Archive of Our Own ^beta

Persephone walked into the large lobby quickly, trying not to draw attention to herself.

It was next to impossible of course, the dark colours surrounding her made her stick out like a sore thumb in her pale pink dress, but she’d come too far to turn back now.

She took a breath and looked around the lobby of Tower One, wondering for the fiftieth time if she should have at least warned Hades about this surprise.

But that would ruin the whole operation.

He was working longer hours lately and although Persephone understood that he had obligations she still wanted to cheer him up a little. The few nights she had seen him recently he was absolutely exhausted, although he would never admit it to her and tried to hide it well. 

So she had come up with a plan to surprise him at work with some baklava she’d made.

Persephone had not been up to his office yet, the furthest she had got was the small alcove the elevators were in, but she had a back up plan.

“Excuse me?” She asked one of the receptionists at the large desk, hugging her Tupperware to her chest, “can you tell me what floor an employee works on?”

The receptionist turned away from her colleague and smiled condescendingly down at Persephone.

“Of course, can I take the name?” She simpered, her hands poised ready over the keyboard.

“Oh great, it’s Hades,” Persephone paused, wondering if she needed to spell it for her.

The receptionist didn't even start typing and moved her hands away, folding them across her chest, “are you joking?”

Persephone frowned, “no, I-“

“You can’t just see Hades,” she waved her hands as if this was obvious, “you need an appointment.”

“Oh,” Persephone knew he had been busy, but she must have been severely underestimating his workload if even the general receptionists knew his schedule. “Are you sure? If you let me know the floor I can check with his PA?”

“She will tell you the exact same thing,” the receptionist promised, shooting an incredulous look to the women next to her, as if Persephone was out of her mind.

“But I’m-“

“Persephone?”

Persephone spun around, recognising the voice immediately.

“Hecate! I didn't know you worked here too! Do you work with Hades?”

She knew Hecate and Hades were friends after they had run into her on one of the their dates. Hecate had smiled widely and said that she was happy for them both, although it didn't seem to come as any sort of surprise to the older woman. But Persephone got the impression that Hecate just knew everything that happened in their building anyway so she hadn’t questioned it at the time.

“Yes I do,” she wandered over, looking suspiciously between Persephone and the receptionist who had froze at Hecate’s voice. “Is there anything I can help you with?”

“Oh, well,” Persephone felt a little childish explaining her plan to Hecate. Especially as she was looking intimidatingly professional today, dressed in a black pant suit and six inch heels. “I made some baklava to surprise Hades with during his lunch,” she cast a look over her shoulder at the receptionist who had paled significantly, “but I don't know what floor he’s on.”

“Oh,” Hecate said carefully, not giving anything away, “I’m heading to a meeting with him right now, I can take it up if you want?”

Persephone hugged the box tighter to her chest, “he’s working through his lunch?”

Hecate sent her a tight smile and Persephone could tell that the other woman wasn’t pleased with the circumstances either.

“Of course he is,” Persephone sighed. She put the box on the counter behind her and reached into her hand bag, pulling out one of her pink pens. “Do you have some paper?” She asked the women behind the desk.

They all scrambled to get some for her and Persephone frowned, not understanding why they were being so helpful now.

Finally she had a small notepad to write on and she couldn’t help her smile when she realised it was official Pomegranate Tech stationary. She thought for a second and started writing.

Hades,

Roses can be red,

Violets aren’t technically blue,

Take a second to enjoy this baklava,

I made it just for you!

She signed her name and added a heart before ripping off the top sheet and folding the note, conscious that the women were still stood in front of her.

“Can you please give him this?” Persephone held the note out and passed the box to Hecate when she had tucked the note away in her blazer.

“Of course I will honey,” Hecate said with a sympathetic smile.

“And can you make sure he takes a break?” Persephone asked hesitantly, knowing she was pushing her luck.

Hecate laughed nervously, “I’m not sure anyone can do that.”

Persephone deflated, “I know, he’s too stubborn.”

“That he is,” Hecate agreed and then her eyes widened as she checked her watch, “sorry Persephone I really have to go now, I’ll make sure he texts you.”

“Thank you,” Persephone called after her.

She sighed when Hecate disappeared around the corner to the elevators and turned back to the women on the desk.

“Thank you for the paper,” she said graciously, trying to ignore how they were all looking at her nervously. She didn't know what she’d done to offend them, but hopefully they’d be more helpful in future.

She counted this mission as only half successful, so she would need to try harder next time. 

With that resolve she turned on her heel, pulled her bag more securely onto her shoulder and walked out of the lobby. 

*****

Persephone woke to a strange thump in her apartment.

She sat up in her bed, her heart beating fast and trying to look around even though her eyes weren’t fully open yet. The first thing she thought in her tired state was that someone had broke in, but when she heard the buzzing coming from the floor next to her bed she relaxed.

She blindly reached down, trying to pick her phone up before whoever was ringing her hung up.

She missed the call by seconds and when she swiped to return the call she was surprised to see a few other missed calls. Some were from from an unknown number and some were from Hecate. 

As the building manager Hecate had given her number out and taken Persephone’s in return when she first moved in, but he wasn't sure why she would be trying to contact her at, Persephone checked her phone again, half past seven in the morning.

She rang Hecate back first.

“Oh thank the gods,” was Hecate’s opening line.

Persephone frowned at the phone, still not full awake, “Hecate?”

“Persephone?” Hecate’s usual calm demeanour seemed to be stretched thin right now. “I’m sorry if I woke you, is Hades with you?”

Persephone tried to stifle a yawn as she spoke, “no, I’ve not seen him since the weekend. We were supposed to have dinner last night but he cancelled.”

“Did he say why?” Hecate pressed her.

Persephone lied back down, her head thumping on the pillows, “headache I think,” she said, “why?”

“He’s over half an hour late and no one has heard from him yet,” Hecate said uneasily.

Persephone sat up again, suddenly feeling wide awake, “have you tried calling him?”

“Yes, I can’t get through,” Hecate sounded almost insulted, as if Hades should know better than to try to avoid her. “Sorry, I thought he might be with you. You might have a few extra missed calls, I think Ophelia was trying to get through to you as well.”

“Oh,” Persephone blushed and played with he duvet around her waist, “well, no he isn't here.”

She stood and walked down the hall to her kitchen, Hecate’s anxiety was practically seeping through the phone and Persephone was sure she couldn’t go back to sleep now. Hades was the pinnacle of punctuality, she couldn’t imagine he’d ever be late for work unless something was stopping him.

She flicked the switch on her kettle and stepped away so she could still hear Hecate.

“I’m sorry for waking you then, I’m sure he’s okay,” Hecate said, clearly feeling a little embarrassed, “I’ll let you get back to sleep now.”

“No it’s okay,” Persephone sighed, “I’m up now, do you want me to check his apartment?”

“You don't have to,“ Hecate started, “I’m probably overreacting.”

“I don’t mind,” Persephone returned to her room and tried to find something she could just throw on, “it’s not like him to just miss work.”

“No it’s not,” Hecate agreed, sounding a little relieved. “Can you let me know if you find him please?”

“Yes, I will,” Persephone said, finally finding a simple wrap around dress, “I’ll talk to you later.”

“Thank you Persephone,” Hecate replied and hung up.

Persephone slipped into the dress and some slippers, grabbing her keys and her phone on her way to the door.

She closed her door quietly, conscious of the fact that it was still rather earlier to be up and making noise.

She didn't have to wait long for the elevator and she was relieved to see that it was empty. She stepped in and put Hades’ code in quickly, wondering if he would even be in right now.

Persephone knew he was doing longer hours, but because he insisted on spending time with her in the evenings he had been going in to the office earlier. He’d never mentioned just how early though, and Persephone wanted to kick herself for not pushing him on it.

The doors opened to Hades’ waiting room and she walked to the door quietly, trying to hear if there was any movement.

She could hear the small tap of the dog’s feet on the marble floor but nothing else. She felt a little silly as she knocked on the door.

Persephone could hear the dogs approaching, all barking and seeming to jump up at the door. She frowned when she heard what sounded like Russell barking, he should be in daycare right now.

She knocked and waited while the dogs went crazy again.

After a few more minutes Persephone couldn’t help but feel the anxiety rise up again. She knew she was being irrational, it was probably Hecate’s own concern fuelling hers, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that Hades wasn’t okay.

“Hades!” She called, knocking again.

She could hear the sound of one or more of the dogs running away from the door, she hoped it was to get Hades if he was still in the apartment.

After another minute where Persephone nearly chewed through her lower lip she could hear grumbling approaching the door.

She stepped back and was relieved to hear the lock click.

“Persephone?” Hades frowned down at her and she immediately knew that something was wrong.

His usually deep voice seemed to be rasping, but not with sleep as she’d grown familiar with in the mornings they spent together, it was more like it was painful for him to speak right now. The way his jaw clenched and he swallowed soon after only seemed to confirm that for her.

He was wrapped in a sheet over his sweatshirt, and he still seemed to be shivering, but the idea of him being cold was almost laughable and definitely at odds with the sweat on his temple.

“Is everything okay?” He asked her, wincing but pushing through the pain he was evidently feeling from this throat, “it’s the middle of the night.”

“Hades,” she said gently, quickly checking her phone, “it’s ten to eight in the morning.”

He frowned at her and then moved his wrist, almost as if he was going to check his watch before realising he didn’t have one on, “it can’t be.”

She stepped into the apartment and closed the door gently, making sure that none of the dogs could dart out, “it is, Hecate called me, she was worried about you.”

“Hecate called you?” He asked her, still seeming confused. It took another moment but his eyes widened, “shit!”

Persephone was reaching out to try and press a hand to his cheek to check for a fever, but he dropped the bedsheet and darted back down the corridor before she could touch him.

“Hades?” She called after him.

“Sorry, I’m so late already,” he shouted back, his voice breaking into a series of coughs.

She could feel the disbelief dawning across her face and she took off after him, “you’re not going to work today!”

He frowned back at her as he took a step into his room, “of course I am,” he rasped, his voice still not recovered from his coughing fit, “I have a meeting with-“

“I’m sure it can wait until you’re better,” she followed him into his room and managed to get in front of him, blocking access to his wardrobe, “now get back in bed.”

“Sweetness,” he frowned down at her, “I’m perfectly okay, I must have missed my alarm, that’s all.”

Persephone could see the sweat building on his forehead even as he tried to smile convincing at her. But she knew better than to believe that, his eyes were tight and he was holding his head stiffly, the way he did when he could feel a headache coming on. 

She held eye contact with him, not wanting to be the one to break first. It was only when she noticed him swaying slightly on his feet did she step forward.

“Hades, get back in bed please.”

He rolled his eyes and she could see his right eye twitch with the pain, “I’m fine, I just need some coffee.”

“You need some water and lots of rest,” she pushed him closer to the bed, not wanting him to be far from the soft surface with the way he was swaying.

“I appreciate the concern but-“

“Hades,” she interrupted, “you’re not well, please get back in bed before you fall over.”

She wasn't sure she’d be able to get him back into the bed on her own if he passed out now, and she didn't like the way his face was slowly flushing.

“I need to get to work,” he protested, but sat down on the edge of his bed.

“I’ll call Hecate,” Persephone said firmly, and then she lifted her hand to Hades’ forehead. “You’re burning up.”

“I’m fine,” he muttered.

Persephone rolled her eyes but didn't bother correcting him. She unlocked her phone and rang Hecate.

“Have you found him?” Hecate asked anxiously.

“Yes, he’s got a fever so he won’t be coming in today,” Persephone said firmly, more reiterating this to her boyfriend who was currently sulking on the bed. 

“Of course he shouldn’t,” Hecate agreed, sighing with relief, “but is he okay?”

“Yes,” Persephone ran a hand through the hair on his temple, trying to not melt as his head tilted into the touch slightly, “he’s just a little grumpy.”

Hades glared at her, but it was completely without heat. 

Hecate let out a surprised laugh, “I’m not surprised, he’s the worst when he’s ill.”

Persephone laughed, “well don't worry, I’ll look after him so he’ll be my problem today.”

Hades looked at her with wide eyes and shook his head slightly before stopping and wincing again.

“Thank you so much Persephone,” Hecate said, and Persephone could hear the affection in her voice, “I’m so glad he has you now. Let me know if you need me to send anything over.”

Persephone blushed but didn't really know what to say, “I think we’ll be okay, but thank you for the offer.”

They said their goodbyes quickly after that, Persephone was more focused on Hades. He was leaning heavily into her hand still on his temple and she didn't want him to fall asleep like that.

“Okay,” she said, moving her hand for a second to tuck her phone into her bralette. “You have the day off, so you’re going to get back in bed now. Do you have any pain killers?”

He nodded and then seemed to think better of it, “in the bathroom cabinet.” 

She left him for a moment, trying to find the pain killers quickly without invading his privacy completely. The first and last time she had looked in the cupboard she had found the spare toothbrush on the first shelf, she hadn’t needed to look further than that. But now she couldn’t help but feel a little guilty as she looked through all his toiletries.

Persephone had just spotted them, tucked to one side of the middle shelf along with some migraine relief, when he eyes darted up to the top shelf and she couldn’t help but blush. The bright blue box of condoms seemed to be practically screaming for her attention and Persephone fumbled with the pain killers, nearly dropping the bottle.

She had been spending her entire weekends at Hades’ recently, ever since she had stayed the first night it just seemed natural to fall asleep in his arms. He hadn’t spent the night at her apartment yet, as he had all the dogs to think about and he would only need to leave early to check on them anyway, but Persephone had bought a spare toothbrush just in case.

But this was one thing she hadn’t thought of.

Despite her staying over more and more frequently they hadn’t progressed past what Eros would consider ‘heavy petting’ and they hadn’t even seen each other undressed yet. But Persephone was a little thankful that Hades had clearly thought it through and wanted to be prepared.

She couldn’t resist reaching out and having a look at the box. It was brand new, still in the plastic wrap and Persephone was dying to ask just when he had bought these, before or after he had found out just how inexperienced she was?

Her eyes scanned it quickly and her mouth dropped when she saw ‘XL’ printed at the bottom. She put them back quickly and swung the door shut, her eyes widened when she caught sight of her reflection. Her blush had spread to her chest which was moving quickly from her hurried breaths and her pupils were dilated.

She looked at the Tylenol bottle in her hands and tried to forget about that little blue box for now. She poured a glass of water quickly, ignoring her reflection.

Hades was slumped over the end of the bed when she emerged from the bathroom and she immediately felt guilty for leaving him waiting so long.

“Hades,” she called to him and he just groaned in response. “Sit up, I have something that will help.”

It seemed to take a lot of effort for Hades but he finally managed to get sat up straight and took the pills quickly. She made sure he finished all the water as well before setting the glass down.

“Thank you,” Persephone said, running her fingers through his hair again. “You’re still burning up” she looked over him, he was still wearing a full sweatsuit which couldn’t be helping the situation, “why don't you take this off?” 

She reached for the hem of the jumper and he surprised her by almost shouting “no,” and grabbing her hands. He had a slightly panicked look in his eyes that Persephone hadn’t seen before. She wanted to blame it on his illness and him just feeling cold but it was almost like another memory was trying to come back to her at the movement.

She stepped back, holding her hands up, “okay, I’m sorry.”

When she saw the way he was holding the jumper down by the hem the memory that had been tugging on her consciousness finally surfaced. 

It was blurry and almost nothing, it was just the sight of Hades’ lower stomach, his T-shirt tugged up only slightly. She could see strange shadows on his abs however, but she didn't know if it was a trick of the light or if the strange patterns were actually in his skin. She wasn't sure where the memory had come from, but she was reasonably sure that, if it had happened, the patterns weren’t just shadows.

And if they weren’t shadows- Persephone swallowed a gasp and could feel her heart beat unevenly at the thought of her boyfriend being in pain, and she didn't even want to contemplate what would leave scars like that.

“Sorry sweetness,” he whispered, “I just don’t, you shouldn’t have to-“

She cut his rambling off, “I’ll go and get a cold cloth, why don't you get undressed and get back in bed?”

He looked at her for a second before nodding. She turned and walked to the bathroom, “let me know when you’re ready.”

Persephone closed the door quickly, trying to stop her racing thoughts. She didn’t have a lot of success on that front.

The possibilities of what could have happened to him were racing across her brain now. She had always got the impression that his past relationships hadn’t been the best, but she didn't think they’d been that bad.

She could feel her eyes well up with tears at the thought of her perfect, gentle boyfriend being treated so badly. 

“Ready,” Hades shouted.

“Okay,” she called back, hoping he didn't noticed the break in her voice. She quickly grabbed a spare flannel and ran it under the cold water, wringing it out before returning to the bedroom.

Hades was tucked in completely now, the only thing visible was his head sticking out of the duvet.  He already seemed to be drifting off and Persephone was tempted to just let him, but she wanted to at least get the sweat off his face.

She crawled up onto the bed and sat next to his head.

His eyes opened groggily when she pressed the cold cloth to his head, “sorry,” she murmured.

“No, I-” he whispered, his voice breaking and even though he cleared his throat he didn't continue. 

She wiped across his brow gently, ignoring how his eyes were trained on her the whole time.

“There,” she said, finishing up with his nose, “all clear.”

“Thank you,” he murmured.

Persephone put her hand on his cheek and rubbed her thumb under his eyes. She wanted to cuddle up to him now and make sure he was comfortable, but she knew she’d only be depriving him of the rest he needed.

His eyes closed at the contact and she could feel him push into her hand again. She’d never been sparing with her kind touches, but she’d never seen him react like this before. 

She leaned down and pressed a kiss to his forehead, “I’m going to make sure the dogs are okay,” she told him, “I’ll only be down the corridor if you need me.”

“You don't have t’ stay,” he mumbled, “I’ll b’ okay.”

“I won’t leave you,” she promised, surprising herself with the force she put on those words, “the most I’ll do is take the dogs out, but I’ll be right back.”

“‘Kay,” he said, sighing and finally seeming to drift off.

Persephone pressed another kiss to his forehead and got off the bed gently, not wanting to jostle him.

