#pyredez

[volansvir]

"Do you ever think what it would be like to be like other people? Normal people?"

Questions II Accepting

Jason’s lying on his back on the deck of the Argo II, soaking in a warm, breezy day, while he’s not-so-subtly checking on how Leo’s doing– that is, Piper was worried, so Jason had approached Leo and suggested he take a break from steering the ship for the time being– and now, the son of Jupiter is resting firmly in Leo’s way should he decide at any moment to try and steal the controller back from Annabeth in the next hour or two.

At Leo’s question, however, Jason sits up a little, leaning on his elbows. “What is normal, even?” He stalls, his mind working through the hypothetical as quickly as he can manage; which is to say, he’s wondering, what can he even say here to make things feel okay? 

Every demigod in existence hates their, well, existence at least once in their lifetime, don’t they? It’s kind of a terrible hand to be dealt, but fate can’t easily be avoided, not even for their parents. And expecting divine immortals not to have children is like asking a tornado to pretty please not trample whatever is in its path. So, Jason’s not sure he sees the point in torturing himself with a question like that. 

Not that he can help but think it, too, sometimes. This is not the first time he’s heard someone else ask this, and this is not the first time he’s thought about it, himself. (Far from it).

Jason takes another moment to sit up properly, wetting his lips as he attempts to smooth out this wrinkle. “Like, non-demigod, you mean?” He chuckles lightly, a little bit forced. “I guess that would be a bit less, uh… full of imminent death.” 

But then he frowns, the scar on his lip pulling a little. “Then again, regular people are a lot squishier than we are. I dunno that they’re in much less danger than us; it’s just different things, right? Plus, I think their monsters sound a lot scarier than ours. I mean, literally no one wants to do taxes, right? But the IRS sounds pretty terrifying, and they can’t be defeated with a sword. And, humans aren’t able to just pop a bit of ambrosia and walk off a broken ankle.” 

These are paltry things. They are not the heart of the bruise. 

“What I mean is… We’d probably have a whole overwhelming world to deal with over there, too. At least this is the one we know. This is the one we can handle; Fate said so. The seven of us are right where we should be. We are the exact people who are correct for this task. It’s a bad one, and I really wish none of us had to do this, but at least we know that we’re on the right path. Whatever else we need to figure out, we’ll have to figure out, but that question is solved. So, we can start solving the next problems without having to go back and worry about that one, yeah?"

It still doesn’t feel like… enough. Gods, he’s fumbling this, isn’t he? Jason goes quiet for another breath or two, the air feeling stale and stagnant, despite the Mediterranean breeze. He wishes someone better at this than him was here to back him up. Like Reyna. Or, heck, even Octavian. Sure, the guy’s on a warpath now, but Jason remembers how good at talking he was at camp, especially about big things like this. Maybe the Augur could dispense some Apollonic wisdom that leaves everyone mildly annoyed but mostly sated. 

…No, it’s for the best that Octavian’s not here. He’s sure that would only make Leo feel worse. 

So, finally, Jason admits, lifting one shoulder in a half shrug, “...Yeah, I think about it.” He plays with a ring on his finger. 

“My life would probably still be crazy, though. I’d have been, like, a jerk child actor, or something.” His lips twitch in the hint of a smile. “Maybe Pipes and I would have run into each other.” 

He levels Leo with direct eye contact. “It would have sucked to miss out on you, though. If we weren’t demigods, I never would have found my best friend. There’s only one McShizzle.” He elbows the son of Hephaestus. “Don’t deprive me of him, man. So... let’s stay demigods, okay? Stick to the path we’re already on? There’s parts of it I really like, and there’s gotta be parts of it you like, too. I’m pretty sure Piper would be pissed if you lumped her in with the fighting-the-giants parts.” 

Jason scoots a little closer. “What do you think your human life would be like?"

[tidaltow]

To those of you out there who ever had the fun curiosity, I wonder how I come off to other people . . . you clearly don’t have folks looking at you the way they look at Percy. They made it pretty clear what they thought about him, from the time he was a kid and people expected nothing of him, to all of the sudden having everyone expect everything of him, to apparently seeming like some untouchable jerk who “had it all together” and knew what he was doing 24/7—like he was born into being a hero and therefore had never struggled once.

Oh, boo-hoo, Percy Jackson; throw a pity party— Yeah, okay. He got it. Maybe he even understood, and maybe that was exactly the reason he felt the need to sit down honestly like this and make it entirely clear: Bro, I have no idea what I’m doing. (But, hey, when I figure it out, you’ll be one of the first I tell.) Something on his ever-growing list of “Things I Don’t Expect to Hear (But Usually End Up Hearing Anyway)” was being told he was scary to any degree, but even then . . . Leo confessing it more or less made it official.

Come to think of it, Frank and Hazel once stared at him like that: like they weren’t sure whether to be horrified or impressed by what he’d done. In the adrenaline of the moment, sure, Percy might not have paid it much mind, but the fact he could so clearly remember their faces said something.

Hey, if he was so intimidating without even trying, you’d think more monsters would buzz right off and leave him alone. Gods forbid that work in his favor.

Percy’s face twisted, something like a flinch. “My bad,” he admitted again, but forced himself to loosen up some as he stretched out his legs, spread his hands. “I mean, I could start wearing googly-eye glasses or something if that’d help.” There was no way a guy could be scary when he looked like that, right? Percy was positive even if someone was beating him to a pulp, he’d be struggling not to laugh the entire time. If anyone could figure something out to combat the “intimidation” factor, though, it’d be Leo. That being said, now Percy figured he ought to be worried about the outcome—

Talk about shooting yourself in the foot . . .

