DO NOT REPOST/REUSE MY WORK(S) WITHOUT MY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND PERMISSION
Warnings: Cheating, Dubious Consent, Heterosexual Intercourse, Incest, Kidnapping, Pining, Problematic Mythology, Rape
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"Hermes, you know you want it, stop denying me," speaks Eros, one of the most beautiful gods. The young immortal is floating in the air, his pure white wings bright in the light of day, and his bow strapped onto his back, put away for he has no use of it right now. He goes ahead of his kin to block the Olympian's way. "What's one experience compared to the rest of eternity?"
The messenger lets out a snort, sidestepping the other smoothly. "Do I look like a nymph to you, Eros?" he asks, snickering at the thought. "There's plenty to choose from besides me. Anyway, I'm busy."
"You're always busy, and yet you always have time to have your affairs like the rest of us. Why is it that you're always refuse me?"
"Oh, I don't know, I've already slept with your mother so who knows what she'd feel if I sleep with her son? As beautiful as you are, Eros, Aphrodite dotes on you too much for my safety."
The winged archer snickers. "Mother is a moody goddess, but what she doesn't know won't hurt you, I think. Come now, stepfather, what's a little fun come to the rest of eternity?"
Hermes huffs in amusement, and he takes Eros by the face, his lithe olive hands taking possession of this beauty. The god pulls the other close, their lips warm ghosts beside each other. "What is a moment to an eternity?" he asks, grinning with a hunger in his hazel eyes. "Nothing, but to watch you fuss and struggle forever is worth all of time and space to me. Why would I give that up? There are others to spend every insignificant moment with, and though they may never come to par with you, I'll be having a fun time."
Eros scowls, pulling away angrily, and Hermes snickers, pulling the archer by the shoulders to give the younger a loud and obnoxious kiss on the cheek. "I must be going, stepson," the messenger says surly, the wings of his cap flapping in excitement. "You know how busy I am, I'm sure you understand."
The curly brunette gives a wink before leaving in a flash, leaving Eros behind to fester in his childish anger and sexual frustration. The archer god then lets out a scream, his face beautiful as his mother, and throws his hands in the air, his stance wrathful like his father. Red-faced with humiliation, Eros throws a tantrum, flying all the way to his mother's palace in Olympia as he continues to scream.
"Mother!" he screeches, bursting into her room. He paid no mind to the river god in her bedroom, falling onto his knees and onto her naked lap to weep.
"My son," Aphrodite says affectionately, not a bit annoyed that one of her affairs is being disturbed. She pets his wavy black hair as she eyes for the river god to leave.
The river god looks offended, but wise not to protest, he puts on his clothes and left. Eros inwardly giggles, fully aware that the god and his mother have not done anything yet, but outwardly, he cries, his tears fat and clear.
"What is wrong, my son?" the goddess tries again, smiling beautifully. She enjoys her favorite child at her lap.
"Hermes doesn't want to sleep with me!" Eros shouts, looking up with tear stains on his apple red cheeks. "He only wants to tease me, making fun of me as he tells me he'd fuck everyone else but me!"
Aphrodite's face contorts gracefully in displeasure, taking offense to that. Her son, one of the most beautiful of the gods, is so generous to offer a night to Hermes, a chance that both mortals and immortals would starve themselves for, and the messenger god, that impish trickster son of her brother-father, denies Eros? Oh, she'd show him denial, Hermes must be punished.
"No worries, my son," the goddess assures, her amber eyes glimmering, "for I have a plan."
Eros smiles brightly.
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The day is done yet again, and Hermes is content with another day's work, even with a hiccup on the way.
As much as the messenger wanted to take Eros up on his offer, Hermes does truly find it much funnier to hold out on the younger god, and with all honesty, it strokes his ego that such a beautiful being would want him this much, even if it mostly because he'd made Eros upset. Hermes isn't an ugly god, like Hephaestus, but he isn't exactly conventional either, remaining boyish like he's going to reach manhood but not quite yet. He has the body of a runner, nothing like Ares' muscular build which Aphrodite lusts for, nor that of Apollo.
