CALLIOPE: It seems only fair that we offer something a little more lighthearted after the events of last episode. For some, this would be a trick and I would plunge you into even further depths, but I am a kind narrator and will actually keep this story floating above the water.
Welcome, dear listeners, to Forged Bonds.
We shall start our story today in a place you might not expect: the bed of our dear god of wine. He’s lying with Apollo after… Activities. Activities that we need not showcase in an audio medium, so we will jump straight to the after of it all.
APOLLO: Di?
DIONYSUS: Yes?
APOLLO: Can I ask a favor?
DIONYSUS: (suggestively) What kind of favor?
APOLLO: (laughing) Not that kind, you menace. It’s… A little more personal than that?
DIONYSUS: More personal than–
APOLLO: Yes, more personal than us having sex, I know how that sounds but please, Di, just… Serious conversation? Please?
DIONYSUS: (soft understanding) Of course, Apollo. What’s up?
APOLLO: Would you be willing to come and have dinner with me and Artemis? And I know how that sounds! It sounds very ‘meeting the family when you’re dating’ and we’re not dating– and no offense to you but I don’t really want to be dating you.
DIONYSUS: (laughing) None taken.
APOLLO: It’s just… I’m worried that Arte has the wrong impression of you. And I know you two had a moment of aro bonding at the wedding, but it’s different when you’re…
DIONYSUS: Sleeping with their brother?
APOLLO: Exactly. I’m worried that, I don’t know… That she thinks you’re taking advantage of me or something. So if I could show her that we’re friends, that we have healthy boundaries outside of what we’ve been doing, that this isn’t just me pining for affection like a lost puppy– (sigh) I’ve talked to her before about how I’m not fully sure where I land on the romance aspect. I think it’s just hard for her to get what I mean when she’s fully not into it, you know? So she worries– and I appreciate that she worries! But there’s nothing to worry about and I feel like if the two of you just had the chance to talk again in a casual but less crowded setting she would get that. She doesn’t think you’re a bad guy she just–
DIONYSUS: Worries. That’s understandable, it’s not like what we’re doing is the most accepted by (sarcastic) society. Unless you’re Zeus, in which case everyone turns a blind eye and he makes people get married about it. If having dinner with Artemis is what it takes to assuage her fears, then we’ll have dinner. It’s not like hanging out with you is some kind of hardship, Pollo. We’re friends outside of all of this, this wouldn’t work if we weren’t.
APOLLO: So having dinner with my sister isn’t crossing any lines then?
DIONYSUS: It’s not like I’ve never met Artemis. And she and I have seen each other since you and me started doing this. This isn’t some daunting task you’ve laid down at my feet, this is dinner with my friends. As you have pointed out, neither of us are looking to date each other.
APOLLO: Not that you aren’t great! But you’re not into dating and I’m not into dating you– that sounds so bad, I’m so sorry.
DIONYSUS: (laughing) It would be more of an issue if you wanted to date me. I’m perfectly content to not be your type romantically. (pause) But from a sex standpoint–
APOLLO: (laughing) Yes, Di, you’re still my type from that standpoint. I don’t have any regrets about what we’re doing and am happy to continue.
DIONYSUS: Then that’s all that matters to me.
CALLIOPE: We shall pull your attention away from our two gods here and move towards the forge once more. Aphrodite has just arrived at Hephaestus’ doorstep, eager to see her friend after some time apart.
(knocking)
HEPHAESTUS: Door’s open, Aph!
APHRODITE: How did you know it was me?
HEPHAESTUS: Di doesn’t knock and Hermes has been texting me cute pictures of him and Ares all morning. It’s good to see you.
APHRODITE: I feel like it’s been awhile. I mean, last time I saw you I wasn’t in the middle of a divorce.
HEPHAESTUS: And it’s a messy one according to the papers. Lots of cheating allegations being thrown around on both of your parts. I’m afraid that Ares may not have been faithful to you, Aph.
(both laugh)
APHRODITE: He and Hermes are absolutely sickening right now, it’s adorable. Ares and I have been friends for ages and I don’t think I’ve ever seen him this happy. It’s nice, even if it’s causing everyone to talk about us again.
HEPHAESTUS: It’s wild the things we will do for our friends, isn’t it? I mean, just the other week Di came over at 2AM because I was spiraling. He didn’t hesitate though, just grabbed Cider and made his way over here.
APHRODITE: Is everything okay?
HEPHAESTUS: (realizing her mistake) Everything is fine! I just got a little in my own head the other night, self worth issues and all that. Sometimes I just… Worry that I’m not meant for all of this.
APHRODITE: All of what?
HEPHAESTUS: Friendship, love, any of it. It sometimes feels so out of reach for me, even when I have it. I have wonderful friends– more now than I had had in my life; I love them dearly and I know they love me I just… Can’t help but wonder if I deserve it.
