Amy

you were standing outside a dive bar on a dark street in a dirty town.

it was the typical place that had a jukebox playing old songs and whose neon lights flickered due to their age.

you hated that place, but what had just happened made it worse. 

you had had an argument with your ex-boyfriend a few minutes earlier on the street outside after a waiter had threatened to call the police on you if you two didn’t ‘’take it somewhere else.’’

you were yelling and of course he was yelling louder.

he was complaining about how he ‘’couldn't keep carrying you financially’’, even though he was the one you had caught several times using your debit card to buy things for his new girlfriend.

“you're incredible. fucking incredible,” you said, your voice breaking as you let out an obviously sarcastic laugh.

he just laughs, a mean short laugh he does when he knew he has won.

“grow up, babe. maybe if you weren’t so clingy i wouldn’t have to start fresh somewhere else.”

then he turned and walked towards the parking lot like the conversation was over.

you stand there shaking with your mascara probably running.

a couple of smokers by the door pretended not to look at you, but one of them muttered “damn it” under his breath.

your phone was still in your hand with the screen cracked since he threw it against the bar.

the battery was at 4% and the spree app was taking forever to load because the signal there was terrible.

a silver Toyota slowly pulled up to the pavement. the passenger window rolled down.

“hey... hi. you called for a spree, right?”

kurt kunkle. of fucking course.

he was leaning over with the phone already recording, because apparently he never turns that damn thing off.

the lights attached to the ventilation duct illuminated you both. the number of viewers was 300, and counting as your face appears on screen.

“you gotta be kidding me.” you stared at him.

kurt’s eyes went wide, the recognition hitting.

“wait... wait, you’re... holy shit. i mean. hi. you okay? you look like you just fought a tornado and lost.”

you glanced toward the bar.

“take me home. please.”

“on it. hop in.” 

you slid into the passenger seat and slammed the car door harder than usual.

kurt immediately started talking, because that was just how he was.

“so, uh, the destination is…?” he looked at his phone navigation even though you didn’t say the address yet. “wait, i remember. that apartment on 11th at maple street, right?”

you nodded, too tired to be surprised about him remembering your address. you two were friends, but not that type of friends that go to each other's houses. 

“cool. cool, cool.” he pulled away from the pavement, then immediately glanced at the camera. “guys… chat. special guest alert. she’s having a night. we’re giving her the vip treatment.”

his chat started moving fast as if they had seen a celebrity.

patrioticCHAD: SHE LOOKS PISSED. kurt help her   lonelygirl15: what happened queen spill   thirsttrappin: kurt u better comfort her or we riot

he read some of those comments out loud and you realized he was nervous, but you didn’t even know why.

‘’they are asking what happened. you don’t– you don’t need to answer if you don’t feel comfortable. or you can. content is content.’’

you leaned back to the sit, looking at water droplets against the glass as the humidity fogged everything up there. 

‘’my ex happened. again. we were supposed to meet for one drink to talk. he had been using my debit card and when i called him on he stormed out. i followed him outside. he told me to grow up and left.”

kurt made a face like he just bit a lemon.

“that’s… that’s actually evil. like, cartoon-villain evil. who does that?”

“apparently he does.”

“he sounds like a tool. no offense.”

“none taken.”

silence was made. then kurt cleared his throat.

“chat’s saying you deserve better. they’re also saying i should… cheer you up. with, uh… games. or we can go for tacos if you want or...” you almost smile.

almost.

“i’m good.”

“okay. okay. just… let me know.” he kept glancing at you, then at the camera, then back at the road like he was afraid of missing something.

his leg was bouncing so hard the car is vibrating. 

“hey, uh… random question. you still broke? like… rent-broke?” you exhaled, making a weird face. 

“yeah. rent’s in four days. i’ve got thirtydollars. he took the rest.” kurt winced. 

“fuck. that’s… that’s not great.” he paused. “wait. we could… do something for content. simon says. but super chill. that way you can… think about other things. i don’t know.’’

you turned your head slowly to look at him.

“you’re suggesting we turn my emotional implosion into porn-adjacent content. in your spree. while i’m crying.” he blushed from his neck to his ears.

“no, it's not porn to cry about! just... fun. distraction. look...” he tilted the phone so you can see it. 

the number of viewers has just reached 1k.

donations were already sounding.

“they're throwing money because you here. they love drama. and you... you're very pretty when you’re mad. like... unfair levels, sorry. that sounded creepy. i didn't mean.”

you cutted him off.

“you’re nervous.”

“me, nervous? no way,” he says immediately, his voice breaking on the second syllable. “it's just hot and i'm sweating. my palms are disgusting. i've already wiped them on my sweatpants twice. fuck. i'm bad at this.”

despite everything, the corners of your lips twisted into a smile.

“you're ridiculous.” he laughed; high and shaky.

“but ridiculous spree riders give good rides. and… maybe make you forget about him for like.. twenty minutes?” you looked at the window.

your house was still ten minutes away, and the idea of walking into that empty apartment, seeing the half-empty beer bottles your ex left last week, made your stomach turn.

“fine,” you said quietly. “but if it gets weird... i’m out.''

kurt’s whole face lighted up like a kid on christmas. “deal. okay!” 

he announced to the camera with his voice pitching up again.

“simon says is back on the menu, chat! starting easy. super easy. no pressure.”

the first few rounds were stupid and safe. 

hallowithpoints: simon says… touch your nose. kurtslovekunkle: simon says… tell kurt he’s not a total disaster

“you’re not a total disaster, kurt.” he made a strangled happy noise and covered his face with both hands for a second.

“oh my god. thank you, that’s the nicest thing anyone’s said to me all week.”

you didn’t know if he was being serious or joking, but that sounded ridiculous. 

pjjj193: simon says lean over and fix his hair 

you reached across the console.

your fingers brushed his forehead, brushing his greasy hair a little bit disgusted. he freezed, and his breath was audibly catching. 

a tiny involuntary “oh—” slipped out before he could stop it.

and of course, chat exploded.

stephissues69: THE NOISE  swivelspiders: kurt ur so whipped already

kurt laughed, embarrassed and nervous.

“they heard that. great. my dignity is gone. cool.”

you smirked, trying not to laugh really hard.

“keep reading.”

he scrolled, throat bobbing.

“okay. this one’s from wasabbipiss. he says simon says put your hand on kurts thigh.”

“what? no. i’m not doing t'shit,” you said, confused.

you didn’t know how to react. 

you weren’t going to lie; kurt had always struck you as adorably pathetic.

and on more than one occasion you’d asked yourself ‘’what if…?” when your boyfriend was cheating on you.

“wait... the chat… the chat is complaining. people are watching. r-rules are rules. i’ll give you half of what we make, more if you want.”

he seemed desperate over something absurd, but you wanted to see how far he’d go. 

you wanted to tease him a little for his constant sarcasm toward you and your situation, and the idea of sticking around for a little money wasn't a bad one.

besides, it wasn't going to get very far anyway.

your hand rested on his black sweatpants, just above his knee.

he shuddered as if you’d given him an electric shock, and let out a soft, trembling sigh.

