For all Jo's bravado and confidence as to where this was leading, she now felt at a loss on how to procede. With him Jo felt comfortable, soft even. She had no pressing desire to rush things along or fall into any of her typical patterns. There was no need to get drunk and fall into bed or flirt until her words felt foolish even to herself. It — whatever it was — felt natural between them, and that frightened her.

She wasn't afraid enough to pull away from this moment, even if her alarm bells were ringing for her to flee. Tomorrow might see Zach pulling away himself, anyway. After all, what sort of future could there be with someone like her? Jo wasn't willing to sacrifice her love of travel and working for anyone, and she would sooner find some back alley abortionist than have a child. And if Zach did realize the terrible path she was leading him down — the one full of disappointment and heartache — well, it wouldn't be her fault. Jo had never been anything but obvious about who and what she was.

"It is." She said smoothly, his smile matched by her own. Then, without any further thought as to the potential consequences, Jo moved to close the distance between them.

  

Zach had never truly thought about the future, at least with anything besides his bookshop. His work was his life, his passion. Although he enjoyed surrounding himself with interesting people, he’d kept most safely in a circle of acquaintance-level friendships. Jo was probably the first, non-family member, who had toed her way across the line. Who had him lightening his workload just to be sure they had an ample amount of time to spend together.

The last person he had done that for had been Rosie, and, well, look how that turned out.

Part of him worried their friendship would be temporary. That his heart would be wounded, yet again, but it had been long enough that he felt he should try. She was a delight to speak to, and he admired her independent, go-get-em nature. They were qualities he didn’t quite possess, at least not in the way she exhibited them. He didn’t feel like he needed to be artificial.

As the gap between them narrowed, Zach felt as if all air had escaped his lungs. Even while dancing at the odd party his family coaxed him to go to, he’d rarely been so close. Unsure what to do, his right hand started to move of its own volition. Gently, he brushed a stray strand of hair from Jo’s forehead and sought to tuck it slowly behind her ear.

  

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Pretties thanks to Olive! <3

The sweet gesture released a swarm of butterflies unlike any she'd ever felt. Most men would've already made their move and abandoned her by now, but Zach had cleared his schedule to be here. He made space for her where others refused. Holsten was the closest she'd come and even that was more of a convenience thing than anything else. And Alfred, well he hadn't ever been interested in her. Everyone else pretty much always just … fizzled out.

Not Zach though.

Jo felt the pressing need to say something, to check that she wasn't about to ruin their friendship by proceeding with this, but she could form no words. He would pull away if he wasn't comfortable. He would say or do something to reestablish their boundaries. She rested her free hand on his shoulder before leaning in to kiss him.

  

Zach’s eyes widened slightly, but he didn’t try to pull away. He wasn’t sure if he was more surprised by Jo’s actions, or the fact he didn’t want to flee. Usually, if a woman made a move at him it was because they were both mutually tipsy.

The hand he’d brushed against her face slowly melted down until it rested on the small of her back. He leaned in to the kiss and returned the gesture. It was clear he was unpracticed, almost laughably so. The kiss was a bit sloppy, but it was honest and sweet. He didn’t try to force her any further, not that he even knew how to do so.

All he wanted was for Jo to be happy.

Merlin, was he doing this right?

  

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Pretties thanks to Olive! <3

His inexperience was, frankly, adorable. Jo didn't usually have much patience for men (or women) who were unaware as to how things progressed. It took too much time and effort, and she was more often than not left wholly unsatisfied. There was nothing more frustrating to her than bedding a virgin who lasted all of ten seconds (all of the cleanup, none of the pleasure). She didn't know what, if any, experience Zach had but, at least this once, she was willing to make an exception.

Eventually, she pulled away from the kiss though she made no move to step back. There was plenty of time yet for more, and an active dig site was hardly the place to attempt public sex. With her luck they'd fall and hurt themselves on some ruin. "I've been wanting to do that for months." She admitted with a sigh. "Since you came into the shop."

  

A small part of Zach was relieved that Jo hadn’t immediately balked at his lack of expertise. She wouldn’t have been the first woman who had laughed at him. She’d simply accepted him, flaws included, as he was, and it made a part of his heart stir with a renewed fondness and respect. Maybe it would be alright to let her in, to allow her to fill that space that had only known yearning.

When she pulled away, he didn’t pursue, though he was reluctant for the embrace to end. Zach stood, eyes locked with hers as she spoke. He struggled to summon a reply; How could she have known then? He certainly hadn’t. Had he? Just maybe. Or at least known he wanted something more than just exchanging letters.

"You…" He started to say, but the initial question of ‘you have?’ dissipated, making way for something that drifted across his lips before his brain fully processed it. "I have, too." It just took until now to realize it.

  

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Pretties thanks to Olive! <3

Back then Jo's thoughts of him were centered mostly on sex, nearly to the extent that she considered making a move in the shop to make use of the couch. She had no care then for the swarm of butterflies or the beauty of his smiles. And while Jo wasn't yet convinced the butterflies (and his own feelings, honestly) weren't amplified by their surroundings, but whatever the case was she was happy to be here. She was happy to be in his embrace.

The kiss she gave in response was short and sweet, after which she reluctantly pulled away from the embrace. Despite her thoughts all swirling in the direction of sex Jo knew she didn't want that here with Zach. He deserved better than that. "We shouldn't linger back here too long I don't think. A few more minutes to investigate and then onwards." Jo could spend hours here if she had the chance, but getting arrested was not on her list to do.

  

Zach returned the kiss a bit more gracefully than he had previously. When Jo pulled away, he looked almost wistful. Without thinking, he briefly rest a light hand on her cheek, eyes laughing with a hint of something more glimmering at the edges. "Yes, it wouldn’t do to contend with the Greek ministry on our very first day." Being interrogated for trespass was not the sort of quality time he wished to spend. It would certainly put a damper on other things.

Withdrawing, he turned to actually take in their surroundings, though his thoughts raced, trying to contend with an avalanche of feelings. Once he thought he’d regained his composure and sufficiently took in the sights, he turned back. "Where is it you wish to see next? I do believe we still have some time before dinner."

  

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Pretties thanks to Olive! <3

Jo sat atop a fallen pillar studying the grooves of the columns before her. Try as she might, she couldn't reconcile the artistry with any sort of muggle talent. The effort of lifting the stone at all was baffling, never mind the perfectly straight edges of the column. It was the same wherever she went, too. The Egyptians had their pyramids, the Mayans their temples. No obvious connections existed to the corresponding magical communities, but Jo was certain that there was just some obvious factor being overlooked. Humans couldn't possibly have the strength to lift such heavy blocks so high.

His question of further travels tore her from her trance. "There's the Herodeon, though I think it might be a bit of a hike from here." Jo suggested. Truthfully, she'd like to just walk with him down the streets and chat. There was more of an adventure to be had that way. "Is there anywhere you've dreamt of going?"

  

Zach lifted his shoulders about the distance or a place he dreamt of visiting. "Truthfully, I’m just excited to see the city at all." It was a nice change of pace to actually enjoy his travels instead of having set timetables in which he needed to meet up with others. It left little enjoyment.

"Shall we see where our feet take us?" He suggested, eyebrows lifted in question. Zach was rather partial to winding his way down strange roads to discover hidden secrets. It was a fun game he used to play with his youngest niece when he had the chance to spend time with her. If wonders could be found in Hogsmeade, or London, surely there were treasures to find in Athens. Especially in Jo’s company.

  

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Pretties thanks to Olive! <3