* I'm sorry for not updating in 5ever *
PERI'S POV

I can't believe I just told Leo all of that. . . but I don't think he judges me. I think he might actually understand.

I'd known him for only a few days, but it felt like so much more. The bond we shared was something more than just two strangers who had gotten to know one another. We were something more, but exactly what I did not yet know.

I looked over to him to give some deep, plot-developing assessment of our current relationship to find that he was paying me no mind at all. Instead, he was squinting up at the ceiling - or rather as high up as you could currently see through the thick, hazy steam that hung dormant in the air.

I knit my brows in confusion. "Dude, what are you looking at?"

He pointed upwards to the thick intermeshing of ropes and things, still not facing me. "There's a bunch of pipes and wooden beams and ropes up there. Like, a lot!"

I pursed my lips. "Yeah man, I noticed that, like, the first time we came in here. What's so special about-"

"It's like a jungle or something," he continued. "And the ropes are the vines. Just look at all those crazy knots!"

I rolled my eyes. "So what. And how did you not even notice that, you did build this shi-"

Leo whirled to face me suddenly, his eyes glittering with a spark of mischief and his grin as wide as ever. "Let's climb it!"

I mulled this over. It was a pretty childish idea, but everyone knows that childish plans are always the most fun ways to waste time. Finally, I shrugged my shoulders, reciprocating his excited smile. "Sure!"

Before I could say another word, Leo took off towards the wall. He grabbed at a Celestial Bronze pipe attached to the wooden wall and used it as a makeshift ladder, hauling himself up as fast as he possibly could.

Leo laughed over his shoulder. "Last one up is a pile of centaur shit!"

"Oh, no fair, you got a head start!" I exclaimed, rushing after him.

"Excuses, excuses!" he laughed, and I blew him a raspberry in response. He gave another rumbling chuckle. "Oh yeah, lady-like indeed!"

Panting, I climbed after him as fast as I could. However, as much as I would absolutely love rubbing sweet victory in his ridiculously attractive face, Leo beat me to the top. When I pulled myself up onto the high wooden beam at the top of the landing, I was greeted by his shit eating smirk.

He opened his mouth to boast, but I quickly cut him off. "Oh, shut it! You're just a cheater is all."

His smirk only widened. "Oh, are you mad? Is widdle Pewi mad because she lost a widdle race? Oh yes she is, oh yes she- gah!"

I silenced him with a swift punch to the arm. "I told you to shut it." Grinning, I carefully stood up before helping him to his feet as well. "So where's this adventure you promised?"

Leo snorted and began walking backwards. "I never promised any-"

"Be careful!" I cried, grabbing at Leo's arm and pulling him to me. The beam beneath our feet was very narrow, and he had begun to step towards the edge. A drop from this height meant imminent death.

Because of my noble tugging, Leo's body crashed into mine, our faces only inches way from one another. I felt my breath catch as his eyes widened with our closeness. Steam curled around our combined form as his hands gripped my sides, chests heaving together just the slightest with the light adrenaline. His cool, minty breath cut through the hot fog, and I subconsciously felt myself itching to get closer to his body.

There wasn't a trace of a smirk on his face now.

Leo gulped, his eyes darting every which way. "U-uh, uh.."

And then my hands which had been so tightly wrapped around him began to burn. My skin seared, and I yelped in shock and pain, quickly withdrawing my grip just in time.

Because in that moment, Leo Valdez caught on fire.

His face was reddened with embarrassment - because of his current fiery state or our previous closeness I was not sure - and his curly hair blew around with the flames.

"Shit!" he cried, clenching his fists trying to quench the flames. The whole ordeal would've actually been somewhat entertaining to me had things been under different circumstances. However, we were standing on a narrow strip of wood Zeus knows how high up in the air.

You can see where our slight problem would arise.

"Leo!" I exclaimed, holding up my hands. "Quick! Put your fire out!"

"I'm trying!" he yelled, arms flailing wildly. He jerked around freakishly, not realizing that the more he moved the more that the wood beneath us burned. The beam was already beginning to blacken, and I heard cracks as the long block started to splinter.

I had to act fast.

"Wait, calm down!" I tried, but he just wouldn't quit spazzing. "Calm- Calm- You look like a special needs duck, just calm the fuck down!"

He came to a sudden stop, and all that was left of the fiery storm that had just passed was a tiny flame on the top of his head. Leo's eyes were crossed as he tried to look at it, and it would've made for a very adorable photo.

I couldn't help but chuckle a little as I pinched my fingers over the small spark, killing the ember in his curls. "Got a little excited there, eh?"

Leo gave a nervous laugh. "Yeah, I guess I did." But to my surprise, a genuine grin crossed his face. "I guess you could say we burned some time!"

And then we burst into laughter at by far the corniest pun that anyone has ever laid witness to.

But it seemed as though when I'm with this boy, I just couldn't stop smiling.