"No."
Grim shook Immy's dead body, as if it would wake her up. Her vacant, cold stare continued on.
And her smile, god, she smiled when she died!
And why?
Why would she smile, why did she have to die, what was Grim going to do?
She's dead. She's dead, SHE'S DEAD, SHE'S DEAD, SHE'S DEAD AND YOU KILLED HER YOU MONSTER
MURDERER
MADMAN
TERROR
YOU SLAUGHTERED HER
YOU LOVED HER
YOU—
I loved her.
"No, no, no, NO, NO, NO—"
It didn't matter whether Sam heard him or the neighbors did and called the cops, he screamed. Nothing mattered, nothing could help, he was helpless, she was dead—
Out of the corner of his eye, Grim spotted him.
He started this.
He stabbed her.
If it wasn't for him...
It's all my fault.
But he's a monster all the same.
He tried to reclaim rationality. He's my assignment, He thought, and teleported behind him with adrenaline fueled accuracy. Still clutching Immy to his chest, he raised a hand to the back of Sam's neck, and his dead body crumpled to the ground.
What's next?
Report to HQ.
But Immy—
Not to report to Xen. I'll see Gabriel first, he's working late again. He should be working in Beezy's office, right?
Where do I go?
Where's private?
Vending machine room.
Closing his eyes, he scooped up Immy and begged fate for coworkers who weren't wanting a late night snack.
The bright florescents made Grim wince after being under moonlight. Luckily enough, no one was in the box-like room.
The drink and snack vending machines had a small gap in between them. He wondered if he could wedge Immy between them to go get Gabriel, but it was risky, and seemed too crude for her.
She deserves a garden,
and a marble tomb,
and flowers weaved into her hair—
The door clicked open, and before Grim could make a move, Gabriel was standing there, wallet in hand, eyes locked on Immy's smiling face.
"Gabriel," Grim uttered, his voice shaking.
"...She's gone, isn't she?" He whispered, one of his hands reaching up to cover his mouth. "Really gone?"
Grim nodded slowly.
"Xen's office," He commanded, walking to him and grabbing hold of his sleeve. "No one's there and the door's got a teleportation block. No one can get in but them after it's on."
Instantly, they were there, in the dark.
Gabriel left his side and a light flickered on, revealing Xen's office to be an organized mess, per usual. He clicked a button next to the light switch, and its surface glowed green.
"We're all good."
Grim shakily exhaled as he stared down at a mug on Xen's desk.
We're not good. Nothing's good.
"Grim." Gabriel rushed to his side. "Set her down and put your gloves on. We need a game plan."
"How are you so calm about this?" Grim snapped, tears finally pouring from his eyes.
"I'm not! Grim, look at me!" Gabriel demanded. He obliged, glaring at his best friend, his favorite living person, with a look that could kill. "This is terrible. This is the worst thing that will ever happen to you within conceivable infinity. But we can't just sit here. We have to figure out what to do, or we are both going to be fired or worse."
"I don't care about getting fired anymore, Gabriel."
"You don't care about anything right now. You will. We need to figure out if we're telling Xen sooner or later, how to provide evidence of accident in court..."
"I need to go home."
"Grim, you're staying here."
"You can't force me to stay."
"I'm not covering this up. We can do this together, or I tell them all I know without you there. Your choice."
"What the hell, Gabriel!"
"I need you here. Think. What's the next right thing?"
"There is no 'next right thing.' I killed her. The next right thing would be to turn back time and stop myself. To somehow muster up Immy's soul, to miraculously raise her from the dead!—"
Revival.
His stomach tightened into a knot, anxiety and excitement combining in a strange way.
He set Immy down in one of the chairs in front of Xen's desk and took his gloves out of his pocket, pulling them on slowly. Blood seeped through them.
"How opposed are you to doing something illegal?" Grim asked.
Gabriel gaped at him. "Depends?"
"We could revive her."
The two smiled at each other.
"Oh my god, we could?" He asked.
"We need to figure out how. I wouldn't think there's a Wikihow article."
"There's a Wikihow for everything, but I think the library should have something."
"Yeah, but I'm covered in blood, and I don't want to be stuck here alone for Xen to find me. Even if I did come with you, they'd just find a dead body."
"Xen will find out soon. I want that. Xen can know after we revive her. If they come back any time within the next ten or twenty minutes or so, we're fucked either way. Is the blood gonna drip?"
"No."
"Then there's no problem. You won't be seen."
"So, what's the plan?"
