only made them worse.

Yet amongst the hurricane of indecision and anxiety, a reserved and soft-spoken voice reminded her of how much Sunny cared. Of how she would jump off the swings when she started tearing up talking about anything that bothered her– mundane or serious– and give her the most gentle and loving hugs she had ever felt. How she had witnessed her get truly angry for what seemed like the first time in her life at the mention of her parents and how they treated her, recalling a barely noticeable scowl and her entire body shaking as she spoke. She had seen her get frustrated, even going as far as to say that that it was an often occurrence, but this was different; scary in a way. What she can’t remember, however, was Sunny judging her a single time. 

Aubrey recognized this part of her as the part that knew Sunny; knew the real her. Her showing up now in the middle of a rainstorm just to make sure she was okay proved this more than anything. Looking her over, a pang of guilt encroaching her face, she knew that all she wanted at that moment was to be selfish. To have Sunny next to her in her own room for a change, making it feel less like a necessary shelter and more like a real home.

And besides… despite the umbrella, it was clear she was getting soaked. She’d end up getting sick if she were to stay out here. Hiding her from her mom wouldn’t be that hard, she concluded, seeing as she never bothered to climb the ladder to her room in the first place.

In the midst of her thoughts, Sunny watched as she stared at her with an extremely far-off look, the lightest shade of pink painted over her cheeks. Anticipation for an answer turned to worried confusion.

“A-Aubrey….?” 

She jolted to attention, focusing on where the voice had come from. How long had she been staring at her…?

“Ack! Uhm, w-wait here Sunny!” She let out, before fast-walking to a small clearing behind her house to retrieve her extension ladder. She was going to need it if Sunny wanted to get into her house at all, having already subconsciously made the decision to let her in. The thought of her waltzing through the front door without a care in the world was almost hilariously painful.

Sunny’s confusion was strengthened further as she heard a cacophony of clanging metal coming from the direction Aubrey walked in, followed by a loud “DANG IT!” as she heard something large fall to the ground. Concerned, she began to make her way over until Aubrey appeared from around the corner, balancing a giant metal ladder above her head.

Watching as Sunny’s face turned from one of worry-tainted confusion to surprised amazement, Aubrey let out a little laugh.

“Surprised, Sunny? Don’t worry, it’s not actually that heavy,” She said as her face returned to her signature v-shaped smile, hiding her previous worry and frustration. 

Sunny watched as her friend moved to the front of her house, leaning the ladder against the exterior and adjusting the height to reach her window. Why did she need a ladder to get into her own house…?

Aubrey, staring at her companion nervously, lets her smile quiver a bit. “Um… ready?”

That’s why. Her words, an indirect confirmation of her intentions, hit Sunny with the soft force of a thrown pillow headed straight for her face. She was… actually letting her in? Something about the realization warmed her to her core, having rejected everybody who tried to come over without hesitation, even herself in the past– including today. A feeling of mutual trust and closeness enveloped her like the warmest blanket in an otherwise bitterly cold environment; she hadn’t felt like this with anyone else up until this point. Aubrey made her think she was good for something after all, even if that something was forever being by her side no matter what. Besides, it wasn’t like she had a problem with that anyway.

“O-oh… uh, yeah.” Just like her, it seemed she had been staring. The ever-present redness spread from her ears to her cheeks. “...Hey, Aubrey…?”

She looked down from the creaky ladder, already halfway up. “Yeah…?”

She looks at the grass below, gripping the bottom of her shirt for support. “Thanks for… trusting me… I know it must be hard and stuff…”

“Uhm… i-it’s no problem at all Sunny!” She managed to get out, closing her eyes and smiling her way. Her nervous thankfulness all but confirmed to Aubrey that she made the right choice in her mind. “Now come on up, you’re gonna catch a cold…”

Putting her foot onto the first step of the ladder and starting to climb, she was hit by a feeling she couldn’t describe– something akin to a faux-vertigo– and became still as a statue. She had barely put her foot onto the second step when she felt the shakiness of the ladder and the wetness of the handlebars from the rain (or was it her sweat?). She felt the grass below her slowly but surely turn into a deep pool of cold lake water, its cold grip already pulling her by her legs to her demise. Her breathing became rapid as she looked up at Aubrey, who was already through the window and looking down at her with a face of growing concern.

“Sunny…? Are you okay….?”

Sunny clenched her eyes shut and didn’t respond. How could she? She didn’t understand how she could protect Aubrey from everything that goes on in her life if she gets panicky over being a few feet off the ground. 

I’m such a screw up… She thought as she tried to put her next foot forward, the other half of her mind plagued with thoughts of how she should selfishly run back to her room and not look back. She had to push them back, giving up now would render herself in both her and Aubrey’s mind a complete failure. Just the fact that she was struggling with something so trivial was so embarrassing. She had no other choice. She had to be brave for Aubrey’s sake.

She took another step up and felt the force pulling her down becoming stronger all while she was becoming lightheaded. Her vision filled with static as she unclenched her eyes, looking down at the area below her. Three steps up. That was enough to make her absolutely lose it. Sunny’s fear overtook her as she prepared to find any other way in that didn’t involve a horribly shaky, questionably balanced ladder. 

Then she felt a hand tenderly grab her own. 

A gentle, grounding electricity rippled through her body at the unexpected touch. Looking up, she saw Aubrey reaching down– surprisingly not falling out of her window in the process– and gently pulling her up with as much care as she could muster.

She looks deep into her eyes, clearly concerned but still caring by showing what Sunny could only think of as the softest gaze she had ever seen. Feeling her, seeing her, it gave her the ability to breathe in and out at a steady pace. She had entered a trance, calming down in the process.

Focusing on her eyes gave her the courage to take another step, Aubrey looking more happy and fulfilled with each step she takes, her body ceasing its incessant shaking every time saw her get closer.

She faced the window, faced Aubrey, as she grabbed her forearms with both hands and pulled her into her room once and for all, landing in her oh so comforting embrace.

“Sunny… silly, you looked so worried! Is everything okay?” Aubrey said, trying her best to maintain her smile. Her only response was burying her face into her shoulder more than it already was. This only made her hug Sunny tighter as she felt her rapid heartbeat thumping against her chest, pink blossoming on both of their cheeks.

Thinking back to their previous experiences– and worrying that this might have something to do with herself– a lightbulb went off in Aubrey’s head without much trouble.

“Oh… I guess you’re still pretty scared from that day at the lake, huh?” She untangled herself from her grasp and grabbed both of her hands, staring at her directly. “Well don’t worry–… Sunny…?”

Sunny let her panic drift away from her, a feeling of concerned curiosity quickly taking its place as she observed her immediate surroundings. Aubrey’s room was… cleaner than the exterior of the house made it out to be, she’ll give it that. A messy but cute twin-sized bed in the right corner, flanked by a desk with two nightstands surrounding it made up the far side of the room. 

