Hercules had made his way through the trees and reached the center of the grove. He pushed down his breeches, critically eyeing the body of water before him. *Enchanted, hm? Maybe I ought to wait till Iolaus checks that map.*

He completely ignored the boy who was sitting on a the big rock that jutted out into the water. He looked to be about fourteen or fifteen--old enough for the voice to begin to drop, but not quite up to shaving yet. He was very short and thin, but he still didn't appear frail. Instead exuded an air of lean, nervous energy. In fact, anyone seeing him would have been surprised at how still he was sitting. He looked like he should be at least fidgeting, if not bouncing off any available walls. He had gingery red hair that almost seemed to explode off his head, like dandelion fluff. Mint-green eyes were studying the newly arrived hero with acute interest. "What're ya thinking about, mister?"

Hercules didn't even glance at him. Hercules' voice was musing, "Enchanted spring, huh? Maybe I'd better wait till Iolaus checks that map."

A grin spread over the youngster's features. "Don't look like a spring to me."

"I don't even think that's a spring," Hercules muttered. "It looks more like a pond. Still..." he trailed off.

"Even if it IS a spring, dont'cha think there's more than ONE in this neck of the woods?"

"Besides, there must be LOTS of springs around here. What are the odds that this is the one he's thinking about?"

"Yeah, and the old geezer who made up the map in the first place was whacko, right?"

Hercules didn't speak this time--but he thought. As for the question of the enchanted spring--he rather doubted it. Iphicles had informed him that the map of the area they were to visit was particularly unreliable. "The map is nearly thirty years out of date, and the man who drew it up was... fanciful, to say the least," Iphicles had admitted. "In fact, he spent the last few years of his life cultivating seaweed."

Hercules had shrugged. "That's a little eccentric, sure, but not necessarily crazy."

"He was doing it in his bathing tub. And about a hundred wash basins. And an assortment of damp sponges. Even that wouldn't have been so bad, but when he began to try to organize sea horse races in the Royal Garden's bird bath, complete with a betting system..."

The boy seemed to have been following Hercules' train of thought. "Right! And he would have used sea monkeys for jockeys. LOOK at it!" Hercules studied the water again. It was tiny, but pristine. The water was gently green, and looked incredibly cool and inviting. "Ain't that the most inviting thing you've ever seen? Wouldn't you rather dive into that than kiss a beautiful woman?" There was an almost infinitesimal nod. "Almost gotcha!" The boy tapped his chin. "What would be the clincher? Gimme an idea, mister."

"I suppose I could live with my own smell for another couple of days..."

The boy sat up straighter, eyes gleaming. "But what about ya friend--whatsisname? Iolaus? He don't like BO, does he? Smell ya pits."

Hercules lifted his arm, leaning down for a sniff. A spasm of dismay crossed his face. He headed right toward the rock where the boy was seated. The boy had to leap out of the way to avoid being trampled as Hercules dashed to the end of the rock and dived off. He wasn't a trained diver, but he usually managed to cut the water pretty cleanly when he tried. This time he did a belly flop.

The boy squealed, dancing back to avoid the fine spray that showered out. He danced around in a circle, as if suddenly energized. "Gotcha, gotcha, gotcha!" he crowed. "Oh, MAN, what a buzz!" He giggled as he watched the man swimming. "Now, aint'cha glad you gave in?"

Iolaus had reached the pond, map clutched in hand. He ignored the boy, too. "Look, there's no mistaking it--this is the spring. The mapmaker even indicated the grove, and..." He looked up. "You didn't!"

Hercules stopped to tread water, and shrugged sheepishly. "Sorry, Iolaus, but for some reason I just couldn't resist. Besides, nothing is happening."

Disgusted, Iolaus threw the map down. "This is a Tartarus of a time to lose your good judgment! You just don't mess around when it comes to magic, Herk."

The boy, who had been eyeing Iolaus speculatively, paled suddenly. He looked at the swimmer. "Herk?" He looked back at the irritated blond man. "Iolaus? Iolaus--HERCULES? Oh, FUCK!"

Whim, God of Sudden Impulses, decided it was high time he started searching for hiding places, and disappeared in a shower of orange sparks.

