❝go where you breathe fire❞
⤷ butterflies rising
△△△
"Dammit!" Kira grumbled, her face contorted into a frusterated grimace.
"What does it say?" Piper asked from the other side of the door.
"What do you think it says?" Kira asked miserably. She threw the small test across her bathroom.
Piper peaked through door before opening, picking up the test. "Oh, Kira," She said sadly.
"This is stupid." Kira grumbled. She snatched the pregnancy test, throwing it in the trash and walking into her kitchen.
Her and Leo had been trying to get pregnant for a year now. It was undeniably frustrating that the test came up negative every time.
She opened the fridge, taking out two tubs of ice cream. She tossed one to Piper, sitting down on her couch.
They had bought their own house in upstate New York. Piper was visiting for a few days before she left, and today was her last day. She missed her friends dearly sometimes, but luckily for her, they visited quite often. She had seen Percy and Annabeth last weekend in fact, stopping by before they visited Sally, Percy's mom.
"Kira," Piper tried. "You could always adopt,"
It was a fair offer. Of course they could adopt, and Kira had considered it a few times. She knew she would have to talk about with Leo before she did anything. That meant they wouldn't have to deal with the god side of their life.
She stuck her spoon in the carton, frowning deeply. The cold ice cream melted in her mouth, relieving some of her pent up anger and frustration.
"Yeah," She said halfheartedly. "I could."
Piper sighed, taking a spoonful of ice cream as well. "Let's change the subject. How's work?"
Leo had gotten a job at a local mechanic shop, so close that Kira could walk there from the house to visit him at lunch. Kira was the newest nurse intern at the local hospital.
"It's alright. The child patients are the most exhausting." She told Piper truthfully, and she laughed.
"Maybe consider not having any kids, then."
It was a lighthearted suggestion, but it weighed on Kira that she might not want kids. Either exposing the child to the harsh demigod life, or even if they adopted, the fear that she might not be able to protect the child from monsters looking for her and Leo.
Also, her mother haunted her thoughts. She would never forgive herself if she became similar to how her own mother had treated her.
She pressed her lisp together tightly. "Maybe." She straightened slightly, taking another bite of ice cream. "How about you, McLean?"
She smiled. "I'm still traveling. My dad got back on his feet enough to muster up the money, and I've been all over."
"Lucky," Kira mused. "Greece might be nicer now that Gaea isn't rising."
Piper laughed. "Yeah, it's definitely not as deadly,"
"Guess who's home!" Leo yelled, bursting through the front door.
"Hey baby," Kira said softly, smiling wide. She jumped up from the couch, placing her ice cream down to envelope him in a tight hug. He picked her up, spinning her around the kitchen.
He was still wearing his mechanic outfit, and he had some soot marks on his cheeks.
"Did you miss me?" He asked, pressing a short kiss to her lips.
"Hey Leo," Piper said, revealing herself from the couch.
Leo jumped back, dropping Kira. "Wow, you're still here!" He blushed. "I, uh, I didn't think you were still here, I thought you left in the morning,"
Piper spread her arms. "Surprise," She revealed the ice cream in her fingers, and Leo gasped.
"Is that my ice cream?" He asked, offended.
"You don't even like ice cream," Piper shot back bringing the tub to the counter. "Besides, blame Kira. She was the one that gave it to me."
"Snitch!" Kira cried, flicking her.
Piper just laughed. "Leo's right, though. I probably should get going to catch my next flight."
"You could just borrow Festus," Leo told her, shrugging and pointing outside.
They had chosen upstate New York for a reason. Not just because they were close to Camp Half Blood, but they needed the woods for Festus to be able to the fly around wherever he pleased. They had tried to let him go, to help the next set of demigods on a quest, but Festus had just snorted fire onto Leo when he suggested it.
"I don't feel like being burnt alive today, Leo," Piper told him, grabbing her purse and keys on the counter. "Thanks for having me, guys,"
Kira smiled, pulling the girl into a tight hug. "See you soon, Pip,"
Piper left after a few more farewells, and Kira and Leo found themselves laid out on the couch, watching a random tv show. Kira was cuddled into him under a thick blanket. They lit their fireplace with a single thrust of Leo's hand, sending a ball of flames into the logs.
