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“You shouldn’t enter our house unannounced, if you don’t want a show,” Kore tells Zeus with a narrowed gaze.
“I didn’t figure you’d be copulating on the dining table,” Zeus replies with an uncomfortable expression.
“As if you’ve never had your wife outside of your bedroom.” Kore shoots back as he pulls his shirt over his head.
“Mind your words about my wife.” Zeus turns sharp in an instant. “There’s slights I’ll allow, but that’s not one of them.”
“It wasn’t a slight, but sure,” Kore says as he settles into one of the seats at the table.
“Would you like to speak in my office?” Hades asks Zeus, finger brushing her hair to get the just-fucked look out of it.
“I’m not here for you, Hades.”
Both Kore and Hades tense at that revelation.
Holding up placating hands, Zeus says, “I don’t mean I’m taking him away. I’m here to offer him something.”
Kore and Hades exchange a quick glance. So much spoken between them in silence, and when Hades tilts her head Kore acknowledges Zeus. “What sort of offer?”
“Earth withers in Demeter’s absence.” Kore, Hades notices, doesn’t appear shocked by that revelation.
Settling back in his seat, Kore looks up at Zeus with an unconcerned expression. “Am I supposed to care?” Hades knows he does, but she also knows Kore doesn’t want to leave her again.
“I’m not asking you to move to Olympus, Kore,” Zeus sighs. He sits in a chair, scooting it far away from where he saw them splayed across the table. “I’m asking you to become the King of Spring,” he says with an imploring tone. “I’m asking you to be the harvest and the seasons.”
“You could ask Rhea or Gaia.” Kore grabs a pomegranate from the bowl of fruit on their table. He picks it open, ruby juice staining his fingertips as he draws out a few seeds.
“Gaia and Rhea prefer I ask you,” Zeus tells Kore, casually admitting Kore’s his last choice.
Unbothered, Kore laughs. “I don’t blame them. It’s a lot of work.” His gaze drifts to Hades. “So is minding the Underworld. What is my queen supposed to do without her consort?”
Zeus snorts, “She might get some ruling done if you’re not fucking her all over the furniture.”
Hades laughs, at Kore’s betrayed pout she folds her lips between her teeth to stifle her amusement.
“I did get on without you, for centuries.” Hades tells Kore when she feels she won’t laugh. “You can work in the sunshine during the day, my daffodil, and join me in my realm at night. Plenty of people live this way, yes?”
Kore pouts. “I wanted to leave my mother’s work behind.”
“You could release her,” Zeus says, but seems to know Kore won’t.
“That’s not happening.”
“Then you need to take up her job, or I’ll bring more war,” Zeus says without malice.
Zeus is a ruler and he cares for mortals; Hades knows her brother will bring war to the Underworld for their benefit. She’d agree with him if he did.
She agrees now. “They need you, Kore. I’ll be overwhelmed with work if you loaf about here.”
He cracks a smile, “Can’t fuck you all over the palace if you’re working all the time.”
She returns his grin.
“Fine,” Kore huffs, leaning his head against the back of his chair. “I’ll do it.”
Zeus hops up from his chair as soon as Kore consents. “I’ll see you both later. I’ve got other things to do.”
“Smooth,” Kore mutters after Zeus departs.
