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rosileeduckie · 1 year

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Hot on your heels

Run, run, run, as fast as you can, you better hope I don’t catch you, or you’re a dead man.

A hellish pursuit ends in pleasant hysterics. For @hexalianrebel-blackfeathers , dear Panda, I hope this will inspire and strengthen you 😊 Also maybe fluster the heck out of you 😈💜

SFW. Potential warnings: none, except Meg being a meanie. Hades: Zagreus/Megaera tickle fic.

Word count: 3,572

~*~

The denizens of the underworld had become accustomed to the sight of the prince dashing through the labyrinthine chambers out of hell. They were no longer surprised, just resigned, at the approach of fiery footfalls of the armed and fiercely determined god wreaking havoc on any wretch to stand between him and his goal of the surface world. Sometimes the stretches between rampaging visits were long, sometimes short, but, eventually, inevitably, the prince would return to cut them down, and the wretched shades and monsters would rise at the call of their lord to slow the prince down as much as they could, to their last breath.

So they were understandably shocked when they were summoned to Tartarus only to see the prince running INTO the depths, fleeing the surface with all the fervor he usually implemented in trying to reach it. Shortly behind him and ostensibly sparking his retreat, the first of the furies tore after Zagreus, her pale blue face burning sapphire and her mouth twisted into a grinning snarl. One slice of her whip and Zagreus was yanked to a stop, caught 'round the ankle and sent sprawling. Megaera leapt, a cobalt lightning bolt arcing through the air between her and her prey, and landed atop Zagreus' back, pinning him to the ground on his front. Her whip seemed to slither of its own accord to loop around his other ankle as well, tightening to secure them together and prevent any attempt at escape.

For a moment that felt much longer than it was, the only sound in the chamber--recently vacated by wretches for fear of whatever horrors the first fury would subject the prince to--was both Zagreus' and Meg's labored breathing. He'd evaded her through quite a few many rooms before getting caught. Likely, she'd LET him stay just out of her grasp so he'd be too tired to fight back once she finally used all her effort to capture him.

When the silence evidently became too much for the voluble prince, he turned his head so as to comfortably smush his cheek against the ghastly stone and opened his mouth, certainly ready to use his breath for rambling instead of running. Meg cut him off before he could, placing a hand, shockingly gentle, upon the middle of his back. The pressure she added as she planted her hand there prompted a startled grunt from him, as she used the bracing hand to adjust her position to straddle his lower back. His forearms were pinned under her knees, and his ears flared crimson under her breath when she leaned in close over him.

"I’m accustomed to recounting crimes before I torture my charges," Meg growled, and Zagreus began to wriggle.

"Meg, Meg, wait, please—"

Zagreus was jolted into silence once more when Meg's other hand touched his back. That time, it was only the tips of her pink nails that met his skin, featherlight and full of devastating promise. "So. Let's do this again." She traced agonizingly slow squiggling patterns down his shoulders and the back of his ribs, edging tauntingly close to his sides as she went on. "I said, "are you seriously spending time using that silly rod to catch bottom feeders? Suits your pitiful extended family; just to their taste, I'm sure."" Meg's eyes flashed in a moment of rage, and Zagreus yelped when the fury's nails dug briefly but harshly into his lower ribcage. "And YOU said…"

Rather than supply what his response had been then, Zagreus rested his forehead against the dark rock below and willed it to absorb the heat in his cheeks. He wasn't digging his own grave, just begging the ground to swallow him whole and save him from Meg's wrath. Well. If he'd really wanted to avoid her ire, he wouldn't have provoked her, digging his own grave in the first place. "Somehow," he said, nose squished against the stone in his best attempt to bury himself, "this hasn't jogged my memory—blood and—!"

"You, HIGHNESS," and she added venom to that title by squeezing her fingertips into either side of his lower back and the jut of his hips, "no, Meg—"

"I do not sound like that—"

Another squeeze from Meg, another yelp from Zagreus, and she carried on. "You said, "no, Meg, this is what I do whenever I miss you, seeing as it often yields me slimy creatures with all your charm and wit."

Okay, yes, in hindsight, even with Meg pitching her voice down and jutting out her jaw to make it sound stupid… it had been a hilarious sting. Zagreus could hardly apologize for that. Especially when it had gotten him exactly the outcome he'd expected. Been hoping for. "Meg, come on," he said, more than ready to defend his comedic genius if it meant pissing her off more.

Such defense was cut off succinctly when she used both hands to shove him further into the ground. She used the momentum of the push to swing forward, bearing down on his ear once more with a furious whisper. "Do you think I can let that go unpunished, Zagreus?"

Zagreus was not unaware that nearly all his attempts to reply had been abruptly and aggressively cut off. Meg clearly wasn't interested in him talking. So he only grunted as she lifted her hands off him, biting his lip as she pulled away only to her fingertips and went back to tracing his back in that maddeningly slow and light pattern.

"This isn’t an errand your father has me running to slow you down. Now, it’s personal. You’ve insulted me. And I will not let that stand."

"Nor let me stand, it would seem," he couldn't help but remark.

Meg scoffed, certainly rolling her eyes. "Very funny. Let’s see how funny you find this."

The rapidly shifting dichotomy was going to undo him long before her vengeful appetite was satiated, he just knew it. The delicate but devious touch of her nails on his back, gentle enough to give him goosebumps and sharp enough to figuratively cut through the fabric of his tunic, was starkly contrasted by the strength she wielded against him. She wrestled him easily onto his side, and her whip slithered quickly up and around his wrists to lash them together and bind them above his head. In a flash, he was on his back, hopelessly helpless beneath the grip of her whip and the pin of her thighs on his waist. Apparently, she had granted him enough mercy by barely allowing him to plead his case. She gave him not more than a second--during which, he would have sworn, he could hear the sharp unsheathing of judgment blades as Meg bared her pink claws--before she attacked. Viciously, ruthlessly, with all the kindness of someone with too much experience in punishing, and experience in that exact kind. She plucked a hellish tune along the left side of his ribs, accompanied by his own sudden rushing shriek that descended into panicked, elated laughter. Scratching and scribbling tirelessly, Meg's nails made thorough treks up and down and back and forth across just the one side of his ribs, skating along the tips of the bones and vibrating torturously between them. But she didn't stop there. While the nails of her right hand did their damning dance on his ribs, her other hand hovered over his armpit--he could see it just barely through the laughter induced tears on his eyelashes, and, only when he had seen the newest form of his destruction--and swiftly descended. And treated the pale vulnerable hollow to the softest tickling imaginable from claws so sharp. Her fingers left lightning in their wake, delicately frying his nerves with sensation and softness. As her fingers on his back had all but ignored the fabric of his tunic to send shivers down his spine, they now seemed to ignore his skin, tickling right down to his immortal core.

And then she switched sides.

Moreover, her hands departed from his left side in favor of his right, but she also switched techniques. Now, it was his right armpit that suffered under the clawing vengeance, and his ribs that were teased, featherlight and unbearable. The howling laughter bursting from his lips left him little space to think, to decide which combination had been worse. Neither could he see the fiendish smile upon her face at having so easily reduced him to such a state—how she was enjoying herself as much as he was, and she knew it.

