21. Swear It On The Styx: Alex

CHAPTER 21

SWEAR IT ON THE STYX

ALEX

A lex was about ready to punch a god. Specifically, a certain thunder god who seemed to have all the tact and sensitivity of a sledgehammer to the face. The moment they'd stepped out of that creepy-ass scrying room, Thor had started in about marching straight to Zac's bedside to ask the kid to potentially sacrifice himself for their cause.

"For fuck's sake, Thor," Alex growled, his patience hanging by a thread thinner than one of Loki's lies. "The kid just went toe-to-toe with your psycho niece. He needs rest, not a guilt trip about saving the universe."

Thor's brow furrowed, clearly not getting it. "But time is of the essence. Every moment we delay gives Loki more opportunity to?—"

"To what?" Alex cut him off, voice sharp enough to cut glass. "To monologue us to death? News flash, Sparky: Loki's been plotting for centuries. A few hours of sleep for Zac isn't going to make or break this clusterfuck."

He could feel the old familiar rage building, the kind that used to send souls scurrying in terror back in his Underworld days. Part of him wanted to let it loose, to remind these self- important Asgardians why the name Hades used to be whispered in fear.

But before he could really work up a good head of steam, a warm hand on his arm stopped him short. Eryx. Of course.

"Alright, boys," Eryx said, his voice carrying that mix of amusement and exasperation that never failed to deflate Alex's anger. "I think we could all use a breather here. Thor, Alex is right. Zac needs rest, and frankly, so do we. We'll be no good to anyone if we're falling asleep on our feet."

Thor looked like he wanted to argue, but even he seemed to wilt a bit under Eryx's reasonable tone. "Very well," he conceded, though he still looked like someone had pissed in his mead. "We shall reconvene after a period of rest."

Alex opened his mouth, ready to throw out a snarky comment about divine understatements, but Eryx's grip on his arm tightened slightly. A warning. Right. Antagonizing their allies probably wasn't the smartest move right now.

With a nod that was more jerky than gracious, Alex let Eryx lead him away from the others. As they made their way through the winding corridors of Asgard's palace, he felt some of the tension begin to leak out of him.

"You know," Eryx said conversationally as they approached their chambers, "for someone who claims to hate playing hero, you've got the protective mama bear act down pat."

Alex snorted, but he could feel the corners of his mouth twitching upward despite himself. "Yeah, well, someone's got to look out for the kid. Gods know he attracts trouble like you attract terrible puns."

Eryx's laugh, warm and genuine, eased something in Alex's chest he hadn't even realized was tight. As they entered their room, he found himself thinking that maybe, just maybe, they'd find a way through this mess after all.

As soon as the chamber door slammed shut behind them, Alex's frustration boiled over. "Fuck, Thor's got to be the most clueless god on the planet," he snarled .

Eryx didn't respond with words. Instead, he closed the gap between them and kissed Alex with a fierce urgency that made Alex's breath hitch. The kiss was rough and demanding, and Alex could feel every ounce of Eryx's frustration and need through it.

Alex's hands gripped Eryx's shoulders as the kiss deepened, their breaths mingling and their bodies pressing together. "You really know how to get my attention," Alex muttered against Eryx's lips, trying to catch his breath.

Eryx's hands roamed down to Alex's waist, pulling him closer. "Sometimes you just need to be reminded of what's important," Eryx said, his voice a growl as he began to unfasten Alex's clothes. "And right now, what's important is us."

Alex's clothes were quickly discarded, and Eryx's touch was both rough and controlled. "Fine. Just—" Alex gasped as Eryx's hands slipped down, his touch hot and demanding. "Just don't stop."

Eryx's fingers were deft and insistent as he prepared Alex, his gaze fixed on Alex's face. "I'm not going anywhere," he said, his voice low and intense. "Now let me take care of you."

Eryx positioned Alex against the wall, his movements quick and practiced. When Eryx's cock finally entered him, Alex let out a loud, shaky breath. The initial stretch was intense, pulling a groan from him. "Fuck, Eryx, that's?—"

Eryx cut him off with a hard, driving thrust that made Alex's head spin. "Just take it," Eryx commanded, his voice a mix of dominance and desire. "I'm not holding back."

