Years later, after confessing to friends, slowly working for forgiveness, and making a life for himself, Sunny decides to move back to Faraway Town. Life has continued. What has happened since then? What can happen next?

Song: smiling when i die - sasha alex sloan

smiling when i die

Yesterday felt like my graduation.

But now some of those kids have got their own.

Been a while since I took a vacation.

It's been a while since I really let go.

One day, Sunny awoke in his bed and decided it was time to move.

It wasn't because of the size of the apartment. His two bedroom one bathroom apartment was spacious enough for him, with one room serving as his bedroom and one as his studio/office. It wasn't work either. He quite enjoyed being a ghostwriter and his ability to work freelance mainly from home. And while he held only a few acquaintances and friends in the city, they weren't the cause of his move either.

Sunny wanted to move back to Faraway Town.

At age 28, Sunny had long had enough time to ruminate in his thoughts about the existential "what if?" Here he was nearing his third decade on earth. Work was amusing, but he longed for something to come back home to. After leaving Faraway Town at age 16, he spent the next eight years trying to get his life back in order, in a practical way. His mother pushed him to obtain his GED first through an alternate learning plan. Afterwards, he was encouraged to apply for colleges and aid. He decided to go the music route; even though it was initially Mari who introduced him into the music world, he had found a true passion for it. It was both a homage to her and something he found himself naturally inclined at. Later, he would interest himself in English as well, spending much time at his university's library and even dabbling in the school's Literary Criticism team.

Finding a job with his degrees wasn't easy. But through the years, Sunny built up a portfolio and began to sell his work online. He decided to move out from home and to an even bigger city. As much as he disliked having to speak with others, he needed to communicate and link with people who would connect him with the right people. At least in the bustling city he could feel just like any stranger, alone to himself.

Thinking I could've done this–

Or I could've tried that.

Don't wanna look back

'Cause it's going by fast.

The book he stayed up reading the night before, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, lay on the floor beside his bed. He ignored it as he stood up to open up the curtains for the day.

"You must be filled with expectancy," Sunny whispered, pulling a knot on the curtains. "You must be awash in hope. You must wonder who will love you, whom you will love next."

He rolled the words around his mouth, tasting them. The book was his comfort read, a children's adventure book he had come to read time and time again. He remembered how Mari read to him when he had trouble sleeping. Throughout the years, the message of enduring love stuck with him. Just like the rabbit, Sunny too, had stayed up late at night wondering the same old questions, asking the stars. They never answered back.

Now was time for him to seek out those answers.

I'ma call my mother

It's been a while since I've been home.

With the plan set in motion, there were only a few more things to do. For formality, he called his mother next.

"I think I'm moving back to Faraway Town."

She sounded surprised. Of course she was. She still lived in the city nearby Faraway Town, but they had rarely gone back. As Sunny grew into a young adult, she had driven him down several times to revisit friends, but never for longer than a day.

"Just temporarily. I'll be renting out a place for 6 months of a year. I haven't decided yet. I just thought… I needed something new. Something still familiar, but new."

Take a trip in the summer

See all the lights in Tokyo.

Get lost in the desert,

Just to see what I can find.

So when it's my time, I

I'm smiling when I die.

Armed with a steaming hot cup of black coffee in the cup holder of his car, Sunny began his trip. With his Uhaul in tow and everything either packed in the back, sold, donated to Goodwill, or spread to neighbors or few friends, he began his five hour trek to Faraway Town.

With the drive being only five hours, he figured he could fit in a quick rest stop for snacks and for a bathroom break. Then he could break out the last two and a half hours with no stop, arriving somewhere around 2:30 PM. He shot a quick message out to Kel about his expected arrival time. He had managed to link up with his old friend who offered to help him bring some of his heavier furniture inside.

Which is why, as he pulled up into the driveway of his new house, he was surprised to see two people instead of one. Kel stood by his garage doors as Aubrey sat by the stone steps leading up the front door, waving at him.

"Well, you know, anything someone tells me automatically goes to the wife," Kel joked as Sunny shut off the engine and greeted his friends. Sunny raised his eyebrows. Wife?

"Kel, don't say that!" Aubrey groaned, getting up from her spot. "I'm still your fiancee, not your wife just yet. You're going to confuse people."

"Okay, my 'almost wife.' Same thing! Also, we could surely use the extra muscle! You should see how Aubrey's been tearing it up at the gym recently!"

His fiancee groaned again, but smiled this time. "Yeah. And the engagement is still pretty recent too. We haven't gotten to tell many people yet."