Desperate, dizzy gulps of air slowly overtook Zagreus’ laughter when Meg stilled her havoc-wreaking hands. He’d become so overwhelmed by and comfortable to her touch that he didn’t register she hadn’t pulled away, only stopped. So his giggly, gasping reprieve was interrupted by his own hiccupping yelp when Meg moved, her fingertips ghosting down his chest and torso until they settled on his lower belly, the soft spots on either side of and beneath his navel. Zagreus whined through his tittering and weakly shook his head. “No,” he babbled, giddy and unconvincing to either himself or Meg. “No, no, don’t—”

“You’ve had to beat me to get out of Tartarus,” said Meg, holding her hands in place, still, above the spot that had Zagreus pleading already, as she bowed over his beaming face. “Don’t tell me this is all I need to do to beat you.” Both the scoffing edge to her voice and the taunting glint in her eye softened as she leaned closer, smiling and teasing. “Really, darling? All it takes to break the Prince of the Underworld is to make him laugh?” He shook his head, ears aflame as though her very words were tickling him as well. Meg chuckled, lowering her voice and lips close to his flushing ears. “To softly tickle under his arms and between his ribs and around his belly button?”

When he shook his head that time, Zagreus couldn’t help but slow his movement—the only he could muster under how she held him—so as to keep his ear turned toward her and his burning cheek buried in his bicep. “Meg—” he managed through his piddly protests.

“Maybe,” mused Meg, leaning back and tipping her head thoughtfully and ignoring his words as consistently as she had the past hour, “next time you fight me and my sisters, I’ll tell them about this little trick. Better yet, show them.” Her once-soft grin sharpened back into something wickeder under his wide-eyed, mortified yet eager gaze. “All three of us with you at our mercy. Bet I could even rope a wringer or two into holding you down so the three of us could fully devote all our attention to you, get revenge for all the times you’ve defeated us. Sounds fun, doesn’t it?” Zagreus stiffened as she leaned in once more, a shiver passing bodily through him as she pressed a kiss to his forehead. “For now, it’s just me you’ll have to survive. And, cute as you are, I haven’t forgotten why I’m doing this.”

He’d probably still be giggling if she hadn’t stolen the breath from him with such a ruthless plot for his next run in with the fury sisters. Instead, when his breath returned, he used it just to wheeze out, “I’m sorry.”

Meg rolled her eyes and chuckled. Just a twitch of her fingers into his belly, along with the following squeal that jolted from his chest, was enough to remind Zagreus of what awaited him in the present—never mind what he would have to look forward to in the future. “That’s nice,” Megaera said with a yawn, slipping her hands under the hem of his tunic. “But this is not to get an apology. This is for the consequences of your actions. And you knew that, or you wouldn’t have been such a little shit in the first place.”

Either his lapse in hysterical laughter or her own words spurred her into action, and Meg renewed her onslaught. With incredibly brutal softness, she scribbled her vicious fingers into his sensitive flesh, prompting from him a fresh and raucous bout of guffawing. It wasn’t just the physical attack; his exhaustion from having fought so hard through Tartarus and then having sprinting back, her teasing words planting images in his mind of countless damned hands reducing him to giggly shreds, and his relief to be swept away in it all—all the odds were stacked against him. In truth, the spot Meg had picked wasn’t so devastatingly sensitive. Sure, Zagreus could quickly melt into a happy puddle when tickled there, but her revenge would surely be better suited to the weaker spots she had already tormented. He’d been a little shit; knew that. Meg was vengeful; he knew that, too. What she knew, that maybe he didn’t or didn’t want to admit, was that Zagreus gave better than his all no matter what challenge he faced. Didn’t falter, didn’t give up, and didn’t rest. Unless someone who loved him very dearly held him down—or tired him so completely that he couldn’t do anything else—and ensured he rested. So even if Zagreus was flustered and laughter-drunk and exhausted, he was happy. Meg knew and loved him well enough to make it easy for him to get the rest and attention he wanted and needed, even if he couldn’t ask for it.

Maybe he’d rather die than ask for it. Or maybe Meg just wanted to kill him, he thought dazedly as Meg left his stomach to shake and suffer under lingering phantom tickles. He thought so, only because she pushed against the stone on either side of his legs to give herself the leverage to swing around facing away from him and to straddle his knees.

“Wait, wait—!”

The hoarse exclamation—the only so far to actually call for Meg to be diverted from her doling out of his punishment—was only made more sincere by Zagreus reaching to clutch Meg’s shoulder and stop her. Well. He tried to. Her whip was still wound around his forearms, so, though he could sit up, he couldn’t grab anything very effectively. He settled for earnestly flapping his hands against her back, shrinking only a little when she looked over her shoulder to glare challengingly at him.

“You—” Zagreus cleared his throat, nodding to his burning feet, “you’ll burn yourself.”

Megaera raised an eyebrow and scoffed, sending him teetering once more onto his back with a shove. “Oh, now you’ll be considerate? No, thanks, Zag.”

He was going to try to halt her once again, but the grin she turned back to cast him, so confident and evil, persuaded him otherwise, pinning him as effectively as her thighs did his knees. As he watched, she held up a hand, and, with a burst of magenta fire, shadows began to coil up her fingers like black flame, like burning smoke with no smoldering source. Zagreus tipped his head quizzically, still panting from the previous bout of belly laughter. That roiling, rising black fog… it almost looked like…

“Recognize this?” Meg guessed. She then explained, “From your spats with Tisiphone. Spectral shadows that relieve you of sight and speed.”

Of course, Zagreus realized, nodding but still squinting in confusion. In his fights against her, Tisiphone summoned souls and shadow to form a storm of darkness that kept Zagreus from landing any blows while she decimated the chamber in which they fought to give him less room to maneuver. But why did Meg…?

“Picked up that trick from her and made it my own,” she went on, holding the hand gloved in darkness over his chest for him to examine at a closer distance. “This is suffocating shadows. Relieves the area it surrounds of light and breath.” Though she hadn’t held it near enough for Zagreus to feel such effects, Meg pulled her hand away, reaching to the other end of his body and touching two fingers to his ever-burning calf. The small patch of fire surrounding where she touched fizzled out, leaving nothing but deathly pale skin. Zagreus blinked wonderingly at the display. It didn’t hurt, and, when she lifted her hand, fire quickly consumed the spot, yet her hand remained unharmed. “Quite devastating when used offensively,” she said, turning her hand one way and then another to watch the black flame curl and rise. “It will suit my needs now. Hopefully still devastating, but not as deadly.”

Her golden eyes flashed as she set her gaze from the fireless smoke back to Zagreus. Had he not been temporarily cured of his usual cleverness, he might have said she took away his breath just fine without the aid of magic when she looked at him like that.

“And, I swear,” Meg growled through a grin, “if you die on me before I am satisfied with my revenge, I will drag you out of the Styx, tickle you back to life, tickle you to death, and do so repeatedly until I am satisfied.”

Struck dumb for one of the few times in his life (even though a substantial amount of those times had occurred in that short day alone), Zagreus, throat dry, nodded.

Once more, Meg softened, giggling herself at the delighted terror on the prince’s face. “You’re strong enough to win against me any other time. You’re strong enough to last through this. You know I know that, don’t you?”

She knew too much, he thought, cheeks burning as he nodded again.

The warmth she granted him was quickly overtaken by the blazing fire of vengeance. “Good. Because if you can’t last when you practically begged for it, you ought to think twice next time before you get smart with me.”

