#my sunturine heart

[the-original-skipps]

YOOOOOー

[quasarifxxy]

if you're a sunturine/avenday fan you are required to Read this fic. i have never been the same ever since

https://archiveofourown.org/works/56593471/chapters/143841502

⚠️ graphic depictions of violence, major character death, and a dash of tragedy :)

[pennameless]

(my sleep deprived ramblings of how sunturine could make sense in canon/be canon compliant in a potential fic I want to write)

I think Sunturine has so much canon potential, but it would require Aventurine forgiving Sunday and being open to a friendship, and the odds of that happening in canon are slim (but never zero… stay aven-pilled)

I want to write a fic of them reconciling, but I don’t want it to be unrealistic/Aventurine forgiving Sunday too quickly and being OOC. They’re both such complex characters and hard to write… 😭

Honestly I think their Penacony interactions set the tone for everything going forward. And there was def a flirty vibe on both sides… I think they could have had additional offscreen interactions that establish an… interest in each other…

Then maybe Aven visits him when he is imprisoned by the IPC. I think seeing Sunday humbled (and aware of his errors) is good for Aventurine. Maybe some of the hostility is there would go away, and Aven would just be intrigued by this man whose dreams slipped away between his fingers, now stuck rebuilding his identity and status from the ground up.

I think it’s pretty established that Sunday holds no ill will towards aventurine; others have analyzed the impact Aven had on Sunday, and how he sees him fondly. I think he is interested in interacting with him again for sure.

The problem is, how do I make these two naturally meet again? They may both be curious/interested in each other but not enough to seek e/o out. I had an idea where Sunday, after leaving the Express, travels the stars by himself, and despite all odds, he would end up on a planet where Aventurine is currently on a job. Unlikely, but not impossible (aven mindset…), and from there they bump into each other and very awkwardly chat and decide to get dinner together. Over dinner I can see them having a heart-to-heart about what happened in Penacony, their own personal experiences and their interactions with each other. This would ease the tension even more.

After this, Sunday would the one who initiates contact; aventurine is one of the few he’s opened up to, and he actually likes the guy. So maybe they text a bit and become sorta-friends that way.

Sunday does still have an IPC debt to pay, too, so that could be a reason they might run into each other. I want to make them see each other somewhat consistently, so their relationship develops naturally.

I need to sleep lmao. I’ll probably ramble more tomorrow or soon. Just trying to become the Aeon of Shipping by literally rearranging the stars to make these 2 kiss lol

[mochiotomedumplings]

2.7 rants and more sunturine parallels in penacony

theres just so much to talk about 2.7… i mean just anything spoken by sunday. when wonweek said:

did you lose your mind after being run over by the Express, or were you possessed by that IPC gambler ?

sunturine implications aside, sunday replied to it with:

to save more lives, you must first understood what they live for and what they die for

i wonder if the parallel is intentional - that when he said “failure is the best teacher” followed by the above it meant, his loss against the express taught him what they live for, and his loss against aventurine taught him what the gambler (would) die for.

sunturine and penacony, the same no matter where i go

after penacony, sunday woke up from the dream, then upon re-entering severed his halo to remind himself of the pain of “being awake” and on the ground. finally “living” like everyone else, struggling with the unknowns and not being trapped by something that isn’t “his true heart”, having to embrace what he once hated.

(it's interesting that while the harmony and wonweek were framed as things he dislikes/ detests, discord and possibilities - symbolizing aven - were described as what his past self would not have tolerated, yet was the first thing he jumped to changing about himself)

i like that altho theres not much of it, we do see bits of his more “rebellious” self in 2.7 and 3.x as compared to early 2.x where he was 199% wrapped in his titles and duties. that instead of enacting “his” will upon the world as the family head/ conductor of ena’s dream, he can now just stand on the side and observe instead, as just another person.

2.7 while not touching on the details showed a lot about sunday just by merit of having him talk a lot to someone who later turned out to be himself... a rather cryptic reflection. we have a bit that hinted at how “order” wasn’t what sunday, the real him that’s buried under all those duties before his fall, wanted which suggests his insistence on an all-out battle was for someone to beat it out of him:

then this time, my true heart will guide the tuning

he said that his stance on Harmony remains the same aka he still doesn’t agree, but the implication is that he can face things as “himself” now unlike before when he didn’t/ couldn’t.

only then will i truly be able to walk among the living

from the quest descriptions, his farewell journey is him looking back at the past, everything thats happened till now, before he can move forward. some of the descriptions have quite meaningful implication, and sunday’s own speeches are just 😭 he’s so philosophical in every way i love it.

