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Suga rather likes capture the flag. 

It’s a good sport. Entertaining. It keeps the demigods at camp from going stir crazy by giving them something to funnel their energy into. For Koushi in particular, it gives him a chance to prove to the other campers that Aphrodite kids can still kick your ass, no questions asked. He’s not the most experienced fighter, not like Daichi is, but he’s cunning, and he takes particular pleasure in tricking the bigger campers into making fools of themselves. He doesn’t even need to use his stupid charmspeak to have Matsukawa fall into his traps. 

Suga truly derives a lot of happiness from capture the flag. 

Unheard of for a child of Aphrodite, but they always had said they could be a passionate bunch. He and his brother Tooru are perfect examples of that. Hypercompetitiveness basically runs in this side of the family, anyways, so no one should be surprised about it. They make a formidable duo, particularly when Daichi gets to fight by their side--and he does, very often--and most of the camp has learned to either fear or respect them whenever capture the flag drills are announced. 

This time the Ares and Athena cabins are going head to head. Unsurprising, but still a welcomed challenge. 

Now, normally Suga wouldn’t go out of his way to work with the Athena kids. He likes Kiyoko just fine, honestly, but they never give him enough room to have fun during capture the flag, and he has learned how exciting it really is to go against them rather than with them. This particular time, however, Asahi and Ryuu hadn’t been convincing enough to keep the Ares cabin from allying with their lone Zeus camper, and that had settled it for Tooru and Koushi. Their siblings knew not to push the issue, either. They’d work against Zeus’ cabin, never with them. 

Koushi’s managed to get some wiggle room for himself with Kiyoko, too, which he likes just fine. It might not be the usual free reign he gets from some of the other cabins, but it certainly much more than he got two years ago with them. He’ll be allowed to lead his own cabin, so long as they remain within the bounds of Athena’s children’s plan, and Suga likes that just fine. He’ll make do with what he got. 

“We should be careful of the Hermes cabin.” Koushi waves his hand on the general area of the map where Kiyoko had told him it was most likely the Hermes children would be the most active. Little trees and enough space to move and work their magic. “Kuroo especially is gonna be vindictive after you beat him last time, so maybe work around that.” 

Daichi hums, index finger tapping a steady rhythm on his chin. “They’re the most likely to be guarding the flag, though, since they come in numbers. We’re gonna have to scout them out eventually.” 

“We can leave that to Apollo’s children, we got them on our side this time, and I’ve been told there’s a really good fighter among them this year.” 

“A new camper?” Daichi frowns. “Wouldn’t they be too young?” 

Suga shrugs. He doesn’t really know the specifics of it. “They just said they had a new weapon in their arsenal, I don’t know. Apollo’s kids like their secrets.” 

“So do you,” Daichi teases, grin sharp, “I bet you’ll figure out all the gossip when you can.” 

“You can bet your butt I will.” Koushi retaliates, marking something down on the map they have spread out in bright pink. “Anyways, I think we should lead the charge through here.” 

Daichi’s brows meet in the middle at the idea. “I feel like you’re making this personal.” 

“Sue me. I want to beat his ass.” 

Daichi opens his mouth to say something, but all Suga hears is his brother’s high pitched wail coming from the forest behind them where he’s calling Koushi’s name. So much for a calming planning session by the lake. Koushi adores his brother, but he wishes he would just be a tad bit quieter sometimes. 

“Koushi!” Tooru whines, voice pitched much higher than the first time, as he comes to kneel by Suga’s side on the grass. “Something horrible’s just happened!” 

Koushi has to fix his posture so that he doesn’t fall when Tooru comes to lean his whole body weight on him. Does Tooru realize how big he is? “We’re busy. War planning. Capture the flag is in less than a week.”

“Screw capture the flag!” 

Uncharacteristically uncompetitive for Tooru. Something big must’ve happened. 

Suga sighs, shoulders slumping forward in defeat as he caps his marker again. They’ll come back to this later when Tooru’s head is in the game. “Enlighten me about this horrible thing.” 

Daichi chuckles across from him, reorganizing his limbs so he can turn back to the blade he had been sharpening before Koushi had scolded him for not paying attention. Suga knows his best friend is only laughing because Koushi is always soft on his brother, no matter what. 

