Thane watched in silence as the woman did her job. He waited until she was done, not one to interrupt or delay the process any longer. His gaze traveled to Rei who he noticed was looking at him. He still didn't understand why he chose this man, of all people, to aid him. What was different about him? Nothing, probably. It was probably simply because the man was right there in front of him while he was thinking about it that he chose him.

Whatever the case, now would be the opportune time to speak with him about this turn of events before Rei returned to his normal life. Glancing over at the nurse, he saw her write down digits and coding onto the papers in the folder before she gave Rei another smile and bid he use the emergency call button in case he needed anything, then left.

Thane waited until the door clicked shut, then he looked back at Rei once more. "I will not lie to you, Rei Davis. I will not hide the facts. However, you may find it confusing nonetheless." Pushing up his hood again to allow for better view, he continued. "For many centuries I have taken responsibility for the abandoned souls of all of humankind and guided them to their proper place in the afterlife. Never once have I questioned my duty. Never once have I thought anything on it at all; I've merely accepted without hesitation that this is what I am to do and always do.

"However... recently, a thought has... been bothering me. Whilst before I did not so much as bat an eyelash towards your species, your kind---because, really, why should I?---recently... that has not been the case." He gave a slow shake of his head. "Emotions I have not before experienced and quite possibly shouldn't be experiencing have been creeping up on me. Thoughts as well. There is a bother that shouldn't exist and I am troubled by it."

He looked at Rei, meeting gaze for gaze. How kind of the man to offer his help. But did he even know what it entailed? Would he still offer so willingly after what Thane told him? It was a rather unsteady job to uphold. Who could possibly, truly, help him in this manner he was seeking?

"My duty may be compromised if this lingers any longer at the forefront of my mind. And so... that is why I have set you aside from the other souls, Rei. Perhaps you can provide a method or manner that may help me settle my... feelings."

"I see... So, after years of being absent of feelings, they're starting to come back to you?" asked Rei, holding his chin between his thumb and index finger so as to deduce what was going on with him.

The philosophy of things that Rei knew were slowly melting down as he spent more and more time with Thane. The laws of life and death were the first one to go, and now his disbelief of supernatural occurrences were also getting blurred. Who knows what more things he'll discover with Thane around.

"Well... Maybe it's repressed emotions." suggested Rei. "You know... Maybe you were human or part of one before you became death. I heard that sometimes, when people repress memories, the emotions they felt before the memory wipe comes back again spontaneously." told Rei.

It was a well-known fact for Rei's friends that he tends to read about stuff that are quite unusual. Call it a hobby or such, but Rei enjoys filling his mind with information, even though they have no visible practical application. But then again, he just proved that wrong right now.

"It could be the case, though I'm not entirely sure. You sure look like a human on the outside so maybe it can also apply to you." shrugged Rei.

Thane blinked at Rei's theory. He wasn't quite sure if he ever had such feelings in the first place. He knew their name and what they looked like on the faces of other people, yet he himself was absent from the mix. He supposed he could say he still felt them... yet they were faint. Not nearly strong enough to allow him the joy of acting them out.

Humans... humans were so free with their emotions. It was the very element that made them be what they were. What they are. What they will continue to be. Without these emotions driving their every action, what could be done with them? They would just as basic as a piece of machinery. Just as basic as amoeba.

To consider himself as being... somewhat human in the past was rather farfetched, though. "I... have only known this sort of life. I do not know if for certain I could possibly have been human..." He lifted his hand. Yes, he did look convincingly human enough. He did look rather normal, with the exception of a few features. Yet all of his family was human looking as well.

"Considering I don't even know what being a human is... It's hard for me to make that judgment." He lowered his hand, returning it to his jacket pocket. Shifting his gaze to look back at Rei, he said quietly, "I ask you a favor, Rei. Perhaps it will help clear several issues up for me. Teach me what it is to be human. What is it that make your people thrive? Why do you act the way you do? Why do you feel those emotions when you do certain things? Or hear certain words? Anything. Everything. Teach me."

