The pair surfaced quickly. Water splashed around them. Kore narrowed her eyes at Hades. He flashed her a carefree smile and shrugged. She crossed her arms over her chest and swam towards the wall closest to the stairs. Kore leaned against the wall, sure she was annoyed, but only because she should have seen that coming. It was more of an annoyance with herself than with Hades. As most of her issues were. When Kore didn't return his smile, he could feel that something was off. It seemed as if she was pulling away from him. It seemed ridiculous that the thought hurt him, as they hadn't known each other all that long. Still, he meant it when he told Zeus that no one else was to touch her. They belonged with each other, he was as sure of that fact as he was that Demeter would never let it happen and that Zeus was a playboy. Hades shook his head to stop the thoughts from swarming him and swam over to her. Her lips were set in a thin line.

"You started this." Hades gently reminded her. He planted a kiss on her cheek. Hades tried to pull her back to reality. A faraway look had settled in her eyes. A slight smile broke through her annoyed expression, though he could tell that she wasn't fully with him still. Hades gently wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her against him. Her head lay on his shoulder. Kore sensed an impending panic attack and began doing anything she could to stop the feeling as her chest tightened. She began taking as deep of breaths as her lungs would allow. A strong scent of cinnamon, with a hint of pomegranate, hit her nose. The scent pulled her slowly back to reality as she realized it was Hades' scent. Her shoulders relaxed slowly. Hades splashed water at her, as he swam away.

The pair didn't stray too far from each other even in the water. The warm water made both of them relax a little. The stress and anxiety slowly flowed out of her. Hades watched as a shy smile slid onto Kore's face. Kore pulled her body up out of the water and rested on the edge of the pool. The water here was much more refreshing than that of her pond. Kore didn't say much for a few hours. She didn't look as happy as she had when she had started their interaction. She didn't meet Hades' gaze for long. He swam over towards her. He could almost feel the sadness and anxiety radiate off of her. Her hair had dried by now.
"Everything okay?" Hades could tell she was slipping. He tried not to let his worry show.
"I'm sorry." Her eyes were downcast.
"Whatever for?" Hades cocked his head to the side in confusion. Kore nervously chewed on her bottom lip. He pulled himself out of the pond and sat next to her.
"For pushing you," Kore laughed nervously. She picked at the skin on her palm. Her laugh didn't sound at all genuine. It felt almost like she laughed to try and ease the tension that she thought was there. "For putting you in this situation. For what happened earlier in your office and basically everything." She gestured vaguely around her.
"You don't need to apologize." Hades reached out to turn her face to his. She flinched away. Hades felt his blood run cold. "Kore?" She shook her head.
"Please don't tell me that it's okay. Don't tell me that everything is going to be fine." Kore sniffled.
"Why not?" Hades resisted the urge to grind his teeth.
"Because, " Kore paused, took a deep breath, and began again. "Because I might just believe you."
"It's the truth." Hades let out a quick breath. "I know you don't know me very well, or at all." He ran a hand through his hair. "Just know that I would do anything you needed or asked of me." He gently placed his hand on top of hers.

Hades' eyes bore into the profile of her face with such a determination, she couldn't help but to sneak a peak at him. His eyes blazed angrily, as if he had made the final connection for all that her mother had put her through and it was the final straw for him. His mouth was set in a thin line, as if he was trying to keep himself in check, while also being as honest as he could be without scaring her away. Their eyes met, and Hades' gaze softened only slightly. While anger usually turned Kore into an anxiety-ridden mess, this time felt different. As if Hades wasn't angry at her, but instead was angry for her. She smiled at him softly. Not a full-faced smile, it was simply a slight turn up of the left corner of her mouth.
"You really mean that?" Kore asked, her eyes twinkled as a plan formed in her head.
"You need only ask." Hades rose to his feet and held out a hand to help Kore to hers. "If I can give it to you, I would. If I can't simply hand it to you, I would tear the Earth and Olympus apart to find it. If you wanted to raze Olympus, I wouldn't raise a hand to stop you. " He paused to gauge her response. When she didn't instantly bolt away, he continued. "Kore, I guess what I'm saying is, " Hades' chuckled softly. "If you wanted to watch the world burn, I would bask in the warmth with you. After all that you have endured, it is the least I can do." Hades kissed her cheek.
Kore's face burned. It should have been too much of a declaration for her. She didn't even know him, as he had said himself. Yet, something was freeing about someone taking the time to see her, someone who wouldn't coddle her and would let her simply be.
"Hades?" Kore spoke softly as if the words were afraid of themselves.
"Kore?" He held her hands gently and met her gaze. He could see the anger burning beneath her green eyes like a raging forest fire. She kept it hidden well. That was the part that had him worried. Why was she so adjusted to hiding herself?

"What if I never wanted to leave?" Kore held his eye contact. The words were out and there was nothing she could do to take them back. She didn't want to.

"You mean, never leave here?" Hades raised an eyebrow at her.

