Three weeks and Suiren had been doing everything she could to stay away from Achilles but she was failing. He was always around! School and at home. Ah, but what did she expect? He was her literature professor, she also lived with his mother and brother. Still she had somehow managed to keep up the façade of not knowing him.
Eros laughed as they walked off campus.
"Stop," Suiren groaned twisting the strap of her book bag in between her hands.
"No, I'm sorry- it's just you're getting pretty good at this," Eros teased.
"Shut-up," Suiren swung a playful punch at his arm
"No no, I mean it," Eros chuckled blocking her punch. "I've never seen Achilles so frustrated. I think he may even be losing his hair."
Suiren gave in to small laugh. "I hardly think that's true, however if his hair really is falling out it would be a damn shame," she admitted.
"Oh? So our Goddess is not so indifferent," Eros smirked. The mischievousness in his eyes dancing circles.
"I'm not talking about this," Suiren rolled her eyes.
"Awe c'mon Ren who you going to talk to if not me, your guardian angel," Eros nudged her playfully.
"There's nothing to tell," Suiren shook her head, "he's handsome but that's nothing new, Achilles has always been handsome."
"So how long are you going to keep pretending you guys don't have a past?" Eros asked as he stopped walking. "It's almost been a month."
"I don't know," Suiren whined, "I don't want to deal with it just yet but ducking away every time he's around is getting tiresome not to mention I need his input as my lit professor. My only peace at this point is the flower shop."
Eros put his arms around her pulling her into his chest. "Our sweet goddess finding solace among flowers."
"Stop suffocating me," she muffled into his chest.
Eros eased his grip enough for her to breath. "He won't stop trying you know," he said.
Suiren felt his breath on the top her head. She sighed, "I know, Achilles never stops until he gets what he wants- insatiable predator."
Eros unwrapped his arms and held her shoulders. "You amaze me."
Suiren laughed. "I appreciate your constant support. Now get out of here before you're late and don't forget my tea, please and thank you."
"Your wish is my command goddess," Eros teased kissing the top of her head.
"Stop calling me that Eros," she warned as she began walking away.
Eros watched her walk away shaking his head. "Insatiable predator," he whispered, "poor Ren, you have no idea."
🌸
Suiren walked towards the flower shop as she did most days. Even if the flowers did bring her certain degrees of peace her thoughts were constantly inundated by Achilles. He was responsible for her first published work, even gone he was impossible to forget and now that he was back an overwhelming tide of emotions kept dragging her further and further away from the shores of sanity.
She sighed, "how long are you going to keep pretending you guys don't have a past?" Eros' question replayed in her mind. Trying to push him out of her mind wasn't working, she found her mind wondering back to the first time he had read something she wrote. He'd been the first to encourage her to publish her works. Unwillingly she smiled, it had meant everything at the time to receive his praise.
🌸
It had been an uncommonly hot day, small beads of perspiration trailed down her neck as she sat cross legged on the sand. In her left hand a black pen moving rhythmically against a small black notebook resting on her knee.
"Don't you ever take your sweater off? Look at you, you're boiling," Achilles asked crouching next to her.
Suiren jumped at the sound of his voice, quickly closing her notebook with the pen inside. "Umm no," she replied without much thought. She paused and sniffed, "Did you bring food?" She asked not bothering to look at him, instead keeping her eyes focused on the incoming waves.
Achilles chuckled, "Did you really just sniff the air for food? You know the more you do that the more you look like a bunny."
Suiren slit her eyes as she turned to scowl at him. Once she turned her eyes widened as she took in the fact he was missing his shirt. She suddenly felt hot.
"Where is your shirt for goodness sakes?" Suiren dropped her gaze to the wrapped sandwiches in his hands. She reached for one but Achilles snatched them away.
"Hey!" She exclaimed looking up at him.
He wore his usual smirk like a loaded gun, he was planning something. "We are at the beach and it's hot so I'm not wearing a shirt but if it troubles you," he leaned into her his voice low, "I can put it back on."
Suiren felt her breath hitch. His eyes were endless gray and the more she stared back at them the more it seemed like the ocean reflected off of them.
"Is that a Philly Cheesesteak?" She asked instead, her knuckles popping.
He looked down at her hands and smiled endeared. "You know I'm not going to just handed it over," he stated.
"So you brought me out here to boil in the sun and starve,"'Suiren nodded leaning back.
"No I brought you out here because you seemed down, this place always cheers me up so here we are."
Suiren pushed the sleeves of her sweater up above her elbows. "Well what do you want Tiger Paws?"
He chuckled looking out towards the horizon. "Tell me what happened last night or let me read what you've written in that notebook."
