A/N: Kind of character death in this part.. and I know that they are acting out of order, bear with me, please, ^^
Warnings, disclaimer, explaining of characters, etc., in first chapter.
Life's Request
Second Part
Broken Asunder
Life's holding the small boy's bony hand hard between his own, his forehead leaned against his hands as he prays silently. His face is a mask of tightly held back pain and his shoulders are tense. Death shifts in the shadows as he watches the two of them through the open door, leaned back against the wall in the dark corridor. Life looks up in surprise when he enters then he smiles painfully. The little boy, with his parch white skin, his hollowed out cheeks and dull but warm and loving almond eyes, looks up and greets him with a weak smile and a small nod. Death nods back, his whole Being twisting with pain at the look of the sickly boy half sitting in the bed. Various clear tubes and other long wires connect the child to beeping machines that supply his withering body with fluids and oxygen that keeps him hanging on to life. It's painful to see the cheery child in such a state. Life smiles tightly and says,
"Come here."
Death obeys, walking around the bed to stand beside Life who wraps an arm around his hips and leans his head against the curve of the raven's waist. Death combs his fingers into Life's hair and holds him against his side, meeting the boy's kind eyes with a sad smile.
"How are you?" he asks softly and the boy chuckles quietly, closing his eyes for a long moment before they open again.
"Tired, Sasuke." he whispers and Death sighs, nodding.
"I'm happy you're here." Life whispers against his side, and the boy smiles slightly and blinks to Death whose lips curl in a brief smile.
The boy settles in the white, crisp bed, nuzzling into the soft pillow like any child would do. He falls into an uneven sleep, that's broken with fits of coughing. Life watches him carefully, a worried frown on his face. Death knows exactly what he's feeling like, he himself is biting the inside of his cheek nervously. After a short while, a nurse enters and briefly nods to the two shadows she can see, knowing the boy usually draw the strangest things to him. She helps the boy sit up when he suddenly wakes and painfully wheeze for air. The child bends to the side, spitting up blood in the stainless metal bowl as he coughs violently as the nurse rubs his back comfortingly.
"Thank you, Sister." the boy breathes as he falls back against the bed, his small frame shivering as he weakly tugs at the cover. Before the nurse can help him, she sees how the cover lifts into the air slightly before it's pulled all the way up to the boy's chin, before something tucks it around him. A shiver raced down her spine as she watched it then she swallowed and asked softly,
"Anything else you'd like, dear Tom?"
"No, sweet Sister. And it's Tomoya." the child smiles slightly as he closes his eyes and the nurse nods before she leaves silently. The child looks like he's going back to sleep and both Life and Death are surprised when he says quietly,
"Naruto?"
"Mm?" Life hums and Tomaya turns his head, his eyes opening a silver.
"I'm tired." the child whispers and Life's heart sting with pain as he tenderly say,
"I know. I know."
Death closes his eyes and breathes out a deep sigh before he calms and opens his eyes again. He sits on the bed beside the child who reaches for his hand weakly. Taking it, he curls his pale fingers hard around the tiny hand. Tomoya smiles slightly and let his head fall to the side as he falls back into his slumber. After a while, hitches enter his breathing before a soft mist of white encloses his body. A long scythe appears in Death's hand and when onyx eyes briefly glances at Life, there's horror dawning on his features.
"No, no, no, no, no.." Life whispers, tears suddenly blearing his sight, tears that will fall but doesn't just yet. Death sighs and turns to Tomoya who is looking at him with those warm almond eyes.
"Are you ready?"
Tomoya nods once and Life grabs the back of Death's suit and tugs. Death swirls around, the scythe singing when it cuts through the air. Death just barely halts it before it manages to cut Life's throat.
"You imbecile! I could have hurt you!" he shouts, his heart pounding wildly in fright. The words dies on his lips when Life stares at him accusingly, anger swimming in his blue orbs.
"Don't tell me you're here for what I think now."
"Life.." Death sighs and Life jerks him back until they are nose to nose, and Life's back is towards the sickly boy.
"You cannot Take him." he says, his voice hard. Death dully looks at him as the blond man grabs his collar and shakes him violently, shouting,
"You can't! Hear me? You cannot Take him!"
