A Meeting With Mother

"So, you have your things?" Hades looked over at Persephone who was leaning over the counter to apply lipstick.

"Yep, I just wanted to put something nice on." Persephone smiled in her white peplos with gold clamps near her collarbone and gold sandals with flower and leaf patterns etched into them. Her hair was loosely curled and half of it was pulled out of her face into a small bun with a flower from a pomegranate tree. Her eyes were shimmering with gold eye shadow and black mascara making the lashes long and curled, her cheeks were lightly blushed and she gave him a smile; she was lovely.

"You look stunning, as usual. Though I do prefer you without clothes." Hades smiled toothily as he pinched her well-rounded backend as he nipped at her neck.

"Hades!" Persephone giggled as she smacked him playfully with her hand.

"Well you do." He continued to tease her until she smacked his hand away and began walking towards the door.

"Let's go, it's getting late. And mother doesn't like it when I'm late." Persephone smiled.

"Fine. If you insist." Hades sighed as he walked towards her and took her hand.

They walked off, hand in hand to his dark chariot, Hades whipped the horses one time and they were off, stomping on the fresh lush grass as Hades helped Persephone down. Hades sent the horses off as they walked towards Demeter's house, it was a humble cottage with a large garden, trees, and numerous flowers that Hades had never seen before, let alone heard of, as Persephone pointed to each one and exclaimed the name of each flower. He looked at her lovingly as they approached the door, Hades giving it a hard knock as Persephone smiled worriedly at him.

"Persephone!" Demeter opened the door immediately and embraced her child, turning her so that she had to let go of Hades' hand, and causing the two of them to face away from him.

"How are you my sweet child? I prey that nothing terrible has happened to you? He hasn't tried anything on you has he?" Demeter looked over her daughter, keeping her eyes open for any signs of injuries.

"No mother, I'm fine, but I would like you to meet someone." Persephone took her mother's hands as she pulled her toward the man standing in the doorway, rolling his eyes at everything Demeter said.

"Mother, this is Hades, my husband and the only god I could ever love." Persephone smiled as she held onto one of her mother's hands while grabbing Hades' hand, forming a half circle.

"Well, I'm so glad the two of you met." Persephone smiled again, she looked so happy, not like the other two.

"Well, you look like you're old usual self, I don't see anything different about you. Still wearing black I see, your hair is untamed and choppy as usual, your eyes don't seem so emotionless, but they're still practically black. And you look as though you haven't shaved." Demeter sighed as she shook her head in disappointment.

"Good to see you too dear sister." Hades rolled his eyes as he blinked, causing every stub on his face to disappear.

"Mother, he is trying. And Hades is a wonderful person, before I met him, he would never act so concerned towards the opinions of others." Persephone let go of her mother's hand as she defended her husband, clinging to his arm, her breasts pressed against it as his lips went up, exposing his pearly white teeth.

"Demeter, please I'm sure we have our differences, and we are doing this for your daughter because we both love her." Hades started out in a soft tone, though the look on his face proved he wanted nothing to do with his mother-in-law.

"You, love? Haha, I never thought I'd see the day." Demeter threw her head back as she laughed in a rather deep tone.

"Yes mother, we love each other, very much. But we're not here to prove that to you, I just wanted the two of you to meet, and I wanted to discuss something with each of you." Persephone stepped between the two as she walked into the kitchen it all looked the same.

The floors were white marble with accents of flower stones in every corner where two tiles met. The table was made out of an oak tree with two chairs; the third was more of a footrest, a stomp (obviously for Hades). There was a large light blue vase with colorful tulips and aquamarine water filled halfway. Demeter had done some cooking, there was a roast in the oven, along with mashed potatoes and a fresh salad, and all the fruits and vegetables clearly came from her garden. The walls were covered in pictures of the two of them; along with drawing Persephone gave her mother when she was a child (which were also on the "fridge"/ice box). Hades had never seen so many flowers in his life, and her house was made out of wood, not stone like his. He almost winced at the smell of flowers, wood, and dirt all around him.

"Well this is, quaint." Hades said sarcastically.

"Well no one invited you here, if you don't want to be here, than just leave!" Demeter snapped.

"If I leave, Persephone is going with me." Hades glared at Demeter as he tugged Persephone away from her mother.

"What! What right do you have to take my daughter away from me?" Demeter's eyes were full of rage.

"Well first of all, she's my wife! And not to mention, she ate the fruit of the Underworld. Therefore by law she is bound, you're lucky she is here with you now!" Hades hissed at her, his eyes turning black.

"What! You forced my precious daughter to eat of your fruit?" Demeter looked between Hades and Persephone.

"In more ways than one." Hades smiled smugly at her.

"How dare you-!"

"Stop! Both of you!" Persephone stood between her mother and Hades.

"You're both acting like children. Mother, Hades is right, I am his wife and I ate six seeds of the pomegranate, and therefore should be bound for all eternity. But I've come here to make a compromise. I wish to stay in the Underworld for half a year; the other half I shall stay with you here on the Upperworld mother. I need to go and speak with Zeus, if you two could stand to be alone and fight with each other, that's fine, but I wish to go alone." Persephone let her hands drop as she walked off, calling upon Hades' chariot as she rode away, both Hades and Demeter were stunned.

"She's never done that before." Demeter spoke first.

"Hmm, she's usually so passive." Hades smiled.

"She's changing." Demeter looked at the ground as she walked towards the table and sat.

