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Persephone ponders on her son, as she often does since she has returned. Specifically on his wellbeing. She’s aware that he is much more like herself than Hades, but Zagreus is still his son. Stubborn and willing to lock up any slightly vulnerable emotion, although he is a bit better than his father in that regard.
She worries, and so, unlike the boys in her life, when she is worried about something, she communicates about it.
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“Hades, have you ever hugged your son?” she asks, not particularly angrily, but pointed nonetheless.
Hades looks at her, thinking for a bit, “Sort of? It was more him hugging me and I carrying him.”
Persephone hides her slight surprise, “When was that?”
“A long, long time ago dear. The boy- er, Zagreus, ran off into Tartarus and I had to go retrieve him. He had been lost and cowering when I arrived.” He shrugged.
“Embrace him again.”
He sighs, “He wouldn’t agree to that Persephone. The only times I come into contact with that boy is at the surface, fighting him to the death, certainly not great memories for an embrace.”
“He tenses whenever I go to hug him, I’m just worried.” She says, furrowing her brow.
“If he tenses for you, he’ll certainly tense for me.”
“I fear he doesn’t get enough affection dear, he’s not used to it. And neither are you. Go fix it together.”
“It won’t be fixed. It’s been far too long.” He huffs.
“You’re so stubborn Hades, if only you could use that stubborness to stubbornly strive to make amends with your son. As he had used his own stubborness, which he got from you by the way, to get all the way up to the surface, to me.”
Silence fills the chambers. Hades, unable to respond.
“Try, Hades. You swore you’d try.”
“…alright.”
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Zagreus rises from the Styx, back from another successful run! As he jogs down the corridor, he realizes his father hasn’t returned from their duel. Typically, Hades is already back home whenever Zagreus wins. Confused, the prince turns to his mother.
“Isn’t he back yet?” Zagreus asks, furrowing his brows.
Persephone smiles and shrugs,”He is, he merely went off somewhere however.”
“Huh, that’s odd. Usually he never leaves his throne.” He muses. Spare for when they battle to the death of course. The mother and son chat a while longer, until the prince’s restlessness gets the better of him, and decides to say farewell for now.
Running off to greet the others around the house, including Cerberus of course, then heading off to his room to start the cycle all over again. He has his fun in his new job, always excited to run off once more. Get that energy out. Although he must admit, sometimes the cycle can be a bit too much. He loves it! But a bit of rest could do him some good, and yet, the restlessness he carries always gets the better of him.
The short thought of rest, quickly leaves his mind, and he resolves to start his journey again right away! However, when he tries to dash straight through his room towards the courtyard, he runs head first into a sturdy wall that he is sure wasn’t there before.
As he stumbles backwards, he looks up to find his father in his chambers. Shock floods through the prince, mouth agape staring at Hades.
It stays silent for a while, both merely watching the other, until Zagreus stammers out, “Father,, what’s going on? Why are you here?”
Why is he here?!? Hades had never once gone in Zagreus’ room, spare that one time to put him to sleep, but that’s of no matter. He must be in trouble for something, but what? The prince can’t think of anything, which only serves to make him nervous. Usually he knows what he will be scolded for.
Hades gazes down at his son’s alarmed expression, unsure on what to say. Even though he had practiced while he had been waiting, the words disappeared from his mind.
“Boy- Uh, Zagreus…” He starts, trailing off while he glances to the side. “Off to run amuck in my realm so quickly after just arriving at the house then?”
“Um.. Yes, that was the plan. Kinda my job now you know?” Zagreus replies, gaze turning to the floor under his father’s stare.
“Yes well, you are making your mother worry. She believes you are overworking yourself.”
“Overworking myself?? And she sends you to scold me for it? She should know it’s quite hypocritical coming from you.” Zagreus says pointedly. Always defensive in nature.
Hades scoffs, but turns his head, “I’m not here to scold you. Your mother has asked that we… hug.”
