A little something before First Love.

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I just wanted to write something while I wait for the beta-reading to finish.

No beta-readers for this short story and yell, it is short for once. Only around 2000 words.

Nightmare

Gretel had a nightmare, it was always about that day…

When Gretel opened her eyes, she knew that she was no longer in Japan sleeping in her house. She didn't realised that her world around was clear as day yet she didn't wore glasses. The surrounding area was differently yet so familiar to a blond girl from the English Branch. The world around her seemed to be a setting of a Victorian set.

This was her world before she committed her unforgiveable act.

Gretel looked around and saw that she was wearing the clothing that she once wore back when she was a human. It was a dress only the rich could have, an elegant gown she tailored herself and matching it was a hat, it was tied with a pink rose and ribbon. She was holding a large brief case as she walked down the streets with both of her hands. She felt her body was constrained due to the corset.

"Gretel." A familiar called out to her, looking down from her white glove hands, she turned her head upwards and to where the voice came from. She was met with a face just like hers but the hair was different, it was similar to Gretel's however it was must shorter.

'Hansel?' Yes, this person beside was her twin brother. He wore suits of noble standing, his emerald eyes shined brightly as it was reflected from the sunlight. His blonde hair was trimmed short and neatly. He looked like Gakushu Asano before he had his haircut, although Hansel here looked a tad bit older.

"Gretel, is there something wrong?" Hansel asked as he worryingly looked to his female half. "Is the case too heavy? Let me hold that for you."

Gretel shook her head lightly, "It's fine, don't trouble yourself." Hansel didn't do what she asked and took always the case.

"You're a lady, you shouldn't trouble yourself with this." Hansel exclaimed although he was having troubles on carrying the case more than Gretel. "And besides, father would lecture me on for letting you carrying this."

Gretel let out a giggle as she covered her month with her hand. "Aren't you such a gentleman? Now if only you could work on your etiquette, you know that I'm supposed to acknowledge you first before you can speak to a lady." She teased her older twin, Hansel's cheeks tinted light pink as he looked away flustered. The two walked down the streets, through the crowds of workers and those of higher class. Suddenly out of nowhere, a carriage with out of control horses chased towards at the two.

"Gretel! Look out!" Hansel screamed as Gretel was closer to the charging carriage.

Time became slow when Hansel pushed Gretel back, she fell back while her twin took in the force of the charging carriage. Gretel felt numb as Hansel fell to the hard ground with a loud thump after being trampled by the horses. The carriage crashed and stopped at a nearby building. Bystanders stood in their place in shock of what just unfolded in front of their eyes and Gretel stood in front of Hansel's body.

"Brother?" Gretel whispered as she slowly got up, the sight of her brother's body almost caused her to throw up her lunch. Out of reflex, she covered her mouth with her white gloved hands and gasped.

Hansel's hair was no longer its beautiful golden colour. "Brother, brother?" Gretel slowly approached her brother who laid there motionless, "Brother?" She called out in a whisper, she didn't get a response, not even a groan or a whisper. His once lively green eyes were now dull as it blankly stared upwards before it slowly closed.

His hair was no longer blonde, it was scarlet red, replacing his golden blonde hair with his reddest of blood. The stench of the red sticky liquid filled the air as she walked forward to her other half, she didn't care when she stepped into a puddle of blood seeping out from his body.

She dropped to her knees, her dress became soaked with his blood, and she gently tapped him. "Brother? Hansel?" She softly shook his mangled body and droplets of tears fell from her once emerald green eyes.

Her soft shooks became stronger and stronger as she grew more desperate. Anything to see him open his eyes again. "Hansel! Please wake up! I beg of you!"

'Why won't you wake up!?' She resisted the urge to slap his face.

"Please wake up! Please!" Gretel screamed her heart out, no longer caring that her hands were dyed with red, she hug his mangled body. She couldn't even feel him breathing anymore as she buried her face into his chest.

She cradled his head on her lap as she looked around to the bystanders, "Please! Somebody help!"

"Hansel! Wake up!" She looked back to him as she desperately called out to her brother but as expected, he didn't gave out a response. She rocked his body back and forth as she tightly clutched on it.

"No… this can't be." Gretel sobbed her words. Leaning her face closer to his bloodied face.

"Hansel!"

"Hansel!" Gretel cried out as she leaped out from her bed, awoken from the world of dreams, her chartreuse phosphorescent eyes shot wide open, she breathed and sweated heavily. In a panic, she looked around frantically but the world around her was just a blur. The blonde haired girl slowly touched her cheeks and found that it was wet, she was crying and the tears continued to fell.

