The Path to Victory

Chapter 17


Days had passed and only a few hours remained before the day of the marriage between Hera and Zeus. As a gesture of good will, Zeus had invited his new subjects the Titans as guests of the wedding. Hestia was decorating the great halls of the fortress with various beautiful flowers she and her sisters had picked from nearby. The only sibling not involved in the preparations was Hades, who had not left his room ever since he had been appointed god of the Underworld.

Hades had refused to leave his quarters and would barely speak to any visitors. The only reason he had eaten at all was that Poseidon and Demeter would bring him food on occasion, but otherwise he remained hidden away like a hermit.

“Hades, it is only me,” Poseidon said with a knock to his brother’s door. As predicted, the older god said nothing as his brother entered the room. “I’ve come to see you, see how you fare.”

Hades only grunted at the offer.

Rolling his eyes, Poseidon decided to get down to business. “You do know you are expected at the ceremony.”

“I will not attend,” Hades replied in a quiet voice, avoiding Poseidon’s gaze. “Surely no one will miss my presence…”

“Zeus has requested that you join us. He will find it very disrespectful if you should decline.”

Hades gave an exasperated sigh and finally rolled onto his back to look at his brother. “Look at me, Poseidon,” he demanded. “I have neither the clothes nor the attitude required for any festivities, and I would shame my whole family if I’d choose to show myself. You know this is true. Please don’t press the matter.”

Rather than conceding, Poseidon smiled and took a seat on the edge of Hades’ bed. “We still have time to rectify that,” he said. Indeed, Hades was a pathetic sight to behold, his clothes dirty and rumpled from all the time he had spent in bed, and his long hair tangled and oily from days without washing.

“How long has it been since you washed your hair?” the younger god asked out of curiosity, reaching out to touch his brother’s head. Hades merely frowned at the action.

“I don’t remember,” he admitted.

“Either way, it is no excuse,” Poseidon said resolutely. “Hestia has sown you a beautiful new garb to wear at the banquet, and as soon as you have taken care of yourself, you must try it on.”

“Oh, must I?” Hades muttered sullenly, but a thought appeared in his head, one that almost inspired him to laugh. Easily he could imagine himself attending Zeus and Hera’s marriage ceremony stripped bare of all clothing and the responses such an act would provoke.

“I’m sure with enough drink in you, you would hardly mind,” Poseidon said, and though he had intended the statement to be a joke, Hades took serious thought to it.

“You may be right.”

“Hades…?”

“Perhaps with enough wine, I won’t even know I am attending,” Hades said, sitting up.

Poseidon rolled his eyes a second time. “Oh, Hades…”

“I certainly won’t attend sober.” The look in his eyes was deadly serious.

Grimacing, Poseidon shook his head. “As long as you promise not to overdo it.”

“Of course I promise,” Hades said as he stood up from his bed, disrobing. “I needn’t make an idiot of myself. Now, where is this robe Hestia has made for me?”

Faintly surprised at how willing his brother had suddenly become, Poseidon cleared his throat. “I shall fetch it for you. In the meantime, perhaps you should have a bath and wash your hair.”

“Wonderful,” Hades replied, hands against his hair. It would do him well to clean the unkempt hair, though feeling the oily nature of it had at least temporarily him given the illusion of a return to his once soft beautiful locks.

When Poseidon returned, not half an hour later, he found his brother propped up against the headboard of his bed, naked and still wet with a goblet in his hands. While relieved that Hades had at least taken his advice and gotten himself a bath, Poseidon was concerned at his brother’s sudden fondness of alcoholic beverages.

“There is plenty to drink in the great hall,” he pointed out. “No need to bring your own wine, Hades.”

“Oh…” Hades took one final swig from the goblet before setting it aside. The amount he had drunk had already caused a faint yet pleasant buzz behind his eyes, and he felt relaxed and carefree for the first time in days or even weeks. Hades swayed just slightly upon rising from the bed, and the grave expression on his brother’s face when he approached him made him snicker.

“Why so serious, brother?” he asked. “I thought this was supposed to be a day of joy for us all.”

