To Guest (Chapter 32)- Thank you :D
To Riordanlover16- Fair enough, fair enough. But consider... drama *throw in some sparkles here* I do live for drama :3 And yes! If she stupids and you stupid back at her, she'll think you're stupid and realise she's stupid, but she doesn't stupid, so she's not stupid no more and you're stupid instead #psychology XD You said on Chapter 29 you couldn't wait to see what happened in the arena so... here ya go :D
"Where are we goin'? Where's Bradley?"
"Bradley has been commandeered by Piper. I tried to save him, I really did, but alas…" Leo shook his head sadly. "So young. So tragic. He will be remembered fondly." Louisa puzzled at him.
"Alas?"
"I know fancy words!"
"Huh. I'll get him back later. Where are we goin'?"
"Stop asking questions and put on this blindfold."
"Uh, no."
"Do you want a surprise or not?"
"Ooh, are we goin' to the arena?"
"You'll never know unless you put this blindfold on." Leo wafted the material at her. She regarded it distastefully. "It'll be for a minute. Just a tiny little minute."
"Tiny little minutes ain't any different from any other minute."
"I know how minutes work. For example, a tiny little minute of the blindfold is quicker than the excruciatingly long minute it's taking to explain this to you. Either way, it's a minute further from finding out what cool stuff I've been building in the arena…" He waggled the blindfold again, smiling teasingly. Louisa sighed.
"OK, fine. A tiny little minute though. Any longer 'n' I'll strangle you with ya fuckin' blindfold."
"I won't lie, that's… kind of tempting."
"Should I be concerned?"
"Nah. You should be blindfolded. Hold still." Leo swept the material about her head, knotting it over her ponytail.
"Mmmm, I don't like this. Where are you?"
"I haven't moved," Leo promised. His breath was warm on the back of her neck, chills rolling down her spine. His hands were warmer still on her elbows, gently urging her forward. Their footsteps crunched in the freshly fallen snow.
"Don't steer me into any walls, Valdez," she ordered. Leo snorted a laugh.
"I wouldn't dare, chica." He moved to her left, taking her hand. His other hand strayed to the small of her back, keeping her on the right path. It may have been her imagination, but Louisa could have sworn she could feel the heat of his hand like an inferno through her winter layers.
"Did you move the arena or somethin'? This is a long minute."
"Nearly there. Ah, no peeking."
She did not like the blindfold. For the same reason she never liked wearing a helmet when going into battle. It was restrictive, claustrophobic. She preferred her field of vision to be unimpeded, she liked seeing all the angles from which enemies could spring and allies could be.
But it was Leo. If she could trust him with her— their baby, then she could trust him not to steer her into walls.
He drew her to a stop, gently pushing on her shoulders to turn her.
"Can I—?"
"One sec. Stay." He moved away. She could hear him mumbling to himself, a creak of a door hinge. That sounded like the large heavy doors of the arena; Louisa was quite familiar with that creak. "OK." He was back, undoing the knot. Louisa blinked, staring up at the doors. They were shut still, so he must have peeked in, one final check.
He smiled at her, that lopsided grin she knew so well. Whatever he had done, he was mighty proud of it.
His hand on her back again, between her shoulders this time. "Go on," he encouraged. "You open them."
"Just to confirm," she raised a finger for quiet, "am I gonna get splatted by a fiery death ball or bloodthirsty automaton or anythin' like that?"
"Uh, no." He shook his head. She scoffed.
"Lame."
"Just open it." He shooed her on with both hands, a tentativeness to his smile now. Louisa didn't dither any longer, placing a hand on each door and pushing.
"Is this fuckin' Narnia?"
The arena was gone. Thick snow beneath her feet, rising to ankle-deep as she stumbled in. Had he turned the arena door into a portal to the forest? How had he got all these trees in here? Snow-laden pines, Christmas trees, clusters of them. They glittered beneath the winter sun, simmering with multicoloured lights buried in their boughs. She could not see the arena walls for them, could not see how deeply they went. They framed the clearing she had entered in a hodgepodge gathering, as if waiting to see what she would do.
