Leo Valdez One-Shot Book

Scars

  ah yes, we have Jason with... what haircut? Piper is looking awesome as always. ma main man Leo!!! and... and George Clooney

   Leo hated his body, he was skinny and scrawny from starvation and malnutrition when living on the streets, short, not really getting the lottery with genetics. but the thing he hated most was the scars. the ugly gashes that covered him, head to toe. well, it was more like neck to lower thigh. but the foster homes had never really been the best.

   there were some that he never had to worry about, like the ones on his lower back, he could hide those by either wearing a long shirt that even if it did fly back no one would see. or he could tuck in a smaller shirt or even just wear slightly big pants and hold them up with his suspenders.

   then, there were the ones on his wrists, only long sleeves and he had to make sure never to lift them up, even remotely. he found gloves helped often, though when he was working it was easier with smaller hands, so that meant no one around when he was working just in case. this made it so that he was always either in his room or down in the engine room since y'know, he was never seen without something in his hands.

   he was down with Buford the table when Annabeth shouted from above. Leo was so thankful there was someone else to teach how to steer a ship, ever since he had taught Annabeth everything had been so much easier. she could be up top while he his him and his hideous body down in the engine room.

   "Leo! We hit land!" he heard her call. he shoved on a pair of large leather gloves and sprinted up. everyone was already up, they smiled when they saw him. "y'know you have got to take a break from the engine room once in a while" Percy patted him on the back, and he flushed with embarrassment. "yeah! we never see you anymore" Jason stood next to him. 

   "Alright, so what's the situation," Leo said brightly, shrugging off Percy's hand politely. "well, we need some materials for the future, we really lost a lot after those stupid griffins" Annabeth complained, leaning back in her seat.

   "let me guess, three demigods?" Leo guessed, Annabeth smiled, "the safest" she agreed. "I'll go, I know what we would need" he looked around, assessing what they would most likely need to repair in the future. "I'll come with you." Jason stood forward, "you'll need a protector" he smiled and Leo huffed in response, "oh shut your trap, I can defend myself just fine."

   Piper jumped forward, "I'll come too! its be like old times at the wilderness school!" she jumped. "yea except it's not Leo bringing home snakes or fiddling with coach megaphone again" Jason sighed, remembering some of his fake memories. "what can I say, the cow does in fact go moo" Leo shrugged. the other four looked confused. Leo just smirked in response.

   "I miss William Snakespeare" Piper deflated, "you made us release him" she perked up soon enough. Annabeth waved her hand in front of her, "alright then, off you three go. I'm trusting you Jason" he reassured her with a quick smile, then hovered off the boat with Piper. Leo soon joined afterward, saluting and sliding down a rope to the bottom. he had no idea how he didn't hurt his hands.

   "so, where to" he smiled, "well, we saw a little shop up ahead but the chances he sells celestial bronze are low" Jason explained. "don't worry, I think I can get that covered." Leo smiled, though the other two didn't know quite what he was talking about.

   as they passed by the bustling streets some . . . odd occurrences happened. they found an alley littered with fake bones, and random holes would be sitting randomly in patches of grass making the entire city look like a block of cheese. 

   when walking by a small shop Leo peeked inside, it was quite barren except for miniature glass statues littered within. two People inside, one running the cash register and the other a shopper. the shopper's appearance was not quite as clear as you might expect, everything was fine except his head.