Rei's lips curved into a soft smile at Thane's request. Never in his life had he dreamed of doing something as to teach death how it was to be human.

"Of course... It's the least I can do to repay you Thane." smiled Rei.

Something new was coming to his life. Something he had always dreamed of, but never quite thought of. Excitement and adventure. It will be the defining thing of his life, the thing he was looking for that will finally make him not just another person in the crowd. He was uncertain of what the consequences will be of his actions, but it was a chance he was willing to take.

"We'll start at once..." said Rei but felt the slight bit of hurt from moving his muscles. "Well... Maybe after I get out of here anyways." he chuckled.

He then noticed that Thane's reaction remained unchanged. He curled his lip and looked at the man.

"And it looks like we have a lot of things to cover..." sighed Rei.

Thane nodded at the man's answer, grateful he agreed. It was a little---or rather, very strange for him to be committing to this sort of contract. For a human and Death to interact with one another more so than during his duty, that alone was bizarre. Hardly did Death make an extended appearance to a human. In fact, it might've been considered never since it possibly only happened once or twice in all of history.

To do it now, and for such selfish, uncertain reasons... that was remarkable. And somewhat crazy, too.

Hearing Rei's words, the joke he said, and the disappointed sigh afterward, Thane wondered if perhaps he should've done something. Laugh? Smile? He tried, yet the motion never crossed his face. Thane could only nod in return and glanced over his shoulder at the window. It was nighttime now. "...Perhaps you should hold your effort for tomorrow. You are still injured, after all. Rest and recover."

There was no need to rush. For all he knew, being in each other's presence would last for an unknown but possibly lengthy amount of time. The thought didn't please Thane---he would rather it be quick---but he didn't know for sure just how bad a case he was. Only Rei could determine that, considering he was the human out of the two of them.

"Yeah. I'll see you as soon as I get out of here." smiled Rei.

A day passed and soon Rei was released from the hospital. He still had bandages on his fractures but unlike before, he could move them now with little difficulty. Thane had visited him yesterday as well and he used the time to lay out some fundamentals about being human. He explained to Thane about the basic needs of a human, a concept that was a little hard to grasp for death. Aubrey had come to the hospital to pick him up and help him back to his apartment.

"It's good to see you again Aubrey." said Rei with his usual warm smile.

"Oh Rei. I was so worried about you." sighed Aubrey before approaching Rei and embracing him. "I'm sorry I couldn't come over sooner. Everything was just so sudden and..." told Aubrey but Rei shook his head.

"It's okay Aubrey. Really. What's important is I'm fine now, is it not?" said Rei.

"Yes. I'm so glad!" smiled Aubrey.

"Now come on. Let's get out of here." said Rei as he led the way out of the reception hall and into the front of the hospital. He hailed a cab for them to ride back to Rei's apartment.

"Are you sure you're well enough to go back to your house?" asked Aubrey.

"Of course I am. I didn't want to stay on that hospital for too long." answered Rei.

"Rei... I... I'm sorry but I can't stay for long." said Aubrey in a faltering tone.

"Huh? Were you going to do something?" asked Rei.

"Yeah... kinda... My sister's kids are over at our place and I promised Len that I'll look after them. I hope it's okay with you." explained Aubrey.

"Of course it is. Family first, I always say." replied Rei, even though it pained him that Aubrey couldn't stay for a little longer.

Aubrey hugged Rei at his reply.

"Thanks Rei. You're the best boyfriend ever." smiled Aubrey.

Rei merely grinned at her compliment as he run a hand on top of her head.

"I'll have the taxi drop you over to your place, mmkay?" said Rei.

"Okay. I'll see you as soon as I'm free." said Aubrey, leaving a kiss on Rei's cheek before the man stepped out of the cab.

The yellow vehicle soon sped out of the horizon and Rei was left standing in front of the apartment. He readjusted his glasses before heading into the building.

