Chapter Text
”Hades! Haaaadeees!!”
Hades sighed, raised his gaze towards the door to his office, and prepared a disapproving expression unto his visage, ready to receive the owner of the enthusiastic voice. In no time at all she rushed in with her green robes and flame-red curls flowing about her and her bright smile lighting the familiar warmth in Hades’ heart. Despite her short stature and petite size, it always felt to him as if she filled the entire room with her presence; especially when she smiled. This time she had Hythlodaeus in tow – she was dragging him by the hand while bearing down on Hades. When the arrivals hit Hades’ desk, they didn’t stop at the edge – oh no, such niceties were for others. Hythlodaeus sat unto to the desk to grin at his friend and Helia climbed on it to kneel in front of Hades and stare at him squarely in the eye. Her ruby red eyes were burning with excitement.
“What is it now?” Hades queried in a dry tone.
“She has something exciting to share with us,” Hythlodaeus said needlessly. “She wouldn’t tell me without your presence, even though I tried all the usual methods.”
Hades sat back in his chair, crossed his arms onto his chest, and raised an eyebrow. He was somewhat surprised she hadn’t already spilled the beans, for she was almost vibrating with the effort to keep her news inside.
“Well, I am present now,” he noted.
“I am going to be in the Convocation!” she announced and waved her hands in the air to accentuate her words. “Azem is retiring, and she asked me to succeed her! Can you believe it!?”
Hades’ face fell and a heavy weight settled upon his heart. She would leave for the Convocation, and not just for any seat, but Azem’s? To be the bloody Traveler??
“That is amazing! Congratulations, my friend!!” Hythlodaeus enthused and hugged her. “I’ve always known you are meant for great things! And you’ll make a wonderful Azem – don’t you think so, Hades?”
Red and purple eyes turned to gaze at Hades, eager to have him join the excitement as much as it was in his nature to do. But he could not do what they expected of him, not with the heaviness of melancholy choking him. How could he express genuine happiness when he felt everything but?
He cleared his throat. “Congratulations. It’s an honor to be asked,” he stated with a voice that sounded wooden even to his own ears.
There was a flash of hurt in those expressive ruby eyes and it felt as if the atmosphere of delight inflated to some extent. Hades could feel Hythlodaeus judging him for his lack of elation and his inability to offer even a smile.
“Uh… thank you, Hades. That’s… kind of you to say.” Gone was the smile and the fire in her eyes, gone the tone full of passion.
Hades was infuriated with himself for not being able to rejoice with her on such an occasion. Surely, he was better than this selfish person who only thought of himself and his own feelings? She deserved better than what he was able to show her. He knew he was failing his friends and he hated it. He shook himself mentally, tried to rally, and met her gaze. “When will we be addressing you as Azem, then?”
“In a couple of months, after Azem has shown me the ropes and instructed me on what kind of responsibilities I will be handling as her successor.”
Hades looked at the surface of his desk. “I imagine she will take you on the road with her until she returns to the star.”
Helia’s curls bobbed about as she shook her head. “Oh, she isn’t returning to the star. She’s retiring to continue pursuing her interests and researching all the life on Etheirys,” she said.
“That’s so like her,” Hythlodaeus mused and hugged her again. “But enough about her – we should do something to mark the occasion and celebrate the future Azem!”
“Hades?” the question was accompanied by a gentle touch at his shoulder, and he had to look up and meet the question in her affectionate eyes. “Is something the matter?”
“I have much work to do, that’s all. So I can’t come, but don’t let that stop you from celebrating. You two should go have fun.” He waved his hand for them to go and leave him alone in his misery.
He tried not to see the pain his lack of enthusiasm was causing her. Luckily, Hythlodaeus had enough zeal for the both of them and would make her feel better in an instant, or so he told himself.
“If you say so,” Helia muttered before looking at Hythlodaeus. “Shall we, my lord?”
Hythlodaeus nodded. “Indeed we shall, my lady.” Before he jumped off the table to follow in Helia’s wake, he gave Hades another disapproving glance, shook his head, and sighed.
