Title: Strange Mutant in a Stranger Land

Author: mishap

Rating: NC-17 eventually

Fandom: Xena/Herc Xmen crossover

Disclaimer: Any rights I am entitled to I freely give back to the copyrighted owners. I own nothing and make no claims.

Pairing: Ares/Joxer, Logan/Remy

Status: WIP

Series:??

Archive: AJCS, and others ask and you shall receive.

Warning: If you are not 18 and don't like m/m relationships don't read this.

Notes: First Xmen.

Summary: Logan and Remy take a strange trip

Strange Mutant in a Stranger Land
By mishap

It was supposed to be a routine pickup Charles Xavier the founder and backbone of the X-Men, a group of so called mutant `terrorists', had picked up a powerful emerging mutant signature in rural Canada sending out telepathic distress signals. Since it was in an area familiar to Wolverine, he was sent along with the empathic Cajun, Gambit to assess the situation and bring the child in if it was needed.

They landed the mini-jet outside of the small Canadian backwoods town. Expecting an uproar from the briefing that Xavier had given them on the emerging mutant and the distress that being
broadcast loud enough for Cerebro to pick up on. The town was eerily quiet.

"Logan, de kid is in 'dis direction." Remy gestured towards a grassy area in the town square.

"Somethin' ain't right here gumbo." Logan half growled to his companion as he scanned the area. "It's too quiet, I can't hear anybody moving around. I can't smell blood or anything out of the
ordinary. It's only ten o'clock somebody should be at least moving around."

"Let's get de kid an' t'en we can check it out. De kid is scared, I can feel his fear, he don' have no idea what's happenin'." Remy suggested. "He's real close."

Using Remy's empathy and Logan's heightened senses they tracked the young mutant to a tool shed in the small park. Opening the door cautiously a soft glow illuminated the tool shed emanating from a small form lying curled on the floor.

Remy moved to check on the oddly still figure as he knelt beside the child and reached out to check his pulse, Logan's instincts kicked into overdrive.

Logan grabbed the Cajun's arm to pull him away as Gambit's hand touched the child's throat. `Remy don't—" the rest of his words remained unspoken as Remy's touch triggered a response.

As they are thrown away by a telekinetic shockwave the softly glowing light explodes into a white-hot glare. An observer would have seen the pair of mutants two men becoming four. One pair is drawn away in a rotating vortex that opens a hole in the fabric of space and time and draws them in. The second pair left unconscious next to the young mutant they had come to help.

The two tumble through a passage formed of a gray nothingness. The passage opens again spilling them out sprawling in a heap.

Logan was instantly on feet the Cajun followed a heart beat later. Using his heightened senses he scanned area. Other than a man fighting and thrashing his way out of a blanket the place appeared deserted. Relaxing slightly the claws that he had reflexively extended during their inadvertent journey slid away with a quiet snikt. Studying his surroundings the warmth and much different scents he judged they were no longer in Canada. Gesturing toward the man still trying to stand he spoke to Gambit, "you better untangle him before he rolls in the fire. I'm gonna take a quick look around."

Logan ran a quick survey of the area his instincts were telling him that something wasn't right and things just got stranger and stranger. A quick glance at the verified the stars appeared familiar but their placement was skewed.

Heading back to the clearing we'd arrived in he met Remy a few yards from the campsite. "Gumbo, what the hell are ya doin'? I thought you had enough sense to keep an eye on that guy," he growled disgustedly.

He answered, "Mon ami, de only way 'dat Joxer would hurts us is by falling' on us. He's as crazy as a bed bug, but harmless.

"What do you mean `crazy'?" he questioned; he had a bad feelin' about this.

Gambit was grinning as he answered, "he thinks we're in ancient Greece. He says he knows Hercules and he's seen gods and monsters. Remy thinks that qualifies as crazy Cher; He even carries a bent sword an' he t'ink `dat Remy's eyes are a curse of de `gods'." Remy was almost giggling as he finished his list of reasons.

