Hurt/Comfort 2022

[acequeenking]

Dear hurter and/or comforter,

Thank you for writing or drawing for me! I am looking forward to seeing whatever you create! Feel free to go where the spirit moves you. Whether it be something sad, scary, fun, or just plain weird, as long as it avoids my DNW I am always down to play.

I consider all prompts optional. If none of my prompts work for you or you’d rather just work with a likes list, please feel free to ignore my prompts entirely.

For those looking to write treats: I am always open to treats of any format!

Likes:

+Genre/Narrative Likes:

• 5 Times/Five Things
• Canon-Divergent AUs e.g. "What if Character A went left instead of right?"
• Darkfic, including bad-guys-win and character death
• Epistolary/Found Documents Fic
• In-World (fiction or nonfiction) articles/stories
• First time(s)/ Last Time(s)
• Hurt/ Comfort
• Metafiction/ Interactive Fiction
• Past Third, Present Third, Second or First Person Perspective(s)
• Third Person Narration/ "Different Points of View" (e.g. Char A observes Char B & Char C)

+ Favorite Kinks and Tropes:

• Arranged Marriage
• Bad guys win / Villain Victorious
• Body horror
• Came Back Wrong/resurrection tropes
• Changing Sides
• Characters who say "I love you" in their actions without actually saying/being able to say "I Love you" in their words
• Complicated Relationships
• Conflicted Loyalties
• Desperate kisses and embraces
• Domestic scenes
• Doomed relationships
• Dystopias
• Eldritch/Eerie things
• Experienced/Inexperienced partnerships
• Fake Marriage/dating
• Fluff/moments of happiness
• Forbidden/Star-Crossed Relationships
• Gender fluidity/experimentation
• Generational Divide/complications in May/December relationships
• Ghosts or other spooky/supernatural occurrences
• Gods being inhuman/unusual
• Grey Morality
• Hurt/Comfort in pretty much any form
• Irreconcilable differences leading to conflict between lovers (but not an absence of love)
• Jealousy
• Lovers caught on opposite sides of a conflict
• Loyalty Kink
• Lust/UST/Pining
• Mindfuckery - the more twisted the better
• Mission/Case fic
• Misunderstandings
• Myths/legends/cultural traditions
• Non-Canon exploration of Character's Gender
• Non-Penetrative sex
• Non-verbal communication and quiet intimacy
• Outsider POV
• Penetrative Sex
• Pyrrhic victories
• Physical recovery from injury
• Playing with danger, e.g. a character being able to hurt another but not doing so (despite them both knowing they could);I also love this being subverted (e.g. known bad-ass A has to be rescued by not-so-badass B)
• Politics
• Possessiveness
• Power differences
• Power play
• Pregnancy, including alien/unusual pregnancy
• Protectiveness
• Redemption being complicated and not easy
• Rule 63/Gender swapping from M to F for one or more requested characters
• Relationships bringing out the worst in one another
• Shows of trust and intimacy
• Snippets of long-term relationships at different points in the relationship
• Trapped in a snowstorm/earthquake/etc
• Trust kink
• Unhappy and/or complicated endings
• Unhealthy Relationships and/or Codependency
• Unreliable narrator
• World-building

+ Smut-Specific Likes:

• Aftercare
• Anal sex
• Bathing
• Body worship
• BDSM
• Blowjob(s)
• Breathplay/Chokeplay
• Cunnilingus
• Dubcon
• First Time/Losing Virginity
• fail!sex or humorous sex
• Fem-Dom
• M!Dom
• Pegging
• Porn with plot/porn as a character exploration
• PiV sex
• Pregnancy/Impregnation kink
• Quickies/Sex in Public Places/Situations
• Ritual(istic) Sex
• Rough sex
• Sex Pollen
• Sex on tables/desks/chairs/other furniture
• Switching/Reversal of top/bottom dynamic
• Shows of total trust
• Size kink
• Slow and tender sex
• Tending to another's scars/cuts/etc
• Voyeurism
• Xeno or other kinds of "unusual" sexual organs (I am up for anything here: tentacles, burrs, cloacae, whatever)

+ Art-Specific Likes:

• Atmospheric glimpses of a scene
• Costume Redesigns (especially for characters who are clotheshorses)
• Cuddles, kisses, and other displays of affection
• Family/couples/friends portraits or snapshots
• Limited pallets (black and white, two-toned, etc)
• Unusual viewpoints (e.g. not seeing someone head-on/three-quarters)
• Views that tell a story by what they hide as much as what they reveal - eg, a smut scene illustrated by two characters' hands and nothing else)

Do Not Want:

• A/B/O
• Character Bashing
• High School/College/Coffee Shop/Mundane AU
• Extremely Detailed Descriptions of Gore (Canon-Typical is fine)
• Prepubescent Characters in Sexual Situations
• Scat/Urine/Vomitplay

Fandoms:

Hadestown - Mitchell

Hades/(hurt) Eurydice (Fanart, Fanfiction)

I'm always fascinated by Hades and Eurydice's relationship; while I love the light interpretation of it with Hades just offering her a job, I also love the darker interpretation of their sexual relationship and really love the hurt/comfort aspects of it. They have this weird vibe where Hades unquestionably has power over her to the point of any sexual relationship being borderline dub-con, but also there's no one who understands him like she does, especially post-turn. I love them being messy together and I'm all for the messiest, unhealthiest relationship here. With Eurydice I really love exploring how she finds her way in Hadestown, with its King; whether before Orpheus comes or post-Doubt Coming In, I really want to see how she grows -- and how traumatized she may get. Or perhaps there are comforts in being with such a man, even if not as his primary partner?

Character A ruins B's other relationships so B has to turn to them for comfort: One thing I'm always fascinated by is how intensely ALONE Hades and Eurydice both are in the underworld; the workers are shown to basically only repeat Hades' thoughts, and Eurydice's reaching out to them is rejected. Hades is obviously mad for attention, hence bringing Persephone and then Eurydice -- and then after Orpheus looks back, well, there they are again. I'm fascinated by either interpretation here: did Hades know Orpheus would fail, giving Eurydice hope of being reunited and living once more in the world above, only to snatch it away? Or is Eurydice going to ruin his relationship with Persephone, so at least she won't be waiting alone?

Character more traumatized by survival sex than they expected: I'm leaning heavily on the dub-con interpretation of Hades/Eury here, where Eurydice's consent is given wholly in mind with her own survival...and whether she survives the situation in the office (or in Hadestown in general) is pretty dubious. I'd love to know just WHAT went on in there, and what weighs down on Eurydice: how bizarre is it to have sex with a death god? Did she survive it? Is a part of her always there? Go big, go weird, go horror, and know I'll be there with socks on.

Cheating characters feel guilty about infidelity; comfort each other: Hades and Eurydice are so isolated in the underworld and in a non-loop interpretation of the ending, I can see them falling into a long-term affair during the months where Persephone is away. I'm really curious about how that would go, especially given the differences between their stations (and honestly even more dubious consent because the show is fairly explicit that the workers lose their ability to remember much RAPIDLY and most repeat Hades' desires and wishes) and the difference in their relationships. How would they feel about it? Would Persephone know? Orpheus? What are the rules here, and what comfort can they offer one another?

Dub/Noncon - Comforter assumes they are owed sex in return for comfort: Hades traditionally isn't someone who understands consent real well (though the Hadestown version clearly does, which is one of many fascinating differences in character from his more traditional form), and I can understand him feeling he's owed a sexual relationship for what he provides. I can also see Hades, being a god, being felt owed worship (sex or otherwise) in ways that clash with (more) modern mortal understanding. How does Eurydice feel about this? How does he signal this expectation? What happens?

