Hades was not having the best of times when Death chose to seek him out.

Somehow, the Keres had multiplied again in their gloomy place of refuge within the Underworld and swarms of them were lashing out at the edges of his domain, weakening his defenses in their lust for blood. There had to be a certain number of Keres to collect the dead that fought on past their expiration (these were usually those who died in war in particularly violent ways, where they had little idea that they had actually passed) but their numbers had gone far beyond what was required. They bred like insects in the folds between his world and Zeus's; he had a suspicion that dreams of bloodlust also brought them out in droves. He'd never found the right demigod to try and research the Keres nor had the time to riddle it out himself.

Hades had spent many hours in stern words with Nyx about controlling their numbers, then had set about himself to the edges of the realm in order to cull them down to a manageable size. It didn't help that divine beings had inspired their heroes to draw blood and summon shades for answers to prophecies and long-plagued questions – every time a hero slaughtered an animal on his borders the Keres swarmed, straining at the borders until they collapsed, and a hold slew of unhappy shades burst loose. That meant rounding up the poor dead, slaughtering the Keres and trying not to frighten a poor hero or soothsayer to death in the process. Apollo loved to encourage his seers to pass on the message that the gods would protect those who sought wisdom, but funnily enough it was left to Hades and his subordinates to do the actual protecting.

To make matters worse, Hades had no idea where Thanatos was, Hecate wasn't responding to his summons and there were few other beings Hades could count on to get the job done properly. Macaria was forbidden from Zeus's realm, and at times he needed to jump across the barrier between worlds, so he hadn't bothered interrupting her. The King of Underworld decided to just get the task completed himself. He had appealed to Nyx but of course, she had declined with the night drawing near.

He lashed the reins and his chariot flew forward again. Bow drawn, he waited. The scent of blood was already starting to spread in the air. A sibyl was crouched on the ground in front of him, but with his helm on Hades couldn't be seen by man or beast. The Shades started to pack in around the life they detected, but once the offering was made and the blood started to flow, he heard the screech of the Keres. Their luminous red eyes were the first thing anyone noticed as they approached but then soon the air was full of the sound of their wings and vicious screeches.

Hades drew an arrow on the string. His aim was good, but he wished the Shades had some sense of danger and would clear his way for him. He waited.

Someone appeared behind him in the chariot and Hades didn't need to turn to see that it was Death. The Shades flicked their eyes as one to the chariot, pinning the figure they knew so well. They lowered their heads and stepped away from the blood of the goat on the ground, longing to press in close to the live soothsayer but unable to repress the will of Thanatos.

"Just in time, my friend," Hades grinned. "I am thinning out the hoard of spirits."

"More Keres?"

"Yes…" Hades began to explain but the screech above them interrupted. A Ker approached, her sisters flying behind. They mostly resembled bats with vaguely female features, except no bats had fingers as long and bony as these, nor the ruby eyes flashing with malice and glee. Some of them were huge – as tall as a woman fully grown – others were grotesque infant-sized beings with adult features. The smaller ones were easier to target. Hades knew from experience they were slower, easier to distract and not smart enough to flee from his weapons after they saw their sisters fall.

He loosed his arrows in quick succession. Keres began falling, screaming and writhing for only a moment before disintegrating into a smoke so dark that all light seemed to be drawn into it. Suddenly the place was full of thick black smoke wafting into the air and the sound of shrieks. Sensibly, the sibyl decided to flee but the blood left behind continued to attract the spirits.

Thanatos moved all the Shades aside and began to close in, swinging his scythe. The Keres could barely sense either Thanatos or Hades; the oldest of them just fled against an enemy they could not hope to detect. With Thanatos's help, Hades had the area cleared, the Shades moved away safely, and his defenses were repaired. When he was done sealing the breach, the King of the Underworld thanked his friend for the aid.

"There will one or two more locations like this and then I believe the problem will be dealt with, at least for a while," Hades mused. Thanatos just nodded. "Can you assist further?"

Thanatos didn't even move in response.

Hades knew enough to know that Death was troubled and as he gestured to the chariot, he offered to speak with him.

"Something is clearly on your mind."

"I would prefer to address it on the ground…" Thanatos admitted. "My Lord."

Hades frowned.

"What is troubling you?"

Death took a long time to answer, fiddling with his scythe.

"The Fates."

Hades just waited. The chariot did not rise.

Death tried again.

"I have been given… an ultimatum. I remember when yourself and the Lady Persephone were hearing the words of her mother, her curse, that there was a way around it for the sake of all. I… It is not the same, not even close and it's not exactly a horrid fate to have but I am struggling with…"

Hades was perplexed; what would the Fates have in store for Death? Thanatos had been unmovable and unchangeable since the first moment of creation. What did he not want to come to pass?

"What happened?" Hades asked.

Thanatos spoke about the arrows and his attempts to undo the love he felt, though he omitted the name of the goddess who had been struck by Eros. He spoke about his blunt refusal and the way she had approached the God of Love, but he had run yet again when she was summoned away. He spoke about his argument with the Fates, how out of control he felt about the whole situation.

By this point Hades was leaning against the chariot, focused.