Without another word he stalked back to where the nutcase was tending to the fire. He was dressed in the worst collection of tin he'd ever seen and was wearing a colander on his head. `Yep Remy was right the guy was crazy, but he was all they had for information on wherever it was that the gateway had dumped us out.' He thought to himself. He crouched down beside him, "Uh…Joxer, Remy told me that you're a friend of Hercules."

"I know him," he said shyly. "I don't know if he is a friend exactly, but he's always nice to me."

"Do you plan on seeing him soon?" He questioned figuring if he was that deluded that he'd better play along.

"Not really last I heard Iolaus and he were headed to Corinth to visit his brother Iphicles. I was headed to the next village to visit a friend, it's about a half a day's walk from here," he answered.

Well that answered one question, Logan thought "So Joxer you mind if we tag along with you tomorrow we're kinda lost."

"No, I don't mind. It'd be nice to have some company for a change. But we'd better get some sleep, I have an extra blanket if you and your friend don't mind sharing." He offered with a shy grin.

"Thanks, kid I'll take you up on the blanket. We'd better turn in so we can get an early start." Standing he took the blanket that Joxer held out and turning to Remy, he said, "Let's get some
sleep Gumbo.

Lying down next to Remy on the opposite side of the fire from Joxer, Logan prepared for a sleepless night and was surprised that the next thing he knew it was dawn and the birds where making a helluva racket and Remy was lying on top of him.


Chapter Two

Wolverine decided that waking up with a Cajun blanket wasn't a bad way to start the day. He decided he'd better shift him before he woke up. He obviously didn't like the idea of moving he tightened his arms around Logan and mumbled something. He could tell Gambit really liked where he was when he started rubbing his morning erection against his fellow X-man and started nuzzling his neck. Much as Wolverine was enjoying it His policy `you don't mess fuck your teammates it gets people killed' and he couldn't forget about Joxer on the other side of the dead fire.

Firmly rolling the Cajun off me I stood up and took a walk to answer the call of nature. Coming back neither Remy nor Joxer had stirred a bit I got them up, it took awhile, but I finally got `em
both woke up. Joxer offered us some bread and cheese for breakfast and we started down the path I'd found last night.

Walking along with our guide, he started to sing:

Joxer the mighty
He's very tidy.
Everyone admires him.
He's so handsome it's a sin.

And if that wasn't bad enough Remy joined in and the morning passed in agony listening to the two of them. The `song' seemed to have dozens of verses and they to end they repeated. Trying to ignore them I almost missed the sound of a knife being pulled from a sheath, a big one from the sound of it.

"Quiet." I barked, just as half a dozen of the smelliest sword-wielding… wait a minute swords? Then there was no time to think. Remy was knocking them down with his Bo staff and I was
knocking them out with a few punches from an adamantium fist when I notice Joxer about to get skewered. I grabbed the mugger around the neck and then punched my claws through his chest and it was over and it hadn't even been a good workout.

I absently retracted my claws and noticed Joxer staring at them his face as white as a sheet. "Don't worry, bub I never use `em on friends and you fall into that category." I reassured him.

He stuttered, "y-you…you're gods."

I sighed, "Nope, I ain't a god and neither is Remy."

"Demi god then." Joxer responded.

Logan shook his head and said "Nope."

"B-but those knives in your hands and his eyes…." He said pointing at where Remy was tying up the idiots that had attacked us.

"We aren't gods, Joxer. We're just…different." Not knowing how else to explain it. Looking at the men lying on the ground who'd attacked us with and swords and wore antique clothing I was starting to think that maybe he wasn't as crazy as I'd thought.


Chapter Three

We reached the village Joxer mentioned about an hour after we had been attacked. My worst fears were confirmed our guide wasn't crazy and civilization was a couple of millenniums away.

I glanced over at Remy and he was as pale as I had ever seen him. The look in his eyes said he was about 30 seconds away from panicking. "Remy, calm down. We've dealt with stranger shit than this."

"You may have, bu' Remy ain't." He bit out through clenched teeth. "An' he don' like it one bit."

"Hey Joxer, is there anyplace we can get a drink around here. My buddy could really use one." I asked.

"I was heading to my friend Meg's place. You can get some wine there. I guess that wherever you come from is a lot different, huh?

