History WebVideo / HellsBelles

Has an official prequel, [[https://archiveofourown.org/works/41788185/chapters/104841573 For Whom the Belle Tolls]], about Lily founding the Hellp Desk and her initial relationships with Bel, Sharkie, and the other denizens of the Afterlife.

* TheAtoner: A couple of souls have shown up and been assigned level one or two, only to insist that they must deserve a lower level or ask to be sent to a lower level. Generally, these are people who did bad things in their life and then tried to atone, but who were not yet ready to forgive themselves in life. [[spoiler: One of them is Sharkie's biological mom, who had Sharkie taken away from her as a baby because she had succumbed to drug addiction]].

** Beatrice is an interesting example, as while she doesn't regret what she did [[spoiler: murdering the man who raped her daughter]] and says she would be willing to do it again she feels that she should undergo some form of punishment for it.

** Subverted when it is made canonical that all otters are guilty of warcrimes, as Jaysea has had to deal with otters getting onto the boat she has lived on and it has not endeared them to her.

* DeityOfHumanOrigin: After doing some investigating, [[spoiler: Lily]] discovers that she and [[spoiler: Penny, and presumably Sharkie as well]] technically became this after deciding to formally forgo their chance to reincarnate. They have no worshipers and no special powers, but giving up their reincarnations apparently meant they are now literally more than human.

** Sharkie's foster mom views them with contempt, saying she's surprised that Sharkie actually followed directions and went to Hell like they were told to do, and apparently while Sharkie was in her care constantly told them their behavior was "unnatural" and recruited her pastor to force Sharkie to be "normal". Both push work mom Lily's BerserkButton.

Has a prequel fic in-progress [[https://archiveofourown.org/works/41788185/chapters/104841573 here]].

* SexAtWork: Hell actually has special "employee dungeons" for THIS EXACT PURPOSE. Not that the Belles always use them - an earlier video had Sharkie catch Lily and Bel fooling around in a closet.

* WingedHumanoid: Bel. Apparently he inherited the wings from his father, who is a fallen angel.

* AmoralAttorney: One of these happens to be Ruggy's first official "customer" at the Hellp Desk, much to her (and everyone else's) chagrin. Apparently, lawyers are one of the Belles' least favorite kinds of people to have in their lines, due to how argumentative the lawyers tend to be.

* AppropriatedAppellation: Ruggy initially got her nickname because, in her first appearance, she lied down on the floor and refused to move until she got her way. Later in the series, after much character development, she's stated that she actually prefers the nickname over her given name, [[spoiler: Lindsay]].

** One episode after spending an entire episode in a bathroom and then saying she needs to talk to Greg. Penny and Greg both take a few days off work. Lily has a soul from paradise come down for therapy after [[spoiler: having a miscarriage]]. While talking to Ruggy about what happened the previous episode, Lily notes if it was something good she would've told them. We then cut to Judy's paradise, where Penny and Greg have just arrived looking clearly look upset. Judy asks what's wrong and we get this.

* HundredPercentAdorationRating: Everyone in the various otherworldly realms likes Sharkie. ''Everyone''. When her [[spoiler: abusive foster mom]] shows up, it's revealed that there was a pre-existing plan for a bunch of otherworldly beings to come and kick her ass for hurting Sharkie in life.
** When [[spoiler: Lily and Bel]] get engaged, they are so well liked and respected amongst the realms that they have to hold a paintball tournament to determine who the officiant will be.

--> ''Sharkie's Mom'': [[SomethingOnlyTheyWouldSay Maybe it was because of the shark baby mobil I hung over your crib.]]

* EmbarrassingOldPhoto: Lily and Bel's moms were VERY quick to get these out upon meeting in person for the first time, with Lily's mom even bringing a whole photo album with her. We actually see one of Lily's (really a photo of the show's creator as a kid). [[spoiler: Turns out the moms planned the whole thing specifically to embarrass their kids.]]

* AbusiveParents: Penny's mother only cares about appearances and lectures her daughter for taking the "coward's way out" (i.e. committing suicide) because it made ''her'' look bad. She also apparently covered for Penny's uncle sexually abusing her. Sharkie's foster mom views them with contempt, saying she's surprised that Sharkie actually followed directions and went to Hell like they were told to do, and apparently while Sharkie was in her care constantly told them their behavior was "unnatural" and recruited her pastor to force Sharkie to be "normal". Both push work mom Lily's BerserkButton.

* HornyDevils: Bel, Greg, and Angel. Demons in general are apparently very sexually open, although also very into consent.
** A soul from Paradise comes down to the Hellp Desk to ask if she can have a conjugal visit with her ex, who despite being a shitty person (hence why he's in Hell) "fucked like a demon". Lily says that's not allowed (it would be a reward for souls in Hell), but that if the soul is interested she can have sex with a demon instead.

* EruditeStoner: one who was sent to Level one to get therapy for using pot as an avoidance tactic in life responds to this with "Sometimes it be how it is when it do"

** The video "Foster Mom Pt 1" revealed Sharkie's given name, or rather their DEAD NAME as they are nonbinary, as [[spoiler: Zoey]].

* NeverMyFault: a common refrain from people who end up at the Hellp Desk and try to rationalize why what they did in life shouldn't count against them. Penny's Uncle Brad is a particularly egregious example, as he claims he only [[spoiler: molested Penny]] due to having been traumatized by rejection as a teenager and [[spoiler: Penny]] looking so much like his high school crush that he couldn't resist.

* PaedoHunt: they are apparently a frequent target on Employee Appreciation Day
** Also, Penny's uncle Brad first gets a verbal beatdown from Penny when he arrives and then a more literal one from Greg once he gets down to Level 9

* TheStoner: one comes to the Hellp Desk to ask if smoking the Devil's Lettuce was what got him on Level One. Lily tells him that smoking pot didn't count against him, but using it as an avoidance tactic did, hence why he's at Level One.

* ThoseTwoGuys: The Catholic and the Protestant. They were supposed to be trapped in a room together in Hell as a mutual punishment so they would argue for all eternity, but they had already started arguing in the lobby, and they weren't really disturbing anything, so the Belles just let them stay. [[spoiler: After the two get stuck in the lobby by themselves and harassed by other souls when the Belles leave for a paintball tournament, they willingly go to the room they were supposed to be trapped in in the first place, but the Belles still check in on how they're doing every once in a while.]]

** Sharkie has been visiting her biological mom in level 1 of Hell (the therapy level) without telling her she's her daughter. During one trip, the mom asks if she knows when she first started liking sharks. Sharkie has trouble recalling, when suddenly.

** Penny delivers one to Lily that's also MoodWhiplash (as it comes immediately after Bel showing off that his lightsaber has a 'gay mode' aka it can glow in rainbow colors)

** Bel does the same thing later on when Lily's ex shows up demanding a "favor."

* DrivenToSuicide: How Penny died, and seemingly part of why she initially believed she belonged in Hell. Fortunately, her mental health and self worth have vastly improved since joining the Belles.