MATEO'S INITIAL SHOCK FADED as he decided to just run with it, clenching his fist and pulling his arm back to put enough power in the punch. The Reaper however simply stared at him, unnerved, and when Mateo hit him his hand went through him, sinking through the floor. He fell as well, appearing again a moment later as he pulled himself through the floor.

"I guess this means I didn't suddenly become alive?" Mateo said, the joke a bit quieter than usual.

"No," the Reaper said as he pushed himself up," only one person can make you alive again and that's not me."

For a moment Delilah's heart ached. If she had been the Soulweaver she would have been able to let Mateo live and see his family, she would have been able to see expressions from the Reaper she had never seen before. She would have been able to piece his heart back together. With a shake of her head she got the thoughts out. Negative thoughts had no place in her mind, not when there was nothing she could do about it anyway.

The Reaper caught her conflicted expression, but read it as a question, low voice pulling her back to the moment when he answered.

"Ghosts can touch me," he said," but only when I permit them to do so. I'm supposed to guide them after all, so I usually always have the power on." His gaze flicked back at Mateo. "What is this one doing here however?"

"Before I answer that question," Mateo grinned, clenching his fists again," can you turn your power on real quick again, just for a second."

"Why are you threatening me?" the Reaper asked, voice more curious than anything else," I am your god, not your enemy."

"Sorry," Mateo shrugged," the only man I idolize is already dead, so the word god means nothing to me."

"It's fine, Mateo," Delilah reassured him," don't worry. He wasn't trying to take me."

"What?" Mateo blinked, all animosity fading out of him at once as his gaze flicked from her to the Reaper," but then what is he doing here?"

"Why would I take Delilah?" the Reaper said, equally confused," she can't die, where am I supposed to take her?"

"Weren't you all about finding out why she doesn't have a soul and stuff?" Mateo said, pointing accusingly at him," if you were interested enough to bother her at a frat party, I'm not surprised you came to her home."

"Were you at that frat party?" the Reaper said, eyes undecipherable," how long have you been wandering around for?"

"Uhm -" Mateo began.

Without finishing his sentence he saluted them and tried to escape, but when he placed his hands on the ceiling they simply made contact. He frowned, trying to go headfirst, but again, all it did was cause him to slam his head against the ceiling. Bewildered he stared at them, one hand on his head and lips parted, before dropping out of the air altogether and landing with a yell on the floor.

"All the power the dead have I have granted them," the Reaper said, getting to his feet and walking over to Mateo," I'll give them back once you've answered my question."

"That's not fair, dude," Mateo protested," at least let me fly, I'm not used to walking anymore."

"First," the Reaper said, crouching down in front of him," what are you doing here?"

Mateo didn't hesitate to swing his fist, eyes widening once it connected to the Reaper. His face had snapped to the side thanks to the contact, but he didn't seem that bothered as he looked back at Mateo, wiping the blood off his bottom lip.

"Like I said," he spoke," I'm not the enemy."

"Fuck," Mateo said, glancing at his split lip," now I feel bad, that was a reflex, honestly."

"It's fine," the Reaper said, reaching out his hand," I know anger or sadness is normal after death. I apologize for taking so long before taking you along, you must have been scared, wandering this Earth."

"Oh no," Mateo said, holding up a hand," I am actually having a great time, so can you leave me here? I won't haunt anyone, I promise, I'm just floating around."

The Reaper stared at him for a moment, shaking his head after.

"The dead have no place amongst the living, you should know this by now."

Delilah kneeled down beside him, taking his hand in hers as she looked up at him pleadingly.

"Can't you let him stay?" she said," Mateo's not doing anything wrong, he's just looking over his family."

"I can't bend the rules for one ghost," the Reaper said," I have had many who still wanted to watch over their families, what would make him different from the others? It wouldn't be fair."

"I understand," Mateo said," but surely those other ghosts aren't as funny as me?"

"I wouldn't know," he replied," people aren't in the mood to joke around when they discover they're dead."

"See!" Mateo exclaimed," I was ready to joke around immediately." When the Reaper kept staring at him he awkwardly ran a hand through his hair, scraping his throat. "Okay, perhaps not immediately, but you have to understand, I died without being able to say goodbye to my family. Even the best comedian needs some minutes to process that."

The Reaper didn't laugh, face instead neutral as ever. Even while simply sitting he was ethereal, the tattoos on his neck drawing her gaze and the hazy souls around him whispering in a language she didn't speak. His words seemed to echo in the room, curling around her mind.

"Your family will be happier to know you are looking over them from above," he said," if you believe in the afterlife, it won't be a problem at all. Down here all you feel is heartbreak and grief, even if you pretend you don't. You've had your share of pain while living, don't you at least deserve peace in death?"

Mateo's lips parted, voice cracking and his smile falling, a certain ache on his face which broke her heart.

"I don't deserve that," he said," not when I left them all alone. Ella, Sebastian, Gabriela - I made them suffer so much, how selfish would it be of me to find peace while watching over them?" He placed his hand on his heart, leaning forward. "This hurt is my punishment and it's one I deserve."

"I am the only one who gives out punishments here," the Reaper said simply," and you are not on the list, Mateo Martinez. Suffering isn't the price you have to pay for love."

He was right, Delilah knew it, but she knew Mateo most of all. Even if what he said wasn't right, even if she thought he deserved the world, she knew what would break him most of all was if he got sent away now without being able to say goodbye to his family. He'd never forgive himself and for that, she would never forgive herself.

"Please," she said, squeezing his hand," I know this is too much to ask, but at least for a week. Let him come to terms with it on his own."

"I'm sorry, Delilah," he said softly, a scythe appearing in his other hand," this is my job."

"Are you going to slash through me now?" Mateo said, but he seemed too numb with sadness for his voice to sound amused.

"It won't hurt," the Reaper said, calmness intertwining with the thickened mist around them," I promise."

Part of her wanted to jump in front of Mateo, even though it was selfish, but she knew that would be of no use. Her mind was a chaos, but when the Reaper moved his arm she spoke, her words causing him to freeze in place at once.

"Helio, please," she said, tilting her head so she could look in his eyes," if not for him, for me."

She had half-expected him to snap, to yell at her not to use that name. Instead, all he did was stare at her, gaze flicking to his hand in hers, to her pleading gaze.

"The longer he stays on Earth, the longer his soul will tear apart," he said," these are the rules, Delilah."

"I know," she whispered," and I am asking you still."

He paused for a moment and she was certain he was going to go through with it anyway, lips parting as soon as he moved his hand, but instead his scythe simply vanished. Mateo stared at him wide-eyed, but it was her he was looking at as he pulled the cap of his cloak on. He took the lemon cakes in his hand, gaze undecipherable as he spoke again.

"For you," he said.

When she blinked, he was gone.