Unexpected Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine: Darkest Before Dawn

Grell stood in stunned silence. At a loss for words, he stared at his angry friend. The full realization of what had occurred hit Grell hard. Undertaker was a felon, wanted by the Reaper Association and likely to be put to death for his crimes. By hiding the fact that he knew about Undertaker's presence in the city, he would likely be sent before council and demoted. If they found out that he was now involved in a relationship with the fugitive reaper, he would likely be facing death as well.

And yet Grell found that if he could go back and change the past, to make it so he had never foolishly followed the Undertaker to his shop, he would not change a thing. Ignoring the fact that their lives were now in jeopardy, Grell had never been more satisfied with life. The threat of losing the wonderful, loving, creepy Undertaker made Grell tremble. He couldn't allow that to happen.

Grell gave Ronald a desperate look, his eyes silently pleading as he finally found his voice.

"Please, don't tell!" Grell cried out, clasping his hands together as he look to Ronald for any kind of salvation.

"What in the hell were you doing there, Grell-sempai? Are you two friends? Are you fucking? Explain this all! How could you keep this from me?" Ronald spewed out as question after question entered his mind, frustrating him even further.

Grell debated wither or not to tell the truth, deciding after a moment that an honest answer at this point would be for the best. Ronald was a friend, and had been right there with Grell when the Campania incident had happened. He didn't deserve a lie.

"I… It started off innocently I swear!" Grell whined, "He approached me on the streets, and invited me to his shop. We chatted, and it helped me a lot with some personal questions I had. He invited me to come back, and I promised not to tell that he was back in town." Grell explained, his voice soft and honest.

"There has got to be more to it than that, Grell-sempai! You came out of his shop after, I'm assuming, spending the night there!" Ronald stated, his hard eyes probing for more answers.

"It was just friendly for a while! Really it was! But the more time I would spend with him, the more I noticed things about him~! Things I liked! He was so kind to me all the time, and always so happy to have me around… I never annoyed him like I did with other men." Grell said with a soft whisper. "I didn't think anything would happen, but it did, Ronald! And I won't ever regret it!" The red head snapped firmly, head held high.

"Of course he was being nice to you, Grell-sempai! You're the one keeping him out of the hands of the Reaper Association! He's probably using you!" Ronald cried out, concern for his friend plastered on his young face.

"He's NOT!" Grell cried out in rage, taking a few steps towards Ronald. "He wouldn't do something like that! I don't expect you to understand, Ronald! Just trust me! Please~! Just don't tell anyone, please?" Grell begged, his heart pounding in his chest, feeling like a bird trying to escape the iron bars of its cage.

The look Ronald had on his face made the red head's heart ache. He could see that his friend was torn, caught between loyalty towards his friend, and loyalty towards his lifestyle. The situation was horribly unfair, and Grell silently cursed the heavens. Why couldn't they just give him a break?

It just wasn't fair! He had been born the wrong gender, his family had hated him and had even caused his death, he had constantly fallen in love with men who did nothing but break his heart, and now that he had FINALLY found a moment of happiness it was going to be ripped away!

"How can you ask me to keep this a secret, Grell? You're asking me to lie to William, to our coworkers, to everyone! When they find out about this, and they will eventually if I already have, you'll be LUCKY to be killed! They might just make you rot in a cell, Grell-sempai! And you know if they can get their hands on the Undertaker, he's as good as dead!" Ronald exclaimed, trying to talk sense into the red head.

"I'm not asking you to lie, I'm asking you to forget! Just forget that this moment ever happened, and I'll be more careful so I don't get caught again!" Grell pleaded, closing the distance between himself and Ronald, desperately clasping onto the younger reaper's jacket as he tried to make his case.

Ronald stood silently for a moment, staring at Grell as the red head clutched onto his jacket. Gently, the younger reaper reached up and pried his friend from his clothing, a tired and pitying look residing on his face.

"You can have until tonight to figure out where you stand on this all, Grell-sempai. I can't offer you anything more than that. At the end of the shift, I plan to tell William what I saw today. You can either tell him before me, or face the consequences after I tell him." Ronald said gently, his voice sounding strained with emotion. "Why couldn't it have been someone else? Anyone else, Grell-sempai? I don't want to have to be the one to do this to you, but I can't go against my beliefs. I can't turn my back on William and the Reaper Association by keeping this from them. I can't."

