YOU ARE IN LOVE ↬ leo valdez x reader, book two

5. you play it back

"Yeah, no thanks," Leo said. "But in return for us sparing your lives, you have to do something for us. I'm going to send you somewhere to steal from some people, harass them, make life hard for them any way you can. You have to follow my directions exactly. You have to swear on the River Styx."
"We swear!" Passalos said. "Stealing from people is our specialty!"
"I love harassment!" Akmon agreed. "Where are we going?"
Leo grinned. "Ever heard of New York?"

"What are they?" Hazel asked.
The Argo II was docked at a busy wharf. On one side stretched a shipping channel about half a kilometer wide. On the other spread the city of Venice— red-tiled roofs, metal church domes, steepled towers, and sun-bleached buildings in all the colors of Valentine candy hearts—red, white, ochre, pink, and orange. Everywhere there were statues of lions—on top of pedestals, over doorways, on the porticoes of the largest buildings. Where streets should have been, green canals etched their way through the neighborhoods, each one jammed with motorboats. Along the docks, the sidewalks were mobbed with tourists shopping at the T-shirt kiosks, overflowing from stores, and lounging across acres of outdoor café tables, like pods of sea lions.

It was hard, being on board with powerfully persistent demigods who were all unique and important in the foundation of our journey. Though it would've been cool to consider myself one of them, I was actually quite fond of the impression I had built. I was a healing-easily annoying-tourist. I'll let you in on a secret, I'd rather that than be a living fireplace (cough cough, Leo).
We had gathered at the starboard rail to stare at the dozens of weird shaggy monsters milling through the crowds. Each monster was about the size of a cow, with a bowed back like a broken-down horse, matted gray fur, skinny legs, and black cloven hooves. The creatures' heads seemed much too heavy for their necks. Their long, anteater like snouts drooped to the ground. Their overgrown gray manes completely covered their eyes.

Jason grunted. "The mortals think they're stray dogs."
"Or pets roaming around," Piper said. "My dad shot a film in Venice once. I remember him telling me there were dogs everywhere. Venetians love dogs."
Frank frowned. "But what are they?" he asked, repeating Hazel's question. "They look like...starving, shaggy cows with sheepdog hair."
He waited for someone to enlighten him. His eyes met with mine hopefully, expecting that maybe I would know. It was kind of an unspoken thing that on the ship, I was second to Annabeth when it came to intelligence. I was smart in my field though, not generally like she was. Plus, everyone had their strengths. I thought Leo was pretty smart (nobody would ever catch me dead saying that).

"Maybe they're harmless," Leo suggested. "They're ignoring the mortals."
"Harmless!" Gleeson Hedge laughed. The satyr wore his usual gym shorts, sports shirt, and coach's whistle. His expression was as gruff as ever, but he still had one pink rubber band stuck in his hair from the prankster dwarfs in Bologna. "Valdez, how many harmless monsters have we met? We should just aim the ballistae and see what happens!"
"Uh, no," Leo said. I agreed, there were a lot of factors deciding against that one.
"We'll have to walk through them and hope they're peaceful," Frank said. "It's the only way we're going to track down the owner of that book."

Leo pulled the leather-bound manual from underneath his arm. He'd slapped a sticky note on the cover with the address the dwarfs in Bologna had given us. "La Casa Nera," he read. "Calle Frezzeria."
"The Black House," Nico di Angelo translated. "Calle Frezzeria is the street."
"You speak Italian?" Frank asked.
Nico sent him a warning look. "Frank is right. We have to find that address. The only way to do it is to walk the city. Venice is a maze. We'll have to risk the crowds and those... whatever they are."

Thunder rumbled in the clear summer sky. We'd passed through some storms the night before, though I wasn't sure they were over. The air felt as thick and warm as sauna steam. Jason frowned at the horizon.
"Maybe I should stay on board. Lots of venti in that storm last night. If they decide to attack the ship again..." He didn't need to finish.
Coach Hedge grunted. "Well, I'm out, too. If you softhearted cupcakes are going to stroll through Venice without even whacking those furry animals on the head, forget it. I don't like boring expeditions."
"It's okay, Coach." Leo grinned. "We still have to repair the foremast. Then I need your help in the engine room. I've got an idea for a new installation."
"Well..." Piper shifted her feet. "Whoever goes should be good with animals. I, uh...I'll admit I'm not great with cows."