-HotStuffValdez-, persassabethuNICOrn

she/her

Will you be my Valentine?

A short story on how Tratie probably got together

Features Travis Stoll x Katie Gardner (Tratie)

No content warnings apply!

Travis P.O.V:

I have been in love with Katie Gardner for 3 years. I know her favourite colour, place, thing to do, food, even hairstyle.

I have also wanted to ask her out for 3 years. The problem is, I can't. Firstly, Katie doesn't like me like that, and second, she doesn't even know that I like her, let alone that I'm in love with her.

Every time I see her, I smile at her, and she takes it the wrong way, and runs to her cabin where her plants are to check that I haven't killed them all or something along those lines.

Can't a guy just smile at a girl?

Apparently not, in my case.

My main problem is tomorrow. The 14 of February. More widely known as Valentine's Day. I usually prank her, because that's my way of showing affection- and it's a lot easier for me- but she always leaves without reading the note I leave her asking her to be my Valentine.

So, this year, I've decided to do something different. With the help of Percy and Jason, I have planned out a picnic by the lake.

Percy will keep watch for any lurking monsters near us, and also will tame the waters, and Jason has a daughter of the literal love goddess as a girlfriend. He said make it 'romantic', which is what I've tried to do, but for some reason wouldn't accept pranking Cabin 10 as a date. I'll have you know, Jason, I don't just ask anyone to help me.

And so it will work like this:

Katie will get a secret message saying 'Meet me at the Lake at 7:00 pm', and once she arrives, I'll scare her- I mean greet her, and take her to the picnic, where hopefully I can ask her out to a proper date, and yeah. You get the idea.

However, this all depends on my being able to actually ask her to be my Valentine, and then give her the note.

I can do this. Yeah, I can do this.

I guess now that all that's left to do is wait for tomorrow to come.

Katie P.O.V:

I have been in love with Travis Stoll for 4 years.

It's exhausting, really. Sometimes I wonder why I even chose him. But all it takes is one look at him, and- I'll spare you the details.

But there's a problem. He doesn't like me back. At all.

For the past three years, he's pranked me every week, and the worst one is usually on Valentine's Day, which takes a toll on me, because Piper and Miranda always hype me up, telling me that he's going to ask me out today, and, what do I get? My bed thrashed, my plants half-dead, and my clothes all swapped out for gods know what. This has happened for the past 3 years.

This year, I've decided I'm not going to wait for him to ask me, and maybe, I'll accept someone else's offer.

I think I look fine, but apparently I look a bit more than that, because every year someone without fail manages to ask me out on Valentine's Day.

And this year, I'm going to accept it.

I'm not waiting any longer for Travis to realise I love him, because it will never happen, and he's too thick-headed to realise that I love him, and have loved him for the past 4 years.

I sigh, and tuck myself into bed, it's 9:00 pm, and no matter what I've just said, I still wish to Aphrodite that Travis will ask me out tomorrow.

Aphrodite P.O.V:

Oh how lovely!

I've gotten so many offerings, and hmmm, let's see:

• Jason Grace- oh, he's dating my daughter! Piper really is a gem, if so a roughly cut one. I think I'll bless him, they deserve a little happiness.

• Pollux- oh no, that certainly won't do! I'm sorry but no luck for you, Pollux! At least not with that girl.

•Will Solace- Oh Yes! Yes, Yes, Yes! Finally asked out Hades' son, Apollo will be glad to hear that!

•My OTP, Percabeth! Seems Percy has some idea of how to plan a date, but of course, that is true love there, one date isn't going to ruin anything but I wonder if I can spice things up a bit? Add in a monster attack, or maybe make the Athena cabin uninhabitable, hmm, I'll think about that...

•What have we here- Oh! It seems Katie Gardner has wished for that Hermes boy to ask her tomorrow- oh, how I love enemies to lovers!- but, of course, it can't be that easy, can it?

Well, I guess tomorrow we shall see...

Travis P.O.V:

I couldn't sleep. The anticipation of today kept me up.

