It's late. Or early. Or whatever. And I'm slightly depressed so….depressing Leo return story, with a happy ending. Kinda. Lot of Solangelo. Annabeth and Leo bonding, random wonderful diner customers.

Idk. Also Hades and Artemis support.

Rated high T for mention of rape. Trigger warning.

I don't own Percy Jackson.

GENERAL POV

Will Solace leaned comfortably against a massive oak tree in the middle of Central Park, examining his finger nails with apparent interest. He wore a bright orange CHB t-shirt, jeans, and a pair of grubby sneakers. His bow and arrows were slung over one shoulder, disguised as a back pack, and his first aid kit was shoved inside. His golden hair glimmered in the sunlight, practically blinding, and he looked completely unassuming.

Currently, Will was waiting for Nico to come back from the Underworld. Hence why he was at the entrance in Central Park.

The boy frowned and raised his eyes to the entrance, twisting his lips in slight annoyance. He had wanted to go, but Nico had insisted he stay behind, his eyes looking panicked.

Will knew that Nico was embarrassed by the fact that he had basically been living in the fields of death for the last three years of his life, but he honestly didn't care. He cared about Nico for who he was now, not what he had been in the past.

Solace blushed slightly and glanced down, nudging the dirt with his foot. They had been on their way to a local café for their official first date since coming out to the camp, and of course the second they left campgrounds, Nico had received an urgent summons from his father.

Will had insisted that Nico take this route instead of shadow travelling, as he wasn't sure if the teen was up to it yet. Nico had agreed and had been in the Underworld for…

The son of Apollo glanced at his watch. 45 minutes. He chewed anxiously on his lower lip and forced himself to sit on the ground instead of charging down the dark, ominous tunnel.

Of course, as soon as his butt hit the ground, Nico came clambering out of the entrance, dusty and puffing but otherwise unharmed. He blinked a few times, his eyes adjusting to the bright sunlight, before stumbling over to Will as he stood back up.

"You would show up as soon as I sat down," Will laughed, before noticing the serious expression on his boyfriend's face. "Nico? What's wrong?"

The son of Hades winced and rubbed a hand through his dark hair anxiously. "Leo," he finally said.

Will froze, his face falling in sadness. It had been nearly two weeks since the defeat of Gaea, and the entire camp was still in mourning over the death of the dorky little son of Hephaestus. "Oh. What about him?"

Nico stared at the ground, his eyes furrowed in concentration. "Will…what do you know about the physicians cure?"

Will tilted his head, considering the question. "Not much. Just that your dad isn't a fan since it brings people back from the dead."

Nico snorted sarcastically. "That's an understatement. He's pissed beyond belief. I think if Leo hadn't gone out a hero, he'd get Thanatos to bring him back."

Will's breath caught in his throat as he heard the implications of the words. "Wait…bring him back? You mean….Leo got a hold of the physicians cure?"

Nico looked up, a half smile on his face. "Oh yeah. His death didn't feel quite right to Hazel and I. I thought maybe it was just 'cause he went out with such a…well…bang, for lack of a less morbid term."

Solace flinched and shook his head, leaning back up against the tree. "Soooo why did Hades want you? Other than to yell a lot?"

Chuckling, Nico started walking towards a large, open field towards the center of the park. Will followed quickly. "Because. He knew we were going out."

Will blinked a few times as he caught up to Nico and laced their fingers together. "He knows?"

A bashful smile worked its way onto Nico's face and he looked sideways at Will. "Yeah. He's…he's actually really supportive. Said he'd kill anyone who messed with us and made sure they would get stuck in the Fields of Punishment for eternity."

Will grinned and squeezed Nico's hand. "I knew I liked Hades. But seriously, what did he want?"

Rolling his eyes, Nico stopped in the middle of the field and whistled almost cheerfully. "Well, after yelling a lot about 'that Valdez boy,' he calmed down and said he admired his guts. And since Leo did get the vaccine in time, he's alive. He died, but came back to life almost immediately afterwards."

Will brightened. "Dude! You know how great that'll be for the camp? Where is he?"

