GLASSES ARE YOUR BEST FRIEND
By Lady Snowblossom
"So, he's still refusing to go and have his eyes checked?" Wufei
said. Nataku's former pilot stared down at his liver spotted hands
and sighed. "Somehow, I'm not surprised. He's been the Perfect
Soldier for so long that is how he sees himself. He's not about to
admit that he doesn't have it anymore."
"Well, we have to do something, or he could end up like me." Duo
said from behind his ever-present sunshades. Shinigami held out a
hand and Quatre handed his koi, his white cane. Duo's eyes had been
badly damaged in a chemical explosion and by the time the injuries
were correctly treated, there had been no way to repair the damage.
Duo had been living in perpetual darkness for thirty years, and only
Quatre was allowed to see the scarred tissue that had once covered
eyes that sparkled with life.
Duo rose and whispered something to Sandrock, turning he
neatly avoided a footstool and a coffee table on his way out of the
room.
Trowa watched the dark one leave and felt a tremor of fear. He
couldn't bear the thought of his Heero perhaps falling into the
darkness that enveloped the braided one. He blinked as he heard
Quatre say.
"Duo and I have a plan, but you are going to have to help."
"What do you want us to do?" Trowa leaned forward to hear the
answer. Wufei leaned forward and cocked his head.
Quatre smiled and said, "Listen..."
Heero glared at the offending blurs on his computer monitor.
The black blobs absolutely refused to form shapes that looked
anything like a word. He growled curses under his breath as he
leaned in until his nose was scant inches from the screen.
Trowa stood in the doorway and felt the chill of fear once
again. He fought it down, Heero was not going blind; those fiery
Prussian blues were not going to darken. They had had forty-five
years together, and they would have a few more before they laid their
burden down.
"Heero." he said, and watched as his koi jerked upright in that
defensive posture that was becoming his habit of late. "Heero, we
need to meet Quatre and Wufei at the orphanage."
"Why are we going to the orphanage?" Heero breathed a sigh of
relief, he hadn't been caught after all, or Trowa would have been
nagging at him-again. The years had brought changes to the silent
one of the group, Trowa have become surprisingly vocal during their
life together. Sometimes, he could beat Duo at his worst.
"Quatre's ophthalmologist, Dr. Katarina Blue is doing eye
examines of the youngest kids and she feels that our presence will
reassure the children." There was an undertone in Trowa's voice that
told Heero, he was going whether he liked it or not.
"Ah."
Dr. Blue smiled, as she watched her assistant, Tara set up the
equipment they had brought with them. She, Quatre and his husband,
Duo had had a long discussion about how they were going to get the
reluctant Mr. Yuy to have an examination. Her sense of humor had
been piqued by the plan they had finally adopted. Now all she had to
do was wait for her, uh, assistant to show.
Heero found himself surrounded by a couple dozen eager little
puppy-like bright eyes, and felt a little faint. He had never really
been comfortable around children and now here he was trapped with a
roomful of them. Thank God! Wufei was there to help! Wu had a
dozen grandkids and four great-grandkids, so the lively antics of
these squirming rug rats didn't bother him.
Dr. Blue turned from her assistance and announces, "Well, kids!
Here we go! Now, I'm going to pick someone to come up and
demonstrate each piece of equipment on. So, you won't be scared,
when its your turn."
She pretended to look around, before pointing at Heero.
"Now, if you would be so kind, Mr. Yuy." The doctor waved him
to come forward.
Inwardly, Heero cringed, as he was pinned by bright hopeful
eyes. Duo, relying on his heightened sense of hearing and smell made
his way to the frozen man. He leaned against his old friend and
whispered.
"It's just another mission, Heero. You can do this, I have
faith in you."
Just another mission, Heero forced his legs to move and sat down
at the glaucoma machine and fitted his chin into the cup. He flushed
at the twitter that ran thorough the room, when he jumped at the
feeling of air being puffed into his eye.
He almost balked at having the mask put over his eyes, but
Trowa's growl of his name made him give in. For the next few
minutes, only the sound of their voices and the soft snick of the
gears were heard.
"Better or worse?"
"Better."
"One or two?"
"Again."
"One or two?"
"Two."
"Three or four?"
"Four."
"Tell me when the two rows of letters are directly overtop
each other."
"Now."
"Now the right eye."
(Repeats tests)
"Please read the lowest row of letters you can."
"X C R Y L P I D S" (fifth row from the top)
"Very good."
"Now, we'll show the kiddies how glasses are fitted.
Tara."
"Come this way, Mr. Yuy."
Heero followed the girl over to a table and she opened a
case of frames. Peering at Heero, she pulled out several pairs and
tried each on, before settling on one. The frames were gold with
black plastic tipped ends
"Hmm, I think these will do nicely." Tara told the man
scowling at her.
"I like those." (Trowa.)
"Hn."
Dr. Blue smirked at the success of their little play
and clapped her hands. "Everyone, let's all thank Mr. Yuy for being
so helpful!"
The kids began to clap and Heero blushed.
Four days later, Heero looked up as Trowa walked into
their computer room. The white haired man was carrying a box. He
extended it to Heero, who stared expressionlessly at it.
"Present for you from Quatre. Take it." Trowa ordered.
The Japanese took the box and opened it. Inside, he
found some pink popcorn packing material, removing it; he gazed at
the blue velvet eyeglass case. Frowning, he looked back up at his
husband.
"Not funny." He made to put the box aside. A hand
reached out and gripped his wrist and squeezed.
"Heero," faded Prussian eyes looked up into emerald
green orbs that glinted with determination. "You ... will ...wear
... those." Heero's eyes widen, he had heard that tone from Trowa
only once, and it had been followed by the hardest right cross anyone
had ever hit him with.
He sighed.
Two weeks later, Quatre smiled, as he watched Heero
playing poker with Trowa and some of his and Duo's adopted children.
A tapping sound from behind told him, Duo had arrived.
"Heero has certainly changed, since he got his
glasses." Quatre reached out and drew his love close. Duo laughed
wistfully, "Wish I could see it."
"See it through my eyes, love." and Quatre kissed him.