#a hades and persephone au where he doesn't force her into the underworld but she stays because ARCHAEOLOGIST

[c0rrupt3dsp1r1t]

tfw you're super tempted to start writing one of the three other AUs in your head but there's a 150k WIP you are obsessed with being sure gets completed eventually.

Also they're for a rarepair in a fandom that feels like it's a total of twenty people with three particularly noisy members obsessed with a definition tumblr sexyman blorbo who talks in cursive and commits war crimes and isn't even the main character. /lh I love you all.

[theatricalmage]

The brainrot took over and so here's a vat7k hadestown au!! Don't know if I'll develop it fully but I liked designing it at least!

More info under the cut:

- Varian, the Coronan royal alchemist, tasks himself with deciphering an incantation capable of bringing the world back into tune. Times are tough, and the royal family + Quirin are doing their best to cope with the meagre crop yields and desolate weather (Corona not really being the sunshine kingdom - hasn't been for a while). He wants to help and do good and I think he'd be a good Orpheus.

- Hugo, having moved about from place to place, still has his interest in alchemy and does what he can to get by. He plans on temporarily staying in Corona before looting, but he encounters a certain like-minded scientist at the Snuggly Duckling. I think him being selfish works especially well in Eurydice's role, having a more pessimistic view of the world. It also works with how he gets drawn to Donella's offer of working for her later on, leading him to his death.

- Ulla as Persephone! I was initially stuck on whether to have Rapunzel (and either Eugene/Cass) as her (and Hades) but I was drawn to the connection that Hugo has to Donella and the Donella/Ulla relationship in vat7k just works too well. In this case, Ulla won't be Varian's mother. She's still gonna be somewhat of an inspiration to him though, being the previous Coronan royal alchemist and for her intelligence. For half the year, she'll return to Corona with food, drinks, and alchemical compounds/inventions, bringing Spring and Summer to the world, if only for a bit.

- Donella would be such an interesting Hades, losing sight of her love for Ulla, heart filled with fear and hurt, leading to bitterness and cruelty. Ingvarr being Hadestown and how by being the esteemed Ingvarrian engineer, she'd be in charge of major technological advances across the kingdoms and so would wield a significant amount of power (like how Hades is literally the ruler of the underworld). Ingvarr essentially being a near death sentence for its workers while also displaying its technological prowess, all still shrouded in mystery and corruption - a place so otherworldly compared to the rest of the kingdoms.

I didn't want to modify the outfits too much nor the personalities,, if anything I imagine the general plot beats being the same as the original musical/story but with slight differences that'd you get inherently as a result of these characters. I wouldn't want it to be the case where it's just the show but the names are changed. I'd want this to still make reasonable sense in this AU, with the actions being understandable for this particular cast of characters.

For Hermes, I ended up picking Xavier, as he's most knowledgeable of old legends and stories, which would work in reference to the Hades and Persephone myth (and so Donella and Ulla)! He'd act as a mentor figure for V, someone who can guide him in uncovering the forgotten incantation. Quirin would still be the good supportive dad he is (even if he doesn't fully understand his son's project).

Last but not least, the fates!! often lurking in the background, I'm still a bit stuck on who it could be? I'm tempted to have it be Raps, Cass, and Nuru as they've had celestial connections at some point (and ya know how stars can represent fate), but I also love the freckled siblings dynamic so much. Also Team Radical... Maybe Raps and Cass can be their normal selves but their Sundrop/Moonstone counterparts are the manifested physical forms of the fates? They wouldn't be visible to the characters though, just voices in the wind.

Anyways yeah!! Those are my thoughts. Do let me know if you've got any cool ideas or questions. I'm really combining my interests at full force and there's nothing anyone, not even myself, can do about it quite frankly. 😮‍💨

[shipcestuous]

One thing I used to find kind of funny as a kid just getting into Greek mythology was how Kronos and Rhea had three sons and three daughters... and yet, only two of them got married, rather than everyone pairing up in three divine brother/sister pairs.

