#death reader

Starscream: Damm you, Megatron! I’ll get you for this! 

You: *turn toward War with an indifferent expression* Him. 

You: He has a fragment of the Allspark stuck in his forehead, so he’s stuck in a limbo, which prevents him from entering his afterlife. I came to help him out of it. But he's fixated on overthrowing his former boss and taking charge of that boss’s faction. 

War: Why don't you just reap him with your scythe and make him go to rest? 

You: Since the Allspark is an artifact of life—technically—he's legally alive. So, I can't reap him, unlike the other undead. 

*Starscream's body falls from the sky once more, crashing into the river and lying there before awakening again,*

War: Oh… How long has he been at it? 

You: If I remember correctly. This is his fourteenth resurrection. 

You: *look toward Starscream* Are you ready to go home now? 

Starscream: *points at you with his finger* No! I will not leave this world until I'm the leader of the Decepticons and that slaghead Megatron is dead! Vengeance shall be mine! 

You: *turn toward War* As you can see, he's pretty persistent. And since there's nothing I can do about it, I decided to try to wait him out. 

War: Huh. Now I’m curious to see how this will turn out. 

*Starscream's body falls into the river once more*

Attempt 16 

*You and War stand within the Decepticon lair. *

Starscream: *jumps out of the shadows and shoots Megatron with his blasters.*

Megatron: *stands up from his throne, the blasters doing nothing to him. He draws his swords and then cuts Starscream down, killing him.*

War: *stops a timer* Hmm... he lasted six seconds. 

Attempt 21

*You and War sit on a cliff, watching Starscream silently walk up to Megatron, while the latter is giving a speech*

Starscream: *throws a bomb at Megatron.*

Megatron: *catches the bomb in his servos and tosses it back.*

Starscream: *panics before the bomb explodes, killing him. *

War: *stops the timer* Huh, 5 seconds, less than last time. 

You: *mark up a score on the markboard you decided to use. Megatron: 21. Starscream: 0*

Attempt 24 

*You and War lounge on sunchairs on top of a cliff where the sun shone the brightest, watching Starscream spy on Megatron below.*

Starscream: *waits for Megatron to walk beneath him so he can detonate the bombs and bury his boss under rocks. *

Starscream: *sets the bombs off, forgetting he had set the bombs right below him.*

Starscream: *shrieks as he falls with the rocks, burying himself at the base of the cliff.*

Megatron: *glances at the rubble, having not even been near the target area, rolls his optics, and walks away.

War: *stops the timer once more and looks at you* Goodness. He really is persistent. 

Attempt 26

*You and War sit on top of boulders within the Decepticon lair, sharing energon popsicles.*

Starscream: *whispering to himself while crawling along the ceiling* Finally. A flawless plan. Silent. Elegant. Untraceable.

War: Every time he says that, something explodes.

You: Statistically accurate.

*Starscream lowers himself directly above Megatron’s throne, dagger raised.*

Starscream: Victory shall be m—

*The Allspark fragment in his forehead flares.*

Starscream: …Wait.

*He freezes mid-air, twitching violently as random systems reboot*.

Megatron: *without looking up* Starscream. Get down from the ceiling.

Starscream: I—this isn’t what it looks like!

Megatron: It never is.

*Megatron casually backhands Starscream into a pillar. The resulting shockwave obliterates him.*

War: *stops the timer* Wow! Three seconds.

You: Huh. That might be a new record. Should I add a half a point for getting close this time?

Attempt 31

War: I'm telling you he's gonna end up blowing himself up with that weapon.

You: No. He doesn't die the same way twice. This time, it's gonna be either sabotage or he'll anger the local wildlife.

War: It's a bet then.

*You and War watch Starscream attempt to use a weapon he assembled from scraps found in an abandoned mine.*

Starscream: *has Megatron in his sight and charges up his weapon.* Steady. Steady.

*He watches as a scraplet crawls out of the barrel—one of the scraps having been its nest.*

Starscream: Ah! Scraplet! *smacks the weapon, sending the scraplet flying but unintentionally rotating the barrel toward himself. The weapon finishes charging.*

Starscream: Oops.

*Blows himself up.*

You: *groan in defeat*

War: *grin* He blew himself up, which means I won. Now give me some of that candy Dad made.

You: *hand her the candy and update the scoreboard.* Megatron: 31. Starscream: 0

*The scraplet returns and starts munching on Starscream's body*

Last attempt 

*You and War lounge on a picnic blanket, watching Starscream execute the entire train plot while playing a card game.*

You: *focus on the game and place your final card, winning.*

War: *groans and hands you back the candies you lost in your previous game*

War: *looks behind you and points* Uh… sis.

*You turn to see the Autobots escort a cuffed Starscream onto their ship before flying off into Earth’s orbit.*

*You and War watch the departing ship in silence.*

❝I can't. I can't. I can't,❞ you trembled as you covered your ears in hopes of drowning them out, but it was no use.

Just as you're about to succumb to the overwhelming despair, a sudden grip on your shoulders jolts you, and you brace for the familiar mockery of a spirit's deception. Instead, a voice cuts through the chaos, clear and unmistakably real. ❝Hey, ____. Calm down. Please, calm down. I'm here.❞

Cautiously, you open your eyes, meeting two pools of green filled with worry.

Your heart wants to believe it's truly him, but your mind rebels, scarred by too many deceptions; too many times than you could count, you found yourself in a similar predicament, yet when you allowed yourself to relax, you found that instead of really being someone you cared for, it was just a spirit playing jokes.

Flinching back, you shook your head, ❝No. No. No. You aren't real. You aren't real. You aren't real,❞ you chant, body curling in on yourself as you expected a spirit's mocking laughter to follow.

Yet, the laughter never comes. Instead, you feel two hands cover the ones you held over your ears.

They were...warm...a sensation both unfamiliar and comforting.

Spirits have never possessed warmth; their touch has always been a cold reminder of their otherness.

Slowly, your breathing steadies under his touch, and you dare to lift your gaze, allowing yourself to truly see him. 

Golden-brown skin that speaks of sun-kissed days.

A wild mane of curls that defied gravity, seemingly untamable, no matter how much it was brushed.

Two gorgeous green eyes that made you feel as if you were lost in a forest of evergreen trees.

And freckles—so many freckles to count—scattered across his nose and cheeks  like stars against the dusk of his skin.

Noticing your attention, Camilo offers a gentle smile. ❝There she is,❞ he whispered, his hands moving from your ears to cradle your face.

❝Y-You're real,❞ you manage, the statement half question, half revelation.

Camilo's smile widens, and he hums in affirmation, his gaze softening as he looks at you. ❝Yeah, ____,❞ he gently caressed the side of your face. ❝I'm real.❞

..... ... ..... ━━━━━━━☆☆━━━━━━━ ..... ... .....

You were blessed with the gift of seeing the undead.

Though seen as evil and devilish by many, the Madrigals showed you the beauty that comes with it and that your gift doesn't define you.

