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Floating dim lights steadily trailed past him, each ball of light as good as the others behind him. He granted them entry, waving and smiling to the younger souls that brushed his fur. Always so curious and innocent, the only ones who held no stains upon their soul. The good souls were not all pure but Bepo sensed they lived honest lives and by the god of death’s decree it was enough to rest in the eternal paradise.
A stray soul bounced around the god of death’s gift, hopping from one delightful sunflower to the other. The action caused the other souls to wander about the sunflower patch, playing amongst the small field with elated joy. His lips twitched, amused by the spectacle as the souls freely explored the forever vibrant sunflowers that decorated the gate.
With a gentle paw, Bepo herded them back on track, the souls leaving behind wisps of white light scattered amongst the sunflowers. A scenic view possible only in the underworld- a wonder of beauty that the mortal and godly realm would never come to know. Many of the servants enjoyed the sight, stopping by every once in a while to see them. However, Bepo knew none loved them more than the god of death himself.
A sense of alert passed through him, strong and ferocious, and Bepo’s sharp eyes locked onto a soul hidden amongst the sunflowers. The dark stains upon the white light signified what they were. They did this often, trying to sneak inside the eternal paradise despite the sins carved onto their souls. Judgement passed the moment their soul arrived in the underworld. They never made it past him.
Bones cracked as his form shifted, teeth increasing in length and growing deadly sharp. Towering three times his size, the white fur becoming unruly and untamed. Like a beast awakened under the full moon. He roared and sunk his teeth into the only soul that had tried to run away. Scared them good and proper for the insolence, for the audacity. The bad soul in his mouth quivered and if he listened closely, could hear him cry and apologize.
“Oh gods! Sorry! He slipped from my fingers!”
Ikkaku was out of breath, her curly brown hair in disarray as she lifted her hands to dislodge the very same soul who had yet to stop shaking. She took the bad soul, huffing in displeasure.
“It’s okay,” Bepo replied, the bones cracking once more in the air as he shrunk to his original size, “They’re tricky like that. You’ll get used to it soon enough.”
She puffed out her cheeks, lodging the bad soul under her arm, “I should already be used to it! It’s been one hundred years since Law made me his servant and I’m still making mistakes.”
Bepo smiled encouragingly at her, “We’re not perfect, Ikkaku. It’s normal to make mistakes. Penguin and Shachi still forget to separate the bad souls from the very bad souls.”
A soft laugh echoed amongst the vastness of the underworld, Ikkaku’s confidence regaining as she shook her head with a tilt to her lips.
“Haven’t they been servants since Law existed?” She asked but her question came out as more of a statement.
Bepo chuckled, “They don’t look like it, do they?”
“Definitely not!”
“Bepo.”
The firm voice of another servant caught their attention, not loud enough to shout but enough to announce his presence. Despite the big frame, Jean’s footsteps were light and his posture small. It reminded Bepo of Jean’s past, the unforgiving life he once held and how they still shackled him even as his new life as a servant of death.
Jean stopped short between them, his normally gentle demeanor fraught with worry, “Bepo, something is wrong with Law.”
Standing ramrod straight, Bepo ignored Ikkaku’s gasp and tried not to panic as he asked, “What happened? What’s wrong with Law?”
“I’m not sure. He started pacing in front of the room of everything, muttering to himself over and over before shutting himself off in his chamber. He won't let anyone in,” Jean answered, forehead wrinkled and frown heavy, “I didn’t know what to do. So I came to you.”
So I came to you.
They always did. Everyone did.
Bepo took a deep breath, “I understand. I'm sorry to ask you this but can you please guard the gate, Jean?”
The man nodded, relief showing in his face. His white uniform stood out amongst the sunflowers as he took Bepo’s place, carefully watching every soul that continued to trickle in. Ikkaku wished him good luck as he left, returning to her own duty but not without a frown on her face too.
Along the way, Bepo was given the same spiel, seeing the same faces of worry amongst each servant. Their concern for the god of death warmed him from the inside out. These were the people in death’s home and they did not take their god for granted. They looked out for him instead, just as Law did the same. However, if there arises a peculiar problem with the god of death, their eyes immediately turn on Bepo. Not Penguin or Shachi. Only Bepo. He understood why. He was the oldest and the first servant of the god of death.
