Sea Storms (PJO/YJ Crossover)

Don't Dumb It Down

Beep beep beep beep. My eyes shot open, the pounding in my head was made worse by the beeps of the insufferable machine. Taking deep painful breaths to calm down my heart rate I surveyed my surroundings. Great a hospital, where people go to die.

The events of the day before surfaced in my mind and I closed my eyes wishing it would be over. I would go into the foster system, live with someone probably worse than that old sot named Gabe and my life would be a living hell. It's sad really that an 8 year old has to think of these things. I looked over to the ECG, part of me wanted it to stop beating, it was making my headache worse, and part of me didn't because if it stopped beating I would be dead.

Sighing I tried to get into siting position but as soon as I moved I felt a stabbing pain in my side. Untensing my abdominal muscles I relaxed into the uncomfortable bed, better than the floor I thought. Once again I sighed and took a moment to assess my injuries, 2 broken ribs on the left, three on the right, mild concussion, multiple abdominal bruises, I wouldn't be allowed out of the hospital for a few days. Closing my eyes I tried to think of anything other than the ache racking through my entire body and mind my fault. I could have, should have saved her, it was my fault she was dead. She could have had such a bright future and her blood is on my hands.

My eyes watered at the thought of her kind smile and the softness of her voice, who would end such a kind soul. I sniffed and tried to clear my thoughts I couldn't cry, crying made you weak. I couldn't be weak, if I were to let go of all my emotions I didn't know if I would be able to function. Holding everything in seemed like a better option than the opposition of exploding out on everything and not being able to form decent sentences, yes nothing was going to be let out, that seemed like a less dangerous notion. So in action, I swallowed all the urges to let out a scream of all of my emotions just to fill the deafening silence, blinked hard fighting the pressure building behind my eyes and ignored the stabbing pain in my head in favor of not thinking at all.  

After a moment of just laying down in a trance like state of thinking about not thinking, a nurse walked in, her hair a natural honey brown and the signature blue scrubs graced her body. She locked eyes with me and I saw her surprised glance that I was awake. She walked over to me hesitantly as if I was a frighten animal about to hightail it out of that insufferable place. If she hadn't come into the room that may have been the truth in a few hours at most

"Hey bud, how you holding up?" She questioned in a soft tone, strands of hair falling into her face. I looked into her eyes and then deeply sighed, seemed like all be doing that alot today. My face twisted into an expression resembling that of a confused  senile ranting teenager, how did she think I was doing? The fact that I was an infidel wouldn't get me very far in any conversation with an adult due to the lack of open mindedness. With the lack of social interaction between the time I had woken up to the present seemed better than a sickly sweet interrogation, no matter how much boredom ebbed at my amygdala.     

"Fine." I blatantly lied through gritted teeth. Maybe it would become the truth somewhere in the future but for now it was about as far away from the truth that it could get. "My name is Perseus Jackson if you haven't identified me yet, but call me Percy." I answered with a hoarse throat, trying to stay respectful no matter how much I wanted to scream out obscenities into the wind. 

She looked at me and smiled, I would almost believe it was genuine if it wasn't for the lack of crinkle at the edge of her eyes. Smiles were like a task, it's not completed if you truly don't care. I felt my features unintentionally fall microscopically, thinking wasn't the best plan of action but it seems that my brain has made it inevitable. "Thanks Percy." She grabbed my hand, squeezed it and gave me a pained look as if to show comfort but I flinched on contact. " Now that you're awake the doctor will be in shortly. Is there anything I could get you?" She asked, I shook my head, then looked up.

"I'm a little thirsty, and i'm guessing I can have water unless I'm having an operation, which I doubt because I only have broken ribs, unless they punctured an organ, then I would feel a whole lot worse and would be in the OR and not here talking to you." I said in deappaned breath  and she gapped a bit she gaped a bit. I looked up at her trying to keep my eyes void of the annoyance and she closed her mouth. "When Grey's Anatomy becomes useful." I mutter almost jokingly under my breath, well I hadn't lost the hopeless sense of humor.

She stared for a bit but seemed to regain her senses and did the job she was getting paid for. "Well my name is Mrs. Avanza, and since you seem to know all of those things I don't think I have to tell you to not move." I nodded and gave her a faked smile.

"Isn't avanza spanish for advance? but you don't seem to have any Latina background." Or any advanced properties. My brain rattled off, once again she looked surprised. What was she expecting? For me to be a stupid little kid? Oh that would be nice, go to birthday parties with other children who all have their fingers up their noses and eat bugs of the ground. So much fun. 

"Uh...yeah well the doctor will be in shortly, so yeah." She exited the small, grey recovery room in sort of a daze. As she went out the door I snorted, but immediately regretted it a my ribs didn't find it very funny. I looked out the small window to the right of the hospital bed . The light from the overcast sky of Manhattan doing nothing to help the depressing atmosphere of the room. I thought they wanted people to get better, you need color in your rooms!

I looked in the other direction on the bedside table and I found something that would make my existence much better. I slowly lifted my arms trying to ignore the pain in my sides and grabbed the remote to the room. Pressing the button to elevate the chair I sighed as I was pushed into a sitting position much better. I closed my eyes and got comfortable trying to stay still and wait for the doctor, but my hyperactive brain wasn't having it. Opening my eyes again I looked at the ceiling trying to think. I came up with a mental list to ask the doctor, such as when can I leave.

Thankfully it wasn't much later that the doctor came in with the nurse, my hyperactive brain couldn't take anymore not moving. The doctor was a bouncy blond haired blue eyed pediatric specialist, most likely going to baby me and answer none of my questions truthfully. Again so much fun, I think I would rather be at the metaphorical birthday party.

"Hello my name is Dr. Malice what's yours?" Dr Malice asked in an overly happy tone, I internally groaned but stayed respectful.

"Percy Mis" I answered and she nodded. 

"Well Percy you got hurt really-" I cut her off there, I would not take any more of this kumquat, it was getting on my nerves.  

"Doctor I might be 8 but you don't have to dumb it down for me, what are injuries?" I asked looking at her expectantly. She seemed to pause for a moment looking sort of taken aback before answering.

"You have 5 broken ribs, a mild concussion, internal hemorrhaging left of your navel and multiple severe bruises. And I have to ask where did you get them?" I looked down and sighed, again.

"The injuries I have are nothing compared to what has befallen my mother" I stated darkly as I looked up. I was ignoring the fact that I just sounded like a rip off version of Thor. "When is the estimated time in which I will be able to leave?"

She looked at me weirdly then it turned to a pity party." You will be able to leave in 4 days at the least but it's where your going when you get out that's the problem, a social worker will come by later to discuss the details with you. If you need anything don't hesitate to ask." I adopted a tormented faraway look as I thought about what I would do and where I would end up.

"Lets just hope I go somewhere better."