The two doors

Side A, part 1.

Was this born of my feelings over the ending of BOO? Yes, yes it was. But was it also born of my unchecked spite? Yes, it most definitely was.
I hope y'all enjoy!

When it comes to choices and crossroads, one should always look for a third option. But here are two doors, standing before him, and the only other choice is inaction.

Janus smiles at him, as though he's delivering joyful news.

"Don't worry, since it concerns all of existence, I won't have you make this choice blind"

Which, you know, considering how every other immortal he's met has been, this might be something to be grateful about, if it wasn't for the implication behind the word choice. Gods, he's long since decided, are all assholes.

"However, in exchange, you'll forget this conversation happened at all"

Of-fucking-course!

But well, for some unknown reason he still cares about the fate of the world, so he sighs.

"Fine"

Living in Camp Half Blood becomes routine-like, with only the slight variation in activities. To the point where he can get through the days on pure muscle memory.

Every once in a while, something will happen to 'throw things out of place' but that too has become expected. Probably just a demigod thing, he figures.

And, to be clear, he's known this had been coming for a while. So, it's not that Will going to Jupiter for his studies that surprises him, it's that he wants him to come with.

And it should be easy to agree, to accept it without hesitation, but it strikes that he's not being offered a choice, because why would he?

They've been together so long, and they're clearly dedicated to one another, it should be a given.

But it isn't, so he runs.

Ok, so maybe he waits until Will's busy to make his escape, but he doesn't even use the shadows, so it counts! And like, it bites him in the ass almost immediately, because the moment he steps into the forest he's attacked by a giant hogg.

He barely manages to dodge as it barrels right by him, and then stops a little further and turns back towards him. The first thing he notices are the eyes, which glow bright red, and the tusks, which are unlike any hogg, full of sharp prongs, then he notices the skin is a purplish brown and the ground under its hooves sizzles.

"Mierda!" he hears, and the hogg's sent flying with a fireball.

When he turns in that direction he sees Leo, wielding a Warhammer like it weights nothing, and covered in soot.

"The fuck are you doing out here?"

Before he can answer, the hogg snarls and Leo's moving, jumping over him and knocking the hogg back again with the hammer, in a move that reminds him of golfing, somehow.

"One sec, I gotta deal with this first"

He's heard the comparison of dancing and fighting, but he's never really seen it until this moment. And it's not like he hasn't seen Leo fight before, but this is new.

He weaves around the charging mass untouched, then turning again and swinging the hammer with his motion.

And then the hogg's reduced to a pile of golden dust and a bundle of skin. Leo grabs that and dusts it off, muttering something under his breath before turning to him.

"Alright Casper, let's get out of the open"

He rushes to his feet, ready to run again.

"I'm not going back to Camp"

Leo looks at him as though he's said something stupid.

"Who said anything about camp?"

It's surprisingly quiet, as Leo guides him into the depths of Bunker 9, into a workstation that's impressively clear except a few tools, and has him sit on a stool while he works on the hogg's skin.

"Since when can you work leather?"

Leo huffs at this, grabbing something yellowish from the table, smile finally appearing in his face.

"I'm a man of many talents"

Leo's quick with his work, cleaning the material until it's usable, and then turning back to him, changing the yellowish tool for a measurement tape.

"Lift your arms for a sec"

He blinks at him.

"Why?"

Leo rolls his eyes exaggeratedly.

"I'm making you some protection"

And it's only then that he realizes how long it's been since he last saw Leo, how long it's been since he's gone anywhere other than his cabin and the infirmary. It's a dizzying sort of realization, one that must show in his face if Leo's soft expression is anything to go by.

Instead of saying anything though, Leo makes an urging motion with the tape, so he swallows back the acidic taste on his mouth, and lifts his arms.

Leo, in a move that betrays just how well he knows him, starts talking about the rest of the Seven, catching him up to everything he's missed in the last few weeks. Because that's the extent of it, weeks, almost a month even.

The whole time Leo works on whatever piece of armor he's making for him, the leather is a darker color than the hogg had been, but it retains the purplish tone to it. Something he's only taking notice in because he's too tense to look at Leo.

The tension isn't unfounded, Leo's never been one to shy away from sharing his thoughts, and he has every right to be angered by his recent reclusion. But he isn't, and it's putting him on edge.

"Why aren't you angry?"

This stops Leo in his tracks, his posture tensing, and he looks resolutely at the leather as he answers.

"You never told me why you were in the forest"

An answer for an answer. It's not the first time Leo's used that tactic to get him talking, mainly because he responds to it.

"Will's moving to Jupiter for his studies, and decided I'm coming with"

Somehow, this seems to act as some sort of ice-breaker, because he relaxes again.

"I'm not mad because you're not the one at fault"

It seems so easy, so obvious, when Leo's the one saying it. He's been such an idiot.

Just as he realizes what's happening, what he just ran from, Leo finishes his working and presents him with a leather vest that fits him like a glove. It even has some fur details he hadn't seen being put, as show of Leo's godly-inherited craftsmanship.

He knows there's more to it than that, knows Leo has real skill to push the abilities he gets from his father that much further. He isn't the best forger of cabin 9 without reason.

"Spend the night here, would you?"

He nods wordlessly, allowing himself to indulge in the safety Leo's offering him.