#{dawn drabble

[blu-joons]

DATING A⇴Z HEADCANON ⇴ Kim Hyojong

A ⇴ AFFECTION

Hyojong is incredibly soft around you, he loves to be able to cuddle up to you and often uses his affection to make sure that you feel loved as that’s his number one priority. His affection will always be close and meaningful with you.

B ⇴ BEFORE DATING

The two of you met when you were working at the studio that he was rehearsing at. You weren’t quite sure what it was about you both, but the two of you just instantly seemed to click. You spent the whole day chatting away to each other and getting to know each other, finding out about all the things that you had in common with each other.

C ⇴ CONFESSION

It didn’t take too long for Hyojong to confess to you, he enjoyed your company, and there was no way that he was going to risk losing you to someone else first. He confessed one evening when the two of you went out for a walk, he sat you down on a bench halfway through your walk, taking a tight hold of your hand as he tried his hardest to remain calm and tell you everything that he wanted to say to you.

D ⇴ DATES

Hyojong always made time for you, at least once a week the two of you would have a whole evening where you’d just be with each other, with your phones switched off. He knew he was busy a lot, so he’d make up for plenty of lost time with your dates. He would make sure that every date the two of you had was special and made sure that it was something you’d remember. He much preferred your dates to be quiet and relaxed then anything too overwhelming, his main focus was just being able to talk to you.

E ⇴ EXPERIENCE

He didn’t care what anyone thought about the fact that he was in a relationship, he wanted to put his own happiness first, regardless of what anyone else thought. He knew what he had to do in order to go about things in the right way, having learnt from previous experiences, but if anyone was to tell him no, then he’d definitely go ahead and do the complete opposite. He was his own person, he didn’t need his company to tell him what he could or couldn’t do, his career would always be important to him, but so was love.

F ⇴ FIGHTING

The two of you didn’t tend to fight often, but if you did, it would usually end in something pretty big. The two of you were stubborn, and firmly believed that you were right in any disagreement that the two of you had. It would usually take for one of your friends to nudge the two of you back together and encourage you to talk things through. As much as you hated to fight with each other, you both knew that arguments were natural in relationships and that no one expected to live your lives always on the best of terms. Eventually, the two of you would always talk things through and carry on like nothing ever happened.

G ⇴ GETTING TO KNOW HIS FAMILY

To begin with, Hyojong’s family were quite protective, it took a couple of visits for them to really warm to you. It certainly made you nervous for a while, but as you gradually began to feel that you were accepted as a part of his family, it definitely made life easier for you, and put you in a much happier position with Hyojong.

H ⇴ HOME

Hyojong didn’t want to rush your relationship, he wanted to work at a pace that was comfortable for you both, but as he began to work a lot more, he was keen to move you in after a few months so that he could spend more time with you. He didn’t want to wait for days to see you anymore, he wanted to see you when he got home instead.

I ⇴ “I LOVE YOU”

He was the first one to say, ‘I love you,’ when you surprised him at a concert. He hadn’t seen you for a couple of weeks because he was working so hard, so when you had the chance to head over and see him, you took it in an instance. He didn’t have time to think when he saw your face for the first time, he just found himself letting you know that he loved you.

J ⇴ JEALOUSY

Around other people is often when Hyojong will feel most insecure. He knows that others think of him as a bit of a unique character, so when someone else tries to compare themselves to him, he’ll often shrink back into his shell. Just the feeling of your hand holding onto him will usually be enough to convince him that he has no reason to get jealous, but for the rest of the night he’ll definitely be a bit off the ball until the two of you can finally leave and he can go back to being in a more comfortable environment.

K ⇴ KIDS

Starting a family was a huge deal to Hyojong, he wanted to complete that family dynamic whenever the time was right for the two of you. You knew at the start of your relationship that his career was the priority, but as your relationship became more serious, that focus tended to shift more to trying to find a balance of making his career work, but also looking towards a future with you, preferably with children too.

L ⇴ LAUGHTER

You loved the many quirks that Hyojong had, he was unique, which was what you loved the most about him. There was never a day when he didn’t make you laugh, even if he was busy at work, he’d send you a dodgy selfie or send you a silly joke that he knew would put the smile on his face. He didn’t care how much of a fool he looked around you, if it was enough to make you laugh, then it was good enough for him. You would never not find yourself smiling around him, you just couldn’t help but enjoy Hyojong’s company.

