Who: Hercules and Hebe What: Hercules comes home When: Thursday night Where: Hercules apartment Warnings: TBD
Hera had played her tricks well, if not even better than the last time. Hebe was safe and Hercules had had no idea, only wandering around thinking he had ruined the second person he'd ever loved that understood him. He'd gone mad before, killed his family and ruined any happiness he'd ever possessed at the hands of that mad Queen. With her around she would always sabotage Hebe's relationship with him. He wasn't enough for her daughter even after becoming a god himself. An Olympian like the rest. Most people forgot about that. His deeds had earned him a golden spot with the rest, but even now Hera still saw him as a toy to be messed with.
He was tired when he returned to his apartment, not even having enough strength to feel his heart beat against his chest at knowing Hebe was on the other side. Was it another trick? Another ruse by Hera herself? Part of him wouldn't believe her home until he saw her himself. He'd been all over the country doing any feasible job that a man of his stature could do. Jobs that regular men were not fit for. It wasn't monsters or deeds of his past, but the labor was just the same. Making up for things he needed to atone for.
When he opened the door Hebe was indeed in their apartment and he fell to his knees, bent over with his head down in his hands.
The difference between Hebe and Megara was that Hebe was the daughter of Hera; the Queen of the gods would never let any ill befall her beloved daughter. At least not death. She would let Hebe feel heartbreak if it meant having her back, but so far Heracles and Hebe's love was too strong and too pure for her to break. That was perhaps their greatest strength.
Hebe couldn't fathom the thought of her mother doing such a thing to Heracles. Not after so many years of him having proved himself and all the years between in which they had been apart. But then she could see her mother doing something like this, because she had done worse to him in the past. And yest she couldn't bring herself to yell or scream or even blame her mother. The little girl who always wanted her mothers approval was still very much a part of her. Silence was her usual course or action in these cases, because she could never fight with her mother.
The moment she felt that power she jumped to her feet and a little scream issued from her lips as she door closed and Heracles fell to his knees. The worry she felt overcame her and she leaned down, holding him lovingly. She may be small in comparison but there was something in her touch that was incredibly soothing.
succumb to tears, but there he was crouched on the floor as the water struck his eyes. He wasn't beyond honesty, hope, love or hurt. There were many nights he'd cried for the family he'd lost.
Whether it was out of relief or sadness that he cried, it didn't matter. Hebe was fortunate to see his pain, he wasn't bothered by that. He'd truly believed he'd hurt her, that was worse than any mortal pain.
He let Hebe hold him, not able to speak yet, if at all at that moment.
Hebe felt not judgment as she realized he was crying. She had seen him cry a hundred times before, whether he realized it or not. There was a lot of pain that came with him and she couldn't blame him for needing that release or simply giving in. It pained her to think her own mother would do this now, after all this time, and yet it didn't surprise her. Before it had resulted in anger. Now it was toying with his emotions.
She welcomed the silence, even if she was usually more upbeat. There were things that were simply understood without saying a word. This was one of those times. She needn't say anything because all she had to do was be there.
His head rested against her bosom, arms wrapped around her tiny waist before collapsing gently into her lap. He wasn't without feelings, he wasn't a machine that did it's duty and shut down. He was a compassionate soul with little to say except what was necessary.
The tears still streamed down his face before he settled down, head in her lap looking up to her with sad eyes. There was some joy in there at seeing that she was unharmed, but it hurt.
Hebe felt a little guilty for not having at least contacted him before. To let him know herself that she was fine and where she was. But when she made promises she tended to keep them, especially when it came to her parents. Knowing that he had been put through such torment made her heart ache.
"I'll talk to her," she said quietly. Little it would do, but Hebe had to try.
His eyes closed for a moment, listening to her voice but not answering. This was three times now that he had been sent through the ringer for her. Once when Hera intervened, thrusting the situation that had happened long before Hebe showed to break them apart, then the kidnapping and now this.
He moved from his position in her lap, knees pressed into the floor as he looked at her gently with expressive eyes. "Losing you hurts." He kissed her gently, hands cupping her face.
At that moment, Hebe decided that whatever issues she had had before all of this, from the time Enyo had decided to be an uber-bitch and do those horrible things to her, that she would be the perky goddess of youth again. If only because she knew that Heracles liked that about her. There were an unspoken understanding between them, something that she believed her heart that only soul mates possessed.
"You never lost me," she whispered back and closed her eyes.
She knew what losing people felt for him, because he had destroyed his own happiness before. There was only so much blame to be put on Hera. With Hebe came youthfulness. There came sweetness. There came happiness. She was a bright beam in his path, and ever since he'd grown to love her it was a happiness he wanted to keep.
His thumbs stroked her cheeks, kissing her softly on the forehead, then the nose, then those soft lips again.
"Couldn't do that again. Want to be happy with you." Like they were before, when he'd finally made his way to Olympus as one of them.