This story takes place a little while after the first two sections. It's kind of after Death and Kelly have both been going to the DWMA for a while, and Kelly, though she'd never say anything, has a small crush on Death, and Death on Kelly. They've become good friends, but maybe they'll be something more than that~ ;)

The witch's curse may just be stronger than Death thought...

((This is the last section in this story! Hope you enjoy~))

Section3

The Shinigami's Gift

Death was fast asleep one Sunday morning. Even though he insisted on getting up at 8 every morning, Patti always turned his alarm clock off on weekends because she thought he worked too hard and needed his sleep. So it was almost 9 when a knock on the door woke the sleeping reaper.

He'd been snoring softly, his pillow pulled over his head, but the sound of the knock sent him bolting upright in surprise. He gasped and looked around. Slowly waking up, he realized he was alone in his room still. He looked at his alarm clock ad his eyes narrowed in irritation. "Patti…" It was 8:51.

He almost thought he'd just woken up by chance, or that whatever noise had woken him wasn't coming back, but when he heard the knock again, he froze.

"Liz? Patti? Isn't anyone going to get that?" He asked, quickly getting dressed and stepping out of his room. Finding no one in the hall, he quickly made his way to the front door and opened it at the sound of a third knock. "Hello?" He hesitated when he saw who it was. "K-Kelly?"

The blonde girl stood outside his door, a small red envelope in hand, looking up shyly at Death. Her face was slightly red, and she kicked her foot against the ground nervously. "Death? Are you busy right now?" She eyed his disheveled black hair. "You look like you just woke up, maybe I should come back later…"

"No!" Death put his hand out, waving her to come back. He looked up at his hair awkwardly and tried to fix it quickly with his fingers. "Sorry, my alarm clock isn't working…otherwise I would have been up an hour ago."

She tilted her head at him. "On a Sunday?"

"Of course." He smiled. "Now you came her for a reason, didn't you? Come on in."

"No, that's okay." She said, shaking her head and smiling. "I just came to give you something."

He blinked. "Give me something? What do you mean?"
She sighed, getting up the courage. "Well…I have this invitation…and…I mean…you don't have to come if you don't want to, but I mean, if you don't mind, and if you have the time, and if you really want to…" She looked up at him with shy but determined eyes. "I'd love it if you could come to my birthday party."

"Birthday party?" Death's eyes were wide.

"…I was inviting some of the others from our class…but I really wanted to make sure you were there…and it's totally optional, so you shouldn't feel like you have to come…but there will be food…and games…and, well, I thought you might enjoy a party."

Death stared at Kelly, his face slowly igniting in a blush. "No, I'd love to go."
"Really?" She held out the red envelope in her hand to him. "Then would you accept this invitation?"
He took it, and then back at her. An amused smile played on his face. "I'll be there. When is it?"

"This coming Friday."

"I don't think I'll be busy that day." He tried to get rid of the blush on his face but couldn't. So he just stood awkwardly in the doorway, looking away slightly. "So I'll definitely come."

Kelly beamed. "I can't wait!" She looked behind her. "I should go…but that's great! I'm so glad you could come, Kid."

He stepped back into his house before saying goodbye, closing the door behind him and opening the envelope as soon as it was shut. When he opened the letter, a smile went over his face to see the golden lining on the edges of the card and in small black print in the center: Dear Death, I'd be so glad if you could come to my birthday celebration. Thanks, Kelly~

He rubbed away the blush on his face and walked down the hall. "Yep. I'll definitely come."

A few days later, Death was in the middle of a lecture on dissection when Spirit came into the class looking for Kid. Professor Stein wasn't happy about it, he let Spirit pull him out of class and take him to the Death room, saying that Lord Death wanted to talk to him about something. "What does my father wish to speak to me of?" Death asked, sticking his hands into his pockets and looking at Spirit with narrowed eyes.

The man shrugged. "I don't know. He never tells me this stuff."

Spirit left Kid at the door to the Death room and then nodded down the hall. "Well, I have stuff to do. Have fun."

Death cocked an eyebrow at Spirit and then sighed. He turned to the door and opened it, stepping in slowly and looking around. "Father? You wanted to talk to me?"