“…”
“Huh?”
The prince merely stares at his father’s slight nervous and awkward expression for a while. Mouth agape in shock. A hug? Had his mother gone mad? Hades doesn’t “hug” people. At least not that Zagreus remembers. To think that his father even agreed to this is shocking. And while the boy is not entirely opposed, there is a part of him who only sees his father’s touch as hostile. Deriving from the only contact they have had with each other fighting on the surface. Leading the boy to hesitate now.
His father clears his throat, still gazing off to the side, arms slightly raised and open. And at this Zagreus finally snaps back to reality. Slowly, the boy complies with the request and moves forward towards the elder’s open arms.
The king’s arms wrap slowly around his son, one on his back, the other cradling his head. Zagreus’ head is pressed against his father’s chest, feet placed in between his father’s own.
It’s awkward at first of course, the silence deafening, both men’s bodies entirely stiff. But soon, Zagreus begins to accept this odd display, and start to enjoy it. Typically, the prince runs far too hot, having flaming feet and all. However, his father’s own warmth isn’t overwhelming like he thought it’d be. It’s surprisingly softer. Soothing almost.
It’s a little hard to explain. He can’t move, he’s essentially trapped in his father’s arms, but it’s not scary. He feels safe. Despite them trying to murder each other almost everyday now. He’s safe. Perhaps it’s his father’s scent. The smell of that Ichor flowing through his veins, with hints of ink and ambrosia. It’s a scent he knows, one he remembers. Not to mention his father just gives off this powerful feeling, fitting of the God of dead.
Zagreus unintentionally presses himself further into his father’s chest. His arms lay limp at his sides, unsure what he is supposed to be doing with them. He would try to hug him back, but he is unsure that he’d be able to reach. So he merely grasps at his father’s chiton instead.
It’s less awkward now, and more so embarrassing. He feels like a child. Not that this happened much in his childhood, but mainly that he can’t help but feel small next to his father. Often times this comes to infuriate him, or serve to cause a bit of nervousness. However here, it’s a level of safety he had never felt before.
Hades sighs, and releases a bit of tension he had held up until now. A sound Zagreus often hears with many different meanings. Annoyed, incredulous, mocking, etc. But this is different. He sounds almost… relieved? Perhaps even content?
It’s an unreal though to even imagine that his fathers it enjoying this. Harsh words and scoffs were all he had ever gotten, and now suddenly this? It’s almost too much.
Hades begins to slowly brush his thumb back and forth across the back of his son’s head. The strange fondness inside him isn’t new per se, but it certainly is making itself more known now. His son, now grown into somewhat of a man, will always be a child to him. His child.
In a way, this almost satisfies the king’s need to protect his boy. Which sounds odd considering the things he has put him through, but he means protection from those Olympians. From whatever senseless drama and revenge they partake and drag every other god into.
For Zagreus, at this point, it’s all almost too much. Not many in the underworld are very touchy, actually nobody really is. Spare from a few shoulder squeezes and the times he pets Cerberus, the prince hasn’t embraced anyone in a long time. Never his father, only grazing each other in fights to the death.
Zagreus feels his eyes begin to well with tears, which only causes him to press further, hiding his face. How pathetic can he be? Crying from a little hug? He’ll simply be mocked for this and it’ll ruin the one nice moment these two may ever have. His breath hitches. As tears begin to roll down his cheeks.
“…Boy? What’s the matter?” Hades whispers. Whispers! Who knew he could even do such a thing. He begins to pull back a bit to take a glimpse of his son’s face, but Zagreus doesn’t let him. Merely pushing forward again.
A beat passes, unable to say anything without his voice breaking, the son shakes his head. The truth is that he doesn’t want this to end. The prince is aware that his father is only doing this to satisfy his mother but that’s beside the point. It’s nice. And he doesn’t want it to end, because he knows once it ends, it really ends.
