History Main / BroodingboyGentleGirl

* ''Myth/ClassicalMythology'': Persephone, daughter of Demeter and Zeus, is the goddess of flowers. She's also the wife of Hades and thus queen of the Underworld. What makes them special is that they have probably the only happy and loving marriage in the Greek pantheon.

* ''ClassicalMythology'': Persephone, daughter of Demeter and Zeus, is the goddess of flowers. She's also the wife of Hades and thus queen of the Underworld. What makes them special is that they have probably the only happy and loving marriage in the Greek pantheon.

%%* ''ClassicalMythology'': Persephone, daughter of Demeter and Zeus, is the goddess of flowers. She's also the wife of Hades and thus queen of the Underworld. What makes them special is that they have probably the only happy and loving marriage in the Greek pantheon.

* ''WesternAnimation/WreckItRalph'' features both a straight platonic example with Ralph and Vanellope and a gender-inverted romantic example with Felix (gentle boy) and Calhoun (brooding girl).

* Wu Luan and Qing in ''Film/LegendOfTheBlackScorpion'', who deconstruct this as the original play ''Theatre/{{Hamlet}}'' does.
* ''Film/LoveSongs'': an entirely male version with Brooding Ismaël and sweet Erwann.

* ''Franchise/StarWars'': Padmé Amidala is the Gentle Girl to Anakin Skywalker's Brooding Boy.

* Rafael and Skylar in ''Literature/GivesLight'', but they're both boys.

* Joe and Ahim early on in ''Series/KaizokuSentaiGokaiger''.

* Arthur and Guinevere can be this at times on ''Series/{{Merlin|2008}}''.

* A rare platonic version between Carly Beth and Steve in the [[Literature/{{Goosebumps}}]] book [[Literature/TheHauntedMask]] as well as it's sequel. Steve is a [[TheBully bully]] [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold with a heart of gold]] who loves to play tricks on Carly Beth (Brooding Boy) while Carly Beth is a ShrinkingViolet who gets scared easily (Gentle Girl). This is taken UpToEleven in the TV series, where Steve admits that he only teases Carly Beth because he likes her.

* Myth/ClassicalMythology: Persephone, daughter of Demeter and Zeus, is the goddess of flowers. She's also the wife of Hades and thus queen of the Underworld. What makes them special is that they have probably the only happy and loving marriage in the Greek pantheon.

* Dream and Death from ''ComicBook/TheSandman'' are this. Ironically, Dream is the brooding one as he is constantly caught up in his responsibilities and the issues that result from them. Death, on the other hand, is a PerkyGoth who is constantly upbeat, kindhearted, and ready to listen to Dream and offer support as his big sister.

* ''Fanfic/InfinityTrainBlossomingTrail'' (''WesternAnimation/InfinityTrain'' & ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}''): Has Lexi the brooding boy and Chloe the gentle girl. Lexi is a book that can detach his papers to a humanoid form, bitter at how [[TeensAreMonsters Grace and Simon]] tore him apart and left him BuriedAlive within the confines of his car for eight years. Chloe is a ten-year-old girl who has entered the Train in order to reinvent herself and is kind-hearted and gentle and slowly losing her shyness to embrace her likes. As one reader noted, the two of them are supportive of one another as the former is quick to give Chloe a well-needed confidence boost while Chloe is making sure to reign in Lexi's temper against the Apex.

* Can potentially happen in ''VisualNovel/ShallWeDateNinjaShadow '', if the PluckyGirl PlayerCharacter hooks up with guys like Eduard (the local AmnesiacLover), Asagi (who turns out to have quite the HiddenDepths), Kagura ([[spoiler: who has a very troubled SplitPersonality]]), or Soushirou (a StepfordSmiler who's dealing with [[spoiler: [[IllBoy his]] [[YourDaysAreNumbered soon to come death]] ]]).

