Flesh & Bone (OMORI AU)

Chapter 38: Smile

"Dude this is exactly how I remembered it. Almost." Aubrey said as she lifted another piece of ham off her plate, eating it.

"I'm excited for dessert. It'll be nice to see what everyone made." Basil smiled softly.

Sunny blushed a bit as he looked at Kel, who gave him a nervous smile. He mouthed something, which caused the other to laugh. They got weird looks from everyone else, but nobody mentioned a thing. The room was lively, everyone chatting happily and chowing down on the food they worked together to prepare. Of course anything made by Hero and Mari were the best, but Basil's casserole and vegan stuffing was immaculate. Apparently he secretly started learning how to cook during those four years Mari was gone. Impressive.

"I want to thank everyone for the help. This is bittersweet, but I know that I will truly be able to say goodbye this time." Mari smiled, trying her best to hold tears back. Sunny, sitting beside her, leaning into her shoulder.

Mari inhaled shakily, quickly wiping the tears that fell down her cheeks. Her mascara and eyeliner bled slightly, turning her tears grey. Hero rested his hand gently on hers, mouthing something the others couldn't make out. Mari wiped the residue of tears and makeup off of her cheeks and eventually stopped crying, despite her eyes being slightly red and puffy.

"Sorry about that. As I was saying... I'm glad I was able to be here at all. To have a proper sendoff. To know what caused me to leave. And I'm not mad. I know I have been pressuring in the past... especially to you, Sunny... and I think being pushed was my karma. But I'm okay with that. I'm glad that I could return at all, even for a week. I'm going to miss you all dearly... but I'm so happy that you made me remember all the memories we had together four years ago... I didn't even know who I was when I just... suddenly appeared in Sunny's room one night."

She felt the vibrations of the thunder from outside. That was the first thing she felt. And Sunny was the first thing she saw. She didn't recognize him, but he seemed so... familiar.

"Hey, can we watch a movie now?" Kim laughed a bit. Everyone had pretty much finished eating. Of course Sunny had scraps on his plate, but nobody was pushing him to finish it.

"What movie did we decide on again?" Basil asked as he moved a spare pea across his plate.

"Jurassic Park!!" Kim and Aubrey exclaimed at the same time, eyes shining in excitement.

"Hey! You never told me we were watching that." Kel huffed. "You know I don't like it when the t-rex eats that guy with glasses..."

"We didn't tell you because we knew you'd be a wuss." Aubrey sighed.

"I... didn't know either.." Sunny perked up a little.

"We know you like that movie, so what's the point?" Kim shrugged, urging Aubrey and Vance to get up from their seats.

The three of them rushed to the couch, Basil timidly following behind. Hero inhaled, beginning to pick up the empty dishes one by one, stacking the glass plates on top of one another. Sunny began to help him.

"Hey, Sunny? You don't need to worry about this, I'll handle it." He smiled reassuringly.

"No." Sunny said bluntly, glancing back at Kel, who was taking to Mari about her 'secret cookie recipe'.

Hero thought long and hard before getting the hint, nodding with a sly chuckle. He walked over to Mari, gingerly pecking her cheek.

"Sunny wants to do the dishes, you cool with that?" Hero said, raising his brows and glancing at Kel, who didn't seem to notice.

Mari giggled. "Of course I don't. Be careful with the knives! Kel, stay with Sunny okay...?"

"I was going to anyway." Kel beamed, Sunny melting into his sweater as he placed a small plate on another pile.