DISCLAIMER: I don't own Xena - The Warrior Princess or any of the characters mentioned in this fanfic

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He was holding her softly, while his glowing touch made her melt into an orgasmic feeling. Normally she would hit him or run away, but this time she let him stay there caressing her shoulder and smelling her hair, because it felt so good and true that she just couldn't help it. They both knew that something strangely perfect was going on, like if that brief moment was meant to happen for a long time.

"And then the scorpion answered…" he continued in a low, gentle tone.

Somehow the words came naturally from her lips.

"It's what I do."

Then, only then, Ares saw some strong and painfully revealing memories flashing in Xena's eyes. She had finally remembered it.

But he was sure she would rather die than admitting the disturbing things she had just seen in her mind.

So he just repeated after her.

"Yeah… It's what I do…"

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He used to watch her as she fought, as she killed, as she slept.

And he was proud of her. Ares, the mighty, cruel, nasty God of War, was feeling proud of a woman. But not just any woman.

Her.

Xena.

Beautiful, surprising, deadly Xena.

For some years, he had been her teacher, her guide. Those stunning blue eyes full of fearsome and desire were all product of his own patience and training, as he loved to say to himself every time he saw her coming from another battle with a bloody sword and a dangerously gorgeous look on her face. She was the ultimate destruction warrior, the perfect junction between beauty and strength, his best partner in the heat of war. And in the heat of his bed.

They had their own ritual of seduction. Usually she would arrive from battle with the memories of chaos and blood still fresh on her mind, feeling that bitter, dark and delicious energy pumping in her veins. Then he would compliment her for the victory, tell her how she would be his Warrior Queen soon. And just like that, before she knew it, he would be all around her making her melt into his impatient body. Most of the times Xena would eagerly accept him, because only Ares could give her that luscious and divine exhaustion of satisfaction. The God of War knew how to please a woman: no thoughts, no feelings, no reasoning involved; just waves of almost unbearable pleasure. The weight of his body over hers had an effect of absolute fulfilment that helped her manage the usual throbbing anger and keep it somewhat under control. It didn't matter if they were both developing a dangerous addiction to each other, because it just felt right as long as they kept pretending there was nothing else to it.

"Xena, do you know the story of the scorpion and the swan?" he asked her once, after they had a particularly intense fight about his choices over an important battle.

Xena wanted to command the army alone, as always. Ares wouldn't let her. She had been growing impatient those last months, and he knew she wouldn't accept his orders for much longer. But that had only made him desire her more.

"I've conquered hundreds of villages in your name, and now you tell me you won't let me lead this army by myself?" she asked him heatedly, with a cold, dark fury in her eyes that would scare any reasonable living thing.

But Ares knew her better. He leaned to her and started to kiss her shoulder slowly, as he continued his story.

"The scorpion wanted to cross the river, so he asked the swan for a ride."

"Get your hands of me, Ares…"

"And the swan though it couldn't be much of a risk, because the scorpion would never sting the creature that was carrying him over the raging river."

He was now kissing her neck. By this point, Ares knew she could either surrender completely or punch him hard with rage, depending of how edgy she was feeling that day. But he was willing to take the risk.

"Ares I mean it!"

"So half across the river, the scorpion sting the swan. Surprised, the swan asked him why he had done that. And the scorpion answered…"

He gave her a teasing kiss, full of second intentions. Than he looked Xena in the eyes and concluded:

"It's what I do."

She stared at him silently.

Xena had never been much of a talker; actually, she would remain quiet most of the time, as if she had some incredible secret kept inside of her, that no human or god could understand. But Ares knew that something was just not right about her; sometimes her eyes asked too many questions, revealed too many culpable doubts she would rather left forgotten.

"You see Xena, it doesn't matter how much you promise you'll obey me. You were never easy to deal with, and I know you'll eventually get tired of my orders, because that's in your nature. It's what you do. And I'll respect that, as long as you respect my decisions."

Some years after, when an incident made her forget all about their confusing relationship, Xena had trouble understanding why her body always responded to Ares' in such a natural and uncontrollable way.

She felt something had been left unexplained since that first day she met him, when she was going to be on trial for the murder of those villagers Ares had killed. The moment she heard his silky, seductive voice Xena knew who he was – she just couldn't explain how. And his touch just felt so good and familiar that she could swear she had felt it before.

As time passed by, she continued to experience it the very same way every time they saw each other. Being a God, maybe it would be easy for Ares to know how to handle a mere mortal like her; but Xena couldn't understand how, against all odds, she knew exactly the way to tease and soften the God of War, almost like if they had been lovers for a long time.

And there she was now, letting him hold her, while Eve's life was in danger and an insane battle between amazons and Romans was about to begin. She was allowing her biggest enemy to caress her knowing they would be on opposite sides of the same battle in just a few minutes, and she was liking it. So that moment she remembered it all, out of frustration, anger and passion. She remembered their insane fights. The endless hours planning battles by his side. The way they hated and respected each other. The long nights spent in Ares' bed, loving the God of War. And that was why, almost hypnotized by their strange bond, she answered:

"It's what I do."

Loving and hating each other was what they did and would always do.

Forever, and ever.