“I did the most romantic thing anyone could’ve possibly done,” Tooru begins, dramatic as ever, “and I got rejected! Right in the forest! By the most gorgeous man I have ever laid eyes upon!”

Koushi sneaks a glance at Daichi without meaning to. He’s thankful the son of Hephaestus has gone back to his work and tuned out the rest of the world like he usually does. Tooru doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Daichi wasn’t in the forest, and so could not have been the center of Tooru’s attention. Good thing that, too. Koushi didn’t want to deal with the headache that that would prove to be.

“He had the most beautiful voice known to man, Koushi, I swear.” Tooru continues, sliding down Koushi’s torso to fall on his lap. Koushi’s hand instinctively goes to play with soft brown tresses. “He was just picking berries, I think? He was so handsome, he was singing that song--the one you like so much!” 

Suga squints. “I’m not sure I know which one you’re talking about.” 

And then Tooru does the most horrible thing he’s done all week: sings. 

“ When you are younger ,” he sings tonelessly, his voice grating on Suga’s ears. “Y ou’ll wish you’re old-- ”

Suga slaps a firm hand on Tooru’s mouth, attempting to save any other woodland creatures from having to listen to his brother’s absolutely tone-deaf recital. Daichi has deftly saved himself from a cut to the inside of his hand, thankfully, and is looking a bit like a crow with his feathers ruffled as he turns to look at Koushi with wide eyes. The image is a little funny for all of three seconds before Tooru is licking the palm of his hand in retaliation. 

“Tooru, ew!” Koushi says, wiping his spit-covered hand on his brother’s shirt--not camp standard, as usual. “If you did that in the forest then I understand why your handsome friend rejected you!” 

“I did not lick anyone’s hand, Koushi!” 

“I mean singing, you menace!” 

“What’s wrong with my singing?” 

Before Koushi can reply with a high pitched ‘Everything!’ Daichi throws one of the grapes they’ve brought for snacking at him, trying to gain his attention. Suga’s reaction is immediate, head snapping up at Daichi with a furrowed brow, before his best friend is gesturing vaguely at Koushi’s back. 

“What, Da--?” 

The words die in his mouth as he turns, his worst nightmare walking gracefully towards them from the direction of camp. Suga scowls and leans around his brother to roll up the various maps and pages they have lying on their picnic blanket, huffing loudly in deference to the new presence making their way towards them. 

“I’d call this espionage,” Koushi grits out, not even bothering to look at the other camper when his combat boots stop at the edge of their little made-up space, “but I don’t think you have the brainspace for that.” 

Wakatoshi Ushiijima crosses his large arms across his chest with the same neutral expression he’s sported since he arrived at camp four years ago. “So confrontational this early in the day, Sugawara? That’s unbecoming of you.” 

Koushi’s about to bare his teeth at the son of Zeus, but his brother beats him to it. Tooru straightens up from his place on Koushi’s lap to bark out a sharp. “Fuck off. What do you want?” 

“And a good morning to you too, Oikawa.” Ushijima looks unbothered, as usual. Koushi hates that he has to squint up at him because the bastard had chosen to stand just in front of the sun. “I wanted to know if Aphrodite’s cabin had changed their mind about cooperating with Ares’ children.” 

It’s Daichi who answers, a bitter laugh on his lips as he stands up from his place to crowd into Ushijima’s space. Suga’s best friend is much smaller than Ushijima is in terms of height, but Suga is of the opinion that Daichi Sawamura could bench press Ushijima if he so desired. Facing each other like this, they look about the same width. 

“Ushijima, no matter how many times you try,” Daichi says, voice low, “Aphrodite’s cabin is never going to willingly choose to work with Zeus’ cabin.” 

Sparks fly, like they always do whenever Ushijima confronts any of them. It had been a fun game when Suga and Daichi just watched Tooru throw hissy fits about the son of Zeus--it stopped being fun when they finally got subjected to Ushijima’s brand of personality. Daichi, in particular, always seemed to burn brightest against a foe like Zeus’ child. 

“The question wasn't directed at you.” 

Oh, and had that been the wrong thing to say. Koushi hates it the most when Ushijima acts like any of them aren’t worthy of his attention. He’d love to take a fist to his face and see how he likes it when a boy half his size brings him to his knees. He might even break his charmspeak rule for the sake of it. 