Nico shrugged, scanning the skies. "Don't know. Last time Hades heard, he had gone to Calypso's island to get the girl. After that, the gods lost track of him."

"So what, does he want us to find him?" Will asked in bewilderment, watching the skies as well, though what for he wasn't certain.

Nico nodded. "Yeah. The thing is, a child of Hades and Apollo working together can track the physician's cure, since it involves both Hades, death, and Apollo, medicine."

"So where do we even start?" Will asked, kind of disappointed at their ruined date.

Nico pointed to the sky, where a deep black Pegasus could be seen circling the area. "With Blackjack."

"I thought he didn't like you?" Will said, turning and looking at Nico in confusion.

Nico blushed and ducked his head. "Well…after I told Percy…you know….he apparently talked to Blackjack about it and Blackjack decided that anyone who could…like his 'boss' that much was okay by him. Annabeth told me that, so not a word to Percy."

Will stifled a laugh. While he had been irritated at first that Nico had liked Percy for such a long time, he had realized that the teen had only had a puppy dog crush on him, a result of the son of Poseidon saving his life when he was a kid.

The sunny teenager couldn't blame his gloomy boyfriend; after all, he had had a big crush on Percy for a couple months as well, ever since the Battle of Manhattan, when Percy had treated him like a leader even though he wasn't one. He'd gotten over it real fast when Nico had begun visiting camp more often, though.

Blackjack landed lightly in the grass and trotted to a stop, snorting quietly and nuzzling his muzzle into Will's shoulder. He tossed his head at his back, indicating the boys get on.

The Pegasus had healed nicely since the battle with Gaea, thanks to a lot of overtime work from the Apollo and Hecate cabins combined. He was as good as ever, and Percy had sobbed with relief when he had discovered his horse wouldn't die.

Will and Nico clambered onto Blackjack's sleek fur, Nico in front. He leaned forward and rubbed Blackjack's neck. "Okay, bud. We need to find Leo."

The Pegasus snorted in surprise and Nico chuckled. "Yeah, apparently he's alive. We don't know where he is though. So, we need your help to fly us around a bit, see if we can get a read on him. There's no guarantee he's in New York, so if he's not, we'll land and figure out our next move then. You good?"

Blackjack whinnied and took off into the air so quickly that the boys almost fell off.

Grabbing hold of Nico's waist, Will leaned forward. "So how do we track this thing?" he shouted into his ear.

Nico shrugged. "No idea!" he called back. "But dad said we'll feel it! We just have to keep physical contact!"

Will flushed violently and tightened his grip on Nico's hips. "No problem," he murmured.

Nico smirked and hooked his ankles together to keep from sliding off Blackjack, leaning back slightly onto Will and wrapping his hands around Will's.

Blackjack gave a small smile and adjusted his body so that the two boys were seated more comfortably before starting out spinning in small, ever widening circles around New York.

For almost an hour, no one said a word, though every now and then the boys would glance down before looking at one another and shaking their heads in annoyance.

Finally, Nico shot straight up, nearly toppling from the Pegasus, and looked down at the ground. He glanced back at Will, who nodded with his eyes wide.

"Blackjack!" Nico called.

The horse snorted and the son of Hades pointed downwards. "There, boy! That's what, the border of New York and Massachusetts?"

Will nodded. "Probably! But I'm getting something really strong."

Nico nodded in agreement and Blackjack descended rapidly, landing behind a truck stop with barely a sound, standing off at the edge of the woods. Will patted the horse soothingly, shutting his eyes and pressing energy into his flanks. Blackjack neighed in delight and lowered his nose to the grass.

"We'll be back," Nico told the animal softly, before taking Will's hand and pulling him forward.

He chewed on his lip anxiously as they approached the diner that connected to the truck stop, and Will tilted his head. "You okay, Nico?"

Nico pursed his lips and frowned. "Leo and I didn't…exactly get along. We weren't enemies, but we certainly weren't friends."

"You?" Will gasped in mock surprise as they circled around to the entrance. "Not friends with someone?"