Poseidon held back a sigh, glancing at the elegant robe that lay draped over his arm. It was truly a work of art, and he could only imagine the time and effort Hestia had put into it.

“Our sister made this for you,” he said, offering the garment to Hades. “Hopefully it will fit you and be comfortable to wear.”

Hades smiled as he held up the robe and took in the subtle details and graceful colors. “It’s beautiful,” he said, admiring his sister’s work. “I would shame myself not to wear it.”

Grinning, Poseidon assisted his brother in putting on the robes. Hades assumed it was out of typical courtesy, but his younger brother’s help was mostly to make sure the older god did not lose balance and fall.

“Thank you, brother,” Hades said, giving Poseidon a peck on the cheek. “Let us attend.”

Hades was tolerant as he arrived at the main hall where the ceremony was being held, though as the rituals went on and the pacing of the vows became agonizing, Hades was beginning to feel sober again. A scowl had marred his face, and he occasionally eyed the adjacent room where the banquet was to be held. Poseidon took his hand in his own, a sign that he begged for his brother’s patience.

Hera was positively radiating happiness so strong it was almost tangible around her. Even Hades had to admit that his oldest sister was looking very beautiful in her marriage garb, which was held together around her waist by a golden girdle, whose sole purpose was to hide the fact that the goddess was visibly pregnant. While there was no mistaking that Hera was proud or even downright boastful of her condition, supposedly she did not want her growing belly to mar her otherwise statuesque figure.

Glancing around the large room, Hades recognized some of the Titans who had fought alongside Cronos but were now their allies, and also many faces he was not familiar with. One particular female drew his attention; he remembered her very well from the eve of the battle when she had accompanied Zeus to their encampment and stood outside his tent in naught but a blanket. Hades could only wonder if Zeus had really had the stomach to invite his concubine to his marriage ceremony, or if Metis had come uninvited and unannounced.

As though reading his brother’s mind, Zeus just so happened to look over the crowd of guests and had to look twice at Metis as though making absolutely certain that she really was there. Hera just so happened to be looking away from her beloved’s face, which was fortunate for Zeus, for he very briefly wore a grimace reading of silent curses he was bestowing upon himself. Hades could not resist a quiet chuckle.

The ceremony was brought to a close by a length of rope tied around Zeus and Hera’s joined hands, a symbol of their eternal union. Only when the rope was removed was the ceremony over, and Hades was never happier to see the banquet table.

“Take it slowly, brother,” Poseidon advised the older god as he watched him gulp down a goblet of wine. “You do not need to incur our brother’s anger.”

“That is the last thing I would want to do,” Hades replied. “But I will not attend if I am fully aware of this tiresome event.” He poured himself another glass. “Do not worry, I will be mindful of how much I drink.” He sipped deliberately in front of Poseidon to prove a point.

“You have already drunk too much,” Poseidon said critically, fearing that Hades would be too intoxicated to tend to himself before the evening was over. “I would rather avoid having to carry you out of here, brother.”

The older god demonstrably emptied his current glass of wine and set it aside, earning another aggravated glare from Poseidon.

“Go enjoy yourself rather than mothering me at all times,” he said, but the words already came out a bit slurred and unclear. “I thought that was the point of this banquet…” Hades gave a high-pitched giggle very uncharacteristic of him and reached for the jar containing more wine, to fill up his glass.

Poseidon already had his arm out to stop him when they were approached by Zeus, with Hera on his arm. The two newly-wedded Olympians wore similar olive wreaths on their heads; another symbolic proof of their union.

“Hades, I am glad you decided to attend,” Zeus said pleasantly, trying to catch his drunken brother’s attention. “It means a lot to us both that you chose to honor us with your presence.”

“Indeed…?” the older Olympian grunted. “I just noticed that someone else had chosen to honor you with her presence as well, Zeus.”

Instantly Zeus’ face darkened while Hera’s assumed a look of confusion; she was not aware of Metis and as far as Zeus was concerned, it would stay that way.

“He refers to the Titans, dearest,” the youngest god said, interrupting the awkward silence. “I am indeed honored that our new subjects agreed to attend our beautiful ceremony.”

