The Equation of Hearts

√𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝟺𝟿ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـﮩ٨ـﮩ

They made it to the first club the couple were seeing. Kato knew that Athena and Antonio didn't want to be there. Why would they, this wasn't their side of the family fame. Kato kept entertaining them a distance away, as he carried Antonio and Antonio pointed to all the places he wanted to go.

Athena rested a hand on his arm and leaned against him slightly. She wasn't doing anything more, she just seemed to want to lean on him. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer, where she looked up at him and closed her eyes. She couldn't help having her cheeks warm, he was too kind. But was he just playing along?

She didn't know how to feel. In a way, she felt she was beat at her own game, he was effortlessly able to enamour both the girls but it was all just entertaining their fantasies. Was it cruel or charitable? More cruel, no? But she looked at him, and she found it impossible to actually be mad at him. He had made her mad so many times in the past but he knew exactly how to make it up to them, in what would be the perfect way, usually. He finalised all lingering feelings. And something that simultaneously frustrated and gifted Athena - he never resorted to physical means to sort out the problem. He was a words person. And that was such a strange thing to say to such a quiet man.

He looked down at her - she needed comfort. He wasn't sure for what, but Antonio also saw it, and he also rested a hand on Athena's head with Kato. She looked up at the pair of them, "...What's your favourite food?" He asked suddenly.

"Honey roasted pecan pie." She replied in a whisper. He nodded.

"Okay," he rubbed her head with his thumb.

"Why?" She realised he wasn't going to explain himself to her,

"Let's make it together one day," he offered. She chortled,

"Hell if I know how to make it. If I even want to." She chided and crossed her arms.

"Fair enough." He surrendered. She looked back up at him and then looked ahead at one of her friends who rushed over.

"Athena!" The woman gasped and looked up at Kato. She looked back at Athena and snickered, "you know, you guys look like a couple," she presented the sight, "and Antonio's your kid- hi Antonio!" She waved at the boy, who waved back brightly. "The height difference kinda looks like your parents too." She smothered her friend in compliments. Athena looked up at Kato who failed to give a reaction. A marriage like her parents? That sounded... great.

"Yeah, no," she rejected, "he's not nearly as affectionate as dad is with mum," but she shuddered at the thought of Kato holding her the way Adonis held Elena, or kissing her the way her father did their mother. Maybe then she'd understand why Elena reacted the way she did.

"Are you sure?" She cooed and glanced down. Athena had completely forgotten about his hand at her waist, and he didn't seem to care.

"Don't make him uncomfortable." She pushed his hand away. Kato looked back down at her and leaned forward in a whisper,

"Thank you." He wrapped his arm around her again. Her face coloured and she hid her face away,

"Athena are you blu-"

"Camilla!" Antonio cheered, leaning out of Kato's arms and nearly falling,

"Calm down," he caught Antonio again.

"Antonio!" Camilla celebrated and rushed over, Kato set him down and Antonio hugged Camilla, who giggled.

"Oh wow, who is that?" Athena's friend covered her mouth at the sight of Camilla, "she looks younger than Antonio but I think all of us normal people do." She added.

"Camilla!" Odele and Bianca called and rushed over themselves. Kato saw Adonis giving him a thumbs up and he looked back at the small crowd of people.

"So I guess her name is Camilla. Didn't know she was famous." Athena stared at her in thought, she remembered the look of her from someone else. Camilla smiled happily at Athena,