Nico pushed him playfully, a smile on his lips. "Shut up, Solace."

Will laughed and pressed open the door, a soft chime sounding over their head. "Don't worry. He came to my office so many times from accidentally blowing shit up that we got to know each other."

The teens glanced up, noting that the diner was silent, and they found that the four or five truckers in the room were looking at them. Or rather, their intertwined hands.

Both boys gulped and tightened their hold on one another, having already heard several nasty comments that day alone about their relationship. The female server smiled gently and winked as she refilled a man's coffee cup. "Would you boys like anything?"

Will reached into his pocket and pulled out a five dollar bill. "Um…we just…can we get like, a muffin or something?"

Nico stared at him in confusion, wondering what on earth the boy had been planning for their surprise date if he only had five dollars on him. The woman laughed sweetly.

"Of course hon. That'll get you two muffins, actually. Blueberry or chocolate chip?"

One of the truckers waved off Will's money. "Keep the money, kid."

Nico almost flew into a rage, having heard the line before, albeit in a nastier tone, until the trucker pulled out his wallet and set down a twenty. "Joyce, grab these boys each a cup of soup, and a sandwich to split."

The burly man glanced down at them and winked. "I remember my first date."

The teens flushed violently and Will, ever polite, shook his head. "It's okay. Really. It's…we just want a snack. We're not having a meal for our first date."

Nico shot him a bewildered look and the trucker snorted. "I see. Well in that case, you buy the muffins and you can each have a glass of whatever you want to drink on me."

Will agreed, if only to placate the man, and Nico, remembering why they had walked in the restaurant in the first place, glanced around.

His radar went off like crazy as his eyes scanned a booth in the far corner and, grabbing his muffin and a steaming mug of coffee, pulled Will over to it carefully, noting that no one was staring anymore. He felt a rush of gratitude towards the diners before the two came to a halt in front of the booth.

Leo looked…well, Leo looked awful.

His forehead was on the table, a nearly empty bottle of water next to it, and the rise and fall of his shoulders suggested that he had fallen asleep.

His clothing was torn and covered in mud and grime, his hair knotted beyond even Leo's standards. It was longer, covering his ears, and his tool belt hung around his waist, slightly battered but in otherwise good condition. His sneakers were worn thin, and his cheekbones stood out prominently.

Will grimaced and glanced back at the kind diners, who has once again turned their gazes to the boys, this time in pity. "Poor boy," Joyce murmured. "Nearly collapsed when he went through that door. I own the place, so I'm letting him rest. Do you two know him?"

Both teens nodded and the patrons of the diner visibly relaxed.

"I had no clue there were still decent mortals," Nico muttered, a smile on his face.

Will pushed him into the seat across from Leo and knelt next to the tired inventor, laying a gentle hand on his cheek and closing his eyes, pouring energy from his body to Leo's.

The curly haired Latino groaned and Will backed up slightly, leaving a hand on Leo's shoulder if only to steady himself. "Leo?" the golden haired teen asked. "You okay?"

"I…" Leo shook his head against the table and then shot upright, his eyes frantic. Nico and Will grimaced at the dark purple circles that ran under his deep brown eyes, the scratches and bruises on his cheeks.

Will took his hand off of Leo and held both palms up. "Leo. Bud. It's okay."

Leo stared at him, uncomprehending, and Will leaned over so that he could look him in the eyes, as if calming a frightened animal. "It's okay, Leo. We're here."

Leo's lower lip trembled, and he looked from Nico to Will and back again, before burying his head in his hands, shoulders shaking as he cried. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I'm so sorry. I don't….I can't come back to camp. Not now."

Will sat down next to Nico slowly and the two interlaced their fingers under the table, each pushing their muffins towards the trembling Latino. He took a pinch of one, examined it, and then put it back on the table, shoving it away.

"What do you mean?" Nico finally asked.

Leo looked up, eyes weary. His pupils flickered with utter despair and self-hatred, and the couple found themselves feeling overwhelming amounts of sympathy. "Leo," Will murmured. "What happened after you landed on Calypso's Island?"

