Shiroijijo

Kuroshitsuji

Chapter XIV: His Mate, Recalling Memories

That day…

…Each and every Phantomhive lost their lives at the hands of some unknown individual.

The manor was burnt to the ground - my sister and her husband were discovered in a terrible state.

A child's corpse was never recovered.

-I lost everyone that was precious to me. Everything had flown somewhere out of my reach.

I was sad. So sad- But even more-so did I envy my elder sister for being able to die with 'him,' my beloved.

And I continued to live on…as the sole survivor.

Yet…

I hated them.

They had something I could never have, regardless of how much I desired it.

What I wanted. What I cherished.

I, who had lost all and those whores, who possessed what I wanted more than anything… but were throwing it away…

What had I done to deserve that?

Why did God make me suffer so?

I only…

…Only-

HATEHATEHATEHATEHATE!

And so I cut them into little pieces, the prostitutes on whom I performed the abortions.

I will do away with that which you do not desire, if you so wish…

I will take away your womb, your happiness, your life - everything.

Then…

A crimson-cloaked Grim Reaper smiled upon me.

Grell…He wanted children as much as Angelina. He was like her. He hugged her. Comforted her like no one else had. He assisted her in doing what she thought was best.

I…cut my red hair, which was caked with blood.

-A few months later, my missing nephew suddenly returned…

With a black-clad butler and a purple-swathed maid at his side.

And now our story begins…

No matter how many times I asked my nephew about what happened while he was missing, he would not tell me a thing.

But that was all right because Ciel had returned.

The only one who had returned… My beloved-

'He,' my beloved… his and my sister's child.. The child who looks so very much like her.

I should have been happy that Ciel had been returned to me but a sense of unease weighed on my heart.

Why did this child return, when 'he' did not?

Why did this child live, while 'he' died?

'His child' was not 'him.'

That boy was the son of the elder sister who took 'him' away from me-…

Why had I not been the one to marry 'him'?

And Ciel, who had succeeded 'him,' finally came to capture Jack The Ripper with that face that so resembled that of my sister.

Sister…what more are you going to take away from me?

This time… I will not yield a thing to you…

"I WILL NOT YIELD ANYHTING!"

"I loved you dyed in the deepest crimson of spattered blood, Madam Red," Grell said, though his wide mouth pulled into a frown contradicted the words. "I haven't the least interest in someone who gets carried away by silly emotions. I helped you set up your alibi too. And I even broke the rules that govern us Reapers, killing women not on the list, all for your sake… What a let-down!

"You were just the same as all those other women. You don't deserve to wear red at all… No Ma'am!," he stated, pulling the red coat from her dead body and slipping his own arms into it after removing his own black coat. "The curtain has fallen on your cheap performance of life. Farewell, Madam." He turned and walked away, heels clicking against the cobblestone floor.

Ciel stepped forwards and knelt at Angelina's side. He closed her eyes with his right hand. "Sebastian. Annabelle. What are you doing?" We both gave him questioning looks. "I ordered you to hunt Jack the Ripper. It's not over yet. So don't stand around twiddling your thumbs, man. Hunt down the last one."

A grin slowly pulled at my lips as I turned towards Grell, cracking my fingers and etting my nails lengthen into sharp claws.. "It's my turn, then."

"…As you wish," Sebastian said before grapping my arm in a bruising grip. "You will stay put. He is strong, Demoness. And I will not let you get hurt."

I gave him an incredulous look. You want me to stay out of the fight? I am not the obedient mutt, Sebastian. I won't let you get any more hurt than you already are.

"Demone-" he began to berate.

"…Hee! I was all ready to let you go 'cos I'm really not feeling it anymore, but…" Grell chuckled, cutting Sebastian off. "…if you're that desperate to die, I'll do you the favour of sending the three of you to Heaven!"

The two of us ducked when he swung the Scythe at us and jumped back when he repeated the movement.

"Heaven, was it?" Sebastian asked, picking up a wooden crate and throwing it at Grell. "We are not fated to go there, I fear."

Grell smashed the crate effortlessly as Sebastian and I jumped onto the roof. "Yours truly is just in the foulest of foul moods at the moment! So don't expect me to go easy- !" His statement trailed off into a question when he couldn't find us on the ground.

He readied himself to swing the Scythe again when Sebastian left my side, jumping down into the alleyway and landing on the flat metal surface of Grell's blade. As the Death God turned to see what was going on, Sebastian aimed a kick to his face. He just barely dodged. "If you want to know what a foul mood is, then you will have to meet Demoness when she is in one. That is the foulest of the foul."

"Hey…! You just aimed for my face right now, didn't you! For a lady, her face is her life! You fiend!" Grell screamed, glaring at Sebastian heatedly.

