Warriors || Leo Valdez [2]

7

Alex had a hard time sleeping.

Coach Hedge spent the first hour after curfew doing his nightly duty, walking up and down the passageway yelling, "Lights out! Settle down! Try to sneak out, and I'll smack you back to Long Island!"

Despite his warnings though, Alex snuck out, careful not to make a single noise. She tiptoed all the way to what she thought was Leo's cabin. 

"Leo" She whispered. 

"Lex" A voice whispered back and the door swung open. Leo stood with wide eyes and a cup of coffee in his hand. 

"Why aren't you asleep?" Alex asked. 

"I could ask you the same thing" Leo clapped back. Alex shrugged and Leo let her in. He closed the door and turned to face her. 

"So... " He started awkwardly. In the seven months at Camp Half Blood, the two hadn't been in close quarters that much and now it felt unfamiliar, which they both hated. "Couldn't sleep?" 

"No, you?" 

"Nope" Leo walked toward his desk and started clearing it, but Alex pulled on his wrist and forced him to turn around. 

"Why are you like this?"

"Like what? Devilishly handsome?" Leo smirked, Alex chuckled trying to hide her blush but shook her head. 

"No.. ever since the wolf house you've been- distant. And it's not just us not talking these few months. Did something happen while I was.. you know- dead?" Alex asked. Leo sighed and her suspicions were confirmed, something had happened. 

"I should've told you earlier but-" Leo started but he was interupted by a loud noise on his door. 

"Valdez, you better not be awake" Coach's voice startled the two. 

"Nope, totally asleep" Leo suppressed a smile. 

"Good" 

Alex almost burst out laughing when she heard the coach's retreating steps, but Leo put his hand to her mouth. 

"Shhh... maybe he is smart, you never know" Alex's breath hitched when she realised how close they were, Leo was bent in front of her, his lips at her eye level and Alex forced herself to look anywhere but there.

Alex licked his hand and he drew it back. He scrunched his nose and wiped his hand on his pant before jumping into bed. 

"Leo... can I sleep here?" Her heart was beating faster than ever when she asked that, for a second she regretted it when she saw his shocked expression. But it soon melted into a small, genuine smile. 

"Of course Lex, it'll be just like old times" He moved to make room and Alex slipped in next to him. 

She snuggled into his chest and forced herself to take even breaths. Which was even harder when he wrapped an arm around her waist. Alex soon realised that her heart wasn't the only one beating fast. 

She bit her lip to suppress a smile and soon sleep didn't seem to far away. 

---

"Lex" A soft voice spoke. "Lex, come one... you gotta get up"

"Five more minutes" Alex groaned. She moved to hug Leo but realised he was by the door. The lack of best friend by her side suddenly made the bed much less comfortable. 

"We're landing, come on" 

She sat up groggily and saw Leo smile at her. She stuck her tongue out and tried to get rid of her bed head. But Leo wasn't making fun of her. He was admiring how she looked, she had slight bags under eyes, her hair was sticking up in impossible directions and she had an annoyed expression. Beautiful.