Notice: I'm back after a long hiatus. Thanks for sticking with me for this long (if you are still here that is) :)
Chapter 8
Setting: Chocolate Cafe (Persephone's POV)
I was lucky that over next few days I didn't run into Hades around the house. Although I did my part fairly well too, and thus I avoided any possible situation and skipped out on any task that might lead me to encounter him, and I did it in such a dedicated manner it was as if I was avoiding the plague. Thankfully Hades didn't send a request to seek me out either and therefore I had had no re-run of our last discomfited encounter. However, the reason behind my current sulky mood, as I sat disgruntled on my chair in the chocolate cafe we were currently eating at with a majorly sullen look on my face, was for once surprisingly not Hades. It was the sudden jarring presence of Nyx everywhere.
At first, I had felt perfectly happy when she had come to hang out with Adonis and me, even a little grateful, as after all she had been the one to shout Hades' stupidity down about not letting me out of the house without his express permission. I was hoping that being with her old friend would cheer her up; and it had. But now after so many days of constantly hanging around with us every time Adonis and I arranged to go out, it seemed a bit too much. How many more 'dates' of ours was she going to attend? Since that first night out, I had not even had a chance to properly talk to Adonis during the time we spent 'together', as I was pretty much the third wheel every single time. Even now, as we sat around a four seater table, Nyx and Adonis looked more like the newly engaged couple, who chatted away happily as they sat side by side next to each other, while I sat across from them, just sitting there like a lump and prodding my waffles with my fork in a downcast way.
Maybe I was being too mean? I mean Nyx had just come out of a really tough patch. Was I being inconsiderate? But then again, I thought to myself, when were Adonis and I supposed to get to know each other? Particularly given the fact that it was unclear for how long Adonis would be allowed to take leave from his work. The only new things I had learned about him were based off what I overheard from Nyx and Adonis' consistent chattering, and even those hints about him consisted of useless facts and nothing more substantial than his food preferences. I scowled as I recalled how earlier today Nyx and I discovered that both Nyx and Adonis loved churros; a food which I didn't like at all. Why did it seem that Nyx and Adonis had so much more in common than Adonis and I could ever have?
In all this mess I had only one positive thought to keep me going, which was that Adonis had contacted Charon on Skype a few nights ago, and they seemed to have gotten on well, because Charon appeared to have given Adonis his approval. Okay maybe it wasn't exactly approval, but at least Charon's statement to me of "I kinda like him" when Charon had last called was close enough to be considered somewhat of an approval. I smiled as I recalled how Charon had discovered that he and Adonis had the same sporting interests. But then once again a depressing thought crossed my mind and interrupted my positivity. Thinking about Charon made me feel even more uncomfortable and my smiled dropped almost instantly. Where was he? He had never mentioned any exact place, he barely contacted me and even when he did, the number he called me from was shown as "private" on my caller screen. Even the Skype account he had used to talk to Adonis was a newly created one and not his own. What was he doing? I just hoped that whatever it was, it was not something illegal and dangerous. But then again what else would it be? After all, he was working for Hades wasn't he?
Setting: Driveway, Hades' Mansion (Persephone's POV)
Adonis decided to drop us off, and parked on his usual spot at the head of the marble driveway, just beside the entrance steps, so that Nyx and I could step out. As soon as the car stopped Nyx looked outside her window and spotted Hades casually leaning against a stone pillar framing the entrance and exclaimed "Oh look, Hades is back early!" I sneaked a look in his direction and his eyes briefly met mine. His expression remained serious and composed and he didn't say anything nor did he remove his gaze. I looked away quickly. I don't need to feel scared I reminded myself. Charon had talked to Adnois. Charon didn't have a problem with me going out with Adnois. Hades had no excuse left now. Or could it possibly be that Hades simply didn't like Adonis? I brushed that thought away as soon as it came. How was that possible? Hades didn't even know Adonis.
"Okay Bye Adnois. See you soon," chimed Nyx. "And don't forget about Assassin's creed alright? I just can't believe you have never played it."
And with that Nyx pushed open the car door beside her and bounded out of the car and up the steps to go and stand beside Hades.
