Breaking Point: An Omniverse Story

Weakness Isn't Always Bad

   There were always people in Matthew's room. His siblings, his friends, his family. He never seemed to get a moment alone.  He didn't admit it but often he was faking sleeping because they talked to much. It was like they just expected him to make a miraculous recovery. He was almost certain they were slowing his recovery but he didn't say anything. 

   He couldn't really focus on the conversation because his chest hurt. It hurt to breath or talk. He was focused on not passing out mostly. 

   "What do you think Mattie?" 

   Matthew looked up with a dazed look. "Huh?"

   "About Peter's ideas for the next banquet. He's planning it next Saturday. You'll be better by then right?" Matthieu hummed floating to Matthew's right.

   Matthew's chest tightened and he forced back a cough. "Yeah! Sounds great." He smiled. 

   Peter smiled bashfully. "Thanks. I wanted to plan a new one since you're better now."

   Cypher frowned from the corner of the room. He had been watching his father. He was in pain still. He could barely sit up for this long. He wouldn't be better by next week... When Cypher's own code had been corrupted he was comatose for a week and then bedridden for nearly a month after that. His father needed actual rest and recovery. 

   "Great! I told you he would like the ideas Pete." Matt smiled and ruffled the youngest's hair and went back to conversing with everyone else. 

   Mattie nodded and looked down. He sucked in a breath and sighed. He wanted to sleep, really sleep. A pressure had welled up on him, fix all of his mistakes. He could do that. He would do that. He promised to be a better father. He promised... It hurts so much. He clutched at his chest ad his breathing became uneven. The others in the room didn't seem to notice.

   "Father look at me. Breathe deeply. Fill your lungs even if it hurts."

   Mattie couldn't see through the tears that had filled his eyes. "Can't-" 

   "Yes you can. Come on. You have to. I know it hurts..." 

   Matthew sucked in a shallow breath and let out a whimpy punch of air. His chest heaved with effort as he clutched onto Cypher like a lifeline. 

   Cypher rubbed circles into his fathers back. He had never seen his father this... weak. He was really sick still and all these people weren't helping. "Out! Everyone out now!" He snapped. 

   Everyone turned to stare for a moment before they exploded in questions and worried statements. 

   Matthew's grip tightened on his son so much so that his knuckles went white and began to tremble. His breathing became more and more shallow. "Ca- t bre-" He hiccupped out. 

   Cypher's soul spiked. "I said out! NOW!" He snapped. He was relieved when everyone listened. "Look dad it's just you and me now."

   Matthew could still only manage shallow breaths. His throat felt closed off. Tears blurred his vision and he felt bile rising in his throat. Blood dripped from his nose and onto Cyphers gloves. 

   "Hey dad. Dad come on breathe deeply. I know you can." Cypher tried again. 

   Matthew knew he was right. He had to breath. He needed to right now or else he'd continue to spiral into another comatose state. He forced air into his lungs and winced at the pressure. "Ca... can-"

   "Yes you can... Dad its okay. I promise." Cypher buried his face in his fathers hair. "It's okay. You're okay. Please be okay..." His voice broke. He did NOT like seeing his father this way. It made his soul twist in painful ways...

   Matthew glanced upward in a panic. "Cy-" He was thrown into a coughing fit. He felt dizzy as white crept into his vision. Breathe. Breathe Matthew. He forced the air back in and out. In and out. In... and out. His throat opened up letting more air in. His chest still heaved with effort. 

   Cypher reached over and grabbed a water bottle. He wiped his face before looking at his father. "Drink this." 

   Matthew took a couple gulps and pulled back. Drinking that made his stomach feel queasy but he got enough down. 

   Cypher wiped the blood away from his father's nose lightly. "You should lay down."

   "Cypher-"

   "I'm okay. I was just... I was worried." He sighed. 

   "I was doing so well-"

   "No you weren't. You've been sick this whole time but you were hiding it." Cypher sighed and looked away. "Because you didn't want to worry anyone... Which is so unselfish... I suppose this is the real you huh?"

   Matthew went silent. He focused on his breathing. 

   "You really are a good person... a stupidly good person..." Cypher wiped his face again. "I am just like you. Except I don't bottle everything up as bad as you. I talk to Cloud more than you talk to papa."

   "I talk to him-"

   "That's not what I meant. You haven't had a chance to... release everything. That's what started this isn't it?" Cypher sighed. "You're caught up in what others think of you and see in you. Just like me. You need to stop that. You need to see... Being sick or hurt or sad or angry... that doesn't make you any less... Being weak... doesn't make you a weak person. You need those things to help you recover or else it just bottles up and up and then its like a self destruct button written on your forehead... You need to be weak to be strong..."

   Matthew blinked a couple stray tears away. except they weren't strays... They kept coming. More tears slipped down his face.  A wail bubbled up in his throat, and then another. The cries hurt his chest but not nearly as much as before. A dam had shattered in his mind. 

   Cypher let his shoulders relax as he went to hug his father again. "I'm here..."

   Matthew dug his fingers into the fabric of Cyphers jacket. More wails escaped muffled in Cyphers shoulder. So many years of pain... The Golden Child was built on a throne of suffering and solitude. Eventually his whole body went limp and he drifted off...

   When he woke his eyes were red and puffy still. "Mhh-" He couldn't form words. 

   "T's okay... Promise." Karma whispered clutching his husbands hand. When had he gotten here? Where was Cypher? 

   "Cy-" The word didn't come.

   "He called me down. He looked in bad shape so I sent him to rest." Karma murmured into his husbands ear. "It's alright starshine." 

   "Mhh-" His chest felt sore but not exactly painful. 

   "The nurse said you could have another dose of medicine soon. If they knew you were in that much pain they would have changed your treatment. You're only allowed one visitor at a time now..."

   "Peter.."

   "Peter can reschedule the banquet. He really wanted you to be there." Karma pressed a kiss to Mattie's knuckles.  "Mattie you know you can talk to me..."

   "Mhh." Mattie nuzzled into Karma's touch. 

   Karma sighed. "You should rest for now. We'll talk when your actually better."

   "Mkay..." Matthew let himself drift off into nothingness.