refusetofight | For @messageforyou

For @messageforyou

“Achilles!”

“Yes, Lord Hades.”

“There are visitors at the gate. See them to the audience chamber.” Hades sets down his quill and pushes up to his intimidating height to head to the chamber in question—an austere and drafty room reserved for private conversations with his fellow gods and artfully designed to honor xenia, while still uncomfortable enough to encourage brevity. Mortal shades and house staff are rarely allowed entry. “And send my wife along as well.”

Achilles bows and strides off to do as he’s told. After his brief infusion of Hades’ power in the arena, he can well imagine the clarity with which his master sees his realm and all that stirs within it. Particularly divine guests at the threshold of his halls, toeing the invisible boundary he placed to prevent gods from entering without his approval. (Shades and other lesser creatures can more or less come and go as they please; he could care less.)

With the grinding scrape of cold iron and stone, Achilles pushes open the House’s gate to behold ...

“Lady Athena, Lord Hermes. Please, come in. Be welcome,” he says after a very brief, shocked pause. He leans on rigid formality to hide his relief at the sight of Hermes safe and well after two months and only one brief letter. This is short lived, quickly replaced by a fresh bout of apprehension; why have he and his sister come to see their uncle?

Once they’ve been ushered to the cavernous audience chamber, Achilles finds Persephone in her garden—with Zagreus—and summons her as well. She smiles, dusts the dirt from her hands, plucks clinging leaves from her peplos and asks her son to continue weeding. Zagreus looks chagrined as he works at a particularly stubborn patch of crabgrass.

After two more short detours—one to task Dusa with preparing guest chambers, another to request food and wine from the chef—and Achilles finally positions himself outside the imposing double doors, ready to receive orders and steer away would-be eavesdroppers. All while he’s desperately straining his own ears to hear snatches of conversation.

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"If you return safely, you can do anything you'd like to me," he says casually, with the briefest of winks—just in case all the wholesome incentives aren't enough.

He finds Hermes' neglected cup and tops it off from the amphora, stealing another sip before passing it along.

"It doesn't take much to please the chthonic natives, but the chef frets about impressing Olympians with only the best surface food." Achilles peers at the non-sweet offerings and helps himself to a tiny round of bread heaped high with mushrooms and—

The Greatest of the Greeks suddenly wrinkles his nose in clear revulsion. He quickly offers the morsel to Hermes instead, pinching it between thumb and index finger like something dredged from the bottom of a satyr's sack.

A combo of wholesome and sexy incentives are always better than only one.

Hermes accepts the cup, then laughs at Achilles' reaction to the little snack. "Don't like mushrooms, my love?" Hermes sips his wine before accepting the bread. "Don't worry, I'll take care of it for you."

Hermes pops it into his mouth, humming softly as he chews and swallows, washing it down with more wine. "I don't blame your chef for fretting, but if you think they'd believe you, do let them know that I enjoy their food greatly and they shouldn't worry."

He chuckles softly as he picks up a little pomegranate treat for himself. "Besides, they've learned my preferences well. I do have a weakness for sweets."

"Onions. They were mixed in among the mushrooms. Didn't you see? Can't stand the rotten, smelly things." Achilles turns away and flaps a hand in front of his face. He can't even watch Hermes eat them with such nonchalance. "No more kisses for a while."

He only turns back when Hermes tucks into the sweets. Achilles thinks of the dream and the tiny hummingbird asleep in his palms. His smile returns and he pinches a stray pomegranate seed from the platter, rolling it between his fingers before popping it in his mouth. "The chef will be pleased to hear your praise."

"Onions? You're so upset about onions?" Hermes laughs brightly, popping a pistachio in his mouth sticky with honey. Evidently, he has no trouble with onions at all. "Darling, I think you just haven't had them cooked right."

But far be it from Hermes to force onions upon his beloved. Especially when there are plenty of other treats to nibble on. He is indeed still a hummingbird under it all, looking for ever more sugar.

"I hope so. I know I still make most of the staff nervous. I'm never sure if that means I should try to be more or less friendly." With someone like Dusa, it seems like more friendliness just makes her expire faster.

He rolls his eyes and harrumphs like the stubborn old man he should have become.

"Do you know how many people have told me exactly that while they pushed every fiendish kind of onion on me?" Red, white, yellow, green. Pickled, caramelized, roasted, stewed.

He pops an olive in his mouth, deliciously salty with brine. "It was testament to Pat's devotion that, from the time we were boys, he ate every last onion that tried to spoil my food."

