Topic: Amazon Kisses (AU)

Ayden

Date: 2014-02-10 06:15 EST
((Contains reference to adult activity.))

November 15th, 2012 - Afternoon

Despite a disturbed night, a summoning, a bargain, an awkward phone call to Dean, and a day of classes, when Ayden got back to her dorm room in the early afternoon, she felt agitated. Sam and Hope were out and about, trying to pinpoint the location of any of the Fates with various methods they were uneasy about sharing with her for whatever reason. Gina was helping spread the rumor of Ayden's break up with Cole, which had actually been a pretty comfortable conversation. Nothing had gone horribly wrong. So why was she feeling so ill at ease"

Stupid question, of course. She knew exactly why she was feeling so agitated, and it could be summed up in a single word - Ares. Without giving much thought to the consequences, she had agreed to bear him a child at some point over the next few years, and now she was alone, she couldn't help wondering about that. Not so much the fact of having a baby herself, but how he was going to manage it. Would he really want to degrade himself by sleeping with her to achieve that end" And more to the point, why did the thought of him sleeping with her make her blush' Ayden had never felt like this, certainly not after one meeting, one kiss. Restless and uncomfortable in her skin, she made for the bathroom, intending to make the most of having the dorm room to herself for the next few hours and actually force herself to relax.

But with the hot shower beating down on her, she was reminded of the heavy atmosphere of the Amazon, of hazel eyes holding her captive with one look, of a strong arm about her waist and soft, passionate lips against her own. It was ridiculous to be so fixated, and yet she made no attempt to stop herself from enjoying the memory of that kiss as she lingered beneath the spray of hot water, hands wandering to make the most of that enjoyment until, completely without thinking, she released the one word she should have kept locked up in such a situation. "Ares ..."

As promised, he came at her bidding without question or hesitation, though she might not have actively summoned him. It was not a matter of only speaking his name, but of wanting him or needing his presence. There was something that had bound them together when she'd agreed to his terms and he'd put his mark on her, something inexplicable that could not be explained. It wasn't a spell exactly, and it wasn't exactly love - not yet - but he had marked her as belonging to him, and woe betide any other man, mortal or immortal, who dared challenge that claim. Fortunately for her, he did not appear in the shower, but just outside it, his voice distinctly belonging only to him. "Ayden," he acknowledged, realizing almost immediately that she was in no danger. Why, then, had she summoned him"

He could have gone unnoticed, if he hadn't actually spoken to her. As it was, having the object of a fantasy appear without warning just on the other side of a very flimsy shower curtain did not do wonders for her composure. Ayden let out a mortified squeak of shock, her body spasming in a disappointed jump as she just missed. And as if that wasn't embarrassing enough, her foot slipped as she settled again, sending her crashing toward the unforgiving cradle of the bath as her hands flailed for something, anything, to cover herself with.

As startled by her reaction as she was to his sudden appearance, he was quick enough to catch her in his arms before she came crashing down, half-covered in a flimsy shower curtain that did little to hide her from his sharp eyes. He had seen plenty of woman - mortal and otherwise - naked before. He had, in fact, slept with several who had born him various children, but all of that had happened a very long time ago, and he'd been alone ever since, until now.

Flushed, embarrassed, and distractingly aware of his hands on her bare back as he kept her from falling, Ayden swallowed the urge to fight back and let herself be rescued from the humiliating slip, making a mental note to buy an opaque shower curtain at the first opportunity. The clear one that was currently the only thing protecting her assets from that piercing gaze of his was not anywhere near enough to save her blushes. Caught against him, she bit her lip hard, fighting not to stammer as she found her voice. "Nice reflexes."

"You called me," he explained, realizing she was in no danger, though he made no move to let go of her just yet, not until he understood why she had summoned him. He met her gaze, smokey eyes staring into hers. No matter how many lovers he might have had over the years, women were still a bit of an puzzle to him.

"No, I didn't!" Because of course he was going to believe that. She blushed a darker shade of red, wriggling awkwardly in his arms as she dropped her gaze. "Uh ....you should probably let go," she managed to say without stuttering, hoping she would be able to keep her feet under her when he did.

"You did," he insisted, though he did comply with her request and set her on her feet. He saw no reason to turn his eyes away from her, considering she had promised herself to him, after all. It was only a matter of time. "I distinctly heard you call me, but you do not seem to be in any danger. Was there something you needed?"

