A/N: Thanks to those who have reviewed this story, from the chapter one to chapter ten. And kind of sorry for the last chapter, I was trying to cast some sympathy on Hera and Hephaestus, but I do not think that'll will not work, seeing that I have a hard core Ares/Aphrodite fans on my hands.(Thank god people like this couple, I was worried with all the Athena/Ares stories running around people were losing sight of real Greek Mythology.... I never got why people love that couple, I mean Ares and Athena hate each other.) Now onward with the story.
A ray from the wheel from Apollo's sun chariot slowly glided into a bedroom. Ares fluttered his eyes open as the oncoming light came a reached them. He hated mornings, mornings meant the beginning of work that had to be done and demands from Zeus that had to be completed. The god decided to get up, after all, Zeus could only keep him for part of the day, there were always wars to be stirred. Ares smiled, to him war was a wonderful thing. Blood, lives, crushed hopes, and dreams would litter the battle field. The clash of weapons and the screams of mortals, triumphant or painful, would sweep over the land. After the war, Ares would leave. No use to admire the messy handy work that was left behind, the glory wasn't in the after math. It was in the fight.
Ares pulled his arm out from underneath Aphrodite and rolled out of bed. The goddess groaned, "What the hell do you thing you're doing?" she said.
"Getting up," Ares grumbled as he got dressed.
Aphrodite pressed her hand to her head. "And you're not going to even say 'good morning,' to me."
"What's so good about the morning?" Ares asked in an indignant tone, boarding on just plain venom.
The goddess sighed, "I don't suppose you can give me reasons why we are even still together?"
Ares smirked, "Maybe, it's because my charming and endearing attitude and my amazing looks."
He went over and sat by her, Aphrodite just rolled her eyes. "You be roughly appeasing to the eyes, Ares, but you are defiantly not charming and endearing."
She turned to look at him. There was a challenge in her blue eyes, daring him to stay and say more. Ares let his fingertips trace her cheek. He gently pushed back a loose strand of hair. "Well, then why do you stay with me?"
He pulled his hand away from her face, and Aphrodite looked away. "I don't know. Usually men like you, I have a one night stand with, so to speak. I keep coming back to the ones that pamper to my needs and treat me nicely," she looked at him again, "You definitely aren't like that."
Ares smiled down at her. Aphrodite could not tell if it was a sincere smile or a mocking smile. "Well then," he said, "it must be love."
He kissed her forehead and then got up and started to leave. Aphrodite sat up, "I'm the goddess of love," she called after him, "I decide who's in love and who's not."
Ares turned around. "True. Though it is hard for the god's sometimes to keep their powers in check, they experiment too much and then end up being caught up in their powers like a mortal does. I've seem it happen to everybody." Aphrodite blinked not responding. Ares then mockingly bowed at her, "O great goddess of love, I beseech to you release me from your presence. You see, I have even more important matters to attend too."
Aphrodite did not like the emphasis Ares put on more. "What matters can be more important than right now," She got up and wrapped a blanket around herself. She walked over to Ares and closed the door that he had opened. She let the blanket dropped to the ground, exposing her body. Then she placed her arms around his neck. His muscles tensed and was that even a small blush coloring his cheeks? The goddess brought her lips up to god's ear, "than us?" she whispered.
Ares felt her breath travel down his neck. Her alluring voice sang through his ear, her touch sent heat streaming into his skin making the rest seem cold and heartless. Aphrodite pulled away and looked into his eyes. Ares could see his face reflecting into them, a love that he could have, but would never fully be able to grasp. She was always one step ahead of him, he would always stumble on the way. Her indifference of his mistakes hurt him. She didn't really care that he lost a battle, she didn't really care when could not live up to his father's set standards, she didn't care about his heart. So many nights he had spent in her arms and so many nights he had spent with out her. Love was a waste of his time, both the person and the feeling. Though, last night, they had both been more than anxious to confess love to each other. Many "I love yous" were spoken. But, did they mean what was said? or were it just hollow words that were meant to ease the tension and the silence.
Ares pushed Aphrodite away. No-this wasn't the time she was going to force him to ponder about love, he wasn't going to let that little bitch run her fingers across his skin and mess with his mind, toying with heart. He gave a smile, a mask to hide his inner struggle. He walked over to the door but before he left he looked at Aphrodite. "There are many more important things to do that love," he said, "we do not need it to survive."
Aphrodite shook her head in a soft luring lullaby she said, "Love is the very essence of things. We learn it the moment we are born."
Ares turned around. "I was not meant to love, Aphrodite, it goes against my character and my motives. Rejection and violence are the only things left in my future." He paused. Needed silence dangled in the air. However, Ares broke with a forced laugh to push away his sensitive side, "Of course after I am god of war and a battle is calling me, I will answer it," he looked at her and winked, "I'll see you sometime soon milady." He left Aphrodite in the room standing there, hanging on the question why was he being so heartless?
A/N: Okay first of all, if I offended any one with my little rant on the Ares/Athena couple..... sorry, just really do not like that couple and can't really see how it got started. Anyone with me on that? And another thing, I need help with this story.... I don't really know where to go with it. If anybody has ideas tell me.