What many did not know- all of them in fact- was that Bepo was Law’s friend first.
The messengers of death were already there, reassuring the passing servants not to panic at the shimmering blue protective wall that led to death’s chamber.
“He used to do this all the time back in the old days!” Shachi said with an easy smile to a servant with a white mask, “It’s nothing new.”
“He’ll be back out here before any of you will even notice,” Penguin picked up and his smile widened as he caught Bepo’s gaze, “Bepo is already here! He’ll knock some sense into Law, you’ll see.”
Shachi nodded, grinning, “He’ll drag Law out by the feet.”
Shaking his head fervently, Bepo proclaimed to the still lingering servants, “I will not! But really, there’s no need to worry. Return to your duties.”
Having seniority meant the servants obeyed his order albeit reluctantly. Shachi pulled Penguin away, no longer standing as guards as Bepo took over. Those two have been here as long as Bepo has. The difference between them was that Bepo had known Law from the beginning, when the cold had still bothered him and when his lungs had grown weak. A secret best kept to the grave, never to even utter the mere existence of it.
Standing in between two giant black pillars, Bepo skimmed the protective wall with a paw, announcing his presence by touch first before, “Law? Um. It’s me.”
The wall shimmered for the briefest moment and shattered into tiny pieces, floating in the air as it dissipated. Bepo took that as his cue to breach through the barrier. The gray skies and dark marble were instantly replaced by a messy comely room. Blinking, Bepo sidestepped the books haphazardly strewn about. Books were stacked upon one another on the bed, the dark feathery cloak sprawled on the edge, the end of it sat in a pile on the floor.
More piles of books were on the desk- and there sat the god of death. Gold earrings, bracelet, and necklace of the sun’s symbol adorned death. Pieces of jewelry Law wore like second skin, always wearing them at each possible moment. Death never left the underworld without them. A part of Bepo was still stuck in a quiet disbelief. Law had been adamant on his stance on refusing the sun god’s courting. It was a dramatic turn of events when he had returned to the underworld in the king of the gods’ arms, besotted and smiling at the white haired god.
Bepo had his concerns, of course. Those concerns had been thrown out the underworld with Nika’s trustingly naive and stupid lovesick face.
It was fate. Bepo was sure of it.
“Bepo, I don't know what to do,” Law said, fast and hurried, and the god made a frustrated noise as he picked up the book he had been reading, “I thought this would give me an answer but it's useless junk.”
The god of death abruptly stood up, the scowl on his face marred with anxiety, “Sun Day is days away and I have no idea what to give Nika-ya.”
Law carelessly threw the book aside, pacing once more with his chin in hand, muttering, “Every courting gift he's given me has been thoughtful and just as sweet and perfect as the gift before it. How does he do it? I'm struggling to even think of one gift! If I had known Sun Day was coming up, I would have had weeks to prepare!”
And. Well. Bepo couldn't help the laugh that bubbled out of his chest. This had the god of death whirl on him, glare fixed.
“This isn't funny!”
“Sorry!” Bepo giggled, body entirely relaxed now that he knew the situation, “It's just- Law, how could you have prepared if you only just accepted the sun god's courting a couple of weeks ago?”
Flushed red from the collarbone to the tips of his ears, Law scoffed, “That's not the point. I should have thought about it since the day I accepted Nika-ya's courting.”
The god of death sighed and pushed all the books on his bed away, sending them sprawled onto the floor. He flopped onto the bed, staring up at the ceiling. The sight made Bepo nostalgic, of the past they no longer spoke of, a past they had to bury deep underground. Even the action he took was familiar- climbing onto the bed until Law’s head and back rested against his warm furry body. Death was cold against him but Bepo was not bothered by it, his fur kept him well insulated.
“I think…” Law spoke so very quietly that Bepo had to strain his ears, “I think he would have liked Nika-ya.”
Bepo breathed out evenly, trying not to tense up. Law had decided long long ago to never speak his name. They couldn’t afford to slip up, they couldn’t reveal that the god of death had a different name once. Law’s life depended on it, the sacrifice the previous god of death had made would be in vain if the truth ever came to light.
