Arriving in the DWMA around winter was a good idea. I was in time for one of the greatest parties that the organization had ever seen. On April 1st, around eight hundred years ago, the Kishin was defeated and the DWMA was founded.
Funny enough, that day was also Velvet's birthday. She conveniently didn't tell us that, but I found it in her file when I was going through PMUD paperwork. Can't hide anything that one.
But luckily, we found out that Velvet actually liked writing stories, so we were able to buy her gifts in the end. I got her one of those vintage quill and ink sets since I was what Astoria called "old fashioned". Astoria bought her a huge box to store her works in and Sound had a few piles of empty journals for her.
Good thing for us was that she had no idea we knew it was her birthday.
But, in all honesty, that wasn't what I was nervous about.
I was actually nervous about the whole 'Death was gonna be there, thing'.
In the few months I had been here, the only thing he and I did was fight, call each other names, and just get on each other's nerves in general.
But after we really duked it out back in March, we had just been… silent around one another. It was as if we had a newfound respect for each other after seeing the other's power. I mean, that was what we argued about nine times out of ten, so maybe now that we had seen each other's strength…
That desire to fight just… died?
I didn't know.
But I do know, that night at the Gala changed him and I's relationship for the better.
Three nights before, I was standing in a tailor shop a few blocks away from my apartment, looking over dress after dress. Astoria was running back and forth between me and the rack, holding up different ones to me, muttering some incoherent comments about it, before rushing back and picking something else up.
Velvet had been brought to, even though she was against the whole dress thing. No matter how much Astoria and I tried, she fought us tooth and nail about putting anything in this store on. Eventually, we gave up, letting her just sit on the bench while Astoria tried to find a good color for me.
"Astoria, sweetie. If no other color works, let's just do black. It looks good on me, and everything actually, stop beating your brains out over this," I sighed, watching her hold up a blue dress to me.
Astoria snorted, throwing the dress onto the rack and pulling out another one.
"It's not that simple Elphie! You have to look absolutely perfect! No exceptions or excuses! We'll be here all day if we have to!" she declared, throwing the dress.
Velvet groaned in annoyance, sliding off the bench and onto the floor.
"Astoria, just take her advice and pick out something black. It looks good on her, we both know that, so stop bending over backward to make it extra showy. Why are you so hellbent on making her look so spick and span for this whole thing anyway?" she asked, sitting crisscrossed on the floor.
Astoria stuck her tongue out, dropping more dresses onto the rack. I smiled nervously, hoping to every god above this would be over soon.
"Because duh! Lord Death will be there, and I want Elphaba to look so beautiful his jaw hits the floor!" she boasted, pounding her chest like a warrior.
So that was it.
I rolled my eyes, chuckling softly at her.
"Astoria, you're still going on about that? Darling while I appreciate your concern over my love life, I don't think it's gonna happen," I sighed, looking down at her. Astoria huffed, shaking her head in defiance.
"But you two are so perfect for each other! Super strong people who strive to make the world a better place with no tolerance for people who go against them. You two were like… made for each other! And you have a necklace with his mask, so how come you hate the idea so much?" she asked, poking the quartz necklace.
I grabbed the pendant gently, stroking it with my index finger.
"...My father gave this to me after my sisters died. It was the first, and only time I ever met him. He helped me come out of my depression and helped me move on with my life. He gave this to me after his own trip to Death City, saying he felt I had some kind of fate in this place. I'm still not sure what it is though…" I whispered, the memory of him and I flashing through my mind.
Sometimes I wish I could still talk to him…
Both Astoria and Velvet went quiet, hearing the sadness in my voice. Astoria looked down at her feet, twiddling a coat hanger in her fingers.
"...He sounds nice," she said, smiling widely at me. I smiled back, nodding my head.
"He was. Wish I could've grown up with him like he had planned. But, life's not fair in some cases. So, don't beat yourself up over trying to get Death and I together alright?" I cooed, patting her head.
The young weapon pouted, clearly put out but nodding her head.
Velvet sighed, standing up and stretching.
"Well, I'll go look for a few dresses, since we're gonna be here for the next five years," she announced, getting a glare from Astoria. I laughed, nodding as the young bluenette walked away.
Once more, I was standing there with my arms out as Astoria pushed dress after dress after dress up to me. Since Velvet had left the area, I went to start a conversation about her birthday.
"So, Velvet still unaware of our little surprise for her?" I asked, talking in a hushed voice as to not raise attention. Astoria smiled, shaking her head.
"Not a clue! I even asked her when her birthday was and she refused to answer me! We're good, trust me. I can't wait to see her face when we give her presents at the party!" she squealed, doing a little happy dance in place.
I laughed, nodding in agreement.
"Me too. It'll be quite amusing to see how embarrassed she'll get. I do hope she likes the things we got her," I hummed, placing a hand on my cheek.
Astoria waved me off though, a smile on her face.