Lord Death peeked out from around the corner of the hall leading into the main room and blinked at Death. "Oh! Kid! You came to see me! How sweet of you!"

Death sighed. "You asked me to come, Father."

"Details, details…"

He walked down the hall, looking at Lord Death with a serious expression on his face. "What did you call me here for?"

"Oh, nothing too important. I just wanted to tell you about your next mission."
"Mission? You found one for me?" He was suddenly interested.

"Yes. Now this is a high class mission, Kid, so don't get too upset if you need a little help…"

"I'll be fine, Father. I'm sure."

"I have intelligence that there's a meeting of witches gathering at a certain old church a ways from here soon. I want you to investigate and see if this is true, and if you can, kill the witches involved."

"When is the meeting?"

"It's supposed to be taking place this Friday."

Kid's eyes went wide. "F-Friday?"

Lord Death hesitated. "Is that a problem?"

Kid looked at the ground. "…are you sure it'll be on Friday, Father?"

He laughed. "Of course I'm sure. Why?"

"Oh…nothing…" Death looked down, hands in fists. He couldn't defy his father. If he was needed for a mission, then that was what he was going to do. But…what was he going to do about Kelly? He'd promised her he'd be at her party. Maybe if he worked really hard, he could make it before it ended. But…even so, how was he going to explain that to Kelly? Would she understand? He'd told her he wouldn't be busy. Now he felt like that was a lie. Of course, it hadn't been on purpose, but he worried that she'd feel left out, or betrayed. He hadn't even gotten her present yet…

"Kid? What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'll be there for the mission. Thank you, Father." With that, Death left, his hands still in fists, his eyes looking downward. This was a mess.

But it didn't matter how much Death thought about it because on the Friday of Kelly's birthday, Death had no time to tell her because he got an emergency call and had to leave on his mission at first light. He was riding out of Death city on his skateboard as the sun was coming up, cursing himself out for messing things up like this.

Kelly was going to expect him at her house for the party and he wasn't going to be there…and she'd wait, and he still wouldn't come. She'd think he'd lied and ditched her. It would be all his fault. No one to blame…what a Shinigami he was. How pathetic.

Although when he arrived at the location he'd been sent to, he went through the motions of the mission, all he could really think about was Kelly, and how he would fix this horrible mess he had made.

His father had been right, though. There was a huge gathering of witches, and they were definitely planning something bad. A soul hunt. Definitely something Father would want to put an end to. The only problem was there were 9 of them. Death had never fought that many witches at one time. It would put his powers to the test, Shinigami or not.

He wanted to get this mission over with. For once, his heart just wasn't in it. So he ignored Liz when tried to warn him. "Kid, are you sure we should be doing this?" She said, as they surveyed the meeting. "We've never fought that many before. Are you sure we shouldn't be calling in backup?"

"No." He snapped. "That would just take more time. We'd be here all day and all night."

"But…"
"Not now, Liz."
He ignored her again when, in the heat of battle, she screamed out to him, "We can't do this! Kid, it's time to retreat!"

He just spun around and put a bullet through the witch's head that was about to kill him. And that was his answer to that.

It was late when the battle was finally finished raging. The sun was set, and replaced with a crescent moon and a veil of darkness.

Death stood over the final witch, watching her quietly as she died. He lifted the barrel of his guns to his mouth and blew away the smoke that drifted from their tips. His eyes were dark, overshadowed by shaggy black hair, and his face was streaked with blood. With a flick of his wrists, he threw the twin pistols over his shoulders and a stream of purple light signaled their return to human form as they landed side by side behind him.

Patti turned and blinked at Liz. "Do you think he's okay? He seems really mad about something, but I don't know what."

Liz on the other hand was a little more cautious. She narrowed her eyes and took a step towards him. "Kid? Are you alright?" Something was very wrong with her meister and she had to know what.

Suddenly, Kid swayed in his spot above the witch. Liz's eyes went wide and she moved to catch him, just as he lost his balance and slumped into her arms, unconscious. "Kid!" She screamed. "Kid, wake up!"
She heard a groan, and he grabbed her shoulder. He slowly started to get back to his feet. "I'm fine…" He moaned, standing shakily.

