Who: Hades, Hestia, Hypnos, Mel (and the Lot Twins) What: Facing the Truth While Keeping Secrets Where: Hestia's Home When: Sunday, a little bit after the Hades/Hestia scene Warnings: None, don't expect a character order though.
Hades had no idea what was about to happen.
He was much too focused on watching his sons in their crib, trying to determine if they could see him. The problem with children so young is that their ability to observe even mundane things was hard to judge. If they could see ghosts was quite another. Oh well. Watching them sleep took his mind off the cycle of emotions he had set for himself in the last couple of days. He felt no urge to mourn or to strike out against nothing. The children were asleep after all.
Let no ghost wake the young infants.
A small knock on the door. Hypnos pushed it open, looking around the dark room with eyes as equally adjusted to the dark as Hades' own. "[My lord,]" he whispered. He could see the dead like his brother, even touch them, but he couldn't see the invisible. Or he was looking like an idiot and whispering into an empty room.
Hades did not turn toward Hypnos, though he did flinch at the sound of his voice. So, Hestia had called Hypnos had she? He supposed that made sense. His name and number would have been handy since it was on the baby-sitting list. "[Hello.]"
Ah-ha. Hypnos bowed deeply before replying, "[Um, Hestia called me. Said you were having issues.]" Being dead and stuff.
Again, Hades did not turn so the bow was lost on him. He was too busy almost touching his sons and then pulling away. They were asleep. He knew from Adonis that ghosts would wake up babies if they touched them… "[She is having issues. I am beyond them.]"
"[She says you're dead. And yet, you are still here,]" Hypnos pointed out gently.
The former lord of the dead couldn't help but roll his eyes. Had everyone simply lost their minds, "[Of course I am still here. I'm a ghost. Where am I going to go? Pass on? Really, Hypnos…]"
Shortly after Hypnos' arrival, the blue convertible that was Mel's showed itself on the street. She walked to the front door, knocking and being let it, before making her way to the hallway and the open doorway. There, she peered inside, seeing no one but the other man who clearly was not Hades, and the twins in the crib. Unsure what exactly was going on, she leaned heavily on the frame, peering into the room for a clue first.
Hypnos opened his mouth but then paused upon the intrusion, blinking at the girl. "Who're you?" he asked.
"Melpomene," she answered shortly, looking emotionally blank as she could manage. And from the drama muse, that was pretty blank. "Aiden?" she asked quietly into the room, wondering where he might be, and if he'd answer to the name.
That name made him turn around, not that it mattered as no one could see him. "Mel? What are you doing here?"
"Hestia asked me to come," she explained shortly, giving a half shrug. Good thing that she knew where to look for him. It would have been bad to go to the house and not find him there. "How are your sons?"
"Asleep." Hades looked to Mel and then to Hypnos and then back again. This seemed odd. He had seen things like this on television. Being brought into a house under flimsy excuses and then people show up… "Is this where you both pull out letters you wrote to me? Because I do not have an addiction."
"Hypnos," said the pale god to Melpomene with another bow of the head. But his face fell again when he looked back to Hades. "Sire... you are not dead. What's going on here?"
Dead? She had no way to know one way or the other, except that he had basically promised that he wouldn't kill himself. He'd been fine when she left him. "I'm going to sit down," she mentioned, pointing to a chair before walking over. It was her way of giving him a chance to move if he was already there, or mention that she should take another one. "Do you still have your phone?" There'd been no protest that she heard, but her steps were slow as she walked forward, giving plenty of time for it to be made.
"No." Hades responded softly. It must have been one of the possessions he thought he had left in the old House. "[Why? What is this all about? I think I would know if I was dead…]"
"[And so would I.]" The sleep god stepped forward slowly but made no move to touch him, like approaching a wild animal. "[You forget, I am a god of the dead's realm, too. I know a ghost when I see one. And you are not one.]" He glanced over to the muse, seeking answers. Why was she here? Did she know something?
