Pairing: A/J, C/S, E/At, um maybe more Rating: NC-17 Category: total AU, first times Archive: AJCS Disclaimer: Not mine, sadly, but the idea is so nur! WARNINGS: Um, I think underage sex, but I�m not sure, also child abuse (physical) and some violence NOTES: This is a complete AU, no godliness involved, not even Greek, this is set in an American highschool, �k? Okay, I don�t know what anyone is going to think of this, so FB would be hugely appreciated. It�s completely different from anything I�ve seen on these lists, and it�s kinda my baby, so please don�t be mean! Choccy covered Strife to Christine :) thanks babe
Life Sucks, but Love�s Great Joxer adjusted his glasses and straightened his shirt, staring nervously at the table where the most popular kids in school sat. Cupid sat slightly apart from the other four, he tended to watch everything that went on, but never said anything. He was the strong, silent type and had most of the girls in school swooning after him. With him, sat Hercules and Iolaus. Hercules was captain of the football team and Iolaus was his best friend. Opposite them, was the head cheerleader, Xena and her best friend, Gabrielle, giggling about something. Taking a deep breath, Joxer approached the table. �Uh, h-hi g-guys,� he stuttered. Four faces stared blankly at him, but he got a genuine, if brief, smile from Cupid. �What do you want, freak?� Hercules glared at him. �Other than Gabrielle,� Iolaus muttered quietly. The two boys snickered as Joxer flushed bright red. �Euw! Shut up, �Laus!� Gabrielle exclaimed. �That would be, like, *so* gross!� she said to Xena, who pulled a face and nodded. Joxer went an even darker shade of red. �I, uh, I h-have the h-history n-notes for you.� He pulled a notebook from his bag and gave it to Hercules. �Good, now bu-bu-bug off loser!� Joxer blinked back tears. Before he turned away, he caught a flicker of sympathy in Cupid�s eyes. He sighed and walked away, shoulders slumped. He didn�t see the foot stuck out to trip him. Joxer went flying, books and papers scattered everywhere. Joxer squeezed his eyes shut for a moment amidst the laughter, then he pushed himself to his knees and started to collect his things together. Frowning, he looked round for his glasses, starting to panic when he couldn�t find them. �Lost something?� a deep, amused sounding voice asked him. Joxer gulped nervously and looked up slowly. Standing in front of him, dressed in black leather and looking as dangerous as he was reputed to be, was Ares. Ares was flanked by his sister, Eris, and his cousin, Strife, who were smirking at him. �M-my g-glasses,� Joxer whispered. Ares lifted his hand. �Would this be them?� Joxer blinked and nodded. �Please, c-can I h-h-h�� Joxer stopped and took a deep breath, �Have them?� he said in a rush. Ares stared at him for a moment, then bent down and patted his cheek. �As ya asked so nicely.� Ares dropped the glasses on the floor and walked away. Strife and Eris exchanged glances, smiled and followed him. Joxer picked up his glasses and put them on. He stared after the three in confusion. He didn�t cross paths with them very often, but for some reason he just couldn�t fathom, they never treated him as nastily as they did everyone else. �Damn, Ares is *hot*!� Joxer looked up, Xena and Gabrielle were drooling after the muscular bad boy. �Yeah, but he�s also, like, a complete dick,� Gabrielle snorted. �Out of the way, geekboy!� she sneered at Joxer. Joxer scrambled out of her way. @>*~ Joxer stared at his assignment, trying to concentrate, but he just couldn�t. The day hadn�t been too bad considering. It was hard for him at the new school; he was skinny, geeky and had a stammer. Not only that, at 16 he was two years younger than everyone else in his grade. Hercules, Iolaus, Xena and Gabrielle deigned to speak to him, but only so they could use his notes. He basically had no friends and everyone treated him like a dork. Everyone except Cupid, who never said anything, and Ares and his gang, who seemed to find him mildly amusing, but never teased, insulted or beat him up. Hercules and Iolaus occasionally pounded the crap out of him, but funnily enough, never when Cupid was around. Joxer put his homework away and went to sit on his bed. He stared at the picture on his bedside table. It showed three young, identical boys, laughing happily. Joxer swallowed and tried not to cry, wishing his brothers still lived with them. Nobody had bullied him at his old school, not with Jett around to protect him and Jace. They�d always stuck together, the three of them against the world. But now Joxer was alone. No protection against his father, no protection against the people at school, and a hopeless crush that would probably get the shit kicked out of him. He lay back with a sigh and reached down to stroke his cock gently. He jumped when he heard the door slam and scrambled up to switch off his lights and then dived under his covers. He held his breath fearfully, listening to his father stumbling around below. Then he heard a thud which was followed by silence. Joxer slowly let himself breathe again. His father was drinking more and more, but at least that meant he was passing out more often than he was taking it out on him. With a sigh, Joxer turned over and went to sleep. Part 2 Joxer walked into school the next morning, cheerfully. Until he saw what was happening just inside the gates. Ares and Hercules stood nose to nose, glaring at each other. �Aw, what�s the matter �bro�? Your mommy not want you?� Hercules sneered. �Your mother may have married my father, *Herc*, but you know nothing about my family!� Ares hissed through gritted teeth. �I know your mom�s a whore!� �ARGH!� Ares lashed out and Hercules went flying. �Hey, back off asshole!� Iolaus shouted. �What�s going on here?!� Ares, Eris and Strife backed off as the principal jogged over. �Hercules, are you okay?� Hercules nodded, holding his dripping nose. Principal Jones smiled at him. �Go to the nurse. And *you*!� She swung round and glared at Ares, �My office, NOW!� Ares glared back, then stalked off towards the school buildings. Strife and Eris followed, but not before Joxer spotted Cupid and Strife exchange glances. He frowned thoughtfully. �Got the homework, freak?� Joxer jumped, �Uh, s-sure, G-Gabrielle.� He handed over his homework to the small blonde and she walked off with Xena without a backwards glance. Joxer looked round and met Cupid�s eyes briefly, flinching when he saw pity. He hurried into school. @>*~ The day went downhill from there. Hercules and his group insulted everyone who wasn�t popular and *everyone* kept a wide berth from Ares and his gang. Joxer spent most of the day avoiding everyone as best he could. Until, that was, he tripped in the cafeteria and spilt his juice all over Hercules. �You stupid fuckwit!