Blinded

A Story by Yozane-Chii

Can a love remain strong, even if you change drastically?

It had to be hell. There was no other explanation. No other reason why this was happening to me. No reason why I have to suffer now. It's Hell and there's no escape for me.

. . .

It hurts! It hurts!!! Make it stop!!! Why does it hurt so much?!

My eyes! My eyes!

. . .

It started out as a normal day. Just relaxing at home waiting for Maz to come up with something to do, 'cuz it's boring during the day when Game, Coffee and Cake are at school. Well Jax too, but he usually doesn't hang out with us during the day anyway.

Maz runs in with an excited grin and pulls me to my feet. "I got the perfect idea!!"

Maz always gets excited about what we do, that's his thing. He comes up with the crazy, sometimes borderline illegal ideas to cure the boredom, and I follow along to make sure he stays within the law.

Maz doesn't give me the chance to answer, his excitement seems to be too much and he blurts it out and it's rushed but since he's almost always like this I catch what he says. Doesn't mean I believe it though. "We're getting jobs!!"
. . .

Someone help me! It burns! I can't see! Help! Ow ow ow OW!!!! Maz!! Game!!

NO!! Help!!!

. . .

Of course the only place Maz would ever get a job at is Nettie's. Nowhere else would hire us on the spot, and since we don't necessarily need paid, we'd rather help someone we know out.

I've never had to do much physical labor. Someone always cleaned up after us, if we needed something heavy moved, there was a nanny or maid or butler there to move it for us. Maz did sports for a while but he gets bored quickly, so he's stronger than me. I've taken self-defense lessons and did pretty well in them but I'm not used to so much work.

Helping Nettie move chairs, tables, boxes, tubs of ice cream, and taking out bags of trash was exhausting. But Maz made it worth it. It cured the boredom and he talked non-stop so it was never boring. By the time Nettie finally let us leave, after she fed us and gave us ice cream cones, and it was dark out.
Maz never stopped talking. It seemed like he never seemed to run out of things to say, constantly going on about anything, everything, pointless rants to something so deep, so thoughtful that he didn't sound like himself.

It was during one these deep moments, I was staring at him, completely memorized by him as the street lights casted shadows on his face and he talked in a low voice. It was like he was a completely different person, not the fun loving, hyper Maz I was used to. I wasn't paying attention, of course, how could I when he was so beautiful like this, when I ran into someone.

Whoever it was was obviously in a bad mood as they pushed me. I would've fallen on my a*s if Maz wouldn't have caught me.

"Watch where you're goin'!" Maz snapped and started to pull me around the group of three when the one I ran into spoke up.

"Yer those rich kids, ain't ya?" He sneered, this isn't good.

"What's it to ya?" Oh god, please Maz, don't!

"What are ya doin' out this late? Shouldn't ya be home gettin' ready fer bed? Don't wanna miss story time with mommy." S**t.
Maz didn't even bother with a reply, he swung at him, there was a sickening crack!, and blood started gushing. I tried to grab Maz's arm and pull him away, ice cream cone forgotten, but someone twisted my arms behind my back hard, and I had to bite down on my lip to keep from crying out.

"Where do you think yer goin'?" S**t s**t s**t s**t!!!! I looked up and I caught a glimpse of Maz kicking the guy I ran into before something was squirted in my eyes and oh s**t, ow, ow, ow, OW!!!!! It BURNS!!!

I screamed and fell on the ground, pain shooting up my legs, but nothing compared to how my eyes burned. I heard Maz speaking, or was he screaming? I couldn't hear anything over my own screaming, it hurts, I can't open my eyes, god, ow, I can't think. Maz make it go away! It hurts!!!

I blacked out.

. . .

I can't open my eyes. Why can't I open my eyes?

"Max? You awake?" Maz said softly somewhere off to my right.

"M-Maz?" My throats all scratchy and it hurts to talk.