There were no protests, so the muse went and flopped into the chair, preparing to make herself comfortable. Hades was stubborn, and she had a feeling that, if he wasn't dead, it would take awhile to make him understand that. And if he was... Nick would have a shitty Mother's Day. "If you are dead, [uncle], then I have no promise to keep to you," she nearly whispered, looking around the room absently, since she did not know where he was.
“[What promise to me, Mel?]” Hades' ears were keen when it came to promises being kept. But his eyes shifted to Hypnos as well. Something didn't make sense, “[You can't see me either?]”
"[Because... you're invisible?]" Hypnos blinked. "[Your helm, Lord, are you still wearing it?]"
Mel decided to let this line of questions begin, hoping that she wouldn't have to draw Hades back to his memories. Just in case, she dug a small sketch book from her pocket, along with a pen, and started to write. She would not speak the secret she'd been sworn to aloud.
Hades touched his head. “[It feels like I am. But it did fuse with my in life. Perhaps it did so in death. That's why you can't... It's almost funny. The Unseen One being so even as a ghost to the death gods.]”
Only out of respect did Hypnos not roll his eyes. But he had to stay serious; this could actually be a dire matter. He eyed Melpomene's writing. "[Then will you allow me to remove it?]" He wasn't a god of death, but as one of Hades' right-hand men, he could touch them.
Quietly, Mel continued to work, listening to the exchange. [You are irreplaceable. I do not want to try to.] was written across the top part of the page. [You do not get to rip numbness away from me and then give it to yourself...] became scrawled along the bottom. A sentence she had spoken, and one he had spoken. A sketch of a gun sat in the middle, the words surrounding it, parts of a crushed iPhone scattered about. Once she finished, she tore the page free, and neatly folded it in half. She'd only offer it if she thought it was needed, she'd let Hades have this chance first.
“[I haven't removed since the 1950s... It's hard to get off now.]” But Hades knew he could. He had done it that one time and then quickly put it back on. No part of it had been fun. But now being dead... “[Do you think taking it off would make me visible to you, Hypnos?]”
"[Yes,]" said the sleep god simply. "[But if you are a ghost, what does it matter? You are invisible either way. I wish to see if you are visible to Melpomene without it. If you aren't, you really are dead.]"
That sounded logical. And easy. If he could accept that reasoning, then the first step would be made. What came after... that was the unknown. She fought down the shudder. He'd work through it.
“[If I do this, will the intervention stop?]” It was a simple question really.
Hypnos bowed again. "[Anything you wish, my lord.]" On his part, maybe... he wouldn't promise for Mel, though!
The muse frowned slightly. "[I didn't know this was one.]"
“[It feels like one. Though I would hope more people would come to an intervention for me, but then again...]” Hades didn't really think more people would come. Whatever. Just do this and it would all be over. He placed either hand on the sides of the metal helm and concentrated as hard as he could. It felt like he was scalping himself with a butter knife. Even with his pride, he couldn't help but let out a soft series of whimpers. But finally, it came off and he dropped to his knees out of pain and weakness. He shimmered back into existence, the steel helm in his hands its inside covered in ichor much like how his blond hair and glamoured face was now.
Ack! Hypnos' eyes bulged to the point of popping and, like the devoted servant he was, ran forward to take it from his hands. He held it reverently. "[My lord!]" He had little power of his own, but what he had, he pushed towards Hades to seal the wound.
Mel stayed entirely still, making no sound or movement, only watching intently. He wasn't dead. There was deep relief at that, and the folded paper in her hands was crumpled into a ball. She knew better then to try to touch him just now, and waited for his reaction. Waited to see if there was any reaction from the twins.
Hades' eyes snapped open. He felt so weak without his helm and desperately, forgetting himself, he reached to reclaim it. At least to hold it. That couldn't be taken from him, too...
