"I want to go outside," Persephone stated.
Hades was in the living room. He had on a pair of dark rimmed glasses and looked over a table of paperwork. He was going over the markets week of sales and double checking schedules and payments. A weekly chore that he despised but didn't trust anyone else to do.
Persephone was wearing a pair of jeans and a white long sleeved blouse with long cuffs that reached her fingers. She was right. She wanted to go and she wanted to go now.
He ran a hand through his hair and sat back on the couch. "Interesting. And where exactly do you intend on going?"
She shrugged. "Wherever. I want to see something, anything outside of this apartment. And you said yesterday that I was free to go."
He nodded. "You are."
He walks her to the front door and opened it. She stood and looked out in the hall, fiddling with the ends of her long hair.
"It's just, I don't really know where exactly to go. I thought that . . ." she looked at him and waited with urging eyes. As if she hoped he knew what she wanted.
"I see," he said and grabbed a black denim jacket that had large tears in the arm, back and chest.
"Let's go, then."
There was a frigid bite in the air. Persephone slipped on the coat she had grabbed and pulled it tightly around her. Hades was waiting for her further instruction as the two of them stood on the sidewalk.
"Where do you go to have fun?"
"Home," he instantly replied.
She rolled her eyes. "Let me re-phrase: When you're not being a kidnapping introverted criminal what do you do for fun?"
He sighed with a small grumble and started walking them east. Persephone was a few steps behind him, consumed with the city. As the crowd grew thicker, he turned to look over his shoulder and stopped, until they were side by side. She stuck out like a sore thumb in this crowd of dark hunching rejects, himself included. Her head of bright yellow curls and tall stature turned heads and gathered unwanted attention.
Hades left her for a moment to peek into the coffee shop he was wanting to take her too. When he turned around to call her over, a muscular, tanned man with a tattoo on his neck was speaking to Persephone. His arms crossed and pushing his grotesquely huge biceps forward.
"I run a club in town and I'm always looking for women like you," the guys voice was gruff. Like he did nothing but smoke cigars and eat gravel throughout the day.
Just as Hades was about to interject Persephone scoffed in the mans face "Women like me? What's that supposed to mean?"
The man didn't take the offense in her tone and continued like the idiot he was. "Hot, young, and easy."
The last word pushed Hades to approach with his hand curled in a fist. But Persephone had slapped the mans face with her backhand before he could help, and called out loud enough for the entire street to hear.
"Keep the hell away from me you sicko freak."
"Or what?" The man raged back, arms fisted at his side, his face was red with anger.
Hades pushed a firm hand against the man's shoulder and hissed in his face. "Or else you'll have to deal with me," When the two were face to face, Hades was able to recognize the fool. "Mikey, from Cellar 13 . . ." Hades stated.
The mans eyes grew wide and he pulled away with apologies. "Hades," he said in a low meek tone. "Forgive me, I didn't know she was yours."
Hades instinctively reached back, touching Persephone's hand. She quickly grabbed his fingers, her cold hands shaking.
The man ran off and turned down an ally way before anything else could happen.
Hades turned around and looked at Persephone's who didn't look as brave as she had moments ago. Her arms were crossed and she looked at he feet. He hoped that she would mutter that she wanted to go home. Which would be a relief. Instead she lifted her head and gave an expression that she was ready to continue.
"This way," he said walking to the door of the record store.
The two walked into the shop that was stacked with piles of records, posters of rock bands hung on the walls, held by worn scotch tape and red thumbtacks. A kid no older than seventeen stood behind the register rocking his head to the beat of the loud drums and sharp guitar solo playing over the speakers.
Hades fingered through the records and tapped his foot. Persephone followed him, and looked over his shoulder at whatever he pulled out.
"What are you doing?" He waved his arms over the store. "Find something you like."
"I don't like rock music," she stated.
He released a dark laugh and leaned against a stack as tall as his ribs. "Let me guess, you like pop, something you can dance too."
She nodded. "I don't care if that's predictable. You wearing all black and liking rock music isn't a anomaly."
He narrowed his eyes at her and dropped the album he was holding in his hand. Waving good bye to the cashier he led them out of the store and across the road to RAGE. Its lights were out and the doors shut. Most of the underworld was nocturnal. Only the rarest of creatures explored the streets in the light of day.
Inside, the club felt off, empty and quiet, smelling of body spray and booze.
"Desi!" Hades called over the balcony that looked over a wide and empty dance floor.
His friend appeared from the booth adjacent to the floor and waved.
"You have reemerged."
The two hugged and Desi noticed Persephone and his eyes lit up. He looked back at Hades as if to say "well done," and introduced himself.
"Do you own this club?" Persephone said, giddier than they were in the record store.
Desi nodded. "This is all mine, you need to come back when there are actually people here. We host the best parties in the underworld. This weekend we'll be celebrating my birthday. The theme is "Fire.""
Persephone's eyes widened with interest, her mouth shaping itself into an O shape.
"Hades should bring you," Desi punched his friend on the shoulder. "He missed my last party, so he owes me."
Before he could throw out an excuse Persephone spat out that she would be there. A quick response that left Hades with his mouth hung open with annoyance. He wished he would have known what he was getting himself into when he allowed her to leave. The last thing he ever wanted to do was babysit a sheltered Olympian while she rebels. Gross.
Desi was called away by a co-worker. Hades turned to face his companion, face dulled. "This isn't a meager dance party with wine coolers and a jukebox. Last party Desi threw, two people were killed. Don't forget where you are."
She pushed a strand of hair behind her ear and let out a barking laugh. "Oh please, you would have never brought me here if you didn't think it were safe."
"Have you already forgotten that I'm the one who kidnapped you? I have zero regard for your safety."
Persephone turned to leave and spoke behind her shoulder. "Then you won't care if I go to this party."
He curled his hands into fists and followed her to the front door. He liked her better when she was scared of him.