Its absolutely gorgeous dude, I have no words

You're absolutely welcome))

Tempe giggled slightly at the blank look on his face. Was he broken? Had she broken him? She watched him tentatively, crossing her wrists behind her back in an idle way. This was so very strange, and new. She grinned as he rambled slightly, enjoying every second of it. "Mingle it is, then." She nodded with a slight giggle, moving to swim leisurely toward the shore, turning on her back to make sure he follow until she could stand. She fidgeted slightly anxiously with her suit as she started rising out of the water, the self-consciousness returning at half force. She tensed her hands into fists and then reached up to wring her hair of excess water, watching Zephyr instead of the demigods around.

Zephyr was slowly starting to slide back to a normal state of mind- slowly. Well, mostly normal. He was spiraling into a worrying mindset. Yes, Tempe had said she liked him a LITTLE ITTY TINY LITTLE BIT but does that mean she likes Luke more? The next time he comes up is she going to laugh at Zeph's look at go straight to Luke? And what was HE supposed to do when that one Aphrodite girl came up again? He had turned her away in practically every way possible except saying he wasn't interested in her. You'd think the daughter of the god of love would know when someone didn't like you back. Or maybe it had just never happened. He didn't know. In any case, he didn't want to embarrass himself by having to outright say *Girl, just stop, I like someone else okay? Thanks*. Moving back to Tempe, he knew now she wasn't JOKING but what if she really barely liked him enough to want to be anything more? And wait- did he?! Was he now THINKING too fast!?! How could someone think too fast!?!?! How was his brain even- why- his brain was going to DIE if it continued like this. He shoved all thoughts of that subject of out his mind and then noticed she had spoken. Zephyr nodded and followed her, a bit slower, and definitely hesitantly- if he was out of the water he wanted to have his shirt ON. The only reason it was off now is because he didn't want it wet. He raked both hands through his hair this time, which got some excess water out but also made his hair stand up like firecrackers went off in it. At this point, he wasn't sure if he cared. Unlike Tempe, his gaze flicked everywhere, from her, to the water, to the trees, to the people, to the sky.

Tempe was much less chaotic inside. Chaotic, yes, but not... Zeph chaotic. She could practically smell the smoke from the gears in his brain working overtime. She finished wringng out her hair, contemplating something silly and childish. But she wanted to do it. Even if it was stupid- thing was, how would he react? He had blatantly told her he didn't like being touched. But... he liked her. He said he liked her a little, itty bitty tiny bit. Was that enough to mean that he also like her touching him? She thought for a moment, watching him look at everything but her, and then took a small step closer to him before she could lose her nerve. She reached forward and gently curled her smallest finger around his, holding it quietly and staring determinedly at other people on the beach. Not quite holding his hand, but as much of a connection as she dared, in case he shoved her off and ran away screaming. Unlikely, but possible.

Zephyr wasn't totally failing. He had tried not to think about most things, and it was almost working. He was SO CLOSE to just being calm again. He had just let out a more relaxed breath and his gaze had stilled for half a second when he felt a slight tingle in - just a single finger. He glanced down quickly to see Tempe's hand- NOT what he was expecting. 0.00000000001 seconds later his brain was spinning like a person running downhill when they didn't want to fall over. Faster and faster and faster than what he thought possible. "If rust starts coming out my ears, tell me and I'll try to knock myself out." He groaned quietly, not even able to keep up with half the thoughts. He glanced at her again, then down, then at her again, then down, then around, then down, then at her, then he stilled his gaze for half a second- or, to him, an eternity- and sucked in a breath. He might've forgotten to breathe but he also didn't want anyone to know that. Did that mean she WASN'T completely kidding? Not that he was asking if she LIED because that would be HORRIBLE buuuuut that TINY gesture- well, to put it short, he could tell she thought about it. And that meant she was consciously THINKING about what to do and why and if he would be okay with it! Or was that hoping for too much? Was she just- no- but- it had to mean SOMETHING and in the STUPID brain stuff thing he was. He was having problems. He couldn't even understand 98 percent of the sentences in his brain anymore. After absolutely no thought, because he could worry about a gazillion things as if if he didn't the world would end, but he didn't think about stuff that actually mattered, he inched his hand slightly closer to hers, enough to maybe get three fingers. He was already half dead, so why not go the rest of the way. "If I fry the circuts in my brain at least I won't think anymore... so its a good thing that I feel like my head might explode." He mused quietly. "But at the very end, thoughts that make no sense start filtering in. Like if you're scared half to death twice, aren't you dead? And- why do we put cargo on ships and shipments on cars? If a tomato is a fruit isn't ketchup a smoothie? Honey is just bee throw up. Only our bottom jaw closes so we can bite up but we can't bite down-" He stopped. "There we go! I'm officially brain dead." Zephyr shook his head harshly, looking somewhere between flabbergasted, bewildered, blank, and a bit happy.

