A/N: Hello peoples! So I wanted to write about blind Archer... and here I am! SpitfireUSN and her friend Kat helped me with this, so big thanks to them! Lol, I appreciate SpitfireUSN cause she helps me out and puts up with my dumbness. And well... I just met Kat but she's really smart!
*thumbs up*
*awkward silence*
SpitfireUSN: "Just start the story already!"
Me: "Okay, okay! Jeez..."
Lol, have fun! ;)
Archer P.O.V
I ran as fast as my legs could carry me and dove behind the cover of a car as bullets slammed into the ground behind me. Toad was across the street to my right, helping provide cover fire for the others.
We were in Lebanon, Missouri to retrieve intel on Makarov's whereabouts and what he'd been up to lately, and we had successfully acquired it. Although now the problem was getting out of here alive, which the local militia didn't seem to want.
I yelped slightly in pain and surprise as a bullet grazed my upper arm. Shit, that burns... I shifted my focus back to the enemy and broke cover, raising my SR-25 into firing position and taking out several of the enemy before being forced to take cover again.
There were so many of them... I took down multiple others and pulled a magazine from my belt, hastily attaching it with a sigh. Surely the others were almost here by now... I thought I heard footsteps close by and spun around, eyes searching the area for movement.
There was none yet but I wasn't convinced... then a bullet whistled right by my head, efficiently persuading me to turn around and resume firing at the enemy. Big mistake. Just as I stood to fire, something incredibly hard rammed into the side of my head.
I felt a stab of pain, then everything went black.
As I slowly drifted back into consciousness the smell of antiseptic stung my nose. My head throbbed in time with my pulse, the annoying beeping of a heart monitor nearby not helping with my headache.
I vaguely felt the burn of an IV in my hand. I must be in the infirmary... but then where's Toad? What if something happened to him? I quickly opened my eyes... only to see nothing. I gasped in a breath and my heart leapt into my throat.
Panic flooded throughout my body and my hands flew to my face. I felt a washcloth there and felt so relieved, even laughing a bit at my stupidity. That is, until I realized that all I could see were blurry blobs of color, and even those were very dim, nearly invisible.
What kind of sick joke was this?! I threw the washcloth aside and pawed at my face- but this time nothing was there. I sat bolt upright, wincing as the pounding in my head increased and the room swayed. The panic returned full force, clawing its way up my throat and making it difficult to breathe.
Tears filled my unseeing eyes and my heart hammered in my chest as the heart monitor screamed its warnings. I couldn't believe it. I wouldn't. My lungs burned for oxygen as I unsuccessfully tried to choke in a breath.
I heard footsteps rapidly approaching and nearly leapt from the bed in alarm. Darkness crept up from the edges of my extremely limited vision and the only reason I noticed was because the blobs of color got dimmer.
I hurriedly ripped out the IV, efficiently creating a makeshift weapon. I held the needle up threateningly, silently warning them to back the fuck off. My hands were shaking like crazy as tears raced down my cheeks.
"Archer, calm down. It's me, Doc. What's wrong?" A familiar voice asked as the blob inched closer.
I was about to yell at him for coming too close when my stomach lurched. I felt bile rise in my throat and I quickly leaned over the side of the bed. I retched and threw up all over the floor, not noticing that I had dropped the needle in the process.
I heard Doc mumble a few curses while I was dry heaving. Then another pair of footsteps ran into the room. I almost had a heart attack because whoever it was ran right up to me and hugged me.
I immediately began to struggle because I didn't know who the hell this was. It felt like Toad but I couldn't be sure... They tightened their grip, sending waves of panic coursing through me.
"Archer, it's me, Toad. Calm down, you're fine." Toad's voice said above me.
I stopped fighting, relieved that he was here and okay. But I couldn't stop crying, a feeling of helplessness settling in my stomach. I held onto him, burying my face in his chest and crying harder.
It made it more difficult to breathe, but at the moment I didn't care. He rubbed my back and was talking to Doc in a low voice. I flinched slightly when he kissed my cheek.
"Shhh, it's okay." He cooed, pulling me a bit closer.
He waited a few minutes for me to calm down. I did, but not much. I hated that I couldn't see.
"What's wrong, Arch?" He asked, trying to get me to look at him but I refused.
There was no point. I couldn't see his face anyways... I sniffled and wheezed in a breath to try and speak.
"... I c-can't see..." I choked out.
I felt Toad nod and he pulled me back so he could see my face. He wiped the tears from my cheeks and new ones replaced them almost immediately. I was still trembling slightly and it annoyed me but I couldn't stop. I could hear Doc digging around in the cabinets searching for something.
"Doc said this might happen. Can you see anything at all?" He asked, messing with my hair.
