Twin Fists are my favorite weapon, especially the Pawspect of Gilgamesh :3 jk but it's hilarious that Zag turns into a widdle catboy with this weapon. what are yalls preferred weapons?
Thanatos is in an exceptionally good mood today. Zagreus doesn't hate me, he thinks as he teleports to the land of the living. Zagreus finally beat me in a contest, he celebrates as he towers menacingly over a shuddering, pleading mortal. Zagreus gifted me nectar. He chuckles. The mortal before him breaks down sobbing.
A bell tolls and his scythe slashes through the air. In just milliseconds, Hermes flickers into view, sprinting toward him.
"Heya, boss, sorry I'm late, you know how it is - woah!" He skids to a stop, brows furrowing as he studies the Thanatos' stoic countenance. There must be something different about him, he thinks, what with the intensity of Hermes' scrutiny. "You're looking rather… hm. Something good happen recently?"
"You could say that," Thanatos replies coolly. Hermes lingers uncharacteristically long (as in, a second), carefully studying Thanatos' expression, then makes a noncommittal noise. He whisks the newly departed away, flickering out of view.
Thanatos reaches a hand into his chiton and summons his gift from Zagreus from the ether. He delicately holds it up to his face, tilting it back and forth to watch a small whirlpool form in the bubbly orange liquid. He picks at the little purple ribbon tied around the stopper. How cute. All of this is disgustingly cute.
Suddenly, he feels something tug at his insides. This isn't the usual inexplicable pull of Zagreus getting carelessly injured during one of his escape attempts. There's a different flavor to it, more pride than panic, more intimate than usual.
Nonetheless, it is Zagreus reaching through the fabric of space for him, calling for him, so Thanatos tucks away the nectar and heeds his call.
It takes a second for him to adjust to a dim, eerie green light. He surveys his surroundings: the dilapidated columns with the morbid likenesses of shades adorning their bases, the areas where the tiled floor that had given way to reveal the slow-moving Styx beneath it. He's never run into Zagreus as early as Tartarus before. It's certainly no Elysium, but it's much preferable to the scorching heat of Asphodel.
Something glinting in the flickering candlelight catches his attention. It's his Butterfly.
More specifically, it's Zagreus wearing his Butterfly.
Oh.
"Hey, Than," Zagreus says fondly, raising a clawed, metal glove in greeting. Thanatos eyes the unfamiliar gauntlets suspiciously and wonders if this forced hand-to-hand combat is what's responsible for the prince's condition this time. He's unusually worse for wear, especially considering they're only in Tartarus.
So the butterfly hasn't been helping him yet, it seems.
"You have the butterfly I gave to you," Thanatos says, trying to suppress a smile and keep his voice even. But Zagreus knows him and has known him for a long time, so he grins in response and points to the keepsake resting among the flame-colored laurels on his head.
Thanatos readies his scythe and declares, "Stay back, then, and it'll make you stronger once I'm finished here."
Unfortunately, Zagreus does just the opposite.
The prince drops his stance and lunges into the fray of rapidly materializing wretched thugs and louts. Swinging wide with the Twin Fists, he trips over his own feet, and a wretched thug takes that chance to deliver a heavy blow to his gut with its club. Zagreus groans in pain and doubles over, barely rolling out of the way of a rushing lout.
This is even painful to just watch, Thanatos winces. He reaps another shade - only his third - and convinces himself that he's not holding back. It would be rude to hold back, he tells himself, while the prince is wholeheartedly trying his best. It's just that he would feel terrible if Zagreus died in one of their little contests. And, as the god of death, Thanatos can see that he is very, very close to dying.
Thankfully, the contest doesn't last much longer. Thanatos reaps the last shade and looks around to find Zagreus panting, lying on his back on the ground next to an exposed part of the Styx. The ghostly limbs of the dead reach up from the river of blood, grasping futilely at Zagreus' one dangling arm.
Thanatos floats over to him slowly, then kneels at the crown of his head. He's in an exceptionally good mood today and he's feeling particularly bold.
"You know, you're not supposed to get hurt for this to work properly, Zag," he teases lightly, hovering one finger above the green and purple jewels sparkling brightly amid thick, dark hair. "You should've let me do the work this time."
"Give me three more tries, and I'll get the hang of it," Zagreus coughs out. He angles his head up slightly to look at the god above him directly in the eye, and cracks a weak smile. "And I believe we tied?"
Thanatos nods, letting his bangs fall like a curtain in front of golden eyes. He can't bear to let Zagreus make direct eye contact with him in fear of combusting.
"I believe we did."
