Chapter 35: Balancing Act
As the morning sunlight streamed through the curtains, casting a warm glow across the room, Ares laid beside Xena in their bed. He lazily ran his fingers through her dark hair. Xena was awake in his arms. She greeted him with a soft, lingering good morning kiss. She smiled up at him, her eyes filled with love and appreciation for the rare moment of peace between them.
With gentle care, Ares began to help Xena into her clothes, moving slowly as if each movement was a sacred ritual. She protested lightly,
"Ares, I can handle this." Xena was used to being fiercely independent. But Ares simply smiled and met her eyes,
"I know you can, but let me take care of you," he whispered, his voice tender. Xena sighed, her determination weakening under the impact of his care. She let herself relax, leaning into his touch as he continued to brush her hair, each stroke calming her further. The tension in her body eased, and for once, Xena allowed herself to be pampered without putting up a fight.
After ensuring she was dressed, Ares helped her downstairs to the couch, taking extra care with every step as if she were the most precious thing in the world. And in his world, she was. As he guided her to sit, fluffing pillows and adjusting blankets to make her as comfortable as possible, his phone rang. Ares glanced at it briefly and ignored it, deciding to focus on Xena instead.
The phone rang again, and with a sigh of frustration, Ares looked at the screen to see who it was. Seeing Nancy's name flashing on the screen, he knew he couldn't ignore it. He balanced the phone between his shoulder and ear, keeping one hand on Xena to ensure she was settled comfortably.
"Nancy, what is it?" Ares said with an irritated tone.
On the other end, Nancy's voice was filled with panic. She explained a situation at the gym that needed his immediate attention. Ares listened, but his focus remained on Xena, who was watching him with a small smile, sensing his inner struggle.
"Alright, Nancy. I'll be there as soon as I can," Ares finally said, his voice full of frustration. He ended the call and ran a hand through his hair, exhaling deeply.
"I need to head to the gym. Nancy's in a bit of a panic," he explained with an apologetic expression. Xena gave him a reassuring nod, though there was a flicker of something in her eyes—perhaps a longing to be at the gym herself, instead of being confined to the couch.
"Don't worry about me, Ares. I can manage here." Xena knew how much the gym meant to him, and she didn't want to be a burden. Ares leaned down and kissed her forehead softly, lingering there for a moment before pulling away.
"I'll be back with your lunch. If you need anything before that, just call me, okay?" He gave her one last, loving look before grabbing his gym bag and heading for the door.
As the door clicked shut behind him, Xena leaned back into the couch, staring out at the sunlight filtering through the window. She missed being by his side at the gym, but she knew this time of rest was necessary for both her and the baby. Still, as Ares left, a part of her wished she could have gone with him.
~XA~
Ares walked into the gym and was met with a scene of complete chaos. The line of members wrapped around the building painted a vivid picture of the disorder that had unfolded in his absence. Nancy, looking frazzled, stood behind the front desk, desperately trying to manage the situation.
Sighs of relief could be heard across the gym as Ares made his way to the front. Members knew that order was about to be restored. Ares raised an eyebrow at Nancy, silently asking for an explanation.
"The computer's acting up. It won't recognize anyone's membership key," Nancy panicked.
Ares looked at the computer system, and his eyes narrowed as he observed the screen. To his disbelief, he realized that Nancy hadn't even signed into the system. He let out a long, frustrated sigh as he ran his fingers through his curls.
"Nancy, you have to sign in first. The system won't recognize anything until you do," Ares instructed, trying to keep his anger in check. Silently, he wished that Emma was there.
Ares swiftly signed into the second computer at the front desk, determined to bring order back to the gym. While he helped the members get checked in, he also wanted to give them something for their inconvenience. Really, an apology for Nancy's incompetence.
"Grab whatever you want from the refreshment stand. It's on the house today," he announced to the members as a small token of appreciation for their patience. Once the last member was checked in, Ares took a moment to collect his gym bag. With a deep breath, he finally made his way to his office.
In his office, Ares opened his laptop to review the day's training schedule, only to find it completely blank. The realization hit him like a punch to the gut – Emma was the one responsible for confirming training times. Frustration rose as he slammed his laptop closed.
