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Saying goodbye to Celestino was harder than Phichit had expected it would be. It wasn’t like he wouldn’t be back in six months, and he had his hamster Mud to feel connected to his life in the underworld. Then again, he’d never had a real friend before, not someone he could talk to and spend time with and who encouraged him to explore both the world around him and who he wanted to be. His mother always kept him on such a short leash – he loved flowers and small animals, really, but there was so much more out there that he’d never had the chance to try.
The handoff was quicker than Phichit had expected, although he couldn’t really call himself surprised when his mother darted forward and snatched him out of Celestino’s chariot, holding him close before examining him carefully. “Well, it seems he’s in one piece, at least. But I swear, if you hurt him, if you did anything to him at all, you will pay.”
“Mom, I’m fine, he treated me with nothing but the highest respect,” Phichit protested. “Quit worrying so much.”
It didn’t work. When they got home, Phichit was given a much more thorough and somewhat invasive exam. “What’s this?” Sawat demanded as she seized Mud.
“Celestino was worried about me being lonely and missing my life up here, so he got me a hamster to help me be happier.” Phichit very carefully but firmly took Mud back from his mother. “He is mine, and you will not take him away.”
Sawat rolled her eyes, but left Phichit alone. The first week or so back was rocky – yes, Phichit had his sunshine and flowers and got to rediscover all the things he’d missed, but he kept forgetting that he wasn’t allowed to just wander off and visit somewhere else. That part sucked, especially as his mother kept threatening to refuse to let him go back to Celestino if Celestino was going to encourage him to be a rebellious little child instead of protecting him properly.
Phichit refused to take it too seriously. There was no way Yakov would allow it. If Celestino wanted him to come back and Phichit wanted to go, Yakov would force Sawat to allow it. Yakov just might overrule even if all three of them said Phichit shouldn’t go back, since he was the one who pronounced the edict of alternating six months.
As the time got close, Phichit started focusing on saying goodbye to everything he loved about the world of the living – the sunshine, the flowers, the diversity of the animals. Mud was great, hamsters were his favorite of the creatures, and Cerberus would be thrilled to see him for the extra attention Phichit showered on him, but it wasn’t the same.
Given how close it was to time for Phichit to go, it made sense for his mother to look concerned when she came to find him. “Phichit, honey, there’s something you should know before you make the decision about whether to go back.”
“What’s to know? I ate the seeds, Yakov said I have to spend six months of the year in the Underworld. There’s really nothing else that matters.” Privately, Phichit wondered, but he couldn’t let his mother see his worry. After all, what could she tell him? That she wouldn’t let him come back if he left again? Even as a bluff, he couldn’t see her saying that.
“A lot of what you’ve told me down there involves Celestino making time for you. I wouldn’t count on that continuing, Phichit.” Phichit couldn’t help the frown. His time with Celestino was the best of what he spent down there. What could have happened that would make Celestino no longer willing or able to make time for him? “He’s gone and fallen in love, you see. I would expect him to be off with this Persephone every free moment he has.”
“Who’s Persephone?” Phichit asked to cover the shock of it all. This was hardly a good way to discover you had a crush on someone. He shook his head. Not like he had any reason to think Celestino would ever return his interest. “Doesn’t matter. Whoever she is, I’m sure we can be friends. Even if not, I do have other friends down there. I won’t be any more alone than I am up here.”
Sawat was not happy with that answer, flouncing off to the garden. Phichit shrugged and went back to saying goodbye to his flowers.
Phichit expected the handoff to return to the Underworld to be more dignified. Sure, his mother would cry and threaten, but there wouldn’t be any snatching or passive-aggressive animosity. It was then quite the surprise when Celestino arrived. “Sawat, we don’t have time for nonsense. Phichit is coming with me. If you expect me to keep him safe, we need to leave, now.”
Sawat tried to protest, but Celestino wasn’t having any of it. He didn’t grab Phichit at all, just waved him to the chariot, and Phichit obeyed as soon as he could get away from his mother’s literal clutches. As soon as Phichit was in, Celestino hopped up and got the chariot headed down, much quicker than usual. “I take it you missed me?” Phichit teased.
“Yes, but that’s not why I basically kidnapped you there,” Celestino said, nudging the chariot to go a little faster. “I have no idea what it’s about, for all I know your mom put him up to it, but Alain LeRoy’s pissed and causing storms and tidal waves all across the shoreline, and his kids are acting up, too. Quakes should be starting in the next hour, and could happen any minute now. I’m sure you’re eager to get out and see your friends and explore, but until it’s over, I can’t…”
Phichit groaned. He’d be spending the first day or so of his underworld stay just as trapped as in the world above. It wasn’t the same, because Celestino wasn’t responsible for it, but it was annoying. “I know. It’s fine. Unless you were busy and couldn’t, the first thing I wanted to do anyway was talk to you and find out what’s been happening while I was gone.”
