Isa had been the love of Axel's life. He was kind, loyal, and generous. He understood the way the redhead thought and why he did the things he did. Axel could not have asked for a better spirit animal, and the fact that his beloved companion was now gone was still tearing the warlock's heart into shreds. Not that he had a heart.

Raising anything back from the dead was hard. He truly would be much better off finding a new animal to train to do his bidding, but after a dog that wise and skilled, Axel was worried anything after this would serve to enrage him. That's why, he, the redhead himself, had left his leaning hovel at the edge of the forest to venture within the woods and search for the ingredients he needed.

Following the path that was no more than a strip of land where the grass didn't grow, he soon found himself deep among the trees. Their canopy filtered out most of the sunlight, and it was no puzzle that normal travelers did not usually come through here. Axel and the townsfolk had a business relationship. They would sometimes pass through the forest from the area near the river to him to request potions, love charms, curses and the like, but he rarely would visit them for everything he wanted would usually be given to him in a form of payment or he could find in the woods. Rarely, he made house calls.

But only if the person stood at the edge of death and the town doctor had abandoned all hope.

It was approaching the middle of fall; the crunch of leaves were loud against the quiet buzz of life. Stooping to inspect some mushrooms, he frowned when he identified them as not something he needed, but placed them in his bag anyways. Red Caps were very important in removing warts after all. He was looking for Black Brains which were named for their appearance and were notoriously known for being used in every poison under the sun. It wasn't the Black Brains that he was looking for, though, but the rare plant that accompanied them. Thistlethrone was the only known cure to this natural killer. His spell required two cups of Thistlethrone and enough Copper Wood to make him wonder if there'd be any left in his section of the woods after he was done.

It took seven days for him to find everything he needed. In that time, he managed to stock up on everything but the plants he wanted. Axel also put Chet Brannert in love with Mara Thomas. Hopefully Chet's girlfriend wouldn't stomp out to his house to scream at him like Abigail Pruet had when she had discovered the older redhead was responsible for her boyfriend going wayside.

Older put the thought into his head that he'd be turning twenty-seven soon. He'd be an old man within a few years. Perhaps he should start looking for a wife.

Or not. Women didn't necessarily put him off, but he didn't get the same feeling that all the other men had when they had been teenagers wooing love into their hearts.

Trudging through the tall grass, his worn leather boots unearthed a few of the fungus he'd been desperately searching for, and the herb with them was shyly poking its head out from beneath its dangerous companion. "Thank goodness." Axel sighed, carefully plucking the white grass and quickly tucking it away in an empty leather pouch tied around his belt. Trekking on back towards his home, he pondered if the spell was going to be as easy as it appeared to be.

The difficulty stated that it was a top level spell, which was no surprise, but the easy lines and simple collection request didn't seem quite right. Normally he would have expected something more than the life of a rabbit or chicken, a few herbs, and an article from the deceased. Going over the lines once more, he spoke them aloud as he stumbled over roots on his way back to the path.

All things must come to pass. Living things must lose their mass.

But I request a trade with Death.

This animal's life for the return of Isa's breath.

Relinquish him, Isa.

It took several repetitions, but by the time he had it flawlessly smooth, he was back home. Now the question came down to whether he should perform the spell that night or the next. It was a full moon tomorrow, which meant his magic would be the strongest, but the items were freshest now. Mulling it over, Axel settled that it should be done now without a second's waste.

With his favorite pot boiling over the fireplace, he began by placing his fresh ingredients in first and then Isa's favorite ball. With that accomplished, he took one of his rabbits and approached the cauldron. The liquid inside was a light gold and the redhead mentally recited the lines as he looked at his spellbook before placing the knife at the rabbit's throat and weaving the spell, "All things must come to pass. Living things must lose their mass. But I request a trade with Death. This animal's life for the return of Isa's breath. Relinquish him, Death." Slitting the creature's throat, he heard a small scream before the drops of blood dripped into the pot turning it a light pink.

The smell of magic was thick in the air, but nothing occurred.

Axel immediately began to panic. He had messed up a line; he was certain of it. What were the consequences of stating the spell wrong? Magic had repercussions for mistakes. It wasn't an injury free job. He'd burned a good section of his arm four years ago trying to banish grain cheevers from the town's storehouse. Rushing over to his tattered spell book, the redhead's eyes scoured the page for small print.

Penalty: Unknown

Was it unknown because everyone who had failed had died or because there were no immediately known penalties? Axel's heart pounded in his ears as he felt exposed. Fear spread like fire through his veins. Whirling around, the redhead wondered if he should pack and flee in terror.

"That won't help you."

"No, please." Axel gasped when he heard the voice and began to cry when he realized what was going to happen, "Please."

A figure clothed in shadows stepped forward from the fireplace, and the redhead began to sink to his knees, "It has been a long time since someone called to me for a trade." The voice was that of a man. Smooth like the mayor's son's.

The warlock swallowed thickly, "I- I-"

"You may stand. I haven't decided quite yet what I'm going to do with you." The hood that had shrouded the spirit's face was removed and revealed a round face with blue eyes placed deep in the sockets. Messy blond hair was generously placed on top of the teen's skull. Everything about him was pale and uncomfortable, "For you see, this isn't so much of a trade as it is an attempt at cheating me."

"I promise, though! I wasn't trying to cheat you! It really was just a trade!" He stood, as he watched the blond move towards the table and relocate the books there to make room for himself to sit. Axel struggled to understand for a moment before he assisted the other with finding a place on the floor for the leather bounded items. "I just wanted my friend back."

Death's eyes narrowed to slits, "Axel Ventrex, what a curious thing for a warlock to say. Last I check, you abandoned morals and affection for all living things. Your work is in the spirit realm."