* A rare platonic version between Carly Beth and Steve in the [[Literature/Goosebumps]] book [[Literature/TheHauntedMask]] as well as it's sequel. Steve is a [[TheBully bully]] [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold with a heart of gold]] who loves to play tricks on Carly Beth (Brooding Boy) while Carly Beth is a ShrinkingViolet who gets scared easily (Gentle Girl). This is taken UpToEleven in the TV series, where Steve admits that he only teases Carly Beth because he likes her.

* A rare platonic version between Carly Beth and Steve in the ''Literature/Goosebumps'' book [[Literature/TheHauntedMask]] as well as it's sequel. Steve is a [[TheBully bully]] [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold with a heart of gold]] who loves to play tricks on Carly Beth (Brodoing Boy) while Carly Beth is a ShrinkingViolet who gets scared easily.

* Franchise/{{Batman}} and ComicBook/{{Catwoman}}, although Catwoman is downplayed as she's a anti-heroine while Batman plays it straight.

* ''Fanfic/InfinityTrainBlossomingTrail'' (''WesternAnimation/InfinityTrain'' & ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}''): Has Lexi the brooding boy and Chloe the gentle girl. Lexi is a book who can detach his papers to a humanoid form, bitter at how [[TeensAreMonsters Grace and Simon]] tore him apart and left him BuriedAlive within the confines of his car for eight years. Chloe is a ten-year-old girl who has entered the Train in order to reinvent herself and is kind-hearted and gentle and slowly losing her shyness to embrace her likes. As one reader noted, the two of them are supportive of one another as the former is quick to give Chloe a well-needed confidence boost while Chloe is making sure to reign in Lexi's temper against the Apex.

-->''"She is compassion in its purest form. She never backs down at the chance to help someone in need, opening her own heart in hopes that they will open theirs. Its what he adores about her the most.\\

* Caederyn and Allene in ''Literature/{{Spitfire}}''. Caederyn is trying desperately to be be TheWisePrince and live up to [[Main/WellDoneSonGuy his father's legacy]]; he's constantly conscious of [[TheChainsOfCommanding wanting to ''deserve'' the authority he's been endowed with by birth]]. Allene, though no less thoughtful and intelligent than Caederyn, has a much sunnier disposition and is [[{{Socialite}} far more social]].

** Jayfeather and [[spoiler: Half Moon]] are worth a mention, even though they have limited interaction in the books since they[[spoiler: don't even live in the same time]].

* ''Series/GilmoreGirls'''s season has Jess and Rory. Jess is the cynical brooding boy who falls for the town princess Rory after he discovers she has a passion for books and music similar to his own. Bonus points that both teens were a product of TeenPregnancy but with two wildly different upbringings. [[note]] Rory's mother Lorelai considered Rory to be the best thing that ever happened to her, established a stable upbringing despite money issues, encouraged Rory to be anything she wanted to be, and supported her long-held dream to go to Harvard and become a journalist. Meanwhile Jess's mom Liz raised him in what was implied to be poor conditions in New York, struggled with drug and alcohol issues, filled his childhood with a revolving round of horrible boyfriends and husbands, eventually kicked him out altogether and left him with a ton of self-esteem issues. [[/note]] A recurring theme is Rory believing that Jess can do more than everyone - including him - expects and that it doesn't have to be him against the world. Although they eventually break up due to Jess's issues, he later returns having got his life together, lost the brooding aspect, and acknowledged he couldn't have done so without Rory believing in him.

* ''VisualNovel/{{Melody}}'' gives the option of pairing the protagonist with Becca - a relationship which fits this dynamic.

* [[DeconstructedTrope Deconstructed]] with Eric Cartman and Heidi Turner in ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark''. The two form a romantic relationship in Season 20 after quitting Twitter. However the [[NiceGirl sweet and compassionate Heidi]], doesn't realize that Cartman isn't the misunderstood JerkWithAHeartOfGold he led her to believe but a notoriously [[ManipulativeBastard manipulative]] [[TheSociopath sociopath]] and by the next season their relationship progressively deteriorates with Cartman constantly lashing out at her for the state of their relationship and decides to make her more like him by feeding her junk food and sharing his bigoted views. They become BirdsOfAFeather for a while only for Heidi to [[HeelRealization realize]] what Cartman's negativity has turned her into and decides to leave him for the sake of her well being.

