Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Mydei found himself with the crook of his index finger against his bottom lip, eyes focused downwards as he stared at the corpse laying on the floor. Now growing cold as the ambulance was scheduled to arrive soon with worried whispers and muttering all about him; words that sounded foggy and distant to his own ears as he looked at that man.

A fit man, young appearing and crumbled into an odd position - appearing as if he had just been out for his morning jog if the cup splattered onto the floor was anything to go by. Tattoos crawled up his arms and all over his body to catch the onlookers eyes, all while Mydei found his mind puzzling over the sight of it.

It was a bizarre sight.

The fact it was a dead body wasn’t that odd, Mydei had seen those so many times growing up around his father’s business - but the fact they had blonde hair that was red at the ends just like his was odd. The fact that the corpse had the same braid at the side of their head, the same tattoos.. And the same protein shake Mydei had gotten that morning for his own daily ritual..

That was what made it all so very bizarre; the fact that he was staring at himself dead on the pavement with people worriedly trying to call for help for him.. That was what made him feel confused and so very baffled, not to mention a little unsettled. 

“Are you.. Alright?”

That was the other thing that was making his mind blank more and more as he cast a little look over his shoulder - staring at the snow white haired man who had such soft blue eyes. Heavy with worry and a small frown on his lips, such a sweet expression that didn’t match the situation at all - but the odder part was how he sounded almost excited as he asked that question to Mydei. 

But the situation where no one but him had even reacted to two Mydeimos existing in the world currently was more bizarre. And it didn’t help that the man seemed to be dressed in such a.. Odd attire.

Silver cuffing around his neck and up his pure black collar - looking as if it were lace and stunning all while clearly being metallic as it led down his chest to even more intricate silver patterns on his shirt, black and skin tight. Yet the silver across his chest only seemed to connect to fabric draped over his shoulders - holding it there all while it barely arched down his back at all, only giving him rather dramatic sleeves.

Sleeves that he didn’t seem to need considering the way his inner black shirt had its own skin tight sleeves that led up to more silver wrist cuffs, patterns dancing up towards his elbow all the while.. That was almost ignorable, if not for the silver and black clawed gloves he was wearing as well. 

Yet his strange apparel only continued; a silver belt to match the rest of it and to apparently keep his solid black pants in line as well - not escaping the silver runes down those either until his thigh high boots met them.

.. If anything, Mydei could at least admit the attire made his waist line look amazing, but he didn’t know what else to make of that man. Especially not with his own dead body on the floor and no one acting as if they were out of place at all. 

“No,” Mydei decided as he flicked his eyes away from the stranger - once again doing his best to ignore the fact he even existed and kept trying to speak to Mydei. 

He had other things to be worried about, after all. 

When he had tried to feel his own heartbeat with shaky hands just a mere few moments ago, he hadn’t even been able to touch his own neck. Instead his hands had phased through, moving as if he were.. A ghost, all while he didn’t look see-through to himself. 

“Ah.. Sorry,” That man from behind him spoke again, “Uh.. Do you.. Want to move on?”

That was a question that made his mind stall in its tracks - forcing Mydei to turn so languidly to look at that man with confusion marring his own features as he.. Tried to comprehend what that goth man was asking him. 

“Move on?” Mydei echoed out, doing his best to figure out what he meant as those blue eyes only looked at him with such heavy pity and a different emotion that he couldn’t quite place as anything - instead finding himself studying the way that man moved closer to him, hands behind his back as he moved. 

“You know, to heaven or hell or whatever you believed in while alive?”

The way that was said so flippantly made Mydei feel as though.. This was not a normal man, that those eyes that were almost comforting to him had an edge of coldness to them. An embrace that was gentle and kind, yet willing to snap at a moment’s notice; almost like death itself that welcomed you so willingly and without warning..

Though, Mydei couldn’t help but assume he felt that way due to the fact his own dead body was laying on the floor two feet behind him now, “Pardon me?”

The man shrugged at that with a smile on his lips much too playfully, “Pardoned. But usually people whose time has come want to go somewhere..”

“No,” Mydei replied, unsure of what else he could possibly even say to such a statement about his own death. Eyes only watching the way the man dressed in black’s shoulders sagged so heavily, as if the fact Mydei had said such a thing was disappointing to him. 

“I was really hoping you would say yes,” That man admitted as he moved to rub the back of his head with a little shaky laugh escaping his throat,  “Okay, Hear me out here..”

.. Mydei didn’t want to hear him out, but he had a feeling he really didn’t have a say in this matter as he slowly looked at him. Studying the way he seemed a little nervous, shaky almost, but it was odd.. He seemed almost.. Jittery in the way his eyes kept dancing back to Mydei. Looking at him up and down as if he wasn’t just looking at Mydei, but inspecting him.

Or checking him out, if Mydei wanted to be more vain.

“I may have accidentally allegedly accidentally killed you about sixty, give or take, years before you were actually supposed to die,” That man spoke after a few heavy and quiet moments - his eyes dancing away from Mydei as if he were growing more and more nervous as he confessed to his crime of the day, “So maybe you don’t know how because of that.”

Those words were enough to make Mydei look at that man, fully getting just a good look of him - a look that bordered along the lines of a scowl and feeling as if those words were pure insanity every single time he repeated them to himself.

But what the hell else was he supposed to do other than raise his brows very slowly; “.. You accidentally killed me?”

“Well,” That man only awkwardly moved as he dragged that word out much too long, his eyes looking upwards before looking to the side at the people who were still standing around muttering quietly amongst themselves. 

All before he tried to offer Mydei a smile, as if that was any sort of consolation; “Yes?”

Mydei didn’t even know what to say to that as he instead moved and neared one of the women on the busy street, waving his hand in front of her face to earn no reaction. 

It didn’t matter if he wasn’t paying attention to that man behind him anyway - he was following Mydei around regardless of if he was given attention or not. Even as Mydei walked a few feet to look more at people and study them, he couldn’t figure out a single thought to even say. 