I've already brushed, washed, and changed, and in my hand was a tulip, Katie prefers those to roses, and it was pink, because love is usually pink, at least that's what Jason told me, and because it's her favourite type of tulip.

I looked at the time, it was 6:30, now was my chance.

Katie always wakes up early, to check her plants, so I can meet her there.

I snuck out the Hermes Cabin- there was no need to, everyone was in a sleeping coma until 10:00- and made my way to the back of the Demeter cabin, where Katie was.

I stopped at the right wall, and peered round, to see if she was there yet, and instead, I saw Katie kissing a boy, a rose in her hand.

It felt as if someone had dropped my heart, breaking it into pieces. I felt my chest tighten at the sight, and quickly closed my eyes, the tulip falling to the ground. Katie had chosen someone else- I was too late. Katie had kissed someone else, she was with someone else.

I quickly turned away, and ran away from the sight, away from them, away from her.

And so I ran, my heart broken, the tulip chucked to the ground, to my getaway, where I didn't have to face seeing her, or anyone.

I entered the forest within a minute, only a few hundred metres to go, but I was too busy running that I didn't notice the growl behind me, and by then, it was too late.

Something clawed my back and grabbed hold of my shirt, and I was thrown to the ground, I quickly got back up, and instinctively slashed at it with my sword, turning it to dust, but not before I tripped, my head knocking against a tree trunk, something wet trickling down my head, my consciousness slipping away. I stumbled through the forest, trying to get back to Camp, slipping a few times, until I fell down for good, the sight of Katie and that boy the last thing I could picture.

And then, I blacked out.

Katie P.O.V:

Travis was missing. And it was all my fault.

I had woken up early, as usual, to tend to my plants, when a boy came up to me. I recognised him from the Aphrodite cabin, and in his hand was a rose.

He looked at me, and flashed me a grin, and held out the rose, and asked me 'Katie Gardner, will you be my Valentine?'

I took the rose, and was about to say yes, when I realised I couldn't.

Yes, there was a boy in front of me, who had actually asked me out, who liked me, who had given me a flower, but there was also a boy, sleeping in the Hermes Cabin, who pranked me yearly, who had never asked me out or gave me a flower, but, no matter how absurd it sounded, no-one couldn't compare to that Hermes boy, because I loved him, and him only.

I loved the way he smiled, and how dimples would appear on either side of his grin, I loved the way his messy curly hair would appear after Capture the flag, I loved the glint in his eyes that would appear when he thought of some crazy prank, I loved him, all of him, and only him.

I loved Travis Stoll.

However, before I could tell this boy that I would reject him for a boy I've waited for for 4 years, he took my accepting the rose as a yes, and suddenly leant in and kissed me.

In shock, I stood there for a second, and then pushed him off, outraged. He looked at me, confused. That was all it took for me to start shouting.

'You idiot! I never told you I wanted you to kiss me! I never even said yes to you being my Valentine! You can't just kiss a girl like that, you moron!'

I ranted to the boy, who looked truly terrified, and I chucked the rose at his face.

'I say no, you can't be my Valentine, because I'm waiting on a boy and have been waiting on him for 4 years! So next time, pick a girl who's actually free, and ask them before you kiss them! And I prefer tulips!' I shouted, and stormed off to my cabin, where I slammed the door, all of my sibling's heads swivelling to face me, but I just stormed to my bed, and hid under the covers, fuming, but also broken, there way no way Travis was going to ask me out. He hadn't for the last 4 years, why would this year be any different?

I just sat there in silence, gathering my thoughts up, and emotions.

I heard a knock on the Cabin door, and a creak, the door had been opened. A few words were exchanged, and I heard a mutter. 'She's over there, Stoll, but be careful...'

I heard footsteps coming towards my bed, and a tentative tap on my shoulder.

I flipped the blanket off my head, and saw a head of curly brown hair- Travis- and I looked up in amazement, did he really come here for me, only to see Connor Stoll, looking worried, and a wave of sadness hit me, my heart deflating. Of course it wouldn't be Travis, I was so stupid to think that.

'What do you want-' I mumbled, but he interrupted me first.

