(Oh wow just realized that what I was using for scene breaks wasn't actually SHOWING UP! So I've gone back through and put them in. Hopefully they show up now?)
"How rude!" Grell groaned as he looked down at the blood stains marring his shirt. "He got blood all over me. Did you have to shoot him at such close range?"
"Again, I will buy you clothing. Have the seamstress come back tomorrow. You'll no doubt wish for dresses, and I want some proper clothing. Tomorrow we take back our roles as we see them. We will figure out what to do about the Queen, there has to be a way to spin this back into our favor. I will think on it. Anything else is now untenable. A day in these shoes has convinced me of that!" Ciel grimaced as he prodded the body with his foot. True he'd worn high heeled shoe since he was much younger in order to appear just a little bit taller, but these shoes pinched his toes in a way his old shoes never did! "Nothing useful, here."
"Did you honestly think he would have anything to tell us? Do you always have to kill your contacts? I mean, is this a common occurrence? As for your shoes? They are ugly. You should have taken the pair I picked out. Stylish yet comfortable. Like mine!" He asked, mourning his shirt, but still kicking up a foot to shoe Ciel his favorite shoes. "Oh, Ronald dear, hello! Body is right there." He gestured toward the corpse. "You've met my husband, Ciel…"
"Um, Mrs. Sutcliff?" Ronald looked as confused as he sounded when he addressed Ciel. "Or is it still Phantomhive and Grell is Mrs. Phantomhive?"
"I refuse to give up Phantomhive. But starting tomorrow it is Earl Phantomhive and Grell will be the Mrs." He had to take control of his life once more. Being out of control was going to drive him mad. His entire life was centered on the concept of him being in control. The first step he'd take in this situation would be to at least dress as he wished at home. Ciel gave the body a distasteful look as the records flew out of the body for Ronald. "You'd think they would have just given the reap to Grell considering he was already here. Save time."
"Conflict of interest, you two are married." Ronald shrugged. "Soooo… enjoying the honeymoon?" He asked awkwardly as he waited for the records to unwind. Now that Ciel looked closely, he could see the Reaper's eyes glow softly as he subtly drew in energy even as he gathered the soul for the records.
"Oh yes, nothing like a little cold-blooded murder to spice up one's love life." Grell said with a roll of his eyes. "Working, I'm afraid. Still tracking that Angel and this bugger decided he was going to try to attack Ciel as the 'weak' woman he thought he was. It was rather amusing to see the look of surprise on his face when my dear hubby here shot him between his eyes." Grell danced around Ronald. "I didn't even have to lift a hand in his defense. If only he was an actual adult."
"HEY!" Ciel glared. "I am considered an adult."
"And yet?" Grell smirked. The delectable scent was driving him mad though. He had to stop himself from stepping forward and running his nose along Ciel's throat and breathing deeply.
"Seems you're getting used to the situation?" Ronald cleared his throat. "I heard you were kind of upset."
"Ah, we decided to have a partnership." He said truthfully, but still managed to lie by omission. And, I'm nothing if not adaptable. I'm… warming up to the situation." Grell rubbed his chin with his hand and then licked his teeth thoughtfully. Then he pulled his cuff down, and tried to ignore the burning on the back of his hand. He wanted to bury his nose in Ciel's collar. "Not that I have much choice." He cleared his throat. What was that cologne?
"Anyway, we should be off." Ciel interrupted.
"The boss sent word that you still have to do your paperwork." Ronald pointed out. "And he's sending another list of reaps for you in a few hours."
Grell slumped. "Overtime?" He whined. "But how will I protect my husband and new baby if I am in the other realm or hopping all over the city?"
Ronald gave him a sympathetic look, and then looked a little surprised as he mouthed the words 'new baby'. "If you want, I can uh… hang out I guess at the manor. I'm off work about now, this was my last reap of the day? Keep an eye on things. Maybe…"
"You just want to chat up Mey-Rin." Grell smirked. "Fine. You keep an eye on my hubby while I reap." He nodded. "I have to go up to dispatch anyway." He needed to ask some questions of someone there, and cover up that lost soul.