He reminds himself to maintain a respectful distance as he summons from the ether another centaur heart, holding it by the top half with just his fingertips. The prince's eyes light up at the sight of it, but he seems incapable of movement in his weakened state. So Thanatos steadies the heart just above Zagreus' heaving chest and releases it, letting it slowly sink into his body.
Once the heart is fully absorbed, Zagreus gasps. His back arches upward as he is dragged from the brink of death, feeling the life and energy from the centaur heart permeate through his veins. Dazed, he looks toward Thanatos, but finds that the other god is already gone.
Thanatos laments the fact that he cannot experience that which he is the god of, namely, death. Because if he could, he would curl into a ball and will himself to die. Because it feels as if he's dying. Of embarrassment.
There had been no physical contact at all between the two of them, but their positions - what with Zagreus lying on the floor and Thanatos kneeling at the top of his head - and the sheer intimacy of his actions... Blood and darkness, he wishes he could die.
At least I can enjoy this short break in solitude because there is no way I can face him right now. Besides, I gave him a centaur heart, it's not like he'll be dying again any time soon -
Unfortunately, again, Zagreus does just the opposite.
Thanatos freezes at the sound of Zagreus angrily thrashing about in the Styx and considers his options. He could just teleport away. It would be so easy. But he could also see Zagreus again. He didn't know when he would see Zagreus again.
Just in case he actually escapes this time, Thanatos tells himself as he lingers at his little balcony, swaying in anticipation, definitely not glancing over his shoulder every minute.
The first time he glances over, he thinks he hears Zagreus loudly and noisily feeding Cerberus … something. Wait, did he just say nectar? Thanatos furrows his brow. He can't see from this angle, but he dares not move from his spot out of desperation, or something pathetic like that.
Cerberus is his dog. Technically, Watchdog of Lord Hades, Legendary Hell Hound, Guard of the Entrance to the Underworld, but also Zagreus' dog. They grew up together. He loves Cerberus. Of course he would give him treats.
The second time he glances over, he sees Achilles at his post, clapping Zagreus warmly on the shoulder and holding … a bottle of nectar. Thanatos frowns and whips his head back around, staring intently at the Styx as his eyes glaze over.
Achilles is his teacher. Achilles instructed him in the martial ways so that Zagreus could have more than a 0% chance of escaping the Underworld, so that he could actually have a fighting chance in our little contests. Of course he would give him a gift of gratitude.
The last time he glances over, he sees Zagreus wandering in the direction of Lord Hades' chambers, approaching a certain floating, feather-duster-wielding gorgon head. Hidden behind his back is … what a surprise, a bottle of nectar. Thanatos huffs and turns fully around, leaning back on the balcony railing and crossing his arms.
Dusa is… Dusa. They're… friends?
Thanatos taps his fingers on his biceps. He's not jealous. He is Death Incarnate. He is simply not the jealous type! After all, he knows about Zagreus and Megaera's physical rendezvous and that doesn't incite the same burning feeling unfurling in his chest right now, the intense urge to hurl his own bottle of nectar into the Styx.
But Meg is his friend - does that mean he doesn't perceive her as a threat? Does that mean he perceives the gorgon head, no, the dog? As a threat? A threat to what?
He tries to dissect this wholly irrational and unnecessary emotion. Perhaps it's the insignificance in Zagreus' gift-giving that's bothering him. Because it doesn't matter that Thanatos is receiving nectar if everyone is receiving nectar. Well... if he feels as if he's not anyone special, then maybe he is getting jealous.
Thanatos is outraged that Zagreus triggers such a repulsive, mortal feeling in him and angrily squashes the feeling down. As the prince saunters back down the West Hall toward the balcony, Thanatos decides that he is no longer in an exceptionally good mood today.
"Than!" Zagreus exclaims, brandishing another bottle of nectar with a dramatic flourish.
Instead of accepting it, Thanatos keeps his arms crossed and looks at Zagreus suspiciously.
"What, really…?"
Zagreus' face falls. Thanatos' rage simmers down almost instantly. Exhaling, he takes the bottle from the prince's hand, which perks him up marginally. Then, Thanatos tucks the nectar away without even looking at it.
"Come on, what is this, Zagreus. You think handing this to me makes up for everything you've put us through?"
The prince sighs and looks away. In his hair, he still wears the butterfly, glinting in the dim torchlight of the House. He looks up at Thanatos again and manages a meek smile. There is a sharp tug on the reaper's insides and he tries to soften his scowl, just a little bit.
"It's just something I found out there that I thought you might like, Than. Don't think anything of it," Zagreus waves his hand nonchalantly, spinning on his heels. Before Thanatos can prepare a retort, the prince is already walking away.