ALMOST THERE, YOU GUYS...
'Unfreakingbelievable !'' I groan in frustration.
''What's wrong ?''
''It's Blondie ….''
XXX
'What happened? Can you take me to her ?''
Her plea is no surprise as you might have already guessed.
''Hold your horses, Honey. She's just crying . She can wait, right? A few tears have never killed anyone ….'' I acidly reply, obviously without the slightest humane concern for the Harpy's feelings. Empathy is not even a real word in my daily vocabulary, just so we're on the same page here.
''Ares! She must be crying for a reason !'' she rushes to contradict, a small frown on her otherwise perfect visage.
'' Of course she does. She has a screw loose –that would be the main one …'' I just have to mention- and that is indeed my honest personal opinion on the matter….''So….in the meantime, why don't we get you out of these clothes and pretend that I didn't hear a thing….?''I jokingly retort, aware that there is no way in Tartarus she would ever agree to this course of action.
''Are you out of your mind ?! Plus, how did you even hear her in the first place ?'' she asks, breaking our embrace, visibly bothered by the awareness that I have in fact sensed someone else besides her. Needless to say, I'm speechless.
I briefly consider serving her a coldblooded, stingy but smart reply so as to somehow quench my sexual frustration but I prefer not to go down that road with her just yet….
''I projected an energy shield around her when I left-made sure she was safe- and my aura is obviously connected to it ,so ….Don't worry, though…You're still my one and only, Sweet.''I clarify, without the slightest trace of irony- which she does not seem to appreciate or understand properly judging by the displeased grimace and that nasty glare she throws my way before she opens her mouth, ready to snap at me.
''I mean it.'' I reassure her, overly excited by the fact that she has actually reacted to this totally innocent situation. So basically, in her mind, the idea of me having any type of private connection with any other woman out there, is simply out of the question….Jelousy….I like that ….
''Well anyway, can you t…'' she starts but I silence her with a short kiss placed on those inviting, velvet lips of hers.
''You left me in charge with Goldie Locks, remember? So she's my responsibility ….''I casually remind her, opening a portal for her to see a sleeping Gabrielle who is bawling her eyes out and talking in her sleep…..''I said it before, I say it now….I will never understand what you see in her …. ''
''Just give it time .She'll grow on ya…'' she responds with a warm smile and beaming moons, and despite the fact that just minutes ago I was determined to fuck her to oblivion and back, now all I want to do is hold her in my arms and kiss her like one would kiss a marble idol. By Olympus, that smile will be the death of me…..
''Not in this lifetime…'' I answer with a laugh.''So uh….I guess we'll just have to take a rain check on our one on one ….''
''Well, I not going anywhere ….'' she replies, snaking her arms around my neck, licking her lips temptingly….
''That's good to know.'' I manage to breathe out ,leaning for a kiss , but her palm, flat now on my chest pushes me back lightly, much to my despair.
I groan in frustration of course, while anxiously running my fingers through my hair- a bad- but sexy- habit, I know .
''Ok, ok….I'm going…'' I casually inform her, though come to think of it, the whole line sounded more like self encouragement than anything else.
XXX
A few seconds later, I'm exiting the aether. Back to camp again and apparently ,back to playing the professionally concerned shrink.
For a moment there, I can't help feeling sorry for myself- this is after all an incredibly degrading situation….Don't really know how I got to this point in my life where I actually have to babysit a mortal with mental health issues. Wait, I do know, actually- as in the case of all historical and political catastrophes across the eons, it did happen because of a woman … A very special and unique woman, that's true, but, still, a woman…..
As I take a few steps in the direction of her bedroll I can finally hear her.
''Stop it! No! Please, please don't kill him!It's me you want! Leave him alone! No! Perdicus ! Nooooo!''
''And a timeless classic, it is !'' I just have to remark, taking a sit by her still sleeping form and , lighting a small campfire- and I do mean small this time- I can finally see the fresh trail of tears on her cheeks.