Dub/Noncon - Hurt character thinks they can't say no to sex: Similar to the above, I think Eurydice has a major disadvantage coming into this relationship because not only is she a mortal while Hades is a god, but she is also someone who is much, much less powerful or wealthy. I really am curious how this attitude might come into the fic; even if she doesn't want to, does she feel compelled to invite Hades to have a sexual relationship? Is it him taking the lead, and her (hesitantly) picking up on it? How do events happen after?

Dub/Noncon- A agrees to sex because they think B expects it: Similar to the above; on broadway, the staging is kind of explicit where Hades is opening his jacket and loosening his tie before he goes into the office with Eurydice. While you can argue Hades might just be doing this as a front with his wife, I feel like this sends a message to Eurydice as well. How does Eurydice see this? Does she think he expects it? Or turning it the other way around, is Hades surprised that she takes his fronting seriously? Who would initiate?

Dubcon - character offers sex to bargain or for a bet; doesn't expect to actually have to pay up: Again, with Eurydice, I think you can see her interpreting Hades' more romantic overtures as not-so-much so, because he is generally very careful to couch them in terms of economic prospect (Hey little songbird/you got something fine/you'd shine like a diamond/down in the mines). So I can see her thinking that he is just naturally flirtatious, only to wind up basically cold-cocked by a sudden much more insistence on something more...transactionally romantic in nature. How does one deal with that?

Gods messing with character for their amusement: Hades is a god and gods are not human, and I deeply love portrayals of how Gods do not necessarily see humans as...well, important. Hades seems to really lock in on Eurydice from the moment he sees her - Kevyn! Hades watches her from the veranda, and Patrick! Hades locks in on her in chant - and select her as his little canary. I'd love to get into Hades' mindset about WHY this girl, and what he wants from her. Why does her hurt call out to him? Is it her prayers for shelter and harbor? Is it just that Persephone knew her? What does he do with her after canon?

Reincarnation - dealing with hurt from previous reincarnation: One alternate theory I like about the time loops is that the Orpheus and Eurydice who meet at the end are NOT the same Orpheus and Eurydice as we met in the beginning, but another young couple similar to our Orpheus and our Eurydice, perhaps even reincarnations of our Orpheus and Eurydice. So what happens if you are the new Eurydice, and you keep having nightmares about a past you? What happens if you meet the dude who you see in those nightmares -- and he very much exists?

Sex to forget horrible situation for a short time: I think by the end of canon Hades and Eurydice are both trapped in the same hell, literally and figuratively: separated from their lovers, living in their work with no end in sight. I couldn't blame them for seeking comfort in one another, but I'm curious who would initiate and what that comfort might look like.

Sexual assault: victim acts like nothing happened right up until eventual breakdown: Eurydice seems to be someone who really does try to keep putting herself forward and keeping her head down, trying to stay alive in a complicated situation. But I think what happens to her in canon possibly is incredibly so many bad knocks in so short a time: she becomes desperate and starving, she goes to the underworld and may be dub-coned/def is kind of murdered??? by Hades, and then she gets hope for regaining her life back with Orpheus only to be turned on again, and all of this happens in surely no more than a few days/weeks. How does Eurydice handle it when she realizes just all that's happened to her?

Wealthy/powerful character delighted to play sugar daddy for their previously-deprived partner: I think gifts are def Hades' love language and it's something that he offers his romantic partners as a means of kind of bribing them to stay with him. While I don't think he treats Eury as a long-term partner, I think that could change post-canon when they're both trapped in the underworld. I'd love to see a sort of shopping scenario, and Eurydice just coldly realizes just how different they are, economically. Is she thankful of these gifts? Resentful?

Working through religious trauma with sex: Honestly, I am just curious about Eurydice's religion and how sex plays into it. I feel like she's got more than a little religious trauma in the world she believes in - lighting belief candles for Gods high on their own bullshit who don't really care about her - and working it out through sex honestly doesn't seem like the worst plan. Hades seems to crave worship and I'm really curious how he might help her work through her trauma - especially in this way.

(hurt) Hades/Eurydice (Fanart, Fanfiction)

I'm always fascinated by Hades and Eurydice's relationship; while I love the light interpretation of it with Hades just offering her a job, I also love the darker interpretation of their sexual relationship and really love the hurt/comfort aspects of it. They have this weird vibe where Hades unquestionably has power over her to the point of any sexual relationship being borderline dub-con, but also there's no one who understands him like she does, especially post-turn. I love them being messy together and I'm all for the messiest, unhealthiest relationship here. I really love exploring how Hades gets hurts by this messy affair; he has the most to lose in it, and I think by the time of His Kiss, the Riot, he's gotten ahold of that notion himself. How does he handle things, when Orpheus is gone, and the songbird and himself remain behind?

BDSM - Dom feels guilty about enjoying their sub's pain: Hades is a god and it strikes me that he isn't that good about learning human limits or even particularly caring if humans have them. He struggles with his feeling bad about being aggressive with Persephone but until Eurydice, he doesn't really have another outlet. But I can see Eurydice volunteering to be that other outlet, especially if he compensates her well in some other way. So I would love to see something where Eurydice is taking the physical pain, but Hades is inflicting his own emotional pain, and it's fucked up but she has to comfort him as much as she's being comforted by him, and it's a punishment and balm to them both, and messy af.

Boss hurt in front of subordinates: The workers seem to mostly echo Hades' thoughts and don't seem actually able to act on their desires too much. I can't imagine they're much use in an emergency, like say the boss getting hurt in front of the workers. In fact, given how Shades tend to view blood in the Oddysey (as highly desirable), it might even be dangerous for him. Why does Eurydice intercede? How does she help him? Is Hades aware of the help? Does he reward her in any way?

Character A and Character B both feel guilty for failing one another: Hades and Eurydice are so isolated in the underworld and in a non-loop interpretation of the ending, I can see them falling into a long-term affair during the months where Persephone is away. I'm really curious about how that would go, especially given the differences between their stations (and honestly even more dubious consent because the show is fairly explicit that the workers lose their ability to remember much RAPIDLY and mostly repeat Hades' desires and wishes) and the difference in their relationships. How would they feel about it? Would Persephone know? Orpheus? What are the rules here, and what comfort can they offer one another?

Character A Doesn’t Know How To Help Hurt B Because Of Their Nonhuman Biology: I love stories of the gods that have them being very different biologically from humans -- and I'm really interested in seeing an exploration of that with Eurydice. Does Hades not understand her hunger, because he has never been hungry? Does he not understand the concept of death to humans, despite being the god of the dead? Any exploration of their biological systems being fundamentally unable to be understood by one another would be fantastic.

Character A ruins B's other relationships so B has to turn to them for comfort: Listen, if there's one thing that Eurydice has power with over Hades, its that I think she can ruin his relationship with Persephone, who is the only other relationship Hades has that he really cares about. She might not be able to remember much, but I think she can force Persephone to know about everything that went on "behind closed doors" and I think Hades is so isolated he'd still have to turn to her despite disliking that she did that.

Character does not fight back due to guilt of past behavior: Honestly, I could see this becoming a physical confrontation, especially on Eurydice's part: he's done her wrong twice now, first by taking her to the underworld and whatever happened in his office and again by allowing Orpheus to leave (and knowing, likely, that the boy would turn). I can see Eurydice coming back down in such grief she would wind up wailing on him - if he doesn't do anything bu take it, does it even hurt him? does it affect his standing? What comes after?

Cheating characters feel guilty about infidelity; comfort each other: Hades and Eurydice are so isolated in the underworld and in a non-loop interpretation of the ending, I can see them falling into a long-term affair during the months where Persephone is away. I'm really curious about how that would go, especially given the differences between their stations (and honestly even more dubious consent because the show is fairly explicit that the workers lose their ability to remember much RAPIDLY and most repeat Hades' desires and wishes) and the difference in their relationships. How would they feel about it? Would Persephone know? Orpheus? What are the rules here, and what comfort can they offer one another?