� Hercules fumed. Joxer gaped, then when Hercules stood up, he turned and ran� smack bang into Ares. He backed away, gulping in terror. Looking behind him, he saw Hercules coming for him and somehow, he managed to duck past Ares, who was reaching for him. He ran for the safest place he knew, the library. It was a pretty quiet place anyway, but there was a small, almost hidden section right at the back where no one *ever* went. Once inside the library, he headed there silently. As he slipped through the bookshelves, he heard a low moan and stopped. �Oh, Cupe, please.� Joxer�s eyes widened. Cupid wouldn�t hurt anyone, would he? He peered around one shelf and bit back a gasp. Leaning back against a stack with his eyes shut, head flung back, hands tightly gripping the shelf behind his head, was Strife. And on his knees in front of him, head bobbing, hands running up and down Strife�s slim legs, was Cupid! Joxer ducked back behind the shelf blinking rapidly. Holy shit! Holy shit! Strife and Cupid? *Cupid* and Strife? Well, that explained the look between the two boys earlier. Wow, wow, *Cupid* was giving Strife a blow job. And� �Oh, oh, yeah!� �by the sounds of it, a damn good one. If only he could� Joxer shook his head, it was pointless even dreaming about it. �Oh Cupe, that was awesome.� Joxer couldn�t resist peeking round the shelf again. Strife was drawing Cupid to his feet. Joxer could see Cupid�s pants were undone and his hard cock jutted out. The two boys kissed lovingly and Strife wrapped his fingers round Cupid�s cock, bringing off his lover with long, smooth strokes. Cupid moaned and dropped his head on Strife�s shoulder. �Can you get away tonight?� Strife whispered. Cupid nodded. �Good, I *need* you inside me.� Cupid moaned again. He straightened and gently pulled Strife�s boxers up and did up his pants. Strife grinned at him and kissed him, returning the favour by cleaning Cupid up, and doing his pants up. �I love you, man,� Strife whispered. �I love you too, Strife.� Cupid leaned in for another kiss. Joxer blinked again. He wasn�t sure, but that may have been the first time he�d ever heard Cupid�s voice. No wonder Cupid was so much nicer than the others, what a terrible situation to be in. Joxer felt sorry for them, but mostly, he felt envious. He snuck away and bumped straight into Eris. He jumped and backed away. �You saw them, didn�t you?� she growled, her eyes narrowing. Joxer nodded. �I w-wouldn�t t-tell any-o-one,� he stuttered nervously. She stared at him contemplatively. �You wouldn�t, would you?� she said with a look of surprise. �Why not?� �B-because it�s n-none of m-my busi-n-ness and they s-seem happy,� Joxer explained. Eris smiled fondly. �They are. They�ve been together for two years, ya know?� Joxer swallowed and frowned. Eris was making conversation� with him! �R-really?� �Uh-huh. They make such a cute couple, dontcha think?� she grinned. Joxer nodded. ��Course, no one knows �cept me and �Res, and now you.� Joxer just stared at her. �Oh yeah!� she said suddenly, �You okay? �Res was worried, said he saw Jerkules after you.� Joxer gaped, �A-Ares, was w-worried? About *m-me*?!� �Yeah sure, he thinks you�re a nice guy.� �O-o-o-o-k-k-k-kay.� Joxer flushed as he struggled to get the word out. Eris smiled kindly. �By the way,� she started. �He�s too pig-headed to ask, but �Res really needs tutoring in Biology. If he flunks, he�s out, can ya help?� Joxer closed his eyes for a second. He knew from long experience not to bother trying to reply, so he just nodded. �Can ya come tonight?� He nodded again in reply. �Okay, cool. You know where Herc�s place is, right?� Joxer nodded, still unable to speak. �Good, me an� �Res live in the guesthouse round the back. So, see ya �round eight?� �S-s-sure,� Joxer stammered. She clapped him on the back with a grin and left him standing in a daze. What in God�s name was he going to do now? Part 3 Joxer shifted his books in his arms and stared at the door. He really wasn�t sure this was a good idea, but he�d said he�d be there at eight, so there he was. The door opened before he could knock and Eris grinned at him. �You came!� she exclaimed. �Come in. �Res has just gone to get some pizza, then he�s all yours.� Joxer swallowed hard and let himself be pushed into the lounge, where Cupid and Strife were making out on the couch. They jumped apart when they saw him. �Um, I, um,� Strife started. �It�s okay, guys, he knows. He�s totally cool with it!� Eris followed him into the room. �Really?� Cupid asked quietly. Joxer nodded and smiled nervously. �How�d ya, like, know?� Strife asked curiously, allowing himself to be pulled back into Cupid�s arms. �I, uh, I, s-s-saw you,� Joxer stuttered quietly. �What, today?� Strife asked. Joxer nodded and watched Strife turn a deep red. �They get real physical allll the time, ya don�t mind do ya, Jox?� Eris asked. ��Ris!� Cupid exclaimed. �I d-don�t mind at all,� Joxer interjected quickly. �It m-m-must be hard f-for you.� �Yeah,� said Strife quietly. The roar of a motorcycle interrupted them. �Pizza time!� Eris grinned. �Cool,� Strife sat up. �Come on Jox, dude, sit down, relax.� Joxer put his books down and perched nervously on the edge of an armchair. Ares strode into the room carrying several boxes. He put them down on the table and peeled off his leather jacket. With hard muscles bulging out of a tight t-shirt and a goatee, he looked much older than his eighteen years. �Hi guys, sis,� he said quietly, �Joxer.� Joxer smiled shyly. �You like pizza?� Ares asked him. �S-sure,� Joxer stammered. Ares grinned. �Cool, I got you a veggie one. You�re vegetarian, right?� Joxer blinked and nodded. How the hell did Ares know that? �Wow, how d�ya manage that?� Strife asked him. �I love my meat.� He glanced at Cupid and nudged him. �Don�t I, lover?� he leered. Cupid snorted, �Yeah.� Ares frowned and glanced at Joxer, then at his cousin. �Oh, it�s cool �Res, he knows,� Strife grinned at his cousin. Ares raised his eyebrows at Joxer, who nodded and smiled again. Ares shrugged, �Cool.� He plonked himself down on the arm of Joxer�s chair. Joxer gulped, staring at him nervously. �Dig in.� �Who wants beer?� Eris asked. �Yup,� Ares replied. Cupid and Strife raised their hands, their mouths already full of pizza. �Jox?� Eris turned to him. �Uh, n-no thanks,� he said quietly. �Coke?� she offered. �P-please,� he smiled gratefully at her. Ares leaned forward and opened a couple of the boxes. He pulled one forward. �Here ya go, man.� Joxer took a piece and sat back, nibbling at it. �You get in much trouble today, �Res?� Cupid asked. �Don�t speak with your mouth full, we have a guest,� Ares snapped jokingly. �Whatever,� Cupid grinned at Joxer. �Just the usual bullshit from Jones and detention, again!� Ares answered Cupid�s question. �Ah, man, I was hopin� you�d be free Saturday,� Strife pouted. Cupid reached out and stroked his lip gently. Strife caught his hand and grinned at him. Eris handed everyone a drink and sat down, grabbing a slice of pizza. �Why?� she asked. �And since when did �Res ever have a Saturday free?� Ares kicked her foot. �What?!� she scowled at her twin. �*Because*,� Strife interrupted the sibling moment. �I wanted to get the jerk and the himbo back.