I Have Loved You For An Eternity

 “Look at me. Look.” Magnus grabbed his shoulders, forcing his blue eyes down. Magnus didn't have it in him to be delicate. “You and I are getting out of here,” he said, his voice shaking slightly. “Okay?” 

The young man was silent for a moment, and for a moment Magnus wondered if he was gone. But then came a trembling, “Okay. Okay.” 

“Then we need to move.” He reached up to shield the man's face from the carnage just to his left, then forced him to turn to the right. “You know the way?” 

“I–maybe.” The man seemed to be coming down a little. “I mean, there's no way we can go back. We just have to go forward and hope we dont run into the heart of the nest.” 

[ ID: The three men stood close to each other, talking in hushed whispers. One in uniform, the other two in nightclothes. Hades was tall and imposing, though the harshness was gone from his demeanor. His bearded face was pulled into a frown as he wiped blood away from the other man's face. Will saw the familiar scars on his cheek, his stomach dropping. "Nico?"

"Will?" Nico pushed past his father and rushed over to him. His eyes were wide and completely black in the faint light, his face white as a sheet.

Will spotted the sheer amount of blood staining his white nightclothes, a hand flying to his mouth. "Oh, god--"

"I'm fine." Nico paused, and Will didn't fail to notice how his mouth trembled slightly. "It's...not mine." End ID]

Cw for blood

Nico’s legs were shaking. There was blood in his mouth, the iron taste grounding him. The damage to his eye was viscous–his eyesight was blurry at best. The streaks of crimson on his face and armor were starting to dry. 

But it didn’t matter. He had a promise to keep, and he couldn’t stop now. Not when he was so close. 

He stumbled through the Penrose. The ship was a shell of what it used to be, nothing but debris and darkness and the memories that were refusing to leave Nico’s head. He tried to shake them off and forge forward. He had to stay focused.

He finally found the right door, but the damn hydraulics weren't working. It took a moment to force the barrier open, his hands leaving streaks of blood on the silver metal. That didn’t matter, either. He teetered for a moment as black filled his vision, but he managed to shake it off with a deep breath. He took in the room. 

The cryogenic pod was in the middle of it. And within, lying in a pool of red… 

Nico’s heart stopped. 

William’s skin was pale and bruised, plastered with bandages. His messy hair hung in his face, which was tight with pain. His eyes were closed, his breathing shallow. Nico remembered the blood-stained notes in Will’s hand, begging for sleep, for some kind of release. Will wasn’t really sleeping– only in a stupor, the kind when the pain was so intense that you could do nothing but simply breathe. 

Nico tripped going into the room, and had to brace himself against the damn pod to keep his balance. Will didn’t flinch, as though he was in another world entirely. Nico took in his face again, mapping out the features that he had longed to see for ages. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to Will’s forehead. 

He heard a small splash, his eyes flying open to see Will’s open as well. God, he had missed those eyes. Will sat up farther in the pod, wincing, blinking up at him. 

Hope surged in Nico’s chest. It made him smile, made him ignore how much it hurt to smile. He managed to say a few words, the first he had spoken in god knows how long. “I’ve come back for you.” 

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Hades (Video Game 2018) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Thanatos/Zagreus (Hades Video Game) Characters: Thanatos (Hades Video Game), Zagreus (Hades Video Game), Charon (Hades Video Game), Hypnos (Hades Video Game), Orpheus (Hades Video Game), Hades (Hades Video Game) Additional Tags: Bars and Pubs, Alcohol, Zagreus is a Little Shit (Hades Video Game), Sexual Tension, Mild Sexual Content Summary:

Thanatos finds himself in a rowdy bar, wanting nothing more than to go home. But when he meets a mysterious man with mismatched eyes, he realizes that maybe being stuck here wasn't so bad after all.

Day 7: Relax

Magnus had ran out of toothpaste, and had bought another tube out of habit, completely forgetting that the staff would have gotten another one for him. He had been in a rush, and had barely looked at the package before buying it.

As he popped his toothbrush in his mouth, Alex knocked on the door before coming in. "Have you seen my deodarent?" she asked.

"Sorry, no," He frowned at his toothbrush, then raised an eyebrow. Wait, since when was this brand of toothpaste pink? And so sticky?

He looked at the box--and stared in horror at the words "denture adhesive."

"Magnus? You good?"

"This isn't toothpaste," Magnus said around the mouthful of sticky stuff.

"What--?" Alex took the package out of his hand. Seconds later, she threw it on the counter with a shriek of laughter. "Magnus, you fucking idiot!"

Magnus laughed. "I was in a hurry, okay?"

She wheezed. "You put--you put denture--"

"I didn't sleep! It was 6 AM!"

"Get over here and let me see!" Alex grabbed his face before he could protest. "Relax you jaw, you dumbass. Relax!" He managed to open his mouth, and Alex sighed. "Shit. It's blending into your gums. I can barely see it."

