Bloom || A.M.'s Writing Contest || 2nd Round Up

7:15 PM - The Plane

It’s been over an hour since we took off. They said that our plane will land at eight o’clock tonight, but as it tends to be with air travel, I probably won’t get out of here until far later.

I’m headed to another continuing education class for my company. Regular, boring, usual stuff. I already know what the subject of this will be, another new medicine that works better against some of the more resistant strains of bacterial skin infections, plus new developments in how to handle certain animals and the newest style of drawing blood and giving injections.

I have actually been practicing the new methods for almost as long as they’ve been out, but they still require that we take the course.

I shall certainly be bored out of my mind the entire three day conference, but it should be an overall simple task, I hope. Just take a few spastic notes for proof that I was actually paying attention, and maybe a sketch or two for things I want to remember.

The main downside apart from it being boring is that I have to interact with a bunch of people. For someone who isn’t the most social being, this will be a lot of strain on me.

I can handle it though. I have twice before, once a year since escaping college to become a hard working veterinary surgeon.

It’s taken me nearly a half an hour to write this much in my cramped seat here. I believe that I should go now, try and just relax the last fifteen minutes of my flight before being cast into the pot of boiling water.

 - Azure Smith



It was 6:30 am when Azure Smith awoke from his rest, laying flat on his back below a sheet minimal blanket cover. He tended to overheat when underneath too many layers.

His alarm clock shrilled harshly beside him, and he reached an arm out, tapping the top of the clock until he hit the snooze button. He pulled his arm back, rubbing his eyes and then dropping his arms back above his head, opening eyelids to reveal brilliant dark green and gold flecked irises.

In the newfound silence of the morning, the dark haired 31-year-old sat up in bed, hoisting his arms above his head and arching his back in a stretch. Dark tanned skin rippled over his muscles as he stretched, yawning tiredly.

It was time for him to start moving, however, and he knew it. The continuing education class that he was required to attend began in an hour and a half, and he needed to have eaten and dressed in formal clothes before arriving.

The alarm burst into renewed shrilling, and Azure cracked his hand on the top of it again, before searching for the off button. A satisfied smirk arose on his face when he found it, tapping it quickly before swinging his legs out from below the warm sheets and into the icy air of his hotel room.

Moving quickly, the man grabbed his suitcase, making a beeline for the bathroom, where he proceeded to fiddle with the shower knobs until a stream of hot water burst from the nozzle.

Relieved, the dark haired man stepped into the steaming water, using shampoo and body wash to clean himself appropriately. Finished with the shower, the tanned man stepped from the hot spray into the cool air, and shivered, grabbing a towel and wrapping it tightly around himself.

His brilliant eyes turned to the mirror, and were met with a strangely dull appearance.

You see, in Azure’s eyes, nothing held very brilliant colors. Though he knew that he had green eyes, he couldn’t tell you if they were dark or light, and couldn’t see the golden hues amongst the green. His skin, well, he knew that his was more of a brown rather than white or black, but other than that, he wasn’t really sure. His hair was also brown, but he couldn’t tell the difference between it and his skin.

The doctors that he had consulted about it had stated that he was colorblind, most likely, and he’d accepted that premonition years ago, when he was a small boy in school, and first realized that he couldn’t see all of the things that people described.

Someone would say something like, “Look at how dark the sky is today!” and Azure wouldn’t be able to see a difference between it and the day before.

Azure sighed, leaning forwards and grabbing his toothbrush, wetting it with a quick drag through the water that cascaded from the faucet. He squeezed a bit of toothpaste onto it, and quickly progressed to brushing his teeth, his eyes turned towards the mirror as he studied his reflection tiredly.

Spitting the foam from his mouth and rinsing his mouth out with the cool water from the sink faucet, Azure finished up with that part of the grooming sequence that was his morning routine. Next was his clothes.