A robin flew past her face, disappearing into the treetops. She could hear bells ringing somewhere, windchimes too. The breeze was gentle, cool, and smelled almost like Sally's Christmas baking— roasted nuts, fresh fruitcake, mince pies and cookies and all the other sugary things that could be excused because it was Christmas.
She could see paths between the trees, three in total. She could not see where they went, however, the shadows beneath the trees thick but unmenacing. The forest had much to show her, an anticipation she could feel as strongly as the air itself.
Foliage rustled to her left, a pair of antlers rising from the thicket. A deer stared at her, chewing leaves. Louisa stared back, taking in its red leather harness, the golden bells musical with its movements. It trotted away, down the first path, merrily jingling as it went.
Leo appeared on her right, still smiling.
"Maybe I pulled a few things from Narnia. I did try and get Grover to dress up as Mr Tumnus, but he wasn't having it for some reason." He shrugged a shoulder.
"How did you—? Why—?"
"Hold that thought," he grinned. He took her by the hand and led her down the first path, after the deer.
She was not so sure this was still the arena. It must have quadrupled in size, easily, for the sheer amount of the forest and its hidden treasures stretched beyond what she would have thought capable.
They saw the deer again, this time pulling a sleigh of presents. It plodded across the path in front of them, bells singing. Leo led her on, lacing their fingers.
He pointed her attention into the forest and Louisa made sure to search every inch. He had hidden many, many things in his wonderland. A miniscule, frosted green, red and gold village for elves and fairies, rainbow fireflies floating around the settlement as if they were the creatures themselves. Miniature automaton dragons spewing snow instead of fire, decorating the trees and the ground alike. An army of snowmen scattered throughout, every single one bedecked in their own unique outfit. A trio of deer standing on their hind legs to eat bark, a fawn tottering and bouncing around them, bleating for its share.
"Where did you get them?" Louisa whispered in his ear, not daring to speak too loudly lest she scared the animals off. Leo smiled secretively and nudged her to the right.
They found trees in the centre, or what she figured must be the centre, decorated with candy canes, stringed popcorn and dried oranges, thousands of baubles in every colour possible, tinsel draped from and across branches. Leo stood on his toes and retrieved a handful of candy canes, passing some to her. It smelled more strongly of Sally's baking here than anywhere else, Louisa lingering just to breathe it in.
Leo led her to a space where they made snow angels. Louisa laughed as he threw himself down, egging her on to do the same. When was the last time she had made a snow angel? Had she ever made a snow angel?
They lay in the snow, Leo's hand stretching across the crystalline beauty to grasp hers. He grinned at her, snow glistening in his hair. Louisa squeezed his fingers. The sky was the kind of crisp clear blue one could only see on a perfect winter's day. The scent of baked goods and forest and clean air filled her lungs, chasing lingering aches from her body and clearing her head.
They stayed until she began to shiver, snow trickling down her back. Leo helped her up, dusting away the snow that clung to her coat. He brushed a stray splodge from her face with his thumb, kissing her nose.
"I've got just the thing," he smiled, tugging on her hand.
A bit further in and there was a small wooden shack, no bigger than a toolshed. A holly wreath hung on its door, which Leo opened to reveal a hot chocolate station. He added extra cream and marshmallows to hers, laughing when she stuck in a candy cane. Thick, creamy, sweet, perfectly piping hot. The steam filled her nose with chocolatey heaven, chasing warmth through her.
Leo grinned at her. "Better?" She nodded, licking chocolate foam from her top lip. "That's my secret recipe. Maybe I'll teach you one day."
"Maybe?" she prompted. He waved a hand under his chin.
"There's some terms and conditions you need to agree to first. I'll tell you later. This way." He tucked an arm around her waist, fireworks bristling from the point of contact and into her chest.
On they went, Leo close to her side. He was making it very difficult for her to concentrate on what he was saying, though she could not put her finger on as to why. He was smiling, she knew that much, the snowy expanse tinting his eyes with silver.
