OK, I managed to squeeze out a couple more nicey-nice chapters over the weekend. A few more and then back to Menace :3

To Riordanlover16- I think I prefer Jarvey too :P See, I can do fluff! I'll complain about it the entire time, but I can do it XD That does sound kinda volcanic, I'll have to add it to the pot. At the moment, it's a toss-up between traditional, the whole rainbow of colours, pyjama party and now black and coral :/

To Guest/DaughterofApollo- Hello again! I do like reviews, so thank you! (Chapter 1) Storm is, out of all my characters, one of my favourites to write. She is unbridled (horse pun intended) (Chapter 2) This is Lou. She created stubbornness. (Chapter 3) Lou is asked that question alot! Lots of people try to kill her, but the stubborn mare won't stay down XD (Chapter 4) No-one teaches children swears as well as Louisa. She knows all the no-no words. I much prefer writing PTSD/angst chapters than I do fluffy chapters (Chapter 5) I genuinely missed writing Leoisa, hence all this :P 'Chiquito' is too cute a nickname to pass up, I had to use it XD (Chapter 6) The friends are supposed to be scary, they grew up with Lou and needed to adjust to survive XD (Chapter 7) Mikey is my favourite too, I love writing him :D

The week between Christmas and New Year's was a strange one. None of the days had names, they fed themselves on Christmas leftovers and slouched about in their new pyjamas and socks. Leo spent most of it at the Smith residence, banned from working during the holidays.

"I've got orders to work on."

"Yes, you do," Jessica said curtly. "My orders. You are to stay here and enjoy yourself."

"But—" Leo quailed immediately as her eyes flashed dangerously. "Yes, ma'am."

"Good. We're going out for New Year's Eve, but Lou's staying here with Bradley. You'll stay too, won't you?" It wasn't a question, not really. An extension of her orders and Leo didn't dare say no.

Not that he wanted to say no. An evening with Louisa and Bradley, just the three of them? No presents or parties or people? It sounded lovely.

"Yeah, I'll stay here."

"I knew you would. We'll be out late, so keep an eye on her for me."

"So…" Leo squinted in thought. "I won't see you until next year?"

"Oh, shut up."

"You're still goin' out?" Jessica looked over Leo's head, expression softening. "Do you have ta go out?" Louisa asked. "What if… loads of people are gonna be out, what if—?"

"Louisa," Jessica said sternly. "I am going out to celebrate New Year's and my engagement. I have my bat and I have Harvey." Jessica cupped her daughter's face, stroking her cheek with her thumb. "I will see you tomorrow—"

"Next year," Leo interrupted.

"— and we'll have pancakes for breakfast," Jessica finished. "Don't look so worried, we'll be fine. You," she kissed Louisa's forehead, "have a nice quiet night in. Watch a film, eat the last of the Pringles, whatever. Don't let Leo touch my ice-cream though, that's mine and mine alone." She fired a warning look to Leo, who did his best to appear angelic.

Jessica was unconvinced, rolling her eyes. "Keep him away from my ice-cream. Stay inside, where it's safe, and don't worry." Louisa smiled feebly. Jessica pulled her into a hug, rubbing her back. "Harvey hid his chocolate digestives in his cereal box. You didn't hear it from me."

"Hear what?" Louisa replied dutifully. Jessica smiled.

"Ready!" Harvey announced, walking from the bedroom in a crisp white shirt and smart black trousers and jacket. He offered his arm to Jessica, bade the other two goodnight, ignoring Leo's 'see you next year' quip, and then they were gone.

Louisa watched from the window as their car pulled away, forehead pressed to the glass. She sighed when it disappeared from view, her breath fogging the pane.

"What's the matter?" Leo asked. She shrugged, shook her head.

"I dunno. Nothin', I guess."

"Well… do you want to watch Pirates of the Caribbean?" She brightened and turned from the window.

"Hell yeah, I love those films."

"Figures," Leo grinned. "Let me guess— piracy is your birthright?"

"I'd make a damn good pirate. I need a ship." She tapped her fingers on her chin. "Build me a ship."

"Please?" Leo prompted, having been strictly tutored in good manners by Estelle over the holidays. He grinned when she rolled her eyes and repeated the word. "I can build you a ship," he nodded, "though you have to promise me something."

"What's that?"

"I get to be co-captain." She hummed, screwing her face up. "First mate? I'm not scrubbing decks if I've built the damn thing."

