Age 24
Title: Age 24
Author: shou_ni
Pairing: ToraxShou
Rating: NC- 13
Genre: Romance, Angst-ish, Fluff,
Disclaimer: I dont own anyone, just the story.
Summary: Life isn't always fair.
It's common knowledge that life often throws you curve balls. Every one is different, some are so small that you wouldn't even dwell on it. Some can bring your entire world crashing down in seconds.
I was once told that it didn't matter how large the problem was, the only thing that mattered was how you dealt with it. The weak would wallow in self pity and let their troubles consume them, and the strong would overcome it, coming out of the other side a stronger person.
My name is Tora and at the age of 24, I was hit by a huge curve ball.
The morning had started just like any other. I would roll out of bed as my alarm clock screaming out at 7:45. I'd grab myself a coffee and a blueberry muffin from the cafe downstairs at 8:15 and make my way to work fifteen minutes later.
The same thing every morning. The sights and sounds rarely changed and the aroma was familiar. Eventually I became numb to my surroundings, though not quite motivated enough to yearn change.
On this particular morning however, I was casually strolling to work passed the old library with it's huge stone arches and heavy wooden doors when I stepped out into the road.
Looking back, I was stupid for not checking it was okay to cross.
My body was hit full force by a car going just that bit too fast. The screech of tires, the horrific thud of body against the windshield and screams of on lookers rang loud in my ears.
The last thing I saw was the sky as I flew over the car roof. The endless expanse of blue that put my heart at ease.
I woke up in pitch black. Panting and gasping as I looked around frantically.
Trembling fingers rubbed at my eyes, only to feel soft pads of fabric covering them. My mind was swimming with a million screaming voices, drowned out by the shrill beeping of a monitor that assaulted my sensitive ears making me claw at the bed sheets in panic.
As it turns out, that bright blue sky would be the last thing I ever saw.
The optical lobe in my brain had been damaged as my head crashed against the road during the accident, I'd completely lost all ability to see.
At the age of 24 I became permanently blind.
The doctors had tried to break it too me gently, but it still felt like they were twisting a knife in my guts. Hiding my face in my hands was all I could do to keep myself from screaming. There wasn't much else I could do, I couldn't bring myself to eat and I certainly couldn't sleep. I just lay there in that cold hospital bed, praying for this to all be a terrible dream. Begging whatever greater power up there to let me see again. It was futile.
Life seemed pointless, why live in a world that you can't see?
Soon enough, the pain began to melt away. I started to feel numb, listening to the clock on the wall ticking away.
Tick-tock-tick-tock.
I suppose that's when I noticed it for the first time. There was somebody else in the room.
They had lingered in the doorway for a moment before knocking gently.
"I'm sorry to intrude, but I though you might want some coffee"
I hadn't particularly wanted anything, coffee nor company. I accepted them both anyway.
The coffee was good, welcomed wholly by my parched mouth with gratitude and the company had been a refreshing change from the distant staff or the relentless hands of the clock.
His name was Shou.
From what I could imagine, Shou was very beautiful.
His voice was soft and velvety. The kind of voice that told you "Everything is going to be okay" and you actually believed him. He was a few months older than me and worked in a noodle bar, but he gave off an aroma of freshly baked apple pies. Which was much better than the smell of disinfectant that usually offended by nostrils.
He had been the one who called an ambulance after the accident, seeing it all happen from across the street. He had come to check up on me once a day, until he finally plucked up the courage to actually enter my room.
I enjoyed having him around. Every morning before he went to work and every evening until visiting hours were up. Before I knew it, I was counting the minutes between his "good bye"s and his "Hello"s.
"Do you like books?" He said curiously.
"I do, but I suppose I can't read them anymore"
Shou loved to read. He would often talk about books. The ones he liked and the ones he disliked, it seemed that we had a similar taste in literature.
"Why don't you read to me?" I asked. I knew that he was smiling, just by how the tone of his voice brightened.
"I'd like that"
So thus, after our morning visit which was strictly for catching up, when he returned in the evenings he would sit beside me, coffee on the table for the two of us and he would read to me. I would lay back and relax as his steady voice carried the words so beautifully to my ears.
