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Gods don’t need to eat, that was the fact of life.
Sure, they’re capable of eating, sometimes going out of their way to hold banquets on Olympus. However, those banquets were more of a show of power than anything. As an immortal, their bodies do a good job of sustaining themselves through a mix of godly ichor flowing through their veins, their magic, and the belief that their followers had.
Although, this didn’t mean that gods don’t, period. Eating is still a pleasurable thing to them. Eating good food to a god is akin to buying nice clothes. You don’t need to have them, you’re capable of surviving just fine without them, but you still buy them because it makes you feel nice. They were given heightened senses after all, what use would it have if they can’t use one of them to enjoy life.
Athena herself though, she wasn’t too fond of eating.
She doesn’t outright avoid it. When invited (read: dragged ) to the lavish parties on Mount Olympus, she’d take what is offered there. When her followers offer her sacrifices in the form of cooked food, she’ll eat them in the comfort of her own room. When the Olympians decide to have dinner together, she’ll join and take her fill with no complaints.
Although, while she doesn’t avoid it, it doesn't mean she seeks it out.
Eating to her is too indulgent, too distracting. In the same way some of the other gods might drool over a mortal, completely forgetting their duties, the same can be done with food. It’s too tied to worldly pleasures, a siren’s song for anyone who wants to dedicate their lives to their crafts. It takes away time from her duties, from her studies, from her crafts. The time she spends eating could be used to create another tapestry. Not only that, it could also take her focus. She doesn’t want to spend her time thinking about food, just like how she doesn’t want to spend her time thinking about men. Her mind is her greatest weapon after all, she needed it to be in top shape.
That’s why she has two rules on her eating habits.
One, she doesn’t take any food offered to her by anyone and two, she doesn’t eat without purpose. Keep it strictly to business and she can divide her time effectively between all of her duties.
Sadly, it seems that a certain eager amber-eyed mortal didn’t get the memo.
Odysseus grinned brightly, excited at the fact that he managed to land the back handspring after kicking her sword up. “Yes, finally !” he cheered.
“Good job. Your landing is getting consistent and your kicks are getting stronger” she said, setting down her sword.
“Thanks Athena, couldn’t do it without you” he replied before sitting down on the grass, leaning on a nearby rock. His face had a healthy and youthful flush from the exertion, sweat pouring down his face. He was panting heavily, breaths coming out short. However, his eyes shone brightly, clearly excited at the progress he’s made. “How long do you think it’ll be before I actually get good at this fighting style you recommended?”
She paused for a moment, running the calculations in her mind. “Considering you were already nimble in the beginning? I would say by twenty or twenty one, you’d be quite the force.”
“That long? Really? Is your faith in me that little?”
“I’m being very generous with my estimates here, little champion,” she said. “Anyone else and I would’ve told them that they’d be halfway competent by thirty.”
“Ouch…spared no feelings huh?”
“I’m not the one with the gift for words, Odysseus” she huffed. “I say it as it is and that’s all that’s needed.”
“Always the straightforward grey-eyed goddess” he teased before reaching over to grab the sheepskin that he had been carrying earlier. “Whew, that definitely hits the spot.” He then looked over at Athena and held it out to her, smiling. “Here.”
Athena couldn’t help but blink, slightly confused. “Excuse me?”
Odysseus rolled his eyes, uncaring at the fact that he was sassing a god. Foolish little mortal she thought fondly. “You must be thirsty right after all that. Here, have my drink.”
“Uh…”
Odysseus sighed, shoving the bag in her hand without a care in the world. “I know you don’t want to drink because you’re worried about using up all the water, but come on, you need something too. Goddess or not, you still need sustenance.”
Oh…
Oh…
Odysseus has no clue about a god’s relationship with food.
To be fair to him though, it’s not something that the gods tend to advertise. Considering the fact that they also tend to ask for sacrifices in the form of food too…well, it’s an honest mistake to have.
“O-”
“I don’t want to hear it Athena” he replied, slightly stern. A bold move to be lecturing a goddess if she was being honest. If it was anyone else, she’d smite them down without a second thought. However, looking into Odysseus’s determined eyes, shoulders squared while he still shoved the jug in her direction, willingly sharing it even though he knew that there probably wasn’t enough for the both of them to last the entire day?
“Take it.”
“Alright, thank you Odysseus.”
“Anytime Athena.”
She was intrigued.
It was another training session and Odysseus was picking up the pace.
