Author's Note: This fic does not have any prophecies whatsoever. The Great Stirring never existed. Both camps combined into one large campus. At this time, Jason is 18, Leo is 16 (almost turning 17), Piper is 17. This academy isn't based from high school statuses but the grade identification (freshmen, sophomore, etc.) is the same.

Chapter 1

LEO

I was munching down on some spicy quesadillas down at the snack bar on campus. Yeah, Jupiter Academy of Half-Bloods added a new cuisine to their snack menus, and that included Mexican food, which was one of my favorites. Score! Finally this school had some taste in food other than some of the distasteful grub that they served here in the cafeteria. My stomach told me never to go near ambrosia unless I was hanging on for my dear life.

Apparently I was munching on this taco like it was my goal to finish it. I looked up from my food to meet with Jason and Piper's stares, both looking at me with an eyebrow raised. Pffft, like they've never seen me eat like this before. Maybe it's because of the new change in the menu.

"You're eating rather… fast than usual," Jason spoke.

I snickered, wiping a little spot of Tabasco sauce from the corner of my lips with my tongue. "You're acting like you don't get this behavior off me very often."

Piper and Jason exchange looks, then shrugged at each other before tending to their own plates. Piper had a Caesar salad, mixed with lettuce, fresh greens, olives, and a little hint of ambrosia slicings. Jason had the regular, a double-decked cheese burger that spilled cheese right on the opposite end he was biting on that slipped onto his plate.

I rolled my eyes followed be a soft laugh. "You're supposed to eat it, dude, and not let it slip away."

Jason chewed on the meat and bread in his mouth, swallowing before he could be able to answer as Piper tended to the sauces around his lips with a white napkin. "Hey, I'm hungry okay? Don't judge a hungry demigod."

"You got that right," I obliged as I took another large bite of my taco.

As I was chewing, I couldn't pull myself away from the couple in front of me. Piper was continuing to wipe the sauce that was sticking to Jason's side lip, while Jason chuckled and gave her a warm smile thanking her. I sighed silently and my gaze fell down, assisting in the fact that I'm losing my appetite and this isn't the first time this has happened.

You see, if you must know, we three have known each other since ancient times, four score seven years ago, before god created man, well you get the picture. It felt like it was that long ago since Piper and I met, followed by Jason in the later years before the introduction to Piper and welcoming him into our parade of three. But eventually, the two had taken a liking to each other, and I became the third wheel now. I didn't mind, somehow I knew that it would end up to this.

"Leo," Jason called as he snapped his fingers in front of my face. I blinked a few times breaking away from my daze and sat up from the chair that was across from them. "You feeling okay, man?"

It took several more blinks before I could process, realizing that I had been thinking again when I shouldn't. That's Jason's thing, he would always think at random times, and usually, we'd see him thinking as hard as he could, like as if his life depended on it. But sometimes even I go into my own little world and I'm completely out of it for everyone to notice something's wrong.

"Yeah- I'm fine," I lied.

Jason arched a brow. "Are you sure, dude?"

I sighed in frustration. "Yeah, Jase. I'm completely fine."

It takes him like a couple of more seconds to look convinced before he goes back to grinding his teeth into that burger. The fact of the matter is, there is something wrong. And for me, there has always been something wrong going on with me, particularly because of Piper and Jason's relationship. If you haven't already noticed, my darling demigod, I've had a crush on Jason since two years ago when we started here at Jupiter Academy of Half-Bloods. Two years ago, I didn't know about my feelings then since I've been always attracted to girls. Jason and I have known each other two years before we came here. And apparently, things took a turn for the worst, especially for me.

But I try not to think about it or show any emotion, because hey, I'm Leo Valdez. I'm not meant to be all mushy and lovey-dovey, just like how Piper doesn't want to act all beautiful and elegant (though she can't help but be because of her mother).

After finishing the lunch we had at Hestia's Grab 'N Go, we head back to the dormitory. I, as usual, have to follow to the Greek side of the campus because of the division of demigods in the school. One huge area of buildings were for the Greek kids, while at the other end of the school with the same structures are for the Roman kids.

"This is my stop," I announce as I stop in front of the Hephaestus dorm. Jason and Piper nod at me, awkwardly to say the least. I raise a brow. "Is there something going on between you two that I should know about?" God, I feel like an over protective brother to Piper. They exchange unsure looks again before gaining the courage to answer.

"We'll talk about it another time, Valdez," Jason replies.

All I do is nod in a gentle way before heading into my dorm, closing the door behind me as I take off my shirt that looks like it has been sprayed with a Tabasco launcher.