Though, the murderer stalking him didn’t seem to have that issue - sighing a bit dramatically instead from behind Mydei, “Can you.. Try to move on? Do you feel something calling for you? A light maybe? Something basic like that?”

.. That was enough to make Mydei pause his inspection of the crowd - instead turning his head a little to look at that man who still had such an odd and unreadable expression on his face. One that bordered on being worried for Mydei, and something else lurking beneath it. The only give away of the second emotion being that odd little uptick of his lips at the corner, as if he was doing his best to bury it down.

“No,” Mydei muttered anyway, whatever his deal, it wasn’t Mydei’s problem as he instead focused on trying to ‘feel’ anything.

Whatever the hell that meant.

That man gave a rather loud sigh accompanied with another shrug that was just as loud as his clothes seemed to rub against each other with the movement, “Look on the bright side! You are forever beautiful!”

Mydei could not help the way he slowly turned his head to stare at that man - blinking his eyes as if they were the heaviest things in existence all while trying to comprehend what the hell was wrong with that man. 

It didn’t help that moved to put a hand over his own mouth, those clawed gloves dazzling in the sunlight all while he looked nervous. Tapping at his own chin before he sighed so very loudly, “Sensing that doesn’t make you feel any better.. Sorry, sorry.”

.. This situation felt more and more doomed the longer Mydei was stuck standing there, not even fully understanding how insane he felt as he moved his eyes back to his own corpse. A thing that was admittedly not even supposed to happen, and yet it had. How was his luck actually this bad..?

“Okay, okay.. Uhm..” That useless man began to say, only serving to make Mydei feel his eye twitching a little as he watched more and more people appear and circle his body. 

It was an odd sight, really, to watch the way he was being covered with a white cloth to hide himself away - to stare as people lifted him only to put him into a car to where.. His feet wanted to follow, to watch where he was being taken. 

But the answer was obvious, wasn’t it? He was dead. He was going to be buried and forgotten, nothing more. 

“.. They’re taking my body away,” Mydei mumbled to himself as he stared at that care, cocking his head to the side as the crown now was fully dispersing. Their own lives returning to normal, all while he.. No longer had a life anymore.

There was nothing to return to, no job, no gym workout in the evening, no cooking shows and vlogs to make. There was nothing waiting for him. 

“Well.. You’re dead.. They need to bury you and tell your loved ones..” 

Mydei found himself sighing over that, his mind had briefly forgotten there was in fact one man waiting for him now. Standing there trying to look as innocent as possible after literally killing him and trying to lighten the mood, or something idiotic like that. 

Mydei looked to him at that, staring at that rather gothic dressed man before sighing heavily, “I don’t have any loved ones to be told.”

That bright white haired man who was oddly goth only looked a little bit confused by that - and maybe the slightest bit shocked, “That’s.. Depressing? Not even a cat?”

“No,” Mydei growled out, he had honestly wanted a cat for years but his landlord never allowed it, nor did he have the time to manage such a precious creature when he himself was a mess.. Honestly, his life was miserable, but that hadn’t meant he wanted it to end so.. Early?

The weirdest part was that man moving a step closer to him, such an air of concern on his brows that Mydei felt like he should step away from him. To keep his distance all while something was so very odd about it; as if that man desperately wanted to be closer to him, yet he wasn’t sure how to convey such a thing.

Instead, he only knitted his brows together and tilted his head to the side, looking like a pathetic little puppy, “Goodness me! Are.. You okay?”

“I’m fine, I never felt the want for such things. I am young, after all,” Mydei lied a little, blinking over his own words as he scoffed to correct himself, “.. Was, young.”

“Wow.. You’re just really pretty, it’s shocking no one was dating you!” That man replied, and Mydei had to slowly focus on him again. His eyes moved so leisurely slow as he took in the sight of that man who was looking much too innocent. 

Baffling.

He was so baffling to Mydei’s mind that he couldn’t help but to open his mouth a few times as he bit down on his own laugh in his throat. Not a happy laugh, but one that just couldn’t believe the fact this was reality, “.. Are you hitting on me after killing me?”

That man only blinked at him a few times, “You.. Miss every shot you don’t take?”

.. What kind of man would kill someone and then hit on him? In another life, this man had to be a serial killer of some sort, Mydei was certain of that much.. 

“.. It must be a cruel fate that I can speak with my murderer and he’s a fool,” Mydei grumbled out, still finding himself turning to move on the sidewalk - his eyes only studying the way life had continued around him. As if he hadn’t died on the pavement a few minutes ago and now.. They didn’t even care or remember him, a person that hadn’t made a mark on history at all, nor impacted their life.

Just a blur on some of their minds as they hurried to work and continued to go about their days.

All while Mydei found himself mourning the fact he wouldn’t have one of these days again.

There would be no early morning of his jog through the streets, no days where he found himself outside the local cat cafe smiling looking in on them, no annoying hums and purrs of motors in the streets at night.

All of it was gone now, somehow foggy to his own ears - as if the world of the living was ebbing away from him and distant, all while his vision was fine and unbothered by it. 

“I wouldn’t call it murdering..” That man muttered to his side however, making Mydei snap his head to the side to give his attention to, annoyingly, the only man he could hear clearly right now. 

“What would you like to call it then, considering you have ended my life?” He growled out, unable to understand what the hell hell he thought this situation could be summed up as.

And, weirdly, that man only shuffled his weight between his feet under Mydei’s gaze - making a weird clacking noise as his heels snapped against the pavement in his black long boots that were.. Eyecatching, but not really fitting the vibe of Mydei in a t-shirt and jogging shorts at all. 

“Uh.. A friendly gesture that sped your life along..?” He offered. 

“Pass,” Mydei declined with a grouchiness in his throat - feeling his brows sink even lower as he glared at that man now. Staring and waiting for that man to actually do something, because Mydei certainly was clueless on this matter. 

And it was his fault, anyway. 

“Listen, listen.. Mydeimos, we need to take you to my work’s headquarters,” That man began with a wave of his silver-clawed gloves, shaking them a little as if he was trying to forfeit something as Mydei only peered at him silently,  “They’ll know what to do with you.”