"Hey, don't I get a say in this?" Ciel glared. "Remember? Partnership?"
Grell slumped. Contrary brat! "Please? It would make Mey-Rin happy, annnd, you'd have an armed Reaper to call in an emergency while I'm doing some 'work' at Dispatch." He stressed the word work and then carefully wiped his mouth.
Ciel sighed catching the subtle hint that he was going to finish the cover up of the loss of the soul. "Fine, come along." He ordered Ronald.
Ronald gave Ciel an irritated look and then sighed. "Senpai, you will owe me for this, even with Mey-Rin involved." He muttered to the redhead as he stomped by.
"And I appreciate that. Now imagine how I feel? I'm married to him!" He hissed back as he took off to create the portal back to headquarters.
"I haven't seen you in a while, Grell! What brings you by?"
Grell gave the man a small quick smile and then cleared her throat. "Need to talk to you in private." She whispered.
"Heard you'd gotten married. Rumor mill is just buzzing with activity over it. Why wasn't I invited?" The man snickered, pushing his glasses up with a long black fingernail. "Also heard that Michaelis is playing the part of a baby bump?" His long black hair was tied in a ponytail behind him, and when he smiled his eyeteeth were as sharp as all of Grell's.
"All true. And if I had a choice you would have been there! But there are new complications." Grell admitted. She then hesitantly raised her hand and showed the back of her hand to him.
"I thought you said you wouldn't do that again." The other Reaper whispered quickly, pulling her into an empty office. "Let me see that!" He held her hand closer to his eyes to get a better look. "No, this is different. Last time… it didn't look like this. Not like this. It didn't have the pentagram last time remember? It was just an empty circle because you had the blood lust and the instinct without the actual demonic signature. That is how we were able to push rehab as a solution. It shouldn't have the pentagram without the demonic power behind it!"
"This time it was an accident. I don't know why it has the pentagram. It might be… it might be because…" She then proceeded to explain everything that had happened, including the soul and the poor use of the word deal, as well as the demon that claimed to be her grandfather and was offering himself as a scapegoat for the missing soul. "I don't know what happened. Last time wasn't like this! Not at all!" She wrung her hands together. "What is happening to me?"
"You just can't stay out of trouble, can you poppet?" The other man sighed, reaching out to run his hand through Grell's hair then took her hands in his, rubbing them. "You must be careful. The Demon could be planning something, or have an ulterior motive. Not all are as evil as they are portrayed, but most are ambitious and often have more than one angle. They rarely do anything without gaining something in return. He could be trying to turn you into a full demon! And if he is your biological grandfather, it is very well possible that is exactly what he wants; to turn you into a full demon!"
"Daidi." Grell said miserably. "They'll send me back to rehab again if they realize. Or worse, just consider me "too Demonic" and take my scythe. The pentagram is there this time! Perhaps they may even kill me. This supposed grandfather is the least of my troubles. Why is the mark different? Why is there a pentagram? Am… am I turning?"
Last time she was almost daring that outcome because she was in full bloodlust and feeling rebellious in a manner that was overriding any sense she may have had. True, she tempted fate every time she flirted with a demon. Damn, but they were delectably handsome! They sent her senses reeling. But there was always that notion that they were going to turn her down anyway. There was that sense of safety because of that. But she was aware this time that the slide into demonhood would be a short one if she let go.
"Hush now, Leanbh." The other man said, stroking her hair again. "They won't do anything over this seal, but you must avoid taking in any more human souls." He told her sternly, taking her shoulders and then peering into her eyes. "It hasn't shown up in your iris, but that doesn't mean that it can't in the future if you take in any human souls. As for the contract mark, I remember something now that I read long ago. I don't think this is an ordinary contract mark. Most don't have a rune. Yours does! It is made much the same way, but the rune in the center is due to the terms you two set. See that rune there?" The older man pointed at the rune in the center of the star's eye. "I may not know everything about demonic marks, but I am familiar with runes."
