Welcome to AresJoxerCupidStrife

Alone
Heartache
Salve for the Heart
Baby Steps
Seeing the Truth
Sleeping
Awake
Hated
Loved
Unwanted
Wanted
Reviled
Hades Comes To Visit
Lose Ends

Disclaimer: Own nothing
Title: Alone?
Author: Kate
Rating: PG-ish
Summary: Read the Title people

Ares woke up after a night with Aphrodite alone. Same as usual. He knew why she came to him. Why she always came to him when she wanted children but he just wished once, Once maybe he wouldn't have to wake up alone. He knew it shouldn't have mattered to him but lately he just wanted someone to want him for him. Not because of what he could give them.
Ares sighed and got up. He dressed quickly and went out to his main room. He knew no one would ever come to see him unless Zeus summoned him to the throne room and that hurt too. He sometimes wondered why he had to be the one everyone hated. It wasn't his fault he was born to be War. It truely wasn't.
Ares opened a mirror to check on his family and watched them. He figured since no one cared what he did as long as he stayed away from them, he could watch them from a distance. he smiled sadly as he watched Cupid adn Strife play with Bliss. He watched Dite ahnd heph talk about what they would do with this child. What it's godhood would be, and he checked in on his mother and smiled softly as hew atched her away from Zeus making a blanket.
Ares sighed and closed the mirror after a few hours. He wished he new what exactly he'd done to make everyone hate him but he figured that was an answer he could never have. Ares sat the entire day in his temple alternating between watching his family and day dreaming. Of course, the way his life had been, he knew there was no chance of his dreams ever coming true.
When night finally came, Ares crawled into bed not even bothering to undress. He just wanted the pain to end. he wanted someone to care about him.

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"Someone does Ares," Hades said as he watched his own mirror and heard his nephew's deepest wish. "Someone does care about you."
Hades turned away from the mirror when he was certain Ares was asleep. He went to where his wife was waiting for him and she smiled. She knew sometimes, when Hades sensed ares heartache getting bad, he wouldspend time watching over him. She never knew why. Hades never said. but she knew she would one day like to sit with her usband even though he'd told her on those days he would not be focused on her. Persephone did not care. Whatever reason Hades had for watching over Ares, she knew it to be a good one.
Later that night, she found hades again watching the mirror. This time she watched it with him. He seemed so drawn to his sad nephew. Even persephone could feel Ares heartache adn thought something should be done about it. She noticed Hades watching Aes much the same way he watched her and she suddenly understood. hades loved Ares. Just as he loved her. And she thought, if he could love more than one person, so could she. and Ares really was a handsome man. He looked like he could use sonme love. SHe touched Hades shoulder to bring him back and smiled.
"Why don't you bring him here Hades?" She asked. "We could make sure he was never alone again."

Disclaimer: Still own nothing
Title: Heartache?
Author: Kate
Summary: His heart breaks
Sequel: To Alone?
Comments: I'm taking suggestions on who should be behind this. My choices are Dite and Psyche.