Sunny nodded. It was about time. "Congratulations."

Shortly after, Sunny began to open up the back of the Uhaul while Kel walked back to their truck parked on the curb for a dolly. He figured Sunny would have forgotten to bring one, or perhaps not even know that such a thing was needed for easier heavy lifting.

Aubrey rested against the wall of the metal as they waited. "So… you're actually going to live here, huh?"

Sunny nodded again. He was still not a man of many words. This made Aubrey laugh and push herself off the wall. "Same old Sunny. Well, we're glad to have you back! The twins are being watched by Kel's parents right now at our house, so we have plenty of time to move things over and maybe catch up a while?"

"That sounds nice," Sunny said, giving her a soft smile as Aubrey gave him a light punch on the shoulder. This was the comfortable familiarity between old friends–something he missed having. He didn't need to put up a front around them.

He remembered that it was polite to ask the other person about their life. "How are the twins? They're… how old now?"

Kel popped in at the right time. "They're perfect little angels! Three years old! The best! We just got to celebrate earlier this month with a triple birthday! How crazy is it that they were both born right before my birthday?"

"Very crazy," Aubrey agreed. "Especially considering they were a surprise."

"Best birthday gift ever," Kel gushed, grabbing a hold of his almost wife and kissing her cheek. Aubrey blushed and laughed, but elation was written all over her face.

Right, his friends had kids now. God, had that many years passed already? Who else from his childhood already reached this milestone? Gotten married? Bought a house?

The feeling was bittersweet. Sunny was happy for his friends, overjoyed, even. Seeing Kel be an involved father and attend to his two children equally, and seeing how Aubrey glowed with a maternal instinct around the two… As they worked, they brought up many stories about the kids. It was as if each conversation was geared towards their children.

Sunny picked up a light box with kitchenware. He wondered how it felt to hold such a new, unconditional love towards another being. Would wearing your heart on the outside hurt? To be constantly thinking of them, even late at night as you watched their little body sleeping in their bed, breathing in and out? Was this how all parents felt?

Would he get to experience that too, one day?

Yesterday felt like my first day working.

No, I'm not the youngest on the clock.

Been a while since days were just for burning.

It's been a while since I threw back a shot.

They worked quickly. The big items came down first, Sunny directing where he'd like it all placed. He had the time, so he had looked over the floor plan previously and knew exactly where he wanted things set down so he wouldn't have to move them by himself later. Boxes were strewn around the house, set in the correct room, but still unopened.

"I. Am. Beat," Kel exhaled, falling onto Sunny's plush, dark blue sectional sofa. "Whoa. This is soft. We need one of these, Aubrey!"

"I guess the color could hide all those stains the twins make," Aubrey absentmindedly agreed, pulling out her phone from her back pocket. 6:16 PM, the time read. No new messages from her almost mother-in-law.

"Oh, food," Sunny said. He rounded the corner and stared at his stainless steel fridge. Right. He didn't have any food yet. "Are you two hungry?"

Kel shot up from his spot. "Always! But what should we get?"

Sunny paused to think. "Is Ginos still around?"

Aubrey snapped her fingers. "Good idea. Yes, still standing strong over at Faraway Plaza."

"Heh, that's Sophia's favorite spot," Kel commented. He thought of his young daughter wolfing down a personal pizza with pride.

"We can order a few large pizzas from there, then," Sunny said. "On me."

"Sounds good. I can go pick it up if we place the order now."

It was only fair that he paid his friends with pizza. Might as well feed everyone dinner with something cheap and quick. He handed Aubrey some spare cash in his wallet.

Aubrey headed out through the front door into the cold evening. In the meanwhile, Sunny dug into his living room boxes and began to set up his tv and entertainment center. Once he pulled out a few game consoles, Kel perked up and challenged him to a round of any game he had.

Several rounds in Mario Kart later, they didn't realize that Aubrey was taking a little longer than normal to pick up the pizza and return. When she honked the horn outside Sunny's house, the two audibly screamed and jumped from their seats. Kel shortly received a message.

"Come help me bring in some stuff."

Why would she need help bringing in some pizza boxes? They didn't question it and headed outside where the sun was beginning to set. As they neared the back of the truck where Aubrey was, they saw why.

"I figured, while I was passing the alcohol aisle," she explained, handing them bags. "Why not drink a little tonight too? Kel's mom agreed to stay until later at night and see the twins to bed, and this is the first time we've seen each other in a while! Think of it as a little housewarming party! And a little present too, so you have one less thing to stock up on."

