His Brothers Keeper -------part 8
Blues was stunned for a moment by Rock's statement. Then it dawned on him what the little bomber had meant. He grabbed the sobbing boy with both arms and hugged him. "Oh Rock, is that what you thought?. That you blinded me during that mission?" Rock bit his lip and nodded.
"Oh ....you've been carrying this guilt with you since that night. And me in all my stupidity, I never even took the time to notice how depressed you were."
Rocks crying had calmed somewhat and he laid his head on Blues shoulder.
"Rock, look at me" Blues said softly , tilting his little brothers chin up.
Rock looked up into his brothers soft sightless eyes and his chin began to tremble "your blind" he choked.
"Yes....yes I'm blind. But not because of you"
"Huh?" Rock, stared at Blues intently.
"Rock, I've been blind since Dr. Light activated me." Blues tried to explain to his young counterpart.
"Y...you have?" Rock's small voice quivered.
"Yes" Blues confirmed the young bot's question. There was a silence for a few moments as Rock processed what he'd just been told. Then abruptly the little bomber turned to his brother and exclaimed "Then...you've never..seen..me?!"
"Not with my eyes" Blues smiled.
"Oh" Rock yawned and began to slump against Blues's shoulder.
"I think it's time you went to sleep" Blues smirked.
"Ok.......Blues..can we talk again tomorrow?"
"Sure anything you want....(yawn)"
"Can I have another blanket before you go....I'm so..cold" Rock gave a little shiver.
Blues walked over to his bed and pulled the thick comforter from it. "Scoot over squirt" he got in to the bed next to Rock and draped the blanket over them. "I'll make sure you don't get cold in the night. Um.......you............you don't wet the bed do you?"
"Blues I'm ten years old!!!!!!"
"Sorry" Blues wrapped an arm around Rocks chest, as the little bot snuggled close to him. His body shivering. "HOLY SHIT!!!!! " Blues cried out, nearly jumping out of the bed "Rock your feet are like ice..arrgg..brrrrrr...don't stick them on my back!!!!!" The older bot delicately removed the two tiny ice cube like feet Rock had immediately drove into his back, and flipped the boy so his feet were away from him. "there"
Rock tucked his head under Blues's chin and curled the rest of himself up by his brother's chest.
"Goodnight Rock," Blues whispered.
"Goodnight Blues," Rock yawned .
Blues waited for a few moments as Rocks breathing slowed. He knew it was coming "3, 2,, 1..bingo!!" he sighed as he felt a weight go across his middle and knew Rocks habit of throwing his legs over anything near him had kicked in. "As long as his habit of kicking in his sleep doesn't take hold of him ..." Blues thought he yawned and began to drift off..when.
"Hey Blues?" Rock suddenly asked him.
"Hmm?
"That night by the river"
"Hmm?"
".......why did you kiss me?"
"I DID NOT KISS YOU!!!!"
"Oh?"
"It's CPR . I was saving your life."
"Really?" Rock smirked
"Yes" Blues huffed
"You sure?"
"Yes, I'm positive"
"Only fools are positive!"Rock laughed
"Are you sure?"
"I'm positive"Rock's mouth hung open. "I can't believe I feel for my own trick!"
Blues laughed "Go to sleep! Or Dad will be mad at us..."
............................................you sure?"
"Very sure"
Very, very sure?"
"Go to sleep"
"Really really really sure?"
"Good night Rock,"
"Completely, 100% ,no dought about it sure?" Rock said laughing hysterically.
"God what did they put in that medicine, it works better then moonshine" Blues gave a lopsided grin listening to the ranting of his little brother as he finally calmed down.
"Well?" Rock asked him.
"Well what?"
"Do you love me..big brother?" Rocks voice was soft as quiet again.
Blues smiled ruffling Rocks hair "Completely , 100 %, no dought about it"
Rock laid back down. "Goodnight Blues"
"Goodnight"
"................................................completely sure?"
"SLEEP!"
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"AAACCKKKKk cough Acckkk akk !!!!"
Blues awoke to hear the pleasant sound of gagging coming from the bathroom.
"Rock?"
"Yuk, nasty medicine..nasty...unnggg ack!!! Rock walked out of the bathroom in his bunny slippers and flopped back down on the bed.
"You plan on going swimming anytime soon?" Blues smirked.
"Unnngggg" came a muffled response.
"Come on Rock, lets go get some breakfast, I just gotta get changed ok?"
"Sure, I gotta get my temperature taken anyway"
Blues nodded and went into the bathroom.
When Blues came down he found breakfast already on the table. Dr. Light sat at one end nursing a strong cup of coffee in one hand and reading the morning paper with the other.
"Morning Blues" he greeted the robot as he walked in to the kitchen.
"Hi Dad" Blues said taking a mouthful of scrambled eggs "Where's Rock?"
"He's sitting in on the couch watching tv"
"Goody" Blue smirked picking up his plate and heading into the room. Dr.Light smiled as he watched him go. It was obvious Rock had gotten over his depression from the way he'd dashed around this morning , though he was going to have a serious talk with the boy about thinking his actions through. As for Blues , the whole incident seemed to have bonded him with his brother. Somewhat anyway.
Blues walked into the room and sat next to his brother "what ya watching?"
"Power Rangers!!" Rock yipped. Now it was Blues's turn to gag. "Oh well" he sighed pulling a book from the shelf and sitting down in his favorite green armchair to read.