Death grimace at the desperate tone to Life's voice then he lifts Life's hands away.
"I'm on Duty, Life. Step aside." he says and Wills it to Be. Life rages when he is forced to step aside, his body moving on its own.
"You cannot do this! Sasuke! You can't! YOU CAN'T DO THIS!" he screams and Death sighs as he steps up to the bed, sitting down beside the shivering boy. As he lifts the cover higher, almond eyes open and the small boy asks,
"Is it time?"
"Very soon." Death answers with a thin smile and the child nods, sighing in relief.
"Okay." he whispers then takes a deep breath and calls shakily,
"Sister Amyx?"
Death takes the boy's trembling hand again when he weakly reaches for him and the boy breathes in deeply when the nurse enters, a worried frown on her face.
"What is it, dear?" she asks and Tomoya smiles slightly then says silently,
"Tell mum, dad and my siblings I love them, okay? And thank you for looking after me."
"Oh, Tomoya.." the woman says with a trembling voice as she covers her mouth with her hand, her eyes brimming with tears. The child smiles tightly and closes his eyes, but not before Life sees the light in his dulled almond eyes start to fade away.
"If you Take him, I will never forgive you." Life whispers, pain in his whole Being and Death winches. The child opens his eyes a little and sighs,
"You don't have to, dear Sasuke."
Death smiles thinly and says, his voice kind,
"But I must. Your time is up and I owe you the rest, a rest you if anyone have deserved."
Tomoya nods, relief his expression, and Life howls with pain and sorrow, unable to do anything as Death gently strokes the child's cheek as his last breath leaves his bony frame along the tender light in his eyes.
Death watches with a pained smile as the loving soul sits up from the cooling body in the bed, the surprise on its features offering a kind of relief from his pain.
"I feel good." the soul murmurs then looks up from his hands to meet Death's onyx eyes and asks, with a smile,
"Shall we go now?"
Death nods and lifts him up before he rise, the soul laughing happily from its place on Death's shoulders. Life's on his knees in the middle of the white room, staring emptily into the space before him and for a split second, Death is unsure about what to do. Then he walks into the bright light, carrying the weightless soul on his shoulders as Life's blue eyes brims and shimmers with fresh tears that will fall shortly, freely down his cheeks. Just as Death and the soul is about to disappear entirely into the bright light, it turns its head and smiles brightly at Life.
"Thank you." it says and Life collapses in utter grief as Death Takes the soul back to the Creator, thankful that it's at least no longer hurting.
When Death appears in the clearing, he is only briefly surprised over the blond ball of energy that storms at him. Life yells at him as he hits him furiously, his strength diminished by his sorrow and insignificant to Death who let him.
"You killed him! You traitor, you murderer! I hate you, I hate you!" Life screams as he pounds his fists against Death's chest. Knowing Life isn't composed enough to calm down, the raven grabs his wrists in a vice like grip, stopping him, and holds him closer. Life cries as he struggles violently, his eyes clenched shut with the pain the sorrow of losing that child brought.
Life's gasps of anguish trembles through the pale man who wrinkles his eyebrows in pain before he let go of Life's wrists and wraps his arms around him tightly. He holds the despairing blond hard against his chest as the other hits him on his back with strength enough to make Death grimace.
"I hate you, I hate you, I hate you!" Life cries and the other natural forces, emotions and necessities in the clearing Feels Life's pain course through them as the blond breaks down. Some are crying openly, other ones are holding back those that rage and Death looks at them, seeing the loathing in their eyes. As he glances down at Life, his forehead wrinkles as he sighs before he holds the crying man tighter. As realization dawns on the other ones' faces, they understand that the event of this soul dying has hurt Death itself beyond words.
Life's screams winds down until he's clutching the back of Death's suit, just crying harshly against his chest, the raven's arms wrapped hard around him. Wails of utter pain and grief leaves him as he sobs, clinging to the raven's slender form, and Death holds him yet harder as he buries his face in Life's unruly blond hair, his brow furrowed with pain. He breathes in the scent of cinnamon and sunshine the blond has deeply, and it soothes the aching, black hole in his Being, a hole Tomoya's unconditional love for his fellow beings had filled. Even while dying, the child had spared no thought for himself, almost driving his family crazy when he didn't complain over how unfair it was like anybody else would have done. He'd kept on smiling, never once despairing, yet knowing exactly what the outcome of his illness would be.
