Ch. 93: The Ties That Wound
“So, I hear you caught a rat— one of the old Titans.” Madam Perisa’s voice rang out as she downed another shot of whiskey. Her gorgon eyes gleamed mischievously under the dim lights of the grand hall. For someone of her age— and let’s be honest, her species— whiskey seemed an odd choice, but it wasn’t my place to judge. “What was his name again? Prudence?”
Zeus and Poseidon burst into laughter as though it was the funniest thing they’d heard in centuries. I raised an eyebrow, late to whatever joke was being made. Madam Perisa, despite her unassuming appearance, was as much of a troublemaker as these two. It made me wonder how she managed to run this place without it falling into chaos. But for now, I just wanted to enjoy the moment, perhaps learn more about the world I thought I already knew.
“It’s Prometheus,” I corrected flatly, swirling the beer in my cup.
Madam Perisa’s laughter ceased, and her eyes bulged comically as she fixed her gaze on me. “And you’re still a can of piss.”
The table roared again. It seemed no matter where I went— whether in my previous life or on Olympus— everyone hated a spoilsport. I grinned despite myself. It was oddly comforting to know that even here, surrounded by gods and monsters, there were people who weren’t afraid to laugh at me despite my title. This whole scene felt so different, yet strangely familiar.
“And when did ya grow that awful smug look?” Madam Perisa teased, leaning over the table. “Did ya get laid by a lady or somethin’?”
I couldn’t help but be taken back by her crude words. She might’ve suspected who I really was, but there was no way she could confirm it. Not yet.
I let my smile fade and took another sip of my drink. “Not quite,” I said, leaving her to wonder what that meant.
Madam Perisa’s gaze softened ever so slightly. “It suits ya, that grin. Best to have a bit of joy in this dark world. So, ya headin’ back to the Underworld soon?”
Zeus and Poseidon busied themselves with their drinks, but I could feel their eyes on me, waiting for my answer. I set my cup down with a clack. “Not yet. There’s someone I need to see first. After that, I’ll return to the Underworld. I’ve got preparations to make— my baby brother’s birthday is in a few years.”
Zeus’ face lit up like the sky on a stormy day, his golden hair shimmering as though bathed in lightning. “But that’s like two hundred years from now! You make it sound like it’s tomorrow.”
Poseidon, reclining in his chair, eyed me with suspicion. “That’s our big brother, always thinking ahead. Never present in the moment.”
I frowned slightly, realizing I had struck a nerve. Poseidon’s words stung more than I expected. I was pushing him away— no, I had pushed him away. How much of that was my fault, and how much was Hades’ natural distance from the living world?
It was ironic. The more time I spent here, the more I realized how much I was like Hades— obsessed with duties, distracted by distant futures, and losing touch with the present. And the price? Everything dear to me, just slipping away.
“Bad habits, I guess,” I muttered, catching Poseidon’s attention. “Maybe you could show me around your kingdom sometime. A change of scenery might do me good.”
Poseidon raised an eyebrow, clearly taken aback. The flicker of surprise in his eyes was quickly hidden behind a mask of indifference. “Maybe,” he said, his voice casual, but there was a note of something deeper— something uncertain.
Madam Perisa sneered. “Look at you three, not at each other’s throats for once. Zeus, Poseidon— you two usually fight like dogs over a bone, but I guess Hades here has mellowed out.”
The table fell silent. Zeus busied himself with the foam of his drink while Poseidon stared at the empty space between us, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the table. I could feel the tension settling in, thick and heavy. But silence never lasted long around these gods.
“Don’t!” Poseidon’s voice cut through the quiet like a sudden wave crashing against rocks. “You always do this— overthink everything and lose yourself in it.”
His words hit harder than they should have. I blinked, genuinely caught off guard. “Oh… Sorry.” I sighed, half to myself. “Bad habits, like I said.”
How could he tell I was thinking?
Zeus, mid-sip, nearly choked on his drink. “Did you just apologize?” His tone was more shocked than anything else.
“Well, I’ll be damned,” Madam Perisa mumbled under her breath.
Poseidon, still tapping his fingers on the table, gave me a long, scrutinizing look. “You’re not really Hades, are you?”
I froze. There it was— the question I had been dreading. From the very beginning, Poseidon and Zeus had sensed it, hadn’t they? My energy was in disarray, my mannerisms off, my words… foreign. They chose not to pry, perhaps out of respect for their brother, but now it seemed the jig was up.
No the jig had been up since day one but they never did confront me about it. I knew it was only a matter of time since my acting was never that good.
Zeus leaned forward, his expression serious for once. “Are you really… our big bro?”
The tension around us thickened, and for a moment, it felt like even the air in the room had stilled. Whatever I said here wouldn’t change Zeus’ acceptance. He had embraced me when the truth came out later in the future, embraced might have been a strong word but be wasn’t against it. Poseidon, though? He was another story entirely. If he suspected I was an otherworlder… it would all go south fast.
“How do I put this?” I sighed, rubbing my temples. “I guess I wanted to try something different. I spent most of my life pushing people away, wallowing in self-pity, burdened by responsibilities that weren’t mine. It took losing everything for me to realize that even gods have dreams, even souls deserve joy. I wasted so much time. I won’t do that anymore. Life is too short— even for immortals— to spend it all on pointless things. I want to be with those I care about.”
For a second, I thought I had lost them. Then, a tear slid down Zeus’ cheek. He wiped it away with an embarrassed grin. “That was… cool, I guess. Not that I was listening that hard.”
Madam Perisa gave a snide chuckle. “This ball of gloom actually has a point.” She stared at me, and I swear she had some hidden ability to sniff out the truth like a bloodhound. “Most of my ol’ pals already kicked the bucket leaving me alone in the dark world.”
Poseidon, however, wasn’t moved. His cold, calculating stare remained fixed on me. “It’s too late for amends, Hades.”
Amends? What was he talking about? Did their disputes run even deeper than I thought?
“I’m not giving up,” I said, mostly to reassure myself.
“Why?” Poseidon’s voice was sharp, almost mocking. “Why bother?”
The question echoed in my mind. Why? Why was I giving a god who had tried to kill me, who pushed me away, a second chance?
“Because I won’t give up on you,” I said quietly, but with all the conviction I had left.
Poseidon tilted his head back, snorting in disgust. “Gods, that’s a stupid sentiment. Makes me want to puke.”
That might have been what he had said but his true emotions was relayed through my eye of truth.
*(Poseidon’s Likability +10)*
*(Total Likability: -270)*
I stared at the invisible message floating before me. His reaction didn’t match the numbers. There was still hope for him. Hope for the future.
Author’s Note: Just wanted to say I would be changing the “likeability” bar of Hades to “interest”. I feel this is much better and more dated than the first. Thanks.
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