LEO'S POV

Dinner passed quickly.

I strolled the deck casually, doing my impression of Hedge's "patrolling" as I rounded the corners, but it was halfhearted as my mind was elsewhere. The moon seemed dull to me as my shoes padded softly against the deck, but it was probably just my imagination. Heading to the deck to speak with Festus would probably clear my mind, but it seemed as though someone else had beat me to it.

A figure stood against the inky skyline. Her hair fell past her shoulders, and in the gentle breeze I could see the distinct image of a feather blowing slightly. Beauty Queen.

I stuffed my hands in my pockets as I approached. "Piper? What are you doing out here?"

She turned around, and her kaleidoscope eyes flickered over me. "Leo, why haven't you changed your shirt yet?"

"You're avoiding the question."

She sighed and rubbed her forearm, a sure sign of distress. "Fine."

I leaned against the wooden railing patiently.

"I was just thinking about what the girls and I have to do tomorrow at that. . .that. . . that Triple A place-"

"Battery?"

"Yes. Battery. Well, it made me remember what Jason said about Reyna." She looked up at me, and her words flowed out in a rushed breath. "Leo, they spent a lot of time together. Real time. Not some fakey fake shit conjured up with some stupid fucking magic by Hera, Queen Bitch of the gods! Real. Time."

My eyes widened at her outburst. "But, Pipes. . . Why are you worried? Jason's your boyfriend, not Reyna's. You won."

She looked away. "I know. I know. And I'm happy about that, really, I am. But I'm also kinda sad and guilty. I'm happy and I'm sad and-"

"No." I shook my head. "No, Piper, not you too. I can't. I can't deal. First Peri, now you. I can't deal with these feminine mood swings! Piper, you cannot be happy and sad at the same time, that's not how it works!"

"But-"

"Oh my gods! I get it now!" I cried, reaching an epiphany. "You're on your period!"

"Excuse me?!" Piper squeaked, flushing.

"Yes, it all makes sense now!" I nodded my head vigorously as the thoughts came to me. "The mood swings, the blind anger, leaving the room all the time. You two are on your periods! Heh. Weird. They're at the same time." I smirked. "Does that make you two blood sisters or something-"

"Leo, stop talking!" Piper cried, She shook her head a little, laughing a light, nervous laugh.

But a laugh nonetheless. And laughing is better than crying.

I smiled warmly and squeezed her shoulder. "There ya go, Pipes."

"Thanks, Leo."

"No biggie." I sighed heavily and turned away from her, speaking over my shoulder. "You should probably head to bed soon. A Beauty Queen needs her beauty sleep, am I right?"

She hummed a response under her breath, and I heard her footsteps beginning to leave before her progress stopped, and I heard her voice in the night air.

"And Leo? I don't think a bit of red rivers from down below are what's wrong with Peri."

I spun around, being pleasantly greeted with her all-knowing, shit eating smirk. "Then what? What's the matter?"

She snickered at my reaction and turned to the foot of the stairs, clucking her tongue at me. "Ah ah ah, Valdez. It would go against my principles as a daughter of Aphrodite to disrupt the natural orders of the heart."

Natural orders of the heart? Sweet Jesus, can girls ever not talk in riddles?!

"Piper, what the hell are you. ."

But she was already gone.

So much for trying to clear my mind.