“looking back” is also confronting “all that i detest” - including the him of yesterday who made mistakes, the failures themselves, parts of himself he could’ve been but would never be now. and this also includes accepting other things he hate - unknown variables in reality, what hes scared of, embracing the unknown world like everyone else does - probably why he thinks he only deserve to be among the “living” / awake if he can accept all that he hates & fears (facing reality like normal people) (only then can he change and move on, embracing what past him couldnt accept i.e. harmony).

echoes of the past need not go away, but follow to the stars - i think part of the message in sunday’s “looking back” is that he won’t completely change nor cast away himself, and his dream remains the same despite how impossible-sounding it is, yet he will reach for it like everyone else in the mortal world.

he talked about how one’s starting point is also their last stop - his farewell to the past and sweet dream and is also where his new self & journey begins.

its interesting how the first change he went for was employing uncertainty in his plan - leaving the result of the tuning to fate (instead of controlling the result like what his old self would have done). the allusion to a coin flip and even his last line in the boss fight "the time has come, let it be revealed", sunday’s tuning is framed as a gamble and pointing to aven as the only possible influence.

aven’s methodology - practically his identity - was sunday’s first most visible change he made as his new self. his loss to aven was something he remembered so closely, and the change was so integrally out of character for him that wonweek had to point it out.

its kinda funny how his entire farewell has so much to do with luck & fate - meeting the pepeshi with the prank candy, picking the route with the most guards, running into welt, finding robin, final tuning was also a bet. a trip with a lot of variables, completely opposite to his usual m.o. - showing how he’s really aven’s contrast in terms of methodology & vibes i.e. control vs risks.

wow there is so much parallel btw 2.7 and aven’s quest ? not gonna deep dive aven’s quest for now but what i could recall, they both looked over their past, walked to a stage and went through a bet on their own life, and both gave a farewell to their past self, along with a promise to see their sister again. it is uncanny, the similarity in what they went through. what sunday said, the end is the beginning - he retraced his past to his “end”, where he failed and lost everything and was then symbolically reborn anew - be born as a human and die as one.

same as aven, who retraced his past to his own “end”, where he won the bet and almost died, throwing himself into nihility abyss but in the end finding peace with his past and some will to live on - the ending narration gave the sense that he was dying as his bet came to an end but his words showed that he was not gonna die.

look back then move forward, the only thing a person can do in life - here they share this theme of coming to an end, looking back and saying goodbye to the past, and moving forward with something new - new identity for sunday, new purpose for aven.

when i found this part in aven’s quest of his sister’s final words to him, there’s even more damning parallels:

so, run, kakavasha

-> being given chance to live by his sister & having to part

don’t be afraid, don’t look back

-> mention of fear of what’s ahead, and “looking back”

our paths will cross again beneath the auroras

-> siblings reunite under the stars… initially sunday & robin were doomed for “eternal” separation

farewell, kakavasha

the quest is a farewell, saying goodbye to one’s past… to one's family.

sunday & aven both fear “life” in a way, and their quest both end with them going towards it with a gamble - sunday with the tuning before he starts his journey, and aven with the trip into the abyss before he continues living but not trying to die this time, finding meaning before the inevitable end.

cool to note how sunday was order which falls under harmony and aven was putting on a “collaborative” performance (ref his eidolons and all the games where ppl have to cooperate to win). they have different ways about it but end result is remarkably similar.

also the steps “meet with robin” and “‘this is where we go our own way’” have some interesting parallels and contrasts. descriptions for both have a similar feeling, both telling sunday/aven to say their farewell and have no regrets. both quests feature their respective farewells to their sister, with the difference being telling sunday to “take his time” but aven had to “run” past it, memories passing by.

this is due to the different context - sunday allowed himself to see robin under a disguise only and aven was running so he could die and reunite with his family.

