The beginning (Mortal AU Valdangelo)

Piper knows

Leo's POV (Months later)

I really like this school......... Man no one's gonna believe that.

My teachers assigned too much homeworks and a project for each subject every month. Are they insane?! I have a life y'know? I don't have time to do this type of thing.

The only thing I like from here are my friends. I got really well with all of them, Percy, Annabeth, Jason, Piper, Hazel, and Frank. Especially Piper, we are like twins (the good kind that love each other, not the ones that fight all the time) we have so many things in common is crazy, and since Piper has a boyfriend, Jason, I also hang a lot with him. I also hang out with Percy, we have the same stupid sense of humor, and Annabeth understands me with engineering and architecture, so also hang out. I think Frank doesn't like me, I don't know why really, probably because I tease him way too much. In my defense, that guy is almost 1 foot taller than me, he intimidates me, he can break my bones too easily. Hazel's adorable, she's like the sweetest thing, we get along great. Hm, maybe that's another reason Frank doesn't like me, I spend a lot of time with his girlfriend.

Piper told me that when I came, Hazel and Frank were only one week dating, so it made sense he's taking.. precautions I guess.

Anyways, I'm in my room waiting for Piper to come because we need to make a science project. I was planning to do it in her house but she immediately declined, I'm not sure why, so we'll do it in my house.

Finally, I heard a knock on my door. I opened it and saw Piper with a smile on her face, I grinned at her. "Hey Beauty Queen! Ready to start the torture-I mean, the project" She laughed, "Yes Leo, I'm ready. Hey your mom is really cool by the way." "I know. Now let's start shall we?" "Nu-uh Repair Boy, I wanna see your room first"

"Um, ok I guess" I said. She entered and started exploring everywhere, and when I say everywhere, is everywhere, even my clothes the woman was checking. "Why are you checking my clothes???" I asked, kinda annoyed and amused "No reason" she answered. Then she asked, "Who's that?" And she pointed at a picture my mom took of Nico and me when we first met. She wanted to "keep the moment" so she took us a photo. We were hugging sideways, Nico was laughing because of a joke I made, I was grinning looking at him.

My expression darkened, I walked toward the frame with the picture, picked it up with my hands, and stared at it. "My Neeks, my best friend." I said, sadly. Piper gasped "The one who.." I got tears in my eyes, "Yes, the one who died." I put the frame down, laying it on the table, so I couldn't see the picture. "Let's get this project over with" I said, darkly.

Piper's POV (Didn't expect that didn't ya?)

When I saw Leo's expression darkened, I knew I hit a nerve. Then he said it was 'his Neeks', his best friend and I immediately felt bad, you don't tell your best friend 'yours' unless you really love them. Poor Leo, he must really love him. I can tell that even though it's been 3 years since his best friend died, he's still hurting like it just happened. And I know that look he had in that picture, I look at Jason the same way, he was looking at his friend in such a loving and grateful way it broke my heart. I feel so bad now. "Let's get this project over with" he said. I just nodded, not wanting to make it worse.

We worked for hours, Leo was very quiet the whole time. We finally finished, it was already night. I said my goodbyes to Leo and Leo's mom, and went outside. Jason was already waiting for me in front of the house. I walked to him, he smiled, "Hey" I said a small 'Hey' back. His smile faded, replacing it with a worried expression, "What's wrong?" He asked, I sighed "I screw up big time Jase, I'll tell you when we get to my house"

"Ok, what's wrong? Why did you say you screw up big time? Jason asked when we arrived at my house and entered my room. I sighed again, "Is just, it all started so well. I was excited to be at his house for the first time, so I explore his whole room, even his clothes" We chuckled at that, I continued, "And then I saw this frame with a picture of Leo and another boy in the park, the boy was laughing and Leo just had a huge grin on his face while looking at him. They both looked like 6 years old, maybe 7." He just nodded and asked "And why did you screw up?" "I asked who was that kid", I answered "His expression immediately turned so sad when he looked at the picture, he said it was 'his Neeks' his best friend"

Jason gasped, "The one who-" I interrupted him, "Yeah that one." He sighed, "Oh Pipes..." "I know, I really messed up. But the thing is that Leo knew that kid for years, and he said it was his Neeks. Leo must really love him to call him his. And comparing Leo's smile to the one in that picture, it just looked so...so.." "So what?" Jason asked "So.. fake." Jason looked shocked, I still continue "In the picture he just looked so happy, his eyes were sparkling from happiness, and the way he was looking at him, with so much love and gratefulness, is just... too painful to know that boy is gone"

"Are you sure?" He asked, after processing everything I said, I nodded. "He still misses him Jason, he's still hurting." We were probably thinking the same thing

Leo was in love with him, there's nothing we can do to help him with his pain.

Leo's POV

As soon as Piper left the house I returned to my room, closed the door and let the tears fall. I couldn't hold them anymore, Piper asking who he was, if he was the one who died, really got me. It reminded me how much I miss him, how much I need him.

I would smile by just the mention of him, now is the exact opposite. Every time someone just says "best friend" I think of him, of my Neeks and the pain becomes unbearable.

I kept crying, laying down on my bed. Until I could fall asleep. Remembering my times with Nico.

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Hey guys! I hope you like it. I have nothing to say really so. Bye!

-Susy_Valdez21 (1150 words)