Chapter Text
Percy wiped sweat from his brow, glaring at the training dummy that had just survived a series of his fiercest strikes. “Come on, this is pathetic,” he muttered, tossing his sword aside. The Camp Half-Blood arena had seen better days, but Percy’s temper wasn’t about to let it slide.
“You fight like a mortal playing hero,” a voice boomed, making him jump. Percy turned to see a tall, broad-shouldered man leaning against the arena’s edge. His dark eyes glinted like polished obsidian, and his grin—cocky, infuriating—made Percy’s stomach twist.
“Ares,” Chiron’s voice warned from behind him. “Stay calm, Percy. He’s… visiting.”
“Visiting?” Percy echoed, instinctively tightening his grip on Riptide. “I didn’t exactly send an invitation.”
Ares chuckled, stepping closer, his presence making the air feel heavier. “I didn’t come for manners,” he said, his tone teasing yet commanding. “I came for a challenge.”
Percy’s heart raced. Not from fear—though he’d never faced a god in a fair fight—but from something stranger, something magnetic about the war god that made his chest tighten and his thoughts scramble.
The duel started as a blur. Steel clashed with divine energy, sparks flying with each strike. Percy’s instincts screamed, but Ares was different—he wasn’t just strong; he was wild, untamable, and strangely intoxicating. Percy felt something he’d never expected: exhilaration, adrenaline, and a thrill that had nothing to do with battle strategy.
When their swords finally locked, inches from Percy’s chest, Ares’ smirk softened just a fraction, and his gaze lingered longer than necessary. “You’re not like the others,” Ares murmured, almost conversationally.
Percy blinked. “What do you mean?”
“Most mortals, most demigods… they fear me. You… you fight, and I don’t see fear. I see fire.”
And in that moment, something unspoken passed between them—a recognition, a pull that neither battle nor prophecy could explain. Percy felt heat rise to his ears, but before he could respond, Chiron cleared his throat loudly, breaking the tension.
“That’s enough,” Chiron said firmly, though his eyes twinkled knowingly. “Ares, perhaps save the flirting for… later.”
Ares gave Percy one last smirk, leaning close just enough that Percy could smell the faint scent of iron and smoke. “Later,” he said, and vanished in a swirl of shadows and sparks, leaving Percy breathless, confused, and undeniably intrigued.