A/N: Short ficlet. Hades/Persephone. Post the decision. How they're coping. PLEASE REVIEW! I haven't written in such a long time. Worried I've lost it. XD

Remembering Sunlight

She was still asleep. Exhausted limbs still flushed and damp with sweat, flung out across the deep grey comforter that covered the vast bed. She was breathing lightly. Her stomach rose steadily with each inhale and she imperceptibly sunk deeper into sleep with each exhale.

Her toffee colored hair was a mess of curls across the numerous pillows. Several curls trespassed over her smooth cheek - he carefully brushed them back behind her ear, caressing the now visible skin. Sensing his presence, even in her slumber, she shifted to curl against his side where he lay propped on one arm next to her sleeping figure.

He allowed himself a small smile and his face relaxed as he continued to observe her. He took in the sight of her long legs, stretched languidly out along his. He followed the line of her thigh as her leg bent slightly. Eyes followed the curve that led to the juncture of her thighs, where soft, dark curls greeted his gaze. His gaze lingered for a moment before continuing the visual journey across the soft flesh of her exposed stomach into the little dip of her navel.

He half expected her to start giggling simply from the intensity of his gaze - the extent of her ticklishness always amused him. He deliberately stroked his forefinger gently across the expanse of her stomach, dragging it from the corner of her hip up her center to her chest. Here he removed his hand, but not his gaze. He fought not to shift involuntarily as he recalled how her breasts moved - bounced, really - in the midst of their lovemaking. Hardly daring to breath, he let his gaze slide up to her shoulder, following the line of her collarbone to her tender neck. He longed to bury his face there and mark her as he had so many times before.

His stare lingered in her hair, following the countless patterns of curls and shades that hinted at sunshine and summer. He drifted over her cheekbones and nose, the smooth lines of her lovely face. He watched her eyelids flutter, heavy lashes dancing. On to her lips, full and rose colored. Almost as if she knew he was watching, she unconsciously wetted her lower lip. Tongue darting in and out deftly. He bit his own tongue to keep from rousing her and bruising those lips with kisses as punishment for tormenting him - even if it was unintentional.

He was just starting to frame her face in his mind and study the combination of all the lovely individual elements of her face when he heard her speak.

"What are you doing?" Her voice was soft but strong, not judging, simply curious. As always.

"Hush. I haven't finished your face." She raised her eyebrows and raised herself a little to look at him more fully.

"You what?" Not laughing, still simply curious.

He looked down. If she hadn't known him she would have thought him embarrassed. But he spoke then. "You look as if you've been bathing in sunlight." His breath hitched as she sat up and brought her face close to his.

She whispered sadly, "Too much sunlight could hurt."

"Let it hurt." She almost winced.

"Never."

"But it does. Sunlight never stays here."

She fought tears that threatened to slip down her cheeks. "I always return."

"In the dark… sunshine is just a distant image that pales in comparison to its reality." She cupped the side of his face with her delicate palm. He leaned into it, desperate for her soothing touch.

She tilted her head slightly and her eyes sparked as she murmured, "And what of the other senses?" He looked into her eyes, questioning. "Do your other senses besides sight hold me as well?" She rested her forehead against his. "When the sunlight fades before returning, she is always sure to memorize the details of her sky…" She dropped her head to his throat and he gasped inaudibly. "She recalls his scent…" She inhaled deeply through her nose and held her breath for a moment. She moved her head closer to nuzzle against his adam's apple and flicked her tongue out to taste his skin, rough with stubble, a hint of musky sweat.

"She savors his taste…" She kissed him then. Long and deep and eternal. When she pulled away, significantly more flushed, she whispered huskily, "She dreams of his touch…how it feels…" She moved his hand down along her torso, brushing against each nipple in turn, each eliciting a slight gasp down until his palm covered her hot core. He flexed his middle finger experimentally and she shivered, smiling faintly. She released his hand and it remained there. She traced her own hand across his chest and carefully lowered her ear to over his heart, murmuring, "She delights in the echoes of not just his voice, but the sound of his heartbeat…" As she rested against him he moved his arms around her and pulled her in to him protectively.

They lay still for a long while, clinging to each other for the time they had left. Then he finally moved his head down to graze his lips across her forehead. "Would you allow me to try as you have done… with a slight alteration?" She looked up at him, sinking into his deep black eyes that had already caressed her so intimately. She nodded her head. He let go of a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding and shifted her in his arms so that she lay flat on her back, looking up at him. He didn't release her gaze until he had positioned himself above her. He watched her eyes flutter and her body begin to arch as he slid his length inside her. She squeezed his forearms, her nails nipping at his flesh. Touch.

He moved slowly and deliberately each stroke deep as he took his time with their shared pleasure. He lowered his head and moved slowly up to her neck, inhaling the perfume of her skin. Scent.

Then he paused, giving her a small, wicked smirk as he began to taste her. He laved at her sensitive breasts with his tongue, before eventually nibbling his way up her throat and along her jaw line, finishing at her mouth. She entangled herself with him but he devoured her. He finished his feast by lightly kissing both of her eye lids and pulling back to join their gaze once more. Taste.

His pace was as steady as ever. Self-control was one of his virtues - most of the time. As they moved, they resumed their stare into each other's eyes, burning the vision of their combined glows into their memories for the long months apart.

Without even blinking, he twisted his hips and her head fell back in delight. "You forgot one," she gasped. She looked into his face and he quirked an eyebrow at her. "Sound."

He grinned. A truly foreboding sign… for her. Her eyes widened as he said, terribly quietly, "I did not forget anything." Without further warning, he plunged into her, deeper than before and she shrieked with surprise and pleasure as he set a new rhythm. Faster. Harder. He did not ease up until she was shuddering head to toe with pleasure. Her cries ringing in his ears. Only when he heard her voice go hoarse did he allow himself release as he slumped forward into her waiting arms. His final reward was her whimper of affection as her slid his body up next to her to look into her eyes. Sound.

She wound her arms around him and drew his head to her chest, letting him hear the beating of her heart as it slowly began to return to it's normal pace. It was to this rhythm that he was able to allow himself to drift off to sleep. Just before he completely succumbed to darkness he huskily whispered into her breast, so soft she almost didn't catch it, "My sunlight…"

As he slept she sighed in content, eventually drifting off to her own peaceful dreams. She sighed one word as her eyes closed. Then, she slept.

A/N: Been a while, huh? I reread 'Fascination' and as much as I'm sure some people will hate me, it's not a bad place to end the story. Especially since anything else would be forced. I won't bore you with my personal life, but it's been crazy. Pleasepleaseplease review. Even to just say - nice to have you back! - it means the world to me. love - J