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#pjo hermes
softestaries · 3 months
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Not Hermes dragging out their time at the casino by ranting to Percy Jackson about how difficult parenting is while Poseidon is literally waiting (🧍) to make amends with his son outside in the ocean as they speak
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waterisntreal · 3 months
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Ok no Hermes saying “Do you know what that feels like? To be so close to someone you love, knowing neither of you has any choice but to keep hurting each other? I know you do” to Percy and then making him have a flashback to sitting in the back of a car in front what I’m assuming is a school looking sadder than a 10 year old has any right to be was absolutely CRIMINAL
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georgies-ftts · 1 year
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Apollo theatre kids gonna be confused as fuck as to why their uncle is Alexander Hamilton
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frozenrose20 · 5 months
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The more I see this man the more I understand Luke's betrayal cuz what on Earth are you doing at the casino sir go visit your kids! Go claim Chris! You mean to tell me that the master bolt was stolen and that Poseidon and Zeus are about to go to war and this man is just shooting dice!?
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bullshit-and-sticks · 2 months
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Hermes : my son.. pride is NOT the word i am looking for
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purpleshadow-star · 3 months
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Listen, Lin Manuel Miranda ate as Hermes. Anyone who disagrees is simply wrong. Idk what to tell you.
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demi-gods-posts · 4 months
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Pjo but Hestia has her own cabin and unclaimed kids go there because she’s the goddess of the house and home. So 1: the Hermes cabin isn’t so crowded and 2: so they can get claimed faster if all the unclaimed kids are in one area.
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apollosgiftofprophecy · 3 months
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UPDATED 1/29/24
this was inspired by @lubble-underscore's post and I decided to expand on the iceberg and see how much I could throw on it
thanks to the Discord server for filling in on things that didn't cross my mind! :D
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feel free to save and highlight what you know :3 Links to many of these things are below - some are not tho!
Tier 1 - do we even need to SAY anything?
pathetic little meow meow
bisexual
unreliable narrator
Tier 2 - surface level/easy to see
superiority/inferiority complex
bitchsexual (i mean... points to commodus)
raised chiron (see CHB Confidential)
Tier 3 - complete read-through/reread; taking first steps into fandom
breaks cycle of abuse
polldona
great with kids, actually (see Harley, Georgie, ect.)
ordered pizza to chb (see The Hidden Oracle)
domains contradict
best godly parent
still heavily affected by past lovers (see The Whole Series)
Tier 4 - digging a little deeper
love life isn't actually terrible
definitely tried to bang frey at least once (see that One throwaway line in The Hidden Oracle)
malewife malewhore manslaughter
broke up the beatles because paul jilted him (Discord)
sees the faces of primordial gods (see The Hidden Oracle)
copollo could have worked
catboy but cats are competition (See The Tyrant's Tomb; submitted by @trials-of-apollo-my-beloved)
freakishly high pain tolerance (See THE ENTIRE SERIES)
Tier 5 - holy shit we're on to something
that apollo & jesus fic (Discord)
knew hades had kids in TTC
pressured to be the perfect son
fatal flaw is love
not as close to hermes as he used to be
seahorsed kayla
patron of CHB
roman apollo au (Discord: Creator chronictheorizing)
Tier 6 - wait what. OH!
was forced to punish halcyon green
deathsong (Discord: Creator @txny-dragon) (addition)
kids are greek & roman
michael yew is most like him
brings change by being his true self and not the fake one (Submitted by @/txny-dragon)
laomedon is why he hates slavery (Discord: Creator @ukelele-boy)
intentionally made the orientation video to communicate info on the gods
Tier 7 - what the fuck did we get ourselves into
directed travis & conner to tartarus tongs
Apollo x Orion is peek hateship (Discord: Origin in Tsari's server during Eclipse)
unlocked heavenly prophecy powers during trials
dated oscar wilde and inspired the picture of dorian gray (Discord)
half-titan theory
tartarus regenerated him
imperial kids were meant to usurp the olympians
Tier 8 - we're in too deep but will never come out
knows estelle is omen of end of the world
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falconfrost · 1 year
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no wonder may castellan fell so hard for hermes like can you imagine this guy showing up at your door 😍😍😍😍
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goblinwithartsupplies · 7 months
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This is not my original post it belongs to @caffeinatedflumadiddlebutpjo who deleted their account but it’s so good and needs to be preserved
I like that there is just... A noticeable gap in the gods' under standing of mortal children. Like, Zeus really accused a TWELVE-YEAR-OLD of stealing his master bolt and the only justification I have for this is "Well, Hermes stole Apollo's cattle right after birth so that tracks".
But now I have a theory that the gods don't rediv understand how mortal
children work and that's why they're so blase about sending them to do ridiculous nonsense?
Like...
Zeus: What do you mean 'first word'? Why would they only speak one word?
Artemis: Humans can only cry when they are born.
Zeus: Nonsense. When vou were born you didn't cry. You delivered your brother and then came to me to ask for a birthday present.
Artemis: Humans aren't the same though. They can't walk or talk for many months. When they do speak it is only in small, short words.
Zeus: …that's not true
Artemis: I'm afraid it is
Zeus, under his breath: What the fuck
Later on...
Zeus: Did you know human babies can't speak when thev're tirst born?
Poseidon: that's so sad. Are demigods like that?
Zeus: I have no idea.