One day he gave me some audio books to listen to at night, but I didn't like them. The narrator always sounded patronizing and never had the right voice. I only liked it when Shou read to me.
In the end I thew the cassette player across the room. I didn't know where it landed, but Shou didn't mention it. I guess he didn't feel the need to. Instead he just carried on with the same pleasant attitude that he always had.
"They still haven't caught the guy who did this to you" He said sadly. I simply shrugged.
"It doesn't matter"
"Oh.. okay"
I could hear him shift his weight on the chair somewhat uncomfortably. The clock on the wall seeming a little louder than usual.
It had been a month since Shou appeared in my room with that cup of coffee. He'd show up every day without fail, slowly bringing me out of the concrete shell I'd wrapped myself up in.
I was beginning to feel a strong bond between the two of us. Not being able to see him only made me appreciate just how amazing his personality was, without the prejudice of beauty or ugliness.
He was just Shou.
The stranger who made me smile when I never thought I would again. Who's apple pie aroma and silky voice made my heart beat stronger.
"Why do you come here every day?" I asked out of the blue.
Shou chuckled lightly "Well... it's pretty much the only thing that gets me up in the morning these days" He paused "I can stop coming if you want."
"No. I'd be lonely if you disappeared"
"Were you lonely before?"
"I suppose I was" I smiled "I just didn't notice it until I met you."
He puts his hand over mine and gives it a squeeze. His skin is soft and warm, it reminds me of home.
"I guess losing my sight isn't such a bad thing, I've learned to appreciate life in a different way, all thanks to you"
Tender lips pressed against my own in a loving kiss. It only too a second to recover from my initial shock before I kissed him back, with my heart pounding out of my chest. It was official.. I was in love with Shou.
And for the first time, I didn't care if I never saw anything again because after all...
Love is blind.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Author's Notes - I present to you this little ficlet that popped into my head during a lecture this morning. I tried a writing style that's a little different, so I hope it's not too crappy.
Any feedback on this would be greatly appreciated.
Author: shou_ni
Pairing: ToraxShou
Rating: NC- 13
Genre: Romance, Angst-ish, Fluff,
Disclaimer: I dont own anyone, just the story.
Summary: Life isn't always fair.
It's common knowledge that life often throws you curve balls. Every one is different, some are so small that you wouldn't even dwell on it. Some can bring your entire world crashing down in seconds.
I was once told that it didn't matter how large the problem was, the only thing that mattered was how you dealt with it. The weak would wallow in self pity and let their troubles consume them, and the strong would overcome it, coming out of the other side a stronger person.
My name is Tora and at the age of 24, I was hit by a huge curve ball.
The morning had started just like any other. I would roll out of bed as my alarm clock screaming out at 7:45. I'd grab myself a coffee and a blueberry muffin from the cafe downstairs at 8:15 and make my way to work fifteen minutes later.
The same thing every morning. The sights and sounds rarely changed and the aroma was familiar. Eventually I became numb to my surroundings, though not quite motivated enough to yearn change.
On this particular morning however, I was casually strolling to work passed the old library with it's huge stone arches and heavy wooden doors when I stepped out into the road.
Looking back, I was stupid for not checking it was okay to cross.
My body was hit full force by a car going just that bit too fast. The screech of tires, the horrific thud of body against the windshield and screams of on lookers rang loud in my ears.
The last thing I saw was the sky as I flew over the car roof. The endless expanse of blue that put my heart at ease.
I woke up in pitch black. Panting and gasping as I looked around frantically.
Trembling fingers rubbed at my eyes, only to feel soft pads of fabric covering them. My mind was swimming with a million screaming voices, drowned out by the shrill beeping of a monitor that assaulted my sensitive ears making me claw at the bed sheets in panic.
As it turns out, that bright blue sky would be the last thing I ever saw.
The optical lobe in my brain had been damaged as my head crashed against the road during the accident, I'd completely lost all ability to see.
At the age of 24 I became permanently blind.
