Chapter Fifteen
A/N: I do not own anything other than my OCs when they come out to play. Everything else belongs to Disney or the Greek Myths.
Woo, another chapter for the record books! And I'm not going to lie, the fluffy chapter felt so good to write after the somewhat gut punching chapter of Half and Half. Hey, what can I say? Sometimes I like the fluff, sometimes I like to punch my readers in the gut with the feels. I'm diverse that way lol
Oh full credit to 'Hadyleos' as a name goes to LotusQuil, I'm just thankful they let me borrow it!
twilightgirl587: Little ears are definitely dangerous! My parents found out the hard way lol
BriarEvans: Trust me, I'm looking forward to writing Baby Mal just as much as I think people are looking forward to seeing her :D
danifan3000: …I think both would be equally traumatizing, ngl :D
Flaresouth: Yep, here she comes!
OceanBleuSeaEyes: I'm so glad you're excited and that you liked the chapter! :D
AmethystDragon14: Yay! Of course the other two of the trio are on their way too! And congrats to the happy parents indeed! :D
Bluebird: Yep, Steph's pregnant! Can't wait to see the baby!
61394: Who knows what dragons are capable of? :D
Lilyflower101: It's possible!
Katt Kiki: That it is! :D
Hope you guys enjoy this chapter! Let me know what you think! :D
Persephone smiled as she shook her head at the scene in front of her. Harriet had convinced Sammy to spar with her and the two of them were now deep in a sparring match that looked like there was no end in sight.
"Who's winning?" Hades asked as he leaned over the sofa to kiss his wife softly on the cheek.
"Right now it's looking like they're evenly matched," Persephone said, smiling at her husband. "What brings you over here? Thought you'd be hard at work, isn't it a barge day?"
"Not that many souls this time around," Hades told her. Thankfully the girls either couldn't hear them or just hadn't noticed that Hades had entered the room. Otherwise, both of the Gods were certain that they'd be peppered with questions. "You know…maybe Panic should bring his son around more. I mean, the boy's already allied himself with Jess and he's so jumpy that more alliances could only do him good. Not to mention, Milah's sunspot might appreciate another boy around if she's carrying a son."
Persephone chuckled softly. If Olympus could see the 'big bad' Lord of the Underworld now…Zeus alone would probably faint at the sight.
"And what would Virgil do if Milah's carrying a daughter?" Persephone asked.
"Well…we don't know if we're carrying a boy or a girl," Hades pointed out. "Our pup might appreciate having an older boy around too."
Persephone smiled and leaned over to kiss Hades' cheek. "Have you thought of any more names? For the 'pup' I mean?"
"…You caught that didn't you?"
"Kinda hard to miss."
Hades shook his head. "As…sappy as this is going to sound, I really don't like the idea of referring to our kid as 'it'. I know we don't have a medical system here for whatever Gods forsaken reason Auradon made up to get away with not giving us one so we don't have a chance to sneak a peak so I just…I figured since I'm known for Cerberus and he's a dog and dogs have pups…"
"I think it's sweet, not sappy," Persephone said, giving Hades a small smile. "And I've been thinking about names..you know I have considering the conversations we've had on them…I know we don't know the gender but it can't hurt to be prepared you know?"
"I agree," Hades nodded. After all, Persephone had done multiple calculations to come up with her due date and she had determined that she would likely give birth sometime in June. Meaning he would not be there for the birth of his child.
Great.
It'd be worth it though, Hades thought as the two of them continued to watch Harriet and Sammy spar. If it means my kid's born in Auradon…and never has to know the pain of the Isle…I mean I'll miss them but…can you miss a child you'll never know?
"L-Lady Persephone?"
Persephone looked over and smiled as she saw Panic in the doorway. "Hello Panic. How can I help you?"
"T-There's a c-call for you on the portal," Panic said, his knees knocking together in what could only be assumed as a natural reaction at this point for the perpetually nervous imp. It wasn't as if Persephone would lob a fireball at him the way Hades used to.
"A call? For me?" Persephone asked frowning slightly. "Who could it be?"
"L-Lady De-Demeter."
Persephone's frown quickly turned into a smile at the thought of talking to her mother. Demeter was the only other person who could activate the portal on the Auradon side due to her blood connection to Persephone, though she usually liked to wait to talk when Persephone was in Auradon. She claimed it hurt too much to see her daughter without getting to actually have her there, something Persephone completely understood. "Oh why didn't you say so Panic? Hades, will you be okay handing the girls while I go talk with my mother?"
"Depends. Do I have to be there too?"
"The fact that you'd be handling the girls here implies that you would not be part of my conversation with my mother and you know that Hades."
"Ah right. Then I'm good."
