𝕱𝖗𝖎𝖊𝖓𝖉𝖑𝖞 𝖋𝖎𝖗𝖊 - a Leo Valdez slowburn

Chapter nine

Chapter nine. 

[fluff??? maybe]

"When I look at you

your imperfections don't fade away

but they magnify

because they're why I love you."

"It would be a long fall to the ground," Aiden commented idly, leaning over the edge. 

"You're not going to jump," Leah stated as she watched their stance. He straightened his back. "I won't," they agreed, turning to their girlfriend. "Would you have?" Leah chuckled. 

"Depends on when," she decided to answer. She looked at Aiden. "But we wouldn't be here if I jumped." He smiled softly at her and grabbed her hand. "I would've jumped after you." Leah's look softened. She squeezed Aiden's hand. "Really?" Aiden nodded. "No hesitation."

"We wouldn't have been together in death, you know," Leah muttered. "why not?" "Because you would go to Elysium." Aiden frowned. "And you?" "No hero kills without reason." Leah looked out at the skyline of New York. "I am no hero. At best, I'd go to the fields of Asphodel." "But you are a hero," Aiden protested. He lifted Leah's chin to look up at him. "And even if you weren't, I would follow you wherever you go. Even in death."

Leah's breath stuttered. "Even if I went to the fields of Punishment?" Aiden's breath fanned against her face. "Anywhere." 

And they sealed their promise with a kiss. 

« »

The Good Dragon hadn't been ransacked during the time that Lin, Leah and Aiden had left it, so at least there was one good thing. 

Chris and Elena were the first to see them in the sky when they arrived at the Good Dragon. They were welcomed with shouts and frantic waves, and more shouts, now a panicked wave from those that didn't know that the dragon was going to be part of the returning group too. 

Lin had immediately returned to their duties as head of the Rebellion, thanking Elena for their loyal work. She'd simply smiled vaguely. "It was an honor, my liege," she'd said mysteriously, and the two left it at that. 

Leah and Aiden didn't immediately return to their classes, and Leah assumed she wouldn't get to at all, with Ismeju taking up her time and all. Maybe she could do them half- and half? And she might take up some English literature too. 

The dragon had been a shock to most of the people at the Good Dragon. Ismeju was... not entirely dragon-like, but definitely not human. Somewhere in between would be the best guess, or something entirely different altogether. And besides, his looks weren't the only thing that set him apart. Him being able to communicate and create his own weapons (and they were far from primitive) were also worrying factors. At least, to those that didn't know him well enough. 

But thankfully, there were those that didn't really care. Some had even ridden him before, so Leah wasn't the only one to have to take care of him, which was nice. It wasn't actually that they had to take care of him; he just needed company. 

Getting back to her dorm had been something Leah had not-so-secretly been wishing for since the first night she'd spent at the Brooklyn house. In contrast to her bed there, this one was soft, and it had a pillow. Leah had missed her pillow. 

"You seem happy." Cleo nudged her teasingly. Leah was too tired to feel annoyed at her. "Hello to you too," Peter said amusedly as he came in through the door. "I was in class, but I heard you guys were back. Guess it explains the dragon in the courtyard." Leah chuckled, the sound muffled by her pillow. "Name's 'Meju," she said. "Whose?"