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Rick never thought too much about it but he, sometimes, was curious about the whole thing. Not that he was going to ask (he probably should instead of doing this).
He wondered about it, but then, after a few spins on his head he figured that it was just a silly observation, at least he thought it was.
First, he noticed. Then, it became an observation and the observation became a thought. The thought became a suspicion and now the suspicion developed into a itch. An uncontrollable itch of curiosity that he wasn't able to scratch. Not until he approached the topic correctly and that was never going to happen because Rick Dalton never knew how to approach things correctly.
That's... That's probably why he was expectantly watching Cliff who was on the kitchen with the hope that he was going to tell Rick everything without him asking it.
But since when Rick Dalton became such an observer? Well, let's say even though his stuntman was quite subtle about it (and he was), his attachment with his sunglasses was rather obvious to anyone who paid a little attention and it just happens that Rick paid attention in the right moment.
It was one of these scenes where Jake needed to ride with his horse through the desert under the bright burning sun.
Rick was perfectly capable of doing that scene without Cliff, but the thing was that just after reaching a little hidden stream, Jake faints and falls from the horse, so that's why they needed Cliff, to do the stupid fall.
Rick didn't paid that much attention at first, it was just Cliff with his exact same clothes except for his sunglasses but something in his mind clicked but before his thoughts could go any further a shout from the stunt coordinator made him flinch a bit.
"You're on, Booth!" He said without even looking at him but once Cliff got on the horse, the yelling started again.
"Fucking cowboys don't wear sunglasses, do they?! Get that crap off your eyes!" The director shouted, and here's when Rick noticed that Cliff hesitated. He hesitated for about one second after lifting his gaze to the sun for then, smile and taking his sunglasses off. Rick felt that second as if was an hour of hesitation.
That's when Rick first noticed, but like he said before, it was just silly.
But then-
He observed.
That morning, Rick was needed for a photo shoot for promoting the new Bounty Law season but honestly the actor wasn't feeling confident on that particular morning. All that changed when he phoned Cliff to tell him the news, he told him he was excited but in the other hand he felt horrible, ugly and motherfucking miserable. There was a silence and as soon as Cliff started to speak, a smile was forming on Rick's lips. That was the confidence needed, but he wasn't going to drive to the studio all alone, risking his ephemeral confidence go away as soon as he arrives to the photography studio. So, he told Cliff he was going to pick him up and go to the photo shoot together.
Cliff didn't put any resistance as he just gave him the okay to pick him up.
Once they reached the photography studio, everyone was waiting for Rick Dalton. In fact, the whole place was booked just for him today.
"This way please, Mr, Dalton" Said one of the girls, guiding him through the big lights, people running from here to there, cameras and through models. He must have been pretty obvious with his facial expression because Cliff muttered under his breath behind him.
"You lucky bastard, Cowboy needs Cowgirls" Cliff joked.
The girl stopped and turned to Rick.
"Mr. Dalton, this is Enzo Gorlomi, your photographer for today" A man stood up from his chair and you could smell for miles away he was a pure Italian. The moustache, the colour of his eyes, everything was Italian.
"Oh, oh, però, è un bellissimo ragazzo!" He exclaimed but before Rick could say that he didn't understood a word he said the Italian spoke again. "Handsome boy, eh! I know exactly what I'm going to do with you" He said in English but with a strong Italian accent and Rick had to admit it was charming. Then his eyes left Rick's to where Cliff was standing. "And you? Ache tu?"
"Ah, no. I'm his stuntman, I don't do photo shoots" He replied and the Italian let out a sad sound.
"Però, sei troppo bello per essere uno stuntman-e" He said completely confused, as if he was really offended by something. "But, you're too pretty to be a stuntman-e" He complained.
"Yeah yeah, I get that a lot." Cliff replied softly, a little shy Rick noticed, but that was all it took to break the Italian's heart, making him put his two hands on his chest and moving around faking agony.
"Molta bellezza wasted, oh why? Why?" He started walking towards the white mat still mumbling Italian words with a dramatic voice. That was his sign to follow him, he turned to Cliff for the last time with a smile and he found that he was actually laughing softly.
As the photo shoot started, he found that it was like riding a bike, it all in the memory and once you do it, you instantly get back on it.
He looked in different directions, as Enzo indicated to him, but one of those directions was Cliff's direction, he tried to keep up with the shoot as he observed him and he just caught him putting his sunglasses and this time around he found it rather curious, because the first time it was understandable because the sun was pretty bright that day but, using them indoors? And not just indoors but in a quite dark place. The studio wasn't completely dark but it had a dim light for obvious reasons, the lights can ruin the photo.