At the very least, Leo was actually smiling, now. When what seemed like a genuine grin split across his face, Percy realized how insanely contagious it was coming from him. (And, y’know? He liked it. He wanted that to happen more.) After a bark of laughter, Percy said, “If ‘uncoolness’ is a problem on this ship, I think we’re all in trouble.” But, no, that was definitely a lie. Percy actually thought all of them deserved a little bit of hype. “You don’t gotta thank me, man. This was something I wanted to do, so. Actually pretty cool of you to listen and, uh . . . talk to me.”

                  HE   FELT   INSTANT   GUILT   OF   DROPPING   SUCH   AN   HONEST   BOMB.   It   probably   made   him   look   more   like   an   idiot   than   before.   Leo   wanted   to   crawl   away   with   a   small   joke   that   ended   with   a   ‘Haha!   Gotcha!’.   Who   said   that?   Who   didn’t   have   at   least   one   friend   or   two   by   now?   Leo   had   been   so   alone,   so   ridiculed   by   so   many   that   basic   human   functions   were   a   foreign   concept.   

                  ��Or   maybe   it   was   never   other   people.   Maybe   it   was   you   that   distanced   yourself   until   it   was   foreign’.

                     THAT   COULD   BE   TRUE.   THAT   COULD   ALSO   PLAY   A   PART.   Leo   knew,   and   had   been   told   softly   by   others,   that   he   had   to   recognize   his   own   fault   for   this   great   weight.   It   was   a   step   forward.   He   had   to   be   honest   with   himself   and   others.   He   just   knew   he   dropped   something   heavy   on   someone   who   probably   wasn't   equipped   for   such   a   blow.   But   really…   everything   all   demi-gods   are   doing   now   wasn't something they were   really   equipped   for   this.   One   thing   was   for   sure—   demi-gods   grew   up   fast.   Faster   than   they   should   be.   Alas…   it   was   their   life.   A   fated   life   from   the   start.   

               NOT   ONLY   DID   HE   LOOK   LIKE   AN   IDIOT,   BUT   NOW   a   child.   Why   did   he   have   to   go   and   mention   his   mom?   Just   the   thought   made   his   eyes   prickle,   a   burning   sensation   behind   chocolate   hues.   She   had   been   everything   to   him,   and   he   had   only   known   her   for   a   short   time.   It   wasn’t   fair.   She   was   ripped   away   from   him   too   soon,   and   Leo   never   got   the   chance   to   say   anything   to   her,   to   let   her   know   how   much   he   appreciated   all   the   care   she   gave.

               PERCY’S   WORDS   ALMOST   SOUNDED   LIKE   PITY,   BUT   HE   SHOULD   KNOW   better.   From   what   he   already   figured   out   Percy,   the   man   never   said   anything   he   didn’t   mean…   unless   of   course   it   was   to   an   enemy.   From   what   he   could   tell,   Leo   wasn’t   that   to   Percy.   This   made   him   feel   more   at   ease,   and   for   once   Leo   allowed   himself   to   be   vulnerable.   He   sighed   with   that   relief,   his   shoulders   dropped   with   a   strong   intensity   which   almost   was   heartbreaking   in   itself,   “   Really?   ”   His   voice   didn’t   sound   like   his   own—   it   was   too   raw,   “   It   did,   and   still   does,   seem   like   you   have   it   all   together,   ”   Leo   offered   the   other   demo-god   a   small   smile,   a   timid   one,   “   I   won’t   lie   to   you,   man,   ”   a   small   pause   with   a   soft   breath,   “   I   thought   there   could   be   nothing   wrong   in   your   life.   Popular   at   camp,   saved   the   world   a   couple   of   times,   got   cool   powers…   I   mean   super   neat   type   of   guy.   You   did   give   me   the   chills   when   you   were   angry,   ”   he   admitted   through   a   nervous   chuckle,   “   Still   wrong   of   me   to   judge.   ”

                  LEO   FELT   WARMTH   SPREAD   IN   HIS   CHEST.   HE   WAS   RIGHT.   All   of   them   were   in   the   middle   of   trying   to   figure   things   out.   They   were   young   with   (hopefully)   a   long   life   ahead.   He   should   focus   on   the   now.   Not   the   past,   not   the   future,   but   here   with   this   quest.   He   should   see   that   all   of   them   were   just   as   nervous   and   frightened   for   it,   “   I—   yeah.   Yeah,   you’re   right,   ”   to   not   be   hard   on   himself?   That   was   going   to   take   longer   to   do,   “   Let’s   figure   it   out   together   then.   I   like   the   sound   of   that,   ”   a   huge   smile   spread   across   his   lips,   “   And,   uh,   thanks.   I   know   I   sound…   um…   well,   uncool,   but   I’m   just—   thanks,   man.   ”   How   does   he   go   back   to   making   jokes   now?   How   does   he   go   back   to   being   annoying?   His   cover   was   ruined...   well   for   Percy   anyway.   

[ohlympns]

You can also find me here @mistforms and here @pyredez for PJO anyway.

[tidaltow]

nobody look at my "let leo and percy be the besties canon robbed them of being" agenda ft. @pyredez (ꈍ ‸ ꈍ✿)

[lunarshifted]

                    Hello   and   welcome   to   lunarshifted.   This   is   an   independent   role   play   account   for   a   fandomless  original   character   that   has   a   few   verses within other fandoms.   This   character  has   taken   inspiration   from   some   source   material,   but   ultimately   of   my   creation.   Dark   themes   will   be   present   so   I   ask   that   you   are   at   least   20+   before   interacting.   Rules   are   under   the   cut,   and   a   few   links   will   be   present   to   help   you   about   my   blog.

Note: Bailey and his story is a WIP novel. He’s been a character that has been stuck in my head since 2016.

