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For him it was normal, he was used to such a sight, nothing surprised him any more when it involved the mortal world. He didn’t understand why Zagreus was so enamored by it, no matter how many times he went up there, no matter how many hours he spent on a shift, he could never understand what enchanted the prince so much.
One day, or night after all they could never really tell, he mustered up the courage to ask the prince of the Underworld about it. So while they were cuddled on his bed, away from everyone and everything, Thanatos decided he wanted answers… So he spoke up his question. His lover didn’t give him a complex answer, instead it was very simple… He said that the surface was beautiful, that the mortal world was colorful, vivid, bursting with life and joy from every single of its pores.
That alone confused him, the fact that his loved one found the world of the living beautiful while he found it mundane, really caused the God of Death to have some doubts. Was he really that wrong in his opinion about the world he so often visited for work? Or was it just the innocent mind of his boyfriend when it came to it and his need to see it as his personal Eden? Thanatos didn’t know, didn’t ever sit to wonder and think about it. Maybe he should… Maybe he would… He wanted to learn why his lover adored this place so much, why his prince always fought his way up just for a split glimpse of this plain of life.
So the next time Zagreus made it to the surface, Thanatos was there. After Zagreus called him to the battle against Lord Hades with the help of Mort, he waited outside for the prince to emerge victorious. When he did, Death caught his hand, intertwining his fingers with his and allowed for Life to lead him forward. Their steps crunched the white snow under their feet and started melting under the prince’s flaming ones. The wind passed them in a breeze, blowing between some of the piles of snow resting on the tall, dark green tree branches and creating ripples in the ocean that started peaking over the cliff.
Soon they reached the edge of the cliff, the wind blowing more intensely now, causing Than’s hood to fall on his shoulders as his golden eyes focused on where Zagreus pointed, following the index finger to see the sky, dark blue and cloudy. At first he couldn’t understand, growing more perplexed than before at the sight he was observing… But soon he understood… Soon he figured out what Zagreus meant by colorful.
The sun made its way upwards, rising from the thin line of horizon that Poseidon’s realm created in the distance, and upon its accession to the sky the dark veil of night lifted. Colors changed, they shifted from warm red to vivid orange, softening until the orb of light his sister had blessed humanity with had now fully made Aether a soft light blue, the clouds now floating weightless as if swimming in the mirrored upper sea.
No matter how many times he passed this cliff, every time he had to venture to Greece, Thanatos never had a look at the sunrise, always too busy with his duties. So now, for once, he stood there frozen, golden eyes staring at the beauty of the vast horizon ahead of them as his white hair brushed his cheekbones. Zagreus didn’t disturb him, he just smiled and hugged his partner’s arm. Resting his head on Than’s right shoulder, his dual-colored eyes focused on the thin line that separated sky from sea as well, but they slowly fluttered close and his grip on Death’s arm became weaker.
It was at that moment Thanatos understood that his boyfriend’s time on the surface was over. With a swift move, the prince found himself being carried back by Death himself this time. They stopped next to the river running down the side of the entrance, the Styx that ended up bloody at the entrance of the house. Zagreus smiled up at Thanatos, nodding, confirming that it was okay to let go. With no further ado, Death released Life in the running river, staying there until the body vanished from his vision.
A sigh dripped from his lips at that moment, knowing very well that now he had to return to his work and not down to his beloved’s side. With a heavy heart, Thanatos pulled up his hood and started walking up to the edge of the cliff, before floating down. Today he had to stop by Athens first, before moving to Crete, Sparta and maybe stop by Thessaloniki before taking the rest of the day off.
Of course his venture in the cities was not pleasant. Mortals died, of course he knew, but for once he felt happier than usual to lead them to the afterlife, to something beyond ‘the end’, to a new life, a new chance, a new beginning. His golden gaze kept returning to the sky, noticing how the sun moved as the time ticked away.
That day, Thanatos observed every little thing.
The white marbles of the Acropolis, shining under the rays that showered them.
The bright red that the palace of Knossos was decorated in.
The well structured central square in the middle of Sparta.
The tall hills of Thessaloniki that viewed the sea ever so beautifully.
Even when he came back at the entrance of the Underworld, he paused at the cliff’s edge. He stayed there, lowered his hood to let the pleasant breeze sweep his hair back and forth once more. He took a deep breath… Held it… Observed how the sun started setting in the distance. Where to, was something only his sister and Apollo knew. But Thanatos stayed there, eyes stuck at the sun set, at how the sky shifted into the beautiful array of oranges and pinks and reds before completely darkening, accepting his mother’s domain as night took over the mortal plain.
That day, even if he was working, Thanatos took in everything he could see, so he could describe to his lover the beauties of the mortal world through his immortal eyes. So he could, for once, cherish the world and its wonders even if one day, he was bound to take them all away.