Massacre.

He’s still there when I wake up. My head rests on his chest and his hand rubs my arm. I can hear the breathing and beating of his heart. We’re still under the blankets and it's so warm.

It feels so comfortable to be with him like this. Things feel normal.

Things feel like how they used to be.

I just hope they stay this way.

I nuzzle my face into his plain black shirt and take a whiff of the fabric softener. I can here him scoff but he doesn’t push me away. He’s letting me stay.

“How are you feeling?” he asks. His hand cups my cheek and brings my face to meet his. I can feel his long fingers on my cheek.

“I feel better” I smile. Reaper nods his head and presses his hand to my forehead.

“I can see it in your eyes too, they’re their normal color” he says while staring into them. I just look back into those familiar amber orbs. They remind me of autumn leaves and jumping into piles with him when I was younger.

We stay like that, gazing into each other's eyes for a moment.

“Sir, I recommend you attend to your work now and don’t fall behind” Bones voice says. I lift my head and see his face peering at us by the side of the bed.

The blankets are thrown off of the both of us and Reaper detangles out limbs. He tells the puppet to fetch him his clothes and I watch as Bones disappears into the closet.

I start to feel the cold so I hug myself and watch Reaper stretch. His shirt rides up a bit so I can see his smooth porcelain back and dimples. My eyes don’t fail to take a peek at his butt.

“I know you’re going to end up peaking in on me anyway so just come and sit in the room this time, okay?” he faces towards me. I furrow my eyebrows confused but just put my head down in shame. I always watch him reap when I'm not suppose to.

I’m too embarrassed to ogle at him when he changes.

Bones looks at me earnestly, in his hands one of Reaper’s sweaters. I quietly take it and put my arms through it.

~

I still find myself mesmerized while he works. The way the black tendrils seeped out of his face and the veins painted themselves across his skin. Time always seemed to stand still when I watch him use his abilities. The walls practically hum in response to the magic.

I just sit in the corner with Bones, his magic marks glowing and the tattoo below my collar bone tingling.

I even stand next to the doors with the puppet holding onto my pajama bottoms as we listen
to Reaper explain to the souls their predicament.

After he was done and all that was left was for him to fill out paperwork, we moved into his office. I sat on the floor with my head in his lap while he filled out all the documents he needed too. He wrote with one hand while the other tangled itself into my hair.

My eyes were closed but I was still awake when the phone rang.

I started to doze off at the sound of his voice until I realized what his conversation was about.

“He almost would have been dead if the puppet wasn’t watching him. . . I told you he would come in handy. . . It didn’t change at all, it still looks the same. . . They haven’t yet. . .”

Now I was wide awake and looking up at him. Reaper stopped mid- sentence and look back at me.

“. . .Yes. . . I think so too. . . Good-bye” and he hung up the phone.

I opened my mouth to question him but Reaper just shook his head and told me not to worry about it.

Who was he talking to?