He crouched beside the suitcase he’d dragged to the bathroom, quietly unzipping it and pulling a light violet grey, long sleeved button up, followed by a pair of black dress pants, underwear, and a scrub that he would pack in his bag just in case they were required to work on any live animals.

Deftly, Azure dressed, being sure to curl his collar and cuffs into their correct positions. Screw a tie, he didn’t need one today. He’d probably strangle himself anyways.

Standing up, Azure pulled a comb out of the bag on the counter, and carefully pulled it through his slightly wavy hair, managing to pull it over to one side so that it looked at least reasonable, and didn’t stick in his eyes.

Satisfied with his appearance, Azure made his way back out into the main room, looking at the clock nervously. 7:15. He needed to hurry if he was going to be able to write anything this morning.

Snatching a prepacked bag, and placing the scrub inside it carefully, making sure not to wrinkle it. He slung the bag over his shoulder, and opened the door to his room, his keycard already in the bag. After closing the door to a soft click, he turned and glanced down the hallway in both directions, determined not to run into any coworkers staying at the same hotel at least until after he’d had some coffee.

He made his way cautiously down the hall on the right, buzzing the elevator silently, and then locking his attention onto a wall. He would focus there, and if anyone walked by, hopefully his hostile air would drive them off before they could force him into a conversation.

No matter how he tried, he couldn’t be rude, and if forced, would end up in a conversation that could last for a longer time then he was comfortable. The elevator opened with a ping, and he stepped inside, tapping the ground floor button before anyone else could arrive. This was going reasonably well, for him. Thank God for that, because he didn’t think he could handle too much at this point.

He glanced up when the elevator pinged again, and stepped out through the slowly opening doors, searching around the ground floor for where the breakfast bar was. Eventually, a small stream of people headed in one direction caught his attention, and he followed it quickly, nodding in confirmation when they emerged into a small dining area.

He deftly slid around to the side, grabbing a plate and utensils, plus a napkin which he held below the plate, and began to make his way down the assembly line to grab the things that he wanted to eat. After a minute or two of picking the choice servings of sausage and eggs, Azure stepped away from the food train, heading for the coffee were there was a current lack of human life. He filled himself a mug to three quarters full, the other quarter consisting of milk and two teaspoons of sugar. Satisfied, the dark haired man grabbed his things, and made a beeline for an empty table in the very corner of the cafe.

He was sipping demurely at the coffee between bites of eggs when a few people came in, all dressed smartly like him. Two or three of the group he knew, given that they were in the same company as him, but the others were strangers.

Determined not to be noticed, Azure rapidly inhaled the rest of his drink, beginning to eat his food as fast as one could without choking and without ruining his clothes.

Then he was out like a shot, booking it towards the place he’d stored the rental car. One of his hands rummaged around in his bag for a moment before withdrawing with a key held between the fingers. He unlocked the car, and slid inside, inhaling, and then exhaling heavily without relief. An uneventful morning. Perfect.

He inserted the key, and twisted it, revving the engine to life. Satisfied with his escape from social actions, Azure checked the time. 7:30. It would take him fifteen minutes to drive to the place that Continuing Education would take place, and then he would have fifteen minutes to write.

The drive was uneventful, and Azure managed to get into the building to the presentation room with no problems. Several of the seats were already claimed in the half circle room. It was set up somewhat like a coliseum, with one massive half being dedicated to seating, which ran up at a steep angle, orderly rows going across from there. The other half was a much shallower arch, with a massive projector screen behind a large table that was filled with props and much needed supplies for the presentation, such as hypodermic needles, medicines, and muzzles.

Azure slipped into a seat near the center of the heights, right next to the edge so that only one other person would be able to sit near him. Most of his colleagues had more sense than to near him at places outside of work, but you never knew.



7:45 AM - Continuing Education Classroom

Well, it’s officially already boring, and we haven’t even started.

Brilliant time this morning, I had. Joking, of course. The hotel room is much too large for me, I prefer smaller spaces. It’s just too empty, I suppose. Maybe if there was another person with me, but we all know how that would work out.