He was able to pull off several complicated moves and combinations, twisting around the area like it was his personal stage. His movements were now faster, swifter, more accurate. His mind and body were starting to catch up with each other, honing reflexes so that he’d one day be able to make split second decisions on the fly. Athena couldn’t have been more proud of that.
“You’re a fast learner.”
Odysseus wiped the sweat from his brow, beaming. “Thank you, I can feel myself getting stronger too.” He moved his hands, thick magical bands around them glowing with godly energy. It was a little something she fashioned together with the help of Hephaestus. It can increase in weight on her command, used to help make Odysseus’s move faster once he gets used to it. Same goes for his sandals. “Although I must admit, these weighted garments are pretty interesting for training.”
“Usually, it’s not advisable for a human to take on this kind of training because it can wear down your muscles, weakening them. But considering the godly blood in you, they would be replenished long before they have a chance to degrade.”
“Good to know,” he commented, sitting down on a rock. He looked over at the wide expanse of ocean in front of them, honey-coloured eyes almost glowing under the sunlight with content.
“You really like the ocean, hm?”
“Of course, it’s Ithaca’s lifeblood. Without it, we’d be doomed” he chuckled, running a finger over the band. “But don’t worry, between you and I, I still prefer you over the God of the Sea” he shot her a conspiratorial wink.
Athena couldn’t help but let out a small snort at that. So foolish yet so bold.
“I would hope so considering I’m training you.”
“And I’ll always be oh-so grateful for that” he grinned before leaning over to grab the two leather bags of water he brought and handed one over to her. Ever since that first day when he had forced Athena to drink, Odysseus started to carry two containers for the both of them.
Athena absentmindedly took a drink from her container, going down to sit beside the rock that Odysseus was occupying.
“Here.”
She looked up and saw that Odysseus held out an apple for her. “Excuse me?”
“You need to eat too,” he said simply, shrugging. “We’ve been training for a while so I figured you were hungry.”
Athena opened her mouth, about to tell him the truth when he suddenly tossed it in her direction, causing her to instinctively catch it.
“Picked it from the nearby tree” he said proudly, “only the best for a goddess.”
Athena stared down at the bright red apple in her hand, the colour was less vibrant than what she’s used to from the sacrifices. It was a little bruised in some parts, probably from the jostling. She looked up and saw Odysseus munching happily on his, his own apple far duller and more bruised. However, he was smiling as he munched, his cheeks bulging out a little as he kept on crunching on it that it reminded her of a squirrel in a way.
He looked content with something as simple as a common apple…
She looked down at the apple and took a tentative bite. It was definitely sweeter and juicier than she expected, the white flesh being the perfect amount of crisp. Odysseus clearly chose well.
“Good right?” he grinned. He then held out a basket, something she saw him carry earlier but didn’t ask what it was. Now that she looked at it, she could see various breads, jerky, cheeses, and fruits inside. “I swiped them from the kitchen counter when the cooks weren’t looking.”
Athena remembered the complaints Odysseus had with getting punished for constantly stealing food from the kitchen. “You know that would get you in trouble, right?”
“Pshhhh” he waved his arm at her, uncaring. “It’s fine. Anything to serve my favourite goddess.”
“I thought I was your only goddess?”
Odysseus smiled at her cheekily. “Maybe you are…maybe you’re not…who's to say?”
“Foolish little student” she shot at him, causing him to grin. But as he turned around to face her, she caught something in his eyes.
It flashed gold.
Oh…
She should’ve known.
“Although, you are still definitely my favourite. Even if you are a sentimental goddess” he teased, not realizing she had fallen silent. “Here” he said, holding out a stick of meat. “The cooks made some damn good jerky.”
She took it without even a complaint.
“Thena!” Odysseus greeted happily, waving his hand in the air.
“Odysseus” she replied, smiling slightly. He’s definitely in a good mood today, judging by his bright smile. “What’s got you in such a mood?”
“Come in, I’ll show you!”
Odysseus then took off like a shot, causing Athena to have to walk faster to keep up. He sped down a few hallways, causing the servants to have to step aside to avoid him. For a seventeen year old king, he definitely has a lot of energy to spare.
It wasn’t long before they made it into the kitchen.
“So, what is it you want to show me?”
“So…you know how you usually don’t eat when we’re training together unless I ask you?”
“Yes…?”
“Well, since that’s obviously not good for you, I figured that maybe you’re doing it because you’re always so careful with your food.”