"Not intentionally!" Safely put down somewhere she wasn't going to have her feet flip out from underneath her again, Ayden squeezed her eyes shut to avoid seeing the look in his eyes as she discarded the shower curtain and groped for her towel, tucking the woefully inadequate piece of material around herself before she opened her eyes again. "As you can see, I'm not in any danger. I'm perfectly fine. Thank you."

She might have grabbed the towel, but not quickly enough to hide herself from him completely. He arched a brow at her sudden show of modesty, wondering why she was so ashamed of her beauty, rather than proud of it. He reached over to touch her wet hair and push it away from a bare shoulder. "You mortals wear too many clothes." Yes, he knew the practicality of it, but it was such an inconvenience to be always putting them on and taking them off.

"Well, we don't have the luxury of being able to ignore the elements," she offered, trying without much success to ignore the tingle his touch, however brief, left on her skin. Was it a spell" Or was this something natural, her own reaction to being around him' How could she tell" "But, uh, you know, I'm all fine. I-I inadvertently said your name, I didn't mean to call you, so ....you just scoot on back to what you were doing."

"What is this contraption?" he asked, as he looked past her to the bathtub and shower, though it was fairly simple to figure out. It seemed to be some sort of contraption which would simulate a waterfall, he presumed for the purpose of bathing. He ignored her request that he leave, knowing that whether she had consciously summoned him or not, something inside her had desired his presence.

Ayden

Date: 2014-02-10 06:16 EST
Hugging her arms about herself, Ayden reached past him to turn off the water before stepping back before he could touch her again. He was very good at confusing her, she'd decided, laying the blame for her reactions entirely at his feet. "It's a shower," she told him. "You know, for getting clean' Most people have got them these days."

"How quaint," he remarked, a small almost mischievous smile curling his lips. "But that is a poor excuse for a waterfall." And like before, she suddenly found she was no longer in the bathroom of her dorm room in California, but standing alongside him on the edge of a moss-covered shore where the Amazon River ran to fall in a crash of water over a waterfall, surrounded by a forest of emerald green. If the place he'd showed her before was beautiful, then this place was certainly Paradise. "That is a shower," he declared, extending an arm to indicate the scenery.

It seemed that it was only the first time that made her stomach ache when it came to Ares' favored form of transportation. "Seriously, what the hell?" she demanded, staggering a little over the soft moss that was suddenly beneath her bare feet. Despite the fact that she was only wearing a towel and was thousands of miles from home, she crossed her arms, glaring at the God of War. "Take me back."

He huffed, not really believing she wanted to go back, even if she seemed angry with him, shrugging his shoulders as he crossed his arms against his chest. "No," he denied flatly. "Not until you explain why you called me." To say he was as stubborn as a rock was something of an understatement. He wasn't going to budge, no matter how much she begged him. "I do not understand why you mortals insist on bringing hell into everything. It is not a pleasant place, you know."

"It's a curse word, you need to update your vocabulary," she informed him, irritated by his high-handed manner and the fact that he seemed to be developing a penchant for whisking her away on whim. She purposely ignored his stubborn insistence on getting an explanation, looking around in mute anger. "If I'm not there when Sam and Hope get back, everything will turn to crap," she informed the Olympian in annoyance. "And quit referring to me as one of "you mortals". I have a name."

"You seem upset," he observed casually, wondering why. "You clearly summon me, then deny it, and when I bring you here - to a place I have never shared with anyone - hoping to please you, you only tell me to take you back. Women, I see, are no less confusing even after thousands of years." He uncrossed his arms and wandered to the edge of the pool, where the water was clear and untainted by man. The whole place, in fact, seemed untainted by man.

She stared at him, her mouth hanging open, for a long moment. "I'm sorry ....you're confused?" she asked eventually, watching him as he approached the water's edge. "There is no way that you don't know ....what led to me saying your name. I know you're not an idiot, so you know that it wasn't intentional. And ....this place is beautiful, yes, but ....I'm practically naked, thousands of miles from where I should be, with no way of reassuring my family that I'm okay. You any less confused yet?"

And of course, he had the annoying habit of shrugging off her concerns because he thought he knew better. He really didn't see what the problem was. "Very well. You wish to go back to your poor excuse for a shower, rather than enjoy a place that few mortals - pardon my use of the word, but that is what you are - have had the privilege to experience, then by all means, I'll take you back there. But remember, you are judging time and distance by your human - and, dare I say, limited - measurements. As for your nakedness..." He tugged off the t-shirt, which he was wearing mostly for her sake anyway. "Would you prefer I join you in your state of undress?"

