Hey guys! I am so sorry this took so long to get out! I went through some serious writer's block but then the other day, I got hit with inspiration and have been writing ever since. So, not to jinx it, but hopefully I can try to finish this story and give you more of Rose and Hades! Thank you for following and reviewing! It really makes me happy so see that you like her!

Ps, I did go back and edit the previous chapters. It's not much, but I like it a little better now. Anyway, hope you like this chapter!

Chapter 4

Days passed quickly, as they always do. I couldn't help but feel a bit… I wasn't sure how I was feeling. Maybe a bit melancholy. It wasn't enough to mention anything to Yui, especially when she was so busy. She wanted to help the gods bond by using after school clubs. Good luck for her. Honestly, she was amazing. She seemed happy enough with finding clubs for everyone, even if Apollo and Balder made her a bit tired. She has the patiences of a saint. No wonder she was chosen for this job.

The 'Going Home Club' sounded the best, until Hades mentioned an astronomy club. I grinned, truly happy for the first time that day. The stars and galaxy here was nothing short of amazing. I turned to Hades. "I want to join that!" He looked startled for a moment, then shook his head, almost sadly. "I won't be joining an actual club." I frowned, but he continued. "I don't intend to participate in group activities." Well that kind of stung. Why wouldn't he?

"Why? You were just fine going to the beach with us?" Dang, my mood dropped even lower than before. I must be about to start my period or something… Hades shook his head again, his hair shielding his eyes. "That was different. I will pass on joining the club." He stood up to leave, but paused next to me. I raised an eyebrow for an explanation. He didn't give me one, and just left the room.

I turned back to the front and ignored whatever glances everyone was giving me.

I laid on the couch in our shared room, waiting for Yui. She said she needed to talk to Thoth, but I didn't feel like dealing with his ass today. A knock sounded at the door, and at my yell, they came in.

"Hello, my beautiful Lily flower." I sighed, but couldn't keep the small quirk of my lips off my face. Apollo just had a way of making me smile on my off days. He sat down at the edge and I scooted up so my head could rest in his lap. His hand pet my hair and my smile grew.

"What's wrong?" I shrugged at his question.

"I don't know. I just feel…. Eh." I waved my hand to show him. He raised an eyebrow and tugged a strand of my hair.

"Just Eh? That doesn't sound good. Can I do anything?" I turned to look up at him. He was just so beautiful. They all were. However, Apollo had something about him that just demanded attention. His personality shone brightly, unhindered by any clouds. His blonde hair stuck out like a child's drawing of a sun. He was just… I sighed again.

"Just keep smiling at me, and I'm sure I'll feel better."

His cheeks immediately went pink and I chuckled. After a moment, he finally responded. "We could go and take a ride on Pegasus." I reached a hand up and placed it on his still flushed cheek.

"You're amazing, and I definitely want to do that, but not tonight. I'm waiting on Yui to get back."

Apollo smiled, a little disappointed, but accepting. "I'm glad you two have each other. I hope you don't get too lonely." I bit my lip. That was so sweet of him to think of us like that. I sat up and gave him a hug, which he immediately returned.

"I'm glad I got the chance to meet you, 'Pollo."

Yui came in a few minutes after he left and flopped herself next to me on the couch. I chuckled softly and buried my face into her hair. She sighed, "Why is it so hard to get everyone to do something? I get it isn't ideal but…"

I nodded. "But they're stuck as well, and they aren't even acting like it?" She nodded.

Melissa tried his best to reassure us, before kicking us out of the room. "No sense in driving yourself crazy in here. Come back when you feel better."

I honestly couldn't believe we were letting a puppet push us around. Yui shared a smile with me, obviously thinking the same thing. But I guess the puppet had a point. The fresh air was a nice cleanser to my sour mood., and I could feel remaining bad mood start to fade. Which was good, since we crossed paths with Hades in the garden.