Unexpected, 3

*Okay, I've got to stay angry. Never mind the fact that what I really want is for him to turn over and float on his back so I can get a really good look. After all, this isn't the first time I've seen Herk naked... and wet. But BOY, he looks good wet and naked. Naked is fine, but wet just adds another dimension, what with the glistening and... FOCUS, Iolaus, FOCUS.* "Herk, has it occurred to you that maybe the spell opens up a passage in the bottom of the spring that let's fish from another place swim in? Like maybe those teeny ones with big teeth and bigger appetites that the Nubian traveler told us about?"

Hercules paled, hands disappearing under the water. Iolaus knew where they were going. A woman swimming in unfamiliar water might be nervous about fish nibbling her toes--men instinctively protected OTHER parts of their bodies. "Is... is the map marked like that?"

Iolaus relented. "No, it doesn't say what kind of spell, and I'm pretty sure it isn't carnivorous fish. I think those have to have water that's almost bath temperature to survive."

"Well, our baths..."

"...aren't very warm most of the time. You know what I mean."

"Come to think of it, I DID sort of feel a tingle when I hit the water. I figured it was just my body adjusting to the sudden coolness."

"No, that would be your nipples getting hard and your balls trying to crawl up your butt. Tingling is not a good sign. I want you out of there, right now." Hercules swam toward shore. Iolaus came farther down the bank, as if to urge his friend on. "C'mon."

On Olympus, Whim had secreted himself in the closet of the tiny room assigned to him in the Temple of War. He'd flashed in a small scrying mirror, and was keeping an eye on the situation. When he saw Iolaus approaching the water, he started to sweat lightly. He noticed that the bank was a little slippery, and he started to twitch. He muttered, "Nonononono. Ain't gonna do it. My ass is in a deep enough crack as it is." He noticed that Hercules was having a tiny bit of difficulty wading out, since the slope in the spring was steep. Hercules staggered a bit, almost slipping, and Iolaus leaned over a little, reaching out a helping hand.

True to his nature and his godhood, Whim couldn't pass up the impulse. There was a brief flash of orange as he materialized behind Iolaus. Still invisible, he cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted to Hercules. "DUCK!"

Both of the men reacted, but in different manners. Hercules had gripped Iolaus' hand, ready to use the hold to steady himself as he climbed out of the water. Iolaus gave in to a sudden urge to duck, squatting swiftly. Since that put him a little off balance, it made Hercules' response even easier. He just jerked--hard. Iolaus found himself pulled off his feet, and he landed on Hercules. Hercules immediately released Iolaus' hand, grabbed a double handful of blond hair--and ducked him. Whim, mission accomplished, flashed out again, wondering if there was any way he could sneak into Asphodel, since that was probably the last place anyone would look for him, and the most likely place he'd end up when everyone figured out he was responsible for this.

Iolaus came up spluttering. "I... wha... you... HERK!" He paused, going very still. "You're right, there IS a distinct all over tingle. That said, I'm getting the fuck out of here." They both scrambled up onto dry land. As they stood there dripping, Iolaus studied Hercules. "Would you mind telling me what the Tartarus has gotten into you? It was irresponsible enough to go jumping in after I warned you, but to drag ME in..."

"Okay, okay--I'm sorry about that. I don't know why I did it. It just seemed like a good idea at the time. Can you explain why you acted like there was someone behind you taking a swing at your head with a mace?"

Iolaus opened his mouth to reply, then closed it. He shrugged. "Same thing. It just seemed logical." He wrung water out of his vest. "Well, nothing has happened. Maybe you're right--maybe the map is wrong, and..."

Hercules suddenly drew in a great, whooping breath. The tingling was suddenly back, but this time it was a lot stronger, a lot warmer, and it was centered in his crotch. He could feel the heated blood pumping through his veins, and it all seemed to be headed for his cock.

"Herk?" Iolaus said, concerned. That gasp had sounded a little worrying. He looked at Hercules, dreading what he might find. He half expected Hercules to have sprouted fur, a tail, more legs, maybe a second head--or breasts. No, he'd sprouted something, but it was completely male, and entirely natural. Of course, Nature had been quite generous with Hercules to start with, so the erection jutting from his groin was pretty impressive. "Uh... Okay, maybe that's the spell on the spring. A spell of horniness."

Hercules was staring at him. "Did you know that you have gold flecks in your eyes?"

Iolaus blinked. "Possibly horniness and distraction."

