Leo Valdez One-Shot Book

Sick

   "what! why?!" apparently unable to keep his emotions in order the doctor screamed.

   silence, you could almost see the classic dots passing by the head. "sorry um, "a desperate attempt to regain composure, "why- why would you say no?"

   Leo, right there, would have loved to say many things, that he was venturing into unknown ancient waters on a quest to save the earth from the earth, and he didn't exactly have the time to have scheduled intervals of drug therapy whilst fending off Stymphilian birds with a fifty-centimetre mallet. or the probability of death was just as if not higher where he was going.

   though with no possible chance to admit to what the doctor would probably think as severe schizophrenia, he just said, "I would rather not give false hope" and without waiting for an answer or even a single sound he left, no doubt being one of the most confusing patients that poor man had had in his -what looked to be- thirty years of life.

   he got in his Toyota and drove it near campgrounds, too shocked at the information he was dying essentially to even try to drive around and park the car in the bunker. yes, he was dying, if that was not clear, I'm sorry. there was no clear cure he could take, he'd tried ambrosia and nectar but there is only so much some things can do. he was going, not maybe, but going to die.

   sneaking back into camp was easy normally, the harpies were scary, but not necessarily good at their job. they were more of an idea than a punishment. "do your chores or the harpies are gonna get you!" it's really nothing to worry about if you know their shifts.

   as soon as he got back he collapsed face-first into his bed careful not to wake his siblings, though they each had their own designated rooms down underground so he didn't worry too much.

   Timeskip, on the Argo, brought to you by lord almighty dancing donuts.

   the crisp night air was so fresh, so cool, It almost made Leo forget everything that was happening around him. there was no quest for Gaea,  no deathly disease, and no one right now to worry about. just him and Festus, until it wasn't.

   "Leo? What are you doing up?" aw dang it, peaceful time is over. "hm? oh hi, Percy" he said as said boy joined him leaning on the banisters, looking at the ever so peaceful water.

   "I'm usually up making repairs at this time." Percy looked worried, "you don't sleep?" Leo snorted, which caught him off guard. "what? do you think I'm a robot? of course, I sleep, just not as much as you prissy little idiots who need their beauty sleep" he laughed.

   it was silent for a while, Leo enjoyed that, he really did, but his ADHD brain wanted to speak, and he could see Percy shifting, itching to do something.

   "what do you think you'll do after this?" Leo started. "hm?" Percy, surprised by the sudden thought looked over. "oh uh- well I have to visit my mom, I mean, she thought I was dead for the longest time, and my stepdad Paul, him too."

   "you're a great son, always thinking of other people first." Leo laughed, though, in the whole truth, the thought of family made him sad, the thought that Percy was a better son than he could ever be.

   "what about you? your family?" oh, um . . . he couldn't really do anything too sketchy now, could he?

   "dead," a simple answer, truthful, but maybe not the most thought out.

   Percy raised his eyebrows, fumbling for an answer to Leo's rather blunt statement. "I uh- I'm so sorry I just- I didn't know and I'm sorry but I-" This was getting sad, and he had to jump in, "nah, my mother's been dead for years, don't worry about it" Percy stayed silent.