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[sadpoem]

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action | aftermath of the aftermath of the aftermath of th

[headhooligan]

(ooc: ‘thread tracker in a comment’ moment: Kel+Basil → Basil+Sunny → Sunny+Aubrey → We Are Here)

[Aubrey’s not sure when she falls asleep, but rising just before the sun is a long-established given. Not for the first time, she texts Eren to let him know there’ll be no training today—possibly not for a while, actually. He gets it.

[There’s a text from Kel, too. Aubrey… does not get it, exactly. But it can wait.

[Sunny’s still asleep, she thinks, and she’s not about to wake him up. Sometimes she can drift back off like this, not yet done processing the previous night’s events, just stealing an extra few hours…

[Not today. They’ll be with each other forever. Sunny shared with her something so seemingly-insurmountable, he couldn’t handle it alone even when he was alone. And before then…

[Basil.

[Aubrey shuts her phone. Places it on the floor by the pile, and nudges it away; tries to keep the motion quiet. Not right now....]

[sadpoem]

[Eventually, the realization comes - watery, faraway; Aubrey is still here.

[Sunny doesn't remember dreams the way he remembers the previous night - all at once, wrapping itself around every limb in a tight embrace, squeezing until...

[Release.

[Sunny reaches for her hand.]

[headhooligan]

[She takes it. Every time he reaches for Aubrey’s hand, she’ll take it, and squeeze.]

[sadpoem]

[Of course she's still here. They're together. They love each other.

[How could he ever have doubted it? Old sins feel like they mean nothing now.

[Sunny opens his eyes, so terribly swollen that it's still hard to see; they burn. He looks to Aubrey. She's more beautiful than he's ever seen - every time, every time.]

[headhooligan]

[Sunny opens his eyes as much as he can, dark and bleary and perfect. How could anyone think he’s a monster?

[Aubrey cups his face, touch light.]

Good morning…

[She kisses him on the head.]

[sadpoem]

[Last night, Sunny told Aubrey everything; this morning, she doesn't look at him like he's a monster, at all. Maybe he isn't one, then. He doesn't think much about it, for once...

[His voice comes out predictably rough. It's getting lower in general.]

I love you...

[headhooligan]

[Sometimes people’s love is hard to take. It isn’t, right now.]

I love you, too… I love you forever.

[She thumbs his cheek, idly affectionate.]

You’re up early....

[sadpoem]

I feel awake...

[He just says it. Just like that...]

Are...you going?

[headhooligan]

[He sleeps so much....]

I’m right here. [It’s brighter out, now.] I’ll stay.

[sadpoem]

[Quietly, pitifully, like maybe she's forgotten:] Swords...?

[He has no idea what time it is; doesn't want her to leave for anything...]

[headhooligan]

[A gentle smile.] Not today.

[Small glance to her phone on the floor, pointing without letting go.] He understands.

[sadpoem]

[The briefest memory of fear - What did she tell him? - but it fades immediately. She wouldn't have told him anything. She won't. If she does, then...

[Well. He just trusts her. Completely. It's new...

[Sunny reaches up with one hand to take her face, the other still squeezing between their chests.]

Thank you...

[headhooligan]

[Not a thing. And unless Sunny wants otherwise, she never will.

[Maybe she’ll lose her loved ones’ trust for that. Maybe she already has.

[Sunny’s face is in her hand, and hers in his; their other hands squeeze, release.
[Aubrey decides she won’t apologize for anything.

[She kisses him, soft, sweet. Promising…]

THEY'LL STOP BEING DISGUSTING AT SOME POINT MAYBE lmk if u need more etc

[sadpoem]

[Soft, sweet, promising; everything about it feels so...very, very real. Like it's his first true day in this place. His mind doesn't wander, really. He can smell the air outside through an open window, hear the leaves above them rustling. He can see her - clear, perfect, vibrant, every pore and lash and microscopic quirk observed, absorbed.

["Are you even alive?"

[He wasn't...

[He is...

[How he's meant to feel about that, he doesn't know, but...

[He kisses her. He'd live to do it again...]

NEVER

[headhooligan]

[He’s here. And he’ll be here, home, with her; a treehouse, a dream, a nightmare, a city of ghosts, a new reality. Wherever. For once, Aubrey doesn’t doubt it. They know so much about each other, and they’re still here....

