Unexpected Alliance: part 4
by Kayla
Strife left his fathers with a wistful glance. Damn, it must be nice ta have someone like that. Sighing, he reappeared in a small, moonlit clearing. He flopped down onto a flat rock protruding over a slow-moving stream. Propping his hands under his head, he stared up at the night sky. Now, if I could just get Cupe... He snorted at the unlikeness of this event. Yeah, right! Keep dreamin'!
He frowned at the brilliant stars, which continued to twinkle merrily. Turning to lie on his stomach, he stared at his shadowed reflection in the water below. A globe of light appeared, floating next to him and illuminating his features. Eerily pale blue eyes stared back at him, surrounded by the almost white skin of his face and set off by dark, spiked hair. It ain't fair! How come Cupe gets all the looks in the family, an' I get stuck lookin' like this? No wonder nobody wants ta get involved with me -- it ain't 'xactly like I'm the best catch or nothin'.
He trailed his fingers through the water, the resulting ripples distorting his image. 'Sides, Cupe is married, an' totally in love with Psycho...fuck if I know why, though! It's not like I'd evah stand a chance with him. He sat up abruptly, turning from the water. He circled his knees with his arms, propping his chin up on them. He stared off into the night for long minutes.
Finally, he gave himself a mental shake. 'Kay, now. Stop with the pity party. So ya ain't got a lover. Get ovah it! Ya don't need no one! Rising, slid off the rock. He was about to return home when he paused. Shit...The 'rents are prob'ly still goin' at it. No way do I wanna be there now! He thought for a moment. Wonder how Cupe's day was? I should prob'ly see what he found out...so I can report ta Pops in the mornin'. With such totally unselfish intentions in mind, he headed for Cupid's temple.
Cupid stormed through his temple, occasionally letting out a blast of energy that demolished whatever unlucky object happened to be in its way. He slammed a fist down on a table, in his fury not even noticing the way it splintered. The words he had just heard still rang in his ears, taunting him.
Cupid appeared in his temple, wings drooping. Man, this is sooo not fun! What is UP with these mortals? He stared dejectedly at his bow. Big help this thing was!
The entire day had proved useless. Nothing he tried had any effect other than to make people even more violent. Cupid sighed morosely. If Bliss is sleeping, maybe I can get Psyche to give me a nice...massage. Expression lightening, he fairly bounced as he headed toward the bedchamber.
No Psyche.
He frowned, brow wrinkling. Baths? Smiling, he moved through the doorway.
No Psyche.
Dining Hall? It was dinnertime after all. He quickly flashed over there.
No Psyche.
He tilted his head, considering. Closing his eyes, he searched for any godly traces in the building.
No Psyche. No Bliss, for that matter.
OK. No prob. She's probably off visiting one of her friends and dropped Bliss with a sitter. I'll just go...persuade her to come home. Bliss will be fine for the night. Grinning, he concentrated on his wife's aura, following it to wherever she was.
He was a bit surprised when he materialized in the hallway of someone's temple. Hearing a noise, he turned and looked through the slightly open doorway behind him. He stared in disbelief.
Psyche.
And Apollo.
In bed. Naked. Fucking.
Shaking his head, he backed away. No... Breathy moans and the sound of flesh slapping against flesh came to his ears. He clenched his fists, nails digging into his palms. Rage sprang up in him, and he began to growl. He could feel himself begin to change form, the monster that lived beneath his normally cheerful surface taking control. As shouts of completion sounded, he stalked toward the room, eyes glowing with fury.
A soft voice stopped him. The words spoken reached inside him and ripped his heart out.
"Oh, Apollo, no one else has ever made me feel this good. I wish I could stay here forever." Psyche nuzzled Apollo's neck, kissing the golden skin.
The Sun God chuckled. "You've been over here practically every day for the last three months. What's the difference? Just move in already!"
"You know I can't leave Cupid. I've got a good thing going there. He adores me, does whatever I want him to...I've got it made. He's totally wrapped around my finger. I'm not about to give up that easy lifestyle. And what he doesn't know, won't hurt me!"
The laughter from the two stole Cupid's breath away. He shifted back to his normal form and, tears slowly leaking from his eyes, returned to his temple.
Gods, he could still hear her lilting voice, "...wrapped around my finger...he doesn't know...stay here forever....no one else...no one...no one."
With a loud scream of anguish, Cupid gathered his power and blasted the bed he had shared with Psyche. As it exploded, fire consuming the debris, he flung himself from the room, stumbling outside into his gardens. He crumpled on the ground beside a fountain, sobbing.
Strife walked through Cupid's temple, mouth hanging open. The destruction shocked him. Who'da done this ta Cupe? Ain't none of the gods mad at him that I know of. Anger flared. Sensing someone in the gardens, he moved there quickly, ready to kick some godly butt. He was totally unprepared for the sight that met his eyes.
Cupid. Curled on the ground, making little gasping sounds as tears poured from his eyes. Blood oozing from cuts and scratches, bruises darkening on his smooth skin. What the fuck? Worried, Strife rushed to his brother. Reaching a tentative hand out, he laid it lightly on Cupid's shoulder.
Cupid flinched violently, head jerking up to stare at this intruder into his misery. Seeing Strife, he whimpered and flung himself into his brother's arms. Practically wrapping himself around the slender figure, he began to stutter out a garbled explanation.
"Psyche...not here, went to find her. Apollo...them...they...together. Not me...just using me...wants...Oh gods, what am I gonna do!?"
Strife had no idea what Cupid was trying to tell him, but what he was able to gather was that the god of love had been hurt...badly. An' Psycho had something' ta do with it. That little bitch! He looked around at the wrecked temple and grounds. Can't let him stay here. He considered for only a moment, then whisked them both away.
