[If I was the sun I would shine my light to light your world
And If I was the rain I would wash your tears away
I'd keep your world bright. Be your light in the night
If I was the sky I would rain down love into your life]
--- Lyrics to 'If I Was a River' by Tina Arena
Ray of Hope Part 12
Cupping his hands under the running faucet, Heero splashed the warm water on his face. With a deep sigh of content, he dried his face with the small towel waiting at the sink's edge. Turning the faucet off, he straightened to peer into the oval mirror as he ran a hand through his hair that was still damp from his morning shower.
At the sight that awaited him in the glass, he gasped sharply. His cobalt eyes wide and his body stiff and unable to move, Heero watched as a hazy presence materialized just behind him. Unable to make out more than the blue eyes watching him in the mirror and the smile that tugged at the thin lips, the young sailor blinked in surprise.
"There is the young man who has it all. Tell me, how does it feel to be on top of the world?" the man's deep voice chuckled deeply.
Quickly turning with a sharp cry, Heero found that he was alone in the bathroom once more. His wide eyes scanning the small room for any signs of the mysterious presence that just visited him, he panted heavily. There was a gentle knock on the bathroom door as Duo's concerned voice called, "Heero? Are you all right?"
Running a shaking hand over his surprisingly damp face, Heero turned to appraise his sweat-spotted face. "I'm all right," he replied reassuringly. Finally calming his heavy breathing, he frowned deeply at his reflection, "I think." His hands still shaking, he quickly turned the faucet back on to wash his face once more.
"Okay," the lighthouse keeper's relieved voice answered past the door. There was a round of rough coughs before he was able to speak again. "I'm going to rest my eyes for a little longer before I head back downstairs."
Heero winced. Over the last week since he learned of his namesake, Duo's health had been taking a turn for the worse. Along with the coughing and sneezing spells that caught on, he was exhausted. He was now making regular visits to the hospital to see Sally under the excuse of 'just stopping in to say hello.' Along with that, Sally, Wufei and the remainder of the 'family' would make regular visits- many more visits than usual for them.
On a normal morning after his return from the lighthouse Duo would be lively and ready to face the day. Now, he returned to the cabin to rest more in his own rarely used bedroom. That, above everything else, had the sailor worried the most for his dear friend.
It was a task for Heero to keep the concern from his voice. Forcing a smile to mask his worry, he called back, "All right. I'll get breakfast started in about an hour then."
There was another fit of coughs before Duo's rough voice was able to respond, "Okay. Thanks." His heavy footsteps moved from the doorway and down the hall until the young sailor heard the quiet click of his bedroom doorknob.
With a deep sigh, the Heero's shoulders slumped heavily. Running a hand through his damp hair, he tentatively turned back to the mirror. With a quick once over, afraid to linger lest he have another visit, he grabbed his deep blue T-shirt from the sea-green tiled floor and stepped from the bathroom. His cobalt eyes lingering on the closed bedroom door down the other end of the hall, he made his way downstairs.
Later that morning, just as Heero was about to wrap up cooking breakfast, he heard his friend's dragging feet moving into the living room. Quickly cleaning his hands, he all but ran down the hall to see how Duo was fairing after his rest when the phone rang. "Duo," the woman's voice that he had overheard over several calls filled his ears when the call was answered.
The light housekeeper's voice was too quiet for Heero to make out his end of the conversation until he reached the doorway. As he always would, he stood out in the hall and listened in. "I know," Duo's voice sighed deeply. "I know you're worried about the change in diagnosis, but the white cell count goes up and down all the time." He broke off into a spell of violent coughing that took a moment to shake.
When he finally was able to control his wheezing breath, the lighthouse keeper spoke roughly, "Sally is beside herself. After having such better news not long ago, this was a bit of a shock, but I'm not too worried yet. It's too soon to jump to conclusions that they're going to continue to drop now."
His cobalt eyes widening, Heero held his breath. Duo's white cell count made a sudden turn on him? That certainly would explain the steady decline in his health the last few days. Taking his condition into account, the young sailor was silently beginning to panic. Duo had said that his father had caught on a flu that he could not shake before he quick deteriorated.
Shaking himself from his thoughts, the young sailor focused back on the conversation in the living room. "I love you, too," Duo whispered scratchily. "Just please don't worry about me so much. Everything is going to be fine. I promise I'll be in touch again soon. Besides, knowing Sally, if there is any change, she'll get a hold of you before even I'll be able to."
After a brief exchange of farewells, the click of the vidphone's monitor closing filled the air. Biting his lip, Heero waited a moment to take hold of his raging emotions. With a deep breath and a forced smile, he stepped into the room and announced, "Breakfast is ready."
From where he sat on the couch before the closed vidphone on the coffee table, Duo raised his pale-faced head. The dark circles under his eyes contrasted heavily with the nearly snow white skin. And his long braid, normally so neat in the way that it was pulled back was ratty with loose ends fraying. The entire look made him appear an aging man, not the young twenty-year-old that he was. Another lump formed in Heero's throat, as it had every time he saw his friend in such a sorry shape.