“Let it rest, Ushiwaka.” Koushi gripes out, standing up to pull Daichi back to a safer distance. “Ares’ cabin chose the wrong ally this time.” 

Olive eyes turn to Koushi. He’d think them beautiful if they belonged to anyone else but him. 

“On the contrary,” he says, “I think Aphrodite’s children might’ve chosen the wrong side this time.” 

“We’ll just have to wait and see.” Koushi says, finally having enough space to step between Daichi and Ushijima. From here, Zeus’ son looks much bigger, but it doesn’t deter Koushi in the slightest. “When we beat you, we’ll see who chose wrong.” 

They stand there looking at each other for what feels like hours to Koushi. Ushijima’s stare is as unyielding as the boy himself is, but Koushi has the strangest feeling about his eyes as he becomes intimately familiar with the golden flecks of his irises. For a second, it feels like Ushijima is searching for something within Koushi’s own amber eyes. 

“I guess we will.” Ushijima finally takes a step away from Suga, his posture falling slightly from the tense stance he had taken when confronted by both Daichi and Suga. “I’ll let the Ares’ cabin know you’ve made your choice.” 

Suga had told Asahi and Ryu what their choice was weeks ago. He has no idea why Ushijima thought he could change their mind. 

“Run along now, little lightning boy.” Tooru calls from his place in the blanket. “You’ve ruined my day further, I hope you’re happy.” 

Suga doesn’t miss the way Ushijima winces before he leaves. 

Huh. 

// 

“His name is Hajime Iwaizumi and he’s an Apollo kid.” Tooru declares the morning of capture the flag, while Koushi is still trying to recover from being awake. “He’s an asshole and I’m going to woo his socks off because I’m petty and vindictive.”  

Suga is half listening to what his brother is saying, truthfully. It would be much easier if Tooru told him important stuff (or stuff Tooru deemed important, anyway) at normal hours, when Koushi was fully aware and not practically a zombie at the breakfast table. His brother can’t take a hint, regardless. Even if Koushi is halfway into just passing out into his cereal (only held in place by Daichi’s steady arm on his chest), Tooru continues on his ramble about the new boy he’s determined to conquer. 

Koushi couldn’t care less. He’d spent almost all of last night going over planning with Kiyoko and some other allies, trying to match their plots so that their attack would be better coordinated. Athena’s kids had gone out on a limb when they trusted Koushi with power over the Aphrodite battalion and other stragglers, but he was thankful they had taken that risk to keep him on their side. Kiyoko knew he didn’t use charmspeak unless backed into a corner, but his brother had much less reservations about it, thus making them formidable enemies and powerful allies. 

Their strategy was smooth and had been perfected until exhaustion. They would make this work. 

“It’s showtime, Koushi.” 

By the time Daichi whispers those words at him, Koushi’s already in his armor and standing at the foot of the hill where every capture the flag started with a handshake. He has no idea what happened between breakfast and this moment, but Suga is very suddenly very aware of his surroundings in the way all demigod children are aware of a battle to come. Dramatic, yeah, but not any less true. 

“Do I have to?” Koushi whines, amber eyes finding the top of the hill where the son of Zeus is already waiting to start the charge. “Why does it have to be me?” 

“Cause you insisted.” Kiyoko reminds him, somewhere off to his left. She looks smug. He hates it. “Now go, you’re making us look bad.” 

One day, Koushi will beat Kiyoko in a fight. One day, he’ll be happy and fulfilled. 

Today, however, he leads the charge. Athena’s children had not crowned him leader, but they had allowed him this one vanity. Walk up the hill and shake hands with their rivals’ champion: son of Zeus, Wakatoshi Ushijima. 

Gods, why did he think this was a good idea? 

He readjusts his bow and quiver on his back, takes a deep breath, and walks up the hill. 

“Leading the charge today?” Ushijima asks, just as Koushi makes it to the top. “I would’ve guessed Matsukawa, perhaps.” 

As if that bum could be bothered to deal with formalities. Mattsun was already too busy guarding their flag, anyways. 