Now, turning 17, you find that your gift continues to grow—from being able to just see the dead, to being able to allow them to communicate with the living through you.

You find yourself drowning under the pressure from both the living and the undead, yet before you can completely hit rock bottom, a certain curly-haired trickster vows to be the one to save you.

..... ... ..... ━━━━━━━☆☆━━━━━━━ ..... ... .....

╭─↬ ❗𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆❗ ↫─╮ There will be mentions/descriptive scenes of the following:

╭ ⁞ ❏. Death/Mentions of death

Lol, I don't know if I got them all, so if you see anything I didn't list, come back and comment right here so I can add them to the list later ➡

Enjoy (•͈˽•͈)

ㅡ   This book takes place 2 years after the main plot in Encanto, so just think of it as a canon-divergent, since all that happened in the movie stays true.

ㅡ   Also, no smut since Camilo is underage. IDC if he got aged up, it still wouldn't make it any better; 17 is a minor. Now, Uncle Bruno tho 👀 jkjk. Unless??

ㅡ A few headcanons will be immersed into the story, just to make it a bit towards my liking (you'll know when you see them) and I would like to just paste the link of a few of what I liked; I may or may not include them, who know?

http://hourlyencantohcs.tumblr.com

There had been no pity, no remorse, no anguish in your heart for you had none.

However, and it was also a strange occurrence, part of you hoped you would see those green emerald eyes again in their final day, filled with something else entirely. You would see eyes that had seen the world and its wonders, and marveled at its beauty, carrying beautiful images instead of what they had witnessed in your presence.

You carried the soul of the mother away, disappearing from her sight until it was meant for you to return and see what had become of those green emerald eyes in, what you dare to hope again, would be a long long time.

Little did you know you would see them sooner than later.

Same jeweled eyes brimming with tears as she tried in vain to call for a young man whose life and destiny, you discovered later in the endless annals of the universe, could had been as brilliant as the stars above, were it not for the malice of his peers.

You had reached him in his final agony. When his body, invaded by his own creation, could not take the pressure and the pain.

If you had been able to pass judgement on his case, you would have mused how it did little good for mortals to play with such inventions. But you were no judge and thus could not pass such judgement on him or his life. So you waited patiently for him to take his last breath, taking his soul with ease when he was done, as he did not protest like many others.

You felt a string being pulled at the core of your being, after watching her silently cry as her heart was breaking for a second time. And again you hoped, as you crossed him to the light were all souls go, for those eyes to be filled with warmth.

It didn't take long for you to see them again. This time it was a boy that had brought you back to her.

Named after what many people believed to have been the first man ever created, he had tried to find a solution to his impeding problem.

You.

He had tried to help her. For his sake. For the sake of his dead brother. For the sake of humanity. Playing with an element brought to her from beyond the edge of their world, manipulating and experimenting with it's unknown nature. He had put himself under her scrutiny with the promise of a future, attempting to amend a mistake that wasn't his, trying to pay for a debt he thought was his.  

You loomed over him, witnessing  what could have been of him as a new ichor ran inside his veins, before his mortal body gave in. For the first time in all your existence, a sigh of disappointment escaped you and it was truly a strange thing to happen.

The boy's protest, that came after he understood the nature of his circumstances, pulled you back to the task at hand.

In a unique voice, only for him to hear and understand, you had spoken, explaining his time on this realm was over. There was no use in fighting the obvious. He stopped his complaints when he asked about his brother. If he could find him beyond the light, only he could discover it, you had said, and feeling braver than he had ever been before, he followed you.

You passed by her side as you walked with him. The light in her teary eyes had not changed and, if anything, they seemed darker. Like a wild forest before the dawn. So, you went, hoping the sun would reach and illuminate them before coming back for her.

Then, you saw her for a third time.

You had no heart, but if you had had one you would have felt nothing still for the man that was about to die.

Egocentric, ambitious, arrogant, ruthless. He was all this and more in his final moments. Not even your shadow, hanging like a promise over him, made him reconsider his last words. Words filled with bile and poison, ready to sting, revealing secrets which were not his own.

He protested, of course, when you pulled his soul out of his body, and you added the word annoying to the list of his faults. He asked many questions, none of them you answered. He had been a proud man in life and so he was even after finding himself in your presence, showing nothing but indignation when you remained silent. Whatever awaited for him on the other side you did not care, and his passing had been tedious unlike any other before.

Only after he crossed the light, you dared to look at her.

You had no heart but if you had had one it would have ached for her.

For her broken trust, for her broken heart. For all the things that would shatter, all what she would break before becoming whole again.

The forest was burning and you could do nothing to put it at ease.

What would you find in her eyes the next time, you wondered, feeling heavy as you marched.

However, the strangest thing came to pass some time after that. Destiny was rewritten, erasing his brother's name from your accounts. He came back from the light, as if nothing had happened, and the world was anew. But your job was the same and, for the first time, you seemed to enjoy the idea of detaching his soul from his body one more time.

She crossed you mind, making you wonder if this new world would bring her a new destiny. One that was more generous and kind for her, who had lost so much already.

You received your answer shortly after.

She was agonizing when you arrived at her side.

You observed, lingering closer to her as you waited, the way she finally came to terms with her end. She knew you were coming and this fact did not frighten her. Her last words were that of comfort and honesty as she opened her heart like she had never done before. She was satisfied and with a smile on her lips before she closed her eyes forever.

When she found herself face to face with you, she didn't tremble like many others before and, unlike her son, she did not argue. She welcomed the light, fearless and poised, ready to find what would come next.

And so, you realized, you had taken another mother from her. Not because you wanted it but because it was your duty. Something that, for another first time, didn't bring you contentment.

You stood behind for a moment longer after her mother had passed, turning to look at her.

Once again, green eyes were brimming with tears.

Unconsciously, you took a step towards her. The shadow of a hand passed along her cheek, trying to wipe out a single tear streaming down her face. But the tear followed its path and your touch, cold on her skin, only made her shiver.

You were of little comfort and it bothered you, prompting from you a sound you didn't even know you could make.  

Your little grunt startled her as she believed herself alone. It startled you too when green eyes turned sharply to look at you.

None of you said a word in the long moment that passed between you two. Both too surprised and confused to understand the nature of what was happening.

In her eyes you were still a shadow, faceless and phantasmal, but she still felt a speck of familiarity. An old memory resurfacing from the depths of her memory. An old ache reemerging from the bottom of her heart, which made the latest departure even harder. Her furrowed brows made you realize you had overstayed, long enough for her to actually perceive you.

As if suddenly remembering your responsibilities, you turned around and started to walk into the light. One step before reaching it, you stopped and lingered at its edge, not daring to take a step further.

There was something you wanted to say but you had no means of answering for you had no mouth. It was different when you talked with the dead. Your voice was meant for them and only for them, no need of lips or teeth or breath for them to understand you. At the other side of the veil it was that easy.

What did you wanted to say? You didn't know yet but you hoped you would know it in due time.

And so, the time came.

There's was magic in her blood. Magic so powerful it called for you.

