To the reviewer who said Calypso thinks Percy is Leo's girlfriend you are in fact right. Because Leo is enough of a dumbass to see his sister showing up to rescue him, get all excited because he thought he was dead, and not explain that she was in fact his sister, to the girl who he's pretty much in love with. Anyways, this chapter features more adorable reunions, and Percy and Leo being a ridiculously chaotic duo. Also, Leo officially has a bucket list with one item on it.
Anyways, read and review- and just so you guys know the next minific isn't even really a minific, it's over twenty chapters long lol.
Percy clung to Leo tightly, letting out a slightly damp laugh. "I thought you were dead too."
"I- when I lost my grip on your hand-"
"I know." Percy threaded her fingers through his curls, and they were longer than hers now- and that was weird. "Gods Leo I know. Don't ever scare me like that again-"
"I scared you? I scared you?" Leo pulled back slightly to give her a disbelieving look, "You did the exact same thing!"
"Okay, okay, so we promise never to scare each other like that again- but no following me into dangerous situations-"
"Uh huh." Leo snorted and rolled his eyes, "Sure, sure I'll keep that in mind." he let go, leaning back, "Gods you look really pale."
"Eh, I nearly died a couple of times- and you look even skinnier-"
"Nearly died." and they gave each other matching grins at that.
"So, are you ready to go home because I sure am."
"I-" There was a flicker of hesitation in Leo's eyes before he let out a breath and nodded, "Yeah. Yeah I am." he glanced back towards Calypso, who had turned her back on them- and Percy felt a rush of sympathy for her- it must be incredibly lonely on her island.
"You- I wouldn't blame you if you chose to stay-"
"I can't- I gotta help you guys." Leo's voice was quiet, "You might need me. But-" his expression shifted to one of determination as the boat slowly started moving back away from the shore, "I'm going to come back some day. And I'm not gonna stay- I'm going to come back and save her Percy.. I told her. I told her that I'll come back and get her off her Island someday. I swore it."
"Leo-"
"I know it sounds crazy but Percy she- I..." Leo flushed a bright shade of red, "I love her-"
"I'm happy for you."
"You're not 'gonna tell me I'm too young?"
"Nah. I wasn't that much older than you when I fell in love with Annabeth." Percy laid a hand on Leo's shoulder as they headed into the mist once more. "But I dunno how you'll find her again. Isn't the Island... I mean aren't you supposed to only be able to find it once?"
"Yeah. But I'll find a way." Leo's voice was fierce and determined "She saved me Percy. She nursed me back to health. She's beautiful and... she's kind and sweet- and terrifying too and I love her."
"Then you'll find a way, if anyone's smart enough to pull it off it's you. But first we get home and let everyone know we're alive-"
"Ooh." Leo winced, "Yeah, dad said that they felt it better not to tell anyone about me in case I decided to stay-" he paused, tilting his head, "What about you. Dad said it'd been like two weeks, where were you?"
"I was pretty hurt. I ended up in Atlantis, dad was worried I wouldn't make it for a while but I pulled through and I'm fine now."
"Really?" Leo hesitated, a slightly worried look on his face, "You look- I mean, you look different. Really pale and-"
"Leo I am fine. It's fine."
"Something more happened didn't it?" Leo's eyes narrowed, "Percy-"
"Leo just stop it we're not going to discus this." it was one thing to admit what had happened to her dad and Amphitrite- and Triton too, but admitting it to anyone else? Dealing with the questions and the pity, that would be hard.
"Percy-" Leo frowned, a concerned look on his face and she shook her head.
"Don't Leo. I don't wanna talk about that." she let out a breath, "No, no I wanna talk about other stuff." she gave a sly little smile, "Tell me about what happened with you-" and Leo's face went bright red, but he grinned slowly.
"I woke up and Percy she was so beautiful- she took care of me when I landed on her island-" and he talked, he told Percy everything- and Percy found herself smiling fondly as she watched him- he was infatuated- that much was painfully easy to see, especially when he talked about how smart she was and how she'd taught him about flowers and helped him build things there.
And he talked long after they were through the mist.
Eventually though even Leo trailed off, and they just relaxed, taking the time to enjoy the peace before the inevitable chaos when they arrived back at camp.
And sure enough, several hours later- as both of them grumbled to themselves about being hungry Percy suddenly perked up, her eyes going wide as her gaze swung to look into the distance ahead of them- and she saw a familiar shoreline, grabbing Leo's hand tightly, "Leo- Long Island!"
"YES!" Leo whooped loudly, rocking the boat with the force of his little jump- and Percy let out a bright laugh.
"Leo!"
"We made it home-" and the joy in his laugh was infectious and Percy found herself laughing too as they headed towards the camp- the familiar stretch of beach in the distance- she'd spent so much time there- it was a comforting sight, and she found herself grabbing Leo's hand and squeezing tightly before she blinked when she saw a lone figure sat on the beach.
She blinked, raising an eyebrow as she glanced at Leo, who shrugged, and both of them hopped out when the boat was close enough to the shore, Percy holding Leo as they stood on top of the water and rode it to the shore, stepping off lightly- and the figure didn't look up and Percy's eyes narrowed.
Even from a distance she recognised the figure- the sun glinting off short golden hair- Luke.
Why was he on the beach on his own? He was usually kept pretty busy. And he had his knees pulled to his chest, his face bowed, arms wrapped around them tightly, protectively.
"Luke?" Percy's voice was hesitant, her brows furrowed as she squeezed Leo's hand and tugged him forward- and Luke's head snapped up and to the side, his eyes going wide when they landed on her and Leo- there was a look of pure shock on his face and he was scrambling to his feet.
