Okay this is a Percy/Hephaestus one shot with slight Percy/Annabeth.
This was requested by Mythomagic-Champion
Just going to say I don't like this story but honestly this is all I could think of for this one.
I hope you enjoy.
I in no way own PJatO or HoO
He looks into those eyes and he doesn't see the bronze. No he sees green, green like the ocean, a colour that he can't see to replicate in his robots.
And beyond that there is the inner working of a mind, a human mind that while many try cannot be replaced or forged again with metal and cogs, no matter how hard he tries.
He feels the soft skin and he presses down just to watch it spring back up and go from a place colour to a white colour. And he can't replicate this in his robots; instead they have a harsh outer coating.
He never realised how much he craved human comfort, until he saw the boy, not for the first time. No. Because he was still a young boy and he unlike many others lost his old ways, this was seen through his use of technologies, and the way he had welcomed electricity when the others took time to do so.
No. He fell and craved when he saw him after he saved the world for the second time in a few short years.
The way he walked into the throne room, his friends not far behind him, the way he held himself, like a true prince of the sea, the way he seemed to shy away from their attention, while also welcoming it, how he looked so heroic even as he held the daughter of Athena's hand and Hephaestus fell, long and hard for the boy.
His mind shut off from mechanics and centred on different things mostly on the sea and how the waves would crash and the tides would push and pull, but each time he found himself staring at green eyes that he swore were as deep as the sea.
His mind flew off of mechanics and how they worked, and most of his time was spent reading up on the ocean. Trying to figure out the mechanics of how the waves pulled and pushed, but he found nothing that could work in his mind. Nothing that explained the ocean in a way he understood.
"There are no mechanics of the ocean." The boy laughed his head tilting back in amusement as he looked back at the confused god. He smiled and he was lost in the blinding smile. "It is more," he frowned trying to find the word; really he didn't know how to explain the ocean. "It is living." He said looking out over the ocean with a fond smile that the god couldn't help but smile back at.
That was when he realised he was smitten.
He watched the way the boy looked out onto the ocean with pride, as if he had created it and Hephaestus shared a look when he looked at his machines a love and caring that he had for them.
He was mesmerised when he fell into those deep eyes and he almost never wanted to resurface, he wanted to continue to swim in those eyes as if he had no care in the world as if he could forget about his physical misfortunes.
He looks into those eyes and unlike others he doesn't flinch, he doesn't rear his head in disgust and swear or curse, no he looks at him as if his face wasn't marred as if his body wasn't disfigured and for once the smith god feels beautiful even if the boy won't give in to his requests of love or a date.
He just laughs the god of and tells him he is straight.
And Hephaestus wants to tell him that he is straight as well and that he can't explain his attraction to the younger man.
But despite this he still talks to him, he still goes on quests for him and on occasions he will visit with nothing but a smile and that is enough for the god to forget about his newest invention or the repairs he is making on an auto matron.
He can't hold back his affection for the boy, even if he refuses to touch him to allow himself that small piece of ecstasy because he fears if he did then the boy would run away and once again he will be left alone without love or enjoyment.
He makes adjustments to the boy cabin when he is away, they are small and slight and he wonders if he notices them, but when he sees that smile widen and the look of joy and excitement in his eyes when he visits.
"You built this for me?" he asks one day an iPod in his hands, it shimmers like celestial Bronze and weighs less than a feather. Percy looks down at it and then back up towards the smith god with a smile.
He doesn't mention it is a shield; he wants to wait until he finds it out for himself.
The god blushes slightly and grunts out a quick and barely audible yes. Percy smiles in response and takes up his usual position in sitting on one of the benches, the god made sure it was cleared at all hours of the day, so that he can sit on it.
He picks something out of his pocket and Hephaestus grumbles as he hears the unfurling of paper. He turns around and faces the boy with an incredulous smile, Percy smiles back a blush on his cheeks and the god gets excited.
This is the moment he has been waiting for the day he finally fell for him.
He hates himself for getting excited, but his hands start to shake until he sees what's on the paper, it is simple and beautiful but it breaks his heart.
And he hates himself for getting excited.
For getting his hopes up.
It is a ring it's simple and elegant and he looks at the carvings and he knows who it is for.
Percy smiles unaware of what has happened to the normally quiet god.
"It's a ring. I'm going to ask Annabeth to marry Me." he says his eyes shining and Hephaestus starts to hate that shine.
The god stares at the ring and smiles bitterly at the boy before him.
Because he is not use to happy endings and he should know that he would never get a happy ending.
And he hates himself for trying.
Once again this is dodgy, but I wanted to get it out and over and done with.
I hoped you enjoyed it anyway.
Please Review and tell me what you thought.