Leo's sadness morphed into humiliation and betrayal, and he clenched his jaw, looking away. "She used me," he hissed, his throat bobbing. "I cared about her and…she used me to get off the island. I should have done what Percy did. I should have fucking left her there."

Will and Nico flinched and the son of Apollo tilted his head. "Man, Leo, I'm really sorry. Where…where have you been since then?"

Leo scowled and shoved his palms to his eyes, shivering. "Doesn't matter. Washed up somewhere on the coast of Maine. Festus was completely destroyed, nothing left to salvage. Calypso abandoned me, didn't even bring me back. I've been hitchhiking."

"Leo," Nico said quietly. "Why didn't you call one of us?"

The boy snorted. "The only one who has a cell is Annabeth, and she sure as hell wouldn't have come looking for me."

"Of course she would have!" Will protested. "Leo, everyone would have. Hell, you could have called Percy's mom and she would have come to get you. We were all so worried. You…you were dead, and we were all praying you would come back somehow."

Leo shook his head, his lips pursed so tightly they were white. "No. I ran into a Hunter of Artemis on the way here, said I knew Thalia. You know what she did?" he asked, raising his head to look them in the eyes.

The couple shook their heads, nervous for the answer. Leo snorted. "She turned me into a duck. A duck. Then tried to hunt me. I don't know how I changed back. I'm just glad I did, because I managed to get away from her."

A tingling sensation made its presence known in the back of Will's head, and he smiled thinly. "Artemis. Artemis turned you back," he declared, certain of it.

Leo sneered. "And why would she do that? I'm a boy."

Nico shook his head. "Maybe. But she holds certain guys in her favor. Percy's one of them. I'm another. Considering you saved the world, it wouldn't surprise me if you were the third."

Leo shook his head. "Whatever. I got hustled a ton, and got into a lot of fights and….and…."

His voice choked and he started sobbing, hard, the shudders shaking his body violently but quietly, a haunted look in his eyes. Will's heart broke to see someone so strong, so goofy, broken like this, while Nico vowed that if he ever found the asshole who attempted such a thing, he'd send him straight to Tartarus.

"Oh Leo," Will murmured soothingly. "What…did you…I mean…"

"I killed him," Leo hissed, flicking his eyes up. "I fucking killed a mortal man. What the hell kind of person am I?"

Will and Nico looked at each other in quiet despair, not sure of what to say. "Leo…" Nico murmured. "Look…people like that….you did the right thing."

Leo's lower lip trembled and he shook his head, burying his face in his knees. Will bit his lip and leaned over to Nico. "Wait with him. Don't touch him. Just talk. I'll be right back."

Nico nodded and Will slipped from the table, walking to the counter. "Does anyone have a phone I can borrow? My mom made me leave mine at home," the son of Apollo said, mustering a quirky smile.

The woman behind the counter nodded and laughed, handing him hers. "Of course, hon."

Will stepped back towards the bathrooms and dialed a number that he'd had memorized since the Battle of Manhattan. He was beyond relieved when the soft, female voice answered. "Annabeth? Listen. It's Will."

"Will?" Annabeth said in surprise. "Where are you? I thought you and Nico went on a date?"

The boy bit his lip and glanced back at Leo and Nico. "Well…it started out that way. Listen, Annabeth. I need your help. Or Piper's. It doesn't matter, I just need one of you here."

"Will, where is here?" Annabeth asked in confusion.

"The border of New York and Massachusetts. There's a truck diner. Look….Annabeth…we found Leo. Like, alive."

"What?" the daughter of Athena whispered in awe.

Will nodded. "Yeah. Hades summoned Nico, said Leo was alive, and that a kid of Apollo and Hades working together could find him, because of the properties of the physicians cure. We have Blackjack with us."

"That explains why he took off in the middle of feeding," Annabeth muttered. "But Will, why do you need me?"

Will gulped, turning his eyes to the still shaking form of Leo Valdez. "Annabeth….Leo…he's broken. Calypso left him on the coast of Maine. He's hitchhiked all the way here, saying you wouldn't help if he called."