Hermes laughs, resisting the urge to kiss Achilles' nose with how grumpy he looks. "Are you sure he didn't just enjoy onions?"

He nibbles on a piece of cake, happily swaying in place in delight as he bites into it. Yum. Fruit and honey.

"You know, there are places out there where all they can eat are onions because they're so easy to grow, and the nobility take everything else. Onion soup all day, every day. Maybe with some mutton if they're lucky."

"Maybe. But isn't it more romantic to think of it as a sacrifice he made on my behalf?" As if it's on par with donning Achilles' armor and trying to singlehandedly sack Troy.

"Don't invoke such horrors under this roof, lest your uncle take note," he says, giving Hermes' leg a chiding kick. But the talk of such dismal mortal societies brings with it another thought. "Aside from those doomed to eat onion soup, how is the surface?"

Achilles rolls another fig between his palms, and his fleeting silliness gives way to his usual sober tone. "The mortal world suffered while you slept. Have you been able to help them? Or would that risk your father's notice?"

Hermes giggles, nose wrinkling, at the little kick. But he sobers again at the question, his lips pressing together in thought.

"...A lot of my help is unconscious. If Pop's noticed, he hasn't said anything. He might just assume that's mortal society righting itself somewhat and adjusting to my absence."

Hermes sighs through his nose. "But it's not great up there, even so. When there's unease on Olympus, there's unease on the surface. The roads are treacherous. The sea is unsafe. The woods are hostile. Plague is threatening to spread. Wine turns to vinegar and too many people are getting mind-sick... But soldiers and warmongers seem pleased with their lot."

Of all his siblings, Ares has been affected the least by his absence, it seems. It makes sense, he supposes. Diplomacy is often in direct conflict with war, and as diplomacy breaks down, war gains power.

"Luckily, Aunt Demeter and Aunt Hestia have carried on as normal. If they didn't, I don't know how the humans would feed themselves."

He hums a grim note. "It still shows in the shades, but I dared to hope the world was on the mend."

"All the more reason to end this quickly and as peaceably as you can." Achilles grasps Hermes' hand, turning it so he can twine their fingers.

"Our happiness together is but a small prize in all of this." He knows how much Hermes cares for humans, but as a man who suffered in part from the bickering of gods, he can't help but say it aloud: "Mortals have but one short life, and it's much too precious to be spent steeped in such discord."

Hermes squeezes Achilles' hand, nodding grimly. "We'll do everything we can to make it quick. If we fail, then it's war. And I don't think anyone will win if there's war on the mountain, least of all mortals."

The older Olympians don't often talk about the Titan war, but Gaia still bears scars. Hermes doubts that many humans would survive another round like that. For now, they just suffer the side effects of divine grief and displeasure--what would they suffer if all the gods raged?

"But it won't come to that. Because we won't fail." Hermes puts on a cocky, cheeky smile, winking at Achilles. "I'm the one doing the tricking, after all."

Achilles returns the smile with his own, albeit more sober and lined with worry.

Hermes is right: Achilles isn't as cunning as brilliant Odysseus. Trickery isn't in his arsenal, and so it feels like he's watching Hermes go off to battle with nothing but a dagger in hand. A very sharp dagger, yes, but one he needs to get dangerously close to use on a very small opening in Zeus' metaphorical armor. And if he misses his mark ...

But this is Hermes. If anyone can wield that weapon effectively, it's him.

Some of the tense concern in Achilles' smile relaxes. "No, you won't fail. That clever mind has saved you before, and it will save you yet again. I know it."

Hermes brushes some of Achilles' hair behind his ear, and says with perfect confidence, "It will. And I'll tell you all about it next time I'm here."

No one gets by on Olympus without learning how to fake confidence. And hey, if he can fake it enough, maybe he can will it to be certain. Gods have done stranger things.

But then Hermes' smile freezes. His eyes dart to the side, his ears perking, wings pinning themselves hard against his head as he takes in something Achilles can't sense.

"My sister's coming this way. Up, up--" Hermes pushes Achilles to get off the seat. Even for Hermes' famously friendly reputation, it'd be hard to explain away why he's snuggled so close to his chaperone alone in his chambers.

And this is exactly why Achilles stopped himself from getting carried away earlier. It might as well be a recreation of his unveiling in Lycomedes' court for how abruptly the hero is on his feet, spear in hand.

