Loving Blindly

by TheHoliestMoly

Summary:

Tiresias, despite his intense guilt for not doing more for Odysseus and so many others, has somehow become precious to the messenger god, Hermes. Zeus though, has never liked their friendship. Neither has Athena, or Apollo, or Hera…

Ok, fine. The list goes on for actually quite some time. One day, when Hermes was discovered sneaking off to go visit the prophet, Zeus has had ENOUGH. Frustrated by the god's antics, which he had previously ignored, Zeus decides to give Hermes his first punishment; he is now stuck in the Underworld until Zeus needs him. He could still fly, and the gods could visit him as they pleased, but that's the thing... none of the gods would even know what happened to the beloved messenger. Also angered by the prophet he was often visiting, Zeus decides to put some salt in Tiresias's already painful wounds; he could no longer see the future and the past until Hermes leaves the Underworld. Now stuck without the only reason he didn't let himself rot away, Tiresias must face all the guilt he had pent up from the past. But, how can he do that when the one thing keeping him from not having to is the one thing he doesn't want to lose?
~~~

I update once a week :D
(or more if I'm on crack-)

Chapter 1

Summary:

Chapter Summary:
Hermes makes a grave mistake, but neither he nor Tiresias knows it yet.
No angst yet, this is a sort of fluff chapter in all honesty-(These two make me sick/pos)

"There is a world where I help you get home, but that's not a world I know…"

How could he have said this. How could he have not helped? There was a world after all, so why not this one? Odysseus had all right to be infuriated by him. It was true, no matter how hard Tiresias wanted to believe that it wasn't. So many people, so many lives he failed. Maybe, Athena's actions weren't wrong after all. Maybe, Apollo did the right thing. He only could've ruined the lives of so many more if he stayed. Maybe-

"Dawling~! Where are you, Tiresias?", a voice called out.

Familiarity struck Tiresias, and he, in return, called out, "I'm right here, Hermes!".

Before long, the messenger god peeked his head into the little cave Tiresias resided in. The scene was cozy; a small fire, a blanket on the couch, and Tiresias sitting on the plush cushions, surrounded by pillows. It had been quite a while since he had befriended Hermes, who had quickly become a friend so dear to him, he wouldn't mind spending eternity with the god. Before, when he had first met the lively god(who had come to deliver some important messages to Hades, but noticed the lonely prophet) Tiresias couldn't help but fear him. He thought, The brother of Apollo..? There's no doubt that there are some strings attached to his friendliness… and he firmly held onto that belief. As time went on, though, the prophet learnt more faces of Hermes's divine presence, and what lied underneath. A charismatic personality, with an eye for fun; a trickster who always made amends for his mischievous deeds; a young child who simply wanted praise from his father for all he did; these were the many sides of Hermes, and there were so many more that Tiresias couldn't help but enjoy learning everyday. A brilliant story-teller, who weaved his tales like thread around his fingers, riddled with embellishments and excitement; a sentimental sap who couldn't help but take things slow when he felt like it mattered; a caring sibling who couldn't help but regret every time he went against them. Tiresias couldn't help but admire them all. Even so, the prophet could never bring himself to tell Hermes how he felt about him; their friendship was too dear to do so.

"Ah, there you are Tiresias! I've been looking for you! What happened to sitting outside on our- apologies dawling- your ledge?", Hermes asked, clearly teasing Tiresias. He looked up, his head snapping vaguely to the direction of where Hermes most likely was, a small smile sitting on his lips.

"Well apologies, oh great god of traveling, roads, thievery, and more! What could I do to ever make up for such an egregious act~?", Tiresias playfully responded. The messenger smiled, an idea already making it's way to his expression. Despite the loss of his eyes, Tiresias often used his sight of the past to help fill in the blanks for his friend's expressions, and at the sight of his mischievous companion, he couldn't help but return Hermes's excited grin.

"Well then, I need you to sit still for a few moments~! Do not move until I tell you to." Tiresias, used to Hermes's tricks and silly surprises, rolled his head as if he were rolling his eyes, and sat perfectly still. He could hear Hermes move about, zipping around in Tiresias' little cave, until he finally sat down next to the prophet.

"What is it, oh great, divine Hermes, messenger of the gods?", Tiresias jokingly quipped, until Hermes popped a small something into his mouth. As he bit down, the ripe sweetness of pomegranate burst into his mouth, the sour zing of the fruit lingering for much longer than he truly wanted it too. Tiresias flinched backwards, clearly surprised at the sudden snack, and the messenger gave a little laugh.

"Dawling, I care for you deeply, so I must make sure that you're taking care of yourself. Give me as many petty excuses as you want, I'm fully aware that the dead can occasionally feel hunger too," he chided. Tiresias flushed, his pale skin dusted by a light shade of pink.