The indignant squeak from the prince’s throat was torn through by a panicked squeal as Meg chuckled sinisterly and donned a second shadowy gauntlet before unleashing hell upon his innocent soles.

It wasn’t fair. Funnily enough for a fellow with fiery feet, Zagreus was no stranger to being tickled there. In general, it wasn’t a very well-kept secret that the mouthy prince could be calmed or quieted after being coerced to laugh until his sides were sore. He’d suffered under enough merciless merriment often enough that the most sadistic of his friends and family—usually his current tormenter and sometimes, funny enough for such a stoic character, Thanatos—that all of his weak spots had been targeted at some point or another. So common a weak spot for others could not be ignored, even with so convincing a deterrent as literal hellfire. Zagreus had thus suffered under some pretty creative means around his perpetual fire slippers and been wrecked to the fullest. He wasn’t even as ticklish on his feet as other spots, but how much harder they were to get at made them a novelty, and so never failed to make him lose his mind at the reminder of how bad it could tickle.

In a tortured song that could put the damned to shame, Zagreus thrashed and wailed, howling cachinnation echoing up into the caverns of Tartarus no matter how he tried to muffle it in his fists or Meg’s back. Even when he clung to her, she paid no mind, fully intent on her self-appointed duty. Her shadow-shielded fingers skated unimpeded up and down his soles, chasing shrieking laughter and sputtering flame almost as fast as either could be produced by the chortling prince beneath her. If Zagreus forgot each time how ticklish his feet could be, Meg remembered for him, every spot and every method to be wielded against him for ultimate destruction.

Her pink talons scribbling beneath his toes with special attention between his third and fourth, fluttering along his heels, raking up down his instep in unpredictable rhythm—every evil technique she used against him, both of her own devising and that she’d “picked up” as well, sent him further spiraling into elated, screaming laughter, until he couldn’t remember why he’d provoked her in the first place, where he’d been running to that had made his feet so sore for attention, couldn’t think of anything but that deliciously devilishly overwhelming need to laugh, to surrender to Meg’s hands, to her care. To trust that, if he couldn’t ask for lack of confidence or lack of breath, she knew what he wanted.

He may have had one foot in the Styx when she did, finally, deem his punishment sufficiently completed. At least, he’d lost enough oxygen laughing to have gone very loopy and very limp. Megaera chuckled, rolling her eyes fondly, and swung her leg off him to instead lay beside him, tousle his hair and touch his flushed and smile-stuck face. She may have spoken to him, but Zagreus felt like he was floating, like his ears were full of cotton and her voice was too far away to make out. But she smiled, and he was already smiling but he smiled back, and then he was floating because she lifted him easily into her arms and carried him toward the house at the heart of hell.

Zagreus leaned into the warmth of her shoulder and, at last, found excuse enough to let himself rest. He hoped his slurred speech amounted to something like “thanks” before he drifted off to the swaying step of her gait. He may have been dreaming already, but he thought he could hear her loving reply.

“You’re welcome, you damn idiot.”

#ro writes #hades tickling #ticklish!zagreus #zagreus x megaera #lee!zagreus #ler!meg #unleash me not upon your blorbos #apparently i would love to make them suffer #tickling #writing #mine: edits

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worst-t4t-couple · 1 year

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ALL Pairings are out! Long post, so look under the cut!

Round 1 1/4

Sweep, cap’n, k_k VS Jay Walker, Nya

Vee, Marsha VS Bruce Wayne, Selina Kyle

Cherry Blossom Joe VS Doofinsmerch, His Ex-Wife

Percy jackson, Annabeth Chase VS Jack O Valentine, Sol Badguy

Josuke Higashikata, Yasuho Hirose VS Lug, Anode

leorio, kurapika VS Nepeta Leijon, Equius Zahhak

Luz Noceda, Marcy Wu VS Varian, Hugo

Swap, Neo VS Queen Roger and Fly Minetti

Daffy, Bugs VS Vash, Wolfwood

Ren Amamiya and Goro Akechi VS Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson

Sam, Max VS Hunter, Willow

Stepan trofimovich, Varvara Petrovnad VS Rex Salazar, Noah Nixon

nellie lovett, sweeney todd VS Tim Drake, Bernard Dowd

bubby, dr coomer VS Neku, Beat

Dave Miller, Jack Kennedy VS Kermit, Mrs. Piggy

Cleo, Etho VS Zelda, Link (Rip)

Chip, Gillion VS X, Zero

kagayama shigeo, hanazawa teruki VS Kris, Berdly

Caranthir, Haleth VS Jonathan Sims, Martin Blackwood

Marc Anciel, Nathaniel Kurtzberg VS Miyamoto Uran, Sapphire

Texas, Church VS Solid Snake, Otacon

Gundham Tanaka, Sonia Nevermind VS Phillip Carlyle,Anne Wheeler

Soos, Melody VS Red, Blue

Jungleberry Cookie, Royal Berry Cookie VS Blaze, Sonic

LDshadowlady, Smallishbeans VS Mr. Neighbor, Wegg

clark kent, lois lane VS Popeye, Olive Oyl

Round 1 2/4

Brandon Quark, Doctor Robotnik VS Elrond, Celebrian

Yoo Joonghyuk, Kim Dokja VS stanford pines, fiddleford mcgucket

Pepa & Félix Madrigal VS Duskie & Hibiscus

Emu Otori, Rui Kamishiro VS momoe and kaoru

C!fundy and c!hbomb VS Anne Boonchuy, Sasha Waybright and Marcy Wu

Agent 3 and Agent 8 VS c!schlatt & c!connor

Zoro Roronoa and Sanji Vinsmoke (Black leg Sanji) VS Miles Morales and Gwen Stacy

Herbert West & Daniel Cain VS Snorkmaiden & Mymble Jr

charles "trip" tucker and t'pol VS Mytho & Princess Tutu (NOT duck; just her princess form)

