HIRO X READER things [COMPLETE]

Story 26--The dove and forge(part 3)

Guide:

(Y/N): Your Name

Finally, just as the sun had set, you had reached Columbus, Ohio. Blackjack and Scipio II landed safely by a forest, and you looked up and frowned as the wind spirits kept flying through the air without a sign of farewell.

"Well, we're here," you grumbled. "Here, in the middle of nowhere, far from home."

"Hey, at least we're one step closer to where I am," Hiro chirped up, feeding Scipio II with some Pegasus feed. But you shook your head.

"Hiro, we just lost our guides," you reminded him, looking down at your sword and examining the blade, taking a good look at your reflection for the first time in so long. Back in the Aphrodite cabin you would only glance in the mirror once in a while, but never sit in front of it and actually worry about how you look. Now you were shocked at how weird the hair line was, how choppy your hair actually is, how dirty your cheeks have become-in short, you were becoming something that was NOT Aphrodite standards.

"I won't say that's a bad thing," Hiro smiled gently, heading over to you and sitting beside you. "We'll find a way." He then caught you staring into your blade and then frowned with you. "What's wrong?"

You sighed. "Hiro, I don't think I've told you about my past now, haven't I?"

Hiro shook his head. "I suppose it had something to do with failure?"

"Well..." You took a deep breath. "Back in my hometown of (your hometown), everyone regarded me as a freak. Even the most silent people thought I was a monster. But since I have been accepted in Camp Half-Blood, I felt that anything is possible. And then everyone starts talking about quests and the like, I hear legends, myths even. The Prophecy of Seven has been fulfilled, with one of your people, Leo, dead. People die on these missions, Hiro. Death means either great sacrifice or great failure." You shrugged and dropped the blade lower, not releasing your grip on it. "I don't want to fail my cabin. I don't want to fail anyone. I've been a failure before, Hiro. On the outside you see me as a calm and collected fighter. But you've seen the real me before."

"Have I?"

It took Hiro only a few moments to piece it all in his head, and then he realized. "Oh...I think I know. You're a fighter. But sometimes you doubt yourself."

You sighed again and felt tears leak from your eyes. "I know I'm stupid talking about this now, am I."

"It's normal," Hiro whispered. "I...I was scared at first too. I thought I wouldn't find a place here in Camp Half-Blood. Guess I was wrong." He smiled gently at you again. "I found friends. I found a place. And...well, I found safe haven."

"I'm glad then," you whispered back, wiping the tears with the sleeve of your jacket. "Be glad you did there, because you lack it out here in the open. Monsters are always on our trail. If one of us loses focus, death could happen."

To this, Hiro bit his lip in doubt and then looked down. "I know you promised to protect me, (Y/N). I appreciate that. But I have to make the same promise to you, right? That way we could be fair."

You resheathed your sword and looked at him. "Of course. I trust you."

Hiro smiled at you ruefully, and again you felt your heart flutter. Dang, he is so freaking cute for a kid of Hephaestus. In that very moment you really wanted to kiss him...but you decided not to. That would be pretty weird, won't it.

"Let's get our tent set up then," you told him. "The Hunters of Artemis were kind enough to lend us their packable tents for us on quests."

"Packable tents?" Hiro asked, intrigued.