Pain of past behavior causes immense guilt in character A: Hades knows he did her wrong. Hades sees her on the line, and the problem is, he remembers her a lot more than she remembers him. How do you handle guilt when the other person doesn't remember a lot, and what they do remember makes them terrified of you?

Reincarnation - dealing with hurt from previous reincarnation: I read a fanfic ages ago with Hades and Persephone from Hadestown being reincarnations of the classical Hades and Persephone and having SOME but not all the memories of those times and I'd really love to see this with just Hadestown Hades, where even the gods reincarnate and he remembers flashes of the songbirds but not enough to know how the story turns out every time. How does he handle that pain? How does he handle knowing he's doomed so many people through time? How does he handle knowing things with Persephone seemingly always get this bad?

Tormented by guilt over sleeping with someone you shouldn't have slept with: I feel like Hades and Persephone getting better is wholly possible but there is always one big glaring problem and that problem is Eurydice. Who is still...in the underworld, unless something changes. And Hades has to see her every day, and Persephone six months out of every 12. So -- how on earth do they get past that, when that physical reminder is there? And how on earth does Eurydice feel about knowing the boss on that level, when they never should have been together like that, and doing so cost her everything?

Hades/(hurt) Persephone (Fanart, Fanfiction)

I really love how these two can be so very mean and yet make up so very well. These two are perhaps the best possible people on earth at hurting and healing one another, and I really love soaking up the feels in both of those scenarios. I'm always particularly interested in exploring Persephone's addictions and their sex life (and Hades' near obsessiveness about their sex life), but I also love seeing the lighter moments of their courtship. They break up well, they make up well, and I love to see it.

Accidental Soulbond - distance and lack of touch and regular sex causes characters pain and illness: Soulbonds to me are so interesting when they're used in something like this, where the characters have an enforced six-month separation but it can make them ill or hurt them. How do Hades and Persephone's soulbonds manifest? When did they realize it was hurting them? Is there anything they can do to make it easier?

Altered States - Drug Use (Recreational): I'm always fascinated by Persephone's drug use and the other character's reactions to it in canon. I think it's a relatively novel thing that a goddess would want to have altered consciousness and I'm always curious about how this impacts her relationship with the other characters. I think it's pretty clear Hades resents her for it, and I'm curious how that came to happen. What sort of things has he experienced with her and her addiction?

Altered States - Drugged Into A State Of Confusion and Fear: I feel like Persephone is a bit of a risk-taker as far as her drug use and unfortunately for Hades, he is the one stuck with it a lot. I would love to see something where he has to calm her down in a situation where she isn't being logical, and she might say or do something that is a bit Too Far -- but because she isn't sober, she isn't sure what she said/did, and Hades isn't telling her, but there are clear signs that whatever it was was hurtful. How do they manage to move on? Does she resent him for his attitude? Does he resent her for hers?

BDSM - comforted by nonsexual submission: I feel like Persephone has a bit of a power fetish in that I think she revels a little bit in being able to wrap Hades around her pinkie. She absolutely does seem to be charmed by him when he's performing acts of submission: holding out his hand for her, kissing her hands in pleading, handing her her bag on tour, etc. I feel like him performing those acts really does bring her comfort, but I'd love to see how this happens. Is this how he makes up for Eurydice? Is this how they patch things up post-canon? Is this a common way he atones for Hadestown or for bringing her early? How does that act of submission by such a big god make her feel?

Character A gently bathes hurt B (turns sexual): I feel like these two really do turn sexual at the drop of a hat, and it doesn't take much kindness shown from one on the behalf o the other to do that. I think a bath would be sexy and I'd love to see Hades helping her in the bath and then spoiling her in, hm, different ways. I really love to see them using sex to resolve arguments.

Character uses ill-advised/unsafe sex as a substitute for other addiction(s):  Persephone seems like someone who has a lot of unhealthy addictions and I don't imagine sex isn't one of them. She and Hades are made for one another, even when they're mad at one another -- so what happens when mama runs out of her drug of choice and the underworld is still boring and full of stiffs? Does Hades catch on to what she's using him for? Who gets hurt by this? Can either of them go through with it when they realize that sex is just a substitute for something she's craving more?

Comforter is the one who caused the hurt: Hades is someone who seems pretty sharp-tongued and pretty willing to absolutely salt the earth to win an argument. Persephone on the other hand seems a lot more sensitive, and I can't see where that doesn't lead to Hades comforting her when she's upset over something he said or did. What does that comfort look like?

Drug Withdrawal: Persephone is someone who has been on the high/low cycle for a while ("when you're up you're up, and brother when you're down you're down..."). I can't imagine that she hasn't tried to quit the drugs before, especially when it's very clear Hades doesn't' approve all that much of her taking her "medicines". I'd love to see one of those attempts -- especially if it winds up ultimately unsuccessful.

Gentle Sex While Still Sore From Painful Sex: I feel like these two are def aggro on sex and not afraid to hurt one another in sex...but might regret it a bit when they see the scars from it. I would love to see Hades and Persephone having aggro sex, and then gentle sex later on, when they're still recovering. How does Hades make it up to her? What sort of scars does she bear?

Healing Sex: Post-canon, these two have been through a lot. I would love to see some H/C where Hades tries to make up for a very long and very, at times, unhappy marriage with a strong bit of gentle healing sex. What does it look like, trying to make an effort after all this time? Does it make a positive change, or does it is just a moment in sweetness before the bitter comes rushing through?

Hurt/sick character isn't quite lucid: I am always sick for a hurt/comfort where the character isn't quite all there, so to speak. How does Persephone wind up not quite all there? How does Hades handle it?

Normally Intimidating A Is Surprisingly Gentle When Taking Care Of Hurt B: Hades is, frankly, a solid brick fuckstick of a man. He moves like a predatory and it's hot but I'm always a sucker when that type gets gentle, and I want to see him pick up Persephone and take care of her. How did she get hurt? Does he resent having to take care of her? In what ways does he get to take care of her?

Pity Sex to Comfort the Person Who's in Love With You: He loves her. Loves her in ways where it is not enough, that six-month split, but she's trying to keep him hers. I would love to see some desperate pity sex, whether it's when he drags her home early or when she pays a visit/makes him pay a visit early. What does it look like? Does he ever catch on it's pity sex, and if so, does he get hurt by that?

Reincarnation - dealing with hurt from previous reincarnation: Similar to Hades and Eurydice, I'm fascinated by the thought that the story repeats and Persephone, even as a god, repeats with it but never knows full details. What does it look like to her? What does she remember? Do her memories bring her and Hades closer together -- or tear them further apart?

Sex to forget horrible situation for a short time: Hadestown is a hell of a place, run by a hell of a man, but sometimes Persephone can almost forget it when he puts his hands on her. Almost.

Sick/hurt character doesn't often show vulnerability (so it's a big deal when they do): Persephone seems like someone who deflects with humor most of the time, and she can't show vulnerability too much. So when she does, how does Hades react? How does he comfort her, if he does? Does she regret the honesty, or is she glad she showed him her "true" feelings? 

Touch-Starved Character Having Overwhelming Tender Long Foreplay First Time Sex: I feel like Persephone and Hades fell head over heels young and were like the only thing in the universe for one another. I'd like to see something where it's just two lonely characters finally coming together and finding someone who makes them feel more complete. How do you handle touch when it's the first time someone who isn't your mom has ever touched you?

wealthy/powerful character delighted to play sugar daddy for their previously-deprived partner: I feel like gifts are Hades' love language and he takes advantage of being one of the more wealthy gods in his relationships quite a bit. What does that look like for Hades and Persephone? Does she like being spoiled? Does she resent it? What does he buy her and why does he do it? Does he get the reaction he wants?

