"I'll be back. I swear on the river styx,"
Those were my last words to Leo Valdez. Then my hands slipped, and I fell down once again.
It was different than before; this time I had a reason to come out. This time there was someone waiting for me.
The fall seemed to last forever, and I stumbled to the bottom when I made it. The monsters kept coming, and by the end of ten years, I was emotionally and physically destroyed.
I was starting to wonder if there was a way to end it, a way to forget everything. And then I saw it.
The river Lethe was for people like me; people who only no pain. And maybe if I jumped in, I wouldn't have to swim back out.
Slowly I stumbled in, "I'm sorry Leo,"
~{•}~
I summoned skeletons after skeletons, stabbing anyone who came close to me. Everyone else had people with them, yet I was alone.
Hazel didn't give me a second glance, fighting back to back with frank. Piper would charm the monsters when they got too close to Jason, Annabeth and Percy fought side by side without letting the other get hurt.
The only person I would want to be with was across the battle field and didn't even realize I loved him. I glanced over to where he was.
Gaia was staring at him, a wicked grin on her face. I sprinted over, heading her talk. "I am going to enjoy this so much Leo Valdez,"
Leo let out a few shaky breaths and clutched his ribs, where a huge gash was already.
Gaia was about to kill the person I loved, and I knew I had to do something. With all the rage I had, I moved and stabbed Gaia.
Percy looked at me and nodded, allowing me to run to Leo as he finished off the earth mother. I ran towards Leo and picked him up into my arms.
He gave a small smile ""hey death breath," he choked out.
I looked at him with tears. "Don't you dear die on me, Valdez,"
"I'm sorry," he said, "but it's fine. I don't matter anyways,"
"Don't say that. Your the only person I care about,"
His eyes closed and I watched him stop breathing. His heartbeat came to a stop, and I let out a few soft subs.
I lifted my eyes and watched black magic glow around Leo as his eyes sprang open to see
"Nico, stop," he choked out, "you don't need to do this,"
"But I do,"
"Why?"
"Because I-I love you, okay?"
~{•}~
"Hey Leo," I said, resting my weight against the door frame of his room in the Argo 2.
The elfish boy looked up from his desk, smiling when he realized it was me. He got up from his chair, the grease on his face smudged. "Nico,"
"I heard you tinkering, and I knew you were still up. You don't deserve to be alone, so I thought I'd give you company,"
"Thanks but I'm used to it you know. Besides, isn't it time for you to go IM will?" He added the last part bitterly.
"You're more important," I said, before holding up candy, popcorn, and cloudy with a chance of meatballs 2 up. "besides, I brought things to do,"
Leo smiled, motioned towards the tv and sat down on his bed. "Put it in! Put it in!"
I gave a slight chuckle and turned on the movie, before walking over and sitting next to him. He nestled into me and grabbed the popcorn.
"Thank you nico," he whispered softly when the movie had ended, half asleep as he laid on my chest. I gave a small and soft smile and laid my head on his, falling asleep as well.
~{•}~
We had done it, Gaia had lost. I smiled and moved further towards camp, my hand intertwined with Leo's.
I gave a small smile to Will but he didn't return it. He probably just didn't see me.
"What are you thinking about?" Leo asked softly, notifying I was lost in my thoughts.
"Nothing," I gave him a small smile and squeeze of the hand, "come on, there's this spot I always used to get away from everyone. I think you'd like it,"
Leo laughed, "okay,"
I led him towards a tree, the tree not even Will had known about. I pulled myself into the branch and helped Leo up.
"You can see the whole forest from this branch, even a bit of the lake. It's actually quite comfortable," I said.
Leo smiled and put his head in my shoulder, "it is,"
I put my head on his, and when he was asleep I murmured a small "I love you"
I heard him mumble it back.