Sunny peered into the two bags in his hands, looking at the hard liquor. There were some labels he had never seen and had never tried before.

Kel huffed as he tried to carry the rest of the bags all in one go, assuring his bride to go ahead and open the door for them. Aubrey shrugged and closed the truck doors before heading in front of them.

"Oh yeah, and I saw Basil at the plaza too. He seemed busy taking pictures, but I invited him to come over as well. He said he'd try to after he was finished. I'd invite Hero over too, but you know how busy he is as a doctor now."

Sunny stopped in his tracks, nearly dropping his bags. Basil? Coming over to his house, tonight? This was moving faster than he thought.

As soon as they entered, Aubrey searched through the labeled boxes in the kitchen to find the proper equipment. She pulled out a few shot glasses and lined them up on the dark marble counter before diving back in for more glasses.

"I like to bartend for some events here and there, like a friend's wedding or two," she said, beginning to open a bag with syrup, grenadine, sweet and sour mix, and a few sodas. "So let me know if you want a mixed drink."

"She's being modest. She made me try this drink once, something called Adios Motherfucker, and it's been my favorite drink since!"

"That's most likely because of how much hard liquor it has. It's like a crazy concoction of different stuff."

Sure enough, Kel was correct. Sunny started off with something simple, if not a little embarrassing to ask for. A pina colada. Aubrey threw in a little toothpick umbrella on top of the whipped cream, made special for him. After they all grabbed a slice of their favorite pizza flavors, Kel gestured to the coffee table in the living room, where he had poured them all a shot of tequila.

"To celebrate! For being together again!" he cheered, ushering Sunny over. Sunny set down his paper plate and glass and scooped up one of the black shot glasses. Leave it to Kel to fill it to the brim.

"If you need a chaser, let me know," Aubrey assured Sunny, walking over and taking the one next to him. The three clinked shot glasses.

"To friends!"

They downed the liquor. Kel whooped as the liquid burned down his throat and chest, nearly slamming the glass back down. Sunny grimaced and placed a hand over his mouth, not used to the taste. He didn't drink much in college and usually drank wine alone at home. Aubrey had no visible reaction, looking at the empty shot glass instead. "Nice tequila. I think I want some of this in a margarita."

So, they spent the next hour eating, talking, and refilling their drinks. Sunny sipped his pina colada to the bottom (it was crazy how creamy and sweet it was, it was almost like there was no alcohol) as he spoke to him about his ghostwriting gigs. What life in the city was like. How his mother was doing. How they were on even better terms. The liquor loosened him up.

As Aubrey mixed them more drinks and poured occasional shots, she talked about how she went back to school after giving birth, realizing she wanted to pursue an extra degree, just to see what else there was out there. Time passed no matter what, so why leave any regrets?

Kel spoke about his breakthrough with his parents and Hero. How he and Aubrey came together and sat them down to speak to them about his trauma. How he could acknowledge that his childhood had been blessed with many happy memories, yes, but that didn't excuse the times he had felt forgotten, a second to Hero, whether they intended it or not. And turned out Kel was a loud drunk (surprise, surprise) a few drinks in. Aubrey held it together more, but slowly she began to become more emotional and more affectionate, shocking Sunny by accidentally calling Kel his secret cheesy nickname in front of Sunny.

By the time a knock came from the door, they were down to one pizza left and had music playing from a streaming service on the tv in front of them.

"Basil!" Aubrey cheered, opening up the door for their friend and pulling him into a hug. "I haven't seen you in so long!"

"A-Aubrey? We saw each other at the plaza… and I babysat for you last week…"

Aubrey merely giggled and led him inside. "Come on in, check out Sunny's house!"

As the two came from the short hallway, Sunny inadvertently stood from the couch as Basil entered. He didn't know what else to do. It was almost instinctual.

Basil wore a comfortable infinity scarf and a golden cable knit sweater, dressed appropriately for the weather coming up ahead. He set down his black loafers by the mat and smiled at Kel and Sunny, a familiar blush crossing his cheeks.

Sunny blushed. He was… taller. Lanky, but muscular. And he still held a clip on the same side of his head, less flashy than a flower, but still with a design. He had emerged from the cold outside, but his lips looked soft and plump, warm, inviting, his nose red, blue eyes shining–

Kel nudged his side. Sunny had been staring, mouth agape. He closed his mouth. "H-Hi, Basil."

"H-Hi, Sunny." His name sounded like heaven coming out of Basil's mouth. He wanted to hear it again.

