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There are a few benefits to having lived in a small hometown such as Faraway.
For one, it’s peaceful and quiet. Very unlike the city where Sunny has been residing for the past nine years of his life, which is extremely loud no matter what time of day or night it is. It’s also a lot easier to see the beautifully painted sorbet skies during the sunrise and sunset, and the shimmering stars when the night falls since there’s barely a scratch of smog in the air.
To add on, the greenery is exceedingly lush and vibrant, so much so that it hurts Sunny’s eyes when revisiting. Thankfully his vision does inevitably adjust and always goes back to normal, and the big trees and pretty flowers do make for a lovely sight on the eyes. It’s a lot less depressing walking from place to place than it is in the city.
The wildlife that stumbles around the place is something that’s as natural as people’s need to eat and drink here as well. Sometimes the strays seem happier than the cats and dogs here who have homes, but that’s mostly thanks to Kel and Mikhael. They’re an unlikely duo, but one who goes around with treats in their hands to fatten up the local strays to the best of their ability.
It’s strange not seeing their fur all battered up, or their rib cages not showing, but it’s a lot more pleasant than the sad sight he’s become accustomed to on the alleyways of sketchy streets and sidewalks.
And that’s another point he has, too. Walking along the tree-lined streets is far less scary at night, and he doesn’t have to worry about carrying a pocket knife or pepper spray in case of any danger. Sunny knows he’s a guy, and when he wears his eyepatch out instead of fake silicon eye, intimidating at that, but the world is unpredictable as he knows it.
It’s changing for the better, but also for the worse.
It’s full of surprises–that of bad and good–for no matter who and what you are. The anxiety of being one of the select few that experience this universe’s demise is not one to be reckoned with.
He’s had the chance to learn that over time.
But even though the unpredictably often leads to unfortunate situations, Sunny has instead been given the opportunity to turn his life around recently. One that he never thought would be possible for years to come, and could drastically alter the course of his career.
And this leads him to his current situation.
The cool thing about this small town, and about Faraway as a whole, is how close away the beach is. Really, it’s only about a thirty minute walk away maintaining a consistent speed, and while it’s not the biggest or the best-looking beach in the entire state, it’s also not the worst.
It doesn’t seem like a place like this would be anywhere near the coast. Most of the area is untouched, and there are little to no tourist areas around to visit, unless you count Hobbeez, but the reason for that is because they, ironically, are far away from any of the real attractions.
That being the crystal beach, historical museums, and theme parks that are spread out hours away. Sunny remembers vacationing to a few of these places when he was young with his family, but the memories have almost completely drifted away from him. All he can really recall now is the nostalgia it gives him, and how his heart speeds when he sees the commercials on television.
“Come on, just this way.”
“I know where the boardwalk is, Sunny. I’ve lived here almost my entire life.”
“Right.”
It’s a cool November night when he and Basil are making the very walk to the destination Sunny has in mind. It’s one he hadn’t seen for years until a couple days ago, when he couldn’t calm down from the anxiety of seeing everyone again after such a long time. He’s visited before, but it hasn’t happened as frequently as he’s wanted it to, so it still gives him the nerves.
If he is to make a comparison to how it feels, it’s like putting on a performance. It’s just as terrifying as how he’d felt when anticipating that particular concert all those October’s ago, dread pooling up in his stomach like it was a pipe bursting and flooding the entire house. Eventually, it became so much that he too believed that he was going to tear open.
Having said that, he knew that nothing could truly be worse than what happened the day that, at twelve years old, he became nothing, and Basil was split in half. So for some reason, instead of going straight to the familiar beige house with the green roofing, Sunny had decided to stop by this very place in hopes of it calming him down.
“Why exactly are you taking me to the boardwalk? You do know it’s old and rundown, don’t you?” Basil asks. He shivers and blows warm air into his hands, treading along Sunny’s side as they step into the frigid sand since cutting across is a lot faster than continuing on their current path.
This action of his causes Sunny to notice that for some reason he didn’t wear any gloves, so he begins to tug his own off to give up since he really doesn't need any himself. The only reason he’d worn them in the first place is because he thought Basil would scold him otherwise, but it seems that today the roles have been reversed.
At first he refuses Sunny’s offer, vigorously shaking his head and turning his nose up, but he accepts his fate when his hands are coercively grabbed and covered by the warmth of cotton fabric.
Once he’s successful with slipping both on, he hears Basil mutter a small “thank you” under his breath, a subtle blush coming his already very rosy cheeks before he’s given an answer.
“I do.” Sunny says, shoving his own hands into the pockets of his jacket now that they’re bare. “And you’ll find out. Don’t ruin it.”
The boardwalk used to be a fun place to hang out back in the day, but as time passed it lost so much business and financial support that everything eventually ended up forcibly closing down. They used to come all the time as kids, especially during the summer, but now there are no new memories to be made as freshly new adults.
Well, besides the ones they’re making right now, and in the very near future.
Save for the people who cross over it to get from one side of the beach to the other, and the old men who fish off of the piers, it’s not a very busy place. None of the attractions were torn down either, so with them standing so tall and presumably unharmed it’s almost they’re still up and running.
It feels like they’re kids again, sneaking out after hours to explore before the sun comes back up and the people start crowding back in.
Today just so happens to be one of the nights that no one is there, climbing the marginally sandy steps with creaks that’ll alert anyone nearby of their presence. Waves crash from beneath them as they walk across the wooden platform, the moon full and lighting up the entire sky, and the galaxy of stars dimly scattered, yet visible enough to be seen by the naked eye. The breeze smells salty in his nose, and it feels pretty good too despite how chilly it is.
Well, to Sunny’s own standards anyway. He knows Basil isn’t particularly fond of the cold, but it’s really not too bad outside right now.
“Are you taking me to the ferris wheel?” Basil breaks the silence by asking. His eyes glide up at the structure as it becomes closer and closer from off in the distance, an eyebrow curiously cocked up.
Sunny scoffs under his breath, “Why do you like spoiling the element of surprise for yourself?” He asks in a tease, grinning when Basil hides a laugh behind a hand.
A habit he wishes he would stop already because he misses seeing his smile.