Hades (Video Game 2018)

Hades/(hurt) Persephone (Fanart, Fanfiction)

Persephone's story just breaks my heart in Hades. She's an abused child with her mother, who falls in love with Hades, himself no less deep into that cycle of abuse. I feel like poor Persephone goes through a LOT in Hades literally and figuratively: loses her family, gains a new family, loses her son, runs away, and of course the events of the game themselves. I really would love to see any focus on her; given her role in the game, it makes sense we don't get to see a lot of her story, but I am absolutely dying to see more of it.

A is abused by family; B notices and tried to help: I feel like Hades recognizes the signs of abuse, even if he's in some ways powerless to stop himself from becoming an abuser just as his father was. (Or perhaps does not realize that he's fallen into that trap). I feel like this is a lot of the reason that Hades consented to her being in the underworld, despite his reticence to accept Zeus' plot -- how does she react when she finds out this might be his reason for her coming to him?

Abused by parental figure: similar to the above, I feel like Hades and Persephone both had a lot of (emotional) parental abuse. I have to assume this came up at some point, and I'm really curious how it did -- neither seems good at talking about their issues. How did it come out? What is the other's reaction? How do they feel when they realize, later on, that they've also made mistakes that can't be taken back?

Anxiety over pregnancy that should be impossible: Hades isn't supposed to be able to have children...but Zagreus happened. And I feel like both of them have to have a lot of panic about it; do they both want the baby? How do they try to assure themselves that everything will be okay? How do they handle it when it doesn't quite work out the way they hoped?

BDSM - comforted by nonsexual submission: Hades is an absolute mountain of a god-man here, and Persephone is so itsy-bitsy. I cannot imagine she isn't awed by him submitting to her, especially with how proud Hades is. Why does he decide to submit? How does she feel about it?

BDSM - Submission as seeking protection/sanctuary from harm; dominance as offering it: Again, Persephone is so small, but I can see her submitting as a way of submitting. I'm obsessed with what happened pre-canon when Hades and Persephone get together despite all the reasons it's a bad idea to, and combining that with BDSM seems to make a lot of sense in this universe, with this Hades so very, very bound by rules.

Character A comforts Character B when they feel insecure about their role as parent to A's child: I feel like Hades knows Persephone is three thousand times the parent he is, and while he is not a comforting type, he might be painfully honest about this in a way that might make her realize that for all the time she was absent, she is still able to make it up and honestly probably is already Zagreus preferred parent between her and Hades (and probably tied with Nyx).

Dealing With An Abusive Parental Figure Coming Back Into Your Life: I want all the stories/images of how Persephone reacts to Demeter, post-canon. Demeter was left in the dark in a lot of ways, and I think it's awful awkward for them to realize suddenly just what has happened. I really need all the stories/art about how Persephone feels about her, how Demeter tries to make up for her childhood (or doesn't!), and how they handle her marriage.

Difficult Pregnancy/Endangered pregnancy: Putting these two together since they are rather similar, but I love the idea of Persephone having this difficult/risky pregnancy but both of them know it's such a miracle shot that they can't quite give up the fantasy that it'll all go alright. Give me all the H/C with Hades comforting her, despite how badly we know it ends.

Difficult Relationship With A Parental Figure: Honestly I feel like this could go for either of them, but again I just want Persephone and Hades to discuss the relationships Persephone has with her family. She's somewhat unique in this canon for being the daughter of a mortal and a titan, and I'd love to see how that changes their relationship: is Hades interested in her mortal half? Repelled? What's his reaction to her relationship with Demeter?

Immortal character(s) being comforted by their family: Persephone goes through hell in this canon and she deserves a big hug from her entire family. Even the dog. Perhaps especially the dog. Just big hugs for the prodigal wife/mother/daughter.

Materially deprived character experiences small comforts/pleasures for first time: I feel like Demeter's line fearing she wasn't nice to Persephone has so many horrible suggestions to it. As the daughter of a mortal and a goddess that seems unable to stop herself from freezing everyone and everything out, I feel like Persephone probably didn't grow up with much. Hades, obviously, doesn't count money as a problem, so how does he see Persephone's shock when he gives her small comforts/pleasures that she hasn't experienced before?

Missing Family: I'd be interested in this for Persephone missing Demeter/Olympian family while in the underworld or missing Hades/Zagreus/Nyx/Cerb while she's on top. Persephone spends so much time alone and hiding and I feel like if nothing else she's done a ton of reflection on her relationships. I'm curious just how she felt there, because she seems to long for others but also doesn't seem to feel like seeking them out, so clearly something was stopping her prior to Zagreus showing up and acting as the catalyst?

'Platonically' comforting a family member you secretly have romantic feelings for: I am very curious what led Persephone to be interested in Hades and vice-versa, and I think a lot of it may have been comfort. Both have had very rough lives, and both clearly struggle with being seen as worth loving. I think Persephone was desperate to leave Olympus by any means necessary and Hades was not someone who was going to take a pity wife...until he realized said pity wife from Zeus was really quite lovely in her own ways. I am really curious about how that platonic became romantic, and even though these two seem very reticent to talk about much, I can't imagine that they didn't comfort one another at all because really, they seem to be the only two who could understand one another. I think for Persephone that is very new, and I'm curious how this conversation would have gone down.

Touch-Starved Character Having Overwhelming Tender Long Foreplay First Time Sex: I can't see Persephone as someone who had been touched a lot on Olympus; her cousins don't seem to notice her much (or even that she's missing), and Demeter comes across as so very cold. I think her first time with Hades probably was her first time, but even if not, almost certainly the first time that she had someone who cared that much about her pleasure. (And, I mean, look at the size of the man; long foreplay is not optional here.) I'd really love to see tender smut about that first experience -- or maybe the first time back, after twenty years (at least!) of being out in her little hut over on the surface.

(Hurt) Hades/Persephone (Fanart, Fanfiction)

Hades is one of my favorite characters in Hades; I feel like he is the perfect mix of absolutely awful bastard that you 100% understand Zagreus leaving and also someone who feel sympathy for, seeing how he was abused and went on to abuse his child. He's obviously not in a good psychological space for most of the game, and while I don't condone his behavior or want to see it excused, I'm also pretty interested in why he acts the way he does. His relationship with Persephone is especially interesting to me because I feel like this Hades and Persephone come in with an unusually different set of baggage compared to the classical story: here, they're both here with consent, but there's so much trauma done to them before they even get together, and then when something tragic happens...how do they pick up the pieces? Especially so many years later? I feel like there must be deep scars to both of them made in what originally happened to Zagreus, and I'm fascinated at the idea of discovering stories about that time as well as what happens post-game.

Accidental Soulbond - distance and lack of touch causes characters pain and illness: Honestly, I love Hades being someone who is very stiff upper lip, who suffers silently but egregiously. I feel like he would take all the blame for Persephone leaving and turning it into himself, and see it as "his punishment" for her running away after Zagreus is gone. The only problem, of course, is that Zagreus isn't fully gone, but Persephone is, and now he's a single father with a child that does nothing but remind him of the woman he's already mooning and pining away for. How does he handle these pains? Does Zagreus amplify them in any way? Does he resent Persephone for making him feel this way?

Character A feels ashamed of ugly emotions; Character B accepts them: Hades is someone who has a LOT of ugly emotions as the introductions with Zagreus prove. The man is simply an entire festering emotional ball of complicated emotions and I think Persephone is one of the few people in his life who really understands those uglier emotions, having experienced some herself. I feel like Hades has ...hm, has a sharp tongue that's kind of isolated him; how would he feel to see someone who understands why he is that way, and accepts those shortcomings? Or more troublesome emotions that he's been afraid to share with others?

