Flesh & Bone (OMORI AU)

Chapter 25: Unfamiliarity

CW: self harm
Before anything I personally have depression and have been to a psychiatric facility earlier this year. I'm basing this chapter on my own experiences as someone with mental illness. If you are uncomfortable with this kind of thing, feel free to skip. Its only one chapter.

It was cold. Lonely. Sunny slowly opened his eye, staring at a ceiling that definitely wasn't in his house. Where was he? Slowly sitting up he rubbed his face, feeling that his eyepatch had been taken off. His eye darted around the room, which had bare walls painted a pale cream color. Sunny was laying on a bed with a thin blanket over his frail body. His back hurt from how stiff the mattress was. He saw the doorknob turn slightly, quickly hiding under the stark white blanket.

A young woman entered the room, closing the door behind her. She frowned as she saw Sunny hiding. She knew he was awake, so she wasn't fooled.

"Hey, Sunny. Do you remember me? Catherine?" Her voice sounded familiar. She had a slight hispanic accent.

Sunny poked his head up to look at the woman. She was short and had tanned skin littered with freckles and beauty marks. Her hair was dyed blue and cut short. She was wearing nursing scrubs that had a pattern with dogs on it. Sunny then realized where he was. He was back in the same hospital he went to when he and Basil fought. But the room was still unfamiliar.

"I know that it's disorienting to suddenly be back here, but trust me, it's temporary. You have been admitted to a psychiatric program we have in the hospital for young adults. Its only for a few days, but considering your recent behavior we cant take any risks."

Sunny's eye widened as he uncovered himself. He rushed for the door, but Catherine gently put a hand on his chest to stop him. She had spoken to him when he was first admitted, acting as a temporary therapist. She was better than his actual therapist, Dr. Klein, who decided to snitch and break the law by revealing Sunny's private information. He wasn't sure how that was going to be fixed once he got out.

"You had an episode back at the animal hospital over the loss of your cat. I know that it was sudden, and certainly difficult to deal with when your life already isn't going how you want it to. Sunny, if I may ask, why were you carrying a knife?"

Sunny looked down at the reflective tiles below, sitting at the end of the bed (if you could even call it that, it felt like concrete). He didn't really want to talk. He didn't even want to be there... but he trusted Catherine. He hoped that he wouldn't regret telling her anything.

"I... used it. Forgot to... put it away."

"And what did you use it for?"

Sunny felt a pit in his stomach, turning his head away slightly. He wanted to try, but for some reason, no tears welled in his eye. He inhaled, gently holding onto the blanket on the bed. Sunny couldn't form a proper sentence.

"I'm sorry for asking so many questions. If you want I can come back later-."

"No. Its... okay." Sunny mumbled under his breath.

Catherine smiled sadly. "Well, I know why you had the knife. Self defense. And to hurt yourself with it. Hearing about your previous records it felt obvious thats what you had it on you for. The knife had blood on it. Had you used it recently before what happened?"

Sunny glanced at Catherine, who was holding a tote bag, before looking down at his lap again. "I... had a nightmare. I um... cut... then went to see Mari.."

"Mari? Isn't that your sister? She passed away."

Sunny hesitantly nodded, but didn't add onto it, remaining quiet. Catherine got the hint that he didn't want to talk about that.

"Where did you do it?"

Sunny bit his lip anxiously, tugging at the blanket. He felt restless. "Arms.. and legs.."

"May I look? It could be infected if we don't treat it if it hasn't been cared for already..."

Sunny inhaled shakily, rubbing his right arm gently, feeling the cotton of his sweater and feeling a slightly crusted substance underneath. Dried blood. While his hand shook he slowly rose the sleeve up, looking away from it. He was ashamed of himself for what he did. Catherine hummed quietly to herself.

There were overlapping cuts and scratches that layered on years of scars. The blood that once oozed from the wounds was dry and crusted against the skin. Two of the cuts were deeper than the rest, and hurt whenever he flexed his arm.

"It doesn't seem to be too bad, but you never cleaned the cuts. I'll get someone to help clean it for you, when you're ready of course."

Sunny hesitantly nodded and quickly pulling the sleeve over his arm, trying to avoid the pain he felt as the fabric rubbed against the open wounds.

"For now I need you to change into new clothes. You're only going to be here for two days, so you have two pairs of clothing."

Catherine pulled a simple grey hoodie and dark blue sweatpants from her bag, as well as hospital socks, boxers and a pair of white slippers. She gently passed the clothes to Sunny with a small smile.

"When your done, you can leave the room. Head straight down the hall and meet the others before our community meeting, okay?" Catherine rose from the chair she was sitting in.

Sunny nodded shyly and watched as Catherine left, gingerly closing the door behind her. You could barely hear the door press against the frame. Once Sunny had gotten dressed, a little disappointed that none of the clothing fit him properly (clothing designed for an average sixteen year old boy, when he wasn't average sized.) Sunny walked to the window, realizing he was only on the second floor. He could see part of the parking lot and the greenhouse from where he was. It was gloomy outside, the clouds covering the sun and fog cascading over the horizon.

The petite boy slowly opened the door, tiptoeing down the hall. He could hear chattering as he got closer to the community room. He hid slightly by the door frame, looking at the other patients, who were all around his age. There were only four others, which sort of surprised Sunny, but it was better than there being tons of people. A tall boy with his long, blonde hair tied in a low ponytail, wearing a shirt for a band that Sunny didn't recognize, caught sight of him, smiling happily.

"Hey! You must be Sunny! Cmon in, we don't bite." The blonde headed boy said cheerfully.

"Most of the time." Said an androgynous looking patient with their hair dyed dark red. They wore black nail polish that was chipping, and had a small hole near their nose, indicating that they once had a piercing there.

Sunny slowly slid away from their sight, his knees wobbling anxiously. He wanted to go home. He wanted to see Mari and his friends. And he just wanted Mewo back. Why did he have to be like this?

As he thought to himself, Sunny felt something tug at his sleeve, flinching. He didn't want to look and see who was grabbing him.

He didn't want to be there at all.

Here's Omori eating onigiri for your troubles. Sorry I need some angst its been too fluffy for too long, I need to switch it up. Yes I will continue to focus on the other characters while Sunny is in the hospital.