Persephone's Prison

Chapter 9

Persephone's phone blares through the room in an annoying fashion waking both her and Hephaestus. She blindly feels for her cell and shuts off her alarm with a groan. Hephaestus chuckles and she turns to bury herself in his chest.

"Don't you have to go to work?" He asks in his raspy morning voice, and she grumbles.

He pulls away from her and places a kiss on her forehead and she sighs in contentment before fully opening her eyes.

"I quit," she says softly.

"You can't quit your own business. You're the owner..." He reasons.

"I am the boss, why do I have to work?" She argues.

"Because you only have one employee and you love your work," Persephone growls at his logic and sits up before straddling him.

"Curse your rationality!" He laughs as she huffs and pins his arms above his head. "Don't you want me to stay in bed with you?" She suggests.

"Of course, love but you have a shop to run, I'll be here when you get back, I'm not going anywhere," he insists and sits up easily escaping her grip and grabbing her around the waist before twisting her beneath him.

Persephone squeaks and giggles at the suddenness. Hephaestus kisses her softly and her eyes flutter shut. She kisses him back; they are simple and short pecks, and she feels butterflies in her stomach. He sighs and buries his face in her neck and breathes in deep like he's inhaling her, he's so close she can feel his long eyelashes fluttering shut on her neck and she gasps at the sensation. She wonders what she smells like to him and what he's thinking now, she wonders if he regrets this like he did last time and if the only reason he hasn't thrown her out is that they are at her place this time. Then she remembers that he sought her out and confessed to her. She remembers him saying "I am yours" and takes a deep breath. He lifts his head to look her in the eye.

"What are you thinking?" He questions and she touches his cheek.

"That I love you," she states because she doesn't think she's told him that yet.

He inhales quickly and it rushes out of him, a small grin it's way onto his face before he pecks her lips softly.

"Yours," he whispers into her lips, and she can't stop the smile.

"Mine," she agrees before pulling away and he rests his head on her chest.

She looks at the ceiling and ignores the soreness in her cheeks from smiling so much. She's never felt this before, a feeling of completeness. Like she's safe and powerful for the first time in centuries. She's never been in love before.

"You have to get ready for work," he reasons again, and she whines childishly. "I'll make you something to eat, you get dressed." She heaves a heavy sigh but nods her head, he gets up and she follows suit finally getting ready for the day.

The cold air wakes her up and she shivers but braves the weather and heads to her closet to find an outfit for the day. She has an hour and a half before the store has to be opened and she hopes the day goes by fast. She decides on a yellow sundress and no makeup. She doesn't want to waste time this morning; she ties her hair into a high bun and slips on some flats before going into the kitchen. The smell of eggs and bacon hit her, and she smiles wide. She made no noise, but Hephaestus still turns sensing her presence.