Persephone shook her head as she made her way to the portal room. "Just be thankful I'm pregnant Hades. Otherwise, I'd see about sparring you," she teased as she called over her shoulder to him before walking into the room.
"You're pregnant?"
Persephone stared at the portal in shock as she saw her mother's face looking just as shocked as Persephone felt. "Okay…that wasn't how I planned on telling you…but yes mother, I'm pregnant," she said, a small smile coming to her lips. "And yes, before you ask, the father of my child is Hades. There's no one else I'd have as the father of my child and I'm not about to pull a Zeus and cheat on my husband."
Demeter frowned slightly as she heard that. She still wasn't all that fond of Hades for taking her daughter away from her but she could ignore that part and focus instead on the happy news. "Well whoever the father is, your child is still my first grandchild. That's wonderful news, Persephone dear," she said as a bright smile came to her face. "How're you feeling? Any idea if they're a boy or girl yet? Tell me everything!"
"I'm glad you're happy mother," Persephone said with a small smile. "No word yet on whether they're a boy or a girl but they'll be loved either way…and my calculations indicate that I'll be giving birth in June but I'll need to verify that with a Baymax robot when I'm over there for my next six months."
"June?" Demeter exclaimed. "You mean when you'll be over here? Oh that's wonderful! That means I can be by your side during the birth!"
Persephone shook her head slightly, more than a little amused at her mother actually clapping her hands in delight. "Yes, June, unless my calculations are off as I said. The only thing I'm disappointed in is that Hades will end up missing the birth of his child."
Demeter was quiet for a moment, which was usual for her whenever Persephone brought up Hades. However, when she did speak, Persephone was shocked at what came out of her mother's lips.
"Well…and don't take this to mean that I'm starting to like him Persephone, this is all for you..but…given the circumstances…perhaps you could try and petition Eric's council about giving Hades one, just one mind you because it's probably all you'll get, but one day of 'leave' for the Isle so to speak? So he can be at your side and meet his child when they're born?"
Persephone stared at Demeter as a combination of shock and happiness seemed to fill her body. The thing she wanted more than anything, the thing Hades deserved…it could actually happen? "Mother…do…do you think that would actually work? Would they actually give him permission to be there?"
"I don't see what reason they could truly give to not allow it," Demeter said. "Most of the council have children themselves—and you'll have an empathetic audience since a majority oof the wives on the council would have wanted their husbands there with them when they gave birth. And don't forget, you also have the family's ear as well. Eric's High King and you're Posideon's sister-in-law."
Persephone smiled before sighing as a thought came to her. "Mother…Zeus is on the council though. There's no way he'd allow for Hades to have a day off the Isle…not after everything that happened with Hercules…"
"Zeus is only one vote dear, he can't do much if he's out voted," Demeter said, shrugging slightly.
"Mother, Zeus is the King of the Gods. There's a lot he could do."
"Zeus can grumble under his breath about it all he likes. It won't stop it from happening because if he does anything he'd have to go through you. And to even get to you, he'd have to go through me. As I said Persephone, I might not carer for Hades but I care for you. If having him there at the birth would make things easier for you, then I'll do everything in my power to make it so. Now, how's about we talk about something a bit lighter now that that's all settled? Oooh I'm getting ideas for the baby shower!"
Persephone shook her head, clearly amused at the change in topic. "Well mother, you'll have full control of the baby shower…all I ask is that some blue is involved? Either in the baby gifts or in the decor?"
"I can do that," Demeter said, nodding slowly. There was no real harm in having the gifts wrapped in blue papa since it would be removed anyway and maybe a few blue streamers.
"Thank you mother," Persephone said, her fingertips gently resting on her stomach. While the baby might not have been there yet, Persephone didn't want Hades to be forgotten.
"Are you experiencing any cravings yet dear?" Demeter asked. "So I can know what food to prepare?"
"Oddly enough, I've been craving strawberries," Persephone said with a small chuckle. "Strawberries and chicken."
Demeter couldn't help but raise an eyebrow as she heard that. "The strawberries I can understand but chicken? Oh well, babies don't really have a rhyme or reason to what they want at this stage, and it's not as if those are things that are hard to come by. Consider it done dear."
And thank you, grandchild, for not making my daughter crave pomegranates, Demeter thought, taking great pains to make sure the thought stayed off the mental link. You're a child of Hades, I wouldn't have been surprised if that was all Persephone craved during this time.
"Thank you mother," Persephone said with a small smile. "And true, it's strange. I don't know why this little one has me craving chicken but I have a feeling that I know what their favorite foods will be when they're born."
Demeter couldn't help but smile at her daughter as she heard that. She had no doubt that Persephone would be an excellent mother.
