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itsallmouthwashing · 10 days ago

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Dear Diary, Someone Smashed My Guitar Today (Band AU- Chapter 1 snippet)

CW: depictions of violence, blood, use of f-slur

Word Count: ~2.2k

Highschool!Jimmy, Highschool!Curly, Angst, (physical)hurt/comfort, slight instant pining?

Im officially working on the first chapter for the band AU fic, but in the meantime here's a scene I've been working on from it (that ended up being almost the full thing WHOOPS!) :) please enjoy, reblog are so appreciated :)

Curly hears rumors of getting jumped after school

Jimmy hears them too

Jimmy gets there first and takes care of it

When Curly gets there, JImmy is covered in blood

_____P--L--E--A--S--E----E--N--J--O--Y_____

There's blood on his shirt. It’s pooled at his neck line and trailing up like a river to its source: his bruised nose. I can't tell from this distance if it’s broken or not, but he’s looking at me through the slits of eyes like he’s cursing me. Like this is my fault.

Maybe it is.

“Do we have a problem?” I try my best to sound tough, to not slide into the part of me that lightens the mood and eases the tension by joking. No, I need to make a name for myself. So this doesn't happen again. If they get me now, I’ll be dealing with it for the next four years, and I’ll be damned if I become the target again.

My hands tighten at my sides and my leg starts bouncing without my permission.

“Took care of it.” He sniffles and covers his mouth with the back of his hand to cover the wince that follows, but I hear it when he sucks in through his teeth. Blood drips from his face to the ground and that's when I see the spatters on the concrete. Pools and streaks and drops of crimson and deep mahogany.

There’s so much-

The hand that’s shaking at his side is cut and bruised and dripping. I can't tell if the blood that falls is from him, or another’s come to join itself again in the pores of the pavement.

My lower half won't stay still. I’m fucking buzzing with energy. I think the steps I take towards him are involuntary.

“I was told-?” to meet here. I was told to be at this exact curb at this exact time or there would be worse waiting for me tomorrow. His face is familiar to me now. A crooked piercing at the left side of his lip, greasy brown hair pasted to his forehead, deep brown eyes narrow and warning through the darkness of his cave. Prey that cross its gaping maw, beware.

“Not today, no.” He dabs at the corner of his nose with his finger, pulling it away to see it covered in bright red blood.

“What… Did you do?”

“Like I said. Took care of it.” He wipes his nose with the back of his hand now, gingerly, just below his still leaking nostrils. Either he got hit, bad, or this happened just seconds before I got here. “We’re even, by the way.”

“You smashed my guitar last month.”

I laugh. I have to because the look in his eyes and the blood on his shirt and the bruises under his skin are overwhelming. The reality of the situation slowly creeps up my spine. My mind can't ignore the blood anymore.

All he has to say in response is nothing at all. He just nods his head and blots the blood again with his other hand. I scramble to my pockets, pulling out the wad of tissues mother gave me this morning after a sneezing fit. She said something about being careful about the pollen this time of the season, but I think blood leaking from one’s nose is more important than some boogers. He looks at it for a while before looking back at me.

Then, “We’re even.” He sniffles again but doesn't wince. He’s not looking away, and somehow I can't. “Come find me if someone gives you trouble again. But you’ll owe me.”

“I can handle myself- uh…”

He’s walking away. I want to yell at him to wait, but I hear police sirens in the distance and he does too. He’s sprinting now, down the street and taking a left and I forget that we’re only two blocks from our neighborhood. I think I start running too, because suddenly there’s wind on my face and air in my lungs and my legs are on fire. My feet are pounding on the pavement and they’re desperate to take me home. To follow. To get his name. He’s crossing the street onto the next that leads into our complex. My chest is on fire.

My chest is on fire.

I think I’ve been hit by a bus. I didn't look both ways before crossing the street and now I’m paying the price. The asphalt is rough, bits of rock and debris dug into my skin and slicing me open. But the road is smooth, almost like tile.

I don't remember his name. I know his face but I never got his-

A knee hits my jaw and knocks me over fully, and just before I close my eyes I watch a foot speed towards me. My hands fly to my head, my knees to my chest, my cries to the air.

“Come find me if these guys give you trouble again.”

I can't get up. There’s two more feet to my back and another to my head and my legs aren't enough to protect from the one attacking my face.

