"Then she said, I think I have fallen for you — and then bloody disappears for decades! What's that all about?!" Edward grumbled, slamming his cup down as he drank.

Olethros threw his head back and laughed, the sound carrying in the quiet chamber. "Hahaha, that's classic Death. Always so calm and collected on the outside, but inside?" He shook his head with an amused grin. "She's a big softie. I'd say she got shy and bolted. Sounds like her."

"But be fair, brother. It's weird."

Edward raised a brow. "How so?"

"Well, you are technically our brother now," Olethros said slowly, drawing it out as if savoring the thought. "And by that logic… Death is your sister. And now…" He trailed off with a wicked grin.

Edward's eyes widened. "Ahhhh! Screw you, man! I was already confused as it is, and you pull an Alabama joke on me?!" He glared, his voice dripping with irritation, though the corner of his mouth twitched despite himself.

Olethros raised his hands in mock surrender, still laughing. "Alright, alright. Don't get mad. But you've got to admit , it is pretty funny."

"Funny for you maybe." Edward groaned and slumped back. "You've been on leave from work for what, two hundred years? You've got too much free time. Now, are you going to tell me where to find her or not?"

Olethros leaned back and smirked. "You can find her easily. Just jump into a volcano or something. She'll come rushing to save you, or take your soul."

Edward narrowed his eyes. "Screw you, dude. Do I look like a Mayan virgin sacrifice to you?"

"Ahaha! Stop, you're killing me." Olethros wiped a tear from his eye, grinning broadly. "Your face… priceless. If only I could paint."

Edward groaned again, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Seriously. Are you going to help me or not?"

Olethros finally straightened, though the grin never left his face. "Fine. But she's going to kick my arse once she finds out." He stood, clapped his palms together, and focused on a distant mountain. The air trembled; a sharp cracking noise rang out as space itself fractured. A glowing chasm split open, showing the interior of a modern villa.

Olethros glanced sideways, lips quirking. "Don't you dare say a word about my whereabouts. Even if you two… seal the deal."

Edward gave his shoulder a firm pat. "No worries, bro. I've got your back." He took a deep breath, straightened, and stepped through the rift.

The villa's cool, clean air hit him as he emerged. He looked around, impressed by the polished wooden floors and modern furniture, then dropped onto the couch with a sigh of appreciation.

"Ahh, modern luxuries. I missed you." He stretched out lazily. "Wait… what year is this? What universe? Might as well pull some pranks while I'm here…"

A familiar voice muttered in the hallway. "Huh, who's at my home?"

Death appeared in the doorway, her expression shifting from confusion to wide-eyed shock as her gaze fell on him. She froze. "Oh crap." And then she turned on her heel to run.

"Not so fast." Edward waved his hand. Golden chains shot out of the floor . Enkidu coiling around her waist before she could vanish. With a swift pull, she spun like a startled actress in a bad drama and landed right in Edward's waiting arms.

"Hello there," he said with a mischievous grin.

Death sighed, though there was a faint smile tugging at her lips. "You're a stubborn man, walking through universes just to find me."

Edward shrugged. "Like how mature you were? Dropping a confession and running away?"

A flush crept into her pale cheeks as she looked aside. "That was just… a heat of the moment thing. Please, forget it."

Edward ignored her protest, scooping her up with ease and carrying her to the couch. She didn't resist — in fact, she nestled in closer, eyes slipping shut as if his presence soothed her. He sat down with her still in his arms.

"So what's with you this time?" Edward asked evenly. "First you avoided me because you didn't want to interact with a mortal. Then you got close after learning I'm like you and your siblings. Everything was going fine. Then you drop a romantic confession… and disappear for twenty years. What's going on in that thick head of yours?" He poked her forehead accusingly.

Death swatted his hand away in irritation. "Oh, so now you suddenly notice I've been gone for twenty years? Why didn't you come sooner? Or were you too busy with your wives? Or on some noble mission again?"

Edward almost choked. "Why are you being so unreasonable?! You're the one who vanished after confessing! Not me! Wait…" His eyes narrowed as he studied her face. "There's something different about you."