� Ares smiled, �How?� �Well, Cupie reckons they want to get into each other�s pants�� Joxer choked. Ares took his drink and slapped him on the back. �You okay, man?� Ares asked, handing him back the coke. Joxer took a deep gulp and nodded. Strife chuckled at him, �Yeah, it�s a bit of a shock, huh?� Joxer nodded, still coughing slightly. �I love when you mess with that lot,� Ares grinned at his cousin. �You got a plan?� Strife grinned wickedly, �What do you think?� Ares nodded, �Cool.� �You got plans tonight �Ris?� Cupid asked quietly. �Yeah, I�m going out with Auto, and yes,� she pre-empted the question, �You can use my room. Just remember to change the sheets this time!� �Thanks cuz,� Strife blew her a kiss and Eris snorted. There was a knock at the door. Eris and Ares stared at each other. �Beer!� they exclaimed together. The bottles were hidden under the table and Eris answered the door. �Dad.� They heard her say through the door. Ares groaned and stood up. An older, grey haired man entered the room and looked round. �Strife, Cupid,� he nodded at the pair. He stared at Joxer. �Who�s this then?� �This is Joxer, Joxer this is my father,� Ares said quietly. �N-nice to m-meet you, M-mister K-k-king,� Joxer said politely. He jumped when Ares reached over and squeezed his shoulder briefly. �What do you want, Zeus?� Ares asked. �Don�t take that tone with me, young man!� Mr King snapped. �I got yet another phone call from your principal.� �So?� Ares sat down again. �She tells me you�ve been fighting again,� Mr King sighed. �Why can�t you be more like Hercules?� Joxer winced sympathetically as Ares flinched. �If you flunk out of school, you won�t get into college!� �That�s why Joxer is here, father,� said Eris quietly, �He�s helping Ares out.� �Oh, okay. Well that�s good, good. Well,� Mr King looked round at the stony faces. �I�ll be off then.� Ares stared after his father, clenching his fists convulsively. ��Res, calm down,� Eris said, hands fluttering nervously. �Calm down?!� Ares leapt to his feet. �Why the *fuck* should I calm down?!� Joxer flinched as Ares threw a bottle across the room. �He ignores us most of the time, and when he does *deign* to make an appearance it�s to criticise. Why can�t I be more like Hercules?! Fucking hell!� Joxer shrank back in his chair, trying not to intrude. Ares glanced at him and grimaced ruefully. �Sorry Joxer, parents, ya know?� Joxer swallowed and nodded. �Yeah, �Res isn�t usually such a dick,� Strife giggled. Ares growled at him and Joxer caught his breath. �Strife,� said Eris warningly. He grinned unrepentantly. �Anyway,� she continued, �I�m off!� She leaned up and kissed her brother on the cheek. �See you guys at school. Strife, Cupid behave, �Res be nice to Joxer.� Ares rolled his eyes. �I promise I won�t bite him.� Eris shook her head and left. Joxer gulped at the gleam in Ares� eyes and Strife snorted, getting an elbow in the stomach from Cupid. �Hey!� he exclaimed and leapt on Cupid, tickling the blond boy mercilessly. The couple wrestled on the couch until Strife managed to straddle Cupid and pin his arms back. He leaned down and kissed Cupid, hard. Cupid moaned and thrust up against him. �Uh guys? Company,� Ares said pointedly. Joxer tore his eyes away from the couple, blushing hotly. He squirmed in his chair, trying to adjust himself surreptitiously. Cupid and Strife parted reluctantly. Strife stood up and held out his hand, Cupid took it and stood up. He grabbed Strife and half carried him to the door as they both laughed. Ares stared after them and Joxer wondered at the longing and envy he thought he saw in his eyes. �Sorry about that,� Ares grinned at Joxer. �They don�t get a whole lot of time alone, ya know?� Joxer nodded, �I d-don�t mind, r-really.� �Yeah, well, if I hadn�t said anything, they�d have started fucking right there!� Joxer gaped, �W-wow.� Ares grinned at him, �Yeah believe me, it�s quite a show!� Joxer�s eyes widened and Ares looked away, clearing his throat. �Um, yes well, biology?� Joxer smiled and nodded. Part 4 Joxer walked home in a happy daze. Ares was so nice and funny! They�d even managed to get some studying done, despite the amount of noise coming from Eris� room. Joxer couldn�t quite believe how long Cupid and Strife had kept going and he sighed enviously. They weren�t in the best situation, but they had each other, and they had extremely supportive friends. Joxer opened his front door and froze. The TV was blaring, which meant his father was home. As quietly as he could, he hung up his coat and toed off his shoes. He was half way up the stairs when the lounge door opened. �And where the fuck have you been?� his father slurred. �J-j-just at a f-f-friend�s,� Joxer whispered. �Ha! You haven�t got any friends, you little liar.� His father lurched towards him. �Come here.� Joxer descended the stairs slowly. His father reached out and backhanded him across the face. �Where were you?� he repeated. �T-t-tutoring,� Joxer stammered quietly. �Fucking hell!� his father yelled. Joxer flinched. �Why me? How did I end up with such loser sons?� He smacked Joxer hard, and he fell, cracking his head on the wall. �Get out of my sight!� Joxer pulled himself up shakily and fled up to his room, trying to hold back tears. He sat down and stared in the mirror. He sighed, there was a nasty gash on his cheek, where his father�s ring had caught him, and he had a knot developing on the back of his head. He dabbed some witchhazel onto them and pulled out a strip of butterfly stitches for his face. Wincing slightly, he placed them over the gash with the ease of long practise. @>*~ The next morning he didn�t bother to look in the mirror before he headed to school, he knew what he looked like. School turned out to be a little better than usual. He got a conspiratorial grin and wink from Strife and a small smile from Cupid. Hercules and the rest couldn�t be bothered with him at all and he�d managed to avoid awkward questions about his face. Joxer was sitting in the senior common room when Ares sat down next to him. �H-hi, Ares,� he stuttered. �Hi,� Ares frowned suddenly. �What happened to you?� �Oh, n-nothing, f-f-fell,� Joxer lied quietly. Ares nodded, but continued to frown for a moment. Joxer stared at him curiously. �Oh, right,� Ares coughed. �Um, we got a test coming up right?� Joxer nodded. �Well, would you, I mean, can you keep helping me?� �S-sure,� Joxer replied. Ares smiled, �Thanks man. Um,� he paused. �Wh-what is it?� Joxer asked. �Do ya mind if I come to yours tonight?� Ares looked away. ��Ris is, uh, �entertaining� tonight and I said Strife and you know who could borrow my room.� Joxer nodded. �Y-yeah, n-no problem,� he stuttered. Ares squeezed his shoulder again, �Thanks, what time?� �Uh, ei-eight?� Ares nodded. �Cool.