He runs his tongue over his teeth and a hand over his mouth to catch any stray crumbs or fig juice. Despite this care, however, he still misses one tiny, orange down feather clinging like an ember in his curls.

He positions himself by the door—face stoic, posture vigilant—and awaits the goddess' knock.

Hermes has no time to examine his lover, because he’s too busy straightening himself out—smooth the feathers, straighten the clothes, pull the plate towards himself and grab the wine goblet—

There are few people who would dare enter an Olympian’s quarters without knocking. But other Olympians will do it.

“Hermes?”

Athena says his name just before opening the door. Where Hermes’ aura is bright and uplifting, and Apollo’s is painfully radiant, Athena’s is stern and commanding. It’s not cold or unfeeling, but she carries dignity that seems inherent to her being.

Hermes, for his part, has already collected himself and he glances at her as he lifts his goblet to his mouth.

“You know, most people do this thing called knocking, sis,” he says dryly, sipping the wine as if that’s all he’s been doing.

“Do they now?” Athena says in the mild way of someone who knows what you’re saying and is choosing to ignore it. She frowns at the spread before Hermes, lips thinning. “Take care what you eat here, brother. They’ve served you pomegranates.”

“Sis, I work here. I’m suited to the food, I promise,” Hermes says, putting his wine aside and avoiding the question of whether pomegranates are actually a danger to surface dwellers as Persephone said. “Are you here for dinner company? I thought Zagreus was visiting you.”

Athena sighs through her nose. She moves to the chair across Hermes, but instead of sitting, she leans on the back of the chair. She’s restless, too restless to enjoy a meal.

“He was. And he asked some… difficult questions.”

Hermes sobers, leveling his sister with a serious (and sympathetic) look. “Which ones? There are so many he could ask.”

“He…” but then Athena remembers they’re not alone. She looks to Achilles, and she has the grace to look apologetic.

“Thank you for chaperoning my brother, Achilles, but we must have a private conversation. If you would…” but she trails off. Her eyes narrow ever so slightly. She approaches Achilles not unlike a general inspecting her troops.

And then she plucks a glowing orange feather from Achilles’ curls.

She looks at it. Her lips thin. Hermes manages to keep his expression even, but his shoulders tense and his wings pin tight against his head.

“I wasn’t aware you started growing feathers, Achilles,” she says, voice cold.

Achilles is prepared to settle into the background like he usually does when in the presence of visiting gods—impossibly still, only speaking when spoken to, ready to attend to whatever needs arise. There could scarcely be a more significant departure from the headstrong prince he was among his mortal peers.

"Of course, Lady Athena." He's in the middle of rising from a deferential bow when he catches her chilling expression. From eyes like hers, Achilles has no choice but to freeze in place like a shew under the shadow of a stooping owl. So he stays when she approaches, and when the tiny feather comes into view, pinched between her fingers.

The tone in her voice and her frigid scrutiny are somehow magnitudes worse than Apollo's blindingly bright rage. Achilles' mind scrambles for some kind of excuse, but even if he grasped one, he could never hope to speak it convincingly. Nor could he bring himself to lie to the goddess who granted him so much favor in life.

He wishes Chaos would generously open a portal beneath him so he might plummet into the endless, primordial void. But Chaos is not so charitable today and leaves Achilles to his struggle.

"My lady, I—" is all he manages to stammer before he hazards a glance at Hermes. He's the one with the silver tongue and no compunctions about lying.

Hermes only takes a beat to snap to it.

“‘Thena, stop staring him down, you’re going to give him a heart attack.” Hermes stands from the table, taking another glug of wine before walking over and casually tugging the feather from his sister’s grasp. “Very impressive considering his heart’s already stopped.”

Athena turns her frigid gaze on Hermes, arching a single eyebrow and waiting. Any wise man would quail under that gaze, but Hermes just rolls his eyes emphatically.

“If you must know, I hugged him.”

The one eyebrow arches further.

Hermes waves the feather for emphasis. “Sis, he’s the house guard. He greets me every time I have a message. And some people make friends with their coworkers, and actually get concerned when you’re missing for months. It’s great fun, you should try it.”

Athena’s eyes narrow. There’s still skepticism, but she doesn’t look quite so sure of herself anymore. “Brother, you can’t hug our uncle’s house guard. You’re an Olympian. It disrespects our uncle’s house.”

“Yes, hugs are famous for turning a man’s loyalty. Very insidious things, hugs are,” Hermes says dryly. Athena’s lips thin, but more tellingly, her nose wrinkles. For a moment, she looks like Hermes when he’s about to laugh, except she’s clearly holding it back. Hermes can tell he has the upper hand, and he playfully brushes the offending feather against his sister’s nose.

