Strange Love

The sudden hard patter of rain and a loud clap of thunder was the only thing that could have pulled Arei's attention away from the sweet lips and warm embrace he'd missed for so long. His brows furrowed as his attention moved to the window, she'd pulled the curtains back on. The bright light of day that had been streaming in moments ago was now gone. He turned his gaze back to Jos. "Is something wrong, Kitten?" He asked in confusion as he looked from her head which was now tucked against his neck back to the window.

Jos could feel the heat blaze through her cheeks as she struggled to gain control of her breathing. She shook her head against his neck, biting her lip as she fought against the urge to kiss the rippling muscle her mouth was pressed against. She couldn't bring herself to face him as she turned toward the window, her legs on either side of his and his arms still wrapped tightly around her waist. He'd pulled her onto his lap almost immediately after she'd kissed him. {Does he think this storm is my doing?} Jos's brows scrunched together. "It's not me... was it in the forecast?" She tried to wiggle off his lap as she reached for her cell phone in her back pocket, but he tightened his grip with one hand and moved the other up to carefully turn her eyes toward his, causing the aqua pools to widen.

"Are you sure? You can tell me; I'll not get mad." He stroked the hand wrapped around her waist in soothing circles as he searched her eyes.

Jos swallowed hard. "It's not me, I promise." Her cheeks heated more as her gaze moved over his mostly exposed chest. "I mean, it's not exactly how I saw this day going... but I'm not THAT upset about it." Her gaze moved back to the window as another crack of thunder sounded. "Are you sure it's not just in the forecast?"

Arei followed her gaze to the window. He shook his head, "No, I wouldn't have brought you all the way out here had it been. We'll not be able to fly back until it passes." He turned his attention back to her. "Can I use your phone?" He asked.

Jos nodded as she lifted slightly and pulled it from her pocket. She quickly typed in the four-digit code to unlock it and frowned. "I only have two bars and my battery is low." She commented as she handed it to him.

"It should be fine. It will only take a minute or two." He said as he pushed in the number with the thumb of the massive hand that gripped the phone, his other still stroking her back. He lifted it to his ear as it began to ring, his attention moving back up to her curious eyes. The call was answered on the third ring. "Hey, Fa-dad. I hate this but we may be stuck here longer than expected. Do you think you could stay and keep an eye on Shelly for us?"

Silence came from the other end of the phone for several seconds before Poseidon finally answered.

[Are the two of you alright? nothing bad happened on the trip, did it?]

Arei was quick to answer. "No, the flight went fine. We are at the cabin now, but a freak storm has blown in." His attention moved back to the window as the rain began to pelt it harder sounding almost chunky as it hit. "I may need you to contact the Embassy if it doesn't pass soon."

[I could always pop in and bring the two of you back if you'd like.] He offered.

Arei glanced at the clock on the mantle. "Is Ry and the kid still there?"

[Yes, I was waiting until the two of you got back before zapping over with them. I didn't want to leave Shelly alone.] The sound of clicking sounded in the background. [You said you are at the cabin? The one over near Bachalpsee... let me see that's Berne... or at least close enough...] The sounds of computer keys being hit rapidly sounded now. [It's showing clear on the radar. Are you sure you don't want me to pop in?] Poseidon asked leaning back in his office chair.

Arei sent Jos a questioning look as he shifted the phone to the other ear so she could hear the conversation better. "How is everything going there? If you need us now-"

Poseidon interrupted. [Everything is fine here. The kid has actually been a halfway decent person. When I checked in on them earlier, he was helping her pull up pictures of Rin on his phone and talking about some of the fun times they'd shared. He was even trying to talk her into calling his parents over video chat. I'm not sure how that has gone, however.]

Arei searched her eyes, seeing barely hid anxiety at the mere mention of Russ; and he would be lying if he didn't admit he, himself didn't want to have the kid near her just yet. "No, it's alright. If it's not clear by morning, we'll call back."

[Alright, be careful and don't worry about anything here. If you can't make it back by nightfall, I'll have Ry and the kid share a room with her. Keep a watchful eye out. Although freak storms aren't unheard of in that area, they can also be suspicious.] Poseidon said as his eyes moved over the forecast displayed on the screen.

