𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧 ─── twins

𝕿heir marriage was blessed and warm...

Delia lay by Hermes' side, her eyes closed as she revelled in the peacefulness of her island, and that fact that Hermes was back by her side and alright.

"I can see that you are awake," Hermes murmured, pressing a kiss to her head, as he rolled back around to hold onto her once more. "Your breathing shifted."

"Be that as it may, I do not want to get up," Delia replied, curling further into Hermes' side as the light filtered down onto their face. "It is too early for that."

"It is, but I want to go and steal some of your cakes for the kitchen, so alas, it is time to wake," Hermes replied, sitting up and grabbing onto Delia.

"No," She whined, as Hermes laughed and picked her up in his arms. "Hermes!"

"Come on," He span around, as Delia squealed and grabbed onto him once more. "You know you want cake for breakfast."

"If you drop me," Hermes grinned, leaning down to press a kiss to her head as he dropped and caught her again. "Hermes!"

He laughed at her indignant cry, before starting down the stairs and towards the kitchen. 

"You're annoying, you know that," She murmured, as Hermes grinned and set her down on one of the counter tops in the kitchen. "Muffins are in the box over in the corner."

"Thank you," Hermes wandered over, grabbing the box and hopping back up to sit next to Delia. "I may be annoying, but I know that you find it endearing."

"I am still debating whether or not that is true," Delia murmured, snatching the tin from him and opening it up, her jaw dropping in shock. There used to be thirty two in the box, but there were only eight. "How many of these did you eat?"

Hermes was already starting to eat another muffin, as he looked at her with wide eyes and a sheepish grin. She rolled her eyes, grinning as she started to eat the muffin in her hand. 

"What are you thinking about?" Hermes looked down at Delia's question, a grin growing on his face as he wrapped an arm around her.

"How incredible you standing up to Zeus was," Delia rolled her eyes, turning away from the god as he grinned. "Especially the punching part. I bet that felt good."

"It did." Delia replied, before a shout of her name cause the pair to jump. 

"Delia! Come here now!"  The pair shared a glance, before Delia rushed back upstairs to where Leto was calling her.

"What is it? What is going on?" Leto was holding onto her stomach, groaning in pain, clutching on the stair rail.

"The babies are coming,"

"What?" Delia raised her eyebrows, as Hermes appeared behind her.

"The babies are coming! I am giving birth," Hermes and Delia shared a clueless look with one and other. "Gods above. Fetch the goddesses! Now!"

"I am off," Hermes disappeared instantaneously as Delia resisted the urge to curse at him, helping Leto back towards the bed.

"It's all going to be alright,"

"I am about to push two gods out of my stomach, do not tell me it is going to be alright!" Leto growled, as Delia shivered in horror. If this was what happened when you gave birth, she decided that she would be putting pregnancy and child birth off for a very, very long time.

"What do you want me to say?"

"Nothing!" Delia jumped, before helping the Titan lie down on the bed. "Where is...?"

"Don't worry, help is at hand," Persephone and Amphitrite swept into the room, followed by a whole host of other goddesses. Delia huffed at so many people that she didn't know being on her island. She didn't like that. "We shall help you with these babies, with no problem."

"Where's Eileithyia?" An older goddess called, looking around as Delia narrowed her eyebrows. Who was Eileithyia? "She should be here."

"Goddess of childbirth," Amphitrite leant down to whisper to Delia. "She is sort of important."

"Oh," Delia nodded, before furrowing her eyebrows. "I can ask Hermes to get her."

"Might be best," Persephone called, as Delia stepped from the room. It only took a moment, before Hermes appeared beside her, his helmet in his hands.

"Is everything alright?" A piercing scream answered his question, and both Hermes and Delia winced. "What do you need?"

"Do you know where Eileithyia is?" 

"I do."

"Can you get her?"

"I can." Hermes grinned, before leaning to kiss her cheek. "I'll be back in a second, then I shall be gone."

"You are running away?"

"Childbirth is not my place." Hermes began to back off. "I do not wish to be dragged into it, least of all with all the other goddess' here."

"Hermes, you cannot leave me here."