The early years had been terrifying. Frightening. A mortal had become a god and Law and Bepo had held their breaths once, waiting for punishment to arrive in the underworld. Waiting for it the moment they crossed the threshold of the Heavenly Council. It never did. No one had noticed.
Rosinante had never enjoyed interacting with the other gods. Doflamingo, as mad and possessive he was, never let him either. Bepo liked to believe Rosinante had known the outcome. Rosinante had known it and it was why he did what he had to.
“Yeah,” Bepo softly answered, a small smile tugging at his lips, “He would have. Heh, they would have been really good friends.”
Law covered his eyes and Bepo did not remark on the tears that slid down his cheek, “They’re both such idiots, they would have been the best of friends,” he paused, collecting himself. Shifting positions, Law sat up and stared at him, golden eyes glimmering, “I have to tell you something but don’t panic.”
“The last time you told me that was when you spat in the face of the last king of the gods,” Bepo said, voice rising higher in the end from the stress because oh gods what have you done now, Law?
“It’s nothing like that,” Law insisted and his shoulders slumped, averting his gaze as he softly said, “I told Nika-ya I was born human,” a quiet sigh, fond and exasperated all the same, “That fool doesn’t care. He told me he’d love me even if I had been born a beetle.”
Oh. Okay. Nothing that bad- only it was bad. Bepo wanted to cry and shake death’s shoulders but he swallowed down the urge. Law had told the king of the gods of his true origins. Law, his dear friend first and foremost, had thrown aside logic and years of secrecy in the name of love. Because that was what it was. The god of death had fallen hard and Bepo could do nothing to stop it. It was a very good thing, then, that Nika himself was incredibly and hopelessly enamored with his god. Anyone could see it. Bepo had known the second he laid eyes on him. But he still worried, he would always worry.
Sighing deeply, Bepo pointed out, “The king of the gods could have taken you to the Heavenly Council, Law. They could have killed you.”
“But he didn’t. Nika-ya is different. He's not like the other gods,” Law’s tone was unwavering, “I trust him with my life.”
Those were words not said lightly. It only hammered the belief that the courtship between death and the sun was meant to be. Fate was a funny thing. Fate had led Bepo to a sickly child once and a benevolent god with a kind smile. Fate had brought that child as a god, scared and lonely with a shaking hand, asking for his loyalty with wide hopeful golden eyes.
So, Bepo nodded and smiled, “Alright. Perhaps it shouldn’t be so surprising that he didn’t do that. I mean, he said he’d love you even if you were a small and ugly beetle. You don’t have to worry about the sun god abandoning you if you were cursed into an animal.”
Law chuckled, “He would never do that. He loves me.”
Death’s voice had turned soft. Sweet almost. It was an entirely new expression that Bepo only came to learn because of the sun god’s existence into their lives. In fact, these past few weeks, Bepo witnessed what he thought he had lost forever. Law, as the mortal he once was, not the stoic face of the god of death.
Fate. Bepo’s mind insisted loud and clear.
Another sigh and Law stood up, “Come on, Bepo, you’re coming with me.”
Bepo pouted, having grown comfortable on the bed, but he obeyed nonetheless, scrambling onto his feet and looked down at death, “Where are we going?”
Law hesitated before raising his chin, “To the forbidden room to find Nika-ya a gift.”
-
The forbidden room was aptly named as such shortly after Law had ascended to godhood. The room where Bepo and Law hid everything about the gods that had once walked through these very halls. Penguin and Shachi had tried more than once to get inside the forbidden room, had prodded Bepo immensely in the beginning, but ultimately gave up once they saw how neither servant or god refused to budge the slightest centimeter. That and because it was a hassle to find the forbidden room. It was the farthest room away, in the middle right before it looped around. It was a very long walk that took days.
Which made it all the more amusing when the sun god had run through the halls, disappearing for hours on end before he was looped to where he started. He was a fast runner, Bepo gave him credit for it.
Considering the tight deadline, inked fingers gesture in the air and the power of death hit him full force, leaving Bepo disoriented but not weak. He blinked away the dark circles in his vision and followed Law into the empty halls. The forbidden room was distinguishable for there was a blue shimmering barrier in front of it, extending to the sky. An extra layer of protection in case of any wayward servant. Or in the impossible chance, a demigod.
