Athena x Nike

#84 * Shattered mind

Based on my own experiences.

Warning: This short deals with certain mental health issues and contains content that might be upsetting to some readers. Please proceed with caution.

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"Don't call me insane!" Athena exclaimed.

"My love no one ever said-"

"I am not mad!" The wisdom goddess cut off her wife.

She had her hands pressed to her head as the ichor was throbbing in her head like a second heartbeat. Loud, they were so loud.

"Athena please, try to take a deep breath." Nike pleaded, trying to inch closer in her crouched position.

However the victory goddess wasn't sure if her wife could even hear her now. Athena could take a lot of things. She was an excellent warrior and strategist. Both her body and mind could take a lot of pressure and damage. But there was one trigger that would take all those defenses and could make them come crashing down in an instant.

'What are you talking about? There's nothing here.'

'Beware the written word Athena.'

'You're insane.'

Nike knew the scentences lost souls, trapped between worlds, liked to throw at her wife's head. She had seen Athena write them down to get them out of her head. She had seen her crumble underneath their words.

The smallest hint towards the wisdom goddess being "crazy" was enough to make her spiral. The angel had to admit that from the point of view of an outsider, who had no idea about the lost souls, it might in fact seem like Athena was insane, although she hated that term with a passion.

Athena's grey eyes we're wide and showed nothing but fear. Her tall stature, -that could only be described with 'chin up and shoulders back'- had crumbled into a shell of what it once was, sitting in a corner on the floor with her knees curled up against her chest. She had her hands dug into her long brown hair, creating one big tangled mess.

'Athenaaaa... You can't escape uuus...' One of the spirits sing sang right next to the wisdom goddess's ear.

"Get them away from me!" The daughter of Zeus yelled.

She tried to move away from the creatures, but the corner they had driven her into didn't budge.

'We're a part of you...' Another spirit whispered.

'You made us what we are.' A third joined in.

'Where is Aegis now?'

"Aegis..." The wisdom goddess muttered.

The impenetrable cloak was in her bedroom with the rest of her armor. She had no way to get to it, there were way too many lost souls blocking any escape, driving her deeper into the corner. Between the mass of spirits Athena made out the shape of the victory goddess.

"Nike-..."

The daughter of Zeus stopped herself. She didn't know why, the angel was exactly who she needed right now. Her touch was soothing and her words ever soft, but there was one thing even more calming than her voice or her touch. It was the feeling of being wrapped up in her strong arms and majestic wings. The daughter of Styx never judged her, she was only ever worried.

The victory goddess seemed to pick up on her wife's silent cry for help. She moved a little closer, trying to touch her wife's arm. The latter however didn't seem ready for that yet as she jerked away.