Hades

asleep

Hades

I went to the kitchen when I got back from work. Stella was sitting in Lucinda's chair in the corner, a blanket wrapped around her. She didn't acknowledge my presence, she didn't even look in my direction.

"Hey," I said.

She glanced up at me. "Hey."

"Are you mad?" I asked.

She shook her head.

Lucinda put the food on the table. It was soup. Stella remained in the chair, and Lucinda gave her a bowl of steaming hot soup. Lucinda left the kitchen.

"How are you feeling?" I asked Stella.

She shrugged.

We ate in silence.

"I'll go to bed," she said.

I glanced in her direction. "In your own room?" I asked. Truth be told, I'd had a day to consider the entire room situation, and while I did prefer to be home when she was in my room, I had enjoyed sleeping with her.

"Yes, your room is forbidden, remember?" She wrapped the blanket tighter around her.

"It's not forbidden," I sighed. "I just prefer to be here when someone is in it."

Stella nodded. "Right. So forbidden." She left the kitchen.

"Why are you so difficult?!" I yelled.

"I'm not difficult! You are!" she called back, her voice hoarse.

I followed her and made her stop on the first landing. "What, Stella?"

She breathed in and turned to face me. "You need to fucking tell me why I couldn't stay in your room!"

"Because it's like a sanctuary for me, and I've never let anyone in there."

"It sounds as if you've got a million secret I'm not allotted to see." She replied.

"Oh," I said. "No, I don't. I just prefer to know it's my room, and only my room." I stepped up unto the landing so we were on the same level.

She glanced up at me, her shoulders slumped.

"Please, sleep with me again tonight."

She crossed her arms. "Why have we changed from being hateful towards each other to sleeping together?" she asked.

I smiled. "I think we actually took the time to talk instead of just being pissed."

Stella nodded and sighed. "Okay, fine! But I want my own pajamas."

"Okay, should we go get that first?"

She nodded again.

"Do you want me to carry you again, or are you lost in thought?"

She smiled so sweetly up at me, it felt as if butterflies were in my belly. That hadn't happened in close to three thousand years. I wrapped an arm around her waist, she put her arms around my neck, and I carried her to her room.

She changed in the bathroom and came out wrapped in the blanket again.

I carried her back to my room and put her on the neatly made bed.

She shoved the blanket to the floor and got underneath the covers. I went to the bathroom to change. Maybe I should just go with the flow and change before her, but I couldn't do that.

I got into bed next to her, only to find her sound asleep.