Your Loyalty to Me

Aria's Deepest, Darkest Secrets

"Aphrodite!"

She whirled around, her dark hair whipping around her flawless face. Her make up was heavy, but that doesn't mean she didn't look beautiful.
Even if I have known the goddess of beauty for three thousand years, I still haven't gotten over her beauty. I mean... She's the goddess of beauty, what do you expect.
But Aria is a whole different matter. She wasn't a goddess at all, meaning she didn't have any godly beauty, and yet...

Wait, what?

What?

WHAT WAS I GOING TO THINK?!?!

Oh gods... if Aria found out that I thought that of her she would SKIN me.

My trail of thoughts were interrupted when Aphrodite asked me what's wrong. I shook my head to clear my thoughts and explained why I came.
She just rolled her eyes and went back to combing her long hair.

"Aphrodite? Why aren't you answering?" I demanded, as if she was one of my prophets who would sprout out prophecies and good advise.

"It's a bit too obvious, Apollo."

"Really?"

"Hmm. Two people in love never really notice they're in love."

"What?"

She sighed and put down her comb turning to me. "Everybody can see it, Apollo. Aria likes you and Zeus cares enough for her to protect her from the sorrow you cause her all the time."

"Sorrow?" I asked, baffled.

"Duh," she answered, rolling her eyes as if I was too dumb for her to even talk to. "All the women you ever hook up with. Don't you ever think of how Aria feels?"

"Don't you think about how Hephaestus feels?" I shot back. Partially because I've always wanted to say that her and partially because I felt like she may be right.

"Hey, Aphrodite, can you do me a favour?"
She nodded.
"Can you ask Aria if she likes me? I want to hear her with my own ears."

"Dumbo, she won't admit if you're right in front of her."

"But I won't be right in front of her," I grinned widely.

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I crouched behind the bush, fully hidden by the leaves and flowers and thorns and-
Wait, THORNS?
Oh, dammit. I can't move. They're here. I guess I'll have to try ignore the damned thorns scratching cuts into my skin.

"So Aria," piped Aphrodite as she skipped up to my servant.
Way too happy Aphrodite... Crank it down a bit, I thought. You'll blow our damned cover.
Damn... Aria's bad language has been rubbing off on me.

"You okay Aphy?" Asked Aria. I held back a snort. Aphy? Imma call her that someday.

"Uh... Yeah! I just had a teensy weensy question for my favourite mortal!"

"Okay..." Aria frowned, looking a bit suspicious. But she stopped walking and that was a good thing because they were almost out of my earshot.

"Do you... Are you... In any chance... Interested in Apollo?" She blurted.
Aria did not look surprised, as if lots of gods had already asked her that question.

"No Aphrodite. I don't. He's just my master."

"You never called him that."

"Oh trust me it took a lot of will power to admit it so be thankful for my honest answer. That's right! The only reason I agreed to Apollo being my master is to show you that I am really being honest when I say that I DON'T LIKE APOLLO!" Her voiced raised to a shout that could be heard all over Olympus by the end of that sentence.

"Okay okay, yeesh. You don't have to get all angry," Aphrodite replied, smoothening her hair.
Aria slumped.

"Sorry. It's just that so many gods ask me that and it gets really annoying. And still nobody is willing to believe me," she complained. Aphrodite gently touched her shoulder.

"Don't worry Aria. I'm sure everything will work out to be fine."

"Yeah, I guess. Bye Aphy. Apollo's probably waiting for a bedtime story," Aria joked.
They laughed and the goddess left in a flash of godly power while Aria closed her eyes tight. Then she sighed and stood there for a moment before continuing her way to my house.