"She is indeed." Hades turned and did the same, but he first looked toward Demeter for permission to sit, to which she granted him.

"I think it's because of you." Demeter looked up tears filled her eyes.

"Oh don't start that now." Hades crossed his arms as he looked away.

"It's the truth Hades, she was a little girl before she met you, now she's a woman." Demeter took his stone cold hands as she smiled at him, almost as if her eyes were saying "thank you."

"You know, I never thought someone like Persephone would ever love me, or that I could ever love period." Hades looked up, an earnest smile on his face.

"Neither did I." Demeter said sarcastically, Hades pulled his hands away as his smile faded.

"But, Persephone has that way about people. And I've never seen her so happy, take care of one another, and thank you for letting her come with you today."

"Hmm, well this whole compromise was her idea, I didn't even know she had thought of it in the first place, but whatever makes her happy." Hades shrugged.

"It will go buy fast, and I'm sure you'll think of ways to see one another."

"I swear I will, I've already thought of several since she first stated the idea."

"Well than, would you like some tea?"

"What the hell, why not?" Hades shrugged as he helped Demeter set the table.

"Daddy!" Persephone jumped off the chariot and ran towards her father as she embraced him.

"Persephone! It has been so long since I last saw you. You look lovely."

"Thank you, it's nice to see you again." She smiled at him as he released her and they walked towards the throne room, Hera was nowhere to be found.

"Where's Aunt Hera?" Persephone looked around for her.

"She went out." Zeus shrugged as he took a seat.

"What is it you need to talk about?"

"Well, as you know, Hades and I are married now, and I ate the fruit of the Underworld and should be bound there according to the law. But I miss mother terribly, I want to know if I can be permitted to stay in the Underworld for half a year, since I only ate six seeds." Persephone explained.

"Hmm, I don't see why not." Zeus shrugged as he pulled out The Book of Laws and added in a new law for his beloved daughter.

"Thanks daddy." She hugged him once more, kissed him on the cheek and ran for the chariot.

"It was good to see you, I'll be throwing a party for all the gods and goddesses, be sure to bring Hades next time!"

"I will!" She waved and hopped in, looking back to the chariot as she rode off.

"I'm back!" Persephone stopped the chariot as she jumped off and ran towards the door, she was shocked to see what was on the other side.

Hades and Demeter were not only getting along, but they were laughing, eating together they were actually enjoying each other's company. Persephone stood aghast for a moment as Hades looked up and smiled a sweet smile, closing his eyes and tilting his head, which was what she would normally do.

"Mother, what did you do to him?" Persephone was terribly worried.

"Nothing, we're just chatting." Demeter smiled as she walked up to Persephone, handing her a cup of tea.

"Hades is that true?" Persephone quickly thanked her mother as she took a sip, making sure to look at Hades to see if her mother was telling the truth.

"Yes, your mother's right. We were actually talking about you and how much we love you." Hades walked over as he took one of her hands and entwined their fingers, as he brought her hand up and kissed it.

"Really? Wow, I don't know what to say, I mean, I'm happy, but confused." Persephone followed Hades to the table as they all sat ate and drank.

"Well, I'm glad you're happy. Did you talk to Zeus?" Hades questioned curiously.

"Yes, and he agreed with what I had to say." Persephone smiled as she looked down at her drink.

"What! That buffoon would agree with his daughter! Well I'm just going to have to have a word with him!" Demeter slammed her fist down onto the table as she stood.

"And you better not try and spoil the time that my daughter and I are together!" Demeter pointed at Hades.

"I think it's about time for us to go home Persephone. Well Demeter, we'll see you in six months." Hades smiled smugly.

"And what makes you think I'll let you have her the first six months?" Demeter was stunned.

"Well, it is the last part of the year, when it's cold and crops are often bare, therefore, you can have her at the beginning of the year, during the warm months." Hades explained.

"Fine! But I don't want you to make too many visits during the warm months!" Demeter demanded.

"We'll see old woman." Hades laughed as Demeter lunged towards them.

"Quick, come with me." Hades picked Persephone up as they ran towards the chariot.

They ran towards the chariot and hopped on, the ground opened and they were gone within an instant. Demeter was barely able to reach the front door.

"Damn that Hades! One minute I actually don't mind the man, and the next I want to wring his neck!" Demeter stomped back into the house and went to her room, finding a calendar and marking six months from then, the day Persephone would return to her.

"Well that was, interesting." Hades chuckled as he lifted Persephone out of the chariot, carrying her to their bedchambers.

"I suppose." Persephone shrugged.

"She definitely won't be happy to see me again anytime soon, or at all for that matter." Hades rolled his eyes at the latter as he placed Persephone on the edge of the bed.

"True, but honestly that's how it feels, it should be. I know it's strange and I completely support the idea of you two getting along, but that was rather . . . odd." Persephone began to undress as she rose, her peplos falling to the floor as she took off her sandals and put all her jewelry and things away. Hades watched her every move in complete awe of her.

"You know, you just can't let a thing like that bring you down Persephone. Come here and I shall make you feel better." Hades opened his arms as Persephone neared him; his entire wardrobe vanished in the blink of an eye as he led her to the bed, beginning his "activities" with his wife.

"You know, I never thought a meeting with mother would end like this." Hades sputtered out, his body covered in sweat as he removed himself from his wife, he pulled her in close as they both fell asleep, dreaming of the next six months they'd share together.