Death struggled in his arms, voice rising. "No shit, genius! It's because of you!" Her tone sharpened with frustration. "Ever since I touched you that day, my mental state has changed. I feel emotions more deeply, get crazy impulses that have nothing to do with my duty. I am losing my mind here! Your powers did something, and I don't know what!"

Edward didn't answer immediately. His brain stalled — and then decided to act before thinking. He leaned in and kissed her.

Death stiffened in surprise, pushing weakly against his chest with her fists, but then her resistance faltered. Her eyes fluttered closed as she melted into his embrace, fingers curling against his shirt.

They didn't know how long the kiss lasted — seconds, minutes — until their lips finally parted. Death's lips trembled, her gaze soft and uncertain as she opened her eyes.

"Why… why did you do that?" she whispered, voice low and unsteady.

Edward smiled gently, brushing a hand along her cheek. "Because you needed to calm down. I can tell something's bothering you. Just talk to me."

She sighed, resting her forehead against his chest, the tension in her shoulders easing. "It's a long story. Promise you won't laugh."

Edward chuckled quietly. "Of course not. Unless it's funny." He winked at her, earning an exasperated glare.

Death rolled her eyes. "What did I ever see in you?"

"My charming looks? My amazing personality?" Edward offered with a smirk.

"I can tell it wasn't for your dumb narcissistic humor," she said dryly.

Edward only grinned wider, holding her close as the tension slowly faded .

*****

"Okay, so before I start, I need to tell you more about me." Death's voice was steady, but her eyes betrayed the weight she carried. She sat beside Edward on the couch, her posture uncharacteristically still.

Edward leaned forward slightly, giving her his full attention.

"I have been around for a long time, Edward," she said quietly. "I have seen worlds end. Civilizations vanish as if they never existed. And through all of it, I kept doing my duty — to be there when they take their first breath, and when they take their last." Her tone didn't waver, but the faint edge in her voice hinted at exhaustion centuries deep. "It's not easy… but I managed. I managed because I didn't feel emotions too deeply when I was doing my job. I was detached, like I had to be."

Edward's gaze didn't leave her. He didn't interrupt. He knew this wasn't easy for her to share.

She looked down at her pale hands before continuing. "Then I found this new universe under my authority. One destined to be destroyed. But it was unlike anything else I'd seen. The gods cut off their connection to it — they abandoned it completely. So I didn't pay much attention to it at first."

Her eyes lifted toward Edward, searching his face. "But then, one day, I felt a presence. A mortal man… who somehow possessed a form of immortality. Someone whose death I couldn't see. So I got curious. I started watching him."

Edward grinned faintly, unable to resist. "So that's how you developed your stalking habits."

Death shot him a sharp glare, but before she could retort, Edward leaned over and pecked her cheek. "Sorry. Won't do it again."

Her stern expression cracked. She smiled wryly despite herself and let out a soft laugh. "It's not that easy to coax me, you know."

Edward just smirked, leaning back into the cushions.

Death inhaled, gathering herself, then spoke again. "So I started watching you — what you did, the choices you made. At first I was horrified, thinking you'd suffer a backlash from karma after killing those avatars. I thought maybe those gods would appear in their original forms to punish you… and humanity along with you. But nothing happened."

Edward stayed quiet, his smirk fading as she went on.

"You kept changing things," she said. "And soon, the timeline itself started to shift. It was changing rapidly. So many events unfolded differently, which changed countless others. It was… fascinating. I would wait to see what new change you'd bring."

Her voice softened, almost hesitant. "It became… an obsession. I never felt human emotions like love or jealousy before — not in my original form. But watching you stirred something I didn't understand. It was new… and it was terrifying. I even thought about visiting you in person."

Edward's brow rose slightly at that, but he stayed silent.

"Then I remembered what happened to Nada and Morpheus," she said, her lips tightening for a moment. "And I got scared."

Edward's hand found hers, giving it a reassuring squeeze. She glanced at him and smiled faintly, drawing strength from his touch before continuing.

