ONE LAST TIME . . . heroes of olympus

36

YEAH, SO THAT was a disaster. Kat stormed into Bunker Nine, tears filling her eyes. She was a fucking mess. Why was she crying over a girl and a boy? She was stupid. So fucking stupid.

She didn't even know how she'd gotten in, let alone how to find Leo, but it turns out he found her. Probably because she was stomping and sobbing like an idiot.

"Kat?" he asked as he came into view. "What's—"

She ran over to him and threw her arms around him, sobbing into his shoulder. He smelled like oil and grease and shit, but she didn't give a single shit as she let out all of her negativity.

He was probably hating her guts right now as he awkwardly patted her back. He hated emotions and vulnerability and people, she knew this, but at least it wasn't him being the vulnerable one.

After a while, she sniffed and pulled away, wiping away the leftover tears. "Sorry. But also, you smell like shit."

"It's fine," he said quickly. "And thanks, birthday bitch."

She let out a snotty laugh, looking around for a tissue. He summoned one from his toolbelt and gave it to her, and she blew her nose. It was really awkward, but they used to be together, he could handle this.

Immediately after getting that thought in her head, Kat wanted to cry again. That was the whole reason why she was here in the first place. Well, that and she wanted to see Leo. And convince him to take a shower, because good gods.

"Happy birthday," he said, trying to break the tension, turning and looking for something. "I made you something."

"You did?" Kat said, her voice cracking, and it wasn't because of her tears.

"Of course I did, it's your birthday, Kitty Kat!" He found whatever he was looking for and shoved it in her hands. It was a good-sized black box. "I've gotta repay you for saving my life in some way. Especially at the Wilderness School."

She snickered as she pried the top off. "Not for literally saving your life?"

"We both know I would've survived," he said cheekily. "Besides, I needed something to do while I attempted to take a break from working on the Argo II."

"Uh huh," she said dubiously, opening the box to see a sword belt like the one Aphrodite had given her.

"You made me a sword belt?" She asked, smiling as she held it up, looking at the scabbard. "Wait — when'd you have the time to take my scabbard and attach it to this?"

Leo's expression morphed into one of panic. "Don't think about that too hard," he said quickly. "It's really comfortable, and convenient and shit so I hope that you like it—"

"I love it, luchik," Kat grinned at him, putting it on.

He nodded quickly. "Great! I mean — yeah. And when you put your sword in there, it'll be weightless."

"Really?" She extended her hand and called: "Cortana!"

After a few seconds ( listen, it had to travel across camp, okay? ), Cortana appeared in her hand, and she slipped it into the sheath. Sure enough, she didn't feel a thing. "Holy fuck, I love you."

"Yeah, don't mention it," Leo said easily, and she rolled her eyes and shoved him lightly. "Ow! Screw you!"

Kat giggled, but her laughs soon faded. She started tapping on the worktable in front of her. He'd looked at her suspiciously when she'd done it for the first time, and she'd just shrugged and told him she didn't know what it meant, but he did it and then it became one of her habits. She'd asked him if he wanted her to stop. He'd shaken his head and said that she could do whatever. So she did whatever.