Zola

Did you forget one? Or just... edit them? -Pher

strucker-twins-deactivated20250

"I missed you!"

Zola took her hands and kissed them both. “Thoughts of you were a distraction.”

“I was thinking about you too.” She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him. “I’m so glad you’re back. The last few weeks have been…. taxing. Our little ones decided I don’t need sleep. I think they missed you as well.”

Zola put his hands on her tummy and closed his eyes. He was scanning the two fetuses for health of course, but he was also indulging in a hope that these two would be an improvement on all previous offspring.

"I missed you!"

Zola took her hands and kissed them both. "Thoughts of you were a distraction."

“Is this the part where we kiss and make up?”

“If you try to kiss me, I will shoot you in the face.” Zola huffed.

That caused Helmut to pause briefly, alarmed but not quite surprised. “I suppose I should extend my most heartfelt congratulations to the both of you. Fair warning though,” he cracked a grin, “she can be a handful. Though it does bring to mind Andreas. Has there been any word from him?”

“Not that I am aware of. For her sake I hope that he is alright.” He smiled faintly. “I know she has spirit. It is not my intent to hold on to her with an iron grip.”

“Is this the part where we kiss and make up?”

“If you try to kiss me, I will shoot you in the face.” Zola huffed.

“I have no interest in leading Hydra. It is a dying organization; as Captain I would feel obligated to go down with the ship, as I have integrity. But speaking of love,” he transitioned less than gracefully, “am I to assume that you and Andrea are still an item?”

Zola paused, getting a flicker of softness across his face. “We are engaged, though she is away at the moment.”

“Is this the part where we kiss and make up?”

“If you try to kiss me, I will shoot you in the face.” Zola huffed.

“Sinthea and I have a wrought history. It traces all the way back to our childhood. I’m sure even you would recall our little skirmish when we were teenagers that put her in better esteem with the higher-ups. Unless they kept that from you as well. And now she and her,” he paused, “consort have decided that they will lead Hydra. Why he bothers with her incompetence escapes me.”

“Who can explain love?” Zola snorted softly, and wandered back to his equations. “If you can do better, do so? Hydra follows power.”

“Is this the part where we kiss and make up?”

“If you try to kiss me, I will shoot you in the face.” Zola huffed.

Zemo feigned shock, clutching his chest. “Am I not allowed to visit family? You of all people should be respectful of a nostalgic venture such as this. It has been a while since we last met, has it not?”

“I don’t know… Family is a loaded word within our peers.” Zola ran his hand through his own blond locks. “Do you truly feel nostalgic?”

“Against my better judgment, yes.” His shoulders relaxed; he had not been aware of how tense they had been. “This place is a den of snakes—no pun intended—but be that as it may, it would seem that even this old viper can not resist the call to come home every once and a while. Though that sentiment will likely change once Sinthea catches wind of my arrival.”

“What have you done to offend Sinthea?” The fact that Zemo had apparently found Crossbones “interesting” had completely escaped the small scientist. For one so intelligent and ruthless, he could be pretty clueless about such things.

“Is this the part where we kiss and make up?”

“If you try to kiss me, I will shoot you in the face.” Zola huffed.

Zemo feigned shock, clutching his chest. “Am I not allowed to visit family? You of all people should be respectful of a nostalgic venture such as this. It has been a while since we last met, has it not?”

“I don’t know… Family is a loaded word within our peers.” Zola ran his hand through his own blond locks. “Do you truly feel nostalgic?”

“Is this the part where we kiss and make up?”

“If you try to kiss me, I will shoot you in the face.” Zola huffed.

Zola narrowed his eyes, then looked away. It figured that Zemo would offer an open hand, then slap him with it.

“I am always looking to upgrade.”

“I can’t say I blame you. Maybe someday you will upgrade yourself past the flock of loons with whom you surround yourself.” Helmut quirked up the corner of his mouth, unable to contain the little bit of satisfaction he gained from watching Zola squirm.

“They do not surround me, Zemo. They only come when they need something.” He glanced over his shoulder at the taller man. “What is it that you need?”