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With a satchel on his back, he headed towards the aetheryte at the other corner of Elpis, the one which connected to the world below and not to Pandaemonium. He was not in a hurry so he took his time to greet the researchers he met on the way, being stopped by one of the taller figures who was still wearing their mask. Hermes offered his greetings in turn, pleased to see the warder well. He pointed at the satchel, which he only assumed contained essential belongings.
"It's my vacation," he quickly excused his passing through Elips, as if anyone was concerned or suspicious of him being there. The warders and Elpis researchers do have a bit of knowledge of each other: at the very least they can recognize one another even if they haven't interacted before. Everyone who needs to go to Pandaemonium must pass through Elpis, and sometimes they work together if they have to.
"I see. Are you heading back to Amaurot?"
Erichthonios nodded. "Aye, I do miss the big city. I spend enough time at my station." Hermes offered him a smile, seeming quite relaxed and not in a hurry to do anything. "I'm sure you're excited to see family and friends there. At least assuming that's why you're returning?"
Erichthonios shrugged, hand finding itself scratching the back of his head. "No..." He was supposed to continue that. But nothing else came to his mind and it suddenly felt awkward.
"I don't mean to be nosy, I was just wondering if you had any plans," Hermes added. "There is something I'd need help with here but rest assured I can find someone else to aid my cause, should you be occupied."
"I don't have plans, no." Felt wrong to say. His only plan was to not be in Pandaemonium so he could take a breather. "I'm willing to help you... is it here in Elpis?"
"Yes. I can see that the researchers in Anagnorisis offer you some accommodation! You are the only one who knows this, however, so please keep that in mind."
Erichthonios nodded, looking back at the aetheryte he was supposed to use. It mattered not whether he remained in Elpis or went to Amaurot. Surely if he can help Hermes, he'd have time for both.
He followed the taller one to find a free room, and after all that was settled, Hermes left to attend to his duties, telling Erichthonios he would return later in the day.
The warder looked around his new temporary room, inspecting the structure, furniture and the objects that were within. It's not like the Pandaemonium chambers weren't alike, but they felt entirely different. There was definitely more light here and despite that, it didn't bother Erichtonios one bit when he dropped on the bed and closed his eyes. The sound of the leaves rustling in the wind, barely audible from the cracked windows - and the fresh air that filled the room made him so incredibly drowsy.
He started thinking of activities he could do around Elpis. He's been there plenty of times, but never for too long, so there were still so many unexplored areas and things to find out. It was his chance to finally have a proper look around and enjoy the sights unburdened by his work. Just had to wait for Hermes to come back and find out what his new assignment would be, and it didn't take long to hear knocking on his door.
Erichthonios opened his eyes only to be met with the crimson rays of the sunset turning his entire chamber hues of red. It took a moment for him to realise he actually fell asleep, getting up clumsily from the bed and rushing to the door, trying to fix his hair as he opened it.
"My apologies for it taking so long! You didn't need to wait here the entire time," Hermes said, surprised he was actually in his room since it was so quiet.
"It's fine, I think I just dozed off. I don't get this opportunity so often." He smiled at the Overseer, hiding mild embarrassment of looking disheveled, though Hermes never seemed the kind to judge someone's presentation. Unlike others that came to mind.
"I finished my work for the day, so you can join me now."
Erichthonios followed Hermes, curious still about what he had to do and possibly doubting that he was the right person to ask for help, considering his capabilities. They followed a path out of Anagnorisis, reaching the eastern side of Elpis just as it got dark and stars started glowing brighter on the pitch black background.
"It's kind of a personal problem that I need help with, that is why only you know about this. It's regarding a single concept that escaped Elpis. I've been able to track it down and I need help with capturing it - I know your magicks are far better than mine. The chains you use."
Erichthonios tilted his head, listening to the overseer. "What sort of concept?" He asked immediately so he could assess his options.
"It was a new griffin specimen."
"I can do that!" He responded, still walking behind Hermes until they both reached the edge of Elpis and looked around. After a while, Hermes eyed down a bigger stone that was covered with a soft layer of moss and sat down on it, making himself comfortable.