Cupid looked up briefly as Strife brought them to his clearing. After a quick glance at their surroundings, he again buried his face in his brother's chest. Strife rubbed his back between his wings, humming tunelessly. Finally, the tears stopped, and hitching little breaths interspersed with sniffles took the place of the heart-wrenching sobs.
Strife groaned silently at the feel of Cupid's warm body pressed against his own. Gods! What in Hades are ya thinkin'!? Pull yourself togethah, the guy so doesn't need ta deal with this, too! In the silence, Strife spoke. "Um, Cupe? Ya wanna talk 'bout it? I mean, whatevah 'it' is? 'Cause if ya don't, that's cool too. Ya don't hafta say nothin' if ya don't want ta." He winced. Gee, babble much, Strifey?
Cupid pulled back slightly. Wiping a hand across swollen, red eyes, he took a deep breath. In a hoarse, raspy voice, he explained. "I was, you know, trying to forget about this bloody awful day, so I figured, put in a little horizontal exercise with the wife. So I go looking for her, but she's not at home. I found her..." he paused, gritting his teeth. Struggling with the words, he ground out, "I found her at Apollo's place. In his bed, to be exact. They were..." He closed his eyes, pounding the ground with his fist.
Strife's eyes grew wide. She...cheated on him? Can we say 'moron'! What does the little bitch think she's doin' fuckin' Cupe ovah like this? When I get my hand on her, she's gonna fuckin' regret the day she hurt my Cu--brother! He moved back into contact with Cupid, stroking his hair gently.
Cupid shuddered, his tense body melting into the warm, comforting form beside him. Gradually calming, he began to take notice of the peaceful surroundings, for the first time realizing they were no longer at his temple. Looking around with blurry vision, he cleared his throat. "Where...where did you bring us?" He looked up at his brother, who continued to rock him gently.
Strife ducked his head, flushing. "Um, it's kinda...well, like my...secret place. I, uh, I come here when I wanna, ya know, get away from...things. Be...alone. I...I nevah told no one 'bout it before."
Cupid stared at him, eyes wide. "No one? And you brought me here?"
Strife avoided his gaze. "Yeah, well, ya know, it looked like ya needed ta get away from your place, an' I figgered this was 'bout as private as ya could get." He shrugged. "Mortals nevah come here, it's too hard ta get ta. Far's I know, none of the othah gods or anyone know it's here neither. So, it makes a good hidey place."
Cupid was in shock. He brought me to his very own secret spot, that he's never even told anyone else existed. Why would he share something so special with me? He glanced around the peaceful clearing.
Tucked away in a mountain range, it was sheltered enough to keep out the worst of weather while being in a location that prevented it from becoming cold and uninviting. A spring higher up provided water in the form of a small stream that meandered through the clearing, headed toward a waterfall that could be heard in the distance. Hidden away like it was, the place seemed almost like an island, isolated from any outsiders. The perfect retreat from the world.
"It's beautiful. Thank you for sharing this with me. It's...special." Cupid snuggled closer to his brother, wrapping his arms around him and sighing as he laid his head on a lean shoulder.
Strife swallowed. He shifted his hips so his hardening cock wouldn't press against Cupid. Not now! He so ain't gonna be receptive if ya try anythin'. Give it a rest already! He glared down at the uncooperative flesh as it remained firm. Fuck! I hope he don't notice. He chewed his lip nervously, relaxing as he heard Cupid's breathing even out. He smiled at the sleeping god, gently moving them down to lay on the soft, sweet smelling grass. After a feeble attempt to move away, which was met by strong arms pulling him closer, Strife gave up and curled up next to his brother, quickly joining him in slumber.
Strife woke slowly from a wonderful dream involving him, Cupid, and some strategically applied food items. Drifting back to consciousness, he pressed back against the warm figure behind him. He purred as he rubbed his ass against Cupid's...hard...cock.
His eyes flew open.
A hand had wormed its way inside his shirt and was currently stroking his nipples, rolling them between callused fingers. Warm lips were working their way down his neck, a gentle suction pulling his blood to the surface of his skin. Breathy moans sounded as Cupid rocked against him, cock pressing into the cleft of Strife's ass.
Strife whimpered. Oh, Gods...don't stop. Please don't stop! He knew he should move away, but couldn't bring himself to put an end to the sensations that were bombarding him. Then, a tongue licked a fiery path to his ear, and his earlobe was devoured by a hot mouth. He gasped, tilting his head to the side.
"Mmmm...Psyche..." The soft whisper broke through the haze that had enveloped Strife, and he wrenched himself away, panting harshly. He rolled over to stare, wild-eyed, as his brother woke, rubbing his eyes.
Cupid blinked, struggling awake as his warm cuddle toy was abruptly removed. "Psyche?" He could still feel warm flesh under his fingertips, and a slight tangy flavor lingered in his mouth. As his vision cleared, he saw Strife, flushed and trembling, staring at him. His eyes focused on a red mark that had appeared on the other god's pale neck. I don't remember seeing that last night. I wonder --
He jerked upright, remembering the entirely too recent taste of salty skin inside his mouth. He paled. "Shit! Strife...I...I didn't mean...I'd never... Gods, I didn't...hurt you or anything, did I? I'm so sorry!" Fuck, Cupid! Just alienate the guy why don't you? Nothing like having an unwanted person groping you to say 'good morning'! He sure did feel nice, though. Better than... His anger resurfaced as he remembered the events of the previous day.
Strife brushed a hand through his hair, shifting awkwardly. He still wants Psycho, not you. That's the only reason he was feelin' ya up like that...he thought that's who it was. Get a grip! His eyes glazed as he considered just what he'd like to get a grip on. He shook himself. With a lopsided grin, he snickered. "Hey, no prob, bro. Not your fault. Just anothah warm body, course ya figgered it'd be your wife. Forget it."