"I have access to every floor plan on every level of HQ. I can check the library's sections, see where they'd keep info on revivals, and send you there. I just need to stop the librarian from making rounds." Gabriel walked to Xen's side of the desk, but couldn't work up the nerve to sit down. Instead, he stood as he messed with Xen's computer. "...It won't let me in. I need my laptop from Beezy's office."
"I'll teleport you there," Grim insisted. "Easy."
"You remember where it is?"
He nodded.
The morality office was ingrained into his memory from all of the times Gabriel had instructed the dead to go there. Inside, there was a long desk, and a door behind that desk. Inside that door was Beezy's office.
"Put down the teleportation block."
Gabriel went to the green button and clicked it, turning it red.
"We're good."
He grabbed hold of Grim's sleeve and they appeared inside the office, almost knocking over half of the things on the wall before righting themselves. On the desk, there was a similar excess of decorations, the only things company sanctioned being an old computer and a nameplate reading 'MR. BEELZEBUB'.
Gabriel rushed behind the desk and rummaged through his green tote bag, pulling out his laptop.
Before either of them could react, the door to the room opened, and someone walked inside.
Grim froze, deer-eyed, as Beelzebub stared at him, the blood on his clothes and face, and the panic behind his expression.
He opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out. He looked from Grim to Gabriel and back to Grim.
"What the hell is going on?" He finally muttered.
"Beez! Hey, um..." Gabriel started. He stuttered out half words and gibberish before giving up and holding his hand out in front of him.
Beelzebub looked at him like he was insane. "You sure?"
He nodded and the other approached, still cautious, and put a hand on his shoulder. "This isn't particularly orthodox, don't tell Xen—"
"We won't. Please, Beezy."
His other hand raised to touch Gabriel's.
A blinding white light filled the room, and just as Grim was about to shield his eyes, it disappeared.
Beelzebub was stanced strong, eons of allseeing paying off perfectly. The hand on Gabriel's shoulder stabilized him, keeping him from falling over.
"You good?"
Gabriel nodded quickly.
"I'm only allowed to tell you this because I already knew—" He took the laptop from Gabriel and slipped back into his bag, passing it to him. "—but the books on revival should be in section AM3. There'll be signs for the sections, you can't miss it."
Grim nodded, attempting to absorb the information while he swayed on his feet.
He wanted another Xanax.
Beelzebub gripped both of his shoulders.
"Grim," He spoke firmly. "All will turn out right in the end."
Grim had so many questions, and yet...
That was all he needed, for now.
"Thank you," He murmured in reply.
"Both of you, go." Beezy opened a drawer of his desk and pulled out disinfectant wipes. "Actually, wait. Grim—" He passed a wipe to Grim. "Bloody handprints on the books are not something you want. You'll have to take your gloves off."
Grim did as he said, stuffing his gloves into his pocket and wiping his hands off.
"Thanks again. For everything."
"Yeah, yeah. Go before I decide your noble cause is something to be reported to Xen."
Gabriel laughed as Grim put a hand on his arm, taking him back to Xen's office.
As soon as the teleportation block was running and the door was securely locked, Gabriel started trying to come up with what to say.
Grim glanced over at Immy, still frozen in that vacant smile. He wondered if there was something beyond being reaped. He wondered if it was something she liked.
Of course, he knew better. Nothing happened after you were reaped.
Where was her soul? Where did all of the reaped go—the monsters, the accidents, the most wonderful among them? Were they destroyed? Were bits and pieces of them left with the people they impacted? How many people held Immy's soul close to theirs? How many regulars at the coffee shop? How many relatives and peers back home? How many of Grim's friends and coworkers?
How much of a tear did she leave in the multiverse?
Grim imagined a huge gash across all of their souls, mortals, postmortems, immortals, the divine, all in agony.
"—Grim. Grim, hey, I need you here right now, okay?" Gabriel cut through his train of thought. "What's a topic that's specific enough that HQ won't have it but realistic enough that I might think it did?"
"Um... the history of mortal religions? Like, Islam, or something."
"That works. I'd need it for... research on postmortem depression?"
Grim nodded, glancing back at Immy.
"Grim."
"Sorry."
"No, are you gonna be okay?"
He breathed in and out, attempting to make sense of anything that was going on.
"Hopefully. Let's go." He walked to the teleportation block and clicked it.
Once again, Grim grabbed Gabriel by the sleeve and put them both right outside of the library.
"You ready?" He asked.
"No," Gabriel returned, the ghost of a laugh making it's way out of his lungs.
"Me neither." He patted him on the shoulder before teleporting to the back of the library.
