Precious

by Sarah Saint Ives

Disclaimer: Remember: This story is slash, a love story of sorts between two members of the same sex. Read at your own discretion. Hercules, as you know, is not my creation, but belongs to Universal Studios. We may use him as much as we like, in any way we see fit, but when we are finished with him, we must return him to his rightful owners.


Precious
by Sarah Saint Ives

"Something smells strange." Hercules whispered as he sat up in bed. He had gone to sleep on a feather-bed in the house of an old couple he had rescued from disaster. The bed had been comfortable and he had been exhausted, so he slept soundly. The sudden awakening was uncomfortable. He felt cold, unusually vulnerable, his body tight with aches and pains. He moaned with an excruciating headache.

Strange sounds from a distance caused him alarm. The earth trembled, rattled and groaned, the air was pierced with a long musical note. Panicked, he sprang from the bed and ran to the window, realized as he threw back the curtain that the entire world was different. The window was different, the curtain, everything inside and outside was different.

The full moon shined brightly, revealed the earth to him in full array, minus a bit of color. There was a white rail fence, and beyond that was an endless procession of moving gigantic boxes with wheels that rolled on rails that were also endless in either direction. Hercules stared with wide, disbelieving blue eyes.

He turned around to look at the room. The bed was square, the mattress hard, not made of feathers, and unusual devices littered the room. A black box with a dark glass window was on a well-made piece of wooden furniture. The floor beneath his feet was laid in soft rug that had no seams. He knelt to touch the texture, then touched the bedpost.

As he stood straight again, the door was suddenly thrown open and a bright light shone straight into his eyes. "Stay just as you are!" a harsh male voice commanded.

Hercules threw up a hand to shield his eyes, squinted to see his captor, could visualize his outline and the fact that he was pointing a small but obvious weapon at him. "Who are you?" he asked.

"I'll ask the questions." the man said. "Who are you?"

"Hercules. I just woke up and found myself here. I don't know how I got here. This is not where I went to sleep."

"You're in my house." the man said, and flip up a switch on the wall and an overhead light brightened the room. He turned off the flashlight and gazed at Hercules for a long minute. "You don't know how you got here?"

"No, I don't." Hercules answered. His lower lip trembled. "What are those things passing by outside?"

The man frowned in confusion. "You mean the train?"

Hercules was studying him. "You look so familiar." he commented, noting his dark waves, intelligent brown eyes, his handsome face, the muscular frame. "Ares?"

"No, actually, I'm a Leo. But that's none of your business. You just sit down there on the bed while I'll call the police now, okay?"

Hercules seated himself on the side of the bed. "You look just like him."

"I look just like who?”

“Ares.”

“My name is Nathaniel Jones." The man picked up a strange looking object and held it to his ear. "And you're going to the looney bin tonight, babe."

Hercules frowned. "You're calling me 'babe'? I'm probably as old as you are."

Nathaniel hesitated, his call incomplete. He put the phone down, lowered the metal weapon in his hand. "Do you have any family?"

"My mother, a brother. Friends."

The man nodded. "But they're all a long way off, right?"

"Yes, I suppose so. I don't know." Hercules held his temples.

"Your head hurts?"

"Yes, it hurts."

Nathaniel went to him and laid a bold hand on his shoulder. "Lie down. Get under the covers. I'll get you some aspirins."

Hercules crawled beneath the covers, allowed him to tuck him in and examine his face with tentative fingertips. He closed his eyes. "What are aspirins?" he asked.

"Medicine for your headache." Nathaniel went into the next room, fumbled a moment in a cabinet, then ran water into a cup. He returned with four aspirins in one hand, the water in the other. The weapon had been left in the bathroom. He placed the pills in his guest's mouth and gave him water to drink. "Swallow them fast or they will break up in your throat and strangle you." he advised.

Hercules swallowed hard. "Strangle me? What manner of medicine is aspirins, anyway?"

"Good medicine. Don't worry." Nathaniel was sitting beside him. He ran a gentle hand over his face again. "Just keep your eyes closed and relax."

"Am I going to the 'looney bin'?" Hercules asked, having no idea what the words meant.

"No. I think I'll keep you here for the rest of the night. Maybe a little longer. I have a feeling you need somebody who cares."

Hercules drew in a long, troubled breath. "You look and sound so much like Ares, but he would never be so kind to me. He has tried to kill me most of my life."

"Kill you? Who is this asshole, anyway?"

"What?"