"No!" The word was a little too rushed, a little too panicked for it to be anything more than an instinctive reaction. She didn't think she'd be able to keep a clear head at all if he stripped off. Speaking of which, her eyes were wandering, her skin flushing with obvious desire all over again as she took in the sculpted definition of his torso. "Oh God ..." She closed her eyes, turning her back to him to try and keep her mind on track. "Look, it's not that I don't appreciate the effort you've gone to here, I just ..." What was her objection' She couldn't think of it, trailing off into frustrated silence as she tried to keep herself from imagining the rest of him unclothed.

"You are far too self-conscious of your body. You are beautiful, Ayden. Do you think I would have chosen you if you were ugly' You should be proud of your beauty. It is a gift not everyone is given." His voice had surprisingly gentled in this explanation. He was, apparently, not without feeling or compassion, chiefly ruled by his passions, generally acting on impulse before he thought things completely through. He had, unfortunately, lost his father's approval and several wars that way. "If you are going to have my child one day, you will have to overcome your modesty."

"I haven't been naked with anyone since I was about eight years old," she told him awkwardly, one hand falling to twitch at the edge of the towel that hung embarrassingly close to the underside curve of her rear end. "Look, this is hard for me, okay' You're only the second person I've ever kissed, or been kissed by, or whatever. I don't know how this goes, or what happens next, and I don't understand why I feel the way I do. Did you do something to me, or is this ....am I supposed to feel like this?"

He arched a brow at her reply. He had not brought her here to seduce her, though he was sure he could have done so if he wanted to. No, the time was not right. He did not want her going into battle carrying his child. Soon, but not yet. He had brought her here because he'd wanted to share this place with her and please her somehow, but it seemed he was somehow getting it all wrong. "I do not know how you are feeling, Ayden." Yes, he knew her name. "But I have not enchanted you or tried to seduce you. I only thought I would share with you a place that only you rival with its beauty. If you wish, I will take you back now."

She couldn't stop herself from turning to look at him as he spoke, torn between what she was feeling and what she knew she should do. "You really don't know what you're doing to me?" she asked softly, her hand clenching in the fold of her towel, the only fastening keeping her from absolute vulnerability in this beautiful place, with this powerful being. If he didn't know, then ....it was all her. It was a natural feeling. And she had no idea what she was supposed to do about it. A soft blush colored her cheeks, guilt touching her gaze as she looked around once again. "I didn't mean to offend you. I'm just ....I guess I'm a little overwhelmed."

Ayden

Date: 2014-02-10 06:18 EST
He was not consciously lying to her. Though he was aware that he had an effect on her, he had not charmed her or be-spelled her or tried to seduce her in any way. If she'd found him undesirable, he would never have been able to put his mark on her to begin with, but he was starting to understand her misgivings. She was only human, after all, no matter how beautiful, and perhaps he had asked and expected too much from her. She had asked for his help, and perhaps he had demanded too much in return. A frown found its way to his face, and he was unable to hide the look of sadness - possibly even loneliness - from the stormy eyes that looked back at her. "Do you wish me to release you from your promise?"

She knew her answer without needing to see the storm of sadness in his eyes, already committed to the path she had chosen. Ayden shook her head, her expression luminously soft as she took a half-step toward him. "No," she told him, her voice quiet in the stillness around them. "I gave you my word. I wouldn't have done that if I wanted to get out of it." She still couldn't quite get her head around a lot of things - things like just why he wanted her to bear his child, things like his insistence that she was beautiful - but she thought she would find those answers in time. Time was all she needed, really. And now this powerful Olympian was standing before her, offering to end their bargain, for what? Because she was having a hard time getting her head around it' That didn't strike her as fair at all.

In a flash, she realized what she was seeing in his eyes, and it struck a chord deep inside her. She might not have lived for millenia, but she knew what loneliness was. Any doubts she might have harbored about his intentions were pushed away at that point. No one should have to be lonely for so long, without any hope. She moved then, bare feet taking her over the soft moss until she could reach up to him, drawing him down into a soft kiss she could only hope would reassure him about her.

Of all things she might have done, he had not expected her to kiss him. Reject him, perhaps. Ask him once again to return her to her pathetic little dormitory, certainly. But he had not expected this. She was a match for him, that much was clear, and he was not sure why she didn't see it. She was the daughter and sister of great warriors; there was no other in all the mortal world who was so worthy of him than her. He wasn't sure what it was he was feeling exactly when her lips met his, but something stirred inside him that he hadn't felt in a millenia, not since Aphrodite, even. This kiss was not the kiss of a lover who wished to be set free, but one who wanted to know him better.