You were pulled suddenly from the light and into a room illuminated by another kind of light, artificial and colder than the one you were used to, where an encrypted circle, with a language long forgotten, kept you confined.

"... and I summon you, Death, to do my biding." She exclaimed at the end of her chant with a strong voice.

"Who summons me?" You said with a hint of amusement that couldn't be noticed through the sound of a thousand voices coming from you. You had to admit it was quite the novelty.

"I'm Lena Luthor, and I shall be your master now." She declared.

"I have no master." You admitted. In all the millennia you had existed, there had been no one to answer to and you didn't think that was something that could be changed.

"I've bound you to this earth. If you wish to be freed, you must grant me my wish." She took a step towards you, a fierce look in her eyes.

Curiosity invaded you and you felt compelled to follow her little game.

"What is it that you desire?"

"I wish for my goddaughter to live." She declared and your surprise turned into concern and confusion.

"And what I'm supposed to do?"

"You won't take her life."

"I shall take her when it's time."

"You can't." She walked closer to the circle, desperation clear in her voice. "Not yet."

You didn't quite understand what was happening, so you reached beyond the veil, looking for answers.

A child was dying, fighting a strange sickness from a strange world. Her mothers couldn't do much and, even when a cure was in the process of being discovered, her diagnosis was not favorable. The little girl was suffering and the time to take her through the light was fast approaching.

"She's dying." You answered, feeling heavy once again.

Lena sighed. "You can't take her."

"I shall when it's time." You repeated.

"Haven't you taken enough already?" You saw her green eyes brimming again with tears as she raised her voice, and you felt a sting inside you.

"You think me responsible for their lives?" You asked.

"Who else then?" She brushed her tears before they could fall. "Tell me and I will summon them instead."

There was another sting, of something you couldn't quite pinpoint.

"You would do it just to save her?"

"I will." The fierceness in her voice never faltered.

"What do you offer me then?" You mused after a  moment.

"Offer?" She furrowed her brows. "I have bound you."

"You have summoned my presence and bound it to this circle. Only that. I'm everywhere, all the time. You cannot prevent me from fulfilling my work just like you cannot stop the wind from blowing." You explained. These rituals were almost fun but they rarely worked for those who performed them. However, this time you wanted it to work. "I will take her in due time but if you so wish I can delay my visit. But beware, this gift comes with a price."

"My life." She swallowed, standing her ground like she was ready to fight. "You can have my life."

She looked at you with no hesitation. You could almost imagine the gears in her mind working. She was considered one of the most intelligent people in the world but she wasn't mad enough to think she could deceive you. Only you were foolish enough to change the course of someone else's destiny, all because she had called to you.

"Then I will have it." You looked at her, with something new moving inside you. "Three days."

Her goddaughter didn't die, although she did suffer for a while longer. Her sickness had taken a hold of her, making her agonize in the days to come in which only you could have ended it, but you had promised you wouldn't come. In that last day, the cure had finally been crafted and tested with positive result.

The child lived and it was time to collect what you too had been promised.

"Lena Luthor." You called with your voice echoing in the walls of her apartment.

She had been sitting on the floor, writing over the coffee table of her living room. Waiting as she knew you would come.

"The child lives." You said matter-of-factly.

"Yes." You saw her shiver as she raised her head, trying to find your figure around. "And I guess you have come to collect what is yours."

"I have."

"Then, I'm ready." She raised from the floor,  looking around for you to look at.

She had prepared herself for that moment. During the three days that Esme had been ill, she had also tried to prepare everything before she had to depart. She had been signing her last will just before you had called. She didn't want to leave anything unsolved and, if she was going to leave with you that day, she was going to look at you in the eye with no fear.

"I'm ready." She repeated with a sigh, waiting for the inevitable.

"It's not your time." You answered, guessing where this was going.

She frowned. "You gave me three days for it."

"I gave the child three days, yes, in exchange for your life not your death. What use would I have for it if I had to take you with me?"

"You won't kill me."

"No."

"Then why are you here."

"Life." You said. "I wish to understand it."

"Understand life?"

"I've always been around." You said. "Never questioned my role and duty. Not once I've mourned those who parted, not once I've felt for them. Not once made deals with them."

"You made a deal with me." She kept looking for the source of your voice.

"I did." The echo of your voice reverberated in the room with strength. "I've seen you, Lena Luthor. Always been there at each of your goodbyes. I've seen what their loss has done to the light in your eyes, and I've wondered what it means."

"I don't think I can explain it." She mumbled.

"Try."

"It's not so easy." She said with a clearer voice. "Some things, to understand them, you need to experience them, live through them. You need to be...human."

When you didn't answer, she continued.

"We experience life mostly through our senses, our bodies. You would need one, at least, to barely scratch the surface of what it means to be alive."

"Then I shall get myself one." You finally answered.

Of all the things she had expected to happen, having to teach Death about its counterpart was not one of them. She didn't know if it was even possible. Would you change your mind if she failed?

Silence followed your conversation and Lena was left alone with her confusion, but not for long. The doorbell rang then, pulling her out of her thoughts. She walked to her door, a bit hesitant of what she might find behind it but she opened it nevertheless.

The face and the body she come to find standing in front of her was nothing like what she could have ever imagined.

Your eyes, real human eyes, finally looked into those emerald eyes looking right back, and the light in them seemed a bit brighter.

"It's you." She scanned you from head to toe, and it surprised her that the expression in your face was kind and expectant, as if you were already excited to be there.

"It's me." You said with a new voice, echoing with a single tone, and it surprised you how your new eyes perceived her.

It wasn't only the eyes but her brows, her forehead, her nose, her lips, her chin, her cheeks, her hair, and everything else, that made you want look at her and nothing else. You too had a mouth, lips, teeth, lungs to breath, but the words you had wanted to say were still far away from you.

So, you stood there for another moment until she asked the question that would start everything.

"How does it feel?"

"I..." It took a second for you to formulate your answer. "I feel."

For her, that was enough for a start.

"Then let's begin." She said stepping aside to let you in.

When you didn't, she figured out you weren't yet accustomed to such human interactions. So she took a steep closer to you, taking one of your hands and feeling it's warm finger around hers.

Suddenly,  your heart, the one you now had, pounded fast and hard. A new voice at the back of your new head appeared, whispering a new truth.

You would see those eyes filled with wonder, you would say the words that you wanted to say. All in due time as you learned what it meant to be alive.

“But please, you really think that I’d just say goodbye to you guys and never come see you again? I mean, I don’t even know if Death would let me come with him...” Karn brushed the back of his head and laughed as if agreeing with you, but it was blatantly obvious that was indeed what he had been thinking.

“And besides, of course I’d come back! I’d damn well overstay my welcome until you have to put a little poster at the front door that says ‘don’t let this human in’. You guys have been amazing friends, no way I'm just ditching you.” It relived Karn to hear the words from your own lips, dousing the fire in his heart that was quite worried you were going to just disappear. Many of the Makers had thought that, as they had all grown quite fond of you as made your rounds talking to everyone, making friends. They just weren’t as obvious about it as Karn, who was as open of a book as they came.

