It took until almost sunset for Jamie to gain the courage to make his way back to the apartment.
He shuddered as he walked down the emptying streets, hugging himself tightly.
Thankfully he made it to the apartment safe, opening the door very slowly and peeking in.
Ember tensed as the door cracked open. She had left the window open in case a quick escape was needed. "Jamie?" The reaper practically launched from the couch, throwing her arms around him. "Please tell me you're okay-"
Jamie flinched at the sound of her voice, but he didn’t shy away from her touch. He instead wrapped his arms around her, squeezing her close and burying his face in her hair.
He hated to admit that he liked the affection.
“I’m okay… Just a little shaken. Are you alright? He didn’t touch you did he?” Jamie pushed her back a little, looking her over. His eyes settled on the wound she had cared for, a look of concern flashing across his face.
“Does it hurt?” He asked her quietly, taking her arm and studying the wound as best he could.
“Are you okay?”
"Yeah. Yeah, I'm okay." Ember give a tight smile. She had wrapped her wound with a kitchen cloth. Other then the fact that it still hurt, it was fine. ((Excuse my horrible ability to write inquirys. 💀))
"Wait Jamie, what do you mean by he." She'd been attacked by a crawler, as far as she knew they were genderless. But then again one had spoken so how was to say really.
(Naaahh fam you goood!)
Jamie frowned up at her, tugging her towards the bathroom. “Here, let’s put some bandages over that. Kitchen towels only do so much you know,” he replied, shivering softly.
“I know how you and Theo died…” he murmured quietly in response to her words. “I know who killed you, and who killed him. The first time and you and I the second time.”
"Jamie you're not making any sense," Ember cringed at the sight of her arm. As a reaper, wounds had always healed quickly. Things where different now.
"I drown. We figured that much out last night."
“He drowned you after your wedding. And shot Theo sometime before so he could have you to himself and marry you. That stranger I told you about, the one who pulled a gun on me and shot me when I was dead and the same one who said he was a friend.”
He knew he was dumping a lot of information on her but he couldn’t stop the word vomit that fell from his lips.
Jamie felt like he had to tell her, she deserved to know the danger she was in.
“Theo and you knew each other sometime in the past. He wanted you for himself so he killed Theo because he thought it would make you love him. But you suffered. And he drowned you to stop the suffering out of some sort of sick and twisted ‘love’.”
Jamie sat her down on the edge of the bathtub, unwrapping the kitchen towels slowly. He grimaced at the sight of the wound, knowing it would take awhile to heal fully.
“But then he realized you were a reaper and he didn’t take that news well. Said something about ‘saving you’ or something along those lines. He wants to kill you here once and for all ‘for your own good.’ He’s psychotic…”
Jamie’s words finally stopped flowing, his face panicked as he recalled the horrific story Audric had told him of his twisted obsession with Ember. His hands worked smoothly as he pulled the first aid kit from its place and retrieved the antiseptic to clean her wound.
“He offered me a deal.” He said in a near whisper. “Told me he’d give me 50 more years to live if I gave you up to him.”
His hands paused in the middle of wrapping her wound, eyes fixated on her green ones. “I didn’t take it. I can’t let him kill you. I don’t want you to die, Ember. No amount of living is worth letting him kill you. I’d rather be dead and fighting Crawlers and knowing you’re alive than living with the fact that you’re gone.” He froze up suddenly, blushing lightly.
“Ah, Sorry that’s a lot of stuff to put on you.”
His words made the blood drain from Embers face.
Someone who she had married killed her. Someone she'd been friends with. Someone who'd killed another one of her friends. Out of love? she wanted to vomit. Wanted to hate Audric for everything.
But out of everything Jamie had told her she could only remember the things that had happened recently. Her previous memories where locked away and she couldn't get to them.
"No its okay," her words where empty. "Its fine." She put her face in one hand while Jamie worked on her other arm.
In all honesty it was hard to process everything.
Jamie finished up as quickly as he could without sacrificing quality. But once he did finish he gently took the wrist of the hand she held to her face, pulling it down so he could see her clearly.
Softly, his hands found either side of her cheeks, cupping her face delicately.
“Hey, it’s okay if it’s not fine. You’re allowed to not be okay, Ember.” He reassured softly, studying her features carefully.
He did have to admit she looked a lot more… healthier than she did as a Reaper. Her lips and cheeks seemed to have more color and her eyes were just a tad bit brighter even if they didn’t stand out as much here where things were colorful and less gray.
He was glad she looked a little better, made him worry a little less.
“Want to lay down for a bit?” He asked, pulling her into another warm hug. It was more so he could be sure was still living than something comforting but he hoped it offered something to the reaper.
(Jamie, becoming more affectionate.