"No, really." Hercules reached out, one finger settling lightly just at the corner of Iolaus' eye. "Like little gilt flakes. Why haven't I noticed that before?"

Iolaus shivered. The simple touch was sending a surge of warmth through him. "I'd say we both needed a cold bath right now, but with what the one we just had seems to be doing..."

"But the flecks are a darker gold than your hair." Now Hercules had run his hand back into Iolaus' damp curls. "Your hair is more sunshiny."

Iolaus blinked. "Herk? Take a minute here. You're not thinking clearly. You just used the term 'sunshiny'."

"I never much thought about your nickname--the Golden Hunter--but it's very appropriate. The eyes, the hair..." Hercules' hand slid down Iolaus' throat, coming to rest flat on his chest. "The tan. I can't remember--do you have a tan line?"

Hercules' hand slid a little father, grazing a nipple. It had been beginning to firm already--now it stiffened into a pebbled nub. "Hoo." Iolaus glanced down and saw that the front of his own breeches was emphatically tented. He looked back up at his friend. Sure, they'd had sex together before--just stroking each other to completion, but that damn sure counted as sex. *But Herk has never initiated it, and he's never indicated he wanted to go any farther than that. I've been wanting to fuck him for years, but... I don't know. Just about anyone else, I wouldn't be shy about asking, but he's different. He's my friend, and I wouldn't want to suggest anything that might put him off. No matter how much I desire him, I don't want any more than what we have if it means he'll be uncomfortable. Our friendship is too important to risk it for sex. I mean, I know it would be more than sex for me, and I THINK it would for him, but I don't think he really knows what he wants. I should walk away, right now. We're both obviously under some sort of influence, and if anything happens...* Hercules pinched gently. *It'll be one of the best screws of my life.* Hercules' hand slid lower, down Iolaus' belly, and dipped under his waistband. *And he sure as fuck is ACTING like he knows what he wants.* Iolaus found that his voice was a little choked. "What are you doing?"

"Checking for tan lines." Hercules tugged, and Iolaus breeches slid lower on his hips. "Nothing so far."

"Herk, as much as I'm enjoying this, I think I ought to tell you that I believe that the water has something to do with it."

"Then we'll have to make sure that the spring is well marked on the map, so we can find our way back when we want to." Hercules tugged, and Iolaus breeches dropped around his knees. "Huh, no tan line at all! How have you managed that without my knowing?"

"Those naps I occasionally take on inn and stable roofs. I'm not hiding just so no one will wake me up."

Hercules reached down and drew a fingertip up the underside of Iolaus' straining erection. "Don't you have to worry about splinters in your ass?"

Iolaus was feeling a bit surreal; having such a casual conversation while his best friend was doing something so deliciously dirty to him. "Maybe straw. Most of the roofs are thatched, so..."

"Do you suppose grass would tickle as much as straw?"

"Huh?"

Hercules grabbed Iolaus' shoulders and pushed, following him down, and ended up lying on top of the smaller man. "Does it tickle?"

"I dunno. I'll have to move my ass before I can tell." Iolaus humped upward.

Their erections slid together, and both hissed. Hercules, hands now planted on either side of his shoulders, gazed down into his eyes. "Well?"

"Yeah, it tickles some, but friction can be a GOOD thing, don'tcha think?"

"Definitely."

They squirmed together, painting warm, slick trails on each others thighs and bellies with pre-come. Iolaus was immensely enjoying the feel of Hercules pressing him down into the grass with his solid weight. While the Golden Hunter was usually the aggressor, he had absolutely no trouble with bottoming. Since he figured Hercules WOULD have a problem with catching rather than tossing, Iolaus was more than willing to let his friend take the lead the first time they went beyond a friendly handjob.

Then Hercules sat up, bracing his knees on either side of Iolaus' hips, reaching between them to stroke Iolaus' cock. He gripped it firmly, then rose a little higher on his knees, shifting forward.

Iolaus' eyes flew wide open. *He CAN'T be getting ready to do what I think he is!* Hercules started to sink down. Iolaus' hands shot out, gripping Hercules around the waist firmly. "Waitwaitwait! Herk, you don't know what you're doing."

Hercules' expression was still glazed with lust, but it also had that stubborn cast that Iolaus was very familiar with. "I may not have ever done it, Iolaus, but I'm not ignorant. I know the different things men can do together, and I want this."

