Hades and Persephone

Dinner With Aphrodite

"I had a wonderful time today," Persephone said as she beamed up at Hades when they stood outside the Underworld. He'd taken her around more of the city, and they'd had more pomegranate juice, and they'd even stopped to have some ice cream, where Hades once again reiterated he really did not like mint flavour.

As Persephone was preparing to head back home, there was a buzz in her pocket, and she pulled out her phone. As she frowned down at, Hades asked, "Is everything okay."

"Um, maybe not?" Persephone said as she stared at the contact name. Mum. Hades sucked in a breath, and Persephone hurriedly opened her text messages.

Demeter: Persephone, dear, Aphrodite has asked if we want to come to dinner tonight. I'm coming back a little earlier, around half past, so please be ready by then x

Persephone: Okaaaaaay will be x

Persephone quickly checked her phone. Ten past. Oh shit.

"M-mum's coming home early," she said. Dear Olympus was she really stammering? She really didn't want to be caught.

Hades took in another deep breath, then pulled out his own phone and dialled a number. "Thanatos? Yes, can you get Hermes for me? Immediately."

When Hades hung up his phone, he took Persephone by the hand and pulled her back across the bridge, past Cerberus and into the Underworld. As they approached a building (with a... dick drawn on the front door?) Hermes burst outside.

"I knew there was going to be trouble one day," he muttered. "You both owe me big time for this."

"I will see you soon," Hades said to Persephone.

"I'll see—" she started, but Hermes grabbed her by the waist before she could finish, and suddenly they were flying through the air.

As soon as they landed outside, Persephone pulled out her phone to check the time. Twenty past. She flung open the front door and cried, "Mother is so going to kill me!"

"Quieten down," Hermes said as he hung around in the doorway, pulling up his legs so he hovered cross-legged in the air. "She won't know you weren't here."

"But I only have ten minutes to wear something nice!"

"Isn't what you're wearing already nice!"

"Hermes, this is date nice, not dinner nice. Please learn the difference."

"I only wear the same hoodie and the same pair of shorts. I'm not gonna pretend I'm any good at fashion," Hermes said, waving a hand at his name, printed across the front of his hoodie in Greek letters. "Anyway, I gotta leave before Demeter gets back, or she'll question why I'm not at work, and things will look real sus. Good luck with dinner and whatever. And I really mean it when I say you owe me."

"Oh, thank you," Persephone said, and she flung her arms around him to pull him into a tight hug. "What would I do without you?"

"Get grounded for life, probably," Hermes said as he peeled her off. "No hugs, I have enough of those from Dionysus and I'm not a hugging person. Now I really have to go. Thanks for the early finish, though."

He patted her on the head then took off into the air and disappeared. Persephone checked the time, swore, then hurried inside and slammed the front door. Only a few minutes to get herself looking nice before Demeter came home.

When Demeter did arrive at home, she found Persephone sat on the sofa, in a nice dress, smiling innocently. Demeter smiled back.

"You didn't have to dress up so much," Demeter said. "We are only visiting Aphrodite."