a/n: I used a google greek translator for a bit in the story. It's probably incorrect, and I apologize for that.
Also, this is mostly a plot chapter. I hope that's okay!
"You." Persephone climbed up from the floor of the shower and stalked dangerously towards the nymph. Minthe took one step back for every step forward the Goddess took.
"Why are you here? How did you get in?"
"Did Big Blue forget to mention? I have a key." She held up a single silver key triumphantly.
"Minthe, are you-" Hades scrambled to his feet, tucking himself back into his soaked trousers and following after the women. Persephone cut him off.
"You are not welcome here, Minthe." Persephone spat.
"I came to show Hades something I think he would find very interesting." Minthe held up the pink ledger and a series of file folders. "Helios had an interesting tale to tell."
Persephone felt as if all the air had been sucked out of the room. She clutched her chest, gasping. Her vision burst scarlet, and she was back, stepping through the shards of glass that littered the bathroom floor, unflinchingly.
"You come into our house, uninvited. And bring a bunch of bullshit you know NOTHING about? Want to try that again, Nymph?" Persephone had never treated nymphs as any less than Gods or Goddesses but in this instance she didn't care. Minthe had stepped over too many lines and Persephone wanted her to hurt. They were in the bedroom now, Minthe inching her way towards the doorway leading to the hall.
Persephone continued forward, each step predatory, leaving a small footprint of ichor in her wake. Hades followed a few steps behind, cautiously. He felt a swell of pride for the Goddess and a flicker of fear for Minthe's wellbeing.
"You are a disgusting liar, and abuser. Hades doesn't want to see anything you have to show him."
"He can tell me that himself!" Minthe snapped, making it down the stairs to the sitting room landing. Persephone looked back at Hades, her eyes narrowed in fury.
"Minthe. Leave." Hades called, his voice wavering at the end. He chastised himself, internally. This was not the time to falter.
'You know you're curious… A name change like 'bringer of death' you know has to be a juicy story.' Hissed the deeper voice, almost seductively. He shook his head and followed the women down to the lower level of the house.
Minthe stumbled back on a madly chattering Cordon Bleu. The frightened dog snapped at her ankles and Minthe gave him a firm kick.
Vines shot out from Persephone's wildly roaming hair and seized Minthe by the wrists. The ruby skinned nymph dropped the ledger and files to the floor and sunk to her knees with a weak sob.
Hades motioned for the files but Persephone held them down with her foot. He watched the power flow through her. Her being nearly electric. She picked up the files and they disintegrated into a shower of hemlock.
"Your trespass could be forgiven. Your attempts at defamation might warrant understanding." Persephone stopped for a moment, adjusted the now shimmering opalescent crown and took another step forward. Hades felt his mouth dry with a wave of desert heat.
"But you come into MY house and think you can kick around MY babies?" She gestured towards the cowering white ball of fluff. "It's completely unforgivable." The goddess shot forward and wrapped her small hands around Minthe's thin throat. The nymph continued to sob and struggled for air.
"Kore. Let her go." Hades took a step forward, bracing for wrath.
"No."
"KORE. LISTEN TO ME." Hades felt himself sober fast as his temper began to boil over. His own power welled up in this chest as his azure hue flickered to indigo dangerously.
Persephone whipped around and caught sight of his scarlet eyes, glowing imposingly. She released Minthe's throat but left the vines still locked in place.
"She deserves this." Her voice was small but sharp. Minthe coughed while attempting to drag in large bouts of breath.
"Let me take care of her." Hades tried to reason.
"No."
"Kore." Hades snapped, taking another step towards the unfurled Goddess.
"I SAID NO." One of her vines snapped at him threateningly, urging him not come closer. "She is mine to deal with, Aidoneus." Persephone knelt down before the red nymph, tucking a stray hair off her panic stricken face, affectionately.
"She was the one who sent me to Tarturus. Didn't she tell you?" Persephone turned to smile weakly at Hades. The King took a step back, reeling at that news. Minthe knew better than to send anyone to Tartarus unless she wanted them to get hurt. Or trapped.
None of them could have imagined that Persephone would grow an entire forest in a place where nothing was meant to survive.
"She's abused you, Aidoneus. She is the one who is no different than the tyrant Cronus. She is a rot that needs to be eradicated before she infects everything." Minthe's eyes widened in horror. Her gaze shifted between the kneeling Goddess and the shocked King behind her.
"Please. Please, dont…" Minthe flinched as Persephone caressed her face lightly.
"Too bad you've never shown me kindness, or else this would surely end differently. If I had my say you would be locked in Tartarus with the rest of the tyrants. Unfortunately, we'll have to make due."