As it were, Thane knew he wouldn't be able to grasp things in just one day. On this thought, he had a feeling he would have to make... several adjustments on his part to accommodate their arrangement. It was a little daring on his part, yet he reasoned with himself that it was a necessity that he couldn't avoid. Or rather, simply shouldn't.

So on that day Rei was released from the hospital and was on his way home, Thane took the time to deliberate, then decided to consent and fully pulled down his hood. Normally, there were very few times and places he pulled down his hood and put on that human mask so that others may see him fully. It was either on the immortal plane, by the dying mere seconds before their death if the call was appropriate for him to reveal himself, or when he had absolute need to show himself to a human.

Animals were excluded from the equation since no matter what he did, they had a better sense of finding him and avoiding his presence. After all, who would want to be near Death? Who honestly welcomed it with open arms unconditionally? Only those who were already meeting their end.

And so, there he stood, leaning against the wall just outside the man's apartment waiting for him to come. To all that may have laid eyes upon him, he would've looked like a regular young man in black clothing with perhaps a little pasty skin but nothing too out of the ordinary about him. It was hard to guess his age, but one might say he was in his early twenties, or perhaps just hitting them. (But then again, one might consider him a somewhat older, considering the calm, almost mature air about him that gave off the hint of an age old wisdom no young person should or could have.) Granted, no one really knew for sure. They only saw what they believed.

Thane's eyes were closed, the call of events recent coming to the forefront of his mind. He waited quietly for Rei to arrive. Hopefully he would be able to understand more today than the day before.

Rei had just taken a few steps before he noticed a familiar figure standing on the apartment's entrance. It was none other than Thane, ever lenient on his promise. The sight of the man made Rei feel a less lonely now that he knew that Aubrey wasn't going to be around the house.

"Hi... I hope I didn't keep you waiting for too long." smiled Rei as he approached Thane. "I'm feeling a lot better now so I think I could teach you more things this time around." told Rei before he began his ascent towards his room. "Let's go to my place and get started."

Rei's place was considerably tidier than most of the other rooms in the apartment. Organization was Rei's motto in life and that didn't change even as he left his home country. There was quite a bit of dust that was building up on some of the surfaces because of his absence, but nothing too dreary to hinder the place dirty.

"Now then, we're going to tackle the thing we humans have that's been bothering you. It's none other than, emotions." started Rei as he took a seat on the couch. "There are lots of emotions, too much to explain in one lifetime. Many of which you have learn yourself. But I'll give you some of the fundamental human emotions." explained Rei. "First is happy. Happy is what you feel when things go your way. It's the greatest of all emotions in my opinion and certainly the most welcomed." continued Rei.

Upon seeing him, Thane followed Rei inside and let the door close behind them as he took a long glance around the room. This home of Rei's was rather small in comparison to his own. Then again, in the mortal world, the definition of ownership was through money and necessity and all other elements that didn't fall in accordance to someone like Thane himself. (After all, he owned the entire realm in which he lived, which as much space as he needed and more if necessary.)

Then they came to what could only be considered the main living area---or living room as some preferred---Thane shadowed Rei to the couch, though he did not sit. He chose to remain standing and linger in odd, open spaces as he took in the details while Rei spoke.

Looking back at him, Thane's expression changed ever so slightly into what could only be considered a frown. Happy? He knew of the word. ...When things went his way? Well, for as long as he knew everything went his way. There was no way death could not got his way. Did that make him happy? ...Well, he wasn't unhappy, in any case.

"And what do people do when they are happy? I have seen you humans smile. Seen you dance. Jump around. Hug. ...Are those expressions of happiness?" He turned to face Rei. "What do you do when you're happy?"

"Well, for me I smile. It's quite a simple expression to smile." told Rei.

He then took Thane's hand and dragged him towards the couch so that he would sit beside him. He needed to get a better look of how the expression was made. Rei had to admit that he was quite excited to see Thane make another expression other than his poker face.