"That's crazy!" Annabeth yelped, her voice saddened at the thought. "I-"

"I know," Will interrupted. "But…Annabeth…he…I mean, he was in a lot of fights. He um…he said that….gods. He didn't say it outright but…Annabeth, Nico and I think he almost got….well…."

Annabeth's voice hardened, cracking when she spoke. "Don't you dare say what I think you're going to say, Will Solace."

Will gulped. "Rape," he finally whispered, barely able to hear himself. "Annabeth…he killed the guy. Leo wouldn't do that unless it was serious."

"Fuck. Shit. I'm going to find that asshole, bring him back from the Underworld, and kill him again, harder and slower, so he feels the same fricking pain Leo feels now. You just want me to come?"

Will nodded. "Too many people might be too overwhelming. I…I'm going to try and contact my dad. He's so broken Annabeth. I can't…it feels like he's not even Leo."

"I'll be right there," Annabeth assured him, hanging up the phone.

Will returned the mobile device to the woman, thanking her, and then stepped into the bathroom, locking the door behind him. He reached into his quiver and pulled out his first aid kit, grabbing a penlight and a small mirror from the bag. He turned on the water and set the mirror underneath the flow, causing the liquid to bounce and spray up.

With a lot of maneuvering of the penlight and mirror, Will finally got a decent rainbow going on, and pulled out a drachma. "Iris, please," he whispered, his voice pleading. "Please let me speak to Apollo. I need him here."

He tossed the coin in and the water rippled. Instead of Apollo, however, a shimmering vision of Artemis appeared. The goddess knelt at an altar, murmuring quietly with her palms held out.

"Dammit," Will growled, louder than he meant to.

Artemis looked up, her skin shimmering silver, and she raised an eyebrow. "Will. I take it you're looking for Apollo?"

Will sighed and slumped to the ground, burying his head in his hands. "I need…I need him. I need his help, Lady Artemis. Leo…I….I can't fix this. His hurt is more than I can handle."

Artemis's gaze softened and she stood, dusting her hands on her jeans. "Will. I understand. Leo…Leo is not in a good place right now. I've been watching over him. Believe me, the young huntress who turned her back on him also turned her back on me, as he has been under my protection since he defeated Gaea."

Will stood up and clenched his hands. "Then why in Hades didn't you help him when…when that…" his voice trembled and he couldn't finish his sentence. Artemis looked pained.

"I'm so sorry Will. I really am. I'm not normally fond of boys, but Leo, much like Percy and Nico, was an exception. I was in a meeting with my father about Apollo when that occurred. By the time I checked on him again, he had already taken care of that pathetic mortal."

She sighed, looking incredibly guilty for a goddess who claimed to care nothing for the male gender. "I'm helping in every way I can, vouching for my twin. I hope desperately that Zeus will release Apollo's imprisonment, but I can't say for certain if he will or not."

Will slumped against a stall and stared at the ground in defeat. "Then…there's nothing we can do?"

Artemis smiled thinly. "Will. Apollo talks highly of you."

Will's head shot up and he blinked in surprise. "He…he does?"

The goddess nodded. "Yes. You are incredibly powerful, the only one of your siblings who can heal someone with only your hands, though at a cost. However, we both know you cannot cure injuries in the mental state."

Will sighed and clenched his hands together. "I know. So what can I do?"

"Be there for your friend. I can give him relief in the night time, as that is my domain. When the stars rise, he will feel less stress, more relief, will be happier. But that is all I can offer for now. In the day, he will be terrified, wary, and scared to get close to anyone. I regret that I can't do more."

Will straightened and shook his head. "Lady Artemis, that's more than I could have ever hoped for." He bowed low to the ground out of respect.

Artemis smiled. "None of that. You're welcome. And good luck. I don't condone most relationships, but yours is different. So I give it my blessing."

She nodded and swiped through the Mist, disconnecting the chat, and Will stood for a moment in complete shock before gathering up his things and hurrying out the door. He walked back over to Nico, who was quietly telling Leo about the building of the new statues. The son of Hephaestus had calmed down greatly, listening and even asking occasional questions about the building process.

