the way the flower petals turn (a series of omori oneshots

Sunburn

Oh shit. Aubrey was approaching him at a really fast pace. Kel had pointed it out, the both sat on the bench enjoying the crisp Autumn air.

She stopped when she got to the bench.

"Kel... Me and Sunny..." She glared at Sunny. "Have to talk... ALONE." She said through gritted teeth.

"Aubrey if you're still angry-"

"This isn't about Mari if that's what you're thinking, plus... We've gotten over that... Mostly." She gave Sunny a death glare.

Kel looked at Sunny then looked back at Aubrey. "Uhhhhh... If you say so..." He slowly got up and backed away, basketball in hand. This couldn't be good.

Kel pretended not to eavesdrop while shooting hoops on the court 20 feet away.

The pink haired girl plopped down.

"Sunny..."

It had been months since Sunny had last seen Aubrey. When he first visited Faraway after moving, she still wasn't ready to confront him. He remembered the day he told the truth. Aubrey had reacted first, eyes widening, tears beginning to spill down her face, fists clenched. She had fallen to the floor on her knees. Her face was contorted in a mixture of anger, sadness, grief, and betrayal. He hated seeing her like that, but he couldn't blame her.

Sunny. You... Lied. After all this time, I, no, we, blamed ourselves for not knowing- I. How dare you- you dare to come back after FOUR- FOUR. GODDAMN. YEARS. Just to move away. And now you're saying you. YOU did it. I. Sunny...

Kel had jumped in. Sunny. I can't imagine how you. To keep that inside of you for so long. Sunny we loved her, and I know... You loved her the most. It was an accident... I... Sunny. You're a good person I know that-

Who's... We? Hero whispered.

Aubrey looked up.

Me. I did it. I came up w-with it.

She had turned around to face the now awake Basil.

You. You're both good kids...? I don't understand. She stood up, and walked up to Sunny.

I- I need time to process this. Her face was weirdly calm. I- I know Mari wouldn't want us to stay mad. I just... Need some time. Good luck, Sunny.

She had run out of the room, a sob escaping out of her.

That was the last time he saw her until now.

Kel of course had been the first person to be forgiving, and it definitely took Hero some time, but despite how broken he had been about it, he eventually reconciled with him and Basil.

When Sunny called Kel on the phone a few weeks after moving, Aubrey was on the line too. This was even before Hero had forgiven them. She told Sunny that her and Basil had spoken, and she spent a lot of time thinking, and she said that she forgave him, but she wasn't ready to see him yet.

I have a lot of self reflection and self healing to do. I don't want to inflict any more pain on myself or others because of my anger. I'm trying Sunny, because I know that... Sometimes the people you love most are the ones you end up hurting.

And that was that.

"Sunny. I kind of lied. Sorta. I wanted to-" she sighed and closed her eyes, "-talk things out."

She noticed his grim expression, but continued.

"When you and Basil revealed the truth, I didn't know what to think. So much had happened in the previous three days, and then it just... shattered. Mari was like the sister I never had. Her, and the rest of you guys, made me feel wanted, loved, even. When we lost her, I just, felt as if the world stopped turning. And when you said she didn't actually, you know, I couldn't comprehend anything. I wanted to punch you and Basil. I didn't care that you had lost your eye and Basil was all bruised up. But I didn't because... When I stood up. I saw something. It was behind you, and I swore for that split second I saw Mari. It's like she was mouthing 'Please don't be mad, forgive them, you don't know what they've been through.' And even though I was so upset, so confused, I gave you guys some grace..." She paused, her eyes glossy and wet, then she spoke again.

"I had been the first to see it. We had all come over before we all had to go to the recital. I was so excited to show Mari my new hair bow, I remember. You were sitting beside the closet door, I think, Basil was there. He said that you weren't talking, and he thought maybe Mari was outside, but he wasn't sure because he had just gotten there. So me and Hero ran outside. Then when I got out there and looked up-" Tears were streaming down her cheeks.

"She was... was h-hanging. I- I didn't understand what was going on. I thought 'Oh silly Mari, don't get your dress dirty you're about to leave!' And when I said her name, she said nothing. I didn't know what she was doing, what hanging was. I kept begging her to wake up and get ready to go, Hero had to force me to go back inside. He was trying so so hard to be strong for us. I didn't understand it. When I saw you by the door, upset, I guess I thought you found her first, too shocked to do anything..."

They sat there for a few moments in silence. "When me and Basil talked after you left, he told me you guys had also talked things over. He said you told him you were in such a haze, so spaced out, that you actually believe she had hung herself. All that time, you locked yourself away, truly believing what the rest of us did. You didn't even know the truth until you were about to leave. We all did a shitty job of being there for eachother. We all dealt with it differently. And the thing is, I know that Mari wouldn't hold that against you, regardless of the fight that happened, I know she wouldn't want us to stay sad or mad or depressed. And I'm sorry. For the way I went about it, even after four years. And you know what Sunny..." She grasped his hand. "I want to make new memories together. No lies or anything, just, happy memories. All of us, you, me, Basil, Hero, Kel. It's gonna be tough. We all have healing to do. But I want to spend it with you, anyway I can." She smiled, wiping her tears away with her other hand.

She leaned her head against his own. A few tears had began to trickle down his face.

"Aubrey. I love you. All of you, but especially you. M-Mari I'm so sorry." He buried his face into Aubrey's neck, and she held him.

"I-It's better if we do this together, okay Sunny? No matter how far apart." She moved his hands away from his face and wiped off his tears and gently kissed him on the head. "It's gonna be okay, for real this time."

They sat there for a moment. The cool wind blew and colorful leaves flew with it.

"WOAH I DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS GROUP HUG TIME COME HERE!"

Suddenly they were both being squeezed tightly by Kel.

"KEL WHAT THE FUCK!" Aubrey said, practically being suffocated. She wouldn't admit it, but Kel's hugs were nice too.

"Oh c'mon you guys, you know you love me."

"Hey! There better not be a group hug going on without me!" They heard Hero's voice from a distance.

Then another pair of arms were around them. And then another as Basil snuck up from the front, promising them how much he loved them too, and that they would make so many new memories. It was nice.

They hadn't shared a full group hug like this since before Mari, and for a moment, they all felt a familiar pair of hands touching them, assuring them with her sweet voice that she loved them so dearly.