There are two kinds of blindness

Chapter one;


An unwillingly visit

That rainy Tuesday Zechs did find himself sitting calmly, without any kind of restrains in the chair next to Commander Une in the small office of agent Chang’s physician.

The middle-aged man’s desk was filled with charts and all kind of colored paper and post-its. The man looked tired and the light shadows under his hazel brown eyes clearly indicated that he had had little sleep lately.

His dark hair was just as neatly groomed as his trimmed beard, both not without wide strips of grey. Dr Grant was just as a head shorter than Marquise, but his shoulders were just as broad. Though his physique was as far off as possible, he was in no meaning overweight.

He looked good for his age.

The older man’s eyes looked down on the chart lying in his hands.

“According to the damage pattens done to his upper thighs and calves, which by the way was caused by a baseball bat,”

“Dr Grant,” The former Lady Une interrupted the French dialect of the doctor’s soft voice. “I didn’t ask how he got injured, I already know that. I asked if he will ever recover again.”

The french doctor cleared his throat.

“Yes, he will be able to walk again, but perhaps never without some kind of support.”
“What do you mean?” The blond man had stayed silent so far, which had surprised the grey haired man some.

“As your commander might already have informed you about, Mr Chang is in a lot of pain, even when drugged. That kind of pain often leads to some kind of mental blockage.” The older man closed his eyes for a second before he returned his attention to Zechs.

“Mr Marquise, you are the one who will be responsible for the care of Mr Chang after he gets released, right?” There was a slight hesitation in his questioning.

“I am afraid so, yes.”

His answer seemed to disturb his commander officer, but she was never given the chance to argue with her friend’s behavior.

BEEP BEEP BEEP

Une sighed and rose, reaching for her beeping pager.

“Damn the monster who created these useless, evil machines!” She cringed. “Gentleman, you have to excuse me. It seems like my organization can’t handle anything on there own. I am terrible sorry.” She turned to Zechs. “Zechs, do as Dr Grant says. No arguing!”

“Yes, my Lady.”

“Thank you for your time Miss Une.” Dr Grant reached for her hand.

The trio stepped out of the small room and into the crowded corridor.

“Zechs,” Une said holding his upper arm a little harder then she felt needed. “Please don’t make him feel any worse than he already does.” She squeezed his arm before letting go.

“I’ll try my best ma’am.”
“I wish I could believe you.” She tried to smile. “Do as the kind doctor here says.”
“I’m not retarded Une. I heard you the first time.”
“I know.” With a sad smile on her lips she turned to the middle-aged man. “Good day, and if makes any trouble, just page me.”
“I will. Good day.”

“Mr Marquise, will you follow me please.” Dr Grant said before he turned to walk to the young Asian agent.
“Dr Grant,” Zechs voice died. He really didn’t want to be here, asking how the one person he truly hated was feeling. “How badly, exactly how bad is it?”

The doctor let a sigh of relief wash out of him. This man did care after all, something that had been eating at him ever since they met over an hour ago. Mr Marquise had made it quite clear that he had no interest of being here, or how his friend was feeling. But now, his voice did show concern. Dr Grant gave him a weak smile.

“It isn’t so bad. He is breathing on his own, he can eat without assistance. Well, not entirely by himself. He hasn’t really adjusted to his blindness yet.”

Zechs stopped.
“He’s blind?!” His harsh voice uttered in surprise.

“I thought that Miss Une had told you about-”
“She certainly didn’t tell me that!”
“I can assure you that it is only temporary. The surgery went far better then we had hoped. He will be free of the bandage tomorrow afternoon.” He hesitated. “Maybe you’d like to be there when we-”
“That is not necessary. I have better things to do with my time then running around as some hospital.”

Dr Grant became speechless. How could anyone be so insensitive to a loved one?!

“Mr Marquise, I really don’t know how I should say this best, but Mr Chang is already hurt, not just physically but also mentally. He really does need somebody by his side, somebody that will not remark his condition!”

“If I wanted to be a father I would have married a woman.”

“Excuse me?”

“I don’t want to take care of a baby, Dr Grant. It is as simple as that.”

Dr Grant couldn’t believe his ears. This man, apparently married to the poor child in the observation room just a few doors down, how could he be so selfish?! How could he not care for somebody who supposedly loved you?!

“Mr Marquise, I can assure you that he is not a baby, nor do he act as one. He is strong. Both in mind as in body. He will pull through this, but he needs your help to do so.”

