Disclaimer: I don't own PJO but I do own the female character and the lyric belong to Lady Gaga. I hop Ares isn't too out of character. And this chapter takes place on the eve of winter solstice and on the morning of winter solstice.
Chapter one: Twirling in the snow covered streets of NY
"Rah rah ah-ah-ah!
Ro mah ro-mah-mah
Gaga Ooh-la-la!
Want your bad romance"
It was dark and for once the New York streets were nearly empty save one figure who was casually strolling down the side walk occasionally jumping in mounds of snow. Suddenly it stopped under a lantern and raised its head, revealing in the feeble light a beautiful feminine face with delicate features. The woman bit her lower lip nervously before impulsively making her way to the middle of the streets. She stood there for a few seconds before twirling wildly her arms raised to the heavens and her mink coat fluttering in the wind.
She knew it was insane, not to mention suicidal, standing in the middle of the streets of New York City but it was her way of celebrating her temporary freedom. This would be her first Christmas without her parents dragging her to every party hosted by some of her father's illustrious political friends while her mother tried desperately to hook her up with any single and illustrious son of said political friends or worse a politician. This Christmas she would be alone, in New York and free to do as she wished while her parents visited US troops.
A screeching sound resounded loudly in the empty and she luckily jumped to the side and in a mound of snow narrowly avoiding getting hit by a motorcycle. She groaned as she carefully sat up cursing silently under her breath; before she could stand a pair of enormous and strong hands grasped her shoulders and pulled her to her feet.
"What in Hades is wrong with you?" an angry voice yelled at her while the strong hands shook her violently.
"Me?" she responded angrily. "What the hell is wrong with you? Who the hell drives through the streets of New York without lights on?" she yelled to his chest frustrated.
"Who in Hades twirls in the middle of the street?" he yelled baffled by her stupidity.
She huffed, embarrassed and angry. She didn't know why but she was burning with anger."If your lights had been on I would have seen you coming." She argued.
"Lights on or not you wouldn't have had the time to dodge." He replied wryly.
She sighed and took a deep breath trying to calm down, she may have been angry but she wasn't blind or stupid; the man was extremely tall with developed biceps and enormous and strong hands. One blow from him would send her six feet under. "Let's agree to share the blame I should not have been twirling in an empty street and you should have had your lights on. If you hadn't been such a good motorcyclist we both would have been dead." She admitted blushing. She may hate politics but she knew how to play the game.
"You would have been dead." He corrected wryly.
"That's rather presumptuous of you." She said with a frown. "At the very least you would have grievously injured."
"Do you see a simple crash hurting me sweetheart?" he asked with a rumbling laughter.
Carefully she took in his large and solid frame, her eyes lingering on those hands connected to his strong forearms, his long and muscular legs, his broad shoulders and strong torso. He looked to be built of steel and she wanted to slip her hands under his shirt to see if it was true but the daughter of a future senator did not do such things.
"Well no." she reluctantly replied. "But you will probably catch pneumonia dressed like that." She added abashed by his choice of clothing. Who the hell wore a red button down shirt under a leather jacket, black jeans and boots that had obviously seen better days on a cold Christmas eve? Who did this guy think he was? Ghost rider?
"I'm too hot." He replied cockily.
"You wish." She said with a roll of her eyes.
"See for yourself." He invited the smirk evident in his voice daring her to touch him.
To her, and probably to his, surprise she slipped her hand underneath his shirt. Not only was he scorching hot but her earlier suspicions were confirmed: his very defined abs were harder than steel.
"Your body temperature is too high." She said slowly removing her hand. With a brusque move of her head she looked up then proceeded to stand on the tip of her toes to get a better view of his face. She was surprised to notice he was handsome in a brutish and wild way. His hair was as wild and black as a night in the jungle and his features very angular; she looked into his eyes, they were black as coal and had a wicked gleam that reminded her of a wild and uncontrollable animal, and she quickly dropped her gaze to his lips. His lips, despite their chapped aspect looked very sensuous and she found herself wondering how they would feel on hers.
"Like what you see?" he asked his lips stretching into a smirk.
"No." she replied coolly. She allowed herself to fall back on her feet and dusted the snow off her jacket. Suddenly Saint-Patrick chimed midnight and the surrealness of the situation hit her. There she was, the rebellious and liberal daughter of a rich and conservative future senator, standing in a New York street, alone with a sexy man that could be a serial killer. The part of her that craved adventure, that loved life and sought to show her parents that she could never be the perfect debutant they expected her to be was extremely satisfied; but she also comprehended the danger in the situation.
"Look me in the eye and tell me that." He ordered lifting her by her shoulders and letting her feet dangle off the ground.
"Your kind of cute." She admitted blushing. "Now put me down. I believe we both have to be somewhere other than the streets of New York at this time of the night."
Carelessly he released her and let her hit the mound of snow behind her.
"You fiend!" she cried furiously getting to her feet. "How dare you drop me like that?" she asked glaring at him.
"You told me to put you down." He said walking towards his motorcycle.
"Don't you turn your back on me." She yelled furiously.
It might not have been smart but it was the first thing that came to mind when she realized he wasn't going to answer her. She threw a snowball at his retreating back and another one at his head before turning on her heels and walking away. Her plan would have been perfect, she would have left with the rest of her dignity had she not been knocked down by a snowball.
"What is wrong with you?" she cried outraged.
"Me? You're the one who threw the damned snowballs." He yelled incredulous.
"You're the one who ignored me." She yelled throwing another snowball which he dodged.
"So who fucking care?" he replied throwing a jumbo snowball which she also dodged.
They continued yelling and throwing snowballs up until he pushed her in a mound of snow and she stuck out her leg tripping him. They lay there for a while panting until she burst into fit of giggles.
