Leo has spent a full 18 hours in the infirmary, which includes part of the day before and today. And counting.
At the moment, Will has not let him out and ordered him to stay in bed. They are evaluating something about 'his mental stability in a clearly deplorable state' that he really doesn't understand.
The good news is that he no longer needs a breathing tube or to be hooked up to a heart monitor. They just have him strapped to the bed. And he hates it. They're taking away his freedom.
"It's for your own good, Leo." Says Hazel, who has been by his side for hours. After all, it's his turn.
But Leo doesn't want to believe it. He understands the measures, but tying him down? Man, that feels like too much.
"Maybe because you tried to kill yourself twice in less than a week." He thinks, but quickly shakes the thought away.
Hazel looks uncomfortable. She's constantly staring at the window, and to Leo's liking, she blinks a lot.
"It's because you're just a burden."
And it was true. Leo is just a burden. Even with everyone around him, Leo feels alone.
Hazel seems to read his thoughts, so she turns to him.
"If something's bothering you, you can talk to me about it." Hazel offers, smiling sweetly at him.
She may not have the charmspeak, but that doesn't stop Leo from feeling the need to tell her everything. It may be because Hazel is a warm and kind person, after all. Or because the weight of it all is already too much for Leo.
"I- I'm a little worried about.... well, everything." He responds. His heart says 'open up, Leo' but his brain screams 'Leo, shut your mouth!'
"Everything? You mean your mental health or...?" Hazel tilts her head to the side, confused.
"Yeah, I guess." Leo wants to talk, he really wants to, but he can't. He doesn't feel capable.
After a few minutes in which silence reigns, Will enters the room.
"Well, Leo. There's good news and bad news for you." The son of Apollo says, sighing. "The good news is that you'll be able to get out of the infirmary tomorrow."
"And the bad new?" Leo asks, less than hopeful.
"The bad is that you will still have 'babysitters', as you call it. But now, you'll have to be tied to someone." Will explains, and Leo can't help but let out a groan.
"Tied up? Really?" He groans.
"Hey, nobody likes the idea. But, given what you tried to do yesterday and everything we found in Bunker 9, we decided it's best this way." Will clarifies.
Leo's eyes widen like saucers. Someone snooped around bunker 9? Who? And when? What if they'd found everything he guards?
"And why can't one of my siblings do it?" The son of Hephaestus questions, trying to conceal his growing doubts.
Will raises an eyebrow, somewhat curiously. "I thought you'd rather they didn't know?"
Leo shrugs. "Maybe. But I thought they would have asked at this point. I mean, I've slept in Zeus' cabin for four nights."
Hazel and Will look at each other for a few seconds, which gives Leo a very bad idea.
"Well, you see, Leo..." Hazel begins, as if hesitating.
"Your siblings aren't very happy with you." Will lets those words sink in before continuing. "I mean, haven't you noticed that after the war people ask you to fix everything to you, like you have some kind of magic?"
The Latino falls silent, processing the information. That's not possible. All of this is not possible.
How did he not realize it before? How did he not realize that the only one of his silbings he has talked to during this week is Nyssa? How did he not realize that, every time he was asked to fix something, his siblings looked at him with skepticism? (A/N: Let's pretend it didn't take me 12 chapters to use Jackman's idea, okay?)
Or even worse; how his siblings looked at him like that because he 'attracted attention'? He thought they appreciated and supported him more than this.
"No surprise, though. You don't deserve that."
"I-I didn't realize." He stammers, trying not to panic for gods know what number of times in the week.
Neither Will nor Hazel say another word about the matter, but it seems to the Latino that Hazel tightens her grip on his shoulder gently.
"It's going to be all right, Leo." She insists again. And, as much as Leo wants to believe her, there's something deep down that tells him the worst hasn't come yet.
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A/N: Another chapter to add to the list! I really had two versions for this and that's why I didn't post yesterday. But in the end I decided on this one.
I don't really know how to continue the story, but I do know how it will end. I have a couple more chapters planned (7 or 8, at most), plus the ending and a (possible) epilogue.
So, you know, if I don't upload chapters it's because I'm busy or because I'm not inspired!
