Fallyn groaned in pain. ‘Oh, Goddess!’ she thought to herself, ‘what hit me?’ She felt a strong, gentle hand slip into hers. A hand that didn’t belong to her sister.
She tried to open her eyes, knew they were open, but everything was black. She nearly screamed, but somehow managed to strangle it in time.
“Cheri?” she asked the darkness. Duo’s soft voice answered her. She turned towards the sound. She could feel that there was nothing covering her eyes, either. She began to get frightened.
“Wufei’s with her. She still unconscious, as far as I’m aware. She’s not hurt. But what about you? Are you alright?” she could hear the concern in his voice plainly. ‘And why aren’t your eyes focusing?’ he thought to himself.
“I hurt, ‘specially my head. And—Duo—I…I can’t see.” She blinked back the tears that threatened and her voice shook. “Duo, I’m scared.” She whispered to her own personal darkness. Duo moved and sat on the bed beside her, gathering her into his strong arms.
“Don’t worry, I’m here. There’s nothing to be afraid of. You’re safe.” She heard the smile in his voice. “No one would dare harm either of you while you stay with Gundam pilots.” He chuckled softly and she found herself smiling.
“Did we win?” She reached up, searching for his face. He gently took her hand, kissed it, and placed it on his cheek. She felt his smile, and she blushed slightly at his proximity.
“Yeah. They’re prolly all now down at the cop shop, getting booked.” She paused briefly.
“Is he dead?” Duo’s sigh was all the answer than she needed.
“”*~‘’~*“”
Cherish and Fallyn listened as two very happy pilots rushed into the house, followed by two pairs of determined feet. Heero was the last into the house.
Duo ran into the kitchen where the girls were and stopped dead in his tracks, Quatre nearly running him over. Cherish looked at him oddly. His eyes were locked on Fallyn, so Cherish turned around to see what was so odd about her sister.
She noticed nothing. Fallyn was in an off-white apron over a green blouse and khaki slacks, and her long hair was pulled back into her usual braid. She had a pair of glasses on, though she didn’t really need them, since she couldn’t see, and she was standing near the cutting board, French knife in hand. She turned back to Duo, who had been joined by the other boys.
“What’s wrong, guys? Never seen a blind girl cook before?” Cherish turned back to her sister and found her smiling at the five amazed pilots. “Trust me, I know what I’m doing, even blind. Been down this road before.” Before Duo could speak, she added, “Doesn’t make it any less frightening, though.”
Cherish smiled back at the pilots in the entryway and cleared her throat. “If none of you want to get gutted with my knife and added to tonight’s surprise celebratory dinner, I suggest you all leave Fall and I alone in here to do as we please.” Before half her threat could leave her lips, all the guys but for Quatre had vanished.
Quatre smiled over at Fallyn, and looked into Cherish’s emerald eyes. “You two are amazing.” He said, and then left.
Cherish sighed and turned to watch her blind-again sister chopping up a mushroom carefully. She smiled as she watched Fallyn easily slice through five more mushrooms all at once, and chop them up as well.
“I’m going to have to prove to those boys I’m not fragile and made of glass, aren’t I, Cheri?” Cherish sighed and nodded. “Probably, babe, probably.”
“”*~‘’~*“”
A tiny bell resounded throughout the house, reaching five pairs of very hungry ears. Five sets of legs propelled five bodies from the back of the house to the table and seated themselves.
The two sisters floated out of the kitchen carrying plates laden with food, Cherish carrying two, Fallyn carrying three. Fallyn shook her head as she placed a plate in front of Duo, silencing him before he could speak.
“Sorry that the food’s a little late, the cook couldn’t really tell when it was done. I had to help a little.” Cherish admitted and blushed. A murmur ran through the boys. Fallyn had made this meal? They seemed all very impressed by that fact, considering she was blind.
Duo took the first bite.
He raised his fork to his mouth, the others watching, waiting. He took the bite. The others waited in various states of anticipation, not noticing the girls had taken refuge in the kitchen and Cherish was whispering the play-by-play to a very nervous Fallyn.
“The fork’s in his mouth. Waitaminute, wait a minute!” she knew Fallyn could hear her grin. “His eyes are closing and his mouth is starting to curve upwards….OH!” Fallyn reached out and grabbed her arm with a vice-like grip.
“He musta given a yummy noise, Fally! They’re all digging in with relish and..and….they’re all reacting the same damn way!” Fallyn’s grip on her arm lessened a bit, then tightened in joy.
“You mean they like it? Oh, Goddess help me, Cheri, but I think I’m going to faint!” and the two girls giggled.
Cherish handed her sister a plate and fork. “Think you can eat?” Fallyn frowned and sat the plate down, shaking her head. “I’ll eat something, later. Tell me more of what’s going on out there. Around you eating, of course.” Cherish shook her head. Her sister was as stubborn and foolish as ever.
“”*~‘’~*“”
Fallyn listened as the pilots raved about the successful mission. But, though she sightlessly enjoyed their success with them, her attention was focused on Heero. She could sense something was terribly wrong.
She sensed someone get up quietly and leave, though they moved with stealth, so as not to disturb the revelers. She knew who it was, and followed him.
Placing her hand on the door, she opened it very silently. It didn’t even let out a warning creak. She knew knocking would get her nowhere, so she slipped into the room. She heard movement on the bed by the window and turned her face towards the sound.
“Heero, what’s wrong?” She felt his head move, as if he was startled, and he gazed at her.
“Nothing”
“Don’t lie to me, Heero. I can tell something is wrong.” He was scrutinizing her in the darkness as she moved carefully, lithely over to his chilled bed and sat down.
“How.”
She smiled at the question posing as a command. She turned her kind, amethyst eyes to him. “I can hear it in your voice. Don’t get me wrong, you’re great at keeping your voice pretty even and monotonistic. But I’ve had to deal with being blind before, and I’ve picked up a few traits of the blind. I can hear it, Heero, even though no one else can. I can hear the slight, ever so slight, variations in your tone. I can feel it in the air around you, taste it in your body language.” Her breathing was even, and so was his, though the two of them were face to face. She could feel his warm breath on her cheek.
A thought occurred to her. “Did Duo nearly get killed, again?” she asked softly. She felt his slight nod. “That’s what’s bothering you, isn’t it?” another nod in the darkness. She mulled this over, a thought showing itself to her, and her own feelings revealing themselves. For both pilots.
Heero was now beside her and she could sense his hands near her body, searching for the vulnerable spots that could cause the most damage. She unconsciously blocked every attempt, moving subtly to the next threatened spot as he moved.
“You love him, don’t you.” She heard him say, as she thought it to him, and herself. She laughed softly and he glanced at her. He hadn’t noticed what he was doing until she stopped moving and laughing, showing him the same kind of trust Duo showed him.
“I was about to ask you the same thing.” She got suddenly quiet and put her hand on his arm, pulling him closer so she could whisper in his ear. “Someone is right outside your door. I’ll put money down that it’s Duo and he heard the question. He wants to know the answer as much as I do. To answer without words nod, or shake your head.” She sighed softly, her breath tickling Heero’s ear. She felt Heero nod. She whispered again, tickling his ear once more. “And that’s what’s truly wrong, isn’t it?” He nodded again.