The middle-aged man stopped outside a large widow.

“How long have the two of you known each other?”
“..Three years, but what have that to do with anything?”

Dr Grant shook his head gently.
“Nothing really.” He said in a low voice. Then he nodded towards the room on the other side of the window.

“Look at him. How can you call him a baby? He is already almost sitting up, something most people cant manage on their own for weeks!”

Zechs didn’t answer. He didn’t even cast a quick glance at the young Chinese, sleeping half lying, half sitting on the white hospital bed. He didn’t look at the thick bandage around his head, covering the boy’s eyes just as the mask he had hidden his not all that many years ago.

He didn’t want to see. He didn’t care.

Dr Grant sighed in sympathy for the young Chinese. He couldn’t for the life of him understand why the little man wanted to go home to this cruel soul. Still, he opened the door to Wufei’s room and waived the boy’s supposedly husband inside. He wondered briefly why the two of them didn’t share last names, but then again. He himself did not share one with his own wife.

“Mr Marquise this is Dr Kolya. He will help the two of you to communicate-”
“I think I can use my own tongue pretty well on my own, thank you very much.” Zechs voice was dripping with sarcasm.

Both men looked up at him in surprise, but only a second later a gentle smile appeared on Dr Kolya’s lips.

“I don’t doubt that you can young man.” The Japanese man said with his sly smile. “And I do believe that some ‘tongue’ will do our little patient some good!”
“Kolya,” Dr Grant said warningly. “I don’t think that’s what he meant with ‘using one’s tongue’.”
“Excuse me?!” Zechs interrupted. “But what the hell are the two of you implying?!”
“I am simply saying that this young man needs to feel loved. It will help his healing.” The man paused. “Maybe it could even do something to his terrible mood-”
“WHAT?!” A sudden realization hit the blond. “NO! I do not-”

Dr Grant threw his hands up in a gesture of surrender while Dr Grant only sighed and hit his head softly against the wall behind him.

“Mr Marquise, please. He isn’t the most pleasant man to deal with if you wake him up like this!” Still there was a warningly tone behind Dr Grant’s voice.
“Oh, I wouldn’t worry about that Richard. You see, he didn’t want to fall asleep last night, he said something about this place being too dark and too quiet. So when I came in this morning I asked one of the nurses to ‘accidentally’ slip some heavy sedatives into his IV.”
“Kolya! Must I constantly remind you of the fact that this is MY patient?!” Dr Grant hissed, still afraid to wake the sleeping Chinaman.

Kolya chuckled.
“Seems so, yes.”

“He’ll wake up in a few hours.” The Japanese turned to the young, blond man. “Mr Marquise?”
“Yes.” Came the muttering response.
“Take a seat.” The old man patted the mattress, the same mattress that the young Chinese agent laid sleeping on. “Don’t be shy!” He added with a smile.
“I’ll stand, thank you.”

For a short while Dr Kolya didn’t say anything. He just sat in his chair by Wufei’s side looking at the blond man with a strange expression over his face.

“Mr Marquise, there is nothing wrong in being gay-”
“Where I lay my preference is none of your business Dr Kolya. Just because I do prefer the company of men doesn’t mean I want to be with-”
“Okay! Stand there if you want to!” Dr Grant said irritated, wishing that his colleague had misjudged the dose of sedatives, that the small Chinese would wake up and realize that he wanted a divorce lawyer right away. Dr Grant would run halfway across earth just to find one himself. If it was his wife lying there he sure as hell woudn’t stand by her side and say ‘sorry dear, but I have better things to do then sit here by your side and comfort you. I might even go out for a drink or two, you don’t mind do you?’.

It was true that he hadn’t spent that much time with the young Chinese, but the impression he had gotten from the kid was no where near the one the agent’s commander had warned him about.

The young agent had regained consciousness scared and violent, but who wouldn’t if they awake blind and unable to make anything out of one’s own voice but the small incoherent noises? And on top of that, to find one’s self strapped to a bed. Restrains that were there to keep you from harming yourself just as much as they were there for others protection.