Poseidon: Mavbe we should ask around more. Athena was saying something about brain development.
Zeus: Their... THEIR BRAINS AREN'T DEVELOPED?!?!
Poseidon: I guess
Zeus: THESE HUMANS ARE WALKING AROUND WITHOUT FULLY FORMED BRAINS?!
Poseidon: I mean, so are you and I don't complain.
The quest continues...
Hermes: So... you're telling me that human kids don't know how to fend themselves at all? They need to be taught? I mean, fighting, of course, but outside of that???
Poseidon: Yeah, I thought it was like fish
where you just naturally know what you’re supposed to do. But apparently they have no idea and need to be shown everything
Hermes: I... that's awful. Why?
Poseidon: I don't know.
Suddenly all the gods are very concerned...
Ares: You mean to tell me that my kids are probably traumatized from war??
Hermes: That's what the research shows. Human kids aren't supposed to handle that kind of stuff and demigods are more human than we anticipated.
Ares: But... War?
Hermes: Idk what to tell you, bud. I'm beginning to understand why they hate us tho.
Everyone is naturally panicking
Demeter: YOU SENT MONSTERS AFTER MY BABIES WHEN THEY HAD NO BRAINS AND COULDN'T EVEN READ?!?
Hecate: HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW THAT DEMIGODS WEREN'T BORN KNOWING HOW TO READ!?!?!
Athena: Our children all have dyslexia.
Demeter: YOU LET YOUR DAUGHTERRUN AWAY WHEN SHE WAS SEVEN! SILENCE!
Athena:…And? She is very mature and had my protection. I'm not like the rest of you. rhave done my researcn on humans and led her accordingly.
Apollo: Think of it this way, Athena. She would have just started losing baby teeth when she left home.
Athena: What?
Apollo: According to my son, they shed teeth. Like, they fall out and get new, bigger ones when they re old enougn. Didn't you know that?
Hades: That's disgusting. Our children do that?
Athena: I... That's not true! Your son is a liar!
Apollo: I AM THE GOD OF TRUTH!
It's a whole thing on Olympus
Hephaestus: Wait, they NEED to eat?!?! It isn't just for fun???
Hermes: What about water???
Dionysus: How do none ot vou know these things. Maybe you all should be camp directors for awhile-
Hades: Eight hours? They need EIGHT hours of sleep? A Day? There's no way NICO Is getting that much..
Dionysus: Oh, are they? Yeah lol. None of them are getting that much.
Aphrodite: Oh my gods... What happens if they don't get enough? Do they become ugly? ARE YOU GOING TO MAKE MY KIDS UGLY?!
Zeus: They're so fragile. Why are they even allowed out of the camp?! Chiron, explain!
Chiron: You... Uh, ask them to do stuff for you?
All of Olympus: *flips a table*
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linnamonrolls0 · 3 months
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The Winner Takes It All
LMM!Hermes x Reader
Summary:
“devils roll the dice, angels roll their eyes what doesn’t kill me makes me want you more…”
You accidentally find your way into the Lotus Casino, where a certain Greek god takes a keen interest in a game of poker, a sweet deal, and… you.
Rating: Mature
Words: 4,480
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A/N:
I wasn’t gonna write this… until I saw some hater saying they’d [redacted] if they saw a LMM!Hermes x Reader fic show up - so naturally, being the disastrous Lin simp that I am, I HAD TO DO IT. After all, learning from the best in proving the naysayers wrong…
A lot of this was written pre-episode, allow it with a few inconsistencies and a lot of research-induced additions!
Mixtape... bloop - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6v2ZfRamJRh8eP6qOqz4ND
Chapter 1: When The Chips Are Down
Contrary to popular belief, apparently it is possible to get lost in Las Vegas.
You were only strolling the Strip with a group of friends on the last day of your whirlwind vacation, but soon enough you found yourself at a dead end, unsure of what turn you’d even taken to get there. 
Hoping to locate a restroom and some means of connectivity to contact your friends, you beelined for the nearest building, flashily labelled the Lotus Hotel and Casino: upon glancing upward, you were met with the sight of a forty-storey tower, with a wide open entrance marked by a blooming neon-bright lotus flower in front of you. It was the sort of place you would expect to be buzzing with life, but oddly enough nary a soul lingered by the shining silver doors; just stillness and silence, save for the muffled music pounding from somewhere inside.
Though you felt overwhelmingly uneasy, that entrance carried a strange magnetism that compelled you to step inside. Something that suggested all your fear would be put to rest the moment you walked through those doors… or into that flower, at least.
You tucked your hands under your sleeves and drew in a deep breath, before you crossed the petalled threshold into an opulent lobby decorated with lotus plants in intricately designed pots and inviting plush couches around the circular hall. The air conditioning was a welcome relief from the Nevada summer heat, and the whole place seemed to glow in a dark shade of pink. 
You immediately felt an invisible weight ease off of your shoulders as you entered… What had you come here to look for, again?
Right, a phone charger and somewhere to pee. Of course, basic human necessities, how could you forget those so quickly?
Interrupting your line of thought, you paused in your tracks when a tall Barbie doll materialised in front of you, dressed in bright pink from head to toe; upon first glance she looked like some sort of projection, as though she wasn’t real at all.
“Welcome to the Lotus Hotel and Casino,” she greeted you in an almost robotic voice, with a plastic smile stretched across her face, holding out a shimmering green card. “Here’s your Cash Card, have a great time!”
