Chapter Nine

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Hades remembered the first flower that Persephone had presented to him, even if it was in just a playful manner. She cared greatly for her flowers and plants, often spending long hours tending to each one individually to make sure they received equal attention. Some days, Hades could watch her just tend to her garden, as it was the calmest event to witness. He could hear her humming a tune to herself, the look of concentration on her face, brought a smile to his own. It was one day where he had been watching her secretly, not trying to make a scene with his appearance, but apparently, she had been more than aware of his presence. She had picked one of the flowers and made her way over to him and while he attempted to look busy with different matters, she could see straight through his act. 

He didn't know the name of the flower, not that it mattered, he was much too focused on the colors of the petals. A faint blush, similar to the color that would rise to the woman's cheek whenever he complimented her on her beauty. In the center, there was gold as if someone had dropped a coin in the middle of the petals. The fragrance was slightly overwhelming, yet familiar. The scent was the one he associated when he and Persephone were in bed and she rested in her arms. Normally, it wasn't as strong as he would only catch a whiff of it in the stale air, but as she presented the flower, he understood why it lingered long after she had left her gardens for the day.

At first, he didn't understand what she was doing as she raised her hand with the flower towards his head. He flinched unsure of what she was trying to accomplish and as much as he tried to cover it up, it did not go unnoticed by her. She looked at him, confused by his behavior as she had no intentions of hurting him.

"It is a flower, Hades," she whispered to him softly. "It will not hurt you."

"Some flowers have thorns," he pointed out. His words carried a deeper meaning that while a flower could be beautiful, there were threatening aspects to them, just as there was with Persephone. She could be beautiful but there were moments where she shed her petals and revealed that her thorns were sharp. He had not witnessed it personally directly to himself, but he could see just how deep her thorns could cut if she was pushed to that extent.

"I assure you, none of the flowers I present to you have any thorns," she said in a promising tone. She waited for a few moments before attempting to approach him again. The second time, he allowed her to place the flower through the locks of his hair, just as she had initially planned. Laughter escaped her as she took a step back, gazing up at him in amusement. The pink flower definitely clashed with his dark attire and demeanor, but he could see how much it pleased her to keep the flower in his hair.

It was her first gift to him and Hades kept the flower, no questions asked. When she was with him, she would keep the flower in health, leaving it in bloom. During her absence, it would die but she would bring it back as soon as she came home to him.

Since her departure, the flower had wilted and Hades was sure if he so happened to touch any of the petals they would only turn to dust. The petals had long lost their color and it remained pitifully by his bedside, longing to be put out of its misery.

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