Leo Valdez One-Shot Book

I need help

   to be honest... Leo was not doing too well. he felt he was only needed in the engine room and cooking, but other than that it would not have mattered if he disappeared, though of course this was not true and Piper missed her best friend more than anything, but emotions have a weird way of working. 

   he thought back to his old days, then stopped himself from thinking about those, then thought about it again. Aunt Rosa, third grade, Teresa. all of the people who had treated him like dirt, no worse. he thought about all of the people who he had gotten involved with. he also didn't like dirt, so do with that information you, please.

   he shook his head, no, he thought to himself, I'm passed that, it's past and it has no control over me, though he knew that was as true as him being an unforced virgin at least it made him feel like he was actually the one in control.

   the worst thoughts were about his mother, I mean, no duh, he killed the woman. even though he had been told over and over it was not his fault, the weighing guilt was always there, dragging him down.

   the rules he had made when running just seemed depressing to say out loud nowadays. 

   1: never get attached to anyone or anything, it only weighs you down, 

   2: make sure to escape out where you sleep, alleys are unbelievably dirty, so make sure you are not laying down in compressed pig slop, oh and don't get him started on the sewers.

   3: steal the cheapest things if you need to at all, he didn't like stealing, but he needed it to survive, so I'm sure the fates would understand.

   4: ration everything, no wasting, and no stealing, only if necessary. ab.so.lute.ly necessary.

   5: don't stay in one place for too long, this one counted for both when he was on the run and at foster homes. on the street they might find you, good foster homes: you'll get attached, rule number one over here. bad foster home:... well... do I even need to explain.

   there were a bunch of others that had melted into the back of his brain though to be completely honest it was really him just not wanting to remember the events linked with why he made them.

   he knew he needed help, he really did, but it's so much harder than you think. he had tried before, his foster sister who was two years older than him in his most recent one, Allice, yes spelt with two ls. she was weirdly strict about it.

   to Leo Allice was like an actual big sister, she teased him relentlessly, but loved him more than life itself. he had told her one day about everything that had happened before, tears were not saved I might add. she paused, needing to take a moment to process what she had heard. Leo thought he had angered her so he was about to leave, she grabbed his wrist, wanting him to stay, and you'd think she's have known better. Leo flinched, stumbling out of the room, she would have gone after him if it was not heard from below, "lights out!" and when her parents said lights out, they meant it.

   the next day was a Saturday, and despite that, she woke up early to apologize to Leo. but he was gone, not in his room, not in the living room. apparently, according to her parents, he hadn't come out of his room yet, odd for him who normally got up at the crack of dawn. she searched and searched, dreading when she would have to realize, Leo ran away, just like the other times in his story.

   when he was even littler he would even get embarrassed when talking to others, which sounded ridiculous considering to fact of how he is today, but yes, when he was about 11 that was when things started getting really bad, he even went mute when he was 12 for about 6 months, no talking, even to himself. 6 months because he ran away, couldn't deal with the forced starvation anymore.

   but now it didn't feel like such a chore anymore it felt as if he had to, he needed to, now he wants to, so here he was, standing in front of Piper's door, praying to gods Jason wants there. he probably should not have been praying to the gods, they were the ones that causes problems, and the seven were the ones who fixed it, he should pray to Percy, maybe then something would work out.

   the reason he didn't want to talk to Jason... well, it was simple, Piper had been his friend for as long as he was forced to go to the wilderness school, she was always there for him when he was getting picked on for things such as his height, his size, and how he had run away. they always assumed he had run away because he was ungrateful. they could not have been more wrong.

   Jason on the other hand was just sewn into his life, into his memories. and even in those false memories, he had met Jason later, Piper had always been his best friend, even if she got a boyfriend.

   he brought up his hand to the door, hesitated, then proceeded with his movement. "coming!" Piper yelled from the other side, there was no turning back now, even if he did want to. she opened the door, her braid fell across her shoulders. she wore a cheery smile, one that Leo thought looked good on her.

   Leo hung his head in shame, he looked around her room to see if anyone was there. "I-I... I need help" he said quietly, "with what?" Leo choked on his words, he couldn't get anything out. Piper must have realized this, so she guided him inside and sat him down.

   "what's wrong" her voice was sympathetic as she closed the door behind herself. Leo felt like a flower, which might seem odd considering he isn't great with organic life. but before he was a bud, then he grew, letting people see just a little of him. and now he wants to open up, just to Piper.

   he spilled like a waterfall, everything just kept coming, and nothing stopped and by the end, Piper was crying, cradling the scrawny boy with love and care.

   "I'm sorry if this bothered you" he sniffled, wiping his tears away hastily. "Leo" Piper said sternly, "I can promise you that this would never bother me.

   she smiled and squeezed him once again. she pushed him gently and lay down, taking up her entire bed, "come whenever, I'll always be here to help" Leo walked out of the room, Jason was walking over to Piper's room which coach could not have been happy about. and let's just say he was... kind of confused when he saw Leo happy but with a puffy red face, and Pipers with a matching, no explanation.

   and yes, Leo walked out happy. for the first time in a while, happy.

   Hello, human beans! thank you for getting all the way to the end... if you did. but uh yeah... I don't have anything else to say, sorry it's a bit short but thank you so much for tuning in for now I have to tune out. for now, Panwake! away!