Cry

WARNING self harm, suicide

I own nothing you recognize.

Leo hasn't been able to cry in front of anyone since Calypso died.

He remembers it now. It was after the war, they had been exploring the forest together. Stupid, of course. He was so stupid to take her there.

They had been unexpectedly attacked, and there was nothing Leo could do. All the fire in the world couldn't save his Calypso, though not for lack of trying. He almost burned down the forest. 

The rest of the camp remembers that day too. Leo had staggered out of the forest, smoking and carrying Calypso's body. He had collapsed and curled up next to her, and nothing anyone said or did could get him away. For three days he remained like that, not speaking or eating anything.

Then, on the fourth day, it was like nothing had happened. He was back to the old Leo everyone knew and loved, and everyone sighed in relief. Everyone, that is, except for Piper.

Piper knew from helping many of her siblings get through difficult breakups that you never truly move on from a loss until you've cried over it. And Leo had  never cried.

When she confronted him about it, he just laughed. "Are you crazy, Beauty Queen? Of course I've cried. Just in Bunker 9, when no one sees me. I'm fine, honest. I can't just moon after Calypso my whole life, can I? Not the way Jason does with you, am I right?" he said, smirking.

Pier, now thoroughly confused and blushing deeply, left him standing there.

Leo frowned. Speaking of crying...

He hadn't been lying. He did cry in Bunker 9, probably more than anyone would have ever guessed. The first time he had just cried a little, but as he grew to miss Calypso more and more, he felt an even greater need to retreat and cry when no one else was around. 

One day he felt like he would never stop crying. It just hurt so bad without her. Of course, one can't just go crying indefinitely. Unless...

Grinning, he left Bunker 9 for the first time in days. His friends were pleasantly surprised to see him. And he seemed as cheerful as ever, if not more so. He spent the whole day laughing and telling jokes. That night, after he had gone back to Bunker 9, Piper found a note on her pillow.

Hey Beauty Queen,

Wanna see me cry? Come over sometime tonight, I wanna show you something. Don't let the harpies get you!

Leo

Piper smiled. It looked like he was finally ready to open up. She strolled slowly to Bunker 9. She opened the door to find Leo waiting for her.

Her scream reverberated throughout the entire camp.

The other campers found her huddled on the ground, sobbing. Upon seeing what was going on, Frank took a sharp intake of breath and Hazel buried her head in his shoulder. Percy and Annabeth clenched their hands tightly and stared wide-eyed at the scene before them. Jason stepped forward and put a comforting arm around Piper, while trying to hold back tears himself. 

Lying in front of them was Leo Valdez. He looked almost happy except for the fact that he was crying. 

The thing is, Leo doesn't cry from his eyes like other people do. He cries from his wrists.

And this time he hadn't stopped crying.