"That was fun." She said when her laughter died down.
"And you are touched to the head." He grunted.
"Oh you had fun you old Grinch." She said with a pout marring her lips.
"You clearly are delusional." He replied standing.
"You just hate admitting that I'm right." She replied grinning.
"That too." He conceded extending one of his large hands towards her.
Surprised but pleased she grasped his hand and let him pull her up and onto his warm body. Every ounce of snow melted off her coat and the cold quickly left her body. He was like a furnace and she couldn't help but lay her head on his torso.
"I have to go." She said pulling away from him reluctantly. "I don't regret meeting you." She admitted with a small smile before turning on her heels and walking away.
She sighed as she walked down the street. This truly was a way to celebrate her first day of freedom.
"My name is Ares." His strong and powerful voice called out.
She turned around to see him standing near his chariot...? No... motorcycle, like a warrior standing next to his stead. He looked infinitely handsome and powerful like she imagined the greek god of war would look if he was real. He truly deserved his name.
"Goodnight Ares!" She said flashing him her prettiest smile.
Once more she began to walk away when she realized that she hadn't heard the rumbling of his engine or felt him remove his gaze from her. She turned around and saw him sitting on his motorcycle, helmet in his hand.
"Ares!" she called out.
He looked up at her.
"Amelie." She said loudly. "My name is Amelie!"
"Goodnight Amelie." He said simply.
She smiled mischievously, raised her arms, twirled and disappeared around the corner.
_O_o_
She barely disappeared that a misty image of a beautiful brunette appeared.
"Hello mother." He said laconically.
"Hello darling. Where are you? Your running late." She asked with a frown marring his pretty face.
"I'm in NY." He replied.
"Well you are late for the celebrations." She said again.
"Celebrations that start at sunrise?" he asked sarcastically.
"As Zeus's child you must be here." Hera said primely.
"So does that mean most of Olympus is there already?" he asked innocently.
"I meant his child born into wedlock." She said stiffly.
"Well your delaying my arrival." He said flatly.
"Of course darling." She said cheerily. "See you soon."
He sighed in relief as the mist dissipated and wondered if there was a way to avoid said celebrations. Only Hermes had found ways to avoid some of the celebrations. He was about to put on his helmet when a terrified shriek pierced the night and he caught the scent of a monster. He quickly steered his stead towards the source of the screams.
Her back to the alley entrance was Amelie and slowly advancing towards her was a dracaena and the beast looked furious. He watched as the beast lunge towards her but she ducked in time sending the monster sprawling. She tried running past the monster towards the exit but it grabbed her leg and pulled her to the floor but Amelie struck it in the face forcing it to let her go she tried to run away again but after a few steps she fell.
He frowned when two more dracaenas appeared. It was time to intervene. He quickly rushed to Amelie's side and punched the nearest monster before summoning his sword and slashing them to oblivion. He turned to her preparing to see some fear or disgust in her eyes.
"You truly are Ares the god of war?" she said surprised.
"What was your first clue?" he asked sardonically.
"The chariot." She replied. "Those things told me that I could see through the mist. That I saw too much." She added confused.
"You do." He said with a frown. He extended his hand and to his surprise she grasped it. "I'll give you a ride home." He said pulling her up.
"Thanks." She said limping towards the motorcycle.
"Where do you live?" He asked.
"I'm in the apartment building near the park." She said simply.
Ares simply nodded and ignited the motorcycle. It wasn't too far from where they were but it was far enough.
"Um no helmet?" she asked wrapping her arms around his waist.
"Trust me when I say the ride will be more enjoyable with the helmet off." He replied. "If you want one I can…"
"That fine." She said stuffing her cap in her coat and wrapping her arms around his waist again. "Just as long as you turn on your lights."
"Why?" he asked turning his head towards her.
"We don't need a repeat of what happened earlier." She said exasperated.
"I didn't hit you." He replied dryly.
"One: I'm not built of steel so if we crash I won't survive. Two: another person may not have my awesome reflexes and dodge in time." She explained.
"Well I doubt there's someone else stupid enough to go twirling in the snowy streets of NY." He responded.
Before she could reply Ares sped off. Once she got comfortable enough he went into top speed leaving behind him clouds of snow and echoes of her delighted squeals.
"That was insane!" she yelled when he parked the motorcycle near her apartment building.
"Oh you had fun just admit you old prude." He said with a roll of his eyes.
"I did not. It was way too fast." She argued.
"I'm sorry weren't you the one screaming: Faster Ares, faster!" he said mimicking her voice. "Or am I hearing things?"
"Clearly it's your second statement." She said getting off. "That last trick was a little, no. It was fucking terrifying ."
"You just don't want to admit I'm right." He said with a smirk.
"That too." She conceded smiling.
"So I guess no more joyrides for you." He said with a shrug.
"You called that a joyride cheri?" She asked raising an eyebrow.
"Since you were giggling when I pulled up, Hades yes!" he said hitting his precious motorcycle.
"I did have a little bit of fun." She conceded smirking. "But that was too short to be a joyride."
"Oh I could go all night long sweetheart." He said smirking. "The real question is could you handle it?"
"Too bad you're running late." She said dodging the dangerous course their conversation could take.
"Get on and I'll give you the extended version. The celebrations don't start until sunrise anyway." He said.
Without hesitation she reclaimed her previous position.
"Don't disappoint me Ares." She whispered in his ear. "I want to scream."
"I'll make you go hoarse." He promised kicking his stead into gear. And with that they were off her screams echoing throughout New York.
A.N : This actually a prequel to a PJO story I'm writing and the inspiration for this story came while I was writing the story though Amelie is not showing her pretty face anytime soon in my other story.