She smiled softly, nodding. "I remember when I was little. You tried to get me to learn them too." She'd been very resistant at the time. She'd always had been a bit rebellious, but now that she was older she wished she could do it over again. She'd have been a better daughter. But time didn't work like that.
"The rune is Gebo. And it has a lot to do with contracts and oaths, but also deals with such things as giving of yourself to another, giving power to another from within, sacred marriage, being equals and being in harmony with one another. It is the perfect symbol for not just a partnership and marriage, but also the fact that you were sharing your energy with him just shortly before you made the "deal". You basically gave yourself in marriage as an equal to him, and gave of yourself from within. While Dispatch and those that run it won't be happy, they can't really complain either since in this situation you aren't taking from Ciel Phantomhive, but 'giving' to him."
"So the X mark in the center is a rune, and it has a meaning. But what does the eye mean?" Grell looked carefully at her hand. "Last time it did not look like this, at all." She repeated. "Why did it appear? How am I going to explain this to Will, to the others, the council?"
"It's rare, but not unheard of for two Demons to form a contract between one another for the purpose of ensuring that neither cheats, leaves, or destroys the other in the interest of a prosperous marriage or to ensure family blood lines. Often in those marriages the marks blend together gathering aspects from each demon to create a new mark. But, you say Ciel is not a demon?" He asked Grell who was nodding in agreement.
"Is it possible that…" Lochlan trailed off. "I would have to examine him. But he is carrying a demon that is in energy form, and he could be absorbing that demonic energy." He pondered.
Grell began to pace. "So could it be either Ciel or Sebastian that created the actual contract?"
Her adopted father shook his head. "No, it has to be an agreement by all parties; even if it is on a subconscious and unknowing level. He could be providing the powered influence and the "ability" but Ciel said the words, made the agreement as did you. You all, all three of you, created the contract if my theory is correct; each offering something to the whole."
"What do I do about Will and the Council? I may not be the perfect Reaper, but I do not want to be thrown out, hunted, and killed!" Grell groaned softly.
"While Ciel is not a Demon, he could say he didn't trust you to not cause him harm in the future so you 'married' him as a supernatural as well, instead of just a Human ceremony." He patted the younger woman's face, and then stroked her cheek with a long black nail. "They won't like it, but you won't be consuming his soul. I and the rest of the Hybrids will stand beside you. This should be one of our rights. We have to fight for it sometime! It might as well be now. I'll talk to the others. This is something we've been wanting a long time. This may be our opportunity to win this right! The right to marry as our nature dictates." He smirked. "Will opened that can of worms when he demanded you follow through with the human marriage. We can use this!"
"Great, just what I needed; to be a test case for Hybrid civil rights." Grell put her head in her hands. "This just keeps getting better."
"I do think you just signed on for a real marriage with the boy." Her father said apologetically.
Grell groaned. "I'm really married to him now? Not just on the earthly plane, but in the supernatural ones? How do these things happen to me?"
"I couldn't tell you, leanbh. But I'll help any way I can. I'll do research on what the energy is going to do to son-in-law, because I know that is something you must be worried about. I will have to research anything else." He assured. "But you can't let yourself fall into temptation. Just because you don't have a taste for them now, doesn't mean you couldn't develop one. Just consume death energy and if necessary the simple souls from animal lives, and then feed them to the new leanbh and your husband." The Reaper advised. "If there are any issues, summon me. I have enough knowledge and training to be able to help." He promised. "Think of me as your friendly Shinigami/Demon Obstetrician." He grinned.
There was a sharp knock on the door. "Doctor Lochlan! Grell!" Someone called into the room.
"What's wrong?" The Shinigami healer asked as he stepped around Grell.
It was Ronald. "Something is wrong with Phantomhive!"