I’m getting some odd looks for being writing already, but it’s not hard to ignore. I can see Philip coming down the hallway now, he’s passing me…

Thank God, no move to make a conversation. I don’t think I could have stood having a conversation forced upon me right before spending all this time trying to learn things I already know.

The plane trip is near the worst thing on this trip so far, though. Reason being that they force you to sit by a coworker in the hopes that you’ll make a connection.

Instead you just spend two hours ignoring one another quite efficiently.

I forgot how slow I am at writing. The whole place is beginning to fill up now, we must be close to starting. Another log will be entered after the first bit of this class.

 - Azure Smith



Azure snapped his book shut, turning his gaze upwards to the screen in front of him. He was focused on the words beginning to appear on it as he felt a small poof of air beside him as someone sat down.

Though Azure knew that the person was there, he didn’t really want to interact, so he kept his gaze forwards, pretending to pay attention to the demonstration. A voice welcomed them over the loudspeaker, and he rolled his eyes at the cheesiness of the entire thing.

“Pretty boring, isn’t it?” Chuckled a voice softly next to Azure, and he startled, turning his green eyes towards the person who had spoken.

It was the man next to him, the one who had settled in as the presentation had began. Azure was about to say something harsh to try and get the man to leave him be, when the blond man turned his head to face him, and smiled.

That left Azure in the dust. Far, far behind in the dust.

His eyes. They weren’t just blue, they were blue. Azure could see hundreds of different shades in and amongst the blue orbs that the man was locking him with.

This… This was not normal.

“I-er… What?” Azure stumbled over his speech, searching for something to say despite being struck dumb by the eyes of the person next to him.

The blue eyed, blond haired man next to him laughed softly in good humor. “I said, it’s pretty boring, right? The convention and such?”

Azure was taken aback by this person’s cheery attitude, and willingness to strike up a conversation with someone he didn’t know. Besides, he was still reeling from the man’s eyes.

“Er… yeah, they always are. This your first one?” he asked, struggling to find a thing to talk about hushedly. They couldn’t be too loud, or risk being yelled at by the people teaching the class.

The man shook his head, “Been to four or five before. I’m a vet down in Southern California. How about you?” he asked, tilting his head just slightly.

His eyes were terribly distracting, and Azure struggled with his words again.

“I-er, I’m a veterinary surgeon in Central California,” he said after a moment, “Four years out of college. This is my third Continuing Ed.”

The man smiled, holding out a hand, “I’m Danny,” he chuckled, “It’s nice to meet you.”

Azure knew how to do this part just from habit. He grabbed Danny’s hand, and shook it, before startling away. It was like he’d been shocked. The second that he’d touched this man, everything had come into sharp contrast, and all around him, things had become more clear. He looked around, slightly awestruck, murmuring his greeting, “A-Azure. Azure Smith, nice to meet you too…”

He couldn’t understand what was going on, but whatever it was was entrancing. It was beautiful, terribly beautiful.

Blues of all sorts stained the presentation room, from the chairs they sat on, to the ceiling, to the table that was projected on the massive screen in front of them.

Azure watched it all, barely paying any attention to the words that were being spoken by the people giving the presentation anymore.

Danny was still watching him, seeming to be a bit amused at his sudden shock and awe at the room.

“What’s so interesting, Azure?” he asked, a bit of amusement obvious in his words, though it was in a kind way, not a cruel one.

“N-nothing…” Azure murmured, “It just occurred to me how blue it is in here.”

Danny smiled at him, and turned his gaze to look around with a bit of kind amusement. “Yeah. Bleeding beautiful, ain’t it?” he sighed, turning to look back at the presentation.

Azure was still caught up in the shocking colors, and he looked back over at Danny, studying the man’s eyes again. He could see an azure base, with hints of turquoise, sea green, ocean blue, and cerulean swirled around in haunting patterns that stained his irises.

