(no subject)

[fires-smith.insanejournal.com]

Characters: Adonis, Aphrodite, and Hephaestus
Date/Time: May 1st.
Location: A room in L'Hotel de Jeu Ancien
Rating: TBD
Warnings: TBD, but definitely language if Hephaestus has anything to do with it.
Summary: Aphrodite wakes up with her ex-husband and ex-lover and must overcome the awkward situation to escape.

Hephaestus was a conservative sleeper, usually just wearing a t-shirt and a pair of night-shorts. After all the crap that had happened with the missing traits, meeting Aphrodite again, and finding the missing godlings, Heph was simply looking forward to getting a good night's sleep. He rolled over a bit until he realized there was someone else in the bed! His eyes opened and tyhe first thing he saw was Aphrodite! "What the-" and then he notices the other body. "What fresh hell is this!?

Comments

[venusingucci.insanejournal.com]

Aphrodite was only half-dozing at that point. She could feel the solid weight of bodies on either side of her, and at first thought perhaps the twins had crawled into bed with her during the night. Fortunately, she was wearing a nightie (http://www.victoriassecret.com/sleepwear/silk-and-satin/satin-halter-slip-dream-angels?ProductID=94014&CatalogueType=OLS) just for such occasions.

But, when she heard the cursing, she knew it was definitely not her children in bed with her. And she hadn't brought a man home to her bed in quite some time. Alarmed, she sat up, startled.

Hephaestus. She was in bed with Hephaestus. And... She glanced to the other side, and was almost rendered breathless. Adonis too?

"Well. This is unexpected," she said, doing her best to retain whatever dignity she might still have.

[originaladonis.insanejournal.com]

A voice. Voices. Adonis began to stir, knowing he'd gone to bed alone last night. He was also certain that he hadn't left the radio or television on, and there shouldn't be anyone e else in his apartment for any reason. Then he felt a slight shifting on the mattress.

He blinked his eyes open and saw her. "Is this another dream?", he muttered groggily. "I was just dreaming of you." Then he saw another man on the other side of her. And... handcuffs? He held up his hand, seeing it linking him to Aphrodite. He glanced down at himself. He was on top of the covers, wearing he same black boxer briefs he'd fallen asleep in. This wasn't a dream. He wasn't sure what this was.

[fires-smith.insanejournal.com]

"Okay kid, just a fyi," Hephaestus said, working to maintain his composure. "we're going to have enough problems getting out of this without you reminding me you were one of my ex-wife's bits on the side. So let's keep conversation platonic, okay?"

[venusingucci.insanejournal.com]

Admittedly, it warmed Aphrodite inside to hear that Adonis had been dreaming of her. But, for the moment, she agreed that remaining platonic would be best until they figured out what, exactly, was going on.
"Gentlemen, please, let's not get off to any worse a start than necessary. Hephaestus, dear, it was just a dream. I'm sure he dreams of many of us, not just me." She bit her tongue when he mentioned the "bits on the side"--after all, he'd had plenty of bits of his own outside of their marriage.

She looked around and frowned slightly. It was far too quiet, aside from the two men chained to her.
"...I don't suppose either of you might know where my children are?"

[fires-smith.insanejournal.com]

Hephaestus was sure if Adonis dreamt of the others it wasn't quite the same thing. Still..he'd made his own mistakes during that time..even if he was still pissed about it it didn't excuse things. "Right, I'm sorry..both of you."

Dite's absent children put aside any past issues for the time. Hephaestus sat up. "Ivy? Anthony?" He called out for the two. "Are you kids out there!?" Concern tinged his voice when he got no answer.

[originaladonis.insanejournal.com]

Adonis unconsciously made a face when scolded by the man on the other side of Aphrodite. "Hephaestus", he said, suddenly not as excited as he was a moment ago. He didn't like being called on things that had happened in a different lifetime. He'd been about to say something back when Aphrodite spoke up. Instead, he held his tongue for a moment.

He saw their concern for her children, and understood it, though he was a little concerned about their own situation too. "We seem to be the only ones here. Wherever here is." It was a nice suite, wherever they were. "Do either of you have any idea how we got here? Or what's with these?", he asked, rattling his end of he handcuff.

[venusingucci.insanejournal.com]

Aphrodite sighed nervously.
"Well, they're good children. Hopefully they'll be all right," she mused, "Especially if it's like it's been the other times."

"Oh that's right--neither of you have been here before," she realized, "This is Gaia's doing. This hotel... it's a sort of pocket dimension, outside of regular time and space. She brings us here without warning, and no one can leave until we've managed to accomplish... something. Normally, we start in the lobby or the ballroom. I'm surprised she's put us in our rooms this time. And I haven't any idea why we're chained."

[fires-smith.insanejournal.com]

"If you say so." Hephaestus wasn't entirely convinced, but Aphrodite knew the routine a lot better than he did. "I think I remember someone saying these trips usually have some underlying purpose. I mean if we're assuming the others are in similar circumstances..." Hephaestus trails off as he thinks to himself.

[originaladonis.insanejournal.com]

"What could we accomplish like this?", he asked in response to Aphrodite's observation. He could think of something, but he wisely chose not to voice it. It was difficult enough to keep the smirk off his face.

"So we probably have to figure out a way out of the cuffs?" He didn't imagine that to be a problem, thinking that should be Hephaestus's territory. "Any ideas?"

