A/N I haven't written one of these in awhile. To all new readers this is another story in the Fire and Vendetta story I made a couple of years back. It's pretty much MarcusxZoe fluff. So I've been meaning to actually get back to writing the next few stories. So anyway here is the next Fire and Vendetta story.

Fire and Vendetta – Two hearts growing closer

It was happening again. It was just like before with him. She couldn't stop thinking about him. There wasn't a day that would go by when Zoe Aves would think about Manny and now, it was happening with Marcus. Zoe Aves was sitting in her seat in class staring at the window. The teacher was rambling on about science, stuff that Zoe didn't really care about at the moment. A week had passed since both Zoe and Marcus had talked at all. She hadn't really seen him at all for awhile. She wondered at all if he just gave up on her. She wouldn't be surprised if he did. Zoe moved her eyes to left seeing Manny and Frida giggling at one another. Manny was tearing off a piece of paper and places It in his mouth and began to chew on it. He takes out a straw and puts it in his mouth. The teacher drew a circle on the board and wrote some numbers around it. While the teacher wasn't paying attention Manny spits the spitball through the straw and it hits directly at the circle the teacher created. The teacher looks at the spit ball and turns over to the students. Manny and Frida looked away whistling innocently and the teacher eyes the class and demanded who shot the spit ball and no one spoke up. The Teacher mumbled under his breath and picked up some napkins from his desk and wipes the spit ball of the board.

Manny and Frida were giggling like school girls. Zoe just sighed and went back to staring out of the window. She began to day dream. And yet again, she continued to think about him.

"You were hurt…I understand that…but you…you don't have to go through it alone…"

The words rang through head again for the third time in a row. She closed her eyes and pictured his warm embrace once more. His body was so warm, so gentle, and so kind. Zoe quickly shook her head.

"Stop it!" Zoe said to herself "No! You're just going to get hurt again!"

This was the struggle that she was going through for the past couple of days. She wanted to see him, but she was scared. She didn't want to try and get to close to him. She didn't want him to be another-

"Manny Rivera," The Teacher said in a booming voice

Manny flinched at the sound of his name being called. The whole time that Zoe was buried in the sound of her thought's Manny had been making farting noises every time the teacher had been moving around or bending over to get something.

"Detention!" The Teacher roared while pointing at Manny.

"Doh!" Manny said smacking his hand on his face.

After those events the bell had finally rung. Zoe get's up from her seat and looks over at Manny. He was talking to Frida about what they were going to do once he was out of detention. Zoe was actually thinking about asking Manny where Marcus had been for the past couple of days. But that was something she quickly had second thoughts to.

Zoe walked out of the class room and looked to the left. She was expecting to see Marcus standing there. But he wasn't there. Zoe shook her head once more "Why do I even care?!" she said to herself as she walked down the hallway and heads to her next class.

School was finally over and everyone left their classes and walked down the hallway. Zoe walked out of her classroom and went to her locker. She opened it and got her backpack and stuffed it with her books. She closed her locker and turned around seeing Manny getting his belongings. Zoe just sucked it up and slowly walked over to Manny.

Manny looked over to the left and stared at Zoe.

"Oh…sup Zoe." Manny said to her.

"Manny umm…"

"What's up?"

"I…uhhh…have…have you seen Marcus anywhere?" Asked Zoe

"Marcus?" Manny thought for a moment "Honestly…I'm not sure. I haven't seen him for a couple of days."

"I see…" Zoe said lowering her eyes to the ground.

"Yeah…but if I do seem him I'll tell him that you're looking for him. I'm sure he'll be really happy about it!" Said Manny smiling

"Yeah…" Zoe said quietly

"Am I interrupting something?" Frida said standing behind Manny.

"Oh hey Frida!" Manny said to her "Umm, Zoe was asking if I'd seen Marcus. I haven't actually seen him for a bit. Have you?"

Frida walked past Manny and glared at Zoe "Why do you want to know?" She asked suspiciously

Zoe glared back "None of your business Suarez!" She spat as she turned around and walked off.

Manny watched as Zoe walked away. He looked at Frida and said "Where has Marcus been anyway?" He asked

Frida shook her head and looked at Manny "No idea…I hope he's alright…" She said worriedly.

"Hey…" Manny said "Are…Marcus and Zoe-

"They better not be." Frida said quickly.

Zoe walked out the front entrance of the school and heads down the sidewalk. An overwhelming sadness suddenly came across her. Zoe let out a sigh as she stopped and placed her back against the wall. She slid down and buried her face between her knees.

