We've all got bruises. (Leico)

In which it all tumbles down..

"No big deal. What you do for friends, and all that."

Nico's brow furrowed. Friends?

Leo tried to make up for the awkward situation by explaining what a man-crush Monday was.

"Who's yours?" he asked, laughing. Nico looked at him in exasperation, but at least he laughed. Leo considered that a point for Team Leo.
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Meanwhile in the living area, Hazel paced back and forth on the rug and looked at each of them. "As I assume you all now know, Nico's been through...a lot, to say the least. It's probably best that no one tries to bring it up."

Piper looked up, sadness on her face. "Did they ever catch the sickos who did that?" she demanded.

Hazel shook her head sadly. "No, and Nico's description didn't really help either. Sleepy looking woman with brown hair and eyes fits the look of half the women in this city."

Rachel raised her hand. "Does he have anyone we can call to help him? Kind of like therapy?"

Again, Hazel shook her head. "I doubt there's anyone he knows from before he was kidnapped that can help."

For the first time since they started their 'Nico-needs-friends-and-protection' meeting Percy spoke up.

"I think I know some people."

"How? You'd never met him before he came here," Hazel argued.

He looked away. "Not entirely true. We met at a kind of neighborhood kids club thing. It was run by Mr. D, actually. I only met Nico a couple times. I don't think he even knew my name. Mr.D always called me 'Peter Johnson.' I was always better friends with his sister, Bianca, anyway." He rubbed his chin and tousled his hair. "In fact," he started, not meeting anyone's eyes, "I'm pretty much the one that got her killed."
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"My man crush Monday?" Nico asked with raised eyebrows.

"Duh!" Leo asked, laughing. "Although I probably wouldn't know yours if it wasn't Percy, Jason, or Frank."

Nico rubbed the back of his neck and flushed. "Probably this guy from my old neighborhood kid club, Peter Johnson." He flushed as Leo cackled.

"Sorry sorry sorry!" he gasped out. "It's just....Peter Johnson? What kind of stupid name is that?"

Half-heartedly, Nico started chuckling too. "Don't laugh!" he said in indignation. "I don't know, I barely even knew him, and I haven't seen him since my sister died, but he was always over at our house and being stupid with Bianca. He'd play pranks on the owner whenever the old prune did something unfair to a kid. He was my hero. Wasn't that bad looking, either." Nico looked down, realizing he had said too much.

Leo realized it as well, and laughed nervously.

"I think you went a little overboard on the whole 'man crush' thing, you big fat gay, you."

Nico flinched visibly, and Leo sucked in a breath. "My bad, my bad! I didn't know you were....actually gay. My bad."

Nico forced out a terrible sounding laugh. "What? Who, me? No! No! I'm perfectly straight!" He went the shade of a tomato and started rubbing the pictures of Bianca's grave unconsciously.

Leo looked at him in a pitying way that made Nico's blood curdle.

"I'm not gay!" he yelled. Rising to his feet hastily, he choked out a "I think I'm gonna go play truth or dare with the others." before stomping out.

Leo exhaled and looked at his ceiling. "I never thought one person could mess things up so bad," he sighed, pulling a pillow over his head.
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At the same time, Percy explained to the shocked group what had happened.

"Bianca was..kind. Fearless. She handled Nico so well, too. If I had to practically raise a kid years younger than me by myself, I couldn't have done it half as good. Anyway, we were all walking in the street in front of her father when some douche grabbed Annabeth and tried to drag her off the sidewalk into an alley."

Hazel gasped and fanned herself. Smiling to reassure her, Annabeth continued the story. "It was only for a second. I was stupid. I wanted to see the architecture of a new building, and I ran ahead. The man that grabbed my arm didn't want to do anything to me. He was just homeless and needed some change."

Percy swallowed hard. "Anyway, I saw it happen and I surged forward to get to her. I wasn't looking where I was going, and this car came ramming at me, and I froze. Bianca didn't, though. She grabbed my arm and yanked me back, but she tripped and got hit. I don't even know if Nico knows my part in Bianca's death. He hasn't talked to me about it. Besides, I doubt he even knows I knew Bianca. I'm pretty sure he only ever heard me called "Peter Johnson.""

Everyone startled and whirled around when a small, wounded noise came from the corner. A red faced, open mouthed Nico stared at Percy with wide, wide eyes, looking betrayed. Hazel immediately jumped up and gave a small cry of "Nico!" before running after her brother, who pivoted sharply and ran back to his room.
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The last thing Leo expected at that moment was for his pillow to fall off his face because a sweaty and panicked Nico slammed the door extra hard before pacing back and forth through the room, hands tearing at his hair.

"What happened, man?" Leo asked, slowly sitting up.

Nico shook his head and bit his lip, clearly not able to talk yet. Hazel ran in, taking Nico's face in her hands and kissing his forehead. "Nico, are you okay?" she fussed.

When he spoke, his voice was husky. "Please, Hazel. I want to be alone right now. I'll come find you when I'm ready to talk, but just...not now. Please."

He sounded hollow inside. Really, truly hollow.

Hazel wiped her eyes and retreated, throwing a final, anxious glance at Leo.

"You want to talk about it?" Leo asked slowly, making an effort to keep his voice calm. As soon as the words left he wished he could snap them back. Nico obviously didn't want to talk! He stood up to leave and muttered a "Sorry. You said you wanted to be alone."

So, yeah, he was surprised when Nico clapped a hand on his shoulder and dragged them both down onto the carpet after locking the door.
"Actually," the boy started, looking at Leo with his dark eyes, "I do. To you."