Tomb Sweet Tomb

A/N: I literally had no structure to this chapter it just happened, and man was it fun.

Thanks as always to my loyal reviewers and thanks especially to J32 for your heartwarming words! It makes me so happy to teach others about Greek Myths!

P.S. Everyone do me the favor and remember this quote when you look at the two chapters from now.

Disclaimer: Chapter 1

"Here we may reign secure, and in my choice

To reign is worth ambition, though in hell:

Better to reign in hell than serve in heaven!"

- John Milton, Paradise Lost

Persephone found herself in such a strange spell of peace as she kneaded flour dough between her hands. Every bit of that agitation she had felt earlier had bubbled out of her and into the ball of dough that she rolled around the well floured area. After a go at the bath house Hades told her about, she had rid herself of the crusted, dry dog drool and bile, the weeks of accumulated dirt, and underworld grime that made its way on her. All of it was cleaned off and the feeling of calm remained upon her almost akin to receiving a full night's rest; something she had yet to experience ever since moving down here.

Now, flitting about the dusty kitchens of the underworld palace, Persephone stared long and hard at a box of stale pita chips. The box was half-full and clearly had been sitting there for at least fifty years. She had half a mind to try one while she waited for the bread to bake, but decided not to after reading the flaming hot label.

So Persephone stewed, leaning against the bottom kitchen cabinets with her hair all rolled up in a giant towel that barely managed to contain it all. Forgoing the complicated peploses and chitons that Melinoe wrangled from who-knows-where, said nymph had left out a long silky bathrobe the color of slate. She almost didn't put it on because someone had rudely cut a precise line down the length of the arms all the way to where the material converged at the wrists, but Melinoe had blankly stared at her informing her it was not a mistake.

Not that it bothered her anymore. It was incredibly comfy and light, a nice change from the heavy fabrics she trudged around in all day long.

Persephone's eyes gazed along every dusted surface, roaming, memorizing every curve of the cabinets, where the somewhat dulled knives were situated, the obvious gash on one of the countertops, and the scorch marks on the ceiling and the smoke stains that were barely noticeable on the cabinets above her.

Persephone laughed at the last detail. For a bachelor pad the kitchen wasn't too shabby. Little updating, restocking and maybe a larger wood oven would be easier to work with if she wanted to continue her mother's legacy of baking every known type of bread in existence.

Someone sounds like they want to be here longer than a spell.

Persephone shook her head at the thought, and refocused her attention on her loaves that were beginning to rise in the wood oven with a large gaping mouth like a skull.

At least the bread was baking fast, Persephone amusedly thought. Who knew the flames of hell worked so much better than the average flint and tinder variety?

While she waited, the goddess had half a mind to start cleaning or organizing the kitchen to her liking, but she didn't. Instead, using the moment to just exist and lose herself for a moment. How long had it been since she had a moment like this? She had been going non-stop for two weeks straight now, barely getting sleep in between the work days and jumping into a new project like clockwork.

Hades' words calling her a busy bee echoed in her mind again. Why was it when his dog was on the brink did he finally say what he'd been holding back?

He's scared I might leave him, Persephone thought with a sigh. Her hands rose and undid the towel twist she had her hair in and released her wild, damp curls.

When he had unleashed his inner thoughts upon her in their little spat, she almost ignored the jab to bask in the euphoria of hearing him speak his mind again! Finally! Hades without his blunt, snarky tongue was like an over watered ball of dough, and when she had lashed back with her own fire she had felt so much of her own inner turmoil of second-guessing her actions wash away.

He had noticed her work, of her contribution to bringing back the Underworld to full working order. Hades wasn't the kind to sugarcoat either and though he may be coarse and overbearing, he always did manage to hear her out. Their own respective ideas would flesh out and become reality as they began to throw back and forth after back and forth into a full-fledged plan.

Working together with him again; it reminded her so much of why she fell for him in the first place. They knew how to be a team even when things were difficult between them. While it's true, he's a hot-headed god, no pun intended, but he was surprisingly levelheaded. Today was just merely an example, but unfortunately, berating him as a bad pet owner brought out more than his usual frustrations and it was what he ultimately spat that had taken up space in her thoughts more.

