Glasses
It's quiet. It's serene. It's peaceful. Hades walks into the living room, book in hand and carrying a cup of tea, peeking around corners and listening for the slightest sound. No one's there. He smiles in satisfaction and takes a seat in his favourite chair, settling down and looking around him one more time before conjuring the one item he swore he'd always keep secret.
He was made fun of growing up, surrounded by the other young Gods who poked and prodded and laughed in his face for something that made him the slightest bit different. So he hid them from everyone. And he's had an even tougher time with it since moving to Storybrooke, surrounded by neighbors and nosy heroes and his Zelena.
He's thought about telling her, about showing her, but he can't bring himself to do it. He doesn't want to risk the humiliation.
So he does it in secret. And in the quiet, serene, peaceful atmosphere of his home, he puts on his glasses and starts to read.
They're a simple design, no flash or flare (unlike every other area of his wardrobe). Frameless spectacles, thin silver wire holding everything together. Barely noticeable from afar. But he keeps them invisible and hidden until he's completely alone. God knows what would happen if anyone saw them. He cringes at the thought of Zelena seeing them and laughing.
Nothing like being made fun of by the love of his life.
He adjusts the frames and turns the page in his novel, adjusting further into the seat and allowing the book to absorb him entirely. He waves his hand and something instrumental emanates quietly through the speakers (something Zelena's fond of, he can't quite remember the composer but it's beautiful all the same). Soon he's completely consumed. The music, the warmth of the tea, the finesse of the words…
Hades doesn't even notice when the front door opens.
He doesn't notice when Zelena toes off her shoes in the foyer with a loud clunk, putting her bag on the floor and carefully removing her hat.
Or that she pads into the kitchen, right across from the living room, to make herself a cup of tea.
Or that she turns around, says his name to get his attention about something.
And sees them.
In fact, he has no idea that she even walks over to him until he feels gentle fingertips on the back of his ears and the page in front of him suddenly goes blurry.
Hades looks up and Zelena is standing directly in front of his seat, holding the glasses up and giving them a quizzical look. His face feels like it's on fire as his eyes widen and he ducks his gaze from hers. It's coming, he knows it's coming, she's going to say something and he's going to have to explain his shame…
"So…glasses, huh?" Her voice is strangely devoid of any mirth but he's still holding his breath. He can't even answer. The words won't come out.
The book is taken from his hands for a second and in the next moment she places herself in his lap, carefully slipping the glasses back onto his face and putting the novel back in his grasp.
Zelena kisses the tip of his nose. "I like them," she says with a smile. No malice. No judgement. "Keep them on."
She settles her head in the crook of his neck with a sigh, snuggling into him and summoning her tea with the flick of her wrist.
"Will you read out loud? I think I've made it to that chapter so far."
He shakes his head for a moment, clearing away his disbelief at the situation. Here he is, in the presence of another living being—the most important one in his life, for that matter—with his glasses on. And she likes them.
Feeling a huge rush of affection for her, he kisses her cheek and nods, opening the book once more and clearing his throat as he begins to read.
"Our places of comfort are expectedly different, my friends and I. Elizabeth's is hunched over her sewing machine trying to make her life look seamless, store-bought. Mine is at my typewriter writing pithy things I'll never have the guts to say out loud…"
His glasses are placed on his nightstand that night, in full view of the room. And he never thinks to hide them again.
END
Notes:
Greg in glasses was my primary inspiration for this. I can't unsee Hades with frameless glasses, lounging about and reading like the little nerd he is. So thank you, Greg, for being a massive, glasses-wearing dork. Ten points to you.
