3rd PERSON POV
Zed had proven thus far the qualifications of being a bona fide reaper. Clay couldn't deny he was malleable in a battlefield. His knowledge of the Underworld and Earth's inhabitants were mesmerizingly profound. He always had something in store to say at least when it came to his convictions.
"I'm tired! I'm tired! Gimme more food, Clay!"
Tonight was a cold night. The windows were closed, the TV was off, and the sound of cicadas outside provided an imperative calmness to soothe the feelings inside his chest threatening to wake up from its slumber.
Calli was sitting inside his living room on the couch, bare legs and thighs gleaming spread out highlighted by her orange chino shorts, rugged black-and-red jacket covering her Junoesque frame. The sight was nothing new if not for the fact his masculinity was slowly trying to manipulate him into doing something he should never consider. Pursuing feelings for their boss was not unheard of. But to successfully associate it with a long-lasting relationship could only last as commemoration as the only ending, a quick and blissful memory.
Today wasn't particularly a rough day at work. Calli told Zed to come back the next day so she could teach him what were the best routes and places to be when awaiting death to arrive. That'd mean they would have to warp from country to country and mark them down for a clearer visual than simply encircling the spots on a map and Clay wouldn't be able to go because Calli specifically told him he'd just get next-level nausea from all the fast travels.
"Surprisingly, a majority of humanity take their lives for granted. It's almost similar to the Underworld, where souls are easily disposable. Life is toiled away day-by-day when it should be precious and a majority of society would rather remain it that way than live it. I'm guessing Zed's been on Earth for more than a month." Clay read the exact same lines Zed spoke of when Calli had been dancing circles left and right parrying Zed's scythe.
"That fight was fun, right Clay?" Calli stretched her arms upward. "I don't think I've ever had a fight that exciting before."
"You sure? You're not exactly thrilled to fight him again from your expression." He shouldn't feel upset he couldn't spar with her. He was just a regular human, after all.
"Well, it's not the first time someone stood up to me like that so I guess I'm used to it? There are things that make me excited but my face doesn't say it, if that makes sense."
"Are you excited to see him again tomorrow?"
There it goes again. The budding insecurity welling up inside him. Clay wanted to say so much but bit his tongue. Not when his boss was clearly comfortable.
"Is Clayie Wayie, jeawous?~" Calli perfectly mimicked the tone of a baby, teasing Clay.
"It's a valid question."
"It's not everyday I get to teach so I am kind of looking forward to it."
That reply didn't make him smile.
Calli automatically switched gears.
"He sounds smart but he hasn't been all over the world. World beliefs generally tend to form based on the person's outlook and perspective on the activities of a populace," Calli was casually munching on a bag of chips Clay gave him, waving one in the air to reinforce her insight. "When I first visited Earth, I always had follow-up questions for every single assumption I withheld."
After signing the detailed records of the training today, Clay placed the clipboard down on the kitchen table, leaning on it to listen to Calli who was only a few meters away.
"Experience for opinions. Opinions for experience. I suppose many people don't want to work hard to get what they want but if that were truly the case, the world wouldn't be what it is today. I personally see the bad to complement the good."
"Right," Clay could only nod his head, removing the wrapper of a yogurt cup and grabbing a spoon.
"Not a lot of people want to entertain an audience so I do it. Not a lot of people like to wake up early and run a mile so the early risers do it. We make examples of others to make up for our situation." Calli waved Clay to come closer. "What do you think of Zed's performance today?"
Clay sat down on the floor just in front of the couch Calli was sitting on. "I don't hail from the Underworld so I wouldn't know basic criteria but from common sense, he's more than sufficient to send an entire army packing."
Calli giggled. Oh how much Clay would love to hear that again. And so he tried.
"You think I can beat you in a fight?"
That got her roaring a laugh.
"That depends. Are you awake right now?" she couldn't stop tears from invading her eyes at such a ridiculous proposal. One finger is all it took to push Clay down to the floor. Even smacking him on the back as a friendly gesture could potentially get him injured.
"I'm pretty confident in my arms." Clay showed off his guns, making Calli laugh even more.
"That the only thing you're confident about? You're not so big." Great. Clay was smiling now. She needed to keep that up.
Clay faked a gasp then grabbed a table to place it in the middle. He placed his elbow down on it. "I'm Clay Johnson. Arm wrestle me, woman."
"Who are you?"
"Forgive me for eavesdropping on you. I heard you sing and I just wanted to listen. I'm Clay Johnson. You must be Mori Calliope."
"What happened to your hair? Big electric fan hit you on the way here?"
"Nah, I just took a voyage to multiple universes if that makes sense,"
"Mori Calliope. If you're the new guy planning to be my personal assistant, I'm telling you I got it covered."
She held her stomach in fear for it having a mind of its own also laughing alongside her.
"Are you sure?" she said but it came out with chortles.
"Dead serious, gorgeous. Now put 'em up."
If she had a heart, it skipped at the mention of 'gorgeous'.
She knew she was but hearing it from Clay gave a brief stop to her movements. Almost as if she was still processing if what he said was true.
When did she not notice it before? She did but she was just pretending. There were many interesting things about him. Some she knew and some she wanted to know. For a long duration, Clay would just not tell her what was happening to him when she asked during their trip to Atlantis. He was a blank canvas when he answered but everything else was easy to see.
He cared for her and gave her more reasons to be happy.
She decided she would like him more after that revelation and he was giving more reasons for her to like him even further. How could she not when he was always worried about her and being there for her? Any guy could've done it but Clay would have still won for her.
