Love Against All Odds

Zoe - Dinner Drama

"Boyfriend, huh?" Oskar's voice was a low whisper in my ear, teasing, but with that soft edge, he saved it for me. Piper and Leo had just left the training grounds for dinner, leaving us alone in the fading light. I turned to face him, crossing my arms as I took in his appearance. His hands were tucked casually in his pockets, and that familiar, almost boyish smile played on his lips. His unruly dark hair fell over his forehead, making him look dangerous and carefree, and I couldn't help but smile back.

"Well, aren't you?" I replied, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes," he admitted, his grin widening, "but this is the first time you've said it to others. No one knows we're together except Michaela, of course."

I rolled my eyes at the mention of her name. "I think the less that name is mentioned, the better," I said.

Oskar only smirked at my reaction, clearly enjoying himself.

"Your jealousy is so sexy," he teased, but his expression softened, eyes locked onto mine. "But back to the conversation—you just called me your boyfriend to two strangers."

I narrowed my eyes, though his smile made it hard to be serious. "Piper and Leo aren't strangers."

"They've been here two minutes," Oskar countered. 

I let out a small laugh. "True, but you're still my boyfriend. Did you want me to lie to a direct question?"

Without hesitation, Oskar stepped forward, pulling me into his arms. He wrapped them around me, the warmth of his body immediately sinking into mine. His embrace was solid and comforting, and I leaned into him, resting my head against his chest, "No, I didn't want you to lie. But you acknowledging us, out loud, in front of other people—that's big. That means more to me than you probably realize."

I tilted my head up, catching his gaze. 

I hadn't thought twice when I called him my boyfriend earlier—it felt natural—but seeing how much it affected him now made me realize just how much it meant.

"It was going to happen sometime," I said quietly.

"Still feels good," he murmured, his lips curving into a small smile. "Remember, you're the girl who refused to hug me in front of anyone."

I rolled my eyes, feeling a smile tug at my lips. "That was before. This is now."

His smile widened, a glint of playfulness in his eyes. "It is."

There was a pause, a lull in our conversation as we stood together in the quiet of the empty training grounds, the world shrinking to just the two of us. Then, my curiosity improved, and I decided to bring up something nagging at me. "You still haven't explained what that quest for Aphrodite was about."

At that, Oskar bit his lip, his expression shifting slightly. There it was again—that familiar look of hesitation he got whenever the topic came up. "I will," he said, his voice a bit more guarded now. "At the right moment. Don't worry."

I raised an eyebrow. "So secretive."

He chuckled softly. "Not secretive. Just waiting for the right moment."

I tilted my head, giving him a questioning look. "And this isn't it?"

He slowly let go of me, stepping back as he gathered the training equipment scattered around the ground from the earlier session with Leo and Piper. "No, not when I'm all sweaty and covered in bruises," he said with a smirk.

I watched him for a moment, my arms still crossed, trying to figure out what he held back. He wasn't ready to tell me yet, and I wasn't going to push. Not tonight.