Life Is A Machine

A/N- THE_FANBOY_WHO_LIVED, YOU MUST BE SATISFIED NOW. ANYWAY, HERE IT GOES :)

Third Person`s POV

Nico noticed.

Nico was a guy who liked the dark blue hues of the sky right before sunrise. So he'd been awake when Leo was walking into the woods and had seen him. Nico didn't know much about Leo, but from what he did know, he was sure that Leo was not a morning person. A trip on a flying ship with him was enough to know that. So when he saw Leo walking into the woods at 4 in the morning, Nico was genuinely surprised.

And so, he followed.

Leo didn't notice him. In fact, he wasn't able to notice anything. He was too grieved and distraught for that. All he cared about at that point, was the women in the little photo frame he held. A gift from his father, one that had got Leo`s eyes to tears. Leo knew he couldn't hide his feelings forever. Sure, humor was a good way to hide the pain. But the pain was still there. Stabbing him from within, trying to swallow him.

Leo kept walking. He didn't avert his eyes from the picture. He couldn't. His eyes were locked on those kind brown eyes. His knees buckled, his vision turned blurry and his hand quivered. He couldn't hide his pain today. He couldn't hold back his tears today. Not today. Today was the day he couldn't save her all those years ago. Today was the day his mother had died. And finally his legs gave away and he fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face.

Nico would have run to help him, but he didn't. He knew he shouldn't. He recognized the look on Leo's face. It was a very familiar one. It was the same look Nico had when his mother died. The same look he had when Bianca died. It was the same look he saw whenever he looked at himself in the mirror. The grief, the pain, the striving, the bitterness...just like his.

"I'm sorry…" Leo`s watery voice came out. It was so hushed that Nico had trouble hearing it.

"I'm sorry mom. I shouldn't have ever left your side. I'm really sorry. If only I knew. If only I wasn't so scared, If only I knew I could save you, I would've come in mom. I would've saved you. I was so scared of the fire. So scared. If I'd just entered and saved you, not worrying about the stupid, stupid fire, you would've been here with me, woudn't you? You would be here, right beside me, beside me and Calypso and my friends, shouting at every mistake I make, smiling at every silly thing I do, calling me mijo, teaching Morse code to all my friends, whacking us for our stupidity." He laughed humorlessly as more tears poured down his face.

"I could do so many more silly things to see you smile just one more time. This is all my fault mom. All mine. I'm really sorry. Gods, I miss you so much mom, I miss you. Remember when you told me about how lives were like machines? You told me that every one of us is a part of it and that every part in the machine has its own importance. Then why mom? Why did you leave me? Didn't you know that every part of a machine depends on another part for the machine to work? Didn't you know that I'm nothing without you? Then why!? Why didn't you shout for help? Why did you save me? Why did you leave me mom? Why? I want you back mom, please, come back. I miss you. Come back to me. I'll do anything you want mom. Just come back. I miss you so much. I just want to lie down beside you again, rest my head on your lap again, just stay with you. I don't want anything else. Just you mom. I want your warmth and love. Your soft smiles and hums. Just your sweet voice and kind eyes. Just you. So, please, come back. Please. I love you mom, I love you. I love you so much..."

Leo's voice trailed away and he couldn't speak anymore. His voice failed him. Tears ran down his face and with every tear that touched the earth, there was a new thing that Nico realized.

Nico always felt the same pain Leo was suffering. Today he realized. He realized that Leo was stronger than he let on. Today Nico realized that Nico was weak. Nico couldn't fight the grief in him. He didn't have the strength to. And so, the grief took him over. But Leo was different. He didn't let it take over him. He fought against it and locked it in his heart. Nico realized that Leo knew that grief would get him nowhere. It would just cloud all the little light and happiness left in life. That's where the difference between them was.

"Hey, Leo", Nico called out. Leo`s tears still streamed down but there was no moment in him. After a pause, he spoke.

"Why are you here?" Leo's low voice came out. There was no anger or surprise in his voice. In fact, his voice seemed devoid of any feelings. It was just plain, flat and hoarse. It wasn't even Leo`s voice. It was a voice with no emotions. One that Nico knew well.

"In machines, if parts get spoiled or damaged, we repair them. But if they wore out or break, we replace them. If we keep the broken part just because you don't want to leave it, the whole machine gets spoilt. That's why we should replace the old ones with the new ones. I don't mean that we should forget the ones we loved. It means that we must keep moving on with our lives to live happily. That we must keep moving forward for the machine to work. Replace sad memories with happy ones. And thank you, for making me realize that Leo. Thank you very much." Nico said and started getting engulfed by shadows.

But before Nico completely disappear into the shadows, he heard Leo speak.

"You know, I still find it kinda ironic that you being the Son of Hades turned all gloomy because of death."

And that comment might have made Nico really annoyed, but it did not. Not this time. Because those words were in Leo's voice. And Nico knew Leo was smiling as he said those words. He could hear it in Leo's voice. Nico couldn't help but smile.

A/N- SO HOW WAS IT? CLICKE BELOW ON THAT BOX NAMED 'REVIEW' OVER THERE AND PLEASE COMMENT. BTW, THIS WAS ACTUALLY SUPPOSED TO BE A CHAPTER FOR GOODE HIGH BUT...YEAH...SO THANK YOU A LOT FOR READING THIS GUYS! I 3 YOU ALL!