“You’d have to make a damn right fuss to have Thane do that! I mean I almost got Alya and Valus killed and he nae banned me yet…” Karn threw off the accidental morbidity of the sentence off with a laugh and a smile, content enough to if you were still laughing with him. You rubbed your hands back and forth again, breathing against the fabric trying to instill some more warmth in them.

“Maybe I’ll ditch the ol’ spoilsport and stay here; Take his bird for good measure. I mean, who knows what’ll happen?” Those final words down near sent Karn almost tumbling, overjoyed at the thought that you might consider staying permanently. Even if he hadn’t seem to realize it was largely a joke. He knew it was selfish, to care more that you would be closer to him and the other Makers, but he couldn’t help it.

You’d become particularly close friends with him, who despite the different in sheer number of years, was as youthful as you in personality. In a few weeks after your depressive slump you went from being acquaintances to nigh inseparable, the Maker following you like a ship’s anchor.

When Death had killed himself to save Humanity, to him it felt like seconds of dark. To you however, it had been weeks of unknown and confusion. You’d slumped around the Tri-Stone a wreck, devastated that the one stoic part of your life for what seemed like forever, had completely vanished. Even if that stoic part was a sarcastic, emotionally stunted, putrid corpse smelling Nephilim, he was your rock and his disappearance had hit you harder than any freight train ever could.

In that time you had been inconsolable, but Karn was constantly by your side, doing his damnedest. When you had eventually begun to heal he was the first one to do anything with you, and you wouldn’t be far off to call him your cheerleader. It bred an intense friendship, so much so that if a Maker needed Karn, they could just search for you, and vice versa.

But when Death had returned, it suddenly made friction where things had just been finally smoothing out.

As for The Reaper himself, he had returned only to see you more cheerful around someone your mental age and far less worn down by cynicism, closer to Karn than before he had left. It was one of the first times that Death actually felt something akin to disgruntlement or even jealousy in an uncountable number of years. He hated Karn, that he was a spontaneous mass of energy and would only serve to put you in more trouble.

And now you were even closer than before he had ‘died’, showing him smiles and whispering remarks that previously had only been reserved for him. It had only a temporary thing anyways, a maligned Death thought to himself the last time he had let this get the better of him. You’d previously been nervous of them and huddled behind his pale form, but now with so much time together, you and the Makers had all grown closer.

Great, he thought. He could finally once and for all ditch the human off on people who were at least slightly able to care for you in a way that wouldn’t get you killed. He now no longer had business left in the Maker’s realm, he could just cross this accursed place of the list and forget it existed.

But for some reason, he just couldn’t.

Something always just kept bringing him back, filled with excuses and waiting for moments where you weren’t looking up at some Maker with a cheery face, only to talk himself out of just going to you. If you spotted him however you’d race over, eager to see him again. He could never just walk over, almost as if their was some sort of force stopping him. It further confirmed your suspicions that Death felt, different, than before. He had never been the most inviting person to be around sure, that would be a massive understatement, but he’d always had just enough openings for you to try and wiggle your little way in. But now, he seemed so much more shut off than you had even remembered.

“Uhhh, ye’ freeze over?” You jolted out of your thoughtful streak with no small amount of movement, but Karn didn’t seem to notice. He was glancing over your body, and you beamed back.

“Nah not yet. Just feels like my face is getting smacked by all this wind.” You made a clicking sound with your cheek and looked around. “So, how long does this whole cold season thing last? I don’t mind a good winter but, this is a little to much for me.” Karn let out a boisterous laugh and threw another giant log onto the fire of the kiln, sending embers kicking up and out of the port. The best source of heat was inside, but you enjoyed the fresh air, so the Makers kept this kiln hot just in case.

“Oh, it’s gonna be awhile yet. Just wait until ye’ see the snow get so bad ye’ can’t see yer darn feet!” That, wasn’t to exciting to think about. But at least you had Alya and Valus’ hot forge to retreat to when needed, and a variable treasure trove of warm clothing. Even with all that however you couldn’t help but want a cup of hot chocolate or tea, just to bring the whole thing together. It was highly doubtful the Maker’s realm had any chocolate, but tea however… Maybe you could find something that might taste good if you talked to Muria.

“Geez, just try not to let me get blown away?” Karn enthusiastically reassured he would while you continued to speak.

“Say, you haven’t seen Muria around here have you? I wanna ask her something real quick. I have an idea that i think would be pretty neat.” That final sentence was one that Karn always loved to hear, as it would surely bring some sort of entertainment to the otherwise relatively boring, according to him, Tri-Stone. Grand ideas of adventure and splendor were quickly dashed however, when you simply mumbled about wanting to make something warm to drink, rather than search for relics.

Karn didn’t get many opportunities to go exploring with you, as Death had a watchful eye on your safety most of the time. He had all but banned your leaving of the forge without him. The Maker found it suffocating; And truthfully, wanted an opportunity to truly have you alone and show off. The Tri-Stone was fine sure, but he could always feel someone's eyes on his back, whether it be Death, Valus and Alya, or Thane.

Sure he’d made mistakes, a few big ones, but he wasn’t a child with a sword that needed watching. But then again, all the Makers treated you as if you were made of glass, and even Karn couldn’t help but agree.

But even a beautiful glass figurine like you couldn’t just stay in a display for the rest of your days, you needed freedom, breathing room.

“Karn?” The Maker stood upright, quickly turning his head and scanning for Muria. You stared at him concerned, but didn’t actually comment.

“I’m lookin’ for ‘er I’m lookin’!” He didn’t notice the Shaman, but someone else did catch his eye.

Death was coming into the Tri-Stone, wind attempting to displace him only to face an unmovable body. Before he could make any comment about not seeing Muria you turned your head to look as well, wind blowing your hair in every direction. You caught Death’s glance first, watching you huddled near the fire of the outdoor forge. Then he glanced upwards and noticed; You were with Karn.

Of course, you were with that damn Maker. Why did he ever expect otherwise. Part of him was almost tempted to just turn around and leave from whence he came, until you seemed to spot him. Karn knew what you’d do and gave you a smile and throw of a giant hand.

“Go say ‘ello to the Horsemen for me, will yah?” Now Karn had an acceptable out, you jogging over to Death as fast as you could while he could go back inside. Karn only watched for a moment, already not liking the feeling down his spine. Death’s glare was as cold as the grave, and Karn wasn’t fond of it in the slightest.

Back to the wind you hopped down the tall steps, holding onto your clothing. While the main paths were clear of snow everything else wasn’t and you seemed intent on taking the technically quickest path. Trudging through snow however quickly slowed you down, along with the sizable weight of your boots.

Death had never seen someone run at him with a smile, nor had he ever seen a human so swaddled to the ears in warm furs. You had so many on you’d almost lost your silhouette, a belt the only thing still defining your waist.

