[Aubrey stays where she is, kneeling by the pile, hands empty. It’s Sunny, not Omori—but she’s never quite seen him like this before, not pleading “don’t, don’t.”]
I won’t— I won’t touch you. [But she turns a palm over, gently extended, if he wants.] Breathe....
[Sunny tries to breathe. Huff-- huff-- huff-- huff-- He takes Aubrey's hand, pulling it, perhaps a little too forcefully (though he's weak), to his chest. He squeezes it, fingers trembling; the releases are fleeting, then he squeezes again. He swallows down a lump in his throat. She'll hate him. She'll hate him.]
Basil...
I...h-hurt...him...
[He feels like his heart stops. There's no one here to tell him to keep this a secret, help cover it up. He hurt him. He hurt him. And he really just told her. Just like that. His hand squeezes tight.]
[It’s not the answer she expects. Briefly Aubrey’s shut, taking it in—
[Basil. He hurts him. He’s not supposed to know—
[She squeezes back, trying her damnedest to keep her face even. Her expression stays focused, sharp; maybe too sharp, but not for this, here, now. Sunny trusts her. He’s afraid.
[Aubrey listens. She nods, slow, even. Doesn’t push him.]
[Sunny stares at Aubrey, chest still heaving, breath still huffing, gasping. All at once, his face contorts, and he cringes away, covering his face with his mangled arm. He still squeezes her hand.]
Back...back...back...home...
I didn't...I haven't...[A sound, strangled, but bit off with a lance of teeth against tongue. Sunny tastes blood.] I don't...r-remember...
[He is. He is. He loves her. He looked into her beautiful eyes, placed a hand on her beautiful cheek - shared with her something sacred, beautiful, rare. She's truly given him everything. She's taken blows for him, carried him through the dark, half-dead, terrified. She loves him. She's his sweetheart. She trusts him, but she doesn't know. He keeps so much. So much.
[It feels impossible to swallow. Sunny tries. He grips Aubrey's hand tighter than he ever has before. She'll fade away to nothing. He'll be alone again.
[But She doesn't deserve to be kept in the dark.]
Aubrey...
[Sunny bites down on his lip. It starts to bleed. His hand shakes from the effort of his grip.]
[It's Aubrey. He's no one but himself. He squeezes her hand, looks at her like it's the last time he ever will. There are no tears, though his muscles twitch like his eyes want to make them.
[This is goodbye, then. To all of them.]
I...killed...Mari...
[He says it out loud. Part of him dies forever. His eyes close like he can't lift them open anymore. He releases his grip on Aubrey's hand. She can let go any time she wants to.
[But...
[If there's one last thing to say, it has to be...]
[He’s said it, now. It can’t be undone.
[And they’re still here.
[Aubrey keeps squeezing his hand, steady. Only lifts the other to wipe his lip, just a thumb. (It’s shaking, a little.) Mari wouldn’t have wanted him to bleed for her.]
[Barely above a whisper:] She loved you, too.
cw: suicidal ideation, death, grief, should have CWd this before UHHH
[Sunny waits for something. He thinks he might be waiting to die. He'd like to, holding Aubrey's hand just like this. Death doesn't come, and Aubrey doesn't let go.
["She loved you too."
[Sunny feels his face twist his eyes open, a sound leaving him, tangled and round and raw. He stares at Aubrey, horrified in his confusion. Tears well, but he barely notices. He grips her hand again - harder than he means to. Didn't she hear him? He stares. His mouth stammers; his hand trembles.
[There isn't a word he can say. It doesn't make sense. He can't bear to repeat himself. He can't...]
[What else is there to say? Kel told her. She hates that it wasn’t Sunny’s choice; is grateful, because it’s not a shock, even as that horrible ache wells up between them.
[Sunny’s not a monster. Hell, he could have done it on purpose; he’s not a monster. The how, the why; it almost doesn’t matter, because he’s carried this for four years, rotting alone, and now it’s over.
[He’s trusted Aubrey with the truth. It’s not over at all.
[Mari would forgive him, too.]
I know, Sunny… [Soft, almost pleading. Aubrey’s own eyes well; she notices, and lets them. Sunny’s still here.] I know....
[She coaxes his hand towards her, her own beating, broken heart. Squeeze, just the faintest release, squeeze again....]