"Unfortunately, I am not sure when it will return to this spot. The trees here only grow in Elpis and the griffin was a big fan of the fruits hanging from their branches. We might see it today, or in a week, or..."
"So we're going to wait here every night then? When was the last time you saw it?" the warder's hands were resting on his hips. He continued his inquiry, eyes scanning the trees around them one by one. If there was a griffin among them, he'd surely notice. There was no need to look so carefully...
"About three nights ago. No later than midnight." This earned a nod from Erichthonios, who was all too preoccupied to investigate the area. He did take all his tasks seriously, even though Hermes would be the one to call out if the griffin was the right one. "You can rest, its wings make a lot of sound whenever it appears. I reckon you're not going to stay on guard all this time."
As if shaken from his focus, Erich turned his head to Hermes. "I suppose not," he quietly said, relaxing his posture and joining Hermes's vigil by sitting down next to the rock he was on. The grass was lush and verdant green even in the darkness of the night.
After a night of restful sleep and uneventful dreams, Erichthonios joined the researchers for breakfast. Various foods were displayed on a table in the middle of a chamber where all of them would gather and take what they needed. There were no chairs or places to sit down, usually breakfast wasn't something they wasted a lot of time on, nor was the food too difficult to eat on the go. He picked some pastries and ate them as he headed outside.
Hermes was sure to greet him as soon as they crossed paths.
"My apologies, again, for making you stay here. If you wish to enjoy your free days somewhere else, you are definitely free to go," his apologetic tone threw Erichtonios off since he was quite excited to be in Elpis more. Perhaps he simply failed at communicating such...
"Do not worry, please!" he offered a reassuring smile, one that felt so genuine that Hermes had no choice but to mimic it. "Are you headed to Ktisis Hyperboreia?"
"Indeed. There are a few things I have to take care of there today," he gestured at the two researchers that caught up with him. Each of them were carrying several crystals, all different in sizes.
"Is there any chance I could join you?" Hermes raised a brow behind his mask. He did not recall ever seeing the warder there, so he figured he was simply curious.
"You are quite welcome to do so." One of the researchers nodded towards him right as Hermes accepted his request. "I'll get you through the safety measures when we get there, if that is alright. We should be on our way." The four of them left Anagnorisis and journeyed to Ktisis, making sure everything was in order on their path.
Getting through the huge Ktisis doors brought Erichthonios some excitement. Finally he was visiting the impressive facility that he heard so much about, that he kept seeing in the distance since he was a child.
The two researchers took the crystals with them in another ward. Hermes and Erich followed a path that led to the inner parts of the structure and the overseer was sparing no details on how Erichthonios should conduct himself within its perimeters. All for his own safety, of course, even if there have been no incidents in the last couple of years. The shorter one simply listened in silence, observing the surroundings while he collected all his questions for later.
Hermes brought him to his office so he could show him around. He explained the purpose of all the types of cages and devices to keep concepts secure, and offered details about his responsibilities, most of them as answers to Erichthonios's curiosities. He wasn't usually the one to instruct observers that would visit Ktisis, but took this opportunity to socialize more, and the warder was indeed good company.
After taking another stroll through the inner ward, Erich returned to Hermes's office, where he was seated at his desk. A big part of the day had passed so he was mostly done with his duties at the facility, simply taking some time to unwind and get his items in order. The warder approached, taking note of all the plans and drawings that were spread across its surface. "Hmm!" he peered over the seated man's shoulder, feeling a lot more confident in expressing his interest after spending the day with him. "Are these from the Bureau...?"
"No, no... these are my own," he lined up some papers in a larger file, "Nothing more than attempts at... trying to come up with something."
Erich approached the desk and slightly leaned over so he could inspect the drawings closer. "I won't pretend I know how this works but... it all seems very intricate. The details on the wings... I mean all the types of wings I see here-"
"I still need more inspiration."
"I am sure you'll come up with something marvellous," his tone was low and firm, aiming to spark some hope in Hermes's expectations for the future. Having witnessed his diligence first hand, he was quite sure of it.