Persephone watched Ares in Hades' mirror as the tired God of War slowly got up the next morning. She had hoped maybe the two of them watching him would help somehow but it was obvious after three days that he needed someone to reach out to him. She had watched as yesterday at the meeting Ares had sat alone near one end of the table and no one spoke to him unless it was to tell him to do or not to do something and when to do or not do it. She saw him physically seem to shrink into himself when that happened. It was as if each reprimand for doing his job cut a piece of his soul apart.
Persephone wondered why they were treating him like this, his children. She knew he loved them beyond all else and they had at one time she knew loved him in return. It just seemed as if lately they were constantly pushing him away. As if they believed his job would taint them. Now, his heart was clearly breaking into pieces from sadness and loneliness and no one seemed to care but his grandson Bliss. Persephone wanted so badly to help Hades fix the pain Ares was in and she hoped it wasn't to late.
She watched as in the mirror, Ares slowly lifted a knife to his hand and cut himself. She had no idea what he was doing until his whispered words penetrated the mirror's field.
"Take my blood, it hurts less," was what he said as he slashed his hands. Persephone felt his pain as he cut his other palm once the one had healed. Ares allowed his blood to drip onto the floor pretty much wasting it but he did not seem to care. All he seemed to want was for the pain in his heart to stop. He laid down on his bed which Persephone realized was much harder than any other bed on Olympus, and curled up. Again not bothering to take his clothing off or cover up with a blanket.
"Oh, Ares," she whispered. "What are we going to do with you sweetheart?"
Ares lay on his side and Persephone could see the few tears he shed in his ooom where no one would ever see or care about them. Not that he thought anyone cared at all now. All Ares had known for nearly thirty years was loneliness, heartache, rejection and pain. And the worst thing about it was, he had no idea what he'd done to make everyone hate him. All he knew was that one day Cupid was asking him to watch Bliss and the next, he wanted nothing to do with his father. Ares dearly wanted to know why.
Persephone watched as the next day, Cupid came by and just left Bliss with Ares saying only that he couldn't get anyone else so he supposed Ares would have to do. Ares' face when he said that was like someone took a knife and twisted it into his heart. He sighed and took Bliss inside his temple getting down some toys for his grandson to play with while he worked.
"Gwampa?" bliss asked after a while. "Would you tew me a stowwy? I miss your stowwies."
Ares looked down at Bliss and nodded silently. He pulled Bliss into his lap and sat in one of the easy chairs in his rooms that no one ever thought he'd have. He told Bliss' favorite stories all afternoon not knowing when he'd have another chance to tell his grandson a story. He looked up when Cupid flashed in looking irritated.
"Didn't you hear me calling you dad? Are you going deaf now too?"
Ares winced and gave Bliss to Cupid. He rarely spoke to his family anymore as they gave him nasty looks if he even looked like he wanted to ask for or say anything.
"Hey, answer me Dad. Jeez, for once I want you to say something and you wont. Are you losing your hearing now too?"
"Bliss wanted me to tell him stories. I got lost in them. I'm sorry," Ares said softly as he stood to see Cupid out. He couldn't handle anymore pain right now so he figured the sooner he was alone the better.
Cupid left with Bliss leaving Ares alone in his dark temple. Ares sighed and went to his bedroom to lie down. He hurt inside and he knew he wasn't supposed to feel this way because he was War and so not really capable of hurting emotionally. Why then did it hurt so much? What had he done to deserve this? Even his parents were kinder to him lately than his family. He'd thought at one time his family loved him. Now, he wasn't so sure. Ares turned on his side and just cried. It hurt too much now.
Watching from the Mirror in Asphodel, Persephone cried with him.

Disclaimer: Already said.
Titled: Salve for the Heart?
Author: Kate
Summary: Someone cares
Sequel: To Alone and Heartache