"Hiiiiiii Basil!" Kel laughed, scooting over and gesturing to the now open spot next to Sunny.

Basil flushed. "Hi, Kel! Sorry, I guess I'm still just surprised at the news. Sunny really is here."

He had texted Basil the news as soon as he had secured the place, but he was right, it was still hitting Sunny that he was back in Faraway Town. And possibly for good.

Basil and Sunny missed as Aubrey and Kel shot each other a look with raised eyebrows and shitfaced grins, excusing themselves to the kitchen counter again to make more drinks as Basil walked over and sat next to Sunny.

"You picked a good spot," Basil remarked, setting down his purse and scanning the room with his eyes. It seemed just like Sunny to pick a house with dark hardwood floors and dark toned walls. "It already looks really nice, even though you haven't fully unpacked."

"Thanks," Sunny said. He pointed over to Kel and Aubrey. "There's also pizza and drinks, if you want some."

"O-Oh, thank you," Basil said. "I actually ate before I came over, but I guess a drink or two would be okay."

Sunny just nodded, reaching over for his own drink. He wasn't sure what it was, the drink or not, but he felt a warmth to his whole face that wasn't dying down. As soon as Basil had sat next to him, the room suddenly became hot and he felt sweat trickle down the back of his head. He could even smell a hint of Basil's cologne as he turned his head around to remark on certain pieces. No, not cologne. Was Basil the type to roll on essential oils? It smelled like lavender. It was faint, like he had applied it early on in the day. It was relaxing. He smelled like home.

Don't wanna look back

Thinking I could've done this–

Or I could've tried that.

As the two began to talk, Aubrey and Kel came back with a few more drinks, Aubrey placing one in front of Basil.

"You don't have to drink if you don't want to, but I made your favorite just in case," she said, leaving it and then scooting in to cuddle with Kel. Kel held a glass of water in hand, wanting to start to wind down for the night. Basil thanked her and took a sip of the drink, smiling slightly at Sunny and his still flushed face.

"I see you like sweet drinks too," Sunny said, gesturing to his glass.

"O-Of course! If I'm going to get drunk, I want to make sure I enjoy it. Alcohol tastes icky, so the less I taste it, the better."

The topic of conversation moved onto Kel and Aubrey's recent engagement and their ideas for a wedding. They were still stuck on the idea of making it official through an elopement or if it was worth saving up to throw a ceremony and reception to include more friends and family. As the two chatted about the details, Basil and Sunny snuck glances at each other.

The light, airy giggles Basil made at Kel's bad jokes. The way Basil's knee kept bumping into Sunny's as he leaned over. Sunny's quick-witted responses, even a few drinks in and covered with a slight slur. The electrifying sensation Sunny felt each time he caught Basil's eyes with his own, and the pure smile he received each time. A smile that said: I'm happy you're back.

The snow began to fall outside. An hour and a half after Basil arrived, they were now answering questions from a question app on Aubrey's phone. Basil's hand found its way onto Sunny's leg as he leaned against him to talk to Kel and Aubrey more easily. Sunny left it there, loving the warmth it gave off.

By then, Kel had begun to sober and checked his phone again for the time when his mother messaged him with a picture that the twins were sound asleep.

"Ugh, tell me why I miss them so much when we're away from them, even when we're having so much fun with friends," Kel whined, showing Aubrey the photo and passing it down to Basil and Sunny.

"Because you're a good papa," Aubrey cooed, giving his cheek a soft pinch. "Papa Bear Kel."

Sunny and Basil snickered and passed the phone back down. They would bring that back up later. As funny as the nickname was, it was odd seeing his two friends who used to bicker constantly now flirt and praise each other. Sunny was happy for them. There was still a part of him that was jealous–no, jealous was not the accurate word. He just wanted the same for himself.

Basil agreed with Aubrey. "You are a good dad, Kel. You two both do good by your daughters."

Kel smiled down at his phone, taking in the sight of his daughters. "Thanks, guys."

Sunny took a short look at Basil. There was always an air of gentleness to Basil, even when they were younger. Now he viewed it in a different light. If he were ever to have children, he would want a partner like Basil beside him.

More like he would want Basil himself–

"Okay guys, I think this is our time to go," Kel said, stretching out his arms from behind Aubrey, whose eyes were starting to droop. She rested her pink head on his shoulder before he began to help her stand up, then working her arms to hug onto his waist. "I think Aubrey's at her limit and I'm good enough to go. And it's getting pretty late, we still have to get up early even if we don't have work tomorrow. Kids don't let you sleep in."

