Death and Tide

[VisAnastasis]

" Father wouldn't say... He didn't want to reveal you... But I think I have figured it out right on my own. You know a lot of healing plants, you soothed his pain, you healed injuries upon his soul and flesh both, not in a matter of years, not with music, but with bare hands, within minutes... " child looked down, appearing a little thoughtful. " After a certain point, it's harder to not put the pieces together than to do it. You could be just anyone that shares those qualities... But having that much of healing inclination in self-proclaimed former demon hunter, as you presented yourself to me before... " he smiled nervously. " It would be a little strange to anyone... wouldn't it? "

[Mirach]

"And do you feel deceived that I didn't tell you?" Death repeated his question.

[VisAnastasis]

" I will answer you when you answer me this. Answer for an answer is only fair." Emil replied, and he watched him intently as he asked." It is said you are a master of illussion that can make them seem more real that the world itself.... Was your snake form real? " He asked quietly but firmly." Was your hunger real? Was your pain real? Was your life really in danger few hours ago? " He paused, before adding." And were you ever intending to get back, or were you just being polite?"

[Mirach]

"All real," Death said. "The only illusion I created since coming here was of your father being outside of the fortress when in truth he was inside."

[VisAnastasis]

Cernunnos must have mentioned to him about fighting to protect guests, so he was not surprised, as it made sense. He was quiet for a moment, as if estimating if he can trust him, before he nodded only slowly.
" I didn't feel deceived. I felt... Loss.  " He answered his question like he promised, truthfully. " But I can not tell if I felt so because I realized who you are, or because... I was feeling loss to begin with since the last night. " He didn't look away, despite it seemed to come with an effort, as he added quietly." I felt like I overstated my welcome when I asked to treat you with balm... And I felt like I failed you as a host, by the pain, not relief, that I brought you. But then I found you out and felt loss all the more, wondering if anything of it was real to you, and if it even meant anything to you... "

[Mirach]

"More real than most of the last few centuries," Death said quietly.

[VisAnastasis]

Emil's lip trembled lightly at the wording.
" It has always been only me and the father... I had no one else for so long. But... I liked unexpectedly much, spending time with the little snake that seemed to share that fondness. Guests came and left for ages... I was fond of them, but I stopped getting attached. It would only end in sadness if I got to care for any of them or hope they might return one day when none would... But this felt real to me. " he whispered, mirroring his words. " More real than most of the last few centuries... "

[Mirach]

"I felt being more myself then in a long time without revealing my name..." Death said a bit vulnerably. "The name became a burden, a pretense full of assumptions. I enjoyed being free of it for a moment..."

[VisAnastasis]

Emil's look was tense, but with his words through the tenseness, shone through some understanding. The child looked down on its hands, but when it raised its gaze, it spoke slowly, as if trying the taste of its own words.

" It does carry a lot of assumptions with it... But it does not have to. Assumptions can be proven false. You... you yourself can show me who you are, without relying on your name. " he whispered. " What is knowing a name, to knowing a person? Tell me... Did you really enjoy the tea I made you? Did you like the soup I cooked for you while you were away? Did you like me, not just time with no pretences you had with me? Was my request to caress you and treat your wounds as a snake... improper? Did you let me do more than you were comfortable with because you were too polite? How much of it all was politeness? I... Ask you as I would if the weight of your name did not stand between us. And... I would like you, to answer me the same way... "

[Mirach]

"I enjoyed your company and hospitality," Death said. "And it wasn't politeness, but rather frustration. I'm tired of being ill like this. I don't really care if it hurts anymore if it can help me get better. In resignation, boundaries are getting very blurry..."

[VisAnastasis]

" You look very tense. Not just because of pain... You look tense before me. " Emil noted. " Yes, in resignation, boundaries are getting very blurry... It may have been hard for you to think about it back then... But now you have the benefit of retrospective. " he gulped as if it was the most important question. "  May you tell me truthfully... Did I pass the line? It was not politeness, why I offered it to you. I've felt tired of being useless... And I thought... Finally, this is something I can do. I was too eager to help. When you're too eager to step in, you can't think as clearly about what is proper. " he smiled faintly, but there was no joy, but quiet anxiety in his tense eyes. " I... feel like I asked too much from you. Like I have treated you with too much practicality and... not enough patience. Are you feeling... tense and unsafe before me because of what I did? Did I hurt you further, when I insisted on more than you were ready to accept from a stranger? "

[Mirach]

"I honestly don't know what I was actually ready to accept and what not..." Death said. "I still mostly just feel the resignation. But I am not tense because of that though... more because I feel guilty for being dishonest... trying to take something that might not be given if you knew the truth..."