I didn't hear anything today. No one came to warn me. No one talked about it around anyone that mattered.

Why is no one doing anything?

Camera flashes and iPhone’s recording. Beeps and whoops and subtle encouragement moving through the people like a lion through tall grass. Circling me, prowling, hungry.

I try to open my eyes, find anyone in the growing crowd who will look at me and do something. Anything.

And there’s someone in the audience who’s already staring at me.

The same look of disdain and hatred for the world he held when my guitar laid in pieces between us. When my parents took us over to his apartment and I found out he lives just up the street from me. When his parents made him hand over the wad of cash himself to replace it. When he got to the curb seconds before me and saved me from this fate once before.

It’s not his face in the crowd, but all at once I remember something.

“James,” I say when a foot connects with my sternum and I’m able to hide it between the hurk that’s forced out of me. I remember hearing it during attendance. Mr Peter’s voice calling out and his annoyed correction in response.

“Jimmy!” I call out, more desperate now. My chest hurts. I think one of my ribs might be broken and I suddenly remember we don't have insurance here yet and I’m sick for a new reason.

“JIMMY!” It’s four-to-one and I can't move. It's dozens of people against four and no one moves. My throat is closing and my lungs are expanding into shards of bone and glass.

Uproarious laughter and humored mutters coat me like darkness. Someone’s Chucks connect with my jaw and the pop echoes in my ears.

“Patheic fucking britt can't even fight for himself!” They punctuate with dropping to their knees and ripping my hands from my face. My eyes stay open now. I can't look away when the person smirking at me has blood on their face. Is that mine?

“JIMMY!” I’m crying now. I promised myself that no matter what happened I wouldn't cry at school but I'm sobbing into my shoulder, looking away and struggling to cover my head again like there’s mortar fire in the sky. I hear it’s whistling through the air as it finds me through the clouds and rains down like holy retribution.

Except, it doesn’t. I don't get obliterated into pink mist, my body and self left to be wondered about and longed for by my loved ones. No, it’s the one on his knees behind my head, ramming his fist into my skull and not caring if his knuckle bones shattered in the process.

There’s commotion around me, voices yelling and screaming and struggling and bouncing off the narrow hallway walls. People running away, hands lifting from my arms and head and the legs that caged me scatter.

I have to blink to focus on what's happening in front of me. The hallway is empty now, save for three people. One of them is on the ground beside me holding his face in his hands and groaning. His blood leaks onto the floor and pools between us. Someone’s standing in front of me and I can't make out much but their silhouette and that of the person they have by the throat against the lockers.

But everything’s blurry again. Something red drips into my vision and I think there may be blood in my eyes. I hear something drop to the floor with a thud and then someone picking me up by my arms.

“Up, up. Come on, we need to get out of here-”

What? What's happening? The voice is so familiar but in my dazed state I can't search for it. In the depths of my mind I'm shaking in the corner and sobbing into my hands. My throat burns, and I can't tell if I'm holding back tears or if the sobs are ripping me apart on their own.

“Come on, work with me. One foot then the other. We need to go-”

I don't know when we get outside but we do. The F hallway is close enough to the exit for us to slip out quickly, I suppose. The air is crisp and light and cold on my open wounds. It’s only because of the chill that I know I have wounds. The sun hurts. Everything hurts. My head is pounding and, oh fuck, what if I have a concussion? I'll need to go to hospital, but how much is that here? Are there special rules for immigrants?

Are there worse rules?

He doesn't peel my dead weight off of him until we’re a few streets away from school. He places me down so I can sit on the transformer that's between someones’ property, and it’s only when he knees in front of me with searching eyes that I see who it is.

“You… came…” It’s hard to speak. It’s hard to breathe. I can't breathe.

“Well, yeah,” he says. “You called.” He hands me a pack of cigarettes, offering a lighter in his other, and I don't know when he had the time to light his own.

“We’re 13?”

“Yeah, I was nine when I started smoking. So,” he gestures them to me again.

Fuck it. This day can't get any worse.

