Hermes (ever_mercurial) wrote in nevermore_logs, @ 2010-11-08 17:48:00 |
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Entry tags: | hades, hephaestus, persephone |
Who: Hades, Persephone, Hephaestus
Where: Hades' home
When: Backdated to last Friday
What: AMIRITE Catching up
Warnings: Possible language
Note: Reposted as a favour, originally posted by Hades, Persephone and Hephaestus
Hades was, nor ever would be a truly social person. Decades of living with the dead had left with him with a dislike of the living. The dead were quiet, and knew their place. But he no longer dwelled in his realm, and as a semi-prosperous man with his own business he was expected to do some social things. He also indulged his wife in them, knowing there was less to do now neither of them spend their days judging the dead.
He did look forward to seeing his nephew. Hades generally cared little about his siblings actions, as long as they did not impact him or his, but for the god-smith he made an exception. He knew the bitter taste of being cast out, and disliked. And he did feel sorry for the man for being stuck with Aphrodite.
Both Persephone and Cerberus had been informed of the guest and so Hades sat in the parlor, which was decorated in rich red velvets (despite rumors black got boring quick), waiting for his nephew. He was a patient man so waiting was not something he minded. His pace was set to the steps of the dead, and still he could not get used to the mortals ways of always rushing.
Persephone, on the other hand, could be quite sociable when the mood suited. When Hades had mentioned that Hephaestus would be coming by she found herself in a very odd mindset. Instead of asking any of the help to arrange provisions for the occasion she bustled off to the kitchen to do it herself. Cheese, crackers, and various other items were put on platters and set out, giving the appearance that this house was both lived in and used to the prospect of entertaining. It pleased her on some level to know how to properly entertain a guest.
Flitting about the parlor while the waited for Hephaestus to arrive, Persephone glanced over to where Hades was sitting. There was something pleasant, almost normal even, about how things had been between them of late. Clearly, he was doing what he could to remind her of why she grew to care for him in the first place, and it was working.
Hephaestus found himself looking forward to seeing Hades and Persephone. It really had been too long. His uncle was one of a very few people that he both liked and respected, and it would be good to see them both, and to leave his house for a time. Not to mention that Hades seemed to like Zeus even less than he did.
Finding the house hadn't been much of a problem, and he got out of the cab, straightening his jacket as he walked up the front steps. Ringing the bell, he took a step back and waited for someone to answer.
It had been mildly amusing to see Persephone flutter about the house, even if he reminded her that's why the help was there. But if she was happy he would not give much voice to it.
When the bell rang he glanced to Persephone, then to the servants, wondering who would get to the door first. He would simply wait, ready to greet the guest when he arrived inside.
It was obvious that Hades found her actions amusing, however she was taking this quite seriously. Their first guest of the season should get a more personal touch.
Hearing the bell and realizing that Hades wasn't going to get it, Persephone shook her head slightly at the servant who had set off in that direction, choosing to answer instead. "Hephaestus," she smiled softly, "do come in."
"Thank you, Lady Persephone, how are you?" he asked, stepping inside and glancing around. "You have a beautiful home, thank you for having me."
His gaze fell on Hades, seated in the parlor. "Hello, Uncle," he said, nodding to him. "And how are this evening?"
While things had changed, Hades would still wait for guests to come to him. It was sheer habit. When Persephone went to get the door he shook his head, then ordered a few glasses and a bottle of scotch.
When his nephew appeared Hades only gave a nod and rose to his feet, one hand settling on Cerberus' head, who despite orders was still curious about the god invading his territory. "Nephew. Do come in. I am well enough, yourself?"
Cerberus was released to allow him to sniff around Hephaestus' feet. With a shake of his head, Hades indicated the chairs. "Sit please. Ignore him, let's every damned soul sneak past my gates and now pretends to be a guard dog." Despite the cold tone, Hades was somewhat joking. He knew none of them had the power to keep the heroes in their place.
Persephone, on the other hand, wasn't used to letting servants handle everything just yet, certain habits die hard. She knew Hades probably thought she was strange, but she felt Hephaestus deserved to be greeted by one of them.
"You're quite welcome, and I'm doing well. Please, make yourself comfortable." She led the way into the parlor, taking a seat as she heard Hades begin speaking. She felt proud of the home she shared with Hades, knowing others found it beautiful.
"He's a perfectly fine guard dog, it's not like there's much to guard against here." The words were out of her mouth before Persephone could stop them, but she tempered them with a slight grin.
"I'm glad to hear it." He followed her into the parlor, settling into an available chair.
He politely held out a hand for Cerberus to sniff, after all, he was the visitor here. "He suits you both, and the house," he remarked, watching the mastiff. "At least in my opinion."
He sat back in his chair. "I'm doing well, Uncle. The cold is settling into my bones, but other than that, no complaints."
