Forever || Leo Valdez x Reader || Book 1

I guess we all know who the favorite child is...

(A/N: I'm a fourth of the way through TSATS and OH MY GODS, IT'S AMAZING)
(Also, I was rereading this book to edit and tweak some things, and holy crap, I'm actually a better writer than I thought I was, wth)
(Anyways, onto the story- also, now you are allowed to claim empty spaces in my chapters and give them funny names lol)

"KAYLA, AUSTIN, I DID IT!!" I screamed, running up to my siblings in the archery range and shaking them violently. "I CAN HEAL-"

"It was quite the sight to behold," Will said, walking up with Leo and Nico.

I scoffed. "He's exaggerating, I just healed a small cut."

"No, I'm not exaggerating. Also, you're smiling-"

"I'm not," I protested, quickly straightening my face. "Screw you."

Leo laughed. "Jeez, I wish my siblings were like this," he joked, dramatically putting a hand to his heart. "Alas, it is not so... Nyssa, I'm looking at you-"

Nyssa, who was restocking arrows a little further away, snorted. "Too bad, hermano, you're too much of a gremlin for that."

Leo gasped dramatically as the rest of us burst into laughter. "How dare you- my heart-"

I patted Leo's shoulder sympathetically, trying to stifle my giggles. "Oh, you poor thing."

Leo scoffed dramatically, though his lips twitched slightly. "Oh, don't you start, I can see you trying not to laugh."

I just grinned at him, and after a pause, Leo smacked my arm lightly and we both giggled.

"Okay, okay," Kayla said, tapping my shoulder. "If you two are done being cute, I wanna see if you got a perfect shot as well, Y/N."

"Okay? But I don't have a bow though."

"And that's why the armory exists," Austin pulled me away to the little wooden shed at a corner of the archery range, pushing open the worn wooden door. "Where's the light?"

"Here," Nico reaches out, flicking a switch. A small bulb flickers on, casing a dim yellow glow over the dusty shed. Swords, daggers, shields, spears, bows and whatnot lay scattered everywhere in typical ADHD fashion, even though there were shelves on the walls. You know what, let's just call this "organized chaos."

"Hey, Y/N, what about this one?" Will pulled a bow out of the mess. "It looks like it would be perfect for your height."

"Hey, I made that one a while ago," Leo told me excitedly, taking the bow from Will and holding it out to me. "Go on, try it."

I took the bow from him, holding it up before giving it a twirl, smacking Nico on the head. "Oop- holy crap, this one's perfect- Leo, you are a genius, and Will, thanks for picking this one out for me."

Leo flushed. "Thanks, Princess."

"Alright, come onnn," Kayla said eagerly, grabbing my arm and dragging me out, positioning me around 20 feet in front of a target and handing me an arrow. "Hold up your bow, relax your shoulders, but keep your elbows locked. Position the arrow on the groove in the bow and use the first three fingers from your dominant hand to grip it with the string."

"Okay..." I did as I was told, keeping my eyes on the center of the target.

"You ready? Aim, pull back, and shoot."

Aim, pull back, and shoot.

The arrow hit the dead center of the bullseye.

"Holy crap..."

"Damn, Princess..."

"Yeah, the monsters stand no chance."

I shrugged, flushing slightly. "Beginner's luck?"

Kayla scoffs. "Y/N, there's no such thing as beginner's luck in archery- tell you what, see that fruit hanging from that tree?"

"Yeah...?" Where the heck is she going with this?

"Shoot it down, and try not to hit the tree, or the dryad will bonk you with the nearest rock."

I gasped in horror. "I don't wanna be bonked with a rock!!"

"Oh, you'll be fine, I'm pretty sure that you have Dad's gift for archery."

I swallowed, my fingers trembling slightly at the thought of getting bonked by an angry dryad. "If you say so..."

Aim, pull back, and shoot.

The arrow skewers through the fruit, knocking it clean off the tree with the momentum.

"Whoa..." Austin muttered. "So, Y/N can sing, heal, glow, AND have a perfect shot?"

"Why do you get to have the whole package?" Will demanded, but he was unable to keep the proud smile off his face.

I grinned at my siblings. "I guess we all know who the favorite child is now-"

"HEY-"

"NO FAIR-"