The pace was slow at first, each thrust deliberate and deep. Eryx's hands gripped Alex's hips, holding him firmly in place. Alex's moans grew louder, each breath a mix of pleasure and frustration. "You feel so fucking good," Alex managed between gasps. "But I need?—"

Eryx didn't give him a chance to finish. He increased the pace, his thrusts becoming faster and harder. The rhythm was relentless, each push making Alex's body shiver and tremble. " That's it," Eryx growled, his grip tightening as he drove into Alex with increasing force. "Let go."

Alex's own responses were guttural, his voice rising in pitch as the pleasure built to an unbearable level. "Goddamn, Eryx!" he shouted, his hands clawing at the wall for support. "I can't?—"

Eryx's movements were unyielding, driving Alex closer to the edge with every thrust. The heat between them was almost unbearable, their bodies slick with sweat and their breaths coming in ragged bursts. "Just give in," Eryx urged, his voice a low, commanding whisper. "Let me take you all the way."

When Eryx finally came, his groan was raw and deep, and the sensation pushed Alex over the edge. He cried out, his own release intense and shuddering, his body arching as he felt the overwhelming pleasure. Eryx's cock pulsed inside him, and Alex's entire body felt like it was on fire.

As the last waves of pleasure subsided, Eryx pulled back slightly, his breath heavy and satisfied. "You're incredible," Eryx said, his voice rough but tender. "Even when you're being a pain in the ass."

Alex laughed weakly, still catching his breath. "Yeah, well, you've got a talent for making me forget everything else."

For a moment, they just lay there, tangled in each other and the sheets that had somehow survived their enthusiastic reunion. Alex felt a contentment he rarely experienced, a peace that seemed to push back the constant chaos of their lives. He wanted to freeze this moment, to live in it forever.

But of course, the universe had other plans. Because when did it not?

Eryx shifted, propping himself up on one elbow to look down at Alex. There was something in his eyes, a seriousness that made Alex's contentment evaporate like mist in sunlight.

"You're not off the hook yet, you know," Eryx said, his tone gentle but firm. "We still need to talk about you not telling me about the Fates."

And there it was. The other shoe, dropping with all the subtlety of Thor's hammer. Alex felt his defenses start to rise, an instinctive reaction honed over millennia of divine politics and cosmic bullshit. But he forced them down. This was Eryx. If there was anyone he could be vulnerable with, it was him.

"I know," Alex said, his voice coming out rougher than he'd intended. "I fucked up. I'm sorry. I don't... I don't know what else to say."

Eryx's expression softened slightly, but the seriousness remained. "An apology is a start," he said. "But Alex, you have to understand. What you did... it hurt. A lot."

The words hit Alex like a physical blow. He'd faced down gods and monsters, weathered the wrath of Zeus himself, but nothing had ever made him feel as small and ashamed as those four words from Eryx.

"I never meant to hurt you," Alex said, the words tumbling out in a rush. "You have to believe that. I thought... fuck, I don't know what I thought. That I was protecting you, maybe? That if I didn't say anything, it wouldn't be real?"

He ran a hand through his hair, frustration and self-loathing warring for dominance. "I know it's no excuse. I know I should have told you. I just... I fucked up. And I'll take whatever consequences come with that. Whatever you need to feel like you can trust me again."

Eryx was quiet for a long moment, his gaze searching Alex's face as if looking for something. Whatever he saw there must have satisfied him, because he leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to Alex's forehead.

"I do trust you, Alex," he said softly. "That's what makes this so hard. I trust you with my life, with the fate of the world. But I need to be able to trust you with the little things too. The everyday stuff that might not seem important in the grand scheme of things, but that matter to us."

Alex nodded, not trusting himself to speak. He felt raw, exposed in a way he hadn't been since... well, since ever, if he was being honest with himself .

