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Thenext few chapters are set-up for 'Terms and Conditions', which I will have towork on re-writing now that I have covered the foundations I didn't when I first wrote it. It's gonna take me a while to get on it, but hopefully the endresult will be something you can all enjoy. 

The temperature has been consistently lowering the past few weeks, which makes Leo think that maybe they'll have a white Christmas after all. Halloween was uneventful, they all gathered together as planned, and no one mentioned anything about failed relationships; Leo still spent most of the movie marathon stuffing his face with candy, and no one stopped him.

He also stole glances at Nico, who was perched right between Hazel and Reyna, sharing a bowl of popcorn amongst all three of them. He had looked like a too wound coil ready to spring, which was a clear sign that the breakup was taking a toll on him.

Getting over relationships was a process akin to grieving, because in a sense, you were always dealing with the loss of someone. So Leo had made a point to find a moment to pull Nico aside and offer him an ear; by the look on Nico's face as he thanked him, it was the right choice to make.

Nico made good of that offer a week later, since he was avoiding going home and facing his family; something about his step-mom, coupled with the fact that Hazel wouldn't be there this year. Leo had stayed to cover Charlie's shift so he could go with his fiancée to visit her family; it hadn't been the original plan, but Leo didn't really have anything better to do now that he was single again.

He was maybe glad when Nico showed up at the end of his shift, because while he adored working on machines, he was still human and needed socialization not to go stir crazy. He tried not to let it show though, because Nico had a familiarly sad look in his eyes.

"Should we go eat, or would you rather talk somewhere more private"

Nico bit his lip, hands rubbing together.

"My place, I have the things for sandwiches"

Leo smiled then, moving to match Nico's strides; it was a good thing the Italian wasn't all that much taller than him.

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"It just sort of hit me, that Christmas is coming up and I'm too much of a coward to face my family"

Leo made a face behind his sandwich, but by the way Nico rolled his eyes, hiding was useless.

"Ok, fine, I don't wanna face Persephone"

Leo swallows a bite and tries to sound nonchalant.

"I mean; I don't blame you for that"

Nico gives a sharp nod and finishes his sandwich, Leo works on his own food while he waits for whatever Nico's going to say next.

"And I thought I could deal with that, but then I remembered I won't be able to visit Bianca if I don't go there"

The tight feeling in Leo's chest soothes almost immediately at those words. He'd been expecting something different, to be completely honest, this he can deal with.

"Would you like to come visit my mom with me?"

It's been almost five years since that chance encounter, the one they've both promised to keep secret; but Leo doesn't think it'd break a rule to give Nico some sort of comfort.

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The cemetery was covered by a light layer of snow, which glimmered under the sunlight; it was a nice day, barely any clouds in sight. They walked the aisles in silence, Nico with his hands deep within his pockets, and Leo holding a small bouquet of winter blossoms.

There were a handful of others dispersed all around, paying their own visits; but no one in the overly familiar trail. Esperanza's tomb was a simple one, the only outstanding feature was a small wrench-shaped plaque with a message in Morse; Leo had put it there the Christmas after his graduation from college.

There was also a metallic cup for the flowers, as opposed to the more common glass one, Leo took out the withered flowers still in it, changed the water, and placed the new ones in.

"Hey ma, I brought a friend this time"

Nico shifted on his feet.

"He has a sister up there with you, Bianca, I think I told you about her"

He had, way back when, before Nico spiraled and he found himself racing through his childhood town, first looking, and then a little more desperately. He turns to Nico and offers him a small smile.

"Would you like her to pass a message? I bet they'll like each other"

Nico gives him this look, like he can't believe Leo's real and doesn't know how to deal with that; but eventually he takes a deep breath and looks at the tomb.

"Hi miss Valdez, if it's ok with you, I uh..."

Leo moves just a bit closer, not enough to touch, but the effect is the same.

"I'd like you to tell Bianca that I love her, and I miss her"

He then lets out a long breath and quickly walks away, as though embarrassed, Leo doesn't say anything, instead taking a moment to say goodbye to his mom before going after him.