Pat Twice

Chapter 14

I know it's been way too long since I've posted, but a lot has been going on! I have been very busy, but a lot of things in my personal life have become a lot to handle. I have been feeling low to say the least. I think that writing has been good for me, but I'm sorry if it's short of if I didn't handle some topics with as much grace as I should have.

A part of this chapter was meant to show that while we may sometimes have the best intentions at heart, the delivery is flawed.

_ O _

"Let me help you up," Persephone pleaded, tugging on Hades gently. He nodded lightly, letting her pull him up from his knees to his feet. She wasn't very strong, but he wasn't about to let her see him struggle.

"Oh gods... let's just get you inside," she walked him to the door when suddenly something caught her attention.

Click, click, click!

"What is that?" She said warily, dropping Hades' arm and snapping her head towards the noise. In the bushes to their right something glimmered in the retreating sunlight. She narrowed her eyes and marched over.

"What are you doing?!" She roared, plunging her hand into the bush and yanking out a camera. A reporter came along, tangled in the camera strap around his neck.

"Let me go!" He squeaked, throwing his hands up in surrender.

"Who are you?" She tugged on the camera again, forcing the reporter out of the bush. He looked behind her at Hades. No one has ever seen the King of the Underworld so... pitiful.

"Do you have anything to share?" He finally peeled his eyes away from Hades and looked at Persephone, pulling out a microphone for her.

"Get the HELL out of here you... you insect!" She hurled the camera back at his face, knocking off his glasses and making him yelp.

"You'll regret that!" He threatened, pinching his bloodied nose as he huffed away.

"Come on," she said angrily, turning back to Hades and walking him to the door.

"You didn't have to do that for me... thank you," Hades wheezed unevenly. Persephone sat him down on the couch and slammed the door.

"The nerve of that guy! He slithers over to your home, hides in the bushes, and just wants to hurt other people! He's such a scum ball!" Persephone stomped around Hades' living room trying to fluff pillows under his head, wrap his damaged body, and not yank him too roughly the wrong way.

"Persephone-."

"And the absolute AUDACITY of Zeus? To yell at Hera for trying to help you. He ordered her around like a child. It was just so vile-."

"Persephone!" Hades said a little louder, finally catching her attention. She held his gaze, watching his red eyes swim with pain.

"Am I hurting you?" She asked meekly as guilt washed over her. She was halfway through wrapping his second arm.

"I don't mean to complain, because I appreciate your medical assistance, but if you pull these wrappings any tighter, I might cry like a baby..." Hades cracked a weak smile, trying to lighten the mood. His eyes stung, but he held back the pain the best he could.

"Oh!" Persephone quickly started unwrapping both his arms. She finally realized that it looked like she was packaging a sausage, and not trying to soothe burnt skin.

"Maybe we should put something on this first?" She suggested quietly. She started to stand when Hades reached out to her.

"Wait... I want to say something."