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He gives a choked laugh. “While the feeling is entirely mutual, a little siren, don’t think you can tempt me into going against doctors orders.”
I curse a little at that. I didn’t have much knowledge about what it takes to be pregnant with twins before actually, you know, being pregnant with twins. It turns out it’s much more challenging across the board than a single baby. We had a scare earlier my pregnancy, and the doctor advised that sex wasn’t a good idea. She was quick to assure us that it wasprobablyfine, but there was a risk of it inciting preterm labor. Hades and I both decided that it wasn’t worth the risk.
We’ve had plenty of regret about that decision since then.
He kisses my shoulder, and leans around me to turn off the water. Then I’m treated to being dried off and lotioned up. I try to help once more, mostly just to do it, and receive the same light tap on my wrist reminding me that he has it taken care of.
He’s just finished up when there’s a light knock on our bedroom door. I barely wait until he walks out of the bathroom to duck into the closet and pull on some clothes really quickly. We’ve played this game before, and it’s not that I have a problem with him dressing me, but I’m impatient.
I comb my hair really quickly and step out into the bedroom to find him laying out a selection of breakfast food. A quick glance at the tray reveals that it’s all of my current safe foods. There’s entirely too much for me to eat, but he is accounted for whatever mood I might be in.
Hades looks up and gives me a severe frown. “You’re testing boundaries, little siren.”
“Just being efficient,” I say sweetly.
“Come eat, and we’ll discuss the plans for decorating today.”
I’m pretty hungry, so I don’t argue against the order. Unfortunately, these days there’s not much room in my stomach for food so I satisfy myself with nibbling on a variety of the offerings. “I was thinking we’d start in the entranceway.”
He pulls out his phone brings up his notes app. “What plans do you have for there?”
I had been planning to go on feel, but it’s obviously that won’t be acceptable. Oh well. This is probably the better route anyways; it’s certainly more organized. “A wreath on the door, garlands on the banister of the stairs and in the entranceway table, and… mistletoe hanging from the doorway.”
Hades pauses in the middle of typing. He speaks without looking up. “Are you planning on many kisses beneath that mistletoe?”
“Wou know the rules, husband.” I completely fail at hiding my mischievous smile. “It’s holiday tradition.”
“I see.” He narrows his eyes, but he’s obviously fighting not to smile. “In that case, I’ll just have to ensure that you’re never in the entranceway with anyone but me. “
I roll my eyes. “Spoilsport.”
Hades goes back to his notes. “Walk me through the rest of it.”
I go through it slowly. I don’t intend to transform every single room in this house; we don’t use half of them at this point and so it would be a waste of time and effort. But I want to ensure that the rooms were we gather are filled with holiday spirit. By the time I finished eating, Hades has a plan.
We go downstairs and I find that he’s been sneaky again. Not only is Charon waiting for us, but Medusa and Calypso are here as well, along with several more of his people. Hades gathers us in the study and starts directing each of them to a room. It’s honestly impressive, even if I’m not entirely happy at being railroaded in this.
But, by the end of the day, everything is decorated and I’m not exhausted. It’s really irritating when my husband’s right. We wind up in the library with another tray of food for me just as night falls. Hades arranges me on the couch to his satisfaction, pulls the side table close enough that I can reach easily, and sits on the other end of the couch.
I’m about to protest the distance between us when he lifts my feet into his lab and pulls off my shoes. “I admit, I’m surprised you didn’t have a tree.”
“It was delayed.” My skin heats in a blush. “I ordered in from the country. I know it’s extravagant, but I wanted a little piece of home in our, well, home.” The truth is that I ordered three trees, but I’m not sure if now is the time to say as much. “They’ll be here tomorrow.”
He’s peels off my socks and set his thumbs to the arch of my right foot. “I would like you to wait to begin decorating them until I get home.”
It’s not actually a command. At some point during the day we shifted from him “punishing” me and out of the scene completely. I had visions of him walking into find our home transformed as if by magic, but now that I have a little food in me and my feet are being rubbed, I can admit that doing things this way was better. Hades managed to include the entire household, even if he hasn’t quite admitted that we have a household.
All throughout the day, the halls of this house were filled with laughter and jokes—and occasionally curses. It felt good and right. More, it’s a testament of just how far we’ve come.
“I won’t. I promise.”
We spend the next week in a state of bliss. Hades wraps up the work that he needed to get done before the end of the year. Each evening, we spend a little more time transforming our house into a winter wonderland. I introduce him to some of my favorite holiday traditions, and he takes to them with a quiet joy that warms my heart.
By the time the holiday rolls around, I’ve never been happier. No one is arriving for a few hours yet, so we spend a lazy morning lounging around and watching the snow fall. At least until Hades disappears for a few minutes and comes back with a small present in his hands.
I immediately straighten, horrified. “You said no presents. I took you at your word, and you said no presents.”
“This isn’t for you, a little siren.” He sinks down on the couch next to me. “I noticed that when our trees arrived, there was something extra with them.”
