Of Demigods and Monsters (Leo Valdez x Reader)

XLV

You

Previously:
"So, you brought me some rogue storm spirits," Aeolus said. "I suppose ... thanks! And did you want something else? I assume so. Demigods always do."

⚜️⚜️⚜️

"Yes," I said stepping up. "We want information, and since you're so powerful and knowing, we just knew you would know what we need."

Aeolus's eyes twinkled. "Ah, someone who respects my talents." He grinned. "Yes, I do know a lot of things, one of the many perks of being master of the winds."

His expression hardened again. "But what's in it for me. I'm always helping! Well, sometimes I'm destroying, but mostly I'm helping, and sometimes I'm asked to do both at the same time!" He looked to Jason. "Why, Aeneas, the first of your kind—"

"My kind?" Jason asked. "You mean, demigods?"

"Oh, please!" Aeolus said. "I mean your line of demigods. You know, Aeneas, son of Venus—the only surviving hero of Troy. When the Greeks burned down his city, he escaped to Italy, where he founded the kingdom that would eventually become Rome, blah, blah, blah. That's what I meant."

"Romans? So there is a difference between Greek and Roman demigods?" Leo stepped up.

"Of course," Aeolus said. He rolled his eyes. "The point being, I was thrown in the middle of that conflict, too! Juno calls up: 'Oh, Aeolus, destroy Aeneas's ships for me. I don't like him.' Then Neptune says, 'No, you don't! That's my territory. Calm the winds.' Then Juno is like, 'No, wreck his ships, or I'll tell Jupiter you're uncooperative!' Do you think it's easy juggling requests like that?"

"No," Jason said. "I guess not."

"And don't get me started on Amelia Earhart! I'm still getting angry calls from Olympus about knocking her out of the sky!"

"Sorry, Who?" This seemed to be getting a little off topic. "What does this have to do with demigods asking you for requests."

Aeolus frowned. "Well, for starters, that isn't at all part of my job description. I think that I already do too much for being master of the winds. It's been what, three thousand years since Zeus made me master of the winds. Not that I'm ungrateful, of course! But really, my contract is so vague. Obviously I'm immortal, but 'master of the winds.' What does that mean? Am I a nature spirit? A demigod? A god? I want to be god of the winds, because I think I do enough to deserve even that."

"Listen dude—" Leo started, but Aeolus cut him off.

"I think I've shown quite a bit of initiative with the weather channel, eh? And of course I'm in the press all the time. So many books have been written about me: Into Thin Air, Up in the Air, Gone with the Wind—"

"Er, I don't think those are about you," Jason said, before he noticed Mellie shaking her head.

"Nonsense," Aeolus said. "Mellie, they're biographies of me, aren't they?"

"Absolutely, sir," she squeaked.

"There, you see? I don't read. Who has time? But obviously the mortals love me. So, we'll change my official title to god of the winds."

"Well, Mr. Aeolus, what if I told you that we could get you that promotion if you gave us some information. You do know a lot, don't you?"

Aeolus straightened his lapels and looked slightly mollified. "Well ... that's true, of course. For instance, I know that this business here"—he waggled his fingers at the three of them—"this harebrained scheme of Juno's to bring you all together is likely to end in bloodshed. As for you, Piper McLean, I know your father is in serious trouble." He held out his hand, and a scrap of paper fluttered into his grasp. It was a photo of Piper with a guy who must've been her dad. His face did look familiar. Jason was pretty sure he'd seen him in some movies.