"Of course she will. Velvet told me she loves writing little stories and prompts, so I think it'll do wonders for her!"
"What'll do wonders for me?"
Astoria and I silenced ourselves immediately, turning abruptly to see Velvet standing a few meters from us. Astoria waved her off laughing.
"Oh, nothing. Just doing some dress talk," she lied, clapping her hands together.
Luckily, she believed it. Velvet rolled her eyes, walking over to us.
"For the last time, I'm not wearing a stupid dress. Oh, by the way, I found this one. It's Elphaba's size and black, so how about it?"
Astoria took the waiting dress from Velvet's hands, holding it up and looking it over.
Floor length with a V neck, there were no shoulder straps, but one of those neck straps that crossed in the front only. The front of the dress stopped at mid-thigh, but in the back it continued, leaving just the slightest trail. The back of the dress stopped at mid back, which meant my shoulder blades would be exposed.
Astoria stared silently for a few minutes as if debating if she would let me try it on. Suddenly, she thrusted it into my arms.
"Go. Try it on now." She pointed aggressively at the changing room behind me, her face sterner and her voice lower than normal.
I made no attempt to argue, so I walked right into the room as instructed and proceeded to put the dress on.
When I fitted into it, I turned to look at myself in the mirror.
It didn't look bad, at least to me. The black fit well with my dark skin and black hair, and it even matched with my tattoo. It certainly made my eyes pop thought, with the bright gold standing out vividly against the dark theme I had going on.
I sighed heavily, then stepped out to be judged.
Once out, I moved the stool that Astoria had been using and stood there. I held out my arms and smiled.
"So, what do you think?"
Astoria and Velvet's jaws promptly dropped.
I reeled back in shock, suddenly feeling self-conscious has the two girls stared at me silently. There was a heavy pause in the air as they looked me over, exchanging glances.
"...We're getting it."
"I'd give my firstborn to see her go in that."
"I agree, HAND ME THE WALLET!"
Suddenly, the two were all over me. Velvet was racing to the counter to go ahead and get the payment ready while Astoria jumped all over me happily.
"Oh my gosh Elphie you look FANTASTIC! Lord Death won't be the only one starstruck and unable to speak when they see you! I bet the whole ROOM while it there in awe!" she cried, clapping her hands.
I smiled, a small blush rising on my cheeks as she praised more over and over again about how the dress looked on me.
"I NEED THE DRESS TO PAY FOR IT!" Velvet yelled, making Astoria rush me back into the changing room. I quickly disrobed the dress and rushed back into my day clothes, sticking the dress out for Astoria to take. Once it left my grasp, I finished getting dressed and left the room to met up with the two.
I saw Velvet and Astoria at the counter, using my credit card to pay for not only the dress but for the pair of heels that Velvet had picked up with the dress.
When I walked over, they had taken the receipt from the clerk and thanked him over and over. When I made my presence known, they ushered me out of the store and lead me down the road.
"Dress done! Now to buy jewelry! You'll be wearing that necklace to the dance I know that, so rings, bracelets, and earrings!" Astoria cheered, grabbing my hand and pushing the bag to Velvet.
The young assassin and I exchanged looks, knowing now that this whole trip was far from over. I sighed, allowing the child to drag me down the sidewalk with glee.
"Oh, we'll need makeup too, how dumb of me."
"I am NOT, wearing makeup."
Three days since the shopping trip that had taken a grand total of seven hours, the night of the Gala was upon us.
I was currently doing my hair into a high top, side ponytail. I basically made three topsy tails on top of each other on the back of my head, secured the bottom of it at the top of my neck, and let the rest of my hair draped over my shoulder. The nice thing about wavy hair I didn't have to curl it, but it was a bitch to get it to do what I wanted.
I had to fight Astoria on the whole makeup thing. I honestly never understood the whole thing about makeup, caking weird, powdery chemical products on you to enhance your look. I had the dress, the jewelry, even the fancy shoes and hair, I was NOT doing makeup.
Once my hair was secured, I worked on the jewelry. Earrings, rings, and a bracelet or two did enough for me. The only piece I really cared about was my necklace, the quartz pendant.
I stood from the small vanity I was at, draping the necklace over my shoulders and checking myself in the mirror. Once I had deemed myself ready, I picked up the small handbag we got and proceeded towards the door.
Before I reached it though, the doorbell rang.
I pursed my lips, walking to the door and opening it.
Astoria and Sound standing there patiently, both carrying a wrapped gift.
"Hey Elphie!" Astoria chirped, moving past me and into the apartment.
I rose a brow at Sound, who shrugged and asked if he could come in.
Usually, only DWMA members were allowed at the Gala, but since Death gave me the ability to invite whomever I wanted, I invited Sound so that he could be Astoria's date. Astoria dropped her gift onto the table, looking up to talk to me, only to gasp dramatically.
"OMIGOSH! Elphie you look amazing!" she cried, walking over and hugging my center. I laughed, returning her hug with enthusiasm.
