Chapter 19 : Drown your sorrows in booze

"Welcome home lord hades.." pixie's voice echoed across the house, but hades didn't have the vitality to respond. The fact that an artificial intelligence was the only thing welcoming him home made him feel even worse than he already did.

He slid onto one of his kitchen stools and dropped his keys and chicken wings on the counter before slamming his forehead into it. He groaned in frustration.

"Lord hades would you like me to start up dinner for you?"

"No.." Hades mumbled

"Very well, shall I move up your scheduled shower then?"

"No pixie.."

"You have to retire to bed by ten PM lord Hades, and you have a number of activities scheduled until then."

Hades sat up and ran his hands down his face, "pixie.." he mumbled.

"Yes lord Hades?"

"Leave me alone!"

The A.I system went quiet for a while until the ping of his microwave reached Hades' ears. "I'm afraid I can't do that lord Hades, you are exhibiting high levels of stress. Within your microwave is a cup of camomile tea, it will help relax your muscles and stimulate production of oxytocin that you desperately need right now."

Oxytocin huh? The love hormone? Wow, even his artificial intelligence could tell that he was lucking love. The crimson eyed god walked to his microwave and took the cup. As he sipped the sweet smelling tea, his mind drifted to the red haired, blue eyed goddess. Who in their right mind liked cottage cheese with olives? Were her taste buds shot or something? And why the hell did she call him sir?! Well sure he was a little bit older.. just a little bit.. but that didn't mean she had to call him sir, it felt strange having her refer to him with words of respect.

Hades finished his tea and placed his cup in the dishwasher before opening his pack of wings and eating them. As he ate, he kept thinking of the night at the party when he had ordered her these very wings, could it be that he was the one who introduced them to her? Did she like them because of him? For some reason the thought brought a smile to Hades' face, but he quickly pushed his thoughts of her to the back of his mind.

"Get a grip Hades, she's too young for you.."

He really had to find a way to stop himself from thinking about Persephone, he would go crazy if this continued.

"Pixie!"

"Yes sir, would you like to take your bath now?"

"Please contact Melia, tell her I require her companionship immediately," he instructed as he finished up his wings.

"Contacting Melia now…"

*

The bike and the jeep parked outside Eris and Persephone's dormitory later that night.

Tekos helped Persephone off the motorcycle and gently pulled the helmet off her head. "Sorry to keep you out so late," he apologized, "guess we lost track of time."

"It's alright," the goddess replied, "I had fun, plus my classes start a little late tomorrow so I'll be alright."

"Alright then, I should get going." The satyr gave Persephone a smile and jumped onto his bike.

"I'll see you tomorrow right?"

Tekos was a little surprised by her question, he didn't expect her to want to see him until their planned day out on Sunday. "Well I have a few classes tomorrow and a shift at the convenience store, but I can meet you at the canteen square for lunch.

"I'd like that." Persephone waved to the satyr, "good night."

"Good night Persephone," Tekos responded before riding off.

Eris opened her door and got out of her brother's jeep, as she walked towards her roommate, Ares stood in front her blocking her path.

"Umm excuse me! Move your big empty head I've seen enough of your face for one lifetime," she growled at Ares.

"I need to ask you something," Ares mumbled and wore what Eris assumed was supposed to be a smile. Gosh he looked even creepier when he smiled.

"What do you want Ares it's late."

"It's about Persephone…" Ares turned to look at the redhead to make sure she couldn't hear their conversation before speaking. "Look I really like Persephone."

"Yeah I know," Eris responded flatly, "can I go now?"

"No wait, calm down. Look I know you and I don't see eye to eye after the 'incident', but we're still siblings," Ares coxed his sister, "you and Persephone get along, if you help me get her, who knows, you two could end up sisters-in-law."

"Not a chance!" Eris responded coldly.

"Do you hate me that much Eris?"

"This has nothing to do with my feelings towards you, and everything to do with the fact that i know the kind of being you are Ares!" Eris replied sternly, "Persephone is sweet and innocent, I wouldn't let a self absorbed, temperamental, sneaky guy like you anywhere near my friend!"