He made a beautiful sight. All those marble carved statues held a little truth to them. The sharp angles and wild but somehow tamed hair were works of art. However, the statues had nothing on his eyes. They just had so much unnamed emotion. I wish I could figure him out.

The setting sun cast a glow down on his pale face, on his cheek bones, made him a bit breathtaking. He seemed every bit a god in that moment. I shook my head a little to clear the thoughts away as we walked closer to him. Let's not go down that road.

Yui smiled at him, "Hades! What are you doing?" He glanced towards us, then back at the sky.

"I'm stargazing." Yui turned to look at the sky, but I was captured once again by Hades. He looked so peaceful out here. Did he ever got to see the stars when he was in the underworld?

I was pulled from my thoughts when he stood up. "Where are you going?" Yui asked, and we both took a couple of steps to follow him.

"Stargazing."

"Eh? I thought you weren't going to be in the club?" Yeah, I thought so too...

"I simply dislike associating with others. Performing club activities alone is no problem." Seriously? I crossed my arms and raised an eyebrow. Yeah he stayed a little ways from the group, but he was always there. Where was this attitude coming from? Yui looked between Hades and I before taking my hand and hurrying after him.

"We'll come with you!"

"Don't." He didn't even turn to us. "Nothing good will come of it."

Yui wasn't perturbed. "I recommend it! Everything's better with friends!"

Finally he spun around. "It will bring you misfortune.

"Hades," I glared. It was obvious Yui wanted to go with him, but I wasn't about to listen to this all night. "You're being dramatic and extremely rude." I crossed my arms again. We stared at each other before he gave up and kept going. Yui pulled me to catch up.

The walk there was filled with Yui chatting, until it started to get darker. The light of the stars made themselves known, and Yui and I got lost in the beauty of the place. Say what you will about Zeus but… damn this is beautiful.

We finally made it to the lone pavilion on top of a hill. I was amazed at the galaxies in this place! I immediately sat down against a pillar and stared. Hades crouched and opened the case he was carrying. A telescope! I wonder where he got that from? I definitely wanted one. As Yui bent down to help, I frowned. Clouds started covering the sky at an insane rate. Was Zeus messing with us? Yui echoed my thought, but Hades just seemed resigned, and slightly disappointed.

"I knew it. Let's go. It's not Zeus, it's me."

I rolled my eyes. "You aren't the god of the weather Hades." I had barely finished the sentence before it started raining. I quickly got off the ground and under the pavilion. It didn't really help.

"I bring misfortune." Hades was getting on my nerves with that.

"Huh? Don't say that. It's just rain." I'm glad Yui is here to be the calm one.

"I'll go on ahead. Find cover and take your time coming back." He glanced at me for a moment before starting to walk away.

"Seriously?" I yelled at him, to be heard over the rain of course. "You can't just leave us here!" I went to run after him, but gravity betrayed me, and I slipped on a slick spot of tile. Yui rushed over to me and helped me up. Ouch.

When we looked around, Hades was gone, the asshole. I turned to Yui. "Do you remember the way back?" She shook her head and I sighed. We both ran to catch up with him, if only so we wouldn't be lost all night.

We ran through the field and through the trees, calling for him. When I got my hands on him… Yui looked so worried, and the storm was getting worse. We might actually have to hide somewhere and hope Zeus could find us later. We stopped to catch our breath next to the river we passed earlier.

The ground under Yui's foot slipped. I barely had time to grab her hand, and even then, it did no good. We both were pulled into the rushing rapids and swept downstream. I did my best to tread water, but Yui was pulling me down. But I sure as hell wasn't going to let her go.

Until I was forced to.

The current slammed me against a rock. Yui slipped from my hand and I gasped. Water immediately rushed into my mouth. I coughed as I struggled to the side of the river. I clutched at it, but just pulled grass out. I tried again and again, but couldn't get a grip on the muddy surface. I couldn't tell if I was freezing from fear or the cold of the water. Just as I thought the water would pull me completely under, a hand grabbed my wrist and pulled.

