Archive of Our Own ^beta

In the heart of Olympus, Zeus’s roar echoed through the halls. “Ares!” His voice carried a thunder that shook the pillars of the temple. The god of war, resting in his sanctuary, lifted his head, feeling the weight of the summons. He knew it was not a call for worship, but for judgment.

Ares appeared before Zeus in the main hall, where some gods had already gathered. Artemis, the goddess of the hunt, stood beside Hera, her face boiling with anger. And seated on his throne, imposing and unfriendly, was Zeus.

“Do you know why you are here, Ares?” Zeus asked, his voice as deep as suppressed thunder.

“No, but whatever it is, I know Artemis is exaggerating as usual,” Ares replied, averting his eyes. “My followers have advanced into the territory, and some temples have been… damaged. Nothing that cannot be fixed.”

“Damaged?” Artemis interjected, furious. "Your men have devastated my temples! My altars have been destroyed! My priestesses have been captured! You call this an exaggeration on my part?! This is intolerable! Do you think your status as god of war puts you above all else?"

"It was not intentional, sister. Just part of the military advance. Nothing personal." Ares rolled his eyes, replying sarcastically, but Zeus held up a hand, silencing them both.

"Artemis is right to be furious. You have allowed your arrogance and carelessness to lead to the desecration of other gods. This goes beyond a mortal war, Ares. It is disrespectful to the forces that maintain the balance of Olympus."

"Father, you know that my role is war. Expanding territories and leading armies is my essence! Besides, I cannot control every detail of my armies!" Ares defended himself, but Zeus did not seem willing to accept excuses. The King of Olympus leaned forward, his gaze piercing his son’s façade.

“Your wars do not justify disrespecting other gods. What you call inevitable, I call negligence. And a god’s negligence will not go unpunished. His arrogance must be corrected!”
Artemis demanded, “Yes!! Let him be punished! If necessary, send him to Hades for a year! And an apology to me!”

“AH!” Ares scoffed, laughing wide and dangerously. “Apologize? To you?! I kneel to no one, Artemis. Not even you. Much less for you!"

Beside her husband, Hera sighed at her son's attitude, knowing that this would not go without a proper punishment. Well, not that she could do anything about it. She knew her husband's temperament well and one look at Zeus was enough for her to know that Ares' fate was already decided.
Zeus stood up, imposing, his eyes sparkling. "Ares, your arrogance has reached its limit. Not only have you disrespected Artemis, but you have also defied me. This will not go without consequences."

"So, what do you suggest?" Ares teased. "A moral lesson? A sermon on what it means to be an exemplary god?"

Zeus stared at him, his expression hardening. “No. What you need is discipline. An immediate punishment, one that will fit the crime you committed. Come with me.”

Zeus led Ares to a private room in the palace. The silence between them was heavier than any previous argument. When they arrived, Zeus closed the door behind them both. The silence that dominated the room was thick, almost palpable.

Ares stood before Zeus, his hands clenched into fists, but there was something in his posture that betrayed a growing tension, even if he didn't want to admit it. The god of war had faced battles that would turn others to dust, but this moment, alone with his father, carried a weight he could not ignore.

"Ares, you will be disciplined, because before you are a god, that is what you are. My son," Zeus declared, his voice as firm as the mountains.

Ares laughed disdainfully. "Disciplined? Me?! As if I were a child?"

Zeus crossed his arms. "Yes. Because that is how you are acting."

"This is ridiculous," Ares muttered, but for the first time, there was a hint of doubt in his voice. “You can’t be serious!”

Zeus crossed his arms. “Shall I lie you down now, or should I call Artemis and Hera to come and watch?”

“Father,” Ares began, his voice filled with faint resistance, “this is unnecessary. I have already understood the lesson.”

“You think you have understood, but you still do not feel the consequences of your actions,” Zeus replied, his voice as firm as the thunder he commanded. “Today, Ares, you will be confronted not by the strength of an enemy, but by the strength of your own responsibility.”

