Title: Oh Baby!
Author: Diayma
Email: Diayma@gmail.com
Rating: NC-17/FRAO
Fandom: Xena/Herc
Pairing: Ares/Joxer, Cupid/Strife, Hades/Thanatos, Apollo/Jayce, Eris/Jett, Hera/Zeus, Aether/Anteros
Disclaimer: If Xena or Herc was mine, A/J and C/S would be mandatory. Since it's not in every episode, I don't own it.
Warning: Humor, angst, emotional h/c, physical h/c, cursing, and sex in later chapters
Summary: My reply to Angel Ser-Desa's Child Cupid challenge, though I made Cupid five years old instead of two.
Series: Not at this point.
Archive: WWOMB, AJCS, my livejournal. Want it? Just let me know where it's going.
Website: http://www.livejournal.com/users/diayma
Notes: I'd appreciate feedback please as this is my first, non-crossover, Xena/Herc fic. No flames please. I'll just feed them to my degu, Ares.
It was time.
She knew it was. Time to avert the Twilight before it becomes too late.
Hopefully...just hopefully, he will be ready.
As the Union of Love and Mischief becomes known, Hidden Truth is destined to arrive, and with his arrival...the Twilight will be averted as he shall
bring together Death and Wealth (1), Sun and Disguise, Discord and Assassins, and Debauchery and Thieves, with himself married to War.
***
Of course, it has to happen at a Council meeting.
Ares and Aphrodite are, for once, in agreement about the latest war in the idea that it shouldn't happen. Athena, Apollo, and Demeter disagree.
Hephaestus of course, agrees with his wife and brother, while Artemis and Poseidon just look bored. Hera and Zeus just watch the bickering gods
while Hades and Hestia try to keep any weapons from flying when Deimos and Phobos appear.
"It's Cupid!" The two yell as one.
"What about Cupid?" asks Aphrodite, concerned.
"We didn't mean to!" says Deimos.
"We were just trying out a new drink on one of Dad's warlords," says Phobos.
"When Cupid appeared and somehow the drink ended up covering him," Deimos whimpers
"And he became a godling again!" Phobos exclaims before ducking behind Deimos.
"Where. Is. He?" Ares growls lowly.
"With Anteros," Deimos says with a wince. "But he won't stop trying to flee!"
"We're leaving," says Aphrodite to Zeus before she, Ares, Deimos, and Phobos flash out. Hephaestus nods once to Zeus and Hera before following
the four. Reappearing in the tent of one of Ares' warlords, Ares, Aphrodite, and Hephaestus stare at the sleeping godling in Anteros' arms.
"He doesn't know me or you or Dad," says Anteros quietly to Aphrodite. "All i'm able to get out of him is his name, and that he knows he's the godling
of Love."
"Um...what about Strife?" asks Deimos tentively. "They've been hanging out alot lately,"
"He's busy keeping the Freaky Foursome from ruining Dad's war," says Phobos.
"Cupid asked for Strife's help in a love match," says Ares coldly. "It's the only reason why they've been together. That ended yesterday."
"You raise him," says Aphrodite suddenly, pointing to Ares. "And i'll handle Bliss."
"Why me?" asks Ares.
"You're his father," says Aphrodite coldly. "And you will take responsibility for him."
"And likely lose him," Deimos snickers to Phobos.
"You two will keep Eris busy," says Ares to Phobos and Deimos. "You did this, you keep her busy."
"Dad!" Deimos and Phobos protest. "She'll *kill* us,"
"She'll do worse to Cupid," says Ares coldly. "You know as well as I do she can't handle godlings at *all* because of the curse Zeus laid upon her."
"Um...not to sound insensitive and all," says Anteros slowly. "Why not just take him to the Elysian Fields? There he'll have plenty of babysitters and
we can figure out how to return him to normal."
"And if Strife *ever* catches wind of that, you'll be lucky to keep your wings," says Hephaestus gently. "We all know Strife considers children,
including godlings, to be under his godhood unless told otherwise. He and Hebe made an agreement about children and it's worked."
"What agreement?" asks Anteros shifting Cupid to another arm.
"Children are under their godhoods, no ifs, ands, or buts," says Aether (2) as he appears. "They do what they can to protect them, but Strife
petitioned, and *won* the right to claim godlings. Bliss and Evander are under his godhood's protection and the second he learns of Cupid, so will
he."
"I'd watch him now but if I don't get my war ended by tonight, innocents will die," says Ares. "And i'll need Eris and Strife with me for it."
"I'd take Cupid with me," says Aphrodite. "But I can't take him with me to a Soul Binding. I'd lose him within seconds."
"I'm too slow," says Hephaestus simply. "Else i'd take him."
"Until Cupid returns to normal, i'm taking his godly duties," says Anteros.
"I've got to fix the atmosphere," says Aether. "Make it denser. I can watch him tomorrow and from then on, it's just today I can't."
"What about Thaleia, Aglaea, and Euphrosyne (3)?" asks Phobos. "They'd watch him."
"No," says Aphrodite before she grins. "I know who can watch over him!"
"Who?" asks Ares. "And it better not be one of your priests!"
"Joxer," says Aphrodite. "He's watched over Bliss, and Xena, Hercules, Iolaus, and Gabrielle actually *like* Cupid and probably wouldn't mind."
"I thought we wanted to keep this from Strife for now," says Anteros.
"I give it another hour before he finds out," scoffs Deimos.
"Nah, half an hour," says Phobos. "Strife offered to watch Bliss for Cupid tonight."
"We're doomed either way," says Deimos.
"Oh give him here," says Eirene (4) as she appears. "You're disrupting the peace. I'll watch over Cupid until one of you becomes free,"
"Thanks Eirene!" says Aphrodite before disappearing, as does Deimos, Phobos, Anteros, and Hephaestus. Only Ares and Aether stay.
"Are you sure?" asks Ares. "I was about to take him despite my war."
"Out of everyone who was here," says Eirene. "Only your duties were the most important Ares, as were yours Aether. Aphrodite, Deimos, Phobos,
and Anteros could've easily taken care of Cupid until you settled your war. It amazes me that a wedding is more important to Aphrodite than her son
that it couldn't wait another day. I'm sure her followers would've understood."
"She was like this when Cupid was first born," sighs Ares. "And I wasn't allowed to raise him so I couldn't watch over him at all."
"He wouldn't survive in the outer layers of the atmosphere yet or i'd take him," says Aether.
"I understand," says Eirene. "Trust me on that. Anywhere you don't want him going?"
"Tartarus for the sole fact he's too young to deal with it," says Ares. "If you do go to Asphodel, stick with the Elysian Fields and Hades' castle only.
They have wards since Bliss visits so often with Strife."
"No Tartarus, got it," says Eirene before disappearing, taking Cupid with her. Ares and Aether sigh and disappear themselves, their duties summoning
them.
***
1-Hades is also known as the god of wealth, due to the fact he presides over the underground and everything that is in the ground belongs to him,
gold, jewels, minerals, all of it.
2-Aether is the son of Erebus, the primeval god of darkness and Nyx, the primeval goddess of night. He's the god of the atmosphere.
3-Aglaea, Euphrosyne, and Thaleia are the Graces, or the Charities. They are the daughters of Zeus and Eurynome
4-Eirene is one of the three Horae, or Hours. The other two are Eunomia and Dice, and they are the daughters of Zeus and Themis. Eunomia is the
goddess of good order, Dice the goddess of justice, and Eirene the goddess of peace.
tbc