A/N: HEY GUYS!
So, I was going to post this sooner, but I feel asleep and then had to work yesterday. But now, I'm ready to go! I'm not meeting up with a friend today cause she's on vacation, and I'm bored cause it's my day off… so I'm going to look over a chapter or two.
When it comes to my writing, I've kind of hit a wall. Writer's block can be a bitch to deal with! But, hopefully posting more of this story will reenergize me desire to write more.
The weather where I'm living has been rather gloomy, still… Yes, it rains, but it's been snowing, and honestly, I'm so done with the snow. I may love the snow, but I'm getting tired of it. At least we won't have to worry about a drought like last year! But, I've been rather bummed, lately. Another school shooting has happened in the state I live in. If you guys are Americans and live in Colorado, you know what I'm talking about… It… kind of sucks. I feel that people come to our state just to shoot up the place. Like, seriously. Columbine, and now the STEM school… We've had a lot of problems and these aren't just the only school shootings, here.
Anyways, that's where my mind is kind of at. Why I haven't posted anything in a while. Like most tragedies, I don't really know anyone involved, but it's been the talk of my state, as of late. I'm just tired. Emotionally drained.
But, I am going on a camping trip next week, rain or shine, so pray that it isn't as gloomy and cold next weekend! Cause, honestly, I just WANT some warmth. Spring is my most despised season, but I'm craving the heat, right now! I even put away my winter gear, only to take it out, again.
But, enough about me. ENJOY THE CHAPTER! And YOUR UPCOMING WEEKEND!
! #$%^&*())(*&^%$# !
"How did a boy from Ireland end up here?" you heard Vincent ask, though you're not sure if the question was towards you or he was just thinking out loud, but when you let out an annoyed huff he turned his eyes back to you. "Speaking of all of this, can you be sure about your information? From what society dictates, demons tend to lie."
"Demons, lie. Devils, avoid speaking the truth," you stated, simply, and you could tell this new piece of information amused the man as you continued, sighing tiredly to yourself. "It's not very hard to figure out. Look, my understanding of the social hierarchy of the underworld is the same nonsense you know about your own British society. There are people you can piss off and they can do nothing about it, and there are those you never dare cross. A lord, unless you have the power to get rid of them, is one of those entities you shall not dare cross…
"But, rulers can be brought to their knees. I'm just deciding if I even want to bother with all of that," you scoffed to yourself, your head leaning into your hand as you leaned half of your upper body onto the table, staring tiredly at nothing in particular, but avoiding Vincent's thoughtful gaze before he let out a slight cough, getting your attention.
"I see how we're similar," he decided to say, though as he noticed your glare he smirked to himself, causing a scoff to leave your breath in return. "Strategizing. Planning your next move. Which makes me wonder, should I be worried?"
"The supernatural manipulate this human existence all the time. It's not strange for some entity to show up and cause a bit of havoc. Demons tend to go unnoticed, and most humans that disappear are thought to have moved away. Ran away from home. Most of the time, though, that isn't the case," you decided to say, reaching for your cup of tea and taking a sip. "… This land, the British Isles, is dictated by the creatures that live amongst the shadows. There's always this world and then a parallel world. Our mortal world, and the supernatural world. Yet, both creatures can die, but they just live in our shadows.
"Here, they are called the fey. Fairies. The fey folk. However you want to call it, those are the ones you must be cautious about… but, they despise demons and devils just as much as we do," you scoffed to yourself. "Those creatures come from the underworld. And yes, that exists. However, I like to think about it in terms of the Greek and Roman mythos. There is the overall underworld, but then there's Tartarus. Hell. Where the demons and devils are banished. The baddest of the bad. That is where those assholes live… but there's more to the underworld then just those bastards.
"Just like, how there's more to the English underworld then just scum," you decided to say, sipping on your tea and giving Vincent a slight smirk. "… Any other questions~?"
"No. Not really… I'm just, honestly, surprised you know so much," he told you, and you gave him a curious look.
"Oooh~? You thought I was stupid, huh?"