AJ.   She/her.   25.             About (WIP).   Promo.    Verses.             You   may   also   find   me:  silntfangs.  he11bambi. pyredez. oogeyman.

              Rules to follow! I'll keep it simple: Mun: My name's AJ! I love characters, love talking about them all the time. I love to read and write. I mostly read horror, and recently found it's actually a favorite genre of mine. I'm a nerd, a dork, hella shy, and would love to be your friend!

Selective. This is for my own sanity. I mostly made him to write with a few friends of mine, and really dive into him in different situations. All in all, if I follow you, that means I would LOVE to interact!

Shipping. His canon (main), Bailey is in a relationship (a friend's oc that I believe she won't be writing online). However, in other verses I am always open to shipping. If we aren't shipping, his boyfriend could potentially be mentioned in threads. If you are interested in shipping, please let me know! We can definitely see if things will click with our muses.

Heavy topics/dark themes. This blog will have heavy topics and dark themes, so please be aware of that before following. (examples: murder, gore, light mentions of abuse). With that also being said, I will not water down certain things about him because it also makes him as a character. If something is uncomfortable to you, please simply unfollow. I do try and tag everything as best as I can, but I am only human.

Please be kind and respectful! If there are any issues with me, please come to me in an appropriate manner. I don't bite, I promise. We all know we can't read each other's minds!

Drama. There will be NO drama on this blog. I don't tolerate in any form unless it's within a thread.

Controversial characters. Totally down to write with any type of character. I won't limit myself. If this bothers you, please do not follow.

Triggers. I'll tag what I can/remember. I will NOT write with drunk muses. This doesn't need to be tagged for your threads, I just don't want to deal with it one-on-one.

Formatting. If there is anything about my formatting for writing that bothers you, please feel free to message me. I'll be happy to change it for our threads.

OCs/Fandoms. Totally chill with OCs (clearly), just have some type of an about page. I can try and fit my muse into anything, and will follow blogs I can see working (even if I don't know the fandom).

Be patient! I have a full time job and a few other blogs I hop on. I usually go with the flow, see what muse I have. Plus please be aware that I struggle with depression. Some days are good and others not so much.

OOC. I love to chat ooc. Through IMs or discord. Whatever works for you. Although, discord is only open to mutuals.

Icons. I use icons, but that doesn't mean you have to do so! I'm fine with just paragraphs too! I'm not very picky when it comes to this.

MUTUALS ONLY!!!!

[silntfangs]

Where can you find your wild aj (aka a blogroll)?? Note: I'm always up for plotting even for blogs I'm low active on. I will change up active levels if need be, and add any new blogs if I make any. Which I should mention I have a few other blogs that I check and do things here and there, but aren't on this list.

Dwayne (The Lost Boys): silntfangs semi active Peter Pan (A dark rendition inspired by The Child Thief): pointdears active Bailey (Werewolf OC): lunarshifted low active Oogie Boogie (a mixed rendition of tnbc): oogeyman very low active Alastor (Hazbin Hotel): he11bambi very low active Leo Valdez (Percy Jackson): pyredez low active Multi-Muse (all Percy Jackson): ohlympns very low active

[volansvir]

"Do you think I don't understand what it is to be different?"

Questions II Accepting

Jason’s elbows rest on his knees, as he watches Leo. It seems like his friend is never not moving, so it draws Jason’s attention, which he can’t say he minds. Eye contact is… complicated sometimes, especially during a conversation like this one.

“Of course you do; demigods all do. Look, I’m just saying… y’know the Colossus of Rhodes? How the myth about it was that it straddled the harbor, one foot on one side, one foot on the other? We know now that’s not true, but sometimes that’s what I think of when I think about our camps.” Too Greek for the Romans, too Roman for the Greeks.

“I don’t think I’ll ever be able to pick just one to work at; so…” Jason shrugs. “It’s weird, that’s all I’m saying.” I’m weird.

“But we have more important stuff to think about anyway, right? Need a hand with the trireme? I can do some heavy lifting for you. Or you can have your turn complaining about feeling like the odd man out. You did listen to me, after all, and you just said you understand it.”

[publicabsent]

oh, she is freaked out. but there's no outlet that would be helpful -- besides, it gives her some sense of peace in knowing that everything she's ever seen isn't fake, isn't some wild delusion or anything like that. but his next question -- about her parents -- causes her breath to hitch & chills to run over her. it's no easy topic to breach, with all the absence & the neglect & the hatred. she squirms in her spot, hesitating. "th - that, um. i-i-isn-n' an e-eas-sy ques-stion. um." how can she phrase this? she looks away, clearly uncomfortable in thinking about it.

"i-i ... i know of m-my f-f-fath - ther. he ... he left, wh - when i was ... youn-nger." & her mother ... she had always denied being her mother. constantly stated that if it weren't illegal, the child would be out on the streets. that her father, the only family of hers in the world, didn't even want her & neither did anyone else. "& m-my mother is ... um. c-c-comp-plic-cated. um ... yeah." complicated is an understatement, but she leaves it at that.

               HER   VOICE   WAS   LIKE   AN   ELECTRIC   CURRENT,   MAKING   HIM   JUMP   at   the   very   sound   of   it.   He   muttered   something   in   Spanish   under   his   breath,   a   curse   of   sorts.   Leo   pulled   his   gaze   away   from   her,   looking   out   again   at   the   families   in   the   park.   He   let   out   a   small   breath,   and   his   fingers   stopped   fidgeting.   Leo   instead   placed   them   on   the   bench   they   were   both   sitting   on,   gripping   it   tightly.   