Just as he glanced back at the crowd of Titans enjoying the food and festivities, one of them parted from the crowd and was making her way towards him. Zeus held back the obscenity which lingered on his lips.

“If you will excuse me, my dear,” he said, “already the drink has left me with the need to empty myself. I shall return in only a moment.”

Hera, puzzled at her new husband’s behavior, was then taken aside by Poseidon. “How is the bride, by the way?” he asked, though he spoke to her not so much out of genuine interest, but to keep Hera from seeing Zeus vacate the room with Metis.

“Happy to be wed,” the goddess replied. “And happy for the life within me. It brings me peace to think we are able to raise children without the fear of Cronos ending it all.”

“Of course,” Poseidon said. “Our generations will not need to fear the Titans like we had.”

His attention away from Hades, Poseidon did not notice his brother was now speaking with a Titan. Said Titan was offering a drink he and his fellow race had brought to the banquet, and he jovially poured the brew into Hades’ glass.

Hades curiously eyed the bright green substance the Titan had offered him, not recalling to have seen anything like it previously in his life. Though already drunk, Hades was suspicious of the liquid and sniffed it before taking a sip.

“What is this?” he asked his new acquaintance.

“My people call it Absinthe,” the Titan named Prometheus replied, leaning down to get closer to eye level with Hades. “Try some, little Olympian. It is like your wine, only better.”

Hades wanted to point out that green wine did not exist, but he was too curious to refrain from tasting the beverage, and to his surprise, it tasted pleasantly of herbs, anise in particular. Encouraged by this, Hades had soon emptied the glass and immediately Prometheus was there, offering to fill it up, to which the god happily complied.

Once he was finished talking to Hera, Poseidon began to anxiously look around for Hades, fearing what his drunken brother might have caused. At first there was no sign of Hades, but after a while Poseidon was able to locate him, leaning against a wall and holding a glass containing a striking green substance that made Poseidon think of poison.

Approaching Hades, he snatched the glass out of the other’s hand before Hades could react. “What on earth are you drinking, brother?!” he hissed.

Hades giggled at his brother’s reaction to the sight of the drink. “Oh, don’t get so frust… flust… flustrated…” He burst out laughing. “It is only drink. And I’m enjoying it, so give me…” he grabbed for the chalice again, but Poseidon easily held it away from his deeply inebriated brother.

“This is not wine, now what is it?? And who on the Mother Earth gave it to you?!”

“Promisthius,” Hades answered, mispronouncing the Titan’s name. He continued to grab for the drink. “He called it… Promethimus! What did you call this?”

Hades’ loud voice caused everyone to look his way, including a presently embarrassed Prometheus at the far end of the room.

“Absinthe,” he replied, blushing at the god’s behavior. He had never expected Hades’ reaction to the drink to be THIS bad.

“Well, you are certainly not drinking anymore,” Poseidon snapped, and he tossed the drink out of the chalice and onto the floor.

“NO!” Hades objected, his tone almost whining. “It was a gift! And I liked that gift!”

“You are very drunk right now, Hades,” his brother said, gently taking Hades by the arms. “Remember you told me you did not want to make a fool of yourself?”

Hades slowly smiled, touched by the words. “You’re so sweet, Poseidon. You’re looking after me.” And he kissed Poseidon sloppily on the mouth.

Normally Poseidon would have enjoyed sharing a kiss with his beloved brother, but Hades was currently not himself, and the sea god could not help but feel ashamed of his fellow Olympian’s audacious behavior. Grabbing Hades firmly by the shoulders, he broke the kiss and held his brother at arm’s length.

“Enough of this,” he growled, knowing that far too many pairs of eyes were focused on them already. “Is this really how you want everyone to remember you?” Poseidon did not wish to take Hades away from the banquet, but if his brother continued like this, there would soon be no other choice.

“I was s-simply trying to e-enjoy myself…” Hades slurred, leaning against the other god. “Why won’t you let me enj—”

“Hades, you are done drinking for tonight. Do you understand?”

