Chapter Text
Michael Pritchard thought that coffee was the best man-made invention ever created. It was the only way for him to wake up and act like a fully functioning human being.
Sipping on his dark coffee, so bitter it would make any other person tremble, he entered the elevator, stifling a yawn behind the small paper cup he was securely holding. He wasn't an early riser at all, but he needed to work; he did enjoy his job very much, though, and he loved what he did.
Being helpful to people in need was his main goal and he took a lot of happiness in what he did.
Whistling a happy tune, Mike made his way through the long corridors, quickly reaching his destination.
Downing down the rest of his coffee real quick, Mike entered, ready to start the day.
His features were soft, boyish and innocent, even though he was a fully grown man. His cheeks were round, no sharp cheekbones, and clean shaved, courtesy of his own mother.
He wasn't as young as he looked, however; nurses were often fooled, thinking he was just a young man in his early 30s at most; Billie Joe, however, was in his 40s, but his features were often misleading if not seen from a very close distance.
Mike was often forgetting his age as well, finding himself babying him a bit too much without even noticing.
The most breathtaking thing ever were his eyes, which were also the most effective way for Billie to express his emotions, as he rarely spoke verbally. He could, but most often than not he wouldn't, especially when he was overwhelmed or tired. Two big green gems, contorned by long dark lashes, which were showing all his emotions without any way to conceal them.
Billie Joe had been in his care for almost a year now and Mike had grown fond of him from the first moment he had met him.
He vividly remembered that first meeting to see if Mike was the right fit for the new patient.
He remembered the small man sitting on the big padded office chair, all curled up on himself, with the wild dark curls, slightly greying on the temples, framing his round face and the biggest, greenest eyes Mike had ever seen.
He was surrounded by people, a small, scrawny old woman rubbing soothingly on his back, two men worriedly looking at him, and three women all on the verge of tears.
It was clear that decision pained them all.
After a brief introduction and chat with the family to assure that everything important was written black on white, the numerous Armstrong family left, giving a start to the supervision of Mike and Billie by the former’s supervisor.
The two men had immediately clicked together and it seemed like the caretaker could catch his attention and pull him out of the catatonic state he often was in.
Billie was a quiet, often lethargic patient. He rarely, if ever, talked and whenever he was, it wasn't spontaneous at all, just trying to answer or talk when prompted or asked something. Only sometimes he would actually ask if he needed or wanted something.
According to his folder, there was a clear mental delay, even though Mike knew how smart the slightly older man really was.
Mike often wished he could get inside his head and see what exactly was going on in Billie Joe's brain. Was he happy? Was he stressing about something? Did he fully understand what was going on around him?
It always felt like Billie was in his own little world, unable to properly engage and understand the world as it was.
In everyday life, when the two of them were each other's company, the tall caretaker could say that yeah, Billie Joe knew probably more than whatever he was letting on, if only his eyes could speak for him.
Anna Armstrong sighed, walking down the long, tiled floored corridor leading to the patients' rooms.
She knew that it was the best decision for her brother's life and well being, but even one year later she couldn't help the guilt knotting her stomach whenever she walked down those hallways.
It was the most renowned assisted facility of the whole East Bay and was quite expensive, but Anna and her other siblings weren't going to search for a cheap one; they wanted the best for Billie.
The mother, Ollie, had always kept him with her, giving him the love and comfort he needed, but she was growing old now.
She had been very opposed to putting her youngest child, her baby boy, in a facility, but after some pressure from the other kids, she had been convinced.
Ollie had to admit that now, almost aged 80, she couldn't take full care of Billie. She was fit and healthy for her age, but her son needed almost constant care and he could also become a lot during his crisis and fits.
She was having more and more trouble lifting him in and out of the tub or helping him get dressed whenever he was in a catatonic state, so much that she often needed to call Anna or Marci, the two daughters who lived closer to her house.
Billie Joe was the youngest of 6 children and had many people who could take care of him; Alan, Hollie, Marci, David and Anna had all felt guilty, but they all needed to work.
Anna had taken in consideration leaving her job to become Billie’s caretaker full time, but she couldn't leave it. She was freshly divorced, with a rent to pay and a child still in school and being the full-time caretaker of her brother with such high assistance needs wasn't going to be a possibility.
So, with a heavy heart, they had put him into the best facility in town and all visited as much as they could.
