Chapter Text
It had been an incredibly fun day for Basil. When the whole group got together like this, it was always a memorable day with all sorts of enjoyable little moments that he was sure to cherish forever. Like usual, everyone was spending the weekend over at Sunny and Mari’s house, and also like usual, it had been extremely eventful. Throughout the day, Basil observed many Kel and Aubrey disputes begin and resolve, he watched Sunny play video games, read books with mari, even learned how to cook something with Hero! (Though he definitely didn’t absorb anything, he just enjoyed the company).
During such exciting days, Basil notices that his watch seems to tick faster. Much, much faster than on any other day, and before he knows it, the sun in the sky is no more and the quilts, mattresses, and sleeping bags are all out and ready. Unlike the others, Basil would keep to himself on some nights, choosing to sleep alone in a room of his choosing. He would find a deep solitude in the peace of being so isolated under the moonlight, a solitude which would give way to slumber.
Basil checked his watch again, and time seemed to flow like normal once more. He unfurled his crossed legs, pulled the cloudy duvet to a snug spot under his chin, and allowed his back to meet the mattress, the only audible sound being Kel’s war cry of a snore from downstairs. There was what sounded like either a rapid pitter-patter pelting the roof, or blades of wind cutting through tree leaves. To Basil, the gentle and calming sound of rain and the swift whistling of trees in the wind were very difficult to differ from one another, but upon shifting his gaze to the teary-eyed window, it was easy to infer which of the two songs of the night were being sung.
Basil hadn’t gone to sleep yet, which was concerning. Yet again, his wrist faced his eyes and the compass read North. It was midnight and Basil was starting to wonder why his body wouldn’t give him his solitude. But deep down, he knew why. It was just a few nights ago that Basil was perusing his photo album in a passion-fuelled rush, scavenging for photos of a… “Best friend”. He doesn’t remember going to sleep that night, only tears blurring his vision, until the colour of the blur changed from a cerulean blue to a golden hue. Why did he have to be cursed with such a lack of bravery? Is what he asked himself, forcing his eyes closed and feeling his own song of the night beginning to play.
Everyone had already gone to sleep soundly by now, yet he was frozen in midnight, pondering his feelings and courage.
Well, everyone had gone to sleep, Everyone but…
The door to the room that Basil was trying to sleep in shifted slightly, but made no noise. No, there was another noise to be heard. The soft, gentle sniffles and hics of a pretty swordflower. The darkness covered her entrance, but Basil didn’t need to see anything to feel his heart dribble and bounce in his chest, like it was being used as a basketball by Kel.
“B-B-Basil… Eeeeeehh…! I-I had a nightmaaaaare…!” Wailed the little gladiolus, rubbing her eyes with one arm and lugging around Mr. Plantegg in her off-hand, dragging him across the floor slightly.
“Aubrey? What’s wrong?” The flower boy questioned, his eyes adjusting to a sight that made his heart quake in its nest. Basil had barely ever seen Aubrey cry, but when he did, it summoned a feeling comparable to vomiting, a feeling that he’d never want to feel ever again.
Aubrey didn’t respond, the only sound emanating from her being miserable whimpers and weak snivels. Mr. Plantegg fell from Aubrey’s embrace, landing on the carpet below in a dramatic manner. She strolled toward Basil, now rubbing her eyes with both hands.
“A-Aubrey, you can sit here… What happened? D-Don’t cry, p-please…” Basil whispered, swallowing the sobs trying to escape his throat and burning the tears from his eyes so he wouldn’t cry in front of an already weeping angel. He patted a spot on his bed and drew back a corner of his blanket to offer Aubrey a seat. She wordlessly accepted, sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with Basil.
“I-I had a nightmare- hic, that you p-p-picked up a h-haunted- sniffle haunted picture… A-And you d-disappeared- sniffle a-and we couldn’t find you- hic , a-and, and… sniffle- ” Bawled Aubrey, her tears staining the bedsheets as she’s forced to imagine a world in which her pretty little knight in shining armour goes missing.
“U-Uhm, Aubrey… I-I’m still here, soooo… It’s… Okay?” Basil reassured, hoping that logic would overcome emotion.
“B-Basil, promise you’ll never disappear… P-Please…” Aubrey begged, separating her hands from her face to look her pretty prince in the eyes as he promises not to leave her the way it happened in the nightmare.