� @>*~ Joxer looked round his room one last time, checking that he�d cleared away everything that needed to be hidden and then hurried downstairs to check on the dinner. He hoped Ares wouldn�t mind vegetarian lasagne. Hearing the roar of a motorcycle stop outside the house, he ran to the hallway. He glanced at himself in the mirror and sighed. His cheek was a nasty blue/purple colour. He smoothed his hair and then jumped when the doorbell rang. Joxer opened the door and smiled. Ares looked, well he looked nervous. Joxer stepped aside and ushered him in. �Thanks,� Ares grinned at him. �Have you got somewhere I can put this?� He held out his helmet. �S-sure.� Joxer took it and put it in the hall closet. �I m-made din-n-ner,� he said quietly. �Thanks, you didn�t have to go to any trouble.� Ares smiled at him. �Oh, here, I brought ice cream.� He thrust a bag at Joxer. Joxer grinned, starting to relax. �C-can I t-take your coat?� he asked. �Oh yeah, thanks.� Ares slipped off his jacket, revealing the hard muscles underneath. Joxer tried hard not to stare. He led the way to the kitchen and gestured at a chair. Ares sat down while he pulled the lasagne out of the oven and put it on the table. He divided it into three and served a portion to Ares. �Is that for your mom?� Ares nodded at the third piece. �M-my d-d-d-d-,� Joxer stopped and squeezed his eyes shut, �F-father.� Ares stared at him, a small crease between his brows. �Is your mom gone too?� �Y-yeah,� Joxer whispered, �Sh-she d-d-d-� he stopped abruptly and looked away. �Sorry, didn�t mean to upset you,� Ares said quietly. Joxer smiled sadly at him. They ate in silence for a while. �Did you make this yourself?� Ares asked. Joxer nodded. �Wow, it�s really good.� Joxer smiled. �Th-thanks.� After dinner, Ares insisted on washing up and Joxer put the dishes away, smiling to himself. �So,� said Ares, �Where to? Can I see your room?� Part 5 Joxer nodded, �Yeah, m-my stuff�s all up th-there.� Ares grinned and followed him up the stairs after Joxer grabbed the ice cream and a couple of spoons. Ares looked round curiously. �Sorry, I�m really nosy.� �G-go ahead,� said Joxer. There wasn�t a lot in his room anyway. A large bed in one corner, closet, desk and a large, squashy armchair. The walls were bare. Ares sat down on the bed and picked up the picture on the bedside table. He glanced at Joxer in surprise. �You�re a triplet?� Joxer nodded. �Wow, cool. Where are the other two?� Joxer�s face fell. �I�m sorry,� Ares said, standing up again to pat Joxer�s shoulder awkwardly. �It�s okay,� Joxer whispered, �J-Jett�s in j-juvey, he was in s-s-some t-trouble. J-Jace, well, d-d-d-dad had him c-c-committed.� �What?!� Ares exclaimed, �Why?� �H-he liked to w-wear d-dresses.� Joxer smiled sadly. Ares frowned, �So?� Joxer shrugged, �D-d-dad likes men to b-be m-m-men.� �What do *you* like?� Ares asked quietly. �W-w-what?� Joxer flushed. What did Ares mean? �Nothing, never mind.� Ares sat down again and patted the bed. �You want to study?� Joxer nodded in relief and sat down. The whole night had felt oddly date-like to him, too much for his peace of mind. @>*~ A couple of hours later, Ares got ready to leave. �Thanks, Jox. You�re a great teacher, you know?� �Y-you�re f-fun to teach,� Joxer grinned at him. �Uh, we�re uh, watching videos tomorrow night, do you want to come over?� Ares looked slightly flustered. �It�ll just be Eris and Auto, Strife and Cupid and you and er, me.� Joxer blushed, he was almost certain he�d just been asked on a date. �Um, y-yeah, I�d l-love to.� Ares smiled broadly. �Cool, the only thing is, Cupid and Strife tend to get a bit, um, carried away.� �R-really, I d-don�t mind,� Joxer smiled shyly. �Great,� Ares squeezed his shoulder. �I�ll probably see you at school, but come over around seven. You can stay over if you like, we usually all crash out.� �M-maybe, b-but I don�t think m-my f-f-f-father would like it,� Joxer replied quietly. �Well, the offer�s there, anyway.� Joxer nodded and waved goodbye. @>*~ Joxer got undressed in a dream and lay down on top of his bed. He closed his eyes and slid his hand down his chest and stomach, slipping it under his shorts. Gasping slightly, he gripped his erection tightly and stroked slowly. He tried to tease himself, but the smell and memory of Ares in his room was too much for him and he pumped himself roughly. He bent his knees and reached between his legs with his other hand to press a finger against the entrance to his body. He came with a muffled cry as his finger breached his passage, and he bit his lip, wishing it was Ares. @>*~ Joxer spent most of the next day in a daze. A very happy, if somewhat nervous, daze. Nothing affected him. Not the insults, teasing and definitely not the smack he got from Hercules, who was in a bad mood. He was still debating with himself whether or not he dared risk staying over at Ares�. His father most likely wouldn�t notice, especially if he didn�t even come home like some nights. Maybe� maybe he would. The day dragged and he checked his watch every couple of minutes. He occasionally spotted Ares or one of his gang and they grinned at him, or in Ares� case smiled warmly, then looked flustered. Finally the day was over and he hurried home. He showered and looked for something not geeky to wear. He felt a bit of an idiot dressing for a date. It wasn�t a real date, not really. But it was nice to pretend, even just for a little while. Flitting round the house impatiently, he sighed at the occasional glimpses he caught of himself in the mirror. The bruise on his face was now a bluey-yellow, and the cut was healing, but he still looked like shit. When it was finally time to leave, he picked up the chocolates he�d bought, the video he�d decided to take and his overnight bag, and he hurried out of the house. Part 6 Once again, he stood in front of the door, wondering what the hell he was doing there. And again, the door opened before he could knock. But this time, he faced Ares. �H-hi,� he stuttered nervously. Ares grinned at him. �Hi, come in.� �Th-thanks.� Joxer squeezed past him, sighing quietly as he caught the scent of freshly washed skin and musky deodorant. �Jox, dude, come in and take a load off!� Strife yelled through the door. Ares grinned again and followed him into the lounge. �Hey,� Ares nudged Strife with his foot. �Off the couch. You and Cupe can take an armchair this time.� Strife pouted but got up with Cupid and plonked himself in his lover�s lap. �Ooof, gently Strife, babe,� Cupid groaned, �You aren�t that light!� Strife poked out his tongue, and Cupid captured it with his mouth. Strife moaned and gripped Cupid�s head, kissing him hard. Ares rolled his eyes and gently guided Joxer over to the couch. �Whatcha got there, Jox?� Strife asked, when he eventually pulled away. �Ch-chocolates and a v-video,� Joxer stammered. �Oooh, what vid did ya bring?� �E-evil D-d-dead two.� �Really?� Strife exclaimed, �You dark horse, you!� Joxer grinned at him. �That�s one of Auto�s favourites, good choice,� Ares chuckled. �Are they going to be long?� Cupid asked. Ares shook his head. ��Ris and Auto are getting vids and food now,� he explained to Joxer, who nodded and smiled. �Hey, you staying over, Jox?