It was midnight by the time the twosome and their 'luggage' returned to the mansion. Even with his wounds tended to, it would be a few days before the reaper would awaken again. By around five o'clock, on a brisk Friday evening, the reaper had awoken, at first feeling nothing but an aching pain everywhere on the male's body. His arms, chest, legs, face- everything hurt like blazing fires in hell itself. The male was surprised he wasn't dead. What had exactly happened after he blacked out? Surely, he thought, that demon would've made him mince meat, so why? His question was answered the moment Sebastian walked into the wound, carting a table filled with medical supplies and warm tea. The reaper gasped, immediately taking cover under the safety of the blankets. He trembled in fear, unsure of this demon's intentions. Sebastian, however seemed shocked by the reaper's actions. He was expecting the male to leap into his arms, which was the exact opposite of what really occurred.
"Grell..?" He nearly stammered, but caught himself. "Now, now. There's no need to be frightened. If you keep jumping about like that, you'll reopen your wounds." He calmly walked over to the reaper's bedside, as to not alarm him and started to search through the medical kit he had acquired from the lavatory. Grell flinched, slowly revealing his injured body from underneath the covers.
"S-...Sebast-chan?" He coughed, his voice was raspy and dry. He didn't understand this at all. Was he in the mansion? Sebastian must've rescued him then, but why? He knew the brat would've never agreed to assist him, and what had happened to the other demon?
"Don't talk." Sebastian ordered with a slight hiss. He sighed, handing the injured male the teacup. As the male hesitated before taking a sip, he opened the kit and pulled out a fresh wad of bandages. "Now, this might hurt a bit, but you must have your wounds cleaned." Grell sat the cup aside and winced as Sebastian took a place next to the male and began to unwrap the male. The amount of bandages and blood that coated them was sickening to the male. The reaper let out a hiss, clinging onto the side of the bed as he felt the sudden stinging sensation of cold rubbing alcohol rubbing up and all over his back and chest.
"I warned you that it would hurt.." Sebastian muttered as he continued to clean the reaper's wounds. The other tried his best to hold still while he cleaned out his wounds. When Sebastian was done, he grabbed the fresh bandages and started to rewrap the wounds. Grell nearly gasped as he saw how badly he was actually wounded. He felt like a mummy being wrapped up like this.
"So, explain to me what exactly happened." Sebastian ordered as he finished wrapping the other's wounds. Grell winced, going quiet for a long moment. His eyes started to tear up, and he had to stifle a sob. He wasn't going to break down in front of his Sebastian.
"I'm… not for sure." He admitted. "I was out doing my nightly reapings, ugh, so many lost souls to collect-.. ...This demon came out of nowhere, and just… attacked me." He almost couldn't believe it. Sure, he had encounters with other demons on the job, but not once had any attacked him. This would be the first one, aside from Sebastian.
"A demon, you say?" Sebastian questioned with a frown. Was that perhaps what he sensed before he found the reaper? "Do you perhaps recall what he looked like?"
Grell had to think for a moment. "He was short-around my size." He paused again. "...Without my heels of course, and he had messy brown hair."
"Did you get a name?" Sebastian asked.
"N-...No. He never told me his name." Grell muttered. Sebastian sighed, thinking for a moment.
"Alright." Sebastian stood up, shaking his head. "You'd best get some more rest. I'll alert the young lord that you awoke." Before he left the room he paused in the doorway. "And I'll keep an eye out for that demon you described." Then, the door shut and the reaper was left alone. Grell sighed, holding himself as the male tried his best to hold back sobs. He hurt everywhere. He just wanted to go home. He wanted to see William and Ron. Did they even realize he was missing? He sighed and forced himself to stand up and head to the bathroom that was in his room. The male entered the room, shutting the door behind him. He went over to the mirror, staring at his own reflection, his hair a mess of blood and dirt and his face coated in scratches. He looked like a freak. Disgusting. Ugly. God, he looked so ugly… Nobody would ever love him now. Sebastian wouldn't even consider looking his way ever again.