"…You don't have to worry about leaving them behind after you give birth alright dear? I will take care of that," she told her daughter.
"What…what do you mean mother? Leaving them behind?" Persephone asked.
"Well, if your due date is correct and they'll be born here rather than on the Isle, then they'll be classified as a child of Auradon," Demeter explained. "Zeus might have some thoughts and we may need to reword our agreement with Eric but that's all."
Persephone nodded. "I agree mother, a rework of the agreement would be necessary. I refuse to have Hades miss out on his child's life even if the baby would be classified as a child of Auradon rather than a child of the Isle…and I would like to just reiterate that the children of the Isle are children of Auradon."
"Yes, yes, dear. You say that every time you come here."
"Because it's true mother."
Demeter sighed but nodded. There was no sense in getting her daughter upset, not in her condition.
"I should get back to Hades," Persephone said. "We're watching Hook's daughters while he's at work, or at least I was while Hades worked down in the Underworld but he's taking a break now and—."
"Hook?"
"Mother, I told you. Captain Hook and his family lives with us here in the Underworld. It's been great for Hades honestly, having the company when I'm in Auradon and the kids love him."
"They…they do?"
Persephone chuckled. "They do. I know it sounds weird to hear but they latch on to him. Smee's daughter too as they're living here as well. It's been a bit chaotic at times, with three young girls living in the Underworld and Milah about to have her child but…I love it. The chaos sometimes reminds me of Olympus."
"You said that Milah was expecting a baby? Who's she?"
"Captain Hook's wife," Persephone said. "He's insisting this child will be a boy though Milah likes to remind him that he though his second daughter would be a boy as well and clearly he was mistaken on that part."
"Would you like me to ask Eileithyia? She could check her book?"
"…You're not just offering to ask because you want to check to see if I'm having a boy or a girl are you mother?"
"Can you blame me fo being curious?" Demeter asked. "Do you have any names picked out?"
Persephone chuckled. "We have six so far, three for each gender. If my little sprout's a boy, we're torn between Hadyleos, Zagreus, and…and James."
"…James?"
"After Captain Hook," Persephone explained and Demeter nodded.
"James is rather a departure from the others, considering they seem to follow Olympus tradition."
"It's a more modern world, mother, and if we go with one of the other two the child will likely have a nickname. Maybe 'Hadie' if we pick Hadyleos? I'm not sure what the nickname would be if we decide on Zagreus."
Demeter chuckled softly. "Well dear, you still have to meet the child before you decide on their nickname…and you still haven't told me what names you're thinking for if they're a girl!"
"Right, right," Persephone nodded. "Um…if my little sprout's a girl…well Hades wants to name her Rhea, after his mother. I suggested Hailey for a more modern name choice."
"And the third option?" Demeter asked trying to ignore the fact that Persephone had been willing to consider naming her child after Hades' mother and not her own.
Persephone smiled. She hadn't told anyone but this option was probably her favorite of the six but she didn't want to influence Hades. She knew that her husband would likely pick it if he knew she wanted to name their child it. "Malinoë. The third option is Malinoë."
"Well…I know you hardly need my opinion on the names as they all sound like strong options but if I were to weigh in, I would go with Malinoë. You could even shorten it to 'Mal' if you needed a nickname," Demeter said.
"It is my favorite of the bunch," Persephone confessed.
"Then we should use that."
Persephone gasped as she heard Hades' voice in the doorway and turned around. "Hades!"
"The girls are eating their lunch, under the watchful eye of Pain and Panic," Hades said as he walked over to his wife and gave his mother-in-law a small nod. "I came to ask you if you wanted anything for lunch."
"And instead you heard what I wanted to name our child if they're a girl," Persephone sighed. "I didn't say anything because I didn't want to influence your choice."
Hades shrugged. "Just so happens I think Malinoë goes well with what I was hoping to use as a middle name should our pup be a girl."
"Oh? And what were you thinking?" Persephone asked.
"Fleur," Hades said. "Heard Gaston drop a bit of French once when he was trying to chat up one of the tavern workers and he let slip that 'Fleur' means flower. I thought it appropriate considering who our child's mother and grandmother are."
"…Hades?"
Hades shrugged. "Fruits and vegetables flower don't they?"
"They do," Demeter said, nodding slightly.
"Then the name works," Hades said, muttering slightly.
Persephone chuckled. "You know we need to pick a name if the baby's a boy right?
"Eh. We've got time."
If anyone ever asked Demeter, she would deny it till the end of her days. However, at that moment, she found she wouldn't mind if there was a bit more blue in the decor of the baby shower than had originally been planned.
And if she were to ask Rhapso to make a onesie that happened to look like a Cerberus…well how could she control what others saw fit to give her grandchild?
