I have a few drafts and random ideas for this book that I never published or refined. If I remember correctly, they're from different points of the book, so I don't think they're in any order. Anyways, I thought I'd show you guys these drafted ideas as extra content! Enjoy!
This chapter is dedicated to iWearThe_Crown, for her AMAZAWESOME fanart of this story (picture above)!!! Thanks, love, it's readers like you who make this worth wild.
LEO'S POV
"Leo, you have a visitor, Nico di Angelo. Would you like to see him?"
My ears were ringing, but I understood the nurse just fine. "Yes, please, ma'am."
After the door closed, it reopened, and a boy my age wearing all black entered. Without a word and quite calmly, he grabbed a chair and pulled it to my bedside, and took a seat in it.
I looked at him. He looked awful. His eyes were red, from what looked like hours of crying. His nose was tinted, too. He looked a bit shaky. His hair was unruly, tangled in a couple spots.
"Hey, Leo." he said, voice nearly hoarse. I heaved and sniffed, so grateful he was here with me.
"Hey, Neeks." I sniffed and put on my regular smile. This made him smile.
"I like your smile." I state, wanting to reach out and touch his face, but my brace was holding me back.
Nico looked at my broken leg and my sprained ankle. His eyes traveled to the bandages and patches on my chest, and the tubes through me near my heart. His eyebrows furrowed, like he was about to cry, and his nose crinkled (in such a cute way), his cheeks moving too. He looked at my dislocated shoulder.
"I'm such a mess." I state, looking at him fully, not really knowing myself if I was joking or exclaiming.
He looked at my face, and put his hand on my cheek. I leaned into the touch. "You're not a mess, Leo. I'm a mess. Not you. At least you're able to smile through the pain." he tells me.
I look away and a tear falls down from my left eye. Nico wipes it away, drawing my attention back to him, "Don't cry. You're okay. It's all okay."
I nod. Everything's okay. I tell myself. But I can't believe it.
"That's what everyone says when it's not okay. Don't think I don't know what it's like to be one of those people too. You and me, we're alike. Broken machines, tainted and rusted red." I said, somewhat frustratingly.
I saw a flash of pain in Nico's eyes. Gods, did I mess up again? Gods! I sigh, "I'm sorry."
Nico looked at me, and opened his mouth...but closed it, clenching his jaw. He looked away and closed his eyes, sucking in a few breaths. He looked back at me, and it hurt to see he was almost emotionless...almost.
"Knock that off." I told him. He looked at me, confused. "I said, knock it off! Acting like you're the only one who knows pain! Well you're not, Nico! I've been through it too! My dad abandoned me when I was born. I killed my mom when I was eight. I run and run and run from the world but it always catches up in slams of pain." And I continued to tell him everything.
When I was done he was shocked, speechless. I'm broken. I think. He looks at me, and shakes his head, a drop of a tear slipping down his face, and crashing into the floor.
He wants to say something, but probably doesn't know what, or how.
"Leo, no!" he suddenly cries. I watch him as he looks down completely.
"No! No, it's not right. You can't..." he starts crying. "You can't be broken too. Anyone but you. Please tell me you're lying."
I don't respond right away, and he yells, "Dang it! Everyone I love, this always happens! I lose them... o-or they hurt too, and Leo I can't see you hurt, anyone but you. You seem so happy. So forgiveable. No. I can't take this anymore." and he starts crying.