(Iceland's P.O.V is maintained through out the story.)
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 After some encouragement from Norway, I called (Name) and asked if she wanted to meet me by the lake this evening. She's been out of the hospital for only a day, but agreed to meet me there. Because of the accident, (Name) can't see anymore.

It was scary, seeing her the first time, because when I spoke to her as she lay in the hospital bed, her gaze never directly met mine. It always seemed that she was looking beyond this world, into another one. Her eyes had paled and dulled. Yet, somehow, she still managed to keep her beauty. (Name) is beautiful. I've always thought that about her.

I plan to tell her how I feel today, because I've waited far too long.
I could've lost her that day and I'm thankful I still have her.

 I adjust my collar constantly: for the first time ever it's actually bugging me. I sit on the sturdy wooden dock that comes out a few meters into the nearly endless lake.
The sun's setting beyond the horizon that touches the sky, turning the rest of the heavens a breath taking mixture of pinks, oranges and reds.

The lake is calm and churns with the occasional breeze that carries the leaves along. I haven't waited too long before I see (Name) coming down the hill, her white cane scoping the ground before her like an antenna.

I pat down my hair with a quick glance in the water, then run up to her calling, "(Name)! I'm glad you could make it!"

She stops a little ways away from me and smiles.
"I wouldn't miss it, you know that...Can you give me your hand? I don't even know if I'm talking in the right direction."

 I slowly take her free hand, the left one. A smile comes across her face as I lead her down to the wooden dock. I help her sit.

"How do you feel?" I ask her.

"I don't really know...I feel a little...scared. The doctor can't tell if the blindness is only temporary...He said we'll just have to wait...As for the rest of my body," she pumps a fist in the air, "I feel stronger than I ever have before."

I laugh a little, lifted by her slight optimism, it was just like her. (Name) continues on.

"I don't like the dark that much anymore...No matter how many lights I turn on...I can't see a thing. I feel like it will swallow me up one day. It's scary."

I feel the hair on my head stand on end, hearing those words come from her. Her voice is heavily weighed down with sorrow. I begin to place my hand on hers for comfort, but she draws away when I'm within inches, flinching.

"Was that a bug or something?" she asks. I sit in amazement, I hadn't even touched her.

"Yeah," I lie with a hint of embarrassment, "but it's gone now."
She frowns. "Why do you sound so nervous, Iceland?"

"I'm just a little cold, that's all," I look the other way. I've told two lies in less than fifteen seconds. (Name) gazes off somewhere into the horizon.

"I want to tell you something," she says.

"Okay (Name), I'm all ears."

The breeze shifts and blows a bit of hair out of her face.

"Iceland...I've known you for...who knows how long...and I've noticed that I feel different about you...that we've changed over the years..." her voice trails off.

  I become on edge, afraid that she might say: she hates my guts, that she no longer wants to see me, that she wishes she never met me...Why I feel this way? I don't know. But I'm afraid of her words because she means too much to me. She doesn't seem to want to continue, so I ask quietly,

"What do you mean?" hiding the shakiness of my voice.

"What I'm trying to say Iceland is that I...I care for you...a lot...Ugh...Why is this so hard to say?" she slams her fist against the wooden boards then takes a deep breath. "Iceland, I love you."

I don't know what to say; my mouth opens and closes like a fish yet no words come out. My hands begin to sweat and my heart pounds so hard I'm afraid it will fall right out of my chest and into the lake.

"A-are you still here?" (Name) asks the open air.

"Y-yeah...Uh...I'm still here...I'm just so surprised...I mean...I never would've thought..."

I take a long, shaky sigh. Here we are, sitting on the dock that we first met on. She's just told me she loves me. I can't even say the words I'd been reciting in my head. She's now blind and yet so much more brave than I am...and still so beautiful.
Which is why I...

"(Name), I love you, too,"

Just saying the words is like finally getting to feel the relief of pushing Denmark off of my back after he's tackled me like the animal he can be. I look into (Name)'s pale eyes. She looks slightly confused.

"You do? You aren't just saying that because I'm blind, are you?"

"N-NO! I really do feel this way about you. I was going to tell you this evening, but I've been so nervous. I realized the way I actually felt about you the day Norway told me that you lost your sight."

(Name) smiles so broadly it's hard to describe. It's been years since I've seen her smile so big.

"Oh, Iceland," she exclaims and reaches out. Her fingers wiggle and she makes a face.

"Well, I forgot that I can't see..." she sighs, her arm passing my entire body by a long shot.
I laugh a little, not at her, but her humor. I'd forgotten she was blinded for a moment as well. I take her extended and and put it against my face. Her hand is incredibly soft. (Name) squeals in delight, then giggles.

"I love you so much, (Name)...more than anything this world could offer me..." the words just come out, but I don't try to stop them. It is my heart that's speaking now, its been speaking since I confessed to her. There truly is nothing I want more than her.

"I love you too, Ice-" she stops abruptly, looking quite confused.

"What's wrong?" I ask her.

Slowly, her gaze drifts up and her eyes meet mine, oddly. I can't help but stare back.
Her eyes don't seem to be so dull anymore. She gives no response to me, but instead begins to run her fingers through my hair. Then her hands come to my face without a problem.
She grips my nose, runs her fingers over my eyelashes, smooths down my eyebrows.
It's almost as if she can see again...

"I can see..." she whispers. I can't hide my excitement.

"You can see?!"

"I-I can now...Things are blurry but...I can see you..." It is then her eyes begin to water and tears stream down her face, yet her smile returns.

I hold up various numbers on my fingers and she gets a great deal of them right. I ask
her what color am I wearing and she tells me brown and white. It is at that moment I am overjoyed to say that her sight has miraculously returned.

"Iceland...I can see..." she says, more so telling herself that she can.

  I cup her face in my hands, unable to believe it myself, still. And as I stare into her pale eyes, I can tell she is doing the same.
I begin to say something when I'm taken by surprise. I fall back a little as (Name) pushes her lips to mine. I know that, without a doubt, my face has turned an unfathomable red.
It starts sweet but I hate to say that I can't hold it back and I pour out every drip of passion into this kiss. I hold (Name) tightly, so close I can feel her heartbeat, and I'm sure she can feel mine. My heart is swelling, over pouring with this burning desire...

Until I have to breathe...

  I pull away, but barely. I look into her eyes, hoping I haven't pushed her to far, but instead of the distant, pale, icy gaze she once had, there is now a flame burning inside of them. Both eyes are incredibly warm and welcoming...just like they used to be.