* Julia and Syrius from ''WebOriginal/TheWarComms'' are a ([[ShipTease mostly]]) platonic version of this trope. That's not to say she doesn't try to make him smile, but she has enough experience to know that all he usually needs is a shoulder to cry on or someone to bandage his wounds. And she's more than happy to give that.
** Come to think of it, Ralph and either [[OfficialCouple Molly]] or [[HoYay Syrius]] fit rather well. Both Syrius and Molly are prone to lots of self-deprecation, and as said above he is ''very'' prone to self-harm and heavy depression, but whenever either of them is seen depressed the usually [[{{Keet}} energetic]] [[BoisterousBruiser Ralph]] comes up with [[PetTheDog surprisingly gentle behavior]] to make them smile.

* ''Fanfic/PokemonResetBloodlines'' has Red and Yellow as this. Red generally acts in a quiet, subdued manner, and he seems very unhappy, mostly by choice. Yellow is the one who does the talking for him, has a more cheerful and friendly attitude, and spends a lot of time and effort trying to get him to come out of his shell. Though their relationship seems more brother-sisterly-like [[spoiler: which is probably a good thing since they're strongly implied to be half-siblings.]]
* Downplayed with Steven and Daisy Oak in ''Fanfic/PokemonStrangledRed'' after Miki's death. Their continued relationship is only referred to in passing.

