Ambrosia (1x1)

After Persephone adjusted herself, she no longer looked dangerously close to tipping too much to one direction and falling and spilling all the water. He didn't press her further with the issue; no need when she could handle herself. He never understood some of the harrassment he'd seen aimed towards women a few times. There was no harm in leaving women alone or letting them do as they wish.

Hades followed right beside Persephone as usual, watching out for her and opening doors to make maneuvering around less risky. The glassed garden was just as it looked the first time he saw it, bright, vibrant and most definitely alive with plantlife and a few buzzing and chirping bugs and hummingbirds. The hustle and bustle of the summer garden months was pretty much at its peak this time of year.

"If you mean the 2 minutes I spent looking around, no, not really. Your company for most of the night was enjoyable, as usual. I'd rather spend an evening alone with you than a bunch of strangers," As he finished his sentence and then thought about it a little, his cheeks suddenly flared red. He didn't mean to sound like he was flirting, just merely the truth, and he was surprised he managed to even say something like that. This comment would probably sound even more like he's a love sick puppy when he springs the idea of marriage. Great.
 
Persephone faltered in her watering at the comment, glancing over to Hades and catching the very obvious flush that coloured his pale skin then looking away immediately feeling her own cheeks colour slightly. She'd enjoyed the time that she had spent alone with him out in the gardens during the first portion of the banquet as well, though saying it aloud sounded much bolder and forthright than she had expected it to. Or maybe it was just the phrasing. Either way she didn't mind, it but what she thought hardly mattered within the lives of kings.

"Well hopefully they don't all seem as much like strangers anymore, I made a few introductions for you though the most of them were likely too drunk to remember much this morning." Persephone replied. The banquet had been in full swing when they had gotten back inside, many of those who had been drinking previously now well past tipsy. "You met my mother, she'll remember in any case. Not a big one for drinking." She added, brow furrowing slightly as she remembered the unsure glances her mother had been giving her the past night and the way she had kept insisting on them leaving the banquet early.

As she moved slowly down the path in order to give all the plants a good dousing of water Persephone soon emptied the watering can, giving it shake for good measure and to make sure that there wasn't anything left in the bottom of it. She set it down on the path next to the leafy plants she had finished watering and stretched her arms, giving the already drying wet spot on her sleeve a shake to help dry it out some more. "And that's the last of the watering for this morning finished." Persephone stretched slightly, rolling her shoulders then relaxing with a sigh.
 
He barely noticed when Persephone glanced back and had her own pair of flushed cheeks, too burned with slight embarrassment by his words to focus exactly on Persephone's features and expression. He was glad she mentioned none of his choice of words, saving him the awkwardness of stumbling over his words to correct himself. He felt like a teenager with their first significant other, awkward and nervous about every word and action to say and do. He was a grown man, a king no less, and here he was, his cheeks red over something stupid he said.

"I'm not that important to know and be aware of; if they remember me or not doesn't matter in the grand scale of things." He looked about the garden as she watered, eyes following a bee covered in pollen as it buzzed about the gardens. "Hope your mother doesn't hate me. I dragged you away quite often. I'm sure she thinks we were messing about," He left 'messing about' a vague statement; she could fill in the blanks, and another stupid mess up would probably make him combust into flames.

He looked to her when she spoke again, and then saw her stretching, and then noticed (again) how pretty she was with a grin on her face and the sun's rays on her skin and immediately looked away. He brushed his hair behind his ear. "Any other duties you need to attend to?"
 
Persephone scoffed at that and rolled her eyes, though the actions and her words that followed were all in good humour. "No, of course not. It's not like you're the King of the North and in turn the High King's older brother. Not that important to be aware of at all." She made a dismissive hand motion before cracking a smile. "She just gets like that sometimes, it's nothing to do with you. Well, I mean I guess it is, but it's nothing against you. She'd just prefer me to spend the night talking with Apollo or one of Zeus' champions, people that she knows and... approves of." She trailed off, looking a bit annoyed for a moment before taking a breath to clear her head, the smile making its way back onto her face. "Not that it matters what she thinks. I love her, but..." A sigh, "Mothers, y'know?"

