Thoughts of Ares never crossed Hephaestus's mind. He had defeated the God of War soundly in the battle for Aphrodite's hand, and so of course his half-brother would step aside. The hotheaded fool would have to watch as the forge god sat upon the great thrones, with the beautiful Aphrodite at his side. It was a victory Hephaestus had truly savored, but already digested.
The battle had been easy compared to learning how to live with the goddess. Hephaestus could invent a device to keep the war god at bay, but there was nothing he could build to help him with this. Except maybe this palace.
"You're right, of course," Hephaestus said, sincerely, nodding along with gratitude that she would think so clearly. She was used to this, the great game of thrones on Olympus. While he was learning mortal ways she had been vying with Hera and the others. He was suddenly glad that he had her, a companion here on this lonely mountain top. "We will make sure they remember. They will see our home rising up and see what I am providing for you." It would take away a bit of the sting of having to live in his wife's home. The palace would need to be grand enough to erase any thought that he was not capable of being her husband.
"I am sure I won't need much from your ladies. I've done without all these years." He smiled at Aphrodite though for the offer and her seeming care. "But it is good that all the Olympians will see us as husband and wife."