Reversal [by TheSuperSass]

Chapter 10

After staring into the Styx that night, Persephone didn't see the Underworld the same way. Charon recognized the look in his eyes: Hades had the same look in hers when finally let her life in the world above go after months of clinging to its memory. "He always shows you what you need to see," Charon had said about Styx.

To Persephone, it felt like death to leave the only life he had known behind for this new one, and he feared it the same way people fear death. Hades fought against her lot the same way she fought to avoid death against the Titans, until she finally, exhausted, gave in to what fate had determined for her. For Persephone, it would be swallowing his fear of the unknown, leaving the past of least resistance, and accepting this great responsibility.

Despite what everyone might think of Hades and Persephone – including the two of them – Charon saw more similarities than differences. Their journeys were different, but they were on the same path, with the same ultimate end, and moving towards each other, no matter how distant they felt.

Persephone found himself wandering more than usual, trying to understand this place he was meant to rule, to understand this place mortals and gods alike avoided. Both ruling Hades the realm and ruling with Hades the queen seemed like unattainable goals to him. His short life with his mother, the harvest, and flowers felt useless in the face of ruling every mortal who had ever lived. Hades did everything with such confidence, calmness, and authority, he couldn't imagine her as anything but a queen.

This day his wandering landed him in the throne room. The room was massive and cavernous, centered around a grand bronze throne. He approached it timidly. Here she sat when making judgement on souls. Most gods thought themselves so far above humans they wouldn't flinch at the thought of deciding a mortal's fate – many of them did exactly what they wanted with mortals while they still lived. But Persephone had lived among them, so it was not a task he took for granted. Unlike Zeus and Hera's crowns that shone with gold, or Poseidon and Amphitrite's crowns studded in pearls, Hades' crown was a dark onyx embedded with enormous, striking red rubies. Persephone carefully lifted it, finding it to be much taller and heavier than he expected.

He sat on the throne, finding that it suited his height, as Hades stood as tall as he did. He set the crown in his lap to admire it, and upon further inspection saw it was lined with diamonds too. He ran his fingers along the cold stones. It fit Hades – it was a simple design that allowed the jewels to shine in dramatic contrast. He hesitantly lifted it – it was slightly too small, but he straightened his back to balance the weight of it on his head.

At that precise moment Hades entered the room, looking for him. She didn't understand his recent restlessness – he rarely stayed in once place, and she rarely found him in the same place twice. She didn't know if boded well or poorly for her quest to get him to stay that he was seeing more of the realm.

Those thoughts left her as soon as she laid eyes on him. He was stunning, his posture tall, the dark crown seated on his messy red hair. His broad shoulders were back, his chin tilted up, his eyes staring straight ahead. He looked every bit the king she had always seen in him, and seeing him in her seat, with her crown, she was overcome with possessive desire.

Persephone turned to see Hades staring at him, unsure of how long she had been there. He immediately jumped up, stammering out an explanation as he stepped towards her.

"I'm sorry, I-I-"

"Stop."

Hades walked slowly towards him without breaking eye contact, her cape dragging behind her. He watched her even steps nervously. She had said they should rule together but taking her place may have finally crossed a line. She stood face to face with him, her expression giving nothing away.