Chapter 8

Ares flipped the switch and the bathroom fan hummed. He frowned and tried the other switch. The lights above the bathroom mirror flared to life. Even though Ares spent most of his free time on the farm, he hadn't had much use for the bathroom. Gods didn't need to relieve themselves the way that mortals did, and if he got dirty, he could just zap himself clean. All of the toilet tissue and various cleaning liquids that were stocked in the room were there for when he had mortal company, a very rare event. The fact that he was finding himself in the room twice in one day was a tremendously rare occasion. Ares looked at the fat plastic bottles that sat in the shower caddy. None of them read bubble bath. He had the urge to just use his powers and fill the bath with hot soapy water, but he'd promised himself that he would make the effort to do things the mortal way. He held up one of the bottles and examined it more closely. It was the shampoo he'd used only an hour ago. Shampoo would work, wouldn't it? Could it have really been only an hour ago? The world felt as if it had tilted on its axis and only an hour had passed. That was the effect of Xena, always had been. His footing never felt sure. She always kept him guessing.

Ares reached down and turned on the taps. He held his hand into the stream and waited for it to reach the desired temperature then he squeezed a generous amount of Pert Plus into the hot running water. Bubbles pooled directly beneath the faucet but some of the shampoo floated toward the back of tub in stringy green tendrils. Ares sloshed them around to create more bubbles. The bright bathroom light hit the bubbles creating transparent rainbows. Too much light, he thought. Candles, he needed candles. He remembered the decorative ones that sat above the fireplace in the front room. Ares ran naked down the hallway into the living room and grabbed the apple cinnamon scented candles off of the mantle piece and headed back down the hall. Shit, he needed matches. Not using his powers certainly made life more inconvenient. Candles still in hand, he made a u-turn and headed for the kitchen. The god was rummaging around in the catch-all drawer when he heard Willie clearing his throat.

"Here you go, Duke," the old cowboy fished a lighter out of his pocket and tossed it to Ares, suppressing a grin, "I got another one in the truck. I'll be turnin' in now. Looks like you got everything you need. She must be somethin' special." Willie said.

Ares was surprised at his own embarrassment. Plenty of people had seen him nude before, but Willie was different. It felt strange to have someone who you had shared your innermost thoughts with see you naked, unless of course you were going to have sex with them. And well, Willie wasn't his type. "She is," Ares answered.

Willie nodded and moved toward the back door. Ares had told Willie dozens of times that he was welcome to stay in the main house; it had two bedrooms after all. But Willie had insisted on using the smaller unit near the stables. The room was really no larger than a studio apartment but Ares guessed the old cowboy liked having a place that was all his. The hinge of the screen door squeaked as Willie opened it. "Goodnight, Duke," Willie pulled the shade down over the back door window and gave Ares a nod.

"Night, Willie," Ares returned the nod and smiled as his friend disappeared behind the closed doors. Friend. Yes, Willie was his friend. Why didn't that sound strange to him anymore? Ares thought briefly about Strife and wondered if he were here now would he treat his nephew better, would he treat him like a friend? Gods, he had used so many people. Ares clenched his jaw and shook off thoughts of things he would never be able to change. Now was what mattered. The woman waiting for him in the other room, that was all that mattered.

When Ares made it back to the bathroom, he had to let out some of the water. The tub was nearly full and the overflow drain gurgled. Ares stuck his hand in the water to check the temp. He didn't want the water too hot for her delicate mortal skin. It occurred to him that she probably would have been pissed that he was trying to protect her. Hell, he should be appalled that he was trying to protect her but somehow he didn't feel weak or pathetic because of it. If anything he felt better, stronger, more confident in his ability to love her. Why hadn't he considered things like that before? Was it because she so rarely showed mortal frailty that he allowed himself to pretend she was invincible? Was it because she had cheated death on more than one occasion? Two thousand years without her had irrevocably changed him. Gratitude was a new feeling for him but it was the only word he could think of to describe the feeling of having her back, of having his one in a million chance.

Once he was satisfied that the bubble bath was perfect, he lit the candles and placed them on each end of the countertop. He shut off light and looked at his candlelit image in the moonlight. He was shocked to find himself grinning from ear to ear. He almost didn't recognize the naked and hopeful man standing in front of him.

