Chapter Text
One night on the Argo II Leo was wandering around the deck, his footsteps a solitary rhythm against the wooden planks. He had just finished some repairs on the ship, he watched the waves, as they rocked back and forth against the side of the boat. The sounds were calming, and the moon reflected off the water beautifully creating sparkles over the ocean. Leo stared up at the night sky the stars twinkled in the dim light. but the calming waves and the moon's shimmering reflection couldn't erase the guilt, it was his fault, that Annabeth and Percy had plummeted to the bottom of Tartarus.
All because he opened a dumb fortune cookie. He knew there would be consequences, but he also knew if he didn't, he wouldn’t have been able to rescue Frank and Hazel. Frustration simmered within Leo his attempts to make things right always seemed to backfire. Leo felt useless. NO, he felt like no matter what he did he messed it up, that all he was good for was repairing the ship. So, then he should stick to what he is good at. Being the repair boy, he wouldn’t mess anything up anymore! He knew he should focus on what he could fix, yet the haunting images of his friends falling haunted his thoughts.
Meanwhile, perched atop the crow's nest, Nico observed the deck below, seeking peace in the cool ocean breeze. Nico noticed Leo, usually a whirlwind of jokes sat in an uncharacteristic silence, gazing at the stars. Nico was convinced that he had never seen Leo so quiet before he always bothered Nico with his endless jokes, and he always seemed to have his head in the cloud never taking anything seriously. It was like he couldn't stay out of someone else's personal space for even a second.
At the same time he was also impressed with the mechanic and how he with the help of his cabin was able to complete the ship in such a short amount of time. he could fix practically anything Nico thought. Hell, this guy was more of a hero than he could ever be in the sense that Leo was more of a team player than Nico was, conversing with the dead does kind of make you a loner. Plus pushing people away probably doesn't help with that. Of course, he would never admit any of this to Leo.
Just then Leo's attention shifted, catching sight of Nico. His initial impressions of the son of Hades were that Nico was rather freaky and he always seemed to be so distant and a little depressed. However, Leo realized he probably shouldn't go off of first impressions. After all, he couldn't just judge the book by its cover, right? Leo was sure the first thing people saw when they looked at him was a tired, greasy mechanic, which he was but he liked to believe there was way more to him than that. So there had to be more to Nico. With a determination to break the ice, Leo waved at Nico, a cheeky grin lighting up his face.
Nico gave him a blank look in return, and Leo started to climb up the ladder. “Oh great” Nico muttered under his breath. Leo sat next to him “Hey Neeks fancy meeting you up here”. He said with a wink and a shit-eating grin. Nico let out a sigh, he just wanted to be left alone. “Don’t call me that, what are you doing out here anyways shouldn't you be resting or fixing something?”
That probably came out harsher than he had intended it to, but Leo brushed it off not seeming at all phased almost like he was expecting it. “Oh, I was just hanging out with Festus, as for repairs just finished.” he said proudly, but for some reason, Nico didn’t believe him, Leo looked like he was trying hard to hide something Nico knew better than anyone what it is like to hide pain, He found himself asking “what's wrong”.
Leo looked shocked for a second then laughed it off. “What? Nothing wrong man, I am Mr. Bad Boy Supreme remember.” Nico didn’t buy it for a second, he recognized the telltale signs of someone masking their inner turmoil, a skill he had mastered himself. Leo was determined to make it seem like he was fine.
Leo's struggles resonated with Nico he felt like he understood Leo a little bit better now. Nico guessed he was trying to keep everyone from falling apart, brighten the mood, and fix things as he believed Leo would put it.
Contrary to Nico who ran away from his feelings so that he wouldn't have to think about them, his confusing crush on Percy, or the loneliness he felt within him every single time he saw Annabeth and Percy together. Whatever, he thought their no time for that when you were a demigod that list was only going to keep growing. Nico was sure of that.
All that to say Nico could tell that Leo was not giving himself any time to process his emotions and, instead jumped from one thing to the next. “It’s ok you don’t have to tell me I probably couldn't help you even if I wanted to, I'm not very good at comforting people, well you know I tend to scare people off though you should tell someone, I mean I um felt better after I talked to Hazel, and you have Piper and Jason.”
Leo looked surprised, and Nico was surprised too at himself; he'd never given anyone advice before less it was the dead, he didn't think that counted. But he felt like he understood what Leo was going through and it would have been wrong not to say something. With that, he climbed down the ladder, and halfway down he yelled up “See you around Valdez.”
Leo was beyond confused did Nico Di Freaking Angelo just give him advice wow “I guess there is more to the son of Hades than what meets the eye.” Leo thought he was doing a good job at pretending that everything was alright however Nico, someone whom he barely even talked to knew that something was wrong.
Did everyone else know too, were they just waiting for Leo to talk to them, or did Nico somehow understand him? No, no one could understand what it feels like to mess up so many times and how each failure hurts someone. Or what it's like to live with the fact you're the reason that your mother is dead. OR how, how lonely he felt seeing everyone in a happy relationship. It wasn't far, Nemesis said that nobody could ever love him! Why was he so fucked up?
At this point Leo was crying, tears stained his face with hatred for himself, why can't he just hold it together why was he such a screwup!? Maybe it was time to talk to someone but even though Piper and Jason were his best friends, they would just pity him and tell him that things would be okay, “will get through it together” they say but the world is ending, and Annabeth and Percy are down in Tartarus because of him!
Nothing is okay besides he is the one that keeps them together. He was Leo Valdez, bad Boy Supreme right!? he was supposed to be happy. He told himself as he walked to the engine room.
Nico woke up in a cold sweat. He had another nightmare that he was back in Tartarus. He looked around to see where he was. He was somewhere he didn’t belong, Percy’s room. No, he can’t be here, he jumped out of the sheets then started pacing the floor before he knew it, he was shadow traveling.
he tilted his head downward to see Leo Valdez asleep on a mattress set on the floor. “Great, I’ve seen more of Leo today than anyone else” Nico rolled his eyes as he was about to leave, he saw that Leo was getting up to stretch. Leo let out a giant yawn as he opened his eyes to see Nico standing above him.