notsodreadful

[notsodreadful]

[𝙷𝙰𝙳𝙴𝚂]

-

Oh, how he humored her.

In one moment, the kind of the Underworld ridiculed halloween for it’s debauchery and excess, but in the next, he adorned his best costume to entertain his beautiful wife. He smiled beneath his golden mask, removing it only after she’d gotten her fill of the ornate gold embroidery on black velvet of his coat jacket.“ Man with his new powers became rich like Midas but all that he touched had gone dead and cold,” Hades quoted, “meanwhile you’re a stunning visage of life itself.” He leaned into her kiss, returning it with a soft one to the top of her forehead as well. “Ah, yes, I know you live for my critique of horrible holidays and stupid mortal things. I’d be delighted to.”

— ❦ —

As difficult as it was for many to believe, she had fallen in love with the god of the Underworld. It was expected at first but in a way they both saved each other. What stood between them was the way he went about it, a trust she never completely had in him that he would not turn on her. So many of them were infamous for doing just that. Persephone knew he held more of her heart than she wanted and yet she didn’t even try to get it back. The female’s lips tugged into a smile upon feeling him against her skin. She moved a hand down his face before reaching down for his hand. “Of course the Mother Earth would fall for the visage himself,” Persephone said with an exhaled laugh. “How can I not? Their portrayals are absolutely absurd. Who else would know better than you?”

[notsodreadful]

[𝙳𝙾𝚄𝙶]

@notsodreadful​

What had started out as a smart idea had fallen apart at the seams. The overwhelming pressure to excel from Charles had been crushing Douglas. Little comments and facial expressions with others made him wonder. He’d never been around anyone outside of Charles and the pack - not for very long. Just in short instances. He was always eager to talk if he got the chance to, but he’d be pulled away or hushed once he started saying too much. Except for Persephone. He could talk to Persephone.

Douglas tried very hard to be unpredictable in his movements after he’d run from Charles. He waited a full day, then waited longer - before he finally went to the only other safe place he knew. Persephone’s conservatory. 

He walked in, cliosing the white door behind him, looking tired, his face pale, eyes tired and puffy. He’d been crying. The humidity alone helped him relax a little, comfortable in humid climates because of the jungle. The foliage surrounding him made him want to curl up on the mossy floor and sleep. He wished he could stay.

“Hi,” Doug said with a weak wave, “I’m sorry to show up unannounced. But I think I made a really – really dumb mistake. I ran away from Charles.”

— ❦ —

Persephone wasn’t fond of this time of year. Her flowers sulked as the cold started to set in, only a select few blossoming in the fall. As she delicately ran her hands over her plants to bring the life back to them. She would do the same when in town sometimes, leaving a small part of her behind with them to get through the chill. The streets were filled with the normal Halloween spooks but she found it all quite humorous. If this was what they thought the Underworld was like they were sorely mistaken.

The woman hummed as she took her watering can over the soil, her attention only drawing up when she heard someone enter her sanctuary. Not many people came to see her here and she was surprised to see who it was. Doug never came without warning, their visits always planned, and concern washed over her. She’d already set down her can and made her way over to him. 

“Don’t worry about that,” Persephone said softly as she lifted her hands to his cheeks. “Did something happen? Are you alright?” Her voice was laced with worry, her eyes checking to make sure he wasn’t injured. “You’re safe here.” Until Hades found out. She’d need to find a place for him outside Hades’ alliances but right now she only cared about making sure he was taken care of.

[notsodreadful]

@dealsanddevils​

She gave a small kick to the bottom of her dress to push the fabric away from her feet as she started to walk. As she entered the living room she saw him waiting for her, smiling upon seeing his costume officially. “Color me shocked that you actually dressed up,” Persephone laughed through the words, motioning for him to get up for her to look at him. The girl’s hands sat on his arms as he stood and moving back to get the whole view. “I like it.” She came closer to him then, pressing a small kiss to his cheek. “Shall we walk? See some of the decorations on the houses on our way to Greenhaven?” 

