How to Save a Life

eight

• Leo •

  "Alright, I'm giving you three seconds to wake up or you're going to regret it," I said to Jason's sleeping face, watching as he didn't react. "Your static is out of control. I can't even get in the bed. Wake up."

  Nothing.

  "Oh my gods. Zeus help me."

  I picked up a bucket of ice cold water I got from the Hermes cabin and dumped it on his face, watching the water spark. Jason jumped up and glared at me.

  "Sorry, Sparky, but you're a bit staticky at the moment."

  He looked at the blankets, a sheepish smile on his face.

  "Sorry."

  "Bad dream?"

  "Nope. It just happens sometimes. I got it controlled now though."

  "Good, because-"

  Suddenly he jumped at me, hugging me tightly, ice cold water soaking through my clothes. I tried to push him away, but he pinned me down to the ground.

  "Jase...what are you doing?" 

  He laughed maniacally as his hands tickled my sides. I tried to push him away, but I was giggling too much to have much strength.

  "Let...me...go."

  He stopped tickling me and I tried to regain my breath, before he leaned down. I grinned and placed a finger on his lips.

  "Brush your teeth," I whispered, watching as he chuckled and got up, walking to the bathroom I installed in bunker nine. I quickly stripped my sheets and threw them into the corner. I'd wash them eventually. 

  Jason came back and threw me over his shoulder.

  "What are you doing?"

  "You'll see."

  We trudged out of the bunker and into the middle of camp, people throwing us weird looks, but Jason ignored them as he kept walking. I had no idea where we were going, until suddenly I was thrown into the air before I hit water.

Déjà vu.

  I sunk to the bottom and counted, wanting to scare Jason. Ten seconds went by and nothing happened. I shrugged to myself and continued sitting there, before someone jumped in. Blue eyes met mine in the clear water, before he swam to me, wrapping his arms around my waist. I grinned and swam up to the surface.

  "You scared me," he commented, so I shrugged and swam away from him, causing him to chase after me. I splashed him and ducked under the water.

  Don't go back up.

  This is what you want.

  I popped up and took a big gulp of air. I couldn't see Jason, but I didn't really care. I needed to get out of there.

  Go back under.

  Don't come back up.

  You want to do it.

  You want to die.

  Just end it all.

  What are you waiting for?

  Jason tried to come up behind and scare me, but I wasn't phased.

  "Get me out of here," I felt myself whimper, his eyes suddenly growing worried.

  "Why? What's wrong."

  "Just get me out!"

  You want to die. You want to die. You want to die.

  Go back under.

  End it all.

  No one will miss you.

  Jason will just leave. Percy will leave Nico will leave. You have no one.

  You want to die.

  "Leo?" Jason whispered, and I opened my eyes, finding us on land. My hands were clutching his shirt with all I had and I was shaking. "Are you alright?"

  I let go of him and stepped away, clearing my throat and clenching my hands into fists so they would stop shaking. I looked around to see a few people surrounding us. My eyes locked with Nico and his dark eyes assessed the situation, before he ran over to me.

"What's going on?" he asked quickly, his eyes trained on me. He placed a hand on my shoulder, his eyes suddenly widening. "Did you-"

"No! No, I didn't. I was just in the water with Jason and I- I don't know," I admitted, hanging my head.

"Hey, it's okay. We'll talk later," he said, finding my gaze and holding it. His eyes were deep black pools of worry and confusion. His stare flickered between Jason and me as he removed his hand from my shoulder. "What happened?"

"I was in the water and I...I had to get out, Neeks," I explained, my hands shaking. "I couldn't- I just wanted to-"

"It's okay. You're okay. You're on land and you're safe with me and Jason," his words were soft and I felt my heart beat slow a bit. "Just take a few deep breaths." He turned to Jason. "Get him dried off and meet me at Percy's cabin. I need to talk to Leo alone, please."

Nico walked back to the Poseidon cabin, leaving Jason and me alone.

"I'm sorry," I apologized.

"You didn't do anything wrong. I just wish I knew what was happening," he whispered, his eyes flickering between mine. "C'mon, we'll go to my cabin and get you dry and warm."

-

Jason knocked on Percy's door and Nico answered, Percy sitting in the bed behind him. Jason turned to me, looking slightly hurt.

"So Percy gets to know what's going on? Leo, I'm-"

"He'll tell you when he wants to. Patience, Grace," Nico said, his eyes and tone hard. "Percy just knows because he was there when-" Nico paused, his eyes growing sad. "Never mind."

"I'm really out of the loop," Jason whispered.

"I'm sorry," I muttered, before looking away. "I just...I don't know, okay?"

He opened his mouth, before shutting it and nodding.

"Alright. Just...be safe," Jason mumbled, throwing a quick look to Percy and Nico, before he pressed a kiss to my forehead. "I'll be in my cabin if you need anything."

He left and I walked into the Poseidon cabin, sitting next to Percy on his bed.

"So you and Grace, huh?" Percy asked. I expected it to be in a joking, I'm-hinting-something-sexual way, but it wasn't. It was bored and monotonous. Something was off.

"Leo, what happened out there?" Nico asked, sitting next to me.

"I was...I was just swimming and then...it was like I was telling myself to...kill myself."

  "You were...what?"

  "I don't know. I don't know."