Persephone placed her pink palm flat against Minthe's fear soaked chest, and in a blaze rivaling the harvest sun, the nymph was gone.
Persephone turned back toward Hades, her vines disappearing in a scatter of petals. Enclosed her in hands was a wilted little mint plant.
"I'm going to go plant her in the garden! Isn't she cute?" Persephone held the herb up for the King to see.
Hades felt as if he had been kicked in the chest.
"Aidoneus… Are you in there?" Persephone knocked on his sealed office door, her voice soft and timid. Hades downed the rest of his scotch and barreled in a large breath.
He was fighting back his feral self. The one that delighted in her torture and transfiguration of his ex girlfriend. As soon as Persephone had stepped out into the backyard Hades took his leave and locked himself in the office. He had sought his release for the better part of an hour but his core was completely insatiable.
"Yes." He croaked.
"Can I come in?"
"I don't think that is wise right now, little one." He glanced around, his office in shambles. This time it was his doing.
He heard her whine from the other side of the door. He could almost feel her back sliding down the polished wood in defeat.
"I-I understand if you would like me to leave."
Hades sprung from his seat and knelt on the other side of the door.
"No, no.. Kore. It's not that. I just don't trust myself right now." He could feel her warmth through the thick grain. His heart throbbed wildly in his throat.
"Please… don't leave. I just need to process."
"Are you mad?"
"I'm not sure what I am."
"I was trying so hard to hold her back but I lost control when I saw Minthe. I'm so sorry." He could hear the strain in her voice. A warm drop fell from the ceiling and landed on the top of his right hand. He wiped it away and looked up.
Another drop and then another.
One landed on the corner of his mouth and he tasted the salt and sorrow.
"Goddess… Please don't cry."
"Why?" She sniffled, argumentatively.
"For one, you're making it rain in my office." He cringed at his own attempt at humor. There was a long silence and then the sound of her getting up. The soft padding of her feet told him that she had left. The rain in his office ceased immediately.
Hades pulled on a robe that was laid over the back of his office couch. His pants were left in ruins on the floor along with the evidence of his frenzied release.
He searched the house. Running from bedroom, to guest room. Kitchen to living room. He noticed that cerberus was also nowhere to be found. The harsh pelleting of rain against the large slatted windows brought him to the backyard. He slid the door open and watched her with consideration.
The Goddess of spring was kneeling nude in the soil. She was up to her elbows in the dirt, frantically digging a row of holes. Hades stepped out into her tear fueled rainstorm.
He held out his hand and caught one of her tears. His heart gave a desperate ache. He had never seen such a beautiful flurry of uncontrollable power.
He saw her clasp her hands together, and then a shimmering ball of light shown through the seal. She was making something and planting it into the earth.
"Kore." He called, keeping his voice as level as possible. He witnessed her body stiffen over the plot she was working on.
"I-I am making her a garden of friends… So she doesn't have to be alone." Persephone mumbled, patting the loose earth back into place.
Hades dropped behind her, bare knees slick with mud. He pulled her into a loving embrace, willing everything he felt to seep out his pores and into her.
"Kore." He whispered into her hair. She turned, gazing up at him with tear stained eyes. He traced his thumbs under her eyes, clearing away the drops. Her eyelids fluttered closed.
Hades laid a feather light kiss to both eyelids before peppering her cheeks until he heard her stifle a giggle.
He ended with a firm press to her forehead.
"Marry Me." He mouthed against her damp skin, almost inaudibly.
"What?" She pulled back, her fingers slipping through his hair and down the hollow of his cheeks. Something bubbled in her stomach, and she fought to hold back a grin.
"Will you Marry me, Kore? Be my Queen… please." He bent forward in a low bow, pressing a kiss to the tops of her soil coated hands.
"Ναι βασιλιά μου" (Yes, My king.)
"Kore, Little goddess… Wake up." Hades was stroking her hair. The goddess had fallen asleep as soon as her newly showered, damp curls hit the pillow, and she had been undisturbed ever since.
Hades had tucked her in the guest bed. He wasn't sure he trusted himself just yet, not while he was still feeling so far out of his skin.
"I've got to head into work. I have hired a few shades to come in and clean the place. Are you going to be okay? Do you have University today?"
His thumb stroking her hair pulled her out of her sweet slumber.
"Mhmmmmm. No school. Lesson with Erosss."
Hades worried his lip between his teeth knowing that this was not the time to bring up his school boy jealousy. He pushed it to the pit of his stomach and gave her a kiss on the forehead. She laced her fingers with his and hummed softly.
"If you need anything, please call me. I'll see you tonight. Think about what you want for dinner."
"Lov'oo" She nodded, burying herself into her blankets, a firm hold still on his fingers.
