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Love was not a customary thing in the Greek Underworld, Gods and shades didn't celebrate it, besides some few here and there. After all they were dead, why should they care about love and emotions down there, after all if they didn't make it to Elysium they would be tortured by the heat of Asphodel... They had more important things to worry about. Shades that arrived that is, because shades already at Elysium could display their love for their joined loved ones as much as they wanted.
On the other hand, Gods were too busy with their work, papers needed arrangement, dead needed to be welcomed and listed, shades to be punished... Some Gods of course had more simple tasks, allowing them to slack off and talk around in leisure. One of those said Gods was the prince of the Underworld, having a casual talk with his mentor and teacher, the Greek hero Achilles. The shade under the House of Hades was smiling at his student, explaining something in front of the hallway mirror.
"So you see lad, I shall be on my way. This day used to be important to us, it is said that Lady Aphrodite is celebrated on the fourteenth and we ought to accept her blessings by showing our love to our significant other." The blonde warrior explained to the prince, preparing for his departure.
"And if I may ask, Achilles sir. How are you going to celebrate it? Besides being Patroclus of course." Zagreus smiled kindly at his mentor, somewhat excited to hear more about how others celebrated this god-blessed day... May actually get some ideas on how to honor the lady of love himself.
"Oh..." The pale cheeks of the warrior got a slight pink tint from the question "Mainly bask in each other's presence, lad. Hold hands, watch as the river passes by Elysium. Maybe even watch a fight with the champions or two... Tonight I will stay in his arms, so don't expect to find me here if you decide to head out and return."
And with that the shade vanished in thin smoke, letting the prince ponder in silence.
His heated steps marched back and forth in the hallway, until they guided him to his room, face in deep thought as he made his way out where the infernal arms rested. The fists of Malphon felt heavy in his arms, Aegis weighed him down... The rail was out of the question after last time so was the bow, his aim had been way out of practice... That left Varatha and Stygius. Picking up the spear, Zagreus did some stabs in the air, hearing the complaints of Skelly before barricading the bloodless servant with quick stabs and dashes. But alas, even that felt foreign in his arms for some reason. Putting down Varatha on its respective place, Zagreus grabbed his trusty sword, not even dawning it with any aspect before walking to his keepsakes and pinning the butterfly on the shoulder of his chiton, and making sure to secure Mort on the little opening of his chest.
The run that the prince wanted to do didn't last long enough though, he managed to reach Asphodel but his mind was preoccupied with thoughts of Death. Not is own of course but Death Incarnate himself. After killing some medusa heads, Zagreus took the centaur heart in his hands, palms cupping the heart, feeling its beat. Then he made that dumb connection, that stupid connection of the multiple times his boyfriend came to his 'rescue' in order to help, and between them to see him a tad bit more than usual. Than always handed him one, and Zag always remembered that the pulsing of the healing boost was similar to his own heart. But the prince didn't actually think that he was standing in lava all that time, when he did it was too late, head already shaking the red waters of the Styx.
Hypnos greeted him as usual, his father scoffed at him, but something felt different. An eerie presence Zagreus knew all too well was coming closer and closer the more he approached the west wing, soon the foreshadowed presence making itself known as Thanatos was hovering there, looking down at the red waters. But that was not all, Zagreus himself felt different, he felt something pulsing inside his chiton's opening. Sliding his hand there, the prince found out that the heart he didn't have time to absorb followed him, and yet the connection made its way into his mind again.
Smiling down at the item he made his way towards his boyfriend, steps hesitating the more he got closer, cheeks flaring almost to the coloration of his feet. His heterochromatic eyes stared at Thanatos' profile, which he noticed wasn't staring at the waters but instead at the little table he had once bought for this once empty corner. But his mind screamed at him, to make a move, to finally say something and speak up before Thanatos had to go for his duties again. Therefore, listening to his mind and heart, the God of Blood took a deep breath and grinned, tapping Thanatos on the shoulder to make the other turn around with a rather surprised face.
"Zagreus... I thought you were out, Hypnos informed me so. What are you doing back here so soon?" An arched brow came from the son of night, making the prince chuckle before shaping up a proper response... hoping it was proper at least.
"You see Than, I was but it ended a bit abruptly! It is worth it though, since it means I get to see you of course. Oh! I have something for you! And I won't take 'Ugh! What is it this time Zag?' for an answer!" with both hands coming right in front of him, the prince grinned up at his lover with a happy face, presenting the centaur heart "Ta-da!"
"..." Silence came from Thanatos not long before a sigh replaced it, Death pinching the bridge of his nose as he looked judgmentally at the heart gift.
"It is not mockery if that is what you think! I promise Than! I... You see, Achilles talked to me about something that the mortals celebrate today. It is the day that lady Aphrodite bestows love and passion amongst the living. So I thought that we could celebrate it too, after all we are in love aren't we?" A small giggle escaped Zagreus, half from what he said and half from Thanatos' surprised blushing face "Wow, I never thought your blush could be so obvious Than! I have been missing out!"
"To the point, Zag! Why are you giving me a centaur heart of all things!" The blush on his ashen cheeks all the more apparent as he said that, wanting for Zagreus to actually go on with talking.
"From what I got, gifts although not a necessity, are appreciated between partners. I had no idea what to give you, you know everything we have down here and I cannot really... Go up there to actually get you much... So I thought of a centaur heart. You always give them to me and... And it reminds me of how my heart beats. Loud, pulsing by the second, racing with double beats... I always become much less composed when I am around you. So I thought this would suffice as a gift..." Zagreus explained, offering the heart to the God of Death once more.
"I see..." Taking the heart with one clawed hand, his free one got something from behind the table and offered it to Zagreus "Here..."
Blinking at the gesture, the prince observed what was offered to him. It was a bouquet, a mixed of beautifully bloomed flowers and butterflies flying around them or settling perfectly at the center. They almost reminded him the pierced butterfly he wore on his shoulder, making him traced it softly with his right hand as his left one accepted the gift. He kept staring at it intensely, soon looking up at Death Incarnate almost at a loss, obviously not expecting something in return.
"I... Also learnt of this day from the mortals I escorted down... They said it is a shame to be dead today... But I thought, we have all the time ahead of us... We could spare a minute or two to enjoy each other's company and lo- You know what. Forget it!" The blushing on Death's cheeks returned once more, exactly as Thanatos tried to turn around and vanish from the wing of the House. But Zagreus was fast, catching his boyfriend by his wrist and pulling him down in a sweet clash of lips.
The kiss lasted a good while, the flowers and butterflies secured in his hug as the other hand soon hugged Thanatos by the neck, feeling his partner settling the heart down at the table behind him, right before both of those strong hands rested on his hips, chilly lips kissing back his fiery ones into a kiss full of love and fervor. As it broke down, so both could catch a breath, Zagreus smiled looking up at Thanatos, his hand slithering to his cheek, rubbing the thumb along the cheekbone in a smooth motion.
"Than, I love you. You do know, you're my one and only." The prince confessed, taking the second gift of the day or night, that being Thanatos' smile at that confession of his.
"I know... And... I love you too Zag... Keep that in mind." Death admitted in a low voice, barely above a whisper. After all no one needed to hear their exchange of love, no one but them.