Ares lay in his bed trying to sleep when he became aware of a presence in his temple. He rolled out of bed, glad he no longer bothered to be comfortable and walked out to the main room. His Uncle Hades was standing by the place where Ares should have had a fire going.
"Uncle?" Ares asked quietly. "Is something wrong? Did I kill too many people?"
Hades turned to look at him and for once, Ares saw compassion in someone's eyes. Compassion for him.
"No, Ares," Hades said. "You did nothing wrong. I just wanted to see you. Would you like to come down to Asphodel with me for a visit?"
"Isn't Persephone with you now?" Ares asked uncertainly. Hades almost cried for the look in Ares' eyes. He touched his nephew's face gently and Ares actually flinched. Hades remembered suddenly how rarely Ares was touched, especially lately when his children seemed to hate him. Hades watched Ares seem to pull into himself somewhat as he looked at his uncle. He could see Ares walls come up to try to protect himself from more heartbreak and Hades sighed.
"Ares, please? Come visit with your old uncle for a while. I promise I wont keep you too long if you don't want to stay. Besides, Persephone would like to see you too"
Ares looked at Hades for a few minutes before deciding to go. At least it was somewhere other than here. And at least he was wanted for something. Even if it was that Hades and Persephone wanted a new person to play with. Someone wanted him for something.
Hades read Ares' thoughts and winced in the pain he had to be in to let himself be used that way just to feel wanted. Yes, Hades would like to lie with Ares, but not if his nephew thought he was a toy. That wasn't what Hades or Persephone wanted. They wanted Ares. Just Ares.
Hades got Ares down to Asphodel and then left him in Persephone's care while he went to do one last thing. He suspected something was amiss here. Cupid's behavior towards Ares was not that of a Love God. He appeared in Aphrodite's and Hephaestus' temple to find them arguing about her using Ares to get children that looked something like Heph but never being there in the morning. Hades shook his head. Something else that needed to be dealt with. Didn't they know they killed Ares a little more each time they used him?
"EXCUSE ME!" the God of the Dead said loudly. Dite and Heph both spun around and blushed in shame at having ignored his presence.
"Thank you," Hades said. "Now that I have your attention I'd like to ask if either of you have noticed Cupid's behavior towards Ares lately. He's killing his father and there is very little anyone can do about it until we know why."
"Cupid?"
"Yeah, you know, your son Dite? He's damn near destroyed his father's heart. Treated him like dirt and generally made Ares feel like no one could possibly want him. I suggest you find out why Dite. Before you feel your lover's heart break. And by the way, he does know why you use him. It hurts that you can't for once just want him for who he is instead of for what he can give you. Good day."
So saying, Hades returned to Asphodel and his broken hearted Nephew. He knew Dite and Heph would investigate and he hoped they found answers. He was going to have his hands full fixing Ares' heart and convincing his nephew he was loved. Hades went back home to Asphodel and his own project. Operation: Heal His Heart was about to be put into effect

While Hades was off dealing with whatever he was dealing with, Persephone sat with Ares trying to get him to relax. She could see the wariness in his eyes as he looked around the drawing room in the palace of Asphodel. He looked so sad and tired as he looked around the room almost as if he expected to be tied down somewhere. Persephone looked around as she sensed Hades return. He appeared near Persephone and they looked at Ares together.
"Ares," Hades said softly. "Would you like something to eat or drink? We have plenty here you know."
Ares looked at his uncle and his sister/aunt and shrugged. he took the wine goblet from the table and downed the contents. He looked up at his aunt and uncle and sighed.
"Did you want to talk about anything in particular? Or did you just want to get right to playing?"
Ares spoke quietly as if he was accustomed to being used and cast aside and Hades cursed Dite for not thinking and whomever was behind what was wrong with Cupid for what they did to Ares. He looked at Persephone and gestured for her to try touching Ares. When she did, he stayed still waiting for whatever would happen next.
"Ares," Hades said softly. "No worries about what we want. All we want is for you to relax. We want to stay here and relax."
"But uncle I---I don't belong here unless you want something from me--do I?" Ares asked. Hades sighed and shook his head.
"Ares, you belong here if you want to be here. I want you here as my guest. As my nephew, as someone I love. Please? Just sit down and relax. That's all you have to do."
Ares looked at Hades and slowly sat with his back against the chair that was to the wall. He looked up as both Persephone and Hades approached him. He was so tense when they hugged him. He had no idea what he was feeling when Hades said he wanted him. It was a feeling he hadn't had in a very long time. Ares hoped maybe it wouldn't end too soon. He thought if he could just have this for an hour he could survive another thirty years alone.

Disclaimer: Stoill own none of them
Title: Seeing the Truth?
Author: Kate
Summary: SOme people find parts of the truth
A.N. How about Athena or Demeter controlling both Psyche adn Dite to get what she wants? Think Hades is gonna be ticked with her?

