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Hades makes a peculiar god. He seems to take pride in the fact that he possesses an aura of doom and gloom so palpable that both plants and people tend to wilt in his presence. Rarely, if ever, does he bother to venture out of the Netherworld. When forced from the depths, he ensures everyone is aware of his displeasure by the way he skulks about the perimeter of the crowd and glares sullenly at anyone who pays him any degree of attention.
And yet, he’s never particularly unkind to most souls. Mortals fear him, certainly, but mortals have always feared the prospect of their own demise. Hades treats the mortals equally when they inevitably come to his court, because death is impartial in the way practically nothing else in life is. Surely, Hades tends to be more fair than most of his brothers.
Given these facts, you find it hard to dislike the God of Death. If anything, you’ve been curious about him for a good, long while now. However, it’s hard to satiate your curiosity when the one you’re interested in seems bent on avoiding socialization at all costs.
There is a silver lining, however.
Hades is not subtle about the fact that he’s quite taken with you. Bless his immortal heart, you know he thinks he has quite the talent for subtlety. He wouldn’t shadow you half as much as he does, were that not the case. Still, it’s tremendously difficult to miss the way seemingly every animal in the world goes silent around you as soon as he manifests into the aether nearby. You always know he’s there by the burning sensation of his dark gaze on the back of your neck. That, and if you turned around, you always managed to catch him flinging himself desperately behind the nearest rock or tree as if Ares himself was charging his war chariot at full speed with every intent to mow him down.
Needless to say, you find all of this tremendously endearing. At the same time, it still manages to be a bit frustrating. You’d love nothing more than to talk to the other immortal, but your attempts are all for not thanks to the fact that he tries to get away from you as soon as you head in his general direction.
Eventually, you decide, you’ll have to be more direct.
--
After finding yourself a field suitably vacant of any people--mortal or otherwise--you set about making as much of a ruckus as you possibly can. Given the fact that you’re a diety of Spring, you don’t possess a great deal in your supernatural repertoire that lends itself to loud, obnoxious noises. Fortunately, you have observed certain gods (Zeus, Poseidon, Ares…) and their proclivities for chaos long enough that you have a general idea of what will be obnoxious enough to get Hades’ attention.
It takes only about ten minutes of stomping around and slamming a veritable cacophony of pots and pans together before the ground under your feet rumbles, and then ruptures straight down the middle. You find yourself very thankful for your godly durability because the way you hit the Netherworld is in no way gentle. You are left in a graceless, sprawled heap of your robes and various flora when you finally land and hear someone making a valiant attempt to verbally tear into you.
“--Bunch of selfish shitheads! I’ve told you worthless gods a thousand times that Cerberus is napping around now and you still--!”
Hades spins on his heel with a flourish, his dark robes billowing out to follow his sharp movement as he turns to face you. His features go from irate to terrified in a split second, and you don’t even have time to react before he’s letting out a shout and scrambling away from you.
“Hades! Hi!” you chirp as you hop to your feet. Hades makes a choked sound in the back of his throat, and if he wasn’t immortal, you might worry that he was dying. He’s sweating buckets as you advance on him, but before you have the chance to get within a few feet of his person, he holds up his hands and shouts,
“H-Hold on! Don’t come any closer!”
You stop, and tilt your head curiously. The flower crown sitting in your hair slides down, and settles crookedly across one of your eyes. Vaguely, you think you hear Hades choke out something about you being ‘cute’, but you can’t be sure.
“But I came all this way just to see you !” you tell him. For emphasis, you point a finger in his direction, and try to take another step towards him. Hades lets out a hiss, not particularly unlike a startled cat, and outright leaps back until he’s perched atop of his throne. It’s covered in skulls. Hades must be something of a hoarder.
“Me?” Hades repeats back at you. He sounds utterly dumbfounded. You nod up at him emphatically, shaking loose a few blossoms that scatter across the Netherworld floor. Hades’ wide eyes narrow, and he sharply turns away from you to mutter, “No. There’s no way. Why would you want to come visit some garbage god like me?”
“Garbage? What? No! You’re great!” you try to say to him encouragingly, but this only makes Hades laugh. It’s a bitter chuckle, a raspy sound from the back of his throat.
