Hades says, "Haven't you realize yet that I have no good inside me? I am the heart of the Underworld. The very, very deep hole of darkness you fear the most, I am that. Stop pretending and trying to change the one thing that won't change." He's trying so hard to not show how he is really feeling. He keeps looking down at the floor like the sight of me will undo him. 

I stand from his throne, ready to leave. But instead of turning my back and walking away from the man who gets me all worked up, I grab his face between my hands and force him to look at me. 

This is the first time I have seen surprise on his face.

"I will do whatever I want. Do you understand me? My lord." At this he narrows his eyes. "You got me for the rest of our lives. I'm here to stay. You can't escape me. I'm like those vines growing on the surface; you can't just cut and expect it to disappear. So you might as well learn to live with me.

"And don't you dare lie to me, my lord. In the deepest parts of yourself, where the darkness consumes you completely, I know a light has appeared. A small light but it's there." 

I draw closer to him. His eyes never stray from mine. 

"Hades." I try his name in my tongue. It feels like his name is the right thing to say. Slowly, his forehead comes to rest on mine. Our mingling breaths are the only thing I hear. My heart is beating like crazy. Like I'm going crazy. But that's already a fact, so how come my heart can't stop resonating inside my head? 

"Perse."

I love my name on his lips. I want him to keep saying it.