“Sorry, you got stuck with little ol’ me.” Koushi answers, and immediately presents his hand after. “Let’s fight a fair battle, yeah?” 

Ushijima’s hand is much larger around Koushi’s own. He’d always thought his hands were too delicate for a demigod, something he vocally whined about to Daichi on a daily basis, but right now he hates it even more. Daichi always said his hands were precious, and had to be taken care of, but he calls that a load of bullshit. 

“Let’s fight a fair battle.” Ushijima answers, something like amusement in his usually neutral eyes. “Do your best, son of Aphrodite.” 

Before he can catch his own mouth, Koushi grins. “Don’t I get a kiss for good luck?” 

Which is not at all what he had been going for when asking Kiyoko to let him come up to kick-start the festivities, but it was what his traitorous brain had supplied him with nevertheless. Ushijima, the fucking idiot, looks very surprised for all of two seconds, before he schools his expression into carefully guarded interest. 

Koushi tries to take back his hand, he really does. He wants nothing more than to walk away from this hill right now and then face Ushijima at some other time when he charges at what he believes the flag location to be with his siblings and the Hephaestus’ cabin. He tries to take back his hand, but Ushijima’s grip is much stronger. 

In the weirdest chain of events Koushi has ever been a part of, the son of Zeus does something completely out of character for the greek warrior boy he’s hailed to be. Ushijima, still holding on to Koushi’s hand tightly, brings a slender arm towards his body, leaning down until his lips meet the inside of Koushi’s wrist in a whisper of a kiss. The contact sends a jolt of electricity up Suga’s spine, and the son of Aphrodite is left wondering if Ushijima had called upon lightning to strike him down. 

“Best of luck, Koushi.” Ushijima says, straightening up and finally letting go of his hand. “I’ll see you on the other side.” 

As Ushijima finally walks away from that hill, Suga is left at the top, holding his arm in mid-air where the son of Zeus had let him go. 

What the fuck just happened? 

// 

No one had seen what happened, which was an incredible relief when Koushi found out. 

Daichi had asked him what had him so rattled several times, but Koushi truly couldn’t bring himself to explain to his best friend what had taken place on top of that hill with Ushijima. It was already mortifying enough that he’d been the one to taunt the other boy that way, but it made Koushi a special kind of embarrassed that Ushijima had gone through with it. He knew Zeus’ son was known for being too literal at times, but Koushi hadn’t expected something like that in all his years in Camp Half-Blood. 

Regardless, there was a game to be won, and Koushi had to bring his A-game if he wanted to bring the victory back to their side. Last capture the flag had inevitably ended with his team losing against Nike’s leadership after Koushi and Tooru had been captured during the second day by Takahiro of all people. Their pride had been severely wounded, but their competitive spirit had doubled this time around. 

It isn’t until the third day during their war games that Koushi sees Ushijima again, but the feeling of shame still lingers underneath his skin. Daichi and he had been separated earlier, taking two different routes in an attempt at catching the son of Zeus and his troops by surprise. 

They had been correct in assuming he’d be standing guard by the west entrance of the forest, but if he was here with such a small group, then it wasn’t very probable that the flag would be anywhere in his vicinity. Ares’ cabin wouldn’t be dumb enough to keep it guarded under such a small force, not even if it was Ushijima. If that was the case, then his brother would probably have better luck against Hermes in the north. Kuroo had a vindictive streak against Daichi, but he generally let his guard down around Tooru. 

“I’m going to assume you’re not here all by yourself,” Ushijima tells him, as soon as he’s caught sight of him and his troop hiding amongst the trees, “you’re never without Sawamura, now that I think of it.” 

There’s something about the way Ushijima says it that sounds off. A lot of people at camp have become used to seeing them together, and although they’ve commented about it in the past, none had sounded like an accusation in the same way Ushijima’s statement had. Daichi and he were always together, no doubt about it, but it was hardly strange. They’ve survived together, and had arrived at camp together. It was only natural they would be joined at the hip even years later. 

“Jealous, Ushiwaka?” Koushi teases, because apparently his mouth doesn’t know how to behave itself. “It’s kind of an ugly color on you.” 

