Athena x Nike

#93 * I bet

Fun fact:

This short is inspired by an interaction I had with my own Nike. Happy reading!

- Athena

"I bet you can't do it." Athena grinned.

She had her arms crossed, leaning against the doorframe as she watched her wife, who was sitting at the living room table. Nike rested her head in her arms as she happily looked at the succulents in the middle that made up the new centerpiece.

"Is that a challenge?" The victory goddess asked.

In no time the angel rose from her seat, wings spread.

"I bet fifty drachmae you'll lose your interest in those plants within the next week."

"Try me."

"Oh, I will. I refuse to end up with half a dozen dead plants scattered across my house."

"You do realize it's going to cost you to keep them alive right?" Nike stated hinting at the bet Athena had just created.

"I'm counting on it." The daughter of Zeus replied.

"Fifty drachmae if you succeed."

"Deal."

A confident grin laced the angel's lips as she shook her wife's hand over the table. With an amused smile, Athena turned around and retreated to her study, leaving her wife alone. Nike stared at the two succulents in front of her. With her wife gone she let out a deep sigh. The victory goddess figured she needed to have a word with Demeter if she wanted to keep these two alive and earn herself some extra drachmae. The angel adored plants and nature, but she never actually had to keep them alive before. She didn't exactly assume she would fail, but losing was not an option. Not in a bet made with Athena. Was it cheating to get Demeter's help and be absolutely certain the plants would make it through the week? Maybe. Did Athena specify she couldn't ask the goddess of harvest for help? No, so she was totally going to use it. Not long after the victory goddess found herself in the gardens of Olympus.

'Here goes nothing.' She thought.

The angel had never worked with the goddess of the harvest before. Demeter wasn't exactly the competitive type so there was no need to hand her any victories. Nike had no idea what to expect or how well this would work. As long as she didn't lose from her wife, it wouldn't matter. Anything for victory. Demeter was digging in the soil with her hands underneath Nike's gaze. The former could feel a presence loom over her.

"Can I help you?" She asked, her voice flat.

She assumed it was another god or minor deity drooling over her, ready to chase her when she decided she wasn't interested in them. Evidently, she was more than surprised when a female voice replied "I'd like to think so."

Demeter didn't really recognize the voice so stopped what she was doing and rose to her full length, wiping her hands on the skirt of her dress. Looking up she said "Nike, what a surprise."

The goddess of the harvest had always seen the angel as more of a city person. She hadn't really expected her to ask for her help anytime soon. Then again, how much did she actually know about the victory goddess? Aside from her name, her love for victory and being married to Athena, Demeter knew next to nothing about the young goddess.

"What can I do for you dear?"

"I was wondering if perhaps you were interested in teaching me to care for my two plants." The victory goddess replied sheepishly.

The goddess of the harvest couldn't keep her jaw from dropping and her eyebrows from raising. Nike found it quite a funny sight, but she decided it would be better to keep her grin in check if she actually wanted Demeter's help.