moonshine // OMORI (sunflower)

chapter 1- repair

"I have to tell you something."

Sunny stands in place, trembling in front of his friends that he's known as long as he can remember. They've been through so much together, yet they don't know the real him, do they? He wants suddenly to scrub his words from their minds, to turn around and run and never come back to face these people. Aubrey, Kel, Hero...poor Hero. What will they think of him once they know the truth?

He looks down at his hands, watches them shake uncontrollably. He doesn't know if he'll even be able to form the words, and frantically meets Basil's eyes. Basil, who knows exactly what he's thinking. Basil gives him a small smile, and Sunny realizes it's all he needs to continue. He takes a deep breath.

"I broke my violin, and got angry before the rehearsal... and she tried to help me and I-" His voice catches in his throat, and his vision blurs. "I...I pushed her. Mari. I didn't mean to hurt her. I just wanted her to leave me alone, but she slipped and fell-" Sunny's sobs shake him, and he collapses. "I hurt her. I killed her. I'm so sorry..."

He is unable to speak, he is crying so hard. He has never cried like this, not even after Mari's death. The sight of him, vulnerable and thoroughly broken, is shocking to everyone except Basil, whose own silent sobs go unnoticed. Their friend that rarely shows any emotion, whether it be joy, fear, sadness, is suddenly crumpled on the floor, completely defenseless, and none of them know how to react.

Feeling a light hand on his shoulder, he realizes that Hero, Kel, and Aubrey are all by his side, waiting for him to continue. Aubrey is holding his hand, Kel is hugging him from behind, and Hero kneels before him, whispering, "Sunny...what do you mean?"

Sunny looks up at him through his tears, and chokes out, "She didn't kill herself, I did-" His voice breaks. Sunny swallows and lifts his shaking hands to Hero's, but he pulls away. "Sunny, I..." Mixed expressions of pain and betrayal flash across his face, and he stands. Hero opens his mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. He runs out of the room, and Sunny lowers his head.

...

When Sunny is able to finish explaining, everyone is speechless. But Basil is the first to break the stillness that has settled upon them and steps cautiously from his bed, still weak from his wounds. Sunny doesn't notice him until Basil touches him- tentatively at first, on the shoulder, then pulls him closer, and Sunny was so glad to have him by his side. He feels Basil shake as he cries, and wraps his arms around him. They didn't have much, but they had each other. At last, the rest of them knew what had happened, but no one would quite understand as they did. The two had a now unbreakable bond, and Sunny knows he'll never let Basil go again. His beautiful Basil. Sunny buries his face in his hair, wanting to stay there forever, in this moment where his years of crushing guilt have been lifted off of him, and he is safe in his best friend's arms.

-two months later-

The group is growing back together, slowly but surely.

Aubrey had approached Sunny and Basil the day after the confession and admitted what had been on her mind. "That day at the lake... It made me realize how easily I could have killed you. I never would have forgiven myself if one, or both of you had died because of me..." At that, she began to cry, turning away from the two of them. "I'm not mad, how could I be, when I almost made the same mistake?..." She paused again to gather herself before continuing. "I'm sorry you went through that alone, and I'm sorry I left you, and hurt you, I should never have... I'm so sorry for everything. Can you forgive me?" Sunny reached over and held Aubrey's hand in his. "Just don't leave us again... I missed you."

"I won't. Ever," she said, then fell quiet. Her eyes met Basil's, who hadn't said much. She stood up and threw herself into his arms, holding him so tightly that no one could ever pry her off of him. "I love you, Basil," she whispers. "So much." Sunny saw something change on his face, like he was feeling peace for the first time in his life, and he left Aubrey and Basil to reconcile.