Perpetual Rain ✓

Mutual

The two of you started down the street with no objective in mind or a particular place to go. Just aimlessly walking, chewing on the chicken that was skewered through a long toothpick. You weaved through people that couldn't see you, rounding businessmen and small families but always gravitating back to Taehyung's side as you two ate in silence. The awkwardness almost seemed to be thickening, a familiar feeling you remembered from that day in the coffee shop with him. You swallowed a bite of the chicken as you tore it from the stick like a dog fellating meat from a bone.

"So, if I'm dead, why is it I still feel hunger?" You decided to question as you were the first one to pierce the veil of silence. Letting just the corner of your eye keep him in view, you focused on not colliding with the people walking the opposite way down the sidewalk.

"Basic human needs are a hard thing to let go of. Though you won't die from starvation, your body is so used to consuming food that it's like a habit that even in death you can't let go of." Taehyung explained, reminding you of how calmly Jimin would answer your questions. You watched as his lips pouted, chewing a larger piece of the chicken than he likely should have taken in, but the adorable way in which he ate forced a barely audible chuckle from you.

"What about that little trick you did back there? Suddenly appearing across the street." You tilted your head a bit more his way, raising a brow as you added. "Is that something I can do, too?"

"Yeah." Taehyung said, letting his Adam's apple bounce in a long stride as he swallowed. "You can do almost anything that I can, with the exclusion of being able to manifest objects and choose to allow yourself to be seen by the physical plane."

"So I can just magically put myself wherever I want?"

"Yup, but it takes some practice."

"Well, you have one perk that I don't." You said, shrugging your shoulders as your own lips puckered, pouting faintly at the limits of your abilities compared to his.

"What's that?"

"The capability to make my hallucinations stop." You explained as you quickly devoured the last piece of chicken left on the stick and chewed it between puffed up cheeks.

"Yeah... I guess so." Taehyung's head hung a bit lower, staring at the last bite of his own food. You could see his lids fall a bit as his vibrant brown eyes became a bit duller.

"What do you mean, you guess so?" You leaned over, tossing the stick into a nearby trash can as you passed it. You shot your questioning gaze over to Taehyung as you dusted off your hands.

"Well, I have never really done it before." He said, twisting the long toothpick between his thumb and index finger, making the meat spin, he kept his gaze focused on it. "With... other souls, I mean. Normally, Reapers just let the soul go through their visions hoping it'll help them find closure." His gaze shifted, staring at you behind shaggy brunette bangs that were slightly overgrown, almost clouding his eyes completely.

"Then why did you decide to try and stop mine?" You stuffed your hands deep into the pockets of your forest green jacket and tilted your head up, keeping it to the side as he had now piqued your curiosity.

He didn't answer however, his gaze simply shifted away. He took a step from you, throwing the last bit of his food into the trash carelessly. Guess he lost his appetite. He came back to your side but his lips remained pinched tight. It seemed he wasn't ready or willing to answer that question right now. Taking the hint, you pulled your gaze from him and took in a breath.

"Jimin told me my hallucinations won't stop." You continued on, your mindless eyes now locked on the path ahead as you recalled your afternoon with the other reaper. "Not until I can remember the last few moments I was alive in grave detail."

"He told you that, huh?" Taehyung questioned, his voice sounding defeated by an unknown force, and he still wouldn't raise his eyes as he kept them now securely fixated on his feet.

"Was he wrong?"

"No."

Okay, normally you'd be okay with the hum of the quiet, but for some reason, after all you had been through with this reaper, it just left you feeling more uncomfortable than it normally would with anyone else. He was being reserved, completely opposite to the spunky boy you had been spending a considerable amount of time with. Maybe he held regret for what he had done, for lying to you. Though you weren't sure anymore if you still wanted him to feel remorse for it. Hadn't he already made up for his mistake?

"Well..." You started, taking in a deep breath as your chest puffed out. "I don't think I'm ready to do that. Not yet at least." You said, holding your head abnormally high.

Taehyung's gaze finally broke from his feet and tilted in your direction. You didn't have to look at him directly to know he was thrown off by your sudden declaration.

"So... I guess maybe I'll have to keep you around for a little while." You added, turning your head toward him to let your eyes lock with his.

You saw his hues widen and his head raise as he cocked it back a bit. For some reason, his surprise brought you satisfaction, at least he wasn't bold enough to assume just because you were willingly talking to him now, that you would continue to after the night was over. It brought you a bit of peace knowing you were being left to make your own choices.

"You keep the hallucinations at bay and... I guess I can stomach your existence." You added, drawing out your worlds to add both a sense of playfulness as well as faint hesitation to your statement. Maybe you could forgive him.

"Are you using me now?" Taehyung questioned, the shock on his face slowly shifting into a sarcastic smile as he kept his gaze on you. A laugh rattling his chest let you know that the spunky boy you had previously enjoyed the company of was still in there somewhere.

"Call it a mutual benefit." You corrected with a nod of your head, your own lips twisting into a smirk as your hair bounced back in place.

"What do I get out of it?" Taehyung asked as his eyes studied you. You could almost feel them roaming over your features.

"Me not beating your ass for lying to me." you looked away but plastered on a triumphant smirk. Maybe this was your way of trying to forgive him.

"Touche..." He said in agreement, but the smile on his face held more contentment as he stared ahead. Maybe the awkward tension could be broken.

"Oh. I've got another question!" You blurted out, nearly jumping as you recalled something. Stopping in your tracks, you turned to face Taehyung. "Jimin said something I didn't understand when I met up with him." Your brows crinkled, hoping he could help you decipher Jimin's cryptic phrase.

"What was it?" Taehyung let his feet slide to a stop as he mimicked your actions and faced you, towering above your own height.

"He said it stopped raining weeks ago..." You craned your neck back and looked up to the sky. The rain was light right now, but undoubtedly there. You felt a few scattered drops splash against your cheeks. "But, why do I still see the rain?"

"Y/N..." Taehyung called out your name softly, the whispering of the wind barely allowing it to meet your ears. "It was raining the night you died..."