Chapter Text
“Close your eyes.” Basil instructs Sunny as they sit up from their place on the ground, his cheeks flushed red and hands fidgeting nervously.
It’s a nice spring day outside, and the couple is celebrating a year of officially being together. It feels like time basically flew by, and high school will be ending very soon for the both of them, graduation just out of the grasp of their hands. It’s scary in a way, but also a huge relief, and Sunny couldn't be happier spending his last summer here with Basil as his boyfriend.
Things have changed a lot over the past few years for everyone. Mari and Hero have gone off to college, Aubrey dyed her hair a bright, bubblegum pink just recently, Sunny and Basil have found peace in each other’s presence and are happily enjoying their time as a couple, and Kel… Well to be honest, he’s still pretty much the same old Kel. Just much taller and more muscular than his younger counterpart.
Everyone has gone through a lot to get to where they are today, as individuals and as a group, and sudden changes none of them thought they were going to get through have almost split them apart. Here their friend group is though, just as strong and resilient as ever. It’s a miracle how things just seemed to work out in their favor, but Sunny wouldn’t change a thing about it. He thinks it makes them all much more stronger.
As of now, he and Basil are residing within the secret hideout spot they used to hang out in all the time as kids. Mostly, they’ve just been laying together, talking about recent events, eating fruit as they look up at the clouds above them… It’s really the only private spot perfect for a date, especially since they prefer it this way.
Because even after all of these years of discovering themselves and their identities, people still tend to give the two of them weird looks, and have problems with their very existence. Neither of the pair thinks it’ll ever stop being that way until they leave this place.
Sunny hides a chuckle behind his hand, eyes full of curiosity. “Why?” He asks, feeling a smile automatically form. He leans into Basil’s shoulder, looking softly, and somewhat smugly, upon his face. “Are you trying to surprise me with something?”
To this, Basil turns away, stroking a piece of hair back and forth anxiously. “A-As a matter of fact, I am.” He sternly asserts, puffing his cheeks because he obviously hadn’t wanted to admit that out loud.
Sunny’s stubbornness and perception has always irked him in some way. Not in an angry or hostile manner; moreover, annoyed and still surprised that he can read the boy so well, and that Basil can’t seem to hide anything at all from him anymore. However, he always has a smile to show for it, just because Sunny’s insistence is also amusing whenever he chooses to act a little stubborn himself.
“So go on, c-close your eyes.” Basil insists again, the antsiness in his voice very apparent.
So Sunny crosses his legs, resting his hands on his knees, and finally listens. He shuts his eyes tightly closed, tapping his fingers rhythmically against himself. It’s to the beat of one of the songs he’s been learning on the violin, an excerpt from Brahms Symphony No.4 that’s currently stuck in his head.
This became a habit of his whenever he found his love for playing the violin again, after what awful event had transpired between him and Mari around maybe six years ago by now. An argument that had split the two apart for ages. Now that it’s all said and over with though, he finds that It calms him down, clears his head whenever he needs it, and reminds him to be patient, even if now it was exceptionally hard to do.
He feels Basil shifting around, and it makes him want to open his eyes more than anything so he can mesmerizingly stare at his honeyed curls, which dance nicely in the pollinated breeze blessing their presences, and craves to see his pretty, sapphire eyes that always look so warmly towards him. Gosh, he could look into his eyes all day, and Sunny would too, voluntarily pointing out and naming every single shade of blue there is to be found lost within them.
Somehow he thinks that would be too much for Basil though, as he’s still very easily flustered. Even if it has been a year, it doesn’t matter. Physical and verbal affection alike makes his entire body burn up like a piece of firewood.
Sunny then hears Basil shuffle through the tote bag he always carries around, looking for something before he stops and pulls whatever it is out. A sound similar to the crack of a box opening catches his attention, and he hears Basil squeal the smallest noise, as if excited and delighted by his own surprise.
From what Sunny can hear, it’s absolutely adorable. He wants to open his eyes so incredibly much right now, but he doesn’t do so until he hears Basil say, “Now open them.” to him. Obediently, and on cue, he does so, vision adjusting back to the bright, blossoming world around him.
The first thing he sees is the beaming, smiling and shy face of his lover first, his gaze heavy from beneath his blond eyelashes, looking down at what he was holding in the palm of his hand. Sunny follows this, blinking downwards to see he has a small box in his hand, displaying rings tucked snugly inside.
The one on the left catches his eye first. It has a golden band, a circle formed in the middle with gems filling its inside, spikes poking out of one of its sides with even more stones planted in between each one. Sunny’s not very good with his crystals or gemstones, but they look like diamonds, which also means it could very well be moissanites or zirconia. Whatever they are doesn’t matter though, it’s just an observation.
The one on the right is silver, a crescent formed in the middle with blue gemstones pleated on its inside. It, like the other, also has spikes on its side, and has matching stones placed within each one to create a nice effect. Together they create a sun and a moon, fitting beautifully as one and shining as dazzling as real deals as well.