"W-what did you say, sweetness?"
"Hm?" She moaned before letting out a little snore. He glanced up at the ceiling, focusing towards Elysium before mouthing a wavering, 'Love you too.'
"Can we take it easy today? Maybe just get lunch?" Persephone yawned, leaning against the other pink god walking besides her.
"Of course, honey. Are you okay?"
"I am. Just exhausted. This week has been a LOT." She had so much to tell Eros but everytime she tried the words died in her throat.
"Yea, I heard about the desert." He nudged her playfully before steering them both towards a brunch cafe.
"Minthe came into the house while we were.. Together." She admitted, taking a seat across from him.
"Yikes. What happened?"
"I… turned her into a plant." Persephone hid her blushing face behind the menu.
Eros burst into a fit of laughter. "Plant? What kind of Plant?"
Persephone chuckled guiltily, "A mint plant."
"Holy Hera, that's amazing. How did uh… BBD react?" Eros tore the menu away from her, grinning broadly.
"BBD?" Persephone quirked her head to the side, questionly.
-COUGH-
"Big Blue Daddy? You haven't heard that, yet?"
"But Hades doesn't have any children…"
Eros felt his face flush in surprise. He bit back a snarky giggle. "Oh, sweet innocent Sephyy. You have got so much to learn."
"THEN TEACH ME JERK-" Persephone snapped before turning and discovering they were no longer alone.
"Persephone, love! We are so excited for you. Congratulations! We were worried we were never going to be a trio!" Hera and Amphitrite started to crowd her, squeezing her hands lovingly.
"Oh, Thank you. I didn't know Hades had told anyone."
"Sugar… Marriage is my specialty. You think a proposal happens without me being aware of it?"
Eros spit out his drink and howled with laughter. "You turn his ex into a plant and he proposes! Shit, girl."
"Wait, what?" Hera cocked her head to the side, eyeing Eros.
Persephone sunk low in her chair, grinning nervously.
"Oh, it's quite alright. We hated that woman. Now if only you could turn Thetis into something useful and less..." She huffed and squeezed Persephone's hand a little too forcefully.
"We'll all have to get lunch soon! But we've gotta go! Bye Persephone, Eros!" Hera turned to leave. The gorgeous emerald goddess married to Poseidon shifted awkwardly before flushing and whispering a goodbye to Eros with a quick peck on the cheek.
"What… was that?"
"They have an open marriage!" Eros shot in his defense, touching the spot she had kissed lightly.
"I need to stop by work to drop this off to Hades, is that okay?" Persephone closed the box and smiled in satisfaction.
"As long as it's only a quickie." Eros smirked, studying his fingernails. "Actually, are you okay with running home with me after, before I take you home?"
"Yea! I'll be right out." She scurried into the building, package in hand.
Ptelea was seated behind her desk. Today her lilac hair hung in straight sheets around her heart shaped face. She smiled serenely at Persephone before clicking back to her computer.
"Hello Persephone. Are you here to see The King?"
"Yes! Please. Hello Ptelea. How have you been?"
"Things are good, Goddess of Spring. I can not complain. Speaking of good things, I hear congratulations are in order?"
Persephone flushed and giggled. She hadn't expected this kind of attention today. She had hardly had time to process the events herself.
"Oh, Thank you."
"It looks like he has some time before his next meeti-"
"YOU better not be going In there unless you have strictly professional business MISS KORE." Hecate flew around the corner, stopping just before Persephone reached for the exquisite handle of his office door.
Persephone couldn't meet Hecate's eye as she thought about what the Witch had caught them doing not only the night before but the previous week.
"I am just dropping off some food, Hecate. I promise." She smiled motioning with the box in her hand.
"I am still waiting for my new desk." Hecate hissed before booping Persephone on the nose and then stalking down the hall back to her office.
"Your Majesty…" Persephone stepped into the doorway, holding the box out in front of her like a peace offering. "May I come in?"
"Kore! Please!" Hades got to his feet and took her hands, guiding her to sit on the soft leather.
"I was just downtown with Eros and we saw this cute bakery and I wanted to bring you these." She opened the box to reveal frosted cookies, all of them perfect profiles of each of his dogs.
"I don't want to eat them, they are so cute!" Hades gasped, before taking the box from her and pulling her into a tight hug.
"Also…" She pushed him so his back lay flat against the backing of the couch. "I was thinking, after dinner…" She climbed on his lap, pulling the hem of her dress over the curve of her backside and beckoning him to touch her. "We go back to the Oasis. I think there is a lot more work to be done there…" Hades swallowed the arousal back, his fingers gripping the plush of her backside. She wasn't wearing anything under her dress.