"You'll be walkin' the plank with that attitude."

"Ah, you'd never make me walk the plank," Leo waved it off. "You love me too much."

She gave a start and he froze, internally wincing. He had used the L-Word. Had he used the L-Word before? Had she? Oh gods, now he had done it, really put his foot in it. He would make the plank extra short, he decided, a quicker route to the endless void of the sea. Oooohhhhh, stupid stupid Valdez!

She closed the distance between them in two steps, sweeping her arms around him, hands between his shoulders. Her chin nestled on his shoulder, her breath warm on his neck.

Leo blinked.

Not so stupid stupid Valdez?

Slowly, robotically, he marshalled his arms into moving. He blinked again, snapping back to his senses and enveloped her, just as he was supposed to. A laugh escaped her on a wheeze, squashed in his embrace. He could feel her heart alongside his own, the whisper of her hair on his skin, now long enough to graze his hands. The scent of her shampoo wafted through his nose, something like tea tree or mint, something coolly pleasant.

She stirred and he held on tighter, not wanting to let go, not yet.

She was not drawing away, not completely, moving her head back enough to look him in the eye, to kiss his nose. Her hands slid round from his back, passing over his ribs and chest to frame his face, leaving pins and needles in their wake.

A loose curl on his forehead wound around her finger, lightly, loosely, letting go a moment later. She smiled. Leo would never tire of that smile, capturing it against his own. "I love you," he mumbled, still feeling her lips on his, still feeling her heart by his. He kissed her again, momentarily forgetting he had to breathe. He wanted naught but to kiss her right now, to hold her.

She tipped her head down, breaking from him with a gasp. Leo inhaled quietly, trying to quell the shaking in his hands, making fists on the small of her back. She was so close he could see flecks in her irises, of lighter and darker greens, sunshine through the waves and the impassable blackness below, could see her studying his colouration as intently, see her studying what lay behind.

"Leo," she said, hands cold as snow on his neck. Her thumb traced the scar there, the remnant of the empousa attack. Leo stayed motionless, letting her align her thoughts. Some days he would only recall the scar when he looked in the mirror; clearly, she recalled it more.

He felt her draw breath, as deep a breath as she could manage with the minimal, non-existent space between them, something lurching within him.

"You don't have to say it back," he said, hardly hearing himself. "Not if you're not ready."

"Shut up," she grumbled. His head was swimming, his body wobbly. What did she do to him, this woman, this force of nature, this goddess mortal-bound? Her hands were in his hair, she kissed his cheek just at the corner of his mouth. "I love you too." A kiss to the other side of his face. Leo whined, wordless, and brought the return of those inexplicable giggles.

He was quick to hush them, in bouts broken only by his mouth on hers.

"Leo," she said again, his name spoken into his cheek. Beneath her arms, his shoulders stiffened. He took half a step back. His hands flung from her, leaving icy patches as he spread them to the sides.

"I'm sorry," he rasped. Louisa shook her head, cupping his face again.

"No," she told him, shaking her head still, "I'm OK." She kissed him again, lingering a few seconds to reassure him. He had done nothing to hurt her, would do nothing to hurt her. She trusted him; he simply needed reminding of that fact. "I'm OK," she repeated, "but not… not ready for… everythin'. Not yet. Don't apologise again," she warned as he started to speak. "I won't have that from you, no."

He bit his lip, hesitant, concerned. She reached for his hands, pulling them in to kiss his fingers as he had done to hers a thousand times. "I love you," she said, kissing his nose then his cheek, then his lips, finally getting him to relax.

He blinked, flashes of gold and flame in those deep browns kindled by his smile. He kissed her fingers in turn, thumbs massaging her palms. His touch remained fire, a hearth now, not an inferno.

"I love you too."

They watched Curse of the Black Pearl snuggled under a blanket. Her legs lay across his lap, keeping him trapped, keeping him in thought. She wasn't mad at him, had no reason to be mad at him, although she would be mad if he apologised one more time.

Every so often, she would squeeze his hand or his arm. It took almost half the film for Leo to settle, offering an anxious smile.

"Idiot," she chided lightly, kissing his cheek. "You still owe me a ship."

"OK," Leo agreed. She grinned and flopped against him. How she was comfortable like that, he had no idea, but her head was on his shoulder, his legs were immobilised by hers and their hands were entwined. He wasn't going to complain.

