This is part of the Leo song collection. Here's Percy and Leo, based off of the song How to Save a Life by the Fray
Disclaimer: I don't own PJO
"Annabeth, what happened to Leo's mom?" Percy asked his girlfriend and she froze, her gaze fixed on the sunset glittering upon Long Island Sound.
"Why do you ask?" She asked, trying to act casual and failing.
"Well, after what happened with Leo, I started thinking and the only time Leo was serious or defensive was when someone brought up his mom. I just kind of wondered why," Percy replied.
"Well," Annabeth hesitated," I don't know everything, but I do know that Gaea had something to do with it. He said something about Gaea trapping him and his mom in a warehouse and that she died on a fire. It really wasn't hard to put together."
Percy froze. Oh my gods.
*FLASHBACK*
"Oh, sorry, I didn't know anyone else was in here," Leo said as he walked into the Dining room at three AM and found Percy sitting at the table, looking again a picture of his mom.
"What are you doing up?" Percy asked as he turned to Leo and frowned. The son of Hesphestus looked exhausted with bags under his eyes and his tan skin a sickly pale. Limp and dry, his curls were all over the place and looked like they hadn't been washed in quite a while. His skin was almost black with oil and grease.
"Just working on some repairs," Leo replied. "You?"
"Just thinking about my mom," Percy responded, placing the picture on the table to show Leo the pretty black haired woman in it.
"I met her once when Annabeth brought Jason, Piper, and me to meet her. She seemed really nice," Leo smiled. "You're very lucky."
"Yeah, I just wish I hadn't lost all these months with her because of this stupid war," Percy muttered.
Leo nodded. "I can relate." (To explain this, Leo lost so many years with his mom because of Gaea)
Percy shrugged. "I've gotta get home to see her again."
"You will," Leo placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure of it. "
"How can you be so sure?"
"Just trust me."
For a moment, neither said anything, then... "Why did you do this?"
"What do you mean?" Leo asked, confused.
"Build this ship to find a guy you didn't even know?"
"Well," Leo thought about it for a moment, "I knew your friends, Annabeth, and your mom, so I guess I just thought that someone that can be spoken so highly of must be a good person."
"Were you right?" Percy questioned.
Leo nodded. "Yeah."
The son of Poseidon glanced back at the photo and put his head in his hands. "I miss her so much."
"I understand."
"How? How can you understand losing so many months with your mom because everyone expects you to be a fucking hero?" Percy snapped.
For a second, Leo looks shocked, then, he glares at Percy, harshly. "Atleast you have a mom, Percy."
He stormed out, leaving a stunned Percy in the dining room room alone.
When Percy finds Leo in the dining room at three AM the next night, staring at a photograph of a brown haired lady, he turns on his heel and leaves without a word. Leo never knew he'd been there.
*FLASHBACK OVER*
"From what I know, he got bounced around the system for a while because his aunt didn't want him..."
*FLASHBACK*
Percy knocked on the door and when there was no answer, he just opened it and the sight shocked him to his core.
Leo Valdez, jokester and mechanic, was crying over a picture of a child him, two middle aged woman, and a boy of roughly ten.
"Leo?" Percy mumbled and the repair boy whipped around to look at him.
Leo quickly wiped his eyes and stood. "Um, Percy, w-what are you doing in here?"
"Um, Annabeth wanted me to get you. She needs help with something," Percy replied, awkwardly.
"Oh, tell her I'll be there in a minute," Leo said as he started putting a stack of photos back in a shoe box.
"Are you... okay?" The ravenette asked as he shuffled his feet.
"Yeah, just... just remembering," Leo replied as he put the lid on the box.
"Remembering what?"
"My mom, but mostly about my aunt," Leo responded as he reached for his tool belt.
"Why?"
"It's the, erm, anniversary of my mom's death and the beginning of my trip through foster homes," Leo smiled a watery grin at the wording of the last few words, but it didn't conceal the sadness in his eyes.
"Why didn't your aunt take you in?"
"She hated my mom after she had a child out of a wed lock," Leo clenched his fist. "Um, anyway, do you think you could tell Annabeth to give me a few minutes?"
"Sure."
As Percy left the room, he saw Leo light his finger on fire and burn the uglier woman and ten year old boy out of the picture.
*FLASHBACK OVER*
"Some of those foster homes were really bad from what I've observed from passing comments and-"
"Scars?"
"Yeah, how'd you know?"
*FLASHBACK*
"Hey, Leo, could you help me with- oh gods," Percy whispered in horror as he barged into the fire user's room and caught sight of the occupant of himself.
Leo wasn't wearing a shirt (pry burned it off) and his back was covered in scars. Across the top of his back (a few more inches and it would've slit his neck) was a word carved into the flesh: FREAK.
"Leo, what-"
"Percy, what the hell, man?" Leo gasped as he rushed to the dresser and threw on a shirt. "Ever heard of knocking, Aquaman?!"
"Sorry, b-but Annabeth needs your help with the navigation," he stuttered. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to just barge in."
"It's fine."
"Where'd you get those scars?" Percy blurted and cursed himself for being such an idiot. Maybe Annabeth was right; he was a Seaweed Brain!
Leo sighed. "Foster parents that should never have gotten their licenses."
Percy was horrified. "Oh gods. Are you o-"
"Percy, please, I don't want to talk about this right now," Leo snapped and shoved the sea prince out of the room, slamming the door in his face.
*FLASHBACK OVER*
"That's the very vague story of Leo Valdez that I know," Annabeth finished. "Now, why are you asking? The truth."
"It's just... looking back... I'm remembering all of these things that happened that hinted how much Leo has been through. If Leo hadn't felt left out, maybe he wouldn't have sacrificed himself."
"Percy, we'll never know what could've been. But obsessing over it won't help." Annabeth hugged him but Percy wasn't convinced.
Now, I know how I could've save your life, Leo. Too bad I learned how too late.
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