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The Immortal Heart	By : amandalee Category: 1 through F > Clash of the Titans (2010) > Clash of the Titans (2010) Views: 7819 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: We do not own Clash of the Titans or the characters portrayed in this story, and we make no money from writing this.

Chapter List
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Chapter 57

Zeus had dozed off as he awaited Hades’ return, and when he awoke, he saw that his beloved had still not come back. More curious than concerned, the younger god rose from bed, walking to each room to see where his mate could possibly be. Quiet as physically possible, he wandered the hallway, and he knew that only so many rooms would possibly hold his eldest brother. After all, Hades being together with Hera was completely out of the question...

He peeked into a room where Hestia and Hera presently shared sleeping space, though neither likely enjoyed such an arrangement. The two sisters slept at either side of the bed, seemingly determined not to touch one another throughout the night.

Smiling to himself, Zeus closed the door again and headed in the direction of Demeter’s chamber. He had barely taken two steps when his foot bumped into something warm and solid on the floor, and in his surprise, the god almost lost his balance and tripped. His first thought was that Cerberus had somehow miraculously followed them across the sea and quietly sneaked into their home, but he soon realized that the subject at his feet was an Olympian, not a monstrous three-headed dog.

“Poseidon…?” he asked, baffled to find his brother lying on the hallway floor. A soft snore was all that escaped Poseidon’s lips, and he showed no signs of having awakened.

Still equally puzzled, Zeus stepped over his fellow god and proceeded toward the last place where Hades could be.

Demeter and her raven-haired brother were in bed, both fast asleep with their arms around each other and foreheads touching. Hades’ glossy dark head made a stark contrast to Demeter’s golden one.

The sight brought a calm joy to Zeus’ heart, knowing now that Hades felt safe at last, now that the family had reunited as one again. Padding across the small room and to the bed where his siblings slept, he gave Hades a closer look and saw nothing but peace in his visage. Smiling, the younger god gave his sleeping mate a gentle kiss.

Hades did not stir, too immersed in the world of sleep to notice. Standing fully upright, Zeus decided to allow his elder brother’s slumber to go on uninterrupted. He did not wish to break Hades from what seemed to be a serene bliss, a state which the god may not have felt in such a long time.

Leaving the room, Zeus returned to where Poseidon still lay curled up on the floor. Granted, the cave had not been very different from this cold surface, but the plain fact was what Zeus could see, and he could see at present that even in sleep, Poseidon looked dreadfully uncomfortable. The contrast between Zeus’ two brothers was as vast as could be.

The Olympian leader knelt down and gave Poseidon a gentle nudge. “Brother,” he whispered, careful not to wake anyone else. “You are sleeping on the floor.”

Slowly rising into a seated position, the older god looked a little embarrassed as he sat in the dark. “So I am.” He rubbed at his face to further wake himself. “You were to share your bed with Hades. I knew I would be unwelcome in Hera’s room, with or without Hestia taking the other half of the bed.”

Zeus allowed himself a quiet chuckle. “Do not sacrifice your own comfort, Poseidon. Not tonight. Hades is asleep with Demeter. You may share my quarters tonight."

Surprised but obviously grateful, Poseidon accepted the proffered hand of his brother and allowed Zeus to tug him to his feet. “Are you certain?”

“Our bed is the biggest, after all,” Zeus said with a wry smile. “And you deserve better than the floor after everything we have accomplished.”

Though Zeus would have preferred a much smaller and lither sibling as his bed mate, he did not mind the presence of Poseidon next to him.

*

Two nights had passed since the brothers’ arrival on Crete, and already Zeus was making plans for the family’s return to the mainland. He did not want to bring his siblings to a kingdom without a home, and thus an idea had sprung forth in the leader’s mind, so far tentative and uncertain but nonetheless promising.

Zeus helped himself to a second chalice of grape juice – he regretted not having any actual wine to drink – and then asked Poseidon if he also wanted a refill. The older god shook his head, indicating his own chalice which was still half-full.

