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[img]https://media.giphy.com/media/1kelG3SHnuOblcLpPD/giphy.gif[/img]
[sub]A [@King Kindred] &[@Venus] Collaboration
Featuring [color=15B9E7]Zeru Williams[/color] & [color=CA5F95]Fiamma Giannulli[/color][/sub]
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Zeru jumped with startlement at the sound of his last name. He turned around to see Carlos and Anzu standing there. He glanced awkwardly back to the door of the Apollo cabin. It wasn’t a secret that he and Fiamma were [i]friends[/i], but how often did you see Zeru rush off to see anyone? He didn’t even bother to check on Erin after Dionysus and Chiron gave the announcement and she was his cousin. So how was he going to explain this?

[color=#d998a0]”Erin is looking for you.”[/color]

Speak of the demoness. That’s what this was about. A jolt rushed through his mind as he made a sudden realization. He wasn’t sick. Erin was talking about him. That mystery was solved, but he still felt a little weird. What was he? Some fictional character in a story? He shook the utterly ridiculous thought from his mind and focused on the bigger picture. Erin had chosen him to go on the quest with her. He was excited, but that left another problem. He was just about to reunite with Fi just for them to separate once again.

[color=#7F6B5D]”Well, just have fun for now and look for her later. Don't take too long, Zee-”[/color]

[color=#d998a0]”See you around, Williams. Tell Fi we said welcome back.”[/color]

That confirmed it. They knew about him and Fi’s relationship, but he wasn’t worried that they’d go around spreading it. In all honesty he had been thinking about taking their relationship public and to meet her parents. But that was a conversation he’d save for after he got back from the quest. Right now they already had a lot to talk about. Zeru turned back around to face the door and wondered what was taking her so long. He decided to knock again just in case she didn’t hear the first time.

Fiamma had, indeed, heard the first few knocks on her cabin door. In fact, she'd heard the distinctive sound of Zeru's footsteps approaching her cabin long before he was in close proximity.  Heart racing with anticipation, he'd been seconds away from opening the door and facing her lover when two different sets of footsteps joined the fray. The voices, Fi recognized, belonged to Anzu and Carlos. 

The young woman's brows furrowed together in confusion. What could Los and Zu possibly want with her or Zee? It couldn't be with her, because she'd been at camp for a grand ten minutes, so it had to be with Zee. But that still didn't bring her any closer to having any idea of what this could be about. 
Before she could dwell on it any more, the reason soon became clear. Erin was looking for Zeru, which could only mean one thing…

Just as she'd finally made her arrival to camp, her boyfriend was being called out to a quest.

Fiamma's heart sank. What were the odds that she and Zee wouldn't even get to reunite properly before one of them was going away? She tried to look at the bright side of things: that she at least arrived early enough to see him off. But this still did nothing to ward off the beginning of tears starting to pool in her blue eyes.

After the second knock, the daughter of Apollo turned the knob and slowly swung the door to the cabin open just enough for her pale face to peek out.

[color=CA5F95]"You have to go already?"[/color] she asked her boyfriend-- her sad eyes, pouting lips and crestfallen expression similar to that of Bubbles of the Powerpuff girls.

Zeru’s eyes met Fiamma’s and he felt a sudden and powerful ache in his chest. He’s been in a lot of fights and faced many threats, but nothing cut him deeper than her tears. He feared this would happen. He wanted to hold her, he wanted to wipe her tears, he just wanted to assure her that everything was going to be okay and that they’d have a real reunion soon, but he couldn’t do any of that as long as he was on this side of the door.

[color=15B9E7]“I do, but not already, already. I still have time, but can you let me in so we can talk about this? I’ve been waiting so long to hold and kiss my girlfriend and I’m not letting a quest get in the way of that.”[/color]

Fiamma stared at her boyfriend for a few more seconds, her lower lip wobbling, before she stepped aside and swung the door wide enough for Zeru to come in. By the time he had stepped inside, a few tears had escaped her eyes and were rolling down her cheeks.

Zeru closed the door once he was fully inside and stepped closer to Fiamma. They were so close that if they were around her parents a Bible probably would have been placed between them so they wouldn’t make babies on contact. He lifted his right hand to her cheeks and wiped away the few tears that had fallen. He couldn’t stand seeing her like this. He never wanted to be a reason she’d cry. He wanted to be the reason she’d stop crying, the reason she felt safe. How was she supposed to feel safe if he was halfway across the world.

