[Third Person Pov]
"If it's so 'bullshit,' then how do you think Agares managed to completely manhandle you?" Hades retorted dryly. He brushed salt from his palms with casual indifference before lifting his glass and taking a slow, unbothered sip. His purple eyes never left Lucian's face, watching carefully for his reaction.
"I wasn't manhandled," Lucian scoffed immediately, though the lack of conviction in his voice betrayed him. He crossed his arms over his chest, chin raised in stubborn defiance. "It was a perfectly even battle. Two warriors clashing at their peak, both giving everything they had. That's all."
Hades didn't even hesitate. "He left you gutted on the ground," he said bluntly, his tone calm but mercilessly honest. "You were bleeding out, organs exposed, and seconds away from dying. If I hadn't stepped in when I did, you wouldn't be sitting here right now. You would be nothing more than a corpse cooling on the floor of that dimension." He paused briefly, letting the weight of that truth settle. "You are incredibly fortunate that the one you encountered was Agares. He is… one of the better ones."
"What?" Annabeth's voice cut in sharply, her eyes widening as she turned toward Lucian. The memory surfaced instantly—how pale he had been when they emerged, how he'd clutched his stomach and empty its content a second later. Concern tightened in her chest. "You were gutted?"
"Irrelevant," Lucian dismissed immediately, not even sparing her more than a brief glance before returning his attention to Hades. His jaw tightened slightly, irritation flashing across his face. "And what do you mean 'one of the better ones'? There wasn't a single damn thing good about that bastard."
Hades stared at him for a moment longer, then unexpectedly chuckled under his breath.
"Really?" he said, amusement lacing his voice. "Then why don't I hear any malice in your tone? No hatred. No venom. I hear anger, yes. A bit of wounded Pride, certainly. Maybe even the beginnings of a grudge. But hatred?" He shook his head faintly. "No. That's not there. Not when you speak about him."
Lucian rolled his eyes, clearly annoyed at having his own emotions dissected so casually. Still, after a moment, his shoulders loosened slightly as he relented.
"Fine," he muttered. "He isn't… entirely terrible." He frowned faintly, tilting his head as he tried to articulate something he didn't fully understand himself. "He's… interesting. In a strange way. I don't know. There was something about him." He paused, then added quickly, defensive as ever, "And just so we're clear, I'm not mad because I lost or anything like that. That's not it." His eyes hardened slightly. "He hurt my Annabeth. That's the only thing that matters. And I fully intend to return that favor a hundredfold."
Annabeth, who had been quietly sipping her drink, nearly choked on the straw at his words. She leaned back slightly into her seat, lifting the cup to hide the sudden warmth spreading across her face. Her fingers tightened faintly around the plastic as she lowered her gaze, a small, uncontrollable smile tugging at her lips.
'He called me his Annabeth…' The words echoed in her mind, soft and precious.
A quiet, giddy giggle bubbled up inside her chest as she could tell he was being 100 percent sincere, though she did her best to suppress it, focusing instead on her drink to hide her expression. Still, the warmth lingered, filling her chest in a way she couldn't quite describe.
Hades, meanwhile, gave a slow, understanding nod. "Regardless of your feelings on the matter," he said calmly, "he made one thing very clear before he left. He intends to keep a close eye on you from now on." His gaze sharpened slightly. "Whether that attention proves beneficial or disastrous… only time will tell."
Annabeth hesitated for a moment before speaking again. "Are there actually… good demons and bad demons?" she asked cautiously. The moment the words left her mouth, she visibly slightly, suddenly aware of how naive and childish it sounded.
Hades noticed immediately and let out a low laugh, not mocking, but genuinely amused by her self-conscious expression.
"That's a complicated question," he admitted. He leaned back slightly, glass resting loosely in his hand. "Demons, by their very nature, are creatures of impulse. Mischievous. Cunning. They are beings born with an inherent connection to their desires, their indulgences, their depravity. To them, restraint is unnatural. It's part of their nature to commit sins" His expression grew more thoughtful. "However… there are exceptions. Rare ones. Those who either rise above those instincts or simply possess the strength of will to refuse being ruled by them."
He swirled the liquid in his glass slowly.
