Chapter Text
For Sunny, even despite remembering the words that Mari had once used to give him confidence at times like these when terror gripped at his heart. He still couldn't help but be filled with this unenviable discomfort. The ever-present wounds in his soul ached as he couldn't help but recount the last time he went to this church for a funeral. Mmm, it's a bit fuzzy. Me, Hero, and Kel were here last time, right? Aubrey and Basil, too, I think, for Mari's funeral. When I first saw Hero, he hugged me and said, 'he was so sorry.' That he 'failed me and failed Mari.' I should check on him.
Sunny was still with Hero and Kel. They all slowed, as none wanted to get there in a Hurry. Sunny looked at Hero, whose eyes were half closed and unfocused. He was almost walking instinctively instead of actively concisely thinking about it. Why do I feel like I owe Basil this? I get that he has been through a lot, but that doesn't excuse what he did. YEARS AND YEARS, I BLAMED MYSELF WHEN THE TRUTH WAS SHE WAS ALREADY DE-! She was dead. Even now, Hero didn't think of Mari as dead. He almost always referred to her in his head in the present tense. Well, accepting that she is genuinely gone is part of grieving, right? I promised myself I would help us get better, and I will follow through. At some point, I will express to Basil how I feel. It just can't be today. It's his day to grieve.
Sunny turned to Kel, Letting him know, using his unusual manner of nonverbal communication, that he should check on Hero. Kel understood but had trouble finding the right words. He stuttered his attempts to start a sentence with 'ah,' 'uh,' and 'um,' only adding to the tension. Before he could find the right words, Hero's voice cut through the silence.
"Guys, we don't want to be late." Hero's face obscured as he picked up his pace to get ahead of the two of them.
"I tried," Kel said quietly with a shrug towards Sunny.
As the three stood before the church, Sunny couldn't help but notice the stark similarities between the church in his dreams and the one in reality. Well, duh, they are literally the same place. The real-world church, however, was far less idyllic. The dust on the windows, a sign of Pastor Micheal's neglect, was visible. Weeds had taken over the entrance, where grass and bushes should have been, and there was no snow to mask their presence, unlike in Headspace.
Kel also took a moment to look over the church. Trying to stay positive, Kel opted not to think about the group's past heartbreak and instead focused on a funny thought. I sometimes forget that this is where Hero and I will get married once we find wives. Well, that is if Mom gets her way. I wonder if an Orange Joe factory would allow a wedding in it?
Hero thought nothing as he focused entirely on the task at hand. He opened the two handles to the church door to reveal a surprisingly large gathering. There had to have been two to three dozen people in attendance and quite a few faces Sunny had seen before. There was Old Lady, Old Beardy, School Principal, Old Man With Glasses, and Cesar, the only person whose name he knew because he owned Gino's, and Sunny and Kel delivered pizza for him a few times.
However, Hero, Kel, and Sunny recognized one face standing by potted plants. Her trademark red glasses were a dead giveaway. Granted, the rest of her attire threw Sunny and Kel for a loop. Rather than her standard navy blue jeans and hoodie, she wore a lilac dress with a slight purple belt around her waist. Her black heels were so low one could hardly call them heels. Kim seemed to be taking a moment to ready herself before moving forward. Kim's reading was interrupted by a quiet complaint from behind her.
"Wow, seriously, Kim, you have some nerve showing up here!" She turned to see the trio. Kel was the one who spoke; however, Sunny brow was also furrowed, though it was barely noticeable. "Go." That was all the raven boy had to add.
"Like hell I am; I had to wear a dress and everything!" Kim responded, almost jokingly, trying to lower Kel and Sunny's aggression. Hero watches the three as an impartial observer.
Her attempt at humor did little to calm either. "Ya know, Kim, just when I thought you couldn't hit any new low, you are crashing Basil's grandma's funeral. I am almost impressed at how awful that it is." Said Kel, crossing his arms and receiving an agreeing nod from Sunny.
"I am not crashing anything. Basil invited me jerkwad!" Kim said, scowling at the both of them.
"What!? Why would he invite you of all people!" Kel said, challenging the very idea. I may be dumb, Kim, but even I'm not that dumb to think that Basil would invite his highschool bully to a funeral for someone who meant a lot to him.
"Becauuuuse Kel, me and him are cool now. All of my gang is; we all apologized to him, except Aubrey, but I am sure she will come around."
This is the girl who came to us when Aubrey wouldn't leave her home. It seems like there is some tension between her, Basil, Kel, and Sunny. Hero Thought before chiming in: "Clearly, there is some context I am missing here."
