RED
William loves Grell. It's hard to see it, through Will's cold, workaholic nature, but he does. Desperately so. His cold demeanor at the office is retained, but he does love Grell. He doesn't show it during work, but he softens greatly alone with Grell. He is, in truth, quite the romantic. His main joy in life is seeing Grell's sincer smile. Yes, William and Grell are deeply in love with each other, and have been for centuries. Until the present time. Will has more overtime than ever, and hardly has time for the red reaper that is Grell. The beautiful– yes, beautiful not handsome– male was desperate to have Will's affections again. Some may think him needy, but only those who truly knew the red head would see it for what it was: insecurity. Will's endless work and cold demeanor paired with Grell's insecurity resulted in their worst fight. They had their spats and arguments, certainly, but never had the come to such fierce blows. They fought, with words and punches. 'I hate you' flew from Will's mouth. 'I wish you would die' also flew from the dark haired reaper. 'You're insufferable and annoying' was, perhaps, what stung the red reaper most. Still, Grell took the harsh words and returned them with blows, and he nursed the hurt into anger and hatred. They shouted at each other, Grell screaming in his fury, and the whole office building was at a standstill, listening to the awful words they could hear too clearly.
That terrible screaming match finally ended, after hours of harsh exchanges, and Grell went to his apartment. Now that the adrenaline and anger had passed, both reapers were left empty and just plain sad. Will's demeanor became even colder, harsher, and sterner. Grell though, Grell took it worse. The majority of the angry words came from William, the physical injuries came from Grell. Those cold remarks ate away at Grell, ever so slowly. They tormented him every day, until the last vestiges of his sanity slipped away, and the redhead fell willingly into the cold yet freeing grasp of insanity.
The red reaper had always lived on the brink of madness, but he had yet to tip off the edge. He did so now, and it was then that he met Angelina, or Madame Red. It was well known that Grell loved red, and this human woman was adorned solely in that lovely color. Her short hair was a light shade of red than Grell's own outrageously long, blood-red locks. She wore a red dress with a red coat. Her lips were painted red, and even her eyes were red, though not a demonic red. The color bordered on brown, more of a burgundy than anything else. The reaper was infatuated with her, and the two became an infamous killer, became known as Jack the Ripper.
Grell loved the color red. He adored it, revelled in it, draped himself in it. This world that Angelina showed him was beautiful, and he loved it. It was pure red. He loved the feeling of his custom death scythe ripping through pale flesh, staining it lovely, lovely red. He loved the way that red stained his hands, stained his clothes as he gripped the dead woman's womb out. Yes, Grell loved this new world that Angelina had shown him. Together, they stained the cobblestone streets of London with crimson blood. As he brought more and more red to the dark of night, Grell's vision became stained with the red he loved so much.
Grell had always held a strange enjoyment in chasing men he knew he couldn't get. Yet even as he chased after countless people, Will was always in the back of his mind. Now, in his insanity, William nearly disappeared from his thoughts. No, his thoughts were replaced with red and blood. With the appearance of the brat, Ciel Phantomhive and his lovely demon butler Sebastian, Grell had a new chase. As Madame Red attacked Ciel, Sebastian went after Grell. Sebastian was one of the few people to beat Grell with relative ease, and Grell loved it. He loved the wine-red color of the demon's eyes, and his awe of Sebastian grew as he took in the demons during the fight. Red flecked his white gloves, his red eyes were narrowed, and his pale, white-grey skin was also flecked with red. Then came Grell's chance, the demon distracted by his contractor's danger. Grell's death scythe roared, and it cut deeply into the demon's arm. Lovely red sprayed out to cover the cobblestone and darken the demon's suit.
The fight was over, at least, for now. Grell had no more use for Madame Red. She was, in the end, too weak to add more red to this dull world, so he killed her. She looked lovely with red staining her pale skin. Angelina had shown Grell the bloodstained path to a red world, and he appreciated that. Now, though, he had no use for her. The fight began anew, and Sebastain beat Grell with such ease. They flew over the rooftops, leapt into the sky, and ended up on the ground, Grell at Sebastian's mercy. Grell became even more enamored of the demon. He loved the cold red gaze as a black shoe smashed into his face. The unmerciful, sadistic smirk as Grell was kicked into a wall. The cold, indifferent mask as a white gloved hand was smashed into his face again. Yes, Sebastian had the perfect sadity, coldness, and indifference for Grell to want him. Then, Will was there, just as the red reaper's death scythe was aimed at his chest, held within the red-flecked white gloves of a demon. William, in all his neat perfection. Slicked back black hair, perfectly arranged. Rectangular glasses, glinting in the lamplight so Grell couldn't see his green eyes. Perfectly creased neat suit. Ridiculous death scythe at his side, the strange extendable hedge clippers that Grell had no idea why Will would choose them.