“Zagreus, if you’re not okay with this, you can leave. You don’t have to torture yourself.” Hades knows his son is uncomfortable, he knew he would be too! He should have never tried, their already poor relationship will be even worse. Filled with an awkwardness and unease they thought they were almost over with.
“No! I- This is… fine.” He lies, this is more than just fine. It’s nice. Pleasant even.
“Tch, you’re a horrible liar. What have I said about lying boy?” What’s with him? Usually Zagreus has no issues speaking his mind to anybody. Even more so with Hades.
“I mean it! Truely I am enjoying this-“ He stops out of embarrassment. Who knew hugging your own father could be so difficult?
…
“…Why? I tear you down every moment I can. I’ve stabbed you, beaten you, berated you.” His voice slowly begins to raise from the hesitant and softer tone, “Killed you countless times, shouted abuse at you for eons! …How can you stand to even be near me?”
Silence follows as Zagreus tries to muster up a response. How is he supposed to? It’s not like he forgive his father for these mentioned things, but he doesn’t hate him for it… Is that wrong?
“Why are you trying to convince me to hate you?? I don’t hate you okay? So if you’re just using this nonexistent hatred to excuse you from not growing as a father, then just stop!” He takes a step back to look at his father’s face. Eyes still a bit red and puffy from his slight sobs from earlier.
Another pause of silence as they take each other in. Hades, observing his son’s sad yet still angry face. He quiets his voice back down again, “You should hate me boy. It would be the smart thing to do.”
Annoyed at his father’s stubbornness, Zagreus lets out a huff, “Yeah well I’m clearly not the smartest then.” His eyes divert downwards as he steps forward back into his father’s less open embrace. He knows, with the way this conversation is going, that this is likely one of the last times he’ll hug his father. So he’s at least going to make the most of it.
Hades sighs, he doesn’t understand. He rarely does when it comes to his son. Yet, he swore he would try. And so slowly, Hades arms wrapped around Zagreus once again.
The prince tightens his grip and whispers, “Change… please just.. try. I’ll forgive you.. I swear.” An act of desperation, and he knows it. Usually Zagreus would deem begging as below himself, but this is something he had been begging for silently for eons.
The elder god’s brows furrow, frown deepening. He had said before that his changes would likely not be enough for his boy, and yet he asks this of him again. Stubbornness must be hereditary. He begins to rub his son’s back slowly.
Silence, once again, fills the prince’s room. Spare from the murmurs that float in from the halls, and the soft and shaky beatings of their hearts. Time passes until the younger has settled down a bit, his breathing under control.
“…You’re really okay with this?” His father questions, still trying to grasp such an absurd notion of trust from his son. Which has not been deserved in the slightest in his eyes.
“Yes, you feel safe.” Zagreus murmurs against Hades’ chiton. Barely audible.
“…safe?” In no world would Hades believe that his son would feel safe with him. After all he has done.
Zagreus, realizing what he had said, attempts to blurt out a speedy explanation, “You’re just really warm, and smell… familiar? You know?? Never mind, forget I said anything-”He pushes away from his father’s embrace, albeit with a bit of struggle, and shuffles around him to begin towards the courtyard. “I should be going now- Monsters to defeat, realms to escape you know..” Still teeming with embarrassment, he starts to dash away when..
“Boy.” His father calls out before he makes it too far.
Zagreus pauses his hurried stride, turning towards his father, not quite making eye contact, “Yeah?“
A pause, and then, “Let’s do this again some time.” His father stares at the boy, face as blank as ever.
The son’s brows raise, as he looks back up to his father’s face. He finds an expression he’s never seen on his face before. It’s softer, content almost, yet still extremely awkward and uncomfortable.
“Yeah, alright. Anytime.” The son gives one final nod and turns away, leaving his father in his chambers. They’ll see each other when he makes it out. And again when he eventually ends up back home. He wonders they’ll ever speak of this again. If his father really means what he says about doing it again. Only the fates know.