It was the year 1888 in London, England, and every street was packed full of people. It was Christmas Eve, which was shown by the fresh blanket of snow on the ground. Everyone was in a jolly mood, either buying presents for others or getting cups of hot chocolate. There was not a soul in London that was not enjoying the Christmas season. Not even the young Earl Phantomhive was bitter, though he did his best to keep a rather nonchalant demeanor. All of his friends were running around the mansion, complementing Sebastian's decorations for the season (of course, he was a demon. If he could not do something so simple as make presentable Christmas decorations, what kind of a butler would he be?). If Ciel's friends were not running around like hyper little animals, then they were out admiring the town's decorations instead, along with many other people. There really was not an empty street in London on this busy day, not a single one.
Well...perhaps there was one street that was not as full. That is to say, it was completely empty.
In the outskirts of London, there was a shop. It was not a large shop, in fact it was fairly small. However, it was that small shop that everyone tended to avoid as much as they could. Whatever shops that were around the area before, had moved further down the street...far from the Undertaker's store. People only went to the shop if they had to, seeing as it was about the only 'price-reasonable' mortician's shop available in the area. However, usually after people went to the Undertaker's shop, they regretted it. After all of the villainous cackles, dirty jokes, and all in all an ominous environment in the store, people usually never went back after their first visit.
Of course, the Undertaker loved his customers' reactions. He loved when they would shake in fear, or look at him like he was insane. He WAS insane after all, so why not embrace the fact?
There was only one flaw to his behavior towards his customers.
He was lonely.
During Christmas was even worse, because everyone had families to be with and what-not. Everyone, except for poor Undie.
Naturally Undertaker sucked it up, and moved on with his life. He did not seem fond of dawdling over certain subjects, and decided to enjoy his life by himself as much as he wished. So, instead of going out and buying presents on that certain Christmas Eve, he decided to spend time with his guests. He always spent time with his guests, seeing as they were the only people that did not give him looks of fear and disgust. He could tell them all the jokes he wished, and they would not chide him for his rudeness and inappropriate behavior. Of course they did not laugh with him...BUT it was better than nothing, in Undertaker's eyes. There was absolutely no flaw to his guests, not a single one.
Sure his guests were a little quiet, and did not talk to him at all. Sure they were sometimes covered in blood, or not completely there because they were mauled in a fight or an accident. Sure his guests sometimes smelled a little funny, or were a little...dead.
Undertaker sighed as he placed the lid of a young woman's coffin back in its place. The wide smile that adorned his old, yet completely flawless face, slowly began to fade. He had to admit, it was rather lonely by himself. If not lonely, then boring.
He sat down on an empty coffin, looking around his dark and gloomy shop. He absolutely loved his shop, especially it's dark colors. When he was younger and still a shinigami, he would dream of having his own shop filled with coffins and skulls. However, it would have been better if he'd had someone to share his admiration with.
As if on cue, there was a few knocks on the Undertaker's door. Undertaker swiftly got off of his coffin, and answered the door only to be met with the annoyed face of Grell Sutcliff. Grell was wearing a blood red women's coat, a santa hat, and some very very red high-healed boots. His hair was curled in a fancy style, which had obviously spent some long hard work on. His bright green eyes glared at Undertaker, though they did not show any signs of hatred towards the mortician.
"Well what have we here?" Undertaker said as a wide smirk adorned his face. "A nicely dressed young lady, standing here in front of my shop. To what do I owe the pleasure?"
Grell blushed at the Undertaker's words, but shook it off and rolled his eyes, "All the Reapers are having a party tonight, and Ronald forgot to send out the invitations last week."
"I am not a reaper anymore," Undertaker said simply, giggling at the stupidity of the shinigamis.
"Yes, but apparently you are some sort of legend, and William insists that you come," Grell said, crossing his arms.
"So..." Undertaker said slowly. "Then why are you here/"
"Because William makes me do his dirty work, and was too lazy to get up off his arse and come as you to come himself," Grell said, obviously irritated.
"Ah," Undertaker said. "Well I am sorry to say I have quite a bit of business to get to today, and can not make it to the party."
As he began to shut the door, Grell shoved his foot in to stop it, "That is precisely what you said last year when I came to invite you myself."