“How do you know my name?” Mydei hissed out, unable to figure out what else to say to that nonsense of going to this man’s workplace.

He needed to be fired, if anything. 

“Well.. It’s kind of my job?”

“A job you’re not very good at,” Mydei added with a huff, closing his eyes a little over how that man knew his name, and how old he was, and when he was supposed to die.. That all felt a little bit intimate but he supposed he didn’t have a choice of what.. The grim reaper knew about him? Was that what this man was?

“.. Mean, but you can call me Phainon!” Phainon greeted with a smile, all while sounding as if he was faking being upset, a few silly words that made Mydei instantly want to retract the idea of him being a ‘grim reaper’. 

He wasn’t very good at his job to be such a thing, and he hoped this wasn’t a common occurrence either - but something about the way he was acting told Mydei it.. Probably wasn’t. That this was some kind of freak accident that Phainon hadn’t meant to have happened, and Mydei was his first blunder.

But a mistake he couldn’t take back or fix, and now Mydei was dead.

“‘My Murderer’ has a much better ring to it,” Mydei sighed out, shaking his head a tiny bit as he thought about how insane it was that he now was dead due to this man. 

“Wow.. Calling me yours already? I’m smitten,” Phainon purred out so sweetly, yet Mydei only found that tone to be irksome to his ears - making him frown just a tiny bit over how demonic Phainon was as a person. 

To flirt with a man that you had just killed.. That was beyond shameless, and yet he was holding Mydei hostage and doing just that again and again. 

“Insufferable,” was all Mydei could breathe out - moving his hand to pinch at the bridge of his nose tightly. He couldn’t feel a headache, but a part of him had to assume that was due to the fact he was dead and probably couldn’t get them anymore. Either way, he found himself imagining a headache in his mind. 

“Come with me, Mydeimos,” Phainon only continued as he moved a little, only to turn his back on Mydei and to hum a little as he seemed to gather a sword from somewhere. Such a sudden thing that Mydei found himself a little bit baffled as he watched that man show off a little, handling it so easily to his side as he threw a grin over his shoulder at the same time.

Ironic, considering Mydei’s eyes were staring at that sword - a golden hilt that seemed almost painfully jagged, sharded and broken just like the blade itself. Yet the dark black color of that blade made his eyes linger on it, staring at the way it seemed almost dazzling if not.. Distorted, as if something was horribly wrong with it.

All before it vanished to the front of Phainon again, who only stepped to the side a little much too happily - a smile on his lips as he seemed proud to show off the now odd rip into the middle of the air. 

“I feel as though I lack a choice in this,” Mydei confessed under his breath as his eyes still were searching Phainon a little, stunned over the way that eerie weapon was gone yet again before sliding his eyes to that tear. 

“You could try to run if you would like, but we do have to hunt down runaway souls and I’m not adverse to chasing you down,” Phainon mused in a rather odd and dreamy voice,  “It’s more interesting than my job normally is.”

“.. Is accidentally murdering me not ‘interesting’ enough for you?” Mydei asked as his eyes only stared at that.. Portal? Thing, that Phainon had conjured up in the middle of a busy street, normal, living people, walking through as if they couldn’t see it. As if it wasn’t even there, all while Mydei could literally see what was on the other side of it.

An office, maybe? 

“I feel like you’re not going to let me live that down, are you?” Phainon asked with a sigh. 

“‘Live that down’, that would make one of us that’s allowed to live around here, apparently.”

“You are wounding me..”

Mydei had to bite his tongue to point out the fact Phainon had quite literally fatally wounded Mydei first, instead watching as Phainon gave him such a sweet smile yet again. 

“After you, my prince,” Phainon hummed as he motioned to that.. Seemingly tear in reality, a thing that looked like it did in fact lead to another place and yet.. Phainon was standing to the side of it much too innocently, appearing as if he was absolutely waiting on Mydei to go first. 

And Mydei had to debate if he even wanted to comment on the ‘my prince’ nonsense or not, staring at the way Phainon himself seemed to flush over saying those words. Looking a bit mortified as if he hadn’t even meant to say such a thing to him, all while Mydei was seriously having to debate what battle with this man was worth it or not. 

“.. Right,” Mydei muttered, coming to terms with the fact that this was a hopeless struggle as he walked over to that.. Little tear - a gap in the space that made Mydei feel more than a little nervous as he neared it.

But what was he supposed to say? He was just a nine to five office worker who hadn’t even had his protein shake today.. Of course he was a little bit nervous to go into this new office..

And yet, he breathed in a little deeply as he cocked his head to the side - checking a little to see if that man was going to actually kill him (again) or something. Though, that man only offered him a nod - such a quick movement of his head that Mydei was pretty sure he was going to get whiplash if he kept it up, all while his smile remained so welcoming that it.. 

Made Mydei’s stomach twist enough to where he practically forced himself to walk through that rift a bit swiftly, no longer wanting to look at that man either way anymore. 

“Okay, so.. Step one is speaking to my division’s leader,” Phainon spoke from behind him, clearly following after him - and Mydei wasn’t sure if that was a comfort or a curse yet, “We have to find her for that..”

Either way, Mydei couldn’t stop his eyes from wandering a little over the new place they were in. A place that, somehow, was showing him Phainon wasn’t alone in his gothic fashion choices - in fact, everyone scurrying about were almost in the same attire. 

The sight of it all was too magical, really.. The room they were in had such long arching walls with painted and stained woods that made it look so much older than it actually was if the sleek flooring was anything to go off of. The eerie part of it had to be the lack of windows, no matter where Mydei’s eyes moved he couldn’t find a single window anywhere. 

“Don’t get lost, Mydeimos,” Phainon mused as he was so blatantly watching Mydei, giving him such a wide and rather happy grin as he tilted his head innocently as Mydei brought his eyes to that man, “Want to hold my hand?”

“No,” Mydei replied without a second thought, feeling his eye twitching just a tiny amount as he watched Phainon seeming deflate with a quiet ‘oh’ escaping his lips.

