"Be good Eros and don't stay out late." Eros' mother warned him before giving him a kiss on the cheek and sending him out the door to go help the man he always did. "He's a smart boy love, he knows better than to stay out late. The streets are dangerous for even a god when it's dark." Hephaestus said from his seat at the table. Eros had eaten quickly saying he was going to be late to 'work' if he didn't hurry. "May Zeus watch over him." Aphrodite said, her voice quiet. Being her only child, of course she worried more than she should. "Father will. You know he loves the boy." Ares said, hoping to reassure his wife. "Yes, I know he does." She said and closed the door then walked over to where her husband sat and kissed his cheek. "Are you going to be working all day again?" She asked him.

Eros left with his mother's warning in his head. Of course he'd be home early. He always was. His father was usually the one who stayed out later working late into the night. He ran off in the direction of the man's house only to bump into Sapphira. "Oh hey, sorry. Umm, you're up early today; is your father home?" he asked her politely.

Eros blinked in surprise, so he was late? "He left for work already?" he asked and sighed mentally. Running clearly hadn't helped him get to work on time. Maybe he needed to wake up much earlier. Eros chuckled when she mentioned him leaving without lunch. Lunch...right he probably should have packed himself something as well. It was no matter. He was a god, he could survive if he missed lunch once or twice. No big deal. Eros nodded and crossed his arms across his chest, "Sure, I'd like that." He said to her softly.

Eros smiled softly and took the lunch bag from her. "Thanks. I umm..well yeah I didn't want to be late today but I guess I wasn't fast enough and in a rush I forgot to prepare lunch. Thank-you though, that's very nice of you to do." She knew him so well it seemed. She said her father had been working later and he nodded, "My father sometimes gets home really late as well. Sometimes my mother doesn't even sleep until he returns home and that usually means I don't sleep until he gets home too. I..sometimes I help my mom with dinner." Eros admitted. His evening? "Yeah, it was pretty good. I'm sure my father will be leaving for work soon."

"Talk of war?" Eros repeated. His father hadn't mentioned it before. Or maybe he had when he wasn't around to hear. Listening to the conversation going on between her son and the girl, Aphrodite smiled. "She's the one." She said to herself and vanished to appear before her husband. "The people are worried my love. This talk of war is spreading like wildfire and it seems not everyone is hopeful of a positive outcome." she said to Ares, wrapping her arms around him and resting her head on his chest. She smiled feeling his rough hand run through her soft hair. "I know. But those with no faith will not get my help." Ares said coldly. "I only help those who ask for it." He reminded. Eros listened to Sapphira and frowned, he look troubled. Was it true? Was war on the brink of happening? "I...I would not worry. Have faith, everything will be fine." Eros commented softly.

"I know." Aphrodite whispered and looked up at her husband who gave her a soft kiss. "I should get going. With war on the verge of breaking out, the men really need to prove themselves." Ares said, giving his wife one last kiss on the top of her head before releasing her. "I'll try not to be home late tonight." He added before grabbing his spear and shield then heading out the door, leaving a rather worried Aphrodite all alone in her home. Eros nodded at what Sapphira said, "Exactly. We have the gods on our side. We must always keep them in our minds and pay our respects, especially in such times as these." Eros reminded her as they approached the arena where her father worked. He smiled at the older man then looked at Sapphira. "Of course, I'll see you later. And thanks again for the lunch." Eros said to her and watched her walk away before looking back to her father. "Hello again sir. Ready to work?" he asked him.

Eros sat with the older man and got to work in silence. He took this job seriously even though he was only a helper. Aphrodite left the house and watched over her son from a distance so he woudln't see her. She was proud of him. He didn't sit around and do nothing, he actually enjoyed helping others when he could. He was like his father in some ways and like her in many others. Obviously. He got his charming looks from her, he got his skills of seduction from her as well but she never saw him use them. He got his serious side from his father. The side that got down to what mattered the most. He was a good boy. As the end of the workday neared, Eros made sure everything was in order and brushed some locks of hair out of his face. "Great work today sir, as always. I guess we should be getting you home now." Eros said. While he was getting ready to leave, Ares was still hard at work training the soldiers. "That's how you're supposed to do it! One mistake and you'll be dead!" He warned. Why were these men so bad?

Aphrodite squealed with glee when her son was invited over for dinner. "Say yes!" She gasped to herself. Eros was not expecting to be invited over for dinner, but he had to admit that it felt nice to be invited. During work, he refrained from speaking about the war. He still wasn't so sure the rumors were true or not and he didn't want to worry the man. He still needed to talk to his father about this. His father being the god of war would know if the rumors were true or not. Would his parents mind if he had dinner elsewhere? "I would love to. I'll just let my parents know that way they don't worry." Eros explained. Aphrodite grinned and clasped her hands together before vanishing and appearing in her kitchen to get started on dinner for her family. Her husband should be home soon.

Eros smiled and nodded, "You too sir. See you soon!" He said after him and then practically ran home. "Mom! Dad!" He called out as he ran into his house. He quickly closed the door behind him and found his mother working on dinner. "Hello dear, how was work?" She asked him. Eros managed to calm down and nodded, "It was good. Great. I uhh...w-where's dad?" Eros asked, noting that his father was nowhere to be seen. "Your father hasn't arrived home yet but he will be here soon. Why?" His mother asked him. Eros sighed. "I just found out that war is on the horizon. I was hoping to talk to dad about." He replied honestly.

Aphrodite knew this was bound to come up eventually. "Well you can talk to him about it at dinner. Now wash your hands and help me set the table." She ordered. Eros did as he was told without fail, but then turned to his mother. "I uhh...I was actually invited to have dinner at Sapphira's house. Her father invited me." He explained and gave his mother a small smile. "I said I would go. C-could I mom? Pleeeeaase?" He begged, making her laugh. "Alright then dear, you can go, but don't stay too late. You know how your father and I get when you aren't home on time. Your father might go around killing men in order to find you." She warned.

Of course he would be home on time. He'd have dinner, maybe stay after to help clean, talk to Sapphira for a bit and then head home to talk to his father. Everything would be fine right? Yes, of course it would be. His father would know what to do. "I'll be home on time, I promise." Eros promised his mother and kissed her cheek before starting to make his way to Sapphira's house.

Eros smiled, "Hello Sapphira." He said and followed her inside and towards the dining room where he took a seat and greeted her father. "Thank-you again for the invitation." He told the man. Eros looked at Sapphira when she mentioned his parents and nodded. "They're doing well, thanks for asking. My father wasn't home yet when I returned. He likes to stay late sometimes at work. I wished to speak with him but that can wait." Eros answered truthfully. He never understood why his father stayed late, but he guessed it was a good thing. Especially now if the rumors were actually true. Eros thanked her for the dinner, it looks and smelled wonderful. "How was your day?" He asked her, wanting to know what she had done while he and her father were at work.