The House of Hades

23- Frank's fight

Leo

Leo remembered what to do right after Frank punched him.

It had started easy.

Frank had stormed into the room, fists bared. Hazel screamed and immedently tried to calm him, but Frank zeroed in on Leo.

Leo got up from his cot. "Frank, she tripped and-"

He was interupted by Frank's punch in the mouth.

Leo had one instinct, the one thing he could remember to do in a fight.

Natrually, he summonded fire.

Frank backed up and stared at the flame, flickering in Leo's palm. "You wouldn't."

"Try me."

Frank charged, and Leo burst into an inferno.

Hazel screamed, clutching her denim jacket pocket, where Frank's stick was held.

Frank's clothes caught, but he seemed to forget his fear of fire. He ran into Leo.

Leo's fire went out, and was held against the wall by Frank's left hand, his other in a fist, aimed at Leo.

Leo's nose was bleeding from the first punch, but he recovered his street smarts. "Hey Frankie, whatcha up to?"

Frank's fist came down, but Leo ducked, like in every classic comedy ever invented. "Nice try Frankie Boy," He said in a new york gangster voice. "But you'll 'av to be faster."

Frank's fist went down again, and Leo ducked, sliding under Frank.

"Not fast enough, Frankie boy." He said in the voice.

Hazel went in front of Leo, and pulled her spatha. "Don't touch him."

Frank stopped suddenly. "You're defending him?"

"Yes." Hazel said evenly.

Frank growled.

"Hazel," Leo said casually. "Prehaps we should all go-"

That's when the second punch hit his eye.

"FRANK!"

Frank ignored Hazel, and pulled Leo to the ground, starting to punch him.

Jason came down the stairs. "The muses just left and-......what are you doing?!"

Leo swerved his head away from a punch. "Ducking!" He answer to Jason.

Jason clambered over, followed by Piper and Coach Hedge. Leo guessed Nico was in his room, doind whatever goth kids do alone.

Frank landed a punch again, and Leo cried out. Jason grabbed Frank and pulled him off Leo.

"WHAT THE HADES FRANK?!" Piper yelled, hefting Leo up. His eye was blackened and his nose bloody.

"Zhang, what are you doing?" Hedge yelled. "You shoulda used an uppercut, then a low punch, not the other way around!"

Piper's glare silenced him.

Hazel glanced at Leo brken complection, then at Frank's stormy face.

She turned to Frank, looking like she wanted to kiss him goodbye, but didn't.

Instead she said, "We're over." And walked up the stairs.