Disclaimer - these characters are the property of MCA/Universal and Renaissance Pictures and no attempt is made to infringe the copyright thereof. We are just borrowing them and will give them back at the end of the story!



Rating NC17 - kind of.

SOLSTICE GIFT

by Ruric



Iolaus ducked behind a large barrel and cursed colourfully and
profusely. It had been a big mistake to come to the winter solstice
festival without Hercules he realised, but the demi-god had wanted to
spend time with Iphicles and his family in the castle, and the festival
would have been short of an honoured guest if Iolaus had declined.

He glanced cautiously over the barrel and grimaced. The 33-piece pipe
and drum band were engaged in a wholesale brawl on the dias where they
had been playing, using their instruments quite creatively as weapons.
The assorted local nobility, lords and ladies both, were leaping and
dancing in their finery to escape the ensuing chaos as the villagers
pelted everyone with food. The serving maids had taken to standing by
the bar and were throwing tankards full of wine and ale at the
unprotected guests whilst the seven swans, who had been swimming around
the decorative fountain in the centre of the courtyard, flapped too and
fro across the central area of the temple, snapping at the ankles of
anyone they could reach causing many of the guests to trip and fall. The swan's harsh cries had also upset the calling birds, turtle doves and
the partridge who were flapping around their cages which dangled from
the pear tree.

At another loud crash Iolaus peered above the barrel again to see the
final tables, which had been laden with food, topple over to be used as
a barrier by one set of villagers. The roasted geese and french hens
fell to the floor and the more enterprising guests grabbed the unwanted
food to use as additional ammunition. All in all it was a scene of
complete chaos and carnage. Enough was enough decided Iolaus with a long suffering sigh. He snagged an abandoned wineskin from the top of the
barrel and drank deeply, before emerging from his cover and snaking
along the walls until he was opposite the dark figure he sought.

The tall, black-leather clad figure stood in the centre of the
courtyard, head thrown back in laughter as he watched the turmoil and
uproar around him. Iolaus launched himself at a run, jumping at the last minute so his legs hit the figure firmly in the lower back, sending the
man staggering forward a few steps. Iolaus fell to the ground, bouncing
lightly back to his feet as the man whirled to face him.

"Well, if it isn't my brother's faithful *little* friend," the dark
figure commented sardonically.

"What are you up to *this* time Ares?" Iolaus demanded. "The solstice is supposed to be a time of peace and goodwill. It looks more like a
Dionysian festival out here!"

"Well it should," admitted Ares with a wicked smile. "I spiked the wine."

"What, all of it? Why did you do that?"

"Because they're having *so* much more fun than the usual sombre
festival, aren't they?" stated Ares gesturing at the crowd, "And besides that, I needed a diversion so I could get you alone." He advanced on
Iolaus, menace emanating from his leather clad figure.

Iolaus backed up a step at the look in those mesmerising dark eyes, then another step as Ares pursued him across the temple courtyard. He was
beginning to feel very strange, very light headed and detached, his
vision was becoming hazy and there was a familiar burning in his blood.
He realised that Ares had definitely put something in the wine. He
finally stumbled to a stop, as he backed into something solid and
unyielding, noting that they had entered one of the deep, stone lovers
bowers that were built into the walls of the Temple of Aphrodite.

Ares negligently waved a hand over his shoulder and a shimmering curtain of silver covered the door, blocking out the cold and the sounds from
outside.

"Don't worry about the others Iolaus." Ares smirked at the look of
concern on the hunter's face. "They will just have a rather more
boisterous party than usual, and wake up with an appalling headache
unable to remember what happened." He advanced another few steps until
he was standing right in front of the hunter.

"You too will remember nothing of what happens tonight, so you see, you
can consider yourself completely blameless. My brother and I have
remarkably similar tastes don't you think," he continued
conversationally, "first Xena, then Serena and now you."

Iolaus stared up into those dark and brooding eyes, observing the
emotions at play; anger, desire, lust, and just for a second, need and
an unquenchable longing, before the glance was quickly shuttered. Ares
caught hold of Iolaus' vest, pulling him roughly into an embrace. His
lips met those of the hunter and his tongue plundered that sweet mouth.
The god felt a triumphant thrill as Iolaus relaxed into his arms, and
returned the kiss, for a moment. This was all going remarkably well.
Suddenly the hunter started to struggle, placing both hands on the broad chest he firmly pushed the god away. Ares looked down into the hunter's
azure eyes, which were dilated from the effects of the drugged wine and
the beginnings of arousal.

"Not like this Ares," Iolaus spoke firmly. "I don't want *not* to be able to remember tonight." He held Ares at arms length, a determined set to his chin, despite the effects of the wine.

The god looked down on the smaller man studying his face, before nodding slowly, and dropping a kiss onto the blond curls. "Very well, Iolaus,
you'll remember, but whether you can live with the memories will be your problem."

He yanked the vest from Iolaus' body, then removed his own, before
shoving the hunter against the wall, his hands searching lower, finding
the belts around Iolaus' waist. He fumbled frantically, trying to undo
them, which resulted only in the knots becoming tighter.

"Damn it! You wear too many clothes!" Ares exploded.

"That's what Herc always says," Iolaus giggled unthinkingly into Ares
ear, before cursing himself. Now was probably not a good time to remind
the god of his younger brother.

He noted the renewed anger, and a flicker of pain, in the brown eyes as
he pushed the hands away and removed his own belts. Ares mouth captured
the hunter's once more for a demanding kiss. Then he traced a trail of
savage bites and kisses, down the strong neck and across the muscular
chest, teasing each nipple into hardness, and then down the hunter's
lightly muscled abdomen. His tongue left a trail of fire across the
hunter's body as his moustache and sideburns grazed across Iolaus'
sensitised skin. Finally Ares knelt to unbuckle Iolaus' codpiece and
push the trouser down around his ankles.