"You have no idea how different." I said. I was a little surprised at his insight he hadn't struck me as terribly bright kind of a goofy, ancient Greek version of Bobby (The Iceman) without the
practical jokes. I'd have to keep an eye on him I don't usually read people that wrong and he was showing some unexpected depths.

Walking in the door of a two-story wood and stone building I was expecting his friend's place to be a tavern or an inn. I was caught completely off guard when we walked in and Joxer was almost completely buried under half a dozen or so squealing and giggling half dressed women.

Logan laughed at the disgruntled expression on the Cajun's face thinking I don't think that he had ever been completely ignored by a roomful of women.

He turned to glare at me. "What so funny?"

"You shoulda seen the look on your face when they all ignored you. It was priceless, Jean's gonna laugh her self sick when I tell her." All trace of laughter disappeared as I realized I didn't know
when or if we'd ever see any of the Xmen again.

"Logan, I'd like you to meet my friend Meg." Joxer interrupted my depressing thoughts introducing a tall striking woman with electric blue eyes. He looked like he'd been dragged through a hedge backwards his hair was standing on end, he had red lip prints all over his face and neck and half way down his chest from where his clothes had been almost torn off of him. He had an ear to ear-to-ear grin on his face.

"Name's Logan," I said

"An' I'm Remy." The Cajun interrupted, taking her hand and placing a gentle kiss on the back of it.

I had to suppress the urge to growl at him and tell him to knock it off. It had never bothered me before when he had flirted with every warm body in sight. But I didn't like it at all, not one bit. He was mine

Meg just grinned at me as I glared at her

"Joxer told me you two came through a vortex like the one to the Sovereign's world. From what he's told me about what happened to Hercules I am guessing that the two of you are completely lost here." She said.

Grudgingly he answered, "That pretty much describes it.

"Since you're friends of Joxer's and he always spends a few days when he visits I'll let you have a room and meals free of charge in return for helping to keep the peace while you are here and doing a few odd jobs. Do we have a deal?" Meg asked.

I glanced at the Cajun taking in his barely perceptible nod, I replied. "It's a deal."

Chapter Four

Logan watched as the occupants of Meg's place prepared for a busy evening. Wine and ale was brought up from the cellar with Remy giving Joxer a hand. As he watched the stretch and flex of the material across Remy's backside he wondered at the nearly irresistible urge to walk over and run his hands over the taut flesh beneath the fabric.

His attraction to the Cajun had always existed. Since he had first caught his scent, not his cologne, the heat and spice that was uniquely Gambit. However since landing in this whacked out version of history the desire to claim him had become stronger by the hour. He was starting to think that Remy had lost control of his charm power.

"It's not his charm silly it's your heart. You should listen to it for once."

Logan tensed his eyes searching for the source of the disembodied voice as a shimmering light faded to reveal a young, winged man with a crossbow and a quiver of arrows slung across his
back.

Logan growled his claws slipping through his flesh and extending to their full length, "I don't know who the hell you are bub, but—"

"Chill man," he said raising empty palms, "I'm a lover not a fighter. Just your average love god here. I just wanted to see who was sending out the vibes."

"Logan that's Cupid, he's kind of a friend. I baby sit for him sometimes." Joxer said placating. "He's also the god of love."

Allowing his claws to slip back into their accustomed place he spoke. "I don't care who you are bub, don't go messing around in my head."

Joxer hurried to explain to the perturbed looking love god. "He's not from around here. He and his friend, Remy, came through one of those vortex things that Hercules told me about and they aren't used to gods."

Cupid circled the stranger curiously taking note of the way that Logan turned to keep him in sight and the tension that denoted a trained warrior along with the almost feral quality the man exuded.

"Seen enough yet?" Logan questioned annoyed.

"Not quite," Cupid replied. "I have yet to meet your friend."

"`Den turn around stranger." Came the lazy, self-assured drawl of the Cajun.

Cupid whirled to face the man who had managed to sneak up on him undetected and leaned against the doorway casually tossing a few olives from hand to hand.

