Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji
It's 1942, Grell has been assigned to a death camp in order to ensure death comes naturally as possible but, with the amount of inviting souls, other forces make his mission a tad bit difficult.
A/N: As a fair warning, this story will contain graphic scenes and disturbing content, along with sexual situations, do enjoy. References to the manga and anime will be made.
"Kristina just found out she's pregnant, I mean, I gotta feel sorry for her; her husband got shipped out months ago but now he came back all messed up and...hey, Grell? Grell? Are you listening?"
Grell was uninterested in Ronald's gossip, though the younger Shinigami looked slightly crestfallen at being ignored.
It was the beginning of the summer of 1942. The Germans have taken Poland three years before (which opened the bloody war) and, only a about year ago, nearly gotten a hold of Great Brittan if it weren't for the Royal Air Force. From what he could gather, for information was scattered through out the numerous Dispatch Divisions, he knew that Japan had taken Manchuria (though that was so long ago during the Acts of Aggressions) and had dragged America into the world wide conflict in both the Pacific and Atlantic Theater. Oh so much had happened though Grell had experienced a small portion of what had happened.
Grell had lived through it, the air raids, but remained home, unwilling to go off into the battlefield.
He wasn't the type to go for wars, he preferred murderers than inartistic bloodshed with bodies piling up and souls being a pain to reach.
His hands reached for the morning paper and shook it to straighten the pages out. It was another topic of war but he was looking for the latest deals of the clothing shops in the market. Maybe he could steal himself a new dress...
"Grell! I'm trying-"
"That's nice, Ronald."
"Ugh, never mind."
He sensed that Ronald was looking over the paper to read. "Hey, the shops are still out of business," the man clicked his tongue.
Grell stared at him. "Hm?"
"It'll take years to repair things, not months," Ronald said,"or you can go out and raid whatever shop you want, it's not like I'm going to stop you."
"That's exactly why I'm going through the catalog," Grell chuckled to him, he clucked once more.
"You're such an opportunist."
They were starting their day at a newly opened cafe at the heart of London. Survivors and workers were few at this time of the hour but a couple were making their purchases at the store. Many wore the most dingy clothes and some barely at shoes on their feet but nonetheless, they miraculously had money. Ronald took his seat across from Grell, a new cup of the brew was set between them. Out of everyone, they stood out like a sore thumb but none paid any attention to them, humans were too wrapped up in their own problems to care.
Grell reached out for his cup and drank, then he set his paper down.
A shooting was supposed to go off at this new establishment, Grell checked his watch. Only five minutes before time, he glanced at Ronald; at the subtle cue, the man produced a black folder and read through it before looking up to search for the victims.
"It's only three people in the line, then the clerk," Ronald announced to him. Grell looked over his shoulder. The line only contained five people, there was a beautiful woman at the desk giving out drinks to those who ordered it. Grell leaned against the table and propped his chin on his hand. "It doesn't look like anything's gonna happen though."
"Yeah, shooting sprees normally start out like this. Tell me...how was your time at France?"
Ronald shrugged. "Boring, just reaping and the usual things, I wasn't needed no more than a day since the Paris Division had that covered."
Grell quirked an eyebrow. "Oh? A day? But you stayed a month."
"Actually, spent that time with the ladies there." Ronald gave a cocky smirk. "Thinking of switching positions there after all of this."
"Well, oversea jobs are a fun experience for everyone. I hope to get a part at one of those German camps-" Ronald have a warning for Grell to lower his voice. "-there's so much to do there."
Ronald gave him a worried expression. "That's what I was going to tell you about, it was about Kristina's husband; he was actually assigned to a death camp in Germany, A...A-Auschwitz I think. Keep it a hush-hush but there's a bit of rumors that he went completely lost his marbles there. Hell, he tried to torture his coworker-"
"You mean he went mad?"
Ronald nodded.
"Very much. Poor Harvey, William-senpai says that they're going to institutionalize him, Kristina was so devastated at that. With Harvey gone, the Administration is trying to recruit Shinigami to go over there to replace the bloke, I mean, there's so many dying there that not even the Berlin Division can keep up with the numbers. You think anyone will want to even go to any of those places? Just one look at Harvey makes you know some shit went on down there to fuck him up so badly. I'm sort of disturbed about it and yet here you are telling me that you want to get a taste of what Harvey got."
Grell shrugged. "I was Jack the Ripper, how much worse are those Nazis?"
The blond shook his head.
"The Blitz wasn't at all that bad, compared to Waterloo, this was no different."