Character A is ashamed of their actions; Character B offers forgiveness: Look it's no secret that Hades has made a very big pig's ear out of all this hub-ub; he's absolutely roached his relationships with his family and I think while Persephone understands why he raised Zagreus the way he did, she also rightly perceives his shame about it and feels he should be ashamed of it. But I think Persephone also recognizes her absence is a part of that puzzle, and finds it within her to forgive him -- and I imagine that's a lot off his shoulders. I would love to see some conversation where they talk about Zagreus because I think we can tell it happens in canon but we get so little a snippet of it.

Character is ashamed of needing help/comfort: Hades, again, is someone who I think is very hesitant to admit he needs help or comfort. Unfortunately for him, Persephone can read him like a book, and doesn't mind helping. How does he feel about that? How does he handle the lack of it when she leaves?

Character(s) ashamed of their sexual desires: Hades is a huge mountain of a god, older than her to some level, and a full god while Persephone is only half a goddess. I feel like the size kink alone here would make this really hard to navigate, but I'm fascinated in seeing how this would play out; clearly, he might be ashamed of it, but since Zagreus exists, well, we know they def have figured it out. How did that conversation -- and/or the following sexual activity -- go?

Comfort focusing on little hurt because the big hurt is massive and unapproachable: Hades loves Persephone pretty diligently and is mentioned as being one of the only gods to have a strong preference for monogamy. And she just...leaves. And leaves with a pretty cruel letter to him that only tells him to take care of the dog, basically. There's no way he wasn't devastated, but he had to keep going because Zagreus is there, and the older Zagreus gets, I think the more of Persephone he sees in her, and there's no way to deal with that big hurt, so he lashes out on the small hurt - which is all the ways that Zagreus annoys him, and -- how does he feel about doing that? Does he realize he's doing that? Does he ever try to approach the big hurt only to shy away from it?

Comforting someone who feels abandoned/Emotional distress from feeling abandoned: Combining these two because it's quite similar. I feel like Hades, in canon, feels very abandoned. Zagreus has been trying to desert him despite it being impossible, and Persephone long ago deserted him. He now knows both were done with the aiding and abetting of people in his kingdom and in other kingdoms. Persephone comes home, not by his own deeds but by his son's. I feel like his abandonment issues which were already really well established prior to canon came roaring back when she came back, and that's a thorn that they have to pick out of his paw to move forward. But how do you do that?

Hurt character is not used to being touched by someone else: Hades really seems to hold himself above and beyond his kingdom. It's very clear he and Nyx both love Persephone/Zagreus but aren't in love with one another, and there's certainly not much love lost between Zagreus and his father. I feel like its been a really long time since he's been touched -- probably since Persephone was last around, in fact. What happens when she comes home and offers to try again? How does he feel when she touches him?

Obsessively codependent from shared grief for their dead child: Hades and Persephone seem to have had a really strong relationship prior to Zagreus' death -- he was, after all, willing to risk total cut-off from his family in order to keep her and their child in the underworld, and she was willing to stay with him forever. They were both 100% willing and able to be totally codependent on one another as a little family...and then they lose the baby. And I think it's clear that he relied on her longer than she relied on him, and she couldn't take it in the end (judging by her letter and his mega divorced dad vibes). How on earth did this develop? How do they move past it -- even if not together? Did he ever reach out to her after she left?

Parental Issues: Honestly these two have parental issues on both ends (as children and as parents) and I would love to see any exploration of it. Hades' memories of the titans and how that imparts his views as a father today? Persephone's cruelty at the hands of her mother, and her guilt over leaving Zagreus (even if she didn't know he was being left)? How does he relate as a parent to his parents -- or to his child(ren)? How deep do those issues hook into him?

Sick/hurt character doesn't often show vulnerability (so it's a big deal when they do): Hades is absolutely the stoic, silent, strong type so I imagine any time where he shows weakness, it's not exactly done with his permission and I imagine its quite a big deal to all involved. What happens when Hades shows vulnerability? How does Persephone (or others) react to this? What sort of situation prompted it? 

Touch Starved - Character Startled by How Good Being Touched Feels/Touch-Starved/Touch-Starved Character Having Overwhelming Tender Long Foreplay First Time Sex: I feel like all three of these are similar so I've combined them. I feel like Hades is not someone who has had much touching in his life. He is so alone in the underworld, both figuratively and literally. The only other people down there in his house are Nyx and her children and some servants and it's quite clear he does not feel for them in a romantic way nor they him. I feel like Persephone was the first person who had touched him in a very long time, and I'd really like to see his viewpoint on this, on how it felt to be touched after so long going without. Is it unexpectedly moving for him or is it startling? How does he like it? Does Persephone pick up on the fact that this is his first time being touched in so long? What sort of touch does he experience - hands through the hair, a touch to the hand, the knee, etc?

Trying to help a stoic character without hurting their pride: Hades is stoic as hell and super hesitant to accept any help. Obviously, what I want to see is a situation where he is forced to do it, and Persephone tries very hard not to hurt his pride, to somewhat unsuccessful measures. How does he wind up getting hurt/requiring help? What can she do? Is he embarrassed or does he enjoy it (even if he is perhaps careful not to show it)? What does she do for him and how does she feel about it? 

Hades & (hurt) Zagreus/(hurt) Hades & Zagreus (Fanart, Fanfiction)

I found myself quite touched by the relationship between Hades and Zagreus. Much of it is that Hades is both an abused kid and an abusive father; Zagreus is an abused child but also has at least one parent who has told him he's worth more. These two come from similar backgrounds but couldn't relate less to one another, yet both clearly long to have the other's approval and it hurts for them to go without it. I'd love to see a softer moment with these two -- maybe an unexpected break for one of them at some point pre-canon, or post-canon when they are just starting to find their relationship's thread again. How do you pick up the pieces of such a broken father/son relationship? How do you try to develop a healthy bond when you have no idea how to do that?

Abused by parental figure/Emotional/Psychological Abuse/Parental Issues/Past Abuse: I know that these are all a bit different but what I want from all of these are mostly the same sort of fic so I've combined them here. I see Hades as more emotionally/verbally abusive than physically so, and I would love to see a fic where Zagreus realizes that this is not normal behavior -- or perhaps that Hades realizes that this is not normal behavior, that he's fallen into the same trap as his father once did and that he is likely to one day be overthrown just as his father once was. I'd really just like to see how this behavior kind of effects one or the other in how they feel about the other. I just want to see them realize that these issues are not universal, that other people can have loving relationships -- and realize their relationships are deficient, and not being able to really understand how to change them despite perhaps wanting to. Are they justifying themselves and how they treat one another (especially Hades)? Do they judge themselves as deficient and wrong in some way (especially Zagreus)?

Character A attempts to sacrifice themself for B; B gets very upset: I feel like Hades and Zagreus, while their relationship is rocky, still do view themselves as "on the same side" in some ways, especially post-canon. While Hades does not want his son to leave him, I think if Zagreus were ever in serious trouble, he would sacrifice himself for his son -- and post-canon, I think Zagreus would do the same for him. I'd love to see a situation where such happens, and the awkward thing is that given that they are in fact immortal, they will "live" to talk about it -- or perhaps avoid talking about it. What happens, who sacrifices themselves, and how on earth do they deal with it once they've gotten dragged back by the Styx?

Character acts casual about their scars from childhood abuse: I feel like this could be poignant for Zagreus, to realize that his father was no less abused than he was, and I'd love to see some rumination where Zagreus realizes that the reason his father treats him the way he does is that he too was a traumatized child. But I would also like Hades to find one of Zagreus' first scars and realize with some regret that he, too, has marked his son in the same cruel way that his father once marked him. 

Character repents after having mistakenly hurt the other: I feel like Hades has def hurt Zagreus emotionally, but him killing Zagreus at the end game is quite an acceleration of their abusive cycle and I don't think he's quite ready for the grief of it (especially considering he always redacts his role in Zagreus' death when the cause was himself). I really would like to see a fic where Hades has to sit down and Deal with the fact that he has killed his son, even if his son is gifted with the ability to regenerate. I really feel like this would take quite an emotional tax and I'm curious how he would justify this to himself, or if he could. 

