Technically speaking, the middle parts about knife wounds and decapitations didn't even pertain to his job specifically. Thanatos was not a violent god, and the deaths he dealt with were not violent deaths. But the spirits he collected were sometimes gossips, and then word got out that he was Death around these parts, and all of a sudden souls he hadn't even collected had a finger waggle saved specifically for him. Then came the begging and the pleading and the ranting and the raving, and it all added up into one massive headache that throbbed behind his left eyeball and made it difficult for Than to concentrate. He thought about clarifying things for Philotes, but she didn't come out of his rant looking like she lacked understanding. She arrived at the far end of his dark, winding tunnel of words looking as though he had just invented the concept of friendship specifically for her. There was a terrifying glint of awe in her eyes.
And then mud splattered everywhere, and Thanatos remembered why he didn't really talk all that much. It wasn't because he had nothing to say, but rather because when he said the things he felt inclined to share with others, he ended up with dirt splashed up his legs and a very tiny goddess clinging to him in a very strange manner.
He did his best not to sigh. Philotes was not at fault here. She hadn't dirtied him up on purpose. The mud just happened to be the unfortunate side effect of affection. Thanatos did not sigh. As he consciously did not sigh, Than also ventured far enough into the unfamiliar realm of fondness to pat inexpertly at Lottie's shoulder.
"It's difficult, ye--what?" Than had been so pleased to accept her acknowledgement of his career difficulties that he nearly missed how Lottie was still determined to join him. This was altogether shocking, for reasons that Thanatos would later have a great deal of trouble specifying. Lottie had been saying she wanted to come along this whole time. That was the only constant. Than had gone from uncomfortable to ranting to slightly damp in quick succession, but Philotes had been a pillar of stability in the middle of all that. She wanted to come with him. To work. And still Than was surprised.
"...so, in essence, you are currently interested in acting as my associate, even though you are entirely aware of the unpleasantness linked to the position...correct?" he asked, to clarify, because if he didn't stall, his brain would never wrap properly around this whole scenario. "That's...remarkable."