Chapter Text
Ares couldn’t breathe.
It was dark. It was cramped. He’d been stuck there for what felt like an eternity.
How long had it been anyways? Weeks at least. Months? Years? Time was a blur. Worst of all, he had no real way to keep track of how long it had been. No way to keep track of the days. Just endless darkness.
How long had he been kept in this jar?
He heard noises coming from the outside. However he didn’t get his hopes up. He hadn’t for awhile now. It was probably just the giants having some of their friends over.
Except… No… Something was different this time…
He could hear a familiar voice. It was faint, but…
Artemis?
Suddenly his eyes were assaulted by blinding light. Once his vision adjusted he saw Hermes.
“Heya!” The messenger said in an enthusiastic whisper. “Try to keep your voice down, yeah? Artemis is being a distraction right now, so hopefully they won’t hear ya!”
Ares nodded, taking the other god’s hand, and letting him pull Ares out of the jar.
It was only when they got back that Ares found out what had happened. It had been a year and a half since the battle. Since he’d been captured. He’d been stuck in that jar for a year and a half…
People had looked for him, for a few months before they gave up. Until a letter had arrived from Eriboea, the giant’s stepmother, telling Olympus where he was. So they sent Artemis and Hermes to go rescue him.
Ares decided he would send that woman a gift of some kind. Since apparently SHE cared about him more than his own family.
As he was in the infirmary, getting checked over by Apollo, he had a few visitors.
Aphrodite, who cried, and apologized for not doing more.
Hestia, who brought him a knitted blanket, that was meant for warmth and comfort.
And Athena.
“You’re a FUCKING idiot,” she told him. With that, she left.
“Good to see you too?!” Ares called after her. “Geez…”
Apollo laughed softly. “Oh don’t be mad at her. She was actually the first person to go looking for you.”
Ares looked up at him in surprise. “Really?”
Apollo nodded.
Apollo was in the middle of a conversation with Aphrodite when Athena walked up to them.
“Have any of you seen Ares recently?” Athena asked.
“Uh- no, why?” Apollo asked. “He owe you money or something?” He asked with a nervous chuckle. Apollo really didn’t want to have to heal Ares again, if Athena was mad at him.
Athena frowned, “No one that I’ve talked to has seen him since the fight with the giants. That seems a bit suspicious to me…”
Aphrodite scoffed, “Oh please, he’s fine,” her tone took on a dreamy quality as she continued, “He’s so strong I don’t think anything could hurt him.”
“I can and I have,” Athena said, “And besides, anyone can be incapacitated if they’re taken by surprise, no matter how talented or strong they nay be. I’m going to go look for him.”
“Oh, do whatever you like,” Aphrodite scoffed. “You know, you’re lucky you’re a virgin goddess. Otherwise I might get jealous.”
Athena gagged, “Believe me, you can have him all to yourself. Even if I wasn’t a virgin, I think the stench alone would prevent me form getting too close.”
“W-Well- Well-“ Aphrodite began clearly trying to think of a comeback.
Athena just walked away.
“Well I like the way he smells!” Aphrodite called after her.
Apollo turned to look at her, “Really?” he asked. He liked Ares well enough, but even he had to admit the man could benefit from a few more baths now and again.
Ares frowned. That was certainly a surprise. Athena of all people had been the first to notice…
“She was also one of the last of us to stop looking,” Apollo told him, “Only after father told everyone that we weren’t allowed to ‘waste time looking for you’ anymore.”
“I find that hard to believe,” Ares told him. After all, Athena hated him. She hated everyone.
Right…?
“Well… I don’t know what else to tell you, because she did. Well actually I do know. Lay down, so I can do a proper examination.”
Ares kept thinking about what Apollo had told him. The next time he was around the other gods (aside from his father), he couldn’t help himself.
“Is it true that Athena was the first person to look for me?” Ares asked, “And one of the last to stop?”
“Yeah,” Hestia said, “Only when your father forbid her from continuing the search–”
“Oh yeah, she was pissed that she didn’t get to go on the rescue mission,” Persephone said.
“But you know how father is with her. ‘Oh my precious baby! We can’t risk you getting hurt on a simple RESCUE MISSION’," Dionysus laughed.
“I don’t think she would’ve stopped if father hadn’t made her," Apollo agreed.
“Actually,” Artemis interjected, “She never stopped.”
“What?” Ares asked.
Artemis is the goddess of the moonlight, and therefore one of the few gods who don’t suffer from weariness during the night. So it was odd spotting one of her siblings out in the woods this late.
“Sister?” Artemis asked, appearing in front of Athena as easily as the moonlight itself filtering through the trees.
“Artemis!” Athena seemed rather startled by her presence. Odd…
“What keeps you up so late?” Artemis asked, “Not training again, I hope.” She had thought Athena had finally broken her bad habit of late night training sessions.
“That’s none of your concern,” Athena said, rather coldly.
Artemis paid it no mind. She was used to Athena’s standoffish behavior. Even so, she had always felt a sort of comradery with the other virgin goddess.
“What task is so important you can’t wait until morning?” Artemis pressed, “How could I assist?”
Athena grimaced, “Just don’t tell father I was here.”
Artemis blinked in surprise. “Ah, so secrecy is your goal. Whatever for?”
“He doesn’t want us searching for our brother,” Athena said, “But I cannot let the matter rest, I’m afraid.”
As Athena’s face caught the light, Artemis saw the dark shadows under her eyes, that she no doubt covered them up during the day.
“This is not your first night searching, is it?” Artemis asked her.
“No. I’ve been searching since the day father forbid it. Sleep deprivation will not kill a god,” Athena told her, “Nor will it drastically affect my health.”
“It will not,” Artemis agreed, “But I doubt it’s pleasant for you.”
“True, but if Ares has been trapped, or harmed in some way, as I suspect, then I doubt that would be pleasant for him either.”
Artemis nodded her agreement, “I suppose. In that case, I’ll let you know if I see anything.”
Athena nodded her thanks, and then left to continue her search.
“She never stopped looking,” Artemis said, “I don’t think she slept at all until Ares finally got home.”
Ares frowned, “Did I accidentally take moly? Since when does Athena care about ME?”
Hermes shrugged, “I think she cares a lot more than people think. I’m the god of liars, and I notice things… She cares, she just likes to pretend she doesn’t I think.”
Ares’s frown only deepened.