Flowers and Darkness

Chapter 15

I fiddled around my spiced tomato rigatoni pasta, using one of many forks placed beside me. I looked around the large dining room and down the rest of the long, dark oak table, wondering to myself who would actually dine with him.

I was glad for the distance between us both.

     "Vi...what's wrong? You haven't tried your food. I know it's your favourite."

"I'm not hungry." I muttered, looking down at my plate.

"You have to eat something." He dropped his fork and frowned. "I can have the chef make you something else."

"I said I'm not hungry." I muttered again, slightly louder.

"Tell me, what do you want to eat?" He said, ignoring me.

I dropped my fork loudly on the plate and stood up, my chair making a loud screeching sound as I did so.

"I'm not hungry!" I shouted, my composure shattering. "Why am I here Dean? Why the hell am I here?!"

My eyes watered, but I swallowed hard to try to keep them falling.

It didn't work. As many gulps I tried to swallow, as much as I tried to hold my breath or bite my tongue to keep the sob in, it was released.

I was left standing up at the end of the dining table, staring at Dean and sobbing as he looked over at me.

Whimpers were flowing freely from my throat and I felt 5 years old again.

"I want to go home Dean," I cried.

I was crying so hard that I didn't even realised when he had come over and held me in his arms as I continued on sobbing.

I felt numb.

Although maybe I wasn't. Maybe I liked being in his arms. As alien as he was right now, he also felt like home.

I rubbed my face deeper into his chest, trying to shamelessly dry my tears on his shirt. His arms only wrapped around tighter and more secure.

As an adult, stood in a grand dining room and wearing a beautiful gown, I felt like I was making a scene and being dramatic. Like I had no reason to be upset. Even though I have the most reason to be.

"Close your eyes," he whispered in my ear as he softly rubbed circles on my back. It felt good and comforting. I leaned in closer.

His words silky and sweet like honey entered through my ears and lulled me into his embrace.

If even possible I leaned in even closer. My head fitting into the crook of his neck and his arms protectively tightening over me.

"Close your eyes," he repeated.

I nodded, closing my eyes. My sobs, soothing into hiccups.

I could feel the temperature change before I had even opened my eyes. It felt warmer than the big dining room. I opened my eyes and took a step back to see the bedroom I had woken up in.

I opened my mouth to ask how we got here, but quickly shut it. He's Hades. Of course he could teleport us here.

He took a step towards and me and took hold of my hands. It felt warm and nice. But whatever spell he previously had on me was now broken.

I snatched my hands back and hugged them to my chest.

For a moment he felt like home. He felt safe. He felt like Dean. But he's not home, or safe or the boy I've grown up. He's so much more. He's Hades.