"You look good too. Loving the cute thing you got going there," I complimented, see her mid-thigh, bouncy white dress. Sound was dressed in a casual tux, with the standard white flower on his breast. I smiled.
"Looking snazzy yourself Mr. Murphy. Excited for the party?" I asked, giving him a hug as well. He nodded, holding up his gift.
"I am! More excited about Velvet's birthday and getting to dance with Astoria overall, but you could say that," he replied, a small blush on his face. I smiled, nudging him playfully as Astoria ran back to us.
"Alright, we got the gifts and everything. Velvet's gonna meet us there, and luckily she still has no idea that we have this planned for her! So, if everyone's ready to go, let's do this!" she cheered, picking her gift and bag up and marched right out of the door.
Sound and I exchanged looks of amusement, picking up our own belongings and following her out. I locked the door behind us, following the young couple down the stairs and out of the building and into the warm streets. I wasn't used to it being this warm during April, since growing up in the north means that it was cold most of the year. But I liked the warmth, made wearing the dress with no jacket easier.
Not that I was really affected by the weather…
We saw many other students on their way to the Gala, all dressed up as we were. They weren't holding gifts, so we got questions from newcomers asking if it was a requirement.
The looks they gave when we told them no were hilarious to me.
Nearly every light in the Death City had been turned off, save the Academy. The Academy was lit up brilliantly, like a grand palace standing out against the blackened sky. The candle surrounding the buildings stood out marvelously against the rest of the building, and the giant skulls seemed to be glowing themselves.
Fireworks were going off as well, popping behind the building in a beautiful light show. Astoria was squealing the whole way there, even going up the long ass flight of stairs.
When we reached the Academy's courtyard, we saw Velvet standing by the door waiting for us.
She certainly wasn't wearing a dress, that was certain.
She was actually dressed in a formal buttoned shirt with matching pants, and for one that headband was out of her hair. Her hair itself was brushed off to one side, showing off her eyes a bit more than usual.
"VELVET!" Astoria called, running over there as fast as she could without tripping over her heels.
Velvet smiled warmly when Astoria cam running, opening her arms to let Astoria fly into them. They hugged for a few seconds before parting, Velvet noticing the wrapped gift in her hand.
"Oh god don't tell me there's a gift exchange I don't know about…" she groaned, fear overtaking her features. The three of us laughed, all shaking our heads in near unison.
"Nope, not at all. These are for you," I explained, dropping my small gift in her hand. She rose a brow, looking up at me like I had grown another head.
"Wait… what?" she asked, her eyes on me as I walked inside. Astoria was right behind me, dropping her gift in Velvet's arms.
"It's for your birthday silly. We know it's today!" she chirped, skipping ahead of me.
The noise that Velvet made sounded like someone squeezed a baby lion.
"M-My… what!? How did you know!?" she screeched, her jaw way past dropping when she received her gift from Sound. The boy smiled, "Elphaba knows all."
And we left her standing there at the door, not bothering to move her from her stunned shock. It was after about ten seconds that she rushed in after us.
"Now hold on a minute! How did you figure it out!?" She screamed, jumping at me wildly. I laughed, ruffling her hair.
"It's in your profile hun. When you signed your application your birth date was required. And that's why I know you were born April 1st, 1978. So if my math is correct, you're turning… twelve this year?" I asked, receiving a nod from her.
Sound's jaw promptly dropped.
"Wait a minute, you turn TWELVE today!? I figured you were like… I dunno thirteen or something!" he yelled.
Velvet laughed, shaking her head.
"Yeah, a lot of people don't believe me when I said I was eleven. They think I act too mature for my age, but that's just because of how I was raised. Never treated like a child, always treated like an adult. So for my age I don't really give a damn," she explained, her eyes narrowing.
I could feel her aura twisting into distortion. It was suddenly filled with malice and hatred, something that in my opinion, a child her age should never feel.
I patted her shoulder, giving her small smile.
"Hey, don't think about it too much. If it's hard to think about then just take it easy. If you ever want to talk then we're here, but don't push yourself, ok?" I explained. Velvet smiled, nodding her head.
When we reached the door, I grabbed the handle and opened it. Music filled our ears and smells of food drifted in the air. People were out dancing in the center of the room, eating at the table, or standing around mingling.
I let the kids go in front of me, chuckling when Velvet sort of tiptoed in with her presents, as if trying not to make a scene.
I followed the three in, ignoring the eyes that were following me as we walked over to a table to claim.
Once seated, Astoria ushered Velvet to open her presents, pulling out her camera to take pictures of the poor embarrassed assassin.
"Come on Velvet! Don't just sit there, open them!" she cried, turning on her camera and hitting record.
The bluenette sighed, taking the smallest of the presents, or mine, and gently unwrapping the paper. The grin that spread on her face when she saw the quill and ink reassured me greatly.