With a weary smile, Duo rose to his feet and replied, "Great. I'm starving."
* * * * * *
Later that night, just as the sun was about to begin its descent, Duo sighed deeply as he stood out on the gallery outside of the lantern room of the lighthouse to look out to the ocean. It was going to be another beautiful night, but with everything on his mind he could not bring himself to enjoy it. The warm air was not enough to keep the chill within his body out when a gentle breeze rose. His braid and too-large, long-sleeved gray sweater drifting on the wind, he wrapped his arms tightly around himself and shuddered.
The sound of footsteps falling on the deep green metal surprised the American to look up with wide eyes as his friend approached. "Heero?" he greeted, blinking in disbelief. He smiled, "Well this is a pleasant surprise. Finally decided to watch the sunset and stars from up here for a change?"
With a small smile of his own, Heero stood beside the other young man and answered, "Actually, I'm here to make sure that you get to sleep at a decent hour for once."
Duo turned his whole body to face him, his violet eyes wide and his mouth already opening to protest when the sailor quickly raised his hand to stop him. "You're exhausted," he stated quietly, his smile fading as he allowed his concern to show plainly. "And your staying up all night is not helping the fact that you're sick."
Above them, the sky continued to darken, the brilliant shades of colors from the sunset blending into a deep blue. Far below them, the roar of the crashing waves against the rocks of the cliffs rose on the breeze.
"But," Duo frowned deeply. He quickly changed from protesting his obvious ailing health and went for the heart of his own worry. Gesturing to the large lantern beyond the glass, he asked, "What about the lamp? Someone has to keep an eye on it."
His smile returning, Heero reassured him, "I'm going to sleep in the watch room. You can show me how to light the lamp when it starts getting dark enough and then, you're going to go to bed. I know how the alarm system works to if the lamp should go out and I'll be here to relight it if that happens."
Folding his arms and setting his face in a grim look, the young sailor stated firmly, "But once you're done showing me how to light the lantern, you're going straight to bed whether you like it or not."
There was still a near panicked look on the lighthouse keeper's face as he lowered his head, biting his lip. Sighing deeply, Heero offered with a small grin, "If it'll make you feel better, you can stay sleep in the watch room tonight, too."
Quickly raising his pale head, Duo blinked in shock and sputtered, "B-but I only have the one bed there." Heero merely shrugged, showing that it didn't bother him in the least and yet also making it known that it was the only condition he would bend on in allowing the braided young man to stay in the lighthouse. Swallowing hard, the American frowned deeply, "I don't want you risk getting sick with what I have."
Again, Heero shrugged, "I'm willing to risk it if it'll put you at ease with not talking the helm of this place. The only the option for you will be staying back in the cabin if you're not willing to take my one bend in the rules. So, the only choice you have in the matter is where you end up spending the night."
Duo swallowed hard again, only to fall into another fit of rough coughs. The look of concern in those cobalt depths when he was able to breathe again made it impossible for him to challenge the terms Heero set all together. And he was just so very tired.
Just the thought of actually going to sleep early was making the braided young man's legs weak. However, years of dedication to his promise to his dad and his love of his work were too engraved to keep him away completely. Finally, he nodded firmly, "All right. I'll sleep here, then."
With a wide, relieved smile, Heero nodded back, "Okay." Gesturing to the glass doors, he said quietly, "We better get the lamp started." He turned on his heels to lead the way back inside the tower with Duo close behind.
The pitch of that night made way for the millions of stars. Sitting on the gallery of the lantern room, Heero looked to the heavens to enjoy the breathtaking view from his place high above the world. Even the occasional, slow passing of the wide light beams from the spinning mirrors made the entire setting surreal. As high up as he was in the open air, he swore that he was close enough to the stars that he could reach out and touch them.
After what must have been a couple hours of enjoying his moment alone with the skies and sea, Heero rose and stepped back into the lantern room. Making a few inspections he learned that evening and satisfied that all was well, he descended the stairs to step into the watch room.
Much to the sailor's relief, he found Duo still sleeping peacefully. He slept on his side, facing the table beside the mattress with the softly glowing candle lit lamp. Even in his sleep, it was as though he was seeking the warmth and security that the dancing light offered. His face at peace, the years that his exhaustion and illness had added to him had faded.
Kneeling before the bookshelf, Heero chose one of many titles that appealed to him before heading over to the bed. Carefully slipping beside his friend, he readjusted the thin sheet to cover the two of them. Settling himself onto his back, he opened the cover of the hardback novel and began to read.
Beside the Japanese sailor, Duo stirred with a quiet hum. Looking away from his book, he watched with wide eyes as the sleeping braided lighthouse keeper nestled close to him, resting his head on his shoulder. His cobalt eyes widening, Heero slowly lowered his book and tentatively wrapped his arm around his friend. Still lost in his restful sleep, the American's lips tugged up in a small smile.
With a smile of his own and his interest in the book lost, Heero lowered the novel to the floor with his free, bandaged arm. Turning his head to the side, he blew the candle out from where he sat atop the crystal lamp.
TBC...
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