“Cash… what? Do I have to pay for this?” you stuttered, confused beyond belief as you took the card. What was this place?
“No, not a penny!” She shook her head; not a single strand of her perfectly coiffed blonde hair shifted out of place. “Would you like a tour? Here, have a drink. Only the best in the world here!” 
She offered you a glass goblet, filled to the brim with a dark maroon liquid and topped with blueberries, bearing the same eerie magnetism as the doors had done minutes before. You eyed the drink dubiously, brows furrowed as you sniffed it in a futile attempt to ascertain what exactly it was.
“I’m alright, thank you,” you politely declined, “What is—”
But before you could finish your question, the Barbie doll had disappeared as suddenly as she’d arrived, and the moment you sipped the strong floral drink, your questions completely evaporated.
Following your curiosity, you craned your neck and looked up to see endless floors lined with rooms and doors and glass balconies, with a pair of glass elevators in the middle. At this point, you wouldn’t be surprised if the great glass elevator could shoot through the ceiling like something out of a children’s book.
At least there were more people in here, though you were certain they too had just appeared as if by magic; not acknowledging you at all, they milled about in the lobby and outside the doors to the casino, beside to what appeared to be an arcade full of excited children playing classic and modern video games alike. Regardless of age, all the guests were clad in fancy-dress costumes; you figured perhaps there was an event taking place that had its attendees reflecting different eras of fashion. Wouldn’t be unusual for this town, everyone was dressed crazy and after three days traversing Sin City’s myriad clubs and casinos, nothing fazed you - or perhaps the effects of whatever you’d taken at that club last night still hadn’t fully worn off, who knew…
Still in a bit of a daze, you floated toward the immense double doors leading to the Casino, already hearing the jingling of slot machines singing proud over the pounding pop beats as their backing track.
The casino was lit by ornate chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, deliberately dimmed to give way to the bright, flashing lights of the various gaming machines assembled around the hall, surrounding a set of card tables in its centre. Chatter and laughter filled the room and people crowded around the tables, playing without a care in the world and having the time of their lives; everyone seemed to have a goblet in hand and a cash card in the other, not dissimilar to your current state. It was warmer in here, though still comfortable enough that you could breathe… Just about.
You wandered through and your attention was glued to a game of roulette at a table beside you, where a couple had just won who knows what, when you were interrupted by a greeting that you just somehow knew was directed at you.
“Well, hello, there,” you heard in a smooth, low tenor behind you.
You whirled around on your heel to be met by… a guy. Literally just a guy, casually leaning on his gorgeously tanned forearms on a nearby craps table, aimlessly toying with a pair of dice in his left hand as he gazed over at you. He was certainly easy on the eyes with his vaguely familiar but handsome face, a mischievous little smirk on his lips, and pretty brown eyes that sparkled in the flashing lights… There was something about those eyes that drew you in. And for some reason, you couldn’t bring yourself to look away…
He looked like the most normal person in the room, but he seemed entirely out of place, given that everyone else was dressed to the nines - meanwhile he wore a comfy tan hoodie and sweatpants set, as if he perhaps owned it all and subsequently had no rules to follow in this already-lawless land. When he stepped around his table to approach you, he certainly did swagger around like he ruled the place, and his companions nearby looked at him like they worshipped the ground he walked on. Perhaps he was important, but how were you to know?
“You come here often?” he flirted, just about the most awful pickup line imaginable, but you were past the point of questioning why it still sounded attractive.
How had you ended up here, anyway? Hell knew… But this was Sin City, after all; a little harmless flirting could do you no harm, surely… 
“Nope, never been here before. But weirdly, I don’t want to leave…” you shrugged, taking another sip of that strangely addictive drink.
“Sounds about right, Miss…”
“[Y/N],” you offered casually, uncharacteristically not hesitant.
“Pleasure to meet you…” he said with a playful lilt to his tone, holding out a hand, “They call me Hermes.”
When you shook his hand, for a split second you could’ve sworn you weren’t there anymore - when his smooth hand held yours, something akin to a firework went off inside your mind, and you’d put it down to just sparks if not for the phantom breeze you felt just then, a gust that nearly knocked you off your feet.
You couldn’t place what it was, exactly, but there was something strange about this man. He bore an almost otherworldly quality, as though he wasn’t human at all… But how could he be anything else? Come to think of it, there was a similarly supernatural energy about the casino itself; no wonder he fit right in to this weird wonderland.
“What, you got a Birkin in your back pocket or something, Mr Hermes?” you laughed, trying to shake off that odd suspicion, only to be met by his indignant scowl. Even that was cute.
“And what business do you have with my back pockets?” he teased, tucking one hand into the front pocket of his hoodie, to which you raised an intrigued brow.
You shrugged, nonchalant, still reeling from that strange feeling. “Nothing yet, but perhaps I’d like to find out…”
“Obviously I do not, but I could hook you up.” The innuendo wasn’t lost on you, least of all when Hermes smirked, that patented brand of mischief you were quickly growing quite fond of as he swaggered across to the card table; the players welcomed him back gladly. “Care for a game?” he asked, seemingly winning one without even paying attention to it as he rolled the dice carelessly onto the table that stood between you.