Comforter reminds comfortee of the person who hurt them: I think Hades sees a lot of Persephone in their son, and I think the older he gets the harder it is for him to ignore it. I really would like to see how Hades deals with that, especially considering how heavy his anger/grief at Persephone is. I really think it would stand in his way of comforting Zagreus at points, especially when the wound is fresher (and Zagreus is younger). How does he deal with it? Does it affect how comforting he is able to be?

Dealing With An Abusive Parental Figure Coming Back Into Your Life: I would really like to see how Zagreus makes peace with the fact that he really never can leave the underworld, that he is just as "stuck" in the underworld as his father is. I really want to see how he handles the fact that there is no escape, not from his father and not from that realm, and whether he mourns the act that he will never really be free of his father. I'd also love to see Hades realize that his son is no less bound than he is, and whether he feels guilty or relieved by that -- or perhaps both. 

Difficult Relationship With A Parental Figure: Obviously both of these boys have complicated, difficult relationships with their fathers and I am just big into that trope and would like all the details about how they feel about it. I feel like Zagreus' pre-canon actually really struggles to understand his father's cruelty towards him but comes to understand his desires to protect Zagreus from Olympus (if not excusing his cruelty, and one thing I really like about Hades is that Zagreus is never forced to accept an apology from Hades about his behavior even though the man does offer it). I feel like Hades struggles both with his own father and Zagreus, and I wonder if in his darker thoughts he doesn't wonder if maybe Zagreus will one day overtake him (and perhaps is even training him for this express purpose?).

Earnest but Terrible Attempts at Comfort/Technically awful attempts at comfort are actually very comforting: Combining these two because they are similar. Hades seems fan-fucking-tastically bad at comforting Zagreus. Every attempt at comfort he gives in the game is absolutely terrible and generally like -- completely depressing? Like he is just assuming the worst-case scenario ALL THE TIME. So I would love to see a time when Hades actually...does somehow manage to comfort Zagreus, despite his attempt to do so is literally depressing/the worst. We all know the 99 times that he bounced off Zag's mood like a bad penny, but what's the one time he actually succeeded?

Parental figure is indifferent to injury or hurt: I feel like when you regenerate/rebirth whenever you are "killed", it does tend to take the weight out of death. Did Zagreus ever accidentally kill his dad and not realize that he was coming back? Did Zagreus beat him the first time in the garden and not realize that he was coming back? (He seems to be unsurprised by Hades being at his desk which makes me think that he knows that his dad also will regenerate? But I'd be interested in seeing either interpretation; it feels very Zagreus to me to downplay any surprise or vulnerability with his dad as well.) I really would love to see Zagreus being hurt and in stress, because he just killed his parent, only to discover it's not a big deal...but also hating himself a bit for it, because you know one of the many emotions he might have felt in that brief time when Hades hadn't regenerated would have been relief considering how hard that Hades tends to ride his butt/abuse him. I would also like to see how Hades feels about it, especially considering that this is something HIS FATHER went through, and his feelings about his parents are certainly -- woo boy, it's complicated.

Sick/hurt character doesn't often show vulnerability (so it's a big deal when they do):  I feel like neither Hades nor Zagreus really feel comfortable showing any vulnerability to one another, but there are times where they might have no ability but to do so. And while I suspect both would approach those events with all the eagerness of literally no eagerness at all, I would love to see that vulnerability. Why are they feeling that vulnerability? Is the vulnerability they show rewarded by acceptance by the other character -- or is it mocked, and their vulnerability is regretted all the more? How do they manage to show a vulnerability to the other person, given how many guards these two have around one another? (Or is it a situation where they have no choice -- a war? some sort of infestation of Satyrs? A situation where they must confront one another?)

Ancient Greek Religion & Lore

Hades/(Hurt) Persephone (Fanart, Fanfiction)

I've really been in the mood for a darker Hades/Persephone story lately and I'm really interested in exploring some of those themes with hurt/comfort. I feel like their seasonal/power split kind of lends itself to that -- life and death, spring and winter -- but I'm especially interested in some of the darker sexual aspects one might have to this story and the long marks that those might leave on a person here (Persephone). How do you move on after a traumatic event like her kidnapping, especially with some of the darker sexual turns you could take? Can one develop a happy relationship after some of those potential issues?

Aftermath of Rape - Long Recovery: For this and other rape ones, I am comfortable with the rapist being Hades or Zeus (or someone else, but those are just the two *canonical* rapists of Persephone in various stories). If rape is her starting experience with sex -- how does she move on from that? How does she allow herself to relax enough to enjoy sex again?

Aftermath of sex pollen/Dub/noncon - Sex Pollen: I've always had a curiosity about the Roman version of their myth where Hades gets love-arrowed into non-consensually falling love with Persephone. I do like versions of this where afterward both of them are...rather embarrassed, really, not really sure what happened, and then WHAM suddenly surprise you're married now! The arcane laws of this side of the universe say so! And just - how do you deal with that? I prefer a happy ending, but whether that ending is friends, something more, or perhaps something less but with mutual respect are all good options.

Better consensual sexual experiences after sexual assault: Again, for sexual assault, I'm fine with Hades as the assaulter, Zeus, or whatever character you wish to use as the assaulter. But I feel like this is something that is HARD to get over, and would require a lot of patience and love, and I would love to see Hades' slow realization that his wife has had some issues (especially if those issues are his own doing or the doing of someone who is totally outside of his power to at all punish) that he needs to communicate with her about. I really prefer to have them work this slow rather than just "oh we found a magic cure" and just see a snippet of that journey together. How do you handle this?

Character A accepts unwanted advances from Character B out of guilt/Dub/Noncon- A agrees to sex because they think B expects it: I am grouping these because I feel like they are very similar. I feel like this is a take I rarely see on Hades and Persephone stories and I'm really curious about it! I love the idea of a Persephone who knows and feels pity for Hades being in the underground...but she doesn't really love him. And she might be nice to him (in part because he literally controls her entire life down there, being both god and king of this domain, so if he expects sex then it's within her rights to try to grant that expectation because he's responsible for her stay there), but that doesn't mean she loves him. And maybe she can't love him. But she feels guilty, because she knows that she should, that this would be so much easier if she did...but she doesn't or is only doing this out of expectations that she should. So how does she resolve that? Does he catch on during her acceptance of these advances/sex that she doesn't care for him like that? What is his reaction, either way?

Character A Doesn’t Know How To Help Hurt B Because Of Their Nonhuman Biology: I'm always endlessly fascinated by the idea that Hades is not so much a Persephone as a metaphysical concept of some kind; literally stone or literally death or literally all the dead in one voice in one realm. I really want to see how Persephone would handle a god who is perhaps less...human? than the other Olympians, especially if she is hurt and he doesn't quite understand her pain. After all, he's lived a long time down there. Maybe he hasn't quite evolved the way the Olympians have, or has forgotten some of what they consider requirements (or evolved past them in a different way). Either way: how does Persephone get hurt, and how does he comfort her?

Character A scared to reveal secret; Character B offers understanding and comfort: I really would like to see a fic that explores the idea of Melinoe/Makaria/Zagreus orphic texts where these children are conceived via Zeus raping Persephone (by deception or by force) -- how does Hades handle this? It feels like a secret that could very much hurt their realm -- after all, it isn't like they have other children (and many versions say Hades cannot have children due to his role). Having the ruler of another realm as the heir apparent is destabilizing at best, so I imagine Persephone would be terrified to tell him. How does she manage to do so? How does he react to it? I'd really prefer a version where he offers some understanding to Persephone as it's not really her fault.