Above it all was a large cork board, plastered with polaroid photos of their friends. Some of them Sunny didn’t even recognize, much to her surprise– the slightest pang of jealousy hitting her in the gut at the realization. To the left of her room was Aubrey’s new baby rabbit, Bun-Bun, sitting comfortably in a small metal enclosure with unopened pet supplies balancing precariously on top. 

If this were the layout of any other room, Sunny would love it to death. It was simple, sure, but cute and perfect all the same.

She couldn’t help but notice the room’s less savory features while her eyes wandered, the other side of the coin sadly telling a different story. The floor below her was damp, with small puddles of rainwater scattered across Aubrey’s room in various divots residing in the rotted floorboards. Over the various damp areas were scattered buckets being filled with rainwater, lightly pouring through the holes in her ceiling. The wetness of it all gave her room a peculiar smell that was all too noticeable for someone who was unfamiliar with such conditions. 

This isn’t even taking into account the fact that her room was a drafty unfinished attic; the cherry on top that did nothing but fuel Sunny’s anger toward her parents. Unforgivable in every way.

She glanced back at Aubrey, who’s face had seemingly grown ashamed. Her eyes cast downwards, looking at nothing in particular but avoiding eye contact as if looking in her general direction at all would turn her to ice, all while still nervously gripping her hands tighter as each second passed. Aubrey knew she had messed up, telling Sunny about her living conditions was one thing but actually subjecting herself to them was another completely. It felt like the first time she opened up to her all over again, the nervousness and stress of it making her sick to her stomach.

Now it was Sunny’s turn to be concerned, their silent conversation a reminder to Sunny of the harsh toll that comes with exposing yourself in such a way.

“Aubrey…?”

“I… I know it’s bad, okay? I, uhm… y-you shouldn’t force-…” Her words get lodged in her throat. “...I don’t know…”

Sunny feels her try to pull away, an unsure apprehension in her movements. She doesn’t let her.

“I… I don’t think your room is bad! It’s kind of… cute actually,” Sunny meekly says, unsure if she’s saying the right thing at all. “I-It’s not your fault your stupid parents make you live up here, promise! if it was up to me they’d be the ones stuck up here…”

Aubrey was taken aback. “Are you even looking? It sucks here, Sunny! It…” She looks around, frustration overtaking her once again. How could she think that?  

“It’s such a disaster and I can never do anything about it… Like just now, my mom screamed like a maniac at me because she can’t be bothered to fix the stupid gaping holes in her own roof herself! I don’t understand at all how not knowing it was going to rain was my fault, but because water flooded the downstairs from my room I’m the one who’s blamed! Not to mention she doesn’t even care how badly my room got it… she only cares about the slightest little idiotic possibility of it somehow affecting her TV. Sometimes I wish I could smash that thing to pieces with Mari’s bat just to see what her reaction would be, maybe then she would actually start caring… even just a little bit, y’know?”

Sunny mutters a barely audible “yeah…” before releasing her grip on Aubrey’s hands and looking away, the thought that she accidentally offended her fresh in her mind. Of course she messed up! She’s ranted about how awful her living situation is to her and only her for what seems like years, and her response when presented with her reality is to say that it isn’t actually that bad. Stupid, stupid, stupid…

“But… I appreciate you trying to cheer me up Sunny, even if my room being anything more than an abomination is hard to believe,”

Sunny nervously looks back at her, her soft gaze unfaltering even in the worst environments. “I…I’m sorry… I know it’s bad in one sense… but I still like the way you, um, decorate and stuff… a-again it’s really cute!”

“Well…” She stops for a moment, looking away. Did she really think that…? “Maybe it’ll be better when I finally put the tarp on my roof like my mom wanted me to, even though it's gonna suck doing it in the rain…”

Sunny’s eyes grow wide in fear, remembering the words her mother shouted at her in full. To make her suffer through that alone would be cruel, she thinks, nearly as cruel as putting the responsibility on her shoulders in the first place.

“Can I help…?” Sunny asks in a worried stupor. “Maybe it… it won’t be so bad if we do it together…”

“...But you were just so scared of the ladder! A-are you sure….?” Aubrey asks. “You… don’t have to help me all the time, y’know…”

Sunny nods her head, the most tiny shade of disappointment covering her face at what she said. What reason would she have to not want to help her? She’d stay here forever if it meant she could help Aubrey and protect her from her awful parents. It beats being at her own home any day of the week, especially with her by her side.

Aubrey, on the other hand, wanted to explode. Despite it all, Sunny was asking to help? Still? She had asked to help her many times before in fact, the offers always tempting in their own way, but this felt different. So, so different. It made her feel… giddy, in a way, that one of her best friends would risk facing her fears, fears that she just had a panic attack over, for her sake and her sake alone. All she wanted to do was jump into her embrace, nuzzle her face into her stupid black hair, and whisper over and over how much she loved appreciated her and how much she meant to her; more than anyone on earth. How did she not let her in sooner?

Quickly turning her heel towards the ladder and away from the girl who was making her body erupt in the most lovely fuzzy warmth, she lets out a quick “O-okaywaithereberightback!!” before grabbing her pink umbrella, running towards the open window, and quickly leaping out with what Sunny thinks as the most incredible grace. How can she do that without being scared? So many questions she didn’t have answers for as she felt her ears heat up in amazement.

Sunny, now alone in her friend’s room for the first time in her life, tore her awestruck face away from the window and looked around more observantly at Aubrey’s room. Her bed was full of plushies of all kinds, lots of them gifts from herself and Mari, the most prominent of which being Mr. Plantegg who gracefully laid on top of her pillow. She walked over and prepared to finally sit down after such a harrowing day.

“Springy…” she muttered to herself as she took a seat on her bed.

The longer she sat, the more uncomfortably cold it got. That can’t be right, what kind of horrible bed would make you cold while you try to sleep? Her position grew more and more uncomfortable until she shot up, looking down at the bed. That’s when it dawned on her. 

It was soaking wet.

How did she not notice earlier? Of course it would be wet, there was a moderately sized hole dripping water right next to her. She stared at it for what seemed like an eternity, anger building up further inside her chest every time she heard a drop of water hit her bed; the rest of the dropping faded to static as she focused on the leak right in front of her.

…

This wasn’t working. How could she be so useless? At that moment she couldn’t think of anyone she cared for more than Aubrey, and every time she denied her requests to help her halfheartedly she just sulked back to her house from the swings, always ruminating but never acting like she had today. It was a never ending cycle that only hurt her in the end, despite Aubrey’s insistence that she had it under control. If she had gone to her house any of the other times she bawled her eyes out in front of her, would she have let her in then like she had today? 

Everything she had said today was especially worrying and it was something of a breaking point for Sunny. She had never felt so angry– murderous, even– after hearing that Aubrey’s mother-

“ Huff… huff… I’m back, Sunny!” Aubrey’s voice cut through her train of thought like flowers blooming over a cold steel butcher’s knife. She was carrying a giant blue tarp and had extended the ladder to the roof, still climbing it while looking at Sunny with an expectant face.

