Changes

Frowning, Daiya tugged at the thick leather collar that was now around his neck. It had a long, small chain leash that could attach to it, though it was unclipped at that moment, the leash hanging on one of Fin's belt loops.

"Stop pulling on that, Daiya. It's for your own safety." Fin grumbled as he glanced up from the desk he was situated at in his personal study.

Daiya had been allowed to come with him, but only because he kept opening the door to Fin's bedroom when the man was out. Sure, he had been ordered to stay put, but as he gained more and more comprehension with each passing day, he'd decided that not all orders were worth obeying. Especially ones that kept him away from Fin for such long periods of time.

Lowering his hands for the tenth time that day, he slid them into his pockets and let his smile widen. Fin gave him a look in return, but it just made Daiya's heart fidget a little in his cold chest.

There was a strong knock on the door a moment later, drawing Daiya's attention at the same time Fin spoke.

"Get the door. That's my meeting for this hour."

Daiya did so, letting in an older gentleman dressed in fancy, well-fitted clothing.

"Ah, is this the zombie lad people have been whispering about since your get together?" The man said as he walked over to Fin, who was rising from his seat in order to offer his hand.

"Yes, sir." He replied.

Daiya wrinkled his nose slightly. The man smelled like fish.

"Please, have a seat." Fin said, gesturing to several of his comfortable wing chairs by one of the large windows.

They spoke of different trades, and not to Daiya's surprise, a large part of the discussion was toward the trade of fish and different exotic foods. He stood as they spoke, trying to decipher another scent that was coming from the man that seemed familiar, yet not.

The men were delivered tea, brandy, and bread a few times throughout their meeting, that extended quite longer than the single hour Fin had mentioned and Daiya was ordered to find something to occupy his time several repeatedly. He ignored Fin's words, however, his attention fixated on the scent that drifted to his nose every so often.

The meeting was finally winding down after a while, and it was clear that Fin had definitely favored his cups of brandy over the tea, considering the man's behavior. If there was one thing Fin enjoyed when not weighed down with work, it was a good bit of alcohol.

Daiya watched Fin's guest slowly stand, his actions only slightly influenced by the drinks he'd consumed. He expected him to say something in terms of his intent to depart, or something concluding the meeting in general, but when he simply gave a sad smile and retrieved a pistol from within his suit-coat, Daiya's eyes widened a fraction.

"You claim to be such a decent man now that you are no longer undead, but I will never consider you anything more than a murderer. You used to fill your dungeon with villagers for your meals!" The man yelled, his upset coming through his oddly calm voice.

Fin was trying to blink through the alcohol that blurred his mind to process the man's words quicker.

"You may have thought that you were doing us a favor by taking only the sick or weak from our town, but my daughter could have survived her illness. The young lad down the road a short ways might have been handicapped by trying to help people gather firewood during a bad winter and had gotten his leg mangled, but he was amazing with numbers and could have easily found himself work with management." The man yelled as he waved his gun around, then slowly lowered it to point at Fin's chest as his words died down.

"I do not know how you breathe now, but I do remember seeing this boy quite alive in town recently. Now he stands beside you like a pet just wishing to be around its master, yet you collar him and order him about."

Fin scowled at the man's words and reached toward the gun, only for the man to shove it against his chest, forcing him sloppily back further down into his chair.

"You are a greedy, dirty bastard and I don't care if the devil himself makes me pay for this." He yelled as he cocked the gun.

Daiya felt his unbeating heart shiver in his chest at what he was witnessing. No. He reacted as quickly as his body would allow, putting all of his effort into his actions. He just managed to fall onto Fin as the man began pulling the trigger, but when the gun finally went off, Daiya realized that he'd been moved and blood was warming his heating body from above.

Too hot.

He knew that he shouldn't be getting hot.

Fin's body slowly slumped over onto him, soaking more blood into his shirt as Daiya heard the man who had shot him run from the room.

Fin.

With more ease than he had felt since he'd died, Daiya carefully moved Fin's body so that it rested in the chair he'd just been in. There was a hole in his chest, right above where his heart was.

"Why did you do that?" He asked, not having any issues speaking. He did not bother trying to blink back the tears clouding his eyes as he spoke. "And why am I alive again? I feel my heart beating but yours is fading beneath my palm."

You are alive because you completed your contract. Devil's voice replied in his mind.

Daiya frowned and looked around the room, not seeing anything out of the ordinary until he looked back at Fin.

