Warning, this chapter will have scenes of self harm and under-age drinking though nothing to graphic. If this is a sensitive issue for you than please check the warnings that I will put in front of the memory. Also, this will be another angsty chapter so be prepared.
QueenofLothlorien : I've never really tried to go without sleep so I can only imagine how it must feel.
Nyx's Fist : Hello again :) And I'm glad that making your heart hurt isn't necessarily a bad thing because this chapter hurts my heart and I'm the one writing it.
MarissaTodd : I guess they were just too caught up in each other and the camp :(
WhiteWinterStar : I know that normally Annabeth would notice, but she was pretty obsessed with finding Percy at this point and Leo is relatively similar to Percy so it might have hurt to be around someone with similarities to her missing boyfriend.
Fantasiedreamar : I seem to make a lot of people cry :( Sorry.
Catsrawesome : Ooh, I like the idea of a break up, I might use that soon.
Lovefangirllove : How they plague us.
Pacenya347 : The feels are strong in this one :)
RoseAmy13LunaGinny : Oh no, I knew I'd make a mistake like that somewhere. Thanks, I'll have to remember that (I'm English so trying to write the American way is hard).
Guest : I know, the others just seem to brush of Leo's feelings whenever he mentions his past! And it's going to get darker this chapter ...
TeamLeo'sVeryOwnFlinxShipper : I hope you have a wonderful day too :) And Leo definitely needs a hug.
Elia the Huntress : Yay, I can now officially mess up other's emotions (only kidding). And don't worry, my friends already told me who died.
Lovefangirllove : Thank you so much! And I really do make a lot of people cry (I'm such a bad person).
Killua minamoto : I'm glad that you enjoyed it, and I love all of you as well.
Kittehx1 : Don't worry, I will.
ObsessedwReading : I've done his Mom's death and I'm not including Calypso but thanks for the other ideas.
Our Mismatched Socks : Thank you :)
RowanRoseandCelestleJackson : I hope that Leo can repair your feels dam (though probably not this chapter).
Guest : Thanks (and I'm using the self harm idea this chapter so thanks for that).
Awesometacos : It's good that you liked the dark because it's going to get darker.
SilverStorm116 : Thank you but all credit for the song choice goes to AmaebLEO.
Disclaimer : Anything that can be recognised as canon is not mine.
Jason's P.O.V
Jason stared wordlessly at the now blank screen. Had Leo really thought that? Jason was almost crushed by guilt as he realised just how much he and Piper had neglected their friend. Yes they had had camp duties and yes they were trying to spend a lot of time with each other, but they should have never forgotten about their friend. No, not their friend, their younger brother. They had failed Leo in such a horrendous way. He wouldn't have blamed Leo if he wanted to run away. Leo deserved better.
Tears started to trail down Jason's cheeks, but he made no move to wipe them off. All of his friends (except Leo obviously) were in a similar state. They all knew that they had hurt the usually bubbly mechanic, and he had felt so alone that he had kept it from them. Jason wanted to wrap his arms around Leo and not let him go until everything was forgiven, but Jason didn't know if everything could be forgiven. The wounds had been left to fester and Leo had never complained once. He had just soldiered on and they had abused this loyalty.
Hera's P.O.V
Hera stared at the sobbing heroes, and even she was not harsh enough to not feel a twinge of pity.
"This memory will either destroy them all, or it will rekindle the trust that they shared. I hope that this will be the worst memory that I will have to show them." The Goddess' thoughts were sincere as she silently resolved to show the group that memory.
Jason's P.O.V
The screen had came back on and if he didn't already understand the futility of attacking the screen, lightning would be attacking the screen. Hadn't their brother been through enough. His fists clenched as he could hear the sniffles and sobs that the rest of his friends were producing. Leo's picture lay abandoned on the couch and he closed it over hesitantly.
Leo himself was silent in the corner, though the shadows danced in a way that told Jason that part of his friend. If he wasn't so emotionally wrought than he would have laughed at the normalcy he placed in the thought. Instead, his eyes drifted wearily to the screen, praying that they would make it through this. Together.
Warning, scenes of self harm and under-age drinking in this memory.
