humor and eros and sweet sleep

Hermes made a point to gossip with the imps whenever he had a chance.

Most people, god or human or any creature in-between, didn't realize exactly how many pies he had his fingers in. They were just happy for his help, and he was a helpful person, not just acting as Zeus's official and personal messenger. He worked closely with Aphrodite, taking the responsibilities she had inherited from Philotes -- friendship, affection, sexual intercourse -- and helping her out with those, as well as pulling double-duty with her as Hermaphroditus. He took the agora, which she didn't often feel like bothering with, from Athena, with her blessings; when Hestia retired he took hospitality from her so that Bacchus wouldn't have to bother with it; he worked with Demeter and Apollo and even the Oneiroi with their functions, helping them in their busiest times, and some of those functions just... became aspects of his. Heck, one of his better-known aspects, that of crossroads and boundaries, had come directly from Hecate and Trivia, and now it was a part of him he couldn't imagine not having.

That was a long way of saying, Hermes worked with pretty much everybody. Even Hades, though they never got to converse much, and Pain and Panic sometimes forgot that he was actually connected to the Underworld, and were pretty confused about whether he worked for Hades or not, and tended to flip back and forth between "stooge of Zeus, enemy" and "oh yeah, that guy who guides souls down here."

Hermes didn't blame them. They were frazzled, they didn't have much power... And anyway, both of those things were right, sort of. He wouldn't have gotten this gig if he hadn't phrased it to Zeus, vaguely, as "keeping an eye" on Hades, which Zeus had interpreted as spying, and Hermes had meant more as making sure he was doing alright. But, hey, god of social intercourse and trickery. If he couldn't talk his way around Zeus, who could?

Still, Pain and Panic saw a lot more of the Underworld, and Hades, than he did. They were a pretty decent barometer for Hades's moods, too, even if they tended towards being jumpy and intimidated.

"He is so mad," Pain moaned.

Panic was nodding furiously, twisting his tail in his hands. "He's so mad," he agreed, "he didn't even bother to blast us! I've never seen him that upset."

"I think it's cos it took him like five minutes to get his fire back on. Or... maybe cos it took him a week to get out of the Styx."

"Probably-- probably both. Both sounds right," Panic said miserably.

"Sounds like you've all had a rough time," Hermes sympathized. "You think he'd mind a visitor?"

The two imps exchanged an uncertain, alarmed glance. Hermes took a little more pity on them, resting his staff against his shoulder. "I'll announce myself," he volunteered. "Actually, I'd really appreciate it if you gave us a little privacy -- why don't you lend Charon a hand?"

Panic poked his fingertips together nervously. "That would-- probably be a good idea." From the look on Pain's face, he agreed, and was thinking, and if he gets mad he can take it out on you instead, but he didn't blurt out the actual words. Sometimes, the imps could be more canny than anyone gave them credit for.

Hermes wasn't bothered, anyway. As standoffish as Hades had always been with him, despite his best efforts (admittedly hampered by Zeus), he hadn't ever hurt him. Pushed him out of the way once, sure, but even that had been a lot gentler than Hermes might have expected. And while Hades was under a lot of pressure and had bursts of anger and simmering resentment that led to things like the Titan debacle, it wasn't like he was alone among the gods and goddesses in that.

That was why Hermes was here, really. Things had gone wrong and it was pretty obvious that Hades had been feeling alone in the world for long enough that he'd made some drastic choices. Zeus didn't help with that; for whatever reason, the God-King seemed to want to keep his youngest brother isolated, possibly because Poseidon was content to rule the oceans but Hades had always been unhappy with the job he'd been given, and Zeus never liked to have his authority or decisions questioned. The gods watched Zeus's moods and humors and decisions and turned like a weathervane to follow him, and siding with Hades was never going to be the popular option.

But it seemed like it was time for a change, and Hermes could at least take the first step and reach out himself.

"Hades?" Hermes didn't need Charon's help getting into the belly of the Underworld, of course; flight got rid of any need for a boat, he just made sure to stay high enough above the water that reaching hands couldn't grab at his ankles. He followed the river and flitted straight in through the eyes of the "skull," glancing around. The vaguely blue-grey glow inside didn't seem to source from the souls, like it did everywhere else, and he'd never been sure exactly what caused it; it wasn't like the mystery bothered him, it was a nice effect, but it didn't exactly give him any path that he could follow. He was left to search the rooms somewhat at random. "Hades. Babe? You in?"