"Who is Ares?"

"He's the god of war. My half-brother, the son of Zeus and Hera."

Nathaniel nodded his head with a sigh. "Oh, yes. Of course. *That* Ares." he said. His intruder was crazy, but he wasn't dangerous. He would take care of him until he found what institution he had escaped from, then he would return him.

Hercules opened his vivid blue eyes and looked around him again. This time, it was daylight. The room was neat and orderly, but nothing was familiar. He had never seen a clock, digital or otherwise, and three of them were present. The television was an oddity, the stereo was frightening. The electric lights were a curiosity. The white bathroom gave him pause. He stood staring about him the way a cat stares at unusual things, with alert trepidation.

"What's the matter? You never saw a toilet before?" asked Nathaniel from behind him.

Hercules jumped at his voice, turned quickly to face him. "A what?" he asked. "What is this?"

"It's a toilet. Bathroom. Shitter, crapper, WC, you know. You need to go?"

"Go where?"

Nathaniel smiled. "Take your pants down and sit on it. Right there. When you get finished, you flush, like this." He pushed down the handle.

Hercules stared down into the flushing toilet. "Where does the water go?"

"To the sewer."

"Where is the sewer?"

"Underground. So, you got the idea?"

"What idea?"

With a long sigh, Nathaniel reached out to unstring the front of Hercules' leather breeches, very interested in the soft leather material and in the way the garment was made. Once he had the strings untied and pulled loose, the pants were easily removed. He lowered them to his ankles and gently pushed him down on the toilet. "Now, you use it. You understand?"

In embarrassment, Hercules nodded.

"Good." Nathaniel knelt and began to untie his moccasin boots. "In the meantime, let me take your clothes and have them cleaned. I'll get you something else to wear."

Hercules relinquished all his clothes and sat naked on the seat until his host returned with a terrycloth bathrobe.

"You should have a shower." Nathaniel said, getting a towel for him. "Want me to start it for you?"

"Shower?"

"Yes. Here." Nathaniel reached beyond a strange, flowered curtain and turned on water. "Just jump right in there and wash up. Soap's in the dish and shampoo is right there."

Hercules stared skeptically.

Nathaniel sighed again. "Okay." he said finally. He began taking off his own clothes. "I'll show you. Come on. Are you finished on the toilet?"

"Yes." Hercules stood.

"Come on. Step in the shower with me. I'll show you how to take a shower."

Hercules went in with him, shuddered when the first blast of water hit him in the face. He was turned so that it soaked his hair, then, when he was thoroughly wet, the water was turned off so Nathaniel could rub shampoo into his hair and soap all over his body. He jumped when a soap-lathered hand slid over his genitals and between his legs into the crack, but it did not linger there. The shower resumed and rinsed him clean, and the two men got out to dry with the towel.

"This is the way to take a shower." Nathaniel told him. "You never had one before?"

"No, I haven't. It's great." Hercules marveled. "When can we do it again?"

Nathaniel laughed softly. "Later." he said. "Right now, it's breakfast time." He helped him into the bathrobe and tied it in front. "Come on. Let's eat."

"What is this food?" Hercules picked at it with the fork.

"It's called an omelet. Eat it. It's good." Nathaniel took a huge bite of his own and chewed it thoughtfully. "What do you usually eat for breakfast?"

"Oh, fish, hare, whatever we could catch."

Nathaniel caught a key word in his statement. "We?"

"Yes, my friend, Iolaus and I."

"Iolaus." Nathaniel nodded and drank some coffee.

Hercules took a bite of his omelet and chewed it testingly.

"So, tell me about Iolaus."

"He's my friend." Hercules shrugged.

"Where is he now?"

"He went to Egypt. He'll be back."

"Egypt. Have you ever been to Egypt?"

"Of course. Hasn't everybody?"

"Been to Egypt? Why, of course." Nathaniel smiled. "Do you know where you are now, Hercules?"

"No. Where?"

"In Kansas. America."

Hercules looked blank. "I never heard of it before. Is it close to Greece?" "No. This is a big, big country, Hercules. But, then, if you're really from the past as you *seem* to be, then you never heard of it because it didn't exist yet in your time. You do realize you're now living in the year 1998, don't you?"

The number meant nothing to him, in fact the entire statement was confusing. Hercules sat gazing at him for a clue.

"You really don't understand, do you?" Nathaniel asked.

"No, I don't."

"You're really from the past, aren't you?"

