Life's a Bitch, Then You Fall in Love
Pairings: Cupid/Strife, Ares/Apollo, Eris/Auto
Rating: NC-17
Category: total AU, first times
Archive: AJCS
Disclaimer: Not mine ::sigh:: but I really think they�d be happier if they were
Warnings: Underage sex
Sequel/Series: Prequel to �Life Sucks, But Love�s Great�
Notes: Set in an American highschool so don�t expect Greek Gods, also, no Joxer in this one, this is mostly a C/S fic
For everyone who was so lovely about Life Sucks, luv ya guys! And especially for Christine, for encouraging me to post Life Sucks, and demanding this prequel :) and all the beta�ing, Strife dipped in whipped cream for you, hon!
Life�s a Bitch, Then You Fall in Love
Life sucked. Life sucked rocks. Life sucked ass in a big way! Strife sighed, his life just had to be the suckiest of all time.
His parents were gone. Well okay, they�d died, but he fully intended on blaming them anyway! If they hadn�t gone off on holiday without him in the first place, none of this would be happening! He wouldn�t be at this fucking school, getting his ass kicked.
But then, his parents had liked doing that; fucking off and leaving him for months at a time. Maybe if they hadn�t he would feel something, other than just being numb.
Of course it would be nice if he was numb now, maybe he wouldn�t be able to feel the bruises developing from the latest kicking the jock squad had just given him.
Strife grinned suddenly at the thought of being able to get Hercules back. It helped that they all lived in the same house now. His uncle Zeus had just married Hercules� mom. His cousins Ares and Eris were *so* not happy about that!
Strife dragged himself up off the floor with a small curse of pain. Revenge was going to be so fucking sweet!
On his way out of the locker room, he caught sight of Gabrielle and Xena and sighed. There was just no way Gabrielle would say yes if he asked her to the Spring Dance. They glanced his way and started laughing. Flushing with frustration and anger, he turned abruptly and walked straight into solid chest. Strife fell on his ass.
�Well, that topped off a fucking *great* day,� he muttered.
�Sorry, man.�
Strife looked up. Cupid had his hand out, so he took it and let himself be hauled to his feet and back up against that solid chest. Now why couldn�t he be built like Cupid or Ares, or even Hercules? Even at sixteen they were powerhouses of muscle, whereas he was a skinny runt.
�You okay?�
Strife started and realised he was still holding Cupid�s hand. He pulled away hurriedly. �Uh, yeah sure, sorry,� he muttered.
�No problem,� Cupid smiled and Strife swallowed nervously. He walked away quickly, unnerved by the feeling of Cupid�s eyes on him.
�Fuck!� Strife swore to himself. One unobtainable crush was quite enough right now. And for Christ�s sake, Cupid? The guy was straight as an arrow! Strife hurried to his next class, trying not to think of Cupid�s piercing eyes.
@>*~
Strife lounged on Eris� bed reading his science notes. Eris was at her desk writing an English assignment.
�What in hell is this Mendel guy on about?!� Strife sighed.
�Dude, that�s the easy part of genetics,� Eris laughed. �Do you want my notes?�
�Yeah, they might make a bit more sense, seeing as how you actually listen in class,� Strife grinned at his cousin. �Hey, where�s �Res?�
Eris shrugged, �Out somewhere. Dad�s gonna have kittens if he�s late for dinner again!�
�Your dad�s way harsh on him, I�m not surprised he stays out sometimes,� Strife commented.
�Yeah, well, having the big jerk around, with his good grades, being in the football team and his �I can do no wrong� smile, isn�t helping!� Eris snorted.
�I have plans for Jerkules,� Strife smirked.
�I�ll bet you do,� she chuckled, �That shiner�s developing nicely!�
Strife frowned, �Yeah, the fucking asshole and his little buddy, Hunter, cornered me in the locker room.�
�Where was �Res?� Eris asked.
�I don�t know,� Strife shrugged.
�You talking about me?� Ares poked his head through the door.
�I was wondering where you were when the jerk and his bud were pounding the crap out of Strife today,� Eris said quietly.
Ares stepped into the room and shut the door behind him. He walked over to the bed and lifted Strife�s chin. �Son of a *bitch*!� he swore.
�Chill, �Res. I spoke to Rita. Jerkules will be getting a nice dinner of doggy chow,� Strife laughed. Rita was the housekeeper and had been with the family for years, she had practically brought up Strife�s mother and his uncle, and then done the same for Ares and Eris when their mother had disappeared, and Strife whenever he was dumped by his parents, and after they�d died.
Ares smiled, �Good one! Sorry I wasn�t there, man.�
�You can�t be there for me all the time, dude, don�t worry about it,� Strife said quietly.
Ares sighed and sat down on the bed. �I know, but I feel bad.�
�Well don�t, I�ve had worse,� Strife said firmly. Ares nodded. Strife knew his cousin would like to argue the point further, but that he knew Strife wouldn�t listen.
�Any progress with Gabrielle?� Ares asked quietly.
Strife snorted, �Yeah, right. Her and Xena were laughing at me, especially when Cupid knocked me on my ass!�
�Cupid?� Ares frowned again.
�Oh that was an accident, man. Ya know, for a jock, Cupid isn�t too bad,� Strife commented.
�Actually, I get the feeling he doesn�t much like the rest of the football team, or any of that lot,� Eris commented.
�Really? What do you mean?� Strife asked, intensely curious all of a sudden.
�His parents are real strict, we�re talking majorly harsh. Like he has to go home straight after school, the only time he�s allowed out is for football practise and matches,� Ares explained.
�He never goes out?� Strife gaped.
�Nope, never. He�s not even allowed a girlfriend,� Ares shook his head.
�What about a boyfriend?� Strife muttered.
�What?� Ares frowned.
�Um, nothing!� Strife blinked rapidly.
�Dude?� Ares raised an eyebrow at him.
Strife sighed, �He�s just, you know, real nice and cute.� He blushed.
�Yeah, I guess. Not my type though,� said Ares thoughtfully.
