Remember
As the song—their song, the old song—flowed from Orpheus's mouth to the entire Underworld, Persephone's eyes were transfixed to Hades. At first her husband had seemed in denial, trying desperately to escape the sweet melody that wrapped itself, bit by bit, around his heart.
But when he looked up at last, and met her eyes, Persephone knew he remembered everything—the fear and doubt that had driven him to build, the simmering anger beneath her gaze when he came for her early, and how quickly she'd pulled away from him when Eurydice was brought down below.
The fear was pulsing still—fear that he was irredeemable. But Hades remembered more than just what their marriage had become. He remembered the sweetness of the flowers when they met, the love in her eyes as they were wed, and her promise that no matter what, she would always come back for him when it was time for fall.
And, looking at her husband with clear eyes and renewed love, Persephone remembered too.