𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐋 𝐃𝐔𝐒𝐊, 𝘏𝘰𝘖

- 𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁

Jett waved off the wave of campers waiting to help them up. "We can handle it ourselves, guys." A set of dark eyes winked at her from the back of the crowd and the flush Jett had desperately tried to ignore flared in color. "Hurry it up, lovebirds. We don't got all day." Lou Ellens voice seemed to echo across the courtyard and soon half the camps eyes were on them. Lou Ellen let out a dramatic guffaw, hands gesturing towards the onlooking campers. "Don't you see they're trying to have some alone time, come on guys be more respectful!" Jett groaned and the boy under her seemed to grow hotter (no not in the looks way, ok maybe he was really hot but Jett meant as in his temperature!) as his skin seemed to take on the same hue Jett was currently painted in.

The taller girls form rolled off the Latino boys and her frame ambled up clumsily, her footing nearly toppling her over again. The boy beneath her laughed at this, eyes staring adoringly at the fumbling girl. Leo was a natural romantic- it seemed every person that crossed his path was his next romantic conquest. They never liked him back, he had a thing for the people way out of his league. First was his elementary school crush who, after Leo had asked her out, had proceeded to pour her apple juice carton on him. Then he was confined to the streets for awhile and between trying to survive off the bare minimum and not die there wasn't really any time for crushes. And all of a sudden the knowledge that anyone he ever liked wouldn't like him back came in the form of his current blonde best friend, Jason. Jason was an enigma and when he first arrived to Wilderness School Leo let his heart swell at the idea of dating someone like Jason- blonde, rung with muscles, tall, and overall perfection. Leo would make him gifts out of the small trinkets he was able to collect just to see the blonde boy send him his signature dazzling smile. Unfortunately his string of luck was proven true once again when Piper Mclean approached him raving about her crush on their new blonde friend, and being the good friend he was he let her. A boy that perfect never would've worked out with a boy as rough around the edges as Leo Valdez.

He thought the despair would never end until he laid eyes on Jett, whatever her middle name was, Monroe. The girl was dark and enchanting, a type of grave anger that seemed to swell around her. Thats what Leo thought first attracted him to her, the fact that she, too, carried the burden of being broken. The deep anger that vibrated your very soul but would never be unleashed for fear of the destruction it would cause. He could see it weighed deep on her heart as the same dissatisfaction and rage laid dormant in his as well. Jett West wasn't perfect but he didn't want her to be, Leo Valdez only wanted Jett West to survive. That's all he would ever ask of her.

Jett's smooth hand met Leo's calloused one and for a moment they let themselves be enveloped in the simple presence of each other for a moment before the two split, walking to their respective seats around the campfire.

The second Jetts butt hit the seat Butch was on her about Leo, his eyes sparkling in mischief and his mouth was quirked up in a devious grin. "Sooo, you and the new kid huh? Never thought he was your type." The two half-siblings shared a look before bursting out laughing. "Psh, as if. He's 100% your type. Short, lanky, and a complete dork." Jett punched his arm lightly, rolling her eyes. "So what if I have a type. He's cute, leave me alone."

The music being played by the campers came to a stop and the campfire settled in a dull yellow, a familiar centaur approaching the front. "Very nice! And a special welcome to our new arrivals. I am Chiron, camp activities director, and I'm happy you've all arrived here alive and with most of your limbs attached. In a moment, I promise we'll get the to the s'mores, but first-"

"What about capture the flag! A kid from Ares shouted. The group sitting under a blazoning flag all broke out in a fit go grumbling, the boars head emblem seeming to hold a grin of pride.

"Yes," Chiron said. "I know the Ares is anxious to return to the woods for our regular games."

"And kill people!" one of them shouted.