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Maia pushes her son’s sweaty hair out of his face tenderly as the messenger god laid on his swollen belly, breathing hard. She smiles down at her little one as he prepares to deliver his eldest mortal son.
“He’s almost here, Hermey.” Hermes whines as the pain of the contractions take over him. He should have expected that his son wouldn’t come out peacefully.
“Breathe my son.’ She dabs a wet cloth on his sweaty forehead, sitting next to him on the bed in his hidden house away from the other Olympian’s sight. He wanted to have this moment with his mother, and his baby son.
No one else needed to be present.
Hermes clutches at the pillow under him. “I don’t know if it’ll work, it’s been three hours already.” Maia gave him a compassionate smile and took his hand into her own.
“Labour can be long, my son. You have to let him take his time, his soul went through a lot his first time around.”
Hermes manages to nod, sweat beads forming around his hairline. “I know.” He rubs a gentle hand on his belly while the other clutches his mother’s. “I can’t wait to hold him again.”
The god grits his teeth as another contraction hits him suddenly, this one is longer and harsher than the last. Maia lets go of his hand to settle herself closer to where Luke would come out.
‘He’s almost here. Hold on sweetie.” She encourages her son.
Hermes now lies on his back. It takes another ten minutes of pain and suffering for Luke Castellan to be reborn again in the form of a toddler.
Hermes didn’t know in what state his little one would come out as. He wasn’t sure if Luke would choose to be reborn as a child or if he’d rather keep his teenage or young adult form.
Either way, Hermes was elated to have his baby boy back, despite all the pain and sleepless nights he got when he figured out a way to bring his son back to life when he died.
“Come back to me darling. I’ve been waiting for you.” Hermes whispers as he starts pushing metaphorically.
He pushes with his willpower and body, recreating Luke’s physical body within his own.
Within all the love he had for him, but couldn’t express before. Luke was a child of his heart. He held it in his little hands.
Hermes lets out a harsh scream when Luke decides to finally come out and then heaves in relief, the pain is forgotten for a moment.
Maia wraps the child in a soft blanket, cleaning away the leftover ichor and bodily fluids, before placing Luke on his father’s chest. Hermes can’t help but smile at how small his little one is now.
The god leans down and kisses his forehead adoringly. “I missed you so much baby.”
Luke opens his eyes at the sound of his father’s voice. He looks around in confusion as he takes in the warmth of his dad’s chest underneath him, and Hermes’s loving smile. His lip trembles as he takes everything in.
“Hey, it’s alright little one don’t cry.”
He rubs a gentle thumb on the tear that’s forming under Luke's eye. But Luke cries harder and starts sobbing.
Hermes cradles him closer to him, his little face resting in the crook of his neck.
Luke doesn’t want to be here, his dad abandoned him. He doesn’t need him to be here now.
Why couldn’t he rest in Elysium like everyone else?
The Fates truly hated him. It was becoming personal at this point.
“I’m here baby. I’m not leaving.” Luke feels the arms around him hold him closer, and he squirms trying to get away.
Hermes holds on firmly, sighing sadly. He didn’t expect Luke to be this angry the very first day of them reuniting.
“It’s too late for that! I hate you! You ruined my life!” Luke spat at him as he clutched at his dad’s hands wrapped around his waist. Hermes’ arms don’t budge despite Luke’s anger.
Hermes shushes him gently, pulling Luke closer to his chest like a small child, rocking him. It doesn’t soothe Luke how he wanted but at least, he has the opportunity to show him how much he loves him.
“I’m going to do better this time around little one. I promise. Nothing will come after you.”
Luke makes a face at the last sentence and starts kicking his father in the stomach.
Hermes doesn’t feel any pain since he’s a powerful god but it makes his heart break to see his baby so upset. The rage in his son’s blue eyes hurts more than any physical wound.
“Let me go!” He cried, as the soft cloth Maia had wrapped him in falls to the marble floor while he pounded his tiny fists against his father’s chest.
“Not this time Luke.” Hermes says gently, catching the tiny fists in his hands, holding them still.
He pulls the little boy back into his lap. And Luke pouts and crosses his arms over his chest.
“I’ll be here every step of the way even if you reject me at first.”
Luke stops struggling after a while, too exhausted from his previous tantrum.
Maia returned to check on her son and grandchild. She had left them to give Hermes some sense of privacy during a harsh moment.
