Untitled Part 1
I open my eyes suddenly as something cold touches my forehead. It's dark outside the window; I must have been out for quite a long time if night has fallen already. Glancing around me, I realize that I am lying on the only bed in the room. Someone had bandaged the wound on my right shoulder and leg and bound my broken ribs; they have also changed me into clean clothes.
On the edge of the bed sits the long-haired boy I had seen in the mountains earlier. Next to him, on a table, is a bowl of cold water. He had just placed a cold, damp towel on my forehead when I woke. I feel so hot...I must have a fever.
"I'm sorry! Did I wake you?" The boy said apologetically. "I wanted to put the towel on your head to try and bring your fever down."
I could simply push him away as I always do to those who try to help me. I never accept help of any kind from anyone, not even my friends, never mind a stranger, but I can't bring myself to refuse this youth in front of me. Something about this boy, he has some sort of charm that no one can resist.
Not even me.
"Thanks," Was all I could manage to get out and that feels weird for me. It's rare that I take the time to thank someone for anything.
The violet-eyed boy gave me a sweet smile. "No need. Do you have a name?"
I prefer not to give my name to strangers, but he did help me...so I decide to tell him. "Heero Yuy,"
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Yuy. I am Duo...Duo Maxwell."
Hearing him call me 'Mr. Yuy' brings a frown to my face, it sounds like he's addressing my father. No one calls me 'Mr. Yuy'. My friends call me Heero, the servants call me Master Heero, but...Mr. Yuy? That sounds so...old.
"Just Heero, would be fine," I tell him.
"Sure, then you must call me, Duo."
I tense at the sound of someone's footsteps outside the room. Damn! I never have liked being around strangers. Now that someone is trying to kill me...I like it even less.
"Mom? Is that you?" Duo called out.
"You know that it is me! What's the point of asking such a silly thing?" A woman entered the room, glaring half-heartedly at her son.
"Well, just in case." The boy answered sheepishly.
There's no doubt in my mind that these two are mother and son. Their faces are almost identical, the same long, wavy chestnut hair and vivid violet eyes. The same smile, too...exactly the same. Actually, I would have to say they look more like siblings than mother and child.
"I see that our guest has finally awoke," She said the smile never leaving her face. "Well then, I'll go fetch something for you to eat."
Even though she looks so kind, I can see that she doesn't like having some stranger disturbing her peaceful life. Unlike Duo, she doesn't show the same enthusiasm that the boy does, there's a shade of annoyance in the way she acts. She makes me think that maybe she'd like to be rid of me as soon as she can.
"Duo..." I hesitate. I'm not good at starting conversations with anyone, but I am curious.
"Yeah?"
"How long have you been living here?"
"I was born here; I've never left the mountain."
"Not even once?" I am surprised to learn this.
"Nope."
"Don't you ever yearn to go and visit the town, even if it's only once?"
"Of course I do, but...well...my mother, she doesn't want me to. Also, with these eyes, it would be rather difficult for me to walk around town, ne?" A whisper of sadness crosses his features.
"So, you really are..."
"Blind?" The long-haired boy smiles softly. "Yes, I am. It's no secret."
I study the braided boy sitting in front of me. He seems so lonely and...sad. A twinge of guilt stings me for bringing this up and right now all I want to do is wipe the sadness from his heart-shaped face.
"I...I am sorry..."
"Nah! Don't be," Duo cuts of my sentence before I can finish. "I don't mind it much anyway." He sighs loudly. "It's just that...I've never been able to see, not from the time I was born. Sometimes, I just wish that I could see what the world around me looks like...even if it's only for one day...that would make me so happy. I'm sorry...I am babbling nonsense."
"No! No! It's alright!" Yeah, it is. That's odd. I'm never willing to just sit and listen to people talk, not even friends, but this boy...I find it comforting to listen to his voice. To listen to whatever he wishes to talk about.
The door opens again and the woman walks in with a tray full of food in her hands. Duo jumps up and rushes to his mother's side to help her. If you were to just watch the way he acts, you'd never know that he couldn't see. He walks around with such ease and confidence that it doesn't show.
Bringing the tray to me, Duo urges me to eat with a bright smile.
The food is delicious and actually quite fancy for what can be found in the mountains. Then again, maybe it's because I have never eaten truly 'homemade' food before. My mother died when I was very young so I've never had the benefit of eating cooking like this.
While I'm eating, Duo starts to talk. He is shy at first, not being used to talking with strangers... after all he hasn't met many people outside of his mother. After a while, he starts to relax and talk to me more freely. During my meal, I learn a lot more about this boy, about his childhood, his dreams...everything. He is so very cheerful and I find myself wondering how can he be this way? So optimistic...even after all he had been through.
After supper, Duo clears away the tray and the dishes and takes them from the small room. When he returns he starts to prepare to go to bed. I watch him as he pulls a couple blankets and a pillow from the closet and starts to make a make shift bed on the cold floor.
I'm still watching him as he lies down and prepares to go to sleep. "Duo? You're going to sleep on the floor?" I ask, almost in disbelief.
"Yeah,"
"But, this is your bed right?" I point down at the bed I am lying on.
"Well, I sure can't let a guest sleep on the floor, especially when that guest is injured."
"But..." I don't feel right about repaying my host's kindness by letting him sleep on the floor.
"It's okay; I can deal with it fine." He shot me a reassuring smile. "It isn't that cold tonight anyway."
I'd really like to convince him to sleep in the bed, but I can't find any arguments that I think would work. "Alright then, I guess. Oyasumi, Duo."
"Good night Heero."
I stare out the only small window of the room at the star filled sky. I hope that my friends will be alright without me there.
The sound of soft snores fills the room and my vision starts to fade away. My eyelids grow heavy and soon I am slipping off to sleep.
TBC...
Author's Notes: I am glad that I finally finished this part ^^ So, what do you think?
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