I remember I would do little thought experiments to figure out how things might have worked out in an alternate version for the married pairs that could have formed in addition to Zeus/Hera after Kronos' and the Titans' defeat and reached these conclusions about them:

Poseidon/Demeter: this one is kiiiind of canon already, because there is a myth where they have children together, but... Poseidon doesn't exactly care about Demeter's consent there, let's leave it at that. But for the sake of argument, let's just say this wouldn't happen in this AU, and just look at their roles and personality. To oversimplify things a lot, Poseidon is the sea and Demeter is the earth. The sea is often called "barren" in Ancient Greek poetry, while the earth is ideally fertile and generous. These things already make for a potentially fun "uniting the opposites to reach equilibrium" theme. Also, Poseidon is known for causing earthquakes in his wrath as well as punishing mortals who offend him (the Minotaur was born when Minos wouldn't sacrifice his best bull to him so he made Minos' wife go mad...), while Demeter created winter when Persephone got abducted by Hades (creating considerable trouble for the mortals and even the gods themselves) and keeps recreating it whenever her daughter leaves for the Underworld again, which makes me think they're both very emotional and strong-willed. A relationship between them could be as explosive as the one between Zeus and Hera, and while that wouldn't be very healthy, probably, it could be an interesting dynamic!

Hades/Hestia: Hades is the god of the Underworld: people who have done terrible things are punished horribly for eternity in his gloomy realm, he doesn't take people going against him lightly (like when Theseus and Pirithoos tried to kidnap Persephone...), and he usually doesn't allow anyone to come back to the world of the living (though there are a couple of attempted exceptions). However, this doesn't mean he's evil or mindlessly cruel or sadistic, just strict to the point of being ruthless. Hestia is associated with fire, but instead of being a wild, destructive force, she's the patron of hearth and home. They have a similarly "not nearly as bad as they could be considering common views on their domains." And I can also see both of them caring a lot about boundaries and rules, all things considered. But Hestia could have a softness about her that Hades lacks. And Hades, perhaps, could act as a sort of grim protector for her. I also see them both as the quiet, reserved type, personally, which could make them get along pretty great, bonding through the messes of their chaotic family.

Poseidon/Hestia: Water and fire, anyone? It could be a case of "opposites attract" both in terms of elements and personalities... even if in very different ways. Ironically, Hestia, the fire goddess, could calm down Poseidon's wrath and mellow him out, while Poseidon, the sea god, could bring excitement and wildness in Hestia's life.

Hades/Demeter: ... this one always felt so weird to even consider lmao. But they both seem like gods who prefer going off to do their own thing away from the other Olympians, on some level. Plus, they're both connected to earth: Hades is the mysteries hidden under it, while Demeter is the prosperity and beauty that grows out of it. They would inevitably be a little like a variation of Hades/Persephone, I think, but the lack of an age gap would also influence their dynamic and make it a bit different. It wouldn't bea mature man and a young, lively maiden, but two siblings (possibly very close in age) growing together on more or less equal footing. I like to imagine them both as rather indipendent people, but I always end up giving a motherly streak to Demeter and an insecure/withdrawn one to Hades (likely due to my vision of the myth of the abduction of Persephone, I admit) and so I feel that would make for some sweet hurt/comfort.

Now, I'll say that, while I'm a serial multishipper, I don't actually ship these pairings. They're just fun to think about in a "what if" context for this specific AU, but talking more in general, Hades/Persephone is one of my main mythology ships, Poseidon/Demeter has all that canon history I talked about which squicks me out a bit, and I usually see Hestia as someone on the aroace spectrum. Although... that last one doesn't always stop me from shipping her, as sometimes I like to imagine her capable of romantic attraction, so only ace without the aro part.