"Let's hope so," a response was given as he sat up from his chair and motioned for the warder that they may leave.
Back in Anagnorisis, they parted ways for a few hours so they could get some refreshments and relax until they had to resume their night watch. The sky started to change colors yet again and they were back to the area they've been in the previous day, Hermes taking his place on the mossy stone again, awaiting any sign that the escaped concept was around.
Erichthonios breathed in the cold, fresh air and stretched before sitting down in the grass. Ktisis was busy and there were so many things happening left and right, with researchers discussing and concepts growling, chirping and shrieking all around. This place was quiet and tranquil. The gentle breeze was brushing over his face as the twilight invited silence, accompanied only by the sound of crickets hidden in the grass.
Once in a while he'd look over to Hermes, who finally placed his mask down as he was not really on duty anymore. His bright green eyes sometimes met his own crimson gaze, though not for a long until they both looked around again. They shared silence together and it was more comfortable than the day before, when Erichthonios didn't know if he should try to start more conversations or just to stay quiet. At times he simply had nothing to say, and that was fine - he quickly figured that Hermes wasn't so fond of small talk either. Quite convenient.
His hand ran through the herbage, enjoying the feeling of cool grass against his fingers. It stopped when he plucked a clover from it and he leaned back on the rock to inspect it in lack of anything else more interesting to do.
Soon he heard a chuckle from the taller man and tilted his head to look at the source. Hermes had a wide smile plastered on his face, looking down at him.
"Did you ever find out what a four leaf clover meant?" he asked quietly.
"How did you know I was thinking about this?" Erich raised a brow, painting confusion on his face.
"Do you not remember asking me?"
It took a few moments for it to register, but the memory suddenly rushed back and Erichthonios widened his eyes in surprise. "That was you? The boy I met here?"
"I don't think it was this exact same location, but yes."
"No, I meant in Elpis! I know I found one and I asked... and then..." his thoughts were getting ahead of him but Hermes's calm voice steadied their advance.
"You asked me about it and then I told you to go ask the Chief Overseer. Did he tell you eventually? I lost you after that..."
Erich scoffed, resting his head against the stone now that the flow of memory started to be more linear. "He said something... That part I forgot, I had to return to Pandaemonioum with Chief Athena." He was very careful of referring to her in certain ways. It was not his intention to let everyone know they were related and had no clue whether Hermes knew or not. "To think that I'd get my answer from your father after all the people I asked." Some kind of bitterness in his voice.
"That was not my father, Erichthonios. As I said, that was Chief Overseer of Elips, the current Fandaniel."
"Oh... I see now. You seemed very close so I always thought..." As much as he was careful about not making people assume who his family was, he was quick to make his own assessments of others.
"He was mentoring me, yes. And took care of me overall."
The warder rolled the thin foliage between his digits. Lucky one...
He couldn't blame himself for thinking he was Hermes's father. For the very few times he saw them as a child, young Hermes was glued to his mentor's side. Erich was younger than him so he probably doesn't remember things as well, but he knows for sure that they spent some time together while the Chief of Elpis and of Pandaemonium talked. His expression turned sour for the briefest moment, thinking that nobody could even mistake Athena for his or mother. Or Lahabrea for his father, for that matter. Alas...
"That makes more sense now. And here you are, being the Overseer of Elpis yourself."
"As I was expected to be."
After a longer pause where Erichthonios did not add anything more to the conversation, Hermes produced a small bag of something from his pocket and got up from the rock with a sigh. "Ah, finally it is dark enough. You can follow me if you'd wish."
The shorter one got up as well, dusting off his robe and leaving the clover behind, following the Overseer to a smaller tree nearby their location. He was worried the griffin might have appeared without him noticing, but clearly Hermes was up to something different. Suddenly the taller one lifted one arm, pointing up. "There they are! A few of the Pteropus concepts. They are nocturnal, hence why I've waited for it to get dark." There were several bats hanging down some branches, stirring at their arrival but not flying away. They had big eyes, gleaming between the foliage that kept the rest of their bodies concealed. "They mostly rely on their sense of smell so I am convinced they know what I am carrying... mind if you open this for me and help me place a few on the lower hanging branches?" He handed Erichthonios the little bag he was carrying, which was filled with small pieces of apples and also grapes. "They've not had grapes before, so I am trying to see if it fits their diet. But putting some of their beloved apple to trick their smell and get them to try it, you see..."