               SURPRISINGLY,   SHE   WAS   TAKING   THIS   NEWS   WELL.   IN   FACT,   SHE   was   more   worried   about   him   than   anything   else.   This   made   his   chest   tighten   to   the   point   he   couldn’t   breathe.   He   was   always   the   third   person,   the   last   person   to   be   noticed   or   cared   about,   “   I’m   fine,   ”   not   necessarily   the   whole   truth,   but   that's   another   story   for   another   time,   “   You’re   just   taking   this   so   well?   I   mean,   I   don’t   know…   I   know   I   freaked   out   a   little   when   I   found   out,   ”   a   small   pause   as   he   shrugged   his   shoulders,   “   But   then   things   started   to   make   sense,   ”   Leo   wondered   if   she   were   a   demigod   now,   “   Do   you   know   both   your   parents?   ”   the   question   came   out   more   bluntly   than   he   liked,   and   he   wished   he   could   have   been   more   tactful.  

[pyredez]

              Hello   and   welcome   all   to   pyredez!   This   is   an   independent,   private,   and   selective   Leo   Valdez from Percy Jackson   the   Olympians   &   The   Heroes   of   Olympus.   I’ll   be   combining   sources   from   the   books   and   my   own   headcanons.   Please   see   any   information   about   this   blog   down   below.   Rules   will   be   under   the   cut.   If   you   have   any   questions   or   concerns,   please   feel   free   to   message   me!   I   promise   I   am   very   friendly!

                AJ.   She/her.   25.                   info.   interest tracker. promo. headcanons. multi.

             "𝙂𝙤 𝙤𝙣, 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙛𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙤𝙧 𝙂𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙚! 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙖 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙖𝙣 𝘼 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙚𝙨𝙩.”

                Rules to follow! I'll keep it simple: Mun: My name's AJ! I love characters, love talking about them all the time. I love to read and write. I mostly read horror, and recently found it's actually a favorite genre of mine. I'm a nerd, a dork, hella shy, and would love to be your friend!

Please be kind and respectful! If there are any issues with me, please come to me in an appropriate manner. I don't bite, I promise. We all know we can't read each other's minds!

The Gods and Goddesses. As someone who is a devotee to one of the Greek Gods, I may have a different approach with how the children interact with their parents. I'll try to balance canon and how I view it.

NS.FW. Will not be present on this blog. Even though my main verse will be set a few years post the events in the books, I won't be writing it.

Shipping. I love to ship. It's one thing I do like to explore, but it isn't my top priority on this blog. If you're interested in shipping, just let me know. We can talk about our muses to see if they click well. I ask you just don't force ship anything. Side note I don't ship Leo and Calypso, so he won't be in a relationship with her.

Controversial characters. Totally down to write with any type of character. I won't limit myself. If this bothers you, please do not follow.

Triggers. I'll tag what I can/remember. I will NOT write with drunk muses. This doesn't need to be tagged for your threads, I just don't want to deal with it one-on-one.

Formatting. If there is anything about my formatting for writing that bothers you, please feel free to message me. I'll be happy to change it for our threads.

OCs/Fandoms. Totally chill with OCs, just have some type of an about page. I can try and fit my muses into anything, and will follow blogs I can see working (even if I don't know the fandom).

Be patient! I have a full time job and a few other blogs I hop on. I usually go with the flow, see what muse I have. Plus please be aware that I struggle with depression. Some days are good and others not so much.

OOC. I love to chat ooc. Through IMs or discord. Whatever works for you. Although, discord is only open to mutuals.

Icons. I don't use icons as of right now, but I have found a FC. I'll slowly be making icons when I get the chance. In general, you are free to use them or don't!

Movies & Show. I'm opened to discussing a way to flow them together since I base most of my blog around the books. Don't feel as though you can't approach me!

MUTUALS ONLY!!!!

[tidaltow]

MAINS

(Note: These are mains, not exclusives; it's possible to have more than one of the same canon character, as bonds develop! ♡)

Riordanverse Characters:

Annabeth (folkorae) – Wise Girl ♡

Leo (pyredez) – Partner in crime

Others:

Ari (earthssprout) – Favorite lil sis (and he'd be her favorite older bro if not for Leo... he'll live with it)

Kazuma (howthesleeplesswander) – Sword instructor and valued mentor

Enid (autopsified) – Nymph girlfriend

Scott (kindofuneven) – When in Brome, do as the Bromans do... or something (just another heroic guy doing his best)

[publicabsent]

something happen? her whole life has just been recontextualized, presumed delusions proven real. she sighs, leaning back to lay flat, looking up at the sky. all those stories -- she spots cygnus, & a distracted little pang hits her heart. (one of the many stories she'd read was that cygnus, that cluster of stars, was orpheus. that story always made her cry.) the stars have always been some small comfort, in everything.

"d'r-r-rath - ther b-be inv-v-vis-sible th - than ... um. a t-tar - targ-get. been b-both, so." a pause, staring up at the sky. how can it be the same, when everything else feels so different?

she turns her head, looking up at leo. "ev - ev-veryon-ne l - looks-s at me f-f-funny. i d'nn-no. s'like ... m'n-n-not in - inv-volv-v-ved en-nough t-t' bel - bel-lon-ng h-h-here, b-but not ... n-norm-mal en-nough t'n-not be - bel-long, ei - eith-ther. s'w-weird." like she has one foot in each world, but neither really wants her there. strange.

               HE   HAD   FELT   RESPONSIBLE   FOR   HER   AFTER   THEIR   FIRST   MEETING.   Learning   that   such   a   world   existed   could   be   a   lot,   and   to   see   some   of   those   things?   No   one   believing   you?   It   was   tough   and   infuriating.   Leo   had   no   idea   how   she   could   see   through   The   Mist   so   easily.   Maybe   it   had   to   deal   with   her   open   mindedness,   or   her   sensitivity   to   see   more   than   what   reality   had   to   offer?   Probably   something   like   that.   How   was   Leo   to   know?   He   ought   to   pay   more   attention   during   lessons.

