Disclaimer: I don't own The Lost Hero. T rating for slight language.
He thinks he can tell whatever she's feeling due to the shade of her eyes.
He remembers seeing the wonder in her wide, slightly fearful, brightening eyes even from where he sat, high upon Festus after he and the dragon had crossed from the forest and into camp. (He can still remember the look on Jason's face even before she'd whispered, "It's beautiful." His own wide grin had never wavered, even at his rather unexpected and quite cheesy thought, so are you.)
Her eyes had been dark – emerald he thinks – when she'd looked upon her father for the first time since his capture. Dark with fear and angry.
Now though, he can see – with a clenching heart – her eyes shining in the light of the sun. Two pale lime orbs shining with unshed tears. And when he turns his head once again towards the unfamiliar scenery – that looks like a flippin military camp – he sees why. Jason is wrapped in the arms of some Roman girl. And as he watches right now, fingers tapping against his quarter-length camo trousers, he sees Jason almost hesitantly return the girl's embrace.
He tilts his head to the side, must be Reyna. He can vaguely remember Jason spilling the beans about some Roman chick who he'd felt was the Annabeth to his Percy, even though he hadn't been able to remember exactly what she looked like or even her last name.
He hears a sharp intake of breath next to him and turns just in time to see Piper disappearing into the Argos II. He bits his lip and glances back at Jason, whose practically holding up a crying Reyna. Just to the side of them he can see Percy and Annabeth standing opposite each other. As he turns to follow Piper he hears snatches of his fellow Greeks' conversation.
"Come on, Seaweed Brain… You remember me…?" He thinks he's never heard Annabeth sound so… vulnerable.
"I…I don-… Wi-"
And then he's sweeping through the ship, towards the room Piper shared with Annabeth.
She isn't there.
Then he walks to a certain spot on the ship where she often went just to get some peace. He knows that because he found her there once and she, instead of telling him to go away, had said that he could join her if he wanted.
It was there that she'd told him she knew about Reyna. Well, she'd actually said she wasn't stupid, and that she - kinda - knew why Jason was acting so awkward around her. Only she hadn't said she knew for sure Jason had had a girlfriend in the Roman camp. She'd only said that he didn't seem to like her anymore. As in like like.
It would be times like that when Leo would have cursed Hera if she hadn't been one of the more important Olympians. (Like father, like son.)
"Beauty Queen?"
There's no answer, but then seconds after he creeps along silently on the wooden floor, he hears a wobbly, "Don't call me that, Valdez."
His mouth stretches in an odd combo of a wince and a frown – whether it's at the vulnerable tone in her wavering whisper, or just because she still doesn't appreciate her nickname even he doesn't know. (Though he'd certainly thought she was beautiful long before her claiming. Long before Jason had finished gaping and stuttering, "Y-you're a...a knock-out, P-piper." Even though he reprimands himself because it hadn't happened quite like that, he still huffs and scowls inwardly, thinking, she didn't have to look so pleased. But things are different now, he reminds himself sternly.)
"Sorry." He says as he walks to where she's sitting cross-legged, with her back facing him, staring out at the sea that's shining a light bluish-green colour in the sunlight.
It's almost the same shade of her eyes whenever she's happy. The same shade her eyes had sparkled whenever she'd looked at Jason…
He knows he shouldn't feel so angry about the Roman but he can't help it. What was going to happen now? Now that Jason was back where he belonged what was going to happen to him and Piper?
He had a very bad feeling about all this… He and Jason had never seemed to muck around like they'd used to, and he'd sometimes find himself wondering if they were even best friends at all, or if the whole damn thing was a ruse cooked up thanks to the Mist. Or more like, thanks to Hera.
He frowns as he sits down beside Piper. "He's an arse." He says, even though deep down he thinks, not is – will be. He didn't seem to need them anymore.
Leo entertains the idea of being able to throw his thoughts into people's heads when Piper finally whispers, "What's going to happen to us?"
If Jason had just told Piper about Reyna like he'd told Leo then maybe this wouldn't have happened. Damn Roman, the thought runs through his mind briefly as he focuses on Piper, his angry thoughts – suspicions – of an impending betrayal taking a backseat.
He slides an arm around her shoulders, silently rejoicing when she doesn't shrug it off. "I dunno... But I'll never leave you, you'd have to be the greatest Charmspeaker in the world for that to happen." He sees her blush and smiles. "And listen, Piper – let's not let the Romans push us around and make us wanna kill each other cos of Sparky… Though that would be quite cool for them to be able to do that cos we've never even meet 'em – though I suppose meeting their leader-"
"Leo, your point." She turns her head to look at him and he grins slightly – he'd almost lost himself there. Though now it's not any better as this is the closest he's ever been to Piper - except when they were on Festus - and his mind just sort of stops working as he takes in the flecks of blue in her green orbs.
"Uh…" Great. Now he was no better than good old Sparky with his tongue-tiedness. "… I forgot…"
His growing embarrassment dissolves when Piper lightly shoves her shoulder into his… well, armpit and laughs, "Oh, Leo… Don't ever change."
She's smiling at him now and he flashes her a grin. Now she's giving him the look he'd thought normally reserved for Jason; a look full of complete and utter happiness.
He wonders if the Mist works on emotions as well as it does with sight, because he can remember how Piper's eyes were always the same shade of green throughout his Mist induced memories, never changing except for when she was facing the sun or crying…
He grasps that thought like a lifeline because it confirms how completely fake his so called 'memories' are. Now if he could just convince Piper that it was no use crying over a friend they were losing and had never even had in the first damn place.
And in the end he does. It takes a while but he gets there. Then the two disembark again, barely sparing Jason second glances as they hear about their next plan from a suspicious and curious Annabeth and a fairly hostile son of Minerva. Or at least, Leo thinks the muscular dude scowling at them is a son of the Roman Goddess of Wisdom, Battle Strategy… and some other stuff…
Or maybe he's a son of The Mars Bars. Oops – he meant Lord Mars, he amends mentally, glancing at the sky nervously.
"You alright? Only you seem more agitated than usual," Piper whispers to him out of the corner of her mouth.
"'m fine." Leo replies, barely catching the cutting glance a still suspicious Annabeth shoots him.
Little did he know he had nothing to worry about – well… nearly nothing. For somewhere two Goddesses, clad in matching hooded cloaks designed in the very likeness of their own mother, were among those gazing down at the scene before them, though in a different place to the majority.
"It's working." One murmurs as she bares her teeth in a grin.
"Indeed." The other drawls to her accomplice as they walk in darkness. "But there is much more to overcome yet, sister."
"I know." There's an unbroken silence then soft, poisonous laughter. "Let's hope Lord 'Mars Bar' continues to play his part. He has done well so far it seems."
A sinister laugh is all that answers her as her sister thinks, that Valdez boy truly does have a death wish to keep on referring to his superiors that way.
A/N: First time writing a Leiper (or whatever you wanna call it…) fic as well as writing present tense. Hope it was okay. I had aimed for a sort of drabble but it just, sort of expanded. Sorry if it's too confusing but I tried to cram a lot of ideas in this tho its only a oneshot. Plz review if you fav this fic - they do give me inspiration and may help me expand on my other Leo/Piper ideas.