"I… Apologies, Hermes…", he retorted. Hermes, on the other hand, simply laughed and popped another pomegranate seed into Tiresias' mouth. He couldn't help but feel mildly revolted; he didn't need to eat, and as close as Hermes may be, he can't make Tiresias eat if he didn't want to. Nonetheless, he humored the giggling god, and let him give Tiresias the juicy fruit, a small smile lining both of their faces.

After a nice chat, Hermes also giving Tiresias some sweets from Hestia("She sends her best wishes!"), the messenger god finally disappeared in a trail of golden light, slowly dimming as Tiresias struggled to follow it. As curious as it is, the light of the gods had always somehow been visible to Tiresias; the only reason he could tell the difference between them and an ordinary soul. Most gods' light burned into his eyes, painfully so, but Hermes' always appeared to him as a soft glow, and instead of burning as if with fury, his light was warm and golden, reminding Tiresias of sunlight. Whenever he tells Hermes this, the messenger couldn't help but laugh, and always remarked, "Then let me be your one and only sunshine~!". It certainly wasn't the first time that Hermes had said silly, flirtatious quips to the prophet, but Tiresias had burned a deep shade of red, mumbling about hubris and whatnot. Hermes simply laughed and hugged the prophet all the same.

Tiresias deeply enjoyed Hermes' company; this much was obvious. Even so, if he knew what came next, he would have done everything he could to keep him from the Underworld.

Notes:

Hello! Thanks for reading the first chapter of Loving Blindly! I can't wait to put out more chapters, but before I do that, I'd like to put out some notes/warnings, just so you know some of my boundaries, and so that reading this work doesn't cross yours :)

-This is simply a fictional piece regarding EPIC the Musical. I do not practice Hellenistic Paganism(yet), but I hold a lot of respect for the religion and all others, so know that this isn't meant to be a depiction of the original Greek figures, just a silly lil fanfic!

-This thing is FULL of my own little headcanons and stuff that's most certainly not canon in the timeline of EPIC. I wrote this for fun cause I was bored, so it's not the best. Apologies if it ever sounds cringey, repetitive, or amateurish!

-The Hermesias(Hermes x Tiresias) is explicitly ROMANTIC throughout a large portion of the fanfic, and I don't plan to make the two split during the story. I understand if some people are uncomfortable with this(considering the OG voice actors and other factors), but this is how I ship it and I apologize if you were looking for something platonic. I tried to write this in a way so that during the platonic parts, you could imagine Mason and TROY doing this, but in all honestly, I don't want this to be a DreamNotFound type situation. I am shipping the fictional characters, not either of their real life counterparts!! T^T

-I'm not writing smut, nor will I accept any requests asking for it. I'm just in general uncomfortable with the idea of depicting two Greek mythological figures, or two VERY real human beings that way, even if this fanfic isn't meant to be a depiction of the original people. There is some kissing- ok, fine- passionate kissing, and if it feels right, I might allude to anything else, but I'm not writing any overly explicit parts in this.

-Although I won't accept requests for smut, if you have any suggestions or ideas for little adventures for the pair, let me know! At the time of writing this, I've finished 5 chapters of mostly angst, so any sweet or silly little moments you'd want me to write are ABSOLUTELY accepted!

-This is a bit of an angsty fanfic, and it deals with topics such as self worth, and Tiresias does have some VERY negative thoughts on himself. Even if I tried my best not to be overly explicit, some deeper topics are most likely going to be alluded to, so please keep that in mind. Your mental and physical health is so much more important that reading a fanfic, so take a break if you ever need to, and please take care of yourself.

Now that that's out of the way, take care of yourself, and have a good 4th of July(or just a good day in general) :D
See you next time!!

-TheHoliestMoly (on Pinterest)
(I'll be writing this as my pen name from now on, most of y'all are probably coming from my Pinterest anyways TvT)
(I'm done yapping now I swear)

Chapter 2

Summary:

Zeus finds out about Hermes' big mistake.
AKA Zeus is once more a sh1tty father.

Hermes was always a fan of visiting his prophet friend, but he occasionally shirked his responsibilities to go visit him. And although most of the gods simply put up with the mischievous messenger, this time, he had really crossed the line.

 

As he fluttered from Tiresias' ledge up into the living realm, he noticed one of two things: The air around him was suddenly heavy, weighing down on his wings like someone had attached metal shackles to them. Second of all, the sky was dark and grey, a shade so deep that only divine powers could bring about such storms. Zeus! Hermes thought. The air around him was electric, and the little wings on his slippers could feel each little molecule buzzing with life. The whole area felt hot and sticky, almost as if the sun was directly aiming its light at him through the heavy clouds. Was Helios annoyed as well? Oh dear gods, what have I done now..? He fretted. He preferred not to know, but now that he was on Earth, it was too late; if Zeus or Helios didn't see him here, then Demeter or one of the other gods and goddesses that roamed the land would. Better now than never, he reckoned.