"No, you don't." Hercules eyebrows lowered, and Iolaus felt him begin to push down. "Waitwaitwait! Let me rephrase that--you don't want to do it like THIS. Herk, under the best of circumstances losing your anal cherry can be uncomfortable--but from above, unprepared, with no lubrication? Can you say 'ow'?"

Hercules paused, looking a little doubtful. "Pretty bad?"

"Let me put it this way--you'd probably mince more than Jayce for a LONG time."

Hercules was still stroking him. "But I WANT this."

Iolaus could feel his good intentions slipping farther away with each glide. "And you think I DON'T? Look, I know more about this than you do. I won't promise you that the first time will shake like Atlas dropped the Earth, but if you trust me, I think I can at least keep you from regretting it every time you sit down for the next week."

"If you're going to say I should wait..."

"Can you wait long enough for me to get something out of my pocket? Sit back." When Hercules didn't move, Iolaus put his hands flat on his friend's chest and pushed. "As much as I hate to tell you to let go of my dick, you have to let me sit up so I can reach." Hercules rocked back on his heels, releasing his hold, and Iolaus sat up. He scrabbled, and managed to reach his breeches, which were still tangled around his knees. He dug in his pocket and triumphantly came up with a small vial. "Eureka, and other exclamations of joy!" He opened the vial and poured a little clear oil into his palm. Re-corking the vial, he began to carefully coat his fingers.

Hercules watched, shifting almost anxiously. "You carry that all the time?"

Iolaus nodded. "Hey, you have to work at spontaneity." He glanced at Herk, who looked puzzled. "I've had to empty my pockets before. You've seen this."

"I didn't realize you used it for... uh..."

"Sheesh, Herk, what did you think? I was carrying it in case I got a sudden urge to bake bread? Scoot off. I'm not going to let you try this position till you have a little experience under your belt..." he chuckled, "or under THE belt, as the case may be."

"What should I do?"

"Given our height difference, and the fact that I REALLY don't think I'm going to have the patience for a lot of careful adjustment, I'd say lay on your belly for the first time."

"Okay." Hercules stretched out quickly. "What are you waiting for?"

"Damn, give me a second. I'm admiring the view."

"Well, hurry up, would you? There isn't a hole under me, but there will be soon, and it's pretty damn uncomfortable."

"Herk, you are going to be what is called a bossy bottom, and I'm not the least bit surprised. Have you ever had anything other than a wild hair up your ass?"

"Uh... no."

"Brace yourself, then. I'm going to be careful, but it's probably still going to seem a little rude at first, buddy."

Hercules gripped handfuls of grass as he felt Iolaus spread his buttocks. He shuddered as oil was wiped down his crack, then massaged around his anus. He could feel himself beginning to tense up, then he heard Iolaus' soothing voice, "Don't tighten up, Herk. Just try to relax. It's all right. Any time you need me to stop, just tell me, and I will." And he meant it, too. *I might end up with my bottled up sperm turning my balls as blue as the Aegean right before it blows the top of my head off, but I'll stop.*

As Iolaus watched, he could see the muscles in Hercules' back and shoulders slowly loosen as he relaxed, and he could feel the springy circle of muscle he was rubbing softening, beginning to spread slightly. He was suddenly struck by how much Hercules must trust him to be able to make himself this vulnerable. A strong determination to make sure Hercules didn't regret this rose up.

He gripped Hercules' shoulder with one hand. "Herk? Don't tense, and take a deep breath, okay?"

"Okay."

In the midst of mind-melting lust, the smallness of his friend's reply got through to Iolaus. He was gentle to the point of tenderness as he slid the first finger into Hercules' back passage. The intrusion was so careful that there was scarcely any discomfort, and Hercules relaxed even further as Iolaus began to slide his finger in and out.

Hercules closed his eyes, concentrating on the sensations. He was wondering why he'd never tried something like this before. *Well, maybe not WITH someone, but I could have reached and tried it myself.* He groaned happily as a second finger pressed into him, then slid deep. Iolaus grazed a certain spot deep inside. There was a hot burst of pleasure, and Hercules jerked hard, eyes flying open. He also thrust against the ground--probably not the best move. "OW!"

"I'm sorry!" Iolaus yelped, freezing. His first instinct was to jerk free of Hercules' body, but he realized that might have hurt even worse.