The nymph smiles down at her own little one, holding his child tenderly, and she hands Hermes a wet cloth. Her son whispers a quiet thank you as he begins to wash Luke’s face and runs the cloth over his tired eyes. Cleaning away the tears over his reddened little cheeks.
Luke sniffles softly, turning away as Hermes comes to kiss his cheek. “I love you little one, more than you will ever know.”
The boy huffs but he doesn’t pull away when Hermes leans down to wrap him in the cloth again. He also doesn’t cry when his dad rests his head on his and starts humming a lullaby.
Hermes smiles when he feels his son’s head dropping unconsciously. He adores feeling his son’s small body resting on his chest, and being able to watch Luke sleep peacefully.
He leans down one more time to kiss Luke on the head, smiling at the soft baby scent emanating from his son.
…..
“No!”
“Luke, you have to nurse, baby. I can’t let you go hungry.” Hermes urges, offering him the bottle.
Luke hasn’t eaten in two days and Hermes wants to feed him so badly before his baby starts losing weight and nutrients.
“Luke please,just a few little sips for me.” Hermes tries to put the bottle into his little hands. Since the boy does not seem to want to be fed by him.
Luke eyes it with disgust, and shakes his head. “I don’t want to!”
“You need to eat to stay healthy-” Hermes pleads, before he can say something else, Luke’s small hand snatches the bottle and he throws it at his father. “I want real food, not this shit.”
Hermes catches the bottle midair and sighs. Sadly for the boy, his dad isn’t swayed by his cuteness this time.
The boy's eyes widen in fear as Hermes puts the object down onto the floor next to him and comes to kneel in front of him. Luke feels a strong yet gentle grip on his upper arm but he doesn’t look up to meet his father’s soft blue eyes.
“Luke,” he says in a firm tone “ you stop this behavior right now.”
Hermes sighs once more, when Luke makes no effort to acknowledge him.
“I will not take you over my knee this time because you’re still so small. But I won’t tolerate such language in my home.”
He waits for a response but he gets nothing. Hermes lifts him off his feet and settles him into the corner of the kitchen gently. Luke starts crying and thrashes in his father’s hold. Once he’s settled, he falls into the ground and sobs.
Hermes tries his best to steel his heart from the sobs, and stays firm. All he wants to do is take Luke in his arms and smother him with kisses to make it all better.
“I’ll give you a time out of ten minutes for such foul language. Next time you throw such words at me, I’ll wash out your mouth with soap.” Luke sobs harder, his face red, and eyes filled with tears.
Hermes pulls a wooden kitchen chair and sits down. “I’ll be right here.” He needs to discipline his child, he doesn’t want him to feel abandoned.
The Messenger god looks at his child carefully and after the first three minutes pass, Luke’s sobs dissolve down to soft hiccups and eventually sniffles. The boy wipes his tears away, but doesn’t look behind him.
Hermes looks at his watch once more, it’s been seven minutes, but the time out is worse for him than it is for his son. He rises from his chair and comes to his little one.
He runs a gentle hand into his baby’s now tousled hair and smiles down at him to let him know that he loves him still. “Timeout is over little one.”
Luke stays silent watching the floor.
Hermes opens his arms. “Come here baby.” The little boy hesitates for a few moments.
After what felt like an eternity to Hermes, Luke stands from the floor and gestures for Hermes to hold him. Hermes smiles and pulls him in his arms effortlessly. The god smiles widen when the little arms hold onto his neck and he leans down to pepper Luke’s face with kisses.
“I love you my love.” He whispers tenderly. Luke sighs in contentment and does not resist the affection now.
Luke mumbles something in his chest making him smile because it did sound like a “I’m sorry Daddy.”
Hermes holds him closer. He waited so long to be able to feel his warmth again, to be able to give his son as much affection as he could, so now he’s not passing the occasion to smother his baby.
“Everything is forgiven, little one.” Luke snuggles closer to his father, his little fingers clutching at the back of his tunic.
The boy’s stomach grumbles. Luke would love for it to stop bothering him, but now he feels actual pain in his stomach from the lack of nutrients.
Hermes, sensing his son’s tensing in his hold, frowns in concern. And then he hears the sound.
“I know sweetheart, you’re hungry.” He says gently as to not upset Luke now that he’s calm.
“Let’s try again okay? He reaches for the bottle sitting on the table, it’s already warm enough because of his divine abilities.
