Chapter Text
Kyungsoo watches the Healer in silence as he holds the child’s foot in his hands, gently rolling it this way and that while cooing reassurances whenever she whimpered at the pain shooting up her leg. The chartreuse drapes separating the balcony from the room had been pulled back as they usually were during the mornings and he leaned against the marble balustrade, arms crossed over his chest as he watches them.
“It’s almost over,” Lay comforted her with his practised dimpled smile, meant to lull others into a false sense of security as he quickly darted his eyes towards the demigod at the balcony before giving the smallest nod.
Kyungsoo’s voice is void of emotion as he remarks, “Oh, look, is that a fairy?”
The young girl’s head snaps up quickly in the direction of the balcony, eyes wide as she looks around excitedly. “Where?”
Lay snaps her ankle back into place.
She gasps as she turns back to the Healer, appearing more startled by the crack of the bone than by the pain and when she realises what had just happened, her eyes grow wide in horror.
“You’re alright! You’re alright!” Lay says brightly, blinking almost animatedly as his hands wrapped around the slender ankle glows dimly. The girl's expression softens as she stares at her foot in confusion, the pain that had been scorching mere seconds ago having now subsided completely.
“It’s... it’s alright now?” She questions suspiciously and Yixing grins at the doubt in her tone.
“Yes, sweeting.” He pats her ankle twice for good measure before lowering her leg slowly back to the floor.
“You are completely healed.” He pauses as he thinks of how she wound up here in the first place before stating, “However, it would be best if you’re careful for a couple more days in order to not risk—”
“He means do not climb trees that are the size of a minotaur unless you want to lose what’s left of your legs,” Kyungsoo deadpans, making the Healer’s head turn to him.
“Kratos!”
Kyungsoo ignores Yixing as he rolls his eyes before fully turning around, back turned to the room. Propping his hands on the marble railing of the balustrade, the demigod casts his gaze down on the city of Exolerus.
Overlooking the Cloud Palace to a distance is Helios as he usually is, bathing the city in soft rays of honey-golden that gleam off of the gold pillars of the palace.
From the balcony, the demigod can easily view the numerous people milling outside the palace grounds as they crowd around the market-square. Over the centuries, it had grown into a habit for Kyungsoo to spend hours upon hours just watching the townspeople and common folks engaging themselves in their everyday routines. Most of the gods around him poked fun at the demigod for this particular habit but Kyungsoo never cared to explain how he found it calming, never felt it was worth explaining when it was beyond their godly comprehension.
Surrounded by gold, riches and the finest of everything Olympus had to offer, it was almost unheard of for a divine entity to ever actively venture into the lives of mortals and whenever Kyungsoo attempted to defend himself, he was accused of being blinded by the mortal blood that ran through his veins.
Kratos would be more upset over this if he hadn’t learnt that this difference was a crucial factor that helped the demigod segregate which beings could be tolerated for the course of eternity over those gods who had their heads up their divine rears.
It was a running joke for all of Olympus that humans prayed for so much of their lives for a companion, to gods and goddesses who were spending eternity trying not to murder each other.
Kyungsoo hears the Healer step out of his room then, eyes still watching some children playing around the stone-fountain at the centre of the marketsquare as Yixing steps beside him.
They watch the city below silently for a while, Yixing eventually sliding onto the marble plaque and letting his long legs hang over the edge of it.
“Do you hear what they have been saying?”
It takes a moment for Lay to realise Kyungsoo had just spoken to him and he turns as he finally hears the question, blankly staring at the demigod.
Kyungsoo does not meet his gaze, eyes focused on the crowds below as he answers, “Zeusm said he is returning.”
Lay snorts, immediately dismissing the thought. Too many times had he heard this, for countless months had he hoped.
Kyungsoo expects the response, words measured as he continues, “It’s almost time. The banishment period is coming to a close.”
“That is exactly what your husband said to me during the Festival of Hebe. Twenty-nine centuries have passed since then, Kratos.”
“But the grapevine—”
“Has been wrong before. Highly likely that it is wrong again.” Yixing’s tone is firm, leaving no room for further argument and Kyungsoo falls silent. When the demigod’s shoulders slump slightly, the Healer sighs before admitting, “It hurts to hope, Soo. I hope every time only to be disappointed shortly after and it has been centuries of this, I am tired.”