Erich raised his brows and followed the new instructions. "I thought you were done with your duties for the day."
"Quite so, this is something I have been doing on my own." Hermes also got a few pieces of fruit to hang up, still observing all the bats that were present. He was much slower with the process, however, and if the warder checked to see why, it was because he was splitting the fruit in even smaller pieces than they were before. One of the concepts was far smaller than the others, he noticed. His smile would be genuine this time. "Life can always make room for some small indulgences..." he'd quietly say, carefully sticking the fruit to the branches.
His experience as Chief Overseer made him a lot more knowledgeable than he'd ever show, anticipating a lot of the problems some concepts may have before they're even being considered to be released on Etheirys. These bats loved apples, much like himself... though a little too much. Should a concept be too picky with its food, people will start doubting they'd have a good influence on the star and would destroy crops of the same food. Therefore he tried, several times a month, to get them used to other fruits by various means. In silence, all by himself. He'd relay all this information to Erichthonios as he operated, turning his gaze to him occasionally and watching him do the same. "Very well! I would stand further behind after we're done to observe."
They headed towards the rock again to offer a comfortable distance for the bats to feast on their new snacks, which they immediately did.
"Your work seems to never end... but that shouldn't surprise me. You have the most responsibility around here after all. And to care so deeply about just a small bunch of bats truly seems like a gift for them," the warder said, tilting his head towards the Overseer as they walked, seeing the emerald glow between his lashes pointed towards the ground. Though he seemed like he was looking through it, rather than watching his steps.
"A gift indeed, to have saved so many of them from inevitable doom... to have tweaked their behavior just enough for them to be offered a home and life on the star. To know so many of them will get to see the next spring, and all the others after it..." he again stopped himself from revealing more of his heart. He was tired to the core of people trying to make him see the good parts of his work, so that's all he was going to express freely. There won't be additional lamentations about the concepts he did not manage to save, and how useless and powerless it made him feel despite the saved ones.
He again sighed as he sat back down on the rock, judging once again that it is impossible to balance out the negatives with the positives of his work. Hermes simply hoped for the bats to eat the grapes, that was his only wish for the night. A warm hand found its place on his shoulder, the warder's fingers gently squeezing in a gesture of reassurance. When he looked up through dark strands of hair, he did not see his companion try to offer a smile, or anything of the sort. His face was neutral and rather serious, and Hermes did not know what to make of it. Generally more emotional expressions of the sort warranted people to instantly capture him in their aura of positivity and hope, smiling relentlessly and putting so much effort into praise and optimism to the point where it feels nauseating to be bombarded with it while none of it was getting through. But Erichthonios wasn't the kind to insist on changing someone's mood, and for some reason Hermes's unspoken words seemed to have been acknowledged in some way.
It felt refreshing to have someone around who isn't trying to change your views or try to convince you of anything against your own perception of things, and for this rare moment, Hermes was all too grateful. He placed his own hand over the warder's to silently communicate that he was appreciative of the gesture seeking to offer him comfort. It's been a while since the last time it actually worked in doing such.
"You're full of spirit, Hermes. I hope I am not wrong to say this, but there are not many around that I get this impression from."
"I simply do what I ca-" his words were interrupted by a sharp gust of wind that made them break eye contact to focus on the source of it. The griffin appeared.
The majestic creature landed next to a tree bearing the fruits Hermes mentioned before, and they both readied themselves to tackle the creature that was now within their reach.
"I need you to hold it down using your aetherical shackles! I will contain it inside a crystal but I need the creation to be a bit worn out and held secure," Hermes got out a crystal, one resembling the many Erichthonios has seen in Ktisis Hyperboreia earlier that day. He understood his assignment and proceeded to approach the creature from the side, channelling his magicks around his arms and getting ready to throw his shackles at the beast.