"Yeah… Yeah it's me, Max. How you feelin'? Do you want some water?" I nod instead of trying to talk again and after I drink some water and can speak without it hurting I turn my head in the direction of Maz.

"Wha… What happened?"

"You don't remember anything?"

"Yea-yeah, I remember goin to Nettie's… and those guys… but what'd… What happened to me?" I'm actually a little bit afraid of what he's going to say.

"They had some kind of chemical or something and I'm so so so so sorry! I'll never be able to make it up to you. It's all my fault! If I wouldn't've punched that guy or I coulda pulled you outta the way then this wouldn't of happened. How can I make it up to you? I'll do anything." Maz rambled and I reached out and tried to grab ahold of his arm, but missed and grabbed his shirt instead, the IV tugging uncomfortably.
"Maz. What. Happened?" I heard him take a breath and then felt fingertips lightly press against my forehead and slide down my temple. "Maz?"

"They… The doctors couldn't do anything, they got there too late, and your eyes were open when it was sprayed, they…" His voice dropped to a whisper, and my stomach dropped with it, "You're never gonna see again Maxxy."

If I could cry, I would have. Never see? Blind? "Noth… Nothing they can do? How can there be nothing? They're doctors!! It's their job to be able to do something about it!!"

"Max please calm down, you'll bring the doctors in."

"NO! Let them come in! It's their f-fault!" I dropped my head into my heads and felt the gauze wrapped around my eyes and had the urge to rip it off, but figured that'd only make it worse so instead I screamed into my hands.

"Max? Max are you in pain?!"

"This isn't fair!"

"I'm sorry Maxxy." I felt Maz take one of my hands and squeeze it. "I'll never let anything like this happen again."

I was still tired, side effects from the medication I guess, so I went back sleep. Next time I woke up I reached out my hand to try and find Maz and someone grabbed my hand. It wasn't Maz's scarred hands and I tried to pull my hand away but they held tighter and there was a puff of air before a pair of soft lips lightly touched the back of my hand.
My breath hitched, "G-Game?" I wanted to cry, again.

"Max." Game breathed against my hand. I started to pull my hand again, but this time I was pulling him with it. I must've yanked him harder than I thought I did cuz he fell on the bed and I kept pulling, making little noises in the back of throat. He climbed up on the bed the rest of the way and I wrapped my arms round him and squeezed, wishing for the first time that I could cry.

"Are you in pain?" Game's voice sounded deeper, like he'd been crying. That thought only made me want to cry more.

"Y-yeah," I buried my face in his neck and breathed in his scent, ignoring how uncomfortable and borderline painful it was for my eyes.

"Where? Do you want me to get the doctor?" He started to pull away so I tightened my grip.

"No! Don't go! Please. The doctor can't help me." Game ran gentle fingers through my hair and made shushing sounds.

"I'm not going anywhere. Why can't the doctor help you?"
"Cuz they can't fix my eyes. And it hurts to know that I'll never get to see you again." Game held me as my shoulders shook. "And I can't even cry!! It's so unfair!! I won't be able to see you age, I'll never be able to l-look into your eyes, or see your beautiful hair. It's not fair!!!! "

"I love you." Game whispered, his voice thick, he hugged me back just as tight as I was hugging him.

"I l-love you, too." I'll miss him, those unique silver and green eyes, his soft, silky silver hair, his beautiful face, neck, chest, all the scars and other imperfections I'll never be able to find now. I'll miss his pout, his confused face, his rare rare blushes, even his angry face.

But most of all, I'll miss his smile. The loving ones, the lazy, the laughing, even his smirk, the happy smile, the breathtaking smile he wore when I first told him that I loved him too. I'll miss that one the most, the one that took my breath away, that made my heart skip a beat, the one that made me fall in love with him just a little bit more.

I'll miss them all, but at least I have him, here with me, holding me, telling me everything will be alright, that he'll never leave me, and I believe him, because it's Game and I love him.