Chapter 248: A Certain Style All Unto Her Own

Ares managed to detach himself from the octopus-adjacent Enyo who was still trying to wrap herself around him even now that he'd escaped. It was a close call but he did manage to break free... For all of five seconds before he realised he needed to stop Enyo in her tracks as she was gunning for the bathroom! Curses! If he left her alone, she'd go peeping on Blo Blo! This damn stubborn woman was a pest! "Enyo!" Ares threw her clothes at her and smothered her under them as she scrambled to remove them from her face. "Put those on and stop being difficult. I promise you we can have more fun time later if, AND ONLY IF, you behave now! I see that pouty look on your face but it will not work on me. I am made of sterner stuff and I've already gotten all the excess energy out of my system. You have no power over me wench! No but seriously, get changed. I really wanna take you two to a nice place tonight so let's not get too caught up rolling around in the hay... Also, did you pick those clothes on purpose?"

Enyo shrugged and started putting her stuff on. "Who knows? Maybe I was planning doing something similar to what you did and trying to reassure Blo Blo about her body. I mean, I got a sneak peek before you so I already knew she was hot and I felt like it was sad that she wasting it. I was going to try and convince her to surprise you but you got back too soon and ruined that whole plan so I just went with a new one and let you take the wheel. It doesn't really matter who had a word with Bellona but I think someone had to at some point. So to answer your question, yes. Yes I am wearing some 'boring' clothes on purpose. I don't want to outshine Bellona tonight and detract from my sister. I don't want her to compare our bodies because she's comparing the wrong thing to begin with. Now, would my efforts mean much of anything? I am extremely beautiful and I know it. Even with these plain clothes I'll still stand out and Bellona will still recognise that. I was just hoping it wouldn't be as big a deal as if I were to wear something a bit more showy is all. Besides, I can't just roll over for Blo Blo, she needs to know she has competition. While she's trying to look good for you so am I. Basically I Didn't want to go overboard and shatter her confidence but I also didn't want to just give up and give her an easy win tonight. I thought hard about this you know!"

Sigh

Ares took a seat on the bed and gave Enyo a hug and a kiss. "I know how hard you work on small things like this behind the scenes. Thank you... By the way..." Ares started whispering something into Enyo's ear and a small smile crept up onto her face, an evil one lined with devious intent that was observable at a glance. When Ares was done speaking, she nodded in agreement with what he'd just suggested and gave him a thumbs up before she went back to getting changed. Ares left her to it and put on some clothes himself. It was definitely weird wearing something other than his usual getup. The suit was a special occasion but casual clothes? His normal fit was casual anyway! Not to mention the fact that he was leaving his Zephyr behind and not wearing it always felt uncomfortable regardless of the reason why. Still, he made a promise to Blo Blo and so he would oblige. Plus looking a bit better every now and then for his wives, so they could enjoy ogling him here and there, was fine too.

The clothes Ares picked out weren't anything special but they did suit him and fit him well. Of the many friends Ares had in Red Sun, one or two of them were good with clothes and had given him some recommendations while he was loitering about in the town. He visited the town, and the people in it, every now and then when he had spare time just to keep up with the locals. They were good people with varied talents and Ares valued their expert opinions so chatting with them whenever he had a relevant conundrum was always a good idea. He could have just relied on Bellona to pick some clothes out for him, and she actually had done so a couple times while out shopping, but Ares also wanted to pick a few things out without the sisters being aware of it so he could surprise them from time to time. They had every right to see their man get dressed up in something different other than the tired old classic outfit every now and then. If anything, Ares had been slacking on that front and should have been making an effort to wear casual stuff more often. Like back when it was the Umbra vs Legion match he definitely could have worn something else then. It's not like it affected his combat potential either as everything he needed was on his person inside the Blade. Only in very specific scenarios where he was ambushed form behind, and his Zephyr wasn't present to save him, did it matter but if the matriarchs were around then what did he have to fear anyway? He was just being forgetful and lazy so he vowed to switch things up every now and then going forward.

