Pairing: Cupid/Strife, minor Dite/Heph and Hades/Persephone
Disclaimer: All characters belong to people who aren't me.
Archive: AJCS, Clouded Memories. Anyone else, ask and ye shall receive.
Website: Forsaken Faith -
Summary: All of Greece feels the God of Love's heartbreak.
Author's Notes: Many thanks to Ty for the beta. Also, I'm already working on a sequel to this fic and it will also feature Ares/Joxer.
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Anyone, mortal or god, who was alive on that day, would never forget the scream. It was a sound of agony unlike any they had ever or would ever hear, and in that moment, though most didn't know it, all living beings throughout Greece felt the heartbreak of the God of Love.
Aphrodite felt the pain three times as badly as the others, being Goddess of Love and the head of the House of Love. She passed out from the grief and pain, but luckily her husband Hephaestus was there to catch her.
Ares physically collapsed when it hit him, and though he wanted to immediately find the source of the pain, he had to deal with Iolaus. If he didn't stop Callisto there wouldn't be a world left to feel pain in.
So it was that the first person to find the source of the gut-wrenching agony was Eris, the Goddess of Discord.
When she flashed into the room, she was still gasping for air. Even with all the battles she'd been involved in during her long life, she'd never felt pain like that before, and she wanted to know who was responsible. Without thought she followed the pain to the source, and to her surprise found herself in the God of Love's bedroom.
Once she caught her breath and searched the room she saw Cupid, said God of Love, passed out on the cold marble floor. There was blood pooling around his head, and one of his beautiful white wings was bent at an odd angle. Eris hadn't worked with her twin brother War for her entire life without being able to recognize a broken bone when she saw one.
She quickly made her way over to the younger god, putting up shielding around the room to prevent anyone else from following the pain. She doubted Cupid would want anyone to see him like this. After giving him a once over to make sure nothing else was broken, she reached out to set his wing bone correctly. Her fingers inches from the feathers, Cupid's eyes snapped open, and he immediately sat up, flinging himself away from her in the process.
Several bones in his wings snapped with the sharp, harsh movement and blood from his head wound splashed the wall. To Eris's shock, her nephew didn't appear to feel any of it. He merely looked at her blankly for a moment, before a sound akin to a dying animal rose from his throat.
Her heart constricted at the sound, and she watched in alarm as he began rocking back and forth, keening and wailing and sobbing. She had no idea what to do. Physical pain she could handle, but emotional? That was Aphrodite's area of expertise. Eris had to wonder where the blonde goddess was, especially since her son was involved.
"Aphrodite!" Eris shouted loudly.
When she didn't appear after several moments, Eris sighed. Who else could she call? After a moment she yelled again, "Mother!"
Hera appeared in a muted flash of light, obviously still concentrating on the pain they'd all felt earlier. "Eris, dear, what...?"
She trailed off in horror when she saw her grandson. "By the Fates. Eris, is he the one who felt such pain?"
Eris nodded. "I tracked the pain back to the source and ended up here. When I found out who it was I put up shields so no one else would be able to do the same. He was unconscious when I got here. Apparently he passed out and hit the floor, because his head was bleeding and one of his wings was partially broken. I was about to set his wing when he woke up and threw himself away from me. In the process he broke several more bones in his wings and gods know what else. I didn't know what to do, so I tried calling Aphrodite, but she didn't answer. Then I called you."
Nodding to show she'd heard, Hera moved forward silently. She crouched down next to Cupid, slowly reaching out to lay a gentle hand on his arm. "Cupid?"
There was no response from him, as if he wasn't even aware they were there. Hera very much doubted that he was, considering the pain he was in. With a sigh Hera stood and returned to Eris.
"Do you know what caused the original pain that we all felt?" Hera asked.
"No," Eris said, shaking her head. "I can't imagine what it could be. That's another reason I called Aphrodite. I figured if anyone would know, it would be her."
"Yes," Hera agreed. She mentally searched for Aphrodite, finally locating her in Hephaestus' forge. "Eris, please go to Hephaestus' forge and fetch Aphrodite. I will stay with Cupid."
