Beauty and His Beast [MxM] (UNEDITED)

Fortis POV

"Eros said you were awake." He said as he walked into the room and stood near the foot of my bed.

Suddenly it felt like the entire filled with this atmosphere of awkward. As I looked at Ares who too seemed like he didn't know what to say or what to do, playing with the hem of his tunic.

"Well, you look a lot better. Your complexion's returned." Aven said as he walked towards me, bending down slightly before he moved aside my bandage, looking at my wound.

"It's healed well. Just a slight scar." He said as he smiled at me.

I didn't know what to say or respond to him, and frankly I couldn't understand how he was even smiling at me instead of choking me to death. I could tell from every aspect that he loved Ares, and yet, here he was standing and smiling at the man his husband loved.

"Kronar's been imprisoned for transgression, and while you've been out of commission, the Orcs have been living here in the kingdom since they need a leader and wouldn't go back until their king did." Aven said as he pulled a chair and sat down next to me.

"They've been living here? Not killing anyone? For six months?" I asked as I widened my eyes and looked at Ares who smiled at me.

"In fact, it's surprised almost everyone. They've taken over a valley near the waterfall and established it as their own. They go out into the marketplace now and then and seem to be joining society slowly. I suppose it's a culture shock after being on their own for so long." Aven said as he shrugged.

I looked down at my hands, wondering why he was telling me all this for I knew that his words had a deeper meaning. I just did not know what it was yet.

"The reason I'm mentioning this is because, I think it's possible for them to live here permanently and they don't seem to protest the idea." He said as if he knew what I was thinking.

"I don't understand." I answered as I looked at him watching him genuinely smile at me.

"I think it would be best if you lived here permanently. Ruling alongside Ares as king. If your people are what you worry about, they are completely capable of merging and joining with ours. If anything's more of a proof, it's the love that you two share. That unbreakable bond. And Eros should get to know his father as well. He's lived five years without him." Aven said.

I looked at him, unable to formulate any words, nor did my mind wrap around what he was saying. I looked at his silver eyes that held nothing but truth in them, indicating his sincerity in every word that he had uttered.

"Why would you do this for me?" I asked.

"I would say I'm doing it for Ares, but I'm also doing it for you" he replied, causing me to look at him with so much confusion.

"I know how much you love him. I can see it and feel it. The kind of love that I have never seen before, and although I have love for Ares, I know deep within my heart, that no one can love him as much as you do. You were meant to be his as he is meant to be yours. It's the kind of love that has stemmed from something far beyond our understanding and knowledge. Your souls are meant to be one." He replied as he looked at Ares who's eyes had begun to well up yet again.

"I am so thankful that I had been given the opportunity to love you once. And I hope with every fiber of my being, that you always remain happy." He said as he stood up and smiled at me, a frown working its away across my face.

"What will happen to you? Where are you going to go?" I asked.

"Back to my Kingdom. It's time I built it up to its true potential, and who knows, you might see more of me soon" he said chuckling as he walked out the door.

"I don't know if I should be happy or if I should wait to be woken from this slumber." I said and watched as Ares laughed and shook his head.

He got onto the bed and laid down beside me. His arm going around my waist as he laid his head against my chest.

"It feels like a dream doesn't it?" He asked to which I smiled.

"It does indeed." I replied before I closed my eyes, falling asleep soon after.

In the days that passed, Aven proved true in what he had claimed regarding my people. They truly did seem to enjoy being out of the realm they had called home for so long. In fact, it was the first time I had seen so many of them smiling and laughing as they interacted with the Fae people.

"I don't understand" Eros said as he looked at Aven who had bent down in front of him and smiled at him, while his horse waited close by.

"Fortis, is your father. Your real father Eros." He said and looked at the boy who looked back at him with his eyes that held sorrow in them.

"But you're my Dad too. I mean you took care of me and gave me sweets when Daddy said not to." He answered and looked at Aven who laughed and pulled the boy against his chest.

"Of course I am. I'll always be. But you need to know him too. And I'm just a kingdom away. Should you ever want sweets again." He answered as he winked at Eros who threw his arms around him and hugged him tight.

"I'll miss you Dad" he said as he pulled away.

"And I'll miss you too." He replied as he ruffled his hair before he stood up and nodded at me.

"Best of luck dealing with him" he answered and pointed to Ares who rolled his eyes at him and chuckled.

We watched as he rode away with his men, Eros smiling waving after him before he turned to face me with a wide smile on his face.

"Is that why you have my eyes? Because you're my father?" He asked as he titled his head to the side. I laughed and bent down, picking him as I pinched his cheek.

"I'm pretty sure you have my eyes." I said as I laughed and walked back with him into the palace which had been overwhelmingly warm in welcoming me as their own.

Especially Ares' parents who had begun to call me their son and welcomed me with open arms.

This is what happiness felt like.