Updated daily.

Chapter 1 – A Family Visitor

Six months has passed since Ben's coronation and Hayden freeing his father who never lied about them ruling the underworld together. He sits in his throne next to his father's or stands at his father's side as the man weighs the new souls in their domain, deciding if they should be sent to the equivalent of heaven or the equivalent of hell in the underworld. Hayden isn't quite ready for that and makes mistakes if given the chance to weigh the souls, especially the children who have died. He's too soft for those and would get distracted talking to them instead. Hades gently reminds him that they cannot linger talking to them as they have to move onto the afterlife with all the rest. However, despite having a whole world to rule over and a father who's always there, dropping meetings on the spot just to pay attention to his son, something's…missing.

With a sigh, Hayden flips lazily through the pages of his book and struggles to pay attention to a single word, his mind distracted and fogged. Sometimes, he would use…a technique to help him focus again. His father stopped him the second he found out, refusing to leave him alone just in case until he trained Cerbie to alert him in case Hayden tries it again. It helped him in the worst moment but some of the literal scars haven't fully healed yet and he tries to ignore them. Seeing them only makes him want to inflict more on himself. He's trying not to, not wanting to disappoint anyone else, especially Mal. He hasn't seen her since that day but…would she want to see him now? Now that he's been away for so long? Now, after having left her without a proper goodbye in the first place?

The knock at his door startles him and he then hears his father's minions, Pain and Panic call from the door.

"Young darkness, your father wants to see you!" Pain informs.

"He says it's important, our young liege!" Panic adds.

"Coming! Now flee before I fry you!" Hayden warns and hears panicked yelps before the two scurry away. He wouldn't actually set them on fire, even though they'd be fine and now that he can. In the past six months, dad has taught him how to use his powers, being right that being in the underworld and not trapped behind the barrier would help. That beam of white light has not shown itself since, but his dad reassures that's to do with his own God power which he has no clue where it lies. It's not like his dad's, so what domain is he the God off exactly? His hair still flames red when angry, however, it now changes to other colours if he feels that emotion strongly enough. For example, it lit up in a mixture of teal blue (surprise) and yellow (happiness) when he managed to finally create fire for the first time out of thin air, something he was struggling with for a while until then. Or how it turned purple when he Cerberus accidently knocked him too hard and hurt him by accident. It doesn't always show but if one emotion runs too high in him and he doesn't keep himself in check then it pretty much gives away how he's feeling. He checks the full-length mirror on the back of his door on his way and frowns when his hair is on fire. Deep blue.

Sadness.

Why would he be sad? He hasn't even had any of those…toxic thoughts again. Shaking his head, Hayden looks over at the skull in his room, the one which always calms him and clears his mind. His hair flickers out to normal and he nods, leaving the room in search of his dad. He finds him talking to someone who is definitely not dead and is glowing gold softly around the edges, almost like a walking light bulb. He looks very strong and has a glowing lightning bolt strapped to his waist.

Zeus.

Hayden would recognise him anywhere by how much his dad had mentioned him all his life. Zeus looks determined and dad looks anxious about something. He slows his walk, unsure if he should meet Zeus as dad never wanted him to, saying the man might do something out of petty revenge for how he stole his son Hercules away all those years ago. Not having noticed Hayden's presence, he manages to catch the last bits of conversation between the two.

"Hades, this will only take a minute. You've been putting off my appointments for months now, ever since returning to the underworld." Zeus says, Hayden surprised to hear this.

"For good reason. You always wanted me to do my job and not bother the mortals up there. Well, here I am, staying in the underworld and weighing souls just like you wanted. You should be happy, Zeus." Hades points out.

"You know that's not what I wanted to come here for. Yes, I am pleased that you're finally doing your job, properly I mean, but I still wanted to meet him. You've been putting it off ever since you got back here months ago, and I've finally decided enough's enough. Now, where is he?" Zeus asks, trying to keep his temper in check.

"I've sent my minions to fetch him. Hayden should be here soon." Hades says though something in his tone is hopeful that the boy doesn't, that he's suddenly going through some kind of teenage rebellion. If he refuses then Hades wouldn't force him to come, using it as an excuse to shoo Zeus from his lair.

"Well, ask and ye shall receive." Hayden says, repeating his father's own words from the coronation back to him from months ago, though without the same tone. They both look over to him and Zeus looks at Hades to see if he'll protest before urgently moving over to the boy. Hades curses under his breath in Greek and just hopes Zeus doesn't try anything. He sees his minions poking their heads around the door behind him, nervously watching him.

"Get Cerberus ready, just in case." He orders quietly and they nod eagerly, rushing away to obey the command. Hades watches with dread when Zeus finally stops within arm's distance of Hayden who backs up a step to feel more comfortable. Still not a people person even with how many souls he hangs out with (after their judgement has passed that is).

"Hello Hayden. I've been wanting to meet you for a while now." Zeus greets.

"Hi Zeus." Hayden says, unsure what the man wants.

"You seem a lot smaller in person than your dad described." Zeus teases.

"Yeah well maybe not having my powers during my time as a prisoner from the day I was born along with my dad affected my growth." Hayden says, trying to keep calm as he remembers how Zeus had been the one to lock his father's powers away in the ember which allowed them to finally subdue him without much difficulty.

Zeus seems to be unsure what to say to that, feeling awkward, as he watches the boy. He then notices something and looks back to Hades. "So, his hair does catch fire like yours, brother." He smiles teasingly.