She opened the door to his wardrobe and looked for Pomelia. She was half expecting the little dog to have gotten into all Hades’ clothes in retaliation for being ignored, but she was still curled up on her little dog bed tucked into the corner of the room.

“Good morning,” Persephone whispered, kneeling in front of the dog and trying to gently wake her, “have you been waking up too early too?”

Pomelia yawned and then looked at her reproachfully, rolling in her bed so her stomach was bare.

“Come on,” Persephone rubbed her stomach, “we need to feed your brothers and sister.”

Pomelia just looked at Persephone for a second as she rose to her feet and walked to the door. But as soon as Persephone opened the door again she darted after her.

Persephone glanced at Hades one last time before going to leave his bedroom, he was in the same position but his pained expression seemed to have eased a little in his sleep. 

She opened the door and was faced with his entire pack, all staring at her expectantly. Persephone was willing to bet that this was the latest they had ever had their breakfast and they certainly looked hungry now. She picked Pomelia up and stepped out quickly, pulling the door shut to keep the curious dogs out.

“Come on then,” she whispered, trying to avoid them barking at her and waking Hades up.

She headed into their room, a task that was practically an extreme sport now as she had seven dogs eagerly following her and getting underfoot.

She had seen this done a few times now; although Hades tried to avoid waking her she always woke up when he left her in bed, and instead of staying there alone she had always followed him into the dog’s room.

She put Pomelia down on the set of drawers she usually sat on herself and was surprised to see that the dogs had lined themselves up how Hades’ had previously arranged them.

She smiled and was tempted to take a picture of them sitting expectantly, but she had some meals to sort.

In the cupboard next to the drawers there was a meal plan, detailing how much food each dog needed and when. So she collected all their food bowls in, gave them a quick rinse in the sink in the corner of the room, and started portioning things out.

The dogs patiently waited while she fixed each of their bowls, and Persephone wondered if they were on their best behaviour for her, or if they were too hungry to risk anything right now. Even Cordon Bleu was staying in his spot, even if his front paws were pawing impatiently at the floor.

She had to thank Hades’ almost obsessive care for his dogs, otherwise she would truly be clueless right now.

But at the five minute mark she had all their bowls ready and started setting them out for them, making sure to line them up to the correct dog.

They all looked at her when she stood after putting down the last bowl. She couldn’t whistle like Hades did to indicate he was ready for them to eat, but she did clap her hands twice, hoping they would get the message.

It was like a starting whistle and they all darted forward and started eating. 

Persephone watched them for a second, then started to put away the bags and containers of food.

She checked around the room, straightening a few of their beds back to their original positions. She knew it was a lost cause but it was a habit at this point.

She knew she’d need to take each of the dogs out for a bathroom break in a bit, but she wasn’t exactly dressed for it yet so she put that job on hold for now.

Persephone emptied out their old water and filled each of their bowls, wondering when Hades got the time to do this in the morning, especially if he was heading into work by seven.

She scooped Pomelia up, just catching her before she started whining from hunger. Persephone also grabbed her bowl and a pouch of food before walking down to the kitchen.

Hades had completely spoiled her in the beginning and he had moaned to her one morning that Pomelia would only eat warm food now. Persephone had laughed at the time, but Hades had insisted that she try feeding her instead. When she’d tried to give her cold food once Pomelia had sniffed and turned her nose up, so Persephone was familiar with this at least.

She set Pomelia down on the counter and ripped the pouch before putting it in the microwave.

She pulled her phone out while she waited, checking her online schedule for today. She only had two afternoon classes, and her classes for tomorrow had been cancelled earlier in the week, giving her a rare three day weekend.

It was getting close to their midterms and the professors were mostly spending their lectures going over topics they’d already covered. Persephone set an alarm on her phone for later to call in and hopefully get the slideshows they were going to go over today.

When the microwave beeped she pulled the food out and emptied it into the bowl on the kitchen island. Pomelia whined and pawed at the marble delicately from the side counter, and Persephone smiled at her.

“Just one second,” she muttered, “you are too spoiled.”

She made sure it wasn't too hot and set it down in front of her.

Finally finding a moment of peace Persephone tried to make a plan for the day. She would need to change in order to take the dogs out, and she definitely wouldn't be able to handle them all at the same time. She made a cup of tea while she thought it over.

She made a battle plan in her head. If she took Pomelia and Big John out first she could stop in at her apartment on the way out, and then try to keep Pomelia in the guest room while she wasn’t there to supervise. 

She was stumped after that, she could handle Cerberus as he was arguably the most trained of the bunch. But the rest were still wild cards.

She was interrupted from her thoughts by keys rattling outside the main door and then it slowly opened.

Persephone stared at the young man who entered, he was dressed in running gear and his headphones trailed down his chest and into his pocket. He didn't seem to notice her at first, making it almost to the couches before he seemed to catch some movement out of the corner of his eye.

He spun and ripped his headphones out in shock, “oh gods,” he complained, “you can’t scare me like that.”

“I didn't mean to scare you,” Persephone frowned at him. In the back of her mind she knew she should be asking him at least who he was, but it had been a long morning, and her tea was just cold enough to drink.

She took a long sip and stared at him over the rim of the mug, he didn't move to leave or continue to the bedrooms but he did shift a little uncomfortably under her gaze. He seemed to be waiting for her to speak, or dismiss him, but Persephone was still at a loss as to who he was.

Finally she had had enough and wrapped both hands around the mug, “who are you?”

“Oh,” he said, “I’m George, I walk the dogs.”

Pomelia let out a little yip at him, almost to confirm it but he just frowned at the puppy, “when did he get another one?”

Persephone bit her lip to stop the smile, “a few months ago now, she usually goes to work with Hades.”

“Oh,” George said, then this eyes widened, “oh, so he’s not in work today?” He took his phone out of his pocket and his frown deepened as he looked at it, “he didn't text me.”

“He called in sick,” Persephone said tactfully, “so it would be a great help if you could still walk the big ones?”

She looked at him hopefully and he laughed, “too much dog for you to handle?”

“More like too many,” Persephone laughed back, “well at least on my own, usually we split it at the weekend.”

She put her tea on the island and checked that Pomelia had eaten everything before picking her up as well.

“Russell and Cordon Bleu aren’t in daycare today, but I’ll be able to take them out for you,” she walked towards him, “I fed them a while ago so they should be ready to go.”

“No worries,” he said and Persephone could feel him looking at her out of the corner of his eye. She could only imagine how she looked right now, she hadn’t bothered doing anything to her hair or face before leaving this morning, and she was sure her fuzzy pink slippers were tying the look together nicely. 

The dogs emerged from their room as they reached the start of the corridor. They seemed to be torn between going to Persephone or George, but even with the split both of them ended up surrounded by excited dogs.

“They aren’t usually this excited,” George commented, but he seemed to handle it well, continuing down the corridor and emerging from the dog’s room with three leads at first. 

Persephone watched him curiously as he picked out Cerberus, Big John and Mushroom. They seemed to be expecting this and sat patiently while he buckled them in.

“I got this down to a fine art months ago,” he told her, and she nodded, impressed.

“Thank you so much for doing this,” she told him, “do you want a drink or anything?”

He shook his head quickly, “I’m okay, I’ll get these out of your hair. I’ll see you in a bit.”

He left quickly, and without three of the bigger dogs her morning suddenly seemed so much more manageable.

She left J.P. and Fudge to their own devices and retrieved the leads for Cordon Bleu, Russell and Pomelia. They sat patiently while they waited for her to attach them, and she rewarded them all with lots of pets. Even Cordon Bleu, who only looked at her disdainfully in reply.

She grabbed Hades’ keys that he’d left on the side earlier and made sure she picked up her own before exiting the apartment and making sure the door had locked behind her.

The elevator trip down to her apartment was uneventful, Pomelia burrowed into her neck as usual but the other dogs seemed to be used to it by now.

Persephone put Pomelia down as soon as they were in her corridor, finding it easier to manoeuvre if all of them were on the floor.

She unlocked her door and tried to herd them inside. Persephone debated taking them off their leads, but she didn't want to risk it, they’d been so good for her already she didn't want to push her luck. She ended up threading their leads through one of the handles on her kitchen cabinet.

Pomelia was one thing, but the other two were in daycare specifically so they didn’t chew through Hades’ whole apartment, she didn't even want to think of the damage they could do on her own.

Getting dressed was easy, she picked out a jumper and leggings she would usually wear for a lazy Sunday and brushed her hair through before throwing it into a high ponytail.

She washed her face quickly, mindful of how late it was getting for the dogs.

When she returned to the kitchen she found Pomelia sitting perfectly, if a little slumped against on of her cabinets. Meanwhile Russell and Cordon Bleu had managed to pull the cabinet they were tied to open, and were trying to rip one of her tea towels apart.

They froze when they noticed her and slowly dropped the towels, looking at her guiltily. 

“Come on then,” she sighed, this day had already thrown too much at her, she could clean that up when she got back, “let’s go.”

*****

The walk was painless in the end. 

She took the trio to the park she usually went to with Hades and a few of the other dog walkers seemed to recognise her and nodded to her in greeting. 

She was a little worried when a larger dog approached them, she knew Cordon Bleu liked to punch well above his weight, and although he barked and snapped his jaws the other dog didn’t take him on. She’d sent a small apologetic smile to the other woman but she just laughed it off.

On her way back to Hades’ she stopped in at her apartment again, this time to grab her laptop and a bag of some things she might need in the day.

Russell and Cordon Bleu seemed tired after their walk so they left her tea towels alone this time, content to just curl up on her kitchen floor while she packed.

Soon she was back in Hades’ penthouse and she unclipped the dogs quickly, watching as they trotted off to find the other dogs.

Persephone dropped her bag on the couch and grabbed a glass of water before she walked down to check on Hades. She hesitated before she entered, she didn't want to wake him, but she also didn’t want to just walk in, especially as he had been so reluctant to let her seem him without a shirt on earlier.

In the end she knocked gently and called his name.

She heard a faint groan and then the sound of fabric moving across the bed, “can I come in?”

She heard some more rustling and then he groaned again.

Persephone took it as a yes and opened the door slowly, giving him plenty of time to tell her to stop, or to cover himself.

“Are you okay?” She whispered into the dark room.

“‘Sephone?” He mumbled, voice thick with sleep and a hint of confusion.

She’d never heard him like this, usually he woke well before her so she hadn’t managed to catch him minutes after surfacing yet. As she stepped into the room she couldn’t help but feel like she’d been missing out.

His hair was mussed on one side where he head been sleeping and he was blinking slowly up at her, but the more his eyes focused the bigger the smile on his face grew.

She put the glass down and grabbed another flannel, quickly wetting it in the bathroom before resuming her perch by his head on the bed. She noted how his sheets hadn’t moved a lot since she was last in there.

“How are you feeling?” She asked him gently, placing the back of her hand on his forehead to check his temperature again; he was covered in a light sheen of sweat and was still radiating heat from his face.

“‘M fine,” he said.

She wiped his face gently, “you’re too hot.”

She was wiping his cheek now so she could feel the dopey smile cross his face before she saw it, “You’re not too bad yourself.”

“Guess I walked right into that one didn't I?” She asked him rhetorically.

“Sure did,” he grinned.

She was glad that he seemed to be feeling better, but his fever was still worrying her.

“Drink this,” she said, passing the glass of water over to him.

He reached a hand out of his little cocoon and Persephone looked away, not wanting to make him feel uncomfortable.

After a few minutes she heard the clink of glass on glass as he set the cup down again.

“Thank you,” he said quietly and she turned her head back to face him.

“You’re most welcome,” she told him, “I’ll get you another glass and let you get some more rest.”

“‘Kay,” he said, almost shyly.

She filled the glass quickly, not wanting to leave Hades alone for too long while he was awake.

“Here,” she said, setting it on the side table, “try to drink as much as you can.”

“I will,” he promised, and something in his voice made her worry, it was almost like he was disappointed.

“Are you okay?” She asked him again, wanting to just curl up next to him.

“I’m fine,” he rolled his eyes, and then stifled a yawn. “Just tired.”

“Right,” that was as good a cue as any, “I’ll let you rest, I’m only down the corridor if you want me.”

He frowned at her, “don't you have class today?”

Persephone waved him off, “I’ve got my laptop and I can follow it from here.”

His frown deepened, “you don't need to stay-“

“I want to,” she cut him off, leaning over and kissing his forehead again. “Get some rest.”

He looked at her wide eyed but nodded and then shifted, as if to get comfortable.

She smiled at him and ran her hand through his hair as she stepped away.

Persephone wasn’t greeted by all the dogs when she opened the door, but their silence was still concerning to her.

She shut the door to Hades’ room and peeked into the room opposite. Russell and Cordon Bleu were in their beds and looked like they were asleep, but they were the only ones in there.

She walked down to the main room, making sure all the other doors were closed, she wanted to limit their hiding spots as much as possible if she was supposed to be watching all of them today. 

George was just walking back in with Cerberus, Big John and Mushroom when she got to the living area.

“Oh hi,” he said, pulling a headphone out, looking her over once again, “you beat me back.”

“I had the smaller dogs,” she shrugged, “and Pomelia can’t walk too far yet.”

The puppy ran out from under the dining room table, skidding across the floor as she ran over to Persephone.

He bent down and unclipped the dogs from their leads and Persephone picked Pomelia up to prevent her being trampled.

“I didn't catch your name earlier,” George said, rubbing his neck and letting the non sequitur linger.

“Sorry about that, I’m Persephone,” she stepped forward and held her hand out, “I’m Hades’ girlfriend.”

“Oh,” he seemed to deflate but shook her hand anyway, “I didn't realise he had a girlfriend.”

Persephone nodded but didn't really know what to say to that, “yeah.”

After a brief, excruciatingly awkward, moment an alarm on Persephone’s phone started playing.

“Sorry,” she said, pulling it out of her pocket and silencing it, “I’ve got to-“

“Yeah, no worries,” he said, brushing his hands down his chest, “I’ll grab the other dogs and take them out.”

“Thank you,” she said again.

He sent her a small awkward smile and headed off to find their leads. 

Persephone found the number for her lecturers’ offices and dialled it. She quickly explained to her professor that she wouldn’t be in today, but she’d be grateful if he could send her the work they’d cover. He promised he’d email it over right away; she’d taken his classes when she was working on her undergrad degree so he already knew her quite well.

She was dialling her second professor when she spotted some movement out of the corner of her eye. George was quiet as he walked out, just sending her a quick wave before he was out the door.

Persephone repeated her apologies and was glad to hear that the slideshows would be sent over shortly. She thanked her again before hanging up.

“Well,” she said to Pomelia, “that’s me off for the day. I just need to make sure I do some revision later.”

Pomelia just licked her chin in response.

*****

Persephone usually avoided trying to do any work in Hades’ penthouse. 

It was a shame because it was the perfect place for it really; the wall of windows provided a lot of natural light, especially from the sitting area in the main room, and once she had connected her phone to the speaker system she turned the volume low so slow folk songs were echoing out around the space. 

The WiFi was much stronger than her own was, and even her old laptop seemed to be running faster up here.

The air conditioning kept the room cool, but not too cold. She was comfortable with a blanket thrown over her lap, but she didn't need it by any stretch of the imagination. 

The kitchen was fully stocked with all her favourites, including some caramel coffee that she had recently discovered she actually liked the taste of. Of course, it wasn’t the simple instant mix she had found in a jar, oh no, Hades had bought some pods for his fancy coffee machine.

It took her a few minutes to work out where the pod was supposed to go, but when she’d taken the first sip she had silently cursed Hades, and taken back every bad thing she had said about the machine previously. 

(It was very loud in the mornings, so sue her.)

The only downside to the little haven she had created was the near constant stream of distraction that presented themselves in the form of Hades’ dogs.

She was clicking through the first presentation, occasionally making some extra notes on her revision cards when she noticed something she had missed previously, when a head wriggled under her elbow and rested on her thigh.

“Come on Cerberus,” she said, patting his head, “if I get this done this morning then I can play with you all afternoon.”

Cerberus just looked at her blankly and dropped the ball he had brought into her lap.

“Fine,” she said, and looked around for a good place to throw it to. If she leaned back she could probably get it down the corridor and make it a real chase for him.

But that would run the risk of waking Hades.

She hesitated but decided to risk it, sighing in relief when Cerberus didn't bark as he chased the ball down.

The ball was placed next to her a few minutes later, with Cerberus sitting in front of her patiently. She finished the note she was making before reaching a hand out and throwing the ball again.

This continued for at least fifteen minutes before Cerberus grew tired of the game, preferring to sit on the floor next to her feet and try to tear the tennis ball to pieces.

Pomelia leaned over the cushions to look at him at one point, but then returned to the pillow she had commandeered as a dog bed for the day. She was content to sit with Persephone and occasionally flipped onto her back for some belly rubs, but other than that she was quiet. 

Persephone wondered if she was still tired from the walk, or just enjoying the change of routine.

The other dogs milled about, occasionally getting into small scraps with each other, only stopping when she called to them. She worried they would hurt each other, despite Hades telling her previously that they were only playing, but today she needed to keep the volume down anyway, and the guilty looks they would shoot her when they parted were enough to make her giggle.

She treated herself to a small break when she had worked her way through the first slideshow. Most of it was spent hunting down all the dogs and making sure they weren’t getting up to too much trouble on their own.

Cordon Bleu was sitting under the coffee table and just watched her suspiciously when she tried to coax him out for some cuddles. Cerberus was following her from room to room so she didn't need to worry about him being up to anything. Big John and Mushroom were curled up in the middle of the kitchen, seemingly obliviously to the obstruction they were causing. Russell wasn’t in the main room at all, and Persephone crossed her fingers and hoped he hadn’t got into anything he shouldn’t have.

She found him still tucked into his bed in the dog’s room, he wasn't full awake yet and yawned when she stepped into the room. She ran a hand down his back and ruffled the fur between his ears like she knew he liked.

“Good boy,” she murmured, praying that the dogs would keep this good behaviour up for the rest of the day.

Persephone made herself another coffee and set it down on the coffee table before pulling up the second powerpoint. This was a slightly harder class, and she had had trouble wrapping her head around some of the syllabus, so she was glad she could take it at her own pace today. 

