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Athena was never one for sympathy. She thought it made her childish and sensitive. “Yo, ‘Thea!” Ares called out, snapping her out of her thoughts. “Your owl is Aphrodite’s room. Get it out.” Aphrodite’s agonized screams then landed in the room.
”Eh, which one? Κολοκύθι?”
“No.”
“Αλίστη?”
“The white and brown one.”
Athena paused for a moment. “OHHHH! Yeah, she’s a baby. I don’t really know how to get her to listen. Ναόμι! Over here!”
“Imagine not even having your own animals in control.” He muttered under his breath before walking away.
See, for some odd reason, Athena was already upset. Her head was pounding like a debt collector was inside her brain and her head was the door. She paused her call, staring blankly at him.
”I-uh…Whatever.”
Aphrodite scowled at her from across the table. It was clear what had gone down with Ναόμι the owl. She had talon wide scratch marks on her face and her hair had looked as if she was a daycare Barbie doll.
“Little miss Athena can’t even keep her owl’s together! I mean, what goddess of war and wisdom can’t keep together a simple baby owl?!” She complained aloud.
Athena felt her face heat up. She knew what that meant. She felt upset and wanted to cry, but if she cried, people would see and make fun of her. Who cries over peer criticism?
“Shut up, whore.” The table went silent.
“Excuse me?!”
“I said what I said. Sure, I can’t keep A BABY owl in check, but neither can you with your children. But NOOOO, you keep your mouth just like your legs. OPEN.”
Silence
More silence
“At least I don’t treat my arms and wrists like fucking cutting boards, you self destructive motherfucker! Zebras don’t even have that many stripes, bitch!” She went there. Aphrodite ACTUALLY went there.
No one knew she had a problem of self harm. No one knew every time she was humiliated or yelled at, she would lock herself in her room and grab the blade out the pencil sharpener. Was it embarrassing to her? Yes. Did it matter to her? Not really. She felt like she deserved it.
“I don’t cut myself. I just get cold easily, asshole.”
Zeus’s booming voice cut through the tension. “Pallas Athena, show us your arms. Now.”
Her breath caught in her throat. She knew there were fresh lines from just a few minutes ago. “Like, now?”
“Yes. Immediately.”
“Like-”
“Athena. Now.”
“I have to go do something. My owls didn’t eat yet.” Just then, she excused herself from the table. Now to make sure no one asked.