Hades glances at his watch again, tapping his fingers against his crossed arms impatiently.
He hears her voice through the door as she exchanges pleasantries with his assistant. She pushes the doors open, walking towards him with open arms.
Hades waves his hand to dismiss her, he moves to stand behind his desk. The longer he looks at her, the more distance he craves. His frustration grows, thinking of the feud she keeps fueling.
"What game are you playing?" He asks, trying to keep his anger at bay.
Hera smirks. "Whatever could you mean, dear brother-in-law?" She widens her eyes innocently, then makes her way to the bar cart in the corner of his office. She helps herself to a heavy pour of scotch, then tosses her coat and purse on the arm of the couch while she settles between the cushions.
Hades walks over to face her, "Come off it, Hera." He paces in front of her and she watches him with amusement, adding to his frustration. "Why did you put that girl in Minthe's department? To upset Minthe?"
Hera sighs, "Is this what this 'meeting' is all about?" She sips the amber liquor and holds her glass to the light. Hades glares at his sister-in-law. She shifts uncomfortably, clearing her throat to maintain her composure. "I thought it would be more fun than putting her directly under your nose." She straightens her posture, noticing the blush spreading across Hades' cheeks. Her stony expression curls into a mischievous smile. "Was I mistaken?"
"Hera, this isn't funny," He stammers, the blush creeping down his neck. He hates how his body betrays him at Hera's mention of that girl.
Hera scoffs, "What? No 'Thank you, Bunny'? I give you an opportunity to meet a nice, attractive girl and you bring me in to scold me?" She watches him with a slight intensity. When she notices the guilt flicker across his face, she relents. "When did you stop enjoying a good joke?" She asks, sipping her drink. Hera feigns reminiscing, "Oh that's right…when you met that trollop." She sneers, rolling her eyes. She stands up from the couch and walks towards the bar cart again.
"What is the meaning of this Hera?" He asks with a deep frown. "Did I do something to offend you?" His voice sounds pained, with a slight desperation.
She pours another heavy pour in a crystal glass and hands it to him. "Hades, why would you think my decision was about you?" She asks, with a note of kindness lingering in her voice. "Of course, I put the younger, more charming goddess under your girlfriend's supervision for my own entertainment," She says, stroking his cheek. The smoothness of his jaw reminds her of their younger years. She smiles at the memory and lifts an eyebrow at his distress, "Unless… am I detecting an underlying emotion, Aidoneus?" The reaction echoes the last time he was flustered by a woman. "Do you have a crush on your girlfriend's intern?" The smile doesn't leave her lips.
Hades shakes his head, lightly pushing her hand away from him. "What? That's ridiculous," He says, taking a gulp from his cup.
Hera walks back to the couch and shrugs, "I wouldn't blame you if you did. She's endearing, smart, very pretty..."
He stops her, "She's a murderer." He states plainly.
Hera conjures a cigarette, prompting him to light the end for her. "Who isn't these days?" She says, while balancing it on her lips.
"Minthe," He answers quickly.
Hera sighs, "They were mortals. We make and take them every day. Please…" She says puffing the cigarette, watching him skeptically.
"She's a liar," He responds, taking another gulp of his drink.
Hera laughs, "And Minthe is a saint?" She asks with a mocking tone. "Hades, just let me have my fun," She whines, leaning against the back of the couch.
Hades straightens, leaving his drink on a side table and walking towards the large window behind his desk. He stares at the horizon for a moment. "Well, your plan backfired. Minthe likes her."
Hera's lips curve into a delicious smile as she thinks about Minthe fawning over her demise. "I wouldn't be so sure, yet, dear Aidoneus. I'm sure Minthe will find some flaw in the girl. It's in her nature." Her heels click towards him. Hera rests her chin on his shoulder, "Although, maybe you should try to get to know the girl. You might like her." She whispers the suggestion in his ear like a seductive serpent.
He shakes her off him, "I love Minthe." He says it firmly, like it's a recording.