"Kim here," Kel said, pointing a thumb toward her. "plus, all her pals have been helping Aubrey bully Basil for years, and I have a hard time believing that they just suddenly had a change of heart!"
Hero took a moment to observe both sides and think things through. There is no sense in being irrational and causing a commotion. Kim rested her hands on her hips, leaning forward and staring at Kel and Sunny pouting. As for Kel and Sunny, they were leaning back with judgmental side eyes. Ohhhh, wait a minute. I get what's happening here.
"I get it; you are Basil's new friend, right?" Hero said, stepping forward, guessing.
"Oh, is that what he said?" Kim paused, and a small smile touched the end of her lips. "Yeah, I totally am!" Kim said, pounding her fists into the air.
"What, no way!" Kel's mouth was slack. "Why would someone as nice as Basil wanna be friends with you!"
"I can be nice too ... when I wanna be," Kim said while hesitantly sticking a sucker in her mouth.
Sunny moved forward and looked Kim up and down before saying. "Not lying."
"How can you be sure?" Kel asked.
"Makes sense; Basil is far too forgiving." Sunny then added.
Hero, ever the peacemaker, shook his head slightly and addressed everyone. "Look, we are all here for Basil, right?" Everyone in the group nodded and voiced agreeance. "Then can we put aside petty arguing and actually do that? Basil wants her to be here; if that is his choice, it is none of our business."
"But Hero-!" Kel tried protesting, but Hero's frustrated voice ended that quickly.
"Look, Kel, we have all made mistakes. All done bad stuff we wish we could take back. If we stop giving people the benefit of the doubt, how are we ever supposed to make peace with one another? Unless you would like to return to everyone ignoring each other out of fear and anger."
"Nooooo, that's the last thing I want." Kel then gave Kim one last look, "But I will be watching you."
"I will go look for Basil to give my condolences." Hero said and right after, Kel added. "I will join you."
Kim was also about to suggest tagging along, but a light tap on her shoulder put her attention elsewhere. It was Sunny. He motioned his head towards a granite pillar and started to move towards it. Kim followed after him.
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Basil sat in one of the church's off-rooms, mentally preparing himself—or at least trying to. The air was stagnant, and breathing it in did not help his already queasy stomach. The reason for his need to get away from the gathering was simple. In 15 to 20 minutes, after he had done more meaningless small talk, he would have to give her eulogy. Polly would give one first, then him.
On top of that, the funeral was open casket. Even with Basil having put things exactly how she wanted, having to see her lifeless body in the casket was torment—the worst part of all of it. Something wasn't here. It finally chose to leave him alone, and yet all the things it would always bring found themselves stirring within him. It filled him all at once: Panic, fear, despair, shortness of breath, burning hot and freezing cold within a few minutes. He had nothing to blame except himself.
Oh well, at the VERY LEAST, MOM AND DAD COULD MAKE TIME OFF from their BUSY SCHEDULES to act like we are a family for once in their life. They don't want to be here! They feel obligated to! For god sake, Dad, this is the woman who gave birth to you! Why does it feel like I care more than you? IT MAKES ME WANNA SCREAM! At this moment, a rarer emotion mixed into his near panic attack. Deep, wild breathing accompanied his anger, along with the heaving and the retraction of his chest. He drew his lips into a snarl.
However, before his episode could progress further, arms wrapped around him suddenly and without warning. Hands as gentle and precise as his own when pruning a beautiful flower patted his head. Polly's voice came through.
"Basil! Basil! What's wrong?!" Polly's tone conveyed one of a deep worry.
Oh, that's right, she came with me when I left to get away for a moment. Basil had remembered as he gradually calmed down.
"I am aaangry ppppolly!"
"About?" Polly let go of him and stepped back. Due to Basil sitting at a table and being short, Polly had to crouch slightly to put herself at his level, which she gladly did.
"no aaangry isn't the riight worddd, i'mmm pisseddd."
"Oh my." Basil's attitude slightly took Polly aback. This anger is similar to when he came home from the hospital mad at Sunny, but that was less intense. What could it be? That's when it hit Polly where this was coming from. "Your parents, right?"
"whyyy did theyy evvven bother showwwing uppp!? Dadd's around working thee croowd like he always ddoes. Sure, he startsss the conversatiooon about her but then workks his way toward all the stupid crap he is doing at the moment! Thats bettttter than moom, at least! At least, he has the decency to be sad and meean it. Mom is going aroundd pretendding to care. I know her; she only cares about how big digits are in our bank account." Basil ranted and raved, flinging his arms around haphazardly as he did. Tears streamed like a river as he closed his lips, eyes affixed to the wall. I want this day to be over.
