man's best friend
man's best friend
hades/persephone, hades+cerberus, hades+hestia, hades+thanatos (greek mythology headcanon); pg
~1,100 words
the way to the lord of the underworld's heart is through his dog
notes: CONGRATULATIONS, mizuhime-chan! ♥ This is for her, one of my best friends, for finishing her dissertation and to tide her over till she gets more gifts~. I started this out not intending it for much but as I expanded on it, I realized it was pretty much all her favourite things minus Zeus/Hera and knew it had to be for her. And I am so, so, so proud of her. This really isn't much but I hope you like it, bb! And big thanks to saturninepen for reading it over!
When Rhea first gave Cerberus to Hades, there was an immediate release of tension in the air. Not even the teasing of his two younger brothers rested on his shoulders. Rather, they simply rolled off as Rhea had been trying to teach him to do for years. It turned out it was a three-headed Rottweiler puppy who did the trick. She smiled to herself as she watched her eldest son run all over Olympus with the dog, smiling brightly and eyes shining with the confidence she always knew he had had. It warmed her heart, especially as she saw him show off his companion to Hestia.
He finally had something that was solely his, a loyal companion that wasn’t shared or meant for anything more than friendship. Hades and Cerberus went everywhere and did everything together. They grew up together and when the time came for each of the son’s to claim a realm, Hades at least knew wherever he went he would not be alone. When he drew the lot for the Underworld, he straightened his back and shouldered the responsibility. Cerberus did the same. He not only proved a useful guard dog and asset to the Underworld but companionship as well for a lonely god.
“You know, Brother,” Hestia began over tea one day. “With the way you and Cerberus are, the only way someone will win you over is through him.”
Hades chuckled lightly, setting his tea cup down. “He’s one of my few constant companions. Ever since I was a boy. He’s always been loyal.”
“Yes, but if someone were to dislike him in any way, you would show bias against them!”
“Then let’s be glad you like him.” The god grinned at his sister cheekily.
She replied by pursing her lips and taking another sip of tea. “What does Persephone think of him?”
Hades grew quiet for a moment. “I’m not sure, actually.” It was only their first winter together. There were a lot of things he was unsure of. In fact, he was having difficulty trying to think of anything he was sure of. Thanatos certainly wasn’t being much help. He couldn’t seem to get over the fact that his master was married, nonetheless help him in figuring out how to navigate a marriage. “I don’t think she’s interacted with him much.”
“Careful, Brother, we all know who you would choose if you had to.” She teased him, missing the look of uncertainty that crossed his face.
“Persephone, I…no, no, no.” Hades paced back and forth in the throne room, head hung in concentration as he muttered to himself. He suddenly stopped and straightened himself, looking straight ahead, jaw set in determination. “Persephone, would you like to - oh, this is hopeless.” Groaning, he walked back to his throne and collapsed on it in a heap of cape and frustration.
“Instead of standing in here talking to air, why don’t you stop thinking about it for a moment and just go speak with her?”
Hades looked up to glare at whoever dared interrupt and speak to him in such a manner. Until he saw that it was Thanatos and he relaxed, slumping back into the throne. “It’s not that easy.”
“I just saw her with Cerberus.” He replied calmly, clearly un-phased by Hades’ defeatism.
“Cerberus…?” The Lord of the Underworld perked up at this and got to his feet without thinking.
“She seemed to be enjoying herself, as well.” The two held gazes for a long time. Thanatos smirked when Hades strode past him with fortitude, his cloak billowing behind him.
Sure enough, what Thanatos had said was true. As Hades left the threshold of his palace, he was immediately met with a vision that made him freeze mid-stride. Cerberus was nearly full grown, towering as high as a small building. Even as a god, he had always shrunk beneath him. Persephone would have disappeared next to him if not for her bright dress. It was the first time Hades had ever seen the sun in the Underworld.