Magnus pulled back and clawed at where it was caked against his teeth and gums. It took five fucking minutes, but he managed to get most of it out, with no help from a cackling Alex. ("I am NOT sticking my fucking fingers in your mouth! You did this to yourself!") At last, he raised his face from the sink and spat into it.

"Is it out?" Alex asked

"Most of it. I can still taste it." He bared his teeth in the mirror, frowning. "There's none visible, thank the gods. It's like clay."

Alex grinned, elbowing him in the side. "Will some falafel help with the aftertaste?"

Day 6: Bloom

"You are not allowed to look this good in a button-up and then leave me." Magnus wrapped his arms around Alex, pulling him close. "It's illegal."

Alex grinned, trying and failing to push him away. "Since when did you get so cuddly?" Magnus didn't respond, and Alex leaned back, resting his head against the tree.

The two boys were in Magnus's atrium, sunlight streaming through. Alex could hear his teammates in the hall, talking and laughing. He knew he sould get ready for breakfast, but the warm grass and Magnus's embrace made him drowsy.

Magnus plucked a leaf off a low-hanging branch, twirling it between his fingers. The sunlight turned his hair to shimmering gold, shadows cast by the branches dancing along his features. The sight made Alex blush, and he prayed Magnus couldn't see it. "Should we get ready?" he asked.

Those silver eyes gleamed with amusement as Magnus tossed the leaf onto the grass. "I doubt they'll care if we're a little late."

Alex leaned further into his embrace. He had fallen hard for the son of Frey, and was still a bit starstruck by him. He was glad that Magnus returned his feelings, that Magnus didn't treat him like some secret. It gave Alex courage to be open about their relationship, something he never thought he'd have the strength to do.

Magnus leaned down and kissed him, hands pressed against his back. Alex returned the kiss, arms wrapped around his neck. His boyfriend was warm, like the sunlight in his hair. Alex felt drunk on the sunshine, on the kisses and those warm eyes. Magnus was the embodiment of summer itself, and Alex could never get enough.

Magnus pulled away with a smile. "I love you."

Those three little words stole Alex's breath. Gods, how did he get so lucky?

"I love you, too," Alex whispered back.

There was a crash from the hall, then raucous laughter and Mallory yelling, "Look what you did!"

Magnus raised an eyebrow. "Should we do something about that?"

Day 3: Earth

"Keep up, Chase!" she shouted over her shoulder with a smile.

She saw Magnus roll his eyes before rushing up the incline after her. She heard the scraping of loose rocks, and managed to whip around in time to grab his hand, so he only fell to his knees.

"Easy there," she teased, pulling him to his feet. She didn't fail to notice how he paused a few beats too long before letting go to dust off his jeans.

She couldn't remember the last time she had gone on a hike like this. When Magnus had offered, she had accepted with no hesitation; the fresh air would help clear her head.

For several minutes, the two walked along the trail in comfortable silence, listening to the birds chittering in the trees. Alex was the first to break it, aiming for small talk. "When was the last time you went hiking?"

"A few years ago, with my mom." He paused for a moment before continuing. "I can't remember where the trail was; it was through the side of the mountain. I picked some flowers for her; she said it looked like a wedding bouquet."

Alex smiled at the mental image of little Magnus with flowers. "That's so sweet."

He smiled. "I was terrified I would fall off the mountain the whole time." She laughed. "When was the last time you did this, as well?"

"It wasn't hiking," Alex said, the murky memories surfacing. "My friend was on the cross country team, and I decided to try it out for a bit. I went at the worst time--they were doing hill training. One mile up the hill, one mile back down."

It was Magnus's turn to laugh. "Ouch!"

They reached a creek carving through the trail. Magnus pointed out some rocks that can be used as stepping stones and began to make his way across, bounding from stone to stone with deer-like grace. He reached the other side and waved to her. "Come on. You'll be fine."

Alex was tempted to shift into a bird just to be an ass, but decided against it. She stepped to the edge of the creek, the wet earth sucking at her boots, then jumped to the first stone, then the next. She was fine until she reached the last one, slipping on the wet surface. She staggered forward with a yelp, arms outstretched. She was surprised when Magnus reached forward and grabbed her, steadying her before she plummeted into the water.

"Easy there," he teased. She gave him a half-hearted glare before letting go, hopping onto the grass next to him.

______

They stopped for a break at the summit of the mountain. Alex watched as the setting sun washed the forst below in warm colors. She turned to look at Magnus, her breath catching: the sunlight glittered in his hair, his expression far away. With the backdrop of the flowers and the forest, he looked beautiful.

She wanted to reach out and take his hand, but she hesitated; would he be comfortable with it? Instead, she turned away, studying the flowers around them. An idea came to her; she crouched down and began to pick them. When she had a decent amount, she turned and gave them to him without a word.

His eyes widened in surprise at the gift. She saw his face, and fear seized her; had she reminded him of his mom? The last thing she wanted to do was bring back memories that could cause him pain.

