recap:

"Huh?" Lucile questioned, watching as ruby eyes looked into her emerald ones. She saw the smirk grow on the male's face as he pulled her in close to him, his free, larger hand found it's way into her hair, undoing it and letting the medium length tresses fall as his hand ran through the soft locks. Soon, that smirk turned to a rather odd yet soft smile as the man's eyes shined slightly.

"I've finally found you, Persephone."

chapter : 01

"Wait...wait a minute. You have the wrong girl okay? My names Lucile, not Persephone. I'm not a cosplayer either, so I don't cosplay her," Lucile commented, swatting his hand and pulling away from the stranger. "You don't remember me?" Nobunaga stated, knowing for a fact he had the right girl, he could easily sense Persephone's soul calling out to him. "Yet your soul calls out to me Persephone, why are you-"

"Okay dude, who the actual fuck are you? I'm Lucile Delgato, a 21-year-old who doesn't know who the hell you are or this Persephone chick is. I'm sure we look nothing alike and-"

"Come with me," the ravenette urge, grabbing onto her wrist again and began tugging, much to the scholar's dismay. "I'm not coming anywhere with you! Did you not just hear me?! I'm not Persephone!" Lucile then used the pepper spray again and pushed the male towards the men who seemed to be his friends. "Keep your damn friend in line okay?! I'm not-!" thump thump. Her heart was beating heavily, the sound blocking out everything else around her. The strawberry blonde fell to her knees, clutching at her heart and altering those around her that something was wrong. A soft cry called out, but it wasn't her voice. It was another voice, one that sounded too happy and like a melody, calling out for someone.

"Hades! Hades my love!"

ღ

Slowly, her eyes fluttered open and she grunted, sitting up slowly and looking around. White...all white...so she was taken to a hospital. Holding onto her head and catching her breath, Lucile's emerald irises darted around the room, spotting two things: the bags of food and clothing items she purchased - or at least started to - and that guy who called her Persephone. Whoever he was, he seemed pretty keen on believing she was this woman. Getting up out of the bed, her legs carried her petite frame over to the napping male, who moved slightly when she placed a dainty hand on his forehead.

"Hades..." the voice said again, this time it sounded sad like she didn't like the state this guy was in. "I wonder how long you looked for me...how troubling it must've been for it. I'm here now, I won't leave you ever again." Ruby eyes shot open and startled the college student, causing her to pull her hand away only for it to be grabbed by a larger one. "Persephone...I was right. It is you," he stated, standing up and easily towering over Lucile. "Promise me that you won't leave me again...promise that to me."

"Okay...look I really don't know who you are...please at least say that much...and what is this voice I hear in my head? She wasn't there before."

"That is Persephone's soul calling out to me, and I've finally found the owner of her soul."

"Second question answered. First question, unanswered," Lucile stated, having trouble looking away from his eyes. They were distant, cold, but deep down she could see past the barrier and see the warmth and kindness that hid behind an ice barrier. "My name is Nobunaga Oda, or as Persephone remembers it, Hades, God of the-"

"Stop, wait a damn good minute. Hades you said? I thought she was joking...like she was calling you Hades as a nickname."

"Why would my name be a nickname?" Nobunaga question, his face a mixture of confusion and question. "Is this another thing you mortals have twisted around me?"

"Well...I guess you can say that. But usually that 'Hades' name is associated with Hell and things like that nowadays." The ravenette looked on quizzically before nodding his head, slowly understanding what she was talking about. "Okay so now onto the 'I'm Persephone and you're Hades' ordeal." As much as she wanted to understand him and where he was coming from, Lucile's mind could not fathom the fact that she was possibly Persephone - the Greek Goddess of Spring and Queen of the Underworld - while her lover stood before her, the God of the Underworld.

"What is it now...Lucile, you said? What do you want to know?"

"Why me? Like I know we really don't choose what past life belonged to our soul, but I would've loved to in my situation. I never really wanted to be the Goddess of Spring and Queen of the Underworld - hell who says I have to be. I could easily ignore her and you and live my life the way I always have: under stress, waiting till deadlines, and binge-watching things that just end up breaking me down in the end."

"Lucile it seems to me that you really don't believe me."

