Leo Valdez- Learning to Live

Chapter 16

Hello! 

I don't own PJO/HOO.

Frank carefully fastened the handcuff around his wrist. He had heard that Leo had run off twice the day before, and he was not looking to make it a third.

He glanced over at Leo, who wasn't paying attention to him in the slightest. Instead he was lightly tracing the lines on his arm with his finger, seemingly lost in thought. Frank gulped. He doubted Leo was thinking anything good.

Frank cleared his throat. "So, um... to the forge, then?"

Leo started, and turned his attention to Frank. "Hm? Oh, no, not right now. Later, probably." His eyes drifted away, losing focus again.

"Oh." Frank rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "What do you want to do, then?"

"Anything is fine," Leo said, clearly lacking interest in this conversation. "I don't mind."

"Well... I usually practice archery in the mornings. You could come watch?" Frank offered.

Leo flashed him a distracted smile for his troubles. "Sure, Frank. Sounds fun."

Okay then. Frank took a few uneasy steps toward the archery range, and sure enough, Leo followed when prompted. 

They walked in awkward silence. Well, Frank felt awkward anyway. Leo didn't really seem all there, to be honest. Frank glanced at him nervously. His eyebrows were furrowed, and he was clearly deep in thought. He seemed... conflicted about something.

Suddenly, his face cleared, and the look on his face shifted to one of determination. Frank quickly looked away. He didn't want to be caught staring.

Leo abruptly stopped, and Frank subsequently jerked to a halt. He turned, giving Leo a questioning look.

Leo gave him a pained smile. "Let's not do this, okay? You can just let me go now." He held out his cuffed wrist to Frank. 

Frank just stared at him. "Why would I do that?"

Leo scuffed his foot against the ground, evading Frank's gaze. "Oh, I... I mean, we're not friends or anything. We both know that. This really has nothing to do with you. So you can just let me go." Leo seemed almost apologetic in his explanation.

Frank was appalled by the implication. "Just because we're not the best of friends doesn't mean I want you to die, Leo!" 

Leo flinched almost imperceptibly. "Yeah, yeah I know... But I figured you probably wouldn't mind as much as some of the others. You out of everyone... I figured you'd miss me the least." His eyes flicked to meet Frank's for half a second before looking away. "Am I wrong?"

Frank gulped. Oh gods, this was really happening. He didn't know what to say, especially since Leo had a point. They really didn't know each other all that well, even after months of questing together. A good portion of that time had been spent in an uneasy conflict between the two of them. And after the war, Frank had gone back to Camp Jupiter. If Frank was being honest, they were probably closer to being strangers than they were to being friends.

None of which was helping Frank right now. He had to say something, and it had to be good.

"That's not true," he blurted. "Of course I would miss you!"

Leo gave him a look. Okay, so maybe that wasn't the most convincing thing he could've said.

"I mean... you're really... important. Yeah, important. You mean so much to Hazel, you know. And... everyone else, too. We would all miss you." Frank stumbled awkwardly over his words. He was messing this up, he knew he was. Leo seemed to grow colder with each word that left his mouth.