Hermes was right behind him, inspecting the creature. He was glad it was still around since he feared it might've gotten in trouble with other beings, or even with researchers who might've spotted it.
While it got busy eating one of the fruits, Ericthonios threw the shackles, making them coil around the griffin's body and tighten around the beast, making it unable to fly away. It panicked and started squirming, violently trying to get away but the warder's shackles were way too powerful even for a mighty creature as this - he was trained to not hold back when dealing with creations way more dangerous than a simple griffin, so in his attempt to make sure the beast was kept under restraint, he failed to notice how much the shackles started to burn some of its feathers and began to wound it as it was energetically writhing within their grasp.
"Erichthonios!" The Chief Overseer immediately noticed. But the warder was too focused on channelling his magicks, anticipating that Hermes would be sealing the beast in the following moments. Instead of that happening, Hermes grabbed his arms and pushed him to the side slightly in order to stop him. The beast was set loose yet again, desperately flying away, leaving a trail of feathers and some blood where it stood before, and only after it was out of their sight again, lost in the dark, did Erich realize how he messed up.
"Oh no... Damn it! I am sorry!" he made a pained expression while looking back at Hermes. "I did not expect I'd have to tone it down a little. I am so sorry."
"Don't worry," the Overseer said after regaining his balance, letting go of Erichthonios. "I should have said something about it beforehand, but failed to take this into consideration."
"Will it be back?"
"I assume it will. It did not manage to eat a lot this time."
The shorter one nodded, feeling regretful about his mistake. The rush was slowly going away and he collected himself on the way back to Anagnorisis, apologising once again before him and Hermes had to part ways for the night.
"It happens. I was glad it was still around to begin with."
They were in the middle of one of the pathways at the settlement's outskirts. No one was around, only them, so they still felt free enough to talk about the issue at hand. Lamps illuminated certain parts of the pavement and buildings, but it otherwise was still pitch black outside. It has been a long and eventful day for both of them, so exhaustion was becoming more prominent in their demeanour. Erichthonios crossed his arms, thinking of how to proceed next time he gets the chance to capture the griffin. Hermes simply watched him, lost in his own thoughts. It was bitter to think the creature was injured, but that was far worse than the fate it would've had if it didn't escape several weeks before.
"May I ask..." the warder's voice pierced the silence, even though the tone was low and he was still speaking as if they had to be quiet about it. "What happened to this griffin? Why is it something you're dealing with alone? Aside from asking me for help..."
"The reason why is a tad complicated."
"I am willing to listen, Hermes..."
"I suppose I can tell you since you're not one of the researchers here, and I trust you not to bring these matters to any of them until I have run out of options."
"Aye... I am simply curious."
"I promise I will tell you tomorrow. I don't think it's an appropriate time now given that it's past midnight and you seem tired too."
It earned a nod from the orange-haired one. "Right, yes. I should get going." There was no particular reason why he was avoiding eye contact so much. Assumed it was fatigue.
Hermes nodded back at him, signalling a farewell for now, and started walking away. Or so he would if the shorter one didn't stop him right away. "Have this, by the way... I forgot to give it back," he uttered, extending the empty food bag to him, the one where he previously kept the apple slices and grapes for the bats.
Hermes looked at it, seeming lost in thought. Without saying a word, he slowly reached to Erichthonios's hand and... sort of grabbed the bag. It was touching his hand more than anything, holding it. The warder's crimson gaze followed his slim fingers and eventually decided to bring his other hand up, cupping Hermes's between his own to hold and transfer some warmth to it. It was surprisingly cold.
It felt like a good and natural thing to do, at least for a very brief second before other thoughts started flooding his mind and he realized it might be quite awkward. Hermes was not saying anything, just standing there and not moving an inch. Erich had no clue what he was thinking, or how he was perceiving the situation, or if he'd want him to stop, or leave already. Aside from the conflict inside his head, the surroundings were so peaceful and calm, with a cool breeze still moving all the leaves in the trees and grass, Anagnorisis softly illuminated, with a canvas of uncountable stars above it. He took a deep breath at last, and got the courage to make eye contact again, getting a rush as their eyes met once more. For the life of him, he could not figure out why it was suddenly so hard to do this one normal thing.