"No! You're not fine! You're hurt."

"Just a few scratches…it was…a tough fight."

"It was an impossible fight! You shouldn't have pushed yourself."

"Come on. It's time to go home."

Liz and Patti could only stop and stare at him as he walked out of the church, snapping his fingers as, on cue, a green and red skateboard materialized from an electric shock of purple lightning. He hopped on, turned to them and motioned for them to return to weapon form. "Now." He whispered.

They could only obey, and wonder what had happened to Death the Kid.

It was past midnight when, in her dorm room at the DWMA, Kelly was awakened by the sound of a door knock. She'd gone to sleep late because the party had run a little longer than planned, and had just fallen asleep an hour ago. The noise startled her enough to make her flinch in her bed. Who could be calling on her this late in the night? And whatever it was, why couldn't it wait until morning?

She sat up sleepily in bed and turned on the light. "I'll be right there."
She didn't even have time to change out of her pajamas before there was another knock. Frowning, Kelly stepped over to the door and opened it. In the moonlit hallway stood Death, his left arm drenched in blood, his head tilted forward exhaustedly.

"Death?!" Kelly's eyes widened in shock. "What happened?"

Death stumbled into the room, grabbing the wall and cursing under his breath that he couldn't seem to keep his balance. He looked down and realized that there was blood dripping on the ground from his shirt sleeve. "Sorry…I'm ruining your floor." He slurred.

She grabbed his arm, face pale with worry. "Death, what happened to you? Are you alright?" She squeaked.

"I…I'm fine…" He turned around. In the light of her room, she saw that there was blood on his face. She flinched.

"Death, the c-carpet doesn't matter." Kelly said, shaking her head. "S-Sit down." She didn't understand what was going on, but something was seriously wrong with your friend.

She watched as he collapsed onto her bed. He put his head in his hands, digging his fingers into shaggy black and white hair.

Kelly fiddled with her hands anxiously, leaning in towards Death. "K-Kid? Tell me what happened…"

"I'm sorry." He said, coughing.

Her eyes went wide. She ran to get him a tissue, handing it to him. "Here, w-wipe away the blood."

"I'm sorry, Kelly."

"Sorry? W-What are you sorry for?" She asked, trembling slightly.

"I lied to you. I know you were looking forward to having me at your party and I wasn't able to come…"

Kelly dropped the box of tissues she was holding. She stared in utter shock as Death just sat there, his hair hanging in his face, his hand curling around the tissue she had given him. "What are you talking about? I don't care about that! Death, you're hurt!" Her eyes widened. She realized her hands were shaking horribly. "T-That's what I care about…"

She knelt down, seeing that he was going to do nothing to wipe away the blood that was marring his otherwise pale white face…more pale than usual, she had noticed. Her hands were still shaking as she started to clean his face with a clean tissue.

He looked up at her. His eyes were glazed, but he was alert, listening to what she had just said. "You mean you're not mad at me?" His voice was cold…weak.

She blushed and looked down. "Of course I'm not mad at you. It…i-it looks like you were busy."

He bit his lip and looked away. "I'm fine, Kelly. You don't need to worry about me."

"What happened!" She grabbed his leg, and then flinched and pulled back when he winced loudly. "I'm sorry, did that…"

"Father sent me on a mission."

"It's okay, Death. I understand you were busy. B-But…what matters to me is that you're okay."

He swiveled his head and stared at her. For just the briefest moment, though his face was paled by blood loss, a small blush crossed his cheeks. Then he looked down again. He shook his head. "I'm not as strong as I thought I was."

"You c-couldn't fight them?"

"I won. But at what cost?" He looked at his bloody hands. "I'll never surpass my father."

She went stiff. "D-Don't say that!"

"But it's true. I can't let myself live in a fantasy world. The simple fact of the matter is that unless I train a lot harder than I do now, I'll never be strong enough to take Father's place as the Grim Reaper."

