Chapter Text
Whole darkness of the night shrouded what would otherwise be a desolate landscape, inside of a small house far away from any other was a yellow figure, head resembling a cartoonish sun and dressed in a long white off-the-shoulder dress, with gold decor over the long sleeves and rims of the attire, laid on the couch.
Occupying the hands was a small mobile phone, the screen displayed a video of Mirror and Shingles constructing an awesome base with a pool and water slide in the depths of a forest, watching as the humanoids beat the flooring with large sticks in fast-forward enthralled the spectator.
Not until a notification obnoxiously hid part of her screen, did Sun realise it is now the fourth hour. (4:00 AM) The notification was of a text message, sent by a contact named "Professional Ass Clown". When the notification was opened, the screen flooded with text messages.
"ssmug"
"mmsmuug"
"smnun"
"sun"
"anseewer me yuo btch"
"fycky uo"
"im gohna eat teh flwooers youngave mem laks week"
"IAM EATING THEMRIGHTNNOWO THEY ARE DELICOUS"
"SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUN"
"S"
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA"
The remainder of messages were either repetitions of the letter A, or undecipherable gibberish. Of course, the Sun cannot leave her sender waiting any longer. She very politely wrote back a message.
"what the fuck do you want it is 4:00."
She sent the question and waited, the messages retreated into three dots, indicating the other party is typing.
"OUHHOHHH MY GOD IT TOOKYUO FORVEVR TP ANSWWREME"
The writer started to send messages at 3:59, Smug Sun could see when she scrolled up to the very first message. She did not write back, after a moment of silence she returned to her video. Another notification screeched through her wired earbuds. Smug Sun grumbled and opened the notification, the light mode shining into her charred retinas once more.
"THEHWE FOWOERS WERE DELICOUS YUO SHOULD GIVMEM FLOWERS MRORE"
"."
"SMVGUSHUN.. JAVE I EVERTOLD YOU I LIVE YOU"
"CCOME OVER EHERREYOU FSAGGHOT"
"II LOVE OU S OO MUCH"
"CANEWE WGET MERRIED SOEMDAY"
Yes, she is very much enlightened to this information for her and the other have been together for two years.
"manó, have you been sniffing septic tank fumes again?"
The writer, Szemtelen Manó, gave an immediate reply.
"NNO"
"HWHWTA AMI SUDDENLY HIGHJ UST BECASE I LPVE YOU"
"?????//??"
"hOWDATEER YOU!"
Smug Sun furrowed her eyebrows and lifted herself off the couch, the phone remains where she sat, until she snatched it again. She approached the closet, which contained copious replicas of the exact same outfit she was wearing. After changing into a fresh outfit, she swung open the cover of a chest filled with jewellery and grabbed the shiniest necklace to be found with some digging. Before marching out of the house she did not bother closing the chest, her old outfit remains where she threw it on the floor.
She inserted the keys and drove off as soon as the car sprang into function.
The drive was shorter than it would usually be, traffic was none, a few animals were noticed along the roadsides. An owl perched on a tree, seeking. Bushes of flowers she could name by heart. The seldom critter skittering across the road.
Manó's residence was also built in an isolated area, two layers of tall fencing bordered the house.
Outside of the first square of fence, Sun parked her vehicle and popped the driver's door open, phone in one hand she unlocked the device and typed away, ignoring the accumulated wall of text sent by Manó.
"i'm outside your house."
Sun navigated into the camera app, a flashlight from the phone illuminated the sealed fencing.
She checked the photo to ensure it is clear, then it sent to Manó, within a few minutes time the fence gates opened remotely and Sun parked her car inside the property. Manó was already standing outside, she leaned on a railing up to her elbows around the porch of the house, she held on as if her life depended on it, her reddened eyes were glassy and the attire was clearly not for nighttime — an untied necktie tossed around the collar of a long-sleeved shirt, tucked into black trousers.
"Manó…"
Smug Sun hopped out of her car, the door swung shut by her hands, arms crossed she followed the path off the driveway, the lawn was bio-diverse, the beauty conveniently hidden by darkness as to not distract, she'd step up the small staircase to meet Manó on the porch.
"Why're you awake at this hour?? It's the fourth darn hour." She exclaimed.
Manó, in her answer, the rancid stench of alcohol may be smelled from her breath, her speech was slow, slurred in some segments.
"Bbecause… I I Lo- Wanted too see yooou…"
Sun sighed, she dropped her arms and spoke in a more level manner.
"That's aight… how about I get you inside?"
"Cc- coold. It's coold out here." Manó comments with a nod, the Sun approached until she stood right next to the inebriated one's left.
"Come, swing your left arm over my shoulders. I'll help ya inside."
Arm across, the left hand held the blue one slung over, the right extended to hold the waist for some gait support.
The effectiveness of this, Smug Sun cannot conclude.
She inquired "Are you ready to head in now?"
On her own Manó released the porch railing and took steps to turn around, towards the entry door.
"Let's get ya inside." Smug Sun released her left hand in order to swing open the entry door, a comment of "Be careful now…" the remorse she felt earlier had kept her tone softer than she is known to speak, a voice equivalent to velvet for the inebriated one's ears.
Helped onto the couch, she laid on her side as Sun acquired a fluffy fleece blanket to throw over Manó, then she ensured the blanket covered the body in whole, exempt of the head. She murmured phrases that could not be understood nor head very well by the Sun, she sat on the other side of the couch, cautious as to not sit on Manó.
The state of the house caught her attention.
