Love Transcends Death

Thanatos had watched her grow from a small baby to a young woman. Throughout those years, he began to fall more and more in love with her with each passing day.

Macaria was the Goddess of Blessed Death. She was his lighter counterpart in the dealings of death. She was his other half.

She does not exactly fit a description of a goddess of death. Her hair was a darker brown that was in perfect pretty ringlets that framed her lovely face and fell to her dainty waist. Her eyes were the color of orange embers in a flame, able to radiate warmth as easily as the Sun at the Aboveworld. She looked more of a Spring Goddess like her mother than a Death Goddess as what she was made to be. But she was kind and gentle, especially to the souls who received blissful deaths by her.

She was a vast difference from him. Thanatos was the very personification of Death, with ash-white hair and ash-grey eyes; looking as bleak as an easy death should be. Whilst he would lead the souls to their afterlives peacefully, Macaria would give them hope for a happy afterlife with her brightness and warmth.

Day by day, Thanatos kept on falling even more in love with Macaria.

But he does not tell her that.

"Thanatos?"

He looked away from the river Styx to the princess standing beside him, looking back at him with a kind smile and warm eyes.

"Yes, your grace?" he inquired politely.

Just then, she took his hand and held it in hers gently. He could not help but bring his eyes down to gaze at their entwined hands. He felt warm all of a sudden from their contact of skins. Her warmth was spreading to him, and it felt so lovely.

With her beautiful smile still on her rosy lips, Macaria said, "You are very important to me. Never forget that."

Suddenly, she leaned in and gave him a kiss on his cheek. Thanatos felt his breath hitch in shock at the feel of her downy soft lips on his cheeks, feeling more of her warmth seeping into him. The sensation was so new to him, and it felt so blissful and mesmerizing. It felt like he had achieved inner peace and he loved it so very much.

No sooner than a few seconds later, Macaria pulled away, looking at him with shy yet happy orange eyes. As he gazed at her, he noticed a faint pink blush blooming on her cheeks, and he couldn't help but smile at how lovely she looked at that moment.

It was then the younger princess Melinoe called out for her from the distance, and Macaria turned to meet her sister halfway. But she gave him another shy smile before walking away.

Thanatos felt his heart open up in so many ways than one.

"Thanatos. My dear brother," Hypnos greeted him with open, welcoming arms and a soft smile as he approached, his dark wings folding themselves into his back until they have disappeared from sight.

Thanatos took a good look of his twin brother from head-to-toe before returning the embrace. While Hypnos may hold clear resemblance to him, he looked nothing like him in appearance. While Thanatos was pale to look his role as the God of Death, Hypnos had long dark black-streaked bluish-purple hair and grey eyes that were a shade darker than his to look his role as the God of Sleep.

When the twin brothers had finished their embrace, Hypnos said knowingly, "Something has changed inside you, dear Thanatos. Do tell me what it may be."

Knowing that Hypnos had the right as his twin brother to know, Thanatos told everything; from beginning to end.

"Have you told the princess of your feelings for her?" Hypnos questioned gently, playing idly with a stalk of white poppy in between his fingertips.

"No," Thanatos breathed, thinking over what he had just admitted to his brother.

"Why not?"

"Because lovely Macaria has Aboveworld parentage. I do not want her to be tied down to me who only dwells in the Underworld and rises up to the above only to collect souls. And because she is the daughter of our Lord Hades and our Lady Persephone. I do not consider myself worthy, for I am just a being that brings along Death like a shadow," Thanatos sighed softly in dismay.

Hypnos sighed and placed a gentle hand on Thanatos' shoulder. Giving his brother a gentle squeeze, he explained in reassurance, "My wife Pasithea is of Aboveworld parentage, and she is the daughter of the great Queen Hera of Mount Olympus. But love has rendered her willing to be with me here, regardless of whom I am or what I do. And because of that, she and I have never been happier."

When Thanatos looked into his brother's eyes, Hypnos continued on, "Take heart, my good brother Thanatos. Maybe Fate has a good thing in store for you."

Thanatos and Macaria ascended to the Aboveworld to collect the soul of a young child who has recently passed away that night.

The child – a young boy of five mortal years – had passed away from a sickness that he had been suffering from ever since he was an infant that had just been borne of his mother's womb. But despite the fact that he had suffered a life-long pain, the young boy seemed so full of passion for happiness that nothing seemed to be able to upset or sadden him.