Hayden pulls out a compact mirror from his pocket and checks his reflection in it. Sure enough, flickers of red flames are starting to light, and he takes a calming breath, thinking of his dad. It works and the flames die out. "What do you want Bolt-Boy?" He sighs, putting the mirror away and Zeus smirks at the name.

"Taught him that too, did you?" He asks, amused.

"Taught him everything as I raised him unlike..." Hades stops, not wanting to say it.

"Unlike I did with my own Hercules." Zeus sighs out sadly.

"I'm not going, and you cannot make me." Hayden denies, seeing where this is going and turns to walk out the room.

"Hayden, you don't understand. I'm not taking you anywhere." Zeus says, not wanting the boy to leave but not stopping him.

"You're not?" Both Hades and Hayden ask in shock and surprise, Hayden's hair flaring teal blue.

"I just wanted to meet you." Zeus says sincerely.

"Meet me? Why? Have you been struck by your own lightning bolt or somehow forgotten what dad did to you and Hera?" Hayden asks, tilting his head at the God.

Zeus chuckles at that. "You're my nephew. Why wouldn't I want to meet you. Olympus even threw a party for you and your sister Mal when you were born. It was a shame we couldn't break you both out of the barrier to attend it. We cannot interfere in the events of mortals, not anymore." He claims but Hayden is sceptical, and Hades is still surprised.

"And how many of the Gods and Goddesses only celebrated his birth because you asked them to?" Hades challenges.

Zeus frowns in confusion. "Asked them to? Hades, at the council meeting we all had the same idea already planned out and it was a competition to who announced it first. The only thing we argued over was what colour scheme the decorations would be in. We settled on black and white in the end." He turns to his brother with a proud smile. "Hayden is a good kid. You raised him well. I'm proud of you, brother."

"Okay, seriously, have you been struck by your own lightning bolt or what?" Hades asks, confused by Zeus' words.

"You don't have to believe it as I know you'd want proof of all of Olympus celebrating Hayden's birth, but I just wanted you to know that anyway." Zeus sighs out, knowing they wouldn't believe him from how strained his and Hades' relationship is. They act more like rivals than brothers in all honesty but maybe Hayden could fix that. "But there is also something else I came here for."

"See! Ulterior motive!" Hades declares and quickly puts himself between his brother and son, protectively standing in front of the boy. "Hayden, run to Cerberus. He'll protect you. I told you he would steal you away just like I did with his son."

"Hades, brother, calm down. Please." He pleads, shocked to hear his words. "I am not stealing him away. I already told you that."

"Why wouldn't you? I mean," Hades begins, ignoring Zeus' constant calls of his name as he speaks. "I'm evil and turning my son evil too, right? That's what everyone believes. Doesn't matter that I care about him and am not forcing him to do anything he's uncomfortable with. He wants to rule beside me. He said so. He literally asked for his own throne minutes after arriving in the underworld for the first time. He kept pinching my jacket until I gave him his own when he turned sixteen. I'm the one who calms him down when he gets angry and yet…"

"Dad!" Hayden's shout finally gets through to him and he looks back worriedly, fearful that his son's hurt. However, the boy is fine. "Will you shut up and let Zeus get a word in now?" He asks and Zeus smirks at this.

Hades sighs and gestures for Zeus to speak. "Thank you, Hayden." Zeus gently puts a hand on Hades' shoulder, looking him in the eyes as he says, "Brother, I forgive you."

"What?" Hades is shocked.

"It happened ages ago and without you doing that my son would not have met the love of his life Meg. He forgave you when he realised that. Well, to the point where he won't stop a fight with you anymore. He'll even play nice for Hayden's sake. When Hayden was born, Hercules was the one behind most of the party arrangements. We let him take over as he was so excited for his cousin being born. I had to hold him back from breaking you both out the barrier as he was an inch away from heading over to the isle to free you both himself. Since hearing of your…liberation," He chooses the word wisely, not wanting to blow it now that Hades is letting him talk. "From the island, Hercules had wanted to storm the underworld just to meet his cousin in the flesh at last. He wants to meet him, Hades. Always has. He's the one who made us realise that Hayden's been making you kinder Hades when we all saw how he calmed you during the coronation of Prince Ben. Please don't get angry at me saying that." He adds, seeing his brother's hair starting to carry red tints. Thankfully, it fades away. "The reason I came here is to invite you both to Olympus for a party, a celebration, well belated celebration, of Hayden's life."

"We'll think about it." Hayden says before his dad could protest, clearly believing it to be a trick.

"Thank you. We're all ready with the decorations. Just let us know when you're ready to come." Zeus says, shocking his brother with a hug and reaching behind him to ruffle Hayden's hair. He then turns and walks away.

"We didn't agree to it yet!" Hades points out but Zeus just smiles as he keeps walking.

"Well, that's different." Hayden comments after he's gone.

"Yeah, and don't ask me why, but I think he was telling the truth." Hades reveals, still in shock.

"I do too." Hayden agrees then smiles excitedly as he tugs on his dad's arm. "Can we go? Please! Please! Please! Please!"

"Well, I doubt your ego needs any more inflating but," Hades sighs. "Yes, we'll go."

"Yes!" Hayden cries, rushing away to get changed into clothes fit for a party on Olympus. Hades sighs again then gets his minions to chase after Zeus and let him know the good news. They return shortly after, out of breath, but confirms they caught up to Zeus on time and the party will begin in about an hour (they have to get it set up after all). Hades sighs, hoping he won't regret this. Olympus hates him after all. Hopefully, Zeus was right, and they won't show the same hostility to his son.