Oh, fuck.
Leo Valdez thought (and might've said) as he watched his entire room go up in flames. He was just experimenting, experimenting. Nothing huge, he'd told himself. Not a big flame, just a little flicker on his hands. How did it go so wrong?
Leo Valdez, was marked for "extreme intelligence" when he was seven. He excelled in math, science, and anything that involved a textbook. He spent his days reading practicing college-level formulas, reading newspapers, and playing with fire. Leo had always felt a strange pull towards the element. Naturally, no one approved of the attraction. He'd never forget the look on his mother's face when he stuck his hand into a fire to retrieve a fallen marshmallow.
Since then, fire was banned from the household, or was supposed to be.
Curious as to how the fire hadn't hurt him, Leo would often hide matches and lighter in his room. When night had fallen and everyone in the house was asleep, Leo would light matches and put them on his skin. Only to find that it didn't burn.
One night, however, he dropped a couple lit matches, which caught onto a long string of old papers laying about. Thus, bringing us here:
Oh fuck, Oh fuck. Leo thought as he raced about the room, looking for water of some sort. The flames grew more and more by the second, consuming all things in its' way. Leo dashed out the door, grabbed a bucket and ran to the bathroom for water.
"Why does the fire detector not work now?" Leo cursed to himself, thinking back to all the burnt toast he ever made.
When the bucket was full, he quickly yet carefully went back to his room only to find that the fire might need more than one bucket.
He poured what he had and tried stomping out smaller fires than were forming. The fire had taken his bed, his desk, and was nearing the door. It was clear who was winning this fight. It was too late to do anything else but get out.
He ran out of his room and darted to his mother's and grandma's doors.
"Mom! Grandma! Get up, get up! There's a fire!" he screamed at the top of his lungs, banging on the door as hard as possible.
His mother unexpectedly opened the door, causing Leo to accidentally hit her in her stomach.
"Mom! There's a fire! We have to get out!" He screamed through tears, as she stared appalled at the orange glow coming from his room.
"Okay, okay!" She knelt down onto one knee and put her hands on his shoulders. "You need to get out now-"
"But what about Fest-"
"Now. I need to get grandma, alert the landlord, and call the firemen." Leo's mother finished, kissing him on the head and pushing him towards the door.
The fire was now in the hallway, coming for the family of three. When turned to go get her own mother, Leo went after Festus, their dog, anyway. Festus must've been able to tell that something was wrong because he was barking, growling ,and whimpering all together. Leo un-locked his cage, picked him up, and carried him out the door.
Common sense told him not to take the elevator, but they were on the 7th floor. He kicked open the door to the stairs and jogged down them. He saw others coming out of the door and could only assume that his mom had told the landlord the issue already.
Finally out of the building he saw the fire coming out of the windows and stretching into other apartments. Smoke rose above the building, disappearing into the night sky while Leo frantically searched around for his family.
"Mom? Mom?! Grandma?!" He yelled, though he also doubted anyone could hear him with all the people's chatter, crackling of fire, and distant sirens going on. The apartment building was slowly but surely collapsing. And his family was possibly still in there.
He asked a kid that he thought he knew to hold Festus (well more like shoved Festus into his arms and mumbled something) and dashed towards the fiery building. Sure fire couldn't hurt him, but he didn't know it that ran in the family.
The building's air was hard to see in and much less breath in, but he trudged forwards anyway. Only to have a muscular arm wrap around his waist and pull him back before he could even get onto the first stair.
A firemen threw him over his back and jogged back out front. Then proceeded to Leo onto the ground, screaming "Are you MAD, sonny! We're about to hose this place down, and there's no way in HELL you're going up there!"
There was still plenty of smoke in his lungs, so between coughs he said something like this:
"Mom *cough* still in *cough* there need my…
Leo could only hope and assume the man had gotten the gist, because he passed out before he could finish.
Leo awoke to a hospital room. (Which was weird because Leo's family could never before afford to be in the hospital.) Something heavy covered his legs and he had to sit up to see what it was.
"Festus!" He exclaimed, swooping up the dog who looked at him groggily.
He hugged the corgi tightly, and didn't let go until an unknown figure stepped into the room.
"Oh, I'm glad you're awake." A woman with a doctor's coat on smiled, and outstretched a hand. "I'm Dr. Joanna."
Leo hesitantly shook her hand and smiled back. "I'm Leo Valdez, it's nice to meet you."
"Likewise. I've come to inform you that all of the people whose homes were lost in last night's fire stayed here for the night and were treated. But I've also come to personally explain something to you…" She finished seeming a bit sad when she said the last sentence.
"Before that, could you tell me what room my mother and grandma are in? I want to see them."
Pursing her lips "That's what this is about, your mother and grandmother…passed away last night in the fire."
The sentence hung in the air and the only sounds heard were Festus' pants and the slow beep, beep, beep of the anesthetic monitor.
"You're lying." Leo simply whispered, going back to hugging Festus. "Why are you lying?" Tears began to form in his eyes and fall down slowly onto the dog below. "They're the only family I have so why would you lie to me?" His voice cracked as he barely made out the last words.
"Get out!" He screamed suddenly ,causing Festus to leap off him. "Get out!" He yelled again, thrashing his arms and legs about.
The woman, Dr. Joanna, was on her feet and off the bed instantly.
"I'm sorry about your loss, but we have no choice but to put you into foster care." She explained slowly, minding Leo's fragile state. "You'll be moved later today, around 3 pm." She finished, exiting the room.
True to her word, Dr. Joanna brought an all too happy couple to take him from the hospital. A man in his late 20s and a woman in her early 30s, with 3 other children. Two 16 year olds and an 8 year old. None too friendly or at all for that matter. Since the 8 year old was closet to his age, he tried to make nice. Not almost burn his face off.