Eryx's hand came up to cup Alex's cheek, the touch gentle and grounding. "I love you," he said, his voice filled with an emotion that made Alex's chest ache. "But loving you doesn't mean I can just brush this off. It's going to take time, Alex. It's not going to magically get better after one night, no matter how mind-blowing the sex was."

Despite himself, Alex felt a small smirk tug at his lips. "Mind-blowing, huh?"

Eryx rolled his eyes, but there was a hint of a smile there. "Don't let it go to your head. Your ego's big enough as it is."

The moment of levity passed quickly, leaving them in a silence that was heavy with unspoken words and complex emotions. Alex found himself wishing, not for the first time, that relationships came with some kind of divine instruction manual. "Cosmic Entanglements for Dummies" or something.

"So where does this leave us?" Alex asked finally, hating how uncertain he sounded. Uncertainty was for mortals and lesser gods, not for him. And yet here he was, feeling more lost than he had in millennia.

Eryx sighed, shifting to lay his head on Alex's chest. "It leaves us here. Together, but with work to do. I'm not going anywhere, Alex. I'm in this for the long haul, apocalyptic threats and divine drama included. But you need to meet me halfway."

Alex nodded, his hand coming up to card through Eryx's hair almost of its own accord. "I can do that," he said, surprised to find he meant it. "I want to do that. I just... I might need some help figuring out how."

Eryx lifted his head, meeting Alex's gaze with a warmth that made something in Alex's chest unclench. "That's what I'm here for. We'll figure it out together. Just... no more secrets, okay? Even if you think you're protecting me. Especially then."

"No more secrets," Alex agreed, the words feeling like both a promise and a challenge. "I swear it on the Styx."

Eryx's eyes widened slightly. "Alex, you don't have to?—"

"I want to," Alex cut him off. "I need to. This... us... it's worth more than any oath I've ever made. So yeah, I swear it. No more secrets, no more trying to shoulder everything alone. You're my partner in this crazy life, Eryx. In everything."

For a moment, Eryx just stared at him, an unreadable expression on his face. Then, slowly, a smile spread across his features. It was like watching the sun come out from behind clouds, and Alex felt something in his chest tighten at the sight.

"You know," Eryx said, his tone light but his eyes serious, "for someone who claims to hate all that sappy romantic stuff, you can be surprisingly good at it when you want to be."

Alex snorted, feeling a flush creep up his neck. "Yeah, well, don't get used to it. I've got a reputation to maintain, you know."

Eryx laughed, the sound warm and genuine. "Your secret's safe with me, oh great and terrible Hades."

Alex felt a smile tug at his lips despite the heaviness in his chest. Leave it to Eryx to find a way to lighten the mood even in the midst of emotional turmoil. It was one of the many things he loved about him, not that he'd ever admit it out loud. He had a reputation to maintain, after all.

Eryx's hand found his, fingers intertwining with a familiarity that never failed to ground Alex. With a gentle tug, Eryx led him towards the bed, the sheets still rumpled from their earlier activities.

"Come on," Eryx said, his voice soft but firm. "We both need sleep, and I have a feeling neither of us is going to get much of it if we keep talking."

Alex allowed himself to be guided, settling onto the mattress with a sigh that seemed to come from the very depths of his immortal soul. "Eryx, I?—"

But Eryx cut him off with a finger to his lips. "I know what you're going to say, and you don't have to. Not right now."

Alex's brow furrowed, a protest forming on his tongue, but Eryx continued before he could voice it.

"I'm not mad, Alex. Upset, yes. Hurt, definitely. But not mad. And for the sake of, well, everything—" he gestured vaguely, encompassing not just their room but the whole of Asgard and beyond, "—I'm going to table what I'm feeling right now and focus on the bigger picture. We can deal with... us... once we've made sure there's still a universe left to have relationship drama in."

The words hit Alex like a punch to the gut, somehow both a relief and a new source of guilt. He understood what Eryx was saying, knew it was the practical thing to do. But the thought of Eryx pushing aside his own hurt for the greater good... it made something in Alex's chest ache.