"You do not want change…" The King eventually surmised when his friend had run out of words. Hades was amazed. From Thanatos's dodging of the goddess's identity, he assumed that he was speaking about Hecate as he had mentioned several times that she was of Hades's realm without giving away much else.

Hades could not empathize properly with Death's avoidance of romance however and sought to understand the situation properly.

"Events change whether we want them to or not. If loving this goddess disturbs you to such a degree… Is it fair to take your time? To set limitations until you are comfortable with each other?"

Thanatos shifted a little.

"I have nothing to offer her at the moment except my distaste for the whole situation and I have upset her beyond a point where I can earn forgiveness."

Hades heard Death's dismay and watched the God slump forward in his misery. He tried to remember a time where Thanatos looked so wretched or so… suffocated. That was the right word – it was like Death was simply exhausted. Hades couldn't recall such an expression on his friend's features before.

"You clearly want the lady's good esteem," Hades gently pointed out.

"Do I, though? Or is it this adoration that vexes me?" Thanatos let out a huff. "I hardly know my own thoughts at the moment."

Hades took Thanatos by the shoulders and stared at him.

"You have time, Thanatos. For all we know, we are eternal. With enough time, peace will be restored to you and you can decide. You seemed fixated on solving everything to your satisfaction now, and it may not work out that way. Discuss this with her. Take your time. Establish some understanding and forgiveness and begin again." Hades let him go when he saw his words take effect. "I know better than most that you should not let go of your hope – whatever your hope might be. I never thought to have a family, and see? My children are my pride and joy, happiness I did not know I could have came to me through trials I did not know I would ever face."

But Thanatos dropped his gaze to the chariot, refusing to meet Hades's sincerity with hope. The King sighed.

"We cannot do anything right now…" Hades began but Death interrupted him.

"I'm in love with your daughter."

The moment seemed to freeze. The sentence took a few attempts to process.

Thanatos sucked in another breath.

"It's Macaria."

Crack. Hades realized his bow had split between his hands where he had gripped it too tightly. He forced his fingers to unwind from the shaft of the bow and to let it drop to the ground. The ancient wood fell.

Thanatos, looking as inadequate as he felt, leant on his scythe to fall to his knees on the ground.

"I didn't ask for this," Death whispered. "Please, Hades. I don't know what to do."

The two of them stayed like that while Hades fought for control over a kind of protective fury he didn't know he had. The thought of his shining, bright daughter having her heart broken like this was intolerable. It was like being possessed. The urge to smite this inferior who had dared hurt her, rejected her noble heart…

But he fought it. This was Thanatos.

"This is why you wanted to stay on the ground…" Hades forced words past his lips. He watched Death shiver where he lay and sighed.

If it had been anyone else…

"I thought you were speaking of Hecate," Hades admitted.

Thanatos just flinched.

The rage was still present. Hades paced, not knowing what else to do with all the frustrated energy he now had. The blood dripped into the offering bowl the sibyl had left behind but there was no other sound. The dead goat sacrificed for the ritual stared into nothingness as the King paced by its head.

Death just waited, as though fixed in marble in the pose of the supplicant begging forgiveness.

"Well," Hades finally concluded with enormous self-control. "It is not my decision to make whether you are worthy of forgiveness. That can only come from her." He hissed in a breath, mastering his sudden temper. "You are extremely fortunate. She is one of the most generous and patient beings I know. Try to remember that when you next approach her."

Death still didn't shift from his position on the ground.

"What did you think telling me of this would do for you?" Hades blurted out, despite his attempts at restraint. "I cannot undo what is done by Fates, as you well know. I do not understand your terror of affection, or companionship? Macaria…" Hades hook his head. "What is there about her you fear? Why would you reject her affection for you?"

Thanatos didn't respond.

With the best will in the world, Hades didn't know what would help. They had been friends and co-workers for eons, they had a respect that was mutual and well-earnt by both. But it stung that Thanatos had hurt his little girl, even unintentionally and that her love for him wasn't enough for him to conquer his reluctance to change his ways or try to be worthy of her affection.

But then again, she wasn't his little girl anymore, was she? She was the Goddess of Blessed Death, a goddess in full, able to make her own decisions.

Above all else, he had respect for her ability to live her own life and deal with her own issues. Look at what had happened with Zeus – she had made the decision and he had accepted it on her terms. He understood the restrictions on her power but he also understood what she was trading it for, and loved her for it.

"Just speak with her, Death." Hades returned to his chariot and took the reins. His horses snorted and stepped forward at his touch. "I cannot do anything for you…" He took a moment to consider the poor figure on the ground. "If it makes you both happy, you would have my blessing, you know. But that is not my decision to make."

Confused, that anger still churning in his gut somewhere, Hades took flight. The horses climbed steadily into the monochrome on the edges of his dominion and swung around for home. Persephone would know how to quell the mixture of hope and fury he had, Hades knew. Relieved now more than ever that his wife was home, Hades sped the horses forward and made a mental note to get himself a new bow.

Thanatos was alone again. The God of Death had watched his liege lord push the horses forward but hadn't responded. Now, sitting on the ground alone, Death slumped over and tried to collect his thoughts. There was, truly, only one person whose opinion mattered but did he dare approach her again? Did he really have no courage all anymore?

Death was disgusted with himself. He sat there, just he and the dead goat, for a very long time.