The twins, meanwhile, woke from their nap. There was much too much shouting and whimpering for the young princes to sleep through, even though they often slept like the dead. Their cries started softly, but that would not last long.
As much as it pained him, Hypnos stepped back, still holding the helm. "Muse?" he asked, taking the chance before the babies started wailing.
She watched Hades for a moment, and slowly pushed herself up out of the chair, shoving her hands and the paper into her pocket and she moved toward the other gods. She would give her uncle a wide berth if he wished it, but just now she was watching carefully, to see what conclusion he came to next. "[Tend to your sons, uncle,]" she whispered, hoping they would be a positive distraction. It would also mean that she would not have to near him to tend to one of the twins herself.
Hades had heard her whisper, but something had snapped in his mind. More than his mind had already snapped. “[I won't lose everything!]” Was the growled battle cry the weakened death lord called out as he lunged at Hypnos. At the moment the sleep god was no friend to him... just a thief...
Now the babies cried louder. Daddy was shouting.
Hypnos squeaked and began to run away. He was all too lucky that when babies cried, mothers tended to reply.
"What is going on in he-- HADES!" Hestia stepped in to shield the sleep god, putting herself between him and Hades. She wasn't prone to violence. But she was still an Olympian, and a child of Kronos to boot. If she had to put Hades on his ass, she was the most likely in the house to be able to.
Oh fuck! Mel got out of the path as quick as she could, and dodged to go over to the children. She pressed a hand to their cheeks, making a soft 'sshh'ing sound to try and get them to calm before calling to the rest of the group over her shoulder; the wall on her emotions had dropped. She could almost feel the tragedy that was reeking from her uncle, and it caused her to nearly growl much as he had. "[Give it to him!]" she snapped. "[You have accomplished your goal!]" And if they did not, Hades would quickly find himself with an ally. Hades may no longer consider himself a king to Hypnos, but the disrespect was striking and now his sister was in his way? Why were they teaming up against him? When he calmed down this would hurt him to realize no matter their reasoning, but right now... Right now, he simply reached over Hestia to get to the sleep god. That was the problem with being tiny as the hearth warmer was. Tall men like Hades could still grab sleep gods by the shirt over them...
Hypnos, trembling with obvious terror, held up the cap. The death king's ichor crep between the lines in his palm. "[F-forgive me, my lord,]" he whispered. Pleased, please don't eat him. Hestia continued to stand in front of him. The babies were crying, but only out of fear, and she really didn't care to see Hades pummel a kinsman into the new carpet.
Seeing the cap being returned, Mel turned her back to the trio and stared down at the twins. She made soft sounds, catches of random songs that had been on the CD she had made Hestia, as she fought to go back to her own emotional numbness. It was one thing to drop guard before Hades, another to lose it before others. She listened though, to see what trouble would come next. There was bound to be more trouble.
Hades snatched his helm of darkness, the steel Grecian helm, and pulled it back over his head and face before he retreated back a few steps. The helm began to shimmer and it then blinked out of existence, but Hades did not. Hades remained before them for now. He did not return to being invisible without willing to be so... But his strength from its absence began to return and his heart, which had been pounding, began to slow once more. It was back... It was back... It wasn't gone...
And that made him turn his back on Hypnos and bring his attention to his sons. They had ceased to cry, but were making sad, concerned whimpers. “[Shhh, my sons, shhh...]”
Faces red, the babies looked up towards the sound. Edward, seeing his father, calmed near instantly and reached out to be held. Me now, me now! He could see the king, clear as day.
As Hades came forward, Mel backed off, giving the father and sons space to be together. She glanced to Hestia and Hypnos, trying to gauge their reactions and emotions, wondering if it would be best to shoo them away or not. Slowly, she walked into the center of the space between them and Hades, to stand casually with her hands shoved once more to her pockets. It was an unspoken statement. She would defend her uncle.
