#was originally going to incorporate it into that valdangelo fic i'm working on

[witchhazelevesque]

the side missing from the circle (pt 1)

He was fine playing along with the punch line. It reminds him of his abusive foster mother Teresa, and the one psychology class he took where they talked about what love bombing is, because many of the campers have been pairing punches with hugs and cheek kisses.

He was fine to smile through it, because obviously, this wasn't a situation where he could reason his way out. They aren't in the mood to listen to his explanations, and the quickest way out, the cleanest way out is to pretend that he finds it funny too.

And he was fine with that. He was fine with helping Apollo figure out his next steps and getting out of camp, because most of the people he wanted to see weren't even here. It was good to see Percy and Buford and his siblings, but he has to find the rest of his family, Jason and Piper, Hazel and Frank. So, he was perfectly content to just smile and then leave.

But then one of the kids takes his turn hitting him and then… goes to get back in line. Leo jokingly complains about this, because he's good at turning grievances into jokes. He thinks maybe Nico and all his organizational skills and take no bullshit attitude that's kept the line running so smoothly this far would do something about this breach of conduct, but no, he doesn't.

Across the picnic table from him, Apollo asks, "Do you even know Damien?"

Leo shakes his head with an exaggerated expression of 'can you believe this guy?’

Apollo, ever polite, says, "Damien White, son of Nemesis. I think he showed up this fall."

Oh, he showed up at camp after the Argo II had sailed.

Leo jumps up from the table and catches Damien before he can reach the end of the line. He lightly places a hand on Damien's shoulder to get his attention and when he turns around Leo stands on his toes to whisper something in his ear. Leo's hands cup Damien's ear, so no one can see what he's saying, but the expression on Damien's face speaks volumes. His smile stiffens then drops and he turns pale, his eyes wide and unfocused.

When Leo's finished with whatever it is he had to say, he rests back on his heels, looking up at the other boy with a smile that looks completely benign, playful and lighthearted. Damien just turns his head to look at him with those wide eyes then pushes through the crowd to leave the central green.

Everyone has been watching, the humorous, edgy mood bleeding into discomfort and unease. It only gets worse when Leo just watches Damien go without a change of expression. Then turns back to the rest of the assembled campers and seeing that most have stepped out of line, he asks, "So, who was next?"

His smile looks more like the kind he used to have when doing something wild, the kind that unnerves people and prickles at their latent danger instinct.

The rest of the campers exchange looks with each other, the mood completely gone, and kind of mutter about how they're glad he's okay and that he's a real jerk for doing that to them, but they all disperse.

Leo turns his smile to Nico then, still standing there holding the number dispenser. He doesn't look cowed, just annoyed and suspicious.

"What did you say to Damien?"

"Wouldn't you like to know," Leo says, as he passes by on his way back to the picnic table.

Nico's not going to admit it, but yeah, Leo's right.

Pt 2