The god of death raised his arm, resting a palm on the barrier. The shimmering blue glowed massively like a beacon in the grays of the underworld.
Law took a deep breath, “We can enter.”
Death stepped inside. Bepo, ever loyal, followed.
The scenery changed in an instant. A small simple chamber with wooden planks and windows that mimicked the gray skies of the underworld. Mounted torches were aflame on the corners of the room, forever burning into this singular isolated room. On the wall, there hung an old dark cloak, bigger than the one Law wore. There was a shelf with each compartment holding a different article. The soft pink and white tones folded on top. White trousers underneath it. A familiar red knitted hat followed it. Lastly, the dark dress shoes.
A wave of nostalgia hit Bepo and he had to blink away a stray tear. Law hadn't been able to get rid of it. He couldn't. Bepo could not blame him.
In the back of the room was a wooden vanity table. Its design was simple and clean with a rounded mirror attached to the top. Their reflections blinked back at them as Law strode to it. Laying on the counter of the vanity was a small red chest. The lid creaked as inked fingers lifted it. Inside were small colorful tubes- the makeup, Bepo realized. Jewelry was scattered everywhere. Evidently, Law had thrown it all inside without care. The pain had been too raw.
Now, death’s golden eyes looked distant as he carefully separated the jewelry that had adorned the previous god of death. Placed them on the wooden table one by one until he found what he was looking for.
A heart shaped pendant, a dark red ruby with a small emerald stem peeking from the top. Held together by a brown leather long enough to fasten around the neck like a necklace. The sight of it sparked an old memory.
“He loved this necklace,” Law slowly began, inspecting the pendant closer to his face, “I hated it. It was a gift from him but…”
Bepo waited. Patiently. Quietly.
“Cora loved it,” Law breathed out shakily and Bepo rested a paw on death’s back, letting him know he was not alone. The name Bepo thought he would never hear again brought him a deep melancholy. He felt Law’s pain as his own.
Eventually, Law took a deep breath and turned to face him. Inked fingers unlatched the heart pendant but there was nothing inside of it.
“This necklace is special. Doffy,” Law spat the name, “had it enchanted. He used his blood to fill up the pendant. It allowed the wearer of the necklace to feel the heartbeat of the owner of the blood. Doffy had it made after Cora took me in,” he scowled, “Jealous bastard couldn't stand the thought that he was second. Had to be first somehow.”
“But Cora…” Law’s expression softened, “He slept with this. He never took it off in the years I lived down here with him. Said it let him know Doffy was okay and alive and that was all that mattered to him.”
Law smiled, small and faint, “I want to give that same feeling to Nika-ya. He's always going on and on about how much he misses me when we're apart. With this, he'll feel my heartbeat no matter where he is.”
Ah. Bepo understood why he was here.
“When they… disappeared, so too did the blood in the heart pendant,” Law explained, “There’s nothing in here- which means I can put my blood in it.
Death raised a hand toward him, trusting, “Bepo, please.”
The gods were powerful, immortal, and few things could bleed them. Gods could only be harmed by themselves, by other gods, and by beings of darkness. The god of death particularly could not harm himself, his own status as death itself would not dare bleed their sovereign. But a servant could harm the god they pledged their loyalty to. The thought of harming Law pulled at the strings of his own soul but he acknowledged the complete and utter faith that had been placed upon him. The only one Law could trust with such blindness. It was that faith that had him wordlessly perform the unspoken command.
With a sharp claw, Bepo easily broke the skin on the palm, following the lines already there. Golden blood seeped from the cut and Law meticulously poured his godly blood inside the heart. Filling the small pendant to the brim before carefully shutting it closed. The cut healed in seconds, the domain protecting its ruler. Fingers curled around the brown leather, Law tested the pendant and let it sway in the air.
Bepo gasped in awe as the golden blood swirled across the heart pendant. He lowered his face, peering at the pendant closer to verify with his own eyes that the golden blood did indeed pass off as gold instead. None would be the wiser.
“It's beautiful,” Bepo whispered.
“Yeah, it is. I hope Nika-ya likes it.”
