How to Save a Life

twelve

  I rematerialized on a platform, in front of me was a roller coaster cart that wasn't into motion. A familiar head of black curls sat in the front seat, and I coughed to get his attention. He turned to look at me, his eyes sad, before he looked down at his hands.

  "Texas?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

  "I figured New York was too obvious," he said, before getting out of the cart and walking up to me. He was wearing a green army jacket, a white shirt underneath, and some tattered jeans with black combat boots. He looked really really hot.

  I looked around at all of the roller coasters around me. It was pitch black and had to be at least two or three in the morning. I saw a stamp that marked, "Six Flags" on the side of the roller coaster cart. No one else was there, yet the lights and coasters were still running.

  "How did you..."

  "It was easy. Cut a few wires and such. They should make it less easier to break into."

  "Maybe you shouldn't be so smart," I commented, watching a small smile slip into his face.

  "What are you doing here, Neeks?"

  "I came looking for you," I admitted and his cheeks flushed a bit. "Where are you staying?"

  "At the hotel across the street."

  "How about we go to your hotel and come tomorrow when you're not doing something illegal?" I offered and his amber eyes lit up.

  "Really?"

  "Of course. My treat."

  "No, you don't-"

  "Fix up the wires and we'll head to the hotel, alright?" I asked and he nodded. I turned and began walking down the stairs, but he grabbed my wrist. I looked up at him.

  "Thank you," he murmured and I gave him a soft smile.

---

  "So..." I trailed off, plopping down on the couch in Leo's hotel room. It was oddly nice, almost like an apartment. It had a small kitchen area, a living room, and a very nice bathroom next to a bedroom. "This place is homey."

  "Yeah. I got a discount because the lady who runs it is a demigod."

  "How nice," I whispered, feeling him sit next to me. I turned to him, leaning up against the armrest. "So why'd you decide to run away?"

  "I told Jason about everything. About my attempts and I showed him the scars and..." he trailed off, looking down at his hands before he looked back up at me. "Part of me, no - all of me wanted him to leave me."

  "But why?" I asked, trying to sound sincere, when in fact my stomach was doing somersaults and my heart was leaping in my chest.

  "I don't know. It freaked me out, so I broke up with him and left." Suddenly, he chuckled. "We weren't even dating. After Piper and him broke up, he just came into my cabin like I was some rebound and didn't even ask if we were dating. We just kissed and cuddled and stuff."

  "Is that all you did?" I asked, before cursing myself in my head. Why did I have to ask that?

  "Are you asking if we had sex?" he asked, an eyebrow raised. "Because we didn't."

  "Did you and Calypso ever..." I trailed off. His eyes grew sad and he looked away from me. Despite it being months ago, it was probably still a sore subject for him, though I never quite knew why they went their separate ways.

  "No. I've never done anything like that. I'm only seventeen, you know," he said, his cheeks flushed a rosy pink color. "Have you?"

  "Well..." I trailed off and his eyes widened.

  "No way!"

  "You never know which moment is going to be your last," I countered, feeling my cheeks heat up. "We didn't even go all the way, it was just..."

  "Do not tell me you gave Will Solace a blow job!"

  "Shut up!" I squealed, covering my burning face with my hands. "It was once. Once, Leo."

  "So you didn't actually go like...all the way-all the way," Leo asked and I bit my lip.

  "No. I'm only sixteen, you know," I mimicked him and he rolled his eyes, but a playful smile played at his lips.

  "I missed you," he murmured, his eyes boring into mine. 

  "I missed you too." More than you'll ever know.

  "Alright, we should probably head to sleep. It's around four in the morning and I kinda wanna get there early tomorrow."

  Our date. Of course it wasn't a date, not to Leo, but I wished it was.

  "Alright. I'll take the couch," I said, but he rolled his eyes.

  "I'll take the couch."

  "No way. This is your room."

  "Oh no," he said sarcastically. "Guess you'll have to cuddle with me."

  I grinned and laid my bag down on the floor, before placing my sheathed sword next to it. I kicked off my shoes and took my jacket off, watching him do the same. I jumped into the fluffy bed and wrapped my arms around Leo as he plopped into the bed with me.

  "I would want to protest being the submissive one but you give the best cuddles so I guess I'll be the little spoon," he teased, curling up to me. I giggled and wrapped my arms around him, pulling him close to me. He pressed his face into my neck and tangled his legs with mine.

  He smelled like a campfire in the winter. His hair smelled like lavender soap and his breath smelled like cinnamon. I grinned and wanted to commit this to memory: his body pressed against mine, his lips brushing my neck occasionally, the way he smelled, how warm he was. I closed my eyes and felt him breathe. I couldn't help but move one of my hands to press it against his chest, feeling his heartbeat thrum against my fingertips. Suddenly, he pressed his against mine too.

  "That was you. That night at the Bunker when I had a nightmare. You got me through the aftermath."

  I didn't say anything. I felt him move the hand pressed against my chest down to my waist, lazily draping his arm over it. My eyes began to flutter shut. I was totally spent.

  Right before I fell asleep, I felt Leo murmur something against my neck.

  "I fell in love with that person that night."

(A/N: I'm so over how much this fic sucks lol)