"I'm not too sure-"
And then gunshots rang through the air. Immediately, Grell saw three people drop dead in line, then the clerk slumping back behind the counter. Blood was splashed over onto the wall, signifying that the shooter was using a shotgun, Grell took a few steps before summoning his chainsaw diving behind the counter to reap the woman's soul, taking in her name, history, and any special remarks, which were none. He peered over to see the shooter, a grisly man with a long, white beard approach him.
"Get the fuck out of my way!" He demanded, and Grell complied, letting him go over as well to take the money.
Screams were overheard from Ronald's lawnmower as he took down his final soul.
"...no remarks," Grell heard the younger Officer say. Soon enough, the duo were done with the morning's reaping and the robber took the money he needed. The commotion had caused the street to go empty, Grell snorted down a laugh.
"Anyway, you were saying?" Grell began casually as they walked away from their spot and down a newly repaired street. "Something about a camp?"
"Right, anyway, I'd stay out of there. You'd be better off here."
-...-
The following evening ended with Grell filling out the papers, he was quiet about it. Ronald had left after finishing early, he went off for a party somewhere at someplace, Grell cared less.
"There was the the cafe, then the bookstore...oh, a shame it wasn't a clothing store but women don't carry guns," Grell murmured to himself. His office door swung open, William came in, unannounced. For the first time in his life, Grell was seeing an emotionally unstable William, surely, whatever happened surely shook him to the bone. As if to address him, Grell dropped his pen to the floor and stood up from his desk, growing concerned by the minute. "Will! What the devil are you doing here? Why...Will, are you crying?"
But the man was. He had tears that were swelled up in his eyes, they were bloodshot red, and he seemed to be hiccuping. "Tell me that you don't know German."
Grell raised a questionable eyebrow as he rounded his desk, he was immediately embraced by William. Again, it was another first to be held so tightly. Normally, Grell would gladly take the situation to flirt with the man but for now, he felt that it wasn't the time to do so.
"Will, I know German, it was my first language."
"No, no, no, oh please, no," William began to rave on, holding Grell's head tightly to his chest.
After the disappearance of Sebastian, William had the ability to tell Grell that he had been jealous over the fact that the redhead was fawning over a demon. It took years of understanding one another properly, and, as time went on, William eventually softened up to Grell, being more than just friends with him. As far as their relations went, Grell knew that the man had fallen for him but was simply not ready to tell him yet; they had all eternity and Grell could wait, he loved living through a romance that slowly became a reality.
They had shared a bed once in a while but never had the chance to actually be in a relationship, mostly due to William being a higher position and now not having enough time to settle down a bit, especially with the break outs of World War One and then the second one.
Grell pulled away enough to look at William, he wiped away the tears that had threatened to spill over. "What's going on?"
"They're planning on discharging you to Auschwitz, Grell," he said so dreadfully, burying his face into the luscious, red hair,"you need to get away!"
"Wait, you're actually going against orders?"
William pried himself off of Grell but remained having his arms firmly planted upon his shoulders. "It's not an order yet, I overheard it from the Administration when I went to drop off papers. I was afraid that you would be sent off-"
"Ah, Will, don't worry about me, I'll be fine," Grell said to him with a reassuring smile but William's eyes lit up with fear,"besides, I always wanted to go there."
William shook him violently, nearly shouting,"Are you insane? It's not fun and games at the camp, have you seen Harvey at all?"
"No, but from what I gather, he's locked away-"
"I'm guessing they'll be sending you there to investigate what happened as well!"
He released Grell and began to pace around the room, trying to stomp out his nervousness. Then he paused, he looked at Grell with that desperate look. His mouth opened to speak but then a knock greeted them from the door, they looked over their shoulders to see a pale-faced Shinigami that tried to make up for his sickly appearance with a daunting expression.
He was about a few inches shorter than Grell, his dominating demeanor made William take a step back just to give him room. The man was one of the Administrators, perhaps the same one William had eavesdropped on earlier. He was still knocking for a bit, then he adjusted his glasses while asking,"Am I interrupting something?"
"No, not at all," Grell said placidly.
Despite hearing his two friends give him warnings, the redhead was more than glad to take on whatever mission there was.
The older Shinigami was dressed as similarly to William, only that he wore a long-coat and had silver hair; his glasses were horn-rimmed. He had a folder tucked underneath an arm, his free hand motioned for Grell to come. Immediately, Grell left William, not looking back and also ignoring his pleas. Grell even had the gall to close the door on him as he followed the elder Shinigami.
"Ahem, I suppose I can take a walk with you," the man said. They went on in the hallways of the office, conversing the nature of Grell's newest mission...
-...-
3 June 1942
Days had passed Grell since had left London.
He was boarded on the final train that would lead him to Auschwitz, and from there, he was scheduled to meet with his superior by daybreak.
