#Hades can sneak in a quick caring moment as a treat while nobody can catch him

[melonymint753]

that part about Hades' dilemma - at this point he probably can tell when Chronos is temporarily dead. And he has a HP regeneration boon.

When he feels Chronos' powers lift, he makes his way over, as far as the chain around his ankle lets him. It's long enough that if he sits on the floor and leans, he can just reach Zagreus.

He calls his son's name, still not sure if he'll be welcome. But one of the heads decides for him, and nudges Zagreus awake.

Hades clears his throat - "the Titan's curse over you has lifted, let me-- well, if you are willing, I can heal you."

He mentally prepares for Zagreus to reject the offer, but he doesn't, instead slowly moving his less injured arm closer to Hades. Their fingers touch, way too many emotions come up in Hades' head, but he shuts them out - not right now - and focuses on channeling his healing power. Zagreus yelps at first but quickly adjusts to his father's boon, guiding the healing first to his hip and chest, so he can at least sit up and breathe properly.

Hades' strength soon runs out, but it was enough for Zagreus to at least rest comfortably.

"thank you, Father", he mumbles as he lays back down on the nook between Cerberus' heads.

.... gods. Those blasted emotions are coming back. Well. It's not like the Titan would have regained enough sentience to catch him in this state.

"rest well, Zagreus." he manages, before leaning on the giant rock for some rest of his own.

Had this image of the way Mel and Zag meet is Chronos taking out his frustration on Zag and leaving him in Hades' chamber.

And he freezes time so that Zag can't heal and is just in constant pain from the torture.

So when Mel shows up, he's got Cerberus curled up around him protectively and Hades is in this weird place of "if I pretend I don't care, Chronos might stop targeting my son" and "Zagreus thinking I don't care is maybe the worst thing I can think of right now???"

At first, Cerberus doesn't let Mel approach but Hades reassures him and then is like "Zagreus, open your eyes. It's your sister."

And Mel has seen that painting a thousand times, a million times, stared at it until she was sure every inch was burned into her memory, but somehow the fact that she and Zagreus have the same eyes, just mirrored, became something she no longer saw. That irrevocable, clear sign that they're blood, they're kin, he's her brother, glazed with pain and exhaustion but then sharp and clear with shock and relief and he reaches a hand out and she takes it thinking its a formal grip, but then he yanks her down to the floor and wraps his arms around her and just. Holds her.

When was the last time Melinoë was held? When she was a child? When she began to grit her teeth and blink away the tears after a nightmare instead of running to Hecate in the night? When Selene words of comfort and gentle reassurance began to be coupled with a hand to her cheek or hair? When Odysseus began to bow and say "Goddess" with as much respect as affection?

Cerberus chuffs in her ear and a head the size of a table in the taverna bumps onto her side as another settles against Zagreus' back, a broad nose pressing against her arm as her brother's hand rubs circles into her back.

And its so baffling, so odd that her, in the depths of her father's usurped domain, rooms away from where she's fought and fled and killed, that this is the safest she's felt.

(Later, in the Crossroads, memories will return: Zagreus carrying her to a man with pale hair and a soft smile; the head of a gorgon waving rattles by her with snake hair as a warm giggle; a woman with a bat wing and a shade with golden hair standing over her as the most beautiful voice drifts over her, music more beautiful than that of the sirens by leaps and bounds)

(She wasn't in her father's house for long, but when she was, she was loved.)

Zagreus gives her a boon. She almost doesn't want to take it, he's so weak, but he grips her hand and insists. Its life, it's blood, its the power to keep going against impossible odds. She feels reinvigorated. She feels furious.

"If I kill him," she says quietly, as Cerberus encloses Zagreus again in the comfort of three broad, blood-red heads. "Will this stop?" They both know who she's talking about.

"Perhaps," Hades says reluctantly. "His power is what keeps your brother from healing. If he must focus on himself..."

"I'll kill him."

She does.

The next time she comes through that room, Zagreus is standing. Still visibly tired and injured, but grinning and talking now.

"You're awake! Zagreus, I'm-"

"Melinoë!" Zagreus wraps her in a hug again and she's sure this must be what her mother's arms feel like too. "I'd know you anywhere!"

He stays with their father. Sometimes she comes in and he's beaten, bloody and nearly broken. Sometimes he's up and laughing.

He gives her advice, tells her stories, makes her laugh. Offers boons when he can.

He loves her, and she loves him.