Contrasting Similarities

27. Ski-what?

Third POV.

Nico watched Amira's actions for a moment, moving his gaze only when she started staring at her feet.

The brothers were getting settled, letting Rose sit where she wanted first, then getting seated themselves.

Lucian sat in the middle, with Asher and Jayden at his sides.

Rose sat in the armchair beside Asher, beside which Damien had placed his chair. Josiah was sitting on the opposite side armchair, beside Jayden.

Nico leaned against his desk, crossing his arms and his legs one over the other.

"She's suffering from schizophrenia," he stated, watching mixed reactions.

"Ski- what?" Damien asked, scowling.

"Schizophrenia," Nico said, before he started explaining. He looked between Lucian and Asher while speaking. "The patient starts hallucinating, which feels so real, they can't differentiate from reality sometimes. They start zoning out, staying out of it. That also explains the stuttering or saying incoherent things at times. Like a garble."

Lucian's face was expressionless, while Asher looked like remembering everything and piecing it together.

"And they hear voices. Most patients hear someone whispering, saying or yelling at them in anger. These are mostly voices of people we know, who are no longer alive. Dead relatives or friends or an acquaintance. She didn't identify the voice though. She doesn't know whose voice it is," he continued. "She didn't want to tell me this, for some reason."

Lucian looked out the window at her, a frown prominent on his face.

"I don't know why. But this was an important point and the most common symptom," Nico said, looking at her himself. He stood up straight suddenly and walked to the door.

Opening the door, he saw her in her own thoughts.

He clapped his hand three times making her look up absentmindedly, still lost.

"Close your eyes," he said, before moving his open hand over his own eyes and closing them. He opened them and repeated what he said.

She closed her eyes. Once she did, he moved forward and snapped his fingers near her ears. Her thoughts were getting interrupted by those sharp sounds.

Snapping for about five times, he spoke.
"Do you hear me, Bunny? Can you understand what I'm saying?"

She did. The small daze she was in was interrupted.

She nodded.
"Okay. Open your eyes." Nico said, stepping back.

She looked at him then looked down.
"Was the memory good?" He asked, crouching down before her.

She shook her head. She was seeing Lucas.
"Happy memory, Bunny. Try to have some control over your mind. Make up happy stories or think about everything happy that has happened after you moved in."

She nodded. He smiled and stood up.
"I'll ask about what you were thinking."

Lucian saw the interaction closely, retaining everything Nico did to memory, so he could help when it happened.

Nico walked back in and shut the door softly.
"And what happened today?" Asher asked.

"That was another one of many symptoms. Hearing everything but not catching what was said. Sometimes they listen to the voice so much, they make bad decisions or get so into their own thoughts that it becomes hard to catch up with things. Memory loss is one of them, forgetting what someone said, a minute ago," he said, watching all of their expressions turn to scared.