For littlesprout

[messageforyou]

Athena may be the wisest of the Olympians, but Hermes is probably the cleverest. He's clever enough to recognize how messy his family gets, and to figure out how to get what he wants without anyone knowing he's involved. It's better that way, really. Hermes would hate to be dragged into any family conflicts. Fending off the ire of his stepmother, Hera, is hard enough.

At first Hermes kept mum about Persephone because he was very fond of his cousin and, well, he wasn't officially in the know of any Underworld goings on. Demeter's grief was surprisingly deep and devastated, but what good would the truth do? Hermes kept mum and kept out of the way.

And then Zagreus came along, and Zagreus wanted to get to the surface, and... well, okay. So Hermes has a soft side. And maybe it was pretty easy for Charon to convince him to help his cousin out. But what was Hermes to do? Say no to Charon? Charon never asked for favors. And besides, who was Hermes to deny his cousin a chance to meet his mother?

And then maybe Hermes grew to really like Zagreus, and maybe the idea of never meeting him in person made him sad, and maybe he ended up with one of Hera's jealously guarded golden apples and maybe he happened to be in the neighborhood when Zagreus breached the surface and defeated Hades again. Maybe. Hermes promises he's still being clever and not really, really stupid.

As the dust settles and Hades is claimed by the Styx, Hermes waits a beat from his spot hidden in one of the trees overlooking the arena, just to make sure his estranged uncle is gone.

Then he breaks into applause and whistles.

"Good job, coz! Really had him on the ropes! Guess you inherited the 'kill your father' gene. Except this time there's less gruesome dismemberment. Which is for the best, really."

Yes. This is how Hermes is going to introduce himself in person.

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[littlesprout]

Zagreus might be battered and bleeding, but he's still on his feet with shoulders thrown back in pride as he watches the Styx claim his father. He likes to take a moment to catch his breath, to observe this little area in peace before he finishes his ascent from the Underworld. He's not used to that peace being broken abruptly by whistles and applause, and Hermes will have a front row seat to Zagreus nearly jumping out of his own skin.

"Wh—"

He whirls, shield at the ready, before his eyes land on Hermes and he parses the things being said to him. Zagreus makes a confused little sound, letting his weapon drop to his side and wiping a smear of blood from his already healing nose. "Hermes? What— Are you allowed to be here?"

A stupid question. He figures Olympians can go where they please, really, especially one like Hermes, but he's still collecting himself.

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Hermes has the grace not to laugh at Zagreus' start, but his eyes do twinkle brightly with obvious amusement. He hums in affirmation, leaping off his branch as casually as if he were walking through his own front door, alighting in front of Zagreus and hovering just off the ground. When he hovers, he vibrates with pent up energy, almost like the soul of a hummingbird in a man's body, and his wings flap on his head and feet.

Unlike Hades, Hermes is roughly Zagreus' size and height. But unlike Persephone, his presence projects outwards in a distinctly godly way. It's not a domineering presence like Hades', nor overwhelming like Chaos or sometimes Nyx, but it was unmistakably there.

"Well, I do hope so, because I really must come along here to help deliver the dead to my business associate on the river. It'd be pretty inconvenient if I couldn't, since that'd just about double the workload on a certain pale fellow with a scythe. And look at that, I've found a soul that needs ferrying right here!"

He produces a gleaming golden apple from his chiton, throwing it up in the air and catching it playfully as he withdraws a handkerchief with his other hand. The apple radiates power, but Hermes offers the handkerchief first. It smells of the wind and sun and is as soft as feathers.

"A soul with a very bloody face, mind, which this should help with."

[littlesprout]

"Right, of course. You'll have to excuse me— I'm still in a bit of shock at seeing you in person at all, I'm afraid." But Zagreus takes the handkerchief with a little sound of embarrassed gratitude, like he's a child who was caught playing in the mud instead of a young god who had just vanquished his father the Lord of House Hades to the Styx.

He cleans himself up, but his eyes track the apple with an open, honest curiosity.

"A soul to ferry? Sorry, I'm not trying to play coy, but perhaps there was a memo I missed?" It's said with Zagreus's usual genuine good nature. Hermes hasn't usually made a habit of simply appearing before him like this. He's of two minds: it's a delight to see his cousin in the flesh, but he can't risk leading him to his mother. It's simply not worth it.

[messageforyou]

"Right, well, I happened to be in the neighborhood and thought, why not drop by to see the show? It was a spectacular duel, I've got to say. Maybe have a word with Aeschylus down below and he can write a play about it. Doesn't hurt that now I get to see my coz in person."

Hermes is the sort of person who somehow manages to phrase anything like he only cares a minor amount about it, even if he cares a lot. It's helpful for him to keep his cards close to his chest, and to avoid revealing too much to his messy and vindictive family who are all far too proud to be openly loving. But the evidence of his care is in the apple that he now is tossing from hand to hand, gleaming bright gold.

"Here, then. Catch." He tosses the golden apple to Zagreus with a wink. "Eat it up, down to the stem and seeds. Don't leave any trace or we'll both be sorry."

Hera didn't just grow those apples for their golden shine. Every bite prolonged a person's life, a rare and wonderful prize for any hero willing to risk the goddess' wrath. And one apple should be juuuuust enough for a Chthonic god to spend a full twenty-four hours away from the Underworld without withering.

