𝕱𝖗𝖎𝖊𝖓𝖉𝖑𝖞 𝖋𝖎𝖗𝖊 - a Leo Valdez slowburn

Chapter fourteen

Chapter fourteen. 

[Leah's back, and she hates it]

"Goodbye world,

goodbye sun that burned me,

goodbye moon that never gave me enough light,

goodbye stars that never shone bright,

goodbye world that I gave everything to,

goodbye world that never returned the gesture."

Leah didn't want to say goodbye, because saying goodbye to the Hunters now would mean that it was not temporary. Before, when she and Thalia had split, it wasn't real yet. She could just come back, and she would steal Phoebe's Doritos again and everything would be like it was before.

But now it was forever. She would age, and the Hunters would stay young. 

Bee's leg had been healed and the Hunters took her in, so at least she could stay with them. As Leah and the Hunters said goodbye, the daughter of Demeter couldn't help but wonder what her life would be like if she could become a Hunter; is she didn't have a stupid curse, or whatever that kept her from becoming one. 

She shook her head from those thoughts. She shouldn't dream about things that were impossible. 

"We'll talk later," Thalia promised both Leah and Jason. "We didn't get to talk, but I'll rendezvous with you back at Camp Half-Blood." Her expression was sad. She then turned to Leah. "Lee, please don't go back to being that lil' expressionless introvert you were before. You have friends now." Thalia ruffled Leah's hair, after which she did the same to Jason's, leaving both of them with messed up hair. 

Leah laughed. She honestly couldn't imagine how she lived back then. Well, she could, but she didn't want to. "I promise I won't, T," she said, a small smile on her lips. 

Fleur and Phoebe then came, Fleur on the other's back. They both had smiles on their faces, although Phoebe's was a bit sadder than Fleur's. "Snow white, Dorito girl," Leah addressed them as Jason and Thalia said goodbye. "I'm really gonna miss you two." Phoebe shook her head. "I'll miss you too, even if you always stole my Doritos."

Leah laughed. A nice, loud laugh, not the weak one she had emitted before. She walked closer to them, kissing both of their foreheads. "We're going to visit, Poppy, I promise!" Fleur called out.

"I know you will, Mary Margaret. I have no doubts." Leah shook her head, sighing to herself. She had gotten way too close with these magnificent girls. 

Hera addressed Leah, pulling her away from the Hunters. "Listen," she said. "I know your mom said you were ready for the prophecy. But you aren't. There's a lot going on now, and you should give it a couple of months. Let your mental health rest a little before you go on another life-threatening trip." Leah looked confused. A talk about her mental health was definitely not what she expected. 

"Uh, thanks? I guess, I don't..." Leah trailed off, not knowing what to say. 

Hera then sniffed indignantly. "Don't think I did this for you," she said. "You've already made a strong bond with these three and with Thalia." She hesitated. "The three demigods that went on this quest are part of a bigger plot. If something happened to you, something might happen to everyone." She sighed. 

"Now run along, go to your little friends, I don't have anything more to say to you."

Leah blinked, before running off to Leo, Piper and Jason. Piper and Jason were in conversation, Hera joining them. Leo joined them too, although a little later, so Leah was left alone. She frowned. How many times had she been left like this before? She didn't blame them, they knew each other before she intruded on their quest, but still... It was almost like she still didn't belong.