“...right…”
He then got out a tray of…bread? From the oven. It looked like it was supposed to be bread. However, the exterior was slightly more charred, the dough clearly not rising correctly with how lumpy it looked. “I made something for you!” He then looked down, fanning the top so that it stopped smoking, pouting. “Well…it’s supposed to be barely bread but-” Odysseus sighed, clearly frustrated as he ran a hand through his hair. “I- I’m sorry. It’s my first time trying to cook and-”
Odysseus cuts himself off, shaking his head. “Nevermind. Pretend I didn’t show anything. I’ll get you something be-”
“Wait” Athena spoke up, her mouth working faster than her brain for once.
What am I saying?
The bread was clearly inedible with the way it looks, like a lumpy piece of rock that’s been burnt. There were a few hard spots on some sides and a few undercooked spots on others. If a mortal sacrificed this to her, she’d be offended and smite them down. She’s used to the lavish dishes served on Mount Olympus and the best produce that mortals can offer. She should be letting Odysseus throw it away.
However…
Odysseus’s amber eyes looked disappointed in himself for failing something, even if it was his first time. He’s biting his lip to keep his frustrated noises at bay, looking so embarrassed that it seems like he might just try and dig a hole for himself in the ground. He looked genuinely sad about his failed attempt and…it was a sweet reason that he did this.
She was a goddess, she could take it.
“Come here, give that to me.”
Odysseus looked at her with wide eyes. “Huh? Why? It’s clearly-”
“Are you denying a goddess what she wants?”
“Uh…no?”
“And are you doubting my tastes?”
Odysseus shook his head vigorously, “no! Absolutely not!”
“Then you’ll give it to me and let me be the judge of it.”
Odysseus looked up at her, his amber eyes unbelieving. However, he decided to do the smart thing and slowly shove the tray her way, body slightly tense as he watches her. Athena looks down at the tray of lumpy bread, swallowing her saliva. She reached out to take one of the loaves in her hand and with zero hesitation, took a large bite out of it.
Surprisingly, the taste wasn’t as horrible as she first thought it was. It was definitely uncooked in some spots and overcooked in others, but the taste itself was mostly fine. Quite dry and a little bitter due to the blackened char, but not as inedible as she thought it was.
“It’s fine,” she said simply, going back to take another bite.
“Athena, you don’t have to lie to me.”
Athena shook her head. “I’m not. The taste is quite alright. It could be better but as your first attempt, it’s not horrible.”
Odysseus raised an eyebrow as he reached over to grab one of the loaves. He broke the loaf in half, steam coming out of it. Then he took a piece, inspecting it carefully before eating it. His eyebrow raises to his hair as he chews, clearly unexpecting this.
“Huh…you’re right…”
“Of course I’m right, I’m the goddess of craftsmanship.”
“And that includes cooking?”
“It’s close enough.”
“Someone might disagree.”
“And they can argue with me on that.”
Odysseus snorted, putting a hand over his mouth so that he didn’t accidentally spit out the bread that he was still chewing. “I’d pay to see that debate.”
“Maybe some other time” she replied before summoning a basket. Without hesitation, she began to put those loaves in them, one by one.
“Wait, what are you doing?”
“Bringing them back home with me to Olympus of course” she said. “I’ve got some olive oil that would pair nicely with this and some good quality salt.”
“What? Why?”
“Because you made it for me, simple as that. It wouldn’t be good if I wasted such a perfectly fine gift, no?”
“I-”
Athena sighed. “If you’re so pressed about it, then I suggest you should practice your cooking even more. Then, you can give me something even better.”
Odysseus brightened at that, his eyes almost glowing at the idea. “You’re right! I should definitely practice more.” Then he pointed towards Athena, his hip on his side. Then with a triumphant tone, he shouted “you better prepare yourself Thena, because I’m going to make you a dish so good that no one can recreate it! And it would definitely make you eat more.”
“I look forward to it.”
Odysseus grinned at that. “Careful Thena. If you speak like that again, you might sound too eager to eat my cooking.”
“In your dreams, you foolish little student.”
Odysseus snorted. “We both know who's right here, sentimental goddess.”
For once in her life, a mortal was right.
From then on, she essentially became Odysseus’s guinea pig.
Whenever he had a new recipe or technique, he’d test it out and ask her to try them. Despite the questionable looks on some of them, they all turned out wonderful. With every new dish he asks her to try out, his cooking becomes better and better. In fact, his cooking is growing at a faster rate than his training.
“What do you think? I cooked this in an herb butter sauce. Helps keep it juicy.”
“It’s lovely, thank you” she replied. “You’re definitely improving.”
“You think so?”
“Absolutely. You haven’t had a failed dish in a while.”
Odysseus brightened at that. “I’m glad to hear it.”
