So there was other plans for this one-shot, and sorry it's super late! I've actually been busy trying to get my life together, but it's all good. For now.
Anyway enjoy this short story!
The little boy stared down at the puddle. He looked at his reflection with a poker face. Even though the rain made it hard to see, he can still point out some of his features.
His pink ruby eyes were soft and his magenta hair was neatly trimmed short. His skin complexion was slightly pale yet fair. He wore a red raincoat and orange rain boots.
"Sun! Come under the shelter or else you'll get sick!" An older girl called out.
Sun looked up and kinda studied the girl.
The girl was a teenager and possibly 18 years of age. Her violet hair was short and her sharp pink ruby eyes held kindness in them. Her skin wasn't too pale and wasn't too tanned. She wore a pink raincoat and pink rain boots to match her outfit.
"Lunar." Sun spoke softly and made his way to the older girl.
"Moon and Eclipse are still giving papa trouble." Lunar chuckled softly. Sun stood next to her under the porch and held her hand. "Man...today was suppose to be sunny. Mama is expecting us."
"Lunar! Sun!" A little boy called out. The front door swings open and a little boy Sun's age comes out with a big grin. Their features were similar, but his eyes had more energy and in violet-blue. His hair was violet and he had a slightly darker complexion. He wore yellow raincoat and red rain boots.
"Moon." Sun greeted shyly.
"Where's Eclipse?" Lunar asks.
"Dad is still helping him put on his raincoat!" Moon chirped.
"You gave him trouble, didn't you?"
"Me? Pssst no!"
Another young boy, Sun's and Moon's age, comes out through the door. His hair was a mixture of magenta and violet, and it was neatly brushed. His eyes were pink ruby, but his irises are a violet-blue. He had the same complexion as Moon, but he had a more mature air around him. He wore a violet raincoat with blue rain boots.
"Liar. You kept moving around and giving dad trouble." The boy sneered.
The behavior didn't affect Moon's chirpy self. "Whatever you say Eclipse."
"Everyone set?" Asked a grown man.
An older man exits through the doors and closes them as he stepped on the front porch. His violet hair was untamed and short. His sharp violet-blue eyes had light dark circles and his skin was a little tanned. He was quite tall and only wore a coat with an umbrella in hand.
"Yes papa/father/dad!" Everyone except Sun responded.
The man smiles down at the boy. "Are you ready Sun?" He asks more gently.
Sun shyly looks down and averts his eyes. He nods in confirmation.
"Alright the car isn't too far from us, but be careful. It's raining a bit too heavily." The man said. "Nothing is going to stop us from seeing your mother."
"Not even a snowfall can stop up! Onward!" Moon shouted and rain out in the rain.
"Hey you idiot come back here!" Lunar yelled and chased after her younger brother, but she released Sun's hand in the process.
"Here they go again." Eclipse groaned and ran after them.
Sun watched his three siblings run to the car.
"I swear Moon is like your mother." The man sighed and offered his hand to Sun. "Let's get going. Don't want mother to continue waiting."
Sun takes his father's hand.
The man opens his umbrella and shields the two of them from the rain.
They reached the car in 3 minutes.
Lunar, Moon, and Eclipse we're fighting over for the front seat. But Shade said the oldest went to the front so Lunar shouted in victory.
In the car everyone was buckled up and chatting casually.
Except for Sun. He gazed out the window with a blank look.
"Sun! Sun!" Moon called out. Sun looks away from the window and looks at his brother. "What flowers should be bring mom?"
"Sunflowers, obviously." Lunar snorts. "Those are her favorites."
"What's so good about sunflowers? It's not even that pretty." Eclipse asks.
"Your mother likes them for their beauty and meaning. They mean loyalty, adoration, and longevity." Shade explains.
"What does longevity means?" Moon asks.
"Long life." Lunar answers.
Sun kinda zooms out of the conversation. It wasn't like he was needed anyways.
Within 10 minutes of the ride, they reach the hospital and find parking a little far away. They all rush inside the front desk and get a sticker to show which floor they're allowed in. First they had to take off their coats before actually putting on the sticker.
Sun kinda looks at the blue sticker and sticks it on. He patiently waits as Moon is giving their dad a hard time.