She was writing one handedly, trying to keep the note card from shifting through sheer force of will, and petting Big John with the other hand when she heard a door open down the corridor.

Persephone had been keeping track and knew vaguely were all the dogs were, so she wasn’t worried they had got into one of the other rooms, but she was concerned that Hades wasn’t resting.

“You should be in bed,” she said, not halting her writing as she heard him pad up behind her.

“Too warm,” he said, and she could feel the heat coming from him as he leant his face next to hers to peer over her shoulder.

She turned to look at him and was surprised to see him in a black T-Shirt and his sweatpants. 

She checked the time on her laptop, “have you had another Tylenol?”

He shook his head and Persephone was pleased to see that he didn't wince at the movement. 

“I’ll get one for you,” she offered, “sit down.”

He obeyed without protest and Persephone felt like she should make an occasion out of it. Instead she ruffled his hair gently as she walked down to his bedroom.

Two Tylenol and two pints of water later Hades seemed to be waking up a little. He was sat next to her on the couch and seemed content to just watch her work through her slides.

She was grateful for his presence because he provided a great buffer for the dogs, gladly throwing whatever toy they wanted him to throw and stopping them from bothering her too much. He seemed to be in better spirits and only dissolved into a coughing fit a few times.

Persephone managed to work her way through the second presentation quicker than she thought she would and closed the lid of her laptop.

“And that’s me done,” she said, proudly.

“And it’s not even eleven o’clock,” Hades said quietly, “look at how much you can do when you wake up early.”

“Nope,” she waved her hand at him, “I’ve been up since half past seven, were not even close to joking about that yet.”

“You could’ve gone back to bed,” he pointed out, taking her hand. She was relieved to feel that his skin was a lot cooler than it had been.

“And leave you to your own devices?” She raised her eyebrow and pulled the back of his hand to her mouth so she could kiss it, “I couldn’t do that.”

His eyes softened but his next words were cut off by a yawn.

“Go back to bed,” she whispered, “I’ll be okay out here.”

“No,” he said, shaking his head, “I feel a lot better already.” 

“But still,” she said, “you need to rest.”

“I’m resting here,” he replied, gesturing to the couch.

Persephone grabbed the TV remote before sitting down and making sure she had everything she would need within arms reach. 

She held her arms out, “well come on then, get comfy.”

He raised an eyebrow at her but a small smiled danced across his lips, “aren’t you worried about getting sick?”

“Please,” she rolled her eyes at him, “you’re ill because you’ve been stressed and working too hard.”

“Oh really,” he paused his lips, but Persephone could see them twitching.

“Of course, this,” she gestured to his body, “is your body telling you to take a break.”

“I suppose I’ll take your word for it,” he said, and shifted closer to her on the couch.

“Nope, lie down.”

He raised an eyebrow at her but rearranged himself so his head was resting on her right thigh and his body was stretched out along the couch. She immediately wove her hands through his hair and started playing with it, glad to see that he was already blinking slowly up at her.

She browsed through his Netflix before settling on a familiar romcom that she could easily tune out.

When she looked back down at Hades his eyes were already closed and she could feel his breathing even out as he slowly drifted off.

She resisted the urge to trace a finger across his brow while he slept. He always seemed so much younger when he was asleep, all the stress and tensions he usually held around his eyes vanished.

She continue playing with his hair as she looked down at him and her feelings seemed to catch up with her suddenly. 

There had been moments, hundreds of moments, while they got to know each other and as they started dating, where she had realised how easy it would be to fall in love with Hades.

Their first date in the penthouse, where Hades had cooked and listened to her for hours, finally insisting on walking her all the way down to her door.

The first time they had had a double date with Eros and Psyche, when she had got into a heated debate with Eros (over whether vegetables exist or not, of all things) and she had caught him sharing a small fond smile with Psyche, as if he was already used to their bickering and enjoyed it.

The fourth time he joined her to go grocery shopping, and while she was looking at her list he had already reached for the flour she needed on the top shelf, dropping it into the basket along with a quick kiss to her nose and continuing down the aisle, leaving Persephone frozen in his wake.

The hundreds of time he had come out of nowhere and somehow always seemed to know what she needed from any shelf that was just a little too high, wasting no time in reaching over her and grabbing it for her. Always making sure to sooth the blow with a quick peck to her hair, forehead, nose, lips...

The way he scrunched his nose when reading unpleasant news on his phone, and the way he would automatically hold his arm out to cuddle her if she approached him, no matter how much he was focussed in on work.

When she had first learned that he kept a pack of pale pink post-it notes on hand so he could keep track of what food he had bought specifically for Persephone in his cupboards (and to warn his brothers not to eat it). Even more recently the surprise of seeing a new box next to his coffee machine, with Persephone’s colour already assigned.

All the memories seemed to come back to her as she looked down at his face and she took a deep breath.

She knew she hadn’t been in love before if this was what it felt like, and she was willing to bet that somewhere along the lines one of those moments had tipped the scales. Sending her from just ‘falling in love’ firmly into ‘in love’.

She didn't know what she’d done in a past life to deserve him but at that moment there was no where in the world she would rather be than right here.

Persephone gently brushed her hands through his hair again and tried to direct her attention to the screen. 

The dogs seemed to give them a wide berth now, Persephone didn't know if it was because Hades was asleep or because they were finally tiring themselves out for now. Either way she didn't question it.

Persephone lost track of time after that, but it couldn’t have been too long before the door opened and George walked back in with the remaining two dogs. 

She’d twisted carefully at the sound of keys to see who it was and try to stop him from waking Hades.

“Hello again!” He called and Persephone raised a finger to her lips and shot him an apologetic smile.

He frowned but then seemed to catch sight of Hades’ feet dangling over the arm, “sorry,” he whispered.

Persephone looked down at the man in her lap to make sure he hadn’t been disturbed, but unfortunately she could see his eyes blinking slowly.

“Who’s it?” He mumbled, turning slightly and nuzzling into her stomach. His sleepy voice was one thing, but hearing him speak Greek in that quiet, mumbling tone was an unexpected delight Persephone wanted to hear again and again.

Persephone smiled down at him and replied, “the dog walker, he’s bringing J.P. and Fudge back.”

Hades hummed but seemed to be satisfied with that as he quickly fell asleep again.

Persephone looked over her shoulder and whispered, “don't worry about it.”

George smiled and she could see his shoulder’s relax. He held the leads up and nodded his head to the corridor, “I’ll put these back and leave you to it then.”

“Thank you,” Persephone murmured and then she turned her attention back to Hades.

He was still asleep, his breathing deep and even. She could feel the heat of his breath on her stomach and she tried to match her own breathing to his to minimise the chance of disturbing him.

Persephone heard the door click shut behind her but didn't turn, she guessed that George had finally left for the day.

She quickly looked around the main room, trying to check on the dogs she could see from here.

They all seemed to be occupying themselves for now, either playing with their toys or just lying around. She supposed this was their usual routine around this time of day, Persephone was the odd one out here.

She checked Hades’ temperature again and thought that it had come down even more. The coolness of the main room must have helped.

She shifted slightly, trying to lie back more against the couch. Hades made a small noise in the back of his throat but didn't wake up.

Persephone glanced around guiltily, checking on the dogs again, but in the end she decided that they’d be okay if she took a small nap as well. 

With that decided she tangled the fingers on her left hand in Hades’ hair and rested her right hand over his heart.

It didn't take long for her to drift off after that.

*****

“Hades!” 

Zeus’ annoying voice woke Persephone, which was surprising because it sounded like he was pounding on the door as well.

She sat up from where she had slumped over Hades in her sleep and smiled down at his face, still relaxed in sleep.

The credits were rolling on the TV so she couldn’t tell how long she’d been out, but it was at least an hour.

“Come on,” Zeus called again. “You owe us details!”

Persephone frowned at the door, wanting to shout out to him to stop him from waking Hades, but she knew that would have the exact opposite effect. She tried to move Hades’ head from her lap gently, trying to not disturb him as much as possible.

“Yeah,” Poseidon’s voice chirped up from outside, “like what you and Persephone got up to last night that needed a full day off work!”

They cheered and Persephone could feel herself blushing, she slid out from under Hades and grabbed a pillow to cushion his head.

Persephone practically ran across the room, trying to block out the sound of her boyfriend’s brothers celebrating outside the door.

The door was blocked by nearly all of Hades’ dogs, only Pomelia and Cordon Bleu had the sense to keep their distance. Surprisingly they all moved to the side as she approached, parting like the Red Sea to let her get to the door.

She swung the door open and didn’t even have time to enjoy the look of shocked horror on their faces, “shut up!” She whispered.

“What?” Zeus said, frowning at her, “where’s Hades?”

Poseidon recovered soon after, leaning forward slightly and trying to see around the door, “is he decent?”

“Wha- of course he’s decent,” Persephone hissed.

“Great,” Zeus said, and stepped past her into the apartment.

“Wait,” Persephone said, grabbing hold of his arm to stop him going any further, “Hades is asleep, he’s not well.”

Poseidon frowned and Persephone could actually see some semblance of concern there, “what do you mean he’s not well?”

“Yeah,” Zeus shook his arm out of her grip, “Hades doesn’t get sick.”

“Well he does today,” Persephone rolled her eyes, casting a nervous eye over to the couch, “he had a fever and a sore throat earlier.”

“Shit,” Poseidon whistled.

“It’s because he’s been working too hard recently,” Persephone sniffed, counting herself as part of the guilty party on that charge, “he seemed a lot better after some rest this morning.”

“Is he in his room?” Zeus asked, looking at her curiously.

“No,” Persephone blushed, “we were having a nap on the couch.”

“Oh, so now it’s ‘we’?” Zeus replied, wriggling his eyebrows up and down.

“I was tired, Hecate called me at half seven this morning,” Persephone said blankly, daring him to comment on it. But since they were here she might as well play nice. “Anyway do you want a drink?”

She walked over to the couch quickly and picked up her glass, looking surreptitiously at Hades to make sure he was still asleep.

Poseidon was looking at her with the same curious expression now, “I’ll have a water.”

Persephone nodded and moved them all over to the kitchen. She poured the drinks, waving a glass in Zeus’ direction when he didn't answer immediately.

“I’m okay,” he shook his head. “Don’t you have a class today?”

“I called earlier, they emailed the work over,” she shrugged, “it’s mostly study sessions this time of year.”

Poseidon nodded and took a drink. Persephone fidgeted with the glass in her hand, not really sure what she should do now. She didn't want to pry and invade Hades’ privacy, but on the other hand his brother’s had given her the perfect opening.

In the end her curiosity won out.

“What do you mean he doesn’t get sick?”

“Oh,” Poseidon shrugged, “he just never seemed to get the flu when we were kids.”

“Yeah,” Zeus smiled and Persephone could see the familial affection peaking through again, “or if he did get it it wouldn’t be as bad as us two, stubborn bastard.” 

“I’m guessing you two got sick a lot?” Persephone pried, taking a drink of her water to distract from the guilt she could feel bubbling.

“Not a lot,” Poseidon said defensively, “probably the same as anyone else. But usually if one of us came down with something then the other one got it too.”

“Hades just never seemed to catch anything,” Zeus finished. “He’d always be insufferable about it as well.”

Persephone pursed her lips, just imagining a younger Hades poking fun at his brothers when they were ill.

“What, he’d make fun of you?” Persephone asked, putting the glass down on the island.

“Nah, he’d turn into a real mother hen and look after us,” Poseidon rolled his eyes.

“Oh,” Persephone was a little surprised to hear that Hades would’ve been the one to care for his brothers, surely that should’ve been a parent’s job? She was dying to ask but something in her gut told her that she needed to have this conversation with Hades first.

“Yeah,” Poseidon continued on, oblivious to Persephone’s discomfort, “I’m pretty sure he only learned how to cook because Zeus wouldn't eat that canned shit.”

Zeus rolled his eyes but grinned at Persephone, “it’s called ‘having taste’ I believe.”

Persephone laughed despite herself, sure she felt guilty hearing this from his brothers, but more than the guilt she could feel the longing wrapping around her chest. She wanted Hades to be comfortable enough to tell her this himself.

“So what’s a good go-to meal for a sick day?” She asked, checking the time on her phone. It was coming up to one o’clock and as far as she was aware neither her or Hades had eaten this morning.

Both brother’s looked blank at that, and then they looked at each other uncertainly. 

“Well for me it’s tomato soup,” Poseidon started, but Zeus cut him off.

“Chicken noodle for me.”

Persephone looked at them expectantly, “and for Hades?”

“Not sure,” Poseidon said thoughtfully, “I don't think I ever saw him too ill to cook.”

“So I guess just whatever he would make normally?” Zeus shrugged.

Persephone frowned at them, she couldn’t blame them for not knowing if Hades didn't really have sick days, but she needed ideas. She could see them fidget slightly, shamed under her stare.

“Soup’s always a good bet though?” Zeus offered.

Persephone nodded, “I might just order something in, I don't want to mess his kitchen up.”

Zeus laughed, “has he told you how he organises his cupboard yet?”

“Alphabetically,” Persephone groaned and the brothers laughed, “I don't know how he finds the time.”

“I get my groceries delivered for one,” the man himself said, walking up behind her and sneaking his arms around her waist.

“You’re supposed to be asleep,” she mumbled, but leaned back into his embrace.

“How could I sleep with you three cackling in here?” Hades said, kissing her cheek. He rested his cheek against hers and she frowned when she could feel the heat pouring off him again.

“We weren’t cackling,” Poseidon said defensively.

Persephone twisted in Hades’ embrace and pressed a hand to his forehead, “your fever’s back.”

He rolled his eyes, but replied gently, “I think I was lying in the sun, I feel fine.”

She pursed her lips but didn't press the issue.

“Anyway,” Zeus said, skilled at ruining a moment, “we heard you weren’t in work and we had to see it.”

“Yeah,” Poseidon agreed, “I mean, when was the last time you took a day off?”

Persephone was glad they weren’t bringing up their original assumption, she wasn't sure either of them could cope with the embarrassment right now.

“Thetis gossips too much,” Hades mumbled.

Persephone frowned, wondering what on earth he was talking about.

“My PA does her job,” Zeus sniffed, “and she only rang Ophelia to see when you are free next week. It’s your PA who was concerned about you.”

“And I suppose Thetis just happened to mention this to you?”

Zeus scrunched his nose, “it might have been discussed over lunch.”

“Sure it was,” Hades sighed, “well I’m fine, as you can see.”

“Yeah, you’re in good hands,” Poseidon agreed, tilting his glass towards Persephone.

Hades blushed and it was the first time Persephone had seen him too embarrassed to form a reply in a while. He didn't need to think for long, the sound of his stomach rumbling cut over his stuttering reply.

She bit her lip to hold in a laugh, “shall I order something?”

“I can make something,” he offered, smiling at her.

She stared him down with an eyebrow raised until he relented, “or I could go for something ordered.”

“Great,” she grinned at him, “have you two eaten?”

His brothers both nodded so Persephone pulled her phone out, “what are you feeling?”

“Chicken ramen,” he said quickly, as if he’d already been thinking of it.

Persephone nodded and looked for a takeaway that would do it and deliver. She found one quickly, half surprised at the choice of food nearby that wasn’t just pizza.

Zeus was filling Hades in about some meeting they had booked in next week, but Persephone was tuning them out, mostly trying to pick something from the extensive menu.

She found Hades’ choice easily and ordered a few side dishes of rice and wok fried greens for herself, as the vegetarian options weren’t piquing her interest. She grinned as she paid with her card details, already saved in her phone. 

Hades had gotten into the habit recently of handing her his phone to order food on. She hadn’t thought anything of it the first time, but when she was faced with the choice of paying with the stored card details (i.e. Hades’) or in cash (also Hades’) she had him rumbled.

She tried to hide her smug face at finally being able to pay for a meal and tried to catch up with the conversation. Poseidon was talking to Zeus about a new club that had opened and Persephone tried to look interested, but Hades had picked up on something, “what?”

“Nothing,” she replied, trying to keep a straight face, “it’ll be about half an hour.”

“Okay,” he nodded and then walked around to grab a drink, “there’s some cash in my wallet you can take.”

He said it firmly but also like he was trying to keep his voice casual.

“Don't worry about it,” she smiled again, tracing patterns onto the counter with her index finger.

“What do you mean don't worry about it?” Hades asked her, abandoning his half poured drink.

She looked at his brothers, chewing her lip when she realised that they had abandoned their own conversation to watch them instead.

“I already paid for it,” she shrugged.

“Persephone,” he sighed, “you didn’t have to do that, let me pay you-“

“No,” she cut him off, maybe a little forcefully. For some reason his brother’s stepped forward at that. She ignored them and pressed on, “you’re not feeling great and I just,” she sighed and looked at him through her eyelashes, “I wanted to do something nice for you.”

“You didn’t have to do that,” Hades still looked a little uneasy and Persephone stepped forward into his chest. She pressed her cheek into his pec and waited until he relaxed and his arms wrapped around her.

“I know but I wanted to,” she mumbled, torn between wanting to pay for something and upsetting him when he was already ill.

He sighed and she felt his lips pressed to her hair, “you can’t bribe me with hugs.”

She took the olive branch for what it was and replied, “why not? It’s working isn't it?”

He laughed, “only a little.”

She pressed a kiss to his chest and pulled away, hesitating when she noticed that he had stilled at the contact. 

It wasn't the first time he had done that now that Persephone was thinking it through, but it was the first time it had happened now that Persephone had an idea of why.

“Well you need to get used to it,” she said lightly, trying to ignore how her heart felt like it had moved to her throat, “just wait until I get a job and start insisting on paying for everything like you do.”

Hades frowned at her, clearly already hating the idea, but Poseidon spoke before he could reply.

“You still won’t make as much as Hades does,” he said, so sure of himself.

“I don't care how much he makes,” Persephone said, rolling her eyes at his brothers, but not missing how they both seemed to go slack jawed at her response, “it’s not fair to make someone pay for everything because they earn more.” 

“Sweetness,” Hades sounded like he was preparing for an argument and she was already sick of this.