At the sight of the reaper who had hurt him so terribly, yet the redhead still loved desperately, Grell's sanity slowly returned, and the red haze faded from his vision. The black-haired reaper grabbed the redhead by his hair, dragging him along in anger. His death scythe was taken from the demon, and Grell was taken back to the Reaper office. He was given the lowest of the low versions of the death scythes: two pairs of scissors. Almost as if to downgrade him even more, Will had given him safety scissors, the type that kindergartners used. Barely able to cut through a soul, much less fight any demon that he came across.
During his first few days back, Grell was strangely quiet. He was contemplating his insanity. It could only be described as the chains of his mind being cut to allow him infinite freedom. Despite how much he had loved it, insanity scared him. It was thrilling to be so free, but it was terrifying. Released from the cage that the mind truly was, Grell could do anything he wanted, and feel very little guilt. That was why he feared insanity. Grell loved red, and he had loved staining his world that color, but there was one thing Grell Sutcliff was not, and that was a cold-blooded killer. He realized that were he given the option to become insane again, he would refuse instantly. As this though came upon him, three days after his return, Grell was back to his normal flamboyant, outrageous, dramatic self.
In the time that passed, Grell was only allowed a different death scythe twice. Once during the fight with that awful angel Angela. He had been given a scythe like Will's, those silly extendable hedge clippers. He had been excited, but had to return it. Sadly. The second time was during the burning of London, with Ash, Angela's male form. He had gotten his custom one back, and he revelled in mercilessly cutting and freeing the thousands of souls clouding London. He swung wildly, while Will cut through them one by one in that meticulous way of his. Then the scissors were returned to him.
Grell's workload in both souls and paperload had been cut down greatly. He had, at first, loved that, and then the realization of why it was cut so greatly came upon him. In his insecure mind, he was sure that it was because even months after his rebellion, William still didn't trust him. He became quiet and withdrawn, and he no longer was quite so outgoing and passionate.
Will was worried about Grell. The redhead hadn't been his normal self for weeks now. He kept expecting the red reaper to bounce back as he had in his first days back, but he didn't. He was quite, meek, and subservient, and that worried Will to no end. He missed the old Grell, and this ate away at him until he could take it no more. He would have to talk with Grell. He'd prefer to ask Knox to do it. The blonde was so much better at this than him, but he knew the blonde reaper would refuse. William and Grell had never outright hidden their relationship, but nor had they flaunted it or announced that they were together. Grell jumping on Will, hugging him and flirting with him was a common occurance, and everyone payed no mind to it. Knox, though, was close with Grell and noticed the redhead's newfound energy. Even when Will didn't fight the hugs or pecks to the lips and occasionally reciprocated them, the other reapers assumed he had given up on fighting the redhead. No, Knox would only tell Will to talk with Grell himself. So, the dark-haired reaper called the red reaper to his office. Sutcliff was there in seconds, but he didn't enter dramatically. He only walked in and closed the door gently behind him. It was worrying.
Grell was sulking. He was sulking, sad, and hurt. Will didn't trust him, even so long after Jack the Ripper. The dark haired reaper called him into his office, and Grell entered quickly.
"It's not like you to be so quiet, Sutcliff," said Will.
"Sorry," was the redhead's reply. This worried Will greatly. Normally, Grell would reply with something like, 'aw, you're worried about me' and end it with another unwanted hug. William snapped.
"Dammit Sutcliff! What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing?! It's quite clear that there is something wrong. You're too quiet! Too meek! What happened to the drama queen we all know and love? I have left so many opening for your ridiculous innuendos in conversations with you, but you ignore them. We all miss the flamboyant reaper who flirts outrageously with everyone. I want the old you back," replied Will rather angrily. The worry was out of character for him, but he hated the calmness in the office that resulted from the redhead's new attitude.
"Why don't you trust me?" asked Grell.
"What?" Will was confused by the sudden question. Of course he trusted Grell.
"Why don't you trust me? You've cut my paperwork down to almost nothing, and you're having me collect something like ten souls a night. You used to have me collect more than fifty." William suddenly realized what had happened. He had always known about Grell's insecurity, and he hated it. He hadn't completely realized how little work he was assigning Grell, and of course the redhead would take it as William not trusting him to do it.