One of his siblings presses the hilt of an extra sword on the hand he’s holding behind his back. Koushi isn’t much of a swordsman, but he knows there’s no other way he can face against Ushijima. Daichi and the other half of his troop aren’t quite yet in position, so this will have to do. It’s a good thing he’s stationed some of his archers in the canopy of the trees. So as long as Yachi doesn’t plummet to the ground, then they should be covered from up there with Akaashi’s expertise and accuracy. 

“I just wonder.” Ushijima says, idly twirling his sword in his left hand--another obstacle Koushi’s had to face before. “Everyone at camp knows who’s the better sword fighter between the two of you.”

And doesn’t that sting. 

Koushi’s lip curls down in a frown. “I didn’t know you were capable of trash talk.” 

“I’ve been told I should try to expand my horizons.” 

Probably his buddy Tendou. God, how Koushi would love to face Tendou today. He was the reason Tooru and Koushi had had to sit out last capture the flag, strapped to one of the fucking rafters in Poseidon’s cabin. Oh, how he’d love to get his revenge on that pesky son of Nemesis. 

For now, fighting Ushijima would do. 

Koushi twirls the sword now in his grip experimentally. “How about losing? That’s a little beyond your horizons, isn’t it?” 

Without missing a beat, Koushi surges forward and so does the rest of his troop. Akaashi and the other archers make good use of their vantage point above the trees, dispersing Ushijima’s forces by shooting arrows in the negative spaces between their bodies. Suga doesn’t love hurting other demigods, especially during something as childish as capture the flag, and so he had given strict orders to not injure if it was possible. He was glad Akaashi listened to him more than his brother did. 

He’s a little unsteady with this sword. He knows, realistically, Daichi cannot make all the swords at camp, but he’s still of the opinion that his best friend should figure out a way to mass produce them. Daichi’s swords were sturdier than the standard camp ones, but lighter and much deadlier. Koushi preferred them, and yet he always ended up fighting with something not made by his best friend’s hands. Absolutely ridiculous, but a sacrifice needed to be made when he didn’t carry a sword of his own around. 

Ushijima parries his blows easily, which absolutely fucking sends Koushi into a flurry of panic. He knows Ushijima is a hard foe to beat, and out of the four years Koushi has been at camp, he has not been able to beat him even once. Tooru had come close before, and Daichi had only been able to do it during training with Ukai when Kei had helped. Koushi had been proud, but also a little hurt. He's the only one out of the three of them who had been unable to make Ushijima at least sweat a little. 

One of Ushijima’s swings comes too close for comfort, as Koushi ducks and tries to roll away. They’ve moved from the center of the battle, the sounds of steel against steel drawing further away the more ground Koushi loses to the taller boy. He can only hope that, if he falls here, Daichi will be able to aid the rest of their troops and leave Ushijima without backup. 

As soon as he springs up from the ground, Ushijima is on him without missing a moment. There’s no respite, nor break; Ushijima shows Koushi no mercy, in the same way Suga supposes this great warrior didn’t show mercy to his enemies out there in the quest that had gained him his fame. Ushijima approaches everything with soldier-like precision, mind focused on a single goal until every task has been completed and every battle has been won. Koushi is not that type of warrior, but he’s cunning and he’s smart, and it’s unbelievable he hasn’t been able to win against this oaf of a boy, no matter how hard he tries. 

The next swing is particularly vicious, and as steel clashes against steel, Koushi’s grip on his sword finally gives, sending the puny weapon flying towards the forest ground. Suga is held at swordpoint, hands outstretched above his head because he knows there’s no way he’s going to get out of this one. His bow and quiver are strapped to his back, their familiar weight a useless comfort he can’t use right now unless he wants to lose a limb. The voice in his head that sounds particularly like his brother reminds him his voice is his last weapon, and that he can get out of this situation if he so wishes. Koushi shushes it with a wince. 

“Any last words before I strap you to Poseidon’s cabin?” 

Was...was Ushijima making a joke ? 

Koushi snorts. He can’t avoid the sound when it bubbles up his throat. “Didn’t think you’d have it in you.” 

“As I’ve said, broadening horizons.” 

“Ah, of course.” Koushi sighs, shrugging. “Well, what can you do, huh? You win some, you lose some. Take me away, big guy.” 

Koushi tries not to let it sting that he’s never won against Ushijima. He swallows the bile that rises in his throat at the thought. 

