Forbiden Love: Aretmis's Proposition (Leo Valdez Love story)

Escape

Tara Pov.

The day has finally come where I can gwt out of this well yeah hell hole. I shouldn't be here and we have to convince death of that. Hazel stays with hades to keep him extra busy during judgements, while Nico and I sneak around guards and go talk to death.  I am honestly a bit nervous now. What if he says no? What if I get fields of punishment for asking? I try to calm my breathing as Nico and death seem to carry on a conversation without speaking.  it was a bit creepy but then again this is the underworld. Death eyes me suspiciously which would've made my skin crawl if I had any. Then he did the weirdest thing, he smiled and stepped asaide letting Nico and I through. I wonder if Nico said something funny but I doubt it. As we walked out Nico stayed passive snd silent not looking back at me. Once we were both in the sun I felt myself rematerializing and I took a big breath.

"It's good to be alive!" I say as I bask in the warm glow.

"Come on, I'd take you back to camp but summer is over. Anyway I have a feeling some people might want to see you" Nico says and soon I feel ike a hhost like nothing again until I find myself in a house. So that's what shadow travling feels like?

"Where are we?" I ask as I look around.

"Go into the kitchen" Nico says simply as he points.

I move in the direction of his hand and almost rip my face in 2 with the smile I produced at seeing Percy eating blue cookies while sitting on the counter. He stared sadly at his lap and obviously hasn't seen me. I clear my throat.

"Excuse me I'm looking for my annoying, over protective, big brother have you seen him somewhere? "

I don't think I have ever seen Percy move so fast I was envoloped in a bone crushing hug before I could even blink. I hug him back greatful to feel well feel anything. Percy finally let me go and I sat on the counter eating blue cookies with my brother,  happy.

Leo Pov.

I stare at the bottle in my hands should I drink it or not? Do I really want what this bottle promises. My modified headphones are on full blast yet I still hear her. Her laugh, the way she talked, the sound of her sigh. And then I see her. Her smile. her hair, her face, every. little. detail. And its beautiful pure perfection. But then vomes the ache the utter heart ache that I was so close and she's gone. I let her slip through my fingers like grains of sand. I look at the bottle and finally deside. I open the  top and drink deeply downing the entire thing in one go. And as my vision blurred I was hapoy and sad at the same thing. I would forget.