Sunny nodded. "Are you sure you don't want me to order an Uber for you? And you can come pick up your truck later?"

Kel shook his head, making his way with Aubrey to the front door. "Nah, I'm seriously okay. I'm usually the designated driver between the two of us and know when to tap out so I can safely take Aubrey back home. I'd never put her in danger."

They said their goodbyes, discussing when they'd next all see each other. After the door closed, Sunny turned to see Basil gathering his things together.

"I guess I should head home too, get out of your hair–"

"No," Sunny began. "You should stay longer."

Basil paused, silent for a moment. That same old redness on his cheeks comes up.

"Please," Sunny added.

"O-Oh, o-okay. If you're sure."

Sunny nodded and swept his eyes around the room. He spotted another opened box with "memories" written on the side.

Don't wanna look back–

'Cause it's going by fast.

Basil held onto the picture book tenderly, looking at the memories that seemed forever ago. He shivered slightly as they heard the cold wind beginning to hit the house.

"Oh, I should turn on the heat." Sunny stood up and walked over to the hallway left of the kitchen.

Sunny returned back from setting the heat on, hearing clicks from behind the walls as the air kicked on. There was a smell as it began to hit the rooms, most likely from the system being unused for so long. Basil sat at the sofa, pulling the blanket up and over his feet with the book to the side. His eyes were glued to the open windows in front of them, the outside lights shining down on the settled snow outside. It had now packed up to an inch.

"I need to get curtains soon," Sunny said, taking a spot next to Basil and sliding underneath the same blanket. He had pulled out two, but he wanted to share with the blonde. "No rush. The view is pretty nice."

"A-Are you going to put up any Christmas lights?" Basil asked, looking down at how casually Sunny decided to slip in, but not complaining. It felt nice.

"Probably. They're a pain to put up, though. Want to help me?"

"Sure. I don't know how to, but I'm sure we can figure it out."

"Yeah. Or just pick up a tree and call it a day."

Sunny shrugged and looked back over at Basil. He felt him shiver again.

"Are you still cold?"

"A little, but I should be fine. My body just has trouble regulating its temperature," he explained, trying to warm up his nose by rubbing it with the back of his hand. Sunny reached out to touch.

"Your hand is freezing."

Basil froze, but didn't let go. "S-So is yours."

Without thinking, Sunny leaned into the blonde, pulling their hands down away from Basil's face. Basil didn't back away or stop him. He completed the last few inches for a swift kiss on the lips.

"Hm. Your lips are pretty warm."

"Y-Yours too…"

The two paused, inches apart. Sunny parted his lips, wanting to ask. Could he have another?

Basil leaned back in, tilting his head and easing into the kiss. Sunny slowly ran his left arm behind Basil's back, his hand running through his soft sweater to lean in closer. He can taste peach on Basil's tongue. Most likely from his last cocktail, he thought, leftover on the coffee table in front of them. Basil let go of a soft moan, not anticipating the move.

Sunny stayed close, keeping his arm in place. His body moved on its own. Call it liquid courage, call it years of yearning, but it came naturally. He placed his other arm in front of Basil, on his lap. It was a wonder how he had managed to keep these feelings locked up for so long.

Basil parted his lips open again, softly gasping as Sunny nibbled down on his lower lip, testing him. He yelped lightly, even more when Sunny decided to bite down gently. Sunny let go and leaned back, scanning Basil's eyes. There was a haziness to them. A flushed look. They could hear their soft pants in the empty room.

Sunny dived back in, pushing his body in with more pressure, gently nudging the blonde down against the sofa cushions. Basil went down easily, shifting his legs up on the couch, but his head started to turn.

"S-Sunny-"

"Hm?" He placed soft kisses down Basil's jaw at the turn, causing him to shiver and stifle a moan as he came back up to his ear.

"I don't think-"

Sunny's voice is low, husky. But caring. "Am I going too rough? Do I need to be more gentle?"

He can see Basil swallow before responding. "N-No, you're fine, this is lovely, b-but-"

"But?" Sunny pulled back slightly, raising his head up.

"I-I think we both need to step back a little," Basil began, taking a deep breath now that there was more space. "I think we're moving into this too fast."

Right now, all that was running through Sunny's mind was how much he was loving seeing Basil's reactions. The warmth radiating off the body beneath him. How he wanted to help him take off some of those layers.

He nodded though, still listening to Basil. "We're both drunk and excited to see each other again. Which is fine. But we should let our minds clear before we do something we might regret."

