Leo X Reader

What Might Have Been... (Part 1)

(AN: Okay....I know it's been forever...I am so sorry.)

"Look, a giraffe!" I watched my younger self gasp in awe through the television, memories flooding back. A warm smile was permanently stuck on my face as tears rolled down my cheeks, the waves of nostalgia getting the best of me. As much as I loved Camp Half-Blood, I did miss the days when my life was actually a little bit normal, when I could be a kid instead of a killing machine.

My smile widened as my four-year-old self laughed at the giraffe's long tongue reaching it's way towards me, licking at the food that was placed in my out-stretched hand. I vividly remembered that visit to the zoo, for it was my first and my only. I remembered my grandpa holding me up high on his shoulders so I could see over the crowd of people blocking the coolest cages. I remembered the way the little petting zoo smelled and how alluringly beautiful the aquarium was with all it's mystical colors and tropical fish. The whole world seemed so beautiful in the wide, innocent eyes of a four-year-old.

"(Y/n)?" I heard a voice call for me, and I hurriedly wiped my eyes, trying to erase the evidence that I was crying.

"Uhm....I'm in here...," my voice cracked as I swiftly shoved a box of tissues behind one of the throw pillows that rested on the couch in my cabin. Once he entered the room, however, a small sigh of relief escaped my lungs, and a genuine smile replaced the look of worry on my face.

"Hey," I said as he plopped down next to me on the couch, a smile also on his face.

"Hey....whatcha watchin'?" Leo asked, stealing some of the popcorn that was in the bowl resting on my lap.

"Oh, just uh...some old home movies...We don't have to watch them if you don't want-"

Leo cut me off, "Is that you?" He pointed to my younger self, the smile on his face growing wider.

I blushed a little, "Yeah...I was really dorky when I was little....," And then, almost as if proving my point, the video switched to my two-year-old self singing quite loudly in the bath tub.

"QUACKITY QUACK GOES THE DUCKY! QUACKITY QUACK GOES THE DUCKY!" I sang/bellowed while making my toy rubber duck swim, splashing bath water all over the place.

My eyes instantly grew wide and I rushed to turn the television off, my previous blush growing about three shades darker. Leo burst out laughing, and, much to my dismay, snatched the television remote out of my hand.

"No! I wanna watch this!" He said in between laughs as I flung myself on top of him, desperately trying to grab the remote. Leo was good at playing keep-away though and would consistently switch hands right as I was about to snatch the remote back.

"Leo, turn it off!" I squealed, launching myself towards the remote.

He just threw it in the air and caught it with his other hand, holding it as far away from me as he could. "But you look so cute!" He laughed, watching the video some more. Thankfully, the video changed again, and it was now showing young me with chocolate smeared all over my little infant face.

"What have we here?" my grandma, who was holding the camera, said with a hint of a smile in her voice.

"Gamma I had chocate!" I squealed in delight, a bright smile on my face.

My grandma just laughed, "I can see that. Now, just about how much of that chocolate actually made it into your mouth, dear?"

"All of it!" I smiled a toothy, chocolately grin.

Leo chuckled as a smile came over his face. I felt my cheeks stretch into an uncontrollable smile as well, the glint of tears evident in my eyes as I looked at the television longingly. I laughed, a single tear falling as I watched myself, nostalgia smacking me hard in the face.