"Oh, my darling red reaper~" A voice purred from behind the male. "You look as ugly as you were when I first laid eyes on you." Grell almost immediately recognized that voice and spun around. Charon stood behind him, grinning widely.
"N-...No. Not you again.." Grell muttered, backing up slightly. He hit the sink behind him with a thud, gasping out in pain.
"Me." He purred, taking a few steps toward the reaper. "Aren't you glad to see me again? I'm surprised to see you still alive."
"Get away from me!" Grell shouted at the other, brushing past him and running out of the room, straight into the young lord of the manor.
"What on earth are you doing-?!" Ciel shouted up at him, an angered look on his face.
"I-...It's him-" Grell muttered, gasping out in fright.
"Him?" Ciel raised an eyebrow, brushing past the redhead to see what he meant. The room was completely empty.
"The bathroom-..." Grell whimpered quietly, however when Ciel entered the other room, it was empty as well.
"What the hell, Grell-.. You're paranoid." He spat, half glaring at him, however the glare was soon dropped as the young lord let out a sigh.
"But-...But he was just-" Grell was cut off.
"Anyways-... How are you feeling?" Ciel asked dully.
"I'm just dandy~" Grell said, half glaring, however Ciel could easily see through the other's fib.
"You have a hole in your chest." He spat, rolling his eyes. "Alright-...forget it. That's not what I came in here for. I need to ask you what happened." He sat on the bed, closing his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. Grell flinched, letting out a slight whine, but he took a seat beside the young lord. Everything came back to him in an instant. The attack, the pain and the blood. Oh god, there was so much blood.
"Grell?" Ciel raised an eyebrow, waiting for an answer. The reaper immediately flinched at the voice and started to stammer.
"I...It's not my fault i'm this way... It's not my fault I'm ugly!" His voice came out in almost a hiss. He was having a panic attack.
"Grell! Calm down!" Ciel snapped at him, roughly grabbing the other's shoulders, which only seemed to frighten him more.
"Now, now.. Let's all calm down now." Sebastian once again entered the room. He took a seat on the opposite side of the reaper and gently took the other's hand within his own. "If you aren't ready to tell us, then that's fine. We can wait patiently." Grell shook his head, tightening his grip on the other's hand as he wiped a few tears away with his free hand.
"I... Was just trying to do my job, ...bassy. More and more victims kept popping up on my leaguer, until it stopped at nine. That was when he jumped me-.." Grell had to pause as to not sob. "Oh, gosh, it was horrible-.. There was so much blood-.. So much pain."
Ciel would've added in a nasty comment, but he knew exactly how it felt to see his own blood pouring out of him, helpless to do anything about it..
"but, I suppose it doesn't matter-.. You scared him off. That's my Bassy for you!~" The reaper's giggle was weak. It died off almost immediately before he stood, his eyes dulling-lifeless. "I'd best return home now-.. William is going to be so upset with me-.." His voice cracked at the last sentence. Grell slipped on his torn and bloodied coat, limping his way towards the door. Ciel frowned, almost immediately standing up.
"Lay back down. You're in no condition to be up and about!" He shouted after him.
"Oohhhh, why is it any of your concern, brat?!" Grell turned on his heels, giving the younger a death glare. "You could've easily left me there. Will would've came after me eventually. I know you well by now, you only want me to stay to lure that demon towards you!" He paused, tears spilling down his cheeks. "H...He's going to come back for me." Sebastian sighed, watching the reaper.
"Not while you're inside this manor he won't.."
Ciel couldn't help but chuckle.
"You're wrong. Just because he's inside the manor doesn't mean he's safe. Let him leave if he wants, however, it won't be my problem if the demon attacks him again." The young lord took a stand and left without another word. Sebastian, with a sigh stood after he had left, giving the reaper a pitying glance.
"If you wish, I'll find some way to contact your superiors and have them retrieve you?"
"Oh... That'd be lovely-..." Grell muttered, and with that, once again the reaper was left alone.