Actually, I really like shipping her with Hermes, as either a onesided "he has a major crush on her but she's too aromantic to even notice" pairing or something requited depending on the specific types of shenanigans I feel like imagining for them. A lot of it is another "opposites" and "balancing each other out" thing: Hermes is a god of travellers, merchants, and thieves (who presumably also move around quite a bit, lol) as well as one who's able to cross boundaries (he also has a function as a psychopomp, travellling from the world of the living to the Underworld) so I associate him with open spaces and the freedom of going wherever you want to do whatever you want, while Hestia, as I've already said, is home and hearth, so in a way she represents closed, secluded spaces that are also safe and intimate. But there's also the way I see the age difference/generation gap between them. I usually think of Hermes as a sassy, reckless, relatively young god, while I see Hestia as a warm and maternal woman who definitely has a few thousand years on him.

I think Hermes would be attracted to her stability, kindness, and in general just how level-headed and reliable she can be without ever getting boring. (She's still a fire goodess after all, so I do think she has a more "fiery" side, determined and sharp, under the softness. ;)) While Hestia would enjoy (platonically or not) his youthful daring as well as his clever mind, resourcefulness and wit.

Basically, in my head he'd love to be her boytoy and she, his aunt, would occasionally not mind being his mommy, lmao.

This was a really fun post and I love all of the different dynamics that you sent up! They're all intriguing in their own ways but I really like the way you described the potential of Hades and Hestia in particular.

Thanks for sharing your musings with us!

[misfitsandmusings]

Trafalgar Law: Verses, Wishlist, Fave Ships, etc.

♡ Main (Canon): Corresponding with the events of the anime/manga, canon-compliant. Interactions set between Sabaody and Zou preferred (my grasp on Wano is pretty poor because I speed-read the entire manga in two months and I retained very little from most of it. To revisit at a later date.) Open to exploring pre-Sabaody timeline and I love canon-divergent AUs.

♡ Heartverse: "What If" canon-divergent AU built with @climatact, in which: Bellemere lived, Nami became a marine, Law had an extra year with Cora-san as a child and their travels to find a cure for Law brought them to the East where their paths crossed with Bellemere and her two daughters. A chance encounter on an island in the Grand Line years later upends the trajectory of both of their lives. Tagged: ♡ // verse: heartverse ; || Ships: LawNa ♡

Heartverse series of events: during the 2-year timeskip, Law crosses paths with Marine!Nami on an island in the Grand Line (the first time they’ve seen each other since he visited her island when he was 11.) A mutual attraction/curiosity upon their reunion leads to a one-night-turned-two stay in a fancy hotel, a jewelry store heist that results in Nami leaving her unfulfilling career behind to join his pirate crew, and an unexpected addition to their lives. Following Law’s appointment as a Shichibukai, the two head back to her home in the East until baby Cora-chan makes her appearance. She’s later left in the care of Nojiko and Bellemere while the two travel to Punk Hazard. After the run-in with the Straw Hats, Nami still ends up joining as their navigator and the two, although married, sail on in pursuit of their individual goals.

♡ Tangerine Trysts: A spin-off of a spin-off; another take on Heartverse in which Law and Nami's initial background (meeting as kids, Bellemere living, Nami becoming a marine) stays the same but Law and Nami run into each other on Sabaody, again at Marineford, and carry on an relationship of sorts while she remains a marine. || Ships: LawNa ♡

♡ Currently Untitled Godverse: AU built with @climatact based on a shared appreciation for the tale of Hades & Persephone, ft. Law as the god of the Underworld and Nami as a mortal living in some of the hardest times the mortal realm has ever seen. Tagged: ♡ // godverse tbt ; || Ships: LawNa ♡

♡ Godverse Spin-off: the “closer to the actual tale of Hades and Persephone but still not quite” take. In which a god takes a liking to the pretty mortal woman he met when business brought him to the mortal realm. || Ships: LawNa

Working On (or would like to explore): a BSD verse, maaaaybe a Demon Slayer verse!

Haven't worked out the details yet but I'd love to explore a "Cora-san lived" AU where Law did not hand over Rosinante's message to THE ONE marine he should not have. (FU Vergo.)