Fourteen year old Leo sat in a dark room, smoke filling the air. Strobe lights illuminated all but the darkest corners and the place was packed with teenagers. Leo appeared to be one of the youngest. A thumping beat played in the background as Leo sat on the couch, feet dangling lazily, hand tapping with the beat. His hair was wilder than usual, and his clothes were crumpled. He was wearing a tight black top, fishnet gloves, ripped, black skinny jeans and scuffed boots.
An older boy, around eighteen or nineteen who's face was filled with piercings stalked over to Leo, two beers clutched in his hands.
"Need a drink little dude?" The smile on his face was kind but with an edge that screamed danger. Leo shrugged.
"Got no money." His answer was stated in a bored tone. If possible, the other boy's grin grew wider.
"Hey, what sort of person would I be if I didn't treat the boy who saved me from the cops. Us runaways gotta stick together, right?" Leo shrugged.
"Thanks, but I didn't do much." Leo accepted the drink gratefully, and sipped at it expertly.
Jason was uncomfortable. Not only was Leo drinking alcohol under-aged, he was clearly in a very dodgy place. But there was no way he could say any of that to Leo who was shrinking in his corner. The flames had intensified but Leo was making no move to attack the screen. Jason was unsure on whether or not this was a good sign.
The other boy slid onto the couch next to Leo and his arm slid around the other's shoulders casually. Leo stayed fixated on his drink, which was rapidly disappearing. They remained drinking in silence for a few minutes, but when the drinks were finished, the older boy returned with four more and a pair of shots on a tray.
They had downed all the drinks and the shots before the older boy made a move to talk again. Leo was looking slightly unsteady at this point.
"So, me and my boys were thinking..." He trailed of.
"His boys? Oh Gods, he's a gang leader!" Annabeth looked terrified, yet Leo ignored them. The other demigods were tense as they watched the screen.
"Yeah?" Leo's voice was distinctly slurred. The grin on the older boys face was frightening at this point.
"That a boy of your *ahem* skills would be perfect in our gang." Leo's hooded eyes observed the other boy for a moment. Then he stood up a little shakily.
"Sorry mate, but I'm not interested in joining any gang." Leo turned to walk away when a hand made it's way around his wrist.
"I think that you should reconsider." The that was clamped around Leo's wrist seemed to be getting tighter.
"And I think that you should check your potential recruits alcohol tolerance before you try to coerce them." Leo's voice remained perfectly pleasant, but it was now crystal clear. The elder boy was sliding his free hand into his waistband, and there was a flash of silver. Leo was too quick for him.
The Latino's head slammed into the other's face with bone crunching force. The hand on his wrist loosened and Leo tore away, dancing through the crowd in a way that was almost choreographed in it's fluidity.
As soon as Leo had escaped the club, he took to the rooftops. He ran and ran. He stopped at a certain back alley, and made his way through it cautiously. When he reached the end, he turned. The building next to him was clearly abandoned, and Leo hunched over to wrench a few miscellaneous pieces of rubbish away from the wall. He revealed a hole in the side of the building, small enough for a very skinny dark haired demigod.
After Leo had wriggled into the basement of the old building, he made his way over to the trusty back pack. From it's depths, Leo pulled out a small pocket knife, with a dangerous looking blade.
Breathing ragged, he rolled one of his gloves of. Then the knife was ghosting over his flesh, leaving behind thin red trails. The injuries wept down his arms though they were clearly not deep enough to scar. Once seven cuts were leaving bloody tears on Leo's arms, the knife was cleaned carefully on an already blood stained handkerchief. The knife was then dropped carelessly back into the bag.
The blood was stemmed hastily by a Leo, who then proceeded to expertly bandage his arm. The look on his face was one of grim determination.
"I should of let that bloody criminal be taken down." Leo's voice was filed with self recrimination as he tightened the bandages.
"I shouldn't have come to this bloody place." Another harsh yank.
"And I shouldn't have ran away FOR THE MILLIONTH GODDAMN TIME"." Leo finished with the bandages as he shouted these last words.
The video ended with and image of red slowly staining the once pure white of the bandages.
Memory ended
Jason almost wanted to die. Seeing Leo mutilating himself was just too much.
"Leo..." He managed to choke out. His brother curled up tighter in his little corner.
"Dude, why?" Percy's voice cracked. Leo didn't acknowledge them at all.
"Please Leo, we want to help." Maybe it was the desperate plea made by Piper, maybe it was the fact that Leo had been holding all of this in for much longer than necessary but he finally turned towards his worried friends, his worried family.