Hades merely laughed and proceeded to rub himself against his brother’s larger frame. “Oh, Poseidon… You excite me, taking control like that…”

*

Zeus was dragging Metis by arm, intending to throw her out of the fortress and even considering punishment for daring to show up at his wedding ceremony uninvited. Before he could complete his task, however, Metis jerked her arm from his hold and pushed Zeus himself against a wall.

Despite being taller than any of his siblings, Zeus was forced to look up at the Titaness, who had several inches of height on him.

“You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Zeus!” Metis said from between tightly clenched teeth. “Everything you said to me when we were together, all those beautiful words, did they mean nothing at all?”

“Metis, for goodness sakes, keep your voice down!” Zeus hissed at her, hands up to silence her ranting.

“I cannot believe I actually took your words at face value,” Metis snapped, voice at a lower volume but still loud all the same. “For a Titaness of wisdom, I have truly reached the zenith of foolishness. ‘Never felt such a beautiful feeling before,’ you said. I was your one and only, you said. Now I carry your child and you could care less as you marry another! Do you possess any heart in that detestable form of yours?”

Zeus stepped forward carefully, desperate to do anything to stop the tirade. “Metis, how can I discuss this with you when you act so irrationally?” he stopped and thought back on what the Titaness had said. The color ran out of his face. “Wait… did you say ‘child’?”

Metis gave the slightest hint of a triumphant smile. “I did. Your offspring grows within me. And if you do not tell your beloved bride of your infidelity, I will do it myself.”

Zeus could only imagine Hera’s reaction to finding out about his affair with Metis, let alone the fact that the other woman was also carrying his child… No, that simply could not come to be. Zeus would not allow it.

“You should choose your words more wisely, Titaness of Wisdom,” he said in a low yet chilling voice. “I do not respond well to threats, Metis, and I need your word on not interfering with my marriage. Do you take back what you just said, or will I be forced to take measures?”

“Who is threatening who now, Zeus?” Metis challenged. “You cannot wrong me any more than you already have. You had your way with me and then you discarded me like I was worth less than the ground you walk on. What can you do to me, that is worse than that?”

“I could have you imprisoned in Tartarus along with your kin.”

“Would you truly risk your alliance with my brothers and sisters by sending me there needlessly?” Metis asked, knowing that such an action might provoke the remaining Titans into challenging Zeus’ rule, and judging from the look of anger on the Olympian’s face, he was also aware of it.

“What do you want, Metis?” Zeus asked.

“My only wish is to ascertain that you will never treat anyone else as you have treated me.”

Zeus’ eyes narrowed as he considered the implications of what Metis asked. “If you mean to require I remain devoted to one individual only, I regret to admit I cannot. I love Hera as my companion and consort. We belong to one another. But I cannot tether myself down to couple with only one body. I cannot and I will not.”

Metis’ eyes, glassy with despair, nearly glowed with anger. “If you will not concede, then I have no choice but to reveal the truth to our families.” She turned and stormed toward the doorway, ready to face Hera with her news. “And there is no way you can stop me.”

At first Metis thought that Zeus’ lack of response proved she might just leave the room alive. But with every step she realized her perspective was beginning to change drastically. She looked up at growing walls as she shrank ever faster, and as she looked down in astonishment at her hands, he was horrified to discover her limbs growing thin, sprouting thick root-like hairs and losing fingers.

Zeus sat back and watched as his former lover transformed under his will. Her body shrank, grew limbs, and turned black. Her eyes divided over and over and wings burst out of her back. Before Metis could learn how to work these newfound wings, her insect form was picked up by a gigantic hand which could easily crush her dead.

Zeus briefly contemplated what to do with his wayward concubine while holding her furiously buzzing new form in his hand; he could easily grind her into pulp, but something in his mind insisted that there could be no trace of Metis left on the earth if he wanted to be absolutely sure of her demise, so another idea came to him.

Zeus brought his hand to his mouth and quickly swallowed what was in his fist before Metis could even think about using her own powers to prevent her inevitable doom. Briefly disgusted with himself but nonetheless relieved to have averted a veritable threat to his rule and marriage, Zeus decided to return to the banquet before his absence would start to raise questions.