Tempe let out a calm breath, seeing as Zephyr was calm for the moment- until he wasn't. She glanced up to see him looking like he was calculating pi times the imaginary number in his brain, her eyes widening eve so slightly. It wasn't that bad, was it? He couldn't think she was that repulsive, right? Her grip on his finger hesitated when he spoke. "I- I mean, is- is it bad? I'm sorry. I- I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable or-" She stuttered, flushing red and staring at her feet as she went to release his hand. She paused when his hand moved closer, tentatively grazing her fingertips over the underside of his fingers. When he didn't in fact, run away screaming, she slowly slid her hand into his, gently intertwining their fingers. Then she started worrying about if her palm was sweaty, or if he thought her hands were too rough, or too small, or her fingers were too short. She went blank with panic, watching him in silence. She couldn't do anything but chuckle softly at his words, siddling slightly closer to him. "I didn't realize pinky holding was that mind blowing." She teased softly, turning and rising on her tiptoes to press a tentative kiss to his cheek. "Good. Brain dead means you'll stop half panic-half worrying over the fact that I want to hold your hand." She teased softly, squeezing his hand gently and tugging him to walk alongside her down the lake shore.

(Pi times an imaginary number IS MIND BLOWING!! Like it's NOT ZERO but it keeps ETERNALLY getting smaller so they SAY it's zero but its NOT because it'll TECHINICALLY never reach zero!!! -LE BOOM-)

-

Zephyr glanced at her quickly, his own gaze widening slightly. "No- no no nope not bad not uncomfortable not what I meant." He said quickly, desperately trying to save the moment, but THANKFULLY she didn't leave or pull away. He - well, he had to admit, for the first time in forever he definitely was enjoying physical contact. Even in the slightest amount. Now that he was essentially brain dead he glanced at her again, more studying the way she would react so he could speak in turn or freak out if neccesary. Hopefully it wouldn't be. When her hand moved into his, his brain started moving quickly again for a split second before screeching to a halt and pretty much slapping itself. They were merely holding hands. That's IT. When something outrageous happened then he had the right to freak out, but he was being an idiot to even contemplate freaking out right now. If he ever wanted any relationship to stay alive he needed to stop acting like glass. After this mental breakthrough occurred he looked back towards her a third time to see, well, practically the same expression on her that he knew he had worn only seconds ago. Extreme worry. Ever the smart guy, he figured it was probable that she was worrying because of the whole hand thing, which honestly stunned him because he didn't think Temperence had the ability to worry. When she went blank with that same panic-y look he began to take action, but stopped when she seemed to calm slightly as she registered his other words. Good. Calm. That's what they both needed to be. At her words a small grin crept it's way onto his face without permission. "My brain was still stuck on the fact I even spoke thank you very much." He answered, in his defense- which really didn't help. He'd be an absolutely horrible lawyer. However, the next thing she did really and totally did blow what was left of his mind in every single way possible even though there was that one sane part just screaming +It's not that bad wait come back no brain you need to braaaiiinnnn!!!+ For the next couple moments he was speechless and more stunned/mystified looking than those emotions on steroids, but SOMETHING seemed to click because his face melded back to normal and he managed to understand her words. "Nevermind brain dead, now my brain just took a vacation to Hawaii. I don't know if it's ever coming back." He commented with a faint smile, managing to move his feet to follow her in time to not just tip over.