[They’re alive.

[She kisses Sunny again; again, again. Soft, not desperate, not drowning. Has it ever felt quite like this? The now will slip away into the past, and there will be never be a morning quite like this again—and it’s alright, because it won’t end there, and it’s all precious. He is....

[When their lips part, her eyes are gleaming. Aubrey feels happy....]

I want to wake up with you… every day.

[It’s not a demand. He sleeps so much, normally. Just a hushed fantasy, comfortably longing.]

[sadpoem]

[Sunny's fingertips lightly flutter over Aubrey's jaw like he's playing a harp. He kisses her. He kisses her. He brushes their noses together, and it's better than any dream. Why keep sleeping?]

I'd...wake up...for you...

[headhooligan]

Heh… good. [Maybe a bit forward—there really is no pressure. But she can’t help herself.

[One more kiss, lightly pressing their noses, and then;]

What do you want to do today? [It’s all theirs.]

[sadpoem]

[Sunny's quiet, though he feels like he won't stay that way, which is odd. He takes Aubrey's hands in his, idly playing with her fingers. Right before he opens his mouth to talk, he takes her hand, squeezing, releasing...]

I'm...not sure what...to do now...

[headhooligan]

[He spends so much time in this house. It’s always a surprise when he’s not in it, though more often than not, he’s just with Kenma—or off having his adventures. Aubrey can’t pretend to know the details.

[She’d like to, though.

[A few ideas run through her head—squeezing, releasing—but there’s no point in overwhelming. They just woke up.]

For now… [A small hum, light.] …I can get you breakfast? [Eren’s delivery is probably at the door.

[Aubrey’s not moving before Sunny, though.]

cw: eating issues discussed

[sadpoem]

[He could eat, he thinks.

[It feels wrong. He's thinking of Mari more than ever. He doesn't deserve to eat when she can't - that's really what it's come down to, all these years. Everything he tastes, he wonders what she'd think.

[Still - he could eat, he thinks.

[So, he nods, pushing himself up. He'll follow her.]

[headhooligan]

[It feels like they haven’t moved for hours, maybe longer. Still, Aubrey has her routine: up, stretch, door, delivery, kitchen… Lately she hasn’t been able to leave it out wherever he’s sleeping, lest the cat eat it.

[She’s got her hand on an upper cabinet, remembers it’s different today, and looks back over to Sunny. Wordlessly hands him the food, instead.]

[sadpoem]

[The way Aubrey jumps right into her routine, it's impossible not to notice what Sunny has, thus far, missed, too busy sleeping. Aubrey's cared for him. He knows that, but...he sees it in action now - feels it in every cell.

[She didn't run away. He told her the impossible, and she's still here. She knows. She doesn't hate him.

[He still believes he deserves to be hated, but...of course - of course - he's grateful that he's not.

[He takes the food, curling up on the couch with his legs tucked under himself. He eats. It has taste...

[How can he feel so light?

[He watches Aubrey, waiting for her to sit down too. The world is calm; sharp, but calm.]

It's good...

[headhooligan]

[Sunny curls up on the couch, and Aubrey joins him with some leftovers. She nods, chewing. It’s good to see him eating for himself. Omori usually takes care of that....

[It’s calm. The quiet is comfortable. Idly Aubrey scans the room, appreciating how the morning light dances about. Not every day she’s in here at this hour. It’s nice....

[His phone is in the corner. Her eyes linger there for a moment, and then she takes another forkful before the frown can settle. Later.]

[sadpoem]

[Sunny is more observant than people give him credit for - more perceptive. He sees where Aubrey's eyes linger, recalling at once what led to a much different conversation than he ever could have expected.

[Anxiety seizes his heart. Dropping his fork, he takes Aubrey's hand and squeezes it before he can stop himself.

[Basil...

[Sunny swallows with a dry throat. Aubrey's right here...]

B-basil...

[headhooligan]

[Sunny’s fork drops, and food is set aside immediately. Aubrey clasps his hand, watching him.

[“Back home…”

[She nods, squeezing, releasing, squeezing. Basil’s not here. Sunny can tell her what he wants her to know.]