Have also been toying with something where Law, possibly in a modern verse or maybe some fantasy/non-OP setting, actually dabbles in trading hearts for a business; i.e. he'll grant a wish but the price is your heart.

Law Wishlist / Ship Stuff:

Opportunities for him to treat/tend to people - scenarios where even if it's not someone he particularly likes, they need advice or medical attention and he's the only one around to provide it.

Middle of the night interactions since Law's sleeping patterns are abysmal. One or both muses waking up from a nightmare? Lots on their mind? Enjoying the quiet?

As much as I love angst and drama and traumatized characters, Law could use some happy times, so I'm always up for exploring what-ifs where any of his lost loved ones survived.

Ships: My favorite Law ship is Law x Nami. I'm always down to write it, but will not force it on any Namis of course. Other ships I'm intrigued by include Law x Zoro, Law x Robin, and Law x Luffy (I generally see Luffy as an aro/ace icon BUT this is literally the only ship I see potential for for him). However, just because something isn't listed here doesn't mean I won't entertain it. I'm basically shipping trash, although I tend not to to ship him with any of his crewmates and will not ship him with Mingo or Cora-san.

Mandatory disclaimer that I love, love, love AUs - if you'd ever be interested in working on one together, whether it's based on a canon-divergent 'what if?' or an entirely new world/story, SHOUT AT ME ABOUT IT. I also love finding ways to interact in each other's verses, so if you have a verses page I'll definitely check it out -- and if you're interested at all in hopping into one of mine, just let me know!

Have an idea for your verse you want to play out? Tell me about it!

[alexglitches]

Related to Grimm Fairytale Au, Yuu might also be a Greek Mythology nerd.

Hades was actually a pretty cool guy aside from the kidnapping Persephone ordeal. They somehow made it work and Hades seems to be only one who’s never cheated on her. I also heard that there are some versions where Persephone wasn’t even kidnapped, but she found the underworld on her own and ended up falling in love with Hades while she was there.

I mean compared to Zeus and Poseidon, Hades was the most “merciful” among his brothers. He just had the unfortunate outcome of being mistaken as the devil because he ruled the underworld and Disney ran with that inaccuracy.

(Warning for some slight swearing, mentions of adultery, and r*pe because Greek Myths)

Yuu: Zeus was a real b*tch and I don’t mean that in a good way. Do you know how many women he’s slept with? And he wonders why Hera gets so mad. You force yourself on your sister so that you can get married and this is how you repay her?! And don’t get me started on Poseidon and what he did to Medusa in the temple!

(Cue Idia begging Yuu to shut the hell up so that they don’t invoke the wrath of the gods)

I wonder if twst!Zeus and twst!Hera have the same personalities their Disney movie counterparts.

ayo, thats why i like hades, he never cheated on his partner, was never a whole dickhead like his brothers, yeah

jjhhhshds idia probably ends up trying to duct tape yuu's mouth so zeus doesn't come to strike them down lmao

Yuu: STRIKE ME DOWN ZEUS, YOU DON'T HAVE THE BALLS

huehuds yuu pulls a technoblade and give everyone greek god nicknames

and maybe? idk tbh, but probably

[carbonjen]

Could I ask for a Hades/Persephone au with Hades!Jason thinking he doesn't deserve love until Persephone!Dick happens

On the surface, this looks like an easy AU but then I look into the myth of it and everything gets a little (a lot) wonky. I did enjoy writing this though, and this would definitely be something I’d enjoy writing more of!

Bleeding Heart

When the war against the Titans had been won and it was time to choose domains, Jason had been expected to get his pick first. He had been the oldest of the three of them, but Bruce had been the strongest, and the greediest. He’d taken control of the sky and all of her children while their third brother got the sea. Jason had been forced to choose last and he had been stuck with the domain of death.

