Work Text:
Rising from the Styx, Zagreus wipes at a trickle of the water on his neck with an annoyed click of his tongue.
"Please, everyone, hold your applause." He mumbles sarcastically, grateful that most lingering shades ignored his arrival. He wordlessly steps past Hypnos, who glances up from his work at him, surprised at how soon Zagreus was back.
"You didn't even make it past Asphodel?!" Hypnos chirps, either ignoring or blissfully unaware of how annoyed Zagreus looks.
"Not this time," Zagreus says, voice tight and clearly about to snap. "Didn't have the best luck this time around."
Before Hypnos can say anything else, Zagreus continues on his way. He can see Persephone speaking quietly with her husband, glancing at her son as she does. He can't hear their words, but he can hear the disapproval in his Father's voice, a familiar cadence that tightens his jaw. They knew; of course, they knew; they were his superiors as well as his parents. Any mistakes he made or failures to do his job would be told to them eventually, no matter what he did to hide it. Not that he was trying to hide it. At least not very hard.
His Mother looks his way again, expression unreadable, and it becomes too much. Quickly taking the side entrance to the lounge, he hides himself from her gaze, shoulders rising in shame. The sight of Megaera relieves him, but only slightly, as her knowing look keeps his worries stuck in his chest.
"Didn't make it out again, Zag?" She asks, watching him steal a sip from her drink without protest, used to his doing so by now. "That's what; the thirtieth time in a row now?"
"Thirty-seventh." He grumbles, shifting anxiously. Megaera watches him as he does before shrugging.
"They might just be busy." She says before rolling her eyes when Zagreus chuckles, dry and humorless.
"What, all of them? At the same time? I've already told you that their support has become few and far between, but..." he trails off, finishing the last of Megaera's drink. "This time there was nothing. Not even Artemis, and she's been the last to actively stay in touch like this. Besides Hermes, but he has more of a... financial incentive to do so."
Megaera hums, refilling her glass. She pointedly stares at her fiance as she takes the first sip before relinquishing the glass again, a wordless reminder that it was hers to begin with . He swirls the amber liquid inside, watching as it lazily spins, the whirlpool that forms dissipating when he raises the glass to his lips as Megaera speaks again.
"Maybe they've finally gotten bored of it. No offense, Zag, but your family up above aren't exactly known for being good, consistent workers. It might be time for you to start trying to escape without their help." She says, lips pursing in sympathy when Zagreus presses his elbows to the table, hands anxiously buried in his hair.
"I can't afford that. I can't suddenly start failing like this. It'll mess up my numbers, and that'll affect the repair schedule, not to mention the impact on the usual scheduled rumors to the surface--" he starts rambling, tugging at the dark strands between his fingers. Megaera listens with a surprisingly soft expression, sympathetic to his anxieties. It had been what felt like ages since she had seen him like this last, long before his journey to find Persephone even began. His anxieties were different now, more about his new job than about parchment work that he hardly understood like before, but the energy was the same. That unspoken fear and anxiety was back as if it had never left, the fear of how his Father would retaliate in response to Zagreus' failure.
"Listen to me, Zagreus. If this was the same as before, I would completely understand. " She starts, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "But it's different now. Your Mother is far more understanding, and she might even agree with me that learning to escape without them is a natural step in your career."
Zagreus slowly untangles his fingers from his hair, looking up to Megaera, who further urges him out of his hands. He speaks, voice uncharacteristically meek and fearful.
"Do you think she'll be mad?" He asks weakly, making Megaera reach out to gently rest a hand on his arm.
"Not at all," she reassures him before looking over her shoulder when he looks to the entrance of the lounge with an anxious sigh. Persephone scans the small crowd of shades before her gaze settles on Zagreus, her expression stoic. She approaches, giving her son and his partner a respectful smile.
"Welcome home, son." She says softly, gently taking his hand. Megaera watches cautiously before dipping her head politely, seeing that Persephone wants to take Zagreus elsewhere.
"Would you come with me to the garden? We need to talk," the Queen asks softly, smiling when Zagreus offers his arm. Wordlessly, he leads them both to their quiet corner of nature in the darkness of the Underworld. Megaera watches them leave, finishing off the rest of her drink with a quiet sigh. Stepping out into the garden, Persephone takes a grounding breath, eyes scanning the leaves above her. She turns, a hand gently resting on her chest as she watches Zagreus shift from foot to foot. When she opens her mouth to speak, she jolts when Zagreus cuts her off.