Ares snorted, turning his face away. “Is this how you think you solve things? With humiliation?”

Zeus did not answer immediately. He walked to a nearby couch, his footsteps echoing in the empty room, and sat down. He looked up, inviting Ares with a brief gesture. “Come.”

Ares’s heart was pounding, a mixture of anger and apprehension. He took a step back, hesitant. “You can’t be serious. I am the god of war! I am not a child to be treated like this."

"You are my son," Zeus replied, the patience in his voice contrasting with the firmness of his actions. "And when a son errs, it is up to the father to correct him. Now, come closer!"

Reluctantly, Ares moved forward. Each step seemed heavier than the last, as if the room were conspiring against him. When he finally stopped beside Zeus, he found himself torn between pride and duty.

"Father…" he tried again.

"Bend over," Zeus ordered, patting his leg lightly. "Now!"

Ares hesitated, his face burning at the thought. He looked at his father, expecting some hesitation or weakness, but found nothing but determination. With a sigh filled with frustration, he finally gave in, bending over Zeus' knee.

He felt the awkwardness of the position; the position was humiliating and he wanted to maintain his defiant stance, barely suppressing a shudder as his father pulled down his pants and exposed his bottom to the world.

"Do you think this is unfair?" Zeus asked before starting, looking down at his son below him, aware of his tense posture.

"I think it is humiliating!" Ares snapped, his voice thick with frustration.

"Humiliation is the least of your problems, Ares. What I'm doing here is to teach you. I am not doing this to humiliate you, Ares, but if you trye to resist, humiliation will be inevitable. If you think you're invulnerable, think again."

And before Ares could fully process the situation, the first slap fell. The sound echoed through the room, as abrupt and sharp as thunder. Ares grunted, the shock of the pain tearing through his facade of indifference.

"That's for you to remember," Zeus said calmly, his hand rising again. Another slap, and then another.

Ares bit his lip, refusing to give his father any satisfaction, but the intensity grew. Each blow felt like it carried a weight beyond the physical, as if Zeus were channeling the disappointment and worry he felt.

"You think you're invincible, Ares," Zeus said between slaps. "But even the gods must answer for their actions."

"Father... This is... unnecessary!" Ares's voice cracked momentarily, but he still fought for control.

Zeus continued, relentless. "No,it’s necessary. Necessary to keep you from destroying the respect the gods have for themselves and others!"

The slaps continued, each one heavier than the last. Ares began to writhe, his stiff muscles trying to push away the pain, but Zeus held him steady.

“Stay where you are,” Zeus ordered, his voice sharp as a blade.

“This… is too much!” Ares finally shouted, his voice cracking.

“Too much? Too much is what you have done to others. This is necessary!”

Ares let out an involuntary sob, the tears starting to roll down his face. “I understand… I understand!”

“You understood the words,” Zeus said, picking up the pace again. “But you have not yet felt the weight of them.”

"Father... please," he whispered, his voice cracking. He could feel the tears starting to form, but he fought them with all his might.

"Do you think this pain is unfair?" Zeus asked, over and over.

Ares whimpered, his hands shaking as they clutched Zeus's toga, and he squeezed his eyes shut to hold back the tears. With each slap, his resistance weakened. The physical pain was intense, but what was eating at him most was the emotional toll.

He was not just the god of war in this moment; he was a son who had failed his father to the point where he needed to be corrected. Disciplined. And with a beating, no less. The feeling of being reduced to something so vulnerable was that much harder to bear.

Zeus sighed heavily. "Injustice is what you have caused to others." Slap "This is justice." Slap "And most importantly, it is love." Slap.

Zeus's words cut deeper than the slaps. Ares felt a sob escape him, but he still tried to resist, feeling how his flesh burned, especially when Zeus stopped. "Love? You call that love?"

"Yes," Zeus replied, his hand coming down again, heavy and firm. "Love is teaching you, even when it hurts me as much as it hurts you." Slap “Because, Ares” Slap “you might think I don’t care” Slap “but I do.” Slap.