The portal could not open fast enough for Grell as he pushed past the servants who were huddling outside of the bedroom door. "What happened?" Grell growled as he shoved past Tanaka followed quickly by Lochlan and Ronald.
"I dunno, he just started howling and rolled into a ball." Ronald ran his hands through his hair. "I came to get you and Doc." He gestured helplessly. "I did not sign up for this! I just figured I could flirt a little, get some cake…" He trailed off, taken off guard by the look of rage on his Senpai's face. It was rare that Grell looked that enraged and usually if he did it was because someone had cut his face or damaged his chainsaw.
Lochlan rushed forward and rolled the boy onto his back as best as he could. "You did not exaggerate. He is a young one, isn't he?" He commented giving Grell a quick look before starting to run his hands over the boy's face, then trying to straighten his limbs. He paused though when he heard Grell literally growl at him a low rumbling sound that vibrated the air around him.
"Grell, I'm just trying to help him." He said quietly, carefully, and in an even voice. "I'm acting as a doctor." He held up his hands, as though to show he was harmless.
He slowly turned to Grell, but avoided looking Grell in the eye. To do so might be taken as a challenge at the moment. Instead, he concentrated on Grell's hands which were hooked into claws. Sharp nails painted bright red were flexed, ready to rend the flesh of her rival. "Daughter." He said quietly. "Your husband needs aid."
Grell startled, looking lost and confused. Grell ran a hand over her mouth and frowned. "I, I don't know why I did that." She confessed quietly. "Please, help him!"
Lochlan nodded. "I have my suspicions. But we'll discuss it later." He frowned, turning back to his patient. "Ciel. Ciel Phantomhive. Can you hear me?" He framed the boy's face and looked him in the eyes. "What hurts?"
"Legs! Arms!" Ciel gasped. "Legs, arms, all over." He keened after a moment. "Feel ripped apart. Body is on fire! My eye is burning!"
Lochlan moved his hands back down to the boy's arms and then legs once more, feeling them as he frowned. "Huh. Hand me my bag, Grell."
Grell nearly stumbled over herself trying to hand it over.
Lochlan worked quietly for five minutes before looking up with confusion. "Shut the door, no servants inside please." Tanaka nodded and chased away the other servants from the door, though he gave Ronald a concerned look when Ronald refused to leave. "Ronald is an… apprentice." The doctor quickly explained to the old man who then nodded and closed the door.
Lochlan turned back to Grell. "Has he been involved in any other rituals, other than the contracts with Sebastian and yourself?"
Grell shrugged in confusion. "I… I don't know? I think I vaguely recall hearing he was supposed to be used in a ritual, and that is how Sebastian had been summoned in the first place?" She didn't really remember the details as they hadn't been important to her back when they were originally discussed years ago.
Lochlan made a soft noise in the back of his throat, removing the eye patch. The boy had his eyes tightly closed, unfortunately. "I see. He's very small for his age, wouldn't you say? Has he changed much in appearance since you first met him when he was what, eleven or twelve?" He asked Grell.
"I'd say almost not at all. It's a bit disturbing to be honest. It makes me feel like a perv being married to him." Grell made a face as she looked back at Ciel and frowned once more. Then she found herself sniffing for that wonderful cologne. She just had to find out what it was that Ciel used! "Despite what he was saying about me perving on a baby, I was actually picturing an adult Sebastian." She admitted awkwardly. "And since I began to really think of Sebastian as a baby, I have no interest any further in that kind of thing with him. He's, he's my baby now. I just want to protect my baby! So, being married to someone that looks like a kid, even if they are old enough to legally marry…" She shuddered a little.