“Mr Marquise, aren’t you at all concerned about your friend’s condition?”
“Friend?” He said in a small laugh. “That’s it! I don’t know why Une made me come here, but-”
“Why do you say things like that Marquise?!” Dr Grant asked angrily.
“Mr Marquise,” Dr Kolya said before standing. “Please excuse me and Dr Grant for just one moment.”
“Don’t bother, I need to get back to work anyway.” Zechs said and pushed himself of the wall he was leaning on.
“What? No, no you can’t leave yet Mr Marquise. You haven’t learned how to communicate with your lov-”
“He knows English. As do I, so I do not see why you are so insistent-”

“..n..ng..”

Both doctors turned their attention to the young man lying on the bed.
“Awake?” Dr Kolya asked the young Chinese lovingly.

There was a soft nod as answer to the old man’s question. Then he reached one of his hands to his mouth in a patting-like manner.

“Thirsty?” Dr Kolya asked, and received another tiresome nod. The old man looked at Dr Grant, who immediately reached for a small plastic cup and filled it with water.

A deep frown appeared over Zechs features.
“Why isn’t he speaking?”

Wufei, who was currently swallowing some of the cold liquid almost choked on it. He remembered that voice a little too clearly. Zechs Marquise. The last creature on earth he wanted to see him like this.

“...ng..” He tried to speak, almost too hard. His entire face was brought up in concern and distress. What was that man doing here?!

“Wufei?” Kolya asked kindly, hands already trying to comfort the upset boy.
“...” Wufei shook his head and pushed Dr Kolya away.
“Wufei,” Dr Grant said and helped him sit up mote straight. “Wufei, is something wrong?”

The young Chinese kept shaking his head, but now he was also trying to battle away the older man’s touch. He wanted Zechs out od his room! Now!!

“Well, I’m not entirely happy to be here either.” Zechs spat, but Wufei didn’t stop fighting his two doctors.

Of course he wouldn’t. They didn’t know him.

The former Lighting Count sighed and stepped up to the bed. He pushed both doctors away before he sat himself down next to the young agent’s right hip and then he gripped his arms, pinning then to his own chest.

“Now be a good boy and listen to the doctors Chang.” His harsh voice said mockingly.

“..yu..yo... ng..”
“My god,” Kolya whispered. “Une wasn’lying. He speaks...”
“Mr Chang,” Dr Grant hurried to interrupt before the young blond man could utter anything else. “Wufei, please calm down. What’s wrong? Are you in pain?”

Wufei pulled on his arms, he didn’t want Zechs touching him. Hell. He didn’t even want that man anywhere near him.
“..Un... yu..”
“Wufei, please. Don’t use your voice, that will only tire you out.” Dr Kolya pleaded.

“Mr Marquise, would you please take your hands of him, I think you’re hurting him.”

Zechs let go of the young Chinese’s wrists, but he didn’t move away from the bed. He was afraid that the younger man’s temper would arise again and truly hurt someone.
“Chang is made out of more than glass Dr Kolya.” He answered dryly.

Neither of the two men wanted to believe the young blond one. Surely Une didn’t want to see these two together! The man was practically admitting to abusing his husband! They couldn’t leave this injured man in his care, could they?

“Chang,” Zechs started. “You’re injured. Une forced me to come here. Be mad at her, not at me.” He glanced at the two men on the other side of the bed before he returned to face the small, Chinese agent. “How could you have let this happen?” The confusion in the blond man’s voice and stance surprised Dr Grant just as much as it surprised Kolya. Maybe this man wasn’t such a bastard after all?

“He was ambushed, yes that was the word he used.” Dr Kolya said with a sad smile when he saw the blond man’s expression. “He was on his way home, thought he could save a couple of minutes by short cutting through the back alleys. Apparently there were some people in those alleys that did not like him so much.”

Wufei made a soft whimper, drawing Zechs attention back to him. He waited a second before he raised his hands, showing eight fingers. Eight fingers that equaled eight people.

“Yes, eight males.” Kolya started. “But that is as much as he is willing to tell us. To tell anybody for that matter, and we almost missed some severe damages thanks to that.”
“Why can’t he see? Or speak for that matter?”
“We don’t know for certain. Only he himself can answer that, when he is ready to tell. But there were some damage done to his skull, and that could have rubbed his speech. His blindness comes from a light kind of acid, just a few drops over each globe. He was lucky. It wasn’t enough to permanently damage his sight. As I told you before, the operation went fine. He should be able to see just fine from tomorrow on.”
“And his speech?”
“We don’t know, but he is making more sounds, as you yourself heard just a moment ago. It will probably return with time.”
“Hm. Will you excuse us?”
“Mr Marquise, he can’t answer any questions,”
“He can try-”
“Mr Marquise, you can speak with him later. Right now the two of you need to learn how to communicate.”

