A/N: I'm gonna be completely honest when I say that I forgot about this chapter.
HEAR ME OUT
I had this chapter stored in my docs, but it was labeled chapter seven, and the prev chapter was labeled chapter eight.
Don't worry these that I post are in the right chronological times. It was just an oopsie.
But because of this I had this accidentally prepared an extra chapter so it should be coming soon along with another new fic of mine which will be about Hazbin Hotel. (No Leo tho. Only sir pentious angst)
This song for today is Liar by the Arcadian Wild, whose song I do not own. Not do I own Rick's stuff.
TW for mentions of suicide
So stay tuned for that. Anyways, ON WITH THE SHOW!
(Nico)
Nico was worried. He'd been for a while. Nico wasn't...the healthiest when dealing with problems. When Bianca died and he ran away having nothing, he started to feel an aura around himself. He wasnt sure what it was, but when Nico was contemplating suicide, it was the strongest. Then Minos came along and yadda yadda. It wasn't the sense of death, he was familiar with that. It was a slightly different feeling. Like a foreboding death, or what Rachel might feel of the future, but death-y.
When he was older he still wasnt sure what that feeling was, but felt it a lot during and immediately after the Titan war. He had a few guesses on what it was, but his fears were confirmed when one of the demigods who survived that had a very strong aura was found hanging from a rope on Thalia's pine. That confirmed that the feeling was the feeling of someone being suicidal.
He was sure either Hazel couldn't feel it or didn't know what that feeling meant and ignored it. She never asked Nico about it or seemed like she noticed that feeling. Maybe when someone was dying from suicide in the moment, but not the sense of suicidal thoughts and stuff leading up to it.
But that feeling was all over Leo. Had been ever since Nico met the guy. Nico actually talked to Leo about it, and saved him once. Despite popular belief, they had talked and grown close in those dark alone nights on the Argo II. They had a lot in common and Nico enjoyed Leo's company and jokes, even if they weren't funny and were just a mask. And he could sense it going away the more time they spent together.
But now?
It was stronger than ever. Leo had definitely gone through stuff when he was presumed dead, and gotten more suicidal. Maybe death has tempted him? Thanatos could really be persuasive and seductive (NOT LIKE THAT YA WEIRDOS). Whatever the case the aura was strong over Leo, more so than Nico ever was. And Nico never really got to talk to Leo about it, who would deflect, find an excuse, or flat up refuse to. WHen he saved Leo, he just told him that now was not the time. But this buildup of suicidal aura was gonna blow soon. He needed to tell someone
(Rachel)
Rachel was worried. She may not have talked to Leo much, looking for Percy and all that, as well as having a mortal life to get to, but she enjoyed his company. He was one of the only people who she could talk to without them being weirded out by her oracle-status. It was kind of a shame really how little people really trusted her. She was just another girl at the end of the day. It wasn't her fault that the Spirit of Delphi mugged her in the girls bathroom... (That was a VERY awkward experience for all girls who were in there.) just like how demigods couldnt help that they were demigods, but she was still seen as "weird". Mainly because out of fear of being sent on another quest
While others became more weirded out by it and feared her because of it, Leo pretended like it never happened. Still treated her as human, and even though made jokes about her Oracle-ness, never let it get in the way of their friendship. And they often discussed how cool Rachel actually was with the Oracle, and how it also gave her insight and intuitiveness to the future with foreboding senses of danger when she wasn't being mugged. For instance how she predicted the superbowl scores and won 2 months of chores from the Stolls. It's actually how she singlehandedly prevented a secret monster tunnel that had dug into the cap from the outside. Leo made her feel important. And she enjoyed the intuition.
Which was why she was worried. Lately she had been getting a bad feeling about Leo, like something bad was gonna happen to him, or he was going to do something bad. She'd unfortunately had not gotten to camp ever since she got the feeling, but she was going to be there soon. Her gut feelings have not steered her wrong before, and they certainly wouldn't fail anytime soon. She needed to tell someone.
(Drew)
Drew was worried. The first time she saw Leo all she saw Leo all she saw was a hyperactive, messy, somewhat funny, happy latino elf. He was good. Skilled, and either a natural, or a veteran. No one saw through his mask. Not even Drew, who had her own up. Ever since Silena. Being a b*tch was just easier than showing.
For one she absolutely adored Silena, she looked up to her and saw her as a genuine sister. She still remembered those late night talks about boys, the hairdos they did for eachother in the mornings, the joy and safety she felt around her when she got nightmares, how she comforted Silena when Beckendorf died. And then...turns out she was a traitor.
She felt so hurt and betrayed by Silena. She didnt even get an apology from her. Drew was right behind Percy when Silena died and didnt recieve a single glance. As if she didnt matter anymore. That she was just...used for Silena's trust and gain to get more info, that she never was loved in the first place.
Drew couldnt help it. She was so angry and salty so she took it on her younger siblings, and that's who she became. The b*tch. She tried changing back but was always thought as the b*tch, no matter what she did. So she took that with her counsilorship.
The counselor was supposed to be a symbol of strength, and authority. Never breaking, never cracking, never showing. If people got close, they could see. She needed to get people to stay away, and being a b*tchy girl was sure to push them away which was another bonus.
Then Piper came by and she hated her from the start. She...was Silena reincarnated. How she spoke, rebellious but caring. How she walked, with confidence and feirceness. How she talked, like no one could hurt her, but she could hurt back while also kind. Drew didnt want another Silena, she didnt want a reminder. Another reminder that...that she failed Silena and that was why Silena turned. Because Drew wasnt good enough.
So she was especially a jerk to her, which made everyone hate Drew more, building up her mask while she hurt more and more, making it stronger while she was getting weaker.