* Gliscor (Brooding Boy) and Noivern (Gentle Girl) in Dark Amphithere's ''Total Pokémon Redux''. [[BrokenBird Gliscor]] initially was uncomfortable around Noivern, because Pidgeot falsely blamed him. [[GenkiGirl Noivern]], on the other hand, helps Gliscor overcome his anxieties and wants him to be okay.
* ''Fanfic/ATriangleInTheStars'':
** Though both boys, Bill is definitely brooding, and Steven is gentle, helping the triangle through his troubles. And sometimes, especially later, it's [[spoiler: swapped and Bill helps back in his own way]].[[labelnote:*]]This is completely platonic.[[/labelnote]]
** GenderFlipped and {{Downplayed}} with Steven and Connie, unlike in the show proper. It's especially highlighted in Chapter Forty-Six, where Connie can't even play Citchen Calamity because Bill was sitting right across from her, whereas Steven thoroughly enjoyed every minute.
* This is almost ubiquitous in any ''Series/TheWalkingDead'' fanfiction starring [[TheChick Beth Greene]] and [[TheLancer Daryl Dixon]] as the power couple, which skyrocketed in popularity (and amazingly has remained the most popular het ship in the fandom on Website/ArchiveOfOurOwn) after "[[Recap/TheWalkingDeadS03E12Clear Still]]". Their canon backstories fit the dynamic to a T. Beth Greene is almost always portrayed as the [[HairOfGoldHeartOfGold sweet blonde]] [[TheIngenue virginal]] [[FarmersDaughter farmgirl]] from a [[UptownGirl slightly higher class]]. Daryl Dixon is the [[CoveredWithScars scarred]] [[RatedMForManly manly]] [[HotBlood hot-headed]] [[CelibateHero celibate guy]] with an [[DarkAndTroubledPast abusive past]] who likes wearing [[IconicOutfit an angel wing vest]]. In pretty much all of them, she is the key that opens up Daryl's heart, normally symbolized by him allowing her to see his scars (which he tends to hide in canon). Bonus points if it's complete with at least one ScarSurvey after [[TheirFirstTime he takes her virginity]]. Extra if it's a HurtComfortFic.
* The ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'' and ''WesternAnimation/InfinityTrain'' Crossover ''Fanfic/InfinityTrainBlossomingTrail'' has Lexi the brooding boy and Chloe the gentle girl. Lexi is a book who can detach his papers to a humanoid form, bitter at how [[TeensAreMonsters Grace and Simon]] tore him apart and left him BuriedAlive within the confines of his car for eight years. Chloe is a ten-year-old girl who has entered the Train in order to reinvent herself and is kind-hearted and gentle and slowly losing her shyness to embrace her likes. As one reader noted, the two of them are supportive of one another as the former is quick to give Chloe a well-needed confidence boost while Chloe is making sure to reign in Lexi's temper against the Apex.
** In the same vein, Trip and Ash obtain a relationship like this. Trip is the stoic Unovan Trainer and Ash is the kind AllLovingHero. However as the story goes on, Ash is going through a GuiltComplex over how he failed to be more supportive of Chloe while Trip is the one reeling him in and telling Ash that it's not his fault.
* ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13010468/1/Metroid-10 Metroid 10]]'' gender-inverts the trope, with [[Characters/MetroidSamusAran Samus Aran]] being a Brooding Babe while [[Characters/Ben10BenTennyson Ben Tennyson]] is a Gentle Guy. Samus is fairly stoic, reserved, and cold, with a DarkAndTroubledPast of seeing her ArchEnemy Ridley murder her mother and having her father sacrifice himself in an attempt to kill him, and her losing her [[InterspeciesAdoption Chozo family]] did not help her. By contrast, Ben is an optimistic, compassionate, and friendly AllLovingHero, with a loving family back home and fairly upbeat even after all the fights he's been in. While Ben is definitely attracted to Samus, he also shows her compassion and understanding with her traumatic past, and becomes a close confidant to the bounty hunter, helping her with recurring nightmares of Ridley. It's this [[BecauseYouWereNiceToMe kindness]] that eventually causes Samus to similarly fall in love with him and become more emotionally vulnerable around him. That being said, they both are rather [[InsecureLoveInterest insecure]] around one another, with Samus worrying that her cold exterior isn't good for Ben, while Ben, due to dealing with a number of girls only interested in his fame than him as a person, wonders if he's good for her.
* This ''Series/{{Spooks}}'' fic called [[https://archiveofourown.org/works/17210705 Demons]] has [[DarkAndTroubledPast Lucas]] [[ShellShockedVeteran North]] developing this relationship with an OC named Andi when he stays at her apartment as part of an investigation, though she's not comfortable with him using her home for a stakeout at first. It is especially the case near the end when Andi has to console and calm down Lucas during one of his PTSD nightmares from his imprisonment and torture in Russia and though he tries to tell her he's alright and brush it off as "just a bad dream", he still accepts her warmth and compassion for him.

* The ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'' fic ''[[http://leijonvantas.tumblr.com/post/60545620499/armor armor]]'' portrays Karkat and Nepeta as this.
-->''"She is compassion in its purest form. She never backs down at the chance to help someone in need, opening her own heart in hopes that they will open theirs. Its what he adores about her the most.\\
He was stubborn at first. Shying from her love, swatting away her benevolent hands. But she persisted: slowly, patiently, and lovingly. Always lovingly."''
* ''Fanfic/ABedOfThorns'' has Belle and Rumpelstiltskin, for all that Rumpelstiltskin tries to hide it behind (tasteless) jokes.

