The Underworld was Wade Wilson's kingdom, and he ruled it with a grin as sharp as the obsidian thrones he lounged on. For eons, his domain had been one of shadows and silence, a place where mortal souls came to rest after their time in the world above had ended. Wade, known to the mortals as Hades, was a god of death and boundaries. But more than that, he wasbored.
He'd seen it all: heroes weeping for their fallen loves, villains bargaining for their doomed fates, and endless lines of mortal souls trudging into his halls. Nothing surprised him anymore—untilhim.
Peter Parker, the mortal-turned-god of spring, was a living flame in Wade's eternal darkness. Peter, the Persephone of this tale, was unlike anyone Wade had ever known.
The first time Wade saw him was in the world above, as Peter danced among fields of flowers. Peter's golden hair caught the sunlight, and his laughter rang out like the tinkling of bells. The earth seemed to respond to him, blossoming in his wake.
Wade, watching from the shadows of a nearby grove, felt a strange pull. His existence had always been one of solitude, yet here was someone who made even the grass and trees reach for him.
"He's beautiful," Wade muttered, surprising himself with the words.
"You're staring again," said a dry voice behind him.
Wade turned to see his brother, Loki—who had taken on the role of Hermes in this iteration—leaning against a tree with an amused smirk.
"I'm not staring," Wade said, though he absolutely was.
"Right," Loki said, arching an eyebrow. "You know, if you want to talk to him, you could justdo of lurking around like some lovesick mortal."
Wade frowned. "What's the point? He's light and life, and I'm..." He gestured vaguely at the dark mist that always seemed to cling to him. "This."
Loki's smirk widened. "Well, you are Hades. I suppose kidnapping him isn't out of the question."
Wade shot him a glare. "I'm not kidnapping anyone."
Loki shrugged. "Suit yourself. But the way you're mooning over him is embarrassing, brother."
With that, Loki vanished in a flash of light, leaving Wade to brood in the shadows.
As it turned out, Wade didn't have to kidnap Peter—though their meeting was no less dramatic.
One day, as Peter wandered through a meadow, a crack in the earth split open beneath him. Wade, startled by the sudden event, appeared in the shadows to find Peter dangling from a tree root, his golden eyes wide with panic.
"Oh, hey there," Wade said, unable to suppress a grin. "Need a hand?"
Peter blinked at him, clearly confused. "Who—wait, are youHades?"
"That's me," Wade said, bowing theatrically. "Ruler of the Underworld, King of Shadows, Collector of Weird Skeleton Art. Nice to meet you."
Peter stared at him. "I didn't realize gods made bad jokes."
Wade grinned. "Only the best gods." He extended a hand to Peter. "Come on, sunshine. Let's get you out of here."
Peter hesitated but took Wade's hand, letting him pull him to safety.
"Thanks," Peter said, brushing dirt off his tunic. "I don't usually meet other gods when I'm out here."
"Yeah, I don't get out much," Wade admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "You know, being a god of death and all. Kind of kills the mood."
Peter laughed, and Wade's heart—long thought to be cold and unfeeling—skipped a beat.
"Well, thanks again," Peter said, turning to leave.
"Wait!" Wade blurted, then cursed himself for sounding so desperate.
Peter turned back, curious.
"Uh, maybe you'd like to... I don't know, visit my place sometime?" Wade said, his words tumbling over each other. "It's not as nice as all this—" He gestured at the blooming meadow. "—but it's got its charms. Lots of, uh, spooky vibes. And snacks!"
Peter tilted his head, considering him. "You're serious?"
"Dead serious," Wade said, grinning. "Get it? Because death—"
"I get it," Peter interrupted, rolling his eyes but smiling. "Alright, Hades. Show me your Underworld."
Peter's first trip to the Underworld was unlike anything he'd imagined.
He expected gloom and despair but found something else entirely. The river Styx glittered under an ethereal glow, and the halls of Hades' palace were carved from shimmering obsidian. Wade led him through the vast chambers, cracking jokes and pointing out the strangest artifacts in his collection.
"This," Wade said, holding up a golden chalice, "was supposed to be cursed, but it's just bad at holding wine."
Peter laughed, surprising himself with how at ease he felt.
"You're not what I expected," Peter admitted as they walked through the palace gardens—an eerie but beautiful place where pale flowers bloomed under a dark sky.
"Let me guess," Wade said. "You thought I'd be all doom and gloom. Big scary death guy."
"Something like that," Peter said with a grin. "But you're... not that scary."
Wade clutched his chest dramatically. "Ouch, sunshine. That hurts."
Peter laughed again, his laughter echoing through the gardens like music. Wade watched him, his grin softening into something gentler.
He didn't justlikePeter—he was falling for him.
Over time, Peter found himself drawn to the Underworld more and more. He and Wade spent hours together, talking, laughing, and learning about each other's worlds.
Peter brought life to Wade's domain, coaxing flowers to grow in the barren soil. Wade, in turn, made Peter laugh like no one else could, his humor a balm to the loneliness Peter hadn't realized he carried.
But not everyone approved of their bond.
The other gods whispered about their connection, calling it unnatural. Life and death weren't meant to mix, they said.
One day, as Peter stood on the threshold of the Underworld, torn between his duty as the god of spring and his feelings for Wade, Wade approached him, his expression uncharacteristically serious.
"You don't have to choose, you know," Wade said quietly.
Peter looked at him, surprised. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, you can be here when you want to be," Wade said. "And up there when you need to be. You're too good for just one world, sunshine."
Peter's heart swelled at Wade's words.
"You'd let me go?" Peter asked, his voice soft.
"Of course," Wade said, smiling. "I love you too much to keep you here if it makes you unhappy."
Peter stared at him, his eyes shining. "You love me?"
"Yeah, well," Wade said, scratching the back of his neck. "You're kinda hard not to love."
Peter stepped forward, wrapping his arms around Wade. "I love you too."
From that day forward, Peter split his time between the world above and the Underworld. He brought life and warmth to Wade's realm, while Wade gave him a place where he could simply be himself.
Together, they proved that even opposites—life and death, light and shadow—could find harmony.
And in the end, it was that balance that made their love eternal.