| Part 14 Ares stirred and groaned as he remembered just how much alcohol he�d consumed the night before. He concentrated, trying to get rid of the thumping in his head. It didn�t go away. Confused, he opened his eyes, then smiled. He was still lying on Joxer�s chest, and it was his love�s heartbeat he could hear. He shifted and then winced, � Shit,� he muttered. Gods, why was he sore? He flushed suddenly as he remembered the events of the night before. He chewed on his cheek thoughtfully, had he really done that? Said those things? He smiled suddenly, the drink had just loosened him up a bit. As long as nobody else knew what a pile of mush Joxer made him, he really didn�t care. He�d loved what Joxer had done for him. He loved Joxer! Smiling wider, Ares rubbed his bearded cheek against a nipple. Joxer groaned and shifted under him. He turned his head and licked the sensitised nub, before latching on and sucking. � Ares,� Joxer moaned, still mostly asleep. Ares smiled and slid his hand up Joxer�s chest, to pinch the other nipple lightly. He rolled on top of the thin frame of his lover and thrust his cock against Joxer�s hardening erection. At last, Joxer�s eyes opened and he stared up at the tender face of his Godly lover. He groaned and thrust upwards. � Morning, lover,� Ares grunted. He leaned down, taking Joxer�s lips in a fierce kiss. � Mmm,� moaned Joxer. His hands skimmed down Ares� back and clutched his hips, pulling him closer. � Morning,� he whispered against Ares� lips. He wrapped his legs round Ares� waist, as his lover continued to thrust against him. They kissed lazily, rocking together slowly. Ares slid a hand down Joxer�s side and gently kneaded his ass. Tension built and they began to move faster, the bed creaking under them. Joxer�s head dropped back and he stiffened. � Ares!� he groaned, coming in long, sticky jets. Ares thrust harder against the slick belly of his lover, before his back arched in his own release. He flopped onto Joxer, breathing hard, and kissed his neck. � I love you,� he whispered. Joxer chuckled, � I love you too, you big dope.� Ares lifted his head and tried to glare at him, � I beg your pardon?� Joxer tried to suppress a giggle, but failed miserably. � Big dope, am I?� Ares lifted up and dug his fingers into Joxer�s sides, tickling mercilessly. Joxer squirmed and tried to get away, laughing hysterically. Ares� weight held him down and he couldn�t get away. � P-please,� he gasped breathlessly, batting helplessly at Ares� hands. Ares grinned and relented, rolling off Joxer, and pulling him into a hug. � I�ve got to be going,� he sighed. � I know,� Joxer closed his eyes and laid his head on Ares� chest. � Do you think you�ll still be able to continue with your plan?� Ares chuckled, � If I know my son and nephew, they�ll have been far too wrapped up in themselves to notice I�d gone.� Joxer smiled and pulled back, � Will you come tonight?� Ares pretended to have to think about it, until Joxer poked him. � Try keeping me away,� Ares stroked Joxer�s hair. He cleaned them up and dressed them both with a wave of his hand, and got out of bed. He pulled Joxer to his feet and into his arms, kissing him soundly. � See you later, love,� he said, and disappeared. Joxer sighed. Last night had been unexpected and it had been wonderful. He smiled to himself, hopefully, it would be his turn tonight. He definitely wanted to feel Ares inside him. � Stop it!� Ares� voice echoed round the room. Joxer grinned, � Sorry.� He felt a ghostly kiss pressed to his neck, and then he was alone again. Humming happily to himself, he wandered down stairs to find some food. Iolaus and Hercules were already sitting, eating breakfast, so he joined them. Iolaus grinned at him, � Good night?� Joxer snorted, � Better than good!� Hercules offered him an apologetic smile, � I�m sorry I was judgemental, I just.� Joxer interrupted him, � It�s okay Hercules, I know your history with Ares.� Hercules nodded, � As long as you�re happy.