"I didn't want to harm you. I told myself I should stay away — that I was content just watching from afar. But then… you found love. Watching you live like a human, enjoying something I could never have… it made me jealous. A feeling I didn't think I was capable of." Her voice cracked briefly. "I thought… if only I could be human, maybe I could have been there with you. But that's not possible for me."

Edward rubbed his thumb gently over her hand.

"So I stayed conflicted. I cared for you, but I couldn't bring myself to get close. I convinced myself I should just stay away from you entirely. And I decided… if something ever happened to you, if by chance you died, I'd give you another chance to live. That was the only way I knew how to care without breaking the rules."

She looked down, her dark hair hiding part of her face.

"But then you vanished from Earth," she whispered. "I searched for you everywhere, but I never found you. And I… I felt guilty. I thought maybe I was the cause. Maybe the universe took you away to show me I should never interfere. That I was wrong to even think about breaking the rules."

Edward's eyes softened at her words.

"Then you came back. Magically, without warning. And I was happy — happier than I could ever admit to anyone. But then I saw what happened on Golgotha. I saw your sorrow." Her voice trembled. "I didn't know how to approach you. I couldn't help you, and you already had… lovers, people to support you. And that made me angry. Angry at myself. Angry at everything. I felt it was unfair that I couldn't do or be any of those things for you. I even considered leaving my realm… like Olethros did."

Death gave a shaky smile, though it quickly faltered.

Edward reached out and gently patted her head. "That's all in the past now," he said softly.

She looked up at him and nodded, managing a small smile. "Yes… then we met at that tavern in Britannia. The day I descended as a human, with my emotions and will unbound. I knew if I stayed there longer, I might do something reckless. My heart felt like it would burst out of my chest."

Her eyes grew distant as she recalled it. "I wanted to make you go away. I wanted to stop myself. But when I grabbed your hand… it happened. I saw it. The realm of Hope. It was beautiful. I felt… happy. Peaceful. I didn't want to wake up from that feeling. All I wanted… was to be free." She exhaled softly, her voice almost a whisper now.

*****

Edward chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. "You said you wanted to be free… and you wished for it while your soul was there?"

Death looked up at him curiously, her dark eyes shining. "Yes. And ever since then, I've been having trouble controlling my emotions. I'd sometimes do things I normally wouldn't. Act in ways that aren't like me at all." Her voice softened as she rested her head against his chest. "I kept visiting you often… because I felt at peace when I was around you. And then I realized—I don't want to hide anymore. I'm usually composed, always following my duties without question. But for once, I wanted to choose something of my own will."

Edward listened carefully as she tightened her arms around him.

"So despite fearing your refusal," she went on quietly, "I said what I felt. Then I ran… because all of this is new and confusing to me. I was afraid you might reject me. And with these emotions I can't control, I worried I'd hurt you somehow, the way Morpheus hurt Nada." Her voice faltered, and she clenched him tighter. "I'm so lost and confused, Edward."

Edward sighed softly and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. "I think I might have an idea what's happening."

Death flinched slightly, lifting her head to meet his eyes. "What do you mean?"

"My domain of Hope… it's complicated," Edward said, his tone calm and thoughtful. "It connects to a lot of things. One of them is about possibility—the chance for someone's hope to become reality. If someone earnestly hoped for something, I could grant their wish. When you entered your soul into the realm of Hope, I think you truly wished to be free… and my power made it happen. Not total free will, but something like breaking the chains that kept you from following your heart."

Death watched him intently as he spoke.

"You felt that being human—experiencing emotions, living like they do—was true freedom," Edward continued. "So your wish allowed you to do that. I'm not sure exactly how it works, but that's the only explanation that makes sense."

When he glanced down, he found her looking at him with a faint, warm smile.

"What?" Edward asked, raising an eyebrow.

Death smiled wider and asked softly, "So… does that mean I'm free to do what I want?"

Edward scratched his head, looking slightly embarrassed. "I believe so… umph—"

He didn't get to finish. Death tilted her face up and kissed him, sudden and passionate. His eyes widened for a moment, but he didn't resist. He simply pulled her closer, his arms tightening around her as the kiss deepened.

