Chapter Twenty-Eight
It was the next night. Ares was sitting in the rocker in their son’s nursery, gently rubbing their son’s back after he’d just finished a bottle. He could hear the soft sounds of Marty’s snoring in the other room. Marty had wanted to be up, but Ares insisted he get some rest. His mate had an awful lot of sleep to catch up on. It warmed his heart that Marty didn’t make much of a fuss about it. He trusts me with our baby. Ares couldn’t think of anyone who had done that before.
Marty had explained to him about Silvanus and Artemas, and Ares was quietly pleased. Silvanus was a very old god, older than Zeus, and he had the blessing of the Mother. All he’d said to Marty was, “At least we have the answers now,” and he made sure to kiss the thin, silver scar on the bottom of Marty’s belly when they’d snatched a quick nap and a cuddle in the middle of the afternoon.
Rocking them both gently in the chair, Ares thought back, trying to remember if he’d ever even been home when any of his other children were born. He doubted it.
Sometimes, in the wars of old, he could be away for years at a time, and when his battles led him close to any of the many places he could get a bed for the night, there might be a new child or two running around.
The woman concerned would usually say something like, “that one’s yours,” and Ares would shrug, sleep, and head back out on campaigns again.
It’s what happened to so many men back then. They were away for years, sometimes decades, and without all the modern conveniences of telephones, the internet, or communication devices like that, a lot of the women must’ve felt like they’d been abandoned. Ares had never kept in touch with his numerous partners and many times didn’t realize his children had been born until he’d got home many years later.
Not this time, he thought, keeping the rocking motions gentle. This time, I’ll be around to see you grow up. Their son was almost asleep. Marty had insisted that Ares pick the name. He said that because he’d been the one who decided to have their child in the first place, Ares should at least have the honor of choosing the name their son would be known by.
How am I meant to pick a name that conveys all the love, the strength, the commitment, the hope, and the dreams I have for you?
The raccoon had suggested Bob, which Ares had dismissed out of hand. But now, as he was studying his son’s face, he thought, you could be a Bob, you could be a Charles, you could be something exotic, but maybe you’re just ours.
“Ours” wasn’t a name, and picking anything wasn’t easy. Ares was aware that the weight and connotations of the name given would follow their little one into eternity. He had thought about one of two names – Teegan and Hunter.
But the name Teegan sounded like Ares was copying Zeus’s son Egan’s name. And Hunter… I want more for you than spending eternity hunting things down. If their child wanted to do that, then that would be a choice they made later in life, not because it was destined in a name.
Marty had suggested, weeks ago, when the pregnancy news was still new. “What about Ari?” he’d said at the time. “A combination of you and me. The ‘A-R’ is for you in Ares, and the ‘I’ is for me – Ari – Marty. See, our names would rhyme.”
Ares had dismissed it at the time, wanting a name with more meaning. But later, he had asked the Paulie app about the name, and learned that not only was it an accepted derivative of his own name, Ares, but it also meant a variety of different things across multiple languages. Lion, eagle, and sun-like were common meanings given.
I don’t want you growing up like me, little one, but even as he thought it, Ares knew that wasn’t going to be possible. He couldn’t believe the love he already felt for the tiny being who had already pissed on his hand and slopped sick down his shirt through an eventful day. Even if Ares struggled with being a parent, Marty was wholeheartedly invested, and with his open heart, Ares knew their son was going to be all right.
“Are you an Ari, little one?” Twisting his head, Ares could just see his son’s face nestled into his neck by his mating mark. Ari burped, and Ares froze. The last time Ari had done that, Ares ended up wearing half the contents of a formula bottle. But this time, it was just a burp.
I think that’s a good omen . Ares’ thoughts meandered to thinking about Hephaestus’ baby. Paulie had let him know that Hephaestus and Landyn now had a new daughter. When he heard, Marty had been very keen to go and visit, to take them a gift.
“It’s the right thing to do,” he insisted. But Ares pointed out that by that stage, Marty was already showing, and if there was any chance they might be seen by somebody who was not from the godly realm, then that could raise awkward questions.
But in truth, Ares knew he’d just been putting it off. Barely a week went by when Marty didn’t mention it, even as his own birth got closer and closer.
“Hephaestus will be the hardest nut to crack,” Ares murmured to his new son. “But if we can do that, then maybe that would be the push I need to start socializing more with the other gods. You deserve an extended family. They’re a real dysfunctional bunch,” he warned, keeping his voice low. “But you deserve to be recognized as part of that family, and maybe, it’s time I changed my ways.”
Ari was asleep. His cute mouth slackened, his eyelids flickering as he dreamed whatever babies dreamed of. Ares wondered what it was like to be in the mind of a baby. Thinking about what he’d done for Marty during the house renovation, Ares gently rested his middle finger very lightly on the side of Ari’s head. Closing his eyes, Ares got an impression of the stars, the night sky, white clouds and light. In the distance there was a beautifully radiant rainbow.
“Keep dreaming sweet things, my son,” he said as he carefully got up and put Ari in his crib. Making sure the night light was on and leaving the door open, Ares went through into the master bedroom where Marty was sprawled out across the mattress fast asleep.
I’ve been blessed , Ares decided. It’s about time I started building some bridges, renewing some connections, and creating an extended family that will help keep Ari and Marty safe.
Filled with a renewed purpose, he took off his shirt, dropped it on the floor, and climbed into bed with his mate, pulling Marty close. Marty mumbled something and then snuggled closer, but he kept sleeping. Ares felt his own eyelids get heavy.
We can think of a gift for Hephaestus in the morning, Ares decided. Ari was going to be awake again in a few hours, and one thing Ares had learned from his son in just one day was that their son had powerful lungs. He and Marty were both going to have to nap when they could.