Choosing Home

Chapter Fifty Six

Persephone looked down to see a familiar looking box in Hades' hands. "Hades...is that...a pregnancy test?"

"Considering it's supposedly the same one she sent you when you were pregnant with Hadie, I think you know it's a pregnancy test, Steph," Hades said, gently cupping her cheek with his hand. "It couldn't hurt to take it, could it? I mean, you said it yourself, we're Gods. So glowing and being tired and clumsy, there's not a lot of things that can be attributed to."

Persephone sighed and leaned into his touch. "Hades...can we really do this? Again I mean?"

"What be parents? Zeus has done it a hundred times over it seems and he didn't even have to deal with the Isle," Hades chuckled. "It...It can't hurt to just check can it? And if I'm wrong, I'll do the dishes for a week."

"Make it a month and you've got yourself a deal," Persephone said with a chuckle as she took the box from Hades' hands. She knew he'd have it a boatload easier in the Auradon house since they were actually able to have a dishwasher here. Probably one of the best things about Auradon, well that and being able to be with her kids and husband. "Now, I love you, but you're not going to be present for this part."

"I may not be in the bathroom with you but I'll be here when you come out with the results," Hades said as he sat on their bed. Persephone gave him a small smile which Hades returned as the door to their bathroom shut.

Hades sighed as he leaned back on the bed, his head leaning back against the fireproof pillowcases Evie had somehow developed. Maybe it was a good thing the Evil Queen was into alchemy as well as her appearance. It allowed Evie the chance to develop new fabrics that wouldn't normally exist.

Hey, you didn't create fabric that could withstand a dragon transformation by happenstance you know?

A kid...another sunspot, he thought. One who would only know the joy of Boreadon..who won't know the pain of the Isle...no. When they're old enough they can come help out at the restaurant if they want. I don't want them to not know where their siblings came from, what made Mal and Hadie the way that they are. I won't have my eldest resenting my youngest for something they couldn't control but I won't have my youngest not being able to understand their siblings.

There was a small part of him that kind of disliked the fact that he wouldn't be raising this kid in the Underworld like he had Mal and Hadie. Sure they'd still have access to it and their home in Auradon was a lot more...child friendly than the Underworld ever was.

Sure Hadie had a room here in the house in Auradon, and so did Mal—and Uma, Jay, Harry...in fact there were plenty of guest rooms in case any of the VKs who came to Auradon needed a mini taste of the Isle.

But the Underworld was their home. It was where Hadie learned to walk, where Mal learned how to use a can of spray paint for the first time. It was where their family grew with Uma and then Harry and Jay getting their own rooms if they needed them.

He could make the colors more neutral and earth tones in the new house but it wasn't the same as the cavernous rock walls of the Underworld...and yet it was more cosy. More inviting. He could see Hadie having his friends over here for study groups, and Hades potentially poaching them for taste testers.

You can make new memories though, he thought with a small smile. Your son or daughter can enjoy all of Auradon has to offer...oh Gods, what if they're twins? After all Zeus had Apollo and Artemis!

"Hades?" Persephone said, her voice soft yet loud enough to prevent the spiral of panic Hades was about to go down.

"You got the results?" Hades asked as he sat up.