Speaking of Apollo, he's the god Hermes would give up eternity to sleep with, not Eros. Though they are both the most gorgeous and most desirable among both mortals and immortals, Hermes loves Apollo, his brother and his closest friend. It's all fun to sleep with whoever, but to fall in love is even grander. It's the gods' folly to so easily do so, perhaps because one of them is actually the goddess of love itself. For Apollo, Hermes would gladly stay up the night and simply lay with him, which they have done many times already. The messenger absolutely adores the archer, and Hermes wishes that Apollo adores him just as much as he adores his twin sister, Artemis.
This, however, is something Hermes never attempts to bring up to Apollo because Hermes is not Artemis; the god of light might take it as an offense, thinking Hermes wants to replace Artemis. That would anger Artemis too, and though Hermes could outrun the huntress, he could not outlast her, much less both her and her brother.
Oh, wait, Hermes isn't done with today just yet, and swiftly, he heads to the Olympus.
"Father, I've returned!" the messenger announces his return, the wings of his cap and his sandals flying off as he shifts back to when he was a newborn, already walking and talking but still so small and able to cradle.
He finds his father and his stepmother sitting at the head of the council room, which they use for almost everything from counseling to dinner parties, and the newborn pads his way over to the father of the gods naked, giggling joyously as he's picked up with large, rough hands that hold him gently.
"Hello, Hermes," Zeus greets, a warm and grateful smile on his bearded face. Hermes is a delight to have around, laughter his greatest instrument some would say. "Have you got what I asked for, a gift for my dear wife?"
Hera frowns beside him, his sister-wife, and she crosses her arms, looking away. See, the goddess of marriage found out about another one of her husband's affairs, and though she's holding back her tongue, she's making it known that she isn't happy, staying beside Zeus so that he doesn't forget for a moment. When she's in such a mood, she dislikes seeing any of her husband's bastards even more so and turned away in jealousy and perhaps a little bit of sadness.
"What do you mean, Father?" Hermes mocks playfully, pretending as if he didn't know what Zeus is asking. He exaggerates a gasp. "Have you been caught in another woman again? My, Father, have some shame."
Zeus frowns angrily, being called out by his son in front of his wife, and the ceiling above them thunders, but Hermes continues, catching the light twitch of Hera's lips though she's still turned away.
"You would do well to get on your knees and beg for her forgiveness," the messenger baby says, laughing as he thrusts his hands into his father's thick beard, "but I suppose becoming a garden would be a much prettier sight!"
And miraculously, lily and pomegranate flowers take root in Zeus's beard and their stems entwine in his hair's, blooming as if it's the full light of day and the father god becomes a mosaic of white and red as the flowers covered every strand. Hermes laughs at his father, whose sky blue eyes widened in shock at the trick, and he knows he's done well when he hears Hera's gasp and then her laugh, which ranging happily throughout Olympus.
"Oh!" Hermes exclaims, as if he just remembered what his father was asking. "You mean that gift. Well, of course, I have it, Father. Here you go, Queen Mother!" With a wave of his hand, looking on the top of the goddess' urban hair put up in a tight bun, a crown made of a thousand different flowers halos her head, colorful like Iris' rainbow and bursting with life.
"Oh, Hermes," Hera says, touching the crown on her head with a smile on her youthful lips, "it's wonderful. Thank you, child."
Everyone knows that Zeus doesn't put any thought to what would make his wife forgive him as much as he should, but everyone knows it was a wise choice to leave that to Hermes, the one bastard child of Zeus who coould make even Hera laugh and forget her anger. He's done it many times before, even once in a trial against him by her.
"You're welcome, Queen Mother," Hermes says, smiling bashfully. It works so well in that form.
"So," Zeus interjects carefully, looking at his sister, "do you forgive me?"
Hera thins her lips, looking back at him, and then she smiles, catching full view of the flowers in his beard now. "Oh, you're fortunate once again, Zeus," she relents, "I'll forgive you this time because you look absolutely ridiculous, and because of Hermes' wit, but be warned, husband, if I ever see that child, or that woman, again, I will incite the wrath of Gaia upon them and their kingdom."
Zeus nods, doing whatever to appease his wife.
"Now, Hermes, come and sit on my lap," the goddess urges, holding her hands out for the messenger. "Let me dote on you. All of my children are done with me coddling them."
