Temperance gave him a slightly alarmed look, frowning. "Zeph, no, you're not boring at all. Don't-" She moved to set a hand on hos arm as he continued, about to speak when Chiron cut her off. She turned her gaze to him, forgetting her hate for annoyance in the moment. She took her hand away and plastered on a neutral expression as she looked out at the other demigods, dipping her head in thanks.

She figured shed would walk down with Zephyr, but he slipped away, leaving her to walk down the stairs alone. She frowned after him and changed course to follow him, becoming a little annoyed by his constant avoidance on her. Once she caught up, she caught him by the wrist, yanking him down to sit beside her at the Zeus table. "Will you stop running away from me?" She huffed softly, releasing his wrist. "Don't compare yourself to Luke. Don't compare yourself to anyone. All it does is show how much they suck compared to you." She said, immiediately going back to what he had said. "And as for no one liking the real you, what the hell does that make me? A cockroach? I like the real you. And I know for a fact that I'm not the only one. I'm not that wierd." She said, moving to smack her hand against his arm, enough so that it caused a slight sting. "Stop being so insecure about who you are. You're you. That's all you need to be. Anyone here would be lucky to have even a fraction of your attention, and I find myself blessed to have made myself your friend. Just give other people a chance, Zeph. If you stop hating yourself so much, you'll realize that almost all other people don't hate you. You're so predisposed to thinking others dislike you, you don't give them even a moment to prove otherwise. What kind of life is a life where no one is your friend, not even yourself?" She asked, leaning into him and keeping her voice low so as not to be overheard. "I love you and your personality. Other people will too." She added softly, looking utterly concerned.

Zephyr was blocking out every noise. At this point it all just sounded like a piercing, painful buzz. He just wanted to get away for the moment. Why was he so- why was he like this? She was just another random person that he happened to be shoved together with. Why would he grow attached to HER. Why not ANY other demigod in the camp he had been at for YEARS. His thoughts broke as he felt a hand on his wrist, yanking him around and almost smacking him right into the table. He took that to mean he had been walking to fast. He managed not to crash, but his momentum did make him sit down, which he wasn't happy about, but then Temperence started speaking and the slow movement of his eyes getting wider and wider started. When she released his wrist he drew it back, his gaze hard, not letting any emotion through- until she started speaking. Every single word crushed the hard exterior he had put up and pierced deep into his soft flesh. And every word that came after went in and fixed every wound. He could've sworn he felt tears somewhere deep inside of him, but they didn't surface- that would be going to far. However, he was shocked, and it showed. Every single word hit home. In a good way. When she was done he sat in silence for a couple seconds, processing the information that had just flooded hus brain. He started at the beginning. "I'm not trying to run away from you..." He said quietly, his gaze dropping to the table. "And you've never really showed that you actually liked me. Or the real me, anyway. I don't quite believe you aren't the only one, as you're practically the only person I've ever spoken to other than asking them to dual, and you speaking to me right now makes you weird." He answered the first part, still trying to comprehend the second. The smack was nothing compared to the strain his brain was feeling as it processed everything. "I.... don't know if being me is good enough. For anyone, least of all myself." He finally sighed, looking utterly defeated in the moment. Her next words brought another slight surprised look to his face, but deeper in, hinting in his eyes, slight hope flickered. "Do you really mean that? Or are you just saying random things to make me feel better? Because if you really mean it, I'm 99 percent sure that's the nicest thing you've said yo ANYONE, and 100 percent sure that's the nicest thing you've ever said to me." His voice quieted slightly. "Even if what you're saying is true, I can't stop *hating* myself. You don't understand. I'm just *the Hades kid*. That's it. I don't have a life to be worried about. It pretty much started when you showed up." He shook his head slightly, putting his face in his hands for a moment and closing his eyes at her next words. "You do? I really don't know - that's a big promsie." He laughed drily. "You're special enough to even like me or my personality. How are other people supposed to love it."

Temperance watched him slightly tentatively as he processed her words. It looked like she hit home, at least a bit. She gently settled her head in her hands when he spoke, choosing not to respond to his first comment. "Zephyr, me wanting to be around you means I like you. I'm talking to you right now. I almost died with you. You literally carried me out of Tartarus. Is it just you, or are all boys this oblivious?" She huffed, lifting her head and leveling something between a glare and an apologetic look at him. "And, I mean, I think you know where to start now with making friends. Not challenging them to duels would be a great way. And, it does not make me weird. I'm weird for a variety of other reasons." She corrected. She sighed softly at his next, heartbreaking sentence. "Zeph, of course being you is enough. It's more than enough. I can't make you love yourself. But I hope you trust me enough to believe me when I say you are, and always will be, perfectly adequate as you. You don't need to change, or be someone else. You're Zephyr. Son of Hades, slayer of beasts. That's a hell of a lot more than most people can say." She murmured, scowling at him slightly as he continued. "Zephyrus, don't you ever dare insinuate that I have lied to you ever again. Of course I meant it, hair for brains. I'm not a liar." She hissed, a little insulted as she laced her fingers together. She let out a sigh, closing her eyes as he continued. She rested her forehead against his bicep and tried to think through words that made sense in response to something so pitiful and sweet at the same time. "Is that because of Hades, or because you never thought you should try to show others that he isn't what defines you? If people are afraid of you, show them not to be afraid. There are no excuses when it comes to you being you. Hades isn't you. He does not define you. Your actions, your personality, those are what you are. Those are what you control, not him. You're right, hating yourself isnt something that stops overnight. But maybe you can just try to realize you don't suck nearly as much as you think you do? In fact, I know that you don't suck it all. You just refuse to see it." She sighed, lifting her head slightly to peer up at him. She narrowed her eyes at him. "I do. I already told you not to question my word, so don't. I made a promise because I know it's true. There's at least 2 girls here that are obviously dying to be in some sort of relationship with you. Even more that are less obvious. I've only been here for a few hours, and I know that. And I'm not as special as you think, Zephyr. Not all people suck as much as you expect." She answered calmly, shifting to spin around on the bench seat and pull him into a tight hug, her temple to his chin since he was signifigantly taller than her.