 

As Hermes' wings carried him up, and up away, towards Olympus, he noticed several gods and goddesses sitting among the clouds. They each had severe expressions, a kind of venom and cruelty that made Hermes look down at his feet as he flew higher. As Olympus, high up on the clouds, came into view, Hermes could feel the eyes on him, judgmental, and burning a hole right through the poor messenger.

 

"HERMES!!", a prominent voice thundered. Hermes jumped a little, his wings fluttering in surprise.

 

There he is… Ok Hermes, you can do this. You'll be perfectly fine… Hermes thought as he tried to console himself. As he walked into Zeus's hall, his footsteps quiet and light as they echoed throughout the grand room, the great doors behind him slammed shut.

 

"Hermes…", that great voiced boomed once more. Staring down at him from a great, golden throne was the God King, who was staring at Hermes with such scrutiny that the messenger god wanted nothing more than to squish himself down into a small child again. With a grand sweeping motion, Zeus brought down his hand, the force of the great gust of wind making Hermes kneel, physically unable to get up. The sheer pressure matched Atlas' burden of carrying the heavens, making the god cry out in pain. "Shut it. I have no time for your antics," Zeus said, rubbing his temples as if he had a headache.

 

"Hey, father~! What's good? How're things going up here on Olympus?", Hermes asked, trying to be as casual as he typically was with the other gods. Before he could get in another word, Zeus hit his hand hard against the arm rest of his throne again.

 

"QUIET! YOU are the reason we are in this mess," he growled, leaving the messenger god speechless. Zeus went back to rubbing his head until he started speaking again. "For the past 2 HOURS. For the past 2 hours, where have you been, god of traveling."

 

"I was… I was with the prophet of Thebes…", Hermes murmured.

 

"Ah, and were you granted permission to take a break..?", Zeus snarled, voice cold as ice. Hermes shook his head, his whole body trembling. Typically, Zeus found his antics and trickery funny, and he had never once been severely yelled at, much less punished by the god king. "Helios was threatened by a minor goddess who had multiple favors from many high ranking gods and goddesses. Helios had written a declaration of peace, making amends for however he had wronged her. Now, in order to send this letter, where were you? Ah, yes. Off frolicking with your partner, doing whatever it is you do in that cave of his," Zeus snarled.

 

Hermes's face almost immediately painted itself red as he quietly mumbled, "He's not my partner…"

 

Zeus continued on, unwavering in his confrontation. "We were on the brink of a full on WAR between the gods. Hermes, if it weren't for Iris, we might not have Olympus at this moment. This was THAT monumental of a moment, and you dare go out on a 'break' without permission?!"

 

Hermes's head sunk lower, and he knew what was about to come. Perhaps he'd be zapped like Athena, his beautiful face scarred with the symbol of the god king. Or, maybe he'd be exiled, forced to have his godhood drained out as he became boring. As he became normal. Or, even worse, he'd be cut off from the rest of the gods, forced to become a stranger in his own family. What Zeus really did say, though, was not at all what he was expecting.

 

"Hermes, from now on until I deem fit, you are banished to the Underworld. As you've never angered me before, and you weren't aware of the threat, you may keep most of your godly powers. Remember that this is a gift I am giving you, and it can very well be taken away."

 

Hermes let go of a breath that he hadn't even realized that he was holding. He wasn't going to lose his godhood. He wasn't a disgraced god.

 

"I am still wondering what to do to that prophet though; he must not be allowed to roam free while you are suffering, right dear messenger?", Zeus remarked, a sinister grin growing on his face. At that thought, Hermes's ichor ran cold. No. NO! He can't!

 

"WAIT! Father, Tiresias did nothing wrong, let him be!", Hermes pleaded. It was clear, though, that his pleading wouldn't change Zeus's mind, as he continued on.

 

"Hm… maybe I'll make him relive his death over and over again… Or perhaps I could force him to remember every time he failed someone who asked for his services… Or, I could make him relive having his eyes gouged out until you leave…", he mused, almost like a writer deciding the fate of his characters. Although he already knew there was no point, Hermes' eyes prickled with the beginnings of tears, as he desperately tried to blink them away.

 

"No… please don't make him do this. DON'T MAKE HIM DO THIS!!", Hermes shouted, his voice cracking as his volume increased. His eyes were burning now, sure to overflow at one final push.

 

"SILENCE!", shouted Zeus, sending Hermes into a straining quiet once more. Electricity crackled in the air, and the scent of smoke assaulted his nose. He's decided. "Until you leave the Underworld, Tiresias shall no longer have his prophetical powers,", Zeus declared, a sense of finality settling in the grand hall.

 

Whatever cries Hermes had were made outside of the hall as he was dragged out of Zeus's presence. His tears running down his face, he cried in an almost hysteria, "No, no, no, no, no...", repeating the words over and over, as if saying it would eventually make it come true. He saw his dear siblings Apollo, Athena, and Aphrodite talking over something as he suddenly heard a large crackle of thunder. As soon as the deafening sound hit his ears, he was suddenly sucked from Olympus.