“fuck,” he whispered, then he panicked. 

“sorry... sorry, chat says they don’t mind swearing. next one. simon says "squeeze.” you squeezed once.

his leg tensed under your fingers. another small, desperate sound; higher, needier.

“kurt,” you said with a low voice. “you’re shaking. again.”

“i... i know. i’m sorry. it’s just... you’re really warm. and close. and your hand...” he cutted off, swallowing hard.

his eyes darted to the phone screen.

“chat’s going feral already. they’re saying… they’re saying all kinds of shit.”

he scrolled with trembling fingers and his voice cracking.

“simon says… simon says touch his leg again.”

he looked at you again with bright, almost fearful eyes; he didn’t know what your next move would be.

you didn’t move your hand from his leg. you just left it there, feeling his muscle tense.

he blushed from his cheeks all the way to his ears, watching you every second as if you were about to disappear.

not like your ex. nothing like that.

and then you saw it.

a thick unmistakable ridge strained against the front of his sweatpants.

already obvious.

a small dark spot blooming right at the tip from how worked up he is; just from your hand on his leg.

just from you being this close.

you tilt your head. let your voice drop, slow and mean.

“kurt.” he freezed and stopped breathing. “you’re hard.”

a muffled and embarrassed sound escaped from him: half a sob and half a panicked moan.

his hands rushed down to cover himself, as if that could hide him from the camera and from the tens of thousands of people who were already watching.

 “i... i didn’t. fuck... i’m sorry.” his voice cracked. “i’m sorry. the chat is watching... everyone is watching.” 

you didn’t pull your hand away.

you just watched him fall apart: his ears were red because of the shame, his throat was trembling and tears were already stinging his eyes from the humiliation.

“look at you,” you muttered, keeping your voice low enough so the microphone wouldn’t pick up your words. “one little squeeze on the leg and you’re wetting your pants like you’ve never been touched before. that 's cute.” 

he flinched as if the word had physically struck him.

the chat turned cruel. they didn’t know what you were saying, but they could see everything because of how kurt had positioned the camera.

amster2001: 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 BobbyBaseCamp $3 DONATION: VIRGIN ALERT LMAOOOO dickyleaks: the guy got a hard-on from a touch on the thigh… i get it she gorggg crmpe12: they gonna fuck

kurt’s breathing became ragged as his hands with his knuckles white, clenched the steering wheel.

he shrugged his shoulders as if he wanted to disappear. 

“no... i can’t,” he whispered, so quietly that it was almost lost in the roar of the engine. “i can’t do this.”

before you could open your mouth, he lunged forward and shut off the stream with a click.

silence.

just his ragged heavy breathing and the ticking of the engine as it cooled down. he didn’t look at you.

his hands were still covering his lap, as if that would erase what had just happened.

“i'm sorry,” he murmured. his voice faltered. “i’m fucking pathetic. i thought... i thought i could do it. for the money. but everyone was watching and... and laughing and...’’

he choked up.

“i’ve never... i mean, i’ve never done... anything. not really. and now the whole internet knows i get hard with two squeezes. i’m sorry.” you sat there for a moment.

now he cried a little bit: soft, choked sobs he’s trying to hold back.

the erection was still there, humiliatingly persistent beneath his hands, but he made no move to deal with it.

as if he had already accepted that he ruined everything.

and you… you were soaking wet.

months without anyone touching you the way you deserve.

months of being ignored, tolerated and left without a response.

and here was kurt; the messy, overwhelmed, untouched Kurt, falling apart because you looked at him.

because you touched him.

because he wanted you so much he couldn’t hide it. 

you shifted in your seat and reached out, wrapping your fingers around his wrist, and  gently pulling his hands away from his lap.

he gasped; sharp, startled, but didn't fight you.

you palmed him through those sweatpants. his whole body jerked, and a low, broken moan spilled out.

“w-wait.”

“shut up,” you said quietly.

you stroked once slowly.

he was so hard it had to ache and the wet spot spread under your touch. his head thumped back against the seat while his mouth fell open.

you leaned over the console.

“kurt.” he blinked up at you with dazed pupils and cheeks streaked. “i haven’t been fucked properly in months,”

you told him.

“and you’re sitting here crying because you’re hard for me. you’ve never had anyone touch you like this. so if you want to stop feeling sorry for yourself…”

you squeezed and also, you could tell he couldn't believe it, you knew it by his shyness, the way he trembled, and the way he looked at you.

you felt it through the joggers, slow and deliberate circles right above the wet stain.

his head hit the headrest while a low, broken moan escaped from his chest.

his hips arched up against your touch before he could stop them. 

"fuck, that... that feels..." his voice cracked. ‘’much better than anything i could have done to myself.’’

you maintained constant pressure, rubbing in lazy loops until the wet spot grew noticeably.

his breathing quickly became irregular: short and needy gasps each time your thumb glided over the swollen head through the fabric. 

you leaned in, brushing your lips against the lobe of his ear.

‘’you've never been touched like this before, have you?’’

he shaked his head so fast it was almost funny.

“never. just… my own hand. and even that was nothing. this is... fuck. this is insane.”

you pushed sweatpants and boxers just low enough and he stared down at himself like he was seeing it for the first time.

“this is... this is really happening.”

you wrapped your fingers around him.

skin burning hot.

one long, slow stroke from base to leaking tip.

his entire body jolted.

“oh... god, wait.” a high, surprised moan teared out of him and his hips buckled.

you setted a rhythm; loose at first, letting him feel every glide.

he was shaking within seconds, his thighs trembling and little punched-out sounds escaping every upstroke.

“too much?” you asked quietly.

“no... no please, don’t stop.” he was already babbling, his hands white-knuckled on the seat edges.

you tighten your grip, speeding up just a fraction. 

“fuck. i’m... i'm gonna come already.” he choked on a moan.

you slowed deliberately, barely moving and edging him right to the end.

“please, please... i need to. ” he whined, high and desperate. 

you didn’t let him finish. you stroked again; firmer, faster, relentless.

his head thrashed back and forth.

“i can’t. i’m... fuck. gonna...” you kept going.

he broke with a loud, raw cry, his back arching off the seat, hips snapping up into your hand.

thick pulses spelt over your fingers, streaking his shirt, dripping onto his stomach. his whole body was shuddering violently.

you didn’t stop, and continued stroking.

you just changed the rhythm, slow now, but firm; milking every last tremor out of him.

“wait. fuck, please.” he gasped sharply.

you dragged it out with long, deliberate pulls.

his hips jerked away then back. he gave you broken whimpers.

overstimulated, overwhelmed, still hard in your hand.

