Overheard Conversations, Missing Scene 2

for ratings and warnings please see Part 1

 

 

Note: Here's the next part of my comfort story for Scribe. This part has the comfort in it. <g> I have a surprise message for Scribe (waves) hidden in the story. Brownie points if you find it. Btw, if you don't know Scribe, 1) that's a damn shame <g> and 2) forget about the challenge then.

 

This chapter takes place right after Tempra's dedication in Overheard Conversations, Part 20

 

Joxer giggled tiredly as Ares growled at his father. Even after all the years that he and Ares had been together, it was still a nice surprise to realize that someone cared about him that much. The young god glanced around the room and saw the glares that other people were sending Zeus as well. That was a *big* accomplishment considering how drunk many of them were.

 

Zeus still didn’t realize how many people were ticked off at him for being so late to Tempra’s dedication ceremony. Joxer rocked Tempra slowly, glad for the canopy that Ares had put up over his chair. The day was so hot and airless, it had aggravated Joxer’s already elevated temperature.

 

A muted flash heralded the return of Cupid and Strife, who had been gone a couple of hours. Joxer waved at his best friend who waved back halfheartedly. Neither god was up to the ceremony that had gone on earlier, but it had to be done. Now the party was almost over, thank Hades; or at least the portion that Joxer, Ares and Tempra needed to stay for.

 

Joxer needed to lay down again *really* soon or he was going to start screaming. His clothes were sticking to his body in damp spots, his hair kept drooping in his eyes and no matter where he stood, uhm, sat, the sun glared off of something and blinded him.

 

“That’s it.” Ares pronounced when he looked at his miserable husband. The older god placed an arm around Joxer’s waist and pulled him up. “We’re going home. You people party as long as you want to.”

 

Cupid nodded. “Us too. Are you okay with that?” Cupid looked over at Strife enquiringly.

 

Strife nodded. “Yeah, we’ve put in anothah appearance, I’m ready ta go now.”

 

“Me too.” Joxer admitted. “I’ll see you tomorrow Strife.”

 

The God of Mischief’s eyebrows shot up at that. He looked Joxer up and down, frowning. “Ya will huh? How come?”

 

“Uh, for a visit.” Joxer was astonished, Strife admitted that he really looked forward to Joxer’s visits.

 

“Well, as much as I would like ta have ya visit, I do believe that ya need ta rest more.”

 

Joxer shrugged. “Yeah, I guess, but…”

 

“But nothin.” Strife leaned forward and whispered in Joxer’s ear. “Eithah ya stay home and be good or…I’ll spank yar butt and call ya Fanny.”

 

All four gods laughed at the joke, even Tempra gurgled happily.

 

“I agree.” Ares was very serious.

 

“Okay, I promise to wait a few days before I come for a visit.”

 

Strife patted Joxer’s arm and smiled.

 

“Good.” Ares nodded sharply, not that he would have been deterred anyway. “Bye.” Ares gathered his husband and child close and flashed them away.

 

*****

 

Ares held Joxer tightly as the young god threw up into a basin. The infection and the medicine to cure it were harsh on his stomach. Add to that, the heat of the day and the pain medicine and Joxer’s tummy was very upset.

 

“I’m sorry, Angel.” Ares sent the contents of the basin away and magicked up a wet cloth to wash Joxer’s face.

 

“It’s not your fault, Arry.” Joxer smiled.

 

“I know, but…” Ares sighed. “…I shouldn’t have flashed so fast.”

 

That statement wasn’t as strange as it sounded. Gods had control over most of the elements, air included, so they could thicken the air slightly and slow down how fast they traveled from one place to the other. On the opposite of the spectrum, they could thin the air out and flash even faster. Hermes used that little trick all the time to make the mortals think he was faster than the other gods.

 

Joxer laid down on the bed and stroked a hand over Ares’ side. “I don’t think it would have mattered how fast or slow you flashed us home.” He put a hand over his mouth as his stomach rolled a little.

 

Ares held up the basin questioningly. After a few moments, Joxer shook his head no and Ares put it back down. Joxer kept petting Ares’ side, his hand going from the war god’s ribs down to his knee. Ares’ leather pants began to tighten in appreciation of his husband’s efforts.

