A/N

Whoo! Is it just me, or is it hot in here?

Yep, you got that right – it's getting a little hot and heavy for Leo and Nico this chap (I say hot and heavy – what I mean is that it's gone somewhat past casual kissing.

'How far past?' I hear you asking

Well read on too see!

Wandering the streets with a pyromaniac elf hadn't been what I'd had in mind for my future when I'd decided to fight against Gaia.

It was far, far better.

I glanced over to where Leo walked beside me. His eyes were still saucer-wide, his expression, one of amazement. I couldn't contain the grin that crept onto my face as I watched him. Like a little kid, he ran a few steps ahead of me, spinning with his arms open wide and his face uplifted. Turning back to me, eyes shining, he breathed out, his warm breath clouding the chilly air.

'This, this, this is incredible!'

My grin became somewhat more smirk-like.

'This 'incredible' thing that you're looking at is just a side street - it's not like there's anything to see.'

Leo pulled his head in towards himself, looking affronted.

'Of course there is. There's always something to see – you just have to look hard enough to find it.' He turned his back to me, continuing his way up the street. Stopping suddenly, sending me stumbling into him, he pointed.

'Look! Over there!'

My eyes followed the line of his arm to alight on a couple huddled together in the doorway, the woman's eyes bright as she gazed up at the man. Red-cheeked, he handed her a small gift-wrapped box, ducking his head as she received it with a kiss on the cheek.

'And there!' Leo exclaimed, drawing my attention to the shadow of a Cyclops as it slipped into a darkened laneway.

I regarded him with what I assumed was a confused expression. 'So what? Happy couples and cyclops'; we get those every day at camp. There's nothing particularly special about it.'

Leo's returning gaze was incredulous.

'You don't get it? Can't you see?'

'See what?' I shot back, somewhat annoyed.

He sighed. 'But this isn't like camp. Don't you understand? Half-bloods and cyclops' living together is no big deal – we have for centuries. But those people aren't half-bloods – they're mortals. Sharing the same space as our kind, breathing the same air. Even now, when Gaia is readying her army, these people are living side by side with creatures that they would consider to be monsters. Their existence is symbiotic; they coexist with one another even as we fight against our own kind.'

Looking at it that way, I could see what he meant. It was incredible, the fact that two races which were so very different could live together happily, while we still couldn't even cope with other demigods, let alone Gaia and her allies. Obviously, we would never exist alongside Gaia; our ideals and ways of life were far too different.

But the Romans – now that was a different story. We were of the same breed, many of us of the same blood, working together for the same goal.

Yet we couldn't even be in the same camp as one another without sparks flying. That was something that would be truly incredible – if we could successfully work together to defeat Gaia's army.

I wondered if Leo always looked at the world this way. It must be truly beautiful to see through his eyes.

I was pulled from my thoughts by the touch of a warm hand taking hold of mine, twining our fingers together.

I looked from the corner of my eye to Leo as he stood surveying me, a half-smiling dancing across his face. Leaning in, I kissed it from his lips, transferring it to my own as I drew back.

Leo's expression mimicked that of a small, grumpy child, bottom lip jutting out and brow furrowed.

'No fair.' he mumbled. 'I'm meant to be the sassy, funny, cool one in this relationship, and you're meant to be the thoughtful quiet one. Stop stealing my role.'

'If you keep that expression up,' I interjected 'It'll definitely boost your cool level. I mean, I can practically feel the sass radiating from that face.'

Pulling his hand from my grip to place it on his waist, Leo assumed an unimpressed air.

I folded my arms, tilting my head to the side. 'Stop pouting. Angry toddler doesn't suit you - you're better matched to hyperactive teenager; it makes more use of your natural talents.'

'Well, if I'm a hyperactive teenager, then what are you?' he enquired, seeming genuinely curious.

'What am I?' I replied, somewhat thrown. 'I – I don't know. What do you think I am?'

Leo bit his lip, seemingly thinking hard, until he suddenly hit his fist into his palm.

'I know!' he exclaimed, a pink blush suffusing his cheeks. 'You're –'

I closed my eyes, waiting for whatever cute comment was sure to follow.

'The stereotypical angst ridden teenager!'

With a snap, my eyes sprang open. Not at all what I was expecting. Leo's grin was so large it was almost cracking his face in two. I could practically feel the air warming around me as it was hit with a blinding ray of Leo-light.

I met his smile with an ice cold stare, taking a threatening step towards him. Pinning him down with my gaze, I took another step, my movements threatening, my stance aggressive …

At least, it was … until one of my slow footfalls went awry and I found myself slipping on the icy ground and falling straight into Leo.

As he saw me coming he raised his hands, successfully catching me around the waist – however that was the most successful he got. His feet slipped out from under him as he attempted to support my weight, sending both of us skittering to the floor in a tangle of limbs. I ended up half on top of Leo, his arms flung around my waist as I used my elbows to support myself.

He was gazing up at me, brown eyes wide. The flecks of gold in his iris' shone and his lips were slightly parted. I propped myself up on a single elbow so that I could lift a piece of dark hair from where it had fallen, obscuring his eyes. I could feel every inch of his body pressing into mine, our chests were flush against one another.

Leo's breath was warm on my face as I leant down and placed a soft kiss on the tip of his nose. I went to pull away, but he lifted a hand from where it gripped my waist, taking hold of my chin and lowering it back to his lips. Slanting our mouths against one another, our lips moved in harmony as we breathed as one. In that moment, it felt almost as though our souls were knit together.

I felt Leo bite softly on my bottom lip and I shivered, our bodies shuddering together as I deepened the kiss. His hands moved to the back of my head and he pulled me even closer towards him, heat playing across my face as I felt his body temperature begin to rise.

'Hey! You two! Get a bloody room!'