Ares finally let out a cry and could hold back the tears no longer. They fell, hot and salty, as he finally let out the sobs he had been holding back uncontrollably. He was no longer the imposing god of war in this moment; he was just a son facing the consequences of his actions.

“I… I’m so sorry,” he whimpered, barely audible. “P- please, Father. I – sob – learned – sob – my lesson. I swear!”

“Then tell me why you are being punished, Ares,” Zeus ordered, his slap never stopping. His blows were rhythmic, to the point that Ares knew when the next one would come, but that did nothing to ease the war god’s mind. In fact, it only made the next blow more painful, the anticipation too much for him to bear.

“Be- because – sob – I was – sob - disrespectful… I won’t do it again, Dad!” He promised between sobs. “I promise. I’m so sorry!”

Zeus stopped, his hand gently resting on his son’s back. “Are you sorry?”

“Yes… I am,” Ares replied, his voice cracking with emotion. Zeus knew his son was sorry, but he wanted to make sure Ares wouldn’t forget his punishment any time soon, so he gave him four more spanks, putting more force into them than the previous ones, to make his lesson clear.

“You don’t have” Slap “free rein to do” Slap “whatever you want” Slap “Ares!” Slap.

Zeus finally stopped, but kept his hand on his son’s back, letting him cry and sob, sometimes rubbing his back gently in a gesture of fatherly affection that only served to break Ares even more. When Ares finally calmed down, Zeus helped him up and get dressed, watching his son’s tear-stained face. Ares avoided his father’s eyes, shame weighing him down, but he also felt something else: a strange relief, as if an invisible weight had been lifted.

“Look at me, Ares,” Zeus said, his voice softer now.

Reluctantly, Ares looked up, meeting his father's gaze. What he saw was not anger, but deep concern mixed with pride.

"Do you understand why I'm doing this?"

Ares was silent for a moment, but then he nodded slowly. "I... I understand."

"Do you think I enjoyed doing this?" Zeus asked.

Ares looked away. "It seemed that way to me."

Zeus sighed. "You're wrong. I did it because you needed it, not to hurt you. I did it because I love you. And as a father, it's my responsibility to correct you when you stray."

"Love? Is that what you call it?"

"Yes," Zeus replied firmly. "Love is not about protecting you from all pain. It's about making sure you know what's right and wrong, even if it requires toughness. Because, despite being a god, you still have a lot to learn. One day, my son, you might anger another god to the point that not even I can help you, so I'll correct you now, so I don't have to take what's left of you later!"

Ares met his father's eyes, his initial anger replaced by a sense of regret, almost humility even. After that beating, he didn't have the strength to get angry anymore. "Do you really believe that this will change me?"

"Not all at once," Zeus admitted. "But I hope you'll think twice before acting on impulse or arrogance. You're more than a god of war. You're my son. The son of Zeus and Hera, and as such, I want you to be strong, not just on the battlefield, but as a god who knows the weight of his actions and must carry his power wisely. I have failed as a father if I can only make you understand this now; I should have drilled this into your head since childhood, but do not mistake my harshness for cruelty, Ares. I did this because I believe in you!" Zeus said.

Ares remained silent, but something in his expression changed. For the first time, he saw not only Zeus's anger, but also his concern, and his posture, although still rigid, calmed a little. His father had never been harsh with him like this, never punished him like this, and although humiliated, he also surrendered, understanding his father a little, his words truly reaching him.

He then nodded slowly.

"I understand, father. I will try to do better."

"That's all I ask," Zeus said, placing a firm but gentle hand on his son's shoulder. “Ah, but you will still repair Artemis’s ruined temples and return her hunters to her. And try not to provoke her again, or next time, the punishment will be given by her, understand?!”

Ares grumbled, his body tensing just thinking about it. He just nodded. After that beating, he really didn’t want to repeat the experience, especially at the hands of his sister. He would stay away from her in the future, for the sake of his ass.

