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Thanatos had been following the same routine for as long as he could remember. He would receive orders of a new set of shades that needed to be led from the mortal realm to the Underworld and off he would go on his magnificent wings to retrieve them and set them on their way to board Charon’s boat and cross the river Styx. At this point he could do it all in his sleep, at least when he wanted to go through with doing these tasks.
It wasn’t a happy job, and doing the same thing for so many years, he started to lose touch with the mortals he encountered. It hurt to see the shades so confused, hesitant at first to take his guiding hand as they didn’t fully understand that they were dead, but it wasn’t anything he would ever need to fully know. Mortality had never been, and would never be an issue for him. It was one of the benefits of being a god, but at times he’d wonder what it would be like knowing there was some sort of a time limit on your life. Only so much time to exchange words, touches, experiences. Their time would run out and they would live their lives either making the most of it or wasting it.
But these thoughts would end as quickly as they started, for he had infinite time to figure his shit out. He had no time limit that would run out soon, and he liked it that way.
Even then, he would still smile at the meek shades, softly assure them that everything was okay, and for another moment as they accepted his help, he wondered what it must be like to see death approaching. Even if he tried to be kind and merciful, was it a horrible sinking feeling knowing that life was truly over?
But once again he shook those thoughts away. There was work to be done and he shouldn’t waste it with such foolish questions. When would this ever be important to him besides these little moments?
Well, as ironic as it was, that time seemed to be now.
After a day filled with trips to the mortal realm and back, he had returned to the Underworld Corp expecting there nothing else to be done. He had already completed everything and planned on slacking off, scrolling on his phone, pretending to do something important. To his surprise, and annoyance, he came back to the most curious task.
There was a flower nymph in the mortal realm who had passed and needed to be brought back to Elysium.
The first part alone raised questions. He couldn’t remember the last time a flower nymph had died, especially after how well they were protected on Demeter’s property, and for it to only be a single one? What single flower nymph was so important that they needed to be in Elysium of all places?
He asked himself this his whole way out, following the directions to the mortal realm, the sunshine warming his cold skin as he flew across the sky, still pondering the question from before.
When he arrived, landing quietly on Demeter’s land, he immediately noticed the off-putting silence that filled the area. He had come to this place before, though it was many many years ago, and he had never once seen it so eerily silent. The tight-knit community here was always doing something, whether they were running through the fields or helping each other with the workload, there never seemed to be a dull moment.
Today, it really seemed to be a completely different story.
For a place usually bustling and filled to the brink with life, it was almost dead quiet minus the distant chirping of birds and the steady flow of water. All work today seemed to have stopped, not a single nymph around…
Except one.
The last one he would want to see knowing what he was here for.
The last one he would ever want to look at him with that familiar expression which he had seen worn on the faces of the thousands of shades he had become acquainted with for what felt like minuscule moments in his long immortal life.
“T-Thanatos…?” She managed, speaking so softly, so hesitantly, that it was completely unlike her.
He had never wanted to understand what it could have felt like knowing there was a time limit, knowing one day you’d have to face the fact that there wasn’t enough time for everything. All the words that were left unsaid, touches that never got to be felt, moments that were never experienced.
And although he wasn’t dead, he finally understood what it must be like to see death approaching.
His heart sunk, staring back at Daphne, his body paralyzed where he stood as his brain tried to catch up with his eyes and process the sight in front of him.
It was Daphne he was here to retrieve, and he couldn’t be more devastated.
Although they had only shared a few moments in the time they had gotten to know each other, he had gained a huge soft spot for the nymph. Something Hermes had never stopped teasing him for after he caught on to it.
Daphne had truly been the sunshine he had never gotten to experience. Her brightly shining optimism about the world around her brought him new perspectives he had never pondered. She brought the best out of him, easing him into trying new things, being the shoulder he could lean on, and continuing to bring a smile on his face by doing the simplest things out of pure kindness.
It was hard for him not to get attached over time, and when he had realized he liked her more than he had intended, it snapped him out of his silly thoughts of any of this kindness being more than just that. What radiant flower would ever choose death itself when she could easily have anything else.
So he stayed quiet, simply admiring her from afar, knowing it would be foolish to ever expect these feelings to be returned. Maybe one day he'd muster the courage to admit it to her, tell her how much she really meant to him and how much he appreciated every small act of kindness she had ever done for him...and maybe she wouldn't be completely opposed to the offer of his love.
But Thanatos had never once considered he would run out of time with her, and now that he was faced with this reality he didn't know what to do.
There was a job to be done yet he remained frozen like a statue, his heart thumping out of his chest as he met her once rose-colored eyes. Her beautiful pink and bluebell skin were now a muted blue, just like the other shades he had seen that day.
He wanted to cry, scream if he could, but knew he couldn't. She was terrified, and it was his job to help her through this, it was his job to show her that same kindness she had throughout the time they had known each other.
So he pushed down the feelings as best he could and approached her, his heartbreaking as he saw her back into the tree behind her, still frightened from the suddenness of it all.
He had seen this too many times before, but it never quite stung the way it did right at that moment as he watched her big eyes follow his movement as he came closer to her.
Did she know what was going on?
Daphne had been aware of his job. She was the easiest person to talk to and he often found himself ranting about his long days and how at times he hated being the first thing mortals see after death.
She had told him to think of it positively.
“Well doesn’t that make your job all that more important?” She had said with those bright twinkling eyes of hers that he always got lost in. “If you’re the first person they see then you get the chance to make sure they feel comfortable, even if death is scary for them!”
