What No One Sees

Confessions

'Oh no!'

'Oh no no nonono!!!'

'I didn't say that!'

'Please, gods, I did not just say that!!'

Leo's eyes bugged at his massive fuck up and he quickly tried to pull away. Percy let him, being too shocked to hold on as what was said was being processed.

Time seemed to slow down and Leo started to get ready to bolt.

"Can I-.... c-can I ask how?" Percy's voice was soft, his words cautious, careful not to tip the situation into dangerous waters.

Leo bit his lip and stared at the floor, his mind racing, bouncing over every possibility, every outcome, everything. It was too much..

He had already said too much. He should never have said that. He wasn't supposed to open his dam mouth like that!

'Dammit!!'

He didn't realize he was shaking his head until Percy started talking again.

"You don't have to tell. I wouldn't push you to tell me. It's okay so don't worry about it," the son of Poseidon reassured.

Something in Leo stirred at the other's words. Some dark and twisted creature. It wrapped itself, cold and wet, around Leo's throat and forced out a laugh.

"It'll never be fucking okay."

There was something alien in his voice, Percy picked up on it immediately. It wasn't the happy, cheerful sound that used to come with the Latinos voice. It wasn't even the tired sound he had taken to lately. This was something else. A suffocating guilt. A self hatred, so deep that it had become a great monster, strong with every bad thought that Leo believed about himself.

Percy's silence must have pissed off the thing now controlling the Latino because he snapped.

"You said I'd get better if I open up! But once I do, you judge me!! You know I'm a murderer now and you're hating me! You hate me now! Admit it!" Leo screamed and started to stand up. Smoke was starting to rise from the top of his head. Percy wanted to respond and calm him down, but he continued.

"You can't even begin to understand what I went through! You have no right to judge me!" By now, Leo had stood up completely and was standing over Percy as he screamed. His stance was tense and made to make himself look bigger, but his eyes couldn't lie. Tears began to well up.

"What? You think I wanted this?! You think I w-wanted to set that fire?! I-I swear I didn't do it on purpose!! B-but everyone saw me as a murderer! I killed her...!" His breathing started to become ragged and his eyes became unfocused as he temporarily relived his past.

"I won't e-ever forgive myself for that. And no one else does.. I had nowhere to go.. I went to foster care. The only family I had, didn't want me because of what I am.. so they sent me to foster care... and what happened there? I j-just became a fucking slave! Just a slave for the owners to beat up and r-ra-..... Kfh! YOU DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND THE SHIT I WENT THROUGH! I HAD TO RUN AWAY SEVEN TIMES!! SEVEN TIMES WITH NOWHERE ELSE TO GO!! Do you even have a clue how hard it is for a kid on the streets?! You have to do anything to survive!! I fucking had to sell my body by the time I was 10!! I-I... had to go... through so much..!" Leo's body had started shaking and by the end of it, he could barely stand from tremors and he doubled over to clutch his chest as he began to hyperventilate.

Percy couldn't say a word through it all. He was completely shocked and the only response he could find was his own tears falling down his face. He wanted to move closer. He wanted to hug Leo and never let him go. But Leo hadn't stopped talking. He had torn down the wall he had built to keep this all contained and now that the wall was down, he couldn't stop.

"I r-remember time a-and time again. Every t-time I had to go through that t-torture. The things they'd do... I have scars t-to remind me. They told me to never... never forget a-and I can't! I can't ever forget! I'm w-worthless! I'm n-nothing but a tool! No one can love me! I deserve to die! I want to die! ... I want to die... dear gods I want to die..." Leo reached the end of himself and collapsed. Sobbing took over and he lay there, shaking.

Percy didn't try to stop the tears. He didn't even try to say anything. What could he even say? There were no words for this. Leo was right when he said that Percy wouldn't be able to understand. This was some next level shit.

He dropped down next to Leo and hugged him tightly. All the words he couldn't say, all his feelings, he tried to convey into the hug. Really, all he wanted to say was..

"I'm here..."

And

"You're not alone anymore."

He hoped that Leo understood.

When their time together was coming to an end, there was a small knock on the door. Percy let go of Leo and went to answer it, already knowing who it would be and what he would say.

"Hey," Jason said as Percy opened the door, his eyes immediately looking for the smaller boy that would normally be at the door as well. "Where's Leo?"

"Leo's gonna stay here for the night. It's kinda been a long day... he doesn't need anything more on his shoulders."

A whole rainbow of emotions flashed over Jason's face. Anger, confusion, sadness, offense, and determination. It settled on the last one painfully and Percy knew he was about to start an argument. That was the last thing he needed right now and he was quick to cut the other off before anything could be said.

"Look, he's not going to want to talk and he should really just rest right now. You can come and steal him away in the morning if you'd like, but he seriously just needs some time right now."

Jason looked hurt before asking, "Is this opinion or does Leo agree with you?"

The raven haired boy didn't bother with a reply and took a step back to show Leo already sitting on Percy's bed. He didn't acknowledge Jason, too caught up in his own mind.

"Okay... but can I... can I please just say goodnight?"

A nod was given and Jason slowly made his way over to Leo so as not to startle the spaced out boy. He made it to the bed before he was noticed. The small boy slowly raising his head to look at him and Jason offered a small smile. He got nothing in return and eventually just sat down.

That triggered a response as suddenly Leo was wrapped around him, burying his face in the son of Jupiter's chest and crying softly. Jason was taken aback but didn't waste a moment before hugging the other back. While his mind was racing with questions as to why and what happened to make the other cry, he didn't voice any of them because of what Percy had said.

Said person had walked over and was leaned against the wall, watching the interaction. Jason was petting Leo's hair and Percy noticed how the air shifted to one that was about the same as when Annabeth was comforting him, or vise versa. Leo seemed to calm down a lot quicker than he had with the son of Poseidon and he was actually surprised when Leo started talking to Jason in small mumbles.

'I guess Jason is Leo's Annabeth.'

Percy walked over so he could talk without raising his voice, "If you both are okay with it, you can go back to your cabin."

There was no doubting the sparkle that seemed to return to Jason's eyes as he smiled. Though he quickly tried to hide it as he asked Leo. The Latino nodded and soon the two made it back to their cabin to go to bed. Meanwhile, Percy went out to find his girlfriend. After everything that happened, he could really use a hug too.

HELLOMY PUPS!!!
SOOOOOO yeah I cried while writing this. So what? Uhhhh I know I said this would be good.... I tried. I'm sorry 😭😭
Anyways, I've missed you all. Thank you for all the support you guys have given me.. I appreciate it so much
I love you all!
Wolf out