Friendship

Third person pov~

Athelia was furious, more than she had ever been in her life. Dibs? He called dibs on me? A lowly human? Does he think I'm useless too like those snobby gods?

A mere mortal had dared to look down on her, a lowly human, she could not accept it, not after she had made her resolve. When she released the gust of wind this time, she did not hold back the same way she had been holding back ever since she got to the human realm. Barry's words made her that angry.

Barry on the other hand was more interested in getting her to succumb to his will, "You will answer to me, god. You're on my island, living on my terms. You are nothing but a woman."

Something in her snapped. Right there and then, she decided the world would be better off without him. No one would miss him. No one would mourn.

She stretched out her hands, and a small blue flame flickered to life in her palm. It was no ordinary fire, it's heat was unbearable, scorching the air around her. The grass that surrounded her burned instantly, their petals curling into ash. The glow reflected in her eyes,cold and merciless. This was it. No hesitation. She was going to end him.

Barry felt the heat of the flame and he tried crouching away in a hurry, he was aware of the danger that ball of fire brought. If it hit him, he was a goner. He tried to scurry away even though he felt his legs burning, his entire body was hot and in pain but he could actively feel his legs burning.

"Go to hell." Athelia said calmly and Barry closed his eyes, bracing for impact. But instead of overwhelming heat, he felt nothing. The scorching heat that had threatened to consume his legs vanished in an instant, replaced by a sudden, almost eerie coolness. Slowly, he lifted his gaze and blocking him from Athelia, was Peter.

Peter stood between Barry and Athelia, his back facing Barry. The blue flames that had once threatened to destroy everything in that vicinity now flickered and died in Athelia's hands.

"Please, don't kill him." Peter got on his knees the moment he noticed the flame was extinguished. His head was bowed on the floor as he begged for his friend's life. Athelia was displeased, she could not understand how Peter could beg for Barry's life when Barry had beat him up earlier.

"Humans and your foolish emotions." She scoffed and went back into Peter's compound. Peter's head did not leave the floor until he heard the door slam, indicating Athelia's exit. He hurriedly went to Barry's side to assess his injuries.

"Barry, how do you feel, dear friend?" He asked, worried.

"You pig," Barry spat and pushed Peter away with a weak force. "how the hell did you manage to tame her?"

"Stop talking nonsense, she almost killed you."

"I'm talking nonsense?" Barry gasped in disbelief, "Is the lowly carpenter's son talking to me in that manner?"

"Barry, please." Peter pleaded, he knew how difficult it was to deal with an exasperated Barry who was not in control of things and contrary to popular beliefs, Peter genuinely liked Barry as a friend, not because of his political standing or his power, but as a friend though the feeling was not mutual.

"Some friend you are, stealing your friend's woman. Are you not ashamed?"

"It's not like that, I promise you." Peter tried to get through to him but Barry did not want to listen to him.

"Listen to me, peasant," Barry snapped, his expression serious and full of hate, "you will send her back to my residence before nightfall or I will personally send your sister to die at the hands of the monster. You hear me?"

Peter blinked, "Monster? What monster?"

Barry realized that he had said something he was not supposed to, Peter had always had an inquisitive mind and he had always been suspicious about the village traditions. Barry had to leave before Peter got his answers.

"Get her back to my place before nightfall." Barry said in a decisive tone and slowly got to his feet. He was bruised and battered all over, he did not look like he could stand, let alone walk. Peter wanted to help but he knew his effort would be rejected but still, his friend was in so much pain.

Barry could not stand, he tried to but he was not able to. He hurt all over and even though he might not have broken anything, he was sure he sprained something. But despite the immense pain he was feeling, he did not want Peter to see him in a vulnerable state so he tried his hardest to stand on his feet. Unfortunately, he was unsuccessful as he fell to the ground after his attempt.

"Leave." He said and Peter complied, he knew Barry too well to not understand how his friend was feeling. He did not turn back to look at his friend, he knew Barry would not want him to. Peter decided, he was going to send Athelia away the moment he saw her. With that determination, he entered his house and closed the door behind him. He worried about how Barry would get home but decided to let it go, it was Barry, he would find his way.

Inside, he was face to face with Athelia was was standing in the room. She had a pained expression on her face and all of a sudden, Barry's words echoed in Peter's brain.

"So," he chuckled awkwardly, "you're a god, like an actual god." He did not know how to act, if he was supposed to bow and treat her like an almighty being or just continue being casual with her like they had been since the previous night.

"That is true." She still wore the pained expression Barry had noticed on her when he came in, "You are a foolish human."

"Why do you say that? Is that like a god thing to look down on humans?"

"Yes, yes it is. But I do not say that because I look down on it, I say it because I observed that you are indeed foolish."

Barry moved away from the door, closer to Athelia, his eyes gentle. He took no offense to her words, he was foolish, he knew that. His friendship with Barry was one sided, he knew that, he could not act on his feelings for Athelia, he knew that, he knew but he did not want to change. He was comfortable being foolish.

"Why am I foolish, o great goddess?" He whispered as he was now just inches away from her.

"Forego your loyalty to him. That human, let him go."

"I cannot do that." He breathed.

"So you will indeed send me away from here? Like he wants?" She asked, her eyes speaking the words her mouth could not.

"That was what I said I would do," He gazed into her eyes, "but for some reason, I do not want to hand you over to him. I want you to choose as I know that is what you want. And besides," he put his hands up in the air, "I am but a lowly human, I cannot force you to do anything."

Athelia smiled.

He continued, "Are all gods are nice and easygoing as you or you're just the oddball?"

Her smile faded and she took a few steps back, "I'm not odd."

He reached out instinctively. "That's not what I meant..."

But then he saw it. There was her shift in her expression, her eyes darkened, she looked distant and wounded, as if she was reliving the most horrible moments of her life. His chest tightened and he found himself wrapping his arms around her, trying to comfort her.

He had just met this lady and she already had him smitten. Was he going to destroy a lifetime of friendship? For a woman? He could not, be should not. She was not his, she did not belong in his world, he did not have the courage nor the strength to fight for her. And her expression, she obviously had secrets, secrets that could probably destroy him if he got too close. He wanted to stay away, he should have stayed away but she looked like a normal human girl when he found her at his doorstep, seeking refuge. She had looked so vulnerable that he fell for her, he had thought it was a measly fleeting attraction, that was all it was supposed to be but now his heart hurt because of the expression she wore on her face. That was not an attribute of a fleeting attraction. That was love.

But how? It had only been a day.

"You're fine, you're safe." He rubbed the back of her head and stroked her hair as gently as he could.

If he cared about his friend, he would release her from his grasp and chase her away. If he wanted any semblance of a normal life, he would let her go. But he did not want to.

He could not let her go.