“Ready?”

Sunny looked bewildered having been ripped from her rumination, but quickly nodded as she got up off the bed, grabbing her umbrella on the way as Aubrey threw hers back into her room, subjecting her fully to the elements.

Sunny looked out the window, a sinking feeling bubbling up from her toes as she prepared to step onto the ladder. All she had to do was put her foot over the windowsill…

“Sunny! Sunny wait…! Not yet…” Aubrey panicked; letting Sunny have another meltdown while trying to climb her ladder would make her feel more horrible than she already feels. She quickly scurried up the ladder to the top, throwing the wrinkled tarp haphazardly on the roof for the time being.

After coming back down, Aubrey held out her hand for the half-confused, half-scared Sunny. 

“...Okay, now you can come!” She said, the smile plastered over her face threatening to make Sunny turn to jello. She shakingly took her hand into Aubrey’s; a perfect fit.

Hand in hand, Sunny cautiously put her body out of the window and sat on the windowsill, legs dangling toward the ground. The ever-so-familiar downward pull made itself noticeable again, but with a gentle squeeze of her hand by her most dear friend she managed to focus her line of sight on her gaze, her eyes and smile displaying reassurance and gratitude far greater than she could ever put into words. 

As if telepathically, her mind sent a signal to Sunny’s body and her foot reached out to the nearest step, paying no mind to the gap in-between the window and ladder. She gently guided her hand towards the rung just below the roof, letting her body balance as it slowly took its rightful place right next to Aubrey; so close yet so comfortable. With deep breaths and a loving gaze, Sunny followed Aubrey’s lead. She put one foot above the other, her umbrella-filled hand above her Aubrey-filled hand, eventually reaching the top with their hands still interlocked.

Raindrops now painted all over their clothes, Sunny opens her umbrella and lifts it above both her and Aubrey, making sure she’s huddled close and away from the onslaught pouring over their heads.

Then she handed it to Aubrey, and composed herself. 

“So… how d-do I put the tarp over?” Sunny questioned, not trying to hide the fact that she intended to do it all herself. “I-Is there any way for-”

“S-Sunny, hold on!” Aubrey gave the umbrella back to her, realizing what she was trying to do. “It’s not like this is a bone-breaking task, I know what I’m doing! In fact… instead of doing this all by yourself, I need you to help me in a different way, okay?”

“B-but you-”

“No buts you dummy!” Aubrey quickly clasped Sunny’s mouth shut with her free hand, much to the embarrassment of her companion.

“Now,” She grabbed one corner of the tarp, putting her fingers through the rusted grommet. “What I need you to do… is hold this! And the umbrella over me while I set the tarp up,” She smiled Sunny’s way, a look of worry encroaching her face. “Think you can handle it?”

Sunny silently nodded as she felt her ears burn. Her preferred way of conceding defeat.

Sunny watched as Aubrey crouched below her and pointed out a bent, rusted nail that jutted out near the peak of her roof. She slid the nail through the grommet and got back up.

“See? That easy, now we’re already almost halfway done,” Aubrey said. Sunny looked almost surprised, it was easy to tell she expected a lot worse.

They began their trek to the opposite side of the roof, Sunny holding the other corner of the tarp as Aubrey kept close to her under her umbrella. Sunny’s spirits lifted heavily, working in tandem with her partner made her feel so warm despite the circumstances of her visit. It was like Aubrey was saving her in a way, letting the nervousness and fear around every single one of her obligations vaporize into thin air with her presence alone.

Aubrey being able to do this with another was so very comforting, she never thought she’d actually enjoy being forced to do work on her house. Sunny’s presence really did make her house feel much more like a home, even if from her perspective it was almost certainly temporary. It was just like she always hoped it would be; the ‘reality’ of what might happen (as she so eloquently put it in her own head) if she let her in never coming to fruition.

They could both only hope the other felt the same as they continued on, arms and hands intertwined.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

After a trip down the ladder to her bedroom’s window, Sunny found herself falling into Aubrey’s arms as she maneuvered her way in, the contact warming their cold and soaked bodies.

“You know, I feel like you didn’t even try to protect me from the rain!” Aubrey lightly laughed into Sunny’s ear, her chin rested on her shoulder. For just a second, Sunny swore she felt warmer than she ever had.

“Ah- sorry…” A small breathy giggle came out of Sunny at the realization, making Aubrey grip her just a little bit tighter. Neither wanted to let go, a silent agreement hanging in the air to keep them as they were for just a little bit longer. Confronting the icy wetness of autumn rain covering their bodies was far too arduous of a task, the simultaneous insistence brushing through their minds that that was, indeed, the only reason. Surely.

Aubrey lets out a content sigh before tightening her grip one more time, squeezing the last bits of warmth out of her human plushie. 

“Well… looks like we gotta change, Sun. I don’t think I can stand being soaked forever,”

Sunny felt a spark of heat radiate through her chest and face at her lovingly-given nickname, not even noticing the tiny distance now placed between the two. 

The quick burst of cold against her torso and stomach grounded her to reality, now facing the crushing feeling of being wet all over. God, how she hated this feeling. Her clothes stuck to her with an icy grip, every movement of her body prompted a biting chill to shoot up her spine. Feeling every draft, every single movement of the air around her proved too much; she wished she could disintegrate into thin air. Or at least have her Aubrey towel back.

Aubrey looked at her companion, her arms refusing to touch her sides, and started to laugh.

“ Pfft - Sunny you - hehe - really do act like a little cat! Basil was right!” 

Sunny looked down, an embarrassed blush growing on her cheeks and ears. 

“It’s nothing to be ashamed of, don’t worry… I think it’s pretty cute anyway,” Sunny’s blush grew stronger, but the smallest of smiles encroached on her mouth. “See, don’t think I don’t see you smiling! It’s like when you said I was like a bunny, which I still remember very very well.”

Sunny went back to letting out near-silent giggles. “Maybe... I still think you’re more of a bunny than I am a cat.”

“You know what, I don’t think I mind that.” Aubrey lightly punched her shoulder, feeling how soaked her gray sweater was.

…

After some more back and forth between the two, It eventually dawned on Sunny that she can’t stay wet forever. The thought of doing so was purely miserable, and the alternative of Aubrey letting her borrow some of her clothes would probably set her ablaze… The worst part is she would absolutely offer. Not like she would mind if she was being honest with herself.

“Aubrey, I-” Sunny hesitates, a tinge of worry for her friend felt in her stomach. “…think I’ve gotta go back to my house to get changed… but I’ll be back as soon as possible, I promise…”

Aubrey looked away for a short time, her smile no longer reaching her eyes. “A-ah, don’t worry about it Sunny. I’ll be waiting, okay?”