While it highlighted just how fragile you were, he also found it almost endearing. Especially when you almost tripped and fell from the thick snow, regretting not taking the cleared path. He would’ve met you half way, but the whole scenario was so oddly amusing he couldn’t find himself the will power to make the scene shorter. He stood firm, arms crossed, watching you hobble over.

You did eventually make it to him, standing in front and looking up with a small hop, as if you’d just accomplished some great ordeal.

“Phew, the snow is intense here.” Death looked down, orange eyes trained right on you. It was an intense stare, but you’d gotten used to it over your time with him. What he was thinking about you had nary a guess, brushing some of the stray snow flakes off your thighs.

“Indeed. Though it seems the Makers have quite well prepared you for it.” He noticed quite quickly you had even more furs on than the last time he’d seen you, including something to cover your ears and another scarf. And even with that, you were still noticeably shivering. Your nose was a bright red, sniffling.

“Yeah, they did a great job! Alya even made me a hat since my ears kept freezing.”

They clearly didn’t do well enough, if you’re still shivering.

Death’s eyes noticeably glanced around your form, watching your arms tucked close to your body. When he didn’t speak aloud, to busy in his own head, you brushed some snow from the top of your head and looked around.

“I was actually just about to ask Muria something. I was trying to see if I could make something from Ho-,” You stopped yourself. “Earth, but…” Another brush of chill pierced right through your clothing, sending a shiver right up your spine.

“It’s just so damn cold during the day, I can barely stand it! I need something warm to drink before my insides freeze over.” Death was either completely unaffected by the weather, or simply didn’t care if it did. Now that you thought about it, never once had you heard him complain about weather, nor ever seen him sweat or shiver. You'd never realized it before, but now you found yourself almost curious.

“It will only get colder as night falls.” Clearly speaking the obvious, you rolled your eyes jokingly at him. It was noticeable that Death’s mind seemed elsewhere, something you were familiar with during your times together. You’d just gotten used to it, the Horsemen’s head always having a million tabs open.

“Yeah well, I’ll eagerly await the nighttime then.” As if the air wasn’t cold enough, you didn’t like the idea of your body cracking under more intense shivering. “Not like I can stop it.” Death looked down towards you, eyes squinted.

“How marvelous, you’ve finally grasped the concept of time.” Death had that familiar wry, teasing tone to his voice, dragging off the final word to a rumble.

“And all thanks to your help, Death.” Your smile was wide, taking delight in the way he sighed and feigned disappointment in you. But there was still something distinctly off about him, more so than usual. He almost seemed to be looking over you, only glancing down when you walked forward. He never backed up, but you could see his shoulders tense.

Your scarf was the same color as Karn’s clothing; Death wondered if it was a gift.

“It’s cold. You’d do best to get back inside by the fire, before the chill finally gets to you.” Death didn’t have to much to say after that, and mostly resigned himself to leaving you, grabbing whatever thing he had made the excuse to need at the Tri-Stone, and then once again took his leave. It was abrupt, and left you standing with your arms tight trying to protect from the wind.

You watched him go without fanfare, and it foully reminded you of a few months earlier. In order to not dwell on sour memories, you decided to take shelter inside the Forge, eating some food and trying to have a chat with Alya. It had surprised her you were without Karn, until he made himself known only a few minutes later.

It seemed he either had applicable timing, or he had waited until you were out of eye-shot of the Horsemen before swooping in.

Karn would never consider himself a coward, and he’d have half a mind to pick a fight with the Horsemen, had you not be guaranteed to take a large issue with it. Your approval of him was worth it’s weight in gold, so he’d avoid trying to upset the Reaper anymore than usual; As tempting as the idea was.

“What did ol’ Death want?” Karn approached you from behind, looking down as you finished off whatever you had been munching on.

“Oh, I don’t quite know. He didn’t tell me.” You were smiling, but your voice had that same almost deflated sound it almost always had when Death left. Karn despised it, that the Reaper always left you in a worse mood after he left. Your friends should cheer you up, not sink you downward. But you always kept going back to Death, even if the Makers thought it not in your best interest.

Karn just so desperately wanted you to stop knocking on that door, knowing Death wasn’t going to answer.

“Ahh well, Death’s always a busy lot. Surely he has important… Reaper business to go about to.” The awkward sentence made you chuckle, watching Karn move to sit down beside you.

“Yeah, probably.” A corner of your mouth dropped slightly, looking around the Forge in thought.

Damn that Reaper, he didn’t deserve you fawning all over him when he kept leaving you like this. Why out of everyone, did you choose him?

“I’m probably gonna go to bed early tonight, if I keep it up out here I really do think I’m going to end up an icicle. Maybe my blankets will keep me warmer.” It was the perfect excuse to just spend some time alone, in sun slowly beginning its decent and bringing colder hours. Karn wouldn’t disagree with you getting some rest and warming up; But he didn’t like leaving you sad like this. Just as you began to slide of the step you’d made your temporary seat, Karn quickly jumped up. It startled you and forced you to jump backward, him quickly holding out his hands and apologizing before speaking his thought.

“How ‘bout tomorrow, we ask Muria and make that thing you wanted te’ make?” Face lighting up, it made Karn’s own smile grow wider.

“Sure! Sounds good to me! You can help me taste test and everything, if you want.” ‘If he wanted’; Karn almost scoffed. Of course he’d want to. He was already thinking about what wonderful things you were going to come up with as you walked off, waving goodbye as you went to huddle into bed. He couldn’t help the small bout of pride at having cheered you up, after Death had pulled you downward.

Karn spent the rest of the evening trotting around like the happiest Maker alive, excited for whatever you had planned for them tomorrow.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You never would’ve guessed how different sleeping would be, with the dusk to dawn schedule and no technology to keep you awake. You could wake up almost instantly, sleep fulfilling and regulated.

But you’d gladly take the shit sleep back, if it meant be able to play little phone games and text friends. And with humanity still In a rabble trying to gather themselves back together, it would be another hot minute until that life was a reality again.

Slipping from the bed and shivering as your socked feet touched the stone floor, it was a dash to get shoes on and bundle back up. Even with no wind, it was still terribly cold, and part of you had hoped you’d just sleep endlessly until the weather was a little more, human friendly. With that an impossibility however, you fully clothed yourself and looked around, glancing at the knife on your little makeshift side table.

Death had given it to you, and though you needed it far less now, you’d never have the heart to part with it. It reminded you of him to much; a curved, ghostly blade with a dark handle, weathered from many years of use. You loved the damn thing, in all of its morbidity.

Death surely would’ve cursed your sentiment, against the idea of attachments and mementos. Even if you knew that there was an old weaved friendship bracelet you’d snuck around the handle of one of his scythes you know he's noticed, and he’d never once taken off.

Eyes leaving the blade you raced off out of your tiny room, in search of Karn and the end goal: Your tea. Muria would surely know what plants were at least edible, and you could both experiment from there.

Unless, the Makers already had invented their own tea? And this whole adventure of yours turned out to be a giant circle.

Either way you were still excited, almost ramming into one of Karn’s legs once you’d managed to locate him. Karn laughed and turned to look down at you, before reaching down.