Her eyes widen as her eyebrows came together and she shook her head. "I-I don't write for exhibition," she stammered.
"Then tell me why you ended up sneaking into the house at two in morning," Achilles persisted. "Were you with those people I told you not to hang around?"
"Ah I'm not so much of a glutton that I'm going to do whatever you ask for a Philly cheesesteak," she folded her arms over her chest. She was lying of course, since the stress of the night before and not having any breakfast she felt famished and just about ready to do anything for that sandwich.
Suiren narrowed her eyes at Achilles, he was exploiting the fact she was hungry. She didn't want to talk about last nights episode of Officer Terrence and his drunken rage, she wasn't ready for Achilles to know that. It was easier for her to let him assume she was hanging out with her old friends. Still lying to him didn't sit right. She sighed and tossed him her notebook receiving in return a hot sandwich deposited in her lap.
🌸
Achilles twirled a single daisy between his thumb and his index finger.
"Your mother had told me you were back," he heard a friendly voice come up behind him.
Smiling he turned to face the petite stout woman who owned the flower shop he was currently standing in. "Tia Gilda," he greeted her opening his arms to embrace her.
She gave him a kiss on each cheek and took a step back playfully giving his arm a thwack. "Why haven't you come sooner?" She asked her Portuguese accent impossible to hide.
Achilles smiled, "Teaching has consumed my time, it was not my intention to make you wait," he answered leaning over to kiss her cheek.
Gilda slit her eyes as she pushed him away. "Teaching?" She let out a loud laugh, "Her name is Suiren."
Achilles clicked is tongue, "You and mom have been gossiping."
She chuckled shrugging her shoulders walking passed him. "Bom, não me olhe assim." (Well, don't look at me like that)
Achilles realized he was frowning, "What has she told you?"
"La muñeca (the doll) nothing," Gilda replied setting down the bunch of chrysanthemums she hand in her hands.
"My mom," Achilles corrected and sighed, "Suiren is busy pretending we just met. It's driving me crazy Tia."
Gilda laughed, "So you didn't came here for me after all."
"Of course I wanted to see you," Achilles began.
"Oh no, no lies with me," she warned.
"I just want to talk to her," Achilles dug his fingers into his hair. "She keeps avoiding me."
"So you came to corner her here at my store? If she quits because of you, you'll be sorry I like her here and so does Telmo," she threatened pointing at him with a chrysanthemum. Gilda began aggressively assembling an arrangement. "She is a big help to me."
Achilles felt himself scowling. "Yea, Eros mentioned Telmo being back." He said sounding evidently annoyed.
Gilda smirked at his annoyance, "Two months ago, he'll be taking over the shop after my knee surgery." She sighed, "Things that you would know if you bothered to call."
"Perdóname (forgive me) I-"
She interrupted him, "Sabes(you know) girls don't like inconsiderate men."
Achilles sighed, "So I've been told." He watched as Gilda finished the arrangement and dragged the vase aside.
"acalme-se (calm down) and think about what you're doing," Gilda put her hand over his, "You're acting crazy."
Achilles laughed, she was as brutally honest as ever. He groaned and kissed the back of her hand. "You're right Tia," he replied and added, "Bueno, me voy (well then I'm off) before she gets here."
He was headed for the door when he stopped as he heard familiar laughter.
"Ma' I'm back and picked up a lost puppy on the way," Telmo said coming in from the back door.
"I'm not a lost puppy," Suiren replied behind him.
Telmo kept his gaze on Achilles as he held his arm out protectively for Suiren to stay back. Still she peered from behind him catching a glimpse of Achilles who stood with his eyes locked on Telmo.
"What are you doing here?" Telmo demanded.
"I came to say hi to Tia Gilda," he smiled, "and to you cousin."
Telmo snorted, "We aren't actually related you do remember that. Besides I know why you're really here and I think you should go."
Achilles pressed his lips together in a straight line as his eyebrows came down, the corner of lip twitched. So Eros wasn't the only guardian angel by Suiren's side.
Gilda look back at her son and at Achilles. Clasping her hands together she interjected, "Now! It's a shame to see you boys this way after all these years."
"It's okay Tia I was just about to leave anyways," Achilles smirked. He looked back at Suiren who hadn't torn her eyes off of him.
She wore a puzzled expression, her lips slightly parted eyes like a doe. It took all his self will not to march over there and toss her over his shoulder.
"No covenants between men and lions, wolves and lambs can never be of one mind," he said quoting The Iliad.
Telmo narrowed his eyes and shook his head whilst Suiren blinked in surprise understanding exactly what meant. Achilles had succeeded in peaking her curiosity and that was enough for him for the moment.