[venusingucci.insanejournal.com]

Aphrodite shook her head.
"I'm afraid I'm at a loss, aside from trying to find a key. As for what's possible in the meantime, well, obviously, our choices are going to be limited. Maybe after we've all had some breakfast and gotten as ready for the day as possible we can get to brainstorming."

[fires-smith.insanejournal.com]

"Makes sense," Heph conceded. "Well let's try to get dressed with some dignity and get to it."

[originaladonis.insanejournal.com]

Adonis took Heph's words as a cue and started to move across the bed, assuming they would all get off the bed on his side. He glanced at Aphrodite again. He couldn't help the feelings and memories that were bubbling up for him. "It really is good you see you again. Even under such crazy circumstances."

[venusingucci.insanejournal.com]

"Thank you," Aphrodite said, moving as gracefully as she could toward the edge of the bed. "A shame the circumstances of our reunion couldn't have been more pleasant, but I suppose there's no helping it right now.

She ran a hand through her red-gold curls and sighed.
"I would dearly love a chance to get cleaned up, though I'm not at all sure how to manage it with these chains."

[originaladonis.insanejournal.com]

Ben made his way over to the phone, pleased to see that the chain connecting him to Aphrodite could stretch that far now. "I'll give it a try", he told them. Ben let the phone ring for the desk. "Hello? Yes, good morning. We'd like to order up some breakfast. Yes. Some juice and water, yes that would be fine." He glanced over at the others. "Some fresh fruit, I think some bacon, some muffins, or whatever kind of breakfast breads you might have. Good. Alright. Thank you." Ben hung up he phone. "It'll be up here soon."

[venusingucci.insanejournal.com]

"Lovely, dear, thank you," Aphrodite said, "I'm sure that will make things more pleasant."

"But, sadly, just willing them off doesn't work. I suppose we'll have to take the matter a little deeper. We're all in the same pantheon, and while we may have the most in terms of numbers, we're still a small group, and technically one divided at that. The Sea Kingdoms stand beside Olympus, but they won't bend to our banner. Of course, young Triton isn't here at the moment to do any negotiating," she mused.

"Still... is there anything that we can offer each other to fulfill some unspoken need or desire? Something that lets us all walk away from this satisfied?"

[fires-smith.insanejournal.com]

Immediately the psychiatrist in Hephaestus thought of several things, but this was really not the time or place to discuss those things.

"No idea..."

[originaladonis.insanejournal.com]

Adonis thought on what Aphrodite had said. He could think of some responses, but could also think of some reasons not to voice them, looking over at Hephaestus. He thought Heph's answer was curious, not believing him. He decided to speak up after all.

"Maybe you'ge got the right idea", he told Aphrodite. "It might not be by chance that it's us three all together. We are connected in ways, even more than just all having a connection to Olympus. If we're being honest, I could think of some things we could offer each other, to put it in your words." Not wanting to be misunderstood, he added, "Just being able to all get along with each other. To reconnect."

[venusingucci.insanejournal.com]

"What is it you have in mind?" Aphrodite asked.

[fires-smith.insanejournal.com]

Hephaestus rubs the bridge of his nose, fighting back his initial feelings. He didn't want to admit it but he was thinking along the same lines. Fuck you, Gaia. Fuck you.

[originaladonis.insanejournal.com]

Ben wasn't sure he should say. He gave them both a searching look before speaking up. "I guess what I want... well, to be honest, I want to be able to get along with you", he said to Hephaestus. "But I'm not sure how well that'll work. It'll depend on you, I guess, because I definitely still have feelings for you", he told Aphrodite.

[venusingucci.insanejournal.com]

'Oh, my sweet boy," Aphrodite breathed, "I can't begin to say how I would feel about that. But things aren't the same as they once were. I'm the one leading our pantheon now, and so I must be careful when it comes to certain choices."

She smiled kindly.
"Truth be told, gentlemen, this is a new lifetime. A new chance for all of us. I would like to do whatever possible to let the old bygones be bygones, and create a bright new future for us all."

[fires-smith.insanejournal.com]

Yeeep. That's what he was afraid of. Did he grind his teeth a little when Adonis was talking? ..Yes.

"..I'm all for being civil to each other."

[originaladonis.insanejournal.com]

Adonis was a little floored by Aphrodite's response. He wasn't sure how to take it. He also had questions about what she'd said about being in charge now. He could also tell by looking at Hephaestus, that he wasn't thrilled at what Adonis had to say either.

He decided it might be better to get away from what he'd said for a moment. "You're leading he Greeks?", he asked Aphrodite. "How did that come about?" He assumed it was at least, if not wholly, because he hadn't heard any mentions of Zeus or Hera being around.

[venusingucci.insanejournal.com]

She nodded.
"Well, who else would? Ever since March, it's been official. We've yet to see anything from Zeus or Hera, but for some time there was a sort of tug-of-war between Poseidon and Hades, and I was... rather in the middle of that. Poseidon wanted the power, Hades didn't want him to have it. Plans and alliances were drawn, but, then Poseidon vanished at the beginning of March. Hades didn't really want the throne, and no one has insisted upon me taking a consort, therefore, I am queen," she explained.

"It's not an easy job, though, especially with a pair of young immortal twins to mother and a fashion empire as well, but I'm managing all right. But it does change the game. The choices I make are scrutinized more closely now, and I must ensure that I don't do anything that could be detrimental to the interests of the pantheon."

[fires-smith.insanejournal.com]

"Can't say I blame Hades for not wanting that asshole in power. And no Zeus either? Huh, almost makes me feel a little positive about things."