Grell's heart felt as though it was made of lead. His chest ached, and he blinked back tears that threatened to spill forth. It just wasn't fair. It wasn't right. The love that he felt, and all of the doubts in his mind. Grell knew that he had better use his time wisely.

"I understand, Ronald." Grell said softly, taking a deep breath and releasing it as he tried to calm the raging emotions that flooded his senses. "I need to go." The reaper said as he took a step away from his friend.

The younger reaper gave a reluctant nod, his hurt gaze lingering on Grell's own before he turned and began walking away. When Ronald was out of sight, Grell dropped down to his hands and knees, the tough gravel beneath him cutting into his soft skin. The pain made no difference though, not compared to the pain in his chest.

The doubt he was feeling hurt him the most. What Ronald had said made sense, that the Undertaker was using him for his own benefits. It was logical after all. Undertaker's life had been on the line, of course he would treat the red head well if it meant his safety.

But Grell's heart throbbed in his chest, denying the thoughts just as quickly as they came. If the Undertaker had wanted Grell's silence so badly, he could've easily killed Grell once they were alone in the shop. The Association was used to Grell's 'leave of absences' every so often. They wouldn't have looked too hard for him, nor for too long.

A hot tear slid down Grell's cheek, and he reached up to furiously wipe it away. Tears would solve nothing, and would make his makeup run. Picking himself up off the ground, Grell drew in a shaky breath.

He needed answers.

If he was going to figure out how to deal with the current situation, Grell knew that he would have to remove the doubts he felt welling up inside from his mind. He began walking, mindlessly heading back to the Undertaker's shop.

If Ronald was proven to be correct in his assumptions, Grell wasn't sure what he would do. His heart would certainly be broken, but would he really be able to send the silver haired man to his death? Oh, the Undertaker would look absolutely ravishing as his own passionate death overcame him, Grell was certain.

But the thought saddened him at the same time. The silver haired fugitive had brought so much into his life when there hadn't been much joy left. Seeing him die would hurt. It would hurt more than any other pain Grell had felt.

And if Ronald was proven wrong, and the Undertaker's feelings for him were pure, Grell was still at a loss. How could he save them? If Grell didn't tell William about the Undertaker's return tonight, Ronald would. The thought of killing Ronald crossed Grell's mind, but was dismissed just as quickly. Ronald was a friend, and killing him out hurt the red head deeply, not to mention hurt William.

A shutter ran through Grell's body as he thought of William's actions after his lover's death. No matter how close the two reapers were, Grell was certain William would try to kill him if such a thing occurred. It was not an option. It would be too messy, and hurt too much.

Grell slowly approached the Undertaker's shop. The candles inside were lit, lighting the shop with a soft glow. As the reaper stood on the street outside, he hesitated. He couldn't help but silently wish that Ronald hadn't caught him. Letting out a shaky breath, Grell pushed the door to the shop open.

His lover stood with his back to the reaper, turning to give a curious look as the door creaked open, announcing the presence of another. A look of surprise fluttered across the Undertaker's scarred face as he saw Grell standing silently in his shop. Turning to face the red head, he spoke with concern.

"Oh, you're back so soon? And you look quite troubled as well. What has happened to upset you, M'dear?" The Undertaker questioned.

Grell made no move to respond, instead giving the ex-reaper a desperate look. In an instant, the Undertaker had crossed the dimly lit shop, drawing the red head into his arms and holding him to his chest. The reaper clung to his lover, burying his head in the older man's chest. Tears began to flood his eyes, trailing down his face and wetting his lover's coat.

A warm hand rubbed in circles on Grell's back, offering comfort. After a few minutes, he finally got himself back under control, doing his best to dry the tears that flooded his face. A wave of shame hit the red head. He was supposed to be strong, a reaper, and yet here he was sobbing and heartbroken.

The reaper reluctantly pulled away from his lover, drying his eyes with the back of his hand as he sniffled. A curious Undertaker watched and waited silently as Grell collected himself. After a moment, Grell finally decided to break the silence.

"I was on my way to the portal wall when I found Ronald. He saw me leaving here. He's threatening to tell William tonight if I don't do so before then." Grell whispered, his voice sounding strained and weak.

"I see~! This is a predicament, now isn't it? Not many options left in this one, hehe." The Undertaker mused aloud.

Grell gave an irritated glare. The happy Undertaker certainly wasn't helping any.

