Kel loudly burped, his bottle now empty. "Jeez, what time is it."
Sunny looked at his phone. "Almost 10." He answered.
Kel sighed and stood up. "Welp, I gotta go. My parents are making me get a 'babysitting license'." Kel said in a mocking tone.
"Why's that?" Basil queried, "Are you gonna get a job as a babysitter?" There was a hint of worry in Basil's tone. No offense to Kel, but he probably wouldn't be great at being a babysitter. He may be good with kids, but he is a bit too childish himself.
"Nah, that'd be lame. They just wanna make sure that if I ever have to take care of my little sister, I'll know what I'm doing." Kel yawned, "They make such a big deal about it. It can't be that hard."
Sunny just shrugged at Kel. He wasn't a fan of being around kids. Teaching them was easy, so sometimes he'd be a tutor if someone asked, but being around them made him uncomfortable. They always just stared at him. Judging.
"See you later, Kel!" Basil was waving. Kel apparently started walking away while Sunny was lost in thought.
"Bye." Sunny added, with a small wave. Sunny turned back to Basil and saw a familiar look on his face. He was no longer feigning his constant cheery demeanour he tried to put up when around people.
"What's wrong, Basil." Sunny quietly asked. He tried to be delicate in tone, but that was always hard to do. It's like striking a balance. Too much, and you sound like you're talking to a sad dog. Too little, and you sound insensitive.
"It's a lot..." Basil looked down at his hands. He looked like he was about to cry.
"Tell me about it." Sunny offered.
"I just wanted to tell everyone something, and I just- they didn't even listen for a second... they just started arguing. I'm so selfish..." Basil put his head into his hands.
"It's okay, Basil. You aren't selfish. You're one of the kindest, nicest, and most compassionate people I know." Sunny said in a heterosexual manner.
Basil blushed at the compliments, "I- It's fine, I'm not..."
"Sorry if I said something wrong." Sunny replied, misunderstanding Basil's blushing and stuttering.
"No, n-no, it's okay, Sunny. I was just caught off-guard, that's all." Basil assured Sunny.
Sunny nodded and thought a moment before asking a question. "Hey, Basil, what were you planning to tell everyone today, by the way?"
"Oh... ah- well, um... Sunny... I-I'm... I think-" Basil sputtered nervously.
"It's okay if you don't want to tell me." Sunny nodded thoughtfully.
"Well- I just... um..." Basil grabbed his arm nervously. He had a sort of half-smile on his face, lending to his fickle behaviour.
"Hey, you two! Where'd Kel go?" Mari waved as she walked over.
"Oh, hey Mari!" Basil's face immediately changed, leaving nothing but some pink on his face from his earlier blushing. "Kel had to go to some... babysitting test? He's trying to get a babysitting license."
Sunny looked behind Mari just to make sure before asking, "Where's Hero and Aubrey."
"They're a lot faster than they look, that's for sure." Mari laughed, slightly out of breath. "I used to be one fast runner, but apparently I'm out of practice, ehe..." Mari made a little giggle sound before loudly exhaling.
"Are you okay, Mari?" Basil asked with some concern.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. I just overdid it on the running a bit." Mari said, putting her hands on her knees.
"Come sit down." Basil suggested.
Mari complied and sat down next to Sunny again. "So, Basil, it's been a while since I got to really talk to you!" Mari put on her strange smile from earlier again. Sunny felt like he was definitely just overanalyzing. That didn't stop it from making him feel a bit creeped out.
"Have you been taking a lot of photos?" Mari asked with a smile.
"Ah, not lately... the old camera started acting up and making the pictures come out smeared." Basil said with a little frown but brightened up quickly, "This week, though, Nikon is making a brand new camera. It's supposed to take way higher quality photos, and it uses a completely different method of photo development, so when the picture comes out, it won't get smeared or anything!"
"Ah, glad to hear that, Basil! Is your grandma gonna buy it for you?" Mari responded with a smile.
"Oh... um..." Basil looked down at the table.
"Mari. I thought I already told you, but I guess I forgot. Basil's grandma is... uh, gone... so..." Sunny awkwardly informed Mari.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, Basil. I didn't mean to upset you!" Mari spoke with the sad dog tone. Making it sound almost mocking.
"It- It's okay. I think I have to go home now... thanks for coming, Mari." Basil sadly picked up his papers and walked away, holding them to his chest.
Sunny watched Basil leave. He looked a bit broken up about what happened. Probably needed to be alone for a little while. Sunny decided he would call him when he got home, just in case.
Sunny turned to face Mari, who was facing him. Mari kissed his nose when he turned.
"Blech." He overdramatically wiped his nose off. "Gross, Mari, you gave me cooties."
"If I have cooties, then you've had it for years, you dummy." Mari teased.
She had an odd smile on her face when she said it. Usually, when she made her normal, genuine, whatever you want to call it smile, she'd close her eyes and smile fully. She may have been smiling fully, but Sunny couldn't help but be put off by her eyes squinted, looking right at him.
Sunny awkwardly laughed for a moment before standing up to walk back home. "Sorry about all this being a waste of time, Mari. Kel said Hero was okay with it, but I guess not."
"Kel also said that the moon was made of cheese." Mari rolled her eyes in a light-hearted manner.
"In his defense, he was 10." Sunny smiled at the memory of Kel confidently declaring it to an astronaut that there was a meet and greet with.
"What does the moon cheese taste like?" He had specifically asked. The poor astronaut wasn't sure what he said and just told him he hadn't been to the moon. He started laughing when he heard Kel continue, "I wonder what kind of cheese it is..."
Sunny reached the sidewalk along the park and looked both ways. Mari grabbed his hand and led them across the road.
"I... uh... don't really need the help." Sunny said quietly. A bit embarrassing to be seen having your older sister lead you like a child across the road.
"Hey, it's my job to keep my baby brother safe." Mari smiled her now familiar, though natheless bizarre smile.
"Well, I'm not your baby brother, I'm just your brother, so..." Sunny said, unwilling to start a confrontation in public.
"You're my cute baby brother, so it's my job to protect you, sorry!" Mari giggled as she said it, like it was funny, but her grip on Sunny's hand tightened as she said it.
Sunny decided that maybe it was best to just deal with it for now.
YOU ARE READING
A Cage with No Key
Fanfiction- AU - Sunny has been making his way through school as Mari has started her success as a pianist, playing for national events and concerts. throughout it all, she hasn't moved out, though. She says it's for Sunny, but it couldn't be for him alone, o...
