normally i wanted to make one chapter, but it's way too many words and i will end up simply preaching your nonexistent nuts, making you loose focus and possibly get you lost in the sea of words.

to understand, this first part is by itself 8790 words, so it had better to seperate the HUGE force of a chapter this is. nevertheless, hope you enjoy and vote *pet pat pet*

*hands cutlery and towels* =)

No one's POV:
-

Casually, like any other day she kept taking care of the place. With no rush and properly dusting off the shelves, humming a cheerful song and completely unsuspecting of the presence getting closer and closer to her. As it seemed.

She slowly raised head and stopped humming, completely silent as if trying to hear her surroundings. But she didn't turn around. Instead she kept doing her job, with an even wider and more cheerful smile. Allowing the presence to approach so close, it was just a breath away. Then, hands reached towards her.

And then she felt being pulled back.

Arms gently pressed Persephone against a cold body as they wrapped around her waist. She took a moment to get used to the cold, but still didn't turn around. She felt his cold kiss against her neck, on different parts, causing her shivers of satisfaction.

She turned around to face Hades, placed hands on his shoulders and stood on her tiptoes. He wasted no time to lean forward and kiss her mouth tenderly while his arms were inducing only slightly their hold around the skeleton woman's waist to bring her closer to him and allow their bodies come close too.

It had been 2 months ever since the night of their first kiss.

Persephone could recognise it herself that the feelings were only getting stronger for Hades. Almost everytime he would find her alone in a room, not everyday, he would appear to her and hang out for a while. Sometimes chat. Other times stay in a blissful silence, with the woman feeling serene and calm, with the man feeling relaxed and peaceful.

And there were those times Hades was almost towering over her, trapping her in his embrace and leaning forward to have a taste of her kisses. Those kisses which would cause Persephone to both melt and shiver, as his hands were traveling from the middle and above of her body.

Whatever emotions he wasn't showing in front of anyone, those were all poured the moment he had her in his arms. He was slow and gentle with his touch and kisses most of the time, sometimes however Persephone could feel Hades being a little overwhelming, as if loosing a little bit of his composure and control.

Not aggressive, he had never gone too far or become rough with his kisses. Just a little too possessive. But he would let go of Persephone when he would understand she couldn't keep up. Those few little moments of him loosing control were a little bit scary for the skeleton woman.

She could guess he was trying hard to hold himself back from completely forgetting to give boundaries and space to her. Then again, the moment he parted ways with her, she was left silently wanting to be back in his arms right after.

Feel his kisses on her mouth, her neck, on the back of her hands as he would stare at her with that look in his eyesockets that was making her melt. Run her hands on his back, sensation which he enjoyed very much as he had told her during one of their kisses.

Rather told her to not stop as Persephone's hands had stopped caressing his back, distracted as she was from their kiss. And since then, she would do that. In those 2 months she had seen it, Hades was touch starved. A common problem with the necromancers.

Being unable their whole life to get too close and touch anybody without killing them was frustrating. Except from family and other monsters possessing abstract magic. Which was one thing explaining why Hades was at times overwhelming towards Persephone, or his touch felt desperate.

The woman also had concluded, from what she knew and had guessed hearing about his past as a child. Despite his own family was safe to touch, they would never let him get too close. They had him at a distance, causing him deep down frustration and desperation, having the silent need to feel affection.

Persephone was the one giving him what he needed and was lacking. Each time they would stop their kiss, as breathless as skeletons could be, after looking at her intensively he would lean close to her ear hole and whisper to her sensually.

"Sigues meu."

He would say everytime, sounding kind of stern but also having gentleness in his voice.

That all was sweet, undeniably. But while Persephone wanted to tell Hades she was his, while every magic cell of her body was screaming at her to say it, she felt that she would be mocking him if she did that. While his presence was making her feel simply happy, at the same time it was leaving her guilty.

In fact she felt guilty because she felt happy.

She wanted to be with him, she wanted to be his, truthfully. Ever since she had learned to recognise the feelings she had for that man. But she felt insecure and uncertain to move on in such way with her life. Hades had helped her in many aspects so she could feel at ease, having sacrificed his time, his attention, even his own health for her.

And those exactly were feeding her new guilt and insecurities that were throwing her back. The reason she hadn't told Hades yet of who she really was and what kind of upbringing she had. The ideas from her overthinking had caused her to be defensive on what she was saying about herself to him before her years in the temple of Life.

