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[sadpoem]

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[sadpoem]

[Sunny sits beside his friend. He finds that it's easy too. That's a good feeling...

[He never feels more whole than when Basil holds his hand, he thinks.]

You...can use it...too?

[photographists]

( It's a mutual feeling. There were so many times when he felt empty when they weren't speaking to one another. )

No, but... uhm... I thought it'd be nice if we could share that kind of magic, too... I asked her to help me with something.

( He reaches into one of his pockets then, taking hold of two silver-colored rings and holding them out for Sunny. Suddenly, he feels really nervous. How strange... )

I know that you're strong, Sunny, but.. A lot of the time, this place can get really dangerous, too. ... If you're ever in trouble, then... I-I'll be able to help you.

[sadpoem]

[Rings...?

[Sunny takes one in his hand. They seem to be identical, one just slightly smaller than the other. He holds it in two palms for a moment, eyes slightly wide.

[His face is terribly warm. Aren't rings usually for couples...?

[He looks back up at Basil.]

I'll...be able...to find you...too?

[photographists]

( Basil watch as his cheeks warm, and his own face feels hot. Was this too forward...? He gently holds out the smaller one for Sunny. )

Y... Yeah. We'll be able to protect each other...

( He couldn't protect him before. But, he wants to try to now. )

If we're ever separated by time again, then... maybe we'll be able to find our way back to each other this way, too.

( And after Kel left, he can't help but wonder... would having this mean that they would see each other if one of them went home? It's not something he wants to think about. )

OUCHIE

[sadpoem]

[Sunny accepts the ring. It's significant. Even for how far he and Basil have come, there's trepidation. In ways, Basil frightens Sunny. Maybe that's unfair. Maybe outside the circumstances of their world, and away from the thing that destroyed them, that bound them, they can be different. Maybe, here, there's hope for something good, something simple, something safe.

[Sunny accepts the ring. He slips it on his right ring finger. The other one, he's saving for Aubrey. That's a decision he made quite a while ago.

[Guilt creeps in. Sunny's intention isn't to stay here. He doesn't want to go back home either. Basil doesn't know it yet, but Sunny is destined to leave him. Xie Lian wouldn't mind, surely, if Basil simply came to the Ghost City with them, but there's no telling if that's what Basil, himself, would want. Sunny doesn't dare let on that they may have to part. He doesn't want to know how Basil would react.

[Does that make this ring a false promise? It's fortunate that Sunny's expression never changes much. Basil can't see the pain that curls around the boy's heart and squeezes. He doesn't want to leave Basil - not really, but...

[He doesn't want to go back to Faraway. Not ever. Even if it means he'll never see Kel, Hero, Basil, or his mother ever again.

[It would be worth it, to be far, far away from that grave, that stump, that staircase.

[Sunny accepts the ring. He turns it about on his finger. He feels as though he may cry.]

Basil...

[What can he say? He takes one of the boy's hands in both of his, thumbs brushing affetionately over familiar knuckles.]

Thank...you...

LIES DOWN

[photographists]

( Sunny doesn't know, but if he leaves -- it's different this time. Basil has friends here. He has so many people who would help him if he truly needed it. He won't be alone... Nor would he ever blame Sunny for leaving.

Ultimately, all he wants is Sunny's happiness. Despite his selfishness, despite how attached he is to Sunny, he wants the best for him. He loves him. Maybe he has from the moment that they met. He's never had a chance to tell him.

But then, he looks to the way his expression shifts, and Basil feels the way he frowns deeply, looking on in alarm. )

S-Sunny? What's wrong? Are you okay?

( Basil knows him perhaps better than anyone else. He's knows what Sunny wants to say before he says it, knows how to read those subtle changes in expression. Something about this upset him, but what? )

You can talk to me-- I promise, I'll do anything I can to help.

[sadpoem]

[Basil always seems to know, somehow. It's disquieting. It's part of the reason Sunny has feared being around him. He'd prefer to hide...

[He's trying not to do that anymore, though. He shakes his head against Basil's worry, lightly gripping his hand. He can't force a smile, but Sunny's not much one to smile anyway.]

