#cora & hayes 001

[nottheemuse]

she visibly recoiled when he appeared behind her, jumping slightly, letting out a gasp and covering her mouth. and then again, when his nose brushed against her skin, though the sound was more strangled this time. she wanted to argue, wanted to push back and ask more questions, yet at the same time she didn't think he would really care. "f-fine." again, her voice cracked, wracking her brain for what could be considered a good argument. how did you bargain with someone like him? "not a need, but a want then. there must be something you want." everyone had wants, even entities, right?

"give me enough time to get my brother used to the idea. or let me at least see him one more time." she hadn't been home in over a year, canceling and rescheduling trips only to cancel them again. "that won't take long at all. you can come with me." tears were beginning to prick at the corners of her eyes. or maybe just the memory of tears - she wasn't sure if ghosts could cry. "and as soon as I get that settled, I'll cross over or whatever. please?" the hopelessness was starting to seep in. she wasn't special, her case wasn't special. still, she persisted. "I know what I'm asking for isn't unique, but I'm not asking for a long time, just enough. and i'll give you anything you want. come hell or high water, i swear it."

AND HERE IT CAME — the part he always anticipated , detested , and found just shy of entertaining . his darkened gaze , two soul coins , glinted like light reflecting off vats of tar , , , an animistic sheen to eyes of marble that only thickened with each attempt of an argument she made . " it doesn't matter. you are dead. rigor mortis has already begun , CORA , there is no stopping what has already begun . " his grin split , almost too wide for his face , uncanny in the way it only possessed his mouth ; the remainder of his features remaining unaffected by the emotion . " you have you ?? " hayes bellowed , horrific laughter of sheer mockery ringing like a mallet's cloth head had struck a gong . " YOU ?? a mortal ?? you're offering me yourself and your , , , resourcefulness ?? please . "

in a blink , a plume of black and ashen smoke , hayes vanished and reappeared behind her , looming like a monolith over her shoulder , shrouding her in shadow . " i am not like you . i do not have a world . i do not have needs . i simply am . you are asking for what every pitiful soul i have come to collect has begged for . what you need to build is an argument , , , " hayes leaned down , brushing his nose across her shoulder , her absence of a pulse enough to have canines flashing as his smile bloomed wider and wider . " the rot has begun , sweetheart. your corpse is cooling . lest you want your spirit to be lost — i'd reckon you either build a better case or tell me just what happened to you . "

[nottheemuse]

taking a few beats to try and steady her breath, cora was still struggling to sift through the panic of it all. who knew your survival instinct could kick in in your afterlife? but she was grateful for it, because something about what he saying wasn't adding up. "why exactly do you need that?" her words were laced with irritation, glaring at him.

this couldn't be it. she was young and vibrant. there was so much life left to live, so much of the world she hadn't seen, so many dreams unfulfilled. fuck him. stiffening her spine, she stood at her fullest height (only five-foot-two, so it wasn't saying much, she knew). "it does matter." because more than any of that was caleb. her older brother. her favorite person. and if he didn't get a chance to say goodbye or come to terms with her demise, he wouldn't make it. and that mattered more than anything to her.

"I have me." she had never considered herself arrogant, so this was a hail mary, a total act of desperation. "I don't know how your world works, but surely even a grim reaper has needs. something you need help with." he could take that how he would, she was aware of how it sounded, she didn't care. there was nothing left to lose, and even if she weren't the first mortal to beg for more time, even if it was useless, she was stubborn. cora had to try.

"I'm resourceful." she motioned toward the scythe, the tool/weapon becoming more intimidating by the moment. "so before you do whatever it is you have to do with that, just think for a minute - I'm not asking for much, after all. just a little more time. it's not really about what that's worth to me, but what is it worth to you?"