“Don't,” she looked up at him through her eyelashes, and when he hesitated she knew she had him. “I wanted to do something nice for you, so I got you some lunch. It will no doubt happen again in the future because I believe you deserve nice things, can we just leave it for now?”

Hades bit his lip but nodded.

“Good,” she said, glad that he seemed to coming round to the idea. Well, maybe saying he was coming around to it was a stretch, but at least he wasn’t arguing with her anymore.

She turned to his brothers who were frowning at them, Persephone couldn’t see any disapproval in their eyes though, only confusion. 

“When do you two need to go back to work?” She asked them, checking her phone to see how long they had until their lunch would arrive.

Zeus scoffed, “I’m sure they can manage without me for a day.”

“What he means is that he doesn’t do any work anyway,” Hades teased, wrapping his arms around her waist and making sure to whisper it loudly so his brother could still hear.

“The fact that your company won’t last two days without you isn't a good thing,” Zeus said automatically, like this was an old argument.

Persephone twisted in his arms so she could see his face, “is that true?”

He felt his shrug more than saw it but he wouldn't meet her eyes, “I’m sure they’d do something.”

“Yeah,” Poseidon agreed, “crash and burn.”

Persephone chewed her lip while she thought this over. From his vague conversations she knew Hades spent most of his days in meetings and approving things (mostly new projects and budgets that she wasn’t really supposed to know about), but shouldn’t there be someone else to pick this up if he wanted a holiday?

“What do you do when you want a holiday?” She asked him.

Zeus scoffed over Hades’ reply, “I don't even think he knows what that word means.”

Persephone turned around fully now, “you’ve never taken a holiday?” He bit his lip but shook his head, “how long have you worked there?”

“Uh, since the company was started,” Hades said vaguely, sending a pointed look over her shoulder.

She couldn’t help but feel like she was missing something, and when she glanced at Zeus and Poseidon they were both wearing forced innocent expressions.

“Right,” she said, picking up her phone, “I’ll go a grab our lunch.” She stepped out of Hades’ arms and looked between the brothers, “I’ll be back in a minute.”

“We’ll come down with you,” Poseidon said quickly, heading for the door with her, “I want to surprise Trite with an afternoon off work.”

“Uh, you’re so whipped,” Zeus muttered so quietly Persephone nearly missed it, but he joined them at the door.

Poseidon glanced back at Hades for a second before an utterly salacious grin came over his face, “if I play my cards right I might be.”

Persephone ignored that and turned to look at Hades who was stood in his kitchen, still looking a little confused by the sudden turn of events, “be right back.”

He nodded and Persephone watched for a minute as he walked over to grab a glass from a cupboard.

Satisfied he wasn’t going to do anything wild while she was gone she stepped out and joined his brothers in the waiting room. The light for the elevator was already lit and they were stood in silence, but given the disgusted look on Zeus’s face and the smug look on Poseidon’s she was glad she had missed the tail end of their conversation.

“So what are your plans for the afternoon?” She pointedly asked Zeus, leaning forward and around Poseidon.

The elevator arrived with the familiar soft ding and they all stepped forward.

“I’ll probably just go back to work,” he shrugged.

Persephone looked at Poseidon who also seemed to be surprised by this.

“Don’t look so surprised,” Zeus drawled, “I have a meeting with Hades next week, and he’s always such a dick if I’m not prepared.”

He sneered the last word but didn't seem to be actually offended by the idea. 

“I can’t imagine Hades being- being like that over anything,” Persephone commented, to her he was endlessly patient and she hadn’t heard him make one needlessly mean comment the whole time they’d been dating.

Poseidon laughed, “well that’s because you’re you.” He said plainly, as if it solved the mystery.

“What do you mean?” She frowned up at him.

Zeus rolled his eyes, “he’d never be anything but an upstanding gentleman to you.” 

“It’s one of the bonus’s of dating him,” Poseidon nudged her, “he’s so whi- so wrapped around your little finger that he couldn’t ever do anything to hurt you.”

“Oh.” Persephone frowned at Poseidon’s stumble, but pushed it out of her mind for now. She tried to find something to say to that and found herself thinking over Poseidon’s own relationship with Amphitrite, how he seemed to pander to her every need. “You can hardly call him for that, you’re the same way with Trite.”

“That I am,” Poseidon agreed, “I’m not saying it’s a bad thing.”

Zeus disagreed with a snort, “it is if people I’m dating suddenly want the ‘goddess’ treatment because they see my brothers and expect it from me as well.”

Persephone raised her eyebrow at him, “what, you weren’t raised on the same school of thought?”

The smirk dropped from Zeus’ face and brothers shared a hard look. Persephone regretted opening her mouth, she could feel the tension building in the small cubicle. She didn't know what she had said to change the mood so radically, but she knew it had to have been something unpleasant. Before she could apologise the doors opened and the brothers hurried out.

She was still searching for something to say when Zeus recovered, “I don't think how we were raised has anything to do with it,” he said lightly, but she could still see the tension around his eyes, “Hades says I don't drink my ‘respecting women’ juice enough.”

Despite her anxiety the thought of Hades saying anything like that made her let out a small laugh, she slapped a hand over her mouth. “He didn't.”

“Oh he did,” Poseidon agreed, “he was drunk at the time but it still counts.”

They stepped to one side and Persephone scanned the lobby quickly, not seeing the delivery driver yet. When she looked back at the brothers it seemed like their good mood had returned, but she didn't want to push her luck.

“You don't have to wait with me,” she said, twirling a spare hair tie between her fingers in front of her chest.

They both watched the movement for a second and Poseidon shook his head, “don't worry, we don’t mind.”

“Anyway,” Zeus said, looking at her speculatively, “how are you finding our dearest oldest brother?”

Persephone thought back to the revelation she had made this morning and smiled without thinking, she snapped the hair tie back onto her wrist, “are you tying to get some gossip there?”

Poseidon looked at her excitedly, “just trying to get a second opinion.”

Zeus looked excited by her reaction as well, but his grin was bordering on salacious, “but if there is some gossip you would like to share...”

She was saved by the door opening and a young man with a large white bag stepping into the lobby.

She started walking towards him, ignoring the men she could feel following her on each side.

“Order for Perse-“ the man said, frowning at the receipt, “uh, Persep-?” 

“Persephone,” she clarified quickly, and the man looked relieved that he wouldn't have to stutter through it. He confirmed the order quickly and handed over the bag. Persephone handed him a tip and turned back to Poseidon and Zeus.

“I’d better get this back to Hades,” she lifted the bag up slightly.

“Of course,” Poseidon said, nodding, “let us know if you need us to get anything for him.”

“Thank you.”

She darted forward and gave Poseidon a quick hug, and seemed to shock Zeus when she did the same to him as well.

“I’ll see you later,” she said, walking towards the elevator, “give Trite my love.”

Poseidon called out his confirmation but Zeus only recovered by the time she reached the metal doors, “I bet she’d love that.”

Persephone just sent him a wink as she stepped into the box.

She pulled out her phone and scrolled through her social media to occupy herself on the journey back up.

She knocked on the door when she reached Hades’, but he just called out that it should be open.

When she stepped in she couldn’t help but smile at the lunch set up.

Hades had set the two places at the end of his table, their unspoken seats for any and all dates nights they’d had in his apartment. He’d even found a small vase from somewhere and put a single flower in it.

He was in the kitchen, his back to her and pouring some drinks, but she could see the bowls he had got out ready.

She put the bag down on the counter and started to organise the order so they could eat.

It took less than five minutes to get all the food transferred into the bowls, and Persephone was pointedly only looking at the bowls as she moved them over to the table. Ignoring the way the dogs were circling her was practically an extreme sport at this point.

“Stop that,” Hades said to them, taking his bowl from her.

The dogs whined and Cerberus was at the front of the group so his sad eyes followed her as she walked to the far end of the table.

They’d found that the dogs wouldn’t bother them as much if they were sat here, something about the way the table was set up made it so only one dog at a time could reach them. But Persephone thought it was more how the end of the table was directly in front of one of the floor to ceiling windows.

She absolutely loved the views they could get from up here. The first time they had sat here at night Persephone had spent nearly the whole time staring out and just looking at the city. She had pointed out her campus, where Eros lived, and even the bar where she had gone for her first legal drink on her birthday. A cloud shifted in the middle of dinner and she had turned her eyes upwards, pointing out different constellations and commenting about how different they looked from here compared to her childhood home. It was only at desert that she had realised that she was probably boring Hades. 

But when she turned to him he was already staring at her, and she couldn’t help but feel like maybe he was looking at her with the same expression of wonder.

She had blushed (of course) and he had smiled softly and run a hand over her cheek (of course) and he refused any apologises she tried to make.

The next time he cooked for her she had found the table set in the same places, and her chair was already tilted slightly towards the glass.

It had been an unspoken ritual now that they would eat together in front of the windows. Persephone hid behind the explanation that the dogs wouldn’t beg for food here, Hades brushed it off as an excuse to get some use out of the table, but secretly they both knew.

Persephone pressed play on her phone as soon as they were sat down, turning the volume low and letting her music play quietly in the background.

Hades smiled and Persephone couldn’t help asking, “how are you feeling?”

“A lot better,” he said, “I don’t have a headache anymore.”

“That’s good,” she said, “you’re not feeling hot?”

He smirked and she rolled her eyes before he even spoke.

“You saying I should feel hot?” He asked her cockily.

“You’re insufferable,” she sniffed, stabbing a piece of broccoli onto her fork and waving it at him, “and you already used that line today.”

Hades shrugged, “it’s a good line.”

“Sure it is,” she smiled, “besides, I thought you knew that I always think you’re hot.”

She said it casually but kept her eyes on him, trying to catch his reaction.

As usual he avoided eye contact, using the noodles as an excuse to keep looking down, but Persephone could see the tips of his ears darkening and the small smile on his lips.

They finished their dinner in silence, Persephone didn't feel the need to keep the conversation going, and neither did Hades.

They shared a few smiles throughout, mostly when they could hear the dogs bumping into the furniture, or when Persephone heard small claws on the marble and then suddenly she could feel a small weight against her feet. 

As soon as she had finished her last bite the bowl was pulled away from her. Hades stood quickly, “since you bought lunch I’ll wash up.”

“That doesn’t count if you’re ill,” she called after him, but when she glanced under the table she found Pomelia curled up on her feet, fast asleep and effectively trapping her there. “These are some dirty tactics.”

He laughed, “that isn’t my fault, you spoil her too much.”

Persephone thought about it for a second and then nodded guiltily, she reached blindly under the table and managed to get a hand around Pomelia’s little body.

She pulled her against her chest, trying to get her to go back to sleep. Pomelia blinked at her before curling up there and promptly falling back asleep.

Persephone stood and made her way over to the kitchen to supervise. She absently stroked her hand down Pomelia’s back as she thought about the morning.

“Can you really not have a holiday?” She blurted before she could stop herself.

He looked at her quickly, “I could,” he hedged, and Persephone knew there would be a qualifier.

“If?”

He sighed, “if I checked my emails every day and kept my phone on me.”

Persephone frowned, “that’s the exact opposite of a holiday.”

He was staring into the sink now, as if it held the answer, “I know,” he agreed.

She leaned back against the counter next to the sink, “so the requirements for any getaway will need to include WiFi?”

He glanced at her quickly, “yes.”

“And no one else can cover for you?” She asked, already knowing the answer.

“Nope,” he agreed, pulling the plug and draining the water.

She watched him as he dried his hands on a tea towel.

“What exactly is your job then?” She asked casually. “It can’t be normal to just have one person doing it forever.”

“I don’t want to bore you,” he shrugged and leaned down, kissing her forehead.

“Please,” she waved him off, “I bore you enough, just give me your job title.”

He huffed a laugh but seemed to be giving in, “okay, but you can’t freak out.”

She frowned and stopped her hand on Pomelia’s head, “why would I freak out?”

He just smiled and pressed a kiss to her cheek, “wait here for a second.”

She watched as he walked down the corridor to the bedrooms, and then glanced down at Pomelia, “your daddy is going insane,” she told the sleeping dog seriously. 

She moved over to the couches and put Pomelia down gently, feeling like she’d need both hands free for whatever this was turning out to be.

Hades came back after a few seconds, but he didn't seem to have anything in his hands.

“If you’re trying to break the news that you’re responsible for dodging tax I think I can take it,” she said nervously, trying to play it off as a joke.

He laughed, “don't worry, I don’t commit any crimes,” he held out his hand and she could see a small black business card between his index and middle finger. She frowned at him but reached out and took it.

She still didn't look down at it, “you can’t just tell me?”

He shrugged and kept the eye contact she had established.

Eventually Persephone rolled her eyes and looked down at the card.

The card was elegant, the colour scheme seemed to be mainly black on black, and that was so unequivocally Hades that she couldn’t help her smile.

She traced her finger over some embossing but it was only the logo for his company, no telling information yet.

She flipped it over and she could only imagine the surprise dawning across her face.

The card seemed to be split into three sections. The top left had his name, written in a clear font that still managed to stand out despite the fact the that the card was practically one colour. 

There was a vertical line after this, splitting the card in half, and then his job title. 

CEO. 

She bit her lip nervously but ignored that for now.

Underneath there was his contact details, email address, numbers, even his PA’s number and Persephone thought she recognised it from the unknown number that had tried to call her along with Hecate this morning. 

“Persephone?” He asked, sounding a little nervous.

“Yeah?” she said, but her voice sounded far away, like she wasn't the one who was speaking. She knew she was feeling a little blindsided, but she still tried to think back over all the times he’d ever mentioned work and tried to find clues that could have hinted towards this.

She knew he was high up and his job involved a lot of meetings and managing people, but she hadn’t even entertained the idea that he could literally be at the very top.

Persephone shook herself out of her thoughts and looked at him, hoping she was hiding the shock well, “why didn't you tell me?”

He looked a little lost for a second before rubbing the back of his neck nervously, “people usually already know, that’s why they talk to me.”

She could hear the insecurity in his voice, Persephone frowned and looked down at the card, “not everyone surely?”

“Well,” he said, and something in his tone made her look up. He stepped closer to her, “there was this one woman.” He paused and Persephone swallowed. “I met her in the elevator, she’d just moved to the city.”

Surprisingly his teasing tone seemed to bring her out of the confusing mess her thoughts had become, and she joined in, “was she cute?”

“She was breathtaking,” he said seriously, “she had bright pink hair and every time I saw anything pink for the rest of the week I thought about her.”

“Well,” Persephone said, feeling the heat crossing her cheeks, “I’m sure she thought about you too.”

“Did she?” He asked, his eyes searching her face.

“Of course,” Persephone smiled, “every time she had to open a door on her own.”

He laughed at that and Persephone couldn’t help but join in.

“I didn’t mean to keep it a secret,” he said seriously after a moment, “well I did at first, but after we started dating I just felt awkward bringing it up.”

She looked him over seriously for a second, he was still in his pyjamas, the ones that were extra soft, Persephone knew from experience. He was holding his hands nervously in front of his stomach, subtly picking at his fingernails, a tell tale sign for when he was nervous. 

She couldn’t deny the fact that his job title had been a shock to her system, and had even intimidated her for a brief second, but he was still the same man she had, oh so recently, realised she was in love with.

“I don’t want you to feel awkward, but I’m glad you trusted me with this,” Persephone said, vowing to face the problem head on, “and I definitely don't want you to think I’m only here for your money or power.”

He swallowed and looked guilty for a brief second, “I didn’t say-“

“You didn't have to,” she said, looking down at the card still in her hands. “But I want you to know that this doesn’t change anything.”

He nodded and Persephone couldn’t help but feel like he wasn’t fully believing what she was saying.

“I don't want you to think you need to pay for everything because I know about this now,” she waved the card at him. “I have my own money and I’m still going to treat you when I want to.” He frowned at that but she stepped forward, “I know you like paying for everything,” she rolled her eyes but chose her next words carefully, “but I don't like you for this.” She handed the card back, almost positive that now was not the right moment to be declaring her love for the very first time, she took his hand in the same movement. “I like you for everything else.”

“But not my money?” He joked and Persephone rolled her eyes before pulling him into a hug.

“Not your money,” she mumbled.

They ended up on the couch again, but this time Persephone was sat sideways across Hades’ lap. Her head was resting against his shoulder and she couldn’t stop her fingers tracing patterns into his forearms.

Hades seemed to be lost in thought and Persephone didn't want to bring him out of them any time soon. His fever had stayed away and since he was able to sit in the sun with her she would put good money on the fact that his headache had also gone for good.

It was amazing the difference a morning of rest could make.

She frowned as she thought over how much he had been working recently, only now she had context for the long hours and the amount of meetings he had to suffer through.

“How long until you’re back to your normal hours at work?” She murmured, stretching her neck so she could kiss at Hades’ jaw.

“Not long,” he promised, and then after a moment of deliberation, “can you keep a secret?”

She pulled back to look at him seriously, “it depends on how you want to buy my silence.”

As soon as she spoke she regretted the words. Persephone couldn’t help but panic for a second, worried that he would take it the wrong way. Thankfully he just smirked at her, “I think I can afford it, what’s your price?”

“Hmmm,” she said, snuggling back up to him, “I think a nice dinner and a movie will be more than enough to earn my discretion.”

“Of course,” he agreed seriously, “although I’m now worried about what constitutes a nice dinner,” he smirked, “I was under the impression that everything I make for you was delicious?”

“Shut up,” she laughed, “you know it’s all amazing. But go ahead, now we’ve discussed terms you can tell me all your secrets.” 

Hades leaned down to press a kiss to her forehead, “we’re releasing new generations of all our tech at the same time, that’s why it’s a little hectic right now.”

“Oh.” Persephone thought it over, she didn’t even have the faintest idea of the work that would go into something like that, but it seemed like dating Hades had given her an unexpected glimpse into that. Her eyes landed on her laptop sitting on the coffee table, “so my laptop is about to be even more out of date?”

Hades groaned, holding her tighter but leaning forwards so he could bury his head into her neck, “that thing belongs in a museum.”

She ran her fingers through his hair, “alright Indiana Jones, stop being dramatic, it’s still working for now.”