When the god finally took the hunter's hardened shaft into his mouth
Iolaus gasped in pleasure. Ares slid one hand slowly behind Iolaus, to
draw his body closer, and his tongue danced and teased, bringing renewed gasps of delight. Iolaus steadied his trembling body by resting his
hands within the god's short, dark hair. Ares gradually increased the
tempo, listening to Iolaus panting, until, at the final moment, he drew
his mouth away, gazing up attentively into the hunters face, as his hand wrapped around the turgid shaft, continuing the milking movements as
Iolaus spilled his seed.

Ares smiled and stood up quickly, pushing his own clothing out of the
way. He grabbed Iolaus by the shoulder and spun the smaller man around,
so that both his hands were braced against the wall. His need for the
hunter was growing by the second, a desire to consume all that was
before him, to bury himself in that golden body and drown. He coated his own erection with Iolaus' precious seed as, finally driven mindless by
lust, he slammed his body into that of the hunter. He barely heard
Iolaus gasp, past the hammering of the blood in his ears, but he was too lost in the fulfilment of his own desires to care whether the sound
indicated pleasure or pain. He pounded into Iolaus unmercifully, saw the muscles shift in the hunter's back and arms as he struggled to brace
himself against the onslaught. Ares desperately wanted to possess that
golden form, to imprint himself deeply, to remove, for at least a few
minutes, all thought of Hercules from the hunter's mind. His hands
gripped the slim hips cruelly, his rhythm increasing until at last he
was able to give in to his need. His body shook as he emptied his seed
deep within the hunter, before he rested his head on the smooth expanse
of Iolaus' back and watched as the golden head drooped between the
shoulders.

They remained like that for a few seconds, their harsh breathing the
only sounds, then Ares felt the subtle shift in the muscles as Iolaus
moved, bracing their joint weight upon his left hand, he freed his right from the wall. The god cringed inwardly knowing what was to come. That
small hand would rip Ares hands from the slim hips, Iolaus would pull
away and Ares would see the hate and revulsion in those blue eyes.
Suddenly he wanted to weep, to scream that he hadn't intended it to be
this way. "Gods, Iolaus ...." he began.

He trailed to a halt as the hunter's hand caressed his arm, coming to
rest over his own right hand which now gently encircled the slim hip.
"Ares, ..... do you always attack everything as if you're fighting a
war?" Iolaus asked breathlessly with a trace of amusement in his voice.

Ares was stunned, and held his breath, unable to believe what he was
hearing. He slid reluctantly from Iolaus' body, one hand resting on the
golden shoulder, and turned the smaller man around to face him. Brown
eyes met blue and he was astonished to see no revulsion or recrimination in the glance, only understanding and compassion. He reached forwards,
tenderly brushing one sweat damped curl behind the hunter's ear. Iolaus
smiled up at him and reached to wind his arms sensuously around Ares'
neck, pressing his body closely against the god's. Delicate kisses
traced their way up his neck, and along his jaw to his ear, as Iolaus
murmured quietly with a soft chuckle, "Take it more slowly next time, it *can* be fun you know".

Ares waved his hand and in the corner of the bower a pile of furs
appeared. Somehow they shed their remaining clothes, Ares still dazed by the turn of events, and made their way over to the furs. Ares was
insatiable, over the course of the night they joined many more times.
The god strove to burn the smell, taste and feel of the hunter into his
senses, so that he would have something joyful to look back on when he
was alone again. They barely spoke, as they slowly learned their way
around each other's bodies. Finally Ares allowed Iolaus to sleep,
nestled in his arms. He felt an overwhelming jealousy that his brother
should be so fortunate as to have the hunter as a companion and lover.
Ares stayed awake, watching over the hunter, striving to memorise every
expression on his face, every line, the way his body moved when asleep
and the smell of him. He recognised, with a feeling of unaccustomed
pain, that he was trying to store enough memories to last forever.

Iolaus woke just before dawn to see Ares standing, dressed, in front of
the little statue in the bower. He laid a sprig of mistletoe and a white rose at the statue's feet and whispered quietly "Thank you, Aphrodite."

The god became conscious of the hunter's glance and turned to see
Iolaus, chin pillowed on the back of his hands watching his every move.
He wanted to flee from the empathy and sensitivity he saw in that clear
and steady gaze. Instead he walked over to the hunter and squatted down.

"Iolaus, would you accept a solstice gift from me?" he queried gently.

"Haven't you given me enough already?" came the amused reply. "Not many
people get to spend the night with a god you know, and recall all the
details".

"Iolaus, be serious for a moment."

The hunter studied the dark face before him and then nodded slowly.

"Hold out your hand" he requested gently. Iolaus did as asked and felt
something drop into his palm. He lowered his gaze to see an exquisitely
fashioned ring, consisting of 3 interlinked golden circles, which
matched the single gold rings he and Ares both wore in their ears. He
raised a questioning glance at the god.

"Threes, Iolaus. It's our number. Xena, Serena and you. You, me and
Hercules. The fates have seen fit to intertwine out destinies and I have no idea where all this will end. We exist in interesting times." He
leaned close and kissed the hunter gently, for one last time, before
disappearing in a shower of golden sparks.

Iolaus slipped the ring onto his little finger, perfect fit, what else?
He remembered his eastern mentor's reaction to the last phrase Ares had
used. Those words could be interpreted as either a blessing or a curse.
He dressed quickly, and with a secret smile he followed the road back to the castle and Hercules. Interesting times indeed.




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