Hades pulled us both under a bridge for cover, and against his chest for warmth. I clung to him and Yui, not quite believing what just happened. Would we have died? I thought Zeus had more control than this? Hades was super warm. What happened if we died here? I'm so glad Yui is okay.

Hades stared down at me, his arm tightening as he spoke, "I told you not to move. This happened because you approached me. Do not hurl yourself at misfortune-"

"Oh for FUCK'S SAKE!" I yelled, pulling back. His arm didn't like me go very far. "Listen here! This happened because you fucking left us in a storm out in the middle of fucking nowhere!" I smacked his chest and glared. "I don't know why you're talking about misfortune, and frankly, I don't give a damn. You don't just leave people because you think they're 'in danger' or 'safer' or whatever you were telling yourself!" I huffed and laid back on his chest.

The walk back home was a long, shivering, miserable, painful blur. I don't know how Yui and I made it back, but we did. Hades walked us to our room, and Yui immediately went into change.

I went to follow her, but Hades touched my arm. I turned and looked up questioningly. "I'm sorry. I didn't think about you two not remembering the way back." he murmured, his mournful eyes staring into mine.

I sighed and looked at his chest. It was easier this way. "I don't understand why you think you cause misfortune. I really don't. I've been by you a ton of times, but the one time I'm not, that's when I got hurt."

I looked back up at him, and my breath caught. The low lighting from the hall and the way his hair hung cast an almost skeletal shadow across his face. His eyes looked red, and for once I could see the God of the Underworld in him.

He shifted and it was gone.

"I truly am sorry. Just…" We were at an impasse. He, for some reason, was scared to hurt me. I, however, thought he was being stupid.

I gave him a bittersweet smile and stepped back into the room.

Gasping. Water. Gasping. Tubes. Gasping, hitting the rocks. Gasping, lungs failing.

Gasping awake!

The next morning, I just braided my hair out of my face and barely did make up. I wasn't feeling like getting too fancy after the late, uneasy night. Plus, my back hurt where I hit the rock. I'm sure it was bruised...

For some reason, The clubs met before school even started, which meant we had to start waking up even earlier. I didn't even feel human as Yui pulled me to the courtyard. She stopped when she spied Hades and looked at me. I shrugged. I didn't feel like talking to him, but I wasn't going to avoid him.

"Are you going stargazing again today?" Yui asked sweetly.

The jerk didn't even turn. "I told you to stay away from me." Familiar fury raced through my veins, but Yui's hand on my arm stopped me from saying anything, or pushing Hades down the stairs… Okay maybe not that far but…

"May we go with you?"

"Misfortune will befall you again. If you don't want to experience a pain worse than death, leave at once." I rolled my eyes at him, not trusting myself to speak just yet. Been there, done that buddy.

When Yui also stayed quiet, the man finally turned, seeming confused for a moment to find us standing there. "What's the matter? Did you not hear me?"

I shrugged and gave a smile. "Once Yui wants to do something, there's no stopping her." Yui blushed, pleased with the complement.

"You must be insane. What kind of person dives into misfortune?"

"Don't ya mean, Yui must be insane?" I grinned, pleased with my own pun. A shocked bark of a laugh came from Hades, as if it barely escaped. My grin increased and I was pleased as punch, thank you very much, for causing it. Yui gave me a beaming smile as well.

Yui and I sat down next to him. "The stars are beautiful here Hades." I began.

Yui continued. "And rather than viewing them alone, I think it's more wonderful to share that feeling with another."

As she spoke, Hades faced the clouds. I was once again struck by how beautiful he was, especially when the breeze gently moved his hair from his face. His sharp features only heightened his godliness, but it was his eyes that proved he was more than mortal. How was it that I only just noticed how deeply red his eyes appeared? Stereotypical for the god of the underworld, but somehow it matched him well.

I had to look away for my own sanity, so I followed his gaze up to the clouds.

