Hades

            Siromos lay in a groaning pile on the floor beside the bed. Hades had to concentrate to stifle the laughter that desperately wanted to escape. He sensed their new ward would be a handful and a half. At least Hades would no longer feel bored save for his few moments alone with his wife. She was such a wonderful woman. Pondering over the conversation they’d had only minutes before, he found himself somehow falling even further in love with her.

            “Why are my legs like this?!” A muffled voice came from underneath the pile of bedding on the floor.

            Hades was truly fighting a losing battle against his laughter. Closing the distance, he crouched down to untangle Siromos. After a few minutes and a near-miss of a knee to the face, Hades was throwing the bedding back onto the mattress, and Siromos was sitting adorably ruffled on the floor. His wife was sitting at the foot of the bed, a wide grin stretching her cheeks. There were moments he envied the ease of expression his wife possessed.

            “Come sit on the bed, Siromos.” His wife spoke, patting the mattress beside her. Siromos struggled to his feet, looking not quite awake.

            “Here.” Hades spoke finally, helping Siromos up and over to sit beside their queen. He did not miss the way Siromos’ cheeks filled with color.

            “Thanks…” Siromos muttered to the ground as he sat, studiously avoiding meeting any gazes.

            “Do you remember what happened?” Persephone quirked her head, her tone playing at innocence. Hades didn’t fight the snort of disbelief, earning him a narrow-eyed glance.

            Siromos covered his face with both hands, nodding almost imperceptibly. Both the king and queen finally let out their laughter at this gesture so akin to a schoolgirl’s. It really did look ridiculous on a full-grown man. Hades found he quite liked the scarlet flush marring Siromos’ pale skin. It clashed slightly with his honey blond hair, but it was just another endearing part of this fascinating man.

            “Well, then I suppose you should talk.” Persephone looked up at Hades with a twinkle of mischief in her eyes. His own eyes widened in panic, and he shook his head. His traitorous wife patted Siromos’ shoulder and stood. “There’s work for me to see to. I’ll leave you both to it.”

            With that she left. Hades loved that woman with all his soul, but she truly did test him. He looked about their bedchamber, taking in how it had changed since he had met his wife. She had changed his grayscale life into soft lilacs, warm browns, and pops of forest green. The room was lush and decadent. His presence was not obscured, but instead heightened and framed by hers. Hard stone walls, filmy lilac drapes. Solid black furniture, gentle brown cushions. Strong four-poster bedframe, more lilac drapes and deep green covers. The décor was the clearest physical representation of them.

            “What are we even supposed to talk about?” Siromos spoke up, and Hades realized he’d been standing silent for an awkwardly long time.

            “I have no clue what she’s up to.” He sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair.

            “Well, from what I’ve seen, whatever it is, it’ll turn out the way she wants.” Siromos chuckled, still avoiding eye contact, but seeming slightly more comfortable now.

            “It always does.” Another sigh, and he took the spot his wife had vacated on the bed. The two shared in a chuckle, easing into a bit of camaraderie.

            “This room is gorgeous.”

            “It’s all thanks to Persy. She’s the one really running things here.” Another chuckle, then silence as they both pondered what to say next. Hades was the one to break the silence.

            “I am… Unsure. I don’t admit that easily.” He scrubbed a hand over his face, laying back on the bed, keeping his gaze trained on the ceiling. “This is very new and strange. I didn’t even know I could feel attraction this strongly for more than one. I’ve never felt so attracted to anyone besides Persy. Who are you?” At this point, he was beginning to ramble, and so he cut his words off.

            “Who are you attracted to?” Siromos responded after a beat. Hades lifted his head to look incredulously at him.

            “Are you serious?” He found he was so flabbergasted at Siromos’ words that he couldn’t articulate anything further.

            “Um, yeah. You can tell me, I’ll keep it a secret, I promise.” Siromos pinned Hades with such an earnest look, he felt it almost pierce his heart.

            “Oh titans.” Hades flopped back, covering his face with both hands. “You’re an idiot.”

            “Hey! I might not remember anything, but I am probably fifty, no sixty percent sure I’m not an idiot!” Hades let out a bark of laughter at that, unable to keep his walls in place with this man. Only one other had broken through them so quickly.

            “Would you like to stay for dinner?” Persephone asked, looking sheepishly at the ground.

            Hades was thrown for a loop. He had been furious, then horny, then both, then incredibly horny, then disappointed. Now he was trying to reconfigure his thoughts back on track.

            “What?” He asked, his thoughts taking their time returning to his brain.

            “Oh titans, dinner!” She lost her soft maiden façade, rolling her eyes as she restated the main point.

            “Oh. Yeah, dinner sounds pretty good.” His stomach let out an agreeing rumble, and he gave a big lop-sided grin. Persephone returned the expression, and he felt his chest tighten for a moment. Chalking it up to nothing, he leaned forwards and flicked her nose.

            “What was that for?!” She cried out, holding her nose in both hands as she rocked back.

            “Felt like it.” He laughed, realizing this was the most he’d done so in his whole life.

