Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Love Gave the Wound ❯ Open My Eyes: Serenity Wheeler ( Chapter 5 )

Disclaimer: I do not own "Yu-Gi-Oh!" or Sir Philip Sidney's Astrophel and Stella, but I do own a gorgeous laptop like Tristan's, which I have named "Exodia, the Forbidden Laptop". Yes, I am a little bit crazy. *^_^*

This section takes place during Battle City, when Serenity is recovering in the hospital after her eye surgery, and she and Tristan watch Joey duel yet another player who claims to be psychic (he doesn't have much luck with that, does he? First Mai, then Esper) on Tristan's laptop. Is there anything a good laptop can't do? *^_^*

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Love Gave the Wound

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Open My Eyes: Serenity Wheeler

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If that be sin which in fixt hearts doth breed

A loathing of all loose unchastity,

Then love is sin, and let me sinful be.

(Sir Philip Sidney, from Astrophel and Stella)

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He comes in to see me as often as he can, always in a good mood and full of news about the outside world. The rest of my brother's friends have come to see me as well, but he's the one who visits most often, and he always seems so happy to see me.

Which touches my heart, because I can't see him.

I've been in this hospital with my head wrapped in gauze for a week, and one of the only things that's kept me from jumping out the window is Tristan Taylor, my brother's best friend. Whether Joey's with him or not, he's visited me nearly every day, bringing me little presents like licorice whips and spare batteries for my CD player. But most of all he brings himself-his jokes and stories, his observations and complaints. Right now, he's my only link to the world beyond my bandages.

I can always tell when it's him at the door-his sneakers squeak on the floor or I get a whiff of his cologne. He tries to surprise me, but I can always tell.

"Guess who?" he asks as he walks into my room.

"Tom Cruise?" I ask, pretending to be excited.

He chuckles. "Sorry, it's only me, Tristan."

"Oh, well. You'll do, I guess," I tease, patting the sheet. "Come sit with me." I feel his weight settle on the bed beside me, and a scraping sound as he pulls the wheeled table across the floor towards him.

"Wait'll you hear what I brought you," he says excitedly, and I reach my hands out instinctively. I touch something metal, something flat and cool.

"It's a laptop," Tristan tells me. "KaibaCorp is broadcasting the Battle City tournament on the internet, so we can watch your brother duel right now!"

I think I'm blushing. "That's really cool, Tristan, but...I can't see the screen."

He chuckles. "I know that, but never fear, Tristan's here. I'll give you the up-to-the-minute play-by-play."

Oh. "Okay," I say, settling down in my bed. "Let's hear it!"

"One duel simulcast, coming up!" Tristan cheers.

After some consternation regarding the use of the laptop, it's humming on the little wheeled table and Tristan's navigating the keyboard. "Okay, got it! Joey's dueling right now!"

"Oh? Who?" I ask.

"Somebody named Esper Rova," Tristan says. "Don't worry, though. I'm sure Joey will do fine. He didn't come in second at Duelist Kingdom for nothing!"

I grin. "That's right." I'm so proud of Joey-my brother, my hero.

"And with you cheering for him, he'll have the best of luck," Tristan says. "Who could lose with you on their side?"

I feel my face get hot. "Aww...go on."

"I'm serious!" Tristan continues. "You were his lucky charm in Duelist Kingdom. Whenever he felt like giving up, all we had to do was mention your name and he was up and fighting again. You're quite a motivator."

I squirm in my bed under his praise. "He wanted to help with my eye surgery so badly..."

"Well, who wouldn't want to help you?" Tristan asks softly, and his hand slides across the sheet to touch mine. I wish I could see, wish he couldn't, because I'm sure I'm blushing.

"Um...how's the duel going?" I ask, to break the uncomfortable silence.

"Huh? Oh-the duel. Yeah. Joey's kicking as-um, he's really pounding the guy!"

I smile and can't help it at his correction of the swear, like a gentleman. "So he's doing well?"

"You betcha!" Tristan squeezes my hand, and something in his voice makes me suspicious-it's too cheerful, too loud, as if he's trying to convince himself...or me.

A knock on the door startles both of us. "Hello, Serenity!" a nurse says sunnily. "It's time for me to check your vitals."

