A/n: For all those frnds who have a weak Greek mythology (like me). Athena: the goddess of war, intelligence, and craft. Aphrodite: the goddess of love, pleasure, and beauty.
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"A kiss can be a comma, a question mark, or an exclamation point."- Mistinguett
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Chapter - 4 (Words unsaid)
(In Mount Olympus)
"WHAT IN THE NAME OF ZEUS!"
"Cool down Atty," Sappho said as she glanced at enraged wisdom goddess. "What's gotten into you?"
"What has gotten into me?" Athena shouted back at the question, gray eyes burning with rage.
Her tall, lean, and femininely muscular frame loomed over the nonchalant love goddess, who sat lazily beside the pool. The kissing image of a couple floated in magical puddle, while Sappho smile shone like an artist whose art is on the exhibition.
"You're asking me, what's gotten into me after watching this as well."
"Yes, Atty, that's what I'm asking you?" Sappho asked wearily. Her fingers twirled the golden locks as she kept a thoughtful gaze at wisdom goddess. "Few minutes ago you were normal. But now you look like... you've absorbed some powers of Ares, Atty."
"Don't dodge my question by your petty tricks, Aphrodite." Athena yelled. "Tell me what was Diana doing with that foul mortal?"
"Oh, them." Sappho grinned, her finger brushed against the pool as the image dissipated slowly. "They're dating now, err... I mean courting each other now."
Courting.
Athena's fist clenched at the word. Teeth gritted together and somehow she restrained her uprising anger. "Aphrodite, do you even know what have you done?"
Sappho threw a puzzled look at her. "I'm perfectly aware of my work, Atty. I don't know what your problem is, but I can attest from my side that everything is fine."
"Sure, it's fine with you." Athena voice bellowed in chamber. "After all, you're getting lots of satisfaction from sitting and playing this whole love-matching game."
"Oh. Don't play coy and almighty with me, Atty." Aphrodite shrieked from her place, arms gingerly folded against her bust. "Remember, how you played your fair share of games during the Trojan War. Or should I say with your precious hero Odysseus particularly."
Fists balled as Athena pulsed in pure ire. The glow around her turned darker, expressing her distressed thoughts. "Don't you dare go there, Sappho? I just help those who need my guidance."
"Oh really," Sappho sniggered. Holding her head high and raising her hand in blessing gesture, she continued further.
"Then why can't you help all at once. But of course not, you popped in and posed for him. All gods thought you were doing all this goody two-shoe job of showing the good path to a hero. And don't even try to deny it, Atty, because Circe has told me everything. In details." Aphrodite enunciated her last words, giving a full glowering look.
Silence hung in chamber as the twitter of birds died for few moments.
Finished with her caustic remarks, Sappho turned back to pool, but her hands stopped dead.
"APHRODITE!"
Athena's voice split the air, thundering like Zeus mighty bolt. Her informal robes faded into nothingness as the feared Goddess of war stood in front of Sappho.
Unlike any other divinity, Athena's armor gleamed with old battle scars, acting as the reminders of her endless victories. The spear stood tall and proud in her grasp—ready to decimate its enemy. The gorgon snakes on infamous shield, the aegis, hissed with war-lust.
"Huh, trying to scare me, Atty." Sappho snickered and leaned back in his seat, smugly relaxed. "But sadly I've to disappoint you that I don't feel fearful of your spear or aegis."
"You're crossing your limits, Aphrodite!"
"You're crossing the line, Atty." Sappho stood without fazing. "Don't start your hypocrite nonsense with me. First, I invited you here, and see what are you doing?"
Suddenly pulling herself from blinding anger, Athena's eyes panned over the chamber. Instantly she regretted. The colorful birds, swans, and even the few flowers were hiding or wilting in corners of chamber, trying their best to edge away from ensuing goddesses' war.
It's not right. Athena knew that even before the thought occurred to her.
The scene diluted her anger back to sanity. Her armored robe faded again, replaced by satin chiton, which possessed a wisdom goddess, not any blood lusting deity. She breathed her anger out, as much as she could, but the main issue still existed.