Logan smiled mentally, trust the kid to find a local substitute to sacrificing his precious few packs of cards and yet appear totally harmless while holding a potential weapon openly. He watched as self-proclaimed love god approached Gambit and looked him over in a similar fashion to the study he had just undergone.

Stepping away and glancing between the two mutants Cupid appeared to be puzzled about something. He opened his mouth as if to speak and closed it again without uttering a word then disappeared in a shower of golden sparkles.

Turning the young man who had befriended them he asked. "Joxer what was that all about?"

He replied, "I'm not really sure, Cupid stops by every now and then to see me and talk or he asks me to watch Bliss, his son, but I've never seen him look at anyone the way he looked at you and
Remy."

Logan asked, "He really a god?"

"Oh yes," Joxer replied seriously, "I've seen him work before. His arrows can be very dangerous in the wrong hands too."

"What Remy wants to know is why he feels like he should know the flyboy?" The Cajun spoke. "I could feel him like I didn't have any shields at all and he was really, really upset about something.
What it was, I couldn't tell, but he was definitely knocked off kilter by something about us."

Chapter Five

Logan spent the rest of the night discouraging drunks from getting rowdy and turning the encounter with Cupid over in his mind wondering about the odd expression he'd seen on his face before he disappeared. Remy appeared to be similarly preoccupied as he fended off admiring males while serving drinks.

Finally the last of the brothel's patrons stumbled out the door in the wee hours of the morning and he followed Remy to the bedroom they would be sharing. As he closed the door behind them he
took in the sight that had glued Remy's feet to the floor. In the dim illumination provided by the oil lamp in the Cajun's hand he felt his jaw sag slightly the large bed's frame was festooned with various leather straps. The walls and night tables were covered with a large variety of sexual toys, everything from riding crops and paddles to objects he couldn't even begin to guess the function of most of them made of leather.

Remy spoke hesitantly, "Joxer said that the girl whose room this had been had moved on and nobody here had the skills to take her place, but I didn't think, didn't guess…"

Urging Remy further into the room with a gentle nudge to the back, Logan felt a wide grin stretch his lips. "Didn't expect to find a dungeon in ancient Greece, huh pup?"

"Not this kind of dungeon." The normally imperturbable Cajun blurted out a tide of red sweeping over his face.

Logan's grin only got wider at the sight of naked embarrassment on his face and a chuckle escaped from his mouth. "What's the matter ain't ya ever done anything kinky before?"

Remy tossed his silky, auburn hair back out of his eyes and glared at Logan his hands coming to rest on his hips. "Remy has forgotten more about kinky than you ever learned…Wolvie." He said
delighting in the scowl that name brought to his friend's face.

"So why'd yer face turn as red as your eyes then, bub?" he shot back.

"Remy was surprised is all." He replied stalking haughtily to the bed removing his shirt and duster as he went. Unbuckling and dropping his body armor to the floor with a dull thud.

Wolverine lost all interest in further needling the Cajun as he watched him remove his clothing his mouth suddenly dry as dust. He unconsciously licked his lips in reaction to the play of hard muscle
beneath golden skin completely ignoring the taunting words that continued to spill from the Cajun's mouth.

Turning to face him Remy caught the look of savage desire on Logan's face. "You see anything you like?" he taunted the older man, his hands slowly working the fastening at his waist as he shucked off the worn jeans revealing black silk boxers.

Logan's face was the one to flush now as he hungrily devoured Remy with his eyes. "What's not to like." He said attempting to pass off his interest.

"Remy never knew you cared Cher." The young man spoke stalking near as the older man took an involuntary step back.

Logan's nostrils flared as he moved closer and he caught the normally intoxicating scent made more so by the burgeoning desire flavoring it. "You've always been my friend" he replied huskily, his body rock hard.

"I noticed you wanting me a long time ago. Now maybe more than friends?" he questioned coming closer, following as Logan retreated until his back was against the door of the room not stopping until his chest just brushed against his. Placing his hands on the wood of the door on either side of the shorter man's head he leaned down until their lips were only a breath apart.

"Oh, Cupie you were right they are absolutely adorable." The sound of the high pitched voice caused both men to reflexively fall into a battle stance only to come to a dead halt at the sight of the gorgeous blonde dressed…er almost dressed in a pink negligee. Beside her was the winged man from their earlier confrontation.