“fuck… fuck. i can’t... too sensitive. oh god.” his voice cracked higher with every stroke and his thighs were trembling so hard the seat vibrated.

you finally stopped when he was practically vibrating, with his chest heaving and his eyes glassy and dazed.

he stared at you like you just rewrote his entire reality.

“holy… shit. i've never… i didn’t know it could feel like that. i’m shaking. literally shaking.”

you wiped your hand casually on his shirt. he shivered violently at the contact.

he looked at you, hot and blushing, as if it were a dream. 

"can i... touch you?" he asked almost innocently.

you nodded and slid your clothes down, feeling his hand tremble as it approached your thigh.

his hand trembles as he reaches between your legs.

his fingers groped you awkwardly. 

"you’re... soaked," he sighed, almost amazed. "all because of me?"

you nodded once and guided his middle finger to your most sensitive spot. 

"circles. slow first" he seemed indecisive, then more firm when you let out a soft groan.

His eyes stare at your face as if he were studying a sacred text.

“like that?” he asked with a hoarsed voice.

“exactly like that.” kurt slided one finger inside; slow, careful and testing.

you squeezed around him and moaned as if the feeling got to him

"fuck, s'hot." he added a second finger and waved them at an uncomfortable but anxious pace.

the thumb encircled your nerve point again, disorderly but determined.

"good boy. don’t stop." you put your head against his shoulder and guided him deeper, showing him the angle that made your breathing stop. 

he learned quickly, and focused, observing every movement of your face.

you couldn’t resist any longer and brought your face closer to his, taking him from his cheeks and giving him a dirty kiss.

His thumb pressed harder, bringing you to an orgasm with a loud, shuddering sigh, and squeezing you tightly around his fingers, your thighs trembling around his wrist.

He watched every second with awe and eyes open. 

"You just… came into my fingers. Oh...Damn!" you didn’t answer, just got on top of him and put yourself in his lap in the driver’s seat.

He was still a little tense from overstimulation, but he warmed up quickly again.

You guided him to your entrance; slowly, provoking him first and letting him feel how wet you were.

When you finally sank, inch by inch slouched, he sighed overwhelmed, his hands flying to your hips as anchors.

"Oh, fuck– I’m inside. You’re a– Holy shit." his voice broke at every word. 

You paused when you were completely seated. I let him smell the way you pressed yourself around him just to hear him moan.

Then you started to move, slowly, making your hips roll deeply. At first, you twisted yourself, letting every slime drag down every sensitive inch of it.

He was already so overstimulated that every movement caused him to make a loud and needy sound. His hips moved instinctively, seeking more.

"It feels…so f' good. i can’t… shit. gonna lose it." his hands grabbed your hips the strongest, sticking his fingers on them.

you leaned forward.

the lips were caressing his ear.

"my ex never sounded like that. he never looked at me the way you are now. you’re better, ain't you?"

"yeah… yeah. shit yeah... just for you. please, please. don’t stop." you picked up the pace gradually.

faster. deeper.

the car swung with each push, and the suspension tightened slightly. 

his hips begin to collide with yours, first clumsy and then more desperate, more needy.

you set it up and every time you put it down, it would make a broken moan.

now he spoke and said thanks, cursed, said your name and small begs mixed with sighs. the voice crackled louder with each turn of your hips.

"fuck... wait. no. don’t stop…please."  you sped up, and the wet sounds filled the car, slippery and obscene. 

his hands slipped under your shirt, his warm palms against your back, holding you as if you were the only thing that keeps him with his feet on the ground.

you leaned down, placing your mouth against his jaw. 

"you’re gonna cum inside. got it?" he held on frantically.

‘’Yes… yes. Please– I’m so fucking close.’’ you moved forcefully, and he leaned back from the seat, his mouth open in a raw, broken.

"i’m gonna cum. oh yes. thanks." the words twist and turn again. 

he came, filling you deeply, and his whole body convulsed with loud and shattered cries of pure blinding pleasure. 

the hips swayed uncontrollably through each wave.

you finally stopped and let him catch my breath.

but you were still sitting on him, loosely squeezing around his length just to feel him shudder.

you moved once more, gently this time.

there was silence, and everything felt like a chilling release. 

you both collapsed, breathing deeply in the smoky car. 

his breathing was blurry, dazed, with a silly smile slowly spreading across his reddened face.

his eyes sparkled with joy, overwhelmed by wonder. He stroked your neck, soft and sticky.

"that was... i don’t even have words," he whispered. "i’m ruined. completely fucking ruined. and i’ve never been happier about anything."

you sighed, a silent laugh, and put your fingers in his damp messy hair. 

"don’t get used to it, virgin."

"too late," he muttered, hugging you tightly, as if he never intended to let you go. "we should repeat. you know." he said, nervous and shy.

he inhaled once, soft and happy, while holding you close, still buried inside you.

you smile and roll onto your side, reading over the words a few times, a warm feeling fluttering in your stomach before you reply.

yeah thank you, steve :)

you watch as a bubble appears on the screen, indicating he’s typing. it disappears. then it reappears before a message comes through.

ur not at ur apartment tho?

you curl further into the blanket, replying.

ok stalker i'm at my friend’s place, it was the closest apartment. can’t really sleep here tho

steve’s reply was immediate.

i can give u a lift home if u want?

you sit up quickly, a little surprised.

wait, seriously?

you grin again as steve’s reply comes through.

yeah, i’m still in the neighborhood. what’s the address? meet me outside in like 5 mins 

—

the city’s loud and bright, overwhelming your senses more than usual, most likely because you’re tired and cold.

your arms are crossed, pulling your jacket close to your body as you lean back against the brick wall outside the apartment building, turning your head either way to see if you can see steve.

that’s when the rain starts. it’s not much at first, just some sprinkling, until a moment later it’s pouring and you’re retreating into the alleyway beside the apartment building for some shelter.

the alleyway is darker, more closed off than the rest of the street, and you won’t lie and say it doesn’t make you feel just a little uncomfortable. but that feeling doesn’t last for long.

it disappears the moment you hear the familiar ‘thwip!’ sound of a webshooter, and you start to smile, pushing up from the wall and turning around to look further into the alleyway in search of the source, and lo and behold, there he is.

steve’s still dressed in his full spider-man suit, dangling upside down by a web by one of the alley’s walls. you step back into the rain to approach him.

“you know, spider-man, when you offered me a lift home i thought you meant, like, you had a car, or you’d call me a taxi or something,” you say to him as you approach, wiping away some rain from your face.

“sorry to disappoint you, honey, but it’s just me,” steve replies, his tone having a playful edge to it. you start to look him up and down, the best you can with your vision obscured by the rain and the darkness. the nickname makes your stomach flutter.

“are you hurt?” you ask cautiously, and he shakes his head.

“maybe a little bruised, but i’m fine, i swear,” he tells you. “doc ock got away, though. that’s why i was still patrolling.”