"Such demons cannot truly be called good," he continued. "But neither are they inherently malevolent. They exist in a state of neutrality. They act according to their own interests, their own principles. They do not forgive easily, but they do not destroy without reason either."
Annabeth fell silent, absorbing every word. Her brows furrowed slightly as the gears in her mind visibly turned, processing this new perspective. The idea that demons weren't simply monsters, but individuals capable of choice, of restraint… it challenged everything she'd assumed.
"Interesting," she murmured quietly, her curiosity only growing.
"You also have to consider the fact that some of those demons were once angels before they were cast down into Hell," Hades continued, his tone thoughtful but casual, as though he were discussing weather rather than fallen celestial beings. He finished his drink before adding, "If I had to give you a simple comparison, I'd say encountering a genuinely 'good' demon is like running into a true psychopath. Some people go their entire lives without ever crossing paths with one."
Silence settled over the booth after that. Both Lucian and Annabeth were visibly deep in thought, absorbing everything he had said. Seeing their expressions turn inward, Hades decided he had lingered long enough. He reached for a napkin, wiping his mouth with slow precision before setting it aside.
"Well," he said as he adjusted his coat, "thank you for the treat. However, I do have matters that require my attention in the Underworld."
"Treat?" Lucian repeated, raising a brow sharply. "Who exactly said I was paying for you?"
Hades did not dignify that with a response. He simply began sliding out of the booth with unhurried grace. "I left your mother overseeing a few affairs in my absence. I would rather not abuse her generosity by lingering here longer than necessary."
At the mention of his mother, Lucian fell quiet. The irritation faded slightly from his face, replaced with something more subdued. He gave a small nod, accepting that much without further argument.
Hades, however, seemed to notice the shift and smiled faintly, mischief flickering in his eyes as he straightened to his full height. "Perhaps I should reward her when I return," he mused aloud. "It has been some time since she and I enjoyed a bit of privacy together. And with Persephone currently away visiting her own mother—"
"Oh my fucking god!" Lucian shouted instantly, clamping his hands over his ears as if trying to physically block the words from entering his brain. Genuine horror flooded his expression. "What the fuck is wrong with you?!"
He began shaking his head violently. "No, no, no! I do not need to know what you and my mother do in your free time! I don't even want to imagine it! That's disgusting. That's so gross. So gross!"
Hades let out a satisfied chuckle, clearly pleased with the reaction he had provoked. "Relax. I was merely teasing," he said lightly. "I would never do anything without my dear Persephone's presence or consent."
Lucian lowered his hands slowly, staring up at the man who was supposed to be his father with pure venom burning in his bloodshot eyes. "You are a deeply disturbed individual," he growled.
Hades ignored both the glare and the insult entirely. "That said," he continued conversationally, "it would be a different matter if Persephone were the one to initiate such an event. If you understand my meaning."
"Ahhh!" Lucian immediately began slamming his forehead against the table in despair, the dishes and glasses rattling violently with each impact.
"Alright, alright," Hades said, finally taking a step forward. "In all seriousness, I must be going. The Underworld cannot remain unattended for too long."
He walked past Lucian's seat and reached out, placing a firm hand on his son's shoulder to halt the self-inflicted assault on the furniture. The moment his hand made contact, the playful air around him shifted. The temperature seemed to drop, and the atmosphere grew heavy, solemn.
"Oh, and one more thing before I leave," he added quietly.
Lucian lifted his head slowly. Tears had gathered at the corners of his eyes from frustration, and his forehead was visibly reddened. "What?" he snarled hoarsely.
Hades regarded him with an almost unreadable expression. "I truly don't understand why you are so distressed by the idea of what your mother and I do in private," he said calmly. "After all, how do you suppose you were conceived?"
He gave Lucian's shoulder a firm, almost fatherly pat before turning and walking away without another word.
There was a pause.
Then behind him, the diner erupted with a stream of furious curses, followed by dramatic sobbing, and then even louder cursing. The insults began in English but quickly devolved into Ancient Greek and Latin, shouted with impressive fluency and venom.
Hades stepped out of the diner, the door chiming softly as it closed behind him. He inhaled deeply, savoring the cool air, then released a slow, contented breath.
"What a productive day," he muttered to himself with satisfaction.
With that, he slipped his hands into his pockets and strode down the street with calm confidence, leaving chaos and emotional devastation in his wake.
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