(aven’s quest was in such a way that it’s like him reliving his entire life before his “death”, while sunday had a reminiscing talk with robin disguised as a casual chat - had reference to their childhood promise and also what sunday went through in penacony till that point)

both highlighted their desire to be with their family again, and how their family is a big part of who they are (ref 2.7 step description on robin being “the most weighty part of that identity”) - sunday unable to show himself to robin both to protect her and also unable to face her, and aven finding the will to live to make his family proud when they meet again.

both quest steps feature a farewell that’s also a well wish for the start of a journey - kakavasha to live on, sunday to go on his journey. there are so many symbolic similarities between their quest… and one last thing to end off this massive tangent of a brainrot: their boss lines.

aven’s "let the game begin" shows his most comfortable “tool” to get what he wants aka games.

sunday’s "tuning yourself" shows what he does most too - smoothing out “dissonant sounds”/“disorderly noises”.

this it the contrast in their style - one brings others into explosive games where it seems like luck and fighting each other and one brings others into order & harmony… it seems contrasting but eventually has the same goal of pulling others where they want.

aven’s "so long as people still have hope, they’ll keep throwing money" and sunday’s "echoes of the past, you need not fade away" despite the different vibes, are talking about “hope” in different forms (ref sunday not giving up his past dream of building a paradise, and one day seeing robin again).

aven’s "why can’t i be happy too ? why can’t i feel that free" is not linked to 2.7 boss line but rather old sunday's boss line "if you are born weak, which god should you turn to for solace".

aven is not “weak” in the typical way, but sunday’s “weak” referred to those who are hopeless, without a future, who does not know where and how to seek happiness. this is where he was the prime target for sunday’s “paradise”.

and sunday’s 2.7 line "the time has come. let it be revealed… is it inevitable for me" is yet another reference to aven, that the whole battle/ tuning is a gamble where sunday will probably win anyway (like how aven always ends up winning) but is a bet, whether in the process sunday can “accept” wonweek and truly change, or is it “inevitable” (that he won’t change, or maybe him being the one allowed to exist isn’t a “foregone conclusion”) (also alludes to the idea of an inevitable ending but the process changes the meaning).

a bet with his life, after which is “departure” - mirroring aven’s “get going” into the void.

theres seriously way too many parallels… i initially reread 2.7 dialogue bcs i wanted to check out this contrast between the two of them - if we consider only penacony main quest, aven’s story was mostly about himself and his “death” and going past that while sunday’s part was more explicitly on what he thinks about helping people and saving the world (self destruction vs world saving). then 2.7 ended up being such a big parallel to aven’s quest… but we had little clue what went on in sunday’s head as he reflected on the past unlike aven’s future and past selves (wonweek is also not quite sunday and also did not reveal that much).

we got to live through bits of aven’s past but could only deduce bits n pieces of sunday… who gave his farewell then moved on, starting his journey anew with a self that’s not entirely different but not the same either… just like aven trying to find meaning in human life before one day reuniting with his family.

if we consider sunday’s full story to be penacony + 2.7… its really his style to express so little of himself and his feelings. aven also lives under masks and masks, but his story exposed some of his deepest feelings and most traumatic moments… like how he bets his life, all or nothing in every gamble.

sunday really flayed him open, no wonder aven couldn’t deal with sunday in the voicelines when he could handle even jade 😂

they're so similar yet also contrasting in many ways... both putting up facades but one is of calmness & control and one is of extravagance & danger. aspects of themselves like discipline & ascetism vs desire for happiness & lavish indulgence and under the mask, hope to save the world vs having no reason to live on.

they both chose to “die” and then both have to “live” for real now - despite everything, one continues to try to save the world and one continues to try to live on. the one who wants to make others happy and the one who wants to be happy.

once again, two sides of same coin, two parts of destiny - creation & destruction, absolute vs uncertainty, fulfillment & loss and how they seem like yin yang contrast but one and the same.

contrasting, yet so uncannily similar 🙏

[stellarisstars]

fem sunturine with cat mom aventurine… she buys them clothes, accessories, her entire social media feed is dedicated to them. So many of her monthly expenses are spent on her cats. She named them Heart, Club and Spade and Spade likes to wrap himself around Sunday’s neck like a scarf….. I love my lesbian cat moms…

[mochiotomedumplings]

backing up some stuff from bsky ☺️

my sunturine hc is that churin would be a bit unnerved dealing with sunday bcs oak man doesn’t work like most ppl - too much self control - and thinks too much yet is too straightforward at times knowing far more than about churin he should. mwhile sunday is fascinated by all the layers & complications within churin at the same time vexed by how tricky the other is. he went from appreciation to wanting churin more than the appropriate amount, while churin sees a gamble whether they can actually make it work, a put-together halovian and someone like him. they’re both too complicated that it baffles/ intrigues the other in turn. both are extreme in their ways yet care a little too much despite doing crazy things. performers with bleeding hearts, they are quite the partners on stage.

