OMG. :D This is my last update for 2010. Let's have a parade. :) Thalia and Leo just seemed so cute in my head, so I had to do it, m'kay?

And yes, Valerie Martens is an OC.

EDIT: I noticed a few mistakes, and realized why I hate not having a beta. I'd like to thank SharpenedPencil for the advice and for making this fic just a little bit closer to perfect than it had been before.

i. Valerie Martens

Once, Leo thought he was in love. That was in ninth grade, when he was falling for Valerie Martens, the most beautiful and popular girl in school.

And she thought he was irritating. Like an itch you can't scratch. That little nuisance of a boy was egotistic and pimply and immature and she was way above his league anyways.

He had no chance, but he just kept pestering her until he had to run away.

ii. Khione

Khione didn't like Leo, marching away and turning her nose up at him; thus, she so wants him. She couldn't stand him. His warmth, his annoying grin, the lot of it. Even now, thinking about the way he hit on her made Khione want to upchuck.

She was a snow goddess; she was to be respected. She was to be admired by boys that were worthy. Boys like Jason. But what does she get?

Leo. Leo Valdez.

Just her luck.

iii. Thalia Grace

When Thalia came back to camp for the first time in ages, she hoped that Leo had found some other girl. That annoying twerp could get her kicked out of the Hunt if Artemis thought she returned the feelings.

"Hey, Thalia," she heard a voice call behind her. No, she thinks. Please no.

"Hey Valdez," she grumbles back, turning to face a grinning Leo. He's smirking at her, and she's having a hard time convincing herself that she doesn't like it.

And then she blinks. Once. Twice. Three times. Because Leo is shirtless and sweaty and he doesn't look half bad. And then she slaps herself mentally, because she's not supposed to think those things.

"Jason's in Cabin One, if you're hear for him," Leo says, still smiling. In her subconscious, Thalia notices that, for once, he's not hitting on her.

"Yeah. Saw him and Piper there a while back."

"Mmmm. It's always fun to watch them suck each others' face."

"Yup," Thalia said, nodded in agreement. She started to fidget, suddenly becoming absorbed in her jacket sleeves. Anything to distract her from Leo's shirtlessness.

"Well," Leo begins to say, backing away from Thalia. "I've gotta run. And don't forget, I'm still not done liking you." He winked at her, and she tried hard not to blush.

"Whatever," Thalia muttered, biting back a smile.

Leo liked things that were unattainable. Like Valerie. And Khione. And perfection. But, then again, who said Thalia Grace had to be unattainable?

And then, laying down in his bunk, he tries to explain why he was acting so weird.

"I'm in love," he mutters. His eyes widen in realization. "I'm in love." And then he grins.

"I'm in love with Thalia Grace."

This is my first try at the Heroes of Olympus fandom, so CC and flames are appreciated.

Review, por favor?