The Throne I Left

“I’m Leif, it’s nice to meet you all!” Leif said happily, giving them all a handshake before leading them away, Note falling into step beside him while Johan and Signe walked behind them.

With Note taking care of the small talk, Johan stayed silent, appreciating the small break. His body ached and now that they finished the hard part, he could feel the exhaustion seep into his skin. He had been awake for a full day at this point, the sun rising on the horizon.

He couldn’t believe it, just around twelve hours ago he was with Frey, on his way to Heaven. And now, in only one night, he had encountered four of the seven sins, saved his dead friends and was now walking towards a new house for them to potentially live in.

Johan shook his head in disbelief as he watched Signe wring her hair like a towel, and a smile grew on his face as she made an exaggerated grimace at him. He knew for a fact that if Leif wasn’t with them, she would be complaining. He snorted as she skipped in her step, a tired smile on her face as she threw her hair back over her shoulder.

Along the way Johan learned that Leif was a fisherman, one of many on the island, and that he was only a couple years older than them.

They were really there.

Johan thought back to when he first met Odin. When he said the house was in the woods he really wasn’t kidding. It took them a good ten minutes of just walking down a small path through the thick woods to get there.

The house wasn’t actually that bad. Johan had been a little worried after Odin’s hesitation, thinking maybe it didn’t have a roof. But the only problem Johan could see was the thick layer of dust covering every surface. That was easily fixable. By far, this had to be the best place Johan had stayed in for the last few years.

The entire house was made of dark wood, both inside and outside, and the heavy outer door opened right into the main room. It was big, stretching two floors into the air with a landing on the second floor following along the wall, not unlike the palace, Johan noted. On the first floor was a small bathroom and kitchen, and there were more doors up the stairs to the landing.

There must have been a fairly big family living here before, Johan thought as he looked around. It didn’t look very lived in though. There was furniture, but that was about it.

“The house has been abandoned for a couple decades, it’s just far enough from the village that nobody wanted to move here.” Leif told them, leaning casually on the doorframe as he watched them look around. “Jora, the old woman that lived here moved in with her granddaughter when she couldn’t move around as easily. She died a couple years ago, luckily she died before all this started.”

“Luckily? What do you mean?” Note asked with a frown. Johan froze.

Oh no.

Johan yawned, bringing his hand up to cover as he over-acted the part.

Leif looked at him curiously before answering Note. “You know. The whole dead people not dying thing. You know when people die but their souls stay in their bodies? Don’t you know this?”

Johan surged past Note, trying not to glare at their tour guide.

“Ahh. I’m just so tired, it’s time to sleep now. Thanks for showing us the way, bye” And with that he pushed the man outside and shut the door, ignoring the man’s protests.

Shit, Johan sighed. He rested his head against the door, feeling a headache forming. It wasn’t a lie that he was extremely tired.

He took a deep breath, and turned around, ready to face this problem. Note’s expression was unreadable.

“Note, I know what you-”

“People can’t die?” Note interrupted. Johan felt a cold chill down his spine and lifted his arms in a placating manner, he could tell this wasn’t going to be easy.

“It’s not that they can’t die-” Johan corrected as he watched Note turn around angrily before turning right back, ending up with a broken, rage induced pirouette.

“It’s just that they can’t leave. Is that it? Since Signe was dead they couldn’t die. Does that mean they can’t get born either then? Since I was also dead? Life just stopped? What if we didn’t come back? Why-” Note choked off and he collapsed onto the dusty couch, head in hands.

Johan stayed silent and eyed the door Signe had disappeared through earlier.

Note lifted his head.

“Tell me everything.” Note demanded, eyes digging into Johan’s own.

Johan hesitated. Could he even explain it any better? Note was right, there were no deaths and no births, and it was because they were dead. But that would change now that they were back.

“I’ll tell you everything I know, but let’s wait for Signe. I don’t want to go over it twice.” Johan sighed, intending to go sit down, but before he could Note stalked over. Johan tok a step back as Note invaded his personal space.

Seriously? He knew that Note would be taking this badly, but to take it out on Johan was too far, it’s not like he had any say in it.

Annoyance filled him and Johan straightened up, pushing Note’s chest to keep some space between them.

Suddenly his wrist was grabbed and his back hit the door with a bang, Note following and getting uncomfortably close as he pinned Johan’s hand up beside his head.

For a second they stared at each other but Note didn’t let up. Johan huffed angrily and tried ripping his hand free but Note held it tight.

“What’s your problem?!” Johan exploded. Note was seriously acting like this, after Johan saved him?!

Note face came closer, making Johan lean his own head back against the wall to keep the distance. He startled when his jaw was grabbed, his free hand coming up to grab Note’s wrist.

Johan stared angrily but Note didn’t meet his gaze, instead his eyes shifted as he scrutinized Johan’s face, forcefully turning it from side to side. Johan let it happen, eyes never leaving Note’s face as he felt his patience quickly run out.

