Shaggy locked the bathroom door and started pacing. Scooby and Daphne, both acutely aware of his mindset, huddled close to the door, whining for him to calm down and not make a mess for no reason, which, for the record, did nothing to ease his mind. An existential crisis stabbed his brain, and she was worried about a little blood on the tile.
Fuck that.
Shaggy rifled through the drawers, looking for something, anything, he could use. Nail polish. Way too slow. Hair products. Maybe in his own place, but he wasn't looking to take the others down with him. What else? Oh, ew, tampons! Yikes. But there was another box next to it that would work.
Shaggy ripped a garbage bag from the cabinet. Perfect. No mess for Daphne to worry about and, if an experiment a few years ago was any indication, could actually be a surreal way to go. He took off his belt and looped it around his neck. For once, the world felt calm. Scooby scratched furiously at the door and barked, but to Shaggy it sounded like he was underwater. Numbness replaced the normal, unshakable cold. He pulled the belt tight, settled onto the floor next to the shower, and shut his eyes.
"Really now, Norville, is that necessary?"
Shaggy opened his eyes as the bag was pulled off. He gulped.
This was not the same Death.
Instead of a flowing white shroud, this Death wore a form-fitting black silk suit, a red hooded cape, and a white bone bird mask. Death chuckled at the trembling youth and removed the mask.
"I like the aesthetic," they explained, running thin fingers through dark brown locks. "And seeing me is… quite serious. Care to explain what this is about?"
Shaggy shook his head. "I-I don't… don't want… this."
"I know. Darlene was punished for her actions, if that helps."
"How would th-that help?"
Death shrugged. "What is done cannot be undone. I thought she was ready for the job, but you were, and I quote, 'too precious.'"
"Is it over, th-then?" asked Shaggy. "I work for you now?"
Death tilted their head in confusion. "Don't you want to go back?"
"Why would I? I c-can't really eat, can't- can't sleep. I c-can't have a r-relationship-."
"See, this is why Guides aren't supposed to touch mortals. It never works right, and you were already powerful."
Death reached for Shaggy, and he flinched. Still, an icy palm rested on his head. Its owner grimaced.
"I am so sorry. There are supposed to be locks, stages of growth, but you… everything at once with no time to learn? You poor thing." The hand withdrew. "I reset your powers. I cannot change the past, but you can start fresh now. If you want to, that is."
Shaggy hesitated. "It'll be better now? Promise?"
"I swear it will. I've locked most of your powers off. Except the grim. I've left your bond with him intact."
"Grim?"
"Scooby, you called him? The dog?"
"Is a... grim?"
"So many questions. Weren't you planning to go with me?" Death asked with a slight smirk.
"N-no. I… I ca-c-can go back. I guess."
Death smiled, white teeth flashing in the bathroom light. "I'll be seeing you again, Norville. But, next time, just use the book."
Shaggy gasped and coughed. He was somehow on his back now, with Freddie and Daphne kneeling over him, their faces flooded with relief as they sat him up. Scooby nearly knocked him down again jumping to lick his face.
"How…?"
"Velma took the door off the hinges," said Daphne. "I wonder if my parents did that on purpose."
As feeling returned to Shaggy's fingers, he noticed that both hands were gripping other hands. He started laughing.
"What's going on?" Asked Freddie.
Shaggy lifted his arms, squeezing Daphne and Freddie as he did. "He did it. He made the- the visions stop."
"For now," scoffed Velma somewhere behind him.
"I'll take it! Oh, man, I- I haven't t-touched anyone in years…"
"What do you mean, 'for now?'" Freddie asked.
Shaggy replied before Velma had to, "They'll c-come back. Later, when I ca-can handle it. The-the white ones aren't sup-p-posed to t-touch the living. But she did, and it messed me up. He fixed it."
"That's great, Shaggy!" Daphne said, throwing her arms around him. "But don't scare me like that, okay? I thought you were dead."
"To be fair, he was," said Freddie.
Velma leaned over him and mussed his hair.
"So, all better now?" she asked.
"Mostly. I'm s-still cold. Oh, I know what'll warm me up!"
Shaggy struggled to his feet, crowded by the only living people he'd spoken to in nearly a decade. Scooby shuffled and danced at his feet. Daphne made a strange, unreadable face, no doubt sensing what he was thinking about.
"Velma," she said gently, "you know that club you like?"
Velma grinned. "Going bear hunting?"
"I have a type," Shaggy said, pointing discreetly to Freddie.
"Oh, yeah, no problem. You coming, Daph?"
Daphne bit a knuckle and said, "I, uh, need to put the food away. Fred?"
"Hmm?"
"Can you help?"
"With the food? Sure."
Velma rolled her eyes and ushered Shaggy outside to an orange bug. Scooby bounced after them excitedly. Shaggy slipped into the backseat with him and started rubbing his ears. A grim, huh?
"Hey, Velma, what's a grim?"
"A grim?" she asked, adjusting her glasses before starting the car. "They're, uh, like sheep dogs for monsters, I think. People associate them with bad fortune, but they're really just trying to help. Why?"
"Just, like, c-curious."
"Suuuuure. Anyway. Since Daphne and Fred decided to stay back, you get to be my wingman today. I'll let you know if I see any boys looking your way, and you let me know about girls. Not that any will."
Shaggy looked up at her, still stroking Scooby's ears gently.
"Do you have a type?" he asked.
Velma laughed fakely. "Not really. Tall, but, come on. I'm five-three. Everyone's tall to me."
"Fair enough."
"Can I vent?" she asked suddenly, and Shaggy nodded in the rearview mirror. "I know you're new, but it's really shitty of Daph to abandon us to play with her boytoy."
"Oh, are they a thing?"
"Kind of. They have this 'open' relationship or something, but, like, they're clearly a couple, you know? But then it gets so confusing, because Daphne flirts with everyone, and Fred brings back girls all the time. And I don't want to be part of it, but Daph can be so sweet when she wants to, and I fall for it every time. She's… she's just so selfish!"
"Well," said Shaggy slowly, "maybe you should be selfish, too."
"I don't know. I'm not sure I can be. Ugh," Velma stopped at a light and looked over her shoulder, "I'm sorry for dumping all this on you, Shaggy, but it's bullshit."
"Like I said, you should be more selfish."
Velma smirked in the mirror again and resumed driving.
"Thanks, buddy."
AN: One day late, and one dollar short, but I hope you like the chapter!