               HIS   HEAD   TILTED,   LISTENING   TO   HER   WITH   A   SMALL   SMILE.   Leo   was   glad   he   at   least   earned   a   small   smile   from   her.   Good.   He   never   liked   when   others   were   too   upset   or   down.   Why   have   a   frown   when   it   could   be   turned   upside   down?   Sadly,   he   knew   it   was   also   important   to   handle   the   heavier   stuff   too,   “   You’re   welcome.   ”

               LEO   CLICKED   HIS   TONGUE.   BROWN   EYES   LIFTED   TO   THE   STARS   again,   “   The   thing   is,   we   shouldn’t   have   to   feel   used   to   it,   ”   his   voice   a   little   sad,   a   little   angry   too,   “   It’s   not   a   fun   feeling.   I   get   it,   ”   he   again   looked   at   her,   “   Something   happen   to   bring   this   up?   ”

[tidaltow]

So, mere seconds ago, Percy was already thinking to himself, Okay, great. I’m making progress here. The guy’s opening up to me, probably doesn’t think I’m the worst person in the universe anymore, might actually be on the path to becoming real friends—mission accomplished. What he hadn’t taken into account was that this could actually go deeper. That he’d just been wiggling his toes in the wet sand from the tide, and now he was getting straight-up yanked into the undertow. Because just when Percy had accepted that Leo would likely need a lot more time before anything went any further . . . the kid just went ahead and dropped the most honest, and likely the most heart-breaking thing Percy had ever heard:

I don’t know how friends work.

The way it just kinda fell out made Percy think it wasn’t totally intentional, just one of those debilitating thoughts you usually keep to yourself up until something (or someone?) finally pushes you over the edge and it spills everywhere. Almost immediately after saying it, Leo’s attention darted away like a spooked alley cat, which was just as well, considering Percy couldn’t help staring at him from the shock of it all. (And he had been doing a lot of that lately, hadn’t he? Way to make the guy feel comfortable, Percy. Just keep on gawking at him.)

He didn’t have time to say anything between his dumb surprise and Leo hastily shoeing in an afterthought. Or two. Or three. Percy was sure that moment of silence didn’t exactly help matters—and was equally wondering when he’d shoved his own foot in his mouth—but when he eventually got around to at least attempting some sort of response, Leo really just . . . dragged him deeper. All it took was the mention of his mom, that telltale crackle in his voice, and Percy managed to bridge a few gaps without needing to ask.

“Hey, me too.” It was the best he could do on short-notice: a thread of relatability the two of them could follow while Percy silently digested everything else Leo had just spouted. He tried to maintain a cool demeanor (“cool” as in . . . calm; Percy knew he wasn’t cool cool), combatting those nerves clearly still taking hold of Leo, and he hoped it showed in his smile. “On, uh . . . both accounts. Just to be clear. I didn’t really have any friends until Camp Half-Blood. Well— Okay, not true. Grover would kill me if he heard me say that, but . . . I just mean I’m not exactly popular in the ‘real world.’ And plenty of half-bloods hated me for awhile too—some still do.”

His shoulders hunched a bit. “Now, that must sound stupid: ‘Mr. Hero’ complaining about not being the popular kid . . . I probably look like a big jerk, which is saying something after how I treated you back there.” A grimace twisted his face, but he met Leo’s eyes earnestly. “I guess I just mean . . . all of us are figuring this out, y’know? No different than we’re figuring out this quest: we’re doing it together. And that includes you. You don’t gotta be so hard on yourself.”

               LEO   UNDERSTOOD   THAT   ABILITIES   FROM   A   DEMIGOD,   IF   THEY   HAD   any,   could   be   unconsciously   influenced   by   their   emotions.   He   knew   how   dangerous   it   could   be   if   they   got   out   of   control,   and   he   also   knew   just   how   damaging   his   own   could   be   too.   Which   was   why   he   was   annoyed   at   seeing   the   smoke,   or   feeling   the   plastic   bend   under   him   from   the   heat.   It   was   more   annoying   than   helpful   right   now.   In   fact,   he   felt   like   everything   he   had   done   for   this   trip   was   useless   and   unnecessary—   well,   besides   the   ship.   He   knew   that   was   important   even   if   he   fired   on   New   Rome.   

               PERCY’S   KINDNESS   WAS   SOMETHING   HE   PREFERRED   OVER   THE   FRUSTRATION   AND   anger   he   saw   on   his   face.   First,   Leo   was   angry   himself.   Why   did   he   immediately   think   he   did   it   on   purpose?   They   were   on   the   same   side,   from   the   same   camp   no   less.   Secondly,   he   was   a   little   frightened   by   the   face   that   had   scowled   down.   Despite   seeing   it   many   times   before,   it   stung   more   because   they   were   on   the   same   side.   Lastly,   he   was   disappointed.   He   was   disappointed   in   himself,   and   that   the   great   Percy   Jackson   had   been   a   jerk—   but   those   weren’t   fair   judgements   at   the   time,   and   still   aren’t.   In   fact,   Leo   could   understand   why   it   led   him   to   react   the   way   he   did.   Gods,   Leo   was   sure   he   would   be   the   same   way   too.   Thank   the   Gods   there   wasn’t   a   large   water   source   nearby.

