Spirit loved being Lord Death's personal weapon, he really did. It was a great honor, as only one death scythe got that honor at any given time. He got to spend extensive amounts of time around the most powerful thing alive, the one who controlled death itself, and got to be his close friend, his confidante. Lord Death had told him information about his past and about the kishin under the school that only a few select people got to know about every generation. But right now, Lord Death was starting to get on his nerves.
Spirit had always been grateful that Lord Death had let him wander away from his post by his side frequently, which had allowed him to be around his Maka a lot, but now Maka was in school, and so he was with Lord Death more often. So they talked a lot. It's the topic of conversation that was bothering Spirit right now. No matter what they had started talking about, Lord Death would always spin the conversation around to his little son, Death the Kid.
Now, it wasn't that Spirit didn't understand Lord Death's situation with Kid, he actually felt bad for him. Kid was only seven years old, but he was being raised by his nanny and her husband, not Lord Death. Lord Death missed Kid, even for a death god, it wasn't quite natural to be separated from their young as early as Lord Death had. Lord Death had told him that the case of Kid was already special, as normally when siring an heir, they are made young, so that they can learn about things like fear and balance naturally and aren't overwhelmed, but never as young as Lord Death had made Kid. He had admitted that he had gone a little overboard, but even then death gods normal keep their children into their late teens, when they became their own independent God of Death when they connected their second line. Because of all the extra responsibilities Lord Death had piled on him with the high population and the managing of the school, he had to hand over the responsibility to someone else. Spirit knew that this bothered Lord Death a lot more then he would ever bother saying out loud, and Spirit couldn't really blame him. He couldn't imagine handing Maka over to someone else.
Ever since Kid had turned four and went to live with his nanny in the Gallows, Lord Death had slowly and progressively been talking about Kid more and more over the last three years, which lead up to right now. Lord Death was babbling on about something. Kid this, Kid that, while using his mirror to display some old memories of Kid. Spirit snapped.
"You know, Lord Death, it really seems like you really miss Kid, why don't you take a day off, go spend some time with the little guy, I'm sure he'd be over the moon." Spirit gave a tense smile, hoping to distract the god.
"Hm? You know full well I can't do that, I risk enough the few times a year that I go watch his weapon training. It's fine, I'll get to see him in another two days for training in reaper combat arts."
"All due respect, Lord Death, but I don't really think it's that you can't, but that you won't." Spirit sucked in a breath and held it, knowing full well what was coming.
"Come again?" There it was, Lord Death's serious tone. Ah! Makes Spirit shiver.
"I know you can't leave Death City cause your bonded to the city to keep the kishin down or whatever-"
"It's a tad more complicated than that."
"-, but it's not like you can't leave the academy at all. You can walk around the city all you want; you just don't want to. You're scared to leave the academy because you're afraid of someone breaking in a reviving the kishin. Well, right now everything is really peaceful. The school is packed to the gills in security, you've got things planned out and scheduled for days, you can afford a day off to spend with your son." Spirit was firm, a rare form for Spirit, but not only was this to preserve Spirit's sanity, but it had to do with a family, and Spirit held family over everything else. "I'm sure Kid misses you as much as you miss him, it could do him some good." Spirit braced himself for the rejection.
"… You have a point. Yes, I think I will. Tomorrow I'll head over to the Gallows and spend some time with my boy!" Lord Death twirled a finger in the air, his voice back to its normal cheerful self. Spirit sweat dropped. He really never could tell what his boss was going to do.
The next morning in the Gallows Mansion…
Lord Death had decided to open the day by making breakfast. That was thing dads did, right? He had decided on pancakes, because he was fairly certain he could make them symmetrical for his little boy. At the very least, he could use some cookie cutters that had symmetrical shapes. Only the best for Kiddo. Now he just had to figure out how to make pancakes. He hadn't cooked since he had Kid in his charge three years ago, and even then it was only dinner, Samantha had made him breakfast and lunch. Lord Death didn't normally cook, on account of he didn't have to eat, although he did enjoy some tea and cookies every once and awhile, just because they were good and he missed the days when he still had a physical body to eat with, but he was fairly certain that kid didn't want tea and cookies for breakfast.
And then, just as Death had finally started to mix the pancake batter, Samantha and Tim entered the kitchen, Samantha dressed in her night gown and Tim in some flannel pants and a robe. The couple laid eyes on Lord Death, stopped in their tracks and immediately started to right themselves.
