Emerald

Take the light

Medusa
A week later

Spending my days with Kharon has improved my life infinitely. My anxiety is easier to deal with since I have someone to support me through my episodes, and he always manages to make me laugh whenever I need it.

This past week has unearthed feelings I hadn't felt in thousands of years; one of them being a sense of safety. It might be odd considering our friendship is quite young, but there's something that made us connect quite rapidly: we are both considered monsters.

"What story are you telling me today?" I asked, sitting on the bed with my nightly cup of tea.

Kharon looked up from his book and smiled at me; consequently I smiled as well "I was thinking about telling you about one of the first times, if not the first time, when Hades showed me his love and care."

I nodded "I would love to hear about that."

Kharon closed his notebook and leaned back on the beige padded headboard "It was during one of my darkest times— it was 990 years after I had been firstly separated from my mother, and though there were only 10 more years for the visit, I was acutely depressed."

I frowned "I would be as well; the desperation to see her again must've left you in a state of utter desolation."

"It did," he agreed "and my pain was so evident that Hades invited me to share dinner with him— before we only ate together by coincidence, and in those instances we never exchanged words. So you will understand why it was a shock to be invited to share the table with him."

I nodded, moving closer to him— I like admiring his facial expressions and seeing his eyes glimmer when he tells me a happy memory.

Kharon gently took my cup and sipped the tea "The perfect amount of sugar and milk, per usual."

A giggle escaped my lips "Would you like me to fix you a cup?"

"No, my darling," he gave me back my cup "I just wanted a small sip; you know caffeine is not good for me after 8 pm."

"I know, but it doesn't hurt to ask," I leaned my head on the headboard. "Please continue."

"Certainly," he cleared his throat. "At dinner he asked me to sit to his right, and at first we didn't exchange many words, but as dessert was being served he told me he would never understand what it is to miss a parent since his' are extremely unlovable beings, but that he wished for me to know that he would always be there to talk."  Kharon took his reading glasses off and left them on his nightstand "They were such simple words, but I hadn't felt that accompanied or seen in such a long time. That same night he came down to my quarters and not only asked me to tell him more about myself, but also apologised for the little interest he had shown me." His lips curved into a soft melancholic smile "Before that event I thought of Hades as quite a harsh and cold god, but he's truly the opposite and we've been like brothers ever since. I don't know what would've been of my sanity had he not become my friend that night."

The tale warmed my heart and I felt my face turn hot; my cheeks easily grow hot for a lot of reasons and the tea doesn't help "I hope one day deus Hades and dea Azrael can join us for dinner."

"Why didn't you say so before?" He grinned "I can let them know right now and they'll surely come tomorrow; they constantly ask me about you."

I smiled in confusion "They? I understand dea Azrael would ask about me because she has seen me at my worse, which I'm still deeply embarrassed by, but why would Deus Hades be interested in my well-being?"

"Hades has never had any ill feelings towards you, Medusa," he explained and I was taken aback. "As much as it surprises you Hades has always seen you as one of the strongest beings of our world, and he wants to make sure you're all right and being taken care of. Besides, he knows I care about you; consequently he also cares, more than he did before for that matter," his smile turned shy as he blushed.