"I only wish to know better the one I adore. Whatever it is you refuse to tell me about yourself or your family, whether they are difficult and painful to recall, whether just as shameful as what you went through during your displacement from your homeland, won't reduce to the slightest what I feel for you. And no matter what it is, no one else will need to have a hold on such information."

He wasn't persuading her, nor forcing her to tell him if she refused or avoided the questions. He was more open about himself, talking and describing things objectively, not in such way to effect Persephone's emotions and sympathy.

Because there were almost no happy things to say from what he had experienced. His years at the temple of Death were the possible best. Not thrilling, but so long as he didn't have to exist with his parents under the same roof was far more preferable.

Persephone was certain that if Hades really wanted to, he could go ahead and dig about her past himself, even without a single piece of very basic information about where to start searching. He had connections, he had power and gold. He could have had persuaded the triplets to tell him anything.

Stars, he could even find Persephone's parents and ask them himself in the monster afterlife! But everytime he would look at the skeleton woman during and after asking any kind of question about her, he was genuinely showing that he knew nothing. Simply waiting for his butterfly to tell him herself.

After all, he was digging up information only about faces he didn't like.

With that, Persephone would only grow more and more guilty, until all thoughts that bothered her inflated so much, they exploded. Another night in the garden, as they were sitting on the fountain, rather Hades was sitting and he had the woman on his lap, after separating from their kiss he cupped her face and looked at her silent for many seconds.

Persephone was expecting the same sentence she would hear after every kiss, so she was caught off guard with what she heard next, despite suspecting it to eventually happen. Just not expecting it to be said now. Or wishing not to hear it with her current internal struggle.

"Casa't amb mi."

There it was. Said at her, thrown at her like a bomb. Even though she had tried to prepare herself, she instantly lost any composure and confidence she had. She lost her smile. Then closed eyesockets as she tried to look away, the other's hands not letting her.

"Hades..." Persephone just said, then paused. She really could wish it was an easy answer. But for her it didn't feel like it. With all insecurities and uncertainty, still being cryptic and silent about herself... As if those worries weren't enough.

By marrying him, what situation would their unison bring her into? Could she ever cope in such position? Would Hades still treat her the same way once officially engaged? Because after that, he would be even more legalised to have his way with her. Did wanting her by his side also meant accepting the triplets in the family too or-?

"I knew it..." Her reaction to his words and her expression caused her to feel Hades' hands getting off her face and gently putting her sit next to him as he spoke. She looked at him as he was looking down, a bitter expression on his face. "... I had to make sure. I guess I'm still not worthy of your trust... You're not talking to me, I've seen the fear you show me, even for just fleeing moments... You're thinking I'm going to hurt you butterfly, right? I can't blame you. Sometimes I think so too, even unintentionally." He said. Persephone didn't answer immediately, both surprised and sad that when it came to the 2 of them he was ready to blame himself. Hades sighed. "... You haven't forgiven me for that time with the humans. Should have guessed-."

He felt her warm and soft hand on his cheek and turned to look at her, staring at him with a sad and hesitant expression. She shook her head left and right.

"... I promise, it's not you. My hesitation to accept is not for what happened then. Or that you'll perhaps hurt me again and irreperably... It's me. I'm the problem to you and myself." She said quietly, receiving Hades' confused expression. She let go of his face and hugged herself, barely managing to keep staring at him in the eyesockets. He needed honesty and he needed to see it clearly as she would speak. "... All parts of me want me to stay right here, with you. Spend however long I live by your side. But there is this one part of me that stubbornly won't let go of the past, what I had before arriving in Valencia. Including not letting go of my old days as a priestess of Life. I've already broken every single vow, there is nothing to keep me away from you, yet that life reminds also of all I experienced back to my homeland, the memories, which hurt so much even after so many years. And I remember what you've said about letting go of the past... But I just can't. It's me, still naive and foolish, feeling ungrateful to even think about giving up the memories of the happy old days in Athens that cannot come back, leaving behind everyone I've ever loved and cared about the most, by moving on with you. At the same time feeling ungrateful and guilty, that this is unfair to you." Persephone looked away as the tears had started flowing. When she was thinking of her answer she had it a lot more simple in her head, but by keeping to herself for too long had caused it to be bigger and deeper now.

"Persephone..."

"I've caused you to wait for so long. You gave my daughters the best possible living and training. You made me experience the highest form of love a monster can feel in their lifetime, even though I've broken you once. You want me here and I want too, stars I want to accept... but after all I'm simply still... there..." She sighed at the same time a quiet sob escaped her mouth. "And it wouldn't just feel like I'd be lying to you, but mocking you. I'm sorry if all I've said is not what you wanted to hear, it's not what I wanted to say out loud either. But I just feel I'd still be unhappy with us officially together. Causing you to be unhappy too. As if you haven't already been from your beginning until now, I'll go ahead and make it wors-..."