 

Oh, the agony. It was pure agony. His body stretched and morphed, filling in the imperfect cracks of their reality as if he could really fix them. His bones cracked, then pulled themselves back into place; his body squished until it was no larger than an atom, then bloated to the size of Earth itself. Finally, after what seem to be an eternity of torture, Hermes landed in the Underworld, his wings flapping lightly as they softened his fall, although to no avail. He could barely stand, his weight a burden on his severely beaten up body. With the last of his strength, he started calling out for the prophet.

 

"Tiresias! TIRESIAS!!"

Notes:

Hello!

Thanks for reading! I hope everyone is doing well :)
If you haven't already, go drink some water, eat something, and take care of yourselves!

-TheHoliestMoly

Chapter 3

Summary:

Hermes tries to keep Tiresias calm; he succeeds… at first.
(It's quite a bit longer than the other ones I've written, including ones for the future so hold on tight! Angst starts here!)

Tiresias typically saw Hermes once a day, that part was normal. Seeing Hermes twice a day was when he started questioning the state of Olympus. Typically, outside of his given breaks, Hermes never visited Tiresias. It was far too noisy and cluttered up there where the gods lie for the messenger to have a moment of peace, so Tiresias was naturally concerned when Hermes came screaming his name at his cave entrance.

The first thing he noticed was that no matter how hard he concentrated, Tiresias couldn't muster up an image of his friend's face as a vision of the past. He creased his eyebrows, trying to will SOMETHING to show up, but all that did was a mental image of Hermes from earlier that evening. The second thing was simply how distressed Hermes sounded. Normally, the messenger god was charismatic, charming to a fault, to the point where Tiresias occasionally called him 'the God of Nonchalance'. He had never once, in his entire time of knowing Hermes, heard him sound so desperate, as if a single touch would break him.

"TIRESIAS!!", Hermes screamed at the top of his lungs, his voice cracking. Tiresias' heart broke into two at how strained Hermes' voice sounded; he had been doing this for far longer than he should have.

"Hermes, I'm here!", he called, gripping his staff ever so slightly tighter. He had been having some of the snacks Hestia gave him, but they suddenly felt like rocks in his mouth as he finished the one he was having. Soon, he heard Hermes step into his cave, and he sounded like he had just went through the Trojan War.

The normally sturdy god, who could run around doing errands all day with no issue, was heaving, as if he'd just battled the entire Underground. His typically-even steps were misplaced and unbalanced, some steps louder than others.

"Tir… Tiresias…", Hermes breathed, exhaustion getting to the overworked god.

"Come here, Hermes!", Tiresias exclaimed as Hermes' familiar weight fell into his arms. "Tell me, what happened that has left you like this?", Tiresias pleaded. It hurt him to see someone so radiant reduced to tired and fearful, especially someone he cared for so deeply.

"Dawling I…", Hermes started, but he never finished.

"You what? Hermes, you mustn't hide anything from me if it's so serious!", Tiresias insisted. Stubborn as always, Hermes quietly begged the prophet to simply let him lay there for a few moments.

During that time, Tiresias noticed that he couldn't conjure up any visions of the future either; not of the Olympians, not of Hermes, not of himself. Even though he chose not to see the future of those he knew closely, preferring to live out his fate as it is, it was still odd that he couldn't do something so basic; something so preliminary. "Hermes, what has happened?", Tiresias asked. Hermes was now sitting on the couch, his breaths evening. \

As soon as he heard the question, though, Tiresias heard his breath hitch.

"Hermes, what has happened,", he asked more forcefully, this time as a statement. Tiresias heard Hermes' breath grow more shaky, and sighed as he brought up his hand to place on the trembling god's shoulder. Fine. This was how It's going to be? Tiresias was starting to grow more frustrated; first he couldn't see any of his visions, Hermes shows up at his door exhausted and worried, and now he refuses to tell him anything?

"How about we go for a walk, dawling? I… I can explain everything once we reach the Lethe…", Hermes whispered, his voice sounding at least a bit better than before.

Tiresias turned his head in Hermes' direction and reached a hand out to his face; he could feel the weary smile on his friend's face and, after a tired sigh of his own, decided to indulge. "Alright, Hermes, but please do explain. Could you help me get up?", he asked. As Hermes stood up and grabbed his hand, Tiresias couldn't help but feel slightly more at peace. Maybe he was just really tired, and that's why his powers weren't working. The walk could do him some good anyways.

---

Five minutes later, Tiresias was cursing Hermes' entire bloodline. "We could… always… oh, you know… turn back…", Tiresias heaved in between heavy breathes. It was been a while since he last exited his cave, and the thin air of the Underworld certainly wasn't helping his case. As his staff shifted around, tracing the path that he was headed, the bumpy rocks and generally uneven path tripped up his sense of surrounding as he struggled to get going.