Sunny answered with no wait. "I know I won't regret it. I've been wanting this."

Basil flushed at his conviction. "I-I do too, but we're still drunk. W-We can't give full consent like this."

He was right. As much as he wanted Basil right now, he was right.

Basil stuttered again as Sunny shifted off of him, letting him sit up on the couch again. "I-I don't say that to say I don't want this. I do."

He reached out for Sunny's hand, worried he had messed up the moment. Sunny shook his head and squeezed Basil's hand.

"No, I get it. You're right," he agreed. "If we do decide to do this, I want to make sure it's at the right time. I can wait."

Sunny shifted, fixing himself and sitting fully back up on the couch. Basil tore his eyes away and nodded, clearing his throat. He was relieved that Sunny understood what he meant. He didn't want to mess up a moment like this that he had been waiting for years to happen.

"S-Should I go?" Basil quietly asked as a beat passed. Sunny shook his head again. He could feel himself sobering up.

"I think you should still stay. I won't try anything, I promise."

"Oh, o-okay."

Sunny stood up and adjusted, clearing his throat. "Y-You can take the mattress. I haven't set up the bed completely yet, but we can drag it over here for now."

"Oh no, I couldn't–"

"Don't worry, it's fine. I'll take the couch."

The air felt awkward and Basil bit down on his lip. Had he ruined things? Sunny turned around and offered him a small smile.

"Are you sleepy yet?"

Basil shook his head no.

"Want to watch something?" He sat down on the hardwood floor, appreciating the cold feeling underneath him. He offered his hand up on the couch. Start simple.

Basil smiled and took his hand. "Yeah. Something light or comedic sounds good right now. Maybe a Hallmark special, or something."

"Oo, good idea."

So when it's my time, I

I'm smiling when I die.

Early the next morning, Sunny shifted on the couch as he felt a soft hand rake through his hair.

"I'm headed out for the day, but last night was great. Let's catch up more soon, okay?"

Basil placed a gentle kiss on Sunny's forehead before drawing back, considering. Sunny swore he could hear him audibly smile. Then, he felt another pair of lips over his.

Basil's footsteps vibrated around the living room, headed to the front door. Sunny curled up even more into his blanket, smiling into the wool.

There's been a couple times that I've fell in love,

But a couple times just ain't enough.

An hour later, Sunny stared at his empty fridge again, his stomach grumbling. He had a list of errands to run today. First: groceries.

The click of the seatbelt was swift before he pulled back out to the road, headed to Othermart in the early morning. He'd stop by for a donut and a coffee to stave in his hunger before looking for essentials. It was never a good idea to shop while hungry.

His eye glanced over to his phone at a red light. Basil had responded back to his message. He was available to stop by for dinner later tonight.

Sunny rested his hand underneath his lips, remembering the morning. His playlist shuffled to the next song, a love song. He could get used to this feeling.

Soon he walked the never-ending aisles of Othermart, cart pushing ahead and head going back and forth to scan for necessities. The outside of the building looked just the same as before, but the inside was remodeled. He stopped by the bakery, picked up a few fresh loaves of garlic bread. Considered going down to get fresh fish but instead headed over to the meat section.

As he scanned the toiletry aisle, he heard whispers near him.

"Mommy, that man has one eye!"

"Nora, it's not polite to stare. Come on, now."

He was used to it now. Most people had some sort of reaction to his eyepatch. It would either be the first thing they acknowledged and asked about, or their eyes were glued to his face the entire time, wanting to ask, but not daring to.

He just explained he got it through a freak accident.

His first boyfriend in college used him as a muse. They had similar friends and had met through a party. But after failing several courses for not showing up for morning classes and tanking his art portfolio, he snapped on Sunny and ghosted him.

His next partner was quieter, but still a creative type. She was always unsure of her work, asking his opinion in class and in their literature club. When Sunny complimented her poetry, she stuck on to his side and didn't leave. But the more their relationship progressed, the more Sunny realized that she knew nothing of him. He was unsure if she just liked him because he was the first person to show her attention. They maintained a friendship after they realized the attraction wasn't physical.

His dating history was complicated. He had never attempted a one-night stand. He felt uncomfortable becoming intimate with someone whom he didn't really know. He would freeze up and push them away once things got serious. They'd be enjoying their time starting to go steady and Sunny would pause and think about opening up. But he never actually considered it. Most people, he realized, liked to view you as a mirror to see a reflection of themselves they needed/wanted. It was draining being the listener only, afraid to genuinely engage.