Hera shrugs, taking another drag of her cigarette. "I didn't say you didn't. I'm saying, it's always nice to make a new friend." Her smile appears pure, but no one can mistake the contempt Hera holds for Minthe. Hades knows this must be part of a more devious plot to embarrass Minthe, which means trouble for him.
"Sure, ok… you have another angle. I'm just waiting for you to reveal your scheme." He says, eyeing his sister-in-law carefully.
Hera finishes her drink swiftly, putting out her cigarette in a crystal ashtray on his desk. "Get to know her, Aideoneus. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised." She takes her purse and coat in hand and saunters out of his office with a smug smile.
Hades listens to Minthe as she sings Persephone's praises. "This girl is impressive. If I didn't like her so much, I'd hate her." She hasn't said much since she requested an apology purse. He obliged, knowing a gift and groveling was preferred over a fight.
It's been three weeks and he's managed to avoid Persephone. Of course, this means also avoiding Minthe during the work day, however, Minthe only notices his absence when she wants something, and luckily, she has been distracted with an upcoming meeting, planning the festival of Kronia.
"Well, I'm glad this intern is working out for you," He says while chopping an onion. He sniffles, dabbing at his eyes with his rolled-up sleeve.
Minthe stands against his kitchen island, sipping a glass of pinot noir. "What do you really think of her?" She asks, swirling her glass of wine while she speaks. She watches him closely. She takes the glass to her full lips again, waiting for his answer.
Hades places the onions in a pan, drizzling olive oil over them. He is excited to try this new pasta recipe he found in an email. Minthe is indifferent. She usually doesn't have much of an appetite outside of alcohol. "I've barely interacted with her. The bulk of what I know is through what you tell me." He continues to focus on sautéing. "And if you're happy, I'm happy." He looks over to her, smiling softly.
"Hmph…Barely interacted with her… Whatever that means," she mutters. Minthe isn't looking at him, instead she's hunched over the island, scrolling on her phone, pointed nose practically to the screen. She huffs, blowing strands of her hair from her face. She's just out of the glow from the kitchen, the dim light accentuating the sharp angles of her face. "She's a little annoying, because she's young and most of the men around the office talk about how pretty she is…" She brings the glass to her mouth again, this time gulping the wine until she drains the glass. He can tell she's frustrated by how much she likes her new assistant. "I mean, she's okay. She's no Aphrodite." She says pushing her long, dark hair behind her ear. She reaches across the bar, grasping her slender fingers around the bottle of wine. She sloppily pours another glass, ignoring the excess that falls to the counters.
Hades chuckles. Noticing the wine spill, he grabs a wet cloth and sops up the mess before returning to his dish. He meets her siren eyes and offers a playful smile. "What are you afraid of?" He knows the answer. She won't ask again about that rumored night and even if he told her, she wouldn't believe him. Since he's known Minthe, he's noted her fierce competitiveness, insecure to anyone rising above her in ranks of beauty or profession. He knows while she can admire Persephone's work ethic, she secretly wished the girl were grotesquely disfigured. "I know I'm not a part of the tower gossip anymore, but I'm sure I've heard whispers of your beauty lingering around the office," he tries to reassure her.
Minthe ignores him, tapping her long nails against the quartz countertops. She slaps her phone face down and straightens her stance. "Well, she's the fantasy girl of every man in the office…" She says cooly, trying to hide her jealousy. "Isn't she?" She frowns, raising her eyebrows at him.
Dejected, he returns his focus to the recipe instructions. She continues, "She's good, but she throws herself at everyone…it's almost laughable." Her voice slurs slightly, confirming this is an alcohol induced spiral.
"Keep in mind this job assignment is supposed to be a punishment," he chimes in to no avail.
She talks over him, "…I mean, Hades, she's brilliant and fine looking, but she's average. I don't get the appeal." Minthe begins to pace around the kitchen, keeping one hand on her narrow hip and the other on her glass.
"She's new…" He adds, stirring his pasta concoction carefully.