As for today, he wore an olive green linen shirt and some dark blue jeans. Simple but effective nonetheless. If his build was a little bigger he would look extremely handsome in this but, unfortunately, his adept trait was currently holding him back from his full aesthetic potential. He'd filled out a bit since becoming Garmr, as that seemed to have a knock on effect on his human container form, but it wasn't enough to notice easily. Even Bellona wasn't aware of it!... Naturally Enyo had noticed it immediately and she swore up and down that it made Ares even more rugged. Ares disagreed but that didn't stop him from smiling ear to ear when he heard it. It made him want to find treasures capable of rebuilding his body as that was what was necessary to improve himself further. Maybe when he reached bloodline awakening, and Garmr was a permanent option, would his body be forcibly improved yet again but it would probably be another minor change. He wanted something more substantial and, for that, he needed an appropriate treasure... Or rather he needed multiple. He needed the resources to improve himself first before he rebuilt. It wouldn't be reflected in his human form immediately but it would technically be 'stored' such that when he reforged his body it would be relevant to the size of his build and the strength contained within. Adept traits could sometimes be bypassed in this kinda of manner so Ares was lucky to have a trait that was well known for being easy to circumnavigate, he just needed all the appropriate tools. First, a fine grind blue of exceptional quality, second, maybe another body tempering resource just to really seal the deal, and third, a treasure to rebuild his body from the ground up. These three things would allow Ares to have a modicum of strength in his human form as well as just being more visually striking. He had an appearance he was happy with but if he could round it out properly with some extra mass, which would benefit him fights too, then why not? He didn't want to become some slow hulking monster but some larger muscles weren't going to negatively affect his overall speed anyway. He wasn't against it and Enyo and Blo Blo would absolutely be in favour of it if asked so this had also made his ever-expanding to do list.

Back to his wardrobe for tonight, he'd rolled up his sleeves to around the start of his forearm and so some of the hairs on his arm were visible. More so than even when he wore the suit, he looked rather masculine today. So much so that Enyo, who was only halfway dressed, gave up on putting her own clothes on and start trying to take Ares' off! "No! Bad Enyo! Sit!" Ares had to get Enyo, who was bumping and grinding up against him, off and have her refocus on her own clothes while Ares put some perfume on. Ares had never bought perfume in his life but Enyo had picked some up from Bea's store... Which was part of why she was looking to get rowdy and feisty again the second it graced his skin. She'd picked a smell that she personally adored and, when combined with Ares' new look, was giving her reason to lick her lips and get distracted again. Ares realised this problem was going to persist for as long as he hung around here so he left the room after giving Enyo a stark warning not to invade the bathroom while he was gone! The words 'I trust you to behave' were all that was really needed to seal the deal as Enyo wouldn't want to push that boundary too far. Besides, Bellona was in a unique position and she knew when to leave well enough alone. If she'd managed to sneak in there earlier then that was fine but if Bellona was concentrating on her clothes while Enyo barged in and disturbed her then that was another matter entirely. Long story short, Ares could leave with peace of mind that Enyo would keep it in her pants... Not that she'd put them on yet before he'd left. 

Ares walked down the corridor and happened across Aejaz who just returned from his murder mission. He seemed to be somewhat confused after spotting Ares, though, so Ares asked what was up with him. "What? Don't tell me one assassination wasn't enough for you? Or is there something on my face."

Aejaz used his hands to shut his wide open jaw and gestured for Ares to follow him. "Come! Come come come." Aejaz led a curious Ares into the living room before splaying his arms wide in Ares' direction as if he was presenting him to Allie, Trixie, Leo, and Lacy. "Look! Who the hell is this guy!? Do any of you know him?!"

Ares deflated on the spot and couldn't be bothered with his brother's idiocy. He was pretending Ares was a different person because of how rare it was for him to wear anything else other than the usual. Allie and Trixie took great joy in laughing it up at Ares' partially pouty face while Lacy was quietly saying Ares looked nice instead of going along with the joke because she hadn't really gotten it in the first place. Lacy was too pure and innocent compared to literally everyone else in this house! Here she was being all sweet while surrounded by devious devils! Off to the side, Aejaz poked Ares arm and asked him a dumb question. "I thought your old clothes were glued on? What happened?"