For all her inexperience, Ayden somehow managed not to lose herself in that kiss, offering it to him without really expecting anything in return. As she drew back, she breathed him in, opening her eyes to look into his, the conflict in her gaze swept aside. "Will I be back before Sam and Hope?" she asked him softly, not worrying her family the only real concern in her mind.

"Yes," he replied, surprisingly gentle despite his reputation for being a ruthless warrior and warmonger. "If we are to be lovers, you must trust me, Ayden. I would never do anything to cause you or your family harm. You have my word as an Olympian." He slid his fingers against her bare arm, letting her keep the towel in place for now or however long she wished. He could be patient when patience was needed, though he also knew that a mortal life could end far too quickly.

The gentle brush of his fingers against her skin set off that indefinable tingle once again, her own hands falling to rest against his chest, shyly enjoying the feel of his skin beneath her palms. "Then I'll stay," she murmured in return. "As long as you want."

He smiled at her reply, obviously pleased, and circled her waist to draw her close to kiss her once again, this time his kiss a little deeper than the last, a little more demanding, though never forceful. He had not brought her to this place to seduce her, but to share it with her and hopefully to please her. "You should be more careful not to summon me when you really do not wish me to appear," he teased, though it seemed they were both satisfied with the outcome thus far of his unexpected appearance.

That earned him a fresh blush even as she broke into embarrassed laughter, tipping her head forward to hide her face as she giggled awkwardly under his teasing. "You know what I was doing," she accused him mildly. "You could have gone your way without saying hi." Not that she would have wanted him to, she realized, wondering if anyone else would ever see this gentler side of him. He wasn't so cool now as he had been that morning, seeming not to be holding himself at arms length from her, at least. "I gotta ask, though ....why me" Out of everyone in the world, why would you choose me?"

"I did not," he countered. "Not at first. Not until I arrived. I only heard you call and came to you, as promised. What if you had needed me and I had tarried?" He shook his head, reminded of a time when that very thing had happened. "No, I cannot take that chance, Ayden. You will have to be more careful with your thoughts and words. You are under my protection now. I gave you my word, and I will stand by that word." He touched her cheek, surprisingly gentle once again, despite his reputation. "I could ask you the same thing, could I not' Why did you call on me" Why not someone else?" Though it was true he was the best choice for the task, they could have called on his chief rival, Artemis. If that had been the case, things would have been very different between them.

"Because I have the most enormous crush on you," she informed him, braving out her embarrassment to attempt to explain herself, misunderstanding which calling he had asked her about. After all, she couldn't expect him to answer all her questions if she consistently avoided answering his, could she" Her cheek tilted into his touch as she closed her eyes briefly, too innocent to even consider hiding what she felt, however primal it was. "Not that crush is the right word, I ..." Green eyes opened, meeting his gaze with a storm of her own right there for him to see. "I want you. And I've never felt like this before."

She chose to answer his question in a different way than how he had posed it, but he accepted her answer and did not question it further. He realized all at once how young and innocent and honest she was - all traits he valued, though he valued her courage above all. "Never?" he asked, unable to restrain his own curiosity. Was she really as innocent as she seemed" Could he have chosen a virgin for a lover, untainted by any other, mortal or otherwise? If so, there was even more reason to cherish and protect her.

It seemed ridiculous to be embarrassed about being a virgin, but at the same time, Ayden couldn't help feeling awkward as she nodded. "Never," she confirmed for him shyly, trying to explain why, to justify how she had reached the ripe age of twenty-three without engaging in something her room-mate couldn't live without. "I was the nerd who skipped a grade, and then I was the freak who spent four months in a mental hospital, and at Madison I was so shaken up over everything that happened with my brothers, I didn't make any friends. I've never met anyone who made me want to feel something. Not until this morning."

Ayden

Date: 2014-02-10 06:19 EST
He was not quite sure what she meant by the word "nerd", but it seemed to have a negative connotation. In his eyes, she was no freak. In point of fact, she was the loveliest creature he had ever encountered since his ill-fated tryst with Aphrodite. "You are brave and beautiful," he told her, disagreeing with her own assessment of herself. "I have watched you these past years since your brothers died in battle. You understand what it is to be alone, to be different." He drew his fingers through her hair again, damp and curling a little in the warmth and humidity of this place.