"How can you laugh about this! This is serious, if Ronald tells William, the association will go after you! After both of us!" Grell cried out in outrage, swatting at the Undertaker who easily dodged.

"Hmm? He'll tell on you too will he? How cruel, ehehe." The Undertaker remarked, a slight smile gracing his features. "But there is more, right? I would expect panic in such a situation as this, but not for you to come back to me as broken as you are now." The silver haired man said with a slight tilt of his head as he stared at Grell's tear-streaked face.

Grell gave a nod, looking away from his lover. He didn't want to question the other man's intentions. He feared the answers he might receive. But if he was going to come up with a solution to the situation at hand, he needed to know. Was his lover simply using him, or did he care for him?

"He said that you were using me. That I was convenient for you, because I've kept your presence here a secret." The red head revealed, refusing to meet his lover's eyes.

Soft steps drew Grell's attention, but he refused to look as his lover approached. The brush of long nails on his face sent shivers up the reaper's spine, and the warmth of the hand that now cupped his cheek finally broke Grell enough to turn his attention towards the Undertaker.

The Undertaker had drawn his hair back from his face, revealing the scarred tissue and haunting eyes. As the candles danced on the pale flesh, Grell knew he had never seen anything more lovely in his long life. Their eyes met, and the thumb that rested on his cheek began to stroke the heated flesh lightly in an attempt to bring comfort.

"And do you believe this?" The ex-reaper questioned, a sad smile on his face as he watched Grell for a reaction.

"I-I… I don't want to! But I'm not sure… You see, no one h-has ever treated me the way you do. I want to b-believe it, it feels so nice~!" Tears welled in the red heads eyes, slowly beginning to flood his face again. "But I have to ask! I need to hear it f-from you! Please, tell me what I need to hear?" Grell begged, reaching out and grasping the Undertaker's black jacket in desperation as he buried his face in the material.

Firm hands on his shoulders drew Grell away from the warm body of his lover, causing the red head to stare up at the fugitive as fear of rejection began to overwhelm him. There was no smile on the Undertaker's face now, his face serious and void of emotion. Grell swallowed harshly, silently waiting for the words that would set his heart ablaze or break it in two.

The Undertaker studied Grell's face, bring a hand up from the red head's shoulder to run it through the younger man's hair. After a moment, he finally spoke.

"When I initially approached you, it was because I knew you were close with the Earl and his Butler, and you would be a good source of information regarding them. I was surprised, however, that you made such pleasant company when you calmed yourself a bit. It was foolish for me to allow you to leave, to trust your promise not to tell the council of my return, and yet I did it anyways. You seemed so lonely and bored, pitiful really." The Undertaker said with a slight shrug, a smirk forming on his lips as he thought back to that time.

"But you came back, bringing amusing antics and quick retorts. You were so full of questions, and so happy to be around me, that I couldn't help but he happy as well. So I kept inviting you back, M'dear. You're very endearing, you know, playing and teasing all the time~!" The silver haired man teased, bending down so that his eyes were level with Grell's own.

"If I had wanted your silence, I would've simply cut out the middle man, M'dear. Namely, yourself. I kept you around not as a matter of convenience, but because of a matter of the heart. I liked you, along with your rambunctious personality." The man revealed, leaning forward and pressing his lips firmly against Grell's own.

The kiss was brief, and Grell stared wide eyed as his lover drew away. The passionate and honest words warmed his heart and made him tremble with untold emotion. His heart was racing, fluttering like a bird in a cage. It was hard to breathe for a moment, but Grell reminded himself that breathing was not a necessity for reapers.

"I love you, Grell, my lovely little red reaper. Please do not allow others to place such doubts in your mind, it's unbecoming for a young lady such as yourself." The Undertaker said firmly, his lips twitching upward as he tried to keep his face composed.

A shrill cry emerged from Grell as he launched himself at the ex-reaper, flinging his arms around his lovers neck and hugging him fiercely. Grell plastered the Undertaker's face and neck with tear soaked kisses, causing the older man to giggle to himself at the enthusiastic reaction.

"You said it! You said it! You said it~!" Grell chanted, thrilled with the revelation.

'He loves me! Oh my, he LOVES me!' The red head thought to himself, stunned and excited. His heart felt as light as a feather, as though nothing in the world could hurt him at that moment, not as long as the Undertaker was at his side.