Strife stood watching in the shadows as Psyche adn Aphrodite met. He had just been getting something for Cupid when he saw the two goddesses getting together.
"It has to stop 'Dite," Psyche was saying. "He almost wanted to die last night. You said that wouldn't happen. I just wanted Cupid to know what it felt like to break someone's heart. Not to Kill Cupid's father."
Strife heard Aunt 'Dite's answer and it left him cold.
"Ares needs to be seperated from the children. I don't think they should love him like they do. They are mine."
"But 'Dite," Psyche began. "You now what will happen if Ares dies. Both our power signatures will be there, plain to see. What's wrong with you? I thought you liked Ares."
"I do," she told Psyche. "I want him to be mine forever and since I can't have him, I'll take his beauiful children."
"Okay, 'Dite, now you are scaring me," Psyche said. She was scaring Strife too because he could see the compulsion on her to want to posess all beauty. She seemed to want Ares broken and not even know why. Strife did though. This thing with his aunt 'Dite was to make her want to possess all beauty. If she could break Ares, she could possess him. Strife slipped out of the room going to get Cupid. If he was being used to hurt his father, Strife knew he'd never forgive himself if Ares did something permanent to himself.
Arriving in Cupid's room found Hephaestus there already ripping Cupid up one end and down the other about how he'd treated Ares. Strife skidded to a halt in the doorway and related what he'd just heard. Strife saw Heph sigh as if something he wanted to deny had just been confirmed. When Heph caught Strife's look he told him he'd suspected something was wrong with 'Dite too. Now Strife was curious and angry. Ares was like his father. May as well have been his father, and someone or something wanted him to hurt? Not if Strife could help it.
Strife planned to teach the person behind this the meaning of the word Strife before he was finished with them. As soon as he found out who it was.
"Poppa Heph," Cupid began. "Where is my father? If I hurt him I need---"
"He's safe. That's all I'm going to say right now Cupid."
Heph had suspected oif hades was that angry with them about how Ares had been treated he must have been watching him. Which meant if he'd seen Ares in the way Psyche had said he was in last night then hopefully Ares was with Hades and Persephone.
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In Asphodel, Ares was indeed in the company of Hades and Persephone. He lay on one of the couches drifting off to sleep not even aware of it. Hades stood over him as his eyes closed adn gently, so gently, kissed his nephew's forehead.
"Goodnight my love," Hades said. "Sleep well."
Persephone, standing with him, added her silent goodnight as she and Hades moved Ares to a bedroom with a soft, warm bed and a fire in the fire place. Ares drifted off slowly.

Hades sat watching Ares sleep with Persephone. He'd been out for almost twelve hours now but Hades knew with Ares level of exhaustion, sleeping for twelve hours would be short. He felt Persephone touch his shoulder as she joined him at Ares' bedside. They both wanted to lay with him. To warm him with shared body heat, but they were afraid of scaring him.
"When do you suppose he'll wake up Hades?" Persephone asked. Hades shook his head not knowing. Persephone looked down at Ares and gently brushed his hair off his face.
"I just want to know so I can tell him how much we love him. I was hoping it would be soon---"
"You know it will take time before he believes us, right?" Hades asked her. He knew it would take time to rebuild Ares' shattered heart. It had been too many years of this emotional almost abuse. Hades sighed looking at Persephone's eager face. She looked so happy and eager to begin trying to fix the damage that Hades had to swallow the lump in his throat. Once again he was so very glad she was not like her mother.
Hades watched as Ares shifted in his sleep. They both held their breaths wondering if it would be a nightmare or just settling. Even in the last twelve hours, Hades had learned Ares rarely, if ever, slept peacefully.
"The point is," Hades said as he was certain Ares was asleep, "is that we continue to tell him how much we love him. Tell him until he believes us. That is what we will have to do to fix this. And if it ever happens again---" Hades trailed off on the threat knowing Persephone understood.
"It wont Hades," she said to him. "You and I wont allow it. If we have to, we'll keep Ares with us from now on. If that's what it takes to protect his heart."
Hades smiled knowing she meant it. They looked at each other and silently decided it was time to get something to eat. They left the room not seeing Ares' eyes open slowly. He had been awake for most of what was said and yet he still wondered if he was dreaming this entire thing. Hades and Persephone loved -Him?— He was having trouble comprehending this. For how could anyone love War? Yet they talked of him staying with them, where he would be wanted. They wanted him? Now he was confused. It had been so long since he had been wanted for himself that he was uncertain of what that self was anymore. Now here were Hades and Persephone offering to let him rediscover that self. He definitely wanted this dream to real.