"You've been watching me?" For some reason, she found herself almost charmed by that thought. Despite knowing that she'd never really been alone, watched over by Gabriel and with the Singers keeping tabs on her, she'd always felt alone, even with Gina and Cole making an effort to keep her involved in their lives. "Where were you when I needed someone to notice me?" There was no accusation in her voice or face, just a strange sense of regret for time lost. Her fingertips traced his cheek, in awe of the god who didn't seem to mind standing so close to her.

"You really don't know how important you are, do you? How admired by those among us who value courage. Your brothers made the ultimate sacrifice. They died warriors, and by doing so, they not only saved their own world from destruction, but they gave their lives so that you could live. The story of their lives and bravery is one that will on in legend, both here and on Olympus. Because of your brothers, my people were able to reclaim their rightful place on Mount Olympus. You and all those of your bloodline are revered by us. It was not only my duty to watch over and protect you, but my pleasure, lady." He inclined his head to her as though it was him who should worship her, not the other way around.

"So why didn't I know?" she asked him curiously, her nervous uncertainty forgotten enough for now that she barely gave a thought to being scantily clad and in his arms as they spoke to one another. "None of us even knew Olympus was back in business until Dean found out a few months back. You've been here all this time, and I never knew." She frowned, and it didn't take a genius to work out what concerned her. Her visions hadn't told her she was being watched over by Olympus. Was that the flaw in her grand design"

"You were not meant to know, though I believe your brother has been in contact with a few others of my kind. No one asked me to watch over you. I did that of my own accord, but I was unable to interfere. Now that you have summoned me and asked for my help, I do not need to stand idly by. And since you have agreed to be my consort, I will do my utmost to protect you and those you love and care for as long as I am able." Which, in short, meant so long as he lived.

"Consort?" She couldn't helping questioning his use of that word. Surely the more appropriate word would be concubine. A consort was a position of honor, sometimes of power, and all he wanted from her was a child. Wasn't it' Confused once again, she shook her head a little, biting down on her lower lip to hold in that confusion. "Why bring me here?" she asked him then, a change of subject away from a topic she wasn't quite ready for. "It's beautiful, but I still don't quite get it. Do I smell bad after taking a shower or something?"

A rare smile lit the broody god's face, if only momentarily, a sign of amusement. "No, in fact you smell lovely. Can you swim?" he asked abruptly, though part of the reason he'd brought her here was not only to share this place with her in more ways than one.

Thank goodness that smile was only brief. It utterly transformed his face, somehow managing to make him even more handsome in a blinding flash that very nearly took her breath away. She couldn't help but smile herself, echoing the expression despite the abrupt question that followed. Green eyes flickered to the pool and waterfall behind him, as though needing to see them to tally up why he was asking. "I can swim," she admitted. "Never tried it outside a swimming pool, though. Aren't there, you know, snakes and crocodiles and things?"

Perhaps for the first time since she'd summoned him, he laughed, thoroughly amused by her question. "You need not fear snakes or crocodiles while you are with me." He said it as though it should be been a given, taken for granted. He was the Ares, the God of War, and she was afraid of snakes. It was amusing, to say the least. He had fought in countless wars, and she doubted his ability to keep her safe from a few snakes" His eyes danced with amusement, which cast a light over his features that made him look even more boyish.

She blushed, realizing how ridiculous her query had been, and finally managed to step back, tucking the towel about her body once more. She wasn't entirely sure why she was being so zealous about covering up - after all, he'd seen everything by this point. "Shut up," she muttered, amused and embarrassed herself, shaking her head as she fought and failed to keep her smile from showing. "I don't have a bathing suit on me."

He seemed to consider her statement a moment, looking slightly puzzled by something. Though he was immortal and had been alive for thousands of years since the time of his birth, he had not entirely caught up with modern culture and customs. "You do not wear clothing to bathe, Ayden. That is preposterous," he remarked as he stepped back so that he could remove his pants, unashamed of his nakedness and without a stitch of modesty.

"Well, you obviously don't," she began to say, completely thrown by the ease with which he stripped off entirely right in front of her. Abruptly she closed her eyes as her skin flushed rosy pink once again, looking away more for her own sense of comfort rather than to preserve his modesty. "Well, that is ....you ....I mean, I ....it's just not ....Oh God, you've turned my brain to mush."

"You need not call me God. Ares will do," he told her with a teasing smirk. It wasn't long before he was completely naked before her, his body strong and lean and youthful, despite his many years and battles. If one did not know better, they might underestimate him. "You can join me, if you wish," he invited her, almost daring her to join him in the water. "I won't bite," he added with that impish smirk he so rarely let anyone see these days. And with that said, he turned and plunged head first into the water with the unexpected grace of an Olympic diver.

