The Droplet Curse

19

Mikey opens the door of the room in the hospital. He stands in the doorway. "James?" he asks. creating the dark haired guy to lift up his head and faces him. "Oh god...." Mikey gasps.

James keeps quiet, he seems to be staring, like he looks straight through Mikey at the wall behind.

Mikey walks over, limping but James doesn't register. He sits down on the edge of the bed. "James." he says.

James looks again over to him, lifeless like a depressed zombie.

"James... are you okay?" Mikey asks.

"How did you know I'm here?" James responds.

"Well, the post got brought at my place and it was all about hospital things and I haven't seen you for... a couple of weeks. So I decided to hunt for you." Mikey says.

"What about your sisters?" James asks.

"Rosie is managing it." Mikey says.

"You're sure it'll be fine?" James asks.

"We were scared something happened, you're an important neighbour for us." Mikey says.

James looks in his green eyes. Mikey looks back in James' dark eyes, circled by lack of sleep.

"I'm not important..." James mutters.

Mikey shakes his head. "You are important to me and to my family, you know it isn't all so easy for me, mum can be like a living hell for the whole family.." Mikey sighs.

"Especially for you." James replies, looking past him to look at Steve.

"I just sacrifice myself to safe my sisters." Mikey sighs. "but what I tried to say is... you've always been there for us, although we never wanted you to involve this situation."

James nods quietly, looking away again, shading the dark circles around his eyes even more.

"You're looking horrible... Do you sleep at all?" Mikey asks, his face having a concerned expression.

"Barely.." James replies.

"Does Steve know about it?" Mikey asks.

James points wuth a shaking fingter to Steve, in coma on the bed Mikey sits on.

"...I didn't notice him...." Mikey says.

"You're practically blind anyway.." James mutters.

"Mum broke my glasses okay? and yet I see you looking horrible and in desperate need to rest." Mikey says.

"Go home." James says.

"I'm not letting you isolate yourself." Mikey says.

"Go Home!!" James shouts, echoing through space.

Mikey steps from the bed and backs away a bit. Trying carefully to calm James down. "James..." Mikey asks, low voiced.

"Leave me alone!" James shouts.

"Breathe..." Mikey says. "Close your eyes..." Mikey breathes slowly to guide him.

"Go home Mikey. Just go. I don't want to see you anymore." James says.

Mikey fell silent, a piece of his heart breaks. Tears start tp fill his eyes as he quietly walks away, hurt.