As Sunny walked over to the window, grabbing her umbrella in the process, her prodding anxiety towards leaving only grew in size. Leaving opened her up to vulnerability, to the possibility of her being hurt again. Not to mention… she liked spending time with her friend. The prospect of going home, even if it was only for a short time, made her want to sink into the ground. She wouldn’t let herself be roped into practice, not while something so special to her was on the line.

“Um, Aubrey...You’ll be okay, right….?”

Aubrey looked away from her soft eyes, her cheeks igniting. If she could just dig herself into her and make her stop being such a silly worried idiot she’d do it in a heartbeat. Sadly she would have to settle with the boring option… not to mention, Sunny being worried over her was something she (maybe even selfishly) loved to death.

“D-don’t worry about me, I’ll be just fine… my mom never bothers to come up here anyway, heh…”

Sunny fidgeted with her wet hands and nodded, her concern alleviated by only a little. As she was about to exit through her window– visibly shaking– Aubrey quickly grabbed her hand.

“W-wait Sunny…! I just, um…” Sunny tilted her head, her gentle stare dug into her more. “I… really appreciate you helping and stuff… it means everything to me that you would go through the trouble. I didn’t think I would actually like having anyone at my house but I’m not surprised at all that it was you who changed that…”

As Aubrey was about to give her a big smile, a genuine one, she was immediately enveloped in a wet hug from her partner. She immediately returned it.

“Bye Aubrey… I’ll be back soon, I promise,”

…

As Sunny walked down the street, she thought about how she could surprise Aubrey by bringing her fresh bed sheets and asking to sleep over.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Peering her head through her bedroom door, Sunny caught a glimpse of her sister sprawled across her bed reading a college prep textbook and occasionally writing notes in her binder, a far off look in her eyes. 

Just great. Having to walk home completely soaked from head to toe was a bad enough sensory onslaught, but skitting around violin practice was going to be impossibly difficult. Stressed at the thought of being roped into yet another exhibition of her own failure as a human being, Sunny could only hope she wasn’t noticed and began ruminating on how exactly she was going to pull this heist off without Mari noticing-

“Sunny, is that you? You look soaked! I told you it was gonna rain today, didn’t you hear? We were even watching the Weather Channel together how did you not blah blah blah wah blah[…]” Evidently, she was noticed.

This was going to be far more arduous a task than Sunny had anticipated for, she just hoped she didn’t have to keep Aubrey waiting for too long. After what she experienced today it was hard to imagine ever wanting to leave Aubrey’s side, especially with the anxiety of simply leaving her alone that permeated her thoughts, her mind conjuring up the worst possible scenarios every second she was away. She had to be quick about this.

“I… um, yes, it’s me… Hey Mari.” Sunny managed to get out, her voice laced with disappointment and a tinge of hurriedness, now standing squarely in their shared room.

“You didn’t answer my question… where were you?” She asked that? “And why did you go out if you knew it was gonna rain?”

Sunny avoided eye contact. “I was… with Aubrey. She wanted to see me today, and it’s been a while, so…” 

“Oh! It feels like its been a while since I’ve seen her, is she doing okay…?” ‘ Practice sure has been eating up our time’ is thought but left unsaid by the older sister.

“...Um, well...” Even though Sunny is almost positive that her sister knows of Aubrey’s home situation, she had promised Aubrey that she would never tell a soul about what they talk about numerous times over whenever their conversations got serious. She was pretty sure Aubrey would kill her if what they talked about (especially today) slipped out by the person she trusted enough to confide in. “...She’s doing okay. I’m really only coming back here to pick up a couple things for her and change out of my clothes, then I’m heading back. I think I’m going to-”

“Sunny… we have practice at 6, remember?” Mari interrupted her. “You should be quick, it sucks to say but it’s kind of coming down to the wire here and you can’t afford to be late again… We have a lot of ground to cover in a short amount of time!” 

Sunny stared at her shoes. “I know.” 

Brightening up at her sister’s monotone response, Mari smiled and put on a face she knew her sister loved! 

Sunny wasn’t looking. 

“That’s… that’s great! So you’ll be-”

“A-actually Mari, can I please have the room to change first?” Sunny thought fast, addressing the first thing that came to her mind that knew would halt this conversation in its tracks. The only thing she could imagine that was worse than having to deal with the violin was staying soaked either way. 

“Oops! I almost forgot about your soaked clothes, sorry little sister…” WIth that, Mari left her bed and strode past Sunny, not bothering to take her school materials and closing the door behind her.

To be frank, he main goal is to just slip out the front door without telling Mari she won’t be coming back for the day. Sadly this might result in a knock, and the last thing Sunny needed was to have Mari get yelled at by Aubrey’s disgusting miserable horrible awful excuse for a mother. The nightmare scenario is almost enough to make her laugh if circumstances weren’t so dire… If confrontation is inevitable, she has to be short and concise like always. It always has to be so difficult.

Hearing her footsteps slowly slip down the stairs, Sunny got to work quickly changing into something a little more pretty than her usual, or at least she liked to imagine she did. Mostly she just wanted Aubrey to look at her.

When Aubrey thinks you look nice it’s easy to tell, Sunny thought. She gave you a look where it almost would appear as if stars are forming around her and in her eyes, a pink hue surrounding her entire being that just grew and grew. Begging to draw you in and surround you with the most massive yet blissful and gentle love imaginable, completely effortless, one that spanned the entire universe yet radiated exclusively from the core of her being. It’s something Sunny yearned for yet doesn’t understand why, the closest thing that came to her mind would be the concept of a crush. But doesn’t that only happen when around boys? Sunny pondered, almost begging for an answer. Mari always told her with her sweet sugary smile that she’d find a nice boy one day, like she found her neighbor Hero. She guessed she felt something akin to that for her best friend Basil, but it’s never been anything as strong and powerful as this. This was something else, far distant from the appreciation she felt for Basil and her friends, and Sunny liked it a lot. Most of all, she liked her.

Staring at herself in her tiny mirror, fully changed, Sunny would say it was at least a marked improvement. Her slightly heeled black loafers were worn over bright white ankle-high bobby socks, and her black skirt that dropped a little below her knees complimented her entire lower half. Tucked into her skirt was a nice long sleeve white dress shirt with a folded collar overlapped by her signature favorite black vest, tied together by her slightly thin bright red neckerchief. She even re-brushed and re-tied her previously wet hair, trying to make the split in the middle perfectly even and her pigtails perfectly symmetrical around her shoulders, tied with her favorite red ties.

Sunny definitely thought this was a little overkill, especially if by sleeping at her house her outfit would be ruined. She was no stranger to sleeping in overcomplicated outfits such as these if she was being honest, pajamas never really seemed like a necessity to her. It only really applied to her hair, but Sunny wanted to look nice… she’d worry about it later. What mattered now was packing the rest of her black backpack for the night, getting the pinkest, most soft sheet she could find, her sleeping bag, and finally going back where her heart felt most warm. 

