Chapter Text
When Zagreus snuck into the administration chamber in the middle of the night to peruse some of the contracts for fun, he came upon an unexpected but pleasant sight of Thanatos sleeping on a long-forgotten chaise tucked into the corner of the room. As if exhausted from his duties on the surface, he threw an arm over his eyes; his long, luxurious hair spilled over the edge and pooled onto the floor like liquid starlight. For a moment, Zagreus stood rooted to the spot, lost in thought before he shut the door behind him with a soft click.
Like the souls of the dead were drawn to Death in the form of butterflies, so too was Zagreus drawn to his sleeping friend. Quietly, he walked across the carpeted floor in gentle footsteps, and once he was close enough to count the constellation of freckles dotting Thanatos’ skin, he knelt on the ground beside him.
Placing one elbow on the edge of the chaise and resting his cheek against his palm, he stared at Than’s sleeping profile, a seedling of contentment growing in his chest the longer he stayed in his presence. If eternity consisted of only him and Thanatos, Zagreus thought he could be happy, even if it meant living forever under his father’s rule. His father often berated him for being restless and impatient, but that was only towards things he had no interest in. He had more than a passing interest in Thanatos.
But if only the same could be said of his friend. Ever since Than took on his mantle as Death Incarnate, he was rarely home. Unlike when they were younger and spent their every waking moment together, Than hardly had time for him at all anymore. There was an ache, an emptiness in Zagreus’ chest where Than’s constant presence once filled.
With his free hand, he reached out and idly played with the silky strands. It’d grown longer since he’d last seen him, almost midway down his back now. He always wondered why and when Than started growing out his hair. A part of him believed Than simply didn’t want to bother cutting his hair, but the other part, the more conceited half, wanted to believe Than grew them out for him. In passing, he once mentioned he thought Than would look prettier with longer hair.
Zagreus pressed the silver hair against his lips, kissing them. Either way, he was glad Than grew his hair out. Not because it made Than more feminine, but because he loved the feel of running his fingers through the soft, silken strands. From childhood until their teens, Than had always scolded him for undoing his braids or making his hair a mess. It was a habit Zagreus couldn’t grow out of. He didn’t want to.
Gently, almost in a seductive trance, he traced the side of his face with the hair he held hand. “Than...are you asleep?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. He grazed the side of Than’s cheek with the back of his hand. No matter the amount of time that passed them by or how much they’d grown, Than was always just as beautiful as the first time they met.
Zagreus’ fingers traced the edges of the sleeping god’s mouth. He wondered if Than was as sweet as he looked? Did he carry with him the taste of sunshine and warmth from the surface? Soft, succulent, and delicious; a kiss from Than would fill the void he felt since his birth.
For a moment, Zagreus fell into temptation. He leaned over, his breath mingling with his friend’s. With only a fraction of a hair separating them, he whispered, “I like you, Thanatos.” His words played across Than’s skin like the kiss he wanted to give him, but he pulled back before their lips touched. While he was brave enough to voice his secret to a sleeping god, he wasn’t brave enough to steal a kiss. Not yet at least.
There was a click as the door to the administration chamber swung open. Embarrassed and feeling a bit guilty, Zagreus scrambled to his feet.
“My child?” Nyx murmured in surprise, “What is the matter? Are you in need of something?”
“No, nothing at all. I was just making mischief. Mischief achieved!” He quickly gave Nyx his greeting before scrambling off in a flustered rush.
In her quiet concern, Nyx stared after Zagreus’ dwindling figure, but brushed it aside once he disappeared from sight. Shutting the door behind her, she sat by her son’s side and placed a cool hand on his head. “How are you, Thanatos? I know your duty is immense and can sometimes be overwhelming. However, given time, I trust that you will find a balance.”
Instead of answering his mother, Than turned to his side and buried his burning face into her waist. Indeed, if the headache from reaping so many souls didn’t kill him, the fevered embarrassment Zagreus brought onto him would.
When Thanatos heard someone come in the room, his head was throbbing too hard from the overuse of his power for him to care who it was. After all, few would dare to disturb Death’s sleep. What he didn’t expect was for Zagreus to confess his affections and almost steal a kiss.
Remembering how close Zagreus got, his breath on his skin, Thanatos pursed his lips from disappointment. If he knew Zagreus would cower at the very end, he wouldn’t have pretended to be asleep.