a/n: guess who hasn't updated in who knows how long? this girl. guess who feels really bad about it? this girl.

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Leo's POV

It's been two weeks since I've been here, and as much as I don't want to admit it, this place is growing on me.

I've tried so hard to keep my walls up, but this camp seemed to be immune to it.

I've never felt more at home here than anywhere else, and it honestly scared me to realize. It's been years and years since I've let anyone in, much less a place to stay and a whole bunch of people with it.

I knew, deep down, that I would have to leave eventually. That one day, it'll be too much, or I'd be left behind again, and that I would have to flee like I always have. But for now, I'll take what I can get.

I was claimed a few days ago by Hephaustus. I fit right into the cabin, machines, tools, building, right up my alley way. But, fire? Really? Was this some type of sick joke? Were the Gods looking down at me, laughing, mocking me and my past?

The power within me never left, and I knew for a fact it wasn't leaving any time soon. I wanted it gone so badly, I wanted it to leave, I wanted to bad memories along with it to leave.

I just wanted my mother back.

Piper told me yesterday that it was Jason's seventeenth birthday in three days, July 1st. I don't know what to get him, or if I should even get him something. We seem to click pretty well, despite that whole fiasco when we first met.

I thought of making him a Superman figurine (I'm son of Hephaustus, of course I'm making the gifts) as well as a LED sign that says "can you still fly?" as a sort of inside joke from when we first met. It seemed pretty appropriate, but I wasn't sure.

But if he doesn't like it, that's his problem.

With that thought in mind, I started to work on the Superman figurine. I planned to carve it out of wood, reasoning that it'll be easier to paint than metal.

I was also thinking of making Piper and Frank a few trinkets, since I missed their birthday less than a month ago, and they've been so welcoming.

Sighing, I shook my head. I'm growing soft, I'm letting people in.

 My birthday is actually very soon too, July 7th. I don't celebrate it though. At all. The last time I did was with my mother, and that brings up dark memories which I'd rather keep repressed.

"Leo?" Nyssa's voice threw me out of my spiral of thoughts.

"Yeah Nyssa?"

"What are you making?" I look down at the clump of wood I've been carving. It's coming out pretty well, considering I've been dreaming all this time.

"I'm making Jason's gift. For his birthday." I answer without thinking. Wait. I widen my eyes and clamp my mouth with my hand. I could feel a flush rising up in my cheeks. I didn't mean to tell her, or anyone for that fact.

However, Nyssa just smiled, patted me on the back gently, and went back to doing what she was doing.

I removed my hand from my mouth, trying to will the blush down.

I just hoped that she didn't tell anyone.

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a/n: sorry for the non eventful chapter, i feel like i just needed to put in a filler, show leo's thoughts and clarify when in the year this is taking place. hope you enjoyed non the less!

fiona.