�Not your type?! Oh please, he�s blond and buff, just like a certain Mister Sun I could mention,� Strife smirked at his cousin�s blush.
�Yeah, well, Apollo is out of my league so let�s just leave it, shall we?� Ares muttered.
�He is so *not* out of your league, dude, an� he is camper than a row of pink tents!� Strife chuckled.
�Whatever,� Ares said with a small grin.
�Boys, study?� Eris raised an eyebrow.
�Yeah, yeah,� Strife groaned.
Part 2
�I wouldn�t go to the Spring Dance with you if I had leprosy and couldn�t get anyone else on earth to look at me!�
Strife flushed and stared after Gabrielle as she walked away laughing.
�Man, that was harsh,� a quiet voice said behind him.
Strife swung round and flushed a deeper red, groaning inwardly. �Laugh it up all you want, Love. Just fuck off and leave me alone!� Strife snapped. He stalked off before Cupid could reply, swearing under his breath.
Two sets of humiliation in one day. Could his life get *any* suckier? Strife headed for his secret hiding place, he didn�t feel like dealing with anyone at lunch right now, besides, he wasn�t hungry.
He slipped into the library, which was pretty much deserted as always and he walked to the back to a small, almost hidden area of shelving that no one else seemed to know about. He sat down next to a stack and put his head on his knees.
What the hell was going on? He�d had a crush on Gabrielle for a while, even though she was a bitch. And while she�d just humiliated him, he found he didn�t and couldn�t give a fuck about that, just the fact that Cupid had been there.
Over the past couple of weeks, he�d seen an awful lot of Cupid. Every time he turned around, Cupid seemed to be there. And it was driving him nuts, the guy was gorgeous, and so far beyond his reach it wasn�t even funny. Not only that, he had a quiet, strong presence that made Strife feel decidedly nervous. Well, it made his heart pound anyway.
It was almost as though the other boy was watching him. But why?
�Wow, I didn�t even know this was here.�
�Fuck!� Strife jumped, clutching his chest in shock.
�Sorry,� said Cupid quietly.
�What are you� did you follow me?!� Strife exclaimed.
Cupid looked down and he shrugged, �Yeah, I guess.�
Strife frowned, what the fuck? �Why?�
�I, um, just wanted to see if you were okay,� Cupid said hesitantly, �And to tell you that I wasn�t laughing at you, you know. I thought Gabrielle was a stupid bitch for turning you down.�
Strife blinked, �I� what?!�
Cupid flushed, �I mean, I� well, she was unnecessarily rude.�
�So, you came to find me to tell me you weren�t laughing?� Strife asked. Cupid nodded. �Why? I mean, why bother?�
Cupid frowned, �Well, I, uh� Because you�re a nice guy, and I know you�ve been through a hard time recently. I didn�t want you to think I�m like the others, you know?�
Strife nodded slowly, �How�d you know?�
�Huh?� Cupid frowned.
�That I�ve had a hard time?�
�I heard. I�m real sorry about�� Cupid shuffled uncomfortably.
�Yeah,� Strife stared in confusion at the blond, not entirely sure how he could know about his parents. No one else did, well, of course except Ares, Eris and Hercules. �Um, do ya want to sit down?�
Cupid brightened and smiled, making Strife feel a little breathless.
�Sure,� Cupid nodded and sat with him.
@>*~
Strife walked home slowly, still buoyant from lunchtime. He and Cupid hadn�t talked much, in fact there had been a lot of awkward silences. But still, the fact that Cupid seemed to give a shit about his feelings, had sought him out to check on him. That was worth a lot to Strife.
�So?� Eris asked, when he walked into her room.
�What do you think?� he said quietly.
�Oh, I�m sorry, Strife. Was she really bitchy?� Eris grimaced ruefully.
�Yeah, but you know what? I don�t care!� Strife plonked himself down on her bed with a grin.
�Really?� Eris raised an eyebrow.
�Yup!� Strife smiled at her confusion.
�And this would maybe have something to do with a certain blond stud?� she grinned suddenly.
�Maybe,� Strife grinned back.
She nodded, �Cool.�
�Yeah, he�s real nice, ya know?� he smiled dreamily, much to Eris� amusement.
Ares walked in. �Hey guys, you all up for a night at E20?� he glanced at the two, �What? What�d I miss?�
�Strife mooning over Cupid,� Eris chuckled.
�I did not moon!� Strife objected loudly.
Eris snorted,� Oh, please, you went all dreamy!� Strife flushed and pulled a face at her.
Ares frowned slightly. �Be careful, Strife. He seems nice enough, but he�s still a jock, being gay is not an option.�
Strife crossed his arms defensively. �I know that!� he snapped, �I don�t have any illusions, but a guy can dream, can�t he?�
�Yeah,� Ares smiled gently, �I just don�t want you getting hurt, okay?�
Strife ducked his head. �Yeah. Sorry I snapped.�
Ares patted his shoulder. �So, you two want to go out?�
�Yeah, sounds cool,� Eris grinned. �Apollo wouldn�t happen to be there tonight, would he?�
Ares flushed lightly, �Yeah, he asked if I was going to be there, so I said yes.�
�Obviously,� Strife snorted, �That�s cool. Do you reckon he�s interested?�
Ares shrugged, �Who knows, he�s like, five years older than us.�
�Yeah, but you look older,� said Eris.
�We both do,� Ares replied.
�I�m not sure whether or not to take that as an insult,� Eris laughed. Ares just smirked at her.
Part 3
The E20 was a bright, cheery place with a friendly mix of gay and straight customers and staff.
Strife spotted Apollo quickly, surrounded as usual by a bunch of admirers, affectionately termed the Pollyboys. He pointed Ares in the right direction, chuckling as his cousin drifted slowly over.
�Shall we get a drink?� he asked Eris.
�Definitely! Who�s the new guy?� Eris whistled appreciatively.
Strife looked over at the drinks counter, �Ooh, cute, think he�s straight?�
�Oh, I hope so,� Eris grinned. �How do I look?�
�Like you have to ask?� Strife laughed, �Gorgeous, as always.�
�Why thank you, kind sir,� Eris smirked. �Let�s go.�
�What can I get ya?� the man asked with a smile at Eris.
