The Curse of Oenone (Daughter of Olympus II) - [Leo Valdez xF!Oc]

No Thoughts Just Concerns

"We have two weeks," Ara whispers anxiously. "How are we supposed to—"

Leo hushes her quickly. "Your brother is coming."

"Oh, cool, exactly what I needed, more people telling me I'm over my head," Ara grumbles as she glares at the couple.

"Be cool, they went through hell for us," he reminds her.

Ara stands there scowling at Percy. "Stop looking at me like I'm mom," he complains. "I won't scold you for hiding food under the pillow."

Annabeth points at the Archimedes sphere. "That looks great, Leo. How does it work?" She's trying to send a message: These two need a moment. 

"Found it before we went to get you, check it out!" The boy guides her away and glances at Ara pleadingly, he looks more concerned about her than for her, like she would stab her brother unprovoked.

She can hear Piper and Hazel sword fighting, and Jason chuckling while he listens to something Frank's telling him. The girl keeps her eyes on the starboard, feeling somehow alienated. She's not sharing the fate of any of these kids, Leo is tied to her by a curse, and once this quest is over, she doesn't know what that'll mean to their relationship.

"Can I tell you a secret?" Percy stands next to her, staring in the same direction she's looking.

Ara smiles a little. "You know I love gossip."

Percy chuckles and then sighs. "I've been having nightmares... about drowning. Even before I went to Tartarus."

The girl looks back at him and fixes her posture. "Oh."

He makes a face. "My current theory is that I've felt pretty uh... not very good at what I do."

Ara frowns. "That's crazy."

"Is it? Couldn't get us out of the Aquarium, and after that I got my ass kicked by a sea monster, and after that, I almost drowned in a cave..."

"Those traps were made to catch you."

"Yeah?" He asks quietly. "Or maybe I was never that good to begin with."

"That's insane," Ara raises a brow. "Percy, you're the greatest hero of our time."

"Nah, Birdy, that's you," his face shows a tentative smile.

"I'm only great because you guys made me great," she squeezes her shoulder. "Without my mentors, there would be no daughter of Olympus."

"That doesn't make me feel better," he admits awkwardly. "You grew up thinking it was okay to risk your life—once you realized you wouldn't get those chances naturally, you..."

"My fatal flaw is ambition, if you hadn't helped me find a way to channel that need, who knows? I would've joined Luke, probably," she pats his back. "Cheer up, Nemo. This was the best possible outcome."

"I'm not sure..."

"Don't even," she says firmly. "Please."

Percy looks at her dejectedly. "You look tired. Go to bed."

Ara laughs. "You just need to feel like you have some control over me, right?"

Percy pulls her close in a loose chokehold. "I'm your brother and I love you, accept my advice!"

Ara smacks his arm and coughs. "Fine, fine! I'm leaving!"

"Hey!" Leo shows up, sneaking between the siblings and pulling Ara to safety. "No tough love!"

"She's alright!" Percy laughs, raising his hands in surrender. "Birdy's just whiny."

"Exactly, don't get her going!" Leo jokes, hugging her head against his shoulder.