When Note moved to push his hair away from his eyes, Johan finally had enough. Hand now free, he used his powers and within a second his ribbon unwrapped from his hand to go around Note’s.

Johan pulled the ribbon taut, stopping Note from getting any closer. The hand on his jaw tightened as they strained against each other.

“Why are you like this?” Note asked, and despite the anger in his eyes Johan could see the genuine curiosity and worry slowly taking over.

Johan huffed and looked away.

“You’re different.” Note continued. “What changed?”

Johan raised his eyebrows.

“What changed?” Johan scoffed. “Use your brain a little, would you?”

Note startled back as if punched and his grip on Johan loosening for a split second before immediately tightening again. Johan laughed, not amused.

“Let go.” He ordered, staring challenging. Uncertainty flashed across Note’s face, his eyes flickering down and something unreadable tok over.

Note’s eyes met his once more.

The door slammed open.

“I found blankets, guys!” Signe yelled and Johan froze.

His head jerked up to see Signe on the landing, her arms full as she kicked the door closed behind her. She turned towards them with a big smile as she started descending the stairs-

Johan watched cautiously as she stopped mid-step, her smile disappearing at the sight of them.

“Oh.” She said curtly, then without looking away, she dropped the blankets. The pile separated as it rolled down, scattering blankets down the steps. Johan felt Note tense.

As if nothing was wrong, she stalked down the stairs, taking a hold of one blanket and dragging it along behind her as she expertly avoided slipping. Her face was devoid of emotion as she crossed the room and plopped down on one of the couches, throwing the blanket over her legs.

“I’m taking the couch, you can take the bed upstairs.”

Johan glanced at Note, but he didn’t react. Since Signe appeared he had been glaring at the wall beside Johan’s head, lips pinched thin. Johan looked back at Signe but she just raised an eyebrow. Johan closed his mouth. Note met his eyes and slowly they released each other.

Johan stepped away from him.

“There’s enough space for all of us to sleep down here.” He started. He was not sharing a bed with Note. There was no way.

“Sure. You look ready to drop dead. I would know.”

“Don’t joke about that.” Note hissed but they both easily ignored him.

“Thanks.” Johan huffed out. He didn’t doubt it. “You’re not mad?”

“Mad at what?”

“That we were fighting?”

“What?” Signe shook her head. “No, of course not. Get it out of your system!”

Oh. Right.

Johan had almost forgotten who he was talking to. Out of the three in this room, she was the one that used to fight the most. Note wasn’t the only one that liked picking fights with her.

“Wait.” Note put in. He turned to Johan. “You have some explaining to do.” He nodded at Signe, motioning for her to agree with him. “About people not dying.”

Johan closed his eyes, preparing to have to deal with having both their anger directed at him.

“What’s there to explain?” Signe asked, and Johan startled. Instead of anger on Signe’s face, there was confusion.

“I’m the only one that can move souls. Obviously their souls can’t go anywhere when I’m dead. I’m Death, I’m in charge of that. I mean…” Signe faltered, cocking her head to the side. “I don’t know why another Death wasn’t appointed when we were killed, but Johan wouldn’t know anything about that, he’s been gone from Heaven as long as we have.”

Ah. Johan grimaced. Sloth was a gossip.

“Johan should know something.” Note insisted.

At that Signe sat up straight, setting a deeply scrutinizing expression on Johan. After a second she turned to Note and snapped. “Nobody knows anything about deities, why would he?!”

…Exactly!

Johan bit back his agreement and instead watched for Note’s reaction. His nostrils flared, cheeks twitching as his jaw clenched.

“Shut up and relax! We’re safe! There’s more than enough time to figure this out later.” Signe yelled, clearly on the defensive, one hand holding the back of the couch.

“Self-killer.” Note snarled.

Oh no.

“Only child.” Signe snapped right back.

Johan caught his breath, eyes widening and his palms itched. Should he break up the fight or let it happen?

He looked back and forth between the two. Signe gave Note a challenging look, but Note just stood there, looking gutted. For a second Johan saw his bottom lip jut out, then it was gone and a hard glare settled on his face. His arm flexed, hand grabbing at his side for something that wasn’t there.

A thought hit Johan.

The silence kept going, air tense.

Then Note slumped. “You’re right.”

Johan startled, eyebrows raising. She was what?!

Note looked at Johan with big eyes. “Sorry. I…feel… a lot right now. I shouldn’t have picked a fight.”

“...it’s fine.” Johan said, surprised at the change. He watched as the man sat down on the other couch, head in his hands.

“I’m going to cleave your skull in two.” Signe muttered, plopping down on the couch and closing her eyes.

Note clearly had to bite back anger at that, but yet again he faltered. “...I deserve that.”

Johan glanced back and forth between them. It was so weird. He had never seen them act like that. Note would apologize, sure, but to back down from a fight against Signe?

Maybe he was more tired than Johan thought.

Johan remembered something.

He wasn’t sure about giving it back to Note right after his and Signe’s fight, not with how weird he was acting, but it felt wrong to keep it when its owner was right there, especially with what Signe had called him…even if it was justified.