I'm a terrible partner.

It stemmed from Hades having to do double time and make up for his lies and deceptions, but after the two of them finally agreed to at last be open and honest to each other, admitting that they both felt something that could become love, she wasn't pursued him in the same fervor he was.

The wedding had a good start. Arm in arm they were ready and open to start again, maybe it would work, maybe they could be a functional pair, but she just couldn't pretend everything that led up to their marriage was fine. She pretended she wasn't bothered, lied to herself that she felt her usual chipper self, but that's the thing about lying; it never did any good.

At least what did comfort her in that time was the fact that Hades had kept his end of the bargain, giving her more than enough space and never interfering in her plans; it was the freedom she never received. The sole reason she was taking the steps to forgive him fully, and even now had been at peace with how things had ended up.

And in that freedom she lost herself in the underworld, in learning the ropes and becoming just as powerful as the Olympians. Each day she was overwhelmed with it all, and amid everything she had almost forgotten about her most fervent supporter. And he was not some obsequious supplicant who could be placated with just her mere presence. It was why she now finally understood his reasoning for distancing himself and allowing her to learn the ropes herself with minimal interaction with him- he wanted her to seek him too.

But how? In all that space Hades had created for her, she didn't know how to approach him. Often times she would find herself stealing glances at him when she knew he wasn't noticing at their rare meetings, or imagining what a real kiss from him would be like, one where she was ready and willing instead of pretending. He was a god of his word despite having the image of one acclaimed for his numerous shady dealings.

A funny thing to note when comparing her mother and him. Looking back at how her own mother had reduced her to basically a nymph left a bitter taste in her mouth now that she knew what it felt like being an actual partner instead of a minion. You see, the main contention point between the mother and daughter that set them in opposition had not so much to do with the way she was isolated from the other gods, but on how the former continued to follow the same rules of farming to an ever changing landscape.

Now, Demeter was by every right deserving of the title of goddess of agriculture, but she wasn't willing to change the way things were done after several centuries through continued use, the soil produced less and less every year as it lost its fertility.

Her mother.

Oh the arguments they had in the past, and all for what?

Demeter was silent. No pigeons, no letters, no sudden appearances, not even Athena or Hermes had come to scope out the scene. It felt like such a slap in the face that no one, not even her own mother had come down to see her- to come visit her in her new home.

Why hadn't Demeter done anything?

Was she angry at her? Disappointed? Dismayed? Nothing would stop her mother from achieving anything- so why the silence?

Persephone sighed.

Grabbing the large wooden paddle board she had conjured earlier to put the bread in the oven, Persephone retrieved the loaves and deposited them on a waiting cloth. Setting the board down, Persephone hurriedly grabbed a pinch of her remaining flour and sprinkled it over the freshly baked loaves.

She could feel her mouth salivating at the smell of the warm loaf wafting into her nose, reminding her so much of home. Though she had several ideas on what to make there was little in terms of resources besides your typical bucket of Ambrosia and had settled on the basics of bread and a bottle of honey she found underneath a skeleton in the pantry.

At least honey never expired!

Still, she did have Melinoe and the rest of the lampades scurry off to find some fresh bones to make a bone broth for Cerberus' weak stomach, and now with a tray of food ladened with bread, honey, ambrosia, and a bowl of broth, Persephone marched herself towards Hades' study.

She had discovered the place on accident about a week earlier. A small little hole in the wall that was barely noticeable to the quick passerby, but she was trying to memorize the layout of the underworld palace one night instead of sleeping when she had stumbled upon it. It was close by Hades' bedroom, though from what Pain and Panic told her, it almost was his bedroom since they often found him crashed out on his armchair after a particularly tedious day.

Peering inside, Persephone had to stifle a laugh. Hades was not in his usual armchair, but had instead retired on the neighboring couch where Cerberus laid sprawled out along the length while one of his heads rested over Hades' knee. Both of them looked fresh out of the bath, and Persephone could only imagine the two of them hanging out in the hot springs.

"Knock, knock," Persephone announced her presence, and was immediately met with Hades pushing Cerberus off his lap and the couch. Persephone set down a tray on an ebony tree that just sprouted to the right of the couch, but not before it curved and flattened itself into a little table.

