((Corny alert! Corny ALERT! ...That is just a warning if you decide to read ahead. :) Okay, that's all I've gotta say.))
asuvsuofa: Aww, I truly can't thank you for all the complements and support! Haha, and I'm glad you liked the ending...Phil's so much fun to work with! As for making you sad...YAY! But aww, I'm sorry! :( I don't like making people sad (even though I'm really glad to hear everyone's emotions towards this.) ;) Also...Oh my gosh, I LOVE the colors you used for Persephone! That's the first time anyone has ever done something so amazing with one of my drawings! *dances around the room like a fool* Thank you, thank you, thank you! *huggles*
Xitan22: Hehe, thank you! I'm really happy to hear that you liked the ending. I was a little worried about it being too corny, but YAY! And I might just do that to the pictures later on. I'm still trying to figure out how to draw on the computer. XD I'm a dork, so please forgive me.
Laughs4life: Yes! Yes you must start writing again, your stories are too amazing to be on hiatus! Hehe, and it was my pleasure. I've just gotta read them during the day so I don't spend all night trying to figure out the ending. I'm not a very patient person. XD And I could only imagine (and write) the things Meg must've been through. :( I've read too many Herc fan fictions about Meg's past, I can probably say my thoughts of her past are mild compared to others though. *shudders* It's scary! As for Phil. Mwah-Hahaha! ...Yeah, I have too much fun writing for him.
KPFAN3617: Mwah-Hahaha! *evil laugh* Phil's too over-protective to give them a break! ...Poor, poor Hercy and Nut-Meg. XD And aww, I'm so glad you love this! You have no idea how happy that makes me! *glomps you* Me hug you nowza!
Several ours later a groggy Hercules came down the main stairway that lead to the living room and kitchen area. Going into the kitchen, Hercules greeted the maid who was boiling some water in a large kettle. "Morning Mrs. Korinna."
Mrs. Korinna was a middle-aged woman in her upper forties, or lower fifties. Like she'd ever tell someone how old she was. She had brown, hazel eyes and always had her say in a conversation, whether she was a part of it, or not. Her figure was that of a woman who's probably had a couple kids, and she just didn't cared much about her appearance, weight wise. Her backstory is something she just doesn't talk about though. But overall, she's a person you could trust with your life.
Korinna smirked, and spun her head around to face Hercules. "Good evening to you too." She said, returning her attention to the chopped carrot sticks in front of her.
"W-Wait...evening?" Hercules asked with a confused expression plastered across his face.
She chuckled, and nodded her head, her chestnut brown hair swaying a bit as she did so. "You've been asleep nearly all day...Megara's been a dear, and offered to help me with dinner. I sent her out to the garden to pick up a couple things for me just a little while ago." She explained, throwing the carrot pieces into the water. "She should be back any minute now."
And as if on cue, Meg came back into the kitchen with several different vegetables in her arms. "Sorry it took me so long...I got a little lost on my way back, but I think I remembered everything you asked for." Meg admitted, laying the items down on the counter.
Korinna waved her hand; "No, no...thank you sweetheart. I should've given you better directions."
Out of the corner of her eye, Meg noticed Hercules and smiled. "Well hey there, sleepyhead. I was starting to worry you weren't gonna wake up in time to show me that, birds and the bees book of yours." She hinted.
Hercules covered his face with his hands and groaned. "...You heard that?" Both women laughed, and Meg went over to Hercules. "Yes. But...if you don't want to, you can just tell me about your high school glory days?"
Korinna wiped her hands on her apron, and shook her head. "Alright, alright...enough of that, young lady. You can embarrass him after you help me with this stew." Meg pretended to look disappointed. "Aww...but I was just getting started."
"Att, datt, datt...stew...now." Korinna demanded teasingly, grabbing the sash around Meg's hip, and pulling her back beside her.
"Thank you, Korinna." Hercules said gratefully.
Both women smirked. "Ohh, I only need her for the time being...once were finished, she's all yours. You gave me the night off...remember?" Korinna reminded.
Herc's eyes went wide, and he hit himself in the head. "Oh father...help me." He moaned.
Once completing dinner, Korinna bid the couple goodbye, and left. Hercules and Meg retired to the living room, feeling it a bit awkward to eat at the table in the dining area for some reason. They all but built a fort out of pillows on the floor, and sat in front of the unlit fireplace together. "Korinna's a really nice lady." Meg smiled.
"Yeah, I'm really glad she's here. It's never a dull moment, and she's an expert in the kitchen." Hercules chuckled putting a spoonful of soup in his mouth. "Wow! ...But I think she has some competition. This is a...a family recipe of yours?" He asked, gulping down the various flavors.
Meg nodded, blushing a bit. "Yeah...My mom taught me and my sisters a couple things before she died. Afterwards, the three of us alternated with breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I actually liked it, Jocasta and Astraia didn't care for it too much though, so I ended up doing all three by the time I was ten." Meg said, laughing at the semi-decent memory.
Hercules smiled. "So, what was it like...growing up for you?" He asked carefully; he still wasn't sure if things like this caused good or bad memories for Meg. She shrugged, and lowered the bowl to her lap to keep from spilling it.
"It was...strange sometimes. Just like every other family in some ways, or another. Each person had some quirk about them that just got under everybody else's skin." She smirked a little. "I haven't changed much since then. I was sarcastic, a complete trouble maker-" Hercules then cut in. "-Caring, smart, beautiful?"
Meg wasn't able to hold back the deep blush that warmed her cheeks, so she put her head down innocently in hopes that her bangs would conceal them. Hercules chuckled at her attempt. "...Should I add bashful to the list?" She just smirked, and slapped his shoulder with the back of her hand. "Cut it out, ya big lug."
