Lords of the Underworld [malexmale]

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen

"I can think of several reasons why this is a really bad idea."

"Don't be a pussy. Just stab me with the pointy end."

"Can't we do what normal sons and fathers do? Watch football and pretend we have wenches to yell at?" Ambrosius whined impatiently. I rolled my eyes and glanced over at Lucifer, who just watched us with this giddy expression on his face. I had no idea what about Ambrosius and I sparring got this guy turned on faster than a ten cent whore ODing on aphrodisiac. It was his stupid idea. He insisted Ambrosius let loose some anger and that I get back into the game of fighting.

As if I needed to "get back in the game". I wasn't rusty.

"Come on," Lucifer encouraged, "Just one round. We need to be prepared for when the Titans launch their attack and the other gods arrive to prepare for the battle. One round, Hades, and you can spend all evening in the lab." I scowled, putting a fist on my hip as I turned to face him.

"What do I look like to you? A child?"

"Some days."

"This isn't helping your cause."

"Oh, just let him bitch," Ambrosius said, facing Lucifer with a snort, "He's just scared I'll kick his ass."

"If you're trying to goad me into a fight, you suck. I thought I taught you better than that." I drawled. Ambrosius appeared irritated, making me smirk in triumph. Now that is exactly how you goad someone into a fight. It helped that I was a lot more annoying than he was. There was something about Ambrosius that made it difficult to be irritated with him for long. Or that could just be the deeply hidden paternal feelings I held for him. Either way, I was amused by him.

He was wearing another one of those cropped shirt, showing off his abs, with long sleeves, and his harem pants. I blamed Thorn and his desert world for Ambrosius skimpy outfits. He was showing far too much skin, and even though it was rather warm in the large training room at the palace, I still didn't approve, not that my opinion mattered.

I, on the other hand, opted for a black tank top and exercise pants I had Niki fetch from town. Our bare feet touching the cool wood flooring, long white silk curtains billowed away from the long row of open windows that opened to a sleek balcony. It was a nice place, but I hated how white it was. There was something about the purity of the color that offended me. And while my palace was almost entirely black, green was my favorite color. I blamed Persephone for it.

"One round," Ambrosius relented, turning to face me with the sword in his thickly stitched gloved hand, preventing cuts on his hands, "And if I win, you have to stay out of your room for a day." I laughed at that, twirling the sword before clasped it in my hand. The weight of it was a bit strange, but I blamed it on the gloves that barely reached my wrists and only covered my thumb, forefinger, and middle finger.

"Why? So you know where I'm at so you can plot my death?" I asked. Ambrosius scowled, spreading his feet across the floor to find balance. It reminded me of the first time I had taught him to handle a sword when he was eight and he tried to find balance, but kept teetering everywhere and standing with his feet bent inwards. Now he stood with expert stance, knee bent, equal balance, sword facing my direction.

"You're really dead set on us trying to kill you. You know we can't do that without disrupting the balance, and quite frankly, you're not worth it." He replied bitterly. I smiled at that, even though Lucifer flinched. He obviously had no idea what it was like to have your own son curse your very existence, and for a good reason. I accepted Ambrosius's hate. I wouldn't spit or curse at him for something logical.