Me, nervous: oh shoot is this too much? Jamie y’all are too touchy! BRO SLOW DOWN)
(Ah noooo, they're so cute. I keep fighting myself to keep from writing a touchy Ember. Its just not who she is even if I desperately want it to be 😭😂)
Ember practically melted into the hug, wrapping her arms around his back. "No," she didn't want to lay down. Because truth be told, she was exhausted. Ember was afraid that if she relaxed she'd fall asleep.
It was a while before she pulled away. "Jamie," the next few words threatened to shatter her heart, "you need to leave. You have to hide or go to your family, something. This guy already came after you once and he'll do it again. He knows where you live."
Reality was inking in. Ember wanted to stay with Jamie. Wanted- needed to protect him from her own mistakes. "Please."
( 😂 Jamie is suuuper affectionate. He likes the soft touches and hugs and the simple things like cuddling and running fingers through hair. He do be the sweetest of my male characters, the others are a little uhhhhh traumatized. 😂 😂 BUT YES THESE TWO ARE SUPER CUTE TOGETHER)
Jamie held her close, closing his eyes and listening to the beat of their hearts. He was alive. She was alive. It felt… strange, almost unnatural. Maybe he had accepting death a little more than he let on.
As she pulled away he found himself wishing she had stayed just a little longer. The hug had comforted him too, stilled the many fears in his head.
And then she spoke and his brain fizzled, trying to figure out what she had just said.
The look that crossed Jamie’s face the second he processed everything could only be described as shocked. He opened his mouth, looking like a gaping fish with his eyes wide.
“Wha- No! I’m not leaving you to do all of this alone!” He suddenly spewed, shaking his head. “Ember, I’m already dead. As much as I love my family, miss them, and want to go back to them, I really can’t face them now. Especially with your life on the line!”
His hands once again found her face, fingers tangling somewhat in her mess of red hair.
“I’m not leaving you. I’m staying. You protected me and it’s my turn to pay you back.”
And I don’t want to leave you. I want to be by you.
He mentally admitted, too afraid to speak it out loud.
“Please, don’t do this alone. Let me help.”
(Writers, we love to traumatize our Oc's 😂)
"You died, there's a difference. If you just left now you can get your second chance. Jamie you're alive again. I've been dead for years. as much as I want to stay," she stopped herself from finishing that thought. Because Ember wanted to stay with him. But not like this.
"I can die again and be perfectly okay with it. Everyone that was alive when I was is gone." Her voice shook, and even though she tried to fight it tears weld up in the corners of her eyes. "And frankly I can't watch you get hurt. If this guy kills you, I wouldn't be able to live with myself."
Living with herself wouldn't be a problem, because eventually death would come knocking again sooner or later. Whether it ended her soul forever or not.
"You'd be helping by keeping yourself safe." Ember forced herself to pull his hands away from her face, but she didn't let go. Instead she interlocked their fingers. "I don't want to lose you." She quietly admitted.
(Ain’t it fun?! 😂 it’s awful but character development)
“And what if I don’t want a second chance!?” He replied, trying to keep his cool. He was beginning to shake a little, something like desperation in his eyes. “Your life isn’t devalued just because the world has aged! You’re still… If he kills you I wouldn’t be able to live with it…”
Jamie shook his head again, biting his lip.
His fingers closed around hers, however, the warmth of their hands nearly making him cry.
“Please… don’t make me leave. I don’t want to lose you either. Life was lonely! I don’t need to complete college or become rich or marry or even grow old. I’m okay with dying. Yes I’m going to miss my family! I’m going to miss them so much that I’m in pain everytime they cross my mind! But I’ll see them again. I know I will. There’s the afterlife. I can catch up with them there, I can see them all again. But if you die, that’s it… you’re gone.” He suddenly slumped over, resting his head in the crook of her neck.
“As selfish as it is,” he swallowed heavily. “I want you to stay. Screw anything else in this damn world. My life isn’t worth it. Don’t give yours up for me, don’t forget that you still deserve a life of your own. So what if it’s been a long time? You’re still a person… still humane.” His voice broke and lowered to a whisper, his hands gripping hers tightly.
“Still my Reaper who I’m going to forever like and care for.”
The tears spilled over. Her whole body shook with frustration. But in the back of her mind she was glad he didn't want to leave her. And she hated herself for it.
How could she want to protect him but at the same time wish he'd stay?
"Jamie," he had been right. She wasn't okay. Because there was some psychopath out there that had killed her twice already and wanted to again. Because she was terrified of losing Jamie. Because there where Crawlers out there doing who knew what, and one had attacked her.
She hung her head. "I don't want to lose you."
“And you won’t. You won’t ever lose me Erica. After I’m this clingy? You have no chance of getting rid of me so easily.” He huffed, turning his head slightly so he could look up at her face.