He gave her a solid spank, both of them silently mouthing, "Five."
"I have a few things I would like to try." She seized the shell of his ear between her teeth and pulled. Hades moaned and nodded enthusiastically. She massaged his increasing hardness through his pants. If Eros wasn't waiting for her she would service her King despite Hecate's wishes.
"I wanted to show you something…" She hopped off his lap and bent in front of him. Hades pulled up her fallen dress and saw the sparkling plug she had in.
"Fuck…" He hissed, massaging her cheeks harshly. He gave her something firm slap and she felt her sex swell. Hades saw the slick and after feasting on her flesh with bruising bites and sloppy kisses he moved for her glittering, wet thatch of curls.
He blew on the sensitive skin surrounding the plug, circling the muscle lazily with his finger. He felt her tense and bend lower. While pressing on the crystal base he teased her other opening with his tongue, sliding back over her slit in between playful sucks and probes.
"H-Hades… E-ros is waiting for mee…" She moaned, making no effort to leave.
"Eros is a grown man. He will be fine waiting a little bit longer." He seized her hips and pulled her back against his lips. He felt her nectar running down his chin and onto his freshly laundered shirt. He chuckled and devoured her greedily.
His hold on her hips was the only thing keeping her standing as she thrashed and moaned against him as she reached climax. She bit down on her lip hard to keep from crying out but she was sure anyone outside the door could hear everything.
The thought of lovely, innocent Ptelea being forced to hear her strangled moans caused another surge of arousal to course through her.
After taking a moment to brace herself, she turned and pressed her lips to his in a delicate kiss. He sought entrance and they melted together in a mess of tongue and teeth. Persephone pulled back, her lips still ghosting his as she spoke. "I'll leave these with you, to keep you focused." She shoved her discarded lace panties into his open, wanting mouth before giving him a peck on the cheek and abruptly leaving.
"I just have to run in and give this to my mom before she starts cooking. Be a minute!."
Persephone sat in the lush grass outside of Aphrodite's house, enjoying the lazy sink of the early evening sun. With each breath she directed the bloom of a flower on the lawn until she was sounded by a beautiful circle of color.
"Hey, Village girl." Persephone looked up to see Ares strolling towards her. His golden hair and glistening skin dancing in the sinking light. He had a cigarette perched between his full lips.
"Yes, Ares?" She teased, scooting over so he would have room to join her.
"What's your beef with Apollo?" Ares took a long drag before blowing the smoke away from her. Persephone sat stalk still. If she didn't know better she would have guessed that her ichor had stopped dead in her veins.
Ares glanced back at her, his face squared to full attention. "Persephone, he was here. Looking for you."
"What? What did you tell him?"
"I told him the truth. I didn't know there was something else going on…" Ares put his cigarette out in the center of a daisy. Persephone slapped him and jumped to her feet.
Nausea and anxiety crashed over her. It was unrelenting. She felt like she was going to be sick.
"What was the truth? What did you tell him?"
"He came looking for you. I told him I hadn't seen you around and that I didn't know where you were."
"Shit. You didn't say I was with Hades?"
"Seeing as I didn't know that until just now..."
"Okay. Okay. Apollo doesn't come to the underworld. I'm safe. I'll just need to call Artemis."
Artemis: Why are you lying to me? Where are you?
Persephone sobbed as she looked down at the message. What could she even say?
Persephone: I'm sorry. I didn't want to upset you.
Artemis: Persephone, where are you? If you don't tell me I'm going to have to call Demeter.
Persephone: Can we talk in person?
Artemis: Tomorrow. Don't blow me off again.
With the disaster averted for now Persephone felt like she was finally relaxed enough to cook. She wanted to make the evening special after the chaos of the last week. She stared regretfully out the window into the backyard.
'Don't act like you feel bad…' Hissed the mature woman's voice from behind her ear. 'If Hades wasn't there we would have done so much worse…'
The back door was open and the dogs were running back and forth, playing at their leisure.
The Goddess was finally growing accustomed to how brisk the air was in the underworld.
She put her nervous energy to work in blooming an array of beautiful bouquets to line the dining room table. Even though it was just the two of them, it didn't mean she couldn't be a little extra.
In between each flower arrangement she set down bowls of freshly picked and washed fruit.
She was still wearing the same white sundress, joined by a set of crisp white stockings pulled up her mid thigh. She felt the heat pulse between her thighs in anticipation.
The dogs ran to the door, barking excitedly. Cordon Bleu growling and spitting a little more than usual. "You must still be recovering from nasty ol' Minthe." She gave him a loving caress before maneuvering through the rest of the pack.
"That must be Daddy!" She said to them in a sing-song tone as she pulled open the door and came face to face with Apollo.