of half-bloods and happenings
heroes
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"Hey, Pipes."
Piper turns, her hand dropping unconsciously to her dagger before realising the boy before her is no enemy. His hair sticks up in greasy quills, and his shirt looks burned through in places - she can see his coffee skin beneath - but the smile he's handing to her like a gift is cranked to a million watts.
"Leo," she grins, folding her arms instead and relaxing. "What brings you out and about? I haven't seen you in forever."
"Oh, you know, I've had places to be, things to fix, girls to flirt with." He winks. "Annabeth insisted I get some rest, though. Practically threw me out of Bunker Nine."
"Oh, you poor dear."
They sit down side by side on top of Half-Blood Hill, staring across at the tree that's still called Thalia's pine. The Golden Fleece hangs soft and low in its branches and the sleeping dragon Peleus snores quietly at its base.
Leo fidgets with something from his tool belt. "Hey, Piper," he says, and she blinks twice because he hardly ever says her name in full.
"Yeah?"
"You ever wonder -" He closes his mouth and swallows. "You ever wonder if we'll be too late?"
Piper stares at him. "For what?"
He gestures miserably. "Everything. The camp, the world - Percy."
"Oh."
What seemed like a soothing summer's day has turned into something else entirely. Piper lets herself dwell on Leo's words for a long minute, thinking about the possibility that everything they do might not be enough. "All the time," she finally whispers, clenching her fists and refusing to turn to Katropis for advice.
"Me too." Leo smiles weakly, placing the object he'd been fiddling with on the ground in the space between his knee and Piper's ankle. It's a small metal ship, and Piper doesn't have to look too closely to know it's meant to be the Argo II. "I'm not a hero, Pipes," he says, watching the replica warship with sadness in his eyes. "I'm scared."
"Me too, Leo." A tear runs like a stream down her cheek. Piper lets it fall. "But I think that's what makes you a hero. Even if you're scared, or angry, or whatever, you still do what has to be done. Regardless." Their gazes pass one another and snag. "You're the bravest person I know."
"Why thank you. I know it much be hard to resist such charm." He sends her a crooked grin that doesn't fix everything, but damn well tries to.
"More than you can imagine," she smiles, and even though it's a terrifying journey that lies ahead of them, even though they know they will probably die within the year, it's okay because right now they're alive, and together, and working as hard as they can to beat the bloody odds, and that's what makes them heroes.
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Author's Note: Funnily enough, Piper's grown on me. I didn't like her one bit in TLH, but when I read Mark of Athena…well, let's just say I enjoyed her narration more than I'd expected. The friendship she shares with Leo is beautiful, hence this chapter.
On a ridiculously exciting note, there are 45 reviews to this story. If this chapter pulled it up to 50 - IF ONLY FIVE PEOPLE REVIEWED - I would forever be in your debt. I love you all so much. xoxo