"Hey now, what have we here?" Hades ogled Persephone as she swept into the study, hair still wet and the long silk bath robe exposing her lilac arms.

"Oh I found some flour in my emergency flour bag so I decided to make bread," she exclaimed as she set down three bowls full of bone broth to Cerberus with her strands of hair. The three headed dog cautiously glanced at it, but did not lap at it for fear it would make his tummy upset again.

"Uh-huh…" Hades exhaled. "A hot bath do you some good?"

"Oh plenty. I guess there are some perks to living underground, huh?"

"Sure beats having to pay property taxes. Down here the rates are so low they're practically six feet under."

"Haha," Persephone turned to him cutting open one such roll with a sickled blade. "You want some? I know it's not a banquet, but I like to make ambrosia and honey sandwiches whenever I'm on the go or I just forgot to eat."

"Heh, can't remember the last time I was invited to one of those."

Me neither.

Persephone began to spread the honey and ambrosia on a roll as an idea began to stew. "Well, maybe we could host some of our own now. I've seen the dining room and if we wanted to we could get every major and minor god a seat."

Hades snorted at the idea, but he couldn't help but get his hopes raised at her mention of 'we'. "Or we could start small. Something a bit more intimate."

"Small? You want to invite my mother over and have dinner here?" Persephone chuckled at the idea of the two of them meeting with her now being married to the gloomy lord of the dead.

Hades began to sweat. "… Or maybe just you and me? See, that ensures I have every single piece of me intact by the end of dinner."

Persephone blushed. "Oh, I guess we could break it in before Bacchus destroys another venue," she handed him a roll slathered in ambrosia and honey and took one for herself before she planted herself on the same couch, but on the opposite end.

"No, see what we have to worry about is the food going missing," Hades exclaimed with a mouthful of bread in his mouth. "Oh this is fabulous."

"Well then, we can make sure Ares doesn't bring his sons… or his daughters," Persephone mused as she began to ravenously scarf her own slice of bread.

"Wasn't talking 'bout him, babe. Y'know that little mortal Mr. Zaps-first-asks-questions-later invites? Tantalus?"

"Never met him, but I know of him because mother absolutely adores him." Persephone grumbled.

"Well, let me give you the deal with this yutz. So first offense he's a son of Zeus," Hades exclaimed but as soon as he said it, he saw Persephone's pleasant grin fall as her eyes narrowed into a steely gaze.

"… Oh so we're judging parentage now, mister-son-of-Kronos?"

"Did I say that?" Hades nervously chuckled. "Sorry, what I really meant to say is that his only known offense- y'know other than possibly fathering the most cursed family in all of Greece- is what he does once he climbs up the stairway to Heaven. The guy gets invited to rub elbows with the rulers of the cosmos and gets to dine with them at the all you can eat ambrosia and nectar buffet. Sure, they won't invite me, but they'll invite some mortal schlub,"

Persephone raised a brow at the image Hades painted in her mind.

"But here's the real kicker about this guy, he steals the food and takes it back with him to his buddies. And what does that result in: Boom- extended life."

"No," Persephone began to shake fervently, but some doubt began to creep in her head after her own experience with the Pantheon. "The Olympians would… okay, fine, but nobody would notice when you have Bacchus tipping everyone's glass," Persephone dryly noted.

"Or Ganymede's," Hades added with a crooked smile. "While that is a fair point, my sweet, you're forgetting Hera's zillion eyed little monster. See, Argos has got eyes for days and he hasn't said zilch after all the times that guy's stolen foo."

It was at this point Persephone began to acknowledge the validity in Hades' words. "Gods, you'd think Tantalus would be hospitable after being invited to dine with the Olympians- I can't even get an invite from them," Persephone steamed.

"Heh, you're still not easy with the idea of fallible gods ruling Olympus, huh?"

"Please, it was never a secret," Persephone role her eyes. "But I got a front row seat to it; no thanks to you," she nudged him on the shoulder across the couch with her hand.

