*One Week Later*
“Mr. Tanteenose… Ms. Evie!” Jack and Rose excitedly ran towards them.
The patter of their little feet against the pavement made Thanatos unintentionally smile. Running straight to Evie, they stopped in front of her and bounced up and down.
“Well, hello there,” Evie said, before looking towards him. Her green eyes glistened from the secret she possessed, and Thanatos couldn’t wait until she revealed it to them. “So…Mr. Thanatos’s brother Romulus is throwing a party.” She stated, and Jack immediately lit up.
“His parties are awesome!” Realizing he let his normal cool nature slip, he rubbed his neck sheepishly, “From what I’ve heard anyway…not like we’re allowed to go.”
Reaching into his pocket, Thanatos showed the boy two tickets. “That’s a shame, I was hoping that you’d both be our guests.”
Rose’s sweet little face beamed from him to Evie. “Can we go, Jack? Pleasseeeeee.”
Her long dramatic plea caused both of them to laugh. Jack dug his hands in his pockets and looked down at his shoes. The torn laces and dirt on the front of them made Thanatos mind wander back to when he first went to collect him.
“I-I think you gotta dress up fancy for something like that...right Mr. Tanteenose?” He refused to look at Thanatos, those two little child eyes locked to the dirt on his shoes. “We...don’t gots nothing fancy…we don’t wanna embarrass you.”
His little voice was so soft, his innocent pools steadily focused on the rips in his laces. How could he have missed what was staring him right in the face? For so long, Thanatos wondered why they never let him help, but now he finally knew…shame. Two beautiful children, the shame evident on their faces gutted him to his core.
Evie bent down so that she was leveled with him. “Jack look at me.” Hesitantly, he did. “Listen to me okay? Life hasn’t been fair for you.” She turned to Rose, “Or you, but don’t you ever feel ashamed of what you went through you hear me? It’s a part of you, and sometimes to get better, we have to accept even those parts we hate.” Evie placed her hands out in front of them, and their small translucent fingers wavered over hers, “You two are the bravest people I know…and it would be an honor to have you at the ball with us, pending you don’t mind seeing an old geezer like Thanatos try to dance.”
“Watch it Poppet,” Thanatos said jokingly, glaring at her, much to the amusement of the children.
Standing, she placed her hand on his shoulder. “You know I’m only teasing.”
Jack and Rose looked from one to another as if they were having a conversation that they weren’t privy to. “Okay…we’ll come,” he said, finally causing Rose to bounce with excitement once more.
“Then there’s just one last thing to do.”
The kids look in confusion at Evie as she smirks towards him. Reaching both his hands out, Thanatos formed a black mist in both and motioned for the children to take it. Though clearly frightened, they did, their eyes widening as they slowly began to change. Matted burnt hair, bruises, and scars disappear from their bodies. Instantly, Jack's eyes travel to his shoes, the dirt is gone, their rips no longer present.
“That’s more like it,” Thanatos said, winking at them, their smiles growing larger by the second. Taking her blonde pigtails in her hands, Rose spun around letting her dress flying in the wind.
“I LOVE IT!” She shouted running and wrapping her arms around him, and as before he could hear his no longer dead heartbeat against his chest.
“I’m glad you do, though for the ball I’ll expect you two, to dress a little fancier.”
Waving his hands, Thanatos showed them both the outfits Evie envisioned. The light in their eyes, told him they loved them, and he nudged her proudly. Her green eyes glistened at him as she locked her arm in his.
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“What’s the special occasion?” Thanatos jokingly teased Evie as she cleared the plates from the table.
After a rousing day with Rose and Jack, she’d surprised him by making dinner. Rolling her eyes, she tapped him on the back of the head.
“Can’t I just want to feed you before I head back to Romulus’s place?” There was a seriousness that overtook Thanatos eyes at the mere mention of Evie leaving.
“About that,” he started. “I was thinking, you should just move back here.”
Sitting back down at the table, Evie studied his chiseled face. “Why?”
“Because I don’t want you to leave me.” The earnest response completely caught her off guard. “Don’t look at me like that. At this point I’m sure you know I enjoy your company.” Standing, he reached out to take her hand in his, “Let’s watch a movie.”
Evie’s eyes seemed to dance, and her heart leaped at the realization that tonight was the moment. It was now or never. She smiled, taking his hand. “The scarier the better.”
As Evie laid in his arms, Thanatos couldn’t help but feel a strong sense of peace overcome him. A type of peace he hadn’t known since he was a little boy.
*Things were much less complex back then*
He thought to himself as he absentmindedly stroked her auburn hair. Nestling closer to him, Evie looked almost angelic as she slept through yet another movie she’d picked out. A small smile formed on the Reapers lips. Maybe he really could do this. The smell of vanilla and death had become his favorite scent, her lips his new addiction. He found himself thinking, maybe just maybe he could try with her. She was after all his Soul Tie.
“Mmm,” Evie murmured in her sleep, before opening her emerald eyes.
The way the sleep in them juxtaposed her now pouty lips made him want nothing more than to bend down and kiss her. As his lips connected with hers, she opened her mouth slightly inviting him in. The taste of her mixed with him ignited a fire within them both coiling their intimacy and forcing their kiss to deepen. Breathlessly, Thanatos pulled away.
“I have something for you.” He said meekly. With a slew of emotions on his face, he reached behind him and placed a white box with a bow in front of her.
“What’s this?”
“Open it.”
Evie could see his excitement. Removing the bow, her mouth parted as she took in the beautiful red fabric.
“You always look so beautiful in red,” he said in her ear as if he could hear her thoughts.
Evie stood, taking the long gown and placing it against her body. The form-fitting fabric was sure to hug her skin, while the sheer of the bottom made it both elegant and sexy.
“Yo-you picked this out for me?” She could hardly contain her tears.
“Yes…so you can wear it to the ball…with me.” His words hold so much more than just their meaning. Evie could swear she saw his soul.
“Reaper…” She said, delicately putting the dress back into the box. Sitting back down she looked at him. Thanatos watched the beautiful storm form in her eyes as she looked at him silently.
“What’s wrong Poppet?” He asked, placing a strand of her auburn hair behind her ear. He could hear her inhale deeply, her green eyes begging him to see what she was nervous to say.
“I Love you Thanatos.”
His once dead heart seemed to fall to his shoes when he heard the words part from her lips. “Wha-”
“I’m in love with you and I need to know…I need to know do you love me too?”
Thanatos stared at her, his heart seeming to beat out of his chest. Her question replayed in his mind. He was fond of her, cared about her beyond measure, but had he’d really fallen in love? His lips parted; his mind raced subconsciously thinking about his family. His brother, the truly loveable one, his mother who’d turned her back to his father's abuse. Thanatos felt his mouth dry.
*You ugly thing*
His father's words repeated in his head like a scratched record. His first and only instances of love, all tried by him, all failed. If his own flesh and blood couldn’t love him in the way he’d known love to be, how could she look at the monster he was and say that he was worth loving? Thanatos knew he was fond of her, cared about her beyond measures, but to love her meant to destroy her as with everything he’d ever touched. Running her small hand against his face, Evie spoke softly almost like a whisper.
“Reaper…it’s okay. It’s okay to love me…I just...I just really need to hear you say it. Do you love me? Because I love you so much.” Her eyes pleaded with him almost as loud as his heart.
*JUST TELL HER! *
Thanatos opened his mouth, his throat dry, his words stuck. He looked at his beautiful Poppet, her eyes full of love, knowing his words would break her heart.
“No Evie…I'm sorry...I don’t.”