Leo Valdez's PoV
He had been standing for what seemed like hours, staring ahead, glancing at his map once in a while. Thanks to Annabeth, he had been woken up more than once, being nailed in the gut. But he had to break it to her, it kept him awake.
The silence had been interrupted when Annabeth had spoken. "You love her, don't you?" she questioned him, staring straight ahead.
"I do," he had replied to the daughter of Athena simply, without hesitation. He reached down to his pocket and patted it, feeling the small box secure in the place he had put it.
"I know what you're planning, Valdez." He looked to her, realizing she was starting at his pocket. "Even Percy could figure it out."
"And you're okay with it?" he replied, voice quivering.
"Well.." she started, turned back to face ahead. "When I had learned that you asked both Poseidon and Khione, I figured you really wanted to purpose to her. I'm okay with it." She smiled to him.
He almost let out a girly scream. "Thanks so much!" He started thinking of stuff in his head, like what her siblings will be like, what Crystal will say to him, how excited she'll be to see her siblings, and it was just then, he realized Annabeth was talking.
"- and that, is how I will kill you if you hurt Crystal. Understand?" She looked at him, face looking like she was serious.
"Y-Yeah," he had stuttered, turning to face ahead. He looked down, and saw an apartment complex that said Oso Apartments.
"Almost there," he muttered to himself. He slowly guided the chariot to land quietly on the roof, and got off. "Come on, Annabeth."
She got off, and sighed. "Hold up, Valdez," she said, grabbing his shoulder. "Wait for me."
They slowly descended the stairs, heading to Lia's apartment. He was talking to himself when Annabeth stopped him. "We're here." She smiled.
He saw the apartment door, and slowly knocked. He could hear the locks turning, and watched the door open, revealing an older woman.
"Hello?" she called to the two supposedly normal kids standing on her welcome mat.
"Yes, we're here to, um, see Lia Carian Love," Annabeth stated to the woman, standing up straight. She nailed him in the chest, signaling for him to follow in her footsteps. He had no choice but to stand up straight, being under Annabeth's glare.
"O-Okay.." the woman behind the door stuttered. She left the door a crack open for a second as she turned away, but soon came back. "Would you two like to come in for a moment for a drink of soda?" she offered them.
"That'd be nice, wouldn't it, Leo?" Annabeth replied, turning her head over her shoulder, glancing towards him.
"Yeah..." he said, voice trailing off, continuing his thought process. Annabeth grabbed his shoulders and steered him towards the couch, forcing him to sit. He heard some footsteps coming in the direction of the hallway, and saw two people emerge. One boy, and one girl, who looked exactly the same. Well, except for the glasses on the boy, and blue streak in the girl's hair.
The boy stuck his hand out to him, as if he was to shake it. And he did. "I'm Alec, Alec Love," the boy stated, and glanced to the girl.
"And I'm Lia Love, his sister," she said, sticking a thumb over her shoulder at Alec.
He smiled at them, and made sure the woman wasn't around. "Leo Valdez, son of Hephaestus, head-counselor of the cabin, fire user, creator of the Argo II, macho bad boy supreme, creator of Team Leo." He glanced again at Lia, and saw her forearm. "You go to Camp Jupiter," he stated.
She rolled her eyes, and chuckled at him. "Of course I do, you idiot. And what, you date someone? Highly unlikely."
He growled at her, and Annabeth held his shoulder back, securing him from killing her. His hand lit on fire, but quickly put it out.
"Just for your information, he does have a girlfriend," Annabeth stated, glaring at her.
"Yeah, and it's your sister," he muttered under his breath, hoping they could hear it.
"Excuse me?" Lia said, staring at him. "I don't like people who mumble."
"It's your sister," he said confidently. "I'm dating your sister, Crystal Love."
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It took some time, and effort, but Leo and Annabeth finally made it back to camp with Alec and Lia.
Gods, Crystal was gonna be so excited.
