Fragile Heart [Completed]

11

Rory was so close to smacking Leo. He was doubled over laughing, smaking his hand on the table and gasping for breath.

"She really said that? In her sleep?" Leo cackeled and rocked back and forth on the bench.

"Shut up, will you? I don't want the whole camp knowing! Besides, she'd kill me if she found out I told you!" Rory whisper-yelled. Leo kept laughing.

"Rory, you look beautiful!" he said in a high pitched voice.

"Surprised you can get your voice that high, Valdez. Had training? Singing lessons perhaps?" Rory hissed. The entire table let out a collective "oooh". Leo turned bright red. His face twisted into a smirk.

"Oh yeah, Hellen!" Rory gasped. She never should have told him her stupid middle name. A/n: no offence intended to those of u who have the name/middle name Hellen. It is a lovely name. The other campers roared with laughter.

"That's it, you're all dead to me. As of this moment I am an only child!" Rory said standing up. Her head span and her knees threatened to buckle. Thankfully she managed to steady herself.

She stumbled once before gracefully walking towards the forge. She needed time to think. Away from all the noise and people. The forge was hot and sticky, sure, but it was calming. Lots of the Hepheastus kids went there when they were upset. Something about banging a hammer on a sword was oddly stress relieving.

She put on an apron, her welding goggles, and some gloves and set herself up at a station. There was always metal melting somewhere so it wasn't long before she was pouring the bronze into a mold. It was a basic knife design. Around the length of a forearm, handle included. Rory wasn't even aware of what she was doing. Her hands went to auto pilot and her mind wandered.

Annabeth had been acting odd the moment she had woken up. Rory wanted to tell her what she had said, but she knew that it would probably just make things uncomfortable. She wanted to talk to her so badly, but every time they were near each other Rory couldn't help but want to kiss her. She wanted to hold her and be there for her, as more than just a friend.

She was brought back from her thoughts by the sound of footprints behind her. Rory snapped into reality and realised what she was actually doing. She had finished the actually body of the knife and had started carving patterns into the blade. She turned around and saw Annabeth standing awkwardly in the doorway.

"Hey." She seemed uncertain about something. Rory stopped what she was doing, took off her gloves and apron, and lifted her goggles onto her head.

"Hey Beth. What's up?" Annabeth smiled at the mention of the nickname.

"I wanted to see if you were okay. You seemed upset at lunch. If it was Leo I can go kill him if you want?" That made her smile. Rory considered telling her what had happened, what she had said. She decided against it.

"Oh, yeah I'm fine. Leo just called me by my middle name and...well, I hate it." Annabeth tilted her head and walked over.

"What is it?" Rory laughed and rolled her eyes, this time without her head pounding.

"If I tell you you'll make fun of me!" Annabeth gave her a pleading look. Rory sighed. "Fine. My middle name...is Hellen." Annabeth gasped before bursting out laughing. Rory turned around shaking her head and made her way over to the knife. She used the tongs and placed it in a bucket of water to set. When she turned around Annabeth was still chuckling.

"See? I told you that you'd make fun of me!" Rory whined. Annabeth stifled her laughter.

"I'm sorry I'm sorry. But seriously, Hellen? No wonder Leo was laughing." She smiled.