"Hi, Nancy," I say with a rueful smile, recognizing her voice. I feel so helpless in here, trapped in my bed, unable to see, on a first-name basis with the staff. "This is my friend Tristan."

"Good to meet you," she says. "Are you taking good care of Serenity?"

I start to smile, but Tristan answers immediately, "I wouldn't let anything happen to Serenity." His voice is very solemn, and I'd give almost anything to see his face at that moment. Damn these bandages.

"I'll just excuse you," Tristan says, and I feel his weight leave the bed. "I've got to make a phone call, but I'll be back in time to see your brother smash that other duelist!"

"Okay," I giggle. "Don't miss it!"

"Wouldn't dream of it," he laughs, and the hallway makes his voice echo.

"Is he gone, Nancy?" I ask.

"Yes. This won't take a minute, though, and then he can come back and you two can continue your visit. Okay?"

I sigh. "Do you think you could help me?" I ask. "The laptop-can you tell me who's winning the duel?"

I hear the clicking of keys. "What's your brother's name?"

"Joey," I tell her. "Joey Wheeler."

"Well, this says that Joey Wheeler is at six hundred and fifty life points, and Esper Rova is at eleven hundred and fifty. Does that help?" she reports, confirming my suspicions.

"Oh, yes. Thank you, Nancy," I say, and she continues her work.

When Tristan returns, he's even more cheerful than before. "Okay, what'd I miss? I bet Joey's just about to deliver the knockout punch." He sits back down on the bed, his weight a warm comfort at my side.

"You're so sweet, Tristan," I murmur. "But you don't have to continue lying to me."

His panic is almost touchable, even to a blind girl. "Ah-what're you talking about?"

I shake my head and smile. "I know you're just trying to help. But you don't have to worry I'll be disappointed in Joey. He's my big brother, and he could never disappoint me. He's always been there for me, no matter what, and now it's my turn to be there for him. But I can't do that if I don't know what's going on, okay?" I tell him gently, reaching for where I think his arm should be.

"You're right," he says softly. "I'm sorry I lied, Serenity."

I smile at him. I'm not angry with him. The lie was a loving one, and I think it's sweet. My blindness wasn't the reason he tried to hide the duel results-he'd have done that even if I could see. He just didn't want to tarnish my brother's image in my mind. "Don't worry about it. Now, what's going on with the duel?"

He tells me. "...so now they're-hey!"

Hey? "What's 'hey'?"

"Hey, as in, hey, the counter just moved! Esper Rova's at zero life points-Joey's won!"

I flop back onto my pillows in relief. "Yes! I knew he could!"

"Go, Joey!" Tristan cheers, taking my hands and swinging them a little in a sort of victory dance. "See, I told you he'd be okay! You're a great cheerleader, Serenity!"

"Yayy, Joey!" I giggle, giving his hands a little squeeze. We laugh and celebrate for a few minutes, and then a tiny beeping sound interrupts. It's Tristan's digital wristwatch. It goes off every day as the afternoon turns to evening, telling me that my day's highlight is over.

"I've got to go," he sighs. "But I'm going to leave the laptop here so you can keep up on the tournament, okay?"

"Thank you, Tristan!" I say gratefully. "But how will I know what's going on without your expert play-by-play?"

He chuckles. "I'll be back. But if I'm not around, I'm sure someone can tell you what's going on."

"No one can do it like you can, Tristan," I say wistfully, and it's not entirely teasing.

He lifts my hand off the bed, and I feel a soft brush of warmth across my knuckles-a kiss. "Then I'll just have to come back."

"Tomorrow?" I ask hopefully.

"It's a date," he promises.

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Author's Note:

Tristan is such a cute character-it's such a shame he doesn't get more screen time. His throwaway lines are the glue that holds the group's slapstick adventures together at times, and I am SO glad he's got a better voice than in the beginning of the series, when the voice actors seemed to be playing "musical scripts"-an occurrence that isn't uncommon in dubbed anime, unfortunately. I think he's so cute with Serenity, and Joey's so protective of her that he doesn't even realize it.

I don't know all that much about Serenity as a character-her appearances have been sadly limited in the episodes that I have seen, but I think she's quite strong in her own quiet way, and therefore is cool. And she and Tristan are just too adorable together. Reason enough for a fic! *^_^*

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