Title: Helpful

Pairing: Grell X either Sebastian, William, or Undertaker (that's the whole plot)

Rating: T—M, depending on where I stray to

Story Contains: Yaoi, and Unrequited Love

Chapter Warnings:

Summary: Grell attempted to help Undertaker…but, can Grell really help anyone?

Chapter Number: #8

Author Note: I apologize for the wait. I went camping, got a serious sunburn, got clean, met with a friend, had one of my classes cancelled due to lack of enrollment, cleaned house, got a new job…got back here.

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As Grell wandered out the front door of Undertaker's shop, not needing to bound out of the corridor window and onto the neighboring roof, something dark on the horizon captured his well-groomed eye. Oh, that figure. He knew that figure…that one not-so-human human being attached to that miraculous demon. Why—the two of them were always together out on the streets, it wasn't cruel to state that the two of them may as well be considered one person.

"Sebas-chan?" Grell stated to himself in surprise. Why was he and that Phantomhive coming to Undertaker's shop again so soon? The look they gave Grell when they spotted him in the doorway proved that they weren't just walking by.

"Grell?" The strange child barked as they came to a halt before him. "What business have you here?" Grell fluttered his lashes, many thoughts in his mind as he looked from the child to the always handsome demon and then back to the child.

"What business have you here?" Grell asked obstinately, crossing his arms over his chest and smirking through his attempt at a firm face.

"Sebastian and I have business with Undertaker that doesn't concern you," Ciel stated bluntly. Sebastian leaned down and whispered something into his master's ear—the question was responded to negatively and Sebastian straightened himself.

"Oh?" Grell asked, pulling on a falsely curious face while truly thinking about other things. (He surprised himself! He was able to stay focused on something other than Sebas-chan when Sebas-chan was nearby!)

"The information we were able to receive from Undertaker was completely unreliable and so mangled that we've come to believe he tampered with it." All Grell could picture in response to that—even as Sebastian began to speak…Sebas-chan!—was Undertaker sitting on a dreary couch in dreary colours eating bland cookies and drinking tasteless tea. He could still hear the colourless creature talking—"Undertaker, tell us what you know!"

"I had the same problem," Grell finally said. "But Undertaker isn't even here."

"Then why is his door open?" The young Phantomhive asked irritably.

"Because he coerced me into keeping shop while he went away on a—a 'fabric hunt' I believe he said, for his newest casket." Noting Sebastian and Ciel's non-believing faces, Grell added on: "Which he said to tell you, if you dropped by, could be your own custom made—"

"When is he coming back?" Ciel demanded with the same apathetic expression he always had. Grell responded, after pretending to do lengthy calculations in his brain, stating random cities which he knew to be far away, that it would be at least four days.

"You're keeping shop for four days?" Sebastian asked. "Looking like that?" Grell examined his own dress—his usual dress—and shrugged.

"It's not like Undertaker is exactly inconspicuous," Grell muttered. Sebastian blinked lazily and glanced down at his master who looked like he needed a nap. "But if you think it's a problem, Sebas-chan, why not let me borrow your clothes?"

"No," Sebastian answered coldly, making Grell shiver from anything but discomfort.

"We'll return in exactly four days," the earl said vacantly. "Come, Sebastian." Without a single parting word, the two continued down the street like one person instead of two. Even lovers didn't have that kind of appearance.

"I want to be like that," Grell whimpered, turning to reenter the shop. Before he could even take a single step forward, however, the half-concealed but still displeased face of the undertaker met with his.

"What was that?" Undertaker asked, his voice sounding gruff and unfriendly.

"That was…I-I know you don't like being bothered so I sent them on their wa—"

"On their way? Now if they catch word that I'm still here you've turned me into a liar which, as it appears, they already think I am. You've soiled not only a sale today, but also my reputation with the Earl Phantomhive." With an audible groan, Undertaker spun around and retreated to the back side of his counter on which he leaned and visibly sulked. "Not only that," he said with a heavy sigh. "You robbed me of what could have been the best laugh ever…"

"I was—"

"No," Undertaker interjected. "You can go."

"But I—!"

"No," Undertaker said, leaning over the counter with his giant sleeves hanging over the edge. "Just leave me." He, as Grell believed, pretended to die after that. He laid his face down on the counter and made no more noises or movements.

With a sigh, Grell left the shop slumped over and displeased…

~Alice Von Wonderland

Closing Note: I enjoy Undertaker

Until Next Time

Alice Von Wonderland