Death's Embrace (Nico Di Angelo x femOC)

2: Godzilla vs Kong

As the sun began to set, the demigods and Hunters started to gather around the central campfire. The tension in the air was palpable, everyone anxious for the apparently friendly game of capture the flag. It was going to be a small game: only thirteen Hunters, including Bianca di Angelo, and about the same number of campers. Zoe Nightshade looked pretty upset. She kept glancing resentfully at Chiron, like she couldn't believe he was making her do this. The other Hunters didn't look too happy, either. Unlike last night, they weren't laughing or joking around. They just huddled together in the dining pavilion, whispering nervously to each other as they strapped on their armor.

The campers' team were equally tensed, they had Beckendorf and two other Hephaestus guys, a few from the Ares cabin (though it still seemed strange that Clarisse wasn't around), the Stoll brothers and Nico from Hermes cabin, and a few Aphrodite kids. It was weird that the Aphrodite cabin wanted to play. Usually they sat on the sidelines, chatted, and checked their reflections in the river and stuff, but when they heard we were fighting the Hunters, they were raring to go.

"I'll show them 'love is worthless,'" Silena Beauregard grumbled as she strapped on her armor. "I'll pulverize them!"

Mariana stood with the other Hermes campers. She was not playing tonight or ever, as no one seem fit that someone with her 'deadly' powers should be fighting with other campers She scoff in her mind, as if I wanted to play a childish game as capture the flag...Deep down she wanted though.

Nico di Angelo ran up to Percy with a big grin on his face. "Percy, this is awesome!" His blue-feathered bronze helmet was falling in his eyes, and his breastplate was about six sizes too big. He wondered if there was any way he'd looked that ridiculous when he'd first arrived. Unfortunately, he probably had.

Nico lifted his sword with effort. "Do we get to kill the other team?"

"Well... no."

"But the Hunters are immortal, right?"

"That's only if they don't fall in battle. Besides—"

"It would be awesome if we just, like, resurrected as soon as we were killed, so we could keep fighting, and—"

"Nico, this is serious. Real swords. These can hurt." He stared at Percy, a little disappointed, and Percy realized that he'd just sounded like his mother. Whoa. Not a good sign.

Percy patted Nico on the shoulder. "Hey, it's cool. Just follow the team. Stay out of Zoe's way. We'll have a blast."

Nico nodded and spotted Mariana on the sidelines, he made his ways towards her a little baffled due to his conversation with Percy.

"You look ridiculous." she said when he saw him, fighting a laugh.

His smile faded. "Hey, this stuff is heavy! It's like I'm wearing a walking suit of armor."

Mariana couldn't help it anymore and burst into laughter.

"Sorry, you just- "

Nico tried to scowl, but only ended up smiling.

"At least it's pretty cool, though." He said, straightening his armor. "How do I look?"

"Like a dork."

Nico playfully shoved her. "Oh shut up."

Mariana shoved him back, a smile on her face. "Let me help you adjust the straps"

She adjusted the chest plate to fit him better. "There," she said, stepping back to look at her handy work. "Now you won't trip over yourself every time you take a step."