𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐂𝐑𝐀𝐖𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆, luke castellan

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐞

"You're doing pretty good."

"Luke, there's no need to lie to make me feel better," Jane remarked with a playful smile as she advanced, paying no mind to her fallen dagger on the ground. He had disarmed her for the eleventh time that afternoon. The training sessions were proving to be quite challenging. However, she appeared flawless in the sword-fighting arena. Her long, dark hair tied in a ponytail cascaded seductively over her shoulder. Drawing closer to him, until they were mere inches apart, she murmured in a hushed tone while trailing her fingers behind his neck, "But I appreciate the effort."

After those words, she leaned in and pressed her lips into a tender kiss. Luke responded immediately, wrapping his arms around her back, returning the kiss with equal fervor, gently caressing her as they savored the moment.

The make-out session felt far more satisfying than the training, Luke mused. By now, it was becoming increasingly apparent that Jane had wanted to train with him just to spend more time together, and she didn't seem particularly invested in mastering dagger combat. After all, her true passion had always been archery.

Nevertheless, he relished the fact that she displayed interest in him. Feeling wanted and needed provided him with a sense of fulfillment. Knowing that he could do something for her and that she relied on him was deeply satisfying. Luke genuinely enjoyed their time together, and although he was certain he wasn't ready for a serious relationship at the moment, Jane's company was undeniably pleasant.

However, on that particular day, his mind was preoccupied with numerous thoughts, hindering his ability to fully enjoy the moment. He had hoped that training with her would help clear his mind, but it seemed that wasn't the case.

Stepping back slightly, they broke the contact of their lips, and Jane rested her forehead against his, a bright smile gracing her lips as her white teeth gleamed. Her green eyes held a special sparkle, the same one she always had when she looked at him. Luke closed his eyes, feeling her breath against his skin.

"Are you okay, baby?" she asked sweetly, her gaze filled with a mixture of admiration and concern.

"Ye—yeah," he managed to stammer out, quickly opening his eyes and attempting to compose himself.

"You don't seem like it," she murmured near his lips.

Luke locked his blue eyes with hers, feeling a twist of discomfort within him.

"Just had a spat with Annabeth a few days ago," he admitted, offering a half-truth.

While his disagreement with Annabeth did weigh on his mind, it wasn't the sole concern occupying his thoughts at that moment. Or rather, Annabeth wasn't the only person on his mind at that moment.

She nodded understandingly and subtly guided him to the side with a gentle touch on his forearm, leaning against one of the arena walls. Offering him her water bottle, he gratefully accepted it, taking a few sips, feeling drained from the training and his internal struggles.

"What happened with Anne?" she asked gently, pressing her lips together.

Jane was well aware of Annabeth's disdain for her, and she couldn't shake the feeling that the argument had something to do with her. After all, whenever she was around Luke, the young girl would shoot her hostile glares.

It pained Jane deeply because she genuinely desired to forge a bond with Annabeth. After all, Jane held strong feelings for Luke, and the daughter of Athena was akin to his younger sister. Despite her sincere efforts, Annabeth had rebuffed her numerous attempts to connect and appeared to harbor some resentment towards her.

"I kind of forgot about our plan to go canoeing last Sunday, and well... she got upset," Luke admitted, his gaze drifting to the other end of the sword-fighting arena, reluctant to say anything that might distress Jane.