Redscale, a god of death, has fallen in love with Nicolas, a mortal, and wishes to make a deal with their parent, the creator dragon of the multiverse, to be with them forever. Their parent decides to test their mettle and resolve thinking it a passing fancy. They are wrong and it's traumatic and beautiful and a weaving of souls that create a new tapestry of immortal love when dealing with mortality.
Redscale wasn't always a god of death. As a hatchling they had taken feminine form, in their parent's claws she spit fire and passion and when she touched down into the layers of reality that made mortal space, she was worshipped for love. It was in those many lifetimes that she grew tired of it and the ways it twisted those who felt it. Mortals commiting atrocities for her favor in love, to destroy blessings she had granted, to condemn and control.
As they grew into a godly adolescence, frost touched their soul, snuffing out the passion and fire as they took on a masculine appearance and instead sought out isolation and strength. He hid away from the people, granted boons to those who sought him out in the coldest darkest places. But as time went on, he realized that isolation was the antithesis of strength. That most, if not all, who came to him had begged for a boon to end their isolation.
He returned to the center of all things, the den of his parent and their lover and begged for meaning. He brought his brow down to the floor, prostrating himself as he begged for understanding. When his parent was unmoved, dread came to him and he felt all identity fade away with the sensation of feeling abandoned. It was then when their parent's lover picked up the small flickering godsoul and cupped them in his hands.
Redscale could not recall the words exactly, they thought that if the Chaos of All Things could be remembered so easily it might harm them. Instead, when they woke they had a list and many, many siblings. Death was never a kind job, but it was not a lonely one. So many others found niche in their collection of souls, enjoying finding the evil ones to remake into punishments, making sure they appeared gentle and kind and magical to little ones or only collecting the souls of animals to remake them, over and over across the many, many universes they touched.
Redscale had so many siblings that their new role felt like they were awkwardly touching what wasn't theirs. When they sought out the Chaos of All Things at the side of their parent, he only smiled in a way that made Redscale's head hurt and spoke in a way that made them dizzy, "Do you have to be necessary to exist? I have given you a gift. Seek out more than love and strength and you'll find it in abundance."
And with that, the nest was again closed to them.
With no duties beyond shepherding the dead, Redscale for the first time stayed in one place and wandered within it. It was strange to see a place rise from nothing. Where their siblings sprinted across the world with animals and plants and renewal and death, Redscale watched the people. He had always been obsessed with the sentient. With those who were cast off and built from the stuff of gods but never to ascend.
Many others including their parent never really cared much for them, another speck to fade in a blink of their everlasting eyes. Just one more thing to return to the creator to be launched back out into the universes, made anew. But down here, Redscale watched them toil anew. Seeing them not seeking him for boon or need, he started to admire the specks again, the dust that arrived and blew away to spread outwards once again.
Nicolas was dust. Silt meant to float away on the wind. This iteration of him had firey hair, light skin flecked with the dirt of the world he resided on, though later a sibling would call them freckles.
"What a delightful word."
And soon everything was delightful about Nicolas. He was a thief, a scoundrel and had so large a heart it made Redscale's own heart hurt. The way Nicolas cared for others, for the young and defenseless, for the old and weary, it spoke to the passion they had squirreled away. The mortal's reckless energy, wit and joy spoke to the strength they respected.
Redscale haunted the other and watched for dangers as he did, and when those who cared about the thin man passed, Redscale did their duty. To guide their soul to the nest to be reborn and then right back to watching over Nicolas. Happily invisible to watch on, until something changed.
"You know, it's rude to follow around people for so long without telling them who you are. I guess you're shy, but really- can't you just tell me your name?"
Nicolas was looking straight at them, and Redscale froze, they were hidden from mortal view. They were sure of it. Maybe less so as an impish smile graced the short man's lips and he walked straight up to them.
"C'mon handsome, won't you tell me?"
This was dangerous. A mortal could see them, had been seeing them. Redscale raised a hand to wipe themself from Nicolas' mind but saw the galaxy sparkling in his eyes. The gaze they admired full of curiosity and sweetness was finally truly laid on them and they turned their hand over, palm up and recited words that would bring all of the hardship and affection that they would see in an immortal life from now on.
"I'm Redscale, I'm no one of importance."
Those red lips quirked upwards, making Nicolas' eyes crinkle up and Redscale thought for a moment that they had accidentally created a heart in this form because his chest grew tight with a thumping sensation he knew had no place in this body. The lips then formed words that could have brought him to his knees, "Hello Redscale, will you be my companion for the moment?"
And then they belonged to Nicolas.