Thanatos opened the door of his office and felt small hands wrap around his legs. Looking down, he saw a smiling Kore. “Look Like Me?” She said and raised her arms to be picked up.
Thanatos instantly felt horrible. He’d waited so long to meet her, literally dreamed about her and carried her hair bow with him everywhere. Yet it was his two-year-old who was trying to make a connection.
Leaning down, he picked her up. Pointing to his chest he smiled. “Dad,” he told her.
Her smile seemed to widen as if she understood. Wrapping her little arms around his neck, she placed her head on his shoulder and repeated him, “Dad.”
He never knew he could fall in love that fast until he heard her little voice call him that. Having been satisfied with their interaction, Kore struggled against him until he placed her down. “I go play!” She shouted making him laugh as he watched her go into her room.
A room that her mother put together in two days, a room he avoided as much as he’d avoided them. “Reaper.” Turning he saw Evie’s green eyes glaring at him, “We’re going to talk right now, and I don’t want any of your bullshit excuses.”
*Shit…she’s pissed. *
She honestly had every right to be. He was being an utter asshole and selfish.
“Of course.” He opened the door to his office, and she shook her head no, before walking away and entering his bedroom. His eyes widened. Why did she want to talk in there?
“THANATOS!” She screamed angrily. Exhaling, Thanatos walked to the bedroom to receive the wrath that he knew he deserved. Seeing him at the door, made Evie shake with anger. “Close the door, I don’t want Kore to hear this.” She was trying her best to be calm, but she was so furious with him, she could punch him in the face. After he closed the door, Evie could no longer hold her rage.
“WHAT THE FUCK IS YOUR PROBLEM?!” She saw his eyes blacken and it only made her angrier. “You don’t get to be mad Thanatos; you’ve been a complete asshole to me AND your daughter...you don’t get to be mad! Do you know she’s been asking for you every day? She saw you…she saw you before I did. I didn’t even know who she was talking about, and yet she saw you and took off running to A FUCKING ELECTRIC PORTAL THAT WOULD HAVE KILLED HER to get to you. YOUR TWO-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER WHO HAD NO FUCKING FRAME OF MIND WHO YOU WERE, STILL FELT CONNECTED ENOUGH TO RISK HER LIFE TO GET TO YOU! So, no…you don’t get to be angry. Fix your face.”
Thanatos' eyes immediately changed back to their normal color. “S-she saw me?”
Evie nodded, “Derrick told me you guys almost found us before, and we put two and two together. You didn’t see her, I didn’t see you, but she saw you…and now she’s here and even though you’ve been treating her poorly…she still sees you and adores you.” He could see the tears well in her eyes, “I accept that you don’t want me anymore…but please…don’t treat her poorly because of it. She doesn’t deserve that.”
If Thanatos had a heart, it would have broken all over again. Running his fingers through his hair in frustration with his actions, he looked at her. “You think I don’t want you Poppet?” He saw her wince at the name.
“Don’t call me that.”
“Why?”
“Because you don’t deserve to.”
Thanatos flinched that time. “I’m sorry…for how I’ve been treating you and Kore. You’re right…but if you think I don’t want you Evie, you’re absolutely wrong about that. I love you. I meant it when I said it before, and I still mean it now.”
The tears fell from Evie’s eyes, and Thanatos pulled her into his arms. She felt unreal to him, he’d missed her so much.
“I love you too. Don't ever treat us that way again. I mean it Reaper.”
He shook his head. "I swear." Nodding, Evie laid her head against his chest. Thanatos clasped her face in his hands, “Marry me.”
“Wha-”
“Marry…me.”
Evie felt herself shaking. He wanted to marry her. She’d dreamed about it, but each time it ended terribly. Yet this wasn’t a dream, it was real. He was standing in front of her, his blue eyes dancing, waiting for her answer. She shook her head yes, “Of course.” He gave a laugh, that poured into her soul and picked her up spinning her around. “I’ve missed you so much.”
“I’ve missed you more Poppet.”
She didn’t flinch. It was right. He’d gotten it right that time. Sitting her down, Thanatos eyes roamed to her lips. She tugged at his shirt, pulling him to her, and he kissed her. What started small, turned into a flame that had been burning small but kept alive this entire time. She ran her fingers under his shirt. “I want you,” she murmured. Her eyes opened, as he grabbed her hands, pulling them from his torso.
“NO!” He shouted making her jump.
Backing away from her, breath ragged, Thanatos eyes held a storm that spoke so many things and nothing at all. She reached out for him, “Please…talk to me. I know you’re hiding something. I know you.” She saw him inhale deeply, before lifting his shirt. The blacken vein coursing from the outskirts of his upper chest to its core, made her eyes widened.
“This is why I’ve been avoiding you…I’m evil.”
“You’re no-”
He shook his head feverishly. “I’m dead Evie. I’m literally no longer living.” He saw Evie’s eyes widen and he turned away from her, “I -I didn’t mean to scare you that day, I-I just couldn't control it. The rage…the anger took over me and so did they. Apep ripped up my heart…and when Kore…”
“She brought you back, but you’re still dead.” Deep down she’d known. He was the same as the bird. Something dead…not like a zombie that she could create, but something darker.
“My heart is gone and when I returned, souls attached to me. Evil…damned souls.”
“Maybe we can put the card back together and Ada-”
“It’s gone- destroyed…like me. I have control over them, but if I can’t control my rage- I’ll destroy the world.”
“YOU WOULD NEVER DO THAT!”
Thanatos whipped around to face her, his eyes as black as coal.
“YES I WOULD! I CAN’T CONTROL MY ANGER! THERE’S SO MUCH INSIDE, SO MUCH THEY PUT INSIDE OF ME! IT’S SEEPS INTO MY VERY CORE AND ROTS ME.” He tried his best to calm himself, seeing the fear line her face. “This was a mistake. I should have never asked you to marry me, without telling you the true monster you’d been marrying.”
Thanatos turned to leave, and Evie grabbed him quickly forcing him to face her. “You are NOT a monster. You’re a loving brother and amazing son. You’re going to be a GREAT father and…the best husband I could ever ask for.” Reaching for his shirt, she lifted it over his head. He closed his eyes, as she ran her hand against the veins.
“Evie don’t..” A pain shot through his chest, forcing him to open his eyes. Black mist poured into her mouth, and the black veins covered her neck causing her own eyes to blacken. “NO!” But she wouldn’t stop, the pain coursing through them both until finally, she collapsed his arms. “Poppet! Please…please wake up…don’t leave me.”
Opening her eyes, she stared at him with the green in her eyes so dark they looked the color of moss. He stared at her wildly. “WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?!”
Standing she breathed and placed her head on his chest. The veins smaller, he heard her whisper, “Because I might not be able to heal you…but I can share some of the pain. If you’re a monster, then so am I…and so is... our daughter.”