NathMarc November 2020

Lost

Another day, another game of capture the flag, another chance to finally beat him.

Marc Anciel, son of Ares, god of war. Don't let the rainbow shirt and nail polish gold you. He may look like he should be in Aphrodite or Iris cabin, but no, Marc just had to be an Ares kid.

When they're not training or playing the dangerous game, Marc is a total sweetheart who wouldn't hurt a fly. But when the time comes, that boy can take down a cyclops or the entire opposing team. But he chooses to go after Nathaniel. Every single time!

Nathaniel doesn't know why he's Marc's target, but he's had enough. When the game starts, he's gonna fight back... Against a demigod he's seen take out a hydra with fifteen heads

"Alright, campers!", Dionysus shouted, grabbing the campers attention, "Let's get this over with. For tonight's game of capture the flag, Blue Team will be lead by Marinette from Cabin nineteen!"

The Blue Team clapped and cheered for the daughter of the goddess of luck and fortune. They were sure to win this time with her leading

"Cabin nineteen has allied with Cabins six, seven, thirteen, and eleven!" He then gestures to the Red Team, "The Red Team, led by Marc from Cabin five, is joined by cabins four, nine sixteen, and seventeen!"

'Of course he's with the Nemesis and Nike kids.' Nathaniel thought to himself as the Red Team let out battle cries and raised their weapons high into the air. There, he could see Marc putting Kim, one of the most physically fit Nike kids, in a headlock... Why did that look so attractive?

BATTLE!

Nathaniel and Alya, daughter of Hermes, were guarding the flag. He was totally focused, shield raised and sword ready. When he saw Marc again, he would fight back, no getting distracted, no holding back!

"So, you gonna see your boyfriend again?"

Nathaniel nearly dropped his shield out of shock when he heard Alya ask that like it was nothing, "Wh... What?!"

"Yeah, you and Marc," she said with a shrug of her shoulders, "You two aren't..." She made a little gesture with her fingers, "Y'know."

"We aren't dating!", he shouted, then held up his shield in case a member of the Red Team heard and would come running, "Where'd you get that idea from?"

"Well, whenever we play Capture the Flag, you two always seem to end up dueling against each other," she explained, "Everyone just assumed you were trying to spend more time together or something."

Nathaniel rolled his eyes, "Well, we aren't dating. Besides, he hates me."

"Now where'd you get that idea from?", Alya asked

"He always comes after me! I try hiding from him, and there he is, ready to pummel me into the ground!"

Alya thought it over, "Well... He is an Ares kid. Maybe that's just how they show affection."

Nathaniel gave the auburn haired girl an incredulous look, "Excuse me?"

She smirked, "Yeah, you know how they are. 'Punch first, feelings later!'", Nathaniel chuckled at her impression of the Ares kids, "And has he ever really done any real physical damage to you when we play? Anything that would have you sent to the infirmary?"

Nathaniel thought it over and realized that Alya might be right. Ares kids were brutal, but all Marc had done to him was leave scratches or a broken bone or seven. He could dislocate every bone in his body if he wanted to.

"I'm gonna look around," she said, "It's a little too quiet."

"W-what?! But we need to stay guard!", he exclaimed

She waved her hand dismissively, "You'll be fine.", before Nathaniel could retort, she ran off an at incredible speed

Nathaniel sighed and kept his shield up now that he was alone. He wouldn't let Marc win this time. He'll fight back, and-

"Hey, skull boy."

That dreaded nickname. Nathaniel turned and saw the son of Ares, covered in slashes from the intense battle, leaning against a tree

"Wow. You're still guarding the flag, huh? I thought your team would've wised up by now. Every time we play, the two of us somehow find each other and I end up beating you."

'Alya's wrong. There's no why this boy likes me.'

"Come on, I need a challenge.", he smirks when he sees Nathaniel's hand reaching for the handle of his sword, "You never even try to fight me. I know you want to."

'No. He won't get in my head. He's not getting the flag.'

"Come on, Hades boy... Fight me." His whispered

Nathaniel unsheathed his sword and surged towards Marc as he let out a battle cry

"Finally."

Marc sidestepped to the right just enough and the blade passed a hairs breath from his face.  Quickly, before Nathaniel could respond with a follow-up, Marc swiftly punched Nathaniel in the stomach, knocking the wind out of the him even with the armor on, and the force was so strong that he slammed into a tree and dropped his sword

Marc drew his spear and sprinted towards Nathaniel. The redhead rebounded, got out of the way of Marc's attack, and his spear embedded in the tree. Nathaniel went to pick up his sword, but found that it was much heavier then before. He couldn't even lift it an inch off of the ground. 'Telumkinesis,' he thought as Marc pulled his spear out of the tree truck

"Having some trouble?", he taunted. He looked around, but didn't see Nathaniel anywhere. "Nathaniel?"

Nathaniel has hidden himself using the shadows of the trees. He watched as Marc looked around for him, not even attempting to go for the flag, he was focused on only him

As Marc walked past him, Nathaniel uncovered himself from the darkness and formed a dagger out of the shadows. He snuck up behind Marc, then quickly sweeped his leg, sending the taller boy to the ground. Nathaniel pointed the shadow dagger at Marc's neck

"Give up?"

"Impressive, but..." In one swift motion, he kicked the dagger out of Nathaniel's hand and caught it in his. While he was still on the ground, Marc slashed Nathaniel's ankle, making him let out a yell of pain. With him subdued, Marc got up and thrusted the dagger into Nathaniel's arm before flipping him over his shoulder and to the ground, "I never lose." He walked away to go grab the flag, and Nathaniel felt himself blacking out

—

Nathaniel's vision was blurry as he opened his eyes. From his peripheral vision, he could see Marinette approaching him. She helped him up off the ground, with some difficulty since he was still sore from... From... Marc. "Damn it," he muttered and covered his bleeding arm with his hand

She smiled, "Marc again?", Nathaniel nodded and watched the Red Team toss Marc into the air as he waved the Blue Team's flag.

Marinette gave him a pat on the shoulder, "Next time. Oh, and uh, he left you a little something on your armor."

Confused, Nathaniel took off his armor and looked around it until he found what Marinette was referring to. Marc had carved his and Nathaniel's initials in a heart

"Well, that explains why he always gets separated from his team.", Marinette said with a giggle, "And why he doesn't go for your face."

Nathaniel looked at the carving again "... Suddenly, I don't mind losing to him anymore."