[Aubrey squeezes his hand. Sunny wilts, clenching his jaw, teething baring, eyes squeezed shut - like he's being tortured, torn apart. He pulls himself closer to Aubrey, slumping forward with his chin hooked over her shoulder. He squeezes her hand; shakes, gasps - sobs with no sound, though tears pour, burning hot.
[Sunny slumps forward, and Aubrey wraps herself around him, free arm rounding his back and rubbing, soothing, steady.
[Even so, her own breath shakes. She’s gotten better at muffling herself for Sunny, but… hearing him like this never gets easier. Aubrey loves him. She misses Mari. Mari could hug and soothe Sunny like no one else, and if Mari was here—well, she wouldn’t have to, now, would she?
[Maybe the contradiction should be irreconcilable. Somehow, it’s not. She loves him. She always will. Mari is gone now, and they’re both here, and…
[For all that’s happened, Aubrey likes to think Mari wouldn’t hate where they’ve ended up.
[Aubrey forces herself to swallow. Every so often she murmurs ‘Sunny, Sunny,’ but no more. The rest falls away.
[As long as he wants her, she’ll stay. That’s all there is left to do.]
[It lasts and lasts. At some point, light stops shining through the windows, and everything goes dim. Sunny's body is heavy. It rests against Aubrey, dead weight. She isn't asking for more. He could give it. Just a few more minutes like this...
[But he doesn't feel like sleeping. He feels awake.
[He doesn't dare move away. His both of his arms are folded in front of him, holding Aubrey's hands. He finally speaks again, voice soft, so soft...]
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> action
(ooc: directly after the thread above; no, not that one, the other one)
[She comes back to him in the pile often. But something isn’t right.
[The phone’s been thrown, but Aubrey doesn’t notice. He’s shaking, and Aubrey doesn’t know why or who, but she’s at his side in an instant.]
Hey… [Hushed, hands hovering. Omori doesn’t usually like to be touched. She’s half-braced for a knife, but since when did that stop her?] Hey....
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[Legs and arms scrambling, he backs away from Aubrey like he's afraid, but it isn't of her. He gasps, small body rising and falling.]
I-I'm...I'm...sh-shit...
Don't...don't...
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[Shit. What the hell prompted this?
[Aubrey stays where she is, kneeling by the pile, hands empty. It’s Sunny, not Omori—but she’s never quite seen him like this before, not pleading “don’t, don’t.”]
I won’t— I won’t touch you. [But she turns a palm over, gently extended, if he wants.] Breathe....
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[Why?
[Why?
[Why would he ever hurt Basil? The dreams are mere flashes, but he knows what his mind can do to that boy - soft, kind-hearted, gentle Basil--
[Sunny's eyes go to Aubrey's, wild.
[She'll know. She'll know he's a monster. There's no avoiding it now.]
I-I'm...I'm sorry...I didn't...mean...to...
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[He doesn’t take her hand. She leaves it out, for him.]
[Eyes alert, voice soft:] I’m here....
[No matter what.]
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Basil...
I...h-hurt...him...
[He feels like his heart stops. There's no one here to tell him to keep this a secret, help cover it up. He hurt him. He hurt him. And he really just told her. Just like that. His hand squeezes tight.]
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[It’s not the answer she expects. Briefly Aubrey’s shut, taking it in—
[Basil. He hurts him. He’s not supposed to know—
[She squeezes back, trying her damnedest to keep her face even. Her expression stays focused, sharp; maybe too sharp, but not for this, here, now. Sunny trusts her. He’s afraid.
[Aubrey listens. She nods, slow, even. Doesn’t push him.]
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Back...back...back...home...
I didn't...I haven't...[A sound, strangled, but bit off with a lance of teeth against tongue. Sunny tastes blood.] I don't...r-remember...
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[He’s still squeezing. Not looking, but squeezing. Breathing.
[Aubrey bites back a swear. It’s not for him.]
[Quiet, still squeezing back;] Easy....
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[She's still squeezing back. How? Why?]
I'm...a...m-monster...
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You’re not.
[I know you’re not.]
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[It feels impossible to swallow. Sunny tries. He grips Aubrey's hand tighter than he ever has before. She'll fade away to nothing. He'll be alone again.
[But She doesn't deserve to be kept in the dark.]
Aubrey...
[Sunny bites down on his lip. It starts to bleed. His hand shakes from the effort of his grip.]