A smile flitted across Celestino’s face, but it was gone before Phichit could really appreciate it. “Well, I can guarantee I won’t be busy for the next day or so.” After a bit of silence, the smile returned. “You didn’t put Alain up to it, did you? Just to be sure I wasn’t busy?”
“Yeah, you know me so well, all about killing a bunch of mortals so I can get my way,” Phichit replied in the same joking tone. “If it was Mom, hopefully she learned and won’t do it again.”
The castle looked the same. At first, that was a comfort, but then Sawat’s words came back to him and he started to wonder. He wouldn’t put it past his mother to have completely made the rumor up, but… he had to ask, once they got settled where they could talk. “Celestino? Can I ask you something a little weird?”
“Of course! What’s on your mind?”
“My mom told me a rumor, trying to convince me not to come back, and…”
“If I’d given you the chance, would you have backed out?” Celestino asked with a slight frown.
“No, no, that’s not what I’m saying, if I hadn’t wanted to come I could have caused more of a scene about getting in the chariot so abruptly,” Phichit hastened to reassure him. His face cleared up, frown lines smoothing out into, if not a smile, at least a content look, so Phichit got back to the original question. “It’s none of my business and whether it’s true or not doesn’t change anything at all for me. Mom says you’ve fallen in love with Persephone?”
“Ah. You’ve heard that.” Celestino’s face reddened a little. “It’s rather complicated to explain, but Persephone is a code name. Even if he feels anything near the same way about me, his mother would never allow anything to come of it and would fight very hard if his father tried to step in and override her wishes. Whoever started talking about it was worried about the mother finding out so made up a name. Over time, it got to where if you didn’t realize who Persephone was meant to be, you probably couldn’t be trusted with the gossip anyway. Kind of an awkward conversation when I had to ask one of my people about it.”
“I can imagine!” Phichit wondered if Leo or Guang Hong would tell him. He could be trusted and had a good excuse for why he didn’t already know who they were talking about. “So where is he? Somewhere safe, I hope.” A strangled noise from Celestino caused Phichit to scrunch up his face in confusion. “Is something wrong?”
“No, no, it’s just…” Celestino trailed off, shaking his head. After a moment’s hesitation, he explained, “You of all people asking that question is hilarious. Yes, he’s safe.”
“Why’s it so funny for me…” And then it hit Phichit. If his mother had the slightest clue that Celestino was in love with Phichit, the temper tantrum would make her reaction to Phichit eating the seeds look like calm, well-adjusted behavior. It would explain why he didn't see any sign of Persephone around the castle, too. “You know, I am old enough to tell my mom she doesn’t get to decide things for me anymore. And if you don’t know that, then I’m a little disturbed.”
“You are, if you weren't this wouldn't have happened, but then when you’re up there… I don’t want to cause even more problems with your mom. For six months out of the year, you still live with her, no matter what happens down here, and…”
“And that’s bullshit. I don’t have to live with her. I don’t know where I’d go, but she cannot force me to stay. I’ve just never had anything I felt strongly enough about to even make the threat, let alone go through with it.” Phichit leaned forward, arms resting on his knees. “Yakov can get Mom in line, as long as he believes you’re not forcing me into anything, and if Mom starts to raise a stink, we can always point out that when someone marries, they’re supposed to leave home and live with their husband full-time. If she wants me to come home for six months, then she needs to stow her crap, doesn’t she.”
“Who said anything about getting married?” Celestino asked. Before Phichit had the chance to respond, he added, “I wasn’t going to even think about that, but if you’re willing to risk your mom’s wrath, it would be a nice place to end up.”
Phichit sure wouldn't mind that, especially now that the idea of it getting his mom to lighten up on him had occurred to him. It may not work, but it would probably be better than any other ideas Phichit had ever had. “So were you going to tell me if I hadn’t asked?”
“I… hadn’t planned on it, but I was going to warn you about the rumors about Persephone, so it probably would have come out anyway,” Celestino admitted. “Are you sure about this? If things don’t work out, you’re still stuck coming down here for six months, and it could be awkward.”
“Or it could work out really well and it would make my six months with Mom even harder,” Phichit argued. “I’ve been protected from risks my whole life, Celestino. One of the things I love about you is that you don’t do that to me.”
“I just wanted to make sure you knew they were there,” Celestino said. “If you’re aware of the risks and willing to take them, then I am too.”