Score for Leo Valdez

Chapter 22- Protect you

LEO P.O.V

I lie on the soft emerald grass and rest my hands under my head. I try to be carefree and joyful, like I once was. But my face is blank. 

Leo

I sit up, startled.

'Pfft. It's just my crazy mind letting me down.' I say 

Leo, It's me

This time I'm positive I heard someone speak to me. I turn my head and look around the camp grounds. Nobody.

'Who's me?!' I yell towards the sky. Some nymphs look at me with pity and giggle at my stupidity. I ignore them and lie back down again.

LEO! It's me, Acacia

I stand up and look around again. But, I see nobody.

'Where are you?' I yell.

Empathy link... She says

Of course. This quest is really getting to my brain.

I can't find you Leo. She whispers in my mind

I'll go find you. Where are you? 

Courtyard. She whispers. I can see a clear image of her blushing. 

Be right there Princess.

I run towards the courtyard and see her standing there, her back facing towards me. 

'Acacia!' 

'Leo!' She laughs turning around and flinging her arms around my neck. I bury my nose into her hair. She giggles and kisses my cheek. 

'What's up Princess?' 

She rests her hands on my chest and looks up at me.

'I heard you were discussing the quest with Annabeth.' She murmurs, unhappiness tingling in her voice.

Holy cow. Annabeth had to tell Acacia, didn't she?

'Acacia, I'm sorry. Annabeth seemed like she would know what the quest was about. Don't take it personally-'

'I'm not saying that.' Her voice is ringing with hurt.  I run a hand through her chocolate hair and sigh.

'Are you going to tell me?' She whispers

'Acacia-'

'Leo, I want to know.' She murmurs, tears brimming in her eyes. 'I don't want to lose you.'

I kiss her lips as the tears prickle down her face. We come up for air, she sobs and buries her nose in my neck. 

'Your not going to lose me.' I say, not knowing if it was true.

'Tell me then, tell me what the quest it about.'

'Annabeth said the constellations were escaping from the sky.'

'Balls of hot fire?' She says looking up at me through her swollen red eyes. I wipe the rest of the tears from her damp face with my thumb. 

'No, the constellations are real, they live. And now they've escaped.' 

'And you need to find them?'

'I don't know Acacia, if I did, I would tell you.'

She raises her eyebrows

'Would you Leo?'

I hesitate. I wouldn't, she would be the last person I'd tell. 

'I hate that you didn't tell me first.' She says as she grips onto my shoulders. I hug her tighter and kiss her the top of her head.

'I know.' I murmur, 'I'm sorry.'

'Leo-'

'I just want to keep you safe.'

'I know you do, but I'm not a little girl anymore.' 

I grin and brush her loose strands of hair behind her ears. 

'You will always be little to me, and I will protect you like a little girl.'

She punches my arm gently. 

'Will you take me on the quest?' She asks worried.

No. I wont

'Let's go ask Chiron about this first.'

She grasps my hand and squeezes it gently as if I would run from her within a second. 

'I want to go Leo, I want to fight for you.'

I want you to stay Acacia. I want to protect you.

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Sorry it took so long.