"An indecipherable message was hidden in your eyes. If only I could detect what that message really meant." - v.r
"You really do love nature, don't you?" Zayn smiled at Zariah when her fingers grazed the tall grass as they were walking. Zariah just nodded with a smile on her face. Nature was so beautiful to her, she could sit out in the sun, inspecting the smallest of things; it would still fascinate her to the fullest. And that goes for anything, too. Trees, birds, leaves, the grass, the lake, flowers, bees. Anything. Zayn tore his gaze away from her when he saw a few Gods walking towards them.
He slipped his hand in Zariah's and threaded his fingers through hers. Zariah gasped lightly at his sudden actions, but said nothing about it. She just went along with it since her requests would most likely be ignored. They continued to walk through Olympus. It was actually Zayn's idea; Zariah decided to go because, well, just to go. She was in a delightful mood today. "How do you feel today?" Zayn asked her looking down as they walked. He licked his lips and glanced at her.
"I'm doing very well, thank you." Zariah smiled at him. He returned it just as quick. "How about yourself?" She asked him, lightly bumping shoulders making Zayn chuckle in a friendly manner. Zariah giggled shaking her head. The wind blew slightly making the hair that once lay on over her shoulders now fall behind her back. She blinked.
"I'm doing good, thanks." He answered, nodding. "It's such a beautiful day though, isn't it?" He asked looking up at the sky.
"It's always beautiful!" Zariah laughed. Zayn felt his heart pick up at the sound; he really loved the sound of her voice and laugh. And looks, of course. "But yeah," she agreed. "It really is a nice day."
"Yeah." Zayn smiled at her as she looked straight ahead. He held out his hand and Zariah examined it for a moment before tentatively taking it. Slipping their fingers through one another Zayn swayed their hands back and forth and Zariah smiled. It was only just a friendly gesture, she thought.
"Want to go hang out at my house?" She asked him. "My father made Iris a brand new perch, and also got me a large bookshelf completely bedazzled with books!" She smiled at the thought. "Wanna go check it out?"
Zayn normally wouldn't read books, but if Zariah was asking him to hang out with her and if she wanted to read books, then so fucking be it. He wasn't going to refuse an offer such as this one. As they were walking back, Zariah saw Louis and Liam under a shady, large Tree. They were laughing and playfully hitting each other. That only brought back memories of when Louis was drunk; complimenting her, moving a stray piece of hair out of her way. Kissing her forehead, she was in deep now.
She hadn't noticed Louis was staring back at her, they were only a good four yards away. She could see his dark stormy blue eyes, flicker from her face to Zayn and Zariah's intertwined hands. Zayn noticed Zariah staring at Louis and as they passed, Zayn put on an arrogant smile and waved at Louis. "Hey, how's it going?" He asked. Louis' jaw went slack before he forced a small smile.
"Good." He answered, giving them one more once over. "It's going good." Zariah had a small frown all the way home.
***
Louis retreated home. His parents were out wandering the Underworld. He lazily slumped onto his bed and breathed out a sigh of tiredness and frustration. Louis loved the feeling of being alone. He liked it when no one was there with him, to bother him, pester him, talk to him about stupid shit. He liked the feeling of being able to do anything he wanted because there was no one there who could stop him. He was free; more or less independent.
But sometimes, as Louis lays there, on his bed with one hand tucked under his head and with Cerberus snores in the corner, Louis cannot help but feel dreadfully alone. And with lonesomeness comes thoughts, thinking, and observations, too. Being alone means there's time for anything and also nothing.
Yes, Louis loves being alone, but there are times when he absolutely hates it. He could be surrounded by millions of immortals and still feel like the loneliest one of the bunch. He felt dead most of the time. Because that was his life. Death, death, screams, blood, more death, and more death again. He was used to it.
He thought about today. On the fields of Olympus when Zayn and Zariah were walking past him. She looked straight into his eyes and immediately frowned. Why? Louis hadn't done anything to her, right? He remembers the other day asking her to come to a party - on which Harry and Liam had filled him in on the story - and she coming then both of them leaving together. He doesn't remember much as they walked, but he remembers one thing; kissing her.
Louis smiled sheepishly at the recent memory. Her skin was cool from the chill of the night. Her skin was really soft, he could almost call it silk. He slowly brought his hand up to his mouth and his index finger grazed his bottom lip. He wanted to do it again. Kiss her again.
It sucks loving someone who doesn't love - or like - you back. The feeling is crushing. It makes your heart physically ache in your chest and your head hurt. Louis wants to stop thinking now, but he can't. He saw how content she looked with him. Him; meaning Zayn. He shivered at the sight of him. He made his blood turn cold and his fist visibly clench.