Easy for you to say, you're not the one with hard-on. Cupid stood quickly, brushing off the bits of grass that stuck to him. "Yeah. Great. So, um, what should we do about, you know? The situation?" He snuck a peek at his brother out of the corner of his eye. He looks so cute all mussed up in the morning. Like he's just begging to be kissed. I bet he'd never cheat on me like -- He cut that thought off.
Strife shrugged. "Dad and Pops are prob'ly havin' a little morning fun 'bout now, so it'd be a bad idea ta show up there for a while. We can hang here for a bit. If ya want." Wish they wasn't the only ones gettin' it on this mornin'... He stood as well, hoping desperately that his arousal wasn't as obvious as it felt.
"Fine with me. What do you wanna do?"
"Depends. Ya still pissed 'bout last night? Um, ya know...the...thing? 'Cause, like, your place was totally wrecked."
Cupid's face darkened. Surprisingly, he felt little jealousy over the event, mostly a deep fury at having been played a fool. He snarled, fists clenching at his sides.
"Oooo...kay. Guess that's a yes, then. So, wanna do somethin' ta work out a little aggression?"
Cupid lifted an eyebrow, interested in spite of himself. "Like what?"
Strife giggled. "Let me introduce ya to a special part of my little world here." He dragged Cupid through some tall bushes into another clearing. This one, however, was nothing like it's neighbor. Barren and devoid of life, the shattered rocks and burnt ground gave mute testimony to the rage that had been expressed there. "Here's where I come to let 'er rip. Give it a go."
A huge pillar of stone appeared nearby. With an encouraging nod from Strife, Cupid let out a nasty smile and gathered his power.
Joxer lay in a sweaty heap on top of his husband. "That was...that was...wow!" He panted heavily.
Ares smirked. "I'll take that as a compliment."
Joxer growled and bit down on Ares' shoulder, leaving a perfect imprint of his teeth in the smooth skin.
"Ow!" Ares snaked a hand around and smacked Joxer's ass. "If you're hungry, go eat breakfast!"
"Mmmm...I thought I was." He bit again, more gently this time, nibbling along Ares' neck. "But feel free to spank me some more if you really want." He chuckled, pressing himself back into the hand that still rested on his rounded cheeks.
Ares let out a weak groan. "Now you tell me!" He pulled Joxer up to kiss him deeply. "How about we save that for next time, hmm?"
Joxer licked his lips hungrily. "Anytime, lover-boy!" He nipped Ares' nose, then jumped up quickly, laughing as his husband reached for him, protesting. "Come on, lazy. We've got things to do today...remember?"
Ares closed his eyes with a grimace, slumping back down on the bed. "Why did you have to go and remind me of that?"
"Yeah, yeah. All I get is complaints..." He sighed theatrically, flinging his arms up in the air. "The things I put up with for love."
Ares rolled his eyes, but left the bed, following his husband out. "We still need to call in the boys."
"Yeah!" Strife cheered Cupid on as he blasted another boulder to dust. "Hey, go for these!" He pointed to some smaller rocks that he was moving through the air, bringing a wicked gleam to Cupid's eyes.
The Love God launched himself into the air, weaving an aerial pattern through the stones. A delighted chuckle issued forth as bolts of energy lashed out to pulverize each one.
Finally, the destruction died down, and Cupid landed beside his brother, breathing heavily. The two gods stared at each other. The normally well-groomed Cupid was coated liberally with dust from the crushed rocks. Larger flakes of debris stuck to various parts of his sweaty skin.
Strife snickered. "Man, bro, ya look like crap!"
Cupid glowered at him, then grinned. Strife swallowed, backing up a few steps. Before he could open his mouth to protest, Cupid dove, tackling him and sending them both rolling across the ground.
When they came to a rest, Strife lay pinned to the ground while Cupid straddled his waist. He watched warily as his brother slowly reached out and scraped up a handful of dust off the ground. He tried to wiggle away, but the hand inexorably came opened over him and a stream of dust trickled out over his face and chest.
A triumphant grin on his face, Cupid held back laughter as Strife snorted, tossing his head and sputtering. As he felt the lean body writhe under him, he sucked in a deep breath. Oh...man! That's...he feels so... He shifted so his burgeoning erection wouldn't press against his brother.
Strife tried not to buck up against the strong body that sat astride him. Gods...if we was both naked right now...yum! He stilled his movements, praying Cupid wouldn't feel his hardening flesh.
The gods stared intently at each other. Cupid leaned down slightly as Strife raised his head up.
Strife! Cupid!
They jerked apart, scrambling away from each other and blushing furiously.
Strife scuffed his feet. "Um, guess they're...done. We oughtta head on ovah there."
Cupid nodded wordlessly.
With a last embarrassed glance, they vanished, leaving behind a cloud of dust swirling in the light breeze.
Joxer watched the young goddess go. He glanced over at his husband, worried. "What do you suppose happened? Psyche seemed upset about something. And why was she here looking for Cupid? On that note, how come you didn't mention he's due here soon?"
Ares shrugged. "If Cupid wanted her to know where he would be, he'd have told her." He frowned. "There's something off about that woman. I don't trust her. Fates only know what Cupid sees in her."
"He's a kid. Kids fall in love for the strangest reasons. Doesn't mean he loves her any less."
Ares grinned at Joxer. "Too bad he doesn't have the good taste his father does!"
Joxer smiled and gave him a quick kiss. "Better call the boys here, we need to get things straightened out."
Ares closed his eyes and, concentrating, called for his sons. He and Joxer waited patiently for them to show up. A bright flash, and the two young gods were revealed.
Joxer tapped his foot. "Do we want to know what you two have been doing to get in such a state?" He stared pointedly at the dust that was beginning to settle on the floor around the newest arrivals.
