Persephone fished out the key Hades had given her to unlock the front door of the building. She pushed on the handle, the door gliding open smoothly and silently. She stepped into the ornate hallway, a plush royal blue carpet cushioning her footfalls. She caught a glimpse of herself in the silver gilt mirror hanging on the wall, shimmering with the light on the overhead candelabra. She approached the elevator at the end of the hall and pushed the button.
As the elevator approached, she plucked at her jacket nervously. Not in anxious anticipation of seeing Hades - she had grown comfortable with him and his typically daunting presence surprisingly fast. For someone who would describe himself as aloof and antisocial, he was a pleasure to be around.
No, she was anxious about the conversation she knew they had to have. Demeter had her serious flaws: stubbornness, over-protectiveness, and a shocking inability to listen to outside opinions, to name a few, but she was Persephone's mother.
She had raised her, taught her to work at the family business, and done her best to be a good mother. But this threatening the livelihood of the company was extreme, even for Demeter, and they needed to formulate a battle strategy.
As Persephone ruminated on the upcoming confrontation with her mommy dearest, chewing on her thumbnail like her mother scolded her for countless times, the elevator dinged and slid open. Persephone stepped in and inserted her key into the panel, popping it open to reveal another row of buttons. She pushed the one labeled "T" and settled in as the elevator lowered. It never ceased to amuse her how Hades consistently bucked tradition and conventional thinking by making his home subterranean rather than settling down in the lofty penthouse.
Persephone cradled her arms and sighed, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. She knew they were all supposed to be reasonable and mature adults; why couldn't they all just work things out with as little drama as possible? Then again, this was Olympus… The day there weren't at least three over-the-top irrational arguments a week was the day Zeus would go celibate.
Persephone chuckled a little to herself, feeling her shoulders relax minutely. Yes, it was pathetic to laugh at her own jokes and feel better, but she would take what she could get.
The elevator chimed again and opened, revealing the entrance to Hades' flat. The door was oak - old, elegant and solid, just like the owner (though Hades might protest that first one). Persephone took out the key again, bypassed the Gorgon's head knocker, and let herself in.
She slipped into the foyer, closing and locking the door behind her. Hades was notoriously private, and rarely answered the door. He believed that those important enough to pester him in his home had means of letting themselves in. Persephone smiled briefly as she dropped the key back into her purse, feeling a small bit of pride at having been allowed into this part of his life.
She removed her black trench coat and purse, depositing them in the closet alongside Hades' assortment of dark coats. If these interactions of theirs continued, she might end up wearing three-piece business suits and slicking her hair back just like Hades. That would likely send her beloved mother into fits.
She stepped out of her black flats, placing them near the closet and walked into the living room, wriggling her toes in the soft rug along the way. She looked around, noting the dark satin drapes framing a noticeable lack of windows. The flat, while illuminated by candles and the occasional lamp, could get a bit gloomy at times. As her eyes adjusted to the dark, she recalled an earlier moment where she had teased him about being a vampire. He had shot her an amused grin, showing off his canines, and smoothly replied that he only drank the blood of his enemies, so she had nothing to fear.
"And to think", Persephone muttered under her breath, "some people think he doesn't have a sense of humor."
Persephone plopped down on the nearby leather couch, reveling in the chance to get off her feet after a long day of work. She was half-tempted to prop her feet up on the coffee table just to hear her inner voice that sounded like her mother squeal in indignation, but she refrained. Persephone would have enjoyed the immature rebelliousness, but good manners dictated that she behave when she was an honored guest. She spotted a ceramic bowl of honeyed figs placed out on the center of the table. They looked sticky and delicious, so she plucked one out and began to munch on it happily. She knew Hades didn't regularly entertain guests, and felt flattered by the fact that he set these out specifically for her. It was the little things, really…
Persephone had heard a shower running upstairs when she entered, so she settled in to wait, licking the honey off her fingers as she reached for another fig. She leaned back, enjoying the ambiance of the crackling fireplace as she looked around, admiring the décor of Hades' living room.
It was elegant without being ostentatious. Persephone had been to the homes of the other Big 6 for business parties, and Hades' flat was definitely her favorite. Poseidon had an astounding array of sea life in his saltwater aquarium, and Demeter's gardens were practically legendary, but Hades' rooms were the nicest in her eyes. Zeus could keep his marble statues and golden gilt furniture: Persephone would take subterranean understated glamor anyday.
