Shadows Fall to Flames. {{valdangelo}}

Chapter 5

When Leo finally looked up from his work, he noticed Nico was fast asleep. He also noticed that the 14 year old was a major fall risk, and being in a workshop, it wasn't going to be a soft landing.

Leo, who often was too tired to make it all the way back to the Hephaestus cabin after a long night of working, had set up an extremely make shift 'bed'.

He lifted Nico gently of the bench, and carried him bridal style over to the stingy mattress on the floor.

The son of Hades, to say the least, was super adorable in his sleep, but Leo definitely 100% did not think that.

Nico chose that moment to huddle in closer to the 'bad boy supreme' murmured softly in his sleep.

'Oh my gods Nico why do you have to be so damn cute' Leo muttered angrily,

Laying the small figure onto the bed, Leo began to gently remove Nico's aviator jacket, as it didn't seem like the best thing to be sleeping in.

The Italian was too deeply asleep to be aware in the slightest.

As Leo raised Nico's small frame off the mattress to pull of the first sleeve, he noticed just how skinny the son of Hades really was.

Leo successful removed the first sleeve and was about to start on the second when something familiar caught his eye.

Dread formed like a bowling ball in the pit of Leo's stomach.

Reaching a tentative hand forward he turned Nico's pale arm towards him.

Leo's worst fear was confirmed, tears prickled in the corners of his eyes.

Gently placing the limb back on the ground, the son of Hephaestus took a step back.

The view was even worse from further away.

Lacing Nico's forearm were numerous cuts.
The slice marks varied in age, some appearing only to be a day or so old, while other were reduced to thin white scars.

Following the arm up to the rest of the, now more exposed body, Leo could tell Nico was in worse shape then he was letting on.
His collar bone stood out prominently, and Leo knew that if they were that exposed, the kids ribs would be just as obvious.

The sallow face of Nico di Angelo looked pained, like all he wanted to do was disappear off the face of the earth. Hell, maybe he did!

Leo felt angry.

Not just at the fact Nico was doing this to himself but because he, Leo, hadn't realised what was going on!
I mean, he'd been there! He should know the signs, but nooooo he just let di Angelo go under the radar.
Felling sick, Leo sank to the floor.

'Why' he managed through his tears, more to himself then the sleeping figure before him.

Pulling up his own sleeved, Leo gazed at his own wounds.
Though they were old (well, depends, is two months old?) the white lines still stood out against his dark tanned skin.

He understood the appeal of cutting your own flesh.

The sting of freedom, taking your mind off the horrors of the past.

But he also knew the dangers, how you came to rely on it, the desire to go one step further.

Leo punched himself in the face, pull yourself together Valdez!, he ordered.

What was he going to do?!

If someone so much as asked why he only wore long sleeves Leo would panic, but if someone had straight up told him they knew he hurt himself, he'd run without a second thought.

He started pacing the open space in front of his workbench, thinking desperately about how to approach this.

Well he's not going to be happy I found out...

It was for his own good!

But still, what if I just acted like nothing...

That is the most STUPID and IRRESPONSIBLE thing I've ever heard

Imagine if you were him, you wouldn't want people to know

If I were him I'd need serious help, I DO need serious help!

His inner battle raged on, he didn't even notice it was almost 7 in the morning.

Nico stirred in the floor, yawning and sitting up.

Leo stopped dead in his tracks, a look of great anxiety settling on his face.

'Where am I' Nico yawned 'what are you gawking at...' he looked down at his exposed arm.

Realisation visibly hit him like a ton of bricks (even though that was kinda Jason's thing).
His expression was one of anger mixed with absolute terror.

'What. The. Hell. Valdez' his voice was deadly quiet, but it made him no less scary, quit the opposite actually.

Nico's eyes seemed darker than normal and black tendrils of darkness branched out from around the son of Hades.
This kid was mad.
He was furious.

Leo wanted to run, but he knew it would only make things worse.

'Nico...'

'No!!' He yelled jumping to his feet, his teeth bared, tears streaming down his thin face 'you had no right to...it none of your...' his voice broke, and the darkness retracted.

Leo had no idea what to do, so he just stood there, in silence.
He soon realised that wasn't helping.

Walking cautiously over to the emotional unstable Hades kid, Leo plopped down on the bed beside him.

As expected Nico tried to scoot away, but Leo wasn't having any of it. He grabbed his arm, pulling him into a hug. Nico struggled weakly, but that was all he could do, he soon settled with just sobbing into Leo shirt.

'I hate you I h..hate you' he said quietly tears interfering with his ability to strike fear in the heart of his foes.

Leo knew he didn't mean it and instead of being offended just hugged the crying mess tighter.

'It's ok' he whispered, holding back tears of his own 'I've got you'