His arms around her made her lean against him, stopping her from inducing the tears and sobs, caused by the slight surprise that had taken over. Hades just stayed silent hugging Persephone, thoughtful from her words, his soul ready to get shattered.

No, not because it was about to get broken for a second time, simply because he was seeing his butterfly so sad. So that's what he had been seeing in her expression all that time, behind the smiles. Those were the thoughts she had been struggling with and couldn't identify.

For a minute more or so Persephone was held in his arms, until she felt Hades stopped hugging her, then... she heard the sound of something like a small and delicate chain rattling close to her. She opened eyesockets the moment she felt something gently touching around her neck.

She looked down on her chest and saw something small hanging from the chain glowing in the little light surrounding the area. She held it in her palms to look at it from closer. What was around her neck wasn't just a thin chain, it was a necklace, the links golden and pale white alternatively.

From it was hanging a delicately-made shining lily flower, not much bigger than her thumb. It seemed to be made from platinum, while the spadix inside it was made of gold. She looked at Hades confused as he brushed away the few tears she hadn't realised there were.

"... Thank you for telling me butterfly. Thank you for letting me hear you out. I value your honesty and for not hiding all that anymore. So long as I know you're not leaving, I can wait some more until you're ready to really be with me. Because now I fully know what needs to be done so you don't feel ever again sad for all that makes you be like this. In the meantime, I want you to keep the necklace. It's my declaration of asking for your hand. Don't accept the proposal yet, just keep it and think about it. Think of what else makes you hesitate to marry me, until I make all things right. We'll talk about it again then."

"All things right?" The woman thought. "What do you mean?" She whispered. Hades gently pulled her closer to him until the top of her head was pressed against his chin.

"I mean that you need to achieve a full closure, from a few more persepectives to move on from your past."

They didn't bring this conversation up again. But they weren't quite the same like they were the past 2 months. They would still meet up and hang out, having their peaceful moments. But there was a change in behavior and mood, as both avoided to look at each other for long and their kisses had stopped. And Persephone craved for them badly.

But she had to think and focus a little bit more to herself. Figure things out. The necklace Hades had given her she was hiding it beneath her clothes during the day, only at nights looking at it when alone. How was Hades going to make things right? In what ways? Even if she asked, he would never talk about it. Not one hint about how he would achieve what he had said he would. For her sake?

Only once more the calm and peace was interrupted in the house of the Renrink, but for just one day thankfully. It was also a chance to show just how much the necromancer didn't want to ever again let his butterfly feel agitated and threatened.

Just 2 weeks after the marriage proposal, news travelled via the plants around the house that some very unpleasant guests were approaching the mansion. But it wasn't Persephone who learned that first. It was the triplets, who hurried to find their mother and warn her.

She was doing a chore at the moment. When she heard from her girls, she immediately felt the panic threatening to rise. There was a carriage on its way for the mansion, a big one. And in it there were 2 ambassadors from the Ottomans.

But the concern and panic wasn't going to last for long, as Hades appeared out of nowhere, having heard the 4 skeleton women talking. They turned to look at him and well... his expression was terrifying. But he didn't say anything, instead he vanished again.

The females followed his aura and sensed him to have gone outside. They exited the house in a hurry too, arriving to the front yard, the moment exactly said carriage was arriving too. The girls watched from a distance, not seeing Hades' expression, but his aura feeling heavier and colder were indicating some guests were going to have a bad time.

The 2 humans got out of the carriage, greeted Hades and gave a 2 minute speech about apologising for the 'lack of discipline' their monster had for his cleptomaniac tendencies. And so, for the trouble he had caused, they were bringing gifts. What an irony to try and lie in the necromancer's face.

The skeleton women listened in slight agony to see Hades' reaction to this. Rather the triplets, Persephone was in the most agony to see how he would react. Who at first spoke calmly, rather he sounded... friendly? No, that was wrong, his aura still felt hostile and threatening, not simply cold and distant.

"Tell you sultan that the gesture is very much appreciated. However I, in return, will give to you 2 a gift for going through all this trouble to come here." He said and the 4 Sófrons looked at each other troubled.

"After what happened? Is he seri-?"

And then Hades snapped.