And now Life itself cried for him, a whole realm lost in sorrow because of his death.
Nine years earlier
Life's rendered speechless as he meets the almond colored eyes of the child and he Pulls Death to his side. Upon seeing the child, the irritated look in Death's eyes disappear as the words of complaint dies on his lips and Life's lips quirk up slightly. Death walks over to the child that can't be more than three years old and kneels down beside him, gently touching a rosy cheek. The boy looks at him, not through him but at him, and smiles.
"Hi! I'm Tomoya! What's your name?" the child asks and Death's taken aback, glancing at Life who is worrying his lower lip between his teeth. The tanned man nods in affirmation and Death looks back at the child.
"Tomoya. That's an unusual name for an Englishman. I'm Death." he replies and the boy smiles brightly and hugs him.
"Then I know both Life and Death now! I'm happy I do!" the child beams and Death's extremely shocked that not only can the boy see them, he can touch them as well! The knowledge of who this is struck him like lightening and he plunges into a silence that lasts for hours and has both Life and Health worry over him when they get back.
Life jumps when Death suddenly looks at him, folds his hands and holds them against his mouth as he says,
"I know him."
Onyx eyes are filled with darkness and the clearing falls silent as they all looks expectantly at him. Death doesn't move a muscle, doesn't even twitch, just continues to stare at Life who suddenly is sweating.
"Shit." the blond whispers and the others step back a pace in fright, worriedly looking between Death and Life who are staring at each other unblinkingly. There's few things that intimidates both Life and Death.
Suddenly, light floods the clearing and Life snaps his head up as the Creator bear down upon them with a rarely shown power that forces even him to kneel among the other deities. To Death, it's devastating, and they can all hear Night's pain filled holler when light sears his Being apart.
Children, are Thou telling the Truth?
the Creator asks, a shimmering shape in the middle of the clearing, just a few steps away from Life and barely a meter from Death. The others rendered speechless in the Creator's overbearing presence can't answer and so Life does.
"Yes, my Lord. He is among us once more."
Death had crumpled to the ground when the Creator had appeared and he lies spasming on the ground, the Need to move Away so strong in him that it's tearing him apart. But now he can't even move, he is not Allowed to. The Creator turns to him and ruthlessly demands,
Death, are Thou speaking the Truth?
Death gasps for air that refuses to enter his lungs, much less answer the question. His eyes are clenched shut with pain and he's bleeding from his nose and ear, his heart beating wildly and much too fast in his ribcage.
"My Lord, please!" Life begs and the Creator takes pity on him, finally, and shrinks to the size of a candle's flame. Death had gulped down hair, tears of pain falling from his shut eyes as he curls into himself.
Little One.. I apologize.
It says softly and warmth and love seeps into Death's aching limbs, soothing him the tiniest of bits.
Are Thou telling the Truth, Little One?
It asks again and Death nods weakly, unable to look up from where he's curled into a fetal position. His body is as weak as a newborn kitten's and he's completely helpless at the moment. Life rises and moves to his side but remains standing, and the Creator says commandingly, leaving them no choice but to Listen and Obey,
Thou, Life, will Care for this child. Hope and Pray that his life will Be easier than last time. Do Everything Thou can for it's Happiness.
"Yes, my Lord." Life answers with a deep bow and they Feel the Creator's satisfaction as It disappears.
Death lurches to the side and retches as Life drops down to his knees. He cradles the raven to his chest as soon as the pale man's stomach is empty and holds Death hard against himself. Death had cried silently, pain still wrecking havoc within his body and twilight floods the clearing when Day rushes to Night's side when the man literally falls out of the sky. Life murmurs nonsense to him as Death stares at nothing, an emptiness that's frightening in his eyes as he desperately tries to get a grip of himself but is unable to, his Being blown to pieces from the Creator's Force.
