Staring at the blank computer screen, his office is silent and empty. For the past 6 months he had stayed late at the office to distract himself from the cold mansion. No flowers, no cheerful hellos, no beautiful wife to hold him as he fell into the slumbers of sleep. The dogs seemed to grow more lost as the days grew into weeks, which grew into months. The palatial mansion, housing the King of the Underworld and his many four legged companions, was falling apart at the seams. All because of the absence of a certain pink goddess.

Sure, they called each other incessantly, almost ad nauseam for those around them. There were a few times that Hecate had threatened to quit if she had to hear one more no you hang up. He knew it wasn't like him, from the moment Persephone came into his life, he became the Underworld's largest softie, but only for her.

Every breath away from her, he felt like he was suffocating, and 6 months without air was a long time. He was an experienced swimmer, he had felt pain before, He delivered pain for a living, but this was just unbearable. They had promised that this first separation would be best if they did not video call, just to test the waters. Persephone felt that the video calls would cause her to be depressed, she claimed she would miss him too much by seeing his face and not being near him. Fuck, was that a mistake. He thought to himself. All he wanted was to see her pink flesh, her beautiful hair, her glowing eyes, her plump lips, her … everything.

Ever since their vows, he could feel her heart, no matter how far. Throughout the separation, he reveled in feeling her strength as she created Spring for the mortal realm. His heart broke whenever he felt her missing him. Even without the phone calls, he knew that she wanted to be near him. He could feel her shiver at night, laying awake the same way he did. However, the past few days, he felt nothing. No heartbeat, no shiver, not even her confident strides as she helped bring forth the harvest. Every so often, he closed his eyes in the hopes that something would change back and he would feel her again, but nothing.

5 days earlier

"Are you sure you're okay? Are you completely sure?" Hades asked in a concerned and almost manic way. His hair was on end, his eyes darting around the empty mansion, a red hue to his pupils, and his hand clamped to his chest.

"My love, everything is fine, I don't understand this worry. What happened? Maybe I can speak with my mother about letting up the reins a little earlier? Maybe you're getting sick." Persephone whispered into the phone. Her voice was drenched in nervousness.

"No, no. I just can't seem to feel you." He murmured. He heard her breathing catch. She knew that he had developed this new power right as the wedding ceremony ceased. She couldn't understand why it happened, but it made her feel closer to him. So to hear that he couldn't feel her, it made her heart ache even more for him.

"Sweetheart, love, Aidoneus, I am fine." She emphasized fine, just to try and reassure him, but it was no use. She knew he would be pacing the Underworld like a lost puppy. "I will speak with mother regarding her plans to introduce snow, hopefully it won't be much longer we are apart."

The thing that no one mentioned about her 6 months away was that it wasn't an exact 6 months. Everyone assumed that the two of them could count down the days, but that's not how the seasons worked. Demetur explained to Persephone on her first night back in the mortal realm that the seasons are not a perfect set of days. Sometimes the flowers last longer, sometimes the winter comes sooner. Persephone remembered sobbing to Hades as she explained that she didn't know the exact date of her arrival back to her beloved home. He attempted to reassure her that they might see each other sooner, maybe it would only be 5 months and 20 days, maybe it would mean she would be home sooner. But Persephone hated the unknown. She wanted so badly to know the minute she would be home, enveloped in Hades' arms.

Hades shook his head as he brought himself to the present. His eyes were heavy, as he took his reading glasses off to rub them. The creak of his chair crackled through the empty air as he stood up. He pulled his briefcase together, haphazardly throwing documents into it and shutting it closed, before making his way to the garage. Looking at his phone he noticed that it was long past midnight and that his wife had tried to call him three times.

Fear ran ice cold through his veins as he pressed the call back button, but no answer. He tried again and again as he sped home. Nothing. He could feel himself losing control. He couldn't feel her heartbeat anymore, he hadn't seen her face in 6 months, 3 days, and 18 hours, and he felt himself losing the last bits of sanity as he continued to call her phone. Pulling into the garage, he began to tear up and hit the steering wheel. Come on, sweetness, answer.