“Because I hate surprises… You know that.” Basil says, bumping him in the arm with an elbow. There’s a smirk on his face now that he has him in a corner. “So just tell me already–are you or are you not?”
A beat passes, the loss of eye contact most likely making the answer obvious.
But then, “Yes.” Sunny goes and replies since he’s already under the assumption anyway, and he’s not wrong.
Besides, they’re feet away from the railing they’re about to have to jump over by the time he confirms it for him. It’s not like it’s the most out of pocket presumption to come to, or worth hiding for much longer.
“Though, I could never even imagine how you possibly came to that conclusion.” He goes on to sarcastically remark, throwing one of his lanky legs over the black metal fencing.
It really doesn’t do a good job at keeping people out of restricted areas, but today that works exactly in their favor.
“Oh shut up.” Basil tells him with playful irritation in his tone. He hesitates as he reads the sign telling them to keep out of the place, looking up at the huge wheel looming over them, but then shrugs like he doesn’t really care all that much.
And by copying him, they’re both now just a couple of rulebreakers prancing around within the dark of the night.
“Or I’ll make you.” Basil adds on once he’s hopped over every rail in their way, bestowing him with a mischievous expression that he doesn’t often wear.
And, thinking to himself, Sunny doesn’t think he’d mind being shut up by him. Whatever that entails.
But he saves the thought for later, gesturing for the two to walk a little bit further until they finally make it to the base of the ferris wheel.
The metal is a lot rustier than it used to be, and the colors are faded from sitting in the sun every single day. However, it’s not to the point of where the thing looks completely broken down and nonfunctional. Sunny thinks that it perhaps just needs some shining, repainting, and small repairs here and there. Then, it would be good to go around and around again.
Although, that is how it appears on the surface. He remembers from nights prior ago that it’s loud when stepped on, the noises imitating that of the groans of a haunted mansion. Overlooking all of that though, there’s only one thing that really matters to him.
And his eyes are set right on it.
“Take off your gloves.” Sunny instructs the other, grabbing the cold metal bar that blocks anyone off from having an easy fall down. It also serves as a good stepping stool for what he’s about to do.
Basil listens, putting them in his pocket before doing the same, and recoiling at the icy touch. His previous expression has fallen into something a little more clueless, glaring towards Sunny helplessly since he has no idea what he has in store for the two of them.
“I hope you don't plan on trying to make it go around.” He says, pursing his lips outward. He looks to be intimidated by the height of the thing, avoiding any attempt to look up and frighten himself.
Usually, and especially as kids, it’s the other way around, but they’re twenty-five now, and things have changed. Sunny’s just glad that he’s not going to be the damsel in distress this time around, as every other time they’ve been up somewhere high he has been.
“Kel tried that one time a few weeks after it closed. He’d been so upset about it, but an alarm that alerts the police department went off, hah…” Basil informs him, chuckling at the retelling. “Though, they did only give him a warning about it since he was just a kid. He said he swindled his way out of it, but I still don't believe it.”
Sunny grins, thinking to himself how that does sound like a very Kel thing to do, and places a foot down on the inside to test its fragility again. “Don’t worry, that’s not what I’m doing,” he assures him, pressing down as hard as he can.
His weight causes it to croak, but that’s purely from age. It’s fine apart from that.
So, looking at Basil with a big smile, Sunny grabs atop the roof in preparation, holds out an inviting hand, and pulls him in closer when he decides to take it. All before finally telling him “We’re climbing it,” with not a trace of jest in his voice.
Basil’s face drops immediately, muddled to if he means that. “Are you being serious right now, or is this another joke?” He asks, timid and put off by this idea of his. “C-Climbing it?”
He nods, letting go of Basil’s hand so he can use both of his own, putting a foot on the fence of the cart, and proceeding to push and climb atop of it. This ferris wheel’s carts luckily lock in place when off, so it’s not swaying from side to side, and they’re also placed fairly close together.
So if it’s climbable when alone, it’s going to be far easier now that he has a partner to help him.
The ferris wheel as a whole is additionally smaller than the average one. When they’d ride together as kids, they were almost able to touch the hand of anyone that was above or below them. He especially remembers making comments and shouting teases when Mari and Hero would take their own separate cart, the rest of the group doing their absolute best to embarrass them
And they all knew they could hear every single word yelled their way. The looks on both of their faces were always proof enough of it.
He misses messing with the two like that. Now this place is a jumble full of bittersweet and sentimental memories.
“Yes, climbing it.” Sunny reiterates himself, looking down at Basil from above, who still looks conflicted about their current predicament, and pats the spot next to him. “Come on, I’ll help you the entire time. You don’t have anything to be afraid of.”
He says this to give him a peace of mind, but this only elicits a whine from Basil, the puff of his cheeks making it apparent that he’s not particularly pleased by that statement.
“I’m not afraid.” He argues back with little to no confidence. He then proceeds to sigh as he caves in, zipping up his jacket, rolling his sleeves up his elbows, and placing his hands on the edge of the top as well to begin climbing.
“You’re just out of your mind…” Basil goes on to mumble before pushing off and making it up without a struggle.
Regardless, he still has to pause and catch his breath before standing, his legs wobbly from fear, a look of puzzlement glistening in his eyes, and his brows furrowed distressingly. He unsurprisingly doesn’t seem to think this is a very smart thing to do, not understanding why Sunny would even suggest such a thing in the first place, or how he even came up with the idea.
“Have you done this before?” Basil asks as a precaution, wringing his hands as he spins slowly in place to take in the shallow view that they have.
Sunny nods, “I have,” he says. “Alone.”
“Alone?” The other questions, disbelieving as he completes a full circle. “How?”
Sunny kicks his foot, his sneaker dragging across the metal topping and squeaking conspicuously as a result, “It’s not that hard, but it’ll be easier with help.” He says, trying to soothe his worries.
Basil eyes drift above before quickly coming back down, “A-Are we going up all the way?” He asks before they officially continue this endeavor.
He shakes his head no, “Just a few carts up to get a good view.” He replies, readying himself for proper position.
