ʚ Summary : Aphrodite runs into Ares after her discussions with his parents turn sour. Ares tries to help, but bungles it up instead.
ʚ Word count: 828 words
ʚ Read time: Approx. 3 mins 18 second
ʚ Warning: Aphrodite practices her punching on Ares
I hold her steady to stop her from falling backward.
She keeps shaking her head and mumbling about dancing stars and pretty singing birds. I am confused, as I have no idea what she is talking about.
"Are you all right, my lady?"
One final shake of the head, and she looked right as rain again. "I am now," muttered she. "Walking into you feels like running into a large boulder. It is a wonder I was not knocked unconscious altogether. "
I thought a jest was needed to lighten the mood. "Well, I have been known to have that effect on people."
My grin vanishes as her eyes narrow to slits. Oh, dear. She is not happy. "Forgive me, my lady, but are you truly well?"
What anger Aphrodite had vanished in an instant. "No. I am not well. And no, it is not because of your effect as a boulder."
"Is it something to do with my parents?" I remember seeing her walking towards their palace as I went on a walk.
"Aye. I went to your mother and father, thinking they would help where that brother of yours is concerned."
Ahh, yes, dear old Hephaestus. A man who preferred the company of his anvil over all else. What convinced my father that marrying Hephaestus to her was a good idea was beyond me, really.
"Your mother, surprisingly, was very kind and understood my plight."
She was still going at it, so I listen to her.
"Your father, on the other hand? The wise and merciful Zeus?"
Aphrodite looked quite enchanting even when she was enraged. Very delicate and ladylike, even when angry. I am starting to see why mortals chose her as the living embodiment of all that is love and beauty.
"He says I am just supposed to deal with it. Can you imagine that? Telling me to just be content with a cold bed?"
Here she let out a scream and stamped her feet.
“What did you tell him?” She probably simpered and accepted his decision, I am sure of it.
"I more or less told him it was not my fault he made a poor choice, and that I am not to be blamed for his terrible matchmaking skills."
Wait. What? Did Aphrodite tell my father off? And I missed it?
I fought back a smile at the thought of Zeus being chastised for anything. "What do you want to do about it?"
"I just want to hit something. Urgh!"
Now here was something I could help her with.
Aphrodite forgets her tirade and stares at me as if I had just lost my mind.
"Go on, hit me. It might make you feel better. Come on," I keep still and straighten myself. "Give me your best shot."
She bunched up a tapered hand into a tiny fist and made her first punch. I feel a tickle on my chest, nothing more. On my nod, she does it again and again. This time I couldn't help but giggle. Her cheeks grow red in concentration with her last punch. I ended up laughing.
"What is funny?" asked she in frustration.
"Your hits," I wipe tears from my eyes. "Forgive me, my lady, but they merely tickled me."
"What?" Here, she looks at her hands, and I blather on, oblivious to her changing mood. "It felt like... like... a tiny kitten patting my chest with its paw and..."
Her trembling lips catch my attention, and I stop talking. "No one takes me seriously," she whimpered before running off.
Why do I feel a strange sense of remorse? I am the God of war. Bloodletting is my forte, not making people feel good about themselves.
And yet I still feel bad. Something I have never experienced in my entire life. I am overwhelmed with a need to apologize.
Apologize I will. I take after her and find her, sitting near some rose bushes. She caught wind of my presence and sighed. "Perhaps your father is right, and that I am just a silly girl."
"Father was just angry, that is all," I sit next to her, my breath filling with the sweet scent of roses. I find it oddly pleasant. "You stood up to him, and that was not something he is used to. Give him time... maybe he will come up with some sort of compromise for your situation, or not. But until then, let me take the chance to apologize for what I said."
"You are the God of war. Of course, my punches will do no harm to you."
"They did make me laugh. Something no one has ever done before. My sister Athena would compare it to a solstice miracle."
I was rewarded with a smile.
"Come on. Let me make you a meal, help you take your mind off of things."
Long time Lizzie Smithson fans might know that the old card game/proc gen webcomic Divine Lovers was originally intended as a direct reference to that old style, newspaper strip inspired genre of furry webcomic from the 90s, which I wasn't really familiar with at the time but was meant as a pastiche of the tropes and style associated with that era (relationship drama, specifically) while also trying to do my version but in a way that didn't require so much work--anyway it's fun reading Kevin and Kell and realizing just how far off the mark I was, lol