Kyungsoo stares at the god who wouldn’t meet his gaze, who wouldn’t let him see how hurt he is about forcefully being apart from the god who’d saved him from a highly unfortunate demise.
Lay the Healer had not been born into his divinity like the majority of Olympus; initially, a mere mortal who went by the name Yixing, he'd suffered several hardships and struggles throughout his earthly life and had to witness the cold-blooded ruthless murder of his entire family with his very eyes. When handed the opportunity to gain vengeance on a silver platter by Nemesis, the Goddess of Revenge, with zero repercussions or consequences, Yixing had shocked the entire Pantheon by his decision to spare the criminal as he deemed himself unworthy of punishing the murderer for his crime, entrusting such acts to those who guarded the afterlife.
Gifted for his mercy and selfless kindness, Poseidon had bestowed healing powers onto the human upon his death, thereby rebirthing him as Lay the Healer, God of Protection.
As a result of his similar unlikely godly origin to Kyungsoo, Yixing was also treated lowly by the other entities of Olympus. It had been one of the primary foundations of their friendship, Kyungsoo always quick to defend the Healer whenever any of the other pompous gods mocked him for not belonging in Olympus.
Of course, Ares had played a significant role as well. For a god who had such poor relations with his own family, he was quick to accurately judge and predict the possible friendship to bloom between the unlikely duo—Kratos, God of Strength with his brute force and rough nature, and Lay, God of Healing with his gentle smile and kindness that rivalled even Eleos’.
Kratos thinks hard to find the appropriate words that would provide solace for his friend when he notices Yixing’s eyebrows furrow in confusion as he stares at something below.
“Where’s your husband hurrying off to?”
Kyungsoo immediately follows his gaze, frowning when he sees Kai doing something he hardly ever does—running through the mortals, frantically looking around as if seeking someone.
“Nini,” Kyungsoo murmurs softly and the god is immediately looking up, eyes squinting in the sunlight before widening as he finally notices his husband on the balcony of the palace.
The demigods turn around right as Kai materialises behind them, his entire frame appearing rather jittery in that way he behaved whenever he teleported to Earth and consumed too much of their disgustingly sweet-brown beverage that most humans insisted on having every morning.
“What’s wrong, Jongin?” Yixing questioned as he took in his distraught state, eyes scanning over the taller’s body for any injuries. “Are you hurt—”
“He’s here,” Kai interrupted, panting slightly from how much he'd run, clearly unused to the unnecessary exercise.
Kyungsoo stilled at his words but Lay, ever-the-realist, is rather unfazed as he asks, “Who?”
Kai looks at the god like he grew another head. “Who else? Ares!”
Kratos’ eyes widen, hand reflexively reaching out to grab and squeeze Lay's arm as he mutters, “Damned Cocytus, I was right! It’s true, he—”
“Is it the 'grapevine' again?” Lay rolls his eyes tiredly, his derisive tone causing the demigod’s excitement to deflate as he continues, “Honestly, for two gods, the both of you rely on mortalspeak far too highly—”
“I saw him, Yixing.”
When the Healer stops, Kai explains, “I heard the damn gossip too but then I went to Elnealin and he's there. With his army. Zeusm sent some ghouls to stop and delay him but he killed them all, their army too.” Kai pauses to let his words digest, lips curling into that wide impish grin.
Yixing stares at him, blood beginning to sizzle in his veins as he clenches his hands into fists before stating, “Kai, if you are just fooling with my emotions, I swear on the Oracle I will—”
“You’ll what?” Kai cocks an eyebrow in challenge, crossing his arms. “You’ll close that scar on my bicep that reopens whenever I flex my arm?”
“Jongin.” Kyungsoo says his real name in complete seriousness, knowing his husband was quite poor at reading the room as he demands, “Did you really see him?”
Kai sighs then, uncrossing his arms as he nods. “Elnealin. He’s on his way to the palace. I swear it on Soo's name.”
Both Lay and Kratos remain unmoving as if they'd gazed into Medusa’s eyes, the shock running through Yixing's entire system rendering him completely speechless.
He was here. He was back in Olympus.
“I...” Kyungsoo trails off, searching for the words before stammering, “I will ask them to prepare the chariots—”
“No.” Yixing steps forward, taking Kai's hand in his. “Take us to him now. Please.”
