The Law of the Fruit
Description: A retelling of an old Greek myth, but Persephone is a trans male who goes by Perse.
ao3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15968879
Story: One day after a really bad fight with his mom Perse runs to a dark forest, flowers absentmindedly growing around him. Hades comes up and sees them.
"Excuse me young...."
"I'm a boy....."
"Ah, ok. I'm sorry to bother you young sir, but I've never seen you in these woods before. Handsome men usually avoid this path."
Perse is so surprised because he looks and sounds like a girl, yet this stranger just used the right pronouns without second thought.
Hades sits and talks with Perse for hours that day. A few days later Perse gets into a fight with another god and goes back to the woods where Hades is waiting. Soon he goes to the woods every day, whether he's upset or not. He and Hades grow closer until Demeter sees them walking out of the forest together one day. After that she keeps her child under lock and key, forcing him to wear dresses and have tea with "good suitors" who all refuse to accept he's male.
Hades goes to Zeus for advice, leaving out a name and only saying them/they. Zeus automatically thinks Hades has fallen for some kings daughter or some celibate priestess, and so he tells Hades the best way to win is to kidnap them. Hades takes his brothers advice and dresses up like a suitor for Perse, hiding his godly aura. Once at the table with him he takes Perse's hands and the boys face lights up, knowing its him. Suddenly the ground gapes open and swallows them whole, leaving Demeter scream to give her back her baby girl, but hades cannot, for he stole her son, not her daughter.
In the underworld all the nymphs and monsters welcome Perse as the god he is. Hades welcomes him into his home with open arms, having already prepared a room for him. The room was full of things Perse loved, men's clothing, potions to help his face, and something that made Perse cry. Binding shirts. Hades had made him something he could have only dreamed of before. Perse was so happy here with his love and his dog for the years that came, but the upper world did not have the same fate. Demeter had spent the days, months, and even years after her child was stolen from her looking for them, neglecting her job as goddess of the harvest. When Zeus saw that their people were dying he demanded Hades return Persephone to Demeter. The lovers were distraught, what would they do? They spent months postponing their arrival, searching for a way to stay together, until they did the last thing they could think of. They went to Aphrodite and Eros. Seeing how deeply in love the two were no matter what the other was moved the two gods of love, so Aphrodite reminded them of an ancient law still in place that not even Zeus could counter. The Law of the Fruit.
The next day Hades and Perse arrived at mount Olympus, but Perse was no longer this frail, slouched child, not wanting to meet anyone's eye. He was this tall, strapping man that made even Demeter take a second before crying out.
"PERSEPHONE! Oh my dear sweet daughter Persephone! What has he done to you!?"
Perse did not meet his mothers eyes, looking only straight ahead at Zeus, who was to rule out judgement. Zeus looked at Perse and sighed, as if this whole ordeal was just an annoyance.
"Persephone, you are to return to your mother and never step foot out of her sight, or see Hades, ever again. Is that clear?"
"I can not do that, father."
"And why not?"
"For the past 6 years I have eaten the seed of the fruit of the underworld each day. I have been in the company of the beings who eat the same fruit as well. By ancient law I can not return."
Hades smiled at his love, happy that he truly enjoyed the pomegranates that grew there. Zeus heaved a great sigh as Demeter begged him to change the law, kill Hades, or do ANYTHING for her to be with her baby once again. Zeus mulled over his thoughts before looking at Hades and Perse, contemplating them. Finally he nodded and sat straight in his throne.
"I cannot change ancient law, sister. Nor can I kill Hade's lest I disrupt the balance. I will do this, though. Persephone, you are to spend one month of the year in the underworld for every year you supped on the fruit. For the other 6 months you are to come back to the overworld and aid your mother in spring and summer. Demeter, you are NOT to lock them up or try to stop them from doing as they wish. And just so the mortal do not complain of the 'unfairness' Hades and Persephone are to wed by summers end. That is my judgement and ruling. Now go."
Zeus rose rom his throne and walked away, followed by a Demeter still begging for him to change his mind. Perse and Hades looked at each other, expressions of amazement and joy clear on their face. True to Zeus's ruling the two wed the day before summer's end, but neither wore a dress. Hades Gazed lovingly at his husband, Perse, as they rode in a lovely boat down the Styx to enjoy the first day of their very long honey moon, and their very, very long and loving life as husbands and Kings of the Underworld.