🙌 i like the fact that in the voicelines, churin is a bit salty about sunday’s methods while sunday was kinda like “he put up a grand performance. (chuckle) a worthy opponent. would love to clash on stage again” 🥹 love the hc that they can and can’t handle each other at the same time 🍰

[mochiotomedumplings]

just had this real cute brainrot about roommates sunturine 😌 backup from discord

uni au and everyone was at the bar and they happened to sit next to each other at the counter and started bickering like married couple and when everyone was like You guys know each other ? they glanced at each other and both went No like synchronized 😂

then later aven got too drunk and they were gonna call cab then sunday showed up saying That was a lie earlier he’s my roommate then to everyone scandalized look, took aven into his arms and went off 🥹

its so cute fr 🥹 like aven would be having nightmares unable to sleep, some days just barely holding on, then when sunday moved in cos admin he at first wanted to scare or bribe off sunday but couldn’t (partly bcs sunday looks so good). then he let it be thinking sunday would leave since they clash on things but

one night he woke up couldnt sleep again so he stayed up, finding sunday was also up. several nights of working in silence next to each other turned to drinking (hot choc) & watching stuff together (they either debate sth or fell asleep on couch) 😌

despite their different styles, they settled in with each other quite smoothly, the apartment being sort of a safe space for them separate from outside world. aven would even bash on sunday’s door when he had nightmares and gave brutal review on sunday’s impromptu piano sessions 🤣

🥺 but yeah some drama will happen with aven realizing he didn’t want to lose “his roommate” and it will end with sunday promising to be “his” inside this place they call home 🥺 but where is “home” exactly, only they know the answer in their heart.

[mochiotomedumplings]

you know i didn’t think much about aven’s “wait and see” in his voiceline about sunday and maybe it’s just translation but he did say wait and see a lot… like 2-3 times before… and it’s always when a big gamble is mentioned. i think suffice to say there’s more “expectation” here than i previously thought, and aven doesn’t make losing gambles.

sunturine analysis & brainrot part 2 😂

Aventurine: Never thought checking out would take so long... I have to think about taking my previous offer off the table.

can’t stand queues can he 🥹 don’t worry sunday can give him special treatment… sunny wanted to be fair and all-loving, but he’s embracing imperfection and his own desires and wants now. it’s also nice to imagine them balancing each other out, sunday with long contemplation and aven with snappy surprises.

???: You sound very sure of yourself. Looks like you've already convinced that Chicken Wing Boy from The Family.

???: How did you do it, little peacock? Did you strip yourself naked, apologize to him on your knees, and promise that IPC would never harm Penacony?

nothing here except did sparkle find it fun to imagine the two of them together and what did she see to have such a thought - sparkle is smart, intuitive and observant of people’s expressions. knowing that aven had off-screen meetings with sunday, what did she see from their interactions that gave rise to such a jab 😂 probably just insulting aven since he had to play nice to sunday, but also maybe there really was something if their back and forth had been as tension-filled as we saw later (tension hehe).

Sunday: I don't need you to remind me. The moment that ambassador walked out the doors of the mansion, I knew what he was trying to do. My servants see everything. His little magic tricks may have fooled me, but no matter, I'm happy to see how things have turned out.

Sunday: Why do you think that I just let him go? And why do you think I emptied the theme park stage?

if sunday’s not delusioning himself here, then he had realized aven’s trick even when aven’s still in the dream and therefore, still in his control - could have tied to him wanting to play “fair” but fact was he decided to let aven go and even gave extra support. we could say that he was much more interested in getting gallagher and knew that aven was trying to die, but still a bit strange that he would let that crazed gambler, someone he was quite worried about earlier, go free. maybe he wanted to find out if aven could really die with the order being there, which would relate to robin’s death. maybe he was assured bcs of the harmony being stuck to aven and that the other wouldn’t be able to interfere with the Real Plan. yeah, wouldn’t it be fun to imagine he was interested and appreciative enough of aven to want to see what performance the other would bring ?

Sunday: Well, other Family heads share the same suspicions as you, but in my opinion, the true murderer would never have drawn as much attention as that ambassador did... Not to mention I personally shackled him a while ago.

Sunday: However, I'll give you a suggestion regarding your suspicions, Mr. Yang. You should be more cautious of Aventurine... While the wicked can't break through high walls, they can plunge their evil dagger into the heart of the righteous.