"From the past?"

"Tell me your birthday."

"The eighth day of August."

"So, how old are you?"

"Thirty six years."

"So, in what year were you born?"

"The year of the twins."

"You don't know the year?"

"You mean numbers?"

"Yes, I mean numbers."

Hercules took a deep breath. "Thirty six years ago."

Nathaniel laughed. "You're precious." he said as he dropped his fork onto the table. "Thirty six years ago!"

Hercules shrugged. He waited for the punchline, hoped it would be something he could laugh about, too.

"I think I needed you in my life. I swear, things have been so boring for me the past few years that I thought sometimes I would just shoot myself in the head to end it all. Since my wife died, I've felt so alone. I needed companionship, but I could never bring myself to go back to the dating routine, to put myself all through that scene again. Just when I had consigned myself to a lifetime of loneliness, just when I had reached my lowest, I find a precious, crazy intruder in my house and now I can laugh again. You're really precious."

Hercules smiled. "Precious?"

"Yes, and that's what I want to call you. Precious."

"What do I call you?" Hercules had forgotten his name.

"Nat."

"Nat. I'm happy to know you, Nat."

"I'm happy to know you, too, Precious."

Hercules thought the name sounded strange, but he did not object to it. He didn't plan to stay long, anyway, just until he could learn the way home. Nat looked so much like Ares that it was spooky, but his personality was far different. He was a kind and good man, nothing like the god of war.

"So, how did you like the omelet?"

"It tastes like chicken eggs."

"Yes, with cheese, sausage and onions."

"I didn't care for the onions."

"Okay. Next time, we'll leave them out of yours." Nat leaned back against the edge of the heavy oak table and touched Hercules' cheek. "I'm going to call and make you a doctor appointment today. Have you ever been to a doctor before?"

"Yes, I was shot with an arrow." Hercules opened the robe to show him the scar on his ribs. "I have been to a doctor many times."

"Good. The doctor I'm taking you to is an old friend of mine. He'll ask you a lot of questions and I'd like you to answer them just as truthfully as you know how. Just don't be nervous about it, okay?"

Hercules caught his hand as the fingers brushed across his full lips. "I'm always truthful. And I won't be nervous." He sat holding the hand.

"Would you be nervous if I told you that think you're absolutely beautiful?"

"Beautiful? No, I'm not beautiful. *Women* are beautiful. I'm not a woman, Nat."

"I can see that. You're very much a man, but you're still beautiful. Very, very beautiful." Nat leaned to carefully kiss his cheek. "Just accept the compliment and shut up, okay?"

Hercules shivered. "Yes. Now, you're making me nervous." he said.

"Don't be nervous. This is as far as it goes today. I just wanted to touch you, to kiss you on the cheek. Your skin is so smooth and soft, not rough and scruffy. Your eyes are so very blue, your lips are so rosy and full. You don't look thirty six, except for the little lines around your eyes there. That's the only proof you have of your age. You're just so eautiful. I can't help the way you make me feel."

Hercules, though he had misunderstood many other things, knew perfectly well where this was leading. He looked down. "You're attracted to me?"

"I'm very attracted to you. How could I be anything else?"

"You're not going to ask anything of me, though?"

"Not now. I'm moving slow, my Precious, slow and with caution. I don't want to make the mistake of scaring you away before I seduce you."

Hercules shivered again.


PART TWO

Nathaniel opened the truck's door for Hercules to get in, smiled at his hesitation. "It's safe. Just hop right on in there and sit down. I'll show you how to buckle the seatbelt."

Once he was in and the belt was latched, Nathaniel drove the twelve miles to the doctor's office. They shared small talk as they rode. The driver reached out to take his companion's hand and squeezed it. "I won't leave you alone with him. I know how frightening new experiences can be, and I'm sure that even if you're not from thousands of years in the past, that you've probably never been to a psychologist. Although, if you’re *not* from the past, you *should* have been. Your innocence is too real. You're so naive and fresh to everything. You're just astounding."

"Astounding?" Hercules did not know if it was a compliment or an insult.

"Yes, you're absolutely beautiful."

"You said that before. I don't think I'm beautiful. I have always been very strong. I have been capable. But beautiful?"

"You're beautiful. I don't know about the other things, but I can vouch for the beauty. You have beautiful eyes, a beautiful body, beautiful skin. You're beautiful. Get used to it."

Hercules tried to smile gracefully. "Beautiful." he murmured. "You are very.... handsome, too, Nathaniel."