"What happened to Diana, Sappho?" Athena's voice was controlled, but not less daunting. Either way she doubted it would affect any good on pleasure goddess, who was soothing and patting a swan on her lap.
"Tell me Sappho?"
"I don't know what you're trying to accuse me, Atty," Sappho said as her fingers gingerly moved over the white feathered swan, lips murmuring some old Greek folklore in her sweet voice.
"Don't test my patience." Athena scowled.
"Didn't I tell you, Atty. They are a couple now, I'm telling the truth. If you don't want to believe it, then it's fine with me."
"She's our warrior and ambassador to Man's world. How can you do this to her?" Athena voice pitched higher again.
"What's that suppose to mean?" Aphrodite glared. "Don't give me that look, Atty, you know as all gods know. I cannot try to make them fall in love with each other until they have those feelings. Even I've some limits."
Athena groaned. The same migraine built again in her mind, because of the continuous love, love, and love talk. She wanted answers, just her answers.
"There's no way Diana would even think about some foul man. She's an Amazon princess; she'd never stall over her duty."
"C'mon, Atty. Don't start again with all those lecture on duty and Amazon thing. Diana is a woman as much as she is a warrior. And if you really want to know then I can say that duty is one of the reason why they're together now."
Athena forced herself to curb her rising anger, again.
"I don't want to know what you've done, or that foul man has done. He has tried to defile our once best creation, and I won't sit here and do nothing. He'll pay for this."
"What are you saying, Atty?" Aphrodite's eyes flared. A rare event that occurred only when someone insulted her, the most beautiful goddess of Olympians.
Of all people, she had never expected that Athena would say such statements. They always had been on the same page despite their different visions toward mortals.
"I'm going to turn that mortal into a pig," Athena said without any visible turmoil, and a silence stretched over the chamber.
And then, a pearly laughter rang in chamber as all living beings snapped to attention.
"I thought you won't copy Circe's style, Atty," Sappho said, laughing and taunting the craft goddess.
Athena avoided the laughing goddess and prepared to depart toward the mortal world. Although after Trojan War they didn't interfere anymore in the Man's world, this case was special. It needed her personal attention. For once—no one would dare such acts again after she'd be through with that petty mortal.
"Atty?"
"I'm going to see that the mortal will get his punishment by other gods too."
"Atty, you cannot drag them between our personal wars." Sappho raised her own voice.
"It's not personal matter any longer, Sappho. Diana is our warrior and he's tried to spoil her virtue. He'll be punished."
Tossing her hair aside, Athena did her judgment. Her gray eyes reflected the unflinching determination. The vengeful fire fueled again in her heart against those pest men. All while Aphrodite stood shocked at Athena's declaration.
"How can you say that, Atty, you don't even know them together?"
"I don't need to know anything else," Athena said simply.
"You can't do that, Atty. I've honored them in your name!" Sappho reasoned.
"I don't care!" Athena spat back and turned to leave.
"You can't do that, Atty, it's not fair!"
"Watch me then." With those words wisdom goddess dissolved in the glowing shower.
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(Back in Gotham)
A soft melodious rhythm leaked in the air of Tandoor restaurant, as some couples danced on the floor. Few duets enjoyed their spar of intense arguments with each other. While some were still sitting and giving each other those lovesick looks that movies always brags about in their never-ending commercials.
However, despite all those chatters and noises a couple danced in their own solitude. There were no intense arguments between them. Neither had they given lovesick looks. Instead, a savvy, tranquil silence enveloped them. An aura radiated around them unseen to human eyes.
It wasn't a common occurrence among couples.
Then, they weren't a common couple either. Long sparring sessions, incredible hand-eye coordination, and top-notch fitness reflected in their dance moves. They floated effortlessly on dance floor like the sea foams on waves. The background slow music, the dim illumination of Gotham's murky sky gave a perfect romantic ambience.
"Bruce?"
"Yes."
"You didn't answer my question yet," Diana asked, ruffling through his soft dark hairs.
"You know the reason as much as I know, Diana."