"Aw, you really say the sweetest things," Hades exclaimed, his focus now on Cerberus who was at this point prodding the bowls with his paw.

"You eat it, mutt," Hades assured his dog, who finally took a cautious lap. "That won't make you go spewing your entrails anymore."

"So when's he due?" Persephone laughed, watching Cerberus begin to lap up the bone broth with more fervor than before. Knowing Hades, he was counting down the days.

"Tantalus? Eh, he's got two months."

"Oh, lovely," Persephone brightened. "We should think about a punishment till then."

"Uh-uh-uh, Mrs. Hades," Hades grinned with malignant glee as he wagged a cautionary finger at her. "Let's dial back that fire and brimstone for just a sec'. Zeusy can override any sort of damnation, eternal, or otherwise and give him a Fast-pass to Elysium if he was so inclined."

"Well, I did hear it's under new management now," Persephone coyly smiled, "But everyone says the new lady can be swayed if you get past how terrifying she can get."

"Is that right?" Hades rested his arm along the curve of the couch, inching toward Persephone at a snail's pace. "Do you think she's single?"

Persephone couldn't stop her flustered grin from flourishing as she too began to slide closer to him. "Hard to say, but a little imp told me she's seeing this one guy with quite the temper."

Hades shifted himself so he could face Persephone on the other side of the couch they were on. "Be honest, do I got a chance?"

"It's gonna be tough, the guy's devilishly handsome," Persephone declared with a straight face, but her eyes were alight with the same playful mischief in Hades' own as she scooted herself closer.

"Hey."

"Hey, there yourself, Mr. Persephone," she giggled as the two of them were now pressed against each other, the both of them meeting in the middle.

Hades and Persephone fell silent, but the silence between them did not feel tense or pregnant with some unspoken secret waiting to burst. The two of them were just gazing at each other, relishing in the other's company and the tranquil setting that hindered any sound from the outside underworld seeping into their moment.

Hades' hand still splayed on top of the couch, playing with one of Persephone's curls while she began to lean into his side enjoying the heat that seeped out of him like her own personal campfire. She wanted to enjoy it, bask in it like she was stretched out on the plains near Enna during noon time and sleep and rest in his embrace but his words broke her out of her sleepiness.

"About… what I said-"

"We were stressed," she exclaimed with eyes still closed. "We both said some things we didn't mean."

Hades paused, removing his eyes off of Persephone and onto his dog who had fixed his three pair of eyes on him. The three bowls Persephone had set in front of each of the heads were drained, and if he knew anything about his dog, he wanted more. "Let's not pretend. We both meant what we said."

Persephone released a long breath through her nose and steadily sat up. "I know- I know… I just wish it didn't come out that harsh. I'm sorry."

"Hey, don't be, we're temperamental people, we were bound to have a tiff eventually."

Persephone scoffed. "But because we're stubborn that's why it took this long to happen."

Hades nodded, and after a moment the god suddenly had an idea. "Well, now that we're here- we got time, Cerberus is still kicking meaning the divorce hasn't been filed, we got snacks, do you want to get some things off your chest?"

"You want to talk things out?" Persephone stared at him in surprise.

"What? Nah," Hades quickly exclaimed. "I mean how you doing? I barely see you anymore."

"I barely see you anymore," Persephone countered with a laugh. "You tell me how you're doing."

"Oh c'mon, babe, I don't want to go first."

"Yes, you do," Persephone snorted. "You love talking- especially when the topic is yourself."

Hades shot her a dry, deadpan look to which she reciprocated with a carefree grin. "I'm going to ignore that statement."

"You know I'm right."

Hades rolled his eyes. "Y'know what? I'm not gonna say anything and eat another one of these rolls," he grabbed another roll for himself and handed one to Persephone. "Did I mention they're absolutely fan-flaming-tastic? What's your secret, deadly nightshade?"

Persephone accepted the roll and watched the flame haired god scarf his down without any fixings."I never took you for a bread lover."

"Look, I can't complain when that's what's being served. I mean you wanna know when was the last time someone ever made food for me?"

"Alright, I'll bite- when?" Persephone asked, but she already knew she wasn't going to like his answer.

"It was that time when Zeus made my pops spit me out."