As he retrieved the dice, you eyed his hands curiously; they could only be described as pretty, as though he might be a pianist or… an artist of some description. He had his sleeves rolled back and a gold-plated Rolex glimmered on one wrist, a chunky gold chain-link bracelet on the other, and something about that on him was distractingly attractive. It all screamed money, despite his casual tracksuit getup, which would’ve been nothing special if it didn’t look so needlessly expensive in itself. You absently wondered what that obscure tattoo on his ring finger meant, for surely it couldn’t imply he might be taken…
“It’s not like you have anything to lose,” Hermes commented, interrupting your line of thought as he set a few chips down on the table and retrieved his own green Cash Card from his pocket, holding it up to show you. So everyone had them; then, what was the point?
Oh, right. You likely couldn’t do anything with the money outside, so, go figure it was an unlimited free pass.
“I guess I’m in. After all, what you gonna do when the chips are down?” you quoted a challenge, holding your own smug look at the recognition in his eyes.
“I see you speak my language…” he teased, “Even if those aren’t exactly my words.”
“Funny you should mention that. Has anyone ever told you you look a bit like Lin-Manuel Miranda?”
“So I’ve been told! Though, I think the correct expression would be that he looks like me. Same difference, he’s me, I’m him, whatever.” He waved a flippant hand, as if instructing you to ask no further questions on the topic.
“Gotcha…” You laughed, putting this all down to a wacky dream by now as you joined him by the card table. “What is this, anyway?” you asked him, raising your goblet in his general direction. He was the only person here without one, which didn’t entirely make sense to you, even in the logic of twisted fever dreams.
“Raise a glass to freedom… and throw it the fuck away,” he sang with a laugh, “Seriously, though, that’s a little addictive psychedelic beverage called blue lotus wine. If you know what’s good for you, you won’t drink a drop.”
“And what if I already did?”
“Well, then you’re well and truly screwed…” Hermes grinned, mischief dancing in his dark brown eyes. He swiped the half-full glass out of your hand and knocked back the remainder of the wine in one quick gulp, his gaze never leaving yours as he deposited the empty glass on a tray carried away by one of those apparating Barbie waitresses. “And now, so am I.”
He waved over another waitress and grabbed two new glasses of wine off her tray, politely handing one to you. He brought his glass to his lips, slowly sipping at the wine as you eyed his hand wrapped around the glass, absently wondering what that seemingly delicate touch would feel like on you… There was no reason why the simple act of this man drinking hallucinatory wine should’ve been remotely sexy, but you could say the same for him in general; this shouldn’t work, but god damn, it does.
“Was that really the best idea if it’s—” you began, and he quickly cut in.
“Absolutely not, no, but if you come here to forget, you may as well do it right…” Hermes sighed, a momentary flash of resignation in his stance as he briefly let his shoulders droop. “Anyway, whatever, fuck real life. Let’s play?” he offered, running a hand through his dark hair, seemingly shaking himself out of the memory of whatever haunting reality had led him here. As a matter of fact, what had led you here?
“Sure,” you smiled, “What are we playing? I’m pretty sure I saw an arcade on my way in…”
“Come on, there’s no stakes in that! This is where the real fun’s at,” he said with a light laugh, gesturing to the craps table in front of you.
“Speak for yourself. I’ll have you know, I’m amazing at air hockey!”
“Yeah? I’m a killer at the claw machine, so go figure.”
You rolled your eyes at him, “Cute. Shame they don’t have an escape room.”
“Just as well, I’ve always been a little too good with locks… Besides, this place itself is an escape room. Only, there’s no escape…”
“Wait, what?”
“Because… You want to stay, right? What’s waiting for you outside?”
Suddenly, you found yourself struggling to answer his question. Where barely a few moments ago, everything had been so clear, now you could see a hazy cloud inside your mind as you desperately searched for the answer to no avail, almost as though that hallucinogen was beginning to hit hard… 
“Outside? What’s outside? I — I could stay here — You’re… Huh?” you stuttered, “I don’t know where else I’d go.”
Hermes sighed, glancing over at you. “Literally anywhere but here.”
“Sorry?” you questioned, brows furrowed. Had you misread his signals?
“Walk with me,” he offered, and so you obliged as he stepped towards you again. You followed his lead as he strolled on within the confines of the casino, glancing surreptitiously around as though making sure you weren’t being eavesdropped on - though you could only wonder why.
“Alright, I don’t normally do this…” he drawled, “But for some reason I’m taking a liking towards you; and all trickery aside, I don’t take unfair advantage, so here’s the secret. You ever heard of Odysseus and the Lotus Eaters?” he asked seriously; you nodded your assurance. “Well, this place is kinda like their island… Only, now it’s here in the modern world, and what better place for it than Sin City? Hence the lightness in the air and the endless supply of blue lotus wine…”
You eyed him curiously, willing him to go on and trying not to focus on his initial confession. “I guess that explains a lot. So this is… eternal psychedelic bliss?”
“Yep, that good old adrenaline and dopamine rush, forever and ever and everrrrr… Half of Olympus has tried to claim it, but nobody really knows whose work of chaotic genius this was.” He shrugged nonchalantly, not at all like he was explaining such an outlandish concept. “When you’re in a casino, time just seems to work differently - and just like that, time moves at its own distorted pace in here. Lost travellers often find their way into this place, it has that draw when you stray off your path - and that’s why I hang out here, not just to wander astray from my own shit, but to guide you back to yours. I’m not immune to this,” he raised his glass, gesturing to the wine, “But I can handle the air just fine, unlike most mortals…”
“And what if I want to get lost?” you challenged, plucking his glass out of his hand, holding his gaze as you brought the drink to your lips. His gaze remained fixed on you as he bit his own lip, his eyes flickering to your lips for a millisecond as you sipped the wine; thirsty, not dissimilar to the way you’d been eyeing him mere seconds ago.
