We've all got bruises. (Leico)

Covering the cuts

Nico sat in Reyna's room at 1:00 in the morning, looking at her outstretched hand. He'd trusted her not to ask why he wanted some heavy duty makeup that could be used on his back, and she was pulling through. "I trust you, Nico. Can I tell you some stuff?" she asked.

Nico nodded, looking down. "Me and my sister, Hylla, were kidnapped from our aunt's day spa about three years ago," she started, and Nico looked up, panicked.

"Pirates, they called themselves, although I never did see them do anything to earn the nickname. I assume it was some sort of sex trafficking scheme, but my sister and I escaped before they could do anything to us."

Nico didn't know how to react, but that didn't seem to deter her. "I haven't seen Hylla in years. She's running some feminist group up in New Jersey, I hear. Calls herself Queen of the Amazons." Reyna sat back. "I've never told anyone that. It's funny, isn't it? No one else really understands. They're all here because of parental issues and what not. But you and me-" she swung an arm over his shoulders-" we've been through a hell they wouldn't understand. When I was with those pirates, all they did was lie. To each other, to themselves, to me. I vowed to never lie again." She held up her wrists, and Nico could see two bands, one silver, one gold, each with a dogs head winding up her arms.

"They help me keep my promise," she explained. "Will you promise not to lie to me, Nico?"

Nico nodded silently, running the makeup back and forth between his palms. "Why do you need that makeup?" she asked quietly.

Nico shrugged, but sighed. He'd promised not to lie. "I have scars. A lot, on my back and other places. I need to cover them up so no one else sees them."

Reyna was silent. When Nico looked over at her, he could have sworn he saw tears in her eyes. "Nico...." she said, "I have a feeling what you've been through puts all of our stories to shame. Please, don't take it out on yourself. That's all I need."

She hugged him tightly. So she had guessed why Hazel had to monitor his eating habits. "I'm okay, Reyna. I promise. I'm just gonna go lay down. I'll see you at breakfast tomorrow, okay?"

He left, his head spinning. Reyna was so strong. He didn't understand why she'd shown him something she didn't to everyone else. Why was he so special? She thought he was strong? Please. He pushed open the door to his room, and stopped dead.

Leo was dancing around like a crazy person, and his smile only got wider when he saw Nico. He tried to turn around and leave, but Leo grabbed his arms quickly.

The crazy grease monkey whirled him around, laughing and singing. Nico felt his face flush and tried to pull away, but he tripped, landed on something, shattered something, and rolled off. Some cuts on his back had opened up where the spare parts had cut him, and it hurt like hell. He limped over to his bed, not hearing Leo's intake of breath.

"Nico, I'm so sorry!" Leo rushed out. He pulled some gauze out of his tool belt and grabbed Nico's shoulders. "Take off your shirt."

Nico's face went red. "No. I'll take care of myself, Leo." He snatched the gauze out of Leo's outstretched hands and fumbled at the opening, cursing his shaking hands. Gently, Leo grabbed it back and eased Nico's shirt off. Nico hissed at his shirt peeling off his skin, but allowed it. Leo helped him up, and Nico was puzzled. Wasn't he curious about the scars? They were disgustingly obvious even in his peripheral vision, and Leo had a full on view.

Leo didn't say anything. He looked out of the door, and sighed in relief when he realized no one was in the lounge. "Nico, I'm going to take you into the bathroom, okay? We need to clean this, I think." He thinks? That's not good.

He helped Nico to the boys bathroom, and almost cried out in relief when he saw that no one was using it. Nico snarled at him when he told the boy to lie down in the tub, but he did it anyway. Leo sucked his breath in through his teeth. Several black strings and lumps of cotton clung to Nico's back from where they'd peeled the shirt off, and several were lying directly across some bloody scars. Did he peel them off or...

"Rinse them off." Nico said, speaking through clenched teeth.

"What?" Leo asked, startled. "Take the shower head off the stand, run some cold water, and rinse the stuff off. God Valdez, are you stupid or what?"

Leo ignored the comment, and instead did as Nico said. He gave the boy a towel to clench between his teeth because it would be really hard to explain what they were doing if his yells woke anyone up. Nico groaned and pounded the edge of the tub with his fist when the water hit his back, but was thankfully silent. When everything was cleared off, Leo held a towel to Nico's back until what little bleeding was left stopped.

"Do you have any Zinc ointment?" Nico asked, taking the towel out of his mouth.

Leo nodded wordlessly. He took a can out and set it on the edge, unscrewing it and scooping a thick glob out.

Nico whirled around and flinched when the movement stretched his cuts. "I don't need your help!" he spat, snatching the container out of Leo's hands. He grabbed a sloppy handful out and slapped it on his back, unsuccessfully trying to spread it over the lower cuts. He made a small noise of pain and a slapping sound echoed through the tiles.

Silently, Leo took the can back and started running it methodically over Nico's cuts. Nico inhaled shakily and for a moment it seemed like he would draw away, but he didn't. He seemed to draw... in. On himself, not making scathing comments or shrinking away from human touch. He followed Leo's soft instructions of "could you raise your arms up, please?" as Leo bandaged the bleeding cuts.

  As soon as Leo had taped on the last bandage, Nico took off, pain killers from the cabinet in one hand and shirt in the other. When Leo made it back to the cabin, Nico was already in bed, shivering. He clicked off the light and lie down, realizing how exhausted he was. He fell asleep, his head spinning.