As he rounded the stairwell to enter the kitchen, he saw Artemis angrily texting while standing by the counter. Hades was curious but valued his life too much to ask.
"I was just coming to make breakfast for you guys." Hades tried not to seem nervous.
"Do what you want." Artemis snapped, not angry at either of them. She stomped out of the room and into the woods.
Kore kept her head down, not daring to look up. She stood across the counter from him. Her hands clasped in front of her.
Kore hadn't looked up for the detailed granite countertop. Hades shifted his feet.
"Look -" The pair started their sentences at the same time. Hades let out a soft chuckle.
"You first." Kore still hadn't looked up. She was picking at the skin around her nails. Her feet dangling from a bar stool at the counter.
Hades took a deep breath and walked around the counter to sit beside her. He grasped her hands to stop her from picking at them.
"Everything okay?" Hades leaned his forehead on her forehead. Kore's face flushed at the closeness. She nodded. "Before you say anything, I just wanted to let you know that Demeter had this coming from the moment she tried so hard to hide you. If it wasn't me, it would have been someone else. By hiding you away from everyone, she only made you more desirable." Hades spoke quickly, trying to reassure her, but the more he talked the more he realized it was all coming out wrong. Kore's shoulders slumped. She was obviously growing more upset.
"Like a taboo?" Her voice was soft, and strained.
"I suppose so." Hades internally facepalmed.
"Huh." Kore took a deep breath to calm herself. All her insecurities came flooding back to her. All the times her mother said that no God would ever take her seriously, or even look at her like anything more than an object. "I don't know what else I expected from the Gods. Especially from a brother of Zeus." Kore pulled away from Hades and stood to walk away.
"Wait!" Hades jumped up and grabbed her hand. "Look Kore, that came out all wrong." Her eyes darted nervously to his hand. A lump rose in her throat as she took in her facial expression. His eyes were moist, and he chewed nervously on his bottom lip. "If you give me a chance I can explain, and I hope that it comes out better than what I just tried to say." He released her hand and sat back down. "Please?" He hung his head and folded his hands in his lap.
"I'm listening." Kore sighed and sat back down. She placed her hands over his.
Hades paused, trying to figure out how to phrase this whole situation better. He had never been good at this kind of thing. Plus, he hasn't known her for very long. He took a shaky breath.
"Kore, what I'm trying to say is, I'm sure a beautiful woman like you would have had plenty of options, had you wanted them. I know that life with Demeter couldn't have been easy. I also acknowledge that we haven't known each other for that long. Regardless of it feels like forever. I feel like you finally see me. The real me. Not the villainous God of the Underworld, or the stuck-up businessman, or the jerk. You see the real genuine Hades. I hope that you like what you see. I waited so long for Demeter to finally allow you to see anyone outside of a few nymphs. Not that the nymphs aren't great." Kore raised an eyebrow and tried not to chuckle. "I guess, what I'm trying to say is that I'm glad when you had the chance for freedom, I was the one you went looking for. "His cheeks burned with embarrassment. Hades wasn't one to bare his soul like that, but after all that Kore had been through, he felt that she deserved to hear that someone thought the world of her. Kore threw her arms around him.
"Not going to lie to you, that was pretty cheesy." Kore gently kissed his cheek. "I'm going to have questions later, but right now, I'm glad you came when I called. Even though it wasn't me that called you." Kore laughed softly.
"I'll always come when you call." Hades softly kissed the top of her head. "Or when someone calls me for you." He chuckled.
Kore took a deep breath to build the courage to ask her first question.
"Hades?" Kore glanced up at him.
"Yes?" Hades smiled down at her.
"Can you," She paused, unsure of what the best way to ask would be. "When can I…? Her voice trailed off again. Hades didn't interrupt her or try to rush her. He patiently waited for her to gather her thoughts. She took another deep breath. "Can I come visit you in the Underworld sometime?" She looked down again, not wanting to see the disappointment or the rejection on Hades' face.
Hades pulled back and rose to his feet. There was a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. A smirk tugged at his lips.
"How about this?" Hades held his hand out. "Why don't we go together? I can give you the grand tour."
"Okay." Kore's eyes widened in surprise. "That would be nice."
Hades pulled her into a tight embrace, as blue and black smoke snaked around them, and enveloped their forms. Kore eyed the smoke suspiciously and subconsciously clung to Hades' arm. He glanced down at her face and couldn't help but smile. She snuggled into his chest. A hole opened beneath them, and they fell into a free fall.
Hades stretches out his arms, as Kore laughs excitedly, making sure to keep their hands intertwined. The air that flowed through Kore's hair was dense and thick. She looked down at the Underworld in all its chaotic majesty and felt something stir in her heart. Kore was surprised by the mist that covered all the Underworld. The Underworld itself appeared to be mostly untouched by time. The only thought in Kore's head was the feeling of freedom as her and Hades glided gracefully though the air.
A massive obsidian palace lay in the middle of the largest river in the Underworld, the River Styx. The four other rivers branched from the portion of the River Styx that had flown through the palace. The river paths forming a treelike shape. The four other rivers themselves flowing into different parts of the Underworld, two rivers on each side. A dense fog covered the rest of the Underworld. Only the occasional light trail flowed through the fog, following behind the Shades in the field. A multitude of canoes flowed down the River Styx into the entrance of the palace.
Hades commanded a cyclone of blue smoke to rise and the two of them float down to the beginning of the River Styx.
Kore glanced around the area with wide astonished eyes. She took in any bit of information she could. Hades stood behind her with a hand on her back.
"What better tour guide than the ruler himself." Hades stepped next to her and offered her his arm. Kore turned to him and stifled a giggle.
"What?" He glanced down and saw that his suit had disappeared. In its place, he now wore a dark black robe, with black sandals. His blue hair shinned brightly in contrast to the dense fog around him.
"Oh yeah. That happens." He chuckled and rubbed the back of his head subconsciously.
Kore linked their arms and waited for him to take the lead.
"It's not that bad." She kissed his cheek. "Just caught me off guard. Now, let's go."
The pair set off towards a cloaked figure on the riverbank.