Hade's Rose

Chapter 31: Steak and Yoghurt

We sat in companionable silence for a moment. The sun had begun to drift lower in the sky, casting shadows and dusky warmth across the garden; the blooms were tilted towards the light, absorbing the last few rays the sun had to offer.

"I don't have much time for hobbies, but I like to read when I can: philosophy, history, some fiction but not much. I don't like vegetables, but I will eat them to be polite at dinner events I have to attend. My perfect meal would simply be steak and yoghurt on repeat." Hades spoke, breaking the silence. He was looking at me, smiling slightly and looking relaxed.

"Pardon?" I asked, unsure of what all this information was for.

"You said you didn't know me - I'd like you to know me. And, I'd like to get to know you."

I snorted, unladylike, "I thought you had everything found out about me already? I have precious little I could surprise you with."

Hades didn't seem put off, but grinned "I think you will always be able to surprise me Rose."

Unsure of how to respond to his flirting, I snorted again and leant back against my chair to reposition myself. "Steak and yoghurt on repeat huh?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"What's not to love about steak and yoghurt?" Hades pretended to sound wounded, whilst squeezing my hand affectionately.

"I'd just get bored - I'm not even a particularly big meat eater when it comes to it." I admitted, smiling at the randomness of our conversation.

"Now that is sacrilege; the Wolf community will never accept you now." Hades laughed, but his words struck a chord within me and I grimaced.

"I doubt they'd accept me if all I ate was meat," I said, frowning as I spoke.

Hades pursed his lips, thinking carefully before he spoke, "Regardless of what you might think, people are excited to meet you: human and Wolf alike. I doubt they'd care if you had twelve toes or four ears, wolf-people will appreciate you simply for being their Luna."

"That's hardly reassuring," I replied, speaking honestly. The thought of 'meeting' anyone as Luna seemed no small thing; inviting Ida to a tea party with Cleo was the height of my diplomacy. "Please accept that I am not people-oriented - the thought of huge crowds makes my skin crawl and goosebumps break out. The most fun I have had all week was pruning these bushes to recover from tea with Cleo."

Hades idly played with my fingers; the sun had dropped lower in the sky, deepening the shadows in the quad. "I think I'd need more than tea to recover from Cleo," he eventually said, surprising me and causing me to laugh.

"I'm serious," I said, gently slapping his arm.

Hades hummed, "So am I," chuckling as I rolled my eyes. "You remind me of my grandmother, you know." He admitted, speaking more softly now.

"Vivian?" I asked, thinking back to Edna's conversation.

"Yes," Hades looked surprised that I knew her name so readily, "she'd have liked you. She was quiet, but feisty when pushed. She didn't care about being in the spotlight; I'll always remember being read stories by her and going on walks to collect feathers and leaves to make our own windchimes." His voice had turned soft with nostalgia; the picture of a small Hadrian with feathers seemed so disconnected from the mature frame he beheld now.

"She sounds lovely," I admitted, feeling touched that he'd compare me to such a precious member of his family.

"She was. You are." Hades said, at which I turned my head away.

"I'm really not. If I was lovely I wouldn't have pushed you out of my life and given you no choice about the matter." I said, refusing to be romanticised. Even if it was painful to admit, I would no longer hide from the truth.