Persephone laced up her tennis shoes and pulled on her thermal jacket. It might have been spring, but the mornings were still cool and damp. She walked out the front door and started jogging across the lawn to the sidewalk. Her mother would have thrown a minor hissy fit seeing her trample the grass, but Persephone was feeling rebellious this morning. She was able to maintain a steady pace as she wove her way out of the neighborhood and towards a nearby park. She wouldn't be winning any sprints against Hermes anytime soon, but she was okay with that. The man was like greased lightning, which was particularly annoying when he was in his more impish moods or when he was in trouble and dodging responsibility.
Persephone jogged under the wrought iron gate with the park name "Elysium" spelled out in the arch. She picked out her favorite path around the lake and fell into an easy rhythm. Persephone enjoyed these quiet mornings when she could get away from her mother. It gave her time to think her own thoughts and relax, far away from the hectic and stressful atmosphere of the office. Luckily for her, Demeter preferred to spend her morning 'me' time in the garden.
As Persephone jogged alongside the lake, she nodded to some of the regular visitors she recognized. A few returned the gesture, while others looked away nervously. Being the daughter of one of the Big 6 had its drawbacks, and some people were intimidated by her. She wanted to laugh, as she didn't think of herself as the least bit scary, but it didn't seem to matter. People liked to make snap judgments without facts, and she didn't feel the need to provide them with information.
Speaking of scary… Persephone felt a prickle between her shoulderblades, as if she was being watched. She tried to nonchalantly look at the group of people who had just passed her, but they were casually chatting away with each other. Shaking her head, Persephone looked around the lake.
A ways beyond, she saw a dark shape sitting on the ground and facing her. She wasn't close enough to see details yet, but she could tell it was studying her intently. Her step faltered, but she decided to press on and investigate.
As she drew closer, the shape revealed itself to be a large dog. A doberman, to be precise, one of the largest she had ever seen. It was sitting perfectly still, with its ears perked up and its eyes gleaming as she approached. Persephone looked around, trying to see where the dog's owner was, but no one was nearby.
She slowed down to a walk as she pulled up alongside the dog. It eyed her curiously, but didn't bark or growl. Persephone faintly recalled that dobermans were very obedient and skilled if trained properly, so the owner must have known what they were doing. Hopefully they hadn't trained their dog to attack strangers on sight…
She stopped right in front of the doberman, warily keeping her distance. Demeter had warned her multiple times not to approach strangers, and she was certain that included strange dogs that could potentially rip your throat out. And yet, as she drew closer, she didn't fear for her life. There was something about this dog that put her at ease. Maybe she needed to get her self preservation instincts reevaluated after this…
Persephone knelt down so she was at eye level with the dog, which wasn't too difficult, considering how large it was.
"Hey there, buddy, what are you doing here all by yourself? That's not very responsible of your owner, now, is it?" she crooned soothingly at the dog while she inspected him more closely. He was a big boy, very healthy and well groomed. She noticed a collar around the dog's neck, simple black leather with a diamond shaped tag. She wanted to look closer, but stopped herself. Just because the dog was this compliant with her so far didn't mean he wouldn't get aggressive if she reached for him suddenly.
Making a decision, she cautiously extended her hand towards the dog, palm down and wrist relaxed, waiting.
The doberman gave her a look, then leaned forward to sniff her hand. After a few moments, he must have concluded that she was acceptable, as he proceeded to nudge her hand, seeking a pat on the head and a scratch behind the ears. Persephone let out a giggle as she cheerfully obliged the doberman.
"Aww, you're just a big softie, aren't you… Kerberos?" she cooed as she inspected the silver name tag. She found the name oddly fitting and properly intimidating. Of course, it probably suited him better when he wasn't thumping his tail against the ground in joy as she scratched his neck.
Persephone flipped the tag around and peered at the phone number listed on the back. She thought it looked familiar, and began to wrack her brain, when a voice interrupted her thoughts.
"Hmph. Some guard dog you are. A few pats on the head and you're smitten," someone rumbled behind her.
Persephone jumped a bit and turned around to look at Hades. She really wished he wouldn't sneak up on people like that, but he seemed to get some sort of fiendish pleasure from it, so she doubted he would change anytime soon.