Gregory House and James Wilson VS luz and amity

Paintbrush and Lightbulb VS Vriska Serket & June Egbert

geordi and data VS peter sqloint and rumi sqloint

Q!ElMariana and Q!Slimecicle VS Poor Boy and Love Interest

Scar and Grian VS Jolyne/Anasui

Kian Stone, Rolan Deep and Timothy Rand VS Dr. Boris Habit and Kamal Bora

red guy and duck VS MK & Red Son

jonathan harker and mina murray harker VS Zagreus/Thanatos/Megaera

Crowley and Aziraphale VS Denki Kaminari and Kyoka Jiro

Tuor and Idril Celebrindal VS Snorpy and Chadlo

jack harkness x the tardis VS Mizuki akiyama and mafuyu

Jackieboyman and Marvin the Magnificent VS Arashi Narukami and Mika Kagehara

Barbie, Ken VS ron and desiree delite

Steven Universe & Connie Maheswaran VS Magnus Burnsides and Julia Burnsides

Kanan Jarrus and Hera Syndulla VS castiel and dean winchester

Eda and Luz’s mom VS Jadzia Dax & Kira Nerys

c!Tubbo and c!Ranboo VS Rex Salazar & Circe

Round 1 3/4

Pixal + Zane VS Apollo Justice + Klavier Gavin

The Monarch and Dr. Ms Monarch VS Juno Steel and Peter Nureyev

Kaito and Meiko VS Kamille Bidan & Fa Yuiry

Sun Wukong and Six-Eared Macaque VS Skwydd & Cricket

Sasha Nein and Milla Vodello VS Wade Ripple & Ember

Byakuren Hiijri and Toyosatomimi no Miko VS Cosmo, Wanda

Roboky and Venom VS Cellbit and Roier

Numerous BFDI ships VS Hiccup, Astrid

Beatrix and Casey VS anakin skywalker and captain rex

Raven and Beast Boy VS Neo and Trinity

Mario, Princess Peach VS Rashmi Jamil and Amelie Maçon

Denji, Asa Mitaka VS Vivi Yukino and Lewis Pepper

Benrey and Gordon VS Lace and Hornet

Beren and Luthien VS neku sakuraba, joshua kiryu

Shin and Noi VS Morticia and Gomez Addams

Paul Matthews and Emma Perkins VS Moomin, Snufkin

james t kirk + s'chnn t'gai spock VS Nico Robin and Franky

Dave Strider and John/June Egbert VS Moominmamma & Moominpappa

Edward Nygma and Oswald Cobblepot VS shaun riley and liz

louis and lestat VS Spamton, Jevil

fox mulder and dana scully VS will t riker + deanna troi [+ worf rozhenko]

Amy Rose, Metal Sonic VS Quackity and Slimecicle

Diego Brando & Hot Pants VS Elrond and Celebrian and Gil-Galad

mia fey & diego armando/godot VS Luigi and Prince Peasly

C!Quackity, C!Karl, and C!Sapnap VS Sonic, Shadow

Drey Ferin and Finn Tidestrider VS Edward Elric and Winry Rockbell

Round 1 4/4

Shaggy and velma VS Surge the Tenrec and Amy Rose

Yamato/Portgas D. Ace VS audrey & seymour

Randy Jade and Oliver Swift VS Tsukishima Kei and Yamaguchi Tadashi

Lup and Barry Bluejeans VS Reimu and Marissa

Mizuki Akiyama & Rui Kamishiro VS Jimmy The Robot and Mc Bat Commander

C!Quackity and C!wilbur VS Espresso cookie and Eclair cookie

Junpei, Akane Kurashiki VS Obi-Wan Kenobi & Satine Kryze

Raine Whispers and Eda Clawthorne VS Danny Zuko and Sandy Olsen

Maxwell 'William' Carter and Charlie W. VS Mothwing and Leafpool

Naruto Uzumaki & Sasuke VS Baxter Stockman and The Alien Computer

Keith Kogane and Lance McClain VS Wood Man and Robbie Rotten

Scott and Barda Free (Mister Miracle and Big Barda) VS John Notwoodman + Nick Lushwood

Caranthir and Haleth VS Susie and Noelle

orpheus and eurydice VS The doctor, Rose

luke skywalker and mara jade VS Princess Daisy and Luigi

time and malon VS Simon (Scissor) and Spoon

Dave strider, Karkat Vantas VS Miles “moles,” Edgar, and Madeline

Mary Anta and Reginald Tetra VS Koichi Haimawari and Kazuho Haneyama

Yoshi and Birdo VS lazlo & nadia

Celebrimbor and Annatar VS Rendog and DocM77

Jesse + Jane VS Adira Tal and Gray Tal

Matt Murdock, Foggy Nelson VS Dazai Osamu and Nakahara

Jessie and James VS jeff and britta

Anji Mito and Baiken VS Shiver and Frye

ALL of MLP* VS ALL of TF2*

*Minus any familial relationships

#Pairings

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zoya-nazyalensy-supremacy · 1 month

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You are so based for that do you play modded? There are so many good minecrft mods modded Minecraft mods my beloved

(Also Baldur’s Gate IS good. I hyperfixated on that game for 5 months I have 570 something hours on it. Highly recommend)

If you like Stardew Valley there is also Sun Haven which is similar I play that one occasionally. Inscryption is good (card game with a storyline that gets very meta)

Also going to recommend Hades just because I’m hyperfixated on it right now and it’s got brilliant character designs and story and the art is amazing. It’s a roguelike and kind of difficult according to most? But there’s god mode which fixes that if you want to focus on the story and characters and stuff. I love Megaera.

Raft is fun to play solo and with friends and it’s not too difficult and pretty expansive and they recently (semi-recently) completed the story part for the full release which is cool

Detroit Become Human also good. Did my first playthrough in one day with a 14 hour play session but there are so many different endings

I don’t play with any mods but it looks so fun, I play on bedrock on my phone, so there aren’t a ton of mods I can get but if I ever switch to a pc there are a ton of like food/farming mods that I’d want to try

the only thing I know about baldurs gate is astarion and the hot red lady (karlac?) but everyone I’ve talked to about it has said it’s really good and it looks fun to play! !!

I’ve never played stardew valley, but I’ll look into those games, I’ve never heard of those two :0

I love the art style for hades, I’ve been kind of hesitant about whether I wanted to play it bc I’m not great at games like that, but god mode sounds cool, I love just completely ignoring the gameplay and just focusing on the characters and story lmao (also I looked up megaera and she looks cool as hell)

I think a couple of my friends play raft together, I don’t really know what it is, but they talk about it in our discord a lot

I’ve heard of Detroit become human and I didn’t even realize it was a video game until recently i thought it was like a show or something 😭😭 it’s a story game right?

thanks for all the recs!!! I have like one ten dollar steam gift card sooo I prob won’t play any of these for a bit until I can actually buy them but I’ll definitely try to get some of these once I can!!!

#asks #also sorry I answered like 4 hours later I was busy (working on my metro system)#I would play minecraft on my pc but I think my computer may actually explode if I do that #/j but also im like. Maybe a little older than it #It’s on its last legs man

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ifishouldvanish · 2 months

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Gutless

Finally posted a smutty MegThan AU I shared on @thehadeslounge discord a while back.

SHIP: Megaera x Thanatos

RATING: Explicit

TAGS: AU - 1990s, Friends With Benefits, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Fingering, Oral Sex

WORDS: 3,179

SUMMARY: Record shop employee Thanatos is in love with his childhood best friend, Megaera–the bold, beautiful, and talented frontwoman of a local band that'll definitely be landing a record deal soon. He'd tell her, of course–but what would be the point? He knows he'd only hold her back.

I… have something I think you might like," Thanatos said, crouching down behind the counter and sliding out the crate of stuff he deemed too good to be out on the floor. Stuff he didn't want landing in undeserving hands, into ears that wouldn't adequately appreciate them. He poked through the collection of cassettes, 8-tracks, and 45s until he found what he was looking for, then rose up and slid the cassette tape across the counter.

Megaera peered down at the worn jewel case with keen interest. The off-white cassette inside had the words Wings of Nemesis - 40 Lashes Demo scrawled over it in black marker.

The mere existence of the thing had practically been an urban legend. Nemesis didn't make many copies of her work apart from the few she had sent to local radio stations and promoters, and while you could probably find a few bootleg copies of subpar quality at a secondhand shop in the area, the masters–where you could actually still hear the highs–were impossibly hard to find.

And when it came to Wings of Nemesis, you needed the highs.

Megaera's lips curved into a grin, and her eyes swept back up to meet his. "How'd you get a hold of this one?" She asked, plucking it off the counter with hot pink nails.

He shrugged, ignoring the sudden dryness in his throat. "I have my sources."

