A Flower in the Dark [EDITING]

*Chapter 24*

As it turned out, when you get swallowed by the earth you don't die. You pass out and then get crapped out by the earth into an office. Of a god who you haven't talked.

I landed on Hades desk with a big thud, crushing whatever was on it. I'm surprised I didn't crush the desk too.

"Uh Hello?" Hades said, confusion laced in his voice. His face appeared above mine and he frowned, "Are you alright?"

I shook my head. My body felt dirty and my mouth was full of dirt.

God, what was I doing having a buffet?

I held up a finger before rolling over and puking everything I had eaten—dirt, fruit, bread— everything ended up on Hade's pretty red rug.

As soon as I saw what I did I fought the urge to cry in embarrassment. I slowly turned my head and looked at Hades who looked surprised, a small worried smile on his face.

"I am not alright," I muttered as I sat up. "I got eaten by my own creation."

"Karma for Poseidon perhaps?" Hades suggested as he poured me a glass of red liquid.

He offered it to me before pouring his own glass, he downed it in one go before pouring another one.

I took a small sip of the liquid and gagged. Red wine.

Gross.

"Do you prefer white?"

I prefer no wine at all but I wasn't about to let that out in the open air. I've already embarrassed myself enough today.

I took a deep breath before downing the glass of wine in one go. I'm going to regret that so much.

Hades took a seat by me before speaking, "I knew you were coming, first your feet were sticking through the ceiling and then slowly your body came. It was hilarious."

I didn't say anything as I stared at the clock on the wall. I didn't know what to feel towards hades.

Anger for accusing my mother of abuse?

Confusion?

The various flowers blooming around me explained my feelings and lucky for me Hades didn't know what they meant.

At least I don't think he did.

I avoided his gaze as he placed a towel in my lap.

"I'm sorry if I upset you." Hades murmured."I never meant to."

My fingers absentmindedly poked and twisted the towel as I answered back, "It's okay."

"It's not if your upset. I was just trying to see if you need help getting away from your mother."

My mouth opened before closing. Is that what I wanted? To get away from my mother?

Surely not. I mean sure she gets on my nerves, but I don't think that screams abuse. Unless it did and I was just blind to the abuse my mother was serving. If there was any.

I liked staying in the underworld. I didn't have to worry about my mother's constant hovering--I was free to do whatever I wanted. I could walk to town and shop, talk to Hypnos about things that would give my mom a stroke if she heard what came out my mouth...I was free but at the same time, I was trapped.

"I don't think I need help?" My response came out as more of a question rather than a statement. I placed my hand on Hade's shoulder and gave him a small smile, "Thank you for being kind and understanding. I know you didn't exactly ask to become an adult baby sitter."

Hades chuckled, placing his hand on top of mine, "I find it enjoyable to be an adult babysitter if you can call it that. I got a new friend too so it's not too bad."

I rose a brow in confusion, "New friend?"

Hades considered me a friend? I thought he would just consider me a burden that got placed on him. I never thought really thought of Hades as a friend, I always thought of him as a person who was forced to accept me because I was now stuck with him for an eternity.

I could see a flash of panic in Hades as he quickly rambled, "Or not. Acquaintances works too! We don't have to be friends I don't even know why I would say that we haven't even known each other for that long so I don't know why I even thought that-"

"It's okay, I like the title of a friend." I paused slightly before grinning, "We should make friendship bracelets."

"Friendship what?"

"Bracelets! You know the things you tie around your wrist--"

"I know what a bracelet is but I don't understand why I need one to explain...express our friendship," Hades said, his face scrunching in confusion.

"It's not to express that you have a friendship. Its to show the long-lasting friendship bond between us. Our friendship is going to last a very very long time. You know because were gods."

"I hate being a god." Hades muttered, "Fine. As long as it's not hot pink or containing glitter."

-*-

"Oh Mt.Olympus, I look like a glittered whore." Hades said with horror and awe. I giggled as I took a look at him through the mirror.

He had dark red eyeshadow on with glitter, dark red lipstick, and long fake eyelashes. I thought he looked nice, but that might be because I was the one that did his make up.

Once Hades and I finished friendship bracelets (which went great, we had matching gold bracelets), I begged Hades to let me do his make up.

I had to do a lot of begging and bargaining but I got what I wanted and now Hades looked like the baddest god in all of Olympus. I just had to walk Cerebus for the next 5 months and shuffle papers in his office, but I didn't mind.

"Can I take this off now? I don't need the skeletons to get any ideas."

I snorted before gently grabbing his face in my hands, "Stay still."

After minutes of silence, Hades spoke up, "Do you hate it here?"

My hand stopped moving on his face and it felt like my brain just froze.

I didn't exactly hate it here, I was happy.

I missed home, but over time I could learn to love the Underworld and all the things in it.

So I smiled and said, "No."

8/4/2020
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