“Slow down there! Someone might step on ye’ if ye’ ain’t careful!” Hopping into his hand then quickly to his shoulder you both took off, all the while you shrugged off his joking worry.

“Nah, don’t worry; I’m pretty good at dodging Maker boots by now.” Giving Karn a chuckle, the two of you managed to catch Muria by her garden, which was no where near as beautiful as it was during the warm months. But she still had plenty of persistent plants, that were still growing leaves somehow despite the weather. Maker realm plants were persistent, if anything.

“Hey Muria! I, we have a question, if you have a minute?” Muria turned from whatever had been previously occupying her, sitting it down before you had the chance to see what it was.

“Ahh, hello you two.” She glanced up towards you, a tiny smile on her face. “And what are the two of you up to this time, might I ask?” Karn turned a little sheepish, gesturing towards you.

“I’m trying to make a drink I remember from Earth; Do you happen to have any plants that, one might consider edible? Not that much could grow in this weather…” Muria chuckled and gestured a hand to a few of her garden boxes.

“You would be surprised how resilient some beings can be, even in the harshest weather. Yes, I might have a few that would fit your description.” That sent you clapping, happily thanking Muria. Karn contracted your joy as well, smiling wide and taking the few branches that she had deemed acceptable. They all looked ok enough, it was just a matter of if they tasted ok.

The spare forge outside would be the perfect place to conduct your experiment, gathering things you needed to boil water, and even a small cup. You didn’t have quite enough for Karn, but you vowed that once you had something that tasted good, you’d make one just for him. Not that he minded either way, as just enjoying the time with you was more than enough; Watching you fuss over boiling water, trying to make, well, whatever you had called this. He had honestly forgotten.

The first plant had tasted awful, the second, slightly better but unbearably sour. The third was even worse than the first, and you’d had a coughing fit from the vile taste. The fourth one however, had potential. You kept making more, testing and futzing around, Karn watching your hands work.

He wondered if this was normal, for humans to spend so much effort making things as simple as a drink. He thought it a little silly at first, but to see how much attention you gave to each taste test, he found himself actually quite eager to test human food.

“Do you think Muria would be mad if I asked her for more?” Your voice snapped Karn out of his thoughts instantly, looking down.

“Only one way to find out, right?” Karn was just about to storm on over, until he noticed Death, standing in the garden he was about to go to.

When had he gotten here? You two had been so distracted neither of you had noticed his arrival. Karn couldn’t keep the idea down, as guilty as it was, that maybe he could keep you busy enough to let Death leave.

“Yeah, we can go and-” Your voice trailed off, and Karn deflated. “Death?” Dammit, you’d noticed, watching the Reaper descend the steps downward and onto the main path out. Eyes locked on the reaper you watched him, standing firm in the wind. Death normally didn’t return so quickly, and a not small part of you was curious as to why. Karn watched you turn to look up at him, a smile on your face.

“I’ll be back in a second, ok? I’ll meet you back inside the Forge.” Leaning inward and breathing in some of the hot steam you sighed, warmed enough to venture away from the fire. Karn would wait inside the Forge for you, but he watched you raced towards Death, swinging your arms while running. He watched, even as Death glanced upwards at him.

Damn that Reaper.

Karn went inside, leaving you out alone in the cold for the time being. You caught up to him just as he was halfway down the main path, managing to get him to stop.

“Hey, you’re back awfully soon. You miss us?”

Us. Since when did you and the Makers become a group?

“Indeed, quite horribly.” Death was cut and dry, even more so than the last time. And you were no closer to figuring out why he was suddenly so despondent. This past week with him had just been awful, and you were trying desperately to patch up the cracks, if you couldn’t find the source.

Trying to figure something out about Death, you might as well have decided to bore a hole through a mountain. But you were still curious what brought him back so soon, even though he more than likely had things to do elsewhere. He was still a busy man, even after everything that had happened.

“So, what did you come back for? S’not like you travel with much anyways.” Death had glanced upward over your head, not noticing the way Karn’s gaze lingered on you before disappearing from view. It seemed the Maker had replaced him as your personal shadow, ever since he’d left you. Ever since he died. Now he kept talking himself out of coming here, throwing around excuses to not see you.

It was the closest Death had ever felt to cowardice, and he hated it. Despised that he could never just tell you how he felt, because it was absurd, pointless and fruitless. But he could never just leave, he had to keep coming back, just one more time.

Damn it all to Hell, he should’ve never let you get this close to him. He couldn’t get you out of his head anymore, the way you looked at him. Death snipped out a curt reply to your innocent question, hoping it would send you off. If he kept doing this, maybe you’d finally get sick of him, leave him for good.

But the feeling it kept making in his gut; He knew it was wrong. That he didn’t want you to.

“Is it common for humans to pry for every meaningless little detail?” You wiggled your nose, rolling your eyes at him.

“Am I not allowed to just ask? Can't fault me for being just a little bit curious.” You noticed him take in a deep breath, his eyes closing for a moment. Fingers rubbing together in your mittens you watched him seem far off, before suddenly starting to walk towards the entrance of the Tri-Stone again. You weren’t content to let him just leave like that again; You had a hard enough time already. It took a quick few paces for you to catch up with him, talking loudly over the wind whipping in your ears.

“Death?” When he didn’t answer, your face dropped significantly. What even was so different now? You didn’t remember doing anything to set him off, or was it something else bothering him?

Death sighed, barely even crooking his head to face you.

“And what, pray tell, is your problem this time?” you turned to face him, crossing your arms and staring up. You could see in his eyes he was quite irritated, squinted downward as if his brow was stuck furrowed.

“Can you at least quit ignoring me for five minutes?” When Death didn’t answer, you kicked the snow and attempted to round him and look him in the eyes. He turned away, looking straight forward and over your head.

“There is no need to throw a tantrum.”

When Death acts like this, it is absolutely infuriating. The complete shutdown, locked somewhere within himself. You didn’t know if it was something you said, he saw, he thought, or he remembered, as it was always a mystery. And it usually remained a mystery, until he finally opened back up just enough to his normal self again. Not that his normal self was that talkative either. You’d dealt with it enough already, and it was impossible to deal with, irritating to the point of near insanity.

Your hands outstretched and fingers curled, clearing your throat and looking up at him.

“Well you’re the one acting like a child and ignoring me!” Death finally looked directly down at you with clearly glaring eyes. He may give you far more leniency than others, but he had his limits.

“Behave, girl.” In any other situation, that sentence might’ve very well made you shiver. But Death kept walking forward despite the demand, you trailing just behind as you softly grumbled a ‘make me’. And before you could even realize it, he had his hand cupping your jaw pushing your cheeks upward.

“It would be wise, not to taunt me.” You’d try your best to remain stern but those eyes were like ice, staring down at you from behind the bone mask. You tried your best to keep a stern face but Death could see it cracking, watching your eyes flicker around his face. Your fingers flexed in your mittens, wanting to hold onto something but unable to.

“If you just told me what I did wrong so I can fix it, I wouldn’t have to!”

