The L2 Box
Part 1
It was a New Years party at a friends' estate on L2. I'm usually an anti-social person, that's why I guess it's a bit awkward for me here. I am, Heero Yuy, professor and well-known author for the articles I've documented on the daily lives of the people, especially all the malicious things that crammed onto colony L2. I'm a critic and the best around. After years of videotaping and documenting, I had come up with a Pulitzer Prize winning book. Even though I'm famous with money, though not as plentiful as my benevolent friend, Quatre, people still try to keep clear out of my way. They call me a silent, distant, bitter, meticulous person. They're right. Looking at Wufei, Quatre, and Trowa, it's a wonder how I managed to have them as friends. Since AC 195, about 6 years ago when we were about 20, we four have been friends; A gang that no one could separate, even when Wufei moved to colony L5.
Right now, Quatre, a young man wise and sentimental beyond his year, and Wufei, a well-respected scholar, were having a deep philosophical conversation, leaving Trowa to keep me company. Looking at him, I remembered again how I had been convinced to show up at this crazy party. Quatre told me Trowa would be here, and I knew I couldn't refuse. I used any opportunity I could to be near Trowa. Trowa's been one of my very few best friends. But it goes much deeper than he knows.
A few years ago, he had accompanied me to L1 on a New Years trip. It had to be the best time of my life.
Everything was breathtakingly perfect, the sights, the sounds, the mood, and especially Trowa himself. We were standing there on the balcony, waiting for the clock to chime midnight and for everyone outside to cheer and kiss for luck in the following year. The gentle winds made his brown hair rustle around, and he was looking at me emerald eye, the other was covered by his uniquely, long bang. The shadows played among him, giving him more shape and definition: A sharp jaw, a long, pointy nose, the little shine on his thin lips, and his whole poise seemed graceful. I saw him in a different light. He was beautiful. And I knew I wanted him. Not as a friend, but as a lover and someone I loved and wanted to spend the rest of my life with. I knew then that I loved him. Maybe it was just the atmosphere. But, I felt a connection between us, something strong and supporting, almost giving me a high. He asked me why I was staring at him, but all I could do was come up to him and wrap my arms around him, not wanting to ose this wonderful, warm, sensation surging through me. The clock chimed and we could hear the crowd cheer in the neighborhood, but we stayed on the balcony. just holding each other, his calm heart beating against my own. He sighed brushing his breath lightly against my neck and tightened his grasp on me. My heart fluttered, hoping that maybe. just maybe, he loved me to. It was the perfect opportunity to become lovers.
But nothing happened. I don't know why. We just spent the entire trip just enjoying each other's presence. It had been an incredible, intimate time, but when we came back home, we automatically reverted back to being best friends, as disappointed as I was.
I feel so stupid sometimes, now that I think about it. The entire time, I never told him I loved him. And even now, when he's standing right next to me, holding me frozen under his stare, I don't think I'm ever going to find the guts to tell him. I was afraid. What if he didn't return my feelings? I didn't want to lose him as a friend. How many times have I been in this predicament? I've had so many opportunities to tell him. The words are right at the tip of my tongue! Should I? Or shouldn't I? Trowa I love yo--
Quatre tapped my shoulder, breaking me out of my musings. He wanted me to sign a copy of my book for one of his sisters, who was standing near us fidgeting nervously.
I was in the middle of signing the book but, suddenly, it felt like I had just spaced out. My mind had totally blanked out; I almost forgot what I had been doing. It took me a few glances around to remember where I was and what I was doing. Seeing my stupefied look, Trowa looked at me inquiringly and my blonde host asked if I was all right. Closing my eyes, I nodded my head. There was no need to worry him. I think I was fine. But something was clearly wrong. Ignore it. I'm probably just tired. A spell of dizziness came by and I had to shake my head to clear up my mind. Ok, this was really getting strange. And then it felt as if the ground underneath me and given away. Losing my sense of balance, I suddenly toppled my tall friend.
"Yuy! Are you alright?" Wufei asked frantically. Stubborn to give in, I nodded.
"I'm fine" but things were getting blurry. I was stumbling to get up, but my legs were rubbery, making me lose my balance over and over again. All I could see were outlines of people beginning to surround me and their voices were muffled, like I was underwater. "I think I've been drinking too much tonight. I need to go lay down for awhi---" I collapsed before finishing the sentence.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I opened my eyes but shut them immediately after almost going blind from the unaccustomed bright lights. A second or two, after the white dots behind my eyelids began to disappear, I reopened my eyes slowly and assessed my situation. Doctors were surrounding me around a hospital bed. Not a good sign.
"Mr. Yuy, welcome back to the world of the living. How are you feeling?"
"Bad.".. Ever the conversationalist.
"Well, you collapsed at the Winner mansion. Do you remember that?" They waited for me to nod before continuing. "While you were unconscious, we took the opportunity to scan and examine you. Poked and probed."
After taking a sip of water for my parched throat, I asked straightforwardly, "What happened to me?"
"Well. You've just gained consciousness. Perhaps you should rest a little more before we go deeper into this discussion." The doctors suggested, fidgeting under my glare.
But I was stubborn and wanted to know. "No. I want to know now. What happened? What's wrong with me? Have I been straining myself too much?" A doctor took in a labored breath. Nervous as he was, he managed to give me a sympathetic look. Now, I wasn't so sure if I really wanted to know or not.
"You've been diagnosed with myelin deterioration." I nodded for them to continue showing, obviously, that I had no clue what they were talking about. "It's a disease that breakdowns of the lipid sheath of the neuron pathways. You've had it for some time, but only now has it been showing its effects."
"What effects? Is it something I can take medicine for?" I questioned. The doctors passed worried looks among each other. Shit.
"Well, for now, you'll suffer from sever headaches from time to time. We have medicine to alleviate the pain. You may feel nauseous, lightheaded, dizziness... Further along, you're body may spasm from time to time." They paused to let me take all this in, watching my blank face. "When the deterioration becomes serious, you may lose some locomotive skills, maybe even speech, hearing, and sight. In time, you'll lose your memory." they told me.
"So basically, I'm going to turn into a vegetable." I asked after a moment of viewing my predicaments. To my dismay, they all nodded. "Can you at least do something about it? Or is it too late?"
"These cases are very rare, Mr. Yuy. There isn't much research on it. There hasn't been a cure created. We've tried a few operations on other patients, but none of them have ended successful. There's nothing we can do. I know what a shock this must be, especially to have all of this information coming al at once. I'm deeply sorry."
Well. What was I supposed to say now? Beg for them to come up with a cure? It was out of my hands. Taking in my silence, another doctor put a hand on my shoulder, trying to sympathize with me. I would have swatted it off, but at the moment, I was feeling too defeated. "Mr. Yuy, I know this is terrible new," no shit Sherlock. "But go and have yourself a life. You may not have as much time as you expect."
I stared at him for a moment. "How much time?" I asked weakly.
"A half a year to a year at most."
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