Wings and Tails

Chapter One

"I am guessing that you do not usually talk to anyone on your travels?" the merman said, looking back at Thanatos.

Thanatos drew one leg up to his chest and hugged it, "Not anyone that's alive at least. Mostly mortals that are half insane and they don't make much sense."

"So you are an angel of death?" the merman said eyeing his wings.

Thanatos shrugged, "Yeah, I guess I am."

"I do hope I am not holding you back from your work."

Thanatos' head snapped up, he stared at the merman who was patiently waiting for a reply. The merman wasn't repulsed by Thanatos admitting that his work was death.

"No, no you aren't. Are you not worried?"

"Worried about what exactly?"

"That I could kill you?"

"No," the merman said to Thanatos shock. "I'm not worried about that."

Thanatos stared, shocked by the answer. The only ones that were willingly in his presence, those that were not worried about death, were umderworld dwellers.

There was a giggle below them. When Thanatos looked down he saw a head vanishing below the surface.

The death god inched closer to the merman without thinking about it. Moving away from the edge of the rock. Hoping to lower to chances that he would get pushed in.

"You are wary of the mermaid?" the merman said, one tail flicking water up into the air.

"A little, I don't want to get soaked," Thanatos admitted.

"Is it because of your wings?" the merman said, trailing one finger down the arch of his wing. Surprisingly, the part of his wing that was touched didn't get wet. Rather staying perfectly dry.

Thanatos spun around with wide eyes and grabbed the merman's wrist." You can't touch me, you could die!"

The merman grinned, "I wouldn't worry about that love."

Thanatos' mind short-circuited when the merman called him love. Then his mind registered what he'd said before that after a few seconds.

"Why?"

"Because you broke your own rule." The mermans eyes darted to where Thanatos was still holding his wrist. "You can't hurt me darling, so stop worrying about what could happen. You'll never enjoy the pleasures of life that way."

Thanatos' met the merman's gaze, "What pleasures?"

Thanatos could feel the amusement radiating from the merman. It was odd. Being death he could feel the emotions of those around him, more than most gods. Usually everyone was wary, frightened, eager to get away. This merman was different. He wasn't afraid of him. Thanatos didn't know how to react to that.

"Guess you will have to find that out for yourself," the merman said.

"But I could hurt everyone! I could kill them!"

"Not if you don't want to, but you will hurt someone if you don't control your fear. If you let your fear lead then it will bleed into life. Death is not something to be feared, it is a necessity. See, I still breath, you haven't hurt me," the merman said, placing his spare hand on Thanatos' chest. Just over where his heart would be if he was mortal.

"How can you touch me?"

"Because I am not afraid of you." The merman lifted his hand from Thanatos' chest, placing it back behind him to support himself. Not even trying to remove his other hand from Thanatos' grasp.

Thanatos looked away from the merman's eyes, embrassed that he had shown such weakness. "Um thank you."

"I was just opening your eyes, its not something that needs to be thanked." The merman looked away too.

Thanatos scrambled to his feet, "I should probably get these souls to the underworld." After saying that he jumped off the rock and quickly gathered the souls.

"Until next time feathers," the merman said.

Thanatos raised an eyebrow, "Feathers?"

"I need something to call you."

"And what can I call you?"

"You can call me Tri, everyone does," Tri said, grinning over at the death god. He had flipped around onto his stomach, using one arm to hold his head up. The other just rested on the smooth surface of the rock.

"Guess I'll see you again Tri," Thanatos said hopefully.

"You can count on it," Tri said with a wink, before looking him up and down. "Wouldn't want to miss out on the view."

Thanatos short-circuited again before flying off, listening to the sound of Tri's laughter.