"I can see some c-colors... but it's r-really blurry..." I mumbled, hiding my face in his neck again.
"Okay, that's good."
I felt anger flare inside me. No, it's not fucking good. I can't see! It's bad! I wanted to yell at him for daring to say anything positive, but I refrained from doing so.
Instead, I asked, "W-why can't I see?"
I heard whom I assumed was Doc approach and tensed, not wanting anyone but Toad close to me while I couldn't see. I felt so vulnerable it made me want to crawl in a hole and die.
"Do you remember what happened?" He asked quietly, well aware of my terrible headache.
"We were providing cover fire for everyone else so they could catch up... I reloaded and went to fire but everything went black." I said, glancing in his direction even though I couldn't really see him.
I think he nodded because the blob moved slightly.
"When that idiot hit you with the butt of his rifle, it damaged your optical nerve. But you can see some, which is good because it means the nerve isn't completely dead and although small, there's a chance for you to regain your vision." Doc explained.
My stomach dropped and I felt like I was going to puke again.
"H...How small of a chance?"
I felt Toad move slightly and Doc seemed to hesitate.
"Erm... let's not focus on that for now." He said awkwardly.
My heart fell. Well, there goes my career. Everything I've worked for, all gone. I felt empty. They must've seen how upset I looked because Toad held me closer and Doc sighed.
"It's not impossible for your vision to return, just rare. It might happen, you never know. But for the next few days I want you to wear this blindfold." He said, holding something up.
My heart rate spiked and I jumped, moving away from him. I did not approve of that idea. At all. Was he insane?! As if it's not bad enough that I can barely see, he wants to take away the rest of my sight? What the fuck?! The only reason I stayed on that bed was because of Toad's tight grip on me, which he refused to loosen.
"Archer. Archer! Listen-"
"No! I'm not going to wear a fucking blindfold! No!" I cried, weakly shoving at Toad in an attempt to make him let go.
"Ian!" Toad said as loudly as he could without hurting me.
"What?!"
They waited a moment for me to calm down some and listen, then Doc slowly began explaining.
"Your eyes are already damaged, and if light damages them further your sight will either stay like this permanently or you'll go completely blind. The blindfold is to protect your eyes from further damage while they heal. It's the best way to avoid complications and setbacks in your recovery..." He trailed off, glancing at Toad.
"Yeah, I gotta go with Doc on this one. I know you don't like it, but I'll stay with you the whole time until you get your vision back." He said reassuringly, and I could hear the smile in his voice.
"I probably won't get it back..." I grumbled quietly, tears rising in my eyes again.
"I guess you're stuck with me forever then, aren't you?" He laughed, ruffling my hair.
It didn't make me feel any better, but I was glad to have him around. Knowing Toad, he won't leave my side until I'm better, which makes me feel a bit less alone.
"I don't like it..." I whined.
"I know, but you wanna get better don't you?" Toad asked.
"...Yeah..."
"Well then you need to wear it. It's just for a few days, it won't be that bad."
After a few minutes of thought, I nodded hesitantly and allowed Doc to tie the blindfold in place around my eyes. I resisted the urge to shudder and fought down the panic that immediately rose up. I latched onto Toad. I felt like I was going to lose him forever if I let go of him. He seemed to understand and hugged me, rubbing comforting circles into my back.
"Don't worry, I'm not gonna leave you." He whispered.
"I'm going to put the IV back in, you need the painkillers." I heard Doc say, feeling a slight burn as he slid the needle back into my hand.
He gave Toad instructions that I tuned out completely, and eventually he left. I heard Toad sigh and panicked when he moved me back on the bed, away from him.
"Easy, easy. I just want you to lay down and get some rest. I'll be right here, I promise."
I shook my head.
"Lay down with me. Please..." I begged, wanting him to stay as close as possible.
He chuckled slightly and said, "Alright."
He moved me to the left a bit and I tensed, hoping I wouldn't fall off the bed.
"I'm not gonna shove you off the bed, silly." He laughed, settling in beside me and pulling me close.
My head was on his shoulder and his arm was wrapped around my waist. I wanted nothing more than to see his handsome face... I hadn't realized I had been reaching for the blindfold until he grabbed my hand.
"No, Arch, don't touch."
I mumbled out an apology and felt him kiss my nose. I tried to relax so I could get some rest but it seemed like an impossible task with the blindfold on... I really hate this. I have no idea how I'm gonna keep this thing on for a few days.
Toad seemed to know what I was thinking and started stroking my hair, lulling me into an uneasy sleep.
A/N: Tada! And that concludes chapter one! This'll have 3, maybe 5 chapters AT MOST because believe it or not, it is a short story. Anyways, I hope you are enjoying this so far! I will update soon... probably. Please review! I love getting feedback from my readers! ;)