Kai raises an eyebrow, eyeing the Healer’s hand. “At what price?”
“Jongin,” Kyungsoo snaps, nostrils flaring in annoyance. “The last time we saw him was when we were still courting each other, understand that it has been eons since then. Just take us and do not tempt me to fling you off this balcony—”
“Baby, I was joking, chill out,” Kai stops his threat with a pout as he takes Kyungsoo’s hand in his other one, teleporting them to Elnealin together while Yixing is far too frazzled to even question what 'chill out' means.
As soon as they arrive upon the forest clearing in Elnealin, the stench of metallic blood is pungent in the air, swimming into Kyungsoo’s head and causing Yixing to reflexively scrunch his nose in horror as they take a couple seconds to come to. The Healer was predictably never fond of bloodshed, rather opting to provide aid for all those wounded in the aftereffects but as Kratos looks around the pile of bodies on the bed of grass, his heart cannot help but leap in his chest.
He knew the handiwork of his best friend and this was most definitely it.
“Oh, holy Zeusm.” Kyungsoo hears Yixing breathe beside him and he turns in his direction, eyes widening at the figure that stood before them.
Decked in his dulled silver armour, large forearms splattered with crimson and a sword sheathed in his iron fist that was characteristically dripping blood, Ares stood taller and prouder than ever as he loomed over the heap of corpses. He seemed to have grown even taller since the trio had last seen him which they had not deemed possible, his fair skin appearing tanned and charred with battlescars and dirt as souvenirs of everything that he had undoubtedly endured on his arduous journey back to Olympus from whichever torture chamber Zeusm had banished him to this time.
“Do you believe me now!” Kai announces loudly, drawing the attention of the God of War to him as he calls out, “Ares! It's been a while!”
Ares turns then, eyes widening as he notices them and Lay is once again speechless, Kratos gaping like a mortal seeing Elysium for the first time.
“Kyungsoo,” Ares says in surprise and it breaks the demigod from his stupor as he charges forward with no restraint, rushing into the god with such force that Ares stumbles back.
“You’re back.” Kyungsoo’s voice is muffled in Ares’ chest and the god smiles, wrapping his arms around his second-hand commander whom he had so dearly missed as he repeats, “You’re really back.”
“Did you grow shorter?” Ares mocks as he returns the embrace and Kratos would have punched him if it weren’t for that dimpled toothy grin he had not seen in centuries.
Kratos pulls away then, holding him at arm’s length to look at him properly as if still unable to believe that Ares was standing before him in the flesh and that is when he recalls his other equally incredulous friend.
The pair of them turn to look at Yixing who appears pale as a ghost, slightly shaking as Ares steps away from the demigod and almost cautiously approaches the Healer.
“No,” Yixing breathes, blinking back unshed tears. Ares raises his arm and Yixing smacks it away, both their eyes widening in unison at the sound as Yixing recoils in shock.
“It can’t be,” Yixing whispers and Ares hugs him then even as he trembles, buff arms wrapping tightly around the slimmer male, allowing the Healer to bury his face in his neck as he speaks reassuringly.
“I'm here, Yixing,,” Ares whispers, feeling his heart ache at how much he had missed Yixing, at the pain in his friend’s eyes. “I’m sorry I did not return sooner—”
“Hold thy tongue, why would you apologise in your father’s stead for his erratic mood swings?” Yixing scolds so patronisingly that Ares lets out a surprised bellow.
“Speaking ill of the holiest Zeusm, are we? You really did miss me,” Ares teases with his goofy good-natured grin and Yixing shoves him off.
“Holy hells, Chanyeol,” he mutters the God's earthly name that makes his smile slightly falter, eyes softening and Yixing can immediately tell that Ares hadn’t heard that name in a while.
They stare at each other, eyes holding a silent conversation that the Healer was still too shaken to utter coherently.
Swallowing back all his surfacing emotions, Yixing finally composes the extent of them into six words: “I’m really glad that you returned.”
Chanyeol grins, straightening to his full height before saying, “Since you cannot stop holding onto me as if I am a figment of your dream, I hope you will bravely accompany me to see that blessed father of mine to officially declare my return.”