“Mmkay, lucky for you, I have some semblance of sense about me,” Hermes said, stopping by a poker table nearby, where the players immediately cleared a spot for the pair of you. Entirely nonchalant, he swiped a deck of cards off the table, expertly shuffling it as he spoke, “So win the next deal, and I’ll get you out of here.”
“So if I lose, I’m stuck in here?” you attempted to clarify the stakes, trying not to get distracted as you watched him shuffle those cards. Hell, he had such pretty hands, what else could you do but wonder what else he could do with them?
“Pretty much.”
“And what if I ask for a better deal?”
“Better than having your real life back?”
“Yep.”
“Try me…”
“Okay. If I win, my prize is you.”
“Me? What’s the catch?”
“Nothing. Just, you and me, until not even the gods above can separate the two of us,” you teased, peak dramatic, somewhere between flirting and floating. You could get used to this, the weightless feeling of flight…
Hermes quirked a brow at you, undeniably amused. “Interesting thought, given that I’m… well, not above, per se, but one of them.”
“You’re… what now?” You tilted your head to one side, looking curiously across at him. What in the world was he on about?
He shot you a pointed stare, isn’t it obvious? But it wasn’t, until now… when it all began to make sense, slowly: what this place was, how he knew so much about it, why he had a more heightened sense of awareness despite the inherent hypnotism of the literal and metaphorical lotus flower you’d stepped into… And he could guide lost travellers out. Your jaw dropped as your hand flew to your mouth when it finally dawned upon you who and what he was, and what that entailed —
And out loud, all you could manage was a whisper; “Oh, my god…”
The Greek god in front of you heaved a dramatic sigh, aiming a playful eye-roll in your direction. “Please, like I haven’t heard that one before,” he chuckled lightly, the sarcasm heavy in his tone.
And so you let him deal your hand and you played, stopping every so often to laugh, for Hermes was surprisingly fun to be around and perhaps staying here with him wouldn’t be so bad… Only, this couldn’t be his permanent residence. He was the god of travel, it made sense that he never hung around one place long enough to settle. It was obvious he had a natural charisma about him that clearly worked in his favour more than once; and not that it really mattered, but you absently wondered how many like you had crossed paths with him before, and the past baggage he’d been trying to forget was certainly not lost on you…
He had his right arm slung casually around your shoulder, his left occupied by his cards, not caring if you could see them. You tried your level best to stay focused; for you were feeling a little lightheaded by now, a combination of the wine and the strong scent of his cologne… He was close, enough that you could pick up the gentle sweet notes beneath the woody cedar scent he wore.
“All in?” you suggested, nudging your chips toward the centre of the table, glancing up at the literal god beside you.
“I am if you are,” Hermes smirked, pushing his own ridiculous amount of chips into the pot beside yours.
The game went on; and as if out of nowhere, thanks to a sudden turn in your luck and a surprise royal flush - which if you didn’t know any better, you would’ve attributed to him - you had finally won. Caught up in the daze, you stepped up onto your toes and threw your arms around his neck in an excited hug. He was momentarily taken aback by it, but quickly regained enough composure to gently wrap his arms around you. His soft touch bore a pleasantly startling contrast to his mischievous demeanour, and you found yourself not wanting to let go.
“Well played…” he congratulated you in that same teasing tone as he gently drew you back, briefly glancing at his watch and tapping two fingers against the side of the dial.
Perhaps you would’ve wondered why, but spurred on by your victory and high off the adrenaline, you hooked one finger in the gold chain around his neck and gently tugged at it to urge him closer, until the distance between you was barely a hair’s breadth. You could feel the warmth radiating off him in waves, his intense cologne flooding your senses. And suddenly it didn’t faze you that you were in public, and you paid no mind to the way all his casino companions were frozen around you instead of continuing their games… Suddenly, all you wanted was him. 
Was it blasphemous to lust after a god?
Hell, you could deal with the consequences of that later, for right now, his magnetism was pulling you in and you couldn’t bear to look away from those deep, dark brown eyes… Until Hermes leant closer to you and his soft lips brushed yours as he spoke, barely above a whisper yet you could hear him clearly despite the noise, “Not at all…”
Your breathing hitched, at his comment, at his proximity, at… everything about this. How the fuck did he know what you’d been thinking? 
Perhaps you’d dwell on that longer, but just then he reached up to cup your cheek. Though unexpectedly tender, his touch was white hot where his skin met yours, but pleasurably so as you let yourself get lost in it, in him… He pressed his lips to yours in two delicate little pecks, clearly just teasing, and you just about caught sight of his smirk before you stepped up onto your toes to kiss him again, for real this time. His other hand smoothly dropped to your waist, holding you against him and you pulled at his chain with your finger still caught in it, curling your other fist in the soft cotton of his hoodie.
