Daughter of Olympus - [Leo Valdez xF!Oc]

The Slowest Slow-burn Becomes a Wild-fire

It's been a while since Janus visited my dreams, so I can't help but groan in annoyance when I see him in the Empire State lobby.

"Can't a girl mourn in peace?" I complain.

"We're happy to see you too," the right head replies.

"What do you want?"

"Your crossroad is approaching, demigod," he says. "We have a present for you."

"I didn't know you gave presents to go along with the existential crisis!" I cross my arms.

"Funny," the left head sneers.

"We're here to talk to you one last time..."

"For now," Leftie adds.

"Let me finish!" says Right. "Arae Jackson. You have to choose."

"I choose to wake up!" 

"War is coming," Right ignores me. "The end of a story."

"The start of another," Leftie continues.

"A chance for a good life. A short one."

"But happy," counts Left. "As happy as it can be."

"Or..." Right grins wickedly.

"Or!" Leftie exclaims with delight.

"Or?" I ask impatiently.

"An opportunity to fix your mistakes!" 

"Though no good deed goes unpunished. Meddling is pricey, Jackson."

"Small cost for greatness," Right sighs. "And a child of Olympus doesn't dwell on sacrifice."

"All gods are flawed anyway," Leftie chuckles. "You'll fit right in!"

I feel something cold run down my spine. "I-I don't understand..."

"We know," they reply.

"That's the fun of it!" Left cackles.

"One thing's for sure," Right smirks. "If you choose wrong, everyone dies!"

The dream goes away, and the floor with it. Everything around me is pitch-black but I can hear the roaring of a creature—A sulfuric smell burns my nose, and I start choking.

*** 

Ara gives most of her food as an offering to the gods—her stomach feels the size of a walnut—then takes little sips from her goblet before abandoning the table. She leaves without even glancing at Cabin Nine's table. 

She doesn't want to see  Leo; if he looks normal, or if he looks even worse than she does, neither of those is going to make her feel better. Ara wishes she had someone to talk to who could give her all the answers. But alas, the more she grows, the more she realizes just how tragically lonely life is.

"Hi, beautiful. I saw you and thought—'Wow, I should follow her to a secluded area, that'll make her like me'," Leo speaks behind her as soon as she reaches the beach.

He's more nervous than he'd like to admit, but his hands betray him, fidgeting nonstop. He's wearing a clean pair of cargo pants and a camp shirt, he also tried to brush his hair but the wind is making it messy again.

"I, er..." Ara can't help feeling dizzy knowing Leo took his time to get clean and look nice just for her.

"Hang on," he's got a blanket over his shoulder, the boy holds it and walks past her. "You're always giving orders, let me give it a try..." he places the fabric over the sand. "Sit."