It's What Friends Are For (tag: Hades)
Her father's visit still had Hel reeling. It had been highly emotional for the both of them; things had been said that shouldn't have, others were things that should really have been spoken long ago. It would take time, she knew that, but Hel had a feeling the healing process had begun. Finally.
While her attitudes could not change overnight- centuries of feelings and beliefs took time to alter- now she at least had a few new phrases to remind herself each time she slipped into the old mindset. Words Loki had spoken that she held very tightly to. Hel knew that to cling to the things said was no less an obsession than holding to the old concepts, yet it was a better thing to be obsessed with.
One thing she never questioned was her father's word. He was many things, and Hel was not blind to his faults. Yet his honesty was never something that had been called into question, at least not where she was concerned. She knew, too, his absolute disdain for emotional outpourings, and with that knowledge she knew the truth of what he spoke.
What she needed now was a friend to talk to. Hel didn't have many of those, and only one that she had shared her past with in total honesty. Only Hades knew the whole story, from her point of view at least, and all the emotional trauma that had come with it. Just as she knew nearly all there was to know about him.
Pity he was married.
That had been an interesting thing for Hel to deal with. Right from the day they met, Hel knew Hades' deep devotion to his wife, if only from the way he spoke of her gardens. Yet here was someone who understood Hel, accepting her just as she was, her appearance having no more influence on his attitude than if he had been blind. So it had been natural for Hel, finding someone like that and with so much in common between them, to develop feelings for the Greek god. Still, common sense had prevailed, and with time she was able to view him as a treasured friend. Especially once she'd met his wife and daughter. There was no way she was getting into the middle of that.
One might have thought that being of the same sex, Hel would have felt closer to Persephone, or even Makaria. Yet it was Hades who most resembled her own personality. He understood the sheer pride she felt in her realm and her duties for he shared those same feelings. So when Hel had had time to digest all that had been said between herself and her father, it was second nature for her to want to share it with her closest friend. Besides, it would give her the chance to ask him about Phobetor. That one still struck her as odd.
Hel briefly considered calling him to meet her somewhere for coffee, or maybe a walk in a park someplace, but in the end chose to go to his home. She really did not want to be accidentally overheard. This was a conversation she preferred to keep private. And then she wouldn't have to take the time to get all made up and pretty. Bonus.
She stood at the gate to his realm, as she had so many times before, alternating heads as she scratched behind Cerberus' many ears. Hel had heard the initial growl, then watched as the beast bounded to the gate in excitement upon recognizing the intruder. The dog had long ago become well enough aquainted with her that her presence no longer caused any alarm. Except that middle head- Hel always thought she needed to keep an eye on that one. Definitely the wild card of the trio. A couple of treats usually won him over, though, and she never forgot to bring them.
Hades. It's Hel. Are you free?, she called out from her mind, hoping she wasn't catching him at a bad time. She knew she had one thing in her favor- this was the time of year he spent without his spouse. Which meant that while his mood might be a bit darker, the Lord of the Underworld was more likely to welcome company. Hel always hated interrupting the brief periods of time he got with his wife.