After grabbing everything she needed, Sunny took a deep breath. She slung her backpack and sleeping bag around her shoulder, gently twisted the door handle, and began to creep out of her room, down the stairs, and toward the door without making a sound.

…

“...Sunny?

…Damn it. Damn it, damn it, DAMN IT! Almost predictably, Mari was sitting right on the couch waiting to see her off. It’s not like Sunny didn’t expect this frankly but the suddenness of it still took her off guard. Sunny remembered something Mari told her a while ago, a way to keep calm by focusing on her breathing.

In.

It would be okay.

Out.

They could push it back.

In.

Procrastination doesn’t have to be bad.

Out.

Aubrey is more important.

In.

Everything is going to be-

“Hey… Sunny! Are you just gonna keep staring at me while breathing heavily or are you gonna get a move on? You shouldn’t keep other people waiting, little sister… Especially Aubrey. You know how she can get!” Mari spoke, a noticeable smile in her voice. “Just remember to be back in time, okay?”

The little sister in question quickly averted eye contact, trying to hide the sleeping bag behind her back.

“M-Mari… so, um, I think that…”

“Yyyyeeesss…?” Mari kept her smile, trying to comfort her sister. She knew how badly Sunny could be with words sometimes, so encouragement was all the better in her eyes.

“...H-hold on.” Sunny quickly bolted towards the kitchen looking for a pen and paper so she could write down what she was trying to say quickly, the purple sleeping bag she used for every sleepover at Basil’s or Kel’s in full view.

The yellow sticky notes and blue pens were easy enough to find, now writing this down would be easy-

—----

Mari

I cant do practice today. Aubrey had a rough day so I’m staying at her house overnight

Sunny. Please dont be mad at me

—----

Turning the corner back to Mari, she handed her the note quickly. No eye contact was made as she looked down, clearly sweating bullets.

Mari, after reading the note, handed it back to her sister, an unreadable expression on her face.

“ ... Sunny?…. Well, ugh, I really wish you didn’t tell me this on such short notice, but,” Mari decided to let her down easy all while pinching the bridge of her nose in disappointment. “...We’re gonna have to start practice at 4 tomorrow, okay? And no skipping either! We really, REALLY need to practice. The recital isn’t too far away now, and I think you know that…”

Sunny nodded, letting out the breath she’s been holding ever since Mari initially noticed her and looked up at her sister relieved.

Just as Sunny was about to turn and walk towards the door, her sister spoke yet again. “But! One thing before you go, okay little sis?” Mari’s face slowly morphed into one of confusion. “…How did Aubrey let you over at her house? Even I haven’t been there before… By now if you’ve been there I’m sure you know the state of it..?”

Again, Sunny nodded, playing with her right pigtail nervously. She knew all too well.

Mari waited for a while before speaking again, her sister in a clear hurry. “....You have a big time problem with not answering questions, you know that? Well, I guess it can’t be helped right now... Just remember to be kind, okay? I know you always are, but her situation is really difficult for her… It always has been.” 

“Mhm.” Sunny looked her sister in the eyes, not knowing how deeply she knew this already. “I will…”

Sunny, finally able to leave, said her goodbyes and turned towards the door. She once again grabbed her umbrella on the way out, closing the door a lot quicker than intended.

Hit with a cold breeze and the continued rain upon arriving outside, she crumpled up the note she used to talk to Mari without looking and threw it as far as paper will go in a windy rainstorm. That was approximately the length of the door to the bushes, but to Sunny that didn’t matter. Out of sight, out of mind.

…

Sunny stared up at Aubrey’s window, hands firmly on the wet ladder leading to her room. Ideally she would be quick about this, the non-attic window giving off a hostile feeling that wasn’t needed in the slightest by the girl. Staring for a few seconds, almost feeling the weight of what lay inside, she instead directed her attention to what was above her. 

She began her ascent, climbing so slowly ahead, umbrella squished precariously in-between her forearm and back arm making it all the more difficult. One step, then the next, then the next, then the next, keeping her eyes firmly on the window. The occasional rumbling sound of thunder scared her, especially when it shook her ladder, but she was so close…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Sitting dejected on the floor leaning against the side of her bed, Aubrey felt miserable. It was bad enough being locked up here unwillingly, but knowing her bed was soaked made it all so much worse. The hatch that led to her downstairs had been locked from the outside, so there was no fixing the issue either; it’s not like this scenario hadn’t happened before, she had experience, but that had only been for at most a day. Her ladder was set up so she could quickly run to the store to get food if need be but staying out for long periods of time was too risky now; she had no trouble doing it before but now she was terrified of what her mother would do to her should she find out she left. Why she even cared in the first place was completely perplexing to Aubrey, her mother had no issue being emotionally absent for the majority of her life.

She has her friends and that’s what matters most. They would never leave her; the only form of familial attachment was felt through them. Her house was nothing but a hindrance, especially when trapped like this.

So she waited. 

And waited more.

She listened to the rain hitting the tarp above, creating a white noise effect. She watched as the sunless sky grew darker over time, the occasional flash of lightning filling her room with white light. The trees across the street were blowing in the wind, creating shapes that morphed into other shapes and dissipated into themselves once more.

…

Aubrey checked the red LCD clock sitting on her nightstand. Sunny left an hour ago, why had it felt like so much longer? Wasn’t she only going to change her clothes? She reasoned with her mind, knowing Sunny would never outright abandon her in a time like this… would she? 

A pit of dread filled Aubrey’s stomach at the thought. Once again, the part of her that knew Sunny, her soft looks, her pretty small body, her loving quiet nature, her gentleness, her everything- Aubrey’s everything- told her that of course she would never abandon the girl. It just didn’t help, she had reasoning no matter how valid. 

The Suzuki sisters lived in a big, well-kept house with a functioning mother and father; their every need met seemingly at a whim. She loved them more than anything, trying to mimic them by rigorously staying clean and keeping her living space as tidy as it could possibly be given the circumstances. All that and she still tried to stay as far away from her room as possible at all times. Weeks at a time where she’s spent far more time at the sisters’ house than her own, always feeling ungrateful despite Mari assuring her over and over that she could stay as long as she needed. Despite Sunny always making sure she was feeling as well as she could. And even if she didn’t, they would both make sure she did. So many of her core memories were of them doing seemingly simple things for Aubrey; Mari taking her out for lunch, Sunny taking her on walks accompanied by her soft words and loving silence.

It was just difficult, knowing she could never compare. Why would Sunny bother returning to a room that smells like mildew and has holes in the ceiling? To Sunny, she may as well just be sleeping outside.

Aubrey slowly clenched her eyes shut and tugged at her ugly, stupid oversized shirt, trying to think of anything else. It always had to be so difficult.

A flash of white, a loud thunderous roar, and a quiet scream right outside her window failed to interrupt her thoughts.