Character(s) ashamed of their sexual desires: I feel like, for a god, there's nothing more taboo than death. I would love to see a version of this story where it's Persephone who is the aggressor but who is also a bit ashamed of being into Hades. He is nothing like what she is supposed to love, nothing that her powers can really augment in a good way - -but he is all she wants, and so she pursues him despite knowing she's not being a "good girl." How does this happen? How does Hades feel about her feelings?

Coping with past assault through sex: I would love to see a Persephone who is hypersexual because of a past assault, and a Hades who might not realize this at first -- but eventually does. How does he handle this? How does she handle it? Is this something that they try to work past, or are they alright with things as they are? Was this some trauma that they experienced together or are getting past together, or was this something she came into the relationship with?

Dub/Noncon - Consensual aftercare after non-consensual sex: I really have been obsessed with this idea for a while of Hades helping her clean up after an assault and I'd love to see this. Is she thrown by his gentleness after an event so hurtful? Does she ask him to justify what he did? Or does she stay there afraid, unsure of what to do? How does he feel about it? Does he feel regret? Post-nut clarity? Sadness at her reaction? Has he realized how he's fucked up? Or if Hades was not the instigator for non-consensual sex, then how does he feel seeing his wife/a woman he loves being hurt in such a way, and how does he handle it? What sort of after-care can he give to make her feel better in either situation?

Dubcon Cuddling as Comfort: Similar to the above, I'm really fascinated by the idea of a Hades who loves Persephone so dearly, and wants to comfort and hold her, and she just...cannot feel that way about him, and she struggles with not being furious with him, because she didn't ask to be here but she is here and she's mad at him but also she feels like she should be able to enjoy this but she...can't. And I love her guiltily taking his comfort but feeling bad because she knows he expects her to return more love than she's capable of at the moment...and the fear of what happens when he catches on that she isn't exactly thrilled.

Kidnapping: I feel like Persephone was certainly hurt by being you know...kidnapped, and I'd really love to see her thoughts about that. How do you go from being kidnapped by someone to being married to them, especially when you are a god and doubly especially if they tricked you into marrying them? I feel like Hades has done her so poorly at the start of this that it feels almost miraculous that the man manages to win her back, since they later appear as a well-respected partnership in later stories. How did he win her trust? Does he ever try to justify the kidnapping to her or explain his motives? How does she come to forgive him -- if she does? Or does she always hold it against him, doing what is required of her but never anything more? How on earth do these crazy kids ever manage to become the power duo that we see in later works, and how do they feel about that? I would also love to see Hades' feelings about the kidnapping if he comes to regret it - why did he do it? How did he come to regret it?

Pity Sex to Comfort the Person Who's in Love With You: I feel like Hades loves Persephone almost to a mad degree. He'd almost have to make that six-month split worth it when he could have almost anyone else in the pantheon and not be stuck with such a rough schedule. However, I'm less certain she's in love with him, especially at the beginning: it's a bit of a tall ask, to fall in love with someone who kidnapped you from your mother's yard and took you away from everything you had ever known just because...well, basically, because he wanted to. I know he certainly is probably trying to make it look like he is justified in some way, but Persephone seems clever and I imagine she can figure out that like...her entire existence, in the underworld, is owed to this guy who claims to be in love with her but also did her this grievous harm. Does he figure out that when she offers sex it is in pity? Does he feel angry for such, or does he see it as comforting in a way? How does she feel about it? Does she resent him for making her do this, or is simply sad for the wrong that has been done to her?

Sex to forget horrible situation for a short time: I feel like the underworld is a rough place and certainly a shock and, well, it's full of dead people and not a lot else. And for a goddess whose entire reason for living is bringing springtime and new growth and new life, I imagine it's a hell of a shock to wake up and basically be stuck with the underworld and its king. So what is left to do but bang in hell? IS this the only thing that keeps her sane? How does she use sex to drive out thoughts about the underworld?

Shared captivity between fellow captives leads to sex as an unhealthy way to cope with pain: I feel like similar to the above, Hades and Persephone are both in some ways imprisoned in the underworld. Neither of them really asked to be there -- even Hades only wound up there by the unlucky draw -- and it's easy to imagine the underworld as an eldrich sort of place. So what is there to do but try to find a little happiness, in a very oppressive atmosphere? How do they wind up doing this? Does it provide any relief?

Stockholm Syndrome: I think it's easy to see how this one might get started, but I'm really interested in seeing Persephone realize, much later down the line, that this is what happened to her. What happens when years after you've been married, you realize that the person who thought you fell in love with? You were actually having a complex psychological reaction to a pretty traumatic event. Does Hades ever realize that this is what happened? What does Persephone's olympian family think of her change when she returns home?

Touch-Starved Character Having Overwhelming Tender Long Foreplay First Time Sex: I'm always a sucker for this trope and I think it's easy to imagine a Persephone who hasn't been touched a lot in her life. Demeter seems to be very protective, and while I don't like vilification of her, I do think it's fair to say she kept Persephone pretty sheltered. I can see Persephone being a bit touch-starved and a bit overwhelmed when she IS touching someone -- is touching a good thing? Is she moved by this? Does she tell Hades about it? Or does he pick up on it some other way? Or is she overwhelmed by it in a bad way -- and needs to stop (At least temporarily) until she can get used to the feel of skin on skin?

Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms: This is admittedly inspired by Persephone in Hadestown but I feel like the underworld might be a bit of a drag and if so, I would love to know what kind of coping mechanisms Persephone has to get through it. (Or, vice versa, does being in the underworld and eating the seeds change you, to the point where Persephone now feels like the upper-world is the one that requires unhealthy coping mechanisms. What are those mechanisms, and do they help her? Or do they only leave her wanting more?

(Hurt) Hades/Persephone (Fanart, Fanfiction)

I've really been in the mood for a darker Hades/Persephone story lately and I'm really interested in exploring some of those themes with hurt/comfort. I feel like their seasonal/power split kind of lends itself to that -- life and death, spring and winter -- but I'm especially interested in some of the darker sexual aspects one might have to this story and the long marks that those might leave on a person here (Hades). How do you live with the intensity of feelings you may have towards someone who may not love you back? Even if they do, how do you handle an intense separation from someone who you love deeply--and the knowledge that that separation must always occur?

Aftermath of sex pollen: I've always had a curiosity about the Roman version of their myth where Hades gets love-arrowed into non-consensually falling love with Persephone. I do like versions of this where afterward both of them are...rather embarrassed, really, not really sure what happened, and then WHAM suddenly surprise you're married now! The arcane laws of this side of the universe say so! And just - how do you deal with that? I prefer a happy ending, but whether that ending is friends, something more, or perhaps something less but with mutual respect are all good options.

Asexual character distressed by thought of needing to please non-asexual partner: I feel like Hades often can be read as ace, especially in roman versions where they explicitly mention he isn't into romance as a ...thing. I really want to see how he might feel in any version with an ace background where he's taken on a wife; why would he have kidnapped Persephone, if not for the sexual matter? Does he feel anxious that Persephone will require needs that he struggles to meet? How can he explain that what is his brother's key attribute (seemingly endless horniness) is not something he has the capacity to feel at all?

Being Cared for by Their Unrequited Love Interest: I really love the idea of Hades being totally into Persephone...and she cares for him...as a friend, but not really anything more than that, and he knows it, and he has little choice but to tolerate it even if it eats at his bones. Is being comforted by her a balm in and of itself, or is it torture? Does the man demand more from her? Does she ever come to find her feelings have changed, or does she always see him as a friend to who she just happens to be married to due to problems beyond her control? 

Character commits blasphemy for the sake of other character: I feel like Hades tends to be a very lawful character. Even in canon, the man does ask for her father's permission before kidnapping Persephone. He tends to be very by the book in his rulings and gives strict rules that he expects to be upheld. But -- if there is anything he is willing to bend the rules for it, it is for the love of his wife. What I am really curious about is -- what is the blasphemy? How does a god commit blasphemy? And how do he and Persephone both feel about it? 