I have...to tell you...something...
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[She knows, she knows, she knows. All anger died the second he called himself a monster. Sunny’s anything but.
[Tender, Aubrey moves her other hand over his; still squeezing back, a silent promise.
[Listening. Here. She’s by his side forever.]
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[He loves her.
[It's Aubrey. He's no one but himself. He squeezes her hand, looks at her like it's the last time he ever will. There are no tears, though his muscles twitch like his eyes want to make them.
[This is goodbye, then. To all of them.]
I...killed...Mari...
[He says it out loud. Part of him dies forever. His eyes close like he can't lift them open anymore. He releases his grip on Aubrey's hand. She can let go any time she wants to.
[But...
[If there's one last thing to say, it has to be...]
I didn't...mean to. I...loved...her.
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[Aubrey doesn’t let go.
[She knows. It hurts. It always will.
[He’s said it, now. It can’t be undone.
[And they’re still here.
[Aubrey keeps squeezing his hand, steady. Only lifts the other to wipe his lip, just a thumb. (It’s shaking, a little.) Mari wouldn’t have wanted him to bleed for her.]
[Barely above a whisper:] She loved you, too.
cw: suicidal ideation, death, grief, should have CWd this before UHHH
["She loved you too."
[Sunny feels his face twist his eyes open, a sound leaving him, tangled and round and raw. He stares at Aubrey, horrified in his confusion. Tears well, but he barely notices. He grips her hand again - harder than he means to. Didn't she hear him? He stares. His mouth stammers; his hand trembles.
[There isn't a word he can say. It doesn't make sense. He can't bear to repeat himself. He can't...]
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[What else is there to say? Kel told her. She hates that it wasn’t Sunny’s choice; is grateful, because it’s not a shock, even as that horrible ache wells up between them.
[Sunny’s not a monster. Hell, he could have done it on purpose; he’s not a monster. The how, the why; it almost doesn’t matter, because he’s carried this for four years, rotting alone, and now it’s over.
[He’s trusted Aubrey with the truth. It’s not over at all.
[Mari would forgive him, too.]
I know, Sunny… [Soft, almost pleading. Aubrey’s own eyes well; she notices, and lets them. Sunny’s still here.] I know....
[She coaxes his hand towards her, her own beating, broken heart. Squeeze, just the faintest release, squeeze again....]
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[He'll be a while like that.]
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[Sunny slumps forward, and Aubrey wraps herself around him, free arm rounding his back and rubbing, soothing, steady.
[Even so, her own breath shakes. She’s gotten better at muffling herself for Sunny, but… hearing him like this never gets easier. Aubrey loves him. She misses Mari. Mari could hug and soothe Sunny like no one else, and if Mari was here—well, she wouldn’t have to, now, would she?
[Maybe the contradiction should be irreconcilable. Somehow, it’s not. She loves him. She always will. Mari is gone now, and they’re both here, and…
[For all that’s happened, Aubrey likes to think Mari wouldn’t hate where they’ve ended up.
[Aubrey forces herself to swallow. Every so often she murmurs ‘Sunny, Sunny,’ but no more. The rest falls away.
[As long as he wants her, she’ll stay. That’s all there is left to do.]
1/3
2/3
3/3 this is like literal hours later LMAO
[But he doesn't feel like sleeping. He feels awake.
[He doesn't dare move away. His both of his arms are folded in front of him, holding Aubrey's hands. He finally speaks again, voice soft, so soft...]
We got into a fight. I got mad...
I pushed her. She fell. Down the stairs...
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[It lasts and lasts, and Aubrey asks only for him to be there. If not for his hold on her hands, she’d start to wonder if he’d fallen asleep.
[He speaks. That’s a surprise.
[“No stairs…”
[Against her will, Aubrey hears a sickening splinter. Body, wood, worse than any bat—
[She squeezes. Bleary eyes narrow, pained, but don’t close. Just the smallest of nods, confirming… She’s listening.]
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The rest... [He can't...] Basil...saw...
Then...it's hard...to remember...
[But it's obvious, isn't it? What they did?]
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[It is far, far too obvious. Basil saw. And that’s why…
[Aubrey has told him not to give up for Sunny. Regret stabs.
[He’s carried that four years, too.
[A fresh tear hits Sunny’s shoulder; another. Aubrey tries to blink the rest back. She nods, dumb and lost, again.]
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