What No One Sees

Day 16

Leo hadn't slept. He didn't know what time it was, only that it was early. Ungodly early. He also knew one other thing. Jason was asleep, which meant Leo was alone, unsupervised, the one thing that apparently no one wanted him to be. He was a danger to himself. That was true. At the rate he was going, he would end up killing himself within a few months. But why should it matter to him? He's doing it willingly. And yet...

'I wish I didn't want to cut'

'By hurting myself, I'm hurting others. But then how am I supposed to feel better? Do I just have to live with feeling this way and never feeling better?'

'Am I always going to be stuck in this circle-'

Movement from Jason caused his train of thought to stop. He watched, frozen, for a few moments before he decided that he was still asleep. Figuring that now was as good a time as any, Leo got up slowly and quietly slipped out of the cabin. He ran as quickly as he could keeping in the shadows as he made his way to Bunker Nine and slid inside.

Upon arriving, the fire user breathed out a sigh and sank to the ground. He was glad he was finally alone and yet sad that now he had the opportunity to do what everyone didn't want him to. Sad didn't quite do this emotion justice though. Leo couldn't think of the right word to describe his feeling. He would have continued to ponder for the name if he had not heard the door creak as it was slowly opened. Whipping around, he didn't know what he was expecting to find; an angry Jason, a pissed off Will, or perhaps both. He was not, however, expecting to see Percy Jackson standing there.

"Wha-" 

"Hey," Percy cut him off. Leo waited for him to keep talking. 'Why is Percy here? In Bunker Nine?' "I was just wondering if you were doing okay"

Leo blinked. Then again. "You were? About me? I'm good! I'm fine! Yeah! How are you?" 'What the Hades am I saying? I sound like an idiot!'

Percy sighed and Leo thought he was gonna leave and tell him that hes not even worth his concern anymore, but instead he came over and sat next to him. 

"Look," he began. "I know it's hard to open up to people and we haven't exactly been the closest of pals, but I'm here for you. If you want me to listen while you rant or you just want me to sit here, I'll do anything you want."

Leo stared at the floor. He could have joked. He could have said he wanted Percy to stop being so weird and to go back to snogging Annabeth. But Leo did not joke. He continued to stare at the ground in silence.

Percy added in a smaller voice, "I don't know if you know this, but you're really important to me. You're really important to every one of us. I know sometimes you can't see your own importance." Percy was looking down and twisting a hand around his wrist slowly. "And sometimes it feels like no one actually cares about you. Especially with being the funny one in the group. It's hard." Percy's eyes were glossed over and he just stared at his wrist and when Leo looked, he saw pale scars. 

'He used to cut himself too!' He couldn't stop himself from staring. 'How was this even possible?'

'Why was he even saying this to him?'

'He said I'm important.'

'How am I even supposed to respond to this?'

"But I'm here for you. And so is everyone else."

'Everyone?'

"I'm not going to lie, all of us were effected when you... did that. We're all worried about you."

'Then where are the others?'

"Especially me and Annabeth. I can't say for the others, but for us it reminded us of a lot of things and opened our eyes to more. We need to make sure your know we are here for you. Which we all are trying to do. In our own ways, I suppose."

'"In our own ways" my ass! No one is trying besides you and Jason!' 

"This is such bull," Leo couldn't help speaking out.

Percy didn't say anything.

"You really think I'm gonna believe that you guys are trying when the only ones who've made an effort are you and Jason? To Hades with that! You really think that checking in on me once a month is gonna make a difference on whether or not I'd kill myself? 'Oh it's been a year! Better check up on the mechanic. Oh, he's fine? K see ya next year!'"

'Why am I spazzing out so much?'  

"Do you really think that's the problem? 

'He's just trying to show that he cares' 

"That I tried to kill myself because it felt like no one cared?" Tears had begun to form in big brown eyes.

"I'm used to no one caring!"

'Stop talking'

"Yeah, I thought you guys would be different and it still hurts, but that's not why I did it!"

'Stop talking! You're gonna regret it'

"I tried to kill myself because I hate being alive! I hate how much pain I'm in!" Salty tears cascaded down crimson cheeks as Leo screamed out everything he'd hidden. "I don't understand why I can't be happy! Why can't I have someone who'll love me? WHY CAN'T ANYONE CARE ABOUT ME?! WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME?!" Sobs overtake the small, broken boy as he finishes his vent.

'Now you've done it. Watch, he's going to leave in disgust now'

Percy, who had been sitting silently, now came up to Leo and hugged him tightly. He let the Latino soak his shirt in tears, all the while stroking his hair and muttering soft assurances.

"It's okay"

"I'm here"

"Don't worry"

Soon enough Leo's sobbing had died down to sniffles and the occasional tear. He pulled away from the hug and wiped his nose, spreading snot all over his face. This caused Percy to go into mom mode and he quickly began using his shirt to clean the sad boy's face.

"Thanks," Leo mumbled to which Percy nodded. Which led to them sitting in awkward silence. 

"Well I think it might be time for me to get to bed-" Leo began

"Yeah, no, me too!" Percy quickly agreed to avoid the awkwardness, but paused. "You're going to go back to Jason, right? Cause if you didn't want to, you could stay with me"

Leo thought about this for a moment. 

'I can say I'll go back to Jason and just hide and cut or I could not cut and go with Percy'

He decided.

A/N: WELL THIS TOOK FOREVER

WOLF OUT!