Everything I Need In You
Author: TUCfan.
Pairing: Ares/Aurora.
Rating: T, because it's The Underland Chronicles.
Description: Since the defeat of the Bane, Ares has become well-liked again. But even with all his fame, there's still only one flier he sticks with. Part of my Ares is Alive timeline.
Disclaimer: I do not and will not ever own the Underland Chronicles. They belong to the wonderful author Suzanne Collins. If I did own them, I wouldn't be writing FanFiction, now would I?
Author's Note: Hello all, welcome to the next part of the story. Ares and Aurora are referenced as being together in my other fic "Late Nights," so I decided I would incorperate how I thought it would happen.
Song: Written while listening to my Without Words playlist, a compilation of my favorite soundtracks and wordless songs.
In the months since the Bane had been defeated, Ares had come to accept the fact that he was well-liked again. Very often, as he went about his day, he would be greeted warmly by people he had never met, or they would smile at him, or give him a nod of respect. Most times, he would return their gestures politely. Eventually, however, it started to get old. The nods and the smiles he was fine with, but did every single person in Regalia have to thank him for defeating the Bane personally?
Ares reflected as he flew from his cave to Regalia. Sure, the people were always friendly, but some had stopped him even when they could see that he was in a rush. Had they grown to love him so much that it was worth interrupting his day? Really, he had done just as much as anyone else, and the thanks the soldiers received had died down by now. What made him special?
At that moment, a voice called to him. "Ares! Ares! Down here!" it cried. He looked down. A small group of children were playing together in the street, and one had looked up and seen him. With an internal sigh, he coasted down and landed on the cobblestone path. With much squealing, the children ran over and gathered around him.
All at once, their voices bombarded him with questions. "Ares, Ares, did you really defeat the Bane?" "Ares, what is the Warrior like? Is he nice?" "Ares, can we fly with you?" "Can you tell us how you beat the Bane Ares?"
"Children, away from the poor flier! You are crowding him," scolded a woman, walking over to the group. When they all ambled away, heads bowed, the woman turned to him. "Forgive me, Ares. They are excited to see the hero of their bedtime stories."
"It is no issue," he returned. "Forgive me, I must be going."
"Thank you, for your service to us. Fly you high," said the woman, waving to him as he took off.
With an imperceptable shake of his head, Ares resumed his flight to the palace. When he arrived in the high hall, he could see Aurora fluttering her wings, clearly waiting for him. When he landed, she hopped over to him. "My apologies for being late. A group of children ambushed me with questions," he said. She gave a squeak of a laugh.
"They love the stories their mothers tell at bedtime of how the Warrior and his bond slayed the scourge of the Underland," she returned. The two took off again, in search of a better place to stay.
Ares shook his head. "Some days, I grow tired of their praise. The constant thanking me is growing old," he said thoughtfully.
"You tire of the fame?" she asked. "My, how much you have changed from your old self."
"I am glad that they do not hate me, but it has become detrimental when I am stopped every time I fly somewhere," he said.
"I think it suits you better than them shunning you," said Aurora, nudging him with her wing. "Is too much praise not better than none at all?"
"I do not want the praise. I am content with just being a normal flier," he said, coasting down to a landing in his cave. He then fluttered up to the ceiling and perched from one of the many outcrops. She took her placce next to him, shuffling a bit closer than she had been before.
"You could have anything, or be friends with anyone," she said. "That has no appeal to you?"
The words Gregor had spoken to him months before echoed through his head. "Hey, remember what I said about Aurora. Don't miss what's right in front of you." It occurred to him that he held the greatest opportunity of his life in his claws. With a deep breath, he forged on.
"None at all. I already have everything I need in you," he returned after a moment.
Her voice was much softer when she spoke again. "In... me?" she asked.
"Indeed. I would rather have you than all the fame or glory in the Underland," he said, shuffling closer still. The edge of his wing brushed hers, and she leaned into the contact.
"Ares, I... why me?" she asked.
"Because you are you. I do not have the words in my head to explain it, but I speak the honest truth. You are worth more to me than any other thing or person," said Ares.
"You love me," she murmured, pressing herself into his side.
"I do," he responded, leaning into her touch. "I take it you feel the same."
She gave a laugh. "I would not have stuck with you all this time if I did not," said Aurora. "The months without you, when we were lost in the jungle, were the worst. We did not know if you lived or died in the Labyrinth."
"It was the same for me," said Ares. "I spent every moment I could searching for you."
"Well, let us be glad we are together now," she said. "With peace all around, there is nothing stopping us."
With her tucked under his wing, he closed his eyes in contentment. Finally, after all that had happened, peace reigned for all of them. Better yet, his life was, at long last, looking up. Sure, it may try his patience when he was stopped in the street, but who was he to deny them the joy that came with life?
"No," he thought. "I cannot deny them the same joy that lives in me now."
And with that thought, the two slipped into a light sleep, content to simply be with each other.
Finis. Thank you for reading. If you'd like, leave a review with your thoughts. Happy reading!