The god adjusts his hold on his child putting Luke in a more comfortable position on his lap. His little one’s head is supported by his left arm while he guides the bottle’s nipple towards Luke’s mouth.
But the child turns his head away in the opposite direction. His lips stay wired shut.
Hermes is on the verge of crying out in frustration since he’s recovering from the pregnancy, and his son’s stubbornness.
”Luke, please, just three sips. I know your belly hurts, but you need to nurse.”
After two more unsuccessful tries, Luke stubbornly refuses his bottle again but now, is getting more frustrated. Hermes settles the bottle down again and sighs.
How was he supposed to be a better father if he couldn't manage to feed his child?
“Okay little one, we don’t have to use the bottle right now if you don’t want to.” He says as he tries to calm himself down.
He strokes Luke soft blond hair, but the boy pushes his hand away and sits up on his lap.
His small hands tapped on his chest urgently. When Luke doesn’t get his message across fast enough, he cries in frustration and paws at his dad’s chest once more.
It takes Hermes a few seconds to understand.
He had desperately hoped that Luke would want this someday. So badly that when Luke didn’t want to nurse the first time, he had been heartbroken.
“Oh.” He whispers,
Hermes gently lowers Luke to a more comfortable position. His hands tremble slightly as he carefully removes his tunic leaving his chest bare. His fingers tentatively support the little one’s head as Luke instinctively latches onto his nipple and finally nurses.
He hears Luke sighing in relief as he finally takes in his much needed sips of milk.
“There you go my Heart.” Hermes’ eyes fill with tears as Luke sips on his milk contendely.
Luke’s small hands curl onto his chest as the milk makes its way into his empty stomach.
“Don’t drink too fast darling, you’re going to get sick.”
Luke slows down a little, cooing happily as the pain in his belly fades slowly.
Hermes smiles down at his little one, feeling a tingling sensation in chest at Luke’s suckling. He’s happy and content like this with his mother and toddler son, he might get the chance to see him growing up this time.
After Hermes’ milk supply stops, Luke whines softly, patting his dad’s chest once more.
“Aw I’m so sorry sweetheart.” His soft blue eyes get saddened at the sight of his baby son getting progressively more upset. “Papa’s milk needs to replenish itself. I promise you’ll nurse more later, baby.” He tries to reassure him, but Luke’s lower lip starts to tremble.
“I want more!” He whines.
Hermes cradles him once more so he can pat his little back. “I know, little one. But I’ll give you something else for now okay?”
The boy shakes his head, Hermes tries to look around the kitchen for something to give him before he gets into another tantrum. Thankfully his sweet mother is already here holding a plate of fresh cut up fruit and crackers.
The Nymph smiles down at her own boy before captivating the little one’s attention. “Here sweetie, I made you something while Papa rests.”
She shows him the plate and Luke turns intrigued. He doesn’t hesitate this time and reaches for a ripe watermelon slice and eats it happily. Hermes gives his mother a grateful smile to which she responds with a soft kiss on his forehead, making him blush.
“Don’t worry about it, he’ll nurse again in a few hours. You should rest my dear.”
Hermes watches Luke eating his watermelon like it was candy, the frown he had earlier being replaced by an adorable smile and watermelon juice all over his face. Once his baby is done, he wipes his face gently with a small cloth.
Luke starts to rub his eyes with his fists and yawns. “I think it’s time for a nap.” Hermes says as he stands from the chair holding Luke in his arms.
“For both of you.” Maia adds.
Hermes grimaces slightly. He would love to nap with his little one but he has some things to do for Olympus still. Messages to deliver and piles of packages that need to be sent.
“Hermes.” Maia warns. “You need to rest. If I see you working, I’ll put you to sleep myself.”
Hermes sighs in defeat but he knows better than to question his mom.
“I’ll nap too.”
Maia smiles once more. “Good.” She helps him to his feet, he’s still recovering and needs help even if he wouldn’t admit it.
An hour later, Maia goes to check on them, hoping to see Hermes resting.
She smiles at the sight of her son laying on his back, with Luke sleeping peacefully on his chest. Sucking his little thumb. Hermes’ ear wings are relaxed and his breathing is slow.
“That’s better.”
She pulls a soft plush blanket over them both. And leans down to kiss Hermes’ forehead and caresses Luke’s soft blonde hair, before making her way out.