Don't Touch Me (Takes place sometime after Don't Ask Questions//Masterlist)
CW: Head injury, gunshot wounds, passed out, attempting to refuse help
"If it ever happens that Ares gets hurt and I'm not around or able to give you the order, I want to make it clear that it is your job to treat any injuries he receives in the same way you would treat mine."
That was what Basil had said after the first time Ares got hurt around Apollo and Eros. It hadn't been bad— just a small scrape. Ares had sat sullen while Eros cleaned it.
This time was different. Ares came stumbling through the door, carrying a very pale Basil in his arms. There was blood everywhere. Streaking down Ares' face, gushing from what looked like a bullet wound in his shoulder— Basil didn't seem to be injured. Some of Ares blood was staining his clothes, but that appeared to be all.
Apollo and Eros rushed to him as he fumbled inside. He growled.
Apollo and Eros fell back a step, startled by the feral animosity in Ares' eyes.
"A-Ares..? What happened..?" Eros asked, timidly beginning to follow Ares into the library. Apollo followed close behind.
A moment later, Basil was on the couch, passed out, but, after a thorough check by Apollo and Eros, completely unharmed.
Once they had confirmed that Basil was okay, they turned to Ares. "Ares, you need to tell us what happened." Eros said, more assertive now.
Ares didn't answer. He pushed past Apollo and Eros, starting to leave the library, but instead fell against the doorway, supporting himself with his shoulder against the frame and sliding down to his knees with a groan.
"Ares." Eros placed a hand on his shoulder.
"I said don't." Ares snapped, twisting away.
"Ares, you need help! Are you trying to tell us we should disobey Master's order because you don't feel like complying with what he wants?"
Ares eyed Apollo and Eros warily.
An unspoken understanding passed between the three of them and Eros unclipped the chain from his collar, handing it to Apollo.
"Apollo, please start assessing his injuries. I'll be back with first aid supplies."
Apollo got Ares to sit down on the floor and begin the story of what happened. It wasn't a long story.
"Some people don't appreciate Master's work. Some of those people attacked him tonight. I killed them."
"Okay, but... How? Did you get shot?" Apollo pointed to the bullet hole still seeping blood from Ares' shoulder. He didn't ask about Basil's work. He wasn't supposed to know and he didn't particularly want to know.
"Yeah, they had guns. They shot me twice. Once there." He pointed to the obvious one on his shoulder. "And another time there." He pointed to a gash on the back of his calf. "The second one isn't very bad."
Isn't very... it wasn't a shot straight into tissue, but it was still bleeding as well. It was definitely bad.
"They got a few good hits in too... It's... not as easy to fight when you're trying to protect someone other than yourself... I always struggled with that..."
"You've had to defend just yourself..? Not an owner?" Apollo struggled to think of a scenario where that would make sense. Who would he be defending himself against?
Ares shot him a hard glare. "I don't like questions."
"O-oh... right. Sorry... Erm... how did you hit your head?"
"One of them hit me with the butt of a pistol." Ares directed his eyes forward again.
"Does anything feel broken? Would you be able to tell?"
"Nothing's broken. I would know."
"Okay... So... Just the two gunshots and the head wound?"
"And probably a couple dozen bruises, but yes."
Eros came back with gauze and wound cleaning supplies. Together, Apollo and Eros stopped the bleeding and patched Aries up.
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