"Do as you wish." He answered in a soft voice. I turned back to smile at him.

The peaceful moment was ruining by Yui getting hit by a ball.

Balder came running, apologizing as he did so. I was nervous to let him get so close to the flight of stairs, and kept a close eye on his foot placement as he checked Yui for injuries. She pulled away and tried to speak once more to Hades. But of course, when a moment is ruined, everything goes. Another ball came from nowhere and hit her once more. Apollo came to apologize this time. Once more, she gently brushed the apology off and turned to Hades. This time water sprayed her. Dee-dee was the culprit.

And somehow through this mayhem, I was fine where I was sitting. I looked over at Hades. He was staring between Yui and I was a strange look on his face. I shrugged. "See? Stuff just happens. Especially around these dorks." I gave him a smile before standing up. "We'll see you later. Come on Yui, let's find you some clothes."

She ended up changing into her gym uniform. As we walked to class, she turned to me, her brows creased in worry. "Do you think there is something to Hades' misfortune thing after all?" I shook my head. "I don't think so? Why would I be spared from it? Maybe you're just super unlucky." She sighed, but a smile pulled at her lips. "Maybe…"

We ended up walking next to Loki and Thor. "Hey Thor! Will you carry me again?" He rolled his eyes, his lips twitching. "Hey!" Loki shouted. "Why do you always ask him, anyway? Am I not good enough to carry you?" I raised an eyebrow at him. "Maybe because I don't trust someone with arms as scrawny as yours to pick me up."

The look on his face was priceless. I wish I had a camera, and from Thor's grin, so did he.

The blur of red and black moved so quickly I barely had time to squeal before I was over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. The squeal turned into a laugh as the stupid head started to bounce and wave me around. I grabbed a hold of him around the middle, just so I wouldn't be slung off. "Stop you beast!" I cried while laughing. "Your scrawny shoulder is digging into my spleen!" He wasn't letting go, so I did the only thing I could think of.

I pinched his butt.

To say I was unceremoniously dropped to the ground was an understatement. However, it didn't hurt my butt when I landed, so Loki must have some sort of soft spot for me. I grinned up at him from the dirt. He gave me a dirty look, but I could see the humor in his eyes. And the promise of retaliation. Bring it on…. He waved his fingers and started to walk away with Thor. 'Club Practice' and all came up to me and offered a hand. Yui was talking to Dee-Dee and it wasn't long before we were sitting on a bench with those two in front of us.

"Is this misfortune thing of Hades real?" I asked, knowing Yui was still bothered by it.

Apollo looked concerned but nodded. "He is the king of the underworld after all."

I nodded, as Dee continued. "He's the king of the dead, so he experiences all kinds of disasters."

I felt myself sag at this answer. Stupid stupid stupid. Of course he's worried about misfortune if he is surrounded by the results of misfortune. Besides, if he had been experiencing this for who knows how long, what right did I have to just dismiss it as nothing? How could I be so slow? And rude?

"I wish we could do something for him." Apollo said. I nodded. "It's his fate. We can't do anything." Dee-Dee responded. Yui continued the line of thinking. "It would be nice if he could experience more good things."

"He does!" Apollo spoke up, then nodded at Yui's surprised questioning. "He doesn't live in the underworld alone. He has his niece, Persephone to help him. She doesn't let him fall into too sad of a mood."

"Wait. Niece? I thought Persephone was his wife?" I asked, staring between the two Greeks. They paused for a moment before laughing loudly.

"No!" Apollo cried out, and I felt my cheeks warm up. "No, she's like his apprentice. Her mother was overbearing and she didn't want to deal with her, so she went to Uncle Hades and begged him. He wasn't going to let her, but when her mother came and demanded Persephone back, Hades said it was her choice what she wanted to do. The rest is history!"

Dee-Dee smirked. "Besides, Demeter basically accused Hades of kidnapping her, so he wasn't going to let her make a fool of him in his own home. He told her to leave or be forced to stay. She quickly left… Hades can be scary when he wants to be."