"Only getting-something-to-eat duty. It's a tough one but someone's gotta do it." Persephone said with a grin, glancing past him and toward the castle. "I was going to grab something from the kitchens. If they haven't started lunch yet there's sure to be things leftover from breakfast." The timing of meals aside, there was almost always fresh bread being baked, getting some cheese and fruit to go along with it was never too difficult either. "I won't be too long if you'd prefer not to be seen bothering the cooks."
 
Hades chuckled softly and shook his head. She did have a point, but its not like he had any power or will to whine to Zeus about some problematic person at a party. It was a waste of time to do so, so why did it matter so much? "She only wants the best for her daughter. I understand that she thinks Apollo is better for you than some guy who stares at snow for most of his life," He said with a simple shrug. He didn't mean to sound so.... down on himself, but it was true. What did he have to boast about that Apollo did? The answer was nothing, absolutely nothing.

"I've nothing better to do, so I don't mind continuing to join you. I haven't eaten anything yet, actually." Hades accidentally had skipped breakfast that day, waking up later than usual. He was glad Zeus didn't send a servant to wake him up just for food, and respected his need to sleep in late. The chance for food now sounded wonderful since he had accidentally forgotten all about it. "I don't think I've been in the kitchens, either, so something new to see is always welcome."
 
"Yes, but Apollo is so..." She made a face, unable to find the proper words to describe her thoughts on the man. "Not to mention that he could have his pick of anyone in Olympus, I doubt I'm all that much to his tastes, he seems to fancy blonds." It wasn't that she didn't like him, he was handsome and had never been anything but kind and charming when she had spoken to him. He knew how to play almost every instrument in Olympus and while he spent a lot of time performing for paying audiences the rest of his time he would play on street corners, not for the tips but because it was what he loved doing. There wasn't a single person in Olympus who didn't like Apollo, and that just might have been the reason that Persephone had never been enthralled by the prospect of being able to speak to or otherwise spend time with him.

Persephone brightened at Hades' answer and reached out to grab one of his hands, her grip loose enough that it wouldn't take more than a gentle tug to break it. "Let's go then! The kitchens are impressive in size but if you've seen one oven you've seen them all. I can almost always convince Minerva - she's one of the bakers - to give me bread fresh out of the oven over the stuff that's been cooling for a while." She pulled lightly at his arm, already heading toward the castle.
 
Hades couldn't say much else on the topic of Apollo. He couldn't exactly recall if he even ever met the guy or if all he knew of him were either rumors or words whispered about amongst gossiping groups. Either way, from what little he knew, he could assume that Apollo and Persephone wouldn't be the ideal couple. They were people who had very different passions, and while it not always is a recipe for disaster to have different interests, at least in the case of those two, it more than likely would be. Hades couldn't see Apollo being a gardening type, even if he tried.

Before he could manage a reply regarding Apollo, Persephone's light grip around his arm surprised him. He could feel his cheeks heating up again and he kept his head held high to try and hide it from her. He didn't pull away from her grip either -- he just accepted it -- but feeling the warmth of her skin seeping into him made the warm weather almost unbearably stifling. Did this have to happen when he plans to bring up marriage to her? Did he really have to become a trainwreck so soon?

He followed in her lead, sort of, as much of a lead as someone tugging another along could be doing. "Nice to know you have some connections," He replied after a moment, keeping pace with her as best he could. Her stride wasn't that as long as his was. "Are you doing anything else today?"
 
"But of course, life's more fun with connections." Persephone replied, a little surprised that he hadn't pulled his arm away but glad at the same time. Compared to her own his skin was cool, though the dark fabric of his clothing was warm, the pigment soaking up the mid day sun. "I've got nothing planned, thought I might head into town later but nothing is set in stone." She said, glancing back over her shoulder at him. It wasn't obvious, but she couldn't help but feel like in the short time they had spent together that day Hades had had something on his mind.

It only took a few minutes for Persephone to lead them through the castle halls and to the kitchens, the trip relatively quick and unhindered by the lack of people wandering the halls. Even though it was noon it wasn't unlikely that most people were still in their rooms with the curtains pulled shut nursing hangovers. Approaching the kitchens the air was filled with the smells and scents of whatever it was that was being prepared for lunch and even dinner that evening. When Persephone reached the open doorway she let go of Hades' arm. "I'll be right back, just wait here a second okay?" She said before turning the corner and weaving through the throng of busy cooks toward Minerva's familiar red kerchief.

