#that canon dialogue and how Zag apparently just waltzed up to Than and told him he looked hotter with long hair???

[ifishouldvanish]

Me??? Cross-posting fic to tunglr weeks after the fact??? It's more likely than you think.

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Zagreus had been content to admire Death from afar. Death, with his golden eyes. Death, watching the River Styx with his arms folded over his chest, big and strong from hauling that scythe around. Death with his long, flowing silver hair.

They'd been close once, of course. Playdates as children under Nyx's supervision. But Thanatos was Death, and Death had responsibilities. And Zagreus, well… he was the prince. God of Nothing.

They scarcely saw each other at all anymore, and on the rare occasion they crossed paths in the halls, they did so with no more than a curt nod of acknowledgement.

Which was fine. Because it would make things much more awkward if Zagreus had to endure friendly conversation with him on the regular.

Things being the fact that Thanatos had grown rather nicely into his godhood and become, quite frankly, extremely hot.

But now he'd crossed a line.

He'd cut his hair.

Those long, silken locks Zagreus' fingers had been aching to comb through. Gone, replaced with shaved sides and some fringe that hardly grazed his jawline.

And so, it was with great indignation that Zagreus made his way down the West Hall and to the balcony.

"Hey…" he leaned against the balustrade with nonchalance. "Thanatos."

"Prince Zagreus," Death acknowledged with another one of his curt nods. "How may I be of service to you?"

"...Ha," Zagreus chuckled awkwardly. "Oh, nothing… just wanted to er, say hi."

Thanatos raised a brow.

"I… see you uh, cut your hair."

"I did," he answered, betraying nothing.

"Interesting, interesting…" Zagreus nodded. "Interesting choice."

Thanatos narrowed his eyes at him.

"Not sure I would have made that choice, but…"

"It was getting in the way," he asserted in that deep voice of his.

"Right, right…" Zagreus was still nodding.

Thanatos' jaw clenched. "...Is there a problem? Prince Zagreus?"

"No, no! No problem!" he put his hands up defensively. "Just ah… don't worry, alright? The thing about hair, is ah… you can always grow it back."

Thanatos tilted his head at him, his expression blank and unreadable. "And why would I want to do that?"

"Um… because… it… you…" Zagreus hesitated. "It looked better when it was long?"

"Hm," was all Thanatos said, but his gaze had changed into something intense.

Zagreus swallowed. "Anyway… Father has been positively thrilled with your performance of late. Again. So…" he began his retreat, edging away from the balustrade, "keep up the good–"

"Perhaps, if you had any duties beyond cavorting about in the House, you might understand the need to consider the practicality of a haircut over the aesthetics of it. Prince."

Well, that stung.

"Heh. Well… to each their own, I suppose," he chuckled weakly. "Oh, wait, what–? Did you hear that?"

Those golden eyes darted around in confusion. "...Hear what?"

"I think I hear Achilles calling for me," Zagreus lied, giving him a light pat on the shoulder. "Funny that, huh? That the Greatest of the Greeks should keep his hair long without any problems? Anyway, gotta go. Nice talking to you, Than. Good chat."