#<< consider this your tag!! please don't think i forgot about you 😭💛

[buckera]

• before & after coloring challenge •

I saw this post by the very talented @raiderlucy and it seemed so fun, I decided — ever so rudely — to jump on that open tag and do my own version of it!✨ (this has also just turned into somewhat of a "resident queers of the 118" gifset oops)

and let me just totally no pressure tag some of my lovely gifmaker friends: @jeeyuns @cowgirleddiediaz @xofemeraldstars @lengthofropes @bichimney and anyone else who wants to do it, please consider yourself tagged~

[cafeinthemoon]

Ruins - Chapter II

Chapter 2

Wordcount 2,7k

Title Part II

Fandom Shuumatsu no Valkyrie / Record of Ragnarok

Previous chapters

1

Symbols ⭕ . ➕ . 💛

Warning (s): none

Tagging @darling-imobsessed (if you want to be tagged in any of my stories, just send an ask or a message 😉)

N. A.: So here we have Hermes dealing with two unexpected guests who want to discuss each one's part of the same mystery 😅 He's one of my fav characters and I hope I could give him a decent depiction.

Also, some deities mentioned here do not make an appearance in the original media, but their existence could be accepted if we consider the logic of snv's universe. Hope you don't mind that 😭

The sweet-scented steam spread around the room while your host poured the tea in the delicate cup he just put in your hands.  

It was about two hours after dinner, and most of the girls were in the rooms enjoying the moments before sleeping time, but some of them were still wandering through the gardens, gossiping in the corridors or sneaking around the kitchen to get themselves additional treats. You, on the other hand, had different matters to worry about, and to discuss them you left your own room, crossed half a dozen corridors and risked bothering Hermes in his chambers, where he was probably trying to get some rest: taking care of the needs of so many young ladies was not a simple mission, even when he didn’t work all by himself.  

However, it didn’t seem to be a problem for him, who showed a contentment with your coming that surprised even you.  

– Thank you for receiving me despite the hour, Hermes-sama – you sipped the tea and approved the taste – I don’t want to take much of your time.  

Hermes had taken the seat on the opposite side of your own and filled a cup of tea for himself, leaving the teapot on the silver tray upon the small table between you. You took some time observing the Olympian’s fluid yet composed manners, distracted by the wavy lines of his tattoos while waiting for a response. And you had it when the man finally fixed his hooded eyes on you with curiosity and an undeniable trace of surprise.  

– Please, don’t worry about this, my girl. My time is all yours during the guardianship period – he replied with gentleness; and sighing, – I must confess I was starting to feel sad in these chambers. You know, the girls from the previous generations used to come to me for advice, and we ended up having so many interesting conversations! They always had funny stories to tell, and were so attentive! Good times that won’t come back. Now, they barely remember I’m here...  

Then, the sadness faded from his traits to give place to a cheerful smile.  

– So, thank you for visiting this lonely old man, my dear.  

You took a moment to understand why he was being so dramatic over something as simple as a visit, but once you did, you smiled too.  

Yes, I almost forgot it. Though he’s young compared to other gods, he’s been alive for thousands of years. We must be like children in his eyes. To him, having fun in our company is probably a reward for taking care of so many responsibilities.  

– Now, what can I do for you? – he continued – According to your registers, you’re one of the girls who haven’t found a divine master yet. Do you want to talk about this?  

You sighed and left your cup on the table.  

– Partly, yes. I hate to admit it, but now I'm starting to wonder if I really should have come.  

Your frustration, though justified, wasn’t surprising to Hermes, and you didn’t take long to find out why.  

– Hm... It might sound as a commonplace for you, but you’re not the first one to feel this way, and you will not be the last – he replied – It's tempting to think that taking longer than the others to find your place is a proof that something is wrong with you, but that’s not true. There could be many reasons for this to happen. For example, sometimes, there are just too much people competing for a god’s attention. Other times, there are girls whose abilities are suitable for the domains of gods who are not present. By the last days of the guardianship period, these girls might choose to come back home or to stay here and wait for new gods to come, gifting themselves with a second chance – he raised an eyebrow in a cunning way – But judging by my experience, you seem inclined to leave.  

You confirmed it.  

– Staying or leaving would be both hard decisions, but keep waiting for a guidance that might never come sounds worse to me.  

– We can tell that! – he chuckled – Y/n, what are your areas of interest, by the way?  