"Wow, this is vintage and everything. And a very nice tip too… thank you Elphaba," she smiled, looking around as if embarrassed. I smiled, nodding my head.
"Not a problem. Glad you like it. I decided on that since Astoria calls me old fashioned because I honestly prefer quills to pens," I explained, glaring at her. The weapon shrugged, looking away innocently.
"Oh please, you act like it's so bad. Well, you are over two hundred years old soooo…" she hummed, dodging the playful blow I swung at her head.
Velvet shook her head, going to open the next sized present. She grinned at the small pile of notebooks presented, looking through them happily.
"I've been needed a few more, I'm almost out of space in my other notebooks. Thank you Sound," she chirped, getting more and more excited. Sound nodded, rubbing his hands together nervously.
"Y-You're welcome…"
I smiled, watching as Velvet took the last present and unwrapped it. She let out a small gasp when she saw the decently sized box that held notebooks, pencils, and erasers, loose leaf paper, ect. She opened and closed the drawers, gawking at the space in each other them, and even squealed a little bit at the handle that made the case portable.
It was kind of cute, she was acting her age.
"Oh jeez, this is awesome. Thanks Astoria, this'll make things much easier to carry around!" she grinned, pulling the albino into a tight hug. Astoria returned it with zeal, the two squeezing the life out of one another for a few seconds. After everything was unwrapped, I threw away the paper and cardboard, and Velvet was eagerly placing the books and pen inside the case.
"Good evening! Hope you all are enjoying yourselves, you were late for my greeting!"
We all turned to see Death walking over to us, a smile on his face. He was dressed in white instead of black, and his cape had been left behind somewhere. When he neared the table, he gave us a small bow in welcoming, which we all gave him half bows from our seats.
But I couldn't help but roll my eyes.
"A greeting? Oh please, you're the type of formal greeting would be 'hello', and that's it," I mused, watching him glare at me.
"Hey, I can give a formal greeting! I did, but you missed it!" he shot back, turning his nose up.
I laughed, watching Panthera walk up behind him.
"Yeah, uh sir? Your greeting wasn't just hello. It was a whopping 'good evening, nice to see you, have a good time.' That was it…" she explained, giggling when Death shot her a glare.
The rest of us laughed, Death pouting slightly.
"Well, whatever. It was a greeting. Anyway, I hope you all have… aaaaaa…"
Death didn't finish his sentence, in fact, he lost it. For a reason I didn't know, when Death looked at me properly, his voice went dead.
Astoria began shaking in her chair, her hands clasped over her mouth as she attempted to conceal to building squeal.
I rose a brow, feeling slightly self-conscious as the reaper stared at me. His eyes were wide, his jaw hanging, and his face was tinted red, I could see it even in the darkened room.
When I looked to my left, Sound was trying to contain his girlfriend, while Velvet was smirking at me something fierce.
I narrowed my eyes, looking back at the reaper.
"...What?"
As if snapped from hypnosis, Death shook his head violently, rubbing his forehead.
"What? I'm sorry, I was uhh… if I may be so, um bold. Ms. Screeting… you look… well, you look amazing…" he coughed into his hand, turning away from me after he said.
I felt my heart speed up at the compliment, turning away to hide the blood rush I was having.
Goddammit.
And I really wanted to sock Astoria and her shit eating grin.
I smiled weakly, looking down at my hands, "Thank you Death, you look handsome yourself."
The whole table had gone silent during the exchange, even Panthera had walked away with a sly smile on her face. This was really starting to piss me off.
Death coughed into his hand again, looking around before nodding his head.
"Thank you Elphaba, now if you'll excuse me, I have… council members to mingle with," he groaned, pursing his lips in annoyance. We gave us a bow before walking back into the crowd and towards a group of older men.
After he left, I released the breath I didn't realize I was holding. Placing my hand on my chest, I took a few, deep breaths to keep myself from passing out. Damn, I will admit, knowing he thought I looked good made me extremely happy. I'm not sure why, but maybe after our fight, I was striving to have him respect me and see me on the same level as him.
Maybe by hearing that, he was starting to respect me even after the few months of fighting.
"Ooooooohhh, Elphie! HE LIKES YOU!"
I jumped at the unholy screech that sudden pierced my left eardrum, whirling around to see Astoria slapping the table wildly in utter zeal. Sound grabbed her wrists in order to contain her outburst, and Velvet was smirking at me.
"Well, well. Don't have that kind of relationship my foot, I could see that attraction from a mile away Elphaba," she purred, leaning into my side teasingly. I warmed my bicep to attempt to burn her skin, making her reel back with laughter.
"Will the whole lot of you stop! He just said I looked nice and I said it in return, that's it! Now can we drop it, I thought Velvet was the embarrassment target today," I snapped, crossing my arms.
Sound shrugged, smiling nervously.
"I dunno Miss Elphaba… you to do have some chemistry…" he whispered, looking away quickly.