"Are you alright, dawling?", Hermes asked, his voice echoing throughout the lonely chambers of the Underworld. Although Tiresias couldn't see it now, he remembered the green glow emanating from the nearby Lethe, as the light reflected off of the many smooth, stone crevasses of the Underworld. At the question, Tiresias faltered, his voice suddenly unsure.

"My… my visions aren't coming to me as they usually should… could you help me get to the Lethe, please?"

Once more, he heard Hermes' breath hitch, but in a split second, it was gone as he affectionately sighed. "Oh, of course dawling! Why didn't you ask me sooner?", he scolded. Quickly, Tiresias heard Hermes' voice come closer, his footsteps as light and even as they usually were. Soon, he felt Hermes' arm hook around his waist, the little wings of his slippers brushing against his own ankles. "Any better?", Hermes asked.

Although Tiresias was about to protest(You just need to hold my arm!), he had to admit that, as Hermes gently pushed him forward, he certainly felt more sturdy than he did before. "Yes, I suppose…", he murmured, face flushing in embarrassment. He was the great prophet, a man so brilliant that even his spirit has managed to keep his wits. Now look at him, requiring someone to hold him in order to walk. Despite the fact, Hermes continued his usual chatter, his free arm waving wildly as he went into great detail of an important trade agreement he had sent between Hades and Poseidon. At that point, Tiresias and Hermes had slowed into an even tempo, stepping in sync as they continued their journey through the Underworld. Tiresias couldn't help but smile as his friend continued rambling on, stories weaving themselves in a way that Tiresias could almost see the tapestry of a tale.

"And then Poseidon brought up a wave so high- dawling, do you hear that?", Hermes gasped, stopping mid-sentence. And in fact, as Tiresias turned his head forward, yes, he could.

"The Lethe…", he breathed, letting his staff go looser in his hands.

"Would you like to go sit near the riverbank, Tiresias?", Hermes asked, energy practically spewing from his voice. Tiresias moved his hand towards his face, feeling the god's excited grin, and broke into a smile of his own.

"Of course, Hermes."

The Lethe. It's known fact that if you drink from it, you lose all memories of your mortal life. Tiresias had feared the beautiful river once, worried that a single misstep could lead to losing all the knowledge he had acquired in his living life. When he met Hermes though, he didn't have anything to fear; he would never let Tiresias forget him, even if he wanted to.

The Lethe. It was also quite the odd river when it came to what she sounded like. Although it depended upon person to person, one thing stayed the same; she whispered in the voices of those one never wanted to forget. One day, Tiresias might hear his husband, one whom he spent seven years with; another day, he might hear his children, and another, his parents. Whoever the listener was, the river sang to them in the voice they missed the most, and reminded them, so that their voices might live another day in their mind.

As he descended into the riverbank, Hermes holding onto him tightly, the messenger asked, "Who do you hear today?".

It was such a simple question, yet, Tiresias himself wasn't sure. As he closed his eyes, hoping to hear Lady Lethe's beautiful song, all he could hear was the rushing water, that gently sang her usual mid-tone singing, and the faint(yet audible) echoes of Hermes' voice. "I'm not sure, Hermes. What about you?", he inquired, his tone light and curious. The god froze up, and as Tiresias reached for his face, he could feel him growing warmer. "Hermes, you've grown quite warm!", he exclaimed, his eyebrows creasing as he checked him for a fever.

"Nothing dawling… I just… I hear you!" Tiresias froze. Suddenly, he felt too hot himself, yet…

"I think I know who I'm hearing now too…", he stated with a quiet finality. He didn't need to say it out loud for the both of them to know who it was. With his hand still on Hermes' face, Tiresias felt his lips upturn in a small smile, as he held the prophet tighter.

"Lovely to know dawling… Now, I owe you an explanation for earlier, don't I?", Hermes retorted, his smile wavering ever so slightly. Tiresias stiffened for a moment, before relaxing when he remembered. He had almost forgotten, and now, in the peaceful quiet of the Lethe, wasn't sure if he still wanted to know.

"Fine, regale me the tales of your adventures on Olympus, Hermes."

At first, Tiresias was infuriated. Hermes left during his work time? He knew how dangerous that is! What could've happened to him if Iris weren't there? What if he got hurt!? Then, Tiresias was shocked, his body stiffening as he heard all about Hermes' miniature trial. His breath grew hitched and uneven as he was told of Hermes' punishment; of how Zeus yelled at him. Tiresias' head was already reeling, when Hermes put the final nail in his coffin.

"Dawling, please, don't hate me, but… You will no longer have your prophetical powers until I leave the Underworld."

At first, Tiresias didn't react. He was still, his breath held in complete silence.