� Strife asked with a grin. �I-if that�s o-okay?� Joxer nodded. �Yeah, great,� Ares nodded and smiled broadly. The front door opened and slammed, and a giggling Eris bundled through the door with a slim, dark haired man. �Oh hey, Jox, you made it!� Eris grinned at him. �Auto, *this* is Joxer. Joxer, this is my man, Auto.� Auto smiled at him. �I�ve heard a lot about you.� Joxer�s eyes widened in surprise. �Nice to finally meet you.� �L-likew-wise,� Joxer smiled shyly. �Guess what Jox brought?� Strife bounced in Cupid�s lap. �Strife! Sit still if you want all parts in working order!� Cupid yelped. �Ooops,� Strife froze, �Wouldn�t wanna break anything!� �What did you bring, Joxer?� Eris asked kindly, as she and Auto settled themselves in the other armchair. �The video, Jox, tell �em what vid you brought!� Strife giggled. �Let the man speak!� Ares exclaimed. Joxer smiled gratefully. He felt a little overwhelmed by the warm, friendly atmosphere. �E-evil Dead t-two.� He grinned at Auto�s whoop of excitement. �Excellent! That Bruce Campbell guy is the shit!� Auto enthused. Bowls of food and bottles of beer and cola were placed on the table. �Just help yourself,� Ares said to Joxer. The lights were switched off and they settled back to watch the inane tale of demonic possession. Joxer was slightly uncomfortable. The couch was a two seater, and it dipped in the middle, so he kept trying not to lean against Ares. �Just relax, I don�t mind if you want to flake out,� Ares whispered. He put his arm round Joxer�s shoulders and shifted so they stretched out, Joxer lying against Ares. �This okay?� Ares asked softly. �Yeah,� Joxer sighed. He resisted the urge to snuggle though. Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see Cupid and Strife were no longer watching the film. They were far too occupied with each other. With a small start, he realised Cupid�s hand was down the front of Strife�s pants, moving rhythmically. Strife started to make whimpering noises into Cupid�s mouth, and he wriggled on Cupid�s lap. Joxer looked up, the others didn�t even blink when Strife slipped off Cupid�s lap, pulled his lover�s pants open and swallowed his cock. Ares picked up the remote and turned the film up slightly. Joxer continued to watch the couple in fascination. After a couple of minutes, Cupid pulled Strife up again and undid his pants, pulling them down. He turned Strife round, and pulled him back down onto his lap. �Ares!� Cupid gasped. Joxer sucked in a surprised breath, but Ares just leaned forward and picked up a small tube, handing it to Strife, who opened it and hurriedly squeezed some gel onto his hand. He lifted up and reached behind himself, stroking the gel onto Cupid�s shaft. Then he sat down slowly, both boys moaning loudly. Cupid reached round Strife and grasped his cock again as Strife rode him. Joxer realised that if he shifted his head slightly, he could see Cupid�s cock inside Strife. His eyes widened and he blushed again. He looked away briefly. He was so hard he thought he might burst, but he couldn�t resist watching the exhibitionist couple. Strife had flung his head back and Cupid was sucking on his neck. Their movements were frantic now, and the chair squeaked ominously. Strife bucked suddenly and his come jetted in short spurts. �Oh, Strife,� Cupid moaned quietly, thrusting up hard. The two boys collapsed back against the chair, panting harshly. They didn�t bother to cover themselves, or clean up, they just curled up together, sharing soft kisses. Joxer sighed enviously, but he eventually managed to look away and after a while, he even managed to mentally wrestle his erection into submission. Towards the end of the movie, he was so relaxed and happy, he dropped off to sleep. Part 7 When he woke up, Joxer realised he was lying in Ares� lap. Before he moved, he felt Ares stroking his hair, and he kept his eyes closed, wanting to enjoy the feeling as much as possible. �He�s cute, are ya going to keep him?� He heard Auto whisper. �He�s not a puppy!� Ares snapped, then he sighed. �I don�t know, he�s only sixteen, you know?� �So? He obviously likes you,� Eris whispered. �Maybe,� Ares said quietly. Joxer waited a few more minutes, trying to process what he�d just heard, his brain refused to acknowledge it. Then he shifted, as if he was only just waking up. �Oh, hey there, sleepy-head,� Ares chuckled. Joxer yawned and sat up. �S-sorry, didn�t r-realise I was so t-tired.� He looked round. Eris and Auto were smiling at him, and Cupid and Strife were nowhere to be seen. �Wh-where�d they go?� Joxer asked. Ares held a finger to his lips and made a �listen� gesture. Joxer listened and flushed lightly when he realised he could hear squeaking and moaning. �Oh, s-silly question,� he laughed. Ares smiled delightedly at him. �Shall we stick another film on?� Auto asked. �Yeah, I want to watch something soppy,� Eris grinned. �You got a chick flick?� Ares groaned. �Yes, I got a chick flick! I�m a chick, occasionally I get to choose a chick flick!� she snapped jokingly. �Okay, okay,� Ares sighed in mock defeat. �What did you get anyway?� �Love Story,� Eris grinned. Joxer allowed himself to be pulled back against Ares, and settled comfortably in the solid embrace. He loved romantic movies, and relaxed again as they watched in silence. A little way into the film, they were rejoined by Cupid and Strife who were both dressed in t-shirts and shorts. They snuggled up together in an armchair, grinning at Joxer and Ares. Much to his embarrassment, Joxer started to cry at a sad part, and he tried to hide it. But when Ares shifted to look at him, the older boy just smiled gently and hugged Joxer closer. @>*~ When Joxer woke in the morning, he found himself lying on top of Ares, on the couch, their legs entangled and Ares� arms wrapped round him. He pulled away carefully, so he didn�t wake him, and hurried to the bathroom. He definitely didn�t want Ares feeling his erection pressed against him! After relieving himself and brushing his teeth, Joxer stared into the mirror. He was still uncertain about the conversation he�d overheard the night before. Ares couldn�t really like *him*, could he? Not in *that* way?! He shook his head, and pushed a finger against his cheek experimentally. He winced. Even though it had faded quite a lot, it still hurt, and there was a tender spot on the back of his head from the bump he�d gotten. A knock at the door startled him. �Jox?� It was Ares. �Yeah?� �If you want to take a shower, there�s towels in the cupboard under the sink.� �Th-thank you,� Joxer replied. �I�m making breakfast, eggs okay?� �Yes, l-lovely thanks,� Joxer smiled to himself, he hadn�t felt this happy in a long time. He hurried to take a shower and get ready for school. It was still early, but there were five other people in the house and he didn�t want to hog the bathroom. @>*~ Hesitantly, he poked his head round the door to the kitchen and grinned at Ares who was scrambling eggs. He was dancing, badly, to the radio. Ares spotted him and came to an abrupt halt, smiling ruefully. �Not one word!