“I guess you’re right,” he quietly replied. He had never really thought of it that way.
Daphne broke out into a giggle, such a sweet sound that was music to his ears. He could listen to that damn laugh for hours and never grow tired of it. “Then we should work on getting you to smile more often! Death shouldn’t be so grumpy,” She teased, suddenly cupping his face with her dainty hands.
She squished his cheeks together gently, causing him to break out in a shy smile before they both erupted in laughter.
“See! I knew we could get you to smile!”
If only then he had leaned in closer, replacing the distance between them with all his unspoken words of thanks and love that had come soon after meeting her.
But he didn’t, and now coming up to the frightened nymph who looked to him for guidance, he had never regretted it more than now.
Why had he not said anything when he had the chance?
Daphne pushed herself up from the tree and ran to meet him halfway, wrapping her arms tightly around him, her face in the crook of his neck, taking Thanatos completely by surprise.
She had to have known why he was here right…?
Why would someone run towards death instead of away from it?
It took him a moment, but he finally returned the gesture, holding her close to him. His fingers instantly went to her once pink hair, combing her soft locks in an attempt at calming her down. He still couldn’t understand, but if she sought his comfort, who was he to deprive her of it?
And they stayed like that for what felt like forever. Daphne wrapped in Thanatos’s safe arms, desperately trying to hold back the tears as more of the pieces started to fit together.
She had never been afraid of death, knowing her life was not as infinite as she would have hoped it could be. She knew that when she died she didn’t want to be filled with regrets of what could’ve been, so her life was full of expanding her horizons.
And after meeting Thanatos she had come to know that when death did come, it would be okay.
Thanatos was patient and kind. He would never rush her, instead letting her take her time. He would comfort her and take her once she was ready.
And in seeing his approach in the distance after the sudden haziness of it all she knew why he was there.
Knowing her life as she had known it ended as quickly as one could snap their fingers
was scary.
Knowing this meant she would be leaving her family behind and all that was familiar to her was scary.
Knowing she’d be leaving the people she loved the most was scary.
But she wasn’t afraid of him, she could never be afraid of him.
Wrapped in the arms of death she felt calm, she felt safe.
He was as patient as ever, telling her she was okay in that same soft tone he used many times before.
Had she not been dead, it would’ve brought along the burst of a dozen butterflies, making her feel sick in the most lovely way possible. It would’ve sent her mind straight to countless daydreams of holding him close like this every day, something she knew she could’ve had if only she had spoken up sooner.
Instead, it was the most bittersweet feeling she had experienced, knowing this could very well be the last time this would be happening.
It’d be the last time and he wouldn’t know how she felt.
And even though both wanted to, neither of them uttered a word, knowing in their hearts it would make this departure that much harder to admit it all now.
So Daphne finally looked up at him, offering him a small smile that Thanatos returned, although his heart was aching. Even in death she still tried so hard to smile through everything. He had always admired her for that, but at this moment he wanted to tell her it was okay to let her smile fall.
But maybe this was her way of being strong, for both of them, the same way he didn’t let himself crack under the immense amount of emotion that washed over at the sight of her.
It was difficult, but they both powered through. No point in being sad during their last moment out in the world together right?
“Are you okay?” He finally asked, trying to hold himself together knowing their time would be up soon.
“As okay as a girl can be after dying,” she joked weakly, trying to brighten the mood even at a time like this.
“You don’t need to put on a brave face Daph…it’s okay if you're nervous.”
“I-I’m not…,” She assured him. “No reason to be. I know it’ll be okay. It’s just weird...you know?”
She felt foolish moments after asking an immortal being if they understood how strange death could be, but Thanatos eased her worries before she had a chance to take back what she said.
“I do,” He replied, his fingers still working through her hair. “ Not personally, of course, but I’ve seen how sudden this happens...I can’t imagine it’s easy to be alive one moment and dead the next.”
“I hadn’t thought much about it before…” She trailed off, looking away from his eyes for a moment, a shaky breath leaving her lips.
“But...there is one thing I’m glad of right now though,” She continued softly, her lips curling into a more familiar smile that Thanatos could recognize.
He tilted his head in curiosity. “What is that?” He asked.
Thanatos wasn’t surprised she was able to find some silver lining even at a time like this, but as he awaited her response he couldn’t come up with a single thing she could be glad about. Was there really anything good to be found in the arms of death?
Daphne hesitated for another moment, making Thanatos start to worry that she was taking so long to tell him, she never was one to be quiet for too long.
“I’m glad you get to be the one to take me there,” She finally said, meeting his grey eyes.
Even if she couldn’t tell him the full truth, she still wanted to show her appreciation before their departure from the mortal realm. It was the least she could do and the closest she could get to admitting any feelings without it being too painful.
And though he couldn’t outwardly tell her how much it both hurt and meant the world to him, he simply smiled, just like she had advised him to do before, hoping she would understand with that gesture alone.
And seeing in the way she smiled even brighter at the sight, he knew that his smile was enough.
Maybe this will be okay...
“Are you ready?” He asked, finally pulling away and offering his hand before they took flight.
Maybe somehow he could work something out with Hades that would allow him to visit her, even if he knew she’d be more than happy in Elysium. She’d never be lonely or have any problems there, but maybe even so she would still look forward to his company.
Daphne nodded, with full confidence that she was in good hands.
Death was kind and patient.
He let her take her time, giving her a full say in when she was ready...and now it was her moment to go.
She intertwined her fingers in his, tightly holding his hand.
“I’m ready,” She responded, with a little nod of her head. “Lead the way.”
And so he soared toward her eternity.