�Two cokes, please,� Eris smiled back.
�Coming right up.�
�You�re new, aren�t you?� she asked.
�Yeah, name�s Auto, how ya doin�?�
�Just great thanks,� Eris grinned, �I�m Eris, this is my cousin, Strife.�
�Nice to meet you,� Auto nodded.
Strife took his coke and wandered away so Eris and Auto could chat each other up. He sat down at a table and glanced over to Ares, just in time to see Apollo yank him into a hard kiss. He blinked in surprise, Apollo sure didn�t hang around!
Oh well, good for Ares. Strife grinned to himself and settled back to watch. Apollo and Ares were getting pretty hot and heavy, if they didn�t watch it, they�d get thrown out. Then Apollo stood abruptly and dragged Ares out.
Strife laughed, he had a feeling Ares wouldn�t be making it home that night. He looked back up at the bar. Auto and Eris were talking animatedly, in between Auto serving drinks. Strife smiled to himself. He wondered how she did it. He wished he had a bit more confidence to just talk to someone like that.
Strife didn�t mind just sitting on his own. He just sipped his coke and watched people, only slightly envious of the couples. Later, Eris tapped him on the shoulder.
�Hey, you want to go?� she asked.
�Yeah, sure,� he smiled, �Any luck?�
Eris grinned, �I�m seeing him Saturday.�
�Cool,� Strife pinched her affectionately.
�Sorry I left you on your own,� she slipped an arm round his waist on their way out.
�S�okay,� he hugged her. �Ares got lucky,� he commented.
�Yeah,� Eris said quietly.
Strife frowned, �What? Aren�t you happy?�
Eris shrugged, �I guess, but I was kind of hoping Apollo wouldn�t go for him.�
�Why?� Strife asked.
�I don�t know,� she sighed, �There�s just something about him I don�t like.�
Strife frowned contemplatively. �I guess I hadn�t really thought about it.�
�Well, I could be wrong,� she said quietly, �Maybe I�m just being over-protective.�
Strife chuckled, �Isn�t that the brother�s job?�
Eris made a rude noise and slapped him playfully.
@>*~
�Well, shit,� Strife muttered. Talk about d�ja vu! �Look guys, it wasn�t my fault,� he stared at Hercules and Iolaus pleadingly.
�Yeah, sure, Payne, we believe you!� Hercules smirked, raising his fist. Strife flinched back.
�Strong, Hunter, don�t you have somewhere to be?�
Hercules pulled back and looked up, �Ah, come on, Cupe. He�s *so* asking for it.�
Cupid raised an eyebrow and Hercules sighed, walking off with Iolaus. Strife frowned in confusion.
�What was all that about?� Strife whispered.
�Hercules knows how I feel about bullying, he wouldn�t dare while I�m here,� Cupid said quietly.
Strife blinked in shock, �You really are a nice guy, aren�t you?�
Cupid gave him a small smile, �You don�t have to sound so surprised.�
�I, um, well, sorry,� Strife spluttered.
Cupid grinned, �That was a joke.�
Strife smiled, his heart was beating uncomfortably fast, but he wasn�t sure if it was left over from Hercules about to pound him, or from Cupid�s smile. �Yeah, course.�
�You okay?� Cupid asked. Strife nodded. �What was that about?�
�Oh, Jerkules objected to having dog food for dinner,� Strife muttered.
�Huh?� Cupid frowned.
�Oh, Rita, she�s like our nanny, she made Herc�s dinner with dog food when I told her about the last beating, he just found out,� Strife explained.
Cupid�s lips twitched, �Dog food?� He snorted. Strife frowned in bemusement, then grinned when Cupid burst out laughing. �Jerkules, I�ll have to remember that one!�
They grinned at each other almost stupidly for a couple of minutes, then Strife cleared his throat nervously.
�Well, um, I�ve got a class now. Thanks again.�
�Wait!� Cupid said quickly. Strife paused and raised his eyebrows. �History?� Strife nodded. �Yeah, me too. We could, uh walk together?�
Strife blinked, �Um, sure.�
They walked to class together in awkward silence. Surreptitiously, Strife let Cupid go in ahead, so it didn�t look like they were together. He didn�t want to hurt the guy�s rep.
Cupid gave him a tiny smile as he walked past him to sit down. Strife came to the conclusion that it was definitely Cupid that made his heart pound.
Part 4
When Strife got home, the place was in chaos. He quickly found his cousins.
�What�s going on?� he asked in confusion.
�We�re moving out,� Eris said quietly.
�Huh?� Strife shook his head.
��Ris and I are going to live in the guesthouse. There�s only two bedrooms, but the couch turns into a bed, do you want to come too?� Ares asked.
�Hell yeah!� Strife exclaimed, �I ain�t livin� here without you two!�
Ares grinned, �Good!�
�So, what�s the deal?� Strife asked with a frown.
�I had a fight with Alcmene about Hercules,� Ares muttered, �Guess who dad sided with?�
Strife pulled a face, �Shit, that sucks, dude!�
�Yeah, I know!�
Strife helped his cousins move all their gear into the guesthouse, but left most of his own behind, he�d just sleep and hang there. He could leave his stuff at the main house. His uncle Zeus was pretty good to him, even though Strife knew it was because he felt bad about his mom. He definitely got away with a lot more than his cousins.
@>*~
�This is nice, ya know,� Strife commented, lounging back on the couch. He�d gotten used to living between the two houses after a couple of weeks.
�Sure beats living with the jerk!� Ares laughed.
�So, �Res, how�s it going with �Pol?� Strife asked.
�S�okay,� Ares said quietly.
�Yeah, you sure? You been walking awful funny recently,� Strife smirked.
Ares flushed and cleared his throat. �Yeah, well he�s uh, very enthusiastic.�
�I�ll bet!� Strife snorted. �You going to the drive-in special with him?�
�Yeah. I think everyone�s going, aren�t they?� Ares smiled.
