A second ago, Princess Megara of Thebes had resigned herself to Tartarus. Now she stared up at the triumphant face of the boy she'd abandoned and left screaming in the Spartan Temple of Ares.
His eyes flashed with his father's lightning while he held the stolen amphora securely under his arm. Hercules looked down his regal nose at her and the imps as if he was about to pass judgment for them all to abide by. "Let her go!" he shouted.
But that had to mean… was he on her side?
Or did he want to punish her, himself?
When the imps demanded the amphora be returned to them, Hercules replied, "I'll trade you for the girl."
That didn't sound like a condemnation.
Did he want her in his debt?
"Why should you care about her? She ditched you!" one of the imps reminded the young hero-in-training.
"Yeah, but…" Hercules chewed his lip and looked at Megara directly with hurt in his eyes. "Why'd you do it, Meg? I thought we were a team… I thought you'd stay with me."
"I couldn't… You saw what I got you into… I should've handled this myself instead of using you like I did. I've been the worst this weekend, and I thought maybe I should just… down all the Lethe water as I'd planned. Then, I wouldn't remember anything, and I could start over. Maybe I'd be a better person the second time around."
"You don't have to erase yourself to be a better person," Hercules said. "You're not as bad as you think you are in the first place. Is that…" he gasped, and his eyes widened. "Is that why you wanted this water the whole time? Why? What could you have possibly done that you'd want to go full erasure on yourself?"
"It wasn't like that this whole time. I wanted to forget, but not everything… I thought maybe I could forget a guy and then move on like he didn't ruin my life."
"Who is he?" Hercules asked, darkness creeping into his voice like a dark cloud on a summer day. "Someone who could ruin your life needs a taste of his own medicine."
"That's the worst part! I tried so hard to tell Adonis how much I hated him, but he thought every insult was a compliment! He was going to take me to his couch and do unspeakable things to me, and my family's acting like it was my fault!" The tears burned hot down her face. "I can't stop thinking about it and what I could've said so I wouldn't end up like that, but there's no changing the past! So why not just forget it?"
"I'm gonna kill him!" Hercules hurled the jar of Lethe water toward the far end of the cave wall.
"Get the amphora!" the imps shouted at one another. They dumped Megara and flew after it.
"Come with me," Hercules said, arms open for her. "We'll run away together! I'll keep you safe."
She couldn't argue with the dichotomy between Hercules and Tartarus. Megara rushed up to Hercules with arms outstretched, and he spun her when he caught her.
"Never run away again," he whispered into her hair. "We're a team for real now, all right? No more secrets."
"Whatever you want," she whispered.
"Hey! We still need someone to pin this theft on!" one of the imps shouted.
"Deal with it yourself!" Hercules shouted and tightened his arms around Megara. "The girl stays with me!" He didn't sound like a rookie or a dupe. He knew what he wanted. For some reason, it was her.
Megara bit her lip, trying to hold back all the feelings she didn't know how to express. It didn't seem real. Maybe this was a special kind of torment, and she was already in Tartarus; she just didn't know it yet.
The sons of Ares thundered up the mountain toward them, panting heavily but undeterred.
"Where's the Lethe water?" the blond boy demanded.
"Yeah, and can we have it?" asked the slower, brown-haired one.
"They've got it," Hercules told them, jerking his head toward the cave. "They're about to take it back to Hades and pretend you're the ones who took it!"
"What?" the blond one gasped. "At least let us go to the Orpheus concert first!" He and his brother charged into the cave after the imps, and Hercules took off down the mountain in the opposite direction.
Megara clung to him, her hand wrapped around the strap that supported Hercules's clothes over his shoulder. The bronze clasp dug into her palm, reassuring her with every jostle from Hercules's footfalls that this was real.
Hercules didn't need to stop to catch his breath, nor was carrying Megara a burden for him. He just kept going until he saw a bend in the road down the mountain and dove behind some bushes with her.
Unfortunately for both of them, he overshot his mark, went careening to the grass, and fumbled his hold on her.
Megara screamed, but Hercules dove under her so she'd land on his chest, and he could hold her there instead of her bouncing off.
He lay dazed under her for a minute while the two of them attempted to orient themselves. "Sorry…" Hercules wheezed and eased her off him onto the grass. "Are you all right?" he asked, kneeling over her. "They flew off with you, didn't they? I bet you hated that."