Arei sighed, "Not to worry, we will. I'll keep you updated. Also, save this number. It's Jos's cell. I'll call or text before we leave." They said short goodbyes before Arei hung up and handed the phone back to Jos. His eyes held her. "I hope that was alright with you. You don't mind staying here overnight possibly?"

Jos shook her head. "N...no... especially if Russ is still there..." She looked away. "I mean, I'm glad to hear things are going well for them. They needed time to themselves since all this started. Russ and Rin were close friends so I think that kind of good-natured support is just what she needs right now... and I know the only way they can have that is if I'm far away..." A tear slid down her cheek.

He brushed it away with the wide pad of his thumb. "I know you're in pain right now, Kitten, and that all this is hard on you. You can no longer be there for both of them like you feel like you need to be, but maybe in time, we can work out a way for you to be back in both their lives without worrying about the impact of the curse."

Jos shook her head. "That would be nice, but I don't see my mother releasing me from the curse anytime soon."

Arei let out a heavy sigh. "I'm sure there has to be a way." He looked back toward the window, noting the sky drawing darker. "Well, it doesn't look like the storm is going anywhere soon..." He moved his focus up to her. "What would you like to do? There's a TV in one of the bedrooms and the kitchen is usually pretty well stocked with non-perishables. We could throw something together and watch a movie... or something..." When she simply nodded, her eyes still heavy with trouble; he patted her thigh. "How about you go pick out a movie and I'll throw something together?" She sent him a skeptical glance. "Don't worry I'm pretty good at working a microwave." He gave her a wink as he helped her to her feet.

A few minutes later Arei walked into the bedroom with a tray of various foods he'd found. A smile covered his face as his eyes found her. She was sitting cross-legged with a couple DVD's spread out in front of her. "It's a good thing the kitchen had been restocked recently. That rain doesn't look like it's giving up any time soon." He set the tray on the long dresser the television hung over as he pulled a wire from his pocket. "I found a charger that should work for your phone as well." He arched a brow when she only nodded, her attention still trained on the movies. "Having problems deciding, Kitten? Let's see what you have down there." He said as he bent over beside her.

Jos rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "I don't know... What do you think? They are all pretty good."

Arei looked over the titles. "I agree Casablanca, West side story, and Rebel without a cause are all good movies; but I swear I've seen them all so many times I know every word. What else do you have?" He lifted two he'd never seen that looked newer. "The Great Gatsby, is it as good as the book?"

Jos frowned as she moved her gaze back to the stack of movies still in the drawer. "Is it fair to ever truly compare one to the other? Let's see... How about this one?" She held up another newer case. "I haven't seen this one."

Arei took the movie from her hand and looked over the case, reading the description on the back. "Age of Adeline... hum sounds interesting." He held his hand out for her to take, pulling her up out of the floor. I'll put it in if you want to set up the bed for us."

Jos looked over the neatly made bed and the stack of perfectly arranged pillows. "I almost feel bad messing it up." She said.

Arei chuckled as he watched her carefully arrange the many pillows. "You can thank Andy for that. This is the room she and Peg use when they come here." Once she was done stacking the pillows against the headboard and had crawled into the bed, he handed her a tray. He laughed when her nose turned up slightly at the combination he'd thrown together. "Sorry, it was the best I could find." He shrugged as he joined her on the bed and pushed play on the remote.

The movie played as they ate in relative silence, he could tell that parts of the movie were getting to her. If he was honest, they were him as well. Living a life without aging, without changing... that had no end in sight was hard when you were alone. Images of the two wolves that were currently at his father's palace flashed through his mind. The hardest part of never aging, never changing was living and loving those who did... he took her tray and slid his tray under it before setting them both on the nightstand. He pulled her against his side and placed a light kiss on the top of her head as she sniffled against tears caused by the final scene of the movie.

"I can't help but relate... It's so sad. Even if it's that way, her daughter will still grow old sooner or later and she'll have to see that end..." Jos sniffled.

Arei kissed her head again. "I know what you're thinking, Kitten. But look at it this way, they had all those great years together and should have more to come... though limited." He nudged her chin up to meet his gaze. "It will help to have someone she loves by her side; don't you think?"