"And not just Sebastian, but more than one Demon has fixated on Ciel as a 'pure' soul despite his 'darkness'. I remember you gossiping to me a while back that 'Sebby' had to chase yet another demon away that coveted the boy." Lochlan continued in thought. "I think that ritual back then was meant to make him a very attractive sacrifice." He began to rub Ciel's leg as he felt it bunch beneath his touch. "In any case, he's having cramps. Bad ones! I don't think I've ever seen a case this bad!" He told Grell. "Further, I think he's having what could be termed as extreme growing pains." He explained. "He must have been around ten when the ritual took place, if I'm reading his history correctly from his energetic auras. He's barely grown since then…"
He rubbed the boy's calf, and then moved to the other leg. Grell began to softly growl again and Lochlan stilled. He swallowed and said, "Come here and help." He advised Grell. "I think there has been a shift in the 'energy' inside of him." He stressed the word energy. "I think it jump started the process again, finally, after all these years. He's growing, and rapidly."
"And it hurts." Grell winced. Great, this was her fault too. She wouldn't be surprised if Ciel didn't shoot her some night while she was sleeping. Not that it would kill her, but it would hurt. "What should we do?"
"Exactly what we are doing; massage and heat. Mr… Tanaka was it?" Lochlan called out loudly, and then waited for the old man to return to the room. "We need hot water bottles, hot towels, and the like. We need to relax his muscles as much as possible. Not sure yet what any medication may do to the growing small one inside." He avoided using the word Demon right now. "There is a product made by the business Eng Aun Tong, in Rangoon, Burma. You may wish to try to send for some of their pain relief products, the kind that is rubbed into the skin." He instructed.
"I shall contact Mister Lau." Tanaka quickly left the room to fetch such, leaving the Doctor and Grell to rub the young man's legs and arms.
Ronald watched, confused by what was going on. He had a feeling that more was going on than was being said. He was still in shock over hearing Grell growling. He knew that Grell was a Hybrid. He'd heard rumors in the past that Grell had almost become a real demon. But he'd gone to rehab and had been cleaned of the taint. Was Grell relapsing? Did he need to contact Mr. Spears? He shifted on his feet and looked at the boy on the bed who was softly whimpering into a pillow. Maybe it was just a married thing? Maybe Grell really did have a thing for Ciel and didn't want to admit it? But why growl at his own dad? Ronald worried at his lower lip and decided it would be better to keep an eye on them for now.
"This isn't a bad thing." Lochlan told Grell. "Not sure how fast this growth spurt will be, but it isn't a bad thing. It means that the ritual is coming undone, and he'll be allowed to gain the height he should have. He should also become more congruent in body and soul!"
Tanaka brought the bottles and towels in as quickly as possible, handing them over as the other two men wrapped Ciel's legs and arms with them. "Head hurts." Ciel pouted unhappily.
"Headaches aren't uncommon." Lochlan assured, reaching up and rubbing the boy's temples. "Grell, my prescription is to keep tending to Ciel. Massage, continue to use heat, and I'll go find a gentle tea to give him. The rub when it arrives will help as well. Just wash your hands well after use. He should also take warm baths."
"Will-" Grell started.
"I will deal with Will." Lochlan pushed his glasses up. "He won't like it, no. But when it comes to medicine, I outrank him, whether he likes it or not. And, as he encouraged this 'marriage' then he cannot complain when you 'stand by' your spouse." He gave Grell a significant look. "So, take care of your spouse." He leaned in and added in a whisper. "Play it to the hilt, my child. Your marriage is a doorway into the rights of all of our kind. And try not to growl at people, if you can avoid it." He said the last even more quietly.
Great, no pressure there! Now he was being asked to play the spouse by all sides involved so far.
"We'll discuss it later. I'll be back tomorrow. The pain should fade by morning, but in the evenings it will start back up again. No one is sure why it is timed like that; or even what causes it! It is just one of those mysteries of growing up."
He snapped his bag closed and gestured for Ronald to follow him. Ronald cast a confused and worried look back at Grell, but followed him out leaving Grell to slowly and tentatively start rubbing Ciel's legs and arms.
