𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐀𝐖𝐀𝐊𝐄𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 •| ⊱ Jason Grace¹

•| ⊱ TWENTY-SIX

[ chapter twenty-six: leo ]

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Leo figured he had the worst luck in the group, and that was saying a lot. Why didn't he get to have the long-lost sister or cool witch powers that could save your loved one or even the movie star dad who needed rescuing? All he got was a tool belt and a dragon that broke down halfway through the quest. Maybe it was the stupid curse of the Hephaestus cabin, but Leo didn't think so. His life had been unlucky way before he got to camp.

A thousand years from now, when this quest was being told around a campfire, he figured people would talk about brave Jason, beautiful Piper, powerful Hermia, and their sidekick Flaming Valdez, who accompanied them with a bag of magic screwdrivers and occasionally fixed tofu burgers.

If that wasn't bad enough, Leo fell in love with every girl he saw-as long as she was totally out of his league.

When he first saw Hermia, Leo immediately thought she was way too pretty to be Jason's girlfriend. Than again he had never really met her in the Wilderness School. Even after he found out Mia didn't know Jason and he didn't remember her, he hoped he could get a chance. But again, destiny was bringing Jason and Hermia together again.

Leo knew that even if Mia had lied about working for Dirt Woman, Jason would still do everything to protect her. Yeah, he couldn't trust her right now, but Leo could see just how much Mia meant to him. But he knew better then to say that or he'd get in trouble.

In this moment though he couldn't help but crush on Thalia. He liked her dark hair, her blue eyes, and her confident attitude. She looked like the kind of girl who could stomp anybody on the ball court or the battlefield, and wouldn't give Leo the time of day-just Leo's type!

For a minute, Jason and Thalia faced each other, stunned. Then Thalia rushed forward and hugged him.

"My gods! She told me you were dead!" She gripped Jason's face and seemed to be examining everything about it. "Thank Artemis, it is you. That little scar on your lip-you tried to eat a stapler when you were two!"

Leo laughed. "Seriously?" Even Mia couldn't help but let a smile grace her lips.

Hedge nodded like he approved of Jason's taste. "Staplers -excellent source of iron."

"W-wait," Jason stammered. "Who told you I was dead? What happened?"

At the cave entrance, one of the white wolves barked. Thalia looked back at the wolf and nodded, but she kept her hands on Jason's face, like she was afraid he might vanish. "My wolf is telling me I don't have much time, and she's right. But we have to talk. Let's sit."

Piper did better than that. She collapsed. She would've cracked her head on the cave floor if Hedge hadn't caught her. Hermia on the other hand looked ready to faint as well. But she kept herself from fainting and instead focused on Thalia and Piper.