"It wasn't anything you did," Hercules assured him, voice strained. "I just have to remember that trying to actually fuck solid ground isn't a good idea. What WAS that?"

"That would be your prostate. I met this nutty philosopher once--Freuditas I think his name was, and he had this theory that women were envious of men's, um, equipment, but I think he meant dicks. As fond as I am of mine, I don't see it, but I can see where the gals got shortchanged in not being given a prostate."

"Iolaus? Could you shut up a minute and do that again?"

Iolaus found himself smiling. "Bossy as Tartarus." He probed again. This time Hercules' reaction was less violent. It consisted of a squirm, and a purr. Iolaus liked that sound so much that he spent a good, long time massaging the spongy bump, feeling Hercules relax and warm even more. Finally he said, "Herk, are you really sure about this? To mangle the speeches of some priests, speak now, or prepare to get a piece."

"I've always known you could talk the hind-leg off an oxen, but you pick the damnedest times."

"I mean it, Herk. If you don't say something quick, you're going to get fucked into next week."

Hercules twisted his head and looked back over his shoulder. His pupils were dilated with desire, making his eyes look almost back, and his voice was rough. "Promises, promises."

There was a challenge in that tone that spurred Iolaus into action. "And I can keep them." He crawled over Hercules, spreading himself atop his friend's larger body. One of Iolaus' hands spread Hercules' buttocks, and the other wrapped around his own cock, guiding it.

Hercules buried his face in the cool grass as he felt himself breached. First there was a hot nudge at his slightly aching hole, and then more stretching. He closed his eyes, biting down on his bottom lip as he was filled. It hurt, but it felt good, too, and it the pleasure was FAR outweighing the discomfort. Besides, this was Iolaus. If ANYONE could make this act pleasurable, surely it would be him.

Iolaus wanted to crow as he was engulfed by the tight heat of Hercules' body, but for once in his life, he restrained himself. This was special, Herk was special--not some tavern pick-up to show off for. He just hoped that Herk was as excited as he was, because he didn't think he was going to be able to last long, and he wanted it to be good for Herk, too.

Normally he'd have tried to tease things out, keeping his lover on the edge for as long as possible, but mindful of how close he was to the edge, he acted accordingly. Iolaus reached under Hercules, wrapped a hand around the demi-god's hard cock, and started to fist him in time to his strokes.

The burning ache had lessened to not much more than a memory very quickly. The electric bursts of sensation every time Iolaus' cock scraped over his prostate pretty much made it fade into the background. Now Hercules couldn't decide whether to push back and drive Iolaus in even deeper, or thrust forward into the tight grip stroking his cock. He quickly decided that he didn't WANT to decide--and did both.

It didn't last long. Very soon Hercules was ripping up handfuls of grass as he reached his climax, sprinkling the cool, tickling grass beneath him with his seed. The hard, squeezing ripple of his lover's back passage did the trick for Iolaus, and he came seconds after Hercules. Herk jerked again at the novel, but very erotic, sensation--a hot, liquid gush in what felt like the very core of his being.

They lay still for a moment, layered together, still connected by Iolaus' softening member. After a moment Iolaus pulled out, moving very carefully. There was still a wincing grunt from Hercules. The adrenaline, and other hormones, had begun to drop, and certain aches and pains were beginning to announce themselves.

Iolaus sat back, staring at Hercules, who still lay sprawled on his face. "Herk? Are you...?"

"I'm fine."

There was a brief silence. "I mean, if you need..."

"I said I'm fine, Iolaus. I just don't feel like talking right now." The haze he'd been in since he'd dived into the spring had faded away suddenly, almost at the second he'd climaxed. *What have I DONE? Zeus, I practically raped Iolaus. He must think I'm either crazy, or a slut.*

Iolaus dug in his breeches pocket and came up with a cloth. He nudged Hercules till his friend looked at him, then offered it. "It's clean." Hercules raised an eyebrow questioningly. "For... uh..." He made a swiping motion. "Usually after... I'd usually suggest a bath, but considering the last time we got wet..."

Hercules took the cloth. "Thanks." He got up, getting his pants from where he'd dropped them earlier. "I'm just going to go over into the trees and..."

