Chapter Text
"This was it" Leo thought as he layed there in a pool of his own blood. Leo tried to put as much pressure on the wound as he could, but it wasn't enough. The blood kept squirting between his fingers, and each pump of his heart just made more blood seep out of his side in a river of red.
______________________10 minutes ago_______________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Leo was working in the engine room, and all you could hear was "Clunk! Bang! Whoosh!" As Leo worked on whatever was wrong with this piece of metal.
"Come on! This is the 3rd time this week!"
Leo yelled as he tried to stop the engine from overheating. It wasn't supposed to do that he made sure of it, but for some ungodly reason it was. And the fact Leo couldn't find anything wrong with it just pissed him off. He's tried everything he could think of and then some, but it wasn't enough.
However a small part of Leo was thankful for the engine being weird. It meant Leo didn't have to think about things for a bit, and that right now was a blessing. Thanks to his ADHD mind Leo's thoughts can't help but wonder, and that means into ANY part of his brain. Even the parts he would rather never go into again. The dark parts, the traumatized parts, the anxious parts, and the parts he hated thinking about the most the Jason parts.
But Leo's mind just LOVED to think about how he is stuck with a one sided crush on his best friend, and how said best friend is dating Piper! Probably the only girl Leo hasn't flirted with. Probably the only person who actually kind of feels like family to him anymore. To Leo Piper feels like the older sister he never got, and that what makes seeing Jason and her happy together hurt so much. Because to Leo Piper felt like family and her dating Jason felt like a knife in his back.
And Leo hated himself for thinking this way for feeling jealous over Piper, for feelings this hurt even though she did nothing wrong. Leo hated how he fell for Jason and those sad blue eyes of his. Leo hates the fact he knew the exact way the scar on Jason's lip moved depending on his expressions. Leo hated how he couldn't stop himself from staring when Jason was shirtless and training.
There was a lot of things Leo hated himself, not solely just Jason. And out of all of this what has Leo done? Nothing absolutely nothing. Well he did try at one point to tell Jason about how he's been feeling, but Leo is Leo and he chickened out. Due to the fear of loosing the only good things he has in this life. Piper and Jason. He can't lose them because of his stupid feelings. He can't.
So That's why he's thankful for the engine being a shit show right now. Gives him something to do instead of thinking. Normally he would be able to just Work no thoughts not nothing,. But today he's not so greatful for the distraction, because his brain was making him think of THAT!
Leo threw his wrench onto the ground making a loud "Bang!" Against the hot metal of the Argos ll Leo found himself crouching down trying to get his mind on right.
"Respira profundo hijo mío, mantén la barbilla en alto."
It was something his mom used to say to him when his brain got to noisy sometimes. It was nothing special just small instructions she used to ground him. It was simple not overly complicated and it worked. Like his mind needed a break from complexity and drank up the simplicity of the instructions, a reset.
A few deep breaths later and his chin being pointed to the sky, Leo started to feel better. He slowly got up and ran his calloused fingers through his greasy hair.
"I'm fine .... I just need to get this done .... Then we can set sail and my brain can focus on that instead....."
And so Leo got back to work mind a little less busy, still going back to Jason every chance it got. Making Leo's brain slowly fill up again, but every time it felt like too much he just repeated the simple instructions his mom used to give him. "Deep breaths and chin up." Soon Leo's hands were flying trying to get things done with the occasional breaks to clear his brain.
What happened next Leo couldn't describe.
It all happened too fast.
One second he was working, taking deep breaths, keeping his chin up, and then the next an ungodly noise came from behind him. Leo had half a second to react he didn't even see what kind of monster it was. He just turned around and blasted fire at it watching as the thing turned to dust before his eyes. Not that he really noticed over the sharp pain in his side.
Without a second thought Leo placed his hand where he felt the pain, trying to stop the bleeding. And when he looked down he wanted to throw up. The only thing that was keeping his organs in his body was his own blood covered hand. The cut was deep and already turning green around the edges.
He felt the world spin around him, his body quickly started to feel as cold as ice, and he could feel his strength leaving him. Leo tried to take a step forward but he felt too weak to even stand. So within seconds Leo dropped to the ground, trying his best not to remove his hand and let his organs slip out.
Leo was alone in the deepest part of the Argo ll no one could hear him scream even if he tried. Leo felt his mind fill up again as tears started to form in his eyes. He didn't want to die not like this. He wanted to defeat Gera with the others, he wanted to have his first kiss, to go home to camp half blood, to say he loved Jason even if he never heard him.
Most of all Leo wanted everyone to make it home alive. He wanted to be there as they all ran over to their cabins to say hi to their siblings. He wanted to see HIS siblings again and tell them about their journey. He doesn't even get the comfort of being able to see his mom after death.
He could feel himself start to cry he didn't want this he never wanted this. He just wanted to go home a place he only felt I'm two places. In his mom's arms and camp. He wanted that so badly it hurt.
Leo prayed to any God that might listen any hope the fates couldn't be so cruel. He used the last bit of his strength to hit the ground as hard as he could with his fist trying to get someone to find him. He knew it wasn't enough but he was desperate.
"Respira..... profundo... hijo mío, mantén la ....barbilla en ...alto."
The repeated words were the only thing keeping Leo calm, grounded. Leo took a deep breath and tilted his head to look at the door, keeping his chin up as much as he could. Grounding himself before death with his mother's words. Keeping his head clear
Then a small shimmer of light came from the door. There he was Jason Grace, blue eyes blown wide open the moment he saw Leo. His blonde hair messy from probably sleeping and his mouth slightly open making the scar on his lips relax.
"Shocked" is all that Leo thought of as the world went dark around him leaving only the burning image of Jason in his mind.