A big field of the front yard was filled in darkness. What sounded like loud howling wind covered up all other sounds as the Renrink opened his arms and started growing in size, while changing in form and color rapidly, being covered in black smoke. His arms and legs elongated, especially the fingers, which seemed to be tied in some kind of membrane.

Except from the thumbs. Now they looked like long claws. Meanwhile the sound of bones snapping was escorting the transformation. His face took the form of a black creature with pointy ears and muzzle, his eyes turned like 2 daggers of purple flames. He fell on his fours, like some predator ready to pounce.

Now there was the form of a huge bat 10 times bigger than the humans in front of him, staring down at their terrified expressions. The distorted screech he let out on their faces caused the Ottomans to shut their ears while praying to Allah for mercy and to exorcise the demon away.

"I GIVƏ ¥ŒU ƏXÆ€TŁ¥ ŒŊƏ HŒUR TŒ GƏT ŒUT Œ£ M¥ §IGHT, ŒUT Œ£ M¥ PRŒPƏRT¥ ÆŊĐ ŒUT Œ£ THI§ TŒ₩Ŋ ßƏ£ŒRƏ I §ƏŊĐ Æ£TƏR ¥ŒU ŁƏÞRŒ€¥ ÆŊĐ ßUߌŊI€ ÞŁÆGUƏ ÆT THƏ §ÆMƏ TIMƏ! ÆŊĐ RƏMIŊĐ ¥ŒUR £RIƏŊЧ ßÆ€Ƙ TŒ ¥ŒUR HŒMƏŁÆŊĐ ÆߌUT ₩HÆT I €ÆRVƏĐ ŒŊ §ŒMƏ Œ£ ¥ŒU ÞƏŒÞŁƏ'§ ßÆ€Ƙ§ MŒŊTH§ ÆGŒ!"

Of course the humans listened and left with the carriage, leaving the gifts behind. A minute later the huge bat started decreasing in height and size and stood on 2 legs until Hades' form was visible again. Only then the female skeletons dared to approach and stood a few steps away from him.

The Renrink turned to look at them as if nothing had happened. Meanwhile many other maids, having heard the fuss outside had approached to the source too, to see what had happened. Like the common mortals they were, some had fainted from the impact and change in pressure caused by Hades' transformation.

"... Wooow." The triplets did both in a hesitant and somewhat impressed tone. Artemis at the same time was ecstatic.

"Was that your necromantic form at its full peak?!" She asked thrilled.

"That's the most it does in the living realm. In the monster afterlife it's a lot larger. Now, Miss Artemis, set the gifts on fire. I have no desire nor curiosity to see what the fancy cloth-heads have gifted me trying to make me forget about you 4 almost dying." Hades had said coldly and vanished.

Later in the night he would meet up again with Persephone, but he didn't greet her, just went ahead and sat on the fountain, looking at the woman's hesitation and confusion in her eyesockets as she looked back at him.

"... Hi?"

"... If what you saw me doing in front of those men made you feel terrified, if how I sounded then caused you to feel scared... I'm sorry." He said quietly. Persephone kept staring at him, thinking. She approached him. Yes, she felt scared a little then, but she was calmer now.

"... Even if... the Ottomans wanted to cause trouble months back, those 2 did nothing but deliver the gifts. Why did you feel the need to scare them away displaying such big part your powers?" She asked. Hades stood up and cupped her face as he slightly leaned closer to her, not close enough for a kiss.

"Because I had to remind their race that they had better to stay away from Valencia and away from you butterfly. After causing all that trouble months back, I want to have no relationship with them anymore. The ones who caused you so much pain and suffering years ago and as of when they visited this house, causing trouble to the both of us. And I might not be allowed to kill anymore, but they don't know that. Scaring them away by showing the biggest potential of my magic shall do the deed, because they're going to tell back to their people what they saw. Their superstitiousness will help even more to take the message and never come back here. Still, if needed, I will be the torturer of your torturers. Whoever and whatever causes you discomfort, fear and agitation, shall be removed so you can feel again at ease." He exhaled from his nose quietly and let go of her face, taking a step back. "Even me, if you don't feel comfortable."

"Ah, no no no." Persephone approached him again. "It's alright..." She looked away hesitantly with hands behind her back, thinking of something.

"What are you thinking?"

"... Does it hurt when you transform?" Persephone asked.

"Used to. It made me unable to feel physical pain after a while. Why do you ask?"

"... If it doesn't bother you, can I see that form again?"

Well that definitely was something Hades didn't expect to hear. He stayed silent for a few seconds with raised brows.

