Hades Rewound (Hades Series #2)

BONUS CHAPTER: THANKSGIVING

Thanksgiving One-Shot

I've always been a stickler for traditional holidays; I'll admit to that.

I've never quite been able to pinpoint what it is about them that I love so much; it could be the magical atmosphere, or the warm sensation of just spending time with the people that you love, or maybe just the whole anticipation of looking forward to spending time with the people you love in said magical atmospheres. I also probably owe my whole obsession with traditional holidays in the first place to my parents, because we always, without fail, set time aside to celebrate them, no matter what was going on in our lives at the time. And, I guess, celebrating those same traditional holidays with my new family both reminded me of them and made me miss them with a desperate nostalgia.

Either way, no matter what it was that stemmed my slight obsession - and yes, I will always insist it's only a slight obsession, no matter what Hades thinks - I will always, always love traditional holidays.

I don't care what he says; traditional holidays are amazing and cute and mystical, and the fact that I'm the Queen of Hell isn't going to change that. Even the Underworld deserves to be showered in light every few months.

I just need to fully convince Hades of that.

I swear, I'm getting there; every holiday that we celebrate, I slowly chip away more of his resolve. At this rate, he'll love holidays as much as I do in about... a thousand years.

Let's just say that it's a work in progress.

"Evie."

"Mmm." I mumble an incoherent response under my breath, keeping my eyes shut in the hopes that the person who said my name will go away and let me sleep.

"Evie. Wake up." They tries again, and I feel their lips ghost across my forehead.

I still don't respond, wrinkling up my nose in consternation as I snuggle closer to whatever I'm hugging. Why won't they leave me alone? I'm obviously ignoring them.

They chuckle, making the pillow my head is resting on vibrate. "Ignoring me is not going to make me go away."

I freeze slightly. Wait. I recognise that quiet, self-assured, know-it-all-tone. It's coming from my pillow. I smile minutely. Well, at least now I know the reason why they won't leave me alone. It's probably the same reason they haven't left me alone for the last eleven and a half years.

It also might be because I have my arms wrapped around them like a boa constrictor, but that's a minor detail. Obviously.

"Agápi mou, wake up." He resorts to nudging me in the hopes that'll drag me up out of the deep slumber I'm desperately clinging onto. Unfortunately for me, it works.

"No." I mumble stubbornly.

"Why not?"

"Because."

"That's not a reason."

"It's too early."

"That never stopped you from waking me up. Besides which, we've been sleeping in all morning."

"Betchu haven't."

"'Betchu' isn't a word." Hades replies bemusedly, and he sounds so strange saying 'betchu' that I can't help giggling.

I finally open my eyes and glance up at him. He's looking down at me with a smile that's so tender it feels like I'm a cat basking under the warm glow of the sun. "You're dodging the accusation. How long have you been awake?"