With everything set to the best of his ability, Ares considered going to get her but he didn't want to rush her. He knew Gabrielle would be giving her an earful if Xena shared any of the evening's details. He didn't want Xena to think he was pressuring her. So, Ares eased himself down into the water and waited. He'd frolicked in his fair share of hot springs with pretty nereids back in the day and while this water wasn't quite as hot as some of those, it was still quite relaxing and he felt muscles that he didn't even know were tense begin to loosen. When he heard her footsteps stall outside the bathroom door, he tensed again. Was she having second thoughts? Had Gabrielle already swayed her? Ares could hear her heart beating on the other side of the door. He tried to ignore the sound of it racing like a sprinter headed for Marathon.

Finally, she entered and the candlelight danced across her perfect skin. It bounced off her dark hair as golden streams of light. Xena stopped at the tub and stood over him. He was a vision. The darkly handsome god of war sunk deep in a pillow of soft bubbles. The hot humid water caused his hair to curl. Xena preferred it that way instead of greased back. She hadn't realized how much she'd missed his long hair until she reached down and brushed a curl that had fallen onto his forehead. For his part, Ares was equally mesmerized by her beauty. He studied her face as she took him in. It was only when she moved to push his curl that he began to take in the rest of her glorious body. Her graceful neck, sculpted shoulders, her Goldilocks bosom, not too big, not too small, just right. Ares's brow wrinkled as his eyes locked on a spot between her breasts. Xean looked down and grinned. "Didn't happen to this body," Xena rubbed the spot where her old body had once held a scar from a dagger that had gotten precariously close to her heart.

"Right," Ares whispered before continuing his visual tour of her body. He couldn't help pausing briefly at the sweet nest of black curls that covered her sex. Her toned thighs made him eager to feel their strength around him again, a thought which kicked his own desire back into overdrive. Ares' gaze made Xena feel oddly nervous. She'd stood naked in front of him too many times to count and yet there was something new, something different. Something true that carried a weight like never before. To cut the tension, Xena ducked his head under the water, completely immersing him. He opened his eyes and looked at her through the liquid veil and soapy bubbles. He wondered if this was what baptism felt like. His life felt brand new with endless possibilities. She was here with him, anything could happen. Xena started to warn him that the soap was going to burn his eyes but then she remembered, this wasn't mortal Ares. Even despite his promise not to use his powers, Xena knew there were still some things that would just happen automatically. The realization crawled up the back of her neck and wedged itself into her brain.. Ares sat up and extended a hand to her.Trying to ignore the wariness, she accepted and sank into the water with him. They lay in the water, her back against his chest. Their left hands intertwined.

He kissed the side of her head and whispered, "I love you."

She turned her head and met his lips in a tender kiss, "I love you too."

She didn't want to spoil the mood, he had set the scene so nicely but the subject had to be brought up. Pregnancy was just not an option for them. At least not right now.

"Ares, we need to talk." Dread was thick in her voice.

The old insecurities crept swiftly into his brain. Painful memories assaulted him: Xena wrapped in fur in his Amphipolis temple and then Xena walking away from him in that same temple. "Okay," he breathed heavily, "I told you already, the ball is in your court, we play by your rules."

"You didn't use any powers earlier?" She asked

"Xena, please, if I had been using powers, we'd still be in there or do you forget so easily?"

Her mind flashed to their very first time in her army tent. They didn't quit til sunup. "Point taken. But, what about fertility?"

"I didn't manipulate your ovaries if that's what you are asking." He was actually a little offended.

"What?"

"That's how it works, you know? You have to be ovulating to get pregnant." He whispered the obvious into her ear. His lips tickling the back ridge.

"I know how it works Ares, but I'm not on anything and well you didn't wear anything." She gripped his thigh from the tingling sensation that his lips were causing to ripple through her body.

"I didn't turn off my sperm." Then,it hit him where the conversation was headed. He looked at her aghast. "Are you suggesting that the god of war wear a condom?"

"At least until I can get a birth control program started, yes," she said matter-of-factly.

"Well, what if you are already pregnant?" He said more smuggly than he meant to.

"Do you really think that's a great idea?" There was venom in her voice and she got up from his embrace and sat on the edge of the tub.

"I don't think it would be a complete disaster, no." He answered honestly.

"Ares then.."

"Look Xena, I would love our child and I know you would too. I'm not saying I want you to be pregnant or even that we should start trying but if it has already happened then I would do right by you and her."

"Her? Well now that we've got that settled, you care to pick out a name?" She was getting irritated.

"Her or him. Satisfied?"

"No, I'm not, you aren't looking at this reasonably," she cried.

"What are trying to tell me Xena? That if you are carrying my child, you're going to abort it? That's what you're saying to me right? Because the thought of a child with me still sickens you, I get it."

