Dying Ichor

FORTY-ONE

   "How cute. I didn't know you had dogs, Ares." Elias commented as he scratched Deimos' chin. He fell limp in the male's hold immediately and dug his face into Elias' stomach. "How did you and your brother find me, huh?"

"Deimos, Phobos."

The dogs couldn't resist that tone of command from Ares, especially with how irritated the god was. Slowly, they picked themselves off from Elias and nervously walked back over to Ares. The God of War clicked his jaw, staring at them with exasperated eyes.

"Sorry that they're bothering you, runt," Ares roughly apologized. "They don't act like this unless they know there's a mortal around. So far, you're the only one around."

"Why are you here, Elias?" Amphitrite questioned. "Mortals aren't supposed to be on Olympus. The only times they're allowed to step in is if they've been invited personally by one of the main gods... wait! Did my husband ask you to be his secret partner for today? I didn't know you two were together! We should see Her Majesty as soon as we can and get her permission for the two of you to be wed-"

"Amphitrite, shut the fuck up before I break your vocal cords," Ares warned lowly. Deimos lost that puppy look in his eyes and snarled, snapping his jaws at the goddess in response to his master's anger. "Don't talk about that shit in front me. Elias isn't getting married to your shitty husband."

"Well, who do you think invited Elias over, stupid? If it's not you or my husband then who else?"

Elias raised a hand up to stop them. "Excuse me, but please keep your voices down. You're in Hades' temple after all. Shouldn't that answer your question?"

That's right. Ares and Amphitrite were too busy arguing with each other that they've forgotten where they stood.

"I didn't know you were... acquainted with my brother-in-law," Amphitrite uneasily commented. "Are you close with each other?"

Elias couldn't really say they were. They've only met a few times, and it's not like they knew each other well. The most significant thing about their strange relationship was how Hades treated him meticulously with great care.

As Elias struggled to reply to Amphitrite, Ares vaguely recalled the time when Elias had been dragged down into the Underworld by Thanatos. It was possible he left Elias in Hades' palace, so the thought of them knowing each other wasn't that far off. But to say they got along well enough for Hades to invite him to Hera's party was much more suspicious than it had to be.

Even Amphitrite shared the same thoughts with Ares as they glanced at one another. While she might not have known about the whole incident back in Sisyphus' palace, it was odd how Hades would invite Elias. That man was gloomier than any other god she's ever seen, and he never liked to talk with other beings even if they were the Olympians themselves.

"Why have you come, little runt?"

Elias averted his gaze from them. "Uh... you know, it's pretty rare for mortals like me to have the opportunity to go to Olympus! Why shouldn't I be here?"

"Oh!" Amphitrite exclaimed. "If that was the case then why didn't you say so? I would've told Poseidon to bring you along instead! I'm sure you would've had a lot more fun with him than Hades."

"Your Majesty... please stop trying to set us up."

"I-I wasn't doing that..." A lie, of course. "But I'm curious as to how you and Hades know each other. Did you meet before you met Poseidon and me? And how come you accepted his invitation? I know you enough that you'd never really go to these things. You turned down my offer to marry Poseidon, so I know you don't want to even be here-"