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“Luke, please. I understand how hard all of these changes must be for you. I cannot begin to tell you how sorry I am for Thalia’s death,” stated Chiron sadly. “I know it is hard, my boy, that Annabeth is in a different cabin and suddenly you have a large number of siblings and a new world.”
The centaur paused, exhaling softly. “You need to eat, Luke. You cannot starve yourself.”
“No,” mumbled a voice. In the corner of Hermes’s cabin, in his bed, sat Luke Castellan. He was buried under a mountain of blankets and had refused to come out.
At first, Chiron had thought Luke would adjust well. At first, the child seemed to be willing to interact with others. He was, of course, shy and skittish, but he had been making steady headway. However, after Annabeth had been claimed, both parts of the trio-turned-duo went downhill. Luke would not eat. Annabeth hardly spoke and did not sleep. They spent all their time together, and the fits when it came time for them to separate for the night were heartbreaking, to say the least.
Chiron hardly wanted to separate them, but rules were rules, and he couldn't encourage this level of separation anxiety. It would hinder both the children in the long run. The centaur shook his head, running a weary hand down his face.
“Luke, if you do not come out, I will have to call Hermes,” explained Chiron gently. He knew Luke did not want to see his father, but that was the only option if Luke kept fighting him. He prayed the child would listen to him.
“No,” shouted Luke from under his blanket burrito, fists and legs banging on his bed. He would not speak with Hermes. If his father did not need him, then Luke did not need Hermes either.
Chiron shook his head before trotting out of the cabin and sending a prayer to Lord Hermes.
Lord Hermes,
There is a situation with Luke at camp. The child has been refusing to eat for days or leave his bed. I am unsure what else I can do that I have not already tried. I ask for your aid in finding a solution.
Thank you, Chiron
Hopefully, Hermes will have better luck, thought Chiron as he headed off to the dinner pavilion. Poor child. I wish I could change Thalia’s fate, thought Chiron. It is cruel what has happened to them. He felt so deeply sorrowful for the tragedy that Luke and Annabeth had gone through. He wished he could give his charges a better life. If only Olympus would change.
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Hermes softly padded into his cabin, wincing at its state. He would need to do something about that. It was unacceptable, but right now that was not his focus. His focus was his precious Lukas, who was currently hiding under the covers, crying.
My poor baby, thought the god as he made his way over to Luke and took a seat on the bed. He gently placed a hand on Luke’s back, causing the soft sobs to stop and the body under the covers to freeze in surprise.
Luke held his breath in surprise. He had not actually thought Chiron would call his father. Perhaps if Luke just did not move, Hermes would leave him alone.
“Luke,” whispered Hermes softly, hand rubbing the child’s back. “We need to talk, darling.”
“Go away,” mumbled Luke, his voice hoarse from crying and exhaustion. He did not feel like talking with people right now, especially his dad.
“I cannot, my heart. I cannot allow you to go on like this. I know you are hurting, but starving yourself is unacceptable.” The god's tone turned more scolding and firm on that last sentence. He could not allow his child to go on like this. It was unhealthy, to say the least.
“I don’t have to listen to you,” declared Luke as he reached a hand back and shoved Hermes’s hand off him.
“Pardon?” Asked the god, thinking he had misunderstood his son’s words.
“You heard me,” replied Luke as he emerged from his blanket stack. “You did not raise me, so I do not have to listen to you.” Luke felt a swell of bitterness squirm inside of him as he finished his sentence. His dad had not been there. He had left him with a crazy mom and then eventually when he was on the run. Hermes did nothing. It was not fair.
Hermes raised an eyebrow at his son’s tone and words. Whatever gave Luke that idea? He was the parent and Luke the child. His son did have to obey him. It was for Luke’s own good.
“Unfortunately, you do have to listen to me, Lukas, as I am your parent,” explained Hermes.
“I will not eat. You cannot make me,” responded Luke, his tone turning more sour by the minute. How dare Hermes just bust into his life and start telling him what he could and couldn’t do?
Hermes closed his eyes, reminding himself to be patient. His son had just gone through something traumatic and was hurting and confused.
“I can make you, and I will. Please drop the tone while you are at it,” declared Hermes.
“Bite me,” snapped Luke, his lip wobbling a bit. He knew he probably did not look as tough as he sounded right now. In all honesty, he was a mess on the inside and not at all confident. If anything, he was slightly afraid. Afraid that Hermes would walk away again. Maybe pushing the god away would protect his heart. It could not take any more pain.
Hermes’s face turned stern at his child’s words. He understood that Luke was hurting, but he would not allow his fourteen-year-old to speak so disrespectfully to him.
“Last chance. Fix your attitude,” warned the god. He was a patient god, but even he could only take so much.
“βάλλ' εις κόρακας,” replies Luke, giving his father a cold glare. The demigod’s tone was snarky and full of anger.
Hermes’s face turned furious. Swiftly, the god reached out and tugged his child over his lap. Luke squeaked before squirming in protest. Hermes simply pinned his legs under his own and wrapped an arm around the child’s waist.
“You do not curse at people,” scolded Hermes as he spanked Luke’s butt.
“Ow! Let me go,” cried Luke, attempting to pull himself off of his dad’s lap. He could hardly believe Hermes was spanking him.
“No can do, mister. You have most certainly earned this,” replied the god as he worked on spanking Luke’s bottom from the top to the lower thigh area.
“Oww,” howled Luke, wiggling as hard as he could. He had never been spanked before, and it hurt. It really hurt.
“Please, Lord Hermes,” cried the child, hoping that being respectful would help him. He had heard the best way to please a god was to be polite and compliant.
Hermes paused, hand hovering over his son’s likely already sore rump.
“Did you just call me Hermes?” asked the god in shock. “You do not call me Lord Hermes. It is dad or father or some other paternal name,” scolded the god as he continued to spank.
“I am sorry. Please—oww—Papa—ahh,” cried Luke. His bottom was on fire. He could not take any more.
Immediately, the spanking stopped. Hermes quickly pulled his crying child up into his lap, rocking Luke back and forth.
“Ssh, my heart. Papa has you. It’s going to be okay. I promise.”
“It won’t,” wailed Luke. “Thalia is gone,” he cried, hiccuping in between his words. “It should have been me.”
“No,” shouted Hermes before quickly apologizing. He placed a hand on Luke’s chin, forcing his son to look him in the eyes. “Do not ever say that again,” gasped the god, eyes filled with pain. “I know it is hard, darling, but I promise you it will get better. You have Annabeth and new siblings. Please, Luke. Live for Thalia. She would have wanted you and Annabeth happy. Eat,” begged the god.
Luke nodded, causing Hermes to exhale in relief. He pulled his child back into his chest and squeezed tightly.
“Thank you, my heart,” whispered the god. He could not begin to describe the relief he felt at his child’s nod. He could not lose Luke. He simply couldn’t. He would not. He would keep his baby safe from harm.
“Stay. Just for a while, please,” asked Luke. He did not want Hermes to go back. He needed him. Even though he hated to admit it, he needed his father. He needed Hermes’s love, affection, and attention. He needed his papa.
“Of course. Papa isn't going anywhere. We can eat in here,” promised Hermes, not letting go of his treasure even as he snapped Luke’s favorite food on a table in front of them. He would not put Luke down anytime soon. He would just simply feed his son. His darling. His heart. His hope.