“Are you done being nosy now, dearest sister?”

Athena waves Hermes off with an exasperated sigh, looking back to Achilles.

“My brother’s affection hasn’t been unwelcome, has it, Achilles?”

There’s half genuine concern in her voice. She does have affection for Achilles, and she’s aware of how overwhelming her friendly little brother can be.

But there’s also a shade of suspicion. Athena knows that Hermes can lie to her. She also knows that Achilles can’t. And if this is a lie, she’s more likely to see it in her favored hero’s response than her little brother’s.

Edited 2022-12-22 06:34 (UTC)

Achilles' eyes move between the divine siblings. With two gods standing in it—low-key bickering in it—the room feels much smaller. But Hermes works the situation with all the ease Achilles hoped for. His hand loosens its anxious grip on the haft of his spear and he silently releases his held breath.

"No, Lady Athena, it's not unwelcome in the least," he replies, glad that he can say this with all honest confidence. He allows himself a modest smile and a polite nod to Hermes. "It's a great relief to see your brother well after his long absence."

Does Athena know his part in waking Hermes? Achilles has no clue. If she does, it would be up to certain of her siblings or Hermes himself to tell her. If she does know, will she begin to wonder? It would mark the second time Achilles has gone out of his way to help her brother.

Athena’s gaze softens. No longer a swooping owl intent on prey, but one calmly surveying instead. But there’s still just a glimmer of suspicion in her eyes.

“I’m glad to hear it. My brother doesn’t always respect professional decorum.”

She glances at Hermes disapprovingly. He bats his eyes at her innocently with a “who, me?” expression.

Athena turns her gaze back to Achilles. “What has my brother said to you about his absence?”

Hermes takes a breath to speak, but Athena holds up a finger at him. “I want to hear Achilles speak.”

Hermes makes a face, thinning his lips. “‘Thena, you’re being ridiculous.”

Athena only acknowledges him with a light humming. She’s very used to her brother pulling fast ones, and she’s also very used to cutting him off before he can.

"It's no trouble," Achilles assures Hermes, and keeps his face neutral as he turns to Athena. "Lord Hermes told me he met with his birth mother, and thereby came into contact with other relatives, some of whom have crossed Lord Zeus in the past. This greatly displeased your father, and so he punished Lord Hermes with eternal slumber."

He keeps the details vague, trying to estimate just how much Hermes might reveal to a friendly, mortal colleague. "Fortunately, he was able to wake from his sleep and has since been in hiding."

Achilles gives a respectful bob of his head and adds, "Forgive me if I speak out of turn, but I do hope this unfortunate matter is resolved so that Lord Hermes may resume his valuable work as a psychopomp. The Underworld suffers in his absence."

Athena hums. Her eyes are too sharp, too intelligent. Like an owl that's spotted a rabbit in the snow.

"We all suffer in his absence, yes," she agrees softly. "Fear not speaking out of turn here, Achilles, son of Thetis. It seems that my little brother has already taken you into Olympian confidence."

She steps back from Achilles to give him breathing room, but her smile is thin when she favors Hermes with it. "Especially if he told you about his mother, when he wouldn't even tell me about her until after he woke."

If Hermes is discomfited by this, he doesn't show it. Instead, he shrugs and picks up his wine goblet, hiding his mouth with a long drink. "I don't tell you everything, sis. Are we going to talk about Zagreus or are you going to poke at my friends all day or night? Or we can just get more wine if you want to catch up with a favored hero."

Athena makes a dismissive gesture, her face smoothing out. "No, you're right. We have bigger issues at hand to discuss."

Athena's gaze lifts, not quite so intense, but not completely oblivious either. Hermes gives Achilles a polite smile. "Would you give us a moment, my good shade? Got to talk about family business, I'm sure you understand."

Achilles winces internally at the misstep. She's right to wonder what makes a shade so special, "coworker" or no. The evidence is mounting, and he can't imagine this charade will fool the goddess of wisdom much longer. And if she can't abide Hermes hugging one of her uncle's servants, she probably won't be thrilled to learn they've gotten a good deal more informal than that ...

For now, Achilles is deeply grateful for an excuse to leave Athena's oppressive aura and get some fresh air. Or as fresh as it comes in the Underworld. "Of course, Lord Hermes, Lady Athena. I'll leave you to speak in confidence."