"Thank you." Nat said with a smile. He squeezed the hand again.

The doctor's waiting room was empty. As they sat on two matching chairs to wait, Hercules picked up a magazine and began to flip idly through it, his blue eyes widening at the pictures inside. "Look at this!" he said excitedly, showing him an airline advertisement.

"Yes, that's an airplane. Have you ever flown?"

"Flown? Like a bird?"

"Yes, like a bird." Nat laughed. "No, silly, in an airplane."

"No. That's what this thing is called?"

"Yes, an airplane. It's a vehicle." Nat opened his mouth to make the explanation, but thought better of it. Explaining air travel to the mythical Hercules would take more time than he had at his disposal for now. He would delve into it later, when the doctor's visit was over.

"Can you tell me about it?"

"Later. In fact, later, I'll take you to the airport. We might even take a flight somewhere. You'll like it."

Hercules looked fascinated.

"Nathaniel." said a small-framed nurse, holding the door for them.

Nat got to his feet and led Hercules into the doctor's office.

"Your name is Hercules?"

"Yes, Hercules."

"The son of Zeus?"

"Yes, that's me."

"I remember reading that you were killed by the blood of a hind."

"Killed? Me? No, it must have been somebody else."

The doctor sat directly across from him, gazed into his vivid blue eyes with great interest. "I wasn't aware that the great Hercules was a gentile." he said.

"A what?"

"A gentile. You have very fair skin, blonde hair, blue eyes. You're not African, not a Jew."

"No, I suppose I'm a gentile." Hercules shrugged in mild confusion.

"What color is Zeus' hair?"

"Gray." Hercules answered without pause.

"What about traits you inherited from him? Do you look like him?"

"I look more like my mother. He may be the king of the gods, but he's not much to look at. My mother is beautiful, though."

"Are you beautiful?"

Hercules glanced at Nathaniel. "Some people believe I am."

"What do you think?"

"I don't call myself beautiful, but I know I'm not ugly, if that's what you're asking."

"That's what I'm asking. I have heard that you're also the strongest man in the world. Aside from Sampson in the bible, you were the most noted strong man in the world's history, truth or fiction."

Hercules’ blue eyes were wide.

"Can you show me some of your strength? Lift that bust over there." The doctor pointed to a heavy brass bust in the corner.

Hercules stood, went to the bust and touched it. "You just want me to pick it up?"

"Yes, pick it up."

Without effort, Hercules took hold of the smallest part of the figure and hefted it a foot in the air. "Like this?"

They were amazed. "You really *are* strong." the doctor commented.

"How much would you estimate the statue to weigh?" asked Nat.

"Oh, three or four hundred pounds. Probably more." said the doctor. "Okay, Hercules, you can put it down, now. Thank you. Now come over here and sit down. You and I need to talk."

"How did you get here?"

"I don't know."

"You don't remember anything?"

"I went to sleep there, I woke up in Nat's house."

"Time transport."

"Time travel." Nat corrected him.

"Same difference."

"Do you think I'll be able to get back home?"

The doctor gave him a dubious look. "I don't know. I don't know how you got here. I have only heard about such things in fairy tales. It doesn't really exist in our society, but then, neither does Hercules. You're a myth, you know, just a tale some dude named Homer created."

"Homer? I remember him. He was a real nice old man who was there when I was fighting the hydra."

"What was he like?"

"Just an old man. He was smarter than average. That's all I really knew about him."

The doctor flipped on a tape recorder. "Okay, Hercules." he said as he made himself comfortable in his chair again. "Talk to me. Tell me about your life."

Hercules looked dazed for a moment. "Where do you want me to start?"

"Start from your childhood. I want to hear the story of your whole life, and don't leave anything out, okay?"

Hercules sighed, and after a few seconds of deliberation, he began to tell his story.

He had been talking the better part of an hour and it had been so intriguing that the doctor and Nathaniel had sat captive as they listened. Hercules stopped suddenly and shrugged. "That's it." he concluded. "Everything I can remember."

The doctor cleared his throat. "Wow." he said.

"Yeah." Nat agreed. "He really is Hercules. I can't believe it."

Hercules frowned. "You mean you didn't believe me?"

"I believe you now." Nat said. He stretched out his arm to comb his fingers through the strong man's hair. "You're real. And you're mine."

"Ours." the doctor corrected him.