            Weeks passed with Hades visiting Persephone nearly every day. No other incidents of a physical nature took place, but mentally and emotionally, the two were connecting deeply. Hades had never felt this close to another. From birth he wasn’t wanted. His father had eaten him, and that time was not fondly recalled. Once freed, he watched his brothers find love. Yes, he knew his brothers loved him, but the occasional invite to a lusty party in Olympus was not his style. For the most part, he was forgotten in his hole in the ground. This was the most euphoric escape. He wasn’t the king of the underworld with her. He was just Hades.

            He passed through the forest, carefully holding a wreath of flowers he had painstakingly crafted. It consisted of many colorful blooms he’d found on his way to meet her. When he’d imagined the way her face would light up, he couldn’t resist stopping. He didn’t know the names of the flowers, but they had felt right when he was working. Now he wondered if any held bad meanings. He hoped not.

            The sound of a burbling stream and dulcet song drew him forward, leaving his doubts behind him. The meadow remained the same as when they had first met. It was an untouched paradise for them. As he broke through the trees, he had to concentrate on keeping on his feet as he was tackled. Her arms wrapped tightly around his waist, and he quickly responded in kind, mindful of the wreath.

            “You’re excited to see me tonight.” Hades spoke in a playful tone, trying to avoid thinking of how good she felt in his arms.

            “I am! I was getting so bored by myself.” She released him, looking annoyingly unmoved by their contact.

            “Ah, so I’m just a toy to entertain you?” He smiled softly down at her.

            “No. You’re a friend who entertains me.” Since their first meeting, she hadn’t lost her temper once. Hades was surprised to realize he wanted to see her angry again. Not just that, he wanted to see every feeling she could have. This pleasant content emotion just didn’t feel genuine from her. He knew there was more below the surface.

            “Well. This friend has brought you a present.” He held the wreath out to her, feeling annoyed as his cheeks heated. It seemed Persephone didn’t notice however, as she took the wreath, choking on her words.

            “Oh… This is… Hades…” She looked up with shining eyes, and he felt even more uncomfortable.

            “It’s nothing big, just thought you’d like it.” Kicking at the ground, he crossed his arms.

            “Do you know what these are?”

            “Flowers.” Shrugging, he looked at her, realizing they probably did have bad meanings he winced internally.

            “Yes, ha, ha. Come here, sit with me.” She took his arm and pulled him to their favorite spot beside the stream, urging him to sit with her. Once seated, she began her impromptu lesson.

“This one here,” She pointed to a red flower with many tightly folded petals, “is a rhodon. This color means love. This one,” She pointed to a small purple bloom with a yellow stalk, “is a krokos. It means youthful joy and love. This,” A small deep blue bloom, “is an ion. This color is for faithfulness. This,” A luxurious bloom in a royal purple, “is an agallis. It’s used for good news. This,” A tall stalk of many little purple blooms, “is hyakinthos. It represents first love. And this one,” The last un-named bloom in the wreath, a sweet white bloom, “is leirion. In white it means purity.”

            “You know much about flowers.” Hades spoke after a moment; glad his gift did not share a bad message. He did have to come to terms with the fact he had essentially confessed his faithful and pure love for her though.

            “I’m in charge of spring, of course I know much.” She spoke with a soft laugh. “And now you know. I won’t hold it against you, I’m sure you just chose them since they’re quite pretty.” Her voice now held a hint of disappointment, and Hades couldn’t help himself.

            “I didn’t choose them with the intention of that message, but it doesn’t make the message any less true.”

            Persephone looked at him, and he looked at her. Her face transformed from stunned to the warmest smile he had ever seen. It was glorious. He wanted this smile. Needed it. Not the one she had likely been trained to show. This one was everything he hadn’t known he’d craved.

            “I haven’t been sure… You’ve been so distant since the first…” Her face colored and her eyes dipped to the ground. “I’d thought you preferred friendship.”

            “I prefer whatever keeps you with me. Whatever keeps you smiling just like that.” He raised a hand, giving in to the urge to touch her, cupping her cheek.

            “Oh.” She breathed out, her voice shaking slightly. He took the wreath from her hands, then placed it atop her head. Hades couldn’t help smiling when he saw he was right. The flowers did look magnificent against her hair.

            “I’m attracted to you, idiot.” Hades let a lop-sided grin fall into place as he looked back up at Siromos.

            “Huh?” His face was adorably confused, like a puppy. He sat up so he could see Siromos’ reaction more closely. “You? Me? I’m not an idiot!”

            “Please tell me what you are then?” Hades quirked a brow, feeling playful.

            “Also attracted to you! And your wife! And it’s weird!” Now Siromos was the one to flop back, covering his face. “I don’t understand this. I’m in the underworld and I want to bone not just one regent, but both!” He let a strangled groan out, underlining his confusion.

            “Well, it’s not like we’re running out of time. I’m sure we’ll be able to figure out where to go from here. Now it’s clear, we all are attracted to each other.” Hades nodded curtly, placing that piece of this puzzle where it belonged.

            “It’s not just cut and dry like that, asshole! You’re married! I’m just some guy. I don’t even know who I am!”

            “I do, and it’s fine. You would be going to the asphodel meadows if you chose to not stay with us.”

            “Wait, what?”

            “Your judgement. You’ve done no ill in life, so you may spend death with us or in the asphodel meadows.”

            “I’m dead?!”