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The sun was warm on Basil’s face. Just beginning to peek up over the trees.
Bees quietly buzzed between the flowers, doing the duty nature programmed them to do. Sustaining their hive, and in the process, spreading the life the flower boy had put so much work into nurturing.
One little insect found its way through Basil’s open window, landing daintily on his nose.
Buh buh buh buh…
“AH-!”
Basil awoke with a jolt as his alarm went off, playing a now-familiar tune. Sunny had picked it out for him the last time he visited Faraway. “A Home For Flowers,” he had called it.
But having an alarm at all was a big adjustment, no matter how pleasant the music was. It was probably better than constantly oversleeping, though.
And today was an important day; Basil had a date planned. He had to get ready!
Sluggishly, the gardener stumbled to the bathroom and stared groggily into the mirror. Why was his nose so red?
”Must’ve been that bee,” he muttered. “Must’ve stung me.”
”Morning, Basil,” a voice called from the doorway.
”Hey, Aubrey.”
”You alright there?” Aubrey asked, grabbing her toothbrush. “You don’t look too hot. And your voice sounds pretty weird, too.”
”Just peachy,” Basil replied. He wiped his runny nose with his sleeve. “Morning voice. Also got stung by a bee. Felt it land on my nose just before my alarm went off, think I startled it.”
”Guess that would do it,” Aubrey shrugged.
The two of them brushed their teeth together, kicking off a mundane morning. Yet for some reason, doing such a simple thing as brushing his teeth made Basil tired.
”I think I’m gonna rest on the couch a little,” Basil mumbled.
”Eh? You just woke up,” Aubrey said. “And isn’t Kel coming over? Your hair’s still a mess. I’ll brush it for you.”
”That’d be nice.”
Basil took a seat on the couch, leaning toward the side. Aubrey grabbed a hairbrush and started working on his bed head.
”Are you sure you’re alright, Basil?” Aubrey pressured. “Your forehead feels a little warm.”
”Well, the sun was shining in my face and all.”
Aubrey sighed. “POLLY!”
Basil panicked a little. “A-Aubrey, you really don’t have to-“
”What’s the matter?” Polly said as she walked into the room, her voice soft.
”I think Basil’s getting sick,” Aubrey explained.
”N-No, I’m fine, really,” Basil insisted. “You guys don’t have to take care of me!”
Polly smiled and lifted some loose strands of hair from her adopted son’s eyes. “That’s always been my job, Basil.” She held the suddenly-sniffly boy in a comforting embrace, slowly rubbing his back in his favorite spot.
”I’ll go grab some tissues,” Aubrey chuckled.
”K-Kel,” Basil gasped. He was getting feverish quite quickly now. “Was gonna go on a date today… I feel bad.”
”Kel cares about you more than anyone in the world,” Polly reassured him. “I just know he’ll understand.”
”’Kay.”
The sick flower boy slowly closed his eyes, feeling safe in his adoptive mom’s hold.
Yeah…
He’d just… rest for a bit…
The next time Basil opened his eyes, he was no longer on the couch. He was in his own bed, a damp cloth draped across his forehead.
And a bright smile was there to greet him.
”Heya, Basie-Daisy!”
”KEL-!?” Basil practically fell out of bed! Both from surprise and from his sudden urge to give his partner a hug.
”Heard all about it from Aubrey. My lil’ Sunflower’s sick, huh?” Kel giggled and ruffled Basil’s hair, a gesture of affection that always left the flower boy flustered yet happy. “Don’t you worry - we’ve all got your back! Aubrey, Polly, and I won’t rest ‘til you’re feeling better!”
”Think fast, Basil!”
”Huh-“
WHAM!
”When someone says ‘think fast,’ you’re supposed to catch,” Aubrey giggled, picking up the water bottle that Basil very much did not catch.
Polly sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose. “Aubrey, should you really be throwing water bottles around? Especially when your roommate isn’t feeling well enough to catch…”
”It was a plastic one,” Aubrey huffed. “Just wanted to make things a little more lively. Being sick isn’t fun, you know? And laughter’s the best medicine or whatever.”
That did get a little smile out of Basil - and a hearty laugh out of Kel.
”You sure are right about that, Aubs!”
”Kel, don’t call me Aubs!”
Basil’s smile turned into a giggle. Ah, watching Kel and Aubrey’s banter was always so fun…
”Anyway, drink up, Basil,” Aubrey said as she handed the bottle over. “It’s important to get plenty of fluids when you’re sick.”