Cupid and Strife blushed, then banished the dirt, cleaning themselves up in the process.
"Thanks ever so much," Ares said dryly.
"Hey, no prob, Pops!" Strife sank into a nearby chair.
Ares looked at his elder son. "Psyche was be here earlier looking for you. She seemed...disturbed." He tossed that out nonchalantly, awaiting a reaction.
Cupid's face grew dark with barely suppressed fury. A low growl emanated from his throat, startling Joxer. He walked closer, projecting concern.
"Is something wrong? What happened?"
Cupid merely whirled about, stalking over to the far side of the room where he sat heavily in a chair. His fists clenched tightly, it was obvious that he had reached some sort of breaking point.
Joxer turned to Strife, who was making frantic slicing motions across his throat. Getting the picture, Joxer wisely ceased his questioning. Strife heaved a sigh of relief, and asked in a voice full of forced cheer, "So, what's the scoop?"
"The 'scoop', as you so charmingly put it, is that we need to report to Zeus what we've got. There's going to be a big meeting to compare everyone's findings. If any of the other gods are having similar problems, this thing could be...difficult to deal with." Ares sighed wearily.
"That's putting it mildly," Joxer muttered, earning him a heated look from Ares -- and not the kind he preferred!
"So, uh. let's get on the ball, then." Standing, he called over his shoulder, "Yo, bro, get your ass in gear."
Joxer noticed how Strife had steadfastly remained turned away from Cupid for the last couple of minutes, barring a few rather heated glances when he thought he wouldn't be caught. He quirked an eyebrow at his husband, gesturing toward their son. Ares shrugged. 'We'll talk about it later,' he mouthed. Joxer nodded.
Strife and Cupid missed this little exchange, and blithely followed when Ares and Joxer left to speak with Zeus.
The four gods appeared in Hera's courtyard, surrounded by a large gathering of assorted other deities. Ares looked around for Zeus, but was unable to find him among the crowd. A high-pitched voice, however, did catch his attention.
"Cupid!"
As one, they turned toward the sound. Psyche. A visibly upset Psyche, displaying evidence of annoyance combined with anger, and what could be worry, but was most probably just gas.
Ares sighed wearily. He did not feel up to being part of a confrontation between Cupid and his shrew of a wife. As much as he wanted to ignore the woman, he wasn't exactly prepared for her reception by his sons.
Strife growled, eyes narrowed and teeth bared. He stepped between Cupid and Psyche, arms folded over his chest. His entire stance screamed 'Back off or die, bitch!', and made the bitch in question falter a bit in her approach.
Cupid himself glowered, his expression becoming even more grim and foreboding than it had been previously. With a muttered curse that Ares didn't quite catch, he turned away from his wife, focusing intently on some faraway object. The sound of teeth grinding could be plainly heard by those nearby.
Joxer simply watched, fascinated by the display.
Psyche chose to ignore all indications that her presence was not welcome. Or she was too dense to notice. Either way, she pressed on. "Cupid! Where have you been? I've been looking all over for you! It's horrible! Everything is all smashed and burning -- who could have done such a thing?"
When she received no response, she moved around in front of him, glaring, hands on hips. "Are you ignoring me? Don't ignore me! Cupid!" She stamped her foot, pouting in what she thought to be an appealing manner. She was mistaken. It only served to increase her husband's irritation.
Cupid took in his wife's stance; it was the same one she used whenever she wanted something from him. Always before he had given in. Now, the memory of her words -- 'does whatever I want him to...totally wrapped around my finger' -- wiped away any desire he may have had to humor her.
Ares frowned. What is she babbling about? What's all smashed and burning? He glanced at Strife, who was glaring at Psyche, fingers curled into claws like he was about to attack. A look at his other son revealed that the God of Love was not feeling very loving at the moment. He nudged his husband.
Joxer was caught up watching Strife's reaction to his sister-in-law. Oh, yes. Very interesting. Definitely must have a talk with Strife about this.
Strife glared daggers at Psyche. Cheatin' bitch! Get away from my man! He began to imagine a variety of slow and painful ways to kill her. With extreme force of will, he kept himself from jumping her right there, if only to see how Cupid would handle it.
Cupid stared at his wife icily. At the moment, she resembled more a petulant child than anything else. "Excuse me?" His tone was frigid, lacking any of its normal lightness.
Psyche continued with her tirade, oblivious to all signs of Cupid's wrath. "And where were you all night? I came home, and not only was the place in ruins, but you were gone! And you didn't come back, and I couldn't find you, and you have to fix it! All my stuff was there, and my clothes probably smell all yucky like smoke, and we'll need new furniture, and --"
"Where's Bliss?"
Psyche stared at him blankly for a moment, mouth still open. "Huh? What are you talking about?"
Cupid's lip curled. "Bliss? Our son? The one you were supposed to be taking care of while I was out trying to fix things yesterday? Where...is...he?"
Her brow wrinkled. "I dunno. I left him with his grandmother yesterday, I suppose she still has him. Why?" Not waiting for an answer, she continued with her previous train of thought. "Anyway, do you think we could maybe try out something new with the our place? I mean, once you get it cleaned up and everything. That stuff you had there...I mean, eeeewww! Obviously needs a woman's touch. Don't worry, I'll decide what we should get...it will look so much better!" Psyche brightened. "Oh, I can't wait to get started!"
Cupid was stunned. This? I was attracted to...this? This shallow, self-centered, cheating little bitch!? What in Tartarus was I thinking? And if anything's happened to Bliss, I'll fucking kill her! He straightened, eyes narrowed. "Well, hope you have fun. Write me when you've got your new place done." He laughed harshly. "Actually, don't bother."
