Without sparing any of us a glance Hades takes his seat at the head.

And soon the large room is flooded with butlers and maids who deliver us enough food to feed twenty or so.

When they scurry back out I take my seat but not without jabbing Zeus's thigh under the table with the fork I had not surrendered.

For a while I searched for the proper position for placing my weapons and during that time I noticed that it wasn't only me who keenly observed Hades for a sign of a reaction.

But all we got was nothing.

And when I finally figured out where to place them one went crooked and the other fell right off the table, a little too far from where I sat.

It was as it the forks had grown wings, nasty naughty wings.

So once again I got off from my high chair to pick it up. But as I bend I feel something soft and rather ticklish brush past my hair.

By the time I realized what exactly happened Hades had already gracefully placed the item I was reaching for back in its position.

And it took me a minute to regain my brain from the blinding lights this creature was emitting and then straightened up from my current posture which was that of an athlete who had a very bad starting.

With my head held high I haul myself to the chair ignoring the lowly peasant to my side who snickered as I dug into the food.

Then suddenly, startling the rest I freeze with eyes wide as saucers.

"Elie?" With concern Will calls out and the small twitch in Hades fingers moving closer to my plate goes unnoticed.

"Can I have your cook?" I blurt out abruptly coming out of a daze and munch down on another mouthful of the unknown dish.

How can something taste as good??

"I swear." I place my free hand over my heart.

"I will look after that person like my life. Just give him or her over." I state in all seriousness.

And I highly doubt it was my squirrel face stuffed with food that set Will off into hyperventilative laughter.

"Will I am always serious about food am not joking." I say but the blue eyed maniac was still laughing his heart out till the point of being out of breadth even though he was already dead.

Expressionless as usual Hades continues to eat while me, Izumi and Zeus worry about the sanity of the latter's offspring.

"Zeus it pains me to tell you this but your son right there." I fake sympathy. "Needs serious medication."

A smile tugs at the father's lips unfazed but curious about the cause of his son's amusement.

But before he could comment on that matter Will regains his ability of speech. "You are the one who needs medication."

I raise an eyebrow completely ready for a custody battle.

"Because apparently you just asked the King of the Underworld to be your cook."

This peice of info felt like a slap to the face. With an encyclopedia.

"You even swore to look after him as your own life."

Make that two encyclopedia and an oxford dictionary.

The room took to silence for merely two seconds.

I really just want be move to Antarctica and go into hibernation.

"She said what?" Zeus shouts in between his thundering laughter and Will does not leave the question hanging.

"She want's Hades to be her cook."

Robotically I turn to Hades who unlike the chaos all around seemed calm and composed worthy to be written off in poems as he sipped on tea.

" Rain, you always say the most unusual things. "

The familiarity his words held brought about a sudden pause to their feverish laughter, but soon went back utter chaos.

Seeing no end to this mess I took to eating already at my third refill by the time they calmed.

"Didn't you eat when you woke up?" Will inquires, his smile refusing to leave.

"I did. So?"

I deadpan to which he shakes his head muttering about how rats inhibit my tummy.

"I prefer cats." I shamelessly say.

"........" William. "I see..."

I put out a hand indicating for everyone to be silent and then pretend to listen intently to what my 'cats' have to say.

"Okay. your wish is my command."

And before Will could even suspect I throw myself half way across the table to grab his plate of desserts.

And I knew he wasn't just going to hand it over even though his body had no obligations to hunger.

The tug of war of plates ends even before it commence when sparkling honey is poured over.

Grinning ear to ear I take my place with the trophy in hand for William hates honey, the mere sight of it.

"You are evil." He spats scowling as I happily chew through the dessert which tastes so much like sweet, sweet revenge.

"You eat like a cow." Was the best he could come up with.

I look up wondering whether he hadn't had enough, and even Hades seemed thoroughly disappointed by his lack of survival instincts.

I smile, restraining myself from forcing the honey down his throat and take another bite.

"Hey," I turn to Zeus. "You have honey on your face."

Since he does not point out the exact location, I rub my face against each shoulder for both my hands were preoccupied.

"Its still there." Zeus grins and leans forward and against my expectations he does not use his hands.

But instead the small drop of the viscous liquid is brushed off by velvet lips.

I flinch and almost fall off sideways if Hades hadn't moved to grab onto my elbow and as I stabilise the assuring touch leaves.

William was the first to break the bone-chilling silence that followed.

"Father!"

"What do you think you are doing Zeus?" The chair scraps back in a rush as Izumi is up on his feet.

"What?" Seemingly nonchalant Zeus looks around in confusion, very visibly unused to such reaction.

Frozen over in shock, I could still register how the speakers kept glancing at me and how the silent King never lifted his gaze away.

"What do you mean by what?" Will' tone is neither calm nor loud and I realize that I have never once seen him worked up as much.

"You stepped out of line." Izumi steals the words right off my tongue but none of us has the chance to see how it ends as a strange tune fills the dinning.

"Wait" Zeus gives each of us a look of apology and fish out a phone from his pocket.

