YOU ARE IN LOVE ↬ leo valdez x reader, book two

20. YOU ARE IN LOVE

The mood of the group became as gloomy as Tartarus air, until Piper broke the tension.
"Well!" She sheathed her blade and patted her cornucopia. "Good picnic. Who wants dessert?"
"I call pie!" Leo shouted.
"I second that."

I leaned over the Argo II, silent with thought as the world turned dark. Leo whistled happily beside me on the bow as he tinkered with Festus's mechanical brain, muttering about the crystal he took from Ogygia and an astrolabe. Amidships, Piper and Hazel practiced their swordplay, gold and bronze blades ringing in the night. Jason and Frank stood at the helm, talking in low tones— maybe telling stories of the legion, or sharing thoughts on being praetor. Percy and Annabeth stood talking instinctively too. I admired the crew, our perfect problem solving and stupid talking.

"Hey Leo?" I whispered.
"Hm?"
"What about that love confession?"
He glanced around quickly, making sure nobody overheard. "So listen – I'm pretty glad to tell you all about my rehearsed speech, but could we keep it on the down low?"
I grinned. "Oh really?"
As we sailed farther from the coast, the sky darkened and more stars came out. As the Argo II sailed into the night, he beckoned me toward the very front of the ship, with Festus.

"My old buddy here listened to me practice, so I think he'd love to be here for it."
"Go ahead now."
"Dear Y/N,
I like you a lot and I don't know if I'll ever say this but if the prophecy was about any other healer, I'd never get to have experienced adventures on the same level of excitement and love as I have with you. From the first day I saw you at Camp to when I saw your eyes light up when you saw our sick bay, your presence has never ceased to make me get butterflies. You make everything as golden as daylight and I'm proud to say that not only are you my best friend but my everything."

He sighed proudly, apparently releasing a breath he had been holding.
"You did not make that up." I scoffed. He shrugged and stepped closer to me, a hand hovering dangerously near my waist. I placed a hand on his face and leaned in quickly. He placed one of his rough hands on the back of my neck. He leaned in too until our lips met. I was kissing Leo Valdez again.

"So, do you accept my confession?" He grinned.
"If I say yes are you going to embarrass me?"
"Not at all."
"Okay yes, I accept."
He jumped around, whooping and cheering. Festus creaked and clicked in congratulations. "Am I your boyfriend?"
"Don't get ahead of yourself, Valdez."
"I'm-off-to-Athens-with-my-girlfriend, we're-gonna-save-the-world."

I was eternally grateful for the basked darkness that concealed us from the rest of the Crew, but seeing this Santa-Elf duplicate made me grin from ear to ear. So though I was terrified, afraid of my place in the prophecy, I had reasons to stay determined and 'prevent the greatest war."

the end...