All before Phainon instantly perked up again, a grin on his lips as he spun on his heel with a wave of his hand, “Ouchie, right, right, this way.”

Mydei had half of his mind to make a run for it and pray that he could get help from literally anyone but the man who had actually killed him. But that felt a little hopeless as he instead pressed out such a deep sigh, moving his hand up to the braid at the side of his own head a bit idly - rubbing his fingers against the gold of it as he followed after Phainon. 

“Aglaea is probably in her office.. She rarely leaves but..” Phainon was mumbling under his breath as they walked, but Mydei could barely focus on his words outside of the clicking of his heels against the floor, sounding so loudly in his ears,  “I’m a bit worried..”

Everything about this place felt almost unreal - the wood was varnished to be such a deep and lovely hue as trims against the edges of the walls along the sides. And the floor was so polished that he almost felt like he was going to slip on them, yet they were not actually slippery at all beneath his feet. 

“.. You fear your boss that much?” Mydei asked as he dropped his own eyes a bit lowly, staring at his sneakers that really made him feel like he didn’t fit in here at all. The stares he was earning was more than enough to tell him his outfit was not made for their line of work at all.

But it’s not like anyone warned him his jogging clothes would be the clothes he would die in.. How was he supposed to know he should have dressed nicely today? 

“Well, I..” Phainon sounded as if he were a bit choked up as he shrugged his shoulders, “It’s not everyday I accidentally kill a man, you know? Ha… Ha..”

Mydei didn’t know if he should even believe this man or not anymore. Feeling himself scowling more and more when he thought about the fact he actually was dead, “That’s not very reassuring.”

Though, he was thankful that he didn’t need to fill the lull of words very much - instead someone else seemed more eager than he ever could as a woman was now quickly approaching from the side, “Phainon?”

“Hello Cas! How are you today? Where is Aglaea?” Phainon asked, but the fact that the girl wasn’t paying any heed to Phainon while she spoke to him was.. Odd. 

Mydei couldn’t help but to feel a little awkward under those soft eyes - lilac and enchanting, eyes that were completely stuck on him of all people. Not looking at Phainon at all as she rather rigidly remained staring at Mydei, and something about it was.. Eerie as well.

The way she seemed almost horrified; nervous, appearing as if Mydei had personally wronged her - all before her eyes finally moved to Phainon. 

“That.. Man with you..?” She questioned, and Mydei could only figure it really was not that common to bring a man in gym shorts and a t-shirt into such a formally dressed location. Or that she could tell he wasn’t supposed to die yet, whatever it was, it made his skin crawl just a tad under her gaze. 

Phainon only moved the slightest amount, turning on the floor to look at Mydei with such an odd expression - one that seemed panicked as he took in the sight of Mydei.

All before he laughed and shook his head, waving his hand a little as his eyes found their way right back to that girl, “Ah, this is Mydeimos Kremnos, I had.. An accident today, I need to speak with her.”

The silence that fell between the three of them was palpable and souring to Mydei’s mind - a situation that made Mydei wonder if these two had issues between each other as he tried to comprehend the odd little looks the two reapers were giving to each other. It was almost as if they were having a silent argument all while Mydei had to stand there dumbfoundedly over it all. 

“I.. She is in her office..” That girl eventually said, though she still looked awkward and unsettled, as if she didn’t even really want to tell them such a thing.. 

Not that Phainon cared as he immediately began to happily walk away - a bit faster than before as he led Mydei out of that man room and down a hallway, “Thank you! Come on, Mydei!”

“.. I did not tell you that nickname,” Mydei hissed out as he stared at the back of Phainon’s head - doing his best the glare bullets into him as that man’s steps didn’t halt even the slightest bit. Almost like he wanted to escape that girl as quickly as he possibly could with Mydei in tow.

“Ah, well,” Phainon so flippantly began, throwing a little look over his shoulder as his eyes twinkled just a little bit, “I’ve overheard it before, that’s all.”

.. Overheard? Was it something to do with the fact they were grim reapers, then? Maybe that man had like a list in his head and was able to see things about him that Mydei wasn’t privy to..?

“Hmph.” Was all Mydei could manage for that reason, cocking his head to the side in hopes of ignoring him as he walked after Phainon regardless of his own feelings on the man. All while Phainon stopped at a door along the corridor finally. 

The next thing to happen was odd to Mydei as he stopped behind him, blinking a little as Phainon looked at him; almost as if he was begging for mercy as he looked so.. Pathetic? As if he was a scared little child looking to Mydei for support.. And Mydei could only look behind himself a little curiously, trying his best to find whoever the hell Phainon was looking at, because it certainly wasn’t Mydei who was going to help him in this situation.

Phainon seemed to have gotten that memo due to Mydei looking away however, sighing so very loudly before he knocked on that large door. A knock that made Mydei jerk his head back to the front and blink at how hollow everything here sounded against his ears. So open and yet so very quiet.. 

.. Where were they, anyway? 

“Come in,” A voice from inside called out in reply to the knock, however, making Phainon push that door open for both of them and Mydei.. 

Mydei found himself stiffening a little as he followed Phainon into that square room, his eyes immediately latching to the rows of bookshelves lining the walls before finding their way to the speaker who was demanding his attention as her desk was so perfectly in the center of the room.

Phainon’s boss, right?

That was his one thought he had as his eyes laid purchase on the woman who was tapping a pen on her desk mindlessly - gorgeous hair that looked as if there was not a single hair out of place all while she was a little bit hunched over. Causing the perfect locks to frame and feather around her face so perfectly with that posture. 

All until she looked up - her entire expression seemed to melt into so many emotions that he couldn’t even fully read into. Shock? Horror? Something else that looked almost relieved..? He didn’t know, but all he did know was the heavy glare her eyes focused into as she jerked from Mydei to Phainon - anger. That was the emotion Mydei at least could figure out. 

“And who is this,” She spoke with such a cold edge to her words that made Mydei feel almost nervous even though he didn’t think he was at risk of being scolded by her yet, “.. Phainon?” 