"Percy? Leo-" His voice cracked, and then he was sprinting across the sand towards them, almost knocking them both over as he colliding with Percy, his arms wrapping around her almost painfully tightly as he sobbed- and Percy let out a startled little gasp, wrapping her arms around Luke tightly in response- she could feel the force of his sobs as he clung to her.
"Luke- Luke what-"
"We thought you were dead. C-Chiron said not to give up hope at first because maybe one of the gods could have rescued you guys but we- we thought you were dead. It's been weeks and there was no word and everyone's been praying but-"
"Hey-" Percy's voice cut across his, "Hey hey hey- it's okay Luke... I'm okay. Leo's okay. We're alive."
"How?" Luke pulled back slightly, a pained look on his face, "Oh gods Percy- Leo- you two both look-"
"Like we've gone through hell?" Leo gave a goofy grin, "Cause, I mean- I feel like the firey heat of a volcano is a good comparison to the classic version of hell that most people believe in-"
"Leo!" Percy gave him a dirty look, "That isn't funny-"
"It's kinda funny-"
"How is it funny?"
"We blew up a volcano while we were inside Percy. We literally rode a volcano- how is that not funny?"
"You- you were- Annabeth said you were but-" Luke looked slightly sickly, "I hoped maybe someone got you out before it blew but- it really went off with you inside of it-"
"Uh, like Leo said, we were actually kinda the ones who blew it up." Percy gave a weak shrug, "Not fun- I actually got lava tossed at me-"
"So did I. They were nasty monsters." Leo pulled a face, "Hopefully they all died-"
"The explosion probably took them out rather than the lava." Percy's voice was thoughtful, "What do you think Leo."
"I mean they literally picked up globs of lava to throw it at us- they were definitely hurt by the explosion rather than the lava."
"You-" Luke tightened his grip, closing his eyes and pressing his face into the top of her head. "Gods I don't even want to know. How did you guys survive."
"I got rescued and Leo got a gi-" she was cut off by Leo kicking her leg hard.
"Shut up-"
"Oh, what are you embarrassed now?" Percy's voice was teasing and Leo glared.
"I landed on an island, where I was rescued by Calypso- it's a long story and I plan on going back to rescue her someday when the war is over."
"That- I know that myth I think." Luke said slowly, "You- Leo I don't know if you'll be able to-"
"I'm going to-"
"Okay okay." Luke held up his hands, "I didn't mean to upset you. What about you Percy. Who rescued you?" and Percy's expression tightened, her smile becoming fixed.
"That would be a long story. I was pretty hurt, I ended up in Atlantis."
"Percy-"
"Luke." Percy's voice was tight, "Please. Don't push it right now- It was pretty rough for a while there."
And Luke pulled back, cupping Percy's cheeks in the palms of his hands, eyes meeting hers, expression filled with deep concern, "Something bad happened didn't it?"
"I don't want to talk about what happened, I'm home and safe right now Luke. That's all that matters."
Luke hesitated, pressing his lips together and staring at her for one long moment before he let out a slow breath. "Fine. Fine I'll leave it for now." he lowered his hands, turning to Leo, "Gods you have no idea how glad I am to see you both-" He paused, "And you really know how to time it- everyone's in the ampitheatre- Chiron announced last night that with how long we've gone without any word... we had to assume you two were dead- they... they're actually about to burn your shrouds soon- that's why I came down here." Luke's expression was pained, "I couldn't handle the thought of- of watching them burn your shrouds."
"Oh." Percy's eyes widened, "Oh- oh gods-"
"Wait-" Leo's face was suddenly very gleeful, "Does that mean that we get to crash our own funerals because I've always wanted to do that-" and Percy could tell that he was trying to lighten the mood, distract them both from the obvious half truth Percy had told.
"You have not-"
"Yes I have it's on my bucket list-"
"Oh come on Leo there is no way you've even considered it before-"
There was a beat of silence and then, "Okay, okay so I haven't but holy shit I want to crash my own funeral so bad right now-"
"Oh gods." Luke let out a slightly hysterical laugh, "That- this is ridiculous-"
"It does sound like fun." Percy admitted slowly, a grin creeping across her lips, "I mean-"
"Percy you can't actually-"
"Leo-" Percy grinned, "Shall we?"
"Race you to the amphitheatre?"
"Oh gods-" Luke was a moment too slow grabbing Percy and Leo's arms, and the two of them were taking off.
And Percy knew they wouldn't make it before Luke was able to catch up and stop them- and from the look on Leo's face he knew that too. But that wasn't what it was about.
Percy had been through a lot over the past two weeks- and yeah, Luke would catch them before they could show up at their own funerals and scare the crap into everyone- but, well, she was laughing, brilliant loud carefree laughter. She'd been so scared- so the chance to do something stupid, to act like a dumb kid without the weight of the world on her shoulder? To mess around with her little brother.
Sure enough they had just reached the outside of the amphitheatre when Luke managed to tackle them both, wrapping an arm around each of their waists, knocking them both to the ground- and Percy let out a breathless laugh as Leo cackled and squirmed, trying to get free.
"Oh gods." Luke groaned, "What do you two think you're doing?"
"Trying to crash our funeral, what do you think we're doing?" Leo grinned goofily, "Come on, you only get one chance to crash your funeral-"
"Well it's not happening today." Luke got to his feet, dragging them both up with him before he paused, "Though... there isn't really a great way to do this we probably shouldn't wait until after they've burned the shrouds."
"See-" Percy grinned, "C'mon Luke. Let us crash our funerals-"
"I-" Luke faltered before suddenly smirking, "Fine, but we do this my way."