𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐕𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐄 ➤ 𝒉𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒑𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆

xiii. a brothers' confrontation

The day, Hades decided, couldn't possibly get much worse.

First, he had faced a nearly-major problem in his work: the barrier preventing the walls of Tartarus from collapsing had a little crack.

Had he not been there to intervene quickly, the monsters or worse, the Titans imprisoned there would surely cause a significant amount of havoc and damage.

Then, Persephone told him that she had let Minthe live with them in the palace.

Yes, the same Minthe who had left a permanent scar on him would live with them.

Then, he had nearly succumbed to his feral desires of kissing her with every passion he had.

What a muddle. They were supposed to stay friends for Olympus' sake. Yet, he still craved her company, he craved her embrace and the feeling of her lips meeting his.

He wanted her to be his.

He wanted her to be his wife.

And yet, it was hopeless.

She clearly did not reciprocate his feelings. She only saw him as a friend, nothing more. Hades knew she needed to find someone she truly loved, unlike him.

The thought of her being with someone she deserved more was pure torture.

But he knew, should that happen, he could do nothing but stand aside and crumble to pieces.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a twig snapping nearby.

When he turned around, he noticed something behind the bushes.

"A head?" he muttered to himself, furrowing his brow. Indeed, a head. But he couldn't tell whose head it was, as the figure was wearing a cloak.

He didn't know who it was, but he was sensing no good. He summoned his bident, which appeared in his hand in the blink of an eye.

Hades jumped to his feet, his eyes ice cold, the same eyes that mortals and gods feared so much.

He seized the stranger harshly so the latter could not resist and threw him harshly on the ground. The cloaked stranger tried to get back to his feet, but Hades grabbed him by the collar, and threatened him with his bident saying "Do not think I won't let you free so easily, spy,"

"Or how about, 'brother'?"

The stranger's cloak fell off, and Hades' face grew pale.

"Zeus," he muttered before letting go of his brother, whose head landed rather harshly on the ground again.

He swore under his breath while raking his hand through his jet-black hair. "I'm so sorry I didn't recognize you –"

"Don't worry, I knew going incognito was a terrible idea," Zeus assured.

"A terrible idea, indeed," Hades agreed, smiling lightly and extending his hand, which his brother eagerly accepted and was now back on his feet. "Is there something wrong? Does Olympus need me?"

"Oh no ... I, er ... just - decided - to pay a visit."

Quite a miracle. It was unusual for any of his relatives to visit him. Hades reflected on how he had come to accept being alone.

"So, how's Persephone?" Zeus grinned slowly and grabbed his brother's shoulders, almost shaking him with anticipation.

Hades' expression became depressed once more.

"Oh dear, she's rejected you again —"

"Not exactly," Hades cut him off. "Well, kind of? She made it clear that we were to remain friends.

Zeus blinked several times, still wearing that grin, before blurting out. "Friends?! All my brilliant plans, and she only calls you a friend?!"

"Zeus, not too loud! Besides, it's her decision and I respect her for it."

The King of the Gods silenced him by placing a hand over Hades' mouth. "Oh dear brother, no! Respect does not always exist in relationships. You see, if you want your woman to be devoted to you for eternity, make sure to have fun with at least 10-20 others!"

Hades glared at him with a mocking smile. "I hate you so much." He sighed sadly, setting himself down on the grass. "We nearly kissed."

"NEARLY?!"

He blushed an embarrassing shade of pink. "Something snapped in me. I-I-I- never felt so scared."

"Rubbish! I won't believe it. My brother Hades? The King of the Underworld, scared of women?
You have got to be kidding!"

"Brother," Hades said, looking up in despair. "You know it hasn't been easy for me ever since what happened with Minthe —"

Zeus took a seat beside him. "Persephone's not Minthe. She's an infinite times better than that vixen of a nymph who took advantage of you and treated you like the lowest of the low."

"Persephone's invited Minthe to live in the palace," Hades saw the shocked look on Zeus' always regal face. "That's why I panicked, the most terrible night of my life and the thought of experiencing that again flooded my head until she calmed me down and... well..."

"She doesn't know," Zeus breathed. "So tell her the truth!"

"No. I won't. Persephone doesn't need to know that the man who cares for her is a broken and imperfect person." 

Hades knew that Zeus was right, but he didn't want to let his darkest secret come to the surface. Electra, Charon, and his brothers were the only ones he'd told about it. After that, he promised not to tell anyone else.

"Hades, you are not a broken and imperfect —"

"You're quite certain how well you know me." Hades intervened with a scoff.

"I remember how polite, kind, and gentlemanly you were when we were younger. Always there caring for the welfare of others and even willing to sacrifice everything for the ones you loved," said Zeus, but his face suddenly grew melancholic.

"But then, after the three of us split up and you had an affair with Minthe, you changed. You stopped laughing and smiling and turned into a quiet, depressed person. "That is not you."

Hades turned his head round. "Do not tell me I was not depressed and lonely when we were young adults. You and Poseidon were barely even there. I had the sisters and mother, but I still felt unworthy of her love. Don't get me wrong, your advice can be great at times but I'm the foolish one; thanks to me, look what happened with both Minthe and Persephone."

He could not keep the plea out of his voice. Zeus looked sympathetic and uncertain. Hades looked down at his feet, remembering all of his failures.

His failure to utter a straight word in his youth; his failure to be perceived as a kind and misunderstood person by everyone after he was crowned king of his realm; his failure to be like his 'handsome and popular' brothers; his failure to pursue a romantic relationship that resulted in a very traumatizing experience; and his most recent failure - having a new and healthier romantic relationship.

"Leave me alone," he mumbled helplessly.

And with that, he left and walked away.

author's notes: double update for this week! can't believe school's gonna start in a week here :( but i'll do my best to update this story weekly