After he was done punching his desk and fixing it a few times, he pulled up the list of requested training times from the members. One by one, he confirmed each appointment, a tedious task that Emma had previously handled with ease.
~XA~
The realization hit Ares painfully as he stared at his phone that somehow was on silent. How could he have missed five calls and seven messages from Xena? Guilt gnawed at him, knowing that she must be frustrated and hungry by now. He quickly typed out a message apologizing for missing her calls and explaining that he was on his way home with the food she had requested.
While he drove to get her food, he couldn't shake the guilty feeling in the pit of his stomach. How could his phone be on silent, out of all the times? He was being too focused on his responsibilities at the gym that Xena had momentarily slipped his mind.
Finally arriving home, Ares walked in with a bag of food, ready to face the consequences of his unintentional neglect. The scent of the meal filled the air as he entered, and he found Xena sitting on the couch. He could tell she was annoyed.
"Xe, I'm so sorry," Ares began, holding out the bag of food as a peace offering.
"I didn't realize my phone was on silent. I know you must be hungry, and it's all my fault." Xena looked up at him and rolled her eyes. She snatched the bag from him.
"You need to pay better attention, Ares. I can't be left waiting like this, especially now." Ares nodded, genuine remorse in his eyes.
"I promise, Xe, it won't happen again. You and the baby are my top priorities." As they settled in for a late lunch, Ares silently promised to find a better balance between his responsibilities at the gym and his duties at home. Before they could finish their lunch, his phone rang. He glanced at the screen, debating whether to answer or not, but eventually picked up.
"What, Nancy!?" He sighed in frustration as Nancy's panicked voice echoed again through the phone. She sounded distressed as she explained her predicament this time.
"I can't sign in from lunch, Mr. Ares! My computer locked me out, and I need my password reset. Can you please help me?" Ares felt his phone almost crumbling within his hand due to how hard he was squeezing it now. Xena softly touched his arm. He looked around for his laptop, only to realize that he had left it at the gym. Running his fingers through his hair in frustration, he muttered under his breath, unsure of how much more he could take.
"Look, Nancy, I left my laptop at work. I can't reset your password right now. Just... try to remember it or wait until I get back to the gym." Nancy pleaded,
"But Mr. Ares, I need to get back to work! We have members waiting!" Ares rubbed his temples, trying to calm his rising frustration.
"Fine, I'll figure something out. Just give me a moment." Ending the call, he turned to Xena.
"I'm sorry, Xena. It's Nancy again. She's locked out of her computer, and I left my laptop at work." Xena's sympathetic gaze met his, understanding the mounting pressure he was under.
"It's okay, Ares," she said in a soothing voice, hoping to ease some of his frustration. Ares nodded, grateful for her support. He couldn't shake the feeling that his attempt to balance work and home life was spiraling out of control.
~XA~
Ares worked tirelessly at the gym, navigating through the chaos left in the wake of Emma's departure. As he resolved one issue after another, the demands of the day began to blur together. In the midst of his efforts, he overlooked the finer details, like his commitment to not accepting late clients.
The gym was finally quieting down, and his last session done, when Ares glanced at his phone. His eyes widened as he looked at the time. The clock displayed 9pm and a sinking feeling settled in his stomach. He had forgotten that Xena hadn't eaten dinner yet. Defeat loomed over him as he made his way home, carrying dinner for his waiting wife.
Ares wasn't sure how he was going to face Xena, as he approached their front door. When he turned the doorknob, he prepared himself for an earful from her. Instead, he was greeted by laughter filling the front room. He slowly walked into the front room and saw Xena and Hercules laughing together. He saw their empty plates on the coffee table. Holding the bag of food he had brought, he just stood there watching them, unsure on how to feel at the moment.
He was relieved to see that Xena had eaten, however, he wasn't too excited to see who had tended to her. Intertwined with that relief was an unexpected emotion—jealousy. He took a deep breath as he walked over to Xena and planted a possessive kiss on her lips, making sure Hercules couldn't miss the display. Xena smiled at him,
"I missed you, Ares." Ares, with a playful smirk, responded,
"Well, I can't argue with that. Your mouth tastes delicious." He gently asked,
"How are you feeling? And how's our baby doing?" The concern in his eyes showed through the tough front he usually put on.