"B-But…" She sat on the bed beside him, looking at his shaking body with concern and sadness. "But if you keep pushing yourself like this…if you get yourself hurt, or worse, killed, you definitely won't be the Grim Reaper. Death, you s-should take care of yourself…I mean…" Small tears came to her eyes. She looked at the way he hunched over the edge of her bed, red staining the black of his suit, red showing in the white lines in his black hair. She saw the way he shook, the way he struggled to keep from closing his eyes. Tiny sobs escaped her mouth.

Death's eyes widened. "Kelly…a-are you crying?"

He gasped as her arms went around his shoulders. "I mean, I'd worry i-if I thought you were going on dangerous missions like this all the t-time…"

"I didn't mean to make you cry." He said, slowly putting his arms around her waist. He winced and tried to pull back but she held him tight. "I'm…probably ruining your clothes. I should go and change."

She didn't let go.

"Kelly…I'm sorry."

"N-No. You don't have to be sorry for anything." She said, pulling back and wiping tear from her eyes.

His hands curled into fists at the sight of tears on her face.

"Death, I just w-want to know if you're okay…" She looked down. "Where were you hurt?"

"Oh…" He blushed. "They just cut me up pretty good. Just a bunch of minor scratches that I can take care of by myself…that's all…"

"Please don't go. I know I'm not the strongest person here at the academy, but…maybe I can do something to help."

"You know how to bandage wounds?" Death was slightly surprised.

Kelly went stiff, blushing wildly. "A little…yeah…" She nodded. "Let me go get my kit." With that, she dashed into the other room and came back seconds later with a small white box in her hands. "Please, sit down."

Kid sat, trying to keep still as she opened up her kit and laid everything out.

She hesitated. "Um…Death, I-I'm going to need you t-to take your jacket off if you don't mind."

He blinked. "Of course." Wincing only slightly, he managed to get it off and set it on the bed next to him.

"And…um…well…" She was blushing wildly. "…if you really don't mind, I kind of also…um…need you to take your shirt off, too."

"Eh…" His face went red.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to make you u-uncomfortable!" She hid her face.

"N-No…really. I understand."

From behind her hands, she could hear the rustle of clothing. "I'm sorry!" Kelly said, shaking her head.

"Um, K-Kelly?" When she opened her eyes again, his shirt lay, perfectly folded, above his jacket. Death sat there, shirtless and blushing a scarlet red. "Y-You can start now." He said.

She blinked and shook her head. "Death…you're covered in gashes. No wonder you were bleeding so much…"

"It…it wasn't all that bad. It just looks worse than it is." He sounded horribly uncomfortable, doing everything in his effort not to shrink back or pull his shirt back on, looking down and unable to make eye contact with Kelly. "I didn't want to make you see this, though."

He felt a hand on his shoulder. A warm cloth ran down his chest, wiping away blood and running over cuts. His eyes snapped open and the blush returned. "K-K-Kelly?"

"I'm sorry, does this hurt?"
"No!" He shook his head. "It…feels kind of good."

He smiled at her weakly. She smiled back, turning away quickly and trying not to focus to much on his chest. Death was actually very muscular. All that training did have an effect on him.

By the time she was done cleaning all the blood off of him and bandaging up all of his wounds, Death was exhausted. The effects of the blood loss were starting to have their effect, and even though he wasn't bleeding anymore, he was weak and it was late. It would be light before long, in fact.

She put an arm around her shoulder and helped him into a standing position. A half-conscious Death blinked and glanced over at her. "W-What…are you doing…?" He slurred, only partially aware of what was going on.

"Helping you into bed." She whispered.

He tried to protest, murmuring something about having business to do and not being able to sleep, but his protests soon slipped into inaudible drabble. She set him down in her bed, lifting the covers over him. Death slumped onto the mattress, breathing hard, sweat dripping down his face. He looked up at her through glazed eyes. "S…Sorry I made…you…worry…"

"Don't be sorry, Death." She said, smiling tiredly. "I'm just glad you're okay."

"And…and I'm sorry I missed your birthday…"

"I don't care about t-that…"
His eyes widened slightly. "I forgot."

"Forgot what?"

"I have…have something for…you…"
"Huh?" She stared.

