The God of Death looked at the chessboard with a focused expression, chin covered by his fingers. He moved one hand to pick a piece, then hesitated, chose another one and finally moved it.
«Check.» He said then, as his golden haired twin kept looking at him.
«This is not the first time you don't show up in an official gathering, and I know it's not going to be the last one…» Hypnos observed, considering his display of moves. «But have you read the letter at least?»
«Not yet.» Thanatos shrugged. «I'll go talking to Hades in person.»
«I think he doesn't want us around, for now.»
«Oh, really...?» The dark haired god toyed with the knight he had recently won with his black queen. «Has he forgotten that we are his counselors, then? And I don't know if I like Pandora being stuck to him like this, especially now that there's no need for her to be here anymore.»
His brother sighed with a smile, moving a pawn.
«He's a little annoyed at the fact that he had to come to Earth with his divine body, to win the Holy War.»
«We do him a favor, every two hundred years…» Thanatos muttered, again frowning while examining the chessboard. «And it was starting to get on my nerves. No, those saints were starting to get on my nerves. And it's not like the world needed a Holy War, for people to die.»
Hypnos said nothing to that, deciding to focus on the match for a while, as his brother was gaining the upper hand, albeit being clearly nervous about something. It was some time now that their eyes hadn't met.
«You're worried about young Pandora being still here…?» He asked after a while, and his twin huffed.
«I'm only asking myself what is she doing here. Her task was to find the vessel and guide the specters. She did that. She can go live her life on Earth.»
«I hear she's staying because she doesn't want to leave one of our three judges… and she's just a kid.» Hypnos tried to meet his brothers eyes, but didn't manage. «You know Pandora is very loyal to Hades. Do you? Almost at the point of insanity, if I might say so.»
«You forget that the mistake was hers as well.» Death moved his black queen again. «She was sure that the human kid was Hades awakened. She was, as you and I. It's not like her "loyalty" is a good thing.»
«If you worry about the human kid, know that I disposed of him personally.»
This time, Thanatos' eyes rose with a glare.
«Do you think I'm an idiot? I know the human kid didn't die. He's sleeping somewhere in one of your worlds of dream, and I don't understand why you choose to keep him alive. And who is the judge you were talking about…?»
Hypnos couldn't help smiling at his twin's scowl.
«Brother dearest, you're so full of bad thoughts.» He didn't stop smiling at the other's darkening expression, especially because Thanatos was now less careful, and allowed him to endanger his king. «Stop fretting over nonexistent matters. Pandora is staying in the Underworld because the Wyvern wants her to stay, and it shouldn't surprise you… they get close to each other every two hundred years.» He leaned in, brushing Death's shoulder «Try to stop fretting over everything. It can sound strange, but this is a time for peace… saints are no more, Athena has no chance of reincarnating her cosmo, and the Thunder God up there told Hades that Earth is his to reshape, now. It was said in the letter he sent us. Yes, the one you didn't read.»
Thanatos sighed and shook his head, using the knight to protect his king.
«It sounds strange indeed.» Said then, again giving back his gaze. «It's been like this for a long while… and by "long", I mean for our perception of time.»
«You're right.» He admitted.
He was about to add something, but kept his mouth shut. Thanatos was clearly too nervous for that kind of conversation, but something had been troubling Hypnos' mind for a while, now, and he felt the need to talk to his twin about it.
He knew the Holy War to be an easy way to have Hades' and Athena's forces compensate each other, every two hundred years. Specters and saints could become troublesomely strong, especially golden saints… former Cancer recently gave them a good demonstration of that. No wonders that Zeus, up there, needed a way to keep that strength at bay… and which method was easier than making them fight to annihilation, every two hundred years, with the excuse of a war?
So that, Hypnos never thought about winning the Holy War, nor that Athena would have managed to put a real end to the happening. Still, the specific circumstances of that Holy War, in particular, made it possible for Hades to win… the saint were less organized, and most of all, the Lord of the Underworld had been asleep for a long while, while everyone thought he was fully aware and in command, giving orders through that human kid's body. It had seemed to Hypnos that it had been all about a "fake" Holy War, or almost.
Thanatos cleared his throat, and the Sleep realized it was his turn to move a piece. He focused again on the chessboard, realizing that his brother was definitely winning the match.
«You haven't told me why you didn't kill the human kid... what was his name again?»
«Alone.» Hypnos hesitated, frowning slightly at his already endangered king. «And I don't have to answer your question. You know I never kill anyone, if I'm not forced to. Besides, being locked in the Dreamworld is the same thing as being dead.»
«But you're awfully distracted.» Thanatos moved his only bishop. «Checkmate. If it's not the human kid or Pandora that concern you, what is it that allowed me to win a match so fast? This... almost never happens. I tried asking before because I was sure that something is bothering you.»
Hypnos faced his brother's smirk with a questioning expression.
«Are you saying that I almost always win?» He asked then, still not wanting to talk about what was actually troubling him.
«Let's say that you win half of the times.» Thanatos shrugged. «But even if I win, the match is always hard. This time, you've been looking... far away.»
The golden haired god smiled.
«My dearest brother worries about me.»
«Will you be a good twin and talk to me?» The other insisted, putting the pieces on their beginning position. «It's not like I worry about you, I just want to know what's on your mind.»
«Just admit that you care for me, and I'll tell you.»
«No, you won't.» Thanatos smiled, crossing arms on his chest. «I know that look on your face. Mother Night knows if I do. You win, don't say anything, I don't want to insist… and still, you were a jerk for letting me fight alone with those two.»