There was nothing different about Hermes's face or expression except the fact that it seemed hard to read for a mind that was plagued with accelerating thoughts and doubts, and not knowing how Hermes was feeling about all this. Eventually his lips did shape into a slight smile, barely visible in the lamp light, which made Erichthonios lose some of the uneasiness created on his own. "I enjoy your company."
His words sounded genuine to Erichthonios's ears, and he'd have to take his word for it nonetheless. He sighed, looking a bit embarrassed at the remark, and gently let go of his hand after giving him the bag back. After that, they both parted ways for the night.
Erichtnonios did not visit Ktisis again the next day, instead deciding to spend some time near Lethe with two researchers who took care of the Remoras. It was quite uneventful for the most part, but he enjoyed having a more relaxed day. It was his vacation, after all, and aside from helping Hermes, he was treating the rest of his time as such. Many things on his mind but he was definitely glad none of his thoughts were about Pandaemonium, even though he deeply cared about it too.
He was invited for dinner later at the place where Hermes was temporarily living, so the Overseer had to wrap his own work faster to make it in time. Generally he would work past the usual time and miss it completely, only having a snack before bed. Or nothing at all, especially lately when he's been so invested in creating his own concept that oftentimes he's simply neglecting himself unintentionally due to his focus being elsewhere.
Food was already prepared and set on the table when Erichthonios got to his place. They settled down first and ate some of it. The warder's mood was a good one since he felt more confident about his abilities and believed he could handle the griffin situation way better now that he's thought about it, and practised some weaker form of his shackles in the morning. There was no reason to fail again, therefore nothing to fear about.
"I should admit that the griffin did not escape on its own. I set him free from one of the cages in Ktisis."
That was a strong starter, Erich thought.
"And... why did you decide to do that?" he asked, taking another bite.
"It was part of multiple creations that just arrived there. Somehow we were immediately informed that the one who submitted it to the bureau had died unexpectedly..."
The warder made a confused face. It's not often that someone uses that term, though he was still inclined to listen, not adding anything else to the conversation.
"In the moment, I panicked and set it free. There have been a few similar cases before and as far as I know, should the owner of the concept die, we do get rid of it to prevent other complications. It never happened while I've been working here but I've heard about it from the previous Chief Overseer... No one paid attention to this case in particular so I risked a lot by setting it free in order to save it. I had to do something to bide it time..."
"It could've caused a lot of issues, especially since it was new," Erich mentioned.
"That I know." Hermes looked at his half-finished food dejectedly. The appetite would've left if it was even there to begin with. "I kept seeing it around after and studied it more. If I was going to notice it being a problem, I would've dealt with it myself. But it is a peaceful creature and I'd like nothing more but to contain it again and claim it as my own, officially. It's the only solution I have for making sure it stays alive."
"Ah, I see the picture now... it makes sense," the warder tried to finish his meal but felt like it was enough. They both looked at each other and none of the plates were empty.
"I don't think people would say it makes sense, to be honest."
"Well, it makes sense for you... I saw you trying to take care of the bats' existence so I just... I am not surprised by any of this information right now."
Hermes nodded, part of him glad that yet again he was not questioned about his choices or actions. And quite surprised by it. He muttered a quiet "thank you" to Erichthonios for listening and having agreed to help till the end of it. The sky was getting redder by the minute and soon it would be night time again, another chance for them to capture the bird. They were both ready.
