Hades

bedroom talk

Stella

After my long, warm bath, I changed into black shorts and a black tank top. I brushed my hair and removed the bra.

A tentative knock, so soft I almost didn't hear it, reached my ears. I put down the hair brush and went to the door.

Hades stood on the other side, his hair in a bun, black T-shirt and black pants. He wore no shoes, only black socks, and he was leaning into the door frame as if he couldn't stand himself. Something about him seemed defeated.

"Yes?" I asked. I'd be damned if I showed how much I cared for him. That was not the time for that, and honestly, I didn't want to embarrass myself now he didn't seem interested. And even though, it somehow worried me he looked so lost.

He took a deep breath and looked down. "Can we talk? Maybe in your room?" he asked. His voice so soft and careful it almost didn't sound like him.

I opened the door wider before I fully comprehended what he'd actually asked me. To talk? Here. Did he mean with me?

Hades went into the room and shut the door so he could lean back against it. His dark eyes took in the room, though he probably had seen it a million times before. I had my arms crossed, regretting my lack of bra. I did not anticipate guests. And least of all him.

His dark eyes scanned my face before he met my gaze.

"You okay?" I asked. The silence felt too loaded, heavy with something I couldn't grasp.

Hades' shoulders slumped. "I have to go to Olympus."

It felt different, when Hades was lying next to me. We weren't touching. We were just lying next to each other on our backs, staring up at the ceiling.

"Why is it you dislike Persephone so much?" I asked. Now that I'd read the letters I understood why she had a dislike towards him. But nothing about his dislike against her.

He sighed, and I turned my head so I could look at him.

"She believes, she is the queen of this place, and I'm the king. Yet, there is no queen, and every time she tries, she makes people anxious and terrified, and I have to clean up. She's good with the politics and all that in Olympus, and she enjoys it better up there."

I smiled. "You prefer it down here?"

"Yeah." He turned his face, looking at me. "I enjoy it down here. It's a world, and I may be Hades, but I'm not a horrible person, and no one dislikes me for no apparent reason."

"Who dislikes you?" I asked

"Persephone has spread her unfortunate tale amongst everyone who wants to listen in Olympus. That means the young guys think I'm cool, yet too terrifying to get near. And the girls hide when they see me. It's as if Zeus would punish them if anyone got to know me. So I've got friends down here, and Persephone half the time, though the other half she's a pain in the ass."

I smiled. The question I wanted to ask was 'why are you in here, with me', but I couldn't.

He was still looking at me, his dark eyes trained on my face. "How are you doing down here?"

I swallowed. "I miss my family," I said, truthfully. "So I kind of see it as a vacation, you know? I'm staying in a great hotel, ish, and there's great food. I can cook if I want to, otherwise Lucinda will love to cook me something, and you're great company. If we aren't arguing." After having talked for a while, he was really nice to talk to. Right now I didn't want to discuss my crazy ass family.