"Are you going to take me to my new home now?" the young boy had asked Thanatos and Macaria after Thanatos had gently led his soul away from his deceased body.

Macaria smiled and knelt to meet the boy's baby blue eyes. "Yes, little one," she told him with a gentle smile. "Such purity lies within your soul. You are blessed to have a good afterlife in the happy and peaceful fields of Elysium. There, you will play to your heart's content and forever be happy."

Hearing that, the boy smiled joyfully and willingly followed the both of them, holding on to Macaria's gentle hand.

Seeing the look of happiness and peacefulness on the young boy's face made Thanatos' heart swell with emotion. He started to smile at the fact that it had been caused by Macaria and her lovely gentleness.

All of a sudden, he did what he did not ever expect himself to do.

Thanatos leaned in closer to Macaria's face and gave her a soft and gentle kiss to her cheek, like how she did him the first time.

He pulled away in time for Macaria to look at him with a surprised look. He only replied with a small but gentle smile, which widened when he saw a blush blooming on her cheeks when she smiled back at him shyly.

He has never been more in love with her than right now.

"Thanatos? May I have a word with you?"

Thanatos was just looking through the shelves in the palace archives when that familiar regal and kind voice appeared right beside him. The minute he turned to face the visitor, he bowed in respect.

"Your Highness," he greeted his Queen.

Queen Persephone stood there, standing with poise with her hands folded womanly on her front. Thanatos could clearly see where Macaria had her looks from; Persephone had russet brown hair that framed her heart-shaped face and fell in soft waves to her waist and bright amber eyes that looked like a cross between honey and gold. Like Macaria, Persephone had a warm and gentle smile on her lips.

Before Thanatos could say anything else, Persephone suddenly said, "I know."

For some reason, Thanatos already knew what she meant by that.

"I have watched you, Thanatos," she explained. "I have taken notice of how you are around my daughter. I have seen what you feel for her in your eyes."

Anxiety enveloped his heart immediately and he became worried that the Queen would not be pleased about what she had found out about his feelings for her daughter. Partially, he was worried that she would voice her disapproval to her husband, but mostly he was worried that she would ask him to not be near Macaria anymore, because he felt that he could not do such a thing.

"Does it anger you, my lady?" he asked quietly. "If it does, I truly apologize."

But all of a sudden, Persephone took his hands in his and held his stare with her warm and kind eyes. With a gentle smile, she replied, "It does not anger me, Thanatos. In fact, I am glad."

This confused Thanatos slightly. "You are glad?" he questioned, wondering why it was so.

"I am glad that you return my daughter's feelings for you," Persephone told him kindly. "I am very sure that Macaria would be very glad to know this."

"What?" Thanatos breathed, his confusion clear in his voice. "What do you… Your grace, I do not understand… What do you mean by she would be 'very glad'?"

In response, Persephone giggled in amusement, as though he had just told her a funny joke. Pressing her fingertips to her lips to stop her bubbling laughter, she took a deep breath and answered him.

"I suppose you should know the truth that Macaria too is in love with you," she said knowingly with a thoughtful smile. "Since young, she would confide in me all the good things she admires about you and tell me of her budding feelings for you. In her young childish ways, she speaks to me of how she 'like likes' you and only hopes that you would feel the same for her someday."

This piece of information started to make Thanatos feel anew. His heart swelled with love at the thought that beautiful Macaria felt love for him as well. The thought of it seemed like a dream; a very beautiful dream.

But…

"I can see in your eyes that you are hesitant," Persephone pointed out, her head cocked slightly to the side to look at him in contemplation. "Why is that, Thanatos?"

With a sigh, Thanatos admitted, "I feel that I am not worthy of her, your grace. The only thing that bonds the both of us together is our dealings in death. But while mortals still fear me, they wait in anticipation for her. She is goodness and happiness. I am just Death itself."

Thanatos felt a slight clenching in his heart and moved to place his hand above it. He could feel his heart beating with both yearning of Macaria's love and pain that he could never be as glorious as her and worthy.

Persephone gently squeezed his hands, her smile taking a more reassuring look. With certainty in her eyes, she told him, "Love can happen regardless of whom the person is and what they do. I should know. Take heart, Thanatos. Macaria will surely to accept you."

Finally having said what she had wanted to say, Persephone let go of his hands and walked out of the archives, leaving Thanatos alone with his thoughts.