The doctors had tried to break it too me gently, but it still felt like they were twisting a knife in my guts. Hiding my face in my hands was all I could do to keep myself from screaming. There wasn't much else I could do, I couldn't bring myself to eat and I certainly couldn't sleep. I just lay there in that cold hospital bed, praying for this to all be a terrible dream. Begging whatever greater power up there to let me see again. It was futile.
Life seemed pointless, why live in a world that you can't see?
Soon enough, the pain began to melt away. I started to feel numb, listening to the clock on the wall ticking away.
Tick-tock-tick-tock.
I suppose that's when I noticed it for the first time. There was somebody else in the room.
They had lingered in the doorway for a moment before knocking gently.
"I'm sorry to intrude, but I though you might want some coffee"
I hadn't particularly wanted anything, coffee nor company. I accepted them both anyway.
The coffee was good, welcomed wholly by my parched mouth with gratitude and the company had been a refreshing change from the distant staff or the relentless hands of the clock.
His name was Shou.
From what I could imagine, Shou was very beautiful.
His voice was soft and velvety. The kind of voice that told you "Everything is going to be okay" and you actually believed him. He was a few months older than me and worked in a noodle bar, but he gave off an aroma of freshly baked apple pies. Which was much better than the smell of disinfectant that usually offended by nostrils.
He had been the one who called an ambulance after the accident, seeing it all happen from across the street. He had come to check up on me once a day, until he finally plucked up the courage to actually enter my room.
I enjoyed having him around. Every morning before he went to work and every evening until visiting hours were up. Before I knew it, I was counting the minutes between his "good bye"s and his "Hello"s.
"Do you like books?" He said curiously.
"I do, but I suppose I can't read them anymore"
Shou loved to read. He would often talk about books. The ones he liked and the ones he disliked, it seemed that we had a similar taste in literature.
"Why don't you read to me?" I asked. I knew that he was smiling, just by how the tone of his voice brightened.
"I'd like that"
So thus, after our morning visit which was strictly for catching up, when he returned in the evenings he would sit beside me, coffee on the table for the two of us and he would read to me. I would lay back and relax as his steady voice carried the words so beautifully to my ears.
One day he gave me some audio books to listen to at night, but I didn't like them. The narrator always sounded patronizing and never had the right voice. I only liked it when Shou read to me.
In the end I thew the cassette player across the room. I didn't know where it landed, but Shou didn't mention it. I guess he didn't feel the need to. Instead he just carried on with the same pleasant attitude that he always had.
"They still haven't caught the guy who did this to you" He said sadly. I simply shrugged.
"It doesn't matter"
"Oh.. okay"
I could hear him shift his weight on the chair somewhat uncomfortably. The clock on the wall seeming a little louder than usual.
It had been a month since Shou appeared in my room with that cup of coffee. He'd show up every day without fail, slowly bringing me out of the concrete shell I'd wrapped myself up in.
I was beginning to feel a strong bond between the two of us. Not being able to see him only made me appreciate just how amazing his personality was, without the prejudice of beauty or ugliness.
He was just Shou.
The stranger who made me smile when I never thought I would again. Who's apple pie aroma and silky voice made my heart beat stronger.
"Why do you come here every day?" I asked out of the blue.
Shou chuckled lightly "Well... it's pretty much the only thing that gets me up in the morning these days" He paused "I can stop coming if you want."
"No. I'd be lonely if you disappeared"
"Were you lonely before?"
"I suppose I was" I smiled "I just didn't notice it until I met you."
He puts his hand over mine and gives it a squeeze. His skin is soft and warm, it reminds me of home.
"I guess losing my sight isn't such a bad thing, I've learned to appreciate life in a different way, all thanks to you"
Tender lips pressed against my own in a loving kiss. It only too a second to recover from my initial shock before I kissed him back, with my heart pounding out of my chest. It was official.. I was in love with Shou.
And for the first time, I didn't care if I never saw anything again because after all...
Love is blind.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Author's Notes - I present to you this little ficlet that popped into my head during a lecture this morning. I tried a writing style that's a little different, so I hope it's not too crappy.
Any feedback on this would be greatly appreciated.