"I'm sorry." He blurts, unable to meet her eyes. "I know you're probably furious, but I'm trying-- I promise I'm trying my best. It's just-- I'll make sure my numbers go back up! I'll do whatever I can!"
Persephone blinks in surprise, pursing her lips in confusion.
"Zagreus, sweetheart. Breathe ." She says, stepping close enough to gently grip his arms, thumbs rubbing over his skin in a comforting way. " What in the world are you talking about? "
"My...my job? I haven't successfully made it to the surface in a while..." he says, almost confused himself when Persephone nods. "Isn't that...aren't I in trouble? For failing? That's what you wanted to talk to me about, right...?"
Shaking her head, Persephone reaches up to gently run her hands through his hair to soothe and comfort him.
"Not at all, son. Your Father and I discussed this a while ago. We know how your family up above are; we knew you'd have to adapt to your work without them eventually. It's alright." She says softly, smiling when Zagreus slumps in relief. "We aren't mad. Your Father isn't mad. I promise. We knew it would happen and made plans accordingly."
Breathing out one last shaking sigh, Zagreus nods, feeling the last of his worries finally slip off of his shoulders for now.
"Oh. Good. I'm...that's good. Um..." he trails off before smiling awkwardly. "What did you want to talk about then?"
Laughing softly, Persephone plays with the newest line of gems adorning her body, the lapis shimmering in the low light.
"Well...Nyx has confirmed some theories of mine. And I knew you deserved to know after I told your Father." Persephone begins, making Zagreus tilt his head curiously. "And I trust that you'll help around the House more as things progress."
Zagreus huffs, smiling softly.
"Mother, stop speaking in riddles and tell me what's going on," he says with a laugh, making her chuckle slightly. Her eyes mist up, and his smile falls. His hands hover over her shoulders as she quickly wipes away the forming tears.
"Zagreus, you're going to be a big brother." The Queen says softly. He goes still, completely frozen, as the news settles and spins around in his mind. Persephone gives him a moment before squawking in alarm when her son pulls her into his arms, spinning her with a happy shout.
"I am!?! You're--!! This is amazing!" he rants, gently setting her back onto the ground. He takes a step back to pace away from Persephone in hurried steps before facing her again, a wide grin on his face. His hands shake as he runs them through his hair before hurrying back to his Mother to hug her again. He's clearly struggling to maintain the joy permeating his form, and it turns into restless energy that makes him pace and turn on his heels. Pausing, he spins to face her again, looking her in the eye with a serious expression.
"Should we postpone the wedding? I know helping us plan it has been stressful." He asks, his joy immediately turning into worry. "We can wait. I know Than and Meg will be understanding, even if I don't tell them the reason. ACK!"
Cutting him off with a pinch to his cheek, Persephone glares, eyes swimming with mirth.
"I swear you're going to be worse than your Father with your worrying. We won't be stopping a thing. Thanatos has been working every spare moment he has on this, and I refuse to add another problem to his plate." Persephone says, laughing when Zagreus kicks sheepishly at the ground. "Thank you for caring. I'll need your help as things progress, but I know you'll do anything I ask."
Nodding quickly, Zagreus hugs her one last time before pulling away, running a hand through his hair.
"I'm going to have a little sibling..." he mutters, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. Persephone quietly waits for him to process the news further, watching as he begins pacing again. He mumbles something about new room costs under his breath, counting out gemstones on his fingers before shaking his head. Hiding a laugh behind her hand, Persephone goes quiet, smiling softly as a third figure approaches. Zagreus turns, watching Hades at the entrance to the garden, slightly on edge. The Lord of the Underworld remains silent, finally joining his family out far enough that even a curious wandering shade couldn't hear. The tension between Father and Son grows slowly as they watch each other before Zagreus dips his head respectfully.
"Father, I...um. I'm very happy for you and Mother. I know this might be a difficult time for our family, making more work for all of us, but I'll help however I can--" He's cut off when Hades gently places his hand on his son's shoulder, avoiding eye contact as he glances to the side.
"Your help is greatly appreciated, Zagreus. This never would have been possible without you working so hard to bring our family back together. Thank you." His gruff voice is stilted, slightly awkward as if trying to remember lines from a script he didn't have time to memorize. Zagreus can easily see the signs of his Mother's coaching after picking up on it for so long, but it only makes his chest swell with happiness. He knew his Father wouldn't say something he didn't mean, even with Persephone's prodding. Pulling his hand away, Hades steps past his son to gently offer his arm to his wife, who rolls her eyes with a smile.
