[When you're standing on the edge of nowhere
And there's a little love way up, so your heart's gotta go there
through the darkest night, see the light shine bright.
When heroes fall, in love or war, they live forever]
--- Lyrics to 'This Is a Song For the Lonely' performed by Cher
Ray of Hope Part 6
Once the cabin was tidied and the last call to his friends had been made, Duo took up his large pail of oils and gear as he called to the living room, "I have some inspections to make up at the lighthouse, Heero. I'll be back in a couple hours."
Wiping the last bit of dust from the last table in the preparation for that evening's guests, Heero straightened at the announcement. Quickly making his way into the hall, he saw the back of the braided lighthouse keeper as he reached the front door. "Is it all right if I come along?" he asked quietly.
His hand frozen in its grip on the doorknob, Duo's violet eyes widened. Turning to meet the cobalt eyes watching him in anticipation, he smiled warmly and nodded, "Sure thing."
Gesturing with his head, he turned back and stepped out into the beautiful afternoon air with Heero right behind. It certainly was shaping to be a day of many steps in the right direction for the young sailor and Duo couldn't help but smile to himself in his excitement. Despite the rough start to the day, it was a monumental in chiseling through the walls that Heero had built around himself. The brief pain that it had caused the braided lighthouse keeper had been more than worth it to him in seeing the changes that it helped spur.
Leaving the shelter of the shadow from the front porch as he followed his host, Heero shielded his eyes from the bright sunlight for his sight to adjust. Ever since he had arrived at the cabin, it was his first time outside.
The first thing that overwhelmed him was the sea air, how clean and vibrant it was as it filled his lunges. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath, allowing himself a moment to enjoy the scent and feel of it all to indulge in what he closed himself off from before that moment.
Slowly lowering his hand, the young sailor blinked his cobalt eyes a few times and was soon able to gaze around without discomfort. To his right, he found the stretch of cliffs that surrounded the cabin on the rose of rock. A shudder ran up Heero's spine at the realization that he had crashed up against those same cliffs the night of that fateful crash.
As if sensing the tension in the air, Duo turned his braided back to watch him and smiled, "There's my baby." Silently grateful for the well-timed distraction, Heero looked forward to where the American pointed ahead of them, then began to look upward.
The pristine, white tower stretched up to the heavens from its perch near the edge of the cliffs. At the top of the lighthouse, two balconies of deep green metal- one directly atop the other- wrapped around the structure. What looked to be the highest housing of the tower was encased in the same deep green metal, shimmering brilliantly in the sunlight. The entire image was one of grandeur and majesty as it overlooked the sea.
When they wrapped around the side of the lighthouse, there was a small extension that looked like the start of a tiny house used to secure only the door of the structure. Opening the door and allowing the sailor to enter first, Duo told him, "It's a bit of a hike up, so if you need to rest, just let me know."
Peering around the white interior of the wide base, Heero noted the winding stairwell and handrails were made of the same, deep green metal that was used for the balconies outside. As he cast his gaze up, he could get a better idea for the impressive height and nodded, "I should be all right. I can see how you stay in shape."
A small smile fell on his lips when he was rewarded with a fit of laughter from the lighthouse keep as he closed the door behind them. "It took me a while, but I eventually got used to the climb," he commented. Duo took hold of one of the railings with his free hand as he began an easy pace up the stairs.
Heero followed in tow, his good hand braced on the railing as he was silently grateful once more for his host's thoughtfulness at taking the stairs at a slower rate than what he was sure he could manage in his experience. The climb up the winding stairwell was made in a companionable silence as the Japanese stranger took in his surroundings.
As they neared the end of their climb, Duo announced, "This room up here is called the watch room of the lighthouse. It's where all of the mechanics and wicks are held, as well as the station where the keeper of this place takes perch to watch the ocean." (1)
Only slightly winded from the hike upwards, Heero stepped up to the room and peered around. His cobalt eyes blinking in surprise, he took in the layout of the round space.
In the center of the room was a good-sized bed with a bookcase at one side and a small table with a battery-operated lamp on the other. Surrounding that were gears and tanks varying in sizes and shapes. Through the clean glass that protected the room around, the first balcony watched over everything around the lighthouse.
Lowering the pail that he had been carrying, Duo went right to his work, looking over every spring coil, gear tooth, tank of oils and other flammables. Quietly muttering to himself, the braided young man set about greasing some of the gears and filling some of the nearly empty tanks.
Content to give the lighthouse keeper some time to work in peace, Heero moved to the bookcase to scan over the book spines to the titles. "You have quite a collection here," he commented in a low voice.
Duo looked up from his work of restocking some of the wicks. With a shrug, he smirked, "Well, they give me something to do to pass the time up here at night. If you see anything you want to read, help yourself." With that, he returned to his work.
