link between realms

 Ugh, gross.
Fish guts. Why? Of all days, why?
 There was all that time spent, washing within the waters of the lake. There was that smell of evergreens he'd always liked, though these were different than those that felt familiar. It had all been a fantastic fresh start from waking in that horrid, dusty, blagh place right up until the fish.
 Poseidon slowly removed his foot from its entrails. It had been rotten for several days, and his nose wrinkled immediately. Holy fuck it was foul. Seriously, why?
 But somehow, the Fates had decided that he would indeed manage to find his way from the sands of the New Underworld and into... whatever this was. Where were his people? Who were his people? Surely @Hades was to blame for all of this. Who better to punish his brothers than the one who ran death itself? Was that even a thing? Poseidon sneered at nothing in particular as he shook off his fishy foot and walked on. None of it made sense. He didn't like being alone, and had on a ghastly, theatrical frown to whoever might see him there on the banks of the lake.

the staff team luvs u

“Uhm... Hello?”

Her voice was gentle, her head tilted just slightly as she watched the man who reminded her vaguely of Hades, something she chalked up to coincidence. He seemed to have stepped in something, possibly the meal she'd seen a few birds picking at. Ears canted forwards as she watched him from her little perch on the rock they'd been taking shelter under, huddled close to one another for warmth. Hades was away from the moment, catching something for them to eat but, as before, the little honey wolf was not alarmed at the presence of another. Merely curious as to who he was.

“Are you alright?”
the staff team luvs u

 Immediately, he noticed her. His eyes flicked and his head flipped, and all at once he was ready and waiting to greet her with an excited enthusiasm. He nodded at a distance eagerly, nodding up and down up and down for a moment without shame. He trotted closer. Tiny little body. Closer. Lithe little woman. What a treat she was! A little roll of delicacy eager and succulent and cute, begging to be lapped up from the silver spoon he'd known all his life.
 “I'm great!” He answered, because, well, now he was great! “Are you alright?” he countered, truly concerned for this apparently young and lovely young woman. He hazarded many a pawsteps closer to her as he smiled.

the staff team luvs u

First impressions being what they were, Persephone decided that he seemed nice enough; his demeanor wasn’t unkind but friendly, open to conversation too, as he answered and asked after her in kind. His proximity wasn’t minded terribly much as the little honey wolf laid upon the stone by the lakeshore, smiling a little as she, too, nodded.

“Yes. It’s a lovely day out. Spring is nearing, after all.” It would warm up and the world would blossom around them, unfurling greens and pinks and yellows that the vast swaths of white snow could simply not compare to. “Are you alone?” Seeing as she and Hades had both woken up alone, it stood to reason that maybe others did, too.
the staff team luvs u

 Sandy. Pretty. Her eyes reminded him as he drew closer of the sparkly shells upon rare beach sands. She was a lovely little creature, and a woman he immediately desired. She was also gracious, for her attitude was not fear but a strange level of trust in him coupled with a pleasant smile that he clung to.
 For it felt like at least an age that anyone had smiled at him, and he scooped it up and swallowed the essence as best he could. And because of that, he was, sort of, hers.
 He trotted closer, now feeling no boundary between them. “That's right! It's getting nearer. Soon enough the sun will have to work a little harder.” He nodded, grinning widely as he thought about what poor sap would have do that that work of dragging around the sun all the time.
 Of course she asked the inevitable, and he shrugged with a gentle and charming grin, like he'd found something very delightful. “Yeah I'm alone, well I was!” Poseidon answered, gesturing vaguely to her, like she was supposed to perform a dance. “But here you are!”

the staff team luvs u

Drinking post!hahahaha

---

His gaze was... heavy. Intense, in a way that was similar to Hades', but also not. His felt... heavier. More... something. She couldn't put her paw on it. His closeness was noted, but not objected to. Not yet. Still, her tail brushed lightly against her stony perch, looking down upon him as he spoke about the closeness of the sun and its warmth. She welcomed its efforts, welcomed its warmth, especially now with the cool air still around them.

