City Of The Dead (Percico)

Chapter 5

Why?

Why can't I stop?

I watch helplessly as tears mix with blood in the porcelain sink.

I should just give up.

Everything I do, seems wrong. I'm hurting Charlotte, I'm hurting myself. I promised her...
I promised her I'd never do it again.

So why am I here in the bathroom, a bloody blade gripped tight in my trembling hand.

Bianca, my mother, my father, all dead. All gone. Forever.

I collapse on the floor, my vision blurry from tears.

I'm crying so much now, and I'm not even aware I'm crying I just know I am. It's an odd feeling. Is this what it feels like to be on the verge of death?

I look at my cut up wrist.

I raise the blade and slowly, carefully, I place it over the lifeline artery. I take a deep breath.

With as much precision as I could muster I slide the knife into my skin, and the pain immediately blurs all my negative thoughts.

Blood starts flowing, more than before.

Gee, I wonder why?

I barely hear Charlotte enter the bathroom but her distressed screaming and crying, cursing and yelling about 911 reaches my ears.

Oh, you're here. Sorry Char, I think you may be too late. The darkness is pretty tempting...

I close my eyes.

*************************

Damn it.

I'm not dead, I doubt Hell sounds like a hospital, though the idea is plausible.

I don't want to wake up, to face everyone's angry glares or worried expressions.

I'll just lie here, maybe if I stay like this they won't realize I'm awake.

"He's awake." I hear a doctor say.

Fuck.

Fuck doctors with their fancy-ass equipment and mind-reading powers.

Figuring it's too late to keep pretending my eyes flutter open.

Instead of the person I expected, Charlotte, I find bright greenish blue pretty eyes set on soft dark tan skin.

"Piper?" I croak weakly.

"Oh thank god!" Piper gushed, relieved as she smiled a little. "Don't ever do that again Nico, you scared the living daylights out of us!"

I blinked. Us?

Percy emerged from behind Piper, holding something.

I raise an eyebrow at the box of chocolates he's holding. "Pipes and I went out to buy this for you." He said, smiling slightly and handing me the box.

I almost laughed at how cliché it was. "How romantic," I chuckle sarcastically taking the box.

Piper just smiled while Percy kind of coughs then looks away.

Whoops, maybe I shouldn't have said that. I shake my head. "I was joking." I say, a small smile on my lips as I open the box.

"Y-yeah I know." He said quickly.

I look up at him. Did he just stutter?

Piper immediately blocks my vision and smiles brightly. "WELL I think it's time for chocolates try them, tell me if you like them." She says excitedly.

I roll my eyes but notice Piper and Percy exchange a small glance. I brush it off and take a small square chocolate with caramel drizzle.

Not suprisingly it's filled with caramel.

"It's... actually really good." I say, taking another one.

Piper laughs. "I'm glad you like it."

"Hey man, just so you know the nurse told us about what happened and I just wanted you to know Piper and I are here for you, if you ever, feel like doing that again." Percy says, seriously.

It's kind of odd to see him serious when he rarely is.

I take a shaky breath. I wasn't going to tell him, or Piper, or anyone for that matter but what's done is done.

I smile weakly at Percy. "Everything's fine, guys, I-I promise." I say.

And I'll sooner lie to God and Satan than lie to Percy.

I really hope I won't screw up again, because it's harder than it looks.
(That was not an innuendo. I repeat, not an innuendo.)

To resist. To keep myself from drowning pain in pain. But I really will try.

Charlotte comes in later, smiling warmly at Percy, Piper, and me. He has streaks of dried tears on her tan cheeks and I'm immediately overwhelmed with guilt once again.

"I'm so, so, so sorry, Char." I say quietly, hoping she'll just take it and leave me be.

Instead, she wraps her arms around me in an awkwardly placed hug. I bury my nose into the crook of her neck and breathe in her familiar smell. Cookies and lilacs.

She pulls away and looks me in the eyes. "Non mi hai mai lasciato come quello nuovo." She whispers.

I nod my head, hoping that she sees and understands that I'm trying my best and right now is a turning point. I won't do it again and I mean it.

She seems to get the message and stands up, clapping her hands together and announcing, "Who wants cookies?" Because that seems to be her solution to everything.

Percy glances at me and he's smiling. His gaze locks with mine and he mouths the words, "you know Italian?" And I nod stupidly because he's so insufferably perfect.

Wow what an angst chapter I'm sorry. Kind of.
Not really.

ANYWHO happy New Years guys and I hope you had a great holiday break :)

Kind of a short chapter D:

Keep loving dem percico feels ~