“Yes ma’am,” Phainon replied, rigid and hollow, and fully letting Mydei know that he was right for feeling like he was doomed to be scolded because that grown ass man now sounded like he was a child about to be put into a corner by his mother as well. 

Her pen was completely dropped now as she moved a little, threading her hands together on her desk to lean onto them a little; “Who is this?”

“Well,” Phainon hummed as he put a hand on his hip - an act that Mydei found himself feeling a little insane over as he watched that man stand in such a sassy position while clearly having had royally messed up today, “This is Mydeimos, I accidentally killed him today and w-”

“‘Accidentally’?” That woman echoed out, not at all looking or sounding pleased by that news - nor did she seem like she was going to let him off the hook for this at all. If anything, Mydei was pretty sure that she looked furious - beyond angry over something Mydei couldn’t even place.

Probably due to this being more taboo than Phainon had even bothered to truly speak of, a rule that he broke today that he wasn’t telling Mydei. Or that there was something they weren’t revealing to him.. The possibility that he couldn’t move on due to Phainon or something like that was not lost on him at all.

Phainon made an odd noise with a shake of his head however, “Yes.. An accident, Aglaea.. It.. Wasn’t quite his time to go yet! So I brought him here to see if anyone knows how to make him move on!”

That only brought such a harsh silence as that woman didn’t even budge - not a bone in her body moved, not even her eyes as she seemed to steadily and ruthlessly stare at Phainon. Her eyes almost seemed like they were trying their best to look through him and dissect him as if he were nothing more than a deceased frog in her office now. 

“He’s your responsibility now,” was all she said after such long moments of her staring him down - eyes narrowing so very slowly as if she hated saying those words too. 

“Wait-”

“May I have a say in that? I don’t think I trust him given his track record,” Mydei finally cut in, and a piece of him was more than a little thankful that her eyes softened substantially as they moved to him.

She appeared as if she truly did pity him if anything, a welcoming smile appearing on her ruby lips, “Sorry, Mydeimos. Please try to endure.”

Endure..?

That was a confusing thing to his mind as he sighed a little, shaking his head before moving his hand to his braid to twirl it between his fingers a little idly, “.. I understand punishing him, but why must I be punished for being murdered?”

Phainon did make an odd noise at that, a pouting one if anything as he huffed just a tad to Mydei’s side. 

“Murder is a harsh word..”

────────────── 

“Wait, where does Mydeimos stay, then?!” 

Phainon knew he was being irrational as his hands touched her desk, practically feeling dread bubbling inside of him over doing such an action, but he needed to convey his emotions somehow! Even though he immediately found himself removing those hands to usher out fevered apologies to Aglaea anyway, sulking a little as well as he heaved out a sigh. 

Though, Aglaea only stared at him with that same piercing look; “With you as well.”

“Huh?” was the intelligent reply Phainon mustered as his mouth fell open - trying his best to comprehend the fact he was actually hearing those words on this matter. 

That.. Mydeimos was going home with him, and also becoming his partner from now on and until he could pass on? That was insanity to him in a way that made his fingers twitch painfully - much too jittery as he tried to process what he felt over getting a partner for his duties.

Aglaea only heaved out a quiet noise - heavy and deep from her own chest and she seemed to be struggling to remain calm as she leaned into her chair a little, “You must show him around as well and take care of him, this is a disorientating experience for anyone to have to suffer through; and you caused it to happen to him.”

That.. Wasn’t the worst news, not at all, but he didn’t know how to fully make Mydei understand this all - if anything.. He had to sigh a little. 

“Is it not enough to say sorry..?”

“Phainon,” Aglaea’s voice was harsh and rough, not her normal one at all and Phainon couldn’t blame her at all. 

Accidents like this shouldn’t happen, and it was nothing to write off easily - it would go onto Phainon’s record and he would now be constantly monitored and made sure that all of his work went swimmingly. 

That was why Phainon found himself sighing heavily, “I know, I know. I’m joking, I’ll take care of Mydeimos.”

“He deserves that most from you,” Aglaea told him in such a tired voice that made his skin burn just a little when he considered why that might be. Though, all Phainon found himself able to do was give a small little glance over his shoulder. Checking to make sure that Mydei hadn’t tried to escape the situation or anything yet - feeling himself sigh a little as Mydei was merely waiting behind him as expected. 

“What uh.. What do I do about my work until then?” Phainon nervously asked as he turned his head to look at Aglaea, staring at the way her brows were knitted together in deep thought and consideration.

“He is to stay with you at all times,” Aglaea mumbled with less than a spark or twinkle of happiness in her voice as she said those things, “We do not need a soul getting lost. You will be taking him on your duties for as long as he remains here. Consider him your official partner.”

Official.. Partner..?

Phainon couldn’t deny the fact he felt so excited over those words and the idea of Mydei taking up that role, but he .. Couldn’t just properly display such a thing, could he? 

That was why he felt himself whining a little instead, “But.. You said I’m so efficient I don’t need a partner!”

Aglaea at that only raised a prim and proper brow, “I was wrong, wasn’t I? Mydeimos Kremnos was not supposed to die today, we both know that much.”

“Aglaea, that’s-”

“Phainon, just take him and go. I’ve had enough of your lies for today,” Aglaea spoke in such a tired tone - one that sounded as if she had aged by one-hundred years in the time Phainon had been standing near her desk. Or as if this topic alone had forced her hand, and Phainon couldn’t even figure out what to say as her eyes kept obviously dipping behind him - glancing at the blonde who was politely and silently standing just a bit behind Phainon.

Phainon found himself opening his mouth in such a confused way, staring at Aglaea before closing his mouth once more. 

“.. Yes, Aglaea.”

Phainon didn’t say a word after that, even going as far as to ignore the way Mydei had nodded to her a little and bowed much too politely towards her; as if he was doing his best to apologize for the both of them when Mydei hadn’t even done a single thing wrong..

It was enough to make Phainon huff in slight annoyance as they left that office room. 

