Chapter Text
“I HATE SCHOOL!!!!”
is something Sunny wishes he could scream out so MUCH more often.
Matter of fact. It's the only thing he wishes he could say if he ever got the chance to.
The first week of his new high school after he transferred from Faraway has already managed to make his life kick his ass much more than he would prefer. Ever since Mari got accepted into a college in the big city and he so conveniently got a spot in the high school that is connected to said college, life had seemed good.
Sunny was actually really looking forward to his sophomore year.
He had assisted Mari in picking out an apartment not too far from campus, (Including making sure it had the accommodations for a wheelchair user) then done a few extra jobs here and there. For more pocket money of course!!
He has to find money to buy the newest captain-spaceboy comic series from somewhere. As much as he loved his home town Hobbeez, they really gotta start updating their stock at some point.
But don't forget about the most important thing about this journey- and that is of course him never shutting up about it.
Well..
He would never shut up about it, according to Mari and Mari only. If you asked for her opinion on if Sunny was excited to go to town for high school, she would beam in joy and tell you how they have never seen Sunny looking forward to something so much in his life. Like.. EVER.
On the other hand, If you would approach Sunny to interrogate him about it, you probably couldn't even do that, because he would walk away before you even got the chance to say hello. Although if you did catch him off guard anywhere even and asked him then well,. He just wouldn't answer you.
Yeah it was because he was selectively mute and couldn't speak.
But it was also because of how much he hated that everyone kept asking him that same exact question. Getting accepted into a good high school made EVERYONE else apparently remember that he existed.
Going back to freshman year, he can recall perfectly how he had sat next to a kid for the entire school year, never missing a day even. And not only did the teacher struggle to even recognise his name at the end of the school year, someone told him that almost everyone mistook him for a mannequin in that class.
It was humiliating to say the least.
Extra plus - he already feels tired from the workload. Walking to his school campus grounds has never felt more exhausting, if it weren't for Mari dragging him along so he could get a good start on his studies this year, he would be right back in his beloved bed. Screw this school year!
Or what's left of it anyways.
Sunny was sitting outside on a bench in the campus grounds, far away from the main building. The normal school day has already ended for most people and Mari is no different. Fortunately for him, he has Maris' schedule memorised!
Pretty convenient eh? Well it all came with a cost and the low low price for this unnecessary skill was sitting in an empty hospital room for the first month of his school year waiting for Mary to finish her classes so she could visit him.. yayyy, just where he wants to be.
Why does the most inconvenient stuff only happen to him!?
Whatever. Once Mari comes back from their lesson they can finally go and spend some time together outside of a hospital room. Speaking of Mari coming back, where was she even? It had well been over thirty minutes since he was supposed to meet up with Mari on the campus benches.
Sure moving with a wheelchair can be a bit slow, but he had considered that. He even came a little late as a way to maybe trick Mari into thinking she was early.
Well that didn't matter now did it?
Small clicks on wood filled the surrounding area as the only sound. His fingers hitting against a wooden bench impatiently only fed into the nervous atmosphere that was surrounding Sunny. A million thoughts were racing in his head about what could have happened to his beloved sister. What if she's hurt? Or stuck somewhere?
He didn't even wanna think about it. Just worrying made a knot start forming in his stomach. If he wants to see his dear sister he's gonna have to go and find them himself.
After a while of waiting and thinking, Sunny had finally made up his mind. Taking a quick moment to stand up, he felt like he had heard wayyy too many cracks and pops around his body. Maybe sitting inside his room all of his life is finally catching up to him. After that poor stance against himself he had finally taken off slowly, walking down an uneven path along the school fence.
For such an expensive building they sure as hell didn't want to put any budget into the outside decorations. But Sunny couldn't blame them really either, I mean he was the only one walking down this path after all. Who cares if the fence isnt painted properly or grass isnt mowed around here? No one else really looks at it anyways..