Athena looked at Odysseus from the corner of her eye, watching him as he ate his food slowly. They were both sitting on their usual training spot, a large cliffside that overlooked the sea. However, instead of training, they’ve decided to spend their time eating and chatting instead.
Well, Odysseus was the one who decided, she was just dragged along.
“The view is really nice, huh?”
“It’s fine,” she shrugged. “I’ve seen a thousand views all over the world, I don’t think I’m capable of being amazed anymore.”
“That’s…a little sad to hear.”
“Such is the life of an immortal, Odysseus” she said. “When you’ve lived as long as I have, things tend to blur together. One sunrise becomes ten then becomes a hundred. One view turns into one of a hundred. It’s easy for us to forget the world around us.”
“How about humans…do you forget about the humans you’ve befriended?”
Athena froze for a moment, a memory of her flashing through her mind. “Why? Are you afraid I will forget you?” she teased, hoping to push Odysseus away from the minefield of emotions.
“Of course” he huffed, “I want to know if it was worth me spending all that time annoying you.”
“If I said no, would you stop?”
Odysseus snorted at that. “Absolutely not. If I don’t end up being remembered until the end of time, then I’ll just be content with messing with you while I still can.”
Athena rolled her eyes, reaching out to roughly ruffle the hair of the young king. “Careful, you’re still sassing a goddess.”
“I’m well aware. However, if that goddess truly is offended, she would’ve disintegrated me earlier. Am I wrong?”
Athena sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “An unfortunate miscalculation on my side.”
“Well if the goddess wants to remedy said miscalculation, be my guest.”
Athena couldn’t help but let out an amused huff of laughter at his audacity. Any other mortal would’ve been smited if they tried to pull the things he pulled. However, when Odysseus was doing it, she couldn’t help but feel charmed.
Kid probably stockholm syndrome-ed me…
“Foolish little student.”
“Sentimental goddess.”
They both looked at each other for a second before bursting out laughing. Athena kept her laughter in small short huffed breaths, wheezing slightly. Odysseus on the other hand was full on cackling, throwing his head back and slamming his hand on the floor.
“How you haven’t been struck down is beyond me, you know that?”
“Eh…maybe there’s someone in Lord Hades’s realm that doesn’t want me down yet.”
“Knowing my uncle? It would definitely be him.”
“Think I could break down there and poke him?”
“I would say it’s not advisable, but you might take that as a challenge.”
“You know me so well” Odysseus grinned, snorting lightly at the thought. She couldn’t help but shake her head exasperatedly at that.
Foolish mortal, yet one of a kind.
“You know, while I might forget a lot of the human’s I’ve come across…” she trailed off, looking down at Odysseus’s wide amber eyes. “I don’t think I’ll be able to forget you in a million years.”
Odysseus smiled at her, a warm and soft thing that contrasted with his earlier mischief, his eyes brightening at that. “I’m glad to know, Thena.”
Athena smiled as she remembered the words of her old friend.
I might be your friend for a little while. But you are my friend for my whole life.
“Does eating mean something to you? At least, more than just sustenance” she asks Odysseus who just turned twenty today.
They were sitting in their special place once more, his training forgotten in favour of savouring the king’s birthday, something that she usually doesn’t do herself. Not unless she was dragged into it.
“Why’d you ask?”
“It’s just that, you’ve been so adamant about making me eat. And how you’re always so excited about being able to cook something for me. Not to mention all of the times that we spent here just eating and talking…”
“Let me answer that with another question, does eating mean anything to you ?”
Athena thought for a moment, trying to find the right words to describe it to him. “Not really. At most, eating is a sign of luxury. That’s why we ask for the best dishes from you mortals or why we have lavish banquets on Mount Olympus. Eating to us is a sign of wealth and indulgence.”
“No wonder I don’t see you eat, at least not when I don’t ask you to. You’ve never been the type to indulge.”
“I can’t say you’re wrong. However, I still don’t have an answer to my question yet.”
Odysseus smiled, eyes looking over at the distant sea. “Fair enough” he replied before leaning back into the rock, taking a bite out of his honey cake. “For me…eating means making memories, you know?”
“Making memories?”
Odysseus shrugged. “I mean, there’s always food when we’re having a good time,” he says as he waves his fork around. “It means getting to celebrate big milestones with family. It means attending festivals with your subjects. It means stealing apples from unsuspecting farmers and hiding away with your friends…” he trailed off, looking up at her with a fond expression.
“It means being able to sit down and chat with my favourite goddess.”
