Title: Wow
Author: Hergerbabe
Fandom: Xena
Pairing: Cupid/Strife, Eris/Auto, leading to Joxer/Ares
Rating: NC-17
Category: AU, romance
Sequel/Series: Part of the Life Sucks Series, set immediately pre Life Sucks
Archive: AJCS, Druid
Notes: Ares’ POV
Disclaimer: Not mine, never will be unless I get really, really rich
Summary: Ares gets a crushBy special request :) For Lady Q and Christine
Wow
Ares sat in the cafeteria with his sister and his cousin not reallypaying much attention to anything. School had started again and schoolsucked, what else was there to do? There was a new kid starting, thathad interest potential, especially as he was apparently only sixteen.Must be pretty brainy. Poor kid starting senior year at a new schooltwo years younger than everyone else.
He glanced around curiously, wondering where the new kid was, it wasnearly time for class and… wow!
Ares blinked. He stared at the young, slim boy, his lips partingslightly and his mouth going dry. The new kid was a slender, brunetwith floppy hair and big, brown eyes. His nose looked as though it hadprobably been broken and he had a wide, soft-looking mouth. And helooked terrified.
Ares bit his lip, not exactly his usual type, but for some reason, hefound he couldn’t look away. The new kid was adorable. Ares blinkedagain. Had he really just thought that?
“Hey, doofus!” Eris whacked him on the shoulder and he jumped. “Helooks like he needs rescuing, why don’t you volunteer?”
Ares flushed, “Huh, what?”
“The cute one with all the books?” Ares quickly looked blank. “Oh, nowcome on, you’ve been staring!” she said in a sing song voice to teasehim.
“I have not! And besides, he’s sixteen!” Ares paused and flushed againas he realised what he’d said.
“Uh huh, not staring my ass!” Strife chuckled. “Is he the new kid,who’s starting in our year?” he asked more seriously. Ares noddedslowly. “Oh man, I do *not* envy him! He’s prime Hercules fodder!”
Ares frowned, not if he could help it! “We’ll see.”
Ares spent the rest of the day watching the new kid, Joxer. He wasn’tsure whether to be annoyed about that or not. It wasn’t as if he didn’thave enough problems without feeling drawn to this boy.
He’d gotten seriously close to flunking out of school the previous yearand had had several warnings to pull his socks up this year. Damnedteachers, they just didn’t understand. Fuck, *he* didn’t evenunderstand, he just wasn’t that interested.
He turned to Strife that evening, “Ask Cupe if he can keep an eye outfor Joxer as much as possible.” Strife raised an eyebrow and smirked athim and Ares sighed. “Yes, okay, I think he’s kinda sweet and I don’twant the Jerk ragging on him, okay?”
“Sure,” Strife chuckled, “Cupie hates bullying anyway, he’ll watch outfor him.”
“Good,” Ares nodded.
@>*~
Ares stared out of the window out of sheer boredom. English sucked. Itwasn’t that he didn’t like books, Ares loved books, but why was italways the crap ones that they had to read for class? For God’s sake,‘The Great Gatsby’? What a pile of shit. American classic, yeah sure.
Ares snorted, drawing a few glances. He glared round the class, hisgaze softening when his eyes met Joxer’s. Ares smiled and Joxerflushed, looking away quickly. Ares sighed, sometimes having thereputation of being a hardass had it’s disadvantages. So far Joxer justseemed to view him with an edge of terror.
He rolled his eyes. And what, exactly, was he thinking? Did he reallythink he stood any kind of a chance with a sweet guy like Joxer? Asweet, *young* guy. Ares flicked his book across his desk and startedto doodle in his notepad, not even bothering to listen any more, until…
“Well, Joxer?”
Ares’ head snapped up and he glanced over to the younger boy, who hadturned an intense shade of red. The teacher had obviously just askedthe kid something, the bitch! Didn’t she know how much Joxer struggledwith his stammer?
