with some considerations

As Zach held her face, Hecate finally looked back into his, allowing him to see her breaking resolve. Why did he keep breaking in front of him, she wondered. She had always managed to get away from her worries but it was as if both Zach and Eden knew exactly how to unravel her. It was frustrating to say the least, but there was a strange comfort in it that there was just someone she couldn't hide everything. She didn't need to.

The surprise on her face almost matched hers as he confessed to her. A bitter smile appeared on her lips, "H-how can you even say that?" she laughed bitterly, "You don't know me, Zach. How can you love someone who you've barely spoken to? How can you love... someone like me?"

Meant to be was something Hecate never really had the hopes of hearing, especially not towards herself. But here was Zach who felt it right that they shouldn't be apart. What was that thing again? Something about soulmates? Hecate never really believed in having one nor could she even dare to imagine it.

"Zach..." she whispered his name. She wasn't even quite sure what had pushed her to do it but her body had moved before she even realized. She threw her arms around him, wrapping him in an embrace like she was afraid he'd leave if she didn't. Since when did she even care? "I... I didn't say I didn't feel the same," she said softly, "But it's just so strange to me. I don't... I don't understand it. What... what does it all even mean, Zach?"

"But I want to understand it," she whispered weakly. Hecate didn't have the heart to press for more questions, feeling that if she tread further, she could fall. She hated feeling confused, but she also disliked feeling that she knew nothing of something she had become aware of. She didn't feel the opposite of how he did, but she wasn't even sure if she felt the same thing as he. She didn't want to think of this being love, but she also couldn't think of denying it. She was almost afraid to think what else it could be. It was all so... confusing.

Slowly, Hecate pried herself away, but not letting her arm slide away from his shoulders. She couldn't quite make herself look him in the eye. "I don't... I don't know what to do," she spoke quietly. When she finally looked up, the weakness was clear in her eyes. A pleading gaze, asking him for help.

Hecate was frustrated but she couldn't bring herself to say it. She had never been the kind who would take something so vague for an answer but she couldn't find her voice to speak of it."It's just how it is" was Zach's answer to her and she was so torn up about it. How could she feel comfort in something she couldn't fully comprehend? She knew it was so unlike her.

And yet how could she manage not to be angry about the lack of answers, she'd ask herself. Like a healing charm, the light peck on her forehead felt like she was at peace. His smile made her feel warm and content. She shouldn't. Yet how could she feel satisfied about someone telling her to 'follow her heart' when all she had done was to deny herself of that since she could recall? Everything she lived for clashed with everything she had encountered here and yet it didn't seem to matter at all.

Hecate only had questions swimming in her head. She stood up abruptly, facing away from Zach but even with just a glance anyone could tell how conflicted she looked before she'd turned her head away. From the she stayed still, it didn't seem like she wanted to leave though. It was a few moments of silence, and before Zach could ask, she spoke up: "I don't know how to do that," she spoke quietly.

"Easy for you to say," Hecate muttered in response but she had spoken it so quietly it would have been hard for anyone but herself to hear her. She was used to moving around mechanically, more on orders. Her instincts might have guided her through missions but it never preceeded her decisions. Until now at least, and even then she hasn't gotten comfortable with the fact she was skirting around a direct order because "she didn't feel like it". It was so pathetic she could just slap herself for it.

Her internal debate had to be disturbed when Zach spoke again, and she turned to him with a confused look. Was he... stalling or something? Her gaze turned to the sky for a moment to try and appraise it. It was... decent? It was a clear day with a few clouds overhead — didn't seem like it was about to rain. Hecate sighed — that probably wasn't what he wanted her to notice. When she looked back at him, Zach had turned to look at the ground, looking a little conflicted but by what, she couldn't tell. "Is... is something wrong?" Hecate wondered if asking for someone's wellbeing is a normal thing.