"How about I glue you to a wall with nothingness magic!?"

"Eep." Aejaz Voidwalked into the corridor and slyly poked his head around the corner. "By the way, where food?"

"'Where food' my ass! Go find it yourself you damn babbling neanderthal!" Ares was about to walk away but, just then, he realised that Lacy was still taking this conversation seriously so he sighed and spilled the truth to reassure her she wasn't going to have leave the house this late at night to scavenge for dinner. "I made some gabagool, it's in the kitchen." As Ares spoke, Appa floated into the room so he grinned at it and picked the shade up. "Speaking of, how's my little gaba-ghoul doing?" Tickling his daughter earned him some sweet laughter from the giggling shade.

"I'm great, dad! I went to the farms with Leo earlier and I helped him by freezing some of the big rats... Why do you look so weird today?"

Ack

Why did everyone think Ares putting normal clothes on was weird?! He was looking damn fine and there was nothing out of the ordinary about this! He pretended not to hear that last question and simply sat on the couch while petting Appa and telling it he left it some Snappas in the kitchen for whenever it was in the mood for them. It wasn't allowed to have all of them at once, because some were for tomorrow's breakfast, but there were plenty there to feast on if it was in the mood to experiment with some new flavours Ares hadn't made prior to now. Milkshake Snappas and various tea / coffee flavoured Snappas were all present. Ares had made them particularly refreshing to mimic the hydrating nature of a drink. Whether he succeeded or not was impossible to tell until Appa gave its opinion later but he felt confident he'd done alright.

Ares sat around playing I Spy with Appa until Enyo came into the room, at which point Appa hopped off his lap and went to hug its mother's leg until she picked it up. As Enyo bent down her chest drooped a little and Ares could do nothing but sigh inwardly. Part of why Enyo was just wearing a plain white shirt and some jeans, nothing special, was to avoid taking away the spotlight from Bellona but some things just couldn't be hidden... On the bright side, Bellona would never have that issue with her chest!... Better not tell her that though. But yes, Enyo looked superb even in run of the mill clothing. She was just a classy babe through and through and even if she put herself in rags her silky smooth face would shine regardless. She hadn't even put makeup on or anything, she was just all natural. If anything it must have been irksome for other people to look at her like this because she was actively trying to avoid being the centre of attention and yet she was still pulling it off despite her intentions. If a 10/10 woman went around saying she wasn't even trying, and genuinely meant it, it was only natural for some other people to be pissed off.

Enyo joined Ares on the couch and the two pet Appa to its heart's content as it wiggled merrily side to side with its rope following behind it. Appa was humming to itself and just enjoying the moment as it had been a while since it spent some time sitting around with its parents. Still, the matriarchs were still hovering around, showering it with love on the regular, and that was more than good enough. Any and all attention was welcome as far as the munchkin shade was concerned!

Bellona finished up eventually and made her way towards the living room but was slow to walk around the corner. Neither Ares nor Enyo rushed her, even though they were well aware she was there, and instead waited patiently as this was her problem to solve. Plus she wasn't cowardly when it came time for stuff like this. All that needed to happen was that she needed about ten seconds to sort her thoughts out, by which point her body would already be moving because it had gotten tired of waiting for the brain to play catch up. Blo Blo was a very instinct driven woman and her brain really had it rough when dealing with her body's reckless nature. It was doing a hundred calculation per minute while mid backflip so that it could avoid obstacles but the body was just walking in a straight line and crashing headfirst into walls; that was an apt summary for how Bellona lived her life. It's not that she didn't overthink things or wasn't capable of it, it's just that she'd usually sorted out any problems long before she had to because she was already in motion. Point in case, although she was still in her head about this whole situation, she had already walked around the corner and was in full view. It took her a second to realise and by that point she understood it was all too late to back out and just owned it instead. Bellona was very used to finding herself in situations she didn't want to be in and having to go with the flow as she'd been clumsily stumbling around for years now. Again, very cute. Bumbling Blo Blo. Still, what was really impressive about her was that she could make these uncomfortable situations look entirely natural and go with the flow to an impressive degree which was why she rarely, if ever, seemed to be truly out of her element. Her improvisational skills and adaptability were off the charts. She even took charge of the current predicament by snorting at Ares and putting her hands behind her head again to show off her clothes in full while demanding an answer instead of passively waiting for one like before. "Well? Happy now punk?"