He watched her for several moments, going slack-jawed at the magnetic scene before him. She had a red rubber ball in her hands, all three of the dog’s heads looking at her expectantly. When she threw it up, their heads all crashed together in a desperate attempt to get it. The one that did lowered to Persephone’s level, a clear look of smugness in his eyes. She laughed and reached out to pet him, placing a kiss delicately on his muzzle. Hades felt himself go breathless, an occurrence he was quite unfamiliar with.
In an instant, Cerberus’ attention was no longer on their new Queen but on Hades, his tail wagging so fiercely that he knocked several souls off their path. Persephone turned and her eyes landed upon her husband.
“Oh.” She flushed deep red at the intensity with which he was staring at her. “M-My lord.”
Finally snapped out of his trance, he walked towards her, mouth dry, words falling away from him. He made a mental note to blame his foolishness on Thanatos’ suggestion to not prepare for this. “I see…” He cleared his throat and started again. “I see you’ve finally made the acquaintance of Cerberus.”
At the mention of his name, one of the Rottweiler’s head started panting happily while another licked the entire side of Hades’ head nice and clean. So much for dignity. Hades flushed himself, mouth opening and eyes glaring at the dog. Their moment was interrupted by another burst of laughter and he slowly turned to look at Persephone, happiness etched into her face.
“Hestia had warned me about you two.”
“She…” Hades trailed off bashfully, averting his gaze.
“He’s lovely.” She said encouragingly, stiltedly reaching her hand out to take Hades’ chin gently in her fingers, tilting his head to look at her. She smiled.
“…may I?” He asked thickly, his voice hoarse. He took her small nod as confirmation and he stepped closer, leaning down to tenderly kiss her. Persephone felt a jolt run up her spine and she stilled for a moment. The moment passed and she instinctively grabbed his clothes, pulling him closer. Their bodies pressed flush against one another and he kissed her as if she were his lifeline, overwhelming her in the best possible way.
At the sound of a whine, Hades blindly reached out a hand and pushed one of Cerberus’ heads away but the damage had already been done. Persephone laughed into the kiss, breaking it instantly and burying her bright cheeks into Hades’ chest. Holding her close, he muttered, “Damn dog.”
hades/persephone, hades+cerberus, hades+hestia, hades+thanatos (greek mythology headcanon); pg
~1,100 words
the way to the lord of the underworld's heart is through his dog
notes: CONGRATULATIONS, mizuhime-chan! ♥ This is for her, one of my best friends, for finishing her dissertation and to tide her over till she gets more gifts~. I started this out not intending it for much but as I expanded on it, I realized it was pretty much all her favourite things minus Zeus/Hera and knew it had to be for her. And I am so, so, so proud of her. This really isn't much but I hope you like it, bb! And big thanks to saturninepen for reading it over!
When Rhea first gave Cerberus to Hades, there was an immediate release of tension in the air. Not even the teasing of his two younger brothers rested on his shoulders. Rather, they simply rolled off as Rhea had been trying to teach him to do for years. It turned out it was a three-headed Rottweiler puppy who did the trick. She smiled to herself as she watched her eldest son run all over Olympus with the dog, smiling brightly and eyes shining with the confidence she always knew he had had. It warmed her heart, especially as she saw him show off his companion to Hestia.
He finally had something that was solely his, a loyal companion that wasn’t shared or meant for anything more than friendship. Hades and Cerberus went everywhere and did everything together. They grew up together and when the time came for each of the son’s to claim a realm, Hades at least knew wherever he went he would not be alone. When he drew the lot for the Underworld, he straightened his back and shouldered the responsibility. Cerberus did the same. He not only proved a useful guard dog and asset to the Underworld but companionship as well for a lonely god.
“You know, Brother,” Hestia began over tea one day. “With the way you and Cerberus are, the only way someone will win you over is through him.”
Hades chuckled lightly, setting his tea cup down. “He’s one of my few constant companions. Ever since I was a boy. He’s always been loyal.”
“Yes, but if someone were to dislike him in any way, you would show bias against them!”
“Then let’s be glad you like him.” The god grinned at his sister cheekily.
She replied by pursing her lips and taking another sip of tea. “What does Persephone think of him?”