But Leo saw through. Even if he didn't get close, he saw. He found her and helped her. Then after that she saw too. That they both had masks. Both pretended. Leo wasn't the happy guy everyone thought she was. So they decided to help each other. Whenever one of them was breaking and letting their mask show, the other would tap to get the back on track. And it was a really good system.
Which was why she was worried. When Leo got back, things were...mostly normal, but then Leo started breaking more and more, which was uncommon for him. Usually she broke her mask more than him. And lately, sometimes her taps havent worked at all, and he'd just ignore them. She even talked with him once about it, but...the talk was unsettling. She still remembers it perfectly.
"Leo?" Drew came into the forge, glad that she still had the habit of not wearing much, though no longer all time skimpy. She only put the skimpy on when alone with Nyssa, though she still felt too hot and sweaty already from the warm air and steamy climate right now. She had to look around a bit before her eyes focused on Leo, who apparently didnt notice that his hand was in the lava, as he was sitting and staring at a bunch of bronze machines wiring in the room, the glow of fluorescent lights and lava bathing the walls in a yellowy-orange.
"Yes?" Leo sighed, still frowning. Though now he took his hand out and wiped it on the edge. Drew sat next to him, though was barely taking the heat. She honestly didnt understand how her girlfriend and the other Hephaestus campers in general could deal with it. It was suffocating, she could practically taste it. But a small price to pay for her right now to help her...friend. Yeah. friend. She thinks so anyway.
"What is up with you? You haven't been acting yourself, you haven't cracked too many jokes, and you're not annoying. Your mask is shattering. Fix it or people will see."
"What's the point, they will just see more broken pieces beneath the broken mask. Besides, it doesn't matter. They won't be able to see through it soon." Leo said emotionless, turning away into the shade of the Surrounding area.
"What...what do you mean by that, leo?" Drew was actually worried now. She scooted closer to him and put her arm on his shoulder. She and him had joked a lot actually about eachother's masks and problems, but Leo was completely emotionless and serious.
"Nothing, I-" Leo sighed. "Nevermind. Slip of the tongue. I'll work on it okay?" Leo tried to emphasize this with a smile, but even that seemed weak. " See? I'm fine. I've spent years acting. I'm a professional. Now I gotta go be annoying like you said, so bye." Leo stood up and started walking away, when Drew grabbed his arm.
"Just...stay safe, okay smart*ss?" Drew asked, a little hope coming back when Leo smiled at her nickname for him.
"No promises pretty b*tch." Drew smiled more at his nickname for her but frowned at the last mutter: "After all, how can a cutter keep himself safe?" She knew his...urges. She had some too, some active, and some gone. She understood the need for them, why they were important, and hadn't spilled his secret...yet. That was looking to change soon.
She didn't want to expose him, but...her friendship with him and his life was more important. She needed to tell someone.
(Hedge)
Believe it or not, Hedge had always liked Leo. Leo had reminded Hedge of his own younger years. Energetic, Fresh, alive, and Rebellious. He knew that he and Piper had great powers and abilities, he could smell them. That's why he trained them so much harder than everyone else, why he pushed them past everyone else, why he was harder on them more than everyone else. Because they had great power, but needed to rely on their own normal abilities and hone them, like running, climbing, and lifting heavy weights.
Hedge had seen too many demigods die from relying on their abilities more than their bodies. He didnt want a repeat from such great people. And in doing so, he bonded with them and indirectly grew closer to them, (though he never showed it). He honestly enjoyed their pranks (when not focused on him) and always secretly kept an eye and ear on them to make sure they could fend for themselves, while also making sure they were safe. Plus he could see their shenanigans. He particularly enjoyed Piper and Leo's "rebellion" at the school as well as their many fights they got into with bullies. Another side effect was that he got to hear their secrets, habits, and learn more about the people he was protecting.
For instance how Piper's dad was Tristan McLean (hey, he was in a war movie, and it was good. Still not as hot as Tom Cruise in the Mission Impossible series in his opinion, but Hedge was straight. Hey, a guy can admit another guy is hot without it being gay, can't he?) A/N: not me self projecting here
And how Leo tapped morse code learned from his mom, and had a habit of tapping "I love you" as a sort of tribute or wish or message to her.
Which was why Hedge was worried. Hedge was most of the time very observant towards Leo and Piper, and had to be to keep an eye out for any changes in case their lives were threatened. And since he knew morse code, he heard sometimes when the taps would change. He wasnt sure if Annabeth recognized the taps, as she gave no indication of such, and he knew she drowned out a lot of what Leo did, or assumed he was tapping to the machines and didnt care to listen in, but Hedge didnt tell anyone yet either, even though the taps got very...unsettling at times.
It was as if he were having a conversation with something. "Its my fault", "Lo siento" and "I dont deserve this" were three popular ones, but recently, in the times where he was at camp with Leo (as he was busy helping campers or taking care of Chuck), they got a little bit...darker, or ominous is the right term. "I'm coming, I promise", "I can't handle this", "Maybe this time", and "please notice" were some. But the real big thing that got him especially worried was one word that started only a few days ago. "Soon." He needed to tell someone.
A/N: Aw yeah. Something's happening. Obviously you guys know but these guys don't.
I had originally meant it to be in this way first but I wrote the first chapter and impulse had me post it.
Next chapter coming soon though. School had been busy but I'm managing!
Anyway I'm going to go write my Hazbin fic oneshot that I got inspiration from after binge watching the whole season in an all nighter last night and a fan comic 🫠 im already 600 words in!
Don't forget to comment and talk with me! Ur guys'd appreciation and joy and theories and more make me so happy you don't even know.
Anyways, bye my fanfic gremlins 😘