Laughing again, Hercules sat his bowl down and leaned towards her, whispering in her ear. "You know you love it." She looked at him through the corner of her eye, smirking, and nudged him with her shoulder. "So what if I do?" She then lowered her smoky eyes and voice in a more seductive way, and turned her head so he would be looking straight at her.
"...What'cha gonna do about it?" She asked, her eyes shinning with a devilish glint to them as she bit her bottom lip suggestively. The moment his eyes widened, she knew she had received the effect she was looking for, but she wasn't finished just yet.
Leaning into him, she slowly slid her hand over one on his own, and used her other hand to sit her bowl down. His eyes grew wider. Out of reflex, he tried backing away, but couldn't because his back hit the couch. Meg couldn't help but smirk at the way he seemed so confused by her actions; she let her hand trail up him arm, and she could hear Hercules gulp down a nervous breath.
In fear of staring at her figure, his eyes never once left hers, nor did they decrease in size. Meg sighed a husky chuckle, and tore apart from their gaze to lean towards his ear, purposely breathing down his neck to send a chill down his spine. "You're so fun to tease, Wonderboy...Had enough yet?" She asked, outlining his cheekbone with her finger.
Hercules sighed, just now realizing she was toying with him, and that he had been holding his breath the entire time. Meg laughed again. "...You know you love it." She whispered kissing his cheek lovingly, trying to further calm him. He finally let a chuckle escape.
"So what if I do?" He repeated from their previous discussion before bending his head down to kiss her. She went to return the gesture, but stopped just as he closed his eyes, and put a finger to his lips. "Mph?"
"...Our dinner's getting cold." Meg whispered, smirking with that same devilish glint in her eyes.
After eating, the couple still remained on the living room floor, sitting by the now blazing fireplace together. Even for a late July night, the air was cool enough to chill the inside of the villa. Amongst their fort of pillows, Hercules decided to bring out a blanket for Meg and himself to share. "Heh...looks like my father decided to bring fall early this year. It's getting pretty cold out there." Herc said draping the quilt over Meg before slipping under it as well. He pulled her close, and she welcomed the gesture gratefully, nodding her head in agreement. "Yeah...I'd say."
The two stayed silent for a while, enjoying the sound of the crackling fire. The glow eliminated the dark room, making anything out of it's reach nearly pitch black. Overly content with the semi-romantic feel at the moment; Hercules smiled as he absentmindedly played with Meg's hair, which she had decided to let free of it's ponytail. Things just feel "right" for once: that hole that was once in my heart...is now filled. That desire to "know" where I'm supposed to belong...no longer exists...I finally know where I can call "home".
That's when it hit him. He still hadn't asked Meg if she wanted to stay here. He knew with all his heart that she was the one. But, it would be kind of crazy to just ask her to marry him all of a sudden, only knowing one another for such a short amount of time. "M-Meg?" He asked, suddenly breaking the silence between them. She turned her head to look up into his blue eyes. "Yes?"
With her eyes now on his own, his mind suddenly went blank. How are you supposed to ask someone if they want to live with you?! "...Hey, I know we've only been dating for what?...Two days now? But I just wanted to ask if you wanted to live with me until I get the courage to propose to you." Oh yeah, that wont completely freak her out!
In an instant, Meg realized that he was having trouble finding the words he wanted to say, so she took his larger hands in her own, which seemed to bring him out of his thoughts. "You...wanted to ask me something?"
Gulping down the lump in his throat, Hercules held Meg's hands closer to him, rubbing her knuckles gently with his thumb. "I-I...I know this is pretty-" he looked for the word as if it was going to start blinking above Meg's head in fluorescent lights. "Random? But...I just wanted to ask if...I mean, w-would you, umm...like to-" just say it already! He mentally scolded himself. "L-Live...here...with me?"
Her eyes widened, and she made no effort to hold the weight of her hands up anymore, as Hercules was still holding them in mid-air. She found that all intelligent answers were no longer in her mind, she could barely muster a single syllable. "Y-You...you want me to-" Meg didn't know what to really say, well she did; it just wouldn't come out!
Now he looked scared, but he was still able to nod, knowing what she was trying to repeat. "Yes...but, only if you want to." He looked at her with pleading eyes, hoping she would say yes; but he was almost expecting her to tell him no, and how stupid he was for even thinking such a thing, let alone voicing it.
She just blinked. It seemed as if she was the one who was having trouble speaking now. "A-Are you...sure?"
He quickly put a hand to her cheek, and nodded his head once again. "Of course." Laughing some of his tension away, he kissed her lightly on the forehead. "I wouldn't have asked you if I didn't want you to be here with me."
Returning the laughter, Meg slowly nodded back. "...Okay."
Hercules' eyes then widened with excitement. "You do?!" She laughed and nodded her head a little more eagerly this time. "Yes." Hercules smiled even brighter, feeling that huge weight suddenly taken off his shoulders as he pulled Meg into a hug. And wrapping her arms around his neck, she hugged him even tighter.
Their laughter died down some after about a minute, but neither wanted to part. Hercules didn't seem to notice that they were once again in that awkward position, but even if he did, he wouldn't have cared about it much. All that mattered in this moment, was her.
Meg nuzzled into the crook of Herc's neck; again, not caring how giddy or childish she felt about doing it. Like what Hercules felt about her, she thought the same about him in return. Where-ever you are...that's where home is. Meg thought silently to herself with a smile. I finally know where I belong.
((Korinna's character design can be found on DeviantART. The link is in my profile. Thanks for reading, and have a blessed day! :D))