Heart of Ashes

A Promise Made

"Everyone leaves at some point. Once Death has done his job, even those he has cared most about are beyond his reach, spending their afterlife with their loved ones in whatever place they believe in. And the one person he cared for who didn't move on is still beyond my reach, resting on the narrow edge between sleep and true death in a slumber so deep even Hypnos can rarely find the dreamland he wanders through. No, even if we became friends, you too would die someday and travel beyond my reach," Ashe said softly, his eyes wandering to gaze at the paintings hanging upon the wall.

"How can Death not be able to reach into the afterlife? I mean, isn't he the one in charge of it all?" I questioned the man, not really expecting an answer but curious why he thought such a thing and spoke with such certainty.

"Why would Death control something that happens after death occurs? No, the only job given to Death is to find those who are dying and escort their souls to where they belong. Once that happens, my job is over and I have nothing to do with them anymore. No matter how much I might want to visit someone I had once known who dwells within. The realms of the afterlife are the only place that a being such as I cannot go, for Life itself forbids it," he spoke as his fingers reached up to almost touch the painting he had found so fascinating before pulling his hand back. "You seem to attract interesting people to you. The one who painted this, is he a friend of yours?"

The complete change of subject threw me for a moment before I could gather my thoughts, leaving me standing there quietly until he turned and raised his eyebrow at me yet again. And why didn't he have to look so good doing that? No! Bad (y/n), he's a customer! We don't ogle the customers! No matter how good looking they are... No matter how interesting they seemed to be.

"Yeah, he is. Do you know him? I don't remember Bez mentioning you... at least, not by name? He can be forgetful at times," I said slowly, bringing a finger up to tap at my chin thoughtfully as I peered at the man in front of me.

"Ahh, is that the name he is using? Bez?" He turned to meet my eyes as he raised the cup of tea to his lips, taking a sip before the corner of his mouth twitched up for a moment.

"His name is Bezriel, but everyone here called him Bez, so I did too. It kinda stuck, even after he moved away. And what do you mean using? That's his name, Bezriel. Isn't it?" I questioned him, biting my lower lip as I began wondering how he even knew the boy.

Except, hadn't Rae seemed more surprised at seeing Bez that first time rather than curious as to who he was? They hadn't really bothered with their usual 'is this person safe' tests that they always gave the people I befriended. Bez had been treated more like a little brother who had shown up unexpectedly, not really invited or desired to have around, but not quite able or willing to shove him out the door and send the boy home.

"You could say he is a... work associate of mine, although his work ethics aren't what they used to be. Not that they ever were the best, but after that first trip to the surface he was never willing to sit and stay anymore. And of course, his 'supervisor' can never be bothered to find him and it ends up being my job to locate him," Ashe muttered before sipping at his tea again, his dark eyes closing for a moment as he just breathed in the steam still rising from his cup.

"You're talking about him like he's some kind of pet. Sit and stay? Really? Besides, if his work ethics aren't up to standards, why not just fire him and hire someone else?" I grumbled, the tension barely easing as I sipped at my tea, the taste of the honey tingling on my tongue.

"Because even with all the times he runs off from his job, he's the only one capable of doing it. After all, he is rather... unique in this universe. He's the first and last of his kind, incapable of being replaced. Trust me, I would know if there was another like him," the man said with confidence, his lips twisted down for but a moment before he regained the usual neutral expression upon his face.

Peering at him, I tried to understand what he meant. I mean, sure Bez was... different from most people, but surely they could find someone who would fit the job just as well as Bez could. I mean, he'd found someone to replace Rae, so... Wait a second... He wouldn't, would he?

"You hired someone to take over Rae's job, didn't you?" I stood there as I stared at the man, watching as his dark eyes just kept looking back at me before his lips slowly parted.

"There is no one to replace Rae. They can't be replaced. They, too, are the only one like them in existence. Do not worry, I have been doing the work they once did. It is not a hardship for me since I had to do it all myself before they came along. Death existed long before anyone else and I will continue to exist, long after everyone else is gone," he spoke slowly as I felt my jaw drop in shock.

"How can you be so stubborn? Surely there is someone out there that can take over what Rae used to do! Just look for them, if you are so good and searching! Or maybe you aren't as good as you think you are and that's why you haven't found anyone to take over the position!" I wasn't even sure why I was yelling at the man, but I couldn't stop feeling angry that he was so accepting of being alone. "Why are you so afraid to let someone in?"

"I told you already. Everyone leaves at some point. Why should I let someone get close when I know that eventually, they too are going to vanish? Why allow them the ability to keep hurting me, over and over again? I'm tired of being left behind, the cold coming back stronger each time. I'm just... so tired of having that warmth ripped away from me. And now you are going to do the same thing, bringing the warmth and then stealing it away when you leave. When you... die," Ashe was nearly whispering at this point, his eyes leaving mine as he looked anywhere but in my direction.

He sounded so... sad. That had to be the reason I said what I did in response since I hardly knew the man well enough to say such a thing. Besides, it's not like it meant anything. He wasn't really Death, after all. I just wanted to make this man smile. If that meant becoming his 'forever friend' or something, then so be it!

"What if I promise to stay? I mean, who needs an afterlife, right?"