The choiceless hope in grief

Leo Valdez has lived and died for the gods. Their war has shaped his life since he was a baby. With Gaia defeated, he sort of hopes he can finally rest. He has friends and some semblance of home to return to for the first time since he was eight years old. Just this once, he allows himself to hope the good things might stick.
But the gods aren't done with them just yet, and by the time Leo finds his way back, Jason is gone.
This time, Leo decides he's done just taking the Fates' bullshit lying down. If getting his best friend back means striking a deal with the gods and venturing into the Underworld... well, it's probably not even the most reckless thing he's ever done.
The caveat of said deal? He has to trust Jason will follow him, or his self-doubt will doom them both.
And after the life he's lived, Leo is so intricately familiar with self-doubt that he could probably trademark the word.
-
Or: The only possible way for Orpheus to succeed is if he learns to think of himself as a person worth loving.

Cover is a commission drawn by fedzz_z on Instagram! Context of the art piece will be more clear a bit further into the fic :)