"I did…" Megara stared up at him in the starlight, dazzled by the fact he was even there, that he didn't hate her and seemed to love her. What was wrong with him? "But they were going to take me to an eternal punishment, so that was a little worse…"
"Yeah…" Hercules winced. "I'm glad you're safe, though." He gently brushed her hair over her shoulder. "Did they beat you up?"
"No, they didn't have to. Once we were in the air, I wasn't stupid enough to try and break away. That would only get me where we were going even faster."
That comment seemed to cause Hercules physical pain. He drew her into his arms and bowed his head over hers. "You're not going there, Meg. You're safe. We're going to be together. I'm going to keep you safe. I'm a hero. Let me be your hero."
"You will be," she said before she knew what she was saying. It seemed that even though he was trying to reassure her, it was also her job to reassure him. He'd be inconsolable until she could prove that he had successfully consoled her. But what had she agreed to? How could she trust any one person to be her hero? She had to look out for herself.
Hercules pulled back to meet her eyes. "Really?"
"I'm surprised, too."
"I was hoping, but… I wasn't sure if you actually trusted me."
"Between the two of us, I'm the only one who can't be trusted. You could've let me rot, and I wouldn't have blamed you. I wasted your time, played on your emotions, exploited your ethics–"
"It's all right," Hercules assured her as he took her hands. "Now I know why, and you know you're not alone. I'll never give you a reason to do that again. I've already forgiven you."
"Thanks… but I don't even think I deserve that…" Megara looked away, and Hercules let her squirm free. Once she'd dusted herself off, she said, "I'm sure I deserved Tartarus, but I'm grateful you didn't let me go there."
"Sh... you don't. I don't believe that, and I hope you don't, either. Phli taught me that sometimes, after they're rescued, a Damsel might feel confused and upset, and I have to be patient and help her feel better."
"I'm a damsel in distress now?" Megara frowned.
"Oh, well, you were, but now I got you out of it."
"I didn't expect you to follow me. I figured you'd move on after that."
"You're using another set of rules than I am. A hero knows that some people need saving even when they don't ask for it. You're the most complex, interesting girl I ever met. I could never get you out of my head, thinking of what could've been… so I couldn't lose you. I'm willing to see how things play out, even if being with you might get challenging sometimes."
"It hasn't been that long. There's still time for all the things you think are interesting about me to become obnoxious."
Hercules placed a hand on each side of her face. "Meg, I'm in love with you. I want you in my life forever. Will you give me a chance?"
"Yes..." His eyes were shining in the starlight. He was gawky with hands, feet, and ears that were a little too big for his body, but she could see the man he'd become when he looked at her like that.
"You seem to think I'm a much better person than I am."
"Maybe you don't know how great you are. Will you let me try and show you?" He leaned in closer. He smelled like lemons preserved in honey. It made her head spin.
She wanted more of him, but she worried she'd disappoint him.
What happened a few months later when she did something that proved she wasn't good enough for him?
Hercules slid one hand behind her neck and kept the other on her cheek. "It's gonna be ok," he whispered as if he knew what she was thinking.
She believed him.
Her heart sped up, and his heat mingled with hers.
Hercules closed his eyes, holding Megara still so that he could find her between his hands and not lose his nerve on his way to reach her. That first brush of his lips against hers made them both gasp and break apart, but then he sighed. "That was... I mean, can I try again?"
At first, Megara was too stunned to respond, but that moment was quick to fade. She made a soft, affirmative sound, then pushed closer to find his kiss again.
His mouth was slightly agape when she found his lips. He was trembling, but his blushing smile told her it wasn't from fear. "That was… you kissed me!" His smile spread into a grin. "Do you love me, too?"
"Maybe I do," she replied, a little surprised to hear herself say it. "I… I've never loved anyone before, so I'm not really sure."
Hercules glanced away shyly, then offered her his hand. "Let's get somewhere nicer for the night, and maybe we can figure that out together."
"You don't mean we'd…" Not this kid. They were roughly the same age, and she couldn't see him having the gall to let her see him naked, let alone stay conscious if she took off her own clothes."
"You've been through a lot. I'm not going to also make you sleep in the bushes," Hercules said. Now, he was standing and offering her his hands. "Let's get out of here."