LENGTHENING his spine , hayes hummed at her words , nodding his head in a respective display of understanding . a sign that he had heard her , projecting that he may even take her feedback into honest consideration . a small , quietly knowing smile ; he wouldn't . " helped , " he sampled the verb and then shrugged a large shoulder . " if you say so , still doesn't tell me you know you're dead . just tells me you can listen . i need a why , sweetheart . a cause for your demise , if you will . "

the woman's questions were one the reaper had heard many times before . his features were unmoving as he breathed through his nostrils , casting out his exhale with a weighted sigh . gesturing around them , eyes fell down to the unticking watch encircling his wrist . " purgatory is a way of putting it . the in between . the VEIL . " hayes waved a dismissive hand . " the name of it isn't important . it's — " his speech was cut off , her sudden outcry of unacceptance making the reaper turn his head . impatience made the muscle in his jaw tick ; no matter how many souls he peeled from bone , it still struck him as infuriating anytime there was a resisting pull against his guiding hand . " it doesn't matter if you're ready , " hayes bit on the heels of her words . " — and there are no options . this is it , baby . " though the offer of a bargain was indeed , , , tempting . at least as a means of entertainment . what did this mortal think the value of her life was ??

" — you can't truly believe you have something to offer ME . "

[nottheemuse]

letting out a heavy exhale, cora took a step back as he took one closer. she wasn't exactly keen on death getting too close to her, ghost or not. she knew she was supposed to be scared, but part of her figured she couldn't get much worse than dead.

"honestly? i don't know if you're receptive to feedback, but the telling me thing kind of helped." kind of. she still wasn't so convinced that she should be here. speaking of... "so -- what -- where is this then? I'm dead but... you haven't made it official yet. is this..." she glanced around, then back to him, a shiver crawling up her spine. "purgatory? or?" after all, human ideas of the after life weren't exactly what was real.

she had a million more questions, but very suddenly she was hit with a wave of grief, the idea of being dead really starting to settle in. "no." shaking her head, she backed further away from him. "I'm not ready yet." her voice cracked, her thoughts going to her brother. "so what are my options here? Are you the kind to bargain?"

A LAUGH , boisterous and brimming with amusement , thundered from the depths of his chest . " INTERN ?? intern reaper , wow , , , " a trill from hayes's lips as he exhaled , casting his eyes away , as if an appropriate response were interwoven in the particles that made up the atmosphere around them . his stare then reverted back to her , pressing the tip of his curved blade to his temple ; " no , doll , afraid not . i'm the real deal . one of a handful but , , , certainly no intern . "

hayes tutted his tongue against his teeth , rhythmically tapping the metal end cap of his staff on the earth beneath dress shoes , taking a step closer . " unfortunately , that isn't how it works . can't tell a ghost it's dead and all that . they gotta discover it for themselves . " invigorated eyes returned to hers , his smile mirthful and crooked , something almost sinister reflected in his expression . he lowered his voice , a grated whisper ; " , , , though i guess i already spoiled that part of our fun . whoops , , , silly me . "

[nottheemuse]

well this was... unexpected. it's not like she'd been planning on exiting the mortal plane so soon. it was a lot to process, and this guy was not helping. cutting him an irritated look, she crossed her arms over her chest, giving him a once over, a bit dubious at the sight of his scythe. "so you're what... an intern reaper or something?" she wasn't exactly impressed. "not what I pictured." his question was a good one though - and one she didn't want to think about right now. "seems like you should know that, if you're here to collect my soul or whatever."

𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐫 , , , 𝘢𝘯 𝘖𝘗𝘌𝘕 𝘚𝘛𝘈𝘙𝘛𝘌𝘙 !!

𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 HAYES TENEBRIS , he/him , bisexual 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐜𝐢𝐫𝐜𝐮𝐦𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 , Y/M has died , bringing them face to face with hayes , , , the grim reaper . 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘥𝘰 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 !!

" SORRY , SWEETHEART, " hayes mused with an insincere tut of his tongue , lying through a porcelain teeth , leaning into the staff of his scythe as if it were a crutch . " this is how it works . you die , i show up to kiss you goodbye . lucky you . i'm quite the handsome devil , aren't i ?? " a cock of his head , the raising of an ever curious brow ; " though i must ask , , , how did you end up in these circumstances , anyways ?? "