"No. Mine. He's mine." Nat said stubbornly. "And you're not to say a word to anybody, do you hear me? I don't want him exploited. He's going home with me and we're going to live a nice, quiet life without all the hassle your friends would cause him if they found out about him."

"My friends would be amazed."

"You will keep this to yourself." Nat warned again. "I mean it. Nobody can know. You tell anyone and I will come find you and twist off your arms, do you understand? Leave him alone. He doesn't need all the attention."

"How do you know what he needs? He doesn't belong to you. He's a human being, not Bambam Rubble! He has his own rights."

"He's mine." Nat insisted.

The doctor turned to Hercules. "Do you agree to do everything Nathaniel tells you to do? Will you willingly be his slave?"

Hercules shook his head. "Not his slave. I'll be his friend."

"And will you let him tell you what to do?"

"I will listen to him."

"Do you want to belong to him?"

Hercules looked doubtful. "In what sense?"

Nat laid a hand on his shoulder. "My friend. My companion."

"I will be your friend."

"Come on. Let's go home." Nat said.

Hercules nodded and stood with him.

The doctor grabbed his wrist. "Wait! You have to let me talk to him again." he said to Nat. "He has told us so much that I find interesting. I would love to hear more."

"And what do you plan to do with your information?" Nat asked suspiciously.

"Nothing. I just want to hear it." The words didn't ring true.

Nat put a protective arm around Hercules and led him out of the room.

"The doctor was very interested in me."

"Yes, I know. The reason I took you there was for another reason. I didn't intend to lose you to him."

Hercules gazed at him. The car coasted to a stop in front of a supermarket. "Lose me to him?"

"Yes, he wanted to take you away from me."

"He thinks I traveled in time. You think so, too, don't you?"

"Yes, that's what I think." Nathaniel said. "You'll have to come inside with me. This is where I shop for groceries. You can help me pick out some good stuff."

"Groceries?"

"Yes. You know, food."

"Oh." Hercules opened the car door, having finally figured out the handle. "What kinds of foods do you buy?"

"Different things. I try to find vegetables. What's your favorite food?"

"Favorite? I...never thought about it." Hercules got out and walked with him to the store. "It doesn't matter. I will eat whatever is offered."

Nat was smiling at him. "You're just too good to be true, you know that?"

"Because I'll eat whatever is offered?"

"No. That's not the reason." Nat patted him on the back and said softly, "I think I'm falling in love."

~~~

The groceries were put away and dinner was cooking, pork chops in a roast pan, surrounded by potatoes, carrots, peas and onions in a half-inch of water. It was a very nutritious meal.

Hercules peered through the glass oven door and said, "The way you cook is very interesting."

Nat smiled. "Things are different now, aren't they? In your time, people probably even acted different."

"A lot different."

"Do you feel like talking about it?" Nat took his elbow and led him to the living room couch. "Sit with me and let's talk."

Hercules gave him an uncomfortable glance as they settled in cozily. "What do you want to talk about?"

"Just whatever you want to say." Nat touched his cheek.

"About my time?"

"Yes, about your time."

"It was different."

Nat slid a finger across his companion's lips with soft intimacy. "You're different. I would like to know all about you."

"You're different, too." Hercules said, and pushed the hand away. "You're very different. You prefer men to women, don't you?"

"Yes, I do. In this day and time, they call men like me 'gay'."

"Gay. What does it mean?"

"It means I like men. I'm a homosexual."

"But you were married to a woman, you said."

"Yes, I was. She died."

"Is that the reason you don't want women any more?"

"I always liked men, but I married her because the world still doesn't accept same-sex relationships. She was a good woman. I loved her."

"How did she die?"

"She killed herself. She was a very troubled person."

"I see." Hercules looked down.

"Have you ever been with a man before?" Nat asked.

"Not like that." Hercules answered.

"Let me show you." Nat said, and squeezed his hand.

"Show me...what?"

Nat wrapped an arm around him. "Just let me show you." He leaned toward him and lightly touched his lips to Hercules'. "You see, that wasn't so bad, was it?"

Hercules looked down. "No, it was just a kiss."

"You don't mind?"

"Mind a kiss?" Hercules was awkward. "I...I suppose not."

"Then let me do it again." Nat kissed him again before he could refuse, and held it until Hercules turned his face away.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

Hercules drew in a shaky sigh. "This is a little too different. I've never been kissed that way by a man before."

"Just close your eyes and let me love you. I won't hurt you."

"What do you have in mind?" Hercules asked.

"I want to kiss you. That's all. I'm not going to hurry things along by trying to make love to you. I'll go slow."

"What kind of love are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about the kind that lasts forever."

"Forever. Does that still exist?" There was a bitter note to his voice.

"It's a figure of speech. I mean as long as we live. That's all the forever we have as lovers, you and I. Afterlife, there's another kind of love waiting for us, one that's even better."

"Explain this to me."

"I can't. I don't know what it means, either. All I know is that I want you now. I want to kiss you and hold you. Will you let me do that?"

Hercules sighed again and met his eyes. He gazed at him with a little smile. "You look so much like Ares."

"And this is a problem?"

"Not really. Just that he tried to kill me. That didn't mean he was undesirable."

"Then you think I'm desirable?"

"Yes, I do." Hercules answered softly.

With passion, Nat kissed him.



PART THREE

Hercules moaned as the tenth kiss subsided. “I thought you were going to go slow.” He gazed lustingly at Nat’s impossibly full lower lip.

“So call a cop to give me a speeding ticket.” Nat said, and pulled his face close again. “Do you have any objections?” He kissed him again, and again.

“No, no objections. This just feels so strangely familiar.” Hercules said. “This has never happened before. I don’t understand why it would feel *familiar*.”

“You said I look like Ares. Maybe...”

“No, this never happened with him.”

“Why not?”

“Because he hates me.”

“How could anybody hate you?”

“I don’t know why. He’s Ares. He hates everybody.” Hercules kissed him again, and luxuriated in the after-sensation of it. “It feels as if I knew *you* before.”

“Maybe we’re right for each other. There is a recognition of the souls when you find the right person. My wife once told me that. She was a believer in Destiny and Romance.”

“So am I.” Hercules said.

“Good.” Nat gave him a lingering kiss. Then, he led Hercules by the hand from the living room to the bedroom.

