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Leo takes a gulp of wine as Epimetheus keeps on complaining. He fixates on a particular crack in the marble counting its branches. Why did he have to pick a marble temple with only a throne and an ugly clay pot to live in. It's so boring.
“We were the strongest and then what, Zeus comes out of nowhere. Like why did all Titans automatically become the bad guys?”
Leo pulls his silk kimono tighter as he feels a breeze, he really wishes he was wearing more.
He shifts on Epimetheus’s lap looping his arms around his neck looks at his face like he’s a particularly interesting machine. At least he’s hot–he’s a sucker for a blonde–but he guesses all Titans probably are. “I know baby. It’s totally unfair.”
This is not the worst situation he’s been in. He was drugged he thinks and sold maybe, it’s all kind of hazy. There was a poker game? Did Epimeth–you know what that's too long. Let's make it Epi. Did Epi win him? Either way he needs to find a way out without getting killed.
“He was all like, ‘You just stood by while Kronos ate all my siblings’. Kronos was a scary dude, unhinged. He cut up Dad you know and that was chill, Dad was an asshole, I kind of helped but then he cut off his dick, like a total psycho. He even threw it at Oceanus. I like Oceanus! So I didn’t say anything when he decided to start eating his children. It’s not like I didn’t think it was super messed up though. Even Dad didn’t do that.” Epi looks at him imploringly.
Leo nods emphatically. “Your right. Absolutely right. Did you tell Zeus that?”
Leo feels another breeze. Where's it coming from? He looks side to side, then up.
There is a boy who seems to be flying, close to the ceiling, right above them. He is wearing a purple t-shirt with a gold breast plate over top. Demigod.
He and the boy make eye contact. He looks tense.
Leo mouths, ‘Help me,’ to him.
The boy nods and points to the clay pot sitting behind the throne Leo and Epi are on.
Sure distraction Leo can do that.
“Yes. Then he said, ‘Oh you're just full of excuses. Maybe we should make you the Titan of excuses.’ And it stuck, all those pricks on Olympus call me the Titan of excuses to this day. It's even on Wikipedia, idiot mortals think excuses are a domain. It’s all Zeus’ fault, what I wouldn’t give to chop his dick off and throw it at Prometheus.”
Leo pushes his chalice into Epi’s hand, internally cheering when he takes a sip. “Weren’t you guys kind of close.”
“We were that’s the thing. But then Zeus–” Epi pauses his eyes narrowing. “It’s like I can feel that bastard's presence in the room right now. Forever taunting me.” He starts to crane his neck back.
Oh, fuck! Fuck! Do something.
Leo slips to his knees between Epi’s knees. This isn’t what he exactly meant by something but when in doubt…
Leo smooths his hands down Epi’s thighs. “Babe, let me help you relax. You're just so tense right now.”
Epi looks down at him heat in his expression. “You’re right. I’m just working myself up.”
Leo starts to lower Epi’s joggers wondering where the hell is flying boy, when he’s jerked back by the collar of his kimono, up into the air.
Epi’s features twist up, ugly. “Son of Zeus,” he roars.
Ok. So, Leo probably should have seen that coming flying and all.
A cold voice sounds from behind him. "Yes. And this one is mine. So you better back off or I'll chop your dick off."
They hurtle down a hallway and Leo sees what looks like a satyr dead on the floor, neck slit. Then they go through a window past the forest and come to a cliff with a hundred-foot drop.
Leo is man enough to admit he screamed the whole way.
They pass over the cliff and a giant eagle attacks.
It heads straight at them and flashing wicked claws, swiping somewhere above, Leo’s head. Suddenly he is hurtling towards the ground, spinning.
There is a pop, a flash, and a loud rumble.
Then he’s slammed into hard. Leo’s survival instincts kick in and he clings to flying boy like a koala and flying boy clings back, in some sort of weird pre-death hug, as they tumble round and round.
Leo feels them start to slow down but the ground is still coming up much to fast.
Leo braces himself for the collision seeing he’s going to hit the dusty ground first before flying boy shifts taking the brunt of it first.
They skid rolling on the ground until they lose momentum.
Leo ends up on top. He sits up shakily finding himself positioned in flying boys lap. He’s thankful the kimono stayed on he knows most mortals have a thing about nudity, even demigods.
He gets his first good look at flying boy. He is around his age but taller and broader. He has cool features pale hair and skin, icy blue eyes, that make the blood splattered across the lower half of his face that much starker. And he has deep gouges from claws across his shoulder.
Leo winces, feeling bad.
He opens his mouth flexing his jaw and grimaces. Gold metal fangs retract.
The satyr’s throat wasn’t slit it was torn out.
“Hi. Hi, I’m Leo,” he introduces himself, no other idea what to say.
“Jason,” he grunts. “Cigarettes in my pocket.”
“Oh, yeah, of course.” Leo reaches into the pocket of Jason’s jeans finding the carton. He gives it to Jason who parts his lips–gods there's blood staining his teeth–to except it with a bemused expression. Leo concentrates sparking the end of his finger lighting it for Jason.
Jason takes a puff, holding the cigarette between his lips as he exhales through the side of his mouth.
It’s hot but Leo discourages that train of thought.
This boy tore a throat out with his teeth and is a son of Zeus. He’s trouble. Way too much trouble.
Okay he tried to discourage that train of thought.
Jason takes the cigarette in his hand. “So you're a demigod.” Leo nods. “Thought you were a nymph.” That makes sense. Especially since he was on a Titan’s lap dressed like this. “Got the look.”
Leo touches his face self-conscious. “Yeah, generally excepted theory is that I’m a threesome baby.”
Jason hums. “What were you doing there.”
“Not really sure. Just kind of came too in his lap.”
“Yeah. It be like that sometimes.”
“So your, um, pot.”
“With a friend. Quests basically over. We can take you back to New Rome. Do you know what New Rome is?”
Leo scrambles off Jason’s lap. Shit, he really has the worst luck.
“I can’t–I’m not allowed to talk to you.”
Jason sits up too quickly and clutches his shoulder. “Are you in trouble with a god or something? Is someone chasing you? I can help. There’s a reason Epimetheus didn’t come after me himself.”
“I’m sorry I can’t.”
Leo runs to a stream. Reaching his hand towards the nymph of it, letting his kin, whisk him away. Ignoring Jason’s shouts for him as much as it pains him.
*
Things go back to normal. Mother is mad so he’s grounded from the mortal world. It’s not too bad he missed his sisters and it’s nostalgic spending his days playing tag, taking rides on the wind, making necklaces out of pebbles in the stream.
Then Mother’s tree starts shedding leaves, her hair turns copper, she’s absolutely furious. “One of Zeus’ sons has asked for Leo's hand as his prize,” she hollers.
“Jason,” falls from his lips without his consent.
Mother rounds on him furiously and it's a good thing he’s been practicing because he runs.