Love Against All Odds

Oskar - Demon Ranch

I sighed.

It was good to see my friends, sure, but the sight of Zoe had hit me like a sucker punch to the gut. 

Why did she have to be there? 

Her presence felt like an intrusion, stirring up old wounds I thought had healed over the last six months when I focused solely on finding and protecting my brother.

Nico had an uncanny ability to navigate the dark realms easily, slipping through its depths like a spectre, always out of my grasp. It had been a relentless chase, a test of endurance as I trailed him through labyrinthine passages and ghostly landscapes. 

Months spent in the depths had left me weary, craving the touch of sunlight and the open sky. 

Despite being a child of Hades, I liked being above ground, where I could feel the sun's warmth and gaze upon the stars.

But there she was, Zoe Nightshade, standing tall and graceful as ever, a reminder of a past I was trying to leave behind. Her presence in the midst of my friends felt like a cruel twist of fate, dredging up memories and emotions I had worked so hard to bury. 

It was as if the universe was mocking me, taunting me with the one person I had hoped to avoid.

Zoe, with those strikingly beautiful, serious brown eyes that seemed to pierce through the facade intensely, I tried to maintain. Like a river of silk, her dark hair cascaded down her back in a neat plait. Her attire spoke of a rugged elegance, a perfectly balanced blend of function and style. Clad in fitted jeans, sturdy boots and a silver ski coat that hugged her frame.

As my eyes flicked toward her, I couldn't help but be captivated by the beauty and mystery surrounding her. Something in her presence drew me in despite my best efforts to resist.

Thalia's presence was a relief, a familiar comfort. But Zoe Nightshade... The last time we crossed paths, I had attempted to reconcile with her. But she had shut me out completely, refusing to acknowledge that I had spoken. 

How could someone be so cold? 

After everything we had been through together, how did she choose to part ways that way?

I had attempted to mend bridges, but if she was unwilling to reciprocate, so be it. I wouldn't waste any more energy on someone who didn't value it.

Even as I grappled with my conflicted feelings, all it took was a glance in Zoe's direction for my resolve to crumble. Despite my frustrations and resentments, I still cared for her deeply, and it grated me to admit it. I couldn't endure another quest with her, not with her stubbornness and anger constantly rubbing me the wrong way.

Yet, as I looked at Annabeth, desperation etched into her features, I found myself unable to refuse. They needed me, and Thalia's words echoed in my mind. We would likely encounter Nico in the depths of the labyrinth, and I couldn't ignore the urgency of finding him and protecting him from whatever evil intentions Luke harboured.

"Fine," I muttered.

Tyson pulled me in for another bone-crushing hug; I wheezed, "Alright, Ty, okay."

Percy's hearty clap on my back nearly knocked the wind out of me, his grin infectious as it spread across his face.

Unable to contain her enthusiasm, Annabeth practically lunged forward to engulf me in a tight embrace as soon as Tyson let me go. Her excitement was contagious, sparking a warmth in my chest as I returned the embrace. But then, in a moment that caught us all off guard, myself included, her embrace came with a resounding kiss planted firmly on my cheek.