Love of an goddess.
Aphrodite's Point of View (POV):
I sat there, utterly miserable, my beauty fading away. How could I be the goddess of love when I couldn't even love myself? The only man who had ever loved me had vanished, escaping from my presence. The same man I had cheated on with his own brother, Ares. Ares, who mocked me and declared me ugly and dull. He had used me to undermine his brother, making him feel inferior, like a monstrous abomination that even our own mother had tried to cast aside.
"Hephy, where are you? I miss you, my love," I whispered to myself, tears streaming down my face. The woman sitting next to me glanced at me with a mix of pity and disgust, raising her eyebrows. "I don't care if Artemis overhears. I need you back," I confessed, unable to control my emotions.
I glanced to my left, two seats left unattended. One would have been for my beloved Hephaestus, and the other for the traitor who had joined forces with the giants and invaded Olympus. I couldn't believe I had fallen for such a monster, a man who had used me like a toy and discarded me. He had betrayed his own family for power and the throne. My own power had diminished; I held less influence than a demigod. The gods who used to revere me now regarded me with disgust. I was known as the woman who betrayed her own kind, the woman tied to the traitor's name. My children belittled me for my mistakes. The war had been devastating without Hephaestus; apparently, he had secretly supplied weapons to the giants, the titans, and even us gods. When our weapons broke, we had nothing to fight with. Our demigod children, except for Hephaestus' offspring, suffered the consequences as they fought with subpar weapons.
Thinking about Hephaestus filled me with regret. I remembered how I had once questioned how a beautiful woman like myself ended up with a "cripple" like him. I had believed I deserved someone as attractive and strong as me, not an outcast. If only I could turn back time and make him happy as he had made me.
Then there was Ares. Our encounters were purely physical; he ravished me without forming any emotional connection. I had never shared laughter with him. Ares would never engage in conversation; he only used me and dismissed me. In contrast, Hephaestus would talk to me without making any demanding or uncomfortable requests. I remembered crying to him when my demigod child died, seeking comfort. When I told Ares, he laughed and claimed she was weak, unworthy of life, a mere plaything for his own child. He suggested I go and produce another child to replace her if I was so attached.
Hephaestus treated me with kindness, while all I gave him was anger, resentment, and cruelty. He created jewelry and brought me gifts—beautiful offerings, even if he himself didn't possess the same level of beauty. But that was all I focused on; I judged him based on superficial appearances.
When he disappeared, I felt an overwhelming sense of relief. I believed I was finally free. However, my celebration was cut short when I saw Ares with another goddess, a minor one. I remember it clearly. I confronted Ares, seeking an explanation, but all he said was that I was boring and should leave. I couldn't believe it. I rushed back to our room, the place we shared, hoping to find Hephaestus there to confide in, to seek solace. But he wasn't there. I cried that night, and that night turned into a day, days into weeks, and so on. I refused to leave my room.
Now, I find myself in a mandatory meeting I would have otherwise declined. I don't want to be leered at by Hermes or Apollo, even though they are my beloved's family. But Zeus insisted that I attend for the honor of my husband. I know both Zeus and Hera are concerned. I've spoken with them. Hera regrets losing the only son who showed her love, the only child who made her feel like a mother, despite her past transgressions. He forgave her, but she pushed him away, seeing him only as a means to feel good or vent her frustrations. She regrets it, just like me.
Zeus, my father-in-law, surprised me. I expected him to make advances towards me, but instead, he seemed lost in thought. Whenever anyone spoke ill of Hephaestus, thunder roared, and the world trembled in fear of his wrath. Zeus wants his son back, I thought as everyone else started leaving.
They were about to say something, but then we all felt it—a familiar energy. The energy of my beloved Hephaestus. For the first time in a long while, I felt a surge of happiness, love, and the restoration of beauty. I had found my other half, my significant other.
Zeus quickly took action, but I can't recall exactly what he did as I lost myself in the overwhelming presence of Hephaestus' energy. However, we witnessed Hephaestus in his new form, looking incredibly handsome. As I gazed at him, my eyes widened.
"Holy shit, Hephy has been reincarnated as Tony Stark!" I exclaimed, surprising even Zeus and Hera. I was in utter shock. Hephaestus, my beloved, had become none other than Tony Stark, the man who had captured the hearts of countless goddesses and demigoddesses. Too bad, ladies, he's mine, I thought possessively.
"Zeus, please, I request to meet him. Please, please, please!" I exclaimed, jumping up and down with excitement.
"Calm down, Aphrodite. You must understand, he's injured and healing. He has a significant gash on his chest from a nearby shield," Zeus explained, causing my eyes to widen. Once again, I had allowed my selfishness and excitement to overpower me. I had failed to notice his pain and condition. I was truly a terrible wife, I realized, as tears welled up in my eyes.
"I have been a terrible wife," I muttered, and Hera, hearing my words, came over and embraced me.
"It's not your fault, Aphrodite. Any wife would be overjoyed to see her husband after so many years. But now is not the time for self-pity. We need to find out who did this to my son and make them pay," Hera said, comforting me. I wiped my tears and stood up with determination. I would avenge my Hephaestus. I would ensure that whoever had harmed him faced the consequences. I noticed the shield Zeus had pointed out.
"That's Captain America's shield," I realized. He was one of the mortals from the Avengers whom I didn't particularly like. He reminded me too much of Ares—bloodthirsty and obsessed with war. He was also foolish, whereas I admired Tony Stark, also known as Hephaestus, even though I didn't know it was him at the time. Iron Man's brilliance captivated me; it reminded me of Hephaestus' ingenuity. That's why I liked Iron Man so much.
"That repulsive mortal, the mortal equivalent of Ares. How dare he harm my son? I should strike him down where he stands!" Zeus declared, reaching for his master bolt. However, I quickly intervened.
"Zeus, no! Hephaestus would want to seek his own revenge. Don't take that away from him," I urged.
"Are you certain, Aphrodite? I always believed Hephaestus to be too forgiving, but I suppose that's our fault," Hera pondered as I embraced her.
"No, Hera, he wouldn't let them go. Hephaestus might have been forgiving in the past, but the man he has become, Tony Stark, wouldn't let such betrayal go unpunished. He has dealt with anyone who has challenged him, burning them alive. None who opposed him or betrayed him have lived with honor or remained free; they've either met their demise or been imprisoned," I explained, observing Hephaestus' creation, Jarvis, carrying him to safety.
"Aphrodite, when he's healed, you will see him, but not before. Your presence may not be beneficial for him right now," Zeus stated. I sighed, realizing once again how much of a scoundrel I had been. Even Zeus and Hera feared that I could worsen my husband's health while he was healing.
I made my way to Hephaestus' workshop, a place where I found comfort. However, someone gripped me, and when I looked up, anger surged within me.
"What the hell are you doing here, you traitor? How dare you touch me? Only one man has that privilege!" I yelled.
"Hello, my love. It's me, your future king. I see a spark of happiness in you again. Let's go and have fun like the old days," Ares, the traitor, said. I responded by kicking him in the groin, causing him to stumble back in pain and scream. The other gods rushed over, witnessing Ares' presence, and swiftly apprehended him.
"I will never, ever let you or any other man besides Hephaestus touch me again! Now take him away!" I declared, glaring at Ares.
"You would choose the ugly cripple over me?" Ares yelled.
"I would choose him over you in a heartbeat," I replied calmly as he was dragged away, headed towards Zeus for judgment.