My Savior - Suntan

Chapter Twenty

Sunny's sides were heaving as they approached Hobeez, Kel's energy still not spent, dragging Sunny along behind him like a ragdoll. Basil's shouts had disappeared early into the race, having to save his breath for the long trek ahead, but now that the sprint was over, they could hear Basil's faint calls. They turned to see the pale boy stumbling down the sidewalk, huffing and puffing, grabbing onto his camera bag for what seemed like dear life.

"I win!" Kel cheered as Basil approached, doubling over and wheezing, Sunny doing the same.

"O-okay..." Basil huffed, "I'll... make sure to... get that... picture.."

Kel playfully slapped his hand on Basil's back which almost sent the boy flying into the pavement. Sunny heaved himself upwards, shielding his eyes from the sun, which seemed slightly lower than it did when they set out - the sky seeming to be transitioning into pinks, oranges and purples.

"We should hurry," Sunny suggested, nodding towards the store.

The three of them quickly pushed open the door, hearing the man behind the till yell, 'closing time in thirty minutes!'. Basil led them to the small section where he always got his camera film from, and where he got his camera bag. Then, as Basil started flicking through the rolls of film, wondering how much he would need, and what book he should choose for his new photo album, Kel ran off to look at the new comics. Sunny was left standing there awkwardly, so he left to look at the odd trikets that were stuffed haphazardly into the corner of the store - an afterthought. He rummaged through them, finding all sorts of weird things, like bottle corks tied to string or things that looked suspiciously like teeth in a bracelet or necklace - but then there were other nicer things, like a sunflower pin, or a sewn patch of a basketball, or a... frying pan towel? Sunny rummaged more, finding a pair of black cat socks at the bottom in the corner. Not trinkets... and when did you find clothes here?

"What've you found there, Sunshine?" Kel asked, bounding over with a handful of Spaceboy comics.

Sunny lifted up the pair of socks, pin and patch for Kel to see, who inspected them and moments later, smiled at him.

"They look great, Sun! Keeping them?"

Sunny looked at him.

"What? It was an honest question! Why, are you giving them to someone?"

Sunny got up and wandered over to the cashier, dumping the bits and bobs on the counter.

"That all?" The cashier asked, glancing at Sunny before scanning the items, watching Sunny nod slightly.

After paying, Sunny stuffed them in his pockets, walking outside to wait for Kel and Basil. He didn't wait long, Kel leaving the store and happily walking over to Sunny.

"So, Sunny," Kel started, feeling sick to his stomach, "I wanted to ask.. if you would like.. to.."

Sunny watch Kel rock back and forth on his heels, his cheeks going pink as he avoided eye contact with Sunny, until he sighed and looked Sunny in his eyes, taking his hands.

"Look, what I'm trying to say is.." Kel said, feeling his heart thrumming against his chest, "is that... I... lo-"

They were interrupted when the Hobeez door swung open, then slammed behind Basil, who was fumbling with his camera film slightly, trying to figure out to hold it in his hands with his new photo album.

"Hey, can one of you guys help me with this?-" Basil started, only just bothering to look up, and at the scene he just interrupted, "...sorry?"

Sunny gently let go of Kel's hands, trying to catch his eye, but Kel was confidently avoiding his eyes. Kel felt his eyes watering slightly, feeling a wave of sadness overwhelm him for a few moments, before he shook himself. Sunny took the album from Basil, admiring it in his hands, feeling the memories from the old one flood through him.

"Exciting, isn't it?" Basil said quietly, looking at the cover of the new album, which looked similar to the old one, just without the words 'Basil's memories' and a slightly lighter green, "I was hoping you could draw something on the front to make it seem more like ours?"

Sunny nodded quietly, still staring at the new cover. Memories of Mari swarmed him, like an ocean inside his head, a high-pitched noise ringing in his ears. He smiled sadly, knowing immediately what he'd draw on the front of the cover.

"Let's get going," Kel said, "Polly'll be wondering where you've gone, Basil!"

The three of them wandered back to Basil's in silence, each of them distracted by their own things going on in their head. When they got to Basil's, they said their goodbyes, Basil thanking them for a good day out, mentioning in passing about starting therapy, offering Sunny to go with him, which he said he'd think about.

Kel led Sunny back to his house, the two of them still quiet, but a comfortable silence. One that could drag on forever, and it would never be awkward because the other person would instinctively know whether they should do something or what to do. Kel took Sunny's hand, swinging it back and forth, gently. The two of them staring into the sky, the moon, the stars. They seemed so far away.

"Hey, Sunny?" Came Kel's quiet voice as they walked on, slowly approaching Sunny's house.

"Hm?"

"After Mari's death, it felt like nothing would be good again... we all suffered in our own way and we all shut ourselves off from the world, drowning in something that would distract us... but right  now... the world seems at peace. Almost perfect."

Sunny hummed in response. The stars twinkled, slow and peaceful. Almost perfect.

(Author's Note: OMG! I was not expecting this to continue for so long, but don't worry - it's still not done! I just wanted to write this to say how much I FREAKING LOVE reading your comments and your support means to much to me! I have such a lack of motivation sometimes, but knowing that you'll read the new chapter and like it just makes it 10x better when I get a new one out. I LOVE YOU ALL, YOU ALL DESERVE THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE!)