He took a step and immediately froze at how loud his shoe was. The noise echoed through the library. Luckily enough, Gabriel's footsteps echoed soon after, and the noise would not be questioned.
He bent down and unlaced his boots, sliding out of them and picking them up.
"Excuse me?" Gabriel asked, his voice confident. Theater kid, coming through. "Do you have any books on Islam?"
He scanned the isles before finding 'ANCIENT MAGIC' on one of the gold nameplates. AM... What was the number again?
"Islam?" A feminine voice echoed back, the librarian. "I don't know about religions, maybe you could find something in the history wing? They research mortal history, too... what do you need it for?"
He looked down the daunting aisle. He'd have to search all of it.
"Oh, I'm just doing a research paper. It's on postmortem depression and how it ties to religious beliefs in life."
Walking down the aisle, he couldn't see names on the spines of the books. Most were leather bound and embellished with gems. Leave it to immortals to be so pretentious that it becomes inconvenient. Guess I can't speak on 'pretentious', though.
"I thought that idea was already supported! It's heartbreaking, really..."
"Of course it is! Believing in something your whole life, only to be proven wrong with your own eyes..."
He began taking books out and reading the covers. What's the damned number?
"I don't think we have anything on it, dear. I am sorry, though. We might have books on psychology, but we focus more on magic and the arts here. What's your name? I might be able to order something for you."
3! Thank god.
"Lucas Cabon. My friends call me Luke."
Grim froze, biting on his tongue to keep himself from laughing.
"What wing do you work in, or are you visiting?"
"I work in the emotion workers wing!" Gabriel chirped back. "Got in a little trouble, so I'm assigned to do research until I: 'learn my lesson'."
The woman laughed.
"They basically grounded me!" He added.
"Do get in trouble often, Mr. Cabon?"
"Wouldn't you like to know~"
Grim could practically hear the eye roll the librarian gave him. He finally reached section three and started reading the titles.
"Mr. Cabon. If you're flirting, I'm honored, but—"
"Please, call me Luke."
"Well, Luke, I'm not into men."
'Revivals and Their Dangers: The Unbecoming of Society'
'Why Revivals Are Being Outlawed: Translated Version'
"Oh... oh! Well, I have a friend who I think would like you, if you'd be okay with me setting you two up."
"Really? What's her name?"
"Elle. She's also an emotion worker, I think I have a picture if you'd like..."
'Revivals: History, Methods, and Dangers'
Grim pulled the book out of the shelf, and the two books it was wedged between thudded together. It was unreasonably loud, and the echo surely reached Gabriel and the librarian. As quickly as possible, he skipped to the 'methods' section.
"Come to think of it, maybe I don't," Gabriel laughed. "Sorry, Miss..."
It was step by step, only one method. Liar.
It wasn't like he had any other options.
"Vera. Vera Crawson."
"It was very nice to meet you, Miss Vera Crawson. Oh—I just got a text from my brother. I've gotta go."
Right on time, Gabriel.
Grim teleported right outside of the door, and alarms began blazing immediately.
Quickly, man. C'mon!
Gabriel bolted out of the door and took his arm.
Even inside Xen's office, the blaring sound continued.
"What'd you tell her?" Grim asked, handing him the book and going over to click the teleportation block.
"That my brother was a father and I needed to go meet my niece."
"Your niece!"
"Had to."
Grim snorted.
"You've lied and said worse!" Gabriel defended.
"That's true, actually." Grim almost sat down in a chair right next to Immy's, but hesitated. He decided to stand, leaning on the desk.
Gabriel flipped to the same page Grim had.
"Okay, so only one method."
"The cover lied."
"Damn. Well, let's see. Blah, blah, third person needed. Glad to have me, huh?"
"I always was," Grim praised. "Plus, I'm pretty sure you kept me from pulling a Tenebris back there."
"What's a friend for, if not to keep you from murdering people and destroying yourself?" Gabriel chuckled. "Um... so. You're not supposed to read the directions. Only I can."
"Why? Where does it say that?"
"The foreword. Something, something, the magic won't work right. Also, I can't be some rando."
"Well, you're not."
"The dead has to be dear to the both of us—"
"Got that one down."
"—especially the person giving life to them, that's you!"
"Definitely got that one."
"There needs to be a body."
Both of them glanced at Immy.
"Gotcha," Grim mumbled.
"Um... something, something, the ritual is only a conduit for the soul, yada yada, the dead will be..."
Gabriel trailed off and his jaw dropped.
"What?"
He mumbled something.
"What?"