I rolled my eyes, shoving my face into my hands. Glad I wasn't wearing makeup…
"Why don't ya'll go dance or something and stop bugging me. Velvet, happy birthday, now go away!" I announced, shooing the children from the table. The three took off with laughter, Astoria dragging Sound onto the dancefloor and Velvet off to snag food from the dessert table.
I sighed, leaning back in my chair. Looking around, I saw everyone had someone to be with, whether friends or a date.
While I certainly wasn't alone, my accompaniments all had dates or were just here for the food, or Velvet.
I placed my bag on the table, pulling out my wallet and opening it up to the pictures I had stored in it.
Cameras weren't the best thing back in the 1700s, but I was glad I was able to snag a picture of my sisters before they died. Black and white, with them all around Aeria. I felt warmth swell up in my chest, an unholy amount of love entering my soul.
Made me miss the old days…
"Here."
I jumped, snapping my wallet shut when a voice offered me something. I looked to see Death handing my a glass of champagne, his face unreadable.
I stared at him for a few moments, raising my brow curiously. He looked away, his eyes wandering before turning back to me with a smirk.
"Since the chillens are gone," he answered my unspoken question. I snorted, taking the glass from his fingers, staring at the bubbly liquid. I rose a teasing brow, "You know, human alcohol has no effect on Dragons?"
He shrugged, sipping his own glass, "And it has no effect on Reapers either. It just tastes good."
I chuckled, taking a sip of the gentle alcohol. I smiled, it did taste good, the right balance of sweet and tart.
I looked around, seeing the group of councilmen off on the other side of the room, "Managed to escape from the old geezers?"
He laughed, nodding his head.
"Yeah, they're a huge bore. They talk about shit I already know, and they tell me like I'm some kind of five year old. I think it's because of how I look, people treat me differently when I don't have my mask on," he explained, swirling his drink around.
I nodded, leaning back in my chair.
"I know the feeling. People think I'm a brand new adult because of how I look, but I've been around more than all of these people combined. How old were you when you stopped aging?" I asked. He pursed his lips, looking up in thought.
"Hmm… oh damn that's a long time. Um, I think I was… around 120? Reapers age slowly, so I stopped at the physical human age of… 28. That seems right," he answered.
I nodded, a silence falling on us. He looked at the unoccupied chair next to me, pointing at it.
"Mind if I sit?"
My eyes widened, shocked at the question. He appeared nervous, as if afraid I'd tell him no.
I smiled, "No, not at all."
He grinned, pulling the chair out and sitting down. He glanced at the box Velvet received, "Velvet liked her birthday presents?"
I nodded, opening the box and showing him the quill.
"Thankfully. This is what I got her. I honestly prefer the look that writing with a quill and ink gives. So many different styles and possible heaviness depending on how hard you pressed on the paper…"
"And the smell of the ink on the parchment, the scratching noise it made. I know the feeling," he finished, closing his eyes blissfully.
I nodded, closing the box.
"Heh, Astoria calls me old-fashioned because of that," I snorted, taking another sip of the champagne. Death snorted, laughing heartily.
"Haha! Well, we ARE a couple centuries in years. We're ancient compared to these youngsters," he said, a wide grin on his face.
I rose a brow, giving him a playful smirk.
"Oh, we're ancient? Please, I'm a teenager compared to how old YOU are!" I shot back, laughing when he scoffed playfully.
"Oi! I'm not THAT old…." he pouted, sipping his drink.
I rolled my eyes, "Oh hush. Excalibur told me you were born around 1000s. If that's not old I have no idea what is."
Death's jaw dropped, staring at me in disbelief.
"Wait a minute, you've met Excalibur!?" he yelled. I nodded.
"Yes indeed, and I met the REAL him, tux n' all. Very charming and gentlemanly, told me his story and everything. And between you and me, I know you have a twin," I whispered, smiling.
His eyes looked ready to pop from his head. When I mentioned his brother, he groaned loudly.
"Oh, Life? Yeah, he and I grew up together. We used to play together, run together, explore together, he was a good brother then…" he went silent before giving me an unnerving smile, "He's dead to me."
I snorted mid swallow, feeling some of the champagne shoot from my nostrils. I placed my glass down and coughed roughly, pounded my chest and covering my face with my hand.
Death gasped, laughing pitifully and reaching to the table center to gather napkins.
"Oh my god, I'm SO sorry! Hehe, are you alright?" he laughed, handing me the napkins. I nodded, pressing them to my face. My nose was burning, but I was laughing.
Death snorted, covering his mouth as he tried not to laugh.
"Oh jeez, you just snorted the champagne out of your nose didn't you?" he asked, grabbing me more napkins. I groaned, feeling tears prickle in my eyes.
"Yeah… I think I did. Oh oooww…" I groaned, wiping my face. Now I'm REALLY glad I wasn't wearing makeup.
Death smiled, laughing some more, "Oh man, what did I say? I didn't mean to make you try and relocate your brain or anything!"