The unmistakable glow of Hades's flames came out of the darkness of the throne room, a sharp-toothed smile on his face as he moved to the doorway, though there was no humor in his eyes. "Hermes," he greeted, a smooth-friendly surface but with obviously strained patience underneath. "Diactoros. Angel. Where -- I ask you with all sincerity -- where else would I be?"

Hermes winced slightly, apologetic. "Point taken. I'm not quite Angelos at the moment, though; more Psychopompos..."

"To what do I owe the pleasure," Hades asked bluntly.

Hermes decided that being blunt and honest might work best for him, in return. "I just wanted to check in, babe. After everything went down, I know things went bad for you down here."

Hades raised his eyebrows, looking skeptical, but turned away from Hermes and waved a hand over his shoulder, gesturing Hermes into the throne room after him. "Come on in, since you're already here. I may not get visitors, but I still know not to make them just stand around in the hall, you know?"

Hermes relaxed a little, following him inside. Hades was clearly relenting at least slightly, even if he was obviously dubious at Hermes's claims to be concerned for him. Or maybe he just hadn't made his concern plain enough. "I really should drop in more often," he noted. "I don't get in here much. Usually it's just bringing people to the outside."

"Up to the boats," Hades agreed, sitting on the throne and propping his chin in one hand, somewhat moodily. It wasn't just moodiness, though; he was staring at Hermes with suspicious, piercing yellow eyes. "I know what your job is. Your-- one job, out of, what, thirty? The one you do for me," he specified. Hermes couldn't help but smile at his fumbling, despite Hades's impatience and suspicion. He wasn't hostile, though, notably -- that was good, that further confirmed Hermes's suspicions that Hades wouldn't actually lash out at him, wasn't any more dangerous to him than any of the other gods. Probably a lot less than some.

"Just about thirty by this point," he agreed. "Crazy, right?"

"Hermes. Seriously." Hades held up a hand, the other going to massage his temple. "Let me rephrase, since for some reason, you don't seem to be reading the mood of the room, for once. Why are you here?"

You invited me in would be a really unwise answer; it would probably come across as smarmy, and Hermes sincerely didn't want to give him a hard time. Besides, he didn't want to point that out just yet. As aggravated as Hades was, as much as he mistrusted the rest of the pantheon and blatantly thought that they all disliked him, it was obvious that he was starved for any sort of companionship. Hermes twirled his staff in his hands, quickly thinking of how he wanted to answer.

Honesty had worked for him so far. "I am reading the mood, babe. Let me rephrase too: I wanted to check on you."

"And this wasn't Zeus's idea?" Hades was skeptical again.

Hermes laughed a little; Hades looked slightly surprised, and that surprise only mounted when Hermes answered, flitting closer to the throne, "Zeus doesn't think that far ahead. He thinks I took this job to spy on you, but he doesn't think there's anything weird about me never giving him any reports?"

"Okay," Hades admitted, smoothing back his fire-hair, "real talk, but I sort of thought you took this job to spy on me. If it wasn't for you taking jobs with pretty much every other god, I would have been sure of it."

"I just wanted to get closer to you," Hermes said with a shrug. There was a short silence, one which seemed slightly stunned on Hades's end. "Look, I came to tell you that you're not as persona non grata on Olympus as you might think."

That roused Hades again, and he argued in disbelief, "I just tried to sic the Titans on all of you. Zeus is not going to let this one go."

"I don't know, Hades, he let the Lethe thing go," Hermes pointed out. "He's more about the immediate wrath, don't you think? And his son took care of that part."

"Okay, ix-nay that subject, please. I don't want to think about that brat and his turn-the-tables, 'whirlpool of souls' comeuppance. You would not believe the headache that gave me."

"Sorry, babe. What I'm saying is... Even if he holds a grudge, most of the others won't. And the ones that do, it'll be mild and petty -- like all of Ares's grudges, he collects them, he's got one against me." It was half-joking, light, Hermes trying to reassure him at least a little. "You know as well as anyone that things like this happen all the time. Pretty much everyone's exploded in catastrophic ways, that's what this pantheon does."

"Except you," Hades pointed out. His chin was back in his hand, and he was looking at Hermes with interest, now. "You know, I've never been able to figure that out. About you. Do you even have a temper? Aren't you--" He waved his other hand irritably, as if he could swat the words he was momentarily stuck for out of the air, "I mean, don't you ever get irritated, being my brother's errand boy?"

"Why do you think I have so many jobs that take me away from Olympus?" Hermes joked.

