Death Becomes You

Chap 4 - Jealousy

     The sound of muffled talking jolted me awake. I frowned at the wood cover over me, wondering for a second if I was in a coffin. No, it was too far up. It only took another moment to realize it was the table. I tried to shift out from under it, only to be stopped by an arm tightening around me. My gaze followed the arm to its owner, a smile forming a the sight of a sleeping Grim. After his initial fumbling the first time we'd ended up going two more rounds. He really was a fast learner. I smiled as I leaned in, brushing aside a lock of hair from his face only to catch myself. Frowning I pulled my hand back and leaned away. I was acting like we were lovers. Something I needed to stop now. I was nothing but a form of experiment to him. Hell, I was the one who'd offered in the first place. I started to wiggle out from under the table, barely getting free of his hold so I could get up and dress. I hadn't even cleared the table before I was jerked to a stop. Turning I met icy blue eyes and a flush automatically spread. "H-Hi."

    "Why did you move?" Grim's sleep filled voice pulled a smile from me.

    "Because it sounded like people were coming in. I thought we should get dressed before someone actually does."

    Grim frowned as he glanced around toward the door, staring for a moment before he was out from under the table. I adverted my eyes, snatching up my own clothes. When I turned back it was to find Grim watching me. I flushed and looked away as the silence grew it became more awkward. "We didn't study any of the laws."

    "Well, we did technically study." I teased with a small, nervous laugh as I glanced over to see him smiling at his hands. "I guess we better unlock the door and start on the laws."

    "Yes." the smile faded as he stepped away from the table, waving his hand toward the door as he leaned to pick up our cloaks.

    "Grim..."

    "Malach."

    "Huh?"

    "You can call me Malach. It's my name. Grim is my title."

    "Really? I didn't know the Grim Reaper had a name."

    He gave a small nod as he pulled his cloak on. "Not many people know because they don't think I have one or they don't ask. They assume I don't have one." he said as he took my cloak and draped it over a chair.

    "I'm sorry I never asked."

    "It's okay. Like I said, it's normal."   

"Malach," he turned toward me when I said his name, a smile forming as I watched him. "Nothing. I was just testing it out." I moved to start picking the books off the floor and returned them to the table.

    "I haven't heard my name in a long time." I turned toward him as he spoke, the surprise must have been written on my face because his next words caused a frown to form. "The last person to call my name was an angel. She used to collect souls from me. It was long before the system we have now. When we were still taking the souls to the angels or demons waiting for them."

    "Oh?" I couldn't quite pinpoint the strangling feeling the filled my chest. His voice held a hint of affection as he spoke of the angel, eyes seeming to soften a little. "Did you like her?" I asked, trying to sound nonchalant about it as I looked down at the open handbook now on the table again. I glanced back at Malach under my lashes finding him frowning at the table as if thinking about his next words.

    "Affection," he finally said as he looked back at me. "I felt affection toward her. Though I believe most humans would call it that of a younger sibling than a lover," I let out a slow breath, the gnawing in my chest subsiding slowly. "We used to talk for hours when I wasn't delivering souls. She was...interesting." he said with a small shrug. "Always happy and excited about the souls she took. She looked forward to meeting them, helping them start over if they wished." The pain had started again, though not as deep as before.