Eclipse and Lunar are bickering like always, and Sun didn't see the point on joining in. So he just looks around.
In the corner of his eye he finds the gift shop. Through the windows he sees sunflowers.
Their father finally got Moon to cooperate and he called each child to come, but was confused when Sun didn't respond.
"Sun?" He questions and follows his gaze. He gently smiles. "Come to think of it we didn't buy flowers yet. Should we get that for mother?"
Sun nods and waits outside the gift shop with his siblings. Soon their father comes out with a vase of sunflowers and they all go to the elevator.
It didn't take long to reach their destination. Once they reached a room, they see a woman sitting up from her bed as she was reading.
Her soft pink ruby eyes looked at the 5 with so much love. Her magenta hair was put on a low ponytail. Her skin was slightly pale, but it wasn't unhealthy.
"Lunar, Eclipse, Moon, Sun." She greeted with so much joy. The children rushed around the bed. The man steps closer to the bed and catched the woman's attention. "Shade." She smiles.
"Hey Fine." Shade greeted in return and kissed his wife. Fine sees the vase of sunflowers. "It was Sun's idea."
"Really?" Fine ruffles Sun's hair affectionately. "Thank you so much!"
Sun gives a small smile.
They all started to talk and catch Fine up with a few things.
Like how Moon got in trouble in class for being too loud and not following directions, how Eclipse got in trouble for pushing another kid down for picking on Sun, how Lunar got in trouble for trying to sneak out of the house to go to a party, and how Sun is still the least troublemaker of them all.
Fine did give a scolding to Moon and Lunar, but she was proud of Eclipse for protecting his brother.
"Mama tell papa to get us a dog!" Lunar begged.
"Fine tell Lunar the answer is no. Her grades are bad and she isn't responsible enough to take care another life." Shade argued.
"I can take care of it!"
"Last time I left you in charge of your brothers, Moon was on the roof, Eclipse was hanging on the chandelier, and Sun was buried under books! Not only that you snuck out to hang out with some friends!"
Fine frowns disapprovingly. "I have to agree with your father." She said. "Lunar you can't have a dog until you learn about responsibility and bring up your grades." Fine smiles assuringly and cups Lunar's cheek. "Once you prove to me that you're capable of that then I'll convince Shade to get a dog, but until then don't sneak out and listen to your father."
"Yes mama." Lunar sighed defeatedly.
"And Moon," Moon's head perks up, "stop giving your father a hard time. I understand I'm not home all the time, but please behave. I don't want to hear you getting in trouble."
Moon looks down dejectedly. "Yes mom." He said.
Shade looks at Moon and Lunar and says, "Seriously? You listen to your mother, but not me?"
"That's because mother is nicer than you." Eclipse said.
Fine giggles at Shade's reaction then looks at Sun, whose been really quiet.
"Sun?" She calls out. Sun looks at his mother. "What's wrong sweetie? You're more quiet than usual."
"He has?" Moon questions. Lunar smacks him behind the head.
"I'm going to get a few snacks." Shade said.
"I wanna come!" Moon said excitedly and followed his father.
"No! Come back here!" Lunar hissed and chased after him.
Eclipse groans and follows without saying anything.
Now it was just Fine and Sun.
"They're gone now. Speak to me." Fine said gently. She makes some space on the bed and let's Sun climb on. Sun hugs his mother and buries his face in her chest. Fine strokes his hair and waits for him to say anything.
"Mommy?" Sun finally said.
"Yes sweetie?" Fine hums.
Sun holds his mother tighter. "Will the sunflowers give you a longer life?" Fine stops and her eyes sadden. "Daddy says they mean longevity." Sun pulls away and stares at his mother with big eyes. "So if we keep getting you sunflowers, will you get better? Will you be able to live longer?"
"Oh Sun..." Fine pulls him into a hug.
Sun wraps his arms around his mother again. "So it's a no? Then how much longer do you have? Will you be able to live to see Lunar's graduation? She graduates in 2 months and she really wants you to see her go on the stage!" Fine's eyes begin to water. "You also promised we'd go to the beach this summer! Together this time!" Sun pulls away and stares at his mother with his teary eyes. "We'll go together? Right?"
