In The Meantime... (Various x Reader)

We're giving up on Christmas one shots but we will sure as hell pick up where we left off soooo lets go

Also; heads up, I haven't read HoO or anything Leo Valdez related in quite some time so forgive me if he's a bit ooc. Also this was kinnnndddaaa requested by ulimate_neek except it's not christmas themed anymore and she didn't get him anything aaand I sorry and I hope you still like it regardless

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Leo had done it again: plunged himself headlong into an idea and locked himself away from the real world. He didn't know how long he'd been working, nor did he think to care, but he had a very important invention to invent, and there would be nothing stopping him.

It wasn't anything extraordinary like the Argo II, but it was just as important, if not more so. For the past few hours--or was it days? He wasn't really sure, anymore.--Leo tinkered with (Y/N)'s kinda-birthday gift.

She never knew her birthday; the foster families she passed through never got it with her unfinished records, and none of them could deal with the monsters long enough to give her one. However, (Y/N)'d found a new home, Camp Half-blood, and she still didn't have a day to celebrate herself. And while Leo would argue that she should have a whole lifetime to celebrate how amazing she was, he came up with the idea of a kinda-birthday. The day she came to camp would be her birthday, as she found answers, a home, and a family of her own to keep. She loved the idea and the rest was history.

Leo's brows furrowed in concentration, and his tongue poked out of his lips just the slightest bit as he screwed the final piece in place. "Okay, amiguito," He said, his voice sounding just as tired as he felt. "You're all ready to go."

When Leo would hide away in his bunker, (Y/N) would be left with nothing to do but worry about her friend. She would usually come around after about a day or two to ask if he was still alive in there and bring him out into the real world. And while her concern was very endearing, and Leo loved it when she would remind him of what the outside world was like, he was often too focused on his work to hear her. Or, he'd already fallen asleep at his workbench.

(Y/N) was not a Hephaestus kid, and while that was perfect for the prospect of a relationship, it did come with it's problems. The bunker could only be opened by fire, so when she came around and Leo didn't answer, she could only assume he was having a hard time, and she couldn't do a single thing to help him if she couldn't even get inside.

Leo hated making her worry, but he couldn't help it when his projects absorbed him. Yet, he still knew he couldn't let himself get locked away forever, as appealing as it sounded, he missed seeing (Y/N) all the time, even if she was distracting. She was his favorite distraction, anyway.

So, to avoid any more weeks where Leo went unseen, and meals (Y/N) had to eat alone, he was going to give her a key.

"Hey," Leo outstretched his hand for the tiny dragon to climb onto. He smiled as his mechanical feet pressed into his palm. "Let's see those flames, huh?"

The dragon reared, Leo beamed, and then with a small--but just as mighty--whir! The dragon puffed a ton of smoke right in Leo's face.

"Aw, come on..." He groaned, setting down the dragon and wiping at his eyes. Leo's face and hands were now covered in soot, and the dragon did nothing to help. In fact, Leo thought he was laughing at him, but maybe that was just because he was so tired.

"Leo!" There were three loud knocks from outside. "This is a real lousy way to spend my kinda-birthday!"

It was (Y/N), and upon hearing her voice, Leo seized the dragon and tucked it in a drawer. "Uh!" He hurried to flip the blueprints over and then, practically hopped out of his seat. "I was just leaving!"