�Yeah, Cupe said his parents are even letting him go,� Strife replied.
��Cupe�?� Ares raised an eyebrow.
Strife flushed, �Uh, yeah. We talk sometimes. He�s a nice guy.�
�Yeah, I guess,� Ares said warily.
�Yeah, yeah, I know, �be careful�. Don�t worry, dude, I know nothing�s going to happen,� Strife sighed, �I just� I just like him.�
�I know,� Ares squeezed his shoulder gently.
�I take it Eris is going to the drive-in with Auto?� Strife asked.
�Yeah. He seems nice. �Ris certainly likes him a lot,� Ares grinned.
�Yeah,� Strife grinned back.
@>*~
�Strife! Come on! What are you doing in there?� Eris yelled.
Strife stared into the mirror and sighed. He spiked his hair up a bit more and sighed again. What *was* he doing? He probably wouldn�t even see Cupid there, he�d be hanging with the jock squad.
�I�m comin�, I�m comin�,� he called out.
Auto and Eris were taking him, but he suspected he�d be spending a lot of time alone. Ares was with Apollo. It didn�t take them long to get there and find a space. Strife left them to it and wandered over to the snack shack to get a drink and some popcorn.
He didn�t want to disturb the two couples, but he was going to be so bored. The movies weren�t his thing. The only reason he was there really, was because he knew Cupid would be.
He spotted Apollo�s car and drifted in that direction, slowing when he realised it was rocking slightly. He couldn�t quite hold back a smirk. Oh well, free show, why not?
Strife positioned himself carefully and watched. Ares and Apollo were already in the back seat, kissing voraciously. Ares wasn�t wrong about Apollo being enthusiastic! He had his hand down the front of Ares� pants, moving roughly.
Strife bit back a moan and squirmed, pulling his shirt down over his crotch. The couple were far too hot, but he couldn�t tear his eyes away. He watched his cousin writhe, then stiffen.
Apollo pulled his hand free and held it to Ares� mouth. Strife frowned slightly when Ares appeared to pull away slightly, and Apollo frowned and said something. Ares licked Apollo�s hand clean.
With a pout, Apollo sat back and pulled open his pants. Strife blinked, Apollo was a big boy. Apollo urged Ares down into his lap and Strife watched in awe as the blond�s cock disappeared into Ares� mouth.
Strife closed his eyes briefly, an image of him doing the same to Cupid flashing into his mind. He shook himself and opened them again quickly. He *so* didn�t need to be thinking about that right now.
Instead, he stared at his cousin, head moving slowly up and down the long shaft of his lover, Apollo�s hand on the back of his neck pushing him further and further down. His grip looked to be pretty tight.
�Interesting view.� A voice whispered in his ear. Strife jumped and swore. �Sorry.�
Strife blushed a vivid red and turned slowly. Great, Cupid. �Um, oh, um, hi, Cupid,� Strife managed to spit out.
Cupid raised an eyebrow, �That�s quite a show.�
Strife coughed, �Um, yeah. Well, you know, better than the movie.� He forced a laugh. What must Cupid be thinking?!
�I think anything�s better than this movie,� Cupid smirked.
Strife flushed again, �Yeah. Uh, gotta go.� He bolted. Strife thought he heard Cupid call his name, but he didn�t look back, he was far too mortified.
He knocked on the window of Auto�s truck. The door opened to a very flushed looking Eris.
�Um, �Ris, I�m gonna go, okay? See ya at home.�
�Strife?� she frowned.
�Bye!� Strife walked away hurriedly. He didn�t go to the guesthouse, but straight to his room, where he locked the door and flung himself onto the bed.
Shit! His life *totally* sucked! He probably shouldn�t have run away, but Cupid catching him watching �Res and �Pol had totally thrown him. He didn�t know what to think, or what Cupid must think.
What did it matter anyway? Cupid wouldn�t go for him, even if he wasn�t straight. Strife buried himself in his bedclothes and tried to sleep.
@>*~
Strife avoided everyone as best he could for the rest of the week, including his cousins. He just couldn�t face talking to anyone and small talk was currently beyond him.
He�d seen Cupid staring at him in the classes they shared, but had refused to meet his eyes, and escaped quickly at the end of each lesson.
But once the sophmore Spring dance arrived, he couldn�t avoid everyone anymore.
Part 5
�Tell me again why I have to go to this thing?� Strife asked.
Eris sighed, �You know why!�
Strife snorted, �I don�t see how Ms Jones can force us like this.�
�Because she�s a bitch?� Ares raised an eyebrow. �Cupid�s not got a date, ya know.�
Strife crushed the brief shaft of joy and hope those words brought. �Whoopadeedoo!�
�What is your problem, man?� Ares snapped, �You�ve been acting weird all week.�
�Oh well, excuse me if my pathetic excuse for a life is bothering you!� Strife yelled, �I�m gonna walk, see you there.� Strife stalked over to the door.
�Strife!� Ares said quietly. Strife stopped with his hand on the door handle. �I�m sorry.�
Strife nodded, but left the room. He needed to be alone, at least for a while.
At school, Strife sat himself down at a table to wait for his cousins. He�d arrived relatively early. He put his chin on his arms and let his eyes wander. They quickly fixed on Cupid and he sighed. He really had to stop torturing himself.
Someone slapped him on the back of his head. �Been dumped again?�
Strife stiffened, �What?� he turned to glare at Hercules.
�Your cousins have obviously seen sense like your parents did and are staying well away from you,� Hercules sneered.
Strife blinked. He couldn�t speak. His throat had closed up and he couldn�t breathe. Tears started to burn his eyes.
�Shut the *fuck* up, asshole!�
�Or what, dickwad?� Hercules turned to face a furious Ares.
�Or this!� Ares hit him hard.
Strife ran before the tears could start. He ran blindly and found himself in the library, so he went to the hidden area and sat down shakily. He pressed the heels of his hands against his eyes in an attempt not to cry.
He�d thought he�d buried all the pain, but one comment from the jerk had brought it all back.