"So, you're growing. That should make you happy." Grell's fingers were going to fall off. And if she tried to stop rubbing, Ciel started to get pissy. And a pissy Ciel was one that was ruder than usual. It didn't help that every time Ciel started to whine, Grell felt like she needed to fix it urgently. She didn't even know why. Just that she would start to feel nervous and shaky herself, until finally she would find herself once more rubbing and massaging the younger man's legs and arms until she could no longer feel her fingers.
She was exhausted and was horrified to realize she'd rather be writing reports right now, because that would be less torture than what she was currently experiencing. "Can I stop for just a few minutes?"
"Keep rubbing! You did this to me." Ciel hissed. "Don't think I didn't catch the energy bit. Somehow you started me growing." At some point Ciel had grabbed his eye patch back and pulled it back on, but Grell could not remember when he'd done so.
"What happened to 'you don't like to be touched'? And, you're growing, that's a good thing. You won't be as short anymore. You might even reach adult sized someday, hopefully." Grell pointed out. "My fingers, oh god I can't feel my fingers." She whimpered.
"Don't you darrrre stop." Ciel snarled then whined as his leg cramped once more. "Left leg. Left leg!" He ordered.
Grell complied with a whine of her own.
"So, those bastards not only were going to sacrifice me to a Demon, but they wanted me to be a tasty treat for one. Bastards!" Ciel grit his teeth.
"You could engage in a variety of "sins" and still be "pure" to a demon; all that attractive darkness with all the sweetness of light. They might as well have baked a five tier cake with the sweetest icing for a starving man with a sweet tooth. They probably thought they'd get rewarded well for presenting you. Did that ever blow up in their faces, huh?" Grell nodded. She tried to rub with one hand while flexing her other to relieve her own cramping. "What if we just shove you in a hot tub of water?" she asked desperately.
"RIGHT LEG! RIGHT LEG!" Ciel yelled. "Don't you dare leave this bed!"
Grell shifted focus with a groan, closing her eyes. "I wanna go back to worrrrrk." She whined. "Work is more relaxing than this. Paperwork, I want my paperwork!"
"ARM left arm!" Ciel flailed.
Grell wept for her manicure.
By morning, the cramping had left off, leaving both Ciel and Grell to nap where they fell on the bed. Lochlan raised his brows as he was let into the room, but also noted that both were dressed and that neither was covered with a blanket. They had literally passed out next to each other.
He crept closer and after a moment of consideration put a hand on Ciel's arm, only to find Grell's hand grasping his wrist a second later, a growl in her throat, a snarl on her lips, and her eyes glowing faintly, mostly green but with the faintest hint of burgundy. He quickly shifted his eyes to the bed. "I feared so." He sighed, staying still while Grell slowly came to her senses.
"Grell, you with me yet?" He asked gently, slowly raising his eyes to her, but prepared to look back down if she took it as a challenge. "Leanbh?"
"Daidi?" Grell blinked, as though waking up. "What is happening to me?" She whispered, looking down at Ciel noting he was still asleep. He was still clothed, though his clothing was askew. Even his eyepatch was still in place.
"Instincts." Lochlan whispered. "You have certain instincts which are waking up. It's okay. It's okay." He repeated. Though she wondered, was he was trying to convince himself or her? He ran a hand over her hair and sat on the edge of the bed. "Whether people admit it or not, there are certain instincts which exist in not only Demons, but Shinigami and humans. You are a combination of both Shinigami and Demon." He patted Grell's knee. "Remember when you felt the Demonic violence overwhelm you?" He asked gently. "This isn't quite like that, but… You're responding to threats or perceived threats to your mate and child."
Grell dropped her face into her hands. "The mark is brighter today."
"The mark is evolving because it is between you and Ciel. Sabastian may or may not have kicked it off, but both of you are influencing it. Your instincts, if I had to hazard a guess are one of those influences. When you funneled the soul to him after taking it in to your own body…" Lochlan trailed off. "As far as instinct is concerned Ciel and Sebastian are 'yours'. And I think in some way, through instinct, Sebastian has claimed the both of you as well. You two are providing him life and the magic inherent within him is recognizing that and manipulating it to some degree. All three of you are weaving together."