“Where are we going?” Was the sweetly asked question from Mydei from behind him though, one that made Phainon slow his walking just a little to be more in line with Mydei. Forcing a smile back onto his lips now that they were alone again as he gave a little laugh over that question that sounded..

.. So unlike Mydei, quiet and unsure, not stable and firm in his beliefs; a man who had lost everything today, and could only lean on Phainon for support in his life now. 

“Well! I assume Aglaea will deliver clothes for you but..” Phainon trailed off as he thought of how they were both going to be staying in his small room in the headquarters - sighing a little as he walked down those arching hallways that meant nothing to him.

Things he had walked down so many times before, and now Mydei was seemingly trying to take it all in - his eyes glancing around blatantly as he appeared keen to know where he was currently being taken. But it wasn’t as if anyone here would ever bring any harm to him, if Mydei asked for advice, anyone there would be more than a little eager to give him a helping hand, if anything.. 

Those thoughts were precisely why Phainon had to laugh a little, “I don’t have a guest room, honestly!”

“What do you mean?”

Phainon hummed over that question as he led Mydei down another hallway - turning a little bit more abruptly into a tiny square room. Or well, an elevator that Mydei was more than just a little familiar with as he shuffled in after Phainon - and Phainon was very aware of the way Mydei was watching his fingers keenly to see the number he would press on the amount of floors there. 

“I’ve never had a partner before, so I guess you’re my partner, partner!” Phainon chirped as he mushed the floor ten button, humming a little as the machinery whirled to life without much delay. 

Mydei only sighed however, moving in the shiny little golden room as he seemed a bit uncomfortable in the space with just Phainon now - and Phainon couldn’t help but to stare at those shiny metallic doors to look at the reflection of Mydei in there.

Taking in the way he seemed to scowl a little, “.. What does that have to do with a guest room?”

“I think we’ll be cuddling in my bed,” Phainon offered immediately with a little shrug of his shoulders, feeling a smile creeping on his face over the idea of how sweet that was.. Though, Mydei didn’t appear happy at all - frowning as his own eyes flicked to that reflection as well, clearly looking at Phainon as well. 

“Do you have a couch?”

“Mydei.. I don’t bite!”

“You killed me,” Mydei explained as that door opened for the both of them, making Phainon click his tongue as he moved out of the elevator a bit languidly to make sure Mydei was still with him, “That’s worse than biting.”

“How can I make it up to you?” Phainon asked as he began to walk again, furrowing his brows together as he kept glancing behind himself to look at Mydei - desperate to make sure he was still following as Phainon led him to his own home. 

“Insane question to ask me. Are you perchance actually an idiot?”

Those words were enough to make Phainon jerk his head to the front, choking a little as he did his best to not feel like he had just had an egg thrown at his head by Mydei. 

“I’m genuinely asking!”

“Hmph,” was the thrilling reply Mydei gave to that as Phainon sighed so loudly. 

“I’ll do my best for you, Mydei,” Phainon couldn’t help but to feel himself clenching his hands into fists over his own words - eyes narrowing as he walked,  “I promise.”

“.. Does that mean you will no longer be killing random civilians?”

.. He supposed he should have expected that question from the man he killed!

“Uh.. Yes,” Phainon murmured in reply to that, feeling his footsteps slowing a little as he looked at Mydei again. 

That sight was so.. Odd to him, to see someone in normal human attire in their homes, and this time it was a man who looked like he was just ready for a run. Well.. Okay, he had actively been going for a run, and now he was in such a gothic styled area..

Though, Mydei noticed his eyes on him regardless of if Phainon wanted him to or not; “Are you all.. Death?”

“Technically.. I guess so!”

“All of you are reapers?”

“Yeah,” Phainon replied, but his entire head just felt so painfully empty over how he simply wasn’t sure what to tell Mydei at all. 

There had been nothing else for him when he had first gotten here to where doing work to distract himself had been the easiest option for him. For a while, at least. 

“.. Is it a job that pays well?”

Pay..? Phainon felt himself knitting his brows together as he tried to even figure out why he did this again, but what other choice was there? He didn’t.. He didn’t think there was any other choice for him, not anymore. 

“Uh.. There’s no pay.. We just.. It’s life?”

Mydei made an odd noise at that - as if he was clicking his tongue with Phainon’s description, “.. Life.”

“Sorry, touchy subject I know,” Phainon shook his head slowly as he opened his own home’s door, “This way.”

And Phainon felt more than a little nervous as he moved into his home - moving to the side to make room for Mydei to follow after him into that small series of rooms and closing the door after him politely. 

“You all live in a dorm?” Mydei asked, not in a tone that didn’t sound judgemental at all - just a bit full of wonder as he lazily moved into Phainon’s home slowly. 

“Kind of, yeah,” Phainon admitted with a little nod, “Do you like it?”

“.. It’s bigger than my own apartment, so it isn’t as if I can complain about such a thing,” Mydei mused in a quiet tone that made Phainon watch the way his eyes were roaming over the kitchen Phainon had stepped into. A useless thing he had never personally used, but Mydei was so clearly inspecting it all before his eyes moved to the room it had an open half-window to. 

The living room that was.. Pretty much also unused considering Phainon had never found himself very interested in watching the human world turn and move from the outside using the television there - but Mydei seemed to be taking his time to take it all in. 

“I would hear you out, if you wanted to anyway,” Phainon promised with a nod, watching the way Mydei’s head curtly turned to look at him before snapping away once more just as swiftly. 

“.. Right,” Mydei grumbled out, sounding as if he were a little bit tired of Phainon’s attempts at friendship, but that was fine. There was no world in hell or heaven where Phainon actually left Mydei alone anytime soon. 

“Uhm.. Would you like a tour or..?”

“Yes,” Mydei flatly said, but that one served to make Phainon feel a little stupid for even asking as he huffed out a tad - moving past Mydei to walk into the living room before turning to the right and turning that small room’s light on. 

“Okay.. Uhm.. This is the guest bathroom.. Connected to the living room..” Phainon nodded as he moved to the side, letting Mydei lean a little to look at that small room before he turned the light back off in there.

