madness and ecstasy // leo valdez

-YOU WANNA GUESS-

school is kicking my ass right now but im gonna try to update a bit more <3

"So is this the purple girl or the-"

"No, that's Olivia Rodrigo, this is Billie," Percy whispered to Hazel, stuffing blue sweet and salty popcorn into his mouth and proceeding to chew on it rather loudly. An empty soft drink can was thrown at him, and it bounced off his head.

The whole lounge smelt of that popcorn and hot water bottles and the strawberry scented scar cream lathered on everyone.

Blankets rustled. Someone began flapping their hands in anticipation.

Annabeth scrolled down the page. She was very obviously ecstatic to have the internet and all her 3D models back. She'd spent the afternoon catching up on her Sims 4 playing time and redecorating her numerous Minecraft worlds.

That and the fact she had her fingers back, of course. They were white with gold edges and nails, and she had all these fancy little gadgets hidden away. They made the best clicking sound.

"Lunch is my song!" Piper said quickly, as soon as the album popped up on the projector, and then crackled in very bad quality onto the wall opposite the assorted pile of blankets and cushions for all of them to see.

There were a few moments of silence as everyone powered through their dyslexia.

"Hit me hard and soft?" Percy asked eventually. "That's morbid."

Teqi didn't bother. Reading was too much effort when she could just wait for someone else to do it for her. She sat up properly, untangling herself from the throne of blankets and leopard tail she'd sat down in once their little expedition gang had returned from the cobblestone town.

She bent down and rested her chin on Leo's head. He was sitting between her legs, and he looked up at her. "Take CHIHIRO."

"I bagsy CHIHIRO," Teqi said.

"I bagsy BIRDS OF A FEATHER," Jason said, tossing juice boxes out to everyone. Teqi turned. He was wearing that teddy bear jacket Aphrodite had given him all those months ago. He still looked the same. Sort of. With more scars and sun-bleached hair.

She lent on her hand while nostalgia cut open her chest and tore her heart out.

Frank groaned. "I wanted that one."

"I'll give you half of THE DINER if I get BITTERSUITE," Leo bargained, and passed an apple and a blackcurrant juice box back to Teqi. She unwrapped the straw and watched the little preview of a figure in black sinking through the blue water, leaving dents in the hard fruit with her fingernails.

"I want wildflower," Hazel said cautiously. "Wait no, the fancy French one. Or-"

Piper rustled in the bag of things she'd plopped down between Teqi and her, pulling out a hairbrush with a lot of stickers on it. She twisted around and scooped up a section of Teqi's long hair as everyone continued arguing around them. "Why aren't you eating apples?"

"It's stupid," she whispered back, cutting a love heart into the red skin. Her head was yanked to the side a little as Piper brushed through her hair. "...I just... I miss Will."

"I'm pressing play now," Annabeth said loudly. She tapped at her laptop and then stepped over someone to get to Percy.

He reached out to steady her as she sat down, his new arm sloshing. It was a clear casing, a mirror image of his other arm, only his prosthetic was filled with water. Leo and Annabeth had explained to Teqi the logistics she'd missed since Mr Nurse man had decided to kick her out.

I fell in love for the first time With a friend, it's a good sign

Now I know that you love me, you don't need to remind me
I should put it all behind me, shouldn't I?

Teqi wiped her snotty nose with the sleeve of the jacket she was wearing, leaving a mark. Good. She grabbed the tub of gasoline from underneath the workbench and weaved out of the chugging and smoky workshop. A giant clawed foot hung by the door.

Her shoes scuffed the dirt as she trudged back to her cabin, crushing daisies underfoot and wondering how she was going to get Brandon and Ollie to eat dinner. Did the body still need sustenance when it was grieving? Surely it was allowed to cut corners. She stopped behind her cabin, nudging the metal bin over a few times with her duct taped sneakers until it stood upright.

The whole tub of gasoline was tipped into it, and then Teqi took the jacket off. She traced her fingertips over the soft leather for a moment.

Then she tossed it into the bin, and threw a lit match in after it.

But I see her in the back of my mind
All the time
Like a fever, like I'm burning alive

I'd never ask who was better 'Cause she couldn't be More different from me Happy and free in leather

Teqi finished her cranberry juice box. She decided not to go for the bowl of popcorn on the couch arm, since it was so loud and crunchy that she probably wouldn't be able to hear the music over her chewing. And she didn't exactly want to miss some of the best songs she'd ever heard. LUNCH had distracted Piper from her hair braiding as she flailed around. Teqi really liked CHIHIRO.

The lyrics' ' had made her chest hurt. And she wasn't the only one.

She'd seen Jason tear up out of the corner of her eye at 'You wouldn't believe if I told ya
You would keep the compliments I throw ya, But you're so full of shit, Tell me it's a bit.'

The braids down the side of her head made her think of assassins. She ran her shaking hand over the smooth bumps and knots. Movement caught her attention. Leo lent on her thigh. She watched his shoulders rise and fall.

And I know that you love me (you love me)
You don't need to remind me

You said you'd never fall in love again because of me
Then you moved on, then you moved on
Then you moved on, then you moved on
Then you moved on, then you moved on

It's such a pity                                                                                                                                      We're both so pretty

not me only now realising the lyrics have 'my mind' 'burning alive' and 'in leather' which is exactly Teqi Leo and Ethan omfg.