[OLD] Flesh & Bone (OMORI AU)

Chapter 39: Being transparent

"How did they manage to make that so realistic??" Basil gasped as he watched raptors running across the screen.

"Magic~" Kim waved her hands in the air dramatically, Aubrey laughing and hitting the arm of the couch.

"Hey, no need for that." Mari frowned.

"Since when are you my mom?" Aubrey teased with a smirk.

Mari rolled her eyes with a chuckle, leaning into Hero. "Now I am, I guess."

"Wait if you're the mom-" Hero paused, his cheeks and the tips of his ears burning red.

"If you want~" Mari gave her his signature smug smile, hearing Basil, Vance, Aubrey and Kim laugh from the other couch.

"Hero's my dad now? Can we get ice cream?" Aubrey beamed jokingly.

"Okay, okay. I'm not your dad, and we aren't having ice cream. We made all of those deserts didnt we?" Hero rose a brow.

"Oh. Right..." Kim mumbled under her breath, leaning back.

"Maybe once this movie is done we can get to that, okay?" Hero smiled warmly, the others cheering excitedly.

...

"Hey, Sunny?" Kel glanced at Sunny, who was curled up on his lap like a cat.

"Hmm..?" Sunny opened his eye and looked up at him.

The two of them had been sitting on the kitchen tiles for a while after finishing the dishes. Sunny still wanted to calm down, so Kel offered to let him lay on his lap.

"Wanna watch that movie? What are they even watching again?"

"Jurassic Park." Sunny yawned softly.

"Oh- um."

"You haven't seen it since you were ten, try watching it and see how you feel."

"But that T-rex it-"

"It's not real? It's a movie. Its okay."

Sunny chortled as he sat up and carefully got off of Kel's lap. Helping him up, Sunny held Kel's hand and gave him a small reassuring look, which calmed the other boy down. They then walked in the room, to realize the movie had finished and the others were chatting about desert. Was it a little too early?

Plus...

Sunny needed to talk to Mari about something.

"Hey, guys!" Kel waved, hearing the others snicker. "What? What's so funny?"

"You guys were kiiiiissing." Vance teased. Hero and Mari were unimpressed with the current situation.

"No." Sunny said instantly, quickly walking to the carpet with Kel.

"Oh, Sunny we were about to have desert." Basil perked up, adjusting his flower hairpin.

"I need to talk to you, Mari." Sunny said, Mari smiling awkwardly. "In private... its about what happened the other day.."

Mari's eyes widened a little. Clearing her throat, she spoke with faux confidence. "This is something that I need to let everyone else be aware of here. I think it's time I open up about something personal.." Mari glanced at Hero, who smiled and nodded. He seemed to know what she was talking about.

"What was Uncle Ken talking about?" Sunny asked, his voice slightly strained from anxiety. He had a lump in his throat.

Mari sighed softly, taking in a deep breath before exhaling, fidgeting with her cardigan. "For context... Uncle Ken is Sunny and my mother's brother. They had a falling out after Sunny was born and he was rarely allowed to see us. But he kept seeing me. Until the age of seven he used me for his own pleasure.. if you can understand where I am getting at." Mari frowned, Hero rubbing her back gently.

"If you aren't ready its okay, Mari..."

"No no no... it's okay. There's not much time left for me anyway." Mari chuckled bitterly. "Uncle Ken he... he got angry at me. I-I... Uncle Ken is a gay man. And... I was born male."

Mari grew quiet, only hearing the humming of the ceiling fan above. The others were surprised but waited patiently for her to continue.

"When I was younger I realized I was meant to be a girl. And while my parents thought I was just a feminine boy, I explained to them on my seventh birthday that I was a girl. Of course they were shocked, but were loving and supportive of me anyway. Sunny... you were only four, so I never assumed that you could remember."

Sunny hesitantly nodded. He could only recall memories after the age of five, which is also when he first started talking.

"So they helped me be myself. Bought me all of the clothes and toys I wanted, let me grow my hair out... by the time December came around.. for Christmas... the rest of my family knew. While our grandparents weren't sure of what to do, they still tried to support me and make sure I was happy... but Ken... he was furious. He told me that I cant just be a girl, that I was his and I had to be a boy. That's when my mother found him in my room... violating me. Before she called the police he ran out the door and drove away with a woman I didn't recognize at the time...but it was the woman with blue hair that worked with Francine."

Kel had his head low. He also knew about this, but for different reasons. He could feel Mari's gaze in his direction, and he moved his head up.

"At twelve I started transitioning. I developed like a biological girl would, and my name had already been legally changed by the time i was thirteen. Thats... when Sunny and I met Hero and Kel."

"Mari I-" Kel stopped, but Mari seemed patient. "Can I say it?"

"Of course. If you're comfortable." She smiled.

Kel ran a hand through his hair, inhaling. Sunny was trying to process all of this new information.

"I'm like Mari.. too.. um. Born a girl, but really a boy? We're transgender." Kel pursed his lips. "I came out when I was ten, but didn't get the same support as Mari until I was fourteen.... But I was perceived as a boy anyway. Nobody noticed. Except Mari... and she understood what I was going through. Without her I probably wouldn't have fought to transition.."

The room was quiet once more. The silence, of course, was inevitably interrupted.

"Dude, I don't give a fuck. Not like I dont support you guys but it doesn't change how I see you." Aubrey scoffed with a smile, nudging Kim.

"I'm trans too." Kim smiled a little. She didn't seem afraid to come out compared to the others.

"It doesn't bother me either. My sibling Rowan is trans." Basil smiled, crossing his legs.

"I think I remember you telling us that when they moved away." Hero brought up. Basil simply nodded.

Sunny looked at Kel and Mari, sitting up a bit. "I wish ai knew sooner... especially from you, Mari.. but.. they're right. It doesn't change a thing."

"Hold up, Vance what's your sexuality?" Aubrey pointed at him.

"Uh I dont like that kinda stuff."

"Vance told me he's asexual." Kim shrugged. Vance nodded with a small smile.

"Oh my god." Aubrey snorted. "Hero you're the only straight person here."

Hero paused. "And what does that have to do with Mari and Kel coming out?"

Aubrey laughed, holding her stomach. "I donno its just funny!!"

"Ooookay-" Hero chuckled nervously.

"Any questions?" Mari asked.

"So do you have a-" Kim clasped a hand over Vance's mouth, already knowing what he was going to ask.

"Vance I told you not to ask that question remember?"

"Oh. Yeah. Sorry."

"It's okay! I understand! But your sister is right, it isn't a good idea to ask a personal question like that." Mari smiled.

"Bro I love you guys but can we PLEASE have dessert?" Aubrey moaned.

"Of course!" Hero smiled as he stood up with Mari, the others following them to the kitchen.