My Saving Grace {Leo Valdez x Jason Grace}

Chapter Twelve

Nico's P.O.V.~

I don't know why I was so pissed by the time I got dressed that morning, but I almost didn't answer my phone when Jason called.  For some reason, I did, and I felt my blood boil more at the sound of Leo's broken voice.

Then the ride over to Jason's house allowed me the chance to clear my head.  Leo would need me to be stable enough to help him.

I almost growled at a stoplight.  Why wasn't Jason there?  Why wasn't he protecting Leo like he should be?  How could he be gone?

You care too much for this kid, a voice inside of me spoke softly.  Why?  Why do I care?

Before I could answer myself, I pulled my motorcycle into the driveway and rushed to the door.  The moment I opened it, I saw the boy sobbing on the staircase.

Leo's head snapped up as soon as the door shut behind me. I didn't even have time to slip my aviator jacket off before the boy ran and held onto me. His face buried in my shoulder as he sobbed harder.

"Oh, god, Leo," I felt my anger drain away. Gently, I pushed him back to look him in the eye. "Where's Jason and what happened?"

"I-I don't know." He sniffles and took a shaky breath. "He... he was gone this morning, and I miss him. Then Octavian... he showed up and kissed me and asked me to go back home with him. Nico, I don't want to go back to Octavian." Leo's puffy red eyes met mine with such pain and fear that my heart could've burst. "Please, don't let him take me back."

I shook my head. "Never. If Jason can't stay and protect you, then Will and I will."

Leo wiped tears away as they started to slow down. He gave me a small smile, sniffling before gesturing to the living room. "You can sit with me and wait for Jason to get home. I have some questions since Octavian stopped by."

"What did he say?" I couldn't help but ask as we sat on the couch.

The boy sighed brokenly.  "He said that Piper used to be persuasive with her body.  Is that true?"  He looked up at me, and I nodded silently.  "And Jason went along with it?"

"Leo, if you're asking me if Jason had sex with Piper, it's a yes," I frowned.  I felt worse when I saw the boy flinch away.  "But he told Percy and me that he absolutely hated it because he wanted to break up with her.  Trust me, Jason wants nothing to do with Piper."

Leo didn't say a thing.  He bit his lip, glanced away, then held my gaze.  "Would he have sex with me if I were—"

"Woah!" I held up my hands in surrender.  "What happened to the boy who didn't know what sex was?"

That's when I saw Leo blush even more.  He stared down at his hands, embarrassed most likely.

"You still don't know what that is, do you?" 

The brown eyes that raised to stare into mine held so many emotions.  Yet, at the same time, they were so broken.  So unlike any brown eyes he'd seen before.

Leo was unlike anyone I had met.  He was too young to be in such a terrible situation.  Too innocent even.  First, he has Octavian for a boyfriend.  Then, Octavian tries to force him into who knows what.  How much can he endure before he's entirely broken?

"Well, uh," I started to say, when a thought I pushed away for years came to my mind.  "When Jason and I met, he actually hated me."

Leo went wide-eyed.  "He did?"

"Yeah," I leaned back on the couch.  "It was back when..." I trailed off.  I could remember it like it was yesterday.  The way he argued to have me go.  The way Piper had encouraged him to keep me away.