Reluctantly, Eris nodded and flashed out. When she appeared in the forge, she was greeted with another surprise. Hephaestus was sitting on the floor, looking wholly uncomfortable, with Aphrodite's head in his lap. Aphrodite herself appeared to be out cold, spread out on the stone floor.
"Heph?" Eris questioned cautiously.
Hephaestus looked up and sighed with relief. "Eris. Thank goodness. Maybe you can tell me what happened. I felt a terrible pain, and at the same moment Aphrodite gasped then passed out. I don't know what's going on."
"I'm afraid I don't know much more than you, Heph," Eris told him. "The pain came from Cupid, but we don't know why he's in pain or why it echoed to all of us. He's... not well. I guess it hit Aphrodite harder for some reason. She'll probably be okay, since the pain faded for us. It might just be taking longer since it hit her harder."
"Cupid? You have no idea what could have happened?" Hephaestus asked concerned.
"No. We were hoping Aphrodite might know. Come on, let's head back to Cupid's place. When ‘Dite wakes up we'll ask," Eris said.
She moved towards them and supported Aphrodite while Hephaestus stood. When he was steady she handed Aphrodite back to him and he gave her a nod. Taking that as a signal, she flashed back to Cupid's bedroom.
Within a second Hephaestus appeared with Aphrodite beside her. Cupid was still rocking and sobbing, unaware of the world around him. Hera, who was sitting on the floor near Cupid, looked up at them. She gave Aphrodite a questioning and concerned look.
"It was the pain, Mother. For some reason it hit ‘Dite harder," Eris explained.
Just then, Aphrodite groaned, blinking rapidly to clear her vision. She asked groggily, "Gods, what happened?"
Hera spoke quietly. "You remember you felt a great pain, dear? It caused you to pass out. The rest of us felt it as well, but not as strongly as you."
Aphrodite nodded, still trying to gain her bearings. "Yeah. It was like my soul being ripped in half... heartbreak to the extreme. I felt it worse cause I'm Love, but whoever it was is pretty powerful and just lost their soulmate. That's why you all, and likely everyone in Greece, felt it. It's like, major true love, eternal and never-ending, in this life and the next, all that. Gods, I'm gonna be feeling this for the next couple centuries."
Eris, Hera and Hephaestus shared horrified looks. Finally getting herself under control, Aphrodite saw their looks and turned to see her son, sobbing and broken on the floor. Tears filled her eyes and she ran across the room, falling to her knees and skidding the rest of the way in her haste to reach her son.
"Oh Gods, Cupid. Cupid, Cupid, look at me. Oh please, not you, Cupid, not you. No, no, no, no," Aphrodite mumbled, fear and desperation in her voice.
Cupid showed no signs of hearing her.
At the heart breaking sight before her, Hera clasped a hand over her mouth to stop the threat of tears trying to overwhelm her. Eris squeezed her eyes shut tightly in an attempt to block the scene, but she could still see it with crystal clarity in her mind. She could hear Hephaestus sliding down the wall he was leaning against until he it the floor.
It was to this scene that Ares flashed in. He had finally got Iolaus on his way, and found the signature blocked when he attempted to find the source of the pain. So, he searched out his mother instead, assuming she might know something. He wished he hadn't.
His mother was almost in tears, his twin was shaking, his brother was in shock, his sister was sobbing, and his son... his son was completely broken.
He stood silently for a moment, before turning slowly to his twin. "Eris, what is going on?"
Eris opened her mouth to speak, but couldn't make any words come out. Instead she shook her head, trying desperately to control herself.
It was Hephaestus who spoke, his voice even. "The pain you felt, that we all felt, was caused by a broken heart. Someone very powerful just lost their soulmate, and they unconsciously projected the feeling onto every living being in Greece. It was Cupid."
Ares swallowed hard. He'd always suspected, but there had never been any proof, and now... now it was too late. Quietly, he said, "Strife is dead."
