By Ruric

Disclaimer: The auther does not own the characters from Hercules: the Legendary Journeys. Those characters belong to MCA/Universal and were used without permission. No copyright infringement intended and no money was made.

Finally, one more thing completed. This owes a lot to Val - where you lead I can only aspire to follow! It's also loosely based around a chapter in Sun Tzu's "Art of War" containing the quote... "Now there are five sorts of spies....". Marti and Queenie copped out on this, so it was up to me to represent the British contingent. Sorry it took so long Widow (dearest of dance teachers)!

The demi-god raised his head from tending the fire as the sounds from the surrounding undergrowth increased. Someone or possibly **something** was approaching the clearing very, very quickly.

Hercules stood rapidly, casting a hasty look around to see whether there were any weapons within easy reach. Suddenly a body burst from the surrounding vegetation and hurtled across the clearing, running as fast as possible, head down and arms pumping wildly to increase it’s speed.

The figure ricocheted off the immobile demi-god before collapsing to it’s knees, both arms braced against the ground and head drooping between shoulders. Hercules stood still, legs spread widely, hands resting on hips looking down in puzzlement at the top of the blond head, which was at his knee level.

"Iolaus, what on **earth** are you doing?" he enquired.

"Noth....nothing,...... H... Herc," the blond hunter gasped, head still bowed as he sucked in desperate breaths, chest and shoulders heaving.

The blond looked up, panting, as his blue gaze met that of his lover’s. Hercules quirked an eyebrow in query. Iolaus was a lousy liar, his open face and eyes always gave him away.

He looked slightly panicked, very unusual for Iolaus thought Hercules. He couldn’t remember the last time he had seen his friend look so worried.

Then Hercules heard the sound of crashing again. He glanced down at Iolaus, expecting him to jump to his feet to guard his back from danger as usual. However, the hunter remained where he was.

The noise increased and Hercules caught the distinct sound of galloping hooves as the vegetation parted to reveal Cassius, the centaur and Mira astride his back, her long blonde hair streaming out behind her.

"He’s **mine** Hercules," said Cassius advancing with menace, anger practically radiating from every part of his body.

Iolaus shot between the demi-god’s spread legs and scrambled to his feet, using his lover’s broad body as a shield. Hercules twisted around to curiously regard the hunter, who had clamped both hands across his eyes, like a blindfold, and was blushing furiously and muttering beneath his breath.

"Tell him .... I didn’t see anything, nothing, ....not a thing, Herc. Honestly, nothing, ..... nothing at all."

‘What in Hades?’ thought Hercules.

"Your little friend there was SPYING on us," stated Cassius furiously.

"WHAT!!" exclaimed the demi-god.

He turned suddenly, causing Iolaus drop his hands and stumble backwards a step. The demi-god took a firm grasp on the purple vest and dragged the hunter forwards to stand beside him. Hercules leaned down over Iolaus until their noses almost touched.

"What have you been doing NOW?" demanded the demi-god, cerulean blue eyes blazing with a mixture of anger and amusement.

"Nothing - I told you Herc. I DID nothing."

Oh oh, he thought. Iolaus wouldn’t meet his eyes, and was trying to look shiftily down at his feet. The demi-god didn’t miss the stress the hunter placed on the word *did* either. This looked bad, really bad.

"That’s not true - he WAS spying on us!!" said Cassius sidling forwards, hooves lifting high off the ground in agitation.

Hercules turned around again to face the furious centaur and his girlfriend. Cassius was obviously incensed, but Mira seemed to find the situation humorous, although she was blushing a delicate shade of pink.

"Hold on a minute.... will someone PLEASE tell me what happened," begged Hercules.

"HE WAS....." started Cassius until Mira laid a gentle hand on his arm.

"Let me explain, dear," she said calmly.

"Well, Hercules, we had come out for a walk and a picnic in the woods today. It’s such a beautiful sunny day..... and Cassius just proposed to me ....... and then, well er, .... one thing sort of , erm ..... led to another, and then we,...... well, we heard a noise in the bushes and,...... when we looked up we saw, er.... your friend watching us," she stuttered to a stop, blushing harder than ever. Even Cassius looked a little pink.

Hercules turned to regard Iolaus once more.

"WELL?"

"Herc, it **wasn’t** like that ....... honest. You know I’d gone to do some hunting, and erm..... I heard some noises..... you know, kinda animal like sounds."

The hunter winced, eye’s crinkling, shoulder’s hunched around ears. Big mouth - wrong words ..... brain to mouth, come in, think before you speak. He noted Herc try to smother a grin, great help there buddy, thanks a lot.

Cassius made a rumbling sound deep within his throat and advanced another step.

Iolaus looked down at his feet.

"Er, well I thought that there might be, er .... be some big game there." Oh Gods, he was just making this worse. Herc now had a hand clamped across his own mouth and his eyes were dancing with laughter.