After a while, Day and Night comes over to them and Night places one hand on Sasuke's shoulder, his other on Day's, as Day puts a hand on Life's shoulder and the other on Death's. Health and Joy joins in, placing their hands on Day's and Night's shoulders. And then Fate and Wind and Sleep, until they are all standing in a wide circle but close together, every deity lending his or hers support.
And in Life's loving embrace, with all that know him around and aiding him, Death recovers.
R.I.P.
Tomoya Andres Alexis
1927 – 1938
"All will remember you as
The loving person
One wonders how the world could do without,
And,
In our hearts,
We will forever see the happy little boy
That made the world that much brighter by just being around.
Rest well, dear child."
Death's kneeling on the snow covered ground, tracing the epitaph with his cold fingertips. He shivers in the cold wind and tugs on the coat that's draped over his shoulders. With a sigh, he stands and looks down at the withering tomb, wondering why that child had to die. He remember the Creator's kind voice when he'd asked the same that long time ago,
Every Being must Die, Death. No one can avoid that. But Be at Ease, this soul is finally Free from pain.
Smiling thinly, he turns and looks out over the graveyard, from afar seeing the boy's family approach. He stays a little bit longer and hears the boy's younger brother, Cedric, exclaim,
"Mum! Look! Somebody's left white Lilies again!"
"Oh, my! You are right! I wonder who it is that come here every year and leaves flowers to Tomoya." the woman says, her hair the same dark brown color as Tomoya's had been. It makes Death's heart ache and he leans his hip against the tall stone, looking down at the grave and the flowers.
"I hope you are well, dear child." he murmurs then hears several gasps and looks up. The whole family, six children and all, is staring at him with shock written across their faces. Confused, he looks over his shoulder but sees nothing.
"Who are you? Where did you come from?" Cedric asks, surprise in his voice and Death blinks and looks at him.
"Can you see me?" he asks and the boy rolls his eyes.
"Of course I can! What are you, a lunatic or something?" he says and Death glares.
"I am Death." he says and the woman, Leonora, pulls her son back with a frown as she says silently,
"Don't upset him, he obviously isn't well."
Death's eye twitch and he drags a hand over his face with a sigh.
"How in the world did you manage them, Tomoya?" he mutters then sighs again before he turns to the tomb and bows deeply.
"Rest at ease, Tomoya, my dear child."
"Death?" a voice asks behind him and Death turns abruptly, his eyes widening comically at seeing the whole bunch of deities.
"You do know that you have lost your shield, right?" Night continues with a hint of amusement in his voice.
"What?" Death exclaims and looks down, noting that he's leaving foot prints and casts a shadow. Looking back at Tomoya's family, he realizes that his shield, indeed, is down.
"Oh, curse it." he whispers softly then hears Leonora gasps.
"Who are all you people?" she asks, clearly upset, and Death looks at the deities again. They all cast a shadow now, but are still floating just a decimeter above the snow.
"We are what you call gods." Beast grins and Cedric snorts.
"There are no such thing as a god." he says and the deities winch at the clap of thunder above them.
"We humbly beg Thy forgiveness for this child, Lord." they chorus and Feels the Creator's satisfaction. Cedric gapes at them until Sander coughs
and nudges his son. The deities floats forward, crowding around the tomb as they lay down a bouquet of white lilies or roses each and touch their fingertips to their lips before pressing them against the cold stone, in a kiss.
"Hello, dear child." they say softly, murmuring greetings. Leonora and Sander's children are all looking with disbelief at the deities who are kneeling on the ground around their brothers grave, and Leonora and Sander can't really grasp what's going on either.
"Day sends his regards too, Tomoya, our beloved child." Night murmurs before he stands and bows.
Death looks down in confusion when a small hand tugs at his hand. He sees a little girl, Tomoya's sister Andrea, who looks at him curiously.
"Are you really Death?" she asks and Death blinks then smiles tiredly and lifts her up.
"Yes, child. And that is my brother, Night." he says, pointing at Night who is about to leave, fading away as he walks up in the air.
"Oh.. Who is she, the girl with long hair and pale eyes?" Andrea asks and points at Neji with her small hand, making Death chuckle.
