Love
Persephone learned to love the Lord of the Dead.
I threw myself lazily into his throne because he hated it when I sat in his throne. I threw my feet over the armrest because he hated how unlady-like it was. I littered the floor with the husks of pomegranates and their seeds bled dry. I would claim it was to add some color, but I just loved to set him off. He was the one that brought me here, and he would learn to regret it. But when he came storming into the throne room, the fury on his face dissipated. Not exactly the response I was hoping for, to be honest. He chuckled and the tension in his shoulders fell. He approached his throne calmly and braced his bands on the arm rests. I was trapped.
"Persephone, love, if you want my attention all you need to do is ask." He laughed quietly and kissed me on the forehead. He pushed off the armrests and sank into my throne, brushing some of the husks off of the arm rest. His fingers danced in my hair, something very unlike him.
"You aren't mad?" I asked, curious now. He sighed contentedly.
"No, darling, I'm not. If you want to do my job have at it. The fates know I'm no fan." I turned in the throne so that I could face him and he looked over his shoulder at me.
"When did you quit wanting to be the lord of the dead? I never noticed any change." I asked, now a little more concerned than I should have been. After all, he did trap me down here.
"I never wanted to be the lord of the dead. I was the first son of Kronus, and I should have ruled the heavens. I was tricked by Zeus, but I've accepted that this is the price I pay. I tried to help my father get rid of Zeus as a child. I was the golden son, the crown prince, but my mother saw Zeus as the perfect son, and I got jealous. It sounds so pathetic now, but my actions then will haunt me forever." He sat in silence, just watching me and I couldn't pull away from his gaze. He ran his fingers through my hair again and sighed, looking away. When his hand fell away, I found that I was disappointed at the lack of contact between us. He stood and began to leave without another word, but I rose before I knew what I was doing.
"Wait. Where are you going now?" Hades turned on me and was suddenly much closer than before.
"I don't think it's fair that I can steal a look at you too often. People will think I'm using you, but just looking at you makes me feel better after some of the idiots I have to work with." He held my face in his hands and touched his forehead to mine.
"I know what you're trying to do with the pomegranates, love, and I hope you know it hurts to see you still hold such spite. If it's any consolation, I get lonely without you." He kissed me once and left, leaving as tingling sensation on my face where he had touched. Hades was short with everybody, and more impatient than any other god, but on the rare occasions that he opened up to me, I became aware once again of the fact that I did, indeed, love the lord of the dead.