“You haven’t lost.” 

The words out of Ushijima’s mouth feel like they’re said in a different language. Koushi’s brows furrow in the middle. 

“You’re holding a sword to my neck,” he answers, “is that not a battle lost?” 

“No,” Ushijima counters, voice stern, “not with you Aphrodite brothers.” 

Ah, so that’s what he means. Koushi feels something like anger brewing in his stomach. 

“I’m not Tooru. I’ve exhausted all my tricks today.” 

“You always have one more trick up your sleeve.” 

Koushi scoffs. Why are they having this conversation? His charmspeak has always been a topic of conversation around camp, but no one had ever been stupid enough to ask him about it after he’d shut them down once. By now, people knew better than to actually approach him about it, but it seemed Ushijima had not gotten the memo. Koushi had even received enough counseling from Ukai to last him a lifetime. What made Ushijima think Koushi would choose now to break his own rule? 

“Your power, your blessing,” Ushijima drawls out, tipping the sword in his hand forward, the cold metal coming to rest only inches away from Koushi’s chin, “why do you hide it?” 

“That’s none of your concern.” Koushi bites back, eyes hard. “It’s my power, my blessing, so it’s only natural that it's my choice.” 

“You’re wasting away. Doesn’t that bother you?” 

Koushi can’t say it doesn’t, but he would never tell Ushijima of all people something like that. His mother had given him this power, given him a tool he could never be caught without, and yet Koushi had chosen to tuck it away to never use it. Tooru had no such qualms about it, and so used it expertly if the situation needed it. Koushi envied his brother, sometimes, envied the freedom with which he used his charmspeak in battle. 

But Koushi could never forget the look his father had given him, all those years ago when Kaoru had slipped and fallen from the tallest tree in their backyard. 

“It’s much better than the alternative,” he answers Ushijima, voice tight, “better than breaking my own rules. They’re there for a reason.” 

“Why are you so scared of it?” Ushijima asks again. “It would make you a formidable warrior.” 

Koushi wants to tell him he already is a formidable warrior, but the words die in his throat. Never once has he been able to make Ushijima afraid of losing. Not even with his best devised plans. Koushi had never one succeeded in being a threat to this greek warrior, forged in lightning and rain, so how could he say confidently he was a formidable opponent? 

There’s a roar of people from the clearing they’ve vacated just minutes prior, Daichi’s voice rising above the others as he leads the other half of their battalion against Ushijima’s remaining forces. Koushi and Ushijima remain stock still, in the middle of the forest, for what seems like an eternity, before Daichi’s roar of victory breaks through.

A smile crawls its way to Koushi’s lips. 

“Maybe you should’ve gone to the aid of your troops,” he teases, “instead of worrying about one insignificant son of Aphrodite who can’t even charmspeak his way out of a sword to his neck.” 

“You could never be insignificant.” Ushijima responds, his voice even, like he doesn’t even care about being left alone and vulnerable against a much bigger force. “Scared, yes, but you’ve always been able to fill up spaces just by walking into them.” 

Koushi’s smile falls, mouth opening around words that never come. What is happening today? 

“Koushi, I think--” 

Ushijima does not finish his sentence when he suddenly whirls around on the balls of his feet to parry the sword that’s coming down on him from behind. Koushi ducks away then, snapping back into the battle with practiced ease, and pulling at his bow to bring it forth from where it’s strapped to his back. He does not know who has come to his aid, but as long as they’re attacking Ushijima, then he is sure it must be someone on his side. 

“I thought you didn’t have any tricks up your sleeve anymore.” Ushijima grunts, parrying off another swing to his right side with a wince. “Who are you? Why have I never seen you before around camp?” 

The last part is directed at the person Ushijima is fighting, a slender looking boy with a broad back Koushi has not once spoken to in the past. As Koushi pulls an arrow from his quiver and sets it on the string to aim directly at Ushijima, he steps around until he can cover the new boy’s back, olive green eyes once again in his line of sight. 

“Well, I wasn’t really expecting anyone to come,” Koushi shrugs, “but this is a nice surprise.” 

“You’re welcome for covering your ass, pretty boy.” The newcomer grits out, parrying Ushijima’s next blow and pushing the son of Zeus back with a heavy shove. 

