The Host and Amy

2

A warm breeze ruffles Amy's hair, and the sunlight dappling across the two of them through the leaves feels good on her skin. It's the kind of day that can't be spent indoors, the kind where the air is fresher, the grass is greener, and the sky is bluer.

"What is this?" the Host asks, raising a quizzical eyebrow. The beverage is cold in his hands, but if he's right, the liquid inside is coffee. "Is it some form of witchcraft?"

Amy giggles uncontrollably and takes a sip of her own drink as she and the Host enjoy a peaceful walk through the park. The blind Ego leaves the library but rarely, and even rarer are the times that he leaves Ego Inc. But Amy thought it would be good to get him outside for a while after he started to look a little sickly. "It's an iced, dark roast coffee, my favorite!"

The Host sniffs at it and makes a face. It isn't a distasteful smell, but it's so... different from what he's used to. "Is it poisoned?"

Amy scoffs at him and pokes the Host in the side. "Oh, come on, you big baby. Just try it!"

Another moment passes as the Host takes time to gather his courage, and then, quickly—before he can change his mind—he takes a sip. He shudders and makes a face, "Ack, it's terrible! How do you drink this?"

The golden-haired girl snorts and hugs her sides, laughing at the Host's horrified expression. "I guess it's a bit of an acquired taste!" She straightens and trades him his drink for a blueberry muffin. "Here, nobody hates blueberry muffins. They're like manna from heaven."

The Host smiles happily at the treat. "Oh, yes, I like these very much." He pinches off a chunk and pops it into his mouth, sighing at the sweetness of it.

"So, you really like sweet things, huh?" Amy asks, pulling the Host a little bit closer so that he doesn't walk into a small child drawing on the sidewalk. She's noticed that when the Host isn't narrating, that he needs more help to be aware of his surroundings.

The Host nods in agreement but stops when he feels something tug at his coat—which he wears in all weather. Amy and the Host turn to see—and sense—a small child looking up at the Host with wide, brown eyes. "What happened to your face?" the child asks, far too loudly for the Host's liking.

"The small child did not realize they were a nuisance to the Host. They asked the question out of ignorance of its painful answer." The Host backs up a few steps and trips over someone's dog as they passed by. Amy lunges to catch him, but since the Host is so much heavier than her, they both end up sitting in the grass.

The little kid screams and runs away, and its only then that Amy notices that the Host's bandages have slipped down from over his eyes—or rather, lack thereof. With one swift motion, the Host pulls the bandages back into place and gets up, walking swiftly away.

"Wait, Host!" Amy grabs what's left of their spilled drinks and the smashed muffin, shoves them into a nearby trashcan, and runs after him. When she catches up to him she hears him narrating in third person, trying to find his way back to Ego Inc.

"The Host shouldn't have left his library. Trouble always follows the Host wherever he goes, and he didn't want to embarrass Miss Amy." He won't stop for her, even when Amy reaches for his arm. He shrugs her off and keeps going.

"Host, please, I'm not embarrassed! I've loved getting to spend the day with you," Amy says as she wraps her arms around his middle in a hug. "You don't have to come out of your library just for me. I only want to try to help you, that's all."

The Host sighs softly. He's become more accustomed to Amy's gentle hugs, and he knows that she means well. The Host softly places a hand over Amy's. "The H... I am trying very hard to become accustomed to who I am now, but it is not easy."

Amy takes a step back and tries to give the Host a reassuring smile. "I know, Host, and I know that you'll find yourself again one day. These things just take time, but you won't get there hiding yourself away in the library all day long."

The Host nods and looks down. After a moment, his face lights up, and he takes a few steps over to reach down and pick a daffodil. The Host strokes the petals gently and then presents the flower to Amy. "Here, a golden flower for a golden girl."

Amy takes the flower, sticking it behind her ear, and grabs the Host by the hand. "Come on, Hosty. That one earns you another muffin!"