Self Control

Chapter II: Compromise

"But," Hades continues, stomping past me and opening the cabin door. He turns back to me, and I can see the old Hades, the moody, emotional, or, in other words, depressed PMS prone god is back. He glowers at me, not ashamed to hold my gaze as he holds the door open for me. "If you want this millennium to go better than the last, then yes, by all means, let us try to get along. Because Zeus knows, and all the other gods know that you don't want to go through everything that usually happens; our arguing, getting stuck in the underworld, and staying angry with everyone. If you want to better your situation, then yes, let us at least try to be humane." He rolls his eyes and leans back against the door, nearly snarling. "And nobody knows what I want. Nobody knows that I don't want to go through that again. Why do you think I made you marry me, Persephone? Because I was jealous of Poseidon? That's part of it, but before, back then, you were a sight to behold. Now you are just a deadbeat."

I stare at him, having been unprepared for him to go off, or even contradict me. I am speechless. What do I say to that? What do I do? He obviously doesn't get how hard it is for me to even tolerate his presence. Pursing my lips and holding my head high, I brush past him and into my cabin. Of course he doesn't see why I have changed. It's all his fault. "I used to be happy all the time."

"Why don't you try to be happy with me? What is the real reason that is stopping you from being happy with me?" he asks, closing the door behind himself and following me through the cabin.

I roll my eyes and head for my room, the only room with a bed in it. "I hate how you actually have to ask when you scream at me when I say the littlest thing." Pressing my lips together hard, I open the closet and pull out a black dress. Gods so help me, I am too tired to change in a flash today.

"You expect me to just stand there and take what you say to me without giving my own opinion?" he asks incredulously, following me into my room and leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed.

"Oh, lucky me. I got stuck with the one god who gives his own opinion" I drawl out sarcastically, dropping the shoulders of my dress and letting it fall off. Ignoring that fact that he's behind me, I lean down and pick it up, throwing it in the basket by the window.

"Is that what you want? To get everything off your chest?" Hades whispers softly before laughing in the same tone. "That could be arranged. If that's it."

I pull on my new dress and turn to face him while fixing the strap over one shoulder. I narrow my eyes. "Poseidon told me to try with you and that is all I have to do. I don't have to pour my heart out."

He grins, an angry flash going through his eyes at the mention of his brother. "Actually trying means that you are open and willing. That includes telling me your problems so that we can get them sorted out."

"But you are going to get your own opinion in" I whine purposefully, knowing it annoys him, rolling my eyes and crossing my arms across my chest. "Give me a break, Hades. I don't see you eager to share your problems."

"I already shared them. You just never listen" he shoots back, narrowing his eyes on me. "So tell me, Persephone. What exactly is bothering you right now?"

"The way you acted earlier. So in love with my forest. I know you don't care much for it, and it is insulting to watch you play pretend for me that you love it. I signed up for a man, not a bitch that is going to pretend. I want someone to stand up and kick my butt when I am doing wrong, and who speaks their mind on all subjects and doesn't bother trying to make me happy by acting, because they have other ways to keep me happy. I don't want a PMS prone god who thinks he can act and have me dropping my heart for him, and I don't want a man who thinks pointing the blame before talking it through is right" I rant softly, stepping back and sitting on the bed. I look away from him, not wanting to see his eyes or his emotions. "That's only half of my problems, and that doesn't include how I don't want to forgive a man for making me marry him. He could have just told me he was interested and asked me to marry him like a man."