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It seemed like it had been some time since she had had the luxury of visiting her husband's forge, and it was strange to enter it now, when nothing was going on. It was a rather desolate place, cold and dreary when it lacked the heat of the forge itself, or the spark of metal on metal.
At first she thought the place was empty, then spied Hephaestus sitting near a work bench, idly glaring at what she could only assume was once a work in progress. What was it with men and the sulking over this thing?
"Well, aren't you looking glum."
"I can not work."
"Well... luckily, no one else is doing much either, so there is little need for arrows and such."
"But there is a need to make things. And I can not do that."
"And how about your new found throne?"
"I think we both know I was not made for such things."
"So why did you do it with us?"
"You needed a Third. And I desired materials. I fooled myself into thinking it would be fine, but now..."
"Now?"
"I dislike fighting. You say Hades has escaped, and so there will be fighting."
She shrugged lightly, absently fingering a bit of filigreed metalwork that looked like it was destined for something lovely, but now forgotten. "There doesn't have to be." She leaned back against the work bench and watched him, making a point to keep her distance. She wanted to see first if he'd even need coercion.
"No fighting? That is unlikely, Aphrodite."
"There's only fighting if you want to hold on to it. You don't seem that enthralled with the Throne."
"And my other option is to just hand it back over to Hades with an apology?"
"Why not? Hephaestus... you don't want it. Why fight to keep it?"
"It is a matter of honor."
"Forget honor. Selfishness was never something you shied from."
"It is tempting. What of you and Ares?"
"What of us? We'll be fine. Ares is not my concern or yours, and I do not think I will have to fight too hard to keep my position. They may not like it much, But at the least I've shown I'm capable."
"He is my brother."
"Then help him keep what he has, Heph. I do not care. Are you going to fight for your throne or not?"
"I do not wish to. But I can hardly just hand it over with an apology."
"Forget the apology. Let me handle it. I'll even get you access to your metals or what not."
"And you think you'll get Hades to go for it?"
She just smirked lightly and pushed away from the table, leaning over to kiss his cheek. "Honey... I get what I want."
"I do not think I wish details of your methodology. But it will be appreciated."
"Don't worry.. I'll take care of it. Someone needs to get things done around here."
She kissed his other cheek, then stood, moving toward the exit, leaving Hephaestus stewing over how she planned on accomplishing the task... sometimes, it was all so easy.
At first she thought the place was empty, then spied Hephaestus sitting near a work bench, idly glaring at what she could only assume was once a work in progress. What was it with men and the sulking over this thing?
"Well, aren't you looking glum."
"I can not work."
"Well... luckily, no one else is doing much either, so there is little need for arrows and such."
"But there is a need to make things. And I can not do that."
"And how about your new found throne?"
"I think we both know I was not made for such things."
"So why did you do it with us?"
"You needed a Third. And I desired materials. I fooled myself into thinking it would be fine, but now..."
"Now?"
"I dislike fighting. You say Hades has escaped, and so there will be fighting."
She shrugged lightly, absently fingering a bit of filigreed metalwork that looked like it was destined for something lovely, but now forgotten. "There doesn't have to be." She leaned back against the work bench and watched him, making a point to keep her distance. She wanted to see first if he'd even need coercion.
"No fighting? That is unlikely, Aphrodite."
"There's only fighting if you want to hold on to it. You don't seem that enthralled with the Throne."
"And my other option is to just hand it back over to Hades with an apology?"
"Why not? Hephaestus... you don't want it. Why fight to keep it?"
"It is a matter of honor."
"Forget honor. Selfishness was never something you shied from."
"It is tempting. What of you and Ares?"
"What of us? We'll be fine. Ares is not my concern or yours, and I do not think I will have to fight too hard to keep my position. They may not like it much, But at the least I've shown I'm capable."
"He is my brother."
"Then help him keep what he has, Heph. I do not care. Are you going to fight for your throne or not?"
"I do not wish to. But I can hardly just hand it over with an apology."
"Forget the apology. Let me handle it. I'll even get you access to your metals or what not."
"And you think you'll get Hades to go for it?"
She just smirked lightly and pushed away from the table, leaning over to kiss his cheek. "Honey... I get what I want."
"I do not think I wish details of your methodology. But it will be appreciated."
"Don't worry.. I'll take care of it. Someone needs to get things done around here."
She kissed his other cheek, then stood, moving toward the exit, leaving Hephaestus stewing over how she planned on accomplishing the task... sometimes, it was all so easy.