Hades stared at him for a moment, then snickered. "Okay. Okay, that-- You talking like that, that's new, that I like." He sobered again, a little. "But you're right that I've done this whole song and dance before. Not sure that really works for your argument, though. I've pissed everyone off enough times, and you're saying... what, they'll just keep on forgiving me? They don't even like me. Never have, never will, so I can't see them welcoming me with open arms after this."

Hermes was glad that Hades apparently hadn't noticed that he'd drifted up about three inches in the air at that I like; his ankle wings had started fluttering double-time. He couldn't keep from smiling, though, dangerously fond even as Hades... well, opened up to him, which was a good reason to be fond, actually. "Not as many of them dislike you as you think, babe."

"...Come again?"

That dubiousness was back tenfold, but Hermes pressed on. "No, I really mean that. Ares doesn't like anybody, and Hecate's way too jealous, and Artemis doesn't trust men--"

"And who can blame her?" Hades murmured.

"--and there's Zeus, but other than them, that's it. The others don't really mind you."

"Well, that's, that's just glowing praise, right there." Hades's sarcasm fell short, though, with his confusion and uncertainty. "...Apollo?"

"He was suspicious after the trouble with his chariot, and he's probably unsure now, but he forgives quicker than you'd think, babe."

"Poseidon? I know he was really ticked off after--"

"Forgives even quicker. You know his moods are oceanic, babe. He throws a fit and floods a town off the map and then forgets about it." Hermes pointed his staff at Hades, grinning as he opened his mouth and then paused at the sudden gesture. "And before you say it, Trivia felt more jilted that you didn't invite him to your party even at the time, and you should hear the way Hera sticks up for you sometimes. She's really been an advocate for you."

"...Well, I knew she and my dear brother didn't see eye to eye on most things, but this is ridiculous." Smart mouth aside, Hades seemed somewhat at a loss for words. "You're kidding, though -- right? You really mean all that?"

"Cross my heart." Hermes smiled at him. "What would I get out of lying?"

"I dunno, kicks?"

"I always liked you." There, it was out in the open. Funny, he was the god of both social and sexual intercourse, but somehow fancy, flowery, and smooth words had all failed him, leaving him only with blunt, abrupt confession. But maybe that was the right way to approach this. "All the way back when I first took the job. Hinting at it around Zeus, though? Yeeowch. I tried being subtle, but subtle's gotten really overrated."

"What, after I couldn't take a hint?" Hades muttered. He leaned back in his throne, apparently stunned. "You're... you're actually serious, aren't you. You like me?"

"A lot, babe." Hermes risked moving a little bit closer. "What's giving you a hard time, the 'you' or 'me' part?"

"Both. I mean. Wow." Hermes watched in pleasant fascination as Hades's flames spread slightly, licking their way down his neck and over his shoulders, and tried not to shiver. He couldn't tell if he'd succeeded; Hades was looking at him intently, as if seeing him for the first time and very interested in what he was seeing. "You're really something else, you know that? And no one -- really -- wants my company, I mean, it's not like they're lining up around the block to come and visit."

Hermes felt a pang of sympathy, not uncommon when he thought of Hades, or noticed how isolated he was. He wished he could have thought up more excuses to come and spend time with him, before.

"But..." Hades continued, "You like me." He paused, then. "And you're not angry about the whole, Titans thing..."

"Ah, it all worked out alright. And I can't exactly blame you for doing something drastic. Believe me, we all know you hate it down here, and you're always on the outside. Zeus should have seen a hostile takeover coming, but when I said he doesn't think ahead, I meant it. And that comes back to bite everyone else."

Irritation had crept into Hermes's normally laid back voice, and Hades flashed fangs in a sudden grin. "Oooh, you do have a temper. I'm guessing that's what passes for a temper with you, anyway."

"Usually, yeah." Hades lifted a hand and extended a wispy tendril instead, wrapping it loosely around Hermes's ankle, and his wings started beating faster again. "Hel-lo, babe."

"Heh. Hey there." Hades gave a light tug, and Hermes drifted obligingly closer; he licked his lips, then bit the lower with sharp teeth, for a moment, both gestures that Hermes watched very closely. "Not sure how long you planned on staying, but. Since you did imply you want to keep me company, and all..."

"I made sure I could take plenty of time when I came down here," Hermes admitted.

"So, I mean, if you wanted to stay up in the air, I'm sure I can work with that. And if you'd rather, I could put your sandles somewhere safe, right beside the throne. I mean, I'm easy. Not that easy." Hades's rambling was a mix of eager and nervous, way more endearing than Hermes could stand now that everything was out in the open and Hades was being that suggestive with a smoke tendril wrapped around his ankle. And since there didn't seem to be a reason to stand it, he dropped his caduceus beside the throne, moved even closer until he was pressed against Hades, and kissed him.