                  EVEN   THEN,   LEO   DECIDED   THE   BEST   OPTION   WAS   JUST   TO   keep   a   low   profile.   Hide   away   in   the   engine   room?   Best   bet   out   of   all   the   places.   Leo   was   either   here   or   at   the   helm.   It   was   the   only   places   he   knew   for   sure   he   couldn’t   mess   up…   right?   It   was   his   ship   after   all   to   which   he   knew   best.   Leo   just   hoped   everyone   felt   safe   with   him,   or   at   least   had   some   trust   in   him   again.   

               A   SMALL   SMILE   TWITCHED   AT   THE   CORNER   OF   HIS   LIPS,   a   little   sad   one.   Jason   and   Piper   were   his   friends,   the   ones   that   understood   how   and   who   he   was.   Jason   had   been   the   first   person   Leo   had   opened   up   to   about   his   life,   and   then   a   little   more   to   both   of   them.   He   cared   about   them   deeply,   wanted   to   talk   to   them   in   fact,   but   he   was   scared   to   do   so.   He   was   scared   that   he   might   get   rejected   for   what   he   did   (didn’t?)   do.   He   didn’t   want   to   see   those   faces   twisted   with   annoyance   and   anger,   no,   not   from   them.   The   others?   Sure,   fine,   but   not   them.   Leo   wasn’t   so   sure   what   he   would   do   if   those   two   decided   to   not   like   him   one   day.   

               LEO   BEGAN   TO   FIDDLE   WITH   HIS   FINGERS.   HE   SHOULD   FIND   something   to   do   with   his   hands,   get   some   wires   or   bolts,   but   he   didn’t   dare.   He   felt   as   if   he   moved,   made   himself   look   more   like   an   outcast,   Percy   would   change   his   mind   with   this   kind   conversation.   His   kind   conversation.   Leo   felt   his   heart   swell,   and   then   drop.   This   was   a   decent   talk,   one   where   Leo   had   just   cracked   enough   of   his   surface   for   Percy   to   see.   This   thought   only   made   him   fidget   more.   What   was   he   doing?   Why   was   he   doing   it?   Leo   wanted   to   combust   right   at   the   second,   but   he   figured   Percy   would   just   set   him   out,   “   I   guess   I…   I   guess   I   don’t   know   how   friends   work.   ”   It   was   so   brutally   honest   that   it   hurt.   

                  HIS   GAZE   FELL   AWAY   FROM   PERCY   THEN.   TO   ADMIT   THAT   made   him   feel   like   a   young   boy   again.   Just   a   young   boy   who   was   trying   to   understand   the   world   around   him,   and   make   friends   on   the   playground.   Leo   bit   down   on   the   inside   of   his   cheek,   swearing   to   himself   in   Spanish   and   English,   ���   I-I   mean   that—   I   understand   friendships,   ”   Leo   wanted   to   cover   himself,   save   whatever   bits   and   pieces   he   had   left,   “   I   guess   I   just   mean   that   I   never,   uh…   um,   had   many   before?   ”   How   lame   does   that   sound?

               LEO   HUFFED,      A   HEAVY   SOUND   THAT   WAS   CHOKED   AROUND   A   laugh,   “   Sorry.   That   must   sound   stupid,   ”   embarrassment   gripped   Leo   by   the   collar,   “   I   just   talked   with   my   mom   the   most.   ”   His   voice   cracked   around   the   mention   of   her.   

[tidaltow]

Percy wondered if this whole . . . smoke thing he was noticing about Leo was anything like his own propensity for exploding toilets. (Wow, okay, he really needed to just go with “plumbing” or something because the whole “exploding toilets” phrase did not make him look good for a multitude of reasons.) It had to be emotionally-driven—plenty of demigod powers were, as far as he knew—and he swore little trails of the stuff had been rising off of the guy ever since Percy set foot in here . . . now that Percy could tell it was coming from him and not just the machine room in general. Heck, he didn’t know how machines worked and what was and wasn’t supposed to smoke.

Should he have been concerned about the possibility of Leo just bursting into flames at any given second . . . ? Sure, maybe. If he wasn’t the son of Poseidon and he wasn’t fully committed to trusting Leo. That was what he deserved, after all: people believing in him instead of doubting him. Percy decided right then that he’d be the former. No matter what.

And then he realized he was a little caught up in his own thoughts, nearly missed Leo’s response to a question he’d pointedly asked. Thankfully, Percy caught it in time.

“Gotcha.” He intervened when Leo trailed off, giving him only a second of silence to check he had nothing more to say before alleviating the pressure to say more. But, naturally, this just meant Percy was in the hot seat (figuratively . . . Leo was definitely still there literally), and that kind of sucked when he wasn’t totally sure what more he should say. Well, what more to say that didn’t just sound like a coddling mother and a figure Percy definitely wasn’t going to even pretend to be. “You know—?” So what if that was a little bit of a placeholder to buy him some time?

He shrugged before continuing. “I think they’d want you to talk to them about it.” Maybe he couldn’t speak for them individually. Maybe he didn’t know them well enough to really get them, but what he did know—? They cared about Leo. He saw it even if Leo didn’t. And maybe Leo just as well needed to learn how to trust on his end, too. “I mean, something like this . . . ? Well, anything that’s bothering you— Friends want to know that stuff, y’know? They definitely don’t want you carrying a million and one burdens alone, at least.”

—said the guy who continued to try to do that way too often. Shut up. —said the guy now talking to himself.

Whatever.

               THAT   WAS…   PRETTY   MUCH   LEO’S   WHOLE   EXISTENCE.   HOWEVER,   HIS   WAS   more   of   an   ‘Oops!   I   didn’t   mean   it’,   but   people   still   took   it   as   if   he   were   truly   this   cruel.   Everything   had   been   an   accident,   everything   seemed   to   just   fall   on   Leo.   It   was   natural   for   things   to   do   that,   and   that   was   why   humor   was   the   best   way   to   hide   everything.   Deflect   on   the   pain   that   curled   in   on   him   and   died.   