Sunday: He's a businessman, not some philanthropist. But right now, he's out there handing out his wealth on the streets, and he went to the Clock Studios Theme Park all by himself. Who knows what kind of scheme he's cooking up...?

Sunday: While The Family is dedicated to keeping our guests safe, it might be wise for you to stay alert.

Sunday: You never know... what unexpected troubles could arise.

yes sunday you really were drawn in by aven 🥹 did you like the fact that you “personally shackled him” 😭 the angst potential jesus…

what’s truly worth noting here tho, is how sunday is actively warning welt with acheron right there that aven’s dangerous and evil. by this point he should already know aven’s plan to die as he claimed, so why did he put this warning as though he didn’t know what aven was trying to do exactly ? the guess here is that he knew, and this was a subtle way to help like how he cleared the park. by raising welt’s and acheron’s suspicion of aven, it raised the likelihood of them giving aven the death he seeked. sunday was actually helping aven here. (or he was just warning them because he knew aven’s gonna do sth crazy… which he is enabling by clearing the park. what are you doing sunday ??)

its not quite confirmed whether what sunday used on aven was harmony or order. the harmony could indeed have such coercive powers but its more likely that it’s the order because punishment - although we don’t know how much of it was true since “eternal centurion” was a bluff (would not be called on a single person as sunday later confirmed) and everyone was going to be in ena’s dream per the Real Plan. i think it’s most likely sth sunday used to keep track of aven, maybe to really dig open his mind (cue past and future aven). maybe when he said “reunite with your family” it could be referring to ena’s dream since the order was supposed to shield everyone from true death. hard to say if sunday had actually wanted aven to become part of the hive mind.

i think sunday was high off catching aven’s “failure” and finally regaining some semblance of control after robin’s death. what better way to control someone (a crazed gambler especially) than the threat of certain death ? he just needs aven to stay within his control for those 17 system hours before he starts the Real Plan. i’m gonna say he didn’t actually want to kill aven.

he even helped aven out after that 🥹 and right at the end of All the Sad Tales before aven went on stage (to die), we got a flashback of what he answered to sunday’s “personal question”. narrative device but still, sunday had really gone close to aven’s deepest desires 🥹

[mochiotomedumplings]

well well… this convo just sort of popped into my head at lunch and i couldn’t let it go so… here goes post-canon reconciliation with sunturine !

imagine canon but in their last meeting off-screen before The Meeting, aven realized that in between their dance of words and battle of wits, he might be wanting something more with the “wingheaded scoundrel” that kept spurning all of his attempts to fish for info, yet entertained them all the same with increasing amusement. despite what he was there to do to penacony, he was catching Feelings for the enemy… and that had no place in the gamble, in the game, in this performance he needed to pull over the eyes of the head of the oak family.

even if he could see sunday’s eyes in his dream, the whisper of that voice lulling him into a sleepless night free of nightmares… or its jagged edge as the man tore into him after his eventual betrayal, but would even curses sound like prayer on those lips ?

he found that out in the worst way possible - sunday was angry, was more than gloating over catching aven in his scheme - he knew using robin was low, even for him, but he needed sunday to fall for the trick. and sunday didn’t have any weakness, not in this fortress of a sweet dream where everything was his to command. he never minded playing the villain, the ipc was rarely ever anything but, it was part of the gamble that he would ultimately win after putting everything on the line… yet this felt hollow, as he walked out of that mansion. his trick had succeeded and he had got back the stone… but sunday had *seen* him, the harmony was eating away at his mind… sunday had cursed him to die.

somehow that had felt even worse than wanting to leave this cursed world. sunday had looked at him with those same eyes he dreamed of warmth that wasn’t scorching sand, and cursed him with those same lips he dreamed of touching to find out if they were as soft as they seemed. sunday’s voice had been smooth like wine even when he sentenced aventurine to death, and who knew if his heart had trembled because of the harmony or something else ?

but it didn’t matter, he had a bet to win… and a death to unleash onto the sweet dream. his own death, he could finally reach the freedom he seeked.

except… it’s not time yet. his journey was not yet over, so this wouldn’t be all of what he would show his family when he get there. there was still a place for him, a part to play before the show was truly over.

and so the story of his life continued… there was no reason to dwell onto that chapter of his life that once passed. and yet, he could not forget the ichor in those eyes like the most beautiful gold he had seen in his life, even more than the brilliance of qlipoth. he could not forget the song they once shared under the evernight of blue hour, more captivating than all that the sweet dream could offer.