“It’s a personal insult to me,” he said against her sternum, but Persephone could hear the tremble in his voice that usually meant he was holding back laughter. 

“Well you’ll have to suffer with it for a bit longer yet,” she said, taking the opportunity to press a kiss to his hair.

“I could-“

“No,” Persephone interrupted, “you couldn’t.” 

Hades sat up and bit his lip while he was looking at her, “we have a few spares of the new laptops lying around, it wouldn't even cost us anything to give it away. In fact, you’d be doing us a favour.”

“Hades,” she sighed, “I don't need a new laptop.”

“That’s debatable sweetness.”

Persephone pursed her lips at the endearment, he knew it always made her melt. “Promise me you won’t get me a laptop?”

He sighed but agreed reluctantly.

“Good,” she said, and then leaned back into his shoulder. She looked around the room again and she couldn’t help but giggle a little, “I should’ve known you were the boss.”

“Why is that?” He was twirling the end of her pony tail around his fingers absently now.

“Who else could afford the rent on a penthouse apartment and eight dogs on top of it?”

His hands froze for a second, “Persephone,” he said slowly and Persephone couldn’t help tensing, his tone making her wary and she was already anticipating another revelation, “I own this whole building.”

She spluttered for a second, trying to get her thoughts in order enough to frame a response.

“You- so I- what?”

His arms tightened around her waist and thighs, “I bought the building and refurbished it, I needed somewhere to stay close to the office and Hecate thought it would be good to rent it out.”

Somewhere in Persephone’s mind it made sense. Hecate was the building manager and also held a senior position at Hades’ company. She hadn’t said it outright when they met at Tower One, but it was obvious with the way the receptionists treated her. 

“Right,” Persephone said, her mind still running away from her. “Anything else you want to spring on me today?”

Hades laughed into her hair, “nope, I think that covers it.”

“Good,” Persephone said, relaxing again. She’d need to speak to Eros and have a freak out later on, but for now she wanted nothing more than to cuddle with her boyfriend and maybe take a nap.

She threw an arm out, blindly searching for the blanket she had left on the couch earlier.

To her surprise a small tongue linked her hand before she found the blanket, but she felt around for a second before picking up the puppy and depositing her in her lap.

Pomelia looked thrilled with her new position and wasted no time trying to crawl up Hades’ chest to lick at his throat.

Eventually the blanket was located and Persephone was tucked even more securely into Hades’ chest as he lied sideways on the couch.

“Are you going to sleep?” He asked her gently.

Persephone could only nod in response, her cheek rubbing against Hades’ chest and the soft fabric of his t-shirt there.

He shivered automatically and despite all he had revealed today she knew they still had a lot to discuss, but that could surely wait for another day.

Pomelia had drifted off first, her little body curled up in the small space between Persephone’s hip and Hades’ stomach. They each hand a hand resting on her back, but at this point they were more holding each other’s hand than petting the puppy.

Persephone could still hear her music playing quietly, but it was growing quieter as she slowly fell asleep.

A thought crossed her mind before she was pulled under completely.

“Hades,” she mumbled, her lips brushing his chest.

She thought he had fallen asleep at first; his usual reaction to her touching his chest was missing. But after a moment he spoke, “yeah Sweetness?”

“Don't even think about lowering my rent.”

He didn't make a noise, but the vibrations she could feel against her cheek as he laughed gave him away.

*****

Persephone couldn’t hold her laughter back when she told Psyche and Eros the very next day. This week it was her turn to go to their apartment and she had shown up with their pizza, not wanting to have to wait for it.

Waiting for Eros to finish getting them all drinks felt like torture and she couldn’t stop her fidgeting, even under Psyche’s concerned gaze.

She mentioned it casually as he was sitting down with his pizza, making sure she was able to catch both of their reactions.

They didn’t disappoint.

Eros dropped the box into his lap and Persephone was glad that it stopped there and didn't continue to the floor. Neither Eros or Psyche were in any state to catch it. Psyche was ignoring the slice she had halfway to her mouth and was looking at Persephone in surprise.

“He’s what?” Psyche whispered.

“CEO,” Persephone confirmed, taking another bite of her pizza.

She’d done a lot of thinking today, unfortunately her three day weekend (unexpectedly turned four day weekend) left her little time to do anything but think.

The three little letters had scared her more than she was willing to admit at first, but only in the same way his age had initially concerned her. He was older and more experienced than her sure, but she had gotten over that surprisingly quickly.

She didn’t know why she was expecting anything to change just because she now knew what he did for a living.

He’d never made her feel like she was less than him because she was younger, or because she was still in school, he supported her at every step and as long as Persephone remembered that she could live with the new found knowledge.

Eros and Psyche were still a few steps behind her on that and she started in on her second slice while it sunk in for them.

They recovered at pretty much the same time.

“So he-“

“Why didn't-“

Persephone held a hand up, and Eros stopped, gesturing that Psyche should go first. He opened their box and passed the first slice to his girlfriend while she spoke, “so he runs the entire business?” Persephone nodded. “And that’s why he’s been busier recently?”

Persephone swallowed and nodded, “yeah, he’s coordinating a few projects right now and he’s on a strict deadline.”

Psyche narrowed her eyes and then smiled, “and you know what these projects are? But can’t say?”

Eros snorted into his slice, “of course she does, Hades can’t keep a secret from her to save his life.”

Persephone shrugged but nodded in agreement.

“So why didn’t he tell you when you started dating?”

“I think he was nervous,” Persephone admitted. She’d already pieced together quite a lot about Hades’ past relationships and the way he had looked so hopeful when she denied liking him for his money had stuck with her.

“Why would he be nervous?” Eros spluttered, “that’s the most effective pick up line I’ve ever heard.”

Persephone grimaced and met Psyche’s eye.

“Unless that’s the issue?” Psyche asked slowly, no doubt putting the pieces together herself. “Oh,” she said, “he was worried you would only like him for his money?”

“I think so,” Persephone hesitated, “he hasn’t mentioned it outright, but I’m getting the feeling that a lot of his past relationships weren’t great.”

“Oh,” Eros said, as if the thought hadn’t crossed his mind.

They sat in silence for a moment and Persephone didn't know what to say to relieve the tension, thankfully Psyche did, “well, at least he’s found himself a keeper this time.”

Persephone rolled her eyes and tried to fight back a blush.

“Aw,” Eros said, “isn’t she the sweetest?”

“Shut up,” Persephone mumbled, going back to her pizza.

“I can’t believe it,” Psyche said, leaning back against the couch, “he just seems so...” her nose wrinkled as she struggled to find the words to describe Hades. 

Luckily for Psyche Persephone knew quite a few.

“Intelligent? Accomplished? Devastatingly handsome?” Persephone couldn’t help wiggling her eyebrows at the other woman.

Psyche smiled but shook her head, “...normal.” She finally finished.

“Normal?” Persephone nearly choked.

“I see what you mean,” Eros said, looking thoughtfully at his pizza, “like I can imagine him sitting here and eating pizza with us.”

“There’s nothing wrong with being down to earth,” Persephone rolled her eyes, “I don't think he likes the money and the fame part of the job to be honest.”

“That makes sense,” Psyche nodded, “he does seem like a workaholic.”

“You don't know the half of it,” Persephone told her seriously, “he went into work today after being sick yesterday.”

“He was sick?” Psyche looked concerned.

“It was mostly stress,” Persephone shrugged, “he had a bit of a fever and a headache.”

Eros eyed her over his pizza, “did he tell you that?”

“He didn’t need to,” Persephone explained, “Hecate rang me because he was late and she thought he was with me so I checked on him.”

“So you spent a day playing nurse?” Eros winked, “and how was that?”

Persephone thought over the day she had spent at Hades’ and tried to sum it up, “strange,” was the word she finally decided on.

“Why strange?” Psyche asked, leaning over and stealing a slice of Eros’ pizza, smoothly putting a slice of her own in it’s place.

Eros smirked at the trade but didn't complain, he looked at Persephone expectantly when she didn't answer immediately. 

“His brother’s showed up,” she recalled, “and I think there’s something he’s hiding from me.”

“Something bad?” Eros asked quickly, frowning at her.

“No,” she was quick to reassure him, “I just get the feeling that I’m missing something when I talk to them.”

“And it isn't the fact that their brother is filthy rich?” Eros pointed out.

Persephone sat back for a second, abandoning her slice of pizza while she thought it over. 

It would explain their shocked expressions when she said she didn't care how much Hades’ earned, and would definitely explain their amused looks when Persephone had asked how long Hades’ had worked for Pomegranate Tech. 

But it wouldn't cover the way they had both stepped forward to intervene when she had slightly raised her voice at Hades’, even though it was only to get his attention.

The pieces were slowly coming together, and Persephone didn’t like the image they were forming in front of her. She itched to hold Hades in her arms again.

“It would explain some of it,” Persephone hedged.

Psyche frowned, “but not everything?”

Persephone shook her head.

“Have you asked him about it?” Psyche asked her.

“Not yet?” Persephone said uncertainly.

Psyche sighed, “well we can’t give you all the answers you want. You need to speak to him, even if you think the topic is unpalatable.”

Persephone sunk into the couch further, Psyche always seemed to be able to pinpoint exactly what the issue was and rarely beat around the bush.

As always however her advice was spot on. Persephone knew she needed to talk to Hades but she didn’t even know where to start.

“I know,” she mumbled back at Psyche. She picked up her pizza and took a bite, “anyway, how’s work?”

Psyche widened her eyes and rolled them, letting out an exasperated sigh, “long.”

Eros snorted, “I wasn’t even there but I’ll second that.”

“What happened?” Persephone asked, knowing that Psyche started a new role only a few weeks ago.

Psyche swallowed the last piece of her current slice and started filling Persephone in on her week as they finished eating.

Soon she was laughing with Eros and tucked firmly into Psyche’s side as they watched yet another rom com, her worries about Hades were pushed out of her mind for the first time since yesterday morning.

*****

As much as Persephone hated how much Hades was working she had to admit that it was working out well for her study schedule.

Her midterms were coming up over the next few weeks and she was using nearly of her spare time to study. It wasn't like she was behind in any of her classes, in fact she had high grades in all of them so far, but she’d feel like she was cheating herself if she didn’t study for each test.

Hades had smiled when she confessed that she’d be busy most nights, and when she explained why he had approved enthusiastically and kissed her until she was gasping. 

She didn't know what she was expecting from the self proclaimed workaholic, but she was glad for his support none the less. 

They were limiting most of their time spent together to the weekends, with the understanding that they wouldn't study, or work in Hades’ case, while they were together.

Persephone felt like she was being more productive in the week because of it, if only because she knew she wouldn’t do any studying at the weekend.

Hades had seemed less stressed as well, but she didn't know if that was because he was juggling less in the week or because they were getting ready to announce the launch. Apparently that meant the work would be passed over to the marketing team and he could finally take a step back. He only had a few more things to approve and sign off on before that but she could already see the difference.

They settled into the routine easily and soon it was the weekend before Persephone’s first exam.

On the Sunday Hades had allowed her to have one hour of studying, but as the hour consisted of Persephone sitting comfortably on his lap as he quizzed her on her revision cards she wasn’t sure who was the true winner.

He diligently made his way through the cards, making sure her answers were right, and he rewarded her with a kiss each time she was correct.

Halfway through he admitted that he had no idea what any of it meant, and was heavily relying on her answer matching it word for word so it was obvious that she was right. 

(Her answer always matched it, if there was one thing she knew how to do it was study)

When the hour was up he put the cards to one side and hugged her tightly, whispering quiet reassurances to her about how she was going to do well.

Persephone was always told she’d do well on exams, her history and study techniques were formidable and she knew she had every right to be arrogant about it, but she couldn’t help the nerves sometimes.

Hearing the confidence in Hades’ voice helped to push them to one side for the time being.

Hades made dinner and sent her home early, telling her to get some sleep so she was well rested for the day after.

She couldn’t find it in her heart to do anything else, especially as he had given her a small Tupperware of cookies for good luck on her way out.

Her exams were spread out over two weeks, she only had four exams the first week and six the week after. The timetable was stuck onto her fridge, along with two good luck cards from both Eros and Psyche, and her mother respectively.

Hades texted her just before she went into each exam wishing her luck, and she made sure to call him as soon as she was out to let him know how it had gone. She was more comfortable ringing him at work now she knew that there was no chance that she would get him in trouble with a boss, and he always seemed so happy to hear from her.

Before she knew it she was closing the exam booklet on her final test. She glanced at the clock and was surprised to see that she still had half an hour left.

She opened the book again, determined to double, and potentially triple check, her answers in the spare time.

Persephone read over her answers quickly, thankfully only spotting a few small spelling errors she could quickly fix.

Soon the professors were calling for everyone to put their pens down and Persephone waited obediently as they walked down the aisle and collected all the sheets in. She twirled her pen in her hands, letting the pom-pom brush against her cheek every so often.

Before she knew it they were dismissing everyone and Persephone couldn’t help the grin that crossed her face.

She stood and nearly danced down to the front to collect her bag. As soon as she was in the fresh air she rang her mother.

“Persephone?”

“I‘ve just finished my last exam,” she rushed out.

“Congratulations Kore-cob!” Her mother shouted down the phone.

Persephone grimaced at her old childhood nickname but ignored it for now, “thanks Mama!”

“Are you celebrating tonight?” Her mother asking, her voice actually sounding excited rather than disapproving at the thought.

“I think so,” Persephone replied, starting to walk down the street towards her flat, “I’m heading over to Eros and Psyche’s for a movie night.”

She could practically feel her mother’s relief over the phone, “that sounds nice, you should have some champagne.”

Persephone snorted, “on a student budget?” She asked teasingly, already knowing how her mother would react.

Predictably she huffed and clucked her tongue, “you were the one who insisted on moving out.” Before Persephone could reply her mother continued on, “anyway, leave it to me.”

“Leave what to you?” Persephone asked her, frowning in confusion.

“Don’t worry about it,” her mother reassured her, “I’m sorry I have to go, but I’m so proud of you sweet pea.”

“Thanks Mama,” Persephone said, suddenly feeling homesick, “I’ll visit soon okay?”

“Of course,” her mother said quickly, “you’re always welcome home.”

She could hear talking in the background so she said her goodbyes quickly.

The next person on the list to ring was Hades, she was waiting for the call to connect when she realised where her feet had taken her.

Instead of heading home she’d walked more towards the few shops that’s were on this side of the city, and she wasn’t one to question the work of the fates.

The sound of Hades’ voicemail started and she hung up quickly, sending him a quick text letting him know she was out of the exam now. He didn’t always take his phone into meetings so she wasn’t too concerned by it.

Persephone wandered into the first shop, her eyes immediately drawn to a rail full of summer dresses that were on sale. They were heading into autumn now so it only made sense but she still couldn’t help but pick through them for anything cute. 

Nothing was calling out to her, but she had a look around the rest of the shop anyway. The only thing she saw that she would have bought was a butterfly necklace, but as she already had two very similar ones at home she thought it would be overkill at that point.

The next shop was worse if that was possible, everything was slowly fading into the dark tones of winter and even the dresses seemed dark and depressing. The sales assistant seemed to realise that she was fighting a losing battle if the way her eyebrow had raised at Persephone’s current outfit was any indicator. 

She was wearing another of her light pink sundresses today, with a thick white knitted cardigan over the top to fight off the chill. She wasn’t wearing sandals today, she’d finally admitted to herself that it was getting too cold for them, but her converse were also light pink.

Persephone sent a smile towards the sales assistant on the way out.

There was only one other boutique that looked like it would have anything for her in it so she readjusted her backpack and walked in.

She could see some pink dresses among the dark autumn shades and made her way over quickly. There was a cute pink blouse that she was tempted by, but tucked behind it was a strappy floral dress that she almost missed.

The straps were black but thin enough that it didn't make the whole dress look dark, they were more like pieces of ribbon than any fabric. The floral print was bright, different shades of pink with some peach flowers mixed in. It was low cut, and on Persephone that was usually a dealbreaker, but she had a good feeling about this dress. It came in at the waist but flared out beautifully at the bottom.

She turned it around to check the size and realised that it was low cut in the back as well, the black straps crossing before they joined the dress again at the waist.

Persephone smiled when she realised it was in her size and she headed towards the dressing rooms. Even if it was too low cut she would probably get away with wearing a thin crop top under it, so she just wanted to make sure it fit her everywhere else.

The attendant nodded at her in greeting and gestured for her to go through.

As soon as she was in the cubicle she dropped her bag and stripped quickly, hanging her cardigan up so her phone wouldn’t be on the floor.

Persephone slipped the dress on quickly, regretting not wearing her strapless bra today, but even so the dress looked amazing.

To her surprise it wasn't too low cut in the front to be obscene, but the back was lower than she had first thought, making the possibility of being able to wear a bra drop to almost nothing.

She had worn her hair in a bun today, but she could almost imagine her wearing this with her hair curled, in her pink heels and out on a date with Hades.

Persephone reached into the pocket of her cardigan and decided to try calling him again.

The call nearly rang out but he answered it in time.

“Sweetness?” she could practically hear his excitement through the phone and it confused her for a second. “How was your exam?”

“Oh,” she said, momentarily stunned by how quickly she had completely pushed it out of her mind. “Yeah it was okay, I had about half an hour left over to check my answers so I’m fairly confident.”

Hades hummed thoughtfully down the phone, he had learned early on that Persephone’s idea of ‘fairly confident’ was code for ‘I absolutely aced it’.

“I’m glad,” he said, but before he could continue she cut him off.

“Yeah, but I was ringing you for something else.”

“Oh?”

“You need to tell me not to buy this dress,” she told him seriously.

“And what dress is this?” He asked her, and she could imagine him smirking down the phone.

They both knew he would do no such thing. If she wanted to be talked out of something she would have rung Psyche. She was the only one who would even attempt it, even if she knew it was futile and she was just playing along to try to assuaged Persephone’s guilt.

“It’s pink and cute and I want it,” Persephone said, already knowing she was going to get it but still wanting it to be a surprise for him.

“Well it sounds like you should buy it then,” Hades laughed.