I nodded. I bet he could… I zoned out a bit, trying to rearrange the myth in my head, now that I knew what actually happened. What a bitch to accuse Hades of something like that! And that's all I focused on. Just that and not the fact that he was unattached… I felt a little better knowing I wasn't ogling a married man...

After class, Yui filled me in on what the boys said, and what her plan was. Hades' favorite food was strawberries and rice cakes, eh? We quickly went to the kitchen and combined the two, grinning as we did so. Hopefully, he would like the surprise.

We met in the astronomy room. Did Zeus realize what all was going to happen when he made the building and filled it with so much stuff, or did it just happen like the Room of Requirements?

Hades opened the door and I put my musings on pause. He walked towards me and the couch, but froze when he saw the rice balls on the table. I grinned.

"Those are gifts." Yui said, walking over with tea. Hades was shocked enough to repeat her sentence back. We nodded.

He narrowed his eyes, and I felt the air around us chill slightly. What? He doesn't like them?

"Are you trying to win me over with these?" He asked seriously.

"... Is yes the right answer here?" I asked hesitantly. He jerked his attention back to me, and the room got even colder. I quickly continued on. "Because friends have to do that sometimes. Do you think Yui likes me for my personality? Puh-lease. I have to slip her chocolate at least once a month for her to put up with me." I grinned a little nervously, and Yui's laugh seemed a bit strained.

He stared for too long before speaking. "Is this a human thing?"

I nodded. "I was honestly joking, but friends will bring other friends things just to be nice. I give Yui the chocolate chip cookies because I know she likes it. We made you these because we know you like them."

He looked away. "Since you went through all that trouble, I'll gratefully accept them."

We finally sat down on the little couch, me being in the middle of them. Hades' arm brushed mine as he leaned forward to get a cake. "Did you know, the characters for rice cake mean 'great fortune.' Perhaps because the name is so far removed from me, it's hard to describe my feelings when I touch them."

I grinned at him. "You're a dork. Try one and tell us what you think!"

He took a bite, then froze. After a minute of not moving, I turned to Yui. "I think we broke him?"

"Rice cakes with strawberries inside? These exist?" He whispered hoarsely.

I beamed. "Yui had the idea! We heard you like both, so she was like, 'why not put them together?' and here we are."

A slow blush heated up his cheeks and I felt like my heart was about to burst. He was just so…

"A duet starring my favorites, rice cakes and strawberries. What a glorious collaboration. Is it acceptable to experience so much happiness at once?"

So adorable! He literally looked so happy staring down at those cakes. I grabbed Yui's hand and squeezed. She did so good!

Hades ducked his head, and glanced over at us. "I appreciate your goodwill. Thank you for the food"

I smiled at him, and patted his hand. "Try it before you thank us." His delighted face after he took a bite told us he liked them.

We chatted about small things, like how school was going, and Yui made sure our tea cups were never empty. It was a nice time.

Yui smiled and leaned forward to Hades. "You really like these, don't you?"

"Yes… the rice cakes are good, but the strawberries are … the icing on the cake." I snorted at his joke. What a dork.

Yui grinned as well. "Well that takes the cake."

Stupid puns. I loved them.

Yui sighed happily and spoke again. "I'm glad you experience more than just misfortune though. I mean, you look so happy when you're eating those."

I honestly couldn't help but cringe a little bit. That was such an awkward way to phrase that. And just… I'm sure Hades had more than just misfortune in his life, right?

Hades eyed her for a moment before standing. "I see. There's something I would like to show you." He said, before starting to undo his tie. My eyes widened, and I wasn't sure where this was going, but as he unbuttoned his shirt, I found myself not being able to look away.

His intentions became clear though, and instead of a strip tease, he had just pulled his shirt off to the side. It looked like a tattoo, if tattoos were able to be so shiny and… alive somehow?

