I Think I Love You || (festive) Leo Valdez X reader

20 Years Later (11k special)

Thank you to everyone for reading this book, I literally looked at this book the other day AND DAMN WE AT 11K READS?! Like...? There is 11,000 of you who bothered to read my crusty fanfic that I started cuz I wanted more quality Leo time. I probably have said this so many times now that the phrase has lost meaning but I am utterly grateful to any and everybody who has read or voted or commented, like I love all of you. All 11,000 of you. And because of this very special occasion I will do a 11k special for you lovelies.

Xoxo, Noor II

20 years later...

(Y/n) sat on the bed, her legs folded underneath her as she smiled down at the book in her hands. It was her old diary that she had found-dear god was sh always this whiny. This book was a sort of Leo shrine, pages filled with her talking of how Leo annoyed her, or how she missed him, or how she loved him. 

She had been collecting some of the stuff she had let behind at camp and found this gem tucked under her bunk. The sun was setting outside, sending golden rays that made everything light up in a magical way she always remembered Camp Half-Blood. 

Silently wiping a tear away she put the diary down and into the cardboard box where she had collected the rest of her belongings. It was the end of summer and one of the rare occasions that she got to visit camp with her job and living so far away. She heard the pattering of small footsteps come up the steps that led to cabin 3 and looked up. 

There stood a little by, his hair was curly but the same shade as hers, his face was open with mischief and childlike wonder. Her twisted every time she saw him, his eyes the same shade as Leo's alongside his goofy little smile. "Mom!" He exclaimed with slight disapproval. "Dad's been looking for you,"

(Y/n) smiled at him, a small half smile of slight exasperation and endearment. "Hold your horses Jay, I was collecting your stuff that you clearly forgot about." She held up a small stuffed panda that was a gift from his uncle Percy when he was younger. Jay's cheeks reddened as he defiantly.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he crossed his arms. (Y/n) set the panda down on her old bunk and reached for the box with Jay's stuff and watched out of the corner of her eye as Jay snatched the panda from the bed without making it too obvious. 

"Did you say goodbye to Uncle Percy? Oh and Auntie Piper too-" (Y/n) started but little Jay waed away her concern.

"Yeah,yeah." He shrugged, the panda behind his back. "They're waiting at half-blood for us-more specifically you." He was very sassy, something that often made her smile at her little nugget.

"Where's Peri, is she with-"

"Esperanza is with Dad, the bags are loaded in the trunk, yes I packed my tooth brush and no I did not forget to use the bathroom before I came here." Jason said in one breath making (Y/n) grin at the 13 year old in front of her.

"You really thought of everything didn't you?" She ruffled his hair which made him annoyed as he swatted her hand away. 

"Mom! Not in front of the other kids!" He moaned, trying to fix his curls. (Y/n) suppressed a grin at his expression-he looked so much like his father now and was slowly beginning to show his old habits and traits too. "You'll ruin my street cred,"

(Y/n) snorted at her son. "What street cred? I have more street cred than you do." She remarked as the mother and son made their way out of cabin 3. She looked around the beloved camp where she met her husband, where she really understood who she was and made a lot of important decisions. 

As they made there way past the pavilion, (Y/n) heard a shriek making her drop the cardboard box and whip out her broadsword that was attached to her back, all while shoving Jason behind her and positioning herself in a defensive stance. 

In front of her, two inches away from the celestial bronze tip stood her husband, wide eyed and flaming hands raised in surrender. "Remind me not to sneak up on you like that again." Leo laughed as (Y/n) lowered her sword at the same time as Jason behind her muttered:

"Gods, you're so extra." He rolled his eyes as his mother sheathed her blade. (Y/n) laughed nervously as she collected the spilled belongings off the grass. She had become severely over protective of her children-knowing all the ways they could die; just sending them to camp to train was enough to make her break down. 

Leo knelt beside her and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "It's okay. They're safe now. We're safe now." He whispered gently in her ear and she gave him a grateful smile. He had truly been her rock from the moment she had said I do.

(Y/n) was about to say something when a small girl came barrelling towards the pair, her eyes wide as she giggled and cried out in joy. "Hey baby," (Y/n) couldn't help but feel lighter when she saw her youngest child, Esperanza Valdez. "Whatcha got there?" She asked with a smile.

"Auntie Piper gave me this," her 8 year old opened her small fist to show a small barrette that was a beautiful coral shade. 

"Did you say thank you?" (Y/n) gently placed the hair in Esperanza's hair which were just as wild as her father's.

"Yeah, she also told Jay that it wasn't too late to ask Lena Stoll from Hermes cabin-" Jason let out a sound of protest as (Y/n) grinned. 

"Who, Travis's kid?" Leo asked, looking rather baffled. 

"NO," Jason glared pointedly at his sister. "There is no Lena Stoll and I told you what happened if you spill the beans."

"Don't threaten your sister Jay," Leo said automatically. Despite popular beliefs, Leo had actually become the stricter parent in some aspects and (Y/n) being the fun one. It surprised many how much Leo had matured over the years.

"I wasn't threatening-!" Jay was cut off as Zoe Jackson bounded toward him, slinging her arm around Jay's neck. She was an inch taller than Jay, her sea green eyes sparkling and dark hair askew.  She was an exact copy of Percy, though she was much more like Annabeth mannerism wise. 

"I saw Lena Stoll leaving dude," she grinned at her cousin. "The widow's closing man, if you run for it now you might catch her." Jay's eyes widened as her looked at half blood hill were indeed Travis stood with his young daughter, laughing at something she said. 

"I need to use the bathroom," he said urgently and made beeline for half blood hill. 

"Hey Zo, how's your mom?" (Y/n) asked Zoe who was messing about with Esperanza. 

"She's good," she said with a shrug. "I mean she's been busy with a lot of the architecture stuff but she's good."

"That's great, you guys still on for dinner though, right?" (Y/n) asked kind of worried. She hadn't seen the old gang in so long as everyone was so busy so she had to send death threats to everyone to make sure they'd come.

"Your kidding, and miss Uncle Leo's famous tacos? Never." She grinned at Leo who grinned back at the 14 year old. 

"I like this one."

"Let's go," she said and together they trudged up to half-blood hill,  she watched the family she never thought she would have. She had learned over the years that the family you are born to doesn't mean they are your only family. 

There was only a small speck of sun visible as (Y/n) took one last glance at her home. Taking her husband's hand she squeezed and he smiled at her. They both watched as their kids mingled, lost in thought of how time had passed quick. (Y/n) promised to honour those who weren't with them today and those of them that were here. Their stories would never die, for heroes may leave this world but their legacies will keep blazing in their stead.