Holding it to his ear he nods twice and cuts the call soon after.

"You have a phone?" I finally speak out of curiosity.

"Yeah but it's a lot different from your mundane phones." He answers carefully typing away to someone.

When he finally lifts his eyes from the cell he lets Will know. "You would have to come with me, there's an emergency."

While Zeus is up and almost by the door, Will remains in his seat frowning.

"Its cool, I was only taken aback that's all."

I smile and at this point of time, Izumi swiftly leaves coincidently through the same door the God of lightening waited by and the light slouch in Zeus' figure accounts for the sigh Will breaths.

Quite inappropriate to the setting considering the heavy tension, I am tempted to continue savouring my dessert.

But my wandering hand comes to a stop when out of nowhere Hades is hugged from behind by a pair of hands.

"I have to go now Hae bro." Zeus scream into his ears. "And you are the best cook ever." He winks knowingly at me at the last part.

Where are my tickets to Antarctica?

Hades quickly and strongly shrug him off, his placid exterior close to breaking with disgust.

And Hae bro? I cannot stop myself from giggling and even Will' lips tug at the ends.

Unfazed by the clear-cut refusal from his brother Zeus straightens and address me with his hand rubbing his nape.

"Eli, thanks you know for ehh..."

"I know." My student passed his test but he never got an A for good behaviour.

"And just so you know, to cover up for your disappearance I told your house keepers that you are on a date with me."

Almost like an inborn reflex I throw the closest cutlery at his pretty face but it clanks down to the floor after bouncing of the walls.

I turn to Will and he nodds understanding my intention. Neatly hiding away a knife he picked from the table in his back pocket he disappears like his dad with a salute.

I cross my arms when I hear the only one remaining get up.

"Not you too. Don't leave me."

Both Hades and I take a second to fully reassure oneself that those were indeed the words I spoke.

"I will cook for you, do not worry." Mischief and amusement danced within amber eyes.

You too??

"Your people back home are about to panic, you should leave now."

I nod and follow him without a question. Maybe half way through the journey, he slows down his pace to note.

"You are awfully quite."

"You are awfully caring." Maybe Izumi' current attitude and Zeus' antics had ticked me off wrong because I sounded very rude.

Hades stops and it seemed like he wanted to turn back but doesn't.

We are both silent as we board and noticing the space he left for me, I duck under the reigns he held and stand asrms-crossed facing him.

I try to ignore his presence but when his fingers gently raise my face by the chin, I am duty bound to meet his eyes.

"Why?" He asks and with a separation of mere inches I find myself counting the numerous blue streaks which were like shooting stars in an amber sky.

"Why is it that I can't care?"

"No.....I mean you csn but not with his expression."

"What expression?" His face tilt ever so slightly.

"This expression. " I trace his face without touching skin.

"What expression do you want me to have?" Hades inquires and my eyes linger on the slight tug of his lips.

The one you have when your guard is down.

"Nothing. Forget it." I wave it off hiding away my surprise on realising how much it affects me.

When the chariot begins to fly vertical, I close my eyes but I sense the reigns fluttering free of it hold around my waist.

My eyes blink open abruptly when I feel my face being held between his hands, his arms gentle and warm for someone who appears so cold.

"What is wrong?"

"I am fine." I say but his eyes searches through my mine as if to ask, ' is that all?'

"But it's not every day that you get kissed by an unearthly being." It came out as a combination of whispering and yelling.

He only chuckles, his head thrown back slightly and I join feeling relieved.

"And when did you became an expert on teenage girls?" I perfectly arch an eyebrow

"I have been around for a long time."

His reply perks my curiosity. "So you have met people like me before? "

"No." With a ghost of a smile bumps his forehead against mine as on impulse. "Never."

The carriage comes to halt with us still hanging vertical but the horses already set on solid ground.

It was now that I came to realize our positions.

His hands which had taken my face as prisoner never left and I clung onto him with all my might always knowing that if I were to move a inch sideways I could fall to my uneventful death.

When I finished reconsidering my life choices the carriage jerks sliding forward and my legs unbind from his.

My heart does a double flip to my throat in fear but a pair of hands move down, coiling around my waist to keep me in place.

Despite knowing for a fact that he was only doing so inorder to not deal with my angry ghost, I still couldn't control myself from feeling flustered.

Soon as the chariot stabilise on the ground I get off but I will my legs to not start sprinting.

Pretending to soothe my hair, I tried to seem casual as I say. "Thank you."

Hidden behind the ebony hair that had turned messier with my efforts Hades bents down to catch my eyes.

"You are welcome." Crimson lips stretch enough to form a pleasant smile, his eyes more azure than fire.

My poor heart had her fair share of surprises and had only just threatened to stop with that smile when he draws in.

I neither move nor breath when warm blood coloured lips press against the skin an inch below my cheekbone.

"See. It is alright now."

With those last words he disappears into smoke and shadows.

That doesn't make it any better you idiot!!!

Hello!!

This is my most favourite chapter till now. Hope you feel the same.

Love you all. Have fun filled holidays.