Sunny's cart began to fill up with more and more as the hour passed. He thought of how strange he felt last night, how viscerally his body reacted to Basil. He had been ready to tear himself open for the blonde to see, so eager for Basil to see him for who he was, who Basil made him be, show him how Basil made him feel.

He stifled a cough as his thoughts trailed.

He could listen to Basil speak forever. Sunny wondered what they would speak about tonight. He eyed the wine aisle. Last stop before heading for the registers up front.

There's been a couple joints that I could've shared

But I guess I gotta start somewhere.

Dinner was halfway done when Basil knocked on Sunny's door again. Sunny called out that it was unlocked, busy by the oven. He tilted the pan to gather the butter into a spoon, basting the steaks with the mixture.

"Smells good in here," Basil said from the entryway. Sunny heard more shifting sounds as he set his things down and walked over to the kitchen. The open floor plan made easy access for him to instantly walk in.

"Oh, steak? I thought maybe you were going to order in or something," he said, now standing near Sunny. "When did you learn to cook?"

"Taught myself a thing or two when I moved out. Forced myself to check out some cookbooks Hero suggested to me and some Mari had in her library," Sunny explained. He grabbed the digital thermometer from the side and stabbed it into the center of the meat. Perfect. Ready for the oven. "Better than microwaved steak."

Basil laughed, not understanding the joke, but appreciating the effort of a home cooked meal. After he placed the steak to finish inside the preheated oven, Sunny took off the gray oven mitts and turned to Basil, taking him in.

"Y-You look good," he said, blushing slightly as he thought of how he hadn't prepared himself before the date. His hair was still disheveled from running around town and his black apron hung loosely on his frame. Shit. He should have gotten ready, this was their first date, basically.

Basil smiled and pulled at the bottom of his white collared shirt underneath his sweater. "T-Thanks. I interviewed someone earlier and came by afterwards."

Sunny grabbed his phone from the back of his black denim pocket jean to set a timer for the steak. "Oh right, your work. You're part of a team that produces a podcast, right?"

Basil's eyes seemed to light up at the topic. He nodded. "Yep! It's called Faraway Mysteries. I don't speak in it, but I help research, get photos for our social media accounts, and manage the accounts too. It's crazy how it's blown up the past two years."

They lost themselves in conversation as Basil continued on about the latest episode, uncovering a nearby small town's mysterious disappearance of a wife who later showed back up three weeks later, unharmed. Sunny listened and pulled out the steak when ready, letting it rest on the cutting board as he worked on the mashed potatoes he had left to cool. Basil offered to help peel, but Sunny shushed him and insisted that he wanted to cook for him–he was the one who went to work today.

It was fascinating listening to Basil's stories. The two had always shared a love of literature when they were younger, bonding through reading books together and seeing where it led them was interesting. Basil's fascination for darker subjects and journaling, Sunny's through his ghostwriting; they both created original works.

Heh, Sunny thought. Maybe he did have a type.

"Oh, that's right," Basil stopped mid sentence, disappearing back into the entryway to retrieve something. He came back with a pot in hand, filled with yellow daffodils.

Sunny dried his hands and turned. "Daffodils?"

"Correct," Basil said and placed them on the counter, nearest to the window. "They like sunny and cool places. Make sure not to overwater them. And when they start dying off, you can save the bulbs for later. There's not many flowers that bloom in the winter and I thought these would be nice to liven up the house a little."

Sunny gently touched a petal. They were pretty. "What do they symbolize?"

Of course they had a meaning. Basil was still the same Basil, after all.

He flushed. "Well, they can mean a lot of things, but I got them because they stand for new beginnings. I-I thought it was appropriate. They can also stand for hope, memories, sometimes unrequited love…"

"Well we don't have to worry about that last one," Sunny whispered, still looking at the flowers. He didn't have to look to know that Basil turned three shades redder at his comment.

Sunny's phone rang with his timer again, signaling that the asparagus was finished. They met eyes.

"You can meet me at the table. I'll bring over the dishes."

I'ma call my mother

It's been a while since I've been home.

"Let me clean up. It's the least I can do."

It was Basil's turn to push Sunny out of the kitchen. He opened up a new package for sponges and readied the dish soap that Sunny left by the sink.

As he leaned against the kitchen countertop, Sunny's phone rang. A call from his mother.

Oh right, he forgot to call her when he arrived.

He picked up the phone as Basil turned on the water. "Hey, Mom. Yeah… I made it here safely. Sorry I didn't call you last night, I got busy with friends and was tired after the long day. Mhm. Yeah, Kel and Aubrey came to help. I'll be sure to tell them you said hi, and congratulations too …Yeah, I can visit you next weekend, I shouldn't be busy.