"Oh but you'll let a satyr hit on her?! Really Eris?! She's a goddess, she should be with a god."

"Persephone can be with whoever the hell she wants, but I'm not acting like your wing man." Eris took a step closer to her brother and poked a finger in his chest. "As a matter of fact, I will do everything in my power to keep you as far away from Persie as possible." She shoved past Ares and gave him a warning glare. "Stay the hell away from her Ares!"

Ares gnashed his teeth in anger, "fine," he mumbled to himself, "if you won't help me make Persephone mine, I'll just have to do it myself."

*

Melia stared at the screen of her phone and frowned at Hades' text. "Keep me company tonight? Really Hades? After the humiliation you put me through?" He slammed her phone on her sofa and crossed her arms, "not a chance."

Who the hell did hades think he was?! He thinks he can reject her and then just call on her whenever he pleases? Melia was the most lusted over woman in all the three realms, there was no way she was going to become Hades' little toy.

She picked up her phone again and dialed in a number… "hello, Arethusa?"

'Hey girl what's going on? You still up?'

"Hades texted me."

'You see I told you that little office gimmick would work!' Arethusa shrieked in excitement, 'now you have him wrapped around your little finger just like you wanted.'

Melia brought her knees to her chest and sighed, "the thing is, the office gimmick didn't work, he didn't even touch me, he literally buttoned up my jacket and drove me back home."

'Oh gods, I'm so sorry girl, but then why is he texting you?'

"He wants me to keep him company tonight but I'm not going."

Arethusa snickered in amusement, 'well if you're not going why are you telling me about it?'

The siren sighed and threw her head back, "because I'm confused, I shouldn't go but I'm considering it, what the hell is wrong with me? It's clear that the guy isn't all that into me so why am I still stuck on him?"

'You know what I think, I think he's just a stick in the mud workaholic, so office hookups are not his thing. But the fact that he has texted you means it did have some sort of effect on him. Maybe he's the kind of guy who just likes it in his bedroom and nowhere else.'

"So you're saying I should go?"

'Girl, his nickname is the god of wealth! Get your siren butt to his apartment!'

Melia cut the line and sighed, she was doing way too much for Hades. Men chased her, not the other way around, but for some strange reason she couldn't help herself. She opened Hades' text and replied. 'I'll be there in twenty'.

*

When Melia walked into Hades' apartment the lights were off. There was a wafting smell of alcohol and the sound of classical music coming from his study. The siren put her bag down on the counter and followed the music, she peeked into his study and saw him leaning back on his chair with a cup in his hand.

"Hades?" She walked to the man and tapped his shoulder.

The god looked up at Melia and smiled groggily, "Hello beautiful.."

From his slurred tone and droopy eyes, she could tell he was heavily drunk, but why in the world was he drinking on a Monday? Wasn't he a workaholic stick in the mud?

"Honey you're drunk," Melia spoke as she pulled the glass from his hand, "let me get that for you." She then helped him stand, gods he was so heavy! "Let's get you to bed honey, you're too intoxicated to do anything right now."

Hades wrapped his arms around the woman and drew her closer, "you have the most beautiful blue eyes you know that?"

"Honey my eyes are brown, you see, you're too drunk to even see right."

Hades leaned down and placed a drunken kiss on her lips before pulling away and smiling at her, "oh come now little dove, I just had a glass. I'm an old man, I've had a lot of experience with alcohol."

The god swayed to the side and Melia pulled him onto her before he could fall, "come honey we need to get you upstairs before you pass out."

"Are you going to lay me in a bed of flowers?" Hades mumbled as they walked up the glass staircase, "I just want to bury my face into your long red hair."

"Sure thing honey whatever you want," Melia responded. Dear gods how much booze had this man taken? Did he have a shitty day at work or something, because all he was doing was taking crazy. Blue eyes? red hair? Bed of flowers? Whatever he was drinking must have been extremely potent.