Hades smiled shyly, not used to not being self-confident. "Yes, Kore?" He took a few steps back and sat by the trunk of a tree.
Kore's face burned with embarrassment, and she stuffed the drawing back into her bag. She bit her lip nervously. Kore did not want to ask why, or how Hades had known where she was or how he even knew she existed. Her dream flashed in her mind. The feeling of his hands on her hips and his lips on hers. She thought that her face must be giving her away. Kore sat at the edge of the pool, her back to the water. She sheepishly looked up at him through her eyelashes. Hades met her eyes and smiled at her. He patted the ground next to him. Kore stood and walked over to him. She sat next to him but out of arm's reach.
"This really is beautiful." Hades gestured to the sunset reflecting off the water.
"It is. I have always preferred the moon though. " Kore chuckled a little. She thought she must sound ridiculous.
Hades sighed contently. "If I am being honest, me too. May I ask why?" Kore looked down at her hands wrapped tightly around her bag strap and shook her head. She did not dare speak for it might all spill out. "I'll tell you if you tell me." He rested his hand over hers. She glanced up at him. Hades did not look at her. "For me, the night brings darkness, which is filled with wonder, unconventional beauty, and lastly freedom. No one questions what you do under the cover of darkness, people admit to things they might usually not. The darkness of night gives people a chance to be who they are, without fear of retaliation. Besides, Nyx is one of the only goddesses that Zeus does not mess with.
Hades stole a side glance at her. Kore's eyes were filled with wonder, as she gazed at his profile. He felt like she was seeing him, as in the real him. He cleared his throat, his face red with embarrassment. Hades had never told anyone anything like that. Kore smiled wide and threw herself at him. Her eyes were wet with tears. He caressed the back of her head as she hugged him tightly. " I'm sorry." Hades thought he might have scared her. She shook her head and leaned back. "Did I do something?" Hades wiped her tears. He was used to taking the blame at this point. No one ever saw good in the lord of the underworld. Kore once again shook her head. "Please say something." Hades practically pleaded. He had been dreaming about this moment for months, now he was sure that he had messed it up.
Hades paused for a few minutes, though it felt like an eternity. "Kore? Look, if you are not saying anything because I saw the drawing of me. I might be able to make you feel better." Hades took a deep breath before taking his most prized possession out of his suit pocket, the drawing of his nymph. The artist captured Kore almost perfectly. The only thing missing was that rebellious spark from her eyes. Hades would have to have another one painted. He wanted to capture this moment forever, Kore sitting on his lap, straddling him, holding the drawing of herself in her hands, her face crimson, and her biting her lip almost seductively. Hades was not sure that she realized that she was straddling him yet, but he did not want her to leave so he did not say anything.
Kore burst out laughing and handed the drawing back to Hades. Their hands touched as he took the drawing from his hand. "You know, I wasn't upset earlier. I was simply shocked at the reality of your words. I had never heard anyone put into words all that I had been feeling most of my life. It made me realize that you might just understand me. I'm not sure why or how but it feels almost kindred." Kore spoke quickly so she did not lose her nerve to speak. Hades opened his mouth to respond. Kore cut him off by planting a rough kiss on his lips. Hades instinctually bucked his hips up. Kore gasped softly and then jumped up. Hades chuckled, as she finally realized how she was sitting on him. He patted the ground next to him once more. "Kore?" She sat next to him, her head in her hands. "Nothing happened. It's fine." Kore peered at him through her fingers. She thought she would die of embarrassment. Not only had Hades seen his portrait she had made, but she also sat in his lap without even thinking, and she even kissed him.
"Kore!" Demeter's voice broke the tranquility of the moment. Kore knew she only had a few minutes before her mother burst through the tree line and saw her sitting next to a male. Not just any male, but the Lord of The Underworld. She would be dead by morning. Hades saw her eyes widen in fear. She clutched her bag closer like it was her lifeline or some unguarded secret. Hades rose from his spot.
