milliways_bar | (no subject)

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Death sat in a chair at the fireplace, on the coffee table in front of him a chess board was set up. He currently was nursing a soda that sat on a table to the right of the chair with a basket of fries. He watched the bar. Death is botherable.

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"Then they shall continue to get none from me," he says with a glib shrug of his shoulder.

"And what of yourself, mein Herr? Do you want attention or do you prefer to remain anonymous?"

"I prefer to be left alone, most of the time," he explained, "I do not need accolades or that kind of attention."

He sighed, "I am a necessary part of life."

"And yet, whenever there is death, your name is invoked, with grief and anger and accusation."

"There is that, yes," said Death, "There is pleading, and deals. Most of the time my Reapers care for them."

He raises his eyebrows a little. "Oh, I see. So you do negotiate?"

"Rarely," he said with a sigh, "I like the balance."

He nods, intrigued.

"Of course. But what might sway you to change your mind?"

"It depends," said Death, "Humans are like bacteria to me. Most don't even make it onto my radar."

He took a drink.

"Aww," he says wryly with an expressive moue. "Are we so pitifully insignificant to you? How do you keep entertained otherwise?"

"I like your food," he said, "And this place is quite interesting, I find myself surprised here."

"Ah, well, that is a tick in our favor, then. At least we are not completely useless. And I daresay that Milliways has far more to offer you in variety than simply the human element."

"I have met a goddess," said Death, "She was interesting."

"Ooh, indeed? A goddess of what?"

"Death and rebirth, I think," said Death, "But she is in hiding, and that is all the information you get on her."

"Oh, now that is interesting," he says with a little smirk. "But rest assured, mein Herr, I would never use anything I learn about people here against them -- especially not a goddess of death and rebirth."

He's human; not stupid.

"She doesn't want anyone knowing who she is," said Death, "Of course, I could tell you and then wipe the memory from your mind.... but that is too much work."

He sat back in his chair.

His eyes widen a bit as he cocks an eyebrow.

"Then I appreciate your not telling me her name. I'd like to keep my mind un-fucked-with, danke schön."

"You are welcome, Host," he said, "You don't mind me calling you that?"

He smiled as he steepled his fingers.

The eyebrow stays raised.

"Well...'host' has multiple meanings. I'm curious as to which meaning you choose to associate with me, and why?"

"As someone who hosts the party," said Death.

With a barely there curve of his lips, he tips his head in a half-tilt, half-nod.

"If you wish. Who am I to say what you can and cannot call me, as I'm sure your reapers walk with me every day."

"Not my reapers," said Death,"Your world's reapers."

"Mmm, that is true," he muses, at least in a figurative way, as he is certain that the supernatural only exists in his world in the minds of believers. And he is not one of them.

"I know I cannot escape death, nor can I avoid it. But I can still defy it, even as I take it as my companion."

"That is one of the best attitudes I have come across," said Death, "Most people fear me to the point of wetting themselves. I don't blame them, but as long as they treat me with respect, I can be quite a friend. I won't save you though, when your time comes."

"I don't expect you to," he says, matter-of-fact.

"I do not beg or barter -- or wager. I do not ask for more than what is offered to me, unless I know for sure that I can get what I want. So, what use is begging for one more day? What is one more week, month, year? When my time is up, it is up, but until then, my life is mine to enjoy, no matter how close to death I come."