"I have something…in my…jacket pocket…"

She ran over to find a small black box in Death's pocket. She handed it to him. He just put it weakly back into her hands. "Open it…" He said.

"O-Okay…" She opened the box, and inside the black wrapping paper, she pulled out two small metal pieces… "What are they?"

He took one in his hand and let it shine in the small rays of sunlight that were now shining through the window. "Hair pins." He said. In the light, she could see their shape. They matched the skull pin Death wore on the front of his shirt. "One…for the left…side of your head…and one for…the right…" He smiled, closing his eyes again.

She smiled, blushing lightly. "Thank you, Death. They're beautiful."

"P-Put…them on…"

She fastened them into her hair, adjusting them so that they were perfectly even…perfectly symmetrical.

He turned and opened his eyes tiredly. "I…I think you look…amazing…" He had a slightly silly look on his face. She wondered if he wasn't a little delusional after all that blood loss.

She smiled shyly. "Really?"

Kelly was startled when Death started to push himself back into a sitting position. "Death, you shouldn't be up right now, really, go ahead and rest."

But he just shook his head. He lifted a hand and rested it on her shoulder, then pulled her slightly into her, wrapping both his arms around her neck and then pressing his lips up to hers. Her eyes were wide as she realized he was kissing her. Then they closed. She…was enjoying it.

In Death's head, he thought, why do I feel so strongly about this girl? What's wrong with me? I've never felt this way about someone before…maybe what the witch said wasn't a lie. Maybe I really do have a spell on me…maybe Kelly is who I'm meant to be with, she's my kindred spirit…well…if so, maybe it isn't such a bad thing after all. Maybe I like this curse.

He leant into her, using her as support. His arms went around her shoulders, his fingers curling around her neck. When he was done, or rather, when his legs were too weak to support him any longer, they started to wobble and he finally slumped back onto the bed, falling onto the pillow.

"D-Death…"

His face was buried in the pillow.

"D-Death, I…" She stood in a state of shock.

He flopped onto his back, resting his hands on his stomach. The silly smile was back. His eyes were glazed over. "I…have been waiting to do that…for a while now…"

He's probably just delusional, she thought. That's why he…

"I should go to bed, too." Kelly didn't know how to handle what had just happened. She'd just been kissed by Death, who she'd had a crush on almost since she got to the academy. Sure, he probably wouldn't remember this the next morning. But…she would…

She ran to close the blinds, and turned off the lamp, shrouding the room once again in darkness. Then she got onto the other side of the bed and crawled under the covers. At first she was all the way on the opposite side of the bed from Death, but she couldn't sleep, not knowing what had just happened…

His breathing wasn't steady, either. He was breathing hard, and small gasps escaped his mouth every few seconds.

"Death? A-Are you hurting?" She stuttered.

"N-No."

"Where does it hurt?"

"Nowhere, I'm f-fine." He gasped.

Her eyes snapped wide open. "Your stomach…" She scooted over to him in bed. "Let me see." Ignoring her shyness, her worry for Death took over. She ran a hand over his side. He gasped louder.

"My…my stomach just…hurts…and I don't know…why…" He said between pants.

"It's okay. You're going to be fine." She put her hand over his stomach and started rubbing her hand in circles over the area that was in pain. The warmth of her skin on his felt good. Death let his head hit the pillow. He couldn't believe how good this felt…every time she touched him.

He took a quick breath in.

She flinched. "Am I hurting you again?"

"What?" He shook his head. "No! No, I enjoy it…actually…"

She blushed.

"Thank you, Kelly…please don't stop."

"O-Okay…" She curled into him, resting her head in the space between his arm and his side, feeling his head rest on hers and his black hair mix with her blonde curls. She continued to run her hand in circles over his stomach, and she smiled softly as his breathing slowly steadied. After a long time, when he was finally asleep—and he had been very exhausted—she finally stopped, and instead wrapped her arm around his waist. He was so warm. It would be so easy to fall asleep at his side like this.

She closed her eyes. Kelly fell asleep with her arms around Death and his head beside hers. This would be a birthday she was sure she'd never forget.

-FIN-