"Dawling-", Hermes started, before Tiresias broke out in hysterical laughter. As he continued laughing, fresh blood, almost like tears, started pouring out of his eye sockets, soaking his bandages in sudden realization. Suddenly, as if he were a small child, Tiresias rolled up into a small ball by Hermes and clutched his knees to his chest. "No, Zeus can't do that! He gave me these powers. He is the reason I'm-", but he stopped himself. There were many dark hidden guilts and regrets that he had told his friend, but not this one; never this one. Tiresias trembled, and trembled, and trembled. Oh dear gods, he felt like one touch and he would shatter into a million pieces. He clutched his face, gave out a quick cry of anguish, then went into complete silence.

"Oh, Tiresias…", Hermes breathed as he held the prophet close, resting his head on top of Tiresias'. The little wings on his slipper brushed against the prophet's calves, quietly calming him ever so slightly.

How am I even crying? I don't have eyes… Just a blind, useless old fool… he thought, over and over again until it slipped from his mouth and Hermes gasped. Oh, it was so small and inconsequential, but that little sound brought him back. Almost instantly, he broke into tears as he clutched the messenger, apologizing over and over again. He grabbed at Hermes' tunic, clutching it like a lifeline, almost as if he were worried that he might leave.

"Shh… it's alright dawling, you have nothing to apologize for. I'm right here…", Hermes quietly soothed, whispering gently into Tiresias' ear. Eventually, after a long time, he let go, his face puffy and red.

"Oh Hermes… why didn't you tell me sooner?", he muttered, feeling Hermes' face. He could feel the tiredness of the messenger's face too; puffy eyes, his face almost feverish, and his breath ragged. "Please, I-I want to go home," Tiresias softly pleaded.

Notes:

Hello!

Thanks for reading! I hope everyone is doing well :)
If you haven't already, go drink some water, eat something, and take care of yourselves!

-TheHoliestMoly

(I got a bunch of comments on Pinterest of people telling me that chapter 2 was traumatizing...)
(I feel so cutesy~!)

Chapter 4

Summary:

The two have an argument, and some important things are said.
(Angst which turns into a cutesy moment. Please help-)

"Please, I-I want to go home," Tiresias softly pleaded.

Hermes, gentle as ever, slowly lifted the prophet up into his arms as he started on his way home. His wings fluttered quietly, giving Tiresias a small sound to hold onto as he silently questioned everything.

Am I built on a false promise..? A boon that could be taken away at anytime? Everything I am, everything I'll ever amount to, it's all in his hands. It's all up to him, and if he deems fit, I am no longer of use. His bandages soaked further, his expression wavering as he struggled to keep himself from another fit of madness.

Hermes, noticing it all, held the once-was prophet, whispering quiet words of comfort. Tiresias didn't hear a thing; he couldn't even if he wanted to.

"Dawling, oh Tiresias… Please hold on for a little longer, we're almost there…", Hermes quietly pleaded, clutching Tiresias a little closer. As Hermes arrived at Tiresias' little cave, he gently set the prophet on his couch, and plopped down next to him. He gave a sigh of exhaustion; Tiresias's heart fell even further.

"Please don't feel tired for me, Hermes; eat something," he whispered, moving closer to him.

Hermes, though, put an arm around Tiresias, and said, "I would fly from Olympus to here and back if it meant that you wouldn't go through what you just did again."

Tiresias froze for a moment, but then slowly made his way to Hermes' shoulder, laying his head there. "I… I'm no longer a prophet, am I..?" He wanted Hermes to deny it, to say that he'd be fine, that this was all some trick the gods had sent, but instead, he mourned.

"I'm sorry Tiresias… I'm so, so sorry…" He said it over and over again as Tiresias said that he'd be okay each time. Even so, they both knew deep down what this meant for Tiresias.

"I'm no longer a prophet…", Tiresias stated, this time, his voice cracking.

Hermes' face wavered, his eyes threatening to overflow once more. He sounded so weak, so fragile.

"I…" Tiresias collapsed into Hermes' lap, his weariness getting the better of him. It's happened. It's finally happened. "And I won't get them back until you leave…", he quivered, his whole body shaking as he clutched his knees once more. Hermes carefully lifted the hood off of Tiresias' head, gently running his hands through his hair.

"Yes, dawling… I'm so-"

"You don't need to be, Hermes. It's not your fault," Tiresias promised, holding the hand that had laid on top of his head.

"Why are you still here?", Tiresias wondered, suddenly sitting up.

"Excuse-", but Hermes never finished that thought either.

"You could be with Hades and Persephone, living luxuriously and in a nicer place. Why do you stay in my small, untidy cave?", he doubted, his voice increasing in volume. He shouldn't be here… He deserves to go be somewhere better… "Hermes. Please, leave me. I'll be fine," Tiresias said again, this time more forcefully.

"I don't want to leave, Tiresias," Hermes whispered, clutching Tiresias' hand tighter now. Tiresias though, could feel himself grow shakier. Suddenly, he pushed aside Hermes' hand and got up, his own hands as balled up fists by his side.

