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Leo POV

I wanted to cry. That's so stupid! That wasn't even about me! But Percy said that nonchalantly and fearfully, like the man will hear him and come after him. But he looked like it was his fault, like he deserved the scars.

"Percy, is there. .. is there anyway you could tell us that most of your scars are coming from fighting monsters? Without lying? " Asked Rachel.

"Well about 30 or 32 percent are from fighting monsters. " he muttered. "12 from training and school fights and the rest from Smelly Gabe" he stared straight into her eyes. " So no. Most of my scars come from my ex stepfather."

I felt tears on my cheeks. I put my hand around his shoulders and sobbed in his hair. "And what did your mother said? "

"She didn't know..." he said gently caressing my scrawny arms. "I think he hit her too, when I was in a boarding school." He whispered and his movement faltered.

"H.hey guys? Let's uh... um. Please don't cry Leo. Let's paint his whole body! No scars visible! " said Rachel her voice cracking.

I stayed like that a bit more, then I stood up and picked up a brush and started painting Percy. I painted a sunset, a flowing river, sea creatures and many other things. I painted laurel bracelets and a lace collar. When I moved to his front to see what Rachel did I was honestly happy, really really happy. He had red lips, black eyeliner, a laurel crown, roses and other flowers, the depth of the sea. He was stunning. But the most beautiful thing about him was his tummy. There was a woman, laying down on the bottom of the ocean, listening to the ground, she looked like Sally, but under the ground, ... Well, there, Rachel painted an unborn baby. And a beautiful one at that.

He got up, walking to the mirror and looked at it. The paint dried while I was still painting his back so he hugged his middle with a loving expression, he turned to us and simply said "Thank you. " my heart melted right then and there.

They painted in the same way we painted Percy. Only that instead of water, sea creatures and shadows I had flames, all kinds of animals and jewels. "Rachel, you're bare in comparison to us. Let us paint you more. " I said. She giggled and gave me her brush. Thirty minutes later her body was full of Apollo themed things and random paint splotches.

"It's getting late and I

Cannot seem to find my home tonight

Feels like I am falling down a rabbit hole

Falling for forever, wonderfully wandering alone"

Percy sang quietly. I started humming the tune.

" What would my head be like

If not for my shoulders

Or without your smile

May it follow you forever

May it never leave you

To sleep in the stone,

May we stay lost on our way home

C'mon, c'mon, with everything falling down around me

I'd like to believe in all the possibilities"

I started singing Nate's part:

"If I should die tonight

May I first just say I'm sorry

For I, never felt like anybody

I am a man of many hats although I

Never mastered anything

When I am ten feet tall

I've never felt much smaller since the fall

Nobody seems to know my name

So don't leave me to sleep all alone

May we stay lost on our way home?"

[Both of us]

"C'mon, c'mon, with everything falling down around me

I'd like to believe in all the possibilities

C'mon, c'mon, with everything falling down around me

I'd like to believe in all the possibilities

[Percy]

Try not to mistake what you have with what you hate

[Both of us]

It could leave, it could leave, come the morning

[Me]

Celebrate the night

It's the fall before the climb

[Both of us]

Shall we sing, shall we sing, 'til the morning

[Percy]

If I fall forward, you fall flat

[Both of us]

And if the sun should lift me up

Would you come back? C'mon!

[Percy]

C'mon, c'mon, with everything falling down around me

I'd like to believe in all the possibilities

[Both of us]

C'mon, c'mon, with everything falling down around me

I'd like to believe in all the possibilities

So c'mon, c'mon, with everything falling down around me

I'd like to believe in all the possibilities

[Percy]

It's late and I, cannot seem to find my way home tonight."

At some point in the song Rachel somehow reproduced the music for our song so it was incredible.

We laughed and hugged each other. Then Rachel went and brought a chiton for each of us.

"Hey Rachel, are you coming-..." someone said from the entrance of the cave. Will Solace was staring at us a bit weirdly. " Okay, I'll rephrase that." He said than smiled and waved at us. "Hey, guys, are you coming to dinner? "

I looked at Percy. His face went from really tense to soft, I observed he wasn't dressed yet. "Hey, Will. Later, maybe. But.... wanna join us?" He asked softly.

Will softened too and nodded smiling. "I don't think you know how to dress in that thing. " he pointed at the chiton in Percy's arms.

"Nope, indeed no. Please help? " chuckled Percy. Will went up to us and helped him. "I like you're paintings. " he said.

"You do?" I said trying to hide my smile. He nodded and I exchanged a look with Percy. We both put our hand on Will's arms and dragged him to our stool. He struggled at firs then he realised what we were going to do. He undressed and we started painting him too. We did something like Rachel, but more Apollo-ish.

Will too, looked wonderful. After the paint dried he dressed in chiton too and we cleaned the mess we've made. After Percy put away the last brush the horn blew announcing that it was time for dinner.

We made our way back to the Dining Pavilion. Percy offered we all sit at his table.

"I am not sure what to say..." whispered Will. "Your dad won't mind?"

"I don't think so, but for any measure sacrifice some food for him too." Replied Percy with a small smile.

We all sat down at the Poseidon table and summoned the food and sacrificed some. When we got back I saw Piper approaching us with Jason and Annabeth behind her. "Can we sit here? " She asked no one in particular.

Percy looked at her, then behind her. I ignored them in the favour of talking to Will about a machine that scans people and take photos clearer than the normal radiography. He looked at the table then at me. I told him it's his choice with my eyes.

He took a deep breath and started talking " I ... I. You...."