One of his hands left hers to wipe the tears off her face, a touch so soft and quite frankly, loving, it couldn’t have just been written off as only a comforting, friendly action.
“It’s all going to be okay, Ember. I promise you it will be. We’ll sort this out, you can go back to the dead and I’ll go with you. We can go get pancakes just like we said we would before all of this. We could even make it a daily occurrence, go every morning before your reaper duties. Teddy can come too if he wants, you’ll never have to go a day where I’m not available to reach out to. And when my family grows old and joins me in the land of the dead, I’ll introduce you to them.” Jamie cooed softly, his free hand moving to lead her head into the crook of his neck, fingers running softly through her hair.
“And the day you’re released from your reaper duties, we can go to the afterlife together so it’s not so scary.”
(Ember is this dense idiot. Its gonna be like that meme of the guy looking at a butterfly asking if it's a pigeon. is this just a great friendship where we both deeply care for each other???? she will ask in stupid confusion. 😂)
Ember couldn't help the small laugh that escaped her even as she cried. It was hard to believe that it was just little over a day ago she'd promised him pancakes. "I can't believe you remember that after everything that's happened."
She took a deep breath to compose herself. It didn't work very well. "That sounds so nice." Before Jamie she'd hated the idea of going to the after life alone- but now she looked forward to it.
Ember stayed quiet for a long time, the only sounds their breathing and her occasional sniffle.
"Your stubbornness is gonna be the death of me isn't it?" Her lame attempt at making a joke.
( 😂 😂 😂 Jamie’s in the corner facepalming like: ‘I think I’m in love with you, you gorgeous idiot’)
Jamie made a face, sticking his tongue out playfully. “Pancakes are literally my favorite breakfast food. I never forget about pancake promises.” He mused, laughing along with her.
Something inside his chest had fluttered at that soft sound of her laugh. It was cute. He wanted her to do it more often.
“It does sound nice, doesn’t it? I can’t wait for it.” Jamie could admit that he too was excited for the afterlife now, especially if it was with Ember. He would wait for however long it took for her debts to be paid off and then he would take her out for more pancakes and celebrate with a walk to the afterlife.It sounded like a dream or some far away fantasy. He enjoyed it a lot.
The silence didn’t bother him, in fact it only allowed him to take in his other senses and how they felt. Jamie was both delighted and confused.
Since when did he find her soft, red hair so pretty? When did he decide that her hand fit a little too well in his?
He brushed the thoughts off the second she spoke.
“Course not, it’s going to be the life of you.” He teased, laughing softly. “But come on, you have to admit my stubbornness makes me all the more alluring,”
"oh yes, I'm sure all the girls are after you." Ember rolled her eyes, and laughed again despite the tears.
She wasn't any less afraid of losing Jamie Because of his resolve to stay. His revolve thrilled her. But it was hard to explain.
Losing all her memory when she became a reaper meant she'd lost the knowledge to identify her emotions.
Anger had been easy, so had joy and sadness. But what she felt when she was with Jamie, that was the hard part. If felt almost like what she and Teddy had. Friendship.
But at the same time it didn't.
The way it was comforting to be held, or the way her stomach fluttered when she was around him. That need to protect. It almost hurt.
"You should get some sleep. You still look awful." She'd fully pulled away now, drawing her hands back to herself to wipe away the remaining tears. "I'll keep watch for a few hours, don't fight me on this."
“Oh you bet they are. I have every girl from the next city over to here lined up to date me.” He laughed, shaking his head. “If that were true I’d be dating someone already.” He offered her a sad smile as he studied her face again, taking in as much as he could.
She was beautiful, it was no wonder Audric had wanted her love. Jamie hated the fact that she had ended up with someone as messed up as Audric was.
If it had been Jamie, he would have given her the world.
He shook those thoughts from his brain, ignoring the red that creeped onto his cheeks.
“I do not look awful.” Jamie retorted, taking a fake offense to her words with an amused grin. “But I could go for some sleep… please wake me up in a few hours or so, okay? So that you can sleep too.”
"I will," But Ember wasn't sure if she would be able to sleep when the time came. Thoughts of the Crawler still lurked in the back of her mind, and after everything Jamie had told her- She hopped Teddy was okay.
She stood stretching out her arms, only to pull the injured one back close to her chest. It felt almost unnatural to be healing so slowly. So human. the reaper quickly composed herself, playing it off as something else. She didn't need to give Jamie something else to worry about.
"I'll be in the Living room if you need anything."
Jamie watched her for a moment longer, nodding ever so slightly.
He grinned suddenly, snickering as something clicked inside of his head.
“The living room huh?”
His grin only widened.
“I guess you’ll be safe then, can’t die in the living room.” He stretched himself out and began a causal stroll towards the bedroom. “I’ll sleep, but only because you asked me to.”
(The punsssss. Yessss.)