“you’ll get him next time,” you say, trying to be reassuring, and he sighs.

“i mean, i hope so,” steve mumbles, but then his head snaps back up so he’s looking at you through his mask again. “y’know, speaking of patrol… that’s where i was the other night.”

“what?” you ask, adding a soft chuckle to the end as your eyebrows scrunch and a confused chuckle appears on your face. “what do you mean?”

“the, uh, the other night,” steve clears his throat. “when you came by, and dustin told you i was on a date. i wasn’t. he just, uh, didn’t realize you knew about–” he lets go of the web with one hand to gesture to himself and his suit. “–this.”

“oh, right,” you nod, hoping your face doesn’t tell him how pleased you are with that information. you take a step forward. “so… you’re not seeing anyone?”

steve falls silent, and for a moment you think you might’ve just screwed something up, before he answers with a, “no.”

“good,” the word escapes your mouth before you could even think about it. “i mean, not good, like, it’s not good for you–”

“but… it’s good for you?” he questions hesitantly, tilting his head again, and you can’t hide the sheepish smile that appears as your face warms. you shrug.

“well, maybe. i do kinda want to thank you,” you say, now with a little more confidence. “you know, for saving my life and everything.”

“you don’t need to thank me,” steve chuckles. “i should be the one thanking you. you’re always taking care of me, making sure i don’t bleed out.”

you take another step forward, letting the rain drip down your face because now it’s just inches away from steve’s.

you reach your hands forward, your fingertips finding the bottom of his mask and slipping beneath it, slowly tugging it down.

steve doesn’t stop you, he just lets you pull his mask down–or up?–his face until it’s rolled to his nose, leaving his mouth and chin exposed to the rainy night.

then you pause for a moment, hesitant, your heart thumping in your chest as you look to steve, and he nods. your hands reach up to cup the sides of his masked face, and you lean in.

your lips meet his, his nose brushing against your chin and yours against his. your eyes flutter shut while the rainwater continues to drip down your face, right to where your lips are connected, slipping through the gap between your mouths.

your lips slot around his, and his tongue prods its way inside your mouth eagerly, exploring the unfamiliar territory, clashing against your tongue. you welcome it almost greedily, kissing him with an unfamiliar hunger you don’t think you’ve ever felt before. not like this.

when you pull back, your chest is heaving as you draw in a breath, taking in the scent of the rain and the taste of steve’s lips, which are still parted and he tries to lean forward, chasing your lips for another kiss, causing you to giggle softly as you roll his mask back down his face.

“easy, bug boy,” you tease, your hands still holding each side of his face. 

“that was–” he starts, then cuts himself off with a startled chuckle. “wait, what did you just call me?”

“come on, it’s not the first time i’ve called you that,” you laugh, and steve lets go of the web, flipping around until he lands on the damp concrete in front of you, his boots splashing against a puddle on the ground. “so, are you gonna take me home now?”

he takes a step forward, one hand reaching toward your waist and pulling you in closer.

“depends…” he speaks slowly.

“on…?” you ask and he reaches up to his face, pulling his mask up until its sitting on his forehead so you can see his entire face. you glance over your shoulder toward the street, but there’s nobody around.

“you gonna kiss me like that again if i do?” his voice comes out raspy, and he leans in so his lips graze yours.

“that can be arranged,” you answer with a flirty smile, your arms reaching up to link around his neck, and his other hand settles on your hip, causing you to raise your brows at him.

“hold on tight,” he warns, letting go of you with his right hand, and letting his left arm snake its way around your body entirely. your arms tighten around his neck, your hands gripping onto each other and you refuse to let go.

steve raises his right hand and you watch as the web flies from the shooter on his wrist, and a moment later you’re in the air. you let out a shriek, burying your face into steve’s neck.

“oh, my god, i’m gonna fall and die,” you gasp out, and steve chuckles, swinging you both through the hair.

“no, you won’t,” he laughs, his hand squeezing your hip. “and, besides, i’ll catch you if you fall, honey.”

–

a/n: i lied again, i haven’t written the damsel in distress part again i’m sorry.. i just really wanted to write this kiss okayyy?? i’ve worked out a little timeline, but i’m also thinking about writing some spidey!steve blurbs for some of the requests i’ve gotten instead of a full chapter cause lowkey it’s more fun to have no real timeline.. if that makes sense to u guys??

thank you for reading! likes, comments and reblogs are always appreciated <3 love u all.

you weren’t sure if he thought he was being subtle, but he absolutely wasn’t. you were surprised no one else had noticed like you had, but maybe you were just paying too much attention.

you never told anyone, not even steve himself, because how on earth do you approach the neighbor you hardly know and accuse him of being a superhero?

which leads you to now.

sitting on your bed, typing away on your laptop, finishing some last minute work documents before tomorrow morning, because you had spent the entire weekend procrastinating for no reason other than the fact that you just didn’t want to do it.

it’s late, past midnight now, when you hear the same usual sounds signifying spider-man was headed home and steve was returning. it’s almost like a song you’ve memorized now; each beat is always the same.

that is, until your window slides open, rather than steve’s upstairs, and spider-man awkwardly crawls through your window.

you watch silently, shock evident on your features as he sits his hands on his hips, facing your window as his shoulders heave. he hasn’t taken off his mask yet.

you notice the way he slowly looks around, then one hand drops from his side and reaches up to the back of his head as he lets out a muffled, “shit.”

“hi,” you speak up and he jumps, spinning around with his fists out, ready to fight. you raise your hands up in surrender. “jeez, i’m sorry, i thought you were supposed to be able to sense things.”

“this is not my apartment.” spider-man sighs, and despite the fact his voice is muffled by the material of his mask, you can recognize steve’s voice. it’s definitely him.

“nope. you’re the next floor up,” you tell him, almost absentmindedly, with a shrug like it was no big deal.

“thanks,” he nods, then freezes in place. though his mask doesn’t do much to convey emotion, you imagine he looks like a dear caught in headlights. “wait. how do you know that?”

“i know it’s you, steve,” you answer, going back to typing on your laptop like nothing happened. “you’re not exactly subtle.”

“i don’t know what you’re taking about,” spider-man, definitely-not-steve-harrington, states awkwardly, his voice deepening suddenly, and you let a snort of laughter escape.

“right, right,” you nod, though your face looks more amused than convinced. “of course.”

“i’m not, i have no idea who this ‘steve’ guy is,” spider-man says and you hum in response.

“of course not,” you reply sarcastically. “there’s no way he’d fit all of that hair under that mask. right?”

“you think you’re funny, don’t you?” spider-man asks and you stand up, pushing your laptop onto your bed to approach him.

“yeah, i do,” you shrug, then cross your arms, now standing before him with your brows raised. “you gonna prove me wrong?”