"How was work?" She asked. She licked her thumb, and tried to wipe off a oil smudge on his neck.
"It was good, I got to fix this big truck. It's engine was smoking, but I-" Leo continued to ramble on about his day, but his words flew in one ear and out the other. Kira knew next to nothing of mechanics, but she loved letting him talk about it. She loved how his eyes would get all concentrated, and his eyebrows would knit as he remembered his day.
"How about you?" He asked softly.
Kira shrugged. "Alright. It was nice hanging with Piper."
"Yeah, I miss our friends a lot sometimes," Leo said, kissing the side of her head.
"She said something."
"No way."
"Shut up," Kira said, punching his arm softly. "I'm being serious."
"What's up?" Leo asked, shifting slightly so he could face her. She could tell that he was listening by the way he looked at her, his gaze concerned but alert.
Kira sighed. "Leo, be straight up with me for a moment."
"What's wrong, esposa?"
"Do you want kids?"
Leo fell silent, thinking hard. His lips pressed together.
"I-I don't know. Why?" He asked.
"I don't-I don't think I do," Kira said sadly. She was scared that Leo didn't feel the same. She remembered how he played with Harley, and how he always seemed to love the kids at camp.
"That's alright, mi amor,"
Outside, rain began to fall. Soft raindrops hit their windows.
"Really?" Kira asked. "I mean, I didn't know-"
"It's about the whole demigod thing, right?" He asked. He didn't seem sad or upset. In fact, he looked a little relieved.
"Yeah. I would never want to put our child in direct danger, and that's exactly what we'd do if we had one. Just because we got a happy ending, doesn't mean they would. And even if we adopted, I wouldn't be able to live with myself if something happened to them if a monster came for us."
Leo pondered about this. The comforting sound of raindrops hitting the window continued.
"We could be the cool aunt and uncle," He settled on.
Kira laughed. "Yes, we could."
Leo kissed her forehead. "I love you."
"I love you too," Kira said, smiling softly. "But, I mean, are you sure you're alright with that?"
Leo laughed. "Are you kidding? This just means I get more time with el amor de mi vida,"
Kira blushed hiding her head underneath the blanket. The fire called softly, and the rain continued to fall. Leo smelled like cinnamon and toasted marshmallows, and Kira breathed in his comforting scent greedily. The show they had turned on was drowned out, leaving Kira and Leo in bliss that they never thought that they would receive. Leo lifted the blanket from her head, smiling comfortingly. He looked into her eyes, an action that made Kira blush even heavier.
"We should go dance in the rain," Leo mused, finally lifting his gaze to the windows, which were coated in falling raindrops.
Kira smiled. "Right now?"
"Right now. For old times sake," Leo told her. "Remember when I snuck you out of your dorm, and we danced in the rain?"
"Of course I do, we weren't even together, it was so long ago."
"Oh, and punched Dylan in the face!" Leo laughed. "That was a fun night."
Kira blushed. "Shut up."
Leo rubbed her cheek with his thumb. "Let's redo it. I promise I've gotten better at dancing since I was fifteen."
Kira laughed. "You better be!"
He just smirked, pulling the warm blanket off of them. They didn't bother to change, Leo in his mechanic outfit, and Kira in her pajamas. He clasped their hands together, walking out the back door to reveal their backyard.
Trees surrounded the small clearing, going back a few acres. Somewhere in the woods, Festus was roaming about.
Rain pelted at them, soaking their clothes quickly. Leo pulled her into the grass, holding onto both of her hands.
"We don't have any music," Kira said softly, letting Leo spin her around.
"I could sing," Leo offered jokingly.
"No thanks," Kira joked lovingly. When Leo opened his mouth to complain, she just kissed his nose. He closed his mouth, smiling fondly.
He twirled her again, her wet hair flinging into the air. The rain never hesitated, falling from the heavy clouds, as it always did.
Leo brought her close to him, placing her hand on his chest, the other of his shoulder. His hand snaked around her waist, pulling her close. His face was wet with rain, but Kira still kissed it lovingly. The cold rain didn't seem to bother her when she was this close to him. No goosebumps or chattering, just warmth, as if she was sitting into front of a fireplace.
Dancing leisurely and lovingly, Leo and Kira continued to dance in the rain.