Alex opened her mouth to apologize, but the words could barely come out. She forced herself to look away. "I'm--"

"Alex."

She paused at his voice, gentle and soft, without a trace of anger or sorrow. She looked back to him. His expression was kind, full of something that she couldn't quite place. He reached out and gently took the flowers from her, his hands brushing against hers, making her heart skip a beat.

"Thank you," he said quietly. "They're beautiful."

Alex felt a burst of warmth in her chest. She reached forward and touched his face, before slowly leaning in to kiss him, giving him enough time to pull away if he wished. But he didn't, and returned her kiss with a tenderness that made her heart race. When she pulled back, he gave her a warm smile.

Impuslvely, she plucked a flower from his hand and tucked it into his hair. "I can make you a vase for these, if you want."

His smile widened, his gaze meeting hers. "I would love that."

Day 2: Blood

"You have everything?"

Alex nodded, slinging her bag over her shoulder. "How much can we get this time?"

"Not as much as usual. Perhaps a loaf of bread or two, maybe some canned stuff if we're lucky?"

"Okay." She looked at him briefly, before hoisting her bag up. "Let's get to it?"

Adrian nodded, and they quickly set off.

_________

The ordeal in the supermarket was a quick one-and-done. They were able to get bread and canned stuff, just like Adrian had predicted. They were in and out twenty minutes tops.

They briskly walked out of the place, backpacks and hands full of grocery bags. Even though they were doing nothing wrong, their disheveled clothes would draw attention, especially from the cops patrolling the place. They kept their heads down and talked to no one until they were far away, marching down some sidewalk.

There was a sound to Alex's left, drawing her attention. Adrian didn't even look twice, and kept on walking, but Alex paused as she saw someone huddled in the alleyway. She took a cautious step forward, studying them.

She noticed the blood first--it streaked down their chin and throat, crusted the collar of their shirt. Their blond hair was as dirty as hers, their clothes in tatters. Their eyes were a steel grey, cold and hollow--a look she had grown too familiar with.

They noticed her stare, and bristled, those eyes daring her to come closer. Alex froze. Tension crackled between them. She could faintly hear Adrian saying something, no doubt asking her what the fuck she was doing, but he sounded far away.

Something tugged in her gut, and a thought struck her. Calmly, she reached into the grocery bag and pulled out the loaf of bread, holding it out to them. Not much, but something was better than nothing. She didn't have the money to get them the medical attention they needed.

The bread hovered there for a minute. Then a trembling hand reached out and took it. Those grey eyes flitted from the bread, to her face, and softened ever so slightly. They disappeared down the alleyway.

Then Adrian was at her side. "Why did you give him the bread?"

"They needed it," Alex said.

"We needed it."

She glared at him. "We have to look out for each other. No one else fucking will." She stormed off before he could say anything else.

________

Magnus's jaw was aching, the tang of iron still on his tongue. He spat blood on the ground before stuffing the bread into his backpack, storming off down the street.

He had thought the person had been rich, with the dyed hair and clothes. But a closer look had made him see the rips and stains, the desperate look in their eye that Magnus would sometimes see in a mirror.

Perhaps they had seen the same desperation in him, and took compassion.

He shook off the thoughts. Whatever their motive had been, it was done and over with. He doubted he would ever see them again.

Day 1: Shine

Magnus didn't know what to think when he had heard the crash from the hall.

It wasn't unusual for there to be people horsing around, but Floor Nineteen was usually quiet around this time.

Curious, he peeked his head out into the hall, staring into the dark. He lifted his hand, and it glowed with pale light. As it casted its shine along the walls, Magnus spotted a figure.

It was Alex. HIs clothes were disheveled, his hair a mess. HIs expression was guarded, closed off. Next to him, a table had been overturned, though nothing seemed broken.

"Are you alright?" Magnus asked awkwardly, not knowing what to say, not knowing how to cut the tension now building between them.

Alex didn't reply at first. Just when Magnus considered just closing the door and minding his business, the reply came, no louder than a whisper.

"I'm sorry. It was an accident. I just..." Alex took a deep breath, ran his hands through his hair. "It's been so..." He fell silent, as though unable to find the words he needed.

Magnus hesitated, then took a step forward, raising his hand a bit higher to see Alex's face better. He didn't fail to notice how Alex's eyes were rimmed with red.

"Is there anything I can do?" Magnus asked, as gently as he could.

Alex did the thing Magnus least expected: wordlessly, he extended his arms for a hug.

Magnus paused, surprised, then stepped forward and embraced him, the glow from his hand muffled to mere shadows playing along the walls. Alex buried his face in his shoulder and took a shuddering breath.

"You're okay," Magnus found himself saying, nearly murmuring under his breath. "You're okay."

Alex took a moment to respond again, but when he spoke, there was a tenderness that made Magnus's heart skip a beat.