“Don’t lie to me just because you got stuck down here. It won’t get you on my good side. You and I both know no one wants to spend time with the God of Death. That’s why they stuck me down here all alone. It’s better for everyone this way.”
Did Hades truly think such dour thoughts about himself? You suppose you can understand how he might think he’d been left to his lonesome. If you’d been left in charge of the Netherworld all by yourself, you would likely feel abandoned too.
Well, Hades would be abandoned no longer! You had decided to come down here of your own volition, and you were going to prove to Hades that you’d made your visit specifically in order to seek his company.
With your mind made up, you square your shoulders, adjust your flower crown, and march up the stairs to Hades’ throne. Completely unprepared for such a bold move, the Lord of the Netherworld tips over off of one of the arms of his throne, and collapses into his seat. Undaunted by his clumsy display, you ascend the last few steps until you’re looming over Hades with your hands on your hips.
“I’m not a liar. Spring is an honest season, and I’m an honest diety. I came down here to see you. So be a good host and show your guest around!” you demand of him. Hades stares up at you with his mouth agape. After a moment under your unwavering gaze, he purses his lips, and pushes himself into a proper seated position.
“Fine...I guess if that’s what it takes…” Hades mutters. As begrudging as his words are, you note there’s a blush dusting itself across his cheeks, and he keeps glancing up at you out of the corner of his eyes.
Once the both of you have descended from Hades’ throne, you immediately reach out to try and take his hand in yours. You only get far enough to feel his clammy skin against your fingertips before he’s begun trying to dig a hole to bury himself in.
This friendship thing would take some work.
--
The first thing about the Netherworld that Hades shows you is Cerberus. And, like practically all living things, the three-headed cat beast is instantly taken with you. Within minutes of your introduction to one another, you have managed to sprawl your upper body across one of the feline’s massive heads in as big a hug as you can manage for a creature of such size. Cerberus is purring so loudly the cavern it stays in is vibrating with almost earthquake like tremors. Hades seems surprised, and you like to think maybe a bit pleased to see the two of you getting along so well.
“He’s so cuuuute,” you coo to Hades while you stretch out to scratch behind one of Cerberus’ many ears. One of the heads sticks out its scratchy tongue to rasp across the length of one of your arms. Giggling, you flop over and let yourself slide back onto the floor. Hades makes something of a non committal, grunting noise, and you think the matter will be left at that until you hear an unfamiliar voice inform you,
“You’re cute too.”
You jolt with surprise, and turn around to see the feline head wearing a pair of glasses blinking down at you. You hear Hades make a very concerning gurgling sound from somewhere behind you, and the Cerberus head continues,
“Really cute.”
Suddenly, you feel two hands land firmly on your shoulders. You glance back to find Hades standing stiffly behind you, his cheeks a fiery red and his gaze focused on Cerberus. His voice now a mere squeak, Hades says, “Time to show you something else!”
Cerberus sprawls out, and the bespectacled head interjects lazily, “--Before you find out what else I think about you.”
“We’re leaving!”
All three of Cerberus’ heads watch as Hades practically shoves you out of the cavern.
--
The Netherworld possesses many rivers. Naturally, you love rivers, because you love living things, and living things always gather to sources of water. After you had enthusiastically informed Hades of this fact, he’d been kind enough to offer to take you fishing. Finding the right river to do so in, however, was proving to be a bit of a challenge.
First, Hades had led you to the River Cocytus. On the whole, it had appeared much like any other river you’d seen in the overworld, or in the realm of the gods, save for the fact that its waters were pitch black. You’d remained undaunted by the waters’ unnatural hue, and had thrown your line into the river with your usual abandon. Hades had watched you intently as you’d hummed an idle tune while waiting for something to bite, yet he seemed keen on avoiding any conversation with you in the meanwhile. Any chances to get a few words out of him had left your mind as soon as you’d felt a tug on your line. The fish had been a rather fearsome looking beast, but you’d loved it all the same, and had been prepared to inform Hades of this fact until the fish had opened its mighty maw and began screaming at you.
Cocytus, the River of Wailing, was thus abandoned for new waters.