After they’d left, the office felt cold and hollow; dead, even. Hades ran his hand through his hair and cussed at himself. He was a right idiot to damper his friends’ joy like that. The attempt he made at working after their departure was not convincing, so he discarded his papers, got up, and decided to try and make up for his lackluster reaction to her news. It was an honor to be invited to join the Fourteen. She did deserve it, even if he would rather keep her in Amaurot.
--
“Why was he so… Hades?”
Hythlodaeus hugged his friend and sighed. He’d hoped that getting some celebratory drinks in her would help her enthusiasm to return, but he had evidently been wrong. Helia leaned against his side with her whole aether swirling with misery and gloom.
“You know how he is. He doesn’t like to show his feelings like we do. That doesn’t mean he has none,” he replied. “He does care. He is happy for you.”
The mess of red curls shook against his robe. “It didn’t look like it.” There was a sorrow dwelling in those lovely eyes. “What if he doesn’t want to be my friend anymore after I join the Convocation? I mean… he has sometimes expressed some disapproval of their decisions, so he might decide that he doesn’t want to be associated with someone who’s responsible for them.”
“You know that won’t happen. You mean the world to him – we both do. And he would do anything for us, as he has so many times before.”
“Except be happy for me. Why couldn’t he even smile? A simple smile would have sufficed!” she sniffed. “Half a one even! Why didn’t he give me that?”
He caressed her back and decided to be honest. “I have an inkling, but I might be mistaken.”
She sat back and met his eyes. “What is it? Please, tell me at once!”
“This is just a theory, you understand,” Hythlodaeus prefaced, and she nodded eagerly. “Tell me, my friend, what does Azem do?”
“Explore the world and make friends with people near and far,” Helia replied without hesitation.
“And Azem does that by…?”
“Traveling.”
Hythlodaeus waved his hand in a manner to suggest she ought to ponder further what she’d just said. She apparently did because her eyes widened with surprise.
“You think he believes I’ll forget him?”
“Or that you won’t be able to see him as much. Certainly not every day, like now.”
“But I could never forget him!”
Hythlodaeus nodded. “You know that, and I know that but when he gets all grumpy and self-deprecating, he has a tendency to forget.” He caressed her curls. “He is much more high-maintenance than the two of us.”
“That’s true.” She stood up. “We must go talk to him, Hythlodaeus! I don’t want him to be as sad as he made me.”
Hythlodaeus followed her with a smile. His friends were the best people he knew, and he was lucky that they had as much affection for him as he had for them.
--
Helia was concerned when they didn’t find Hades at his apartment or at his office. She didn’t want him to have gone somewhere to wallow in misery alone.
“Where can he be?” she exclaimed.
“Don’t worry, he’ll turn up sooner or later,” Hythlodaeus comforted her. “Maybe he changed his mind and went to the bar to look for us?”
“Maybe. Or he could have gone to my place or yours to wait for our return.”
“Also possible,” Hythlodaeus agreed. “Yours is closer, so let’s check that out first.”
Helia nodded and led the way to her flat. When she opened the door, the darkness was suddenly filled with bright lights, as if fireworks had been launched inside. Multiple colors swam through the air in beautiful arrangements and eventually formed the words, “Beware! The new Azem bites!” Helia giggled when she saw the message. Then her gaze descended on the shape lounging in the chair he usually occupied. She sprinted to him, launched into his arms, and hugged him.
“No matter how much I travel, I could never forget you, Hades,” she promised him and nuzzled her face against his robe.
There was a quiet sigh as his hands dived into her hair and pulled her closer. “I… wish I could believe that, but I know what Azem life is like. You will be too busy to—”
It was an impulse. Maybe she wouldn’t have followed it, had she not been a bit drunk, but she was – so she silenced him by laying a kiss on his statuesque lips. He made a surprised sound but didn’t pull away. On the contrary, he wrapped his arms around her tighter and deepened the kiss. After a while, his tongue entered her mouth, and the feeling made her moan and get wet. When she finally drew away to breathe, she was blushing. She examined his yellow eyes and noticed they were dark with longing. As if enchanted by the question in his eyes, she raised her hand to caress his face and trace the lines of his lips once with her thumb.