Blinking with a mix of confusion and wonder, Azure looked back at the screen, planning on finishing the presentation and the rest of the week without anything happening. He couldn’t see how things could be boring with this newfound color to look at.



6:25 PM, Plane

I spent the past few days just looking at things. Wondering at what has happened to my eyes that allows me to see this bright blue hue that I never noticed before. Have I really been that blind?

I can’t say for sure.

The Continuing Education Class is over, and I’m flying home. Danny isn’t on my flight, but we exchanged contact information. I can speak to him if I ever need, though I probably won’t unless he initiates the contact. I’m far too skittish for that.

Part of me wishes that I knew how to interact with people better. Maybe I’d be able to become Danny’s friend that way. For now, however, I am content to know that there is another vet who knows my name that I can consult with on confusing cases.

If I was to be honest, the most shocking thing about Danny isn’t his blatantly thrilled personality, but rather his eyes. They are the most intricate things I’ve ever seen.

It’s like someone captured the ocean in his irises, and locked it there with magic. They’re brilliantly expressive, you can just tell what he’s thinking by looking at him straight in the eyes.

I am thankful to be going home, even if I’ll miss the person who I managed to talk to for three days straight. That’s more miracle than anything else on this trip.

Well, other then my eyes deciding to see.

Everything is so marvelous! It’s like I’m a new person, renewed and excited.

Everything is blooming with blue now.

Blue. I don’t think I can say it enough.

Blue. Blue, blue, blue.

Blooming with blue.

Blue.

 - Azure Smith



Word Count: 2891



10:45 pm, Home

Elinor and Amber have decided that they need to bring me out clubbing tonight. It’s not like I want to go, not really at least. I honestly don’t like clubs that much.


The main reason that I’m going is that I need a distraction.

Danny actually messaged me in the days after Continuing Education, and we did continue to talk for awhile.


Just today, he told me that he has some big problems with his company. They’re starting to grow a ton, and built another location near us, and they want to transfer him up here to be a veteran vet at the new location.


He’s torn, but they’re sending him up here, and he’s staying at a hotel far too close to my home for my own comfort.


I don’t know why I’m so skittish about meeting him in person again, I mean, it’s been like three weeks, and I’ve been talking to him a ton over the phone. I can’t seem to think though, so maybe Elinor’s idea of a fun night will be good for me.

Probably not though.


Clubbing with two lesbians never worked out for me in the past.

They’re knocking at the door now, I have to run.


 - Azure Smith



Azure was dressed in a very simple suit, black and white. He partially figured that it would fit his appearance, but then again, he wasn’t too sure, given that he still couldn’t tell the difference between his hair and his skin. His hair was just tucked back slightly, gelled into place. He snapped his book closed, and set it on the stand next to the couch, rising up to fetch the door.


When he opened it, two women were standing there, very obviously different in personality. One was in a seductive, red dress, with a slit that ran up on leg almost to her hip. It had a very low neckline, and very thin straps. The other was in a black, knee length dress that flounced when she moved, with a much more modest neckline and thicker straps. Hers was open in the back, however, showing pale flashes of skin through the laced backing.


Azure rolled his eyes at the pair, nodding at them, and stepping out the door. “Amber,” he greeted the woman in the red dress first, before turning to the other, “Elinor.” He nodded to them, and Elinor giggled.


She was much shorter than her counterpart, standing at maybe 5 feet 5 inches where Amber was a slim, arching thing standing nearer to five ten. Her hair was cropped short, and was a dirty blond in color, where Amber’s fell to her hips, and was black, with lighter streaks and a single strip dyed an iridescent blue.

That was the part that Azure accidentally caught himself focusing on more often than not since his arrival back from the conference. The blue strip in Amber’s hair was such a brilliant color now that he could see it, contrasting so strongly against the raven black of the normal color.