Sunny lifted his face as Basil turned to him, asking where the button for the garbage disposal was.

"Behind those cutting boards– Hm? Sorry Mom, that was–yeah, I have company. Basil's actually here, we just finished having dinner–" He paused as he heard his mother squeal. "Yes, that Basil. No, you're not interrupting anything. Oh my god, Mom." He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose between his eyes. "Okay. Oooookay. I'll talk to you later this week. Love you. Bye."

Sunny pressed the button to hang up and sighed again. Perfect timing for his mother to call when Basil was around and get the wrong idea– well, it wasn't necessarily wrong. This was a date, after all. Sunny walked back into the light of the kitchen, looking at Basil's frame as his hands worked on the dishes.
He worked with an ease and quickness, making sure that each dish was sud free before placing it on the bamboo drying stand. Sunny should have offered the gloves he bought earlier today, but the blonde seemed to not mind working with his bare hands anyways. He was used to it with his personal garden at home.

He began to walk closer, hearing Basil humming a small song under his voice. Basil stopped when Sunny came up right behind, sliding his arms around his waist and resting his chin on his left shoulder. He stiffened up and set down the sponge.

"S-Sunny, I'm trying to clean here…"

"That's fine. I can throw the rest in the dishwasher later."

"But I'm almost done–"

He struggled to pick up the sponge again, trying to angle his elbows in a way so he wouldn't hit Sunny in the process.

Sunny took a short sniff, wondering what the sweet scent was. Not his dish soap. No, it was coming from Basil. He took another sniff.

"S-S-Sunny-!"

He smelled of chamomile. Perhaps it was his shampoo. He smelled of lavender the day before. Maybe he cycled through scents. He'd have to ask what he used, his hair was shiny and looked healthy. Sunny usually used whatever was cheapest or most accessible. But this smell reminded him of Basil's childhood room.

"Sunny…" Basil whined. The water continued to run as Basil began to set down a glass on the mat.

Sunny dropped his voice to whisper, leaning up into his ear. "You can stop now, it's time for dessert anyways."

Basil nearly dropped the glass onto the marble countertop. He wasn't sure what was more surprising, the goosebumps running up his back from Sunny's low voice or the fact that he was referencing–

"S-Sunny!"

Sunny smirked and pulled back to give him some space as Basil turned to him with a red face again.

"Dessert. I picked up a frozen chocolate silk pie while shopping and it's done thawing now, I'm sure," he explained, raising a teasing eyebrow. "Or what were you thinking of?"

Basil's mouth clamped down. "T-That wasn't funny!"

Sunny laughed lightly again as Basil threw the wet sponge at him and ran his hand under the still running water. He splashed him on his face, pouting but sharing a smile.

"Okay, okay, I deserve that. But I'm serious, the cleaning can wait until later," he assured as Basil crossed his arms. "We should just relax the rest of the night and watch something together."

"Fine," Basil agreed. "As long as I get the first pick."

Take a trip in the summer

See all the lights in Tokyo

Get lost in the desert

Just to see what I can find.

They settled on a psychological thriller. Basil held onto a mug half-filled with hot cocoa and mini marshmallows. Sunny held an identical mug, sharing a dessert plate of two slices of pie between their laps.

The snow continued to pile on outside, a harsh wind now blowing against the house and on the outside tree branches. A snowstorm was about to cross through Faraway Town that night. Inside, the heater kicked back on. The living room sat dark, the only light coming from street lights outside and the television as the protagonist neared a dark corner.

Sunny took another sip of the cocoa, relishing in the chocolatey goodness.

So when it's my time, I

I'm smiling when I die.

He felt Basil shift beside him in the dark. He picked up the plate and set it down on the coffee table in front of them along with his mug before scooting to Sunny's side. His hands tucked the blanket in around their laps and he rested his hand, palm up, on Sunny's lap.

Sunny moved his mug to his other hand and intertwined his fingers with Basil's. Basil smiled and snuggled in. Things were open. Nothing was certain yet. But in time, Sunny would find the answers to his questions. He was back, and here to stay.

Sunny smiled back.

This one took a moment, but I hope you all enjoyed the read! Fall has just now arrived and I'm excited for the colder weather to start to influence more of my writing. I wanted this one to be a little lighter with less mentions of trauma and the past, more as if they've worked on them already. Prepare for the next two chapters, I've got something interesting planned.