The chocolate eyes were devoid of any emotion, starkly contrasting the tears that rained from them like tiny waterfalls. Jason's heart was stuttering at the sight of such pain on Leo's face.
"Maybe ... maybe I'm beyond helping." The anger from earlier had been replaced with sheer anguish and desperation. Jason almost wished that the anger would return. At least then his little brother wouldn't be giving up on them, on himself.
"It just all hurts so much. Raphael, Aunt Rosa, Mr Borquin, Mrs Sparrow, James, Layla, Katie and Mi Mami, it hurts so much. I've lost everything again and again and I'm going to lose you as well." Leo was speaking with the same pattern as a child and he was rocking slowly. The ache to hug the boy was too strong for Jason to resist and his arms made their way around Leo again. Leo's arms wrapped around him as Jason rocked him.
"Why do you think that you'll lose us as well?" Percy and Piper also sat with the distraught boy, their arms reclaiming their place around Leo's waist and shoulders. The others sat as close as they could without actually sitting on the trio. Frank would have turned into a puppy again but their voices were all needed to help the second youngest.
"Because I destroy everything and It's only a matter of time before you want to get rid of me."
"We'll never want to get rid of you." Hazel's voice was filled with fierce love for her friend.
"We need you no matter what you think." Annabeth chimed in.
"Who else would keep us all amused with stupid jokes when things go wrong?" Frank added his piece.
"You're safe with us little firebug." Piper's arms squeezed Leo gently.
"You'll never have to run again." Percy's grip also tightened.
"You're our brother Leo and we're sorry for not realising how much you were hurting. We're sorry for neglecting you. But we're not sorry for you being with us and we'll never regret you being a part of our family. Please, never hurt yourself again." Jason felt his own voice breaking as he tugged Leo into his lap.
"I already told you that I was just being bitter that day." Leo was clearly beating up for allowing his friends to hear those words from the other video, despite the fact that they were never intended to reach the gangs' ears.
"You were right about the fact that we neglect you unfairly. You were wrong when you called yourself unimportant though. Nothing is more important to me than my family." Percy spoke with conviction, and Jason already knew that Percy would die or kill for any of them. The others were agreeing loudly.
"How many times have you cut yourself?" Annabeth's question was no nonsense, she expected and answer and she would get one no matter what.
"Only ten or eleven times ..." Leo trailed off at the horrified gasps.
"Have you cut since you met us?" Piper's voice trembled. Leo's cheeks coloured with shame.
"Once." He mumbled. Jason's insides turned to ice . he had never even known.
"When?" Jason knew that his voice was hoarse but at this point he couldn't care less.
"After the attack on the Roman demigods." Jason saw Percy and Annabeth flinch.
"Was it because of us?" Percy seemed to be once again on the brink of tears. Leo shook his head vehemently.
"No! It was fault. As usual I was weak and now you're suffering for it." Leo began trembling again, and the three demigods holding him drew closer.
"You aren't weak Leo." Hazel's voice was soft this time, though no less full of love and determination.
"I've always been weak." Leo's simple statement broke a dam inside of Jason.
"You are the strongest person I have ever and probably will ever meet. You've gone through so much yet you keep on laughing. We never seem to give you the credit you deserve but you still keep working and you never seem to resent us for all the ways we have wronged you. Leo Valdez, son of Hephaestus, Master mechanic, metal dragon whisperer you are stronger than everyone here and without you we would be nothing. You are our brother and I swear that I will do everything in my power to earn your forgiveness." Jason was panting slightly at the end of his emotional tirade.
Leo's shocked brown eyes locked onto his. Then, his younger brother broke into a smile. It was watery and weak an yet it still conveyed love.
"I don't need you to earn my forgiveness, Hermito, for you are my family." Leo's words warmed Jason's heart like the flames he usually produced. He ruffled Leo's hair, and Leo stuck his tongue out at him. Everything was not okay, but hopefully with the aid of the memories to come, they could get back to the Argo stronger than ever before.
"Annabeth?" Leo was questioning again, and remembering Leo's question from before, Annabeth nodded with caution.
"If you are all my brothers and sisters, than aren't you technically all incestuous by dating each other?"
A chorus of groans rang out.
So, I hope that this wasn't to depressing. Please feel free to leave a review and may your day be blessed with Leo goodness.