Reversal [by TheSuperSass]

Chapter 12

Hades woke the next morning to the sounds of Persephone murmuring in his sleep. She blinked her eyes open, finding they had kicked away the tangled sheets and were entwined with each other instead. Hades' left leg was caught between his, his arms pulling her close into his chest. She pressed her hand onto his shoulder until he stirred, lifting his head groggily.

"Hello," he mumbled, hardly awake.

"Hello to you," she responded with a smile. She didn't think recently woken up Peresephone would ever stop being entertaining to her. "Sleep well?"

"Yes," he grunted, shifting his body weight. He took her left leg underneath her knee and pulled it up over his waist, stroking the underside of her thigh absentmindedly.

"Let's go back to sleep," he suggested, resting his chin on the top of her head.

"Whatever you want, my love," she agreed.

He tilted his head down to kiss her forehead, then her nose, then a soft peck on the lips. Her adoration staring back at him mirrored his, and for the time since he arrived, they were finally equal partners.

For Persephone, strength was feeling safe, confident, desired. Hades had made him feel all of those things in his time there. For Hades, however, who didn't need protection, who was already sure of herself, who knew he desired her, strength from Persephone was something different. It was someone she trusted to surrender herself to, someone who admired her instead of feared her, someone she wanted to share her kingdom, her life, and her bed with. Hades didn't need anyone, but she wanted him. The Underworld was a place, but he was home to her.

The shine of this new realization was still on them when a knock on their door told them they had a visitor. Hades wondered if Aphrodite could sense these things between people. While it felt like a massive violation of privacy, Hades was at most vaguely annoyed. She started to suspect Aphrodite had something to do with the mania that overcame here in the field, but had a hard time being angry with him if it led her to this.

When the two entered the throne room, they were shocked to find neither Aphrodite nor Eros, but Zeus herself, glowing with the golden splendor of Olympus. Hades was shocked to see her here, though hardly surprised at the attire. As usual, the full robe and crown was a bit much.

"Hello," Persephone offered as a bright greeting.

He was unsure what the exact protocol for welcoming a guest to the Underworld was, much less the queen of the gods, but it seemed as good of a start as any. With Hades next to him, he felt more and more like a king.

"Hello," Zeus returned hesitantly, watching with confusion as Persephone put an arm around Hades' waist.

She was confused to see the god who she'd been told was abducted touch Hades that way and doubly confused to see her sister allow it. Hades hated when people touched her, especially men, especially in a possessive way. Yet here the flower god of all people slid his arm around her like she was his while Hades laced her fingers with his in reply. Hades, tired of having Olympians gawk at them, cleared her throat.

"To what do we owe the pleasure of an unprompted visit?"

"Does there need to be a reason?" Zeus asked innocently, mimicking Hades' visit to the balance.

"With you? Yes." Hades gave a small smile, but was on guard. She was happy to see her sister, but suspicious of how she was looking at Persephone.

Meanwhile, the body language between Hades and Persephone unsettled Zeus; it seems there was more to this story than anyone realized. She shifted uncomfortably before speaking.

"Hades... I think we both know this has gone on long enough." Hades stared at her blankly in shock.

"Excuse me?"