“I think he would be quite happy if you simply gave him a pebble,” Bepo teased, “He strikes me as the type of god that is easily pleased.”
“He is easily pleased but I'm not going to do that. He deserves more.”
There went that gooey smile again. Bepo tilted his head, smiling at the mere sight and wholly content.
Rosinante would have been happy too.
-
White flashed in his vision and Bepo blinked.
Wide round eyes. Floaty white hair. A smile too big. Softness clinging to his features. It was rather difficult to believe he was the king amongst gods. The angry pink scar across his chest, however, was evidence of an arduous battle. Only a god could scar the skin in such a way.
The king of the gods pointed a finger at him, “Ah, bear!”
Bepo hung his head and muttered, “My name is Bepo,” he grimaced at the slight reprimand in his tone and swiftly apologized, “Sorry.”
The sun god laughed joyously and the sound of his rambunctious laughter bounced in the underworld with heavy weight. His presence alone was off kiltering, just as it had been the first time the sun god graced these halls. Many of the servants peered at the white haired god in curiosity, others with snickers and low gossip. Shachi and Penguin were nowhere in sight. Neither was Law.
So, the sun god was lost. Or, he walked off on his own.
Inadvertently, Bepo’s gaze lowered to the heart pendant dangled around the god's neck, swinging over the cross shaped scar on his chest. Gleaming and shining, the golden blood alive and thrumming. A few young souls lingered around the pendant, ever so innocently curious.
The sun god noticed his reaction and smiled, picking up the pendant by hand to show it off, “It's pretty, right? It feels like I have Torao’s heart with me! Now I can sleep with his heartbeat instead of being all sad and stuff!”
How amusing, Bepo thought, that the god courting Law was very shameless. The sun god was loud too and careless in a free-spirited way. Traits that were quite the opposite from the god of death. Perhaps that was why Law fell so hard for him.
“I hope you take good care of it,” Bepo said, fingers fidgeting but braving forward nonetheless, “The necklace means a lot to Law. He's had it for a very long time.”
The sun god tilted his head and Bepo felt pinned underneath the fierce red eyes.
“How long has Torao had this?” The sun god asked, the softness of his face yielding to something firm. The boyish smile was replaced by a thin line.
In an instant, Bepo straightened his back, unconsciously tensing. For all that Nika was easy going and friendly, he was the king of the gods for a reason.
“The necklace is older than you,” Bepo admitted, wondering how much Law had told him about his past. Or what he had said when he gifted the sun god the heart pendant.
Recognition flashed in red eyes and Nika hummed, the disarming smile back in place, “Oh. Don't scare me like that bear, I thought some god had given Torao this. I really don't want to start another war.”
Alarm bells rang off in his head at the casual way the sun god declared such damning words. Good to know Nika was so… protective of Law.
Bepo nervously laughed, “Law wouldn't like that, you know. He's always upset when the gods go to war. War means senseless deaths. The mortals are always dragged into their wars.”
“I know that,” Nika retorted, thick eyebrows furrowed and he released the heart pendant from his hand, “It's why I fought so much back then- I wanted to end the war as quickly as I could,” he shifted on his feet, something akin to sadness crossed his features, “And because I was angry.”
Bepo knew very well how the war began. Nika just happened to be the first god to actually succeed in achieving his justice.
“I had a brother too,” Bepo said, recollecting a past where things used to be so simple. Of warm head pats and snow angels. “I understand why you did it.”
Nika blinked at him, curious, “Was he a bear like you?”
“Yes, he was.”
The sun god suddenly floated over him, an eager smile in place, “Wait- so you're not an enchanted bear? There's others like you? Where!? I want my own talking bear!”
Bepo raised his paws up, frantically shaking his head, “I'm not telling you! Ah!”
He bowed his head, acutely aware he was denying the information to the king of the gods. Refusing the king meant consequences, more so for a servant. The sun god had not demanded to be shown the proper respect but Bepo yielded nonetheless to the rules. It would show poorly on death if he did not apologize.
“Forgive me, I am not trying to disrespect you. Our home is hidden and only a few gods know of our existence.”
“Aww, that's disappointing but I get it,” Nika tapped his shoulder, “You don't have to do that. I don't really care about all that proper stuff.”
