Kratos x Reader

Forty-Three

"Atreus!", Kratos voice cut through the storm like a blade through flesh.

The boy and the head had been out of sight for a mere second. But as quick as the boy was on his feet, he could be gone for good.

"I will find him.", you said, patting Kratos' arm.

But as you wanted to vanish into the storm yourself, he grabbed you and pulled you back.

"I'll go.", he said, dragging you back into the cave that the two of you had sought shelter in.

"You won't be able to find him."

"Neither will you."

His words were the truth, of course. However, the urge to leave him was growing inside of your chest for a while now. The desire to hide from his eyes was unbearable.

Somehow, your body was starting to change again.
Night was coming.

Restless, you tried to think of a reason to leave, something to tell him that would satisfy his mind.

Your mouth was searching for the right words, but your mind was blank.

He refused to listen one bit and pulled you back whenever you tried to slip past him.

"I must go, Kratos.", you insisted, throwing a glance into the storm.

The darkness of the night was growing on the horizon, making your heart beat like crazy.

"Stay here.", the tone of his voice did not allow discussions.

Helpless, you tried to hold him back.

"Wait. Wait!", you grabbed his face with both hands forcing him to look at you.

A shimmer sparked in his eyes. He tried to separate from you but hesitated.

Without a warning you leaned forward and pressed a kiss onto his lips. Closing your eyes, you leaned into the warmth of his lips and whispered a silent spell.

He returned the kiss, not filled with desire for your body but with softness. It felt as if he was kissing a lover, his wife perhaps, instead of you, a stranger that meant nothing to his heart.

"Forgive me.", a silent tear escaped your eyes, rolling down your cheek.

At first, confusion appeared on his face. But suddenly his giant body was overcome by a weakness that he had never known before.

His eyes widened, as you broke the kiss and let him sink to his knees. His legs did not want to carry him anymore.

"What is this supposed to mean?", he asked, anger growing inside of him.

With a sad smile on your lips, you bowed down to him and stroked his cheek.

He rested his head on the ground, felling too tired to keep it up.

"It for the better.", you replied, knowing that the magic was working inside of his body to put him to rest.

"(Y/N).", he had never said your name like this before.

Now that you thought about it, did he ever call you by your name?

He seemed so weak in this moment.

So fragile and hurt.

His eyes begged for you to stop but you couldn't. The spell had already been spoken. He would sleep. Not forever, but long enough to give you time to find the boy.

"I'll be back with him.", as he closed his eyes against his will, you kissed Kratos forehead.

Your heart was aching inside your chest. It felt wrong, yet there was no other way.

You had to go.

He was not supposed to see what was about to happen with you. You needed to find the boy, guide him back to the safety of his fathers embrace.

With growing sadness inside your heart, you turned back one last time to take a glance at Kratos.

He looked so calm while sleeping.

Had he ever been at rest like this?

His face told a story of endless suffering and restlessness, while his body was relaxed, not letting anything take away the calmness that your magic had created.

A shaky breath left his lips and you realised that his eyes were still opened a bit. He fought against the darkness that began to crawl into his sight.

"(Y/N)...", he whispered again, before falling into the world of slumber.

"Kratos.", his name tasted bitter on your tongue. "He will be back. I promise."

The storm seemed to swallow you. It's cold teeth dug into your flesh, making your limbs freeze.

Blue ice was starting to grow at the tips of your fingers, your eyelashes were covered in frost. Even the wind felt like knifes.

Nothing in this world held beauty, but pain and coldness.

Silently, you prayed that night would come and free your human form from this suffering but Helheim was not on your side.

It's day and night circle seemed to take eternities, as if it refused to let the stars gift a bit of beauty to the doomed and punished dead.

"Fuck!", you cursed and sank to the ground.

Wet snow sunk into your clothes, making the fabric stick to your shivering body. Your legs refused to carry you further. All there was was the feeling of coldness.

With each breath, ice grew on your body, making it unbearable to be alive for any second longer.

Tears wanted to roll down your cheeks, but the cold froze them to crystals that stuck to your skin with a burning sensation.

As the storm grew, you couldn't help but sink deeper into the snow, so that the ice would not cut your skin.

"World tree. I hate you and I've never liked any of your doings. But if only one of your branches has a heart, a sense of sorry in you, I beg you to end this day and let the night rage.", your lips were shaking as the cold embrace of death wrapped around your body and squeezed the last bit of burning cold air out of those lungs of yours. "Please... I don't want to go... with death yet."

With a last shaky breath, you closed your eyes. Your mind was going blank. Everything sunk into a veil of white and cold.

As your eyes closer, night fell and Helheim sank into the darkness of stars and a moon of silver.

Finally, the feeling of magic chased through your body, ordering your skin to shed. The human inside of you vanished and the animal returned.

Like a newborn, you rose from the snow, lifted your head and let out a scream of relief.

"Finally.", you whispered, before your voice faded for the night.