"Not that! You just… act ignorant," he decided to say, but as he noticed your disapproved look he chuckled nervously. "I-I mean, about everything about nobility and such."
"No shit, Sherlock. I don't live in this time period, and your 'normal' is my weird. Okay? Sorry~ if I'm too stupid for you," you scoffed in disgust, but you couldn't help your amusement at the worried look that crossed the man's face at your harsh tone. "… I know how to have manners, mind you. It's that I don't care for it."
"Well… your sweet girl act has even affected my sister," he scoffed, but you gave him a sly smirk in response.
"That so?"
"You need to tell me what you're sending my relatives. Your letters. Are you talking about me?" he huffed, but you simply smirked deviously in response.
"Maybe~… Okay, honestly, not quite," you told him, pausing for a minute before you gave him a light smile. "I just ask them basic questions, for the most part. How to behave, what books to read about particular subjects. Lady Angelina has helped me with good medical books, your sister with proper Victorian manners. And your wife, well… she asks me a lot of questions. I just tell her interesting things about my day, and she, in turn, tells some things about her own day. Nothing too interesting," you stated, and he huffed in response.
"You must be saying more to them. Even Francis is teasing me."
"Soorry~. If you want, I could tell them all that you're having trouble with your cases and needed myyy~ help," you smirked, and he huffed at your words.
"You insisted on helping, Clara."
"Perhaps, but you still needed the help… I wasn't going to let you deal with them," you told him, and he huffed in response. "Honestly, I wanted to get rid of those… pests sooner, but if I'm going to be frank… I knew if I did Undertaker would throw a fit," you stated, and the earl gave you a curious look.
"Really? The Undertaker 'throwing a fit'? How would that work?" he scoffed, but you simply shrugged your shoulders, causing the man to sigh to himself. "You did worry the man. He wasn't taking in too many corpses, and I had to go to a different mortician for this current case!"
"You're on a case? Why aren't you finishing your job?" you huffed, but he shook his head at you.
"It's easy. Besides, I need to wait until tomorrow night for a party anyways… and speaking of parties –"
"No," you huffed, but he pouted.
"You didn't even let me finish –"
"No. I don't like crowds, and the only reason why I agreed to stay for a few days at your house was because of your wife. Besides, I don't know anything about how to properly act in such an environment. It's like stepping into a foreign land… and honestly, I don't care to learn," you scoffed, causing the man to huff in response.
"Come now. Just one. You can even bring the Undertaker –"
"Bring us where?" you heard Undertaker ask the moment he made his way up the stairs, eying the two of you suspiciously before he turned to the earl. "Your butler has returned, milord."
"Oh. Great, but," Vincent continued, turning back to you while you gave him an outright pout, "just one ball. It won't hurt –"
"It could. And I'm not in the mood to socialize –"
"You're just as bad as the Undertaker, you know that?" he huffed, standing up and grabbing his trench coat, placing it upon his shoulders as he let out a tired sigh. "Just, think about it. You can send me a letter if you're interested –"
"I mean, heck, what would I even do at those things? It's not like I'd know anyone, and I'm not interested in dating," you stated, causing the man to shrug his shoulders.
"We'll discuss this later, but I will find the boy's relatives, at the very least. Undertaker," Vincent spoke, giving the man a slight nod before he rushed down the stairs, probably in a rush so he could get to his destination in an efficient amount of time.
"… What was the boy wanting with you now?" you heard Undertaker groan underneath his breath, and you gave him a light smile.
"He wants me to go to a ball or party, or whatever, with him. I don't even care if he has an ulterior motive or not. I'm not in the mood for such a thing, right now," you huffed, but you felt arms wrap around your shoulders, the man's hands slumping over your chest as the man's chin plopped down upon the top of your head. "Undertaker. What?"
"I see no reason why you cannot go –"
"I can't dance! At least, not the waltz or whatever. Not that formal dance stuff," you scoffed, groaning to yourself as you leaned back into your chair, not bothering to care if Undertaker was hanging onto you like a baby monkey or not. "Besides, what other reason would I go? To socialize. Why? I know enough people. What? Are they trying to pair me up with a bunch of bachelors? Cause I'm not in the mood to play games with a bunch of pansies," you huffed, only to feel snickering against the side of your head.