� he waggled a finger at Joxer. Joxer chuckled and held up his hands, �W-would I?� Ares raised an eyebrow at him and smiled. �Probably not. You�re too nice, you know that?� Joxer shrugged, �I d-don�t know about that.� Ares frowned slightly, then he smiled softly. �Sit down,� he gestured at the small breakfast table. �How c-come you and Eris l-live down here?� Joxer asked quietly. Ares sighed. �Because we don�t get along with our stepmother, and besides, it�s better than living with Hercules, you know?� �I c-can imagine,� Joxer snorted softly. Ares chuckled at him. �Here ya go.� He set a plate of eggs and toast in front of Joxer. �You want some juice?� �Please,� Joxer nodded. �Wh-where are the others?� he asked as Ares joined him at the table. �Bed. Whether they�re actually still asleep is another matter of course,� Ares snickered rudely. �You guys are r-really good to Cupid and S-Strife,� Joxer commented quietly. Ares sobered. �Yeah well, they�re in love you know?� Joxer nodded. �It�s hard enough for Cupid having to hang with Jerkules and the jock squad, if anyone found out he was gay, well�� he shrugged. �Yeah,� Joxer whispered. �So, when they�re here, we�re happy to let them do whatever,� Ares finished. �What about y-you?� Joxer asked quietly. Ares looked taken aback. �What about me?� �Are you with anyone?� �Oh,� Ares sounded almost disappointed, �No, I guess not.� Joxer frowned, wondering at the strange answer. �My reputation is somewhat exaggerated, you know?� Ares smiled ruefully. �I don�t fuck anything with a pulse, I don�t do drugs, hell, I don�t even smoke!� Joxer chuckled, �I think I�d g-guessed that.� Ares sighed and smiled at him. He stood up, �I�m just going to get the others up, do you want a ride to school?� Joxer blinked in surprise, �R-really?� Ares� brow wrinkled, but he smiled, �Yeah, �course. What, you think I give a crap what anyone at school thinks?� Joxer shrugged. �Well I don�t, okay?� Joxer smiled happily and nodded. �Good, now finish your breakfast.� Part 8 Arriving at school on the back of Ares� motorbike was an interesting experience. It got Joxer a hell of a lot of curious stares for a start. �Do you want to come over and study tonight?� Ares asked him at the lockers before they parted for their respective classes. Joxer grinned and nodded, �Yeah, what t-time?� �Eight okay?� Joxer nodded. �Cool, see you later then.� Ares patted his shoulder. Joxer stared after him with a smile. A shove to his back sent him flying into the lockers. �What was that?� Hercules sneered. �Loser�s convention?� Joxer picked up his books. �I-I�m j-j-just t-tutoring h-h-him,� Joxer stuttered, looking down under the force of four glares. �Well, there�s a surprise,� Gabrielle laughed, �The jerk�s an idiot.� �N-no, h-h-he isn�t,� Joxer said quietly. Hercules frowned. �Are you arguing with the lady, dork?� Joxer blanched, then he looked up with a sigh of relief. �H-hi Ms Jones,� he said to the principal. �Hello Joxer. Ah Xena, Hercules, I wanted to talk to you about the spring dance.� Joxer made his escape quickly. @>*~ Joxer got home with a sigh of relief. Hercules had been on the warpath all day and Joxer had been hard pushed to avoid him and the others. He walked through his front door, straight into his father�s fist. Joxer collapsed to the floor, clutching his nose as the door slammed shut. �Where were you, you little shit?!� his father roared, kicking Joxer in the stomach. Joxer curled up on the floor wrapping his arms around his head, struggling for breath. �T-t-t-tutoring,� he gasped. �All fucking night?!� His father aimed a kick at his back. Joxer cried out. �P-p-please do-don�t,� he begged. �Shut the fuck up!� his father sneered at him. �Go to your room, I don�t want to see your ugly face again tonight, you got that?� Joxer nodded. He dragged himself to his feet and staggered up the stairs, holding back sobs until he got to his room. He didn�t want to risk pissing his father off even more. Wincing in pain, he pulled off his shirt and sat down carefully. Ignoring the tears pouring down his face, he dug in his drawer for his comfrey ointment and witchhazel. He rubbed the ointment into his back and stomach. Soaking a dressing in the witchhazel he wiped his lip, before taping it to his nose. Then he reached for his school diary and looked up Ares� number. Taking a deep breath, he dialled. �Hello?� �Ares? I-it�s J-Joxer,� he started. �Oh hi,� Ares said warmly, �We still on for tonight?� �Um, n-n-no. S-sorry, m-my f-f-f-f-f-� his voice cracked on a sob. �Jox?� Ares sounded concerned, �Are you okay?� Joxer�s breath hitched, �I-I�m f-fine, j-j-just h-he g-g-got r-really m-m-mad.� There was a moment of silence. �A-Ares? I�m r-r-really s-sorry.� Joxer squeezed his eyes shut, he should have known it couldn�t last. �Jox, you�ve got nothing to be sorry for,� Ares sighed. �I�m sorry if I got you into trouble.� �I-it w-wasn�t your f-fault,� Joxer said quietly, feeling calmer now he knew Ares wasn�t angry. �You sure you�re okay?� Joxer sniffed and smiled at the gentle concern in Ares� voice. �Y-yeah, thanks.� �I�ll see you at school tomorrow?� �Yeah, o-okay.� �Bye then, take care, Joxer.� �Bye,� Joxer whispered. He put the phone down and curled up on his bed. @>*~ �Joxer, wait up!� Joxer swallowed nervously and let Ares catch up with him. Ares clapped him on the back and he hissed in pain. �Oh shit!� Ares spun him round. �What the hell happened to you?� Ares gasped, lifting Joxer�s face to look at his slightly swollen nose and split lip. Joxer flinched and pulled away. �I f-f-fell.� He turned away. �Joxer,� Ares said softly, putting his hand on Joxer�s shoulder to turn him back round. �Are you okay, really?� Joxer felt his eyes fill with tears and blinked rapidly, nodding silently. Ares didn�t look convinced. �If you say so.� He paused, �Are you grounded tonight?� �M-my f-f-f-father�s away t-tonight, you could c-come round if you like, stay over,� Joxer suggested quietly. �Yeah. Yeah, I would like,� Ares smiled gently. Joxer licked his lips nervously and smiled back, �O-okay, seven?� Ares� grip tightened momentarily, then he nodded, �Seven.� Part 9 �Hey dork!� Joxer was slapped hard on the back and he bit back a cry of pain. Hercules and Iolaus sat down on either side of him. �Getting a bit friendly with the dope brigade, aren�t we?� �Th-they�re n-n-not d-dopeheads,� Joxer stuttered. Hercules� eyes narrowed. �I don�t like your attitude geekboy. I think they�re having a bad influence on you, what do you think, Iolaus?� Iolaus nodded, glaring at Joxer. �I think you need to make it up to us,� Hercules continued. �Wh-what do y-you w-want?� Joxer sighed in resignation. Hercules put a pile of papers on the table in front of him. �We�re going to be busy this weekend, so you can do our English assignments for us, Xena�s and Gabrielle�s too.� Joxer swallowed and closed his eyes, nodding. �O-okay.� �Good boy.� Hercules patted his shoulder patronisingly. Joxer dropped his head onto his arms with a groan. �Hey dude!