“Here I am,” She confirmed, finally moving to stand so that she could hop down from her perch and meet him more properly. “I'm Persephone. I also woke alone,” Here at this very lake, in fact, which is where Hades had happened upon her, and they'd been together ever since. “Do you remember anything before waking up here?” She asked, voice gentle, concerned.
the staff team luvs u

 As she slipped down from her rocky throne, Poseidon watched the way the breeze hit her golden fur. His eyes widened as he caught a glimpse of her lithe waist. His tail waved and wagged without any attempt to hide his enthusiasm of her movements. Poseidon took a step beside her and smiled joyfully, inhaling a subtle scent of flowers from her beautiful self. He wiggled.
 “I'm Poseidon!” But Poseidon had to think about her question, because it felt like he remembered something, but he just wasn't sure what it was. “And I think kinda maybe? It's all at the tip of my tongue or something. There are people, maybe? Were people,” he frowned deeply, and then immediately lit up with a glimmering smile. A butt wiggle followed. “I remember the sea!”

the staff team luvs u

“The sea?” She questioned after his words. Persephone had never seen the sea, though she had heard much about it from the travelling dryads, the one that had found tutelage under her mother's wing. From her memory, or what limited memory she had, Persephone had never seen the sea, though there was a vague __desire__ to do so. she could remember that much, remember begging her mother to take her, and being angry and disappointed when she had said __no__.

“What is the sea like?” The little honey wolf asked Poseidon, sitting so that her tail might curl 'round her paws on the bank of the lake. She wondered if it was as vast and as magnificent as her imagination alluded to, wqhile at the saem time wondering if Hades would take any interest in her newest companion.
the staff team luvs u

 “Oh it's the prettiest thing you've ever seen in your whole life, or like, haven't seen I guess,” Poseidon answered smoothly, still wiggling with the excitement of it all. As she sat, so statuesque, he moved slightly to pull his tail not-so-subtly around her. His fur didn't quite touch hers, but he had closed the distance very smoothly as he spoke.
 “Imagine great, blue hills, only instead of grass, it's water. It stretches beyond what any mortal can see, and underneath it's filled with the greatest party ever known. It's basically the best excuse to have fun ever,” he explained dreamily, staring up as though the sea was up there and not.. nowhere anywhere near them. “But like a party with an exclusive invite, so we can't go,” he frowned and looked back at her, pushing his lips forward in a goofy sulk. “But...” His tail flicked. “We could have our own party, you know,” and a grin followed.

the staff team luvs u

His smooth compliment went unremarked upon, or unnoticed; one or the other, her awareness honing in on the fact that suddenly he was so __close__ and it was not like the closeness of her companion, the man she'd slept next to the last several nights. In a tiny movement, Persephone found herself inching away from him, disguising it as a bid to turn and face him more directly. __'They will take what they want from you, my flower.'__ Her mothers words whispered through her mind, and perhaps it was out of stubborness, but the littl ehoney wolf found herself ignoring those words for the most part.

“You can breath underwater?” She asked, fascinated and intrigues all the same. How else would he go to parties beneath the sea, unless the sea was different from a lake and wolves could breath beneath its surface. She found that hard to believe. But it was his next words that captured her, drew her in like a moth to a flame. Their own party? What was a party? What would it entail? Would it be magnificent and fun? “How so?” She queried after him, blinking those bubblegum pink eyes at him.

Idly, she wondered if Hades would be interested in something like a __party__. She didn't even know what a party __was__ but she was interested all the same.
the staff team luvs u

 “Of course!” (no, he couldn't). But he didn't elaborate. He'd rather just have her feeling impressed and happy for his amazing nonexistent abilities than explain that no, he couldn't breathe underwater and no, he wasn't invited to the damn sea party either. Those dolphins would have to have all that fun for him. He would get nothing from their world. This one, though. This one was far more promising.
 Persephone asked, and she received. Poseidon bounced backward from her suddenly and leaned right into a sloppy play bow, tongue lolling out as his bum waved and wiggled. “Ready... get set.... PARTYYY!!” and he launched himself at her to tackle her abruptly.

the staff team luvs u

She couldn't help but cry out at the sudden movement, alarmed and taken aback as Poseidon lept atop her. She hadn't been expecting the movement, and in her alarm, Persephone did the only thing she could think to do under the circumstances.

“H-Hades!!!”
the staff team luvs u

 But she gave up! Why?!?! Winning a game immediately wasn't any fun. As Poseidon mouthed harmlessly over one of her honey ears (which he imagined also tasted like honey but were much closer to earwax, for some reason) she called wildly in a word that was like a HAY-DEEZ that felt so familiar it cut into him. But he didn't understand it.
 Poseidon rolled and kicked a bit at her, thinking that maybe this was also part of the game. “RAH” he brayed, chomping without teeth onto the thick scruff and pulling as he bunny kicked her.
 If her weird call was supposed to be a war cry, it wasn't a very good one, he thought.

the staff team luvs u

His mouth was on her __ear__ and there was a feeling that she did not __like__ associated with such action, with __him__. Her cry for her companion went unanswered and it was all Persephone could do to not howl for him now, too. What wopuld he think of her, unable to get herself out of a situation like this. His feet hit her back in some odd movement and the small female did all that she could to wrench herrself away from him. Her flesh tore, just slightly, at her neck as she attempted to pull away from him, pink eyes wild and afraid.