Wait, a scream? It sounded like…

Aubrey rushed over to the window and peered down. Sunny stared back up at her from under her umbrella.

“Sunny? Hey, look up here! Grab my hand, okay?”

Sunny did as she was told, grabbing Aubrey’s hand and helping her through her window, almost tumbling in and setting her umbrella down. Finally.

She looked over Sunny. “Why didn’t you tell me you got here from out there? I would have helped you up you know…”

“...Sorry. I wanted to… surprise you.” The little girl turned her head downwards before feeling herself enveloped in the most warm hug imaginable, gentle but firm.

“Oh, Sunny…. Of course you did. I’m not even a little bit surprised…” She put her head on Sunny’s shoulder as she returned the embrace. “I’m just so glad you’re back!”

They both swayed back and forth in their embrace, staying like that for as long as they could. Sunny was the first to step back, remembering one of the many things she came here for. 

“Oh. That’s right. I, um… brought something… Hold on…”

Sunny turned to her bag and began to pull out the sheet she brought from her house. Aubrey looked at everything but what she was pulling out of her bag, instead focusing on what Sunny chose to change into. Waves of a feeling she couldn’t place washed over her as she stared, Sunny’s back turned towards her.

“Um, actually…. Do you think you could close your eyes for a bit? I did say I want this to be a surprise,” Sunny said as she turned her head towards Aubrey, the enraptured girl quickly averting her eyes and feeling embarrassed.

“Hmm…. S-sure! Just tell me when you’re ready, okay?” Aubrey said awkwardly as she forcefully pried her eyes away from the lovely sight in front of her and turned around facing the wall.

Sunny, after making sure her friend kept true to her word, quickly got to work. She ripped Aubrey’s wet blue sheet off of her bed, drying off the affected areas underneath by rubbing a paper towel on them, and then putting it on a little haphazardly by wrapping the corners underneath. It was a little big for her bed, being meant for a queen sized mattress as opposed to a twin sized one, but that was okay. It even made it look more soft!

She then proceeded to pull out what was wrapped in the sheet… a whole bunch of stuffed animals! There was a purple and yellow candy corn with a big smile on her face named Happy, a tomato with a face that was actually from the same set Mr. Plantegg came from named Tomatogirl, and some weird square thing with an unsure face named Jash. This was all Sunny could fit in her backpack, but she thought they all looked very nice lined up next to Mr. Plantegg and the rest of Aubrey’s plushies.

Sunny looked over her work after putting Aubrey’s blanket back on her bed neatly and assessed her handiwork. “Mmm…. okay… you can turn around.”

Aubrey did as she was told, already having some guesses about what her friend had done based on the miniscule noise she produced. She looked on with such happy surprise as Sunny spoke further. “I switched your sheets and dried your bed so it wasn’t so wet. I hope you like it… I even brought stuffed animals.” A tiny smile grew on her face. “I know how much you like mine and I think they look really nice together with Mr. Plantegg…”

Aubrey looked at it for a split second before immediately turning around and hugging her most dear friend yet again with the biggest smile on her face, unable to contain herself. “Oh Sunny! Thank you so so much!! I kind of thought I was gonna have to tough it out and sleep on it wet, but this changes everything…” Sunny gently returned the hug only causing Aubrey to dig her head further into her neck.

“It’s- it’s nothing really, I promise…” Sunny closed her eyes and thought for a second about the rest of what happened today, only thinking about how unfair it was that Aubrey had to live like this.

“But it is!” Aubrey quickly said. “It really is… sometimes it seems like you don’t realize how much you do for me, Sunny. It’s- it’s a lot, you know?” She hugs a little tighter. “I hope you know how much I appreciate it…”

Sunny seemed a little surprised. “...It’s the least I can do, really. I guess I…” There was a short pause. “I just hate knowing-” Sunny stopped herself, before continuing again. “All I want is for you to be happy… I don’t know… But I do know that when I think of you being happy it makes me really happy too..!”

She felt a cute smile grow on her neck. “You’ll always have a home with me and Mari, okay? I promise…”

Aubrey slowly looked at Sunny, clearly beaming. “I know, Sunny...”

They stayed close to each other for a long while after that.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Sunny and Aubrey sat together on her bed, a cute white baby bunny in Sunny’s lap. They had been doing little other than enjoying each other’s company for the past few hours; watching Spaceboy: The Animated Series on Aubrey’s crappy cracked CRT, playing with Sunny’s plushies, playing co-op on Kirby and the Amazing Mirror (Sunny always kept a link cable in her backpack), sometimes just talking and enjoying silence. It all felt nice to both of them; in the moment, Sunny was fascinated by the fluffy white ball that Aubrey called her pet.

“You know Sunny, you coulda told me you were sleeping over from the get go! Then I wouldn’t have been- HEY! Bun-Bun doesn’t like that!” Sunny immediately shot back her hand from underneath Bun-Bun, clearly striking a nerve. The bunny did what bunnies tend to do when completely offended and hopped off to some other corner of Aubrey’s room. “Bunnies hate hate hate when people touch their bellies, you have to be careful!”

“They do? I didn’t know that, sorry…” Sunny’s expression was unreadable.

“Don’t apologize to me! It’s Bun-Bun you should be apologizing to; if she didn’t disappear, that is- HEY!!”

At this, Sunny started poking and nudging Aubrey’s belly. What a little…!!!

“You hehe are just the- hey, I’m ticklish!”

Aubrey was really trying to keep quiet here but Sunny didn’t even try to stop, her squeaks and giggles getting a little louder each time. So cute… 

That combined with the TV already playing, albeit quietly, made her almost certain someone downstairs could hear her. Aubrey kept her hopes up even during a horrible onslaught like this that that wasn’t the case.

“SUNNYSTOPITICANTTAKEMUCHMORE!!” Her efforts were fruitless until she noticed an opening…!

Sunny felt something swipe her face, before her bangs fell in front of her eyes. “HA! GOT YOU!” Her partner lightly shouted, clearly excited. This was enough to make Sunny stop, conceding defeat at the hands of something as sinister as having her bangs touch her forehead.

It didn’t take long for the girl to realize she had her red hair clip swiped. “...pure evil…”

“What was that, Sunny?” Aubrey’s v-shaped smile held only mischief. Clearly she had learned a thing or two from Sunny’s sister.

Sunny’s playful breathy laughs and the glint in her eyes were answer enough. “Evil.” 

Stuck in their bliss, they failed to notice the sound of a door opening below them. They did, however, hear it slam shut. Aubrey’s mood immediately soured, knowing exactly what was to come.

“Wait- Aubrey…? Did you… hear-” Sunny’s mouth was immediately clasped by the girl’s hand.

“Ughh, shh… I’m… I’m worried that’s my dad. If it is, something really bad is probably gonna happen…” Aubrey’s expression was deteriorating more and more into complete disappointment by the second. Not a word was said by the guy but he completely ruined the moment!