Kyungsoo snorts immediately and Yixing is already exhausted as he groans, “You just returned, could you wait at least one full moon before you get yourself banished again?”
Chanyeol shakes his head playfully, dried cakey blood matting the dark strands of hair to his forehead. He lifts his face to the sky then, taking a deep breath and closing his eyes as he feels the gentle breeze caress his face, a sense of calmness filling his chest after centuries of restlessness.
He had missed this. As wretched as this place was, it was still the closest to what Chanyeol could tolerate.
And no matter how insufferable his father made it, Chanyeol knew Olympus was far better than the mortal realms.
When Ares opens his eyes, his voice is resolute:
“Let’s go.”
Lay is notably apprehensive as he walks with Kratos and Kai on either side of him behind the God of War, Ares’ sizable army of soldiers at their tail, heavy marching in tandem following their softer steps and Kratos has to give the Healer a couple of brief reassuring glances to calm his nerves. Chanyeol does not notice his alarmed friend behind him, eyes greedily taking in all that he can see as he rambles about everything that he had missed in Olympus. The conversation suffices as a perfect distraction then as Kratos and Ares fall into their usual bickering as if they had never been apart, their loud voices and Ares’ deep laughs softening the blow of the heavy feet behind them.
As they venture further from the Forest of Elnealin and draw closer to the city, Kratos feels his defences rise as he notices the townspeople’s horrified gazes, watching the way they hastily retreat back to their homes while muttering curses and prayers upon the sight of the God of War. Lay’s panic only grows, wanting to help because judging by Ares’ fists clenched at his sides, he most definitely noticed and the Healer scrambles for conversation openers that did not concern his banishment period as Kratos was occupied with glaring at anyone who dared to lay their judgmental gaze upon them. Much to Lay’s relief, Kai jumps to intervene as he excitedly recaps a timeline of all the happenings that Ares had missed during his absence.
When Helios retires to his palace and evening slowly descends over Olympus, Chanyeol begins growing more agitated as he glares at his friends.
“I spent centuries amongst filthy mortals, battling and suffering and one would think that you would welcome me with at least a donkey.”
“I wanted to bring the chariot,” Kyungsoo snaps in defense, shooting a glare at Yixing who pointedly avoids meeting his narrowed eyes. “Lay, however, could not spare a single second and asked to be teleported to you.”
Yixing huffs. “I have spared several centuries, pardon me for being hasty.”
“Several centuries, so what difference would a few minutes make?”
“I do not expect you to understand my—”
“Could you two focus on leading the way instead of uselessly running your mouths?” Chanyeol interrupts their bickering before glancing at Jongin who’d been mostly silent. “The teleporter would also suffice.”
Kai looks up at that, blinking in surprise as he gives a dazzling grin while Kyungsoo scoffs beside him.
“Actually I wouldn’t,” Kai replies, glancing around the path that they were walking on. “I’m as familiar with this place as you are.”
Chanyeol frowns. “That seems unlikely.”
“Hmmm, not really.” Kai flashes him a smile but as he starts to explain, Kratos states, “Jongin spends a lot of time amongst the mortal realms.”
Chanyeol’s eyebrows rise then, feet momentarily stopping as he turns to fully face the god.
“You were banished as well?”
Yixing snorts at that but Kyungsoo is quick to punch his arm to shut the Healer up, feeling his chest tighten at the mere thought of his husband meeting the same fate as his dearest friend.
“It’s voluntary,” Jongin answers, much to Chanyeol’s confusion.
“What do you mean?”
Jongin shrugs. “I teleport to Earth often.”
With each word he utters, Chanyeol’s expression just morphs into that of complete bafflement as he questions slowly, “… Why?”
“I enjoy being with humans.”
Chanyeol gapes at him like the god had just declared something absolutely ludicrous before turning blankly to Kyungsoo beside him. When Kyungsoo merely shrugs at him, the God of War remarks seriously, “I know I was away for a long time and that I already missed your wedding but there is a dire need for this to be said: Kyungsoo, you can and you should do better.”
Kai’s jaw slackens in shock while Yixing laughs loudly, startling a few of their onlookers before using both his hands to shove Chanyeol forward to prevent Kyungsoo from punching him in the face.
