But he didn't struggle. He said that it was okay for her to take it out on him and he meant it - though a little bit of warning would have been nice. Wouldn't have left him winded and as wounded.
As least she wasn't prodding him where Hades had hurt him yesterday.
He coughed a little when she backed away, breathing heavily, trying to calm all the nerves and senses that had gone into overdrive, conditioned to be prepared for battle.
"I'm not twelve. I have known these people for centuries. We are the products of our choices, and I chose to be with these people. I chose to sleep with Hades, chose to be used by him and I will suffer the repercussions for it. I knew it wasn't going to be a secret forever."
And Aphrodite... he wasn't angry at her. He knew more or less what Fetish was trying to get at but he wasn't angry. He knew he should have been angry, after all that he had done for her, given how much she knows she means to him - but he wasn't angry.
She was the only one there for him when no one else was, and now that she was back he didn't want to lose her again.
Even if it meant she had him wound around her finger. Even if it meant she would use him for her own desires. Maybe he didn't understand the dynamics of a proper relationship, because he hadn't been in one before, but he was happy with what he had.
"I don't want you to feel like you need to protect me from them. I appreciate how much you care about me, but... but I don't want you to be unhappy. Especially if it's because of me."