Hi everyone! I was binge watching Epic animatics and I came across one for "Done For" where Hermes was watching with popcorn, and that inspired me to write this fic. Mostly angst, a bit of fluff, and a dash of tickles. If you guys like it I might make a Part 2!
Characters: Hermes, Circe
TW: Mentions of SA!
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Hermes Causes Chaos
Oh, what to do today?
Hermes was bored. He was bored often. But not like this. He felt really antsy. So he decided to do what he did best. Make his boredom someone else's problem. But who should he grace with his presence?
Athena? No, she was still recovering from injury. Ares? No, he rather liked the idea of keeping his hands attached to his arms. Poseidon? No, Hermes already bothered him a few days ago, and even he knew that Poseidon was not one to be messed with too often.
Hermes tapped his chin in thought as he floated about aimlessly. He gazed down at the land below, the lush forests, the sandy beaches, the pristine palace roof, the giant pig pen…
Wait, pig pen? Hermes paused in his flight and stared for a second, before a wide grin split his face.
…
Circe was spending some time with the younger nymphs on her island. They had been planting a large flower garden and wanted to show her how much it had grown. The girls were so proud of it, and Circe couldn't help but smile and feel a little proud as well.
“It's beautiful! Well done my children!” The other nymphs might not be her actual children, but that hadn't stopped some of the youngest from calling her “Mom” or “Mother” every now and then, and it didn't take long for her to start seeing them as her daughters. Circe loved her nymphs dearly. They were her companions, her family. She doesn't know what she'd do if she lost them.
A frown crossed her face as the girls ran off again. As confident as she was in her magic, she always was aware of the little voice in the back of her head that told her she wouldn't be able to protect them forever. Her mind flitted back to that awful day, when that man had first set foot on her island. How she had shown him kindness. And how he had taken advantage.
That feeling of helplessness, that pain, she never wanted to feel that way again. And she'd rather die than let that be the fate that befalls her nymphs. Since that day she has let no man roam freely on her island. No man except…
“Circe! Hello darling! Why are you looking so down?”
“Ah, hello Hermes. It's nothing, just reflecting.”
Hermes had become a frequent visitor after the events of that day. He had been the first to try to help her and her girls. He had been kind enough to let her cry on his shoulder during the worst of times. Admittedly, it had taken a while for him to earn her trust, as you could never be too sure with an Olympian. But Hermes had proven that he had no ulterior motives. And had become one of her closest friends.
“Cici, you know that you don't have to hide from me. If you need to talk I'm always ready to listen.”
Circe said nothing.
“You're thinking about that man again, aren't you.”
Circe looked up at him, her eyes filled with tears.
“I-I don't know if I c-can keep them safe! What if h-he c-comes back? What if I can't protect them?!” She cried, her voice breaking.
“Oh, darling, come here.” Hermes pulled her into a tight hug, and held her as she cried. This was a side to her that she rarely let another person see. In fact, Hermes might be the only person alive that has seen this side of her, the side that allows herself to be vulnerable, to lean on another, to trust.
“Cici, look at me. Look at me Circe. He won't come back. That is something I can assure you.”
She didn't seem to believe him. “H-how could you be so sure?”
Hermes let himself grin for a moment. “I know he won't come back. I took his soul to Hades myself.”
He usually felt neutral if not a little melancholy about the part of his job that lead him to interact with the newly dead, but dragging that bastard to Hades was something he had taken quite a bit of pleasure in. Although, he never followed up to see what happened to him. Maybe he’ll drop by the Underworld later.
Circe relaxed a bit. “That's a comforting thought. All this time I was terrified that he'd return. I know I have my magic, but I always wonder if it's enough…”
Circe's voice trailed off. She had spent every waking moment since that day ensuring that she would be prepared to protect her nymphs should someone arrive on her island looking to do them harm. She could never shake the feeling that she had let them down the first time, that she had failed for being unable to protect them. You'd have to forgive her hypervigilance, the nymphs were the only ones who had shown her kindness, and in her opinion, that is the greatest gift anyone could offer. Greater than any sacrifice made to the God King, more beautiful than any jewel in the Underworld, and more valuable than any piece of wisdom grey-eyed Athena possessed.
Speaking of showing kindness…
“How is Odysseus? I haven't heard anything about him since he departed from the Underworld. And that was several years ago. I let him go because he told me of his love and longing for his wife. I do hope that he continued to go to her.”