Persephone heard the water shut off upstairs. She had a feeling that Hades already knew she had arrived, and he wouldn't keep her waiting. As they spent more and more time together, Hades and Persephone had become strangely attuned to one another. A very specific form of empathy, perhaps. They were very good at sensing one another's moods and general location with abnormal accuracy. Perhaps she would read up on similar cases when they moved and started Tartarus together. Speaking of which…
Persephone turned around and saw Hades descend the spiral staircase and walk over to the cupboard, pulling out two slim stemmed wine glasses. She cast an appreciative eye over his bathrobe and wet hair hanging past his shoulders.
Hades looked over his shoulder, shooting her a knowing grin, and returned to his task, uncorking a bottle of red wine and pouring them a glass each. He walked over and sat down next to her, handing her a glass. She nodded in thanks and lifted the glass to her nose, inhaling the fragrance of the wine. She had been allowed watered wine with dinner since she was young, and knew how to appreciate a good bottle of wine. She hummed in approval and took a sip, savoring the fruity and spicy flavors. Hades noted her contentment and smirked slightly, taking a drink himself as he laid a hand affectionately on her knee.
They set their glasses on the table and turned to face each other. Persephone placed her hand on top of Hades' and gave it a small reassuring squeeze.
Hades looked Persephone directly in the eye and spoke. "I'm getting the impression that you came here with a definite purpose, so shall we get on with it?"
Persephone smirked at his forwardness. It was one of the many traits she admired about him.
"What, you don't believe that I would show up just for the pleasure of your company?"
"I would, except I know you, Persephone. You wouldn't seek out pleasure until your business is taken care of. So. Let's take care of business. What shall we do about Demeter?"
"It sounds like we're planning to put a hit out on her," Persephone quipped.
"I don't think that's a viable option. Let's explore some alternatives, shall we?" Hades returned with a crooked grin.
Persephone appreciated his proposing it as a problem they would solve together as equals, unlike how Zeus or Demeter usually operated: orders that aren't open for discussion and are to be followed immediately. She took a breath to ready herself.
"First of all, I want to let you know that I'm not mad at you for withholding her plans from me."
Hades raised a skeptical eyebrow at the statement.
"Okay, let me rephrase that. I'm no longer mad at you. I admit, I was pretty pissed when I had to hear about it from a contract worker, not you, or Zeus, or even that insufferable gossip Hermes. I might have traumatized the poor worker when I yelled at her, but it wasn't her fault."
Persephone had been about to storm into the Olympus conference room and demand they stop making decisions about her life without her input. She had stomped to the elevator and was about to punch the button but she managed to restrain herself. She walked out of Olympus and went to Heracles' gym instead. She swam laps until her anger had cooled and her toes got pruney. As she toweled off, she resolved to discuss the situation with Hades.
"I understand that your intentions were good, even if it came off as a little high-handed," Persephone conceded.
Hades nodded in appreciation. "I'm glad you gave me the benefit of the doubt. I admit, I was afraid you would never speak to me again…" Hades confessed, his head bowed slightly.
Persephone ran her fingers through his drying locks, tilting his head back up and meeting his eyes with a soft smile.
"A year ago I might have, but someone very wise and experienced taught me to keep a cool head and look at things from multiple perspectives. Useful advice, in both business and life."
"Glad you followed it. Now, speaking of cool heads, what shall we do about your mother?" Hades asked.
"Well, she has no right to demand that I come back to live and work with her. I am an adult, and I can take care of myself."
"True. And I don't plan on surrendering the best business partner I've ever had and our plans for Tartarus," Hades stated firmly as he gave Persephone's shoulder a squeeze.
"But she's holding the well-being of the company and a hundred thousand workers hostage. It's emotional blackmail at it's worst," Persephone said glumly.
Hades nodded solemnly, waiting to see what idea Persephone would propose.
Persephone chewed on her thumbnail as she weighed her options (a habit Hades secretly found endearing, but refrained from mentioning lest Persephone get the wrong idea).
"How closely tied to Olympus would Tartarus be in the case of it going under? Would we be independent enough to survive on our own? And would we be able to take on those employees fired by my mother?" Persephone questioned.
"Unfortunately no, not immediately," Hades replied forlornly, having followed a similar train of thought. "We would need at least a few years before we would be able to stand completely alone and hire that many workers."
Persephone sighed in frustration and took another swig of her wine as she tried to think of a way to save the company without bowing to her mother's demands.
Hades and Persephone talked long into the night, bouncing ideas off each other and trying to come up with viable strategies. By three in the morning they were no closer to a solution. They decided to retire and see if anything came to them in the morning.