Sunny walked with his hands in his pockets beside Kel. The sunscreen made his arms feel all greasy, but then again, it was better than being sunburnt.
"So, uh, Mari... you positive you wanna come with after last time?" Kel asked in an uncertain tone.
Sunny glanced behind himself to see Mari. Mari smiled, "I do! I was hoping I could hang out with all of you for the first time in such a long time! I missed you, Kel!"
Kel made an awkward smile and blushed, "Aw, I missed you too, Mari!" Kel then giggled a bit.
Sunny ducked under the brush and saw Basil sitting at the same table, this time with Aubrey and Hero at the table already.
"Hi, Sunny!" Aubrey waved happily. She smiled brightly. Basil turned to wave too when he noticed Sunny, too.
Sunny silently waved. Kel burst through the bushes behind Sunny, Mari also had come through at some point, though Sunny hadn't heard when.
Hero's face visibly looked uncomfortable. Then again, after yesterday, who wouldn't be.
Sunny began to make his way over to the rest of the group. Kel decided to run over and slam into his brother's side on the bench.
"Oww, Kel." Hero said with a small smile at his brother. He rubbed his shoulder, likely having been hurt from Kel's reckless behaviour.
Sunny calmly sat down by Basil's side. Mari took the last remaining seat, being next to Kel. "Hi, Sunny." Basil said with a cute smile. His smile always made Sunny feel happy. Sunny would've smiled if he had the capacity to display his emotions so openly.
"So, Basil, what'd you wanna tell us?" Kel asked with a smile. Getting right to the point, apparently.
Basil looked at his hands, "O-Okay, I'm ready to say it. I-I'm gay." Basil stuttered.
"Well, duh." Aubrey rolled her eyes.
"Aubrey, be nice! Thank you for telling us, Basil." Hero said more delicately.
"That's it? I thought everyone knew that." Kel muttered to himself.
"I'm glad you told us, Basil." Sunny said with an attempt at a comforting smile. He put his hand on Basil's back.
Basil looked back to Sunny. "Thanks, Sunny." He spoke with an intonation that made Sunny feel a feeling that was probably less straight than he felt he was.
"Ah... no problem." Sunny said, with a small blush.
Mari remained silent. Just observing.
"Well, it's your choice, Basil. I think you can do whatever you'd like." Mari suddenly piped up.
Sunny felt a bit put off by Mari's comment, but maybe it was just his imagination. He reads too far into people's actions at times.
"So, Mari! I learned something cool!" Aubrey excitedly announced, changing topics a bit drastically out of nowhere. Hero put his hand to his face.
"What'd you learn?" Mari invited.
"I learned how to set a calliope!" Aubrey smiled gleefully, "My uncle owns one, and he showed me how they work and how to write music for it to play!"
"Wooah, that's rad!" Kel said with awe. Sunny was honestly surprised Kel even knew what a calliope was.
Even more surprising, Mari didn't. "Ah... I think I heard of a calliope before... what is it?"
"Oh! It's an instrument, like an organ that runs on steam!" Aubrey explained.
"Oh, okay!" Mari seemed a bit embarrassed.
"Can you show me? That sounds cool as hell!" Kel asked excitedly.
"Yeah, cool. So, Basil, have you been doing okay lately?" Hero asked, less concerned with the conversation about circus instruments.
A gust of wind sashayed through the overhead tree. The sound of the leaves rustling made a calming sound.
"I-I've been doing okay." Basil fibbed, "I mean, n-not much changed... other than... y-yeah..."
Hero nodded thoughtfully. "It's okay, Basil. We're here for you." Sunny put his hand back onto Basil's back.
Basil put his hands on his knees and had tears in his eyes. Sunny's heart hurt seeing him like this. "S-Sorry."
"So about the calliope..." Mari began but was stopped by Hero slamming his fist into the picnic table, "Alright..."
"Y'know, there's a Hamlet movie coming out, and they're making Mercutio black." Kel commented.
"Shut up, Kel." Hero said with his fist still on the table.
"Sorry, man, just trying to change the topic, since y'know..." Kel said stiffly.
"I know." Hero sighed.
"Sorry, I-I didn't mean to start an argument!" Basil stuttered. Sunny hugged Basil quickly. He needed one. He felt Aubrey hug Basil, too.
"You guys are so nice..." Basil felt like crying. Sunny felt Basil's hand on his wrist. Not resisting the hug, but affirming it. Sunny felt his heart rate increase heterosexually.
Sunny opened his eyes and pulled out of the hug after Basil stopped holding his arm. Hero ruffled Sunny's hair as soon as he did.
"Herooo." Sunny complained as he tried to fix his hair.
"You're a good kid, Sunny. I mean, a good man, I guess." Hero said with a smile.
Mari walked over too, "A good boy, I'd say." Mari put her hand on Sunny's head. Sunny felt a sense of deja vu.
Something felt strange. Sunny felt he would have to talk with his sister when they got home.
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...