"Uh, mom I don't think this was one of your better ideas." Cupid stated a bit nervously. "Nobody likes to be interrupted."

"Chill, baby boy." She said dismissively.

A low growl rumbling through his chest Logan made his displeasure known. "Bub, I told you earlier I don't like people messin' in my head and I like it even less when they sneak up on me."

Totally ignoring the bared blades of Logan's claws and the defensive stand Gambit had taken she bounced over to the two men. She reached up and pinched Logan's cheek. "You are so cute."

Absolutely dumbfounded by the actions of the woman Logan just stared for a moment. Then shaking his head to gather his scattered wits he barked out, "lady I have no idea who the hell you are but it ain't exactly real smart to be runnin' around half naked and sneaking in to strange men's rooms."

"That's so sweet. Did you hear that Cupie he's worried about me?" The strange blonde woman positively bubbled good-naturedly.

Logan took a deep breath in preparation asking them to get the hell out when he felt the Cajun touch his arm. "Logan if that's Cupid and that's his mother `den she is Aphrodite, de Goddess of
Love."

"So you do know who we are then. Cupid said that you didn't recognize him when he showed up earlier today." Aphrodite stated with a questioning lilt in her voice.

"Who could fail to recognize the goddess of love and beauty?" Gambit replied eyes twinkling.

"Oh he's good." Aphrodite addressed her son, "he's one of ours without a doubt."

Logan fought down the possessive side of his feral nature that that statement enraged. "What do you mean one of yours? He don't belong to nobody." He growled warningly.

"Well, duh" she responded, "you're both demi gods and he's obviously house of love. You on the other hand positively shriek house of war. It is so obvious but I have got to jet now I am like
totally late for an orgy, toodles." And she disappeared leaving a pile of rose petals Cupid followed but not before shooting the stunned men a sympathetic glance.

"Well, that was—" the normally glib Cajun appeared lost for words.

"Strange that's what it was." Logan growled in reply. "Just what in the hell kind of mess have we gotten ourselves into?" he questioned aloud.


Chapter Six

After spending a rather restless night taking turns guarding against more unwelcome intrusions of the godly sort and dealing with a body throbbing with unfulfilled desire he couldn't seem to shake.
Logan found himself heading down to breakfast short on answers and even shorter of temper.

Eating his breakfast in silence he contemplated the events of the last few days. Turning over the bits of information in his head Logan came to a decision. Instead of having indigestible bits and
pieces and answers that just contained more questions thrown at them it was time to go hunting for some straight answers.

He left his seat and sought out Joxer across the room. Interrupting him in mid sentence telling Gambit some improbable tale of his heroic adventures Logan began his search for answers. "Joxer, Remy and I had a couple of visitors last night. Aphrodite and Cupid again and she said that I was `house of war'. Do you have any idea what that means?" he questioned abruptly.

"Um, well yeah the house of war consists of those dedicated to the arts of war including Erin goddess of discord and her son Strife, god of mischief, and it is headed by Ares god of war." He
said with air of someone quoting an oft-repeated lesson learned by rote. "It also includes demi gods sired by the house of war and warriors dedicated to its service.

"What does that mean `dedicated to its service' exactly?" Logan asked.

"My two brothers and I were dedicated at birth to Ares because our father was a warlord. He pledged our lives at the temple and made a vow to train us as warriors." Joxer answered.

He sat back in the chair that he'd taken at the table more frustrated than when he began.

Remy seeing the signs of imminent explosion on his friend's face suggested quickly, "Maybe you should visit the temple, cher. Someone there could maybe answer your questions better?"

"You could come with me. I always go to make an offering when I can and I am sure that the priests could answer your questions much better than I could." Joxer said.

"Let's go then." Logan grumbled impatiently rising to his feet.


Chapter Seven

Standing back to give Joxer privacy while he made his offering at a small side altar Remy and Logan leaned against a large marble column looked over the dark temple curiously. The noted the
weapons displayed on the walls along with murals and frescoes depicting various battle scenes.