Being tackled the night before, the griffin did not manage to eat enough. As Hermes expected, it appeared the next day at the same location, bearing the slightly visible wounds from the first attempt at capturing it. Erichthonios's shackles were a refined magick, being the only one he could use and keep practising: there were very few people who could outdo their might. Hermes was not entirely aware of the warder's capabilities or lack thereof, only what he managed to tell him before in passing. But he absolutely knew they were reliable, so he trusted that Erich could now restrain the beast successfully. The shorter one approached it, preparing the shackles to be thrown. This time the glow was faint and clearly they seemed thinner than before, proof that Erich indeed changed the way he was going to handle it. As soon as the griffin started searching the lower branches for the fruit, Erichthoios threw the aetherical chains towards it once more, under the careful gaze of Hermes who was now preparing his own device to seal the beast inside the appropriate crystal.
They both quickly glanced at each other, nodding in accordance. Erichthonios jerked his arms, pulling and twisting the chains sprouting from them and they coiled around the beast, making it collapse to the ground and unable to move. Hermes ran up to it and inspected it, making sure there wasn't anything he was missing before pulling away and letting his magicks engulf the griffin and transfer it inside in a matter of seconds. In its place, the warder's thin shackles spread on the grass, soon fading away and leaving nothing behind. No more feathers and blood, it seemed that the way he handled the beast was as gentle as he could ever get. Not even Hermes expected such a change after witnessing their strength the other day.
"Great job, Erichthonios! The concept is contained at last and I can stop worrying about it."
Not even a flinch from the warder. He had no need of catching his breath or anything of the sort. "Glad to be of help, Chief Overseer."
"I must thank you. For your work and also for being able to trust you with this entire ordeal." Hermes pocketed the crystal. Whatever remains to be done with it, he'll have to figure out during his duty hours in Ktisis.
While Hermes expressed his satisfaction with a sigh of relief, Erichthonios squeezed his fist and motioned excitedly. It was not a test of strength, but rather of patience and focus - tuning down the intensity of his magic was not something he had ever tried before but was nonetheless happy to have accomplished so effortlessly.
Hermes was quite amused by how easy the warder was to read. He didn't try to hide or mask his feelings, so it did not seem complicated to socialize with. Not in Hermes's case, at least, considering he had his own share of troubles with genuine human interaction. They celebrated in their own way, and the warder was glad to be met with Hermes's smile after noticing how hard it was to earn in the past several days.
They started walking back to Anagnorisis after their success. It was not quite midnight yet, but late enough for the stars to show themselves across the heights of the sky in full glory. The Chief Overseer explained more of his plan with the warder on the way to the settlement. It was a relaxed stroll since they could afford to be at ease, almost too slow to not think it was intentional so they wouldn't part ways as soon. In truth, neither of them felt any better alone than in each other's company. With Erichthonios's duty done, he was free to leave Elpis and enjoy the rest of his vacation however he wanted to, so it was unsure what he'd end up deciding on.
Elpis was beautiful and there were still so many unexplored corners and new concepts to see, so he could definitely extend his stay. There was nobody waiting for him in Amaurot either, and Hermes was all too eager to have him around more while he worked.
"I quite enjoy it here... if you have other activities such as feeding bats after your work, I would not mind tagging along. Anything, really..."
"I appreciate the intention. I'll let you know, if anything else comes up. Are you sure you want to stay here longer?" Hermes looked down at him as they walked, fondly observing his quite ruffled hair. Never thought he'd pay attention to something like this since he barely has any concern for his own hair in the morning, or in general. The shorter one returned the gaze with a similar fondness in his expression. "I'm sure there are more interesting things to do in Amaurot without having to be taught safety precautions for any of them."
The warder chuckled at the remark. He was used to much worse than this and thought Hermes was forgetting about the nature of his station rather than trying to be considerate. No verbal reply was given at the time, instead he averted his crimson eyes from the taller one and made sure to get closer to him with each step, eventually bumping his arm against his and using his pinky finger to catch his hand.
It was way too dark to notice any blushing, but Hermes could only assume that was the reason Erich was involuntarily looking away from him. He could only notice the corner of his lips from the side and know he was smiling.
After he did not feel Hermes moving his hand at all and instead keeping it close to his own, he gave way to his other fingers to touch it until their digits were intertwined. The Overseer was not entirely surprised at the gesture and returned it with no hesitation, which was instead the thing that baffled him. It simply felt easy and not forced. He mirrored his gesture without it being the consequence of some unspoken demand. Far from it, Erichthonios's behavior was only ever inviting, if anything.