~~~

“I can’t help but wonder why you look so much like him. You don’t just *resemble* him. You look exactly like him.” Hercules had been awake for some time, but was still snuggled in the man’s arms, lips still swollen from kisses. “The only ones who have the power to send a person back or forward in time are the gods. Ares has to be responsible for me being here.”

“And you came to this conclusion because I look like him?”

“It stands to reason! You are his descendant. He sent me here for a reason.”

“And what is that reason?”

“I don’t know.”

Nat cleared his throat and sat up. “If I am the descendant of Ares, why don’t I have powers?”

“Powers diminish with the mating of mortals. How many generations have gone by?” Hercules gave him a look of utter contempt.

“How the hell would *I* know?” Nat stared at him. “What’s the matter with you this morning? You were so sweet last night.”

Hercules closed his eyes and drew in a long breath. “I’m sorry. This isn’t your fault. I’m just...so...scared.” A sob caught in his throat.

Nat scooped him up in his arms and held him tightly. He kissed his forehead and murmured gentle words to him as he rocked him. The comfort had an opposite effect on the demi-god, and soon had him weeping aloud. Patiently, Nat continued to rock him, soothing him.

“I may never get back.” Hercules began brokenly, “I may never see my homeland again. Never see Iolaus or my mother or anybody I love again.”

Nat gave him a tighter squeeze. “I understand how you feel.” he said softly. He laid down with him again, pulled the covers up to their chins. “You have lost everything you are familiar with.” The emotional breakdown was not unexpected.

“Am I stuck here for the rest of my life?”

“If you are, I want it to be with me.” Nat knew the words fell far short of encouraging, but he had no idea what to say to reassure the misplaced man. “I can’t send you back, my love, but I can make your existence here more meaningful.”

Hercules clung to him. “Thank you, Nathaniel. You’re a good friend.”

“And if Ares sent you to me, maybe he will come and tell us why.”

The ringing phone startled Hercules. “What’s that?” he asked, looking around wildly. He sat up, preparing for battle.

Nat laughed. “It’s the phone.” he answered, and reached for the receiver. “Nat Jones.” he said. He listened to the caller, noticing Hercules interest in the device. The demi-god leaned forward, pressed his ear against the receiver. Nat lifted it slightly away from his own ear so he could hear, too.

“Nat, I have to see him again. Can you bring him in this evening about five o’clock? I’d like to do some sample tests on him.” It was the doctor’s voice.

“No, we have plans this evening.” Nat answered. “Why do you want to do sample tests?”

“You can’t keep him all to yourself! It isn’t fair! Just look what you’re hiding from the world! We can make millions!”

