Chapter Text
Joel smiled as he looked at the tiny pale blond feather from that day. It was hanging on a leather cord necklace, one filled with many intricate knots, on the wall of the Mezalean Palace. In a hallway that was in constant use. It was an avian tradition to take one of the first feathers that were preened from a child and create a beautiful necklace with leather cord, to honor the beginning of their life, then put it on display.
Joel and Sausage were happy to do so once they were told about the tradition.
They’d spent weeks learning how, before actually making the official piece. Sausage had one from when he first preened Hermes hanging on the wall of his home in Sanctuary as well. Everytime he had guests over he’d point it out before gushing about the little avian and how he was growing.
“Daddy!” a voice exclaimed brightly, bringing Joel out of his thoughts. He looked over to see his son running towards him. Joel crouched down a bit and easily caught the young avian, lifting him off the ground with a smile and a laugh.
“And what are you up to?” Joel asked with a smile. Hermes giggled, before cupping his hand around Joel’s ear and whispering to him, like he was telling a secret.
“I hid Etho’s sword, and now he’s trying to get me to tell him where it is,” Hermes whispered, his wings fluttering with glee.
Joel laughed lightly at his son’s antics. It was only a moment after that when Etho came running from the very same way Hermes had come from.
“Please,” He began with a huff once he reached them, speaking to Hermes. “Just tell me where it is.”
Hermes shook his head in disagreement with a wide grin. Etho gave Joel a desperate look for help instead. The Crown Prince rolled his eyes in fake annoyance at him.
“Alright, let’s go find it,” Joel said, even with how much he was trying to act annoyed he couldn’t help the smile that grew on his face. Etho let out a sigh of relief, but Hermes gave him a tiny pout. “It’s probably somewhere in his room.”
“Nooo!” Hermes exclaimed disappointedly. His wings puffing out slightly. Joel took notice of how dirty they seemed. The little avian was going to have to be preened before bed that night.
“Hermes, Etho can’t do his job to protect us if he doesn’t have his sword,” Joel told him as he started walking, son still in his arms and Etho following right beside him. He couldn’t help but find the child’s disappointment more cute than anything else.
“Alright,” Hermes muttered with his pout.
“Sorry bud,” Etho said as he ruffled the hair on his head. His voice sounded barely sorry at all.
“Besides,” Joel began with a smirk, giving Etho a mischievous side eye. “If you want to hide things from Etho, just choose something that he doesn’t need to do his job. Like one of the books he’s reading.”
Etho gave him a betrayed look, but there was slight amusement too. Hermes’s eyes lit up with excitement as he let out a cheer. More than likely already thinking up a scheme to hide Etho’s books from him.
They soon did find Etho’s sword, hidden in Hermes’s nest like bed. Etho let out a sigh of relief, and Joel teased him for getting bested by a six year old. Or a six-ish year old.
They never would truly know how old Hermes was, but that didn’t bother them any. They were still a family, with or without being related by blood.
Joel didn’t regret for a moment choosing to sneak off that day or choosing to take care of Hermes. Even when Hermes’s tricks and schemes were turned onto Joel himself. Hermes was one of the best things that ever happened to him and he wouldn’t have him any other way.