"Mr. Sutcliff, you are assigned to approach Auschwitz at a different manner than Mr. Davis Harvey. You will be going as a Schutzstaffel Totenkopfverbände *1, an SS-TV Officer, in order to go undetected."
So far, the trip had been quiet. The train he rode had other German officers that were going about their businesses, whether for the camps or for the Nazi Party. He, as instructed, went on unnoticed by civilians and soldiers alike, though he had earned a few glances once in a while, perhaps by a Shinigami that was undercover as well though catching eyes were very rare.
"Undetected from what?"
"Demons, of course, the whole of them reside at camps were massacres are common and souls go unchecked from time to time. As suggested by our allies at the Berlin Division, going about in the disguise of a Schultzstaffel *2 will be most beneficial for you as you reap souls, you'll fit in with the general populous and be unsuspected."
There was a slight nudge to Grell's shoulder, the man cracked open his eyes. He was facing the seat in front of him, he rubbed them under his glasses and then looked up at who awoken him.
It was another S.S. Officer, garbed in a replicating uniform, down to the last medal upon his person. Grell sniffled and then gave him a pleasant smile with a greeting,"Guten morgen." *3
"Guten morgen," the human replied, he went on in German though Grell could catch bits of words he had forgotten,"we have arrived at Auschwitz, I believe that was your destination, ja?" *4
Grell looked about, the train had stopped at the station and luckily, it had stopped at a sign that was green and had the name Auschwitz II - Birkenau printed in white. The redhead was slightly groggy but maintained his consciousness. "Ja, ja, danke." *5
The man stepped away and Grell got up. Graciously, the S.S. Officer reached up to the compartment and grabbed Grell's trunk and satchel. Grell thanked him once more and, with is possessions, began to make his way to the entrance where the platform for disembarking was. Clamoring about, he managed to get himself and his things off and out of the train and into the open. He nearly stumbled because of his ridiculous militia boots but managed to remain balanced for the most part.
Another Officer came to his assistance and took his possessions while saying to him in German,"Grell Sutcliff, I presume?"
"Indeed," Grell answered, still holding his satchel,"you are the one I am to meet?"
"Ja. I am Schutzstaffel-Obersturmführer*6 Claude Faustus. Heißen Sie willkommen zu birkenau." *7
"Also, we need you to solve the reasons for Mr. Harvey's sudden plunge to insanity, we suspect that it may have to do with demons and the composition of his soul, perhaps one or the other, maybe a combination of the two. Your equipment and documents will be waiting for you at the General Affairs. Good luck, Mr. Sutcliff. Oh, and one more thing."
Grell stared at the man's golden eyes, suddenly entranced by their ardent glow.
As if noticing Grell's lack of interaction, Claude cleared his throat, the redhead snapped to attention. "Ah, Schutzstaffel-Standartenjunker*8 Grell Sutcliff, a pleasure to be acquainted to you, mein Herr." *9
"You must root out the demons and figure out who the Shinigami are, that was the original task of Mr. Harvey but I guess you can say that he mistaken the two at some point. With your linguistic ability, that shouldn't be much of a problem."
Grell smiled to him though Claude remained stiff in his expression, Grell gave a slight frown to him but the man cleared his throat once more before saying,"Come, I will show you to your living quarters. Another will be waiting to give you your tour and following tasks for the facility. You are a new Obersturmführer, correct?" He walked, carrying the trunk with little to no effort, Grell followed on.
"Yes. Just promoted a bit after Operation Barbarossa last year," Grell lied openly,"but I had to go on a brief hiatus due to my group being utterly obliterated during that seizure. I suffered myself with a broken leg so I was relocated here after my healing."
Claude gave him a dubious look while walking on. "Interesting...you do know why you're here?"
Grell shook his head slowly. "Not at all."
"Our last Obersturmführer went missing a week ago though I am quite glad he left. The damage he did was rather...inhuman beyond our standards." Grell's eyebrows quirked up at the term. "Time here can take a toll to a man of a weak heart, and I must admit, the poor fellow was weak to begin with. I trust that you, as part of the regime who took on Yugoslavia, will not waver at anything here. You seem to be a man of strong will."
"You have no idea," Grell said with a slight bit of pride. However, it was when they passed by the barracks of the prisoners that his confidence was severely shaken. Just a few seconds of setting foot into the camp, Grell had the urge to return home.
A/N: I hope this story comes out well.
Translations:
*1 Protection Squadron- Death's Head-Units
*2 Protection Squadron
*3 Good morning
*4 Yes?
*5 Yes, yes, thanks
*6 Senior Storm Leader (First Lieutenant)
*7 Standard Officer Cadet (Officer)
*8 Welcome to Birkenau
*9 Sir
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