Zephyr lifted his head out of his hands, although he wanted to cradle it for a while longer. A flicker of a woeful smile hinted across his face at her words. "I'm pretty sure most boys are, but I take it to an extreme." He answered, glancing at her with a wince. She also managed to look mad at him and sorry for him at the same time. He hated both things. "I challenge people to duels not to make friends but to cure boredom." He corrected with a snort. "Plus it does make you weird. There's a right and a wrong and I'm in the right." He added with a ghost of a smile before losing the hint of his normal personality again and getting more somber. "Son of Hades. There it is again. But I like the slayer of beasts part. At least I'm sort of good at something." He ran a hand through his hair again, an anxious habit he could never seem to shake. As she scowled at him he winced again, glancing away. "Okay okay sheesh, I was just getting rid of the last self doubt. No need to bite my head off. You're nooooo liar. That's for sure." He grimaced a little. How DARE he insinuate she would EVER lie. That was just HORRIBLE. As he listened to her words his shoulders sagged a little again. "Hades does define me slightly. He's my father." He huffed back, but the fire he usually had was missing. "My actions are questionable. Being defined by them means I'm now like a creeper in minecraft." He said drily, looking utterly unconvinced for a moment before breaking and seeing the truth in her words. Grrr. Why was she being so smart. It was almost irritating. "Okay, I now think I suck 1 percent less than I sucked 1 second ago." He snorted quietly, then meekly lifted his hands in surrender. "I'm not questioning your word. And- no, just stop, I do NOT need your match making advice." He rolled his eyes. Half of that reason is because he already knew who he liked and it would take him a while to change that. "Well you're the first person that actually was interesting. You HATED me. And you were the first person that had half the brain to answer sarcastically. I thought it was hilariously annoying at first. So in my opinion you are special." He huffed slightly, hesitating slightly as she pulled him into a hug, but deciding it would be harder to resist.

Temperance stifled a small snort, resisting a smile at his words. She rolled her eyes to his next two comments combined. "Yeah, and you wonder why people think you hate everyone." She joked, but her easy joking faded as he continued. "Gods, Zephyr, being the child of an insanely powerful god isn't a bad thing. You're more powerful than most of the kids here. At least your dad has some semblance of care for you that he will address you as his child and shower you with more than one possession. Most kids here don't even get that. My father gave me a bow and a goddamn scar on my shoulder. I don't mean to minimalize your daddy issues, but your father could be much worse. He loves you. Isn't that enough not to be ashamed of his existence?" She said, feeling a small bite of pain on her shoulder. She rubbed her eyes anxiously with the heels of her hands, trying not to be angry with him for feeling sorry for himself. She couldn't just yell and fix him, as much as she wanted to. That wasn't how it worked. But her name was, afterall, Temperance, and she was the god of Zeus- her patience was only so thick to begin with. "And? The only reason he defines you is because you let him. And if he does, who cares? Why does that have to be a bad thing?" She huffed. "And as for your actions defining you, it makes you a kind, compassionate boy who won't stop being self pitying for long enough to start a conversation with someone new. You're a nice guy, Zeph, you just cover it up by acting like a standoffish idiot all the time." She explained, still trying to keep her composure. "Yeah, well, at least I'm making progress. And you most definitely DO need my matchmaking advice. Maybe, if you get yourself a girlfriend, you'll stop feeling so sorry for yourself and actually enjoy life a little bit. Who knows, maybe you'll do the unthinkable and somehow realize your life ain't that shitty." She scoffed, making some sort of deep humming noise in her throat that was between skepticism and agreement.

She squeezed her arms around him a little tighter, in spite of the fact that he didn't hug her back. "I know you're all stoic, and manly, and hate physical touch- but it's okay to like hugs. And return them. You'd be surprised at how much better it makes you feel. And also, how much less of a desperate idiot it makes me seem like." She murmured, waiting patiently for him to either shove her off or actually accept her rare sign of affection. "Also, by the way, this may be the only hug you ever get from me- so enjoy it instead of tolerating it." She huffed, closing her eyes.

