| Part 4 Xena and Gabrielle stared at Joxer, Gabrielle�s mouth opening and shutting rather unattractively in shock. � What? Where? How?� she stuttered. Joxer flushed. � Where did you get those? Where�s your armour?� asked Xena when she�d recovered. Joxer shrugged, � Um, they were a gift.� � Who from?� asked Gabrielle. He shrugged again, he wasn�t about to tell them that! � This is weird, who keeps giving you stuff?� Joxer flushed, it was kind of strange that he�d received two gifts in as many days. But of course the kitten hadn�t been from Ares. As soon as the thought entered his head, he couldn�t get it to leave. Ares barely noticed him usually, why would he give him a kitten, let alone sign a note �your secret admirer�? No that was ridiculous, for some reason Ares had just been feeling generous. If anything he�d given Joxer the clothes because he�d known it would flummox Xena and Gabrielle, he couldn�t think of another reasonable explanation. --------------------------------------------------------------- � Time for phase 2,� said Cupid, shifting Bliss into his other arm so he could hug Strife. � Are ya sure about this one?� asked Strife. Cupid nodded, smiling confidently, � I know you�ll get the timing perfectly.� � Ok,� said Strife, � I betta go, see ya later,� he gave his lover a resounding kiss, making a slurping noise that never failed to make Bliss giggle. He grinned at his lover�s child, � Bye, bye sweetie,� he said, tickling Bliss lightly. Bliss squirmed, � Bye daddy Stwife,� he said still giggling. � Come on kiddo,� said Cupid to his son, �let�s go find great grandma.� -------------------------------------------------------------------- Using his considerable talents, Strife carefully directed Xena, Gabrielle and Joxer into the path of a group of bandits. There were two reasons for this, one the leader of the bandits was an ex-warlord who Ares hadn�t gotten around to dispatching yet. And two, he shared an unexpected history with Joxer. Xena pulled Argo to a halt, looking around carefully. � Damn,� she muttered as a group of men burst out of the forest and attacked them. She jumped onto Argo�s back, chakram flying out to take out two men before the fight even started. Then she somersaulted from Argo straight into the fray, sword at the ready. Gabrielle quickly joined her, staff swinging out to whack one man over the head. As always, they took the brunt of the attack, directing the fight away from Joxer, who was actually managing quite well without his bulky armour. But neither of them noticed when three of the warriors grabbed Joxer and dragged him into the trees. ------------------------------------------------------------------- � Uh, Unc?� said Strife hesitantly, Ares had been in a foul mood since Joxer�s visit to the temple. � What is it?� Ares snapped, barely looking at his nephew. � Just thought ya might want ta know,� he paused. � Know what,� Ares glared at Strife. � Well, Phitus is at it again,� Strife said. Ares snarled, � That ingrate, who is he attacking now?� � Uh, Xena,� said Strife, he�d barely spoken when Ares flashed out of the room. Ares watched the fight, Xena and Gabrielle were holding their own easily, but where was Joxer, and where was Phitus? He stalked through the trees to another clearing where Joxer was struggling against three men. � Come on Joxer,� said one of them, � You know you want it,� he sneered as Phitus started to rip Joxer�s clothes off. � No,� gasped Joxer, � Please, not again.� Not again? A growl erupted from Ares� mouth, these men had dared to hurt Joxer? Without thinking, he howled his fury and appeared before the four men. Phitus and his men gaped in shock which rapidly turned to fear as the furious War God launched himself at them. Phitus� two men were literally ripped to shreds by Ares� anger. Phitus backed away. � My-my Lord,� he stuttered fearfully. � You!� Ares rounded on him, � The only reason I haven�t killed you before was because you were too insignificant, but now,� he smiled unpleasantly, � now you will truly know what it is to fear.� He waved his hand, transporting the former warlord to the dungeons of his temple. Ares turned when he heard a small whimper. Joxer had backed up against a tree and was trying to cover himself, his face a picture of humiliation and fear. Ares could see bruises already developing on pale skin and had to hold himself back from comforting the man he loved. When he heard Xena calling for Joxer he waved his hand, quickly restoring Joxer�s clothes and healing his wounds just as Xena burst into the clearing. � Ares!