Olympus was a place where nothing remained secret for long. Gossip spread like the wind through the halls that had become a sanctuary of whispers and hushed laughter. Soon everyone knew about Ares’ punishment, making it the talk of the town. Even those who had not witnessed the event firsthand seemed delighted to relate fictitious details, adding exaggerations to spice up the story.

The god of war, known for his arrogance and strength, had been humiliated in a way that many thought unthinkable. For many, it was a unique opportunity to see the invincible god of war in a position of vulnerability.

Hermes, always quick to pick up on rumors, approached Dionysus, who was lounging by a fountain of wine in the celestial garden.

“So I hear that our dear brother, the god of war himself, was disciplined like a child. On our father’s knee!”

Dionysus, holding a full cup, laughed. "Poor Ares. It must have been painful. But... imagine the scene! The great god of war reduced to tears."

Hermes laughed, and the two figures doubled over in laughter. Apollo, who was nearby, joined the group, his lyre in hand. "Perhaps I will compose an ode for the event. Something like: 'Ares, the warrior defeated by father's thunder.'"

"Who would have thought that the great god of war would cry like a mortal? I bet even Hera couldn't help but laugh." Heres laughed, his wings fluttering with the movements.

"His ego must have hurt more than anything else. Did Zeus even use something dignified, or was it just his hand?" Dionysus wondered between sips of wine.

The muffled laughter soon spread, but what had started as whispers grew in volume and boldness.

It didn't take long for them to reach Ares' ears, who walked through the palace corridors with heavy steps, avoiding direct glances and provocations from others. He should have known that nothing would remain secret, even if what should have happened in private should have remained that way; probably some gossiping servant. Ares tried to ignore it for once, not wanting to be confronted with the memories of the beating he had received, but he felt that he was already at his limit; each muffled laugh and sideways glance was a knife to his already wounded pride and it took all his self-control not to explode.

But when he heard Apollo's comment about his supposed "crying" to a group of laughing nymphs, Ares stopped abruptly. His gaze burned, and his fists clenched until his knuckles turned white as the anger he expected to feel flooded him, but for another reason.

"Do you have something to say to my face, Apollo?"

The nymphs, with a scream of surprise, ran to hide behind Apollo, who raised his hands in mock protest. "Oh, nothing, nothing. Just commenting that Zeus seems to be innovating in methods of discipline. Who knows what the next one will be, right?"

Ares glared at the sun god, a vein throbbing in his temple as he watched his sardonic smirk. He wanted so badly to punch that stupid face, but then he thought of his father's lesson and the fear of being punished like that again, along with the realization that he would disappoint him after his father trusted him to be better made him back away.

He walked away with heavy steps, the tips of his ears red as the nymphs laughed as they realized that the dangerous god of war would do nothing.

What none of them knew was that Zeus saw this exchange and if Ares would do nothing, he might as well do it.

Once in his hall, Zeus first summoned first his queen to join him, the goddess entering with a curious look as she took the throne beside him, watching him curiously.

"What do you intend to do, my husband?" she asked.

"To protect the dignity of my son and remind Olympus of who I am," Zeus replied without hesitation.

He raised a hand, and the sky above Olympus darkened, the clouds gathering into a vortex. Lightning split the sky, and a thunderclap boomed so loudly that everyone present stopped what they were doing.

The gods gathered in the great hall, murmuring amongst themselves. The tension was palpable as gods major and minor settled in, wondering what all the commotion was about. Ares entered quietly, his expression stoic, but his eyes revealing curiosity as he stood aloof.

Zeus, in the center of the hall, raised his voice, which echoed like an absolute command.

"I've heard rumors. Whispers. Laughter. And it seems some of you have forgotten what it means to be a son or a subject of Zeus." The hall fell completely silent. All eyes were fixed on the king of the gods.

"Let me make something clear to all of you," Zeus continued, his voice booming like thunder. "The punishment I meted out to Ares was necessary. It wasn't humiliation. It wasn't cruelty. It wasn't an arbitrary decision, nor something for the amusement of others. It was discipline! A lesson. A lesson I will inflict on any of my children who disregard the laws or dishonor the order I maintain. And that includes all of you!”

