A/N: Lordy. I did not expect the response regarding Hera! Also same. ?
Thank you for your patience. I had to deal with some personal stuff. Also! I wanted to announce I'm going to be illustrating my fic into a little fan comic. I'll be posting the first small section of it on instagram ( ) Wed. July 1st, and every wednesday after, if you'd like to see!
"Or something…" Hera's purr was low and provocative. Hades felt his jaw tighten before it could fall open.
His fingers slacked for a moment but tightened before the crystal glasses crashed to the floor.
Her beauty was as marvelous as it had been the last time she had been here, like this, nearly half a century previous.
This very same office.
This very same woman.
He felt himself fall back into a memory.
-flashback-
The King glanced at his phone, the name of his brother, Zeus flashing across the caller ID. He knew why he was calling. Him and Hera had another fight, no doubt about his infidelity.
How did he know? Hera had managed to get there first.
Her golden curves were covered by a thin, nearly sheer night dress. Her skin torrid with arousal, and he suspected, furor.
He sucked in a deep breath and drank her in.
She was slender, with a wide round to her hips- perfect for motherhood. She could have been a fertility goddess with how her body was built.
His fingers traced over the cloth of her abdomen, hiding away her scars from the war. While he had already memorized every wound, freckle, and beauty mark, his digits still longed to explore every inch of her until it was burned into his memory forever.
Hera's tuscany colored hair was fanned out across the surface of the desk in cascades of shining sheets. She pulled him in as she laid back, their lips meeting in a frenzied crash.
"We can run away. Together…" Each word was peppered between breathy kisses and impatient moans.
"Please?" Hades growled, knowing full well it wasn't an option. He felt disenchantment pull at his chest. She knew exactly what to say to reel him in, before dismissing him with poignant ease. He lifted her off the desk, pulling the offending fabric over her head and tossing it onto the immaculate floor.
"Hurry, Aidoneus…" She deflected his plea, just as he knew she would with a firm tug to his belt.
"Bunny…" The azure God buried his face in the slim curve of her neck. His teeth worked her flesh with a pressure barely light enough to not leave her bruised. Something devious rumbled in his chest at the thought of his brother seeing the marks of Hades' claim upon his wife.
"I missed this…" He gripped her panties and pulled them down svelte legs. Her feet rested against his chest, tapping eagerly. He resisted the urge to worship the garment, instead opting to pocket it and pull at the fasten of his belt.
"I've missed you." He hurriedly pushed his slacks down toned thighs, kicking them off to join her discarded gown.
Hera whimpered, falling back on her elbows as he lined himself up with her perfectly manicured sex. He pushed through the tight muscle with one fluid stroke before pulling out abruptly and teasing her swollen slit with his pulsing head.
"P-please…" It was her turn to make a plea. She watched him sink to a kneel and disappear between her quivering thighs.
She threw her head back with a hearty groan as his hot breath and skilled tongue overpowered her. Her legs gave way instantly and she draped them over his shoulders. He pulled her across the glossed surface of the desk, closer to his greedy lips.
The high trill of Hades' office phone was a blaring melody in the background, nearly drowned out by Hera's shuttering swears.
The ringing ceased for a moment and Hades rose to his feet, ignoring the Goddess' protests. He pushed against her entrance and beckoned her arousal with forced patience.
-RING RING-
The office phone sounded again, and much to Hera's horror- Hades answered.
"What?" He snapped, hoarsely. He pulled apart the spiraling cord and brought it to his ear. He rocked into the Goddess slowly as her husband's voice sounded on the other line.
The adultress smothered her sounds with a hard bite to her knuckle.
"Well, Zeus. What did you do to her this time?" Hades asked dryly, his length filling her more with each pump. She couldn't hear her husband's response but she reveled in his panicked and forlorn tone.
"I'm pretty sure if you stopped -fucking-" He slammed into her. Hard. His hand silenced the Goddess before she had a moment to break composure. She nipped at his fingers, giving them a playful suck. He bit back a moan and continued, "-around, this wouldn't happen."
