asdfghjjhgf my pen is covered in cotton candy-

No regrets.

I believe someone on my other book requested hex fluff with swordfighting, buuuut I don't know who did... soooo...

Warnings are shattered glass, swords and combat, and very temporary character death (respawn is on, and painless)

WC: ~1140

Enjoy!

Their swords clashed together, again and again. Xay grunted softly, gritting his teeth in determination.

"Don't just swing mindlessly," Hels advised. "Think about it, and aim." Xay nodded and tried aiming lower the next time, but Hels was ready, and easily blocked the move. The knight drove the other back, but then overshot and dealt a blow that was harsher than he intended. Xay slipped back and fell, and the sound of something shattering rang through the air.

Xay screamed, his hands going up to his visor, and through the cracks of his fingers, a piece of red glass fell through.

"Are you okay?!" Hels asked, dropping down next to Xay, who was bent over, probably to prevent anything from falling in his eyes.

"It didn't cut me," Xay sounded shook.

"I could ask Xisuma for a replacement?" Hels suggested. "I can go and ask him while you clean this up and-"

"Nah, it's fine," Xay's casual voice was obviously a cover-up.

One of his hands went to the latch on his helmet.

Is- is he-

Xay pulled off his helmet, blinking a couple of times to adjust to the light. He had pure white hair that was ridiculously messy, considering he just had a helmet on his head. He also had two scars that crossed into a large 'X' on his face, and glittering red eyes that looked like gemstones or fresh blood.

He's... really pretty, actually-

Xay glanced around, a small smile on his face.

"Wow," he laughed. "Things look different with no helmet. Even you, Hels. Less red- except your face- that still looks red- wait-" Xay stared at him, slowly comprehending.

"Uh- I-" Hels cleared his throat, trying to form cohesive sentences. "I think you're just crazy. My face is not red, mind you." Xay giggled, and crap, that did not help his case.

"Mhm," he teased, reaching to take his sword back. "Let's try again?" Hels nodded, internally sighing in relief that Xay didn't push it.

Okay, maybe he had a little bit of a crush, but that didn't matter.

They went at each other again, but this time, Xay almost seemed... out of it. As if his mind was wandering elsewhere.

I guess the absence of his helmet is distracting him? was Hels's best guess.

Almost effortlessly, Hels drove him back, before knocking the sword out of his hand and pinning him to a wall of netherrack, his blade at Xay's neck.

"Too easy," he laughed, moving the blade away. "Where was your mind this round? Floating with butterflies?" Xay huffed, crossing his arms, his cheeks tinted pink.

An idea came on Hels, and the knight fought back a smirk.

"Also, your cheeks are red as the lava around us," he snorted, watching as the color amplified by about a hundred.

"I- they are not," Xay protested, pressing a gloved hand to his own cheek, feeling for warmth. Hels placed a hand over Xay's and gently pressed it against his cheek.

"Yeah, they kinda are," his voice dropped to a whisper. Xay's eyes went wide, and his face burned.

I think I'm enjoying this, Hels noted. Wonder how long I can keep it going.

Xay opened and closed his mouth a couple times, struggling to find a response. Hels smiled and moved away, going to retrieve Xay's sword.

"Try it again," he offered, giving him the sword. "This time, try not to let your mind wander over to striders and bumblebees, or whatever you think about."

"I- well first off-" Xay's retort was cut off by Hels coming at him with his sword, forcing Xay to shut up and block the attack.

As their swords clashed together, Hels put them in a position that had the two blades pressed against each other, leaving Xay unable to move, risking injury if he did. In a flash, Hels broke away, leaving Xay recovering from the force shift for a second, and in that second, he brought his blade behind Xay's back and pressed the flat face against his spine, pushing him closer to Hels.

Hels quickly kissed him, then moved his blade away and moved back, before brandishing his sword again.

"Wh-" Xay stammered, one hand going up to his lips.

"One of a knight's greatest weapons is to be able to recover from shock," Hels told him. "Best way to train for that is to not tell you beforehand."

"But- you just- I- are you crazy?!" a new fragment of a sentence started each time Xay deflected one of Hels's swipes.

"Maybe I am," Hels remarked.

<EvilXisuma was slain by Helsknight>

"But, you're also dead."

Hels chuckled softly and picked up the sword that fell on the ground. His communicator buzzed, and he checked the chat.

<Xisumavoid> Again? Really?

<Welsknight> Ever consider going easy on him?

Grinning, Hels typed in a message of his own.

<Helsknight> Nah. But I don't think he'll be too objective about losing this time.

Without elaborating further, Hels shut off his communicator and walked towards the Respawn Anchor.

"You," Xay said as he got there. "Are the worst."

"I know," Hels replied, sitting down next to Xay by the Anchor.

"I- I can't believe you- just to win-" Xay sputtered.

"Oh, it wasn't just to win," Hels laughed. "I could've done that without kissing you."

Xay was silent for a second, staring at him, his face slowly heating up.

"You- I-" Xay opened and closed his mouth a couple of times, then went completely still when Hels reached over and ran a hand through his hair.

"I didn't kiss you because I wanted to win, Xay," Hels repeated. "And not because I was trying to teach you either." Hels kissed his forehead, lingering there for a second before moving back.

"So- why- I- can I do it again, then?" The last words came out in a rush, and Xay clapped a hand over his mouth when he said them.

"Go ahead," Hels offered, grinning.

Xay swallowed and moved to sit closer, before taking Hels's hands in his own. He didn't move, just stared at their interlocked hands, completely frozen. He was looking down and not at Hels, but even from that angle, Hels could see the flaming blush on his cheeks.

Blazes, he's cute.

Xay squeezed his hands harder, then suddenly, looked up with a fast and impulsive movement and connected their lips.

And Void, it felt better than the first time.

Hels kissed back, and he felt Xay relax just a bit, letting himself fall. Hels pulled back and watched Xay move closer and bury himself in Hels's armor.

"Just a little while ago, you were flustering me," Hels noted.

"Yeah, but then you kissed me," Xay pointed out. "In the middle of a fight." Hels chuckled.

"Yeah, I guess I did. Love you, Xay,"

"Love you too."

asdfghjfdfghjhgfghjkhgfghjkgfk this started as a drabble that I wrote for fun but bOY AM I HAPPY THAT I CONTINUED WRITING-

-Storm