� Joxer looked up as Strife sat next to him. �Hi St-Strife.� �Hey, listen, oooh, what happened to your face, man?� Strife peered at him. �The s-stairs,� Joxer replied quietly. �Ouch! Anyway, I was gonna say, I hope me and uh,� he looked round and leaned closer, �Cupe�s performance the other night didn�t put ya off, you know, comin� round.� �Oh,� Joxer shook his head. �N-no, not at all. It w-was um, enl-lightening.� Strife chuckled, �Thanks, I think. So, you coming round tonight? Ares was a real dick last night when you cancelled.� Joxer frowned in surprise, then shook his head, �H-he�s staying at m-mine.� Strife grinned, �Cool, maybe me an� my honey can use his room then.� �*You*? You have a girlfriend?� Joxer and Strife looked round. Gabrielle and Xena were sneering at them. �Yeah, what about it?!� Strife snapped, getting to his feet. �I�ll bet she�s a skank, or desperate,� Xena smirked. �Or both,� Gabrielle snickered. Strife snarled at them and stepped forward menacingly. Xena and Gabrielle looked round nervously and backed away. Before anything else could happen, Cupid appeared in front of Strife. Joxer swallowed hard, wondering what would happen. Cupid put his hand on Strife�s shoulder and pushed him back onto the chair. Then he leaned forward, against the table. Only Strife and Joxer could hear his whisper. �Don�t let them get to you, babe. Library at three.� Then Cupid backed up and walked away with the two girls, who were snickering. Joxer looked at Strife. �Are y-you okay?� Strife nodded. �Yeah, it�s just hard,� he sighed. �Worth it though.� Joxer smiled, �Have fun.� �Oh, I will!� Strife snickered. @>*~ Joxer stared in dismay at the state of the house. His father had left empty bottles and rubbish everywhere. A couple of chairs were broken and he�d puked in the kitchen sink. Joxer closed his eyes and his hands clenched convulsively. �Damn him, fuck!� He threw a bottle across the room then slammed his fists over and over onto the table as he screamed. He collapsed onto the floor and curled up, sobbing helplessly. After a few minutes, he sat up again and wiped his face. With a determined look, he rolled up his sleeves and started to clean up. @>*~ The doorbell made him jump and he looked up at the clock in dismay. He�d only just finished cleaning up. He quickly washed his hands and tried to pat his hair into place, hurrying to the door. �Hi,� Ares grinned. �Jox? You look exhausted, what have you been doing?� Joxer stepped aside and Ares walked into the hall. �I h-had to c-clean up,� Joxer muttered. �What, the whole house?� Ares said jokingly. Joxer blushed. �The whole house?!� Ares exclaimed. �Not all for me I hope?� Joxer smiled, �B-believe me, it needed d-doing. I n-need to w-wash up though.� �Look,� Ares said, �Why don�t you do whatever you need to do, and I�ll go ahead and make dinner.� �Oh n-no, you don�t�� �I insist,� Ares said firmly. �Okay, thank you,� Joxer smiled. Joxer hurried upstairs and took a quick shower. As he came out of his room, pulling on his shirt, he could smell something cooking. He walked into the kitchen and stopped in stunned amazement. The table had been set and a couple of candles burned in the centre. Ares was just pouring some juice and he looked up and smiled. �What? H-how?� Joxer blinked in confusion. �Just thought you deserved a little looking after. Sit down,� Ares replied gently. Joxer nodded dumbly and sat down. �Hey, let me just�� Ares reached out. Joxer�s breath caught in his throat as Ares smoothed his hair back from his forehead. �Th-thanks,� Joxer whispered. Ares sat down opposite him and shrugged. �Strife said he spoke to you today.� �Yeah, h-he did. How come y-you trust me?� Joxer asked suddenly. �Huh? What do you mean?� Ares frowned. �W-well you know, knowing about Cupid and Strife, and l-letting me see what you�re r-really like,� Joxer expanded. Ares stared at him quietly. �Like I said before,� he said finally, �I think you�re a� I like you. Besides, you saw Strife and Cupid together and didn�t say anything.� Joxer bit his lip and nodded. �I wouldn�t.� �You see,� Ares tilted his head and smiled. Joxer flushed. �Oh shit!� Ares leapt to his feet. �Dinner!� Joxer started to smile, then he laughed, watching Ares rush around trying to rescue the food. Part 10 After dinner, Joxer picked up the plates and took them to the sink. �Let me,� Ares said. �No,� Joxer shook his head and turned on the faucet. Ares reached round him to try and help and Joxer slapped his hand, accidentally splashing him with water. Ares spluttered and shook his head, Joxer chuckled at him. �Hey!� Ares pouted and splashed him back. Joxer gasped and then the two boys were struggling with each other, water flying everywhere as they laughed hysterically. Ares managed to pin Joxer�s hands behind his back and flicked water into his face. Joxer struggled, giggling, until he realised Ares was pressed up against him. He swallowed hard and stared up at Ares, licking his lips nervously. Ares sobered and stared at him. He lifted his hand and wiped water from Joxer�s cheek. Joxer sucked in a breath and leaned into the soft touch hopefully. Ares groaned and moved forward, kissing him gently. Joxer leaned in with a small whimper, hoping he wouldn�t wake up from this wonderful dream. Suddenly Ares pulled back with a gasp. �Oh God, I�m so sorry, so sorry,� he whispered. �A-Ares,� Joxer started, reaching out, but Ares shook his head, turned and ran. When he heard the door slam, Joxer slid to the floor, mouth open, struggling to breathe as he choked on tears. He�d ruined everything, now he was going to lose his new friends, but worst of all, Ares would hate him. @>*~ The phone woke Joxer with a start. He was still lying on the floor in the kitchen and he was stiff and cold. He got up and hurried into the lounge to get the phone. �Hello?� �Jox? What the hell happened?� Strife started. �Ares just got home and threw us out! Man, he was pissed!� Joxer couldn�t speak. �Jox? You there? Are you okay?� �I, uh, h-he k-k-kissed me,� Joxer stammered. �Is that a good thing or a bad thing?� Strife asked quietly. �Oh, I-it was a g-g-good thing, at l-least I th-thought so,� Joxer�s breath hitched. �Okay, he kissed you, and you were happy with that, so what was the problem?� Strife asked. �I d-d-don�t know, h-he ran a-w-way,� Joxer sobbed. �Oh shit! The stupid idiot. Jox, you do know he�s been wanting to kiss you all week, don�t you?� �H-he has?� Joxer was confused. �Hell yeah. He�s liked you for ages, but he�s hung up on your age, and he doesn�t think you like him like that, God knows why. I mean� you do, don�t you?� Strife sounded worried. �Yeah, I d-do,� Joxer whispered. �Well, ya know, he�s got detention all day tomorrow, he can�t run away there,� Strife said quietly. Joxer took a deep breath, �Yeah, th-thanks, Strife.� �Hey no probs, maybe I�ll see ya tomorrow night, if all goes well?� Strife asked. �Yeah, okay,� Joxer felt a little more hopeful when he put the phone down. @>*~ �H-hello, Ms. P-Porter.