Leo Valdez x Reader

Wisdom's Daughter Gives Wise Words

There was a part of you that wanted to go back and slap the goddess in the face; there was another part that really did want to go home and think things over; another part wanted to keep searching aimlessly for whoever it was; and the last part just wanted to cry. You tried to last option desperately, but no tears came. You just laid there, not feeling a thing. It was almost as if you were a shell of what you once were. The girl that was overjoyed to have her first slow dance with Leo Valdez now sat in despair in his flannel. The girl who would've given anything to have a relationship last year was now fighting to keep one. The girl who once smiled did no longer. Leo and the crew had noticed this change on the way back, too. They tried to ask what was wrong, but they already knew, because they were feeling it, too.
"Hey," he said quietly, grabbing your hand and running his thumb across the back of it gently. "We'll figure it out, I promise. I won't let anything get in our way, alright?" His brown eyes were darkened with concern, and also hid sadness.
"I know, it's just so frustrating. I thought this all would have been over by now, you know?" you said, laying your head on his shoulder.
"I know, I know. But, sometimes we're wrong-"
"I'm never wrong, Khione was just playing dumb or something! She had to be!" Annabeth cried, calculating everything out all over again to try and find where she went wrong.
"Annabeth, you were wrong this time, alright? Just admit it already!" Percy tried to convince her.
"No! I am never wrong! I must have messed up in my calculations somewhere, and I'm going to fix it!" She went back to her work in a huff, and Percy sighed defeatedly.
"Well, I'm going to bed," Percy huffed.
"The sun's not even down yet, Perce," Jason questioned.
"I said I'm going to bed!"
"Alright, sweet dreams I guess."
After Percy settled down, Jason scooted over by Leo.
"What's wrong with him?" Jason asked quietly so you three could only hear.
Leo pondered for a moment before answering, "Probably PMS." That made the three of you laugh really hard, and it was tough to keep quiet. Annabeth glared at Leo a little, but that's all that was done about the noise.
"So, who do you think it is, Jason?" you asked him after you guys had settled down.
"Personally, it wouldn't surprise me if it was Aphrodite doing something stupid because she doesn't 'surf' you or whatever," he answered uncertainly.
"Surf?" you asked, unaware of the phrase, then realizing he meant something else. "Don't you mean 'ship'?"
"Oh, yeah, that thing. Piper and Annabeth talk too fast sometimes when they're talking about that stuff. At least I got the water part right."
"Yeah, at least that."
You looked over at Leo who was staring at the horizon, a million thoughts and questions probably racing through his mind. You moved his hand a little.
"Hm?" he asked.
"You know, this is a two sided relationship. You can share your doubts with me, too," you offered.
"Actually, it's three sided, babes," Jason joked, trying to get Leo to laugh, but he only cracked a smile. At least that, you thought.
"I just...don't know who it could be, you know? It's bothering me," he said, chewing on his lip.
"Me too," you said.
"Me three," Jason said.
"Why don't we sleep on it, and we'll discuss it in the morning, alright?" you offered. The boys nodded, but Annabeth shook her head.
"You guys get some sleep, I can work in the moonlight," she said, staring stubbornly at her paper and chewing on her finger cuticle. Where did she even get the paper and pencil, anyway? Did she have an accio power like from Harry Potter or something? Your question was answered when she placed her index finger on the floor of the carrier and a lid popped open, reveling a hidden compartment.
"Oh, I didn't know that was there," you said.
"Yeah, it's always been here. I wonder how you could have missed it?" Annabeth wondered as she grabbed her pencil from behind her ear.
"Maybe you use it while I wasn't looking," you concluded. That seems like a big thing to miss, though.
"You tend to sleep longer than the rest of us and stay up later, so that might be prt of it, too," she offered.
"Yeah, maybe..."
"Hey, look at me." Annabeth's words startled you, but you looked heat her. She squinted in concentration at you.
"You seem...different. Not just in your personality, but in your physical features, too," she stated, slight amounts of sadness hiding in her words.
"I-I don't know what you mean," you said defensively.
"No, no it's not a bad thing I meant-all I meant was that you're not the same love struck teenage girl anymore; you've got the eyes of a fighter and the heart of a star crossed lover. That's a dangerous combination. Make sure you think things through, or you could end up in deep trouble-or worse."
"Worse? What could be worse?" You weren't saying it to be smart mouthed, you really wanted to know. What's worse than getting in huge trouble with some gods? Although, that stuff did tend to be minor with Annabeth now a days... Annabeth's face grew tight, and her usually intelligent grey eyes were now glazed over with terror. She looked over the edge of the carrier just to get her gaze away from yours.
"Have you noticed how Percy and I have to use inhalers sometimes?" she asked, her voice shaking. "Have you noticed how in shape we are, but how hard it is for us to breathe when we run? What about my ankle. Did you ever wonder what happened to it? Why it never healed? Why I had problems with it when I was stressed?" You had to admit, you did. All of it. While Percy and Annabeth hadn't really had to use them, you knew they had inhalers. You knew they had trouble breathing when they got too active. You had thought about her ankle and the stress and whatever happened to it. You ever asked, but some had said that all those things were connected somehow, like before they went to stop Gaea, they never had those problems. They smiled more. They had a certain youthful glow about them that no one could explain but everyone saw. You had seen it in the pictures Chiron had, but you never saw it yourself. Why was that? You were starting to believe that the rumor about the connection between the things was true after all. Annabeth's eyes teared up, and her eyes looked like they were looking a million miles away.
"Percy and I...are the only survivors to make it out of Tartarus alive. Ever. Not even Nico could handle it. He has the option of letting me go and surviving without ever having to endure that, but...he did it for me..." She wiped her eyes and took a deep breath. You thought it must be extremely painful to think of those memories again. "That...is the type of power you have. Demigod or no demigod, love is a powerful thing, but to have someone willing to kill for love? That can be one of the most dangerous things in the world. Surviving for love is equally powerful. You have to stay strong and keep in mind what and who you're doing this for. If you lose sight even once..." She didn't finish, but you got it. "I believe in you, no matter what happens when we get home." With those final words, she went back to her calculations, and you dozed off into a deep sleep...with a new nightmare.