Hermes doesn't wait for his father's permission and jumps onto Hera's lap gladly. The messenger knows he was one of Hera's favorite of her husband's bastards; everyone else, she hates, Jason the other exception. He doesn't mind being a child unlike most gods, and this makes her heart soften even more, returning back to being a new and young mother rather than an aged and bitter one. This, Hermes knows, is something that the goddess of marriage missed.
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"Why have you called me here, you troublesome child?" Apollo asked with amusement. "You know that I will not humor you."
"Don't have to be so rude, uncle," Eros replies, leading the sun god through the lands. "Mother has a surprise for you."
That intrigues the older god, half aroused and half curious as to what the beautiful goddess has in store for him. They haven't spoken much these days, but perhaps she was bored and wanted company. Apollo isn't opposed to that, seeing that he and she are the most beautiful of the Olympians. It only makes sense that she'd want him, even if she loves Ares most of all.
"She couldn't come to me herself?" he asks, too distracted in fantasy to know when the mountain valley became a forest. The moon lights their way, water falling in the distance.
Eros smiles charmingly. "It's a surprise for both you and your beloved Hermes," the younger god answers, ten steps ahead. "She knows how you look at him."
This intrigues Apollo even more. Hermes is his most favorite of brothers, intellegent and crafty and adorable. The musician loves to spend time with the messenger, finding their way side-by-side together like Pollux and Castor upon the Heavens and the Earth. Apollo absolutely adores Hermes, wanting nothing but to hold his brother whenever he has the chance.
Artemis has long ago told him to become one with Hermes, Apollo's love for him transcending kinship and lust. There will always be others to catch his eyes, but Hermes will forever have a place in his soul.
And of course, Apollo intents to ask, but he is well content with what they have now, youthful and hopeful. At times, he feels there need nothing more to their relationship, but other times, he feels that he wants more. Wise as he is, he decides that he will confess to Hermes his true feelings when he is truly certain. If Hermes was simply a mortal he was chasing, Apollo would've done it long ago for men live short lives; however, they are gods, and gods take almost an eternity to forgive and forever to forget.
"I'll be happy to see Hermes," Apollo comments with a smile. "Is he meeting us whenever you're taking me?"
Eros smiles boyishly in return, stopping underneath stars. The winged god points to his right. "Beyond there is whom you seek," he says, "and struck will be your heart to make your mind blind."
The sun god's eyes catch the moment when the younger god reached for his bow and pulled an arrow directly towards the older archer, but even Apollo does not expect to be made a victim of Eros' magic once again. Struck still by fury, the enchanted arrow does not miss him. It kisses Apollo upon his chest, digging a wound on his heart as it disappears in a flash.
But he is the god of light, not blinded ay all. His fury does not leave when he sees Eros fly away, fleeing towards the direction he pointed to, and Apollo chases the younger god with the intent to hunt him like an animal.
Eros, however, like a bird, is swifter than Apollo, a hunter whose greatest character is his patience, and in a flurry fo feathers, he dashes through the thickets, disappearing behind the greens. The hunter follows, following the trail, observing and careful.
As he follows, the sound of water falling grows louder and clearer, and soon, he sees it before him, moonlight streaming down like raindrops which guided him to the surface, where upon a rock, he sees his dear, beloved brother, naked and at peace.
Suddenly, the wound on his heart begins to ache like nothing he has felt before, an ache to touch, to kiss, to take, what should be his. Enchanted, Apollo silently walks towards the raven messenger, placing a hand upon Hermes' exposed back as if it is a jewel treasured.
At the touch, Hermes' head shoots up, his surprised expression quickly turned into one of relief. Apollo's heart rings loudly in his ears when his beloved brother smiles at the sight of him, and his mind cannot think rationally any longer.
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Feeling sleepy after dinner with Zeus and Hera, Hermes is walking down to rest on Earth, but who would've guessed that there was someone waiting for him on the way?
"Hermes," called the blonde and rosy-cheeked Aphrodite as she comes up to him, placing her delicate fingers on Hermes' chest, "I am rather alone tonight, what can you do about that?"
The messenger becomes aroused instantly, wrapping an arm around the lovely goddess' waist, and he grins, pressing kisses against his aunt's face. "So much, so very much," he replies, forgetting his tiredness.