A few minutes passed before Persephone was back, hair a little more frazzled from the heat of the kitchens but otherwise not looking any worse for the wear. "Ta-da~!" She triumphantly held up a covered basket to show Hades. She'd convinced Minerva to give her two rolls of fresh bread, some cheese and a capped jug of cold water. There were also three peaches and a small bunch of grapes that she had managed to grab without drawing too many disapproving looks. "Know your way around the castle well enough yet to pick a spot to eat or did you want me to?"
 
He wasn't surprised that she'd head out to town. In a place like Olympus, it was nice to head out into towns and see what there was to offer. He considered joining her, seeing as he also had nothing better to do... but shook the idea away. He'd look peculiar in the crowd, obviously an outsider, and with Persephone clinging to his arm like she was now... he had fear for the rumors. The more he thought of what others would think, the more it bothered him. He never was this kind of person before, but with the weight of what Zeus suggested and his own conflicted feelings, rumors of he and Persephone being a possible item made him uncomfortable for some reason. Maybe it was the idea of being an item with Persephone or his ideas that he didn't deserve her, it was more things that left him distracted from the current moment.

"Not sure if I'd survive the heat in my current attire," He replied, though he knew damn well why he felt so warm all of a sudden. He pushed those thoughts aside once more. It was easier to keep them away when they drifted through the kitchen, the smells and the sights easily keeping his mind busy. When told to wait for a moment, he did so with no issue, other than a soft lingering thought of, 'now that she's gone, I feel cold'. Needless to say it was shoved as far away as he mentally could.

When she came back, he was surprised to see all the food she brought back, neatly arranged in a basket. He for sure knew he was hungry now. But even his hunger couldn't stop him from realizing that he and Persephone having a meal together could be considered romantic; a date, even. He could practically see Zeus cheering him on, and it made his distracted mind worse. He almost struggled to reply at an appropriate time with how consumed he was with his thoughts.

"My options for where to eat would either be my guest room or the gardens." He replied. "Though, if you have any suggestions I'm all ears." Way to go bringing up secluded areas, Hades.
 
Though it was brief this time, Persephone was once again struck with the thought that Hades looked as though he was overthinking something or that there was something that he wanted to say. The furrows between his eyebrows were deeper and while he seemed to glance her way more often, the looks were more hesitant than they had been before.

Carefully shifting the basket so that the handle was looped over her arm Persephone paused to think. "There's a patio but it's usually rather loud in the afternoons and I'm really not dressed to sit there." She said, motioning with her free hand to the simple work clothing she was wearing, the knees of her pants dark with dirt and one of the sleeves of her shirt still damp from where she had splashed herself earlier. "Plus, you're supposed to actually order food there, not sneak it from the kitchens."

With her hands full keeping the basket steady Persephone motioned for Hades to follow this time instead of reaching for his arm, might as well walk and talk rather than linger outside the kitchens and wait to be chastised. "The gardens would be alright, though it's only going to get hotter and I'd feel terribly if you got a sunburn from sitting out there too long." She continued, glancing over at Hades as she spoke noticing that there already seemed to be a bit of colour to his cheeks, most likely from being outside earlier. "I suppose we could just wander around for a bit and keep an eye out for a good spot, I'm in no rush."
 
It was at this moment that Hades felt really stuck. It was a struggle trying not to space out in his thoughts and make a fool of himself by replying 5 minutes later or fail to realize they were going to be walking now. That, paired with the ever looming thought of him having to bring up marriage at some point or another was going to have to happen sooner and sooner. If he wanted to tell her today, he'd have to do it today and stop stalling and thinking it over. At this point Hades could feel that it was obvious something was on his mind, and it was only another push for him to try and just spit it out already.

He followed after Persephone, glad she decided not on a busy and loud patio option. He took a moment before replying, finally getting the motivation to just say it and end his suffering. If he kept prolonging it, the more he'd end up chastising himself.

"Hey, Persephone?" He said, voice a little quieter than normal, hesitent. Oh no. How was he actually going to say this? Say it out right? There wasn't a point in beating around the bush, right? But it was so abrupt and sudden and if he didn't say something soon it'd get awkward. "Uh... Zeus brought something up to me... recently, and I wanted to ask you about it," He continued. Good. That was a good transition. This was a good start, hopefully it could end as well as it kinda started.
 