One night, Macaria and Thanatos ascended to the Aboveworld where two souls were to be collected by them. These two souls were husband and wife, both who had been very poor and had died of hunger.

They were at the hearing of the couple's judgement in the throne hall. Persephone sat on her throne with a kind smile as she gazed at the couple while Hades sat regally as he firmly sentenced the both of them their judgment.

"Both of you had been good to each other, from the minute you first met to the minute you fell in love to the minute of your death. Despite knowing your circumstances of being in poverty, the both of you still hold on to your immense love and remain happy. You would always wrap your husband in your single cloak of sheepskin when he returns home from collecting firewood, knowing that he would be cold despite the fact that you too are cold. You would always let your wife have the first bite of stale bread and let her have your last piece, knowing that she would be hungry despite the fact that you too are hungry. Such love and kindness lies in both your hearts."

With a thoughtful sigh, Hades finally announced their final judgement.

"As accordance to the Three Judges of the Dead, for your good deeds and actions, the both of you shall be sentenced to live in the blissful Elysian Fields. May you both live a happy afterlife."

Macaria and Thanatos personally led the couple to the Elysian Fields. Thanatos could not help but steal glances at the couple, who looked into each other's eyes lovingly with warm smiles on their lips, happy to know that they would still be together in a good afterlife. For some reason, Thanatos envied them, secretly wishing for moments like that with the goddess walking beside him.

As Thanatos watched the couple walk away hand-in-hand into the Elysian Fields, he felt his own hand being gently grasped by a warmer one. He turned his head to look at Macaria, who was gazing at him intently with thoughtful consideration.

At that moment, Thanatos could feel his heart swell with emotion once again. He couldn't tear his eyes away from Macaria's, turning his body to directly face her. He took her hands in his, holding them gently, caressing her smooth knuckles with pads of his thumbs, feeling more of her warmth.

Macaria then slowly skimmed her hands up his forearms, his arms, and then coming to a rest on his shoulders. She stepped closer to him, closing the space between them, never once tearing her eyes away from his. Before Thanatos could register what was going on, his hands had come to rest on Macaria's waist, clutching her as gently as when he held her.

Before Thanatos could tell himself to pull away, before he could tell himself to not do anything drastic, he had already leaned his head in and planted his lips softly on Macaria's.

The kiss was like her; soft, gentle and warm. But Thanatos could feel the overwhelming note of love and passion in this kiss. He gasped under his breath at the feel of her rosy lips on his, before kissing back once again for another sip of her sweet taste. Macaria returned the kiss eagerly, careful in her ministrations as she acted on the feelings for him that dwelt in her heart.

It was a while until Thanatos finally pulled his head back to rest his forehead gently on hers. Macaria's face was flushed and she was breathing deeply, but there was a new brightness in her orange eyes and a new warmth in the smile on her rosy lips.

"Thanatos…" she breathed, her sweet breath washing over his face like a cooling breeze. In a whisper, she told him, "I love you…"

It was then Thanatos finally felt peace within his heart. A peace that he thought he would never experience as the God of Death. He was glad that he knew now that he was wrong.

As his lips pulled into a smile, he replied, "I love you too, my dear."

"What?!"

Keeping his grey eyes down on the dark crimson carpeting as he knelt down on the floor, Thanatos could clearly hear the tone of disbelief in Hades' loud voice when he had told him of his request.

"You wish to court Macaria?" Hades questioned. "You wish to court my daughter?"

Thanatos willed himself to bring his head up to look at his King, and saw that Hades was on the edge of his seat on his ebony and gold throne, leaning forward slightly from where he was seated on the top of the tall marble dais. His pitch black eyes were wide with disbelief and his eyebrows were pulled into a confused frown. Beside him, Persephone sat with womanly poise on her jeweled ebony and gold throne, looking down at him with thoughtful amber eyes and a gentle and knowing smile.

Clearing his throat, Thanatos replied steadily, "Yes, my lord."

The disbelief and confusion in Hades' expression only grew tenfold. "Why do you request me of such a thing, Thanatos?" he questioned him curiously. "Truly, I cannot believe it."

Thanatos was glad that there was not a note of anger in Hades' voice, but was uncertain in how he was going to tell his lord about his reasons for wanting to court Macaria.

He wanted very much to court the young goddess who he was in love with and who was in love with him, because he thought of it as the proper way to start off a relationship. Also, Macaria was a Princess of the Underworld, so to ask for permission to be her suitor from her father Hades, the King of the Underworld and his Lord, was the right thing to do.