Zoe didn't understand why she was feeling this sadness. It hit her harder then it usually did. Was It because of him? She thought. Those short moments she spent with him a week ago had made her so happy. That happiness she hadn't felt in so long. Then just like that…he just disappeared.

"Where did you go?" Zoe said, her voice sounding as if she was going to break down at any moment.

"Where did who go?" Said a familiar voice

Zoe eyes widen and she looks up. Marcus was smiling down at Zoe. His shirt was a bit ripped up along with his pants and he had a cut across his right cheek.

"MARCUS!" Zoe said happily before she instantly stopped and blushed a bit. She shook her head and glared at him "MARCUS!" She said in an angrier tone.

"Hey Zoe," Marcus said to her waving with a happy grin on his face.

"WIPE THAT STUPID GRIN OFF YOUR FACE YOU JERK!" Zoe screamed shoving him a bit. "WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?!"

"Uhh…it's a long story hehe…" Marcus said rubbing the back of his head nervously.

"DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG I-"Zoe went quiet "Whatever…" she said looking away from him.

Marcus looked at her closely and smirks

Zoe placed her eyes on Marcus and looked away quickly "What are you grinning at you stupid jerk?!" She said trying her hardest not to blush.

Marcus grinned widely "You miss me?" He asked in a playful tone

Zoe bats his eyes at him and clenches her fist "J-Just shut up!" She shouted shoving him once more.

Marcus couldn't help but chuckle at Zoe's flustering behavior. Zoe was getting even more embarrassed by the fact that he was right, and laughing at her. Zoe shoots him a glare and grabs him by the collar of his shirt.

"You stop laughing right now!" Zoe threatened

Marcus couldn't help but smile at her. Zoe looked at Marcus as he smiled at her. Her cheeks began to blush and she pushes him away and turned around hiding her face. Marcus tilts his head a bit.

"You ok?" Marcus asked softly

"NO!" Zoe shouted

"Would getting some ice cream help?" Marcus asked playfully.

"I don't care…" Zoe said still not turning around.

"Alright then…well first I need to go get changed. You want to come over to my place?" Marcus asked while staring at his shirt and torn pants.

"W-What?!" Zoe said turning to him with a shocked expression

"Uhh…you come over to my place?" Marcus asked once more while raising an eyebrow.

"Y-Y-Your place? Are you crazy?!" Zoe screamed at Marcus.

"Kind of…" Marcus replied

Zoe thought about it for a moment. Zoe looked at Marcus for a moment and bit her bottom lip. "You better not try anything you understand?" He said seriously.

"I know I know." Marcus said with a chuckle. "Follow me!" he said as he began walking

Zoe followed behind him carefully. So many things were running through her mind. Was he going to try something? What the heck was going to happen? Was she really ok with this? And why the hell did she say yes?!

Zoe was going to find out soon

Zoe had arrived at Marcus's home. The home looked small, clean and well kept house. Marcus went up the front door and unlocked it "Home sweet home!" He said stepping in "Come on!"

Zoe slowly followed behind. Zoe stepped into Marcus's home. Marcus went into the room on the right which was his room. Zoe looked around the living room. The large couch was placed against the window and a coffee table was in the middle of the room. A small TV sat in front of the living room. The bathroom was to the left along with the laundry room.

Zoe looked into Marcus's room. She caught him when he was taking off his shirt. Zoe's face went completely red and she looked away quickly. Zoe coughed and takes a deep breath exhaling a bit.

"So…what happened to you anyway?" Zoe asked as she gulped

"Well a week ago the titanium titan teamed up with El oso and lured me into Calavera." Marcus explained "Apparently the whole thing was trap and I got jumped by them and their buddies."

"How did you fall for that?" Zoe asked surprised "I thought you were too smart for all of that."

"Well I wasn't thinking honestly. I was really pissed off too by their taunting and all…"

"And you ended up being gone for a week?" Said Zoe confused

"Well right after all that crazy fighting I had to do I got knocked off a cliff and ended up falling down to god knows where. I got lost for a bit till finally today I found my way back."

"Oh…" Zoe said "Well…I'm glad you're ok."

"Same here," Marcus said as he stepped out of the room with his shirt off and some fresh clothes under his right arm.

Zoe let out a high-pitched squeal and covered her eyes. "DON'T COME OUT WITH YOU SHIRT OFF ALL OF A SUDDEN! TELL ME BEFORE HAND!"

Marcus laughed "Sorry sorry. Hey, mind if a take a shower right quick? I really need it." He asked gently.

"S-Sure…go ahead I can wait…" Zoe said softly while she still covered her eyes.

Marcus walked into the shower and closed the door behind him. Zoe then heard the water turned on and she went over to the couch and sat down.