The sound Hades made at that was pure surprise... But then he made another sound, lower and approving, and Hermes felt the light pressure around his ankle disappear. Hades's arms went around him instead, then, and he was kissing back with a heat that Hermes very much wanted the chance to get used to. His own hands were on Hades's shoulders, and he felt the fire lick down them again, this time, instead of seeing it; it was very warm but not uncomfortable, not too hot, and it tingled pleasantly, making his fingers twitch.

He broke the kiss and pressed his lips to Hades's neck, smiling, and heard Hades laugh. "Mm?"

"Your feet-- both of them are doing the, ha. Oh wow. The little foot-pop thing. That's adorable. And, I'll be honest, weirdly hot."

Hermes laughed against his neck, and felt Hades shiver, felt him turn his head and then promptly turn it back again.

"Okay, your hat, those wings? Are in the way."

"You can take it off, babe. I don't mind, believe me." He felt Hades reach up, taking his hat off and presumably setting it aside, and then his hands were plucking his glasses off his face, too -- they'd been sort of lopsided and knocked out of place from the way Hermes had been kissing at him, but he blinked anyway, startled, and then squinted. "And, now I'm blind," he half-joked.

"Wait, you really are nearsighted? How." Hades paused, then offered them back to Hermes. "You want to keep them on? That's just fine with me."

Hermes waved it off. "No idea, babe. We might be able to change our bodies but I haven't figured out how to see without glasses. That sure didn't improve when I became a god."

"Well, they look good. You look good with them." Hades set them off to the side, almost exaggeratedly careful, then looked back at him. "I have to say, though, you always look good. It's kind of ridiculous. Geez. How'd I get so lucky, huh?"

"You must not have mirrors down here," Hermes joked. "Hades, babe, you are stunning."

Even with the blur, Hermes could clearly see the flattered grin on Hades's face. "Shhh, shh. I thought you were blind."

"Can I say I memorized what you look like?"

Hermes was gratified to hear the quick little inhale. "Well, sure. You absolutely can. And I would be exceedingly flattered. And kind of turned on, not that I wasn't already. But I know you can still see me, so..."

Hermes almost prompted Hades to continue, so...? But another smoky tendril separated itself from Hades, this time from his lower body, and slipped up to wrap itself around Hermes's eyes, and that time he gasped.

There was a purr in Hades's voice. "Better."

"Much," Hermes agreed. He shifted forward again, way more in the air than he was in Hades's lap, and let Hades guide him, enjoying the way the god of the dead ran his hands up and down his chest and stomach, then up over his arms and down his back, as if savoring touching him. He traced his own hands up the sides of Hades's neck, lightly, up to frame his face and kissed the corner of his mouth.

"Mmmm, you know what?" Hades murmured, kissing his cheek briefly, then his lips, not quite as briefly. "Kind of failing at getting the upper hand, here. And, also, kind of don't care. But I also just-- want to--" He punctuated his words with kisses down Hermes's neck, which the smaller god encouraged by tilting his head back and arching slightly in the air, "--ravish you. I get it, god of sex, you've got tricks up your adorable sleeveless chiton -- which I hope to remove in a second, by the way. But--"

"Babe," Hermes interrupted, a little breathlessly. "If you want to overwhelm me, you're halfway there. Important sex fact, the partner is means a lot. That and enthusiasm, and you're showing plenty."

"Oh," Hades said. "Well, that sounds more flattering than 'overeager'. I'll take it. And you. Let me just..." Hades had more layers underneath his own chiton, but he still knew how to undo the basic structure, expertly; just a few hand movements and the whole thing unfolded and came off, leaving Hermes in just his underwear and sandles.

"Purple," Hades marveled, and Hermes gasped again as Hades's hand slipped between his legs, rubbing at the fabric and exploring the general shape of what lay beneath it. "Not to interrupt too much, or ruin the mood, but I have to ask: Do you mean for everyone to see these? You have to, right? Because they're, uh, really visible, when you move in basically any way."

"I pick them as part of the outfit," Hermes agreed, keeping his voice steady with effort and rocking his hips into Hades's questing hand. Hades curled his fingers obligingly, pressing and squeezing, and his voice shot up slightly. "My, ah-- My chiton's not so short by accident."