A muffled voice rose up from the floorboards. “ Where the hell have YOU been?” A woman’s voice, Sunny wearily noted. It sounded as if she’d smoked a pack an hour.

When silence followed the inquiry, a loud SMASH could be heard and felt. Sunny grew more and more afraid by the second as the house vibrated and glass shattered. Yelling and fighting was something she could not deal with in the slightest, even when done by other people, and Aubrey noticed this and went to help, the contrast of emotion clearly getting to them both.

Time stopped for no one however, and the fighting continued. “ JESUS, WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU!?” A man’s voice. “ This is why I never come home… Can I just-”

“Just fuck off! And no, you can’t have your shit back for the last fucking time. Do you honest to God think you deserve it?! JUST GET THE FUCK OUT!!”

Aubrey started to shut down a little as they continued just out of earshot, huddling into herself. 

“Would you please-” 

It’s not like this hadn’t happened before, but knowing how it goes and how it always ends didn’t excite her in the slightest. 

“FUCK NO! Just-!”

She ended up huddled at the corner of her bed, covering her ears. Just like always. The only difference this time is how badly it could end comparative to the other times after knowing her mother will resort to anything. 

“ You did WHAT?! You…. you fucking CUNT!” The anger finally returned in full.

She actually did care about them, but that feeling of care was challenged at least once a week at this point. The pit of conflicted feelings in her stomach only grew as she stared at her friend, clearly not doing any better than she was.

Just below, something was yet again thrown against the wall.

She stared at Sunny as words of pure hatred and vitriol were being shouted below, the waterworks finally starting to fall. Cowering was bad enough, but she knew something like this would happen! Or at least, she had a massive bad feeling about the entire day. Only Sunny herself was able to quell it, if only for a little. It was such a bad idea to bring her in here, the frenzy in her brain only growing. It was all just too much…! She couldn’t take this anymore! The tears kept falling as screaming echoed throughout the rotted walls of her home, her head buried in her knees.

The moment they brought her into their argument was when the last straw was had.

“ Like you EVER cared! It’s funny, you do realize your own daughter was forced to do work you should’ve done!? Stupid fucking bastard!” 

Aubrey’s dad could only respond in confusion. “W-what?! Hold on.”

As loud footsteps slowly made their way towards her location, Aubrey thought fast. “Sunny.. Sunny..! You have to hide, now! You can’t be seen here…”

Sunny was shaking, completely out of it and borderline unresponsive. “A-Aubrey…”

“Sunny, I’m serious! Under my bed, quick…” Aubrey insisted. 

As she started to comply with Aubrey’s demand, Sunny did something completely unexpected.

“Stay under here too… You-” She struggled to speak. “You shouldn’t have to interact with them… e-either of them…”

“Sunny…? I-” Aubrey started to consider Sunny’s words. Seeing Sunny stand up for her made Aubrey’s heart want to leap out of her chest, even if it was indirectly. She stared at her friend, clearly not doing okay herself but wanting to make sure Aubrey was safe all the same. They subconsciously scooted closer together on the floor, Aubrey hugging Sunny’s left arm while it shook.

Hearing the hatch unlock, Aubrey quickly lifted her hand to the blanket on her bed and pulled it over the opening on the ground making sure neither her or Sunny were visible. Both her and Sunny were completely silent aside from their pounding hearts as he lifted up the hatch and made his way into Aubrey’s room.

His reaction, a very confused “ huh?” , was let out as he made his way over to the open window, a ladder escaping from her room and going who knows where. He continued to say things under his breath, neither of them able to figure out what he was saying. He didn’t even acknowledge that her TV was still on, set to a minimal volume; a sense of unease washed over them both as he walked back and down Aubrey’s ladder, thankfully not checking under her bed thanks to their combined silence.

Through an opening in the blanket’s folds Sunny was able to get a good look at the guy. He was a little on the shorter side, with asian features and maybe even a little bit overweight. He kind of looked like what Sunny would imagine her own father would look like if he let his life go downhill fast instead of being rigid and well-kept. His dark blue hoodie was unblemished and he was wearing light jeans along with nondescript dollar store kicks.

He made his way down Aubrey’s ladder and confronted his wife once more, this time with a surprising amount of concern in his voice. “She’s- she’s not even up there, you know?! God, I don’t even know why I bothered coming back at all. Every time I think it’ll be different, but it never is!”

His words were met with silence as he walked outside to start his truck, Aubrey’s mother finally realizing that it might be over.

As he walked out a large thick object slammed on the door, causing the house to shake once more. An audible grunt followed as he hit the door uselessly as some form of goodbye, both of them knowing it wasn’t truly the end. It never was in these kinds of situations.

The house was deathly silent as the pair looked over each other, fear painted all over their entire body but not wanting to say a word. Aubrey clung hard onto Sunny’s arm with her head down, tears silently leaking out onto her already damp floorboards. Her misery transferred onto the house which she loathed with every ounce of her being, just as it had been many times before.

Sunny was the first to act, still shaking herself but unable to ignore the feeling in her chest- the need to help her friend, the overwhelming feeling that not doing so would rot her from the inside out.

“A-Aubrey… Let’s- Let’s get up… okay?” Sunny gently whispered, her voice stuttery and shaky, yet determined. 

Wordlessly she complied, slowly letting go of her partner’s arm and crawling out from under the bed. Sunny followed.

Before they could even stand up however, a voice, worn and raspy and defeated, called up into Aubrey’s attic. “ Aubergine! Get your ass down here this instant!” 

Aubrey, shocked and scared, pretended like she didn’t hear. Seeing her expression and downturned face, Sunny did the only thing she could think to do at that moment: grab her hand, maybe even a little too tight. It was awkward, but Aubrey was able to maneuver her hand to a position that was really comfortable for the both of them, clinging on just as hard as tears continued to roll down her cheek. It was such a perfect, lovely fit; neither of them could hope that they would ever have to let go. 

“I *know* you’re there! Despite what that bastard said on the way out… Just get down here before I come up there myself!”

Aubrey turned her head to Sunny and looked deep in her eyes. Really looked in them, hoping to get something across that she wouldn’t need to speak through words. By all odds… Sunny actually seemed to understand. She nodded back at her, let go of her hand (as painful as it was to do so) and walked over to sit on her bed. Just looking at her with those loving, soft black eyes that told her a million words of pure love and true understanding through complete silence. She trusted Aubrey completely and it showed. That was all the girl could ever ask of her and it made her so unbelievably happy, butterflies filling her entire body with complete loving bliss.

With newfound strength and confidence, Aubrey slowly made her way to the opening in her floor. Sunny looked on with nothing but love as she watched what happened next.

“I’m… I’m not coming down there.” Aubrey looked down at her mother from her room, her words filled with unease. “Just tell me what you want…”

Aubrey’s mother was about to protest before relenting and giving up on the spot, far too miserable to even care anymore. Forgetting what the point of any of this was in the first place.