�Strife?� Strife froze. Very slowly, he took his hands from his eyes and looked up. Cupid was staring down at him in concern. �Are you okay?�
Strife opened his mouth to speak, to ask Cupid to leave him alone, but all that came out was a sob. When Cupid dropped to his knees and pulled him into a hug, Strife crumbled. He buried his face in Cupid�s neck and cried. Cupid just held him and rocked him gently.
�What�s wrong with me?� Strife whispered as the tears eased.
�What do you mean?� Cupid asked quietly, pulling back slightly to look at him.
�Why did they go away? Why did they leave me alone all the time?� Strife�s breath hitched, �What did I do, what could be so bad that they couldn�t love me?�
Cupid pulled him close again. �Oh Strife, I�m sure they loved you. It�s not you, there�s nothing wrong with you. Some people just don�t know how to be parents.�
Strife looked up at him, blinking away tears. �Really?�
Suddenly Cupid leaned forward and kissed him. Strife�s heart stopped and he kissed back without thinking.
Cupid pulled away with a gasp, �Shit!�
Strife shrank back fearfully, �What?� He looked round, �What, is this candid camera? Some sort of sick joke? You gonna go and have a good laugh with your buds now?!�
�No, Strife, I��
Strife got up quickly, �I can�t believe I thought you were different!�
�Strife��
�Stay the *fuck* away from me!� Strife ran home. He couldn�t believe he�d been stupid enough to think Cupid was being nice to him because he liked him.
He went straight to his room and stood unsteadily in the centre of the floor. Then he slowly pulled off his clothes. Naked and shivering, he looked round until he caught sight of the picture of his parents on his bedside table. He picked it up and stared at it, silent tears pouring down his face.
�Damn you,� he whispered. He threw the frame across the room, flinching at the sound of shattering glass, that mirrored the sound his heart was making.
Strife sank slowly to the ground and wrapped his arms round his knees, dropping his head on top of them.
A quiet knock on the door startled him.
�Go away!� he yelled. The door opened anyway, he�d forgotten to lock it. �Go away,� he whispered.
�Strife?�
Strife looked up in shock, �Cupid? What�how?�
�I� I had to come,� Cupid said quietly. �I couldn�t let you think I�d do something like that.�
�Please don�t,� Strife whispered, �Please, go away.�
�I can�t. Not until I know you�re okay.� Cupid approached him cautiously, stopping when Strife started laughing, slightly hysterically. �Strife?�
�Oh yeah,� Strife laughed, �I�m fine. My parents are dead and do you know why I�m upset? Huh, do you?� Cupid shook his head. �Because of you.�
�Why?� Cupid asked quietly.
Strife snorted, �Why do you think?�
�I�m sorry, I� I thought��
�You thought what? You�d pitch into my heartbreak too?� Strife snapped.
Cupid dropped to his knees next to him again. �No! God, no. Strife, I� I really like you.�
�Yeah, right,� Strife interrupted him.
�Strife, there�s no one else here, just you and me. I� uh, I really like you, and I thought, hoped really, that you liked me too.� Cupid swallowed nervously. Strife�s breath hitched and he nodded quietly. �I�m sorry, my timing sucked. You just looked so��
�Snotty?� Strife gave him a tiny smile.
Cupid smiled at him, �Heartbroken. I wanted to make you smile again.�
Strife sniffed. �Didn�t work, did it?� he laughed quietly.
Part 5b
Cupid smiled ruefully, �I guess not.� He looked down, then met Strife�s eyes. �What if� what if I��
�Try it again,� Strife whispered.
Cupid breathed out heavily and gathered Strife in his arms. Dipping his head, he gently kissed Strife. Strife made a tiny noise and twisted slightly towards Cupid. Then he pulled back in surprise.
�Cupid? You� you�re *hard*.�
Cupid smiled gently, �Strife, you�re *naked*.�
Strife flushed and swallowed hard. �Oh, yeah. Um.� Strife bit his lip. He was embarrassed, but he really didn�t want to move. Cupid�s embrace was comforting and warm and Cupid wasn�t the only one who was hard.
�Do you want me to give you a moment?� Cupid asked, starting to move.
�No,� Strife whispered, feeling almost panicky. He clutched at Cupid, �Don�t let me go.�
�I won�t,� Cupid whispered back, holding him tighter. Strife stared up at Cupid and smiled tentatively. Cupid cupped his face gently and ran his thumb across his cheek. �Strife, this is� I mean, I want us to be together�� Cupid started.
Strife stiffened, �But?�
�But, it�ll be hard, especially on you. I mean, I�m hardly ever allowed out. I have to play football, so that means hanging with people you hate. People who can�t know I�m gay,� Cupid�s voice dropped to a whisper.
Strife breathed out slowly, �I know and I don�t care. Any chance I can have to be with you, I want.�
�Strife,� Cupid breathed. He gently brushed his mouth over Strife�s, tongue slipping out briefly to trace Strife�s lips. Strife moaned and shifted round in Cupid�s arms, getting up onto his knees. He pushed Cupid�s jacket from his shoulders and started to unbutton his shirt.
Cupid pulled his mouth away from Strife�s with a gasp. �What are you�?
�It�s only fair,� Strife tugged off Cupid�s shirt and started on his pants. �If I�m naked, you should be too,� he panted.
�You�re right,� Cupid groaned. He kissed Strife again, hard, his tongue demanding entry into Strife�s mouth. Strife moaned, gently sucking on Cupid�s tongue. He slipped his hand into Cupid�s pants and down his shorts, then stopped nervously.
Cupid lifted his head and stared at him. �Wait,� he whispered.
Strife sat back on his heels and watched, slightly awed as Cupid stood up and stripped off the rest of his clothes. He swallowed hard and licked his lips, letting his eyes wander over broad shoulders, flat stomach, down to his groin.
Strife sucked in a breath and knelt up, reaching out slowly to touch Cupid�s cock. He ran the tip of his finger along the underside and Cupid hissed. Strife looked up worriedly. Cupid�s eyes were wide with surprise and hunger.
