AN: hope you enjoy! btw i didn't know Sally's favorite flower so i just went with what i thought was best.
Percy woke up from another nightmare.
The move to New York should have made it more bearable, being far away from home. Ironically, it just intensified the longing for the warmth of a home. He missed his mother more than anything.
He sat on his bed, sweat trickling down his forehead. 'Not again' he thought. His ears started ringing, the world suddenly becoming quiet.
The same dream kept pestering him for almost ten years now. The same amount of time from when his mom, the only refuge he had on this world, died. It broke him. He can never look at a violin without remembering her warm touch as she taught Percy his first song.
It was the best days of his life. He was considered a genius, such talent at a very young age. He was helping his mom pay the expenses and they were happy.
Then, tragedy swept him off his feet. It had to happen at one of his performances. He can remembered the deafening noise that filled his ears as soon as he heard. The poor ten year old boy collapsed.
His 'attacks', as the therapist had called them, started to decease over time. But the pain still lived inside him. He never played the piano ever since. It was just too painful to try to do something that he did with her. It was just not the same.
He got out of his room to get some water to calm him down. The door slammed shut behind him but he didn't hear a thing. It was like the world fell asleep. He downed the glass quickly and walked towards the terrace of his apartment.
He looked over the streets bustling with energy. Sometimes it feels nice to not hear anything. The world was quiet, allowing Percy to absorb every bit of beauty the city showed him. He started to calm down. He heard footsteps coming from behind him. He turned and saw his best friend and cousin, Nico, walking towards him.
"Hey, you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just needed a little breather."
Nico was worried but he didn't pry any further. Percy was living with him, together with his other cousin Jason. They were both from his father's side of the family. His dad was an off limits topic for him. Strangely, he got along with his cousins pretty well. Maybe, it's because all of them lost their mothers.
"Sorry for waking you up."
"I'm used to it." Nico shrugged. He is younger by a year and his pale complexion always caught the eye of other people. He was always called a goth, black clothes seemed to fit him nicely.
"Don't tell me you're having heart-to-heart talks without me!" Jason said as he took a seat beside the two. He's the same age with Percy and he's taller than him by an inch. His electric blue eyes were still droopy but he was awake nevertheless.
They talked there for half an hour before they decided to hit the sack. Lucky for him, the nightmares didn't return that night.
The world was a cruel place. Percy grew up, keeping this thought in mind. Every time he woke up and face himself in front of a mirror, he would repeat these words. It's his mantra. Today was March 24. The day his mom died.
He went out early, leaving a note to his cousins to let them know. He bought a small bouquet of blue poppies, her favorite. He stayed at the cemetery the whole morning. He talked to her, told her of his part time job at the music store. He laughed. His life was still tied to her in a way. She loved music as much as she loved writing.
He came home to an empty apartment. He expected it though. Jason and Nico probably wanted to give him some space. They know how he felt at the moment and they understand. They left a note, letting him know where they were.
He placed the leftover pizza on a plate before sitting in front of the porch. He popped a soda and drank it. His eyes were sore from crying. What can he do? He's a mama's boy. He then ate the pizza, trying to get his mind of the topic.
When he finished, he placed the plate at the sink, before walking towards the living room. There he saw his old violin, untouched for ten years. He remembered the day he got it. It was a present from his mom. It was the happiest day of his childhood. After her death, he couldn't bring himself to throw it away nor play it. He just can't.
Then, he heard it. The soft melody that suddenly filled the silent room. The memories started to rush once again. But Percy didn't feel sad. The melody of the piano didn't make him longing for his mom, instead it made him feel like she was embracing him. He felt at ease.
He stood up and picked the old violin. It was well maintained. He had it cleaned as to not destroy one of his mom's remaining mementos. He plucked a string and the sound sent a jolt of electricity down his spine. How he missed this feeling.
He started to play, starting slow before fully playing side by side with the piano. He closed his eyes and felt free. The chains that bound him to the past were slowly being lifted. The pianist started to pick up pace and Percy didn't want to get left behind.
He was a bit rusty with his violin skills but he felt at ease. He knew that after this, he would have all the time in the world to play again. All he needed was a little push after all. He was scared that he wouldn't be able to play as good as he did before but the feeling that he had now was the best he felt in years.
If only he knew that playing the violin would let him feel his mom's warmth once again, he wouldn't have stopped. He soon noticed that the piano stopped so he abruptly stopped playing. The warmth slowly faded but he knew that it won't be for long.
Because from then on he would be playing the violin, probably together with the mysterious pianist on the other side of the wall.
AN: How was it? Let me know what's on your mind by leaving a review! See you soon :))