Zoe let out a big sigh and she rubs her head "He's going to be the death of me…" She whispered to herself. She placed both her hands on her face "He has such a nice body…" She said through her hands. She gasped and slaps herself "Zoe what are you saying?!" she thought "Don't think that stuff!"

Zoe was beginning to get a little bored sitting down on the couch. Why the hell did he take such long showers? She thought. She got up and walked around the room living room. The walls didn't have any pictures hanging up around so she decided to do some snooping around. Zoe walked into Marcus's room. His room smelled pretty nice, she actually expected to smell bad. His closet door was opened. Zoe walked over to it and looked at his clothes. Some were either white shirts, black shirts, red shirts with designs on it, white shirts with designs on it, a couple of blank pants and blue jeans, a couple of grey shoes and black shoes.

Zoe turned around looked at Marcus's shelf. It was on that shelf that she saw a small ring box. "Oooh…what do you have Marcus." She said with an evil grin and he picked up the ring box and opened it. Lying in the ring box was a bright pink crystal ball. Zoe's eyes glimmered as she stared at the pink pearl necklace. She'd never seen anything so beautiful. "Oh my…" She whispered "It's…beautiful…"

"It is huh?" Marcus said to her

Zoe jumped a bit and dropped the box back onto the dresser and turned to Marcus.

Marcus was standing there drying off his head and had black warm up pants on.

"I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to go snooping around I…" Zoe didn't know what else to say.

Marcus walked over to her and he picked up the box and opened it. Marcus smiled and took out the pink crystal ball. The pink crystal ball was attached to small little pearls. It was actually a necklace.

Zoe looked at the necklace in awe "W-who gave you that?" She asked curiously

"Well…" Marcus began "Someone…that really meant a lot to me…" Marcus smile soon faded

Zoe looked up at Marcus. He then looked down at his body. She couldn't help but noticed how much he was covered in scars. Zoe without knowingly placed her hand on his chest and slid her fingers through all the scars on his body. Marcus had many scars on his body. Some large, some small, and a couple of long ones.

Marcus watched as she did so. "Yeah…I know…" He whispered

"Were all these from…El oso and titanium titan?" Zoe asked softly

Marcus shook his head no "From a long time ago…" He replied in a hush tone.

Zoe looked up at Marcus and stared into his eyes. Zoe was almost lost into Marcus's eyes. His pupils were black, and at that moment she felt as though she was searching for something. Searching for an answer that even she didn't know what she wanted as an answer.

"Who are you?" Zoe asked softly.

Marcus smiled and scoffed "Someone I don't think you want to know Zoe…" he whispered to her. "Somebody…who honestly…should just be left alone…"

"Why?" Zoe whispered to him "Why would you want to be alone?"

"It's what I deserve…" Marcus whispered

Zoe shook her head no "Nobody should ever be alone…being alone is…is so horrible…" She said lowering her head "You feel so…cold and…scared. You never know what might happen to you." He voice began to crack "So empty…and lonely…alone with your terrible thoughts…thought's that are so dangerous and…"

Marcus looked down at Zoe. Zoe clenched her teeth and she tightened her grip around Marcus's shoulders. Marcus placed his arms around Zoe and brings her in for a hug. Zoe's eyes widen a bit, her forehead was placed on Marcus's head softly.

"You're so silly Zoe…" Marcus whispered to her "You aren't alone at all…"

Zoe felt the tears gliding down her cheeks. Zoe had felt this feeling before. This warm and gentle feeling she felt linger around her heart as she hugged Marcus.

Zoe looked up at Marcus. Marcus looked down at Zoe and smiled warmly at her. Zoe couldn't hold back anymore. She buried her face into Marcus's and started crying. Marcus placed the necklace down on the dresser and rubs her back softly.

"I'll…always be here for you Zoe…" Marcus whispered to her.

Zoe just tightened her hold around Marcus and sobbed. Zoe couldn't help but stay so close to him, his warm and gentle body warming her heart.

For about hour the two of them just sat on the couch holding one another. Zoe rested her head against his shoulder, her hands intertwined with his.

Zoe grasped Marcus's hand tightly and she closed her eyes. Marcus closed his eyes as well, placing his head on hers.

This, Zoe thought. This is what I've always wanted. Someone, who truly cared and…

A single tear dropped from her eyes and she thought

"I don't ever want to leave him…"

THE END

A/N Haha, man I remember when I wrote the first Fire and Vendetta story. I never knew I would enjoy writing these stores so much. Next time I won't try and have an extremely long gap in the next one I do. The cover for this story was drawn by Dreammerredstreak! Thanks sis!

Cya guys later! Stay safe and Stay Golden!