With a thoughtful look, Heero peered up to the last stairwell that led to the top level. "What is the room up there called?" he asked.
"That's called the lantern room," the braided young man answered. Seeing the look on interest in his guest's face, he grinned, "You can go up to look around, if you want. I should be finished here in a little bit. Feel free to step out on the gallery for a look if you want, too."
When the young man gave him a confused look, Duo smiled sheepishly, "Sorry, I forget you don't know the terms. The gallery is a fancy way of referring to the balcony. You san see the entire island from up there."
Slowly nodding, the young sailor climbed the last stairs into the top of the tower. When he stepped into the lantern room, his cobalt eyes widened at the awe of it all. Directly in the center of the room, encased in ribbed glass, was the large structure that shielded what would be the bright flame that would be lit every night.
As the sun beamed through the glass encasing the room and then the glass that made up the lantern that acted as a prism, countless little rainbows danced around the room.
With a small smile of wonder on his face, Heero walked around the lantern to step through the door and onto the gallery and into the steady breeze. Taking a hold of the support railing, he gazed out to the city that was protected around a rise of rock all around.
From where he stood, the wandering sailor could make out the cozy community of houses, stores, churches and other buildings miles off. The whole picture that it made would have served as a perfect image on a postcard.
"Ideal for a getaway place," Heero heard himself breathe to himself, blinking in surprise when he heard himself make such a comment without knowing why he was saying it. Shaking his breeze-blown head of hair, he just allowed himself to enjoy the view. After standing there for a time, the young sailor walked around the remainder of the balcony to the front.
Instead of feeling uncomfortable at gazing out to the open sea, as he had expected, Heero found himself breathless at the beauty of it all. For as far as his eyes could see, the ocean stretched to the horizon and rolled up to slap against the rugged edges of the cliffs below.
Closing cobalt his eyes, he took another deep, refreshing breath of the salty air as the wind continued to rustle his hair. Slowly opening his eyes again, he couldn't help but smile to himself at being able to gaze on such a wondrous sight.
The sound of footsteps approaching was not enough to beak the spell that had taken hold of the sailor and he breathed, "It's beautiful." As simple a statement as it was, it spoke a million things on his mind at that moment. Somehow, he had the impression that the lighthouse keeper understood.
A wide grin on his face, Duo leaned on the railing as he peered to the ocean with a nodded, "Yea." His braid occasional lifting on the breeze, he commented, "As lonely as it can be at times being out here, I have the best view on the entire island."
Heero smirked, "You certainly do." There was a peaceful silence between them for a moment before he stated, "I imaging that it's just as nice at night, when the stars are out. I'd like to see that one of these times."
His young host turned to faced him as he nodded his braided head, "Any time you want, you're more than welcome up here. And if you'd like, I could always show you more about caring for the lantern and what makes this place tick. Quatre's one of my best friends that's coming tonight and he's the only other person that I taught all of those things to."
"It would be more interesting than staying inside and staring at the same walls," Heero replied. In realizing how sacred it must be to the lighthouse keeper to share his trade so to speak, he felt inclined to ask, "So is Quatre someone that you..." He could feel his face burning and he was unable to continue.
Thankfully, Duo was already laughing, his head falling back as he shook his head, "You mean someone I'm interested in?" When the young sailor only blushed an even deeper read, he pulled his laughter back into a deep chuckle and shook his head, "Quatre is straight as an arrow. Actually, he's dating our friend, Trowa's, sister. I'm the only gay person in the circle of friends I have."
At that, Heero couldn't help but feel... was it relief at that news? His thoughts were broken when Duo gently slapped him on the shoulder and announced, "The sun's going to be setting pretty soon, and I have a few more things at the cabin that I need to take care of before the others arrive."
In hearing how much time had passed while he was admiring the breathtaking view, Heero's cobalt eyes widened. "I didn't realize how long I was out here," he thought aloud.
Smiling warmly, Duo took up his pail of tools and said quietly, "You looked like you needed some time alone, so I waited until we had to get going."
Surprised yet again by his host's innate ability to read him, the Japanese sailor blinked his slightly widened eyes before managing a grinned, "Thanks."
"No thanks needed," was the flippant response with a wink as the American turned to lead the way back into the lantern room. "Knowing Hilde and how anxious she's been to meet who's become such a stir amongst the town, she'll be arriving early with Trowa to get to talk with you before the others get here."
As he continued on his way, Duo's voice grew more and more distant as Heero turned back for one last look out to the ocean and took one last deep breath. Content to store his experience in his mind until his next time up, he turned to catch up with the braided lighthouse keeper and follow him back down to the earth.
TBC...
(1) All terms and explanations to the lighthouse stations have been researched and verified. I did my homework for this. *smiles*
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