Kerosine Dreams (Leo Valdez x Reader)

Because Of You

 "Leo, Y/N! Hurry up!" Pipers voice rang out from below deck of the Argo up towards Y/N and Leo who stood a little stiffly. Leo didn't exactly want to head downstairs because he was more than well aware that he'd just have orders barked at him or be made fun of. Y/N was probably just a little nervous.

Leo shifted his weight and then glanced at Y/N. "We'd better go before they personally pick us up and throw us down the stairs."

Y/N sighed. "Yeah, you're right." After she said it, the girl suddenly perked up and shook her head as if coming out of a daze. "Wait, they'd really do that?"

"Oh, yeah." Leo grumbled. "First hand experience."

Without even thinking, Leo grabbed the girls wrist and flew down the stairs with her at his heel. The pair stumbled into the mess hall and was met with more sets of eyes laid on them than comfortable.

"Hellllooo, ladies and gentlemen." Leo cringed as the drawn out words left his lips. Even as he got older, he still struggled with his impulsive side, and it was at times like these when it really showed. Why'd he let himself say that? Could he not have just said hello? He felt ridiculous. But, less absurd when Y/N snickered slightly. "What's cracking?"

"Well, to be honest with you, we just needed you down here so we could say that you and Y/N need to share a room." Piper said plainly, shrugging. She took a massive bite out of a peanut butter sandwich and smiled smugly.

"What?" Leo squeaked, a little taken aback. "Why? There's enough rooms."

"Was," Jason corrected tiredly. "Frank had some complaints about having the med bay and kitchen combined last time—"

"It ruined my appetite!" Frank whined, crossing his arms over his chest, slumping in his chair.

"Yeah, so we converted the eighth room to a med bay. So, sorry guys." Jason finished

"Can't you and Piper share or something? Gods—" Leo complained.

"Hey, it's okay." Y/N jumped in to break up the disagreement. "I can sleep on the floor. You'll hardly notice I'm there."

"No, no!" Leo snapped. "You don't need to sleep on the floor—"

"Just go sort it out, you two." Piped forcefully waved off the pair. If you asked Leo, she some how transferred her charm speak through her mouth to her hands, because Leo felt immediately inclined to walk down the hall.

Once inside the room, Leo threw his bag down and leapt into his bed, a forceful sigh leaving his lungs.

"Are you ok?" Y/N, in contrast, gently put her things down on the floor and looked up to Leo. His hands ran over his face violently and only stopped moving when they tangled in his hair. Which, then, caused him to begin a horrific fight with his own head, begging for his messy hair to let go of his fingers.

"I'm fine," Leo grumbled.

Y/N sighed as well. "I'm alright with sleeping out in the mess hall too, if it's that big of a deal."

"It's not that! Gods no!" He immediately made sure it was clear that her presence wasn't causing this frustration. He was just tired, and of course, overwhelmed by so many emotions. Like every other normal night, his head got caught in a spiral of self-doubt, his energy being drained as he thought solely about if he'd ever find someone. For not being able to focus on one thing for long, this was one topic his mind could fizzle about for hours.

"It's just...I'm annoying and have too much energy. I've been told that my entire life. I'm forgetful so people think I don't care. I can't focus past the end of my nose unless it's something I really care about. I say and do stupid things without thinking. How is someone supposed to love me if I'm like this?"

"What's so bad about 'this'?" Y/N found herself sitting at Leo's side on the bed, her legs crossed and eyes focused on her friend. "People may say all of those things, but you're also kind, selfless, waaaay beyond smart and funny. How could someone not enjoy that?"

Leo grunted. Now Y/N was really getting to his head. There was liking her, and now...he wasn't so sure anymore. He might just be in love. "It's kinda hard to see past the bad stuff in order to get to the good stuff."

"Well, if someone's not patient enough or willing to look harder, are they really worth your time?" Y/N countered sharply. "Do you ever think you've just been looking in the wrong place, or in the wrong people?"

"Ugh," He rolled over on his side. "Like Khione? Calypso? Gah, maybe. I always fall for the ones who are out of my league anyways."

"Leo!" Y/N gave the boy a good whack to the ribcage with no remorse, causing him to recoil into the fetal position and whimper before sitting up to face her. "Stop saying those kinds of things about yourself."

He stared at her blankly with slightly glassy eyes. Y/N faltered for a moment.

"You know why I chose to not join the hunters?" She asked.

"Cause you had to go back to school?"

"No," She flashed her brows. "Because of you. You're the first person I've been able to consider anything close to family in a very, very long time. That means a lot to me."

Leo choked on his own words. "I'm family to you?" He awkwardly pointed between himself and her.

"Yeah," Y/N stifled a breath. "You are."

"You're family to me too," He smiled sheepishly before suddenly attacking the girl in a warm embrace. "Thanks for not hating me."

"It's impossible." Y/N laughed, glad to know it wasn't just her who found comfort in their friendship.