When they finally parted, Death's breath was warm against his lips. "So it's true," she whispered, her voice almost trembling. "I did that… of my own will." She gazed at him affectionately, her fingers lightly brushing his cheek. "Thank you."

Edward smiled softly. "You're most welcome."

Death pushed herself up slightly from his embrace, her dark hair falling over her shoulders, and smirked. "So… does that mean you accept?"

Edward cleared his throat, looking flustered but amused. "Well… since you've poured your heart out so openly, I'd be an ass if I didn't. I've decided I'm going to live by following my heart from now on. And I can feel how deep and sincere your emotions are. So yes… I accept."

Death chuckled and swung a leg over him, straddling his lap. Her cool hands cupped his face as she leaned close. "Look, I don't know how to handle these feelings yet. I've never loved anyone like this. But I want to learn. I want to feel everything… try everything. But there's one thing I need you to promise me." Her playful expression faded, turning serious.

Edward smiled slightly. "What is it?"

She leaned close, her lips brushing his ear as she whispered, "Don't you ever die on me. If that ever happened… I might break every rule that exists." Her voice distorted slightly at the end, betraying just how much she meant it.

Edward felt the weight of her words. The sincerity, the fear—it was all there, raw and unguarded. For someone like her, it was an entirely new kind of vulnerability.

He wrapped his arms around her and whispered back, "No worries. I plan to stay alive… and show you what it really means to love someone."

Death giggled softly, her voice like a bell. "And I look forward to experiencing it with you, dear Edward."

Edward chuckled, tilting his head to kiss her again. This time she melted into him, her arms curling around his neck as the kiss deepened, slow and lingering.

The rest of the day slipped by quietly. They didn't leave the couch for hours, content just to lie tangled together, stealing kisses and enjoying the warmth of each other's presence. For once, there was no rush, no duties, no worlds to save. Just them.

When evening came, they decided to go out on a date. Death had insisted on doing something "normal," something ordinary and human. Edward humored her easily, leading her out into the city where no one would recognize them.

She wanted to watch a romantic movie. "Something human couples do," she said with a mischievous grin.

"Fine," Edward replied, amused. "But you're picking, then."

"That's easy," Death said at once. "Titanic."

Edward groaned. "Of course you'd pick the one where everyone dies."

"It's tragic and romantic!" Death shot back, feigning offense.

Edward crossed his arms. "What about Meet Joe Black? Fits the theme a little better, don't you think?"

They went back and forth for several minutes, half-serious, half-laughing. Death finally relented, rolling her eyes only because Edward promised they'd watch Titanic next time.

At the theater, they blended into the crowd like any other couple. Death leaned into his shoulder during the movie, sometimes glancing up at him with a small, contented smile. Edward, for his part, slipped an arm around her, his thumb tracing idle circles on her hand. More than once they leaned close, exchanging playful kisses when no one was looking.

For both of them, it was a welcome change of pace — no powers, no titles, no cosmic duties. Just two people enjoying a simple evening together.

****

After they left the theatre, Death's eyes lit up suddenly. "Oh wait—I remember a nice place. It's got good food and live singers."

Before Edward could answer, she tugged him by the arm, weaving through the evening streets with a cheerful urgency that made him chuckle. She was clearly enjoying herself.

The lounge they entered was high-end, full of people in tailored suits and elegant dresses, drinking and talking under warm lights. The air smelled faintly of wine and expensive cologne. Conversations buzzed, but they seemed to hush slightly as Edward and Death walked in. Even among the wealthy crowd, their presence drew eyes—they had an effortless air of authority and grace that didn't fit the usual picture of high society.

Death held onto Edward's arm as she led him through the room, smiling with unrestrained happiness. Edward shook his head, amused by how easily she slipped into the role of a woman out for a fun night.

They reached a small table close to the stage, settling in as waiters passed with trays of drinks.

As the curtain lifted, Edward blinked, then froze. On stage, standing at the microphone in full costume, was none other than Batman himself.

Edward stared, dumbfounded. "You've got to be kidding me…" he muttered under his breath.

Death tilted her head. "What?"

