Ares arrived at his huge mansion and planned to go inside his room and sleep again. But he halted his steps when he saw a familiar figure standing in front of his door.
"Athena." he said, looking a bit surprised.
Athena turned around and saw Ares. A smiled was instinctively plastered on her face as soon as she saw him.
"It's been a long time." she said. Her voice was light but hard. Just like a decisive goddess of wisdom.
"Yes." Ares only answered with one word. It was just like him.
Ares walked past Athena and he went into his mansion, leaving her behind. Athena didn't mind as she chuckled and followed after him.
Ares and Athena were considered good friends. Though it was only Athena who thought that way. Athena being a goddess of wisdom, was also a smart goddess of battle strategies. Thus, she always accompanied Ares in numerous war campaigns more than 100 years ago.
Athena walked behind Ares as she said "You told me to go back just after 30 years."
Ares didn't glance over her as he replied "Yes. You better stay at this palace to take care of our internal defense."
When the two went to war together 100 years ago, Ares ordered for Athena to go back home just after 30 years of being on the battleground. Though 30 years seemed too long for mortals, it was just like months for them.
"Well.. it was boring without you. How could you take all the glory yourself?" Athena pretended to sulk and Ares scoffed.
"Whatever." he said.
Then he added "What are you doing here?"
"I know you wouldn't last long in that banquet. That's why I waited for you here."
"I see. You know me too well huh." Ares finally lifted a corner of his lips. Athena saw this and she couldn't help but feel amazed.
Everyone knew Ares was a handsome figure in all of Olympus. If only he would smile more, then others would definitely fall for his charms straightaway.
"I won't serve you, Athena. I'm sleepy." said Ares as he walked towards his room.
Athena stared at Ares' back and she sighed. She had known him for so long. Apart from Hephaestus, she was sure that she was the first goddess to ever be this close with the god of war, Ares.
She knew Ares was a kind soul. He was just socially awkward. Due to his physical appearance and his destructive power as the god of war, others looked at him with skeptical eyes. His mighty reputation on the battlefield also added oil to the fire.
Ares didn't linger too long even if Athena was there. He simply gave her a glance and then he went into his own room, shutting the door in her face.
*
The next day, Aphrodite was seen lingering by the mystical lake in between the east and the south. She got to know that the god of war's mansion was located just across the lake.
She didn't know that there was such a coincidence! Her mansion and his mansion were separated just by the lake and their places were actually so close to the border!
Aphrodite with her silver fan, walked on the green grass. The trees were swaying left and right, as if they were giving her the courage to get to her destination.
Aphrodite stopped walking right when she saw a mysterious figure laying under one tree. She grimaced at the sight. She didn't know there was someone here so how could she walk past him?
The tree that he was laying under was the biggest tree around this area. It was also located the closest towards Ares' mansion. It wasn't inside his territory but it was just right outside.
She didn't think she could just step on him?
She really wanted to see Ares again!
Aphrodite learned from Hera that the one she saw walking away from the banquet yesterday was Ares, the god they were meant to celebrate.
Aphrodite took it upon herself that she was the one who should introduce herself to him because she was practically head over heals for him. She was the one who fell in love first!
Aphrodite definitely didn't want to act demure like a damsel in distress! She wasn't like that at all but because of the protection Zeus ordered upon her, others thought of her as fragile.
It was a big misunderstanding.
Aphrodite actually loved going around different places. She loved adventure. She always felt like a bird in the cage when she just sat in her own mansion.
"Um.. excuse me?" Aphrodite tried talking to the sleeping figure under the tree. His face was covered by his own strands of hair and she couldn't see who he was.
The figure laid there unmoving. Aphrodite thought he really couldn't hear her so she tried again.
"Hello.. are you there?" this time, she tried bending her body a bit closer towards him.
"..." there was no response.
'Should I just step on him and walk ahead?' she thought for a second. She really wanted to walk across him. He was in the way.
When she was contemplating ideas, the figure slowly moved. Wind blew upon his face and his hair flew to the side altogether. At this moment, Aphrodite could see his face clearly!
Oh goodness! He was the god of war, Ares?!
He was the guy!
Omg!
Aphrodite was so surprised that she backed away a few steps until she accidentally stepped on a branch.
"?!" she almost fell to the ground on her butt if not for Ares helping her in time. Even the fan in her hand went flying.
When he held her hand in place, Aphrodite was able to balance herself. Then he simply let her go. He saw her face clearly and this time, closer than yesterday. But he still gave her the same reaction!
His eyes weren't shining. It was just dull and dark. There wasn't any adoration in his expression. He really didn't fall for her beauty at all!
"Th- thank you.." Aphrodite thanked Ares clumsily.
Ares was already in a sitting position. He had one leg raised and another on the grass. He looked as if someone had greatly disturbed his nap. He seemed pissed.
Aphrodite saw her fan lying somewhere close to him and she was just about to retrieve it when he took it first. She saw how his slender yet strong fingers brushed against the intricate carving of her fan.
Aphrodite gulped down her own spew.
Why did it feel as if he was caressing her own body rather than her small fan..?
"Here." he handed it to her as soon as he finished giving it a glance. He didn't look all that interested.
"Yes.. thank you." she said, embarrassed for her sudden indecent thoughts.
Ares was actually just laying down to take in the beautiful surrounding nature. But when Ares could detect a figure walking closer and closer towards him, he pretended to be sleeping.
He didn't expect it to be the same woman whom he saw yesterday. The hateful goddess of beauty!
So he planned to continue pretending. He didn't want to have anything to do with her. But when he first heard her voice, he was actually mesmerized for a minute.
Aphrodite rarely talked in front of others. If one could get enamored by just looking at her face, then her voice could actually do more damage. One would find themselves in a tighter bind of hallucination. So she always concealed her voice by not having a conversation with other gods and goddesses.
Ares couldn't deny that her voice was actually very tempting to the ear. It sounded milky, full of cream yet very delicious. It went straight to his soul, tickling delicate feathers onto the deepest corner of his heart. It was maddening yet invigorating.
But Ares wouldn't be Ares if he admitted to it. He was a very prideful god, he wouldn't just bow down to her just because of her addicting voice.
Ares began to stand up to leave and Aphrodite felt a sense of lose. She instinctively placed her fingers on his foot, asking him where he was going. Ares on the other hand, could feel his leg getting hot just by her abrupt touch.
"My place." he answered in a bored tone. He was gradually getting very agitated with himself. Why did he even bother to answer??
"Um.. I'm sorry for disturbing your sleep, dear god of war." Ares felt a rippling sensation coming from his own chest when he heard her utter his title.
What the heck was happening with him?!
"No need. Now let go." he said and this time, his voice came out restrained and hard.
Aphrodite had never experienced such rejection before! It felt foreign but at the same time she was thrilled.
"But I'm here to meet you, Ares." her voice turned pleading like a fallen angel's. It made Ares feel strange in the base of his stomach.
"What did you just call me?" he asked, pursing his lips.
"Huh? Oh, Ares?" she tilted her head, looking innocent like a rabbit.
Then she asked "Why? Did I step over the boundary? Should I not call you Ares..?"
Ares didn't know what to say and he abruptly answered "You can."
He regretted it later on but there was nothing he could do. She began calling his name affectionately as if they were close and it nearly drove him crazy.