Chapter Text
Chapter Five - (Trying to get) Close to You
Coming home doesn't feel anything remotely what Calli had used to feel. It's home—but at the same time, it's merely a house. It's not the Underworld. While it is home in a sense—home is… Home is where she feels free and where she could wake up and feel at peace.
But peace was never an option for the day—better yet, for the entirety of a month ever since… the incident.
Calli had never felt like she had to walk on eggshells before. But Kiara made her feel that way. She knew her no more. And walking to a room with the Phoenix inside felt cold despite the Phoenix's nature to run warmer than any other mythical creatures. Calli's not dumb, maybe dense, but not dumb enough to not notice the distance between her and Kiara ever since.
Talking to Kiara was a challenge for Calli. It's cold—it's a different cold. While Kiara would show affection through actions rather than emotions to the other myths; it was so different to her. Just neutral. No actions or interest. Nada.
Believe her when she says she wants to talk to Kiara—oh how she wants to talk to the Phoenix like she used to do. But talking needs to have both parties involved and Kiara is not interested in the slightest and it makes her heart churn. Kiara is a friend from when they first met millennia ago—albeit she was reluctant at first, but there's no denying that Kiara had been an integral part of Calli ever since they became friends.
The Reaper let out a sigh as she simmered in her thoughts about the Phoenix. She lets her fingers drum against the table; a gesture she often does when she's uncomfortable or having a hard time. Well, uncomfortable is an understatement. She barely felt any comfort around the household anymore which made her feel guilty; where oftentimes she finds herself leaving and straying far from the whole house itself by accepting requests from Death. If the others noticed, they didn't mention anything.
“Wow, good to see you in here, old chum.”
Calli looked from behind and saw a grinning Gura. She smiled at the shark and raised the now-cold coffee in her hand. Gura skipped towards the kitchen to help herself, before coming back and sitting in front of the Reaper.
“Sooo, you've been in and out of the house.” Gura started, looking curiously at the Reaper.
Calli scratched her cheek in discomfort, letting out a nervous laugh. “Haha, yeah. Doing some reaper stuff. Gotta get back at the hussle after living on the surface, ya know.”
Gura frowned. “So much for a hiatus.”
Calli shrugged, sipping at her coffee; then cringing at the cold liquid. “Well, I was on hiatus for reaping stuff. Now I'm on a hiatus for streaming stuff. So yeah, gotta get back.”
Calli doesn't know if a person could frown even more, but Gura somehow pulled it, making her grin sheepishly at the shark.
“That can't be healthy…” Said Gura.
“I'm neither alive nor dead. It's fine.” Calli replied. Gura gave her a deadpanned look.
“Look, Calli. Ms. Reaper-on-kahoots. I know you're stressin’, but this ain't healthy coping, ya know what I'm saying.” Gura stated, reprimanding the Reaper. “But I getcha. I don't like it, but I get it. Just, don't overdo it.”
Calli smiled warmly at the shark. “Thanks, Goobs.”
Gura grinned. “Hey, no biggie. What are friends for, hmm?”
Even for just a little while, Calli could feel at peace.
Nope. Scratch that. She'll never be at peace. The object of her thoughts came down from a flight of stairs and into the kitchen, staring at her and Gura with the same indifference in her eyes. The phoenix approached them though, seemingly interested in whatever is happening between her and the shark.
“Hello.” Kiara greeted the two monotonously.
“Hi Kiara! Wanna join us?” Offered Gura with a wide grin on her face.
Kiara looked at Gura, then looked at Calli. Calli uncomfortably shifted in her seat, but nodded at Kiara as if telling her the same offer Gura had made. Kiara nodded back at Calli in reply. Calli felt that the weight on her shoulders went lighter ever so slightly. Like the feeling in her chest was suddenly a little better and she could breathe again. Calli never knew that a simple gesture from Kiara was the only cure to whatever ailments she's been experiencing.
“Hey, overworld to Calli? You with us, chum?” Gura drawled, snapping her fingers in front of Calli.
Calli blinked and shook her head. “Sorry, got lost in my thoughts. Am pretty tired after all that reaping last night.” Calli tiredly sighed.
“Does reaping always get so hectic?” Kiara asked curiously.
Calli seemed to lit up at this question. “Uhm no, not really. Although sometimes it does. It's different cases, ya know.”
Kiara only looked at her with a flat gaze. Although, Calli still felt that curiosity emanating from the phoenix. Calli felt happy at this. She doesn't know why though, but who cares! She's talking to Kiara right now! That's all that matters.
“Like extreme cases are pandemic or epidemics. It sounds fucked up, but it does get hectic during those times.” Calli said, gazing at her cup, reminiscing. “It's a shitty day for everyone if those cases come up.”
“Whoa, so reapers get shitty days too, huh?” Gura pondered, leaning forward with her head resting on both her hands.
Calli nodded in response. She looked at Kiara and spoke. “I remember way, way back, you were also a victim of a plague.”
Kiara blinked at this information and seemed to ponder at the moment. Calli shook her head and smiled.
“I couldn't fault you if you don't remember, it's been ages I guess.” Calli chuckled.
“What happened?” Kiara asked softly.
Calli looked up and stared at Kiara. Calli smiled, both fond and sad. “The first thing you did was to walk up to me and ask me if I guided any of your friends who died at the plague.” Calli let out a deep breath and leaned back on her chair.
“You've been through countless revivals already at that time. It was also that moment where you couldn't properly remember me, but still somehow recognize that I am a reaper. So, you asked if I guided your friends and when I said yes, you smiled very brightly even when you were dying from the very same plague your friends had died from.”
Calli chuckled and looked at Kiara who's still looking at her as if waiting for what she's about to say next.
Calli smiled fondly as she spoke. “Turns out, in every lifetime you've lived, you'll always have that smile on your face. The same fondness for mortals and the same concern for them too.”
Kiara hummed and shrugged, looking away. “I guess I don't feel those things anymore. And I couldn't smile the way you describe it.”
Calli blinked and sighed, shaking her head. “Not your fault, Kiara.”
Kiara tilted her head. “How did you know I'm thinking that way?”
“I know you, Kiara. Like, even if you couldn't show your emotions properly, you still have the same mannerisms when you think about certain things.” Explained Calli, smiling.
Kiara could only hum in reply. Then, the phoenix asked the unthinkable (at least in Calli's mind.)
“Would you like to help me regain my emotions and memories as well?” Kiara asked, shocking Calli and Gura.
Calli wetly chuckled, nodding as a few stray tears slipped through her eyes, which didn't go unnoticed by Gura, who's been quietly observing how the two estranged myth members interact.
“I got your back, dawg. Whatever you need.” Calli grinned. The first ever genuine grin she had ever made since Kiara's incident.
Kiara nodded stiffly, then walked away leaving a content Calli, smiling as she watched Kiara go to wherever part of the house she intended to go.
Gura just quietly observed this, breathing in an internal sigh of relief that she had seen a somewhat normalcy between the two old friends. But what really caught Gura’s eye was how Calli was perceptive of Kiara. Both from knowing and understanding Kiara's feelings of things. The shark couldn't help but notice how extremely content and happy Calli looked right now.
“So, she does miss the old Kiara.” Gura ponders.
Calli stood up from where she sat and looked at Gura with a small smile on her face.
“Hey Goobs, I gotta go. Death's kinda calling me right now.” Calli informed the quiet shark.
“Oh, yeah, sure! Take care, Calli!” Gura waved the reaper goodbye who did the same before disappearing in a swirl of smoke.
Gura leaned on her chair and smiled.
“I saw something great today~” She hummed.