How to Save a Life

six

• Nico •

I woke up to my cabin door creaking open, and hearing a soft, "oh," come from the doorway.

"No, I don't want any, go away," I whispered, curling up tighter to the figure next to me.

"Annabeth is not going to believe this."

"I'm trying to sleep."

"Right. Um...I'll come back."

"Thank you."

---

  I was woken up by a flash and a snapping sound, followed by two giggles. I groaned and blinked my eyes open, looking around me to see that Piper and Percy were standing at the door, a camera in Piper's hands.

  "Oh, you two are so-" I went to say dead and get out of the bed, but a figures arms were wrapped around me. I looked down to see Leo curled up to me, his eyebrows furrowed as if he was having a bad dream. I instantly stopped and wrapped my arms around him.

  "Oh my gods," Piper squealed. "I didn't know I wanted this until now."
 
  "Right?" Percy inquired.

  I rolled my eyes, glaring at the two idiots.

  "Trying to sleep, here."

  "Um well, it's noon, so wake up," Percy said, sitting on the bed. Piper soon joined, all four of us squished on the same queen-sized bed. Let me remind you that Percy is at least 6'1 and Piper's not-so-small either.

  "Wait until Jason gets a load of this," Piper mumbled and Leo shot up randomly.

  "No," he said, catching everyone by surprise. "Jason does not need to know about this."

  "Alright, chill," Piper mumbled, before tackling him, hugging him tightly. "I've missed you, best friend."

  "Your boobs are in my face. Not complaining, but-"

  "Oh, shut up," Piper laughed, hitting him. "Jason and I got into a fight this morning."

  "Over what?"

  "He said to ask Nico what he meant when he said while Jason was ignoring you, you were doing something, but Nico wouldn't tell because Jason didn't deserve to know. I said that if Nico didn't want to tell him, there was obviously a really good reason. He got mad because you're his best friend and all, but I said that you two aren't really best friends anymore and he told me to get out of his cabin, so I went to hang out with my new best bro Percy," Piper explained. "I mean, I want to know, but no pressure."

  I looked at Leo and he shook his head.

  "I just got it," Percy whispered. "What you guys were talking about."

  "Idiot," Leo mumbled, rolling his eyes.

  "Back at ya, homeslice," Percy said, flicking Leo in the forehead.

  "Dang, even Percy knows," Piper mumbled.

  "I would tell you, but...I don't know, I feel like I just can't," Leo explained. "You deserve to know, though. So uh..." He looked at me, his eyes pleading.

  "These past few days, Leo has tried to um..." I said, looking at him to make sure it was alright for me to say it. He nodded and I took a deep breath. "Leo tried to commit suicide. Twice."

  Piper's breath hitched in her throat, before she whispered out a, "what?"

  "That's why Percy's here. Last night I had to shadow travel to him so that he could get Leo because he was...yeah, anyway," I cleared my throat, looking down at my hands.

  "Leonardo Valdez!" Piper yelled.

  "It's literally just Leo. Why doesn't anyone seem to get that?"

  "Why wouldn't you come talk to me? Or Jason? Or Percy? Or Nico?"

  "Because all of you just leave," Leo exclaimed. "No offense, Piper, but we haven't exactly been friends since the War."

"I-" she paused, before sighing. "You're right. I've been such a shitty friend lately. I'm sorry." She hung her head, so Leo hugged her.

"It's okay, Pipes."

---

I left Percy, Piper, and Leo to hang out amongst themselves and headed for Jason's cabin. I knocked on the door and Jason answered, his hair disheveled and his eyes tired.

  "What's up?" he asked.

  "We need to talk. Can I come in?"

  "Sure..."

  He let me in, before shutting the door, sitting on his bed. I sat next to him and took a deep breath.

  "So I was talking to Leo last night," I started, watching his expression.

  "So you two are getting pretty close, huh?" he asked teasingly, wiggling his eyebrows.

  "As a matter of fact, yes," I replied monotonously with a stoic expression. "And apparently, you two were as well."

"He told you."

"Yeah."

"What did he say?"

  "Nothing much, just that you two cuddled and kissed and stuff like that behind Piper's back on the Argo," I said, watching as Jason's face visibly paled.

  "Please don't tell her," he begged.

  "I won't," I muttered, relief washing over his features. "But you will."

  "What?" he asked quietly, his voice sounding small.

  "Tell Piper what happened between you and Leo. She deserves to know."

  "But I-"

  "You know you're in the wrong. You have to tell Piper. It's just the right thing to do."

  "I don't want to lose her," he said, hurt weighing his voice down.

  "Then you shouldn't have did what you did with Leo. Not only that, but you lied to him."

  "About what?" he asked, feigning genuine surprise.

  "You told him you broke up with Piper. But you didn't."

  "I know. I was just really messed up, okay? The war made me do and say things I shouldn't have. I'm different now."

  "Then you understand your mistakes and you're willing to admit them to Piper, right?"

  He hung his head, before sighing.

  "Yeah. I guess I'll go do that now...I really don't want to lose her, Neeks."

"I know. But you shouldn't have cheated on her. With her best friend."