ONCE IN A BLUE MOON | DANTE

Melanie had taken the lull in activity as a sign that she should make her way back to the archery range to practice. She had been on the island for way too long due to paperwork and meetings. The restlessness was beginning to settle in her bones again and she could feel it. If the Commander didn't give her a mission soon, she'd have to find her own or make another excuse to get off the island.

Walking up to a small table beside one of the lanes, Melanie took out her knives and laid the smaller ones out where she could see them. Grabbing a practice bow that had been discarded beneath one of the benches and a quiver of unused arrows, she took her aim for the first time in a few days. It was good to be back.

@kkram265

Dante had been at the archery range for nearly an hour and a half, while he was taking a break he set his bow and quiver down so he could go for a light jog around the range. As he was rounding back to the tables he saw Mel picking up his discarded items after setting down her set of knives and she seemed rather tense. He slowed down and began to creep up to her making sure to not make a single sound and focus on his breathing. When she was just about to release, focusing her own breathing he jumped and sprinted towards her. "Mel! What do you think you are doing with my bow!" He shouted just as she went to release her arrow the projectile sailing well wide of the bullseye. He started to laugh as his momentum carried him into her and he picked her up in a bear hug, carrying her a couple of feet away from her starting position, before he set her down laughing. After a few moments still wearing a large smile he said, "Why so tense? I know you like your job but you need to smile a little."

created by rynstone

@accaila

"Damn it Dan-" She started, though her tirade was cut short whenever he picked her up, causing her to squeal loudly. Thank the Gods they were the only ones there. "Your lucky Colonel Wyatt isn't here today. He'd kill me and then you, just for good measure." No, fraternizing with the Minotaur guys was strictly forbidden whenever the watchful eyes of Braxton were on her. He'd probably have shot her by now for good measure. Fin's guys? She could get away with murder...not so much with Dante, even if she did enjoy his company.

"The Commander has kept me on the island for two weeks. I'm restless and I need to get out of here." Melanie conceded after a moment of contemplation. Technically, Dante was one of her commanding officers, so she could tell him borderline anything she wanted to. He didn't have the clearance for everything, but nothing was classified about her current problem.

"Yes. Yes Colonel Wyatt would have an issue with it, but he isn't here." To prove his point he pulled Mel in for what would appear to be another hug put suddenly he tossed her over his shoulder and sprinted off in the direction of the missing arrow. Once there he set her down, "If he were here he would shoot me with this arrow, though that has already happened recently. Who would have thought running in the woods would cause me to get shot." He rolled is shoulders as if to prove he was alright. He then realized what she said about being stuck on the island for two weeks and that she was restless. Smiling he then ran back towards the tables. He then shouted at her once he made sure there was no one else there, "Restless! That is not allowed! You get three chances to hit the post behind me." He moved to stand in front of the post, though he changed the rules a little and he started running in a zigzag pattern, back towards her, so she didn't get a clear shot. "Lets see how you can do!"

created by rynstone

@accaila

Melanie was laughing so hard by the time he put her down that her sides hurt. Alright, maybe staying on the island for a little while longer wouldn't quite kill her, as long as she got to have some fun with Dante. It was so rare for them to be together anymore that it was almost criminal.

"Yep. That's the arrow alright. It would be in the target if SOMEONE hadn't jumped me at the last minute." She teased, picking up the bow that she now recognized as Dante's. Shaking her head at his proposed game, Melanie smiled before taking aim. "Alright, but if I win we have to sneak away for drinks at my place later this week. No Colonels allowed. Well... maybe Fin." Releasing the first arrow, it fell slightly to the side as she changed her mind at the last minute. The object was to hit the post, not Dante.

The second arrow she took her time on. With only one more left, she didn't want to lose a good opportunity. Finally letting it fly, Mel stared in horror as it appeared to hit Dante. Dropping the bow, she started running to where he had stopped, hoping she was wrong.

The third arrow was released and he made sure to run into it just fast enough that slipped under his arm, it did graze him a little but nothing to serious though. Smiling he dropped to the ground as if it were a serious hit. He didn't move, not an inch his breathing slowed down and then he heard her running towards him. Mel's hands grasped his shoulder and pulled him towards her, the look of terror on her face made him burst into laughter which only increased as she started hitting him. He tossed the arrow to the side and rolled her onto her back before he started tickling her, "Really you want to leave all of this?"

created by rynstone

@accaila

"Next time, Gregory, I will stab you." She said between gasps. Melanie was relieved that he was alright, but at the same time she felt the intense need to throttle the man. Rolling him over so that she was on top of him, Melanie attempted to get away, but felt herself being pulled back. "You know, if we weren't going to get in trouble over this, I highly doubt you would enjoy it so much." She accused, trying to find a way to keep both of his hands off of her at the same time so that she could escape the tickling.

"You wish I wouldn't enjoy it this much." He stopped raising his arms above his head, twitching a little as the small cut stretched. He smiled at her just taking her in though she was a daughter of Hades and he of Apollo they got along well though that wasn't with out its own challenges through the years. He still loved thinking about how close they had gotten despite her tendencies to distance herself. Maybe he was just that annoying that she gave in, he didn't really know. He was lost in thought for several moments thinking of those early years and said, "You've grown up so much, sometimes I miss pestering the little girl who didn't want me near her. To think after everything you are twenty and head of intelligence. I don't think I ever told you how proud I am of you, even if you are not my sister, you are my friend and the closest thing I have to a sister here." he drifted off then thinking of home and is brothers and sister, the triplets would be a year older than Mel and he missed so much in his attempt to keep them safe. Shaking his head he looked at Mel and smiled softly. "So what are we going to do next, should we see how many times I can bench press you or should I steal a kiss?" He sat up quickly and made to give her a peck on the lips before tilting to place a gentle kiss on her nose. He settled back down on his elbows.

created by rynstone

@accaila

Melanie pulled away playfully, trying to evade Dante's advances. "False. You have a sister, she owns club NYSA." Sticking her tongue out at him, she settled back against his knees instead of standing up. If he was going to be playful, she would try to be too. "I can't believe it either some times. Who would have thought back then that I'd be doing something as crazy as this? You and Brax-I mean, Colonel Wyatt- were supposed to handle the military stuff, not me. I was supposed to be the ditz that called you to come kill the spider because they scared the living daylights out of me." No, this was supposed to be Tavie's job. Maybe that's why Brax hated her so much.