“it’s kind of called a secret identity for a reason, lady.”

you scoff. “it’s not very secret when your neighbor figures out your ‘secret identity’ within a month.”

he sighs, you watch his shoulders deflate, then he raises his hand to the back of his head again, pulling off the mask and revealing steve harrington himself. that handsome face, those beautiful eyes, and that head of thick, wavy brown hair.

“hi,” you smile at him, already proud of yourself, trying your best not to totally drool, and he shakes his head at you.

“you better not tell anyone about this,” steve tells you, like he’s attempting to threaten you or sound annoyed, but it comes out gentler, almost like he’s pleading as he stares into your eyes.

“please, if i wanted to tell people i would’ve done it already,” you reply, dropping your hands to your sides and taking another step closer. “i just wanted proof for my own ego.”

steve scoffs, looking down at the mask in his gloved hands, then back up at you. you just raise your eyebrows, wondering what he’s going to do next.

“i, uh, should probably head up to my apartment, then,” he says, awkwardly shuffling towards your window again, carding a hand through his tangled hair.

“see you tomorrow morning, steve,” you grin, and he glances back at you over his shoulder with flushed cheeks.

“uh-huh,” he replies, then gives a little sarcastic wave. and you just can’t stop grinning as he clambers out onto the fire escape and ascends to the floor above yours, climbing in through his own window.

—

Leo had never really made a big deal of his birthday.

Well, since his mother passed, at least. At the several foster homes, bridges and sewers he's stayed in, it passed like any other day.

His foster parents never remembered, and he never stayed around long enough to bother telling his friends. At this point, he'd almost forgotten when it was.

None of this meant that you, his partner, weren't gonna make a big deal about his birthday, though.

Leo was passed out next to you, half sprawled out on top of you since it was too hot for him to cling to you like he usually would.

He was drooling a little and his hair was sticking out in every direction even though he fell asleep with one of your bonnets on. It was probably halfway across the room for reasons not even Leo understood.

You would be focusing on your boyfriend's beautiful sleeping face being illuminated next to you by the light filtering through the curtains but you were currently overthinking your plans.

What if he doesn't want a birthday celebration? What if he gets mad and hates you and breaks up with you and never talks to you again?

You were halfway through spiralling when Leo started to stir next to you.

Well, no time for overthinking now; it's show time!

───────────────────────────────

You watched him blink the sleepiness out of his eyes and instantaneously start grinning as he remembered where he was and who he was with.

You could sense the cheesy pickup line he was about to spew two seconds after waking up but you beat him to whatever he was going to say.

"Happy birthday, baby!" You smile before kissing his cheek.

"Gracias, cariño," He somehow smiles even brighter, "but I feel like I should get a real kiss as the birthday boy and all."

"We both have morning breath, Leo. You probably taste like ass and I doubt I taste any better."

"I actually have a hypothesis that you always taste sweet, no matter what. Wanna test it out?" He raises his brows at you.

You roll your eyes and mutter something about him being a dork and abusing birthday boy privileges before pressing his lips against yours.

You planned on giving him a small peck but Leo moved his hand to your jaw and deepened the kiss.

You let out a displeased noise, but let it happen.

"Yknow, with all experiments, you have to perform them several times..." He smiles, a little breathless.

"Go brush your teeth." You deadpan, pretending to be annoyed.

───────────────────────────────

You'd convinced Leo to stay in a little later before he went off to work so you make him a nice breakfast since he usually just woke up and headed straight to the workshop.

Breakfast consisted of pancakes with extra cinnamon sugar with a variety of fruit cut up into hearts and gears, bacon, eggs and freshly squeezed orange juice..

You set the plate in front of him awkwardly since you didn't really know what to say and were still slightly stressing over the rest of the day. Luckily, Leo almost always had something to say.

"Wow, gear shaped mango! You really know the way to a mechanic's heart."

You smile. "I'll be right back." You say before promptly skedaddling to fetch something from the other room.

You return with a vase filled with fire lillies and place it in front of him.

"Fire lillies for fire boy." You add.

Leo swears you're trying to kill him, "You're adorable, cariño. Thank you."

"I made you a card too." You say as you slide over a hand-made card.

"That part's obvious. No factory could manufacture a card this beautiful." He says as he gingerly opens the card.

You look around as he reads it, contemplating how awkward it is to watch someone read a card. You turn at the sound of him sniffling.

"Leo, are you okay? Are my card writing skills really that bad?" You frown slightly.

"No, this is just the sweetest thing someone's ever done for me." He wipes his nose with his wrist.

"It's a card with stick figures on it, Leo."

"And I'm gonna treasure it forever. I'm gonna put it up in the workshop, right next to my favourite wrench." He says as he holds it up like he's already pocturing it, "You know making the birthday boy cry is illegal, right?"

"Aw, I'm sorry, honey."

"I only accept apologies in the form of kisses." He puckers his lips dramatically with his eyes closed and opens an eye slightly to see if you're leaning in.

You humour him and lean in.

───────────────────────────────

Leo went about the rest of his day with a little more pep in his step. I mean, his beautiful partner had made him breakfast and given him a card and flowers. What more could a guy ask for?

It was by far the best birthday he'd ever had, and it had just started.

He hung up your card, right next to his favourite wrench as promised, and continud his work, giddy as ever.

He was still soaring several hours later when you brought him his lunch. You found him tightening bolts while lying on his stomach and kicking his feet like a schoolgirl.

"Do you always do this or?" You ask as you set down a brown bag on an empty chair.

He perks up as the sound of your voice as he gets up to give you a kiss on the cheek.

"It's a today thing." He says as he dusts his hands off on his apron before one settles on the small of your back.

"Okay..." You nod, "I brought you lunch."

"Well, aren't I the luckiest guy in the world?" He asks rhetorically. "I have a beautiful partner who brings me lunch!" He says the last part louder so everyone in the workshop can hear.

He kisses your cheek before you can even feel embarrassed.

"We can't eat in here, but I know a spot." He says like a teenager in their first relationship.

You find it charming, giggling before responding, "Lead the way."

The aforementioned spot was a quiet place at the nearby park. It was basic but beautiful.

You guys ate the tofu tacos you'd made —that he taught you how to make— in a comfortable silence.

"I brought you clothes from home. You should put them on. After you shower. After work." You say before taking a sip of your drink.

"Ooo! Are you taking me somewhere?" He asks, instantly picking up on the implications of your words.

"Yeah."

"Where? Or is that classified info? I do love surprises."

"It's a suprise."

───────────────────────────────

After work, you found Leo waiting for you, showered and in the clothes your brought him.

"Hi, mi vida." He smiles.

"Hi. You look nice."

"Right back at ya." He says as he looks you up and down.

"Put this on." You say as you hold out a blindfold.

"Kinky." He smirks before taking it and putting on because he has complete trust in you.

After managing to get him in the car. You start driving him home on the most obscure route you could manage so he wouldn't notice.

Why is that? Because obviously you're throwing him a surprise party with all his friends from camp!