Johan felt eyes on him as he started digging into his backpack. His hand found what he was looking for.

“Note.” Johan caught his attention and handed over the item. Well, tried to. Note stared at him for a long moment before finally taking the hairpin, lip wobbling. Johan cleared his throat and went to sit on the chair next to the fireplace.

He met Note’s wet eyes.

“You kept it safe.”

“I did.” Johan said and broke the eye contact, feeling uncomfortable. Note wasn’t the type of person that got sentimental often, so seeing him like this…Johan wasn’t really sure how to react. “I hope you’re not out of practise now.” Johan joked.

Note huffed. “As if.”

Johan closed his eyes, exhaustion seeping through him, and he leaned back in the chair.

Then he opened his eyes again, dry and burning as they eyed the door upstairs. A bed sounded really nice right about now. He glanced at Note and Signe, would they still be here when he woke up?

“Go to sleep Johan, I’ll keep watch.” Signe got up and dragged him out of the chair towards the couch, throwing a blanket on him the second he sat down.

“Aren’t you tired?” Johan asks.

“Not at all! I just woke up from the longest nap ever!” She laughed and settled in the chair.

Johan snorted disbelievingly, a fond smile on his lips.

“You look ready to pass out.” She said and she was right, he definitely was.

So he closed his eyes.

After what felt like seconds he woke up. He shifted in his spot and almost drifted back to sleep when he heard it.

"I’m sorry."

Johan's mind blanked, suddenly awake. That was definitely Note's voice but those words…

"Back then...Our feud only started because I acted so childish."

Oh. Johan realized with a suppressed jolt. Note was apologizing. Johan cursed silently. Why did he have to wake up now?

"That day. I had just been killed, both me and my older sister. I lost the fight, and we both paid the price for it. Then I woke up again, somehow alive, in a completely different place with people I had never seen before. I was scared. At first I was happy to know I wasn’t alone, that you were in the same situation. But then I learned you killed yourself."

Oh no. What was he going to do? He couldn’t let them know he was awake but he couldn’t just fall back asleep either, not after hearing that!

He couldn’t ruin the moment. Who knew if Note would ever apologize again. Johan couldn’t interrupt it. Better stay silent and not let them know he was awake.

Also…this was a once in a lifetime moment.

He cracked one eye open. The two had drawn away from Johan, sitting on the floor facing each other, a fire crackling in the fireplace. From where Johan was he could see Note’s face, serious and open as he watched the flames. Signe sat further from Johan, leaning against the wall, both of them wearing new, clean clothes.

"I was angry because all I wanted was to be alive. I felt resentful. You had all I wanted and you threw it away. At least that was what I thought. I still don’t know how to feel about it, but…I’m happy you’re here."

Johan remembered that whenever he saw Note and Signe together one of them was always throwing words at the other. He’d always thought it was mutual but now that he really thought about it, Note was always the one starting it.

Signe watched Note with a sad expression.

“And I’m sorry.” Note turned to her before continuing. “We went through it all together. I should have realized that you were struggling too. We should have been allies and I’m sorry for making us enemies. I was too concerned with losing my sister to see that I gained another one.”

Signe’s mouth opened in shock and she quickly looked away, shutting it. A wave of emotions flickered across her face.

For a long moment they sat in silence.

“:..Sister.” Signe said quietly. “Did you really mean that?”

“I did.” Note said cautiously and finally met her eyes. Signe searched his face-

-then turned away with a snort.

Johan bit his tongue as Note’s expression fell, his heart breaking.

Signe let out a laugh, then fell silent. “You’re pretty similar to my oldest brother.”

Johan frowned. What?

“Oh?” Note turned, confused.

“It’s the first time I have seen it, but you’re pretty sentimental aren’t you?” She smiled at him. “Well, brother. I heard what you did after my death. Oskar kept complaining about you all the way into the library.”

“What?!” Note snapped.

“So thank you. For caring. I didn’t even know you could grow trees.” Signe laughed, loud and happy, then a tear ran down her face. She slapped a hand over her mouth, her breath hitched and her eyes scrunching close, forcing more tears out.

Note looked panicked for a second, his arms coming up to hover protectively in front of him.

Then she threw herself at him.

Johan couldn’t believe his eyes. His heart almost stopped beating as he tok in the scene before him.

Signe was hugging Note...

She was hugging him!

They were hugging!

Johan was speechless.

From the looks of it, Note was just as surprised as Johan. His eyes were the widest Johan had ever seen them and he sat completely still in Signe’s embrace.

It seemed like forever before anything happened, then finally Note settled. He shook out of his frozen state, arms coming up to hug Signe back as the corners of his mouth pulled down and his eyebrows knit together.

A sob racked Note’s body as his face disappeared into her shoulder, the hug turning into the tightest, most emotional embrace Johan had ever been witness to.

That’s enough. Let them have their moment.

Johan closed his eyes.

The muffled sound of sobs continued until Johan fell back asleep.