"What is it?" I breathed, not sure I wanted to know the answer. From the small gasp, it seemed Yui had just noticed it.

"It's a grudge. The grudge of the dead who have fallen into the underworld. As ruler of the underworld, I am hated by many who regret their deaths. The hatred piles up and is ingrained on my body as a great curse." I could feel my eyes filling with tears. I had been wrong about this. Terribly wrong.

"My misfortune affects not only myself, but those around me. Do not approach me again." He grabbed his tie, and turned to walk away, but I couldn't let him.

I stood and grabbed his wrist, pulling him to face me. When he did, I buried my face into his chest, right next to the curse, and hugged him tight. "I'm sorry." I croaked, trying not to let the tears fall. He froze in my arms, and I hugged tighter. "I completely disregarded your talk about misfortune as just paranoia. I am so sorry. I'm sorry I was rude about something you can't control."

His hand gently rested on my head, as if he didn't really know where to put it. "It's okay, Rose. You didn't understand." He spoke softly, gently. I shook my head.

"I'm also sorry you have to deal with this. You don't choose who dies. You just do your job. The dead shouldn't do that to you." His hand stroked my hair, and I finally looked up at him. He stared down at me, some emotion I couldn't place in his eyes.

"You didn't know. Besides… It doesn't really… You haven't been as affected as one usually is. For some reason."

I bit my lip as my heart squeezed itself in uncertainty of my next words. "Maybe it's because…" I took a breath. "I have looked death in the eyes… and I bare him no grudge." His own eyes widened at his. He seemed to be weighing his words in his mind and adding something up. Did he realize just how close to death I was when I was pulled here? He must know now.

His thumb came up to my cheek and wiped away a lone tear.

A throat cleared behind me and I jumped. Hades took a step back, and my arms dropped to my side. My entire face burned. I had completely forgotten about Yui. She looked embarrassed to have interrupted us.

Hades looked between us, then nodded, and left the room. I had to awkwardly help Yui clean up, while ignoring her probing glances. We finished and went back to our rooms. I tried to escape, but she grabbed my wrist and pulled me to her bed.

"Rose, what did you mean?"

"Well, I had been rude to him and-" She wasn't having my deflection, and silenced me with a look. I sighed and laid on the bed.

"Just promise me you won't treat me any different. Or that you will tell anyone else. Do you swear?" She nodded, a fierceness in her eyes that made me smile slightly.

The smile dropped as I began my story.

"When I was 16, I noticed I was getting sick a lot. Way too often. I had a cough that wouldn't go away, no matter what medicine or tea I used. Then I noticed I was getting out of breath more often. And I was in shape, so why was I struggling for breath?" I made sure not to look at her as I spoke, instead I stared up at the canopy. I didn't want to see watch the pity fly across her face.

"When I was 17 I finally went to the doctor. Lung cancer." A soft gasp from beside me, as Yui grabbed my hand. I squeezed back.

"I dropped out of school and started Chemo, radiation, all of it. I would get better, then the doctors would find more of it. Or find that it just stopped responding to the treatment. When I was 20, I laid in the hospital bed as my mother and father gathered around to say goodbye." Yui let out a choked sob and I squeezed her hand harder, still not looking away from the fabric above me.

"As I closed my eyes, for what I knew was the last time, my grandmother's locket, one I always wear, started to heat up and shine. The next time I opened my eyes, I was laying in some handsome guy's arms." I finally looked at her with a wry grin. "Hades. I woke up in the arms of death himself." She had tears running down her cheeks.

"Hey hey hey, it's okay. Shhh…" I pulled her into my ar and she shook her head.

"It's not okay! When we graduate, you're just going to go back to you time and-" She sobbed. I felt my own eyes prickle, but nodded.

"I know." I whispered.

She pulled back and searched for why my voice sounded so calm. "I'm okay with it Yui. That's why… I don't bare a grudge against death. I've come to terms. This is just like… a year to enjoy myself. My last chance for fun." If my smile wasn't quite as reassuring as I hoped, it was close enough.

