Would that I ──── Leo Valdez [2]

22: Cockblock

─────"Are you going to let me go?"

"No"

Leo didn't even protest, he just sighed contently and let Vincent keep hugging him. "Aw, Vince, it's six in the morning, I have to take the morning shift on deck"

"I'll pay Jason to do it" Vincent mumbled, half asleep. "You're not going anywhere"

"I'm sorry about the shrimpzilla, but I'm not gonna die if you let me go, man" Leo chuckled. Vincent looked unfairly cute that morning. As usual, he hated waking up early, but as soon as Leo had tried to wake up and get out of bed, Vincent had wrapped his arms around him and refused to let him go. 

Leo could feel the memories of the past day weighing down on him. So much had happened, so much he couldn't wrap his head around. 

But for now he had Vincent burying his face in his chest so Leo kept hoping he didn't pay attention to how fast Leo's heart was beating. 

"You know, you can tell me anything, right?" Vincent began and Leo already knew this wasn't going to end well. "I don't like it when we keep things from each other."

"I'm not keeping anything from you" Leo lied and immediately he felt terrible about it, but he'd rather throw himself off a building before he admitted his feelings. 

"Hazel" Vincent said and his voice sounded small and sad. Then he cleared his throat, "She's pretty, no?"

"I guess?" 

"Do you like her?"

Leo had, at this point, solved millions of equations. He had built a fucking flying ship armed with ballistae and magic plates. He had a metal dragon he intended on finishing and not to mention the fact that he'd almost single handedly assembled the ship's engine. But the moment Vincent asked him that, his mind stopped working. 

What?

Then he suspected he'd been silent for too long. He let out an awkward laugh, "Why'd you think that? She's got a boyfriend"

"Yeah, Frank's kinda cute... if you close your eyes"

"Vince, you're being mean"

"I thought you hated the guy" 

Leo couldn't even begin to explain everything. "Nah, I don't like her" He decided on saying. 

"Oh, cool" 

Leo wasn't sure if he was imagining the small sigh of relief from Vincent. 

"You're wearing t he bracelet" He realized with a start. Vincent's hand was splayed across Leo's stomach and on his wrist was a badly made beaded bracelet with box letter beads that spelled LEO. Leo had thought they'd lost those bracelets ages ago in some foster home they ran away from, but then, last winter, Aphrodite had given them all makeovers and magically brought them the bracelets back. 

"You're not wearing yours" Vincent pointed out, "Go on, I like my name on your hand"

Leo tried to hide the hitch in his breath. He reached to the bedside drawers and pulled out his own bracelet before putting it on. It read VINCE "Happy?"

"Very"

"Vince, come on, I gotta go, Coach Hedge might blow up a cruise ship for fun or something" Leo wanted to give himself a pat on the back for refusing Vincent something. It took truly inhumane amounts of strength to have your crush cuddling you and telling him you need to leave. 

"Hedge is so awesome" Vincent slurred, still half asleep, "You ever think about that?"

"Not really"