Basil’s grip around the box tightens, lowering his head to stammer out whatever cheesy sentiments he has prepared for this moment. “I-I wanted to get you something special for our one-year… I was looking at promise rings with Aubrey, a-and I thought these looked really pretty and fitting for the both of us.” He stutters, asking for Sunny’s right hand after he sets the box down on the blanket below them.
Sunny does just that too, holding it out limply as it’s taken into Basil’s calloused, yet gentle, gardener hands. He can feel himself smiling radiantly, nodding for Basil to go on when he looks up for approval, ears now turning red when he spots the look on the other’s face. He works the silver ring out of its place, aligning it correctly with Sunny’s ring finger.
“Originally I was going to give you the sun because of your name, haha… b-but I made sure to ask Mari, and she said you’d probably prefer the moon since it’s more fitting to your personality.” He explains, smoothly sliding it on with no problems. He simpers when he sees how it’s the perfect fit, probably a little worried before that it wouldn’t be.
“I-I got these as a symbol of our relationship; that even when we’re apart we can still be together, and know that nothing’s going to change that for us in the future.” Basil goes on, bringing his knuckles up to his lips with closed eyes and kissing them gently.
It makes Sunny’s stomach flutter, admiring how utterly beautiful he looks when he’s so tender like this. He forgets to breathe for a moment, heart beating loudly in his ears, and pulse fluttering like crazy. It only intensifies more whenever Basil cracks his eyes back open again, looking at him with a shine in his pupils.
And then, as they’re looking into one another's eyes, he strongly professes, “I love you, Sunny…” with such a kind and genuine tone. It makes him feel faint, completely bewitched by Basil’s ability to come across so sincere and thoughtful. “I know they’re just rings, a-and they’re a bit silly, but I promise that I’ll always be here for you… and that I’ll never stop loving you.”
Tears have begun to form in the corners of Sunny’s eyes, his face warm when he goes to quickly wipe them away with his free hand. Basil looks a little worried for a second, like he had maybe said the wrong thing, but Sunny fixes that whenever he places his free hand atop of his own, cradling him, and vigorously shakes his head. It’s both in disbelief and indication for him not to have that look of doubt on his face anymore.
“Basil… That was the sweetest and cutest thing anyone's ever said to me.” Sunny tells him, leaning their foreheads together with a big grin across his face. “I don’t think it’s silly at all… This means so much to me.”
“A-Ah, so it’s not too cheesy or corny?”
“I mean, you are quite the cornball.” Sunny teases, nuzzling their noses together when he sees the other’s displeased face, cheeks puffed and red as could be.
He chuckles at it, pecking their lips together quickly before closing his eyes and inhaling deeply. The flowery scent of Basil’s shampoo invades his nose, as well as the fresh air around them, and he takes a deep breath before saying, “I love you too, Basil… and I’ll never stop loving you for as long as I live.”
Sunny almost leans in for a proper kiss, which he would usually do in these kinds of moments, but then he remembers something, and smirks when he hears Basil whine at the lack of contact, very well expecting one too. It’s all so he can grab the opposite ring, its golden band shining under the sunlight, and also takes Basil’s right hand so he can glide it flawlessly onto his ring finger as well. Then, as awkward as two people holding right hands can be, he interlocks their fingers, holding him gently and pressing their palms together.
“That’s a promise.” Sunny then adds on, admiring how pretty the rings look on their retrospective hands… He thinks that Basil is really fitting for the sun, his personality so bright, smiley, and warm all the time. Sunny was truly his other half, very calm, stoic, and cold; at least when he isn’t with Basil. Other times, when he’s with his beloved boyfriend, he’s more lively–face lighting up just as the sun lights up the moon in the darkness.
“Good…” Basil says with a pleasant hum, proceeding to throw his arms around Sunny’s neck, desperately tackling him in for an amorous kiss. His lips are soft and inviting, and Sunny’s eyes widen before leisurely closing, letting himself get lost in the plushness of his lips against him. His arms automatically wrap around the boys back, hands tracing against his spine and grasping the silky, green shirt Basil has on.
It rides up a bit, but they’re both so distracted, breathing in each other’s scent and letting their bodies feverishly press together, that he doesn't fix and smooth out the disheveled fabric until after they’ve parted
When they do, Sunny gasps and pants harshly, hearing Basil do the same when he settles off of him, both boys extremely exhilarated by their behavior. Though, the more they stay quiet to catch their breath, the more embarrassed Basil seems to become for so boldly jumping onto him in an act of his own imprudence.
Yet, Sunny hadn’t minded it in the slightest. Actually, he loves whenever Basil initiates intimacy, as it’s still a little rare for him to do, and when he does there’s always so much gusto and yearning shown through his actions. No matter how big or small they are.
“S-Sorry, you were tempting me…” The blond unnecessarily apologizes, laughing to fill the void in the air between them. His laugh is sweet, resonates with Sunny’s soul, and bounces off of his ears so impeccably. It’s a sound he’ll never get tired of listening to, and would actually prefer to hear more often now that their time is a bit limited.
