The virus
Coughing was heard from the other room. Again... Nike shook her head and sighed. Both Athena and Alexia had picked up a virus last time they went out to the mortal world and they'd been sick for the past week.
She poured some steaming hot soup into two bowls and placed them on a platter. After adding some spoons and two glasses of water, she walked into the living room and placed the platter on the coffee table right in front of her girls.
Athena was laying on her back and Alexia was resting on her mother's stomach. To be brutally honest they both looked miserable.
Alexia is usually very energetic, jumping and dancing all over the place. Now all she did was sleep and cough. Her small figure was even shaking with a fever.
Athena was always way more easy going. But at this point she didn't even have the energy to keep reading for more than two chapters. You heard that right, the woman who can devour entire books in one day can't even keep her focus for an hour.
For now they were asleep, but Nike wanted to wake them and try to get them to eat something. Besides if they slept much longer, they wouldn't be able to sleep tonight.
Softly she swiped some of Athena's hair from her face and kissed her forehead. Sensetive as the wisdom goddess is to touch, she woke up and looked the angel dead in the eye.
Athena's grey eyes were shallow and it's fierce light was dim. Still she maneged to smile at Nike and the light brightened for a moment.
"Hi." The victory goddess smiled back.
"Hi." Athena responded in a hoarse voice.
"How are you feeling?" The angel asked.
"Cold."
"Still?"
Nike was concerned. Her wife had their daughter lay on top of her and over the two of them the angel had draped two blankets.
Athena just nodded.
"Alexia is too." She said, feeling a shiver go through the little girl's body.
The victory goddess placed a hand on her daughter's head. It was quite warm, but Athena was right, the girl was shivering.
Nike's brows knitted together in concern. This can't be good.
"When did we go down to the mortal world last?" She asked her wife to be sure.
Time was hard for immortals. Always has been, a year is the blink of an eye for them. However since having a mortal daughter, both Nike and Athena had to slow down their life style and really live in the moment, which wasn't always easy.
"Urm... A week ago?" Athena hesitated.
"When did your fevers start?" Nike questioned further.
"Alexia's two days ago, mine yesterday."
"Two days... She needs to see a docter Athena. This can't keep going on. And assuming you picked up the same virus, I think it's best you went too." The angel, concluded.
"Agreed, but-"
Before she could finish her sentence the wisdom goddess started coughing, waking Alexia in the process.
When she finally managed to find her breath Athena sighed.
"-But how come you didn't get sick?" She asked her wife.
"I don't know darling, but it doesn't matter now. We'll figure that out later. For now try to sit up while I go see if I can get a hold of Asclepius."
When Nike disappeared into another room, Athena and Alexia stayed behind.
"Momma... I'm cold..." Alexia said.
"I know honey. Me too." Athena answered, wrapping her arms around the girl.
"Why are we sick momma?"
The wisdom goddess sighed.
"I don't know..."
"But you know everything." Her daughter said, slowly raising her head to look at her mother.
"Mostly, but not everything." Athena said, chuckling slightly.
"Is that soup?" Alexia asked, looking to the side.
"Pretty sure it is." Her mom said.
"Did mommy make it?" The girl gasped.
Athena smiled at the question. Nike wasn't exactly a great cook. Not that she was terrible at it, she just didn't have the attention span to actually cook.
She'd get distracted and start doing something else. Then the angel would remember she was cooking about half way through the other thing and realize it overcooked, burned, etc.
"Urm, not entirely sure about that one, but she did bring it here."
"Can I have some?"
"Sure, you'll have to let me sit up too though."
The two of them sat up and Athena pulled the coffee table a bit closer towards them.
"Do you need me to help you or-"
"I got this." Alexia said, grabbing the spoon and placing it in her soup.
"Okay, ma'am. Just be careful, it's still hot okay?" The wisdom goddess smiled.
Alexia nodded, taking small slurps from her spoon.
"Good soup." Alexia stated.
Her mother shook her head. Kids.
Soon enough Nike got back and joined them in the living room again.
"Asclepius said he'd be right here with Hygieia to take a look at you two."
She hadn't spoken the words or the two deities appeared.
"Hello auntie Thena." Asclepius said with a bright smile.
Was it obvious he was a child of Apollo?
"And little Alexia, my, you've grown darling!" He said, handing Hygieia his equipment.
He was about to go in for a hug but Hygieia grabbed his wrist and held him back.
"Virus, remember?" She reminded her boyfriend.
"Right, right, never a true family visit with Olympians is it?" He chuckled.
After making sure he couldn't get the virus from either Athena or Alexia he sat down in front of them.
"So tell me what's going on?" Asclepius asked.
"You wanna tell him?" Athena asked her daughter.
"Well, last week momma, mommy and I went down to the mortal world. We went to the fair together and had a lot of fun. But since then momma and I have been sick and we don't know why." The little girl explained.
"Really? And what kind of sick?"
"They've both been coughing a lot and they have a fever." Nike replied.
"I see, for how long have they had this fever?" The god of medicine asked, taking notes.
"Alexia for two days and Athena since yesterday."
"Right. Hygieia please hand me my equipment please." Asclepius asked.
After some routine checkups on both Athena and Alexia Asclepius made his conclusions.
"I assume it's some type of flu like virus, it's been bothering the mortals too I've seen. I'm afraid all you can do is sit this one out. Let it pass. If you're not better in a week, call me again, then I might have to do a second check up." He explained.
"How come Nike didn't get it?" Athena asked, curious now.
"I don't know. Probably somehow her system is resistant against this particular virus." Asclepius asked.
"She just has to make sure to disinfect occasionally, you know, make sure no one else gets infected." Hygieia said with a wink.
"So all we can do now is wait and see how it evolves?" Athena asked, just to be sure.
Asclepius nodded.
"You're lucky though. There's far worse viruses pestering mortals these day. Father hasn't exactly been pleased with them lately."
"Oh, I'm aware." The wisdom goddess responded.