Oh…I see…
“That’s- that’s certainly a different way of looking at it.”
Odysseus snorts. “Yeah, no question,” he said, chewing on his cake. His chews then suddenly started to slow down, a frown overtaking his features. “Oh…I must’ve been pretty rude, huh?”
“Hmmm?”
“I keep trying to make you eat when that’s how you view food” he chuckled, sounding self-deprecating. “I keep forgetting that gods have a different way of looking at things.”
“You’re right in saying that we do have a different way of looking at things than mortals do. However…it doesn’t mean that we can’t change it.”
Odysseus looks up at her, amber eyes opened wide.
She smiled at him. “What can I say? I’ve grown fond of your philosophy around eating.”
And I’m glad that you’re what made me realize.
Odysseus shot her the brightest smile he could muster, elbowing her on her side. “Fond huh? Don’t let the others hear you say that.”
“They can pry that information out of my cold dead hands.”
“Mine too…unless they give me a lot of gold.”
Athena raised an eyebrow. “Oh wow, is my mentorship only worth a pile of gold?”
Odysseus shook his head casually. “Nah. Your mentorship is worth one stale piece of bread.”
Athena couldn’t help but smack him over the head, earning a loud yelp from the little king. “Foolish little student” she grinned fondly.
“Sentimental goddess” he shot back, laughing.
She looked over at him and at the piece of honecake in her hand.
He’s right. I am sentimental…
Athena is pleased to hear that Odysseus has finally found someone he loved.
A part of her didn’t want to let him go, feeling the time fly by faster than she could even comprehend. However, seeing his bright smile whenever he looked at Penelope, his gaze softened when their eyes met.
Even for a perpetually single goddess like her, she had to admit that they were cute.
“Oh, Lady Athena!” Penelope called out when she appeared in their throne room. The woman’s black hair was neatly tied, the crown sitting elegantly on her head. “I’m happy to see you here.”
“And as am I” she replied, smiling. “Where’s Odysseus?”
“He’s in the kitchen again,” Penelope huffed. “Gods know what he’s doing in there, but he has been at it since this morning.”
“Knowing him, he’s probably trying to perfect another dish. Shall we go see?”
“It would be my honour.”
They both then went down the hallways, navigating the twisting paths and bustling servants before managing to find the kitchen.
“Thena, Penny!” Odysseus called out to them as he pulled out a tray of baked goods from the clay oven. “You’re just in time, I just got these out.”
“They look wonderful sweetheart.”
“Thank you darling.”
Odysseus then set aside a few of the really good looking dishes onto a plate before putting them in front of Athena. “There you go, eat up. I’m sure you’re hungry from all of that godly business.”
Athena could hear Penelope suck in a breath, her eyes wide as she heard that. Athena herself froze, realizing what Odysseus had said.
“My love…what did you just say?”
Odysseus looked up, his head tilted to the side as he looked at his wife in confusion. “I said that Athena was possibly hungry from all of her godly business.”
Athena could see Penelope biting her lip, pinching the bridge of her nose as she tried to take some deep breaths, her shoulders shaking. “Odysseus…sweetheart…love of my life” Penelope started, her voice shaky from trying to hold in her laughter. “Gods and goddesses…they don’t eat.”
Now it was Odysseus’s turn to freeze. “Wait what? What are you talking about?”
Athena decided it was time for her to pull the plug and take her poor student out of his misery. “We gods, we have different bodies to you mortals. We don’t need food or drinks to survive. In fact, we can live without eating just fine. We don’t experience hunger, nor do we experience thirst…”
Well, not the kind that can be quenched with drinks…
Her family tree is evidence for that.
“I- wait- I thought- hold on- that…” Odysseus stuttered, eyes going from Penelope to Athena. He then turned bright red as he groaned, putting his head in his hands. “Oh gods…have I been-”
“Bossing me around for my non-existent eating habits? Absolutely.”
“Someone bury me.”
“You did say you want to try and poke my Uncle…”
“Why didn’t you say anything?”
Athena stopped her teasing for a moment, looking down at him. Why didn’t I say anything? It would’ve been so easy for her to correct this misconception since day one. In fact, if it was any other mortal, she would’ve.
And yet…
All of those wonderful memories. All of those sweet gestures that were laced with concern. A little king who isn’t afraid to boss and sass a goddess around if he thought he knew what’s best. Foolish yet so bold, intelligent like no other. A man who would do things others wouldn’t.
She looked down at him and smiled, walking over to the mortified king and putting a soft hand on his head.
“What can I say? I’m a sentimental goddess after all.”