Hades had led you to the River Lethe next, but as soon as you’d reached down into the water for the fish you’d managed to catch, you’d completely forgotten what it was you were doing. On the bright side, wherever you were, and whatever you had been doing, you were being accompanied by a very handsome man who seemed very concerned for you. You’d told him you found him immensely attractive, which had made this mystery man turn several shades of red before he’d tried to drown himself in the river.
So, Lethe, the River of Forgetfulness, was a bust too.
It is upon reaching the flaming waters of the River Phlegethon that Hades’ spirit seems to crumble.
“Well, hmm, I’m not gonna lie, but I don’t think there are going to be any fish in there,” you tell Hades as you watch a bubble of scalding hot water explode in a violent flash of heat not a few feet from the bank the two of you are standing on. From his place beside you, you hear Hades let out a garbled, miserable moan, and the distinct smacking sound of his palms slapping against his face. You turn to make sure that your new friend is alright, only to find that he’s already managed to curl up into a ball on the riverbank.
“I’m worthless. What kind of god can’t even find a proper fish?” Hades asks of himself to seemingly no one in particular. He’s not even looking at you as he slowly lets his curled form fall over into the dirt. When you begin to lower yourself towards him in concern, Hades dark eyes meet yours as he spits out, “Don’t bother. If you touch me, you’ll turn useless too. This is why they put me down here. That way, no one has to be reminded of how much of a failure I am.”
With a huff, you immediately sit yourself onto the ground next to Hades so that you can clap a hand onto his shoulder. He jolts under your touch, but doesn’t try to get away when you reach around him to rub soothing circles across his back.
“You’re not a failure, and you’re not useless either. It’s not like I came down here to find fish in the first place. I just came here to spend time with you. And you’ve done a great job at spending time with me,” you reassure Hades. His gaze keeps flitting from your face to the ground he’s laying on. Finally, he mumbles,
“I’m not even doing a good job at that. I barely talked to you the whole time.”
You shake your head.
“Spending time with someone doesn’t have to be talking. Talk at your own pace. I just like noise, but if you don’t, that’s fine. I’m happy as long as you’re listening.”
Hades doesn’t say anything to that. When you glance down at him, he gives you a slow nod, as if he’s trying to let you know that he is, in fact, listening to you. You give him a bright smile in return, and then let yourself look out over the flaming waters in front of you. It takes a few minutes of observing the river before you notice that one of its tributaries meets with another one of the Netherworld’s rivers. The flames appear to die out the farther away the tributary gets from its source.
“I didn’t know any of the rivers connected,” you comment while pointing a finger out towards the tributary. Hades slowly pushes himself into a sitting position, and squints out after where you are pointing until his face seems to alight with recognition. He lets out a low humming noise in the back of his throat.
“That leads to the River Styx. When she was a goddess, she was in love with Phlegethon, but died because of his fire. So when she showed up here after dying, I let their rivers meet so they wouldn’t have to be apart anymore,” Hades explains to you. He scratches at his cheek in a bashful gesture when you turn to look at him in your surprise.
“You did that?” you ask him, wonder seeping into your voice. Hades shifts uncomfortably.
“Well, being alone isn’t...great,” Hades mumbles. When he sees you staring at him, he adds on hastily, “I mean, for most. I don’t care if I’m alone. I like being alone.”
“Mm, right,” you say, simply. Hades moves to get up, but you reach out and grab his hand. He jumps in surprise, yet you hold firm so that you can tell him, “That was really, really sweet of you to do for them. I never had any idea you were so romantic.”
Hades’ stunned gaze meets yours, and you give him your most encouraging smile. You squeeze his hand.
Hades squeezes back.
--
Elysium is a luxuriant landscape of rolling, golden hills--ripe for reaping--and waters so pristine you can make out every individual pebble that has sunk to the river’s bottom. Its orchards are always laden so heavily with fruit that branches bend as if seemingly to beg for passerby to take their gifts. Perpetually locked in a state of autumnal harvest, no one here lacks for food, or knows the pangs of hunger they may have in life.
You aren’t entirely sure you like Elysium all that much.
It is beautiful, without a doubt, but in a way so contrary to your nature you can’t help but flinch away from it when face to face with all of its glory. Autumn is the culmination of a year’s hard work. It is for taking rewards and reveling in the last days of comfort and sun before Winter settles snugly over the land like a thick blanket. You, Spring, are the beginning. You are the hopes that people plant in the soil and the joy that comes from the familiarity of returning warmth.