One thing Ayden had learned in the brief time she had spent with her original brothers was how to be opportunistic, something Ares was probably not expecting her to be. As soon as she heard him enter the pool, she dropped her towel by the water's edge and jumped in after him, somehow managing to rob him of the chance to see her cast off her modesty in the process. Thus, when he came up for air, she was already treading water with an equally impish smirk on her lips. "You were saying?"

Ayden

Date: 2014-02-10 06:21 EST
He smiled as he came up for air, pleased that she had joined him. "There now, was that so difficult?" he asked, unaware that he might sound condescending at all. He kept his distance for the moment, allowing her time to get used to the water and to the feeling of being naked. He understood the necessity of clothing, especially in cold climates, and even the need for modesty at times, but in his opinion, one should be proud of their body, especially if one had a body as lovely as hers.

She blushed as she lingered in the water, comfortable enough to be able to keep her head clear as he commented on her modesty. "Not as difficult as it would have been if you'd been watching me," she informed him honestly. It took a fair amount of courage to be honest with him, frankly, but since she had a feeling he would pick up on any lie she tried to spout, she didn't think she would lose much by having no secrets. "I wasn't expecting the water to be so warm."

"It's the Amazon," he explained, as if it should go without saying that the river was warm, not cold. "This is my favorite place in all the world," he told her, not for the first time. It was the second time he'd brought her there and more than likely, it wouldn't be the last. The water around him rippled as he easily treadled water to keep himself afloat.

"Why?" It was a simple enough question, certainly, and one she hadn't asked him yet, though she surely had plenty more where that came from. It felt surreal, to be swimming in the Amazon with Ares, God of War. She certainly wasn't going to be telling anyone about it, that was for sure. Curiosity got the better of her embarrassment enough to let her swim a little way out from the shore, into the deeper water, surprised to find that though the water looked inky, she could see her own limbs clearly, pale against the darkness.

"Have you ever seen any place more beautiful, more peaceful, more secluded than this?" he answered her question with a question. There were many places he could have chosen that were just as secluded as this one, but for some reason, he had a particular attraction and fondness for this place. And it didn't hurt that it was named for a group of female warriors who had once worshiped him.

Her skin flushed anew with the realization that she wasn't as concealed in the water as she had originally thought, Ayden twisted in the lapping flow to look at him, a half-smile touching her face as she answered. "Only in dreams," she said softly. "And I never thought I'd ever actually see anywhere like this in reality. I'm only just scraping by to get through college." She laughed that worry off, however, used to that struggle by now.

"I can take you anywhere you wish to go, Ayden," he pointed out, remaining where he was a few feet away, his gaze fixed on her face, though he was aware of her barely-concealed form that floated just beneath the water. "I come here to be alone," he admitted at last, almost as an afterthought. A lonely figure, despised by those who should love him, who were family. Only one of the Twelve had ever really befriended him, but that had been a long time ago.

"Anywhere is a big list," she warned him, but her smile faded at his quiet afterthought. He really is lonely, she thought to herself. So much more than I thought he might be. "You've got me now," she reminded him, her voice gentle against the lapping water. "I would say that I don't want to intrude, but you're the one who brought me here. So ....thank you, for sharing this with me."

Though he'd told her that he came here to be alone, he obviously didn't want to be so very alone or he wouldn't have brought her here in the first place. "I have never brought anyone here before," he added, letting her know in his own way how special she was and how much he was honoring her by bringing her here. "The others, they have their own favorite places. Some of them rarely leave Olympus."

"That doesn't make any sense," she pointed out with a soft giggle. "Why stay in one place when you've got the power to take yourself anywhere" There's so much to see in the world. So much to experience." Without conscious thought, her gaze tripped down to the length of his body beneath the water, indistinct but very masculine, sending a thrilling little ripple through her own body before she managed to pull her eyes back to his face. "You know ....Sam and Hope, they describe you as one of the family."

While he seemed to take most things in stride - he had, after all, been alive for thousands of years - the mention of the word family took him by surprise, one blond brow arching sharply. "I am not sure how they came to be here, but they are not of this time." He had mentioned it once before, but was not quite sure what their story was yet. He knew they were the offspring of Dean and Nimue - that much was certain - and he knew why they were here, as Ayden had told him as much, but how they had come to be here was something he was not aware of yet. Another thought came to mind, which brought a frown to his face. "You should have called on me in the church to help battle Hades' minions."