With a deep breath, Thanatos gathered his courage and started to explain.

"I feel that I have been shot by an arrow of Eros. I have feelings for Macaria that I myself cannot explain, but I know are very strong and pure. I know that this is true. My lord, I come to you today with good intentions to seek your permission to pursue a relationship with your daughter. If you deny it, then I will not rebel against your decision and I will respect it, because you are my King and I am your humble servant. But if you are ever so gracious to allow me that which I wish, then I will be forever grateful to you, as I am right now."

Thanatos knew that even though he would do anything to have Macaria be a permanent part of her life, he also knew very well that Hades had final say because he was the King and Macaria's father. If Hades were to deny it, Thanatos had no option but to abide to it, knowing better than to go against the God of the Dead.

Hades seated back in his throne once again, his eyes never leaving Thanatos'. The King looked uncertain and contemplative, trying to make sense of his minister's words and trying to come up with an answer.

Suddenly, Persephone, who had been quiet throughout the entire exchange, suddenly placed her hand atop her husband's. "Hades," she simply said, giving a smile to him as though to tell him through her eyes what was the right thing to do. Hades looked back into the eyes of his queen, holding her gaze as he tried to come up with a final answer.

Thanatos only watched the both of them in silence, his heart stammering with anxiety of the outcome.

Finally, Hades let out a long breath and turned his eyes to him once again. With seriousness clearly etched on his face, he said, "I have known you for more than a millennium, Thanatos. You are a good right-hand man, and a loyal one as well. Not only that, you too are a good and loyal friend."

With a sigh, Hades said with finality, but also a small smile, "Very well. I give you my permission to court my daughter."

Hearing that, Thanatos felt as though a great and heavy burden had been lifted off him. He exhaled a quiet and unnoticeable breath that he had been holding in; a breath of relief that he was glad that Hades was so very gracious.

"Thank you, my Lord," he replied with a grateful smile. "Forever, I will be thankful."

Hades' smile turned wider and he bowed his head once. Persephone looked at him happily, proud that he had done it.

"Now go, Thanatos," Hades instructed gently. "Find my daughter and tell her of your intentions."

Thanatos nodded and gave a deep bow to his King and Queen before turning away to make his exit out of the throne hall, his heart filling with so much happiness with each step he took.

When he had opened the grand bronze doors of the throne hall, he heard a retreating laughter at his side, at the right corridor from the throne hall. Turning his head in the direction of the laughter, his eyes widened when he saw Melinoe and Zagreus – Macaria's younger siblings and the princess and prince of the Underworld respectively – running off down the corridor, looking back at him with amusing smiles.

At least Thanatos didn't have to find Macaria to tell her.

"Thanatos!"

Looking away from the river Styx, Thanatos felt a smile appear on his face at the sound of her voice. He turned his body to face her, but was suddenly met with her arms wrapped tightly around his neck and her lips pressing against his.

He had to take a few seconds to realize what Macaria had just done before wrapping his own arms around her waist and kissing her back gently. It was only their second kiss, but the love and sweetness in the touch of their lips felt so very blissful.

Finally pulling her lips away from his, Macaria hugged him tightly, her face buried in the crook of his neck. Feeling her warmth radiate into his body, he felt her lips against his skin as she whispered, "Thank you."

His smile widened, and Thanatos embraced her even more tightly as he pressed his face into her sweet-smelling dark brown ringlets. With a sigh, he told her in a quiet whisper, "I love you, Macaria."

Thanatos felt her smile against his neck as she replied, "I love you, Thanatos."

His heart would beat only for Macaria; for her love, for her beauty, for everything that made her her. He felt more at peace in his heart than he ever was, all thanks to her glorious impenetrable presence in his mind, in his soul, and most especially in his heart.

Thankfully for Thanatos, his love for blissful Macaria will transcend death, forever and always.

Author's Note:

One word; AWWW!

Now isn't that just sweet?! I love writing about Thanatos being in love! He's so gentle and soft-hearted! I'm glad that he fell in love with Macaria! The both of them are such a cute couple!

Okay... I'm starting to fangirl... But what can I say? MacariaXThanatos is one of my OTPs in Greek Mythology! :D

Alright, I hope you guys enjoyed this one-shot, especially the MacariaXThanatos shippers!

Thanks for reading!

Muse of Fanfiction