Astrophile

Sunny and Boo

"Out of bed. Now."

The darkness of the lurking gloom seemed to hiss as the curtains were yanked aside, buttery sunshine falling in thick, golden layers on two, untidy beds.

A boy with hair as bright as the sun's beams sat up with a jolt, his bleary eyes barely focusing on his adopted father in the doorway.

The man wore a smirk as he often did when he woke the boys up, the soft pink of his cheeks a contrasting color to the deep chocolate-brown of his skin.

"You don't have to tell me twice." Tommy replied with a bright grin as he hopped from the bed, the blankets still trying to yank him back to the warmth of their cozy embrace.

The young prince skipped to the other bed and shook the lump beneath the blankets so enthusiastically that it made the thing beneath jump.

"Boo, get up! It's time to wake up, you little bi- brioche."

In the doorway, Ponk raised an eyebrow with a humored smile.

"I'll go downstairs. Come down for breakfast soon though." His father called.

Then, he was gone.

"Boo, c'mon. Getup!" Tommy persisted, shaking the other boy more vigorously.

"Prince Tommy, it's way too early in the morning for this." Came a muffled, sleepy reply.

Tommy rolled his eyes, "No, it's not, it's almost eight o'clock."

"Almost."

"Get the fuck up!"

"LANGUAGE!" Came the muffled cry from below.

"Sorry, pops."

A withering, muffled groan floated up from beneath the blankets as the thing beneath flopped around.

"Fine, Sunny, I'm up."

Ranboo sat up, his fluffy, milk-chocolate brown hair in disarray atop his head. He rubbed at his eyes, the bags beneath them dark and sullen.

"What do you want, Prince Tommy?"

"I'd like you to get up."

"Fine, fine." Ranboo said with a sigh and got out of bed, the mattress shrieking it's disapproval. As he stood, his long legs unfurled and he stretched, the tips of his clamped fingers almost grazing the lowest beam of the paneled ceiling. Then, he looked down at his best friend with that slight grin of his that made faint dimples peek from his cheeks. It was the type of smile that seemed almost like he was letting you in on a joke that no one else in the world knew about. A joke only the two of you shared.

It had always been Tommy's favorite smile in the whole world. It had been his favorite smile too. That is, before it all had happened.

"What'd you like to do today, Prince Tommy?" Ranboo asked, startling him out of his trance.

Tommy shook his head, ridding himself of the dark thoughts that had permeated into his mind. "What do you think, dumbass?"

"I have no idea."

"The library, of course."

"Why? You've read all of the books on the shelves already." Ranboo replied, pursing his lips.

Tommy tilted his head to the side like a curious puppy, a mournful look on his face as he cracked his knuckles loudly. The sound of popping joined the cacophony below just as the greasy, rich smell of bacon slowly wafted up to greet them.

"Yes, well, I'd like to reread some."

"Haven't you read all of the books multiple times already?"

"Yeah, why?"