And with that he glanced at Hermes and Apollo, who paled a little. So Zeus was aware of the rumors. Of course he would be.

Apollo tried to justify himself. "Father, we did nothing—"

"Silence!" Zeus roared, thunder accompanying his words. Apollo shut his mouth immediately. He looked at his other children.

Artemis inclined her head, showing silent acknowledgment. Athena crossed her arms, her gaze shining with respect. Aphrodite glanced briefly at Ares, who was standing further away. Dionysus pretended to be more interested in his cup than looking at Zeus, although he felt his father's heavy gaze. Even Hephaestus had left his forge, not daring to disobey his father's call, his expression neutral.

"You are my children," Zeus said, looking at each of them in turn. "That gives you privileges, but also responsibilities. Ares was punished because his actions were a grave disrespect to another god that I, as king, could not overlook. But do not think that this was something unique or exclusive; if any of you err in a similar way, I will not hesitate to act in the same way."

Hermes opened his mouth, but quickly closed it when he met Zeus's gaze. He lowered his head, his winged feet fidgeting.

"Discipline," Zeus continued, "is not to please you, to make a laughingstock of it, but to mold you into better gods. And do not think that you will escape humiliation just because you are children of Zeus. If I hear one more word, even a whisper, mocking what happened to your brother, the next punishment will be public!"

Hermes looked like he was about to faint. Dionysus looked at the ground, trying to appear invisible.
The silence was absolute. Zeus took a deep breath, standing even higher.

"And as for those who are not my children," he said, turning to the lesser gods, nymphs and satyrs, his eyes lingering momentarily on a particular group of nymphs he remembered seeing with Apollo, "know this: my patience is not infinite and my power is impartial. If any of you dare disrespect Ares or any other of my children, you will face a commensurate punishment. And I am very creative when necessary."

As Zeus spoke, Ares watched, a mix of emotions bubbling inside him.

He didn't know what hurt more: the weight of the still-fresh punishment or the realization that his father had had to intervene for him. He, the god of war. Despite the conflicting feelings, he felt... happy. Happy that his father had defended his honor, even after punishing him. Happy to know that Zeus would not tolerate disrespect from them — from him — but he also would not allow his children to be the target of ridicule.

Part of him was still angry at the humiliation, but this realization awakened another part that felt something he rarely experienced: pride. It made his chest feel... warm. When Zeus finished his speech, silence still dominated the hall.

Then, without warning, he looked directly at Ares. "My son, do you have something to say?"

Ares hesitated, feeling all eyes on him. He could deflect, he could use sarcasm as he always did. But something in his heart Zeus’s tone made him reconsider.

“No, Father,” he said finally, his voice firm. “I understood your lesson.”

Zeus nodded, satisfied.

"I hope the others understood as well. Because, children or not, no one is above the order of Olympus."

With that, Zeus dismissed them, but his presence still dominated the room even though they were no longer in his presence. Ares had been quick to leave, but he still found his three brothers in one of the hallways, their expressions less mocking and more wary.

Hermes tried to break the ice. "Well, brother, I guess we're all in the same boat now."

Ares looked at him, his expression hardened. "You'd do well to remember that."

Dionysus stepped forward, the cup still in his hand. "We're not going to lie, Ares. We were laughing before. But now... well, I don't think any of us want to trade places with you."

Ares gave a half smile, a flash of humor in his eyes. "You know what they say about learning from other people's mistakes. Consider this a free lesson."

Apollo played his lyre absently. "I think I'll write a song about lighter and more common themes. It seems safer."

Ares gave a short laugh, a rare occurrence, but said nothing more. He left his brothers behind, walking toward Zeus' temple. As he walked, he felt lighter, even though the memories of his punishment were still so vivid. He knew his pride had been hurt, but he also knew that somehow he had gained something more: his father's respect and protection, and for the first time, he felt something deeper than respect for his father; he felt... gratitude. What a stranger feeling.