It wasn’t an easy task, he had to judge the souls coming in and keep a watch over Tartarus ignoring the call of Kronos while Bruce fucked all the women he pleased up on the surface. The only one he was able to talk to frequently was Tim, who brought the souls down to him for judgement. He had to be fair to the souls which meant punishing some and giving others eternal paradise. He would think of the souls there and wonder what it was like to live in happiness forever. 

The other souls were given their punishments and Jason did his best to be creative and to give them something that would lead them to paradise if they could just think. Whenever he saw how they got bogged down by their own selfishness he thought that maybe it was a good thing he was trapped in the underworld. Gods and man alike, he couldn’t understand how they acted for themselves and themselves alone. 

He didn’t understand for the longest time and then Jason saw him.

Jason had been making his way to Olympus when he flew over the vast fields near the ocean. Walking along the cliffside, collecting flowers in his golden arms was one of the most beautiful beings Jason had seen in his life. Jason had seen the birth of Aphrodite and even she didn’t compare to this being. His raven hair shone in the sunlight like silk and even though he was high up in the sky, Jason felt as if he was drowning in the beautiful blue of those sapphire eyes. 

The meeting at Olympus barely registered in Jason’s head, for he was unable to forget that beautiful man he had seen on the cliffside. He wasn’t pulled from his thoughts until Demeter announced that she would like to introduce the council to her son. She brought him in and Jason’s eyes went wide. The beautiful creature was a god, and he looked even more radiant on Olympus as he bowed to the council, a smile on his face and called himself “Dick”

At one point he looked into Jason’s eyes and everything else fell away as a pink flush colored his cheeks, like rose petals had been brushed onto his skin. 

Jason didn’t know what came over him when after the meeting he swept Dick away and brought him down into the Underworld. He didn’t feel any regret for his actions until Dick looked at him with tears in his eyes and shook his head, stepping back from Jason in fear. 

He tried to apologize but Dick wouldn’t listen, not when he gave Dick free reign over his palace and the rest of the Underworld. Not when Jason made him the most beautiful gardens he could filled with flowers and trees and plants that were more beautiful than anyone could ever dream of. Dick had secluded himself in the gardens instead, choosing to stay there instead of in the gardens Jason had given him. 

Souls poured into the Underworld as the results of Demeter’s grief. They spoke of cold and darkness, some even said the Underworld was nice compared to what the world above had become. It seemed as though the whole world had been thrown into misery because of Jason’s selfishness.

It didn’t stop there. 

Bruce had demanded Jason return Dick to Olympus and to the world above, and Jason knew that if he returned the young god, he would never see him again. When the day came to return Dick to the world above, Jason gave him a handful of pomegranate seeds to eat while he waited for Hermes to bring him back and Dick ate half. He was Jason’s for half the year now, and that was enough for him. 

Dick had warmed to him over the years, it was a gradual thing, but Jason watched as he went from moping in the gardens to exploring the rest of the Underworld. He still barely spared Jason a glance, but it was progress. At the beginning of what had come to be called autumn, Jason would rise to the surface and offer his hand to Dick to bring him to the Underworld. Dick never took it until one autumn. 

Jason rose to the surface in his dark chariot, offering his hand to the young god of spring, expecting to be brushed off when Dick took it, stepping into the chariot. 

“How is everything?” Dick asked and Jason was so surprised he stared stupidly at him until Dick rolled his eyes. 

“Everything is good,” Jason said. “There was that nonsense with Orpheus and Eurydice if you heard of it. The command was simple, don’t look back and you can be with your love for eternity. Evidently that was too difficult for them. But Bruce was still upset with me for being too harsh on them.” 

Dick laughed and it was the first time Jason had ever heard the sound come from his mouth. “He was mad with you? Why not be mad with the lovers? You have always been too gracious with your souls. In my time with you I have realized that it is often their own egos that prevent them from Elysium.”

“That is what I have been thinking for centuries now,” Jason said. For years he’d thought he was alone in this thought, but someone actually agrees with him. 

