Catch Fire || P. Jackson

𝟏.𝟏𝟑

"You two stay here. We'll be right back."

"You sure?" Hazel said feebly. "I don't want you to—"

"It's fine," said Percy. "Frank, just keep your eyes open. Something about this place... I don't know."

"I'll keep her safe," Frank promised.

Percy dashed off, Lea keeping pace with him. "I'm not the one that's afraid of the dark, y'know." He laughed, pushing her with his shoulder.

"I know that... I just thought I might be of more use here."

As they moved farther away from Frank's torch, Percy began to understand what Lea was implying. The darker the area around them was, the more Lea began to glow. It took fifteen feet before Lea's light was bright enough to outshine the nighttime around them.

Percy slowed to a jog. His jaw was practically unhinged. "You're a glowstick." He mumbled.

"A glowstick with feelings," Lea said, shrinking into herself.

"No, no! This is the coolest thing ever." The blonde smiled tightly. Percy shook his head, unable to hide his grin. "You're so cool."

The unabashed honesty in his voice made Lea want the ground to swallow her hole. When it in fact stayed solid, she settled on staring at the floor. "I have other powers." She whispered, kicking the sandy ground beneath her foot. "I just don't really find them too useful."

In her outstretched hand, a small ball of light began to grow. It took a moment but eventually, it settled on being the size of a baseball. It seemed to dance in her grasp, spitting tiny licks of fire like a mini sun.

"Let me make this clear," Percy blinked a couple of times as they reached the shoreline. "You can heal people, you can create your own mini sun, and you're a giant glowstick, and you don't think that's enough to mention?"

"And then some."

"What?" Percy cocked his head at her. "I couldn't hear you."

The daughter of Apollo shook her head. She rested against the edge of their boat awkwardly. "I just said yeah. They're nowhere near as cool as yours."

"Oh yeah, I'm so cool. I'm like a portable hose."

Lea bit her lip to muffle her laughter. "You're more than a hose."

"The Adventures of Glowstick and Hose boy." Percy laughed, slugging his pack over his shoulder. "Do you have everything?"

Lea nodded, stuffing her hands into her pockets. "Yep, you?"

Percy patted his pocket. "Got my pen, got my pack, got my torch." He grabbed Lea's hand, holding it up to the sky.

"You're unbelievable. I'm never telling you anything ever again."

"No!" He whined, batting his eyes at the blonde girl.

"Oh, shut up."

"Yes, ma'am."

Percy let Lea's hand go, but the girl did not attempt to pull away from him. As they began the trek back up the cliff path, their hands would occasionally brush against each other. Percy's gaze flickered to the side of Lea's head each time it happened. If it affected her half as much as it did Percy, she made no indication of it. Her gaze was flattering across the night sky above her. The boy couldn't help but wonder what was Lea's relationship with her aunt. He barely knew her feelings about her dad, nevermind her feelings about Diana.

Lea was still an enigma to him. Each moment he spent with her solidified his feeling. It was always one step forward and three steps back when it came to her.