Hot summer days in a secluded field of flowers. A field of white narcissus' surrounded by a forest. Three-year-old Persephone was struggling to make a flower crown with dead flowers, and Hades sat beside her, listening as the young girl happily chatted with him.

Instead of the emotionless facade that he always had up, the corners of his mouth was lifted up in a smile. His black robes spread out behind him, the souls of the dead, killing the flowers beneath it.

"There." Persephone smiled, her chubby face turning red as she stood and placed the flower crown on his head.

"It's beautiful, my love." Persephone looked at her feet and twisted nervously before plopping back down onto the grass, flowers dying within a perfect 30 centimetres radius of her.

She knew it wasn't right, he was way older than her and he could never feel the same way, but she couldn't help the giant crush that she had on him.

Helios' presence was leaving and making way for Selene, the goddess of the moon to watch over. The air was getting a little bit chillier and the sky had turned a deep shade of orange. It was time.

"Do you have to go?" Young Persephone pouted and fiddled with the stiff dead plants.

"I'm afraid so, my love, your mother wouldn't like the thought of me hanging around you." He placed a hand on her cheek, his cold touch comforting to the goddess of spring.

"Tomorrow?" She perked up, her forest-green eyes hopeful.

"I promise." He stuck out his pinky finger and she stuck out hers, interlocking as they made a pinky promise.

He extended his arms and hugged her tightly, kissing her forehead before he stood and disappeared into the shadows.

She was brought out of the memory by his deep voice, "I, uh, wanted to tell you." He scratched his head and allowed her to pass, Cerberus jumping on her, front paws on her shoulders, three faces licking her own.

Now that she had reunited with her mother, her perfect, godly memory was returning, allowing her to remember everything since the time of her birth.

She shrugged, looking deep in thought as she proceeded to pat Cerberus' heads, "My mum said I couldn't see you anymore."

Hades sighed and fell onto the couch, slumping as his hands rubbed his face. Persephone sat beside him, the large dog lying down on her lap, licking her hand.

"It's crazy how the achlýs will mask demigods who are battling monsters and wearing armour, but it won't mask this outfit that my mum made me wear." She gestured to the chiton.

"You could always ask Hecate to help you control it."

Persephone shrugged and it was silent for a while, "This has been such a crazy couple of days - like not even a week ago, I didn't even know who my mum was... and now, I find out that I'm a daughter of a goddess, and that I'm a goddess as well," she stared at the three dog heads, all eyes closed in relaxation, "I can't be the spring goddess." Persephone scoffed to herself.

"Flower, ever since you were born, you were sprouting plants whenever you wanted, wherever you wanted - " Hades started.

"It's not that, it's just, how can be the goddess of spring when I kill any plants that I touch?" She frowned.

"Persephone," He held one of her hands with both of his, "you are perfect just the way you are. You were created by the gods, for your purpose."

"Who says gods don't make mistakes?"

"Oh, they do," He thought to his brothers, "but I assure you, that you're not one of them." he kissed the back of her palm, his cold touch giving her a sense of comfort.

Grunting, she tried not to smile as the thought of not washing that hand ever again passed her mind before being shut down, because that was gross and unhygienic.

"Persephone," He turned to her, even sitting down he towered over her, "I know it might be too early to say this, but I don't want this to end without you knowing..." he mentally slapped himself, was it too late to take it back and not end up telling her?

"What is it?" With her big green eyes staring up at him, he almost forgot how to breath - not that he exactly needed to, being a god and all.

"Persephone, even though you can't be around me anymore, and you don't feel the same way, I have to tell you before you go, Persephone, goddess of spring, I love you, I have always loved you." Hades looked anywhere but at her face.

"Excuse me?" Persephone gaped, "You can't say that."

"I know, I'm so sorry but I can't help it." Hades hands were clammy with sweat.

"No, not that. What gives you the right to say that I don't love you?" She frowned.

"What?" Hades stared at her dumbfounded.

"I love you too, you big doof," She smiled and reached up, giving him a peck on the lips, he smiled softly at her before she continued, her voice no louder than a whisper, "what happens now?"

