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I ran.
I don’t know why I ran but I did. I just had to get away. Get away from it all. The stress. The Underworld. The screams. I ran across the soft grass and into the forest. I promised Poseidon we could hang out today but I just couldn’t. I had too many thoughts to think clearly, let alone have a normal conversation. I felt the wind rush by me as I continued to run and run until my feet stopped to allow my body to catch a breath. I let myself fall onto the ground as I worked to breathe normally again. The cool breeze flew by my head and the smell of flowers hit my nose. I continued to relax into the ground below my back as I looked up at the blue sky. I don’t know how long I just stared up at the sky but soon reality hit back at me when I heard a voice, “Hello? Are you okay?” I looked up and whipped my head meeting face to face with sparkling pink eyes, long flowing hair, and a subtle hint of freckles that covered her face. My heart beat out of my chest as I realized how close our faces were to each other. Her eyes widened a bit at my sudden turn, I turned away feeling heat on my cheeks as I spoke in a quiet voice, “Sorry.” “It’s okay! What are you doing here? I don’t think I’ve ever met you before.” I looked over at her seeing that she gave me a bit more space so that I could calm my nerves down. I took in a breath and found my voice again, “I kind of just ran over here cause I got overwhelmed and I needed to be alone in a less crowded place.” She nodded and smiled in a way that gave me butterflies in my stomach. “Yeah that makes sense, I also like to be here cause it’s less loud and there are a ton of flowers!” I smiled a bit and looked around, “Where are they?” I looked up and saw her hand held out towards me: an invitation. “I’ll show you!” I blinked for a second, should I follow her? She looks nice and she doesn’t look scared of me. I gently put my hand on hers as she lifted me and led me into the forest a bit more.
Soon the trees gave way to a small clearing, my eyes widened seeing the place. Nestled in the forest was a garden surrounding a small waterfall. Flowers were everywhere and blooming like crazy. I stared out in awe at the sight and fresh smells that hit my nose, “This place is beautiful.” “Thanks! I’ve been trying to make it look good.” I looked at her in awe, “You made this place?” She smiled in the same way that made my cheeks warm up again. “Just the garden and the flowers.” I smiled slightly while she led me to the middle of the flowers. We both sat down next to them as I relaxed letting the smell and sight of the peaceful garden calm my remaining nerves down. Once I had calmed down more I looked over to see pink magic glowing from her hands making vines and flowers and laying them neatly down. I tilted my head curiously, “What are you doing?” She smiled at me, her magic stopped flowing, “I’m making flower crowns! Wanna join?” I smiled but it faltered a bit as I found my voice, “I would love to but I don’t know how to make them.” Her laugh cut through the silence causing my face to heat up at how sweet it sounded, “Don’t worry I can show you.” She patted the ground next to her and I carefully made my way over sitting next to her. She grabbed one of the vines and handed it to me then grabbed one herself. She gracefully showed me how to loop the vines in a way to loosen the stems of the flowers and repeated it more showing the repetitive process. I studied the method as my face studied her movements and her voice. Her voice was such a sweet and gentle tone that it made me calmer with my cheeks most likely red. “That should be about it, wanna try?” I nodded. “Okay, what flowers do you want to use?” Her powers glowed ready to make flowers out of her hands. I looked a bit sheepish and looked down, “I don’t think my choice of flowers are the best.” “That’s okay, I’m not here to judge, whatever flower you want to use is your choice.” I looked up at her with my face hot again but I swallowed my nerves down finally saying my choice, “Could I use black roses?” Her pink magic flowed and manifested black roses, laying them down right next to me as she smiled. I gently grabbed one and tried my best to copy her method of twisting the vines with the flower stems. She gently talked and helped me through it and it wasn’t long before I had gotten the hang of it.
