Chapter Text
(LEOS POV)
~~~~~~~~~
Leo barely even attempted to sleep last night. He wouldn't, couldn't, for that matter. All night he was up, thinking about him, about the other day, why did he have to go to that goddamn mechanic shop?
His mom's yelling blared in his ear. He reached out his hand, turning off the alarm. He reached one hand up to his face, rubbing his eyes. They still stung. He guessed it shouldn't be a surprise, the crying didn't stop last night.
He had to practically drag himself to the bathroom. In the mirror, his eyes were framed by dark circles. His hair was sticking up and messy, really adding to that mental breakdown look he was currently sporting.
“Jesus…” Leo mumbled, running his hand through his hair. He splashed his face with cold water, trying to wake up. He barely even felt like he was present in the world anymore. All he felt was hurt.
Leo brushed his teeth, and put on some clothes. He didn't even bother getting something to eat before leaving. There wasn't a point. He wasn't hungry anyways.
The car ride to school was boring. Quiet, despite the music playing in the background. And most of all, lonely. Every time Leo got to a stop, he glanced over to the passenger seat, hoping it was all a really horrible nightmare. Jason was here. They were just going to school. They didn't have that stupid argument.
And every time, the passenger seat was empty.
~~~~~~~~~
“Class!” The teacher attempted to quiet down the class. They were unsuccessful, because Leo still heard low whispers all around him.
Leo didn't pay any attention to the lesson. He was staring at Jason the entire time. This was the only class they had together, yet Leo still couldn't make it without glancing over every few seconds.
“For the last few weeks I have been mentioning a project you all have coming up.” That caught Leo's attention. He tried to listen for a few seconds, ignoring the magnet pulling his gaze towards Jason. “It will be due on Friday…” Blah, blah, blah, project, Friday, and Leo glanced at Jason again.
Jason was looking back. They made eye contact for a fraction of a second, before Leo quickly looked away. He felt a pang in his chest, not being able to tell what it meant other than it had to do with Jason.
“I assigned you guys into pairs. They should be emailed to you, so go ahead and open your computers.” Leo felt himself grabbing his computer, opening it, and finding the email.
Groups
Rachel Dare, Will Solace
Connor Stoll, Malcolm Pace
Clarisse Rue, Silena Beauregard
Leo Valdez, Jason Grace
Leo stopped. He stared at the screen. This couldn't be happening. Of course, the one time he and Jason aren't talking they get paired up. He wanted to scream. Cry. Die.
But, for some strange reason, he felt a small blush creeping up his face.
~~~~~~~~~
My place at 4?
That's all Leo had said to Jason. He could do this, right? Just a project. No talking or interacting otherwise needed.
Well, that's how it was meant to go.
They were in Leo's room, sitting on his bed, barely talking other than the short review of research. Everything was tense, for two reasons. Leo didn’t want to think of either. Then Jason had to say something. Of course he did.
“Hey, Leo?” Leo turned towards Jason, gesturing for him to go on.
“If you don't mind, can we talk about the other day?”
Leo bit his lip, staying silent. He turned back towards his computer, continuing to research.
“I just thought… There really is something I have to tell you. And, you don’t have to say anything, but I think if I explain myself-”
“Jason, listen. I made a mistake trusting you. I should have expected this to happen.” Leo crossed his arms, turning to face Jason. “It’s my fault-”
“Leo.”
“-and I should have known something like this would happen when you and Piper started dating-”
“Leo.”
“-and I shouldn’t have even mentioned it that day, because that’s just how-”
“Leo.”
“-relationships work, they have secrets-”
“Leo….”
“-which is a normal thing, and I shouldn’t have questioned it. But I did, because I’m a bad friend, so you shouldn’t be apologising. And if you don’t want to be friends with me, I get it, but just…” Leo didn’t expect this to get emotional. “...please give me another cha-”
Leo is cut off. He felt something warm and soft, pressing to his lips.
No, it wasn’t something. It was someone.
His lips.
Someone.
Jason. It was Jason. Jason was kissing him.
What the fuck?
~~~~~~~~~
Warmth flooded through Leo’s body. He felt paralyzed, like this wasn’t really happening. It felt like a dream, and he couldn’t tell if it was a really, really good dream or some fucking twisted nightmare.
He didn’t know why Jason was kissing him. Well, if a hard, quick press of lips even counted as a kiss. Leo supposed it did, because his heart immediately reacted, sending flutters through his chest, beating louder and faster, making him feel almost nauseous with love. And then it was over.
They just stared at each other, red cheeked, wide eyed. Leo literally pinched himself. He didn’t wake up. This was in fact, real. Jason Grace just kissed him.
And then he did it again.
It was more of a kiss than the first time. Almost instinctively, Leo pressed his hands to Jason's neck, pulling him closer. Leo felt Jason wrap his hands around Leo’s waist, sending more warmth through Leo’s body. What they were doing before this, Leo really didn’t care anymore.
Leo moved his fingers up into Jason’s hair, feeling his blonde hair beneath his skin. He felt Jason try to deepen the kiss, which he allowed, of course.
Then they broke apart, to take a breath. Leo pulled one of his hands out of Jason's hair, bringing it to the front of his face and taking off Jason’s glasses. He’d forgotten Jason still had those on, He set them down beside them, and the second he turned back up to Jason, lips were on his again. Leo was going to ask what was going on, but hey, he wasn’t really complaining about the current situation.
One of Jason's hands found its way up Leo’s shirt at some point. The feeling of Jason's hand on Leo’s bare skin made him let out a sound that was terrible for his ego. He felt Jason grin slightly against his mouth.
Against his mouth.
They were kissing.
Leo pulled Jason closer to him. Impossibly closer. When they broke apart, Leo watched Jason lean down to plant kisses along his neck.
Jesus Christ.
“Jason…” Leo whispered. He tried to say something else, but the only thing he could physically say was Jason. It was his only thought, honestly. Hearing his name, Jason turned back up, a tiny smirk on his lips. His cheeks were flushed, lips red and shiny.
Gods, he was handsome.
Leo leaned back in, kissing Jason more. It never felt like enough. His hands wandered down from Jason’s hair, finding Jason's shirt, where he tugged on the bottom lightly. He felt Jason chuckle, before breaking the kiss.
Shirts were discarded. What started as tense became intimate. The hold Jason had on Leo's waist got tighter. Leo pressed Jason closer. None of this was useful for studying, unless they were studying human anatomy or some shit.
And then everything seemed to fade, and all Leo could remember thinking was Jason, Jason, and Jason.