The duo hadn't gotten ten steps out of their hiding spot before they were both glancing down at their joined hands and blushing.
Hercules rested his brow against hers and chuckled softly. "I think I really, really love you," he said. "You're so cute, and your hands are so soft."
"I… Thank you." Megara hid a giggle behind her hand and looked away. "People don't usually call me cute without consequences."
"Heh! Thanks for letting me off the hook." Hercules lifted her hand to his lips and pressed the briefest ghost of a kiss to her knuckles.
"You've gotta do it like this," Megara said, tugging their joined hands toward her mouth. She pressed her kiss to the back of his hand and let it linger while he groaned.
This was the most fun she'd had in… well, it was plenty amusing!
Megara trailed her kiss down his hand and flipped it so she could find his wrist, and she sucked on it.
Hercules dropped to his knees and shuddered, staring up at her in a mixture of awe and terror.
"See, that's a kiss," she said, releasing him.
Hercules lurched forward, catching himself on his hands to avoid slamming his face into the rocky path. "M-Meg! That… what did you do? Who taught you to do that?"
"Some of us got out of our awkward phase a bit earlier than others," she replied, leaning to one side as she admired her handiwork. "Not every girl can get a hero on his knees, so I think I'll take the laurels for it. Where do I collect my prize?"
"Wherever you want…" Hercules sat back on his knees, staring up at her like she might sprout foliage at any moment and reveal she'd been a nymph playing a prank the whole time.
"C'mon, you said we've gotta find a place to stay, right? Well, it won't be in Sparta, so we'd better get moving."
"Oh! Uh… yeah! Yeah, y-you're absolutely right!" Hercules cleared his throat and surged to his feet, though he wobbled on the way.
"Careful!" Megara put her hands on his shoulders. "You'll topple over trying to stand up so fast!"
"Wha?" Hercules was dazed again, rubbing at his forehead.
"I thought someone with a flying horse would have an easier time adjusting to changes in altitude." Megara started dusting off his white exomis, but as her eyes drifted downward she gasped. "Oh! So that's what's been giving you a hard time…" She covered her mouth, but she'd already said it. Next, she covered her eyes to make up for what she'd seen, but it was too late for that, too.
"I-I-I'm the one who's sorry!" Hercules dashed off down the mountain, and Megara followed him, still covering her mouth.
She wasn't sure if she'd ever called a boy out for getting excited like that, but this might've been the worst one to try it on. He may never recover from the mortification, and she hadn't even meant to embarrass him.
While she was alone in the path, she checked over her shoulder to see whether any of the immortals had finished fighting over the Lethe water and were following the mortals.
The top of the mountain exposed no secrets, either infernal or celestial. For now, that whole mess was behind her. While contemplating whether or not it would return to haunt her, she followed another mess down the mountain and hoped an apology would be enough to smooth this over.
When she descended as far as a bend in the mountain pass, she saw a small Theban encampment laid out ahead of her.
The banners waved defiantly colorful in the stark Spartan outskirts. How had they found her?
Hercules jogged back up the mountain toward her. "Looks like it'll be easier to get you home than we thought… unless you don't want to go there. In which case, we'd have to get sneaky."
It may have been rude, but she couldn't help checking. By the looks of things, seeing the Theban camp had helped Hercules tame his manly urges.
But now he'd caught her looking.
Hercules crossed his legs and blushed as red as his hair. "S-so, uh… what—wh-what's your plan?"
"I ran away. They might think I was kidnapped. They might be here to take me home or start a war if they can't find me. If the people down there start fighting, it'll be my fault."
Hercules frowned. "You're right, but…"
"We should at least speak to whoever's down there so they don't think they have to fight for me."
"And then I'll surprise them and fight for you instead!"
"Ugh, but they'd think you kidnapped me instead of saving me. We have to think two steps at a time!"
"Okay, but… what're we gonna say?"
"You mean you don't have a prepared speech for this kind of scenario? There's no hero rule for it?"
"Uh… I haven't gotten that far?"
"All right, fine. You can follow my lead, and I'll answer the questions." She offered him her hand again. "I know I probably haven't earned it at all, but when we get down there, you'll have to trust me."
Hercules clasped her hand in his so eagerly that a few joints popped. "I trust you! Let's go get this figured out!"