I know what those two meant; they were too easy to read. They obviously were going to come to me and ask for some relationship advice. I mean seriously, you'd think that the Son of Jupiter would suppose to have ideas on how a relationship works, but apparently his only legitimate relationship is Piper, other than Reyna but she doesn't count in my mind.

Sometimes I get frustrated whenever Jason talks to me about Piper, because I always get a small feeling of jealousy that I'd wish that he was the one talking to Piper about me, in a relationship sort of way. But we all know, even the Fates know, that that's never going to happen. They would never let me even be more than a best friend to Jason, and I think I'm okay with that because Piper's like my sister. I wouldn't do or even bother thinking of hurting her in the slightest. But you know, sometimes I just can't help myself but just watch the two whenever they do something mushy like cuddling, which was on a rare basis and I've only seen them do it twice and it was here in my dorm. Yuck, I wouldn't want to get caught in the middle of cuddling with somebody. Leo is macho, and he will stay like that.

A knock on the door catches me off guard as I am about to slip off my shorts, buttoning them back onto my waist as I walk towards the door to open it. Jason is standing on the other side and I give him a nod. "Sup, man? Forgot something in here, or?"

Jason shakes his head. "No, just… wanted to see if you're alright."

I give out a chuckle. "Me? Why wouldn't I be alright?"

He shrugs and lets out a heavy sigh, lightly scratching the crown of his military crop top cut and slaps his hand down onto his thigh. "Nothing, I just figured something was wrong. You seemed a bit off back there."

"Don't worry, dude. It's nothing really." It's you, Jason.

"You sure?" No, because you are the person that is always on my mind like 80% of the time and I can't do a fucking thing about it.

"Yeah! Of course I'm sure. When have I ever not been sure? Seriously, bro, don't worry about me. I know how to handle things you know."

I let Jason in and let him plop onto the top bunk. Jake Mason used to be my roommate until that kid Beckendorf was sent away. He's now occupying that room along with Nyssa. Thankfully for Jason, the top bunk doesn't smell like ash, soot, and motor oil because if you lie down on my bunk, you'd probably be gagging at the smell of grease. But, I'm used to it, so I don't really care if I get points deducted for a messy bed area. Besides, I'm the head counselor for the Hephaestus dorm, so I don't really care about messy work desks or ash-covered beds. It's the way we Hephaestus kids live, and we like it that way, unlike the Aphrodite/Venus kids where apparently their dorms looked like someone came in with a big Swiffer mop and wiped the place clean, not even germs could mold into the floor tiles.

"Hell-oooo."

I blinked myself back into reality and I hadn't notice that I was practically staring at Jason while I was in my own world. Fuck, I can feel my cheeks flushing red. I turn around and proceed walking into the shower as I unzip my shorts. Jason catches this and he jumps off the bunk to stop me. Apparently his power grants him to walk in speeds of lightning, so he blocks the doorway before I could even get pass the frame. "Leo… what's really going on? You never take a shower in the afternoon unless you're frustrated or something heavy is weighing on your mind-"

"Jason, just drop it okay?" I lightly snap at him, "Really, there is nothing to talk about. I swear."

He studies me, and I don't look at him. I don't want to look at him, but I can feel his electric blue eyes sending bolts of lightning throughout my body. And my body heats up from the fast beat of my heart which I'm trying to calm down so that my skin would stop giving off steam. I take a deep breath and look at him with the blankest expression ever. "Can I please take my shower now?"

It takes him a moment to study me once more before nodding and stepping aside from the door and I walk in about to take off my Hollister underwear when I notice that he's still in the room. I turn around and stare at him, my hands still connected to the waistline of the frabic.

"Uh, what are you still doing in my bathroom? Didn't I say I was going to take a shower?"

He chuckles. "Well, apparently something's up, and I'm not leaving until you fess up something. So I'm going to stay in here," he pauses for a moment to close the door (and he even has the nerve to lock it which is obviously not good for Leo Jr.), "and I'm waiting." He takes a seat on the countertop of the double sink and leans back against the giant mirror.

I sigh, feeling defeated. I hate feeling defeated. "Fine," I say as I flail my hands in the air, stepping into the shower with my briefs on. "But I'm taking my time," I add in with a stern tone that I sarcastically add for dramatic effect.

All Jason does is laugh softly and nods, swinging his feet back and forth against the cabinet as I close the shower door. "That's fine, I'm not in a rush. It's early afternoon, after all."

Author's Note: Omg sorry for a reaaaaally short chapter, but I'm probably planning this to be a slow build, maybe. Seriously, we need more Jeo/Leason fics out here because frankly HOW CAN YOU NOT LOVE THEIR BROMANCE THAT TURNS INTO SOME ROMANCE AND POSSIBLY A HO-MANCE? Okay, I'm kidding about that last part but hey in my fics anything can happen.