Elinor, always being the more straight forwards of his two friends, stepped behind him, closing his door, and shoving him forwards towards where their car was waiting. She gave him a cocky look when he glared at her, and Amber took his arm, laughing. “Oh come on, Azure!” she laughed, “We’re going clubbing, that means that you have to move!”


The woman towed on his arm, dragging him towards the car, and he lengthened his stride so that he was pulling her. “Move on then,” he chuckled, pulling open the back door and sliding into one of the back seats.


Amber made her way around to the driver’s seat, while Elinor popped into the passenger’s seat. “So, Az, you said that one of your friends is coming to visit soon?” the short, blond woman asked, “Who is it? No offence, but you don’t have too many friends that you talk about much.” The woman turned in her seat so that she was looking at the brown haired man sitting stiffly in the backseat.


Sighing, Azure opened his mouth to respond, and then just shook his head. Elinor kept her eyes locked on him, ready to pester him for information. Azure knew it, and decided that he’d rather just surrender a name and not have the next fifteen minutes of drive be dedicated to the smaller woman weedling information out of him.


“His name is Danny. You happy?” Azure asked, a small note in his voice portraying his awkwardness about the current situation, “I met him at the conference.”


Elinor grinned widely, and looked forwards, satisfied with the response. She only really got competitive if she didn’t get a response in the first place.

The rest of the car ride was mostly silent, apart from Amber and Elinor’s quiet discussions about different things, mostly about what they planned on doing at the club.


Upon their arrival, and parking in a very cramped place by the curb, the trio was very efficient about escaping the car and making their path to the line to enter the club. Within forty five minutes, they were inside, strobe lights already giving Azure a headache, though the only real color that was catching his attention was the blue lights. He sighed, making sure to stick towards the walls.


Elinor and Amber had already vanished into the bright light of the dance floor. He knew that the pair would find him when they were ready to leave. He was the designated driver, so he obviously didn’t plan on drinking. Didn’t really plan on dancing either, but he was in a club, there was next to no way to avoid it.

He stood quietly, leaning against the wall, watching as the lights spun and twisted, burning bright and dimming, leaping from place to place along the floor. His eyes followed the movements, but he didn’t move apart from that, humming softly to the tune of the music.


It took him nearly an hour to warm up more. Then an already highly intoxicated and giggly Amber grabbed his arm, and towed him out onto the dancefloor, where Elinor was clapping and laughing, swaying her hips to the beat of the music.


Rolling his eyes, the tall man began to sway to the music, refusing to do anything too incriminating, like make a fool of himself.


Elinor cheered, and grabbed Amber’s hand, the taller of the two spinning Elinor around and beginning to dance something similar to a cha cha. Still swaying, Azure smiled at the pair as they danced about like excited teens, about as coordinated as well. Not that he could blame them. They were already terribly drunk.


His phone began to vibrate in his pocket, startling him. Setting his jaw with irritation that someone had actually scared him by just ringing his bloody phone, the dark haired man pulled the phone out, making a beeline for the bathroom, being the quietest room in the club. He looked at the called ID, and blanched considerably.


Call from Danny Williams



Saying that Azure didn’t know how to handle a call from the blond haired man at - what time was it now? He checked the clock on the top of the phone - 1:30 am, was an understatement.


He pressed the accept button before he made it into the bathrooms, and held the phone up to his ear. He struggled to hear what Danny was saying, but it was far too loud, even here just outside the men’s room.


Forcing himself through the doors, Danny’s voice came into focus, and Azure did his best to make sense of the cut off sentence.


“- think it through, but I’m kind of already here and all…”


Danny’s voice crackled through the speaker on Azure’s phone, and he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Repeat that, Danny,” he interrupted, “I’m at a really loud place, missed the first half of what you said.”


Danny’s voice broke off for a moment, and then came back, with renewed strength, “Oh, sorry. I- er… Well, I didn’t think it through right, and I went out after I got here… I kind of got lost, and then there was a bar nearby, and I figured I’d go in for a bit to relax, and one thing turned to another…”


Azure sighed, closing his eyes and resting against the wall of the bathrooms, “Danny, what the hell were you thinking?” he groans, raking a hand through his hair.