Apparently, even the gods weren’t immune to carnal need, and Hermes was evidently faring no better than you; he gave in to the kiss quickly, all but melting into you, his tongue swiping insistently at your bottom lip, and you weren’t about to stop him. You parted your lips for him, granting him access instead of prolonging this teasing that had left you both desperate. He tasted of something indescribably sweet, mixed with the rich taste of the blue lotus wine that you’d both downed not so long ago, and you already knew he was a far better intoxicant than any drink you’d find here… As he deepened the kiss, his tongue brazenly tasting yours, borderline hungry; you saw a flash of light behind your eyelids, gripped by the feeling that you were flying, all for a mere moment before you became hyperaware of his heated touch and the fact that your feet were still firmly planted on the soft floral-patterned carpet of the casino.
It felt like time had frozen, the world had stopped around you, and nothing mattered except for him and you and the most perfect kiss you’d ever had…
But somehow, instead of clouding your thoughts like you’d expected, you drew back from his kiss with some clarity. Hermes had told you he could never lose. So why, then, had you just managed to win this? You were no expert when it came to these games, and he was clearly a well-seasoned gambling master… Had the notorious trickster god manipulated the deal in your favour? Had he purposely thrown this away for you?
The glimmer in his eyes only looked brighter as you separated, yet somehow those deep browns looked darker, lust clearly getting the better of him; and he made no effort to hide it, despite his small smile and the lightest hint of a blush on his cheeks. You were fairly sure you mirrored it all, and you were in no hurry to let him go…
Only, as the world began to come back into focus, you realised time really had stopped around you: everything and everyone in the casino was frozen, and you glanced up at the god in front of you with a mix of curiosity and fear in your eyes. “When you said you could stop time…” you began, still in disbelief.
Hermes nodded slowly, meeting your gaze with that characteristic smirk. “Yeah, I meant that literally. I may have had a running out of time crisis once, hence… this stolen life-saver,” he explained, raising his wrist to show you his watch - now upon closer inspection, you realised the hour, minute and second hands all pointed to 12, and he hovered a finger over a button at the side of the dial. “It’s up to you. Want me to bring it back?”
You shook your head. Not only did that beautiful gold timepiece look unfairly gorgeous on his wrist; it also held a piece of magic that could be incredibly useful… “No,” you whispered, “I’m in no hurry. Let’s make this last…”
You tilted your chin up towards him again, and he obliged you with another sweet little kiss. “Well, then… Perhaps I could show you some of the wonders of existing beyond space and time…” he murmured, “What d’you say to that?”
“I say, make time stop for us a little longer. Take me to another world, Hermes…”
The look he shot you just then, could’ve brought you to your knees on the spot - somehow you just knew he was fixated on the sound of his name as you whispered it, and you wondered how he could make you feel that just from a simple touch.
“C’mon, sweetheart; let’s get out of here,” Hermes suggested, offering you an arm; you linked your arm through his as he tapped the side of his watch, resuming the world around you as if it had never paused at all. 
You gazed up at him in awe as he led you out of the casino, back to the lobby and towards the opening of the blooming flower you’d walked in through. The humid summer air hit you both as you stepped outside together, thereby breaking the spell - but you were still captivated by him, regardless. He briefly let go of you to do away with his warm hoodie, leaving him in just a fitted white t-shirt that had no business looking so goddamn gorgeous on him.
You couldn’t help but smile as he hummed softly in your ear, “There’s a place I know in a nearby park…”
Part 2 via AO3 (blasphemous smut ahead)
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arcadialedger · 3 months
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No cause Annabeth’s speech to Hermes about Luke is so devastating. In this interpretation, as she recalls how Luke said he blames Hermes and hates him, it’s almost like deep down she knows.
But she’s at Arthur in BBC’s Merlin levels of denial over it and in turn blinding herself to truth, ultimately allowing for the final betrayal to sting even more. Like she has all of the pieces and refuses to put them together because of the implications.
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freddie-77-ao3 · 2 months
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Connor: *holding a laptop* Travis: *putting the projector on* Chris: Seeing as we all know Hermes does not love us in favor of Luke Alice: We've decided to rename ourselves Cecil: from now on... Chris: I'm Mexican Luke Travis: I'm Replacement Luke Connor: I'm Non-Binary Luke Alice: I'm Japanese Luke Julia: I'm Girl Luke Cecil: And I'm Cooking Luke Chiron: why the fuck are you in my bedroom
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georgies-ftts · 2 years
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gonna need a little more appreciation for the kids in cabins where powers are never mentioned
like c’mon. you’re telling me that hermes kids can RuN fAsT. i want a hermes kids that’s like Gwen from ben 10 and can put up glowing gold force fields
i want dionysus kids that can grow grape vines but can also mess with peoples sanity when they need too
athena is also the goddess of practical reason so athena kids should be really bloody persuasive kinda like charm speak with the aphrodite kids
hephaestus kids that can’t set themselves of fire but are just very heat resistant in general or can weld shit together with their bare hands, or can sharpen a blade edge just by running their fingers along it
hebe campers who can alter how old they appear to certain people
tyche kids who can quite literally determine anything, they can alter peoples chances at winning or losing, living or dying
these kids are the children of Gods and Goddess, no more of this
“the kids of the big three have these amazing strong powers, oh and the Apollo kids can glow, and some of the other main characters can do some cool shit” GIMME EVERYONE BEING ABLE TO DO COOL SHIT. GIMME PURE CHAOS.
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analeftthechat · 26 days
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Was listening to Dear Theodosia and I just couldn't pass this up-
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aeithalian · 10 months
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Hermes: the ultimate middle child
And now for the other promised meta!
