Watching from afar
The sounds of wood clashing against wood, grunting and heavy breathing were heard in the arena.
A heated battle was taking place there. A heated battle between two deities who didn't like to lose. After all one was a skilled warrior with many victories on her name, the other was the litteral embodiment of victory. What embodiment of victory loses?
With brute force the former let her wooden spear fly down upon Nike, the victory goddess. However she wasn't having it. With equal strength she blocked the attack.
"I thought you'd be stronger." She playfully teased.
"I thought you were quicker." Her opponent, Athena, smirked.
She released the pressure she was putting on her weapon and did a spin, kicking the victory goddesses legs from underneath her.
With a load thud she fell on her back. Nike groaned. She was about to sit up, but found the point of a spear aimed at her throat.
"Guess I won." Athena chuckled.
"Only because I let you." Nike grinned in return.
"Right." Her opponent shrugged.
Athena stuck out her hand and Nike took it. When she was up she noticed just how close she was standing to Zeus' daughter. For a moment the air became electric as she drowned in Athena's grey eyes and strong aura.
They were so close. Bodies practically pressed together, lips only inches away from one another. The angel was close enough to feel her heart beating. For a second she let herself drift into the thought of what it would be like to taste her lips.
"Thena, honey, you were great!" A voice behind them said.
From that same direction footsteps sounded. Nike would recognize that voice everywhere. It belonged to Athena's girlfriend, Calliope, a muse.
'You've got to be kidding me.' It flashed through the angel's mind.
"Thanks Cal." Athena responded, letting go of Nike and going over to her girlfriend.
The daughter of Zeus wanted to hug her, but Calliope pushed her away slightly.
"You're sweaty silly. Go shower first." The muse chuckled, but it sounded slightly forced.
"Right." Athena responded, swallowing the lump that had formed in her throat.
"Come on let's go. We have a lecture to be at in a couple of hours and you still need to get ready." Calliope said as she turned around and walked away.
"Hey Nike? Great practice, I'll catch you later okay?" Athena said, turning around while trailing behind Calliope.
Nike just smiled and waved. She didn't trust her mouth to keep to nice words. She couldn't, for the life of her, figure out why Athena let Calliope boss her around like that.
Now understand one thing, the angel didn't hate Calliope. She just didn't agree with the things she did. For one, she surpressed Athena's war goddess nature.
And when she did allow Athena to show it, like today in the arena, she only let her at it for what? Half an hour? This little match? It was barely a warm up for the wisdom goddess and Nike knew that.
She didn't lie to Athena earlier. She did let her win. If only to give her the sense she actually trained, to at least give her the sense that she was using her skills.
Nike didn't like how Calliope only seemed 'to love' Athena whenever she presented herself as 'the wisdom goddess'.
The angel shook her head. She shouldn't be worried over this. Athena and Calliope loved each other. She didn't have the right to come in between them just because she thought they didn't fit.
She sighed and left the arena.
*****************
Later that day, when Helios had arrived in the west and Selene had taken over his task, Nike found herself lingering on the streets of Olympus.
She liked how it looked so peaceful at night. The restaurants were bubbling with night life though. She smiled as she saw couples and families have dinner through the glass window.
She could've even swore she saw Ares and Aphrodite having dinner together. Ares was even wearing a suit. She chuckled to herself. Who'd have thought?
For a moment her mind wondered what it would be like to sit there with Athena. To have dinner with her and spend the evening with her. She quickly pushed the thought away when it became a little inappropriate.
After walking for a bit more she reached the edge of the park. Originally she peaked inside to look at the nature, but her eyes latched onto the white dress of a person sitting on a bench. They were leaning forward and had their hands in their hair.
Without even noticing it Nike's feet started carrying her towards the person. As she neared the angel recognized the person as Athena. What was she doing here all by herself?
"Company?" The angel asked when she reached the goddess' side.
Athena looked up to her left and saw Nike standing next to her. She wore a gentle smile on her face, but worry shimmered in her eyes.
"Yeah, sure." She forced a smile.
Nike sat down on Athena's right. For a long minute they were just silent.
"Are you okay?" The victory goddess asked, having enough of the silence.
Athena contemplated her words. Should she tell her? She sighed to herself. Yes, she should. If anybody could understand it would be Nike.
"I messed up Nike." The daughter of Zeus said, just loud enough for the angel to hear.
"What do you mean?" Nike asked, raising a brow.
"Calliope and I had an argument. I-... I got so mad for no reason."
As she said that frustration welled up inside Athena once more. She didn't understand where it was coming from. All she knew was that it needed to get out. Now.
Nike on the other hand understood exactly what was happening. Calliope surpressed the war goddess inside Athena too much for too long.
"Take my hand." Nike said.
Athena gave her a confused look.
"Just take it already and trust me." The angel urged.
With a humorless smile Athena took her hand. The victory goddess flashed the two of them back into the arena. At the snap of her fingers the torches caught fire one by one, until they lighted up the entire arena.
"Why are we here Nike?" The wisdom goddess asked.
"We've sparred this morning."
"Is that what you call our little warm up this morning?" Nike asked.
When she clapped her hands her dress changed into some workout clothes.
"I beat you." Athena stated, feeling annoyed.
"Like I said, I let you win." The angel replied, raising her shoulders.
"No, I beat you."
"Did you though?"
"Yes I did!"
"You have no proof."
"I don't need any cause I won!" Athena yelled in frustration.
A red rim appeared around everything and rage filled her every motion. She raised her right fist to strike... And she did.
Nike caught Athena's fist in her own hand. The force was immense. It took everything the victory goddes had to keep standing where she was.
"Again." She said.
"What?" Athena asked.
"Strike again."
Again Athena took a punch and again Nike caugt her hand.
"Again."
Punch after punch landed in Nike's hand as Athena let go. Soon enough Nike swung a few punches herself to keep the tiny battle interesting.
Since her dress as restricting her movement Athena tore off a piece and kept going. This time there was no holding back. This time there was no making it easy for either of them.
For about an hour both goddesses gave everything the had until they litteraly couldn't anymore. They found themselves sitting on the ground back to back.
"Nike?" Athena asked between breaths.
"Yeah?"
"Thank you. I needed this."
"You're welcome." Nike breathed.
"How'd you know what I needed?" Athena asked after a moment of both of them catching their breaths.
"Because I see what you and Calliope don't." The angel answered thruthfully.
"Which is?"
"She surpresses you Athena."
Silence.
"Calliope only seems to like you whenever you're 'the wisdom goddess'. She forgets that you're a war goddess as well. You can't exists without a part of you."
That last sentence sounded so soft Athena barely heard it. She let the victory goddess' words sink in.
"I don't want to tear you two apart, but you needs someone who loves every aspect of you. Not just the ones they like." Nike added.
"I guess you're right." Athena managed to say, still a bit dumbfounded.