"Why? Why are you staying? To make fun of me? To mock and ridicule me? 'Good morning prophet who can't give prophesies!', or, 'What are you doing now, you useless failure!?'"

Hermes, for his part, gasped in horror and got up, grabbing one of Tiresias' fists in his own. "NEVER, dawling! Never, never, never! Tiresias, why would I ever do such a thing?"

"BECAUSE I'M USELESS! THERE'S NO NEED FOR YOU TO STICK AROUND! I'VE LOST THE ONLY THING THAT MADE ME SOMEWHAT UNIQUE OR SPECIAL! NOW, I'M NO LONGER 'THE PROPHET OF THEBES', I'M JUST TIRESIAS, AN OLD BLIND MAN WHO'S GOOD FOR NOTHING! WOULD THAT EVER BE ENOUGH FOR ANYONE!?", he snarled, his whole body tensed as he leaned forward defensively. He suddenly released the tension, his shoulders lowering and body sitting straight once more as his face crumpled. "Would that ever be enough for you?", he trembled, voice cracking again.

Without warning, Hermes wrapped him in a hug, his face burrowed into Tiresias' chest. Almost immediately, he pushed him away though, his whole body tensing up.

"'Would that ever be enough for me..?' WOULD THAT EVER BE ENOUGH FOR ME?! TIRESIAS, OF COURSE THAT'S ENOUGH!! It's MORE than enough, my darling prophet. I don't care if you can't see, I don't care if you can't give me the answers to everything, and I CERTAINLY don't care if you can't give prophesies. Don't you get it? You mean so much more to me than a simple 'prophet'. You've made my boring day-to-day life more different, more fun! You've listened to me when I needed you the most, never judged or hated me for the things I am, oh, for the love of the gods YOU'D STILL CARE FOR ME IF I WERE AN ORDINARY MORTAL! I never stayed just because you were some 'prophet'. I stayed because…"

After all of his yelling, Hermes finally trailed off, biting his lip.

"Hermes… please don't do this…", Tiresias begged. He wouldn't be able to live with himself if he finished what he was going to say.

"I stayed because-"

"NO! Hermes, please, it'd be so much easier if you didn't. Please, I beg of you, don't do this," Tiresias pleaded. It can't be true, it just can't be true!

Hermes though, finally had enough, and shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Oh DEAR GODS I STAYED BECAUSE I LOVE YOU TIRESIAS!"

Notes:

Hello!

Thanks for reading! I hope everyone is doing well :)
If you haven't already, go drink some water, eat something, and take care of yourselves!

-TheHoliestMoly
(Sorry if this chapter feels insensitive or anything, or if it feels overly fanonized)

Chapter 5

Summary:

Tiresias and Hermes have a few sweet moments, then leave to go see Hades.
(Also a bit of a long one, please bare with me T^T (FLUFF TIME HEHEHE)

For the next few moments, there was a chilling silence, only broken by the two's heavy breathing.

"Hermes…"

"Tiresias…"

Before he could even react, Tiresias was being kissed. Holy moly, he was being kissed.

In less than a second, Hermes had ran up to him and launched himself at Tiresias with all he had. He hugged him tightly, his arms unyielding as his lips pressed into Tiresias', knocking him over.

Tiresias, after a few moments of shock, brought his arms up and laid them on Hermes' shoulders, pressing into the messenger god. It certainly wasn't the first time he had been kissed, but he had never been kissed like this before, so sudden and unwavering. His face grew warm as Hermes held him closer and closer, until after what seemed to be eternity, he gently loosened his grip.

"Tiresias…", he softly whispered, his face in Tiresias neck.

Tiresias just stood there, his breathing heavy as he processed what just happened. Finally, he answered, "Hermes…", as he let him gently pull him over to the couch. Tiresias plopped down onto the cushions, Hermes still clinging to him as he laid on top of the tired prophet.

"So, have I proved to you that I really do love you, dawling?", Hermes teased, a small smile forming on his face as he gently pressed a kiss to Tiresias' neck. Though he was exhausted, the excitement of the day wearing him down, he gave an embarrassed grumble as he placed an arm on Hermes' back.

"Fine, fine, you win, oh great messenger of the gods", he laughed, unable to stop himself from smiling. Tiresias couldn't help but feel slightly mortified. A god and a lowly shade…

Hermes brought a hand up to Tiresias's cheek, the prophet leaning into despite himself as Hermes whispered, "I don't care if you're a shade, dawling. I've loved you for far too long to just keep pretending."

The next few moments were one of contemplation and deep thoughts for Tiresias, as he felt Hermes' breathing slow against his chest. He loves me. He… he really does love me…

Tiresias had been loved like this once before, something so small and fragile, yet meant the whole world to him. He had been loved by his children, who were so dearly fond of their mother, yet… Here he was, loved again, by someone he'd never expect.