I jumped down and landed next to my partner, brushing against his arm to let him know I was there. "Oh, you are quite right on that account," we said at the same time, chucking a little. "For we are a hell of a team."

I really hated that saying (really bad pun and all) but it sounded damn good when we said it together like that. I might start joining him when he said it, just to sound cool.

"HRM! Do you think a Demon can win against a God, hm?" Grell demanded.

"It is difficult to say," Sebastian replied. "Having never fought one, I cannot be sure, but if Young Master tells me to win then I shall win."

I have fought a Death God before. One of the most powerful, I thought, glancing at Sebastian. He seemed quite shocked at that. When you find their weakness, you can kill them easily. Wear him out and then strike hardest. I will be waiting in the shadows for my chance.

"I don't know what's happened between you two and that brat, but you're awfully into him. It just riles me riiiight up! But even a Demon such as yourself will perish if hunted with a Death Scythe, you know? Aren't you just quaking in your boots at the thought?" Grell asked as the Scythe whirred to life.

"Not at all. This body and soul… Everything, down to the last hair on my head, belongs to my Master and Bonded now. For obeying that Master's orders so long as the covenant endures… that is a butler's aesthetic. His philosophy, if you will. If they tell me not to die, I will not die. If they tell me to die, then I shall disappear."

"Hmmmmmm…" Grell swooned, giving Sebastian a smouldering look with his odd green and yellow eyes. "I do rather like men who pursue the arts, Sebastian Darling! Suddenly I want to stomp on that composed face of yours with my heels and make you lick my shoes!" he yelled, jumping forwards and swinging at us.

Foot fetish. Nice.

The two of us jumped away, but the Scythe nicked my leg. That hurt like a son of a bitch.

"A Demon and a Grim Reaper. Will we never be able to understand each other? If a reaper is one whose job it is to retrieve souls, a Demon is a noxious beast that steals and devours those souls!

I glared. "We need to eat, too, Death God."

"My feelings will never be requited… It's as if this is the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet!"

The three of us who weren't morons shivered in barely concealed disgust.

"If you and I are the stars Shakespeare will grieve soundly! Ahh, Sebastian Darling! Wherefore art thou, Sebastian Darling? Deny thy Master, thy Bonded and refuse thy spiteful name and cast our eyes upon me alone!"

I shivered yet again and glared at the red clad man something awful. Just the thought of something touching my possessions sickens me, I growled, rushing forwards and swiping at him with elongated claws.

I caught his chest, tearing at fabric and skin before jumping back and flexing my claws, blood dripping to the ground. I wiped it off onto my breeches with a disgusted expression on my face.

"From the time my Master called me Sebastian that word became my covenant and christened me anew," Sebastian exclaimed, kicking Grell in the face while he was occupied, wiping at the blood on his shirt. He landed softly on the roof with his back to the full moon. "I have been Sebastian since that day. I vowed as much to the moon, you see?"

"Swearing on the moon is the act of an insecure man. Your eyes are the eyes of one who does not love - tarnished eyes. You are a Demon that defiles innocent souls with your vile hands and lips. Yes… Ohhh, yes!" Grell exclaimed. "You're giving me the chills, Sebastian Darling!" When he described my partner like that, I have to say that I, too, was given the chills. I rubbed my arms, trying to alleviate myself of them, sending quick glances at Sebastian, seeing him a new light. "If it's your child we're talking about, I think I'll be able to birth it!"

My hand travelled to my stomach again, like it had the other night at the Viscounts manor. A child…

"Please cease your folly. I find the mere thought revolting." Sebastian ground out, glaring in disgust. "Not to mention it is biologically impossible. And I already have a mate-to-be. She will bear me a child. And many more in future years."

I clutched the loose fabric of my poet's shirt. Would I really bear Sebastian's children? Will I even mate him? The idea…doesn't sound as horrible as I once thought it was.

"Aahn! Such an ice king you are! A beautiful tyrant! An angelic demon! A raven with the wings of a dove! My little lamb with the appetites of a wolf! My very own Sebastian Darling!" Grell called out overzealously as the two attacked each other.

Seconds later, Sebastian had Grell in a hold. The Scythe lodged into the roof.

"Ohh. Sebastian Darling… I wish the sun would never rise. Then we could keep hunting each other for all eternity. But this is the end of our romantic adventure." He leaned close and grinned at Sebastian before head butting him, sending him sprawling backwards. Now that was a dirty trick. "Let us part with a passionate kiss, Sebastian Darling! Now I bid you a thousand… no, ten thousand sweet adieus, my sweet prince!" He raised the Scythe above his head.

I gasped and pushed myself forwards as fast as I could, throwing myself in front of Sebastian, wrapping my arms around his torso and pressing my lips to his for possibly the last time as I awaited the blade to pierce my back and kill me.