"Pansies~" Undertaker snickered, and you rolled your eyes at his giggling response.
"Besides. I have more important things to care about," you decided to say, and you could hear the man's giggling quickly slowing down to a simple sigh, and then a slight huff.
"What do you mean by that?"
"I-I... Undertaker, I want to start training, again," you told him, pausing for a moment before you closed your eyes and began to shake your head, "and I get it if you don't want me to train myself. You want me to be some weak, docile human girl, but I'm sorry. That's not the way I am. I unlocked my powers, maybe not all of it, but some of it, and if my enemies make another appearance, which I'm sure will happen, I need to be ready. I don't want to wait after twenty seven deaths to deal with the problem.
"Don't stop me," you stated, but then you felt a slight kiss on the side of your face, and you couldn't help but lean away from him, looking up to stare at Undertaker with a confused look. "W-what was that for?"
"I won't stop you," he told you, but as you stared at him hesitantly, even a bit critically, he sighed and gently patted the top of your head. "… I mean it."
"So you say."
"I'll show you a place to train, here. In the human world," he told you, and as you gave him an unsure look, he gave you a meek smile in response. "I may not be happy about this particular development, but I will feel better if I can see just how strong of a creature you truly are, my dear."
"Oh?... You want to spare with me?" you asked in a curious tone, and noticing his surprised face you continued with a smirk. "Come now. I could tell you have some sort of power. You have a scythe as a death weapon, for crying out loud –"
"I could hurt you, child. I wouldn't want to accidently reap your soul –"
"I can handle a bit of sparring. If you can just trust in my abilities," you huffed, looking up to stare into his partially covered eyes, "in the same way that I'm not sure about your abilities. Seriously. I'd love~ to see what you're made of."
"That so~?" you saw the man smirking, the thought of sparring enough to thrill even this man, and you chuckled lowly in response.
"We should wait till this case is officially closed, though," you continued, closing your eyes and sitting properly in your chair as you sighed to yourself. "I want to make sure the boy has a proper home, first. I'd hate to see him tossed aside by his own family."
"Sounds like to me you've had a similar experience," he stated, his smile slowly turning into a pout at the quiet response you gave him.
But before he could sigh and apologize, you meekly spoke, "Yes… it's a terrible feeling to be abandoned, multiple times… I'm surprised I'm even sane, after all of that," you huffed, only to snort as you could hear the man snickering against your ear.
"Perhaps~ you're not sane."
"Oh great. The loon thinks I'm not sane. Though perhaps, insanity begets insanity. Not that I would know or anything," you scoffed, but your head slowly turned as you sensed that the boy had woken up from his napping, again. "… I should make sure the boy is alright."
"If you insist," you heard Undertaker speak, and you couldn't help but give him a curious look as he let you go and began to make his way into the kitchen.
"… If you don't like the fact I care about another, you could just tell me –"
"No. It's not that you care for the boy. I just understand that your mind isn't on our conversation, anymore," he stated, giving you a light smirk before he continued into the kitchen. "I'll start dinner."
"If you wish," you told him, wondering if you should have asked Vincent how you should handle the Undertaker's quietness… or if you should just let your conversations die in such a manner.
Hmm… or maybe you should take that man up on his offer to go to a ball…
Not that you care for them. Just so you could see Lady Rachel, again.
! #$%^&*())(*&^%$# !
"Brenny!" you heard the feminine voice of a thirty year old woman shout, and you watched as the boy left your side, running into the street to hug the woman that had stepped out of the decent looking carriage. You had to put a hand to your face, pushing back the need to choke back tears at the sight as slight tears prickled at the corners of your eyes.
If… only you got to return to such a warm felt mother… but sadly, that was never meant to be. Maybe you wouldn't be the messed up, warped mess you are now, and instead enjoy the fact you're still alive and breathing. To return to a family that loves you. That cares about you…
It's… been so long… since anyone actually gave a damn about you… about your existence. Not just because they want to manipulate you, use you, or even just protect you from the rest of the world. That… you were loved… and someone cared… and it didn't matter what happened. About your experiences.