"Ding ding, we have a winner! I honestly am having trouble believing some guy I just met, who came up to me and said that I am Persephone and he is Hades, that we're long lost lovers who are, get this, Greek myths!" Nobunaga slowly was getting pissed as he listened to her go on about how he was lying, but she said herself she heard a voice that he knew was Persephone's. Getting tired of hearing her talking, the Underworld King pulled on her head and kissed where he knew Persephone hated to be kissed - though they both knew how much she enjoyed it. His lips, soft but rough, kissed and nipped at her collarbone, his tongue grazing against the bite mark left behind. Quiet, a soft yelp was heard coming from Lucile, her hands trying - and failing - to push him away, but it felt far too good for her to stop him. Even though her mind was telling her to let it go on, there was just no way she could let it happen, especially when a coughing notion was made by someone else in the room who was trying to get the attention of them both.

"Sorry to interrupt your little...display of affection, but I'm here to see how the patient is doing," the doctor said, coughing still even when Nobunaga's eyes met the doctor's. The ravenette slowly pulled away and held her close, the young adult buried her face into his chest, cursing heavily under her breath. "She's doing fine, I assure you."

"That is for me, the doctor, to decide. Not her boyfriend-"

"Okay! No! No! Hell no!" Lucile exclaimed, quickly turning around despite her face resembling that of a tomato. "I am not his girlfriend! That is dead in its tracks!" The older male groaned and simply told Lucile to sit down on the bed before he began a quick, small check-up. Even it if was for her health's sake, Nobunaga couldn't stand the sight of seeing another man touching on his lover - despite the scholar's attitude towards them being together. Once the check-up was done, the doctor advised them to wait a little while longer while he got the discharge papers and her prescription ready before doing anything else. When he left the room, emerald eyes were on Nobunaga like a hawk staring at its prey.

"Why did you do that?! What kind of stunt was that?!"

"It shut you up, didn't it?" Lucile blinked, fuming and quickly standing on her feet. "You don't just go kissing and biting on people you just met! I don't care if I'm Persephone or not, don't kiss me!"

"You seem angered by the fact that it happened the way it did, but when it happened you seemed to enjoy it. After all, it was and still is Persephone's weak sp-"

"Lucile goddammit! My name is Lucile!" Lucile yelled, stepping on his feet as hard as she possibly could. But in the end, it ended up with her on her back, on the bed, with a very angered God hovering above her. "You are Persephone, whether you like it or not. I will address you as such when I see fit, so don't push me unless you want to regret it later." Lucile gulped and nodded her head, seeing his ruby eyes glow - despite the bright lights in the room - and knowing that it was best that she just kept her mouth shut if she didn't want to lose her life.

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Lucile didn't enjoy the quiet drive home in the Uber they called. Nobunaga hadn't said anything to her since he raised his voice the way he did, scaring her shitless. She sighed and plucked her forehead repeatedly, realizing she might as well crawl into a hole now if the feeling was so present in her now. Once they made it to the stop, the petite blonde got out of the car and walked to the trunk, pulling out the bags she had that were inside of it. Looking up, her eyes met with still pissed ruby ones, causing her to gulp again. "Uh...I'll take you home after I...put these away," she said, holding up the bags. Waving to the driver, she walked to where her dorm room was, sighing and trying to think of something - anything - to cut the thickness that was the silence between them.

On second thought, maybe things being so silent between them was better.

Smiling to herself, and realizing she was getting closer to her place, the scholar pulled out the dorm key she had, a few cute little keychains dangling from a keyring. Nobunaga watched her with keen and watchful eyes, wondering about her so much. It seemed she didn't like being called Persephone - thought that is who she is - so that left the Underworld King the only option to actually get to know her. "Lucile," he said, watching her freeze up slightly before she quickly calmed herself down, turning to face him. "Yeah? You called?"

"Tell me about yourself, things that I should know about you," he said, watching her open the door and hold it open for him to walk in. "Well...I guess I should probably do that since I rather not...you know what let me just stop right there." Nobunaga turned his head back and looked at her from where he stood in the small dorm, being watchful. "What were you going to say, Lucile?"

