Leo was making tea when the door rang. Khione was lounging on the couch. Her dark hair fell over her white dress and her eyes were closed. This was how Leo likes her best: when she was half asleep. Leo grabbed the pot of boiling water and poured the liquid into two mugs. The scent of mint filled the kitchen as he dunked the teabags into the mugs.
The door bell rang again. Leo noticed that Khione was stirring as he walked over to the door. He peered through the keyhole and his heart thumped in his chest as he made out the black uniform and badge of an officer. He had dealt with police officers many times when he was in foster care and none of the experiences had been pleasant. Police were never on Team Leo.
Nevertheless, he opened up the door.
"Are you Leo Valdez?" the officer asked. "My name is Officer Beckendorf."
He was a tall, strapping African American with a gruff voice, but sparkling eyes. He smelled of donuts and coffee; Leo's stomach rumbled.
"Yes, I am him," Leo said, setting his lips.
He heard an intake of breathe and the sound of footsteps. He felt a hand on his shoulder and an arm pulling him back. Leo realized that Khione had outflanked him and was now standing in front of him.
"Is there anything you need to speak to us about?" Khione asked.
"Who are you?" the officer asked.
"Khione Boread," she replied in a voice as soft as snow. "I'm Leo's fiancé."
Leo felt as if he had just been struck in the stomach with a five-pound hammer. He was surprised he was able to stay standing. His feet swayed and the scent of mint drifted into the air, mingling with something else.
"Fire!" Leo yelped.
The fire alarm then started to go off. Leo tripped over his feet trying to walk backwards. As he got up, he noticed the air growing grey from the smoke. He coughed as the acrid scent of fire filled his nostrils. Khione was standing beside the officer; her face looked paler than usual and her eyes were as round as snowballs.
What the Tartarus, Leo thought; why is she more scared than I am? Coughing, he got to his feet and dashed to the kitchen. Flames had consumed the stove and were eating away at the counter. They were getting close to the sink ... No, Leo couldn't let that happen.
He dashed forward and turned on the water. He grabbed a fallen cup from the floor. It smelled of milk and the mixed scents of the smoke and dairy made him want to retch. Instead, he used the cup to douse the flames. They sizzled and protested like stubborn rebels who would not surrender.
"Get the hose!" Beckendorf yelled. "The hose!"
Leo's head spun in confusion. What hose? Then, he remembered the hose kept in the shed of the apartment complex. How did this man know about it? Leo ran away from the scene of the fire and didn't the stairs. He grabbed the hose, attached it, and ran up the stairs with the end of it in his arms. It was just barely long enough and by the time Leo returned, half of the kitchen was up in flames.
The fight wasn't easy, but Leo was able to keep the flames at bay until the firefighters arrived. When they did, Leo sunk to is knees. He thought of the last time firefighters had visited his house; Leo felt like his body was pumping blood instead of ash. Must he lose every home he had to the flames?
YOU ARE READING
Judgmental (a Percy Jackson AU)
FanfictionWhat would you do if you were in their shoes? Percy Jackson has never had an easy life. Now finding a job is near impossible after his latest screw-up: landing in jail. Annabeth Chase planned her life out carefully. She did everything right, but...