he could not forget that wingheaded man who had *seen* him, in more ways than one, and made him want something more than the thrill of the game in this cruel, unjust world he lived.

to know that man had wanted to put the entire world into a dream to take away their pains was just something that *sunday* would do - he had genuinely wanted to take away the troubles that plagued aventurine’s mind even when they were probing each other as enemies. it was a bit of a relief to know he had survived - aventurine didn’t know why, really. he shouldn’t care about someone who had cursed him to die, there wasn’t anything left between the two of them but bitter enmity.

and yet, he found his way to the astral express. topaz knew he had deliberately made it so that she could “catch” him in the act of thinking about the ex-leader of penacony, but he needed the information (and it was the truth). whatever conclusion she came to, it was enough for her to give him all that she knew about sunday and robin’s deal with jade, along with the tidbit that… sunday’s curse on him was very likely a bluff.

so the man hadn’t wanted him to die ? that was a better thought… but perhaps it was that savior complex of his that stayed his hand. sunday *should* want a villain like aventurine to die, for using robin’s death and lying to him…

he had to know. so with topaz’s help, he found himself boarding the astral express. the nameless should be less than amused by his presence, but thankfully mr stellaron was more than amicable to help him reach sunday with a promise to help the other with some “pulls” plus some credits as spare change. unfortunately he had forgotten how… atypical the other’s brain worked.

he was told to hide in a cardboard box that was apparently a normal, unsuspecting part of the furniture on the astral express. yet true to word, sunday did not blink an eye as the man walked past the box and took a seat near the window, looking at the stars with the same contemplative look he had while watching the people enjoying the dream he had made.

aventurine watched him for a while - there was something different yet not, maybe just the fact he wasn’t wearing that stuck-up family head garbs or donning an unending smile - before finally losing patience. he knocked against the wall of the box, enough that sunday had to break away from his reverie and, after deliberating for a while, walked towards the box.

the way those eyes widened as he popped out of the box tugged an unbidden smile to his face, being able to shake a reaction out of that always-in-control man. he blinked, and so did sunday, who then turned to look away.

“surprised to see the man who destroyed your sweet dream ?”

unexpectedly, those golden eyes returned to looking at his. seems like sunday had already regained his calm… but aventurine’s heart was still beating in his chest, like he was nearing a big gamble. he held back from putting his hand behind his back, and stepped out of the box.

“you didn’t.” it was not anger nor hatred, the man was so calm it was unnerving. “if anything, you helped me get to the reason behind ‘death’ in penacony.”

it was like nothing had happened between the two of them at all. it was a bit infuriating. it was like he hadn’t even left a ripple in sunday’s grand plans.

“even if i literally blew a hole open in your beloved sweet dream ?”

was that all that his grand performance amounted to in sunday’s eyes, a mere interlude quick to be forgotten ? yet before he could let anger rise to his chest, the man’s next words pulled him out of his thoughts.

“… what kind of dream is good without a bit of surprises ?”

sunday ? surprises ?

“hah, that’s funny. you almost sounded like you enjoyed my performance.”

“of course, and i’d see it again if i have the chance.” the answer came within a heartbeat, like sunday had already thought and long made up his mind about it.

“… you didn’t seem terribly interested to see me alive or even with a conscious mind to dig into.”

“you wouldn’t have died with the order, nor would you have been coalesced against your will.” the certainty in his voice was grating, somehow. like the iron grip he once had of penacony. like the finality with which he had announced aventurine’s death.

“it didn’t feel that way, mr sunday. you’re gonna have to do better than that.” the smile on his lips was like strings pulled tight, not unlike the way sunday’s shoulders were taut with tension despite his unaffected demeanor.

“if an apology is what you seek… i can’t quite promise i won’t do the same again.”

“you’re terrible at this whole redemption thing.”

“you wouldn’t have wanted me to take you any less seriously than that.”

“so you would’ve done it again ? having everything under your control ?”

was he still the same person underneath this guise of someone free from the chains that once bounded him, the soft edge of his soul bleeding out into the world he once allowed no such freedom ?

“…i couldn’t, not with penacony, and especially not with you even when i still had the order.”

did *he* mean anything more to sunday other than an enemy he couldn’t control ? was… there even anything at all ?

“did you even hesitate, telling me i was about to ‘die’ ?”

“…”

“answer my question, sunday.”