"…of course," Nico was saying as Will walked over, "Terminus has required Jason to make, like, a hundred statues of him alone. Shouldn't be hard. After all, he's missing most body parts."

Will could have sworn he saw Leo smile, and he shook his head as he stepped over. "Hey, I'm going to go check on Blackjack for a second. You two okay?"

Nico, looking kind of surprised, nodded, a smile on his face. "Yeah."

As Will hurried for the door, the burly truck driver stopped him, stroking his mustache thoughtfully. "Is your friend okay, young man?" he asked softly, standing in the doorway. "I heard you say something earlier about….explosions?"

Will glanced over his shoulder. "I think he will be. He's just…going through a rough time. Remembering his mom's death and stuff. One of my friends is coming to help us."

The trucker nodded and pressed a card into Will's hand. "You're ever in the area again and need help or a ride, give me a call," the man murmured, his eyes sparkling. "It'd be the least I can do. I remember needing help before from mere mortals." He winked at a stunned son of Apollo before slipping out the door.

Will smiled, glanced at the card which said "Hermes Express Delivery," and pocketed it, exiting the diner and hurrying around to the back, his eyes scanning the sky. As he neared the Pegasus, Blackjack whinnied.

"Hey buddy," Will murmured. "Can you sense if Annabeth is close or not?"

Blackjack bobbed his head up and down, grunting. Will smiled. "Could her Pegasus hear if I whistled?"

The horse bobbed his head again, wings flapping. Will looked up and gave a shrill whistle, having perfected it after living in the city for so long.

Moments later, Guido, carrying Annabeth, landed on the grass, nickering to Blackjack. The blonde slipped off his back and patted him before darting over to Will and grabbing his arms. "Where is he?" she asked desperately, her gaze reminding Will almost of the time when Percy had gone missing.

Will smiled gently. "Inside. Annabeth….I'm serious. I don't know if you can run up and hug him. Artemis has been protecting him for most of this, but even she can't always watch him."

"Lady Artemis?" Annabeth questioned in surprise. Seeing Will's look, she pursed her lips. "I take it you got her instead of your dad."

Will nodded and led Annabeth towards the diner, holding the door for her. Her gray eyes perused the room before landing on Nico, whose pitch black hair stood out in the white room. He glanced up and bit his lip slightly, and Annabeth quickened her pace to the table.

Leo had his hands pressed to his eyes, and he was shaking again. "What happened?" Will asked softly.

Nico shook his head, looking helpless. "I don't know. He just….I…I'm sorry."

"It isn't your fault," Annabeth whispered, laying a gentle hand on Nico's shoulder.

Leo's head shot up at the sound of her voice and he gulped, his face scared. Annabeth's heart broke at the look of despair and terror in his eyes, and she knelt at his side. "Leo…hey. Listen to me. We love you, okay? I need you to remember that."

The boy shook his head violently, curly hair flying. "Seventh wheel," he muttered hoarsely.

Annabeth looked at him in confusion, her head tilting. "Seventh…? What?"

"Nemesis," Leo shuddered.

Annabeth put the pieces together and her heart shattered. "Oh. Oh Leo, no. No, we love you so much. Listen, please. Come back with us, okay? Please?"

Nico stood and walked over to Will, taking his hand gently as he saw his boyfriend's face pale. "You okay?" he whispered.

Will shook his head. "She hasn't looked this desperate since Percy went missing."

Nico nodded and the two fell silent, hands pressed together for comfort.

Leo stared at Annabeth for a long time, his eyes wary. He must have read something in her eyes, however, because his lower lip trembled and he threw his arms around her, shaking violently and crying into her shoulder.

The girl gulped back tears of her own and rubbed his back soothingly, caressing his hair and murmuring soothing things in his ear. "Leo…come on, hon. Guido's waiting outside for us. I'll take you back to camp. Percy will be so happy to see you. He hasn't stopped blaming himself. The lake blew up a couple times. And Hazel's been so upset that gems pop up everywhere. Frank keeps turning into various animals. Jason hasn't stopped shocking everyone. He can't even hold hands with Piper. And she basically stopped talking."