He was engulfed in darkness as the car was shut off, until the door to the house slowly opened. His eyes blurry from the tears, he saw a familiar silhouette. He rubbed his eyes, hoping he was not dreaming, or if he was, that he wouldn't wake up for a while. He fumbled with the door of his sports car as he jumped out.

"Goddess." He whispered and saw the shadow sashay through the darkness. His arms already pulling toward her and his feet filling the distance between the two of them. It was a familiar warmth, her hair halfway down her back, her body covered in one of his large t-shirts. He felt her face snuggled into his chest as he stroked her hair. An immediate sense of relief.

"Come inside, love, you've had a long day." She murmured, she looked up at him, eating him up with her wide-eyed gaze. Her small hand took his as he felt as if he was floating toward the lit mansion. The dogs were happily stretching and wagging their tails as she swayed past them, letting go of his hand, she continued to waltz through the kitchen. Pulling a plate out of the fridge, she unraveled the clingfilm and bent to place it in the oven to warm it.

Hades found himself frozen until that moment. He moved swiftly like a fish to water, wrapping his arms around her small frame. He breathed in her scent. There was floral notes, earthy tones, and a small musky scent, like the forest after a rainstorm.

Turning her in his arms, he stared at her incredulously. "Love?" she whispered, as she placed a hand on his cheek. His blueish hue warming under her touch. "When I got home and you weren't here, I tried to call, but you didn't answer. I called Hecate, but she said she left you at the office hours ago. I almost went to look for you, but got nervous we would miss each other if I drove to Tower One." She stated at lightning speed. He smiled, he could sense her nervousness, like she was worried she had done something wrong.

"Sweetness." He placed a bent finger under her chin, drawing her to him, bending his large frame to meet her rounded face. The kiss was chaste, sweet, almost shy. He felt her mouth go slack and he took advantage of the new territory to explore. His tongue found its way into the crevices, a moan escaping her. He felt his heart melt after a long winter. She wrapped her arms around his neck, as he lifted her frame up. His hands holding her waist tightly, as if letting go would be deadly. Cerberus whined, causing them to break apart, their foreheads resting against one another.

Persephone's light giggle made him feel giddy inside. "Cerby, sweetheart, you ate dinner a few hours ago. You aren't going to trick dad into giving you another one." His queen looked at the large pup that wagged his tail violently as she spoke. He watched in amusement as Cerberus practically knocked her over with his large frame.

"Ah ah." He feigned sternness. "Be careful with your mother." The pup immediately stood at attention, like a soldier ready for war. Persephone swatted Hades' chest.

"Come here, my good boy, don't let him be mean to you." She said in her sing-song voice, her attention completely on the puppy as Cerby began to jump around her in excitement. Hades could hear the other dogs begin to scamper toward the kitchen. Her laughter was infectious as Hades loosened his tie.

"Hey, I thought I was your good boy?" He said as she twirled to look at him. His heart was thumping. He was still trying to figure out if this was a dream and he had accidentally fallen asleep at the office. He watched as she went to pull the plate out of the oven, her curves assaulting his gaze once more.

"OUCH!" The plate clanged onto the stove top. She began sucking her fingers as Hades felt his mind go into protective mode. Immediately striding up to her, he scooped her up and placed her on the counter. Unraveling her curled fingers, he saw the pink flesh begin to pucker and raise.

Sighing heavily, he kissed each fingertip. She mewled at the romantic touch. "How many times do I have to tell you, we may be immortal, but we aren't made of steel?" His tone patronizing as she rolled her eyes.

"Hephaestus," she began.

"Do not bring up other gods in front of me right now, I am already holding every inch of myself back." He murmured as he kissed her fingertips once more.

Persephone was surprised at how much will-power the God of the Dead had in this moment. She assumed that the moment they saw each other, it would be like rabbits, but instead, everything was gentle. She thought about seeing him for the first time after their separation for the entirety of her stay in the mortal realm, but this was never how she expected it. She knew every inch of him, yet she was nervous to see him after such a long time. Hades could sense her hesitation. The longer they sat in silence, the more he wanted her, but not now. He knew it had been a grueling 6 months. He pulled every bit of strength and self-resolve he had to pull himself away from her. She immediately felt an emptiness.

"Come, my queen. It's well past your bedtime." He helped her off the counter top and the two walked hand in hand to the bedroom.