I just had to write this chapter today, as well.
Sorry for the change of POV, but it had to be.
Hope you like this!
(I do)
Review what you think ;)
IDOA
Chapter twenty-nine: Sparks
What felt like only a short time later, he woke again. Or rather, he was woken by Annabeth, shaking
his shoulder.
"Leo" she whispered. "Wake up!"
"Go away" he mumbled. Every bone in his body felt like it weighed a million pounds and his eyes were so sleepy he couldn't have opened them if he'd wanted to.
"No." Annabeth said "You have to explain what happened, and you need to direct Festus to Fort Sumter. So get up. Now."
Even in his sleep-induced state, Leo recognized Annabeth's no-nonsense tone, and he grudgingly
sat upright.
"Fine" he grumbled, yawning. "Meeting in the mess hall in fifteen minutes."
Annabeth nodded and left, closing the door behind her.
Leo got up, wincing as he felt the bruises that covered every inch of him.
He went over to one of the cupboards, and fished out two squares of ambrosia, one of which he ate, the other he took over to where Penelope was still sleeping on the other bed.
Gently, he shook her, whispering "Come on, the others want us to tell them what happened."
Penelope didn't react, but this didn't strike Leo as very unusual. After that escape, and that kind of
use of her powers, Pen was sure to be drained.
He needed her to wake up though, because for one thing he didn't want Annabeth to get mad, and
for another, he knew they needed to talk.
So he shook her again, more forcefully this time and slowly, she opened her eyes.
Two sleepy circles of turquoise blinked up at him, and he smiled at the sight of them.
There was a lot of explaining to be done.
~Penelope's POV~
When Penelope woke up, she felt like a deflated air cushion.
All she wanted to do was roll over and go back to sleep, but a face was above her, telling her she
needed to get up now.
The seemed very familiar, and Penelope felt a flutter in her stomach.
Leo.
Blinking the sleep out of her eyes, she slowly sat up. The motion made the world spin around her and she groaned, holding her head.
Leo looked at her with concern, holding out a square of ambrosia which she took gratefully.
The taste of fresh brownies filled her mouth, making her feel better instantly, and she managed to
grin up at the boy in front of her.
"I feel like Hades." Penelope told him, while Leo sat down on a chair next to her bed.
"That's no wonder, the way you behaved. What came over you?" Leo's voice was incredulous and a bit accusing, and Penelope felt a twinge of guilt.
She knew what he meant, of course. Her stopping to face that black monster, using a surge of power
to pulverize it, and risking both their lives in the process.
The problem was, she couldn't really explain her actions.
"It's a bit blurry, to be honest." she started, watching Leo's face carefully. "When it called me
witch spawn, and said impossible, I just felt so...angry all of a sudden. Like it had insulted me badly.
And then I knew I could destroy it, I felt so powerful. So I did. And that's all really."
"That's all" Leo echoed, weakly. "Well, if you can do something like that, we won't have to worry about fighting Gaia anymore."
Penelope knew he was trying to make her feel better, but she didn't.
Instead, fear at the power she'd controlled, dominated her thoughts, and she spoke quietly
"I don't know how I did that, Leo. But I'm pretty sure it's not something I can control, and I'm not
even sure I want to do it again. It didn't feel like I was in control of myself when it happened,
and that's not...nice."
She realised her hands were shaking, and apparently Leo did, too, as he took them into his own,
sending a shiver up Penelope's arms.
"Hey, it's okay. You don't have to do it again. Nothing controls you but yourself."
Penelope wasn't so sure about that, but she didn't contradict him. His touch was making her
thoughts a little hard to voice, but she knew that there was more to say.
Sitting a little straighter, she let go of Leo to sip some of the nectar she found in a jar on her night stand. Then, when she'd put the cup to the side, Penelope looked at Leo again, and already her cheeks started to go pink.
"Listen, Leo, about what I said back there..."
Leo's face didn't show any emotion, and she suddenly felt unsure about what she was about to say.
Sure, he'd kissed her, but maybe that had just been the spur of the moment, the hope that
they might escape the demon's clutches, and not his actual feelings.
Gods, why did this have to be so complicated?
Clearing her throat, Pen continued, "...don't worry about it, okay? Just ignore it, or whatever,
I don't want you to... "
But her voice trailed off, as she caught sight of Leo's expression, which had changed quite a bit.
He was now smiling that devilish smile that made her heart speed up, and his chocolatey eyes
flashed mischievously. Oh, she could get lost in those eyes...
Unable to get the rest of her words out, she simply sat there, waiting for Leo to say something.
But he didn't, and instead stood up from the chair, holding out his hand to help her up.
She took it, and her breath sped up as he pulled her to her feet and towards him.
They were so close...
"Don't worry, magic girl." Leo leaned down to whisper in her ear "I like you too."
He looked at her, and Penelope's heart stopped as he leaned in.
Their lips met, in what felt like a shower of sparks, and Penelope could feel Leo's lips smiling against hers, and couldn't help but smile herself as his arms pulled her even closer.
This was a proper kiss.