Just so long as Hera didn't discover who stole or ate one of her apples. Her temper was legendary.

[littlesprout]

Zagreus catches the apple easily enough, and it's only once he has it in his hands that he seems to realize exactly what it is. "An apple," he marvels quietly, and while that would be curious enough on its own for him, he's acutely aware of what the lustrous golden color means. He's never had the opportunity to meet Hera, but he's heard plenty about her.

(For once in his life, Zagreus is momentarily speechless. He's the one who usually gives the gifts, thank you very much!)

"I, er- If this is to help me make it to Olympus, I do appreciate the sentiment, but I'd really rather make it there on my own merit. It's a bit of a pride thing, you see." He likes Hermes, trusts him as much as he can trust any of his cousins from up the mountain, but there's still uncertainty in his expression as his eyes sweep Hermes's face.

[messageforyou]

Oh gods, his cousin really thinks he hasn't figured it out? It's actually precious. Adorable! Hermes has the sudden impulse to pinch Zagreus' cheeks. But he restrains himself. Instead, his usual blithe smile breaks for a moment with genuine fondness, his eyes flashing with amused affection before he averts them to look at the sky instead, putting a hand on his hip.

"No need for pretensions here, Coz. I've heard from a bird or two it's not the mountain you're after. And I assure you, your secret is safe with me, as is hers."

Hermes' usual opaque smile is back on when he looks to Zagreus again. He's very good at seeming perfectly affable while giving nothing away. "I just thought that you might like some more time to see the surface." And maybe see Persephone. Hermes wouldn't blame Zagreus for using all his extra time to run to his mother and hear all she has to say.

[littlesprout]

Zagreus stammers for a moment, not expecting that hammer to fall, but he's not an unintelligent boy. Impulsive and brash at times, yes, but that didn't detract from his cleverness. If Hermes wanted to share that information, he would have. He certainly wouldn't have risked thieving one of these apples for him as a joke.

And, besides, he'd never given Zagreus any reason for him to doubt him. For all his father painted the Olympians as spiteful and perpetually ill-spirited, Zagreus knows better than anyone else that some opinions have to be taken with a grain of salt. Hermes will probably be able to physically see the way that Zagreus runs these calculations and relaxes.

"Well. In that case... thanks. You've done me an enormous favor." He eats the apple almost dutifully. It's unlike anything he's tasted before, but he's careful not to miss a single seed, a sliver of skin, and when he's finished he smiles a little lopsidedly at the god before him. "I feel it a bit already, I think. Or maybe I'm just imagining as much."

[messageforyou]

Hermes would be the last person to deny his family's flaws. But they're hardly a monolith; Hermes has never been one to hold a grudge, Artemis has never been one too enamored with worship, and Dionysus is rarely in ill humor. But it's Hermes here now, and Hermes has no desire to spite his youngest cousin.

(If anything, it might be nice to have him as family.)

Hermes watches on pleasantly as Zagreus works through his thought process, then smiles with a little bow of the head as Zagreus thanks him and eats the apple down to the seed. "No trouble at all--well, actually, lots of trouble, especially if we're ever found out, but I'm happy to do it for you, Coz."

If Hera finds out and throws a fit, Hermes will just have to hide in Charon's boat for a while. It'd be like a slumber party, if a slumber party meant having a vengeful goddess out for his blood.

"So you should have some time, I think. Enough time to go have a lovely day and night with a certain someone you've been looking for." Hermes shrugs, feigning fond indifference. "Or... perhaps you could have that after a quick jaunt around the surface? See the sights? I could show you around."

[littlesprout]

The idea that he might be able to spend some time with his mother, properly, without fear of being claimed right away by the Styx- well, it's incredible, really, and he hopes Persephone feels the same way. (Privately, pettily, he hopes Father spends the next day burning with confused curiosity when Zagreus fails to come crawling from the Styx pool in the Hall in the usual amount of time.)

"Don't worry. I won't say a word," he pledges, holding up one hand as if to indicate his promise. And, well, yes, he is delighted by the thought of spending so much time in Persephone's private little garden, but isn't the thought of open access to the surface equally exciting? Would he ever really get another chance like this? And doesn't he owe Hermes, really, for the risk he'd taken for him unbidden?

"And if you're sure you don't mind playing tour guide, that would lovely." An outing with his cousin from Olympus. It felt positively fraternal. "You might have to lead the way, though. I don't really know much about the world up there, actually."

[messageforyou]

Hermes likes to think himself as hard to read. He is hard to read... provided a person doesn't pay attention to the wings on his head. When Zagreus agrees to come see the surface with Hermes, the wings on his head perk and fluff up even as his face keeps its opaque smile. He is very pleased with this.

(For such a large family, it's sometimes hard to find a person who wants to just be a family for a bit.)

If one pays closer attention to the wings on his head, Zagreus might notice that all his primary feathers look like the Lambent Plume he gave to Zagreus. So he must have plucked one of his own wings for it.

"Then Hermes the tour guide is at your service, boss." And Hermes actually stops hovering. He alights on the ground, his steps barely leaving an impression on the snow. He slings an arm around Zagreus' shoulder like they've known each other forever (cousin privileges) and he directs him to look out at the water. Dawn is coming, and it glitters on the sea. "What'll it be? Anything specific you had in mind when you came up here? Something you've always imagined? If not, I have a short list of must-sees I'd love to show off."