By instinct he reached down to pick Edward up. He was crying and reaching for him... But then stopped right before doing so, his cool hands grazing the warm tiny ones of his sons. He couldn't... he was a ghost... what if he stopped manifesting and dropped him? But a new thought was causing his hands to tremble... Maybe he wasn't dead...
Edward continued to stretch out, little arms flailing and face curling into frustration. He had grown used to being picked up by this particular person. Why wasn't he, darnit? His mother stepped forward while Hypnos continued to cower behind her. "Hade... Mel, what is going on." She looked directly at the muse. She had a feeling that, out of all of them, she was the one with the answers.
She probably was, but she was also back into her seeming nonchalance, and shrugged to the question. Mel had promised to not tell about the conversation within the cave, of the suicide attempt, of his wife leaving him, of the word of his children not being enough to pull him back. It was locked away. She glanced to her uncle, trying to read what he would do next, before moving back to stand by his side in silent support. "[He wants you.]"
Hades let his hand rest on the belly of both his sons, tickling them absently as he stared down at them, nodding just barely to Mel's words. He heard her. He knew, but now his thoughts were racing... “[Can I ask you something?]” He had asked the question not too long ago in a text, now he did it here. All the others were ignored.
The muse nodded, looking down at the twins rather than to their father. The words rang a bell in her mind, and while part of her dreaded what he would ask, she knew she would answer honestly.
Hades barely spoke above a whisper, “[We weren't attacked by Set, were we?]”
"[No.]" She kept her voice as soft as possible in reply, as if it would make the pain of it less.
“[I'm not dead then, right?]” Hades feared this answer.
"[No, you are not.]" She dared to glance at him, watching carefully.
Hades closed his eyes as he picked up his sons finally. He brought them close to his chest. Daddy was back to his horrible truth, but they didn't have to know that. Let them know him holding them. “[You shouldn't be here. You should run before the Fates see you...]”
"[What on earth is going on?]" murmured Hestia. She was looking from Melpomene to Hades fearfully. "[Why won't anyone tell me anything?]"
"[I'm where you need me. The Fates can deal with it for now.]" She almost said that the Fates could go fuck themselves, but had caught herself just in time. She glanced over her shoulder to Hestia and Hypnos, though her words were kept low and quiet for Hades. "[Do you wish them to know?]"
“[No.]” Hades whispered and then kissed his sons on their little fuzzy heads before putting the cooing twins back into their crib. He was sorry he woke them with his madness. He turned his eyes to Mel and nodded his head in silent gratitude to her, but it was a look Mel would be familiar with. Those black eyes were dead. Hades was alive, but part of him inside certainly wasn't. Numb and killed from this... He knew the real truth once more, not the fancy pleasant one he had created.
No past and no future... just an unbearable present. Maybe his sons would never know...
But now he turned and kept his eyes lowered as he faced Hestia now, “[I wasn't well. Now I am. I'm sorry I concerned you...]” And he looked to Hypnos, “[I am well now.]”
Hestia scowled. How was she supposed to help if she wasn't told anything? She didn't like secrets. She loathed secrets. "[In other words, you've worried a lot of people and now you refuse to talk about it.]"
Mel met her aunt’s eyes, wondering if she even realized why Mel was being let in on something that she wasn't. That Julie wasn't. That Hades himself was barely acknowledging. Mel wondered what reasoning Hestia had accepted for her being there. A friend, or as the muse of tragedy? She decided to go with words that would broke the least argument. "[And that puts him within my domain, and my care, Hearth Goddess. He has that choice.]"
Hypnos nodded, but not very confidently. Clearly, Hades' rage being directed at him had shaken him deeply. The hearth goddess put her hands on her hips, frowning at the younger Muse. "[Maybe so. But I feel I deserve some explanation for all this.]"
Mel arched at eyebrow, and moved slightly forward to face the elder. She wasn't frightened by the pose, and seemed rather indifferent. "[And you have had one. He thought himself attacked and dead. Now he does not.]" The question of why he thought that was another issue Melpomene would not reveal. You did not fix a tragedy; you merely let it run its course.