� Joxer smiled, � I am.� Iolaus frowned and Hercules and Joxer followed his gaze. Autolycus was coming down the stairs and he was walking very strangely. Gingerly Autolycus moved over to the table, and snagging a cushion, he lowered himself carefully onto a chair with a grimace. � What happened to you?� Autolycus flushed, � Um, nothing?� Iolaus snorted, � Right, which is why you�re walking like you�ve got a pole stuck up your,� he stopped and blinked. � Are you okay? What happened?� he asked, suddenly concerned. � Really, I�m fine,� Autolycus answered with a small smile. � Things didn�t go quite as planned, but I think they turned out better than I could have hoped.� The other three men frowned in confusion, but he refused to expand, no matter what they asked him. They were still trying to get him to explain, when a tired looking Xena and Gabrielle joined them. � Well,� Autolycus smirked, � looks like everyone had a good night. I�d say, between the six of you, nobody else got a wink of sleep!� Four of them flushed, Gabrielle just looked confused. � Six?� � Oh, come on! You didn�t hear Jox and Ares going at it like hammer and tongs, last night?� � Auto!� Joxer flushed a deeper red. Gabrielle turned slightly green, � Euw! No, thank the Gods.� Xena elbowed her. � What?� Gabrielle glared at her, � I�m sorry, but the idea grosses me out, hey!� She jumped suddenly and turned to look behind her, � Ow!� she rubbed her ass, � What was that?� Joxer bit his lip as only he heard the voice of his lover, � Little bitch!� � Ares,� he whispered, � Behave.� � Yes dear.� Invisible fingers trailed down his neck and he shivered. � Joxer?� Xena was staring at him. He met her gaze as innocently as he could. � Is he here?� Joxer�s lips twitched, and he nodded. Ares appeared next to him, putting a possessive hand on his shoulder. He smiled mockingly at Gabrielle. � I�m sorry, did I hurt you?� he asked sarcastically. She glared at him. � Oh shame. Well,� he turned to Joxer, � I really, really should go now.� He leaned down and kissed Joxer thoroughly, ignoring the gagging noise Gabrielle was making. Straightening, he smirked at the others, before disappearing. Autolycus smirked at Joxer and winked. Joxer glanced round at the others. Xena looked kind of shell shocked, he supposed knowing something and seeing it were two entirely different things. Hercules was staring at him, wide eyed, he�d heard the �Ares, behave� comment, and couldn�t quite understand how Joxer had gotten away with it. Iolaus just blinked, � So. Any plans for today?� Joxer shook his head. � Nope,� said Autolycus. � Us neither,� said Xena. � Wow, this has to be a first,� Iolaus raised his eyebrows, � Whatever shall we do?� ----------------------------------------------------------- Ares sat down in his hall, he could tell Cupid and Strife were still at home, so hopefully, his sneaking out hadn�t been noticed. He shifted around in his chair, so his legs were in the air and his head hung off the edge, and waited for his lieutenant to come to work. He didn�t have to wait long. Strife appeared in the hall, took one look at his uncle and disappeared again. Ares chuckled and waited expectantly. Strife appeared again, this time with Cupid. � See!� � Uh, Pops?� Cupid approached him cautiously. Ares grinned inanely, � Boys!� He tried to right himself and promptly fell out of the chair. He frowned and blasted it. Then he grinned up at Cupid and Strife from the floor. � Whatcha doin� up there?� He waved his hand and they found themselves on the floor with him. � Wanna play?� Ares beamed at them. Cupid and Strife exchanged worried glances. � Um, not right now,� said Cupid slowly. His eyes widened as his father pouted, bottom lip trembling. Cupid grabbed Strife, � We�ll play with you soon, we just have to do something first.� Ares stared at them for a moment, then he brightened, � �kay.