He pulled Strife to his feet and into his arms, before carefully walking them over to the bed. The bed hit the back of his legs abruptly and Strife sat down, shifting back and pulling Cupid with him.
Cupid gently lay himself on top of Strife and stared down at him. �Are you sure about this?� he whispered.
Strife lifted his hand and brushed a stray lock of hair from Cupid�s forehead. �Any chance we get,� he whispered back. Cupid nodded.
Strife parted his legs so Cupid sank between them, both boys gasped as their cocks pressed together. Strife whimpered quietly and thrust up. They both moaned and Strife ran his hands down Cupid�s back to grasp his firm ass and pull him closer.
�Jesus, you feel so good,� Cupid groaned.
�Cupe?� Strife whispered as they moved slowly together.
�Yes?� Cupid gasped out.
�Take me,� Strife looked away and Cupid froze.
�What?� Cupid blinked in surprise.
�Please,� Strife stared up into Cupid�s eyes, �I need� I don�t know, I need to know someone cares about me.�
�I do care about you,� Cupid whispered gently.
�I need to feel it, please, I need you.�
�But� I, we,� Cupid stuttered.
Strife looked away again. �Never mind,� he whispered. That was it, he�d pushed too far.
�No,� Cupid took a gentle hold of Strife�s chin and made him look up. �Maybe this is too much, too soon but� you remember when I knocked you over?� Strife frowned and nodded. �I looked into your eyes, and you were so sad. I was gone, lost, I just wanted to be with you.�
Strife felt tears burn his eyes and they trickled down his face into his hair. Cupid gently wiped them away.
�I want to, I need you too,� Cupid whispered. �Only��
�Only?� Strife breathed out hopefully.
�I�ve never,� Cupid flushed, �How do we�?�
Strife gave him a small smile, �I�ve never either, but I�ve read some stuff.�
Cupid licked his lips and smiled, �Okay.�
A weight Strife hadn�t even realised was pressing down on him, suddenly lifted and he smiled. Cupid made a small noise and dipped down to kiss him again. Strife�s lips parted eagerly and they tasted each other deeply.
Cupid started to move again, thrusting slowly against Strife, their cocks sliding together smoothly. Strife reached over to his bedside table and pulled a tube out of the drawer. Cupid raised an eyebrow at him.
Strife flushed, �For jerking off,� he whispered.
Cupid grinned, then bit his lip nervously. �What do I do?� he asked quietly.
�You need to, uh, to stretch me, one finger at a time. Use a lot of lube,� Strife whispered shyly. Cupid rolled onto the bed and lay on his side, pressed close to Strife. Strife bent his legs and spread them wide, flushing again. Cupid groaned and Strife looked at him worriedly.
�It�s okay,� Cupid whispered, �It�s just, you look so� oh God,� he groaned again and hurriedly squeezed some lube onto his fingers.
Strife smiled until a slick finger stroked his asshole, then he moaned. �Oh my!�
Cupid kissed him gently and slid his finger inside him. It went deeper than Strife could usually reach and it felt good. He squirmed slightly and kissed Cupid harder. A second finger wriggled inside him and Strife gasped.
Cupid lifted his head. �You okay,� he asked anxiously.
Strife nodded, panting slightly, �Yeah, stretch.�
Cupid pushed a little deeper and stretched him. His fingers scissored, pumping inside Strife.
�Oooh Christ!� Strife almost dislodged Cupid in shock at the jolt of pleasure that hit him. �Do� do that again.� Cupid blinked and reached deep again. �Oh my God!� Strife exclaimed.
�What? Are you okay?� Cupid frowned worriedly.
�Oh yeah, more,� Strife panted. Cupid pushed a third finger into him. Strife grunted, it was uncomfortably tight.
�Too much?� Cupid whispered.
�No, just weird,� Strife gasped quietly. Cupid continued to stretch him, but Strife desperately needed more. �Cupid, you, now, please.�
Cupid breathed out raggedly and slowly pulled his fingers out. He lay back on top of Strife carefully and put a lot of lube on his cock, rubbing some more on Strife�s asshole gently.
�Slow,� Strife whispered. Cupid nodded and pressed his cock against him. Strife breathed out and tried to relax. The head of Cupid�s cock pushed into him and Strife gasped in pain.
�Oh God!� Cupid groaned.
�Wait,� Strife moaned.
�I�m sorry,� Cupid looked frantic.
Strife shook his head, �It�s okay, kiss me.�
Cupid tenderly brushed his lips over Strife�s mouth, his tongue slipped between Strife�s lips and they kissed gently. As Strife relaxed, Cupid slowly sank into him.
The pain eased to discomfort, and when Cupid was fully inside him, he felt a kind of happiness he�d never expected or experienced.
�Strife? Baby, what is it?� Cupid asked worriedly. Strife realised he was crying again. �You want me to stop?�
�No!� Strife clutched Cupid close, �It�s just� you�re inside me,� he said in awe.
�I know,� Cupid whispered. �It�s amazing, you feel amazing. Strife, I�m not going to last long.�
�Me either,� Strife panted, �Please, Cupe, move.� Cupid slowly withdrew, then carefully slid back inside him. �Oh God,� Strife moaned, he wrapped his legs round Cupid�s hips and thrust up to meet Cupid�s next stroke.
Cupid buried his face in Strife�s neck, groaning. He plunged deep and Strife felt a shockwave of pleasure course through him. He stiffened, biting his lip so he didn�t cry out as he came.
�Oh, Strife!� Cupid exclaimed. He thrust hard once, and then Strife felt Cupid shudder and his ass fill with warmth. Cupid dropped on top of Strife heavily. They were both panting hard. Strife closed his eyes and gently stroked Cupid�s back. He could feel Cupid�s breath on his neck and it sent small shivers down his spine.
�Cupe?� he whispered.
�Yeah?�
�You called me, baby.�
Cupid raised his head and met his eyes shyly. �Yeah. Is that� is that okay?�
Strife�s breath hitched slightly and he smiled. �Yeah,� he whispered. Cupid smiled back and kissed him softly. He pulled carefully out of Strife and rolled over, pulling Strife with him into a cuddle.