A puzzled look came over Psyche's face. "What do you mean, 'my place'? You mean our place. Silly! Where would I live if not with my husband?" She giggled.
Cupid snorted. "Maybe you could shack up with Apollo. I'm sure he'd be more than pleased to have you. Oh wait, he already has." He watched as her face grew pale.
"Wha-What are you talking about? Apollo? There's nothing going on with him. Where would you get an idea like that?" She smiled a bit nervously. "Honestly, Cupid, you have got to get over this jealousy thing you --"
"Oh, cut the crap, would you!?" Psyche took a step back, shocked.
Ares and Joxer watched avidly, knowing they were about to get some answers to their unasked questions.
Strife could barely contain his glee. Yeah, bro! Get her! He was nearly salivating at the thought of his rival being put in her place. 'Bout damn time, too!
Even though Cupid had yet to raise his voice, the tension in the little group was plainly felt, and a crowd had begun to gather around them, eagerly soaking up the drama.
Cupid took no notice of his and Psyche's audience. He snarled at the now cringing woman. "Did you think I would never find out? That I would just turn a blind eye to it? Or maybe you figured I wouldn't care. What? What was it? Tell me! I mean, I'd really like to know just what in Hades you were thinking when you started fucking Apollo behind my back!"
Psyche sniffed, lower lip quivering as tears welled up in her eyes. "I-I would never cheat on you, Cupid! I-I-I can't believe you would a-a-accuse me of that." She sobbed, covering her face with her hands.
Joxer tilted his head. Something wasn't right here...he could feel it. He backed away, disappearing into the crowd.
Apollo winked at the goddess standing next to him, flashing her his most charming grin. She giggled and blushed, then gulped hard and hurried away. Apollo was about to follow when a hand clamped around his arm. He turned, flinching back as he met the hard eyes of an extremely angry god. "Um, Joxer! Did you, um, did you want something?"
Joxer gave the other god a chilling grin. "Apollo, I think you and I need to have a little chat."
"Really? About what?" He tried to pull back, but couldn't break away from that grip. For such a slender god, Joxer's strength was surprising.
"Hmmm. Well, let's start with your latest conquest, shall we?" He nodded his head, indicating the small gathering around Cupid and Psyche.
Apollo began to sweat. "Um, I-I don't know what you're talking about." His gaze darted frantically around, looking for an escape.
"Oh, I think you do. Tell me, how would you like to have War, Trouble, and Mischief all after you? I can promise you, you would not enjoy the things we can come up with. They can be so...painful. And I believe we'd have the full backing of Hera. She's doesn't approve of this sort of thing, you know." The look in his eyes was enough to convince Apollo of the truth of his words.
By all the gods, he's insane! Apollo paled, letting out a shaky breath. "W-What do you want me to tell you?"
Joxer chuckled, without a trace of humor. "Oh, not me, lover boy. You're going to tell them." He began to walk back to his family, dragging the reluctant god behind him.
Psyche could barely contain a triumphant grin as she felt sympathies shift toward her. To cover a choked laugh, she sobbed harder, forcing out a few more tears.
Cupid clenched his fists, fighting down the desire to lash out. He felt a cool hand on his shoulder, and turned to see his brother gazing at him, fury shimmering in his eyes. He gave Strife a half-grin, squeezing his hand lightly with his own, then turned back to his wife. Just as he was about to open his mouth, there was a commotion behind him.
"Hey, look, man. This is not a good idea. I really don't think--"
Joxer rounded on the other god furiously. "Yes, I have noticed that problem with you. You never think about the consequences of your actions. Well, that's about to change, because this time, you will answer for what you've done." He sneered at Apollo. "You know, I think I'm really going to enjoy this."
Apollo dragged his heels as Joxer pulled him along. "Aw, come on! You don't really want to do this, do you? I've learned my lesson. Really! I'll just leave now, and there doesn't have to be any trouble. OK?" He quailed a bit at the evil chuckle this statement produced.
"But you forget -- I like trouble. I thrive on trouble! I'm the fucking God of trouble! What can I say, it makes me go all...tingly. Oh, looky! We're here!" Joxer pushed his way through the crowd, ignoring the muttered complaints. He came up behind his husband and drew Apollo out into the open.
Cupid snarled at the god who stood nervously next to his stepfather. Eyes narrowed and teeth bared, he reached for Apollo with clawed fingers.
Apollo gaped at the furious god for a split second before attempting to hide behind Joxer.
Joxer snagged him by the hair, pulling him up short. "Ah ah ah! Now, where do you think you're going?" He turned his gaze toward Psyche, who paled considerably. Derision showed plainly on his face as he perused her trembling figure. "Psyche...dear. I believe someone here has something to add to this...enlightening conversation." He nudged Apollo, causing him to wince in pain as his ribs were bruised.
Apollo looked at the gods and goddesses gathered around. He gulped hard. Biting his lip, he peeked over at Ares, hoping for some sort of reprieve. All he got was a dark glare and an angry growl. He flinched back, the hand still gripping his hair tugging painfully. "Um...well, you see...I, that is, it's like this...uh, there was this...and it kinda -- ow!"
Joxer wrenched his head back violently. "You know, we did come here for something rather important, and we don't exactly have the time to listen to your pitiful excuses. So, do us all a favor and just spit it out!"
Ares watched his husband lovingly, admiring his ferocity in dealing with the perceived threat to their family. Gods, but an angry Joxer turns me on! He concentrated, flooding their link with erotic imagery to convey what he'd like to be doing.
As the intense feelings and images washed over him, Joxer flushed, lifting his eyes to stare heatedly at Ares. He could feel himself harden, and he licked his lips. Just you wait until later, mine! I'm going to take you hard and fast, and you're going to love every moment of it!
