#Keraunos: hermes has been decapitated | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

bacon-neko · 6 months

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Nano 2023 Day 3

in which the boy finally gets a name drop

When the boy’s expression did nothing to soften, the war god huffed and scrubbed a hand over his face.

“Look,” he said. “We got off on the wrong foot.” He stood and waved his arms in a generous if sloppy bow. “My name is Ares, son of Zeus. You got a name?”

An inhale.

That’s all it took for the answer to flash across his mind.

“Keraunos,” he replied, the name slotting effortlessly into place alongside every other truth about himself. It comforted him—having a word for what he was, something to define his edges, to mark him out against the world—even made him forget pain, the panic, the body on the ground.

“Weird name,” said Ares, pulling him from his thoughts.

Offended, Keraunos scowled. “No, it’s not.”

“Sure it is, Thunderbolt,” Ares replied. “I mean, it’d be like if I was named Sharp Stick.”

“Well, it’s my name,” he insisted. “And I like it.”

Ares shrugged. “Suit yourself. Still. I thought you’d be named something… Different, I guess.”

He cocked his head. “Why?”

The war god huffed, frustration leaking out of his voice and into his hands. “I dunno, you’re just—” He cut off and turned.

Keraunos watched Ares pace—his twitching hands, his bared teeth and half attempted sneer, and his wide steps, careful to mind the limbs of the sprawled, headless Hermes. Keraunos watched and then settled back against the rock, before grabbing a random pine cone and rolling it absently in his hands.

“I’m just…?” he prompted.

Ares kicked at the ground. “Nothing. Forget it. Besides, we gotta get you outta here.”

“Why?” asked the boy as Ares stepped close and held out his hand.

“Cuz I don’t wanna be around when Athena catches on,” he said, shaking his hand when Keraunos stared at it absently and then finally pulling him up with a sigh. The boy winced and coughed, stumbling a little while Ares led him away, back to the horses.

#Ares: Out here bonding with my brother living my best life #Keraunos: hermes has been decapitated #Ares: this ain't about him #no idea if this works tonally #haven't gone back to read #but i do feel bad #originally i was gonna have ares knock hermes out with like the hilt of his sword #and then i thought #hey they're both immortal he's a violent guy why wouldn't he just #chop chop #so now we're here #my post #writing

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