3rd Person POV

Nico slashed at the dummies ferociously. He twirled and twisted, pretending that the dummies were live people, dodging invisible strikes and imaginary stabs. Soon enough, all twelve dummies were obliterated in pieces of nothing.

Short breaths came out of his mouth in huffs and puffs. Nico deeply inhaled the summer breeze, soaking in the rays of sunlight peeping through the windows. He let himself relax, slumping down against his sword.

"Wow, impressive." Nico spun around at the sound of the voice, raising his sword up in case it was to be a monster.

The person backed away with their hands up in the air, slightly smirking. Nico lowered his sword sheepishly, it was only Leo.

"Thanks... I guess." Leo raised his eyebrows at Nico's awkward response.

"What's up with the 'I guess'?" He asked. He fingered through the rows of swords on display. Nico visibly winced, not meaning to sound impolite and rude. He wracked his brain for anything that could change the subject.

"You know, you can choose any weapon you like for now." Leo turned around abruptly, squinting at Nico.

"Are you trying to change the subject?" Nico flinched again like it was a physical hit to the face.

"Uuhh... No?" Leo rolled his eyes, obviously not impressed anymore.

"Sure, sure. Anyways, wanna fight?" Nico stepped back, surprised at the sudden request. He showed uneasiness.

"I don't think you're skilled enough to be going against me..."

"I don't mean sword fight, I meant fist fight." Nico raised his eyebrows at that. Fist fight? He really wanted to fist fight against Nico?

"Are you sure? I mean I don't want to hur--" Nico was cut off with a swift punch to the jaw that sent him a few feet flying.

He winced, sat up while rubbing his throbbing jaw. Leo snorted.

"Never underestimate someone." He said coldly, obviously having no pity for Nico. Nico staggered back up to his feet. 

"Okay okay, I get it, but next time, a little warning?" Leo's lips tugged up into a tiny smile.

"I'll try." Nico's heart warmed at those words, and he was pretty sure that if there was a door to his heart, people would open it and see a happy face.

"Now let's start."

***

The fight had been going on for a few minutes, and a slight crowd was watching, placing bets on who was going to win. Nico had a bleeding lip, one black eye, and nasty bruise covered his left shoulder and right knee. Leo, on the other hand, was almost perfectly fine with only a small bruise forming on his jaw.

They were circling each other, critiquing the other player's movements, when something odd happened.

Maybe it was Jason, maybe it was coincidence, but a strong gust of wind blew from behind and into Leo, causing his to lose footing and fall directly forward... straight onto Nico. 

On normal circumstances, Nico would have easily caught Leo, since he was as light as skinny as a stick, but these weren't exactly normal circumstances.

The sudden fall took Nico by surprise, and he toppled backward with a panicking Leo on his chest. The fall knocked the wind out of Nico, and it was even harder to get it back with Leo sprawled out on his chest.

The whole crowd was dead silent, wide eyes locked onto the pair. Leo recovered faster, since he had a cushion (unfortunately for Nico) and swiftly scrambled off Nico in embarrassment. His cheeks were flushed red, which very rare for him to show any emotion.

Nico's thought that Leo was super cute like that, but then immediately shook them out of his brain, scolding himself to think like that. Leo was staring at the ground intensely, the blush still visible on his tanned lucious cheeks. Nico cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Yeah, so umm..."

"Sorry." Leo said abruptly, then pushed his way through the crowd undoubtedly going back to the Hermes cabin.

I sighed. Definitely awkward.

***

a/n: thank you for 600 reads!!! means so much to me :)

fiona.