The other side of the line crackles with silence for a moment, and then Danny’s voice comes back over. “I wasn’t. Do you know how to get out of here? I think that I can dr-”


“I’m stopping you right there. I’ve got my car. Where are you?” Azure interrupted again, rubbing his eyes, and pushing himself off the wall. He’d have to fetch Elinor and Amber, load them into the car, and then go fetch Danny. He didn’t know what state the blond man was in, but he figured that he was probably not too much better off than the two he was already supposed to drive.


Danny gave him the name of the bar he was at, and Azure heaved a sigh. “Forty five minutes, and I’ll be there, right? Just… sit tight and don’t cause any trouble,” he said tightly, barely waiting for a response before hanging up, and making his way into the crowd, seeking his friends.


“Elinor, Amber!” he bellowed, doing his best to make himself heard over the surging crowd. It didn’t work too well, but after twenty minutes of bumbling around uselessly, Azure caught sight of the pair. They were still dancing, but had shifted around between several locations in the time he’d been searching.

He carefully wove his way through the people, dragging them over to one side so that he could actually speak.


“We have to leave!” he shouted, “My friend needs a ride, he’s lost.”


Amber giggled drunkenly, and tapped his shoulder, “Aww, but we’re having so much fun!”


Elinor joined in, leaning against Azure, “Come on,” she purred, drawing out the last syllable, “Just a bit longer?”


Azure glowered at the pair, and resisted the urge to scream. “We have to leave, now,” he ordered harshly, “I said that my friend needs a ride, so let’s go. Now.” He spun them around, and began to push them towards the door, ignoring the irritated protests from both of them.


Once they hit the brisk wind of California at two am, the pair shut up. Azure took the lead then, knowing that they would follow, and they reached the car a lot faster then he had been expecting. He opened the car up with the keys, ushering the pair into the back seats, and then getting himself into the driver’s position. “Seatbelts,” he reminded them tiredly as he buckled his own, turning his eyes to the street and revving the engine.


Pulling out into the street, the dark haired man managed to drive almost half of the way to where Danny was before having either of the women say anything to him.


Of course, that didn’t last long.


“What friend, Azure?” questioned Amber, tipping her head with interest and leaning forwards.


Azure groaned, urging the car to move faster. “Danny,” he muttered, not wanting to be questioned about it any longer.


“You don’t ever get pushy with people about things that don’t fit your schedule,” observed the woman in the red dress, “What makes Danny so special?”


Azure didn’t answer. He didn’t know why he had been flying off the hook to try and help the blond man he’d met at a conference of all places. Maybe it was something about the way that he had been so quick to respond if Azure ever had a question during the conference, and after. Maybe it was something about the way he had waved goodbye from the passing window of a car as Azure drove towards the airport for a flight an hour and a half before his.


Maybe it was his eyes, or the way he had called Azure for help.


He didn’t know.


The rest of the drive was silent, and as they pulled up to the location Danny had given them the name of, Azure dropped the car into neutral, and pulled out his phone, loitering just outside the entrance.


After dialing a number, and holding the phone to his ear, Azure waited silently, listening to the ring of the phone and tapping his foot lightly against the floorboard. When there was a small click, and Danny’s voice came across to Azure over the connection, the tapping stopped.


“Yeah?” Danny asked, voice slurred very slightly.


“We’re out front, let’s go. Do I need to come in and get you?” Azure asked, glancing over at the doors.


“Nah… nah, I got it,” Danny chuckled, and within a few moments, a tall, lean figure was at the door, kind of tripping through it, and then stumbling to the car.


Azure gave him one look as Danny got in, and pinched the bridge of his nose, hanging up on the call. He didn’t bother with introductions as he shifted the car into gear, and pulled away from the curb, heading for Elinor and Amber’s house.