"Here." He reached into the jacket, pulled out the drawing, and slipped it into her satchel. "To remember this by." He whispered in her ear and gently kissed her forehead. He did not need the drawing anymore. Hades was sure that this moment would be burned into his mind for the rest of his life. Even if she wanted nothing to do with him anymore, this moment would get him by.
"Kore!" Her mother's voice was closer. Kore reached out and caught Hades' hand as he tried to leave. She pulled him down for one last kiss. His eyes widened in surprise as he gently kissed her back.
"Thank you." Kore's voice was hardly louder than a whisper. Hades smiled at her and slipped away into the darkness of the woods.
Kore rose and started to head towards her mother's voice. Only now becoming aware of how dark it was the woods. Artemis met her in the woods moments before they ran into Demeter.
"Yes, Mother?" Kore's voice was soft and warm. She ran into her mother's arms.
"What happened? Are you okay? You aren't hurt, are you?" Demeter stroked her hair. Demeter's golden eyes landed on Artemis. "You did this. That is the last time she spends anytime with you." Demeter's tone was level and ice-cold.
Kore shook her head. "Nothing happened Mother. We did not do anything dangerous. We simply sat in my pool of water, and talked, and watched nature. Nothing bad, I promise Mother." Kore stepped back and started walking back towards their home. Demeter and Artemis fell into step beside her. Kore and Artemis glanced around. Both feeling eyes on them. They both were on high alert until Kore saw his blue eyes ahead of them.
"You're sure that nothing happened?" Demeter eyed her suspiciously. "You seem different."
Artemis scoffed. "That's what happens when she spends time with someone other than you." There was not usually this hostility between the two of them, at least not before Kore was born. Artemis could not stand to see Kore locked in a cage like a wild animal. She knew it was only a matter of time until she lashed out.
Kore met the blue eyes watching them from the woods. "I had a wonderful time. Really." She smiled and bit her lip subconsciously. The ghost of a laugh could be heard in the wind. A laugh Kore was already familiar with. She felt a shiver run through her. "I'm fine. Really Mother."
The conversation stopped once they arrived at Demeter's house. Demeter entered first, mumbling under her breath about Artemis. Kore and Artemis stood outside the door. They could feel Demeter watching them from the doorway.
Kore pulled Artemis in for a hug. "Thank you for today." She whispered to her.
Artemis tried not to chuckle. "So, something happened while I was gone then?" She whispered back to Kore. Kore blushed and nodded. Artemis slipped her hand into Kore's bag and dropped something heavy. She knew Demeter would never let her have one, so Artemis bought her a cell phone. Panic shot through Kore. "Keep it secret. Keep it safe." Artemis pulled away and disappeared into the woods.
Kore headed into her room, after saying goodnight to her mother. Demeter was still fuming; Kore knew she would not see her again that night. She sat at her desk and tried to get a grip on her emotions. Kore reached into her bag and pulled out both the drawings and the cell phone that Artemis had given her. Now, she was not sure how to work a cellphone, so she made a mental note to ask Artemis the next time she saw her. The cellphone was put back into her bag as it was useless to her right now. What had piqued her interest however was the drawing Hades had given her. Hades had not questioned why she laughed when she saw it. She had not wanted to say anything, because she wanted to be sure. Kore unfolded both drawings and laid his drawing on top of hers. A new wave of heat flew through her.
The drawings themselves were two halves of the same drawing. In her drawing, Hades' leaned against a tree his suit jacket lying next to him, his button-up shirt half unbuttoned and untucked from his pants. His face was red, his hair disheveled, his hands appeared to be gripping air, his teeth sinking into his lip, his eyes darker than they were. Kore now realized why though. She laid the drawing Hades had given her over top of hers. In the new finished drawing, she was sitting on his lap, like how she was today. Except his hands gripped her hips, her hands were planted on his chest, her teeth in her lip, she stared at him with a hunger she was starting to recognize. Her hair fell covering the right side of her face.
After taking in the full image, she gasped, folded them back up, and quickly tucked them back into her bag. It appeared they both had the same dream. She crawled into bed, not bothering to undress. She lay on her side, clinging to her bag once again. Only this time, wishing she were not alone.