Because you had a place to go home to. A place where you could belong.
"… Clara?" you heard Undertaker speak, noticing your silence, the contemplative and sad look on your face, and you didn't quite notice the man glancing at Vincent as the earl gave the two of you a devious smirk, only for his smile to fall, just slightly, at the depressed look adorning your face.
But, once the two O'Moores turned their attention to you, you managed to give them both a smile, though your smile didn't shine in your sad filled gaze. "Thank you. Thank you so, so much, miss –"
"Did the earl tell you about the fact that the boy –"
"Yes," his mother spoke, a sad look on her own face before she began to brush her hand through the boy's hair, smiling at him contently while he stared up at her with a deepened sadness. "But, that does not matter to me… When both my husband and child disappeared I was so distort… I am ever in your debt, miss."
"No need for that," you told her, but before you could refuse anything else, Branden rushed up to you, hugging your knees while you smiled down at him, sadly. You slowly knelt down, returning the tight hug the boy was giving you, before you gently put him at arm's length, with your hands upon his shoulders as you stared into his bright blue eyes. "Now, there is something you could do for me, after everything," you began, and you could tell the mother looked nervous at your words, while the boy was giving you an unsure look as you smirked lightly at him. "Don't worry. It's not too difficult.
"All I ask, in return for everything, is that you be a good little boy to your mother. Make her happy. Don't argue with her rules, for she demands from you because she loves you… Can you do that, Brendan?" you asked, watching as he quickly nodded his head, and you smirked at you rustled up his tangled up mess of ungroomed hair. "Very good. I'm sure you'll be a great little baron. A perfect gentleman, as you Brits say," you smirked, slowly standing back to your feet as you ushered the boy back to his mother, and she instantly took him against her body before she gave you a meek smile.
"I-I… truly, we are forever in your debt. At least, I am. They are my world, miss –"
"No. Seriously. I don't need anything from you," you told her, putting up at hand before you sighed and smiled meekly at her, staring into her own bright, joyful blue eyes. "Take good care of your son, okay? And trust me, what brings me joy is the fact that I got to save your boy's life. Even if it's only one life, that's enough," you told her, before you turned your attention to Vincent.
You let the earl sweet talk his way into ushering the family back into the carriage, where his butler held the door open, waiting for the earl to make his way into the carriage. Yet, Vincent stopped, turning his attention to the two of you as he calmly walked up to both you and the Undertaker. "Take good care of her, Undertaker," Vincent spoke sternly, casting you a meek smile, before he calmly made his way into the carriage, with Tanaka giving you a nod and he closed the door, sitting up where the driver of the carriage currently is.
You watched as the carriage slowly rolled away, and the moment it did…
You slowly let the tears trickle down your face.
"Clara," you heard Undertaker speak, quickly rushing to your side to wrap his arms around you, bringing you into his chest as you slumped your head into his warm clothes, feeling his beating heart against your ear as you let your tears silently drip down your face and into his clothing. "… I'm sorry you didn't get to keep the boy –"
"N-no… No, that's not why I'm sad. I'm happy… that the boy is reunited with his mother. His family. He should be with his family," you stated, but your hands reached upward, gripping at his clothes as you let out an unrestrained sniffle, "b-but… I'm just sad… I didn't get to have that," you told him, your face slumping into his chest as you began to sob, softly at first, before your cries became a bit louder. Mournful.
You could feel Undertaker bringing you back into the mortuary, closing the door and locking it, before he ushered you to sit down upon one of the caskets, but you refused to let him go. So, with a sigh, he sat down, and brought you onto his lap as you slumped into him, crying softly to yourself.
But eventually, when you had no more tears to shed, you breathed, heavily, your body shaking as you refused to lose your composure, completely, and eventually… you sighed, deeply, slowly, gaining back your breath as you slowly lifted your face, glancing up at the Undertaker before you looked away, mainly out of embarrassment then anything else. "… Sorry. I lost my composure."