"I don't know." His reply was honest and filled with grief, he didn't want to part from his love as much as she didn't, but he was afraid they didn't have a choice in the matter.

She swung her legs around him, effectively straddling him. She had a frown on her face and she placed her hands on his broad shoulders. She traced the seams of his suit, eyes downcast as she watched her fingers.

"So you're just going to... give up on me? You're not going to fight for me?" Tears gathered in her forest-green eyes and Hades couldn't bear to look at her.

"My love, I would bring the world to destruction for you, and believe me, the last thing that I would want to do is give up on you, but you've only now been reunited with your mother, and I don't want to take you away from her."

"Hades, my mum is very important to me, but I now remember my life before I was placed in front of the orphanage. It was all any child could wish for, numerous nymphs that I could play with whenever I wanted, a mother that was forever present in my life and who did everything in her power to protect me. But for me, I felt like a bird in a golden cage, I had practically no freedom, I did what my mum expected of me, I hardly ever got to spend time with anyone but the nymphs. The mortals worshipped me as one with my mother, I was never able to be my own person, I was synonymous with her." Persephone placed her hands on either side of his face, her hands hot in comparison to his cold skin, "All my life, even when I couldn't really remember her, I never felt as if I were my own person, I never really felt that I could choose my own pathways." she absentmindedly traced his jaw with her index finger.

Hades only stared at her, listening to her words and relishing the feeling of her warm hand on his face.

"I want to be able to make my own decisions, and as much as I love my mum, she won't allow that to happen. But right now, I have a choice, and I choose you." Her hands had begun to slowly make their way to his lips, tracing.

"My love, as much as I love the fact that you choose me, my home is in the land of the dead. There is no sunshine or living people. There are no fields of flowers as there is in the land of the sun, instead, it is a dark, cold, and lonely place, without a living thing in sight. No place for a beautiful flower maiden. You may find it thrilling at first, but eventually, it will grow dull, you will hate it, and in turn, you will begin to loathe me for bringing you there. You will feel so lonely without the company of the sun, of your nymphs and of your mother." Hades placed his hands around her waist, knowing that one day he won't ever be able to do it again.

"I will never feel lonely as long as you are with me." Her hands stopped their movement.

"I don't want us to end up like Hera and Zeus - married, but loathful towards each other. I don't want you to hate me for taking you to the Underworld."

"I could never, not love you, I swear it, on the River Styx." Persephone's hands moved to hold each other at the back of his neck.

"I could never stop loving you either, but I won't force you to go to the Underworld with me, where which I am bound." Their foreheads touched as they looked deep in each other's eyes.

"You didn't force me, I'll go willingly and of my own free will." Persephone glanced down at his lips, "Hades, Pluto, God of riches, God of the dead, and King of the Underworld, take me to your kingdom, I will go willingly and of my own volition. Take me to the land of the dead where I can stay with you for eternity." As she spoke, she grew more confident, her nervous, racing heart, easing a bit as she relaxed in his arms, just content in being there.

"As you wish my love."

It was as if the ground opened up, but instead of falling through the apartments below them, they fell into pitch blackness. Persephone, beginning to feel nervous about the fact that she couldn't see anything, or hear anything besides the somewhat muted screams of the damned, hugged herself closer to Hades, smashing their bodies together so that there was no space between them.

The first thing the Persephone noticed was the drastic drop in temperature, it was enough to be noticeable, but not bother her.

As soon as it began, it ended, and they were on solid ground once again. Hades sat upon a black marble throne, red rubies dripping from the top as if it were blood. The chair was fairly large and sat at the front of the throne room.

Large and with tall ceilings, the room was predominantly black with gold accents. The floor was a cold marble and so were the walls. Along the wide pathway leading up to the throne was a red carpet, outlined with gold thread. Outlining the carpet, a metre away from the edge of it, were thick columns - black marble as well - in two neat rows, placed at regular intervals of a couple of metres.

The room was lit by the torches attached to each column, the fire was burning a bright orange, filling the room in its comforting glow.

"Welcome to the Underworld, my love."