She stood up and brushed the residual dog fur off her hands a bit self-consciously. She peered up at Hades and gave him a sheepish grin. He didn't seem too upset about her petting his dog, though.
"Good morning, Persephone. Enjoying the brisk morning air?" Hades inquired with a polite smile.
"Very much so. The house can get a bit stifling…" Persephone trailed off before cutting herself short. She really shouldn't bad mouth her mother in front of one of the partners.
Hades inclined his head with a smirk. "I understand. It can get a bit overbearing at times, I've found. Don't worry, I won't let the house know what you think of it."
Persephone gave a small sigh of relief. "Speaking of my house, how did you get in here? This is a gated community, and you need a code and a key to get through the entrance…"
"That is an excellent question," Hades said with a completely straight face. Persephone wasn't buying his false innocence act, crossing her arms and giving him a look. Hades let out a chuckle at her reproachful demeanor.
"Have you noticed your mother having to get a replacement key recently? She really should keep better track of her things… " Hades said airily.
Persephone snickered quietly. "Indeed, she should. But, correct me if I'm wrong, you live in the city, right? They have parks there, or so I've been informed."
"You are informed correctly. but the Asphodel Fields are a terrible excuse for a park. Horribly dreary with unimaginative landscaping, and the crowds… I much prefer the peace and quiet here," Hades explained as he gestured to the grounds of Elysium. He whistled at Kerberos, who immediately stood up and strode over to Hades' side.
Persephone was impressed by the doberman's discipline, and she fell into step beside Hades as the three of them continued their circuit around the lake.
"I can understand the appeal, but it is out of the way… Seems like a lot of effort just for a pleasant place to walk your dog," Persephone pointed out.
"I am more than willing to put in the extra effort for those I deem important," Hades explained, glancing at Persephone.
She felt her stomach clench slightly as he looked at her, and she turned her face to prevent him from seeing the color rise in her face. "Understandable. I can respect that."
Hades' mouth quirked in a grin, and he turned his stare to the path ahead of them. "Do you always wake up this early to go out jogging?" Hades asked.
"Typically. Mother wakes up early to tend to the gardens, which keeps her busy for a good long while. Gives me an opportunity to escape," Persephone explained, gazing across the lake.
Hades noted her choice of words with interest and some concern, but chose to proceed delicately.
"Demeter has always been a focused and driven woman in the decades that I've known her. She's down-to-earth, both literally and figuratively, which helps balance out the more, shall we say, extreme personalities at Olympus," Hades remarked. He was rewarded with a wry chuckle from Persephone.
"Frankly, I'd be scared to see what would happen to the place if my mom decided to leave or retire. That company thrives on drama. Er, no offense, sir…" Persephone hastily added, mentally berating herself for insulting one of the founders of the company that she worked for. Where did her sense of propriety go, or common sense for that matter? Smooth moves, Persephone.
Hades smirked at her declaration and ensuing embarrassment. If she kept going on like this, her face might match her hair. He was tempted to let her fidget a bit longer, as per his penchant for intimidation and generally messing with people, but he decided to let her off the hook. She was young and impressionable, and seemed like a genuinely good person. There was no need to traumatize the poor girl.
"No offense taken, Persephone. In fact, I quite agree with you. My partners can be quite petulant and childish when the mood strikes them, which is sadly far more often than it should be reasonable for grown adults in charge of a multi-billion dollar corporation. But, somehow we manage to work things out in our own special way, so I don't feel the need to step in and take serious action. Plus, it's quite amusing to watch it all unfold. I am certain that one of these days Hera and Zeus will come to blows, and I would quite enjoy watching Hera give him what for," Hades commented sardonically.
Persephone nearly tripped over herself at his surprisingly candid confession, and she couldn't help but burst out laughing at the mental image of Hera decking Zeus across the jaw and knocking him out. It was a well known fact that Hera and Zeus utterly loathed each other, but it was usually only discussed in hushed tones so as not to draw attention to the fact that their marriage was practically a sham. To hear one of the Big 6 discuss the company's worst kept secret so freely and with humor was shocking, to say the least.