With that said, Sunny threads and locks his fingers together to create his own stabilized step stool, and bends his knees so Basil’s able to reach up with his foot. He shouldn’t be too heavy considering they’re close in weight, and it’ll be easy enough since they both could literally get a running start and jump to reach, but the issue comes from pulling yourself up on your own.
Sunny can still feel the strain from the other day, even though he actually only climbed up a couple, and had found a different yet far more dangerous way to climb that he will not be trying again today.
However, even though his intention is clear enough in his mind, Basil doesn’t appear to understand what he’s getting at, tilting his head in curiosity with a crook on his lips.
“I… I’m trying to hoist you up.” Sunny explains, standing back straight and awkwardly waiting for him to realize what’s happening.
“I know.” Basil says, looking him from head to toe before saying anything more about it. “But I was just confused because I’m the taller one. Wouldn’t it be easier for me to help you? ” He asks, a subtly smug look on his face as he stands high above him.
But it’s only by a few inches. Nonetheless, it’s enough to be noticeable, and enough to make Sunny angrily ball his fists up every time it’s mentioned. He curses the miraculous growth spurt that Basil had late into his teen years because once upon a time it used to be Sunny that was the taller of the two.
He still wishes that by some miracle a very late growth spurt of his own will hit him.
“Well, that means that you can reach further, and I need you to pull me up since I’m the lightest.” He explains, irked by his ability to aggravate him.
Basil isn’t usually so pompous, but there are rare moments where he can get showy about something. Specifically when the topic is of their height difference, and he purposefully rattles Sunny up to see his reaction.
But he ignores it as best as he can, getting back into position before continuing, “So are you going to let me do it, or are you going to keep trying to get on my nerves?”
Basil giggles without answering, eyeing him impishly before nodding his way to let him know he’s ready.
Getting a small jogging start, he swiftly places his foot into Sunny’s hands, jumping while at the same time letting himself get heaved into the air. He successfully reaches and gets a good grip on the cart above them, pulling himself upwards as Sunny pushes him from the soles of his shoes as best as he can.
They both are comforted by the fact that they’re each other’s support; better to be safe than to fall and hurt themselves. Sunny himself has a lot more upper body strength now that he works out three days of the week, and Basil has had muscle on him ever since he was seventeen, back to working in the garden again after being kind of demotivated from it following their huge physical fight.
Granted, Basil is a lot more toned, defined, and overall just more muscular than him, so it’s not even a fair comparison. Sunny’s pretty sure that he joins Kel in his gym visit atop of it all, because there’s absolutely no way all of that is purely from working himself to a sweat in the garden all the time.
Or maybe it is; who knows? He hasn’t asked in fear of it being a weird question…
Sunny reaches and grabs onto him next, just above his wrist as he uses nearby interworks of the structure to push his foot off of, and prompts his other hand to pull his entire body up as well. It takes a lot less effort now that he has some help, but he can still feel a sweat already breaking on his back, collapsing into the seat temporarily once he’s inside the same cart as Basil.
And as they take a minute to catch themselves, the pants escaping out of their mouths the only sounds being made, they stare at one another with the look of we actually did it.
He knew they would, but that doesn’t mean it’s not something they can’t celebrate.
“Okay,” Sunny is the one to eventually commence continuation, climbing and sitting on the metal bar that he previously recalled prevents people from leaning back too far and falling right out. “This part might look a little scary, but I promise you it’s not.”
With ease, he weaves himself up onto the roof again, the action only a little bit terrifying as he looks off into the distance, processing that a fall from this far up would not only hurt, but definitely cause him to break something.
But it’s only for a split moment, and the next thing he knows he’s back on the safety of the flat surface, listening to Basil’s heavy footsteps as he sounds like he’s about to try the same. Which is only proven when Sunny peeks over the edge, taking a gander at what he’s doing.
And stupidly, when hanging off the edge, Basil automatically looks down.
“Don’t look down.” He scolds him out of a place of care, causing Basil to whip his head back up, anxiety swelling and seeping into his eyes. “I’m right here, okay? I’m going to keep a firm grip on you the entire time.” He reassures him.
The blond gulps nervously before nodding, stammering out a weak and squeaky “O-Okay,” in reply, and sets his arms over atop the roof to climb atop as well.
Like promised, Sunny keeps a tight grip on him so that if he does lose balance he’ll be able to catch him, but thankfully he doesn’t have to do that. Basil, in spite of the apprehension he has built inside of him, makes it up without an issue.
Well, unless he counts his heart beating so fast that Sunny can feel it coursing through his arms as an issue, then he supposes there’s only one.
Basil falls into his arms, eyes wide and looking down at the shaking of his legs once again.
“I-I thought you were scared o-of heights.” He stutters, all of his support relying solely on Sunny until being able to move on. “What changed?”
“I grew out of it.” He replies, steadily keeping him on his feet with his hands placed on either side of his torso. “But do you remember the amusement park I was living next to in the city?” He goes on to ask.
Basil nods in confirmation that he does, egging for him to go on.
“I used to visit it a lot when I was in college. The first few times I didn’t really ride any roller coasters, but after coaxing myself I went on one super big one… didn’t expect to enjoy it, but I really did, and now being high up really doesn't bother me as much.”
Sunny tells all of this to him without much of a pause between sentences, hoping that it’s distracting him away from their current situation, and if not at least helping him calm down.
Basil looks fairly surprised by this, as it is a pretty out of character thing for him to do. “Did you go all by yourself?” He asks, acting significantly better than he was before with his focus elsewhere.
Sunny hums a yes since most of the time he did, but there were a couple occasions where an acquaintance from the same college invited him to go, and he’d join like he didn’t go there every other weekend. He kind of drained down his bank account and made himself poor, but at least he was having fun doing it.
Basil chuckles, the image of Sunny walking all alone in a humongous theme park humorous in his mind, and finally backs off of him. He’s a lot less restless than before, his legs no longer trembling and the sweat running down his temple drying up in its spot.
“You’re silly…” He calls him, striking Sunny stupid with how sweet his laughter grows in his ears. Basil then bites a fingernail, his lidded eyes scanning him before saying, “Maybe we can go to one together some day,” with hope in his voice.
Sunny grins, wondering if it’s just his imagination or if he’s being purposely flirtatious. “Maybe… I think I’d really like to visit one with you.” He replies, waving for him to back up as he puts his hands back together, bending his knees once again.
