Amends for the Living [Lethe]
Picking up again was never as easy as leaving.
It wasn't like Thanatos to become overly emotional and agitated. Not that such feelings were impossible, just that they weren't part of his common repertoire. But the situation with Erebos had come to its proverbial head in the past and, considering everything involved, Thanatos felt it was in his best interest to walk away. So walk away, he did. He hadn't cut himself off exactly. Such an action would have been improbable. It was simply within his nature to cross paths with certain kindred and fellow pantheon dwellers. Especially those where death was a mutual friend and companion. But there was one familial association with whom he did his best not to accidentally come across. One, whom some might say, he did his best to forget. Time had passed and word traveled quickly about his father's decision to drink from the silver river and plunge his mind into an emptiness of preceding events. After such news had been delivered, Thanatos felt a tinge of despair over not rectifying his arguments with his father, but he still held to his beliefs on the war and his own decision to no longer involve himself in the messy politics of family. But it had slowly come to his isolated senses that he didn't want to spend the next century in seclusion. He had done that in the past, out of convenience, as his was a solitary existence. But now? Now seemed as good a time as any to make amends. Both with himself and with kin. And it seemed logical that she'd be the one to start with.
Far be it for Thanatos to make the first step in a face-to-face reunion, however. This was a delicate relationship. A relationship that required a careful testing of the waters. Though their ending had been unspoken, it had still verged on an unhappy note. There had been an unwavering tension when opinions were clashed. So instead of visiting her directly and without warning, for fear that it might have created an unwanted animosity between them, he left her a small gift on the inside of her temple. A rose shaped flower handmade from shiny tin foil, allowing her the choice of accepting the invitation. Or declining, if she so choosed.
The Akron Rubber Bowl stadium was empty. Thanatos sat midway up the bleacher seats on one of the sides that bordered the length of the football field. It was early afternoon, but it was cloudy and cold. The air was damp, making rain more than just a slight possibility. Miles away, at the university, students were practicing at their new stadium, leaving this lonely field of greenery as just another memorial of midwestern retreat. It was quiet and Thanatos was doing a crossword puzzle from the morning edition of the New York Times. He was stuck on 56-Across. Why Akron? Curious minds might have wondered. Truthfully, it was because no one was going to die in this particular city today. At least, no one that he had to tend to. It was always nice to take a break from delivering souls. That, and he was pretty sure this was a place he and Lethe had never been to together. Not that he was waiting with bated breath that she would join him. But there was always that lingering possibility. Which begged certain questioning as to why he didn't choose some place more -- romantic?
He glanced up from the newspaper to look across the empty field and stands. On second observation it was considerably desolate and verging on depressing. Then again, he wasn't entirely sure that he was trying to impress. In fact, he was pretty conflicted on his feelings towards the entire situation in general. He had no preconceived thoughts or intentions for this day or what would come of it. At least, none that he could point out. He just needed a place to start over.