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To be fair, Percy wasn’t trying to be one of those assholes who wears shorts and flip flops in the polar vortex but he’d been in sunny, warm New Mexico a minute ago and now his toes were turning blue in New York. The wind whipped his skin like his clothes weren’t even there. Percy knew the stats - they played them on the news even in New Mexico - so he knew that he was about twenty minutes from death.
Percy opened his mouth to call Hermes’ name. The air was so cold it felt like his lungs and gills were crystallizing. The sounds that came from his throat sounded like a dog panting; he couldn’t even make his lips form a single word. Percy snapped his mouth shut. His teeth cracked so hard that he bit his cheek. Well, if he couldn’t speak then he could at least scream Hermes’ name in his head.
“My, my, you look freezing Percy,” Hermes’ voice appeared in the wind. It was a moment before Percy saw him, materializing out of the heavy snowfall. He wore stylish dark blue snow clothes even though Percy suspected that the god didn’t feel the cold. “Step into my parlor.” Hermes gestured to a familiar delivery van.
Normally Percy would hesitate to step into an older man’s can but he was so cold his whole body hurt and the parts that didn’t hurt anymore worried him. He shuffled toward the van, plodding through the snowdrifts.
Hermes watched him for a moment then clicked his tongue. He scooped Percy up and carried him to the van. The doors opened without prompting, Hermes climbed into the back, and the doors closed behind them.
The van was warm. Not hot, but at least fifty degrees instead of the negative twenty that Percy was just in. The heat hurt as much as the cold and it was a shock to his system.
Hermes set Percy on a random bucket seat that didn’t appear to be attached to anything. From a crate, he took out a canteen and sniffed it before handing it to Percy. “You’re lucky I heard you.”
Percy sniffed it too and was relieved to smell nectar. He downed the whole thing. The black on his feet faded to his normal, healthy brown. Now that the air didn’t hurt to breathe, Percy managed, “I know. Thank you.” He handed the empty canteen back.
Hermes set it aside. He knelt in front of Percy and took both of his hands in his. He brought Percy’s hands close to his face and then breathed on them.
Warmth flowed up Percy’s arms, all the way to the top of his head and the tips of his toes. He gave an involuntary sigh of relief, body sagging as the tension his muscles were under melted away.
Hermes’ smile was very smug. He kept hold of Percy’s hands, kissed each knuckle before letting them go. “You need warmer clothes.” He stood up and turned to another crate.
Percy’s face warmed even more and it had nothing to do with magic. He couldn’t say that Hermes’ advances were unwelcome, for all that they made Percy blush.
“Take those off,” Hermes directed. “They aren’t any good for cold weather.” From the crate, he pulled out long underwear and warm pants and a long-sleeve shirt. He added snow pants, a fur-lined snow jacket. There were gloves and a hat - both also lined with fur - and a scarf.
If it had been any other god who asked Percy to strip naked, Percy wouldn’t have done it. He made a lot of allowances for Hermes. But of course, there was a reason for that. Naked as the day he was born, Percy stepped up to Hermes. “I don’t have time to thank you properly,” he said as he snaked his arms around Hermes’ neck. “So I hope this will do for now.” Percy kissed Hermes. He poured everything into that kiss; his hopes, his dreams, his gratitude, his fondness.
Hermes’ hands immediately found Percy’s ass. He squeezed, kneading. Hermes held Percy right, drew him close. He radiated heat, felt like leaning against a heating pad. His hot candle wax scent flooded Percy’s senses. His mouth was soft and he kissed Percy with purpose.
Percy had to be the first to pull away when he felt lightheaded. He gazed into Hermes’ gorgeous blue eyes, the vibrant color of glacial waters. He did not want to continue the quest, and would have preferred to stay here in the van with Hermes and show the god exactly how he felt. But as usual Percy was on a time limit.
“I’ll help you dress,” Hermes said. There were only so many times that Hermes could make Percy late and step in to save him. And that wouldn’t work when it was Percy’s own father who sent him on the quest. Poseidon allowed their relationship to continue because he pretended like it wasn’t happening and neither of them flaunted it in front of him.
Hermes helped Percy to dress, starting with the long underwear and pulling it up over Percy’s legs, helping him get his arms into the sleeves. He buttoned each button, fingers lingering.
It made Percy feel a bit like a little kid and his initial reaction was light humiliation as though Hermes were his dad. More than that, and the whole point of it, was that it made Percy feel cared for. Hermes wouldn’t bother if he didn’t care and he was notorious for spoiling Percy. While Hermes dressed him, Percy ran his hands through the god’s curly black hair.
Hermes lifted one of Percy’s feet and pulled his sock on. He did the same with the other foot. He stood to pull Percy’s shirt over his head and took the opportunity to kiss him again. “We’ll have to do this again,” Hermes said in a low voice. “Dressing you would be more fun if I could take the clothes off again. Like a present I wrapped for myself.”
A wave of hot arousal washed through Percy. He pressed himself against Hermes, knowing that he was tempting the god. “When I’m done with this quest you can unwrap me,” Percy offered.
Hermes have an approving rumble in his throat. “I just might.” He sighed. “But for now, you need to be dressed and on your way. I doubt that my brother will be understanding about why you’ve been held up.” He pulled a sweater over Percy’s head.
Percy ached to be wrapped up in Hermes’ embrace. He knew he had to be patient though, so he subjected himself to being bundled up without further teasing or complaint. The clothes that Hermes had chosen for him were deliciously warm and now that he knew Hermes might also be waiting for him later, Percy was eager to get on with the fetch quest. Once his boots were laced and his scarf wrapped around his neck, Percy was ready to go.
Hermes stepped back to admire his work. There was a hungry look in his eye. “You will hurry, won’t you?”
Percy nodded. He gave Hermes a quick peck on the lips; a goodbye kiss before he stepped out into the storm. Hermes' love - and his clothes - kept Percy warm and comfortable.