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One thing that’s worse than being sick is being sick and forced to leave the house because you weren’t prepared for your sickness. You weren’t one to get sick often anyway and despite having cold medicine, it was all expired (and you’d be damned to take some expired medicine). So, you were forced to leave the comfort of your bed, and soldier the streets.
Thankfully, there was a drug store just down the street from you, so you didn’t have to go far. Unfortunately, the older man who always had something to say to you was working the counter this morning. All you wanted to do was get your damn meds and snacks, and get the hell out of there, but no. Albert had other plans.
“See, this is why you’ll never catch the eye of someone.” Not even a hello, just straight to the insults. You ignored him, inserting your card into the card reader.
“You’re fat, ugly and don’t care for yourself properly.” He sighed, throwing your receipt in the bag. “You’ll be alone on your deathbed at this rate.”
Your eyes widened at his words. Albert was bad, but not this bad. Yeah, he would talk shit about you because his life was going to shit, but to bring up death was something new, something far.
You snatched the bag from the counter, “Don’t project your sad, shitty life onto me.” then rushed out the doors.
You quickly made your way home (probably pushing your sick body a bit too far, but oh well), switched from your outdoor clothes back into your pajamas, took your medicine and then crawled back into bed to sleep Albert’s words away.
However, they didn’t go away. They clung to you even after you had woken up hours later. They made themselves known as you attempted to find solace in Casper. You tried to fill yourself with him, but the nagging whine of Albert’s words still rang in your ears.
“it’s strange, foreign feeling. no one has else has ever…pulled at my heartstrings so.”
You frowned at the words. Casper couldn’t lie, but that didn’t mean that he could be wrong. You knew that you shouldn’t hold Albert’s words in any sort of regard, but you couldn’t help it when his voice became your own.
And then the chat room is replaced with the calling screen, and you don’t have the heart to decline. You do, however, turn your camera off.
“Sunshine?” His brows were pulled, and his lips were in a pout.
You didn’t respond immediately, needing a moment to masquerade your feelings. You’re sure that he wouldn’t be able to tell that anything was wrong, especially if you tell him that you’re sick and look a mess, and that that’s the only reason why you have your camera off.
Casper didn’t call you a “foolish mortal” for nothing, though. He was able to see through your cracks in your mask. He was the one who cut the call short, telling you to wait for him. So you scrambled to make yourself, and your home look presentable. However, you knew that your efforts would be in vain. You’d still be fat and ugly, there was no changing that.
When he knocked on your window not long after, you made sure to keep your gaze far from his own. You stayed an arm's length apart. Despite him telling you that reapers didn’t get sick, you still didn’t want to infect him with…yourself.
“Sunshine… ” His voice was soft and as sweet as ever, and you couldn’t help the few tears that slipped past the ducts. “What happened?”
So you told him. Told him about Albert and his cruel words that were somehow able to break you down and pull your own negative voices from out the vault you had stuffed them in. However, the more you spoke, the more you spiraled and the sharp words that were usually pointed at yourself, turned to Casper.
“I know you can’t lie, but you must be wrong. There’s no way any sane person would actually like me. I’m far, gross and—” Your words are cut off, by Casper warm hands that cupped your cheeks.
“Sunshine. Can I lie?” You sighed through your nose and closed your eyes, so he continued. “I can’t, and you know that. So when I tell you that delisted being inflicted with mortal sickness at this moment, I still find you as beautiful as I always have.”
You shook your head, attempting to pull away from him. “You’re just talking about my soul.”
“In the beginning, yes. I found your bright soul captivating, but the more time I spent observing you. The more I was able to see past my assignment to look at you, Sunshine.”
You had stopped pulling away from him, but you still hadn’t opened your eyes. You knew that if you opened them, you’d see the sincerity behind those ruby eyes. And you weren’t ready to accept that, not fully— not yet.
So, you nodded and told him it was okay. “But you’re gonna have to be louder than the mean voices.”
“If we keep talking every day as we do, I’m sure I’ll be the only other voice you’ll hear.”
You smiled as you led him to the bed, exhausted from your sudden breakdown alongside your sickness. You coaxed Casper to lay in bed with you, despite him still wearing his outside clothes, but oh well, you’d get over it. Your head was on his chest while his hand drew shapes along your forearms.
“Does this mean you forfeit the bet?” You asked, voice laced with sleep.
“Not a chance.” You heard the smile in his response.
Unbeknownst to you, taking your soul no longer meant literally to Casper.
He had a lot of research to do once he returned to The Underworld.