Polly then took a seat beside Basil. She leaned on his shoulder slightly. "It's okay; I understand exactly what you are going through."
Oh yeah, Polly, did you ruin the lives of everyone you cared about? Despite the intrusive thought, Basil kept silent as she continued to speak.
"When I was jeez, how old was I again?" Polly trailed off deep in thought before remembering. "I was 11 when my mom died." Died isn't really what happened, but considering what happened to that friend of his, I probably shouldn't go into detail. Parsley had told Polly of this Mari girl. Her mother being a victim of suicide had been one of the main reasons she grew attached to the boy so quickly. It was that shared experience, even if Polly never needed to tell him.
"Ohhh, I am sorrry to hear that Pollly."
"I am not quite finished, Basil." Polly's face contorted in a pained expression, recalling her life's events up until this moment. "After she died, my dad started teaching me things, like how to cook and clean for myself. He got me a bike so I could get home from school by myself. He would always leave me 100 dollars a month in, oh how did he put it 'entertainment money.' "
"H h, he didn't want to deal with you?" A sad recognition found its way into Basi's voice. Neglect was something he knew far too well.
"mhm, he would maybe stop by once or twice a month to check in on me. Sometimes, he would bring women home. Those were the worst nights. I was forced to hear through those paper-thin walls things little girls ought not to have to hear at that age. It drilled one thing into my head. That he never loved my mother. He might have been secretly relieved she was gone and out of his way. I'll never really know." Polly's voice trembled, bearing the raw truth of her past.
Overcome with emotions, Basil couldn't help but pull Polly into a tight hug. "You've had a rough life. It's not fair."
Polly chuckled slightly, pulling back from Basil after a moment. "You're one to talk. Anyway, I told you that because I wanted you to realize you aren't alone in what you are experiencing now with your parents." Well, Pauline, you are already bearing your heart out to the kid. It would be best if you got it all out in the open. You are invested now. Polly thought before continuing. "I am not going to get into my terrible ex-boyfriend or my experiences with your father, but I want you to know that you are pretty much the only man who has ever made me feel like a person. I want to help you grow into your own life and work through your problems. Even with Parsley being gone, my life is so much better getting to look after you. It has been since the day I took this job." Her words, filled with commitment and dedication, aimed to reassure Basil of her unwavering support.
Basil didn't know what to say. Learning all this was so much; by how Polly acted, he could never have known she had been through all that. Yet I am just the same as all those other guys. Lying to her, using her to make myself feel better. If she knew what I did, would she still accept me? Basil wasn't sure; all he did know was that there was a chance she would leave him if she knew. He decided that wasn't one he was willing to take.
"Polllly, wouldd it be alright if I called you my moom ... I meaan, like wheen no one else is arounnd?" Polly was about to speak before Basil started talking again rapidly. "Oh nooo, thaat was such a duomb idea. I'm making you uncomfooortable, areeeen't I? We can droop-"
"I wouldn't mind," Polly said as she rested her hand on Basil's. "I want you to be happy. If that's what it takes, it doesn't bother me."
"ah ok ......... mom." Basil mumbled, trying the words out on his lips.
"Yeah, no, it works. I don't think i will be calling you son, but feel free to call me mom all you like." Polly added with a reassuring nod of her head.
A warm feeling overwhelmed Basil, pushing down all of his inner turmoil. However, much to his dismay, it felt more like it was compressing, ready to pop. Thankfully, he was given an out as a knock at the door was heard.
"Hey Basil, it's Hero, me and Kel heard you were in here. Would it be alright if we came in?"
Polly looked to Basil for confirmation. Which he gave in the form of a small "Yes."
"Come in," Polly responded, and the boys entered to check in on Basil. They talked for a few minutes about this and that and how Basil was doing, and he was honest. Mostly, lying at this point in his life seemed to come naturally. However, he attempted to avoid it unless a situation made him uncomfortable. Wait, where are Kim and Sunny? That pressure inside him began to press down deeper.
"Heyyyy guyyyys youuu wouldnn't happpen to seeee Kim or Sunnny here? Maybe theyyy had someeething betterrr to dooo i guesss?" Basil's words reeked of insecurity.
"No, they are here. I guess Kel and I just lost track of them," Hero said before Kel corrected.
"Speak for yourself. I saw them talking by a pillar. Oh wait, here they come now."
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For Kim, having a conversation with Sunny was a foreign experience. Basil had given her an idea of how it is done, as Sunny was one of the things Basil liked to talk about most often, to her dismay. She suspected the slight lip movements and vague hand gestures were supposed to mean something to someone other than herself.
