Forgiveness (A Xibalba and La Muerte Story)

Disclaimer: I don't own the Book of Life or any of the characters.

Warning: This story takes place during the movie so it may contain a few spoilers for those who haven't seen it yet.

High above on the roof of the church tower, La Muerte smiled as she watched as Father Domingo and the Candle Maker worked together to perform Manolo and Maria's wedding ceremony. As high up as she was, she could still faintly make out what they were saying and when Father Domingo finally pronounced the new couple, husband and wife, she laughed when Maria pulled Manolo down to kiss him.

Cheers erupted from the audience sitting in the church pews, filled with the townsfolk and Manolo's skeleton ancestors alike. They all stood up from their seats, clapping, whistling and throwing their sombreros high into the air. The queen shook her head amusingly because even through the thunderous noise, she still heard the Candle Maker cry out, "Ah, yay, yay!"

'He's always been a spirted one.' she thought.

"Ah, well." Xibalba's voice brought her out of her thoughts. He had been standing next her being strangely quiet up till now. "I believe you won our wager, mi amor…along with my heart, all over again."

La Muerte couldn't stop the smile that spread across her painted face. 'He always says the sweetest things.' She turned to face him. "Ay, Balby." Together they reached out to take each other by the hands.

"I'm so sorry, my love." Xibalba said in a sincere voice. "You deserve so much better than me, I know that now. Can you ever forgive me?" he asked, bringing one of her hand up to his mouth so he could place a kiss on the back of it.

Her smile grew. "I do."

The king matched her smile with one of his own before La Muerte laughed and dragged Xibalba forward while swinging him around to kiss him. Xibalba's large crow-like wings spread out widely while the candles on the queen's sombrero flare up brightly until they let out streams of light that shoot up towards the sky where they burst into fireworks.

When she pulls away, Xibalba has all but melted in her embrace. She giggles at the dopy, lovesick expression on his face. "Balby?"

"Hmm…yes, my darling?" He manages to get out. After that kiss, Xibalba feels like he's on Cloud 9. He started to lean in to kiss her again, but she places a finger on his lips, stopping his advance.

"Don't forget," she began with a mildly stern look and tone, "since I won our wager that means no more interfering with the lives of the mortals."

Oh, how could he forget? Was he disappointed that he wasn't going to able to mess the living? Yeah, a little bit. But…he brushed his lips against her forehead, saying, "I know, love. But it's a small price to pay compared to have you in my arms once again."

The goddess grinned, winding her arms around his glowing, green neck. "You're always such a charmer." There was a brief pause before she continued with, "And I want you to know I'm proud of you."

"For what, mi amor?" he asked, slipping his arms around her slim waist.

"For keeping your promise to Manolo and giving him his life back when he won the wager. I know you don't like to lose, Xibalba, but it made me happy that you did the right thing in the end."

"Well, while it's true I don't like to lose…I'm still a man of my word. And besides…the boy did manage to impress me a little and it's not every day that a mortal manages to do that."

La Muerte's red lips curved upwards. "I'm proud of you, Balby." She repeated, planting a kiss on his cheekbone.

The winged god smiled and just then a sudden thought came to his mind. Perhaps now would be a good time to ask…

"La Muerte?"

"Yes?"

Xibalba removed one of his arms from her waist, closed up his hand into a loose fist and held it out to her. "Would you consider, maybe…?" He opened his hand back up.

La Muerte's heart jolted in her chest when she saw what was lying in his palm.

It was her ring-her wedding ring.

Could she finally after all these years, put her ring back on?

The queen glanced back up and studied her lover's anxious face. Xibalba had lied and cheated, yes, but…she knew that he was really sorry for everything he had done…and that's why she knew just what to do next.

She wordlessly extended her left hand towards him.

Xibalba jerked slightly in shock. "Truly, my dear?" He whispered breathlessly, hoping that he wasn't having some livid dream.

La Muerte just nodded her head confirmation.

A wide grin spread across Xibalba's skeletal features as he placed the ring on her slender finger. He drew her back into his embrace, wings unfurling from his back to cover them both. Their lips touched each other, softly, sweetly, and filled with the love that had been rekindled once more.

They pulled away at the same time, only to press their foreheads together.

"Te amo, mi corazón." He said quietly.

I love you, my heart.

"Y te amo, mi amor." she said in response.

And I love you, my love.

The sound of music drew their attention back down to the scene below. Manolo had started to sing and play his guitar until he passed it off to Ignacio, who started to pick up where Manolo left off along with the Rodriguez brothers, who joined in with their own instruments. As Manolo and Maria began to sing and dance together the whole town followed as well.

La Muerte and Xibalba watched the scene with a smile until the Candle Maker suddenly came up from behind them and pulled them both into a big bear hug, much to La Muerte's amusement and Xibalba's annoyance.

"Man, I just love happy endings!" the wax covered god said before he left to go join the festivities.

The queen covered her mouth with her hand and laughed while the king rolled his eyes, but watching the humans and listening to the music below had given him an idea. He turned to his wife, offering his hand to her. "May I have this dance, my lady?"

La Muerte smiled. Oh, when was the last time they had danced? "Yes, you may, my lord." With that, she snapped her fingers and her sombrero disappeared along with she changed into a different dress. It was similar to the one she usually wore expect the hem of this dress was nearly as long so it didn't have any candles on it and the only flowers stitched into it were just along the bodice.

She placed one hand in her husband's while the other rested on his shoulder. Xibalba placed his free hand on the small of her back. They began to waltz occasionally Xibalba would spin La Muerte all the way out, only to twirl her right back into his arms. She laughed in delight when he dipped her so low that her hair brushed the ground. When he brought her back up, they dimly registered that the music was beginning to fade away, but it didn't matter. They were too focused on each other to care.

Xibalba and La Muerte stopped dancing and kissed at the same time Manolo and Maria did below them. And despite all the craziness that had happened, it had turned out to be as the Candle Maker said, a good Day of the Dead indeed.

Author's Notes: More Gravepainters! So yeah, for this one I just basically made up what I thought Xibalba and La Muerte were doing the times we didn't see them on the screen. I hope it turned out pretty well. And yeah I did use the last line a bit from my previous story as well, but hey it fits.