Even though Hermes is among the most cunning and wittiest of the gods, he certainly isn't among the wisest, not question for a moment why Aphrodite was out at night without any accompaniment, or why it seemed like she'd been waiting for him. He is much too distracted by making love to her, the way she felt in his arms, how hot and passionate around him. He doesn't know how much time had passed, the beautiful goddess pressing him against a tree and riding him, before he feels that his inside was about to burst. But he soon loses his grip on her voluptuous hips when the blonde rises off of him, making him groan in agony because he was so close.
"Hey," the brunette whines, getting up to follow her. If she just left him like that, he's going to get mad, not wanting to finish by himself. "Come back," he calls, grabbing her by the hand, but she easily slips away, running into the trees. He gives chase, regretting that he hadn't put back on his cap and sandals.
Hermes loses the sight of Aphrodite in between the trees, so he follows the sound of her laughter which sounds like sweet chimes and the smell of her ambrosia perfume. He wanders naked, ignoring the giggles of passing nymphs who all too happily direct him the right way.
He finally stops in Evrytania, just by Karpenisi, as the waterfalls drowns out Aphrodite's quiet laughter, and at this point, the messenger decides it was time to give up, his erection falling half limp in disappointment. Hermes lets out a sigh, thinking maybe that he shouldn't have left his chiton behind, but he'd worry about it later. Right now, all he wants to do was to wash off the sweat from running around so much. That's what he get for having an affair with Aphrodite again.
The water is cool and soothing when Hermes gets in, the stars sparkling in the night sky as Selene drives the moon to its highest point. It's peaceful here, and once he finishes washing the sweat off of him, Hermes lays on his stomach against a large rock perching out of the water, stretching his arms above his curly hair as he closes his eyes. He's tempted to settle here for the night, but he needs his cap and sandals for tomorrow. This place is too far for a bit of a walk back to Mount Olympus, so he has to get back soon.
Still, he is quite tired, from eating and fucking, so a little bit of rest would be okay. He'd just get up a bit earlier than he usually does and make his way quickly to the Heavens on foot. He's fast even without his wings.
His peace is disturbed when he feels a warm hand pressed against his lower back, exposed above the surface. Hermes looks up, caught by surprised. There are only a few gods who could get by him without him knowing, even fewer who could come so close like this. It's a relief when he sees that it's his favorite brother standing above him, Apollo glorious in the moonlight.
"Hello, brother," the messenger greets with a wide smile, getting out of the water to embrace the musician on tipped toes. He pulls away, his arms still clasped around the other's shoulders, and Hermes presses a kiss against his brother's chin in greeting. "Am I glad to see you! I am in need of some clothes so I'm hoping you'll help me."
In an unusual manner, Apollo doesn't reply, looking at Hermes with such intensity that his blue eyes glows in the shadows and his pupils wide. His tanned face is warm with light color, his breathing shallow. Hermes blinks in shock, knowing that his brother is looking at him for the first time with arousal.
"Apollo, brother?" Hermes says, becoming worried. That is much too all of the sudden, and he could feel the presence of another's at work. "What's wrong? Are you not well? Say something."
The messenger attempts to pull away, but that's when the older god responded, leaning down a bit to pick Hermes off his toes by the ass with a strong arm. Hermes lets out a embarrassing meep, his face flushing inches up above his brother's handsome face as he holds himself up with his arms on Apollo's shoulders.
"Hermes," Apollo breathes out like it's a sacred word, "give yourself to me."
Hermes' eyes widen in disbelief because he wants to, he really does, but it's obvious that this was done by deceit and trickery. The messenger would not humiliate himself by being caught in it, and so he shakes his head, pouting because that second affair with Aphrodite is becoming more and more regrettable by the second.
"You're not in the right state of mind, brother," Hermes argues, rolling his eyes. "Eros did this to you, didn't he? That spoiled child, gone to cry to his mother, didn't he? Aphrodite is as mischievous as she is spiteful. Father, please help us."
Apollo hums in good humor, the hand holding up his brother stroking Hermes' ass with a thumb while the other hand caresses the younger god by the navel. The archer presses his lips against the messenger's neck, bringing out a fit of giggles when he nibbles against the olive skin.
"Oh, Apollo," Hermes moans out, smiling widely, "you stop that now, you're treading in deep water, don't you think?"
"I don't care," Apollo uncharacteristically replies, the most thoughtful of all the gods, "let me love you, Hermes. I want you so much."