He'd spotted it in a box Charon and Hermes and brought back from their last flea market haul–tossed among the stuff they'd dismissed as junk. The real treasures, as far as they were concerned, were the collection of Beatles, Stones, and T. Rex records in pristine condition that they could sell at a high margin. The demo recordings of a local garage rock band that split up before they could get signed was, in their words, "not worth the space it would take up on the shelf."

He'd started his little collection with the intention of proving them wrong. That the right person would be happy to spend a hefty chunk of change on these little artifacts of the local scene. But the reality was that he was too reluctant to part with most of them, to the point that the only people he ever sold any of them to were Megaera, her sisters, or the people in bands he saw often enough to have some rapport with–the latter only because Alecto had run her mouth about him hooking her up with a Gaea's Revenge record a while back. Nonetheless, he never pushed his wares; only relented when someone asked for something by name.

Unless that someone was Megaera.

"How much you want for it?" She asked.

Thanatos looked down at the counter and drummed his fingers, trying to hide his blush. "It's… yours."

[Continue On AO3]

#hades game #megaera #thanatos #megthan #Megaera x Thanatos

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swagtastic-bougie-pompadour · 1 year

Note

I think if my fuecoco breathed too hot around you, you would explode from all the hair spray

You know that move, Powder? The one that Vivillon can use? Where the target explodes if it uses a Fire-type move?

Yeah, it's like that. Megaera is, luckily, a good girl who would never cause me to explode.

#pkmn irl #pokeblogging #ask clive

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bookgeekgrrl · 3 months

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My media this week (2-8 Jun 2024)

📚 STUFF I READ 📚

🥰 The Shabti (Megaera C. Lorenz, author; Matt Haynes, narrator) - wonderfully fun supernatural adventure romance set in the '30s. Just delightful. feat Horatio, a heckin' chonker of a cat. ilu horatio, even if you don't have a neck.

🥰 The Secret Lives of Color (Kassia St. Clair, author & narrator) - {nonfiction} This was rec'd in one of my discord servers as 'If you are ever in the need for a pleasant-sounding British woman telling you Interesting Facts About Colors then may I recommend The Secret Lives of Color by Kassia St. Clair, which is exactly that for 8 hours' and it was precisely that and it was wonderful and soothing and so interesting.

🥰 MateHub: Legend (MateHub #1) (Marie Reynard) - erotic romance about a wolf shifter porn star who finds a Mate™ in his new human co-star. Tropetastic & hot af, exactly what I wanted from a book with this set up. But my fave thing was the absolutely hilarious porn star names: Richard Knotz, our main MC wolf shifter. Hunter Savage, Max Hardwood, Trick Wilde (coyote shifter, natch). I snorted with laughter every time one came up. [really love a book that just knows what it's trying to do and executes beautifully on that premise]

💖💖 +166K of shorter fic so shout out to these I really loved 💖💖

Transcript: Steven Rogers and James ‘Bucky’ Barnes' appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, February 4, 2017 (deliciousblizzardshark) - MCU: stucky, 2.7K - cute & funny

fighting vainly the old ennui (Fahye) - MFMM: phryne/jack, 13K - AU where Phryne's a jewel thief but Jack's just as fascinated [reread]

Love Runs Wild (DevilDoll) - Teen Wolf: sterek, 9.4K - inspired by the shifter porn romance above, had to reread this fantastic story where they're both porn models & Stiles accidentally shows up to work with a hickey. True forever fave.

📺 STUFF I WATCHED 📺

Magpie Murders - s1, e1

Murdoch Mysteries - s16, e22

The Brokenwood Mysteries - s10, e6

TJ Alexander in conversation with Rachel Reid [Under the Umbrella Bookstore event]

Game Changer - s6, e8

Um, Actually - s9, e8

Smartypants - s1, e4

Doctor Who - s1 (series 14), e6

🎧 PODCASTS 🎧

Short Wave - Psychedelic treatment for PTSD faces misconduct hurdle

WikiHole - Song of the Summer (with Kristen Bell, Kirby Howell-Baptiste and Jackie Tohn)

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - Blue Spring State Park

The Sporkful - Book Tour 1: Do You Really Need That Many Recipe Tests?

Consider This - 'They're somebody's history.' Returning ancient artifacts to their rightful home

NPR's Book of the Day - Kathleen Hanna remembers her path to becoming the OG 'Rebel Girl'

Re: Dracula - June 5: Simple Seriousness

⭐ Vibe Check - Trust The Aunties

Short Wave - Why The Science Of Tides Was Crucial For D-Day

Ologies - Culicidology (MOSQUITOES) Part 1 with Fhallon Ware-Gilmore

99% Invisible #584 - Fact Checking the Supreme Court

⭐ Decoder Ring - Captain Planet to the Rescue

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - Welcome To Wall Drug

⭐ Pop Culture Happy Hour - Doctor Who is enlivened by its new Black, openly queer star

Wild Card with Rachel Martin - Bowen Yang thinks being present is overrated

Off Menu - Ep 252: Jason Mantzoukas

Today, Explained - A win for democracy in India

Short Wave - 'Math In Drag' Explores The Creativity And Beauty In Numbers

Pop Culture Happy Hour - Hit Man And What's Making Us Happy

Dear Prudence - I Bailed on a Family Trip Because My Plane Seat Didn’t Have Enough Legroom—Am I a Monster? Help!

Endless Thread - Scamming the Scammers

Today, Explained - The last good day on the internet

🎶 MUSIC 🎶

Rock Radio • 1980s

"I Melt With You" [Modern English] radio

Shaboozey

Energy Supermix

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incorrect-au-master · 4 months

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What does everyone think about their Hades/Hades II game designs?

Hades: not a big fan of the beard...

Persephone: i'm not sure if i like it or not... on one hand, i get im supposed to look like a mother there, but. On the other hand, WHY DO I LOOK SO TIRED?

Demeter: jeez... i'd look like that if i wasn't immortal...

Melinoe: i'm so pretty...

Zeus: hello handsome <3

Hera: huh... am i really that hot?

Poseidon: DUUUUUDE!

Thanatos: i have... conflicted feelings...

Dionysus: man, im GORGEOUS!

Hermes: not bad~

Aphrodite: ah, it's so hard to imitate perfection~<3

Hephaestus: i don't look bad... a little overwheight maybe?

Ares: hey good looking <3

Apollo: oh my, do i look that good?~

Artemis: *doesnt know they mean a game*

Nyx: ohhh, i look GOOD <3

Hypnos: aren't Than and i supposed to be twins? Not that i'm complaining...

Hecate: CHECK OUT THOSE ABS!

Megaera: do i really look that scary?...