"Yes, well I had business two Christmas Eves in a row," Undertaker said with a shrug.
Grell cocked his head to the side, putting a hand on his hip, "Do you just not want to come?"
Undertaker stood there for a moment, "No."
"Why not?" Grell asked.
Undertaker merely shrugged and turned back to go into his shop, followed by Grell.
"Would you like some tea?" Undertaker asked, holding up a beaker of tea.
"No thank you," Grell said simply. "Now will you answer my question?"
Undertaker sighed, his smile slowly fading once more, "I don't exactly fit in, even with Reapers."
Grell frowned and went to sit on a coffin near the mortician, crossing his legs neatly, "None of us do, that is why we all fit in. If we all liked the same things, and wore suits like William then it would be weird. In fact, the only thing that we all seem to have in common is Reaping..."
Undertaker turned to Grell with a rather rare frown, "Why do you care?"
He regretted his words and the way the sounded right as they left his mouth, but Grell seemed to take it worse. The young Shinigami's eyes widened at his elder's words, before he got up to leave.
"My apologies for intruding, I shall take my leave," Grell said going towards the door.
"Wait," Undertaker said going up to Grell. "My apologies miss Grell, that was hardly any way for me to speak to a lady."
Grell nodded in agreement, "Well, I shall let it slide this time. It is Christmas after all."
Undertaker smiled his signature grin, "Why do you care, anyhow?"
"Well," Grell turned red slightly. "Do you really wish to know?"
Undertaker simply waited with a grin, folding his arms neatly against his chest.
"Well I've always looked up to you ever since that day in the library," Grell said. "Will made me read your biography for trying to strangle you before, and I have to admit I'm impressed with your skill."
Undertaker giggled and smirked at Grell, "I was rather good, wasn't I?"
"Your head is growing too large for your body," Grell commented, rolling his eyes. "But yes, you were rather good at your work. Everyone seemed to respect you, and I can only wish for that same treatment. Mainly from Will..."
Undertaker smiled a genuine smile at the young Reaper, "Don't worry, someday you will."
Grell sighed, "Well, I suppose I'll go then...if you aren't coming. Though I would love if you came."
"You'd be the only one, besides Will that is," Undertaker said simply.
"No I wouldn't," Grell said. "You are admired in great amounts by reapers."
"Yes, but only from what they have read," Undertaker said. "If they truly cared, then they would come visit me once in a while..."
Grell froze, "Hold on...I see what is wrong here! You are lonely!"
"I am not-"
"OH YOU POOR THING!" Grell said wrapping his arms around the Undertaker's waist. "If I wasn't so madly in love with my dear Bassie, I would be all over you."
"More than you already are?" Undertaker asked with wicked grin.
Grell sighed, before taking the Undertaker's hand, "Come to the party. See some people. Besides, I've heard rumors that there is going to be a chocolate fountain this year..."
"Chocolate you say?" Undertaker asked, his ears perking at that.
"Oh yes, and snicker doodles!" Grell exclaimed with a wide, toothy smile. "Come on...please?"
Undertaker sighed, "You may care about me, but others don't."
"It's because they don't know you," Grell said with a smile. "I'm sure after a few of your Reaper jokes, you'll have friends by the dozens!"
"Nobody seems to get-"
"All of the people you've told jokes to were humans, so obviously they don't understand," Grell said with a dramatic arm wave. "But I think they are funny."
Undertaker smiled, "You really are something Miss Sutcliff."
Grell smiled, "You too."
"Say, would you do me the honors of being my first friend?" Undertaker asked politely, being sincere.
Grell beamed at the Undertaker, before squealing and hugging him tightly, "Oh yes! Yes yes yes yes yes yes YES!"
Undertaker smiled and hugged Grell back slightly, before Grell pulled away and grabbed his hands tightly.
"Come on!" Grell exclaimed happily.
"As you wish...friend," Undertaker said with a slight, teensy, weensy blush on his face.
"Best friend," Grell chirped happily, before leading him to the party.
Yeah I know, cheesy. I've never written a Kuroshitsuji fic before, so I'm completely new at this. I just felt like getting this out of my system...
