Dying Ichor

FORTY-EIGHT

"One of the titans really escaped?" Hecate asked once they stepped foot onto Hades' domain. "And you never bothered to tell anyone? Really?"

"He wasn't worth mentioning."

Hecate scowled. "Hades, that's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. A titan has broken free from his prison, and you think it's nothing to worry about? Have you forgotten about all of them holding grudges against us?"

Hades barely spared her a glance as they continued to move, his hands still holding onto Elias' lifeless body. "It was Prometheus who escaped."

"I'm sorry, who?"

Hades didn't reply back. Hecate was left to process what he just said.

Prometheus was a lover of mankind and never done anything against their pantheon. If Hecate had to be honest, out of everyone in the prison of Tartarus, she also wouldn't have bothered to care if the titan finally managed to find a way to slip out. She had no qualms with him, and Prometheus had always been kind to her before his imprisonment.

She could understand why Hades was silent when it came to Prometheus. But still, they can't just leave him running around the surface. Even if he wasn't doing anything, it won't be long until the rest of the gods notice.

"Why haven't you done anything then?"

"Prometheus and Elias are close friends... I didn't want to upset Elias if I took Prometheus back to Tartarus," Hades lightly responded.

Hecate pursed her lips, her gaze trailing down to the mortal's body. "You haven't known this child for long. Don't tell me you're actually in love with him to the point of being blind, Hades."

He said nothing. Hecate's features worsened when she took that as a bad sign. There was absolutely no way Hades loved this mortal. He hardly ever gave a single thought to having a romantic partner, even if it was on a mere whim, so why did he end up falling for Elias in this state? Did he not understand the situation they were in?

Hades could have anyone else. Just not Elias.

"What do you like about him?"

"Excuse me?"

"You like him so much that you can't let go of him, right? Why?"

Hades felt his mood souring. He already knows what Hecate was thinking about, but she didn't have to try and make him feel this irritated.

"Do I need a reason as to why I like him so much?"

Hecate scoffed, "Doesn't everyone?"

That's also what Hades thought at first. Aphrodite always had a reason as to why she liked a specific person before picking someone else. It was always the same with her and the rest of the Olympians, and even the mortals had the same reasons. Because of their looks, of how they talked, because of someone's personality, or if they suddenly saw someone in a new light they've never seen before.

Or if it was love at first sight.

Hades didn't fall for Elias right at the beginning. That's not how it happened at all. He doesn't know when it had happened, nor did he fully understand how his perception of the mortal change, but somewhere along the way, Hades had craved his presence after living in such a desolate and cold environment. So, if he had to choose a reason why he liked Elias... he just really wanted his comforting presence. It wasn't because of looks or anything, he just liked how easy it was to be around Elias.

And maybe that's when everything had started. The more he was with Elias, the more he only wanted him and nothing else. His time spent with the mortal hadn't been long, but it felt like they've known each other for a long time. At least, that's what it felt like to Hades.