The Heavens created them on the same day.

One was named Death. He wasn't tall, and wasn't built big and strong like so many of the other spirits. But he was feared the most of all. His skin was so pale it seemed to glow. His eyes were as blue as summer skies and his smile was as bright as the sun. He kept his dark curly hair hidden away. There was one who could see it, though...

One was named Life. He was tall, so tall he that towered over all the spirits. His skin was tanned and littered with freckles. The Heavens said he had one for each of the souls he cared for. He was strength incarnate. He was fast and swift. His voice could BOOM, but his whispers were known for shaking even the Heavens. His hair was the color of the blood that filled the souls that he'd give Death and his eyes as green as grass in Spring.

And when they were introduced, Life recoiled in fear and disgust and Death sighed.

"I will not hurt you," Death said. "Just what you embody."

It took moment or two for Life understand what Death meant. And when He did, his heart shattered and the Heavens cried.

The Mother of them all, clasped their hands within hers.

"You two will bring balance to the lower planes. But you must work together,"

"How?!," Life asked.

"You are gifts we are giving to mankind. To balance them. To make them appreciate what they have and cherish it. Many will never do it when they are with you Life, but when Death comes for them, they will. Life, you will give every man to Death when their time comes"

"And what will Death give to me?," Life asked curiously, but also selfishly.

Mother sighed.

"Nothing but time," she replied.

She sent them to their families with mankind to start their service for mankind and the Heavens. Life was given the name Kevin. Death was called Eddward. Kevin preferred to call him Edd, though. Their families lived within walking distance of each other and the two boys grew up together.

But then the age of maturity was upon them. Kevin soon found that some of his friends were keen on sending themselves into Death's good graces as they had not reached the point in their maturity to not do such things.

"Do not take them! They are not ready," he'd plead with Edd as he called him when friend after friend would come knocking on Death's door.

"Then who is, Kevin!?," Edd would ask, staring Life, and therefore Kevin down, willing him to defy Death.

"There are some old ones who have lived their lives. Please take them instead."

Edd would sigh, but he realized that Kevin was right. So the old were taken, but it was always someone who was close to the young who had nearly sent themselves to Death.

To Kevin, it was like he was doing mankind a favor and giving them a gift of his own. The old had lived their lives and thus, had the foresight to appreciate what life had done for them. But those that were left behind would mourn as they had not yet begun to appreciate their love one's life.

This went on for quite sometime, and Kevin started to notice that for each old soul that he sent to Edd, two new one souls would take the former souls place. Things were getting crowded and Kevin couldn't be everywhere. When he lost his first young life, he was devastated.

Edd found him high up on a rocky cliff overlooking the ocean. He was sitting on the edge, his usual white cloak was dingy, his skin had lost its glow and his bright eyes looked dim.

Edd came and sat next to him, and when the wind knocked the hoods of their cloaks off their heads, they really looked at each other like they did the first time. While Kevin as Life had feared Edd as Death for what he could do to himself and mankind, he had to acknowledge there was a beauty about him that not many would ever truly appreciate.

"I can see why they all love you so much," Edd said as he cupped Kevin's strong jaw in his delicate hand.

"Oh?"

"You are beautiful."

"I could say the same about you," Kevin said with a grin.

Edd's heart skipped a few beats at the sight of Life, looking up at him with adoring eyes and a smile that Edd wanted to keep with him for forever.

"I'm Death. How am I beautiful?," Edd asked snarkly.

Kevin sighed.

"You are the last one that anyone wants to see usually. But so many have looked for you to take them away with joy as what they have done here is complete and they are ready to move on. That, Edd, is truly a beautiful thing."

"I can tell you that the young one I just met today wasn't happy."

"I know," Kevin said as he chocked on a sob and hurriedly wiped the tears that were falling out of his eyes. "I tried, I really did!"

Edd sat quietly as Kevin jumped up and paced around the small, precarious space they were sitting on.

"What am I going to do?!," Kevin screamed into the Heaven's.

"Live. And try again. I get one and you get two. You will survive this and you will try again," Edd said quietly.

Kevin pulled himself together and closed his eyes and envisioned the whole of mankind around him. Some would go when many felt it was their time, but many more wouldn't. He decided then and there to be there when it was their time, whether he liked it or not.

And that's when Life truly started to live.

He would watch over mankind, working for and helping them however he could, but when the time came, he'd walk the souls to Death, his instructions from the Heaven's for Death to send them to wherever their soul's work had determined they'd spend eternity.

Watching Life work with him instead of against him, drew Death closer and closer to him. It wasn't long until they began to truly understand what Mother had meant when she said that they were to balance out mankind and bring order to the chaos that if left unchecked, would surely reign in the lower planes of the the Heavens.

And as they balanced out mankind, their minds and hearts became one. They fell in love and couldn't shake each other, but it broke their hearts. Life could not stay with Death and Death could not live with Life. As they were the very antithesis of one other they could exist together, but not as one.

But Life was always full of surprises and wouldn't give up on the love he felt for Death.

Each soul soon became gift wrapped, instructions placed carefully on top as Death preferred and a note on how each soul had lived, loved and lost over the course of their long or short lifetime. And another note would be placed into the soul's hand. This note was a note from Life to Death and it would always read the same way.

My love for you is like time. It is for eternity. It will never end.

Eternally yours,

Kevin

And unlike mankind, Edd cherished Life's gifts for forever.