He glanced towards Persephone, "you coddle the beast." There was no steel behind the words. The Iron Queen ruled even Hades. And she was right. The Gates of his realm had long been left unattended, but he still kept his to his standards.
"Do sit, wife." He watched Cerberus inspect Hephaestus and shrugged, "I can't get rid of him it seems." Not that he'd want to. Cerberus had been his since he'd taken his throne. He was fond of the mangy beast.
Critically he watched his nephew, "you seem to be doing alright." he handed Hephaestus a glass, "despite appearances of relatives."
She rolled her eyes at Hades' remark, "I do not, I treat him like a beloved pet." Since there were no gates for Cerberus to guard she had come to think of him like more of a pet than his original purpose. So long as he didn't mind.
"Of course, before I do does anyone need anything?" She reached for some cheese and crackers, putting them on a plate for herself. She listened as Hades and Hephaestus chatted, clearly pleased.
Nodding slightly, she perked up. "Hades is right, you look well."
"You're both very kind," Hephaestus replied, accepting the glass and taking a sip. The scotch burned smoothly as it went down, and he said, "Excellent scotch, Uncle."
In response to Persephone's question, he said, "No thank you, I'm fine."
"I have found," he said, choosing each word carefully, "that the best way to avoid conflict with...relatives, as you say, is simply to avoid them. If my parents want nothing to do with me, if they feel that I am a mistake, then I am only too happy to keep clear of them. Several millennia is not likely to change their minds."
"Which proves my point. He's no pet." Pride kept Hades from saying that. Cerberus was like a partner to him, more then just some animal to string along. His point was proven by how smart the damned thing was, in his mind.
He merely nodded at the compliment. Hades liked fine things. Underneath it all he was still first born prince to a tyrant. Even if his brother had taken all the laurels. He looked at Persephone as if willing her to calm down, although her energy was refreshing to him.
"Problem with that is, this city is too small. And my brother likes poking his business where he doesn't belong. I was not even left alone in my realm."
"You're right; pet implies a lack of sense and Cerberus is more self-aware than your average pet." Agreeing with him was something Persephone didn't mind doing when Hades made a valid point, which happened more likely tham most would think.
While there was a time when he would have asserted himself by force, nowadays she took comfort in the fact that Hades seemed more likely to invoke logic instead. It made their dealings much easier to know she could express an opinion and he would hear her out and they could debate instead of fight.
"There are ways of avoiding people even in circles as small as ours," Persephone commented, breaking off a piece of cheese and nibbling on it. "I can't remember the last time I saw my father, and my mother knows well-enough to keep her distance during this time."
"I can't recall the last time I saw my father either," he replied. "Though I have to say, I am not at all upset by that fact."
"He does that, he seems to think it's his prerogative," Hephaestus replied. "But I don't think he has never cared for me, so if I keep my head down, I should be able to avoid him."
"Speaking of your mother, how is she?" he asked. "I haven't seen her for quite a long time."
"He is smarter then the average mortal." Hades put little stock in mortals. Most of them annoyed him, and he'd always prefer the dead over them. At least they gained some wisdom then.
He listened to them both, more cynical in thinking that before long Zeus would stick his nose in things that didn't concern him. But then he'd never forgiven his brother.
"let's hope this remains the case. I've come to enjoy my peace." When the conversation turned to Demeter, not a subject he really enjoyed seeing how the woman kept seeing him as an enemy, he went quiet. He didn't stop Persephone from answering the question but his opinion he kept to himself.
"He has a way of making his presence known whether we like it or not," she pointed out as diplomatically as possible.
"My mother... last I saw her she was doing well, although a little upset at the changing of the seasons." It was something Persephone would never understand, much like how she knew that she changed with the seasons she knew nothing could stop things from taking their natural course. They all had to accept it for what it was.
"Peace is a wonderful thing," she agreed, blushing slightly as she realized how much like a married couple she and Hades were acting like. It was thrilling in its own way to know they could entertain guests and do simple day to day things without it seeming awkward.
"That he does," he said, without a trace of irony.
"I'm glad. Though I can imagine winter is not her favorite time of the year," he replied, again, choosing each word with care. "I am not too fond of winter either, but being around the heat and fire of my forge has acclimated me to heat."
"Peace is indeed wonderful," he said. "May both of you find more of it than my 'wife' and I did."
Hades didn't bother agreeing. He would just set up ways to keep an eye on his brother. He was still talked about, and some still believed. He had ways of his own to keep his brother out of his affairs.
The discussion about Demeter he was leaving alone, save for a whisper of something about apron strings muttered under his breath. The woman did too much wailing in his opinion. "Funny, I like winter. It suits my mood."
He blinked to the last comment, never to fond of Aphrodite. "I believe we have found some measure of compromise." Hades wasn't one to go into details about his marriage and the time he had with Persephone. IT was between him and her.