𝓢𝓹𝓪𝓻𝓴𝓼 || Leo Valdez X OC

17) R-E-U-S-E.

In his dream, he heard a voice full of static, like a bad AM radio: "Hello? Is this thing working?"

Leo's vision came into focus-sort of. Everything was hazy and gray, with bands of interference running across his sight. He'd never dreamed with a bad connection before.

He seemed to be in a workshop. Out of the corners of his eyes he saw bench saws, metal lathes, and tool cages. A forge glowed cheerfully against one wall.

It wasn't the camp forge-too big. Not Bunker 9-much warmer and more comfortable, obviously not abandoned.

Then Leo realized something was blocking the middle of his view-something large and fuzzy, and so close, Leo had to cross his eyes to see it properly. It was a large ugly face.

"Holy mother!" he yelped.

The face backed away and came into focus. Staring down at him was a bearded man in grimy blue coveralls. His face was lumpy and covered with welts, as if he'd been bitten by a million bees, or dragged across gravel. Possibly both.

"Humph," the man said. "Holy father, boy. I should think you'd know the difference."

Leo blinked. "Hephaestus?"

Being in the presence of his father for the first time, Leo probably should've been speechless or awestruck or something. But after what he'd been through the last couple of days, with Cyclopes and a sorceress and a face in the potty sludge, all Leo felt was a surge of complete annoyance.

Now you show up?" he demanded. "After fifteen years? Great parenting, Fur Face. Where do you get off sticking your ugly nose into my dreams?"

The god raised an eyebrow. A little spark caught fire in his beard. Then he threw back his head and laughed so loudly, the tools rattled on the workbenches.

"You sound just like your mother," Hephaestus said. "I miss Esperanza."

"She's been dead seven years." Leo's voice trembled. "Not that you'd care."

"But I do care, boy. About both of you."

"Uh-huh. Which is why I never saw you before today."

The god made a rumbling sound in his throat, but he looked more uncomfortable than angry. He pulled a miniature motor from his pocket and began fiddling absently with the pistons-just the way Leo did when he was nervous.

I'm not good with children," the god confessed. "Or people. Well, any organic life forms, really. I thought about speaking to you at your mom's funeral. Then again when you were in fifth grade ... that science project you made, steam-powered chicken chucker. Very impressive."

"You saw that?"

Hephaestus pointed to the nearest worktable, where a shiny bronze mirror showed a hazy image of Leo asleep on the dragon's back. He saw Ada combing through his hair. Leo's ears went pink, but he couldn't look away.

"Is that me?" Leo asked. "Like-me right now, having this dream-looking at me having a dream?"

Hephaestus scratched his beard,noticing the flushed face and cracking a smile " Now you've confused me. But yes-it's you. I'm always keeping an eye on you, Leo. But talking to you is, um ... different."

"You're scared," Leo said.

"Grommets and gears!" the god yelled. "Of course not!"

"Yeah, you're scared." But Leo's anger seeped away. He'd spent years thinking about what he'd say to his dad if they ever met-how Leo would chew him out for being a deadbeat. Now, looking at that bronze mirror, Leo thought about his dad watching his progress over the years, even his stupid science experiments.