[ZEUS]

I smiled at the sound of Julian sighing beside me. We were lying on the neatly mowed grass at the central park we usually spent time in. The clouds were clear, and the low wide branches of the tree we were beneath shielded us from the burning sunlight.

I let my hand roam slowly up and down his lean waist. He sighed again resting his head on my shoulder. I like the way his breathing and mine are in sync, I love the way he was running his hands beneath my loose chiffon shirt. I let out a little sigh, settling over him, my leg on either side of him.

"Julian," I murmured, lowering my head to give him a soft peck on his forehead. The stimulation I felt across my body heightened at the feel of him bucking under me. This was why I loved this spot. The only viewers were the lone duck at the brim of the pond being overlooked by the tree we were under.

"I'm sore," Julian complained, turning his head away as I tried to plant a kiss on his lips. I chuckled, kissing the side of his cheek instead. He's right, he does look sore. His blonde hair's a tousled mess, his lips swollen from frequent pecks and kisses. I smiled following a not so casual trail of love bites down his partly unbuttoned cotton shirt.

"It's not funny!" Julian complained in a drawled voice as he tried to push me off him. He sighed in frustration, pouting before turning away. A smile crept to my lips. He was such a sore loser.

"It's not fair you're this strong," Julian complained, yawning.

"I'm not strong, you're just tired," I murmured, turning us over so he was onto. I watched as he weakly nodded in agreement. The simple act had my heart fluttering. I reached out and began to run my hand through his hair, I liked watching him doze, I like how innocent and relaxed he looked while he did. I held him closer, taking in his scent, my eyelids fluttering until my eyes shut.

I cherish time like this with Julian. They aren't so many but frequent enough, especially now that Julian was doing home shifts. I smiled sneaking a hand into his back pocket of his jeans.

"Don't..." Julian complained, moving his head from side to side, looking for the hand that had been stuffed in his back pocket a second ago. I laughed softly, hoisting him a bit to kiss his forehead repeatedly.

"Hmm... Do that, I like it better," Julian mumbled. I chuckled, still planting kiss after kiss on his forehead. Ending the play, I thought about the day after tomorrow. Valentine's Day. I creased my brows wondering if I should mention anything about it to Julian.

"Julian," I called and he stirred. His eyes opened slowly like a child that had been forcefully awoken.

"What?" he asked, rubbing his eyes with the back of his right palm.

"What should we do on Valentines' day?" I tried to ask casually but I could feel the heat threatening to burn my cheats. I ignored the feeling and reached out to stroke Julian's hair as a distraction. Julian's brows twitched in confusion as he stared at me.

"What?" he asked, getting off me and settling by my side

"What should we do—?"

"No, I heard you the first time. I wasn't just sure if I heard right," Julian said, looking more at the lake than at me.

"So, what are we going to do?" I asked sitting up on the grass. I let my gaze fall on him steadily, studying him. He looked Uneasy, nervous really.

"Nothing," Julian said. I blinked, confused. Nothing? What does he mean by nothing?

"But—"

"I'm married, Zeus, and the typical thing to do during Valentine's day is to spend it with your spouse," Julian said in a firm tone. The finality of his words made my lower stomach ache with pangs. He covered his face with his left hand like he was trying to shield himself from my gaze. My eyes widened in disbelief as the full weight of his words settled on me. He wasn't serious, was he?

I was starting to panic, so I said the first thing that popped into my head, "Make an excuse."

"I can't, Zeus."

"You could—"

"Let it go," Julian said, cutting me halfway, before getting up on his feet as fast as possible.

"No," I said, setting my jaw in a stubborn grimace. Doesn't Linda have enough of him? Can't he just make this time out just for us?

"Why are you being so unbelievable?!" Julian yelled. I glared up at him refusing to back down. I couldn't help my eyes from settling on his unbuttoned shirt. I blushed looking away. Why am I thinking of... that, during an important argument.

"I'm sorry. I..." Julian mumbled, balling his hands into fists.

"What Linda and I have is a marriage and this, this is..." Julian trailed before pausing and cursing under his breath. I narrowed my eyes at him, wondering what in the world he was trying to say.

"This is?" I repeated, trying to help him get to the point. My voice was a little high — urgent. 

"This is... This is just an affair," Julian completed, using his hand to gesture towards him and then myself.

Affair.

The word kind of settled in, registered. Julian thought this was just some affair.

Isn't it? A voice said in my head. I grimaced guiltily. Sure I had wanted it that way at first I admit but I started feeling differently — expected Julian to also feel differently.

"Affair," I whispered under my breath, not liking the sound of it. Julian raised his brow in confusion, his brilliant blue eyes watching me.

"Fine then," I sighed, getting up and buttoning up my shirt without a second thought.

"Zeus..." Julian said in a soft voice as he came up to me.

"Don't come any closer," I threatened, zipping up my pants. I could see the heat on Julian's face, could feel the heat slowly creeping into mine. I feel like such a fool, an idiot.

I could feel my face grow hot with embarrassment. Julian probably thought I was acting immaturely. Besides, people did have affairs and I was just acting like a demanding lover. He's right it's just an affair...

Affair. I thought to myself, grimacing. I still can't put up with the word. I concluded as I shook my head before turning to move away.

"Where are you going?" I heard Julian ask from behind me.

"Home," I said, walking away, moving as fast as I could so that Julian's pleas for me to come back faded quickly with every step. I started painting when I reached my car in the parking lot. I had run here. I had run away from him before he could hurt me with his words any further. I looked behind me, still having a little hope in me that he would come after me. I sighed when I caught no sight of him before turning back to the locked door of my car. He didn't even bother. I said to myself in my head as silent rage built up in my chest.

I rested my forehead on the cool window glass, trying not to cry. Maybe I'm being a baby about all this, but the fact was that I didn't care.  Maybe it was a little immature of me to storm out and expect him to come running after me, but I wanted that. I wanted that so badly.

Shaking, I manage to put and turn the key on the lock. I slumped down into the front seat as soon as I got the door to open. When I rested my head on the steering wheel I thought of the car. I thought about how the black BMW was the only car Julian ever saw me in.

I sighed, bringing a hand to my forehead. Maybe I was being a bit selfish. I mean, I haven't exactly told him about my financial state. In fact, I was right out avoiding it. I sighed, feeling a bit guilty. I looked over to my dashboard, running my fingertips over the iPhone that idly sat on it.

Louis. I thought, picking my phone up. I stared at it for a while, wondering if what was planning to do was right.

"Affair."

I heard the voice in my head say again. I groaned clenching my jaw in annoyance. I was not in the mood to take this. I wasn't ready to dwell in jealousy. Looking straight at my phone, I finally dialed Louis' number. I waited, listening to the phone ring for a few seconds.

"Hello?" I heard Louis' voice say from the other end after a while.

"Hey," I said in a casual tone as I drummed a beat on the dashboard with the fingertips of my free hand.

"What is it?" Louis asked. I thought carefully about what I was about to do. I bite my bottom lip, looking out my car's window just to — just to check if Julian was there — if he had followed me. Sighing, I turned away from the window. He wasn't there.

"Well?" I heard Louis ask again. I blinked clenching the phone a bit tightly before answering.

"I think I might just need some happy Juice," I muttered into the phone before I could take it back.