"The dead's soul will be changed to the status of the person giving life's soul." He looked him in the eyes."Divine," He uttered. "Immy will be divine."
Grim stared at him.
"You're joking," He muttered, a smile creeping its way onto his face. "No fucking way."
"I couldn't joke about this. You know that." Gabriel grinned. "Immy's gonna live forever."
"Immy's gonna live forever no matter what." He looked at the smile on her face. "...Do you think she knew?"
"I don't know," Gabriel responded. "But she knew she was loved, so it would be okay."
Grim looked back at him and grinned. "Thank you."
"Don't go thanking me yet, we haven't even started! Lay her on the floor."
Grim did as he asked, struggling to pull her out of the chair without dropping her. Careful with her head, he pulled her to the center of the room and laid her there.
"Okay, we need two precious gems."
"Um..." He undid the clasp on the back of Immy's necklace and held it in his hand. "I've got one."
"She's into astrology and stuff, right?"
"Yeah?"
"Check her pockets."
Carefully, he slid his hand into the pocket of her jeans. Touching something cold, he pulled it out.
"Amethyst work?"
"Think so, yeah. Place them in her hands."
It was surprisingly hard to pry her fingers open and place the diamond into her palm. The other hand was easier, although still painful to think too hard about. Immy couldn't feel it, but... he was afraid to hurt her. Instinctively? Reflexively? Grim wasn't sure.
"Okay... now we need salt."
"Uh—aren't there packets in the lounge?"
"The lounge is too risky. Too many people will see."
"I don't know..."
"Wait. It doesn't have to be pure salt."
He thought for a moment.
"How much salt?"
"I don't know."
Grim searched the pockets of his coat and pants, pulling out their entire contents and setting them on the floor. Flask, pills, knife, phone, lighter, spare gloves, Immy's picture... He pulled out a small packet.
"Liquid IV has salt, right?"
"Yes? Why do you have Liquid IV if you didn't bring water?"
"I don't know why I do half of the shit I do."
Gabriel sighed. "Okay. Circle her head with it—like a halo, or something."
Grim tore off the top of the packet and slowly sprinkled the powder around her head.
"Okay. Now..." Gabriel trailed off.
"What?" Grim looked up to see him flipping back and forth between the pages.
"I..." He stared at the book. "We can't."
"What? What do you mean?"
"We can't go through with this."
Grim's phantom heart dropped. "Why not," He breathed. "What does it need? Blood? A sacrifice? I swear to god, I'm willing—"
"No, I won't let you—"
"Gabriel!" Grim stood, walking towards him. "What does it want?"
The two's eyes locked, Gabriel's glistening.
"I guess it's a lost cause. You'd do anything," He uttered.
"Gabriel," Grim pleaded. "Please."
"...Y'know the whole 'life giver' thing? That's a trade off." His voice was growing hoarse. "You'll die, Grim. A life for a life."
Grim froze in place.
Hadn't he always wanted this? Hadn't he wanted to sleep and never wake up?
Despite the appeal of death, the look in Gabriel's eyes shook him to the reality of the situation.
"I don't want to lose you."
Gabriel's eyes pleaded and begged, but Grim didn't have the choice. It was never a choice. It was always her, and the life she'd lead, and the people she'd love...
"I'm sorry, Gabriel," Grim responded. Gabriel was looking at the floor. "Hey. Take care of her. Her, and Luce, and Axel, and Dally—"
He was cut off by Gabriel's careful embrace, causing him to draw in a gasp.
"I will," He muttered above Grim's head. "I will."
"...How do I finish it?" He whispered.
Gabriel pulled away and placed his hands on Grim's shoulders.
"You kiss her forehead."
He nodded. Glancing back at Immy, he sighed.
"I love you," He told him. "Tell Immy I love her, too. And Lucy. Y'know what, tell everyone. Except for the ones you know I don't," He chuckled in spite of himself. "Punch Luke for me. Oh, and steal his girlfriend."
Gabriel scoffed, laughing and rubbing his eyes. "Love you too."
He smiled and pulled away, walking to Immy and kneeling beside her head.
"This is a good way to die, I think. I've seen people who were less fortunate," He laughed.
Gabriel didn't respond, and Grim was terrified to look up and see his face.
He took a deep breath.
Kissing her soft, still warm skin was easy.
He hoped Gabriel would forgive him.
~~~
HEYYYY YALL :)
HOWZITGOWIN
IM GREAT THANKYOUTHANKYOU
did you guys see what i did with the title?? props if you figured it out
-Alice/Craz <3