Not getting this. Sunny thought before deciding to spell it out for Kim. "Suprised you are here."
"Why wouldn't I be? I look out for my friends. I figured you, of all people, would realize that by now." Kim responded.
"More surprised he invited you."
"He and I may have some rough history, but that is behind us now."
"Easy to say. Could have just forced Basil to invite you. Let's people walk all over him. Wouldn't be hard."
Kim groaned. "Look, I didn't do that. I get why you might not like me. You are his best friend, and I treated him like sh*t. After having a borderline philosophical discussion on forgiveness, I realized he may have too easily forgiven me even if he thinks he didn't."
"right. were forgiven too easily," Sunny said, right after thinking to himself. You're one to talk.
"You gonna make a problem out of it?" Kim curled an eyebrow.
"Not if you don't. Wanted you to know I hadn't forgotten."
"Well, whether you like me or not doesn't matter. You're probs gonna be seeing a lot more of me. I pretty much hang out with him every day after me, and the gang get done doin our thing."
Sunny, despite his stoic exterior, was grappling with his emotions. He couldn't deny that Kim's presence had been a source of comfort for Basil, even though he resented it. He knew Basil needed someone by his side, but he was still too hurt to be that person.
"Fine, just don't hurt him again, or else!" Sunny's voice quivered with a volatile mix of anger and concern, his usual facade replaced by the one he had shown Mikhael in the hospital. However, Kim's perceptive eyes could see beyond the feigned aggression, sensing the actual depth of Sunny's emotions.
"Or else what?" Kim provoked, guessing that this was little more than show.
"Or else, I'll... just don't find out, ok!"
Kim chuckled in response, her voice tinged with amusem*nt. "Man, you and Kel may be able to hold your own in a fight, but your bark is worse than your bite, heh. Different than my normal crowd, but it is a nice change of pace." Kim then wrapped an arm around Sunny, leading him away from the pillar and towards the funeral proper. "Sunny, my friend, you got nothing to worry about. You said your piece, I hear you loud and clear." Kim's devilish smile did little to reassure Sunny.
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Sunny and Kim could see Hero and Kel ahead, talking with people inquiring about Basil's whereabouts. They both decided to let them do the searching as they were more preoccupied with taking in the funeral itself. Standing sprays of flowers littered the casket. Mountains of wreaths were hung at the end of each booth on the church's side walls. A massive casket spray sat at the closed end of Parsley's coffin. Baskets and bouquets were also situated on some folding tables put up to house them. Though there were some variations, these flowers mainly consisted of Lilies, Roses, Carnations, and Chrysanthemums. These flowers came in White, Red, Pink, and Yellow. Basil probably selected everyone of these flowers himself and knows what they mean. Sunny idled, even noting the white carnations, the central piece for the casket spray.
"Woah, this would have cost a mint to do," Kim said, having this astonished look in her eye.
"Likely. Parents are loaded. Suspect they just gave him their card and let him run wild."
"Wow, I hope my kids or grandkids do something this nice for me."
"Assume someone would have to like you enough to want to have kids with you. Uphill battle for you, I am sure."
Kim's eyes darkened. "What is that supposed to mean!" All Sunny had in response was a bored look, leading Kim to turn away. "I think the other two nerds found Basil. Let's go."
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As soon as Sunny and Kim reached Basil, he reached out to take both hands. He leaned his head on their shoulders, his body trembling with grief. Sunny and Kim's reactions were starkly different, reflecting their emotional states.
"Thaaankk youuu bothhh soooo much for cominggg." Basil had said with a shaking voice.
Sunny's discomfort was evident from his desperate refusal to make eye contact with Basil. He might have tried pulling away if Kim hadn't received the same treatment.
Kim's face, on the other hand, was redder than fire. Yo, I just now realized how rough his hands are. I always expected them to be soft just because of how he is. But no, he has calluses, and his palm is so coarse. I wonder if he thinks my hands are soft. I hope he do- Kim immediately shut that thought down by suddenly blurting out. "SO HOW BOUT THAT WEATHER HUH?"
"Whut?" responded a dumbfounded Basil. He then looked to Sunny, bit his lower lip, and let go of both of their hands. "Sorry," Basil said, directing his gaze towards Sunny.
"Fine," Sunny said. Sunny worked up the nerve to approach Basil and rub his shoulder comfortingly. Kel, also without as much as a word, gave Basil a side hug. Somehow, Basil had managed to suppress the urge to cry.
After this moment, the five made a circle, Hero being the first to speak.
"Wow, I hope this won't sound insensitive, Basil, but all things considered, Mrs. Parlsey got to live a pretty complete life. She did what she loved daily—living every moment to the fullest. I always admired her for that."