They were circling back, heading down what she thought was the third path. Leo looked left and right, humming in thought. "Where did I put it?" he mumbled, more to himself than her.
"Put what?" she asked. He pointed at the trees, starting further away. He bobbed his finger back to them, counting under his breath.
"Oh, there it is." He smiled at her, a secretive smile that she had to decipher. "This way." They walked another ten feet and then Leo suddenly strayed from the path, stepping over tree roots and sidestepping through bushes.
"Are we lost?" Louisa asked after a minute of weaving. He was holding her hand now, having let go her waist so they could worm their way between trees.
"No," Leo assured. "This one's, uh… just for us."
"Oh?" Her heart tip-tapped in her chest.
"Nearly there. Close your eyes."
"Again?"
"Yes." He nodded. He turned, swapping her hand to his left, his right laying on her back again. Louisa glanced at him, suddenly noticing how close he stood, again. "Close your eyes. I promise it's not a fiery death ball or… whatever else you said."
"Mmph."
"I'll get you a fiery death ball for your birthday."
"But that's ages away."
"Close your eyes." He pressed a kiss to her cheekbone then her temple. Louisa's hands were tingling, but she closed her eyes. What was this place? Why had he done it? What was he doing now? Where were they going?
She kept her questions behind a bit lip, keeping her eyes tightly closed, resisting the urge to peek. Leo directed her around bushes and over roots, told her to duck a low hanging branch and then when she could straighten up again.
Eventually, he stopped her, standing in front of her, the hand on her back sliding to her hip. "Wait," he told her, though Louisa hardly heard him. The air before her seemed to freeze over as he moved away, treading through snow that sounded thicker than anything else. She put her hands over her eyes, the temptation to open them pulling at her.
Leo came back, his hands warm on her wrists, gently uncovering her face. "OK," he said, "now you can look."
The wonderland had taken her breath away at the doors. Here, it was reaching for her soul.
Leo had led her to the edges of his forest, to a round clearing maybe twenty feet across. That there was the arena wall, but she saw nothing of its true nature. The snow on the ground rose up to cover it, one seamless blanket of white, shadowed by the swaying trees above them. Beneath the cold, hundreds of multicoloured lights twinkled and flickered, staining the snow in every hue.
In the centre of the clearing, a wooden hexagonal gazebo, five feet in width and ringed with a waist high fence. Three wooden steps lead up to it. The roof was capped with fluffy white snow. Garlands of holly, berries and pinecones whirled around the pillars and framed the edge of the roof.
Leo led her forward with a gentle tug on her hand. Her footfalls were muffled on the snowy steps, the platform clear beneath the roof. She looked up, more fairy lights twinkling on the tented ceiling. "Wait," he said again. He let go her hand to clap twice and then pointed.
It was snowing. Large, carefree flakes sprinkling down from who knew where, thickening within seconds. She could hardly see the forest for them, suddenly in another world within this other world.
"Leo, I… I don't… what is all this, what did you do?"
"I wanted to do something… a bit different." He rubbed the back of his neck, smiling nervously. "Do you like it?"
Did he mean the gazebo or the whole forest?
"Yes," she said with an amazed laugh. She looked up at the flurrying snowfall, sticking her hand out to catch a few of them. Her gaze travelled to the lights overhead, falling on the lights dazzling the wall. "I… can't figure out how you've done all this. What happened to the arena?" That lopsided grin jumped back into existence.
"Leo Valdez happened." He gave a small bow, one arm behind his back, one across his front. "You are welcome."
"You… did this for me?"
"Well, Chiron said I'd have to let the kids in. You know, season of giving and all that. But yes. It's for you. First and foremost, I built it for you. And don't ask me why." He put a finger to her lips, shaking his head with a smile. "Because I wanted to do something nice for you, wanted to… make Christmas special for you." He lowered his hand, leaning forward to kiss her nose. "Merry early Christmas, Lou."
The tingle in her hands had migrated to her stomach, to her face. She was smiling, reaching for his hands. Leo grinned and entwined their fingers. "I've got one more trick," he promised. "Don't laugh at me."
