Hey guys! Giraffe here, and this is my first story so be lenient, please! Flames are indeed allowed, I shall take it as criticism. So…enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own PJO or HOO. :( So sad… The idea for this story came from chloisssx3 on deviantART! She is an awesome artist. The link to the comics I based it on are on my profile. They're really good!

Leo Valdez sat slumped on a chair, his arms crossed on the round table in front of him and his chin on the table. He stared at the fancy purple candle on the center of the table. The tiny flame seemed to comfort him for a moment, but he then remembered his mother. Guilt immediately washed over him as he tried to shake it off. He couldn't risk thinking about that again. Leo looked away.

He stared at the dance floor. People dancing, colorful lights flashing, a disco ball whirling as the beat of pop music flowed from the DJ booth. He wished the flyer for the Wilderness School Annual Dance didn't say "Everyone must attend or they shall be expelled." Leo didn't get that. Who expels you for not coming to a dance? Even worse, the flyer said "Formal clothes are to be worn." Leo was wearing a white button down shirt, black dress pants, and a black necktie from Jason. And the tie was so—freaking—itchy!

But Leo had nothing to do here, as awesome as it looked. To make it worse, he couldn't find Jason or Piper anywhere—wait, there they were!

"Yo, Leo!" Jason called out to his friend. "You want to come and dance with me and Piper?"

Jason sported a black dress shirt, red tie, and black jeans. Leo suddenly felt like face palming. Why didn't I think of that? Leo thought to himself. Jeans would've been so much better…I'm stupid. Oh well, too late now.

Piper wore a crimson strapless dress with little black heels, but her hair was in its normal choppy style with teeny braids. She looked uncomfortable with her dressy clothes—this was the first time Leo had ever seen her in something other than a ratty T-shirt and jeans. Maybe her father had made her wear it. Nonetheless, Piper probably felt ecstatic to have Jason by her side.

Leo gave them an unconvincing smile. "Nah, I don't really feel like third-wheeling tonight,"

Jason raised an eyebrow. This was definitely not like Leo. "Oookay…" Jason said. "But you can come with anytime you want." Piper slapped his hand.

"Ow! What?" Jason asked, rubbing his hand.

Piper shook her head. "Never mind…"

As they walked away, looking back to see how he was, Leo decided they needed some real Leo-ness. Otherwise, they'd take him to the mental ward or something. So he put on his signature crazy grin and called out to Piper, "Looking good, Pipes,"

Piper glared at him, but blushed. Bingo. "Shut up, Valdez!" Jason just laughed.

As soon as they were out of sight, Leo went back to moping around. Seeing the two together, looking so happy to be with each other, made Leo feel heartbroken. No, he didn't like Piper, or Jason, god forbid. That's just plain—I'm not even going to say anything.

But he felt a sense of unhappiness, like, why didn't he have a date? Was he that unloved? Leo's thoughts immediately turned to Tanya. Besides Jason and Piper (who Leo had trouble being with since they were a couple and all now. It was absolutely disgusting to run into them when they were making out. Ugh!), Tanya was his only friend here at the Wilderness School.

Wait, why am I thinking of Tanya? He thought. I don't like her. That's disgusting! She's just my friend, and she isn't here, anyway. There's nothing to do at this boring dance. Of course, it's only boring because I don't have a date. Hey! Shut up, me! Don't be so negative. Well, it's true—

Leo tuned his crazy thoughts out and sighed, running a hand through his curly black hair.

"I need some fresh air," he muttered to himself.

Leo opened the big steel riveted door behind the table. As he closed it, the sound of music drowned out. And no, the old movie did not drown out.

"Finally some peace and quiet," Leo said aloud. He looked over the barbed wire fence and stared at the Nevada desert.

Then he saw a girl listening to her iPod near the fence.

Just his luck. It was none other than Tanya Raymond.

Tanya had straight, shiny black hair and big coffee-brown doe eyes. She wore a sky blue spaghetti-strap knee-length dress with ruffles at the bottom. She was kinda pretty in Leo's opinion. What? Don't look at him that way! He didn't have a crush on Tanya! Seriously. She was just pretty.

Anyway, Tanya just sat there, bobbing her head to the music. Leo wondered why she was outside. He carefully crept near her, so she wouldn't hear him.

"How come you're not inside dancing, Tanya?" Leo asked, taking off one of her earphones.

"AHHHHH!" Tanya screamed, looking as if she just saw a ghost. Leo snickered.

"What the he—?" she started.

"Language, Muzak, language," Leo interrupted, still laughing at her priceless expression from before. He replayed it in his mind. Hilarious!

Tanya rolled her eyes. "Fine, then. What the hebberschnebbers, Leo?! Don't scare me like that! And, don't call me Muzak! It's a stupid nickname. Seriously, just because I like music…"

Leo leaned on the cement wall and snorted. "Hebberschnebbers? Really, Tanya?"

Tanya glared at him, and then sighed. She stood and brushed off her dress.

"Jeez…Can't a girl just listen to some music in peace?! Dances really aren't my thing. Plus I don't think anyone would want to dance with a girl like me." Tanya explained.

Leo gazed down at her. Why wouldn't anyone want to want to dance with her? She was kind, funny, and beautiful—Wait, what? Leo tried to pretend he didn't just think that.

Suddenly, a light bulb popped up over his head. Well, not literally, but he had a great idea. He bent down.

"Uh…what are you doing?" Tanya asked, looking confused.

He picked up the iPod just as the song changed. "What song is playing?"

"Er…" She peeked at the screen over Leo's shoulders. "Oh! Perfect Two by Auburn. That's my favorite song. Why?"

Leo stared at Tanya. He had wanted to put some music on so they could dance. Not that way, but as friends because they both needed a first dance. But as he looked at her, he realized she looked really pretty in that blue dress. She didn't have any makeup on, which Leo thought she really didn't need. She looked up at him in confusion, with her eyebrows crinkled up. Leo half-smiled at that. Why not? His inner-voice said. You both need it. Maybe he really did like Tanya. Maybe not. But, he'd have to see.

Tanya was still raising her eyebrow quizzically. Leo put one earphone in his right ear and proceeded to put the other in Tanya's left one.

"Uh, Leo?" Tanya said softly. "What?—"

She was interrupted by the guitar playing in the background as Auburn's voice crooned.

You're the apple to my pie

You're the straw to my berry

You're the smoke to my high

And you're the one I want to marry

'Cause you're the one for me, for me

And I'm the one for you, for you

You take the both of us, of us

And we're the perfect two

We're the perfect two

We're the perfect two

Baby me and you

We're the perfect two

"May I have this dance, milady?" Leo said mock-sophisticatedly.

Tanya smiled. Her and Leo locked hands, her other one on his shoulder and his on her waist. They slow danced to the song that fit them just right.

And then he understood it.

Leo Valdez and Tanya Raymond were the perfect two.

Kinda fluffy at the end, but don't worry! Tell me what you think, and don't forget to review! By the way, Tanya is my OC and won't be dating Leo. Just so you know. Thanks to chloisssx3 on deviantART for being my inspiration!

Giraffe out!