[notsodreadful]

[𝙳𝙾𝚄𝙶]

@notsodreadful

Adjusting to staying in the city for longer than a week or two took it’s toll on Doug. He’d gotten used to the fresh air of the jungles in South America; the closest thing he’d come close to it was Persephone’s greenhouse, but he could only be there so much. The loudness of the city was one thing, but the smells were enough to make him feel perpetually nauseous and sick. Even the nicer areas could carry the soft aroma of sewer on the wind, and it was killing his olfactory organs. The grey of the city was depressing, too, and he found himself craving green and bright flowers more than anything. When Charles decided to gift him with a garden in their home to spare his homesickness from the green forests that he’d grown used to, the boy was over the moon — but no garden would just do. There was only one woman he knew that could make it feel like home.

Charles agreeing to let Persephone come to their home to help with Doug’s garden had surprised him — and quietly worried him at the same time. He’d been able to ask for a lot. The garden. More of Persephone. A social life (assuming he didn’t sacrifice his duties for it), and even permission to see a girl he liked. Doug was grateful, and adored him for everything he was given, but when he was given things, he was also asked to do difficult things. The young man could handle that - or at least he thought so.

“It’s really weird seeing you at our house instead of your greenhouse,” Douglas said to the woman when she walked into the foyer of Charles’ estate. The ceilings were tall in the house, and it was well lit with glass windows to allow in natural light. “I’m really happy you’re here,” he continued, looking a little tired and worn out from training and trying to get over the smells of the city to hunt better, but the mere presence of the woman was enough to relax him. More than once as a child he’d sat at feet and rested against her as she stroked his hair until he fell fast asleep, only disturbed when it was time to leave. He assumed that he was probably too old to do that still, but it was just nice to have her around more, rather than in fleeting moments when Charles was doing business with her husband. “I was feeling really homesick from the jungle. Charles offered to build me a garden and I thought you could help so I could see you more.” Without getting in trouble for it.

— ❦ —

From the moment his tiny feet came pattering into her garden Persephone found herself caring for Doug as if he was her own. Having a family of her own wasn’t in the cards for her but she’d found herself the closest thing. It had been an accident at first, becoming so attached to the boy but after seeing all Charles put him through she’d become more protective than ever. Each passing year she could feel the grip on her tongue beginning to loosen and her true feelings about the man were only held back by Hades’ hand. Many nights she’d begin to speak, only to have him take her hand, knowing if he didn’t calm her down that a thunderstorm would cast itself upon the city. When she felt, the city did with her. 

As much as she wanted to avoid ever stepping foot into Charles’ estate, it was something she would do for Doug without another thought. To be able to offer her services in gardening was the best case scenario. Persephone was happy to make him a place to call his own, Doug deserved a garden of his own. Her smile grew as she saw him as usual. “It’s strange to be here, but I am happy to offer whatever help you need to make sure it feels as close to home as possible.” That was amongst the things he deserved: a home. She wished this place felt more like one that could be safe for him to grow but there was more afoot than met the eye and she knew it. “And seeing you is one of my favorite things, after all,” she said while gently taking his chin in her hand. “Where would you like to begin, my flower?”

[notsodreadful]

[𝙷𝙰𝙳𝙴𝚂]

A gentle squeeze of her hand, Hades guided his rose away from his office, knowing that the mere sight of him working obsessively would make her petals wilt. It was a necessary evil, one that he needed to keep a handle of, lest he be the joke of the party for failing at his one job, as endless and mentally exhausting as it could be. He would not allow himself to be the object of ridicule, but sadly, that sometimes meant taking time away from Persephone.

“I would not allow that to happen,” Hades retorted instantly, pausing before adding, “if not me, you would have company.” Even if it meant Pain and Panic filling in for him; not that they were what she wanted, but hey, a body to fill the chair was better than nothing. “On that note, I do have a surprise for you, but it can wait until we’re at the dinner table,” he cooed, grinning back at her with a flash of his eyes like he’d been holding onto a secret that he was just dying to tell. He walked down the hallway in line with her, still internally impatient about not being able to teleport and appear where he pleased to save himself time - but getting where he needed to be wasn’t the point of the moment. She was the point, and he constantly had to reel himself back from falling into his habits. “It helps me when you come to get me,” he replied, honestly, giving her a glance at the corner of his eye, “I know when you come, enough is enough. You’ve got a better internal clock for time than I do when my work is infinite.”

