How could something like this have happened? He had never lost control of his transformations before, and he didn't even remember how and when Narcissus arrived at his house, everything was so foggy. His body was still feverish, his mind still clouded and now his heart was heavy.

He called several times, but Narcissus didn't pick up. He sent several messages, but Narcissus did not answer either, that was a nightmare! Just as the one he had the night before Persephone disappeared, where no matter how much he hugged her and called her name, her body just evaporated into thin air and disappeared forever.

"Could it be that I talked in my sleep?”

Holden was struck by the darkest despair, he had lost him entirely as a result of his eagerness and hesitation. Narcissus had vanished and neglected him both as a friend from the internet and as a professor; his health was not yet fully restored and his only way out was the truth. 

The next day, before Narcissus could escape from him at the end of his class, he pulled the young man by the arm and took him to his office. It didn't matter if anyone saw them, it didn't matter if Narcissus was complaining, he needed to tell him the truth.

Sitting in his professor's office, Narcissus stared at him with a deadly look.

"I've already made it very clear that I don't want to speak to you!" he added, frowning.

"I need you to listen to me, please," Holden spoke in a desperate tone; the same man who had always been difficult and even rude at times, was now that pathetic, was amusing even. "Do you remember when I said I like you?" 

"You told me that?" Narcissus asked, raising an eyebrow. "The one who told me that was a former friend who, a few days ago, took advantage of my good faith while crying and calling someone else's name."

Sighting, Holden took the form of his younger self.

"Now you remember?"

Narcissus was shocked; his eyes blinked many times, but he tried not to appear alarmed. 

"I don't know what kind of tricks you are using, but I won't let you fool me anymore."

"It's not a trick, I'm Hades, the God of the underworld, well I was... And you are Persephone, my wife..."

"Look at me," Narcissus remarked, pointing at his own body. "I know I have this girly face that can pass as a woman sometimes, but I'm a man, and I'm too damn young to be married to an old dude like you!"

"I know it may sound crazy, but it's the truth, we were married a long time ago and you sacrificed yourself to try to save me and ended up with a terrible curse, which made you die at the exact moment you reached the age of 18. I finally managed to break the curse after two thousand years, but then you were reborn as a man. I didn't know what to do, but I understood that I loved you regardless of your gender and..."

"Wait, wait, wait... when you met me on the internet, you already knew who I was? You're a disgusting pervert! How could you try to seduce a child?!"

"I didn't try to seduce you, our friendship was real... I just wanted to know if you were okay... I never did anything till you were 18 and..."

"Enough! You really want me to believe in this nonsense about Greek gods, curses and reincarnations? I may be young, but I'm not that naive to believe in that stuff."

"If you don't believe me, take those narcissus with you; you will see that they do not wither and that if you are harmed, they are also hurt, because they are directly linked to your lifeline. In your former incarnation, the first while you were still a goddess, you casted a spell on them, and they will only die if you die as well."

"Gosh, that's creepy!"

"Just take it with you, I won't do anything else."

Narcissus stomped his feet and picked up the vase with the bouquet; the flowers were gorgeous and appeared more lively than normal, thus he departed without looking back.