She smacked him hard across the face, it wasn't the full fist of an angry warrior. It was the slap of a hurt woman. "Fuck you, you know better! That's not what I am saying at all. I love you dammit, I just wish we had thought."

"So are you saying we could have a child?"

"I'm saying that I'm not ruling it out, just not yet, not now. We have to find out where we are going first." She stroked his cheek where her palm print was visible, "I am sorry."

"I am not. You love me, Xena. You've never hit me with that much unrestrained emotion. Focused hatred sure but never that much love," He said and pulled her back into the tub. But this time, she straddled him. Her hair hung down, framing her face. No goddess had ever been as lovely and he had bedded most of them. He put his hands firmly on her hips.

"Ares, I'm serious," she warned as she felt his swollen member rise thick against her sex.

"I don't exactly have any condoms Xena. I can pull out, you know."

"That's not full proof."

"Neither is birth control." He said as he started thumbing her nipples. Against her will, her hips started moving in rhythmic circles. "Of course there is always abstinence," he suggested and thrust his hips upward so that his hot and hard manhood teased her opening.

"That. Is. Not. An. Option," she moaned as she grabbed him in her hand and impaled herself on him.

"Ahhh," he threw his head back at the delicious feel of her engulfing him.

"Tonight, we'll use the pull out method, but Ares, tomorrow we are buying condoms."

"Your wish is my..."

She cut off the cliché by clamping her mouth down over his.

AXAXAXAXAXAXAXAX

Xena awoke naked and alone. The sun was already up and made the hardwood floors shine a honey color. She used the empty space in the bed to stretch out. Deliciously sore was how she felt, and in all the right places. For a few minutes, she just lay there thinking about the previous evening. Had she really given in? To him? No, not to him. To herself. She wanted him, loved him. It was right to give this a try.

So where was he, anyway? If he had left to attend war business, she was going to kill him. Well, maybe that was a bit extreme but she would find a way to make him pay, and dearly.

She walked into the closet looking for her clothes. He must have picked them up off of the floor before he left. The first thing she saw were his gauntlets. She picked one up and tried it on for size. Too big. Were his forearms really that massive? Yes, they were, she gushed and then rolled her eyes at herself for doing so.

His closet surprised her. Besides his traditional leathers he had ones that were clearly for riding. He also had jeans and tees. But what surprised her were the suits, polos, and oxfords. Maybe she'd make him take her to dinner dressed in his civilized attire. But now, she needed breakfast. She grabbed a white oxford off of its hanger and put it on. She had to roll the sleeves because they were a little too long but other than that, it worked. He wasn't that much taller than her so the bottom of the shirt only kissed the top of her thighs but it was enough to cover everything that needed covering.

She heard him in the kitchen as soon as she started down the hallway. Was he making her breakfast? No way! This really was too good to be true. A brown paper sack that read Ralphs was on the counter along with cracked eggs, vegetable oil, and a box of pancake mix. "Morning," she said in a voice still raspy with sleep.

A hard knot formed in his throat when he saw her leaning against the door jam in his shirt. Her ridiculously long legs were barely covered. She had left the top two buttons of the shirt unfastened and he impishly thought how fun it would be to forgo breakfast and paint her body with the pancake batter instead. But she probably needed nourishment. "Morning," he finally managed to get out.

"Those for me?" She asked when she saw the stack of pancakes he was working on.

"None other. How many?"

"Three's fine, when did you learn to cook?" She asked, grinning as she made her way to the table.

"The directions are on the back of the box. Even Joxer could manage it."

"Oh," she replied. Suddenly very wary of just how the food was going to taste.

She was pleasantly surprised. The flapjacks were light and fluffy with the just the right amount of butter. Xena even talked Ares into trying one. "Not bad. Mortal food has actually come a long way in two thousand years. The syrup is sweet, almost like ambrosia."

"Hmm," Xena said and took another bite.

"You could try ambrosia of course, you know, just to compare for yourself." He teased.

"Nice try, would you pour me another glass of milk?" She pushed her glass toward him.

He did as requested, then sat back and enjoyed the view. She did have a healthy appetite and he enjoyed watching her revel in mortal pleasures. She had been so guarded yesterday evening when they had eaten dinner together. It was amazing the difference a night could make.

After Xena finished she crossed over to the sind and rinsed the plate and glass. Looking out the kitchen window, she saw Goldie and Blackie kicking up the dry desert soil. She felt his eyes on her and turned to him. He was beautiful. She often thought that was the best word to describe him. Lyceus had told her boys weren't pretty or beautiful, they were gorgeous or handsome. But her boy, he was beautiful. He was wearing jeans. There was a spot of batter on his otherwise blue tee. He leaned back casually in the wooden chair causing its two front legs to rise off of the floor.

