He smiles sadly, though he is comforted with her hand in his.

“I do not know.”

There are rules even the gods must follow. Death is Death. Mortals are not meant to return from it.

And yet, there are exceptions. Perhaps, Eurydice could be one.

“My father would have to permit it.”

“I would like it if they did.”

And he feels just as responsible as she does when they do not. He /is/ Death.

Gently, he pats her hand.

“You know that the gift will not fix everything. A bracelet like that would enable her to visit but not remain.”

She doesn’t have to tell him what that bracelet is for.

“It’s been a long time,” Anpu reminds her. “He is older.”

Sadder, too.

“She won’t be finding the same man she left.”

So . . . who is it she is bending the rules for?

Will she tell him about this special case?

He smirks just a smidge.

“Might anger Dad.”

Osiris. Hades. Take your pick of name.

“But I’m fine with it.”

He likes a good love story, too.

Almost a smile. He would love to see it.

“That sounds absolutely beautiful.”

~ if reaching towards the masses that throng the boulevard.

“Do you feel it?”

The world hums with their energy.

“Their time might be short, but they do so much with it. It is beautiful.”

And he enjoys experiencing all that beauty.

He smiles at her — graciously — wondering how it is she’s never thought of this before.

“This? This is what /sustains/ me.”

Because he knows it is not all darkness and Death. That some thing exists that is far stronger than him.

Life.

With her hand in his, he presses her palm outward as ~