Central London is far busier than you remember.
After falling into a restless sleep, you'd only managed to get a few hours of it before the sound of the local merchants preparing to trade had disturbed your slumber. There was a time when such a noise wouldn't have even registered, but times have changed now; now you have things to listen out for.
So here you are, tucked up in Undertaker's bed, trying to figure out what time it is, and if said time is too early to wake your host. After all, he was up half the night too; he must need his rest.
Unable to figure out the exact time, you decide to wait in bed awhile until you hear movement in the shop. Then you can act like you've just woken up, and haven't in fact been waiting for Undertaker to rise.
Satisfied with your plan, you snuggle into the bed, enjoying its softness. For a man who clearly has far less money than Ciel, he certainly hasn't spared any expense on this mattress; it's heavenly! You can almost feel yourself sinking into it, becoming encased in its warm softness…
A knock on the door startles you out of your thoughts. Oh shit! Is it Sebastian? Has he found you already? Is he going to drag you back kicking and screaming?
Before you can panic anymore, you hear a voice on the other side of the door. 'Miss? Are you awake in there? I know it's early, but I thought you'd like to come out and have some breakfast. I mean, you can have it later if you want to sleep in, but if you don't mind me saying, you look like you could use a decent meal. It's okay if you don't want to leave bed though. Or maybe you'd like to eat alone? I can bring food to you if you'd prefer that? Silly me, you're probably still asleep, aren't you? I'll leave now, lest you wake up and think me even stranger than I am.' Ah, so Undertaker is awake, after all?
Not wanting to miss out on food, you call out to him. 'I'm awake. I'd like to join you for breakfast, if that's okay? I've had enough of eating by myself if I'm honest…' it's true, you can't even remember the last time you had a meal with company. Even with Sebastian being temporarily lenient, you'd only eaten with company once or twice, for fear of earning the demon's ire once more. Having someone to talk to during breakfast would be a welcome change.
A quiet giggle sounds from behind the door. 'Of course, dear. I'll be in the kitchen cooking whenever you're ready. I hope you like pancakes!' You hear his footsteps head off down the corridor, presumably towards the kitchen.
That's a point, actually. How are you going to be able to find the kitchen? You've only ever been into his shop, never his living quarters. Is his house going to be too big to navigate? Surely not, or else he would have offered to guide you. You're certain you'll be able to find your destination easily.
Stepping out of bed, you realise just how cold the room is, especially oven the fact that all you're wearing is your nightie…
Oh god! You're in your nightie! Undertaker carried you here in your nightie! That's almost as bad as him seeing you naked!
Suddenly becoming very self-conscious, you yank the quilt off of the bed, and wrap it around yourself, concealing your body. You wish you'd been less emotional last night; you might then have had the good sense to bring a dress!
Satisfied with your makeshift robe, you leave the bedroom in search of the kitchen.
Unable to recall which direction Undertaker's footprints went off in, you turn left, hoping it's the right way.
You let out a heavy sigh when you reach the end of the corridor, as it turns out the only thing in this direction is Undertaker's shop.
Well, there's no point in you being here right now. After all, breakfast is hardly likely to be served on a coffin!
However, before you have the chance to turn around, you hear a loud banging against the door, followed by a voice that you find all too familiar…
'Undertaker?! Undertaker?! I know you're in there! I know you've taken what's mine, and I intend to take it back! Whether or it you get to keep your head attached to your shoulders depends on how quickly you open this door! Open up immediately before I tear this building down!' Sebastian?! He really did manage to find you! Oh god, if he gets his hands on you, your life isn't going to be worth living. You can't answer the door, you can't answer the door…
A pair of hands grab onto your shoulders, and you have to stifle a yelp.
Undertaker's breath is hot as he whispers into your ear. 'Stay back here out of sight, my dear. I'll get rid of our unwelcome guest.' You don't need to be told twice. As soon as Undertaker steps out from behind you, you take several steps back, and huddle in the hallway, far away enough not to be noticed, but close enough to hear everything that is about to transpire.
The sound of the door being unlocked makes your ears zero in completely to any and all noises that come from the shop. Holding in a breath, you wait for what you're sure is going to be another tirade of threats from Sebastian.
Much to your surprise, it's Undertaker who speaks first. 'I'm sorry, but this shop is closed at the moment. Please return at a more reasonable hour. Better still, never return at all. You must think me very stupid, as only an idiot would invite you into their home after what you've done to that poor girl. Now, I suggest you back away, Sebastian, or else it won't be my head in jeopardy.' You have to stifle a gasp. The man speaking now is vastly different to the one who took you in. Is this Undertaker's true self, or is he just trying to protect you by attempting to scare off a demon?
