Chapter Text
Ares didn't know love.
Not for his family, not the way hestia would speak and dream about.
Sure, he loved Aphrodite, the beautiful goddess standing at his side, but more than that? No.
War was cruel and so was Ares.
Mortals and entire cities fell under his hands, thousands slaughtered within seconds.
War knew no mercy and neither did he, the cries and begging of wounded men had long become a familiar, easily tuned out sound.
Only sometimes, after the war had ended, he would find himself walking over a battlefield and look at the soil, drenched in blood. And sometimes, only sometimes he felt a pang of sadness in his chest. Not guilt yet, or remorse, but the knowledge of so many lives lost here.
He noticed a similar feeling while watching his half sister, the witty and clever Athena, standing up to their father.
She stood in front of him, no sign of fear in her eyes, not even as Zeus raised his lightening high, the tension in the air noticeable for everyone in the throne room.
Ares saw the gods around him leaning forward, unbeliev flashing in their eyes. No one dared to defy Zeus, everyone knew of the consequences.
And yet, Athena did not back off.
When the lighting struck her, a flash of power shot through the throne room strong enough for the hairs on Ares’ neck to stand up straight. He heard aphrodite gasping next to him and subconsciously took her hand in his.
Athena stumbled backward but stood her ground, her shield raised in an effortless attempt to block the attack on her.
“Please.”, she panted. “Let him leave!”
Him and Athena were both gods of war.
Maybe that was the reason why they always collided with each other.
They were too similar and too different at once.
Maybe if he was more like Athena, he would have stood up and defended her.
Maybe he could have changed what was about to happen.
But he wasn't and so he only sat and watched.
Zeus’ eyes flickered dangerously and he roared. “Don’t tell me what to do!”
He sent another bolt at her and Athenas's defense broke. Her body was thrown through the room and landed at the other end of the hall with a sickening crack.
Blood coated her body and she didn’t move anymore.
“Is she dead?”
Ares hadn’t expected his voice to waver the way it did. Never once had he seen one of the gods stand up to their king like Athena just did. All of that for a simple mortal.
No, Ares didn't know love. But he knew respect and Athena had earned his respect thoroughly.