There was a great discussion on the TOA discord earlier that I got the chance to read once it was over that was basically exactly what I wanted to talk about - Hermes as a character and how he is very subtly contrasted with Apollo in multiple ways.
First, for a curiosity I've had ever since I finished TON. We learn several very interesting things about Hermes in the scene when Apollo returns to the Council:
He initiated the bets on Apollo's success (and then has the nerve to say he was worried about Apollo)
He bet against Apollo (and it was enough money to make him look visibly upset by the loss)
He was not among the gods who looked happy at Zeus' proclamation of Apollo's success (Artemis makes sense for being happy, Dionysus makes sense for not, but Hermes is supposedly a close brother figure in the myths, so what gives?)
He immediately suggested that Apollo cause outright harm to some mortals with his renewed power, despite displaying no such malice in his previous appearances
There is an interesting play of contrast here when you look at Hermes' other notable scene in the Riordanverse - his conversation with Percy at the end of TLO.
Hermes is generally portrayed as much more serious right here. He's grieving Luke's death at this point, but Hermes knew that was coming, and this demeanor is consistent with his other appearances up until this point: put-together, down-to-business, pragmatic, and so on.
This doesn't seem like the same person we see at the end of TON: making jokes, placing bets, and the like. And THEN you go back to the myths and the Hermes there seems much more similar to the one we meet in TON.
My point being, there is a very obvious disconnect here between who Hermes used to be, who he is now, and who he is pretending to be.
And it has a lot to do with Zeus, and as a result, Apollo.
I think there's a twofold reason for this dichotomy: one, Hermes and Apollo have fundamentally contradictory views on both fate and change which have larger implications for Hermes' overall morality; and two, Hermes resents Apollo for being Zeus' favorite when Apollo probably doesn't deserve it (or Hermes believes he deserves it more).
Part I: Fate and Change
I'd like to go back to that conversation between Percy and Hermes at the end of The Last Olympian. The entire conversation is so strange to me: here's a sixteen-year-old who has never had a positive father figure in his life (save Paul, who is still a recent addition to his family at this point) trying to comfort a 4,000-year-old god that he's not a bad father:
"I thought you were a bad father," I admitted. "I thought you abandoned Luke because you knew his future and didn't do anything to stop it."
The main point of that conversation comes from Hermes' response to Percy's statement. To paraphrase, Hermes says 'I couldn't have saved Luke, it's against the laws and I can't defy the fates. I loved him, yes, but I couldn't save him. Those laws aren't going to change anytime soon, and neither are the gods.'
What we get from this conversation is this: Hermes was resigned to being unable to help Luke because he views the future as inevitable and the Fates as all-powerful (as does Zeus). He also doesn't believe that gods can change in the ways Percy wants them to; he scoffs at the idea that Percy's proposed changes will be permanent:
"No one can tamper with fate, Percy. Not even a god."
and then:
He laughed. "After three thousand years, you think gods can change their nature?"
To Hermes? Fate is inevitable and the gods can't change.
On the other hand, to Apollo? The future is behind any number of unlocked doors, and the only thing stopping the gods from changing are themselves:
[Regarding Frank burning his stick in TTT] "Frank went into that tunnel knowing he might die. He willingly sacrificed himself for a noble cause. In doing so, he broke free of his own fate. By burning his own tinder, he kind of... I don't know, started a new fire with it. He's in charge of his own destiny now."
Frank broke free of his fate, and the way Apollo talks about it indicates that he believes that such things are certainly possible.
And this:
[After regaining his godhood in TON] I could only try to be different from [Zeus]. Better. More... human.
Apollo intends to change the way he acts now that he is returned to Olympus, and has the support of everyone else who noted that he has already grown as a person: Jason, Sally, Will, Reyna, and so many more.
I feel like Hermes has always felt that he has the excuse of being a god when Percy asks him to do better for the sake of Luke's memory: "We gods have never been very good at keeping oaths." and "Eventually we'll become forgetful. We always do." and generally lots of other sentiments that give the impression that he believes that failure to do right by mortals is inevitable for gods. He's been so used to thinking that Luke was resigned to his fate from the very beginning, and that Hermes was never capable of changing it. Hermes didn't fail because he didn't try to succeed.
But Apollo ruins that for him when he returns - Apollo has not and will not let that same excuse stop him, and now Hermes is losing the only reason he had for not helping Luke. If Hermes is right, that gods can never help their mortal children and Luke was born to die at Kronos' hand, it was excusable for Hermes to turn his back on his own son. But if Apollo is right that gods can change and you can shape your own destiny, then it was Hermes and his inaction that killed Luke, not Kronos.
And we know that Apollo is right. Apollo did defy his fate. Apollo did change. And Hermes saw it all from the safety of his throne on Olympus.
Which means that Hermes was always wrong, and he knows it now. Hermes says that not helping Luke was the hardest thing he's ever done, because it would have amounted to nothing. Hermes thought he was completely incapable of helping Luke, but Apollo is living proof that he could have.
So now, Apollo is a daily reminder that Hermes failed Luke. Every day.
That would be enough to drive a wedge between any two people, much less two gods. And I don't think Apollo would ever truly realize that this is the case, so one day, Hermes is going to break, and Apollo will be left blindsided.