Desire burns vehemently in his chest as Basil physically prepares himself, getting another jogging start before Sunny once again pushes him up. And it’s in this process that the thought of what exactly this desire is in the first place crosses him; one that he’s come across on multiple instances before.
He knows, and has for a while.
He knows that he’s in love with Basil. It wasn’t an easy fact for him to accept for a very long time, and after getting over the phase where he thought he had a crush on Aubrey, only to realize it’d been him this entire time, Sunny struggled a lot internally. He uncovered insecurities he didn’t even realize he had, and at one point every day he went on living felt more miserable the longer he went on.
It also doesn’t help that he didn’t grow up in the most accepting neighborhood, but moving to a different place definitely helped him realize how incredibly religiously swayed the opinions of the public community was and still is. There are all kinds of people in the city, and he had to drop his old ways of thinking to really begin to understand that there are better and different ways of living.
Which brings him to his next point; he knows that Basil is in love with him too. He’s known for a while since the boy doesn’t do a very good job at hiding his flusteredness, the way he flinches when Sunny brushes their knuckles together or accidentally touches his thigh, or how he laughs extra hard at specifically his jokes…
It’s really adorable, but he’s never said anything about it. Sunny’s not avoiding it to be mean, but neither of them have been in the position to act accordingly, and he didn’t want to put either of them through the pain of a long distance relationship.
Not when they’re hours away from each other. All he would do is pine and pine after him if they had ever in that period of time become a couple.
And even after everything that has happened between them, Sunny still holds feelings for Basil deeply and fervently. The path here has been exponentially rough during periodic times of their lives, but he wants to give it a try.
He wants to give the two of them together a shot because he doesn't want anyone else. He’s never embraced, cuddled with, or even kissed anyone in that regard, but that’s always been okay by him. He doesn’t feel the urge come across towards anyone but Basil.
Sunny just hopes with his whole heart that he still feels the same after stalling for so long. He feels awful for keeping him waiting like this, but he keeps telling himself that it’s all for a good reason, and he can sense that Basil still has that same crush on him that he thinks he’s keeping secret.
So there’s still a chance of it working out, he believes. They needed that time to heal; to stay their separate ways temporarily so that when they joined back together they’d know what reality has to offer for them.
Sunny also hopes that Basil isn’t mad about that.
They make their way up a few more carts, taking short breaks in between each maneuver, and dragging out the process to only take about fifteen minutes. There are only a few small hiccups, and by the time they’re high up enough they’ve exhausted themselves. The very top is so close, and almost in reach, but Sunny’s staying true to his word about not pushing it too much.
The view that they do have however is way more beautiful than the one that they had earlier.
The outline of Faraway glows like a checkpoint from within a video game, the land illuminated by the very limited, yet bright enough, streetlamps lining the sidewalks. Smoke emits from the distance as well–most likely either from fireplaces mantled inside some of the houses, or bonfires lit to burn old boxes and other junk and debris people often light aflame to rid of–and dissipates when it reaches a certain point within the airstream.
But the nature that they see everyday isn’t what he brought them here for. It is nice to lay eyes on, yes, but there are more fascinating things to see and listen to.
Such as the sound of the ocean, translucent waves crashing against each other as they journey to the shore, washing up seaweed and seashells. And the cherry on top of it all is how the dazzling moonlight shines so vividly over the blue, expansive ocean right out in front of their very eyes, reflecting and bending as the water dances and moves.
That’s what he brought them up here for.
It’s one of the most remarkably serene sights he’s ever had the pleasure of seeing, and Sunny really enjoys sitting out here to listen to the natural sounds that the beach has to offer. It calls to him, and he follows it like it’s ingrained in his very nature to do so. After living in the city for so long, that is far away from a trace of any sand, how could he not?
It feels like visiting one for the very first time again.
Sunny has already flopped into the edge of the bench when Basil takes a seat across from him. He watches his expression rise and soften in nearly the exact manner that Sunny’s did when he came here the other night, and how he presses his cheek against the palm of his hand as he props up an arm, looking out at the twinkle of the stars and lapping of the waves.
Off in the distance a boat moves at a considerably slow pace, most likely belonging to one of the older men who do late-night fishing as the means of a hobby, and a few of the fish that he threatens to catch will occasionally pop out of the surface just to flop and splash right back in. It freaks Sunny out a little when they do, but it’s still captivating to watch.
Even if it does cause him to become inordinately uncomfortable.
“It’s gorgeous up here.” Basil comments, catching his attention back towards his direction.
His blond hair blows in the chilly breeze, which is an effect of being so high up, and his eyes look out over the cavernous blue sea, very clearly longing for something that Sunny cannot physically see. He swings a leg back and forth, the other braced under him as he sits, and his free hand is placed on his knees, fingertips digging into the fabric of his jeans.
But his face- Basil’s face tells the entire story for him. Sunny can tell that he has things to say, but he’s holding back in hopes of not making things weird between the two. He wants to pry it out from behind his lips, and tell him there’s nothing he can do to hide the insatiable yearning and slight melancholy in the tone of his voice, but he doesn't know where to even begin.
This trip seems to have saddened him more than enlightened him. Though there’s definitely a hint of wonderment gazing at the ink of the night; there’s also an undeniable feeling of worry.
“It is.” He ends up agreeing with him instead of saying something he may later regret.
Basil’s head cranes and pupils flit back the way they came, and Sunny can’t help but wonder if it’s because he’s afraid this is the last time he’ll ever share a moment with him here again. After all, the move is very far off, and he’s getting older. One day, travel won’t be this easy for him.
This climb won’t be the piece of cake it was today for them.
“Do you remember when Kel got putty stuck in Aubrey’s hair down there?” Basil suddenly speaks up from behind a sheltering hand, grinning as he points to a corner of the boardwalk like it’s a map of their everlasting memories.
And Sunny remembers well, as he’d just been walking out of the public restroom with Hero. One moment they were washing their hands and the next they were taking in the scene of Kel’s hands in her hair, tears rolling down Aubrey’s cheeks as he’s profusely apologizing and trying to get the sticky substance he’d just won as a prize from out between messy strands.