[color=15B9E7]”I love you, Flamebird and the love that we share will always have me running back to you.”[/color]

[color=CA5F95]"I know…"[/color] the girl whispered with a small nod, taking advantage of the hand wiping her tears to hold it with her own. [color=CA5F95]"I'm not scared of you leaving, Zee. I'm scared of you not coming back. It took me so long to finally find you, and to think of something happening and losing you forever…"[/color] she trailed off, a river of tears now running fast down her pink cheeks. The mere idea of any tragedy coming upon her boyfriend was enough to send her into the hysterics she was currently in.

Zeru didn’t want Fi to ever let go of his hand. He also didn’t want to leave her, but he knew he had to. Potentially fighting Ares aside he knew he’d regret not going with them. Something was telling him that he had to go on this quest and if he didn’t something bad would happen to the ones that went without him. He’d never be able to forgive himself if any of them died and he could have prevented it just by being there. But he also had to consider Fiamma’s feelings. They were very valid. Demigods died on quests all the time. Not even he was invincible, no matter how much he believed he was. Seeing her like this was already killing him softly. Her tears were forming faster than he could wipe them away so he talked to her instead.

[color=15B9E7]“Hey, hey. Look at me. I’m not taking that ride across the Styx anytime soon. I’ve been kicking ass and slaying monsters since I was eleven. If I don’t go someone else might never return and I wouldn’t be able to live with myself. But let’s enjoy the time we have together now. I still have to pack and Los and Zu did say I could take as much time with you as I want. Speaking of… I think some of the others are catching onto our secret.”[/color]

Although she was anything but reassured, Fiamma knew Zeru had a point. If he was indeed leaving for a quest soon, they had to take advantage of every single moment they still had together. After all, it had been months since they had last seen each other. The long-awaited reunion so far had been nothing but bitter, but that didn’t mean it was too late to add a whole lot of sweetness to it.

Hearing Zee’s attempt to lighten up the mood, Fi followed suit. [color=CA5F95]“I think everyone’s caught onto our secret at this point,”[/color] she said with a shaky laugh, wiping the rest of her tears away from her face. Because she hadn’t been wearing waterproof mascara, the girl had a bit of a resemblance to a red-headed racoon of some sorts. [color=CA5F95]“I don’t really mind, though. I love being your girlfriend.”[/color]

A laugh escaped Zeru's mouth despite his attempt to hold it in. They were supposed to be having a serious moment, but he couldn't help but express his amusement at her now masked face. She reminded him of a game he used to play as a kid. [color=15B9E7]“I'm sorry, but you remind me of Sly Cooper like that. And just like the thief he is you stole my heart, but I'll be the one to steal a kiss."[/color]

With that Zee felt that he had given her enough warning. If she didn't want the kiss she'd dodge it, but he had a feeling she wanted to kiss him just as much as he wanted to kiss her. He leaned forward and pulled her face softly closer to his before he himself closed the distance and kissed her passionately on the lips. It had been so long since he felt her lips and he knew he wouldn't have been satisfied with just a peck.

And it seemed like Fiamma felt the same way, because his girlfriend wasted no time in wrapping her slender arms around him and pressing her body against his, all the while not breaking the kiss but responding to it with the same amount of enthusiasm. It was clear that they were starving for each other.

Zeru then pulled back and said, [color=15B9E7]"And I love being your boyfriend. When I get back how about we stop 'hiding' from everyone and become the official best couple in camp?"[/color]

Fiamma could only laugh and nod. [color=CA5F95]"Deal!"[/color] she agreed, taking the opportunity to pull her boyfriend into another passionate kiss. She let it go on for what seemed like forever before finally pulling away. [color=CA5F95]"You know, as happy as I am that we're back together and close like this, I'm feeling a little tired from the trip back here to camp..."[/color] the redhead began, looking up at Zeru with sparkling blue eyes full of love and mischief. [color=CA5F95]"Maybe a shower might help with that. What do you think?"[/color] she asked him, biting her lower lip while a playful smile danced in the corners of her cheeks.

That wonderful, mischievous look in her eyes. The first time she looked at him like that was the moment he fell in love. Every time his eyes met her sparkling blues he was putty in her hands. [color=15B9E7]“I think…”[/color] He said while reaching down to pick her up. [color=15B9E7]“That since you’re tired I should carry you up to the bathroom.”[/color] He scooped her into his arms, and Fiamma's thrilled laughter quickly filled the empty spaces of the Apollo cabin. Zeru paused for a moment to just smile at her-- in the same soft, warm and loving manner his girlfriend was smiling at him. Before they got lost in each other's eyes again, he decided to head up the stairs, being careful not to bump Fiamma into anything.[/indent][/indent][/color]