I do not own the characters and I'm not making a profit.

Rated T to M for language and sexual relations.

POV Aries but focuses on the X and G dynamic.

Ripped Apart

Chapter Three: RSVP

Rain soaked me as I put the last of the squalling chickens in their pen. My arms were a mess of claw marks from the little rodents. "Chickens… Bahhh," I roared as I turned, my frustration mounting and exploding as I growled as loud as I could.

"I hate chickens. They are such stupid animals." Cold rain fell in my mouth as I screamed, but I was beyond caring. And my groin was frozen stiff. "Damn Xena and her pranks."

I sauntered into the cabin, dripping as I walked. Stupid rain. Puddles began to form where I walked, but I was not about to stop and mop up the liquid. This whole mess was not my fault anyway. I muttered, "make a little sacrifice and end up cursed with a mere Mortal existence."

The wood creaked under my squashing boots. Crossing my fingers, I hoped the boards stayed in one piece until I had crossed them. I sighed as I stepped into the other room, where the fireplace was located, fully intending on scaring a fire into existence with my mussed and dripping expression.

The flickering of a fire caught my attention, so I immediately went toward it, my body feeling cold and wet. I tugged at my wet pants, trying desperately to cover up my 'tribute' as Xena called it, but it still flopped uselessly and painfully as I walked. "Ahh, they've both already seen it and didn't mind it," I muttered as I walked toward Xena and Gabrielle, sitting by the fire.

"Did you get the grass clipped and the chickens out of the wagon?" Xena burred from her seat in the front area beside the fireplace. She had cleaned out the stone and had a nice big fire going. Gabrielle sat at her feet, her back resting against Xena's legs. They looked comfortable and cozy. I wanted to grunt at them, but I just didn't have the energy. So I sat down in the other chair and stretched out my legs, cold rainwater dripping down my cheeks and back.

A towel hit me in the face. "Dry off. You look like a drowned rodent," Gabrielle said, then sighed.

"What do you have to sigh about? You have Xena to keep you warm." Then to prove my point, my body started to shiver. It was a new experience for me, and I didn't like it. So I quickly mopped at my face and said, "why thank you. You look like a cuddly cat, sitting there by the fire." I smirked behind the swatch of cloth, and laughed. The image of Gabrielle as a drowned pussy, cuddling up to Xena, was just too much for my exhausted brain to handle.

"Oh, be quiet Ares," Xena mumbled, but I peeked at her over the cloth and saw a smile tipping her lips at the corners.

"What's for dinner?" I asked after my face was sufficiently drier than before.

"Whatever you're fixing Ares," Gabrielle muttered as she continued to stare into the fire and ignore my glaring eyes.

"I've never cooked a day in my entire Immortal existence. What makes you think I know how? I'd snap, then poof, dinner." To emphasize my point, I snapped my fingers and smiled as nothing appeared.

Xena laughed softly, and said, "some ex-God you are." She stood up, stretching her long body out, muscles rippling and joints cracking softly. The shirt she wore slid up and exposed her trim belly to my eyes. I stared at her luscious skin until I felt eyes on me, and turned to meet dark green eyes, staring holes through my head. Anger danced in Gabrielle's gaze. Maybe I better make my own dinner tonight to avoid poisoning?

"I'll get the potatoes and carrots. We'll make a stew tonight," Gabrielle said as she let Xena help her to her feet.

"Haha. Right. WE. I'll just be over here tending to the fire." Then to emphasize my point, I walked until I stood right in front of the fireplace and tossed another log in. The fire sparked, sputtered at the addition of the slightly wet wood then it licked and swallowed the wood in bursting red and blue flames. Heat instantly flashed against my skin and I swallowed the urge to groan at the warm relief, my shivering muscles slowly stilling and my groin thawing.

"You know Xena, maybe we shouldn't have shrunk Are's pants. That was kind of mean of you," Gabrielle murmured as she stepped into the kitchen, leaving Xena with me and standing next to the fireplace.

"ME? Gabrielle, it was your idea," Xena squeaked, then met my gaze. "Ares…she didn't mean it." She giggled softly, stared down at my open fly, then said, "don't be too hard on her when you get your Godly powers back."

I muttered, "not likely. Your companion is the worlds best cure for stiff 'tributes'. You on the other hand…"

"Gee Ares, are you sure you want to eat dinner with us? I'm sure that neighbor lady will serve you a meal worthy of your attention," Gabrielle shouted from the kitchen, followed by the sound of a knife chopping vegetables roughly.

"I told her I had to serve my masters tonight. I told her that I was your slave for all things." I watched as Xena's eyes lightened to a flickering blue flame and the chopping sound from the kitchen stopped abruptly.

Footsteps marched toward me from the kitchen as Gabrielle appeared, her eyes a deep emerald glow. "You are not serving us with your tribute. We'll find you a bunk, but you're not welcome in mine…only Xena is," she husked then glared at me, making sure I understood what she meant.

I swallowed as the implication hit home. They're lovers. "Uh, Xena?" I looked to Xena for confirmation. Her eyes were on Gabrielle and not looking at me, then she ducked her head, her chin hitting her almost hitting her chest. The truth of their relationship just confirmed in a small change of body language.

I swallowed again. "I'll be outside," I mumbled as I grabbed the cloak resting on the chair Xena and Gabrielle just vacated. I caught Xena's smell as I lifted the leather and settled the cloth around my broad shoulders. It was a little tight, but not by much. Definitely not as tight as Gabrielle's cloak would be.

I heard Xena speaking in low tones as I stepped back outside into the light drizzling rain. Craning my head toward the door, I listened to make out words and only heard, "you didn't have to say it in that manner."

Gabrielle burred, "Xena, he is here and I don't like it. And I can't change the circumstances, rewind time. Yes, he saved my life, and he is your friend, so I'll be as welcoming as I can be, but I draw the line at sharing a bed with that beast."

I heard all I needed. Leaning back and turning, I walked off the steps and toward the shelter where the steeds were kept. I knew enough about Mortals to know that staying where one wasn't welcome was futile. A waste of precious time. "I'll go to the neighbor ladies." I looked down at my still open pants and sighed. "Yeah, she will welcome me with open arms."

"I just hope she has a bath tub." Rain immediately peppered my cheeks as I made my way across the land, hopping over the mud as best as I could in my too small pants and wet boots. "And I hope her husband is gone."

I shivered as I thought of him attacking me and taking my life. "No, don't think like that. You're an ex-God." My frozen lips tipped up into a smile as I approached her house, putting Gabrielle and her hurtful words behind me.

AN: Another update on the way.