Hermes' heart picks up in a delightful tune, and he laughs, kissing Apollo back on his face. "That is a powerful arrow you've been struck by, brother. Where could he have possible hit you to make you desire me this much?"
Blue eyes never left hazel as Apollo grasps one of Hermes' hands with his free one and presses it against his chest, right where his own heart beat the loudest. The messenger feels a small indentation, the arrow gone but its wound ever present. Hermes would've swooned if Apollo haven't been holding him up already.
"How romantic," Hermes says, biting his bottom lip to stop smiling so much. "I'll have my revenge on that spoiled brat. Now let go of me, Apollo, I need to return to Olympus and fetch my wings."
"No, stay with me," Apollo protests, huffing as he holds his brother tighter, "I won't let you go until you have given all of yourself to me in return, Hermes. I love you, brother."
Hermes couldn't help but smile, but he'd had enough. There's only so much he was willing to tolerate, and there has never been an instant in which he had been a victim of someone else's tricks. He certainly isn't going to let it happen now.
"Let me go, Apollo," he orders, but Apollo doesn't relent, a frown stealing his bright beauty for a wrathful one.
"No, you're mine, Hermes," the god of light says, his skin burning hotter, "and I won't let you until you love me too."
Hermes lets out a yelp as he is placed over Apollo's shoulder, two strong arms holding him securely around the waist. "Apollo, put me down!" he demands, face scrunched up in anger and embarrassment. He kicks and punches at Apollo, but the messenger is not the better fighter compared to the sun god himself who's the very definition of strong and beautiful.
He struggles in vain as Apollo carries him off, getting onto his golden chariot, and off they go, Hermes not knowing where his brother is taking them. He fears that he won't be able to do his job tomorrow.
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For many days and many nights, Hermes is driven to the brink of insanity without any relief, and he's caught between wanting to be released and wanting more. He laughs when he is gently touched, warm hands caressing him like the god he is. He moans when he is pulled closer, rubbing desperately to seek out that excruciating heat. He begs for release when he's right at the moment before euphoria, only to whine when he's sadistically denied. He lavishes in Apollo's attention, nearly missing how much time he's passing with his brother in a cave in a hill facing the sea.
What makes this torture worse is that Apollo has bound him with chastity belt, neither of them allowed complete satisfaction until Hermes fully returns himself to Apollo. The speedster god, of course, refuses his brother, childish Eros' powerful spell fully in place.
"Brother, please, stop torturing me," Hermes begs once again, pressing kisses against the sun god's neck. His legs are wrapped around the other's waist, hands clinging to golden locks of hair. "You're so cruel," he says, letting tears flow freely down his cheeks.
"You're the cruel one here, Hermes," Apollo replies, his hands caressing his brother's thighs. "I want to give you all my love, and you deny me. I know you want to, I see it in your eyes. You must be punished until you learn your lesson for commiting such lies."
Hermes whines. "I do, I do, but we both know this is not truly you. You only feel this way because of Eros' arrow. There's no bigger lie than to pretend it exist. Release me, dear brother, and we'll be the happiest for one moment."
Apollo frowns. "I am the god of truth, I speak and act no lies. I don't know what I can do to make you believe me, you must hate me."
The messenger shakes his head desperately, crying even more. "I love you, Apollo, I truly do."
"Then let me love you, Hermes."
"Oh, Apollo, you know I won't, not when Eros' magic still binds you."
To this, the hunter sneers, pulling Hermes for a brutal kiss and bittersweet.
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"Hermes!" Zeus demands, his voice thunderous in the Heavens, and below, mortals quiver before the boom. "Where are you!"
At his side, Hera sits, fuming silently with anger. Her arms are crossed, iron locked, and she has not smiled in days, refusing to speak to her husband. These days, she does not humor the god of gods in their marriage bed, and that has made the king angry, his ego too big to be ignored by his own wife.
Only a whole ago was Hera content and doing her wifely duties, but the morals speak too loud, word of a son of Zeus born to the daughter of the king of Argos reaching her delicate ears. Since then, heartbroken and wrathful, Hera has ignored her husband's pleas for forgiveness, the memory of her laughter becoming further and further away with every passing day.