"You know, I wouldn't normally find that so attractive. I'm starting to think there's something to that 'the partner means a lot' thing. I can't think of the last time I've been this..." He turned his hand, hooking his fingers up inside Hermes's underwear, forgoing pulling them down to just press his fingertips up into him teasingly, "Satisfied. And I haven't even..."

That time, his trail off was less teasing, and more because of the way Hermes tilted his body, curving his back and arching his hips down, feet going further behind him to catch his weight in the air as he pushed himself down onto Hades's fingers, pressing them further up inside himself. He sighed in pleasure at the sensation, then a smile tugged at his lips, and he urged, "Keep going, babe. You haven't even?"

"Okay," Hades murmured, sounding flustered, but admiring. "Okay, I can take a hint. Only so much teasing, huh? I can deal with that."

Hermes chuckled. "Sorry, Hades. You handed me that opportunity is all. Take your time."

"You're completely shameless." Hades was definitely admiring now, a tendil snaking back around his ankle, and a second around his waist, tugging him just a little further down. He pressed his fingers in a little deeper, then started working them inside, exploratory. Hermes rocked against him, and Hades pressed his mouth to his chest. "Mmph, and I mean that in a good way. You know what you want, you're not shy, and you're not a creep about it."

Hermes sometimes got the distinct impression that Hades had had experiences with assholes in the romance department. He didn't ask about it, though; now was not the time, he could tell. Instead he ran his fingers through Hades's 'hair', enjoying the feeling of the flame spreading over his hands, harmless but hot and tingly. Hades's tendrils were a light, almost wispy, but very solid presence around his eyes and waist and leg, impossible to not think about. "Whatever you're doing with this smoke of yours, I know I want more of that."

Hades's fire crept a little further up his arms as if eager for more of him. "Hey, whatever Lola wants," he teased. "I was hoping you would. I have a few ideas..."

"Lay 'em on me, babe." He squirmed a little as Hades pulled his fingers out of him, then felt another wispy tendril stroke his hip, before hooking into his underwear and tugging them down, freeing his cock. He grinned as he felt a fifth twine around his other leg. "Oh."

"I take it you approve." Hades sounded almost smug, pleased with himself, urging Hermes's legs a little further apart until they wound up restricted by his underwear. "Whoops," he muttered, releasing his hold on Hermes's ankles, "Let me just..."

It felt like Hades's hands, this time, that reached up and carefully pulled off the garment, down over his sandles and fluttering wings. Hermes waited until he was free of them, then grinned, spreading his legs even farther in almost a split, keeping a precarious balance by leaning forward, which left him resting against Hades. "Is that what you were going for?"

"Uh. Yes, and you are also way more flexible than I realized. No wonder people honor you for sex on top of everything else." The two tendrils, or maybe two different ones, returned, looping around his ankles and then continuing on, winding their way up his legs in an incredibly friendly manner. "That and the fact that you have all the fun bits," Hades added. "Which, you'd think humans would want to venerate that, too. Plant some of those flowers that look like vulvas along the roadside."

"People are obsessed with dicks," Hermes noted. "They get treated as more interesting than vaginas all the time. It's a phallusy," he added cheerfully, wrapping his arms around Hades's neck.

Hades groaned. "Oh, I get it. The hermai are honoring you as the god of dick jokes. That's it, mystery solved."

"You caught me." Hermes shivered as more tentacle-smoke moved around him; he couldn't see anything Hades was doing, but he was obviously taking advantage of some of his more interestingly nebulous anatomy, the fact that his chiton seemed to become some formless smoky part of him from about his knees downward. One of Hermes's wrists was lazily draped over the other, behind Hades's neck, and a tendril wrapped and squeezed around both his wrists as yet another twined around his cock, giving it a little tug downwards. "Ah..."

"No," Hades noted. "Now I've caught you." The pleasure and sly promise in his voice, the total shift in mood and resurgence in confidence from when Hermes had first arrived, made the messenger smile in anticipation, even as his breath caught and he tried to work his hips forward. The smoke tendril that was wrapped around his waist gave a gentle little squeeze, keeping him from being able to move into the stimulation much. "But what, my little bluebird, should I do with you?"

Hermes wanted to kiss his ridiculous mouth, but he refrained; he liked the way that Hades was talking, how much he seemed comfortable, in his element. He encouraged instead, stroking his fingers up and down the back of Hades's neck, feeling his flame tickle at his fingertips. "I don't know, what should you? Now that you have me where you want me, and where I want me..."

Hades chuckled, sounding delighted. "Oh, I'm liking this. Let me see..."

