The Equation of Hearts

√𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝟹𝟸ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـﮩ٨ـﮩ

Adonis didn't realise the photoshoot was a family photoshoot. But he was incredibly entertained at the fact he was wearing basically nothing but fur hide around his waist. The women were in white dresses, the boys were in white robes or in Odele's case, had animal hide as well. They weren't looking bad.

The man watched as the photographer insisted that Kato joined them. And rather firmly (after the third insistence), he refused. It was actually quite interesting.

"Oh, you should join!" The photographer beamed.

"No thank you." He raised a hand, shaking his head,

"Ah, don't be like that, come now, you're a handsome man, you can join them." They chirped.

"I'm not a part of their family." He mumbled, Elena sighed,

"Dear it's fine," she smiled pitifully,

"See! Come, you'd look wonder-"

"I said no." He leaned closer and whispered. It felt as if the temperature dropped beyond what it should have, he didn't have a change of expression nor a change of tone, but it added to his intimidation factor. Adonis wondered where he got it.

They were doing the shoot, the studio was decorated to suit what they were wearing. So mostly natural settings, caves and forests. Kato wondered what the shoot was actually for, and looking around, it was just a magazine about them. And Greece. He decided to look around while they were changing sets and props.

"Have you ever had pictures taken of you?" Odele suddenly asked from beside Kato. He was just looking up at the studio lights and wondering if he could hang off of it - an intrusive thought.

"Not consensually." He replied, looking at the girls all talking, "your sister looks nice with the veil." He nodded to Bianca, she had her face covered with a white veil to combat her camera shyness. After all, she wasn't obliged to do this one. It was just an addition.

"Any consensually... like a school photo?" He tilted his head curiously. The closest that Kato could think of was the family painting he had done when he was 16. But with a camera? He didn't have them in his world. He shook his head and offered to help reach higher places for people setting up. "Great talk. I'll tell Bianca." He mumbled and went to the girls, relaying the message for the mild entertainment of their reaction.

"Are... you sure you don't want to join?" The photographer asked him quietly. He looked down at the person and stared for a moment.

"You're insistent." He opined instead,

"I feel the bodyguard deserves credit where it's due," they crossed their arms, "and you seem interesting. I'd love to convey that in my photos." They smiled and, honestly, Kato didn't get it.

"I'd rather take the pictures with my own family." He excused as he finished roping a string of leaves to a mock branch, "my father... siblings... and mother." He whispered and moved to another,

"Invite them! I'll do one free of charge, I'm sure the rest of your family is all the more enticing to view." They complimented, and though Kato agreed that his siblings and parents were eye-catching, it was still an impossible task.

"I'll have to... decline. Thank you." He tied it down securely,

"Why so? We cater for all." They tilted their head,

"My mother isn't around. Neither are my siblings. To see the difference would be morose." He exhaled and finished with the setup, walking away. The photographer sighed melodically and had Kato stand by them as they took pictures.

"Change is inevitable," they comforted, "and you can't grow without accepting that, people come, people leave, that's how time treats us." They snapped a few pictures and ordered a different position, "so we're better off accepting this change. It'll change again eventually. And processing it all is just too much for the human mind sometimes," they rambled and took some more pictures, "so even though things have changed. They're always changing, and you'll be changing with it. So, may as well catch up to it before it leaves you in the dust." They chortled, "accept change. You can't always change it back. And that's fine." They hummed and Kato just listened, he was taking it in, "take it in your stride, it'll pass on eventually." They grinned and continued taking pictures. Kato thought about it, it was a nice bit of comfort.