“That made a difference,” Hythlodaeus noted and kneeled down next to the low chair Hades was occupying with Helia in his arms. “Allow me,” Hythlodaeus said and placed his own lips lightly upon Hades’ mouth, letting him decide what to do. Helia saw him blink but then close his eyes and kiss Hythlodaeus properly. Soon enough, Hades reached a hand to Hythlodaeus’ neck to pull him closer.
While they were busy kissing, Helia began to undo Hades’ robe to reveal a surprisingly muscled chest. It was practically demanding her attention, so she obliged and laid a trail of kisses on his bare skin beginning from his neck towards his left nipple which she licked, making him squirm and let out a sound the like of which she’d never heard from him before.
Hythlodaeus pulled away from the kiss with his eyes burning in purple flame. “What did you do to produce such a wondrous noise?” Helia showed him. “I simply have to try that myself!” he declared, so she made way for him and moved on to the other nipple. They had Hades gasping and mewling very shortly.
“Look, Hythlodaeus, our very own squeaky toy!” Helia enthused.
“Let’s play with him some more and see what other kinds of noises he has in store for us!” Hythlodaeus said and opened more of Hades’ robe, baring his crotch to their adoration. The filthy man was not wearing anything underneath his robe! Hythlodaeus’ eyes widened when he saw Hades’ cock. “Oh, my! Who would have thought such a wonderful sight awaited us?”
“I am not a toy!” Hades protested weakly in a lust-muddled voice.
“Hush, you,” Helia replied. “Let’s see what happens when I pull this lever,” she said mischievously, winked at Hythlodaeus, and palmed Hades’ erection, making him moan deliciously.
“Oooh, a new sound!” Hythlodaeus thrilled. “And what a magnificent sound it was. I wonder if we can make a combination if I lick his nipple again?”
It appeared they could. Helia just loved seeing Hades like that, so needy, so full of lust, so ready to accept anything they did to him. He definitely wasn’t miserable anymore, and neither was she. She was horny as fuck.
“This is unfair,” Hades protested while he still could talk. “That’s why I’m going to level the playing field,” he said and snapped his fingers.
Like that, they were all naked. Helia looked from one friend to the other. There was only one thing to say, “Yum!”
“Yum yourself,” Hythlodaeus replied and gestured for her. “Come here, fiery little pixie. I would acquaint myself with your magnificent curves that have thus far alluded me under your robe.”
She went to him and kissed him hungrily while running her hands unashamedly on his perfect body, grazing his shapely ass, and finally massaging his hard length. His hands were also busy, mostly on her breasts. The noises he made equaled the ones Hades had let out mere moments ago… and was still making. When Helia side-eyed him, she noticed that he was touching himself while staring fixedly at them.
“You are… beautiful… together,” Hades mumbled hoarsely. “Stimulating…”
“Why don’t you join us?” Hythlodaeus suggested.
Hades stood up and did just that. Soon they were all standing together in a tight huddle, touching, fondling, rubbing, cupping, and kissing each other. Helia was so turned on by all the foreplay that she ached to have more.
“Shall we move things along?” she proposed. In a moment of clarity, she deduced that her bed would be too small for the three of them, so she made herself focus long enough to create a large mattress on the floor for them.
“Seconded,” Hythlodaeus agreed and kissed Hades’ neck. “I vote that Hades goes middle. He’s the one who needed cheering up, after all.”
“Sounds good to me,” Helia said. “Hades?”
“Yes, yes, anything!” was the reply accompanied by a wanton moan due to what Hythlodaeus was doing to him.
Helia went to the mattress on her knees, leaned down, and looked at Hades from there. “I am ready for you!”
Hades joined her and took his place behind her. Gentle hands caressed her thighs, butt, and folds, and a clever finger found her clit before she felt his tip at her entrance.
“Marvelously wet,” he whispered in a reverent tone before teasing her by slightly moving his hips against her.
“Speaking of marvelous – have you seen your ass?” Hythlodaeus inquired from behind them.
Helia couldn’t see him in her position but going by the noises Hades was making, Hythlodaeus was likely preparing him for what was about to happen. She could hear Hythlodaeus whispering something into Hades’ ear moments before there were a slight groan and a gasp. Then Hades entered Helia deliberately, making them both moan. After that, there was only pleasure. Pure, unadulterated pleasure. That night the world changed for the three of them once and forever.