            HEARING   THOSE   WORDS,   AN   APOLOGY,   SOMETHING   SO   SIMPLE   IT   MEANT   the   world   to   him.   Truly.   A   man   such   as   himself   who   apologized   almost   every   second   of   every   day,   finally   heard   those   words   reach   out   to   him.   The   best   part   was…   it   was   meaningful.   Percy   meant   every   bit   of   that   apology,   and   that   was   what   caused   Leo’s   walls   to   fumble.   He   was   getting   what   was   deserved—   deserved   in   the   best   way   possible.   It   felt   almost   too   good   to   be   true.   He   expected   the   rest   of   the   crew   to   jump   out,   and   yell   ‘Gotcha’   on   the   top   of   their   lungs   while   they   pointed   and   laughed.   A   childish   thought,   but   something   that   he   knew   could   happen   to   him.   

               PERCY’S   WORDS   MADE   LEO   SMILE.   DID   HE   TALK   WITH   ANYONE   about   this?   Of   course   not.   Though,   Leo   also   knew   Percy   didn’t   mean   anything   by   it,   and   was   truly   worried   about   how   Leo   felt.   It   was   a   first—   no.   No   it   wasn’t.   What   was   Jason   and   Piper?   His   real   first   friends,   ones   he   would   do   anything   to   protect.   

               With   humor   or   fire,   Leo   would   protect   them.

               LEO   LOOKED   DOWN   AT   HIS   FEET.   HE   COULD   SEE   HOW   the   smoke   curled   around   his   legs   which   forced   Leo   to   calm   himself   down.   Emotions   always   made   him   smoke,   and   he   knew   he   had   to   clear   his   mind   before   he   set   some   body   part   of   his   on   fire,   “   Talked   to   anyone?   No,   man,   ”   Leo   said   with   a   small   shake   of   his   curls,   “   I   half   mentioned   it   with   Piper   and   Jason.   I   just   never   really…   ”   he   trailed   off.   Leo   wasn’t   so   sure   how   to   answer   that   question   without   seeming   like   a   complete   loser,   “   I—   no.   ” 

           WHY   BOTHER   PIPER?   WHY   BOTHER   JASON?   THEY   WERE   HAPPY   TOGETHER,   and   everyone   else   on   this   ship   had   their   person.   They   had   their   person   and   little   group.   Leo   was   the   single   one   out.   He   was   the   outsider   in   their   group   of   misfits.  

[tidaltow]

“I like to keep people on their toes,” Percy confessed, which pretty much was another way of saying, I’m a chill dude until I’m not. But this felt good, finally; it felt like the two of them had made some progress, that Leo wouldn’t be ducking his head and shrinking into himself like a beaten dog each time Percy crossed him . . . and that was a step in the very right direction. Of course, Percy reminded himself that could only be maintained if he didn’t fly off the handle—but now that he’d had even a small chance to talk to the kid one-on-one . . . it felt less likely. He understood Leo Valdez a little bit better.

He understood Leo was more used to being the guy giving apologies than the guy receiving them. And, man, Percy knew what that was like: the “having to explain yourself every single time one little thing goes wrong because people always think it’s your fault” gig. Maybe all the demigods deserved a written guidebook, something like How to Stop Apologizing for Your Parents’ Mistakes, Vol I (since something like that deserved about ten volumes).

Regardless, the stifling air seemed . . . less stifling, now. Percy leaned back more comfortably, lifted one leg to rest that ankle on the opposite knee. He studied the mechanic for a moment, then, “Did you get to talk to anyone else about what happened?” Gods, he hoped he didn’t still sound like he was interrogating him; by now, it was just genuine curiosity and concern. “I mean, I guess only you, me, and Jason have any, er . . . solidarity in the whole ‘mind-hijacking’ thing, but with you and him being . . . close”—it seemed—“I just figured maybe you two got the chance to commiserate.”

But what was he saying? Social protocol dictated that guys didn’t talk about their feelings with each other. Guess he was really keeping people on their toes by pursuing any of this. He wasn’t about to disappoint by stopping now.

               THE   POISONOUS   WORDS   WERE   ON   REPEAT   IN   THE   BACK   OF   his   mind.   They   stayed   at   a   low   hum,   just   a   vibration,   but   it   was   times   like   this   that   they   roared   back   to   his   reality:   He   was   the   devil’s   child,   he   brought   Hell   upon   those   around   him,   and   everything   was   his   fault.   Why   couldn’t   and   shouldn’t   he   not   believe   them?   There   was   not   one   situation   where   it   proved   otherwise.   More   so,   it   wasn’t   enough   to   lift   those   heavy   thoughts   that   weighed   him   down.   They   were   crushing,   made   it   hard   to   breathe   at   times,   but   that   was   all   he   had   ever   known,   wasn’t   it?

               HIS   EYES   LIFTED   FROM   THE   GROUND   AS   PERCY   SPOKE.   HE   didn’t   say   what   most   would   have—   what   most   have   already   said   to   him.   Leo   knew   that   no   one   could   understand   the   exact   pain   someone   was   going   through,   but   they   can   definitely   relate   to   some   degree.   It   was   enough,   and   it   did   set   him   at   ease   especially   with   Percy   didn’t   make   it   seem…   suffocating?   He   just   didn’t   add   to   Leo’s   worry,   he   didn’t   make   him   feel   like   a   burden.   

