Hades

Chapter Thirteen - The Wings, Part One

Harusame glared back. ‘Of course,’ she said, standing up. Immediately her legs gave way and she toppled forwards.

Hades caught her in his arms. ‘You little fool. You want to hasten your death?’

‘I thought,’ said Harusame’s voice, muffled by his shoulder, ‘that my time of death was set, and nothing I can do or say will change it?’

Hades grunted. ‘That doesn’t mean I’ll let you do stupid things like this.’

He continued to hold her up, surprised by how light she was.

‘Hades?’

‘Mm?’

‘You can let go now.’

He set her back down on the bed gently. Harusame looked miserable. ‘I want you to leave for a while,’ she said.

‘What? Why?’

‘Just go, please.’

‘I’m not going anywhere.’

They faced off for a moment, each staring defiantly at each other. Then, to Hades’ surprise, Harusame lowered her face to her chin.

‘Don’t worry,’ she said, her voice barely audible above the rain. ‘I won’t go to school. I won’t go anywhere. I’ll rest all day. Just please, go away for now. Go away!’ And with that, she threw herself face-down on the bed.

‘Fine!’ 

Feeling annoyed and rejected, Hades stomped out.

*

After losing a few games of shogi to Dawson (who had brought his umbrella with him) Hades felt oddly restless, and returned to the Underworld. He flounced about his office in a temper, which created havoc for poor Uxi who was trying to concentrate on filing papers. 

‘Master,’ she said in exasperation, ‘did you have a fight with Izuki-san?’

‘I didn’t do anything,’ Hades snapped. ‘She threw me out.’

‘She must have had good reason.’

‘Like hell she did. And I was trying to be nice to her too, because she looked really …’ He paused and looked up at Uxi. ‘Hey, you’re a woman.’

‘Nicely observed, Master.’

‘I meant, why don’t you go check on her? Bet she won’t throw you out.’

‘I would, but we have so much work backed up here. I can’t keep delegating my duties to under-demons; they don’t know how to spell and their grammar is atrocious.’ She looked at one of the memos with disgust. ‘Last time I checked, “soul” was NOT spelled with a w. I wish you would find a spell to magic some brains into their empty heads.’ 

‘Please, Ux.’

He almost never asked nicely, and looked so despondent that she couldn’t refuse. Before Uxi knew it, she was fluttering outside of Harusame’s room, wondering how to knock when she had no hands.

‘Izuki-san?’ she called. ‘It’s me, Uxi.’

There was a moment’s silence, and the door creaked open. Harusame stood in her dressing-gown, leaning against the doorframe for support.

‘Did Hades send you?’

‘He’s worried about you, sweetie.’

‘You didn’t have to come just because he told you to.’