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Wish Of Mortality On A Cold, Lonely Day
By: Illyandria
Disclaimer: Story belongs to me, characters don't.
Dedication: Dedicated to Sarah, that special someone I know, and of course Kevin Smith.
Author's Note: Takes place after "God Fearing Child"
~~~
He sighed loudly. Nobody cared. Nobody gave a damn anymore. Did they ever? They didn't even remember that today was... No, he shouldn't care. He of all people shouldn't care. Things like this shouldn't bother him.
But it did.
He wanted to be appreciated. He wanted somebody to care. All of his life he had been criticized and ridiculed for doing the one job that he was created to do. And today of all days, he wanted to feel from somebody else something other than hatred for him.
He thought back to the morning's activities. None of them had remembered - not even Aphrodite. He shouldn't have thought they would. When Athena had heard, it had been awful.
"Oh, yes, Brother!" Athena had said mockingly. "It's your birthday, isn't it? I'm so sorry I forgot!"
And then everyone there had laughed. Well, Aphrodite hadn't. She had apologized, but after all that had happened he had been in an extremely bad mood and blew her off.
He looked into the mirror before him. There she was. The princess. No, His princess. Oh, how he longed to hold her in his arms right now, tell her about everything awful that had happened and how he hated everyone but her. He wanted things to be the way they were, minus the warlord thing if necessary. She had been his confidant, his lover, his world. She was still his world. But she despised him. She hated him.
No, she didn't. Why did he keep thinking like that? She didn't hate him. He'd seen it in her eyes a thousand times or more. She still cared. But she would never show it. And that's what he needed right now. He needed her to care. He needed her so much.
He shook his head. The only time she had ever slightly shown that she had cared was when he was mortal...
Mortality! That was the key!
He thought quickly. It was rumored by mortals that the power of an individual's will was without limit on that special day of the year on which they were born. But it was just a rumor, right?
But it was worth a shot.
He closed his eyes, and putting all of his soul...his being into the thought...willing it to come true...Ares wished he were mortal.
___~~~***~~~___
The next thing he knew he was at her campsite, still clothed in his black leather, but he could feel the difference. Oh, he could feel the difference!
It was dusk, and the campsite was deserted. Gabrielle had gone off for supplies, he knew, and Xena must have been hunting.
He shrugged slightly, deciding it wouldn't be so bad to wait. What choice did he have, anyway?
He walked over to where Argo stood. He gently pet her nose.
She nuzzled him in return.
Argo had always liked him for some reason. Perhaps it was because they bothed loved the same thing, Xena?
Ares had a sudden thought. What the hell was he going to say to Xena?!
Why hadn't he thought ahead to that? What was he going to do?
I'll just wing it I guess...
___~~~***~~~___
Xena stood at the edge of the campsite, dumbfounded. What was Ares doing there? She was angry at first, but then saw the look on his face. There was something wrong.
She had a sudden yearning for things to be like they were before. When he'd always talk to her about anything and everything. When she had been his confidant.
That look on his face threw her for a moment. That look in his eyes...it looked like he had something on his mind...something he needed to say?
She stared at him a moment longer. There was something in his eyes missing...
Arrogance. The arrogance was gone.
Xena thought back. He'd said he cared about her. Maybe he just wasn't ready to say he loved her? After all, he was the god of war. Maybe he did love her. Maybe.
Why else would he be there right now?
Making up her mind, she walked over to him.
___~~~***~~~___
"Happy Birthday, Ares," a voice whispered from behind him.
Ares spun around to face Xena.
"You...you remembered?"
"Of course. How could I forget?"
She stared at him. There was something else missing. Something...
"What are you doing here?" she asked.
He looked down at the ground.
"I... Xena, I have something I...I need to tell you..."
He suddenly started doubting himself. What was he doing? What was the plan? What did he plan to accomplish from becoming mortal?
Panic suddenly took him. How was he going to get his god hood back? Nobody but Zeus had the ability to do so, and Zeus was dead! What was he going to do?
Deciding he was already dead, he decided to do something he'd not tried to do since she had left him. Speak from his heart.
"Xena, I'm mortal. I want to spend my life with you. I need you. I love you."
Xena just stared at him blankly for a moment.
"You...you love me?" she whispered unbelievingly.
"I do. You know I do. I always have."
Xena stared at him for a moment more, and then shakily replied, "I think I love you, too."
Ares stepped closer to her, caressing her face with a gentle hand. "Can you forgive me?"
She looked into his eyes. "Yes. I forgive you, Ares. I want to spend my life with you."
Suddenly the space between them was gone as he pulled her closer, tilting her chin up and kissing her.
Through Love and Hate, through Peace and War, this is what Ares and Xena found. In the end they ended up with love. The Warrior Princess and her newly mortal god were finally reunited.
This story is in celebration of Kevin Smith and his portrayal of Ares. It is Kevin's birthday today, and I wish him many more. I, along with many others, hope beyond hope that he will continue to grace us with his presence on the series. Let us pray that the writers do not kill his character in the upcoming episode "Twilight of the Gods". I wish good luck to Kevin in everything that he does, and may he continue his acting career!
THE END
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