For a second, Death faltered. You thought this was your fault? While you weren’t incorrect this involved you, it was by nothing of your conscious making.

Death was simply, desiring something where he had no right to.

You were a bright young Human with the world before them, he had no right to tell you who you should show favoritism to. Or that you should only spend your time with a someone like him. He hated that no matter how hard he beat down his emotions, they just seemed to come right back up again like determined weeds, weaving themselves through the cracks. He let go of your face and turned around again.

“You are not at fault.” Death turned his face from you again, closing one eye. “Now end this pointless talk.” Death was stoic, cutting off any hope of communication in moments. Hands bunching up into fists tight enough to leave little dents on your palm, you pursed your lips and breathed harshly. Unable to hold it in any longer you were so frustrated, sick of this. You couldn’t solve anything with Death and your frustrations just kept bottling up, unable to escape and just pressing tighter and tighter against the lid.

“Ughh! Goddammit!”

Your sudden aggressiveness did get Death to turn his attention to you, seeing your face bright red and fuming. One arm raised up and for a split second you look more than ready to give Death a good wallop right on the bicep, but you threw your arms right back at your sides and stormed off instead. He watched your feet attempt to bore holes into the ground as they stomped, hands tugging and ripping at your clothing in anger.

Why you didn’t hit him remained a mystery to Death, watching as you disappeared. He would’ve let you, in a rare moment, not as if it would’ve hurt him in the slightest. Physically, at least. But the fact that you cared enough about him to hold it back, Death thought maybe you might’ve-

No. He wasn’t going to find things where there wasn’t any. Any human would know better than to try and pick a fight with the Grim Reaper. That would be his excuse, ignoring the uncountable other times you’d mocked his speech, bit back at his sarcasm, or even gave him a playful smack on the chest without even the slightest hint of fear.

Standing in the middle of the Tri-Stone like a statue Death suddenly felt out of place, the wind blowing his hair in all directions. He’d get nagged by every Maker here if he let you run off and hurt yourself, might as well go drag you back.

Or he could just go get Karn to do it, as you quite seemed to prefer him now.

Growling into the wind only heard by himself he turned around on a heel, almost throwing his body around, shoulders tight. It would eat at the back of his mind for hours if he didn’t just grab you and throw you back to the Makers, if only to just keep them off his back. But he wouldn’t trust Karn with your safety in the slightest, not after all he’s seen the Maker muck up. What you saw in him confounded Death, but he refused to admit it jealousy.

Stomping down the path he passed no Maker, thankful that each step was free of harassment until he saw Thane in the same spot as always. Guarding the front of the Tri-Stone, and using the training dummies to keep himself busy. He’d have to pass the Maker in order to leave, outside to the meadow where you were probably hiding.

In reality he had only stopped for a few moments, but it was enough to steel his will and sigh, beginning to walk again and turn as soon as possible to make his way up the stone steps. But right as his left foot hit the first step...

“Ahh, so what’d ye do this time Horsemen?” Stopping his mindless thrashing the minute the Horsemen was in earshot he spoke, amused from seeing him bristle. Thane put one hand on his hip and stared downwards, an unmistakable knowing smirk on his face. Death continued to look forward almost frozen, until he bit the inside of his cheek underneath the mask and creaked his head to look towards the Maker.

“And what do you assume I am at fault for? I am fairly busy, it’s sometimes hard to keep track.” Thane either didn’t notice or straight up ignored Death’s sarcastic bite, pointing behind him. Death’s voice was coated in venom, but Thane wasn’t the type to care.

“You sent the girl right up in a tizzy there not a moment ago, stormed right on by without so much a hello. Looked mighty red in the face, if ye ask me.” Death sighed and rolled his eyes, mask moving with his face.

“Many things make the girl upset. I’ve quite lost count of them.” Thane didn’t have much of any patience, especially for Death.

“Not much makes the wee’ thing fumin’ to tears, that’s for sure.” Thane threw a hard stare. “Cept’ fer you.” Another huff of breath, signature for the Reaper, and he crossed his arms. Since when was every Maker here suddenly the expert on Humanity; On you? He was the one who’d brought you here, he was the one who you’d spent the most time with, and-

Wait.

You had cried because of him?

Death closed his eyes for a moment. You’d shouldn’t have wasted the effort.

“I find it hard to believe a human would cry over something quite pointless.” Thane was a Maker of few words, and it was tempting to use his preferred method of problem solving on Death as well. But he held back, if not for the grinding of his teeth. Thane found your infatuation with the Reaper a bad decision, as to him, all that Death seemed to do was leave you in tears and alone. Not that Karn was a better option in his eyes, but at least the Maker had yet to make you cry. That he knew of.

“Horsemen, that damned girl gets so worked up over you nae anyone can calm ‘er down. When you went and offed yourself, her heart damn near broke in two. Not a Maker here was able to make ‘er not shuffle around like you’d taken her soul with you. Who are you to tell her who she’s suppost’a worry about?” Thane crossed his arms tight, before making a hard jerk of his head in the direction you’d fled to. That was the most he'd spoken in quite a long time.

“If I was ye, I’d go apologizin’. Ye ain’t gonna find a better lass than her.” Death let out a one note chuckle, left fingers tight against the hilt of one of his scythes. If it was a neck, it would’ve well been wrung by this point.

“Well yes, humans have been in a rare commodity until quite recently.” Thane shook his head and let out a laugh. It bristled Death quite the wrong way, and if it weren’t for the fact he was in the Tri-Stone, he might’ve done something more aggressive in response.

“Ye might think you’re all smart trying to say all that, but we ain’t stupid. It’s obvious ye care about the girl far more than just makin’ sure she ain’t hurtin’ herself.” Taking his one foot off the step he turned to look fully at the Maker, not content with letting people assume anything about him.

Even if they, weren’t incorrect.

“I do not take kindly to you just making wayward assumptions.” Thane’s head tilt gestured to the partly opened door and by extent, the area beyond it.

“It’s an open field with not a creature in sight, ye have no reason to go after her other than that ye want to, Horsemen.” Death could feel his body tense, neck and shoulders tight enough that he felt the like the muscles could almost rip.

Death hated this. Hated feeling like this. That his emotions were visible to others, and not deep within that rusted, multi-chained lockbox he calls a heart.

“Watch your tongue, Maker.” Thane just smiled, showing sharp tusks behind his lips. It was a taunting one, Death knew well.

“Right right, my apologies. The ‘ol noggin just got knocked in to many times, that’s all.” Death could hear the sarcasm coating Thane’s sentence, downright almost begging the Reaper to try and refute his claim. Which would inevitably start a fight. Death stayed silent, and began his walk again up the steps again. Thane kept quiet, but could hear the heavy sound of the Reaper’s boots before they faded out of earshot, leaving the Tri-Stone.

But now outside you weren’t instantly visible, the meadow looking almost barren.

“Dust.” The crow appeared from almost nowhere, landing on Death’s shoulder with a thud and responding caw. It was shrill in his ear, Death nodding outwards towards the meadow.