Ares hadn't even fully taken in Blo Blo's fit but he was already nodding happily along with Enyo who was joining in for some reason even though it wasn't her being asked. Hell even Appa started floppily rocking its head back and forth to join in the fun. Bellona was very 'hip hop' right now. She resembled a street dancer and had a very modern look that wasn't common down in Sheryashka. Ares wasn't exactly caught up on fashion in Vraizon but he imagined it wasn't like this there either. Bellona must have had these clothes custom made for her based on stuff she'd seen in fashion books that belonged to her clan from back when they weren't stuck on this side of the severed domain. Who knows, maybe people outside the Primordial barrier weren't even wearing this stuff anymore. Bellona definitely stuck out like a sore thumb though and was absolutely going to be the only person wearing this type of clothing wherever she went in these lower domains. That could very well change when the barrier was lowered, and fashion ideas spread like wildfire, but for now it wouldn't take more than a single glance to spot her in a crowd. She wore a two piece affair with a white vest top and a grey, baggy, long sleeve super crop top covering her arms, shoulders, and a small part of her neck. The crop top also had a hoodie but she wasn't wearing it right now so it was comfortably draped over the back of her neck. Her pants were dark blue and split halfway down, held together by a few black straps. The pants had a few small silver chains on them here and there near the pockets to really double down on the 'hip' look. To tie everything together were a pair of grey sneakers with white soles. Blo Blo would probably throw on some shades too if it had been earlier in the day but right now that wasn't relevant.

The vest didn't cover a large portion of her stomach / abdomen and her under-arm was visible at the right angle if she raised her arms any higher than her waist for whatever reason. With the gap in the pants thrown into the mix there was a decent bit of skin revealed but most of it was highly toned so it didn't really feel sensuous at a glance, more so just stylish and athletic / energetic. Actually, Ares was reminded about the time he came across Bellona in the morning, before they became a couple, in which she was wearing a crop top. She didn't feel comfortable wearing them outside but she already felt ok to wear them in front of Ares by that point which was a nice little thing to realise in hindsight. Bellona looked good. Remarkable even. Ares didn't quite know how to describe what he was looking at, because he wasn't particularly fashion-conscious and thus this look eluded him somewhat, but he definitely liked it. She'd gone light on the makeup and kept a lot of her sharp features natural. It suited her tomboy nature to a tee and her naturally defiant aura gave her a real punk vibe. The irony of her calling anyone else a punk was not lost on Ares but he wisely didn't mention it. If he did anything right now other than compliment her then both the sister wives would take turns berating him over a concept known as 'time and place'. Ares had been around the block already! He knew how this was supposed to go! Or rather, he may not have been doing this whole relationship thing for too long compared to others but there were two of them which must have counted for something! "You're looking quite strapping Blo Blo dearest. I love it, really. Very creative. Very cool. Very you..." [I can't say this out loud because there are kids here...] Ares started a mental conversation as he didn't want to say lewd things in front of Appa and Lacy. [... But I want a handy! You look nice and I can smell your perfume from here. Let's play around later when we get back, yeah?] 