Another beeping noise made its appearance.
“Damn... I have a critical on the way. Kolya, think you can handle this on your own?”
“I’m a father of seven Richard. I think I can handle two very large and stubborn ones.” He said with a laugh.
“Wufei, I’ll check in on you later, okay?”

Wufei nodded. He didn’t look too happy about it though, but he didn’t argue with them as he would have with any other human being. If that would have been Sally Po he would have yelled that he was a grown man and that he didn’t need anybody besides himself.

There weren’t many people that he felt he could trust, but both Dr Grant and Dr Kolya had won his trust and friendship. He would never admitted it, but he didn’t really want his doctor to leave him right now.

“Wufei, your commander was supposed to be here with us today, but she was called away on business.” Dr Grant said before leaving the three of them alone in his small room.

Well, that did explain why Zechs was there. Une always sent him whenever she had something she had to attend, but somehow couldn’t manage to.

“Before we continue, do you have any questions?”
“No.”
“Good then!” Kolya smiled. “Now, Wufei already knows most of this, but some is new even to him.”

“Of course Wufei can always use your palm to write in.” He added a second later.
“..w..wha...”
“Wufei, what have I said about speaking right now?”

He turned to the blond man.
“Now, Mr Marquise, if Wufei wants your attention he will make some kind of noise, if it is by his own voice or not is up to the two of you to decide. I do suggest a bell-”
“No, I will not be rushed around as a simple servant!”
“Okay, no bell then.” He turned to the bedridden Chinaman. “Wufei, how do you feel about this? Do you want a bell?”

Wufei was still for a moment. He didn’t understand. Why was Dr Kolya asking Zechs-

“Wufei?”

He left his train of though and shook his head. Why would he need a bell? He lived alone! There would be nobody there to hear him anyway.

But why was Zechs so upset by the proposal?

“No bell then. Will you use your voice then? Than your...” He looked at Zechs, but decided not to remember the man of their relationship. “Friend has to be in the same room as you,”

Wufei’s head shot up. Friend? Marquise?! And the way Kolya said it, it wasn’t right!

“Wufei?”

He shook his head, confusion written all over his face.

“Dr Kolya, I think I really do need to speak with Chang alone for a moment.”
“Mr Marquise-”
“Nng..” Wufei raised a hand, waving for the doctor to get out. He wanted to know what was happening, and why Kolya thought that they were ..friends.
“Are you sure Wufei?” The Chinese nodded firmly. It was true that he did not want to be alone with the blond, but he guessed that Zechs would never tell him anything if the doctor stayed in the same room as them.

“Okay, I’ll be back in a few minutes then.” He turned to Zechs. “Don’t let him use up all his energy. He needs it for later.”
“Don’t worry.”

Dr Kolya reluctantly left the room quietly, giving the two supposedly lovers some privacy. It didn’t mean that he couldn’t spy on them through the large window though, and he did. For the kid’s sake.

“Chang.” Zechs said once they were alone. “When Une called me into her office I assumed that she had already spoken with you. I can see that she hasn’t.” He paused. He could feel how anger boiled in his voice. He didn’t need to scare the young agent, the Chinese was injured and Zechs could easily hurt him even more. If he let too much show the boy could easily turn his defense up.

“Lady Une has forced me to take care of you since you obviously won’t be able to do so. Three days from now Sally will come here and pick you up, drive you to my place and then you will do as I say. Understood?”

Wufei looked like he was about to burst out of tears. Fortunately Zechs didn’t seem to notice.

Why did it have to be him? He’d rather stay at some lousy free clinic than at that man’s place. Wherever that was.

“Chang?!” The blond man snapped and Wufei couldn’t hold his tears in any longer. They fell free down his cheeks.

He almost had a heart attack when he felt strong arms encircle him.

“Chang,” Zechs said a second later, after releasing him. “I am not going to lie to you. I dislike you and I know that you don’t feel much more for me. But I would never do anything to hurt you. I will do as I am ordered to. I will care for you until you are well enough to manage on your own.”

Wufei nodded, not happily or in understanding. He didn’t need anybody to take care of him. He could manage on his own.

He would manage on his own, because a snowman would have a better chance at surviving in hell than he would under that man’s care.


To be continued...