“But I don't have anywhere to wear it to,” she said innocently.

“Oh I see,” he scoffed, “well we can easily fix that Sweetness.”

“We can?”

He hummed in agreement, “consider it already sorted, it works out well because I wanted to celebrate your last exam anyway.”

Persephone bit her lip to try and control her smile. She glanced at herself in the mirror and was shocked to see the love struck expression on her face. She looked at the dress again, swaying slightly to see how the bottom half looked as she moved.

“Well I’m glad you have it covered then,” she said, “I’ll let you go, I have a dress to buy.”

“Of course, I’ll see you tomorrow?” He asked her, somehow still sounding unsure even after all this time.

“Absolutely, what time?”

“Seven?” He said, surprisingly her a little, usually they spent all Saturday together, but she figured he might have some preparations to do for their date.

“I’ll see you then,” she confirmed.

“See you then Sweetness,” he almost whispered and then hung up.

She looked at herself in the mirror while his goodbye was still hanging in the air and she wasn’t even surprised to see the dopey grin still on her face.

Persephone was still smiling as she exited the changing room a few minutes later, back in her own clothes.

“I’ll take this,” she said to the attendant who smirked.

“Of course,” she agreed, and Persephone fought back a blush as she realised the woman had probably heard her entire conversation with Hades.

They walked over to the counter and Persephone looked at the necklaces that were on a stand while the woman took the tag off the dress and rang it up for her.

“Boyfriend?” The woman asked, making small talk as she folded the dress.

“Yes,” Persephone said on a sigh, “we’re celebrating my exam week being over finally.”

“He sounds sweet,” she said, smiling to herself as she wrapped the dress in tissue paper.

Persephone handed her card over, thankful that she still had some savings left to treat herself with.

The woman handed her the bag and smiled at her, just as she was turning away she called out, “if you don't have a backless bra already the shop a few doors down will have one in.”

Persephone stopped in surprise but smiled at her, “I usually struggle with finding stuff like that,” she confessed.

“They do them for all sizes,” the woman told her, “or they’ll find something that works, my girlfriend swears by them.”

Persephone thanked her for the advice and headed out.

She stood outside the lingerie shop for longer than she wanted to admit. The window had more lace in it than Persephone had ever seen in her lifetime, and she didn’t know if she could stand the pitying looks she usually got when she asked for her size.

The hassle she had gone through to get a strapless bra had been immense, she wasn’t sure it was even possible to get one that was backless in her size.

She walked in anyway, preparing herself for disappointment. She walked straight up to the counter and said in a firm voice, “do you have any backless bras?”

“Wow,” the woman behind the counter said, not even attempting to be discreet as she checked Persephone out. She could feel her face heating. “Uh, yeah we do, but they might not be the right fit for you.”

“Right,” Persephone said, not really surprised, “no worries, thanks anyway.”

“How backless does it need to be?” the woman said, standing up to get a better look at Persephone.

“Um, the dress drops to my waist, so-”

“So very backless,” the woman hummed, “have you ever tried body tape?”

Persephone frowned, “body tape?”

She hadn’t even heard of it before, but the woman was nodding encouragingly, “yeah, it’s a better alternative, more secure.”

Persephone wasn’t really keen on the idea of sticking duct tape under the dress but she agreed to have a look at it.

It looked almost like medical tape, but the woman reassured her that it would be secure, and even demonstrated how she could wear it to make sure no one could see it under the dress.

She bought it, and some nipple pasties, as an experiment. She wasn’t too hopeful and was fully expecting to have to wear a cardigan to hide her bra tomorrow, but at least she would know for sure.

Persephone texted Psyche and Eros as she walked back to her apartment, asking them what the plan was for tonight.

So far Eros had planned on them getting drunk to celebrate and Psyche had ordered a chocolate cake from the bakery down the street as a treat for her.

She was smiling as she stepped into the lobby.

Her smile widened when she realised that Hermes and Thanatos were stood waiting for the elevator.

“Hello Persie!” Hermes called out to her.

“Hi Hermes,” she caught up to them just as the doors opened, “Hi Thanatos.”

Hermes’ boyfriend nodded in greeting, but didn't reply. Persephone wasn't surprised, he always seemed like the shy one in the couple.

“Got anything exciting?” Hermes asked, nodding to her bags as they stepped into the elevator and pressed the buttons for their floors.

“A new dress,” she told him, keeping her other purchase to herself.

“Ooh,” he said knowingly, “date night?”

Hermes and Thanatos, and probably the whole building at this point, had found out about Hades and Persephone when they were caught holding hands in the lobby. Hermes had jokingly given Hades the shovel talk and Hades actually looked offended at the insinuation that he might hurt Persephone, even accidentally. 

Thanatos had laughed nervously and apologised for Hermes. Looking back Persephone realised that he probably knew that Hades owned the building and therefore had control over their living arrangements.

“Not tonight,” she laughed, “but tomorrow.”

“Very nice,” he nodded, “do you know where he’s taking you?”

“Not yet,” she said, frowning a little, “probably somewhere too fancy if I know him.”

The doors opened on Hermes’ floor and he winked as he walked out, “well have fun!”

“I will,” she called back, not expecting a reply, but she got one as the doors were sliding shut.

“And be safe!” Hermes practically shouted, she only heard him cackling for a split second before the doors closed and she was left alone in the small metal box.

Her cheeks heated as she realised what he meant and she groaned to herself.

She’d completely forgot about the blue box she’d found in Hades’ bathroom all those weeks ago, but now it was almost impossible to push the image from her head.

Persephone wasn’t quite ready for- that- with Hades yet, and due to the way he still cringed away from any contact to his chest she couldn’t help but feel like Hades wasn’t ready either. 

She knew he wasn’t as inexperienced as her, but she could definitely feel him pulling back more often than not. She used to think it was because of her own nerves, but maybe it was something more. 

She’d not mentioned his reaction to her attempt to strip him when he was ill yet, although she was sure he remembered it, so they’d still have to talk about why he was reluctant for her to see his chest. She knew that was necessary before they even tried to move past the stage they were at right now, but she had been nervous about bringing it up.

However the stage they were at in their relationship included scorching hot make out sessions ending in never ending cuddle sessions, so she was happy to stay there for as long as he needed.

She managed to calm down for a second before nearly bursting out in laughter in the elevator, and that was just from imagining the the look on Eros’ face if she ever told him what she had found.

When Persephone stepped out of the elevator she was surprised to see a package sitting on the floor down the corridor.

She frowned as she drew closer, realising the little bundle was in front of her own door.

The balloon was white and gold, with ‘Well Done!’ written across both sides, it was spinning idly where it was floating at eye level and Persephone smiled as she noticed the bottle bag next to the balloon weight.

She pulled her keys out quickly and scooped both the balloon and the bag up, struggling for a second with her other bags, as she walked into her apartment.

She put them down in the kitchen while she made sure everything was locked up and then she pulled the card out first.

‘Persephone,

Well done on finishing your exams, I’m so proud of you!

Mama’

She checked the bag and grinned when she realised her mother had sent a bottle of champagne.

Persephone grabbed her phone and picked the bottle up. She held it to her face and snapped a quick selfie, sending it to her mother with a big ‘thank you!’

She put away the rest of her purchases, making sure the champagne was in the fridge so she could take it to Eros and Psyche’s tonight.

When everything was away she changed into some comfortable clothes and sat herself down in front of the TV.

She had an entire afternoon free until she needed to head out, and she thought she had earned a break.

*****

Persephone looked at herself in the mirror once again, not even bothering to resist the urge to spin slightly so she could see the back of the dress.

She’d tried the body tape out in the morning, not wanting to risk using it for the very first time to be on her date. 

In all honestly she had expected it to give up somewhere around the five minute mark, but her to delight it hadn’t. It hadn’t even started peeling or feeling lose at all so she had risked doing some grocery shopping and it had actually lasted throughout the day.

She’d took it all off to have a shower, but she was excited for the possibility of wearing just the dress tonight. No matter where Hades took her she’d be confident that the tape wouldn’t fail her.

As soon as her make up and hair was done she cut some more of the tape to length and remembered all the tips she had received yesterday. She needed to cut it a little finer to avoid it being visible around the plunging neckline of the dress, but soon enough she was pulling the dress on, and just like magic when she turned her back was bare and there wasn't a bra strap in sight.

She hadn’t wasted a second before grabbing her phone and making a small video of her turning in the dress, zooming in on her bare back, and sending it to Psyche. Her friend had replied with a dozen exclamation marks, declaring the tape to be ‘pure witchcraft’, but also several heart eyes emojis that Persephone had blushed over.

Persephone had thrown her phone on the bed while she hunted down some jewellery and the heels she had picked out for tonight. 

They were probably the most expensive thing in her wardrobe, and were gifted to her for a combination of her graduation and 21st birthday the year before. Her mother had been so proud that she had ignored all Persephone’s protests and had gone ahead and bought the pink Sophia Websters that she had been looking at for just under a year.

They were bright pink and only had one strap running across her toes and one running around her ankle. But the thing that had caught Persephone’s attention and had earned her obsession was the detailing around the heel. 

Instead of being plain at the back the shoes had butterfly wings protruding from them. The wings on these shoes were the same bright pink colour, but they had metallic detailing to clearly mark them as butterfly wings.

She finished fastening the buckles and stood carefully to put the shoe box back into her closet. The heels were a lot thinner and higher than she was used to wearing, so it took her a few minutes to adjust to her new centre of gravity. 

She stood in front of her mirror again and looked at the full effect. The shoes matched the pinks in her dress perfectly, and she couldn’t resist popping her left heel up to look at the wings one last time.

She smiled as they caught the light, this would be the first time she’d worn these in front of Hades and she was dying to see his reaction.

Persephone was able to admit to herself that although the revelation of his job (and subsequent wealth) was now old news in their relationship she still occasionally worried she wouldn’t be good enough.

He hadn’t told her where they were going and even insisted on keeping it a secret, not even giving her a clue as to where they might end up. But that had only let Persephone’s imagination run away with itself.

She’d nearly pushed herself into a panic attack this afternoon just imagining the types of places he might take her to tonight. 

Persephone had seen Pretty Woman enough times to know for a fact that she didn’t know which fork to use first. She wouldn’t even have a clue.

But at least with these shoes she thought that she might look the part at least, even if she spent the night embarrassing herself in front of the upper class.

She was still lost in thought, staring at her reflection, when the alarm she had set on her phone went off, making her jump.

She switched it off quickly and grabbed her clutch, stuffing her phone into it quickly before walking down the corridor in her apartment to wait by the door.

Hades should be there in about five minutes, so she had just enough time to grab a glass of water to try and settle her nerves before there was a quiet knock at her door.

Persephone put the glass down and made her way to the door quickly, excited to see Hades.

She swung the door open and the first thing she saw was the largest bouquet she’d seen in her life. There were at least seven different types of flowers that registered immediately, and it was almost like the more she looked the more she found. All the flowers were pink, not exactly the same shades, but somehow they all worked together.

“Wow,” Persephone said, stepping forward carefully and smelling the floral arrangement in front of her.

Hades pulled the flowers down and smiled down at her, his smile freezing in place slightly as his eyes ran up and down the length of her body.

“Wow is right Sweetness,” he said, in that breathless tone that always made Persephone swoon.

“Come in,” she said, stepping back and letting him walk past her into her apartment. He ducked down as he passed to press a quick kiss to her lips. “I think the vase in still in the living room.”

He nodded and quickly grabbed it, instead of giving her the vase to sort however he pushed the flowers into her hands. He ducked into the kitchen to fill the vase with some water and Persephone took the opportunity to smell them once more.

Soon enough the flowers were brightening up her living room, the pink petals drawing attention from every angle.

“They’re beautiful Hades,” Persephone said, smiling at him from where he stood next to the coffee table.

Now that his hands were free she could finally see what he was wearing, and she wasn’t disappointed. He’d gone for one of his regular suits with a white shirt and black tie, but his pocket square was bright pink.

Persephone knew for a fact that that pocket square matched her hair perfectly, and so did Hades. He had insisted on double checking when he had first got it and Persephone’s resulting blush had also matched the pink fabric.

“You look very handsome,” she said, walking up to him and pulling at his lapels, “do I get to know where we are going now or not?”

“Not yet,” he said, his eyes sparkling.

“Will I need a coat?” She asked him.

“I don’t plan on letting you get cold,” he promised, and then wrapped his arms around her, his hands trailing over the bare skin of her waist.

Persephone resisted a shiver.

“Are we going somewhere fancy? I don't want to be too underdressed,” she whispered into his chest.

She could pinpoint the exact second that it dawned on him as his hands stroked her skin instead of fabric. His pupils seemed to expand as she watched and he swallowed as he looked down at her. His hands twitched and then he tightened his hold on her.

“Sweetness,” he groaned.

“So, do you like my new dress?” She whispered. 

She took a step back and hid a smile at the way his arms were still reaching out for her. She did a quick spin on the spot, knowing how the dress would flare up with the movement.

“You should get one in every colour,” he suggested, reaching an arm up to take one of her hands. He led her in a slow turn this time, pausing for a moment when she was facing away from him. Persephone took a small step back, arching her back slightly when her bare skin pressed against the buttons on his shirt. She tilted her head back to try and meet his eye, unconsciously pushing her chest out.

“You’ll be the death of me,” he muttered under his breath.

“But what a way to go,” she murmured back, laughing when he groaned and pressed his face into her neck, in the sensitive spot just below her ear.

“Indeed,” he agreed and Persephone shivered as she felt his breath on her neck. He let go of her hand and took a step back, fastening his jacket as he went. “Come on.”

“Okay,” she said, picking her bag up and making sure she had her keys.

He waited patiently while she made sure her apartment was locked up and when she turned around he grabbed her hand. She smiled as he led her down the corridor and pressed the button for the elevator. 

The doors opened immediately and Persephone stepped in first.

Hades stepped in and she frowned a little when he didn't immediately press the button for the lobby.

She turned to ask him but closed her mouth when she realised he was looking at her speculatively.

Her cheeks heated as she remembered the last time he’d looked at her like that in this elevator, “what?” She whispered, not wanting to break the spell he seemed to be in.

“You look beautiful,” he answered on a breath out, sounding strangely wistful, “you would catch anyone’s attention no matter where we go.”

Persephone frowned again as she could sense a ‘but’ coming.

“But,” he said, leaning forward and putting in the code for his own floor, “I’m glad I’m far too selfish to share you with anyone tonight.”

“What?” She could feel the smile pulling at her lips.

He held his elbow out and smiled back at her, “I think you’ll like this place,” he said seriously, “it’s very exclusive and I hear the chef isn't too bad.”

Persephone pressed her forehead into his bicep and held back a groan, “you’re such a dork.”

The doors opened and he pulled her out into the waiting room. She was surprised to see that he’d left the double doors open while he’d gone to get her, but she wasn't complaining as they walked straight in.

Hades had obviously spent the day preparing for this and she was a little touched by the effort he had put in.

Their places were set at the far end of the table, but the other end was covered with even more flowers, at least three vases full from what Persephone could see.

The kitchen was spotless, and she would have guessed they were going to order in if it wasn't for the pan still sitting on the stove.

The blinds were open and the lights were only low, meaning that she could see out the windows clearly. There was music playing softly, almost too quiet for Persephone to place it, but after a second she realised it was a song from one of her own playlists.

“Hades, this is perfect,” she said, still looking around. She finally realised what was missing from the picture, “where are the dogs?”

“Behaving themselves for once,” he laughed, pulling her further into the room, not giving her a chance to edge her way into the kitchen.

She rolled her eyes at him but walked down the table to sit down. Hades pulled a bottle of rose from an ice bucket and poured her a glass quickly, putting the bottle back before grabbing his own bottle of red that was standing on the table. 

“Congrats on finishing your exams unscathed,” he said, tilting his glass towards hers.

She smiled and clinked their glasses gently before talking a large sip of the wine that Hades always kept stocked and was soon becoming her favourite.

“Thank you,” she said, “and congrats yourself,” she winked and leaned her glass forward again.

She’d spotted the first advert today; it was the Pomegranate Tech logo with just ‘coming soon’ written underneath, but that meant all the work was officially out of Hades’ hands.

She wouldn't be surprised if he had signed the final paperwork a few days again and just not told her yet so as not to steal her thunder.

Unsurprisingly he rolled his eyes but also touched his glass to hers, “I didn’t really do any of the actual work.”

“Classic CEO move,” Persephone smirked and he seemed shocked at her for a second.

“Oh, is that how it is?” He asked her, raising an eyebrow, the effect slightly ruined by the smile on his face.

She looked at him innocently over the top of her wine glass.

“I see,” he said, not even trying to hide his smile now, “so you don’t want to see what I’ve been up to today?”

“And deprive you of a chance to show off your cooking abilities? I would never do that to you.”

He smiled but stood quickly as if that was his queue, “I’ll just be a minute Sweetness.”

True to his word Hades only spent a short time in the kitchen. Persephone tried to see what he was up to but the vases on the far end of the table provided an effective screen so she could only see him from the shoulders up. 

She thought she could hear him stirring something in the pan but when he came back he was holding two plates of what looked like salad.

“Beetroot and walnut,” he explained as he set one down in front of her.

Persephone resisted the urge to snap a picture of the pretty looking salad before picking up a fork and taking her first bite.

“This is amazing,” she said, meeting his eye and blushing when she realised he was waiting for her reaction before he started eating his own food.

“I’m glad you like it,” he said, picking up his own fork and starting to eat with her. 

He asked about her last exam and Persephone couldn’t help but feel like she was bragging just a touch as she explained how easy she had found it. But he just looked proud with her so she didn’t feel too bad about her confidence.

He quickly gathered her plate up when they had both finished eating and Persephone tried to subtly lean back to see around the floral barrier as he walked towards the kitchen, but Hades just smirked at her.

She definitely heard the lid of the pan this time and could hear him stirring something.

Persephone tried to occupy herself by pouring another glass of wine for herself and Hades, but she could still feel her ears tuned into the smallest noise in the kitchen. 

She sat up in her seat when Hades walked back to the table holding two shallow bowls. He was holding them up high in his hands so she couldn’t see into them yet and she couldn’t help but sigh and roll her eyes.