I laughed, pinching my nose after I cleared it out.
"I don't know! It was just the face you made when you said that… haha! Oh god, that was SO embarrassing!" I wailed, covering my face with my hands. I felt large amounts of blood rush to my cheeks, embarrassed that something like happened in front of him.
Death smiled, shaking his head and placing his hand on my shoulder.
"No, no you're fine! I'm just glad you're ok," he replied, giving me a side grin.
I smiled, wiping my eyes with my hand.
"Hehe, thanks. Do I look alright after that?" I asked, unable to stop smiling.
Death stared at me silently, his grin still on his face. To my relief, he nodded.
'You look fine, just a little flushed but that's all," he answered, looking away. I rolled my eyes, "Well duh, you try snorting champagne out of your nose!"
He laughed, shaking his head and putting his hands up in false surrender.
"No, no, I'd rather not. But you look fine don't worry. Heh, that's probably the most undignified thing I've seen you do, you're pretty stingy about things normally," he teased, laughing when I took a swipe at him.
"Dignified huh? You wanna see me when I'm pissed!?" I snapped, grinning savagely. Death only chuckled at me, shrugging his shoulders.
"Eh, I've seen the first stages of your anger, I think I'm good. Besides, I'd rather not have you blowing holes in the wall at this point in time," he replied, leaning on the table.
I could only roll my eyes, crossing my arms. What he said was true, however, he had only seen me mad. Not angry. The only time I've been truly angry was when Maba and her judge struck down my family.
That was one of my darkest times, the genocide I committed. Only five thousand witches populated the Order, and I had destroyed maybe a good thousand of them.
Death seemed to notice my change in demeanor. His face went from one of enjoyment to one of concern, his brows furrowed tightly as he stared at me.
"Hey, are you alright? You're wavelength got all twisted…" he asked, holding a hand up as if ready to reach out towards me.
I waved it off, clearing my mind of the memory and smiling nervously.
"Yes, I'm alright. Just thinking about the one time I've actually been angry…" I explained. He hummed at me, pursing his lips.
"You've only ever been angry once? What happened?" he asked, picking his glass up.
I looked down at my lap, my fist enclosing on itself as that same anger bubbled up inside me once more.
"The Witches happened."
The two of us went silent. The noise around us was loud and clear, but the tension that hung after I said that made it seem like the whole world had shut down. Death's eye widened, and his face contorted to one of concern and even anger.
"The Witches? As in the Order?" he asked, wanted to clarify the witches I was talking about. I nodded.
"Yep, the Order pissed me off something fierce. But this was back those two hundred years ago… I don't like thinking about what they did. More importantly, I don't like thinking about what I did in retaliation," I stated firmly, making sure to make it clear I didn't want to bring it up.
I was expecting the Reaper to try and pry into it, wanting to get more info on the Order and their location and such. But to my relief and gratefulness, he backed down and nodded his head.
"Alright. I won't ask. It seems personal and you don't want to talk about it, that's fine. Just remember, I may be your boss and you may hate me, but if you need anything… don't hesitate to ask ok?"
I looked at him with questioning eyes. He wore a genuine smile on his face, and his crimson eyes were gazing at me softly.
I felt my heart beat gently in my chest, and I nodded.
"A… Alright."
He grinned happily, flashing me his teeth in a childish way. I couldn't help but giggle at it. He always seemed so serious around me, but with others, he was way less formal and easy going. I was secretly liking the fact that we were warming up to each other.
And then… the song played.
"Oh don't you dare look back, just keep your eyes on me."
I looked up, listening to the new song playing through the speakers.
"I said you're holding back, she said, 'Shut up and dance with me!"
I watched as Death stood up from his chair, stretching his back before rolling his shoulders and holding his hand out towards me.
"This woman is my destiny, she said 'oh oh oh"
Death smiled lopsidedly, shuffling his feet nervously.
"...Wanna dance?"
"Shut up and dance with me!"
I felt my heart pound and my cheeks burn. I stared at his outstretched hand, wondering silently if I should or not.
I would've said no, but I didn't.
"...Sure."
He smiled, taking my hand and pulling me to my feet. Once up, he guided me out onto the floor, moving past the crowded children and into were the faculty were dancing. When he found a spot, he turned towards me, taking my other hand and lacing his fingers with mine.
"We were victims of the night. The chemical, physical, kryptonite!"
I dismissed the warm feeling rushing through me, beginning to move in time with the fast song.
"Helpless to the bass, and the fading light,
Oh, we were born to be together, born to be together!"
"Hope this isn't too awkward for you," he smiled, spinning us with the change from the first verse to the chorus.
"She took my arm. I don't know how it happened!"
I smiled and shook my head, "It's fine, I'm alright."
"We took the floor and she said…"
He grinned, sighing in what I believed what was relief. He pulled me closer, our chests nearly touching as the song jumped to its famous chorus.
"Oh don't you dare look back, just keep your eyes on me.