Ares' breath hitched as he received that promise. He shifted slightly, fighting the urge to grab his love and go, and to Hades with the rest of the Pantheon! He settled for adjusting himself circumspectly, skin burning in anticipation of 'later'.
Apollo missed this brief exchange, caught up in trying to find a way to do what Joxer wanted without overly implicating himself. Of course, the fact that he had slept with Psyche Repeatedly. Damn, but she was a fun ride! was making that just the slightest bit difficult. His attention returned to the present when his hair was released, and the back of his head smacked painfully.
"Ow! Hey, what was that for?"
Joxer tilted his head. "You know, I'm getting the feeling that you're just not paying attention, here. I don't like being ignored. Talk!"
"Well, see," Apollo took a deep breath. "I met up with Psyche a couple of months ago and she was sad, and said she was lonely, and Cupid was busy, so we kinda started kissing, and I took her back to my place, and weendedupsleepingtogether." He cringed, waiting for the fallout.
A tremulous sob broke the silence. All eyes turned toward Psyche. She stood there, lip quivering and tears spilling down her cheeks. "How...how could you? How could you tell such awful lies about me?"
Ares snorted. "And why exactly would he lie about this? Especially when he knows how much he's going to...regret it?"
Psyche sniffed. "He's just trying to get me in trouble." She looked beseechingly at her audience. "See, we did meet up that day, but when he tried to kiss me, I wouldn't let him. And...he-he tried to make me...and I just ran away!" The look on her face was one of violated innocence.
Excuse me? Apollo straightened, glaring at his former lover. "Hello? I have never had to make a woman do anything for me! You were practically begging! I just took you up on your offer."
Psyche gasped indignantly. "I never!
By now, heads were moving back and forth in unison, alternating between the main players in this little drama. There was an air of sordid fascination that was almost tangible.
"Ha! You couldn't get enough! I could hardly come home without finding you waiting in my bed! You were --" He broke off, turning his eyes on Cupid. "Um, that...perhaps wasn't the best way to word that."
Cupid snarled, subsiding only when Strife leaned over and whispered in his ear, then the two simply snickered maliciously.
Psyche pouted, still sniffling. "How can you just stand there and...and lie like that! I would never do anything to hurt my Cupes. I love him!"
"Gee, I'm crushed. And here I thought it was me you wanted to spend eternity with. At least, that's what you said...over, and over, and over..."
"I didn't!" She protested loudly, stamping a foot for emphasis.
"Oh yeah? Well, I've got proof!" Apollo grinned as Psyche paled considerably at this.
Psyche spluttered a bit, then screeched, "You can't! There's no way...n-n-nothing happened!" Her protests seemed to have lost a bit of weight, though.
"What proof?" The soft question captured everyone's attention and interest.
Apollo looked at Strife, slightly confused. Wonder what his interest in all this is? He shrugged, no longer caring and just wanting to get the whole thing over with. Flushing a bit, he shuffled his feet. "Um, well, I kinda...um, like to, you know, record the moment. If you get my drift. Makes for some interesting watching when things get...dull."
Cupid ground his teeth together. "Show me."
Strife laid a hand lightly on his arm. "Ya sure? Ya know the truth already, ya ain't gotta watch it again."
Cupid narrowed his eyes.
Strife gave him a sad smile. "I just don't want ya hurtin' no more. 'Kay?"
Face softening, Cupid squeezed his brother's hand. "Yeah. I'm sure."
Ares stared hard at Apollo, then nodded sharply. "Do it."
A ball of light appeared, hovering in front of Apollo. Slowly, pictures began to take shape within. Several of the goddesses present recognized the setting as being Apollo's bedroom. Cupid's lips tightened into a thin line as several different scenarios flashed by, all having the common theme of Psyche somehow ending up getting fucked by Apollo. After a few minutes of this, Ares growled, "Enough!"
The ball vanished. There was momentary silence, broken by Psyche's shrill voice. "That-that wasn't me! It was fake! He...he made it up! I'd never...please...you have to believe me..." It was no use. What had once been sympathy for her had turned to disgust. Not so much because she had cheated, but because she had lied about it, and continued to do so when the truth could plainly be seen.
It's not fair! I didn't do anything wrong! It's all that stupid Apollo's fault. I'll make him pay. Her husband's harsh voice broke through her self-pity.
"I'll speak with Hera later about a formal severance of our...union." Cupid spat the last word out as if it tasted rotten.
"But...you can't! Cupes! I-I'm sorry! Please, don't do this..." She wrung her hands, eyes pleading. No! I've worked too hard for this! I deserve this!
"I can't? Watch me." He remained impassive as her face crumpled. "And tell me something -- are you sorry you cheated on me, or just sorry that you got caught?" Without waiting for an answer, he turned his back, dismissing her.
Strife leaned in close to the speechless woman. "You don't deserve him. You never did. And you're not getting him back. Ever." He too turned his back, moving to catch hold of Cupid and ushering him away.
Psyche stood alone, watching as her perfect life crumbled away. She turned to some of the bystanders for support, or sympathy, but none would meet her eyes. She glared at Strife's back. You did this to him. You turned him away from me. You'll regret this! Biting her fist, she turned and fled.
Ares watched her go, then shook himself. "All right, show's over, people!" He shooed the lingering crowd. "Time to get back to your own lives. Come on! This wasn't what we all came here for, remember?" He threw a worried glance at his eldest son, reassured when he saw Strife remaining with him.
He grabbed Apollo, who had tried to sneak away in the confusion. "I'm not forgetting about you. Later, you, me, and Joxer are going to talk. Gods to god. Got it?"
Apollo nodded in defeat. When he was released, he hurried away. Maybe, if I stay low-key, they'll forget about me. Desperately hoping that was true, he disappeared.
