jerk?”
“Unfulfilled and unhappy.”
He turned and began walking away. “Leave me alone!”
“That’s what you said last time, but then you came to me.”
He stopped. “Will you tell Hermes?”
She stood and walked over to him. “If I want to, I will tell him we were having an argument. I won’t tell him you touched me.”
“He has every right to challenge me.”
“You wouldn’t have done anything to me.”
He laughed. “So I’m the biggest jerk who ever lived, but I wouldn’t have hurt you? How does that make sense?”
“Maybe you’re more complex than I realized.”
He stared at her. “You trying to seduce me now? Make me want you so you can hurt me the way I supposedly hurt Alala?”
Eris flinched. The accusation, however tentative, hurt her feelings. Obviously some Olympians still thought her petty and mischievous. “No. I love Hermes. I don’t want anyone else, and I have no desire to hurt you.”
“Okay. Let’s forget it then.”
She wanted to say something, but she knew he wouldn’t take her seriously. She couldn’t tell what he was feeling. He seemed hurt by her opinion of him or maybe embarrassed at being rejected, but she couldn’t really tell, so she let him walk away. She had no idea what she had gotten herself into. Or why she cared so much.
* * * *
Alala took Arion’s hand. He rubbed his thumb over her hand. She could feel that just touching her made him happy. He’d kissed her cheek when he’d come to get her. Everything about him was gentle and sweet. He was so different from Ares. It was refreshing, and maybe it would keep her from falling for him, even though she doubted there was any danger of that. She was more worried about him falling for her.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“Picnic in the park. If that’s okay.”
She smiled. “It sounds lovely.”
He smiled back at her. “I’ve only ever dated mortal girls. We can certainly do more exciting things if you want to.”
“There’s nothing wrong with the ‘less exciting’ things. Being together is what matters.”
He blushed. “Yeah. You’re right.”
She had the feeling he would agree with anything she said.
“So what’s it like living with Ares?”
Alala looked down at the ground. She didn’t want to think about Ares at all. She just wanted to be with Arion and enjoy herself. She looked back up at him and smiled. “Difficult, at times. He certainly has his dark moods.”
“I can imagine.”
“He’s my friend. He’s not the kind to express it, but I know he cares for me. I’ve been a part of his life since I was born.”
Arion nodded. “So he must be very protective of you?”
Alala laughed. “I guess so. He’s never had much reason to be.”
They arrived at a clearing. A green blanket was spread for them, and a large picnic basket sat on top of it. They sat on the blanket, and Alala thought Arion looked nervous.
“What is it?”
He smiled awkwardly. “My mother said he popped in to see her.”
Alala didn’t know what to think. How had Ares known? This was only the second time they’d seen each other. How could he interfere like that? Did it mean he felt for her even a little of what she felt for him?
“But he didn’t say anything. She had no idea his visit might have anything to do with me. He just stopped by to say hello, or so he said.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yes. That’s all he wanted. He didn’t ask about me.”
“So it could have been something else?”
“Maybe. Seems odd though. I think he wanted to check me out.”
Another thought occurred to Alala. What if he was Persephone’s mystery man? He was just the type to tie a girl to a wall and “ravish” her. That stung. She couldn’t stand the idea of him touching her best friend. Her jealousy of Aphrodite paled in comparison. She pushed the thought away. Ares thought Persephone was silly and stupid. He wouldn’t fuck her just because she was pretty, and he wouldn’t use her as a pawn. He
“Unfulfilled and unhappy.”
He turned and began walking away. “Leave me alone!”
“That’s what you said last time, but then you came to me.”
He stopped. “Will you tell Hermes?”
She stood and walked over to him. “If I want to, I will tell him we were having an argument. I won’t tell him you touched me.”
“He has every right to challenge me.”
“You wouldn’t have done anything to me.”
He laughed. “So I’m the biggest jerk who ever lived, but I wouldn’t have hurt you? How does that make sense?”
“Maybe you’re more complex than I realized.”
He stared at her. “You trying to seduce me now? Make me want you so you can hurt me the way I supposedly hurt Alala?”
Eris flinched. The accusation, however tentative, hurt her feelings. Obviously some Olympians still thought her petty and mischievous. “No. I love Hermes. I don’t want anyone else, and I have no desire to hurt you.”
“Okay. Let’s forget it then.”
She wanted to say something, but she knew he wouldn’t take her seriously. She couldn’t tell what he was feeling. He seemed hurt by her opinion of him or maybe embarrassed at being rejected, but she couldn’t really tell, so she let him walk away. She had no idea what she had gotten herself into. Or why she cared so much.
* * * *
Alala took Arion’s hand. He rubbed his thumb over her hand. She could feel that just touching her made him happy. He’d kissed her cheek when he’d come to get her. Everything about him was gentle and sweet. He was so different from Ares. It was refreshing, and maybe it would keep her from falling for him, even though she doubted there was any danger of that. She was more worried about him falling for her.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“Picnic in the park. If that’s okay.”
She smiled. “It sounds lovely.”
He smiled back at her. “I’ve only ever dated mortal girls. We can certainly do more exciting things if you want to.”
“There’s nothing wrong with the ‘less exciting’ things. Being together is what matters.”
He blushed. “Yeah. You’re right.”
She had the feeling he would agree with anything she said.
“So what’s it like living with Ares?”
Alala looked down at the ground. She didn’t want to think about Ares at all. She just wanted to be with Arion and enjoy herself. She looked back up at him and smiled. “Difficult, at times. He certainly has his dark moods.”
“I can imagine.”
“He’s my friend. He’s not the kind to express it, but I know he cares for me. I’ve been a part of his life since I was born.”
Arion nodded. “So he must be very protective of you?”
Alala laughed. “I guess so. He’s never had much reason to be.”
They arrived at a clearing. A green blanket was spread for them, and a large picnic basket sat on top of it. They sat on the blanket, and Alala thought Arion looked nervous.
“What is it?”
He smiled awkwardly. “My mother said he popped in to see her.”
Alala didn’t know what to think. How had Ares known? This was only the second time they’d seen each other. How could he interfere like that? Did it mean he felt for her even a little of what she felt for him?
“But he didn’t say anything. She had no idea his visit might have anything to do with me. He just stopped by to say hello, or so he said.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yes. That’s all he wanted. He didn’t ask about me.”
“So it could have been something else?”
“Maybe. Seems odd though. I think he wanted to check me out.”
Another thought occurred to Alala. What if he was Persephone’s mystery man? He was just the type to tie a girl to a wall and “ravish” her. That stung. She couldn’t stand the idea of him touching her best friend. Her jealousy of Aphrodite paled in comparison. She pushed the thought away. Ares thought Persephone was silly and stupid. He wouldn’t fuck her just because she was pretty, and he wouldn’t use her as a pawn. He
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