Friends and lovers

Like many Iolausians as the term goes I was really bothered by the Serena story and I read some slash on this subject and the story goes. Hercules comes back to apologise and Iolaus after letting him grovel bit takes him back. I mean come on surely he would be more hurt than that, marriages fall apart from cheating but Hercules married someone else I don't now about you but that would put a damper on my relationship with any lover. I don't think I could live with the knowlage that someone I am in love with could give their heart to someone else. I though about ways to play out this story and then I was watching Friends where Ross and Rachel break up and I realised that, that is the perfect scene to use and if I tried to write it in any other way to much of it would shine through so I decided to use it. I have added somethings and taken somethings out and I know it could be hard liking this story becasue you've seen it somewhere else but if you can get past that then I think it is the perfect way for Hercules and Iolaus to break up because like Ross and Rachel they are ment to be together. I have also added Alcmene, Jason and Iphicles to play the other friends as I wanted to show a little outside opinion of the situation and I wanted a clear paralel of the episode. Hope you enjoy it. Oh and I though Iolaus looked his best in the Amazon women when his hair was nicer and he was wearing a lovley pale blue shirt that looked so much better than that ragged old vest so in my stories I like to have him looking like he did in the Amazon women. And Hercules' Male lover's are all real I got their stories from wikipedia and interlooped them into the legendary jourenys stories.

Hercules walked a walk that was as close to a run as he could get. He had to see Iolaus he had to talk to him, say he was sorry, say he was wrong. He had been away for so long mourning Serena he had left Iolaus. What betrayal must he be feeling at this moment.

Hercules burst into the local tavern he didn't even look around, he just ran up to the owner who was standing behind the bar wiping it.

"Androcles, do you know where Iolaus is I need to talk to him"

Androcles was very fond of Iolaus and when he heard of what Hercules had done he was livid. Two months had calmed him down though. He shot Hercules a look of contempt that he wasn't even sure Hercules registered properly and pointed to a table at the back directly behind Hercules and turned his eyes back to the counter and continued his wiping. Hercules turned around very slowly until he saw Iolaus. He was just as breath taking as Hercules remembered wearing a beautiful pale blue shirt with his sleeves rolled up and short sun kissed hair curling beautifully on his raised head, sitting with tightly folded arms and a contemptuous look in his eyes that Hercules certainly registered.

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At Alcmene and Jason's house they were both drinking Alcmene's special tea and chatting happily when they heard a horse gallop into their garden and Iphicles burst through the door.

"Iphicles what's wrong?" gasped Alcmene. Her son was king of Corinth, for him to visit let alone burst in so informally there had to be something wrong.

"Hercules is on his way back to Thebes infact he might have already arrived I came here as soon as I got his mesage"

Alcmene was confused, Hercules was coming home wasn't that a good thing?

"Oh no," Jason breathed, "where's Iolaus?"

"He'll probebly be at his house, is there something you two aren't telling me?"

Iolaus didn't tell Alcmene about Serena; she didn't deserve to have divided loyalties, she loved Iolaus very much but Hercules was her son and it wasn't fair that she be caught between them. So Iphicles and Jason hadn't said anything either.

"Hercules married someone else," explained Jason.

"What!"

Iphicles ventured, "I think she was vunerable and his instincs took over....."

Alcmene gasped, "You two knew about this and you didn't tell me," she said giving her husband and her son a slap about the head.

"He gets married and we get hit on our heads," Iphicles complained to Jason.

"Listen sweetheart when Iolaus came back he decided not to tell you because he didn't want you to be caught in there argument"

"This is more than an argument Jason and I deserve to know about it."

"They're going to get through this right?" asked Iphicles solomly. He had come to care very much for Iolaus and Hercules the brother he was long seperated from, emotionally more than physically.

"Of course they are. I mean it's Hercules and Iolaus," Jason said.

"What if they don't?" said Alcmene, really wanting an answer. What if they didn't?

Both men reflected but couldn't find an answer and thus remained silent.

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Iolaus stormed down the street to his house Hercules trying to keep up but also keeping a safe distance. When he got to his house he opened the door and tried to slam it knowing full well Hercules was right behind him.

Hercules pushed the door open and Iolaus, too angry to fight him just let go and continued walking.

"Iolaus come on talk to me please."

"No I can't even look at you right now"

"Iolaus," Hercules said trying to reach over the table that seperated them.

"No, just get away from me."

"Look it was a mistake I made a mistake."

"A mistake what did you mean to say when you said those vows," Hercules didn't answer, "Hercules you married someone else," Hercules still didn't answer and Iolaus who was still dancing around in a blind rage ran-walked over to the slightly ajar door, "Look I want you to leave, get out of here just get now."

"No, no Iolaus I want to stay I want to talk about this."

"Alright," he said slamming to door, "how was she?"