He smiles when I take one from the pack. There were too many smokers in Bath, but I guess copying the masters isn't enough because when I go to light the cig I catch my finger instead. Jimmy’s watching me through it all. Probably to see if I'm a poser or not. But he snatches the lighter from me, looks at me like I’ve got to be kidding him, and gestures me forward. I try to move my neck closer to where his hand waits but wince when all my nerves pinch at once. He rolls his eyes and takes the stick from my lips, lights it, and hands it back to me.

“First smoke?”

“Yeah, thanks for the fag, I guess,” I laugh, feeling like we’re twenty years old outside of a nightclub and I need nicotine to chase the fire in my veins. He rushes up to his feet, suddenly towering over me.

"What did you call me?”

“Wh-what?”

“I’m gonna give you one chance, since you just got your ass handed to you.”

“I-I said, thanks for the fag? The- the cigarette?”

“Wha-?” He looks to the cig and then to me, then to the cig again, then back to me.

“Uh, it’s just what we call cigarettes in the UK? I didn't mean anything by it- honest.”

“Oh. Kay. Uh… I knew that. Not used to hearing it in that context.”

“Sorry.”

“Just don't say that here. Ever.”

“What?”

“Fag. Or faggot. Just don't say it.”

“Right…”

“It’s like the n-word, ya know? It's just something you don't say.”

“You do realize that while you’re saying fag, you’re not sasying what the n-word is?”

“Okay, genius, you go around saying-.”

I choke on the exhale. It holds uncomfortable space in my throat and burns my sinuses with a feeling like an interrupted orgasm. I cough and sputter through the fire in my lungs, hack and spit into the grass when the charred feeling doesn't loosen. He actually says it. No cushion.

“You just said-”

He gives me a silent look as he takes a drag. Something tells me that someone else's reaction may be more visceral than mine.

“Okay, whatever. I get your point.” He nods and looks away, letting his jaw hang open and letting the smoke pool out on its own like a lazy river. I don't know what it is about the sight of him blowing out smoke that makes me tingle. “Thanks for the cig, brah.”

It’s not my best American accent, I’ll admit, but it gets him to look at me and crack the slightest of smiles. The chuckle he does blows the remaining smoke away, but the feeling remains. He shuffles in his pockets again, putting away the cigarettes and lighter and pulling out a black rectangle. He flips it to me and I’m not sure what to do with the phone that's suddenly in my lap.

“Uh… not for me, is it?"

“Ha, no,” he scoffs, “Put your number in my phone. If I hear anything about those guys I’ll let you know. But I also need to reach you when I cash in my favor.”

He’s looking away again, hiding behind a curtain of thick brown hair and pretending to be interested in something on the block over.

“Favor?”

“We were even last time. Now, you owe me.”

Oh, right.

“I thought heroes didn't need payment for their good deeds.”

“Well, that's your first mistake. I’m not a hero." But what do you call the person who saves you life twice in the span of a season? What do you call the person who comes when you call? “‘D be nice though,” he inhales, sucks on the menthol taste stuck to the roof of his mouth, and says through the exhale, “To be someone’s hero.”

“You’re my hero. If that counts.” Ive been letting the cigarette burn between my fingers until now. The ash falls when I move it to my lips, and I can only take a baby hit before my mouth is burning, like I just swallowed unflavored mouthwash. The kind that's pure ethanol and none of the sweet. He chuckles, putting out the cigarette on the transformer.

“Yeah, I bet your parents are heroes to you, too.” He leaps off and dusts the bottom of his jeans. “But they don't get you cigarettes after a rescue, do they? No, think that's more villain shit. Giving a kid cigs.”

“So, you’d rather be my villain?”

“I’d rather not be your anything, lad.” He attempts my accent and it's so shite I can't help but laugh.

“How about just being my friend, then?”

He shoves his hands in his back pockets and looks to the ground. Has no one ever asked him that before? Or am I just that shitty to be around? Am I just some kid who needs to be sheltered and protected to him?

Finally he looks back at me, but it’s at the worst time because I feel like I’m crying. Maybe he’s ignoring it, or maybe he doesn't care, or maybe I’m not crying at all. But he smiles and grabs his phone from my lap.

“How about being someone that owes me a favor?”

I smile too. I don't think he means it, not really, cause he can't stop smiling. Even when I hand his phone back. Even when he walks me back to the complex. Even when I invite him in and he declines. Even when he turns his back to me to walk to his building.

