[color=darkgray][indent][indent][center][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/210308/b5745d1156c2699e84ae9aaae1c0c5d5.png[/img]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/OBu24ur.png[/img]
[sub]A [@King Kindred] &[@Venus] Collaboration
Featuring [color=15B9E7]Zeru Williams[/color] & [color=CA5F95]Fiamma Giannulli[/color][/sub]
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Zeru left the Hades Cabin ready to face his next challenge: packing and unpacking the details of the quest with Fiamma. She had two things to worry about: his soul being lost and or his heart to Aphrodite. The latter seemed impossible to him, but the former gave him an ominous feeling considering their conversation earlier. He wasn't exactly worried about his soul, but he knew she'd ready deeply into the line.

Zee made the trek back to his cabin and walked up the steps. It was the third door he approached this morning, but the only one he didn't need to knock on to enter. He felt like a vampire needing permission to enter your abode. He walked inside his own and up the stairs to his room. He glanced at Levina's and wondered if he had time to tell her he was leaving too. He'd see after he finished packing. Everyone was likely waiting on him already anyway.

He turned away and continued to his room before opening it. [color=15B9E7]"Hey you."[/color]

After her short reunion with Zeru and him leaving to speak to his cousin about the details of the quest, Fiamma had taken solace in the young man’s bedroom at the Zeus cabin. Although she wanted nothing more than to pretend her boyfriend wasn’t being sent off on a potentially life-threatening quest, she figured it was best to occupy herself doing something more productive than overthinking and moping around feeling sorry for her and Zee. Instead, the redhead busied herself with packing his belongings for the quest. It was the only way she could think of to be helpful in a situation like this. She’d been halfway done with neatly folding and packing the outfits she’d picked out for him into his travel backpack when the son of Zeus himself arrived in his bedroom once again.

[color=CA5F95]“Hi, baby!”[/color] Fiamma cheerfully replied, ceasing her packing duties to approach her boyfriend, wrap her arms around him and give him a kiss. [color=CA5F95]“How did the talk with Erin go? Did you find out the details about this whole quest thing?”[/color] As much as she hated to bring up the subject so soon, it was best to get the unpleasant conversation out of the way now so they could enjoy whatever time they had left-- if any. The girl pushed the unwelcome thought out of her mind as fast as it had come.

Zeru loved being greeted with a kiss and could really get used to more of that once they became public. His smile faded once she asked about the quest. It was time to put a pause on their moment of bliss and have the conversation neither of them really wanted. He knew Erin thought it best to withhold some information from Fiamma, but he just couldn't. There were no secrets between them. That wasn't how he wanted their relationship to be and he knew his girlfriend was strong enough to work out her feelings and trust him.

[color=15B9E7]"Yeah… The talk with Erin went okay. I'm worried about her but I trust that she'll make it through this. But about the quest… Here's the prophecy. [i]Six figures, tall, stand strong in the East... a land of Pisa, pasta, and much art none the least... while two might find love, one soul shall be taken... the Lady’s dove shall be found, but what vengeance will it awaken..?[/i]"[/color] He paused for a second. [color=15B9E7]"So… that's it. I'll let you process it."[/color]

He was honestly worried how she'd react. Those two lines next to each other. He had to believe that she'd trust in his love for her and trust in his strength and will to survive and come home.

The more she heard about the details of the prophecy, the more visibly upset Fiamma became. The quest was sending six of her fellow demigods to Italy: that much was obvious, and not at all the source of her distress. What [b]did[/b] upset her was the fact that her boyfriend was not only leaving her and risking the loss of his soul voluntarily, but that he was doing so in order to recuperate the most prized possession of the woman Fi knew he’d had his sights on for as long as she could remember…

And that really hurt.

[color=CA5F95]“So it’s a quest for Aphrodite…”[/color] Fiamma said slowly, the words coming out as bitter as they felt in her mouth. She took a moment to step away from Zeru and perch herself on the edge of his bed. [color=CA5F95]“And although the prophecy doesn’t explicitly say [i]you’re[/i] the one who has to go, you’re [i]choosing[/i] to go, because Erin couldn’t ask her brother or any other guy instead of you. Am I understanding this correctly?”[/color] 

Zeru knew she wouldn't be happy and her face showed that before her words did. As soon as she mentioned Aphrodite he knew where her head was at. He didn't blame her for going there, but he wished that she hadn't. It was no secret to most of the camp that Zee had a crush on the goddess of love, but once he started dating Fi his feelings for the goddess became less something he wanted to pursue and instead was more of a celebrity crush.

