PJO/HoO One-Shots (Stopped)

#21: Lazel

Hazel's POV

I was just sitting in a park, somewhere in Mexico. I stared at a small lake.

I can't get it out of my head. The explosion. The moment I lost my good friend, Leo. He took a part of me with him and I was never the same after that. Things happened, and I am alone.

~Flashback~

I was sitting alone at the hill, staring into the horizon. Someone sat down beside me at one point but didn't say anything, what is why I got startled when Frank spoke.
'You need to get over it.' He said softly.
I didn't reply.
'This isn't healty anymore, Hazel. You need to get over him.' He said.
I turned to, my eyes red and puffy like they were for weeks. 'Don't you see? I can't.' I said.
Frank nodded. He stayed silence for a long while.
'Do you still love me?' He suddenly said.
'Of course I do.' I replied.
'But what kind of love?' He asked.
'What do you mean?' I asked him.
'Do you see me as your boyfriend or just a friend?' He asked.
'As what do you see me?' I asked.
'I used to see you as my girlfriend. But since a few weeks, as just a good friend.' He replied.
'I understand. You want to break up?'
'If you want to.' He said softly.
'I see you as a good friend, Frank. Let's hold it like that, okay?' I asked, smiling weakly.
'Okay, sure.' He smiled back.
'Can I ask you a question?' I asked.
'Of course.' He shrugged.
'Is there someone you like? If yes, who?' I asked.
His cheeks went from slightly pink to bright red in a heartbeat. 'Reyna.' He whispered softly.
'I am sure she likes you too.' I said.
He nodded and looked back the horizon. After a few minutes he got up and left.

~End flashback~

That's how Frank and I slowly parted our ways. I haven't seen Percy and Annabeth because they are still in Camp Half-Blood, so are Jason and Piper. Reyna is busy with leading a camp and Arion hasn't come by for a long time. Nico moved out of town with his boyfriend Will.
And Leo... Sweet, cute, funny Leo. He always knew a way to cheer me up. He always smiled and made jokes. But now he's gone. I felt him die. And he took a really big part of me with him. I wish I could bring him back, but that's not possible. He was a diamond between seven billion pieces of coal.
But he is gone, and I can't get him back. I have counted every day he is not here. One thousand three hundred and fifty-nine days. They were just bunches of mornings, afternoons and evenings glued together but it went by without me noticing.
I barely ate.
I barely drank.
I barely slept.
I barely lived.
I was just a soul trapped in a body, waiting to come out and go down to their loved one who was also in the Underworld.
I am a human being who isn't human because I have no heart.
I do what normal people do.
Participate with the war games, go to breakfast, lunch and dinner, walk around town, it just isn't the same.
I am not as cheerishly as I was.
I used to smile at everyone on the street, but now I don't.
I used to be excited about things I like, but now I don't feel a single thing.
I used to cheer everyone up, but now I'm the one who needs to get cheered up.
I am completely different from what I used to be.
If only the Latino was with me.
If only I was the one who died, instead of him.
But no, it had to be him.
And I knew he was going to.
I even helped him.
Stupid me helped the best person in the world to his death. I am the one to blame. I am not worth to stay. So that's why I had walked away. I travelled around the world, killing monsters so no other demigod would have to deal with them. I searched for hope. Maybe I could find someone who can help me instead. But I still can't find anyone. Nobody can replace him. His warm chocolate brown eyes who are always sparkling when I look into them. His mischievous smile when he has another plan. His genuine laugh when he pranked someone again or when someone made a joke. The warmth he radiates all the time. The way his ears catch fire when he blushes, causing his hair to catch fire too.

I groaned and laid down on the grass. I can't take it anymore. I need to see him. One. Last. Time. So I got up and did what I have to do. Nico had told me how to summon ghosts. I went to a snack bar and bought as many tacos as possible. The man didn't even ask why, he gets his money anyway. I went to a quiet place where no one ever comes and used my power to make a grave. I threw all the tacos in it and did the ritual. Soon, a lot of ghost came to it, but I shooed them all away.
'No one here gets something of it until I have talked with Leo Valdez!' I yelled at them. One of them approached me. I pounted my sword at her.
'Who are you? Why do you want to see him?' She asked.
'I am Hazel Levesque, daughter of Pluto. I wanted to talk to my best friend for one last time.' I replied.
'I am sorry to say, dear Hazel, but Leo never came down to the Underworld. If he did, he would be here with me now.' The woman smiled sadly.
'What do you mean? I felt him die!'
'I have heard rumours about Leo. He was down there for a second, but dissappeared immediately. They say someone gave him the psychian's cure.'
'There was no one with him, it's impossible.' I said.
'Are you sure, sweetie?' She asked.
'Well, he had his metal dragon.' I said hesitantly. Suddenly it was al clear.
'Of course! Festus gave him the cure! Leo is still out here somewhere!' I said cheerishly.
'Then why don't you look for him?' The woman asked.
'I will soon.' I said. 'But who are you? You seem familiar.'
'I don't think I have ever seen you, my child. But I am Esperanza Valdez, mother of Leo Valdez.' She replied.
'You are the woman from the vision!' I exclaimed.
'Vision?' Esperanza asked.
'Yes, Leo and I once shared a vision about you and him and... and my old friend Sammy.' I said the last part a bit quieter.
'You knew my grandfather? How is that possible?' She asked surprised.
'I was born in 1928. I have come back from dead. Sammy and I were good friends.'
She nodded. 'That explains it. But I am sorry to ask, but can we please eat? It has been a long time since the last time.'
'Of course you can! But do you want me to tell Leo something?' I asked.
'Just that I love him and my death isn't his fault. We all know who's fault it was.' She replied.
I nodded. 'Noted. Goodbye, Mrs. Valdez.'
'You can call me Esperanza. Goodbye, Hazel.' She said.
I allowed all the ghosts to eat and finished the ritual. I closed the grave and started my journey to find Leo.