The mother looked distraught for a moment. “...Talk to that cunt again and I’m kicking you out. You’ve always just been nothing but a pest, be glad I’m giving you shelter- a roof over your head, food, everything you could ask for.” Meanwhile, on the far side of her room, Sunny’s frustration grew. “The least you could do is show some respect.”

Sunny, unable to control herself, shot up from her spot on Aubrey’s bed. Aubrey threw her a little wave, as if to say hold on… it’s okay.  

“Are you even listening? Do. You. Understand?” Aubrey’s mother, ever the impatient woman.

Aubrey turns her eyes towards the wall, not making eye contact for the sole purpose of comfort; Lord knows it will not be found here nor in her mother’s eyes. Tears once again threatened to pour out as Aubrey gave her mother nothing but a firm nod, not that it mattered. None of this mattered to her, her family was elsewhere; with other people who made her feel whole. One of them was in her room right now. Family was so much more than just blood, and Aubrey knew that better than anyone.

She looked up at her daughter once more, said nothing, and walked away. The crack of a can opening could be heard only moments later. Nobody in the house was surprised.

As Aubrey heard the can open, she knew that at least for tonight it was over and her mother would be unresponsive within the hour. The thought that she could think this about her mother hurt her deep inside, but at the same time thinking anything could change at this point was, if anything, counterproductive. It just made her miserable all the same.

She heard very light footsteps behind her and watched through misty eyes as the hatch showing her the view below closed and locked from their side. The next thing she knew she was being led hand in soft hand back to her bed, sat down, and… hugged. Kind of awkwardly… and with the strength of a baby kitten.

“A-Aubrey…” It was clear that Sunny had been crying too. When she felt Aubrey dig her head into her neck and hug tighter, Sunny’s neck becoming instantly wet with her friend’s tears and snot, it was impossible to stop the same from happening to her and Sunny’s dam broke.

“I-I’m so sorry… I was so useless… I-I…” She thought back to her own home, the practice, her sister, and every single one of her failures in life, knowing this was just another added to the bunch. But this was so much worse, Aubrey had it so much worse than her…! 

“S-Sunny… shh... It’s okay… follow my lead and we can let it all out together…” Aubrey sniffled, silently hoping her love would do the same. Sunny was still shaken and crying just like before, but did what she does best and leaned into her friend’s chest, hugging her torso and crying into her teal shirt. Listening to her heartbeat. They stayed like that, in comforting sniffles and sobs, for at least a few minutes.

…

Aubrey lifted up her head and looked at her partner who was currently tied to her via her arms, the tiniest smile permeating her face after the comforting silence she appreciated so much was given back to her tenfold.

“...Sorry you had to hear all that, Sunny… I wish today turned out just a little bit better, you know? It was so nice, though… having someone here with me.” She smiled even bigger her way, her gentle words washing over Sunny in the most calming way possible. 

“Aubrey I… I wouldn’t want it any other way, I promise…!” Sunny finally lifted her head, the most rare of smiles on her teary eyed face. “When I found out your mom… hit you… today on the swings, it just made me so angry , angrier than I’ve ever felt, and I thought of doing horrible things to her because of it… I know that’s.. not normal, or whatever… but because she did it to you is why it made me like that.” She continued. “If.. if I could be with you every hour of every day, even if it was just to take that kind of pain for you, I think I would… you’re just so nice to me… so cute and and… warm, there’s no one in the world like you, and it’s why you living here makes me so mad, I think. You- you just don’t deserve it. Your parents especially don’t deserve you…”

Aubrey grew so happy at Sunny’s words, having heard nothing of the sort from anyone in her life until now. And especially having Sunny be the one to say it… There was something so special about hearing her say a lot of things at once, you always knew she meant every word. This one definitely topped them all, it was all she ever desired. All she could ever want, and was right in front of her. Her best friend, her crush, her soulmate was waiting for her not even a foot away, and here she was only thinking of her! Without as much as a response to what she said, Aubrey did exactly what her body had been begging her to do for months at this point and got even closer to Sunny, sitting in her lap and wrapping her legs and arms around the now-mutually blushing girl, resting her chin on her shoulder.

She started to mumble into Sunny’s cute, beautiful pigtails. “...Thank you for that, Sunny. It- I’ve never- that’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me…” 

“You deserve so much more...” She was repeating herself, but it didn’t matter to her at all. “I think… that’s exactly what I’ll give you. I never want to leave your side again, so… you better get used to me.” Sunny tried to sound snarky like she usually was, but it didn’t land. So much for being casual…

Aubrey let out a quiet hum in response. She understood what Sunny was saying, and had no objections whatsoever, only choosing to try and get closer.

Sunny took in their mutual warmth. “This… this feels nice… really nice…” Her unusual smile grew even bigger than it was before, putting her hand on Aubrey’s back and pushing her even closer to her body, loving how they seemingly connected perfectly. 

Holding each other close. It all felt so right. In her reverie, Sunny had another idea.

“Aubrey, I know it’s early, but… would you mind if I slept in your bed with you…?” Sunny didn’t really know what she was doing. Sure, they were close now, but she felt some odd kind of tension between them. Would Aubrey even want to sleep with her if she was being weird like this?

Meanwhile, Aubrey, now heated to the temperature of the sun’s surface, was ecstatic. All embarrassment seemed to flush away when they both realized subconsciously that they were on the same wavelength, thinking the same things. Aubrey didn’t even give the poor girl a response, almost as if they had switched roles for a short time, and gently climbed out of Sunny’s grasp and under her covers while patting the space next to her with her signature soft v-shaped smile. The sheets underneath, an example of the lengths Sunny will go for her- for only her, and no one else- felt especially warm as she molded her way into them.

Taking the hint, Sunny complied with her wordless request as she followed suit and got right up next to her. She stared into Aubrey’s cute brown eyes; Aubrey stared back at her soft black eyes, and then Sunny, moving closer bit by bit, finally latched onto her. Holding onto Aubrey as if she was cuddling one of her plushies with the most peaceful and calm look on her face.

Aubrey caught onto this and did the same, returning the hug, tangling their legs and arms together until they couldn’t get any closer without suffocating themselves. Sunny responded as she nuzzled into her neck even farther.

Staying like that for a little bit, Sunny began to whisper to Aubrey, the softest voice permeating her ears. “ I-I’m sorry for not being around as much lately… I meant it when I said I want to be around you forever… forever and ever. When me and Mari finally finish with the recital, maybe we’ll always be together…”

Aubrey could only listen, her heart more full than it had ever been at the sight and words of this girl. She maneuvered her mouth to Sunny’s ear, and whispered something.

“Promise?”

Sunny gently nodded her head into Aubrey’s neck. She planted a gentle kiss on her forehead in response.

As they fell asleep entangled in one another, they both realized they’ve never felt more complete.