With Hades having fallen silent since they had begun walking Persephone let her mind wander as they continued through the castle halls, keeping an eye out for a good spot to sit and eat. Normally she would have gone back out to the gardens and sought out some of the other workers to chat with, or just taken the food to eat on her walk back home. It had been nice having Hades as company the past few days, not to mention the fact that there were very few people she knew that she had hit it off with quicker, but it also took some getting used to - having to take his interests and lack of tolerance to the heat and weather into consideration.

"Yes?" Persephone prompted when the pause between his words dragged on a bit long. An eyebrow raised at the mention of Zeus and she slowed to a stop so that she would be able to talk to Hades face to face rather than from the side. She took a minute to wrack her brain for possibilities of whatever it could be that Zeus had brought up that would make Hades look this out of his element. Little came to mind, and it all seemed to be too small of a deal to create this big of an impact. "Sure. Not sure much much help I'll be if it's advice you're looking for but I can try my best."
 
Oh, no. She was thinking he was having some sort of personal dilemma and needed advice or kind words. While it was technically correct, it was also incorrect at the same time. Should he tell her, still, upright about it then? Should he try and describe this situation as if he was planning to sort of suppose to another? Scratch that, terrible idea. It would do him only harm to try and make Persephone think this was about someone else and not her, like it very much was. Facing her and saying this wasn't making all this stupid overthinking any easier either. Her expression was of slight concern and of focus on Hades and whatever it might be that he'd be bringing up. Did she really have to be so considerate and look at him while he had to spit this out?

He cleared his throat and cast his gaze towards the left a little, averting eye contact. Looking into her eyes would guarentee him messing this all up. "It's not advice.. I need, really. It's a sort of different matter," He managed to reply without lengthening the silence too uncomfortably long. He brushed his hair behind his ear, but immediately regretted it. If anything would acceptably hide his face, it'd be his hair. "Zeus... brought up the idea of marriage to me. Last night,"

He was surprised he still wasn't making a fool of himself yet. It wasn't smooth sailing by any means, but it wasn't as bad the more he spoke. It didn't help the lump in his throat or the heavy beating of his heart. He swallowed down the lump as best he could but it was still there, constricting his throat. "He said it might be worth considering... if I uhm.. married you." He continued, mustering up just enough power to look at her. Not in the eyes, but at her. Not knowing how she'd react, it was entirely possible it wouldn't be the best idea to look at her; Persephone could slap him, or her face could contort into one of rage or digust and it wouldn't be something comforting in the least. He had hope she wouldn't react like that, at least from what he knew of her. Still, his stomach was churning and butterflies were fluttering and he felt entirely too uncomfortable at this moment, like he were going to burst at any second.

At least he said it, though.
 
"Marriage?" Persephone echoed, her brows furrowing slightly. Of all of the things Hades could have said that had certainly not been what she had expected. From what she understood and had gleaned just from talking to him both at the banquet the previous night Hades was not married and didn't appear to have any plans to change that in the near future. The fact that Zeus had brought up the idea of marriage to Hades and it had affected him this much suggested that might not be the case though. Maybe he'd met someone, or Zeus was trying to arrange a meeting - though jumping straight to marriage seemed to be a little extreme for a first meeting, she'd heard of it happening before but not too often.

Persephone was brought back from her thoughts when Hades began to talk once more, nodding along politely to what he was saying then freezing as it processed and she realised what he had said. A shocked 'Oh' escaped without her permission and immediately her free hand flew up to her mouth to cover it. "That was- I just- I'm sorry I didn't mean to be rude I just- I wasn't expecting-." She babbled a bit and though her face hadn't been red when Hades had spoken, colour was steadily rising to her cheeks the more she thought about it.

Looking down at the basket that she'd thankfully not dropped with the revelation Persephone attempted to gather her thoughts and calm her racing pulse. She needed to say something better than whatever babbling she'd just managed, but what are you supposed to say to someone who just brought up the idea of marriage to you? This was far from her forte. Not to mention that Hades was a King. It was easy to forget when they were talking, though it had only been a little while that she had known him it had been genuinely enjoyable to talk with him, she looked forward to it even.

