The Day Before You Came
A Kuroshitsuji One-Shot
by Sakura (aka L-sama no Miko)
I don't own the lyrics to "The Day Before You Came" by ABBA, I'm just borrowing them for fic purposes.
I must have left my house at eight because I always do
My train, I'm certain, left the station just as it was due
I must have read the morning paper going into town
And having gotten through the editorial, no doubt I must have frowned
Grell Sutcliff checked himself in the mirror for the hundredth time, making sure his make up and hair were perfect. Once he was satisfied, the crimson haired shinigami left his tiny yet cozy flat and headed for the great Shinigami Library of Great Britain.
Seeing that he was earlier than usual, Grell stopped to sit on a bench in the only other area in that part of the shinigami world, the park. After finding the beauty of the well kept foliage rather boring, he took out a copy of the London Times that he had managed to smuggle back the day before.
Half-way through the paper, the redhead sighed and frowned. It was the same old thing. This nobleman was marrying that noblewoman, another was holding yet another soiree, etc., etc.
I must have made my desk around a quarter after nine
With letters to be read and heaps of papers waiting to be signed
I must have gone to lunch at half past twelve or so
The usual place, the usual bunch
And still on top of this I'm pretty sure it must have rained
The day before you came
Grell sighed. He was late again and Will, being Will, hadn't let him leave his superior's office until the stern shinigami had been sure his lecture and message had gotten across. It wasn't that Grell hated being a reaper, it was just that his life was beginning to feel, well for lack of a better term, lifeless. Each and every day he got up, fixed his lovely long hair and make up, went to work then had lunch.
He didn't mind his fellow shinigami much. They were all decent people, not to mention Ronald was a cutie. Even if the laid back blond was a notorious flirt. However, the flamboyant reaper found their gossip and conversation to be just as boring as the mortals' newspapers.
I must have lit my ninth cigarette at half past two
And at the time I never noticed I was blue
I must have kept on dragging through the business of the day
Without really knowing anything, I hid a part of me away
After lunch was more work - out in the field. Grell would usually take his time and drag his feet while out and about in the mortal realm for he loved to explore the latest fashion and food fads as well as the latest in books, particularly romances. But today, he went through his quota with more speed and less enthusiasm. It wasn't because of the rain, or the fog. The redheaded shinigami simply felt no desire to remain and goof off as was his want.
He'd lived for so long now, and there practically wasn't anything thing to see, even though mortals were coming up with more and more new innovations almost daily now. Grell sighed, then opened a portal back to his world to work on the never ending stacks of paper Will kept sending his way. Said superior gave him a quizzical look as he emerged - Grell was never back so early - but said nothing, content to let his underling go on his merry way.
At five, I must have left, there's no exception to the rule
A matter of routine, I've done it ever since I finished school
The train back home again
Undoubtedly I must have read the evening paper then
Oh yes, I'm sure my life was well within its frame
The day before you came
Must have opened my front door at eight o'clock or so
I'm sure I had my dinner watching something on TV
There isn't a single episode of Dallas I didn't see
At the end of his shift, Grell for the tiniest moment wavered on sneaking back to London once more to get some of the exotic food a Chinaman named Lau had been selling to go to the eager and curious citizenry of the great city. But he decided against it just as quickly, even though this Lau was intriguing in an exotic kind of way and the girl at his side was certainly a beauty.
However, the redheaded shinigami did decide to sneak one of the books from the Library. It had contained the cinematic record of his most favorite and beloved playwright. Grell in his heart of hearts would always be an actress. The simple and rather plain book was beginning to show signs of wear since he'd plucked it off its shelf so many times.
Will had once asked him about it, the strict death god knowing of Grell's obsession for all things theatrical. The crimson haired shinigami had just sheepishly grinned at his superior all the while ignoring the man's lecturing and threats of punishment. He loved that book and nothing was going to keep him from enjoying its contents.
I must have gone to bed around a quarter after ten
I need a lot of sleep and so I like to be in bed by then
I must have read a while
The latest one by Marilyn French or something in that style
It's funny but I had no sense of living without aim
The day before you came
And turning out the light I must have yawned
And curled up for yet another night
And rattling on the roof, I must have heard the sound of rain
After a meager dinner provided by the Shinigami realm - Will had deducted his pay yet again - and engrossing himself in the cinematic record he'd appropriated, the crimson haired man crawled into his perpetually unmade bed. What was the point of making it if there was no one to see let alone share it with?
Grell gave a forlorn sigh, knowing yet again he'd not be able to sleep. He glanced over to the night stand and noticed a book and suddenly remembered he'd gotten it from a mortal bookstore a few days ago. He'd yet to read it since he was either too tired from reaping and paper filing or just not in the mood for anything new. In fact he'd been in a bit of a funk since he'd bought the book.
Deciding he'd might as well at least glance through a few pages, Grell reached over and picked up the shiny, newly bound book. He remembered the shop keeper telling him it was a translation of a new play by some Belgian, Maeter-something or rather. Grell hadn't been bothering with the names of mortals lately. Why even remember the name if it wasn't on the "to die list"?
Several hours later found one Grell Sutclliff fast asleep, still reclining against the headboard; his body listing off to one side slightly and his glasses askew upon his face and the eagerly devoured copy of 'Princess Maleine' lying still open on the shinigami's lap. If anyone were there to see, they'd barely be able to make out the tracks of tears upon the slumbering death god's cheeks.
Little did the redhead know the very next day was going to be a rather momentous one. One that would change his currently humdrum life for all eternity. Had he had, Grell most certainly would have made sure he'd fallen asleep in a much more comfortable position.
The day before you came
~Owari~