"[Then where is Persephone? Why did he think himself attacked?]" Hestia's frustration was building quite evidently. Hypnos started to wonder if his choice of her as a shield was really all that wise. "[And why are you speaking of promises and lying for him?]"
"[I haven't lied.]" Yet. And she doubted that Hestia would know when she chose to do so. She was a muse of the theater, of acting, and could be rather convincing when she choose to be. Part of her wondered if Hades had gone invisible in the provided distraction, but dared not to look. Her eyes were solely on the other goddess. A smirk lifted the corner of her mouth, an almost cruel and lording shift to her posture and expression. "[But I could tell you some. Or I could tell you truths. Are you sure that you wish to hear my truths? I assure you, they are not pretty...]" And now she grinned. A grin that looked like she would take pleasure in telling such horrific tales.
Hades was not invisible, though he sorely wished he was. He doubted that would help though. “[Enough.]” No good was coming from this. At all. He sighed lightly and began to walk toward the door of the room, but he spoke as he moved, “[Truth is relative. I could tell you every word that I understand right now and neither of us would understand properly. But little is a secret. I'm sure some of it has been made very public by now...]” Sometimes he hated the Internet. “[And what isn't... well, no one needs to know.]” Part of him was ashamed that Mel had to see what Hades would try to keep secret.
"[You told me he was fine. That he was 'preoccupied'," replied Hestia to Mel, reminding her of their last conversation. But when Hades spoke, she paused and then sighed. "[Fine. Fine. At...]" Sigh again. "[At least you're safe.]"
As Hades spoke, Mel's demeanor once more resumed the shape that everyone expected of her. Blank and numb and nonchalant. She shrugged, looking away at Hestia’s words. "[He was.]" Though what she and others defined as fine were not matching at the moment. Just now, she doubted anyone but Hades would get Hestia to think he was 'fine'.
Pausing in the door way, Hades leaned against the frame and touched his hair, frowning at the ichor drying there. Lovely. He was covered in ichor too much these days. It was then he became invisible once more, shimmering out of existence. He had a feeling he would need it once he wanted to leave, “[I'll explain if you truly want, Sister. But not now. I just came back to the truth and its...]” too truthy. She wasn't going to understand anyway. No one ever did.
Hestia watched him silently until he was gone. This was way too much stress for a single mother. Way too much. After a painfully long moment of silence in the room, she murmured, "[I'm sorry for my outburst. There's sandwiches and lemonade in the kitchen, if any of you want them.]"
Moving up next to her aunt, Mel kissed her cheek, and used to opportunity to whisper in her ear, quiet enough no other would hear. It was a question if even Hestia would. "[Never apologize for caring about him.]" She kissed the cheek again, and pulled back, nodding to Hypnos. A simple gesture, acknowledging that he was there, and the role he had played. She then glanced to where Hades had been, and where she assumed he still was. "Do you need a ride somewhere?"
Hypnos' eyes followed where his king had gone before he looked back to Mel, and nodded. "I think so. I walked here, but a ride would be nice, thank you."
“[Hestia, sorry about worrying you. You know how I am...]” And if that wasn't true, Hades didn't care. Let her believe that she did. He didn't even know right now. Perhaps he was in shock. No, people in shock couldn't ponder if they were in shock... right? Maybe. But invisibly he shrugged. “[Happy Mother's Day... You, too, Mel...]” He said as his words shifted to the muse and then answered her actual question, “[I can get where I'm going on my own.]” Meaning he didn't know where he was going at all.
Mel nodded to the answer. She wanted to tell him to find his phone again, to remind him of the message from Julie, to point out a hundred other things, or even remind him of the off pact they had made. It wasn't precisely a pact, but it was close enough. "Text me." Hopefully the words would be enough of a reminder in themselves. She started to move toward the exit, glancing back at Hestia. "Happy Mother's Day, Aunt."