Zariah said she didn't want this wedding. So why aren't her parents listening to her? Are they in their own state of arrogance and self-absorbed worthiness that they ignore their own daughter?
Louis doesn't know anything anymore other than the fact when he sees Zariah, his heart turns from black to gold. When he sees her he can hear the blood rushing through his ears and his heart beat quicken. He's definitely lovesick. He knows this.
But what can he do? Everything else he had tried to do, failed right in front of his eyes. He felt like giving up. Louis heard a laugh from the outside of his window. Curious as to know who was laughing and at what he got up to investigate. It was his parents; Hades and Persephone. Hades wore this small smile and it made Louis even more curious. His father was a very seldom, closed off person who usually avoided affection. But seeing this, his mother being twirled around by his father only gave Louis a new sense of hope.
And hope, Louis hardly believed in.
Maybe something good will become of this, soon. Louis went back to his bed to lay down. He thought a little more about Zariah. He wanted to know if she prefers rain over winter, chocolate over strawberry, daisies over tulips. He also wanted to know what sport bored her more, what color she likes the best, and if she even thinks this about him...
***
"You're cheating!" Zariah gasped snatching Zayns cards out from his grasp. Zayn laughed out loud at her. They were currently playing Guess A Number. It was a child's play but they both found it rather amusing. Zariah thought Zayn was cheating because he guessed all the cards in her hands and she only guessed three in his.
"Am not!" Zayn defended himself.
"You are." Zariah smiled at him. "How can one guess all the correct cards, then? Hm?" She persisted.
"Because I'm a good guesser and you're crap at this game."
Zariah threw the cards at Zayn and he laughed more. She also threw the cards box at him. Cards decorated her floor and Zariah smirked. Yes. Smirked. "Pick them up." She ordered.
Zayns mouth hang agape. "Um, no." He said. "You were the one who threw them at me. It's your room, your mess, so you pick them up."
"Please?" Zariah pouted.
"No." Zayn smiled.
"Pretty please?"
"No."
"Please?" She tried again. "I'm too lazy to do anything." She said rolling around on her bed.
Zayn rolled his eyes and starting to pick up the cards. Zariah smiled knowingly because she'd won. She faked a gasped and said, "Zayn?"
"What?"
"You're on your knees."
They both laughed. He picked up all the cards and put them into the small box. They were literally not doing anything besides chatting about their day. Zayn was currently examining a book and Zariah was petting Iris who was nestled on her perch.
Zayn saw this and started over to them. "Can I pet her?" He asked. He secretly liked animals. No one knew, no even his soon-to-be-wife.
"You can try." Zariah giggled as she took a step back. Zayn rose his hand to pet Iris but Iris saw this and screeched stretching her large wings to try to 'scare off' the predator, in this case; Zayn.
"Shh, shh." Zariah cooed. Zayn gulped.
"I guess she doesn't like me." Zayn nervously chuckled.
"She has to get to know you first, like to see you more often, to remember you and stuff, she's just protecting herself as well as I."
"That's a nice gesture."
"Mhmm," she agreed.
It was late out and Zayn gave her a hug goodbye. He had such a nice day today spending time with Zariah. She was a really good person.
And so, as soon as he left, Zariah said goodnight to her parents and sauntered back into her very large room.
She had a full day of smiles and laughs; she actually had a lot of fun with Zayn. He was a good person although she was still frightfully scared of what was to come of the wedding.
Don't even think about it, Zariah told herself.
She remembered she saw Louis today. They looked at each other. Then she smiled. Louis was looking rather beautiful today, too. She noted that. His hair was in a neat quiff and he wore a loose solid color muscle tank with no other than his black skinny jeans. She saw his biceps bulge each time he moved his arms even just a tiny bit and his smile and laugh made her heart flutter.
She thought about how he kissed her cheek and left her breathless. Just a small action made her feel like she was engulfed by flames. She welcomed the feeling. It was new. It was content to her. It made her feel even more alive.
She changed into her silk nightgown and breathed out a sigh and closed her eyelids.
***
Maybe it was the way she carried herself that made Louis want her more and more and more each time.
Maybe it was the way he didn't take anyone's shit that made Zariah more attracted to him each time she looked at him.
Maybe.
As they both laid in bed with eyelids shut trying to be enveloped by sleep; they simply could not. With thoughts swarming inside their minds they just instead stared up at the ceiling. They both wondered with the other one was doing.
Little did they know, both of them were thinking about each other.