So, why using sunglasses in a place that was rather dark? It's not like-
"Ahh, thoughtful, I like it!" Enzo interrupted his thoughts and as soon as he said those words the flash of the camera made him come back to earth and fit the last puzzle piece of his thoughts.
The flash of the camera.
That's when Rick observed.
And then-
He thought.
His mind was racing with questions against the poor observations he managed to made and of course he was losing the race.
He need them. He doesn't chose to wear them, he actually need them. He figured, scraping his conclusion a little bit due to the lack of proofs he had to think that the relationship of Cliff with his sunglasses was something to worry about.
But then, he thought about that time where they were watching T.V, a documentary about demolitions and, after some explosions, Cliff cautiously grabbed his sunglasses and put them on to keep watching the demolition thingy. Rick didn't pay attention to that then, but now, he was grateful his mind remembered that little scenario.
Sure there was more that he didn't know about his partner but Cliff usually opened with Rick from time to time, he never had a problem with it but in this case, it seemed that the blonde wanted to keep this to himself. Rick wanted to respect that, he really wanted to but the actor was speculating more with every second that passed. But not because he was a piece of shit, he wanted to know if there is something he could do to help Cliff with whatever he was hiding.
"Geez partner, you're thinking too hard, I can almost hear your thoughts" Cliff broke the silence. God, Rick didn't even notice how horribly quiet he had gone. "What's on that mind of yours, huh? The funny italian fella? The cowgirls, tiger?" Rick turned to Cliff, he was smiling with mischief but his eyes still on the road, stopping on a crossing light.
"Actually, I was thinking that maybe you-you want to watch Dr Strangelove? I hea-heard is really good and they're gonna to show it on TV for the first time today" He suggested.
"No shit, I was gonna ask you the same thing, of course buddy. Let's grab some pizza first"
That's when Rick thought.
But then-
He suspected.
His thinking wasn't enough to scratch the previous mentioned itch of curiosity that was bothering him so he needed a theory to support his suspicion and a proof to support his theory.
It was simple, his theory was that Cliff was sensible to light. That was the obvious part. He concluded it before thanks to his suspicion and observation, but what he wanted to know, though, was why? He always heard the saying about people with clear eyes were more sensitive to light, but that was bullshit since he had blue eyes himself and he wasn't bothered by the light that indeed seemed to bother Cliff causing that he had to put his sunglasses on.
Now, he needed the proof and here we are, exactly were we started; Rick sitting in his armchair in front of the TV watching how Cliff walked towards the kitchen.
"Alright, i'm gonna to reheat this pizza, borrowing your oven, won't be long." Cliff said for then dissappear into the kitchen. The lights were dim and you couldn't see shit if you didn't turn them on, but since Cliff was sensitive, the fucker was capable of doing everything in complete darkness in order to keep hiding his problem.
Rick couldn't help but smirk at the sight of his little experiment with Cliff going on the right direction. His eyes quickly glanced over the sunglasses that were in front of him for then slowly take them and put them on the floor, underneath the coffee table.
He was behaving like a child, he knew that, he motherfucking knew that and this wasn't right, wasn't fair but Rick needed to know if this sensitive-eyes-thing was serious and if it could get worse without the right treatment and Rick was damn willing to help Cliff out.
"You-you probably want to turn the lights on. That oven is a piece of shit, I-I wouldn't trust the fucker all in darkness if I were you" Rick shouted from the living room. "I'm going to take a piss, be right back" He shouted again biting his lips in order to not laugh. He didn't get up from his armchair but instead he just stamped his feet simulating loud steps.
He knew Cliff wasn't going to refuse to turn the lights on because that would be too obvious if he do so.
"Your wish is my command, partner" Cliff murmured loud enough for Rick to hear and before he turned the lights on, for Rick's absolute no surprise, thinking that Rick had gone to the bathroom, Cliff walked into the living room and glanced over the coffee table looking for his sunglasses.
"A-HA!" Rick suddenly shouted pointing his finger to Cliff who was with his eyebrows raised blinking only three times. "I knew it, you need them, you can't live without them" Rick accused now lowering his finger and his whole hand to grab Cliff's sunglasses and showing it to him.
Cliff just softly scoffed. "I don't need them to live, but with them I can live better" He defended himself with a tender smile on his lips. He was all but annoyed with Rick, actually he was amused. The actor could be cute when he didn't wanted to.
"Wha'do ya mean 'live better'?" Rick extended his hand in which he had Cliff's sunglasses.