Apparently he didn’t know that it would get stuck so easily, but Sunny thinks deep down he did and just wanted to tease her. After it became a serious case of her having to look into getting a haircut though, he most likely panicked and thought up some kind of half-true excuse.
Aubrey’s long hair was cut up to the length of her shoulders the next day, and it really hadn't been a bad look. Basil and Mari had reassured her that she looked beautiful with short hair, and since Sunny didn’t ever talk much at the time, he gave her an encouraging thumbs up of his own that made her feel a little better about it.
He chuckles, nodding as he points to the pier of one of the docks, “Yeah… and do you remember when Hero got his hot dog swept up by a seagull?”
Basil snorts, covering his mouth as his laughs die down in the pocket of his hand. The slit of his eyes are squinted in amusement, returning a nod back to let him know that he too recalls it. “Yeah, the look on his face was priceless!”
This back and forth goes on for a bit, pointing out areas and assigning specific recollections that come to mind. It’s nice, and fills the gap of silence that they’d probably have otherwise. Plus, Sunny really likes discussing these moments of anecdotes with him more than anything.
It reminds him that they are in fact people with very real memories to reminisce on. Sometimes he too easily forgets his own humanity, so it brings him peace to know that there are others that share the exact same experiences as him.
“I came here the other night before I saw you again.” Sunny confesses when they’ve completely run themselves dry, peering out to the distance where his old home is again since he can’t help himself.
Regardless, he still sees how Basil whips his head around in his peripheral vision, mouth somewhat gaped since he unquestionably wants to say something. He hasn’t mentioned anything about it up until now, so Basil definitely has some questions as to why that is, but he must know how Sunny is since he doesn’t articulate any inquiries he may be having aloud.
Rather than that, he bites his lower lip in sweltering anticipation.
“I thought you were going to be mad at me or something- for coming here without a word… I dunno, anxiety’s a weird thing sometimes, and I was really nervous about seeing you again.”
He owns up to this with hesitancy, and a bit of an apparent, embarrassed attitude. It’s really nothing to be ashamed of–his lingering fears and worries that still haunt him–but it’s the fact that he knows Basil won’t get mad over an unannounced arrival. At least not anymore.
So why had he been so concerned in the first place?
The days of him screaming and yelling at Sunny to leave him alone are far past them. It was saved for the months after being released from that forsaken hospital, and when Basil had been discharged from the mental institution he was put in not even a day later. The ugliness of it all is all done, and maybe not for good, but at least for a very long while.
Those days are just another part of their lengthy history together.
Basil stands, a blank canvas of a face greeting him as he slowly shuffles his way over to Sunny’s side, sitting on his left since he’s well aware that he cannot see very clearly through his right eye.
At first he doesn’t say anything, ominous and ambiguous as Sunny usually is, and the language portrayed by his body doesn’t do much to serve as a message either. He notices though that he’s not backing away, or unnecessarily worried about him like he typically would be.
Actually, the body heat of Basil pressing up into his side says all that it needs to.
He could sit here like this forever and be happy that they’re together again, but Basil’s eyes also refuse to leave his own. He’s very insistent on keeping this game of eye contact that they have going on, and he doesn’t intend on losing.
And after a while it just reminds Sunny of how much his luscious, elegantly crafted blue eyes means to him. It’s one of the features that he loves most about Basil, and he didn’t realize how much he missed them all those years ago, when he’d finally gotten out of the house before going off to the city.
Yet even then, it took them a while to begin to start properly interacting again, so he couldn’t fully meet them out of pure shame in himself.
A lot of hatred used to be displayed in them, but now they’ve eased right back up after a lot of loathing, self-care, and healing. He didn't really notice how much he yearned for Basil’s gaze even now, but he supposes that happens after being separated by the way of the world. He swears the look of them is some kind of remedy.
Because when he looks at him, it’s better than any gift that Sunny could possibly ask for.
“Was it worth it?” Basil eventually asks him, his hands formed as fists in his lap. “Coming down here to see me, I mean… Was it worth the trip?” He specifies.
Baring full witness to how badly he wants to know makes his heart ache, and he can’t exactly figure out if the reason should be obvious to him or not. Other than how in the dark he and everyone else is about Sunny’s life, he can’t think of another one that’s good enough to be an explanation. But that can’t be the only truth that exists.
After all, he chose to specifically surprise Basil with this visit. He supposes it’s one to the rest of their friends as well, but his intention never was to see them. Sunny decided to show up to his house for him, and everything after that has just been a pure coincidence or instigated by the boy in question.
Like how he informed Aubrey and Kel that he’s in town, and they’d come over the same night to celebrate and see him.
It’s not like they don’t matter to him because they do, but it’s Basil who he is deliberately sharing a bed with even though he knows his grandmother’s spare room had been turned into an office. He’s the one who Sunny is showing an interest in, learning all about his career as a freelance photographer, and how sometimes he travels, but most of the time they’re just local gigs that keep him afloat.
Basil is the one who he watches work in the afternoons so closely, editing photos for recent events he’d photographed for, and sending them off just to receive way less money than Sunny thinks he should get in return.
It makes him wish that the entire world could see his talent. Basil’s so incredible at what he does, and Sunny believes that he deserves so much more than what he has here. He would win and give him the universe if he could, but he’s only one small person in the vastness of the void.
He feels useless, but he doesn’t want to be anymore.
Craning to the side, he doesn’t hesitate to pull the blond in for a warm, soft hug. One that is nearly intimate enough for him to snake his hands down to his waist and snuggle him close, but for now he practices restraint.
“Basil… It is always worth it to come and see you again.” Sunny emphasizes to him in a whisper, keeping him flush against him. “I want to stay longer here, with you and everyone else, but I’m needed in a few weeks. I’m sorry…”
On the flip side, Sunny went to college for a creative writing degree, and minored in English literature. Ever since graduating with both in his pocket, he’s been working as a journalist for a few years, building up a portfolio and putting himself out there in hopes of becoming more.
He would say that he’s excelled up quite high into his career, and recently, after writing an article with pages worth about a topic he’s really passionate about, he was granted the opportunity of a lifetime.