"He is Fate. He has a say in what will happen in your life." he says and Andrea frowns slightly.
"Did he decide that older brother would become sick?"
"No, definitely not." Death sighs and Andrea tilts her head to the side then points at a scruffy brunette and says,
"Who is he? He looks a bit like a dog."
"That's Beast. And the girl next to him is Moon or Shyness." Death says and Andrea smiles then points at the busty blond standing beside the tombstone. Death smirks slightly.
"That's Health. And the blond girl with long hair is Love."
"Who is the one with bubble gum hair?" Andrea asks curiously and Death looks over at Joy.
"That's Joy. And the two beside her is Earth and Time. The gray haired one is Time and he with kind eyes is Earth."
"And that scary man over there?" Andrea whispers and Death snorts when he sees that she's pointing at Wind.
"That's Wind. Don't worry, he can be nice even than he looks like a bad guy."
Andrea frowns deeply as she looks over the crowd then she looks at Death with wide, questioning eyes and asks,
"But, if you are Death, where's Life?"
Death starts then sighs and set the little girl down.
"I don't know, little one, I don't know." he says and the girl press her tiny hand against his cheek.
"Are you sad?" she asks and Death smiles thinly.
"A little. Now get going." he murmurs and pushes her towards her mother. Andrea smiles then, before she walks back, says,
"You know, you look just like Tomoya said you would."
Death looks after her, smiling slightly then he straightens and walks away as the other deities vanish. Just as he is about to leave, he hears Andrea ask with her bright voice,
"Are you Life?"
Swirling around, Death meet Life's azure blue eyes before the man looks down at the little girl and smiles painfully.
"Go back to your parents, little one." he whispers and shoos the girl away, making her giggle as she runs back and hides behind her older brother Sam.
Death takes a hesitant step back as he cloaks himself, watching as Life puts his own shields back before he kneels before Tomoya and puts down a single blood red rose.
"I hope you are well, my dear child." Life whispers as he presses a kiss to the back of his knuckles before extending it onto the tombstone. For a moment, the tanned man stays in that position then he rises and begins to walk away as the family crowds around the tomb, chattering excitedly with each other about the strange event. They include Tomoya in their discussion and it's endearing to see but right now, he just can't concentrate.
Death watches as pain makes his breath hitch. For ten years, Life hasn't uttered a single word to him. For a whole decade, Life has barely looked at him and it's tearing him to pieces, the pain worse than when Tomoya died. He turns his eyes away, closing them as he prepares to leave again, to the small, lonesome clearing he usually goes to now. So sure Life won't speak to him or even look at him, he almost jumps out of his skin when a warm hand lands on his shoulder and Life's soft voice murmurs,
"And where do you think you are going?"
"Back." Death breathes, not daring to turn around and look, afraid he is imagining things.
"To your lone corner of the world?"
"Hn." Death grunts, hearing the slight amusement in Life's voice.
"Can I come along then?"
Death turns around abruptly, and is met with a soft smile and warm lips as Life Wills them away. Standing stiffly in Life's embrace, Death leans away from the brush of lips and looks at Life with hesitance in his eyes. Life sobers and leans their foreheads together, making Death frown slightly. The moron seems to have grown another inch on him.
"I'm sorry." Life murmurs, quiet unexpectedly and Death scowls.
"You don't say a word to me for ten years and expect me to forgive you just like that?" he mutters and deadpans at the confused look on Life's face.
"Um, yes?" the blond says, a little hint of amusement in his voice, and Death stares incredulous at him. Life becomes serious again and says,
"Actually, no. I've been a jerk, and I'm sorry for it. I'm not asking you to forgive me, I'm asking you to give me a second chance."
Death looks at him then sighs and leans his forehead against the blond's chest, surrendering.
"Always." he whispers and Life breathes out in relief. Death's amazed over how much the man seems to have grown up in their time apart and he straightens and gently touches Life's cheek with his hand. Life smiles slightly then hugs him hard, burying his face against the crook of Death's neck.
And it's wonderful. The gentle puffs of air, the warmth from the blond's body enclosing him as if it was a blanket, the steady heartbeats beneath his splayed hands as he press them against Life's back, the strong arms wrapped tightly around him.