”Is there anything you’d like to eat, Basil?” Polly asked.
”Pasta would be nice.” Basil gently tapped his fingers together, looking real cute. Kel certainly thought so, ruffling Basil’s hair again as he looked up at Polly.
”Hey, that’s probably simple enough for me to help with,” Aubrey said. “I’m in.”
”Thank you, Aubrey!” Polly said with a smile, heading to the kitchen with Aubrey.
The two boys were alone now.
”Kel-Bell,” Basil whispered, “thank you.”
”No prob, Basie-Daisy,” Kel whispered back. “Uhh… for what, exactly?”
Basil wrapped his thin arms around Kel’s athletic body, snuggling close. “For being there for me. During those four years, y’know, even though we didn’t really talk a whole lot… you gave me hope. I guess I was avoiding you all a little, but I’d still see you around ‘n’ all that… you were able to stay so happy. And that made me a little happy, too.
”Then, y’know, Sunny told everyone what happened, and… and you guys still forgave us. You still… loved me, Kel. At the time, my mind was swimming, didn’t really know why… Aubrey and Hero made sense. Aubrey went through almost the same thing, just got lucky. I think Hero was relieved to know Mari’s death wasn’t something he could’ve stopped if he had ‘noticed the signs.’ But it wasn’t until I started feeling a lot better about myself, about the world, that I realized why you forgave me so easily.”
”Why’s that?” Kel asked softly, rubbing Basil’s back in his favorite spot, just as Polly had earlier.
”It’s simple: You just wanted everyone to be happy again. I… I love that about you. I love you.”
That little speech had wiped Basil out. His already-weak voice was much scratchier now, and he seemed to be gasping for breath. Kel helped him chug some fresh water.
”Looks like a bunny bottle,” Kel teased.
”C’mon, you… goof…”
”Goof?” Kel gasped in mock outrage, as though that was the highest-tier insult imaginable. “I’ll show you who’s the goof!”
”What’re you gonna do?” Basil questioned, though he immediately realized what was coming once he felt Kel’s hands creep around his sides. “H-Heyy-! Ehehehehe-!”
”Basie-Daisy, what are you giggling for?” Kel chuckled. “I haven’t even started tickling you yet!”
”Y-Yeah, but I know you’re gonna- AHAHEHEH-! There it is-!”
The flower boy burst into laughter, feeling as happy and carefree as he did when he was a kid. Aubrey was right - laughter was the best medicine, wasn’t it? Especially given that Basil was very, very ticklish.
”That’s enough, Kel! A-Ahaha!” Basil cried once his laughter turned to wheezing.
”Hope that helped, Basie,” Kel giggled, pulling his partner closer.
”It did,” Basil confirmed. “It really did. Reminds me of when we were kids, heh heh! Simpler times and all that.”
”A lot has changed, hasn’t it?” Kel agreed. “But at least your adorable laughter stayed the same all these years!”
”Buh-? A-Adorable-?” A coat of red spread across Basil’s flushed, pale face, highlighting the freckles that his partner then gently traced like constellations.
A soothing motion. Made him a little sleepy.
”Adorable,” Kel confirmed. He kissed the top of Basil’s head, stroking his soft blonde hair. “Get some rest, ya cutie - I’ll be right here for you!”
”Right here as in… cuddling together?” Basil pleaded, once again pressing his fingertips together.
”Cuddling?” Now it was Kel’s turn to blush. “Y-Yeah! Yeah! I thought you’d never ask!” He laid down beside his partner, pulling him closer than ever underneath the warmth of Basil’s blanket. He was getting a little sleepy himself…
…
”Pasta’s ready!” Polly called from the kitchen.
Neither Basil nor Kel came out to grab a serving.
”I’ll bring some to them,” Aubrey volunteered. “It’s the least I could do. After all, I-“
”Aubrey, please don’t feel like you have to prove yourself,” Polly reassured her, patting her head. “You’re in a much better place now - physically and emotionally.”
”Thanks, Polly. Really… thank you so much.”
The former delinquent brought a fresh plate of pasta to Basil’s door. “Knock, knock, Basil! Kel, you’re still in there, right?”
No response.
Well, save for Kel’s snoring.
Basil’s, too - turns out the boy can really snore when he’s a little stuffy.
Aubrey smiled and quietly opened the door, leaving the pasta on a small table. As she turned to leave, she noticed something: Basil’s camera.
Slowly and carefully, she picked it up, aimed her shot at the snuggling lovebirds, and…
CLICK.
Heh. She’d leave that photo next to the plate.