"What?" Grell groaned, looking up. "What does this mean? Does this mean that Sebastian basically bound us? Then why am I feeling the way I do? Why do I feel like attacking people who go near Ciel?"
"You 'fed' Sebastian, after taking the soul through your own body. He is basically energy at the moment as well. You can't help but also provide him some of your energy too. It has merged to a degree." Lochlan gestured vaguely toward Ciel and the small 'bump' that marked Sebastian's presence within the younger man. He cleared his throat. "I think you perceive both of them on a primal and instinctive level as your mate and child. You are protecting your 'bloodline' so to speak. Male or female, either gender will protect their bloodline. You are his "mother" even if you are not carrying him in your body." He touched Grell's chest. "Regardless of gender, you have well, for lack of a better description, hormones flooding your system. Sebastian is becoming your blood line. And according to my initial research, Ciel will be absorbing Death energy in future transfers. There is a good chance that he may turn eventually."
"No. No no no no no." Grell stood up and started pacing, wringing his hands. "Oh, god! You must be joking?" She said aghast. True, she wanted a child, badly. But Ciel was going to kill her! Sebby may even kill her when he was grown enough to understand! Because if Ciel could absorb the Death Energy and eventually turn, then with Grell purposely feeding Sebastian Death Energy to keep him going and growing meant there was a good chance that he too could become a Shinigami! Or, at least a hybrid, like him. Ciel stirred and sat up with a disgruntled look, glaring at both of them for disturbing his sleep.
"You have to be wrong." Grell insisted. "Daidi, you have to be wrong! William will kill me. The council will be pissed. Ciel will kill me!"
"Leanbh, I don't think I am." Then after a moment of thought he made the error of testing one of his theories. He reached out and grabbed Ciel's collar roughly. He grunted as he tried to push Grell off his chest. "GRELL!" He yelled, trying to grab his daughter's wrists. Claws were attempting to rake his chest. "Grell, leanbh! It's all right! Ciel tell her you're all right!" The doctor yelled out frantically while trying to kick off the other Reaper that was now baring her shark-like teeth and trying to get at his throat.
Ciel's eyes were wide, and just a little frightened, but he still called out. "I'm fine. Grell, cease this moment!" He swallowed. "You are a Phantomhive. You will act in accordance!" It worked with the servants and Sebastian at times, why not now?
Grell threw herself off of the other man, scrambling in horror. "Daidi! I'm sorry." She said miserably. "I…"
"It's okay. I thought that is what would happen, I mean, to an extent. Just wanted to test the theory." Lochlan cleared his throat, pushing himself up onto his elbows. "Just didn't consider how strong the instinct would be so fast." He got to his feet.
"Someone explain this nonsense, now!" Ciel glared. Lochlan sighed and then began the long explanation.
Ciel paced the length of the room. The seamstress had come and went, leaving some clothes she had already made which came close to fitting him, and with new measurements to make gentlemen's clothes for him, with the understanding that his measurements would be changing rapidly. He'd allowed Grell to dress him in his proper clothes. They had come to the decision that just because the outside world tried to put new roles on them that they did not have to embrace those roles in the privacy of the manor. It was still up for debate as to what they would do in public. Neither fancied having to deal with the Queen again. But at the moment? They were at home; safe from prying eyes. So, Ciel was dressed as a young man once more and Grell was wearing a lady's coat.
He turned to the Reaper named Lochlan. "So, what you are saying is that she is protective of me now." He had a calculating look in his eye as he said it. While he used the feminine pronoun, it was because he had agreed to do so, not because he really thought of Grell as a woman, "That she will throw herself between me and any danger." He ran a finger along his chin as he thought about the implications. "Not much different from the contract I had with Sebastian." He said thoughtfully. "And, they already believe us married." He turned back to face the other two. "I can't help but view this to being to my benefit. My enemies will hardly stop coming after me just because Sebastian is not here to protect me, or because the majority of the population mistakenly believe I'm a female."