Four heads snapped around to face him. Cupid just continued rocking, adding a particularly pain-filled wail at the sound of the name.
"Callisto was given a dagger with Hind's blood on it by Hope. She used it to kill Strife then she went back in time to kill Alcmene before Hercules can be born. That's where I was. I had to send Iolaus back to stop her and bring her back here," Ares explained.
Aphrodite reached out and laid a hand over Cupid's heart. She closed her eyes, searching for a moment, before opening her eyes and pulling away.
"It doesn't matter," Aphrodite said hollowly. "Strife is his soulmate. It won't bring Strife back, and without Strife, Cupid will deteriorate until there is nothing left. Our sons are both lost."
Now Eris could feel the tears dripping down her cheeks, though she did nothing to stop them. Her son, her only son, was dead. Her favorite nephew was soon to join him, and there was nothing she could do about it.
Suddenly, her emotions took a turn. The sorrow was suddenly replaced with rage, and with a growl, she flashed out of the room.
Hades didn't look very surprised to see her, although her appearance seemed to throw him. No one outside of Ares had ever seen her cry before. She marched up to his throne, grabbing him by the collar and lifting him off the ground. Persephone watched with wide eyes from her throne beside Hades' own.
"You will return my boy to life this instant. I don't give a fuck what you have to do, what obscure rule you have to make up, but you will do it," Eris growled.
Gasping for breath, Hades choked out, "I, I can't do that, Er... Eris."
Eris's eyes narrowed and she squeezed tighter. "You didn't seem to hear me, Hades. It wasn't a request. That pain you felt, that Persephone felt, that we all felt, was a minor reflection of the pain Cupid is in right now."
His eyes wide, Hades gasped out, "Cupid?"
"Eris," Persephone spoke up quietly, "Perhaps it would be easier to talk about this if you allowed my husband to breathe."
After squeezing tightly for another moment, Eris let go, and Hades fell onto his throne, taking in huge gulps of air. Persephone reached over and laid a calming hand on his arm before turning her attention back to Eris.
"You were saying?" She asked.
"The pain we felt was like a rebound of Cupid's feelings. When I felt it I tracked it back to him. He had passed out and hit the floor. He was bleeding and one of his wings was broken. When he woke up, he hurt himself even more. Since then he's been rocking back and forth, sobbing and whimpering and unaware of the world around him. If anything, he's continued to get worse," Eris explained quietly, a hard edge to her voice.
Hades had gotten himself together and was listening with concern on his face. "What happened to him?"
"You did," Eris snapped. "Cupid's pain, the pain everyone in Greece got just a small taste of, was the feeling of his soul being ripped in half and his heart breaking. Strife is Cupid's soulmate. His true love, eternal and forever, Dite said. Without Strife, Cupid will waste away until you have another family member as a permanent resident. Which will, among other things, leave Bliss without a father. It will leave ‘Dite, Ares and I without our sons. It will leave Greece without a God of Love. The list goes on."
Persephone's eyes were filled with tears. "Oh, that's horrible..."
"So again I say: Hades, return my son to life right now," Eris ordered.
Turning to her husband Persephone pleaded, "Oh, you have to, Hades. You can't let this happen. There has to be something you can do!"
Hades sighed. "You know I'm really not supposed to. I got Tartarus from Zeus when I made that last deal with Hercules and Iolaus."
"Who gives a shit? I'll deal with Zeus! The Houses of Aggression and Love will declare war on the bastard if we need to. We've already got both Hephaestus and Hera backing us," Eris informed him. "And Hades, if you won't do this, it'll be you that we declare war on."
"Is that a threat?" Hades asked darkly.
Eris gave him a hard glare and corrected, "It's a statement of fact."
They stared at each other, both refusing to back down, before Hades sighed and leaned back. "Fine. I will restore Strife's life and godhood, under the condition that if Zeus is upset, the Houses of Aggression and Love, as well as Hera and Hephaestus, will come to the aid of the House of Death."