“We should return to Greece as soon as possible,” Zeus commented, waiting to hear Poseidon’s view on the matter.

“Where should we settle down once we do? We cannot rule from a bear’s cave, after all.”

“Of course not. In fact… I was thinking that we could use our father’s castle as a temporary dwelling place. He hardly has use for it anymore, am I right?”

Poseidon’s brow rose, but he did not look outright shocked at the suggestion. “It will certainly mean more room,” he remarked, stating the obvious issue.

Zeus nodded, smiling in amusement. “Imagine us trying to use their decorum.”

Poseidon laughed. “We could all fit into one bed alone.”

Zeus joined his laugh. “But in all importance… what do you think?”

His expression now grave, Poseidon gave the suggestion serious thought. “Do you believe it will be safe? Even now that Cronos is dead, some of his brethren may still be defiant. If so, they could be hiding in that very fortress.”

“Then we will approach with a sharp eye,” Zeus replied. To Poseidon, his brother sounded as though an agreement had already been made.

“One can only wonder how well kept the place must be,” the elder god remarked, taking another gulp of his drink.

“Perhaps Cerberus can devour whatever mess has been left behind,” Zeus said with a grin. “And if there are stragglers as you suggest, then I am sure Hades’ guardian will be more than happy to clean the place of them as well.”

“What is this I hear about Cerberus?” Hades’ voice rang out as he entered the room. Zeus smiled and pulled his eldest brother onto his lap, embracing him.

“Only discussing what use your pet may be to finding a new home for us on the mainland,” he said, offering his brother a sip from his chalice. Hades complied and gave a kiss as thanks. Zeus could taste the juice on his mate’s lips.

“I do hope Cerberus is alright,” Hades said. “I know he can take care of himself, but… from the way he reacted to our departure, I almost expected him to swim after us.”

“None can resist your sweetness, dearest brother,” Zeus countered, giving him another kiss, this time on the end of his nose. Hades laughed at the gesture.

The three brothers remained in the common room for some time longer, Hades staying on Zeus' lap at all times. Only when Hades asked to be excused in order to relieve himself was he let go by his brother.

"I believe it is time for bed," the Olympian leader announced when the older god returned from outside. "Hades, will you join me?"

Zeus did not wait for an answer to his request, but grasped his brother's hand in his own, pulling him toward their joint bedchamber with great eagerness. Even though he longed for bed, sleep was really the last thing on Zeus' mind. Having Hades on his lap had awakened a desire in him to thoroughly ravish his mate after such a long absence.

"Had I not known any better, I would have guessed you'd had too much wine to drink," Hades said, perplexed at the other's sudden eagerness.

While he did miss having wine to drink, Zeus longing for the beverage was greatly overshadowed by another, stronger craving. As soon as both he and Hades were inside, he quickly closed the door and jerked his brother into a passionate kiss, his arousal already blatantly obvious through his clothing.

"Hades... I want you..." Zeus declared, his hands sensuously pawing at the other god's slight form.

“Ohhh…” Hades moaned when he felt one of the hands pass over his chest, teasing a little bit of life into a dark nub. The nipple hardened and Zeus reacted to its rigidity, caressing it further as he kissed his brother passionately. Hades parted his lips instinctively for his brother and leader, feeling a tongue enter his mouth.

“I’m not…” he trailed off when the kiss was broken, and already he felt a change in the way Zeus held him. The younger god’s grip tensed for a fleeting moment and a look of obvious impatience passed in Zeus’ eyes.

“What’s the matter?” the bigger Olympian asked. It was apparent he was trying to be patient, but his lust was presently that which had most control of his judgment. Hades knew that if his brother so wished, someone else would be party to such lusts, but the eldest god also was aware that he had not been a sexual partner to Zeus in so long. Both of them desired to finally make love to one another again. However…

Hades licked his lips, hoping for the faintest taste of his beloved’s now absent kiss. “Are you certain that I am ready?” he timidly asked.