He put his hands behind his back, sizing them up. "But there is no 'end date' on this contract. How will Grell respond when the time comes for Sebastian to take my soul?" He asked honestly curious. "After all, that contract did come first. Or does the contract break now because he is literally unable to protect me at this point?" Loopholes? He loved loopholes at times. "Does becoming a Shinigami, as you predict, have any influence on this situation? Will he become Shinigami as well, and will that affect the contract? Last night, my eye was burning and I developed a headache. I was not sure if that was normal to the growing pains, or if it was something else."
Grell looked down at the floor helplessly. "I don't know." Grell sat down heavily in a chair. "I've never been in this position before. Usually human to Shinigami transformations are because the human has committed suicide. The council is in charge of how it happens. They are the ones that do the turning."
Lochlan clicked his tongue thoughtfully. "It is hard to say, but I would imagine that despite the older contract, Grell would probably put up quite a fight. So much is unknown at the moment. May I see your eye?" He gestured at the eye patch. "I was going to look at it last night, but it quite slipped my mind with everything else going on. It is quite overwhelming."
Ciel made a face, but still removed it, though reluctantly.
"Hm." Lochlan clicked his tongue again rapidly. "Interesting." He pondered.
Grell came closer. "It's changed, Daidi." She whispered.
"What?" Ciel spun around, looking for the mirror. "How? What!" He peered into the mirror. "This is not Sebastian's mark!" He yelled. He sounded almost offended on behalf of the Demon. He'd mentioned it was burning the night before; that must have been when it changed.
"What is it supposed to look like?" Lochlan frowned.
"A kind of purple, an upside down pentagram, and surrounded with…" Ciel broke off, gesturing almost violently at the mark. "Not green, and not… it looks almost like the mark on my hand from Grell." He took off the glove that was covering it to show the swooping lines of the star. While the star in his eye did not swoop quite so much, and it was tilted like before, it was a green in color and had a rune added.
"The rune is different." Grell pointed out. "Sebastian's never had a rune at all, and it is different from the one on our hands." He pointed out.
Lochlan tilted Ciel's head up and looked down into his eyes. "Yes, it is different. The style of the star denotes a kind of family line. The three of you have combined into a family therefore it is comprised of elements from each of you. Family marks therefore change slightly from generation to generation, but retain certain characteristics which show the family association." He frowned. "The rune of course refers to the purpose, this would mean that... Fascinating." He broke off. "Grell, this rune is Othila. It refers to family. Inheritance or birthright, family, home…" He raised his brows. He muttered to himself as he leaned in and tilted Ciel's head the other way. "Amazing. Your contract may be broken, at least in the sense that your soul is no longer at risk." He let the young man's head go.
Lochlan turned to Grell and then looked to Ciel. "This rune is basically saying you are home, family, and ancestry, and as this may still be Sebastian's mark, it may be reflecting the fact that you are currently housing him, and that you are for all intents and purposes giving him life. Both of you are giving him life. It has changed to show characteristics of Grell's own mark." He pointed at Grell as well. "Speaking of which, Grell will need to take in little lives and then funnel them down to you as previously discussed. I would recommend feeding him Death Energy primarily though, followed up with the little lives. I am not keen on Grell taking in much soul energy if she can avoid it. I fear its influence. But since death or soul energy does run through her first, some of her "influence" does get filtered through to the little one." He smiled. "Just like a parent."
Grell sat down heavily again. "I'm a mum? I'm a MUM!" She cheered. "Oh my god…" Grell looked pale. "I'm a mother." She started to tilt to the side.
"You already knew that, idiot." Ciel scoffed as Grell fell to the ground.
"I just really realized it." Grell said from the floor staring at the ceiling. "Oh god, we're having a baby! A baby Sebastian!"
"I married a moron." Ciel rolled his eyes.
Lochlan just kind of shrugged, beaming. "I'm a grandfather." He clapped his hands. "How exciting!"