“if you already know the answer, why ask ?”

“i want you to look me in the eye and tell me.”

“…”

ripples shone in those eyes for a second, before the man stepped in closer - aventurine let him, watched as sunday brought a warm hand to his cheek.

“…”

“i don’t regret putting all that i had to face you. i enjoyed it, our performance, the sight of you putting on a show so spectacular it had fooled me, yourself and the world alike. i wouldn’t have traded it for anything else.”

“…”

“but if i could have changed one thing, it was the quiver in your soul i had felt touching the depth of your past. i knew you wanted to die, to burn the world alive… but i wouldn’t have let it happen.”

“…”

“i didn’t hesitate, because i would have never given you the death you seeked. but if you asked me what i had felt…”

“…”

“i wanted to see you again.” the words were like a breath shared between the two of them. “… does that answer your question ?”

and then they were looking, they were looking at each other, and it was like that almost-moment back in blue hour again… but there was no one, no schemes no games to interrupt them this time. he leaned into the hand cupping his face, soft skin brushing liquid warmth over his cheek, something tremulous at the tip of his throat.

“… then you should’ve called, you stupid featherhead.”

and then there was almost no gap, being lost in each other’s eyes like time was an afterthought, even the wondrous light of the stars helpless to bring them apart. the gold in sunday’s eyes was sweet like honey, the feeling in his heart warm like the touch of hands gently cradling his face.

“you would’ve picked up ?”

“i would’ve done that and more.” he leaned in, one breath apart. “like this.”

and they finally met, again.

[aloudice]

KDVSKDBSJ MY SUNTURINE HEART

Avenday theatre AU where Aventurine is the male lead, Robin is the female lead, and Sunday is the pianist in the pit orchestra.

[This got a lot longer than I expected and it kind of transforms into a fic format but still very rambly. Should I revise and make a full fic?]

Robin starts spending a lot of time with Aventurine during and outside of rehearsals, so Sunday sees him more frequently. Sunday starts crushing on Aventurine but he's still in his repressed/denial/religious guilt phase. He pushes the feelings away for a while, but deep down he's fallen hard. For a bit he's jealous of his sister, thinking there's something going on between them, before Robin casually mentions that he's gay (which somehow Sunday didn't realize), and Sunday feels weirdly relieved and hopeful.

So during combined rehearsals, Sunday catches himself looking at Aventurine quite a few times, and Aventurine notices. At this time Sunday is kind of known for being really religious and lowkey homophobic, so Aventurine does not like him. At the same time, he's always had a little suspicion that Sunday was not as straight as he made himself out to be, and now he's very suspicious that Sunday might like him. Aventurine is intrigued; he can't deny Sunday's beauty, and this new development is too fascinating to not investigate.

During breaks in rehearsals, Aventurine starts taking every opportunity to flirt with/bother Sunday. Sunday is taken aback. He denies Aventurine each time, but he's really flustered and awful at hiding it. Aventurine notices and uses it, trying to unravel Sunday's good-Christian-boy facade and see what's underneath. Sunday's reactions to Aventurine's prodding are always a strange mix of frustration and excitement. It's getting harder and harder to ignore his feelings and he's terrified.

It's too much for Sunday to handle on his own, so one day, he sits Robin down and says he needs to tell her something. His voice shakes and he confesses that he's in love with a boy, that he hates himself for this sin and he's terrified for what it means. Robin is shocked. She wraps her brother in a tight hug and doesn't let go. Sunday can't control the tears running down his face. Robin tells him that it's not wrong, it's not a sin, and he's not a bad person. Sunday is surprised, because she grew up with the same religious teachings. What changed? They discuss it for a long time. Robin talks about her changed relationship with faith, and how she still believes but rejects the hateful version of religion that she grew up in. Sunday had never thought about that before; it was always "believe and don't question." With this epiphany, things begin unraveling and Sunday's perspective starts to change.

At the next rehearsal, Aventurine is annoying and flirty as usual, but now Sunday can see it for what it is. "Aventurine," he says one day as his arm is around Sunday's shoulder. "Are you mocking me?"

Aventurine's face changes immediately. "Of course not. What kind of jerk do you take me for?"

"So you're just playing with me. Got it." Sunday walks away, stone-faced, and Aventurine is left gaping, not sure why his heart is sinking.

Aventurine doesn't talk to Sunday for a few days, until it's the last dress rehearsal. During their intermission break, Aventurine pulls Sunday aside.