Fine gives him a sad smile and reaches for the sunflower. "Did I ever tell you why my favorite is the sunflower?"
Sun tilts his head in confusion. "No? Is it because of it's meaning?"
"Not exactly. You see when back when I was a little girl, there was a day that changed my life. I was having a bad day and nothing could cheer me up, but my dad came up to me and handed me a sunflower. I was confused at first, but somehow the sunflower made me smile. My dad told me it can bring joy to brighten someone's day. And I believed him. Ever since the sunflower became my favorite because it can bring happiness."
Sun looked at the sunflower in his mother's hand and smiles. "Sun." He looks back into his mother's eyes. "As long as you're happy and healthy, I'll always be there. When you feel down just look at the sunflower. Do you feel better now?"
"Mhm." Sun wipes his eyes.
Fine puts the sunflower back in the vase. "Just remember I'll always love you and your siblings."
"I love you too mommy."
They give each other another hug before the family come back.
They didn't leave until night time and left the hospital. Before Sun exited the room, he ran up to his mother's bed and the two hugged.
"Don't worry Sun. We'll always be together." Fine assured him and he left with the family.
A month later Fine passed away in the hospital bed surrounded by her loved ones.
2 weeks later they held her funeral and everyone was in tears. Once her coffin was in the ground and buried, Sun walked up to her fresh grave and lays a single sunflower.
"I know you'll always be with us. So I'll make sure to stay strong and healthy." Sun promised through his sobbing.
Years went by and in a flash Sun was 18 and packing his stuff to leave for university.
"Can't believe you got accepted there." Moon grumbles as he helped his brother pack. "You're going to leave me with grumpy pants and our insufferable sister."
Sun chuckles warmly. "You can't blame her. She's pregnant and going through mood swings." He said.
Moon sighs, but smiles anyways. "Eclipse is pretty sad about it too. He's just to 'manly' to even admit it."
The two laugh, but stop when Sun starts to cough. Moon frowns worriedly, but Sun waves it off.
"That sounded worse than before. You sure you can go? Why don't you have dad look at you?" Moon asks.
Sun smiles assuringly. "You worry too much. I'm fine." He said and closes up the box.
"I'll take your word for it, but if you end up in a hospital bed I'm dragging you back home."
"Deal."
They get the stuff to the van. Sun even made sure he got everything before going to the van. To his surprise his family was waiting for him.
Shade was still the same as ever, except a little older. Their sister stood next to him and you can tell she was very pregnant.
Moon and Eclipse had this sad yet proud smile on their faces.
"You got everything?" Shade asks.
"Yep! I'm all set!" Sun chirped.
Eclipse crosses his arms. "Remember to call us and tell us if anyone is bothering you. I'll go over there and show them not to mess with you." He said.
"O-Okay."
"Befriend a lot of cute girls so you can introduce us!" Moon joked.
"He's not going to do that. He already has a girlfriend." Lunar scoffed.
"WHAT?!" Moon and Eclipse exclaimed.
Sun laughs at their reaction. He stops when his sister stops in front of him and hands a vase of sunflowers.
"We didn't know what to get you since you're not a picky person, so we got you sunflowers. My husband was actually the one who gave me the idea. He told me it can bring happiness to anyone's day." Lunar said.
Sun stares down at the flowers and remembers his beloved mother. How she told him the same thing. His eyes water, but he kept a smile. "Thank you." He spoke softly. "Sunflowers are actually my favorite."
"I figured they were."
They all hugged each other for the last time, Sun enters the car and coughs a little harder. He pats his chest and starts the car.
"See you in Winter!" Sun shouted and drove off.
As he was driving, he glances at the flowers. He smiles sadly and looks back at the road.
"Don't worry mom. I'll stay strong, healthy, and happy. So please continue to watch over me."
The sun beams through the windows as he drove.
Almost like Fine had heard him, the sun shined on the sunflowers and gave it a pretty glow.
So I wanted to try something different. A story about family, loss, and remembering those you lost don't leave you. They would always show a sign they're still here even if time had passed.
I hoped you enjoyed this and have a good day.