Take Your Heart (and let it love again)

Largo

Hello dear readers! Finally, some answers for you all! *dramatic bow* No need to thank me, just doing my civic duty as an author. (Also I'm hoping you can forgive me for the long wait; I've been experiencing a combination of really bad writer's block and subsequent newfound time to play Skyrim, my absolute favorite game ever)

Hades knew the exact moment they had passed into Canada. He fell to the ground, vision darkening as his head hit the frozen snow. His body shook with painful spasms as he lost all strength in his limbs, keeping him on the cold, hard ground. Going so long without his powers had weakened him, made him unused to the near-limitless energy that his body could hold.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the kid shaking, panic and helplessness shining through the tears in his bleary eyes.

The spasms stopped some fifteen minutes later, and as soon as Hades could sit upright and brush the snow off his shoulders without falling over, he was nearly crushed by a pair of small arms. The kid was crying, muttering into Hades's shoulder as he trembled. With the grip strength that the kid had, Hades knew that there was no getting out of this situation, so he resigned himself to his fate and put his own arms around the kid.

As much as he wanted to stay like that, the snow was cold and thick and Hades really didn't want his only clothes to be soaked. He'd had enough ice-soaking for a lifetime.

"Kid, kid, I'm all right. See, I'm fine," he said softly, attempting to reassure the shaking kid.

The kid nodded shakily and stood up, letting Hades lean on him to stave off the last of the weakness in his legs. In tandem, they walked side by side a couple miles farther inland, to be sure that Hades's powers were fully returned.

Thankfully for him and the kid, they were. No more walking for them, thank the Fates.

Hades gave his hand to the kid. "Hold on tight, kid. And whatever you do, don't open your eyes. There are some things that mortals are not meant to see." The kid obliged, shutting his eyes tight so that there were wrinkles on his forehead and his brows were knitted.

Hades closed his own eyes, drawing the energy from the shadows. He let the familiar chill, somehow different from the cold of Alaska, wash over him, and he smiled.

This was home.

Before them stood the large, familiar landscape of the Underworld. They were close to Elysium, standing on the edge of the Fields of Asphodel, and the faint screams from the Fields of Punishment could be heard echoing through the air.

He never thought that he'd miss the sounds of torture and suffering, but damn it, here he was ready to cry—he absently wonders if this is one reason why he's never invited to Olympus Uno Night. Beside him, the kid was whipping his head around every which way, trying to take it all in.

Hades, for his part, let his eyes roam over the landscape for a couple seconds before he turned away, heading in the direction of his palace. There was important business to take care of.

Before they could make it very far, however, they were stopped. Well, rather, Hades was leveled by a barreling mass of darkness.

As he lay there on the grass, his face being given a bath by slobbery sandpaper, he thanked the Fates that he'd had the foresight to warn the kid about Cerberus. A quick check out of the corner of his eye told him that the kid was surprised and a bit guarded, but he was standing down.

Good.

"Hello Cerberus. Yes, yes, it's good to see you too. Did you miss me?"

The only response was more licking. Because why not.