Percy was gazing at him with a fond exasperation, and intertwined their fingers. Leo felt himself relent almost immediately, tightening his hand around Percy's with a good-natured sigh.

Yeah, he was being stupid and stubborn when he shouldn't be. Percy's right, he thought bitterly. How do you expect to hide something like this from the gods?

Mistaking his expression, Percy's smile faded. "Leo, we don't have to tell them if you really don't want to."

Leo glanced sidelong into sea-green eyes and mentally kicked himself for doubting him no matter what was going on. Percy wasn't the type to say what he didn't mean.

How do you exist in the same world as me?

Still... "You're Poseidon's favorite." He loved the pleased blush that crept onto Percy's face every time. "It's different for you. There's nothing you could ever do to make him hate you."

Percy's patient smile was back on his face, alerting Leo to the fact that he must have just said something stupid. "You're Hephaestus' favorite, too," he said reasonably. "He doesn't give fire to just anyone."

And Leo had never once ever thought of it like that. "Well... that's different," he insisted, feeling his face heat up despite himself. "My dad would never be able to talk me out of you."

It was as he said them he realized the words were a mistake; Percy's eyes widened, and his fingers around Leo's slackened.

Leo clutched at his hand; he could only think, a little frantically, I have to fix this.

"That's not what I meant! I meant, I just don't care about my dad's opinion as much about you care about your's- I mean, you really love your dad, right? Mine just kinda pisses me off- I mean, no, I love him too- But I'm just really stupid, okay? And stubborn and once I have something, and it's mine and it's good"- like Festus- "I'll never want to let it go no matter what anyone says, no matter if it's better for me not to have it, if it's good and it's mine- "

Not a lot can shut him up as completely as a kiss can, a fact Percy learned pretty early on and a tactic he used freely. Leo's words fell away into pure, swirling thoughtlessness and he stood motionlessly in the circle of the young earthshaker's arms. When the latter pullled back, a grin was tugging at the corners of his mouth that made Leo weak at the knees in relief and...well, love, too.

"It'll be okay, Leo."

He had no proof. He had no credible evidence that their fathers, Gods of the sea and fire, wouldn't turn on them completely, or at least punish them some way. He hadn't even guaranteed that he wouldn't let his mind be swayed one way or another.

He has no proof at all that things will turn out okay, Leo thought a little dazedly, as Percy took him by the hand again, and led him forward, but I believe him.

With everything I am, I believe him.

Let the gods think what they want.