Those damned flowers were driving Narcissus insane. He solely agreed to take them because he wanted to get rid of that crazy professor; he couldn't wait for the semester to be over! But looking at that beautiful bouquet constantly reminded him of that strange conversation.

"My husband... as if.”

After that day, Narcissus began having bizarre nightmares in which he invariably died; it was frightening, and sleeping already felt like torture. The timing couldn't be worse, he was in his finals and really needed to rest.

He could only blame that damn professor, everything in his life began to fall apart because of him, everything was his fault... It would be perfect if he disappeared! That's what Narcissus wanted the most, or so he believed. Rumors began to circulate around college that Holden would transfer and that this would be his final term in that subject; some said he was going to another state, some said he was going to a different country, but gossip always indicated that he would go far.

That development should be awesome for him, Narcissus should feel free, but it just crushed his heart. He had spent three years chatting to Holden every day, he felt his chest swell whenever he received his good morning and his heart melted when he read his good night, no matter how insane it sounds, he could not forget that feeling; perhaps he should at least say goodbye...

On the last day of the semester, Narcissus decided to say a proper goodbye in order to free his chest from that man; he would use the unusual narcissus that never wilted as an excuse to see him, return it, say his goodbyes, and never see him again.

Life wasn't that simple, and Narcissus's plans didn't seem like it would work so well; as he arranged the bouquet, he touched the flowers for the first time. Since he had placed that vase in his room, he had ignored them and had never touched a single finger on any part of the plant. So, as soon as he touched it, a flood of memories filled his mind, about Olympus, his marriage, Loki's betrayal, and his deaths, all of them. 

An excruciating headache began to build and progress steadily. Recalling all the lifetimes in which he fell in love with Hades and then died before he could even experience that love, made his body collapse and squirm on the floor, as he remembered all the anguish he had endured over the last two thousand years. For a long time, all of the emotions emerged as physical pain. Narcissus cried and grieved for his former selves till the agony started subsiding and the recollections of his chats with Holden and kisses with him managed to soothe his suffering.  

He remembered now, he remembered everything! Holden wasn't crazy, well maybe he was, after all he had spent two thousand years waiting for him and now he was leaving? Narcissus couldn't let that happen.

Taking a deep breath to recover from the overwhelming flood of emotions and sensations, Narcissus left the house in a hurry, requested a car through an app, and went to college. Holden ought to be finishing his move; if he arrived early enough, he could ask him to stay. Speeding through the empty halls would be easy if he was used to running, sadly he wasn't. His breath was running out when he arrived at Holden's office, which was open and vacant.

“No way! I got here too late!"

He picked out his phone with shaky hands, trying his best not to cry, and started calling Holden; why hadn't he thought of that before? On the first ring, the call was answered.

"Where are you? Your office... It's empty!" added Narcissus, gasping.

"I finished moving yesterday, I am now settled and in my new office."

"No! You can't do that! You need to come back! I remember everything! I believe in you... please come back!" shouted Narcissus in anguish. "Where are you?!"

"Right behind you," echoed a husky voice behind him.

Narcissus quickly turned around, dropping the phone on the floor, and hugged Holden tightly while muttering:

"Hades, you're here..."

"Did you really remember?"

"Yes, I remembered everything..." 

Their lips met, Holden's hands gripped Narcissus tightly as if he might flee at any moment, their tongues moved, dancing in unison to a song about longing, love, and lust. Their hearts pounding as quickly as drums. The familiar taste, the soothing smell, everything seemed magical.

Lifting Narcissus off the floor, Holden carried him in his arms to his new office and closed the door behind him. They needed privacy. 

"Which Holden do you want to kiss?" asked Hades with a silly smile on his face. 

"Any of them, as long as it's you I'm kissing at the end of the day." 

Narcissus's attitude was no longer shy, all the love and desire that had been suppressed for so long and could not be experienced for so many lives had been freed, and the young boy's starving kiss just proved this. Their lips touched gently, but their tongues worked fast, licking and sucking, making both bodies heat rise. 

Narcissus's legs trembled and his whole body seemed to quiver in anticipation. One of Hades' hands held his body steady in the air, while the other gently slipped through the back of his neck, grasping his hair by the nape, prompting a tiny moan from the youngster, who flung his head back, exposing his neck. 

That smooth skin seemed to beckon for Hades, who licked and nibbled his way from the collarbone to the jaw, sending shivers down Narcissus's spine, who struggle not to melt from happiness. 

It was the perfect reunion that Hades had been yearning for. Finally, the person he loved knew everything and still loved him; he had been through so much pain and sorrow, but Narcissus was now in his arms. 

"I love you, Narcissus," Hades said in a husky voice. 

"I love you too, Hades," said Narcissus with a kiss. "Thank you for waiting for me, this is the start of a new life." 

THE END