He would drop them off, and then find where Danny was staying, and get him up to his room. Then he could actually go home and sleep. Thank God he didn’t have to get up early tomorrow, weekends really were a blessing.


“So this is Danny?” asked Amber from the back of the car, her voice tentative and a bit amused.


Azure refused to look away from the road, but he sighed, and nodded. “Danny,” he offered slowly, “Those two are Amber and Elinor. Amber is the one in red.”

Danny looked back, and seemed to get a bit confused. He looked between the two for a moment, and then nodded quietly to himself, like he was trying to convince himself of something.


He looked back forwards, and Azure gave him a strange look, before continuing to drive. Elinor smiled and waved up at them. Azure did his best to ignore her, but Danny turned back towards them, and smiled, waving at them back.


“So Danny,” asked Amber, sensing that the blond was too intoxicated to stop himself from responding, even with a warning glare from Azure, “What are you doing up here?”


Danny drunkenly giggled, and leaned farther over the center console to whisper to them, a lot louder than a whisper, “I was supposed to come for work, but Mr. Grumpy up there is a plus.”


Immediately the three of them were deep in conversation, laughing hysterically from time to time and slapping one another on the back. Azure just groaned deep in his throat and tried to move as fast as the limit would allow.

It took him nearly a half an hour to separate the three once they reached the house, and in the end, it was nearly three am by the time they finally pulled away from the curb.


“Where are you staying?” asked a thoroughly frazzled Azure, his eyes pinned forwards.


“Danny giggled, and looked over at him. “I don’t remember.”


It was all Azure could do not to slam on the brakes and scream. “Ok. Ok, you know what? You are going to stay in my bloody house tonight, because I don’t care anymore. I’m not driving around at 3 am to find you a bloody room at a hotel. Let’s go.”


Danny was actually quiet the rest of the drive, something that both relaxed and unnerved Azure. He decided to just be grateful for it, and take it in stride.

They pulled into his house silently, and he opened his door, pausing as a second thought when he looked over to see Danny getting out kind of slowly. The blond man stumbled, and Azure slammed his door shut, striding around the car to where Danny was drooped over the door tiredly.


The brunette tucked a shoulder below Danny’s, and half carried him to the door, where he struggled with the lock until the door popped open with a faint rasp.

The house looked cold and foreboding, and Azure groaned as he helped Danny through the doorway and onto the couch.


“You can sleep there,” he offered tiredly, scavenging through the closets in the halls for blankets.


“But it’s cold,” Danny whined plaintively, “And my head hurts.”


Azure turned around, arms full of blankets, and glared at Danny.


“You know what, fine. Into my room, you’re sleeping in my bed, because I don’t care anymore. I’ll take the bloody couch. Up! Up!” Azure snapped, exasperated to no end. He just dropped the pile of blankets, and hoisted Danny up, almost carrying him into his room.


He basically dropped his friend on the bed, turned off the lights, and shut the door, while shouting, “Sleep, dammit!”


The brunette made himself a bit of a nest out if the blankets on the couch, and passed out far quicker than he assumed he would.


He slept deeply, and actually managed to make it until about seven thirty in the morning, when the sound of retching from the bathroom awoke him. He was on his feet and into the bathroom in just a moment, eyes still closed as he barreled in. He opened his eyes to see Danny retching, and crouched beside him, rubbing his back lightly, eyes still closed from exhaustion.


When that was finished, he helped his severely hungover friend back into his room, where he actually opened his eyes enough to help the blond get into the bed and under the covers. He arched his back in a stretch, knowing that he was going to have a hell of a time this day.


He almost made it out of the room when Danny’s voice permeated the room. “Hey Azure?” softly spoken, “my head really hurts…”


Azure nodded once, and made his way back into the bathroom, where he found the painkillers. The brunette spent the rest of the day playing nurse to his friend. By nine o’clock, Danny was surprisingly chipper for someone as hungover as him, and it gaze Azure a break to write.


