The Fire In Me (A Leo Valdez Love Story)

My Crush On the New Girl Gets...Well, "Crushed"

Even after all the cuddling and the crying last night, I still ended getting zero time with Laura during the rest of the week. 

Once Chiron knew that Laura was a daughter of Zeus, he constantly brought her into the Big House to "chat". Every time she came out, she seemed more shaken than ever. I would try to help her out, like giving her chariot lessons, or give her a boost on the climbing wall, but she would just give a short thank you, then run off to Chiron, who would pull her right back into the Big House. 

What's worse, whenever she is out of the Big House, Jason shows up and takes her through her day's activities like they'd been living here together since they could remember. Laura did always look a little better with Jason, but I figured he just freaked her out. He was way taller than she was, and was loud and excited whenever they were together. I would exchange a glance with Piper once in a while, and we would lift an eyebrow, like we were thinking the same thing: Jason, give her a break! 

I even showed her Bunker 9, which was supposed to be a Hephaestus secret, and she still was unimpressed and uninterested. I was ready to explode by the time Capture the Flag came around. But then, I had an idea. I was hoping like crazy that she would be on my team, so that I could walk her through the motions of Camp Half-Blood's Capture the Flag. 

Of course, she ended up on Jason's team, and he was her partner for the game. Chiron had a private word with Jason before the game, and I thought that he was saying to protect her, and bring her back if she got hurt. Jason gave an enthusiastic nod, and rushed Laura to their team's camp. 

The Hephaestus cabin was allied with Ares and Athena. Jason and Laura got Hermes, Aphrodite, and Demeter. Percy stuck with Athena, since Annabeth was in that cabin. Honestly, those two were inseparatable. 

Once the horn sounded, I was pounding through the offence of the Ares cabin. They had swords and spears. I had a big hammer. Not much competition. I barreled through their ranks, and ran around the Hermes' defenses like a jack-rabbit. Once, I thought I saw Jason and Laura heading toward my team's camp, but then they vanished. I kept running. 

Once I had spotted the flag, about 50 plants and flowers tackled me to the ground. Quickly, I summoned a hack-saw, and cut my way through the foliage. Just my luck that the Demeter cabin was on the defense. Next, I had to weave through a confusing maze of intertwined trees that could smash you if you weren't fast enough. I was so close to the flag, but suddenly, I got zapped with a bolt of electricity. I seized up, and fell to the ground, twitching. I heard the Demeter cabin cheering, but then I heard a scream. 

My vision was failing. Just as I lost consciousness, I saw Laura running towards me, with Jason tailing her, trying to get her to stop. Then my vision went black. 

****************** 

When, I woke up, I was in the infirmary. Naturally, our team had won, due to clever tactics on Athena's part, and some embarrassing distraction by the Aphrodite cabin. All in all, the Hephaestus kids were no match for the Ares cabin. Those kids were like animals! 

I laid in my bed for about 5 seconds, and then Piper burst into the infirmary, carrying blocks of ambrosia, and a steaming cup of nectar. I shoved off my quantity of the medicine that Piper offered me, and watched her heal and calm most of the infirmary, with several thanks from the satyr nurses. When her work was done, she walked over to me, and I sat up. Immediately, my shoulder ached, and I groaned. Piper winced. 

"Sorry about that," she said. "Jason probably wanted to show Laura how it was done. I don't think he knows how much Laura likes you." I blushed, knowing that finally, I knew that my flirting efforts on Laura were actually worth it.