#mouthwashing #jimmy mouthwashing #curly mouthwashing #band au #jimcurly #jimcurl #mouthwashing au #high school jimmy #high school curly #cw blood #cw fighting #cw getting jumped #cw f-slur #tulpar band au #hs jimcurly #hs jimmy #hs curly

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aezuria · 10 months ago

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*ੈ✎ everybody talks!

"it started with a whisper, and that was when i kissed her!" —neon trees

note: fun fact this was supposed to be titled friends by chase atlantic but then i started going for a cliche hs romance vibe cause i went and listened to a 90s playlist um ANYWAYS @hopelesslyromanticshark HEYYY TWIN SURPRISE MAYBE?? IT WAS ME ALL ALONG 😈😈 ps this doubles as my apology for the pronunciation confusion FORGET I EVER STARTED THAT

content: leo valdez x reader, childhood best friends to lovers, mortal au; oneshot, 4.3k words

warnings: jealousy, little bit of angst (typical teenage drama 🙄), like one mention of not wanting to live, cursing, google translated spanish, lots of pov switches (my bad 😓), vague spoilers for the ballad of songbirds and snakes (like two lines abt it), clumsy confessions, denial (is it really denial if you just suck at feelings??)

"that was supposed to be my ice cream!" you marched up to a curly-headed boy, face scrunched up in childish anger. your parents were too busy catching up with friends to notice that you had strayed off.

said curly-headed boy turned to the sound of a shrill voice, his eyes meeting a pouty face with cheeks red in the summer heat. he raised the cone in his hand a bit higher. "this one?"

you nodded eagerly, hoping he was going to give it to you. "yeah!" you stretched out your hand to grab it from him, but the boy pulled it away at the last second.

he smiled mischievously, dimples flashing as he stuck his tongue out and licked a stripe up the stacked swirls of ice cream. "too bad!"

you gasped at the utter audacity of the other child, your bottom lip starting to tremble. one sniffle. two. soon, you were downright bawling on the sidewalk. the boy’s jaw dropped, his feet taking panicked little steps in place as he looked around.

"hey! hey, you can't cry! i'll ask my mama to buy you one!" he squeaked, trying to comfort you. he patted your back, which was quite hard to do with him bouncing around and holding an ice cream cone.

your sobs were quickly reduced into a sniffle as you blinked at him. "..really? and you're not gonna steal it this time?"

he nodded enthusiastically. "yep! i mean, no! i won't steal it!" he took your hand and ran to his mom, dragging you along.

you ran behind him, your tears replaced with excitement at the newly promised ice cream.

"mama!" the boy called out, stopping in front of a kind-looking woman who looked just like him. "meet my new friend!"

you smiled a bit shyly at the lady, giving her a wave.

she returned the gesture with a smile of her own, before facing the boy with a slight frown. "leo! sus padres podrían estar buscándola! did you ask her parents if she was allowed to go with you?" she chided, pinching his ear lightly.

leo cried out as his mother pinched his ear, even though he barely felt it. "no..! but le debo un helado!" he whined, shaking your interlocked hands for effect. "can you buy her one mama? pleaseee?"

she sighed in defeat, giving into two pairs of puppy eyes. "alright, alright. but we find her parents first, okay? what's your name?" she gave you a little wink, taking your other hand.

"i'm y/n!" you said with a bright smile as she agreed to get you a new ice cream. "my mommy and daddy are over there!" you pointed to a spot not too far from where you stood.

leo's mom nodded, leading your little trio in the direction you said. soon enough, you were reunited with your parents, who gave you a gentle scolding and thanked her. she explained the situation between you and leo, at which all the parents laughed at, much to your confusion. what was so funny about getting your (well, not exactly yours but you had your eyes on it, so, it was technically yours) ice cream stolen?

whatever, at least you got it at the end of the day—and a new friend!

ever since then, the two of you stuck together like glue. if elementary school teachers tried to separate you? either of you would throw a hissy fit. if your high school teachers tried to separate you? either of you would make up some elaborate bullshit about how well you guys work together and how productive the two of you would be (you were sure they never believed it, but they paired up the both of you anyway).

"like i know she probably didn’t get enough love as a child or something but does she have to take it out on her students? why even be a teacher?” you waved your hand in the air, the mess of papers on the desk long forgotten.