"Oh Hades," Persephone sighed.

"What? Honest to Nyx!" Hades swore. "It was the last time someone ever made something for me."

"Hestia never made you anything? C'mon, she remembers everyone's birthday; even a millennia later."

"Not a one, but okay, she gets a pass only cuz I don't even know when I was weaved into existence."

Persephone watched the dark look pass over Hades. Not wanting him to sink further into his own bitterness, the goddess tried to change the subject. "Gods, you ever try her cheesecake?"

"I love her cherry one," he admitted after a second of pondering.

"Really?" Persephone looked up at him in surprise. She had him pegged as a meat and potatoes kind of god. "That's the sweetest one she makes," she reminded him with a somewhat baffled tone.

"You could say I'm particular to sweet things, sweetness."

Persephone felt her face grow even hotter as she continued to dive into an even deeper shade of pink. "… What am I going to do with you?"

"Well, I have a few ideas."

Persephone playfully swatted his arm. "Not like that."

Hades stared at her. His mouth hanging open like he wanted to say something, but all semblance of logic had been surreptitiously tossed out the window.

"What?" Persephone returned the blank stare, but Hades could see her poker face dissolving before his very eyes.

"Did you- did I hear…?"

Somehow, someway, Persephone's cheeks bloomed a shade deeper than roses. Her attention quickly turned over to the dog. "Cerberus, baby, come here!"

The three-headed dog cast a tired gaze upon her, but his tail began to wag a little at her call. He had a little more trust in her now that he knew the broth she made was not making him sick. So maybe she was a nice person again.

"Hey, don't change the subject-"

"Now you can sit up here," Persephone picked up Cerberus like a toddler under his armpits and set him between her and Hades on their lounge couch. With the dog sandwiched between them, it pushed the two gods back to their respective sides of the couch.

Hades glared at Persephone, a hard thing to do with Cerberus' three heads in his way.

"Seph?"

"Mhm?" She intoned as her arms began to embrace his dog and nuzzle each of his heads and scratched behind some of his ears

Hades took one look at Cerberus receiving all the attention and affection from the goddess who was currently ignoring him and decided now was a great time to get even.

"Cerberus, down," Hades uttered so quick and seamless, Persephone could've sworn she misheard it, but Cerberus didn't. Even in his sickly disposition, Cerberus did not disappoint, nor did he mishear his master's words.

Persephone watched in horror as Cerberus ducked down, giving her a full view of her husband's smirking face. "Oh don't you-"

Before Persephone could finish her sentence, the flame haired god's arms reached out and placed a hand under her knees and the other arm around her back and shoulders and lifted her up. "Hades, put me-" only to set her down sandwiched between him and Cerberus. Which was a much smaller space now since the three headed dog occupied the middle.

"You were saying?"

"Oh I bet you think you're hilarious, right now," Persephone quipped as her body was pressed so much into him she was using his chest like a backrest while Cerberus' right most head was practically breathing the same air as her.

Hades teasingly set his face close to her, but couldn't help spare a glance at her pert rose pink lips. "Not yet. Cerberus, lay down for me."

"Wait- don't!"

But it was too late. As soon as the command flew from Hades' mouth, Cerberus spread his front paws on top of Persephone and laid down so all three of his heads shifted onto both Hades and his kvetching wife's lap.

"Now, I do," Hades declared with a smirk. "So, a little while ago you seemed to have caught one of my insinuations which is so unlike you-"

"You're not getting a word out of me," Persephone warned, with arms crossed.

Hades shrugged. "Alright keep your secrets, sweetness. But, speaking of other sorts of secrets, I got it under good authority that you've been having daily commutes to the park entrance, but now here's the weird part, why haven't you- I don't know gone out? Taken a stroll in the sunshine, go see mother dearest. I'm not against the loitering, but is everything okay?" His voice became gentler as he watched Persephone look off in silence.

"Who squealed? Pain or Panic?" she asked.

Hades frowned. What did his minions have to do with keeping her secrets? "Uh, Charon."

"Our Charon?"

"One and only."

"He talks?!" Persephone shouted in disbelief, staring dumbfounded at Hades, who began to raucously snicker.

