Work Text:
The storytellers still take notice of him sometimes. Not Homer; the mortal long ago let his voice lapse, content to watch his last muse, Melinoë, until all commentary was forgotten. But Homer was far from the last poet; even in this Age of Man, despite the gods' hold loosening on this world, there are still stories to be told. And even if their power is diminished, many gods still hold some power, and walk the surface. Though this one prefers to teleport...
The god, who appeared under the shadows of a bridge from out of nowhere, glances askance. He has a solemn duty to perform, and wishes for no idle chatter. Then, in brief:
Dour Thanatos drifts further under the bridge, the tunnel cold and damp but drier than the surroundings, to find several sleeping mortals and their spare belongings: sleeping bags, worn blankets, and what looks like detritus to the god only because he does not understand all that goes into a mortal's struggle for living. Of course, many mortals' lots have improved in this Age as they came into power. But mortals did not always prove fairer rulers than gods. Not all have benefitted, certainly not equally.
But this night, these hapless mortals sleep more peacefully than they are accustomed, their bodies embracing the chance for a sorely-needed restorative rest, thanks to the figure curled up in a camping chair amongst the lot. He is dressed more finely than the others, being a god; he is also dressed for comfort, his lower face sunk into the collar of a red puffer jacket until his eyes blink open and he stretches with a long, rolling yawn. "Oh, heya Thanatos!"
"Brother," Thanatos answers.
"Nice to see ya-- oh." Hypnos' smile does not dim, but it flickers for a second. He has never once been unhappy to see his brother, not once in the millennia they have known existed, even if Thanatos might not say the same. No, it's not seeing his brother, but the reason for it. "Work, huh? It's...?"
His eyes drift to one of the mortals. Her breathing is pained. Even under Hypnos' influence, her body, aged beyond its years, cannot find the most peaceful rest sleep grants.
"...It's time," Thanatos says. "You'll greet her at the House, won't you?" It's much-changed in the Age of Man, and not all dead go there, not when peoples and beliefs have been mingling so freely. But no other realm seems to be coming for her, and Hades is still at the House, ready to sort the dead that arrive there. She'll likely end up in Asphodel, as most do. At least the flooding magma finally got fixed some centuries ago.
Hypnos still looks nervous. "Do you have coin? She doesn't, uh...and I don't..." He pats his puffer jacket down just in case.
"Plenty," Thanatos answers. In the Age of Man, some are as arrogant as King Sisyphus once was, to think they can escape death. They have more than enough valuables when Thanatos visits them that some can be used to pay Charon. This was a course of action Thanatos didn't initially care for, but... between leaving shades stranded, or cheating Charon, or stealing ill-begotten wealth, the choice was relatively simple. Megaera occasionally ribs him over it, but considering how often those obscenely wealthy in life end up at her whip in death, she doesn't really care.
"You've got her fare?" Hypnos lights up. "Oh you are just the best, Thanatos! Okay, I'll go on ahead so I can welcome her! See you later!" With that, the god of sleep vanishes, leaving his red puffer jacket behind.
Thanatos kneels by the woman, his scythe appearing in hand. With a clean cut, the shade is severed from the body. She is numb to her death at first; this kind of reaction is hardly new to Thanatos, and his explanation is always brief anyway. Go to the nearest body of water. Give the boatman your coin. Don't take his silence the wrong way; he'll only be angry to those who disrespect him.
She snorts about the part with the coin--even now, she needs money, huh--but she takes the coin with mumbled thanks, and Thanatos figures she's taking things well enough. He's certainly had worse reactions. His duty done for the moment, the god takes his own way back to the House.