Cupid looked at Strife and then back at Daddy Heph. It had been shocking when Heph came in and started yelling at him about how he treated his father. He hadn't even seen his father that he knew of. When Heph asked "So who had Bliss while you worked the other day?" Cupid had no answer. Since no one else had his son, he knew who it was. But he couldn't seem to remeber What had happened to make Heph so pissed with him. If he ahd hurt his father though, he was going to make whomever caused him to do it pay. And according to Strife it wa Psyche. SHe wanted him to know how it fet to break a heart? Fine, she could know. but so help him Gods, his father was not going to be her target ever again.
Cupid stalked into her temple angrily. He was going to make her pay for this. And he was going to make it hurt. He was angry now. Actually, he was furious and he wanted her to know it. It was good to be awake to what was happenign around him again.
"Cupid? hello dear," Psyche said as he entered. Cupid turned a nasty look on her.
"Hi Psyche," he said. "I came to talk to you about my father."
Seeing her reaction had Cupid furious. he grabbed her by the neck and dragged her forward.
"You had better stop whatever you did Psyche. I'm not in the mood for your shit tonight. What the hell did my father ever do to you anyway?"

Cupid held Psyche off the floor as she refused to answer his question about why his father for her little game.
"So, why Psyche?" Cupid asked again as he shook her. "Why my father? What the tartarus did he ever do to you?"
Finally, Psyche answered. What she said really pissed Cupid off and caused him to call his aunt Discord. Psyche smiled cruelly as she sid quite simply. "I chose your father, because I hate him. He's dark and ugly and not good enough for all the power he has."
When Discord arrived and heard that, she smacked Psyche across the room.
"Ares is better than you will ever be you ugly tramp," Eris hissed. "He will always be beautiful because unlike you, his beauty is internal as well as external." So saying, Discord knocked Psyche into the wall. She stood over the mind goddess in a towering rage when she noticed another aura superimposed over Psyches. two others actually she saw when she looked closer. One was Athena and the other---the other was Demeter? Discord was pissed as she knocked psyhe unconcious so Cupid would be released from the compulsion. Once he was, he screamed as everything he'd said and done to his father came back and slapped him in the face.
"What have I done?" He asked himself. Cupid loved his father. He couldn't believe he'd been made to hurt him like he knew he had. Eris sighed.
"Not you Cupid," she said. "Athena and Demeter through Psyche. Now we need to find out -Why- those two want Ares broken. And we will figure this out Cupid," she said forcefully. "That I promise you."
Cupid nodded at his aunt while they worked on reading Psyche to see if they could find anything else. "Strife says Mom as a compulsion on her too. I think it may be Athena because it's her behavior there. Wanting to have everything. So I guess we need to know why. Why do they hate my dad so much?"
Eris laughed sharply. She knew why at lesat Athena hated ARes.
"Athena hates him from Jealousy, Cupid," she said. "Demeter I have no idea but we need to find out soon. I'm glad your dad is safe wherever he is."
Cupid nodded glad that his dad ws safe now. Somewhere he was loved completely. Although if he knew where his father was he might be a bit shocked.

