Authors Note: Hey fellow demigods! Wow, that was cheesy… Anyway, I would like to thank you guys for following me and the story and the awesome reviews! You guys are amazing! Sorry I haven't been able to update as quickly as I would like (I try to update every weekend). It's just school and deadlines and stuff. But that won't stop me! Ha! Ha! So question of the day: Who's pre-ordered and pumped for the House of Hades? Bonus question: Who do you thinks going to close the doors of death (Don't be Nico! Don't be Leo!) Anyway guys enjoy!

The apartment was serenaded with the snores of its residents and the revving of buses. Everyone was fast asleep, relaxed, getting ready for the day ahead.

And then there was Leo.

Leo, who lay staring up at the dark ceiling, twirling a piece of lint in his hand. Tonight was the night. It was time for him to leave. Just as it's always been. He told himself that, but he couldn't shake the feeling of…he didn't even know what to call it. Uneasiness? Regret? All he knew was it wasn't going to help his case at all.

He slowly sat up, cursing the comforter for rustling so much, and peered at Percy. The sea prince was knocked out, to say the least. His fierce oceans, that were usually so wide and alert, were screwed shut. His jet black hair was sprawled about over his pillow, and his frame was huddled up into a ball. Leo stared at the guy for a moment. For the first time, Percy wasn't so intimidating. For the first time Leo's known him, he looked like a regular teenage boy. Not the Savoir of Olympus, or the Giant Slayer, or the decorated son of the sea god. Just Percy.

Focus, Leo scolded himself. He had a mission to accomplish: get the heck out of here.

Leo threw one foot over the side of the aero bed, waited a breath, and then threw the other over. He put his hands on either side of his body and lifted himself up. Truth be told, Leo actually has amazing upper body strength. Being able to lift himself up for over 3 minutes without even breaking a sweat. He wouldn't show it at Camp, of course, it wasn't something that people needed to know.

He tiptoed out the room and down the hall, turning around and stopping whenever he thought that someone had woken up.

All the while, his mind was playing tug-of-war with his body. Pulling him, begging him, to go back, lie down, and go to sleep. Being the stubborn boy he's always been, he continued down the hallway.

What he was doing was legit, right? He thought his reasoning was completely understandable…wasn't it? Come to think of it, Sally and Paul have been nothing but nice to him, earlier was completely his wrong doings, he deserved that. So in retrospect, why was he running away, again?

Because I can, he thought, angry with himself for trying to persuade him otherwise. But really…

What's the point of running, when you have nobody to run to?

He stopped in his tracks; hand on the golden door handle.

Come on, he urged his limbs, Go

This is what needed to happen, he was born to run. He couldn't be tied down to anything, in fear of becoming attached. He needed to start over…back to square one. Then repeat.

If you really wanted to leave, his mind whispered, why'd you leave your bag?

"Leo?"

He whipped around, pupils the size of a pencil point.

"Percy-"

"Why are you up so late at night?"

He swallowed, "I-"

"And why are you holding the door handle?"

Este maldito maldición escupir, he cursed

For a long time they just stared at each other, Percy giving Leo a chance to explain, but nothing came forth out of Leo's mouth.

Then Percy spoke up-

"Are you", Pause, "Leaving?"

That was when he lost control of his brain.

"Simplemente no soporto esto esto es bull probablemente ni siquiera ustedes no quieran-"

Percy took a step towards him, "Whoa. Leo, man, it's okay-"

"Cállate No puede ser expulsado fuera de cada casa puesto en y cada familia envían a y todos los archivos de los interrogatorios y de la policía y las niñeras locas y todas las madres muertas y-"

"Leo!" Percy grasped Leo's shoulders with painful force and looked him straight in the eye, "What are you talking about?!"

Leo watched as Percy's image morphed into a blurry mess. What was he talking about? He was speaking so fast the words didn't have time to reach his ears by the time the next sentence was out.

Leo gasped in pure horror as he felt a hot tear race its way down his cheek. And another one…and another one…another one…he was crying…

In front of Percy Jackson.

Percy disassembled his painful grasp and took a step back, remorse laced through his emerald eyes.

"I didn't mean to…make you cry…" he whispered.

Leo wiped at his eyes in vain, "No. No. It's not your fault I was just-"

"Leaving?" Percy said, determined not to break Leo's gaze, "Why?"

Why.

Why.

Why!?

"Because" Leo shut up, "What's the point in me being around here-" Shut Up, "If all I do is make things difficult?"

Here we go.

Leo took a deep breath, "So far I've managed to get you basically taken away from your Dad! Us arrested! Banned from the only mall within 20 blocks from here! Taken-"

"Leo, shut up" Percy deadpanned. Leo stared with wide eyes, now filled with shameful tears.

"Bu-"

"Shut up" Percy snapped again, "Stop blaming yourself for everything that goes wrong. You're getting yourself worked up over nothing"

"But your Dad-"

"Ha. You really think some stupid warning from Paul will be enough to stop me from seeing the all-powerful god of the seas? Fat chance"

Against all odds, Leo chuckled, choking, but chuckled.

"Plus" Percy continued, "It's tough out there for a lone demigod of…what? 16? Not a good idea"

Percy put his hands on Leo's shoulders, "You shouldn't just run away whenever you have a problem, Leo, please stay"

Piper's right, Leo thought, Percy does look like a baby seal whenever he pleads.

It was quiet…nothing but the snores of its residents and the revving of buses. Everything was still.

Except for the light footsteps of the two demigods, making their way back into the sea prince's room.

To be continued…