A part of him would miss Metis and he felt regret over having to destroy the life within her as well – a child of his own seed – but he kept reminding himself that it had been done for the greater good. He had risked too much to let something as trivial as a jealous and dissatisfied concubine ruin everything he had managed to accomplish, and Zeus reached the conclusion that Metis only had herself to blame.

Hera immediately grabbed her new husband when he rejoined his family in the great hall, demanding to know what had occupied him for so long. The goddess obviously did not want his attention diverted from herself on this important day.

“I was merely getting some fresh air, dearest,” Zeus replied jovially and kissed his sister-wife on the cheek. “It did me good. Now I’m ready to continue the feast.”

“You could not return at a worse time,” Hera said. “The Titans brought their own drink and offered it to Hades. He is making an idiot of himself.”

Before she had even finished the sentence, a loud burst of laughter filled the hall, trailing all the way from the other side of the room.

“Oh my,” Zeus muttered, hurrying past the crowds. When he reached the source of the noise, he saw Hades was on the floor, howling with laughter, several Titans surrounding him and looking on in uneasiness.

“I’m being serious!” Hades said. “Zeus will punish you in any way possible, he’s very creative!”

“Hades, enough!” Poseidon hissed at his older brother, scooping the drunken god up by the shoulders. “You cannot stay anymore!”

“I was talking to our guests!” Hades roared, diverting his attention back to the Titans. “Zeus has punished me! Went into my tent and punished me on the ground!”

Zeus’ eyes widened at the revelation and the crowd’s eyes were now all on the three gods. Looking back at his sisters, Zeus could see a clear look of outraged disgust on Hera’s visage, which was slowly becoming anger.

“Hades, SHUT UP,” Poseidon snapped, dragging the struggling elder god away.

“But he did!” Hades insisted as he yelled. “He mated with me like a dog rutting with a bitch!”

“Shut your mouth this instant, brother!” Zeus bellowed from a distance and quickly began to advance toward the drunken Olympian now struggling with Poseidon.

Though deeply inebriated, Hades yet somehow managed to free himself from his younger brother’s grasp when one of his fingers accidentally poked Poseidon in the eye. Giving a pained howl, Poseidon’s hold on Hades relented, and this was all the other god needed to break free.

Fuming, Zeus felt his anger grow. He would punch his brother unconscious if that was what it took to make him quiet, as Hades was currently spilling out matters which Zeus did not want anyone, least of all his new bride, to gain knowledge of.

“Why is that, Zeus?” Hades called back, still sounding oddly cheerful. “Do you deny that it happened? On the eve of the battle, you came into my tent for a release, did you not? You held me down and took me on the ground, and I…”

Zeus could not reach his brother before someone else suddenly ran past him and collided with Hades, knocking the drunken god’s already swaggering form to the ground. It was Hera. A shocked murmur passed through the crowd of onlookers when the goddess immediately straddled her younger brother’s waist and proceeded to punch Hades clean in the face. She repeated her action twice before a stream of words exited her snarling mouth.

“You despicable harlot! You seduced my consort and now you have the audacity to come to my wedding ceremony to boast of it?! I loathe you! May you rot in the Underworld for all eternity!”

Hades, head already spinning from the alcohol and the blows she had delivered, weakly pushed at her shoulders to get her off, but Hera was his size and not weakened by intoxication. She grabbed a fistful of her brother’s hair and slammed his head against the stone floor, intent to cause Hades some serious harm.

“Help me!” Hades cried out, in a daze from the unrelenting attack. “She’s unbalanced!”

He was interrupted by another strike to his face. Hera’s fist connected with her brother’s nose before others could separate the two of them, a sickening crack easily heard by all. Hades yowled in pain from the broken nose as Zeus pulled the infuriated goddess off of him. He was dragged away by Poseidon, tears falling down his face in drunken frustration.

“I didn’t! He took ME! Ask him!” he shouted. “ASK HIM!”

“I’ll kill you!” Hera shrieked as the two gods disappeared out of sight. Clearly Poseidon would have his hands full keeping Hades under control.