"Yeah, right." Avoiding looking at Hercules now, not wanting his friend to feel any more embarrassed, Iolaus began to dress, too. "Maybe we can pass on the fresh fish tonight. Dried fish isn't too bad. I can stand one more night. Or maybe I could snare a couple of rabbits for later. Nice grove like this, there are bound to be some rabbit trails." *I'm babbling. I'm usually pretty smooth with my bed partners. What have I gotten myself into?*

"Sounds good. You do that, and I'll go set up camp." Hercules, now decently clad, started through the woods.

As they separated, both had very similar thoughts.

*I wonder if we're ever going to be able to talk about this?*

Iolaus was rubbing his face. *Oh, man. Post-coital awkwardness to the max. I should have remembered how strained it can get when friends become lovers. Yeah, we had sex before, but this took it to a WHOLE 'nother level, and we both know it.*

Unexpected 4

About the Time Hercules and Iolaus Are at the Spring

Cupid and Strife had managed a rare afternoon to themselves. Since the Gods of War and Peace were busy, Imp and Bliss were currently driving Ares' and Joxer's priests crazy. Strife had slipped Bliss a roughly plank-sized slab of chocolate before sending them off (he was looking forward to a lot of mischief energy when the sugar-rush set in). Accord, being the God of Mediation, was doing his level best to keep the peace between his hyperactive relations and his daddies' mortals, but even a god can't achieve much when he's only three years old, and suffering from chocolate induced hyperactivity himself.

Cupid and Strife had enjoyed some 'afternoon delight', and had then indulged in a nap. Now they were just lying, tangled together, lazily talking about nothing in particular.

There wasn't any warning. Suddenly Cupid felt Strife stiffen. He looked up quickly to see his husband's eyes suddenly widen. He'd seen this before, and, not desiring to lose any skin or feathers unless he had to, disengaged quickly, almost falling off the bed in his haste to release Strife from his embrace. He was just barely in time. Strife jumped up so quickly that he almost seemed to levitated, and he hit the ground... skipping. And cackling with wild glee. Cupid sat up and enjoyed the sight. After all, Strife was still naked.

Cupid knew that there was some Mischief with a capital M going on somewhere. Every God got a constant trickle of energy from their worshippers--the simple fact of the mortals' belief gave a low grade charge. It was always there, and since it was constant, most gods weren't really aware of it, unless something disrupted it. For instance, there were always people in love and having sex, so Aphrodite's 'batteries' never really went low. People were always falling in love, or developing crushes or infatuations, so Cupid had a generous supply of power. And Strife...

Considering the fact that most animals, all children, and a good portion of adults were natural mischief makers, Cupid was surprised that Strife wasn't one of the more powerful gods. He figured that a lot of the energy that could go to Strife was instead shunted off to, say, Ares and Discord, or even himself and 'Dite. But the divinities also received bursts of energy when something significant associated with their godhood occurred. Strife was getting a lot better at handling these unexpected bursts of massive mischief energy--he didn't literally bounce off the walls any more. Cupid raised his voice, calling, "This looks like a good one, babe."

Strife managed to stand still for a second, shaking his hands hard, since it was impossible for him to actually avoid movement when he was in this state. "Hot DAMN, Cupe! Yow! It's like suddenly gettin ta JUST tha right level of drunk, seein yer mortal enemy do somethin that will make him go down in history as tha biggest jackass evah, eatin chocolate, bein tickled, havin a mind-blowin orgasm, and findin out that Gabrielle is gonna have laryngitis fah tha rest of her life-- all at tha same time."

Cupid blinked. "Wow. I wish I could get that, too." Cupid's eyes suddenly went wide, and his wings shot out to full spread, giving a big flap. "WOW! And I MEAN that!"

Strife bounced up onto the bed. "Oo, someone's gettin some pretty spectacularly, huh?"

Cupid was beginning to flush. "We're talking Love AND Lust. I'd bet you a cart of dinars that Mom is about to jump Heph."

"Cupe? We're gods--dinars mean nothin ta us."

"You know what I mean." Cupid grabbed Strife and slammed him down on his back, climbing on top of him.

Strife cackled. "I love it when this happens. Someone else gets nooky--I get nooky." They'd had a couple of hours to recuperate from their last bout of love-making, but even if they hadn't, it wouldn't have been a problem. The sort of energy they were getting was more effective than Viagra with a Spanish Fly chaser.

A little later they were in pretty much the same position as they'd started--tangled together, but this time they were sweat slick, and moving past relaxed into pooped. Strife yawned hugely, and Cupid said, "Cover your mouth when you do that."

