Nina Sorenson -- 25 -- Female -- she/they -- Child of Athena
Raised by a single mom, Nina never really asked or cared much about her other parent, aside from a brief conversation when she was very young. Her mother jokes that she "fell out of the womb asking questions," but they were questions about things that Nina deemed far more important - like how the world works.
School was paradise for Nina. Their mom paid close attention, and took Nina's needs seriously. She was moved into advanced and specialized programs, with private tutors to fill in the gaps where Nina wasn't satisfied. She enrolled in an undergraduate program at 16 years old and took full advantage of the resources available to her at college. They consistently excelled at their studies. Even as they watched their peers and friends started to cave under the pressure of performance, it never stopped coming easily to Nina.
When she graduated at 24 with her PhD, she went out with her mom to a nice dinner to celebrate. It was here that the truth came out and Athena's claim to Nina was formalized.
"She wanted you to prove yourself, without her interference. She's taken good care of us all these years."That might have been the first time that Nina truly felt foolish. She reflected on two decades of tutors, tuition, extra courses, and frankly, privilege that most of her colleagues didn't seem to have. All financed by an "inheritance" from some long-dead relative of her mother's. Of course that had been a lie.
The ennui that followed was relatively short-lived, but disruptive. Nina worried constantly that they hadn't actually earned anything in their academic career. Had they spent their entire life leaning on some sort of godly power? She had certainly benefitted from all the money at her mother's disposal.
It took a few late-night drives and long conversations with her mom, but eventually Nina came to a decision: however she'd made it here, she was here now, and she was determined to make the best of it. Determined to impress both of her moms, she is leaning in to the newfound demigodhood. In all aspects of her life.
Except for one.
Casey Greene (they/them, 27 y/o nonbinary) is Nina's everything, and Nina is theirs. The two met in the beginning of their senior years of undergrad, and have been inseparable since. They bought a small house together after graduating, and Casey got a job and put Nina through grad school (not without support from Nina's mother, of course). They got engaged two years ago, with plans to get married once Nina finished her PhD. And then Nina graduated. And found out about Athena. She didn't tell Casey right away - she didn't know how. But with every day that passed, the little lies became easier to tell, and especially once Nina got out of her "post-grad funk," she resolved that maybe Casey didn't have to know.
Maybe things didn't have to change.
But little lies become big lies. Big lies become secrets that swallow you into a pit, and then what? You admit that you've been lying for a year?
So, sure, they've grown distant. It happens, especially to young couples. They'll bounce back, and they'll be stronger than ever, and Casey doesn't ever have to know.
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Appearance: 5'10", medium build, light skin, blue eyes. Dark, shoulder-length hair that isn't often styled but is often dyed in bright fashion colors. Currently is washed-out and grown-out pretty severely, so her natural brunette is most of what's left. Wears lots of bulky knit tops, mostly in grays, blues, and white. Usually layered over a long, dark skirt or dress. Pants are not preferred - they feel too restrictive. Nina is not really one for jewelry, so her flashy silver engagement ring makes quite a statement.
Personality: Nina is chipper and polite. She likes getting to know people, however brief the interaction or relationship will be. She can even be a little overbearing, but social rejection from her peers tends not to bother her too much. (An authority figure, though? That's a different story.) Her breaking points tend to be in moments where she feels like she's not being taken seriously, especially when she's an authority on the issue at hand. She gets cold, withdrawn, and snappy if pressed.
Interests & Hobbies: Board games, knitting, baking bread, guitar, MMA
Other Things of Note:- Lives in a small, old house with Casey
- Pet cat named Pallas, 14 years old, grey Maine Coon
- PhD is in Political Theory and International Relations
- Pansexual
