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“Leo, I swear on my life if you don’t go to bed right now…” The drawl came from none other than the Hero of Olympus himself, who has served zero purpose in the last hour but annoys me.
“Like I said I’m in the middle of something, I can’t stop until it’s finished.” In all honestyI’ve finished multiple projects in the time that he’s been in the workshop.
Percy’s lying down on one of the workshop benches, one leg bent and one hanging over the side. Tossing some random tool he found up, and down. He turns his head to face me, pausing his throwing. “Uh-huh, you can lie to yourself but you can’t lie to me Valdez.” Instead of the mockery, or frustration I’m used to with my last name it’s said almost affectionately.
“Dude if anything I’m used to staying up late, you’re the one that should be going to bed.” He rolls his eyes, continuing with his throwing, “Don’t you have like a super early training with the campers or something.” Now that I’ve mentioned it, I remember Bree - my younger sister - being excited because Percy was showing up early just to give her some pointers.
He just shrugs, the motion interrupting his fidgeting and the tool goes crashing down to the ground beside him. A sheepish grin breaks over his face, “Whoops.”
I groan, pulling my hands down my face. Is this dude serious? What is his problem? Why can’t he just leave me alone? Or he can just stay forever, I like having a friend.
“What are you working on anyways?” Peeking out of my hands, I see he’s sat up, instead swinging his legs. Intently looking at the project on the workbench in front of me.
My face flushes, “It’s like a music box, I- uh- I’ve kind of been making them for everyone.” His eyes widened with amazement.
“Dude, that's insane, how does it work? Can I see?” He hops off his bench and comes over to my work bench. Peering at the unassembled parts as if it holds the answer to life’s problems.
The flush grows slowly growing down my neck unused to the happy scrutiny -you know you love it, “Really it’s not that difficult, there’s a cylinder with little bumps that turns, pointing at the completed cylinder. Then there’s these little metal um… lines? I don’t really know what they’re called. It’s way too late for that, but anyways there’s these lines that hang down and they’re the notes see?.” I pluck one, the metal comb emitting a note. “The rest of the parts are really just getting the cylinder to move.
During my explanation he turned from the project to me, making eye contact with a sincere expression "It's almost like he wants to hear you talk , “but ya-” I rub the back of my neck trying to get rid of the flush. “It’s really not that complicated, anyone could do it.”
He raised his eyebrows, “Suuure, anyone could. You’re so smart Leo.” With that he turns back to the parts and starts fiddling with the cylinder. “This is insane, you’re like the smartest person I know.”
At that I laugh, “ Sure, don’t you know Annabeth.” He grins, flicking his eyes over to me.
“Ya I know Annabeth, but she’s a different smart than you, you know? And ya’ll are the same smart in my book.” Shock courses through me.
“Dude I’m nowhere near the level of Annabeth.” And maybe if it wasn’t so late, the next part wouldn’t have escaped my mouth, maybe it’s because he’s the first person who’s cared. “I'm not very smart at all, I’m just a repair boy.
Concern flits through Percy’s eyes turning fully to face me, “You really think that?”
I go for a care-free grin, but exhaustion pulls it down to more of a grimace. He purses his lips, blowing air out. “Who’s calling you repair boy?”
The question startles me. “Umm, like literally everybody?” He furrows his brows, opening his mouth to speak, “It’s not like a bad thing? It’s okay I’m-” I’m used to it . I have a feeling if I say that we’ll be in for a longer conversation than we already are.
“You’re not a repair boy, Leo. You are an incredible inventor, and mechanic. The only other person I’ve known to have your incredible skill is Beckendorf.” My lungs freeze at the mention of the beloved Cabin Head.
“I-” Frustration boils, why doesn’t he understand, I’ll never be that good. I’m nowhere near him. I’ll never be good enough for anyone Percy continued ignoring my slight panic, “ I think you and him would have gotten along,” his voice is wistful thinking of days past. “He was a fantastic son of Hephaestus - kindest person I’ve ever met really. He would let me help in the forge a lot. I loved helping him, or being around him really. Sounds a lot like someone in this forge with me.”
He turned his slightly sad grin onto me. I take a step back, “I- Do-” my breath caught, “Do you really think he would have liked me.” A kind grin takes over his face.
“Leo, I know he would have liked you. He always did this same thing, would stay in the forges forgetting to eat, just because he loved it.” His eyes turned a little sad, “ Admittedly the last year was mostly making weapons but before that he loved the forges, it gave him a spark like no other.”
“oh.” The voice was so quiet I almost didn’t register that it was coming from me. Exhaustion burned the back of my eyelids, keep telling yourself that, as I strayed my eyes down to the ground.
Percy gently grabs my arm, “I know I can’t convince you in one night, but we can start with getting some sleep ya? It’s been a long nigh- uhm” He squints at the nearby clock, “Actually it’s been a long morning.”
I turn to face the clock myself, 4:29 . My eyebrows crease in thought, turning back to Percy, “Don’t you have a lesson with Bree at six?”
He smiles, “I do! I’ve been excited to show her some techniques.” he smiles while guiding me over to the doorway.
I stop him shaking off his hand, “When are you planning on sleeping? Mr. Trying to get me to sleep since eleven yesterday?” He shrugs, his posture hunching slightly.
“I don’t really sleep well anyways. I-” He shrugs, “You know how nightmares are.”
Gods, I can imagine. I wrinkle my nose, “There has to be a way not to have them.” Thinking about it, could there be a way? If nightmares come from a domain of some sort couldn’t you…
“OKAY, you’re done Leo. No more thinking for today. You’re going to bed and sleeping for a full eight hours.” He pushes me towards the door.
A laugh escapes me, before I pout, stopping myself in the doorway. “Four hours?” He gives me an incredulous look, before laughing himself.
“How about six?” he offers, sticking out his hand. I clasp mine in his, shaking as if a business deal was just created.
“Sounds good to me! Thank you, kind sir!” We giggle as we walk back into the forest. Almost immediately Percy trips over an overgrown root outside the entrance.
I grab him before he can face-plant but his weight catapults me into the ground next to him. We both send wide-eye stares to each other before our laughter bounces off the trees and into the night.
“HELLO!? Some of us are trying to SLEEP.” An angry tree nymph emerges, stomping her feet in frustration. Percy from his place on the ground lifts up a hand, catching his laughter in his chest.
“That’d be my bad, sorry. I tripped over a root.” I let out a round of giggles. Wooow, I’m way more sleep deprived than I thought I was.
“Humph.” She stomped back to her tree muttering something about stupid demigods, never respecting anyone. We make eye-contact again, muffling our giggles into our hands.
We stumble to our feet, and I extend my hand in front of us, creating a small flame, before dramatically adding “I can light you way.” Percy muffles a giggle.
“Thank you, ever the gentleman this one.” In a fake posh-british voice before tumbling over himself on a new root. Popping up to say, “I guess closing my eyes didn’t help with the whole,” he waves his hand in the direction of the flame, “there’s a literal light.”
I snicker, and we make our way back to the camp, he escorts me all the way to my cabin, stopping short outside of it. “We should do this more often ya?” I stare at him flabbergasted.
“You want to stay up till five AM, gallivanting through the woods?” I deadpan, smiling at his sleep-drunk giggle.
“Always,” he grins before sobering for a moment to add, “I miss this.” He stutters for a second before adding, “I mean like, ugh, this is new - but I feel like-” He sighs.
“I know. I miss this too.” My memory flashes to a warmer time, my mama’s voice drifting through the workshop, always someone there to talk to.