Apparently, a director looked at his work as both a creative and professional writer in the business, and determined he was well fit enough to be asked if he would be up for a job. His writings over various mental health issues, how music therapy is something that’s becoming increasingly important for patients, and various other topics caught the eye of agency officials, and so he was contacted about being a co-scriptwriter on a production being shot in the capitol not too long ago.
He accepted of course, knowing that his peculiar familiarity with these subjects is the only reason that he was striking enough to grab the head’s attention, and is interested in how his knowledge will contribute. So here he is now, acting like this isn’t the biggest deal for him, and waiting for the time for him to be needed on set to arrive.
The move isn’t necessary, but Sunny chose to anyway. It’ll make this job easier, and he knows he’ll have way more opportunities upstate anyway, so he decided to just pack everything up and start anew. He’s going to miss the city he’s called home for a while, but he’s definitely going to miss how short of a drive Faraway is compared to the new one he’s moving to even more.
But this time around he’s lucky he doesn’t have to make the longer drive anyway. He has a plane ticket to leave in a couple of days, and he’s having his vehicle moved for him since he doesn’t think he can endure being on the road for very much longer.
Everything’s in action, but Sunny still feels stuck and unmoving… like he’s forgetting something.
And he thinks he knows why that is, but is tentative on acting on it.
Basil has a slight pout on his lips as they separate, understanding, but still just sad that he’ll be leaving him soon. “That’s alright Sunny, don’t apologize for that.” He tells him, retracting his hands to his chest, like he doesn’t want to potentially cross any boundaries he may have.
“I know how important this is to you, and I’m really quite excited to see your work once it’s all done! I’m sure it’s going to be great no matter what.” He exclaims with a painfully forced smile, clapping his hands together for him.
He’s being honest, but there’s just something about the ingenuine look that refuses to leave his face, and how it rubs him the wrong way.
“Thanks, that uh- means a lot to me.” Sunny states awkwardly, feeling a wave of heat crawl up his body.
The tension between them is so thick that he could cut it with a knife, and the fact that Basil can probably feel how hot his body temperature gets doesn’t make matters any better. It’s mainly due to the fact that the situation is stiff enough as is, but also because Basil is staring at Sunny so intensely.
Enough to almost take his breath away.
In the distance, seagulls cry, the otherwise unbearable silence that’s fallen over them about the loudest noise as of now. They’ve already discussed Sunny’s plans, and of course he’s informed Basil of basically everything that’s happening in his life that he slipped his mind over phone calls and video chats.
…All except for the exact reason he’s here, and why they climbed all the way up this ferris wheel in the first place because, don’t get him wrong, there is a reason.
Sunny just has no idea how he’s going to react, and is therefore scared to even say anything about it.
All he can say for certain is that the confession he’s been holding on to for years will relieve some things, but it would also be asking a lot from him in return as well, and he doesn’t want to put that pressure on him. Basil’s gone through enough as is thanks to him, and wouldn’t it be so selfish of him to add another thing on top of it all?
But then again, what is life if it’s not to be lived selfishly sometimes?
“Do you remember the day I came back to Faraway for the first time in a year so I could see you again?”
A memory comes across Sunny’s mind again. Not one dealing with the boardwalk, or when they were small children, or even a really happy one, but it’s a memory worth mentioning right now. No matter how conflicted it makes him feel.
Because it’s also one that he remembers very well, and to an extent can still almost perfectly recount the day.
A couple months before his seventeenth birthday he had been attempting to get in contact with Basil by trying everything he could. Calls, messages, letters… He was ignored by all, and eventually the urge to just see that he was still alive pressed him over the edge. He gave up on caring if Basil read anything that he’d sent, or if he had listened to the voicemails that he’d occasionally leave him.
Sunny just needed to know that he was still pushing himself to live.
It had been a hot day when he made the decision to jump on buses from town to town, trying to get back to his old hometown, and an even hotter night when the humidity had struck. He was freshly seventeen, mostly clean from the cuts on his arms, and far more responsible when the day that he ran off arrived.
Though, the last part became nearly entirely untrue with what he’d been pulling, so perhaps he really only had the first two things going for him at the time.
He turned off his phone so nobody could call and disturb him, and left a note for his mother to see when she got home from her shift as a nurse. He hadn’t been too concerned because the hospital kept her busy for hours anyway, so she was pretty much dealt with, and by the time he went on with his plan, it was so far into the day that It was dark outside by the time he got off the bus to Faraway.
When he’d gotten off that bus, he could only remember one feeling.
The surge of anxiety that was settled in his chest. It burned more than the time he’d forgotten to wear sunblock on the beach and his skin was peeling for days, or when he’d been craving Mari’s cookies so bad that he ate one straight off the sheet, not realizing they’d just come out of the oven, and blistered his mouth.
He had grown older and knew better, but that stupid choice of his made him feel like he was going to faint the very second Basil’s house had come into sight.
However, arriving there had proved to be underwhelming.
Polly was still taking care of him, which was good to see since Sunny thought, and still thinks, that she’s a nice woman, and answered the door for him. She didn’t say it, but she’d been so confused as to why and how he got there. He can still remember the dumbfounded tone in her voice.
“Oh- Hello dear! …Sunny, right? What are you doing here?”
“You’re here to see Basil? Well, he didn’t say anything about your arrival to me… but I suppose he still does keep some things secret from me.”
“Hm? Is he home? Oh, no, I’m sorry. You just actually missed him. He went for a short walk down to the park as this nightly routine of his. Seems to calm him down, so I just hope he’s keeping himself safe!”
“Anyway, he should be back soon. Would you like to stay here and wait for him?”
Sunny had declined the offer, his ears ringing and his gut churning to tell him that something was not right.
And that gut feeling of his had turned out to be exactly that; the thought that it was so out of character for Basil to be out that late wasn’t just him needlessly worrying himself for no reason.
Sunny had led himself right back to the old hangout spot where the lake is, finding Basil standing on the dock, looking out into the deep swallowing water with a different desire than the one that he currently has tonight.
Instead, without hearing him running up from behind, he had begun to let himself fall forward by no accident, only snapping back to reality when Sunny forcibly tugged him back and once again saved him from attempting something that would break his and everyone else’s heart.