"Hey, what are you thinking about?" Life asks and brushes his fingers across Death's wrinkled forehead.
"You." he answers truthfully and Life looks slightly startled before he hums and chuckles.
"What are you thinking about except me?"
"The day you decided to completely stop talking to me, ten years ago. And why it took you ten years to start again."
Life winches then sighs and holds him closer. Death let him, it's not like he Needs closeness, but he does Need Life.
"Because it took me a whole decade to be able to handle the sorrow of Tomoya's death. I watched you though. I know the others pushed you out because of me and Sasuke, I'm sorry for that. I'm sorry for everything." Life murmurs silently and Death casts his eyes away with a sigh.
"It's nothing new to me, Life. I can function perfectly fine when alone too."
"Mhmm.. Is that so." Life hums then touches his fingertips to Death's temple and the raven pales further when the blond calls memories up front.
"Is that so?" Life mumbles as he shows Death the first and second night in this lonesome clearing he's called his own for the past nine years and eleven months.
"Stop it." Death says, knowing those nights and remembering them by heart. He doesn't need to be reminded of them! He has no right to-..!
"I said stop!" he shouts and slaps Life's hands away from himself, walking several paces away and wrapping his arms around himself, shivering uncontrollably.
He sighs as he curls up against the tree, the thick branches providing a little bit of shelter against the pouring rain. Lord, he's so tired.. As he closes his eyes, the rain pours more heavily and within seconds he's soaked through and shivering uncontrollably, shaking like a leaf. With a groan he, opens his eyes and glares up at the storm clouds above him. Then he sighs and curls together a bit more, wrapping the memory of Life's warmth around himself to be able to fall into a fitful slumber that thunder wakes him up from every ten minutes throughout the whole night. In the morning, he uncurls from his position, his limbs stiff and aching. He jumps down and almost cries out but instead bites clean through his lower lip when he lands, the harsh jolts of pain rushing through him making his head swim. He swears without actual words, wondering why deities can get hurt and have to sleep when they were immortal. It's ludicrous.
He stumbles back against the tree and falls down onto his bottom when he finds it's support. He wills his shoe and sock away then rolls up his pant's leg and glares angrily at the red and swollen state of his ankle. It's not looking good.
"Shit." he whispers then carefully places two fingertips against his throbbing ankle. The pain is excruciating but at least he doesn't seem to have broken it, it's just twisted to hell. Actually swearing now, he Wills his shirt to become a bandage and wraps his ankle hard, almost screaming when he's finally done.
Experimentally, he tries to rise only to find his left leg completely useless because of the twist. His scythe appears next to him and he drags himself up, leaning heavily against it and against the tree's trunk. He slams his palm against the tree just to make some of the pain go away, trying to concentrate on anything but his ankle. After a while, he picks out the old scroll and rolls it out. It's full of names and still filling up. Death stares at it in wonder for a while then he rolls his eyes.
"Oh, great. Another war. Stupid humans and their stupid ideas." he mutters then Wills himself to Europe.
For a bit more than seven years he has so much to do that every day is living his work, and every night is a span of sleeplessness because of the fact that he has more work to do. His scythe is red with blood that never dries because of the many souls he slays when he walks across the battlefields, the soil under his feet drenched with the liquid meant to sustain life, not function as nutrition to the plants.
It's madness, pure madness. And the few times he can rest, he can only curl into himself after he's emptied his stomach and cry over the humans' stupidity. It's insane. He shouldn't feel anything, he's Death for Heaven's sake! And yet, he can't help but pity the fools that comes up with this kind of idiocy or be disgusted of how far a human can go for her own winning!
Desperately, he wishes that Life will appear and make it tolerable, let him know that in some other part of the world, happiness is thriving.
But he never does.
And now, Life's arms are so familiar around him, as if he never left. As if those ten years of pain and utter hell never went by. It's so absurd and ridiculous that it's not even funny. Death blinks.
And when did he wrap his arms around me again?
Death thinks, slightly annoyed and glares at Life who smiles knowingly.
"Just let me." the blond whispers against his temple and Death sighs.
"For now."
~Written by Kickilia, 2011~