"... Are you... sure you want that?" He asked in disbelief.

"I just want to have a better look at that form. Well, if you just stand here, show me and I see you it's fine I think. After all you say you wouldn't do anything that would harm me. Right?" She asked him with big eyesockets, asking for confirmation, almost causing Hades right here and there to throw a punch at his ribcage for his soul to focus on beating stably. But then he scoffed.

"Maybe another day. Or night. When I draw power from the monster afterlife itself, the screams of the essences make too much noise." Ah so that was the sound Persephone heard then when Hades transformed the first time. Not howling wind, but... essences? Huh.

As Hades had explained, after Persephone asked why the bat was his magical transformation, the animal form was a common thing for the likes of him. The animal which they could take its form, made from the darkness of the monster afterlife was known as the companion of the monster necromancer.

This kind of thing wasn't hereditary and for every one of them could be a different animal. Whatever it was determining which of them would be the companion of a new necromancer was rather unknown, that it would simply make itself clear by showing to be attracted to them.

Hades could remember from his first 10 years of existence, his father was attracting owls. Each night he could hear them hooting outside, little him then having to shove in his face and ear holes all of his pillows to get some rest. Inspired by them, Sufrimio was able to turn his head almost 180 around, if for example he was sensing disrespect behind his back.

As for Hades, he was told that ever since a baby, sometimes bats would manage to get in his room. Simply 'hang around', having already his animal companion discovered, inspiring also the form he would learn mastering in the future.

When training in the temple of Death he was send to, these creatures would get in his little personal cell where he was resting, keeping company and giving a somewhat sense of comfort to him.

Having shown that display of raw necormantic power towards those 2 Ottomans, ensuring that definitely they would never again want to approach Valencia out of fear, not even look to its direction from Istanbul, Persephone could slightly feel some more at ease.

Hades was making himself even more clear and serious about how much he wanted her protected. At the same time causing her to think a lot more about their conversation after his proposal towards her.

Staring at the necklace with the lily, she kept thinking of what the necromancer had and would keep offering to her if she just accepted to be with him, legally. She hadn't feel she had done much for him, while he had done however many things for her and her daughters, being part of another guilt of hers.

"What is there so great I ever did for you wanting to... have me by your side?"

"You simply appeared and I found all reasons I needed to stay in this realm."

A few days later he had announced her that he would be away from the house again. For a month or two. This time he was giving a heads-up, unlike the last time he had left without a warning, which was for the reason to get checked after getting Persephone's penalty upon him.

But as of then, he hadn't say what he would be doing. The wirlwind of thoughts about the proposal and Hades leaving, caught up with Persephone after 4 days, as she was almost sleep-walking when she met up with him in the night.

Still wanting to see him, after all it would be the last night before leaving for whatever business it was he had. They just sat on the fountain. Hades could see Persephone tired and simply accepted it when she leaned close to him and rested.

Minutes later, hearing her quiet and stable rhythm of 'breathing', he picked her up bridal style (if only she could become his actual bride!) and was ready to take her back to her room, teleport themselves in the hut. But he stopped.

He seemed to think and hesitate for a moment as he looked at her. He huffed quietly and then him with her slid away, inside the mansion and back to his chambers. Gently and carefully he put her lay down on the bed.

He didn't know if she would like it being here, but he had told himself he wouldn't do anything with her. Just the fact his big bed that felt so empty and lonely for years wouldn't feel like that anymore with Persephone next to him, was a satisfying thought.

He wanted some kind of strength to take his leave out of the mansion and away from her. Just to constantly know and be reminded that it was all for her. He would return her before everyone would start waking up. Hades layed close to Persephone, but didn't embrace her.

He simply held her hand and closed eyesockets. It could have been a minute or many more being like that however before he felt the matress next to him slightly drowning a bit more and the one source of warm aura he craved to feel, coming in contact with his cold.

"Hades..."

Hades opened eyesockets and looked down to his Persephone, staring back at him with tired eyesockets, carrying at the same time some kind of sadness as it seemed at first, seemingly ready to cry. She didn't seem to realise where they both were, or perhaps didn't care.

"Yes, butterfly." He encouraged her to speak. Persephone looked away for a moment before sliding closer to Hades and much to his confusion and surprise crawl and lay on top of him. She opened her mouth, but no word came out. Then lowered head. "You can tell me. Go on." The man encouraged her again.

