Work Text:
There was a tug on Jawbone’s cardigan as he stood in line at Yarr-bucks.
“Excuse me, are you Death?” came a congested voice.
“Uh, what?” He turned around, noticing the young teen in a red riding hood standing behind him. She looked normal, but he could smell death around her and her eyes had the look of a wild animal.
“Are you Death? ‘Cause you’re a wolf. I met Death once and he was a wolf.”
“I… Kiddo, I don’t think that just because I’m a wolf means that I’m Death. Which I’m not, by the way.”
“Oh. Good. ‘Cause I wasn’t ready to meet him again.”
He knelt down next to the girl. When he got closer he could see the dirt under her nails, the inexpertly mended tears in her clothing, and oh boy, the stench of death was so strong.
“You’ve met Death? Do you want to talk about that?”
“Can we do it while we play gin rummy?”
“Absolutely, kiddo.” He stood up and took the girl’s hand. “Would you like a hot chocolate?"
“Yeah.”
“I like your hood.”
“Thanks. My grandmother made it. She’s dead now.”
“...Oh.” This kid was going to be a doozy.