Hey! It feels great to be writing again! It's been a while since I've wrote anything on this story, and by a while, I mean about a week. But hey! It's been a long and tiring week, so I have a good excuse.
Disclaimer: I don't own any character from the original manga/anime! All of them belong to Yana Toboso. I only own my OC and most of the characters you don't recognize.
Enjoy!
(Scarlett's POV)
I thought about William after he closed the door. Of course he would be worried about being short a dispatch officer. He doesn't care about the welfare of others, so long as he gets that damned paperwork turned in on time.
With a frown on my face, I sat on my bed with my arms crossed. And that's how Alan found me when he brought our daily cocoa.
"Are you alright, Scarlett? You look upset," he said, setting down the mugs.
"Do I?"
"Is it because of Mr. Spears?"
My teeth bit harshly into my bottom lip.
"I take that as a yes. Do you want me to get him? You haven't talked to him in days."
"Alan," I hesitated. "If I tell you something, will you promise not to tell anyone else?"
"Cross my heart and hope to...well, you know." He smiled slightly at the horrible joke.
I stared at Alan; his green eyes met mine and I knew I could trust him.
"William left this room about ten minutes before you arrived. He apologized for the incident in London and wanted to know when I'd be back to work."
Alan put his hand on my knee in a comforting gesture. "Is that all? You still look troubled."
"I... I don't know, Alan. I just don't know. I think I might-" I froze that thought cold.
"Love him?"
I nodded and felt a single tear run down my cheek. Alan pulled me to his chest in a warm hug. "It's alright. Everything will be fine. Shh... Calm down. It'll be alright." I was sobbing into his jacket by this point. He rubbed soothing circles on my back.
"But, Alan, I want him to love me, too. I don't want this to be one-sided!"
"Give him time to think about it, to think about you. I'm almost positive that it won't be one-sided. He cares about you more than you know."
"If you're not right, do I get to punch you?"
He smiled. "Maybe. But I think you'll find that I'm not wrong."
-xoxoxo-
After a long game of Monopoly with the boys-which I won, three cups of cocoa, and a fashion show starring Grell and Alan, I decided that I was ready.
"Sweetie, I've still got a few fashion magazines to look through if you want. You should really milk the time off," Grell said.
"No. I'm going to work. I will be an emotionless reaper; I'll be what's expected of me." I stood and went to the dresser stocked with spare uniforms for injured reapers.
Five minutes later, I walked out of the washroom wearing the standard uniform. Grell came over to me.
"That's not the girl who's my sister." He spun me to face the long, full-body mirror. My clothes were the drab uniform of the Society: a white dress shirt, black pants, black tie. My crimson hair was pulled back into a sleek ponytail. Black glasses framed my dull green eyes.
It was true. I didn't look like myself.
"If I look this way, I'll be less tempted to act up." I straightened my glasses and walked away, leaving Grell and Alan to watch, dumbfounded.
-xoxoxo-
William was at his desk doing paperwork when I made it to his office. Without knocking, I walked in. I could care less what he thought of me by this point.
"Miss Sutcliff, I didn't mean to make you return today," William said to me. I stared at him blankly.
"It was my own choice. I am ready for work. Currently, I need the papers for my last assignment." I stood straight and tall, ready to receive my work. His jaw twitched slightly.
"I did them myself, actually. I wasn't expecting you to come get them, so I completed them. It took a few days' overtime, but it's finished." William cracked a small smile.
My expression didn't change. "Then I'll take my next assignment." He slowly slid a file folder to me across the desk.
"It's in London. Tonight. You have two hours to judge this soul. Ronald Knox will go with you."
I flipped through the folder. The woman's name was Miranda Cross. She was to die in her sleep tonight at ten. With a nod, I left the office.
"Be safe," William said quietly.
-xoxoxo-
"Ronald, be quiet. I'm trying to concentrate," I hissed.
"You're just stressed." He pulled me from my kneeling position on the roof into his lap. Ron put his hands on my shoulders and massaged. "You need to relax. Scarlett," he whispered softly; his breath was hot on my ear. "Trust me." I melted into his arms and leaned against him, my back to his chest.
"Wait, Ronald, I-"
"Shh, just enjoy the massage. I can work wonders with my hands." He winked at me suggestively.
I yawned and blinked, my eyelids quickly becoming heavy.
"It's okay. You can sleep for a few minutes. I'll keep watch." He pulled me closer and wrapped me in his arms. "Rest, Scarlett."
My eyes slid shut as I fell asleep against Ronald's chest.
-xoxoxo-
Ronald woke me sometime later with the warning that it was five minutes before our reaping. "We gotta work, Scarlett."
"Right." He stood and brought me up with him.
"Well, this lady's name is Miranda, right?" I yawned and nodded sleepily. Ronald pulled me close to his side and kissed my temple. "You're gonna have to wake up now, honey."
I shook my head to clear my drowsiness. "I'm awake, Ronnie." With a small smile at my best friend, I pulled away.
Ronald smiled back. "Love ya, little red."
"Love you, too, blondie."
We twined our hands and jumped from the roof. Together, we ran down the alley, searching for the correct house.
"4 Gallows Way. This the right address?"
"Yeah. We have got three minutes 'til the reaping."
Ronald winked at me in his suggestive manner again. "Think of the fun we could have in three minutes. We could do loads of things."
"Back off for right now, playboy. We've a job to do."
"So that's a rain check on the fun?" He asked playfully. I glanced at his wristwatch.
"Two minutes and forty-seven seconds."
Ronald and I jumped in through the window using the stealth that only reapers possess. "Start the reaping, Ronald."
He revved his lawnmower and smirked. "Ah, it's nice to go out on a mission."
I stood a bit back from the scene. Ronald could handle this. My useless scythe wasn't needed. I leaned against the back wall, hiding in the shadows, watching my current partner wield his scythe expertly. The soul didn't fight at all.
Suddenly, a cold shiver crept its way down my spine. Something wasn't right.
"Well, aren't you a pretty one?" A smooth, deep voice said in my ear. I jumped and turned around. Behind me was a demon with silvery-dark hair and blazing red eyes. "You're much better than your little friend over there. I like you."
The demon wrapped an arm around me. "Ronald!" I screamed.
Ronald POV
I turned around to the terrified cry of my partner. She was encased in the arms of a shadowed figure with gleaming red eyes. My senses alerted me that this was no ordinary person.
"Demon," I hissed.
He chuckled and vanished in a wisp of smoke, taking the screaming female with him. I dropped to my knees on the spot they disappeared.
Something glinted under the moonlight. My heart sank as I saw that her glasses, so dutifully taken care of, were left behind with a crack in the lens.
Thanks for reading, you guys! Reviews are very much appreciated!
-xoxoxo-
Melissa