Sebastian scoffs loudly. 'If you think you could honestly beat me in a fight, then you're even more deluded that I thought. No matter though, I'll get what I want in the end. The ritual is almost complete, after all. Unless she decides to give herself to another, she will be mine. Somehow, I can't see her doing that. I think she'll return to the devil she knows, rather than take a chance on someone else. After all, all people lie and cheat, it's just the way the world is. In the end, as deplorable as you or she may find me, at least I am honest. I will break and bend her to my will, and no one will get in my way. Not. Ever.' This time, you can't stifle yourself. You gasp like a fish on land. All this time, Sebastian truly has been manipulating you. You feel sick. The corridor seems to spin around you as you sit.
The worst part of it is he's right. He's always made his intent crystal clear. From day one he's never given you any signs that he loves you. The most he's done is keep you from getting too hurt, although that was done in an attempt to prevent him losing his plaything. In many ways, Sebastian is a better man than James ever was. Hell, maybe he's a better man than the Undertaker is. Maybe you should go back to him now, accept your fate as a demon's concubine or whatever it is he intends to make you…
Before you get the chance to stand, Undertaker speaks again. 'I won't deny that you're honest, but that's what makes you so vile. You wield honesty as a weapon. You use it to cut into people, to wear them down slowly, only feeding them bits of truth when it suits you. You're a manipulator, Sebastian, and a master at it too. Who else but a master manipulator could convince a child to exchange their soul for a chance at vengeance? Given time, young Ciel's desire for revenge could wane, but you won't let that happen. You want your meal to be properly seasoned, don't you? It's the same with the young lady here. She could be happy with someone else, content to build a life with someone who genuinely cares for her. But no, you won't allow it. You've tasted her vulnerability, and shaped it into dependence. You crave her torment, delight in watching her love and despise you at the same time. Well no more. This is one meal that you won't get the chance to finish.' You freeze, legs suddenly unable to move. Undertaker's right, isn't he? Is he?
You shake your head, but the rest of you refuses to move. This is exactly why you don't want to be around Sebastian for a while. Everything just gets so blurry when he's around. There's a part of you that wants to go back with him, that wants the ritual to be complete. On the other side though, there's this voice in your head screaming at you to get as far away from him as possible. It wants to destroy the faded seal on your belly, and rid you of the demon forever. The big question is, which one is going to get what it wants?
You're snapped into reality by the sound of the door slamming shut. You hear a few clicks as it's locked again, followed by footsteps heading in your direction.
Footsteps which mercifully belong to Undertaker.
He looks at you, taking in your ridged posture. Frowning slightly, he places his hands on your shoulders, being careful not to pull your blanket robe off.
His eyes soften as he looks into yours. 'I'm sorry if any of that was hard to hear. I probably shouldn't have been so scathing, but I needed to get him away from you. You came here to think, and I won't let him disturb you. Still, I'm sorry.' You throw yourself into his arms without thinking, grateful that he managed to get rid of Sebastian so swiftly. If he had stalled for a moment longer, you really would have followed the demon back to the manor.
So much for being free of him for a while.
Undertaker rubs your back, as if he's petting a cat or something. He whispers a few soothing pleasantries into your hair, before withdrawing his head to speak properly.
His voice seems to have regained some of its usual cheer. 'Right, now that we're rid of that particular pest, I believe I was making us both breakfast.' Your stomach howls at the mere mention of the word, all of the anxiety from Sebastian's surprise visit apparently making you hungry. 'Well, I'm glad to see you still have an appetite. Mine has been impacted by our guest. Honestly, for a demon that can change appearance, you would have thought he would have chosen something more palatable.' Undertaker screws his nose up, before letting go of you and heading down the corridor. Afraid of getting lost again (although there's really only two doors that the kitchen could be hiding behind), you trail after him, and try to keep the conversation going.
His words have you a little perplexed. 'It may not be palatable to you, but a lot of people find Sebastian very attractive. Myself included as it happens…' you have no idea why you're trying to defend the looks of a man at least part of you despises now, but it's the first thought that pops into your head.
Your thought makes Undertaker chuckle. 'Oh, I won't deny that he's very attractive. The reason I find his face so distasteful is that it is very similar to the face of the late Lord Phantomhive, Ciel's father Vincent. I've no doubt Sebastian chose to mimic Vincent's appearance in order to toy with his young master's mind. Lord Phantomhive and I were close, and I hate to see his face being worn like a cheap mask to further a demon's agenda.' He walks through an open door and into his surprisingly large kitchen-diner, complete with a table, a few chairs, a kettle, a stove, and a door that you presume leads into a pantry.
Laid out on the table before you is a veritable feast of pancakes, fruit, and cream, with a pot of tea sitting proudly beside it. It's comparatively small next to the breakfasts of your past, but right now it looks beyond heavenly.