“Of course,” Zeus replied, smiling eagerly. “It’s been so long, and you yourself asked me if we would make love once this war was finally over.”

Hades nodded. He had asked; there was no question about this.

“I have faith in you,” Zeus whispered in his brother’s ear before licking the lobe playfully. Hades shivered at the sensation, slightly ticklish, but also aroused.

"Come..." Zeus took his fellow Olympian's hand and tugged him gently toward the bed. He was trying his best to be patient and tender with Hades despite his burning desire, because he knew that his brother was still hesitant. The last one to take him had been the foul beast Atlas, and the memory of that was what lingered on Hades' mind.

"Don't be afraid, dear one..." Zeus cajoled, pressing his brother's tense frame against his own. "We have done this before, haven't we? You have nothing to fear from me."

"I know that," Hades quickly said. "I'm merely anxious... not because of you, but..."

"Relax," the leader advised, sweeping Hades' long hair back from his face and simultaneously reaching behind him to undo the fastenings to his robe. "You are so beautiful..."

Hades allowed Zeus to undress him, resisting the urge to cover up his ugly scars with his hands. Why did it feel like his brother's eyes were drawn there, no matter how much attention Zeus paid to other parts of his body?

They kissed again, and Zeus was quick to shed his own clothes while attempting to stay locked in the kiss. Hades laughed tentatively at his endeavours while passing his hands over the other's sculpted physique. Zeus' skin was a beautiful bronze from all the time he had spent out in the sun, while Hades' own was as pale as ever.

Zeus seemed to read his mind, cupping a pale jaw in his large hands. Looking up at his younger brother, Hades received a kiss against his lips, which instinctively parted. The elder god wanted every part of Zeus, every inch of him to be one with his own form. Perhaps then he might be a stronger god, if he were the same as his mate. Hades tried to focus on the idea of his betrothed making love to not only him, but every piece of him, melding together with him and providing pleasure inside and out.

“Yes…” Hades murmured, his brother’s lips a mere breath away from his. “Yes, yes…”

Feeling bold, the elder of the two reached forward and drifted his fingertips against Zeus’ front. Zeus gave a deep whisper of a groan, only exciting Hades further.

Once he saw that his brother had reached a blissful state of arousal, Zeus gently lifted Hades and laid him down on the bed. In a gesture of whimsy, he gently traced his finger down the center of the older god’s torso, feeling the quiver from within Hades by the time he had reached his lean belly. Eyes shut, Hades breathed slowly, every touch against his body bringing a tingle of pleasure, so brief and yet so great.

“Ah…” Hades moaned, and within seconds he felt the movement of Zeus joining him on the bed. Perhaps he was ready after all.
Then Zeus began to straddle him. Hades was uncertain if the speed at which his brother had done so was the reason the memory shoved its way to the forefront, but he did not care. Suddenly the fear had returned.

"Zeus..." he whispered, a weak objection against the vehement advances of his betrothed. "Zeus, please..."

Zeus, his face latched onto his brother's neck, interpreted Hades' pleas as encouragement to proceed, and thought he'd never been so happy to oblige. "Finally, my dear brother..." he murmured, kissing Hades between the words. "I have missed this so much... missed you so much."

Hades briefly considered asking Zeus to stop, but he quickly bit back the request. He could not refuse him; the physical discomfort of the titans' assault had indeed gone away, and his body was fully healed, except for the scars. Zeus had been patient with him for long enough and making him wait any longer because of a puerile, unjustified fear was hardly fair.

Hades forced himself to relax and accept Zeus' advances, including the hand which had now found its way between his thighs, rubbing against his orifice and seeking entrance.

"Oil..." the leader muttered against Hades' perspiring skin. "We need oil..."

There was a lamp on the window sill, but Hades had the previous day been given a vial of fragrant rose oil by his sisters, kept in the drawer of his bedside table. Now was as good a time as any to use it, and he quietly told Zeus of its location.

