My Savior - Suntan

Twenty-Six

"Basil, step on it, we don't want it to close before we get there!" Kel yelled behind him, the sun sliding lower in the sky.

"I'm trying!" Basil puffed, his body still not used to all the running around, even though he had been chasing after Kel and Sunny for the past few days.

Sunny kept his eyes ahead of him, turning the corner sharply so he almost skidded into oncoming traffic, but luckily, Kel grabbed his arm and dragged him back before he got ran over. Sunny felt his heart hammering from their run there, and from his near-fatal experience, resting his head on Kel's chest as he calmed down.

"Maybe we should've stepped off it?" Kel said jokingly, though looking down at Sunny with worry in his eyes. Sunny playfully rolled his eyes, grabbing Kel's hand and dragging him behind him, Basil catching up and extremely grateful they had slowed the pace.

The trio stumbled into Othermart, a few of the customers milling about giving them weird looks as they scooted out of their way. The bedraggled teens sped through the isles, Kel getting distracted by a black cat plush on a shelf.

"Kel, no time for distractions!" Basil hissed to him, watching Sunny disappear behind a different isle, "Sunny doesn't know we're gone! What happens if he thinks we left him and panics?"

That snapped Kel out of his trance, darting past the isles quickly, almost running into Sunny's back as they finally made it to the Pharmacy counter.

"Oh, hello there, Sunny," the person working at the pharmacy said kindly, looking at him with a soft expression, "I haven't seen you in a few weeks - though a shorter time than four years, right?"

Sunny nodded, shifting awkwardly as he looked down at the counter, staring determinedly at it. Kel stood protectively behind Sunny, narrowing his eyes at the pharmacy worker, before gently placing a reassuring hand on Sunny's shoulder. The pharmacy worker, oblivious that they had caused anything uncomfortable, continued.

"So, bandages? I remember that you used to get them often," the pharmacy worker said happily, watching Sunny nod, "well, your mother got them for you once you stopped coming."

After that, the worker dipped below the counter for around a minute, before re-emerging with a large box of bandages.

"Will that be all?" Asked the worker, sliding the box across the counter.

Sunny nodded quietly, sliding the money over to the worker, before taking the bandages and walking away, leaving Basil and Kel to trail after him, both looking at each other with confusion and concern.

Kel tilted his head towards Sunny, trying to telepathically tell Basil that he was going to talk to Sunny. Basil nodded, seeming to understand. Kel jogged up beside Sunny, before slowing into a walk beside him.

"So, uhh.. what was that about?" Kel asked, trying to seem casual, but then fumbled it by then saying, "but you don't have to tell me if you don't want to! Totally personal things can be kept to yourself."

"The... thing you saw a week or more ago," Sunny mumbled, holding the box tenderly, "it's been going on for a while, if you... couldn't tell."

Kel then felt sick, remembering the look of pure terror on Sunny's face when Kel figured it out. He didn't know why he never thought it hadn't been going on for long, despite seeing some scars himself when Sunny came out of the shower. Thinking back to it, Kel no longer felt embarrassed about seeing Sunny in nothing but a towel; he felt sickened by the mere memory of the lines across his arms.

"It's fine, though," Sunny mumbled, reaching out one of his hands while the other curled protectively around the bandage box, slipping his fingers around Kel's, "someone's made me feel safer."

Kel nodded, tightening his grip on Sunny's hand, though not tight enough to hurt. This boy, this wonderful, sweet, caring boy that walked so quietly beside him, had suffered more than he had ever known. He felt responsible for what happened, the issues he had. If only he had tried harder to stay in touch with Sunny. If only he had kept him safe then. Kel shook himself. No point brooding on the past, Kel thought to himself, letting go of Sunny's hand, and instead wrapping his whole arm across his shoulders and pulled him closer, I can't change it, there's still a future to be made, and I'll make sure that this time, I will be by you always.

When the three of them got back to Sunny's house, Sunny went to store the bandages away, while Basil and Kel went back into the kitchen.

"I'll just give you the cactus plant care book," Basil said, getting the book from the table, where he had put it down in the moment, "I'll introduce you to the plants, we'll.. when you're supervised."

Kel shrugged, finding a dustpan and brush in one of the low down cupboards, sweeping up the remains of the soil, cacti and the cactus spikes.

"Y'know... you and him make a really good pair," Kel heard Basil say. When he looked over, he couldn't see Basil's face, as he was staring intently down at the table, but he could hear his voice get quieter, "you shouldn't ever lose that. I know you'll find your ending someday."

"Uhh, Basil, what are you-" Kel started, feeling that this was more of an ominous warning than a 'good luck, Kel, on confessing!' But then, Sunny came back in. Basil turned to Kel and smiled, winking at him, gesturing to Sunny.

"Anyway, guys, I should get going," Basil announced, packing up the few bits he had left on the table, "thanks for letting me stay over, but Polly'll be wondering where I've disappeared to!"

The three of them said their goodbyes at the door, Basil waving at them as he disappeared up the street.

Kel felt Sunny lean against him, looking down, he saw the shorter boy close his eyes, feeling perfectly content. Kel smiled at him, ushering him back inside. Kel turned back towards the street where Basil had ran off, anxious to get back one last time, before closing the door.

He couldn't help but feel uncomfortable about what felt like Basil's ominous warning.

(Author's Note: The mySTeRioUs memory will be in the next chapter! Also, since I feel bad about (totally not) forgetting what I did in Chapter Twenty-Four and having to back-track, below this is a sneak peek of the beginning of next chapter :D):

' "C'mon, Kel," Sunny said, watching the taller boy lumber down the stairs, yawning and swaying with fatigue, Sunny tensing slightly as he saw Kel get precariously close to slipping, before wobbling back up right and making it to the bottom of the stairs.

"Basil better like your design," Kel grumbled, squinting his eyes out in the sunlight, hearing Sunny lock the door behind them, "we've had to miss breakfast for this!"

"You don't even know my design yet," Sunny pointed out, cutting across the grass to the sidewalk, hearing Kel trudge along after him, before accidentally bumping into him.

"Yeah, but if it's coming from you, it's going to be good!" Kel exclaimed, yawning.

"And once we get our supplies, I'll treat you to something at Ginos," Sunny offered, feeling guilty about waking him up earlier than usual, when something that had been bouncing around his head for a while, suddenly crossed his mind again. '