"Okay, I'm going too. Bye." I said. I went to snatch up my bag from beside me and made to open the car door, but Adonis grabbed my hand and stopped me.
"What?" I asked.
"What's the matter, Persephone? You looked unhappy all of today."
I mentally cursed myself. If I had decided to sit in the back of the car like I had done so all the previous times then Adonis wouldn't have been able to corner me this way and I could have made an easy get away like Nyx just had done a few seconds ago.
"Nothing." I pursed my lips into a thin line and made to open the door again, but Adonis could tell something was up so he made to stop me again.
"Really? Well you don't sound very convincing."
"Adonis I am not in the mood right now to talk," I sighed.
"Come on Persephone, tell me what's up. You'll feel better if you just let out whatever is bothering you." He took a studious look at my face and added with a twisted but hesitant smile, "And you'll get the benefit of not looking like a prune too."
I let out a small laugh and shook my head at his stupid joke, my disgruntled demeanour fading slightly.
"Yes, I'm fine," I answered truthfully after a while, "but..."
"But...?" Adonis pushed.
I deliberated over how to best say what was on my mind and carefully chose the next few words. Finally, I took a deep breath and looked into Adonis' face and fully met his gaze.
"But, I do think, that after all this time of you being back in the city, I would have liked to have had the chance to spend some time with you and had gotten to know you," I stated. It was as nice as I could make it sound without coming across as rude.
A puzzled expression came upon Adonis face.
"But we are spending time out together Persephone? You do know me. I mean what have been doing these past few days?"
"No Adonis," I said as gently as I could whilst shaking my head. "You are Nyx's friend, and perhaps Nyx accompanying us has made you feel relaxed and kept you under the impression that we are all getting along well like good long lost friends, but Adonis, I still don't know you. We still don't know each other."
Adonis continued to look puzzled so I pressed on. Now that I had started talking, it was easier to put into words what I had been wanting to say.
"Think about it. We have hardly talked to each other since the first night we went out. What do we know about each other apart from superficial fluff, useless facts and an initial attraction? We are still pretty much strangers to each other. Given that we are getting married soon I was really hoping to have gotten to bond with you in the short amount of time we do have. And I mean with this no offence, I really do, but we can't do that with other people around us every time we go out. I know Nyx is your good friend, but we have to learn to bond with each other alone. Just with the two of us. We need some time for ourselves simply to grow together and understand one another."
Adonis gave me a thoughtful look as he comprehended what I had just told him.
"Persephone, you're right. I am truly sorry. I didn't realise that I had become so carried away after meeting an old friend. We do need to spend some time, together and alone."
"Thanks for understanding, Adonis," I reached out and placed my hand over his and squeezed it gently. "I just don't want to end up offending you or Nyx."
"You aren't, don't worry about it. I completely understand where you are coming from," he replied, now covering my hand that was resting on top of one of his with his free one creating a three hand sandwich between the two of us. "If anything, I should be the one feeling guilty for not paying you any attention despite the fact that we were meant to be on a date."
His words caused a warm feeling to grow inside of me.
"Hmm," I smiled cheekily at him. "Don't think you will be getting off the hook that easy Mister. You'll be paying for your neglect, and a hefty price it will be!"
I raised my eyebrows at him playfully to encourage him to catch on.
"Don't fret Your Majesty," stated Adonis catching on quickly and playing along in my dramatic tune. "This lowly scumbag will either make it up to you or he shall die trying!"
"Oh, is that so? Might I ask what I will be receiving from this lowly scumbag as payment of said scumbag's heinous crimes? Though I must say, I doubt I will be receiving anything at all."
Adonis made an exaggerated face of someone in pain as he placed his hand over his chest in an imitation of someone trying to stop his heart from falling apart into pieces by holding it tightly into his chest, and I burst out into fits of laughter at the ridiculous look on his face.
"You doubt this peasant's word Your Majesty? You wound me. Whatever punishment you announce is mine for the taking!"
This only caused me to laugh harder.
"Why peasant, why has your face gone pale? This Queen is not that heartless. Fret not. This Queen lets off this lowlife subject without any payment."
I rose my right hand above Adonis' head in a mock gesture of blessing Adonis as if he were a subject receiving a great honour.