Jos could feel a hint of a blush creep up her neck as she nodded. Turning away from his grip, she stood from the bed and moved to the window. She let out a heavy sigh as the rain still pelted against the window blocking her view of the now dark sky. "Would you like to watch something else since it doesn't look like we'll be going anywhere tonight?"

Arei ran his hand through his hair as he looked out the window past her. "Might as well... maybe something more uplifting this time." He winked as he leaned back against the headboard, enjoying the way her cheek reddened as her eyes trailed his movements.

***

Selena frowned as she watched Zeus pace back and forth across the room like a caged animal, his wet hair leaving droplets of water on the wood floor. "Again, I'm sorry but I can't break other individuals' magic." She quickly clamped her mouth shut and backed against the wall she stood near as his angry eyes met hers.

"This is bullshit! You're completely useless!" He ran his hands angrily through his hair as he growled toward the ceiling. "I should have moved in sooner! She's back with him, I know it! Everything is ruined! I'll not be able to use the wolves as I'd planned. And they will all be more careful now. Areion hasn't let her out of his sight since arriving in Athens, now that she's back in his arms I doubt he ever will! Trapping them at that damn cabin was my best chance!"

"Selena dreaded the answer, but her morbid curiosity had already won out. "What had you planned tonight after trapping them there with a storm anyhow?" She braced herself for the answer.

"There was plenty I could have done, had any of my powers been able to penetrate that blasted cabin!" He growled.

Selena let out a nervous breath. {So, he either hadn't had a plan or he still doesn't trust me enough to reveal it.} "The final hearing is tomorrow, surely after her sentencing, there will be plenty of chances for you to work whatever plan you would like."

He glared at her in irritation. "Do you honestly think she will take any kind of deal I have to make if she's being locked up with her lover? How stupid can you be? I had leverage when it was that blasted kid she wanted, but if she's settled for Areion what's left to barter. No, my best chance was that cabin and using one against the other... now it's ruined and without a doubt, by morning there will be no going back..."

***

Arei lifted the remote and clicked off the TV as the credits began to play. He carefully scooted lower in the bed being careful not to bother Jos who had fallen asleep with her head rested on his chest and her arm wrapped around his upper waist. His smile widened as her grip tightened. He curled upwards to kiss her head. "Goodnight, Kitten." To his surprise, she muttered a response... and said HIS name.

"Goodnight... Arei." She whispered sleepily. "And thank you..."

He scrunched his brows together as he tried to make out the outline of her head in the dark. "For what, Kitten?" He asked softly.

"For always being the thing, I need... never pushing me further than I'm comfortable with even... in a situation like this... even though it would be easy to right now..." Her words were so faint a normal person would have had trouble hearing them, but he didn't. "The comfort it brings me to be here in your arms... it means a lot... Thank you for bringing me and offering to share such a large part of yourself with me. You didn't have to, but you did." She didn't lift her head or move her gaze, instead, she kept her eyes trained on the outline of her arm around his waist, right above the knot of the blanket he'd wrapped around himself.

Arei held her tighter. "Anything you want. I promise not to hide anything else and to let you get to know the real me. As for this, having a night alone with you is enough for me." He loosened his grip when she pushed up against him.

Looking down into the faint glow of his hazel eyes, Jos didn't want to hold back any longer. "Arei..." She lifted her chest onto his and lowered her lips down to meet his.

He kissed her tenderly back but didn't move further. Rubbing his palm across the side of her cheek, he whispered huskily. "Get some sleep, Kitten." He felt her go rigid before she let out a low breath and lowered herself back to his chest. He stroked her back as he tried to slow the pace of his own racing heart.

Jos could hear and feel the frantic beat of his heart against her face. "I don't understand why you always hold back so much. You're nothing like most other men."

He smiled "I hold back because I know it's not what is best for you. Understandably, there are other things we could do to take your mind off the trials tomorrow... but after all the excitement is over we will still be stuck together, and I can't stand the thought of seeing regret on your face a second time. I want everything that happens between you and me from this point on to be what you truly want."