Strife grinned at him lazily. "Nah. You do it." He yawned again. Cupid covered his mouth--with his own. After a minute of tongue wrestling they broke apart again, and Strife sighed, "Sometimes even mannahs can be fun. Ya know, I hope I can find out what caused that burst of energy. If someone in particular is responsible, I'd kinda like ta thank 'em. Mebbe make sure they don't get caught in any tavern brawls or riots fah tha next year."

"Me, too. If it turns out that this is just an infatuation, I'll ask Mom to see what she can do about making it more permanent." He thought, then rubbed his chin on Strife's shoulder, getting a half-hearted murmur about whisker burn. "But you know what, Strife? That didn't exactly feel like a 'lust at first sight'. Well, not JUST that, anyway. It had some real oomph behind it."

"Yah? How so?"

"Well, you know there's different levels of this--from puppy love up to soul mates."

Strife nodded. "Right. From Meg's 'hello, sailor'" he cuddled against Cupid, "ta you 'n me, Ares an' Joxer, Romeo an' Juliet..."

"Who?"

"Ya don't gotta worry about them fah quite a while."

"I need to try to find out who this involved, because there's the possibility that the ones involved might mistake this for a quick, passionate fling."

"What's wrong with that?"

Cupid smiled at Strife indulgently. "There's nothing wrong with quick, passionate flings. But this..." He tapped Strife's nose. "This has the potential to be so much more--something deep and lasting. Wouldn't you wish that for anyone?"

"Sure." Strife giggled. "Cept maybe certain people--like Gabby, or Herc..."

"Strife..."

"I know, I know. I don't really mean it. Aftah all, we all know that Zeen an' Gabby are tha proverbial soul mates, an' it don't seem ta have mellowed either of 'em. But, maybe gettin somethin good in Herc's life would make 'im easier ta live with. He wasn't such a pain in tha but tha two times he was married." Strife sighed and snuggled closer to Cupid. "But knowin tha person in question, it's not like him findin anothah lastin relationship is somethin we need ta worry about."

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

*Wouldn't you know it. The one time I could use a little time to think, the damn rabbits practically come and jump in my lap.*

Iolaus was disengaging a very plump rabbit from a snare. He'd known when he found this little trail that it should be a good place to set traps, but this was almost ridiculous. Three times he'd barely moved out of sight of a set snare before hearing the thrashing and high pitched squealing that told him another unwary rabbit was headed for the roasting spit. As much as he wanted a little more time to think, he couldn't justify going for any more game. One apiece and a spare was reasonable--even generous. Since they didn't have any means of preservation, any more would be a waste.

He snapped the rabbit's neck with a humane, quick twist, saying, "Sorry, Fuzzy. Hey, if you can't look where you're going any better than that, a fox or an owl would've gotten you soon, anyway. I just wish I could promise you that we're going to appreciate you more than we would. Herc really likes roasted rabbit. But I have a feeling neither one of us is going to be much in the mood to relish supper tonight. And I must be really bad off, because not only am I talking to a rabbit--I'm talking to a DEAD rabbit."

He sighed, then decided he'd gain a little more time by dressing the rabbits here instead of at camp. There was a convenient stump nearby, so he took a seat, unsheathed his knife, and got to work. Maybe by the time he finished Hercules would have gotten a little more at ease with what had happened.

He snorted softly. *Yeah. And maybe his dad will win the Faithful Husband of the Year Award.*

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Traveling light was a necessity on a trip like this, but for once Hercules wished they were loaded down with equipment and supplies. Then he could have occupied himself a bit longer in setting up camp. It only took a couple of moments to dig a fire pit, and he couldn't devote a lot of time to gathering fire wood, since there was a good supply scattered around the chosen camp site.

He got ready to spread the bed rolls, then stopped, staring at the two innocuous looking bundles of blankets. He realized that he and Iolaus usually spread their bedding right next to each other, without discussion. It had been like that for as long as he could remember, and he'd never seen anything odd about it. Now...