Elysium, for you, is the deep breath before a terrifying leap.
Fortunately, you’ve found that what awaits you at the bottom--in Winter, when the world finally sleeps--is not terrifying at all. Instead, it is quiet, and surprisingly kind. It the clammy hand in yours and the mussed hair in your periphery. Hades is the promise of The End. Hades, you think, is a Happily Ever After, if an unorthodox one.
“Can I give you a gift?” you ask Hades, your eyes trained on the sprawling line of trees gilded with ripe fruit. You can feel his gaze affix to your face, so you turn to face him with a warm smile.
“I don’t...I don’t deserve anything-” he mutters back at you, his voice barely audible as he tucks his chin to his chest. You squeeze his hand, and shake your head.
“Gifts aren’t about worthiness. You give them because you want someone to be happy.”
Hades’ startled eyes flit to yours.
“You want me to be happy?” he asks you, his voice feather light and trembling.
“Of course. Here,” you say, and bid him to follow after you. He does, pace slow and measured as you step up to the nearest tree. You plant your hand across the curling, gnarled trunk of a pomegranate tree, and let your magic flow through like water into soil. The sharp, thin leaves over your head shudder, and the heavy fruit on the tree’s branches all fall to the ground in tandem. Hades covers his head with his hands as you laugh, watching the fruit roll around his feet, before jerking your chin back upwards towards the leaves. Once again, the leaves shudder before scarlet petals appear among them, twisting and then untwining into feathery blooms. You step back and spread your arms wide. Toothy grin in place, you explain, “So you’ll always have a little bit of Spring down here with you!”
Hades’s reaction, much to your surprise, seems less than enthused. His brows furrow and his lips pull into a deep frown. He curls in on himself, tucking his hands into his robes as if he has something to hide. His messy bangs shield his eyes as he accuses you, “--because you’re leaving.”
You drop your arms and quirk a brow at him.
“I’m sorry?”
With jerky movements, Hades looks back up to you, his expression twisted in pain as he repeats himself in a rush, “You’re giving me this because you’re leaving.”
You blink back at him in confusion before resting your hands on your hips and saying, patiently, “I didn’t say I was leaving. And even if I did have to leave, it isn’t as if I wouldn’t come back.”
Hades turns away from you. His arms remain crossed across his middle protectively.
“You can’t promise that,” he says, his voice low and despondent.
You try to imagine this scenario from his perspective. You try to imagine being left alone in the Netherworld by your own family, who rarely deign to visit you. You try to imagine having a new presence in your life, only for that presence to suddenly be at risk of vanishing. While his fears are not necessarily rational, you can understand how they were borne. It is a hurt you want to help heal, even though it will take time and patience. You truly believe Hades can teach you about such things.
“There are ways, among gods,” you correct him. Assured in your path, you stoop down to the ground to pick up a pomegranate from the soft grass. Hades realizes what you are doing only once the red juice is spilling across your fingers and seeds are scattered over your palms. He leaps for you without hesitation, his hands closing over yours just as you had begun to raise them towards your waiting mouth.
“No! You won’t be able to leave if you eat that! You can’t do that just because you feel bad for a trash god like me!” Hades reprimands you, trying, with little result, to prize your fingers open. You clutch them tighter over the pomegranate seeds, and shake your head stubbornly.
“I don’t feel bad for you. I’d do this because I want to prove that you can trust me to always come back. So that you know that you won’t have to be alone. Will you let me do that for you?” you ask of him. You can feel Hades’ fingers trembling against yours. He swallows, hard, and you can see the shine of tears in his eyes before he manages to blink them away.
Voice hoarse, he responds, “Only if I can do something for you.”
A contract, then. You beam at him, warmth blossoming across your cheeks, and step forward so that there is practically no space between you. Hades seems to consider stepping back and away from you, but after looking into your eyes a moment longer, he apparently reconsiders. He lets you be close to him, touching foreheads and sharing breath.
“Let me make you happy. And then you make sure to make me happy too,” you tell him.
Hades lets you eat your pomegranate seeds.
--