You thought for a moment, then decided for these three subjects:  

– Symbolism, philosophy and the interpretation of dreams. I have my reasons for choosing these fields, but I couldn’t find any deity to guide me in them until now.  

Hermes gave you a soft smile as an attempt to soothe his next words.  

– I’m sorry for this, but we haven’t received any gods of these fields this time. Athena, who might have guided you in her wisdom and teach you on the philosophers’ ways, always comes to seek for new apprentices, but she hasn’t come for at least two years and still hasn’t justified her absence. You could also have been suitable as a disciple of Buddha, but he rarely comes to Valhalla, preferring to stay among his former pairs – he giggled – And, honestly, finding him by yourself could be tricky even in the world of men. Morpheus and the other gods of the oneiric domains gave up on coming, for it’s rare to find individuals among the mortals who are really able to master their fields these days. And, finally, I myself am not versed in them, not enough to give you the help you need.  

He took his cup again and emptied its content before continuing.  

– I don’t want you to lose your hope, y/n-chan, but things are not promising for you in these areas. Maybe you could try and find something else. The regions of Valhalla prepared for you are large and full of varieties. There are many things in them that might catch a girl’s interest. Just give them a try – he took the teapot for the second time – More tea?  

You nodded and took your own cup, half empty, stretching it for the god to fill it. After that, Hermes got more tea for himself and you two stood in silence, each one’s attention turned to your cups.  

He was the one who restarted the conversation.  

– Anyways... It seems that not finding a master among the gods is not your only preoccupation. Is there anything else you’d like to discuss?  

You looked down at your cup, holding it with nervous hands.  

– May I ask you something, Hermes-sama?  

– Of course. What is it?  

You chose your next words carefully.  

– You are familiar with hundreds of gods, right?  

– Perhaps – he sipped his tea, his eyes glued on you above the cup – Why?  

– I really couldn’t find any master just like the other girls, but today I met a certain god... who didn’t tell me his name. 

The glimmer of curiosity in his eyes increased at these words. 

– I see. Some of them do this, for reasons only known by themselves. How was the encounter?  

You described the moment when you saw the gray-haired man and the conversation that followed, as well as the interest with which he examined your notes. You sensed shivers spreading all over your skin to the memory of those events.  

– The thing is that I’ve been dreaming about a place that I’ve never seen in my life – you explained – A place in ruins, where there’s no one else but me. I've been haunted by the idea that this dream has a meaning, and I’ve been researching in Valhalla’s Library, but I couldn’t find any clues.  

You left your cup on the table and crossed your hands over your lap.  

– This god told me that he himself has been dreaming about the same place, and just like it happened to me, the dream stopped the night before he came to Valhalla. He also said that the place we saw exists in reality and that... – you bit your lip and lowered your tone – That it's located in Hellheim. 

You saw the moment your listener held his breath to the mention of Hellheim. So, the mere mention of the Underworld was enough to shake the moods of a deity? How much of a complication was this situation of your, then? 

However, he didn’t interrupt you or ask anything.  

– The least I can say is that he impressed me... and scared me like no other. He had such a perspicacity, such an intelligence, a way with his words that I can’t explain... Before I could control my tongue, I found myself speaking about feelings and thoughts I swore to keep in secret. I could barely look into his eyes. I suppose he’s one of the eldest gods here, because he seemed to know so much, to see so much... I think it’s a miracle that I could stay on my feet during the entire conversation – you shrugged – Hermes-sama... do you know many gods like this?  

Hermes took all the time he needed to think of an answer. When he spoke at last, a note of seriousness was sensed in his tone.  

– I know a few, and in fact they use to be the eldest – he had his fingers under his chin – Would you mind describing his appearance to me?  

You sensed a heat coming up to your cheeks while you spoke.  

– Well, he was impressive in this too. A tall, young man with grayish hair and a vine tattooed on this side of his head – you indicated the tattoo’s position with your index finger on your own forehead – Do you know him?  

Your host kept his composed manners after hearing your description, but it didn’t escape your eyes a slight tremble in the hand with which he held his cup. He knew the individual, then. As if, as much as you were impressed by him, he was having a hard time trying to believe the said god was whoever he had in mind. 

– A tattoo of a vine, you say? – he spoke more to himself than to you.  

– Hermes-sama... do you know this god? – you insisted – Can you tell me who he is?  

He sighed.  