� �Why, hello Joxer. Don�t tell me you�ve got detention? You�re not on my list,� Ms. Porter smiled kindly at him. �N-no, I j-just have a l-l-lot of w-work. Is it o-k-kay if I use the l-library?� Joxer asked. �Of course it is, go on in.� �Th-thanks.� Joxer pushed open the door and peeked in. Two kids he didn�t know sat opposite each other at the desks nearest the door. Ares was sitting, head on his arms, furthest away from the door. Joxer took a deep breath and went to sit opposite him. �Get lost.� Ares lifted his head, �Joxer?� He looked round as if trying to find an escape route. �What are you doing here?� �I�ve c-come to s-see you,� Joxer whispered. �Why?� �St-Strife rang l-last night,� Joxer started. Ares groaned and rubbed his face. �Wh-why did you r-r-run away? Did I d-d-do something wr-wrong?� Ares� eyes widened, �No! God, no. I�m sorry, it should never have happened.� �Why n-n-not?� �Because,� Ares stopped, �Shit, Joxer, we can�t talk about this here.� �L-let�s go th-then,� said Joxer, determined to make Ares talk to him. �What? Where?� Ares frowned. �Just, p-please c-c-come,� Joxer stood up, then raised his voice slightly. �I�ll show you wh-where you c-can find it.� Ares stood up hesitantly and followed him to the back of the library. �I didn�t even know this was here,� Ares whispered. �Wh-why d-did you l-l-leave last n-night?� Joxer asked. Ares sighed and sat down, leaning against a stack. �I shouldn�t have kissed you, I�m sorry, I�� �B-but I w-w-wanted you to,� Joxer confessed quietly. �You did?� Ares looked surprised. �D-d-duh!� Joxer sat down next to Ares, shaking his head. �But Joxer, you�re sixteen, I�� �Sh-shut up!� Joxer interrupted him, surprising them both. �H-how old were C-Cupid and Strife wh-when they s-started out?� �Sixteen,� Ares whispered, �But�� �B-but what?� Joxer frowned in distress. �I-if you d-d-d-d-don�t l-like me, j-j-just say. But I w-w-want to be with y-y-you.� Part 11 �Oh Jox, I do, I like you a lot. I just, I feel like I�m pushing this onto you,� Ares whispered. Joxer got up onto his knees and leaned forward, quickly kissing Ares. Then he sat back on his heels, holding his breath. Ares touched his mouth and sucked in a breath. He reached up and cupped Joxer�s cheek, drawing the younger boy forward again. Their lips touched and Joxer sighed happily. Ares moaned and pressed his mouth harder against Joxer�s. Joxer opened his lips under the gentle pressure and Ares slowly slipped his tongue between them, flicking gently against Joxer�s, inviting him to join in. Joxer shifted closer and suddenly, he found himself in Ares� arms, in his lap, as the older boy explored his mouth. Joxer joined in enthusiastically, tasting Ares� warm mouth and sucking on his tongue. Ares moaned again and gripped the back of Joxer�s neck, kneading lightly. Joxer slowly became aware of something digging into his thigh, and he reached between their bodies to feel. His eyes widened in surprise. Ares was hard, *he�d* made Ares hard! He pressed his hand against the firm length. Ares gasped and pulled his hand away. �No, Jox,� he panted, �Not here.� Joxer swallowed nervously and pulled his hand from Ares� grasp, replacing it at his crotch, rubbing gently. Ares groaned. �Oh, Christ,� he whispered. �Jox, what are you doing?� �P-please, I w-want to,� Joxer stopped, unsure of exactly what he wanted. �Oh God,� Ares groaned, thrusting against his hand. �We shouldn�t be doing this.� Joxer moistened his lips. �D-do you w-want to?� he whispered. �God, yes.� Ares kissed him hard. Joxer started to undo Ares� pants. Ares pulled back again. �What? Oh!� he gasped as Joxer slipped his hand inside his boxers and wrapped his fingers round his cock. �No, I�� �P-please, l-let me,� Joxer whispered. He stroked slowly, getting used to the feel of a someone else�s cock in his hand, the same yet different. Ares nodded, unable to speak. Joxer leaned into Ares� arms as he pumped the thick length. He tipped his head back so he could see Ares� face. Ares met his eyes and smiled, panting hard. Joxer gasped when Ares cupped his groin and pressed lightly. �Can I?� Ares whispered. �P-p-please, �Res,� Joxer groaned. Nimble fingers slipped into his pants and gripped his aching erection. �Oh G-God!� Their eyes locked and they watched each other as they slowly stroked each other towards completion. Joxer started to shudder, his eyes slid closed and his lips parted. Ares leaned forward to capture his mouth and swallow his cry as he came. As Joxer recovered, he kissed back hard and tightened his grip. Ares gasped and Joxer moaned as he felt Ares jerk against him and the warmth of his seed on his hand. Ares crushed him to his chest and devoured his mouth passionately. �Ares King!� Ares and Joxer pulled apart with a gasp. �Quick!� Ares whispered urgently. They leapt to their feet, Joxer dug out a tissue hurriedly and cleaned them both up. Ares did his pants up as Joxer straightened his clothes. �Ares,� Ms. Porter came round the corner. �What do you think you are doing?� �S-sorry Ms. P-Porter, it�s m-my fault, I w-w-was showing h-him a couple of b-b-books,� Joxer flushed. �Well� all right, but Ares, I want you back at that desk now,� Ms. Porter said, mollified. �Yes ma�am,� Ares said quietly. They followed her back through the stacks, Ares stroking Joxer�s ass gently until they reached the desks. The new couple sat close together and Joxer got his work out. He helped Ares study for the biology test, while he completed the English assignments. They talked softly, leaning close, hands lingering whenever they touched. They ignored and were ignored by the other two kids. Joxer was having a hard time concentrating, Ares� hand was on his thigh under the table, squeezing gently. Joxer was hard again and he desperately wanted to kiss his boyfriend. His eyes widened suddenly and he gasped. �What? What is it?� Ares whispered, frowning in concern. �You�re my b-boyfriend,� Joxer started to grin, �*I* h-have a boyfriend!� Ares laughed at his delighted expression, getting curious looks from the other two kids. Ares glared at them and they looked away hurriedly. With a quick glance round, Joxer dived in to give Ares a quick kiss. Ares made a strange noise and clutched Joxer�s knee painfully. �Ares?� Joxer suddenly felt scared, maybe he�d spoken too soon, maybe he�d pushed too much. �It�s okay, Jox, don�t look so worried,� Ares whispered, loosening his grip on Joxer�s leg. �I just want to kiss you so badly.� �Oh, *oh*!� Joxer grinned happily. Ms. Porter stuck her head round the door, �Okay kids, you can go now.� They gathered their books together and headed for the door. Joxer was about to follow the others out of the door, when Ares grabbed him, turned him round, gripped his shirt and yanked him forward. Joxer was kissed to within an inch of his life. Ares let him go, straightened his clothes and patted his cheek gently. �Okay, we can go now.� Joxer took a deep breath and nodded, trying not to shake. They walked straight into a very unimpressed-looking Ms. Porter.