“W-w-well, it’s a h-hugely symb-bolic b-b-book, w-with underl-lyingthreads of m-m-money and l-love and p-p-pursuit of a s-s-singleobs-sessive goal. It’s t-technic-cally brilliant, b-but to bep-p-perfectly hon-nest, it’s j-just bor-ring,” Joxer stutteredpainfully slowly. There were titters throughout the classroom butmostly at his stutter, which just pissed Ares off.
“I agree,” he said loudly, cutting off the teacher who looked as thoughshe was about to start in on Joxer.
“Yes, well *that’s* hardly a surprise now is it, Ares?!” Mrs Ledgersnapped. “Well, Ares since you seem to find this class such a bore,perhaps you can write an essay detailing exactly what’s causing you theproblem.”
Ares groaned and dropped his head onto the desk, but he was glad he’dtaken the attention away from Joxer. He risked a glance at the youngerboy, and was surprised to catch him staring at him. But Joxer lookedaway too fast for him to attempt another smile.
@>*~
Ares glowered in Hercules’ direction as he watched the jock sneering atJoxer. Annoyingly, Cupid was nowhere in sight, but at least they werein the cafeteria. Hercules wouldn’t start anything there. He sighedwhen Joxer pulled out a notebook and handed it over to the Jerk and hadto look away at the sheer misery of Joxer’s expression.
It hadn’t taken his asshole step brother long to take advantage ofJoxer’s intelligence and the fact that he couldn’t defend himself. He’dseen the results of one beating Hercules and his buddy had given Joxerbefore Cupid could stop them. He and Strife had spiked Hercules’Gatorade with vodka after that episode. Hercules had been so ill duringfootball practice, it had been really quite satisfying.
Ares glanced back at Joxer and caught the younger boy staring again.The look of misery, tinged with fear returned and Joxer ducked his headand hurried away. Ares sighed, things were not going well.
It didn’t matter how many times he told himself that Joxer was sixteen,far too young and probably not even bi, let alone gay, he couldn’t helpfeeling more and more… gah! Why couldn’t he just admit it? He wasfalling in a big way.
Ares rested his head in his hands and sighed again. Damn it all, thiswas not good. What the hell was he supposed to do about it anyway? Itwas bad enough that he had a crush, let alone one on someone soinappropriate.
“Hey, Res?”
Ares looked up as his cousin sat down next to him with a shit eatinggrin. Ares snorted and shook his head in amusement. “Nice lunch?” hesmirked.
“Mmmm, “ Strife chuckled, “My favourite protein snack.”
“You sick puppy,” Ares laughed.
Strife grinned, “I try. S’up, anyway, why you moping?”
Ares pulled a face, “Just watching the Jerk being a jerk.”
Strife nodded in understanding, “Picking on Joxer again, huh?”
“Yes,” Ares rolled his eyes. It wasn’t any use trying to hide hisfeelings from Strife, his cousin knew him too well.
“He likes you.”
“What?!” Ares stared at Strife disbelievingly.
Strife shrugged, “I think he likes you, Cupe does too.”
“Where the hell is this coming from?” Ares raised an eyebrow.
“He stares at you, a lot. Look, I just think you should at least trytalking to the kid,” Strife said earnestly.
“Kid being the operative word here,” Ares growled. He didn’t want tohave to think about whether Joxer might like him too.
Strife made a rude noise, “He’s sixteen, plenty old enough. Come on,Res, me an’ Cupe started out at sixteen.”
Ares glared at his cousin. “Yeah, well you were lucky, I was sixteenwhen I started out with Apollo!” he snapped.
Strife shook his head and sighed, “You‘re not Apollo. You couldn’t hurtJoxer if you tried and you know it.”
“Yeah, but he doesn’t, it’d be taking advantage,” Ares said sullenly.
Strife sighed, “Geez, man, give yourself a break. He’s an intelligentguy, I’m sure he can make his own mind up.”
Ares didn’t want to continue this conversation, so he got up. “Look,we’ll talk about this another time, okay? It’s just too much for meright now.”
Strife nodded and Ares walked away, but he could feel his cousin’s eyesburning into his back.