"You shouldn't have to do that," Alex said, his voice rougher than he'd intended. "Push aside how you feel, I mean. I fucked up, and you have every right to be pissed at me."

Eryx's expression softened, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "Oh, I am. Trust me, there's a part of me that wants to kick your immortal ass from here to Midgard and back. But that's not going to solve anything right now. And besides," his smile turned wry, "I'm pretty sure the universe imploding would put a real damper on my plans for making you grovel properly."

Despite himself, Alex felt a bark of laughter escape him. "Grovel, huh? I thought groveling was beneath the dignity of a former god of the Underworld."

"Nothing's beneath you when it comes to me, remember?" Eryx shot back, his tone light but his eyes serious.

And just like that, the weight of what he'd done, of how close he'd come to losing this, slammed into Alex with the force of Mjolnir to the chest. "You're right," he said, all traces of humor gone from his voice. "Nothing's beneath me when it comes to you. I'll grovel, beg, crawl across broken glass if that's what it takes. I'll never stop apologizing if that's what you need."

Eryx's hand came up to cup Alex's cheek, his touch gentle but grounding. "What I need," he said softly, "is for you to be here. With me. Fully present and fully honest. Can you do that?"

Alex leaned into the touch, his eyes closing for a moment as he absorbed the warmth of Eryx's palm against his skin. When he opened them again, he met Eryx's gaze with a determination that surprised even himself. "Yes," he said simply. "I can do that. I will do that."

For a long moment, they just looked at each other, volumes of unspoken words passing between them. Then Eryx nodded, seemingly satisfied with whatever he saw in Alex's eyes.

"Good," he said, leaning in to press a soft kiss to Alex's lips. "Now, let's get some sleep. We've got a long day of cosmic crisis-averting ahead of us."

As they settled into bed, Eryx's back pressed against Alex's chest, Alex found his mind racing despite his exhaustion. He thought about all the times in his immortal life he'd faced down seemingly insurmountable odds. All the battles, both literal and metaphorical, that he'd fought and won.

None of them, he realized, had ever felt as important as this. This quiet moment in an Asgardian bed, with Eryx's steady breathing and the promise of a new day ahead. This was what he was fighting for now. Not power or prestige or the fate of the universe (though that was certainly on the list). But this. The chance to have more moments like this, more chances to be better, to be worthy of the trust Eryx had placed in him.

"I can hear you thinking," Eryx murmured, his voice thick with impending sleep. "Whatever cosmic crisis you're solving in that head of yours, it can wait until morning."

Alex huffed out a soft laugh, tightening his arm around Eryx's waist. "Not solving anything," he said. "Just... appreciating."

Eryx hummed, a sound that managed to convey both curiosity and sleepiness. "Appreciating what?"

"This," Alex said simply. "You. Us. The fact that despite everything—all the chaos and danger and my own stupidity—you're still here. We're still here."

For a moment, Eryx was quiet, and Alex wondered if he'd fallen asleep. But then he spoke, his voice so soft Alex had to strain to hear it. "Always will be," Eryx said. "As long as you want me."

The lump that formed in Alex's throat at those words was entirely undignified for a former god of the Underworld. But he found he didn't care. "Forever, then," he said, pressing a kiss to the back of Eryx's neck. "Because that's how long I'll want you around."

Eryx's answering chuckle vibrated against Alex's chest. "Sap," he accused, but Alex could hear the smile in his voice.

"Your sap," Alex countered, surprising himself with how much he meant it.

As Eryx's breathing evened out, sleep finally claiming him, Alex found himself staring at the ornate ceiling of their Asgardian chambers. Tomorrow would bring new challenges, new dangers. They still had to figure out how to track Loki, how to save Odin, how to stop whatever nefarious plan was threatening to unravel reality itself.

But for now, in this moment, Alex allowed himself to just be. To exist in a world where Eryx was in his arms and the weight of cosmic responsibility didn't press quite so heavily on his shoulders.

Tomorrow would come soon enough, with all its complications and potential for disaster. But it would also bring another chance to prove himself, to be the partner Eryx deserved. And really, that was all Alex needed.