*Do I put my bed next to his, or does he put his bed next to mine? We must've done it a couple of thousand times, and for the life of me, I can't remember now. We just always end up side-by-side, almost touching most of the time.*

He closed his eyes in dismay. *Zeus, I hope I haven't been just doing that, assuming it was all right, and he's just been too polite to say anything. Maybe he's just been trying not to hurt my feelings. Maybe he lays there all night thinking he feels like he's going to be smothered by my closeness. Maybe I should stop thinking about this before I give myself a complex.* He glanced down and realized that he'd been wringing his hands. *Maybe it's too late for that. Maybe I ought to go ahead and do something to distract myself.*

He carefully built a pile of fuel and started it going. He realized that this activity was not going to work as a distraction, because he found himself thinking about the way Iolaus' hair glinted in the fire light, and the way his face would flush when he leaned in close to warm himself.

*This is ridiculous. Okay--we had sex...* He was sitting beside the fire, and now he shifted slightly, wincing when his ass ached. *Boy, did we have sex. That spring was DAMN sure hexed somehow, because I've never even considered doing anything like that before.*

Hercules poked at the fire with a stick, stubbornly trying to ignore the little voice in the back of his mind that was whispering that maybe he hadn't DONE something like that before, but he had damn sure THOUGHT about it.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Hercules was eyeing the third rabbit. Iolaus said, "Go on, you have it."

"Are you sure?" Hercules was already reaching for the spit.

"Yeah."

"Thanks. You haven't eaten much."

Iolaus knew his reputation for his appetite. Confrontations about misappropriated food weren't rare. Iolaus didn't really STEAL, but he was very good at rationalizing when his stomach was empty. He shrugged. "I know. For some reason I'm just not that hungry."

"Really?" Hercules responded between tearing off mouthfuls of succulent meat. "For some reason I'm starving."

"Exercise will do that to you." Hercules froze, and Iolaus suddenly realized how that sounded. "All that walking we did today. Walk, walk, walk--and up hill most of the way, too. Then there was the swimming--that'll wear you out, and... uh..." He trailed off. "Boy, that's a good sized pile of wood you gathered!"

"Yeah. You know, I don't guess I want the rest of this after all. I'll just put it in the bag, and we can have it for breakfast."

"Good idea. I hope we come to another village soon. The last chunk of bread is getting a little, er, obstinate."

Hercules, who had just put away the rabbit, reached down and tapped his knuckle against the bread. There was a hollow rapping sound. "Oh, I don't know... Boil it for a couple of hours, pound it for awhile, get a good sharp axe to slice it..." He thumped it again. "Or we could save it for the next time we need to crack nuts."

Hercules closed the bag and picked up his bedroll, being careful to keep his back to Iolaus so that his friend wouldn't see the expression of conflicting emotions he knew he wouldn't be able to suppress. "I think we... I'll just turn in now. We'll be able to reach that next village on the map, if we start in good time and don't dawdle."

"I do not dawdle," Iolaus protested as he watched Hercules spread his blankets. "I stride, stroll, amble, and occasionally meander, but I don't dawdle."

They'd been sitting on opposite sides of the fire, and Hercules was spreading his roll right where he'd been sitting. Iolaus glanced at his own bundle, which was sitting right beside him. He wanted to lie beside Hercules, like usual. *Hell, I want to lay CLOSER than usual. I want to crawl under that damn blanket with him. I want to BE his blanket. But to lay next to him, like usual, I'll have to pick up my roll and walk around the fire--make a deliberate move. And if he's deliberately lying down over there--maybe he doesn't WANT me to. Maybe he wants some space.*

Iolaus stifled a sigh. Some men never grasped the fact that you couldn't force intimacy. Oh, you might be able to physically over come someone's resistance, but that wasn't INTIMACY. People who had that mindset were potential rapists, or at the very least exploiters, as far as Iolaus was concerned--and he wasn't like that.

He knew that true closeness had to be mutual. He thought that he had that with Hercules--after a fashion. But he thought that Hercules either didn't realize it for what it was, or wasn't ready to admit it to himself--or anyone else. So, for the time being, he decided that it would be better not to push things. He spread his blankets on his own side of the fire and settled down. "Good night, Herc."

"Good night."

Silence descended, broken only by the snap of the fire, and the occasional stealthy sound of some night animal going about its business. Hercules lay on his back, staring up at the sky. He tried to trace the pictures in the stars, picking out the constellations that represented the different gods and goddesses. He didn't expect to go to sleep, but he did--eventually.

Right before he dropped off he thought, rather wistfully, "I guess he didn't feel like walking the few extra steps over here."