“Hera, no!” Zeus shouted, restraining her. “Don’t struggle, you will hurt yourself!”

“Let go of me!” the goddess cried. “How could you?? You promised!”

Zeus squeezed his eyes shut and finally released his hold on Hera. She did not pursue Hades and instead slapped her new husband’s face. Just when the youngest Olympian – soon to be second youngest – had thought he had taken care of all his problems, a new one had surfaced.

“Dear one, please…” he started, though he was at a loss for words.

“You made a promise!” Hera shouted, uncaring of the audience she now had in both her sisters and the Titans. “You are my husband and soon you will be a father!”

“My dear wife, it is in the past,” Zeus tried to explain, his face red from shame. “You are who I love, and now that we are wedded, I promise I will remain devoted to you and only you.” He reached out to place his hand against her cheek, but Hera pulled away as though she was approached by a viper.

“So it is true? You don’t deny lying with Hades?”

“I do not, but as I said, it is in the past. The skirmish was upon us, and I was feeling…” Zeus sighed. “…restless. It only happened once.” Shame over how he had treated his poor brother that night resurfaced as well, and Zeus wished he could simply sink through the floor to avoid all the curious, reproachful eyes he felt on him.

Hera, not soothed by her brother’s words, simply shook her head and proceeded to storm out of the banquet hall without another word. Zeus was left alone with the guests and his two remaining sisters, Demeter and Hestia, who offered their leader a sympathetic glance.

“I suppose this is a good time to end the evening…” Zeus spoke up, his voice steady despite the wine he had consumed and the current state of his mind. “I bid my guests farewell and hope you can forgive the ruckus my drunken brother caused.”

Zeus gritted his teeth at the thought of Hades. Had Hera not beaten him to it, he gladly would have throttled his older brother himself.

*

Blood was leaking from Hades’ nose onto the floor as Poseidon dragged his brother alongside him, his arm securely around the other’s waist to keep him upright in the first place. After Hades got tangled up in his own feet a second time, Poseidon wordlessly scooped him into his arms and continued to walk, determined to get Hades to his chambers without any further misadventures.

“My nose… it really hurts…” the drunken god complained in a subdued, nasal voice. His head was spinning violently and every attempt to focus his eyes only resulted in increased dizziness. His hand blindly grabbed for something to press against his bleeding nose, and finally he caught a piece of Poseidon’s robe, which was as good as anything.

“Oh, wonderful,” Poseidon remarked when he realized what his brother was doing with his once clean robes. Hades’ robes meanwhile would have made Hestia weep. The long graceful sleeves had been carelessly dragged over tables of food and drink, and now little drops of blood had landed on the front.

“I told you, I strictly warned you not to overdo it,” Poseidon said, his voice coarse with anger and disappointment. The two gods entered Hades’ bedchamber and Poseidon did not hesitate to toss his brother onto the bed. Hades landed face first on the mattress with a plop.

“And you did anyway. That was incredibly foolish and now you’ve humiliated yourself in front of the Titans and made an enemy of your sister. I hope you’re proud of yourself.”

“I’m…” Hades began to reply, but the absinthe had made pathetic work of his focus. “I feel strange.”

Rolling his eyes, Poseidon carefully sat his brother up in bed and turned away for just a moment in order to fill a goblet with water. “We should get you out of those robes before you soil them even further.”

Poseidon had just finished speaking when the sound of vomiting filled the room. He grimaced to himself.

“Oh Hades…” The sour smell of alcohol vomit filled the room and when daring to glance in his brother’s direction, he could see that Hades had indeed thrown up in his own lap, the front of his beautiful new robe now covered in the foul substance. Poseidon figured that even his water magic would not be enough to rid the soiled fabric of the stains and smell. The only redeemable detail in this whole mess was that Hades at least hadn’t thrown up on his bed.

Hurrying back to his brother’s side, Poseidon steadied the drunken god so that he wouldn’t fall from the bed and then proceeded to undo the fastenings of Hades’ robes, determined to get him out of them before the vomit smeared onto the sheets. Gathering the lump of fabric in his arms, Poseidon considered what do make of it. Most likely the robe would have to be incinerated, as it was beyond salvation.