He pulled his hand away from her tempting tongue and gripped her firmly by the throat. He was careful to restrain with each pump, as his pace increased. Stopping the slap of skin from alerting his brother that he was, infact, not working.
"I haven't seen her, no." He gave her throat a gentle squeeze. Hera chuckled mutely, cut off by her own building release.
"I'll be there as soon as I'm finished here." Hera quaked beneath him. Her muscles pulsed against him as she came. Hades felt his release fill her before he could get the phone back on the receiver.
"Fuck."
Hera laid back for a moment, allowing the tingle of afterglow to crackle into her fingertips and toes.
"I better tend to Zeus." Hades sighed, stepping back into his slacks. With each snap of his button-up he felt a crash of regret and nausea.
'Neither of you are any better.' Hissed a voice that resembled Rhea.
'He did this to himself. He deserves this.' His thoughts clapped back in agitation.
'Not from you.' Her voice was stern, like a mother would be. Hard, with a clip of disappointment.
He looked down, unbuttoned and realigned his shirt properly, tucking it back into the waist of his slacks.
"You're welcome to use the showers here if you need. Before you head home." He saw Hera tense out of the corner of his eye at his icy tone.
"Aidon." Hera hopped down from the desk, her hands smoothing over his broad chest. He shrugged her off, pretending not to notice the hurt in her piercing cerulean eyes.
-Flash back ends-
He felt himself drop back into the room with an unceremonious mental jerk. His body was suddenly very fatigued. He ignored the throbbing behind his eyes.
"B-bunny… what are you doing?"
"I thought it was obvious…" She sauntered towards him, accepting the neglected glass. She threw back the smokey drink in a single swallow.
"Hera. We stopped this years ago."
"Why did we ever stop?" She simmered, pushing her glass onto the desk that was now behind him. She pressed her bare chest to his and he felt his thighs hit the hard wood of his desk. Instantly her heat filled him.
He felt a brawl break out internally between his brain, heart and his arousal.
"Y-You know why…" He offered in mild exasperation. He brought his own glass to his lips and drained it before clumsily setting it next to hers.
"One more…?" She purred, her fingers pulling open his suit jacket and sliding it off his shoulders.
"For old times sake?" He snickered. Deja vu washed over him and he saw a flash of ruby pass over his vision. He half expected the Dread Queen to materialize out from the golden Goddess herself.
Instead Hera pawed at his chest imploringly. Her eyes were a crystalline blue, almost vicious in their brightness. Hades allowed his jacket to fall off his slacked arms, but he quickly held up a hand when her digits started on the pearly fastens of his shirt.
"I don't think-" She pressed her lips to his jaw, dismissing his words with a vague wave. She seized his hands and brought them to her modest breasts.
He ripped his hands back, as if burned. "Bun- Hera…" Her tongue skated down his neck and he pushed her a step back, palms firmly holding her shoulders.
"No." He leveled with her, scarlet eyes countering fiery blue. "I'm sorry things are the way they are with Zeus. I really am… But I'm not going to do to Persephone what he's done to you."
He released her and raked his fingers through his hair.
"You both deserve better." He caressed her face, thumbing smoothing over the apple of her cheek. "And I deserve a shot at happiness… with someone who actually wants to be with me."
Hera smiled sadly, and leaned into his hand. "You do." She pressed a tender kiss to his palm and returned his outstretched hand back to him.
"That's why I give you my blessing for this marriage. You passed the test."
"Ms. Kore." The doctor sat down, glancing back at his chart. Persephone held her stomach tightly, ignoring the building heat.
"You are not pregnant." The pink Goddess felt a small mournful ache in her chest while she outwardly gave a sigh of relief.
"Are you using any contraception?"
She felt a blush creep up her neck.
"N-No…" She felt very young and naive, ducking under the practitioner's pointed look.