Embers brows caressed at Jamie's joke. Last she'd checked humans didn't have that kind of power. At least not for.making a room that someone couldn't die it.
Then it clicked, and Ember groaned "that was awful." She laughed anyway. "Goodnight Jamie," her voice was sing songy in a sarcastic kind of way.
(I had to)
“You know you loved it.” He purred, laughing happily.
Jamie snickered to himself, winking at Ember as he turned to shut the bedroom door but not before giving her a soft smile and speaking:
“Goodnight Ember, stay safe.”
(I can just imagine Audric stabbing one of them and being angry they aren't dying, only for them to be like "WerE iN ThE lIviNg ROoM" and then Audric Explodes)
"You too," Ember gave her own small smile, her eyes lighting up. The joke had taken her mind off the crawlers- she'd completely forgotten to tell Jamie about them. Though maybe it wouldn't be so bad. She didn't want to worry him any more then her might have already been.
Ember sat on the couch, pulling her legs up to her chest. Thinking about the Crawlers only made its voice creep back into her head. The scratchy way it had told her to run.
The crawlers prawled through the night searching for the apartment Audric had told them about. He had went back to the reapers realm, leaving them to find it on their own.
(YES I LOVE THAT. The only way to defeat Audric is to kill him by standing in the living room)
Once inside the room he became suddenly aware of how alone he was. He didn't like it. Not one bit. But he could stand it. So he climbed into the bed and wrapped himself up in the covers, staring at the wall.
Maybe sleep was going to be harder to come by than he first thought.
His mind wandered after the first few minutes of laying in the dark.
Jamie was trying to figure out what it was that made him want to stay with Ember so badly. He had a second chance at life. He could leave and live. What else could he even ask for?!
Well.
He could ask for Ember's companionship. For more time to be around her. Jamie didn't want to leave. He didn't want a second chance at life. No. He only wanted to stick by Ember for as long as he could. To see her smiling face when he joked about something dumb or to see that determination that lit up her gorgeous eyes. And the way her hair fell around her pretty face? Uncanny. Beautiful. Absolutely-
Ah hell.
Jamie had gone and fallen in love with his reaper.
(Sorry for the disappearance 💀)
Ember didn't mind keeping watch, but being alone with that awful voice still echoing in her head did. Run. she wanted to.
She wanted to forget she had ever been a reaper, wanted to forget about Audric who wanted to kill her. Again- wanted to kill her again.
Ember changed her mind, it wasn't just the crawlers voice that was driving her crazy.
(Y'all are good!)
Jamie rolled over and groaned before he forced himself to sit up, staring around at the empty bedroom he used to be so content in. He barely had anything in the room besides his furniture and clothing. The walls were barren except for a few complimentary paintings the landlord had used to hide stains or holes in the walls. The cream color taunted him, reminding him that he really didn't have much of anything in this life other than his family.
College was fun and he was moving steadily up towards his dream career but he had no steady friends, no significant other, no one to sit and have those real deep talks with.
He felt lonely.
Jamie subconsciously stood and walked to the door, placing his hand on the doorknob and pausing.
Ember would be upset with him if he didn't sleep. But he didn't want to be alone at the moment.
He pushed all his thoughts away and turned the door handle, sheepishly making his way over to her.
"C-can I stay out here with you? I'll even sleep on the couch. I don't want to be in there alone at the moment."
(Also, Jamie: having a crisis over falling in love - Ember: Sounds of panic over the situation like a normal person would be doing in their situation)
(It's because she's like a baby with her emotions 😂)
Ember jumped at the sound of Jamie's voice. And even though she was upset with him for not going to sleep, a small part of her was happy. She didn't want to be alone either.
"No- I mean yeah, yes." The reaper slid to the far end of the couch, stretching her legs back out. "But you really should get some sleep." She was one to talk
Something inside fluttered a little, Ember frowned. She wasn't sick, but it almost felt like she was. Sick from the fear perhaps? Or maybe Jamie had just startled her a little more then she was willing to admit?
(I love her so much)
He laughed softly as he sat down on the other end of the couch, blushing lightly when he brought his eyes up to look at her.
“I know, I know. But I won’t be able to sleep in there.” Jamie flashed her a small smile as he moved to curl up against the back of the couch, facing her.
“I’m sorry if I scared you, Ember. You jumped a little.”
(I can see Jamie dropping huge hints or even flat out telling her, and Ember still not getting it. A single brain cell is devoted to her emotions 👌)
"No its fine," Ember turned to Jamie, her smile falling. "Your face is flushed, are you not feeling well?" Sicknesses where such a human thing. And considering that she had thought she was sick- perhaps they both where.
The reaper reached across the couch and placed her hand on his forehead. She'd spent plenty of time in hospitals to know how to check for a fever. "Maybe coming back to life shocked your system."