The Zeal of Eros

Coop wasn't going to be released until about four days later. They released me a couple of days earlier, but said I should take it easy. How could I take it easy when everyone around me was fighting their loved ones left and right? Every time I was passing a couple to get home, there were so many fights breaking out between couples which ends with something being broken and one storming off.

I had started to realize that without Coop's powers, the world was starting to fall into chaos. For the most part. Maybe there was something that could be done.

But what? And why should I get involved? I'm only human. And this is a battle with gods. I was starting to believe the one that was going to disappear was me. I wasn't meant to live. Coop made that pretty clear. There was a prophecy and Psyche or I was going to disappear. And I knew Coop would want Psyche. I had those conflicting emotions as I headed home.

Selfish, selfish, selfish. At one point or another, I questioned if the voice in my head was Psyche or me. My life had gotten confusing and was causing my own pain. Maybe I should just vanish. I sighed as I looked at the darkening sky.

Without love, the world would fall. That's why Thanatos took Coop's powers. I sighed as I finally hit the steps toward my house. Since I hadn't seen dad, I was very worried about how he was going to react to this. I wasn't sure how he was with Coop's powers gone, if he lost the love he usually had in his heart.

I chewed on my lip as my hand came to the doorknob. I was growing slightly suspicious as to how quiet it was. I turned the knob and stepped inside.

“Dad?” There was no noise inside and that made me nervous. “Dad?”

I closed the door behind me as I came inside. The house looked a mess. Some of the furniture was strewn around the place, rubble from all the stuff that had been broken. I got a shiver down my spine. Why was my home in ruin? I tilted my head curiously. Why was everything in chaos?

“Aria?” I looked around. His voice sounded pained and wounded.

I rushed over, finding a bit of debris and tried to find him. I was cutting my hands up, trying to find him and yelling “Dad!”

I heard him coughing, trying to help me in digging him out. He continued to cough as his hand came out of the rubble of furniture. I finally got to his hand and slowly, with a lot of straining, got him out. He had covered his mouth to stop himself from coughing on me.

“Aria... Your mom...” My eyes widened slightly. My mother was here? How was that possible?

“Dad, are you sure it was mom?” Dad nodded.

I couldn't believe my mother had been there. I came over to pat my father's back to get some of the debris out of his nose and throat. I sighed softly and wiped the sweat off my brow.

“What happened Dad?” Dad coughed a little more out.

“Just said 'We need to talk', and then she shot at me.” I furrowed my eyebrows.

That didn't sound like mom, but then again, nothing was normal anymore. People who had love fought.

Except me and Coop. Maybe Coop possessed more of an understanding than I did. Dad started to cough again.

I sighed softly and whispered, “Let's get you tot he hospital. Dr. Walker can probably give you something to help.”

Dad shook his head slightly.

“No, Aria. I'll be alright. I just need to rest.”

At that point, I knew something was wrong. He was scared. He had just seen his ex-wife tear a building down around him. I furrowed my eyebrow. Why had mom come and terrorize dad?

Because she still loves him. I bit my lip at the realization. If she hadn't had loved him, she wouldn't have been affected by Coop's powers going to Thanatos. Though, dad didn't seem to be entirely infected.

I shook my head and whispered, “I don't want you to be in pain, Dad.”

He pulled me close, running a hand through my hair. I knew that dad had been through a lot, but I was starting to get the point that he was the only one who was really there when I needed him to be. I had been living with him and could have lost him. My own father.

I heard a knock on the door, seeing Coop's weak form in the doorway.

“Aria...” I bit my lip.

“I got to get dad to the hospital. And you aren't suppose to be released yet.” Coop shrugged. Dad coughed again.

“Who is that...” I bit my lip. Dad hadn't met Coop officially yet.

“Dad, this is Coop. Coop, this is my dad, Zed. I know you two weren't formally introduced. Coop smiled weakly, but it was one of his usual smiles.

“We already know each other, right Zephyrus?” My dad coughed, though it sounded like a chuckle.

“Done with this charade then, Cupid? Been a long time since I've seen you.” Coop shrugged again.

“3,000 years, give or take.”

“Whoa, whoa.” I looked between the two of them. “You know each other?”

Dad looked down and I knew that face well enough. Shame.

“Yes.”

Dad looked like he had aged a bit in the past couple of minutes. Like Coop coming here had reset his aging because his face started to look more tired. Coop came over, stumbling slightly and helping my dad up to his feet. I grabbed dad's other arm and started to lead them both out to the car.

Thank god I had my license. I lead dad to the passenger's seat with Coop's help and Coop crawled into the backseat. I made sure they were both seatbelted in before I started the car, driving them both toward the hospital.

Part of my mind was letting me know I was spending too much time in the hospital. But I shook that thought out of my head.

“How do you two know each other?” My dad looked down shamefully as he continued to cough. Coop, in my rear view, had stared at me throughout the ride. “Don't you two dodge my questions or keep up this charade. I want answers.”

My dad kept coughing and some of my anger disappeared.

Coop whispered, “We'll explain later. Zed needs help and I kind of left against advisement.”

He put a hand on his chest, a reminder that his own soul was killing him. I sighed softly and just drove to the hospital.

I got dad into emergency, Dr. Walter coming to help. I watched as my father was wheeled toward the ICU.

“We'll take care of him. Don't worry Aria.” Dr. Walter promised me.

I hope you are right.