And yet, it worked well to remind Persephone of her earlier thoughts regarding judgments without facts. Hades (and the other Big 6) were in fact human, with their own quirks and flaws. It was easy to forget that when you typically viewed them as "The Boss" and "One Not To Be Messed With Under Any Circumstances." She supposed meeting with Hades outside of work helped significantly. Maybe she should accept those invitations to hang out with Athena and Artemis one evening. She had always been slightly intimidated by them before, but in light of her exposure to this new side of Hades, maybe she would give them a chance and let her worldview be shifted just a bit.
"If that ever does occur, I must politely request you let me know so I may watch, or at the very least record video of it. Wouldn't that make marketing and PR oh so happy?" Persephone quipped after her giggles subsided.
Hades allowed a grin to cross his face. It seemed that his joke had done the trick, easing the embarrassment and tension from Persephone and helping her to view him as someone normal, not just a work superior. There were many who found his particular brand of humor to be too sharp and deadpan for their tastes, but Persephone seemed to not only 'get' him, but was more than willing to reciprocate with a crack of her own. A rare thing, and very enjoyable.
"I am certain that the incident will appear on the Internet the moment it happens, and the tabloids will be utterly shocked at the travesties occurring within Olympus," Hades remarked sardonically.
"Oh, undoubtedly. And I'm certain said video won't have come from the phone of one Mr. Hades, of course," Persephone said with a side glance and a smirk before she caught herself. What was she doing, teasing the boss? Just because he was okay with their talking outside of work didn't mean she could get overly familiar with him. She bit her tongue to prevent anything else from slipping out.
"I couldn't possibly comment on the alleged existence of this so-called 'video', and it certainly was not recorded by my phone. I am obviously the last person who would want proof of Zeus getting what he deserves leaked to the general public, and I am shocked - shocked I say! - to even hear such an accusation," Hades protested with an indignant sniff.
Persephone was relieved to see he wasn't put off by her familiar tone, and in fact was returning it. She never would have guessed he could be so funny. He always seemed so composed and aloof when he was at work. Apparently the old saying about appearances being deceiving was true. Persephone felt herself enjoying their shared camaraderie.
"I completely believe every word you said," Persephone replied with an emphatic nod. The two of them caught each other's eye and grinned knowingly, letting out a chuckle at the silliness of the situation.
They continued along the path, chatting easily with one another as if they had been friends for years. Persephone found Hades to be an excellent conversationalist: intelligent, attentive, witty and observant. So caught up in the conversation was she that Persephone didn't notice they had completed the circuit until Hades slowed to a stop in front of the gates.
"Well, I suppose this is where we part ways," Persephone said with some reluctance, not wanting the morning to end quite yet. It had been very nice, but she knew her mother would finish gardening soon, and she didn't want to get reprimanded.
"Indeed. I quite enjoyed our talk, and hope to continue it. Will you be here tomorrow morning by chance?" Hades inquired.
"Yes! I usually come here every morning if I can. I would love to talk with you again," Persephone replied eagerly.
"Excellent. I look forward to seeing you then," Hades said with a smile and a nod.
Kerberos had been watching the exchange back and forth. He trotted over to Persephone and wagged his tail expectantly. Persephone laughed and knelt down in front of him.
"See you tomorrow, sweetie. Be a good boy, and don't let your silly human boss you around. He's not that tough, I bet you can take him," she cooed as she scratched him behind the ears and gave him a kiss on the head. Kerberos barked happily and gave her a lick on the ear, causing her to squeal and giggle.
"Trying to turn my own dog against me? How diabolical," Hades stated accusingly.
"Says the one who stole my mother's key card," Persephone retorted, rubbing at her ear as she stood up.
Hades gave her a wink. "Allegedly."
Persephone shook her head and sighed.
"See you tomorrow then," she said with a wave.
"Farewell, Persephone," Hades replied with a nod and a smile before he walked away.
Persephone watched them leave the park, two seemingly intimidating personas hiding surprisingly sweet sides. She looked forward to spending more time with them, as well as getting to know Hades better.
With that, she too left the park and headed back home, a small smile on her lips the whole way back.
