Flesh & Bone (OMORI AU)

Chapter 1: Cold pasta

Sunny stared into his computer screen, a ring of purple under his eyelids. His good eye was bloodshot as it darted around the screen, reading text. Sunny rubbed his palms nervously. He wasn't going to sleep until he had an answer. No matter how long it would take. He looked at the time on the computer, reading 3:02AM. Despite being homeschooled after all that happened, his mother still wanted him up early for the tutor to arrive, yet he didn't exactly care about that right now. He let out an aggressive sigh, pounding a fist on his keyboard.

Why... isn't this working...?

It was morning before he knew it. He had fallen asleep at his desk, writing into a notebook based on what he searched on the internet. While his matches were limited, he tried his best to find archives and copies of scanned books and documents. What was he searching for?

How to bring back the dead.

He was tired of suffering, tired of his friend's suffering, just because Mari was gone. But he lost it. He needed to bring her back. And he wanted to know how. And despite spending all week researching instead of doing his school work, he didn't find much. But he woke up as the sun shone on his face. He had his head on the desk, the pencil still in his hand. He groaned, putting the pencil down and yawning. It was 9 in the morning. He realized not sleeping was going to make things worse. Though, Sunny realized a note by his phone and read it:

Sunny, your tutor is unable to make it today, so feel free to sleep in. Mommy will be at work until late, so if you get hungry there's some food in the fridge. I love you!

Sunny silently cheered to himself as he snuggled up in his blankets, closing his eye. Five minutes after getting comfortable, he heard that knocking again. He groaned and turned over, putting the pillow over his head. Along with that, he heard a loud meow from the other side of the door, and scratching. Mewo wanted to come in his room. But he didn't want anyone or anything in there with him. The knocking stopped and Sunny managed to block out Mewo's whining as he fell asleep.

...

"I'm really worried about him..." Kel sighed as he looked at Aubrey and Basil.

"Did any of you try calling recently?" Aubrey asked.

"I did but... he never picked up. I left a voicemail but I don't know if he's heard it..." Basil frowned.

"What now? If Hero was still here he'd be able to coax Sunny out with his adult powers." Aubrey joked.

"He's not coming back until Thanksgiving, and its October.." Kel complained, balling his fists and kicking a small stone by him.

"I'm sure Sunny is just recovering from the fight... he got more injured than I did.." Basil blushed, not in embarrassment, but in guilt.

"Yeah I still don't know if I like you or not, but if you ever pull that lying shit with me again I will hurt you." Aubrey glared down at Basil who frantically nodded.

"Welp. I guess we can go ho-" Kel started, but Aubrey caught the back of his collar.

"Not yet. Maybe we can get his attention in another way."

"How?" Basil questioned.

"Be as annoying as possible." Aubrey grinned as she lifted her bat and began to hit the side of the house.

"A-Aubrey stop! You're gonna ruin his house!"

"Okay, what's worse, me leaving a dent in the side of the house or, I donno, framing an accidental murder as a suicide for four years? Hm?" Aubrey hissed and continued to hit against the wall.

"No I agree with Basil.. this is too much." Kel pursed his lips as he looked at a centipede crawling on the concrete.

Aubrey let out a loud groan and threw her bat down. "Look I just wish I knew what was going on okay!!?"