A New Myth

A New Myth: Part 15

NICOLE POV

When an Aprodite camper shouted, “I’ll help with the wedding!” Leo and I broke apart. By the tone of her voice I could tell she wasn’t being sarcastic. She really volunteered to help out with a wedding (if there would ever be one. It was really too soon to tell, right?).

“Shall we get out of here? You look like a strawberry.” Leo asked, offering me his hand.

“I’m not blushing that hard.”

“Yes, you are. Want me to kiss you again and see if we can make you go from strawberry red to cherry red?” He smirked, quirking an eyebrow.

Everyone there, cheered again, hearing his comment.

“Oops. Too late.” He beamed, as I’m sure my face became even redder.

“Can we please just get to training?”

“In other words, ‘Can we just go somewhere private so I can kiss you without being embarrassed?’”

“Shut up, Leo! I really just want to go train!”

Leo laughed, before sweeping me up off the ground bridal style as we stood in the exit of the forges.

“You all are invited to the wedding!” He shouted, jokingly. They didn’t seem to understand it was a joke.

Another burst of cheers exploded as I hid my face in his shoulder. I knew he was doing this just to embarrass me.

As he carried me across the grass, I pretended to ignore all the glances and snickers from the other campers.

“Dangit. I forgot the sword.” I said, trying to get out of his arms. In some cases I enjoyed attention; in others I did not.

“Did you check your belt?”

I looked down to see it fastened around my hip.

“You sneaky boy.”

Leo shrugged, smirked, and kissed my forehead.

He stumbled as we entered the arena, where I saw Nico waiting out the corner of my eye.

“Whoops.” Leo said, pretending to fall as we tumbled down the small hill. He stopped with me onto of him, smiling.

“Leo!” I laughed, just about to push myself off him.

Instead he tightened his grip around me, keeping us nose to nose.

“I thought we were going to sword training.”

“Looks like we had a little detour.”

“Leo.” I scolded him.

“One kiss?”

“After you beat me at sword fighting.”

“But that’s impossible!”

“Maybe so, maybe not.” I said, slipping out of his grip and trotting over to Nico, glancing back at Leo with every few steps.

“Come on, slowpoke! Hurry!”

I heard him laugh, and stand as I stopped beside Nico.

“Hey! How you doing?”

“I’m doing fine. Not much different from thirty minutes ago.”

“I saw you only that long ago? Felt like you were gone longer.”

Nico shrugged, eyeing Leo who was drawing nearer.

I turned, seeing him come closer.

“Again, I’m sorry. I won’t let him hurt you again.”

“It’s not that.” Nico mumbled.