Leo was taken from the home to another….and another….and another. He never tired of causing trouble at one home and being moved to another.
Except something different happened when he ended up in his lat foster home. A woman who must've been no older than 35 adopted him. Like, actually came to the home and wanted to adopt him. Leo Valdez. Which was him. Who somebody (other than his mother and grand) wanted.
Leo wasn't against it, but he wondered if adopted kids were returnable. If so, he planned to experience that soon enough. Somewhere along the way he found out that the lady was a widow named Sally Jackson. Who also had a little boy at home who didn't know that he was getting a sibling. Leo rolled his eyes upon hearing that. Great, another little asshole to deal with.
When the day of departure came, Ms Jackson (Mom?) came to pick him up. He waved goodbye to no one in particular, as his past family was so happy to be rid of him they actually went to church for once.
Arriving at the Jackson's door, he watched his new family member unlock the door and let in him first. Doing a quick scan of his surroundings gave him a Welcome Home gist that he assumed all the guest received.
"So," Ms Jackson began, "You're room is just this way-" She turned and unexpectedly bumped into a figure, slightly shorter than her.
"Whoops, sorry mom." A boy who must be his new brother, said. "Who's this?" He also said, taking notice of Leo's luggage.
"This is Leo Valdez….your new brother!" Ms. Sally shouted, throwing both her arms into the air as if Leo had been a birthday present.
The two boys looked at one another, one with blatant surprise and the other with utter annoyance.
The annoyed boy rolled his eyes and asked "Where did you say my room was?" Realizing that his new parent never got the chance to show him.
"Oh, right! This way!" She answered, not sensing the awkward tension.
Percy looked back at him as Leo passed by, clearly understanding that he'd just been cast aside.
After a quick tour of the house, Leo laid his bed in his mostly empty room. They seem nice enough, he thought as he closed his eyes. It's a shame…
Leo awoke and noticed there was no longer light outside his window, only darkness and the faint glow of a distant street light. He sat up in his bed and noted that his door was ajar. Which explained the plate of food sitting on a nearby table. The note on it read: I'd be tired if I was you too! - Mom? He could only assume the question mark was a suggestion to begin calling her such. No need for that.
He exited his room and saw a door across from his own. Peeking in revealed blue waves on walls attached to a carpet, only one shade of blue darker. With the exception of the white dressers and chairs, everything from the floor to the ceiling was blue.
With the computer and his back facing Leo, Percy sat and did whatever he does on the computer with headphones on. From his distance it looked like a blog of some sort. Nonetheless, he slowly closed the door and walked towards the kitchen. All he planned was a fire small enough to set off the alarm, burn his clothes a bit, and most importantly: Alert the family. He did think the Jackson's were nice people, but not the type he deserved. Once they came to his "rescue," he'd make up some obviously bullshit excuse that they'd never believe. From there, Ms. Jackson would realize her mistake; and correct it.
Heating his hand to a burning red became hand-held fire. But before he could pull off his master plan , behind him he heard:
"Um, dude?" He turned (still holding fire, mind you) around to see his short time brother staring wide-eyed at him with headphones around his neck, still blaring music.
Fuck. Leo wasn't sure if he'd mouthed, thought, or said. As he considered this, his "small" flame grew to be a bit more without his notice. Nearby kitchen cloths caught on fire and Percy seemed to act faster than he ever did.
Leo stood in a stupor as his mind registered:
1.) Someone knows I have powers.
2.) This is happening again.
3.) Wait, what is Percy doing?
The last thought un-shocked him as he watched Percy run towards the faucet and begin to move his hands in a pulling motion. Then out came…water? He certainly hadn't turned on the sink, so how? Percy stared at him once again as he manipulated the water into a circle around him shouting "Help me out, man!"
Leo finally got himself together and jumped into action. He knew he could control fire as well as make it, but that had gone un-attempted. Now's as good a time as any. He thought, recalling and imitating how his almost brother had practically called on the water. He slowly but surely pulled it off the walls, still burning cloths, and thought about it coming together as a small ball. And it did. The fire was now his if anything. Percy saw his chance and willed the water circle to open and encase the ball, putting it out.
Even though he'd just tried something new with his powers, found out a family member had powers too and almost burnt down another area, all Leo could think was: What the hell is with fire detectors and me?
Both boys collapsed onto the floor, panting and sweating from the past event. Which makes it the perfect time for Ms. Jackson's motherly instincts to kick in and have her run into the kitchen in her robe.
"Boys!" She crouched down, examining them both. She glanced up around her and saw the burnt parts of the walls, decorations and fabrics. "What…" Was all she said. She automatically turned back to the two and gave them a confused expression.
Leo didn't know what to say. Did she know about Percy? About himself?
"Hahaha," Percy laughed nervously, as if he was trying to think of what he'd say next. "Well…you know I can't cook for anything…so I thought I'd asked Leo, but…turns out he can't cook either.."
It wasn't a horrible lie like Leo would've thought of, but it might not have succeeded either.
Ms. Jackson sighed, seeming to understand that she wouldn't get the truth.
"Okay, but I want this cleaned up first thing in the morning. Got it?" She stood up and began to head back to her room.
"Got it, mom." Leo meant to mumble, but it came out louder than he meant.
The woman in front of him stopped walking for a second, and Leo could've bet money that before she continued her stride, the corners of her mouth pushed up by her ears.
"Well that was a roller coaster." Percy breathed.
"You're telling me." Leo agreed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Also," Reaching his hand out. "I don't believe we've formally met. I'm Leo Valdez."
Percy smiled what would later become his signature grin, "I'm Percy. Percy Jackson. Welcome to the family."
Sorry! This took WAY too long to update! Hope you enjoy/enjoyed~