M ⇴ MISSING

Now that he was travelling alone, Hyojong was more desperate to have you with him than ever. He’d try and work his schedules around you too so that you could take along and he could show you a bit more of the world. If you weren’t there, touring and promoting would feel very lonely for Hyojong. Not having you by his side was hard for him, especially if time zones meant that he wouldn’t be able to call you every day or receive a text from you. Whenever he came home from tour, he didn’t let you go for a very long time, he knew he had a lot of time to make up for, and despite your protests, he’d refuse to let you go.

N ⇴ NICKNAMES

When you first started dating, Hyojong mentioned to you how he loved when you called him ‘jongie,’ so that was what stuck for you both. Any time he heard you say it, it was a guarantee that his cheeks would turn bright red.

O ⇴ OBSESSION

Hyojong is obsessed with your heart, he loves what a pure and kind person you are, it’s the exact type of person a personality like his needs.

P ⇴ PDA

Whilst he’s not over the top with his affection, Hyojong isn’t afraid to be affectionate with you in public. When he tells you that he doesn’t care what other people think, he means it, if he wants to show you off and hold you close to him, then he will. He never fusses or lets other people’s stares bother him.

Q ⇴ QUESTIONS

He’ll ask you a lot of questions, as he loves to strike up conversation with you. A lot of his questions are random, but that’s something that you’ve come to expect over the years, you never quite know what he’ll say.

R ⇴ RANDOM FACTS

Whenever he’s away on tour, Hyojong will carry a bracelet with him and wear it for his shows. It fits in well with the other bands around his wrist, but when you see it on his wrist, you know that he’s wearing it because of you. In interviews or segments, he’ll often fiddle with the bracelet to make a point of making sure that the camera focuses on it so you can see that he’s playing with the bracelet especially for you.

S ⇴ SEX

He’s incredibly soft when it comes to intimacy, he loves to make sure that you feel loved and special around him. Out of the two of you, he’ll tend to be the one that dominates a little more, he still likes to be the man and be the one to put in all the hard work, but if you mention to him that you want to switch, then he definitely won’t turn you down. Ultimately, all Hyojong ever wants is for you to be happy with him.

T ⇴ TEXTS

Texting is not something Hyojong is a fan of, if he wants to get in contact with you, he’ll usually call, just so he can see your face. Even if it’s only for a couple of minutes, just being able to see your face is a huge relief for him.

U ⇴ UNIVERSE

There were many times when Hyojong was left feeling pretty misunderstood or like an outsider, but around you, he really knew that he could be himself. You made him feel safe and protected, which was all he ever wanted.

V ⇴ VACATION

Hyojong loves the fact that he’s the one who can show you the world, he loves to take you to new places and give you as many new opportunities as possible. Even if it’s just a quick stop on a tour or for a promo, he’ll make sure to show you around so that you can explore and open your eyes to a whole new world.

W ⇴ WHINING

If he doesn’t have your attention, there are definitely times when Hyojong can get quite loud to make sure that you know he’s in the room and wants you.

X ⇴ XXXXX

He’s incredibly affectionate, and with that, he loves to kiss you. His kisses vary a lot, sometimes it will just be a light peck on the cheek, other times he’ll love to tease you, either by allowing his lips to linger against your skin or nibble gently against your skin. The feeling of you squirming as he presses his lips to you is exactly the reaction that Hyojong craves, all he wants is for you to be on your toes when he’s around.

Y ⇴ YOU

You were the one that understood exactly who Hyojong was, which he loved.

Z ⇴ ZZZ

When you slept, it became a bit of a habit for you to start tracing Hyojong’s tattoos. He loved feeling your hands dance along his skin, often coming up with new designs too against whatever exposed skin you could find.

---

Masterlist

[promisesox]

My friend just showed me your blog and I love it!!! Can I request a E'Dawn and female idol smut where they're in his studio writing a collab song and he finally tells her his feelings and then he shows her with him saying “I’ll do anything you want me to do to you, but you have to say it out loud.” so she admits she likes him too.

kink edition

❅ pairing - E’Dawn x idol!reader

❅ rated - 18+ | NSFW

❅ genre - smut | idol!au | studio setting

❅ word count - 784

❅ warnings - smut | 18+ | NSFW | mostly foreplay teasing | implied sex | profanity

The bass from the speakers drowned out the sounds you were emitting, thankfully enough so no one could hear. Hyojong’s studio was soundproof either way but it didn’t take away the anxiety of being caught in the act of fucking during work. It would be a shame for someone to walk in here seeing you on Hyojong’s lap, legs spread open and feet over the sound system. 

