𝕱𝖗𝖎𝖊𝖓𝖉𝖑𝖞 𝖋𝖎𝖗𝖊 - a Leo Valdez slowburn

Chapter two

Chapter two.

[Leah plans her journey]

"When having lost all hope,

man looked at the sky and man said:

'why couldn't God let the fish stay in the water?'

God answered, 'because fate is all and I can't change fate.'"

After Leah had voiced her thoughts, the other three in the room had been left quite... surprised. "Are you... okay?" Chiron had hesitantly asked, to which Leah had answered: "I am right now. Don't worry," she said with a smile, "I know from personal experience it'll settle in my mind: I'm still processing it."

Apollo had left after telling the company another haiku and patting (and almost toppling her over with it) Leah on the shoulder. Leah still hated that he was so bright: why, just... why. She now understood why the Hunters joined Lady Artemis; she would too if she could,  Artemis was also bright, just not the obnoxious, loud type, more like the elegant one that will kill you.

Leah loved it.

But Apollo had now gone, and so Chiron, Rachel and Leah were all in the Big House. After a tense silence the centaur spoke up. "We should get Annabeth and Jason in here, so that they know she's  going on a quest," he said with a grim expression. Rachel nodded and sped out the building, running to who Leah presumed would be Jason and Annabeth. While Rachel ran at godspeed, Leah and Chiron sat in the living room. 

Leah fiddled with the strings of her hoodie, every now and then looking up at the leopard head that was put up on the threshold. She didn't know why, but it made her nervous. Maybe it was because it growled at her every time she looked up at it.

Chiron coughed abruptly, bringing Leah out of the trance like state she was in. She looked up at his towering figure, a questioning expression on her face. The centaur opened his mouth about to say something, then closed it, as if he knew better. "So..." Leah started. She stopped for a bit before continuing. "Have you figured out what the prophecy means yet?" When she didn't get an answer she sighed. Still being left in the dark, huh? Leah wondered what he was about to say.

They stayed in silence for a bit longer, both not knowing what to say. What could you say? 'Oh, yeah, I'm about to go on a quest which will be with no doubt how I die. Nice weather, huh?' Yeah, that wouldn't work.

The silence was cut off by the opening of a door, accompanied by rushed breaths. "I brought them," Rachel managed to get out. She then proceeded to rush forward, sit down at the picnic table and slouch forward, using her arms as pillows. Leah opened her mouth and then closed it, not sure how to react. "How did this happen?" she finally asked towards the newly arrived demigods. 

All four were present, either looking at Rachel in concern or at Leah. In concern. 'Gosh, when do people start noticing I don't need concern?' Leah thought to herself.  'Because you break down anytime someone mentions Porphyrion', a small voice in the back of her mind answered. The girl chose to ignore that comment.

She gestured towards the picnic table Rachel had fallen asleep, inviting the demigods to sit. They did, although hesitantly, and the first to speak up was Annabeth. "So you told her, Chiron," the daughter of Athena said with a raised eyebrow. The centaur nodded mutely, almost as if he was afraid of Annabeth.