Yui just pulled me to her and cried. We laid on the bed and honestly…. I cried too. Until, exhausted, we fell into a light doze.

Yui woke me up later and explained an idea she had. While I was asleep, she had gone out and gathered a few of the others that wanted to help show Hades that things could be okay. I smiled at her, glad she wasn't focusing on what I had told her. Together, we all walked to Hades' bench. He seemed shocked so many wanted to join him. He looked at me, and I just gave him a small smile.

I paid more attention on the way to the hill this time, and I could tell Yui did as well. Just in case. Hades didn't seem to mind me walking beside him this time. He was nervous of course, but didn't directly say anything. I smiled at him, and he gave me a small one in return.

Apollo smiled when we reached Hades' spot. "Now that I get a better look, there really are a lot of stars!"

Dee-dee breathed out, a grin on his face as well. "I wonder how many there are. They say there are hundreds of billions of hundreds of billions of stars."

As they discussed how many that could be, I crouched down next to Hades as he began to pull out his telescope. We both froze when I felt a raindrop, and Tsukito declared, "It's raining."

Hades sighed and stood up, quickly turning away. I couldn't let him go, and before I had consciously thought about it, I grabbed his hand with both of mine. "Wait." I whispered, giving him a rueful smile, then nodding towards Apollo.

He was grinning like a fool as he surveyed everyone. "All right! This is where the fun starts!" Everyone around him nodded and striped down to their bathing suits, even Yui.

Dee-dee smirked and turned to Hades and I. "We didn't get to use our swimsuits at the seaside school."

'Pollo punched the air. "Yeah! We won't let any misfortune beat us!"

"Yes, It now won't matter if we get wet." Honestly, I love how Tsukito speaks. It's just so straightforward and deadpanned. I looked at all the smiling faces and felt my chest warm. I loved all of these dorks.

Yui frowned and stepped closer to Balder. "Are you not getting wet from the rain?" She was incredulous, and honestly, same. That was strange.

Dee-dee grinned. "Even nature loves him!" Balder just grinned. "Looks like my swimsuit is pointless again."

"Stay away from me! It'll stop raining on me!" Apollo cried, running off. The others followed him quickly, trying to splash him or push him in a puddle.

I turned to Hades and smiled. He had such a bewildered look on his face. I squeezed his hand and pulled him out of the rain with me. Once under the gazebo, I turned to him. "I know you have a literal curse on you, one that is extremely unfair, but it still doesn't change what I said before. Life is what you make of it, and I'm not going to let you wallow in misfortune. Kapeesh?"

Hades stared down at me, and for a minute, I was sure I overstepped. But then he pulled me into a hug. It was stiff, and awkward, but it was a hug I quickly returned. "Thank you." He said into my hair. I felt my cheeks heat up.

"It was nothing."

He shook his head. "It was everything. I have brought misfortune wherever I go. But.. now I see that even when there is bad, there is always good when there are people who care for me."

He finally let go, and I instantly wanted to pull him back in… because it was cold of course. He stared down at me, a soft smile on his face. "If that is not happiness, I do not know what is."

I swear my heart was going to stop. Thankfully, I was saved from answering by Dee-Dee. "What are you doing Hades? We brought a swimsuit for you!" The 'swimsuit' was a speedo like his own and my face heated even more. Yui raised an eyebrow at me and I quickly looked away.

But the swimsuit wasn't needed. As if finding delight playing in the rain, misfortune decided it would rather us just stare up at the sky. That works!

"Is the misfortune giving up?" Apollo asked. I love that dude. Always looking at the bright side. Now that the rain stopped, everyone stepped out to look at the sky. It was just so beautiful….

"Rose." I turned to see Hades with his telescope set up. "Would you like to look?" I nodded and walked up to him. There was a look in his eyes that I didn't know how to read. They seemed softer. I quickly looked through the lense and the sky took my breath away.