Birthday

Note: In this fic, Leo doesn't meet Calypso. Piper and Jason aren't together, but are best friends. Piper and Leo are closer, however. RATED T FOR DARK THEMES. LIPER.

Enjoy!

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Foreword: (This doesn't have much to do with the story. Inspired by an Instagram post)

There once was a little boy, and he couldn't have been older than four or five. He went to the park with his father, and discovered a little nook in the playground. When he went inside it, he saw a teenage girl, curled up in the corner. He squeezed inside, and decided to talk to her, because she looked lonely. Then he saw cuts on her arm.

"Wow! You're an angel!" He exclaimed. She blushed, and shook her head no. He went on anyways.

"My mother told me that the people who had cuts on their arms were angels, and they didn't like life on earth, because they missed heaven."

The girl finally talked. "Where is your mother?"

The boy let a tear escape his eye. He spoke the six words that would make the girl stop cutting.

"She has already returned to heaven."

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It was Piper's birthday, and everyone was decorating their little apartment with ballons, streamers, and disco lights, courtesy of Apollo. The Giant War was over, and everyone had made it out safe, thank the gods. They all decided to give Goode High a chance, and all of the seven, plus Nico and Thalia had moved in to an apartment. Not just one apartment, though. The whole building. Hades was generous like that.

"So, Beauty Queen. Looks like this is gonna be one heck of a party. Especially with the Gods of Olympus coming," Leo smirked as he came up beside her.

"True. You never know what happens, especially with the gods. The Big Three, Artemis and Aphrodite, Hades and basically everyone," She admitted.

"Hey, Pipes," said Jason while he came up beside her. Then he did something that made Piper blush- he kissed her on the cheek. Leo's smirked faltered at this. He looked almost... sad. This confused her.

And Piper didn't see Leo for the rest of the day.

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It was time for the party, and Leo still wasn't anywhere to be found. Even the Gods of Olympus were there searching- except for Hades. There was some sort of fuzzy rabbit and cheese incident in Elysium.

Piper realized she hadn't checked their special hideout, where they'd just hang out when they wanted to get away from everyone.

When she got there, she chuckled at the sight of Leo sprawled out on the bed. He must have fallen asleep. When she got closer, however, her amusement turned to horror. The sheets were stained with a little bit of blood coming from his wrists. On his nightstand was a bottle of pills, and the bottle was empty.

She didn't feel disbelief. She didn't feel sad. And heck no, not that BS about being numb. Piper was nothing. g. She could float away, win the lottery, and she would still be nothing. Piper felt like SHE was nothing. Worth nothing.

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When Hades finally got there, he confirmed that Leo was dead. However, he reassured Jason he would go to Elysium and not the Fields of Punishment for his suicide because of how he served in the Giant War. He couldn't reassure Piper, because she wasn't responding. Her eyes looked glazed.

Everyone couldn't help but feel bad for her. It was her birthday, and her best friend had died.

They had discovered eight notes, all taking up about half a piece of paper, except the one addressed to Piper. That one took up 2 pages.

When they offered it to Piper, she just stared at it, like she couldn't even see it. Then she slowly reached out and gingerly brought the paper to her.

This could make or break her.

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Dear Beauty Queen,

I'm sorry. You deserve an explanation, but I can't give it to you in person. I wouldn't be able to bear it. I'm sure you noticed that... Ever since the war, I haven't been the same. I've been distant. I've been moody. Look Piper, I can see you love Jason. Your blush, the sparkle in your eyes. And let me tell you, I can see it in his eyes too. And that's what breaks me. I needed someone to love me. I didn't want pity. That's what everyone gave me, all the time. Except for you. The time I had with you flew by so fast, because it was like I was speaking a language only you could understand. You understand, or rather understood. So I guess what I'm trying to say is... I love you. But if I couldn't be happy, I want you to. I NEED you to live for me. Please. I'm sorry this had to happen on your birthday, but I want you to understand. I need you to. And, I have one last thing to say. I hope it doesn't alter your relationship with Jason in any way, but you need to know. The memories you have about your relationship with Jason at the Wilderness School... They weren't fake. They were about me.

I hope I'm still your number one Repair Boy,
Leo Valdez

PS: I wrote a story for you. Hopefully it makes you feel better:

There once was a little boy, and he couldn't have been older than four or five. He went to the park with his father, and discovered a little nook in the playground. When he went inside it, he saw a teenage girl, curled up in the corner. He squeezed inside, and decided to talk to her, because she looked lonely. Then he saw cuts on her arm.

"Wow! You're an angel!" He exclaimed. She blushed, and shook her head no. He went on anyways.

"My mother told me that the people who had cuts on their arms were angels, and they didn't like life on earth, because they missed heaven."

The girl finally talked. "Where is your mother?"

The boy let a tear escape his eye. He spoke the six words that would make the girl stop cutting.

"She has already returned to heaven."

I hope I'm still your angel as well as your Repair Boy. Inside, I'm placing the drawing I made of the Argo II. I know what ir represents now: Hopes and dreams. I hope you follow them. Strange, isn't it? For a boy who was depressed, I still had so many hopes. I think it's because those hopes were already gone before I reached them. Does that make sense?

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By now, Piper was crying terrible, heartbreaking sobs, and nobody could stop her. Jason tried to take the letter from her to put it somewhere safe, but she strapped it to herself with her arms.

The letter broke Piper. She couldn't accept that Leo was dead, that it was Leo and not some other mischevious little Latino elf. It wasn't HER Repair Boy. After reading this letter, which sounded so unlike the cheery little guy she knew yet so much like something he would do...

She knew. He really HADN'T been the same since The Giant War. Everything stacked so fragile... It was too much, even if they were demigods, and that was their lifestyle.

She hadn't told him the most important secret she had.

She loved him.

And she was going to tell him that on her birthday.

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Okay, now I feel depressed. Great. This story was.. Wow. It brought out something in me. Review? Pleeeaassseee. I'll give you cookies with extra chocolate chips. (:::::::) Here, have one.