"I'll try."
He said something in Spanish then, tipping his head back as if addressing the clearing. From somewhere she could not place, music played. Something with violins, some piano keys. Ah, she wasn't a musician. All she knew was that it was soft and calming, perfectly chosen to pair with everything around them.
Leo directed her hand to his shoulder. The other, he turned palm up so her hand rested in his. She looked at him, confused.
"It's called dancing, Lou," he said, his hand settling on her waist. "You know what dancing is, right?"
"Uh…" she replied brilliantly. He laughed and she pouted.
"Step when I step. Don't stand on my toes." He guided her gently, as he had on the whole tour. She did step on his toes, though only twice. She wasn't sure if this qualified as dancing at first, moving back and forth, turning together.
Maybe it was the snow still falling or the lights blossoming around them. Maybe it was the music or the wonderland cordoning them from everything and everyone else. Maybe a combination of it all, she couldn't say for sure, but at some point, she felt herself relaxing. She stepped when he stepped and didn't tread on his toes again. Her smile soon mirrored his. She did not feel the cold with him so close, swaying softly in time with him as they turned slowly on the spot.
Leo kissed her forehead. "See? It's not so bad."
"It's not so great either," she admitted. "Sorry, I… I haven't danced before."
"A true tragedy," he nodded. "Don't worry. I'm an excellent teacher." He grinned. Louisa decided to believe him— Leo Valdez, she had found, was full of surprises.
Something drew his attention upward, confusion dimming his smile. They slowed to a standstill. "Uh… that wasn't me."
Louisa looked up. From the very centre of the gazebo's ceiling, unfurling startingly green amongst the lights, peppered with white berries, was a sprig of mistletoe, directly above their heads. "I swear that wasn't me," Leo fretted earnestly. "Like, I thought about it, but I didn't want to—"
"Shut up," Louisa ordered. "It's tradition." She tilted her head back and Leo realised she was waiting, unable to stop himself from smiling. His panic faded— he had no idea where the mistletoe was from, it definitely wasn't one of his, but he would be stupid to argue with tradition.
She tasted of candy canes and hot chocolate. Her hands were light and gentle, like ice on his neck, fingers straying in his hair. Their noses bumped. Leo braved resting his hands on her waist, thumbing her hips when she didn't snap his arms off at the elbow.
They parted when she started to giggle, an infectious noise that made Leo snicker too, though he wasn't sure why.
She shook her head. "Sorry, sorry." She kissed him again, only for a second as giggles bubbled up.
"What?" Leo laughed. "What is it?"
"I don't know," she admitted. Leo made to kiss her, achieving her cheek rather than her lips, giggles turning her head away. "I'm sorry, I don't—" She snorted, clapping a hand over her mouth. "Sorry," she mumbled into her palm. He rolled his eyes bemusedly.
"Yes, you sound very sorry."
"I am. Honest." But then she was laughing again, covering her eyes as mirth overtook her. "One sec."
Leo waited for her to get it from her system. He didn't kiss her again until she was ready, keeping his hands on her waist. He tried not to think too much about the shape of her hips so close to his fingers, watching her face instead, waiting for her hands to come down.
"You good?" he asked as she wiped at her eyes. Her mouth twitched, rosy-cheeked from whatever had spurred the attack of giggles.
"Yes," she nodded, laying her hands on his chest. "Sorry."
"It's OK."
"I don't know what— nevermind, nevermind." Her lips on his, he could feel her smiling still. "Thank you," she said. "I love it here." Leo grinned. She caught his head and crammed a kiss to his cheek. "Thank you."
"I think I know what's so funny."
"Do tell 'cos I ain't got a fuckin' clue."
"I think you're happy." She tipped her head, lips pursing in thought. The snow still fell outside the gazebo. The music still sang from its mysterious source. The fairy lights still chased each other across the snowy wall. The mistletoe still hung above them.
The forest waited for them with its magic and its intrigue. And she had Leo, warm against her, holding her, his heart steady under her fingers and assigned to her.
"Yeah," she said, "I think I am."