You were quite nervous to be working with Hyojong for the first time, even if you had been long time friends since trainee days. You always had a crush on him, always supported him from afar while wishing you could stand next to him. It was only until the peak of your careers that you finally found the time to get together and create something special, something raw from your own creative minds in the genre of music. Except the only music you were making now were moans and lewd noises of his fingers in your pussy. 

Your body was hot all over, and your mind a muddled mess. He had confessed to you, you were sure of it now after taking your brain over the things he said to you throughout the session leading up to this. You wouldn’t allow yourself to think the made up lyrics he bounced off of you meant that he actually felt the way he said. 

You wanted to take off your clothes but you wanted them on so you could collect yourself if someone was to walk in. As much as you dreamed yourself being pleasured by Hyojong you couldn’t help but worry about your relationship when it came to an end. Except he seemed to be doing fine, chuckling and pressing kisses right underneath your earlobe. 

“This was supposed to be a collab.” You breathed, gasping on a moan as he made the both of you lean back further in the chair, your legs coming up off the buttons but not before accidentally turning sound up even more. 

He sunk two digits further in, knuckle deep as he curled them up and jerked them on that bundle of nerves that had you quivering in his hold. “This is a collab, what do you think we’re doing?”

He listened to the high pitch whine of your voice with a sinful smile, humming in approval as he added his other hand around your waist to reach down and let his fingers play with your clit. “So keep singing to me, baby girl.”

The added stimulation was too much for you, threatening to make you spill over as you raked your nails over his jeans. “Fuck- I need more.” 

“Hmm?” He hummed, sucking a slow hickey with nibbles of his teeth against the sensitive skin of your neck. 

You couldn’t get away from his lips as you brought your shoulders up from the sensitivity, but you craved more of what he was giving. “I want you to touch me, more~”

“I am touching you.” He answered matter-of-factly, pulling back to admire his work before pressing a tender kiss against the red mark he created. 

“Hyojong.” You hissed, eyes rolling back and you whimpered, embarrassed by the squelch of juices leaking onto his fingers as he pumped them inside of you. It continued on like that, until you were begging to the point you were just chanting his name like a mantra with the insane pace he altered with from fast to slow. 

“I’ll do anything you want me to do to you, but you have to say it out loud.” He finally let up, and you felt yourself warm up to his words. It was only half an hour ago that this boy had confessed to you and now you were contorted so shamelessly on his lap letting him have his way with you. “Use your words like a big girl.” 

You exhaled as calmly as you could, readying yourself before you uttered out, “I want you to fuck me with your dick please.”

Your legs dropped from the air as you yelped, feeling Hyojong push the chair back enough for your legs to hit the ground. You were surprised it didn’t take him much effort to make you stand up on your feet as he got up, adjusting your body to bend over and place your hands on the sound system. It didn’t take long for your legs to spread with the nudge of his feet, feeling warm hardness slide between your legs and lather in your oozing essence. You etched the feeling of his hands gripping your waist into your mind, silently submitting yourself to him and allowing yourself to be claimed. 

“See, all you had to do was ask.” 

[arcxnumvitae]

Fly on the wall Dawn about violet

@cxrsedsouls || A Drabble of My Muse Talking About Yours

"I mean, she's-- she's perfect!" Dawn's chin rested dejectedly atop her hands at Cornelius' bartop. "I mean, usually Zeus is screwing up things one way or another in all the stories, but for once it seems like he actually did something correct when he made her. She'd be the perfect person to lead the pack beside Damian!" As bitter a taste as it left in her mouth. She reached out for her glass, only to have another hand come into view to slide it away.

"Ah ah." Cornelius sat in the chair next to her, beer in hand and a brow raised. "I can already tell alcohol and this conversation won’t mix well, and last thing I need is you crying all over my countertops." His cousin's face scowled at that and he had to hold back a laugh as she stuck out her tongue, but soon the brief air of brevity brought about by the teasing dissipated.

Dawn straightened up in her chair with a sigh. "But seriously, it just feels like she'd...do way better than me, and without even breaking a sweat too. I mean, sometimes I can't even get Damian to actually talk to me when something's bothering him." Her fingers laced together as honey brown eyes stared down at her hands’ nervous fiddling. “I-I don’t think I’ve ever been able to get Damian to open up to me when he’s got something on his mind. And I dunno, maybe even he knows subconsciously I’m not cut out for helping him lead the pack one day.”

“But you love the pack,” Cornelius pointed out.