A free invitation at that, one that Hermes did not seem bothered to take.
His cold hand, again, in Erichthonios's warmer one, now feeling the texture of each other and having his thumb gently stroke the side of Hermes's.
No more excuse for it as was the linen bag the other day, that had to be given back. It was just something that happened, that both of them were actively responsible for. Since he was not looking at Hermes, Erich could only tell how fast his own heart was beating. They reached their destination in silence, albeit a comfortable one where they relished a moment of mutual interest. Barely at the outskirts of Anagnorisi, under the light of the first street lamp that belonged to it and in its faint, pleasant glow, Hermes made both of them stop.
Erichthonios was quite unsure why, since that was not the place where they parted ways usually. He finally mustered the courage to turn his head at the taller one to search for the reason for their sudden halt, and found the index finger of the Overseer helping his head with the motion by being pressed against the line of his jaw. It involuntarily relaxed as confusion took over, mouth going agape... suddenly feeling frozen in place. Hermes's finger tip moved under his chin and tilted his head further up. In that moment of pure nervousness, he gained one second clarity to know what Hermes's intention was with it.
The result of it was an audible gasp, somewhere between a whine and groan, although low enough so only they could hear it. It immediately got silenced by Hermes placing his lips over the warder's, capturing them in a sweet, affectionate kiss. It was quite short, meant to be a way to test the waters with the warder who was still too overwhelmed with nervousness to move. He opened his eyes to see that Hermes's face was still close to his as he was leaning down to a point where they could comfortably kiss without having the warder need to be on the tip of his toes.
They took the time after the first kiss to finally look at each other up close, eyes meeting eyes so intimately. Erichthonios found it hard to read his expression and yet again he had no idea what his companion was thinking, a complete opposite experience from the other point of view. Hermes was quick to notice how the warder's brows furrowed, how his lips were quivering ever so slightly, how his breaths were almost stopped in anticipation of another kiss.
No, he did not want to leave him breathless. His lips were pressing once more over his, softly kissing over and over again, until the need for contact grew stronger and the warder rested his hands on Hermes's chest, grabbing the fabric of his robe between his fingers to hold on to.
The hand he used to tilt the warder's head up was now used to cup his cheek, thumb brushing over it, getting stray hairs out of the way. The kiss was gaining a steady pace as they finally figured out how the other one was going about it, turning hungrier by the moment.
It felt surreal, ripped entirely out of reality and time they spent together before they engaged in it. The mind went blank and Erichthonios could do nothing but feel what the body wanted. Parting his lips, he made it possible to deepen the kiss and explore each other's mouths more, although tenderly and ready to stop if the other gave even the slightest hint of disapproval.
His breathing ended up becoming uneven so he'd occasionally pull back a few seconds to breathe, then press their mouths together again needily while stifling a moan. It was hard to think, let alone say anything. If he wasn't so focused on enjoying their kiss, he'd definitely get frustrated with having nothing to say and causing so much silence between them.
Hermes was gentle and affectionate in his ways. Oftentimes he seemed hard to get to, and closed off. Not much that could make him react in a good way, barely even his own accomplishments and successes, but this one thing has kept a perpetual smile on his face, one that Erichthonios was delighted to see. At least as long as they touched.
They could've kept going for so much longer, but decided it was time to finally slow down and break the kiss. Hermes kept caressing the side of his face with a touch only a long time lover would have. It melted the warder, who still thought it was all too good to have happened, but deep down knew it could be the beginning of something much more real.
"I'm sure you're tired... I've also got much to do tomorrow," Hermes said quietly, taking Erichthonios's hands from his chest and lowering them back to normal. "Y-yes," still at a loss for words, but Hermes didn't expect him to talk like he normally does. Not after something so removed from normalcy happened between them.
After parting ways once more, Erichthonios was definitely glad he had chosen to stay in Elpis for a longer time. And he still had most of his vacation at disposition.