Soon it settled down to a methodical pace of working on the flower crowns as she kept talking about random topics. I listened to her words paying attention to her voice and stories as my hand worked on the flower crown. She then looked at me with her pink eyes sparkling, “What is your name by the way? I forgot to ask you!” My cheeks felt hot again but I found my voice, “My name is Hades.”Her eyes widened a bit and I felt myself shrink down, turning my eyes to stare down at the black roses. I knew this would happen, every time I say my name everyone always assumes the worst. Why would she be any different from the others? “You mean Hades as in God of the Underworld!? That's so cool!” I shot my attention and eyes back up to her and her smile. Her smile, that smile was still there and just as bright if not more. She wasn’t scared of me? “How, aren’t you at all worried that I’m the God of the Underworld? The dead? Aren’t you scared?!” She looked like she pondered a moment but her smile and eyes never faulted, “No, so what if you're the God of the Underworld, you seem nice and that's what matters.” My cheeks felt a bit more hot but I nodded, not being able to find my words again. She continued to work on her flower crown again while I moved to continue as well. Soon she finished her crown, she then looked at me, “Here Hades, for you!” She leaned over and placed the flower crown on top of my head. My face felt more hot while she giggled, the crown of fresh pink irises and white roses felt light on my head. Suddenly a voice picked up over the garden, “Persephone! Where are you?” Her eyes widened and she looked nervous, “You need to go now, my mother’s back.” I looked at her, “Your mom?” She nodded her head looking down sadly, “She never lets anyone visit me, and anyone she finds me talking to she takes them away. She just doesn’t want me to get hurt but I can handle myself just fine.” I took in a deep breath and gently patted her shoulder, she looked up at me surprised but relaxed. “I can understand that, I’ll go but I can come visit you again if you want.” Her eyes lit up at my words and I could barely think before she tackled me into a hug. I froze for a second before gently hugging her back as I relaxed into her touch a bit. She pulled back and looked at me with a smile, “Please come back.” I nodded, placing my finished flower crown on top of her head and getting up. “I’ll see you soon Persephone,” I said as I began to walk away. I smiled to myself knowing that I saw the hint of red on her cheeks when I put the black rose crown onto her head. I walked away from the garden and finally walked out of the edge of the forest silently knowing I’d be seeing her again: Persephone.
I sighed as I collapsed onto the soft silk covers of my bed. I heard a soft giggle as I looked up staring into the beautiful pink eyes of my wife: Persephone. I smiled back at her, no matter how many years it has been since I first laid eyes on her she still captivates me with her soft smile. “Tired already dear?” She leaned down and sat next to me gently weaving her hands through my hair. I relaxed more and sighed softly, “You know how the Underworld is dear.” She hummed a bit, “Yeah, but you're tired today, are you too tired for our date?” I flinched upwards and sat up against her, “Nope. I’m good.” She giggled more and kissed my forehead softly, I also laughed a bit at my eagerness. She helped me up off of our bed, once I got to my feet I used my magic to teleport us to the garden. I looked around as the dark walls of our bedroom turned into the soft golden light and gentle noises of nature. The garden looked as if nothing had changed, the flowers from all those years ago having never moved or shrunk. Persephone took my hand in hers and walked me down into the garden and onto a bench. I smiled and looked into her eyes, those pink eyes darker but still just as bright as the day I first met her. She smiled and took my face in her hands as I gave her a questioning look, “What is it dear?” She smiled and giggled a bit before placing something on my head, I looked at her confused. She smiled and held out a mirror, my eyes widened once I saw it, the familiar black roses still just how I left them years ago. “You-you kept it? How, where?” She smiled at my confusion, “I kept it because of all of the flower crowns I made, of all of the ones we had made together, I never could part with this one, because this was the one that made me fall in love with you.” My face grew red hot and felt my nerves flush up as she giggled seeing my reaction. She leaned in and our lips met one another.
The kiss was soft but passionate as she gently cupped my cheeks in her hands leaning into the kiss more. Finally, the kiss broke but her smile continued to make my heart melt. “I swear, no matter how many times I see your eyes they always make my heart melt.” She giggled and blushed a bit at my statement, “Well I’m glad to hear that because you make me practically die every time you smile.” I felt my cheek heat up as I smiled again towards her. She moved a strand of my black hair out of my eyes, tucking it behind my ear before placing her hand on my cheek. I relaxed into her touch more as she gently weaved her hand through my hair. “I love you so much Persephone,” I closed my eyes, relaxing more. She massaged my hair more, “I love you as well Hades, no matter what happens, no matter what force drives us, I’ll always love you.” I felt more heat enter my cheeks as I smiled brightly, finally looking up at my wife. Her eyes sparked pink, her smile addictive, and her touch melted my heart like she has done multiple times. “I’ll always love you as well dear,” my voice spoke without a second of thought nor hesitation. There was no hesitation in this love, in this relationship, and both Persephone and I knew that. We had found each other by random chance, but that chance changed our lives for the better. If it wasn’t for my nerves and overwhelmed mind that day I would have never known the sweet smile and eyes of my love. I wouldn’t be here now gently being held by my wife, the love of my life, the one person who completed my heart and soul.
No words could be said as we leaned into each other more relishing in the quiet sounds and smell of the forest and black roses around us.