@>*~
Ares walked home from school, his bike was in the shop and besides heneeded the time to think. As school progressed, his feelings towardsJoxer had only increased and he was getting thoroughly depressed. Joxerwas a beautiful soul, such a sweet, kind, funny guy, when he wasallowed to actually talk at all.
Ares just felt like a pervert when he found himself daydreaming aboutthe kid. It just wasn’t right. He couldn’t risk trying to befriend theyounger boy, it’d only make things more difficult, because there was noway he was going to take advantage, no way.
Ares pushed open the door to the guest house with a heavy sigh andwondered into the lounge. He stopped in the doorway hesitantly, staringat Cupid and Strife moving together on the sofabed. While he knew thecouple didn’t mind others being present while they were, uh, intimate,Ares wasn’t sure he could just ignore them like he usually did.
Cupid cleared his throat and Strife glanced up at him. Ares bit his lipand frowned, feeling awkward and lost for words. He watched Strife bendover his boyfriend and whisper something. Cupid glanced up at him, thenlooked back at Strife and nodded.
“Um, Ares, if you want to, like, you know, watch and well, whatever… ahgeez,” Strife grimaced. “If you want to jerk off, we don’t mind,” hesaid hurriedly.
Ares flushed and swallowed hard. “Excuse me?”
“Well, I just… look Res, I know it must be really frustrating for youseeing us sometimes, you know? We just want you to know that if youneed relief, we don’t mind. I mean fuck, Res, you let us screw right infront of you, you know?” Strife frowned.
Ares almost felt like laughing. Now he felt really awkward, butunfortunately he was also intensely turned on. Clearing his throat, andavoiding looking at Cupid and Strife, he shut the door behind him andmade his way into the room. Resolutely ignoring the couple, he switchedon the TV and sat down to watch.
It didn’t take long for Cupid and Strife to get over their ownawkwardness and start kissing loudly and writhing together on thecouch. Strife moaned and rolled onto his front, sticking his butt intothe air. Cupid sighed and ran his hand down Strife’s back to his ass.He trailed his fingers between Strife’s asscheeks and Strife groanedloudly.
Ares sighed and shifted in his chair. He closed his eyes, but the softmoans and sighs continued and he found himself getting harder andharder. In the end, he had to give up the pretence that he was watchingthe TV and tentatively turned his attention to the couple.
They were oblivious of everything but each other as usual, and Aresdidn’t feel quite so bad. He palmed his crotch as he watched Cupid worklube into Strife’s hole. Strife’s groans and the thrusting of his hipswere just too much and Ares gave in to his need, unzipping his jeansand pulling out his erection.
Ares licked his lips and tried to steady his breathing a little. Hestarted to stroke himself slowly as Cupid pushed his cock into Strife’sbody. Ares couldn’t help but wince a little, but Strife’s heartfeltgasp of pleasure made his cock jump a little.
Cupid paused, stroking Strife’s back, completely embedded in his lover.Strife pushed himself up to his hands and knees and twisted his headback.
“Fuck me,” he whispered. Ares swallowed hard and gripped his cocktighter as Cupid made a strangled noise and grasped Strife’s hips.Cupid pulled back smoothly and plunged back into Strife immediately.
“Yes!” Strife moaned, “Please, Cupie.”
Ares stroked himself faster, his hand matching the pace that Cupid set,thrusting hard in and out of Strife’s ass.
“God, Strife,” Cupid panted. He reached round and wrapped his handround Strife’s cock. Ares’ gasp matched Strife’s. The couple started tomove together faster and Ares watched in awe, he could feel the slowburn of his orgasm building and his balls tightened. As Strife criedout and shuddered, his come spurting onto the sheets, Ares camequietly, biting his lip to hold back his own cry as his body jerkedhelplessly.
As the last tremors of his orgasm worked through him, Ares watchedCupid thrust hard into Strife then hold himself deep with a loud groan.He could see the trembling of Cupid’s body from his climax and then thecouple collapsed onto the bed.