"Excellent," the younger god grinned, parting from Hades just long enough to reach into the drawer for the vial. His nether regions throbbing madly, Zeus gazed hungrily at the pale, slender being stretched out beneath him, and he felt himself go almost mad with lust. The fact that Hades' erection had diminished to almost nothing went unnoticed by him.

"Spread your legs, little one..." came a husky command, and Hades obeyed, repeating over and over to himself that he had nothing to be afraid of. However, when Zeus finally inserted a finger, instinct prevailed.

“You are snug,” he said.

Hades grimaced for a moment, embarrassed. “I apologize,” he quickly explained. “I am a little nervous. I only want to satisfy you as well as I possibly can.”

Zeus kept his hand still, allowing his mate to grow accustomed to the entry. Hades took a deep breath and exhaled, eyes closed in concentration.

“Are you ready?” he heard his brother ask. He nodded.

Hades imagined himself as a dead serpent, lifeless and easy to manipulate. Zeus did not seem to notice any tension as such, and so the elder god continued on in this way. In little time the experimental fingers were replaced by the bigger Olympian’s sex, and Hades thought he might have tensed for a brief moment, but otherwise remained limp.

Zeus felt no need to stop, nor slow down. He thrust immediately into his fellow god and proceeded at a quick pace. Zeus seemed lost in a dream world of pleasure, disregarding all around him, including the vacant look on Hades’ face. The only detail he was able to gather from his surroundings was that Hades was loose and his lust-clouded mind equated loose with welcoming. Thus, he plodded on, grunting and groaning, not once noticing that he was the only one making any noise.

Zeus' mouth stayed adhered to a spot on Hades' neck, where the delicate beat of his heart pulsed beneath his skin. He lapped and laved at the area, sucking on the tissues until they were tender and red. The smaller god's heartbeat was fast and fluttering, almost too much so, but Zeus' current ecstasy did not allow him to consider that such might be caused by anything except mutual excitement and pleasure.

Hades soon found out that keeping his eyes open was a preferably alternative to closing them, as the image of Atlas' immense form situated on top of him immediately surfaced unless his eyes could provide his mind with another sight. Zeus was nowhere near the size of a titan, but his considerable bulk still brought forth unwanted memories preventing Hades from receiving any pleasure from an act he normally relished.

Once he was nearing his peak, Zeus' mouth finally moved from Hades' neck up to his face, pressing wet, hungry kisses to his cheeks and lips. The elder god made some half-hearted attempts to the return the kisses, not wanting Zeus to suspect something was amiss. He felt his brother release inside him with one last powerful thrust and then Zeus collapsed on top of his mate, groaning and breathing heavily.

Though in no real danger, the weight on top of Hades brought him to near panic. He finally became rigid beneath his brother to the point that Zeus rolled off of his trembling form. His breath now slow, guiding his heart to slow down, the younger god smiled, feeling the final waves of pleasure subside into an idyllic calm.

“Oh thank you, Hades,” he exhaled, grinning. “I have been waiting for so long…”

Hades had curled up into a ball and was beginning to shake. At first his trembling looked like an attempt to hold in laughter. But when Zeus turned his head to inquire what was so funny, he realized Hades was pressing his face into a pillow, gripping tightly at folds of cushioning.

Hades was not simply crying. He was violently sobbing.

“Hades?” Zeus rolled back onto his side, reaching for his brother. When his hand rested against a shaking shoulder, Hades’ weeping became louder.

“Noooo…” he wailed. “Please, no…”

“Hades, please… do not be frightened,” Zeus said, his voice as gentle as possible. But Hades only went stiff in response to his brother’s touch, his muscles tensed tighter than those of a wild beast about to strike. When the Olympian leader attempted to turn Hades over, he only received a cry of agonized misery in response.

“I can’t… oh please, I can’t!” the elder god cried out.

“Brother. Dearest brother, please tell me what is wrong!” Now Zeus was beginning to feel a strange sense of alarm, of dreadful confusion. Had the god not known any better, he would have said his brother was going mad.