“Ah, darling, you would be delighted to know that he has returned home! He has reunited with his beloved wife and son! I must say, even I shed a tear watching those two!”
Hermes continued to regale Circe with Odysseus's journey home. She was saddened to hear about the deaths of his crew; Odysseus had mentioned to her that among his crew members was his brother-in-law, someone who has been by his side for nearly his entire life. Upon hearing about how Calypso had trapped him on her island for so long she became enraged, only calming when she heard how Odysseus had refused to lie with her and how Athena had fought for his freedom.
When Hermes got to the part where he appeared to give his guidance, he couldn't resist doing a dramatic reenactment (“But darling, this is so important for you to get the full picture! Mere words are not enough!”).
She was not so happy to hear that Poseidon had caught him after everything.
“You know, he is the pettiest god in all of Olympus and beyond. The man had suffered enough!” She grumbled.
“Ha! Good luck telling that to my uncle, darling. But don't you worry about that, our dear Ody took care of it himself!”
Circe was both horrified and strangely satisfied to hear about how Odysseus “took care of it.” She was glad that someone had finally taken Poseidon down a few pegs, but even in her own fleeting interaction, she knew that Odysseus wouldn't have resorted to such extreme violence if he wasn't desperate. Her heart broke for him. Finally, a man who didn't act like a pig, and the Fates had treated him so cruelly.
“And that's not all Cici! Turns out, while he had been away, a bunch of men had gathered in his home trying to win the hand of his wife! She had managed to hold them off up until that point, and her way of doing so was quite clever if I do say so myself!”
Circe smiled while Hermes described how Penelope had stalled for years using the excuse of weaving a funeral shroud, only to unravel it each night. She was just like Odysseus, clever, loyal, and deeply in love with her husband. Circe got the feeling that if she were to ever meet Penelope, they would become good friends, once they got past the whole Circe-trying-to-seduce-and-kill-Odysseus thing.
“And then, and then, Ody says ‘You don't think I know my own palace? I built it!’” Hermes was practically bouncing up and down as he shared how Odysseus had killed all the suitors after hearing what they wanted to do to Penelope and Telemachus. “Fucking pigs.” “Cici darling, that's an insult to pigs.”
Circe mourned that she hadn't been there to aid in the killing of the suitors. If there is one thing she hates more than anything or anyone, it's men who think that they can treat women like objects for their own pleasure and with no regard for the woman’s own feelings. Maybe she’ll go down to the Underworld, just to teach those bastards a lesson.
She was relieved to hear that those pathetic excuses for men had never gotten the chance to touch Penelope. That kind of pain, terror, and trauma is something that she wouldn't wish upon her worst enemy, unless, of course, that enemy was the man who dared to do such a thing in the first place.
“I’m happy to hear that he was able to finally meet his son after all these years. I couldn't imagine being away from my girls for so long, I don't know how he made it through.”
“Well, my grandson is as stubborn as he is clever. He gets that from me. Just the thought of seeing them again was what kept him going, even when all seemed lost.”
Circe smiled. She'd have to invite Odysseus and his family back to her island. As much as she hated to admit it, she kind of wanted to see him again, and really wanted to meet the woman that he had fought so hard for.
She was yanked out of her thoughts when Hermes suddenly pulled her into a hug.
“Ack! Hermes what the hell! Give me a warning next time!”
“Hahaha! Sorry darling, but you still looked a little sad! What kind of friend would I be if I didn't try to help?”
Circe sighed. “I’m not sad anymore HermEHES!” She suddenly squeaked when she felt a squeeze at her side. She slowly turned to look at Hermes, only to see his eyes twinkling with mischief. At least, they would be if she could see under his hat. “Hermes, no.”
“Hermes yes darling!” Came the enthusiastic reply as Circe felt her sides being squeezed again, falling back into peals of laughter. “I have to make sure you're happy! I can't have you going around moping like that!”
“Hermes, ihif you don't stohop now I can't be held responsible fohor what happens next!” Circe warned, straining to hold back laughter.
“Darling, you are in no position to be making threats!” Hermes exclaimed with a smirk.
However, Hermes forgot one thing: Circe will always make good on her threats.
In one fluid motion, Circe grabbed his wrist, pulled herself out of the hold, shoved Hermes onto his back, and climbed on top of him, effectively pinning him to the ground.
“You've had your fun, my friend.” She said with a sly grin, looking vaguely like a lioness who just caught her prey. Her eyes sparkled with mischief, just like how Hermes's eyes sparkled just a minute before. “Now? It's my turn.”