Leo's POV

We finally found land. After hours of flying on Festus, Calypso and I landed. Calypso elegantly hopped off and started walking away.
'Hey!' I shouted after her. I hopped off and sprinted to her. I grabbed her arm and made her look at me. 'Where are you going?'
'My curse made me fall in love with you, Leo. Now I'm off my island, I don't feel a single thing for you. Goodbye.' And with that she yanked her arm out of my grib and continued walking. I stared at her while she slowly disappeared. I fell down on my knees and cried my eyes out. Suddenly I felt something nudge my back. I look up to see Festus. He cracked.
C'mon, let's find a place to stay for the night.
I nodded and stood up, wiping the tears of my face. I climbed back on Festus and we took off into the sky. I looked down, searching for a good place. Suddenly I saw a familiar brown mop of curls.
'Hazel!' I shouted. She stopped and looked around.
'Up here!' I shouted again. I made Festus fly lower. She looked up and saw me. Then she gestured me to follow her. She took off running.
'Follow her!' I shouted to Festus.
He cracked again and obeyed.
Hazel suddenly walked into a building. I made Festus land on top of it and hopped off. Soon she came out of the door to the staircase. She ran towards me until she stood right in front of me. She stared at me for a while and I stared back. Suddenly she jumped to me and tackled me in a hug, causing me to lose my balans and fall. Festus managed to catch me on time and helped us stand up, with Hazel's arms still around my neck. When we finally stood, I hugged her back.
'I've missed you.' She whispered.
'I've missed you, too.' I whispered back.
I smiled at her when we pulled away.
'What did I miss?' I asked her.
'Nothing much. Frank and I broke up. Jason and Piper go from camp to camp to build temples. Nico and Will live together. Percy and Annabeth are now probabky at college.' She replied.
'Wait, you broke up? Why?' I asked shocked. But something in me was really happy.
'It... it didn't work out.' She sighed.
'I'm sorry.' I said.
'You don't need to be sorry.' She said. 'There were no heart breaks. We both agreed for it.'
'But what happened? You were a cute couple.' I said.
'We didn't love each other any more. I loved someone else and he did too.' She replied. A single butterfly flew around my stomach, searching hope.
'Who do you love?' I asked her.
She blushed and looked at her feet.
She mumbled something.
'What?' I asked.
'You.' She mumbled a bit louder.
'M-m-me?' I asked shocked. Billions of butterflies erupted in my stomach.
'I understand if you don't fe-' I interrupted her with pressing my lips softly on hers. She froze for a second, but then melted into the kiss. I pulled her closer by placing my hands at the small of her back while hers were around my neck. Our lips moved in sync, fitting perfectly into each other and sparks flew every were. Thankfully, just figuratively.
We pulled away when we remembered we need to breath. I leaned my forehead against hers and stared into her gorgeous golden eyes.
'I love you, too, Hazel.' I whispered.
She smiled and I pecked her lips, making her giggle.
Suddenly Festus cracked.
What about Calypso?
I turned to him. 'She's the past. Cute, gorgeous Hazel is the future.' I replied.
'What did he say?' Hazel asked.
'He asked about a girl I saved on the way here.' I replied.
'Who is she?' Hazel asked.
'Calypso.' I replied.
'As in from Ogygia?' Hazel asked. 'I thought she was cursed to stay there forever.'
'Her curse was over and I promised her to take her off that island a while back.'
'When?'
'You remember that I have been knocked off the Argo II? I landed on Ogygia. I promised on the Styx to take her off there when I left. I have kept my promise and got betrayal for it.'
'What? She sounds stupid.' Hazel said.
'She is. But I've got you now, and you're a billion times better.'
'Going cheesy, aren't we?' Hazel giggled.
'Cheesy is my middle name.' I grinned and kissed her again.

Oh my goodness, that ended well. This was actually a entry for a contest, but I was too late because my mom took my phone away before I could finish it and send it in. But at least you can enjoy it now! This is also for @Bookworm1029b. Bye!