"To smile, you just curve your lips upward and soften the look in your eyes. You can even close them if you feel like it." instructed Rei as he demonstrated how to do so.

Afterwards, Rei reverted his face to it's usual neutral yet merry expression. He then placed his hands on his lap and observed Thane's face with much attention.

"Okay, now you try it..." said Rei.

He had just hoped that Thane had understood him well enough to make the correct expression. Well... even if it wasn't the right one, he'll still get some laughs.

Thane was a little surprised when his hand was taken, and he was brought to sit down on the couch. The proximity didn't bother him, but he didn't expect it to happen. Sitting there now, he adjusted himself before looking at Rei, listening to his instructions and watching the way his face changed. The crinkle of muscles, the temporary lines upon his face to show where the movement pushed certain parts of his face...

It wasn't the least bit unpleasant to look at. But to imitate the action... that was a different story. Thane frowned slightly---he knew that motion in the very least---but then tried to move his mouth to curl in the opposite direction.

He tried to perform a smile at least somewhat the same caliber as Rei's own bright smile, yet he didn't even know what muscles to use. He didn't know those muscles existed on his face! Struggling, his muscles twitched as he worked one side of his mouth, then the other.

He didn't really know what expression he had on, but it was unusual and somewhat uncomfortable. Thane quickly stopped and looked at Rei with a small shake of his head. He didn't think it was working.

Rei couldn't help himself from letting out a few giggles as he saw the difficulty that Thane was experiencing as he tried to create a smile in his face. Soon, the other's will was dampened and he shook his head in surrender. Rei placed his arms on his side and pouted.

"You can't give up now... We're just getting started." said Rei.

Rei reached forward to touch Thane's face, leading the muscles in his head in doing a smile. Thane's skin was unbelievably smooth considering that he was a man, not a stump of hair being felt as Rei's fingers passed over his chin. It was also quite cold, but perhaps it was merely Rei's imagination.

"Just curl your lips up..." said Rei as he pushed the sides of Thane's lips slightly upwards. "Soften you eyes..." continued Rei, as his fingers gently led Thane into narrowing his eyes a bit.

Rei then withdrew his hands to look at his work. The smile Thane was wearing was quite hypnotic in combination to his looks. It wasn't too boisterous that it would look like a grin. It was subtle and cool, quite like the personality he had. Rei immediately went towards one of the cabinets in the room and pulled out a mirror.

"See for yourself." said Rei as he held the mirror in front of Thane. "Now that's a smile." he complimented.

Thane was unused to people touching him---literally, people---since the only beings to ever grace their hand upon his skin were his family members. Yet he let Rei touch him now, allowing the man to try and push the sides of his mouth up. It felt very strange to him to force his muscles to conform to his action. Quite frankly, he didn't know what in the world he was doing.

And yet, he let Rei continue, even push a little at the corners of his eyes to make him squint a slightly. He didn't know what exactly "soften your eyes" meant, but if it was something like this, then maybe he could try it. It was considerably easier than whatever was happening to his mouth.

Holding the position, he kept still until Rei came to him with a mirror. Thane stared at his reflection, something he didn't often do since he hardly ever changed in appearance. The expression he wore... was rather startling. He didn't look like himself at all. That blank face, the somewhat sullen expression he usually wore, the indifference that had been with him since the beginning of time (or so he assumed), was replaced with a gentler expression.

He... he was smiling...

Was that what it looked like on his face? Was that what it felt like to wear a similar expression to these humans? Was this what happy looked like? Thane quietly reached out and took the mirror from Rei, looking at himself a little longer. It wasn't until his cheeks started to hurt that he slowly returned his expression to normal, and something he was much more used to stared back at him in full.

"How strange... I have never looked like that before..." he said, before handing the mirror back.

"I bet..." chuckled Rei. "But, we still have more expressions to cover before this day ends. At least that's one down." said Rei as he shuffled on his seat and continued with his lecture.