"Wait, wait, wait," he exclaimed in between laughs. "Perse, hehehe," his fingertips rested along the length of his face, shaking his head in his own fit of gleeful disbelief. "You honestly didn't know?"

"NO!" She cried out even louder than before while Hades erupted into another bought of laughter.

"Looks can be deceiving, babe, but he can talk your ears off if you don't watch out."

Persephone couldn't help the snort. "Oh I'm going to make him talk when I see him tomorrow. Just you wait, I'll make talk so much he's going to make me want to tear off my own ears."

Hades gazed at Persephone thoughtfully, his own chuckles beginning to die as she began to plot vengeance. "Well, y'know you can invite gods over for brunch. With by-laws blocking gods from entering other god's domains, as one of the bosses of the underworld you can let them in Scott free, but just promise me you'll give me a heads up if its your ma," he attempted to lighten the goddess up, but it accidentally backfired.

Persephone jumped at the mention of her mother, and it was in that instant that Hades realized who exactly she was waiting for every day.

"You haven't heard from her, have you?" His voice carefully exclaimed. He had been wondering this for awhile too, and seeing that her own mother hadn't made contact with her it worried him more for Persephone's sake than his own. "That's why you've been diving into work so much? You don't want to think about it."

"No- yes," Persephone shook her head and then nodded as her eyes became watery. "And I can't help but wonder if she's mad at me or- or- disappointed, and no one has even replied to the letter I sent out that I'm down here. I just don't understand why everything is so…"

"… Silent?" Hades quietly added, earning a solemn nod from Persephone.

"And a part of me wants to see why, but the other part, my gut feeling, feels like if I leave, they won't let me come back."

Hades shifted his jaw as he considered her sneaking suspicion. He had thought of that too. Never wanted to say something about it, but he always had that dread that if she did decide to leave even if it was for doing something as simple as picking flowers outside the Underworld premises she would be swept away and barred from ever returning. It was an odd feeling to have, but there were many forces at play that he never lost sight of. With his current track record of being a traitor among traitors, no one was as ready and willing to forgive him like Zeus had.

"So what are you gonna do?"

Persephone considered Hades' question. A hard lump as heavy and as dense as a chunk of lead set into her stomach. She could see her mother's face, imagined it twisted by angered, displeased, and even a sprinkling of sorrow. "If my mother and everyone else wants to ignore me and my wishes, then I'm not going to waste my time worrying on them anymore. I was ready to leave them behind before you took me, and that feeling hasn't changed. And now," she tangled her fingers with Hades' own. "I want to keep working here, and give mortals a peaceful afterlife something deserving ones can be satisfied with. I owe Meg that much."

Hades' mouth twitched at the mention of his former minion, but the contempt in his heart began to recede as Persephone looked up at him. Her gentle magenta gaze full of hope and ardor the likes of which reminded him so much of his own ambition, but there was something benevolent there, noble even.

"And I have to say, when I do get to work with you, we get things done."

"Work," Hades cautiously brought his hand up to caress the goddess' face. "Is that all we've done together?" He lightly intoned with a small smile pulling at his gray lips.

"Oh Hades don't you get it?" She leaned her face into his hand as his thumb continued making its ministrations upon her cool skin. "You and I both fell for each other through scheming- through planning. As corny as it may sound I think that's your love language."

"Someone's been learning a thing or two down here," Hades's hand slid off her face as she leaned into him, making herself comfortable once again with Cerberus still on top of her.

"You have no idea how many old ladies have come up to me to offer advice on my hair alone," Persephone deadpanned. "The point is, I don't think we should stop. I know my plans for the Asphodel Fields are crazy, but I can't get it to work without your input. I saw your timeline for when the fields would get overpopulated, the boys tried to hide it, but I saw it on your desk when I came in here a few days ago. I didn't mean to, but-"

"Hey, no secrets between us right? I just didn't want-"

"Oh, yeah," Persephone spoke up before Hades could finish his sentence. "Actually I want to talk to you about something later, and it may or may not involve with an old friend of yours."