“Yeah, with all my heart. But just because you love something doesn’t automatically make you the best at taking care of it.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “Sometimes I barely feel like I can take care of myself.” 

Silence stretched from Cornelius, one heavy with hesitation. They both knew there were a number of things she could have been referring to, and that was exactly the problem. Cornelius took a swig of his beer. “How have you been handling it, by the way? ...Everything, I mean. The time spent running from Thanatos, your parents, Will, everything after, all of it. That’s a lot to handle.”

“I don’t want to talk about it.” Her response came immediately. Too quickly.

“You should.”

“I feel like-- I feel like if I start, and if I start crying, with all of it...I might never stop. Like I just might shatter apart the moment I try to deal with it all. It’s been decades, but sometimes I still feel like that lost little girl from Brooklyn.”

Cornelius sat back in his seat with a heavy sigh as he fixed his cousin with a look from eyes the same exact shade as hers. “Well there’s your problem then. How are you going to tackle taking care of the pack when you’re still dealing with frankly a frightening amount of trauma.”

“I thought you weren’t good with people, computer-head.” Dawn snorted.

“I’m not. That’s why I’m suggesting, as someone who loves you, maybe try getting some help? Try finding a therapist or someone to talk to?”

“Seriously, man? The hell would I even start? ‘Yes, so, it all started when I fell in love with a man possessed by the Greek personification of death. But just wait until we get to my boyfriend who turns into a wolf sometimes.’ I’m pretty sure they’d try to have me committed and I can’t say I’d blame them.”

“Har har.” The look he gave her was unamused. “I say, if the world’s big enough for vampires, gods, and werewolves to be a thing, a therapist who can help you with all that is small in comparison. If you want to, we can look. The internet’s a huge place and I happen to be a master of it.” Still, from the furrow of her brow, she seemed unconvinced. “At least promise me you’ll think some more about it?”

“If you give me back my glass I’ll promise.”

[arcxnumvitae]

Small followup from this

Ugh, maybe she shouldn’t have snuck out the way she did, she honestly felt worse than even before she left. She was pretty sure her fever was back too, dammit, it was like one step forward then two steps back. Brute-forcing her body back to full health wasn’t the way to do it, she knew, but man if impatience didn’t make her want to try again. At least she met someone nice though.

[arcxnumvitae]

Continued from here

She had been in such a rush to get away from that man and out of that lycan house that she hadn’t paid much attention to where she had been going but she couldn’t stop the wry huff when she noticed the greenery and the smell of fresh earth that surrounded her-- of course she ended up in a garden. Still, even as upset as she was there was no denying the comfort that washed over her at her surroundings, the heat of the sun, the earthy warm scents, the splashes of color. And what a beautiful garden it was too, each plant vibrant and healthy, one that looked to be focused more towards growing food to eat. She wondered who it was that took care of it, it was obvious a lot of care had been given to these plants. The subtle sound of a noise behind her startled her and Raven whirled around in surprise, an apology on her lips. 

A girl stood there, taller, with warm brown skin and a mane of curly hair pulled up into a ponytail. She didn’t look much older than Raven herself, but, from the bit she had seen of the inhabitants of this area and what she knew about them, youthful looks could be deceiving. The strangest part about her though was the streak of gray hair just above the girl’s left temple, an odd feature for someone who was supposed to be eternally young? “S-sorry!” Raven gasped out and took a half-step back, her hands raised defensively. “I didn’t mean to intrude on your garden, I-I just found myself here and...!”

“Huh? No, I’m sorry for scaring you like that, I just saw you from a distance and realized I didn’t know who you were, which is odd in and of itself, so I-- I’m rambling, never mind.” She seemed slightly out of breath and shook her head. “Anyways. You don’t have to worry about the garden, it’s not mine and I doubt Sophia would mind as long as you, you know, don’t mess anything up.”

“Sophia...?” An unfamiliar name, but not surprising considering the circumstances. But either way it was a relief to hear she didn’t have to leave the garden quite yet and certainly didn’t want to return to that house to face whatever waited for her. She-- she had gotten quite loud in there...

Her lack of familiarity seemed to confuse the girl who cocked her head in surprise. “Yeah, Sophia. You know, red hair, green eyes, scary if you piss her off?” At the likely blank look in Raven’s eyes, her brows rose and she tried again. “Damian’s mom?”

“Damian...? I-I’m sorry, I don’t know who you’re--”

“Huh? You’re here but you don’t know who-- well, that’s weird. But I guess so far everything about you has been weird.” 