Math is wild

It literally makes no sense and all the sense at the same time

Accurate analogy, right? XD))

Tempe smiled slightly nervously at his comment, chuckling faintly. "What a defense. You sure showed me." She teased, brushing her thumb over the back of his hand in hopes to calm him slightly. He still seemed so jittery that it made her feel nervous. She smiled faintly at his reaction, unsure if she should be pleased by it or not. "Vacation is... good, right? Hawaii is nice. Did that mean you didn't hate it? Or, or, or, that you maybe sort of liked ot?" She offered tentatively, peering up at him as she lead him onto the dock and to the edge. She settled there, legs over the edge, gently tugging him down to sit with her.

(That is perfectly accurate. I'll always like it better than English though- because English just makes no sense at all! LOL)

-

Zephyr snorted slightly, regaining some of his former pride. "It was an amazing defense." He retorted jokingly, silently sucking in another breath to attempt to calm himself. He felt like... like... he didn't know. He was happy and bewildered at the same time. In his heart or whatever he knew he LIKED what was happening, but he felt like he couldn't accept it was happening to him. Maybe once in his life something just went right. It just needed to stay that way. At her question he glanced at her with a slight eyebrow raise. Huh. So she was the tiniest bit nervous too. Hey! Now he felt better! It wasn't just him freaking out for no reason! Or- aw naww.. was she nervous because of him!? Darn it! Mission failure. He redirected his brain- again- to her words. "No, I don't hate it, or this- if I did or thought I would I never would've said I liked you because I'm not that cruel. I would never say that then be like *ahhh no don't touch me don't go near me don't look at me don't do anything!*" He joked with a faint smile. "I do like it. At least I'm pretty sure I do." He snorted slightly, amused at how clueless he was when it came to this. He actually liked it when someone took the time to teach him Calculus, but he couldn't figure out this. He lowered himself to the dock next her her, staring out at the water. "I'll get better. Slowly. Some day it won't be so shocking." He commented quietly with another small smile. "Since I'm not quite sure why it is now, hopefully it'll be soon."

English never has, and never will make sense

Like, grammar who?))

Tempe smiled softly at his answer, just barely keeping herself from beaming. She stifled a laugh and nodded. "Good to know. You had me worried for a second, so I just wanted to make sure." She nodded, calming slight at the reassurance that he liked her physical touch. She already knew she was a touchy, slightly clingy person. She just never had anyone to be touchy or clingy with. She nodded slowly at his explanation. "I can deal with that. And you can tell me if you don't like how much I touch you. I'm... I'm a very touchy person." She shrugged, staring at his hand and rubbing her thumb gently over his knuckles. She shifted slightly closer to him, until they were pressed gently side to side, and rested their interlinked hands on her leg.

(I'm not kidding, whenever I hear people in an argument and they say *we can't agree on ANYTHING!* I walk up and say *English is the most confusing subject and will never make sense* and 9/10 times the people stop arguing and reconsider their life choices xD)

-

"I can't believe I got YOU worried. Aren't you the same person that stood in front of Zeus like you were talking to a human?" Zephyr asked with a teasing smile, gently nudging her side. "I mean, you look the same, but that's a pretty big change." He added, again teasingly, his dark eyes twinkling slightly as he glanced at her. "You should know by now speaking is not my Strongsuit. Most likely you'll guess if I get uncomfortable. I tend to make it painfully obvious. But just note there's a difference- uncomfortable and thinking are two different things. If I look like if I was a robot there'd me rust and smoke floating everywhere, then don't worry." He grinned a little, gazing at the water for a couple seconds, until she moved slightly again. His eyes tended to give away a lot, whether it was where he was looking or the emotions that he portrayed in the dark blue depths. Not many people could look past the steely navy, but behind that there was a softer side. Then again, physically, no one seemed to notice he had thin golden lines spiraling out from his pupil, so why would they notice emotions. "I'm.. glad I spoke up though. Shocked I had the guts- believe me, I feel like a skeleton most of the time- if you get that I immediately have respect for you."