Ares looked arous Asphodel when he finally woke up. he was amazed to have not been used in his sleep and then locked somewhere until next time. Although he'd never been tied down before, it was a shock to him not to be confined to a troom like he was when Dite wanted to use her temple instead of his. Dite had told him she liked keeping private sex in one room which meant Ares wasn't allowed to go anywhere else or see anything else. he suspected it was because Dite just liked having him there. he shrugged as he walked into the dinining room of his uncle's teple. Hades and persephone smiled at him happily
"Did you have a good rest Ares?" Hades asked. Ares nodded still trying to keep to himself incase it was a joke. hades sighed as he stood adn walked over to his shy, wished for lover and led him to the table.
"Come join us for dinner. You slept through breakfast and lunch again but we have plenty to eat."
When Ares tried to sit away from them as he had been taught to do by reactions at various things he had to attend with hsi family, Persephone grabbed his hand and made him sit closer to them. She, like Hades, wanted Ares to be comfortable and happy here with them. She noticed his reluctance to touch anything until they had taken what they wanted and decided she really wanted to kick the ass of whomever had hurt him like this.
Although she was beginning to suspect who had at least a part in it. her mother was cruel adn controlling adn very powerful adn this just reeked of something she'd do to get at Ares for not helping her fight Hades. If it was, Persephone was going to give the bitch whatfor for this. Ares did not deserve this treatement. not from anyone. Persephone was determined to make him see he as loved if it was the last thing she did.
Hades simply sighed as he watched Ares. he truely loved and wanted him adn he suspected Ares had heard them the other night but h would not push. he noticed how Ares watche them though. As if they were a life line to him in a turbulent sea. If that would help ARes, if he just had someone to hold onto, then so be it. Hades would gladly be a life line to his emotionally bereft nephew.
Ares smiled when Persephone handed hima full plate. A real, honest smile of thanks as it was becoming apparent that Ares had no idea what he was doing here. They could both see he wanted stuff but wasn't sure what you did or did not eat in Asphodel. Hades was glad for his Persephone's ability to read even the most taciturn of people. he watched as she did a hundred things during the meal tht showe Ares thay cared about him adn he smiled in pleasure when he sawAres begin to respond.
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All during Dinner and after it, Ares sat in stunned amazement. 'They Cared' being the most amazing thought he'd had. his Uncke hades adn his sister/aunt Persephone really cared about him. Aresw as shocked. When he retired for the night, he lay down for the first time not worrying if he was in the wrong place. He was half asleep when he flt them come into the room. both kissed him lightly and he heard the most amazing worxs he'd ever had spoken to him:
"We love you"

She stood watching as they tore around looking for Ares. Always for Ares, never for her. She hated not being wanted by anyone. That's why she wanted her dark brother broken. She wanted him to hurt and hurt badly. But something had upset her plot and now neither she nor her aunt could find him. He was somewhere not on Olympus. She had checked all the places he would go on earth and had found nothing. It was as if Ares had vanished himself off the face of the earth. She didn't like it when she couldn't find him. She couldn't touch him if she couldn't find him and she didn''t like that.
She looked up as Ares' son Cupid came in and just looked at her. It hit her after a moment that he knew. He knew what she and her partner had done and he was pissed. She'd never seen more of War in Cupid before this attack of hers. Cupid smiled at her as he turned to go and it wasn't a nice smile. It was a smile full of dark promise if his father wasn't fixable. Cupid sneered at her looking remarkably like his father as he left her temple.
"You will never be Goddess of War Aunt Athena. Never," he hissed as he left her unwanted and alone in her temple.