Hestia smiled, just a little.
Happy Mother's Day. Yeah, right.
At least the muse was making an effort. Turning away, she waved for Hypnos to follow if he wanted the ride, and headed out the front door. She'd think it all through later, when she didn't need to be coherent to the outside world.
Hades waited for Mel and Hypnos to be gone. He had ducked into a hallway as they passed to not be in the way, but as they left, he returned to the room Hestia was. Another holiday where he dragged her into chaos... but then again, wasn't it his kindness to her that had caused his problems to begin with? Again, the lord of the dead didn't know, but then again... In for a penny, in for a pound.
He slinked to her side and took one of her hands to announce himself before placing a chaste kiss to her cheek, “Enjoy the rest of your day.”
Hestia squeaked at the invisible kiss and turned towards it. "Brother. You don't have to go."
“[I don't belong here and have caused enough trouble,]” Hades gave her hand a gentle squeeze before releasing it.
She darted for his hand again, catching it between both of hers before he could slink away. "[I'm sorry I was angry. I was worried. You have to be hungry, thirsty.]" Who knew how long he'd been in that house without food or water? Besides Mel.
His stomach rumbled at her words. When Mel had left, he had begun his brooding mediation and food stopped at that point, and he had not eaten much during her vigil anyhow. “[I know you were... and, okay... I'll stay and eat. I know you like that and I did ruin your day by being insane.]”
Hestia shook her head, leading him towards the kitchen. As promised, lemonade and sandwiches were sitting on the table, ready to be scarfed down. "[You didn't ruin my day. You'd really have to be dead to do that.]"
“[I was just confused...]” Hades was glad he was invisible. His lack of smile and downcast eyes were hidden. Years of being a businessman allowed him the ability to keep his tone at least pleasant sounding. He couldn't help but wish he was still confused... Everything was settled in his mind then. His thoughts were not racing in all and no directions at once... He wasn't so confused about his life when he was confused about his situation. But that was for later. He took one of the sandwiches and quickly ate it, the sandwich disappearing as it was devoured. “[Don't worry about it.]”
She knew him, though. She'd had children by him, listened to his heartbeat with her ear to his chest, willingly released him from her life. How could she not know him? "[I can't help it,]" she murmured, watching the sandwich get eaten bit by bit in fascination.
“[You need a better hobby,]” he softly responded, going for sandwich two.
Hestia chuckled. They both knew she had dozens of little hobbies. "[Want any lemonade? There's some pomegranates in the fridge if you want it. Or, um, some mint ice cream in the freezer.]"
Again, Hades was glad he was invisible, because then Hestia did not need to see how his whole body tensed, then shuddered, in that order at the mention. It was going to be a long time before he could eat his favorite fruit again... if ever. It had so much baggage. His life had so much baggage and he couldn't carry it anymore. Things needed to be settled and he had no idea how... All roads were closed it seemed. “[Its okay, I should get going. It seems I have a bit of a mess to clean up from my absence...]”
Hestia's face fell a little. "[If you need to. But if you don't have anywhere else to go...]" And it certainly seemed that way. "[There's a guest room free.]"
He wouldn't be a burden. He had burdened enough people with all this. Burdened them and made nothing better... “[Of course I have places I can go. Enjoy the boys...]”
She nodded. "[Have a good night, brother.]"
Hades placed another chaste kiss to her other cheek and then backed away from her completely. “Yeah.... You, too, sister.” It was time for him to return into the night. This life was not his to have. He gave it up months ago and would not haunt it now. After all, he unfortunately wasn't a ghost.
He had to think... if only his mind wouldn't keep flashing images at him...
Invisibly, he left the room. He would figure out to where later.
Summary: Hades believes he is a ghost. Hestia calls Hypnos and Mel to set him straight. They manage it but not without difficulties.