However, Sunny tries not to think about the sad fact that they’ll be going to separate colleges this next school year, and instead grazes a piece of hair behind Basil’s ear, leading the hand he used down to lift him by his chin. “Basil… You literally just poured your heart out to me. You don’t have to apologize for kissing me, you big goofball.” Sunny tells him with a bit of wit in his voice.
Basil looks reasonably flustered by this, squeezing his knee anxiously before looking away in a paltry of mortification. “Haha, yeah… I guess I did do that, huh?” He mutters, leaning forward into Sunny for a hug. Basil’s chin digs into his shoulder, the rise and fall of his chest steadily calming down as he’s soothed. “Thank you for such an amazing past year… I-I know I say it too often, but I really do love you so much, Sunny.”
Sunny playfully scoffs and rolls his eyes at that, wondering if he really thinks repeatedly saying that is a bad thing. “There’s no such thing as saying it too often.” He assertively tells him as they pull away from their comforting hug, Basil’s hands on his shoulders, and Sunny’s on his waist. “I’ll just keep telling you how much I love you back, and give you even better years to come~” He whispers alluringly.
“Hehe, S-Sunny… You’re making me blush.” Basil fawns, covering his face with his arms. Although, that part was already very apparent, and it did nothing to stop Sunny from continuing to relentlessly tease him, just to see that face redden even more than before.
“That’s the goal.” He tells him, prying Basil’s arms away and prepping his warm face with even more affectionate pecks. He aims specifically for the parts that are littered with freckles, which are almost everywhere, but mainly scattered across his nose and cheeks. “God… You’re so pretty when you’re red.”
And it goes on like this for almost the rest of the time–Sunny showering him with affection, Basil ruffled and flattered by said affection–and they can barely keep their hands off one another, too captivated by the love they hold so deeply for each other. However, eventually they go back to the actual picnic part of their date when the initial excitement wears down a bit, feeding each other crunchy grapes that pop tastefully in their mouths, and succulent strawberries that juicily run down their chins with every bite they take.
But even with all of the distractions, Sunny can’t stop himself from admiring the ring upon both of their fingers, so captivated by the entirety of its purpose. To serve as a promise that they’ll always hold each other dear and close to their hearts, and a symbol of eternal love that will never fray through the rollercoaster of their ups and downs. Simply thinking about it makes his chest burn, his heart skipping a few beats and making him feel faint.
The prominence of the sun and moon on their fingers is just so encouraging and enlightening, and as unnatural as they feel on the two right now since they’re so new and unused, Sunny plans on never taking his off, as if it’s now infused permanently on his body.
At one point, as they're sitting into each other’s side, Sunny grasps Basil’s empty, left hand, delicately kissing his skin. “...I’m going to put a ring on this finger one day.” He confidently states with a smirk, fiddling with the finger that would bind them by marriage.
They’re still pretty young, both most definitely not ready for anything like that right now, but Sunny’s more than sure that he wants to marry this boy, so helplessly in love with him. Now even more so because of how much of a sweetheart he can be.
Basil squeals thrillingly, squirming in his spot when he quickly catches on to what he means, and presses his lips together in one big smile. “Hehe… W-Well, not if I get to it first.” He says in a contesting manner, eliciting a raised eyebrow from Sunny in return.
It seems like now he’s twisted this into a competition to see who will propose first out of the two of them, and while he was planning to wait a good while, Sunny takes this as an opportunity to compete and see who will commit and go through with it first.
In a sort of retaliation to him, he jostles Basil to the ground, simpering at his gleeful giggling and sweet, saccharine voice. Sunny holds him down, straddling him with his legs, and determinedly looks down at him from above, admiring how the curls of Basil’s hair sprawl out over his face and ground. He looks domestic, and definitely like the boy he’s going to make his husband one day.
“Challenge. Accepted.” Sunny says, short and stout. His hands cradle and stroke his lover’s jaw, which stuffers whenever Basil heaves his name out in little spiels of his amusement.
“S-Sunny! That tickles, s-stop it…!” He exclaims unconvincingly.
And though he requests for him to stop, which is doing nothing in Basil’s favor because he naturally just doesn’t want to, Sunny passionately connects their mouths as one again, deeper and more fervent this time. It instantly quiets the other down, accepting the gesture being gifted to him gladly, and tugging at the collar of Sunny’s shirt insistently.
The vibrations of Basil thrumming his throat happily drives him insane, but he just keeps at it; keeps themselves intermingled… and just like how perfectly the rings on their fingers lock together as one, so do they, and there’s no force that could possibly break the two apart in this moment, and for very many moments to come in the close and foreseeable future.
And though the path has been rocky and rough for them, there is nobody that can disturb or ruin the peace they’ve found in one another because they’ve always been this way. They’ve always been so attracted to each other, like how the moon attracts light from its sun, and how the sun attracts the bright attention to its moon on the beautiful night sky.
So, no matter if they’re alive or dead, the love and devotion of their relationship will persist in nature, and compliment one another just like how the sun and moon so gorgeously compliment each other…