I said you're holding back, she said 'Shut up and dance with me!"
Death spun us around, and began another conversation.
"I mean, I just wanted to know if this was ok, since others are very clearly staring at us with slacked jaws," he pointed out with a whisper, drawing my attention to the groups of students and faculty watching us while dancing.
"This woman is my destiny, she said, 'oh oh oh"
"So yeah, I was making sure-"
"Death!" I snapped, giving him an exasperated grin. He stared at me nervously, fearful of what I would say next.
"Shut up and dance with me!"
I grinned widely, hoping that the song got my message across to him. To my luck, he smiled back, his lips snapping shut as the song went into verse two.
"A backless dress and some beat up sneaks.
My discotheque, Juliet, teenage dream"
I decided to get bolder. I released his hand and grabbed his shoulder, hearing him squeak like a hamster in surprise.
"I felt it in my chest when she looked at me."
I smiled, feeling happy when he got bold as well and grabbed my waist with his free hand.
"Oh, we were born to get together, born to be together!"
The warm feeling that swelled in my chest was a feeling I hadn't felt in a long time. When I was suddenly pressed to him, and the two of us got more bold with our dance, I felt like a giddy school girl and couldn't stop the grin spreading on my face.
"She took my arm, I don't know how it happened."
When I looked up at him, he was grinning back at me, his wide eyes staring into mine.
"We took the floor, and she said…"
"Oh don't you dare look back, just keep your eyes on me."
He swung me around gleefully, my feet coming clean off the ground. I yelped in surprise, but I lost myself in the song and his arms.
"I said you're holding back, she said, 'Shut up and dance with me!"
We began doing a sort fast, ballroom type dance, Death spinning me out then back in, lifting me off the ground. Luckily I knew how to dance, and easily responded.
"This woman is my destiny, she said, 'oh oh oh,"
I laughed with zeal when one of my heels flew off, tumbling into the little circle we had made for ourselves.
"Shut up and dance with me!"
When the song went into the instrumental, we lost all sense of order and forgot trying to dance properly. It was fun seeing the other students get close to us as we danced, trying to either copy our movements or just yelled.
I saw Astoria among the crowd, and I swear I had never seen her so happy.
"Deep in her eyes, I think I see the future."
Death spun me around to him, latching onto me around the waist and staring at me with a wide grin, and I grinned back.
"I realize, this is my last chance!"
The two of us moved across the floor, me picking up my stray heel and removing the other, shoving them into Astoria's arms when we moved by.
"I TOLD YOU!" she yelled over the crowd, making me roll my eyes and shove her towards Sound.
"She took my arm, I don't know how it happened!"
The two of us were able to move away from the large, finding a more secluded area to continue our dance.
"We took the floor and she said!"
Suddenly, the music got quieter and slower, and Death slowed us down. Suddenly, he was looking around in thought, his brows furrowed. I was about to ask him what was wrong, but be began speaking before I could.
"Hey… um, I have to apologize."
"Oh don't you dare look back, just keep your eyes on me."
"What for?" I asked, slowing down with him. He looked down, a saddened look in his eyes.
"I um, I wanted to apologize for the way I've treated you."
"I said you're holding back, she said 'shut up and dance with me…"
I stared up at him in alarm, my breath hitching for a brief moment. I didn't say anything, and I let him continue.
"I just, the thing I said when we first met made you angry, and at first I didn't understand why. Well now, after everything that's happened, I feel like I need to apologize for it. I felt like I was trying to prove you wrong over those few months, because you walked up and challenged everything about us, and are now changing it."
"This woman is my destiny, she said, 'oh oh oh"
My lips tightened as he continued, "And so, I shouldn't've treated you the way I did. You were right, I was wrong, and for some reason, I couldn't accept it. So… I mean I get it if you don't forgive me. You were just defending yourself and I challenged you all the time and-"
"Death."
I stopped him mid-sentence, knowing he was going to ramble on. He stared at me fearfully, hoping that I wouldn't regret his apology. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, pulling the reaper in for a hug before singing the next line of the song.
"Shut up and dance."
The laugh he made was music to my ears. It was full of relief and happiness, and it made me smile too. Suddenly, he grabbed me by the hand and waist and began our fast-paced dance once more, spinning me around faster then I could register.
"OH, don't you dare look back, just keep your eyes on me!
I said you're holding back, she said 'Shut up and dance with me!"
The two of us stayed in our little corner, distant from the rest of the world and only focusing on each other.
"This woman is my destiny, she said, 'oh oh oh"
"Shut up and dance with me!"
Suddenly, Death had lifted me clean off the ground and raced off the floor, moving past people and out onto one of the balconies.
"Oh, oh, oh, shut up and dance with me!"
Once we were out of the building and in the warm, night air, he placed me down. The two of us erupted into roaring laughter, clutching onto the railing and unable to breathe.
"SHUT UP AND DANCE WITH ME!"