"Yeah, sheeee realllly was happpy untilll this lassst year. It wassss hard on herrr. Thattt was the woorst parrt." Basil said.
"Um, what did she die of, if you don't mind me asking?" Kim asked.
"Her heart gave out. She was diagnosed with Bradycardia. She had it for a while, and the fact that she was working meant that even after they put in the pacemaker, the damage was already done." Basil, for once, didn't seem to draw his words, probably because he was talking more to himself than the others.
"Oh, Bradycardia, that's where your heart slows to an abnormal pace, right?" Hero had asked.
"yeahhhh," Basil responded.
"If only they caught it sooner."
"Ah, guys, is this how Mrs. Parlsey would want us to act? Being all bummed out now that she is gone. I remember a hip old lady who, like her grandson, always saw the best in a bad situation." It was Kel who spoke his sudden chipper attitude earned a glare from Sunny and Hero. Oh, screw you guys, we need to smile now more than ever. Kel thought as their looks made him doubt, trying to lighten things up. Basil's beaming smile assured him he had said the right thing.
"Noooo guyssss Keeeel is riiight Grandmaaa would want ussss to remember heeer at her bestttt."
"Awesome, see, guys," Kel smirked, causing Sunny and Hero to back off. "OH OH OH Basil, can I tell a story about her!" Kel was revved up with energy.
"Sureeee Kelll!" Basil raised his hands to his chest, excited to see Kel's story.
"Aw, I got a good one; remember that Halloween when she wore that Jackson mask and hid near Basil waiting to scare us!"
Basil couldn't help but let out a little laugh. "Ha! I remember telling her it was too mean. Though in retrospect, it was hilarious."
"Got me the worst," Sunny said, recounting how when Parlsey jumped out, he ran away as fast as he could.
Hero also remembers Mari grabbing his arm and squeezing it tight. Mari rarely acted girly, but that was one of the few times she did. As Hero thought about this, he felt a pang of nostalgia and a longing for the carefree times. He decided not to vocalize ; I hope one day we can talk about her without the pain. But he still, however, wanted to contribute to the story being told.
"Man, remember how Aubrey almost punched her?"
Basil's eyes widened. It was one of the crazier parts of the story. Kim, however, laughed casually, resting her arm on Basil's shoulder.
"That sounds like her always ready to give an ass whopping to anyone messing with her people," Kim said.
"And everyone calls me Hero, but I was just as scared as Kel. I will never be able to top the fact that Aubrey was ready to throw down with an immortal killing machine to protect her friends."
"I wasn't that scared!" Kel added, gritting his teeth at Hero.
"Dude, you may not have run away like Sunny, but you jumped behind me. Admit it, you were scared."
"Dang it, why did I even bring up this dumb story." Said Kel, intentionally playing the fool. It got a hearty laugh from everyone.
However, a new laugh and a voice also broke into the small group. "HAHA! That does sound exactly like Mom." The man had a striking presence, his features etched with an air of both ruggedness and refinement. He stood tall at six foot two, with broad shoulders that taper down to a narrow waist. His skin is a flawless shade of pale, contrasting vividly with his vibrant teal eyes and unruly blonde hair that falls across his forehead in a carefree wave. A well-groomed beard adorns his jawline, matching his hair's color. Despite his intimidating appearance, his features have a gentle softness, particularly when he smiles. He carries himself with almost ethereal grace as if floating above the ground. Dressed in fine, tailored clothes that hug his form, He exudes an aura of wealth and privilege. His attire is a deep blue jacket embroidered with gold thread, expertly paired with a crisp white shirt and black pants. A gold pocket watch dangles from his vest, its polished surface catching the light playfully. Around his neck, he wears a simple chain bearing a small, iridescent blue stone - his late mother's pendant. Despite the extravagance of his garb, he carries himself with an understated elegance that speaks volumes about his character. This man was Dill Chloris Basil's father.
"Oh hey, da-"
Before Basil could even finish speaking, his father cut him off.
"Oh wow, I haven't seen you guys in years! How have you been?!"
His lighthearted personality charmed Hero and Kel, who took it at face value even if they knew little about him as a person. Kim had a better idea of the kind of person she was, so she crossed her arms disapprovingly. On the other hand, Sunny had way more to go off of than Kim. He gave Dill the dirtiest look he could that wasn't masked by his stoic nature.
"WOW, calm down their bud! I don't bite. Well ... unless someone wants me to." Dill said, trying to pat Sunny's head, who stepped back to avoid him.
Basil knew his father. He knew where this was going.
He is going to make it all about himself.
I ... I hate him.