Hades did not tell his brother what was wrong, nor did he even look at him. His eyes were tightly squeezed shut, as if to stop the flow of tears streaming down his flushed cheeks. His hacking gasps for breath soon led to an attack of coughing, so violent that Zeus almost expected his mate to choke or throw up, perhaps both.

Ignoring the other's wails of protests and pleas not to look at him, Zeus scooped his sibling up into his arms and gently began to rock him, desperate to put an end to Hades' inexplicable angst.

"Calm down, little one, please do..." he practically begged, more worried by the second.

Tears, spit and mucus kept oozing from the sobbing god's facial openings, smearing onto Zeus' chest as Hades' hysterical weeping continued. Zeus very briefly considered if slapping Hades across the face would put an end to whatever was going on, but he quickly dismissed the idea. If anything, it could make matters much worse.

Realizing he was not adequately equipped to handle the situation, Zeus finally made a decision.

"I will bring your sister," he said, gently disengaging from his brother, who simply curled up into a trembling little ball, his sobs not dying down or even lessening in strength.

Zeus stomped down the hallway, naked and disheveled, shouting his youngest sister's name. "Demeter! Demeter, come quickly!"

Though he could become angry, Zeus did not often raise his voice, especially not in such a way to suggest fear. Demeter was instantly on her feet, untangling herself from an embrace with Hestia, which they had been enjoying so greatly before hearing their brother’s distraught cries.

“Zeus??” she called back to him, her mind racing with any scenario she could imagine. If Zeus was this troubled, it had to mean something was wrong with Hades.

The goddess nearly ran into her brother as he came looking for her, and he held her by the shoulders with a nearly painful grip.

“What’s the matter?” she was asking, as Zeus immediately began to pull her in the direction of the youngest Olympian’s room.

“Come quickly,” he said, his voice still strained with upset, and as they approached Zeus’ quarters, Demeter could hear the horrible moans from within.

“What has happened?” she asked, and she knew the tone of her voice had sounded accusatory, but Zeus – in his present state – did not seem to take notice.

“Hades,” Zeus called out, desperate to stop the weeping. “Demeter is here! See? Here she is!”

Yet Hades did not care for his brother’s attempts to cheer him. He seemed to ignore his visitors altogether, continuing to sob and hide his face.

“Darling, it is only me,” Demeter said immediately, approaching her brother with the care she had shown him time and again. Her voice was now like the coo of a dove, soft and gentle.

Careful not to aggravate his state of distress, she knelt at his bedside, touching his shoulder and ignoring the way he winced at the contact.

“Only me,” she repeated.

“I can’t…”

“What?”

“Not him…” Hades moaned, keeping a hand against his face, which was red with both shame and the force of his crying. “Please, I can’t… not with him…”

Demeter threw a glance at Zeus, assuming that Hades was referring to him. "What is wrong, darling?" she asked. "What happened to you?"

Hades fought to retake control of himself, but his body and voice betrayed him. All he could manage to do was give Zeus a quick, apprehensive glance, hoping not to find the Olympian leader angry with him. He had already ruined their night with his pathetic display and would not be surprised if Zeus was aggravated or even downright disgusted with him.

"Zeus, what happened?" Demeter asked, turning to her younger brother and hoping he could fill in the missing information. Clearly Hades was in too much pain to speak coherently.

"Nothing happened, we just made love and suddenly he's crying like never before!" Zeus exclaimed, frustrated at the situation. "I don't know what is wrong. I...--"

The picture was suddenly so clear to Demeter. Hades' averse reaction was not due to illness or injury, but to that which had occurred between the two gods prior to her arrival. Zeus, heeding no one's needs but his own, had taken Hades to bed before her eldest brother was ready for it. Knowing what Hades had been through and realizing how selfish and callous Zeus' behavior was, she was suddenly enraged.

"Get out of here," she spoke quietly, not taking her eyes off her still weeping brother. "And do not come back tonight."

Zeus, confused at first, asked for a clarification.

Demeter stood up, facing her youngest sibling. Her eyes were dark with rage. "How could you?" she hissed. "Did you truly enjoy yourself? What about Hades? Did it ever occur to you to let him be until he's healed?!"