"I rather not be pinned to a bed and fearing my life again, so I'll pass." Lucile put the bags on the floor and picked up her sleeping pooch, placing Maze on her dog bed before turning towards Nobunaga who was just looking around the place. "I'm a college student, I am majoring in fashion styling, my dog's name is Mazikeen but I call her Maze sometimes unless she's being bad and-"

"Mazikeen? Like one of the Lilim?"

"Yeah, like one of the Lilim. Anyways, my parents live in Cincinnati, I love horror/gore movies, cartoons, crime/mystery, myths and legends, and a few other things. My hair is naturally a darker red color, but I wanted to resemble a strawberry so here I am, Strawberry Shortcake's cousin." Nobunaga didn't get the joke at all but laughed when he heard her laugh. It was strange, getting to know her and realizing she wasn't far too different from his Persephone. Sure, said woman was the Goddess of Spring and seemed as if she would be so sweet and caring, nice and gentle, but while she, yes, was all those qualities, Persephone was also the curious type, always wanting to know more and even had her own little dark side that no one but Hades knew about. He chuckled and smiled softly to himself, eventually causing Lucile to walk over and wave her hand - from where she stood up against him - in his face.

"Hey, earth to Nobunaga. Hey Hades, stop spacing out." The ravenette blinked and looked down at her, smirking slightly as he gently grabbed her wrist, nibbling on each digit gently and staring into her emerald irises that only widened in surprise. Lucile started to screamed and yell, but remembered just how Maze was when she woke up due to loud noises, so she only slapped his hand and wiggled her wrist to get him to stop seductively biting on her fingers. "Dude this is gross! Stop it!"

"Then stop blushing, and maybe I'll stop." Lucile shut up but kept moving her hand until she felt chills run up and down her spine, causing her blush to darken tenfold. "H-Hey...stop that...seriously."

"You have all the same weak spots Persephone had...amusing," Nobunaga said with another smirk, taking her fingers out of his mouth and watching as she let out a sigh of relief, ducking her head down so he wouldn't see any longer how red her face was. "I hate you...so much."

"Are you sure you're not just saying that because you hate how I make you feel, or to tell yourself that you won't fall in love with me?" Nobunaga chuckled when he felt her small, dainty hands hitting on his chest before she pulled away. "Shut it up, you don't know what you're talking about okay?"

"I believe I do, and I think it starts with the feelings Persephone felt for me surfacing and causing you to fall for me as well." Lucile pouted and quickly grabbed her dorm and car keys, looking at him over her shoulder with a stink face almost before she walked to the door, opening it but watching as it closed. Questioning why the hell he closed the door, the college student looked up to only turn away when she saw how close he was to her. "Personal bubble Nobunaga."

"I'll think about moving when I feel like it okay?" Nobunaga said, curling his arms around her, yawning and laying his head on her shoulder. "Hades, my love. You must be tired...rest now. You've found me. I'm here for you now," Persephone said, her soothing voice seemingly put the male to sleep, Lucile's hand moving on its own to gently rub his head. Slowly, with her back to the door, her body slid down and the scholar sat on the floor, Nobunaga's head resting on her shoulder, the sound of quiet breathing filling her ears. Lucile sighed and looked up at the ceiling, mentally asking why her before looking down at the peaceful expression that didn't seem to fit someone like Nobunaga/Hades. After what he showed her earlier, how pissed he can get, she didn't think he really had it in him to appear soft and innocent. But here she was, gently running her hand through his hair and singing a soft tune to him.

If you want to view paradise

Simply look around and view it

Anything you want to, do it

Want to change the world?

There's nothing to it

There is no

Life I know

To compare with pure imagination

Living there

You'll be free

If you truly wish to be

aye, what did i tell ya? double upload baby! but anyways i do hope everyone will and is enjoying the progression of the storyline so far, and the slow buildup between lucile and nobunaga/hades. i want the romance between them to grow slowly, with there being trust issues and such between them, even if nobunaga is making advances constantly. plus i hope you guys like that i included persephone's voice in this as well, because i mean lucile is persephone reincarnated so yeah. and since this isn't like the prologue, the author note for this is shorter but the chapter itself was longer. i plan on writing longer chapters in the future for this story like my other story so yeah! i hope you all enjoyed the actual first chapter of serendipity and i will see you all, next time.

- this is al, signing off