Runaways' (Leo Valdez fanfic)

Day 5 part 1

A/N - I just want to thank people for their support and compliments. It makes me happy that you guys enjoy reading this story and hopefully make you laugh too.

Autumn's

Recovering from the nightmare I decided to get up. Wiping the tears away and clearing my thoughts I tried to get up and clear my head only to get held back by something...no someone, holding me and hugging me. It made me calm down a little feeling the warmth radiate from the person beside me. I laid back down and looked up to see Leo with his eyes closed in a deep slumber. I guess he held me tighter on instinct.

It actually made me feel safe and reassured that no matter what, he wouldn't let go. Not able to get out of his hold I decided to just snuggle closer to his chest and listen to his heart beat to calm and even out my breathing.

What I didn't know was that Leo was half awake with a lazy smile while looking down at me for cuddling closer to him with a blush spreading from his cheek to his ears.

Time skip cuz I'm the boss

After waking up again, I find the comfortable position I was in and was instantly confused until I remembered what happened in the middle of the night.

Ok that just happened.

'Leeeooo' I whined softly trying to push him away.
'Mmmhh' He hummed smiling with his closed. I knew he was awake.
'I know your up so can you let go now.' I complained.
'Never' He said with confidence as he hugged me closer to his warm and comfortable embrace.
I felt the heat to my face rise with this small action and felt like hiding my face further into his chest but realised what I was thinking and felt disgusted as well as anger at myself. What am I thinking, what happened to my confident, independent self. We don't want shy Autumn back who depended on people and couldn't stand up for herself.

But thinking back to our days together, shows we had been through so much together and have grown closer. I didn't deserve him or his kindness even if he might've bullied me in the past but that's the past. He made up for it now and he's a better human now and has grown by learning from his mistakes. I don't deserve anyone or any comfort so I pushed him away.

'Just go away, your better off without me' He was wide awake now and let his hold loosen a bit but not fully.
Leo not understanding anything, refused
'I'm not going anywhere, we have stuck together through thick and thin. I'm not just going to abandon you just because you said so.'

'I -l don't deserve your company Leo or your compassion. I don't deserve any of it. So please just go without me, save the world again and live a happy life. I don't deserve anything. I've never done anything heroic I just mess things up and people get hurt in the process' I rambled on and on, belittling myself.

'I'm not going anywhere Autumn and that's final. I'm never going to leave you and you shouldn't blame your self and make yourself feel small. You deserve the world, you deserve someone who will take care of you, love you and be the world for you. Hell, I don't deserve you. You forgave me for something unforgivable which makes you pure and kind hearted yet you can never forgive yourself for something that wasn't your fault' the intensity of his gaze and firmness of his voice surprised me. I had never seen this side to him and I don't think his friends have, otherwise they would be scared of him or take Leo Valdez  more seriously.
I liked this side to him.

I was stunned unable to answer so instead he asked a question.
'You saw your brother didn't you?' Leo asked or more like stated. He knew because he knew that look on your face all to well because that is a look of pure guilt and blame about someone you lost.
I nodded.
'What happened'
I slowly explained to him my dream trying to steady my breathing. He listened to every word I said. When I finished I broke down crying. It broke Leo's heart to see you like this because he cared for you he only wanted to see you happy and not broken.

So he hugged you. This hug was one of the best hugs I had ever received. It wasn't fake, it gave comfort. Something I never gained from anyone.

I leaned into his chest and drained his shirt with my salty tears. He held me with his soft hands. His heat was emitting to me so I could feel his warmth. He smelt like cinnamon which I loved and made me feel safe and ....at home. It was a feeling I never felt before my brother, Adam not Percy, or even remember how it felt, but now I knew for sure that Leo was my home and I would never want to lose him.

Little did I know that Leo was thinking that same thing. His chin rested on my head as he stroked my hair making me visibly relax to his touch. I wanted to stay like that forever but I couldn't. He eventually let go.

I couldn't look into his eyes so I stared at the floor again. 'Thank you' my voice barely above a whisper.
He looked at me and lifted my chin so I could look into his eyes. 'Your welcome. I only just returned the favour' he shrugged like it was no big deal. But it was. It was to me.