He put the dish down in front of her and it took Persephone a second to recognise it.

“Paella?” She asked excitedly.

He nodded and Persephone grabbed her fork and took a bite quickly, immediately regretting it when she almost burned her mouth.

She covered her mouth and looked guiltily at him.

“It’s lovely,” she said when she’d finally managed to swallow.

“It’s hot,” he said unnecessarily.

Persephone laughed, “yes it is, consider my lesson learned.”

He rolled his eyes but also started eating, and Persephone couldn’t help but ask him about the recipe.

She could see the tell tale signs of his embarrassment as he explained how he had to look for a vegetarian recipe; something he did quite often now but Persephone was always grateful for the extra effort he put in.

She questioned him about his week, hiding a smile when he admitted that he had technically passed the release onto the next team on Wednesday, but hadn’t wanted to distract her from her exams.

As soon she had taken the last bite she sat back in her chair and took a deep breath. She knew she had eaten too much, but the paella was too good to leave so she had persevered with the last few bites and was now regretting it slightly.

“Want to wait a minute for desert?” Hades asked her, the slight twinkle in his eyes telling her that he already knew what her answer would be.

“Yes please,” she said, having a drink of her wine.

“Whatever will we do to pass the time?” He asked her, but he didn’t wait for an answer before standing up.

He took his suit jacket off quickly and rested it on the back of his chair.

He played around on his phone for a second as he walked around the table, the music slowly getting louder until Persephone could hear it clearly.

He walked down her side of the table towards her and she pushed her chair back slightly, wondering what he had planned.

Hades held a hand out to her when he reached her and she was soon pulled to her feet and lead down the table.

Hades stopped when they reached the empty space that divided the kitchen and the sitting area and looked down at her seriously.

“Dance with me?” He asked her, and Persephone could see the nerves pull around his eyes and the way he swallowed as soon as he had spoken.

She couldn’t imagine someone turning down such an invitation but evidently it had happened in the past.

At least she could put his worries out of mind for now.

“It would be my pleasure,” she replied, stepping into his arms and reaching up to rest her free hand on his shoulder.

Due to her heels it wasn’t the stretch it usually was so as soon as he had rested a hand on her waist they started swaying.

Persephone had only had a few dance lessons as a child, not that any of it stuck, so she was fully prepared to stay like that for the night. Hades clearly had different plans, and led her in a slow dance that matched the song perfectly.

“I don’t actually know how to dance,” she confessed.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got you. You’re doing great,” he promised, continuing to lead her in circles on the marble.

Persephone could only thank whatever gods were watching out for her that she didn’t step on his feet once.

During the song she rested her head on his chest, not quite managing to ignore the way he tensed up for a second under her hands before relaxing again.

She hid her frown in his chest, scolding herself for forgetting his boundaries again. 

The next song was more upbeat and Persephone couldn’t help but laugh as Hades tried to coax her into a faster dance. She was used to wearing heels, but she was still nervous in these, they were a good two inches taller than she was used to after all.

Unsurprisingly the arm he kept wrapped around her waist seemed to catch her whenever she was teetering too far one way and quickly righted her, but Hades gave no indication that he knew she had nearly fallen.

Halfway through he let go of her waist and held her hand up and Persephone obliged by spinning on the spot, smiling as her dress rose with the movement. 

Hades pulled her in close once again but this time she hesitated before resting her head back on his chest. 

She met his eyes and she could feel her heart break as she recognised the sadness there. He’d obviously noticed her wariness.

“We should probably talk about that right?” He asked lowly, his voice catching slightly as they stopped moving.

“Only if you want to,” she replied, “I can wait until you’re ready.”

“I-“ he cut himself off and Persephone waited, “I want to, I do, just not-“ he looked around the wide room and Persephone could guess he was feeling a little exposed, even in the low light. “Not here.”

“Okay,” she said, taking a careful step back, still not moving out of the range of his arms yet, “where?”

He looked lost for a second, as if he hadn’t thought this out yet, but his voice was sure when he spoke “bedroom.”

She nodded and allowed herself to be pulled past the couches and down the corridor. The dogs poked their heads out of the guest room and their own room as they passed, but none of them approached them. 

Even Pomelia, who was tucked between Cerberus’ front legs, stayed where she was and Persephone had to admit she was impressed with their training, as well as wondering how many treats Hades had bribed them with before she had arrived.

Hades didn't seem to notice them, he was looking straight ahead and Persephone had to wonder if he wasn’t afraid he’d lose his nerve if he looked at her.

They slipped into his bedroom and he finally let go of her hand.

“I’m sorry about this,” he said and Persephone resisted the urge to comfort him immediately, wanting to know exactly what he was worrying about, “I don’t usually have so many problems with my-“ he cut himself off and just gestured to his chest.

“You don't need to apologise to me,” she reassured him, “I just want to know what I can do to avoid making you uncomfortable.”

“I don’t want you to stop doing anything,” he confessed, sounding guilty, “I just-”

He cut himself off and Persephone moved so she was sitting on the end of his bed, “just what?”

“I never usually think anything of them,” he said quickly, moving so he was facing her, “usually it doesn’t matter if someone sees the scars because they already know or it’s just a fling or-” he flinched and Persephone made to stand but stopped when he held his palm up. 

She crossed her legs and leaned forward on them, crossing her hands across her knees to stop her fidgeting. The only movement she allowed was the slight tap of her heel in the air.

“I don’t like them,” he said, chewing his lip, “and I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable, I know they’re not nice to look at.”

Persephone frowned and tilted her head, “Hades, I would never-”

“I know,” he said quickly, “I know that, I do, but still I-”

He wasn’t meeting her eyes and Persephone swore she could feel a pain in her chest just seeing how her boyfriend was so scared of her in that moment.

“I don’t want you to think,” he took a deep breath, “I know you’re not ready to take things further yet, but you don’t have to worry about seeing them, ever, if you don't want to. I can wear a T-shirt-”

She did stand at that and his eyes snapped to hers, “Hades,” she whispered not even knowing what to say, she just knew she wanted to cut that thought off before he finished it. “Why do you think I would be uncomfortable?”

He grimaced but pushed the truth out, “my last girlfriend didn’t, she never wanted to see them.”

Persephone felt like her eyes had been opened, “and she made you keep your shirt on when you were-” she tried to keep the blush back but it was futile, “-uh, intimate?”

He nodded and Persephone took a step closer to him, “can I see them?” She asked quietly.

He looked at her with panic in his eyes for a second before nodding slowly, the panic fading to grim determination, as if he knew this was coming, “yes, I- yeah.” 

He moved past her towards the bed, keeping his back to her and his head down, but Persephone could hear the quiet rustling of fabric. His tie was dropped to the floor and her eyes followed his arms as they slowly moved down his chest.

He stood still for a few minutes, still facing away and Persephone gave him that time to steel himself.

Persephone already knew before seeing them that the scars wouldn’t even have an effect on the way she currently felt about him. She’d realised that she loved him weeks ago, and although the time had never seemed right to say it she tried to put it into her actions. Looking back she knew now that he probably wouldn’t have believed her even if she had said it out loud.

Persephone knew all about anxiety and how it could make even the most rational people doubt themselves, and looking at her boyfriend now she couldn’t deny that it had taken hold of this insecurity and ran with it. 

She knew that there was probably a cause for this, and blaming his ex-girlfriend didn’t take a lot of effort.

She clenched and unclenched her hands into fists as she waited, wondering what kind of woman would make Hades so insecure about something he has no control over. The more she thought about it the angrier she got, but she tried to let it go for now, Hades didn’t deserves her anger. 

Hades deserved her love and full acceptance, no matter what, and she would give it to him gladly.

He finally turned after what felt like hours and Persephone couldn’t help but gasp as she saw his scars.

They ran across his chest like lightning, the white scars standing out clearly against his dark skin. They covered his entire chest, the first one starting at his left pectoral and seeming to disappear under his belt. 

They weren’t all one thickness, some were wider than others and Persephone couldn’t even imagine what might have made them. She didn’t even know if she wanted to find out.

“Hades,” she breathed, and reached out a hand as she stepped forward.

He took a step back and she paused, his legs had hit the bed frame now and he effectively had nowhere to go. She didn’t want him to feel trapped but she didn’t want him to go on for another second thinking she wouldn’t accept him- that she didn’t love him- like this.

“Can I?” She asked, reaching her hand out again.

He nodded and Persephone tried to ignore how tightly his jaw was clenched.  

Her hand finally made contact with his warm skin, her hand resting on the scar that was directly over his heart. He flinched and she pulled back slightly, “do they still hurt?”

He shook his head and Persephone put her hand back slowly, keeping the eye contact he had granted her.

He closed his eyes when her palm was resting over the scar and she couldn’t help but lean forward and press a kiss to the centre of his chest.

“Persephone,” he sighed, “you don’t have to-”

“I’m not doing anything I don’t want to,” she said plainly, watching him shiver as her warm breath hit his chest.

She lifted her other hand and placed it on his chest as well. He swallowed but looked down at her now.

She slid her hands around under the shirt that was hanging at his sides, never breaking contact with his skin and only stopping when her cheek was flat against his sternum and she was hugging him.

His own hands wrapped around her hesitantly, and she pressed another kiss to his chest when he embraced her fully.

“Thank you,” he whispered and Persephone felt the tell tale pressure at her crown that meant he had kissed her.

She pulled back and looked up at him seriously, not ignorant of the fact that he had bared his heart, both metaphorically and physically, and she had done nothing in return.

“Hades, I love every part of you,” she let that sit in the air for a second, smiling as she finally said it out loud, “nothing you could show me would change that.”

“Persephone I-” even as he spoke she could see the worry in his eyes still and she wanted it gone. 

She pulled her hands back around and pressed against his chest lightly, cutting off his sentence and pushing him gently down onto the bed.

He only sat down at first, his head tilting so he was still looking into her eyes, but she didn’t let up the pressure and he fell back easily. The duvet made a satisfying whump as his willingly let her lay him out in front of her.

He didn't make a noise, his eyes were watching her intently to see what her next move was. The front of his shirt fell to the bed and his whole chest was bared for her now.

She climbed onto the bed and sat on his thighs, making sure she kept her sharp heels away from his body.

Her hands automatically rested on his chest, holding herself up and simultaneously keeping him down.

“Is this okay?” She asked him, he just nodded silently in reply.

Persephone leaned down again and pressed a kiss to the scar directly over his heart and she could feel the goosebumps under her lips.

She worked her way across his chest, pressing kisses to the centre of each line until she couldn’t feel him shivering anymore. 

“Do you want to talk about them?” She asked gently, her eyes flicking up meet his.

“I- yeah,” he said, sounding shocked, as if no one had ever asked him that before, “my father, he-” his nose scrunched up as he tried to find the words, “he wasn’t a nice person.”

Persephone kept her eyes on him but didn’t say a word, the only movement she made was to continue pressing little kisses to his chest.

“I don’t think he ever wanted kids,” he confessed, his hands coming up to rest on her hips, his fingers dipping under the back of her dress and stroking over the skin there. “He didn’t like the attention my mother gave us, and he took it out on us. I was six when he used the belt for the first time. It only got worse as I got older, he would always find new things to use to hurt me, to hurt us.”

His voice was detached at this point, like he was talking about a TV show. Almost as if it wasn’t something that had happened to him. Persephone had to wonder how many times he had told this story over the years.

Persephone worked hard to keep her fingers moving smoothly over his skin calmly, but she could feel her eyes watering at the thought of Hades as a scared child. “Poseidon and Zeus too?” She asked, her voice was rough, already sounding like she was on the verge of tears.

Hades shook his head, “no, I, I couldn’t let him hurt them too.”

Persephone curled over his chest and she could feel a tear fall, “I’m so sorry Hades,” she whispered into his skin, “you didn’t deserve that.”

His hand cupped the back of her head, keeping her there but he didn’t say anything.

She didn’t know what else she could say that hadn’t been already said by countless professionals, and no doubt Hades’ own brothers, over the years.

Persephone turned her head to the side and let herself relax against him. She was content to lie there for as long as Hades’ needed, occasionally turning her head back to his chest to press a small kiss into his skin.

She didn’t know what he was thinking, but he didn’t tense up at her touch now, and after a while his whole body shuddered and seemed to relax under her. She glanced up at his face but he was staring at the ceiling, his lips parted and his breathing even.

After another few minutes she laid her palms on the bed on either side of Hades’ head and pushed herself up.

She had shifted forward in order to reach his chest better but she hadn’t taken into account how much. Her face was almost directly over Hades’ now, and her hair was acting almost like a barrier, closing them off from the rest of the bedroom.

He smiled up at her shyly and Persephone couldn’t help but give him one in return. She shifted slightly so she could sweep her hair over one shoulder, but instead of putting her hand back on the bed she cupped his cheek.

She leaned forward and gave him a second to protest, just in case he needed some space after their heavy talk, but his eyes darted down to her lips and she could see his tongue run over his own lip in anticipation.

She closed the gap quickly, immediately slotting their lips together and tightening her grip slightly on his cheek.

Hades’ hand moved up her back, pulling her closer and moulding her body to his. His grip was stronger than usual, not giving her even an inch to move away.

She could practically feel his desperation, as if he thought he wouldn't have this again, and Persephone pulled out all the tricks that Hades usually used against her to prove that wrong. She moved her hand up his face, running her fingers through his hair before closing it into a fist and giving it an experimental tug.

Hades gasped and she took full advantage, pulling his bottom lip between her teeth and biting down gently, making sure she ran her tongue over it afterwards to sooth any sting.

Her tongue found it’s way into Hades’ mouth and instead of easing to sweet kisses (as their make out sessions so often did), she found herself keeping the same levels of passion and somehow still pushing for more.

It was only when she heard a small moan from the back of Hades’ throat did she stop.

Although her arm was shaking at this point she still pushed herself up to see the full picture. Hades had his eyes closed and his head was back against the bed, his breath was coming in short pants and his lips were red and slightly swollen.

She watched and waited until his eyes opened slightly and his lips curled up into a smirk.

Before he could speak she pulled his hair again, a little harder this time, and he followed the movement beautifully. Now baring his throat to her Persephone wasted no time in bending down and pressing wet kisses down the column of his throat. 

Usually she would halt there, but now that his chest was available she didn’t bother, letting the kisses continue, shifting back onto his thighs so she could get a better angle.

When she was confident that she’d managed to kiss all the skin available to her she pushed herself up once more and sat back to admire the view.

Hades was looking up at her, but instead of seeing and hesitance or worry in his eyes she could only see his trust.

“I love you Hades,” she said, running her hands over his chest still. Due to her perch on his thighs she had kept to the top section of his chest, but now her hands slowly made their way lower. A small part of her fascinated by the definition on his abs even as she traced over the silver marks etched into his skin.

He sat up suddenly and Persephone felt the muscles tense under her fingers. She would have toppled to the floor if it wasn’t for his arms wrapping around her and holding her in place.

“Persephone,” his voice was rough, and Persephone could feel her stomach clench with arousal. He pressed his forehead into her shoulder, “Persephone.”

He was whispering her name like it was a prayer and she gave him a moment, stroking his hair down and resting her arms on his shoulders.

He leaned back and looked up at her earnestly, “I love you,” he whispered back. “I didn't think it could be like this, not for me. But I do, I love you.”

The noise Persephone made could only be described as a single note of delighted laugher, before she pulled Hades’ in for another kiss. When they broke apart she pressed a kiss to his forehead, then his cheeks, moving to his nose, before returning to his lips.

She was chanting her love under her breath, she didn’t know if Hades could hear her but it didn’t matter either way.

While they were still kissing Hades moved one hand to her ass, Persephone obliged by pushing back against it, but Hades clearly had other plans.

He gripped her and stood suddenly, turning quickly and dropping her back onto the bed, so Persephone was lying in the middle looking up at him.

As he climbed onto the bed, resuming his place between his legs, Persephone felt that familiar clench turn into an ache.

He was careful not to press all his weight onto her, but during the movement her dress had risen slightly, meaning only the thin fabric of her underwear was separating her and the buckle on Hades’ belt.

She couldn’t find any leverage to push herself up, not wanting to put her heels on Hades’ bedding, so she laid there as he kissed her, powerless to hurry it along.

While he kissed her he shifted his knees so they were pushing her legs further up and apart. He pulled back and Persephone looked down, moaning at the way her ass was resting on Hades’ thighs now, her back arching slightly by the position.

It removed all contact between them. Well, it removed the contact she was most enjoying, which was a smart move on Hades part. She knew she was overcome with her feelings right now and getting carried away with Hades before she was ready was the last thing she’d want to do. 

She would, no doubt, thank him for that later, if only she wasn’t so-

“Hades,” she practically whined, trying, and failing, to shift her hips closer.

“Don't be like that, Sweetness,” he said quietly, his voice rich and smooth and too rough for him to even try to hide how turned on he was.

He sat up onto his thighs and just looked at her. Persephone could feel a blush heating her face as she imagined what he was seeing right now.

He ran his hands up her thighs, but the movement unmistakably righted her dress and gave her back some semblance of dignity. 

In the same movement he had grabbed her right ankle and gently took hold of her shoe, by some miracle her dress didn’t rise again.

“These are so beautiful,” he commented, “why don’t you wear them more often?”

Persephone was finding it hard to concentrate with the way his thumb was slowly stroking circles into her inner ankle, “uh, they’re expensive, I only wear them for special occasions.”

The movement stopped and Hades tilted his head, assessing her, “I would buy you a pair for every day of the year if it meant you would wear them.”

Persephone couldn’t help her laughter at that, glad he was back to his good humour, even if she felt a little winded right now.

“Then I’ll be in pain,” she told him.

Hades looked down at the shoe again, his fingers playing with the wings, “they hurt?”

“Only a little,” she promised him, his mouth twisted anyway.

“Do you want me to take them off?”

Persephone was about to wave off his concern but he looked so eager and hopeful that she couldn’t help but nod, “yes please.”

He set about his task, working the thin leather bands through the tiny buckle and Persephone could feel it as the first shoe was pried from her foot.