#lore olympus #incorrect lore olympus quotes #future au #ask me anything #hades game

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eriny3s · 7 months

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@singofus asked: Dusa had heard from just general chatter in the House that Meg had been pulled from one job to another as well as supporting her sisters and Thanatos today. So it seemed like a very hard day. It wasn't a scheduled girl's night, but Dusa just couldn't stand by and let Meg come home to just her room. No, it needed to be special. To be ready for Meg to really relax in it. So Dusa made sure that the room was clean, put on the non-flame wax melter with a warm and comforting scent. Next came the bed. Dusa made it so that it was neat but also ready to just be slipped into - with the electric blanket set to turn on via a smart plug (so Dusa could turn it on as Meg arrived onto the estate. Since she would need to debrief first, it meant that it would be cozy by the time that Meg got to her room.) Then a snack and spa hamper was made. It included a freshly made face mask that was made exact to the recipe that Meg liked to use. Dusa had hovered by the kitchen staff to make sure it was made perfectly. Along with that were some sweet and some savoury snacks, though room service of her favourite dinner would also be brought if Meg wanted it. Her favourite lounge pyjamas were also laid out neatly folded onto the bed too and Dusa made sure all her favourite shower and bath items were restocked and ready. The final touch was a letter, since Dusa wasn't really sure if she would want any company. 'I wasn't sure if you wanted a girl's night tonight, I heard it was a very stressful day. But I've made it so you can even have a girl's night on your own. If you want company though then I could totally come over but you don't have to! I hope you can have a relaxing evening and a good night's sleep! You work so hard! D :) x' (Dusa to modern mortal meg! Meg can totally call Dusa or text her if she wants company. Can you tell Dusa's love language is acts of service?)

megaera feels like death warmed over by the time she finally crawls out of the debriefing meeting . by the end she was barely able to keep a polite tone , deeply irritated at being questioned by men less than half her rank , but because they were zeus' employ , felt they could needle her without repercussions .

had she not lost both her knives in the scramble to stay alive with the documents intact , perhaps she would have showed them a lesson .

the concussion she dealt one of them , however , should do well enough instead .

which , of course , got her a bit of a talking to , but at least thanatos kept it short this time . which was fine — meg isn't about to set foot in that hornet's nest of loyalties .

she makes it back to her room on the compound , grateful to have her own space . flicking the lights on , she tosses the keys vaguely near the key bowl and kicks her boots off . she's achy and just wants to lay in bed and not talk to anyone for the next 4000 years .

and then she walks into her bedroom and stops short . she sees the well-made bed with the electric blanket heating up to the perfect temperature , the snack and skincare , a custom facemask — she knows exactly who did this , but the handwritten note seals it .

she could almost cry .

instead she forces herself to strip out of her dirty clothes and toss them in the hamper , and go take a hot but quick shower , wanting to get back to the room as soon as possible . she's still in her robe , wet hair barely combed , treated , and tossed in a claw clip , when she texts dusa .

i got your care package. the whole set up, really. you're always welcome to come over, but i was thinking tonight may be a sleepover kind of night, if you'd be able. i'd like the company. no worries if you can't though, i know this is super last minute, but. just let me know 🩵

#singofus #megaera.#modern mortal.#i'm so unwell i can't with them.#and that this is clearly before they even realize their feelings for each other???#kills me.

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fattybattysblog · 1 year

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Polyamorous ships to get to know me

Rules: Name at least five (no upper limit) polyamorous relationships you love. Each from a different fandom.

Thanks for tagging me @udaberriwrites!

I don't have many poly ships that come from actual fandoms. A lot of them are things me and my friends put together for RPs and stuff.

Saphira, Cyrus, and Samhain (OCs)

Sam and Cyrus are married, but they accepted Saphy into their relationship because they both found her adorable. They keep her safe and are trying to help her with her goal to save the T'vahren species.

2. Thanatos, Zagreus, and Megaera

hot people in love

3. Arin and her team

Arin is ex-rocket, saved her partner Cypher (a mewtwo) from them and went on to make a name for herself as the owner of the "Legendary Daycare" Alter Heights. She rescues her other Pokemon from other teams and they're all genetically enhanced enough to speak and such.

4. Mihawk, Zoro, and Perona

I know some people give them a family dynamic but I like the romantic dynamic.

5. Elenore, Synilear, Raizen, and Somnus

The king of the underworld, his royal guard, a gargoyle, and a human artist. Webcomic in the works.

I'm sorry this is 3/5 my OCs but I honestly don't ship too many poly things in my fandoms. I prefer seeing a lot of people as friends then getting them all romantic together.

#polyamarous #tag game #original character

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udaberriwrites · 1 year

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Kiss drabbles and short fics masterlist!

I have gotten quite a few kiss prompts based on this list already, so... I've decided to make a masterlist of the drabbles I have already done! I hope you like them!

9. ...in public: Kissing in Paris, G, Tao/Elle (Heartstopper) [Also on AO3] - 200 words

10. ...desperatedly: We Shall Meet Again, T, Link/Midna/Zelda (Twilight Princess) [Also on AO3] - 580 words

11. ...in joy: Neutrinos in Bloom, G, Hoshi/T'Pol (Star Trek Enterprise) [Also on AO3] - 200 words

18. ...as encouragement: Music Practice, G, Tara/Darcy (Heartstopper) [Also on AO3] - 500 words

25. ...as a 'yes': And So the Bell Tolls, T, Megaera/Thanatos/Zagreus (Hades Video Game) [Also on AO3] - 200 words

26. ...as an apology: Just for Tonight, G, Wednesday/Bianca (Wednesday) [Also on AO3] - 200 words

30. ...as comfort: Everlasting, G, Arthur/Linus (The House in the Cerulean Sea) [Also on AO3] - 300 words

36. ...to give up control: Sweet Surrender, T, Jayce/Viktor (Arcane) [Also on AO3] - 500 words

48. ...out of habit: On a Hot Summer Day, G, Haley/Penny (Stardew Valley) [Also on AO3] - 444 words

#prompt fic #masterlist #romance

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abookishdreamer · 2 years

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WIP Excerpt: Of Flowers & Darkness (Kingdom of Ichor #1)

Here's another completed chapter of my modern Greek myth retelling series!

A Thousand Years

Hades rolls his neck around, trying to relax his strained muscles as he exits the main building of The Underworld Enterprise. His skull feels like it’s been caved in by a Celestial Bronze hatchet. There was so much paperwork to shift through, so many complaints he had to lend his ears to. Shades of various backgrounds arguing their placement. Didn’t matter one of them was a maniacal murderous sociopath who unleashed their reign of terror on Shimmering Tail Island for a summer or two.

Hades was genuinely surprised at that particular shade’s reaction on him being sentenced to minimum-wage labor in Tartarus. He thought he was being fair when he gave out the final sentence. The shade became belligerent, actually cursing the King- it was almost amusing. Just almost.

After that whole debacle, he had to decompress. He found Megaera in the supply closet, smoking a joint, the musky scent of pot and pure black opium instantaneously calming him. He joined in. To say that now, he was on cloud nine, is an understatement.

Taking a long deep breath of the cold still air, Hades finally opens his eyes, seemingly taking in his surroundings. Hypnos is walking across the street, holding hands with Pasithea, looking vomit-inducingly adorable. Megaera is having a relaxed conversation with Charon by his large black SUV.

Loosening a few buttons of his pressed collared shirt, Hades looks over to his car, and notices a woman standing, with her back to him. He takes in how well the dark blue jeans fit the wearer’s long legs. She turns around- it’s Minthe. With a real actual smile on her face. Her long black hair is pulled away from her face in a high ponytail. He straightens up a bit. Before he can say anything, she pulls him in for a big kiss. Their lips brush against each other for a few seconds before they pull away.

Hades’ cheeks burn hot. “W-what was that for?”

Minthe smiles a bit. “Just wanted to say hi. Or is PDA no longer allowed on company property?”

“I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just, this is a surprise. You’ve never visited me at work before.”