“He IS healed!” Zeus argued, annoyed at what his sister was suggesting. “Do you seriously think that I would take advantage of him in such a state?”

“The wounds of his body are a thing of the past,” Demeter hissed at him. “But what about his mind?”

“Spare me the lecture,” the god replied, glaring. “Were he not truly ready he would not have come to bed with me!”

“Are you even listening to yourself?” Demeter’s voice reached a higher octave now, her eyes wide with disbelief. “How could he say no to YOU?!”

Nearly staggered by his sisters outburst, Zeus glanced at Hades, who had only curled into an even tighter ball, if such a thing was possible.

“Whatever has happened,” Demeter said in a low voice, her anger apparently spent, “it is clear that your presence is not helping to calm our brother. In order for me to tend to him, you must leave. And take great consideration for what has conspired tonight. If you are to be our leader, as well as lord of our new world, then you must take responsibility.”

Part of Zeus told himself to strike Demeter, to silence her and teach her what a true leader was. But again he looked at his beloved brother, heard the pitiful whimpering, and knew what the goddess had said held truth.

“Take care of him,” he said quietly. “Where I cannot help, you shall remain in my stead.”

Demeter sighed heavily when she heard Zeus exit the room and the door close behind him. She was sad that it had come down to this, but she did not regret her words. Zeus had deserved the harsh reprimand, and more. Now she had to focus on Hades and do her best to make him calm down.

Though he was still hiding his face in the pillow, damp by now, Hades had ceased trembling virtually the moment Zeus left the room. He slightly flinched when his sister's hand began stroking his hair, but eventually he - although hesitantly - turned to look at the goddess. Hades' face was puffy and flushed, his cheeks streaked from tears. When he spoke, his voice was hoarse and raw.

"I'm so sorry..."

"You have nothing to be sorry for," Demeter assured him. "Nothing at all."

"I... simply wanted to... please him..."

"Of course you did, and Zeus was wrong to take advantage of that. He should be ashamed of himself."

Hades made a careful attempt to uncoil his tightly wound body, and doing so, he felt something warm and wet exit the orifice between his legs. Terror grasped him anew, and he gripped Demeter's arm, fearing what he might see on the sheets beneath him.

“I felt something,” he said, and Demeter gently removed the fingers which uncomfortably gripped her arm so that she might have a closer inspection of her brother’s body. She edged closer to his lower half so that she might have a better view.

“Am I bleeding?” he asked nervously.

“I do not yet see any stains,” Demeter immediately found herself saying. She was anxious to keep her poor sibling calm, even if it meant giving him false hope.

“Will you look?” Hades asked pitiably.

Nodding, his sister pulled aside the folds of bedcovers which Hades wound around himself as he lay weeping before her arrival. No signs of blood could be found, but the goddess soon found the reason behind her brother’s strange sensation.

“Only, Zeus’ seed,” she explained. “Nothing more. You are not bleeding, dear brother.”

A shaky sigh of relief escaped Hades’ lips.

“Lie on your back, dearest,” Demeter said. “I will clean you. That should make you a little more comfortable, don’t you agree?”

Hesitating, Hades finally complied, while his sister dutifully retrieved a wash basin and a cloth. She had spoken the truth, but left one detail out. She also wished to inspect the scars supposedly made by the titans.

Partly she was curious, as anyone would have been. But her compassionate sensibilities left her with the urge to inspect the wounds for herself, to see if there was still any chance of making her poor brother’s scars fade.

The skin of Hades' milky white thighs was still as soft as ever, except for where it was marred by the puckered tissue of scars. Guessing that the brands had been burnt as well as carved into Hades' flesh, Demeter failed to hold back a shiver at the thought of her brother's agony.

She lightly trailed her fingers over the distinct shape of a sickle on the god's left inner thigh. The scars were not abominably ugly or even all that noticeable; Demeter had to admit that her own were much more extensive and prominent. They were, however, a constant reminded of his shame, and she could see why Hades was reluctant to let them be seen by anyone.

