Forever || Leo Valdez x Reader || Book 1

Giant metal dragons can be cuddly?

"Seriously guys, you go on ahead, I'll join you people later-"

"Nope, nothing doing," Will said, crossing his arms and looking at me sternly. "We're waiting for you to finish your pizza- besides, if I leave, you won't finish it."

I rolled my eyes. "It's just two more slices-"

"Yeah, no, I know for a fact that you'll probably just throw it into the brazier."

Kayla snickered. "Can he get any more motherly?"

"Aren't you guys supposed to go lead the campfire sing-along?"

Austin shrugged. "Dramatic late entrance. Besides, you'll probably get claimed at the campfire tonight, so, we're not letting you walk in alone. Also, Will won't stop nagging you until you finish the food."

Will sat down next to me, picking up a slice of pizza and holding it to my mouth. "Eat."

"But I'm full," I whined, trying to push his hand away.

"You are a growing sixteen-year-old, young lady, you need your nutrition."

"Isn't pizza unhealthy?! Nico, help me-"

Nico shrugged. "Just listen to him, it's the only way."

But I noticed him sneaking the other slice off my plate and chucking it into the nearest brazier. Nico, you are the man, and I know you probably angered your Italian ancestors with that, but you're the best.

Will didn't notice and poked the corner of my mouth with the pizza slice in his hand. "Eat. Now."

I sighed, taking a bite out of the pizza slice. "I'm getting fed pizza like I'm a baby- what has my life come to?"

Kayla giggled. "Mama bear Will."

"Mama bear indeed," I said, finishing the slice of pizza as Will turned back to my plate to feed me the last slice.

"Wait, where did it go? It was right here-"

"What do you mean, Will?" Gracie asked innocently, her lips twitching with barely held-back giggles. "You already fed it to her."

"Did I?" Will looked down at the empty plate, puzzled. "Oh well," he handed the plate over to one of the cleaning harpies. "Let's go, everyone."

"But I'm too full to walk-"

Kayla shook her head, smiling a little. "Get up, you lazy gloutós," she said, pulling me to my feet. "You're probably gonna get claimed tonight."

"Claimed?" I asked as I walked along the Apollo kids (+Nico) to the campfire.

"A hologram of your godly parent appears over your head, it's the gods' way of saying, 'This is my kid', or something like that- depends on the god, everyone claims their kid a little differently. Aphrodite's kids get a magical makeover, Zeus' kids are claimed by lightning, and so on."

"So, I could get struck by lightning within the next few hours?" I asked, a little shocked.

(A/N: Pun very much intended)

The others snickered. 

"Maybe. Good luck."

"Oh gods..." I suddenly froze, looking in the direction of the campfire, where a large silhouette loomed. "I-is that a dragon?!"

Flashback: I thought giant dogs like this only existed in myths... What's next, a dragon?

Why me?!

"A dragon?" Austin frowned at the silhouette. "But Peleus never leaves the pine tree- hang on, the silhouette is gleaming- is that Festus?"

"Festus?" Kayla asked. "Leo's back?"