Back within the obsidian walls of the underworld penthouse, Hades walked slowly into the primary master bedroom. He stood at the edge of the vacant bed, his gaze tracing the empty sheets as the memories of his time as "Jake" flooded his consciousness.
He saw Ken's laughing face beneath the London mist, the elegant slope of his shoulders in the bath, and the peaceful, curled position he slept in when he felt completely safe. He remembered the simple joy of feeding him soup and the warmth of Ken's genuine smile. He had possessed the ultimate form of mortal happiness, but his very nature as a cosmic predator had demanded he destroy it.
If there was a way to give up this mantle... to surrender this divinity... I would do it in a heartbeat just to keep him,Hades thought to himself, staring out into the endless abyss of his realm. But it is not an ability I can cast aside. It is who I am. It is what I am... and it seems even Death does not get a happy ending.