Ares chuckled, then flung an arm around Joxer's waist, pulling him close. Nuzzling a soft ear, he whispered huskily, "You were fantastic. Gave me all sorts of lewd thoughts. Care to practice some later?"
Joxer leered at his husband. "Count on it." He rubbed suggestively against a muscled leg.
Ares moaned, then kissed him possessively. "I can't wait." The two lost themselves in each other, kissing and petting, until they were jostled sharply from behind. Ares tore his mouth away from clinging lips to glare at the intruder.
"What? Did I come at a bad time?" Aphrodite cocked her head, expression innocent.
Joxer heaved a sigh. "Not at all," he muttered sarcastically.
"Great! Looks like it's about to start. Oh, here." Aphrodite held out a squirming, winged child.
"G'anpa!" Ares held out his arms just in time to catch the giggling bundle that had launched itself at him.
"Hey, Bliss!" He gave his grandson a sloppy kiss on the forehead. "You have fun with your grandma?"
This question resulted in a toothy grin from Bliss, and a smack on the arm from Aphrodite. "Dudes, chill with the 'grandma' thing! I am so not grandmotherly looking!"
Joxer laughed. "Hey Bliss." He reached over and brushed his fingers through the child's errant curls.
"Hi G'anpa Jay." He held his chubby arms out, squealing happily when Joxer plucked him up and tossed him in the air once before cuddling him close.
Aphrodite bounced, jiggling in a manner that attracted not a few stares. "Gotta bail. I'm meeting late meeting Hephy, and Zeus and Hera are already here. Later!"
Ares and Joxer watched her go, then turned toward the dais.
Strife led Cupid away toward the outer skirts of the gathering. He found a handy pillar and leaned against it, pulling Cupid toward him and rubbing gently between his wings.
Cupid leaned heavily against his brother. "Thanks," came the soft whisper.
"Hey, no prob. We gotta stick togethah, ya know?" Damn, but I'd love ta stick togethah with ya...or to ya, on ya, in ya...mmmm. He lost himself in that fantasy for a bit.
Cupid sighed, resting his head on a lean shoulder.
They stood like that for a moment, then Cupid looked up, noticing that the younger god's eyes had glazed over. He poked his flat belly, earning himself a befuddled look.
"Huh?"
Cupid pointed toward the dais, where Zeus and Hera had just appeared. "Looks like it's starting."
"Oh. Right." He shook his head, trying to banish visions of a naked, pleading, extremely fuckable Cupid from his mind. "Yeah. Um, let's get closer, 'kay?"
Ares paced around the room. The meeting had finally come to a close, and the results hadn't been good. It seemed that the problems were widespread; every major deity in Greece was experiencing difficulties similar to what the four gods now gathered had found. Either their efforts were having little impact, with the effects lasting for far shorter amounts of time, like Joxer and Ares; or the impact was the same, perhaps even enhanced, while the effects were the exact opposite of what they should have been, case in point being Cupid.
Whatever was going on had disrupted the gods' power in such a cunning way that it had gone practically unnoticed for who knew how long. Now, pockets of chaos were breaking out, and even the mortals were starting to figure out that something just wasn't right.
Zeus and Hera had gone to the Fates for help. That idea made Ares laugh. The Fates were well known for being distinctly un-helpful in situations like these. Still, there was a faint hope. He continued to pace.
Joxer watched his husband. Clearing his throat, he looked over to where his son was standing with Cupid. "Boys, I am going to want to have a little chat with you later concerning this morning, but for now...I need to talk to your father in private."
Strife snickered silently. Talk. Yeah, right. Nodding with mock seriousness, he tugged at Cupid, who was sluggish in responding. Strife peered at him worriedly. "Cupe? You 'kay?"
Cupid shrugged listlessly, smiling wryly. "Yeah. Sure. Why shouldn't I be?"
Strife nibbled on his lip. "Um, ya wanna go back ta my...place? Kinda wind down some?"
The winged god ran fingers through his blonde hair. He sighed, then shrugged again. "Whatever."
Strife shot an inquiring glance at his father, the non-pacing one, and Joxer gave him a gentle smile, nodding. "'Kay, then. Let's go." He wrapped a hand around Cupid's arm, and the two young gods faded from sight.
Joxer's smile turned a bit sad.
"This is ridiculous." Ares continued his circuit of the room. "How could no one have noticed anything unusual all this time?"
"We didn't, either. If it hadn't been for Strife, who knows how long it would have been until we'd gotten a real eye-opener?"
"It's just...this is so frustrating! And now, everything hangs on the word of those three tapestry-obsessed loonies!"
Joxer watched with slight amusement as his husband worked himself into a frenzy. There was only one way he knew of to halt these types of tirades.
Ares came to an abrupt halt when he almost ran over the figure that had appeared in front of him. He glared. "Excuse me, love. I'm a bit busy here."
"Yeah, I noticed. Too busy for this?" He grabbed the edges of Ares' vest and yanked, pulling the god into a tight embrace and fastening their lips together.
Not having lost his senses completely, Ares eagerly participated in the unexpected but entirely welcome kiss. When Joxer finally released him, he bowed his head forward onto a lean shoulder. Flushed and panting, he managed, "No. Never too busy for that." He looked up, eyes sparkling with humor. "If I ever get that busy, I hope you'll have the decency to put me out of my misery. Or beat some sense into me."
"Mmmm. So, I have permission to beat you? Definite bad ideas forming here. You've corrupted me, love."
"Me!?" Ares pulled away, assuming an affronted look. "Excuse me, but I was all innocent before you got ahold of me. We all know who did the corrupting around here!"
Joxer snorted with barely-contained amusement. Rolling his eyes, he nodded sarcastically. "Riiiight. And that would be me?"
Ares gave a virtuous nod.