Undertaker catches the hungry look in your eyes. 'Help yourself, my dear. Like I said, my appetite has gone south, so I'm not particularly hungry. It would be a shame to see the food go to waste.' Needing no further invitation, you grab a clean plate and a fork, and dish yourself up an extremely generous amount of food, more than you'd usually feel comfortable taking.
As you begin to wolf down your meal, Undertaker fussed over the teapot, making you both a cup of the stuff before sitting down opposite you.
Suddenly realising just how unladylike you're eating, you try to slow down, but all the change in pace does is earn you another chuckle.
'You don't need to slow down on my account. I like seeing someone with a healthy appetite. If this isn't enough for you, I'll be happy to make more. Just say the word.' Part of you is extremely tempted to take him up on the offer, but you stop the words escaping your mouth. He's already done so much for you, to ask him for more would only seem ungrateful. So, you shake your head, dismissing his offer.
Undertaker shrugs. 'Fair enough. Let me know if you change your mind. I'm not going to open up today, so I'll be easy to find if you need anything. Though I suppose you'll want to be alone with your thoughts for a while. You have a big decision ahead of you after all, and you can't put off thinking about it forever.' His words make you freeze, a bite of food inches from your lips. He's right, of course. You only have a few days before the ritual completes itself. If you don't decided soon, you'll lose the ability to choose. Unless not having sex with Sebastian will delay the process…
There are so many unknowns about your current situation, and Undertaker is the only person that you know (apart from Sebastian) that has any answers. Asking him for more food may seem ungrateful, but asking him for answers is entirely necessary.
Swallowing your current mouthful, you begin asking him a few things. 'So, even if Sebastian doesn't sleep with me for a while, the ritual will still complete itself?'
Undertaker nods. 'I'm afraid so. If you had left him before the pain began, there may have been a chance that the demonic essence would have left your body naturally. However, it has a firm grip on you now, one that will only relent when it's job is done. Or when you decide to end the ritual. Either one works.'
You return the nod, mentally chewing on this words before asking another question. 'Is having sex with another man truly the only way to cure it?'
Another nod from Undertaker. 'Yes. The grim reapers did originally look into ways of stopping the corruption that don't involve intercourse, hence how I have that cure for your nightly pains. Unfortunately for you, all research was ended after senior reapers observed just how far humans will go to save their own skin. They concluded that all humans who find themselves in your predicament would be more than willing to sleep with someone other than the demon, in order to save their soul. It's a conclusion that has unfortunately been proven incorrect, as many victims of demonic rituals of this kind either don't know how to stop them, or are too far gone mentally to stop them. The council has yet to rethink its ideas though. One of the many reasons I decided I was best off out of it.' That's a lot of information to swallow. So, reapers now about these rituals, but usually fail to intervene, and refuse to research an alternate cure? That's awful!
It does create a new question though. 'How did the reapers discover that sex is the cure?'
Undertaker' eyes suddenly become very interested in his hands. 'Well, it was centuries ago now, back when I was still a junior reaper. One of my senior colleges was brought in for 'having relations' with multiple humans. Having a relationship with one human to this day isn't totally accepted in the reaper community, but back then, fraternising with them on any level was a serious crime, but to sleep with so many… the poor man was in deep trouble.
'Anyhow, during his trial, which I should mention I attended, he was told to describe in detail how an affair between him and the woman began.
'He told the room that one night during his collections, he came across the woman fornicating in an alleyway with someone. At first, he'd considered leaving them to it, until the woman made a noise that he took as distress.
'Assuming that the young lady was being sexually assaulted, he decided to intervene, something that some council members would punish him over, but that I still think was the right thing to do.
'Anyway, as he approached the woman and her assailant, he caught a whiff of the attacker's scent; a demon. He sprang into action immediately, killing the distracted demon before he had time to react.
'The woman was visibly shaken by what had taken place, and the reaper who saved her was just about to issue an apology and a false explanation, when he noticed a mark on her inner thigh. Recognising it as the mark of a 'mating ritual' (as the senior reapers call them), he instead offered to walk the young lady home. He had intended to monitor how she would cope without her demonic partner, and if the ritual would cure itself. Things didn't quite work out that way in the end though.
'Instead of monitoring her progress for afar like not reapers would, he allowed himself to get close to the woman, who was in the same stage of the ritual as you. Unknowing of the demon's curse, she believed herself to be dying, and as such decided to invite her saviour into her bed. Assuming that he'd never be caught out, he gladly accepted, and they spent the night in each other's arms.
'The next morning, the ritual seal was gone, and the reaper feared the worst. However, closer inspection of his lover showed that she was free from demonic influence.
'Delighted by his discovery, he ignored the young woman's request that he stay, and set off in search of more victims of the 'mating ritual'.
'Somehow, this reaper managed to find and seduce six more women affected by the ritual, and cured them via copulation. He probably would have tested his theory on countless other women, had his first lover not exposed him by accident.