Persephone was beaming in delight, and a grin actually broke out across Eris's face. Hades rolled his eyes, before concentrating and summoning Strife's shade to him. It appeared, and he focused for a moment, a flash of white light signaling the return of Strife's life and godhood.
The young god blinked a couple of times, startled. He looked around before his gaze finally came to rest on Eris. "Mom? What's goin' on?"
Instead of answering him, Eris reached over and hugged him tightly. Strife returned the hug gingerly, nervously looking at Hades and Persephone over Eris's shoulder. When Eris pulled back, Strife saw there were tears streaks on her cheeks.
"What's wrong, Mom? Ya okay?" Strife asked in concern.
She nodded. "I am now. You died, Strife. Callisto killed you."
Strife concentrated, and the memory hit him. The pain of the dagger going through his flesh, and then a pain even more agonizing, as if his soul had been ripped from him. Somehow he didn't think that had anything to do with the Hind's blood.
"I remembah now," Strife said. "But there was somethin' else. It felt like my soul was bein' torn out or somethin'. Nothin's evah hurt so much, an' I've felt a lotta hurt."
"Oh Gods," Eris whispered to herself. "It didn't even occur to me that... but obviously it did."
"Eris," Persephone called, getting her attention. "Isn't there someone who needs to see him?"
Eris smacked herself on the forehead. "Duh!"
She grabbed Strife's hand, throwing a ‘thanks' over her shoulder right before they disappeared.
They reappeared in Cupid's bedroom. Hera was staring at her lap, sniffling quietly. Hephaestus was still on the floor against the wall, and Aphrodite remained in front of Cupid, crying softly. Ares had moved and now kneeled beside his son, trying to reach his wings so he could set them.
Before anyone even realized they were there, Strife let out a gasp and flashed across the room, insinuating himself between Aphrodite and Cupid. Aphrodite was so startled she fell backwards and into Hera.
"Strife?" She asked shakily.
He didn't respond, having focused all his attention on Cupid. "Oh, Cupe, gods. Cupe, it's me, Strife. I'm back, I'm fine," he told the still form.
Cupid suddenly stopped rocking and grew silent. His eyes flickered, emotions slowly entering them, as he focused on the man in front of him. "Strife?"
Letting out a sigh of relief, Strife nodded vigorously. "It's me, Cupe. Oh, gods, what happened ta ya?"
"I, I don't know. I was standing here, and then there was this... pain. I, I felt like, like I wanted to die. Like half of me was missing," Cupid explained unsteadily. "It was... it hurt so bad, Strife! You were gone!"
As Cupid finished the declaration, he threw himself at Strife, wrapping his arms around his cousin tightly. His wings automatically moved to enfold them, and he let out a moan of pain as the broken bones twisted and grated together.
Strife's arms came up to return the embrace swiftly, rubbing his back in a soothing gesture when he heard the moan of pain. Strife looked frantically up at his uncle, who was the only one in his line of vision at the moment.
Ares swallowed thickly, clearing his throat to say, "He's broken several bones in his wings. They have to be set, but he didn't seem to care until you got here."
To his shock, Strife found himself glaring at his uncle. "Well, fix ‘im! Now!"
Even more surprising, Ares kneeled down and began to set Cupid's wings without complaint. Strife held tightly to him the whole time, murmuring to him about how sorry he was and that he'd never leave again.
When Ares was done, he waved his hand over Cupid's wings, immediately healing them the rest of the way. They'd only needed to be set so they'd heal in the right positions. Cupid's wings flexed twice, before finishing the aborted move of enfolding he and Strife, hiding them from view.
Cupid pulled back from Strife enough to look into his eyes. "Strife, when you were gone I wanted to die. Don't ever do that to me again, please. I'd never survive without you; I love you too much. You're too much a part of me for me to let go of."
Strife nodded slowly and said softly, "I love ya, Cupe. I've loved ya for longer than I can remembah, maybe forevah. I don't wanna loose ya either."
Smiling, Cupid leaned forward, catching Strife's unresisting lips in a soft, sweet kiss. They broke apart slowly, and Strife whispered against his lips, "Me an' you, love, forevah."