“How are we going to make millions? Put him in a sideshow and charge admission? Teach him to act and give him his own TV show? What do you have in mind, Doc?”

“We study him, write a book about him. Yes, maybe a TV show.”

“And just what would you call it? Hercules, The Legendary Journeys, or some silly title like that?”

“He’s too important to keep him a prisoner in your house, Nat. You can’t hide him from the world forever.”

“I suppose I could get him on as a pro-wrestler or in a strong man contest and make bets on him. He would be a definite winner in any event like that. Maybe even professional football. But you know what, Doc? I don’t think so.”

“What do you have in mind for him, Nathaniel? You making him your housekeeper?”

“He looks cute in an apron.” Nat answered, winking at Hercules.

“When can I see him again? I could stop by your house.”

“So you’re making house calls, now?”

“Say, tomorrow?”

“How about you just forget you ever met him, Doc? Just let it go, okay?”

The doctor sighed in annoyance. “Nat, he doesn’t belong to you.”

“Oh, but he does.” Nat disagreed. He took Hercules by the hand and lightly kissed the palm. “He *does* belong to me.” He hung up the phone and turned his full attention on the man in bed with him.


PART FOUR

“I belong to you?” Hercules caressed his cheek. “I’m your possession?”

“My love. My soul-mate. My significant other. And I’ll be yours. We’ll belong to each other. Will you let us be together this way?” Nat kissed him gently, slowly ran his fingers through his hair. “Will you be mine?”

Hercules blue eyes were suddenly filled with such desire and affection that a verbal response was not necessary. “I’m yours, Nathaniel.”

Nat pulled him into a crushing embrace and kissed him again, his hands circling manically on his muscular back. After several kisses, the hand gradually moved lower until it was circling on Hercules’ firm, round bottom. The fingers carefully slipped into the crack, located the hidden opening and traced the ring surrounding it. One finger probed carefully into him. “I want to make love to you.” he whispered. “Will you let me?”

“Yes.” Hercules said breathlessly. “Make love to me, Nathaniel.”

Nat wasted no time. He went for the lube on the bedside stand, positioned his lover on his back, lifted and parted his legs to rest them on his shoulders, and began to prepare him. Hercules was in a state of utter fascination as it began and when the first painful entry was made, he quickly overcame it. His expression transformed from a grimace to a clear illustration of eroticism in a few seconds. “Oh, yes,” he murmured heatedly. He raised his hips, met Nat’s slow strokes, urged him to go faster.

Nat marveled at him. “You’re more turned on than I am by this.” he said. “Be careful. I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You’re not hurting me. It feels good.” Hercules said, insistently drawing him in again.

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure! Oh! Stop talking and make love to me!”

Nat moved faster, watching his face. He wrapped his hand around Hercules’ cock and began to pump him in rhythm with his own strokes. The added stimulation was all it took to send the demi-god over the edge. He began to squirm and thrash beneath him, coming with the most explosive orgasm Nat had ever witnessed.

“Oh! Ares! Don’t stop yet! Oh!” he shouted in his moment of ecstasy.

Nat stopped in mid-thrust. “Ares?” he said.

Hercules’ orgasm died, his blue eyes focused on the face above him in confusion. “What? What are you talking about?”

“You called me Ares.”

“No, I didn’t.”

“Yes. You did.”

Hercules shivered. “I’m sorry. Forgive me, Nathaniel.”

Nat paused before he kissed him again. “It’s okay.” he said softly.

“Did you finish?”

“No, not yet.”

The golden moment had disappeared. Hercules’ blue eyes were worried. “I’m sorry, Nat. Please, be careful.”

Nat continued slowly, saw the discomfort in his face. After several painful strokes, he withdrew and flopped down beside him. “Not going to work.” he said.

Hercules sat up beside him and took his withering cock in hand. He began to masturbate him steadily until the hardness returned. “Now, do you want to try again?”

“No, just keep doing what you’re doing.” Nat answered, thrusting upward into his hand. “That’s good. Don’t stop.” He covered the demi-god’s hand with his own and completed the job, spurting his hot semen as he moaned passionately.

Hercules kissed him as he climaxed, then began to clean up the mess the two of them had made. His expression was solemn almost to the point of tears. “I really am sorry.” he said again.

“It’s okay, Precious. If you had some secret fantasy about Ares, I understand.”