A squirrel?

"I didn't want him to die for me to get my life back!" He rasped as he yanked off his stained new shirt and pressed it against Fin's bleeding chest.

I do not control how my contracts are completed. Fin's actions were his own.

"He should not have done it, though! I was already dead! I could not have become more so." Daiya cried.

Make a deal with me and I will bring him back. God's voice said.

The squirrel, now on Fin's head, chattered in annoyance at the idea.

He murdered him. He deserved to die for him in the end. Devil said, not making Daiya's mood any better.

"Fin?" He said as he reached forward and touched the man's face. He got no response, and as he moved his hand down to Fin's lips, his heart began to hurt.

Just one more deal and you will have him back. Both of you will be alive once more. God pressed, making Daiya grind his teeth together in frustration. His mind was still having trouble catching up to his current abilities, so he decided to just act on instinct.

Leaning over, he pressed his mouth to Fin's now-slowly bleeding injury. The blood tasted of sour copper, but Daiya felt like he was doing what he should.

Do not die, Fin.

He could sense the man's heart struggling to beat beneath his lips.

Do not leave me. I need you, good or bad. I don't wish for you to leave.

A hand gently settled against his hair and patted it once, making Daiya lift his head.

"Fin?" He whispered right before Fin lifted his arm and slowly wiped the blood from Daiya's lips. The man was smiling with exhaustion in his eyes, but Daiya could only sniffle as tears continued to run down his cheeks.

"No more contracts, Daiya. I believe we have both had our fill." He said, his voice barely audible.

Daiya wanted to say so many things as he watched Fin slowly push himself up in his chair and scoot back, then carefully pull him in for a light hug.

"I don't know how I am still alive, but whatever you did, please keep doing it." He said as he gave Daiya a minute squeeze.

He wasn't really sure what he had done, and looked up at Devil for some sort of answer. The squirrel sitting upon the top of the chair flicked an ear, but shook its head.

I did nothing. Devil confirmed.

God, did you do something to him? I have not agreed to any deals! He thought to the other deity.

No... neither of us have acted upon him. He should be dead. She stated, clearly confused, too.

"Daiya, please. It hurts." Fin whispered, making Daiya purse his lips and lean forward, hugging the man as he nuzzled his face into his neck and pressed a kissed to his overheating skin.

"I'm sorry, I do not understand what I did, but please don't leave me."

Fin took a deep breath as he spoke, exhaling it with a shudder before taking another. Daiya hugged him a little tighter as he reached down between them and began pressing his fingers into Fin's damaged chest.

The bullet definitely could not stay there. Even if Fin was somehow healing from his words, it was highly unlikely that he'd be able to live with the metal lodged in his chest.

Fin hissed and tried to push Daiya away as he began to pull it out, but he refused to move.

"You will be fine, Fin. Do you understand? You will not die from this." Daiya said, putting as much determination into his words as he could while focusing on his task.

The moment he felt the little metal ball slip free from Fin's chest, he tossed it off to the side and pressed his hand back over the wound.

"Heal. You will not die today."

He allowed his words to end in silence, making Fin's labored breathing the only audible sound in the room.

Interesting. I have never seen anything like that from a living being. Devil thought to them at the same time a little bright blue butterfly landed on the top of the wing chair beside him.

That is something only a powerful necromancer can do, and only to the dead. Even we cannot raise the deceased to breathe again as a living being unless a deal has been formed.

Right as God was finishing speaking, Devil's squirrel pounced on her butterfly, eating the creature in a few simple bites.

You do remember that eating my physical forms do nothing to me, right? God thought in an annoyed tone.

Devil's squirrel flicked its tail at the same time Fin began rubbing one hand up and down Daiya's back in a comforting gesture.

Of course. I just like annoying you, and you choose quite tasty creatures most times. Devil replied before hopping off of the chair to disappear from sight.

Be on your guard, boy. God cares little whom she harms when she wants something. And you are something even I am unsure I can protect from her much longer. Best figure out your abilities before she decides to start using force.

Frowning, Daiya was about to question him but Fin held him tighter and growled a quiet warning.

"Be gone. We will deal with her when she comes."

There were no more words from Devil, leaving Daiya to believe that he had left, for the moment. When

Fin finally sighed out a deep breath and held him a little bit closer, he decided to worry about the two bickering beings later. He was finally getting what he wanted, and he wouldn't trade Fin's attention for the world.