As Far As I'm Concerned [Ziam Palik AU]

iv. The Cautions of a Reaper

Dedication: This one goes to @TogetherWeRise {Kenz} because she's a good friend to me here on Wattpad, has been reading my stuff for what feels like forever, and always has something interesting to say in terms of the story! Plus, she seems really into this one! So thank you Kenz, as always, for being amazing!

[Chapter Four: The Cautions of a Reaper]

            “I just don’t get it.”

            “He seemed fine.”

            “This is horrible.”

            Zayn heard all the whispers as he wove through the massive sea of students in the courtyard of the university. It was currently full like because everyone had been ushered out of classes and their dormitories when the emergency vehicles appeared in response to the call about Josh, which Zayn found a bit drastic, considering the boy was long dead now – though he said none of this so as to not seem insensitive.

           It was just that everyone seemed to be so distraught by Josh’s death, so torn apart, even those who never knew him. That was something all reapers found strange – minus the new ones, maybe – not just Zayn.

         A person would die and then suddenly everyone would care like they were their own, which was ridiculous. Reapers didn’t care about much, but personally, they all found that if humans were going to insist upon it, why not care while the person was living?

          Anyway, Zayn was able to easily blend in with all the students, despite not officially attending like the rest of them. With the tragedy that had taken place, most were a bit too distracted to care, professors and staff included.

        “Here,” Zayn eventually managed to weave back to Liam and Louis, who were sitting on the edge of one of the many stone-lined gardens on the edge of the courtyard. He handed them both insulated, cheap cups of bad coffee he managed to grab from one of the lounges, really using the drink to distract them.

         “Thanks,” they mumbled almost simultaneously, taking the drinks and sipping them with various expressions.

         Zayn was aware of the fact that they (unlike many others) had known Josh, being so close in their dorm. Apparently, they weren’t all the best of friends, but they definitely knew each other well enough to be upset over it.

          Liam looked distraught himself, dark circles forming under his eyes and his shoulders drooped, suddenly making him look ten times more haggard and a lot older than he should have.

        Louis, on the other hand, had a faint smile as he stared off, seeming to not even be mentally present anymore. Zayn easily recognized the smile though, not as one of happiness or even amusement, but more like gallows’ humor. He seemed like the type too, to try and smile or laugh in the face of death and tragedy, pretend like nothing was wrong when he was really falling apart on the inside. Yes, Zayn had seen a million people do it, and it was the same look every time.

       Zayn wasn’t even really sure why he had stayed. Maybe it was because Liam looked like a kicked puppy when Zayn tried leaving, or maybe it was because he actually cared – though the latter was unlikely. Either way, he was still there, hours after, comforting two strangers out of the mass.

          “I just don’t get it,” Liam finally spoke, breaking the silence for the first time since Louis arrived at the scene. “He seemed okay, good. I mean, I know what happened to his dad when he was a kid, and Lindsey a few years ago… I thought he had moved past it though.”