Rock had continued watching his show for a few moments before looking over to see what Blues was doing. "He's...reading?" the little bot thought.
"I thought you were blind?" Rock said in a small voice. He knew Blues usually got mad when he mentioned it.
"Yep" Blues replied
"But...unn..your.....reading?" Rock scratched his head completely confused by the whole idea.
"So I am"
"Un...how...um..what are you reading?" Rock asked , walking over to the chair Blues was slouched in.
"The Scarlet Pimpernel" Blues said " I'm almost done!" Rock watched the smile spread across his brothers lips
"Wow he must really like books" He thought glancing down at the page. "Hey..there's no words!!!"
"Oh yes there is . But you can't read this book with your eyes" Blues gave a sly grin.
If Rock had been confused before he was completely bewildered now. "How do you read it then?"
Gimme your hand and I'll show you" gently Blues pushed Rocks fingers over the page.
"It's...bumpy" Rock noted.
"Yes, it's called Brail. Each little bump represents a letter. It's what I use to read and write."
"Really......can..you teach me?"
"Maybe, give me your hand," Blues placed Rock's fingers on a letter. "This is the letter A. And this , is the letter L. Do you feel the difference?"
"Ya!!"
"Now this is an E. And this is a P. Do you got that?"
"Un huh" Rock nodded
"Good, now what does it spell?" Blues guided his little brothers hand over the word.
"..un..A ..P.P.....ummm.....L.......E...apple. Apple!" Rock was amazed.
"Very good, Rock" Blues chuckled "here, I think you might like this" he pulled another book from the shelf. "This was the first book I ever read. It's the Alphabet in Brail, but it has written words underneath them so you can learn it."
"Wow thanks Blues!" Rock jumped into his lapped and hugged him.
Blues gasped as Rocks weight hit his torn side "arrghh" he grunted.
"Oh Blues, I'm sorry I forgot about your side!!!" Rock jumped off him and cringed by the couch.
"Unnm...it's ok..I'm getting better. Still A little tender though. So how about you. You how are you feeling?"Blues asked.
"I'm..ok. I still gotta take that gross medicine though"
"Well that's not too bad. You don't got a fever do ya?"
"Well....maybe just a little one but it's not that bad..really"Rock said going over to the couch to pick up the thermometer. "Hey Blues what does annual mean?"
"Once a year, why?" Blues asked leaning back and stretching.
Rock looked back at the object in his hand, "Does an annual thermometer mean you can only use it once a year?"
Blues choked on his breakfast , falling out of his chair. "Eewww..Rock that doesn't say annual!!!"
"Oh"
"He's right Rock" Dr. Light spoke from the kitchen doorway with an amused look on his face.
"Rock," he gave a sympathetic grin trying not to go into a full out laugh "That's an anal thermometer."
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"HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Blues lay on the bathroom floor , listening as Rock rapidly brushed his teeth for the fifth time.
"Arrgghgh....uggg.......I don't even wanna know where that's been " Rock cried rinsing with mouthwash.
"I got three guesses!!!" Blues howled. Rock gave him an evil look " Actually I think I used it once when I was younger..........probably farted on it...HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA"
Blues was lost in another wave of giggles, with Rock looking as angry as he possibly could with toothpaste smeared across his face. "Oh come on Rock at least it was funny!!"
Rock shuddered "No that was disgusting!!"
"HA Ha ...oh I can't breath..I ..I HA HA HA HA HA HA ..ok ok.." Blues took a deep breath and attempted to compose himself " I'll be..ha ha waiting for you in the lounge" he trotted out the door and down the hallway. Rock gazed at the spot where he had been a moment ago. Before returning to brushing his teeth. "Anal thermometer....blaaarrgh!!!
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45 minutes and half a tube of toothpaste later.
Rock walked down the hall way towards the lounge. "What's that?" he perked his ears up. He could hear a beautiful melody playing, somewhere near him. It's seemed to grow stronger with every step he took.
"It's coming from the lounge " Rock realized as he pushed open the door. He entered the room to find Dr. Light sitting on the sofa and Blues sitting by the old piano.....playing. He smiled as the song ended "Blues I didn't know you could play the piano?"
"Oh there's a lot you don't know about me" Blues said quietly.
"What song was that?. It was beautiful" Rock asked taking a seat by the window.
"That was Music Box Dancer*" Dr. Light said "I haven't heard it in years...thank you Blues." Dr. Light made his way out from the room and left the two boys to there adventures.
Blues was the first to pipe up "Hey Rock how about a game of air hockey?"
"Ya !!" Rock got up and flung a pillow at his brothers head.
"Hey!!" Blues yelped.
Rock laughed and dashed to the machine. "Come on Blues. I'll go easy on you, I don't think blind people can play air hockey"
Blues's breath caught in his throat , when he heard Rock say that. He knew Rock was too young to realize how much words could hurt . He didn't know how to colour his statements, instead he said things quite bluntly as soon as they popped into his head, without thinking.
For Blues it was the most hurtful , hateful thing Rock could have done. He felt as though his little brother had stuck a knife right through his guts.
He didn't like being treated differently by anyone. Especially not his brother. He needed no help. He was just a capable as anyone. To have people go easy on him was nonsense. And nonsense made Blues mad.
To be continued..............
* Music Box Dancer was written played by Frank Mills
Ps: Just a question, I was hoping somebody might know the age of Roll?.
I know Rock's around 10 and Blues is about 15. If you do please just put
it as a review it will help a lot. Thanks
Viceroy