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Falling? Hades in Hell.

Her chest was so tight she could barely breathe. But she needed to see this through before she could hyperventilate over potential feelings that Athena may or may not be developing for her.

“Well, I’d be foolish to try to escape the inescapable. Or as you said, unavoidable. I am Love and neither you nor I can help that.” They shared a look of such deep comprehension, a look that only two beings who had lived their whole lives by the same rules understood. She was Love and Athena was Wisdom, and they couldn’t shed these mantles. They had to make the best of what they were given.

“I think you are selling yourself very, very short, Love. Yes, you are that, but you are so much more. I don’t know you that well, but what I do see is beautiful and brave and vulnerable, and I want to know more. You make me want to know more. Which is rare for me.”

“Rare? You’re the epitome of curiosity and scientific method, darling!” Aphrodite tried to laugh it away, but Athena’s hands were holding hers with earnest sincerity.

“Science, experiments, knowledge. But knowing someone, really knowing, seeing and being seen? That is an openness I have granted few. And I believe you’ve granted it to even fewer. What are you afraid one will see if you open up? You gave me glimpses and I saw nothing but beauty, inside and out.”

Well, if Aphrodite had been apprehensive before, these types of declarations usually did her in and sent her running for the hills. Her ankle precluded her from taking flight, but while she sensed she was gearing up for the fight response, it was freeze that took over. Athena wanted to know her, to see her. And Wisdom liked what she had seen so far. Aphrodite’s heart thudded loudly in her ears and she tried desperately to find something to say, something that would divert Athena and herself from the possibilities that were surely impossible. Painfully so.

“Darling, Athena, you are overthinking this.”

Athena, undeterred, just smiled.

“You can’t accuse me of being the brains in this room and not allow overthinking!”

“I see all those platitudes have gone to your already big head.” Aphrodite couldn’t help but run her fingers through the silk-soft strands. Why couldn’t she keep her hands to herself?

“I’ll admit that my ego isn’t small in certain aspects, but neither is yours, Dite. You are who you are, and you were always unapologetic about it. Why are you hesitant now? I’m by no means an expert…” Athena’s eyes flitted away for a second, her palm tracing up and down Aphrodite’s calf, in what she suspected was an entirely unconscious caress.

“For all the clumsiness in dealings of the heart that you profess, I would say you aren’t a novice at all. In fact, somethings speak of quite the contrary…” Aphrodite trailed off, her eyes watching Athena’s hand suddenly stop and retreat in a hurry.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t realize?—“

“Involuntary inappropriate touching aside, I too keep hearing about your game, Athena.”

Flushed bright pink, Athena stood up so quickly, Aphrodite had to crane her neck to continue watching in fascination as the color spread from her cleavage to her cheekbones.

“Now who has been listening to gossip?”

“Oh no, don’t turn this whole thing around on me, player.” Athena ducked her head, and Aphrodite again marveled at how such a beautiful creature could be so completely oblivious to her own attractiveness or reputation.

“Clio…”

“Yes, Clio. Very much Clio. By way of Erato, but you know how muses talk.”

Wringing her hands, even more flushed than before, Athena stood in the center of the room, seemingly lost for words.

“Ah…”

“You are so utterly adorable. Honestly, can you blame me?”

“Blame you for what?” Athena turned to face her, that earnestness and guilelessness back on her features.

“For wanting to rip your clothes off? Or let you rip mine off, whichever you’d prefer. Though, I suspect you are very much the hold you down, fuck you blind kind of woman.”

“Dite…” The name came out as a low moan, and Aphrodite wanted to jump her. Right there and then. Forget her doubts, forget her concerns of being cornered, being used again, about her free will and her own choices. Athena was everything in this very moment. Shy and awkward and gorgeous and strong and smart and beyond sexy. Aphrodite could drink her up, one greedy gulp at a time. Like ambrosia. Like Veuve Clicquot. Shewanted to get drunk on the long slender lines of Athena’s body, wanted to make her lose all trappings of that time-honed control and make her howl at the moon.

But she couldn’t. Her fear was too great. Her concerns were too real. Her freedom was still worth everything and more. And taking a chance… She didn’t think she had it in her. Not anymore. All her chances had been thrown in her face, resulting in her becoming a prisoner of her own circumstances or of her own desires.

“Go, Athena. We can’t…”

And just like that, like erasing a whiteboard, the lost, earnest expression on Athena’s countenance was gone, leaving only ruthless, cold reason.

“You mean,youcan’t. And you won’t.” Well, add inner strength to the list of all those attractive characteristics. But, of course, Athena had a spine of steel. And Aphrodite was always honest, even in moments like these.