basicallyhell | more modern au stuff

more modern au stuff

After the collapse, Thanatos had said he would take better care of his own health - and Zagreus had decided that he was going to hold the other man to his word. He pesters him until he agrees to take some of his long overdue vacation time, reserves a cabin tucked into a nearby mountain retreat for them to spend an extended weekend together.

Foresight, however, isn't always Zagreus's strong suit. He doesn't think about how likely inclement weather is at this time of year, and it isn't until he's grabbing his bag of clothes and leading Thanatos to the door as fat, heavy snowflakes fall around him that he realizes that they may be trapped there for a bit.

"Hopefully there's firewood," he says, choosing to remain optimistic. "Come on, it's freezing."

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Thanatos holds a hand out to catch a falling snowflake and watches it melt on his palm. The vacation is not only to use up his excess of vacation time but also to breathe in the fresh air away from the city. To exist in some place quiet and still.

That gentle observance of the melting snowflake is interrupted by Zagreus leading him to the cabin door. Thanatos brings in his suitcase and bag of groceries. "I doubt they'd let someone without experience or training cut down a tree as part of booking a cabin. They'd have to monitor the growth of trees on the land against felling them, and replenishing them depends on the season and time of year."

Feel free to stop him. He starting to sound too much like the stats and figures he has to pay attention to during work. (The short of it is that Thanatos thinks they do provide firewood.)

"Yes," Zagreus says, his tone level and even, full of gentle amusement. "But that doesn't mean that they'll have remembered to restock the wood." It's not procedure that Zagreus is worried about failing them -- it's the human element of it.

He unlocks the door, allowing it to swing in, before he gestures for his... friend? Boyfriend? Partner? to join him.

"If they forget something like that, then their cleaning procedures need to be reevaluated." Once inside, Thanatos sets the grocery bag on the nearest table, counter, or flat surface that isn't the floor.

"Do we really have this entire place to ourselves?" Much like when he was forced to stay at his apartment and rest, Thanatos doesn't know where to start, how to occupy himself. Maybe locating the fireplace and the firewood since it's topical? Or should he let himself get distracted by his... companion for this trip? (If Thanatos is honest with himself, he's starting to refer to Zagreus as his boyfriend in his head.) Both will chase away the chill from outside.

Actually, he should probably put these groceries away, so they are ready when they do need them.

"Yes. Is that really such a surprise? My house is bigger, you know." His house also has actual servants - maids, butlers, enough activity the immense home is able to feel busy at whatever point in the day one might look at it. This, though- this was different. The cabin was quiet, the sound dampened even further by the snow.

He pauses to catch Thanatos's shoulder, leaning in to kiss it softly. "I'll work on the fire if you can put our things away."

Zagreus's house is bigger than most other houses, and Thanatos lives in a one-bedroom apartment. Even growing up, he had to share rooms just because there were so many children living under one roof with an extra child spending the night with the twins.

So, yes, something this big is a surprise, but maybe he should have seen it coming given how much money Zagreus has access to.

Thanatos smiles at the kiss to his shoulder and picks up the grocery bag. "Better you than me. My cold nature will probably make the fire run cold too. Somehow."

"I don't think even you're cool enough to make the fire run cold," he says, his voice softly teasing. He heads to the fireplace, kneeling to stack the wood. He's never really minded Thanatos's one bedroom place; he still lives at home with his father. Space has never really meant freedom.

One never knows. Maybe he'll try to start a fire, and it'll be like a prop fire, all colored lights and recorded crackle noises. Thanatos places the perishables into the fridge and non-perishables into the cabinet.

"Do you want me to bring the suitcases into the bedroom?"

It's a good thing Zagreus doesn't mind Thanatos's apartment then. Even if there had been another room or even another bed, they'll be curled up together anyways.

"Please. Could you grab my sweater from mine?" Zagreus is rarely cold, but he knows the inverse is true for Thanatos -- and if even he's able to feel the chill now, he worries about Than edging closer to actively uncomfortable. The fire sparks and he makes a little sigh of relief, moving to lock the door before he folds himself up on the couch.

"I shouldn't be tired from sitting in a car all day, but here we are. How's the bedroom look?"

Thanatos emerges from the bedroom wearing one of Zagreus's sweaters while also holding one for Zagreus to take. It turns out that Thanatos had packed one of the sweaters he left at the apartment instead of one of his own. (Boyfriend sweaters are comfier and warmer somehow!)