It wasn't the tendril at Hermes's waist that squeezed around him, this time, and he felt another slip up between his legs, rubbing against his cunt, which all banter aside had been wanting some kind of attention since Hades had pulled his fingers away. He groaned, head tipping forward and resting his forehead against Hades's as he swayed slightly in the air, trying to keep balace as his shoe-wings worked double-time. "Gah. Gh. Done with teasing, Hades?"

"I mean, it's always good to know when to get down to business," Hades said, conversationally, and stroked his hands over Hermes's cheeks and up into his hair and kissed him.

It was good to know when to relax, too. Hermes did, not bothering with balance anymore; his sandals were keeping his feet elevated but that was about it, now. Partly he was still in the air because of his arms around Hades, resting against his shoulders. Mostly it was because of those solid smoky 'limbs' wrapped around his legs and waist, and that was just fine with him.

Even better was getting to feel Hades get more used to kissing him. Okay, yeah, the tendril stroking and rubbing at his pussy was definitely a distraction, but he was putting a lot of energy and intensity into kissing Hades back, and that seemed to give Hades a boost of confidence, though even after that he seemed to be holding back a little, for some reason. Good amount of lips and tongue, great execution with those, not so much teeth. Hermes bit Hades's lower lip, in about the same spot that Hades sometimes did, and Hades's hands immediately tightened in his hair, making him grin.

Then the tendril moved away from his cunt entirely, slipping back and then pressing forward into his ass, using the slickness it had gathered from him to ease the way, and he gasped.

"Ha!" Hades actually exclaimed before taking advantage of that gasp to kiss him harder, which Hermes didn't actually mind. He could go ahead and count that one as a victory; it felt good, the audacity of it felt even better. Feeling another tendril slide between his legs and press up into his cunt, rubbing just inside before slipping deeper, felt even better.

It was indescribable; the tendrils flowed like the smoke they were but when Hermes tightened around them they resisted it, just like any solid insertion would. They resisted his instinctive urge to come out of his split, too, knees wanting to go together so he could clamp around the lengths inside him. The lengths that, he was starting to really realize, could press in as deep as Hades wanted, and then move around while they were in there however he wanted them to.

"You good?" Hades stopped kissing just enough to murmur, against his mouth. "Heh, what am I saying, of course you're good -- are you okay?"

"Just-- great," Hermes panted, squirming as the smoke curled and stroked inside him. "Godsfuckme."

Hades let out a laugh in surprise. "I don't think I've ever heard you curse."

"You're gonna hear a lot of it in a minute," Hermes muttered, then tilted his head up, unable to look at Hades but beseeching anyway. "You're doing great," he assured, louder, "keep going, babe."

"Is that your infamous temper again?" Hades teased, audibly amused, and then the tendril around his dick shifted and twined further up and rubbed at his slit, smoke slipping down almost immediately into his dick, flowing into his urethra.

Hermes jolted, tensing up again pleasantly, yelping as the tendril squeezed around his cock. "Hades!"

"Now this is fun." Hades dropped his voice, hands going back to Hermes's face and thumbs stroking his cheeks. "You're a beautiful god, you know that? Not just like this, but. Especially like this. I could get used to hearing you scream my name."

He shivered. "Worship for worship, babe." He tilted his face to murmur against his thumb. "You know I'm happy to give a little adulation."

"Works for me," Hades breathed, taking the cue and kissing him again. He parted his lips for him and Hades snaked his tongue into his mouth, hands holding him there like he might actually try to escape, like he wasn't kissing back hard. Even harder when everything started to move, Hades's lower body, or at least the tentacles flowing from it, seeming to undulate, even as he stayed slouched comfortably in his throne.

There was a neediness in Hades's kiss and in his hands that wasn't there in his posture, or even in the smooth way he pressed and thrust inside him. Hermes arched his back and smoke wound teasingly deeper into him, but Hades's hands promptly slipped eager trails down his back and then circled his hips, for about three seconds before sliding back up his sides. That was even more intoxicating than being so completely filled, and when another tendril wound around his chest for no apparent reason except to touch and hold, he shuddered, really moaning into his mouth for the first time.

That seemed to have an effect. He felt Hades shiver, felt that hot fire sweep over his arms and down his own shoulders, thrilling over his skin. Then he felt more smoke lick at his cuntlips, and rocked his hips slightly before going almost limp, making sure to relax fully in Hades's hold. It seemed to be enough of an answer to the unspoken question, and another length of smoke poured into him, as the other stopped thrusting to engage itself in twisting and curling inside him.

