Chapter Text
Thanatos would be lying if he said he wasn’t eavesdropping.
Well, he wouldn’t be totally lying; he was only listening because Zagreus speaks horrifically loud, especially for someone who’d just died— not to mention the tens of previous deaths. The fire stepping prince and Orpheus were two hall lengths away, and both voices carried: one spoke of impossible feats, the other oohed and aahed melodically along. Tonight’s story consisted of Zagreus defeating Elysium’s Champions with his eyes closed in a mere 5 blows between the two foes.
Soon thereafter, Eurydice was the subject of conversation: the nymph of legend who’d taken Orpheus’ voice with her to Asphodel. It seemed to Thanatos that Zag had promised to reunite them, no matter the time or labor. An inconsiderate undertaking, in Thanatos’ eyes. Meddlesome behavior was nearly always irksome to any parties being meddled with. He didn’t know how Eurydice felt about the matter, but Orpheus just seemed sad any time she was mentioned. Inconsiderate indeed.
Thanatos had gotten so lost in his thoughts of the whole affair’s strangeness that he hardly heard Zagreus arrive and plop his elbows on the platform’s railing beside him.
“Good evening Than!”
“Or morning. Hello Zagreus.”
The prince tilted his head. “Hey now, no need to be formal. Anyway, what brings you here?”
Thanatos eyed Zagreus sidelong. “Certainly not you, if that’s what you’re wondering. I just found some relaxation time amidst ferrying souls ”
“Wouldn’t dream of wondering it! My guess was you needed to lecture Hypnos to do… whatever he does. It’s nice to see you chat in the hall,” replied Zag.
“I always know where to find him. It’s nice to have at least one locatable sibling. Even better, it’s nice to have a reliable one around.”
Zagreus sighed —a touch of hurt quickly shadowing his face— he leaned back, and shrugged. “Look Than, I’m sorry that I… can’t always be around.”
A beat of silence. Thanatos hadn’t even been thinking about the prince’s incessant escaping; he just wanted to know why Zagreus was so determined to meddle, especially without real thought into the parties’ feelings. It was certainly strange how inconsiderate he could be while being kind.
Thanatos could think and wonder all he wanted, but forming a question, a conversation was slightly beyond his skillset. As the silence stretched on, Thanatos’s thinking was interrupted by Oh, I hope Zagreus doesn’t leave now, the way I might.
But the prince stayed, and his brow furrowed. “Than,” he spoke with a bit more geniality, and his face looked concerned, now. Blood and darkness. “What’s on your mind?”
With eyebrows furrowed (still trying to parse an answer himself), without meeting Zagreus’ eyes, Thanatos asked a short, vague question: “Why do you do it so recklessly when there are so many factors and feelings and outcomes to consider?” His resonant, thousand-layered voice was quiet with confusion and awe and…
“Why do I do what, Than?” A defensive tone had tried wedging itself into Zagreus’ voice, but hadn’t broken through yet.
“You help any shade whose party you cross do whatever you think they please, you jump at any chance to. Do you really know that Orpheus and Eurydice want to be together? Does Sisyphus really deserve your charity? He’s in Tartarus for a reason.” Thanatos wanted to go on, get into a real lecture about knowing feelings of the involved people, the resources it’d take to do the meddling deal, all the ways any of these plans could go wrong, even the toll it may take on Zagreus himself. He held his tongue anyway; he didn't want to add more cracks to their fragile relationship. But then, Thanatos figured Zagreus may do that himself, considering the lackluster level of thought he gave to mending relationships that weren’t his own.
Zagreus’ eyes widened, shocked. Clearly, he was not expecting a discussion of his “side quests” with Thanatos. With a sigh, Zagreus leaned back into the railing, hands lazily pointing toward the Styx while his eyes pointed toward the surface.
“Well, Thanatos. Everyone has a purpose that comes with the divine title, right? Something they were meant to do, and perfected. You and Meg, Dusa, Cerberus, even Nyx and Hypnos. And all the rest. You all have your place in the… in the endless overseeing of the dead…” Zagreus trailed off, like a mortal’s last breath. Thanatos was acquainted with those overmuch. “No, that’s not it.”
Thanatos sighed. “Zag, I really haven’t the ti-“
Zagreus grabbed his wrist. “Than wait! I want to explain it I just.. haven’t figured out how to word it yet.”
Thanatos was actually too stunned at the contact to do anything, momentarily. Probably, he was flushed greatly. Hopefully the Styx’s red glow could shroud it from his friend’s eyes.
Thanatos cleared his throat. “Well. Figure it out within the next few minutes, or else tell me next our paths cross.”
“Than, that’s not fair!”
Death’s eyes narrowed. “I have a job, Zagreus, and it’s important to me.”
Zagreus looked slightly defeated. Thanatos felt a pang in his chest, one that was familiar at this point, from the times he beat the prince at shade-vanquishing. The prince said, “You’re right. I’m— see you later, Than. I’ll have an answer. A good one.”
“Ok, Zagreus.”
In The House Of Hades, a bell tolled.