"I don't know why they didn't," she shrugged. Inadvisedly as it turned out - the movement broke her rhythm and she went under the surface for a moment, coming up spluttering at the surprise dunking she'd given herself. "Aw, man, that was smooth." Wiping her face, she laughed off her embarrassing moment. "If you were already watching, why didn't you come and help us?" she asked him curiously, thinking of the delicate scar on her shoulder-blade. Apollo hadn't been strong enough to fully heal her after that battle, leaving her with a faded scar where one of the hybrids had ripped her flesh open.

"I could not interfere, unless I was summoned. I'm sure Apollo did not mention it." There was that frown again, looking almost bitter at the mention of his half-brother. Though he and Apollo had no real quarrel, he was bitter that no one seemed to trust him enough to ask him to help with the struggle against Hades. He, the God of War. What better ally to ask for" "They have not yet forgiven me for Troy," he remarked, bitterly.

"Well, I haven't really spoken to him," Ayden offered. "The most interaction I've had is him halfway healing me and then passing out in a pool of his own nose blood." She couldn't help smirking a little at that memory - Sam and Hope had been hilarious in failing to catch the Olympian as he slumped down onto the floor after expending his strength so utterly. The bitterness in Ares' voice and face startled her when he spoke, however. She didn't know much about his history, only what Sam had told her that morning, automatically swimming closer with a wish to comfort him that she had no idea how to follow through on. "I didn't know you were involved with Troy," she commented lightly. "Or that it was real, actually. Helen really existed?"

Ayden

Date: 2014-02-10 06:23 EST
He noticed her brief dip beneath the water and under other circumstances might have found the news of Apollo's fainting amusing, but his mood had turned pensive at the thought of the other Olympians. "She was real, but not so lovely as the tales claim. Not nearly as lovely as you," he said, turning his attention and thoughts back to her.

"What, I've got a face that could launch a thousand ships and burn the topless turds of Ilium?" she asked cheekily, prepared to abandon the serious side of the conversation in favor of seeing if she could bring that devastating smile back to life once again. "You know, you're not what I was expecting when we summoned you. I thought you'd be this grizzled old war vet in bronze armor with a bad attitude."

"Topless turds?" he echoed, a faint smile flickering across his face, albeit briefly, distracted by her comments regarding his appearance. "Does this form not please you?" he asked in confusion, wondering if she would prefer him bearded and with a spear in his hand. "I am ancient, it is true," he confirmed, though he didn't really consider himself to be grizzly exactly. "Man forgot us long ago, abandoned us in favor of the Christian God. We have waited long to be remembered."

"Oh ....oh, no, that form is very pleasing," she rushed to reassure him, not particularly wanting him to switch his look at all. He was gorgeous - what girl wouldn't want him' "Seriously. Very pleasing. Don't go changing." She grinned, refusing this time to be embarrassed by her appreciation for a handsome face and, frankly, beautiful body, emboldened enough by his confusion to venture just a little closer, reaching out to touch his skin with her fingertips. "You were never forgotten, you know. Not really. Humanity just ....got overwhelmed by how aggressively the monotheistic faiths took over."

Like Aphrodite before her, she seemed almost able to enchant him with her beauty and grace, a gentleness to her nature that, while very different from his masculinity, he found strangely appealing, soothing even. He did not pull away from her touch, though he knew their time was growing short. "There is so much man does not know, so much you do not know. I could teach you. I could show you all the wonders the world has to offer," he told her, in a voice that was surprisingly gentle as he caught her hand in his. Yes, she had promised to bear him a child, but he wanted so much more than just that. He wanted a wife, a companion, a consort, someone who belonged to him and would be forever faithful, who would love him unconditionally, despite all his many flaws. Was it such a hard thing to understand or believe that even the God of War just wanted to love and be loved in return"

Her hand caught in his, the momentum of her movement through the water wasn't checked, bringing her close against him with a soft gasp that illustrated her sudden breathless awareness of him so close to her. But more than that, it was his words that struck her deeply. There was more to this than a simple bargain for a child, she was beginning to realize slowly. Was he wooing her, offering to court her and make her something more than she was" "There wouldn't be any point to seeing the wonders of the world if I had to see them alone."