� Cupid and Strife stared at him for a moment, then disappeared. Ares bit his lip, then he collapsed onto the floor in gales of laughter. ----------------------------------------------------------------- � MOM!� Cupid shouted urgently. � Cupie?� � Mom, have you seen Dad?� Aphrodite sighed, � Yes,� she said seriously. � What�s happened?� Strife asked. � You�d better sit down.� Three chairs appeared. � What�s going on?� Aphrodite looked down, biting her lip. This really was too cruel! � Ares gave Joxer his mark.� � But, isn�t that a good thing?� Cupid asked. � Only if the recipient truly loves the giver,� said Aphrodite, � You know that.� � But�� � But what? You saw him.� Cupid looked down, � He�s gone mad?� Aphrodite nodded. Strife sighed, � Gods, I�m glad you didn�t give your mark to Psycho!� Cupid looked at him and nodded, � Me too,� he said, with a heartfelt sigh. � What are we going to do?� � There�s nothing we can do. Once given, the mark can�t be taken back.� � But, I don�t understand,� Strife said, � Joxer loves him.� Aphrodite shrugged, � Not as much as Ares loves him.� Cupid clutched Strife�s hand, eyes filling with tears. Aphrodite winced inwardly. *Ares?* *What?* *Please Ares, this is too much, they�re really upset* There was no answer. � I�m gonna kill �im,� said Strife suddenly. � Who?� Aphrodite was confused. � Joxer!� � No, you can�t!� � Why not? No Joxer, no mark, Unc�s back to normal.� *Ares! Strife�s threatening Joxer�s life!* There was an explosion and Ares appeared, � NO!� he shouted. Aphrodite, Strife and Cupid winced at the volume. � Dad?� Cupid stood and approached his father. Ares saw the tear tracks and sighed. � I�m fine, really. It was a joke,� he said lamely, almost backing away from Cupid�s glare. � A joke? You call that a joke?!� Cupid spat. � Argh!� He dropped to his knees, clutching his stomach. � Cupe?� Strife was at his side in an instant. � I�m, I�m okay,� Cupid gasped, � The baby was objecting, I think I may have a small hole in my abdomen.� Ares crouched down in front of the couple and touched his son�s shoulder. � I�m still pissed at you,� Cupid said. Ares smiled weakly, � I guess I deserve it. No more matchmaking your parents though, okay?� Cupid and Strife looked at each other guiltily. � What did you do?� Ares asked suspiciously. � Uh, we may have set up Mom,� Strife whispered. � Eris?� Ares started to laugh, � You set up Eris?� He collapsed on the floor, making a noise which sounded suspiciously like giggling. � Did, did it work?� he gasped. Strife shrugged, � Dunno yet, but Mom likes a challenge.� � Wh-who?� � Autolycus.� Ares whooped with laughter. � Um, Mom?� Cupid frowned, � Are you sure Dad�s okay?� � Course, sweetie, he�s in love.� Cupid smiled, � Oh, right!� � Uh, Unc?� Ares looked up, still sniggering at the thought of his twin being set up. � Did ya really give Joxer your mark?� Ares nodded. � What�s it like?� Ares frowned thoughtfully, � It�s like a palpable link between us, I can feel him all the time. I can feel what he feels, well, strong emotions. It�s like he�s a part of me,� Ares sighed dreamily, much to Aphrodite�s amusement. Strife swallowed and glanced at Cupid, � Uh, Cupe?� he bit his lip nervously. � Can I? Will you?� Cupid smiled at his husband, � C�mere.� Aphrodite and Ares watched the two young Gods place a hand on each others� shoulders. They winced at each other as their marks burned into their skin. � Oh, Cupe!� gasped Strife. � Oh Strifey!� Cupid whispered. � Oh please,� Ares groaned. Aphrodite elbowed him in the ribs, � Shh, it�s romantic.� � Whatever.� � You know giving your mark to another God, means true love for eternity, it�s hardly ever done,� Aphrodite raised an eyebrow, � At least with a mortal, when they die, the bond is broken.� Ares looked as though she�d slapped him, � Die?� � You hadn�t thought of that had you?� Ares shook his head numbly, � He can�t, I can�t�� � S�okay Pops, he�s your chosen consort. I�m sure Grandpa will give him immortality,� Cupid squeezed his father�s shoulder. Ares snorted, � I�ll believe that when I see it!� |