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Shuffling through the papers on Hades’ desk, Persephone found little more than information and research for the Akadaemia assignments they both had. She huffs out a sigh of frustration, blowing away strands of her deep red hair that had fallen into her face.
This venture hasn’t been as useful as she hoped, and she’s no closer to understanding what’s wrong with Hades.
She makes her escape through the same window she used to enter Hades’ room unnoticed by his parents. They’re lovely people, and they’ve always been kind to her. However, she doesn’t want them mentioning her visit to Hades. She can’t imagine the interrogation he’d put her through if he finds out that she’s been snooping in his room.
A touch of aether sticks her hood to her head, and she swings her legs over the windowsill. After her feet touch the ground, she weaves through the crowded streets of Amaurot. Restaurants and cafes are bustling with customers, and the smells that escape the buildings make Persie realize that she forgot to eat breakfast before leaving home.
She sees Hythlodaeus already waiting for her in the gazebo at their favorite park. It’s tucked in the corner and surrounded by lush vegetation, making it perfect for skipping their classes and hiding.
Hythlodaeus greets her with a smile. “A bit late today, aren’t you?”
“It couldn’t be helped,” Persie says, sitting beside him on the bench. “I had to go through more of his stuff than I wanted, and I still didn’t find anything that explains why he’s been so on edge lately.”
“Perhaps it’s nothing.”
Hythlodaeus offers her a pastry stuffed with Sykon jam and soft, sweet cheese, and Persie wastes no time filling her mouth with it.
“I know he’s generally difficult, but you noticed, too, that his attitude has gotten worse,” she says between bites, licking jam that burst from the pastry off her fingers.
“And we asked him if anything was bothering him, but he said nothing was,” Hythlodaeus says. “Maybe he needs to sort this out on his own.”
“Even if he needed help, he wouldn’t ask for it.” Persie lies on the bench, pulling her hood down and setting her head on Hythlodaeus’ lap. “That’s why we need to know his situation so we can decide if he needs our help.”
Hythlodaeus runs his fingers through her hair. “That’s not something we get to decide, Persie.”
She grumbles, but it’s not like she doesn’t understand what he’s saying.
“I just wish I could help him for once.”
It takes a few weeks for Hades to return to his normal routine, and his particularly sour attitude fades back to normal with it.
All three of them have lunch together again like Hades’ absence never happened, and Persie wonders if she’s the only one unsettled by his lack of explanation.
Days pass this way, and Persie grows more irritated, unable to let it go like Hythlodaeus tells her to.
She starts following Hades, but she doesn’t pretend that he can’t see her with his Soul Sight. However, once he’s angry enough, she might be able to get a few answers from him.
If she wasn’t stubborn, she might’ve given up with Hades showing no sign of doing anything other than ignoring her presence.
It’s while they’re in the Notiodytikos Library after classes end for the evening that he snaps, pinning her to a bookshelf in an isolated section so nobody else sees them.
“What?” he asks, jaw clenched to the point that she worries his teeth will crack. “What do you want from me?”
Despite hoping for this moment, Persie finds that all the words she wanted to say have vanished from her tongue. “I…”
“Well? Is this just a game you’re playing?”
He’s close enough for her to feel his warm breath on her cheek, and the knot in her throat only grows larger.
“It’s not a game.”
“Then, what is it?” he asks, his tone more demanding with each word.
Persephone grabs Hades’ robe with both hands and shoves him back. “All I want is for you to tell me why you left for days without warning, and then you pretend nothing happened.”
“That’s what this is all about?” he asks, unable to hide his dumbfounded expression even while wearing a mask and hood.
“Yes, it is!” she says. “If you had a problem, why didn’t you let me help?”
“I didn’t have a problem.” He pulls her hands from his robes. “I was exploring possible career paths. Our mandatory Akadaemia education is almost over, and it’s time to decide what we’ll do next.”
“That’s it?” Persie asked.
“That’s it.”
“But why didn’t you say anything?”
Hades laughs, but it sounds more mocking than joyful. “Because those days were long and tedious. It’s exhausting to see people put on a show in an attempt to make their jobs seem more appealing than they are.”
Persie ducks her head down to hide the blush she feels spreading across her cheeks. She tries to slip away, but Hades grabs her wrist before she can.
“The misunderstanding between us is solved, so I’ll be going,” she says.
“I don’t think it’s fully solved,” Hades says. “Why does it matter what I do or where I go? Don’t you think you overreacted?”
She turns to face him, and he lets go of her wrist. “Why wouldn’t I care that you left without saying a word?”
“Because, out of the two of us, I have a history of making better decisions, and that means that I can be left alone without concern.”
“That’s not the point,” she says.
“Then, enlighten me.”
“It’s… I don’t like when you’re away,” she says. “I wanted to help you for once, but I couldn’t. You wouldn’t come to me if you needed help, would you? It was just wishful thinking on my end, hoping that I meant as much to you as you do to me.”
Hades laughs, tries to stop himself, and then laughs harder. “You fool. You don’t get it.”
“Great, you held me back to make fun of me,” she mumbles.
Hades pulls himself together and removes her mask from her face. “I left because I want to create a bright future. For both of us.”
“What?”
He cups her face in his hands and leans in, hesitating for only a moment before he presses his lips against hers.
“Hades…” Persie says, trailing off in uncertainty.
Hades puts her mask back over her eyes with his gentle touch. “Don’t think about it today. After you stressed yourself out for nothing, take a break. Then, imagine the future you want. I hope I’ll be in it.”
“It’s your turn to be the fool,” Persie says. “How could I imagine a future without you?”