Leo shivered. "I caused all those problems," he whispered.

Annabeth pulled back and gripped his shoulders firmly. "No. You're the cause of them. But because we love you. Do you think Nico and Will would have come all this way looking for you if they didn't want you back?"

Leo looked up at the couple and a jolt of surprise passed behind his eyes as he took in their intertwined fingers. "I….you're dating?" he finally asked.

Annabeth glanced behind her with a raised eyebrow. "You didn't say anything?"

Nico shrugged, his heart pounding as he waited for either ridicule or acceptance. "It didn't really come up," he said sarcastically.

Annabeth scowled at him and turned back to Leo. "Yeah. They have been since the end of the war. The one you ended."

Leo studied the boys for a while before a sad smile crossed his face. "Congrats, guys. Guess dark and light do mix."

The couple rolled their eyes, having heard it all before, but smiled. Leo sighed and pushed himself wearily to his feet. It was only then that Annabeth saw how battered he was, and she gasped. "Oh, Leo," she breathed, wrapping a gentle arm around his waist. "Come on, honey."

As they stumbled out, Joyce called Nico over, her eyes worried. "Here, baby," she said, handing Nico a card. "This is the diner's number. Give us a call when you get home safely, okay?"

Nico smiled. "Of course. Thank you, miss. It's nice to know the world isn't all bad."

The owner winked and Nico hurried out after Annabeth and Will to find them helping Leo onto Guido's back. Blackjack was helping as much as a Pegasus could, using his nose to help nudge Leo every time he slipped.

When he was finally situated, Annabeth climbed on behind him and Nico and Will clambered back onto Blackjack. The ride home was silent and, Leo, finally feeling safe, slipped off to sleep. Annabeth rummaged through his tool belt and pulled out a length of rope, using it to secure the teen to Guido's back.

Will maneuvered Blackjack over to Guido. "How quiet can we keep his return?" he asked Annabeth softly. "I don't want him getting overwhelmed."

Annabeth smiled sadly. "Don't worry. I only told Percy, and I told him to keep quiet, though I think he told Grover, just in case some nature magic might help him. He's offered to let Leo bunk with him for as long as he needs to."

The boys nodded and Annabeth studied them. "If you guys want to go on your date, you can. I can get Leo back to camp."

To her surprise, each immediately shook their heads. "No," Nico said firmly. "I've been in his position. Being alone…it was the worst. And Will is a good healer. He can help."

Will nodded. "Yeah. Also, I'm not worried about our first date. We do have the blessing of Lady Artemis, after all."

Annabeth's jaw dropped. "The….do you understand how hard that is to accomplish, especially for guys?"

The boys smiled impishly and laced their fingers together. Annabeth rolled her eyes, a smile tugging on her lips as they descended towards the Poseidon cabin at Camp Half-Blood. Annabeth gently shook Leo's shoulder.

"Leo. Hon. Come on. We're going to go in quietly. You're going to stay with Percy for a while, so that people don't freak out too much."

The son of Hephaestus nodded hesitantly, rubbing his eyes. "Are you…are you sure Percy wants me there? I…I never really thought he liked me all that much."

The Pegasi landed on the ground just behind the Poseidon cabin, and Percy looked up from the book he was reading (Annabeth obviously had some influence on him). His throat bobbed as he spotted Leo, and he shut the book, setting it on the ground as Annabeth helped the Latino from Guido's back.

Leo turned to Percy and the son of the sea god took in his disheveled appearance, his hurting eyes, and his heart sank. "Look, Jackson," Leo said softly, glancing at the ground. "You don't…you don't have to…"

Percy strode forward in three steps and crushed Leo in a hug, startling the boy. Very slowly, very hesitantly, Leo hugged back.

"Shut up, Valdez," Percy whispered hoarsely, holding back his tears. "No way in hell you're going anywhere else."

Uggghhh it's two in the morning and I'm like crying and depressed and fricking Leo and Percy bromance and Solangelo and ugh.

Review for my crying soul.