"I told you we should have waited to tell him. You should rest-- you look tired." Hades says softly, making the Queen huff in annoyance. Zagreus holds back a snicker at how small the god tries to make himself, looking over Persephone with worry. It was still strange to see this side of his Father, who was impossibly imposing for his entire life until now. With Persephone home and for so long at that , parts of his entire family shifted to accommodate. Seeing Nyx more relaxed, Hades softer and quiet, and even his partners changing all resulted from her return. And now, there was someone entirely new to meet on the way.
Letting his thoughts wander, Zagreus gives his parents another small respectful nod, returning to the House, giving them their privacy. He taps and rubs his fingers together, fidgeting as his mind moves so quickly he can barely keep up with the typhoon of thoughts. The quiet solitude of his room welcomes him, giving him a place to do something he rarely did; stop to think. Sitting on the edge of his bed, he mindlessly tangles, knots, and unties a silky strip of fabric lingering on the blankets. All of the knots were second nature by now, taught to him by Megaera, who took even lessons like that seriously. The Fury left the soft purple fabric behind after a previous tryst, the Prince having claimed it for himself to keep his hands occupied when he had no choice but to slow down.
He was going to be a big brother. The thought makes him flop back onto the soft bed, legs kicking at the floor. A little sibling, someone like him, from the same parents, born in the same place and raised in the home where he grew up. He knew it would be different this time, with Persephone present to change it all. Even if she wasn't and this child was a random star falling from the sky, Zagreus knew in his heart that they would be raised differently than he was if he had a say. Loved, cherished, and protected from the worst the Underworld had to offer. He knew he, his partners, and his companions would care for them. He wouldn't keep them separate from his family on the surface either , paraded and shown to the Olympians with pride. Turning on his side, the Prince hides half of his face in the plush covers.
But what if they were born like him? The thought makes his stomach turn, and he can't help but shiver, curling up slightly as if to hide. He knew in his heart that if the child was born like him, silent and cold, Persephone wouldn't flee again. The grief she would feel -that everyone would feel- would be horrific. Nearly impossible to work through, but only nearly . They had all grown and changed so much that he knew a tragedy like that wouldn't shake them apart again. From what Zagreus knew, Nyx had performed a miracle to save his life, but it was one that would be unlikely to happen again. He doesn't flinch when the bed dips as someone sits next to him, and his eyes slide shut when a gentle hand runs through his hair.
"I know that look," Persephone says softly, smiling when Zagreus turns his face towards her properly. "Your Father had the same one when I told him. I'm glad your first reaction was joy, but I understand that fear will be a close second for us all."
Zagreus stays silent, his fingers curling into the beautifully woven fabric of Persephone's skirts, clinging to her like a child.
"We're all scared, son. But all we can do is prepare for the worst and hope for the best." The Queen says quietly, the ribbon around Zagreus' fingers tightening when he clenches his hands into fists with determination. "And this time, since we know a little more of what to expect, we're making sure to be cautious."
He points quietly, eyes glued to the many pieces of lapis jewelry sparkling on her form.
"Like that? Lapis isn't really your style," he asks, grinning when his Mother nods, smiling down at him with pride. "I thought so. I wondered why Nyx told me to gather some while on the job. Her usual orders aren't so specific."
"Very observant, Zagreus. It's just a small 'good luck' charm for this specific thing. A very good friend of mine and Nyx recommended it. She's a powerful Titaness who's offered to help Nyx with all of this." Persephone explains, huffing a laugh when Zagreus turns, legs kicking in the air as he lays on his stomach. He holds his head in his hands as he listens to her, the worry in his shoulders remaining but slowly becoming manageable as Persephone explains her solutions.
"They sound like a good team of midwives." He says, smiling when Persephone ruffles his hair with her hand.
"They are. What I'm trying to say, son, is that I won't fault you for being worried. We all are, no matter what we do to prepare. But we will be prepared, so please don't let it hinder or weigh you down."
Shifting and sitting up, Zagreus pulls his Mother into his arms, giving her a warm hug.
"I won't. Thank you. I truly am happy for you." He says quietly, making Persephone squeeze him tighter in her arms.
"I know. Times are changing, but I couldn't be happier."