"It looks cozy. No fireplace though, so there has to be another way of heating that room. Probably an electric heater of some type." Thanatos joins Zagreus on the couch and will waste no time snuggling up to him once he's put on that sweater. It's chilly.

Zagreus tries not to think about how appealing Thanatos is in one of his sweaters. He takes the one offered to him and kind of just settles it into his own lap - he'll be alright when the fire gets started, he thinks.

"So," he says softly, pulling an arm around his shoulder, "I think we were meant to have a conversation at some point." They'd talked about it over text over a month ago, after that party, but life had gotten busy, he'd gotten distracted. "If you remember."

Thanatos is in the middle of settling against Zagreus and his warmth when he's reminded about that party. He stills, first thinking about something he's been trying not to think about.

But he does remember what Zagreus means. "I... yes. About making things official."

"I've thought about that conversation quite a bit, you know," Zagreus says, his voice unusually somber. Is he working up to tease Thanatos a little? It's possible. "It's quite a commitment."

"You have?" Thanatos can't keep his voice from lifting up at the end. Although, it falls quickly at what Zagreus adds. Should he pull away? Ah, but Zagreus pulled him closer....

"I suppose it is."

"You suppose?" he asks, but he's relieved that Thanatos didn't pull away - he's prepared to drop the bit if he thinks he's going too far. "So you haven't been thinking about it, Than?"

On some level, Thanatos knows Zagreus is poking fun at him, but he also is a little nervous about admitting that he's been mentally calling Zagreus his boyfriend for a while now.

"I wouldn't say that. I've been thinking about it a lot, truthfully."

"Yeah?" That's actually piqued his curiosity. Gently he drums his fingertips against Thanatos's upper arm. "What have you been thinking about?"

"... This feels... right. Natural." The change in their relationship hadn't felt as jarring as he thought it might. Many times, Thanatos can't tell if there's anything different. Besides the kisses and being able to cuddle up to each other even easier. "Honestly, I... already consider you my boyfriend...."

Zagreus lapses into brief silence, because -- well, he wasn't expecting Thanatos to speak so earnestly to him. Perhaps it's unfair, that he wasn't giving Thanatos enough credit, but he'd expected him to be... well, shyer, honestly. His stomach flips pleasantly. "You do? Have you, er-- have you told anyone?"

Thanatos hadn't expected the words to come out so easily either, but maybe it was because an earlier miscommunication had jeopardized their relationship. He doesn't want to risk this being the same.

"I haven't. I knew we were still testing things out, and regardless of how I felt, it wouldn't be right to unless... unless you were also of the same opinion."

Zagreus can still decide that this relationship of theirs isn't for him.

Zagreus hums softly, quietly. Thinking. He's watching the fire as he listens to Thanatos, before he begins running his hand lightly up the side of his arm as he squeezes him gently.

"Honestly," he murmurs, "most of the time I forget we're just testing things out."

Those touches are nice and soothing. Thanatos just melts against Zagreus. Though, he does tilt his head to watch for Zagreus's reaction.

"You did?" he asks. "Then... if we both admit we forgot that we were testing it out... does that mean the test was a success?"

"Well..." And this is the part where Zagreus actually sounds a little self-conscious. "I guess that depends on- We should chat about- Oh, gods, I don't know. I've only really been with Meg before. We need to talk about- do you want this to be, um, long term? Are we going to be exclusive?"

And this is where commitment part comes in, Thanatos supposes. He hasn't really thought of it in these terms, but he also has no experience to draw from. Maybe he should have tried researching this?

"I would like it to be long term if possible. It seems foolish to test out something that would only be short term." Then he falls silent to think. Thanatos's next answer doesn't come as quickly because it's something he's thought of even less. (Not too long ago, Thanatos realized he was romantically interested in someone when before he thought he had zero interest at all.) "Did you not want to be exclusive? If there's someone else you like, then I won't stop you."

Zagreus thinks about it, too, but only because-- well, he'd asked the question, but he hadn't expected Thanatos to turn it back on him. "No, there's not," he says honestly. "I've been keeping busy, and... I suppose the only person I've really wanted to see lately is you. I hope that's alright."

"Why wouldn't it be all right? I've only wanted to see you too." Thanatos settles against Zagreus more. "Anything else you'd like to discuss before we officially make things official?"

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Excuse you, Zag. They are married with 3 plushie children!

FAIR ENOUGH

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