His twin blinked a few times at those words.
«You mean the Cancer saint and his teacher?» Sleep asked then. «And you bring it out now…? I guess you know why I haven't taken part in that fight. You're aware that I-»
«Loathe useless violence and bloodshed. I know. You're still a jerk.»
«Why are we having this conversation right now?» Hypnos frowned a little, crossing arms on his chest as well. «I always leave you when there's a fight coming, and you never felt the need to complain.»
The other huffed and lifted up his eyes.
«And you win again, since I guess you'd never say that you're sorry.»
«You want me to?» Sleep sighed. «Fine. I am sorry for leaving you. I didn't expect that your adversaries would have been so hard to handle. I should have stayed, albeit knowing that you're perfectly capable to hold things by yourself.»
His twin looked sincerely surprised. He just returned his look for some moments, then his expression turned somehow worried.
«You said that you're sorry.» He stated in a serious tone, and Sleep raised an eyebrow.
«You wanted me to, so I did.»
«Are you aware that I was just teasing you, brother?» Asked Thanatos, again in a serious tone. «Because I was. You've never been a jerk, and I've never been angry at you.»
Hypnos sighed, gesturing him to get up as he did the same, approaching the balustrade.
«Whatever it is that is troubling you, must be one serious matter.» He heard Thanatos say, as his twin joined his side. «First, I easily win the chess match. Now this. Should I be alarmed?»
Sleep thought about telling him now and there, but rapidly changed his mind. He wouldn't have known how to put it, to begin with. It was just a thought, nothing he should have actually be concerned about.
«You shouldn't.» He answered eventually, after Thanatos had put a hand on his back. «Don't worry.»
«You know I don't believe you. You also know that you can lie to anyone, gods and mortals alike… but not to me.»
Hypnos smiled vaguely, giving a small nod.
«I do know.»
He said nothing more and his twin just sighed, choosing not to insist.
The two gods were crossing the hallway of their residence to get to their respective quarters, when Morpheus appeared out of a distortion, kneeling down before them.
«My lords. I ought to exchange a word with Lord Thanatos, if I'm not a disturbance to you.»
Both of them nodded.
«I'll leave you then.» Hypnos said, but his twin shook his head.
«Stay for a while longer, I have a request.» Death turned his attention to his nephew, gesturing him to stand up. «What is it?»
«You asked both me and my father to keep two people in Morphia, not long ago. You told me to release one of them after some time, and this time has come. Now I was here to present this person to you again.»
«Thank you, Morpheus. You can take him to my quarters, I'll deal with the rest.»
The demigod nodded, bowed to both of them and vanished in a black cloud.
«Which one?» Hypnos asked, arms crossed on the chest, and his twin smiled vaguely.
«The little crab.»
«Haven't you tortured him enough, already?»
«I haven't gotten tired of him just yet.» Thanatos shrugged. «Do you remember when I said I was not angry? I lied, partially. I am not angry at you. But that mortal did break our chessboard, hit me, and sealed me away with a trick.»
Hypnos sighed, nodding vaguely.
«Keep in mind that the boy is at his limit, and if you want him sane, you should be less harsh.»
«I will keep it in mind.» Death nodded as well. «Still, I never said I wanted him sane.»
His twin just sighed again, there was no point discussing it further. He plainly thought it was a waste to treat the mortal that way, but Thanatos could very well do as he pleased with his prizes. As he was doing as he pleased with the humans he had claimed, after all.
«What was it, that you wanted to ask of me?» Demanded then.
«Can I keep the big crab in Morphia for some more time?»
«You can.»
«You will not steal him from me, will you?» Thanatos smiled. «Since you like humans so much, even if you already have two…»
His twin shook his head, smiling back.
«I will see you tomorrow, brother. Now please let me get back to my quarters.»
«Of course. And tomorrow you bring your little pets with you... I wish to see how they can be so precious to you.»
«I'll bring them if you want to, but Thanatos…» Sleep gave him a serious look. «I'll be telling you now. Do not lay a finger on them. I don't want you to terrify my servants.»
«I won't.» His twin huffed. «Not even a finger. Can I look at them…?»
«Only if tomorrow you show me your… "little crab", as you would say.»
This time, Death gave him a questioning look.
«Why do you want to see him?»
«I am curious. And please, let him look at least decent.»
«As you wish. We will see our different perspective on the meaning of "decent", then.»
Hypnos sighed a smile, before finally heading back to his quarters.
Notes.
Hello there everybody!
Some of you maybe remember about this story, which was being published in the long gone year of 2013, had hasn't been updated in… like, around five years. Yeah, I'm very sorry for that, deeply and incredibly sorry.
So, for those of you who already read this story back then, know this - Loose Ends is being rewritten and elongated, a lot of things have changed and many characters added to the plot.
I wanted to thank you all for your reviews and your messages, asking me to publish the next chapter, and I'm very very sorry for not answering and not complying. I haven't been entering this website for years, so I basically read everything just now. I should be slapped hard for this, I know.
Now, with the help of my partner and co-writer Epsylon Emme, I can finally resume publishing, hoping you will still like the result :)
We will replace all the chapters with the updated ones, and then go on from where it stopped (around chapter 15).
And for everybody - please keep in mind that we aren't native English speakers, so many mistakes can be found. Feel free to point them out and help us improve!
This story contains dark themes, a whole lot of OOCness, and most of the couples are M/M. Please don't be afraid to write any kind of comment/critique, if you feel like :)
See you soon
~Skycendre & EpsylonEmme