Evie shut the bedroom door behind her, and Thanatos and tried his best to calm his nerves. Placing her hand over her lips, she stared at him, “I do not wish to fight with you.”
He sighed, “Neither do I.” Pointing to his chest, he gave her a small smile, “It hurts too much.”
She sat on the bed and shook her head, letting her eyes rest on the floor. “After all these years Thanatos, we promised we’d do everything together, and then you shut me out. Do you not understand how that makes me feel? You no longer sleep by my side, you no longer share your pain with me.”
He folded his arms to his chest. “I’ve seen the way my *pain* has taken a toll on you Poppet. Do you not understand how that makes me feel? This anger of mine so volatile, I’ve attracted more. And I can’t-” He looked away from her, “I can’t keep hurting you…not my best friend…not the love of my life.” He needed her to understand. “Seeing you unconscious today scared the hell out of me. I thought I’d lost you and to know I was the one who'd done it, ripped me to shreds.”
Evie stood. Walking over, she raised her hand to her husband’s chest. He stilled, and they both waited to see if something would happen. She exhaled and rubbed her arm, “I guess you’re no longer mad at me.”
“I was never mad with you. I was mad at myself for not being strong enough to keep things under control. I miss lying next to you. I miss having you in my arms.”
Evie stepped into him. “Don’t push me away…please…no matter what happens, don’t push me away again.”
Her words left his mouth dry, knowing that he was once again doing to her what he’d done years ago. Perhaps for different reasons, but still bearing the same result. He pulled her to him, and she laid her head on his chest. He felt the souls calm, and the vein's grip slowly lessen.
“I’m sorry.”
“I’m sorry too.”
He raised her head to look at him. Leaning down he kissed her gently and she deepened the kiss. She smirked, “How about we give the desk another try?” He laughed and picked her up and carried her to his office.
-------------------------------------------------
*A few days later*
Adam ran his hand up Aphrodite’s bare thigh and breathed her in. “Turn around, please. I want to ask you something.”
She did as he asked, looking at the blue of his eyes. “Yes?”
“Who am I reincarnated from?” He felt her still and then move away. He grabbed her. “Wai-wait. I’m sorry. I just really wish to know. I know all about your marriage to Hephaestus but as he’s still alive, I’m led to believe he isn’t your true Soul Tie.”
She grimaced, “He’s a fucking piece of shit, and I wish I was strong enough to kill him myself.” Her eyes widened. “I’m sorry.”
He stroked her hair. “Don’t apologize.” The two sat in silence, and Adam thought about her words.
He heard her whisper. “In a little town that bothered no one, lived a man who meant the world to me. His name Aeson and during one of my trips to earth, I met him.” She smiled. “I remember him asking *Goddess Aphrodite…I wish more than anything for the woman I’m in love with to love me back* and when I told him to point her out, he did a circle and then pointed to me.” She looked to Adam, “He made me feel-real…like I wasn’t just a Goddess but an actual person. I loved him dearly.”
“What happened?”
He saw her lip tremble slightly. “Hephaestus tricked Hera into assigning me as his wife. I didn’t wish to marry him, but you don’t tell the wife of the king of Gods no…it broke Aeson’s heart.” She snuggled into him. “And I…I just couldn’t say goodbye and we started an affair, and when Hephaestus found out, he killed him right in front of me.” Aphrodite wiped a tear from her eye, “I begged him not to kill him. I told him I’d never see him again, and he laughed and encased him in molten gold and placed it in the front of our home in Olympus as a beacon of my infidelity.”
“Wow…”
She shook her head. “I’ve done a lot I regret, but that will always be my biggest shame. I should have protected Aeson by letting him go. Afterwards, I was so vengeful, I started a new affair with Ares…” She didn’t want to tell him of her indiscretions knowing that he already had to deal with the news of Zeus, but he’d asked her for full transparency, and she knew Adam deserved it more than anyone. “My penance for my indiscretion with another God…turned out to be Zeus taking me as a mistress.”
She hated Zeus more than she hated Hephaestus. She’d begged for him to exile her and instead, he’d used that to his advantage. "Aeson soul was taken like Persephone and if I’m honest, I think in a lot of ways Hades and I are the same, both tied to the forbidden.”
She smiled small, caressing Adam’s face. He kissed her fingers, “Do I remind you of him? You can be honest it’s okay really.”
She shook her head no. “You are…you are your own amazing person, Adam. I knew it the moment I saw you. It was like I’d known you for all the years I’d know Aeson, but then my heart made it clear you were not him.”
“Can you do that the thing that you did for my fathers, between us?”
She looked down to the bed. “I…I don’t-”
“Please.”
She sighed, nervous about what she would find once she looked inside of his heart. Producing the two veils of mists as she’d done before, she injected them both before switching them. Aphrodite’s eyes widened. Lips parted she looked to Adam who held a beam on his face that resembled Romulus’ as he felt all her emotions towards him. She grabbed him and kissed him passionately causing him to chuckle.
“I was worried that you didn’t feel the same way that I do.” He said as he stroked her hair.
“Of course I do, but I needed you to see it for yourself.”
Adam grinned and nuzzled into her neck. “You love me?” She nodded and he kissed her deeply. “Good…because I love you so much.” He repeated over and over against her mouth, as he undressed her to show her exactly how he felt.