The strong man fell into bed beside him. “I wish he was here. Maybe he could explain to us why this has happened.”

A sudden movement in the room startled them. They looked up into the sneering face of the dark-eyed god of war.



PART FOUR

“Hercules, what do you think you’re doing? Where are your clothes?” Ares blasted, accusingly pointing at his half-brother. "What have you done here?"

Hercules pulled up the covers to cover his nakedness. “This is none of your business, Ares! Did you send me here?”

“This was Discord’s work, not mine.” Ares studied Nat, stepping closer for a better look. “You’re a very handsome man, whoever you are.” he commented. “No wonder my brother was charmed enough to sleep with you in such a short time.”

“I believe it’s because I look so much like you.” Nat said with a sigh. “It’s you he’s in love with, not me. Go ahead, take him.”

Hercules looked around at him in horror. “You can’t just give me away!” he objected. “And what makes you think I’m in love with him? I told you, Ares wants me dead!”

“Maybe that’s what turns you on.” Nat said in a monotone. “It was *his* name you called out. Maybe you haven’t even admitted it to yourself, but it’s true, Precious. You’re in love with him.”

Ares squinted his eyes in scrutiny. “Tell me your name, Mortal.”

“Nathaniel Jones.”

“And tell me, Nathaniel Jones, how did you seduce him? What did you promise him?”

“I promised him I would be here for him. Nothing more.” Nat’s brown eyes, then his fingers went to Hercules’ face. “You’re so beautiful.” he said softly. “I wish you loved me as much as you love him.”

Ares rolled his eyes. “Stop it!” he cried out mockingly. “You’re breaking my heart here!”

Hercules was looking into Nat’s eyes. “I could if I stayed. If we could be together longer. I didn’t mean to call you Ares. If we....”

“Hercules, come on. Enough already.” Ares said commandingly. He held out a hand as if he expected to be blindly obeyed. “Let’s get out of here before you make a complete fool out of yourself.”

“If we spent more time together.” Hercules continued, ignoring the hand. “You’re such a sweet, kind, affectionate person. How could I *not* love you, Nathaniel?”

Ares took a deep breath to control his impatience. “Hercules! Let’s go. Give me your hand. Now! Leave the mortal and come with me. Iolaus is waiting for you. He’s been worried about you.”

“Iolaus?” The name brought Hercules’ attention around. “Is he okay?”

“He’s fine. Now get your ass over here and let me take you to him.”

“What about Nathaniel?”

“What about him?” Ares shrugged indifferently.

“Can you bring me back to see him again?”

“If you don’t get over here now, I can leave you here with him forever!” Ares temper was flaring. “Now, what’s it going to be? I’m putting myself out just being here to save your ass, you know. I didn’t have to come after you. This is a favor for your little blonde friend, who begged until I felt sorry for him!”

Tears brimmed in Hercules’ eyes. “Just a minute. Give me a minute.” He leaned to gently kiss Nat’s lips, then, reluctantly, crawled to the foot of the bed, reached out his hand to Ares. “All right! I’m ready.”

“You’re going naked?”

Hercules hurried off the bed and began to get dressed in his own leather pants and yellow, buttonless shirt. He pulled on his knee-high leather boots but left them untied. “I love you, Nat.” he said. Then, slowly, he approached Ares again, and took his outstretched hand.

“I love you, too, Precious.” Nat’s face faded away.

**********

The sensation of dizziness took him, and he collapsed in Ares’ arms. He was amazed that the god of war held him so protectively, but his dulled mind didn’t click until the bright light of day brought him back to awareness. His arms were tightly around the dark god’s neck, his face buried in his shoulder. Slowly, unsteadily, he pulled back to look around them. The familiar world was there again, no railroads or trains, no motorcars or overhead wires. No brick houses, or paved roads. He shivered and groaned as his knees buckled beneath him.

Ares caught him, pulled him close again and murmured into his ear, “You’re home, Hercules. And he’s thousands of years in the future. The two of you were never meant to meet. Forget him.”

“I can’t forget him. I’ll never forget him.”

“He’s already forgotten you. When we left, all memory of you was wiped from his mind.”

“Did you do that?”

“Yes, I did that.”

Hercules closed his eyes and went limp in his arms. “Thank you.” he said.

“I can do it for you, too, if you want me to.”

“No. I want to remember him. I never want to forget him. His memory is precious to me.”

“Precious.” Ares chuckled softly into his ear. “You, dear brother, *are* precious.”



the end