"Don't cry if you lose, lil' man." She locked hands with him. If she were human, what would she have thought? That his hands were bigger? Rougher? Perfectly intertwined with hers? She didn't think they overwhelmed her. They gave her comfort and a sense of peace.
"Ready?" he asked, his expression all the more amusing.
"Yeah. Go for it."
It didn't take even a second for Calli to bring his hand down to taste defeat.
"Wha- now that's unfair-"
It was best to probably just be honest from this point.
She pushed the table away and pulled him closer for a kiss. Clay's feet suffered jet lag at the sudden action. What was he supposed to do in a situation he didn't foresee coming? Naturally, he'd be the one to make the first move. Not one single moment of possibility did he think that Calli would turn the engine on herself.
She could feel him wanting to say something, anything to catch a breath. His lips tasted like saccharine as she snaked an arm around his neck, pushing him deeper into a frozen position that ignited flames all over his body. His willpower had completely vanished and he fell victim to her hold. The room was spinning, glitters in his vision, unable to believe the 1-2-3's of the layers of events unfolding.
Taking a second to remove her lips was the saddest thing he ever witnessed because he wanted more of it. When he could clearly see his surroundings again, all Clay could do was look at Calli. The atmosphere became fragrant and everything disintegrated into utter unimportance besides the two of them.
"So..." Calli started, lowering her head down. "Yeah... I meant to do that. Uh... Yeah, that's... what I wanted to do..." She couldn't look at him in the eye, gently tapping the bottom of her feet against his knee to distract herself from embarrassment. Not only did she kiss him but it seemed as if he didn't kiss her back. "Are you uh... Are you okay?" Emboldened by her feelings, she stood against his gaze and realized he was flustered and red from forehead to chin.
This caused her to pause and unable to speak. He looked cute! What was she supposed to say again? She wanted to kiss him again.
Nothing was developing so Calli took the reins instead. "I like you... You won't believe it but I do. Sorry if I caught you off guard. You just looked cute today and-"
"... You like me...?" His heart was walloped and paralyzed at the same time.
"If the hugs and hanging at your place isn't a sign then-" she couldn't finish her words as he hugged her tightly with the force of a thousand suns. Didn't pain her at all.
He could never hurt her.
She would never hurt him either.
He grabbed hold of the back of her hair, stroked it gently with his thumb as his other arm was around her waist, his face in the middle planted right against her neck as he closed his eyes.
"I like you too."
Her heartbeats matched with his.
"But... I'm worried."
Her eyes widened, lightly grabbing his shoulders and making distance between them. His hold was firm and warm so their faces were still closer than ever before. She looked into his eyes, assuring him by caressing his cheek with her hands. "What do you mean you're worried, Clay?"
"For months, I've been thinking about you and what kind of life you can lead without me. I'm afraid."
"Speak up already, bozo." She flicked his forehead, getting rid of the tension as he flinched and got more comfortable as he held her.
"Well," he scratched his cheek with his index finger. "I'm a human and you're not. That means I can't help you when you're ever in a crisis that's greater than natural disasters compared to your friends, even Zed. All I can do is be like this to be honest... I'll die at some point too and-"
"You're overthinking."
"I... I was. Sorry. I didn't think we'd have this conversation so I kept my thoughts to myself then you just kissed me out of nowhere and I was... happy."
"Dying at some point... Hm... Were you perhaps thinking we'd be together until death do us part? You considered marriage?"
His cheeks went redder. "If you put it like that, I guess I'm a fool for dreaming too much."
"You make it sound like I fight godly beings on a daily basis... Is being with me that cataclysmic?"
"No! No! I didn't mean for it like that... I meant I'm weak... You're really strong, Calli. I was thinking you wouldn't need me at all. It's what I've been thinking about these past few weeks. Someone strong beside you would be better other than me."
"Hm... So that's what you weren't able to tell me." Calli tilted her head slightly. He was right. His logic made perfect sense. She didn't need anyone. She was plenty strong enough on her own. Even for the most basic tasks he was in charge with, she could finish in minutes. She didn't need his hugs, his words, his presence in general. "So you thought someone like Zed would be better?"
"Uh..."
"He's my student for crying out loud, Clay. No wonder you talked bitter to him earlier."
"I apologize."
"I think fanning you with just my hand can blow you away in my opinion," she said, causing him to shrink. "But, well, how do I say it... I don't think a relationship should put much concentration to who's the most powerful. I think there are things you're better at that I'm not but I wouldn't have a problem with it."
"Like?" Clay raised an eyebrow.
"Waking up early?" she joked.
"Be serious here," he pouted.
"Making a reaper like you," she bopped his nose with her finger. "I think both of us never expected things to escalate like this. Or liking each other in that way."
"You think?" He hugged her again, taking in her scent as much as he can.
"With logic, I don't need you."
He landed a kiss on her neck.
"But I do want to need you."
"You wouldn't have a problem with me taking the plane as you fly by yourself at some point when we move places?"
"That's perfectly fine. I expect us to be civilized during work hours."
"What about your uncle? I'd have to introduce myself again."
She hugged him back tighter. "Don't worry about it. I'll make him like you."
"You don't have a problem with me dying in the future?"
"Eh. I'll cease to exist eventually."
He narrowed his eyes at her.
"You worried I'll find someone else when I'm still alive?" she smirked.
"I won't talk to you when we're dead together."
She laughed.
"I've lived hundreds of years without a dude. Territorial, even in death, are we?"
"Growl."
"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU GROWLED!"