Edward leaned closer, his voice low. "I've seen this before. Long story short: Diana got turned into a pig, and Batman made a deal to fix it. This is the part where he has to sing."

Death arched an eyebrow in faint surprise but said nothing.

Batman began to sing Am I Blue. His deep, controlled voice carried through the room, smooth and unexpectedly heartfelt. The lounge fell silent, listening.

" Am I blue,

am I blue

Ain't these tears in my eyes,

telling you

Am I blue,

you'd be too

If your schemes, like your dreams,

done fell through

Was a time

I was her only one

Now I am

The sad and lonely one

Oh, yes, I am "

Death whispered near Edward's ear, "He sings rather nicely, dear."

Edward chuckled softly. "Yeah. He does."

On the edge of the room, Edward spotted Zatanna and Circe watching quietly, both dabbing their eyes as the song went on. Even Death, who rarely let mortal performances move her so strongly, seemed to feel something.

When Batman finished, the audience erupted in applause. Edward and Death clapped along with the crowd, both smiling.

Leaning close, Death whispered, "That was nice, dear. I feel like I should grant him a gift. What do you think?"

Edward thought for a moment, then replied, "That's kind of you. How about this: grant him a day to spend with his parents. Just one day, to share his story with them. You can do that, right?"

Death hummed softly. "It's not usually part of the rules. But… you know what? Today is a good day. Let's make it happen."

Edward smiled warmly and kissed her on the cheek. "You're awesome, DiDi."

She smiled proudly.

When Batman tried to leave without speaking to anyone, they intercepted him. He clearly wanted to vanish as quickly as possible, but Zatanna stepped forward and put a hand on his arm. "Wait, Bruce. I think you should hear them out."

Batman scowled under his cowl but turned toward them, silent and guarded.

Edward looked at Death. "You wish to tell him, or should I?"

Death smirked. "Allow me, dear."

She stepped forward, her voice calm and certain. "Bruce Wayne, thank you for your amazing performance. My lover and I both enjoyed it. Since we're in a good mood, we'd like to offer you a gift. You can accept or refuse it."

Batman stiffened, almost reacting to the fact that she spoke his name aloud. "Who are you? And how do you know?" His voice was sharp, defensive.

Before Edward could laugh, Zatanna smacked Batman on the head. He blinked in surprise, glaring at her as she bowed her head respectfully toward Death. "Apologies, my lady. He didn't recognize you. And… congratulations on your relationship."

Edward waved casually with a grin. "Thanks."

Batman glanced between them, unsettled. "Who are you?"

Edward's grin widened. "Well, I'm Edward Elric, your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man… oops, wrong universe."

Death shot him a look of exasperation, the kind that said not now. She turned back to Bruce, her tone even. "What my lover failed to say, because of his ridiculous humor, is that I am Death. And he's a fool who insists on trying to save humanity."

Batman's eyes widened under the mask. He looked at Zatanna, who nodded solemnly, confirming it. Slowly, he straightened, his voice lower, respectful now. "So what does Death wish to offer me?"

Death smiled gently. "You've carried more than your share of pain, Bruce Wayne. Since your song brought us joy, I've decided to gift you a day of happiness. I will bring back your parents… and allow you to spend one day with them."

For a man known for his unshakable composure, Batman looked shaken. "Is that… truly possible?" His voice trembled despite himself.

"Not usually," Death admitted with a soft chuckle. "But I'll make an exception."

She lifted her hand and made a simple wave.

Two faint, luminous shapes appeared, gradually forming into human figures. Thomas and Martha Wayne stood there, alive and whole, as if they'd stepped straight out of Bruce's memories.

Batman fell to his knees, staring, unable to speak as tears welled up and fell from his eyes.

Edward placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Go on. Spend the day with your parents. Be happy. You deserve it."

Bruce looked up, still stunned, and managed a slight nod.

Edward turned and offered his arm. "Let's go home, dear."

Death gracefully took it, smiling at Bruce and his parents as she waved goodbye. As they walked away, they heard Bruce's muffled voice behind them. "Thank you."

They both smiled quietly and left the lounge, leaving Bruce to his long-awaited reunion.