APHRODITE: It’s not about deserving, Phae– though you definitely deserve it. We care about you because you’re amazing. You’re sweet, you’re funny, you’re kind– We choose you. I choose you. Not because you ‘deserve’ it but because you’re you and being you is more than worthy of love.
CALLIOPE: You may recall, dear listeners, a similar conversation between Ares and Hermes. One that made our dear god of war realize the depth of his feelings for our swift-footed messenger god. Sometimes it is other people’s words that give us clarity to our feelings. Other times, it’s our own words that pull the world directly into focus.
APHRODITE: Oh.
HEPHAESTUS: Oh?
APHRODITE: (recovering smoothly) We’re not doing enough to show you that we care about you.
HEPHAESTUS: That’s not what I meant–
APHRODITE: That doesn’t make it untrue, though. Clearly I’m not doing a good enough job as a friend if you’re feeling like this.
HEPHAESTUS: It’s not that, Dite, I swear. It really is just my head getting in the way. Logically I know that you all care about me just as much as I care about you. You show me this every single day, it can just be a little hard to let logic override the years of self isolation. It’s getting easier, though. You make it easier. For the longest time all I had was Dionysus– and he’s wonderful, he’s my best friend– and I thought that was enough. And then you… I thought making wedding rings for you would be a very transactional thing, that you’d be like the rest of Olympus but you weren’t. You were kind. You made it easy to be your friend, made it possible to start opening up to the world again, I– (pause) You do more than enough to show me you care, Aph. I promise you that.
APHRODITE: I hate that Olympus hurt you so much that you needed to self isolate. I hate that I didn’t know you then– or, at least, that I didn’t know you well enough to help.
HEPHAESTUS: You’re helping now. And that’s more than enough.
APHRODITE: I’m really glad that I know you, you know that right?
HEPHAESTUS: Sometimes I can’t believe it, but I definitely know it. I’m lucky to have you too, you know.
APHRODITE: I’m gonna make it so you always believe it, I swear.
CALLIOPE: If you can forgive your narrator for cutting in once more, I’d like to direct your attention elsewhere, if only for a moment. And by ‘direct your attention’ I, of course, mean ‘have you listen in on Ares and Hermes’ conversation’.
ARES: Those spells Circe did seem to be working! I haven’t seen a reporter around the house for a while now; that was a great suggestion, babe.
HERMES: Oh definitely not.
ARES: It was a great suggestion! (pause) Oh, wait. Okay, not babe. I’m assuming not ‘baby’ either?
HERMES: Better than ‘babe’, still not a fan.
ARES: Hmmm… ‘Sweetheart’?
HERMES: Yes? (pause) Oh, you were asking about using that as a name.
ARES: (laughing) Judging by your answer, I’ll take that as a yes. Okay then; it was a great suggestion sweetheart.
HERMES: I’m just glad it all worked out. It’s a lot nicer not having to feel like I’m sneaking into your house. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to make any trouble for you and I’m perfectly fine with people not knowing until the divorce is finalized, I’m just glad that I don’t have to be as cautious when I’m here. It’s nice to be able to hold you or be held without having to worry that someone is going to be peeking in through your window.
ARES: Actually having privacy again is great. I swear, when we were in the process of getting married they were nothing like this. But one rumor of a potential divorce and suddenly they’re hiding in the bushes.
HERMES: I mean, the divorce rumor is true. Just not for the reasons they think.
ARES: Fair point.
HERMES: I think they’re starting to catch on to the fact that it’s me though. One paper cited a ‘life-long crush’ that I’ve had on you, pointing all the way back to that start of you pining after Aph. (laughing) Sometimes they really are dead on with these things, you’d think they’d be able to figure more stuff out about Zeus but they’d rather spend time figuring out a centuries old crush.
ARES: (astounded) You… You really loved me for that long?
HERMES: Of course I did. I fell in love with you on accident and then just… I don’t know. Kept loving you on purpose. Gods know I tried not to love you but I just couldn’t help myself.
ARES: I’m sorry I made you wait.
HERMES: I’m not.
ARES: But–
HERMES: No, seriously Ares. I’m not. You didn’t make me wait, you just needed the time to figure yourself out. I don’t regret loving you before you loved me. I could never regret loving you.
ARES: And if I had never caught on? Would you just have, what, pined away in silence for another century? There’s no way that wasn’t hurting you– no way I wasn’t hurting you. Gods, Hermes, I– (pause, deep breath) I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.
HERMES: There’s nothing to apologize for, my love. If you hadn’t felt the same, nothing would’ve changed. You’d still be my friend, still be someone I loved and cared about even if there wasn’t a romantic relationship attached. Your friendship has always meant more to me than anything else. Given time, I’m sure the feelings would fade. It sounds ridiculous to call it a centuries old crush, but what is a century in the face of immortality? The time passed in a blink, Air, and it’s not as though I spent every waking moment wishing things would change. You would still matter to me if you didn’t love me romantically. You could decide right now that we’re better off as friends and that would be more than okay. I said it before, Air, I could never regret loving you. Even if it hurt me, even if it hurts me again in the future, I could never regret it. (pause) And besides, I lucked out anyway. We’re in a world where you do love me back. You don’t need to apologize for a potential that didn’t happen.