The day went on with Rei and Thane discussing various emotions that a human feels. Sadness, anger, fright, embarrassment, and excitement were covered by Rei and he certainly helped Thane in making the appropriate expression for such emotions. There was never a dull moment all throughout the time that Rei spent with Thane. Laughs and smiles were bountiful as they spent time together. It was truly a rewarding experience for Rei though he didn't know if the same could be said for Thane. By the end of the day, Rei was quite exhausted by the activity. While Thane was busy perfecting a scowl, Rei had unknowingly fallen asleep.

"Mmm... y're doing... great..." uttered Rei in his sleep.

His glasses had almost fallen off from his face and he was resting in an awkward angle in the couch.

Thane held his expression a little longer, looking into the mirror that Rei had let him use to practice with. After a moment, he let the muscles relax, retaining that neutral expression again. He looked beside him at Rei who had fallen asleep, so at ease with himself in Thane's presence. Thane looked at him, then put the mirror down somewhere safe.

He looked at the man, his face, and felt the small curl of a smile on his lips. After so many hours of "practicing," or so Rei called it, it was a little easier for him to wear such a look on his face. Quietly, he took the man's glasses from him and folded them, hooking them on the lip of his jacket.

Then, shifting, he scooped the man into his arms and lifted him up carefully from the couch. Surprisingly enough, one might think, he could carry the man without too much trouble. As it were, mortal limits did not pertain to him. He could lift a grown man over two hundred pound with just one hand if he wanted to. But he didn't do it often. Or at all, really. He didn't make it a hobby to exercise his powers in that fashion. But tonight, he carried Rei to his bedroom and laid him in bed.

He put the covers over him and set his glasses on the nightstand. When he turned to look at him, there was an arm on his shoulder, a little weight pushing it down ever so slightly. Thane turned his head to see his cousin standing there, a long silver traditional cigarette holder between his fingers. "So who is he?"

Thane lightly shrugged the man's arm off him and walked out of the room. Before, it wouldn't have mattered, but because he allowed Rei the gift of seeing him on the mortal plain, that meant he could hear him, too. It was best to talk out of his room to continue this talk. "Rei Davis."

"I must say, I don't quite understand what you're doing."

Thane glanced over his shoulder at Eros who followed after him. "I cannot explain it myself. It is strange. I'm not quite sure how I'll come to understand the connection between these expressions and the emotions they are associated with. However, I will continue to follow under Rei's tutelage."

Eros gave a hum in thought. "Oh? In that case, I hope you learn well. He seems like a rather interesting character to spend time with Death himself."

Thane paused in the living room, turning to face the other immortal. "Don't think too deeply on it. It is his manner of repaying a debt. Otherwise, he would just be like the rest of the souls I have collected over the thousands of years."

The man grinned. "I said nothing of it. Well, I'll leave you then. Just thought I'd see what you were doing."

Thane wandered over to the couch and sat on it, taking those words as Eros' farewell. And yet, just as he was sitting down, he was proved wrong. Eros had one more thing to say.

"You know... I've never seen your face so relaxed before."

When he turned around to question what that meant, he found Eros already gone, popped out of existence and probably back in his realm already. Thane shook his head slightly and leaned back against the cushions. He didn't need to sleep; a creature like him never slept. Yet he would linger here in Rei's home and wait for him to waken the next day so that they may continue. He had no doubt the man had more to tell and teach him.

Rei's dreams were a little troubled, short scenes of his death plaguing his dreams. They were not enough however to scare him out of his sleep although they were enough to cause him to toss and turn on his bed. Come morning, Rei awoke at the sound of his alarm clock. His already unruly hair was further ruffed by his restless sleep. He took his glasses that were sitting on the night stand and wondered how he got to bed. He then remembered Thane and figured that he must've carried him. A blush formed on his face at the thought of the other man carrying him to his bed.

"How embarrassing..." he uttered as he slipped on his slippers and stepped out of the room.

He saw death sitting on the couch, staring blankly at nowhere in particular. His mind appears to be completely blank as of now. It was then that Rei realized that the immortal man had no need for sleep. Poor thing, he was probably up all night doing nothing.