� exclaimed Xena, staring between the two men in confusion. She took in the carnage unable to quite comprehend the situation. Joxer was still staring at Ares, his face even paler than usual. � What�s going on?� she said slowly. � Ah Xena,� said Ares putting his mocking mask firmly in place. � Anyone would think you�d started working for me again.� � What do you mean?� she asked. He waved his hand nonchalantly. � I�ve been meaning to get around to killing this lot for a while, you�ve saved me the bother,� he said casually, � Although punishing Phitus will be,� he paused, his face darkening for a second, � entertaining.� � What have you done to Joxer?� demanded Gabrielle. � Me? Nothing. They were going to damage my little gift, and Joxer did seem to enjoy his new clothes so,� he said. Gabrielle gaped, � You gave him those?� Ares smirked again, � Oh yes, didn�t he tell you?� then he disappeared in a flash. He felt ridiculously pleased that Joxer hadn�t told them about his gift. Xena approached Joxer cautiously, � Joxer, Jox?� she said quietly. The young man blinked rapidly and turned to look at her wide eyed. � Are you ok? Did you get hurt?� Joxer shook his head, he tried to speak but couldn�t get the words out. � Come on,� said Xena wrapping a comforting arm around him, guiding him back to the other, slightly less gory clearing. Joxer�s head was a swirl of confused emotions. Ares had rescued him, Ares had rescued him! And he�d hidden the attempted rape from Xena and Gabby, why? And the way he�d killed those two men. Joxer pulled away from Xena and ran over to a bush, leaning over as his stomach emptied itself violently. He continued to heave until there was nothing left, tears stung his eyes and he dropped to his knees. � Joxer?� said Gabrielle, she handed him the water flask. He smiled at her shakily and rinsed his mouth out before drinking a little of the water. The two women watched him in concern, they�d never seen Joxer so badly affected before, but as far as they could see, he wasn�t hurt. Which meant Ares had stopped his attackers. That confused them, even though Ares had said he�d been meaning to punish that group for a while. � Where�s Ares?� said Joxer quietly. � Huh? He�s gone,� said Gabrielle. Joxer shook his head. � Oh the kitten,� said Xena, � He�s here.� She picked up the small animal and handed it to Joxer. Joxer hugged the little kitten close, burying his face in its fur. � Come on,� said Xena, � let�s get away from here.� Joxer nodded numbly and stumbled after them. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Ares watched them leave. He was concerned about Joxer, especially when he�d been so sick. He didn�t really care if his thoughtless actions gave him away, he was far too worried about the implication of Joxer�s words to Phitus. How could he have missed something like that? Admittedly he couldn�t watch Joxer all the time, but he usually kept tabs on him, and nowadays he relied on Xena to keep her eye on him, even if she didn�t know it. Unless it had happened before he�d become more interested. Oh it was going to be a very bad day for Phitus. Just before he transported himself to his dungeons, Ares noticed a scroll rolling around the edge of the clearing. He realised he�d seen something fall from Joxer�s pack and stooped to pick it up. He unrolled it and scanned it. He blinked and then started to read it properly, swallowing hard. It was a vivid description of sex between two men. It actually brought a flush to his cheeks. Joxer likes men? Joxer likes men! He definitely had to keep a closer eye on his love. -------------------------------------------------------------------- After Ares had left, Eris appeared from where she�d been watching. It was a good thing she�d been there, if Ares had been a second longer she�d have interfered herself. But she shouldn�t have doubted her son, he�d had the timing down to a tee. She wasn�t sure of the wisdom of them reopening old wounds though, presumably they�d thought they�d need something quite drastic to get Ares protective streak working overtime. She shrugged, whatever, it had certainly been interesting to see her brother�s reaction. She sighed remembering a time when she�d felt, and provoked similar emotions. |