Counting in her head the numbers on the doors, Anna finally reached room 404; Billie's room.
She peered inside from the small window on the door and smiled gently at the sight of her brother, before pushing the door open.
The room was small but cosy, with cream colored walls and warm lights; in the corner of the room, there was a small twin bed with light blue sheets and next to it stood a small nightstand void of anything. The room also had a small wardrobe and an activities table right in the middle of it.
Sitting at a plastic chair was Billie Joe, small knees tucked to his chest and his hand stuck in his mouth. Next to him sat Mike, one of his hands guiding Billie's free one as he helped him draw.
Mike looked up as Anna entered and greeted her, before turning towards Billie, “Billie, look who's here! It's Anna!”
Her smile turned into a sad one. She hoped it was going to be a good day and Billie would actually be there, engaged and not be the hollow shell he was when in the Great Disconnection -that was how all the siblings had taken to call the moments where their youngest brother had completely tuned out the world and everyone else around him.
It looked like it wasn't going to be a good day, however.
“Hi, baby brother.” She walked closer to him and gently touched his shoulder to try and get his attention. Billie's eyes were unfocused, some drool falling on the front of his shirt as he angrily bit and suckled onto his knuckles.
He had always had an oral fixation for as long as Anna could remember; until she could, Ollie had given him pacifiers and teething rings, but now his adult teeth broke them all, so Billie had resorted to biting his fingers or the collars of his shirts.
But then, Billie's attention seemed to shift, his eyes posing on his sister. Slowly, a smile formed onto his face, hand leaving his mouth; a happy, excited shriek left his lips then, both arms stretching towards his sister.
Anna felt relief run through her veins; it was a good day, then, or maybe not; she couldn't tell yet.
She gently gathered him into her arms, holding him tenderly.
Mike smiled, “Are you happy, Beejee?” The man turned his head towards his aid and a loud coo left his lips again. Billie's hand clenched and unclenched, his way to say he was happy.
The woman smiled, gently ruffling his dark curls; it was getting longer, maybe she should trim it a little bit, now that Billie looked calm. She still remembered the time he had started screaming and wriggling around as she cut his hair, giving him the most horrible haircut ever existed.
Even shaving his face could become dangerous, just him moving too much could end badly; they couldn't leave him to grow one out either, as just a slight stubble usually made him freak out.
As the caretaker began to pull himself up to go and leave the two siblings alone, Billie panicked, a small hand grabbing tightly onto his sleeve, a distraught expression finding its way on the smaller man's face.
Billie Joe was really close to Mike and trusted him with his life. Each patient had a 1 on 1 aid and also a nurse who would help when medical procedures were needed. The full efficiency of the staff and the knowledge that the patients were taken care of around the clock was one of the many qualities of the facility.
The older man had really gotten attached to his aid, as Mike had made him understand that he cared about him and so Billie had also learnt to care and trust him.
He was his safe place when in the facility, so much that he probably trusted him more than his siblings.
Anna started shushing him, hoping to calm him down before he could become a danger to himself or others and Mike started talking to him in a soft, controlled voice, meant to try taming even the most difficult patient.
When that didn't work, he sighed, sitting back down where he was before, studying Billie with his bright, caring blue eyes.
“Shhhh, Beejee, Mike can stay,” she glanced at him anxiously and the man nodded with a kind smile. In all honesty, the man was planning to catch up on some paperwork while his charge was with his family, but of course he wasn't going to leave him alone when so distressed.
Billie Joe raised his head, looking at him with wet, red rimmed eyes, his cheeks rosy and blotchy from crying.
He was studying him with innocent seriousness, before sniffling slightly; “stay?” His voice was croaky from the lack of use, since he rarely spoke, a plea clear in the soft high pitched voice that was so rarely heard.
Mike nodded, reaching out with one hand, letting the smaller, yet older, man grab it, his small fingers curling around his bigger ones.
Anna gently kissed his head, feeling him tremble slightly, before seeing her brother turn around towards her; she felt her heart stutter for a second, seeing the troubled look in those expressive green eyes, but knowing she was helpless in knowing what exactly was bothering him.
Then, the man threw his arms around his sister's shoulders, his petit frame perfectly fitting against the woman's body.
As the two siblings hugged, Mike could feel a sense of peace and accomplishment that fulfilled him deeply.