Chapter Text
Chapter 1
Aphrodite P.O.V
She peered down at the sleeping demigods on the Argo ||. Especially the three who were passed out on the floor of Piper’s room after their sleepover.
One of them was her daughter. She was so proud of Piper. The girl had come out as lesbian, and was completely in touch with herself.
Then there was her daughter’s ex-boyfriend, Jason. He knew exactly who he was. Aphrodite thought he was a handsome boy, and he and Percy Jackson made an adorable couple, both of them out as gay.
Last of the three was Piper’s best friend, Leo. He was . . . interesting, to say the least. The pronouns he used, most of all. Aphrodite could fix that, however. She knew what he was on the inside.
Jason P.O.V
He woke up to the feeling of Leo’s warmth curled into his side, and Piper’s arm flopped across his chest.
He sat up groggily, blinking, and then noticed that it wasn’t Leo. A girl he’d never seen before was passed out on the cushions next to him and Piper, right where Leo had been.
Chocolate brown curls spilled over her shoulders, tumbling across the pillow. Her clothes - beige cargo pants, a toolbelt, and a Camp Half-Blood t-shirt - accentuated her curves. Her skin was a soft caramel color and seemed to glow in the soft light streaming through the windows.
No doubt she was beautiful, but Jason had never seen her before. Though, something about her seemed familiar.
He yelped and scrambled backwards, falling on top of Piper and sending them both tumbling to the floor, waking Piper up immediately.
Her eyes flew open and she glared at him. “Jason Grace! What the HELL are you doing?!”
He pointed at the girl, who was blinking in the predawn light. Her eyes matched her hair, and they twinkled mischeviously.
“Who the fUcK are you?” Piper shrieked.
The girl stared at her. “Pipes, what the hell are you talking about?” Her voice was familiar too, though Jason couldn’t place it.
Piper seemed to realize something, and she stumbled back, her face pale.
The girl frowned. “You on something, Beauty Queen? I told you that melatonin shit was addictive.”
That was when Jason realized it. There was only one person who called Piper that. “Leo?” he whispered.
She glared at him. “No shit, Sparky. You need new glasses or something?”
“Leo.” Piper said. “You’re a girl.”
Leo stared at her. Then, slowly, he reached behind him and felt his hair. “Woah.” He breathed.
Jason was panicking. “Is this permanent? How do we fix it? How do we turn you back?”
Then a voice spoke from behind him. “What makes you think she wants to be fixed, dear?”
Jason knelt. “Lady Venus. It is an honor-”
“Mom.” Jason could hear Piper gritting her teeth. “Did you do this?”
As Jason stood, Aphrodite nodded. “Of course! What, did you think I would just leave the poor girl trapped in that boy’s body? Of course not!”
Realization dawned on Piper’s face, but Jason was still confused.
“Oh!” Piper turned and smiled softly at Leo, who had tears streaming down his face, though Jason couldn’t tell if they were from joy or sadness. “You’re trans!”
Jason did a double take. “Wait, really?”
She admitted. “I just . . . I didn’t know what to do about it.”
Aphrodite beamed. “Wonderful! I see my work here is done!” She disappeared in a cloud of pink glitter.
Percy P.O.V
When Percy saw the strange girl behind Jason and Piper, he immediately tackled her, pinning her to the wall with his sword at her throat.
Because what else were you supposed to do? Say hi? Not when you were a demigod.
“Who are you?” He growled.
The girl’s eyes flashed with terror, and her breath hitched. She grabbed Percy’s wrist, which was pressed against her chest, holding her against the wall, and squeezed her eyes shut, as though readying herself for death.
“GET THE FUCK OFF HER!” Piper screeched.
Percy stumbled back, dropping his sword as the full effects of her charmspeak hit him.
Piper rushed past him and pulled the trembling girl to her chest. “Hey.” She whispered. “It’s just Percy, he’s not gonna hurt you.”
“Piper.” Annabeth’s voice was cautious. “Who is that? Why is she here?”
Piper glanced at the girl as if asking for permission to tell them. She nodded. “That’s Leo.” Piper said.
Percy stared at her. “What?”
“Leo. She’s trans. My mom knew, so she turned Leo into a girl because she knew Leo would never do it herself.” Piper explained.
Percy stared into space for a moment, comprehending. Leo’s a girl . . . woah, Annabeth looks good today . . . that means I should use she/her pronouns . . . I want blue cookies . . .
“Okay.” Percy grinned at Leo. “You look nice.”
Leo blushed. “Thank you.”
Hazel looked confused. “What does trans mean?” They all laughed as Frank explained it to her.
Piper P.O.V
She wouldn’t deny it. Leo was beautiful. Her curls flowed like a waterfall all the way down to her hips. Her caramel skin was soft, and her fingers were long and slender, but her hands were callused from working in the forges. Her eyes were accentuated by long lashes, which were currently wet with tears.
“What’s wrong?” Annabeth asked, gently resting a hand on Leo’s arm.
She shook her head. “Nothing, it’s stupid.” She swiped her hand across her face
Piper realized something, and wanted to tackle the idiot standing next to her. “Percy shoving you against the wall reminded you of the attack on New Rome, didn’t it?”
Leo flinched. “Yeah.”
Piper glared at Percy, and he stared at his feet guiltily. “Sorry. I didn’t recognize you.”
Leo shrugged. “It’s alright.”
Piper noticed something then. Annabeth was staring at Leo. She had to resist squealing. Percy and Annabeth had broken up on good terms when both of them had realized they were gay, and Percy and Jason were now dating. It was a little weird, interacting with Annabeth when their ex boyfriends were dating each other, but now, Piper was just happy for her friend.
She did hope Leo realized Annabeth liked her soon, though, or she’d have to stage an intervention.
Leo P.O.V
It was weird.
Leo had always dreamed about being a girl. Always thought of herself using female pronouns.
When she was younger, before her mom’s death, she used to try on her mom's dresses and makeup, dancing around the warehouse in time to her mom’s old 80’s music.
She’d been teased for being ‘girly’ but that hadn’t stopped her from doing it. Then, in the foster homes, she’d been teased even worse. She’d been beaten for being ‘too emotional like a girl’.
This, though, she thought as Piper and Hazel wrapped their arms around her, was home.