What was he __doing__?! “Poseidon!” His name came strangled from her throat, breathy and anxious when she found herself incapable of putting distance between them. His attack had been unwarranted and unexpected, one that made her breath catch in her throat but not for the same reason it had the other day. Fear permeated her mind, fear and a wild desperation to get __away__.
the staff team luvs u

He was bringing back a turkey, a bit proud of himself for the fact he'd managed to find one. Death came naturally to him. It was easy to hunt for him, given the easy way that he tended to navigate the shadows as if he was made for the realm itself. He was halfway back when he'd spotted Persephone - but more shockingly, he wasn't alone. Immediately his concern grew and rather than navigate his feet and the fowl carefully to not trip, he tipped his head back a bit more to hold the bird up closer to his chest so he could move more freely. There was a certain tension in him - the figure was familiar. He just couldn't pinpoint it though. 

But then the male launched himself at her. He saw red then, a dark inky night with the broken splatter of red and stars - all his rage and wrath together. When Persephone shouted for him his mouth opened - kill be damned - and he dropped the bird as he broke into a full sprint to close the distance between them as quickly as he could. He arrived on the scene to find Persephone trying actively to get away and he let out a vicious snarl. He leapt without thinking, aiming his shoulders fully at the male with every intention of breaking the two apart and giving Persephone a chance to regain her footing. 

the staff team luvs u

 Persephone pried herself from him, leaving him high and dry. His legs flopped onto the ground as she tried to wriggle away from him, and he frowned at 120% intensity and widened his eyes. She shouted his name and he just laid there on his side, confused and alarmed as he released her.
 Her voice wasn't playful at all, it felt almost like terror. He didn't like that at all. Poseidon rolled awkwardly and scooted away from her. Whatever he had done had apparently hit just the wrong spot, and she didn't appreciate his game. His dreams of mounting her that day were flushed quickly away, and all joy drained from his vision of a party as a huge second wolf bluntly piled into him with a loud SMACK.
 “OW WHY AGGGH!” he tasted blood as his teeth bit into his tongue no no no no.

the staff team luvs u

Her salvation came quickly in the form of the very wolf she had called for, his larger form assailing her... assailant and giving her a chance to move and scramble away, scrabbling up onto the rock that she'd been upon initially while her heart hammered away. Pink eyes were wide as she watched them, fear and a new sort of darkness blossoming deep within her chest. She did not speak, merely watched as Hades grappled with the wolf that had accosted her.
the staff team luvs u

Hades was happy to see that Persephone had scrambled away, ears flicked back in irritation and all he could do was just stare. "You were on her." He seethed, eyes narrowed on the male and only vaguely aware of some familiar feeling. How could he possibly need a reason? He snarled and bared his teeth, tail stiff as he just dared the male to make his choice. Was he going to relax, or was he going to dare trying him? "You have a choice here," His tone was dark and he was almost just itching for him to try. 

the staff team luvs u

 The male stared. Blue. Fierce. Om nom gaze. Poseidon flicked his eyes away. You were on her. “Uhh,” he mumbled. Poseidon shrugged, even as the big boy snarled and threatened him. Yeah okay. You the big boy boss, relax bro. Poseidon folded his paws to his chest, frown deepening.
 You have a choice here, said the big Boy. “I mean, I'm not really into men,” he said bluntly, offering a weird "oh sorry if that was what this was supposed to be" face. He glanced at Persephone and winked.

the staff team luvs u

There was some deep satisfaction in watching the male's gaze break and look away, although he didn't take a moment away to check on Persephone. It was instead, just fixed on the male until he'd run his mouth again. "Even if I was I wouldn't pick you." Hades responded dryly. "Are you alright?" He asked, finally glancing over his shoulder to Persephone before he looked back at the male again. He relaxed minutely when Poseidon remained over there even if the wink made him roll his eyes. 

