madness and ecstasy // leo valdez

-he evolved like a Pokémon-

double update because I'm a day late <3

"Explain, now," Jason said sternly.

"Yes. I will, I promise, but we really have to leave," Teqi answered, glancing up at where the Argo II was floating steadily through the smog still wafting. She wiped her hands on her jeans.

"Uh, where exactly are we going?" Frank questioned. "Bacchus never really got the chance to tell us where Annabeth is."

"The parking lot behind the Emmanuel Building," Teqi said. Then she frowned. "Bacchus thought it was the best place to break through. I dunno what that means though."

"Okay then, we go there. Now." Percy snapped.

Teqi nodded. She didn't really want to upset anyone; she didn't know how everyone was going to react. She felt surprisingly calm for what she went through less than five minutes ago. It had already happened, she couldn't change it. Over thinking wouldn't help, so she just didn't.

Something bumped her thigh, and it wasn't Leo, because he was holding her sleeve tightly, pressed close enough to her side that she could feel his body heat enveloping her. He kept tapping her, like her wasn't sure she was really there. It was sort of cute and maybe the reason she was so distracted by the fact she just killed two giants. 

When she turned, she realised it was in fact a cat, only a much larger spotted one.

"Uh, good kitty," Teqi squeaked. She stumbled after her friends, not eager to be turned into catnip. She had assumed Bacchus would've taken his big cats with him when he left, since they were his sacred animal. "Why don't you go eat some pigeons instead of me?"

The leopard ignored her, and squeezed in between her and Leo, growling up at the surprised boy who stumbled back with a yelp.

My person

Teqi's eyes widened.  She rounded on the spotted cat and pointed down at it sternly. "Did you just- It- cats can't do that shit! What the fuck?"

Percy came up behind her, "what is it? Wait... you can't talk to Leopards?"

Teqi ran her hand through her hair. They needed to leave, they had to get to Annabeth. They were running out of time and Annabeth could be in serious danger while they were here taking to magic cats. She shook her head with a frown. "We can figure that out later, we have to leave."

The Leopard growled once, the fur around its nose crinkling. Its tail flicked once and it trotted after Piper. Leo curled his hand around Teqi's, their fingers slotting together nicely. "I don't think you new Leopard likes me very much."

The dots connected.

"Hey, cat!" Teqi called after it. She waited until it was staring up at her with dark brown eyes. She concentrated for a moment. If what she thought had actually happened...

What's your name

Leopard

No

Your name

Ginny called me Leopard

Dumb human

"...How the fuck."

They sailed out of the Colosseum and veered south over the rooftops of Rome.

All around the Piazza del Colosseo, traffic had come to a standstill. A crowd of mortals had gathered, probably wondering about the strange lights and sounds that had come from the ruins.