When she finally looked up at him and spoke again her voice was small, soft and hesitant. "Are you... Would- Do you actually want to marry me? Or are you just asking because of Zeus..?"
 
Her flustered, baffled and surprised response, nothing explicitly one of anger, disgust or displeasure, was shocking to Hades. He expected something more negative and something that disregarded her normal polite nature to ... smack some sense into him? The more he thought about his expectations and then the reality of her reaction and the situation, it sounded more ridiculous. Sure, he had his fears, doubts and worries regarding this but his assumptions of her reaction really disregarded Persephone's truly kind nature. He felt guilty assuming she'd be so brash and rude, as she's only ever treated him with genuine kindness and respect, and it shows in how she tried to explain her initial and actual reaction.

He let her take her time finding her words and making sense of this. People simply letting their emotions take all control of their words was never smart and only leads to mistakes to be made down the line. Though, it didn't ease how embarrassed and guilty he felt. He was not feeling better about this, but at the same time... it wasn't the worst?

Though, the question she asked of him when she did clear her mind enough to speak again, he was surprised and taken aback. Of all questions, he didn't expect her to ask how he felt about it. Not why, or asking if she could take more time to think this through or really anything but that. His mouth opened and closed several times like a gaping fish, unsure of how to answer at first, if at all. He then looked down and recollected himself like Persephone had. There was no time for vagueness or lies with this question, it seemed.

"Well... I began thinking about it because of Zeus. He didn't pressure me into doing it, it was just a suggestion, but.. I must be honest and say that at first I didn't think I deserved someone as sweet, caring and genuine as you are. I don't have much to offer you, and you would offer me so much. I felt it'd be imbalanced.." He took a moment to exhale, a soft shakey breath, before continuing. "But... I decided that if I asked you about it, and saw if you were willing to marry me, if that's what you wanted, then maybe I will deserve it because you'd chose to take such a step with me. But if you didn't agree or weren't willing, then... we just wouldn't. I was... really just thinking about you and what you wanted, not really myself.."

He took another pause, brushing his hair back with his fingers and he sheepishly looked at Persephone. "It sounds stupider aloud."
 
Persephone returned the tentative smile, still more than a little bit flustered by the whole situation. "It doesn't sound stupid." She replied, with a shake of her head. It didn't, it sounded like he'd taken as much time he could between the previous night and this afternoon to think about it and was still thinking about it even as he was speaking to her at current. Granted, in the larger scheme of things it wasn't very much time but it was more than five minutes at least.

"It's important to think about what you want as well, your opinions and feelings on this matter just as much as mine. I'm flattered that you think that highly of me, but I think you're selling yourself short." She replied, a bit of good natured teasing seeping into her tone. Thinking back to their conversations the night before Persephone couldn't help but let out a laugh. He'd either forgotten how much she had wanted to travel and see the sights and various flora outside of Olympus or didn't believe that she would enjoy it up North as much as she'd insisted. The cold was going to prove to be a bit of an obstacle but she doubted it was going to be as big of a deal as Hades was making it out to be. Not that she was only considering the offer because of the chance to go somewhere she'd never been and see new things, the idea of being able to spend more time with Hades even if only to talk about simple things was just as an attractive a notion.

After a few moments of trying not to get lost in her thoughts and failing Persephone managed to clear her throat and look up at Hades once again. The nervousness she had felt earlier returned in force, though she could see no reason for it to. "I don't know if I can give you an answer right now. There's... A lot of things that I need to think about." Persephone said, finally addressing the question. "I will have one though, I'm not trying to avoid any of this, I just need a few days. If you're alright with that?"
 
With her comment, he was now a bit more lost on how to feel about this. While true they couldn't have a marriage that was reliant entirely on one party whole heartedly wanting the relationship and the other wanting it to because of the other. It made more sense to him, however, to put her first. This wasn't a risky move for him, if anything it'd help him a lot. But for her, it'd mean a change in life style, a change in scenery, a change in station. He valued her opinion more about this as it was carrying more on it than it was for him.

But he'd have to commit to a relationship and marriage all the same. He wasn't doing this for political, economic or social benefit or change, mostly out of a want Zeus pointed out he probably had. A want for a relationship with someone that was close knit and benefitial to both parties. And if he wasn't totally on board with it, then neither could Persephone. She was completely right that he shouldn't neglect his own feelings on the matter.

