Chapter Text
Life never loved Death. No. Rather, Life never knew she loved Death. Death on the other hand denies the love she had for Life. Life and Death are in love, but they think they don't deserve such love. However, as much as they want to keep on fighting and arguing against each other, love stood in between their intent. In the end, Life gave death everything she had and Death accepted the gifts with open arms and lead them to a place she called paradise.
Life leaves and resurrects over and over again – forgetting the existence of Death every time her eyes open. Yet, her heart remembers her touch and her voice. It continued, until her heart no longer needs to wait. The moment Life opens her eyes after turning into ashes, she would greet Death with a smile.
Years turned to eons, and finally Life's and Death's love created something they never knew they can create. Their love created a gift not even the Gods can comprehend.
"And that's how I met your mom," Kiara closes the book.
"More! More!" A young voice exclaims. Humping up and down on her mother's lap – indicating her excitement and eagerness. "What happened next mommy?"
Kiara chuckles. "It's time for bed, Clara. Mommy will tell you more tomorrow."
Hearing her mother's response, Clara pouted and furrowed her eyebrows out of dismay – a trick she uses to persuade her parents. Even though she is young, she is aware of her mother's doting nature when it comes to her, and she is aware that Kiara cannot say no .
"Please~?"
"No, Clara."
Only at times.
“I want more! More! More!” Clara continues to repeat the same words over and over again while humping to annoy her mother. “I want to hear more!”
“Hey, what's the ruckus about?” A girl in long black dress and black cape enters the room through a big sliding door near the veranda. Her pink hair undulates with the wind brushing by, and her weapon standing tall next to her. She removes her vail, "I'm home."
"Mama!" Clara jumped away from Kiara's lap and run towards Calli.
However, before Clara can give her mom a hug, Calli stopped her. "Wait!" She removed her scythe from her hands and it disappeared into thin air, before bending down on one knee and opened arms, "Alright, come here my little grim reaper!"
Calli turns around with her daughter in her arms. The two ends up giggling which Kiara finds soothing. "Welcome home, Calli~" Kiara follows, "How's reaping job?"
With Clara still in her arms, Calli answers, "The same as usual. Although, more souls keep coming." She gave Clara a kiss on the cheeks. "Why is my little reaper throwing a tantrum a while ago? You didn't do anything stupid, did you Kiara?"
"Eh? Shouldn’t I be saying that? You offered Clara a glass of gin this morning. I am doing the mother job better~" Kiara chuckles. She leaned her upper body towards her lover with a cunning smile, "Right, my wife ?"
Calli's face flushed red – her eyebrows furrowed and released a groan. She wasn’t mad, nor she finds Kiara's words offending. She was embarrassed. Calli was never the type to handle compliments and sweet-flowery words well especially when it comes from Kiara.
"What are you saying in front of my daughter!" Calli spats, looking away. "And it was a mistake this morning. Water and gin look the same…"
Aww. She's pouting. Kiara thought, seeing her lover's red cheeks and pout lips.
"Though…" Calli met her lover's eyes, "you are indeed a good… wife…"
"What's that? I cannot hear you~"
A groan.
"Calli~"
"I said you are a good wife!"
Kiara laughed. "I know." She rests her head on Calli's forehead. "And so are you, my wife ."
"Whatever…"
"Mama is a Tsundere." Clara spoke. She giggles, pointing at her mother's face, "Mama is a Tsundere!"
Calli asks, "And where did you learn such thing, Clara?" Instead of waiting for Clara's answer, Calli turns her head to the culprit. "What are you telling our kid, Kusotori? You better not tell her anything weird while I was away."
Kiara took Clara away from Calli so the latter can change into her indoor clothes.
Kiara answers, "I just told her our love story~"
Clara whined, "I want mommy to tell me more but she said she will tell me tomorrow." She pleaded, "Can you persuade her? Please?"
Clara's pleading eyes and small voice shot through Calli's heart – causing her emotions to tremble. Calli may not show it, but she fragile and breakable when it comes to her daughter.
"C-Clara, I think you should listen to your mom a-and—" small tears found its way around the young girl's eyes – causing the latter fall into panic. She faced Kiara, "I think your mom wouldn't mind telling more. Especially the time when I first visit her soul."
Kiara protests, "She needs to go to bed, Calli."
Calli releases a sigh. "Come on, Kiara. Look at her—" the two glanced at their child's dejected expression. "Just this once."
"You're easily persuaded by Clara."
Calli smiles, "And who do you think she got that from?"
"Huh? Who?" Kiara asks.
Instead of answering, Calli grabs a towel and proceeds to the bathroom. "Only you can answer that." She gave her daughter a pat on the head, "I'll tell you the story after bath and dinner, okay? Can you wait for me, my little reaper?"
~ ~ ~
Darkness and silence covered the city. Clara slept silently in her room that is located right in front of Kiara and Calli's. While their child is falling deep into sleep, the two immortal beings stayed wide awake.
"What did Death-sensei say?" Kiara asks.
Calli answers, "He didn’t say anything. He doesn’t have an answer." She sighs. "How about Ina? Did the Ancient Ones have an answer?"
Kiara shakes her head.
"I see. Look, whether she is a phoenix like you or a grim reaper like me, or she is some mutated new species, it doesn’t matter. She's Clara. That's all that matters. So," Calli places her hand on her lover's, "let's not complicate this any further. Okay?"
Kiara nods.
The two laid on the bed and closed their eyes.
The news about Kiara and Calli having a child caused a wild storm within their world. For the first time, no one knew that it was possible for a grim reaper and a phoenix to bear a child. A daughter of life and a daughter of death bear a child. It surprised everyone, but they were happy for both Kiara and Calli. It was going well – Kiara's constant morning sickness, Calli's doting side and her overprotectiveness, and finally Kiara's safe delivery.
Calli was hesitant to have a child at first, so as Kiara, but when they saw the healthy baby girl, their worries fade away.
Though there was one problem left – they don’t know Clara's identity and nature as a being. She could be a phoenix who turns to ash and rise again, or a reaper who takes souls, or maybe both. Without knowing, Kiara and Calli cannot risk anything, especially having Clara touch the grim reaper's scythe.
"She almost touched my scythe…" Calli insinuated. "I always forget to put it away."
"She can be a grim reaper for all we know." Kiara laid her head on Calli's shoulder, "It hasn’t been a year since we had Clara, but that girl is growing faster than average phoenix babies. She's like a 3-year-old."
"And average grim reapers."
"Isn't that enough proof that our daughter is a mixture of us? Time is faster when it comes to phoenixes."
Calli held Kiara close, "I want to make sure. I am a dangerous person after all."
She's always thinks that she is danger to our child. Kiara thought. She didn’t bother saying anything else and stayed quiet.
"I will be meeting with Amelia tomorrow." Kiara yawns, "She said she needs to… tell me… something…"
Calli smiles. "Good night, Kusotori."
Unbeknownst to the two, the message their friend is about to deliver was something they feared.
And they're not ready for it.
Prologue END - To Be Continued