Remember Me? (Percy Jackson-- Leo Valdez Fanfic)

Chapter 4: Part 1: Presents

I knocked on Leo's door, but after hearing no response, I hesitantly peeked in. I expected to see Leo engrossed in some other project on his desk, but the room was vacant. I was going to close the door again until something caught my eye.

I went to his desk and picked up a small pile of photos stacked on the side. One of the pictures were of a lady and a little boy. A small smile grew on my face when I saw the resemblance between the little boy and Leo, and moved to look at his mother's face. She was beautiful. I thought, before turning to the next photo. The three next pictures of the three of us. Diana, him, and I. I felt my cheeks flush when I looked at the picture of him and I in it. We had both been in the park with Diana, and she had taken the picture. Leo was giving me a piggyback ride, and we had both been laughing when the moment was caught on the camera.

I sat on his bed still holding the picture, until I recognized the smell of smoke. I frowned at the thought of Leo using his strange flame power again. To make his own fire... it was weird, incredible, and... frightening. But I got to the point of accepting it. I felt a wave of unease as I remembered him promising me that he wouldn't do it again. So much for a promise. I scoffed mentally, as I looked around his room idly.

"I thought you were looking for Leo?"

I looked up and saw Diana, arms crossed, leaning on the door.

"I was." I said, "But he's not here."
"So... you decided to occupy his room for him?" she said in a teasing tone. I rolled my eyes and she laughed, walking towards me. She took the photos I was holding and looked at them, smiling as she sat beside me. "This was his mom, right?" she asked, and I nodded.

"Aww! Leo was so cute!" she squealed. I laughed and nodded in agreement.

Another minute had passed before Diana spoke up again.
"Okay, go look for Leo now. It's almost time for presents." She said and I laughed again.

"Fine." I got up to leave. I checked every room upstairs, but when he wasn't there, I went back down.

I decided he must have been in the backyard, and right I was. He was sitting on the bench, leaning forward with his arms crossed over his knees. I smiled slightly, thinking he looked kind of cute doing that, but my smile turned into a frown when I heard soft sniffling.
"Leo?" I asked.
His head whipped around, and he smiled at me. I smiled back when I realized he was okay, and walked up to him. But I couldn't help but notice that the tip of his army jacket was brunt away.

I narrowed my eyes at him and kept my arms crossed. "What were you doing?" I suspiciously, but I couldn't stop a small smirk from pulling at my lip.
"Um..." he stumbled. "Nothing." and quickly hid the burnt part of his jacket.
I rolled my eyes and laughed. I took a seat next to him and he turned his head to look me straight in the eye. It wasn't more than a little gesture of looking, but I started feeling those wretched butterflies again.

I looked away, but after the smile grew on my face I looked back up to him. I frowned again when I saw the sad look he gave me.
"What?" I asked with a laugh, suddenly nervous.
"Nothing. I was just... thinking about something." He said.

I continued to frown but I dropped it. Then I remembered what Diana wanted me to tell him, "Hey, Diana said that she wants us inside. It's almost time to open the presents." I smiled.
His eyes lightened up when I said presents.
I started to stand up, but then he grabbed my wrist and I looked at him in surprise.

"Can I uh—... can I give you your gift here?" he stuttered.
I widened my eyes a bit at his question, but nodded and sat back down. He took a small blue box out of his pocket, and held it out to me. In the middle of my nervous fit I let out a giggle as I took the box, but quickly clamped my mouth shut. I hated my giggle. It sounded so weird and squeaky, like a choking squirrel. I looked down at the box and carefully opened it.