Glancing down while walking, Sunny could already see the bottoms of his jeans getting dirty. This felt like a shitty adventure, just without the side kicks or antagonists. Or anyone for that matter. What a boring lonely adventure it seemed.
Admits the daydreaming, Sunny hadn't even realised he had wandered into the school garden, until he heard a soft voice speak from behind, and the absence of a dirt road suddenly morphing into a really beautiful and well kept pavement.
Looking around, this all felt like a dream. A very wild fantasy, the flowers were huge and covered most of the space surrounding him. It was like a private little room made for no one in particular. A soft voice spoke from behind him, bringing him out of his trance.
“U-Uhm.. Hello? Can I help you?”
Shit. social interactions. This is why he didn't want to go walking around the campus without Mari. Sunny turned his head around slowly, only to make eye contact with a questionably scrawny teenager? The boy he was looking at seemed just ever so slightly taller than him, with soft golden hair that shimmered like the surface of a lake with how the golden rays were hitting him right at the correct angle, making the entire garden glow.
Golden boy looked his age atleast. This is so weird. It's like he has an actual aura around him.
Alongside the cool aura, he had a pink flower hair clip on one side of his hair, holding up his bangs lightly while wearing a long, dark sage green knitted sweater along with navy blue jeans. He was overall stained with dirt and a little bit of sweat presumably from gardening in this heat. Honestly the fit looked way too itchy for his liking. Better to hold a slight distance, so Sunny wouldn't have to rub against that god awfully scruffy sweater. No but seriously, who would garden in a sweater?
“Hello?”
Oh wait
He had just now realised he had been staring at the person for a weird amount of time, is it too late to ask for help now? Might as well just hope the boy recognises ´sorry´ in sign language and then rightfully disappears after that. God he really hopes they don't think he's a total weirdo for running away like that.
Actually. No.
He needs to find Mari. Even if this is his only chance right now, even if the boy might not understand him. He HAS to try, for Mari.
Sunny took a big breath and calmed down
(Sorry, I would really need some help. I'm lost, I need to find someone, my sister.)
The signing was very off and probably a bit broken, but it's the best he can do for someone who has his right hand in a cast. It didn't seem to be working either.. The boy ahead looked like a deer in headlights. Maybe he was going to continue having an anti-social adventure after all.
“H-help? Is that what you said, right?”
Sunny's head perked up, no fucking way dude.
Sunny nodded quicker than ever, now giving the strange boy his full attention, by turning his entire body towards him. The flower boy had walked over next to him now, observing his cast. Probably taking an obvious guess on why Sunny couldn't use sign language properly.
“My friends taught me a few words in sign language.. I-I could try to maybe see if I can understand you further..”
´That's okay, At least the boy is trying' Sunny pondered to himself before getting his left hand ready to sign again, this time going a bit slower.
(I need help to find someone. I lost my sister.)
They stared at him once again for an uncomfortably long time, it's like he was frozen in time! His blue orbs were playing along in making him look even more awkward. Maybe he should get into acting? “Could you repeat that please.? M-maybe a bit more simple, I'm sorry, I'm not the best at grasping this language..” He muttered out, sounding a bit embarrassed.
Sunny sighed, trying to simplify himself once again.
(Help, need. Find sister.)
“Oh! My name is Basil!”
…
Okay maybe this was going to be a lot harder than he thought. Well in hindsight, at least he got this strange boy's name. ´Basil´ Sunny shook his head, the knot in his stomach tightening even more.
”Oh- I'm sorry!! I guess I can't understand you then after all..”
Well that's just great isn't it? If Basil seems like the only person who even slightly knows sign language, besides Mari of course, then he might as well just screw the hope of anyone else knowing it. Sunny should've known while wandering here to just continue walking ahead. Miserably turning around while picking his pace back up, back he goes to finding Mari-
“B-but, wait! My friend Aubrey knows it much better than me if you really need help..!”
..!