"exactly, like she really needs therapy." leo took his bite-ridden pencil out of his mouth to add a point.

"totally,” you agreed. “too bad it’s so expensive, otherwise-“

a cough behind you made you and leo turn around, already dreading the punishment about to befall you. you smile sheepishly at your history teacher, who had her arms crossed. "another word and i'll send you two to detention, you hear?"

the both of you shut your mouths and nodded in sync, waiting until she turned around to whisper. "she's feeling merciful today."

"detention!"

guess not.

you slumped against the desk, resting your head against your arms and sighed loudly. the teacher in charge of detention for the day gave you a glare, turning the page to his boring book about finance or something. you rolled your eyes once he looked away, and looked up at the clock. five more minutes.

you tapped a message on the desk, the morse code leo forced you to learn coming in handy once again. i'm so bored.

leo's head perked up from the similar slouch he was in. me too.

i'm coming over. you rapped your finger against the smooth wood. you were hungry just thinking about him and his mom's tacos. if you didn't know how much leo wanted to be a mechanic, you'd probably beg him to open a restaurant.

a little forward aren't you? he drummed his fingers back, raising his eyebrow.

just as you were about to reply, you were cut off with a "shh!" from the teacher, who then looked at his watch. he gave it a scowl, but motioned for the two of you to leave. "you're free to go."

the two of you raced to the door, eager to get out of the stuffy classroom.

"oh my gosh i thought he was never gonna let us leave!" you groaned, tugging on your backpack straps as you walked home with leo.

"i know! can't believe he wasted our precious hanging out time like that!" leo scoffed, nudging you with his shoulder.

you laughed, shoving him back. "exactly!"

the two of you walked in peaceful silence, up until leo tapped you on the shoulder and shouted, "tag, you're it!" and ran off ahead.

who runs with a backpack on? you didn't care, chasing after him and trying to get him. "not fair!" you yelled.

sprinting all the way, you made it to his house, panting and out of breath. as he leaned against the doorway, you smacked him upside the head. "you're it."

you didn't want to spend your friday afternoon doing extra work, but leo wanted the help and who were you to deny him? you knew it'd probably end up with the two of you on the couch, curled up next to each other and watching a (usually) pirated movie.

"so," leo started. you two were sprawled on your stomachs, doing homework on his wooden floor.

"what is it now?" you exhaled with exaggeration, not looking up from your book. your english teacher had said to read two chapters, but was that really enough? you were too invested, completely forgetting that you were supposed to help him analyze it.

"..wanna take a break?" he was already getting to his feet, looking down at you with a cheeky glint in his eyes.

you pretended to think. "hm, i don't know... shakespeare's getting really interesting..." you shrugged and turned back to your book.

leo pouted. "seriously!? he just spews random bullshit and everyone thinks its poetic!"

you kicked his foot, not letting the insult slide. "you know what? now i'm really not gonna take a break."

"oh come on! if i make you birria tacos will you come with me? my mom's been simmering the meat since earlier," he bargained, waggling his eyebrows.

"..maybe."

"holy shit." you moaned in bliss as you took a bite of one of the tacos leo had so kindly prepared. he chuckled at your reaction, it was the same every time he made it.

he grinned proudly, taking his plate from the coffee table and setting it on his lap. "good, right?" he switched on the tv, resting his other arm on the back of the couch.

you let out an unintelligible noise of agreement, mouth stuffed. you swallowed. "can we watch the new hunger games movie?"

he hummed, taking out his laptop and searching for it on some illegal website. "again? we already watched it in the theaters."

you rolled your eyes. "yes, again. it's my turn to pick."

his lips quirked up the slightest. "yeah, yeah." he clicked on the movie, connected his laptop to the tv and pressed play.

the two of you were watching intently as coriolanus snow kissed lucy gray like a starved man.

"goddamn," you breathed out.