Ares quietly reached for some tissues and cleaned himself off, then hequietly left the couple to their post-coital snuggle and hurried to hisroom. He lay back on his bed, feeling more than a little odd. He’d justgotten off to the sight of his cousin and his boyfriend. Okay, so itwasn’t as if he’d never gotten turned on by the couple before, but thatwas a weird line to cross. Especially wondering what Joxer would feellike at the same time.
Ares hit the bed and turned over, trying to not think about the imageshis brain had conjured up. With a sigh, he got up and went to thekitchen to cook some dinner to try and distract himself.
@>*~
Ares frowned, Joxer was wearing glasses. He never wore glasses. As theyounger boy was sitting alone studying in the common room, Ares decidedhe wanted to have a closer look. He sat down opposite Joxer, pretendingto ignore the other boy’s startled gasp. He smiled briefly then pulledout a magazine and started to read.
Over the top of the magazine, Ares watched Joxer curiously. He couldn’thelp but notice that Joxer’s eyes looked a little puffy and one was alittle dark, as if he’d been smacked.
Ares frowned. Joxer had been fine on Friday. It was unlikely Herculesor any of the jocks could have ragged on him at the weekend. They’d allbeen away on some football thing, much to Strife’s disgust anddisappointment. Ares chewed on his lip thoughtfully, then he glanced upat Joxer again, meeting nervous, brown eyes.
Ares sucked in a breath and quickly looked away. That puppy dogexpression got to him every time. Taking another deep breath, Ares putaway his magazine as calmly as possible and got up, hurrying awaybefore his body betrayed him.
@>*~
Later that day, he watched Joxer in the cafeteria, grinding his teethas he watched Hercules and his friends humiliate the younger boy. Hewas vaguely aware of Strife and Eris talking, but when someone trippedJoxer, Ares had had enough and he stood up abruptly.
Joxer’s glasses went flying and in the state he appeared to be in, he’dnever find them. Ares picked them up on his way over and stopped infront of Joxer. Joxer froze and slowly looked up at him. Ares’ heartclenched at the fearful anticipation in the younger boy’s eyes.
“Lost something?” Ares managed to ask relatively calmly.
Joxer nodded. “M-my g-glasses,” he stuttered.
“Would these be them?” Ares asked quietly, holding them out.
Joxer nodded, watching him fearfully. “Please, c-can I h-h-h…” Aresmanaged not to sigh when Joxer paused and swallowed, “Have them?” hesaid in a rush.
It was all Ares could do not to pull Joxer into his arms and hug him.“As ya asked so nicely.” Ares dropped the glasses and hurried awaybefore he did something stupid.
“Res! Hey, Res!” Strife and Eris caught up with him in the hallway.
“What?!” Ares snapped.
“Ares,” Eris said softly.
Ares stopped and sighed, turning to his sister. “Sorry,” he muttered.
Eris hugged him, “Res, you’ve got to do something about this, okay?”
“Do what?” Ares asked despairingly.
“I don’t know, talk to him?” she suggested. Strife nodded.
“He’s scared of me, Ris,” Ares rubbed his eyes to stop the prickle.
“So make him not scared of you.”
Ares stared at his sister and cousin. “I don’t know,” he repliedquietly, then he walked away. He needed to be on his own for a while.
@>*~
“You did what?!” Ares yelled at his sister.
Eris folded her arms across her chest, “I invited Joxer over to helpyou study.”
Ares sat down heavily. Now what was he going to do?
“Look, Res, I saw a chance and I took it. Don’t you want him to knowyou properly?”
Ares squeezed his eyes shut and sighed, “I guess.”
“Good. Now, why don’t you go and get some pizza, he’ll be here soon,”Eris grinned at him.
“Isn’t Cupe coming over tonight?” Ares frowned.
“It’ll be fine, don’t worry, just go,” she shooed him towards the door.
“Okay, okay,” Ares gave in. He couldn’t hold it against her, she wasonly trying to help. But now he was incredibly nervous. And just howexactly was he going to deal with this, when he wanted to be with Joxerso much?
the end. The beginning? ^__^ You want to find out how he deals with it?Read
Life Sucks ^__~
Oh yeah and i'm not insulting American literature, just The GreatGatsby, because seriously, what a waste of paper!