my dog don’t bite YES IT DO
“Hermes!”
Startled slightly, the books in Hermes’ hands shifted before they were clutched tighter to his chest. The voice was a known one, a warm one, and with a smile deserving of said warmth he turned to face Hythlodaeus. What he had not realized and, unfortunately now all too plain on his face as his smile fell, was that he was not alone. Behind him a step as ever they were when together, Halmarut stood.
Their face held a usual neutrality and something about it unsettled him more than if they looked upset. At least that was a quantifiable emotion one could read and act upon. This was nebulous, unknown as they ever were and yet nothing bad had yet happened. Yet. A key and worrisome word in its own right.
“Hythlodaeus, it’s good to see you. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?” Hermes offered, then dipped his head forward slightly in recognition. “And you as well, Halmarut. I take it you are here to observe a new creation of your word?”
“You gather correctly, they’ve only just had it approved and so we sought to see it in action out in the gardens. Peculiar little thing, much softer of a sort than he usually devises…” Hythlodaeus mused, mouth turned up in a small smirk as Halmarut snorted a short sound from their nose. “It’s cute, this creation. A little orb of a thing with a lily pad as its perpetual umbrella. It keeps it both shaded and fed as the pad collects sunlight and water both.”
“I should let you take my seat during meetings more often… you know my work as thoroughly as I do it seems…” Halmarut offered, crackle present in his words that felt akin to a fire not quite fed.
“Oh now, you know there is a reason you are in your seat. I am simply ever an admirer.”
“I’ve seen the concept of which you speak. The bryon, yes,” Hermes said, interjecting with a weak hand in the air as if he could catch the thread of conversation to pull himself along with it. “It is taking quite well to its area, but you will not find it in the Hungering Gardens but near Poiten Oikos at the streams there. It seems pleased to stand in the waters there.”
Halmarut’s brows raised and Hermes’ stomach sank. “And how did it end up there…?”
Hermes drew his hands together, wringing them once before dropping them in favor of holding a hand out to the areas mentioned. “Well, it seemed to fuss where it was and the other of your word that came along with its introduction moved it around to see where it would better rest.”
“They did, did they? I see,” Halmarut said, words barely perceptible between their lips.
“Concepts have a mind of their own once made. Fascinating sort of things aren’t they? Never all that predictable even if we are their maker.” Hythlodaeus chuckled, hand curled to his mouth and Halmarut’s frame seemed to lessen its tension and so with it went Hermes’ if only in some small part. “Nevertheless, your direction is much appreciated. Your job is well handled clearly.”
“Yes, quite,” Halmarut offered and Hermes wasn’t certain it was meant as compliment. “Thank you for the information. If you wish to continue to catch up, you may, I need attend to this.”
Without another word, wave or confirmation, Halmarut moved forward with a quick yet even stride and as he did the aether around him shimmered taking his form entirely into nothing leaving him gone. No doubt to the main crystal near Poieten Oikos where he would find the concept where it now found itself to frolic. A pang touched Hermes’ chest in fear of its well-being, if its design was not what they desired would it exist beyond the next chime of the clock?
He could not know. He could never know.
“Shall we see what you are working on, perhaps?”
happy saturday im still working on random ancients stuff and subjecting bestie to them with stupid titles #orionsbelt