[color=15B9E7]"Not completely, no."[/color] Zeru said with a small sigh. [color=15B9E7]"I'm actually not the only guy. Erin's the only one that isn't. We're like her bodyguards."[/color] He knew this was serious, but it was his attempt to lighten up the mood just a bit before he continued. [color=15B9E7]"I'm choosing to go because my cousin needs my help and for the first time [i]ever[/i] she said that to me. Right before she said because I can fly and we're going after a bird. But I just can't leave someone when they need me."[/color]

[color=CA5F95] “And I understand that, Zee: I really do. But you can’t stand here and tell me you don’t have an ulterior motive for accepting the invitation to the quest other than to keep your cousin safe.”[/color]

As sympathetic as Fiamma usually was when it came to family, she simply couldn’t find it in her to see the situation through Zeru’s eyes at the moment. The green-eyed monster of jealousy and her many deep-rooted insecurities kept her prisoner in her own invisible cage. Any time her boyfriend’s biggest crush or his exes were brought into conversation, it was hard for the redhead to not compare herself to them and feel like she’d never come close to measuring up. What could she, a flimsy little daughter of Apollo, offer a guy who’d been with the likes of an Aphrodite daughter, a daughter of Iris, a handful of nymphs here and there, and who’d been drooling over the goddess of love herself for years?

Zeru couldn't lie to Fiamma and he couldn't lie to himself. He had two ulterior motives for this quest. One she likely surmised already. But it wasn't exactly the way that she thought. [color=15B9E7]"You're right, Fi. Admittedly the first thought that entered my mind when I heard the announcement was how retrieving Aphrodite's dove would put me in her good graces, but it's not what you think. Do I still have a crush on her? Yes and I'm trying to get over it, but I do [i]not[/i] love her."[/color]

[color=CA5F95]“For now.”[/color] Fiamma stubbornly interjected, frowning at the floor beneath her feet. [color=CA5F95]“The prophecy [i]did[/i] say that ‘two will find love’. Maybe they’re talking about Aphrodite realizing you’re the one for her after returning her dove, the two of you falling in love, getting married, having babies and all of that good stuff. You never know.”[/color] The girl knew she was being ridiculous, but she couldn’t help herself.

Zeru shook his head, took Fiamma's hand in his and lifted her face with his other one so she could see him. He knew she had some insecurities that he didn't help with his past and he knew she was dramatic, but this was a new level even for her. It was kind of cute, but he decided to keep that to himself. [color=15B9E7]"I do know. I'm only on this quest to find a bird and [i]hopefully[/i] knock a few brain cells into Ares. I already found love in the one I want to marry, have babies, and do all of that good stuff with. I don't need to search for it anywhere else."[/color]

[color=CA5F95]“Maybe another, better love will find you,"[/color] the girl insisted, pouting and averting her gaze away from Zeru's. Fiamma knew he was talking about her, but she refused to let it get to her head even if his words made her feel all warm and happy inside.

Zeru shook his head and laughed. [color=15B9E7]"There is no better love, my stubborn little goddess. You know that. Now kiss me so you can remember it."[/color]

Although she was still pouting, Fiamma knew Zeru was speaking to her with full honesty. In all the months they had been dating, the young man had never given her any reason to doubt him or their relationship. He had been kind, patient, faithful, and reassuring, proving time and time again that he had eyes for nobody else but her. No matter how insecure she could be sometimes, Fi just needed to learn to see her worth and trust her boyfriend. And if there were any more doubts or questions, then this quest would be the perfect opportunity to put the unwelcome feelings to rest once and for all.

The redhead let out a long, defeated sigh. [color=CA5F95]“[i]Fine[/i]…”[/color] she mumbled, puckering up her cherry-tinted lips to give Zeru’s a fleeting kiss. [color=CA5F95]“There. Happy?”[/color] Fi asked him, the ghost of a faint smile playing in the corners of her lips. She knew full well that her boyfriend wouldn’t settle for this brief, tiny kiss.

Zee knew she was teasing him. But he also knew she wanted a real kiss more than he did. [color=15B9E7]"Happy? I'm insulted."[/color] He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to him with one strong gentle pull. His chest was pressed against hers and as she wrapped her slender arms around him, she could both feel and hear the beat of his adoring heart. They stared into each other’s eyes for a moment-- chocolate brown with ice blue--, until Zeru leaned in to give her a very passionate kiss. He was putting all his love for her behind it so she could feel the full extent of his feelings for her. As he did so he was reminded of a song his mother used to play around the house and for the first time ever he understood the words.

[indent][indent][i]Does he love her?
She wants to know.
How can she tell if he loves her so? 
Well, it's in his kiss.[/i][/indent][/indent]

And for the rest of the night, Zeru made certain to show his girlfriend exactly how much he loved her so.[/indent][/indent][/color]