"It's okay… No, maybe it's not," you heard Undertaker sigh to himself, but before he could do anything else you looked over at him, smiling at him sadly as you let out a shaky breath.
"I was… a bit overly emotional. It… happens, but that's what makes me human, okay? There's a lot that I wish I could change about myself… but sometimes the me that I am is better than anything else I could have been," you decided to say, but you could feel his hand upon your chin, forcing your face to look up into his eyes, before he gave you a sympathetic smile in return.
"You're a sweet child. You truly are… which makes me worry, oh so much," he scoffed, his eyes glancing back to you as you let out a slight snicker, causing the man to smirk back at you in return. "Now that this drama is, hopefully, over, what is your plan now?"
"… Training," you responded, almost immediately, but as he gave you an unsure look you grasped one of his hands, sighing to yourself as you tugged on his hand to get his full attention. "I know you're not happy about that, but… this is my decision. Being this weak has been… infuriating. When I was actually human, when I was a child, I would have never thought I had such… interesting powers, but now?... If I don't at least try to be who I used to be… it'll be like I lost a part of myself. I don't know if I can go back to just… accepting myself, like this. I've tried. It's just… I-I just can't," you frowned, looking away, only to be drawn back to his gaze as he placed his fingers back underneath your chin, turning your face as he stared down at you with a sad gaze.
"If this is what you want. I will not stop you."
"It is," you stated, but before you continued you slipped out of the man's lap, sitting next to him upon the casket as you grasped his hands, placing them upon your knee as you smiled to him weakly, "but Undertaker, be honest… Do you still want me because of who I am… or did you want me because I was a human that can understand you?" you asked, your smile weaning as you stared at him with an unsure gaze, but he smiled to you, softly, before he slowly leaned forward and gently kissed your lips.
You gasped, feeling one of his hands gripping your thigh tightly through your dress, while his other hand slipped free from your grasp, reaching up for your face to bring your jaw closer to his own. You moaned, softly, as his teeth nibbled upon your plump lips, just slightly, before he suddenly licked your lips, and you flinched away with a yelp, looking at him with wide eyes as he giggled lightly at your quick and confused reaction.
"I told you, I will love you for you. The real question is, do you still want me?" he asked you, but as you stared into his eyes, studying his gaze as his smile seemed to wean, you leaned forward, giving him a quick peck on the lips, before you moved away just as quickly while you smiled lightly at him.
"I want you, Undertaker. I'm more worried that you don't want me, anymore."
"Of course I want you… I'll show you," he continued, smirking as he suddenly stood to his feet, bringing you up to your own feet as he grasped both of your hands, and kissed the tops of your hands as he stared deeply into your bright, widened eyes. Your cheeks blushing brightly at his intense staring. "Let us take time off, this afternoon. My treat."
"U-undertaker –"
"Wear something you can run around in. Outdoor attire," he smirked, tugging on your hands slightly before he let go, and he grinned, skipping around the room slightly at the mere thoughts of his own planning. "We'll leave at five."
"Five on the dot? Or five, when I feel like it?" you smirked back, only to earn you a playful nudge on the arm, causing you to giggle as he began to lean over you and nuzzle his nose against the side of your head, keeping you from running away with his arms wrapping around your waist. "U-undertaker! S-stop!"
"Maybe I won't~" he giggled, continuing to nuzzle his face against your own, but then he stopped, kissing your cheek quickly before he let you go and began to skip towards the barely noticeable hallway. "Five, love."
"A-alright," you responded, watching as he disappeared down the hallway, giggling to himself while you stood there, blushing madly.
You remember telling Undertaker that, if you were to be 'with him', that you expected to 'go out' once a week… but sometimes… that doesn't happen, and after what happened with the demons and the boy and the current case… you were too emotionally drained to bother with such things. And, the man was kind enough to give you some space.
But apparently, he's been missing the idea of bringing you, somewhere… but where?
Would you be roaming the countryside with Undertaker, perhaps? Or jumping realms? You couldn't help but feel a bit excited…
But you cannot help but feel very nervous, as well.