Ushijima stumbles, regains his footing much quicker than he should, but Koushi’s already on him, stepping forward to make his presence noticeable again. Besides him, the sword fighter that came to help him raises his sword before the two of them, a clear sign of protection. 

“Never been called pretty boy, but thank you!” Koushi beams, eyes still trained on Ushijima. “Who are you, by the way?” 

“Hajime Iwaizumi,” he answers, smiling, “I came to camp maybe last week? I don’t know, my siblings have been keeping me cooped up in my cabin.” 

“Apollo’s secret weapon!” Koushi exclaims. “That’s so fun! Tooru is going to be so jealous you came to help me !” 

“I don’t know who that is,” Hajime answers, “but I’m glad I could be of service?” 

“Oh, you know my brother,” Koushi says, almost off-handed, “he’s the one that sings horrible duets.” 

“Oh, gods, that’s your brother ?” 

Koushi can’t help but laugh. It’s especially hilarious that they’re having this whole conversation in front of a very put off Ushijima. 

“So, what’s your plan?” Hajime asks, as if Koushi had any idea. 

“Beats me,” Koushi shrugs, “Ushijima isn’t easy to beat. If Daichi were here, you guys could’ve teamed up and done your worst, but you got stuck with the bad swordsman--that means me, by the way.” 

“I’m touched you think so highly of me,” Hajime scowls, “but we can’t point our weapons at him and just hope he goes away.” 

“Koushi could make me go if he wanted to.” 

Ushijima is a stubborn mule and Koushi is going to scream at him if he doesn’t drop the charmspeak matter soon. 

“You’re Koushi, I presume?” Hajime asks him. “What does he mean?” 

“I liked pretty boy, you should go back to that.” 

“Are all sons of Aphrodite this way?” 

Koushi shrugs. “Pretty much.” 

Hajime sighs, but for some reason, simply relents. “Alright, pretty boy , what does he mean?” 

“I’d rather you not ask me that, though.” 

“You’re just making this unnecessarily difficult on yourself, Koushi.” Ushijima sighs, almost exasperated. 

Hajime agrees with a grunt. 

Before the son of Apollo can say anything else, Ushijima surges forward and slides the blunt side of his sword against Hajime’s outstretched one, flicking his wrist outwardly to loosen the other boy’s grip on his weapon. Hajime loses his sword, stumbling to one side at the jostle and the loss of the added weight, trying to pull Koushi along to move him away from danger. Ushijima, however, is faster, and he wraps a warm hand around the wrist closest to him, pulling until Koushi pitches forward, balance broken. 

He has to twist his bow and arrow the wrong way, trying to keep the weapon from piercing Ushijima’s rib cage when the son of Zeus pulls him flush against his chest. It’s a flurry of aborted movements and quiet struggle, but eventually Koushi’s back ends up pressed to the front of Ushijima’s steady form. It’s warmer than Koushi imagined it’d be in Ushijima’s arms, but the cool press of a blade against his neck is enough to chill his blood. 

“You have a way out.” 

Ushijima’s breath washes over the back of his neck, a direct contrast to the cold steel against the front of it. Koushi gulps, the action rubbing his skin slightly against what most definitely is the sharp edge of this sword. 

“Use it.” 

Koushi doesn’t want to , and he doesn’t understand why Ushijima is suddenly so stubborn about him using his charmspeak. Before this day, the son of Zeus had not shown any particular interest in Koushi’s stupid power, and now it seemed like it was the only thing that mattered to him. Even more than winning capture the flag, which Koushi had to admit made no sense to him. Winning capture the flag would give Ushijima gloating privileges until the next time they faced off. Why was Koushi’s charmspeak more important? 

“Hey, man,” Hajime says, picking his sword up so as to not be weaponless in this whole affair, “I don’t know what’s going on, but it sounds to me like you should just do what he wants you to. Being beheaded is not worth it.” 

Koushi scoffs. “He’s not gonna behead me, for goodness sake! Who else would keep him on his toes?” 

“Your brother and Sawamura.” 

Koushi gasps at Ushijima’s easy answer. “Are you seriously joking right now? I’m way more entertaining than Tooru!” 