“O-Okay, uhm, I promise I’ll never disappear…” He swore in response, praying that Aubrey would stop crying as he didn’t know how much longer he had left in him before he too started bawling his eyes out.
Aubrey gripped Basil’s wrists to make sure he wouldn’t vanish before her next sentence. She couldn’t see how red his face was under the cover of night.
“Promise y-you’ll never l-leave my side, B-B-Basil…!” She pleaded, needing his assurance to truly believe he wouldn’t just float away and fade into the dark skies.
“A-A-Aubrey…” Basil choked up, feeling the need to wipe away Aubrey’s tears for her. He felt the touch of her smooth skin on his thumb as he caressed her lower eyelid, and he wondered why her face felt so scorchingly hot. As he felt the burning skin of Aubrey’s face, he remembered the sleepless night he spent thinking of her, and how his face radiated the same heat as Aubrey’s did right now.
Aubrey sat in silence as her best friend took care of her, wiping her tears with such kind, dainty hands. She felt as if she were one of his special flowers in his vast garden, being tended to with the love and care that she needed- that she wanted. They felt so gentle against her cheeks, and with her tears, he was wiping away her sorrows and worries too. It was as if his hands were from a lucid dream, and had the power to erase nightmares with a mere touch. All she could do was stare. Stare like she did with the photograph she borrowed from Basil, stare in frozen time. Repress those stupid thoughts, repress those stupid thoughts, repress those stupid thoughts… This isn’t a photograph, Aubrey, this is the real deal, you can’t think anything stupid right now!
“T-Thanks, Basil… D-Do you mind… I-If I…?”
“Oh, would you… L-Like to sleep here?” Basil cuts in, confident in his ability to predict Aubrey’s request.
“Mhm…” Hummed Aubrey, giving a slight nod while averting her gaze.
The two laid next to each other, in a solitude never seen before by either of them. Their hearts were pumping as if they’d both ran marathons, but the dark light of the moon cutting through the blinds and the sound of rain dancing on the roof relaxed their bodies to the point of sleep. Well… Almost.
Aubrey rolled over and wrapped her arm around Basil’s torso, nestling her face in the crook of his neck and letting her knee make contact with his thigh. Being this close to Basil’s face, she could smell the faint but fragrant floral scent emitting from his hair, a smell so perfumey yet so clearly natural it made her dizzy.
Basil felt Aubrey tug on his shirt, and he was certain she could hear his heart beat like a threatened mouse as she did so. If Kel really was playing basketball with his heart, he just scored a slam-dunk. Aubrey was fast asleep at this point, but he had yet to be given such mercy.
“Mhh, luh you, Baz… mmmh…”
Basil’s ears perked up like a bunny’s. He swore he heard Aubrey murmur something in her sleep. He was absolutely not eager to try and decipher her sleep-ramblings at this hour, and instead wanted to drift off with total peace of mind. She probably just muttered gibberish anyway, he assured himself. With Aubrey anchoring his body down in such a way, and with her so close to him, he began to feel such safety, as if he really could just… Close his eyes… And…
It was 7 am. Mari and Hero usually woke up this early to get some alone time with each other while the others were sleeping, and to prepare breakfast for the rest of the group. As Mari rose from her perfect little snooze, she was quick to notice Hero still napping away, almost developing a roar as terrifying as his little brother’s. She took a moment to giggle at him and mock him for it in her mind. He’d probably sense the mocking presence when he woke up, she figured. It was a relationship thing.
She followed her usual morning routine, but decided to put a break in it to check up on Basil, who needed a little extra consideration last night, which was nothing out of the ordinary, but it was necessary for her to see if he was doing alright. He was alone, after all.
Or so she thought.
There were two heads poking out from the blanket, a head of black hair, and Basil’s blonde hair. Mari then recalled the fact that Aubrey was missing from her post when she woke up this morning. It didn’t take long for her to put two-and-two together. Aubrey had gone to sleep with Basil, and she had just caught them snuggling together like two little bunnies in a tunnel during Winter. It was the most adorable thing she’d ever seen, bringing to mind memories of how she used to be with Hero. She covered her mouth as she let out a knowing chuckle, blushing at the new Hero and Mari.