Intertwined (crossover)

Intertwined, part 3

Can you believe????

Leo figures he shouldn't be enjoying this as much as he is, on the account that he only realized he's pathetically into Nico recently, but Nico's letting him so... here he is. He laughs, because it's kind of ridiculous really.

"What is it?"

He sounds actually curious, and Leo decides they might as well just lay everything down now, when they have two more days left of peace; it'll be harder to talk once they're on the road.

"It's funny that it took me so long to realize I like you"

Nico hums, and Leo continues before his words can be twisted.

"You're like, my exact type; but I also didn't exactly trust you"

Nico frowns at him, and his nose scrunches, which is unfairly cute.

"I'm nothing like Calypso"

Leo nods.

"No, she's an outlier, which, maybe it's silly, but that's why I thought it would really work"

Nico's expression softens; but Leo's not quite done.

"See, now that is a case of forced feelings, vanishing as soon as she was free"

Nico scoffs, and Leo should move away from him, but he's rooted to the spot; and maybe this is the magical interference.

"That's such bullshit, you saved her and she turned your friends against you"

Leo feels tingly all over at how angry he sounds.

"Sure, but it gave me the chance to become a cryptid"

Nico chuckles against him, and isn't that a pretty sound; so Leo presses.

"The child of Hephaestus who pops in to save a new demy and then disappears into the air"

Nico actually laughs at that, and the effect it has on his features is nothing short of breathtaking.

"You're ridiculous"

Leo feels himself smiling, feeling sort of giddy for the minute it takes Nico to calm down, and then they're just looking at each other; weirdly, the moment isn't charged with tension, actually it's surprisingly peaceful. He recognizes the feeling and at the same time doesn't, similar as it is to what he once felt for her; it's also vastly different, because Nico feels indescribably safe.

They have to pull away if Leo wants to make any progress on the remaining project Magnus gave him; and he needs to make progress if he wants to be able to leave in the next two days. So, reluctantly and with a lot of sighing, he detaches himself from Nico's chill.

"I gotta get back to work ángel"

Nico sighs too, looking a little like a displeased cat, which is actually a fitting image considering how cats generally react to Leo's constant warmth. He doesn't think Nico would appreciate the comparison though, so he busies himself with starting on the last thing he has to fix in order to fulfill his end of the deal he struck with Magnus.

.-.. --- --- -.-/.-/- .. -- ./... -.- .. .-.-

Isabelle is glad to see Leo this vibrant, even if it's because he's moments away from being freed from his deal with Magnus; which is something he has to explain, because apparently taking things without specifics ended in disaster more often than not. She kind of wants to put him face to face with the seelies, because she thinks he would give them a run for their money; but maybe it's better that there hasn't been a chance, they would definitely try to snatch him up.

Leo's living shadow, as Simon had nicknamed Nico, was polishing a pure black sword a decent distance away, utilizing some tools Leo had manifested into the room from his tool belt; it's probably the Stygian Iron Leo had mentioned before. Isabelle was all kinds of curious, and frankly a little jealous, what she would do with the ability to summon any mechanic/smith tool.

"What about battle axes?"

They been discussing how to spruce up the Shadowhunter armory, ever since the 'poisonous' knife she's been dying to get his opinion on this, and since he's leaving soon, she figures now's a good time.

"We actually have a few of those"

Leo nods, still in thought.

"I'm guessing that also goes for lances"

He's very sharp; she lets him know he's correct, and he hums.

"What about maces? Actually, what about chain maces?"

She's so gonna have to find some way to contact him in the future.

"I think that may work"