               A   SMALL   SMILE   TWITCHED   AT   THE   CORNER   OF   HIS   LIPS.   Leo   shook   his   head,   lifting   a   hand   to   rub   at   the   back   of   his   neck,   “   Yeah,   Jason   is   Mister   Perfect,   ”   a   lie.   Leo   had   seen   how   much   he   struggled   with   his   own   issues,   but   it   was   fun   to   poke   at   him   a   little.   Besides,   shouldn’t   he   be   able   to   mess   around   with   him   a   little?   The   guy   was   like   his   first   ever   friend   along   with   Piper.   He   figured   it   was   safe   to   do…

               You   don’t   want   to   ruin   your   first   good   friendships.   

               LEO   CONTINUED   TO   BREATHE   EASILY   WHICH   WAS   SURPRISING   SINCE   THIS   guy   could   break   him   like   a   toothpick.   Still,   there   was   something   about   him   that…   felt   calm.   Calm   and   relaxing,   much   like   the   ocean   with   its   calm   waves   (at   times).   Funny.   It   was   funny   given   who   his   father   was.   Maybe   that   had   to   do   with   something   with   demigods.   Maybe   they   bring   the   aura   of   their   parents.   Then   that   would   make   sense   why   Leo   felt   like   a   mistake.   A   very   depressing   thought,   but   one   that   he   felt   he   was   onto   something   with,   “   Thanks,   man.   I,   uh,   appreciate   it.   I   guess   you   really   caught   me   by   surprise—   which   doesn’t   happen   often,   ”   it   did,   but   he   managed   a   confident   smile,   “   So   good   on   you   for   that.   ”

[publicabsent]

at his confirmation, her gaze fixates itself on the ground at her feet. any sort of response is lost on her, the realization not as earth-shattering as she thinks it should be. greek myths -- all those stories she enjoyed when she was little, things that her father (on the rare occasions he acknowledged her) told her were old family stories, they were true. not only that, but those things still come back. yellow sneaker kicks at the dirt, her silence feeling heavy even on her.

"i ... i f-feel ... as th - though i sh-shoul-ld be. um. sur -- surp-prised. b-but ..." she trails off, a small shrug given. it's just a relief to know she isn't crazy. they're not hallucinations, or delusions, or anything of the sort. she's maybe one of the only ones who knows the truth. earthy gaze drifts to her new companion, his energy all but coming off him in waves. "y-you, um ... y-y-you ok-kay ... ?"

               ANXIETY   SWARMED   WITHIN   HIS   STOMACH,   FLUTTERING   TIGHT   IN   HIS   CHEST.   He   shouldn’t   be   talking   about   this   so   openly,   but   she   deserved   to   know.   Especially   given   she   could   see   the   monsters,   even   had   some   vague   idea   of   seeing   the   gods.   Leo   just   wanted   her   to   be   aware,   to   be   safe   out   in   the   world.   Chiron   would   have   to   see   his   reasoning,   right?   The   least   he   could   do   was   not   take   her   to   camp   until   he   had   a   chat   with   the   centaur.

               LEO   TILTED   HIS   HEAD,   CHOCOLATE   EYES   ON   THE   GROUND   WHILE   his   fingers   started   to   fidget   with   themselves,   “   If   you   know   the   stories   then   maybe   now   some   things   sort   of   make   sense?   ”   he   shrugged   his   shoulders,   letting   out   a   heavy   breath,   “   I,   uh…   yeah,   ”   he   confirmed   as   he   finally   lifted   his   gaze   to   look   at   her,   “   It’s   true.   All   those   stories   are   true—   the   gods   are   real.   ”

[publicabsent]

she sits small on the bench, crossing ankles & tucking her feet as close to under the bench as she can. she knew it hadn't been a storm -- she saw that it wasn't a storm. (granted, past experiences had told her she couldn't believe what she saw. but now it turns out she could.) but myths? that gives her pause. myths are called that because they aren't real, right? brows furrow, eyes wide as she turns to look at leo.

"l - like, um ... th - the o-o-od-dess-s-s-sy ... ? i m - i m-mean i ... i kn-n-now ab-bout them, but --" they're just stories, she wants to say. but when she thinks about it ... the things she's seen, both in person & not, do align with some of the monsters from those stories. her expression drops, disbelieving.

"y-you d - don-n' m-m-mean --"

                  ONCE   THEY   MAKE   IT   DOWN   THE   STREET,   HE   SAW   WHAT   he   has   been   looking   for.   There   in   the   distance   was   a   nice   park.   Families   were   about,   but   that   was   fine.   They   wouldn’t   be   listening   to   their   conversation   anyway.   They   were   attentive   parents,   and   something   about   that   made   Leo’s   stomach   flip.   He   wished   his   mom   was   still   here—   he   wished   he   had   a   loving   family   like   those   in   the   park.   

               HE   CAME   BACK   TO   FOCUS   WHEN   HE   HEARD   HER   WORDS.   It   was   supposed   to   appear   as   a   storm,   but   she   saw   through.   She   saw   the   Titan   Army   attack   and   the   gods.   Leo   wasn’t   so   certain   if   he   should   explain   the   reality   of   it,   or   if   he   should   convince   her   all   of   it   was   in   fact   a   storm—   no.   No   he   couldn’t   do   that.   She   saw   the   monster   he   cooked   to   a   crisp.   How   would   he   explain   that   one?   He   wished   he   knew   what   Jason   would   say,   or   even   wished   he   had   Piper’s   charmspeak.

            LEO   FOUND   A   BENCH   UNDER   A   TREE,   AND   GUIDED   THEM   to   it.   Once   there,   he   took   a   seat   while   motioning   her   to   do   the   same,   “   Well,   for   one   thing,   the   news   got   it   wrong.   It   wasn’t   a   freak   storm,   ”   his   brown   eyes   were   on   the   families,   “   Do   you   believe   in   the   Greek   Gods   and   myths?   ”