"You are beautiful," he said.

"Funny, I was just thinking the same thing about you."

"Really?"

"Really," she answered and walked over and straddled him. He quickly sat the chair back on all fours. He ran his hands the length of her legs. When he reached the tops of her toned thighs his hands caused the shirt she was wearing to bunch up revealing that she had gone sans panties. Gods, he had been sitting here watching her eat pancakes with no panties on. His cock flared to life. She saw the hunger ignite in his eyes when he realized she was bare to him. She crushed his lips and then softly plied them open with her tongue and set to exploring his mouth. She ground her hips down on his erection. The rough jeans felt oddly arousing against her soft center. She found the length of him and ran herself along it.

"Ahh, Xena you're killing me." He breathed.

She went down on her knees and freed him from the denim. His pants pooled at his ankles. She took him in her mouth. Ares stroked her hair lovingly while she licked him.

"Ralph," he muttered.

"What? Who in Hades is Ralph?" They had done some pretty kinky things back in her warlord days but he'd never asked her to pretend to be a guy. A Hestian Virgin, a temple prostitute, a tavern keeper's daughter (he wasn't always original), a school teacher, a slave girl, a slave master, and even once a librarian, but never had he asked her to be a guy.

"Not who, a where, the grocery, the grocery sack," words weren't coming easy with her fondling his balls and licking him from base to tip.

She looked onto the counter and saw the sack. "Yeah, what about it?"

"Condoms." So, he hadn't just gone to get her breakfast, he had picked up something for himself too. Well, she supposed she was going to get plenty of use out of them as well.

She grabbed the Trojans from the bag and quickly ripped one from the black box. She tore the package with her teeth and found herself wondering just when she had acquired that particular skill.

"Xena, I've never..."

"S'okay, I've got," she didn't want him to feel embarrassed about never having used one.

"We won't have to use these for long, I promise." She concentrated as she rolled the prophylactic over his swollen flesh.

"Ain't complaining," he said as his cocked jumped at her touch. He was about to come already. He didn't know how he was going to hold out while she put the rubber on him much less have enough control to still fuck her.

She could tell he was about to lose it and realized that the condom actually might have been a turn on for him. The more she thought about it the more it made sense. He'd been having sex for millennia and yet, he was experiencing something for the first time. She secured the condom on him and gave his cock a little squeeze before sliding down on it. She didn't start moving right away. She let herself adjust to being filled and gave him a chance to compose himself. She kissed his lips and then hugged him tightly. She whispered, "I love you," in his ear and began rocking her hips back and forth in a slow sensual rhythm. She reached down and began manipulating her clit, because she knew he wasn't going to last long.

"Let me," he said and brought his hand down.

"I've got this one, you just enjoy being fucked." she said and took his hands and placed them behind the chair. "Clasp them together," she told him and he did.

The arch of his body forced his cock deeper into her. She started rubbing herself furiously.

She began whispering in his ear, "Yeah, you like getting fucked don't you, Ares?"

"How do you like that rubber? Feel good? Mmmm, your cock is sooo hard. I'm gonna come on you, fuck Ares, I'm gonna come on you," her hand was flying across her clit. She was slamming down hard and fast on his cock. "Come for me, Ares, come for me." Her muscles clamped down on his cock and jerked it in rapid pulses.

"Gods, Xena," he cried and emptied himself into the condom.

She was lightheaded and had to steady herself before rising off of him. She slid the condom off and smiled at him, "Wanna get a shower?"

"We could just go to bed and stay all day," he offered.

"Tempting, honestly but I need to see Gabrielle."

She could tell it hurt him a little and she didn't know how to explain to him that Gabrielle would always be a part of her life without it sounding like he would never be enough.

"So what's with you and her anyway?"

"We're friends, she's important to me in ways that sometimes I don't even understand."

"Friends with benefits or are you in love with her?" He was searching for a candid answer.

"It's more than just friends with benefits, I do love her. She'll always be a part of me, Ares. But it doesn't have to get in the way of this. I can love you both."

"But you are sleeping with her?"

"I have, yes. But I won't now." The implication of what she was saying caused a knot to form in his throat. He didn't want to cry, not in front of her. Not after sex.

"If you do, I'll understand," he offered.

"I don't want permission from you to fuck my friend, Ares. If we are going to do this, you and me, then I want to do it all the way. That goes for you too, no other lovers."

With that he pulled up his jeans, swept her off her feet and carried her to the shower. His third trip to the bathroom in less than 24 hours!