.. Phainon couldn’t blame him for that, not when he had to agree that there was nothing to really even see in that room. Nor did Phainon ever have a use for it, grim reapers didn’t exactly.. Meet with each other and hang out very often unless they had a partner. 

Still, Phainon took that light clicking off as his sign to walk through his rather bare living room - doing his best to ignore his one bookshelf, much too prim couch, and unused television as he walked. Idly aware of the way Mydei was following silently behind him on the carpet, all while Phainon moved across that bathroom. 

His finger moving to turn on the light immediately before he spoke; “This.. Is my bedroom, which is also your bedroom now, and that’s our bathroom.” 

He didn’t stop at all however, feeling more and more nervous as he pointed out things and the other other doors in that room, “Uh.. This is our closet.”

Phainon opened it to let Mydei look at it, but Mydei..

“It’s empty,” He noted with a heavy blink towards Phainon.

“We mainly wear black.. I don’t need many other pairs of clothes,” Phainon explained as he closed that empty closet with a deep breath leaving his chest, “And Aglaea doesn’t let me pick out my own..”

Mydei gave him a strange look at that, one that Phainon could only find himself able to describe it as him tilting his head to the side with a question mark springing to mind. Or, something like that at least as Phainon tried to bury the shame burning into himself as he stood there being studied by Mydei. 

Phainon found himself jerking a little as he heard a knock at the door however, never finding himself to be shocked at all with how fast Aglaea worked. In fact, as he opened that door and felt eyes on the back of his skull, he felt as though he was much too eager really to pick up that box that had been speedily left at his door.

Probably dropped off and then the deliverer teleported away.. Whatever the case was, he couldn’t help the tremble in his fingers as he held that box in his hands. A deep amount of almost longing hit so deeply into his core as he stood up and stared at it before closing the door behind him once more. Vaguely aware of the way Mydei was merely standing there in their bedroom doorway waiting for him and Phainon.. 

He could only smile at that man as he practically skipped to him once more - his feet as light as ever as he laughed a little over the way Mydei dipped to the side of the room to let Phainon trout into there without a single issue. 

“Here’s your clothes!” Phainon chirped happily as he settled that box onto the bed - an unassuming thing that made him almost nostalgic in an odd way.

Those memories of getting his first attire while he had been nervously pacing around his room trying to accept the fact it was all finally over. And now.. His eyes could only slide to look at Mydei, taking in the sight of his furrowed brows looking just as anxious towards that box as his hands moved to open it.

Every flick of his wrist opened a new layer of it, peeling it open to look inside at the contents of it for himself as he seemed to pause a little. Eyes staring down at the black fabrics that were waiting for him, all while his shoulders sagged a little bit over it; an inaudible sigh Phainon had to assume as those golden eyes crawled up to Phainon’s face. 

“.. Why must I wear these?” Mydei asked as he held eye contact with Phainon, and that was such a curious thing to Phainon. To look into those golden eyes and see hesitance and uncertainty, everything about it didn’t quite make any sense to Phainon’s mind.

He just had to suppose it couldn’t be helped! Not when Mydei clearly had not been ready to pass on yet.. And that was Phainon’s fault.. Regardless! He offered a small smile as he flicked his own eyes downwards, looking at the apparel that undoubtedly would match his own if he inspected it closely. 

“Well,” Phainon hummed out as he moved a bit closer to the bed - putting his hand against the soft fabric as he hunched over a little to look at them, “Apparently, they’re making you work alongside me for a while until it’s found out if you can actually leave or not..”

“We’re going out?” Mydei asked as his fingers now dipped inside of that box, digging around to lift and feel some of those clothes - it wasn’t a big box, they would assuredly get more delivered to them. 

Phainon had to laugh over the idea of that, shaking his head a little, “No, no.. I’m tired, we need to sleep!”

“.. Dead people sleep?” Mydei questioned in such an odd tone that Phainon couldn’t help but to feel as though it was a little cute. Watching the way Mydei seemed stunned and still languidly going through that box, and well.. Phainon had to huff over it as he moved to his own dresser - turning his back on that man as he slid his gloves off slowly. 

“I’m not dead,” Phainon mused as he ran his thumb over that golden ring he kept on his finger, humming a little as he turned on his heel to give Mydei a warm smile,  “Or.. Well, maybe I am. But we still need to rest.”

Phainon only lazily put his hands behind his back at that, propping him up a little as he leaned against it with a lop-sided smile. His eyes were only able to watch the way Mydei still seemed so uncertain of everything; a feature that seemed so painfully bizarre on that man - as if even he were uncomfortable in his own body. 

Yet, Mydei moved his eyes to meet Phainon’s own after a few heavy moments, “Isn’t that just the failure of the human body? I didn’t think the dead slept..”

Phainon couldn’t help but to note the strange lilt in his voice, “Aren’t you tired? Your mind can’t possibly be running at one-hundred percent either.”

“.. I am tired,”  Mydei admitted, and that was more than enough to make Phainon laugh a little as he shoved off his own dresser. Moving to their bed now to sit on the side of it with a little huff as he plopped down there. 

“Exactly.. Bed time,” Phainon murmured as he began to unzip his long boots, humming a little over the way he could practically feel Mydei awkwardly unsure of what to do with himself. 

“It’s two in the afternoon,” Mydei pointed out as Phainon plopped one of his boots to the side of the bed, nodding a little over the astute observation by his.. Partner. 

Phainon couldn’t help but to chuckle a little quietly, “We’re dead. Time doesn’t matter.”

“.. Now you agree you’re dead?” Mydei grumbled out as Phainon lost yet another shoe before moving to remove his socks. 

“Only when it works in my favor,” Phainon teased as he turned a little to give Mydei a grin as he unbuckled the silver cufflinks around his neck - tugging them off and freeing that half-drape from his shoulders to join his boots on the floor.

He couldn’t help the way he had stiffened over Mydei’s next question as golden eyes clashed into blue. So fiery in a way that it caught Phainon’s breath in his throat, making him swallow roughly as Mydei’s mouth opened. 