"Yes." Kore bit her lip. She stepped towards him, placed her hands on his chest, and kissed him roughly. Her hands tangled into his hair. She trailed kisses along his jawline until her warm breath landed on his ear. "I want to stay here, in the Underworld."
'With you.' The words almost left her mouth but she bit her tongue sharply to keep them in. Just because he had said he would do anything for her, doesn't mean that he wanted her the same way.

"As long as you wish." Hades pulled her tight against him. His arms wrapped around her. "You will always have a home here."
A sad smile dwelled on both their faces.

Demeter's eyes had hardened over the length of Kore's absence. Time had done nothing to soothe the hurt, betrayal, and anger she felt. She had been calling Kore's phone and Hades' at least once a day to no avail. Demeter had decided since she couldn't get through to Kore, maybe Zeus would be able to get a handle on his brother.

She wrapped her shawl tightly around her, as she looked up at the golden and white steps to Olympus. Since this was a personal call, Demeter decided that she should go straight to the source of all her problems. Besides, Zeus never answered anyone anyway. Rage ebbed and flowed through her. Of course, she was angry.

Demeter took a deep breath, set her shoulders square, and began the long trek up the stairs. The building on Mount Olympus was huge and ornate. The giant structure was made of white marble, with gold veins that flowed through them. The marble stairs wrapped around Mount Olympus, all the way to the very top. Demeter always assumed Zeus made them that way, so Hera couldn't interrupt his flings, though usually, those happened in the Mortal Realm. The gold in the marble let off a soft glow, so there was no need for an additional light source. Thunder and lightning crashed around the peak of the mountain, so Demeter knew that Zeus was home.

Demeter's long trek up to the top was lonely, the longer Kore was away the more Demeter realized that she didn't confide in anyone else. The sound of her shoes on the tiles echoed up the stairs. She came to a massive whitewood door at the top of the stairs. The inside of Mount Olympus wasn't any different from the outside, except for the Gods' and Goddess' private chambers.

The Harvest Goddess walked with purpose towards the door of Zeus' office. Without knocking, Demeter let herself into Zeus' office.

Zeus sat at his whitewood desk. The desk was flecked with blues, greens, and blacks. He had his head in his hands while his elbows rested on the desk. Demeter marched into the room, closing the door behind her. Zeus glanced up to see who had entered.

"What do you want?' Zeus sighed. His tone was tired. Demeter suspected he was fighting with Hera again, but it wasn't her place to question.

"You are going to help me." Demeter stalked over towards the desk and slapped her palms down in front of him.

"I am, am I?" Zeus cocked an eyebrow at her. "Why would I do that? Besides, what could be so important that you prowl in here and demand my assistance without so much as a warning text or any reason as to why I should, or what you even need help with?" Zeus rose from his white wood throne. The throne had ebony inlaid on one side and blue sapphires on the other. One side for each brother. Zeus' eyes flashed angrily at Demeter, who met his stare without hesitation.

"If you cared about anyone other than yourself you would know what I needed you for." Demeter glared at him. Neither wanted to give in to the other so easily. Besides Zeus had assumed she was here to try and make him drag Kore back from Hades, he wasn't going to rip Kore from Hades.

"Demeter." Zeus let out a soft chuckle. "Insulting the person who you came to for help isn't the best idea."

"It isn't so much an insult as it ist the truth." Demeter spat back. "Your daughter, who is a nature goddess. The goddess of spring no less. She is stuck in the Underworld with him." Demeter's eyes narrowed more at the thought of Hades. "She is down there with no sunlight, no one to protect her, no one who cares about her. She is going to wither away." Demeter didn't try to hide her desperation.

Zeus sat back down on his throne with a sigh. " Demeter, did you ever stop to think maybe Kore is where she wants to be?" He pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger.

"There is no way my daughter would want to be anywhere near that God. He isn't right for her. She needs someone who will love and protect her. Hades doesn't care about anyone. He is self centered and too much in his own world." Demeter paused from her Hades bashing rant when Zeus glared up at her. She sighed and straightened her back once more. "Look, all I'm asking is you go to the Underworld and bring her home."
"No." Zeus' tone was final. She wouldn't be able to convince him with only her words.

"Zeus..?" Demeter began to try and argue her points.
"I said no." He rose to his feet once more. "I gave you my answer. Now leave me be. I won't listen to you berate my brother behind his back any longer. Sure he needs to lose up a little bit sometimes but he isn't a monster." Zeus' eyes hid a fury that Demeter hadn't seen before.

"Fine." Her eyes narrowed, and she turned on her heels. Demeter marched out the door and closed it behind her.

"We will see how long you keep defending him when there is no one left to worship you." A malicious smirk tugged at her lips and her eyes hardened.

At that point, Demeter decided that if Zeus was going to do nothing to help her, that she would do nothing at all. Demeter prowled back to her home.
The door closed behind her. She drew the curtains closed, plunging the house into darkness.
"Let the people pray for food and crops and nourishment." She lowered her form onto her couch. "They shall get none from me, until my sweet darling Kore is able to receive the nourishment she deserves from the real world. Until she is with me again, no one shall get anything." Demeter spoke solemnly to herself. Her mouth set in determination. "Game on Zeus."