Bradley awoke as she was setting up the next film, his cries over the baby monitor and through the door. She hurried off to feed him, instructing Leo over her shoulder to get snacks.

Leo had a good rummage in the cupboards and fridge, steering clear of Jessica's beloved ice-cream. He found popcorn and chips and cookies, and Harvey's secret chocolate digestives, filling bowls and then a tray with the goodies. He forced himself to concentrate on the task at hand, lest his thoughts voiced themselves.

He had never wanted to make her uncomfortable. She said he hadn't, but was she just saying that to make him feel better? She wouldn't sit with him like she had if so, but what if…?

He shook his head, dug his fingers in his eyes. Was he over-thinking again? Under-thinking? His nerves tingled with jumpiness, inner voice pounding out arguments and counterarguments.

"Oh, I knew it." He nearly sent the tray flying, swearing profusely in Spanish.

"Stop doing that!" he protested in a pitch one or two levels above his own. She stood in the doorway, Bradley on her hip. He was leaving a nice dribble patch on her shoulder.

"You stop doin' that," she retorted.

"You're going to give me a heart attack one of these days," he grumbled, massaging his chest with the heel of his hand. She frowned. "What?"

"You know what." He stayed resolutely quiet, busying himself with the tray. She sighed and he heard her draw near, tensed as her hand closed around his wrist. "Leo," she said in that way only she could, as though she was the only one who had ever said his name in a way that mattered. "Look at me." It took him a moment to meet her eye, biting the inside of his cheek when he did. "Do I look scared of you?" He shook his head. "Sorry, what?"

"No."

"No what?"

"No, you… you don't look scared of me."

"Do I have a reason ta be scared of you?"

"No!" He grasped her hand in both of his, imploringly, desperately. "No, of course you don't!"

"Well, could ya do me a favour 'n' tell yaself that?" He hesitated and her fingers turned to iron, crushing his. Bradley burbled happily, a slobbery hand stretching out for his papi's nose.

"Ow! Ow, ouch, ow ow ow." Leo squirmed. "Ooh, I'm plenty scared of you," he hissed between gritted teeth. "Bradley, tell Mama to let go." Bradley had no intention of helping, nor any understanding of what was going on. His two favourite people were with him and that was worth smiling about.

Leo pushed at the hand holding him hostage, pulled frantically at his own. "Gods above, woman, what are you made of?!"

"Spite," she replied calmly. "What do you say?" Her tone was somehow light, yet rife with warning. Despite his best jiggling and prying, his hand would not be free of hers. Something he never thought he would want, but he certainly did now— his bones were moving. "Leo," she prompted, "what do you say?"

"You're not scared of me," he blurted, "and you don't have reason to be, ow ow, mercy!"

Her grip relaxed, Leo's pulse throbbing in his fingers. She let him whisk his hand away for inspection, wincing and testing the movement of each digit. He pouted at her, shoulders hunching. Louisa jostled Bradley on her hip, raising her eyebrows expectantly.

Leo sighed. "You're not scared of me," he repeated, no longer under fire, "and you don't have reason to be." She hauled him towards her by the front of his hoodie.

"'N' don't," she kissed his cheek, "you forget it."

"How can be you so lovely and so evil at the same time?"

"It's a talent."

"You'd tell me? Wouldn't you? If… if I was making you… uncomfortable, or… or…" He swept his hands away to safety as hers reached out. She changed direction and caught him by the chin instead, making him look into her eye.

"You don't," she said firmly. "You don't make me uncomfortable or… or…"

"Now you're taking the piss," he muttered, voice squashed beneath her grip.

"You're bein' silly, Valdez. When are ya gonna learn that I trust you?"

"Maybe when my fingers stop bleeding."

"They ain't bleedin'."

"They're bleeding internally. I don't even know if they can do that, but they are now." He shrugged. The hold on his chin softened, her fingers trailing down his neck, his chest, furling over his heart.

Leo glanced at Bradley. He knew she trusted him; he would not be Papi otherwise. He would not be allowed in her home and he would not be allowed in her heart if she did not trust him. He knew what she was getting at here, knew what she wanted him to understand. She smirked at him, seeing his thoughts come together.

He needn't worry about her trusting him. He had earned her trust explicitly and endlessly.

He had to trust himself.

I am shamelessly self-promoting again. Someone has to XD Eyes of Violet and Eyes of Violet: Damian are now available on Amazon, Kindle and Kindle Unlimited and I would love you forever if you get them :3