───────────────────────────────

You tap your fingers on the steering wheel nervously hoping to the gods that everything would go alright.

After getting Leo out of the car, you very guide him up to the door.

"Do you think everyone thinks it's weird that you're leading a blindfolded man into a restaurant?" He asks, under the impression that you're in public.

"Probably." You respond as you push open the door.

Leo swears he hears someone whisper 'shut up' but he pays no mind and focuses on the fact that you're pulling him into what he assumes is a restaurant.

"Okay, take off the blindoff."

He follows orders and takes it off. He's still adjusting to the light when he hears a chorus of voices yelling "Surprise!" along with the boom of party poppers.

"Oh my gods! Wow, you really did all this for lil ole me?" He grins as he looks over at you.

"Yup."

"Just when I thought I couldn't fall for you more." He says as he pulls you into a kiss.

You hear a wolf whistle.

Leo dips you because he can.

"Get a room." You hear Piper say.

Leo pulls away like he just remembered there were other people in the room.

"Alright, yall! Let's party."

───────────────────────────────

Before Leo knows it he's tipsy and badly singing karaoke to 'Birthday Sex' by Jeremih in a 'birthday princess' tiara and sash with an equally tipsy Percy.

You're sitting on the couch, laughing with Annabeth about you idiotic boyfriends and in his mind, he's serenading you but it looks like he's making a fool of himself to anyone else. Same difference, honestly.

Next he's getting into an arm wrestling contest with Jason and suprisely he wins. Jason let him but that's neither here nor there.

He was getting tinsel braided into his hair by Hazel when you started calling everyone for cake time.

He was put on a stool with a tres leches cake, homemade by his beautiful partner, with in front of him when everyone gathered to sing him happy birthday.

Leo had heard that this was usually the most awkward part of birthdays, but he was loving it!

It was like it was all happening in slow motion. All the people he loved, lit up warmly by the candles on his cake, smiling and laughing, he felt like a kid again.

He came to at the sound of your voice.

"Make a wish, baby."

What do you wish for when everything you could ever want is right in front of you?

───────────────────────────────

listening party: @notzoeysblog @rara-is-weird @stinkeeeee @anonymous3cho (lmk if you wanna be added or removed!!)

This fic might be the reason I retire from writing.

Leo Valdez had piqued your interest since his arrival at camp. You remembered the day like it was yesterday and the commotion that the new campers had caused. Like the other campers, you had huddled around the group out of curiosity, and Leo had caught your attention.

The crowd quickly dispersed once Piper, Jason, and Leo were taken away, and you had gone on with your day, but Leo still lingered in the back of your mind. The spectacle that he had caused reminded you of when you first arrived at camp. A daughter of Persephone was unheard of, and you had been a big deal at camp when you first got there. The attention had died down after a few weeks, and you figured the same would happen to Leo and his friends.

So you hadn't bothered to speak to him for the first few weeks he was there. He had seemed busy enough adjusting to the camp and spending time with Jason and Piper. Occasionally you would steal glances across the room or in passing. Leo, however, seemed completely oblivious to your lingering looks and always seemed to be in his own world. This made striking up a conversation with him difficult. 

It wasn't that you didn't want to talk to him; you thought he was cute, and from what you heard from other campers, he was funny and charming. But for some reason, approaching him was rather difficult. He was always surrounded by people, whether it was his siblings or his friends; there was always someone next to him.

Your breaking point was when you overheard an Aphrodite girl telling her sister that she wanted to talk to Leo and talking about how attractive he was. You weren't really one to be jealous, especially since you hadn't even bothered to make a move on him. After hearing that, you finally spoke to him on an afternoon after you had completed your chores. It was a sunny summer day, and despite the fact you had gotten stuck with stable duty, it was a great day. You quickly bid goodbye to your sort of sister, who you left with the task of cleaning out the last few stables. It had taken some convincing, but after offering a few drachmas, she had reluctantly agreed and let you go off to find Leo.

Leo was usually in his cabin or working on some sort of project, and especially with his fire weilding abilities and talented machinery skills, he was sought after by other campers, even after only a few weeks at camp.

It was no secret that he was talented, and he always had campers chasing after him, asking him to make swords or daggers for them. You'd figured that this would be the easiest way to talk to him and get his attention. As a daughter of Persephone, you weren't much for battles and training, mainly spending your time helping out the demeter kids in the fields. Since they were basically your half-siblings, you found yourself feeling more connected and comfortable with them than with the other campers.

Since you didn't need weapons like the other campers, you had decided to commission a pair of pruning shears for your gardening chores. Peering into cabin 9, you look around and spot Leo in the back working on a shield that you recognized as an Ares kid. The cabin was relatively empty, which made sense since it was that sweet spot in the afternoon when everyone was either doing chores or sneaking off for an afternoon nap.

Luckily Leo had convinced Chiron that working on his commissions was considered chores, so he was exempt from them as long as he charged less than five drachmas per commission. It seemed like a pretty good deal both for him and for campers, which was another reason you had decided to commission the pair of gardening shears. You didn't particularly need a new pair, but for less than five drachmas you couldn't pass up the opportunity, especially since other Hephaestus kids charged over 10 drachmas for a simple commission. As casually as you could, you approached him. The short walk from the door to the back of the cabin felt like the most awkward moments of your life, but you pushed through and politely smiled at him, wanting to make a good first impression. Putting a hand up in a stiff wave and almost flinging the shears into the air, you waved at him.

“Hi, you're Leo, right, the new camper?”

Leo looks up at you and nods, lifting his welding helmet as he looks you up and down. "Not so new anymore, but yeah, yeah,” he says, scratching the base of his neck where his hair pokes out of his helmet. His eyes flicker down at your hands where you hold the old pair of gardening shears, and you straighten,remembering why you were there in the first place.

“I was wondering if you could fix these shears for me. They're pretty old and worn in” You hand him the shears, and he inspects them, opening and closing them to see how well they work.

“Yeah, definitely. They're not too bad, just a little rusty. I could fix them for free if you want?”

Leo offers, a small blush rising from his neck to his cheeks as he gives you the most awkwardly charming smile to ever grace the earth.

“Really, you don’t mind?” You ask, a small smile grazing your lips, and before you can say anything else Leo shakes his head, the awkwardness clearing from his expression.

“No, don't worry; it's just some gardening shear. It shouldn't take long” he reassures, still eyeing up the shear in his hands, mentally assessing what kind of work they would need before he sets them down on his table.

⏔⏔⏔ ꒰ ᧔ෆ᧓ ꒱ ⏔⏔⏔

After that first conversation, Leo would go out of his way to find you around camp. The first time, he used the excuse that he had to give you an update on your shears. Even though it was a simple project and shouldn't have taken him more than a few hours, he found himself drawing it out just to have an excuse to talk to you.