Cupid sat in his temple wondering, like his aunt Athena had, just where his father was. Cupid sighed hoping that where ever he was, his father was safe and happy. He hoped his father could forgive him when Cupid saw him again and told him how sorry he was. He also hoped his mother was freed from her compulsion soon too. He knew she cared about Ares as much as he did. Cupid hoped his dad was okay---
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In Asphodel, Ares was getting used to being wanted. He could sleep late here, he wasn't required to perform in anyway, and he was happy. His uncle Hades had made it clear to him that he would not rush him. He and Persephone seemed quite content to let Ares make the first move. Tomight, Ares decided, he would. He wanted to be where he was wanted and loved and he knew that was with his sister/aunt and uncle right now. Ares went out to dinner as he had every night this week. He chose his seat carefully tonight. A seat where he could touch both Hades and Persephone and they could both touch him. The first touch startled them both but they soon realized what he wanted. Slowly, after the food was gone, Hades moved so he was standing behind Ares. He gently tuched Ares' back, soothing him and gently massaging his shoulders. Persephone moved so she was sitting on his lap and Ares knew she could feel his arousal and desire. She and Hades smiled knowing Ares was finally ready. Hades leaned over the chair and kissed Ares on the throat. Persephone took his lips in a kiss that rocked Ares to the core. It was passionate and as full of love and want as any of the kisses she gave Hades. Ares swallowed thickly feeling her hand move his vest aside so she could ply with is nipples.
Ares exhaled sharply as Hades moved them all to the master bedrrom and removed their clothes. His uncles' touch was soothing and sure. Ares relaxed into thier genle touches and kisses. His body receiving more pleasure than he'd had in a long while. Hades took his lips in a kiss as passionate as the one Persephone had given him. Ares sighed feeling the love Hades had for him. much as he'd felt Persephone's love. She straddled his hips and sank down onto him causing Ares to jerk in shock. Hades soothed him again and kissed him getly. He knew Ares was surprised anyone wanted him for a reason other than just kids. Persephone showed with every movement that she did indeed want Ares just for who he was.
Hades gently shifted Ares up so he could slide under him, his beautiful, dark lover. He wanted Ares as much, if not more, than his wife did. he prepared Ares gently and soothingly, carefully stretching his nephew to accomodate him and still managing to time the thrusts with his hand to his wife's rhythm. hwne Ares was ready, Hades slid into him. He felt Ares tense so he stopped and waited for Ares to move.
When he did, Hades moaned as well as Ares. He and Persephone kept the rhythm as they made love to Ares. He felt his nephew tense as he came. Pulling both Persphone and Hades over the edge with him. All three of them cried out when they reached completion. Slowly sliding apart they curled around each other. Hades and {Persephone being sure to keep Ares between them.
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In his temple, Cupid's head came up as he felt that burst of love energy. he flashed down to Asphodel ans being sure to stay invisible, choked on what he saw. his father lyting entwined with Hades and Persephone obviously with them and looking comfortable with it. the three of them were laying together as if they had just finished the bout of lovemaking Cupid had recieved energy from. He ould still feel the afterglow from it. Cupid swallowed when Hades' eyes opened and he glared at Cupid. Beating a hasty retreat, Cupid went back to his temple to ponder this new relationship his father was in. It would take some time to get this into perspective. However, what he could tell form the first impression was that his father was most definetly wanted now.

Demeter sat and stared coldly out the window of her temple. She was angry. Her daughter was refusing to play her game any more. Persephone had told her she wasn't putting up with her mother's temper tantrums any longer. Demeter had been shocked by that. And had immediately begun to plan a way to get her back. About that time Athena had come to her with a plan to take both the throne and the House of Mortals. It all revolved around Ares and whether or not they could make him fragile enough to shatter.
Now he was missing though. Gone from the reach of Aphrodite, Athena, Cupid and herself. She hated this. Where was he? He was almost at the point of breaking and then he'd vanished. Where had he gone? No one else loved him so who would he go to?
Demeter had no idea what was going on with Olympus. All she knew was that from Athena's last message Cupid had broken the compulsion. Which meant he knew about it. Demeter knew when they figured out what she had done they would come after her. But her daughter still refused to give into her. Her daughter reviled her as a thing. And Demeter hated that

