Private A Surprise Housewarming

Taking advantage of the launch of her boyfriend's album, and the fact that he was not at his apartment as often, Zora had sneaked in Harmonia Proxentias, Celeste's sister-in-law and one of Manta Carlos most popular interior designers. The Olympian goddess was, despite her flamboyant ways and bold attitude, especially good at capturing the essence of a person and designing a living space that suited them and their needs.

The once sparsely finished apartment was going to be a comfortable oasis of warm neutral colours with comfortable furniture, curtains, floor lamps, throw rugs, and a few key items placed around the apartment. Some of which were items Zora had purposefully gone to ask Stefan's mother's advice about like a couple of framed pictures of a younger Stefan with his mother and the Valkyries along with his first guitar which was going to be placed on a stand in one corner of the living room.

And so, needing a few hours to pull everything together and add those personal finishing touches, Zora invited Stefan to go with her on an afternoon of shopping and dinner at the House of Volkov so that Harmonia's team could do their magic and decorate Stefan's apartment.

"Do you know when your next concert is?" Zora asked curiously as she looked warmly across the table at her boyfriend as they waited for their food to arrive. Their shopping bags stashed comfortably under the table of the booth they were sitting at.


@Stefan

Zora just nodded in response and took a sip of her vodka cocktail as she thought about what Stefan had just told her.

"I'm pretty sure Shiloh's PR team probably has something lined up for you soon. They are probably just waiting til one or two of your other songs hit the airwaves so that they can keep the hype going," she said as she put her drink down just as the food arrived at the table.

Waiting until the waiter had placed their food in front of them, Zora smiled and then winked at Stefan as the young man explained their meal choices to them before taking his leave.

"Who knew that soup could be such a complicated thing?" the witch laughed good-naturedly as she looked at her boyfriend before she checked out her bowl of steaming borscht, the bread, butter, and other obligate accompaniments that came with the hearty Russian soup.

"Thank you for letting me drag you around," Zora grinned in reply. "Although, I almost thought that for a moment there I might have to kidnap you or something," she explained laughingly, although not at all upset that Stefan had been so busy. She understood the business and how things worked. Moreover, Zora was truly happy for her boyfriend that everything was starting to take off.

"Besides you deserve a moment to just enjoy everything you've accomplished," she said as she took a piece of bread and put some butter on it.

"Also, I may also just have a little surprise for you afterward," she added, her tone teasing as she hinted at the surprise she had waiting for him later at home.

"You didn't do anything," Zora admitted as she looked over at Stefan and met his icy blue gaze. "I just felt like spoiling the man I love," she told him unabashedly.

"Besides, you've been working so hard lately I figured that you really needed ... well, you'll soon find out," Zora said with a grin, deliberately playing coy now as she took a sip of her hearty soup.

"I don't want to spoil the surprise, but let's just say I kinda benefit from it this much as you do," she said as she took a sip of her drink, giving him a very small hint of what it might be.

Zora just smiled and blushed lightly at her boyfriend's over-the-top compliments about her seemingly amazing multitasking skills.

"I will let you in on a little secret," she started, clearly enjoying herself, as she finished off her bowl of borscht. "I hate to disappoint you, but I am not all that great at multi-tasking, I just have lots of capable staff who help keep me as seemingly as awesome as I am," she confessed laughingly.

"The reality is without them, I'd be lost ... or drowning somewhere under a pile of unsigned contracts," she admitted as she pushed her bowl to the side and out of the way.

"Besides, you are one to talk. You have been super busy lately and you have always found a moment to message me or keep me updated about things," she pointed out as she remembered the many times he had sent her a late night text just to keep her updated on his busy schedule.