We Tread the Icy Path Slowly and Cautiously

There were many paths to and from the underworld and many of the gods knew at least one or two and Ares was no exception to that. Having come and gone quite a few times for this reason or that, the war god was in the underworld this time for a specific reason. His eyes swept the area as he had made his way towards his uncle's home having not found the wayward puppy anywhere near the Judgement pavilion. It could have been at one of the other entrance's guarding it, but if he knew the canine at all it wasn't really taking to that. A smirk graced his features briefly at the thought of his uncle's precious dogs not listening to him.

Giving a sharp whistle, Ares paused and looked around to see if it would come. However what he next encountered was not what he'd wanted to come across. Stopping and resting his hand on the hilt of his sword since that was just how he stood, Ares couldn't help his sarcastic, "Well, well, well. Isn't this interesting."

It wasn't often that all of Hades lay quiescent - as if the entire underworld was holding its breath in anticipation. With her husband away on Olympus, there was only one thing that could cause such a phenomenon, thought Persephone. Something was amiss.

It turned out not to be a something, so much as a someone. Specifically, a dark-haired, sword-wearing, swaggering someone.

A three-headed puppy was trapped between the figure and the walls that separated Hades from the paths to the surface, woofing happily at the man as she made her way down the path, treading lightly so as not to spoil her entrance.

Stopping a few feet away - well out of the reach of a swung blade - she smoothed her chiton and cleared her throat delicately. "If you wanted something, Ares, you should have come in through the front gate." Her tone betrayed a touch of amusement for her nephew-by-marriage, with a hefty helping of annoyance. She had better things to do than deal with the smirking arrogance of the god of war.

"I don't suppose you asked my dear husband's permission to borrow that pup?"

"And let dear Uncle Hades know that I was here? I don't think I would have liked the reception committee." Was his come back. He knew that his uncle didn't like unexpected visitors least of all Ares. There were way too many ghouls, skeletons, and the like for his taste which would be the type of 'welcoming' he would have received had he come through the front gate as Persephone had put it. "Why spoil a surprise?"

At the term he would use such as 'borrow', Ares' eyes lit up in mischief and amusement. "Now why would you think to ask me something like that?" Of course he was also a bit annoyed for having been caught before he could get out before the discovery was made. Naturally though he wouldn't ask for permission. It was also annoyance and a bit of mixed feelings of resentment and a tad of bitterness because of their previous altercations. He had at one time pursued her but she had flatly turned him down. While he was vain and had a good reason to be, it didn't sit too well with him that he had been turned down as she had done to him.

"Does it look like I'm dognapping?" Looking down at the puppy he smirked when the heads bumped against his hands which he petted and gave the woman a smug expression.

"Now that you mention it, it does look like you're dognapping." Folding her arms across her chest, Persephone rolled her eyes as Ares smirked and played with the puppy, all three heads trying to rub up against his hands at once. "The implication being that that dog belongs to us, and not you."

It's hard not to think him handsome when he smirks like that. He's all sharp cheekbones and strong jaw, and there's something about the mischief in his eyes that draws her. But the arrogance and aggression that hide underneath the godly beauty are enough to turn her stomach and make her remember exactly why she turned him down in the first place.

"Now unless you have business here besides trying to steal my guard dog, you should go." She hates the way her chin tips up when she says it, like a little girl trying to be imperious. "Hades made it very clear that you weren't welcome here except on Olympian business the last time you thought to visit."

She wishes Hades were here now. Although she and Ares are of an age, and arguably have the same standing on Olympus thanks to her marriage, she still feels like his inferior. A fact that he could easily exploit to get what he wants.

Straightening from his crouch where he'd been petting the cerberus puppy's heads, Ares stood smirk still in place. "Really? How so? Does it look like I'm trying to force the dog or he doesn't want to go?"

As for it belonging to Hades and Persephone, he motioned his hand in a 'so-so' gesture. "Eehhh, belonging to you is a technicality." In truth the puppy belonged to Hades. Ares having 'borrowed' the puppy when he'd stumbled upon it awhile back had allowed it to absorb and memorize his scent. It had helped that one of Ares' animals were dogs which he had an affinity towards. Stepping towards the goddess his gaze swept over her before returning to her eyes. He liked the fire of defiance there but halted and a brief scowl crossed his face at the mention of the reminder before it vanished.

"What if I did have other business here?" It was plausible wasn't it? It wasn't as if it was a secret that she didn't have other visitors. Or that other gods didn't come down to the underworld for business other than talking or visiting its reigning rulers.

She has to stifle a hiss through her teeth when she realizes that he has her on whether or not he's forcing the pup to bend to his will - it seems happy enough to do his bidding, all three tails wagging and tongues lolling.

"What belongs to Hades belongs to me!" she snaps, drawing herself up as tall as she can as he steps closer. In hindsight, she'll realize the action will only make her look more like a little girl trying to boss an older cousin around, but she can't help it. For all his good looks and her knowledge that Hades will rip him limb from limb if he lays a finger on her, she fears him. He is the god of war, after all.

"I highly doubt that. Unless the sky is falling, dear Uncle Zeus would have sent Hermes instead." She scoffs and tosses her hair, pointedly ignoring the tiny prickle of fear on the back of her neck as she meets his gaze. "You're bluffing."