* In ''Fanfic/ABridgeOnceBroken'' [[Film/TheAvengers2012 Loki]] is a brooding, [=PTSD=]-ridden, BrokenAce boy to [[LoveInterest Jahanna's]] gentle, [[LoveRedeems loving]] girl.
* In the ''Manga/DeathNote'' CrackFic ''Fanfic/ACharmedLife'' Light is angsty and brooding and Ryuk is gentle with him.
* The ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'' fanfiction ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8222340/1/Chasing-the-Moon Chasing the Moon]]'' (and to a certain extent, it's prequel ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6902577/1/Phases-of-the-Moon Phases of the Moon]]'') sets this up with [[spoiler: Yuzu Kurosaki and Byakuya Kuchiki]].
* ''Fanfic/ChildOfTheStorm'' has this between Harry and Carol towards the end of the first book and at points in the sequel. However, it's a little unusual in that Carol is a spiky cynic (albeit much kinder than she initially appears, especially to Harry), has many issues of her own, and while she's perfectly happy to listen to Harry and comfort and counsel him when he's suffering from, say, [[ShellShockedVeteran a nasty case of PTSD]] in the sequel, she's also perfectly happy to give him a kick up the arse if he's wallowing. It's also sometimes GenderFlipped, with Carol having plenty of reasons of her own to brood, and Harry being compassionate to a fault and head over heels in CourtlyLove with her [[spoiler: (until chapter 46 when they finally get together)]].
* This dynamic occurs in the ''Manga/DeathNote'' SlashFic ''Fanfic/FeverDreams'' in which L is the brooding one and ''[[VillainProtagonist Light]]'' is the gentle one. While he's still very much a ManipulativeBastard he is [[MoralityPet very careful with how he treats L]] and of the detective's feelings. It's not just because treating L badly would be suspicious either but out of genuine concern for his well-being. [[spoiler:As it turns out Light himself was on the receiving end of a very abusive relationship in the past and he doesn't want to treat L the way he was treated. This dynamic between him and L is turned up to eleven when Light allows his [[LaserGuidedAmnesia Kira memories]] to expire and reverts to the NiceGuy he [[UsedToBeASweetKid used to be.]]]]
* ''Fanfic/HellsisterTrilogy'': Dev-Em is a brooding, surly boy; his girlfriend [[ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} Kara]] is a kind-hearted, sunny girl.
* ''Fanfic/HopeForTheHeartless'' (''WesternAnimation/TheBlackCauldron'' fanfic) gives us a non-romantic version in the [[VillainProtagonist Horned]] [[OurLichesAreDifferent King]] and [[OriginalCharacter Avalina]]. The Horned King is a [[MonstrousHumanoid monstrous]] and [[ReallySevenHundredYearsOld centuries old]] warlord who has been [[ResurrectedForAJob half-forced]] on a RedemptionQuest he [[ImpossibleTask doesn't believe he can fulfill]]. [[BeneathTheMask Under]] his cold and scary mask he's [[BeingEvilSucks lonely, desperate and tired]]. His [[WalkingWasteland aura of Death]] causes all living creatures to fear him on instinct and the plantlife to die in his presence. [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking Also]], he's [[DeadpanSnarker prone to sarcastic humor]]. [[NiceGirl Avalina]] is a teenaged brush farmer who's [[PurityPersonified as beautiful as she's pure]]. Her [[FertileFeet aura of Life]] is [[HeartIsAnAwesomePower so strong]] that she can bring life to the Horned King's [[{{Mordor}} lands]], [[FriendToAllLivingThings befriend]] a [[GiantFlyer gwythaint]] and a mad-out-of-grief horse of a knight, [[MoralityPet get inside the Horned King's shell]] and [[spoiler:bring his centuries-long dead heart back to life]]. They're also the case of an IntergenerationalFriendship, though the Horned King has shades of being a ParentalSubstitute towards Avalina.
* In ''Fanfic/{{Jessica}}'', Cameron's online girlfriend, "S," who helps him through the period after his mother's death.
* In ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters'' fandom, almost '''any''' het pairing involving [[AntiHero Iori]] [[JerkassWoobie Yagami]] involves the preferred partner [[note]](be a RelationshipSue-like OC or a canon female character made into an OCStandIn)[[/note]] invoking the trope via becoming the "only girl" able to offer him solace, tenderness and rest, "fixing" his massive issues coming from his centuries-long family baggage. Among the canon girls subjected to this, the most common ones are [[GenkiGirl Athena]] [[BadassAdorable Asamiya]] and [[YamatoNadeshiko Chizuru]] [[TeamMom Kagura]]. And it's HilariousInHindsight when one considers the Drama CD's...
* Wu Luan and Qing in ''Film/LegendOfTheBlackScorpion'', who deconstruct this as the original play ''Theatre/{{Hamlet}}'' does.
* ''Fanfic/TheSecretLifeOfTheBackyardKids'': Jorge and Angela. The former is a rich kid with a lot of issues, the latter is a NaiveEverygirl who thinks he's cute. Their conversation in Chapter 7 ''really'' drives it home.
* ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11772125/1/Metroid-Kamen-Rider-Generations-Full-Series Metroid: Kamen Rider Generations]]'' and its sequel ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12213237/1/Metroid-Kamen-Rider-Generations-Vol-2-Ex-Aid-Era-feat-Cross-Ange Metroid: Kamen Rider Generations Vol. 2 - Ex-Aid Era feat. Cross Ange]]'' provides a special case of ''both'' Brooding Boy and Girl in [[Franchise/{{Metroid}} Samus]] and [[Series/KamenRiderGaim Mitsuzane]]. It serves as the purpose that Mitsuzane having recovered from DespairEventHorizon, shows him as an insecure man, spending most of the time living a life of solitude and regret. DependingOnTheWriter, the Gentle part could be either of them.
* The ''Series/{{Arrow}}'' fic ''[[Fanfic/LegacySeries Legacy]]'' is set twenty-five years in the future, but Oliver still has a tendency to brood. Fortunately, both Felicity and their daughter have a knack for smoothing away his grumpiness.