Hades, blood still trickling from his broken nose, lay back down against the pillows and pressed both hands to his throbbing head. A giggle devoid of joy escaped him and he called out for his brother.

“Poseidon… Poseidon, stay with me…!”

Grumbling to himself, Poseidon felt as though he were dealing with a child. If this was how things would go day in and day out when Hera’s child was born, the god considered killing himself now.

Carefully setting the ruined robes aside, he returned to his brother’s side. Hades had not shut up whatsoever throughout the ordeal, and now he was whining even more about his broken nose.

“I can help you with that,” Poseidon offered, feeling just a little vindictive. “Would you like me to?”

“Oh yes, of course,” Hades said with a dazed smile. “You’re so thoughtful, brother, I don’t know what I would do wi”—

CRACK

Poseidon manually set his brother’s nose back in place in an instant, but the howl of pain Hades made gave the impression that he had done much worse. Once the nose was back in place, the younger god was able to fully heal it, but Hades whined all the same about no warnings and making things worse. Poseidon only sat at the bedside and waited for his brother to finish the tirade before offering to help any further.

Hades grimaced at the foul, acrid taste in his mouth left over from the vomiting, and suddenly he had never craved water more than he did now.

“Poseidon… give me… water…” he groaned, arm over his eyes as he pulled on his brother’s sleeve to emphasize his request.

“Of course, brother,” the sea god dutifully replied, but rather than leaving Hades’ side, he simply picked up the empty goblet and summoned water from himself to fill it. The tips of his fingers assumed the semi-transparent texture of water and slowly dripped into the container. Hades saw none of this, as every attempt to focus his gaze made his eyes and head hurt worse than before, but if he had been able to view the display, he would have marveled at the development of his brother’s powers.

“Here, brother, drink…” Poseidon urged, propping Hades up with one hand and holding the goblet at his lips with the other. The older god gratefully drank half of the proffered fluid and then signaled with a small headshake that he did not want more. Almost immediately his hands began to blindly fumble for something to grab on to, and finding Poseidon’s hair and robes, he tugged his brother close.

“You’re not going back outside, are you?” Hades mumbled. Poseidon could just barely make out the words. “Out to the banquet?”

“No, I think it is likely over by now,” the younger god answered. “Your little… performance ruined the festivities.”

“Oh good…” Hades replied, as though he heard nothing about his drunken display. “I was worried you might leave…” His hands, pulling Poseidon ever closer, delved into folds of his brother’s robe. What the elder god wanted presently was clear as day.

“No,” Poseidon said with gentle admonition, “we don’t need you vomiting on me either.”

Hades saw past his brother’s attempt to play stupid and chuckled. “Don’t act so innocently, brother, even if it make you seem so much sweeter,” he said, reaching up and kissing him, though his aim was off and he only managed to kiss Poseidon’s beard.

“Make love to me, Poseidon,” Hades said, as though they had been discussing what to do to pass the time.

Poseidon cleared his throat, feeling a little color rush to his cheeks. Hades was hardly in a state to competently walk, let alone lie with someone. What if they made love and Hades would have no memory of it hours later?

“Brother, right now you only need sleep,” he said, grabbing Hades’ wrists and holding them still. “I can remain here, if you wish me to, but you need to rest until you’re feeling better.”

“No… I want… you…” Hades made another attempt to kiss his brother, and this time his aim was slightly better, and his kiss landed on Poseidon’s jaw. “Now…”

The younger god was about to repeat what he’d just said about Hades needing sleep, not sex, when his brother’s hand boldly gripped his member through his robes, and Poseidon jolted in response to the sudden stimulus. He had missed being intimate with Hades, but ever since the other was appointed lord of the Underworld and basically swore off any kind of contact with his family, they had not made love. Still…

“You are not yourself, brother,” Poseidon said gently, caressing Hades’ brow. “I would rather we did this when you are sober.”

“I still want you,” Hades insisted, and glancing down, Poseidon could see that his brother’s phallus was hardening. A slender, naked leg snaked around the younger god’s waist and urged him downward, where Hades’ arms eagerly awaited him.