If all he wanted was a child, there were plenty of women who would have given that to him, just for the asking. No, he wanted more than that and had for a long time. It was just a matter of finding the right woman to be his mate, one who could understand him completely and be not only a partner, but an equal, a perfect match. A woman who could calm his tempestuous spirit and soothe the burning anger that raged inside him. A woman who was gentle but strong, brave, understanding, compassionate, and ever-patient. A woman such as this was rare, indeed. A woman who could tame the fire that burned inside him. Could Ayden Milligan possibly be this woman' The woman he had sought for centuries" "No, you would not be alone. You would never be alone again," he replied at last and drew her fingers to his lips to gently kiss each one in turn.

He was wise not to mention his hope for such a long future with her, nor even hint at the possibility of love. Ayden wasn't ready for it, though there was no denying that she was inclined toward him in a way she'd been for no one in her short lifetime. He intrigued her, he interested her, she wanted to know more, experience more. But at the same time, he frightened her, on a level that was far more personal than simply the fact that he was a god. He was a man, a man she liked a great deal, a man she wanted, yet the feeling of want, of desire, of lust ....it was frightening to her. She didn't know how she should respond, only now beginning to realize that she responded to him without the need for thought or planning. She had no control over herself, it seemed, and that, too, frightened her.

As his lips brushed over her fingers, she sighed tenderly, drawing herself even closer to him in the gentle lap of the water, the soft sweep of her thumb over his mouth unexpected even to herself. "Never?" she breathed, caught up in the exposed intimacy of the moment that was building between them, family and duty forgotten for the first time since he had whisked her away from her bathroom not so very long ago.

"Never," he repeated quietly, deeply touched by the gentlest caress of her thumb against his mouth, kissing that thumb as it met his lips. He knew he held sway over her, that it would be easy in this moment to seduce her, and perhaps in a way, that was what he was doing, though not consciously. Though she may have forgotten her duty and her family in that moment, he had not, knowing her niece and nephew of the future were awaiting her back at Stanford. It saddened him that they could not yet truly be together, but he wanted her to choose him of her own accord and her own free will, not because he had forced her or seduced her in any way. "I should take you back," he told her, his voice tinged with regret and reluctance and even a little sadness. "I will not hold you to your word, if you do not wish it, Ayden. I do not wish to have you by force or coercion. I free you of your promise, but I will keep my word. You only need call on me, and I will come to your aid."

"I made a promise," she told him quietly, forcing back the faint sense of disappointment that came with his reluctance to do more than kiss her hand. The disappointment was outweighed by a feeling of relief, grateful and touched that he didn't want her to regret him in any sense. "I knew what I was doing. Whether you hold me to it or not, I'll hold myself to it. My word is all I have, Ares." She gently twisted her hand from his grasp, turning her palm to caress his cheek with a soft smile. "I just need a little time to get to know you, that's all. But I won't forget."

"You are an amazing woman, Ayden. I am honored to know you." And despite the promise he'd made to himself that he would not seduce or coerce her, he knew he was in a way wooing her. One strong arm went around her waist to pull her close so that he could press a proper kiss against her lips. She would remain marked as his for all the gods to see, a mark of protection, if not possession. Let them try and take her from him, and they would see him in all his unbridled fury. He kissed her just as he had before, feeling a connection growing between them, a bond that was not imagined and not of his making. It was not love, not yet, but it was a mutual attraction that neither could ignore and an understanding that few souls shared.

And though they were bare to each other, there was no resistance in her as he drew her close, no stiffness in the way she yielded to him. No fear. Her arms curled about his neck and shoulders, trusting him to keep her afloat as she surrendered to that kiss perhaps a little too willingly, her fingertips teasing into the golden hair that crowned his head as her lips plied his in answering passion. Yet, like him, she felt something more difficult to describe than lust bubbling deeper inside, not yet love but perhaps the beginnings of a bond she'd never formed with anyone until now.

With that simple but passionate kiss in response to his came a flood of feeling and emotion he'd nearly forgotten was possible, and a surge of desire that left even an Olympic God shaking and breathless. It was too much, too soon, even for him, and he knew if he did not put an end to it and take her back, he might not be able to restrain the physical passion he was feeling for her. When was the last time he'd lain with a woman, mortal or otherwise" He could not recall. In that moment, she seemed to have wiped the memory of every other woman from his brain, leaving only desire for her in their place. "Remember," he told her quietly, as he pulled away from her kiss. "Call me when you need me." He did not specify what that need might entail, but left it for her to decide.

And with that said, the rainforest disappeared and she found herself back in the bathroom of her dormitory alone, tingling with the memory of Amazon kisses and the aching loneliness of an everlasting being.

((Well, that makes up for the slightly hostile first meeting, doesn't it :grin: Ayden's in over her head! Huge thanks to the player of Areios for this scene!))