Then there was a knock at the door. "Gretel, are you okay?" A voice from outside asked in worry.

Gretel quickly dived back under her sheets, she muttered shakily and fearfully, "Who is it?"

"It's me, Arthur." A male voice called out from behind the closed door, the wooden door slowly to reveal a tall around the age of 17 with short blonde hair and his chartreuse phosphorescent seemly glowed in the dark. Gretel slowly came out from her protective shell of blankets.

"Arthur? Is it really you?" Gretel fearfully asked as she popped her head out from the sheets.

In a gentle smile, he softly answered yes. In his arms was a silverly tray, on it was a plain teapot with streaming coming from it and a face downed matching teacup. He passed on her black rectangular glasses where its arms were white, he placed it over her eyes and the world became clear again.

Afterwards, Arthur poured in the hot ginger milk tea into the cup and gave it to Gretel. Her shaking hands held onto the warm cup, she breathed onto her drink to soothe the heat and took a sip. It filled her body with warm and strangely enough, kindness. The tears stopped and eventually she finished her tea. The blonde male seated himself by the bedside, right by her side.

Gretel slowly reached for her glasses to feel them and she slumped her head down. Guilt filled in her heart when she realised that she could had possibly woke up the strawberry blonde boy with her screaming. "Did I wake Gakushu-kun up?"

"I told him to go back to sleep and that I will take care of everything." Arthur answered honestly, he knew that she will find out anyway so what was the point of lying to her. He took the cup out of Gretel's hands and placed it back onto the tray.

At the same time Gretel was relieved as she felt guilt, as this was one of the rare nights that she slept in her own bedroom for once. Instead of everyone in their usual group of friends sleep altogether in the living room.

"Gakushu is just like Hansel, doesn't he?" Gretel said and Arthur nodded to her words.

"He does a bit." Arthur commented in agreement. "His characteristics are just like Hansel but at the same time, it what makes Asano-kun him and not Hansel."

"I know that Gakushu is not Hansel…" Gretel admitted though her voice raised a bit, and the tears came back to prickle her eyes. "The shape of his face and his eyes are just like his. I can't help it."

"I hoped that he was an reincarnation of him but… I knew that he wasn't. I knew that long ago." Gretel muttered, her tears came back flowing out of her eyes.

"I try to distance him from Hansel, that's why I cut his hair in that style." It became harder for her to form the words out more clearly, her throat felt patched and dry.

"I just want to feel whole again but it feels like I am just using him." Gretel hiccupped her words as she heavily sobbed. She hugged her knees and buried her face in her arms.

"But it is mutual remember? Gakushu uses your love and ours to fill in his emptiness. He is the same as Rilliane, as Lucia, as you and me." Arthur gently said as he soothly patted her hair. She lifted her head and turned to Arthur. "We are all the same."

More guilt was filled into her heart as she stared into his reaper eyes, he was here with her because she committed her unforgivable act. And he followed after her in death. "Arthur… Can you stay here until I fall asleep?" Gretel pinched the sleeves around his wrist.

Arthur warmly smiled to her. "Of course, I will stay here until you fall asleep Milady." He took off her glasses and wiped away the salty tears with a handkerchief. He laid Gretel down to her back and covered her in the blanket.

Gretel weakly giggled back, "I told to call me Gretel, Arthur."

"I'm sorry, habit. Good night Gretel." Arthur chuckled, he scratched the back of his neck bashfully.

"Good night Arthur…" Gretel whispered as she closed her eyes. Arthur stayed there until her breathing became even, she slept so soundly with a sad smile. One of her hands that once clutched his sleeves so tightly loosened.

Arthur leaned over to pressed her forehead his. "Sweet dreams… Gretel." He then lightly kissed her forehead. He stood up gently from his seat, he grabbed the tray and walked his way out of her bedroom without creating a sound. He closed the door as he stepped out for the room behind him.

"I will always protect you Gretel."

And it was never mentioned again, just like whenever someone had a mental breakdown, it was acted like it never happened. Gakushu knew that it was for the best, it was the norm and it will always be. Gretel greeted the boy who prepared himself for another day at Class-E as if she never that had nightmare.

"Good morning Strawberry!" She sang as she groped his chest before he headed out for the school.

"Good morning Gretel."

Gretel is too much fun to write as a character, all of the reapers are. Lucia and Ivan for their drinking antics, Ikeda because he lost his human memories and so on.

Hopefully the beta-reading gets done soon but until then, remember to leave in suggestions or review.

And I hope to see all you lovely readers next time.