Thus it came as no surprise that she needed time. He nodded his head, completely understanding. "I still need some time to make sure I can go through with it as well. I never expected an answer straight away, but more of your thoughts on such an idea to begin with," He replied, not minding the time it took for her to reply to the question. "It'd be silly of me to demand an answer when I'm unsure of one myself."
 
"I have a great many thoughts on the proposition, though they're all rather scattered and would sound rather foolish if I voiced them at this moment." Persephone replied, and though her heart still beat fast in her chest she had begun to relax some, falling back into the casual banter that had come so easily between her and Hades their past few meetings. It was a comfort to know that Hades had his own doubts as well, she'd noticed his body language even before he had brought the topic up but there was something about hearing it said aloud that made it feel even more genuine.

A glance down at the basket in her arms had Persephone realising that she was still gripping the handle tightly and having to consciously loosen her hold on it, still able to feel the slight cut of the woven handle in the soft undersides of her fingers even as she did so. As she shifted her grip on the basket the smell of the still warm bread wafted up to meet her and she felt her stomach grumble, thankfully without making any noise. They'd been on their way to find a spot to eat lunch, right.

"Did you still want to find a place to sit and eat?" She asked, lifting the basket slightly. "We could talk more then - about anything of course not just about, ah, what we were just talking about. Though if you want to discuss more I imagine getting some food in me might help to unscatter those aforementioned thoughts."
 
It was nice to finally know Persephone's thoughts on all of this. She seemed positive, for the most part, at least somewhat open to thinking about a marriage, and it was nicer to know that she would consider it. If he really had to chose one person right now to marry, it'd be Persephone. But that wasn't the case, and there was much more important things to be discussed before anything is finalized.

Hades had almost completely forgotten about the food they went through a decent amount of trouble to sneak out the kitchens. No point in letting it go to waste, especially when his hunger was realized and now seemingly more noticeable than before. He wouldn't even dare to think of any objections to her offering to still have a late breakfast together.

"Why would I reject food?" He replied, feeling much lighter now that the burning question was off his chest. It wasn't as stifling as before, but undoubtedly, there was a residual twinge of nervousness still left over. He had to wait for Persephone's thoughts on this. One step at a time, Hades reminded himself. "If you wish to keep talking about a marriage, I have no qualms with that." He continued. "Lead the way, we're still on a hunt for a place to eat."
 
"Good answer." Persephone laughed, one corner of her mouth pulling up into a smile. "Maybe in a bit. In any case, I think I know a good spot. At this rate you're going to know all of my favourite spots in the castle before the week is out." She teased, glancing around to get her bearings before setting off in the right direction. That was likely an overstatement, living in Olympus and being able to visit the castle near constantly she'd found a lot of little nooks and crannies and forgotten or secluded areas that had become favourite spots over the years. It was nice having someone to show them to after all this time though.

Taking the lead Persephone lead them through the castle for another few minutes eventually ending up outside in the gardens again, though this time on the opposite side of the castle facing the west. The 'Festival Gardens', the ones that she had been in when Hades had first arrived and the courtyard with the moonflowers that she had taken him to on the night of the banquet had been on the east. Rather like a courtyard but filled with more greenery the west gardens were notably less extravagant than those in the east. They'd been built when the castle itself had first gone up and as a result were rather small - a reflection of the kingdom before it had flourished and grown. In the middle of the courtyard, accessible by several cobblestone paths in the process of overgrowing, sat a raised platform its roof held up by a dozen intricately carved stone pillars.

Beckoning Hades to follow, Persephone set off down one of these paths toward the structure. "This used to be the patio and gardens before the current patio outbuilding was constructed - the one that I'm not nearly dressed up enough for us to go to. It doesn't see much use nowadays, not to mention that it's usually rather shaded and most people here enjoy being in the sun. This side of the castle is really not the best place for a garden." She climbed the steps of the raised platform and set the basket down on one of the few remaining tables that were right side up, having to look around a moment before she was able to locate two unbroken chairs to bring over to the table so they could sit. "Eventually I suppose that they'll put walls up and it will be used for storage or something similar but I like it the way it is right now."
 
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