"Fine. Your baby has been practicing their kicks all day aimed towards my ribs." A smile formed on Ares' lips at Xena's reassurance.
"Good to know our little warrior is already in training," he replied with a proud smile on his face. As he sat next to her, Ares couldn't help but place a protective hand over her belly. He acknowledged Hercules with a curt nod. Without uttering a word, he headed into the kitchen.
While he was putting the food away, his mind began to wonder again. Knowing Hercules had stepped in to share a meal with his wife stirred an unfamiliar feeling within him. He struggled to mask the subtle hint of possessiveness that flickered in his eyes.
Once he returned from the kitchen, the tension in the room was hard to ignore. Hercules had moved seats and was now lounging casually next to Xena, leaning back comfortably as if he belonged there, which only made Ares more irritated. His eyes narrowed slightly, though he tried to mask his annoyance behind a neutral expression. Hercules glanced up, flashing his usual confident smile.
"Well, look who decided to join us," Hercules said with a grin.
"You sure took your time getting here, Ares. Thought you might've gotten lost on the way." Ares crossed his arms, his jaw tightening as he replied,
"Some of us have more important things to do than sit around eating and laughing all day. Not everyone has the luxury of a hero's schedule." Hercules laughed,
"Funny. I thought you'd appreciate someone making sure Xena's well taken care of. You know, just in case you're too busy starting wars or throwing tantrums." Ares shot back,
"And here I was thinking you'd be too busy wrestling monsters or saving helpless villagers to play house." Xena, watching the exchange, arched an eyebrow but let them continue, intrigued by the tension in the air. Hercules grinned wider and leaned back again.
"Well, considering you're never far from causing trouble, someone has to clean up your messes. Lucky for Xena, I was around." Ares' hand instinctively tightened around the back of the couch,
"Let's get one thing straight. Xena doesn't need anyone cleaning up after me, and definitely not you. I take care of her—always have, always will." Hercules raised an eyebrow,
"Is that so? You've got an interesting way of showing it. If I remember correctly, I've had to save you more times than I can count." Ares scoffed, stepping closer,
"You remember wrong. But that's typical for you, isn't it, Hercules? Always rewriting history to make yourself the hero." Before the tension could escalate further, Xena interjected,
"Alright, boys, enough. This isn't a competition. I appreciate both of you, but if you're going to argue about who takes better care of me, I'd suggest you both sit down and shut up."
Her words cut through the brewing argument, and both men fell silent, though the looks they exchanged still held the promise of future jabs. Ares settled back into his seat beside Xena, his hand instinctively finding her belly again. He leaned over to kiss her cheek possessively, glaring slightly at Hercules. Hercules shook his head,
"Careful, Ares. Don't strain yourself trying to act like a family man." Ares smirked,
"Don't worry about me, Hercules. I'm exactly where I need to be. Maybe you should worry about finding something better to do than hanging around here." Hercules gave him one last grin before standing up, stretching lazily.
"Well, this has been fun, but I've got places to be. Try not to ruin the peace while I'm gone, alright?"As Hercules made his way to the door, Ares muttered under his breath,
"Don't let it hit you on the way out." Hercules laughed, shaking his head before giving Xena a warm smile.
"Take care, Xena. I'm sure I'll see you soon." He shot Ares one final look before disappearing out the door, leaving the room significantly quieter. Xena leaned into Ares, patting his hand on her stomach.
"You two are ridiculous, you know that?" Ares shrugged, a smug smile tugging at his lips.
"Maybe. But I'll always win." Xena laughed softly.
~XA~
As they nestled in the comfort of their embrace, Ares sighed, his fingers gently tracing patterns on Xena's belly.
"Xe, I've been thinking. With the baby on the way and my responsibilities at the gym, I don't want you to be overwhelmed when I'm not around." She looked up at him.
"Ares, I appreciate your concern, but we're in this together. We can handle whatever comes our way." He nodded, appreciating her toughness.
"I know, but I want to make sure you have the support you need. Maybe we could hire someone to help around the house, especially when I'm away. And for the gym, I'm considering hiring another person for the front desk." She smiled, appreciating his thoughtfulness.
"That sounds like a good plan, Ares." With that, they shared a tender kiss and drifted off to sleep.