Third Person's POV.
Percy retreated further into the large, empty hallway, the imposing architecture amplifying the tension. He desperately needed a genuine connection to pierce the mansion's atmosphere of fake fragility. He called Gemini, who answered immediately, the familiar sound of his voice instantly softening the corporate and familial tension gripping him.
"Hi, Bunny," Percy said, his voice dropping several registers into a tone of affection.
"Hi, Percy," Gemini replied, his voice a balm of warmth and sanity across the distance. "How are things over there? Is your mother doing okay? Please tell me she's back on her feet, all scary and dominating."
Percy let out a short, tired laugh—the first genuine sound he'd made all day.
"Almost. She's still resting, but her hand is perpetually stretched out, demanding I sit where she can see me. She's really milking this, Bunny, and it's absolutely draining. I feel like I'm slowly drowning."
"I know," Gemini said softly, his understanding palpable. "But you're doing the right thing. It's a massive support for your father, and Pen, right now. I'm really proud of you for holding the line."
Percy closed his eyes, leaning his head against the cool, marble wall. "I miss you so much. It feels like we've been apart for weeks. I miss our normal. I miss watching you eat, I miss the feeling of your body beside me when we sleep."
"I miss you too," Gemini admitted, a tender catch in his voice. "But look, I'm using this time to get ahead on my reading and plan out our first big trip together. You're going to come home to a clean apartment, a very happy boyfriend, and a finalized itinerary for the most relaxing, stress-free trip of your life. Just focus on that, okay?"
"I will," Percy promised, the visual of their apartment, the scent of Gemini's favorite shampoo, and the feeling of holding him providing the necessary motivation. "I love you, Bunny. You're the only thing keeping me sane right now."
"I love you too, always. Now, go be the dutiful son for a few more hours," Gemini teased gently, injecting lightness into the heavy situation. "And then come home and be my boyfriend. You can do that, right?"
"I can definitely do that," Percy replied, a genuine smile returning to his face before he hung up.
The call was the fuel Percy needed. He returned to the upstairs floor, enduring the next several hours by making periodic, non-committal appearances at his mother's bedside, remaining respectful but distant.
Around six o'clock that evening, Dr. Alistair returned for a final check before the evening nurse took over. Percy waited anxiously as the doctor finished his examination.
"Mr. Moore," Dr. Alistair said, closing his bag with a sharp snap. "Your mother's blood pressure has stabilized, and she's responds well to all the treatments. The immediate crisis is over. She is certainly fatigued, but she is definitively out of danger. We'll leave her with the private nurses for the next few days for monitoring."
"And she can resume normal activities?" Percy pressed, needing the official clearance—the magic word that released him.
"Minimal activity, yes. She should certainly avoid any high-stress situations," the doctor advised. "But her physical state no longer requires her to be confined to bed."
That was the only confirmation Percy needed. He walked straight to the library where his father was making another hushed, corporate phone call.
"Dad," Percy interrupted gently, waiting for his father to end the call. "The doctor just confirmed that Mother is stable and out of danger. You should go be with her now. I have to leave."
Robert Moore looked up, his face etched with weary resignation. "You're leaving already? I thought you would stay a bit longer, son."
"I have to leave now, Dad," Percy stated, his tone firm, refusing to engage the subtle pull of guilt. "Pen will come over soon. You have the nurse, and Uncle Phillip is coming back in the morning. I left the office in a hurry yesterday, and more importantly, I need to check on Gemini. Please tell Mother I'll check in tomorrow."
Percy didn't wait for his father's response. He retrieved his coat and briefcase, feeling an exhilarating sense of relief that bordered on euphoria. He had endured the emotional confinement, played the role of the good son, and now the doctor had confirmed his mother was out of the woods. His mother could not claim he had abandoned her in a medical emergency, and if he stayed here any longer, he risked losing the hard-won freedom he needed to breathe.
As he drove away from the imposing gates of the Moore mansion, Percy felt the oppressive weight of the last two days lift dramatically. The background hum of guilt was still there, subtle and simmering, but he was no longer a prisoner of it.
He called Gemini immediately. "Hey, Bunny. I'm on the highway. I'll be home soon."
"Really? How's your mother? Is she okay now?" Gemini asked frantically, the worry evident in his voice, Percy could hear the quick shuffle of papers in the background.
"Yes, she's okay," Percy confirmed, a lightness returning to his chest. "Doctor Alistair said she's good to resume normal stress-free activities."
"Thank God," Gemini responded, his relief palpable. "Did you eat? You know what? Don't answer that. Just drive safely, and I'll have dinner waiting when you get home." Gemini rushed out the plans all in one eager breath.
Percy smiled, a genuine, heartwarming smile that reached his eyes for the first time in forty-eight hours. The drama with his family would continue another time, but for tonight, he had won the battle for his sanity. He was heading back to his love, and his peace.