Random One-shots and short stories

Death's day off

Warning: swearing (lightly)

"Who are you? ...Death?"

"Sometimes. Not today."

"W-wait, what does that mean? It's your day off or something like that...?

The mysterious girl smiled. She was wearing a long T-shirt, leggings, combat boots and an unzipped hoodie covering her face: all black. She wouldn't seem much of a threat, had she not appeared from the shadows like when someone comes out of the bath.

Also, the bird wings on her back and the bow on her hand were pretty unsettling.

"Something like that, yeah. I guess you could say it." She came closer, but stopped as I tried to crawl away. Damn broken leg! And damn slippery mountain!

"Let me help you"

I froze.

"What?" No way I was gonna let Death come closer.

"Please, let me help you." She asked again, slowly taking another step closer. "You're badly hurt, and I can heal you. I promise I'm not going to hurt you."

The girl weighted 140 pounds max, and didn't seem strong at all. Even though I had a broken leg, I should be able to take on her. However, I had the feeling that she didn't need the bow or her hocus pocus to defend herself at all.

"No offense girl, but I'm not gonna trust Death, don't care if it's your day off. Also, you would've to drop your whole mystery act, 'cause I could see your face then and you would lose all the vibe."

She chuckled. "Bold. If you're not scared, I don't need the mystery facade at all, so..."

Her pale hand grabbed the hoddie. She bit her lip for a moment, as if deciding if it was a good idea. A sigh scaped her lips, as she pulled the hoddie back. Then she looked at me.

Oh no.

"Fuck, she's super cute." I thought. Why do I always like girls that are out of my league?

Her lips formed a shy smile as she blushed and broke eye contact.

Please, tell me I did not say it out loud like an idiot.

"Um, thank you...?" Yup, I'm definitely an idiot. "Anyways, will you let me get closer now?" She sounded kind of... Nervous?

"Oh, umm... Yeah...?" And that's the way to go. Great.

Hold on, why am I trying to flirt with Death?

Am I trying to flirt with Death? How is this my life?

The pain snapped me back to reality. Her hand was examining my wound gently, but I couldn't help gritting my teeth.

"Could have been worse. You broke the fibula. It will be quicker and easier to heal than if you had broken the tibia."

"Will need a cast either way, no?"

She smiled. "Not really."

Before I could ask her what she meant by that, she closed her piercing blue eyes and something cold started to relieve the pain. I looked at my leg, and my jaw fell to the ground. There were thin green light rays coming out of her and into the injury.

It felt like when your hands are cold during winter and you grab a hot chocolate mug, and they start warming up. But instead, my leg was burning up and the lights cooled it down, just as gently.

They were carefully travelling through my veins, marking with a bright green the sections they had already healed.

"Is it better now?"

I bounced a bit. I was so focused on my leg that I hadn't realised she was looking at me.

"Yeah, yeah. Thanks." The girl smiled again. "So, how...? No, why did you heal it exactly? Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful you did, but..." My mouth didn't remember how to talk apparently.

"But I don't know you and usually I'm Death?" She asked softly, still smiling.

"Well, yeah. It's not normal at all, you get me?"

"I do, don't worry. You should be able to stand now, by the way."

"What?" I looked at my leg. The light rays had disappeared, along with the wound and the pain. How did I not notice it?

The strange girl got up and offered her hand. I did so too, even though I tattered a bit.

"Thanks. But, you didn't answer me." I reminded her.

It was easier to talk to her now that I was back on my feet, and that I had seen she was a bit shorter than me. She chuckled.

"True." Her eyes avoided mine, looking at the ground instead. "My father is the real Death, and my mother is Life. They ran away together long ago, so I have to make sure everything goes as it must until they come back." A sad smile formed on her lips as she looked at the horizon. "I haven't seen them since I was a kid. I... I miss them."

A warm, soft breeze came and messied her hair a bit. She closed her eyes, as if it was a caress sent by her parents. It probably was, but I wasn't going to ask.

"How long can Death and Life be absent? How long ago?"

She looked me in the eye as her smile turned wider and sadder.

"Long ago. Really long."

I gulped. Poor girl, how old can she be? For how long has she been forced to cover them?

"If today you aren't Death, then... You're Life?"

Her smile turned happy at last.

"No." She chuckled.

"Today I'm both, and today I'm neither. Today, I'm me."

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Word count: 905

Could have been better, but I kind of like how it turned out in the end.

- Akire