"True I do, but I see you more than her. Hell when you are on the island I see you more than the rest of my family and most of the time you don't think I am crazy, my training sometimes is but you don't think I am. he said in response to her mention of Annabeth. "You know I never thought you were the ditz, I saw through that years ago but let you play the card. Roles are thrust on us, but we choose them too, Braxton recommended me for the post and so I had to train to be better if I am to lead. Some days I wonder what he and Owain saw in me to lead men and women." Darkness and light they were joined together in a constant battle for dominance here here he was with Mel, a girl he saw not only as a friend but sister. She was a daughter of Hades, darkness is where she thrived which is what made her an amazing intelligence operative and he was a child of Apollo the light is where he excelled. Though he had to admit they both were alright in the others elements. "I guess I just want you to know that you don't need to stay in the shadows when you come back from missions and smiling doesn't kill you. When Braxton isn't around, I mean when Colonel Wyatt."

created by rynstone

@accaila

"You were recommended because he knows you. The men are lucky to have you, especially if things get bad soon." Melanie shuddered at the thought, but with the way things were going in the field...something was brewing and she could feel it. " I might not have been the ditz, but I wanted to be. Still would be if I thought I could stomach it." She had changed too much for that, now that things were all said and done.

Shaking her head at his last comment, Melanie gave him a sad smile. "I know, Dante, I really do. If I didn't think I deserved everything that I got from him, I'd fight back a little harder. We both know that isn't the case. He hates me for a reason, and neither of us can deny that he's right." She shouldn't be here. Braxton opposed her every move because she wasn't one of them and never should have joined their ranks. If she couldn't save Octavia, what made her think she could help save this island?

"Lucky, I come from a family of musicians, club owners and doctor's my gift is for healing and yet I don't really use it often. I will admit I wish I had the clearance to help you reduce the burdens that you carry." His heart grew heavy, she was in a role that suited her, and her gift and yet she was the one looked at as a thief, her dedication didn't always get noticed but she worked hard. She saw what was brewing and what was needed. He sighed a little, it was hard knowing that his friend lost a sister and was forced to see her replacement of sorts in that role. "You know I know how good a fighter she was, and how talented she was but the thing is despite it all you came through, You always do, sure mistakes can and will be made but you will always have someone at your back." he gave her a big smile before adding, "though we can't be sure I won't point out your mistakes, just as you are not afraid to point out mine."

created by rynstone

@accaila

Melanie shook her head, standing up as she did so. "Speaking of mistakes and pointing them out, I want to show you something." Walking back over to the table with her knives, Melanie picked up a small piece of paper before heading across the field towards her target. Much like she had last time with Jason, she began to place the brightly colored dots from the paper onto the target before returning to where Dante stood. "It's a technique I've been working on. I haven't quite perfected it yet, but it's getting better."

Pulling the shadows from behind the targets, she wrapped them around the one she intended to use before closing her eyes, using what she could see on the inside to line up her shot. When Jason had been there, she refused to close her eyes because she didn't know him. It was different with Dante. Letting the knife fly towards it's intended destination, she removed the shadows as soon as it made contact to get a better look. Just slightly off point, again.

Dante watched as Mel pulled the shadows from behind the targets, he turned to look at her and saw her eyes closed. She threw the knife towards her target and when all was said and done she was slightly off the mark. He smiled at her and wrapped his arms around her from behind pulling her close. "Mel, you are doing great, but I think you need to think of it as the bow or a sniper rifle. Breath in before you shoot, or throw in this case. You can see in shadows something I have no talent in, but clearing your mind of all thoughts and pressure is key." He let her go and slowly turned her so she could see him as he added, "The other important thing is to believe you can do it, and realizing it won't be perfect every time, even if you want it to be. If it helps when the time comes where you have to use this skill I have no doubt in you. Ignore the other voices of doubt, you can do it."

created by rynstone

@accaila

"It helps to close my eyes, but the seeing double thing still gets to me. I know I can't do that in the field, though. Usually I can surround myself, but lately...their getting smarter. We haven't been compromised, but their learning our tactics." Her last bad lead had sent her up against a son of Helios, something she had never wanted to do. The light had been blinding and had almost rendered her defenseless. "It doesn't help that I think we have a leak somewhere. It's not one of mine, but I know it's happening. We've had too many close calls and bad leads." Should she discuss this with Dante, probably not. She was going to anyways. Braxton wouldn't listen, Finley was busy and the Commander had other issues to deal with. It was just chain of command, right?

"If I was trying to hit center, this wouldn't be hard. Moving targets...they get worse. If my sight is completely obscured or completely open, I don't miss. This, this is a whole knew animal." She had shrugged off her previous comment fairly quickly, almost hoping he'd ignore it. Dante would be worried if he knew everything that had happened recently and it wouldn't be fair of her to lay that on him if he couldn't do anything about it.