Hades grew quiet for a moment. “I’m not sure, actually.” It was only their first winter together. There were a lot of things he was unsure of. In fact, he was having difficulty trying to think of anything he was sure of. Thanatos certainly wasn’t being much help. He couldn’t seem to get over the fact that his master was married, nonetheless help him in figuring out how to navigate a marriage. “I don’t think she’s interacted with him much.”
“Careful, Brother, we all know who you would choose if you had to.” She teased him, missing the look of uncertainty that crossed his face.
“Persephone, I…no, no, no.” Hades paced back and forth in the throne room, head hung in concentration as he muttered to himself. He suddenly stopped and straightened himself, looking straight ahead, jaw set in determination. “Persephone, would you like to - oh, this is hopeless.” Groaning, he walked back to his throne and collapsed on it in a heap of cape and frustration.
“Instead of standing in here talking to air, why don’t you stop thinking about it for a moment and just go speak with her?”
Hades looked up to glare at whoever dared interrupt and speak to him in such a manner. Until he saw that it was Thanatos and he relaxed, slumping back into the throne. “It’s not that easy.”
“I just saw her with Cerberus.” He replied calmly, clearly un-phased by Hades’ defeatism.
“Cerberus…?” The Lord of the Underworld perked up at this and got to his feet without thinking.
“She seemed to be enjoying herself, as well.” The two held gazes for a long time. Thanatos smirked when Hades strode past him with fortitude, his cloak billowing behind him.
Sure enough, what Thanatos had said was true. As Hades left the threshold of his palace, he was immediately met with a vision that made him freeze mid-stride. Cerberus was nearly full grown, towering as high as a small building. Even as a god, he had always shrunk beneath him. Persephone would have disappeared next to him if not for her bright dress. It was the first time Hades had ever seen the sun in the Underworld.
He watched her for several moments, going slack-jawed at the magnetic scene before him. She had a red rubber ball in her hands, all three of the dog’s heads looking at her expectantly. When she threw it up, their heads all crashed together in a desperate attempt to get it. The one that did lowered to Persephone’s level, a clear look of smugness in his eyes. She laughed and reached out to pet him, placing a kiss delicately on his muzzle. Hades felt himself go breathless, an occurrence he was quite unfamiliar with.
In an instant, Cerberus’ attention was no longer on their new Queen but on Hades, his tail wagging so fiercely that he knocked several souls off their path. Persephone turned and her eyes landed upon her husband.
“Oh.” She flushed deep red at the intensity with which he was staring at her. “M-My lord.”
Finally snapped out of his trance, he walked towards her, mouth dry, words falling away from him. He made a mental note to blame his foolishness on Thanatos’ suggestion to not prepare for this. “I see…” He cleared his throat and started again. “I see you’ve finally made the acquaintance of Cerberus.”
At the mention of his name, one of the Rottweiler’s head started panting happily while another licked the entire side of Hades’ head nice and clean. So much for dignity. Hades flushed himself, mouth opening and eyes glaring at the dog. Their moment was interrupted by another burst of laughter and he slowly turned to look at Persephone, happiness etched into her face.
“Hestia had warned me about you two.”
“She…” Hades trailed off bashfully, averting his gaze.
“He’s lovely.” She said encouragingly, stiltedly reaching her hand out to take Hades’ chin gently in her fingers, tilting his head to look at her. She smiled.
“…may I?” He asked thickly, his voice hoarse. He took her small nod as confirmation and he stepped closer, leaning down to tenderly kiss her. Persephone felt a jolt run up her spine and she stilled for a moment. The moment passed and she instinctively grabbed his clothes, pulling him closer. Their bodies pressed flush against one another and he kissed her as if she were his lifeline, overwhelming her in the best possible way.
At the sound of a whine, Hades blindly reached out a hand and pushed one of Cerberus’ heads away but the damage had already been done. Persephone laughed into the kiss, breaking it instantly and burying her bright cheeks into Hades’ chest. Holding her close, he muttered, “Damn dog.”