Zagreus was limp in Thanato’s arms as he lifted him, dripping and unconscious, from the River of Styx. From a few steps away, his brother, Hypnos, fluttered, warbling away as he did - and though his concern was obvious, and if Zagreus were conscious, would have been appreciated, but in Thanatos’ eyes he found his sibling’s pestering to be a nuisance. Marching past him without speaking, Death Incarnate carried the Prince of the Underworld from his spawning place; he did not need to look up at Hades to know that the man was staring him down, he could feel his burning gaze upon him as if it were tangible in the air perfectly well. As he turned the corner leading down the hall to Zagreus’ chambers, he met his mother’s concerned eyes with his own.
“Another failed attempt?” Nyx asked, though she already knew the answer. Despite his general distaste for people, he lamented to respond to her, just as - out of the corner of his eye - he noticed a very worried Dusa floating at the lounge doorframe, with a much less concerned Megaera standing beside her. Apparently the whole house was interested in his business at the moment - he did not turn around, he knew that Hades, Achilles, and Hypnos were hovering just out of his line of vision. Taking in a breath, the reaper straightened up his back to address his mother properly. Zagreus’ weight was naught to him, he was a god, after all, but his clothes were dampening with the water coming from his lover’s garb, and he wished to depart to care for him as quickly as he could.
“Another fool’s errand, mother,” he implored. Nyx merely shook her head at that - they had a difference of opinion on the matter, of this he knew, but he was also coming to accept Zagreus’ quest for what it was: undeniable; not that the prince ever listened to him when he scolded him, regardless, but Nyx’s influence during their conversations was not helping Hades’ favor. Even with Thanatos, and perhaps Megaera as well. On that account, Thanatos did not know - the entire house was split between wanting Zagreus to reach his freedom, and wishing that he would stay. It certainly was not the same Underworld without Zagreus there.
When he got no response, he moved on, ignoring Dusa and Megaera as he gently padded into Zagreus’ bedroom, and carefully set him down upon his lush mattress. The movement stirred the prince, who lifted his hand in order to rub his eyes a moment later. Thanatos waited patiently for him to say something, but Zagreus merely stretched and - much to the surprise of them both - and harshly flinched. Immediately, Zagreus reached around for his back, his hands shaking and a bit of a breathless pant falling from his lips as if he’d just taken a blow to the diaphragm. Concerned, Thanatos moved Zagreus’ hands and placed both his palms flatly against his lover’s back, working his fingers into the taut muscle that lay beneath his skin.
“Yes,” Zagreus breathed, promptly scrunching his pillow and bringing to prop his chin up as he buried his face into its comfortable confines, a sigh drawing from his lungs as Thanatos’ efforts forced the tension out of him.
“What was it this time? Theseus? The Minotaur?”
Zagreus groaned and shook his head against his pillow, but that was the only response that Thanatos got from him about it, so he decided to save the questions for another time, and instead focus for now on easing the pain in the prince’s back. Zagreus gradually relaxed underneath Thanatos' cold fingers, his breathing easing from exasperated pants to sleepy huffs. For his part, Death could not help the soft smile that pulled at his mouth, and to remind his lover of his affection, he leaned down and drew his lips along the lines of Zagreus’ shoulder blade before coming to rest at the crook of where his arm met his neck. It was there that he placed a series of soft kisses, going up the prince’s nape until he reached his dark, silky hair, still damp from the Styx.
Leaning back, Thanatos had every intention to continue his efforts, but was stalled when Zagreus turned over and sat up so that they were at eye level. Gazing upon him curiously, Thanatos was quiet, waiting for Zagreus to speak - and he did not have to wait long, as his lover was the talkative sort and did not handle silence very well. Despite this, he generally spoke with confidence when it did not come to their relationship.
Thanatos blinked, confused, before it clicked in and he emitted a faint chuckle. “Has Hypnos’ insightful commentary had no impact upon you?”
“It certainly has,” Zagreus huffed as he laid back down on the bed, though inched over enough for Thanatos to fit - his implication that he desired to be joined by him as plain as day. Thanatos complied, removing his gauntlet and setting it aside before he settled down beside his lover, who cradled him within his arms and planted a kiss on the top of his array of light hair. “Are you going to stay long or… do you have somewhere to be?” Zagreus went on to say, trying (but not really trying) to hide the disappointment in his voice; he already knew the answer, but it would hurt more hearing Thanatos say it out loud.
“I suppose I can make up for lost time at work later. That is, if you want me to stay.” Thanatos replied, resting his hand upon his lover’s chest and tilting his chin up to look at Zagreus with a small smile plastered to his features, aware of the effect his words would have - and just as he predicted, Zagreus’ entire aura perked up, and he shuffled underneath the covers, holding them open for Thanatos to do the same. As the welcome warmth engulfed them both, Thanatos busied his fingers with carding through Zagreus’ unruly hair while the prince in question slowly began to fall asleep in his embrace once more.
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