CHAPTER 3

"Hey man! Long time no see." Leo knew that voice anywhere.

Jason was running to him with a backpack slung at his shoulder and an ecstatic smile. His face beaded with sweat that go along with his hyped expression. Leo went for a bro hug the moment they were in contact.

Leo hasn't hanged out with him forever. After the war, his best friends attended to their personal family matters. Jason hang out with Thalia (with proximity, of course) to catch up. Piper went home to see his dad since they didn't had the time to sit down and talk after they rescued him. He was happy for his friends and little lonely for his sake. But at least that gave him the chance to catch up with his siblings as well.

"How are things, Sparky?" Leo asked slyly.

Jason laughed and hit Leo in the arm lightly. "Good." he said. "And you? How's being head counselor? I heard you have bathroom privileges in your cabin?" Leo suddenly went mortified.

"How did you know that?" he swallowed. Jason rolled his eyes then laughs again. "Thalia." they said in unison.

Leo made an effort to laugh. "Right."

"Anyway, can you believe Mr. Mclean is letting us spend the night?" Leo asked, suddenly changing the subject. This was a first for him. It was like the slumber party he was never invited to.

"Yeah. Well, we're really close to Piper." Jason said, nervous all of the sudden. Leo decided not to corner him with his anxiety.

"There's that. But I mean, don't you think it's a little weird to have two boys stay the night in their house requested by his daughter." Leo swore he saw his best friend blush in the dark.

"It's not that were sleeping in the same room with her."

"Man, I swear to the gods that's just weird and gross in so many level."

Jason forced out a laugh. Leo didn't know why his best friend is being all jittery.

"Ring the doorbell man. I'm waiting for your call."

With reluctance, Jason pressed the doorbell that produced a thousand rings. They stood at the gate that shows very little view of the Mclean household though from they were standing, they can see the exterior of the house is wooden-brown, its surface mostly occupied by full scale windows. Also a wide guess but they can also make out the house was only built for a number of two to three. After a few minutes, a tall man opened the gates.

"Good evening Mr. Mclean," Jason greeted politely.

Tristan Mclean stood at the other side of the gate. He greeted the boys with a tight smile. He wore casual clothes with his hair unruly. The three of them were unmoving, waiting for one of them to take the initiative to start a conversation.

"Jason," Tristan Maclean recognized. "And uh?" his eyes fell to Leo.

"Leo sir." Leo finished his sentence.

Before Jason could even respond, Piper suddenly appeared from nowhere. She looked the same the last time Leo saw her. Her hair tied with a feather. Piper wore a loose shirt (a little too big for Leo's opinion) and pants.

Like her father, Piper welcomed them with a small smile.

Hold up.

You don't just smile while you're a foot away from your boyfriend, separated for a month and expect just that. They were Jason Grace and Piper Mclean, his friends. Leo knew them well better than everyone else. Leo expects Piper to tackle Jason with a bear hug—any kind of action that shows affection. In his opinion, they might be just as bad as Percy and Annabeth.

But now?

They're just standing there. Like strangers.

Leo's feeling a bit left out from all of this.

Piper cleared her throat then said, "Come on in guys". She motioned her hands for the boys to come in. Piper had her eyes glued on Jason's back which Leo find it the only normal thing that had happened the moment the gates opened. Once they were on the steps of the porch, Mr. Mclean's phone rang.

"I'm sorry to leave you boys here but I have to take this call." They all nodded. He smiled thankfully as he half run to the door ahead of them and never turned back.


Leo threw his body the moment he saw his bunk. After the long trip, he needed that. His bed smelled like wood and mint—an odd combination, nothing like his back at camp. Still lying in bed, he took a small peek at his friends outside the room. Both Jason and Piper were talking in an intense hushed tone. It looks like they were arguing. He knew he wasn't in his place to intervene. Still. Leo didn't give a damn anymore the fact they were a couple. They're all friends. The two of them might not want him to interfere but there's only one way to find out.

"Hey guys. Remember me? The repair boy who are both your best friends inside the room being left out. Alone."

They both stiffen which was probably a good sign. Jason eyed at him first. Leo can't make up of his expression. Finally, Piper brushed him off and went inside the room.