Minthe groans, still caught up in her own thoughts. "Everyone wants her…"
When she lets her voice trail off, Hades finishes her sentence robotically, still focusing on the recipe instructions, "And because of a rumor, you're afraid she's caught my eye…?" There's a gruffness to his mutterings.
Minthe stops pacing, now crossing her arms. Shit. The pause in her talking sends a chill down his spine. Now she's listening. "Well, has she?" She asks with pursed lips.
"No," Hades freezes for a short second and then shakes his head, avoiding eye contact. Sometimes he did wonder about the maiden who sat across from him, sipping a cup of coffee to stay warm. He couldn't lie to himself, his initial attraction was evident in the amount of times he stammered and blushed, but he could lie to Minthe.
She watches him, her face still stern and then in an instant a smile appears. "Good. You know I'm jealous," She says, sidling next to him, sneaking a tomato from a bowl beside the stove and popping it in her mouth.
They go to bed after exchanging simple "good nights". Minthe rolls over to her side, letting videos quietly play until she falls asleep. Hades stares at the ceiling of his bedroom.
This was a good night. He thinks to himself. The couple hadn't really argued since Zeus' party and this peace between them had been a welcomed change.
He knows it won't last, but he savors it carefully. He thinks back to his conversation with Hera. "I love Minthe." He says the words so often, they fall out of his mouth without any thought. Love. He mulls over the word. The last time he truly loved someone had been so long ago now, and while he isn't sure the word is befitting his relationship with Minthe, he is willing to try.
He glances over at Minthe. She's asleep with a video replaying for the third time. He reaches over her, taking her phone out of her hand, closing the video and setting it on the bedside table next to her. He watches her briefly. He remembers listing off her qualities to Zeus when he first met her, "She's beautiful, intelligent, independent…" He ignored that she is also jealous and petty, advantageous and sneaky. Instead, he tries to remember nights like tonight, with at-home dinners and lazily watching television until bedtime. Hades climbs back over to his side of the bed and lets his eyes drift to the same spot in the ceiling again.
He wonders if Persephone is awake right now. He remembers her saying she didn't sleep well, likely her guilty conscience keeping her awake. He wonders if she goes in circles like Minthe does over beauty or status. He wonders about her until the memory of that Sunday morning becomes a loop playing over and over in his head. Eventually sleep claims him, and for the first time in a while, he sleeps through the night.
"Get to know her, Aideoneus. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised."
Hades can hear Hera's voice again whenever he finds evidence of Persephone in the tower. Walking towards his office, he greets his assistant, noticing a large bouquet of flowers on her desk. "Good morning, Carissa. And what do you have here?" He asks with an uncharacteristic smile.
His assistant beams. "Miss Persephone found out it was my birthday and brought me this beautiful arrangement this morning," She says, adjusting the blooms while she speaks. "I must also thank you, your majesty. The card was lovely and I'll be sure to put my gift card to good use."
"Well, happy birthday. I hope you don't spend it all in one place…" He chuckles, blushing as he opens the doors to his office.
Carissa graciously laughs at his clumsy attempt at a joke, thanking him again.
Hades disappears into his office, reviewing his calendar. He tries to focus on the work in front of him, but his mind wanders off thinking about the weird gestures of kindness regarding Miss Persephone. Murderer or not, she's definitely improving office morale. He laughs to himself.
A buzzing sound interrupts his thoughts. "Sir, Madam Hecate is here to see you," Carissa's voice projects through the intercom.
"Let her in." Before he can finish the command, the doors open. Hecate enters, dressed in a sharp black pantsuit, embellished with crystals and gems intricately placed to look like stardust on her shoulders. She holds a stern expression as she approaches the king. "Hecate, what do I owe the pleasure? Tell me it's not a new moon already?" He flashes a big smile as he greets his old friend.
Hecate's expression changes, mirroring Hades. "No, my king, I had a feeling you're at a metaphorical crossroads and I thought I'd pay you a visit." She sits down in the leather chair in front of his desk.
