Sleep Your Life Away,
Part Two
Featuring: A Breaking Point, Dreams, Being Caught, The World, A Reason, A Face, A Name, An explanation, A Dream Cycle, and Death.
He's sitting on the couch, shifting through the channels on the TV; but he wasn't paying attention. Images of the previous dream are replaying in his head, though some parts are foggy and already fading. Anna was still sleeping. Percy wonders why he isn't sleeping. He should be the one sleeping, living up to his mission. To try to die in his sleep, and live with Rachel. Thinking back to his dream, he wonders if he would have been hurt in the dream if he hadn't woken up.
The door rattles, and Percy jumps, falling to the floor uncontrollably. Nico walks in the room without his usual chirp. He sets the small bag in his hand on the counter.
"There's your food." Nico's voice is raspy, and he's paler than usual.
"You alright? I think you're paler than me!" Nico nods.
"Just fine." Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he makes his way over to the couch.
"Perce, I got some news." Nico's voice is low, almost in the whisper he used when Percy's ears were vulnerable. Percy climbs back onto the couch, biting his lip.
"Good or bad?" Nico only shrugs.
"Depends on how you take it." Percy looks away from Nico with his eyebrows raised.
"Well, crap," After a moment he says, "Go on. Tell me." Nico takes a deep breath.
"You should go to a mental hospital." He says. Percy leads on the shocked silence. His stomach twisted painfully, and Percy winces.
"What?" He chokes out. His voice doesn't sound the same. It's quieter and lower.
"I think you should go to a mental hospital. My mom and dad aren't so happy that me, a minor, am taking care of you. At the hospital, Anna can still be your Specialist. It's just that-"
"Do I have a say?" Percy asks angrily.
"Well," Nico tries to start, but Percy cuts him off.
"Oh yeah, I'm the kinda unstable dude, so that means I obviously can't decide anything for myself." Percy's raising his voice. Nico shakes his head.
"It's not like that." Nico replies standing.
"Really? Then what is it like?" Percy stands up with his statement. They're in a strong tension.
"I just think this will be best. Nurses and certified doctors can take care of you. I hear the food isn't that bad…"
"I want you out." Percy speaks over Nico.
"What?" Nico asks.
"I want you out of my home, and out of my life." Nico looks at the door, then Percy with a pained expression.
"Go on, go." Percy gestures to the door. Nico's nose twitches as he takes the heavy steps to the front door. He opens it, and then looks back at Percy one last time with a fierce glare settling in his eyes.
"You're making a big mistake." He says.
"You're the one to be talking, you know, since you smoke." Percy retorts. Nico shoots another glare then shuts the door.
What had he done?
Hearing a door open, suspecting it's Nico to apologize, he opens his mouth ready to mouth him off. But Nico isn't at the front door. Turning around he sees Anna. She's staring at him, looking at him up and down as his fists clench and unclench.
"What are you looking at?" Anna doesn't respond. The silence only makes him madder.
"What are you looking at?" Percy screams at her.
"You wanna go too? Go just like he did? I can't depend on anybody, can I?" Anna doesn't say anything.
"What are you still looking at? Go!" Anna retreats into the room, slightly whimpering.
Percy sits down onto the couch, and runs a hand through his hair. He let one tear come out. Two, then three. And suddenly he was just bawling.
Everything in his life was falling apart.