I-I'm okay...

[There's no need to tell Basil that he'll go away. Aside from that, maybe Basil would be able to come too. No part of Sunny thinks he'll be leaving any time soon. They have time...]

I'm...glad...we're here together.

[photographists]

( Basil's hand shifts then, moving to intertwine his fingers in Sunny's. He doesn't know what's wrong. He doesn't think it's okay, but he won't push him. He knows better than that. Pushing him to speak would only push him away. )

Me, too. You're... more important to me than anyone else.

( It feels a little scary to say that, but he feels like he needs to. He needs to be honest wit him. Would he know what he meant? How deeply he feels?

It's okay if he doesn't, but Basil wants him to know that much. )

cw: graphic suicide imagery

[sadpoem]

[Sunny knows. He and Basil share something that no one else could ever understand. Only Sunny killed Mari, but Basil made sure he didn't have to shoulder it alone. He did the unthinkable for Sunny; he had to, because of Sunny's mistake.

[Something in Sunny has resented Basil. It's difficult not to. One moment, you're standing at the top of a staircase, and the next, your sister's body is hanging from a tree. Sunny doesn't hate Basil for what he did, but he does hate it...

[It isn't just complex. It's impossible. They are bound. And Sunny loves Basil.

[Sunny loves Basil. He loves him desperately. He loves him mournfully.

[His eyes fall to their intertwined hands; Sunny lightly grips.]

I know. You...and me...

[Would Basil understand if Sunny couldn't put it into words?]

I know...I know...

[photographists]

( Sunny responds, and Basil knows. He knows that Sunny knows what he means. He knows that Sunny understands him better than anyone else. All of his hopes and dreams were something that only Sunny knew.

He's always known what he wants to say, even without him saying anything. It's why he responds by gently cupping the other's cheek lightly, fingers brushing against the other.

It hurts so much, but it feels wonderful, too. The bond that they share is nothing that Basil thinks that he could share with anyone else.

He doesn't know if he wants to. )

That... makes me really happy. You make me happy.

( Everything that happened back then feels like a bad dream. He knows that he'll never forget. He'll never forgive himself. But, that guilt from before has become bearable for him to carry.

He did it for him. He did it for Sunny. He did it to protect him in the only way he could. )

And, I hope that no matter what happens -- you can find happiness, too.

cries lmk if u wanna wrap up soon or if you have more

[sadpoem]

[It's such a simple, kind, well-meaning wish. Basil is a kind, well-meaning person. How could Sunny ever have lost sight of that? It matters more, doesn't it?

[Happiness is still far away. Sunny doesn't know if he'll ever truly find it. Then again, he finds it here all the time - little moments amongst the chaos and fear that make waking up feel bearable. It lives in his friends. He was so afraid for so long to open himself up to them again...

[He can't tell Basil that he will find happiness, because he's not entirely sure what it means anymore.]

I hope...so too.

[His thumb strokes lightly over Basil's knuckles. He pictures raising the boy's hand to his lips and kissing it. They have rings. It seems like the next logical step.

[But it's only a daydream.]

I'll...keep it on. [The ring. He holds up his finger where it lays.

[They'll always find each other.]

we can get to a wrapping point!

[photographists]

( Basil gently leans against Sunny then, their shoulders touching. Happiness is a journey, he thinks -- especially for the both of them. Basil believed for so long that Sunny was part of that for himself, maybe he still is.

He separates his grip from Sunny then, slipping his own ring on and offering a smile - gentle and fond. )

We'll always be connected. ( He says softly.

There's so much he wants to say, but he doesn't think that the both of them need words. Sunny knows how he feels. To him, that's more than enough for right now. )

I promise that this time, I'll be here for you no matter what.

I teared up writing this...that's a wrap from me <3

[sadpoem]

[It's as though every cell in Sunny's body seizes up tight. He might cry or collapse in entirely - he doesn't know.

[Basil is near. Sunny takes his hands. They'll always be connected; this, they both must realize, is an ireffutable fact.

[Sunny brings Basils hand's up to his cheek. He presses it against them, briefly closing his eyes.]

I promise.