"I honestly don't think he would see it that way," came his response in a way that stated that he was laughing without actually doing so. The way she was so possessive and adamant of the puppy being theirs rather than just Hades' piqued his curiosity. It was no secret that she hadn't cared for Hades, but like other couples he supposed something had to have transpired for her to give her loyalty to his uncle besides just being married to him.

At least the others had become smart enough to not just leave their symbols of power lying about after he'd talked that brat of Hermes to steal dear old dad's lightning bolt and Hades' Helm of Darkness. Too bad they got them back, that would have been a nice bit of chaotic war.

"Am I?" Ares asked. He bluffed a lot. But a lot of the time he didn't bluff. Moving closer towards her his smile became amused again. "I don't think I have need to bluff with you." Halting again within arms reach he gave voice to his curiosity. "Why did you decide to stop me? You could have reported my trespass and had your little minions escort me out."

"I don't think he would see it that way,"

His response makes her blood boil. What would he know about her marriage? He spends all his time ruining poor Hephaestus' marriage to Aphrodite, so what would he know about actually, genuinely loving someone and not just lusting after them?

"The day you know anything about how Hades sees things is the day a Cyclops has two eyes," she hisses, struggling to rein in her temper. Losing her temper won't do any good - it's just giving him what he wants - but oh, how she longs to give in and wipe the smug smirk off of his face.

"We both know my minions would have the same effect on you as throwing a boulder at the Hecatoncheires. I came to make sure the job got done properly." He steps closer, and she takes a step back, arms still crossed defensively over her chest. "Now either prove me wrong and tell me you're here on Olympian business, or get out."

Offended slightly by her remark he sneered at her. Oh, he could see things from  Hades' view on some things but why should he try and bother to try and explain to this...woman. Rather than reply back about how he knew Hades views Persephone, he didn't feel like getting slapped at the moment, he let his thoughts play on his face though. And did she just insult him by comparing him to a hundred handed one?!

"What if I want you to make me?" Ares crossed his own arms, attitude evident. He had for a moment forgotten about why he'd come down here until it went and sat between the two deities and whined and looked worriedly back and forth between them both. Briefly he looked down at the cerberus then back at the goddess across from him. He would love to see her try and evict him and how much he could rile her up before she let loose that anger he could practically taste.

The look on his face when she tells him he knows nothing about Hades' thoughts makes her feel sick; it says that he knows all too well what Hades thinks, and it's nothing near what she thinks it is. She does feel slightly better at the brief flicker of affront that crosses his features at the comparison between him and a Hecatoncheires.

"What if I want you to make me?"

She's tempted to tell him he's in luck, that she'll happily throw him bodily out the gates of the underworld, but that would be giving him what he wants, and she absolutely refuses to do that.

Gritting her teeth, she glances at the black and brown puppy sitting between them, whining disconsolately. She isn't even sure she's strong enough to make him leave, not on her own. Moments ago, when she'd been sure that she loved Hades and he felt the same about her, she might have braved the risk of doing what she wishes she could. But without him to back her up, the only person who would support her is her mother.

Yes, a compelling argument. The goddess of agriculture trying to defend a minor goddess throwing the god of war out of the underworld, she thinks bitterly, stooping to scoop up the whining ball of fur and hold it close to her chest.

"If I do, I'd better not see that smug face on my doorstep again Ares," she hedges, gathering her courage as the puppy's fur tickles her bare shoulder. "I'll not teach you the same lesson twice."

At first, Ares thought he might be able to push her a bit more until she had to cheat. She had to go and pick up the pooch to clutch him like he was a barrier to keep between her and Ares. Did she even know that in her action she defeated her whole stance of taking charge? All her body language screamed was how confident she wasn't. Her position was weak and they both knew it, yet in her act of picking up the cerberus, she unknowingly now possibly had the upper hand. He scowled internally at that and eyes flashing with dark humor, he reached out and set a hand on the middle head letting it know everything was fine.

At her parting shot, he threw his head back and laughed full throated. If nothing else, this trip hadn't been a waste since he was able to be so thoroughly amused and entertained. Who knew that she had a sense of humor? Maybe he should visit 'her doorstep' again. Suppressing his laughter and once it had run its course, Ares stepped closer to her as if he was going to try and invade her space, but all he did was walk past her. "I'll keep that in mind."

Next time he came, he'll be sure not to show any smugness. As he continued his stride without breaking, he headed for the exit of his uncle's house. When he was nearly out, he debated to whistle for the puppy but decided to let the goddess have her little victory this time. Next time, he might not play so nicely.

She wants to hit him as he laughs loud and long, clearly enjoying her discomfort as she holds the Cerberus puppy close. The pup makes a whining noise, complaining that she's holding it too tightly, and she loosens her grip slightly.

Before she can open her mouth, finally driven to give her temper free reign, he steps closer and it's all she can do to hold stock still as he nearly brushes up against her before stepping past towards the exit. Damn him, he knows exactly how to make her squirm, and somehow it makes the shiver she has to suppress all the more terrible.

"I'll keep that in mind," he mocks, voice fading as he heads into the fog bank that marks the gate that divides the underworld from the river Styx.

"Yes, you should remember," she murmurs, eyes narrowed as she watches his figure retreat into the mists. Her pride is burning, making her wish there was something she could do to put him in his place without making herself look a fool. Between this and the seeds of doubt he's sewn about her marriage, no one could blame her if she sought retribution.

"Remember, Ares. Because I won't forget."