22. Love

                                    

                                          
Percy
                          
Once the members of my army had awoken, I had them sit at the table that held the map of Manhattan, New York. My eyes scanned the faces of the demi-titans and the demigods until I realized that a certain daughter of Atlas was missing. 
                          
I frowned. It wasn't in Zoe's character to be late for any sort of meeting. I rose from my seat and said "I'll be back. I have to check on Zoe. Ethan, you're in charge until I get back. Don't do anything stupid." 
                          
Ethan rolled his eyes but cracked a smile. "Yeah, whatever almighty Commander. Go and kiss your girlfriend." My eyes narrowed dangerously and the ground underneath Ethan's chair rumbled, sending Ethan to his butt on the dirt. I turned and walked off, listening to my army erupt in laughter. 
                          
I made a beeline to Zoe's tent and stopped outside. I knew it would be rude to intrude into a maiden's tent, so I called out "Zoe? Are you in there?" I paused, and I heard a soft sniffle. 
                          
My eyes widened before I shoved the tent flap aside and hurried in. Zoe was curled up onto her bed, hugging her knees to her chest. Tears ran down her cheeks, her eyes red and puffy. Her usually straight black hair was rumpled and messy. 
                          
i knelt down beside her bed and grabbed her hand, squeezing it gently. "Zoe! What's the matter? Did you have a nightmare?" The Daughter of Atlas raised her teary gaze to me, and sniffed once more. "P-Percy........" 
                          
I met her gaze calmly and reached out with my other hand to stroke her hair. "It's okay. You can tell me."
                          
Zoe's lower lip quivered before she spoke once more in a hoarse voice. "I-In my dream.....I saw you. Y-You were fighting all of the Olympians a-at once.... and you were losing. Zeus-He struck you with his lightning bolt....Artemis..... she impaled you with a dagger.... and Poseidon, he-he threw his trident and struck you in the-the chest! I watched you die, Percy!" 
                          
I stared at the sobbing mess on the bed that was my second in command. I was at a loss for words. Zoe really cared about me. If I died in real life, then that would most likely break her heart. 
                          
I released her hand and climbed onto the bed next to her. She flinched, but didn't move away from me. I gently wrapped my arms around her slender frame. "Zoe, listen to me. I'm not going to die. I'm going to take Olympus, and you will be my Queen, right at my side. Right there next to me." 
                          
Zoe turned her head slowly to face me, her eyes wide in surprise at what I had just said. Then I realized that I had just told her the love that I had felt for her. 
                          
Oh shit. 
                          
Before I could say anything else, Zoe grabbed the back of my head. I opened my mouth, but she said in an emotionless voice "Shut up." I was confused, but did what she had told me to. Moments later, Zoe crashed her lips onto mine.
                          
I was in heaven. All I felt and cared about was the taste of Zoe's lips on my own. She tasted like cinnamon, and for some reason, my mom's blue cookies that she normally makes for me. I tightened my grip on her and pulled her in closer, wanting more, wanting more of Zoe. 
                          
She relaxed against me and wound her hands into my hair, pulling my head down. A few seconds later, we had to break apart from the lack of air. 
                          
Zoe stared at me, love and shock in her expression. "I wanted to confess my love for you, you know? But I just couldn't find the right moment." I said with a goofy smile. "After all, I knew you liked me as well." 
                          
Zoe stared at me for several more moments before she found her voice. "So..... Does that make us a... What do you call it?" I grinned at the confused and bashful expression on her face. I knew that Zoe, being a hunter for thousands of years, was still getting used to falling in love.