The centaur stepped forward once more but Hercules saw Mira smother a giggle against the back of her hand.

"You know, Herc, maybe venison for supper ....... but when I got kinda closer, er ..... there was no venison ..... if you see what I mean..... and....."

Hercules finally took mercy on Iolaus.

"Okay, I GET the idea. I think you owe our friends here an apology and I SUGGEST you make it quickly," he said loudly, before leaning close to the hunter and whispering, "You’d better make it nice and polite or I’ll leave you to Cassius’ mercy, and you know **exactly** what sort of reputation centaurs have."

Iolaus glanced up, straight into the centaur’s eyes.

"Look I **really** am sorry, very, very sorry, ....... honest mistake though, wasn’t intentional, .... won’t ever happen again," he realised he was babbling.

"That’s alright Iolaus, accident’s do happen don’t they. We forgive you, don’t we dear," Mira said tugging lightly on the centaur’s long hair.

Cassius never stood a chance thought Hercules. He’d do whatever she asked him, the love shining clearly out of his eyes.

"Well, I suppose so," he muttered.

"We’d better get back now. We’ve got a lot of arrangements to make. Don’t forget Hercules, you’re invited to the wedding," she smiled sunnily.

"What about Iolaus?" questioned the demi-god.

"Oh well ... you couldn’t **really** leave him behind, could you?" she remarked, winking knowingly at him as they left the campsite.

Once they were alone Hercules turned rapidly to Iolaus, grabbing the back of the purple vest as he turned to leave.

"Right, now explain to me EXACTLY what you were doing out there!"

"Hunting......I TOLD you."

"Uhn uhn, Iolaus. I KNOW when you’re lying. You’re still fixated on where baby centaurs come from, and how the whole thing works - aren’t you?"

"Noooo..... I told you Herc I was....."

He lost the capacity to speak as the demi-god’s mouth closed over his in a burning kiss, and strong arms encircled him pulling his body close. When he finally surfaced for air, Iolaus looked a little stunned.

"What was that for?"

"You look really desirable when you’re flushed with embarrassment, do you know that?" murmured the demi-god. "I never realised you were a voyeur Iolaus."

"I’m not, never been there, I come from Thebes," cracked back the hunter.

Hercules groaned theatrically, before he reached for the hunter once more, one hand tangling in the blond curls to hold his head still, for yet another deep kiss, as the other pushed the purple vest from his body to drop unnoticed to the floor.

He felt the smaller man’s hands reach for him, to pull the shirt from his trousers, pushing it hastily from his broad shoulders. Iolaus slid his arms round Hercules’ neck for support, as he pulled his legs from the ground to lock around the demi-god’s waist.

Hercules moaned at the additional pressure on his groin, dropping to his knees, before leaning forwards, one outstretched arm bracing him, lowering the hunter to the floor of the clearing.

His lips traced a trail of fire from Iolaus’ neck, slowly down his body, stopping to tease each nipple in turn, as his hands fumbled for the leather fastenings of the hunter's trousers. Iolaus’ hands wrapped in the chestnut hair, holding Hercules’ mouth close to his body as he raised his hips so the demi-god could finally push the trousers out of the way.

Hercules' mouth slid lower, teasing, as the hunter groaned loudly, "Oh gods, ...... Herc, show a little mercy, .... pleeease."

Hercules chuckled against the satin skin as his fingers found the lacings of his own clothing and quickly undid them forcing his leather pants down to pool around his knees. Returning his attention to the hunter he wet one finger in his mouth before sliding his hand down, past his lover’s balls, to press against that tight opening. Sinking the invading digit slowly into that orifice, his mouth covered Iolaus’ straining shaft, as he heared the pleasurable gasp his lover made.

The hunter’s pants and moans became louder as he peaked. Hercules reluctantly pulled his mouth away to catch Iolaus’ seed in his hand as he sat back to spread it over his cock. The hunter rolled over onto his knees as Hercules grasped the narrow waist to sink into the welcoming warmth.

Iolaus pushed back into him with a half sob as Hercules reached under their bodies to stroke the hunter’s renewed erection. They matched each other, thrust for thrust, the only sounds their laboured breathing, until with one final violent surge backwards Iolaus moaned. Hercules felt the hunter’s cock pulse hotly in his hand as Iolaus’ muscles clamped around the demi-god’s body, pulling them both to completion.

Iolaus’ arms gave way, unable to support both himself and his lover and they fell bonelessly to the floor, Hercules half covering him, unwilling and unable to move further for a moment. As their breathing returned to normal, there was a muffled giggle from the undergrowth.

Iolaus twisted his head to look into Hercules eyes. "Looks like I’m not the only voyeur around here," he said with a smirk as the demi-god blushed bright-red.

THE END