At this point, the thunder god has given up trying to be subtle and is openly calling for Hermes, for this child could always make even the angriest of gods smile, but no such god has come to answer, frustrating both husband and wife. Many, fearing for their skins, started to avoid the royal court. Even the lovely Ganymede has chosen to stay in the safety of his chambers, letting himself fall ill until his master and his master's wife embrace lovingly once again.
There is only one in the Heavens who would dare come to this court of discontent, and it is none other than Zeus' most favored daughter, Athena who came to stop the shaking of Olympus.
"Father," the warrior goddess calls, garbed in her full armor, "what has you so angered? You must stop for the mortals are loud with fear."
Hera glares at her stepdaughter's entrance, but Zeus' eyes softens at the only child he'd ever bore.
"My favorite favored daughter," the father of gods says, sighing, "my son Hermes has not come to my call. He has not come for days and weeks and months. He must come back to court. He's not yet fetched his winged sandals, I worry for him."
Athena nods, knowing that her father is telling half-truths. "I'll go find him for you, Father," she says, hitting her spear against her shield, "and bring him back to court."
Zeus smiles a widen smile, the first in a long time. "Good, good, Athena," he praises. He gestures for her to leave. "Now, go, bring Hermes back as quickly as you can. All of Olympus depends on you."
Again, Athena nods, ignoring her stepmother's hateful look, and she heads down to the Earth. On the way, she is encountered by her sister, the huntress Artemis accompanied by a pair of hunting dogs.
"I heard what you said to Father," the moonlit goddess says, wearing the cresent moon upon her brow, "let me aid you, Athena. For as long as Hermes has been missing, my twin has been gone too. He's yet to meet me in the meadows, oh, how I worry for him."
The warrior goddess nods, knowing her sister speaks the truth. "Thank you, Artemis," she replies, "perhaps if we seek them together, we will find them together. Where shall we go first, sister?"
"Upon one of my hunts, my hounds following the scent of Apollo, I found the broken ends of Eros' arrow pointing away from a waterfall, where all scent of him faded. We should seek him, if not his scheming mother, where our brothers are."
And so the two virgin goddesses return back to the Heavens to where the palace of their sister-aunt stands grand. At the gate of pearls, they are met with youthful Eros, who smirks in mockery.
"Aunties," he greets, "what brings you here to Mother's palace?"
"We're looking for Hermes and Apollo," Athena tells him, "and we have reasons to think that your mother has something to do with their disappearance, Eros."
The winged archer snickers. "Worry not, I will help you. Mother doesn't like to tell her tricks, but for the price of your kisses sweet . . ."
Artemis sneers as Athena scoffs, the warrior goddess pointing her spear at Eros, who cowered. "Tell us where our brothers are," she warns, pricking the beautiful god's smooth onyx neck, "or I will pluck all the feathers from your wings."
"I'll shoot you from the sky before you can even take flight," the archer adds, holding out her bow. "Speak, child, for you cannot outrun my arrows."
Eros' face contorts in distress. "You can't do this to me," he says, flitting his wings. "Mother!"
Athena scowls, reaching up and grabbing Eros by his ankles, and she throws him to the ground. Together, the two virgin goddesses strike at the lustful god, poking him with their spear and arrow. Eros screams at the first shed of blood, begging for forgiveness.
"I give, I give!" the youthful god cries, sobbing. "Forgive me!"
The goddesses stop, standing over him with hard, stern glares. "Speak, Eros," Athena says, "or forever hold your tongue."
At once, the youthful god confesses, and the goddesses grow angry with each part. Artemis gasps in fury to hear that her brother was shot, and Athena is more than disappointed in Aphrodite spoiling her son.
"And Apollo has taken Hermes to a cave by the sea," Eros finishes, sobbing the last of his tears. "They have not left since."
Artemis begins to walk away, so close to beating the god until he turned pale, and Athena follows, shooting one last glare at the beautifully pathetic god who ran into his mother's palace.
"How will we cure Apollo of his love sickness?" Athena wonders. "Eros' magic last until the object of one's affection returns their love or dies."
Artemis scoffs, wrinkling her nose at the thought of Eros. "My twin has gifted me his silver bows," she replies, "and to mortals once struck, they are fire and ashes. But to a god, that fire will burn away his false forms. I will shoot my brother where Eros struck him first; that is how we will cure his sickness."
