"What are you doing here?" The words flew off her tongue before she could process it.

Theodore did not look in the slightest bit amused. He swept his eyes over her. "Are you asking me what I'm doing in my house?"

She stepped aside to make way for him. "That's not what I meant."

Zaria rushed out when she heard his voice and was shocked. "Dad, didn't you go to Luxenville?"

"Nope. Change of plans. Did I disappoint you?"

He was teasing her, but she was too shocked to realize it. "No, that's not it. It's just… you had a meeting to catch."

"The interview was postponed and I was yet to board the train so I came back." He placed his briefcase on the couch nearest to the door. "Of course, I ruined the game that the little mice were playing while I was away."

She was no longer certain whether he was joking or upset. "Dad…"

Knowing what she was about to say, she nudged her. "Come on, Zaria. You have every right to bring whoever you want. You are not restricted. I'm just upset that you thought you had to hide it from me."

Her eyes drooped. "I thought you would be upset."

"It's not Zaria's fault. I asked if we could come over for dinner." Lucy chimed in to take the blame. "We were pretty much done so Zeus and I will leave."

"You don't have to." Theodore wished he had lingered outside for a while. His sudden arrival had made the atmosphere awkward and he hated this.

"Why don't you join us, father? Zaria cooked food enough for a feast." Zeus spoke from several steps behind Lucy.

He debated the options. Going to his room was probably best, but they would be uncomfortable. Besides, he was hungry and the aroma was not making it any easier for him. Not to mention, how could he turn down the opportunity to bond with his children?

In the end, the four of them sat around the dining table.

"Let's dig in before the food gets cold." Zeus set cutlery for Theodore and settled down. "Where were we? Right, I was showing off the height difference between me and Zaria."

She rolled her eyes. "You are insane."

"You're an idiot." Zeus leaned in to whisper to her.

She darted her eyes at him and subconsciously lowered her voice too. "Why are we whispering?"

"You should have made father sit next to mother." He whispered.

"You fool." She gently smacked him.

"You're the fool. Don't you see the giant sparks flying between them? They would be more intense if they were next to each other."

"Zeus, when did you say you would get engaged?" Lucy spoke from beside him all of a sudden, scaring the crap out of him.

"I don't even have a girlfriend. Not that I want one." He resumed eating.

Lucy raised an eyebrow at him. "Well, you better get one soon. That will keep you too busy to poke your nose where it doesn't belong."

He grinned. She had overheard their conversation.

"Zeus is still young. He can settle down when he wants to." Theodore chimed in.

"In that case, he should get a permanent job and keep himself busy." Lucy huffed.

"I have a job." He complained.

"That's Zaria's job. Get your own permanent one and keep yourself busy." She urged. He would be an idiot if he didn't get it. The main point was that she thought he was too idle.

A few minutes into the dinner, Zeus announced that he was full. "I'll make a call to my girlfriend."

You have no girlfriend. Zaria wanted to call him out. If he had one, he would not be so eager to annoy his sister. Or maybe he would, but she was still certain that he was single. When realization struck her, she stood too. "I promised to return Desmond's call."

Theodore watched them disappear into different directions and frowned. Those brats. Never mind. Treat it as eating alone.

"Could you pass me the ketchup?" She spoke up, making it apparent that he was not on his own. He was in the mood to tell her to stand and get it herself but that was too childish.

He took the small bottle and stretched his hand so it would reach her.

….

Zeus found Zaria on the balcony and nudged her arm. "Hey, do you think they will make up?"

"That's none of our business." She responded. "Not that I mind giving them a push if they are acting like blockheads and inwardly missing each other."

He smiled at the thought of what might be going on downstairs. "I'm certain that mother misses him sometimes. At least the few times I caught her smiling to herself, I was certain that she was thinking about him."

Zaria smiled but then her expression dimmed. "I think dad might be interested in someone."

"No way." Zeus swallowed.

"It's possible." She sighed, recalling his expression after what he had called a business call before, the one she was certain was a call from a woman, paired with him dressing up the following day to go out.

Seeing that Zeus looked disappointed, she placed a hand on his shoulder. "I understand how you feel. I feel the same way... We both want out family to be reunited. But let's not forget that their happiness matters too. If being together makes them uncomfortable, we cannot force them just because we want our family to be complete. Besides, we are adults now. No one's stopping us from spending time with each other even if we do it separately."

"I hate to agree with you on anything but you are right." He admitted.

She changed the topic out of the blue. "That aside, may I know why you don't have a girlfriend?"

"Women are troublesome." He groaned.

She squinted her eyes at him meaningfully. Before she could reach to smack him, he raised his arms in surrender.

"Women are troublesome, except my mother and my sister. Those two are hell."