Percy's Brain Disease

Percy woke up to a little yellow note beside his bed the next morning. He pulled the blankets off his body and groaned as he got up, the strained muscles in his abdomen stretching. He turned his head and looked at the side-table mirror.

Caressing his patched up eye, he let out a sigh. He tugged at the white bandage and slowly, removed the medical tape that held it in place. Much to his surprise, as the bandage came off, it revealed a perfectly healed blue-green eye.

Percy blinked and touched his eyes again.

"Oh...wow. I healed pretty fast."

His elbows touched the little note on his bedside and he turned around to pick it up.

"Good morning, love! An urgent call suddenly came for us from the Research Department so we had to go in a hurry. We will be back after a week at most. Take care of Tiara! Money for grocery is kept in the pineapple box by the table. Hope you know how to cook? If you don't, just order! Stay safe, and don't get out of the place.

Love,

Hazel.

P.s. no funny business while we're gone."

Hazel had chuckled a bit while writing this and her pen had slipped, leaving a long unwarranted line on the side of the note. Percy frowned and traced the line in worry.

A week…

He gasped and whipped his head toward the door. "ALONE WITH A GIRL?!"

He heard a small feeble voice from the other side and rolled around to meet the startled face of the girl. He froze all over as he hastily pulled the blankets and covered his bare chest. "What are you doing on the bed?"

Tiara frowned, still drowsy. "You slept with me all night?" He had taken the blanket from her and without the cover, she shivered a bit. Sighing, Percy released his hold on the blanket and spread it over Tiara slowly.

"Thanks…" she whispered. "What's in that note?"

Percy looked around for his shirt and found it crumpled up on the floor. At the sight of that, some wicked thoughts suddenly pounced his head before he pushed them away again. 'God, no way that happened. She is paralysed!'

He sat up straight as he felt soft skin caress the small of his back. He turned around to see Tiara reaching forward to touch him. She was as surprised as he was. "I...can move…"

Percy frowned and looked her over, "Your entire body?"

Tiara bit her lip and tried but Percy watched as she lay completely still and flailed her hand. "It's just my hand."

Percy bent down and pulled his shirt down on top of him while asking, "But how?"

"It's the game. The serum injected in us has a direct effect in our body. I think it was because we leveled up a bit in the game. My body condition improved a bit."

"So…" he hesitated, glancing at her hand, "If you continue playing, you'll be able to move completely?"

Hope sparkled in her eyes, "Most likely."

"Wow," Percy touched his eyes. So that's why his eye also healed quickly. As much as the game brought him pain, it made him feel energized. No wonder Tiara wanted to play so much. His memories went back to when he was a kid. He had a hidden disease too. So if he excelled in the game...he would be able to cure it.

He laughed out loud and stood up, burying his hands in his hair. Tiara raised an eyebrow, "What happened?"

Percy smiled, shaking his head and tossing the note in the dustbin. "Brush your teeth, I'll prepare breakfast." He chuckled and made his way out of the room before halting. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. He turned around and leaned against the door-frame to stare at the pitiful gaze of Tiara.

"I need to brush it for you, don't I?"

Tiara smiled sheepishly and reached one hand forward, silently telling him to pick her up. Percy bounced forward and moved to her bedside, not sure what to do. Tiara clicked her tongue. She narrowed her eyes and pointed at him. "Bridal style."

Percy cocked her head. "Eh?" Tiara widened her eyes. "I see you don't see any movies at all. Carry me like you did back in the hospital, you dumbhead."

Of course Percy knew that but he hesitated looking down on her. She barely had any clothes...she only had a loose gown over her.

Tiara noticed his hesitation and patted his wrist to grab his attention. "Percy, I see you as a brother, okay? Plus, I won't feel a thing. I'm still 12 years old inside, remember?"

Percy pursed his lips. "Right, I guess you have a point." He bent down and slipped his hands frigidly around her legs and neck and with a swift, seemingly effortless motion, he lifted her. The familiar weight felt comfortable in his arms.

"I wish we were in the game right now. Then it wouldn't have to be so pathetic, don't you think?"

Percy nodded, opening the bathroom door with the heel of his leg. "Yeah, you're right."

Tiara turned her head to meet his eyes, his hot breath falling on her cold forehead. "A rude one, aren't you?"

"Rude?" he asked, as if he was pondering about it. "Why, you have a problem with that?" He set her down inside the bathtub, trying not to blush at how personal all this was. "Of course I do! We are Partners after all."

Percy turned to look for brushes and there, unexpectedly, were two brand new brushes by the counter. He picked both of them and fished out the toothpaste and turned to her with a grim face. "Want to dive into the game later then?"

Tiara's eyes sparkled and Percy almost saw flowers falling around them in her sparkly gaze. 'She is so naive,' Percy sighed and handed the brush to her after applying toothpaste on it.

"Yes! After breakfast?" She took the brush and stuck it in her mouth, giggling in glee. Percy smiled thinly and started brushing his own teeth too, occasionally bringing the cup under Tiara's chin for her to spit out the foam.

"Do you know how to cook?" Tiara asked in between spits. Percy shook his head, brushing his back teeth before spitting finally and rinsing his mouth. Tiara watched as he splashed water on his clear face and drops of water caught on to the ends of his long black hair and clung on to it like morning dewdrops.

"No. I've never really stepped inside the kitchen before."

"Oho, this boy…" she rubbed her head and gave her toothbrush to him. He took it and washed it gingerly before putting it inside the rack with his toothbrush. "You are really 20 years old right? What if you were stranded alone? How would you know how to cook? You males...bunch of arrogant holes."

Percy let out a heavy breath. He had had enough. He slammed the washroom cupboard close and leaned over Tiara, their noses almost touching. She gasped and looked up to meet his raging eyes. 'Oh god, did I piss him off? Why is he so close to me?'

Percy's eyes went dark and growled a little. Tiara flinched and in that moment, Percy flicked his wrist. A huge stream of stark cold water hit down upon her and soaked her completely. Percy huffed and walked out of the bathroom, followed by Tiara's pleading screams as she struggled to turn around and find the shower tap to close it with her one free hand.

"Why???" she yelled louder, getting more soaked every second.

Percy smiled smugly as he opened the refrigerator, his Partner's screams the background music to his morning. "Now what will I serve my majesty for breakfast?" he smiled sadistically. Even his voice sounded different.

Now might be the time to tell you about what his brain disease actually is... PTSD. Post Traumatic Disorder in its most serious case. To such an extent that he may even suicide or cause harm to others for no real reason.

Tiara, in fact, was living with a potential serial killer.