As I meander through the various corridors of the palace, my mind drifts to a particular goddess. Something about her sparks excitement in my veins. The way she walks with such authority or talks with such confidence. Everything about her, really, just makes me crave to be near her. Typically she's off training or whatever it is she does so frequently.
I haven't had the opportunity to spend much time with her, there's no valid reason for me to. She's a woman of order and routine, so it's hard for me to wiggle myself in there. As I'm deep in thought, I bump into someone and fall on my ass. "Ouchies" I mumble to myself before quickly getting off the ground. "I'm so-" I stop midway as I see her standing before me.
She has a neutral look on her face but her eyes are speaking monologues in a language I can't understand. "I'm so sorry" I say, just above a whisper, so quiet I think she might ask me to repeat myself. "It's fine" she utters, taking her leave directly after. I watch as she walks away, a little voice in my head screaming for me to go after her.
"Umm i-is there anything I can do to make it up to you?" I ask nervously as I jog to catch up with her long strides. "No need. I'm the one that bumped into you" she sighs, "but I wasn't paying attention" I point out. She stops abruptly and looks down on me. "I'm not going to kill you, you know" she says questioningly, a hint of amusement in her tone that I can tell is merely to mask her deeper and truer emotions.
"I know. I just meant that—I feel bad. I know—well I could kinda imagine—that you have hard days. Having someone just run into you can't possibly help that" I explain and she narrows her eyes at me. "Walk" she says, turning around and walking away and so, I follow her. It's silent between us which I can't tell if it's menacing or comforting.
We arrive at double doors and she pushes them open, allowing me to follow before closing them. I look around and notice we're in a bedroom, her chambers. "Sit" she demands and I promptly do, my heart beating rapidly in my chest due to being so close to her. "What is that you do, exactly?" she asks, though her tone is leaning more to rhetorical than curious.
"Uhh I clean, miss" I reply politely, "you clean? You're apart of the custodial staff; that's what you tell people. Speak highly of yourself and others will think so too" she states. "Miss, if I may? It's all the same thing, isn't it? No matter how you put it, it's still what it is" I shrug. "Would you call what I do... 'just killing'?" she asks with a smirk on her face.
"It's not 'just killing' but it is killing nonetheless. Though your title gives reason for it, that's different" I reply softly, biting my cheek for always having to have a response to everything. "Mm. I suppose you're right" she hums which makes me smile. "So... what did you do today?" I go out on a limb and ask.
I mean I'm here, might as well make the most of it. "Training" she answers simply, "did it go well?" I continue and she sighs. "Sure" she replies, "you should go" she adds. "Why?" I ask before I can stop myself and I want to bite my tongue off but I cease. It's already out now, I can't really take it back.
"Why?" she echos incredulously and I just nod in response. She stares at me for a moment, I suppose she's stunned I questioned her. "Because I'm tired" she lies, "lie. You don't get tired" I challenge. "Yes I do" she states, her voice wavering slightly. "You're a goddess. You haven't even been in battle to be tired" I point out and she grumbles to herself.
"Maybe I'm not physically tired" she proposes and she seems to be shocked by her own words. My smirk falls and I get up, idling as I'm not sure what to do. My feet move before my brain does and suddenly I'm standing in front of her. "Well, what's troubling you?" I inquire, "nothing" she scoffs.
"It's not 'nothing'. Everyone has feelings, it's ok to express them. I won't tell anyone, if that's what you're worried about" I mutter, "I'd kill you if you did" she mumbles. "No, you wouldn't" I whisper and she looks up to meet my eyes, curiosity swimming in hers. "So..." I prompt and she sits down on the bed, hands falling in her lap.
I take a seat next to her and wait patiently as she thinks. "You really shouldn't be so bold" she mumbles, "didn't you say I should think highly of myself? That's contradictory" I giggle. "You seem interested in me. Why?" she questions, "because you're interesting" I reply with a teasing lilt to my voice.
"You said it yourself: I kill people. Why would you be interested in someone like that? It's like a sick form of... sadism" she says, "but you're a person. You're more than that. I've seen it myself... you're quite kind... and sweet" I argue. "Kind and sweet? That's not me" she counters, "oh, but it is" I smile softly.
"Y/n..." she whispers under her breath, "yes" I respond quietly. "I would only hurt you" she mumbles, "you'd never hurt someone that didn't deserve it" I state. "Yes I would! I've done it before" she reasons, "well that was then, this is now" I argue. "You don't understand..." she sighs, "what don't I understand? Enlighten me" I plead.
"Everything I touch... it suffers. It hurts or... it dies" she whispers, and it breaks my heart. I cautiously move my hand into the space between hers, using my other to clasp her hands around it. "Well, you're touching me now. I'm not dead, am I?" I point out, "you know that's not what I meant" she sighs sadly.
"You are not some... destruction machine. You're a person, albeit not human, but... you have feelings and desires. You shouldn't feel barred from those because of who you are. It's a part of you, yes, but not all of you" I voice sincerely, "you don't know that" she whispers. "I do. You wanna know how?" I ask and she turns to face me, nodding softly.
"The fact that you're even considering not talking to me, for fear of hurting me, proves it. You're capable of love, Hela. I can feel it in my bones" I grin, "what if it's my love that hurts worse of all?" she brings forth. "Then I'll take the pain" I answer simply, placing a hand gently on her cheek.
"You're making a mistake" she mumbles, her eyes dropping to my lips. "I've made worse decisions. This, however, will be my best" I whisper before connecting our lips in a passionate kiss. She lays me down on the bed and pulls back, hovering over my form. "I love you" she breathes out, as if the mere confession would shatter the earth beneath us.
"I love you too" I mutter, pulling her down and connecting our lips again. It's a soft kiss, full of love and care. I can feel her hands grip me tighter as she gains her confidence. Finally, we pull away for air, I rest my forehead against hers and stare into her eyes. "To death and destruction" she jokes, "to life and rebuilding" I reply and she smiles whilst pulling me in closer.