“Find the girl, will you?” The lazy bird quite well did as he was told, for once, instantly taking flight and having Death follow not long behind. The beat of Dust’s feathers kicked up powdered snow right into the wind, blowing it westward.

Dust ended up taking him eastward, just to the edge of the where the meadow ended and Baneswood began. That seemed to be as far as you felt safe going, teetering just on the edge of the wilds. There was many things in the that forest that could make easy work of you, so it was smart to stay towards the clearing. He could see your back hunched over, poking a stick into the snow as you sat on a fallen tree. It was just something to occupy your hand while you thought, the wind blowing little snowflakes onto your shoulders.

However when there was a shrill caw and your hair whipped around from the flapping of wings, you gasped as Dust moved to sit on your lap.

“Dust! How’s my favorite crow?” He warbled in response, fluffing up and sitting content on the expanse of your thighs. Death would’ve normally scolded him for being so lazy, but it never seemed to sink in. Quickly you dropped the stick you’d been preoccupied with, abandoning it for the eager bird.

“I was unaware you knew other crows than Dust.” Turning to look over your left shoulder and see Death standing behind you, you struggled to smile with pursed lips.

“Gotta puff up his ego just a little to keep him happy, right?” The mitten of your right hand sunk beneath black feathers, scratching against bumpy flesh and earning a delighted shiver from the bird. Death was surprised you were attempting to be amicable, after how angry you appeared. Strife and Fury couldn’t manage that much, and they were legions older than you. Death made no attempt to come closer, until you looked away from him.

“Sorry for, yelling like that.” Death almost laughed. You were apologizing? He had just gotten ‘scolded’ on the way out to see you that he should.

But then again, you seemed to just give them out like candy, as he’d gotten more sincere ‘I'm sorry’s’ just from you than he had in an uncountable number of years.

Not quite content to have a conversation with the back of your head Death finally moved, sitting down beside you with no small amount of awkwardness. Dust opened a single eye to glare at his master, before closing it again when he realized he was safe for the time being. His head further dug into your stomach, body wiggling to slip further into the comfortable dip between your pressed together thighs. The giant crow took up most of your lap, but you didn’t mind in the slightest.

“You are on thin ice, bird.” Damn the Crowfather for giving him the laziest bird of the bunch, content to sit on the lap of the first willing participant. Death knew you were aware the giant bird happily ate carrion, but you still cooed at the damn thing like it was a child.

Death could have a knife to his throat and would still never say he was jealous; However, he wouldn’t be displeased if you kicked the bird right off your lap and into the snowbank.

Hand continuing to love on the giant bird Death’s face looked mostly forward, eyes watching you. You were busying yourself by playing with Dust but he could see your eyes glance over to him for a second, expectant. You were hoping he would continue the conversation in some way. But Death just continued to watch you pet his crow, silent.

You didn’t even want an apology, why was it suddenly like his mouth was chained shut?

Just say something to her.

He opened his mouth for a second. But, he just couldn’t get out the words. Death sighed and looked down at his feet, seeing how they sunk into the thick snow.

“Come back to the Tri-Stone, will you? You are going to freeze over.” You were shivering clear as day, the shelter of the treeline not doing much to prevent the icy wind. When he stood back up, you made no move that would hint you were going to follow. Scarf whipping in the wind he looked down on you, feeling his eyes on you again.

“Are you deaf, girl?”

“No, I can hear you just fine.” Death stared down at you, feeling it on your shoulders. He seemed hard intent on bringing you back to the Tri-Stone, now that you’d been fetched.

“Then let us go. Before you get ill.” Blowing hot air through your nose forming a steam cloud, you looked up at Death. Your nose wrinkled looking up and him, the wind whipping your hair around and framing your face.

“Oh, so you can care about my well being, but god forbid I do about you?” Your anger seemed to almost melt away, looking down at Dust. “I do care about you, you know. Even though you don't seem to want it.” Why were you, out of all the beings he’d met, so damn determined about him? Even War never cared so blatantly about him, so unafraid to show it, like you were. He sat back down awkwardly beside you.

“I do not require a human to worry over me.” Judging by your tensed hands and frustrated growl, that was quite clearly not the response you’d wanted. You turned your upper body towards him and threw your hands outward, yelling up at him.

“Goddammit Death! Can’t you please just let someone love you, for once!?” He stared at you, and even with you learning to tell from just his eyes his expression, this one was particularly hard to read.

It was almost like he was looking through you, lost in thought.

Putting a hand on his shoulder Death turned to look at you with a small amount of surprise, only able to see his eyes for a split second before you closed your own, and pressed your lips against the exposed area of his cheek.

It was the only option left you could think of, if he kept throwing your words to the wayside thinking they were meaningless.

Leaning back, your lips almost tingled from the feeling. You’d felt his skin against your hands before, but this was a profoundly different experience. He always had cooled skin other than after intense fighting, but the winter had made it almost feel like ice.

"Please just, stop ignoring me."

Were all humans so profoundly absent of self preservation? Death sighed.

“You certainly aren’t the wisest of your species.” You just smiled, wringing your wrist in your hand.

“Well, that wasn’t a no…” Death sighed. It looked like he was going to pinch the bridge of his nose, but simply rubbed against his mask with his palm instead.

“Indeed it was not. How awfully astute.” Now that you were far brighter, smiling and ruffling at Dust’s feathers, he rose up again.

“Now, up. Go back to the Tri-Stone before you freeze over.” You pursed your lips into a pout and got up off the log, holding Dust in your arms not unlike a baby. That bird was like putty in your hands, and Death wouldn’t forget to scold him for this.

“What, do you suddenly need someone to attend your return?” His eyes glanced towards the general area behind the two of you, towards the Tri-Stone. “You seemed to get out here just fine.” Death snapped his fingers and Dust started to rustle, forcing you to let go as he took off to the air. You blew a raspberry watching the crow fly off, before stepping closer to Death.

“Can I not enjoy a nice walk back with you?” You moved to wrap your arms around his, but loose enough that he could wretch it from you if he wished. He didn’t, but sure did he complain about it.

“I change my mind. It was a no.” Suddenly letting go of his arm, you started trotting forward through the snow, away from him on the path back.

“Fine then! Race you back!” Death’s significant height advantage meant that his fast walking steps were competitive in speed to your jog, able to keep up a slight ways behind you. Having snow up past your ankles on the ground didn’t help with your speed either, as it was hard to lug around boots covered in thick, sticky snow.

Until you tripped on a hidden rock, falling face first into the snow. Death let out sigh that shook his ribs, catching up with you as you started getting up. Grasping the back of your coat and lifting you to your feet, You felt a large hand on your head. He shook the snow from your hair, not missing the way one finger pulled a few strands from against your forehead. He assumed your were apologizing or laughing at yourself, but he couldn’t quite make it out, distracted by your eyes. They looked so, unbelievably happy. Dust suddenly landed on your shoulder and almost sent you toppling back downward, only saved by your hand grasping at his arm.