Joxer finished his devotions and walked back to his new friends. "The priests are usually around the main altar in front of the throne. We'll have to go up there to find one they don't hang
around the smaller ones."

Remy questioned, " Why's that?"

"Because the main altar is for important worshippers like warlords and generals and I usually worship at the altar dedicated to one less popular aspects of my god." Joxer replied.

"What aspect is that?" Remy asked his curiosity aroused. "I never heard of different aspects of the god of war."

"Most people haven't, even though they are always included in every temple built." Joxer answered a little sheepishly. "I probably wouldn't know either if my father wasn't a warlord and I wasn't dedicated at birth to Ares, defender of Greece. My brothers and I were all dedicated to different aspects of war. My grandfather remembered the old ways and insisted until my father gave in just to keep him quiet. Jett was dedicated to vengeance and Jace…"

Logan shifted impatiently, "Let's go get a priest, you two can talk later after I get some answers."
Remy shot a contrite glance at his new friend. "Sorry Logan I almost forgot why we were here."

Joxer ushered them to the front of the temple near a door that led to the private portions of the structure. "This is where the priests come out I'll try to get their attention."

After watching Joxer try to attract the attention of a priest for several minutes and be brushed off and ignored Logan decided a more direct approach was called for. Stalking to the altar where
several priests had congregated and ignoring Joxer's frantic whispers to stop he stepped up to the group and tapped one of the priests on the shoulder.

"Hey bub, who do I talk to get some questions answered." He bit out through clenched teeth.

"How about me?" an amused arrogant voice directed his attention to the formerly empty marble throne and the man clad in black leather who sprawled there casually one leg hooked over an
armrest.

"And just who would you be?" Logan growled.

Coming to his feet the dark haired man strolled over to lean back on the altar a few feet behind him and answered mockingly. "Well since this is my temple I guess that would make me Ares, god of war now wouldn't it?"

"Listen up, Bub. I don't care who the hell you are, I'm tired of you people sneaking up on me." Logan snarled having reached the end of his patience and then some.

Ares straightened slipping away from his altar, his face losing all trace of humor. "You know it's generally not considered wise to risk angering your patron god."

Regaining a little of the ground he'd lost in controlling his temper Logan snapped back. "You ain't my patron anything, I don't worship nobody."

Ares sauntered closer completely ignoring the claws that emerged from their sheaths inside the man's arms. "No," he agreed. "you have never worshipped me with word or offerings, but
your entire life has been spent worshipping me in your actions. Every battle, every fight, every time that you spilled blood you worshipped me knowing it or not.

"But that's not what you wanted to know. You wanted to know why Aphrodite said you were house of war. Now your history would be enough reason to be considered of my house. However, what she and I both have seen is my stamp all over you. You bear all the markings of being of my blood. A descendant of one of my children you almost scream demi god and house of war."

"While your friend," he turned abruptly to face Remy who had drawn near to watch his teammate's back and defend it if necessary. "shows almost as much godly blood as yourself he's harder to read. He does bear a small portion of my blood, but he also shows signs of Hermes, and as hard to read as he is almost certainly indicates that he shares Athena's blood as well, but by and large the highest concentration of godly power he bears is Aphrodite's signature and so he is `house of love'." He finished lounging back against his altar looking very pleased with himself for completely dumbfounding his mortal audience.

Remy was the first to recover the power of speech after listening to the god of war speak. "You said I was harder to read den Logan. W'at do you mean by dat?" he asked

The war god replied, "It is never easy for one god to read another, in fact it can be quite painful to try. "But Athena is unique in the manner in which her mind is shielded. Yours is very similar in the manner and form if not as strong."

"In fact," he mentioned smugly. "just coming to this world has changed you both in ways I doubt you even realize."

"What do you mean `changed'?" Logan interrupted suspiciously.

"Well to point out the obvious neither of you have realized that you are speaking Greek and that the accents of your former language and speech patterns appear only when your emotions are
high." Ares laughed at the expressions on their faces as they digest this latest piece of information.

Logan shook off the ramifications of this to concentrate on the immediate situation. He addressed the god of war. "You don't seem like the type to volunteer information unless it suits your purposes. So what do you want?"