[VisAnastasis]

It seemed to click for Emil at that moment, as he realized that.

" You were worried I may not wish to even give you food freely if I knew who you were... That's why I had to plead you so much to even eat what I would offer you," he whispered with astonishment when he finally understood. With a little eased guilt of his own, he allowed himself to look at Death more directly, and his emerald eyes looked a little vulnerable. " You don't ask it directly... but your eyes do. Would I deny it all to you? The food, the tea, the medicine, the company... Would I withdraw my hospitality from you if I knew? " he whispered, not looking away, as he stated, slowly, but firmly, as it seemed to be something he had already thought through before. " No... I would not. "

[Mirach]

"But would you mean it?" Death whispered.

[VisAnastasis]

" Would I mean it if I knew from the start? I can't claim that with certainty with a clear conscience... My guess is I'd be too afraid to think about it clearly. " Emil seemed unsure about what he was about to say, as it could leave him open to being ridiculed - but he replied quietly still. " I feel like a bad son... as if I should be obliged to hate you... But I can not. I guess... I was just raised too poorly for my own good... But I can't act against my nature. " Emil managed a little frail unsure smile. " After I got to know what kind of person you are, without the weight of your name between us... Yes. I would mean it. Is it a mistake on my part? Perhaps. But I mean it still none the less... "

[Mirach]

"So was I right to withdraw my name?" Death asked.

[VisAnastasis]

" That name became a burden, a pretense full of assumptions. I enjoyed meeting you without that burden. " Emil returned Death's own words back at him quietly." But I am glad I know now. However important it is, though, you didn't deceive me by not telling me right away. You shouldn't have to say anything to people before you are sure you trust them. I didn't tell you about my father right at the gate either. " He said firmly. " It is understandable you thought I would deny you kindness if you told me more. You were wrong, yes, but it is understandable. I am not offended by that... What offends me more is the insistence on my intent. How can I possibly know if I would have acted differently? " He bit his lip." I wouldn't deny you hospitality either way, and even in case if I don't mean it right away - I would have still gotten to mean it with time as I met you. So why do you doubt still? Truth is, bare name wouldn't make difference in the end... It was all in who you were. I just liked the person I met. You could have been Spirit King Death as much as Tim, the terrifying demon Hunter, it doesn't change who you are. A rose under any other name would smell just as sweet... "

[Mirach]

"So you still mean it?" Death asked. "The offer to return here, and have a place to grow herbs..."

[VisAnastasis]

" Words can be deceptive... But the night does not lie. The corpse that lay on the shore does not lie. My father's new leg and smile upon his face does not lie... Your hopeful eyes do not die... Your name lies. You are better than your reputation. " Emil whispered. " I do not know if it may seem a petty offer - how little is one garden to a cosmic entity... Would you really wish for a little place in the middle of nowhere when you can be anywhere? I didn't really believe fully that even a common Being would bother - but I dared to hope. You understand, though... that it wasn't just an offer for the patch of ground, don't you?" he bit his lip. " I value my land... I would not just offer it to first person around. I did not offer it to Svarik or Xia, as kind as they are... I offered it to you. But you understand it was more to me that just... some... property transaction? You understand my offer meant more than just what was said... Don't you? "

[Mirach]

"If it were just land, I wouldn't be worried about it..." Death said.

[VisAnastasis]

The child smiled slowly with that, faintly, but hopefully.
" If you do understand what it meant, then yes. The offer stands still," he whispered. " So, now that I know, and that you know it stands... Will you use it? "

[Mirach]

"I hope I will get a chance to do so."

[VisAnastasis]

" You spend all this trouble to assure I still mean it and all you say in the end is *maybe*? " Emil whispered, but there wasn't reprimand, but some little withdrawn thoughtfulness, and a clearer undertone of uneasiness in his voice. " You looked really bad a moment before... Are your chances... really that slim? " he asked quietly. " So slim that you don't feel like you can even promise a visit? "

[Mirach]

"That's just a part of it. Then there are politics... whether I will be free to come here... that's why I did not want to make it a deal."

[VisAnastasis]

" Free, like... You won't have free time to visit? " Emil raised his eyebrows a little. " Free like... someone would forbid you to? " he paused, before adding quietly. " Or... Would you find it politically unfavourable to you... to be visiting a demon and a son of a demon? "