"Oh, I love you too, you crazy, silly, odd man!" The reaper exclaimed, kissing the Undertaker fully on the lips.

Laughter broke the kiss early, and the red head stood happily in his lover's arms as the older man laughed loudly at Grell's outburst. The happy moment was short lived though as the current situation flooded back into the reapers mind.

"Oh~! What will we do, Undertaker? I won't lose you, but I don't know if we could take on so many reapers! And it would kill me to have to hurt Ronald or William~!" Grell whined, pulling back from his lover with worry in his eyes.

The Undertaker gave a light laugh, kissing the reapers nose lightly and causing a light blush to spread on the red head's cheeks.

"Hmm? But would they not be killing you by endangering you so? No matter though, love~! I have a plan, just place your trust in me, M'dear!"

---

Ronald walked through the offices with a heavy heart. Grell had not shown up to work after their argument earlier in the morning. Swallowing harshly, Ronald felt sick to his stomach. He was left with no choice at this point.

As Ronald approached William's office, he paused. This was not what he wanted. He wanted Grell to show up, late as usual, and give William some bullshit explanation that would get him out of trouble and leave that disgraceful deserter reaper with the aftermath of his choices. But that wouldn't happen, the young reaper was sure of it.

He knew Grell didn't understand why he had reacted the way he had. But Ronald knew his reasons were pure. The Undertaker had not only left the Reaper Association without good cause or permission, but had also broken one of the most important rules of being a reaper.

Re-animating those bodies was not only disgraceful, but broke the most important rule of death: Everyone dies, and you can never bring the dead back to life.

The Undertaker was clever, coming back into town so silently and targeting Grell. The red head was easily manipulated, and easily lured as well. The sense of danger had drew his friend in, Ronald was positive, and the Undertaker's supposed interested in him romantically would certainly have kept his friend right where that fugitive wanted him.

Grell was quick to fall in love, and the young reaper knew that his friend would certainly betray the entire Association if it meant he would hear the sweet lies that Undertaker spoke to him. Ronald had no choice.

He was in love as well, after all. If William found out he knew about the Undertaker and Grell, and had said nothing, it would not only end with Ronald going in front of the council but more likely than not it would destroy his relationship with William as well.

The blond loved his stoic boss. He wouldn't allow anything or anyone to ruin the relationship that they had. Even if it meant a possible death penalty for his closest friend. The nauseous wave hit Ronald again, causing him to gag a bit.

The young reaper moved forward to the door, knocking heavily. The echo of the sound was deafening.

"Come in." A muffled voice sounded from behind the door.

Letting out a shaky breath, Ronald pushed open the door to William's office. He knew he had no choice. He knew what he had to do. He wouldn't allow anyone to ruin the life that he had built for himself. He couldn't allow anyone to destroy his relationship with William, unintentional or not.

Ronald entered the office, gently closing the door behind him. The dark haired man looked up and gave a nod towards the chair positioned in front of the desk. The blonds' heavy steps filled the room, destroying the silence that had once existed.

"You're pale. What's wrong?" William questioned, setting his paperwork down on the desk in front of him as he turned his attention to the younger reaper.

The blond sat in the seat across from his lover, trying to calm the sickening feeling that kept creeping up on him. Grell had his chance to save himself, to come up with something to fix the situation. Ronald had given the red head all that he could give. He had no choice.

"I have some information for you, regarding the fugitive reaper who edited those cinematic records on the Campania." Ronald whispered, his voice cracking slightly.

That simple statement had caught William's attention, causing the older man to give him a curious look.

"What have you found out?" The raven haired man questioned, entwining his fingers as his hands rested on the desk.

"He's back in town. He has been for a little while now, apparently." Ronald revealed, his eyes meeting his lover's.

As their eyes locked, the blond felt the nausea subside a bit. He knew he could be weak in front of the other man. William loved him, and would keep him safe. Repeating the words in his head, Ronald found the courage to keep going.

"H-He and Grell are seeing each other apparently. I saw Grell leaving his shop this morning and confronted him." Ronald explained, watching as a variety of complex emotions played out on his lovers face.

Silence filled the room again, and the blond could almost feel the older man's silent rage radiating off of him. William kept silent for a few minutes, seeming to allow the information to sink in as he thought the situation through. Finally, he spoke again.

"Where is Grell Sutcliff now?" The cold voice demanded.

