Persephone

Another tortured soul screamed, and Graves sighed. "Oh, shut the fuck up."

The screaming stopped, and said screamer sniffed, affronted. "I'm a dead soul enslaved by the God of the Underworld. I expected a certain ambiance. There is no ambience! Only truly awful wallpaper - what is that? It's a travesty!"

Graves looked at the wallpaper. It was tartan, a criss-cross of yellow, red, and brown.

It really was awful.

He said nothing, but merely turned to stare at Gellert, who stared back defiantly.

"If I weren't already dead, just looking at that wallpaper would be enough to give me an aneurysm."

Graves rose from his chair. The shadow behind him grew until it encompassed the entire room, black flames flickering everywhere it touched. The room shuddered, growing larger and larger until it because his true Throne Room, rather than the comfortable parlour he'd been pretending at. Pillars of black marble lined the walkway, which was an obsidian floor that failed to hide the bones that lay beneath it. The armchair Graves had sat in solidified into his throne, metal spikes curving over his head from the backrest giving him the impression of horns. The darkness was so great that the edge of the room could not be seen. Distantly, Cerberus could be heard growling, three heads not quite in harmony.

"Better?" he asked.

Gellert had faded until he was almost transparent like the soul he truly was. There was a fixed smile upon his face, and he stepped back.

"Much better, my Lord," Gellert said. "Please excuse me…"

He scarpered out of the Throne Room.

Graves was alone. Again.

He sank back into his throne and swiped a hand over his face. He did not feel guilty about scaring Gellert Grindelwald, for the man had been vile while he lived, and truly deserved to reside in hell. But he regretted his temper. Like a wildfire, when alight there was nothing that could contain it.

Enough was enough. He needed to get out of Hell.

There was a park bench that Graves often liked to frequent when he visited the Overworld. It was in Central Park, New York. He enjoyed the greenery while also being able to observe the mortals going about their fleeting lives.

Mortals had done wonderful things with their technology. A metal monstrosity towered above them all, another eyesore added to the skyline.

"What is that building?" Graves asked as someone walked by.

The woman stared at him in bewilderment. "The Empire State Building…" she said, like it was obvious. Perhaps it was, or should have been. "It was finished five years ago."

"Ah," Graves said.

It had been a while since he'd left the Underworld.

He allowed the woman to continue on, and watched the mortals busy themselves with the trivialities of life. One was minding her child, making faces at it to watch it laugh. Another was buying a hot dog, and he devoured it in three bites. Another chased a wayward pet -

Graves sat bolt upright. That was no mortal pet, and no mortal pet owner.

It was the God of Nature and Chaos, the two of them ever interlinked; Persephone, also known as Newt, more informally.

Graves swallowed as he took in Newt's beauty - golden hair in messy disarray, forest green eyes that were narrowed with concentration, pale skin dotted with freckles. Graves had not seen him in centuries - he had been but a child then.

He was a child no longer.

There was a man who would brighten up the room just by being in it.

Graves had to have him.

It took but a moment to fashion something shiny that would surely attract the niffler Newt was chasing. Sure enough, the pair headed toward him.

With a smile, Graves scooped the niffler up from the ground. Newt had skidded to a stop, eyes wide with fear.

"Lord Hades!" Newt squeaked. Then the man steeled himself, showing a core of strength that belied appearances. "That's my niffler."

"You may have him back if you will return with me to the Underworld," Graves said, striding toward him.

"Fine," Newt said immediately. He was flushed and defiant, but his gaze was sharp.

"Good," Graves said. He set a hand upon Newt's shoulder, and dropped them into Hell.

The niffler had been returned to the case Newt carried upon his person, and that left Graves and Newt standing together in the Throne Room.

Graves folded his arms and regarded the other man.

Newt was looking around, a frown creasing his brow.

Abruptly, Graves realised that perhaps the darkness was too intimidating. Newt was still a young God, one that had not yet settled and made halls of his own.

With a click of his fingers he lit the braziers, the flames instantly heating the room.

Newt did not seem to notice.

"Is it true that you've got a Cerberus down here?" he asked.

Graves blinked, surprised by the non-sequitur. "What?" he said dumbly.

A growl echoed about the room, and smile spread across Newt's face.

"You do!" he cried, delighted, and took off into the depths of the halls.

Graves ran a hand through his hair, bewildered.

Then he realised that Newt had run into the darkness to find the monster that guarded the gates of Hell.

"Shit," he swore, and ran after him.

He needn't have worried. Newt had grown a vine large enough to play tug of war against Cerberus. All three heads were snapping at each other in order play. Newt's smile was wide enough to reach across the room.

"I'm glad I came with you. He's beautiful," Newt said, head tilted to the side, an almost wistful expression upon his face.

"Yes," Graves said, looking at Newt. "He is."

Newt turned abruptly, his expression solemn. "Are you going to keep me here?"

Graves did not look away. "No," he answered simply. "But you have enchanted me, and I do hope you might stay awhile."

A small smile crossed Newt's face at this, one that was entirely for Graves. "I'll stay until the days begin to grow short of sunlight. And then I must leave, in order to help nature battle the winter months." He turned away, and spoke so quietly Graves strained to hear him. "But perhaps, after that, I'll be back."

Word Count: 1050

Auction 96. Greek Mythology AU

Assignment #9 Mythology Task 12. Hades/Persephone AU

365 Prompts 269. 'Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You' by Frankie Valli

Cocktail Corner (Pomegranate) Hades/Persephone AU

Easter Egg Hunt 48. Graves/Newt

Guess the Name (chick) 24. Newt