She needed to say it. Or rather, Persephone felt Hades needed to hear it, he deserved it. Even as they were for 6 weeks now, there was nothing to hide or deny from the feelings between them. It hurt her to remember her response then and decided she needed to reassure the necromancer for what she really felt despite everything.

She had hear it many times from others towards her. Had anyone ever tell him? How would he react? The woman placed her one hand on Hades' chest and leaned closer to his face. And when her right hand reached to be placed on the skeleton man's cheek, the whispery-like words her soul were repeating and she wanted to say out loud too, slowly flew out of her mouth.

"Σ' αγαπώ."

It almost felt as if time had stopped for the both of them. As the color had rose on Persephone's face from expressing these words, Hades would stare at her with shock felt deep even in his soul. Honestly he had think he hadn't hear well for a moment. These words almost felt as if lightning had struck through him.

But... in a good way. If he felt actually and fully dead, he could have sworn he had been ressurected right here and then hearing the skeleton woman saying these words in that sweet voice of hers while looking at him in the eyesockets. How long had passed with the both of them motionless was unknown.

Then, Hades' hands moved to hold the woman's face gently, thumbs brushing her cheeks. Not long after, they slid down her shoulders, on her sides next. And then... in a swift movement his arms wrapped around Persephone's waist and flipped her over. Now she was beneath him. She momentarily felt agitated.

Laying down for even just minutes was inducing her fears and awakening her nightmares in those 2 decades, causing her to feel in a vulnerable position. Many times she wouldn't go to sleep if she didn't make sure she was alone in her room or there was no other presence in the heart of the garden other than plants, animals and her daughters.

Ever since the day she spoke with Cypross' essence and found closure from that perspective, sleep had become a lot more easier, when not meeting up with Hades at nights. She was handling herself a lot better and not feeling being paranoid about anyone crawling on top of her and... well...

Only very rarely. But in this moment she was now, being pinned down, she felt next relaxation and certainty, as all she was seeing in Hades' face was nothing but focus, love and tenderness towards her and simply because it was him being above her, the one her soul was calling for the loudest.

Their souls were already beating in the same rhythm as with her wrapping her arms around his shoulders she allowed their ribcages press against each other's. Hades' one hand moved from around her waist to her nape. Their mouths approached close, the hesitation lasted for only just seconds before uniting and kissing softly. Hades sighed.

"Και εγώ σ' αγαπώ Περσεφόνη μου, πόσο σ' αγαπώ..." He said lowly, breaking for just a little moment the kiss before leaning in for another one.

A lot more strong and passionate, drifting the 2 skeletons in a daze from which none wanted to break apart any time soon. Each hungry, almost desperate for the other's kiss, after those 6 weeks of them having slightly drifted apart. They were back to reminding the depth which their feelings had for each other.

Something about that kiss felt like their first ever, as if giving themselves a new start. They were born to be, their souls were promised for each other. Destiny and fate had brought them together, one way or another they had to end up staying together.

Their embrace was so tight, the way their hands were travelling on each other's bodies slow and gently, the soft nibbles they were giving each other when temporarily breaking apart the kiss, it almost felt as if they wanted to become one body, one soul, one whole.

"Now it is not the time..."

and for ya all thirsty sin babies out there (🫵🏽), it could have gone that way.

They could have given up to their evergrowing ecstasis from the kiss and take it a step further, allowing their souls to collide. But they seperated, both panting fast and sharply. Hades could feel Persephone between wanting that to have gone further and at the same time hesitating greatly.

He had felt her from before squirming beneath him, her soft moans sometimes turning to hitched breathing of agony. Yes, it wasn't the time and besides he had told himself he wouldn't do anything with her. Whatever they did now, against his guesses, but very welcomed, was enough.

He slowly got off her and layed next to her, this time keeping her close to his embrace. She buried her face on the crook of his neck, one hand on his ribcage and the other wrapped around him. Soon the fast breathing ceased and all it was heard were the soft wind and crickets outside as Persephone and Hades drifted in a peaceful sleep.

In the morning she found herself waking up in her own room. Momentarily the sadness took over her, already feeling empty from Hades' absence, knowing he had left the mansion. But when she sat up, she smiled then as on the table she had in her room she saw resting on it two small stone sculptures. One red and white carnation and another of a purple butterfly.

~

The next 3 weeks felt for Persephone slow, extremely slow waiting and working. It didn't take long for her to miss Hades. Seeing him, hearing his voice, feeling his soft touch. The nights were passing with her whether taking big and long strolls around the garden, whether tossing and turning in her sleep, often singing lowly to pass the time.