Ushijima makes a noise in the back of his throat. “Stop deflecting.” 

“Stop being a jerk!” 

“Odd request, but why don’t you try that again” 

“I’m not going to charm you, you oaf!” Koushi finally snaps, bringing his right heel down on Ushijima’s instep as hard as he can as he throws an elbow back to catch against the other boy’s rib cage. 

Ushijima folds forward, his sword against Koushi’s neck moving away to give him enough space to duck under it and run for his life. Koushi forgoes his bow and the rest of his arrows spilled on the ground, taking Hajime’s hand as he goes and dragging the boy along towards the clearing he last heard Daichi in. He doesn't look back even once.

Koushi doesn’t stop running until he finds Daichi again, and they regroup to look for Kiyoko and Kageyama. He doesn’t tell his best friend what happened with Ushijima, and is thankful when Hajime doesn’t let it slip either. 

The days pass. Koushi’s team eventually captures their rivals’ flag in a heated battle against the Hermes and Nike cabins. 

Even days after, Koushi cannot get his entire interaction with Ushijima out of his mind. 

// 

“I’m sorry.” 

The words are spoken with such softness that Koushi thinks he might’ve dreamed them, but he’s certain he’d seen Ushijima’s mouth move. It’s a little bit after the sun has set, the last dying rays of light painting the skies a variety of warm colors, from orange to pink to purple, and Koushi sits in the strawberry fields, helping Kita harvest the last of the fruit. He’s been avoiding being around the armory and the arena recently, and Kita’s always been kind enough to let him hide from his troubles whenever they got too overwhelming. 

But even here, Ushijima has followed him. 

“Leave me alone,” Koushi spits out, turning the opposite way to try and run away from Zeus’ son, “haven’t you done enough?” 

And he had, truly. Koushi had not been able to sleep quite the same since everything that happened in the forest, and his siblings were beginning to notice. He did not understand what was so important about his ability that Ushijima had thought it necessary to torment him over it, but he didn’t care enough to try and figure it out. His head was a mess of insecurities he had long since stuffed into boxes in the back of his brain, all of them running rampant in a continuous loop after they'd been set loose by Ushijima’s hassling during capture the flag. 

“Please let me speak,” Ushijima grabs his arm, “I just want to apologize.” 

“Well, I’ve heard your apology.” Koushi says, trying (and failing) to shake his arm from Ushijima’s hold. “Let me go, you brute. I’ve been avoiding you for a goddamn reason.” 

“And that’s why I want you to listen to me.” 

And the weirdest thing is, Ushijima’s voice cracks. Right at the end of his sentence, the usually steady, neutral tone falters, hitching the last syllable a little lower than usual. For Koushi, this feels like a monumental event. His struggle ceases almost immediately. Ushijima takes this as a chance to speak. 

“When I first got my powers,” Ushijima says, voice uncharacteristically soft, “I hurt someone.” 

With that one sentence, Koushi’s fire completely dies, his body untensing after days of tight shoulders and taut muscles. 

Ah , he thinks, so he gets it . 

“It wasn’t anyone I knew, but it was scary.” He continues, olive eyes not even looking at Koushi as he speaks. “I was seven, probably. I was angry, and it got out of my control. My mortal father had never told me about Zeus before that, so my first thought was to think of myself as some sort of--” 

Ushijima trails off, his brow furrowing, and from Koushi’s lips falls the whisper of a word, soft and yet so loud in the silence between them. 

“Monster.” 

He hadn’t meant to say it, but Ushijima still nods. “I was so scared of who I was for the longest time. It didn’t help that my step-mother refused to bring me to camp until I was much older. If I had known there were so many others like me, perhaps I would’ve harnessed Zeus' blessing much earlier than I had.” 

There’s a pause. The silence stretches thick around them. Koushi doesn’t even know where Kita could’ve run off to. Eventually, Ushijima speaks again. 

“I recognized why you hid it--why you restrained. I didn’t want you to be like me, hiding from a blessing that had been given to you.” 

And then, in the tiniest voice he’s ever heard coming from the boy before him, Ushijima finally breaks through Koushi’s perfectly crafted barrier that only Daichi had been able to see through.. 

“You’re not a monster, Koushi. You never have been.”