"Lord Death, what are you doing here?" Samantha chuckled nervously, adjusting her robe so that she was showing a little less cleavage. Lord Death was confused, had he forgotten to tell him he was coming over? Opps.
"I decided that I was going to take the day off to spend with Kiddo! It's been such a long time since we've had some quality family time. I hope this isn't a problem." He tilted his head at the nanny, who shook her head vigorously.
"No, no, no, no problem at all. Just unexpected is all." Samantha smiled. "I'm sure Kid will be happy you're here."
"Fantastic! And I'm sure you'll appreciate the day off." Lord Death said as he went back to mixing, an action that looked awkward with his giant hands. "I know Kiddo can be a handful."
"I've gotten used it, really, plus ever since he dismissed his tutor, he's been spending a lot of time in the library reading." Samantha smiled, leaning against the counter. "He's like the itty bittiest bookworm. It's sort of adorable."
"You should probably inform him of the schedule, Sam-I-Am." Tim said, seeming to have recovered from the shock and was heading towards the fridge.
"Right, so Kid'll be up in around fifteen minutes, after that I normally watch cartoons with him till ten, but that is something I impose on him so he can have something sort of normal in his life, so he might resist a bit. After cartoons, he goes and reads till lunchtime. Would you like me to make lunch?" She peered up at his mask, and he seemed to be considering it.
"If it wouldn't be too much trouble."
"It's no problem. Anyway, after lunch I usually have him do something to help him burn off the energy from lunch, let him skateboard or practice with his weapons. Sometimes we explore the house and find a new room to do something in, but that's really only if he is in a good mood. After that he might try to go read some more, it really just depends. Sometimes we watch TV together in the afternoon, if Kid isn't too busy. Dinner is at eight, then Kid usually tries to go to sleep, but it normally takes him awhile." Samantha finished. "But that is only for normal days like today, then there are his reaper lessons with you and weapons training with his teacher, but you don't really need that just for today. He might be willing to change it up for you, but he can be sort of particular, but I'm sure you know that."
"That all sounds good." Lord Death nodded, pulling out a pan to put on the hot coil. When he did that he noticed that Tim had taken a nice little spot right by his wife, and so Lord Death said the first thing that came to his mind. "So, are you two thinking about having children yourselves?" There was absolutely no tact used here.
"Wha- woah! Why do you ask?" Tim chuckled as he and Samantha both turned bright red.
"You seem like a cute couple, very friendly, close, reproduction seems like the next logical step." Lord Death shrugged, still using a tone that didn't reflect the sort of intimate question he had brought up. "Besides, it'd be nice if there were some extra little kiddos running around here with Kid."
"Well, we have thought about it, but we decided to wait until we move out of here, y'know whenever Kid is old enough to take care himself. We feel bad enough living here for free." Samantha rubbed the back of her neck, tilting her head sheepishly.
"Nonsense! And you aren't living here for free, your living here as payment for taking care of my son for me." Samantha almost brought up that Lord Death did, in fact, pay her a small sum for her services for legal reasons. "An exchange of goods, just like in the good ol' days! None of that money nonsense, things were so much simpler back then. I remember back when they first started to use paper money to represent measures of gold, boy did that get out of-"
"Right, but still, we'd feel bad if we had a bunch of kids under your roof, just doesn't feel right." Tim smiled, waving a hand. "We are fine the way things are now."
"Yes, as I understand it you are saving up money from your job to buy a house for you and Mrs. Samantha, aren't you?"
"Yes sir." Tim normally didn't use such formalities like 'sir', but he felt it was necessary with Lord Death. "I figure that by the time Kid can take care of himself in another year or two, I can put us up somewhere really nice. Maybe somewhere near LA."
"That's a wonderful plan." Lord Death said, pouring some batter onto the hot pan.
Just then the sound of wheels rolling against hardwood floor sounded and soon little Kid appeared, rolling into the kitchen on Beelzebub in his black, silk pajamas with tired eyes. Beelzebub was rolling on his own and Kid looked like he sleeping on his feet.
"Mornin' Samantha, Tim." Kid mumbled sleepily, not even looking up, but when he did turn his head to look and saw his father, who had turned his head at the arrival of his son. Kid's eyes flew wide open and Beelzebub disappeared in a cloud of smoke beneath him. Upon landing on the floor, Kid straitened his slumped posture and ran his hands over his clothes to make them as neat and symmetrical as he could. "Father, what are you doing here."