— ❦ —

Persephone hadn’t imagined her life to end up here beside the King of the Underworld and yet she wouldn’t trade it for the world. She had nights wondering if she hadn’t been his prisoner, would she want to stay? As difficult as it was sometimes to understand him, she knew he cared for her and now they were intertwined. People addressed them as a unit much of the time and as much as she wanted to stand on her own, it wasn’t a name she minded being mentioned with. He’d given her all she’d ever wanted, besides seeing her mother again. He stole her from the rest of Olympus and little did he know that was what she wanted all along. 

“It’s not the same, as I’m sure you already know.” No other company provided the same satisfaction as his. With her other hand now looped in his arm she looked at him with furrowed brows. “A surprise?” She was curious now. Whenever he had cooked up something she was itching to know. “What have you done now?” Persephone said with a gentle laugh and the scrunch of her nose. She walked ever so slightly swifter now that she’d heard about this surprise business. That didn’t mean she’d forgotten what he said though. “Someone needs to make sure you don’t stay in there forever,” she said with a small smirk. “Whatever did you do before me?”

[notsodreadful]

[𝙷𝙰𝙳𝙴𝚂]

-

Handling his affairs in Los Santos was arguably more time consuming than sorting out the fates of dead souls; there was more organizing and delegating to do, whereas in the Underworld, only he could do his job. Fortunately, this was slightly more interesting, and he enjoyed navigating the political aspect of it. He was the king of the Underworld, but ruling over dead people meant he wore a crown of ash. He felt a revival in himself  in his shared ownership over a spot of Zeus’s territory. Los Santos, while perfectly sunny some days, was cast in darkness when it came to Zeus’s omnipotence. He could not see into the city, which meant that he could not see Hades carefully organizing his end.

Hades was slouched over his desk, only looking up with his eyes when Persephone knocked and entered as he finished writing out his signature on a dotted line. A fake name, sadly, as the world was no so accepting of the ‘king of the underworld’ as an acceptable title. “I was finishing up,” he lied. He would have continued to work for hours without blinking lest she interrupt him. His dark eyes scanned over the documents on his desk, taking a mental note of what he needed to do next when he resumed next time. He quietly had opinions about the point of wasting time eating when, as an immortal, it was unnecessary, but he’d learned after a few bad fights that he was supposed to use it as time to be with his wife. “I would love to,” Hades said, hesitating for half a second to put the pen down before he took her hand and slid out from his desk. Immediately, his hand slid passed her fingers to the small of her back where he pulled her in close to him while he walked away from his work. A quick glance at his watch made him raise an eyebrow. “You’re usually in my office ushering me away earlier than this. What held you up this evening?”

— ❦ —

Persephone hadn’t expected to call this home when she first arrived. The Underworld was much less practical than a home like this but she’d grown to desire a life like this. There were fleeting moments when she was wrapped up in their reality instead of the idea of what they could have been. It all went back to the day he took her from the earth, though he never gave her a reason as to why he chose her. She had grown to be perhaps even happy that it was her above anyone else. Somewhere amidst the cosmos she’d found him in the stars and much as he had chosen her, she then chose him in return. All that stood between her and truly giving herself over to him was that even with all the makings of a domestic relationship she was still his prisoner. 

It was the small activities like this that made her realize how deeply they’d fallen into the routine of life. Persephone dreamed of one day seeing the world with her mother, getting to place her hands into the soil of different lands, and breathe life into their flora. Instead, it was the job of her greenhouse and him to keep her afloat in this life he’d chosen for her. Eating gave them nothing but it was more for the time together than anything else, she knew he did it to appease her and it explained to her what his words sometimes didn’t. Silently he showed her that he cared. “Good, it would be a shame to have to sit at the table all by myself,” she said with a smile as she settled into his touch. “The canna lilies are preparing to bloom, the petunias won’t be far behind them either. You know I can’t help but lose myself in there.” It was her sanctuary. “You can always come up and join me, you don’t need to hide yourself in here until I come drag you out.”