"Fuck, babe," he whispered against Hades's lips, and he felt Hades bite his own lower lip -- damn it! -- he could tell that gesture even without seeing it, and he curled his fingers and scraped his nails at the nape of Hades's neck. "Aahhh..."

He came as Hades kissed him again, as one tendril thrust into his ass while the other two seemed much more interested in stroking and feeling and playing with his cunt, and the grips around his legs loosened enough that he could squeeze his legs closed around it and ride it out, mercifully. Hades was making pleased, intrigued sounds into his mouth, and he kissed him back lazily, feeling ridiculously sated despite still being hard, the presence inside his dick and comparative lack of stimulation not exactly leading to release there.

He was still satisfied, and completely happy to say so as the tendrils carefully withdrew from him, smiling at Hades as the kiss broke -- then hissing as the tendril still around his dick squeezed again.

"Whoa, hey!"

"Look, if you say you're done, far be it from me to argue with you," Hades responded quickly, hands on his shoulders. Hermes felt the smoke around his wrists dissipate. "But if you were to be interested in a little, let's say... oral, attention. I think that could be arranged. Very, very gladly, if you know what I'm saying."

The smoke in his dick pulled slowly out, chasing away satisfaction with a sensation that was almost but not quite enough like a long, languid orgasm, and Hermes gasped, bucking his hips slightly. The tendrils around him shifted, not completely letting go, but letting him regain a less horizontal position in the air, once again more of a loose hold than actual support, the wings at his feet beating harder now that they actually had to do their job again. "That is not helping me make an unbiased decision, babe."

"Well, you know, I like you being biased." Hermes laughed, and Hades grinned triumphantly, taking it for the agreement it was. "So why don't you come here, huh?" he invited, smoke finally unspooling from around Hermes's cock. "Little higher up. Little higher, just, make yourself at home like-- right up in my face."

The eagerness that had been in Hades's kiss and his touch was back in his voice, in the way his words tumbled over each other just a little more than in his usual patter. Hermes let it wash over him as he flew a little higher, just as Hades asked, until he could sling his legs right over Hades's shoulders without any trouble if he wanted to.

It didn't take him long to want to. Hades took him in all the way in one smooth slide, hands grabbing his ass and then rubbing up and down his lower back as he started sucking, making Hermes arch. Hermes's legs wrapped around him and at some point he found himself tipping back, at a diagonal if not quite horizontal again, and this time it was one of Hades's hands that went to smoke and slipped up his back to help him keep balance, wrapping around him supportively.

He found himself watching Hades's face as he worked him over, which was almost more of a trip than the sensations. There was a long, thin elegance there that had always looked immensely attractive when determined, and definitely no less so now that what he was determinedly doing was sucking his cock. Beautiful lips, a hint of sharp teeth that he was being exquisitely careful with, blue fire leaping up in pleasure, eyes that were half-lidded with delighted concentration...

They didn't glance up at him until he bit the back of his hand, though, making a strangled noise, and then those yellow eyes widened slightly and he stopped idly stroking Hermes's ass and hip with his free, non-smoke hand and reached up. He didn't even have to touch Hermes's hand or try to guide it away from his mouth, Hermes got what he was going for before that and dropped his own hand, and Hades pulled off his cock just long enough to grin.

"I mean as hot as that is, I think you sound even hotter," he offered, tapping a finger against Hermes's lips playfully, licking the tip of his cock before taking it in again. He looked about ready to settle back into things and get back to trying to get him off, then his eyes darted up again in shock when Hermes did the -- apparently unexpected thing, though in Hermes's estimation he probably could have seen it coming if he'd really thought about it -- and bit lightly at his finger, scraping his teeth over the skin before sucking it further into his mouth.

It wasn't like Hermes was opposed to making all sorts of noises, so he wasn't about to lose out on this little game either way. Hades didn't seem sure about whether this or Hermes making unmuffled sound was a hotter idea, until he offered a second finger up and Hermes accepted it just as ardently, using lips and teeth and tongue in a way that made Hades make an approving sound around his cock.

That seemed to decide it, and Hermes let his eyes slip closed as he concentrated on the way it felt to have Hades's fingers in his mouth and Hades's mouth bobbing, now, on his cock, making little vibrations as he made quiet sounds that Hermes felt more than heard, that made it explicitly clear how much he was enjoying himself. Shape and skin shifted in Hermes's mouth a few moments after that, and he breathed in the heady scent of smoke, both of Hades's hands gone incorporeal and that oddly smooth-solid vapor easing further into his mouth, closer to his throat, an offering that he accepted fully.

