Edit: I titled this Scraps, Omakes and Siblings, but the shorthand is too similar to Styx Sworn. Plus, I forgot the title I have now was the original plan all along because I mixed up my notes. Sorry for spreading my own confusion!

Disclaimer: I don't own Disney. I don't own Descendants. Greek Mythology is Public Domain. Some of these characters belong to Ginnyrules27. I do own this version of Rhea and her namesake of Pyrenea. Cute lil Godling that she is.

ANYWAYS.

Welcome to Strawberries, Pomegranate and Family! A little side series in NO PARTICULAR ORDER but would be part of the Choosing series if there had been time to fit it in. Also, a break for my Muse when things are tiresome or stuck in a whirlwind.

So again.

Choosing AU's canon and universe building theories are here. I'll cover a bunch of characters, but mainly my normal ones of Hades, Persephone, Mal, Hadie… Older through the years chaos will be included as well. Pretty much all of these are one-shots. Maybe a couple that are multi parts, but those will be marked and rare. I'm going to try and leave a note on each chapter too, marking when about each one-shot takes place.

Yes, I'll take requests, but I make no promises as I already have about 15 of these planned out ahead of time and, again, this is just a side series for me to keep my writing spirit going when the Muse doesn't feel like working on Book 3 or the Prequel. I will mark whether they are open or closed whenever I post a new chapter so keep an eye out.

I know some of y'all don't read the A/Ns so I'm going to at least bold the important bits.

Timeline: Late February, after the Royal Wedding in August. After Choosing Home, Before Choosing Life.

Requests: (Open)

Read, Review, Enjoy!

"Babe?"

Hades hovered nervously in the doorway of the nursery. He had been putting the leftovers away and cleaning up dishes after an anxiety-riddled lunch. He'd been talking idly only to find himself alone in the kitchen, his wife gone from her seat. He's finally found Persephone sitting quietly in the cushioned rocking chair next to the window. Rays of sun poured across the room, painting a serene picture as they lit a fiery halo upon Persephone's reddish-brown locks. It was nearly Spring, and while Hades enjoyed being in Auradon, he was far too tense with how frequent Demeter had been visiting.

Initially, he and Persephone had discussed her commuting from their forest mansion from the moment King Ben revealed that Hades could stay permanently in Auradon. So long as he was still able to follow up with maintaining the Underworld that is.

Then they learned she was pregnant. Eileithyia was able to determined that Persephone was due sometime in mid to late Spring, not that they couldn't figure that out themselves. Hades hadn't exactly been able to come to Auradon until recently, after all. Finding out exactly three weeks after Hades had been allowed off the Isle? One week where the only interruptions to his and Persephone's joyous reunion being her helping with wedding planning while Hades continued negotiations with Zeus and his now son-in-law?

Even Zeus could do the math with his fake omniscience.

The next two weeks before their daughter's private wedding had been just as busy. Even if the kids finally got to know he was in town, that didn't stop the two Gods from nights of different paced fun. Halfway through those two weeks though…Hades had noticed his wife get more and more lethargic. Something she dismissed as constantly working on Mal's weddings.

"And getting less sleep than I'd like at night," Persephone had teased. Just before she proceeded to the opposite of what she wanted in ways that Hades would never complain about.

Then the glowing comments came. Some from his own, less-preferred, brother. Hades' memory had immediately recalled the last time Persephone had been so exhausted. Lo and behold, he'd been right.

Despite their bet proving him right, Hades still planned to do the dishes. For far more than the one-month deal.

He wasn't about to let his pregnant wife lift a finger if he could help it.

The problem was Persephone hadn't been this far along with Hadie when she'd left for Auradon. Only in her second trimester, she was able to get through Spring and then relax the entire Summer before her return to the Isle. Though he knew the last trimester then hadn't been all that relaxing with a nagging mother and a broken heart as she couldn't teleport to see him. They'd had to rely on Hermes or another God they were on good enough terms with to give her a chariot ride to the portal. Considering all the Gods were busy with their own domains, he was lucky to see her once week or two that Summer versus the near daily visits he'd grown used to.

The difficulties in travel had been a large part of why Demeter had wanted Persephone to stay at her farms. To give her daughter support and safety when she gave birth instead of being alone on the Isle with only Hades, who certainly had little knowledge in the ways of childbirth.

Hades couldn't fault Demeter for it.

But Persephone was almost as stubborn as he was, and refused to be without him if she could help it.

Which brought him back to their current dilemma. Persephone was the Bringer of Spring. She was also already having trouble getting around, despite her third trimester still being a couple of weeks away. The wonders of having gotten to spend her entire pregnancy in Auradon, doted upon by family, instead of forced to deal with the rationing of the Isle.

Even if Hades tried to give her more to eat, secretly having survived the rest of her stay on his portion of the nectar and ambrosia stash they had for themselves instead. Persephone having been none the wiser of him sneaking her his own food.

Presently, Demeter had just arrived and departed once again. It was early afternoon, lunch having been served up with Persephone's mother nitpicking the food Hades had made despite the dishes being at Persephone's request.

He'd admit he knew next to nothing about proper nutrition, especially not for people who were pregnant. All that mattered was what Persephone wanted. If she wanted pickled radishes with chocolate yoghurt dip, or an entire jar of peanut butter, then Hades would get it to her ASAP.

But they were Gods. Centuries of smoking, drinking and getting hit by a drunk Zeus' lightning bolts didn't leave lasting damage. So until Asklepios or any of the Goddesses of pregnancy, childbirth, womanhood, and so forth, bothered to correct him or Persephone, Demeter's opinions would be treated as old wives' tales.