'Travis is missing.'

I sat up, the words hitting me with full force, and I looked at him seriously.

'Connor Stoll, this better not be a joke-'

'Katie, I'm completely serious.'

And he told me the story.

'Travis had woken up early, around 6:00, and got ready, and by 6:30, he had left the cabin. I was awake because I wanted to know how it would turn out, and watched him walk to the Demeter cabin, but that was all I could see-'

'He came to the Demeter cabin? Why?' I suddenly questioned, confused.

Connor looked up at me incredulously, like he couldn't believe I had asked this.

'Why? Katie, you can't be serious.' Connor looked appalled.

I continued to look at him, confused.

He scoffed. 'You can't be serious- you didn't know? I thought Travis was joking, oh for the love of the gods-'

'Know what, Connor!' I said angrily, I'd had enough, why couldn't he just tell me!

'My brother went to your cabin to ask you to be his Valentine!' Connor said, almost shouting.

The room was dead silent.

My brain was blank. Time literally stopped, I couldn't feel anything, or hear anything, it was all just blank. I literally couldn't do anything. And then I regained my senses, hitting me with full force.

'He WHAT?!' I exclaimed, in disbelief. There is no way-

'He came to my cabin to ask me out- He likes me?!' I suddenly said, adrenaline coursing through me.

Connor looked like he was at breaking point.

'For the- oh my gods- The boy was in love with you!' Connor blurted out, regretting the words as soon as they came out.

What.

'He- he loved me?' I whispered, this couldn't be true, Travis Stoll loved me. In what world?

'Katie, the boy was obsessed with you for 3 years! Why do you think he only pranked the Demeter Cabin, and why were all the pranks targeted at you? That was Travis' -twisted, yes I guess- way of saying I love you! Honestly, the things I have to do nowadays- Oh yeah, on Valentines' Day he would prank you, right?'

I nodded, unable to say anything.

'At the end, there was always a note, and I'm guessing you never opened it, of course not, gods, the note would read 'Will you be my Valentine!' Travis has loved you for 3 whole years- how have you not noticed yet!

'The things I had to hear about you:

"Her smile is beautiful" or:

"Did you see Katie today? She looks stunning"- Oh, I can't forget :

"Do you think she'll be my Valentines?''

The boy was infatuated with you!'

I sat there, stunned. For three years, he's loved me, and asked me out every single Valentine's Day, and all I had to do was read a piece of paper-

'Wait, you said he headed to my cabin to ask me out? I thought you said he left notes?'

'This year he thought he should do it differently, more directly.'

I felt a sense of dread.

'W-What time did you say he came to ask me?'

'6:30.'

I gasped, my hands flying to my mouth, no- that couldn't be- but it was.

'Connor, I-I think Travis saw someone kissing me- oh no- he took that as a yes to him- and now he's gone- oh gods-'

'Katie, slow down! What did Travis see?'

'Some Aphrodite boy asked me, and I took the rose, but then before I could say no he kissed me, and Travis probably saw that, and then ran off!'

Connor looked at me, in despair.

'Miranda!' I called urgently, there was no time to waste.

'Go wake up all the cabins, and call Chiron- take the others with you.' I didn't stop to hear a reply, I knew the whole cabin was listening in.

'Connor, can you think of anywhere Travis might have gone, on campus, or maybe even in the woods?'

Connor thought for a moment.

'There is a hideout we made, in the woods, where we'd usually go-'

'Perfect, ok, Connor, I need you to grab your sword, and a flashlight, and we can go.'

Connor quickly ran out, to get the items.

Whilst he was gone, I exited the cabin, and looked for any clues, and found a pink tulip on the ground, near the place where that Aphrodite kid kissed me- urgh, it still grossed me out.

I picked up the tulip, and tucked it into my pocket, smiling at the thought of Travis giving me it. He could have done, as well, and all of this could have been prevented...

I ran back into the cabin, Connor soon returning with both items.

'Ok, we need one more person to come with us, a makeshift quest, and it's also safer.'

Connor nodded, and soon came back with a tired looking Malcolm.