“I’m sorry....”

“Why are you apologizing? O-oh, right, sorry, that probably didn’t come across like how I meant it.” A laugh left her and she shook her head again with a sheepish expression on her face. This girl...was loud. Boisterous. She--she didn’t know what to make of her. “My name’s Dawn, and you? Are you a wolf?”

The question was confusing, so far it seemed like the others could sense there was something different about her, but this girl couldn’t. And since coming here, Raven herself had started to realize the way the inhabitants of this place felt differently. But Dawn didn’t, she felt, well, normal. “I’m Raven. But, uh, a wolf? N-no, I’m just, well, me.”

“Well ‘I’m me’ too, but I’m still something while I’m at it. Human again right now for instance.”

There was a lot to try and process from that one statement. “Human...?” Her eyes shifted once more to the streak of gray and the girl caught where her gaze drifted and grinned. Raven felt a flush creeping up at being caught staring so blatantly.

“Yeah, human. I look good for my age, don’t I?”

She was almost afraid to ask at this point, considering what an anomaly she was turning out to be. Granted, not like she herself could say much considering her own situation. “How old...?”

Dawn’s smile widened. “Fifty-five.”

Raven took another half-step back in shock and Dawn burst into a fit of laughter. Her laughter...had a musical quality of it. “Sorry, sorry, it’s fun to throw that out there! Especially if I get a reaction like that! It’s a long story, I won’t make you sit through it.” 

This girl...was odd.

The laughter died down and Dawn’s cheeks held a flush to them, stronger than it seemed like it should have been for a quick bout of laughter. She was out of breath yet again as well and Raven found herself worrying. Suddenly, the girl crouched, her arms resting on her knees and head lowered, and made a low noise of annoyance. A bolt of panic surged through her and Raven closed the distance, falling to her knees in the soft dirt beneath her, her hands hovering uselessly above the other but making no contact. “A-are you...okay? Do you need something?”

“Sorry, sorry,” she waved a hand and brown eyes finally met hers. “I just got dizzy for a second there. Honestly, I’m not supposed to be here, I kinda snuck out.” With that, she fell back to rest on the ground with a sigh, heedless of the dirt that no doubt now clung to her hands and shorts. And now that Raven looked closer, she could see faint remnants of whatever seemed to have affected her in the pallor of her skin, save for the bright flushed spots of her cheeks. “I feel kinda bad about it now but I was tired of laying around. It won’t be long before he finds me though. Sorry I made you get your dress dirty.”

‘He’? Raven looked down at where her knees were resting against the soft earth and shook her head. “I’m fine, but i-if you need to be resting then I can find someone to help...?” Dawn waved her hand and shook her head. 

“Nah, like I said I’ll be found soon enough, and I’d like to spend as much time this little jailbreak as I can. Plus, I’m enjoying our conversation.” But the color in her cheeks wasn’t improving and still she seemed to struggle to catch her breath. “I was sick for a while, that’s all. Fragile human stuff. Wait, you never told me what you were--”

Thankfully, before Raven was tasked with figuring out how she wanted to answer that particular question, movement caught both her and Dawn’s attention. A tall man with red hair and a scar that stretched across his face who seemed to be searching for something. Had she encountered him on the street Raven had no doubt that she would have found him intimidating. But the fond smile that stretched across Dawn’s lips and the way her eyes warmed spoke a different story and she chuckled gently, a tone different from any of the others that Raven had heard from her. “Oh, there he is right now.”

Raven looked back and forth between the two, understanding dawning just from the way she looked at him. O-oh. Oh, that was adorable. And then the moment passed and Dawn raised her hand above the rows of plants that obscured them. “You found me, I’m here!” The man turned instantly at the sound of her voice and if there was any question from Raven then the look on his face as he caught sight of Dawn made it clear that the other’s affections were returned. Dawn turned back towards her as the man approached, an impish grin stretching across her lips. “I’ve gotta go now but it was nice meeting you, Raven! Whenever I get a chance away again if you’re still here I’m gonna track you down, alright?”

Raven simply blinked at her in surprise as the man finally reached them and Dawn turned a blinding, innocently angelic smile up to him.

This girl...was honestly a little frightening.

[arcxnumvitae]

Part 5: Final

Thanatos stared down at the girl in his hold, William’s last words to him echoing through his head.

‘Please, watch over her.’