Character gets comforted by someone they can't trust but secretly wish they could: I feel like Hades knows that he tricked Persephone into the marriage. At the moment he did it, he was desperate to keep her. But the problem with marrying someone by tricking them into it is that they might not exactly appreciate being tricked, and Hades is in the odd situation of both being in love with her AND feeling like he can't trust her at all and that she could knife him at any opportunity. How does this make him feel? How does she feel about him? Is he right that she does wish to potentially do him unkindly? How do they get around this?

Character Tries to Convince Themselves They're Fine With Casual Sex; They're Not/Sad One Night Stand With the Person You're Secretly in Love With:  Combining these two as I feel like they are similar. I feel like Hades being a character who is pining for something that he can't have is always fascinating to me. What if in an AU of the original canon, Hades and Persephone get together in a casual way. She thinks it's just for fun and maybe a fun way to thumb her nose at mom and dad, but he's absolutely in love and a total simp for her. How dode hades convince himself he's okay with casual sex? is he jealous if Persephone mentions seeing anyone else? Does he ever ask for something more serious -- and does she want that, or would she prefer to keep things more casual? Does she have any awareness of his feelings on this matter at all? For the one-night stand version, is it worse for him to have had her and then lost her? Or is it better to have loved and lost? 

Character using pain as atonement for perceived past wrongs: I think Hades is absolutely a character who uses pain as punishment, because he does demonstrate a willingness to use pain as punishment for other characters who are imprisoned in the underworld. I think one of the unique things about being a god is you live forever, and you live long enough to see the attitudes that you had as a god become outdated, and your religious worship change forms. I feel like Hades may come years later to regret how Persephone came to him, but it's hard for him to ask for punishment for such if they're in a loving relationship. What does he do to give himself pain? Does Persephone catch on to it? 

Character(s) ashamed of their sexual desires: Persephone is his sister AND brother's kid and she's at minimum at least half his age. And Hades...literally captured her out of the ground. I feel like there's a lot here that he could struggle with, and I'd love to go deep into his head. Why did he get so consumed with lust for Persephone? Why did he kidnap her? What led him to think kidnapping was the best of all possible plans? 

Dub/Noncon - Comforter assumes they are owed sex in return for comfort: I feel like Hades thinks he's a very nice man to treat her well in the underworld after capturing her and I can see him comforting her and thinking she will think him a nice man and that she will welcome him and have a sexual relationship with him. The problem of course is that Persephone has a very different view of these events -- but is she willing to explain that to him, or is it easier to go along with what he wants and hopes he gets bored? How do events proceed? Does he ever catch on that her consent is not exactly freely given?

Female character protective toward physically or emotionally hurt man: I have a love and it's for tiny women being badasses protecting big men who are hurt. I'm not sure how it happens, but I would love to see Persephone having a bad-ass moment despite her husband being considered the scarier between them. Anyone who thinks that is a FOOL, a FOOL! 

Sex Pollen - Has lasting negative effects: I always like the version of the story where Hades gets blasted by one of cupid's arrows and I love the sex pollen interpretation. But I am curious about what happens when you've been sex pollened and then you have to live without the person you were sex pollened into loving for half a year. Every year. For eternity. How do you feel about this? What sort of effects do you suffer? Does it ever peter out or is he doomed to suffer six months forever? 

Sick/hurt character needing to hide their eyes due to light sensitivity: I feel like if you live in the underworld you probably don't have the best light sources. But I can see him willing to go up top to meet Persephone, with the slight problem of him always having to meet his nemesis when he does it: the SUN. Does Persephone ever catch on to this? Does Hades come up with some sort of system for reducing light sensitivity? 

Time Travel - Comforting future loved one while trying to figure out what the fuck happened to them/Younger version of character comforted by time-traveling older version: Combining these two because they're both time travel but I love both ideas here. The beautiful thing about their story is that it runs so long: what is it that would have changed them? Did an older Hades come from the future to try to reassure young Hades that things post-marriage aren't too bad? Did a young Hades go to the future only to find something disturbing about the future? What happened here? And how does either Hades feel after seeing themselves/Persephone in the other time-stream? 

Touch-Starved: I feel like Hades has not been touched much in his life and certainly not for pleasure. How does he find the experience? Is it pleasurable to him? Does he want to be touched more? 

Yandere comforting their Obsession: I'm sorry but I feel like Hades is the very definition of a Yandere at times or could at least be characterized as one, and I'd really like to see the yandere-ization of Hades trying ot comfort their obsession, who is, of course, poor Persephone. What does this anime alternative universe look like? How did Hades become a Yandere? 

Shoujo Kakumei Utena | Revolutionary Girl Utena

(Hurt)Juri/Shiori, Juri/(Hurt) Shiori (Fanfiction)

Oooph, god I fell in love with these two when I was 13 and I've never really gotten over it. The relationship between these two is so complex, and when you throw in the way that the show shows them struggling with both their nascent attraction for one another/sexualities and their really difficult upbringings, it's even more complicated. They're so young but they've been through so much, and I love seeing moments of comfort where there's that twisted sense of loyalty, all that processing going on and the relationship status pretty much lives at its complicated.

Still, I'm particularly struck by the quiet moments in canon where they can find some comfort tin one another and would love to see an exploration of one of those (or another) moment where one must extend mercy or comfort to the other.

After worst day of A’s life A pretends to fall asleep on B to get tenderness without having to talk: Honestly, I can see this working with both Shiori and Juri; they're both really guarded and afraid of confessing feelings around their other-selves. I would love to see what happens when they try it -- does the other person let them? Are they even aware they want this intimacy? Is this enough to bring them comfort, or are they still unhappy with what they have?

Aftermath of Betrayal: I feel like after Shiori hurts Juri there is so much room for hurt and comfort. It's really twisted because these two love each other but also they cannot share that with one another, and they both really want to but are held back by their own issues. Does Juri try to ask her to explain why she did what she did with Ruka? If this is post-Ruka, does Juri comfort Shiori when Shiori reveals what happened? How do these two get along?

Aftermath of Duel: I would love to see a meeting between them after any of their duels, but especially one where Shiori is Juri's Rose Bride. Does Shiori blame herself for them losing, or blame Juri? Do they see themselves as functioning well as a team, or barely functioning? If post-Juri's first duel with Utena, does Shiori mock Juri, or is she kind to her? If post-Shiori black rose duelist, how does Juri greet her?

Emotional Manipulation: The scene that has always stood out to me in the Utena movie is the scene where Shiori grips Juri's arms and Miki goes "Ah, what binds Jury..." I really want to see more scenes where Shiori has basically manipulated Juri into being her attack dog. What does she get out of it? Does Juri get anything out of it? Do they love one another?

Comforter started out trying to manipulate comfortee but now they're not so sure: I feel like Shiori manipulates people because it is what she knows but its not what makes her happy. She longs to be intimate with Juri but she doesn't know how to do it -- so how does she close that gap? If Juri is the one doing the manipulation, is she trying to take revenge on Shiori? Or is this a desperate "I will take them in whatever form I can have?"

Comforter is the one who caused the hurt: Woof. I feel like this is always true for them, but I'm curious how the person who caused the hurt feels about it. Is there guilt? Just a quiet acknowledgment? Does the other person know they caused the hurt?

Hurt Character A at mercy of enemy character B; B decides to help them: I really love the idea of showing kindness to someone that you really have no reason to, especially when they have put you through so much -- but you still love them and want to help them out. I'm obsessed with the idea of unexpected kindness in the relationship between Juri and Shiori, and I'd really love to see this moment from either side. Who needs help and what with? How does the other help them? Does the person being helped know the other person did it?