Find The Password To Your Heart - Hacker Mari x Reader

pA /Rt ?/??/? w?hyisth?ishap?pe?ningtome?

Basil missed them. He missed what the group used to be.

He'd missed them since Mari's accident. But what could he do? Sunny shut him out. Hero left. Aubrey completely changed. Kel was too popular for someone like him. Basil knew there was no option but to be alone. He'd given up at connecting with anyone again.

Any attempts he'd made over the past few years at talking to Sunny had always ended unsuccessfully. Basil understood, though. If he were in Sunny's shoes, he wouldn't talk to himself either. Oftentimes, Basil couldn't believe that he'd said what he said on that day.

"Everything will be okay."

Except it wasn't okay, was it? Mari wasn't moving. She hadn't moved for a long time. Basil couldn't even tell if she was breathing. The look on Sunny's face as he hugger his sister, a mix of fear, shock and misery, spread to Basil too.

For a few seconds, he didn't even know what else to say. There was only one thing on his mind.

He didn't want lose Sunny.

Everything was a blur. Basil didn't remember grabbing the jumprope. He didn't remember why he thought it was a good idea. He didn't remember why he was so scared of Sunny facing the consequences of this whole situation. He didn't remember ever learning to tie a noose.

Throughout it all, Basil's hands were shaking so hard that he could hardly control them. He'd accidentally snapped more than a few photos with the camera around his neck. But the adrenaline was clouding his mind, his senses, and he just kept pushing forward.

Sunny seemed like he was the same as he helped Basil carry Mari down the stairs again. While Basil had done his best to comfort his friend, the panic etched into Sunny's face didn't vanish. He looked destroyed. He looked lost. Basil hated it. He didn't know how to help.

Just keep him safe. He'll be okay. Everything will be okay.

The tree in the back of Sunny's house had been a source of fun and happiness for months on end, but now, it was just a huge piece of wood, completely joyless. Basil's shakiness only worsened when he threw the jumprope over the thickest branch, but he kept his mind focused on the task at hand.

This is for Sunny. He'll be okay. This is the only way to make sure he's okay. It was something behind him. He can't get in trouble for this. Keep going.

It felt like it took longer to drag Mari to the tree than it did to carry her out of the house. Time slowed to a crawl, and Basil couldn't even begin to describe the nervousness clawing its way out of his stomach and up his throat. He was young, scared, distraught, and desperate. He couldn't even compare anything to how he was feeling now. But Basil did his best to keep those feelings shoved out of his mind.

It was only when Sunny gasped and froze just before they reached the jumprope that Basil's emotions began to seep in around the wall he put up. The sudden shock in his friend's voice caught him off guard.

Sunny was breathing heavily as he pulled Mari out of Basil's grasp and laid her down on the ground, clearly just as terrified. His hands were just as unsteady as Basil's as he tried to keep his fingers on her neck.

Neither of them were medical professionals. But they'd seen enough movies to have an idea of how to check for a pulse.

And based on Sunny's sinking expression, Basil knew that Mari was somehow still alive.

It didn't make sense. She was still completely still. She didn't look like she was breathing. Her expression was slack, her body was limp, but Sunny looked stone-cold petrified. Basil knew as soon as their eyes met.

Everything was completely frozen for a few seconds. But as soon as Sunny snapped out of it, he struggled to grab Mari's arm and pull her back up as he heaved himself to his feet. His legs were shaking just as much as his hands, but he managed to stumble backwards before turning and heading back for the house as fast as he could.

Basil just stood and watched Sunny desperately throw the back door open. The noose swayed in the wind behind him.

The fear was eating him alive.

And it still did, four years later.

The nightmares Basil would have were happening more and more frequently. Recently, they'd been getting so bad that he'd been staying up really late to avoid going to sleep. The guilt had started to seep back into his everyday life, making it harder and harder to function throughout the day. Basil tried to hide it from his grandmother and Polly, considering that they both had enough to deal with, but knew that it would just get clearer as time passed.

So he distracted himself in his gardening. Inevitably, Basil needed new tools and fresh soil, and decided to hurry out to Faraway Plaza one evening. The weather forecast was worrying, and he wanted to make sure his plants were as safe as possible.

Out of anyone he could have run into, Basil didn't expect it to be Hero exiting Gino's.

He thought the older boy (technically man now, but whatever) was off at college. Basil didn't know that he'd come back over the break. Has that always happened? Did he always come back? The last time Basil had seen Hero was when Mari woke up, and even then they didn't have a chance to really talk at all.

Basil was torn between approaching Hero or leaving and hoping he didn't notice. But that decision was taken out of his hands when Hero glanced over in his direction.

Their conversation was brief. Hero was just as kind as Basil remembered, checking in to make sure the younger boy was doing okay and staying healthy. They'd talked for a little bit before Hero mentioned that he needed to leave.

The amount of food was more than what he'd need for his whole family, and Basil shyly commented on that. Hero had quickly explained that Mari, Sunny, and one of his friends from college were staying over at his house that night, before apologizing and saying he was "already late" before wishing Basil a good night and hurrying away.

Basil's mind was swirling with thoughts. He didn't know how much either of the siblings ever left the house. But did this mean that they'd be more open to talking? If they were okay with staying with one of Hero's friends, who they'd probably known for... not that long... then maybe, just maybe, he'd have a chance to talk to them.

He had so much he wanted to say. Basil wanted, needed, to get these thoughts off his chest. And with Hero and Kel there (and some random stranger), maybe he'd have a better chance with Sunny and Mari listening. While Basil was a little paranoid about whoever Hero's friend was, he hoped they'd be okay with letting him talk to Sunny and Mari for a little while.

He didn't know if he'd ever get a chance like this again.

He needed to try.