When he saw Basil’s face for the first time again, his eyes were wide and he was completely awake, now aware of what he was doing. Bloodshot red from excessive crying, yet dry of any tears for all he could see, and the look that came across him after not seeing him so long stirred blank, then in shock, and finally in anger.
Anger because he believed Sunny abandoned him again, and because he just wanted to let himself down so badly. The attempt to end his pain was once again unsuccessful because of the same person he’d convinced himself to hate , and all he could feel at that very moment was pure anger.
But even then, that hate and anger didn't really stem from what he said it did. It was because the world had ripped Sunny from his hands again, and they couldn’t begin the nonlinear path of healing together as he had wished and hoped for a year prior.
Basil just didn’t know how not to direct and project that onto him.
It was all pure coincidence how everything turned out. For a while, Sunny was freaked out by how the universe led him all the way to Basil when he needed it the most, and while he was hurt emotionally by the yelling, and physically when Basil fought, thrashed, and scratched him to hell so he’d let go, he wouldn’t change what he did at all.
Because the boy came around eventually, and he’s atoning for everything he’s ever done, apologized profusely for his mistakes, and has worked himself up to earning that forgiveness from each individual in their group for what he did to Mari, as is Sunny.
To a certain point, that’s really all they can do anymore, and while some say it might not matter because it won’t change what happened, it’s all that can matter now.
So in whatever reality it may be, he hopes that he was able to save Basil every single time. Sunny doesn’t think he could stomach the thought of living a life without him by his side.
“Y-Yes, I remember…” Basil finally replies with some shame in his tone at the mention, playing with the long parts of his hair between his fingers in unease for where this is going.
His voice manages to snap Sunny away from everything that’s running through his head; all the different sentiments, memories, and different kinds of feelings he’s had and is currently still having. He begins to think that maybe it was against his better judgment to bring this up, but he's never really known better.
So why would he start acting like he does now?
“After you used up all your energy to yell and scream that you hate me, and beat me to shit, you fell into my arms and cried so much that I thought you were going to choke.”
Sunny can still feel how frail he’d been if he thinks about it long enough. It was incredible how Basil could go from extreme, unadulterated rage to the state similar to that of a wounded rabbit in the matters of minutes.
And he’d held him like one too, running his fingers through his tangled hair, and shushing him when he’d try to say something because his voice was already so strained.
“But you didn’t, and even though you kept repeating on and on about how much you hated me, it was the most vulnerable I’ve ever seen you…”
Even in the clutches of the devil’s wrath, Basil still somehow managed to open himself up again. He let all the raw and ugly parts of his emotions spill out so visibly for him to see because he didn’t have anything else he could possibly do. He didn’t have anyone to understand the pain except for him.
In its own weird way, that attracted Sunny even closer to him. He felt drawn in by that vulnerability and wanted to get to know it, like it was its own person apart from Basil.
“If you ever abandon me again, I will walk across half of the state just to find you, and it won’t be to rekindle what we lost into something that you think you’ve found again… This time I’ll make sure you won’t forget how much you’ve hurt me.”
As Sunny repeats this, he looks him directly in the eyes, knowing by the rise of Basil’s eyebrows that he’s surprised he even remembers him saying that to him. Though, is not deterred by the point he’s trying to make.
“I remember that when you told me that I was so terrified, but I also really couldn’t help but admire you…” Sunny admits with a grin. “I admired the courage you had to say that to me, and the strength you still somehow had to carry on even after what was taking place minutes before.”
Basil gazes at him with expectancy behind lidded eyes, stealing unmissable glances to the lips that seem to not be able to stop talking. Sunny notices and feels bold enough to inch their hands closer together, intermingling their fingers since he allows for him to, and breathing in oxygen that he’s gladly sharing with him no matter how dizzy it may make him feel.
He wants to add that he admires so much more than just those two things, but keeps it under wraps for the time being so this isn't dragged out.
“It made me realize that, even though things have been rough between us, and we’ve been down an unimaginably rocky road, I don’t want our lives to be separate anymore… I don’t want to keep feeling like there’s a hole in my heart when you're not beside me everyday.”
Yet in the heat of a moment, Sunny can’t help but ramble on for much longer than he needs to, even in spite of his attempt not to. His heart is pounding so fast and hard that he thinks it’s going to burst straight out of his chest, and his throat is so tight that the only solution is nonsensically talking to fix something that’s not even broken.
Basil only looks to be intoxicatingly amused, perhaps even entertained by his struggle to get to the point. He hides giggles behind a hand, smiling wider than he usually will, and patiently nods for him to go on like he knows what he’s waiting for.
And it gives Sunny the realization that the crush he has on him maybe wasn’t as well hidden from him as he thought… That this entire time he thought Basil was the obvious one, but he’s been just as transparent about his feelings for him.
All he can do is try to move past that, and tell him how he feels now so he won’t regret not saying anything later.
“What I’m trying to say is that I want you, Basil…”
But Sunny still feels an embarrassed blush heat up his entire face, squeezing their hands together as he leans in closer, feeling as if he’s going to catch on fire any moment now. He knows he could’ve gone about this so much better, but he’ll work with what little room he gave himself.
“I want you in the sense that I want to spend the rest of our lives together, and I know that’s selfish considering everything that’s happened, but I don’t care about that…” He tells him, eyeing down and then quickly back up.
Basil’s cute when he’s surprised, even if he already kind of knew.
“Sometimes you’re all I think about, a-and we’ve been apart for so long that I know I’ve been kind of clingy lately, but it’s because I’m so afraid of leaving you here… All I want to do is-”
Sunny doesn’t know when, but one second their lips are inches apart, and the next they’re together, pressed into each other as if it’s their very last day on earth. It takes him a moment to react, but when he finally processes what’s happening he takes in how Basil’s eyes tightly close shut, his arms coming around the back of his neck to pull him in closer as he breathes and moans into a deep, passionate kiss.
One that quite frankly drives him crazy with how amorous and desperate it becomes, escalating upon immediate reciprocation.
Because he doesn’t stop there, prodding Sunny’s lips open with his tongue, and whining as they go on to completely indulge themselves in the taste of each other's mouths.