"What do you want?" he asks. Aventurine is wearing stage makeup, and his eyes are so beautiful. Sunday avoids looking at them.

Aventurine sighs. "I owe you an apology." Sunday looks up in surprise. "You're right. I was prodding you to see how you'd react. That wasn't cool of me."

Sunday doesn't know what to make of this. "I forgive you," he says. He looks Aventurine in the eyes, then looks away, nerves high.

"You sure? You really don't have to. I know I was being a total jerk." Sunday is silent. Is he- nervous? Aventurine stares right into his golden eyes and dares to lean a little closer. "Though, I must admit," he says so quietly it's practically a murmur, "I was wondering if... maybe I was right?"

Sunday's heart skips a beat and he meets Aventurine's eyes. "Right about what?"

They're really close now, and their eyes are locked. Sunday feels warm. Is Aventurine getting closer? What is he doing?

"Places!"

Sunday steps back and almost crashes into a rack of costumes. He looks at Aventurine in panic, but Aventurine gives a small smirk. "Later, Sunday," he says, voice dripping with honey. Sunday tries to calm his racing heart. What just happened?

It turns out that Robin witnessed their interaction, and on the way home from rehearsal, she asks, "So, Aventurine?" Sunday's heart leaps.

"What about him?" he asks, on guard. Robin shrugs and hums innocently. They drive in silence for a couple more seconds before Sunday cracks. "I don't know what to make of him, Robin. I mean, he's certainly just using me, right?"

"He's a big flirt, that's for sure. But... I think he's like you."

"Like me?"

"He acts far more confident than he really is. Puts up a facade and never gives away his hand, so to speak."

"I see."

Robin turns to face Sunday, who glances at her momentarily before returning his eyes to the road. She says, "I think he's gentler than he lets on. He masks his feelings with grandiose gestures, but he isn't cruel. At least, that's what it seems like to me."

Sunday hums in acknowledgment. "Perhaps."

And then it's opening night, and everything is a blur, but Sunday isn't nervous about the performance so much as what he plans to do after. See, he has an ace up his sleeve this time. He's throwing caution to the wind, ignoring the voice in his head that tells him no.

From the pit, Sunday hears the show more than sees it. His sister sings beautifully, and Aventurine is a natural performer, as always. As Sunday's fingers dance along the keys, his heart is full of contentment.

The curtains close and the applause is thunderous. The house lights come on and Sunday is the first out of the pit. His heart races, and he hides his hand behind his back as he scans the crowd for--

Aventurine, on the other side of the crowd, meets his eyes. Sunday shoves through until he's next to Aventurine.

"Can I talk to you for a moment?"

Aventurine laughs. "You can try, but it's pretty loud in here."

"Then let's find a quiet place." Sunday grabs Aventurine's arm and pulls him out of the crowd.

"What's this about, Sunday?" Aventurine asks, befuddled. They reach an empty hallway, and Sunday reveals a bouquet of red roses.

His face goes pink. "These are for you. You performed beautifully, Aventurine. I wonder if..." he hesitates, then plunders on, "you would let me take you out to dinner?"

Aventurine is frozen, mouth agape, blinking slowly, and Sunday worries he's made a huge mistake. Aventurine's face has gone red, and he wordlessly extends a hand for the bouquet. He brings it to his face and smells the flowers.

"Sunday," he says, as if still in shock. He stares at the flowers in his hands, then at the boy in front of him. It feels like much more than he deserves.

"Please don't feel pressured to say yes if you're not interested," Sunday rambles, fidgeting with the hem of his coat.

Aventurine meets his eyes. "Why me?" he asks.

Sunday inhales deeply. "I... really like you, Aventurine. I'd like to get to know you better."

Aventurine can't detect any lies. He's still at a loss. He mindlessly sniffs the roses in his hands and stares at Sunday, who fidgets adorably.

"I- um. I mean, I guess-- I'd... like that," he finally replies, face heating up.

The grin on Sunday's face is blinding. "Okay," he says.

"Aventurine!"

Robin bursts through the door, fellow castmates lagging behind. "We've been looking everywhere for you! Come on, let's get pictures!" Then she notices the flowers in his hands and Sunday. She gives him a knowing smile and he grins nervously back. "Sorry to steal him," she says coyly to her brother, grabbing Aventurine's arm.

"I-- hey!"

Robin brings him back inside the theatre and Aventurine gives a shy little wave to Sunday.

Sunday feels like he could fly.