"Oh, Kiddo, would you relax. I'm here to spend the day with you. Surprise!" Lord Death waved his hands, almost dropping his spatula in the process. "Oh, just look how adorable you are in your little pajamas! You are just the cutest!"
"Thank you, Father." Kid blushed a little, relaxing slightly and shuffling towards his seat. After he took his seat at the kitchen island in the dead center of the room, he looked up with a hopeful twinkle in his eyes. "You are really staying the whole day?"
"Yes siree-bob! Death Scythe thought it would be a good idea, because we haven't spent some quality time together in awhile, you know how he is about family matters, and I agreed with him." Lord Death turned back to flip the pancakes. "It really has been too long." He hummed and Kid got a thoughtful look on his face.
"I don't mean to be rude, Father, but… I don't think I remember us ever spending a full day together." Kid finished his statement by looking down at the table. Samantha and Tim started to look and feel awkward.
"Oh…" Lord Death hadn't really thought of it, but he supposed they hadn't spent a full day together since Kid was an infant. "I suppose you wouldn't. That's unfortunate, but I'm here now, aren't I?"
"Yes." Kid nodded, looking up from the table and smiling. "Your making pancakes?"
"Yes, I thought it would be easy enough and easy to make symmetrical for you. Only the best for my little reaper." Lord Death nodded at himself, patting the pancakes down. "After this we can go watch your morning cartoons."
"Surely you wouldn't want to do that, they would only bore you." Kid shook his little head, his hair flopping about. If Lord Death had eyebrows, they would be raised. When did Kid's speech get so fancy pancy? Had he been speaking like that for a while and Lord Death just not noticed? He knew Kid was smart, but…
"It's no problem at all, Kiddo. Today is about you, buddy." Lord Death smiled, tilting the pan over and sliding the fluffy cakes over onto a waiting plate. "Besides, it'd be nice to see what they are putting in the children's programing these days."
"Okay…" Kid nodded again before looking over at Tim. "Does this mean we aren't going to practice skateboarding today?"
"Oh crap!" Tim hissed, jumping into alertness. "I forgot about that." Tim had the day off today, and had promised Kid that they would practice skateboarding in the ramp room after lunch.
"Why that sounds like amazing fun, could I join you two? Maybe you could show me some of those groovy skateboarding tricks, or whatever it is that you do." Death said as he bounced over to give Kid his breakfast. Tim looked down at Lord Death's obvious absence of feet and raised a worried brow.
"Eh, I'm not so sure."
"It'll be fine! I wouldn't want to get in the way of your fun and it could be a good thing to learn, and what better way to bond with my son then partaking in one of his favorite sport-type things." He said in a matter of fact tone as he firmly planted a bottle of syrup in front of Kid.
"Really? You'd really skateboard with Tim and I?" Kid's eyes were glittering with anticipation of his father's answer.
"You betcha, Kiddo! I told you, today is all about you, so we are going to have some fun."
"Thank you, Father, today should be fun." Kid smiled up at Death, reminding him of when Kid was just a little boy and he would smile at him like this all the time. And to his further amusement, Kid's eyes lit up even further when he looked down at his breakfast. "Oh, you've made them perfectly symmetrical! This is just wonderful! Beautiful!"
Lord Death then watched his Kiddo spend the next thirty minutes trying to find a symmetrical way to eat his breakfast. Oh boy.
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Take a fair guess who got halfway through writing the chapter and realized it was at nearly 3,000 words… again. Opps? So yeah, another two parter. Sorry. I just get really carried away writing this and then before I know it I've passed 2,000 words and I really prefer for my multi chapter stories chapters to be under 3,000, but somewhere between 1,500 and 2,500 words. I find that between there, you can get a lot done while not fatiguing the reader's eyes. I've posted stories with chapters that were over 6,000 words and when I go to reread it, I get bored on the longer chapters and my eyes start to hurt. I'm doing this for you guys XD Also because it was taking a while and I want to post at least once a week. Especially since I have something close to a plan for this collection XD
Thank you guys for all the new followers! I appreciate it, also I got my first review that is provably from a non-english speaking person, or atleast not from an English speaking country. Though I very much appreciate them leaving their review in English so I didn't have to run it through Google translate and risk misunderstanding. Thanks, you know who you are, it's too late/early right now for me to mess with my slow computer to look up your name. I appreciate you. ;)
Leave a review, my darling duckies, it'll help motivate my lazy butt. But for real, I've been taking a break from watching Soul Eater so I don't get sick of it, so some extra motivation would help XD