When the 'pot stopped boiling', Athena chased him out of her tower.
Alex hummed a nursery rhyme as he walked back home, and met Hermes by the entrance.
"Alexei-boy, you're back from being under the constant surveillance of Athena?" Hermes didn't forget to mock him.
Alex ignored his remarks and asked, "What did Zeus want with you? That sounded like nothing good."
Hermes hinted at him to come in first, and they sat together in their usual spot, on the balcony.
"Well, I negotiated a vacation from my duties since something big is coming up." Hermes shrugged.
"What's that?" Alex was curious.
"In four months from now, I need to go all the way to the land of the Qin dynasty, to settle the border disputes between Hellenia, where Olympus rules, and the domain of the Jade Emperor."
'Land of Qin? China??????' Alex was astonished at this.
"Who's the Jade Emperor?" Alex asked him.
"The leader god of their domain, similar to Zeus, and also equally as strong. Alexei-boy, we're not the only gods in this world." Hermes informed him.
Alex nodded, as he remembered the time he met the monk Padmapani and the prince Aadityapal in the city of Olep a very long time ago, back when he was still very weak.
'That monk clearly wasn't mortal.' Alex recalled the supernatural strength he had exhibited.
"Actually, Alexei-boy, I'm telling you this because I want you to come." Hermes suddenly declared.
"WHAT!?" Alex wasn't drinking any tea right now, but if he was, he would surely have spilled it.
'Visiting China?' The more he thought about it, the more interested he became.
"Can I really come?" Alex asked again.
"Well, it's going to be a long journey, but you're welcome." Hermes nodded in approval.
It felt overwhelming, that now, Alex would go from visiting a city as sent by Aphrodite, to going to the Underworld, to crossing the entire Old World?!
"It's four months from now, right?" Alex asked, with Crista in mind, who he needed to find a way to inform about this long journey.
"Yes, exactly 4 months from now." Hermes rectified it.
After that, they had a cheerful conversation.
Hermes spoke to him about his new lover, Marzia, and all of the adventures he's gone through with her and he spoke to Hermes about his anxieties about his low strength, his uncertain and dangerous future in Olympus, and his homeworld.
"Alexei-boy."
"Yes."
"I brought you here. I may not be the strongest god, but rest assured, as long as you are here, I will guarantee your safety the best I can." Hermes wasn't usually this serious as his face was lacking the playful smile that had become default to his expression, but whenever he had this manner, Alex knew he could trust him.
"Thank you, Hermes." Alex thanked him honestly and said, "Have I ever thanked you for bringing me here? You kind of changed my life."
Hermes went back to his cheerful self and waved his hand.
"Don't mention it, Alex. This place has never been so noisy and bright."
"You know, Olympus is a lonely place, and that is something we all refuse to admit, but I can't lie, it has been feeling much less lonely with you here." Hermes chuckled.
Alex couldn't give any response to this, as Hermes has never been this vulnerable about his emotions in the past.
He didn't expect that of all people, Hermes, who was usually bubbly and carefree and seemed to know the most people, was the one that felt lonely.
"Nevermind, forget all of that. I'm supposed to be the Messenger of Olympus and the God of various other things, emotions will just get in the way of that, wouldn't they?" Hermes lamented.
"Don't say that, Hermes." Alex continued, "Perhaps being divine beings and all, you try to hide the 'human' part of you, but I'll tell you, you can't hide from it, and if you try to, you'll suffer for all eternity, since you can't even die.'
Alex was surprised at the words that came out of his own mouth.
"I guess you bring out that human part in all of us?" Hermes asked, but it seemed to be a question directed towards himself.
"Alex, I've never been so happy before, as dumb as that might sound. Before you came, the only time Athena and I would ever talk was at the divine council or formal meetings, yet now we regularly see each other."
"And now, I have a lover that I want to become so much closer with and you, with whom I've formed an unexpected friendship."
Hermes then asked him, "Back in your world, did your people have these sorts of discussions often?"
'Hmmm' Alex thought about it, and it was true that in his time, the stigma surrounding mental health had mostly faded away and people were more open with their struggles.
Thus, he nodded.
Hermes sighed and said, "I really needed this, I think. It's been hundreds of years since my birth and I have never spoken about this to everything, and I couldn't even imagine saying this to Father or Stepmother or god forbid, Aphrodite."
Alex told him, "If you ever wish to speak about this, I am your friend, and will always listen."
"Thank you, Alexei-boy."
Alex felt like they overstated the impact he had on them.
On the day of the eclipse, Athena told him that he was able to achieve the miraculous feat of uniting the family, though he didn't think it was that big of a deal.
Following his deeper than usual discussion with Hermes, Alex remembered he had yet to test the effects of Hephaestus's Essence on his abilities.
"Umm, Hermes, are there any forging equipment and materials around?"
Hermes frowned and thought about it, before nodding, "Strangely, yes, we do."
"Before he sheltered himself in that lava pit of his, Hephaestus used to come here often, so I think I still have his spare anvil and hammer from a few hundred years ago."