Part 6
�Strife?� Cupid whispered.
Strife snuggled against his lover�s strong body. �Yeah?�
�What did it feel like?�
Strife tipped his head back to look up at Cupid. Cupid was frowning contemplatively. �It�s strange at first, a little painful. But then it just feels, like, wow. But more than that, I felt like I was part of you, like I belonged,� Strife whispered quietly.
Cupid kissed him briefly, then pulled back to stare at him again.
�What, Cupe? What is it?� Strife asked curiously.
�I� I�d like to� you know,� Cupid mumbled hesitantly.
Strife blinked at him. �You mean� you want me to�?� Cupid nodded. �Oh Cupe, really?� Strife leaned up and kissed him. �I�d love to.�
Cupid sighed happily and pulled Strife closer, kissing him again softly. Strife shifted slightly, so his head lay on Cupid�s shoulder and he trailed his fingers idly over his lover�s chest. Strife was on the verge of sleep when the door opened suddenly.
�Holy fuck!�
Strife scrambled for some covers. �Ares! Don�t you fucking *knock*?!�
Ares gaped at him, �I was worried about you, obviously with good reason. Are you nuts?! What the fuck is *he* doing here?�
Strife raised an eyebrow. �What does it look like?� he snapped.
Ares frowned at him, �Strife, you� Love, get the fuck out of here, I think you got what you came for!�
�Fuck you, King!� Cupid retorted angrily.
�Ares, what I do and who I do it with, is *my* business!� Strife hissed.
Ares flinched slightly. �I don�t want you hurt,� he said quietly.
�Neither do I,� Cupid stared at Ares. Ares met his eyes and they glared at each other until Ares finally sighed.
�You�d better not, or I�ll kill you,� he muttered.
��Res, just tell me you whooped Jerkules� ass good and my night will be complete,� Strife said.
Ares couldn�t quite hold back a grin, �Yeah, I whooped his ass good.�
�All right!� Strife chuckled. He tilted his head back to look at Cupid, who smiled down at him, stroking his hip gently.
�Talking of the jerk, baby, I�d better go,� Cupid whispered.
Strife sighed, �I know.�
Cupid sat up and patted his ass lightly. �Library tomorrow?�
Strife�s face lit up, �Yeah, lunch time?�
Cupid nodded and leaned down and they kissed softly. Cupid cupped Strife�s face and he stroked his cheek gently before he got up and pulled his clothes back on. Strife glanced at Ares, who was looking a little awed. Strife frowned slightly. He sat up and dug some shorts out from under his pillow and put them on.
�You gonna wait here?� he asked Ares. His cousin nodded. Strife took Cupid�s hand and carefully they snuck down to the kitchen. Rita was reading at the table. She looked up and smiled.
�Everything okay now?� she asked quietly.
Strife raised an eyebrow, �You let him in?�
�Of course, sweetie,� she grinned, �He was obviously very concerned about you. He�s a very nice young man,� she winked at Strife.
Cupid flushed and Strife smiled at him, �Thanks, Rit.�
Cupid pulled him close and kissed him urgently. �You know I don�t want to go?� he asked quietly.
Strife stared into his eyes and nodded, �I know.�
Cupid gave him one last, quick kiss before he left. Strife threw his arms round Rita�s neck and gave her a resounding kiss.
She chuckled, �Silly boy.�
�Just� thank you,� he grinned at her, �Goodnight.�
�Goodnight, sweetie.�
Strife wandered slowly back up to his room, where Ares was sitting on his bed looking slightly stunned. Strife sat next to him and waited.
�What happened?� Ares asked quietly.
�Cupe came after me to see if I was okay. He kissed me,� Strife started.
�He kissed you?� Ares frowned.
�Yeah. He means it �Res, really, he likes me. And I like him, a lot,� Strife said quietly.
�But what about Herc and company?�
Strife shrugged, �We�re going to keep it a secret.�
�It�ll be hard on you,� Ares looked at him sadly.
�I know. He said the same thing, but I want it. I want him, any way I can have him,� Strife stared at his cousin pleading for understanding.
�Okay,� Ares sighed. �Strife, did you, I mean, did you and Cupid�?�
Strife flushed, �Yeah, and I asked him too, okay?!�
�He topped?�
�Yes. What is this?� Strife frowned.
�Are you okay?�
��Res? I�m fine,� Strife was confused. �It was amazing,� he sighed, �Beautiful.�
�You�re really okay?� Ares asked again.
�Yes, why?� Strife asked quietly.
�Nothing, no reason,� Ares said hurriedly. �Listen, you better not bring him up here again. If he can get away, bring him to the guesthouse, okay?�
Strife smiled brilliantly, �Thanks, �Res. �Ris won�t mind?�
�Course not. You know she just wants you to be happy,� Ares smiled at last.
�I am, you know,� Strife whispered.
�Good.� Ares gave him a hug.
�What about you, �Res?� Strife asked. Ares raised an inquiring eyebrow. �Are you happy?�
Ares shrugged, �Yeah, I guess, why?�
Strife pursed his lips thoughtfully. �You just seem a little, I don�t know. Is everything okay with Apollo?� Strife frowned when he felt Ares stiffen slightly.
�Yeah, course it is,� Ares smiled tightly, �Anyway, I�ll leave you to it, Zeus wants a word.�
Strife winced, �Are you in a lot of trouble?�
�Yeah, I reckon.�
�Thanks for sticking up for me,� Strife said quietly.
�Sure,� Ares smiled at him as he left the room.
Strife lay back, slightly worried about his cousin, but otherwise ecstatic. Oh, he knew it was going to be hard, but he had a feeling it was going to be worth it. He turned over and buried his face in the pillow where he could smell Cupid and sighed happily. He drifted off to sleep dreaming of his blond lover.
Part 7
Strife headed for the library, deep in thought. The morning had been strange. Hercules had the day off, nursing his bruises and Ares was suspended for the day, so Strife had to deal with some of the jock squad, who�d decided to blame the whole thing on him, on his own.