It only makes sense that Hermes might have some very heavy clown makeup on when we see him at the end of TON. I can't speak for him when we talk about the gambling, but I bet it's because Hermes, like he did with Luke, thought that Apollo would be resigned to his death the very moment Delphi-Python said that "Apollo will fall". And the fact that Apollo survived against all the odds (and seemingly against the Fates themselves) is just another smack to the face. I believe his behavior and comments in this scene are him lashing out in anger and frustration at the solid fact of the matter; that Hermes failed his own family, which is something he values to no end.
That's got to suck.
But now I think we have to closely examine why Hermes believes those things. Hermes has been brainwashed in a sense to believe that he can't defy fate and can't change. By who, then?
Do I really need to answer that? You have a brain. It's obvious, isn't it?
Part II: The fight to be the golden child
Let's rewind a bit, shall we?
The entire discussion had over on discord was started with talking about the potentials of Apollo's relationships with Ares and the rest of his siblings, then someone (I believe it was @fearlessinger, along with some very valid points made by uke) said this:
...but Ares, who was always the least favored of Zeus's children, the family's scapegoat, and who gave up on trying to get on Zeus's good side basically as soon as he was born and deemed a failure… he of all ppl would actually have no reason to resent Apollo for his success, nor for throwing away that success
To which I replied:
so i wonder then who has the reason to resent Apollo the most?... it’s probably a son, because they’re the ones who have to fight the most for Zeus’ approval ... maybe Hermes? because he’s never really done anything wrong and still doesn’t receive the title he deserves ...
To summarize: Apollo was the golden child, and used to be Zeus' favorite. We are certain he faces a lot of resentment for this fact (he admits to it himself), and Hermes definitely fits the bill.
Think about it.
Besides Luke, what has Hermes ever done that would put him out of the running for golden child? He's useful, talented, powerful enough to be on the Council, and despite being a god of liars and thieves, is work-driven enough that his father still trusts him. Even in the myths, he's clever in a very Zeus-y way.
Apollo, on the other hand, acts like a complete and utter fool pre-trials. He's vain, self-centered, and shallow. He's a chronic attention-seeker, and, in the myths tried to overthrow Zeus, and had angered him to the point of turning him mortal, not once, but twice. So what gives? Why is Apollo the favorite son, and not Hermes?
Honestly, I couldn't say, besides vague suggestions that it's because Zeus likes the idea of having the powerful and popular son as a favorite, rather than the less noticeable behind-the-scenes son. But who knows how Zeus and his favoritism work. Apollo doesn't, and I don't think Hermes does either.
I rather think Hermes is, as I said in the title, the ultimate middle child. Overlooked by his father in favor of his siblings, whether they be rebellious (Apollo), perfect in every way (Athena or Artemis) or just plain failures (Ares or Dionysus). In comparison, Hermes is invisible, having never done anything to make him stand out in the eyes of his father, nor having done anything that deserves a strict punishment. Nothing worthy of attention.
I've seen people wonder why Hermes never suffered the same consequences for Luke's actions in the way Apollo did for Octavian. But that's because Hermes never broke Zeus' fundamental law: do not interact with your mortal children.
The problems Octavian caused were supposedly because Apollo defied Zeus and created a forbidden connection with his legacy.
On the other hand, the problems Luke caused were because Hermes obeyed Zeus to the letter.
Why would Zeus punish Hermes for being obedient? And why wouldn't Zeus punish Apollo for breaking the 'ancient laws'?
Arguably, Hermes is Zeus' best behaved child (which is ironic, considering a few notable domains of his). Hermes is one of a trend that we see a lot with toxic parents who don't give attention and approval freely - Hermes and Apollo are on opposite sides of this spectrum. Apollo in the past has acted out in order to gain attention, whereas Hermes has glued himself to Zeus' side in an attempt to be perfect.
And this perfection includes indoctrinating into Zeus' belief systems and fears. Zeus fears the inevitability of fate. So does Hermes. Zeus refuses to let the gods change. So Hermes believes change impossible. Zeus says that you may not have contact with your mortal children. And although to Hermes this is the hardest of all, he turns his back on Luke.
And yet, 'golden child' is still not his title to claim. That rests with Apollo, still, who has not met Zeus' standards, openly rejects Zeus' belief systems, and yet continues to rise above the rest.
That is the formula for a deteriorating relationship between brothers: Apollo's mere existence being an everyday reminder to Hermes that he is a failure both to his son and to his father.
Everyone say hello to our old friend resentment.
Now, I'm not necessarily saying that Hermes and Apollo's relationship is inherently negative. But there's a lot of reason for there to be some contention coming from Hermes (and I didn't even touch on May Castellan - basically, I think Apollo refused to oversee her attempt to become the next Oracle because he knew it wouldn't work, which is why he wasn't present for May's attempt, but was for Rachel's; later on, Hermes could start seeing Apollo's domain and subsequent absence as the thing that drove her mad).
We don't have a lot of hints for whether or not he plans to act on those feelings of resentment. But they're there. And in a new, post-trials Olympus, they're going to come to light sooner or later.
Because Percy was right.
"I thought you were a bad father," I admitted. "I thought you abandoned Luke because you knew his future and didn't do anything to stop it."
That's exactly what happened. And because of Apollo, Hermes now knows it.
(a list of my other metas if you'd like to read)
And a very special shoutout to @firealder2005 for writing this absolutely gut-wrenching and angsty but super cool fic based around this very idea that i am absolutely in love with and everyone should go read it ❤️
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