He had agreed to his deal, and yet the boy asked for more still, asking protection of Death of all things. The greed of mortals truly was infinite, wasn’t it. The girl had fainted, the strain of hosting a deity and having her life drained weighing their toll on her now fully mortal body. The heat of a fever emanating from her had him sighing. She would need care, her life was no longer his to take but that did not mean the fever could not claim her still. And he...could no longer sense her death. Not now nor even when it would happen in the future. A byproduct of his own multiple interference with her...? Well, there was no point in wondering about that now, not when she needed medical help and he was by no means a life saver

“You humans,” he sighed once more as he easily rose to his feet with her in his arms. Aphrodite mentioned the pack house. Zeus had apparently sent them away but by the way she worded it, it seemed as if that sentence was for Aphrodite alone and not the girl. And if Zeus happened to protest still...? Well, it was Zeus. He would simply have to get over it. 

Just as Thanatos began to walk, he stopped and cast one last look at the sky above, bowing slightly in a final show of respect for the departed. “Rest now, William O’Connor.” With that, he began to walk, Dawn asleep in his arms.

[arcxnumvitae]

Part 4

Dazed eyes opened when his hand left her cheek, the struggle for consciousness heightening her confusion. The blue eyes that stared down at her now, they were so warm and nostalgic, familiar. “...Will...?”

“Hello, a chroi.” His hand returned to her cheek, a thumb softly brushing against her skin. “I should have known that if there was anyone stubborn enough to survive Thanatos it would be you.”

She struggled to sit up but slumped back into his arms as weakness overtook her. “I don’t get it, how are you...? Thanatos...?”

William shushed her soothingly. “Don’t push yourself. He gave me a few moments to say goodbye to you before I have to go.”

“You...?” Her gaze was uncomprehending but it was in that moment that she realized the encroaching ice throughout her body had stopped and-- and was fading away. A hand clutched William’s sleeve and panic entered her voice. “Will-- Will, what did you do? What do you mean ‘go’?”

“You only got dragged into this mess because of me.” Still with that gentle smile on his lips, he smoothed back her hair. “I am deeply sorry, Dawn. Because of my selfish interference on that day you survived but you had to suffer an untold amount of pain afterwards. Please, I hope you find it in your heart one day to forgive me for what I caused you.”

A hot press of tears stung her eyes, the following warmth on her cheeks making her realize that she was crying. William’s cool thumb brushed them away but still she cried, “There’s nothing to forgive, but you can’t--! It’s not fair...! All those years, you deserve more. You deserve peace.”

“And I will have it. I’ve wanted nothing more than to be at rest for decades now and now I’ll have it.” He smiled gently, “Don’t cry for me, Dawn, I’m happy. And I got to see you one last time before I left, it’s more than I could ever wish for. Please, live. I don’t know what these years have been like for you but I know you. You’re strong, far stronger than me, and I know you still have so much more life to enjoy. It’s not in you to give up forever, it’s not.” Leaning forward, cool lips brushed against her forehead in one last soft kiss. “You will find happiness. Goodbye, a chroi.”

At last, he was leaving to join his mother and sister as he should have all that time ago. A final sigh slipped past his lips, one finally free of the suffering and torment he had endured for years on end. A gentle breeze passed through, and with that he was gone.

[arcxnumvitae]

Part 3

At this point, it was only a matter of waiting until the last of the life left the girl. Aphrodite mentioned her having stayed with the lycanthrope pack, he supposed afterward he could bring her there...

Before his thoughts could linger much longer, his hand pulled away from the girl without warning.

“What...?” It had moved on its own, without any input from him. How could it have--?

Thanatos. The voice was urgent, insistent, the soft lilt of an Irish accent in it. And it only took an instant for the deity to realize what was happening. You’ve made deals before, make a deal with me.

Never before had William been able to speak with him when he was in control, and certainly never had he been able to wrest control of his body back. Te deity pushed past the surprise. I do not make deals anymore, William.

A life for a life. He persisted. You want full control of my body, correct? Take me instead then. Let me pass on and let her live.

You realize the full gravity of what you offer, correct? You saw her eyes, can you even be so certain that she wishes to continue living? You could be dooming her to an existence filled with nothing but more pain.

I know Dawn. She’s strong enough. No matter what you or me or life throws at her, she finds a way to keep on living. I have faith in her.

A heavy silence passed, time seeming to pause as Thanatos considered. A sigh finally left him. You humans. Fine, I accept your offer, William O’Connor. Your life in exchange for Dawn Edwards, the deal has been made and sealed. ...Would you like a few last moments to say goodbye?

Yes.