The sound of the temple doors slamming open jerked his attention away from the plans. The glare of annoyance that started to settle on his features quickly turned to confusion though when he saw the cause of the disturbance.

Strife stood at the temple entrance, looking outside with an expression of horror. Ares couldn't help but be shocked at his appearance; he looked terrible! Clothes dirty and torn, exhaustion etched in his pale features. What in Tartarus could have done this to him?

"What happened to you?" Ares asked.

At the sound of Ares' voice, Strife looked at him with desperate hope. "Ares!" he cried out, and ran to him. Reaching him, Strife collapsed against him. Fingers clutching at Ares in an iron-like grip, he held on as though his life depended on it. "You...have to help me, Uncle Ares!" he gasped out breathlessly. "You have to save me...please!"

"What the fuck is going on?" Ares demanded.

"Arrows...accident...." Strife forced out the words.

"What? Could you try to make some sense?" He attempted unsuccessfully to push Strife away, but Strife only clung more tightly.

"Ares!"

The familiar bellow took Ares' attention from the trembling god pressed against him. "Just fucking great," he muttered as he looked up to see Hercules storm into the temple. He'd worked so hard to keep these war plans a secret and now his screw-up of a nephew had brought "daddy's little favorite" right into things.

"Couldn't you have waited just a few more days to cause trouble around him?" he snarled at Strife, the threat in his tone obvious. As Hercules approached, Ares braced himself for a fight.

"Ares!" Hercules repeated as he came to stand a few paces before them. "Get your hands off him. He's all mine, aren't you baby?" He grinned lovingly at Strife.

Ares' jaw dropped.

Strife whimpered and continued in his efforts to permanently attach himself to Ares.

"Come on, darling," Hercules almost cooed at the panicked young god. "I've already set up the wedding at Aphrodite's temple and we don't want to be late."

Strife screamed, hitting a note most women couldn't manage. That was quickly accompanied by another desperate plea of, "Please, Unc! You have to save me!"

Or at least that's what Ares thought Strife said. Hard to tell when he seemed to have lost the hearing in that ear. Well, looked like Strife messed with Cupid's arrows again and now he was paying the price. Ares could barely keep from laughing aloud.

"I'm not here to fight you, Ares," Hercules said, not even looking at his half brother. "Just step away from Strife and we'll be out of here. Won't we, sweetie?"

This time Ares lost the battle and began chuckling. He really did have to get Hercules out of the temple though. He might still notice the battle plans even through his new obsession with Strife. But Ares knew how to solve that problem.

It took a good amount of pulling and prying, but eventually he managed to get Strife off him. "Here you go, little brother," he said in a friendly tone, shoving Strife at Hercules.

Strife's shriek of horror rivaled his earlier scream.

Hercules didn't seem to notice the piercing sound though; he grabbed hold of Strife and pulled him close. "I've been waiting for you all my life," he said with a happy sigh. Then, throwing Strife over his shoulder, he began carrying him away.

"Ares! Don't leave me!" Strife's scream echoed painfully throughout the temple.

"I'm not leaving you," Ares promised, grinning as he followed along behind his lovestruck half-brother. "I mean, someone has to give away the bride." The look on Strife's face almost made him double over with laughter.

Strife wouldn't forgive him for years, but it would be worth it. He just wanted to be there whenever Cupid got around to fixing this so he could see it when Hercules got back to his right mind -- and found himself married to Strife.

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