"Good morning Thane..." greeted Rei as he went to the kitchen to fix himself a cup of joe. "Were you up all night? asked Rei as he tinkered with his coffee maker.

"Have they been moved safely?"

[Yes, Thanatos. Without trouble we have been able to sort through everything.]

"And the last batch I sent over?"

[Yes, sir. Did you have more for us today?]

"Not today. I will be busy with other things. Yet my other selves should be able to pick up the slack without worry."

[Of course.]

Thane was distracted and almost didn't hear Rei come in. It wasn't until he heard the man's voice, like the pluck of a stringed instrument in absolute silence, that he blinked and turned this gaze upon the human. He saw him wander into the kitchen. It was a little difficult, but after the initial struggle, he managed to smile quietly at the man.

"Good morning. And yes, I suppose you could say that. I don't sleep, so being up during your sleeping hours is nothing new to me. After all, when you sleep, someone else on the other side of the world is up and always I am on duty, taking care of the souls that need guidance to their proper place."

He stood up and wandered over to the kitchen, standing just inside to watch the man make his coffee. "I trust you slept well?" he asked.

"I've had better ones but I guess it's okay..." smiled Rei, seeing the man apply some of his teachings into the situation.

After fixing his coffee, he walked over to the counter facing Thane and sat on to of it. He took a sip of the piping hot cup of caffeine before looking at Thane.

"You've done really great yesterday Thane. I'm surprised by how much progress you're making." praised Rei as he set down the mug on his side. "I think we can move on to a new lesson right now." he chirped. "Today, you'll be learning about... friends." said Rei.

He hopped down from the counter and went beside Thane whilst taking another sip from his mug.

"A friend is a person whom you like to be with or you're happy to associate with." started Rei. "Friends are an integral part of any human's life. From the holiest and nicest of people, to the most vile and unruly person on the planet; every human has at least one friend in his lifetime." continued Rei. "As for me, I have many friends. Most of them back at my home country but I have some that live here in New York as well. Distance does not affect if that person is a friend of yours or not, so long as you like him or her." added Rei.

Thane nodded at the compliment. So he was correct in using that expression. He had not thought it appropriate to use any other one. A small, "happy" smile seemed to fit the bill nicely enough. And judging by Rei's words and reaction, it was approved of too.

He watched as the man spoke, taking in not only what he said, but the subtle changes in his face as he talked. Thane didn't know if Rei realized it, but there was a faint, certain light in the man's eyes that came to life as if he enjoyed teaching him about these human values. The topic of friends seemed to be an important one, considering they were involved the interaction of other people.

"...I do not mind the company of other people," Thane said, looking at Rei. "Yet I have a feeling friends are more than just people you tolerate...? They seem like they are individuals who hold a specific value to you. But... how do you determine who is a friend and who is not? If you like being with all sorts of people... are they your friend as well?"

The philosophy of acquaintances versus friends was a rather tough line to approach. Thane wasn't quite sure how one defined a friend. Would family be considered as friend? He supposed Eros could be his friend. Yet he was family. Could they be both? Thane gave a small frown, a little perplexed.

"It could be a little confusing in determining who's a friend and who's just an acquaintance." said Rei. "Both your friends can be acquaintances and vice versa. But really, it all depends on how you feel." said Rei, sipping the last of his coffee as he continued what he was saying. "Your heart is the best judge in determining who are your friends and who aren't." smiled Rei as he touched his chest so as to prove his point.

After he finished his lecture on friends, Rei returned the mug he was drinking on in the kitchen sink before turning back to look at Thane.

"I'll help you get started in making friends." said Rei as he took the man's hand. "I'll be your first friend. You are with me until you learn to become a real human so I guess we might as well become friends." said Rei. "And of course, there's your bestfriends. These are friends that are extra special for you. Again, you can choose whoever your bestfriend will be through your feelings." added Rei.