“Are you…you just smiled,” Dick said as he looked at Jason with wide eyes and a large grin on his face. “In all the time I have spent with you, I have not once seen you smile.”

“I haven’t had much to smile over,” Jason said. “Judging souls and keeping watch over a wilting flower are hardly enough to keep one happy.” 

“What if the flower isn’t wilting anymore?” Dick asked as he looked at Jason. They touched down next to the large palace and Jason stepped down, holding a hand out for Dick. “What if it’s found a way to flourish?”

Jason didn’t quite know what to do or say. Dick had never been this nice to him, they’d barely spoken in all the seasons that Jason had spent in his company. It was quite pleasant. “Then perhaps,” Jason said as he looked at Dick. “I might be inclined to smile more.” 

Dick took his hand and stepped out of the chariot. “How are my gardens? Have you been taking care of them?” He asked as he walked with Jason. Normally, Dick went ahead of him and straight to the large area of plants that surrounded the palace. It had started out small, but Jason had let it spread and now there was a small forest around the palace. 

“I have to the best of my ability,” Jason said. “But you must understand, I don’t know much about many of your flowers and vines, so it is hard to make them flourish.” When Dick is gone, parts of the garden become overgrown and Jason can’t do much to stop it. 

“I’ll have to show you how to take care of it then,” Dick said as he pressed a hand to the side of one of the large bushes that acted as a wall. Jason had seen the results of Dick’s powers before, but it was rare that he saw them in action. The leaves and branches came to life and moved away, forming a doorway and Dick stepped inside the verdant colorful landscape, looking at home there. Jason hovered in the doorway, unsure if he should follow when Dick looked over his shoulder. “Are you coming?”

“Only if you wish it,” Jason said. 

“I do,” Dick replied and Jason stepped through. He was afraid that if he stepped onto the soft grass and moss that it would wither under his feet, but it stayed green. Dick was already ahead of him, hand out, and the plants moving according to his wishes into something more orderly. The buds on the flowers bloomed as Dick walk past them, releasing sweet perfumes into the air and Jason followed quietly behind. 

The garden was quiet minus their footsteps and the sounds of the plants growing as they walked. It weighed down on his shoulders and Jason wondered if the silence ever bothered his companion. 

“If you wanted,” Jason said. “I could put birds and other creatures in this garden for you so the silence isn’t as heavy.”

“Can you do that?” Dick asked. 

“I can,” Jason replied. “Birds, rabbits, butterflies, bees, all of their souls are things that pass on, and all of them can be given new life here.”

Dick looked at him for a long moment before he plucked a pink flower from one of the vines and moved up to Jason, reaching up to tuck it behind his ear. “I would love that,” he said, voice soft. His hand lingered on Jason’s ear before he pulled it away. 

Jason cupped his hands in front of his chest and when he opened them, there was a small bird resting there. He released it and more life followed, birds of different sizes, colors and shapes, butterflies, bees, and even small deer and rabbits that looked at them before they retreated into the underbrush. 

When Jason let his hands drop he was hit by a warm weight and two golden arms wrapped around him. Dick was…hugging him. “That was beautiful,” Dick said as he pulled back, his eyes were sparkling and his skin was glowing warm like Apollo’s sun chariot. Jason felt something warm bloom in his chest, Dick’s hand was sliding up the skin and he looked at it before looking back into Jason’s eyes and leaning in. 

Their lips brushed together and Jason’s eyes fell shut. Dick’s lips were softer than rose petals and they were warm on his skin. This close, Jason could smell Dick, the floral, earthy scent that clung to him. Then Dick was gone and Jason felt a chill where Dick’s body had been pressed against his mere moments before. 

“I think,” Dick said as he tucked some of his hair behind his ear. “I will come to cherish my time here more than I do my time above.” Dick reached forward and took Jason’s hand in his own. “Now come, let me show you this place and see your smile again.” 

Jason couldn’t help the grin that took over his face as his love finally began to love him back.