"You can do it though. I think you were starting to do it, starting to take a side, make friends, be your own being. It's just taking other steps. You have us. And I'm not your Persephone but that's probably the best right? You wouldn't be your Persephone's friend, probably, but you can be mine." She squeezes him tight, tilting to look at his face.

"You have a chance to step outside of your role, to become yourself. Better late than never, right?" All the big gods get away with murder, with horrible things, but get put in a box against your will and suddenly you're to blame, you're the one who made a terrible mistake, you're the one who has to be iron and steel and above reproach. The fury still simmers in the back of her mind, but she buries it, deep and deeper.