The song had ended. People inside were either moving off the floor like we had or stayed on the floor for the next song.
I leaned on the railing for support, trying to contain my breath as the laughter that had bubbled up inside me died down slowly.
I sighed heavily, leaning on the rail watching the city below. People were walking in and out of the building with ease, some leaving the party early, some going to great friends, or others just going to get some fresh air like ourselves.
I let out another breathless laugh, turning to see Death leaning on the rail. I shook my head, leaning back and letting the gentle breeze run by.
"Oh man… I haven't had that much fun in ages…" I sighed, staring up at the grinning moon. Death hummed next to me, my gaze turning to see him stand up straight.
He smiled, raising his brow in my direction curiously.
"Heh, really? In all your years, dancing was more fun than exploring?" he asked. I nodded, lifting my arms and stretching my back out.
"Eeyup! I'll be honest with ya; exploring the world is all fine, well, and dandy… but sometimes it gets… old. I've honestly longed to find a place to settle down and stay. Ireland wasn't it, not even the Dragon Nest, just a place for someone like me to live and make some kind of difference. In Ireland, I was told day by day that I was a worthless human being and only a curse upon my family. In the Dragon's Nest, I spend nearly thirty years just… sitting around wallowing in my own sorrow, and then I placed my soul around it to protect it from outside humans so that place is a bust…" I answered, staring out at the dark city.
When I looked to my left, Death was staring at me silently, his eyes wide. He looked down, rubbing his hands together.
"Wow… and I think I have issues…" he laughed, rubbing his neck. I laughed with him, looking down at the ground.
"Heh, yeah. I can tell it's the opposite for you though; your aura longs for the outside world. Now I may want to settle, but I don't think I could do it for… centuries like you have," I confessed, rubbing my arm.
Death nodded, looking up at the sky.
"Yes. It does get frustrating often, especially when something happens outside the city and there's nothing I can do about it. I've lost many people outside the city, and every time it happens, it just… kills me," he answered, closing his eyes.
I stared silently, feeling sadness and sympathy build in my chest. It was interesting, how much the two of us were alike in some aspects.
He wanted to leave, I couldn't back.
And both of those things were because we had something to protect.
I smiled, "Funny how we're alike."
He chuckled back, "Yeah, we are aren't we?"
The two of us looked at one another, a sort of understanding transpiring between us. The Reaper turned to me, looking at his hands before holding one out towards me.
"How 'bout we just forget this whole fighting rivals thing? Even if I could still kick your ass," he asked, grinning mischievously.
I rolled my eyes, staring at his hand for a few moments before taking it.
"As if, I could eat you if I wanted," I snapped back, shaking his hand firmly. The two of us held each other's hands for a few moments after, that understanding growing firmer.
I smiled, looking up towards the moon along with him.
It was funny to me, how little interaction we had… all we did was fight the first four or so months I've been here.
And now, now we had formed a bond I had never shared with someone.
Someone who got me. Understood my plights, understood the hardships of long life, even had their soul bound to something they loved.
He couldn't leave, I couldn't return.
And if I'm honest with myself, when I shook his hand on that night, that fatefully dance…
I didn't wanna leave either.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
Does this story take place in 1990? Yes. Did Shut Up and Dance With Me release in the 2000s? Yes. Do I care?
Not really.
The first, true romantic moment Elphaba and Death shared! They've finally accepted their mutual understanding of each other and have become friends!
Yeah, just friends for now.
We also get to see a bit about how Death feels about his brother, which in turn makes Elphaba realize that like herself, Death has some hidden emotions within his own soul.
And will I write a story about this past Death hasn't spoken of? We'll see~~~
But yes. Velvet's birthday is revealed and why she acts so mature for her... age. Yeah, Velvet is only in the Dragon Witch very briefly. In fact, she leaves Death City in maybe about four or five chapters? I would check the Table Of Contents but I'm too lazy XI
But next chappy, we see a problem rise up and Velvet is gonna get Elphaba's undivided attention! Plus Death is gonna much more involved then he has been.
Yeeasshh, we've had our wind down chapters, but we're getting back into the dramatic shit next chapter!
Welp, that's about all I have to say! The Dragon Witch is updated every Saturday at 5 pm Tokyo time (+9)!
NEXT TIME:
Four years have passed since the Eve Gala. Elphaba and Death have become inseparable friends, Astoria's gone from student to Mercenary, and Velvet has finally settled into her Death City life. However, when a sudden wave of Shapeshifter deaths is revealed, Elphaba may or may not be prepared for the events it will cause. But on top of all that... how will she deal with her rising emotions?
Find Out Next Time: February 10th!
~HUGS ALL AROUND~
EDIT: Hey guys, if ya'll wanna see some art of Elphaba, head over to my Tumblr, I just posted a portriat I made of her. Forgive me if my art's not all that good yet I'm working on it XI
Tumblr account is: tiramina8914 (its the same name...)