And that's how it was for a while. Ari and Chrysalis with Nim. Chrysalis would be gone for most of the day, doing goddess things. But in the early morning and evening, she could be found lounging on the couch.
An almost love had formed between the two. Ari could feel that she had fallen for the eccentric goddess. And Chrysalis knew that she had fallen for the human.
It was a new normal, but a comfortable one. And soon, winter turned into spring, and spring into summer.
And one morning, Ari woke up to a happy Chrysilis, who was shaking her awake.
"Chrys... What is it? It's like... Six in the morning." Ari muttered, voice thick with sleep.
"I want to show you something, get up." Chrysalis said with a grin.
Ari sat up. "Alright alright. Just gimme a minute." She said, pushing Chrysalis off of her. She couldn't remember exactly when the two started sharing a bed. Even though the goddess didn't sleep, Ari knew that unspoken 'I love you's where expressed with Ari waking up in the middle of the night, snuggled up to Chrysalis' smiling face. At this point, neither had ever said those three words. But both somehow knew that they were said in secret hushed whispers in the dead of night.
Ari got up and dressed, giving Nim a pat on the head as she walked with Chrysalis to the kitchen. Ari and Nim ate as the goddess lover stared outside.
Chrysalis immediately took Ari's hand and led her outside once the human and wolf where finished eating. Nim stayed home this day.
The goddess and the human walked together in the forest. Walking around in the peaceful morning summer air.
Chrysalis knew something that Ari didn't. That with strong enough love from a god, a human could be granted godly powers as well. With enough love and enough faith in that love, the universe could pass on the powers of the gods to the human or humans that said god loved.
Chrysalis led Ari to the top of the cliff. A place where she had never taken a mortal soul before.
"This is... Beautiful." Ari said. She could see everything from here. The village bellow, the surrounding forests. Mountains and caves for miles. Villages that sat tucked away further into the landscape. And, most importantly, the rising sun.
"Ari... I took you here to tell you something," Chrysalis paused for a moment before continuing. "I have never taken a single mortal soul here. In all the year's humans have lived here. Not a single one. You are the first. Because you are special. Because I have found that I have fallen in love with you.
"And Ari, before you say anything, I am aware of the things that come with me loving you. But, being around you these past few months has made me so incredibly happy. And if you don't see it in me. Look around you. The forests have been strong and healthy. The mountains have had wildlife where things haven't lived in years. The area has lived off this happiness. You must feel it. The love. The appreciation. The energy that flows through here. It is from you. And me. And I love you."
Ari was taken aback. She didn't know what to say. At least, what do you say in this situation? She loved the woman back. Of course she did. But, how was she going to compete with that?
So, she didn't try to. Instead, she looked the goddess in the eyes and just kissed her.
Unlike fairytales, there were no fireworks. Or love at first sight finally making itself known. No stars burning twice as bright.
But there was a sense of peace. A sense of love. Hope. A sense that right here, right now, was all that mattered. Nothing else. That this was what was missing. And now it was here.
The two broke moments later, foreheads together as every leaf looked twice as green and every flower bloomed big.
"I don't know what will happen. There's not much knowledge on what happens when a human soul is faced with love from a god... But I guess we can find out." Chrysalis said. She knew that part was a lie, but, Ari didn't need to know that.
Ari nodded. "I'll gladly find out with you."
The two moved to sit on the cliff, watching everything pass by. It was peaceful. Though, eventually, they had to get up and head back home.
As they walked through the forest, they came across a pair of children. A girl that looked to be about 14 and a boy who seemed to be around 6.
"You seem lost... Are you two from the village?" Ari asked. They both looked shell shocked. Like they were seeing ghosts. Which, wasn't too far off with the literal goddess standing near them.
But the teen girl nodded. She held her little brother closer to her. The boy's eyes seemed to have this sparkle in them.
"Its time to go home children." Chrysalis said. Suddenly, they weren't far from the village, just in view of the people, who looked just as shocked as the children. The teen and boy promptly ran off to their parents and with that, Chrysalis poofed her and Ari back home.
"Those people look liked they'd seen a ghost." Ari said.
Chrysalis nodded. "Well, its been a very, very long time since they've seen me. Many generations. Those who last saw me are long gone now." She said.
That would explain that. But, it wouldn't explain the next few weeks.