Still, the longer he looked at the male, the more he had that feeling that something was wrong. This male  was all wrong. But the lingering scent of saltwater and just....sheer dumb will....Hades' gaze had shifted to one of scrutiny and his tongue drug over his fangs idly. "You still make the stupidest choices." Hades muttered. He looked back at Persephone, and then back to Poseidon - still shocked that his brother was there at all. "My idiot brother will apologize for offending you, I'm certain." A warning leveled to said idiot brother - the message quite clear there. 

the staff team luvs u

His violence sang through the air like a melody entwined with the low, rumbling timbre of his snarl; Persephone found herself enthralled, interestingly enough, bright eyes flickering between Hades and Poeidon. It was only when the tension in the air melted into something __weird__ that the little honey wolf's brow furrowed above those pink eyes, a frown turning the corners of her mouth down. Still, Hades had asked her a question, and she responded with a nod and a quiet “I am.” The wink of the male that looked so much like him went unnoticed, far too interested in the fact that they looked similar now that she was focusing properly.

And then Hades seemed to relax, causing her ears to perk forward as he berated the sea-wolf. It was not something that Persephone argued against, though she did find herself coming back down from the safe haven of her stony perch to come closer to the two. Only when she drew even with her steadfast and protective companion did Persephone look between them again, curious. “Your... Brother?”
the staff team luvs u

 “Awh,” answered Poseidon, still frowning, vaguely hurt at the idea he just wasn't quite sexy enough for Big Boy here. For a moment, both the blue eyed dark and stormy and green-eyed sea puppy were looking at the honey girl.
 But as the dark male looked back at him, Poseidon hazarded another glance at his face. He blinked, frown lessening slowly. That familiar, stern glance. The intensity. The silly, serious nature of him. Ah yes, that winter fire scent. Poseidon tilted his head.
 "You still make the stupidest choices."
 “And you're still pathetic.” Grin. Wider grin.
 Of course, Hades wanted an apology. Poseidon opened his mouth and took a breath, like he was leading up to something really incredibly important. As Persephone stated the obvious, Poseidon leaned slowly toward Hades' face, and touched his nose to his brothers'. The moment would have been tender, if not for the followup, “Boooooop.”

the staff team luvs u

It was strange. He remembered his brothers - but he didn't remember this. He remembered being in the dark and the endless river. Dreary. Always night. He was of the night, too, under it all and in the shadows. He was feared for what he meant. The reaper even if he wasn't the one who brought anyone to death. It was something about the green of his eyes - the smell of him that was more familiar than the face and that shocked him. He didn't understand things here, still, but he was growing more aware as the days went on. Right now all he saw was the lesser of two evils, but, his brothers were both useless when it came to the ins and outs of days. 

Pathetic? He weathered a glance back to Persephone and then fixed Poseidon a look. He held still as Poseidon pressed their noses together and then booooop Hades closed his eyes, teeth clamped together in a way that spoke tomes of how much he was put upon. He brought a paw up, pressing squarely at Poseidon's forehead to push him away. "You're better with your ass in the sand, fishbrains." Hades said before he turned to check on Persephone, nose gently touching her paw. 

the staff team luvs u

Persephone couldn't help but giggle softly as Poseidon pressed his nose to Hades', a smile breaking across her face for the first time since the sea-wolf had first jumped upon her. While she had teased the big, bad wolf on and off, it was pleasing to see someone else partake in the activity as well.

“I'm fine,” She promised gently, far more interested now that another piece of the puzzle began to fall into place. They were so __different__, so... “Is he really your brother?” She asked, pawing lightly at his nose, not wanting the distraction of his touch as she considered the male before them. She could definitely see it, in the shape of their faces, and the colors of their furs, but the little honey wolf found herself noting the stark contrasts between them. Their eyes, their stature, their severity.

“Hades, I don't think he meant anything by it,” She finally said, nosing his shoulder and turning her eyes to Poseidon. “He was friendly, at first.” Then he had been too friendly, but that was besides the point.
the staff team luvs u

 As Hades pushed him, Poseidon fell backwards and promptly rolled swiftly and goofily to a stand. He wiggled with a huge grin that stretched from ear to ear. Brother. How could he have forgotten the greatest stick in the mud that had ever lived? He tried to come up with a quip to beat fishbrains, but was promptly distracted by the sweet little cupcake who apparently had been afraid of a little rough and tumble.
 Poseidon sidled up closer to her, “actually I meant everything by it.” He laughed, noting with delight the way the pair of them poked and touched and exchanged gentle looks. “I just didn't realize you're such a sore loser.” He declared, tail waving as Poseidon probed Princess Sweetcakes. Anything to annoy Hades would always be worth it.

the staff team luvs u