Battle for Two {Closed for Andy and Nevaeh}

I watched as she leaned farther and farther forwards. Uh-oh. I remembered the last time I'd seen someone fall from a height like this. Actually, I didn't, because of my Mist-corrupted memories, but I had the strangest sense of deja-vu then. And I certainly did not want a repeat. "Careful, Nicole. Don't lean too far out; I wouldn't want to have to drag your half-dead body to the Apollo cabin." I still carried on with the teasing, my voice light and gentle, but now I was worried and troubled. I didn't show it at all on the outside though.

ANDREW NOVEMBER HYRULEAN . . . . . .

Gods. That was a rather malevolently exciting moment, right there. I glanced at her, shaken and pale on the wall next to me, and I sighed. "Come on, Nicole, let's go back down. It's not really safe here." I hated to be the party pooper, or to ruin moments of fun like this. Aloof I may be from social situations, but not ignorant, and it was possible she could get hurt if we stayed up here. I unattached both swords, and with an exaggerated sigh, slid over the side like I was going to fall.

Nope. On the way down, the swords heated up til they were flaming blue, and they slid though the concrete of the arena like a hot knife through butter. They caught, and then I was already halfway down the wall. Stabbing the other one slightly higher, I let go and jumped the rest of the way. "Just step on the swords. They won't break."

ANDREW NOVEMBER HYRULEAN . . . . . .

This was too dangerous, although exciting. I glanced at Nicole, and she was shaken and pale. I sighed. "Come on, Nicole. We should get back down. It's gonna get dark soon. It's dangerous up here." I stabbed the wall with one of my shortswords, grunting with the effort. Then, with a wink at Nicole to ease the tension, I slid off the wall, grasping the shortsword already embedded in the arena wall, with the other in my hand. As I fell downwards, I pushed energy into the sword until it glowed a superheated blue. Letting the other sword go, I just stuck the sword through the wall a bit further down like a hot knife through butter. Halfway down.

"Okay, just step down. It's not far, and the swords are unbreakable!"

I sighed, and turned away from her after she got down. "It's an easy way down from here. Uh- Nicole, I gotta go now. One of my friends is off for a quest and I want to contact him one more time before he's off." Well, that was true, but all of a sudden I didn't feel so good. I didn't even know why. Kicking up dust from the floor with the toe of my shoe, I stammered, "Well, it was nice seeing you. I should- I should be off now." I gave her a smile in farewell, but my mind was preoccupied and my heart wasn't in it. The smile didn't reach my eyes.

Nicole bit her lip as Andy smiled. She knew that smile too well. Way too well. Nicole always played that smile everyday. Yet, she didn't want anyone elso to copy what she had done in her life. What she hda done wasn't the best way to cope with feelings per say. Nicole's brown eyes flashed over to Andy's eyes. She stepped forward and bit her lip again.

"That's not a real smile," Nicole said softly, looking up at Andy because he was so dang tall while Nicole was short. Suddenly though, Nicole opened up her arms and gaev Andy a hug, showing she cared.