"i know." leo nodded, his eyes flicking to you for a moment. your legs were folded under the blanket you guys shared. during the duration of the movie, the two of you had somehow huddled closer together, probably due to the cold, he thought. his arm was now over your shoulder, your knees touching his.

he felt something stir in his heart. maybe it was the kissing scene, maybe it was the underlying feeling of sadness that came with winter, but god did he suddenly get overwhelmed with the feeling of wanting a girlfriend. he'd probably flirt with every girl in the world if it meant he could find true love. he suddenly felt hyper-aware of the way you were nestled in his arms, of the casual way you two touched each other. leo would love to do these things in a romantic sense. but, not with you, of course. i mean, you were his bestest friend, it'd be weird to think otherwise.

your heart fluttered wildly as you played it cool, not letting the way his legs were intwined with yours affect you. you didn't know exactly when you started feeling this way, all you knew was that something about his touch never failed to send you sparks of fire.

but fire burns.

you heard leo suck in a breath. "you know your friend alicia?"

you froze, the butterflies in your stomach turning into ash. "yeah, she's my friend, 'course i'd know her."

"great, so you wouldn't mind setting me up with her, right?" he winked at you, tugging at the ends of your hair.

you bit your tongue, mood dampening. why did he always have to ruin the moment by asking about some other girl? i mean, am i not enough or something? "..i'll think about it."

he frowned. usually you'd agree right away. "is that a yes?"

"i told you i'd think about it, now can we just watch?" you turned back to the tv, eyes looking but not seeing.

leo didn't seem to get the hint, still pushing the topic. "why think? it's not like you haven't done it before! are you really not gonna help your best friend out?"

"maybe i'm really not," you said sarcastically. it was getting more and more difficult to keep the irritation from your voice, and he was already starting to notice.

"whoa, okay, what're you so mad about?" he took his arm off your shoulder, turning to face you directly. "did i say something wrong?"

"nope."

he took your sardonic tone as your usual sarcasm and kept prodding. "okay... so you'll help me then? i mean, that's all you're for! you don't wanna be my best friend and do your job?" he laughed, poking fun at you like usual. but the feeling in your gut twisted his offhand comment in a way that hurt.

"if you're just gonna keep me around to set you up with a bunch of girls then maybe i don't want to be your friend anymore!" you snapped, agitation finally breaking the thin mask of patience you had.

leo set down his empty plate on the table, needing to give his hands something to do. "i was just- you know that's not why you're my friend!" he chuckled incredulously.

you stayed silent, letting his words dissolve in the air.

his eyebrows furrowed at your lack of response, as if trying to decipher the finality of your words. "you don't.. you don't mean that do you?"

"maybe i do." you stood up, the blanket falling off your legs. you grabbed your backpack, a reminder of what you guys were supposed to be working on.

leo quickly followed suit, springing to his feet and speeding after you as you walked towards the front door. "wait! i was just kidding! c'mon we can talk about this!" a hint of desperation seeped into his voice as he grabbed your wrist.

"we already did." you shot him a glare over your shoulder. he froze. he'd never seen that aimed at him. playful irritation, sure, but never that. not to him. his hand dropped your arm in shock, and you took your leave.

"i said, are you trying to kill me!?" the tv was still on.

the walk to school was quiet without leo, that you'd admit. you even got up a half hour early just so you wouldn't see him. yeah, it was a little petty, but you weren't exaggerating in your words. he had other friends, you had other friends—you're choosing to ignore the fact that half of them were mutual—you guys would be fine without each other. especially you.

except you forgot the fact that you guys were seated next to each other for nearly all your classes. that was awkward. everyone around you sensed the tension in the air, with you pointedly looking away from leo, at the board, and him trying to do the same. you could feel his leg shake the table as he bounced his knee, as well as the side glances he gave you.

even so, you continued to ignore him and the stupidly cute way his lips pursed into a frown. you weren't getting over it that easy.

leo fucked up. like, seriously fucked up. he hasn't fucked up this bad since.. well, since his invention quite literally blew up in his face. but this? this was like your friendship figuratively blew up in his face! and it felt even worse. he took a deep breath, rolling over in his bed with his blanket half-off. he brought the fabric up to his nose, inhaling the faint scent of your perfume that had stayed since last friday. without you, his thoughts felt louder than usual. they ran free in his mind, ranging from what should i eat for dinner? to god, did i mess up our whole friendship? was i taking her for granted when i kept asking her for relationship advice? why did i even do that? i didn't even really like any of those girls. what's wrong with me?

he curled up into a ball, squeezing the blanket to his chest and burying his face in it. leo willed himself to cry, but no tears would come. the overwhelming feeling in his chest had no way to escape. his heart thumped heavily, each painful beat reminding him of why he should've never been allowed to live.

