Eternity ((Kamukoma Short Story))

Part Three [Refuse]

"Do you like your tea with lemon?" Izuru set down a cup, "And do not worry, you're safe to consume anything here."
"Yes, thank you," Nagito kept his hands on his lap, gripping handfuls of his own robes, "But I really need to know. If you can't pardon the souls, there's going to be a population crisis, all the humans could truly die out."

The death god kept silent, as though he hadn't heard a thing, simply calmly squeezing a lemon into Komaeda's tea like it was the most natural hang out in the world.
The sun god swallowed back, eyes turning to the tea, small ripples spreading across the drink.
How could he be sitting here right now, while the world was in a crisis?
People were dying, and he was having tea with a death god.

Still, perhaps if he made a good impression, Izuru would be more willing to listen. He tried to suppress his own worries and picked up the tea, warm within his hands.
Gods did not require eating, but it was a luxury all the same, and it seemed like normal mortal tea. As he took a sip, Komaeda's lips tingled with lemon, and the warmth spread across his tongue and down to his throat. Even if fingers felt toasty.
It was... Incredible, really.

He found himself guzzling down the entire cup until only droplets were rolling upon his pale lips and finally lowered it with a satisfied sigh.
Only then did he catch the death god staring at him, wearing an expression he couldn't read.
"Sorry," Komaeda quickly set the cup down upon the table. "That was rude of me."
"Not at all," As Izuru sat across from him, his dark robes flayed out gently. "I'm pleased you enjoyed it. I was not sure if a sun god would like edibles from the hollowed underground. I can fetch you a scone if you wish."

"No that's alright," In reality, he would have adored one if simply the tea was that good, but he did not want to fall down a hole of distractions more than he already had. "I'm only here on my mission so..."
"Ah, yes," For a split second, Izuru's eyes glistened sadly. "I have been sleeping for thousands of years, but before I slept, the other death gods had told me how rarely visitors came to us. Messengers mostly, only to relay news from the world above, to allow us preparation when there will be a war or plague, but as for other gods, there has not been any since I was birthed."
"Really?" Komaeda cocked his head curiously. "There are stories of Gods who traveled here to rescue their mortal lovers but-" He quickly flinched, that was right, love among gods was forbidden, especially if one was a mortal and the other not. It would make sense legends of those would be before the decree, and if Izuru really was the last born and not Komaeda...

He had to ask.
"Anyway, do you mind if I ask you something personal?" He placed his hands on his lap, averting his eyes carefully. The death god gave a small exhale but no response.
Was that urging him to continue? He couldn't tell, so he would just go ahead anyway.
"You said you're six thousand years old, right?"
"Yes,"

"What if I were to say I was too?" When he looked back up, Izuru was scanning him carefully, suspiciously even. "I mean, the other sun gods said I was the last born before the law, but if they were lying, then-"
"I believe you," Izuru suddenly stood up, "The death gods said I was the last born as well. But it would have been kept a secret. Perhaps they did not expect the topic would arise when they sent you here."

"But why?"
Nagito followed suit and pulled himself up off the sofa, and without warning, a feeling of guilt struck his chest.
He only just met the guy and he was already pushing him for answers that he hadn't been sent to the underground for.
He opened his mouth, ready to apologize for his rudeness, but Izuru cut him off before a word escaped his lips.

"A God of life, and of death, born at the same time," Izuru exhaled, not quite meeting Nagito's watchful gaze, "It would have terrified the mortals for which it could have spread. They fear death, that is why we stay confined to the hollowed underground, and why Father Time is painted as a villain and Mother Nature the loving touch. They rejected me because they had you. Does that make sense?"