Unlike many times Sun has visited, the house was cleaner. On the floor were bitten pizza crusts and a flipped over pizza box, the box was not flattened therefore she can assume it was a recent purchase; this merely regarded the presence of rogue food. In all, boxes with overflowing contents were shoved into two of the four visible corners. The layout was open floor, with the couch right in the centre faced the door it was easy to see everything from one spot. Articles of clothing were scattered, in small piles instead of spontaneously placed this time. The house no longer reeked of decay, but instead of the grease of pizza. The broom laid on the floor and for once the mop bucket was not trampled by hoarded junk, instead it was set next to the refrigerator, the mop has fallen but it was inside the bucket.
This sight was pleasing, Sun even felt proud of this drastic improvement, it took months for Manó to begin cleaning this house even a little on her own accord, with some friends she formed a small group whom would visit to clean whatever segments of the hoard she was willing to cede. There were days she would sleep anywhere but inside that house because the clutter was unbearable, or she would catch an illness, or something would collapse and expose such abhorrent sights Manó would flee and be fearful at the suggestion to return to, or clean the house.
In many instances she swore she would let this house burn until every atom of filth was converted to ash.
Wonder of what the second floor now was like entered Sun's mind, but that was a worry for the following day, or whenever Manó came out of this muffled state.
"Ssun."
Smug Sun turned her attention to Manó, who looked at her with the head resting on a hand, her mouth cracked open.
"How… are you doiing?
Interrupted initially the Sun attempted again to respond.
"I am fantastic."
She set one hand on her lap, and the other to her side.
"How are you tonight?"
To say tonight she has become uncertain is astute, for the blinded windows begin to emit brighter light.
"Ii am- I, I'm goood. I'm great even!"
Manó has started to sound cheerful, giggling after her answer.
"Especially with yyoou here."
"How very sweet of you, Manó…" Sun spoke with a creeping smile.
Manó pushed herself to sit upward, her legs hung off the couch and shoes met the floor, she wrapped the blanket around herself and took a deep breath. Her lover surveyed the house once more, a box television was positioned not far from the couch on top of a cart, this gave to her an idea.
"Would you like to watch something on the television?" She kept the blue one in her sight as she inquired.
After a nod, Sun stood to wheel the television in-front of the couch, she handed to Manó the remote before she found the closest outlet the connected the box to electricity. The television turned on to display a documentary on the rise of human illiteracy, albeit the volume was muted. With no intrigue the one holding the remote grumbled and changed channels, pressing spontaneously until she found a cooking channel, which is ironic for neither of them are interested in culinary programs. The two of them sat on opposite ends of the couch, if the channel failed to provide entertainment, in prevailed in acting as a background noise.
The channel consisted of two humanoids; Mirror and Shingles in one duo competing against many more, they attempted fruitlessly to prepare meringues, they spilled ingredients, objects slipped out of their hands, they tripped over each-other, ultimately they'd fail miserably, but remained in the show anyway for reason nobody could logically infer.
Solitary progression of the show was interrupted by the sound of bawling, this was quick to catch the attention of the yellow one, who looked to the side to find Manó slouching forward, hands to her face with teary eyes shut. Sun scooted to close some distance between her and Manó.
"My dear, why are you crying?" She asked worriedly.
Manó, in-between sobs spoke loudly.
"HOOOOHooOOohoooo…"
"IIi love yyou ssoo much... Smuggsyy I llove you…"
"I JUSST- Loove YOu so mucHhh."
Sun placed a hand on Manó's back, patting the back of the weeping woman.
"There, there…"
Manó rubbed her eyes and used the blanket on her shoulders to wipe the tears, her breathing has become heavy and the face partially red.
"II LOVE YOU SMMUG!!!!"
"I LOVEE YOU SOO MUHCHH!!…"
"Ddo yoU loohve me- me too?"
"Of-course I love you, Manó, just please calm down!" She assured Manó, with hopes this could calm her. Upon ponder she conjured an offer, when she was certain Manó would be listening she inquired:
"Could a hug help ya feel better?"
Without another act Manó turned to wrap her arms around Sun, a few seconds later she reciprocated whilst her persisted with back pats, which has turned into back stroking. She reassured the weeping one with words for what seemed to be a few minutes. The weeping continued even as it began to diminish, then Manó's tears resurrected, the Sun was unbothered. She dedicated as much as was needed for Manó to collect herself again, this consisted plentiful clinging, despite Manó complaining of feeling warm, hot even, in spite of this she continued to hold onto the Sun, then there was the light kissing around Manó's face, by her own request.
When Manó had seemingly recovered, the two briefly broke the embrace to prepare a glass of water, for Manó to consume as desired. Sun returned with the glass and set it on top of the couch-side table, she sat herself on the couch again. With no anticipation to exacerbate any unwell-ness Manó may feel, the Sun reminded her:
"Manó my love, do be careful — refrain from sipping if you are nauseous."
The culinary program has stopped streaming, leaving the television screen with a prompt to change to another channel, how long ago this screen first appeared neither of them could say.
Light from the blinded windows poked through in white, unlike the absence of light hours earlier. Now it was roughly around the seventh hour (7:00 AM), based on inference made from the absurdly large clock leaned against a wall.
Until sniffles ceased, yawning could not be heard, yet the sound has come to introduce itself anyway. Upon hearing Sun's yawning, Manó caught the yawn.
"Aare you sleepy too?" The yawning has prompted Manó to ask.
After some thought, Smug Sun recognised her sense of somnolence, it is to be expected when she and Manó both have stayed awake, if not all night, then for the majority of it.
"Yes… kinda."
Manó laid herself, she pulled a spare blanket from beneath the couch and shook it off to fold and use as a pillow.
"Come layy with me."
The offer was accepted, Sun gave time for the blue one — whose face had developed some red patches — to get comfortable as she lay. Then Sun laid by Manó's side, a hand on her forearm before it fell across the waist, after a final confirmation of comfort, the two could drift off to sleep.