"...and that's why you should- hey! are you even listening?" piper frowned, raising an eyebrow at leo, who was picking at his food.

he didn't answer, too busy moving the gross cafeteria food around his tray as he drooped against the table.

"okay, i know that you've got your little lover's quarrel with y/n, but you've gotta stop sulking and start doing." piper crossed her arms, eyeing him with a very unimpressed look. "did you seriously not hear a word i said? talk to her! apologize! it's been a week already!"

leo groaned, his head resting in his arms. “i know! and- wait did you just say ‘lover’s quarrel!?’” his head shot up, face feeling warm all of a sudden. “pipes, she’s just a friend! like you!”

piper gave him a disbelieving hum. “‘just a friend’ my ass! everyone can see how you look at her!” that’s why all the girls you make her set you up with never go on a second date.

leo genuinely looked confused. “what? i look at her normally, what are you talking about?”

jason, who was silent throughout the whole exchange, chortled a laugh. the two whipped their heads to him, the sudden noise from him surprising. "are you serious? leo, i don't think even i'm that oblivious!" he shared a look with piper that only the two would understand. ugh. another couple thing leo feels he'll never get.

leo's eye twitched. "oblivious about what? y/n's my best friend, i don't see what's so weird about that!"

the pair sighed. "you'll get it one day," jason said firmly, clapping him on the shoulder with solemn resolution.

"okay..?"

a whole week. leo had never gone without talking to you for a whole week! this was driving him insane! yeah, he knew you were mad at him and by default, he was supposed to be mad at you, but it was too much! next period, leo thought resolutely. i'll get her to talk to me next period. which just so happened to be his last period because although he had been thinking of this the whole day, he was too nervous to confront you earlier. he took a deep breath in and walked into chemistry class.

fate must hate him. or maybe his science teacher. right when when he slipped into his seat beside you, she clasped her hands together and cleared her throat. "class! today were going to be switching seats!" leo swore he saw her look at him as he said that. what did he ever do to her!? his heart sunk as he realized he might not sit next to you anymore. surely the teacher's gonna keep us together? i mean, they've all done that since like, the start of the year! she won't be any different.. right?

oh he was so wrong. leo pouted in his spot at the back of the class, watching you from across the room as you chatted it up with some jock. why is she being so smiley!? isn't she supposed to be mad? i mean, yeah, she's only mad at me, but doesn't that mean she's supposed to be grumpy in general!? why am i the only one who looks affected by this!?

the girl next to him cleared her throat, snapping him out of his thoughts. "uh, we need to start the experiment," she said without emotion, as if the mere action of talking to him was boring. seriously, why did everyone hate him today? it's not like they know anything that happened!

"oh.. right." leo took his notebook out and set it to the side, moving the vials to the center of the desk. he felt the girl's stare dig into his side, like she was looking at him with disdain. leo sighed. this was going to be a long period.

how did leo even end up here? parties weren't really his thing. he only came because he heard that you'd be here, but you were nowhere to be seen. leo leaned against a wall, trying not to look like a complete loser as he stood by himself. he took out his phone, navigating to his trusty weather app. where were you? if not you, then jason and piper? even percy or annabeth would do! they're probably each hooking up in a bathroom or something.. he thought with a grimace, trying to get the mental picture out of his head. leo wandered around with a cup of fanta, hoping to see you in the crowd.

you sipped from your red solo cup, the bubbly taste of soda delightfully stinging your tongue. this party's kinda boring... it'd be more fun with- you cut off your thoughts with a shake of your head. whatever. you had girl friends you could hang out with. as you made your way to them, a tap on your shoulder got your attention.. is it..? you turned around. it wasn't. you ignored the feeling in your stomach and smiled at the familiar—but not familiar enough—face of your new seatmate.