Ronald knew that this was for the best. It had to be. So why did it break his heart so much? Why did it have to hurt so badly? Why couldn't Grell have just showed up?

---

As the sun set on the tired city, a small group of reapers walked in silence through the deserted streets. William Spears led the five man group through the streets and alleys, making his way towards the Undertaker's shop.

'How disgraceful.' William thought to himself, 'That Grell Sutcliff would allow his life to end this way. Certainly he knew the consequences for hiding this sort of information from the council? He must have. He may be foolish, but an idiot he is not.'

Soft mumbles could be heard every so often from the group of reapers that followed the raven haired man, but a quick glare or thrust of his scythe silenced the noise immediately. He was in no mood to put up with the ignorance of others.

After his lover had come into his office earlier, revealing the secret that Grell had been hiding from the Association, William had been forced to go in front of the council with the information. As expected, William as well as a small group of strong reapers were dispatched in order to comprehend the two men.

Undertaker was to be apprehended and placed in front of the council for his death sentence. Deadly force was acceptable in his apprehension, as it would be his eventual fate after all. Sutcliff was to be taken alive is possible, though at the very least he would be imprisoned for at least one hundred years. The likely outcome was death, though.

William was certain.

The raven haired man silently cursed the red head for forcing him into the current situation. The annoying, gender-confused, obnoxious reaper that William had known for nearly a hundred years was going to die. And William was the one sent to apprehend him to bring him to his fate.

Although William knew better than to allow emotions to interfere with his work, this situation was making such things difficult. The insane reaper whom had harassed William for years was his friend. The entire situation was too bitter for the raven haired man to bear.

As the group approached the shop, the raven haired reaper knew that there was no turning back. Giving the signal, the small group of expert reapers burst through the doors of the shop. The men swept through the shop silently, thoroughly searching every nook and cranny.

William listened to the shouts of 'All clear!' as they sounded from one room to the next. As the reaper moved inward to take a look around the shop, he noticed a white piece of paper folded on the Undertaker's desk. Moving forward, William seized the paper and opened it.


Dear William,

I know that you'll be among the few reapers they send for the Undertaker and I, and you're the only one that I could imagine addressing this note to. It's true, I am in a relationship with the Undertaker. It was not planned, but we were both pleased with the outcome. They do say that the best things in life are unexpected, right?

I'm sorry to have put you in this situation. I know it mustn't be easy. Tell Ronald I understand that he had to tell you, and that even though he's wrong, I still love him. I wish you the best with your relationship with him, he's a sweet kid. Do your best to be open with him, I know it's hard for you.

As I'm sure you've already figured out, the Undertaker and I have left. I won't tell you where we are going for obvious reasons, but I can tell you that I've never been more happy. I hope that you can forgive me someday, but I know that I made the correct choice for myself.

A passionate goodbye,

Grell Sutcliff


"Sir, it appears they've already gone!" A voice called from down a hallway.

William gave a soft grunt in response. 'Yes.' He thought to himself. 'It seems so.'

---

The carriage creaked softly as it moved over the uneven dirt road. Inside, Grell and the Undertaker sat, Grell's head resting upon his lover's chest as he looked out the window at the setting sun.

Only a few hours ago, Grell had set out for his apartment for the last time, gathering together any necessary items he could fit into a large bag. The Undertaker had laughed at the red head when he had whined about leaving behind so many personal items, reassuring the younger man that he would buy him anything he needed and more once they got to their new home.

The boat they were heading to would be leaving for America in the morning. His lover had connections in the country, and had assured the red head that once they arrived he would easily be able to secure a new place for them in a city near the coast.

The promise of a new life alongside the silver haired man warmed Grell's heart, and he couldn't help the smile that graced his lips. Gazing upward towards the older man, Grell gave a toothy grin and was pleased when an awkwardly large smile graced his lover's scarred face as well.

Reaching over to entwine his fingers with his lover's own, Grell pressed a soft kiss to the Undertaker's awaiting lips. The man he loved, the man who loved him, was kissing him.

'Just like Romeo and Juliet, but without the tragic ending.' The red head thought to himself as he considered the situation. 'Lovers running away together, their passion for one another winning over all other things. How romantic~!'

"Are you happy, M'dear?" A deep voice from asked as the kiss was broken.

Grell smiled to himself.

"I've never been happier."