And the goddesses turn towards the sea. For many days and many nights, they search every crook and cranny for their brothers, hounds and owls all around. However, it's with the help of naiads that the tight cave was found, the naiads giggling as they pointed the way.
"How sweet Lord Hermes sounds," one sea nymph tells them, her face flushed in arousal as she points one last direction. "When he's free from Lord Apollo, tell him to seek me and I'll show him the passions of the ocean."
Artemis scoffs, rolling her eyes which offends the helpful naiad, and finally, the virgin goddesses find their brothers, their secret dwelling vast and high. Echoes of their desperate voices reach their ears at the entrance.
It is Athena who announces their presence. "Brothers!" she disturbs, banging her spear against her shield. "Stop your lewdness and return to your post. Men are dying without your aid, Apollo."
"And Father shakes the sky without your wings, Hermes," Artemis adds as they enter further into the cave. She carefully readies a silver arrow, holding her bow taunt and ready. "Brother, I missed you."
They hear Hermes' cry of relief before they see the two gods wrapped around each other, the messenger pressed against a golden bed by Apollo who looked at them with wide, greedy eyes.
"Go away," the sun god commands, turning back to kiss Hermes' naked chest.
Athena frowns, seeing the pleading look in her brother's eyes. Quickly, she reaches over and pulls Hermes off of the bed, wrapping a shawl over him.
"Thank you, sister, thank you," Hermes says, skin warm with lust. He begins to kiss Athena's cheeks a thousand times over, but quickly, he falls faint.
"Give him back," Apollo orders, rising from the bed, and naked in full glory, he steps towards them with fury in his eyes and a scar over his heart.
And seeing, at first sight, Artemis knows what it was, aiming her bow at her brother. Without a word, she releases her hold, and Apollo's silver arrow strikes through the sun god, a stream of moonlight silver burning away the hold of Eros' spell of love.
The sun god lets out a gasp, and he crumbles to the ground, exhausted and his sickness cured.
The huntress smiles, putting away her bow, and she reaches down to pick her beloved twin up, carrying him over her shoulder. "Thank you, Athena," she says happily, "now I must take Apollo to our mother to give him full rest."
"Of course, Artemis," Athena replies, carrying Hermes in her arms. "We'll meet again in Father's halls."
Then the goddess part.
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"Mother!" Eros whines.
"Quiet," the beautiful Aphrodite cuts in, fuming on her couch. "There is nothing else I can do, the king has warned us not to stir conflict with Apollo and Hermes again. Even I cannot protect you forever from the wrath of Zeus."
Her son cries even harder, throwing his hands up to begin a whole new tantrum.
"Quiet," the queen of love repeats again. "You're in need of a distraction. Go now, for there is a mortal named Psyche whom the men have began to pray and worship over me. Strike her with her bow to love a man ugly in both face and heart. Her seduction will not go unpunished"
Silently, the winged archer goes down to the realm of man, and soon, he forgets his desire for revenge.
⋅•⋅⊰∙∘ ༓ ∘∙⊱⋅•⋅
Apollo remains on Delos for a month before he fully recovers from his shame. His mother simply laughs as she listens to him waxing poetics over his guilt and regret of having hurt his favorite brother.
"He'd never forgive me," the sun god bemoans, "and I yearn so much for him."
"Yes, Lord Apollo," one of the gathered nymphs replies with a dreamy tone, "oh, tell us how sweet Lord Hermes sounds when you touch him. We have heard so much from our sisters of the seas."
"Begone, you!" Artemis shouts, shooing the nymphs away with her glare. She's had enough of their nosiness "Go watch the trees grow and leave my brother alone."
The nymphs groan, leaving the gods in fear of being killed. Leto laughs again at the sight of their frantic departure.
"Why don't you go and see him, my son?" the woman goddess asks, drinking ambrosia. "Perhaps he yearns for you just the same."
"He wouldn't," Apollo answers, "he didn't once accept my offer, though he was in pain. Hermes does not want me to love him in that way."
"Perhaps it's because he doesn't think you'd want to love him in that way? You have not mentioned wanting to ravage him, have you?"
"No."
"Then you should go tell him," Artemis says. "Your favorite messenger has become so flittering since his rescue, unable to stay in one spot for long. He refuses to help Father soothe Hera's rage and has been sleeping with many. He appears frustrated these days."