From what Law had said about him, Bepo believed it to be true. Still, it was better to play it safe. Not all gods were as amiable as his and Nika. One in particular came to mind- pink feathers and all. He was long gone but the harsh lesson clung to the deep crevices of his head. Long buried memories that still kept him as subservient as possible when faced with the unknown.
Tentatively raising his head, Bepo sighed softly when Nika floated on his back and crossed his arms behind his head. Not offended. The sun god watched him curiously, straightforward and blunt. A peculiar trait- he certainly wasn't shy. The open stare made Bepo boldly stand tall, looking directly at the sun god.
There was no reason to be fraught with worry when the sun and death shared the same affection. However, Bepo would be damned if he let this opportunity go to waste. He needed the king of the gods to be aware of whose heart he held in his hands. A heart that could shatter if treated with recklessness. The heart of a god who was prone to shut everyone out if his mind trapped him with doubt.
“It is not a secret that death loves you, nor that you love him. The Courtship of a Thousand is proof of it. Be careful with his heart,” Bepo softly said, “When he loves, he gives his all into it. I beg you, king of the gods, to hold his hand in eternity even if he tries to push you away.”
The sun god's eyes widened, clearly not expecting the plea. He planted his sandals on the solid floor, his straw hat firmly on his head. The souls clung to him, to the brightness he excluded so freely like moths to a flame. To the unabashed warmth that was rare in the underworld, the sun itself in the halls of death. Even the sunflowers faced their namesake, beckoned by the light.
“I hear thee,” Nika spoke, the change in the air prevalent, the power in his tone nearly staggering. Bepo had to blink away the dark circles with a shuddering breath, weak in the knees from the heavy might of a king. Dizzying and forceful, drawing on the pumping heart that sped up from the brute power. He struggled to stay on his feet, eyes wide open as the sun declared;
“I promise on my honor as the king of the gods to love death and never let go.”
The words were sealed, an invisible vow to the heart thumping under his ribs and to the heart belonging to the sun god. A vow that meant a terrible fate awaited the sun should he ever break it.
The intense aura disappeared, the commanding authority gone as the white haired god smiled. Catching his breath, disbelief coursed strongly in Bepo and he could not help the wide shaking smile on his face, Nika matching it easily with his boyish one. Nonchalant and casual, as if he hadn’t just staked his entire livelihood.
I see now, Law.
The foreign power in the underworld must have fired off a beacon, a warning of a god trespassing and overstepping its boundaries. There was a sharp rise of power, the comfort of death’s imminent presence washed over Bepo like a gentle caress. Gentle but cautious- frantic even.
Manifesting into existence with a blink of an eye, Law’s golden eyes shifted between Nika and him. The visible slump in his shoulders, the way his entire posture sagged with relief, the shaking hand on his beloved cursed weapon. Death cherished his servants, they all knew that, and Bepo had recognized in that instant that Law would have put them above Nika if it came down to it.
He loves too much. His fatal flaw.
“What was that?” Law demanded and Bepo smiled sheepishly, feeling like the kid he once was following a mortal with white patches of skin.
“I'm just looking out for you,” Bepo admitted, trying to make himself small, “Sorry for worrying you.”
“Torao! It's okay,” Nika said, one hand wrapped around the heart pendant, no doubt feeling the frenzied heartbeat of death. The sun god pounced, wrapping his legs around Law’s torso and locked his arms around death’s neck, pushing their cheeks together, “I like your bear! He's the best!”
Red hues overtook death, “I already know that. What did you two do?” Law stared at him and Bepo averted his gaze, “Bepo. What did you mean when you said you were just looking out for me?”
“It's a secret, Torao,” Nika said, stretching a hand to force Law to look at him, “A good one,” red eyes glinted at Bepo, amused, “Right, bear?”
It wasn't often that Bepo could tease Law. They were always busy in the underworld. But seeing how flustered Law was, his lips curled to a grin.
“Sorry, Law, but he's right. It's nothing-”
Senses on high alert, it wasn't long before Bepo morphed into a more beastly form and sunk his teeth into a very bad soul. Fools for thinking a distraction would be able to dull his senses.
“Woah! Torao! Your bear! He's awesome!”
At that, Bepo proudly raised his head.