"Here, take these. I can write you a prescription for something daily, if you'd like." As she took the bag she felt her body rebel against the very idea. The doctor looked up at her dully. His slate grey eyes almost looking through her, over thin rectangular frames.
"Thank you." She smiled, her teeth tight. "I think... these will do for now?"
Hades pulled his phone out of his pocket and tossed it onto the counter.
Nothing from Persephone.
It was getting late.
'Maybe she is being tested too…' The mature voice reasoned. He felt his blood boil at the thought of Eros, or gods-forbid, Zeus trying anything. He knew Eros wouldn't, not without explicit permission, even as a test.
His brother was not so morally sound.
'Hera wouldn't allow that.' A small voice piped up.
"Not like Zeus would listen to Hera…" Hades groaned, scrubbing the exhaustion from his face with rough hands.
Hades rifled through the cabinet and pulled down a strikingly beautiful bottle half full with a rich amber liquid. The whisky was topped with a fine round cut of aquamarine diamond. He poured himself a generous drink and settled in, staring off into the dimly lit garden.
Hera's scent was still on his jacket. She was smokey and sweet. A sultry mix of apple and clove.
He peeled off the jacket and cast it aside.
Hades felt the water beat down across his back, spreading warmth throughout his body. The Underworld was especially cold this evening, with the Goddess' absence.
With his forehead pressed against the cold stone he nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt a pair of arms wrap around his middle.
"S-sorry I'm back 'hic' so late. We were t-testing w-wines… and we drank 'em all!" Her grip on him tightened as he felt her sway. Hades let an easy chuckle fall from his lips. He looked down and saw the glittering pink gem on her wandering hand.
He could smell the booze on her, but nothing more scandalous.
He relaxed into her touch. He knew she wouldn't, but after Apollo it wasn't her actions that he worried about.
"Yea? They were that good and you didn't save me any?" He tsked playfully.
Persephone slipped as he turned, falling into a fit of giggles. Hades managed to catch her before she descended onto the damp stone floor.
"Okay little one, I think it's time for bed." He picked her up with ease, surveying her intoxication as she muffled a hiccup with his slick shoulder.
As he padded across the tiles he noticed a mess of plastic purple squares littering the floor of the bedroom.
"What are these, sweetness?" He laid her wiggling form down onto the bed and knelt to pick one up. He recognized it instantly.
"I went to the clinic today… They gave me condoms. You're gonna have to wrap it up, mister." She pointed at him in a mock lecture.
"Clinic…? You're not..?" He motioned at her with one of the squares. She propped herself up with a shake of her head.
"Not yet, m'love." She rubbed her belly absently with one hand.
Hades felt an array of emotions rise in his chest.
Relief.
Disappointment.
An unparalleled and primal desire to 'try again' and make it stick.
He knelt between her thighs, lips ghosting over the smooth skin of her abdomen.
"D-do we have to use these?"
"We don't have to do anything, my King."
Ichor splashed across her bosom as she tore into the sun God. The Ruby spite that glinted in her eyes left the azure God ravenous and insatiable.
Hades awoke, his chest on fire.
His body alive with need.
He glanced over and saw Persephone quietly snoring next to him. Every nerve in his body was moments away from sparking a wildfire. He had a furious desire to coax the Queen out and replicate the same ire she displayed with Apollo.
His primal form desperately wanted to play.
His lips brushed her legs, traveling to the dip of her clothed hip. He nipped at her, drawing her gently from her slumber. She gave a gentle moan but remained asleep.
-SNAP-
Persephone felt her eyelids flutter open. She was awake, albeit hungover. She stifled a yawn with the back of her hand, processing the fact that his snap was what had woken her.
"Yesm?" She asked sleepily, propping herself up.
Hades' scarlet eyes were heavily lidded with lust. She could see his pulsing erection bouncing against the loose fabric of his sweatpants.
He pressed a kiss to her temple, the husk of his voice stirring the Queen. She hummed, pushing the Queen down and leaning into his lips.
