Interlude. 480. PG-13. October 23, 2010.
The second he appeared, she ran him through. "You have a lot of nerve, showing up here."
He glanced down at the sword protruding through his chest, followed the length of it with his eyes to her hand and continued, until his eyes were locked with hers, torn between amusement and irritation.
There was no indecisiveness on her part. Wanting to shake the feel of his eyes, almost as palpable as a touch, Xena yanked her sword back and prepared to run him through again.
His hand caught her wrist, stopping the thrust of her sword in a steely grip. "Would you give me a chance to explain?"
"Explain what? What a cold-hearted bastard you are? I already knew that." She wanted him to stop touching her. To stop reminding her of other, softer, grips and easier moments. To stop interrupting her world.
Now his eyes flashed anger, but only for a second. His grip didn't waver. "Xena-"
The sound of her name, the softness in his voice as he said it, stung. "No. See, I knew better than to trust you."
With a vicious twist, she yanked her hand free, and took a step back so that she was out of his reach.
Ares opened his mouth, but the set of her jaw stopped him.
They stood there, frozen, for a long time. The gulf between them was icy, palpable - larger by far than the few feet of field that separated them.
After a long moment, Xena turned. A soft, disappointed shake of her head and a resigned slump to her shoulders as she sheathed her sword and moved to leave the clearing. It was too late for apologies anyway, not that he'd offer any, too late for them.
"After everything that happened," a pause, the unspoken Ibetween us ringing clear in the silence, "I can't believe you'd think that of me." His voice was equal parts sad and frustrated against her ear.
He was right behind her. Xena could feel the electric sparks between their bodies, only inches away. She stopped. Waited. "What am I supposed to think, Ares?"
Her anger was deflating, defeated by the hurt and accusation in his tone that had mimicked hers. Xena could feel his hand reaching out, about to touch her cheek. A sigh. "Believe what you want."
His fingers just brushed her skin, and then, as she spun around - either to kiss him or hit him, she wasn't sure - he was gone.
While the suddenness of his arrival had sparked her unmitigated fury, now that he was gone, for just a moment, Xena wished she'd let him explain. Wished that there had been anything he could have said that would have made any difference.
Shoulders squared, she walked through the spot where he had just been. Murmured, "Just don't expect a warmer welcome next time I see you."