Realizing he too was becoming just as aroused, Poseidon finally gave in and tumbled onto the bed, Hades at his side, groping and squeezing. Now that his own phallus was growing hard, the god’s reasoning was becoming blurred. Hades was consenting to the coupling very enthusiastically, after all…

“What a handsome thing you are,” Hades cooed between kisses as he admired his brother’s face. Poseidon continued to kiss back, flattered at the adulation until he felt fingers pinching at his cheeks. “Adorable,” Hades said, leaving wet kisses and continuing to pinch. Poseidon glared at him as though ready to kill his brother.

“Don’t do that.”

Hades grinned, cheeks still red from the absinthe. “But you’re so…”

“I don’t care, it’s a distraction,” Poseidon said, the easiest way to explain himself. The last thing a god like Poseidon demanding respect of subjects needed was to be “adorable,” and the thought of Hades telling the Titans about it someday made him a little embarrassed. Hopefully in his drunken stupor, Hades would forget he had ever said it.

It frustrated Hades that his brother seemed to turn his face away every time he tried to kiss him on the mouth, and rather than asking for the reason, which his intoxicated brain could not figure out, he started to pull on Poseidon’s clothing.

“Take this off,” he murmured, wanting to touch as much bare skin as possible. “I want you naked!”

The younger god disengaged from the embrace long enough to oblige his brother, but he had to still Hades’ wrists when the other reached out to help him and instead made the disrobing more difficult.

“There you are…” Hades sighed happily when Poseidon’s now unclothed form rejoined him on the mattress and pressed their bodies together. His eyesight was treacherous, however, and for a brief moment he could have sworn he saw two representations of his brother, one blurrier than the other. Hades mewled in pleasure and anticipation of what was to come when Poseidon lay on top of him and ground their hips together, their members sliding against one another in the most arousing of ways.

“Do it, brother… Take me!” Hades urged, wrapping his legs around Poseidon’s waist to give the other an incentive to get started.

“We need the oil, Hades,” Poseidon quietly explained. “I could hurt you otherwise.”

Hades whimpered a little at the thought of having to wait any longer, but allowed his brother to get up. “Hurry, then,” he said. “I can’t bear waiting much longer.”

Poseidon stepped off of the bed only for a moment to grab the oil for proper lubrication, turned to declare them ready, and found Hades completely asleep. Not just asleep, but beginning to snore.

“Goodness…” Poseidon quietly exclaimed, wondering what to do next. Putting the oil down beside them, he lay back down next to his brother, considering his own arousal. He was still quite erect, and Hades’ member, though flagging now, was still slightly hard.

“Hmmm…” The younger god contemplated making love to his brother anyway. After all, Hades had wanted to before he fell asleep, and currently he was in no position to object to it. But then again, he wasn’t able to say yes either. Upon further consideration, Poseidon realized taking his brother now would be a very insensitive thing to do, in fact something that Zeus would have done.

Sighing, Poseidon looked over Hades’ still, peaceful expression, not wanting to interrupt it. His brother did look incredibly sweet when he slept, even with a line of saliva slowly creeping from the corner of his mouth as it did now.

“Adorable, are we?” Poseidon said with amusement as he pulled the sheets over his brother.

He would spend the night here with Hades even though all they would do was sleep; if anything, he needed to make sure that the other didn’t wake up in the middle of the night and do something regrettable in his drunken stupor.

Poseidon considered leaving Hades to sleep the way he was, but the sound of his loud snores soon became distracting, and there was also another issue to consider; if Hades threw up again while on his back, he could very well suffocate on his own vomit. To prevent his brother from dying such an undignified and pointless death, the younger god simply turned Hades onto his side and then wrapped both arms around him from behind.

As though he had registered the touch on a subconscious level, Hades let out an unintelligible murmur and his snores eventually died out. Poseidon knew he should be angry and upset with his brother for the drunken display which had completely ruined Zeus and Hera’s wedding banquet, but he could not help but love Hades all the same, and now also pity him.


TBC...