Wildfire (Leo Valdez x OC) (1)

Piper dissed Macy's

Eventually Leo drifted off and I was left alone. I didn't know how much time had passed, I just concentrated on the slow drip of water coming from a crack in the ceiling. There was the odd rat that ran by, but they paid us no mind.

It was quiet, I had never really been a fan of silence. Annabeth thought it had something to do with my ADHD but I thought it was because I just had loud friends, and silence reminded me I was alone. Either way, it didn't sit right with me. When Jason finally woke up, I nearly jumped out of my skin because I had been zoned out for too long. He shot me a strange look and leant back against the wall.

"You fell asleep quickly last night." I said. "You just leant against the wall and passed out."

Jason smiled. "Well, I guess questing makes a guy tired."

"Fair enough. Have any dreams?"

Jason shook his head. I raised an eyebrow. "Care to share some tips? I'd love not to have dreams."

He snorted. "I think it's luck based."

I sighed. "Welp – "

"You did it again." Jason said, staring at me.

"Huh?" I looked at him, puzzled.

"You keep saying things weird."

"Oh, right."

"No, not in a mean way... I just- why do you say 'welp' and 'anyways' like that." He asked.

I fiddled with my hands. I said things weird because my mum said things weird. It reminded me of the times we would sit in our tent when we went camping and just come up with weird versions of normal words, back when life was normal.

"Hello?" Jason said.

"Oh, sorry. Zoned out for a second there. What were we talking about?" I said.

"How you say 'welp' and things." Jason said, furrowing his brows.

"Right. I mean, I'm not sure. I just find them funny." I shrugged. He studied me, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, hey guys." Leo said, yawning. I jumped.

"Jesus, you scared me. Good morning."

"Am I really that ugly?" Leo said, pouting. I raised an eyebrow at him. "That was a yes or no question, but I shall take that as a no." He said, smiling.

"Is Piper awake yet?" I said. "I don't want to socialise with Leo anymore."

Jason who had been looking at me, slightly confused, shook his head. "She isn't awake yet, but we should wake her up soon, we need to keep going."

"Alrighty." I said. "So, how's everyone feeling?"

The other two stared at me. "What?" I said, perplexed. "Is asking how you guys are too optimistic during a quest?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "Jeez, your worse than Grover was when we were in the Labyrinth."

"The what?" Leo said, staring.

"The Labyrinth is real?" Jason said.

"Well, it was, it was destroyed when Daedalus died."

Jason stared at me. "How much stuff haven't you told us?"

"If I told you then you'd ask what it is." I said, smiling. "And I don't think we have the time to go through it all."

I heard a snuffling noise and turned to see Piper pushing herself up. "She lives!" I said. "Now you can't ask me anything." I said, smugly. Leo snorted.

Finally, we broke camp and started down the tunnel.

It twisted and turned and seemed to go on forever. It was kind of creeping me out since we had just been talking about the Labyrinth, and then boom. Smaller Labyrinth.

I wasn't sure what was at the end, maybe a mad scientist's lab? A dungeon? But no. What we found was much more boring. We found a sign and a lift.

"M for Macy's?" Piper guessed. "I think they have one in downtown Chicago."

"I don't know what a Macy's is, but if you think it would be in a sewer, then I don't want to go to one. Ever." I said.

Piper pulled a face. "They aren't that bad. Plus I'm brainstorming, I don't see you guys giving any ideas."

I put my hands above my head in mock surrender. "I have an idea; I'm just praying it's not right."

Leo snorted. "Is that your way of saying you have no ideas?"

I gasped. "How dare you assume such a thing about me."

"Well, what's your idea?" Piper said.

"Well, I'm looking at the cursive M, and I'm being reminded of a run in I had with Medusa a while back." The other's paled. "Guys, it's ok, Percy killed her, there is no way she regenerated this quickly."

"Then why would you say it?" Piper whispered.

"Hey! You asked. Also why are you whispering? If she was here that wouldn't help." Piper blushed.

"Guys, calm down." Jason said.

"I'm not gonna be calm until someone tells me what sundries are." Leo said, studying the sign. "They sound like a kind of underwear." Leo said, pulling a face. I laughed.

"And what are 'the kennels' for?" Piper asked.

"I don't know why you guys are asking questions when me and Jason are probably less likely to know than you." I said.

Piper frowned. "I get that Jason has Amnesia but haven't you been dealing with this stuff for years?"

"Just because I've been doing it for years, doesn't mean I got any better at it." I said, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, that's comforting." Piper muttered.

"I'm done with you guys, I'm going." I said.

"Going where?" Jason said.

"I don't know, pick a floor and I'll go." I said, shrugging.

Piper and Leo turned to Jason. "Why are you guys looking at me?" He said.

"Just pick a floor Jason." I said.

"Fine." He said, before hesitating. "Uhm, when in doubt start at the top?"

I slapped a hand to my face. "You know what? Let's just do it, I haven't got a better idea."

Hi, so this was a pretty short chapter, pretty uneventful too. It's mainly just them talking but I thought I would have a chapter that kind of showed the dynamic I imagine this group would have.

Also if anyone is good at chapter names, hit me up. I need help. I have a friend who literally got a book published and even she doesn't know what to name my chapters. I'm struggling over here.

I promise that the next chapter will actually have action in it, I know that we haven't had any of that for like three chapters, my bad, sorry guys.

Also, people are starting to read this now, which is super cool to me, so thanks for reading my fanfic, it means a lot. If you enjoy it then that's amazing, glad you like it, if there are any parts you think I could improve on, then feel free to comment your idea, I am open to constructive criticism since this is my first time writing and I need all the help I can get.

Anyways, I'll stop rambling now. I hope you enjoyed reading and that you are having a good day, if your day is going bad so far, then I hope reading this made you feel better, even just a tad.

Bye from Corgi :)

P.S. (feel free to skip) just a reminder that all characters (apart from Anwen) belong to Rick Riordan, this is merely a fanfiction based on the Heroes of Olympus series.