"I want you to join me of course. With a little training I could see you leading my armies. As an almost unkillable warrior you would be a potent symbol for me. Your friend would be welcome as
well. I can always use another thief and spy who can take care of himself. Although Strife would probably get more use out of him."

Anything else the god of war might have said was interrupted by the appearance of the blonde from last night. "Ares," she shrieked stamping her foot, "you can't have Remy. He's mine."

"Oh really," Ares relied, "I don't see your mark on him anywhere. That means he is free to be recruited by any god who can get him." Don't forget they came to me."


Chapter Eight

Logan and Remy slowly backed away from the quarreling god and goddess. Joxer approached them, his face pale, and whispered. "It might be a good time to leave. It's never a good idea to be too close to gods arguing.

Unfortunately, Joxer's quietly spoken words caught Aphrodite's attention. "That's another thing, Joxie should be mine. Just because that idiot father of his dedicated him to you…"

Ares roared, his voice shaking the dust from the roof supports. "Joxer is mine and he will stay mine get your own worshippers and stop trying to steal mine. Now GET OUT!" the enraged war god thundered.

"Fine," she capitulated a smug smile playing at the corners of her mouth. "he's obviously much too important to you. I think that the two of you should get a lot closer." As she finished speaking she
blew a handful of glittering shimmering dust into Ares' face saying, "Speak and see with your heart." And disappeared leaving the sounds of her delighted laughter behind to echo throughout the chamber.

The three mortals watched in bemused fascination as the dark and dangerous god of war fell to his knees and covered his face after shouting. "Aphrodite you will pay for this."

Joxer tentatively stepped forward, hand outstretched to aid his god. Logan held on to Joxer's other arm aborting his instinctive urge to aid his god "What do you think you're doing?" he growled.

He replied. "He's hurt, we can't leave him like this. Aphrodite's put spells on me before and we've got to see if he's okay."

Joxer took note of the concern that Logan's face revealed and rushed to reassured him. "He's really not that bad I've noticed that a lot of how he reacts is in answer to how has been approached. I always approach him in his aspect of Ares, the defender and he's been a lot more reasonable than I have noticed him being when approached in his other aspects."

Logan sighed and released him watching as he approached the fallen god whose priests had disappeared at the first words of anger spoken between the two gods.

"Logan, why'd you let Joxer go near him? You know Joxer can't take of his self."

Keeping his eyes on Joxer and Ares, he replied quietly. "Remy I thought you were supposed to be the empath? When Aphrodite showed up complaining about you he was calm, almost bored, until she mentioned Joxer and then he went from calm to enraged instantly. Now you know and I know that the kid is more dangerous to himself than anyone else so why would a war god be so attached to him?"

Remy's eyes widened as he put the answer together. "You mean…?"

"Uh huh," he drawled. "The pheromones pouring off the two of them are almost overwhelming."

"You're right," the Cajun responded as he opened his tightly bound shields a crack and flinched at the intensity of the emotions pouring off of the pair. "An' they don' have a clue."

Logan and Remy watched in amazement as Joxer fussed over his god and Ares let him. They watched as their slim, awkward friend helped the powerful, heavily muscled god to his feet and urged him towards them. They noticed how careful Ares was with Joxer, how gently he touched the young mortal. How his fingers lingered to touch and stroke briefly and his attention was unwavering.

Logan couldn't resist making a snide comment. "Great warriors you have there, they disappeared at the first sign of trouble."

Ares, tossed an irritated glance at Logan before immediately turning back to Joxer, replied. "Standard operating procedure. You see two gods fighting or arguing get the hell out of the temple. If the temple is still standing an hour later, come back. I train my people to be warriors, not stupid.

Logan snorted, "You'd be the first damn commander I've come across who does then.

Ares' eyes flashed dangerously before the soothing effect of Joxer's presence calmed him. "I am not a `commander' I am a GOD and the epitome of WAR in all its aspects. Which means I don't waste anything that may be needed later on trivial nonsense. And as they could do nothing to help with another god their deaths would be an utter waste."

END PART 8