Disclaimer: I do not own PJO and the characters involved in this story.
Leo Valdez was still up. He was thinking of some modifications and adjustments for his giant warship called the Argo II. He couldn't think properly, not after two of his friends just fell down to the depths of Tartarus. That didn't help. He was in his room, and he was not used to the silence. All around the floor, sheets of paper were scattered, some crumpled and some torn. It was filled with drawings and plans on how to make the ship better. And maybe, he'll think of a plan to help save his friends. But what was he thinking?
Then there was a knock on the door. "Leo?" It was Piper.
"Yeah?" He called. "Come in."
"Oh. Okay." The door opened and Piper came in.
"Why? Can't sleep beauty queen?" Leo asked.
"Yeah. I've been thinking a lot pretty lately. And they're not good things."
"Then were on the same boat." Lea said. "Which is funny because basically, we really are aboard on the same flying boat, and by saying that is just-"
He was cut off by Pipers laugh. He always liked making her laugh. Even though sometimes, he doesn't know he was already telling a joke, and Piper would be laughing.
Leo grinned. "So, why'd you come here?"
Piper sat on his bed. Sitting beside him. "I don't know. I just want to talk with someone right now."
"Oh. I bet Jason's asleep already?"
She nodded. "I tried knocking, but there was no answer. The other guys, Frank and Hazel, I'm not really that close to them yet. So I decided to come here. And yeah. Thanks for not being asleep." She smiled at him.
"Oh okay. You're welcome beauty queen. I've been sleeping pretty late lately."
"Late lately?" Piper asked.
"Yeah. What's so funny?"
"Nothing. Continue."
"I've been sketching some things, you know. But.. it never makes sense. I don't know, maybe im just too tired. But I can't sleep too."
"Hey Leo?" Piper asked.
"Yeah Pipes?" Leo said.
"I miss you. You know. I mean us. Like when it was just the two of us. Not knowing about being demigods and having wilderness trips and touring and having classes with Coach Hedge. I miss those times. The world didn't look so dangerous then."
"Me too, actually. We were always together then?"
"Maybe." Piper said. "I really hate it that Hera messed with our minds."
"Yeah. It's really annoying. But because of Hera,, you met the love of your life." Piper was sure he was teasing her. But she never gets annoyed. It seems pretty natural to her. It's Leo, her best friend. "Shouldn't you be happy about that?"
"I am. But, you know. What if she never came in our life?" Piper asked.
"Then we would be facing monsters alone, but together." Leo laughed.
"Alone together huh?" Piper said.
There was silence. Then Leo laughed.
"Why do you always do that?" Piper asked, smiling.
"Do what?" Leo asked, quite confused.
"You know, when things kinda get serious and then you break it by cracking up."
"Oh that." Leo smiled. "I don't know, I just think it helps."
"Yeah, you're right." Piper said. She was now lying in Leo's bed, looking up.
"Hey beauty queen," Leo called her.
"Yeah?"
"Nothing, it 's just. I remembered it when you jumped into the water without thinking and swam towards me and kissed me on the cheek."
Piper laughed. "Yeah, that time. I don't know what I was thinking, I was just so happy to see you. I kept thinking what happened to you and when you suddenly popped out of the water, I thought about jumping. It's just, I can't lose you Leo, you've been my friend for a long time. You've been there for me all the time and-"
Leo just smiled. Then looked over at Piper. "Hey, do you remember that time when we were having picnic?"
"Of course. We had very few food then, just some bread and orange juice and cookies and some.. candies,"
"Yeah. You still remember what happened after that?"
"What? We were just running around and then. Then. I slipped and I had dirt all over me."
"I know, that was funny. We were young then."
"Young, and free, and happy."
"And we climbed up the tree and I was really up high and you tried to catch up but then, you slipped again and you fell. Well, almost, if I hadn't caught your hand."
"Oh yeah. I was really scared that time. Thanks again for that." Piper smiled.
"I was really scared that time too." Leo's face was serious. "I don't know what'll happen if you get hurt. And it's partly my fault too. I was just so happy I caught you before you fell."
"Of course. And then Coach Hedge was shouting from below the tree. He was really angry, telling us to get down already."
"We were just ditching the trip, it was so boring so we decided to have a picnic."
Piper then laughed.
"What's so funny?" Leo asked.
"Nothing. I just, remembered the stupid things we did together back then." She said.
"You weren't stupid. I was. You always got in trouble because of me."
"Yeah. I did. But I always liked it. We were still together, good times and bad times. You never left me."
"Of course, and I never will Pipes. What are best friends for."
"You know what?" Piper asked him.
"What?"
"If Hera didn't really come into our lives, you'd be my boyfriend."
Leo's eyes widened and his face was turning pink. He didn't answer.
"Hey!" Piper elbowed him. "Why so quiet all of a sudden?"
"Nothing. It's just, I don't know, weird. But maybe it's really true you know. We'd be surviving demigod life together. Hopefully find camp-half blood and.
"Yeah." Piper said. "Hey Leo?"
"Yeah? What is it this time beauty queen?" Leo asked.
"Could you tell me a story?"
"What about?"
"Anything."
Leo told him some stories. This time, it's about pirates who keep fighting each other. Then they saw this island and everything just went nuts. Leo's stories are usually nonsense, but Piper liked it. No one tells weird stories better than her best friend. She almost forgot about the fact that Annabeth and Percy just fell to Tartarus, and that they are heading out for a journey that will probably cost their lives. But now, her mind was filled with pirates and sword fights and bananas and volcanic eruptions and ghosts. Well, that's Leo for you. She know the fact that they're all in danger, but she also know she can't worry about that all the time. Right now, she is just enjoying the company of Leo, like old times. Just the two of them. She was still listening to his tale, this time, some kind of magic fish is involved. She was laughing from time to time. Then she grabbed the boys hand. Hugged it like a stuffed toy and closed her eyes. She was glad she came into Leo's room.
"-and so, Rider the Pirate set on to catch the Magic Fish with his-" Leo looked over to Piper. She was already sleeping. Leo stopped his story and smiled. "Good night, Piper." He leaned over and kissed Piper on the forehead, like a dad putting his daughter to sleep.
Leo was glad Piper came into his room. They rarely have times together like this these days. He felt tired, so he closed his eyes and drifted to sleep. Still sitting, Piper hugging his arms, lying peacefully on his bed. He didn't mind at all that he was sitting, he can sleep well. Maybe even, he'll sleep without worrying about nightmares tonight.