"I am so sorry, my love."

"Hermes..."

"Delia!" Leto called, as Hermes winked at her, before disappearing. Delia's eyebrows furrowed, cursing at the dust cloud that he left in his wake, before huffing and entering the room once more. 

"Hermes is just going to get her." Delia promised, reappearing with a grin. "It is all alright."

Leto only shot her a withering look in response.

☾☼☽

"You know, I thought you would have passed out halfway through that." Leto smiled cheekily at Delia, who huffed and rolled her eyes. Delia rocked the small baby in her arms, letting the child cling to her fingers as she ignored her friend's teasing. "You went so pale, it was almost as if an eidolon had wandered into this room."

"I will not bake you any sweet treats."

"That is an empty threat." Leto replied. "I have just given birth and you cannot resist me."

"I could."

"No you could not." Leto laughed, rocking the other child. "I almost thought I would get out of bed and wake you from your sleep myself."

"You giving birth to my beautiful niece and nephew has served to remind me of how little I want children and childbirth."

"I am glad that this was what persuaded you." Leto agreed, as Delia rocked the little boy, who was fast asleep, before placing the child into a bassinet. "But if you change your mind, you know that I always wish to be your child's favourite auntie."

"You would have to fight Amphitrite for that if I ever had children. Maybe many, many years in the future."

"You are good at keeping me in suspense."

"I try." They fell into silence for a moment, as Delia let her hand linger near the boy's cheek, brushing against it gently as she smiled.

"Where's Hermes? I have not seen him fluttering around." Leto looked back up at the woman. "I would have thought that he would be here to see the children."

"He does not know whether it is safe to come back yet." Delia murmured, causing a laughter to sound in the room as Leto's head fell back in disbelief. "He will be back soon, and see them tomorrow, I think. But I will also let you rest. You deserve it."

"Thank you, for everything, not just today." Leto caught her arms, squeezing her hand gently. "You are truly the most wonderful friend that I could have ever asked for. I am glad the universe granted me this opportunity to meet you."

Delia leant down, pressing her forehead to Leto's before kissing her cheek and backing away.

"Rest. I shall see you on the morrow." Delia left the room, backing away with a shake of her head before turning at the patter of feet. There was a familiar presence beside her as Hermes appeared, and Delia chuckled. "They are gone now. You looked like a scared deer in headlights."

"You were not much better if I recall." Hermes pointed out, before leaning down to kiss her cheek. "Was it alright? How is Leto?"

"She is good. The children are healthy."

"Twins?"

"A daughter, first born, and a boy, second."

"Lovely. I shall see them tomorrow." Hermes replied, before leaning down to kiss her sweetly, his lips tasting like apples and sugar. "I apologise. I did not say hello properly to you."

"Hello Hermes."

"Hello my love." He mumbled against her lips, kissing her once more. They retreated to their shared room as Delia began to get ready to sleep, listening to all that Hermes told her of who had spoken to him and the congratulations that had been issued for Leto and her children. "Finally, I saw Amphitrite before I came back here. She is the one who told me that it was safe."

"Yes, that sounds like something she would say."

"She asked when we were having children." Delia laughed. "What? Am I that horrible to think of having children with?"

"After seeing Leto have her twins, I would rather not. Not at least for years." Delia spun to look at him. "You were thinking of having children with me? A future?"

"Yes." Hermes nodded, before circling back. "I see, so does that mea-"

"You were thinking of our future?" Delia cut him off, looking at Hermes with the start of a smile playing on her lips. "You wish to stay with me?"

"Delia, I wish to marry you." Hermes replied with a shrug. "Should you have me that is. I am simply trying to work out how best to go about it."

"To go about what?"

"Marrying you, of course." Hermes chuckled, before standing to take a hold of Delia's hand, smiling down at her. "It has to be perfect, for you deserve nothing less."

Hiya,

So, Hermes is gonna marry Delia and unlike the last time this was written, I'll be nice and let you see the wedding this time cause I forgot to write it last time. I hope you enjoyed it and please let me know what you think in the comments, I'd love to hear your opinions.

Let me know what you think,

Love Li xx