She kisses him again. “I just thought since we’re both giving this thing of ours a real proper try, I should try to do some things that other girlfriends do- like visit their boyfriends after work and inviting them over for dinner.”

Now, Hades was sure that the joint he shared with Megaera was laced with something a lot more stronger and potent than black opium.

“Is the Winter Solstice already here or did the Mall of Olympius have a storewide sale?”

Minthe punches his arm, still smiling. “No! Asshole!”

Hades chuckles a bit, rubbing his arm. “May I ask, what prompted this?”

“I had a good day! I got over three hundred drachmas in tips then I went to the salon for a silk press afterwards! But, don’t get too excited about dinner. It’s not like I cooked! Gods no! My mom actually brought stuff over!”

“Ah, I see,” he starts to say as he closes the gap between them, “what did she bring?”

Minthe traces the outline of his Adam’s Apple with her fingernail, bringing her lips to his ear. “ Um, fried plantains, oxtail stew, rice and beans… and patitsio.”

Hades’ stomach grumbles at the mention of those mouth watering dishes. It would be a pleasant break from all the fast food he’s been scarfing down. Sure, the gods had more finely tuned digestive systems than the average mortal, but the constant diet of olympian burgers and greasy fries were starting to take its toll. He had his own personal opinions about Minthe’s mother, but she’s a damn good cook!

“That sounds absolutely delicious. I’m ravenous!”

Her hands make their way to his belt buckle as she bites her bottom lip. “I’m ravenous too. I barely ate anything on my lunch break.”

They start kissing again, Hades’ mouth sliding and opening against hers, their tongues hungrily grazing each other.

Who knew the lure of an actual home-cooked meal could be such a turn-on?

Someone clears their throat behind them, and they stop. Hecate is standing there, her arched eyebrows raised.

Minthe rolls her eyes, her signature fake smile returning to her face. “Hey, Katie! How are you?”

Hecate flashes them her glittering pearly whites. “Hey… you! I hate to be the wet blanket, but this is important. Work-related. I need to talk with Hades for a sec.”

“Just wait for me, ok?”

Minthe nods her head, folding her arms across her chest, turning her attention to her phone.

Hades joins Hecate by the company’s entrance doors. “Could you at least make an effort to be a bit more cordial?”

She scoffs, adjusting her dagger shaped earrings. “She knows how much I hate that nickname! Looks like things between you two are thawing out.”

“We’re both trying,” he replies, shrugging his shoulders. “So, what’s up?”

“I found her.”

If that make-out session wasn’t enough to shake him out of his high stupor, then those three simple words did. It takes more than a heartbeat for the realization to set into his bones.

Hecate. Actually. Found. Her.

“Are you certain?,” Hades asks, lowering his voice.

She nods her head. “In Samos of all places! That’s the last place I would’ve expected personally, but yes. She’s there, flesh and all.”

“What next?”

“If you’re free, she says she’ll meet you at the townside restaurant in twenty minutes.”

Hades’ heart rattles against his ribcage. This was actually happening. After nearly a thousand years, he was finally going to stare in the eyes he looked into during the first four years of his existence.

Blowing out a tight breath, he clenches his jaw. “Tell her I’ll be there in five.”

“Ok. But before you go, you might need this,” Hecate says, handing him a silk hankerchief from her blood red crocodile leather satchel. She points towards his mouth and he wipes it, the residue of Minthe’s deep violet lipstick on his fingertips.

Hot color creeps up Hades’ ears as he makes his way back to Minthe.

“Are you ready to go?”

He sighs, running his fingers through his ponytail. “I wish, but something came up, something very important and I-”

Minthe chuckles bitterly. “Wow! We can’t even have dinner like a normal couple.”

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Hades tries steadying himself. “Minthe, be fair. If I didn’t have to leave now, you know we’d be well on our way, but there’s somewhere I have to be. You have no idea how imperative it is.”

“How is it that everytime she says jump, you jump? But me? I can’t get one night? What about all those changes we said we’re making? What about what you said to me that night?”

Hades reaches to her, placing his hands on her shoulders, well aware of what she’s alluding to. “I meant what I said that night, ok? Please don’t start this shit with Hecate again. We’re employees and friends, that’s it. After I’m done, I could still stop by your place? A late night dinner?”

He could see Minthe’s lower lip tremble slightly as he silently pleads-

Please don’t cry. Please, don’t cry.

She shrugs his hands off and looks up at him, placing her oversized black aviator sunglasses on her face. “The food might be cold, so just forget it. I’m gonna go over to Alecto’s instead. We’ll have dinner whenever.”

And just like that, she walks away, not looking back.

Hades is pacing back and forth in front of the small townside restaurant. Almost three minutes ago, he had teleported himself to the state of Samos. The golden orange-yellow sun peeks from the lazy cover of stark white clouds. A warm breeze blows by, carrying the scents of honeysuckle, mint, and saffron. To his right, he notices a young couple walking past, feeding each other a cup of frozen yogurt.

Gods, they make Hypnos and Pasithea seem almost tolerable.

He’s had many scenarios play out in his head of what it would be like to see her again. There wasn’t much else to do, being trapped in the stomach of a tyrannical bloodthirsty psychopath. Before Poseidon joined him, all Hades had to visit in his mind were those scant but vivid memories of her. No matter how hard he tried to will his consciousness to forget.

Go in. Just go in.

Turning the brass knob of the restaurant’s door, he walks in. The interior gives off a quaint intimate vibe with paneled windows partly covered by thick orange-gold curtains. A collection of small chandeliers hang from the ceiling, and the walls are a light cedarwood.

Hades walks up to the hostess stand, a young mortal woman with warm brown skin, her hair in long twists. Out the corner of his eye, he takes a look at his shapeshifted form through the reflection of the kitchen door window. Olive skin. A roundish face with small features. Dark brown eyes instead of his usual amethyst hued ones. Short neat black hair.

But the outfit, Sweet Gaia! What was Hecate thinking! A floral print linen shirt, tan slacks, and dark brown oxfords. What. The. Actual. Fuck. Hades makes a quick mental note to burn this outfit to ashes as soon as he returns home.

The hostess clears her throat, jogging him back to the present. “Can I help you?”

“Yes. I’m here to meet someone. Reservations for two.”

The hostess stares down at the reservation book. “Name?”

Swallowing down a huge crater-sized lump, he continues. “Christos Michelakis.”

The hostess eyes’ skims through the pages before she quickly checks off the name with a swift swipe of a pen. “The other party is already here. Right this way sir.”

As the hostess leads Hades through the restaurant, he notices the small round tables being covered with ivory and peach colored linen tablecloths. It’s reasonably filled, with people talking and laughing amongst themselves. Silverware and cutlery quietly clinking and the scent of fresh wine, garlic, and butter fills his nose, making his mouth water. The hostess points to a table near the back and with a polite smile, she walks away.

An older woman sits at the table, a wide brimmed hat obscuring her face. She slowly raises her head and it takes everything in Hades not to teleport himself back to his realm. She’s in her early forties, with the most flawless satin olive skin. Her thick curly dark brown hair falls elegantly to one side down her shoulders. There’s a pair of pearls in her ears and two large diamond rings decorate her pointer and ring fingers. Her short oval shaped nails are painted in a shade of a pomegranate red. The corners of her cat-like brownish green eyes crinkle as her bow shaped lips spread into a shy smile.