Hades looked down at his wife and Ares as they slept twined together in peace. He was going to see Cupid this morning and warn him about making even one comment about the peace and love Ares had found. And to have it out with him about how he'd treated his father. Hades dressed in simple black and bent forward to kiss his wife and Ares goodbye as he prepared to leave for Cupid's temple on Olympus. Right now he was angered beyond anything he'd ever felt before and much of that anger was directed at the man who had hurt his dark lover. Hades slowly faded out going to the temple of Love where he found Cupid slouched in his throne. Cupid was shocked to see Hades appear before him and not dressed to the nines.
"Hello, Cupid," Hades said icily. "Let's talk." Cupid backed away from Hades and fell into his seat. He found himself looking up at a really angry Lord Hades.
"Uncle, listen," Cupid stammered. "I---mom and I were under compulsions about dad---Really, we didn't---"
"I don't care what you were under Cupid! You nearly killed your father! If your son didn't love him, if Persephone and I didn't love him, he would have died! Don't you ever think you have the right to withold love from your father. You do not have that right child!" Hades blasted Cupid with his words.
Cupid staggered under the emotion he felt from his uncle. A mass of rage and love. Rage at those who hurt Ares and love for Ares. Cupid had never felt such intense love for his father from anyone in his life. not this kind of love. Hades was staring at Cupid in a nimbus of anger as his rage battered Cupid backwards.
"If you or your airhead of a mother so much as hint at wanting to use Ares again I will make your eternity hell!" Hades exploded, thus expending the last of his rage for the moment. When he calmed down slightly, he found Cupid pretty much cringing in front of him and he shook off his rage.
"Now, what the tartarus is going on Cupid?" Hades asked as he turned and stalked up and down the room. Cupid swallowed and told his great uncle everything he knew. From what Strife overheard, to his argument with Psyche to his confrontation with Athena. Hades listened to it all when he knew who the second power signature belonged to, he looked like he was going to kill something. Forcing himself to calm down, Hades looked at Cupid.
"Leave Demeter to us Cupid. And after this, we are going to take your father away from this place for awhiile. I'll let you know where we go but don't try to follow us right away."
Hades flashed out suddenly leaving Cupid in stunned confusion until he felt a surge of love a few minutes later. His father must have woken uip or something was all he could think. Sighing, Cupid looked out his temple window. Dad was going away after this, Cupid had never met anyone besides Poppa Heph that would take his father away from the place he had been hurt in.
A part of him was glad his dad finally had that. Now if they could just fix his mother---Cupid suspected Heph might leave her after this. Heck, even he wanted to leave after this. He knew who had put the compulsion on him and it wasn't Psyche. To affect his love, it had to have been his mother. Maybe Strife would want to get away for awhile. he could ask if nothign else. They could take Bliss and just go somewhere away from their back biting family. That would be good---

Demeter looked up in shock as the door to her temple was blown open. She found herself looking at Hades and Persephone. And boy were they pissed. Behind them, Demeter saw Ares. Soemthing had happened though, he didn't look at all as he had a week and a half ago. Another crash had Strife dragging Athena in by her hair. She looked as if she had lost a fight with him. Hades grabbed Demeter's neck viciously but it wasn't him that hit her. It was Persephone.
"You bitch!" her daughter screamed at her. "You egotistical, concieted, manipulative, controlling bitch! How dare you play with someone's mind and heart just because you don't like my choices. Well, you lost mother dear. Ares is safe from you and everyone else who ever used him."
So saying, Persephone leaned back and kissed Ares. Demeter stood in stunned shock as Hades joined Persephone holding Ares. She stared in stunned shock.
"We're taking Ares away from this place," Hades told everyone who had been drawn by the yelling. Looking at his brother, Zeus, Hades almost growled.
"We'll still do our jobs but not here. this place has too many bad memories for all of us."
Zeus looked around in shock at the mess Hades had been making of Demeter's temple without even trying conciously. Demeter was frozen and unable to lie about what she and Athena had done. Zeus waved his hand over Athena giving all War over to Ares. Demeter's powers were handed over to Persephone who everyone knew would be a much better goddess of feild and seed.
"Take care of yourselves out there. Wherever you go, take care," Hera said as they left with Hephaestus following. The bruise on Aphrodite's face telling that she was cleared of her compulsion but also that Heph refused to stay any longer with her when she used people as badly as she did. Cupid and Strife vanished next with Bliss going who knew where.
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Sunnydale, California 2000 years later

"Ares!" Hades called, "Lets go. We have some work to do before Bliss comes today!"
In the two thousand years they'd been here, Hades, Persephone, Ares and Hephaestus had found a place in this town in all it's forms. They loved living here. Well, barring the mayor but thy had all been present at his demise. today, Bliss was coming. They were warding the house to keep the young god safe.

End