His eyes have been so focused on Basil’s face that he doesn’t decide until now that staring him down as they’re making out is probably weird, closing them as soon as he becomes conscious of this fact. Sunny can feel his stomach flutter, the fire lit inside of him being fanned the longer they go on, and the more Basil brushes his fingers against the back of his neck, playing with the ends of his hair innocently like he’s not quite literally stealing his breath away.
And he really has no idea what to do with his hands. For a minute, Sunny has them wrapped up below Basil’s arms, but then he gets tired of that and lets them travel down to his waist, which then settle on his hips.
The next thing he knows, he has the boy of his dreams straddled into his lap, kissing all up over him because Sunny doesn’t know how to shut his mouth when he gets flustered.
Unlinking from each other is probably about the hardest thing for them to do at this point, but when they do a string of saliva connects them before breaking apart, and Basil’s lips begin to progress down to the corner of his mouth, to his jaw, and then to his throat, pecking and nibbling on him.
Sunny shivers and whimpers in return, and he knows these are the reactions Basil’s trying to get out of him for a kick because he can feel him smile against his skin, continuing on while progressively intensifying each action. Eventually so intense that he’s sure there will be hickeys all over his neck tomorrow, but he doesn’t do anything to stop him.
Quite frankly, he doesn’t want him to stop. He’ll let himself be inconvenienced if it means affection will continue to be showered onto him.
“You talk too much sometimes.” Basil speaks up from the crook of his neck, squirming in his lap as his lips find their way up near his ear. “Which is funny since you never used to talk at all, but that’s okay… I like that about you.”
Sunny’s thumbs reassuringly press into his hips before Basil pushes back on his shoulders and every little detail on his face comes back into view again.
The strands of hair in the way of his face that he goes to brush away, the sprinkle of freckles all over his nose and cheeks, how his desirable lips are swollen, red, and tugged into the smallest little grin, the bright gleam in his beautiful irises as they meet each other’s gaze one more…
Basil has no idea how much he loves him.
“I… like you.” Sunny choppily and slowly says, far too encapsulated by the mouth-dropping radiance he emits, and wishing he could say more despite not knowing where to even begin with how badly he’s needed this.
And needed him.
A violent red suddenly paints Basil’s face, hiding his flusteredness from behind an arm, and giggling as he tries to get over the fact that those three simple words can cause him to blush so intensely.
“W-Well it took you long enough…” He teases, placing a hand over Sunny’s chest to feel the beat of his heart, and looking away in disbelief that someone can look at him with so much awe.
But to make things clear, “I like you too…” Basil clarifies himself anyway, just in case it wasn’t already obvious.
Sunny smiles, grabbing the wrist that’s blocking the lower-half of his face, and kissing the top of his hand gently to make sure he feels just as special as he is. Then, when he thinks he’s satisfied that need, he interlocks their lips together again, this time with more chastity and less obvious carnal need for him as a whole.
However, it’s still sweet and intimate enough to let himself get lost in. His head is still fuzzy, preventing him from forming any coherent thoughts, but it all comes together the instant he and Basil give each other one last little nudge.
Because when they separate, there are tears in the blond’s eyes, and his fingers are digging so needily and urgently at the collar of Sunny’s sweater that it catches him off guard.
“Did you really mean all of it? W-What you said about not wanting our lives to be separate anymore, did you?” Basil asks, frantically wanting to know if it’s true or not.
Sunny wipes away a few stray tears that have already fallen down his cheeks, lowering his voice and treating him as delicately as he can. “I meant every word I said.” He tells him, noticing just how soft his skin is.
Basil lets a few sobbed chokes escape him, unwillingly hysterical now that the actuality of the situation has settled in.
“Th-Then don’t leave me here…” He begs him. “Is it any more selfish of me to ask you to take me with you?” He asks in spite of the acknowledgement that it might be a bit much on such a short notice.
However, Sunny is as equally as short noticed by putting this on him with so little time left for his flight to leave. In that case, maybe they’re just a couple of selfish people with no regard for the obstacle that is time, but that’s okay.
At least they’re in on it as one.
Basil continues incoherently mumbling under his breath, his face stuffed back in Sunny’s neck as he holds on to him like he’s going to fall, and nuzzles into him like he just can’t stand the thought of him leaving when he just got him. Not when they’re finally together like he’s always wanted.
“I have nothing left for me here anymore… I-I have nothing to lose.”
The only thing Sunny can comprehend him saying is lined with pure anguish, feeling the way he grasps him, and the shaking that courses through his entire body. He has no clue if it’s from being too cold, or from fear, or maybe even from both, but all he knows is that he hates how it feels. He hates feeling how Basil is in such a perilous state, like he’s as easily crackable as an egg.
It’s not even that he wants to run off with him for specifically this reason, either. He’s been stuck here in this town for nearly his entire life, and while Faraway isn’t the worst place on earth, country, or even in state, it holds memories. Good memories, of having fresh picnics and splashing around in the shore, and bad memories too, like witnessing the horrors of a good friend, and being the reason everyone thinks it was all just a suicide.
It’s more than Basil wanting this, and wanting to be with Sunny on his journey.
It’s him needing this, and needing his own as well.
Sunny had been granted that escape, and has been living in a world different from the old he built here years ago. He had the chance to forget everything he ever knew, in a small town, and create bigger things in a brand new city.
Why shouldn’t Basil be allowed to do the same?
…That’s just the thing.
He should.
Sunny tugs him tighter against his body, arms crossed around his waist in an embrace that’s cozy and snug, protecting him against the cold of the night so his shivering body will hopefully subside. It’s probably the most comfortable position he’s ever been in, and aside from what is being asked of him, the most relieved he’s ever felt as well.
“Okay,” Sunny agrees, nipping Basil’s temple with a small kiss, and hearing the exhilarated sigh of appeasement he lets out at the reassurance being given to him.
The tension in his body suddenly lessens as well, and he can’t help but chuckle at that, feeling his weight become heavier in his lap.
“You can come with me, and this time we’ll be together when we start all over again."
Yet little did Basil know that there isn't just one plane ticket in the back of Sunny's pocket, there’s been two this entire time.