"Oh thank you Your Majesty!" exclaimed Adonis, immediately bowing his head at me and folding his hands in two. "Truly you are generous beyond measure."
"So it's done," I stated formally. "Tomorrow thou shall take me to the see sights and to dine in style and thou shall take the utmost care in ensuring that Admiral Nyx shall not attempt to raise a front against our holy Peasant-Queen relationship again."
"Fret not Your Majesty. This peasant will ensure that Admiral Nyx will never even raise her head in defiance to you."
"Yes well, time will show the depths of your promises peasant."
"The time of fruition of my promises is not far indeed, Your Majesty," finished Adonis with a flourish, causing us break out into another set of raucous giggles.
Wiping my watering eyes and trying to regain my composure at the same time, I said "So then, the award for the most pathetic actor in this round of overacting goes to you!"
Adonis still not dropping his falsetto and dramatic acting stated "My sweet...you didn't approve of my overacting?"
He raised the back of his arm to his forehead and dramatically to show mock depression causing the both of us to break into fits of laughter once again.
Setting: Outside the car, against the stone pillar (Hades POV)
I watched with a small frown on my face as Persephone was stopped from coming outside the car by Adnois. Nyx bounced up the entrance steps towards me looking like a flouncing duck in her overly bright yellow boots and yellow knitted sweater. Panting slightly, she came up beside me and slumped against the stone pillar right next to me.
"We had a great time," she said happily.
I took a moment to give her an exasperated look and then resumed my observation of the couple in the car.
"What's with the sickeningly bright colors?" I asked gruffly, in an attempt to mask the irritation that had been reignited in me by watching Persephone and Adnois discussing something with intense concentration in the car.
"Tsk, Tsk. Hades, now you can't even stand it when others around you are having fun," sighed Nyx shaking her head at me. She followed my gaze and looked towards Persephone and Adonis who were now breaking out in giggles. "Persephone is so lucky," she added with a small smile.
I snorted.
"Why?" I questioned disbelievingly.
"Because," she said in tone that implied I was missing the obvious, "Adonis absolutely adores her."
"People start adoring each other really quickly these days," I commented dryly, with my stare fixed on Persephone being overtaken with hysterical laughter as Adonis pretended to bow to her.
"Oh, Hades. Why are you so emotionless in the matter of love? Affection doesn't need a season to bloom. It just...
"It just... what?" I replied dryly.
"It just happens, Hades. Just like that," she snapped fingers to demonstrate. "Quit having temper tantrums all the time and maybe you can start to understand how normal people feel and behave. They were meant to be together, and so they are. Simple."
"Huh. Yeah well he'll leave her just as soon," I said mimicking her and snapping my fingers in her face.
Nyx simply pushed my hand out of her face.
"No he won't. Ditchers don't pay that much attention as Adonis did to Seph today. I would know. He kept glancing over at her while we ate. He's really taken a liking to her. He talks about her often even when she is not around. He isn't like Shaun who'd change for others," she said bitterly. "In fact, if need be, Adonis would probably change himself for Persephone."
I watched as a strange look came over Nyx's face, a half sad and half happy smile.
"Oh! He's just so nice. Adonis is perfect. The perfect partner one could wish for," she finished.
I simply raised one eyebrow quizzically at her.
"Do you want him?" I asked.
Her head snapped back towards me.
"What?"
"Do you like him? Want him for yourself? He's a long time friend isn't he? You two get along well don't you?"
Nyx looked surprised at the calmness with which I had said it. She continued to look at me for a few more seconds before she slowly shook her head.
"Hades, you are weird," she said finally. "You really think one of a kind."
A small smirk crossed my face.
"My cunning is on another level, no?" I asked.
"Wow, arrogant much."
"You know me already Nyx."
"Hades, those two, they really have a strong relationship."
"Ok let's test it then," I replied smugly. "Let us see how strong it is."
Nyx simply shook her head at me again and pushed herself off the pillar and turned to walk inside.
"You haven't exactly said 'no' to the idea either," I called after her retreating back still smirking.
I turned back around to watch as Persephone stepped out and waved goodbye to Adonis.
