ℤ𝕒𝕟𝕖

"What's wrong with her?" Ava whispers to me.

"I heard that!" Kami says, flopping onto the armchair across from us.

"I'm... I-" Ava mumbles, looking to me for help. Kami interrupts her with a burst of laughter.

"It's fine!" she says, giggling between words. "I had to go update my passport so I am... just a little bi-"

"She's smashed," I say.

"Mashed?" Ava asks, turning to me with a confused expression. "Like... mashed potatoes?"

Kami laughs hysterically, falling over in her chair.

"No, love," I say. "S-mashed. I mean she's high."

"Because she went to get her passport? What am I missing?"

"See Zane you always tell stuff wrong," Kami says, climbing onto her chair until she's perched on her toes. "Zane told you the Anatopath suggested Tamarix, right? To fix our powers thing. Well it's weird, but it works. So I had to update my passport to travel today which meant basically a whooooole lot of stupid, boring hanging around in government offices so I had to take Tamarix to go out so everyone wouldn't be all obsessed with me."

"Tamarix?" Ava asks. "That sounds like a prescription thing."

"It's a tree, actually," I explain.

"Oh shhhhhhh," Kami says, holding a finger to her lips. "I said you're bad at explaining things so stop explaining things already. Ava, it's a fancy tree bark, like cinnamon, but it has an effect on Immortals. Think of it as cannabis for the supernatural set. It's probably Greek because it has an x in it..."

Kami suddenly starts speaking in fluent Greek and Ava looks at me to confirm she's hearing what she thinks she's hearing. I nod.

"Wait..." Ava says. "I thought you said the Anatopath didn't have any answers for you."

Technically, I said her idea was a nonstarter.

"You know how Z is," Kami whispers loudly. "He's got issues with being in control!"

I don't have issues with being in control. I just want to be in control all the time.

"I didn't come here to be psychoanalyzed," I say with a grumble.

"My bad, Zeazy-Zeez!"

It's official: I'm never again hanging out with Kami when she's like this.

"That's one more impromptu nickname than you're allowed for the day," I say.

"Oh Zeezle," she says with a snicker, "you're adorable when you're grumpy."

"This is precisely why I'm here."

"To be adorable?"

Ava laughs. She seems to be enjoying Kami's inebriated state—which makes one of us.

"To give you Jen's cure."

Ava pulls out the small tote bag with the vial inside.

"Aww, Jen is the greatest!" Kami says. "Her cure worked?"

"Yep. We tested it yesterday and there were no issues."

"Except for the part where Zane almost killed a guy for liking sweet coffee," Ava says with a chuckle.

I shoot her a scowl but she just smiles in return.

"This sounds like a brilliant story, I want details!" Kami cheers, jumping on the couch between us.

It's always trouble getting these two in the same room, but with Kami this, I'm doomed.

*****

I put the pan of veggies in the oven and close the door. The doorbell rings, and I wipe the cooking oil off my hands with a paper towel before answering it.

"Hey there!" Kami says, "I just stopped by to bring back your luggage scale."

She pulls the scale out of her handbag and hands it to me.

"Oh, thanks," I say. "You all packed up?"

"Yep," she says with a sigh. "I can't believe we're going back to London, I mean, for more than just a visit."

Kami is heading out first, but we'll be meeting her there in a couple of weeks.

"Yeah, it's a bit wild," I say. "I mean, I always imagined I'd move back at some point, until Ava that is. Had no idea I'd find my fucking soulmate in an American hospital. Now it's just..."

Home is wherever she is.

Bloody hell, that's soppy. Say something less lame.

"...I would consider living here now," I say softly.

Kami gives me a look that implies she was expecting me to say something else, but then just shakes her head and smile.

"So is Kieran coming with us?" she asks.

"Of course," I say with an eye roll. "From the moment I told him, he wouldn't shut up about English Accents and how much he wants to shag prince Harry and his wife. Honestly, I just invited him along on the condition that we never finish that conversation."

Kami giggles and I toss some salt into the boiling water on the stove.

"Making dinner?" she asks.

"Pasta and veg. You want to stay? We've got enough for three."

"No, no. I might chat for a minute, but I'm just on the way home. I just wanted to drop that off. Is Ava home?"

"She's actually at a physical therapy appointment, but she'll be home in about half an hour."

"Aww, just look at you all domesticated!" Kami squeals, peeking into the oven.

"Oi! I'm getting proper ready to ship you out early."

"Oh, before I forget—do you have any unexpired Oyster cards from your last trip?"

"Check the bedroom dresser," I say, gesturing toward the bedroom.

The water reaches a boil and I pour in the pasta, turning it down just slightly before covering the pan.

Suddenly I hear a loud gasp from the other room.

"Kami?" I call, rushing to the bedroom to see her standing in front of my open dresser in shock with a box in her hands.

Wait...

Open dresser?

Shit.

I open my mouth to explain, but no words come out.

"Is this... what I think this is?" she asks, gesturing to the taupe box in her hands.

She turns it around to reveal a thin gold bracelet tied in a Hercules knot.

"What else would it be?" I ask, running a hand through my hair.

"Shit, Z!" She covers her mouth and quiets her voice before shoving the box back into my drawer. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I hadn't gotten around to it!" I huff. "I hadn't exactly expected you to come along and dig through my underthings."

"You told me to look in the dresser!"

"I meant on the dresser!" I say, pointing to a small ceramic tray on the dresser's top with some cash and an Oyster card.

She looks at me and her eyes go wide, before she smiles and launches into a bear hug.

"You're getting fucking married!" she shrieks excitedly as she does her absolute best to crush my bones.

"Calm down, love, I haven't even asked her yet," I say, fighting off a smile. "I haven't even explained to her about the bracelets or what they mean."

Ever since I bought that bracelet, it has worn at the back of my mind.

I've been to war and looked death in the face, so few things scare me.

But I'm terrified she'll say no.