Zephyr snorted slightly, then narrowed his eyes slightly as he watched her. "I don't want to be more powerful. It makes me stick out like a broken thumb." He huffed, but he decides to try and listen, and maybe even tone it down a bit. "You're right. Like always, I guess. Or most times. He could be worse. I'm not quite sure about the loving me part- he is still just a prideful god- but I'm not ashamed of his existence. I wouldn't exist without him." He answered stoutly, blowing out and breath and resigning himself to listen and act like he had a brain. "Fine. It's not a bad thing. I'm - nevermind. Not all the time. I stopped long enough to tolerate you." He snorted slightly, sucking in another breath. Breathe. He could tell she was getting irritated. And he was being difficult. But he wasn't backing down on THIS argument. "I do NOT need your matchmaking advice EVER thanks SO VERY MUCH but you're just hurting my brain." Zeph huffed, shaking his head harshly and closing his eyes for a moment as he grimaced. "No. No no no. I might realize my life doesn't completely suck but it wouldn't take a girlfriend to do that. Just a good friend." He answered, blinking a couple times as she spoke. "I'm not TRYING to be all stoic and manly." He protested quietly. "And you do kind of seem like a desperate idiot. Sorry." He couldn't resist a small grin, but he did end up tentatively reciprocating the hug, his eyes flitting closed as he ATTEMPTED to enjoy the moment. Hey, as she said, it might be the only one he ever got.

"Well, you could be weak and preyed upon. Instead, no one has the guts to try and make you a victim." Tempe suggested, chuckling when he said she was right. Any other time, she would have lingered on it. Now wasn't any other time. So she simply nodded in response, chuckling at his next answer. "See? Just do it a little more often and you'll have more company than just me." She teased, snickering at his reluctance to talk about romance. "Well, a girlfriend wouldn't hurt, you lonely brick." She joked, smiling softly as he continued. She nestled her head gently into his neck and blew out a breath. Like she said, this might be the only hug she ever got to give him without being weird or clingy, so may as well make it count, right? She took a deep breath and tried not to think too much about how nice he smelled before she pulled away, clearing her throat. "Now, would you at least try to make friends tonight?"

"Great. So I'm a scary skeleton guy. Yay." Zephyr snorted sarcastically, then rolled his eyes. "More company means more people to deal with and learn about and have to rein in my attitude around." He half coughed half chuckled, then glared at her. "Yes it would. It would mentally hurt." He answered, obviously not going to budge on the subject. Until he got his brain functioning correctly again, he was stuck on her, no matter how much. He savored the feel of the hug- wait... was this his first real hug or his second? He couldn't remember- for a second before pulling away as she did and taking a step back, not wanting to seem clingy himself. Not that he could EVER seem clingy, even if he tried. At her words he sighed heavily. "I'll give you this much. I won't hide and if someone approaches me I will say hello. That's the absolute most I can promise. You're asking a lot." He huffed a bit grumpily, glancing around at the sea of faces. He should know every name by now but he didn't because he was an anti-social introvert.

Tempe rolled her eyes at him yet again. "For a demigod, you sure are hella dramatic." She joked, snickering slightly at him. She released him and watched the instant step back he took, shifting uncomfortably. He said he wasn't repulsed by her, but he avoided touching her at any and all costs, even in entirely friendly settings. "Hey, that's more than I expected. Thaaank you." She teased, standing with him.

As though he sensed their conversation was over, Luke jogged up, setting his hand on the small of her back with a grin and a wave to Zephyr. "Hey, you two. After dinner, our little meeting is gonna happen down by the Lake. Figured a little swimming would be fun, if you're down." He said lightly, slipping away after and winding his way through the crowd before Tempe could spit something out. She was slightly pink from the contact, and her mouth was open in anticipation to speak. "Well, uh. I don't have a bathing suit, so that might be problematic." She chuckled nervously, offering Zephyr a smile and rubbing the back of her neck. "Are you down? I know you don't like water all that much." She asked tentatively.

"Ha! You ain't seen nothin' yet." Zephyr snorted with a small laugh, though he quieted a second later, noticing the change in her demeanor. Obviously his fault. Always was. Should he not have stepped back? Should he have said something different? Maybe he did have to change. He obviously wasn't right in any way for her. All he did was offend her. "You're welcome." He answered with a slight eye roll, though a slightly worried expression had crawled its way into his face. He didn't want to be making her unhappy. What was he doing wrong? And how could he fix it? Why couldn't he just let it GO? When Luke came up his whole demeanor changed almost instantly, however. His shoulder Hunching slightly, he slid his hands back in his pockets, looking uncomfortable when Luke went right up next to Tempe. Zeph had the intense urge to run away, but he wasn't going to yet. It'd probably just irritate Tempe more. He could easily tell she liked Luke. At least a little bit. Which made him feel like a pile of crap, but it was his fault for not speaking up. Everyone has been saying these days the pits of Tartarus are feeling quite romantic. "Problematic." He repeated emotionlessly, still different, like he had closed his walls again. "I'm not afraid of a little water." He answered her question curtly, lifting his head slightly. "I'll be there."