9:10 am, Home


He scribbled onto the paper, before continuing onto the actual meat of the writing. The final product was such as follows;


9:10 am, Home


Danny and the girls had way too much fun last night. I’ve got the former tucked up in my room right now, and he’s far too chipper for someone who’s dying from alcohol poisoning. Not really, it wasn’t that bad. To be honest, he’s far too innocent lying there like a chastised teen that got into his parent’s beers during a party. I feel kind of bad for acting like I did last night, I certainly wasn’t pleasant. It was all I could do though, I was tired and stressed more than anything. Like I said, clubbing with two lesbians never works out for me.


In any case, I’ll probably try to find where Danny is supposed to be staying, and help check him in tonight. I’ll have to fetch his car, probably tomorrow though. I have to give Amber and Elinor this one back as well, but knowing them, they’re probably sleeping still.


I wouldn’t have been up, but Danny was sick this morning, and I couldn’t help overhearing and trying to assist in the whole hungover process.

Maybe he’ll be better by tomorrow, and he can go to the hotel then.

That might be the better choice.


I’m not sure though. We’ll figure it all out once he’s a bit more awake.

Thank god that I don’t have work today, I would be totally messed over if I did.

I can hear Danny calling now, probably needing more water. Maybe I can write again later.


 - Azure Smith


Azure slammed the book shut, and returned to helping his friend. It was around six o clock, when Azure was trying to fix Danny some chicken broth to try and eat, when an excited cry came from inside of his room, where the blond was still tucked up.


“Azure! Azure, have you ever seen a sunset as pretty as this?”


Azure narrowed his eyes, sighing. It wasn’t Danny’s fault that he didn’t know that Azure was colorblind, if anything it was the brunette’s own fault for not telling him directly. He carried in a bowl full of steaming broth, setting it on the beside table without looking at the window in his room.


“No,” he stated coolly, “I’ve never seen a sunset.”


“Well, look! Just try it, Azure!” begged, Danny, sitting up in bed more, pointing at the window.


Azure sighed, and turned his dark green and gold eyes to the window. He was completely taken aback.


The brunette sat down hard on the corner of his bed, eyes watching the brilliant colors of the sunset.


Reds and pinks were cast across the sky in brilliant ribbons of color, violet staining the sky above it as it fought to overtake the flames. Orange and yellow glistened closest to the horizon line, and Azure watched it without shame, hungrily devouring the colors, trying to store them in his mind forever.


Danny slid his legs over the side of the bed so that he was sitting next to Azure. “It’s beautiful, right?” he asked, smiling broadly.


Azure nodded absently, and turned to look at the blond, who’s eyes were watching the painted sky with the same intensity as his had been just a moment ago.


He smiled faintly, and then turned his eyes back to the bright colors, not speaking until after the colors had been thoroughly vanquished by the violet purple of the midnight sky.


11 am, Home


I drove Danny to his hotel just a bit ago, I’ve just arrived home again. We both slept a lot better, after I organized the couch to be more comfortable. We woke up around nine and just went straight there. Amber and Elinor took their car back late yesterday as well.


Now, let’s address the most profound thing in the past 24 hours.


I saw the sunset.


It was nothing like I’d ever seen before, there were scarlet reds, tangerine oranges, canary yellows, I mean, you name it from those colors and it was there, present in the sky. Something I’d never, ever seen before.


And once again, I was with Danny when I saw it.


It’s got no significance to me, other than that it makes me more willing to invite him over more, if only as a reminder of the colors.


But he said something profound to me as well, and that just reminded me of it.

He said that he’d never seen a sunset either, until he was waving goodbye to me on my way out of the seminar. That the dull colors in front of him sprang to life, and he was a bit taken aback.


It’s strange, but it makes me kind of happy that we both see colors around each other. Maybe he’ll be willing to stay a bit longer than he’s mandated this time around. I have to run, chores and whatnot.


 - Azure Smith