The stuntman slowly took them. "Why you are so interested all of a sudden? No offence, man, just curiosity" Cliff raised his both hands in a sign that he was 'disarmed'.
"I-I.."Rick turned his head violently, his eyes looking at the carpet now. "I-I noticed things and I figured that you maybe had a problem with y-y-your eyes? And I was wondering why you didn't tell me, I wasn't gonna laugh or somethin' if is that wha'ya t-t-t-think..." Rick lifted his gaze slowly without moving his head, to find Cliff looking back at him, he never stopped looking.
"I see you have been studying, eh?" Cliff joked. "I never told you because I didn't think it was something you would be interested in, cowboy" Cliff replied. "It's war things"
The stuntman didn't really like talking about the war, but not because he was horribly traumatised by it but for the simple reason that he didn't want to talk about such terrible things. There were many other pretty things to talk about, like if there's any new movie, cars, girls, sunsets you know, a lot of stuff. He didn't want to ruin anyone's day by talking how he decapitated 12 Japanese in one evening. He also didn't want to talk about it because he find if horrible as well, not nice to talk about. Maybe for bragging or scaring someone, but not for a daily chat.
"I have a condition" Cliff spoke after the long silence. "Bright lights hurt my eyes. Well, not necessarily hurt them but they annoy my eyes". He explained watching Rick's reaction attentively and, for Cliff's relief, there wasn't any pity in his eyes but the still strong curiosity. "It was a misplaced mine. I was with 3 other soldiers looking for two guys that were kidnapped by the Germans. We placed some mines where we knew they were going to go. When everyone said all was in place, I stood and turned around. When I turned around the mine exploded in front of me." Rick had a serious expression and Cliff didn't like that because he knew that the actor was staring feeling upset, so he started to laugh hoping that Rick would mirror him, and he did. "The fucker placed the mine too close to me and as soon as I got up, the thing exploded. Now, I wasn't close enough to get seriously hurt but I wasn't far enough to not get hurt. The bright explosion left me blind for a week and with this long-term sensitivity to the light." As soon as he finished his story, he started to laugh again and this time more loud making Rick laugh in the same manner. "I don't know why the fucker put the mine too close to me, probably because he was scared, poor kid, he was the youngest of all of us. He managed alright though, he is living in Costa Rica now."
So he was sensitive...
And that's when Rick suspected.
But then-
Cliff noticed.
Two days later Clff received a call from Rick asking if he could pick him up because his car ran out of gas and the pedals seemed to be jammed.
Cliff didn't put any objections and drove to Cielo Drive arriving in less than half an hour which was a record to Cliff.
He parked aside from Rick's car, taking a quick look to make a mental note to take care of Rick's car afterwards.
He entered the house quietly. "Let's go you sleepy bastard!" Cliff shouted down the hall, but he didn't heat any reply or even any sound of someone getting up. The just let out a "Hm" and walked towards the living room and that's where he found something interesting.
On the coffee table there were a pair of brand new sunglasses quite similar to the ones he was using right now. He took them to examine them carefully and they weren't the fancy kind but they weren't any cheap either, just like his.
Having no time to keep admiring the sunglasses he stepped into the kitchen hoping to find Rick but instead he found another pair of the exact same sunglasses on the little telephone shelf aside the light switch and these had a note that was more like a letter than a note.
Dear Cliff,
Sorry I made you drive all the way down here for nothing, I took a taxi very early in the morning.
As you already know, this was a set up just to show you that I got ahead of the situation and if you ever lose your sunglasses, you have plenty of spares around the house and you'll notice that I put them in the places that I know your eyes doesn't like:
You have one pair here in the kitchen for the lights. Another pair on the living room in front of the TV for the flashing images. There is another pair outside in the patio for when the sun is too bright and there is one last pair in my car, just in case.
And my car doesn't need any fixing, I just left it there to make you think that it needed, I thought of everything, eh?
Rick.
P.S: you're needed here at 9:30 am.
Cliff smiled without knowing, bitting his lip gently as he shook his head slowly. He wanted to felt grateful to Rick for his action but, instead, after reading the last words, he quickly look at the clock that was hanging on the wall aside the fridge. His lips formed a devilishly smile and a laugh scaped from the bottom of his throat.
"That motherfucking-" Cliff quickly threw the letter, that now was a ball, somewhere on the kitchen floor not caring that much were it landed. He ran from the kitchen to the front door and closed it with a slam for then jumping on his car and started it in a very skilled way. Then, he pressed the gas pedal with such force that he left a black trace all the way from Rick's entrance to the street downhill Cielo Drive.
The clock showed 9:20 am