Hades clears his throat, embarrassed that the current lack in his attention span had become noticeable. "Oh, very well. I was afraid I had forgotten a meeting. I've been having trouble remembering things lately," He confesses, opening his calendar to ensure he hadn't missed a date.
She knits her hands together, letting her elbows rest on the arms of the chair. "You've seemed distracted. What's been on your mind?" She asks over steepled fingers.
Hades shakes his head. "It's not important, Hecate. Don't we have other matters to discuss?" He thumbs through the papers Carissa has laid out on his desk, "Perhaps what's coming up on judgment?"
Hecate nods, pointing her hands towards the papers, while still leaning against the back of the leather chair. "We could talk about that, but I've already had the shades send those documents over from the Library. I just need you to review them, and let me know where to send the furies," Her smile is slightly condescending but she keeps her attention fully on him.
He clears his throat, "Right, let me pull that up." Hades turns to his computer, trying to focus on the work in front of him.
Hecate turns the screen away from him, "I'm sure you'll find time to look over that soon. Why don't you tell me what troubles you?" She asks. Her voice appears sincere, while her face studies him with an indecipherable expression.
Shaking his head, he lets his protests trail off into mumbling, "I wouldn't want to burden you with that, it's stupid. Honestly."
Hecate offers a small smile, reaching across the desk to pat the back of his hand before settling against the chair again, "Well, tell me about it. I'll decide for myself if I think it's a waste of time."
Hades sighs, pushing his hair back. "Fine. Hera visited me recently. I'm sure you know of Minthe's new intern?" He meets Hecate's gaze.
Hecate nods politely, "Persephone. Yes, I visited her and Demeter in the Mortal Realm earlier this year. Remember? You crashed the party?" She chuckles at the memory.
"What?" Hades perks up at the minor detail.
Hecate continues, ignoring his bafflement. "What about her?"
"What do you mean I 'crashed the party'?" He asks again, but quickly moves on, realizing Hecate was likely saving that story for another day. "Alright. Well, I met her after Zeus' party, not knowing who she was at the time, and she was very upset, so I helped her," He says, slightly flustered. "Anyways, as we were talking, I thought she was…" He stammers.
"Pretty?" She finishes the thought.
Hades shakes his head, "No. I mean, yes. But no, she was just so magnetic and I enjoyed talking with her." He blushes, scratching the back of his neck, trying to avoid Hecate's scrutinizing gaze. "At the time, I thought maybe there was something there but…" He trails off again.
Hecate doesn't give the sentence a chance to breathe, "You're with Minthe?"
Hades gulps down the guilt, "Yes, but also she lied about who she was. Or she didn't tell me, knowing I am who I am." His eyebrows pull together while he talks. He stares at his desk, avoiding her eye contact, while he continues to ramble. "I don't know, I felt betrayed? Confused?"
"Ahh, yes," Hecate nods, closing her eyes as if she has solved a difficult problem with great ease.
Hades ignores the Sage's response. "Well, Hera put her here to serve her punishment, telling me I should get to know her." He sighs again, sounding more defeated as he speaks. "And I would very much like to, but I…"
"Can't trust her and don't want to jeopardize your relationship with Minthe, especially on Hera's direction." Hades frowns at Hecate's quick return. She wears a gloating smile as she pieces together his dilemma.
"Right. See, a stupid problem to have," He mutters into hands that are now supporting his chin.
Hecate nods, "That is a stupid problem to have. But if it's going to continue to distract you from your work, to where it delays my work, you should talk to her." She suggests confidently.
Hades smirks, "How very gracious of you."
"Mortals die every day - I'd like to not get behind the machine, right?" She shrugs, pulling herself out of the chair.
"Right, of course," He replies, burying his face in his hands.
Hecate chuckles, walking around his desk. "Don't be so dramatic," She says, patting him on the back. "Just talk to her, take Minthe out for a nice dinner and then let's all get back to work." She drops her hands, letting the words marinate.
As she exits his office, she pulls her phone from her pocket, drafting a text to Hera.
"I followed what you said. Let's see if that vision of yours is right."