At least Demeter couldn't complain that his cooking wasn't good. She simply thought Persephone should be eating cabbage, spinach, tomatoes…plenty of vegetables. Not surprising recommendations from the Goddess of Harvest. Her basket of broccoli had been ignored though. Hades knew it was Persephone's least favorite vegetable, despite her mother's protests. Other than that, his wife wasn't a picky eater.

It just seemed their Sprout was, as the meals of the day changed couldn't be planned as Persephone's cravings changed moments after satisfying a previous one.

"Babe?" he called softly once more.

"Hm? Oh, Hades," Persephone finally acknowledged his presence, shaken from whatever thoughts she had been lost in. "I'm sorry for leaving you down there alone, I just—"

She sighed, leaning her head back against the chair. Her thick curls falling slightly from where they'd been tied up, as she allowed the sunbeams to warm her face. Hades approached slowly, in a mix of awe and worry as he took in the glowing, yet pained look of his queen.

Her arms circled her belly protectively, whimpering slightly as she must've felt a kick. Her fingers contracted harshly for a moment before they finally relaxed, a hand moving to rub the particular spot. Hades quietly knelt down at her feet, his large hands gently encasing Persephone's.

"Love," he said firmly. Persephone lifted her head, a weak, almost defeated expression as her eyes met Hades'. "There's clearly a lot on your mind, more than just Sprout beating up your insides and ruining your sleep."

Persephone gave a small, water chuckle. A hiccup escaped as the dam broke, letting loose a rush of tears. He moved his free hand immediately to her face, cupping her cheek with the palm as he gently wiped a few tears away with his thumb. His other hand began to glow slightly over hers, as he'd taken to doing the last month or so. His aura, mingling with Persephone's always seemed to calm the growing baby, though he couldn't keep it up throughout their sleep, leaving Persephone to still wake up during the night. Otherwise, there were times they would talk as if holding a conversation with the little girl, helping to settle the restlessness as if the normal talk were bedtime stories.

'Not even born yet, and I'm already wrapped around her finger, just as I am with her siblings,' Hades thought, smiling slightly at Persephone's giggle. 'Just as I am for their mom.'

"I—" Persephone hiccupped once more. "I love my mom, but...and I know she means well, it's just the constant appearances, barely calling ahead and then nagging, it's like I'm back on her farms being scolded for doing anything she thought wrong! O-Or when I was pregnant with Hadie and I just felt harassed to handle my pregnancy however she thought, or for having your kid, despite her being the one demanding grandchildren in the first place!

"She needs to remember I'm an adult, that we've been happily married for nearly a century, and that this is how I want to spend my life! With you!" Her rant was cut off with a gasp, this time with Hades quickly moving his hand as he felt a distressingly rough kick from their daughter.

"Sprout," he said sternly. "Let your mom vent, she needs this right now. I get its not fun for you either with the blood pressure going up, but it won't go down until this is over, got it?"

The parents sighed as it seemed to work.

"I haven't said anything because I didn't want to cause conflict with your mom, you don't need that added stress," Hades began. "But if you think it would help more for me to get involved, and tell her to cut back the visits…I will."

"I-I appreciate that, Hades," smiled Persephone. "Thank you for putting up with her despite everything. The thing is…I only had her and, to a lesser degree, the nymphs or 'Dite, Hestia and Artemis when I was here carrying Hadie…but there was something far more important that I needed than her trust or support. I'm thankful for them, yes. Now, too…But this time I have something far more important that she can't take away. It doesn't matter how often she comes by, or how controlling she may seem when I have to finally go help with Spring now."

"Which is something we still need to discuss," grumbled Hades. "I'll get my chariot if I have to. I'd rather you continue staying here instead of on the farms away from me."

"Oh, Hades, did you miss the entire conversation with my mother today?" laughed Persephone.

"Okay, clearly, if it's something to laugh about."

Persephone reached out, cupping Hades' face in her own hands as she leaned down as much as her stomach would allow her, touching their foreheads together.

"I get to stay," a watery laugh broke free. "She'll have her giant flowers teleport me, since I'd rather avoid flying by chariot, just for the opening day of Spring, to spend the day with her. After that, she's talked it out with Zeus to make sure it doesn't violate the Styx oaths…she's going to take care of Spring this year."

"W-what? Are you serious?" Hades abruptly stood, making sure to pull away so he didn't accidentally knock heads with Persephone. "Persephone, that's-that's great!"

"Isn't it though?" gushed the Goddess. Tears still trickled forth, though now Hades recognized them as happy rather than the melancholic they'd been before.

He wouldn't get to miss out on anything until the last minute again.

"Sorry, I got distracted," the God shook his head, smiling broadly, as he knelt once more so Persephone wouldn't have to get out of her chair. "You were saying something about the most important thing to you this time?"

"Oh, Hades," Persephone smiled wistfully. "You're here this time. No mirror dividing us, no experiences missed. I could have no support from the other Goddesses this time, but it wouldn't matter. Because I have you with me."

There would be no mood swings at the mirror this time. The frustrating lack of comfort by touch. The outburst of tears, of rage or sadness, when Hermes would come to take Persephone back to the farm. No more worries that their son would've been forced to stay in Auradon if she'd gone into an early labor. No more whispers behind her back, or the separation they had to endure every year.

"I'm here," Hades smiled, sitting up off his knees so he could embrace his wife. They kissed wistfully for a moment before the King of the Underworld, whispered it one last time. As if to make sure it was real.

"I'm here."