"oh hey! i didn't know you were coming!" you greeted with a smile.

he laughed, raising his eyebrow. "you think i'd miss this? i mean, look at me!" he gestured to himself quite vainly. "i throw these kinds of parties!"

you chuckled, nodding along to be polite. "uh, yeah, for sure!"

the both of you fell into an awkward silence that seemed to stretch out for forever.

leo spotted you across the room, the chatter around him seeming to die down as he saw you with that guy. i mean, seriously, he wasn't even your type! and, he'd know your type! like, weren't you guys just talking shit about jason's football friends? you could do so much better. like.. like me. leo's eyes widened. holy fuck. that's it! the feeling in his chest was akin to tightening the last screw of his project. the words his two friends had said to him earlier came rushing back with sudden clarity. they day he finally got it was sooner than expected. with a determined blaze in his heart, he slipped through the crowd and made his way to you.

you took the lull in your conversation as a sign to go to your other friends. "so, i'm gonna-"

"hey, i was going to-" he started.

the both of you stopped mid-sentence after speaking at the same time. you guys laughed it off, with you waving off his muttered apology.

"you can go first," you said, dipping your head at him to continue.

he cleared his throat, looking into your eyes intently. "well, i was wondering if you'd wanna go ou-"

"y/n!" leo strode up to you as if the fight between the two of you had never happened.

your face scrunched up in confusion, too perplexed to remember that you were supposed to be ignoring him. "leo? what are you-" he cut you off, directing his words to the other guy.

"hey, sorry if i interrupted something, but i gotta talk to y/n for a sec," leo flashed his teeth, mischievous dimples showing.

the jock's eyes widened as he took a step back. "oh.. oh, my bad man! i didn't think you guys were- are you really?" he laughed with obvious embarrassment, shaking his head as he retreated. "guess so.." he muttered under his breath as he faded into the crowd.

leo's hand slipped around your waist as he weaved the both of you in between people. his jaw was clenched, a sight you've only seen when he was concentrated on one of his many inventions. "what the hell are you doing?" you repeated your question, ignoring the way his touch sent familiar sparks down your spine. you shied away from it, half to push away your feelings and the other to keep up your fight out of pure pettiness.

his hand twitched as you moved away, his eyes narrowing as he stared straight ahead. but leo made no move to grab you again, ever the gentleman. "just come with me. please."

his tone itself was enough to make you listen to him without question. never had you seen him so.. serious. you found yourselves in an empty guest room, music thumping softly behind the walls.

"y/n," leo murmured, finally speaking as he turned around. his eyes were shifty, looking everywhere but directly into yours. you could see the way he chewed on the inside of his lip, as if rehearsing the words he had yet to say.

"i- i don't want you to talk to that guy." he blurted out after a beat of silence. his cute face wasn't enough to distract you from his words, however.

"excuse me?" you stared at him, your rose-tinted glasses shattering immediately.

leo shifted on his feet, realizing how off-putting he sounded. "not- not like that! sorry, i mean like-" he swallowed thickly, his leg starting to bounce.

"fuck i really suck at this, huh?" he muttered under his breath, before daring to look into your eyes.

"i mean i want you to talk to me instead because.. i like you. i want to be the one you talk to, like we used to. but- more than that because i like like you." he fumbled over his words, trailing off at the end as his eyes dipped down once again.

what? you opened your mouth to answer but he beat you to it to continue.

"i'm really sorry for how i acted like a jerk. and taking you for granted and making you set me up with practically every girl you knew. to tell you the truth, i don't know why i did that, 'cause i never really like any of 'em. or i thought i did and then i just, didn't and-" he would've rambled on forever if you hadn't cut him off with a kiss.

you heard him squeak in the back of his throat, hands tensing at his sides before gingerly wrapping around your waist, as if he was scared of messing up again. the both of you pulled away after a soft minute, his disbelieving eyes staring back at your playful expression. boy, did he miss the way you looked at him like that.

"took you long enough." you laughed, hitting his shoulder lightly. "better not make me set you up with anyone ever again."

his face broke into a wide grin, never faltering even as you punched him. he brought you back into his arms, hugging you tightly. "the only person i'd want to be set up with is you." he drew back only slightly, his hands trailing up your body until he cupped your face, squishing your cheeks gently. "so? will you let me take you on a date?"

your smile was one that rivaled the sun, one he'd like to center his world around forever. "are you kidding? obviously!"

the kiss he gave you after was one you'd remember forever.

("twenty bucks jason, pay up!" piper whispered, peering through the crack in the door.

"..fuck.")

#leo valdez #leo valdez x reader #hoo #heroes of olympus #hoo x reader #heroes of olympus x reader #pjo #percy jackon and the olympians #*ੈ✎ stories

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