Shadows Fall to Flames. {{valdangelo}}

Chapter 9

TW (well, more so than other chapters)

Leo knew Nico didn't mean to be bitter, that's just how he was, especially when he was stressed.
Anyway he didn't know the full story, Leo had to cut him some slack.

The son of Hephaestus rubbed his forearm absentmindedly tracing the grooves in his skin.

'Leo?' Someone said from behind

'What! I didn't do it I swear!' He yelped

Leo found himself face to face with a smiling Annebeth.

'You're not in trouble matchstick' she chuckled 'I was just wondering if you were ok'

'Oh uh yeah I'm good' Leo said regaining his wide grin,

'Riiiight, and that's why you've been standing 100 metres from the dinning pavilion for the last five minutes' she said in her usual know it all fashion,

'Heh just thought maybe if I stood here long enough some one would get the food for me' he joked

'You do you Leo' she sighed and went to take her place a the Athena table.

Leo wasn't hungry, he was more worried about Nico. He shouldn't have snapped.
Its not like he said anything bad, just the kids a bit...unstable.

He decided to apologise.

Making his way back to the Hades cabin, Leo's brain managed to come up with around ten reasons Nico should hate him.

'Neeks' he called when he reached the cabin door 'look I'm sorry, can you come out?'

No answer

'Looks like I'm coming in then' he muttered,

He pushed open the wooden door, only to find the room inside was empty.

Yup he's avoiding me

Leo, being smarter than he looked, decided to let Nico cool off. It would just make things worse if his brood session was interrupted.

Might as well do something productive, the mechanic thought as he turned towards the forest.

He was willing to bet bunker 9 was empty.

The son of Hephaestus stumbled up the steep hill, tripping over the occasional root or getting slapped in the face by leaves.
The dryads loved teasing him.

Finally reaching the safety of the rock ledge, Leo lifted his fiery hand to open the massive stone door that stood in his way.

The sound of rock grating on rock echoed through the forest.

A soft gust of cool quiet air brushed against his cheek, proving his theory that the recently discovered bunker was empty.

Leo's light footsteps could be heard as he proceeded to his corner bench which, as expected, was littered with scrap metal.

Pulling a tiny screw driver from his tool belt, he  started to disassemble one of his failed contraptions.

He worried about Nico, the fact neither of them really spoke about their past made it hard to understand what kind of pain his boyfriend was going through.
From what he did know, the son of Hades was born in the early 1900s  (Leo didn't really understand that), he had lost his mum and sister, Leo thought he had heard something about the Nico having been to Tartarus but he wasn't sure.

How would you know anyway

Nico's words played through his mind.
He was right.
If only the younger of the two would open up so that the Latino could provide some appropriate support.

Stop making excuses for being a terrible boyfriend Leo, his subconscious sneered, he's right, you're useless

He didn't say that, his weak positive side mumbled

We both know he was thinking it

But...

We. Both. Know

He's with us for a reason

Pity, boredom, simply for laughs? Try all of the above

No, he likes us

No

Yes!

No

Yeah

Nope

...

No one could like you. You're useless. You're pathetic and weak

...

You're second hand...You're a murderer

'Shut up!' Leo screamed throwing his screw driver across the room, 'shut up shut up shut up shut up'

His breathing was erratic and his whole body trembled.

'I'm not a murderer! It was an accident, I was just...I just....'

Started the fire? His inner demon asked unhelpfully,

Leo cried out again, his voice broke as the yell became a sob.

'I'm sorry Mum, I'm so sorry' he whispered as he dropped to his knees, head clutched in his hands.

Prove it

'Wha..what'

Prove it. Suffer like she did. You deserve it.

'That's not...I can't....'

Oh looks like you're all talk, don't you get it? It's your fault she's gone. You. Deserve. It.

'I...I deserve...it' he sobbed, tugging at his mass of curls 'it's m..my fault it d..deserve it'

No-

YES!

With shaky hands Leo pulled a razor from his tool belt and pressed it against his wrist.
In one fluid motion he moved the blade across his skin.
Droplets of blood bubbled to the surface.

You call that a cut?

'S..sorry'

Again

Then again and again.

Blood trickled down him arm, dripping onto the floor.

Five cuts.

Six cuts.

...

Eleven cuts.

Tears clouded his vision and pain clouded his mind.

When the complete and utter separation from reality began to were of, he was hit with a wave of nausea.

'N..no' Leo's voice shook,

He'd promised Piper, he'd promised her he wouldn't do this to himself again. Yet here he was, kneeling in a mixture of metal shavings and his own blood.

Disgusting.

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Just wanted to thank the few people who actually read this, it means a lot every time I find comments or vote on my stories.
Seriously I appreciate it, so yeah, thanks a bunch.

See ya in the next chappie (hopefully *laughs nervously*)