Every day during dinner, he would slide next to you at the mess hall and tell you about how it was taking him longer than usual because the shears were rusty and he had to repair them more than he thought he would've had to.

It was a silly excuse, and he knew that you probably didn't believe it, but he didn't really care as long as he got to talk to you. These little dinner conversations were how your friendship began. The topics quickly shifted, never staying on one specific subject for too long. Both of you were so intrigued and enthralled by each other, you wanted nothing more than to learn every little thing about each other. You were like sponges soaking up each other's presence. 

⏔⏔⏔ ꒰ ᧔ෆ᧓ ꒱ ⏔⏔⏔

Eventually,he did finish repairing your shears and even engraved your initials on them all for free. He was disappointed that he now didn't have an excuse to talk to you. However, during dinner you waved him over to sit next to you like he usually would. Leo bolted upward, leaving Piper and Jason looking very confused. 

You spoke to him as if nothing had changed, and Leo sat there listening to you as you chatted to him like you had done every day for the past week. you raved and rambled about your shears and how much you loved them and thanked him over and over.

“It's really not a problem” he reassures for what feels like the millionth time and scratches the back of his neck, a small habit you had noticed. Leo was glad that you had given him an excuse to keep talking to you, and he promised himself he wouldn't waste the opportunity.

⏔⏔⏔ ꒰ ᧔ෆ᧓ ꒱ ⏔⏔⏔

Throughout the next few months Leo and you had grown quite close, spending the majority of your time together. Neither of you had really acknowledged the growing feelings between you two,mainly out of fear since you didn't want to lose each other as friends. It was clear that you two had feelings for each other, yet neither one had confessed. The friendship was getting more difficult to keep up with when you both wanted more, and you were both reaching a breaking point.

One afternoon, you were walking back from the strawberry fields when you heard your name from behind you. Pausing and turning around,you saw none other than Leo running up to you and almost tripping on the roots of an overgrown tree. You stifle a giggle and wave at him to walk with you to your cabin.

“I haven't seen you all day; where have you been?” Leo questions, his breathing slightly heavy from running to you.

“I was helping out in the fields for most of the day.” You shrug noncommittally, purposefully leaving out that you had been avoiding him since every time you saw him, you thought you would drop dead.

Leo bristles slightly at your nonchalant tone, his eyebrows furrowing slightly in confusion at how you didn't even stop to look at him. The reason being that you couldn't bear to look at him right now. With the sunlight shining on his tanned skin, making him look like all of your dreams come true.

“So are you busy right now? I want to talk to you about something” he questions, still watching you and picking up his pace to match yours. 

“Uhh- not really; you could come to my cabin if you want,” you say immediately regretting the words since you were now testing your self control and how far your feelings and fears went.

Leo nods happily, choosing to ignore your hesitant tone and begins to tell you about his day and how he had beaten Jason during practice. You shut the door behind you two as you both enter your cabin and plop down onto your bed. Leo follows and sits a little too close to you and rolls over, propping himself up on his elbow to look down at you.

“So what did you want to talk to me about?” you ask, huffing and mimicking his position so you could face him as well. Leo gulped nervously,y realizing it was now or never. A small part of him was glad you had brought it back up because he was too chicken to actually ever tell you about his feelings. 

But after a long conversation with Piper he had realized he would be an idiot not to shoot his shot with you. You were a once-in-a-lifetime girl, and he would never forgive himself if he wasted his opportunity, especially when you so clearly had feelings for him. He noticed it in the way your eyes lingered on his lips for a second too long and the way your hugs lasted longer than appropriate for two friends.

“So…” he began but faltered, not sure how you were supposed to ask a girl out. He took a deep breath and pushed his fear away before continuing. “I just really like you”

he blurted out before he could regret it.

Your eyes widened for a split second before you giggled softly and rolled your eyes. “I know that, genius. I thought you were gonna ask me out or something”

Leo visibly relaxes when you don't tell him that he's a loser and that you hate him. He can't help but feel dumb for ever thinking you would say that. “I was asking you out!” he quickly corrects himself,not wanting to confuse you.

“Do you want to try again" you tease, clearly wanting him to say something specific. He doesn't fail to notice how your eyes flicker to his lips as you tease him.

Leo swallows his pride and nods quickly, asking, “Can I be your boyfriend?”

Deciding to mess with him a little, you tap your chin as if you were thinking about it. His face drops immediately,y and his eyes widen slightly, genuine fear filling them for a split second before you nod and awkwardly press a small peck to his lips.

He seems very surprised by the kiss, ss but a small smile appears. “Do you want to try that again?” he teases, repeating your earlier question.

“What are you doing, (y/n)?” Percy stopped just before the waves hit the sand, watching as you waded around in knee-high water with your shoulders hunched over as you stared at the water and sand below you.

You looked up at him, your eyes still squinting and the rest of your face scrunched with worry, “I lost my necklace while we were landing because of Valdez’s inability to fly the boat he built.”

Your pointed tone was directed to the Latino who had been walking on the beach a few feet behind Percy. Being in earshot, Leo stopped in his tracks, various pieces of metal scraps tucked under his arm and numerous tools gripped in his calloused hands, “What kind of shit are you talking now, (l/n)?”

His tone held its usual bitter spite, but it also had a hint of something else. Exhaustion. His precious Argo II had crashed onto this gods-forsaken island mere hours ago, yet it felt as if he had spent years trying to find out what the hell was wrong with it so they could get back in the sky. His eyes ached with exhaustion and he couldn’t tell if his limbs felt heavy or if it was just the dozens of pounds of metal he was carrying.

“I’m not talking shit,” you shot back with far too much confidence for someone who was using her feet to comb through the continental shelf under the waves, “You crashed the boat. It’s your fault I flew off of the deck and into this water. Therefore, it’s because of you that my necklace fell off and I can’t find it.”

Leo, who had opened his mouth to shoot back some half-hearted response while you were speaking, fell silent. You were right. It was his fault.

Anyone who had been around you at all knew how much you loved that necklace. It had been a gift from your godly parent when you were claimed a few years ago, and you never took it off. You grasped the pendant in your palm when you felt anxious, and the majority of your outfits coordinated with its colors.

And now it was lost somewhere in the sand, and you may never find it. All because of him.

You were still staring at him, and your eyes narrowed in response to his lack of response. You hummed once, something that usually made Leo furious, but this time it felt like a slap in the face. You turned your attention back to the murky water you stood in, and Leo knew that the conversation was over.

Percy watched you for a few seconds, his eyebrows raised as you continued to go further and further into the translucent ocean. Finally, he turned his attention to Leo who still stood behind him, watching you.

“Hey, McShizzle Man, you okay?” he asked, concern filling his attempt at a casual tone.

Leo, who finally managed to pull his eyes away from you, nodded, a forced smile coming back to his face, “Perfectly fine, man. Nothing to worry about.”

He knew that Percy wasn’t buying it, but he didn’t really care.