Generally he managed to avoid being alone, so all he had to worry about were comments about cry babies and pussies, and snickers directed his way. But he was okay, especially after he�d seen Cupid in one of his classes. His lover had caught his hand briefly as he�d passed him and given him a soft smile.
That had calmed the small, niggling worry in the back of his mind that Ares had been right and Cupid *had* only wanted one thing. Cupid was already waiting for him and smiled brilliantly at him as he approached. Strife�s breath caught in his throat and he smiled back.
�Hi,� Cupid whispered, as Strife sat down next to him.
Strife looked at Cupid out of the corner of his eyes shyly. �Hi,� he said quietly.
�Strife?� Cupid twisted slightly towards him, dipping his head a little so he could look at Strife�s face. When Cupid touched his arm gently, Strife�s nerves calmed enough that he finally turned his head to meet his lover�s eyes. Cupid looked worried.
�Sorry,� Strife breathed, �Nervous.�
�*You�re* nervous?� Cupid chuckled quietly, and Strife grinned. �C�mere.� Cupid pulled him into a hug. Strife melted into his lover�s strong embrace with a happy sigh.
�How�s today been?� Cupid asked, gently stroking Strife�s hair, �Has anyone hassled you?�
�Nah, not really,� Strife replied quietly, �Couldn�t think of anything but you anyway.�
Cupid sucked in a breath. �Same here,� he whispered.
�What, you were thinking of you too?� Strife grimaced at himself. Cupid pulled back with a frown. �Sorry,� he whispered.
�You don�t need to do that,� Cupid said softly.
�What?� Strife sighed, ducking his head and closing his eyes, resigned to his fucked up sense of humour having ruined the moment.
�Try to protect yourself, distance yourself,� Cupid tipped Strife�s head up and stared at him until he met his eyes. �If it�s too much, too intense, tell me. I don�t want to do anything to make you uncomfortable.�
�No!� Strife grasped Cupid�s wrist anxiously. �You�re not, it�s not too much. I, I guess I�m just not used to too many people giving a damn. But I want this� so much. God, you have no idea how much.�
�I think I might have an idea,� Cupid whispered. He leaned forward and kissed Strife, pressing his lips gently against his mouth. Strife moaned when his lover pulled away. �Damn,� Cupid breathed.
�What is it?� Strife asked, slightly worried.
�I want you so bad, baby.�
Strife�s eyes widened in surprise and he groaned with the tightening of his pants. �Then have me,� he gasped.
Cupid stared at him sharply. Then with a moan, he pushed Strife to the ground, possessing his mouth with tender urgency. Strife kissed back eagerly, letting his lips and tongue convey how much he wanted to feel his lover.
Cupid lay on top of him and they rocked together, their movements quickly becoming more frantic, as they tried to stifle their moans with their mouths on each other.
�Wait,� Cupid pulled back with a gasp. Strife whimpered, reaching out reflexively with need. �Shh,� Cupid petted him gently, letting his hand trail down his chest as he shifted backwards.
�What are you� oh!� Strife gasped. Cupid was tugging at the buttons on his jeans, and quickly had them open and his cock free of its restrictions. �Jesus, fuck!� Strife yelped at the feel of Cupid�s breath on his groin, from where he�d suddenly leaned down.
Cupid�s eyes flicked up to meet his, waiting, questioning.
Strife licked his lips and breathed out heavily. �Oh Cupe, please.�
Cupid�s tongue flicked out and tentatively licked the tip of his cock. Strife bit down hard on his lip, so as not to cry out and to stop himself from coming on the spot. Cupid smiled at him and slowly trailed his tongue down his erection and then back up.
�Oh God,� Strife whispered, the sensation almost too much for him. He stuffed his hand into his mouth, when Cupid gently took his cock into his mouth and sucked. Strife bucked and Cupid pulled back, coughing. �Sorry,� Strife whispered.
�S�okay,� Cupid patted his thigh reassuringly. He repositioned himself, and held Strife�s hips down, before swallowing Strife�s erection again. Strife whimpered quietly, his eyes rolling back in bliss. Cupid sucked and licked eagerly, quickly speeding up. Strife�s hands tangled the soft hair of his lover and he cried out a quiet warning.
Cupid continued to suck as Strife came, swallowing quickly, but choking slightly. Strife panted quietly, stroking Cupid�s hair before urging his lover back up to lie on him again.
�Thank you,� Strife whispered, �Are you okay?�
�Oh yeah,� Cupid kissed him deeply, letting Strife taste himself. Strife reached down and cupped Cupid�s groin. Cupid stiffened and moaned against Strife�s lips. He thrust into Strife�s hand.
�Can I?� Strife whispered.
�Please,� Cupid groaned. They both grimaced in frustration when the bell suddenly went. �Shit,� Cupid cursed quietly, moving to get up.
Strife stopped him. �No,� he shook his head.
�But�� Cupid started. Strife quickly kissed him and slipped his hand down the front of Cupid�s pants. Cupid made a strangled noise and kissed back urgently. Strife gripped Cupid�s erection tightly and pumped quickly, holding his lover close as he thrust uncontrollably. �God, Strife!� Cupid gasped out, he came suddenly, filling Strife�s hand with wet warmth.
Strife pulled his hand free and licked the seed from it, determined to taste his lover. Cupid groaned and kissed him again.
�We�d better go, lover,� Strife muttered reluctantly when they let each other go. Cupid sighed and nodded. They got up and adjusted their clothing. Strife smoothed Cupid�s hair from where he�d messed it up. They snuck towards the library door.
�Tomorrow?� Strife asked hopefully.
Cupid shook his head, �Can�t, football.� Strife�s face fell. �Baby?� Strife looked up, �I�ll try and ring you, okay?� Cupid bit his lip uncertainly.
Strife forced himself to smile and he nodded. �It�s okay, Cupe, I know this isn�t going to be easy.�
�I� Strife, I�� Cupid stopped, then he nodded. �Okay,� he whispered. He gave Strife a last quick kiss then hurried away to class.
Strife stared after him with a frown, wondering what he�d been about to say.
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