– Yes. I met a god with this description… But he doesn’t take any human as disciple. Neither he attends to Valhalla during this time of the year. Forgive me, but this all so strange. Unless…  

You were trying to stay calm, but the anxiety you sensed in him was making it more and more difficult. The way his eyes turned to you made you startle.  

– Child, as far as I remember, no other girl chose the same knowledge areas as you this year. And now you’re describing an encounter with a god who never shows up during Valhalla’s young mortals’ stay. It cannot be just a coincidence. But I’m not sure if this means something… positive.  

You swallowed. Were you in danger, then? Was this god a wicked person? Someone who was trying to deceive or to take advantage from you, something one would expect from gods such as Loki? Was Loki even there at the moment? Hermes’ considerations were giving you more doubts than answers.  

– Are you telling me that he might be an impostor? – you frowned – But why should he have any interest in me? 

– I can’t discard this possibility – was his cautious reply – It doesn’t please me tell you this, but some gods and goddesses who come to Valhalla have other intentions than gather disciples or apprentices. However, unless there is a unanimous decision from the council’s part, we cannot deny their entry. Personally, I see this as a problem, so all I can do for you girls is to warn you.  

You couldn’t deny the validity of this advice, but you weren’t entirely convinced. You’d rather trust your instincts saying that mimicking such a powerful presence was nearly impossible, even for someone of divine nature. 

– Hermes-sama, I’m glad for your warnings, but I don’t think he was lying. You know, I was raised in a town where we would meet all types of people, including thieves, liars and scammers. It was a dangerous place, so our parents taught us how to avoid their traps. I may not be used to deal with gods, but I can recognize a liar when I see one. And that man, that god, was not a faker. I'm sure of this. 

At first, you thought Hermes was going to minimize your convictions, taking them as the voice of a girl’s inexperienced heart, which could easily overcome prudence, but he didn’t say a word to counteract you. Maybe he has been dealing with young women for so long that he knew it wasn’t the wisest thing to do. You, on your side, could only thank him for not treating you with condescension. 

But he still had some words for you. 

– Even if he’s not lying, the best you can do for yourself is to be careful. But this doesn’t apply only to this god in particular. I don’t know how much you were taught about this, but the interactions between gods and mortals should never be taken lightly, even if they’re positive for both sides. Y/n, I know you’re a smart and sensible girl. So especially if you’re considering to stay under this god’s guardianship, I ask you to take care. 

Suddenly, as if remembering some task or appointments he still had to attend, Hermes stood up and told you it was time to go to your room. You put your teacup on the table and stood up immediately, not wanting to take more of his time. 

– But you still didn’t tell me the god’s name, Hermes-sama – you spoke while being led to the door. 

– Yes, I didn’t. But remember when I said we do this sometimes? – he put his hand over the door handle and smiled – He must have his reasons to act like this, and I, not being aware of them, cannot interfere. But my senses are telling me that he will soon reveal it to you… or you will discover it by yourself. 

You had no answer for that, as well as no desire to stay and discuss anything else. That night you found out something about gods: they loved a good mystery, especially at the cost of the human’s patience. 

– Just promise one thing to me, child – he asked right before opening the door – Be careful. 

– I will – was your determined reply – Again, thank you for receiving me. Goodnight. 

You left Hermes’ chambers with enough questions to prevent you from sleeping that night, but you also had some clarifications regarding the divine beings and how things worked for the humans in Valhalla. Yes, you had so much to think of – and you just gained the motivation you needed to keep pursuing the answers, since they’re not going to be given to you so easily. 

And perhaps that was when the typical irony in the treats between humans and gods manifested in your case, for if you had stayed close to that corridor or if you had the childish habit of hearing behind the doors, you could have found the answers right after the conversation with Zeus’ messenger. 

The thing is that, after you left, a second, unexpected guest came to Hermes’ door to discuss the other side of your question. 

Hermes was gathering the cups and organizing them on the tray beside the teapot, ready to take them to the kitchen, recalling the conversation with the clever human that could have been a Morpheus’ favorite when a couple of soft, regular knocks brought him back to this plane. 

He left the things on the table and smiled with himself, thinking you just forgot to say or ask something and came back… But then held his breath, forcing his feet to stay in their place when, instead of you, he met the very person you described, standing in front of him as if paying a visit by that hour, unannounced, after an incalculable time away from Valhalla was the most common thing to do. 

The man with greyish hair and a tattoo on his forehead. In fact, one of the eldest gods Hermes knew, and a member of his own family. 

– So… It’s really you… Hades-sama?! 

Part III