As much as I dislike her, she does look tormented enough to deserve my attention.
''It's all my fault, Xena….I should have listened to you. It's because of me he's dead…''
A few sobs later, I finally get myself to caress her hair lightly in the most comforting manner possible, but her reaction almost scares the life out of me when, completely out of the blue, she jolts wide awake, pushing my hand away while yelling hysterically.
''Get away from me! Leave me alone!'' she screams on a strangled voice, staring at me with troubled eyes, though as I clearly realize, it's not me she's seeing. Still deeply connected to that nightmare, her mind is probably struggling to break free from the atrocious images her brain has been projecting.
''Hey, hey! It's me, Blondie! '' I utter in a low, soft voice, grabbing her in my arms and keeping her close to my chest despite the fact that judging by her violent outbursts and that endless river of tears leaving her eyes, she's still caught up in that distant Dark Land .
''Shhhhhh….It's ok, Blondie…..it's ok…Everything will be all right…''Í try to comfort her, rocking her convulsing body back and forth as if she were a broken doll and it takes her a few minutes to finally relax and to actually embrace reality.
''Ares?''she whispers, looking at me with wide, query eyes.
''Welcome back, Goldie Locks.''I murmur, partly amused by her genuine shock. Waking up in my arms must rank at least top five on her never gonna happen list…
''What are you doing?''
''Well, I was just about to profess my undying love to you and then seal my confession with a passionate kiss in hopes of convincing you to be my wife . I don't wanna live the rest of my immortal days cursing your absence, that's all …..'' I answer on the most theatrical tonality I can produce but instead of getting the joke, she glares at me in pure horror for what seems like forever, before muttering a very concise:
''Get your filthy hands off me …..!''
''Hey! Just trying to be nice, here! You could at least appreciate my effort!'' I spit, completely taken aback with her reaction.
A few more minutes pass until she decides to break that awkward, heavy silence between us.
''I'm sorry…..I was having a nightmare and …I'm just so tired! No matter how much I sleep, it's like my mind is drained and every day is absolutely overwhelming! I don't know what to do anymore….I just….I just keep thinking that I want it all to end somehow…Xena must think I'm crazy! But she just doesn't get it, despite the fact that she has lost so many important people in her life- her father, her brother, her son….I genuinely thought that out of everyone, she would be the one to understand and accept my pain….But she doesn't. She doesn't get it..'' she blurts it all out, without holding back a thing…
Here goes nothing….
''No one does. No one will ever be able to do that. You see, although death is so common, it is also at the same time a very unique experience for every single being out there! And we all live and face our losses differently. When time comes, in the face of death, we are all alone, so don't expect for anyone to fully relate to your life story because you will be heading towards a bitter disappointment….Just try to deal with it, as I well put it, one day at a time. And if one day is too much, start with one hour. It will still be a progress…''
''I can't ….I tried but I can't! I feel like I'm drowning- like I'm underwater and no matter how hard I swim I can't reach the surface!''
''Yes you can! You just have to try hard enough….''
''I don't even know if I want to….''she whispers the barely audible words, but I do hear her….For a moment it strikes me that these were the exact same lines I heard from Xena when Lyceus died…..That situation required a different approach though ….
''Oh,you do want to or I'll have your head on a spike! At this moment, you are everything to Xena so you will fight your way out of that pit of sorrow or I'll make sure you spend eternity cleaning Cerberus'cage in Tartarus . And take my word for it, that dog sure poops a lot!''
''Was that supposed to be encouraging, cause it sure didn' t sound like it?!''
''Soul lifting! And luckily I know exactly what might bring you back among the living again….''
She just gave me this puzzled /startled look,deep down intrigued by the solution I was about to provide.
''I'm afraid to ask….but still, what do you have in mind …?''
''Let's just say that uncle Hades owes me a favour or two …''
DON'T HATE ME:)) WE'RE GETTING THERE :))