"Care to play, βασίλισσα του τρόμου?" (Queen of Terror)
-SNAP-
Persephone felt the air expel from her lungs, leaving her empty as she was thrust to the back of her own subconscious.
'No.' She thought, pulling herself to her feet and charging towards the flash of scarlet light.
'You didn't give me time to answer…' She felt a painful pull at her chest, her feet suddenly heavy.
This snap was not fair.
She ran towards the light, breaking through a barrier of thick ivy.
Her voice shot back into her own throat and she bellowed, "RED!"
Hades pulled back, immediately releasing the hold he had on the fabric of her shorts. He sat back, the haze leaving his eyes as he gave her his undivided attention.
"Kore?"
She grounded herself with a shaky breath. Her face was stained with tears, her hair creeping chaotically around her. "T-that wasn't fair, Hades."
He flinched at the use of his mortal name but remained quiet, and attentive.
"You can't shut me out like that. I love our bond, and I know I chose this but I can't consent if you don't give -me- time to answer." She pointed to her own chest, signifying she meant her as she was now, not the Dread Queen.
Hades felt a pang in his chest with the realization of the boundary he had crossed. He motioned to wipe away the tear coursing down the swell of her cheek but he stopped, surveying her.
"I'm so sorry, Goddess." He dropped his hand into his lap, eyes following the wet smudges her tears left on the sheets. "I agree. It was not fair of me to use the bond like that. I was over eager and there is no excuse for not thinking or listening. Thank you… for telling me."
She shuffled towards him on her knees and squeezed one of his large hands with both of hers. "What do you need, Goddess?" He looked up, meeting her loving gaze with equal measure.
"This. Thank you for listening. And respecting me." She squeezed his hand again and pressed her forehead to his. He relaxed against the heat of her body, careful to not overwhelm her with his touch.
"We will need to rework our light system if we are going to use the snaps in our playtime." He chuckled hollowly, nuzzling his nose against hers.
"Can we discuss that after food?" She clutched her empty stomach as it gave a cavernous grumble. She hadn't eaten much with the wine, and she was feeling it now.
"Of course, love. Think about what you want and I'll run you a bath."
"I brought you this tea. It's for hangovers. Hebe made it for me the last time I drank too much." He set the steaming mug on the edge of the tub next to her plate and kneeled beside her.
"Would you like one?" She pointed a piece of spiced greens at him with her fork. He opened his mouth and took her offering. His taste buds buzzed with the light peppered flavour.
"Join me~"
He climbed in the tub and settled behind her, leg outstretched on either side of her hips. She leaned back against him, humming as she popped more seasoned veggies into her mouth.
"Thank you. I'm sorry I couldn't…"
"No, no sweetness. You have no reason to apologize. I want you to be safe and comfortable, always." He kissed the cap of her shoulder and wrapped his arms around her middle, pulling her further onto his lap.
"Were you hungover after the first time we met?" Persephone laid her head back against his chest, studying him with curious eyes.
"At the Party?" He asked, cautiously. She hummed as he pressed another kiss to her hairline.
"At my mother's estate." Hades felt his ichor quicken, cold. Persephone cooed, setting her plate down and turning in the froth of bubbles to face him.
"Worst hangover I've had in centuries. I didn't remember honestly until I saw the tape from the fates." Hades thought back to the Goddess in all her nude splendor collapsing into his lap after he startled her out of her butterfly metamorphosis.
Persephone worried her lip, brows knitting in concern.
"I feel in love with you twice, you know, without even realizing it."
"Before we get married, I need to cash in my one personal question…"
"Oh?" She asked, climbing completely onto his lap, her arms circling his shoulders.
He thought about the questions she had asked the first night they met. The sorrow and desperation in her voice as she pleaded with him to help her retrieve mortal souls from the Underworld.
'Tonight is one for difficult, but necessary conversation.' Sounded Rhea approvingly in his mind.
He felt a stirring in his gut as the question tumbled from his lips.
"What happened in the Mortal Realm? What made you Περσεφόνη?" (Persephone, bringer of death)