From when they had walked past the dark forests of Elnealin, Ares had noticed how although all of Olympus had not changed significantly during his absence, most of the cities looked and felt unfamiliar to him—he could not tell if it was because it had been so long since he’d stepped foot in these places or if they had indeed changed.
As they draw closer to yet another unfamiliar city, Chanyeol half-heartedly listens to his friends bicker and debate over whether it would be wiser to travel through the city to reach Exolerus where Zeusm resided as it was faster or if they should move around the city’s borders to avoid the crowds but would definitely result in a longer journey. Deciding that the army would definitely draw further attention than what they had already attained, Ares commands them to set for Exolerus by means of the bordering paths of the city while the gods and demigods would move within the city.
Darkness lurks above and Ares is thankful as it allows them to be more inconspicuous as they walk amongst the townspeople. The clangs of his armour, Kai’s overall flair and both Lay’s and Kratos’ attires still draw some eyes and although it irks Kyungsoo with every step they take, Chanyeol is far too distracted by the foreign city around him.
Quaint shops that sold assortments of sweet-smelling delicacies, dingy tents belonging to elderly fortune-tellers with hazy gazes that lingered on the out-of-towners, merchants loudly announcing praises of the colourful rows of various garments that they spread out; they were all an overwhelming flooding of smells, sights and sounds for the banished god. Nevertheless, Ares finds himself greedily drinking in all of it as he looks around eagerly while simultaneously realising that the city was bustling in these evening hours with so many people who were far too engrossed in bargaining for the best prices and arguing for the freshest produce to notice the four gods walking amidst the crowds.
Lights flicker in his peripheral and Chanyeol turns to look ahead, chin rising reflexively as he sees a vast mansion nestled in the centre of the city, by the edge of the marketsquare. As they walk closer and he notices the towering gold pillars flourished with intricate designs in silver, large glass windows across the higher floors, the spaciously nurtured and flourished garden that circled the entrance with flowers that gleamed and winked in the dim starlight, Ares realises this was not merely a mansion.
His eyes lower then, falling on the armoured men stationed around the perimeters of the house.
This was a palace.
The clouds unfurl then, muffled rumbles of thunder rolling in the sky as a faint spring-shower sprinkles down and mist rises over the ground. With his friends distracted and the guards at the iron gates not having noticed them yet, Chanyeol strategically and deftly shifts his pace so as to manoeuvre around the palace. Intrigued by the occupants of such a place, the four of them walk past tall bushes while the God of War attempts to keep them out of sight of the guards while trying to be discreet enough so as not to raise questions from the others.
Much to his dismay, the rock walls surrounding the palace hide most of the interiors from these onlookers and Ares stands on his tiptoes in a desperate attempt to catch sight of whoever dwelled within. The rhythmic footsteps of the approaching guards, however, catches Lay’s attention as he shoves Ares forward to quickly move further instead of lurking suspiciously around the palace.
“We shouldn’t be here, how did we get here?” Kai mutters lowly, grabbing Kratos’ wrist to drag them away when Ares’s feet suddenly halts, causing the Healer to collide into his back.
Having slammed his forehead onto the arguably hard metallic plates adorning Chanyeol’s frame, Yixing rubs his head with the heel of his palm and Kyungsoo turns to scold the god in a hushed tone to keep walking when he notices Chanyeol’s fixated gaze.
Hidden beneath the canopy of the surrounding trees is a small gate in the wall, wide enough for only one person with rusted iron bars and a heavy lock. Through the gaps of those bars, in the far distance amongst a meadow of green and hanging lanterns stood a strikingly gorgeous male, dark hair falling lusciously around his face and pulled back by a crimson ribbon. Dew speckling his hair and fair skin, dressed in a pale-pink ornate robe of the finest silk, the apples of his cheek bounced off the firelight of the lanterns and there was a single rose in his hand, held between slender fingers almost gingerly, as if it was made of fragile glass.
Chanyeol could not look away.
His voice sounds foreign to his own ears as he then questions, “Kyungsoo. Who resides here?”
Kyungsoo looks at Chanyeol and then turns his head, eyes widening when he notices that the person behind the gate was staring right at Ares, fingers tightening around the rose’s stem.
With the strangest feeling of foreboding twisting his belly, Kratos’ tone is almost apprehensive when he answers:
“Aphrodite. God of Love.”