Editor: Annie LaHue

Released: 11 August 2019

Content warning: negative self-talk, childhood trauma, implied abuse, excessive drinking

In the Underworld, after Persephone flies away, Hades appears excited at the idea Minthe is jealous of her. Minthe asks if Hades wants Persephone, to which he replies he wants Minthe. They kiss, and when the elevator door opens, rearrange their clothing, and agree to have dinner at 8 pm. Back at her desk, Thetis invites Minthe out for drinks at 5 pm, and she goes.

Hades returns home with food and flowers, thinking about keeping his distance from Persephone. He almost throws the baklava away, but admits no one has ever made him something like that before. After making dinner and several texts to Minthe, she doesn’t arrive. Hades drinks wine and becomes visibly upset. The red wine transforms into a substance that seems to drip everywhere, until Hades remembers being in his father’s stomach. He turns into his child self, thinking, “I’ve spent entire lifetimes outrunning that deep feeling of loneliness. However, tonight it’s completely inescapable.” His father’s voice in his mind replies, “Of course she doesn’t want to be around you. You’re just like me.”

“I’ve spent entire lifetimes outrunning that deep feeling of loneliness. However, tonight it’s completely inescapable.”

He wakes up on the couch, his face half transformed to his cosmic form with the three bottles around him. Seeing Cerebus eat food on the counter, Hades allows himself to break the rules and opens the letter from Persephone to Hecate. One eye is red, and one eye is black. 

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