“Do you remember being a human?”

“Nope,” Phainon instantly and flatly replied, not even wanting to think twice on that question - nor did he want to face the truth of it.

Of course he could.

It was his own waking nightmare to be able to remember being a human and his life before this all. That was precisely why he would do anything to not have to face it, not yet, at least. 

Maybe he wasn’t as good of a liar as he thought as Mydei only seemed to remain a bit too quiet over that reply. Staring at Phainon as if he was peering into the depths of his very soul for such a long time, all before he moved to settle those clothes back into the box.

An action Phainon found himself watching in a stunned way as he tried to comprehend what more than man would ask of him; his eyes only taking note of the small dent on the bed where that box was sitting. Now neatly being closed by Mydei’s deft fingers as if he had already seen enough of it. 

All before Mydei finally spoke once more; “.. Can I touch you?”

“Yep!” Phainon replied without a second thought, and he was almost embarrassed over that fact; feeling his face heating up over how instantly he had agreed to let this.. Stranger touch him, but.. It was just his curiosity towards being dead, wasn’t it? 

And it was Phainon’s job to make sure he was at home or something.. Letting him do as he pleased was only fair, right? 

That was precisely why Phainon had to ignore the burning in his cheeks and his ears, instead watching as Mydei walked over to him languidly. And Phainon hated this so badly.

Namely, Mydei’s shorts. 

Those were haunting him and making him stare at his thighs that were bodyline exposed for Phainon to look at those crimson tattoos that crawled up his legs. So muscular and perfect that Phainon felt like he was going more and more insane the more he looked at him, and now..

Nothing could have warned Phainon for a gentle hand on his cheek - cupping against him with such a chaste feeling that Phainon was barely even aware of the way Mydei’s skin was touching his own. Warm and tender and deserving of making Phainon stare upwards at him with his mouth agape, unsure of what to even say as Mydei withdrew that hand already from him. 

“I actually can..” Mydei murmured as he looked at his own hand, such a heavy amount of fascination towards it that Phainon could barely even make himself breathe again. 

“Yes? Is that odd?” Phainon asked in a ghost of his former voice, taking a moment to clear his throat after saying those words - doing his best to choke down whatever emotions had just crawled into him as Mydei only seemed so very unaware of it as he turned away again. 

“.. I couldn’t touch people earlier.”

“Because they’re living. That’s all,” Phainon explained as he watched that man walk back to that box, making Phainon yearn for a little bit more of that touch, but he.. He had to be insane for that, he knew that much considering they didn’t know each other.. 

“I can only touch you because we’re both dead..” Mydei echoed out with a heavy sigh, shaking his head a little as he moved to that box again - taking it into his own hands before moving over to that closet and pausing a little at it.

Probably due to the fact he still felt uncomfortable or something about it as he settled that box onto the floor in front of it. A sight that made Phainon blink a few times - but he didn’t dare tell him he could put up his clothes if he wanted to, that was.. Up for Mydei to decide for himself, he supposed! 

Phainon instead had to laugh a little, “Is this just your elaborate plan to make me admit we’re both dead? Yes, Mydeimos, I’m dead. You can touch me.”

“.. Are you the only one I can touch anymore?” Mydei asked, and Phainon had to laugh a little as he stood up from their bed, grinning towards Mydei who still seemed as if he was pacing a little bit. 

“And other people I work with, but..” Phainon couldn’t help himself as he leaned towards that just a smidge shorter male, smiling at him,  “I would prefer your hands stay on me, you know?”

“You are a shameless flirt and expect me to sleep in the same bed with you? I’m sleeping in your living room,”  Mydei instantly replied with such a heavy scowl on face that made Phainon feel as if he had just sprayed a feral cat with water and that cat was now praying to every single god it believed in to take Phainon’s life swiftly and mercilessly. 

And the way Mydei had immediately made a move to walk past Phainon served to make him jerk his hand out - grasping at Mydei with a little laugh in his throat that he had to do his best to swallow it down.

“Mydei! Wait, wait, don’t do that. I’m teasing, alright? Sleep where it’s comfortable. If you want, I’ll sleep on my couch,” Phainon offered with a shake of his head - watching the way Mydei’s eyes seemed to be heavily studying him now that Phainon had a grip on his arm, “It’s the least I can do.”

“Why do you look so upset?”

.. Did he?

Phainon couldn’t even tell that he was showing his emotions like that, instead releasing his hold on Mydei to try to rein in whatever he was so foolishly showing to Mydei.. 

“I.. I just want to try to make it right with you, Mydei. That’s all,” Phainon muttered, and something about that was at least working for Mydei as he turned away again. Immediately kicking off his own shoes with such efficiency that it 

“.. Stay on that side of the bed, and I’ll stay on this side.” Mydei muttered as he rolled onto his side on the bed - an action that Phainon found himself so giddy over as he moved to turn off the light as well before walking over to their bed and flopping down unceremoniously with a sigh escaping him.

Though.. He couldn’t help but to lay on his side staring at Mydei - taking in the sight of that man’s back as he stared at hair that was so beautiful it almost seemed to glow in the dark. Stunning to take in and the sight of it made Phainon numbly move his fingers to rub against that golden ring once more, nervousness biting into him as that man had now fallen so very silent.

That was why Phainon couldn’t help but to fill the void a little, “Deal. Good night, Mydeimos!”

“.. Night,” Mydei muttered out, all before he made an odd noise,  “Am I allowed to keep my clothes I died in?”

“No, we will have to burn them later.”

“.. Seriously?”

“No, I’m joking, I still have mine hidden somewhere,” Phainon laughed as he spoke those words, a little bit amused that Mydei wanted to keep his workout clothes anyway - but it wasn’t like he would force Mydei to get rid of them even if Aglaea would replace them with.. Substantially more goth clothing. 

“Oh,” Mydei huffed, “How did your boss even have my measurements for my clothes?”

That..

“.. Reaper knowledge.”

“Mn.”