OMORI OC oneshot: Trauma Bonding
Before this begins, a quick thank you to @sugarsaturn for letting me use their OC for this. Also, a quick apology to them as well. Because I'm very sorry to keep you waiting for this oneshot.... I hope I wrote Lyra well enough.
Erika rests in her backyard patio, relaxing in the sun in shorts and a muscle shirt. Sunny and his friends were all at school right now, leaving the older family members to their own devices.
While Aria spends her time in the front yard painting, and Mari, Hero, Daphne, and Bowen spend their time at the bakery, Erika...for the first time in a while...gives herself a chance to relax....
...After some coaxing from her loved ones, of course.
The sky's clear with a warm sun and faint breeze. It's quiet in a way that offers peace and rest, rather than the suspense and anxiety the motorcyclist is familiar with when taking care of her loved ones. And as she naps...for once, there are no dreams.
Just her at peace....
....
....
After a good hour of peace, Erika's world becomes eventful again as a freezing cold sensation meets her face. She shoots awake and swings her arm out of reflex, hearing a yelp next to her as she misses her target. The taller woman turns to face the direction of the sensation....
...Only to see Aubrey's older sister, Lyra, next to her with a couple of water bottles, donning a baggy t-shirt and shorts with a pair of sandals.
"Good morning, sleeping amazon." The brunette smirks. "Almost slugged me in the face there." The taller woman gives an annoyed expression, "I was napping. And YOU used a cold water bottle to wake me up."
Lyra sits next to the tattooed woman, dropping one of the bottles in Erika's lap, "Hey, it wasn't intentional." "Also, I may have been trying to wake you up for the better part of a half-hour." She adds.
Erika grunts, easily tearing off the bottle cap, before downing a third of the water inside. "I'm guessing...your sister told you what happened to Mari?" She asks. The brunette lowers her head, sighing, "Yeah.... After a couple days."
"It's...still a lot to process...." Lyra admits, opening her water bottle and sipping from it. "I'm sure it was for you too...." As the two women rehydrate, the motorcyclist asks, "How's your sister doing? Given everything?"
"Good, admittedly...." The brunette answers, looking at her bottle in deep thought. "Honestly, I haven't seen her this happy in a good while. Not after what happened with Mari...and our deadbeat parents."
Erika hums, sitting up with a sigh, before asking, "Have you pressed charges yet?" "Or at least gotten Aubrey out of there?" She adds, tilting her head with a concerned expression.
The other woman lowers her head, saying bitterly, "I don't think this town has a police department or a judicial system that'd give a fuck." "Aubrey's safe with people she trusts." She answers simply.
Time passes in silence, before Erika says, "I wish I took matters into my own hands regarding my so-called parents." "I was neglected. Sunny's no different. Mari was abused through "golden child" treatment." She explains.
Her knuckles crack audibly as she clenches her free hand into a fist, her eyes narrowing with silent fury, "My father abandoned us like yours. Tried to get closure for what he did. Never found him."
"And your mother?" Lyra asks. Erika blinks, before answering truthfully, "She gave me custody over Sunny." "I wonder if she finally understood that she wasn't raising Sunny properly. Or if she feared my reaction to her taking him with her." She adds.
"I shouldn't care, yet I do...." She admits somberly. "Because I'm scared of becoming exactly like them...."
Lyra takes in Erika's words silently, lowering her head.
....
She wonders...what would happen if she took Erika's example.... Tried to get closure for what her and Aubrey's parents did to them.
Would any good actually come out of it...?
She's not sure. And admittedly, she's not sure if she wants to know the answer at all.
For now, she and Aubrey are safe. That's all that matters.
Lyra tries to lighten up the mood, saying, "So...you and Aria. When are you two....well...." Erika raises an eyebrow when Lyra trails off, "When are we what?" After a few moments, it clicks with the taller woman blushing, cuing her to clear her throat.
"We are...waiting until Sunny and Angel graduate to discuss further." She explains. "I don't know, it feels like that would be a more appropriate time to chat about marriage. Less things to worry about and on people's minds."
"Will you be making an official proposal?" The brunette asks. Erika smiles warmly with a small chuckle, fiddling with the ring on her left ring finger, "SHE'S the one who proposed to me. Not the other way around.... God, I love her."
She finishes her water bottle, before sitting back, "We have decided that it'll be held here and that every one of our loved ones will be present." "We have also decided that I will be the one in the dress and Aria in the suit." The motorcyclist adds.
"All that's left is to decide on Bride's Maids, Dudes Of Honor, and who's gonna hand out the rings and perform the ceremony." She explains. "We do have a few obvious ideas in mind. But we want to talk about it with them first, before continuing."
Lyra raises an eyebrow in bewilderment, "How the fuck are you going to find a dress that fits!?" "I have some friends who make quite a bit of money. They'll be able to help out." Erika says as she looks at herself, knowing that her physique makes clothing an unnecessary challenge.
"I mean...you wear the style fantastically, but...how the hell are you supposed to get any clothes that fit?" The brunette asks. The taller woman groans, "Don't remind me. It was and still is a pain in the ass."
Another period of silence passes over the two women, before Lyra asks in a serious tone, "Could you be honest real quick? Would she...be upset with everything that's happened...?" The biker raises an eyebrow, only followed by a sigh of realization.
She knows that the brunette is referring to Mari; she's just forgotten that not everyone can see her ghost just yet.
She's not sure if she should tell Lyra that Mari's ghost is around, as Lyra doesn't believe in stuff like ghosts.
....
....
Though...maybe it would provide some comfort if she did tell her the truth about it.
"She was upset...at first. Sad that she didn't notice Sunny's struggles sooner, sad that she was dead, and sad that didn't talk to me about her issues, knowing that I could've probably done something to help her and Sunny." Erika explains.
She takes a breath, "She was angry at how powerless she was to help anyone, lonely because she couldn't interact with the people she cared about most, and tired because despite that, she still tried to help even in her ethereal state."
The biker lowered her head, "She is looking out for us and she is happy that you're trying your best for Aubrey." "She knows that you've struggled and is sad that circumstances have been cruel to you as well." She adds.
Erika sighs, "I guess self-loathing is a common trait with the three of us...." "Probably.... But I'm glad things are getting better for you." Lyra reassures, holding the taller woman's hand.
A few moments of silence pass, before Lyra says, "I...still don't believe in ghosts...but you do. And I trust you enough to take your words as fact and reassurance."
She feels Erika squeeze her hand gently...and it's enough to make her smile. The brunette knows she doesn't need to voice her thanks. Her body language speaks volumes.
....
....
A few minutes later, Erika and Lyra are back inside, with the former being admittedly upset with being away from the comfortable warmth. The brunette hugs the biker with a warm smile, "Thanks for today."
"Thank you for the visit." The raven-haired woman hums in return, returning the embrace and letting it last as long as it needs to. Lyra pulls away gently, before saying, "I'll let Aubrey know you said hi."
"Also, one last thing. Send me and Aubrey invites, please." She says firmly, coaxing a loud laugh from the motorcyclist. Erika nods with a grin, "Aria and I will. And I'll let Mari know to visit you."
Lyra nods, before waving goodbye as she leaves. Erika walks to the front yard and up to Aria as the latter begins to take care of her painting. "Hey. I'm guessing you two had a good conversation." Aria smiles.
The biker nods as she helps the artist clean up, "We did." The two then watches Lyra fade into the distance, before Erika explains in a whisper, "I think she really needed some support and reassurance."