"What?" said Hercules not quite sure if Iolaus ment it.

"Come Hercules you said you wanted to talk about well talk about it how was she?"

"She was....different," he said not willing to lie but immediately regretting his answer.

"Good different?"

"I don't know Iolaus she was a woman but I wanted you the whole time"

"Oh that is so sweet," said Iolaus sarcastically, clutching his heart, "I think I'm falling in love with you all over agian."

"I'm sorry O.K I was disgusted with myself, for leaving especially after you saved me from jail and all I wanted was to erase this whole..."

"Wow wow wait a minuet," said Iolaus not wholely listening to Hercules as the dates of the events began to re enter his head, "what day was it you asked her to marry you?"

Hercules pretended to replay the events in his head but he knew full well what he had done before he asked her.

"Oh my Gods it was that same day, you slept with me just before you asked her to marry you."

Hercules put both hands to his head willing the realisation of this betrayal of mostly Iolaus but never the less Serena as well Gods what had he done.

"Ok ok but what you need to know is I never loved her as much as you."

"You expect me to believe that after you married her."

"Don't you realise this would never have happened if I hadn't been thinking you were seeking other women aswell," he though Iolaus was going to punch him for saying that, good thing he was still a safe distance away but iolaus just sat down and wearily leaned an elbow on the back of the chair and another on the table.

"Alright, say I had married somebody else, would you have been able to forgive me?"

Hercules shivered at the thought but there was no other answer than, "Yes I would."

Iolaus wasn't convinced, "You would be ok if you knew that I had fallen for some girl and made love to her and pledged my heart to her."

Hercules shivered agian, "Yes"

"You knew that I had kissed her and stripped her and...."

"STOP IT STOP IT STOP IT," screamed Hercules covering his ears desperatly trying to block out the image of Iolaus giving himself to someone else, "ok ok I would have been devestated but I would still want to be with you. I mean it's you."

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Hercules thought back to when he told Iolaus he loved him. He had loved Iolaus long before he told him but the hunter had never taken any interest in a man he was definately one for the ladies. He had seen men make advances to Iolaus and he had always turned them down politely but firmly. Not that he though Iolaus was shallow enough to leave him, Iolaus would never purposely hurt him like that but if he told him but after refusing him things would be very aquward and getting back to normal would have been very hard and with time they would no doubt drift apart and he couldn't stand losing Iolaus' friendship. The reason he tried so hard to keep Iolaus alive was the fact that Iolaus had the biggest influence on him and he knew him better than anyone else did even his mother.

Alcmene knew Hercules better than the back of her own hand but she hadn't been there through the adventure and the hardship, hadn't had to cope with his dark side he and Iolaus also bonded over the loss of their wives and children. No-one else had that influence over him so the risk of losing him wasn't worth admittance.

He was pretty sure Iolaus new about his relationships with males but he had never said anything he took this as a sign of discomfort with the subject. There was the boy he had, had on the voyage with the argonaughts Hylas. Hylas was probebly the second most beautiful of his lovers; he was dark where Iolaus was fair, he was pale where Iolaus was tanned and his eyes were green but just as expressive. Hylas had not journeyed back with them he wondered into the woods and never came back.

Nestor was also beautiful but he was a man barley a month younger than Hercules and he was wise, he accompanied Hercules on his labours but was slain by Diomedes' mares while Iolaus was in the east.

And after Deianera died he was so broken he just wanted to be held. He came across a beautiful youth Nireus who was described as "the most beautiful man who came beneath Ilion". At first he thought of the youth as a son he taught him sword play and archery and many other things which helped with the memory of his boys but when the youth touched his arm and looked into his eyes in a sugestive way he started to see him in a whole new light. There were some others but not many worth thinking about.

Iolaus was the last and the most beautiful the one he had wanted for the longest. He was more than a lover he was his best friend. It happened after a charity wrestling competion Iolaus warned him not to enter but convinced that people needed him Hercules ignored his warnings.

Naked and oiled not many men could resist Hercules and he managed to pull to of his oponents out of a fight with eachother over him. Hercules had pulled a muscle in his hip and Iolaus had offered to massage it. He refused at first but Iolaus wouldn't take no for an answer and pulled Hercules' shirt off himself wrestling him to the floor. After about 10 minuets of having Iolaus stradle him and massage his aching side he couldn't take it anymore and pulled Iolaus into a deep kiss.

Iolaus pulled away swiftly at first from shock more than anything but Hercules took it as disgust and started appologising and excusing. Iolaus had never though of any male that way let alone Hercules but the times they were living in called for flexibility and he had to admit Hercules was beautiful he though back to the academy days when a clueless Hercules had come to him for help and he showed him how to kiss and touch. For Hercules that was when it started. Iolaus had never thought about his best friend that way at least not conciously but now his friend had made him think about it he found the idea appealing more than appealing he realised the answer to the question he had asked himself since he met Hercules (how do I feel about him?) and the brother thing just didn't seem to fit somehow.