* In ''Fanfic/MyHuntsmanAcademia'', Izuku and Blake form a gender-inverted version of this trope. Blake is brooding, anti-social, and paranoid due to her fear of being judged for being a faunus and her DarkAndTroubledPast as a former member of the White Fang. Her belief that she's a coward and a fraud gives her a great deal of self-loathing. Izuku is a gentle and trusting soul who offers her constant companionship and comfort, finding nothing but good things to say about her despite his own HeroicSelfDeprecation. He also gives her an outlet to vent about her frustrations and tell her secrets without fearing reprisal, promising to act as her SecretKeeper for as long as she desires. But some of his attempts to cheer her up end up just embarrassing her, like when he's encouraging her to ask out [[IHaveThisFriend wonderful guy she's apparently interested]] in when it's fairly clear to everyone except Izuku that she's talking about him.

* ''Film/{{The Crow}}'': Eric is a more serious, dark, angsty guy while Shelly is a light, cheerful lady.

* ''Film/GodzillaKingOfTheMonsters2019'' has a {{Kaiju}} version of this trope in Godzilla and Mothra--Godzilla is as grumpy and aggressive as ever, but he shows a sweeter side around Mothra, who is depicted as the MartialPacifist TeamMom of the Kaiju and is especially loyal and kind to Godzilla himself.

* Persephone, daughter of Demeter and Zeus, is the goddess of flowers. She's also the wife of Hades and thus queen of the Underworld. What makes them special is that they have probably the only happy and loving marriage in the Greek pantheon.

* ''Fanfic/StoryOfTheCentury''. OriginalCharacter Erin is not the most patient of people and most of the time she is a {{Tsundere}} [[BelligerentSexualTension towards]] [[VitriolicBestBuds L,]] who in turn is a (seemingly) unrepentant AntiHero who says next to nothing about his problems (Erin does a lot of speculation on her part based on what little is given), but in a few peaceful moments, their dynamic dips into this; L seems to act slightly more "human" since they start hanging out and Erin does learn a few life lessons through their relationship. There could also be deconstruction going on too; unfortunately there's only so much [[JerkassWoobie "brooding"]] from him that Erin can take before she [[BerserkButton loses her gentleness]]… [[spoiler:and in the end she still can't save him.]]