Diana curbed her sigh again as her not-so-talkative beau gave his usual round-robin answer. Most time, she was amused at how he manipulated simple words to form his answers. But few times, like now, she felt the utter annoyance with his habit. A chafing habit of keeping secrets—she reminded herself.
"Bruce."
"You like the place, don't you?" he asked the rhetorical question.
"Yes, I do. But—"
"Then it's enough for me." He cut off her answer in middle, as usual.
"Fine," Diana sighed as silence resumed back between them.
At heart, she knew she might have expected too much from him. Perhaps too soon as well.
Did she expect him to open up suddenly on their date? No, of course not. Yet, her heart was hopeful that maybe he'd open up to her. Or maybe he'd share those inner demons with her, which had kept them apart for so long. At least she was sure that he wouldn't try to block her out again.
"Princess?"
"It's fine Bruce," she replied with a smile.
Bruce gave her a frowned look as if he knew her smile was forced—Of course, he knew!
Diana muttered some curses in her mother tongue as his arm twitched around her waist—a slight indication to her that he didn't buy her excuse. Why cannot I just ignore his probing look? She reflected on, as Bruce stared at her few seconds, not glaring, but inquiring. Then, suddenly he did something that she couldn't dream yet.
He talked.
"Remember when we came first time here."
Tickling her heartbeat, his raspy voice jolted Diana out of her muses. She nodded her head, recalling those memories when they were hiding from those Thanagarian patrols.
"I still remember how you were embarrassed after the kiss." His eyes crinkled with hidden mirth.
"I thought you'd be angry with that," Diana said softly, avoiding his eyes contact.
"Why would I?" he asked, giving her a smirk. "But I've to say, that moment is quite beloved for me till long time."
Diana blushed more furiously as Bruce persisted with his sedulous care. More and more memories rushed in her mind. She remembered how after that event she had those weird dreams about him.
No! Not the erotic ones.
She refused to admit that a man could have such effect on her. Besides, Amazons didn't dream about men. However at last, she knew she had to pray to goddess Aphrodite and god Morpheus for help. Only then, she managed her good sleeps back. Infuriating man.
"You know, sometimes I suspect you enjoy vexing me."
"Maybe." Bruce gave his goofy playboy smile in return.
"Bruce!"
"I'll never think that, Princess," Bruce paused. His face turned blank again to her. "Honestly, I just wanted to take you to a good place. And I knew you'd enjoy this place without those fancy decors."
His confession endeared her heart, and for brief moments time stood still for Diana. She knew it wasn't a big-bat-secret. But for her, it was as prized as the first-born baby to her mother.
"Bruce…"
Her fingers trailed on his muscled chest. The simple but tailored charcoal suit gave a polished image of disguised Bruce Wayne. At that moment, she decided something, and her hands draped on his neck.
Bruce frowned before his eyes widened in a wonder. Her lips brushed his, and stupidly, he didn't even react for few seconds, taken aback by her forwardness. Guess amazons weren't much talkers.
His lips pressed softly on hers, sucking the honeyed taste of her lips. He pulled her closer, hand gliding over her curvaceous waist as the kiss deepened further. Pushing her slender figure tightly against him, almost grinding, he drank her sweetness as she responded with her moans, fingers curling in his jet-black hairs.
Dance was a forgotten business when Bruce lips melded into hers. His breath hallowed as their hearts beat together in one rhythm. They latched to each other like two souls huddled together around a bonfire in coldest winter night.
The kiss tantalized Bruce, pushing those mental barriers, which he had erected against her in so many years. Her soft skin burned against his battle worn hands, drenching him in the passion of love. Moreover, Bruce understood in those few moments that she was like a bewitched spell.
A spell that countered his every defense by its own, effortlessly. His past had shown him how he'd struggled against her every time. His all efforts had failed when she ignored his long list of rich-kid issues. It reminded him why he had taken a break from his Bat-routine. Each moment he spent with her was worth anything. And everything.
He believed in that.
"I love you, Bruce," she whispered to him, but he could never reply.
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A/n: Late update... sorry, but RL is kicking around a lot. Vacations are over, more study, and less time for hobby writing.
Big thanks to all for feedback. Leave a short or long review for me. Until then. Keep reading.