“I found this stuff in the forest,” he said, nodding to the pieces of metal he held under his arms, “Not to jinx our luck, or anything, but I think it’s from my dad. I’m going to take it to Festus and see what I can do.”

Percy nodded, and Leo cursed him for having such a good poker face. As the dark haired boy opened his mouth again, Leo found himself nervous for what he might say. 

“Awesome. You need anything?”

“Nah, man, I’m good. Thanks, though.” He would have walked away right there and then if Percy hadn’t looked like he wanted to say something else.

“Leo,” the older boy started out much quieter, his inflection already making Leo wish he was halfway across the beach, “That’s not your fault.”

He didn’t need to say or do anything for Leo to know that he was referring to the girl in the water who was mumbling nonsense about a stupid dragon.

“I know,” he said weakly, his eyes falling to the ground.

“The fact that you built an entire flying ship in like, three months is crazy impressive,” Percy said, his green eyes practically staring into Leo’s soul, “Don't beat yourself up because one thing went wrong.”

Leo swallowed, nodding, “Thanks, Percy.”

The boy nodded in response, and Leo finally left the beach.

It was only when he was on his back with a wrench in his hands that he allowed himself to dissect everything. The overall conclusion was that this was not looking very good for him.

First, he had made a joke about your godly parent when he first met you that did not go over too well, then he didn’t react too positively when Rachel spewed out green gas and said you were to go on the quest to California to retrieve Percy, and then he accidentally attacked Camp Jupiter, and now he lost your favorite necklace.

The first and the third events were excusable. In his mind, they were able to be taken completely separate and had no connection to his inability to get along with you. But when putting all four events together, he was beginning to understand why you didn’t like him so much. 

As someone who experienced a large amount of bullying growing up, whether it be about him being poor, in foster care, or having an accent, it caused him physical pain in his chest to think that he might have been bullying you. And while he may not have been, if he didn’t change things very quickly, there would be no denying it.

It was rather unfortunate, the way things worked out. Upon first meeting you, Leo thought you were very pretty. He thought your eyes were very enchanting and that your hair was majestic, and overall he was mesmerized with how you looked. Unfortunately, when Leo gets tongue-tied, he tends to say whatever comes to his mind first. It was completely understandable that you were offended, and he wanted to immediately take it back. But it was too late. He had already made a horrible first impression, and you were not so kind to him after that.

When you had been chosen to go with them to California, Leo didn’t react too positively. It wasn’t as if he pouted, or anything. He would never pout. He may have rolled his eyes as Chiron made the announcement to the camp, but at the moment he didn’t think that was too bad.

Attacking Camp Jupiter was NOT his fault. He was possessed by an Eidolon, which was cleared up. End of story. You still liked to bring it up.

It wasn’t that Leo wanted to constantly bicker with you. In fact, he found it exhausting having to respond to every insult you threw at him. He would never say it out loud, but he wished that the two of you were friends. He saw the way that you had heart-to-heart conversations with Percy and Annabeth, some of your childhood friends, and the way that you threw around jokes with Piper, and how you were quick to form a bond with Jason, Frank, and Hazel, three people who you literally just met. You had a great relationship with everyone on the Argo II except him, and he hated it. All he wanted was for you to look at him and smile, the way you do with your eyes sparkling and your head tilting just a bit to the side. 

Leo did not have a very good track record when it came to girls. It had never really been a problem until he found himself enamored with one, and incapable of doing anything about it. But something in the back of his mind knew that he wasn’t going to give up with you. All he needed was a way to get on your good side.

As the revelation came over him, the metal nut he had been working with fell on his forehead. He shot up from under his work station, nearly smacking his head hard enough to knock himself out.

But that didn’t matter, because he knew what to do to fix everything.

He was going to find your necklace.

“Oh my Gods, Percy, thank you!” You exclaimed as you threw your arms around the green eyed boy. Percy, however, had a puzzled look on his face as he hesitantly returned the hug.

“Uh,” he started, his eyes flickering over to Annabeth, who shared his confusion, “What did I do?”

“My necklace. You found it,” you said, pointing to the familiar chain that now hung around your neck, “Thank you so much!”

Percy blinked, trying to figure out if he was being pranked or not, “Yeah, no problem.”

See, it really was no problem because he didn’t do it.

You might as well have been skipping with how joyful you were as you walked away, your hair flowing in the wind like Aphrodite was on your side she was. Leo pouted watched from afar, his hair still damp and his teeth clenched with frustration.

Fucking fantastic.

He had spent all night searching through that goddamn shoreline, praying to his father or Aphrodite or any other god or deity who would take pity on him that he found that damn necklace. And you thought Percy did it.

Leo had nothing against Percy. The guy was a great leader and an even better fighter. But at the moment, Leo despised the man. How dare he take credit for Leo’s hard work.

“You should tell her it was you,” Leo flinched at the sound of a voice behind him. Turning around, he found Nico di Angelo in his teen angst glory watching him with a strange look on his face.

“What?” Leo asked, caught off guard.

“You should tell (y/n) that you found her necklace for her,” Nico repeated, this time slower, as if he were speaking to a young child, “I think she would appreciate it more if she knew that you were the one who did it.”

“How do you figure that?” Leo was intrigued. He hadn’t spoken to the son of Hades much, and this was the first time he had approached Leo instead of the other way around.

Nico shrugged, “You’ve made it very clear that fire doesn’t mix with water. So she would know that there was more effort and intent behind it, since you don’t have Percy’s water magic shit.  And she would like you more.”

Leo’s eyes narrowed, “What makes you think I want her to like me?”

Nico tilted his head and gave him a look that made Leo feel foolish for even asking, “Leo Valdez, I just watched you spend hours last night digging through the sand for her necklace. You don’t do something like that for someone you hate.”

A silence fell over them as Leo processed what Nico had just said. From what he could gather from Nico’s few days on the Argo II, he was pretty close with you. Before Leo could remember that Nico actually knew what he was talking about, he decided  that he didn’t care whether you liked him or not. Leo just wanted to clear his conscience. 

So what if he liked seeing you happy? So what if he felt a pit forming in his stomach when you hugged Percy? You should’ve been hugging him. You should’ve smiled at him. You should’ve-

“You’re not an idiot, Valdez,” Nico yawned, his hand coming up to rub his bloodshot eyes, “So don’t be stupid.”

“Where are you going?” Leo asked, his eyes following the boy as he turned to begin walking away.

“It’s time for my nap.”

“It’s not even noon.”

“You’re not in a place to judge me right now, Valdez.”

Leo cursed himself, realizing Nico was right. As much as he didn’t want to, he had to confess that he had been the one to find your necklace.

But would you believe him? And how would he even do it in the first place? It’s not like he could casually drop the news over dinner. Pull you aside during one of your “meditation walks” which was just a fun way to say your cooldowns so you didn’t punch someone?