 

‘This isn’t good.’ Ares thought. ‘Or rather, it’s *too* good.’

 

Eyeing Joxer’s flushed face, flushed, regrettably from fever and not passion, Ares decided he better distract his husband, before it was too late. Ares wanted to tackle his husband and make love to him all night long, unfortunately Joxer was in no shape to reciprocate.

 

Ares picked up Joxer’s questing hand and kissed the palm of it. His hand was hot, as was his forehead. More so than it had been that morning. Ares moved to the foot of the bed and took hold of Joxer’s boot with one hand and under his knee with the other. He slowly slid the footgear off and then kissed the top of Joxer’s slender foot. He repeated the action to the other foot.

 

Joxer’s boots were removed among shivers and whimpers. Ares realized that this might not be the best way to calm and cool his lover down. So, he reluctantly let go of Joxer’s tempting and *extremely* sensitive feet.

 

With a wave of his hand, a pitcher of cool water and a bowl appeared on the table beside the bed. The pitcher rose up in the air and poured a stream of water into the bowl and onto the cloth lying there. The wash cloth wrung itself out and floated over to Ares’ hand.

 

“Close your eyes, Angel.”

 

Joxer obliged his husband and sighed as the damp cloth soothed his aching head. Tempra cooed happily, sensing the calm from her daddy and her poppy. Ares covered his daughter with a glance. The little girl looked so sweet sleeping under her seaweed blanket.

 

The God of Peace shifted uncomfortably on the bed. Ares could see that the sheets were damp from where Joxer was sweating. Ares realized that his efforts weren’t doing enough. He slid one finger down the center of Joxer’s chest and his shirt and vest melted off. Shifting slightly, Ares did the same to his husband’s pants and loincloth. Now Joxer was only covered with a thin sheet that was pulled down to his waist.

 

The wet cloth was now run over a glistening, but pale, chest. Ares washed his lover, until the front of his body was cool to the touch. He rolled Joxer onto his side, being careful not to wake him from the light doze the sick man had fallen into. The pale back was cooled in the same manner.

 

Every once in a while, Ares would let go of the cloth, which would float back over the bowl and be remoistened. In this way, he didn’t have to move away from his lover and Ares kept a soothing hand on Joxer at all times.

 

Ares smiled at how much better he had made Joxer feel. The young god was so relaxed that even when Ares washed the tempting bottom, he wasn’t disturbed. Ares was not so lucky. After more than an hour of petting his husband’s body, he was very hot and very aroused.

 

Leaving Joxer on his side, so that the first thing he would see on waking was Tempra, Ares went to their bathing chamber. He vanished his clothes with a thought and clambered into the waiting pool. The warm water felt good on his body. Again, too good.

 

The water swirled around his genitalia in a much more arousing manner than it ever had before. Ares tried to ignore the sensations, it didn’t seem fair to him that he could get pleasure and Joxer couldn’t. The God of War deliberately made the water colder. He gritted his teeth as the water became frigid, but it worked.

 

Going back to the bedroom, a no longer aroused, but cold, Ares, stopped in the doorway and stared. The sheet covering Joxer had slid down and one pale cheek was partially showing. Ares groaned at his immediate erection and hoped that this medicine didn’t take as long as Ace thought it would to make Joxer better. He wasn’t sure if he’d survive.

 

Climbing into bed, Ares covered Joxer up with the sheet and threw a separate cover over himself. There was no way he would make it through the night otherwise. Staring up at the ceiling, Ares tried to get rid of his rampant erection by thinking unsexy thoughts.

 

Ares thought about Xena and how much he missed her working for him. Nope, not enough of a distraction and thinking about his daughter instead of sex, yuck!

 

He thought of Falafel’s latest culinary disaster. Yeeesh. Nauseating, but he was still tenting the sheets.

 

He thought about Hercules, naked. Shudder. He imagined Gabrielle naked and grimaced. He had it…!

 

Hercules and Gabrielle, naked, having sex. That did it. In fact, Ares wasn’t sure if he would ever be able to have sex again after that.

 

Rolling over, Ares spooned up behind Joxer. He laid one arm carefully on Joxer’s slender hip and kissed the back of Joxer’s neck, just at the nape.

 

Joxer shivered at the fleeting touch and the two men drifted off to sleep.