[notsodreadful]

@dealsanddevils​

It wasn’t until the sun began to find its way down from its peak and over the horizon that she went inside from her greenhouse patio hideaway. That was the only place she felt like herself some days. Being this far from her mother wasn’t easy but she found her in the hydrangeas, the soil as it ran between her fingers, the smell of dew against greenery. That’s how she was still able to connect back to her life before Hades made her his own. 

After she made her way back into the house she noticed his absence and exhaled deeply. Of course he was still working so she went to pull him for the night as she usually did when he would lose track of time. Persephone’s knuckles met the door while she was already twisting the handle. “You’re not chain to that thing, you know?” Persephone said, lowering her gaze at him while approaching his desk. “Come, have dinner with me.” She reached her hand out for him to take across the desk. 

[notsodreadful]

[𝙳𝙾𝚄𝙶]

-

Doug’s grin only seemed to grow wider, overwhelmed to see her after so long. He knew that hunting trips in other countries meant he’d be gone for months, but this one had gone on a little longer than he liked. He was eager for a break to have a little fun, but there was still work to do. It surprised him to have work while they were home; Charles had never had him hunt in the city before, let alone their city. He’d driven a chubacabra out of hiding in a small village in Mexico before, but that was about it. “I…” He paused, thinking, “don’t think I’m allowed to talk about that. But it’s not dangerous. Just – a lot more challenging here. There are a lot of smells that I’m not used to and I’m still figuring out how to pick out what I’m looking for with so many people around,” he replied, trying to truthfully give as many details as he could. Doug knew that Persephone would happily speak her mind, and he wasn’t interested in the thought of Charles suddenly deciding that he didn’t want him around her anymore. The guilt would eat him alive.

He walked over to her, his gaze looking up and down and all around in awe at the plants and flowers surrounding them. He loved flowers – especially hers. “The flowers… Gosh, Persephone, they were so beautiful. There’s nothing really like exotic flowers. I really wish you had been there to see them with me.” He also got chased by a jaguar once. But she didn’t need to know that. “How have you been?”

— ❦ —

It was no secret that Charles put the boy to work, sometimes not in the most ideal conditions. Persephone would argue that he never truly treated Doug the way that he should be and her blood boiled at the thought of it. If she was able she would release her own rage against his so-called boss but there were more factors at play than that alone. Business was business but Persephone wasn’t a business woman in the same way the men were. She feared they lacked the empathy they needed to truly succeed in anything, Charles specifically. The closest thing to a monster with a human face. “Ah, of course, my mistake. Well, you always know where to find me if you need an escape from it all,” she said with a small smile.

Persephone made her way outside to her favorite chair that was still indented from all the use. She slipped her sandals and sliding her feet beneath her body on the chair. “I can imagine. I’d love to see them myself.” Persephone enjoyed her life here but she longed for something beyond. At the end of it all she still lacked that: her freedom. “Perhaps one day we will be able to go together,” she reached for his hand and took it in hers with a small smile. “Until then you’ll need to tell me all about it so it could be as if I was there with you.” Persephone didn’t speak of her own captivity to Doug, not wishing to reveal the cards she held so close to her chest. All she wished was to continue to protect him from her side of the arena. “I’ve been well, fall is on the way so I’m preparing for the new blooms,” she said with a shrug.

[notsodreadful]

[𝙳𝙾𝚄𝙶]

@notsodreadful 

“Hi,” Douglas said simply, poking his head into the rooftop greenhouse that he should not have had access to. He was clever about navigating his way through locked doors and over high walls. Especially when it came to seeing Persephone. “I’m back from South America,” he beamed at the woman, “and I think we might be staying put for awhile. I have an errand I need to do for Charles, but I wanted to come to see you first.”

— ❦ —

Persephone was delicately running her hand under her philodendron, making sure it was getting enough water as she did with all her plants. They each got individual care and attention when she came to visit. She was rarely happy to be interrupted but with Doug it was different. At this point she considered him like a child. Her maternal instinct kicked in after all she’d seen the men put him through. When he entered she brightened, her plants all blossoming a little wider around her. “Doug, you’re back.” She couldn’t help but smile at him, turning from her plant then. “What’s he having you get up to now?” Her eyebrow rose slightly, her distaste for Charles was no secret to anyone. “I’m glad you did. Come, tell me all about it,” opening the side door to a small patio with a few chairs where she would sit and read most mornings.