ARES: I love you. So, so much.
HERMES: I love you too.
CALLIOPE: I’m going to direct your attention once again, my dear listeners. In fact, it is back to the start of this episode. Later, of course, but still where we began.
ARTEMIS: Oh good, you’re home, I was just about to start making dinner. (pause) Oh! Hello, Dionysus. I wasn’t expecting to see you today.
APOLLO: I invited him over for dinner. Is… Is that okay?
ARTEMIS: (confused) Why… wouldn’t it be? You two are friends, we have friends over for dinner all the time. Unless this is you telling me you’re not friends–
DIONYSUS: No! No, still friends, not dating.
ARTEMIS: People can change their minds about their sexualities, but I’ll be honest I would’ve been surprised if you had Dionysus. You spoke to aromanticism in a way that I’ve only ever heard myself speak about before. So if not dating, why does it feel like you’re trying to stage an intervention of some sort?
APOLLO: I just thought you and Dionysus could get to know each other a little better.
ARTEMIS: Pollo, you’re acting so suspicious right now. Are you sure everything is okay?
DIONYSUS: Apollo?
APOLLO: I’m just. Worried that you got the wrong impression of Di, that’s all Arte. He’s not using me, we’re actually good friends outside of what we do and–
ARTEMIS: I know all of this, Pollo. You think I would’ve let this continue if I thought he was using you? I would’ve put an arrow between his eyes in a heartbeat.
DIONYSUS: Non lethally, I hope.
ARTEMIS: (flatly) You’re immortal, you would be fine. (addressing Apollo with concern) Did I… Did something I did, or, or something I said make you think that I didn’t like Dionysus? Because I like him just fine. And I know he wouldn’t hurt you–
APOLLO: I don’t want you to think I’m leaving you behind! That’s all, I… We’ve always done everything together, Arte, and our friend circles have always been mixed. I just… Maybe I just let my concerns color your words. I know you’re not upset with me, or with Di, but it felt like you should be so I let myself believe it.
ARTEMIS: Di, can you give us a minute?
DIONYSUS: Of course.
(footsteps)
ARTEMIS: Did you really think I was upset with you?
APOLLO: Kind of? I don’t know.
ARTEMIS: What’s different between Dionysus and the other flings you’ve had? You never got this in your head about those, Pollo, so something must be different.
APOLLO: It’s never been someone else you knew before. Or anyone that you liked before. It was always short lived and strangers, not an actual friend of ours. I… I don’t want you to feel like I’m taking him away from you. Or that he’s taking me away from you. He and I are friends, and he wants to be your friend too and I–
ARTEMIS: Don’t want me to feel bad because the two of you are sleeping together. Oh, little brother–
APOLLO: I’m barely younger than you.
ARTEMIS: Barely younger is still younger. You don’t have to worry about me, Pollo. I know you’re not trying to steal a friend away from me, and I know Dionysus is just as fond of me as he is of you. (pause, then teasing) Well, maybe not just as fond.
APOLLO: (laughing) Shut up. (pause) You’re really not upset with me?
ARTEMIS: Of course not. You’re my brother, Apollo, and my best friend. Nothing you could do could ever make me that upset. Unless you have sex in a shared space in our house again. I liked that couch, Apollo. And then you ruined it.
APOLLO: (laughing) Love you, Arte.
ARTEMIS: Love you too, Pollo. Now go and tell your boytoy that he’s still welcome to stay for dinner. I’ve thought up a new recipe and now I have even more people to force it upon.
CALLIOPE: Usually this would be where we draw our episode to a close, but there is one more piece of a conversation you need to hear before we part ways.
ARES: Huh, Aph is calling me. (answers phone) Yeah Aph? He’s still here– Here, let me put you on speaker.
APHRODITE: Hey, Hermes. I hate to do this, really I do, but do you mind leaving when I get home?
HERMES: Is everything alright?
APHRODITE: Everything’s fine, I just… I need my emotional support friend and as much as I like you, Hermes, I don’t think we’re at sharing secrets level just yet.
HERMES: Understandable. I’ll get ready to get going then.
APHRODITE: Thank you. I owe you, both of you.
ARES: It’s fine, Dite. This sounds serious, even if you’re saying it’s fine. Just be safe getting home, alright? I’ll see you in a little bit.
CALLIOPE: And that, my dear listeners, is where our story can draw to a close for today. We will be pulling these threads tighter when next we meet. Until next time, and as always, thank you for listening.
Home 