"I think we should just tell him. We need his help, Jason." Piper said, her eyes on Leo. Jason shook his head.

"Pipes, I don't want to hurt his feelings. You know how sensitive he can get. He might get the wrong idea."

"What wrong idea?" Leo raised an eyebrow.

The two of them exchange nervous looks.

Piper nodded at Jason's direction. "Please."

The magic word.

With a heavy sigh, Jason shook his head. "Alright. But that doesn't mean Leo will like it."

Leo sat up, leaning his body forward. "I'm listening."

"Look man, I know you're expecting a full-blown slumber party with charades, Monopoly, etc. But here's the thing," he stopped momentarily. "Just don't get pissed, okay?"

"For one thing I can't promise you that." he smiled bitterly.

Piper started. "Here's the thing Leo. I invited you tonight not just to have a slumber party, which by the way having you tonight is pretty awesome." she explained. "You see, my dad doesn't have hint that Jason and I are dating."

"And," Jason followed. "As much as we want to tell him straight forward, Piper told me his dad is totally against her only daughter having a boyfriend. We plan on telling him tonight but we need, you know, a—"

"A witness." Leo concluded.

They both nodded.

Leo felt something stirring in his stomach. He was only invited for their relationship's sake? Leo can't help to be appalled. That hurt, a lot. He was so focused on what he was feeling inside that he didn't even noticed he was already frowning. Leo tried to push the nasty expression and idea away.

"I get it." is the only three words he said after a long time.

"Leo, I told you. That's not the only reason. I'm hyped to see you—both of us!" Piper said encouragingly. She eyed Jason. "We just want to get this all done with. And maybe after that, we could play Monopoly."

The son of Hephaestus considered this. He examined his friend's eyes. Leo knew there was sincerity behind them. Suddenly, an idea dawned to him. He was practically the seventh wheel the entire time they were in their quest. This should be nothing. There were six of them paired off and only one Leo. He's used to it! Maybe still there's a nagging feeling bothering him but he brushed it off and tried for a brave smile. They were his friends for goodness sake! He got off on his bed.

"Request granted." He said. "So the sooner we do this, the better." He noticed Piper's tense shoulders finally relaxed. Her expression finally relieve beyond satisfaction. Jason was grinning. Leo placed both of his hands on their backs. He winked at his stuff on his bunk and said, "Be back in a flash."


Tristan Mclean's office was unexpectedly wide. From the far end corner of the room, black metal shelves stood with alphabetized books fixated to it. His study table was messy from crumpled old newspapers, used candy wrappers and folders stacked at the edge of his table. When the three of them came in, Mr. Mclean has to peek from what he was reading. He still had that tight smile of his face.

"Sorry to intrude, dad." Piper apologized. His father shook his head.

"It's okay Pipes," his dad said. "Is there something wrong?"

Piper nodded at Jason and Leo for reassurance.

Back me up as if to say. From there and on, they told everything.

Piper started from the Wilderness school where she told him where and when they met. Alongside that, she also explained her adventures with him at camp (and what do you know? She included Leo!). Leo only gave out occasional Jason's a good guy and He's pretty decent and He eats homework for breakfast comments which Jason seemed to appreciate.

Mr. Mclean was taking this awfully well which made Leo feel good. He didn't want to deal with Piper's father going ballistic on everything. This fight wasn't even his!

When Piper and Jason finished relaying their story, Mr. Mclean cleared his throat and regarded Jason with a hesitant but genuine smile.

"I suppose it okay." he muttered.

Piper was beaming. Jason gave her a light hug. Leo offered them the lamest thumbs up.

That's taken care off.

"One more thing," he suddenly dawned to something. "You didn't do. .it," he was having hard time saying it, saying it out loud, so he finished his sentence into a thin whisper. Suddenly he went quiet, his attention on his paper again. All the colors drained from his face.

A pretty bold question if you ask Leo.

Piper and Jason were steaming due from embarrassment and shame all together. As they rattled out comments like Dad, your impossible and We're only sixteen sir, Leo was already at the door.

"I'll be in my room if you need me."