She groaned as he dropped it to the bed and moved his thumbs up her soles, massaging the ache that they had left.

He absently rested her leg against his chest so her foot was at level with his face and picked up her other ankle.

The dress was a lost cause once again and Persephone could feel her chest flush now. She had chosen her underwear carefully, knowing she would probably end up sleeping in one of Hades’ T-shirt’s and needed to take into account how that might roll up in the night. 

The pink lace panties she had decided on were more of a risk than she would usually take, but she had only imagined Hades potentially getting a glimpse of her ass in the morning. She hadn’t considered the possibility that they might be completely exposed to him tonight, but even as he manhandled her legs into a more suitable position she found she wasn’t uncomfortable.

Too absorbed in his task, Hades hadn’t even noticed. He was looking at the ankle strap with the same determination she’d seen him direct towards his monthly budget reports. 

As soon as that shoe was free he dropped it to the bed with the other one and gave her foot the same treatment. His eyes finally slid to hers and he seemed to realise the position he had put her in.

“Sorry!” He said quickly, trying to slide her leg down his arm but only managing to expose her more.

Persephone laughed but struggled up onto her elbows, reaching down to pull the dress down between her legs.

“Don’t worry,” she reassured him as he unentangled their limbs, “it’s worth it to get the shoes off.”

He shuffled back from her, leaving her alone in the middle of the bed as he stopped up the shoes by the ankle straps. He held them up to the light and he sighed wistfully, “it’s a shame it hurts to wear them.”

“I can wear them for a while,” Persephone said, moving to stand, “it was probably all the dancing.”

Hades grinned down at her and she felt herself grinning back as she gingerly put her foot on the floor, trying to make sure her foot wouldn’t cramp.

“Anyway,” she said, finally vertical and able to fix her dress so it was back in the right places, “it looks like you are overdressed to this party right now.”

“Oh am I?” He said absently as he placed the shoes on a shelf in his wardrobe.

“You are,” she said firmly, “I’m only wearing two items of clothing right now, you should match me.”

She said it with a confidence she didn’t really feel, not wanting to push Hades too much in one night. But she also didn’t miss the way he mouthed ‘two’ along with her, his eyes darting down to her chest quickly.

Instead of freezing up he looked down at his shirt thoughtfully, it was completely unbuttoned and hanging uselessly at his sides.

“I suppose,” he muttered, and then shot her a grin before toeing his shoes off.

She raised an unimpressed eyebrow and watching as he took his socks off as well.

“Hades,” she scolded when it looked like he was done, “you have one more to go.”

“Hmm, you’re very demanding,” he took a step towards her, “and what makes you think I’m wearing underwear?”

Persephone’s brain short circuited for a minute before the sound of Hades’ laughter broke through.

“I’m kidding,” he said, shrugging the shirt off fully before approaching her. “Happy?”

“Almost,” she whispered, shaking her head slightly to clear it, “don’t think I’ve forgot what we were doing before.”

“And what were we doing before?” He murmured, pulling her to his chest.

“Something that was interrupted, but I intend to finish,” she promised into his chest. “Right now.”

“Oh?” He sounded curious now and Persephone could only hold her smirk in for a minute.

“I believe we were in the middle of a dance,” she looked up at him, “and I was promised desert.”

His eyes softened and he pressed a kiss to her forehead, “consider it done.”

“Good,” she said, breaking out of his hold and dragging him to the door.

A few minutes later they were back in the main hall. The music was still playing and Hades swept her into his arms and they were dancing once more.

She needed to reach a little higher in order to put her hand on his shoulder, their height difference more pronounced now that she wasn’t wearing her shoes, but he only held her more securely against his bare chest.

This time when he led her in a spin he surprised her by catching her around the waist and dipping her almost in half, her lose hair touching the floor easily. She trusted that he wouldn't let her fall and was giggling by the time he righted her.

Her giggling seemed to be infectious and soon Hades was laughing with her, wrapping his arms around her waist and picking her up, her chin level with his brow as he spun on the spot slowly.

She couldn’t resist the urge to kiss Hades while she was on his level but he only allowed a short peck before he was slowly releasing her to slide down his chest, only stopping when her feet were firmly on the floor.

“Does that fulfil the dancing quota of the evening?” He asked her teasingly.

Persephone pretended to think it through, “it’s enough for now,” she acquiesced, “is this where you bring out desert?”

“Of course,” he said, taking her hand and leading her to the kitchen.

Instead of pulling out one of the stools at the breakfast bar he surprised her by lifting her quickly and sitting her down on the island.

She shifted to try and make sure she was sitting on her dress, barely recovering from the initial shock of the cool marble on her thighs.

Hades turned and was routing in the fridge once more, first pulling out a cake pan and then a covered bowl.

Persephone tried to see what he had put together but his broad shoulders and chest was effectively blocking her view once more.

Now she could see his back in the light she could see that it wasn’t free of the marks either. She didn’t know if the light was harsher out here, or if the wounds had cut deeper, but the scars seemed to be more pronounced.

She longed to reach out and brush her hand over them, to see if Hades would let her kiss over them as well. 

But all too soon he was turning around, a plate with a slice of cheesecake and some sliced strawberries lying artfully on top in each hand.

“Voila,” he murmured as he put the plate down on the marble counter next to her. He handed her a spoon quickly and smiled, “I don’t bake often so you’ll have to let me know how I did.”

He seemed nervous and Persephone looked at him sceptically before picking the plate up and inspecting the slice.

The slice couldn’t have been more perfect if it was on the cover of a food magazine, Hades’ own high standards and attention to detail couldn’t have it any other way. Persephone scooped up a spoonful, making sure she had some strawberries on the spoon as well, and took the first bite.

She held back a moan and put the plate down, waving the spoon around as she chewed and swallowed.

“Hades this is delicious,” she told him seriously, using her spoon to gesture to the plate.

“Really?” He said, his own plate ignored on the counter as he rested his head on his hands, leaning over the counter and watching her intently.

“Absolutely,” she said, taking another bite. “Mark this down as a success.”

He nodded but still didn't take his eyes off her, content to just watch her eat her way through her slice.

Persephone would have felt self-conscious, but she’d learned early on that Hades loved to cook for her and then watch her enjoy the meals he made.

She’d asked him about it once, and he had shared a small smile and replied quietly, ‘I like seeing you happy,’ and her heart had melted.

Persephone only had a few bites left when Hades finally stood up, sighing as if she was causing him great pain, and started to eat his own slice.

“Do you want any more?” He asked her when she finished.

She shook her head but slowly shuffled from the counter, taking care when dropping to the floor. Hades could see where she was heading and started to shake his head.

“I’ll do it later,” he promised her as she made her way towards the sink.

“Don't be silly,” she replied, “if I do it now it’ll be out of the way.”

She started running the water and shot him a cheeky glance over her shoulder as she opened the cupboard, “but I could use some assistance if you wouldn’t mind?”

He rolled his eyes but didn't reply through the mouthful of cheesecake.

He stepped closer and Persephone closed her eyes as she felt the warmth of his chest pressing against her bare back, she pushed back slightly, letting her head fall back just like she had the first time so she could watch him.

Hades reached around her to grab the dish soap, pouring some into the sink and returning it to it’s shelf in silence.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

“You’re welcome.”

He pressed a kiss to her forehand and Persephone nearly abandoned the dishes to follow him when he pulled away.

He smirked, almost as if he knew exactly what idea was going through her head, but he returned to his plate for the last few pieces of his desert. 

She shook her head and started washing up. There really wasn't that much to do, Hades must have done the bulk of the cleaning in the day, the only things she needed to clean were the plates they’d eaten off and the pan the paella had been cooking in.

Hades finished eating halfway through, adding his own desert plate to her pile, and then shot her an apologetic look as he added the plates and glasses they had left on the dining table. 

She tilted her head up for a kiss, her hands still in the soapy water and Hades leant down slowly, giving her what she wanted once again.

When she’d washed the last plate she pulled the plug and Hades handed her a towel to dry her hands.

“What do you want to do now Sweetness?”

She’d been thinking about it while she was washing and she smiled shyly at him, “can you teach me how to dance?”

He blinked at her, “what?”

“Nothing fancy,” She said, “just the basic steps so I don’t keep tripping up?”

“I-“ he looked floored by the request, “of course I can.”

He held out a hand to her, like a perfect gentleman, and they walked to the open space once again.

He placed her hand on his shoulder and put his palm against her back, taking her other hand firmly in his. Their form left a few inches of space between them, and Hades told her to watch his feet for now.

He patiently explained the steps to her, moving slowly so she could see exactly where he was going and she could move her own feet out of the way. The song that was playing wasn’t the right tempo for the kind of dance Hades was trying to teach her, but she ignored the song for now, following Hades’ lead flawlessly. 

Soon he was speeding up slightly and Persephone was able to keep up with him this time, although the hand against her lower back was firm he didn’t need to correct her balance once. She didn't feel the need to keep her eyes on their feet anymore, so she raised her eyes to his and found him already watching her, of course he was, and she grinned excitedly.

When the next song started it seemed like it was a good speed, and Hades sped up even more so they were stepping in time to the beat of the song.

“Are you ready?” He asked her, and she nodded, meeting his eyes excitedly. She assumed he was going to lead her in a twirl again, but he surprised her gently pushing her away from him.

She leant back and he held onto both of her hands now. She wasn’t sure how he managed it but he twisted her arms like he was a marionette and soon she was pressed against him, her back to his chest once again. 

He was still holding her hands and swaying to the beat, but now her hands were crossed against her chest and she was effectively trapped.

She sunk into his embrace for the moment, and she was sure he kept them in that position longer than he should’ve, but all too soon he twisted her arms again and she spun out. She only wobbled slightly at the motion but Hades was there, settling her and pulling her against his chest, this time face to face and back to their original positions.

She ignored the distance he had kept between them before and rested her head against his chest. Hades altered his position slightly, so they were just hugging and swaying to the song.

She pressed a kiss to his chest again, “thank you.”

He pulled back and used his index finger to tilt her head back so he could look into her eyes, “for what?”

She shrugged, “for everything, for dinner, for teaching me how to dance, tonight has been perfect.”

He hummed thoughtfully, “well, I had an ulterior motive with teaching you how to dance.”

She leant back in his arms, “oh really?”

“Mmhmm,” he agreed, “if you know how to dance you’ll be more likely to dance with me in future.”

“Hades,” Persephone giggled, “I’ll always dance with you, just now I won’t fall or step on your feet.”

He laughed at that, “I’ll have you know you didn't step on my feet once, and even if you did I’m sure I can put up with it.”

Persephone widened her eyes innocently and smiled when her foot slowly, deliberately, pressed down on his, “oops.”

“Oh, don't worry,” he said, eyes glittering, “I’ve got the perfect solution.”

He bent down and his arms tightened around her waist, when he stood she was at least two feet in the air. Her head was above Hades’ and as she looked down on him she couldn’t help her laughter.

He spun her around and she pressed a kiss to his forehead, letting the dizziness wash over her and making her laugh even more.

Hades joined in and when she looked down at him again he was staring at her with the same kind of wonder he had on that first night.

“I love you,” she whispered, loving the look on recognition on his face when she spoke her first language.

“I love you too sweetness,” he replied, and Persephone adored how he made her nickname sound, even if it didn’t translate exactly.

She buried her head into his neck and he slowly let her slide down his chest until her feet were back on the floor.

“One more dance?” He asked her.

She nodded in reply and soon enough he had pulled her into the correct form, his thumb gently stroking her back where it lay.

She was lost in the moment, the song, Hades’ gentle caresses, so she was completely unprepared when Hades spun her without warning this time; she was only saved by his hand that had shot out the moment she wobbled a little too far.

She shot him an accusing look and he made sure to dip her extra slowly, exaggerating his movements so much that she couldn’t help but laugh. He joined in after a second, stopping his slow movements to right her and pull her into a hug.

The song was coming to the end and it seemed like the noise of their laughter was enough to break whatever spell Hades had put on the dogs to behave; she could hear them crossing the room to see what the commotion was now.

Hades let go of her and they broke apart, before they knew it they were both surrounded by the dogs.

Pomelia was jumping up at Persephone’s legs and whining forlornly, no doubt hurt by the fact that she had been ignored all night.

The rest of the dogs were circling the couple, the only glaring exception was Cordon Bleu who was sitting five feet away and looking on in disdain.

Hades sighed, “well, they were good for most of the night.”

“They did so well!” Persephone said, trying to pat as many dogs as she could, “weren’t you? Such good boys!”

Big John nudged her way under Persephone’s palm and she nearly melted, “and good girls too, I didn't forget you!”

Her tail was wagging quickly and Persephone couldn’t help but give her extra scritches between the ear when she noticed.

Hades bent down and picked up Pomelia when it looked like she was in danger of being trampled, “I would hope so, with the amount of treats I gave them.”

Persephone laughed at that, “and you earned every single one of them didn't you?” She asked the excited dogs.

They all wagged their tails in agreement and Hades let a small smile cross his face.

“Did you have any plans for the rest of the night?” She asked him.

“Not really,” he shrugged, but held a hand out to her and pulled her over to the couch. “Figured we could watch a film?”

“That sounds perfect,” she said, taking Pomelia from him as he went to get the remote. “Do you want to get changed now or later?”

He looked at her thoughtfully for a second before deciding, “now.”

Persephone nodded and started heading down the corridor towards his bedroom. Most of the dogs had always wandered off but Big John and Cerberus were still circling her as she went.

She could feel more than hear Hades following her, their footsteps practically silent on the marble and definitely covered by the noise the dogs were making now.

They reached his door and the dogs followed them in, taking a moment to sniff at Pomelia when she was dropped onto the bed. Persephone grabbed one of his pyjama sets out of his wardrobe and threw the pants to him. 

“Do you want a T-Shirt?” She asked hesitantly, she didn’t want to pressure him either way, she just wanted him to be comfortable.

“Oh,” he looked down at his chest, “no, I’ll be okay.”

Persephone nodded and walked to the bathroom, “I’ll just be a second,” she promised.

She stripped the dress off quickly and chewed her lip as she tried to pull the tape off silently. She winced as the last piece came off and she folded it over on itself.

She washed the area with a bit of water to get rid of any lingering stickiness but soon she was dressed once again, this time in Hades’ T-shirt. 

She brushed her teeth, knowing she was likely to fall asleep while they watched a film and Hades would be the one to put her in bed, this would be one less thing to think of.

She knocked before stepping out of the bathroom, not surprised to see Hades leaning back on the bed, Pomelia curled up on his chest and the other dogs resting at his feet. He was just in the trousers now, the waist band sitting almost teasingly low on his hips.

“All done,” she whispered, licking her lips while she stared shamelessly.

“Do you want to take Pomelia and I’ll be out in a minute?” He suggested, stepping carefully over the dogs and handing the puppy to her. 

Persephone was realising now that she hadn’t got the full effect earlier. She also hadn’t been around a half naked man, who wasn’t only hot like burning but was also her boyfriend, before. The waist on Hades’ suit pants sat higher than his pyjamas did and while she hadn’t thought there would be a big difference she could feel her cheeks heating as she almost couldn’t look away. The waistband seemed to be resting a millimetre above indecent, the muscles on Hades’ stomach flexing as he moved and with it the pants threatened to drop even lower.

“Yep!” Persephone said, perhaps a little too loudly, “I can do that.”

Hades shot her a confused look but bent over to give her a quick peck on the forehead, “okay Sweetness, see you in a minute.”

He walked into the bathroom and Persephone took a second to pull herself together. The dogs looked at her, almost judging, and she could feel her cheeks heating again.

“Oh like you’d do any better,” she muttered to them before stepping out of the room and heading to the main room.

She sat down and pulled one of her favourite blankets onto the couch. She wasn’t surprised to see that Cerberus and Big John had followed her over. Out of all the dogs they were the most likely to join Hades and Persephone for some cuddles, after Pomelia of course.

She dropped Pomelia on the couch for now and quickly poured her and Hades another drink, this time opting for water, before grabbing the remote and loading Netflix up.

When Hades returned and sat down Pomelia moved so she was sandwiched between them, her usual place when they watched films. Persephone rested her head on Hades’ chest as she usually did, but instead of his usual button down or soft T-Shirt she could only feel his skin under her cheek.

Almost like clockwork Persephone yawned. The simple act of getting ready for bed had never failed to bring on her sleepiness and she knew she’d be asleep before the film was over.

“What do you want to watch?” He whispered.

“You chose,” Persephone told him through another yawn, handing the remote over.

She could feel his slight nod from where she was lying, but she just watched him click through the menu on Netflix. He didn’t seem to be aiming for anything in particular but he skipped over all the action films quickly, which Persephone appreciated.

Cerberus and Big John settled in front of their feet, both seemingly content to stay down there for the time being.

Hades made a surprised noise when he spotted something and his scrolling seemed to take on more purpose. He finally stopped on Stardust and Persephone had to ask.

“Have you seen this before?”

“No,” he admitted, “but I’ve read the book.”

“It’s good,” she mumbled.

That seemed to decide it for Hades and he pressed play, setting the remote to one side so he could use both hands to trace patterns over Persephone’s back.

The movie started and Persephone could already feel herself falling asleep, the combination of Hades’ idle tracing and the narrator’s soothing voice was proving to be her downfall.

“Wha-” she was roused by Hades shifting on the couch.

He looked at her guiltily for a second before continuing to move, slowly moving sideway so he was lying down across the couch, with Persephone trapped between his body and the back of the couch.

He arranged the blanket again so she was covered and Persephone couldn’t help but notice how gentle he was as he tucked her in.

Pomelia huffed and crawled under the blankets, turning on Hades’ stomach and lying back down so her head was just peeping out of the top, once again sandwiched in by her two favourite people.

“Comfy?” Hades asked her quietly.

Persephone nodded, her eyes closing and already halfway back asleep.

“Good idea,” she mumbled against his chest, instead of freezing Hades only shivered this time, “that’s why you get paid the big bucks.”

Hades laughed at that, his chest rumbled comfortingly under Persephone’s cheek and that, along with the calming music coming from the movie, was enough to carry her off to sleep.