'What's happening?' Malcolm asked, tired but awake.

'We need you to come with us, we'll explain on the way.'

And so, we headed into the forest, Connor leading the way, Malcolm and I following him.

'Travis is missing, we assume Travis has run into the forest, and he hasn't come out yet, and we have a probable location, but we needed someone to come with us to find him.'

Malcolm nodded, and we continued to walk, weapons in our hands, ready.

I looked on the ground, for any signs of Travis, and saw a glint of red. I knelt down, and picked up a Camp Necklace- Travis' Camp Necklace.

I stifled a gasp, and showed it to Malcolm and Connor.

'Realistically, his necklace wouldn't come off just like that, which means he was probably applying pressure to it, meaning he was in a struggle. And that was most likely with a monster.' Malcolm concluded.

I looked down at the necklace, and turned it around in my hand, feeling dread as I looked at the red substance on my hand where the necklace was. I carried on from the necklace, and spotted smears of blood, and the I started to run, the blood becoming more red the further I went, and stopped at the trunk of a tree, where there was a small pool of blood, and a body.

Travis.

The boys had caught up to me, and I knelt down, turning Travis' head to face me, and I gasped, looking at the small stream of blood trickling down his head.

'Oh Travis...' I said, seeing him like this left me in pain, blood all over him, his shirt ripped up, his hair matted with dirt and blood.

'Connor, you take his arms, and Malcolm, you take his legs.' The boys listened and took Travis in their arms, and we started to head out the woods, walking for 10 minutes until we could see the camp, when I ran forwards, and called the Apollo cabin.

'APOLLO CAMPERS NEEDED URGENTLY! WE FOUND TRAVIS! WILL SOLACE!'

And by the time the boys had reached me, Will and a few campers had already arrived, taking Travis' body with them, us three following them to the infirmary, where they cleared a bed for him, and started doing checkups.

(Timeskip)

I was sitting by Travis' bed, I hadn't left it since he came in, so about 2-no 3 days, when I heard a groan.

I looked up to see Travis, blinking a few times, and then looking at me.

I smiled widely, and called Will, 'He's awake!', not looking away from Travis, until he started to speak.

'K-Katie? What are you doing-'

'Shhhhhh, it's ok, just relax.' I said, and held his hand.

He looked down at our hands incredulously, and said 'I must have died and gone to Elysium- but why's Katie here? Oh- I'm probably dreaming. Oh.'

He looked so sad at that, I couldn't help but laugh.

'You idiot, it's real! What were you thinking, running into the woods?!'

'I- You kissed someone-'

'He kissed me! And for your information, I turned him down.'

'Wha-Why?'

'Because I thought that a certain Stoll might ask me.' I said, looking intensely at him.

'M-Me?!' He exclaimed, looking shocked, then started coughing. I gave him some water, and then rolled my eyes.

'No, I was waiting on Connor- Of course it's you! It's always been you...' I said, looking at him, feeling nervous.

'Travis, I have been in love with you for 4 years now, thinking that you didn't love me back, and then you ran away, and Connor came and told me you were missing and then I found out you loved me back-'

'Hold on- Connor told you?!' Travis looked betrayed. 'I can't believe it...'

'It is true, right?' I asked, faking worry.

He looked at me and grinned.

'Katie Gardner, I have been in love with you for 3 years, yes, of course it's true! But first, I have a question.'

'Will you, Katie Gardner, be my Valentine?'

I laughed and said 'Yes!' , making him smile, and me too, laughing at the triumphant expression on his face.

Then I had an idea.

I smiled sweetly at him, and leaned forward, smirking at his nervousness, he was shaking a bit, his eyes wide. I could feel his heartbeat quickening.

'Travis.'

'Yeah?'

'I really want to kiss you right now.'

'Go ahead.'

And with that, I surged forwards, and kissed him, our lips hitting each other with full force.

I couldn't help but smile, this was what I had been dreaming of for a long time, and now it had come true. In front of me was Travis, the boy I had been pining over for 4 years. And he was mine.

And it was pretty much the best kiss of all time.