He had never been jealous of Deianera because he knew how happy she made Hercules and in his opinion she was as worthy of his best friend as anyone got she was the most amazing woman and she became like a sister to him through her comfort over Ania's death but when he saw Hercules with anyone else paritcularly men he always seemed to get jealous.

Always one for spur of the moment decisions he silenced Hercules with an equally deep kiss pushing him back to the floor. As Iolaus was technically a virgin Iolaus entered Hercules after some skillful and suprisingly forward foreplay techniques that had Hercules surrendering and quite close to begging for it and from then on he promised Iolaus he'd love him and only him.

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Hercules realised Iolaus hadn't talked for quite a while infact he hadn't said anything throughout these thoughts this was bad if Iolaus was shouting at him things might be ok if Iolaus was angry he might be able to forgive Hercules. Iolaus could express anger well and work through it but he was quiet which just ment he was sad Iolaus couldn't express pain well and found it hard to work through.

"So what now your not even talking to me," asked Hercules. During Hercules' thoughts of their past Iolaus had moved himself onto the sofa type chair and had rested his feet agianst the short table infront of him.

Hercules moved himself from the wooden chair to the table beside Iolaus' feet.

"Look I did a terrible, stupid, stupid thing and I wish I could take it back but I can't I just can't see us throwing away something we know is so damn good. Iolaus I love you so much."

Hercules knelt down to kiss Iolaus' knees and started to kiss upwards until he found his hands resting in his lap and kissed them they were cold and still. He moved up the arm quickly until he got to the neck and kissed upwards. Iolaus had stayed silent through this he sighed slightly as he felt Hercules' lips on his neck remmembering how it felt to be so close to him but when Hercules found his lips he pushed Hercules out of the way and stood up remembering those lips on Serena's mouth.

"No Hercules don't you can just kiss me and think you'll make it all go away ok it doesn't erase it all it doesn't make it better..."

"Ok ok," whispered Hercules.

After saying this Iolaus realised that there was nothing that could make it better, "I think you should go," he whispered with a lump in his throat.

Hercules looked up, "What?"

"I'd like you to leave now."

"Listen," said Hercules standing up, going over to Iolaus and placing his hands on his sholders, "remmember our first night together you said there was nothing so big that we couldn't work through it."

"What the hell did I know," said Iolaus pushing his hands away.

"Look there's got to be a way that we can work past this, I just can't imagine my life without you," he said now getting a lump in his throat. Apon hearing this Iolaus wept openly but silently which kept the pain locked up, "without these arms," said Hercules bringing one of them up to his chest, Iolaus was to tierd to push him away agian, "and your face," he continued bringing his free hand up to touch Iolaus' smooth cheek, "and your heart, your good heart Iolaus and...and..." bending down and pressing his cheek to Iolaus' loyal heart. He fell to his knees and put his arms around Iolaus' waist holding him tight and kissing his exposed stomach.

Iolaus pulled his own chin up not looking at Hercules as a way of resistance that he could no longer be bothered to express physically, clentching his fists he said with tears in his voice aswell as his eyes, "No, no I can't your a totally different person to me now I used to think of you as someone who would never, hurt me, ever," Iolaus unclentched his hands and placed them on his tearstained face, "and now I just can't stop picturing you with her, it doesn't matter what you say or what you do Hercules it's changed, everything..." finally pushing Hercules away Hercules stood up and backed away to look at Iolaus as he heard him breath the word, "forever."

Hercules couldn't look at Iolaus, couldn't look at the confirmation of this that was written all over his face, "this can't be it."

"Well..." he said pausing to take a much needed breath in, "it is."

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Alcmene, Jason and Iphicles had talked for quite awhile while the men told Alcmene everything they knew and they decided to walk over to Iolaus' house to see if Hercules had gone to see him.

On the way there Alcmene wondered about her son, wondered how someone could be so selfless and so selfish at the same time.

The three of them walked up to the door and Jason chapped it. When there was no answer not surprising since it was hours past sunset they found the door open and stepped inside. Iolaus was asleep on the couch lying on his side facing them.

Alcmene smiled sadly at him deducing that Hercules had been here and they had not made up as Iolaus looked exhasted and aswell as the fact that he hadn't gone to bed, even in his sleep he looked sad. She seeked out the warmest blanket she could find and covered him up with it then gave him a gental much needed kiss on the side of his head.

Then she, Jason and Iphicles who had found the key to the door left. Jason took the key and locked the door sliding the key under the mat.

Then they set off home to, they were sure, an equally exhausted and distraught Hercules.

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After finding the Cronos stone, going back in time and wiping out his relationship with Serena, giving her, her life back, a life she truely deserved he returned home to find Iolaus waiting for him.