Hades stared at her in bemusement but shook it off with a literal shake of his head. "Anyway, yes, you have four hundred years with our current input before every square foot is filled to the brim. Something no one wants, but it's possible we could get an expansion project done, but with the way bureaucracy works down here and with the ones that are actively going on, that won't happen until," Hades sucked in a breath, trying to think of an example. "Than is no longer a minor."

"Who?"

"You'll meet him soon, he's just busy with a war- you know how it is."

"And this is if the river was kept completely soulless?"

"Yeah. That's the thing about the underworld, once you check in, you never check out."

"Did you consider running your numbers with the souls who can transfer to Elysium with my new amendments?"

Hades made a dry noise in the of back his throat. "Was gonna do that tonight, but it wouldn't make much of a difference. Eventually, we're going to get overpopulated."

Persephone stewed with this information. "This would be so much easier if we could actually fill up Elysium and Tartarus."

"Hey, I like pain and suffering as much as the next guy, but I don't think you should put some Norm-seus into Tartarus for doing nothing with his life but collect rare postage stamps."

Persephone sighed. "Good point. Fates, is Olympus aware of the overpopulation problem?"

"You try telling 'em Tartarus is on fire and then get back to me on how well that works out."

Persephone frowned in thought. "Well, I'm not giving up this endeavor just yet. I'll just solve overpopulation- and then I can carry on," she stretched out her arms and released a large yawn.

"There ya go, by the way I wanted to extend some advice after reading through the reports I've gotten about you."

"It was a simple fix," Persephone tiredly replied. "Instead of bushels of barley we have shades again."

"No, not that, but glad to hear you finally know the difference between grain and souls. See, what I meant was how you've been working. Your reports are not bad, not perfect yet, but at least your numbers are coming back even and things are tracking again. But I think you should be focusing on something else instead of sitting in an office filled to the brim with scrolls."

"Alright," Persephone wearily nodded. "What's up?"

Hades hesitated, and not for the reason you think. This conversation was quickly evolving into a business meeting and that was the last thing he wanted at the moment. He had just lamented to her about her workaholic approach to the Underworld, and judging by how much her eyelids were drooping, the last thing she needed was another thing to worry about before bed. The three of them just needed to relax.

"Tell yeah what. Let's save that for tomorrow, I think we've earned ourselves a break."

"Oh thank the Fates, I started drifting back there," Persephone extended out her arms and enveloped Hades in an embrace. "But we're having dinner too, or well, at least until you restock the kitchens. I'm getting really tired of not growing anything edible down here."

Hades lifted an amused eyebrow as an idea began to form in his mind. "Don't worry, we'll figure things out. It's us we're talking about."

"Hm," Persephone attempted a laugh, but it came out as a snore as she no longer gave any resistance and her head fell into the curve of Hades' neck.

Hades ran careful fingers through her hair as she slept, gazing fondly at the way the goddess had surrendered to Morpheus' spell in the last place he expected.

Cerberus' three heads lifted up to look at Hades. That pitying, adorable look that signaled they were begging to move.

"If you get up, I won't let you come back in here," he warned the three-headed dog in a whisper.

Cerberus' heads grumpily laid back down, but Hades was sympathetic to his pup's plight especially after his miserable evening.

The flame haired god's hand fell to the shrunken monster as he still sat upon him and Persephone's lap and stroked each head. When Cerberus was satisfied, he closed each pair of eyes for the night.

Now as the only being awake, Hades considered his next move. Well, he couldn't just leave now, he'd wake Persephone and the dog up- what kind of gentleman would he be if he did that?

Shifting himself into a slightly more comfortable position, Hades too succumbed to sleep with his own head falling onto Persephone's.

Before falling into the same spell Morpheus had cast onto the two beings who slept on him, Hades had one final conscious thought, You know I could get used to this.

Fun chapter, I just wanted to get them to talk again and set things up for what's coming. Also yes, cheesecake was invented by the Ancient Greeks- thanks again Zabbie Q for informing me of this hidden knowledge.

The plot is gonna be picking up again and I see a Demeter chapter in your future. And is that an Athena one too?

Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and a Happy Hanukah! Also Happy Holidays and a happy new year if I don't post the next chapter till then!

As always please fave, follow, and review.