[You...] Bellona could do nothing but slap her own forehead in frustration. This guy just wanted her to dress up 'cos he found her attractive whenever she did!... Although knowing that did make her feel good. It also made this whole process a lot easier knowing that Ares really did appreciate the effort and that he wasn't kidding when he said she turned him on big time. His dumb and horny simplicity was the best remedy for Bellona's uncertainty and she aware that he knew that as well. Was Bellona such a simple woman that blunt honesty could cure whatever ailed her even if she knew the other person was taking advantage of that weakness? Yes, actually. All her worries had vanished for no reason other than her fears of Ares disliking her flat chest were gone. He'd drilled it home that it was the opposite, if anything, and now Bellona was already back to normal. She didn't even have to leave the sect and wear the clothes in public anymore. She was going to, obviously, but that wasn't what was needed from the start. She just needed someone she trusted to look her in the eyes and tell her she was appealing. She definitely believed Ares more than she believed her own dumb brain, in this specific scenario, that was still overanalysing everything. Ares' dumb brain was acting the polar opposite and just blurted out what he truly thought so Bellona just went with the answer he came to instead as it was far easier. He loved her but he wouldn't lie because of it, and she was sure of that, so that was good enough for her.

Of course had Enyo made the same comment as Ares it would have also been applicable, it's just that Enyo hadn't beat Ares to the punch and she wasn't the one who got directly asked for her opinion. Yeah sure Bellona loved her sister but Ares was still number one in her book. He was falling behind in his promise to have a one on one date with her at some point but she enjoyed the time she spent with him in the bath and that was satisfying enough for her. Some alone time at home, messing around with her stupid husband who was basically just pranking her the entire time, was equally as valuable to her as meaningless things like eating at restaurants. That wasn't what Bellona wanted out of date, she just wanted to have fun and she'd gotten her fill lately. Now did that mean she was going to be perfectly ok with not getting the promised date and dance? Hell no! Even if it had to happen after the tournament, she wanted it anyway! Then again, Ares was the kinda guy to go on a date with Enyo and Bellona each before he left for the Federation anyway so she wasn't worried he'd slink away in the night like an unfaithful husband. [Fine... I'll give you a handy later... But Enyo won't leave us alone you know? She'll want in and, likely, on.]

Ares chuckled. [Oh I know, we have our own plans and they involved you from the start. I'll warn you because I'm feeling good right now, we're aiming for you. Our plan was to have you sit in the middle of us at the restaurant, get you drunk, and fondle you before going home and having a nice time in the bedroom. You don't have to go any further than using your hand but you can work with Enyo.]

[What is wrong with you two!? Why are you always so in sync with this crap!? Besides, what if I said no?!]

[Meh, we plan on getting all three of us dead drunk. Your inhibitions will not be as effective as you think! Also I know you, you wouldn't object anyway. Let's not pretend you don't enjoy our fun time too.]

[... Fine. But only because tonight is a special date, you hear me!? Damn lascivious punks...]

Ares had given up the game but it was going to go ahead anyway so it didn't really matter. Ares knew he could be honest with Blo Blo about his and Enyo's plans to her face and still get away with it. She was in a good mood right now so they could get away with a lot and she'd be down to go along with most things so as not to kill the mood. Plus she was aware that getting drunk was a dirty tactic and would have been highly effective anyway. She would have gotten swept away in the drinking and joined them one way or the other so this was nigh unavoidable. If they bullied her while she was in the middle even she wouldn't be able to stop herself from getting turned on. The Goddess of pleasure on one side and the man she was deeply in love with on the other, both toying with her? She wasn't stone cold! She had a pulse and a functioning libido!

Anyway, what came later didn't matter right now as it was time to leave. The three bid the Aejaz lot goodbye and set off, blissfully unaware that they were about to have their first proper meeting with a stereotypical young master! Not that he was an important guy or someone who would reappear later or anything but he was the first of what would inevitably be a number greater than one. Young masters were as abundant as clouds and, technically, the Chen had a few. Ares had dealings with them but they were so small in the grand scheme of things that he didn't really get that kind of vibe from them. They were part of a clan with no national fame or reputation. They were the princes in a kingdom of small time thugs is all. A young master had certain qualities and a hefty background was important otherwise a chunk of their character just kinda fell flat, like the difference between a barking bulldog and a barking chihuahua. This was also the first young master Ares would come across that both A, had no idea who he was and B, wanted Enyo. Again, there would be many but this was still his first one! A memorable occasion to be remembered for sure! It wasn't everyday you got a chance to humble your first ever young master who was gunning for your wife. He'd even have high ranking bodyguards and threaten Ares like in all the books! Good times!