"You should have seen them right after Atlas carved them into my flesh," Hades said, his voice pulling Demeter out of her thoughts. "I could smell part of myself being roasted. It was unimaginable. Zeus tried to heal them for me, but his attempts were only halfway successful."

"I see, dearest. If you want, I could try some salves... or maybe potions..."

Hades shook his head. "There is no need," he said. "And besides, I cannot allow myself to hope. Such will only end in greater disappointment."

Demeter, not wanting to press the matter, gave a simple nod. She moved her attention from her brother's scars to his genitals, which did not display any of the signs usually associated with release. Gently the goddess cupped Hades' sac, feeling the two vital globes within. She was loath to imagine him gelded, his scrotum empty and wrinkled, and no longer capable of providing him with arousal.

“You seem to be uninjured here,” she remarked, taking her hand away and soaking the washcloth. “I had feared that perhaps those monsters had caused further damage.”

“No,” Hades plainly said. He looked distracted, as though he was uncomfortable imagining such a fate.

Demeter twisted the excess water from the cloth and began to clean Zeus’ seed from her brother’s naked form.

“You do not show any signs of climax,” she pointed out. “Did you feel any pleasure tonight?”

“No,” Hades answered, arms bent with his hands gathered at his chest. He glanced at the wall as he thought back on the awkward intercourse. “Perhaps for a few minutes… but it went away very quickly.”

Demeter glanced with sympathy at her brother, and then continued to wipe the pale flesh. "Did Zeus cause any pain?” she asked. “Did he hurt you?

“No!” the god quickly replied, looking slightly abashed at the notion. “No, of course he didn’t.”

“Do not be offended, brother,” Demeter said. “I am only curious. Were you in pain, I would have treated you. And I would have to give Zeus a beating.” She grinned playfully at her brother, but Hades did not smile back.

“You need not be so angry with him,” he said. “It was not his fault anyway.”

“Not his fault?!” the goddess echoed. She was not angry, but utterly baffled, taken aback at the reply. “He behaved as though he thought of nothing but his own satisfaction!”

"Zeus has needs!" Hades quickly said, suddenly insistent. "As his mate, it is my duty to see to them, to make sure they are fulfilled." He turned his face away, feeling fresh tears burn behind his eyelids. "If I cannot do that, Zeus will choose someone else as his mate."

Demeter, still in disbelief of what she was hearing, wanted to object but knew she had to choose her words carefully so as not to make Hades feel even worse.

"You were hurt," she said. "Grievously wounded. He must understand that it will take time..."

"Zeus has been very patient with me," Hades said. "I promised him that I would be ready by the time we returned to Crete. I... I could not go back on my promise."

"Hades..."

"His satisfaction is more important than mine, it always has been," Hades insisted. "You know this is true."

The goddess sighed, realizing that it was no use arguing with her brother at this moment. Hades was too deep in his misery to see the logic in her reasoning. She lay down next to Hades instead, wrapping both arms around him.

"Zeus loves you, darling," she said, stroking the other's soft, slightly damp hair. "He would never hurt you on purpose. But his head is thick, and sometimes he has to be told things rather than left to figure them out for himself."

Hades did not answer at first, still staring at the wall as he thought.

“You know it to be true,” Demeter insisted. “He has shown it on several occasions.”

“Yes, I know,” Hades replied, sounded a little impatient now. “Only…”

“Only?”

“I just want him to be happy. I love him so… and it makes me happy to brighten his mood.”

“That is perfectly welcome, dearest,” the goddess said. “And Zeus has proven that he wants the same for you. But simply remember: you must communicate with him. Never be afraid to tell him what you feel, and that includes telling him you are not ready. He loves you, and he will understand.”

Hades placed and arm around her, returning his love. Demeter squeezed her brother for just a moment, and she smiled when he did the same.

“Sleep brother,” she whispered. “Rest your worries for now.”

TBC...
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The Immortal Heart