Joxer leered. "Well, then, I'd better get back to work. You look far too...innocent at the moment." He jumped at Ares, catching him in the chest and knocking him to the floor. Licking an earlobe, he whispered, "Besides, we can't do anything until Zeus and Hera finish with the Fates. Might as well make the most of our spare time."
"Mmmm, I s-s-suppose." Ares tilted his head back. He smoothed his hands down Joxer's lean back, pulling him closer. He laughed breathlessly. "Be gentle."
Joxer bit down into warm flesh. He suckled hard, then moved away slightly. "Um, I'm thinking...no." He slipped his hands inside his lover's vest, pinching the nipples into hardness.
Ares moaned, bucking upwards. He writhed as wicked hands continued to tweak his skin, rubbing, twisting, squeezing. "G-g-gooood," he hissed in agreement.
Grinning, Joxer pulled out a dagger and began to carefully cut away Ares' leather pants. Which wasn't exactly a simple task, considering how tight they were. But Joxer had a lot of practice at this particular maneuver, and managed without damaging the goods. Soon enough, Ares lay bare but for his vest and boots.
Ares wiggled enough so his husband could remove the remains of the offending clothing, watching through narrowed eyes. When Joxer's eyes fastened on the 'present' he had just unwrapped, the War God made his move.
With a quick twist of his hips, he rolled sideways, grabbing his husband's arms and pinning the smaller god on his back. He snatched the dagger away, and stared down at Joxer triumphantly.
Joxer pouted in mock disappointment. "Hey, isn't it my turn to ravish you? I mean, you had your turn this morning."
"If I remember correctly, you were the one on top!"
"Yeah, well, if I remember correctly, you were the one with your cock up my ass. I'd say that makes it my turn!"
"Hmmm. Maybe. Unfortunately for you, you've corrupted me so badly that I no longer play fair. So..." He began using the dagger to slice through the soft silk of Joxer's shirt.
With a dramatic sigh, Joxer relaxed, flinging his arms over his head. "Oh, fine! If you must. I'll suppose just have to bear with it."
Ares let out a very un-War God-like snicker. "Oh, the sacrifices you make."
"Sacrifices to your depravity. You should be grateful!"
Ares moved on to the pants. "Oh, I am. Trust me." A piece of leather went flying.
"But Mother always told me never to trust anyone with a...knife." He stared at Ares' crotch, where his naked flesh was standing proudly erect as he crouched above his captive.
"Good advice." He finished, leaving Joxer naked under him except for his boots. "But not in this case." He flung the dagger across the room, and bent to give his husband a bruising kiss. He lifted his head, licking along smooth cheeks. "In this case, you should just lay back and prepare to be 'stabbed'."
Joxer giggled. "That was really bad, you know. 'Prepare to be stabbed.' Where do you get your dialogue from, Gabrielle's scrolls?"
Ares stared at him, appalled. He flopped down on his back beside Joxer, grimacing in distaste. "Great. Thanks. Just kill the mood, why don't you? I mean, talking about that blonde while I'm trying to get lucky. Sheesh!"
Joxer blinked. He reached over and ran a finger down Ares' chest, moving under the vest to circle a nipple. "Really? Does that mean you don't want to flip me over and fuck me through the floor?" He sniffled, trying for a pathetic expression.
Ares sighed heavily. "Nope. Not in the mood for that anymore." Joxer gaped in disbelief, making Ares smile. He moved back to cover his lover again. "I think I'd much rather have you on your back so I can see your face when you cum."
Joxer licked his lips hungrily. He moaned as the leather of Ares' vest brushed across his sensitive nipples. "Sounds...mmmm...good to me."
"Glad we're finally in agreement." He bit down on one of the tightened buds, making Joxer arch his back in delight.
"Less talking. More fucking." He held Ares' head to him, squirming as a wet tongue played across his skin.
Ares breathed across saliva-coated nipples, wringing a gasp from his lover. "Oooh, I love it when you talk dirty."
Joxer grabbed his husband by the ears, pulling him up to eye level. Glaring, he gritted out, "Let me put this bluntly. Your cock. My ass. Now! Dirty enough for you?"
Ares considered briefly. "It'll do." He lifted up enough to grab hold of Joxer's legs, pushing them up and apart. Joxer took the hint and held them in place while Ares swiftly coated his erection with oil. He braced his arms by Joxer's shoulders and, staring deep into his husband's eyes, pushed smoothly inside.
With a strangled shout, Joxer wrapped his legs around Ares' waist, thrashing his head back and forth as the heated flesh set up a pounding rhythm inside him. The light dusting of hair on Ares' stomach brushed against the swollen head of his cock, driving him insane.
Ares groaned at the slick heat surrounding him. As he thrust again and again into the tight opening, he seized his lover's lips in a kiss, tongue mimicking the action of his cock.
Joxer clutched Ares to him, desperately running his hands under the vest and down a back damp with exertion. His body was totally open to his husband's demands, and he rocked violently with every movement Ares made inside him, bursts of pleasure exploding through him . He felt invaded, surrounded by the War God's very essence.
His cock, trapped between the heaving bodies, was being stroked roughly, and he shuddered, clenching the muscles in his ass tightly. That action intensified the sparks he felt inside, and he did it again.
Ares' eyes opened wide as his cock was squeezed and pulled deeper into his husband's body. He sped up his movements, knowing he wouldn't last long. As he began to cum, he pushed in as far as he could, moaning into Joxer's mouth while their tongues continued their mating dance.
When he felt the warm spurts of Ares' seed inside him, Joxer held him close, his own cock pulsing as he reached orgasm as well. Locked together, the two kept kissing breathlessly, neither wanting to part.
After long moments, Joxer unwrapped his legs from around Ares. Disengaging their lips, he whispered, amused, "Mine? When we get up...you'd better check to floor for cracks. I think we might have broken something."