"He was my familiar." The redhead clarified, "Isa was no human being."

Steam seemed to be rising off from the other, and it was then that Axel noticed how cold it was in his home. His teeth chattered and he reached for a blanket, "Do you want to die, Axel?"

"No sir," He thought this answer was obvious, "Are you going to reap me now?"

The blond inspected him, "No. You have no soul to take. Even if I were to reap you, I wouldn't gain anything from it. You'd just drop dead and your corpse would rot. I need not ferry you anywhere." Checking his cuticles, Death gnawed at them for a moment, "I think, I will let you live, but not without a punishment for trying to cheat me." Axel held his breath and watched the other carefully. "Since you soul has nowhere to go after this life, I will make it belong to me."

'What does that mean?' Axel wondered, sitting on his bed, "Alright, I thought I had lost my soul to Hell by practicing magic?"

"No, Hell is for those that are evil. You haven't used your magic for those purposes, so the scale is still tipped. You just can't be saved for Heaven." The shorter man clarified, "Which means your soul goes to the vastlands, but I have switched that. It is mine now." He conjured a small flip notebook and scrawled something down, "I'll see you in a short while."

That made the warlock uncomfortable, but he supposed that he would rather have this outcome than die now, "Goodbye, Death."

Blue eyes measured him, "My name is-" Axel heared static, "I was someone too before this."

~o~

It takes the redhead a long time to forget that encounter, and late at night, his brain still wonders over it. A few years turns out to be seventeen. It's enough time for him to find another spirit animal and a girl who didn't mind his recklessness and his long walks in the woods. Her name is Teya, but they are more friends due to their hobby of witchcraft than lovers.

His mind mulls death over every night before the full moon. It suits him that it would be then that Death would claim him, "Are you ready to go?"

Axel has had a nasty cough for a month and he can hardly breath. Teya has given him every soup in the book, but nothing improves his health. It has been a long winter, "I'm ready to go." He rasps out and clutches the blond's gloved hand. When the warlock leaves his body, he stays a few moments to watch Teya breathe, "I look so peaceful."

"Bodies tend too when they're empty." To the spirit, it's just a shell, but he indulges mortal whims for a few moments, "Let's go." He requests gently.

Worried that he'll simply turn to nothing if he lets go of the blond's hand, he clutches it tightly, "What am I going to do now that my soul is yours?"

Death has a gentle laugh, "Paperwork."

~o~

He learns that Death is truthful. The afterlife is full of a lot of paperwork, and there are no nights or days to tell him the time he's been packed away in a tiny office, writing report after report of who's soul went where and why. Eventually, after what seems like an eternity (and it very well could have been), the blond returns to collect the stack he has completed. "Are you going to just leave like that?" The warlock grunts, "Not even say a word?"

The nice thing about the afterlife is that he's twenty-two again, and his hands don't hurt and his arm isn't burned. He also never gets tired and doesn't need a physical break, but a mental one would be nice. "Sorry, I can't stay. I'm busy." The shorter man is always busy. In and out, up and down, to and fro, Death does not stay still for one person.

Green eyes plead for something, "Can I just- come with you? Maybe?" He requests, adjusting the clothes that he'd been given once he'd reached the spirit realm which is eleven rooms on a hallway. His office is the first one on the right. The work is shared between him and seven other warlocks. Behind the other four doors, he doesn't know, but from the screams he sometimes hears, he thinks one is Hell.

Death for one time in his life is puzzled. No one ever asked to come with him before, "Sure." It's similar to the second night they met. Axel takes the blond's hand and closes his eyes and they're around the world in a second. The Grim Reaper takes a soul before the redhead can even get a good look at the situation, but that's okay because it was a house fire and the victims are children.

He decides he likes deaths where the victims are old best. The shorter man will usually talk with the person and the redhead can look around. They come back to the Under World after two hundred and seventy five have been collected, "I had fun." Axel offers.

"It was nice to have some company for once."

~o~

Axel finally hears Death's name: Roxas. He's walking down the hall to drop off some files at another warlock's office when he hears it in discussion. They're asking when the next Reaper will be selected. After all, 'Didn't you know why you're here? You're going to be a Grim Reaper one day. That's your punishment' .

The redhead doesn't know how he feels about that.

But that fourth door is for the Grim Reapers that serve their sentence and they never come back.

~o~

When Roxas leaves and the next Death is selected, Axel gives him a hug. "Come back and visit me sometime."

"I will." The blond promises, passing off his robe to his successor. His skin fills with life and his hair is a shiny gold when he lets go of the black cloak, "Bye, Axel!" He steps through the door full of excitement, and a long time passes; he doesn't see Roxas.

His heart breaks a bit.

Well, it would if he had one.

~o~

Axel works four hundred years, and when he finishes his sentence, he too steps through the door and up the stairs to the afterlife for Death. Everything is much too bright after living an empty and cold existence, and for a moment, he is frightened that he doesn't belong, but Roxas is waiting for him. "Hey! Sorry, I guess I haven't visited since I left!" The blond laughs.

It's been four hundred years, but it seemed like seconds to the blond, and he's still not a day over eighteen. Axel can't help but laugh and shake his head, "Want to go do something?" The offer comes from the chapped lips of a haggard man.

Yet now, they occupy an earth where the people don't get sick and the water is always sweet. They play and talk for a long time. Until the two finally kiss after what seems like an eternity (and it very well could have been). "I never thought I'd kiss Death." The blond laughs, tucking a strip of crimson hair behind his companion's ear. He whispers something, but the redhead can't hear it because of the wind.

"I think we'll do a lot more than kiss." Axel teases, moving in for another taste.

And suddenly four hundred years are worth it.

Written for Halloween '13. Layla was my beta. Review please~