He gives a respectful salute with his spear and pushes open the heavy door. "Should you need anything, please call. I'll be posted at the end of the corridor." Before he fully closes it, he pauses and gives a knowing look. "And rest assured, if I see Prince Zagreus, I'll steer him well away."

Athena gives Achilles a nod, something almost like a smile softening the edges of her eyes. "Thank you, Achilles. That would be helpful."

After the door is closed, the gods speak in hushed tones. There's no energy of convincing and negotiation as there was earlier with their uncle, but of quiet exchange of information.

Athena, despite giving Achilles a hard time, doesn't struggle to get into discussing issues with Zagreus. It's a grim conversation, but one approached by two siblings who respect each other's perspectives and who trust each other to want what's best for the family.

But the voices still get testy towards the end, the sound of two people arguing when neither of them are used to arguing. But the testiness dies away. Only one exchange escapes from the door--a soft, vulnerable, human, "I love you, Hermes. Never doubt that."

And then a gentle, "I never do. I love you too, sis."

After a while, Athena walks out of the door, heaving a grim sigh that for a moment makes her look more like an exhausted mother than a goddess.

But then her divine aura returns, her face smoothing and posture returning to rigid perfection. Her pace is clipped as she passes Achilles, but she pauses to offer him a courteous nod of the head.

"Thank you for standing guard, Achilles." She arches one eyebrow. "Do be mindful of any stray feathers in the future."

If it's a euphemism or just her chiding him for not being more conscientious about his appearance, it's not immediately obvious.

Achilles' watch is not entirely uneventful. Half-way through the siblings' tête-à-tête, Zagreus silently rounds a corner. Not a word is exchanged between mentor and protégé, they simply make eye contact: Achilles slowly shakes his head, Zagreus frowns and turns back the way he came, leaving a trail of cooling, molten footprints in his wake. (How the lad ever thinks he can be sneaky when he leaves evidence like that, Achilles doesn't know.)

He hears the telltale change in tone that signals a conversation wrapping up and feels what? Embarrassed? To hear their affectionate words, especially from Athena. It's far from the first time he's heard gods speak so candidly with one another; his duties find him ignored like any fixture of the house. Standing watch outside closed doors like these, Achilles has heard hushed, loving words between Persephone and Zagreus, or even Persephone and Hades. It leaves him with a lingering film of guilt, like he's stolen their precious words out of the air.

And then Athena emerges, chasing shadows away to the furthest reaches of the hall with her very presence. Or maybe that's just how it seems to his bleary shade's eyes.

"Ah— ... I shall take greater care in future." He blinks back the fresh shock of shame at her warning and veers back into strict formality. "It's a pleasure, Lady Athena—the chance to serve you once again, if only for a moment."

Once the goddess is well out of sight, Achilles waits another dozen breaths before he returns to the door. He's not quite ready to drop protocol—not after what just transpired with Athena, or with Zagreus skulking about—and he gives it a gentle rap with his knuckle. "Lord Hermes? Would you still like my company?"

Athena, before she leaves, inclines her head. Her mouth doesn't move, but the corners of her eyes soften, and there's sincerity in her eyes when she says, "The pleasure is mine, Achilles. Take care of my little brother."

And then she's gone. She has work to do, after all. And whether her parting words were a command for a guard or a plea to her brother's lover to her? She hasn't made it clear.

But when Achilles finally knocks on the door, Hermes doesn't answer verbally. Instead, he just opens the door himself. His eyes are tired, his wings drooping more than usual, but he leans against the threshold with his usual confidence nonetheless.

"What do you think?" he says softly. He waits for Achilles to step inside before closing the door, sighing and leaning his back against it like he'd just had a fistfight with Kronos.

"I know it's important for appearances, but I don't like it when you call me Lord," Hermes says, rubbing his face.

"Forgive me—" This is pronounced less like an apology, more like a quiet acknowledgement. Then, as if to make up for it, he heaps every ounce of affection he can into two syllables: "Hermes."

Achilles notes the marked change from the bubbly god happily munching on sweets, and immediately wraps an arm around Hermes' shoulders. He coaxes his exhausted weight away from the door to lean against him instead.

"From what little I could hear, those words with your sister sounded fraught." He sets his spear aside yet again as he maneuvers Hermes to a seat. "Care to talk about it?"

Yes, he wants to help Hermes unburden himself, but Achilles is just as anxious to know about Zagreus' exchange with Athena. He might just have to give his student a proper reprimand.

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