“Hades.”

“Mother.”

He abruptly sits down (ignoring Rhea’s outstretched hand), trying to not react outwardly to sitting right across from his mother, in nearly a thousand years. He doesn’t want to acknowledge the fact that she hadn’t changed physically. That she was still so unnaturally beautiful. That even after all this time, he still remembers the beauty mark by the corner of her left eye that disappeared every time she smiled.

“I’m so happy that you tracked me down. I didn’t know you were looking for me!,” Rhea exclaims, removing her hat and setting it beside her wine glass.

Hades clears his throat. “I didn’t look for you. My assistant did.”

“Right! Of course. I just wish to see the actual you, instead of this disguise. I mean, I’m not wearing one.”

“Ah, yes! Because the King of the Underworld stopping by at a small restaurant surely won’t attract any attention. My mistake,” he replies curtly.

Rhea looks down, squishing her lips to the side.

Just then, a waiter walks to them- a male Centaur with pointy facial features in the restaurant’s uniform, a short sleeved light polo shirt with an orange tie. His hooves sound against the tiled floors. “C-can I-I start you two with drinks? Appetizers?”

Hades sucks in a breath. “I’m not eating. Just a glass of blackberry wine, if it’s available.”

Rhea looks up from the laminated menu. “Could I have the tomatokeftedes and another refill, please?” She points to her nearly empty glass of white wine.

With a quick nod the waiter walks away. He quickly returns, fills up their glasses and sets a small plate of steaming hot tomatokeftedes in front of Rhea. Using a small fork, she picks one up and slowly bites into it, before putting the whole thing into her mouth.

Hades stares at her intently while sipping his wine. It was kind of odd at how unassuming and normal she’s behaving. “How’ve you been…. Dealing with things?,” he asks after finishing his glass.

“Oh, right! Things have been good, no complaints. The terms of the bill expired yesterday, so I’m able to be fully out in the open.”

The bill- The Titan Executive Order. He wasn’t there when Zeus drafted it up and presented it to the council. The gist of it was that the Titans, more or less kept a few of their abilities and their immortality remained intact. In return, a few of them (meaning just Rhea) were sent out to serve their term of banishment. A total joke to Hades, if anyone asked him about it.

“How are things in The Realm of Darkness? I must imagine it's different now to how it was during my time!,” Rhea says, taking another deep fried tomato fritter, dipping it into tzatziki sauce before putting it into her mouth.

“Different? It’s dark and cold. Just like it was all those eons ago.”

“Some things had to have changed? I read an article in Modern Olympus about your company, is it? You’ve changed things! I’m proud of you.”

Hades raises his eyebrows. His heart threatens to jump out of his throat.

Is she actually serious?

“Proud of me?,” he repeats incredulously.

“Of you and your brothers! The three of you managed to take your realms into a new century! Just look at how well Olympius is thriving! Just the other day, I went to a local gift shop and I bought figurines of you boys!”

The anger that Hades managed to put away before he walked in, was now simmering in his veins. “Proud of you” is such a default mother thing to say, but she hadn’t been anything close to a mother to either of them for a thousand years! Sure, Zeus was a spoiled prick, but he could at least attest that he was not under her influence.

“Were you proud of me when I was freed from that monster’s stomach?,” he asks bluntly, the word father being way too generous to use.

Rhea sucks in her bottom lip, lowering her eyes.

“Were you proud of yourself when you allowed that beast to devour me and Poseidon?”

Still no answer.

Gods, I should’ve gone with Minthe. I managed to stab myself in the foot, yet again.

“That’s what I thought. You can’t be proud. You barely know me.”

“U-uh, the girl who contacted me? She’s your girlfriend?,” she asks instead, completely ignoring his statement.

“Hecate and I work together. She’s my advisor and a good friend as well. She’s been there for me since the beginning.”

Rhea nervously gulps down the rest of her wine. “Oh! My apologies! I saw something on Fatestagram not too long ago. You’re dating a naiad, what’s her name? Mindy?”

“It’s Minthe. You’ve been stalking my Fatestagram profile?”

“How else was I supposed to keep track of you and your brothers?,” she replies, forcing herself to smile. He could see through the easygoing facade. It was breaking down. Fast.

“You’re really not going to take any responsibility for the role you played in this mess?,” Hades asks, leaning closer. “This wasn’t a social call to facilitate some lovelorn mother/son reunion. I could care less how you’re doing considering the way you showed how much you cared all those years ago. I’ll never forget.”

With her glistening eyes, she reaches over, placing her hand on top of his. “Aideonus-”

He quickly snatches his hand away. “DON’T…. You dare call me that name,” he spits out.

Pulling his hand away, his wine glass falls to the floor, shattering instantly. The table nearby, which sat a young mother and two toddlers, notices, with the young woman shifting a worried glance to Rhea.

She sniffles. “If you don’t want anything to do with me, then I can’t force you. And I can’t change anything else that has happened. Can I just ask one thing of you? Just one?”

“Let me guess, money? Sure it doesn’t hurt, being that your son also doubles as the god of wealth. Need some new accessories?”

“Of course not! I don’t need your money,” Rhea starts to say as she presses her lips together. “I live a comfortable life. I take care of myself. All I want is for you to persuade your brother to let me see the grandkids.”

Hades’ face goes blank. “I’m sorry?”

“I want to be a part of, or at least involved with the family. Zeus forbade me from contacting any of them. Seeing how you're the oldest, maybe he’ll take it better hearing it from you.”

To his surprise, Hades starts laughing. Laughing so hard that many of the restaurant's patrons swivel their heads to look.“Why on earth do you think I’d help you? And why do you even think it’s plausible for Zeus of all people to listen to me? You’re more foolish than I gave you credit for.”

A single tear falls down Rhea’s cheek as she audibly gasps, the words hitting her like a slap to the face. For a brief moment, there’s a pang of guilt in Hades’ stomach, but he forces it back down.

“It’s not foolish, t-to want the family back together. Poseidon tried but he c-”

“Whoa! What do you mean by “Poseidon tried?,”’ In fact, how would you know anything about him?”

“We talked about it during dinner last week.”

He draws his lower lip between his teeth. “You two are in touch?”

“For about a year or so. I thought he told you.”

All the color from Hades’ shiftshaped face drains completely, recognition taking over his expression. Poseidon’s attendance to the monthly poker games have also been flighty at best. At the games he did attend, he always smelt of cologne, his breath smelling of seafood. The constant texting, Hades assumed it must’ve been a new conquest.

A dull sharp ache vibrates against his skull and he can feel his skin become clammy. Hades gets up from his seat, his lips drawn back in a snarl.

“Please, don’t go,” Rhea whispers.

“You’re unbelievable. How do you live with yourself?”

With that, he runs to the restroom, bumping into a man leaving one of the stalls.

“Psoli!,” the guy calls out in an annoyed tone.

Hades rushes to the last stall at the end, locking the door behind him. Kneeling over the toilet, he sticks his face in, loudly gagging and heaving, trying to empty the contents of his stomach, with no result.

He heaves and heaves until his throat begins to burn, but nothing ever comes out. Feeling desperate, he sticks his finger at the back of his throat and a watery dark substance leaves his mouth- the blackberry wine. With his breathing still haggard, Hades collapses on the floor, clutching the toilet.

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