The only downside to any of this was that he had nothing to do with his hands, and he grabbed at the back of Hades's head, moaning -- smoke didn't muffle sound much, actually -- toes flexing and curling in his sandals. His hands, legs, face, groin -- everything really, was hot, it almost felt like there were sparks on his skin, and it worked him up higher even as he realized what was happening, that Hades's flames had to be crawling all over him, now, engulfing him because of how close they were, connected at almost every point of his body.

It didn't matter that it had an 'ordinary' explanation. It felt fucking amazing, and he shuddered, almost wailing and unashamed of it as he came in Hades's mouth, and Hades promptly took him in deep and swallowed him down again, sucking like it was ambrosia. And while his head was still spinning, Hades pulled back off his cock and delved from there straight into his cunt, licking him out with gusto. It took him maybe half a minute to come again, gasping, hands shaking as he held him there, as unnecessarily as Hades had held him to his earlier kisses.

By the time he came down from that and opened his eyes, Hades had pulled back most of his smoke tendrils, except for the ones he was using to support Hermes in the air. His fire had crept back, too -- mostly onto his own body, at least -- though it was still spread across his shoulders and upper arms with bright fervor, and Hermes's legs were still lying in it. His skin was still tingling, too, everywhere, though he wasn't sure if that was from the after-flames or the afterglow and it only took a moment for him to decide he didn't care.

"Wow, babe."

"'Wow, babe' to you," Hades returned. He sounded out of breath, looked somewhere between dazed and almost overwhelmingly pleased with himself. "Look at you." He gave a low whistle, appreciative. "If you could've seen your face. People could build temples-- Oh, wait, heh. They already do."

Hermes laughed, easing up and back to slip his legs from around Hades's shoulders. Hades quickly untwined the smoke from around him and pulled it back into his chiton, smoothing himself out into a more presentable appearance again, then grinned toothily when Hermes drifted down into his lap. Hermes let gravity settle over himself like a cloak, light and temporary, rarely donned and easily shed.

"So that was... great," Hades continued. "Way better than great, actually, and this--" He made a sort of spinny gesture in the air with his finger, back and forth between them. "We have a thing, now, right? Not that I have a problem with one-time moments of passion, but from the way you were talking..."

"Hades," Hermes interrupted, "babe, relax. I have wanted a 'thing' with you for eons. As long as you want me too, hey, you've got me."

Hades had gotten his flames under control, but as his grin widened, they threatened to, too. He scooped Hermes up into an impromptu hug. "I wish I could just... shout this, you know? Write it in the sky. Let everyone know just how lucky I am, but the sky isn't, exactly, my domain, and..."

Hermes smiled, wincing a little. "And Zeus," he supplied.

"He doesn't know you're here, does he?" Hades guessed.

"Well, he doesn't exactly know I'm," Hermes gestured, generally, to himself in Hades's lap, "here."

"Well... You know what?" Hades leaned down, then, and pressed a kiss decisively to the top of Hermes's head. "You're worth keeping quiet about, too. I mean, if bragging rights is the only thing I have to give up for you, I consider it cheap at twice the price, know what I'm saying?"

Hermes held up a hand, reassuring. "Hey, I comprende, babe. I just don't think Zeus would be too happy with either of us if it got out right now."

"Yeesh, no kidding." Hades sighed, then half-turned, rummaging around beside the throne and offering up Hermes's glasses and chiton after a moment, handing them over to him. "Here, you should probably have these back. As much as I like you naked, this is kind of. As public as private property can be... Speaking of, where are Pain and Panic, anyway?"

Hermes had put his glasses back on immediately, and was halfway through wrapping the cloth around himself, getting it fastened. "I sent them off to help Charon for a while."

"In the Styx, then," Hades guessed. "Eh, I'll go fish 'em out eventually."

Hermes lifted up out of his lap, trading gravity for flight again, and Hades blinked as he kissed his cheek, smiling kind of stunned. Hermes smiled back at him. "Believe me," he said quietly, "I'd like to be flying around and abusing my messenger status to tell everyone about this, too. We'll get a chance."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, babe." Hermes flitted around back of the throne, finding where his hat and caduceus had ended up falling, somehow. "Things will get better."

Hades snagged his ankle as he flew back around front again, tugging him down for a kiss. It lasted a little while.

"You know what?" he said finally, when he let go. "Call me crazy, but I think I'm starting to believe they could."