Apollo's face turns pink with embarrassment, knowing that it is still all his fault. "The belt," he says, "it won't release without me. Oh, poor Hermes."
"Well, run along, my son," Leto says, huffing with amusement. "Lest you turn Hermes mad forever."
Apollo thanks his mother and sister, and with his chariot, he rides off between the Earth and the Heavens, looking for his beloved brother.
The sun god finds said brother with another brother between his legs, the arrogant Ares pushing himself into the moaning Hermes against a tree. A few nymphs and river gods watch attentively, resisting the urge to join it.
Angered, Apollo shoots an arrow, and precisely, it cuts thinly through the skin of Ares' handsome face, small splatter of blood dripping onto Hermes' stomach. The war god lets out a pained cry, pulling away and screaming, "Apollo!"
"Leave, Ares," the sun god says, landing his chariot. "You cannot satisfy Hermes."
The spectators forget themselves and laugh, silenced when Ares growls at them, and they decide it's a good time to leave, returning to their dwellings.
"You dare challenge me, Apollo?" Ares asks, holding out his sword.
The sun god rolls his eyes, gesturing the war god to go away. "If you leave now, I'll give you a newborn colt, the best of his breed. Have it draw your chariot into the next battle and the ground will burn."
Ares scowls again, but he is not completely foolish, knowing that any one of Apollo's steeds would be a monstrous force, large and powerful. He nods sternly, and with a turn of his body, he leaves the mortal plane.
Apollo looks over to Hermes, happy to see his favorite brother for the first time in a month, but the messenger doesn't seem to be happy to see him, trying to control his shivers as he whines, "Curse you, brother, that was the closest I've gotten to relief. No, curse Eros and his mother, that scheming pair. That troublesome brat, why must I suffer so much pain?"
Hermes pulls his legs closer to him, his chiton only reaching up to his knees, and he starts to sob.
Apollo kneels down besides the messenger, brushing Hermes' tears away. "Why do you weep, brother?" the sun god asks. "I've come to relieve you. The belt I placed on you, I can remove it."
The messenger god looks up in joy, his dark eyes sparkling. "Is that the truth?" he asks, unfurling to throw himself at Apollo. "Please, brother, release me!"
"Of course," Apollo replies, catching Hermes in his embrace, "but first you must return to me what I have given you, lest the belt never comes off."
Hermes' expression sours, attempting to pull back in protest, but Apollo holds him still on his lap. "Eros' magic still binds you," the raven god claims. "I'll suffer for all eternity."
"What magic? There's none persuading my mind, my heart, at this very moment but myself. Return to me the love I give you, Hermes, and to the greatest pleasure we will rise."
"I do love you, Apollo. You are my brother, my favorite of Father's seed. Even Dionysus pales in comparison to you."
"And not a spark from Hephaestus' keep can outshine you."
Apollo kisses Hermes tenderly, holding the younger god by the chin, and they grasp each other lovingly.
"I love you in other ways, my brother, my friend, my lover," the sun god says, touching Hermes' thigh and caressing. He kisses against olive skin. "How I lust for you and yearn for you, thief of my heart. As I want to lay by you, I desire to reach the throes of passion with you."
"Why have you never told me?" Hermes asks, his arms wrapped around Apollo's freckled shoulders. He let out a breathy laugh, aroused and cautious. "Oh, Apollo."
"I was not certain. I know the truth if I seek it, but I was afraid to know. To be denied by you would grieve me, and to be hated by you would kill me."
"Gods cannot die, brother."
"And yet death is something we all come to know. Now, Hermes, confess, do you love me in return?"
Hermes inhales, his breath as stuttering as his heart. His hazel eyes locks onto Apollo's sky blues, and he replies, "I do, I do, I love you, hunter of my heart, my brother, my friend, my lover." He whispers the last two words before he pulls the sun god for a kiss.
They say that no nymph or god was fortunate to witness what occurred afterwards, but to this day, they giggle knowingly and shyly, telling you not of what they heard through the meadow or what they felt through the air. Instead, they will tell you the story of two brothers whose love was well made for the other, becoming lovers in the night.
A/N: This work was first published on my Ao3 (AKnightOfAGoodKing) under the same title. I just wanted to share this because I've been wanting to write something like this for years, and I absolutely love Greek mythology. Tell me if you like it, and thanks for reading. ^^