The god of so many things… The messenger god… Tiresias laughed a little to himself. I'm loved by a god… a lowly prophet. Loved by a god. Tiresias couldn't help but freeze at "prophet", almost immediately hit with a fresh wave of sorrow as he thought about it.

And it was only earlier this afternoon that I had been chatting with Hermes, having pomegranate seeds…

"You're thinking about it again, aren't you..?", Hermes asked, his voice quiet and low.

"I…" Tiresias didn't have time to answer before Hermes sat up and pulled him close again.

"It's alright dawling. It's… A heavy loss, I know. That doesn't mean it's a loss you'll have to go through alone, though. I know it might hurt, and if it truly pains you to have me, I'll leave, but if it's ok with you, I'd like to be with you every step of the way."

Tiresias's breath stopped, his heart pounding. "Hermes, I-"

"Please, only the fates could possibly know what will happen to you next, and I want to help and make sure it isn't anything bad. I want to be there to take care of you Tiresias; you've never been good at doing that on your own," he added, giving a small smile at Tiresias, whose hand was on Hermes's face.

"I could never know to the full extent of what you're going through, but I want to be there so maybe I can try. Dawling, I… I just don't want you to ever have to feel the way you did at the riverbanks ever again," he pleaded.

Tiresias couldn't help himself as he grabbed Hermes's face and pressed into the god's lips again. As he slowly parted from Hermes, he gave a small sob. "Of course I want you here, Hermes. I'd be honored if you were to stay," he laughed, his voice bittersweet as he clutched his dear companion close to him.

"Please don't leave…"

 

For what felt like hours, the pair sat there, entangled in each other as they refused to let go of the other. By the time Hermes got up off of the couch, Tiresias had almost fallen asleep under him, his eyelids drooping lazily.

"Dawling, I have an idea, though you might not like it…" Tiresias's head turned towards the warm glow of Hermes, placing his hand on the other's.

"Knowing it's yours, I certainly won't… Sunshine," he added, mumbling under his breath as he heard Hermes's head wings give a small flutter of excitement.

"Well then, all the more reason to go do it~! What if we go visit Uncle Hades? I mean, he might be able to, at least, convince Zeus to partially restore your prophetical powers!", he chirped, suddenly excited once more. The wings of Hermes's sandals joined in on the excited flapping that the wings on his head still hadn't ceased, both sets feverishly brushing against Tiresias's ankles and forehead.

"Stop that, you're going to make me colder than I already am!", Tiresias teased, one hand softly cupping Hermes's face as the other calmed the wings on his head, smoothening them out.

"Well then, I assume that you like my idea, so let's go do it! Uncle Hades barely ever sleeps anyways," Hermes giggled, his anticipation spilling over.

The fact that he wanted to help Tiresias so much alone make him calm down, forgetting the sadness he had earlier. In less time than Tiresias took to stand up, Hermes had already switched into a pair of Tiresias's robes that he stole years ago; they didn't fit the prophet anymore anyways. Tiresias felt the soft robes, and gave a small smile, remembering the time Hermes had stolen them.

~~~

"Hermes, I can hear you", Tiresias called out, his eyebrows arched.

Just as he had expected, the soft fluttering of wings came into ear shot as a sheepish Hermes stepped out of Tiresias's bedroom.

"Well, hello dawling! Certainly not how I expected to say hi, but here we are." Tiresias reached out in front of him, his arms searching for Hermes. Instead, a soft set of robes caught in his hands.

"Hermes..!" The messenger god reached out and held Tiresias's arms in the cloth that had once belonged to him.

"Mind if I keep these, dawling? If they fit me, they're certainly too small for you anyways!", he asked, an earnest smile crossing his face as Tiresias used his vision of the past.

Giving an affectionate sigh, the prophet obliged, his messenger god giggling with evil plans in his head.

~~~

His messenger god. Since when had Tiresias started calling Hermes his? Digging into his memory, he was sure it was surprisingly far back, but back then it had seemed normal. Now though…

Tiresias looked at Hermes's glow, shimmering in a way that told him that the other was planning nefarious deeds, most likely a VERY unwelcome greeting for Hades.

Calling him mine feels even better than before.

As Hermes lifted the prophet up into his arms bridal style("HERMES! I CAN WALK YOU KNOW!!"), Tiresias shivered, his breaths coming in short. The air of the Underworld had never been forgiving to him, and that day was no different.

Time to go see Lord Hades…

Notes:

Hello!

Thanks for reading! I hope everyone is doing well :)
If you haven't already, go drink some water, eat something, and take care of yourselves!

-TheHoliestMoly

(By the way, I'd like to apologize for taking so long on this chapter, my mom and I share a computer, and she's been needing it more often for finding a job. I'll try to go back to my normal posting schedule, but just know that chapters may take longer to come out. Love ya'll!<3)