"I trust you, Grell. Perhaps more so than anyone I've ever met," said Will neutrally. "I haven't been meaning to cut your assignment. I've just been– busy, and I've been assigning unevenly. I didn't mean to make it seem like I distrust you."
Grell's mood swings were very well known. The redhead could go from furious to ridiculously happy, then switch to sad, all within seconds. He now became his old self, flinging himself at William. Rather than trying to avert it, the dark-haired reaper simply returned the hug.
"I'm sorry for what I said. I didn't mean it. I love you, Grell Sutcliff. More than anything," he whispered in the red head's ear.
"I love you too, William T. Spears."
With that conversation, work at the office went back to normal. Grell turned his paperwork in late again, and he was lazy once more. He and William were back together, and they were happy. Sadly, though, Grell was still on probation. Once put on, it couldn't be removed for a decade. During probation, Grell had to use the scissor death scythes. Will upgraded them to larger shears, but they still weren't good for fighting. Then came that awful night.
Grell was assigned to harvest only a few souls that night, as he now had a mountain of paperwork to do on his desk. His first few went well, and then there was the last one. A teenage girl, named Julia Chanes. Cause of death: assault. Time of death: 12:23am. Place of death: a random alleyway. Grell rolled his eyes at the lack of detail. Sighing, he went in search of 'a random alleyway'. He found it quite easily, following the scream that pierced the night. He quickly ran across the rooftops to Julia, and what he saw made his blood run cold. Not a lot scared Grell Sutcliff, but facing a demon with nothing but shears did. Still, he couldn't lose this soul. Pulling back his lips to reveal his shark teeth, he leaped on the demon, hoping to catch him by suprise. He did, and got one good shot in. Then, the fight began.
Will was annoyed. He generally was, but he was moreso than usual. Grell was late coming to work. His last soul was to be reaped at 12:23am, and then the redhead could go home. It was almost noon, and the red reaper had yet to come. Huffing in annoyance, he opened his mouth to call in Knox. Before he could, the blonde reaper rushed in, looking panicked and dishevelled.
"Knox, I was about–," Will started, but Ronald interrupted him.
"Boss, you might want to come quick. It's about Grell," came a breathless voice. William stood quickly, following as Ronald started running. He led Will to where Julia Chanes should have been. The girl's body lay on the streets, a small pool of blood surrounding her. It was the other body that Will was focused on. Horror-filled green eyes surveyed the scene. Beside Julia lay a corpse. Long, fine, blood-red hair spread around the person. Black dress pants with a white dress shirt and vest. A red-and-white striped bow tie. A red coat, hanging on their elbows. Pale, porcelian skin. Shears in either hand. Red glasses, with a chain of skulls, black, and red beads. Grell Sutcliff. Time seemed to be frozen as Will looked at the dead body of Grell. His lover. He cursed that death scythe, those shears that barely did any damage to a demon. He cursed the rule of probation. Most of all, though, William cursed himself for not telling Grell he loved him more. For not checking on the redhead when he was an hour late. For waiting until noon to send someone to check on him.
William T. Spears loved Grell Sutcliff. He loved the reaper's long hair. Fine, straight, silky soft strands of beautiful blood-red hair, pouring down past his slim hips, almost to his shins. He loved Grell's personality. Outgoing, passionate, and lively. He seemed to be the living embodiment of life, never staying still for too long unless he had too. It didn't look right, Grell laying so still. Will loved the way that Grell threw himself at the dark-haired reaper, and the way he made daily visits to his office. He loved the other reaper's passion for the color red, which looked so good on him. How terribly fitting that Grell should die painted the color he loved. Most of all though, William loved that Grell loved him. The redhead had always looked past his cold, stern mask and seen the passionate, romantic man behind it. He had always ignored the fact that Will was so emotionally inept, and had no idea how to express himself. He had always loved Will, even when William wouldn't admit that he loved Grell.
William hated Grell. He hated how red fit him so well, and he hated that it seemed so fitting that the redhead should die that color. He hated that Grell was so lively and passionate. He hated that Grell loved him, and always managed to break him down. He hated that he was so open with Grell, and that only Grell could do that to him. William hated that Grell made him a better man, and he hated that Grell taught him life to the fullest. He hated how wild the red reaper was, how unpredictable he was. Most of all, though, Will hated that Grell was dead. Most of all, Will hated how empty his life seemed an eternity later without Grell. His Reaper in Red.