Daughter of Olympus - [Leo Valdez xF!Oc]

Thanks for Checking In! I'm Still a Piece of Garbage

Ara's doing her best, but Leo's not listening, he's just trying to remember where he's seen Ara before.

"Do I get a sword?" He interrupts her as soon as they walk past the arena.

"Your cabin makes its own weapons."

"My cabin? You mean Vulcan's?" He smirks. 

"Hephaestus," Ara replies plainly, Leo wonders if she's capable of smiling.

"Festus?" He tries again. "Sounds like the god of cowboys."

"Hephaestus. God of blacksmiths and fire and all that stuff Annabeth said," Ara repeats absently.

Leo makes a face, he's thinking of the term "God of fire", but Ara doesn't know that. "So the flaming hammer over my head—Good thing or bad thing?"

"Normal thing," she shrugs. "Everyone gets claimed as soon as they get here..." She glances in the direction of the forest.

***

Percy doesn't look at me like I'm a hindrance, he needs a friend, and I want one, so there is understanding between us. Also, I'm very low maintenance so he appreciates the simple company. I'm weaving with the naiads while Percy and Grover talk beside me.

"How was your conversation with Mr. D?"

"Fine," Grover pouts. "Just great."

"So your career's still on track?"

The satyr yelps. "Chiron t-told you I want a searcher's licence?"

"Well... no. He just said you had big plans, you know... and that you needed credit for completing a keeper's assignment. So did you get it?"

"Mr. D suspended judgement. He said I hadn't failed or succeeded with you yet, so our fates were still tied together. If you got a quest and I went along to protect you, and we both came back alive, then maybe he'd consider the job complete."

"Well, that's not so bad, right?"

"Blaa-ha-ha! He might as well have transferred me to stable-cleaning duty. The chances of you getting a quest... and even if you did, why would you want me along?"

"Of course I'd want you along!"

"What about me?" I ask distractedly.

"I don't see why not," Percy grins. 

***

"Ara?"

She gives a start. "Whatcha say?"

"That dude from a while ago... he mentioned a curse."

Ara dismisses it with annoyance. "Cabin nine's fine, their old counselor passed away and—"

"What? Like, painfully?" Leo asks in worry.

"There was a war," she answers briefly. "Don't ask."

"Why are you giving me the tour?" He proceeds quickly, too curious to think about one thing for more than just a few seconds. "Are we siblings?"

"No, that would've made things easier in the past..." She makes a face.

"Which one's your cabin, then? That thing Annabeth called you... What was it? Daughter of—"

"Olympus," Ara sighs tiredly. "It's a long story."

Leo's getting tired of her ambiguity. "Alright. Whatever. But you have divine blood, right?"