'It happened one evening, about six months after his initial 'meeting' with her. He and his department head were out together, as his annual review was due. The evening looked to be going well, until he was recognised by the woman from across the road. She walked over to him, visibly enraged, and slapped him across the face. When the department head asked what his underling had done to deserve such ire, she gestured to her swollen belly; she was pregnant, and convinced that he reaper was the father.
'Naturally, that shook up the whole department. He was forced to come clean about everything, including how many human women he'd bedded. After all, can you imagine the outrage a half-reaper half-human baby would have caused back then? The mere thought of it would have been considered monstrous! If the child had truly been his, he would have faced a brutal punishment.
'Luckily for him, it seemed that the woman had taken a human man to bed about a week after him, and since no others were pregnant, the council were willing to drop that charge. Still, the man payed dearly for his treason. I'll spare you the details of that, though.
'So, that's how we know the cure. As I said, we did try to find alternative cures at first, thinking that maybe only reaper… essence could counteract the ritual. However, as soon as it was discovered that human men could also cure the affliction, the council took no further action.' You wish you'd known all of this before you'd agreed to take part in the ritual, not that Sebastian had given you much choice…
A final question appears in your mind, one that you've been wondering for a while. 'If I want to rid myself of this demonic essence and end the ritual, do you intend to be my saviour?' So far, Undertaker just seems concerned about you, but you've been fooled too many times to believe his concern is genuine. Surely bedding you has been at the back of his mind ever since the ritual began, and now he has put himself in a position where such a thing is possible.
Undertaker turns a vivid shade of red, his expression one of pure shock. 'That wasn't my… I mean, I would if you wanted me to, but I don't expect… is that why you think I'm helping you? Because I want to bed you? I have no interest in using you in such a way. Who you choose to help you end this thing is your choice entirely. If you really want to, you can bring a man of your choosing back here and use my bed, while I keep Sebastian occupied. All I want is to help you, in any way that I can. You seem so lovely, it's such a shame to see you in this position. So no, I won't be your savour in that way, not if you don't want me to be.' You regret opening your mouth now. Maybe you've been wrong about him. Or maybe you should shop having this circular argument with yourself and plan your next move.
Finishing your breakfast, you make your way over to what looks like a sink, only to be stopped in your tracks by Undertaker. 'Let me do that. No guest of mine is going to be doing housework. Speaking of which, if you want something a little warmer, I keep a pile of spare robes in my bedroom. Feel free to help yourself.' That sounds like a solid idea. His robes do look rather warm…
Handing him the plate, you give him a small smile. 'Thank you. For everything you're doing for me. I appreciate it more than you'll ever know.' You give him a quick peck on the cheek, and his blushing seems to intensify even further.
Still, he looks you in the eyes when he answers you. 'Anytime, my dear. I do so hate to see a lady suffer, after all.
'Now then, as the shop is shut, I shall be spending my day doing paperwork. You're more than welcome to keep me company, or if you'd rather be alone then please, treat my humble abode as you would treat your own home. There should be a few old books next the robes, if reading is your thing. Or, if you wanted something more involved, I'm sure I've got some paints somewhere. Or you could just sit and think. The choice is all yours.' He gives you a dazzling smile, which makes the decision for you.
'I think I'd like to sit with you a while if that's okay. I may have a few more question I need answering. That and I'd rather stick close to you, just in case Sebastian comes back.' You can't believe he'll actually leave you be. Sebastian will come back; it's only a matter of time.
Undertaker tenses up. 'He won't get to you. I won't let him. He only sees you if you want to see him. You have my word.' You're inclined to take him at his word. He's been as good as it so far.
With nothing more to be said for the moment, you head off to find one of Undertaker's spare robes, and to think long and hard about your future.
Sebastian is furious. Not only has his plaything been taken from him, but now he's being kept from her by a retired reaper that couldn't even harm Sebastian if he tried! He should have just forced his way in and dragged his prize back to the manor.
Unfortunately, that would have caused a scene, and the last thing a Phantomhive servant should do is cause a scene.
So, on his way back to his master, Sebastian comes up with a plan. He's going to wait a few days, luring both Undertaker and his whore into a false sense of security. Then, under cover of night, he's going to steal her away, just as Undertaker did. He's then going to hide her away in his own bedroom until the ritual is complete, before making his new mate pay for her disloyalty. By the time he's finished with her, she's going to regret ever betraying him.
He may even slit the sleeping Undertaker's throat, should the opportunity present itself.
'Then again, would that really kill a reaper? I would have to switch forms for it to be truly effective. Maybe I'll gouge out his eyes instead, for daring to look at what's mine.' Sebastian thinks to himself as he approaches the manor. Yes, his vengeance is going to be sweet.
Now all he must do is wait.