A/N: So I'd heard that there was a thought of Undertaker's real name being Grim, it sounded cool and it yeah...And Eric is slipping further and further to insanity. Thanks loads for the reviews~! Thy're so sweet and loving! I appreciate them!
Thomas sighed heavily as the stood in the center of the library, staring up to the top two floors with a shudder. Why of all places did the records have to be kept at the very top? One slip and it would be over the rails and all manner of insides would be splattered over the marble floors. He curled up around himself and squeaked when a mass of students suddenly appeared around him.
"This is the library, the cinematic records are kept here in these floors. As you can see, there is free access to these records with the exception of the top two floors. These are restricted and you are to by no means attempt entering these two floors without the proper clearance! Understood?" There was a mumble amongst the students as they continued on their way. Thomas was still shivering and cringing as the mass of students vanished. He looked up as they kept walking and stared around, glancing at the others to see one of the librarians staring at him. He twitched a little and straightened up, narrowing his eyes at the girl. He adjusted the small frames and looked around once more, making his way through to the steps. He ran a had through his hair and winced little, stopping by a mirror and staring at the hot pink streaks.
"Oooohhhhh kitten, you will look lovely once I'm done~! Pink looks so beautiful on you~!" Undertaker giggled as he set another piece of foil in the brunettes hair. Thomas looked and watched the old reaper come around and press their foreheads together. "Give it an hour and they should finally be set, now we just need to pass the time, eh kitten~?" He grinned and pulled him up and over to a coffin.
He kept walking and peeked out an open window, going wide eyed when he saw the reaper from earlier along with what looked like one of the students. He shook his hair out of his eyes and kept walking, glancing around and trying not to giggle. All he'd ever heard were rumours, never thinking ANY professor would be willing to stoop so low. He stopped by the stairs and looked out the window again, watching them silently for a few minutes. He'd been around long enough that he could pick out a few of the primary instructors, though he furrowed his eyebrows when a sudden blob of blond appeared.
"What the hell...? Is that...? E-eric and...and...wow, he's become quite bold after two years," He leaned forward a little and saw the nameless instructor press a finger to his lips. Thomas covered his mouth to stifle a squeak and backed away from the window, peering out once more to see his best friend pinned to the wall. "I guess they're making up for lost time..." he ran a hand through his hair and jumped when a hand suddenly touched his shoulder.
"Can I help you, Sir?" Thomas just stared silently and bit his lip, glancing out the window again before turning to stare right at the man. He swallowed and began to speak only to realise...he'd forgotten what he was supposed to say!
"There's a supervisor coming from Greece, coming to grab a few cinematic records for the academy in Athens...but there's a few he won't be getting..." Thomas pushed up his glasses and stared at him, obviously confused. "Frankly kitten all they know is just that, I'm sure you wouldn't mind doing this small favour for your Fessah~?" He was about to say something when the old man bit down on his neck, making him gasp and pull his hair gently.
"...Right...I come from Greece, I need records for Athens academy! Take me to top floors, if you are pleasing to do?" Worst Greek accent ever! Why couldn't he have been allowed to fake something he was good at, perhaps an American accent or something? He had a great American accent! "If you are being so kind, I am to be going for them now," he nodded and walked away from the man, continuing on to the top floors. He swallowed hard and rubbed his chest, trying to keep his breathing under control. The sudden scare had almost set him off on a panic attack. That was all he needed to blow his cover, wasn't it? He remembered the Undertaker being very specific about keeping his anxiety under control. What was it he'd said again about keeping calm? "Let's see...happy thoughts...nice fluffy coffin with Professor Grim...hot cup of tea...oohhh and that one thing he does with his-" He stopped when felt a pair of eyes on him.
"That one thing I do with my what, kitty~?" Thomas froze and covered his mouth before he let out a quiet squeak, spinning around. "Or do you need a reminder of what it is~?" The brunette calmed down again and leaned against the railing, looking around for others before he pulled the old man close and whispered it into his ear. "Ooooohhhh~! Perhaps that might keep you calm then, hmm~?"
"I uh...b-but we're out in t-the open! W-what if s-someone catches us?" He swallowed hard and looked around again before the old man pulled him into a alcove nearby, shutting the curtain and pinning him to the wall.
"Just keep quiet and nobody will notice~"
"Why are you following me? Do you get off on taunting me or something?" Eric pointed his saw at Ree and narrowed his eyes. He'd not been back on his feet more than a few days when the demon showed up, almost choking him with the chain around his neck. He scowled and tossed the demon off of him, pressing the saw into his throat. "I want you to go far, FAR away from me, understand?"
"I can't do that, though...I promised to help to you save Alan...you have five months to collect 413 souls. You'll never do it without my help, see?" Ree snapped his fingers and a group of girls peeked around the corner. Eric let go of him and stood up, watching as at least thirty girls came into view. They were talking amongst themselves and staring at the two.
"What was that man doing to Mr. Takigawa?...Look at his hair...Look at those glasses...Why's that blond man holding a saw...?" Eric continued to stare before stepping back ad kicking the demon in the face, effectively shutting him up for a few hours. He looked back to the girls and motioned for them to follow him deeper into the alley.
"Relax ladies, I don't want to hurt you...I want to help you," they stopped walking and began talking among themselves again. He sighed and stared down at the ground as he took one of the girls hands, gasping and looking up at her in an instant. There was something strange about her, she seemed to be...ill? No, she wasn't ill. "Miss, tell me something...are you...pregnant?" She stared at him and began shivering, tears welling up in her eyes.
"T-that's one of...I didn't even want to..." Eric tipped her chin up and wiped the tears away.
"I can help you, I can make you forget all of your suffering..." She looked up at him with a smile and pulled him into a hug. "If you ladies would close your eyes...you won't even feel a pinch," After a moment they'd all closed their eyes and the girl leaned against the wall, looking as calm and peaceful as... "Oh god...Alan..." He looked away and ran a hand through his hair, jumping when Ree appeared behind him.
"That's who you're doing this for, isn't it? Don't you want to save him? Or do you want to continue holding him every time he gasps for breath, crying, begging as he falls further into deaths hands?" Eric perked up and looked over his shoulder, barely registering the demon raising his arm for him.
"But I can't do this, she's only a child...she was raped...I can't murder her..."
"You did it before, the girl who ran away from home, dying of a lung disease...she was expecting too, you had no problems lying to her and stealing her life for your precious Alan...remember, you're doing this because you love him,"
"But she-"
"But nothing, Eric Slingby! You want your lover so badly then you will kill all thirty of these young women in cold blood! Their issues haven't stopped you before and they won't stop you now!" Eric stared and pulled his arm away from Ree's, staring once more at the girl before clenching his eyes shut and dragging the saw across her body.
"It's for Alan...He'll understand...I'm doing this for him. Dear God, I hope he can forgive me..." He cringed and continued to drag his saw along each girls body, stopping when there was one left. She stood there silently, staring right at him. He swallowed hard and looked right into her eyes, cringing when he saw the pure terror.
"Y-you monster! You said you'd help her, not kill her! How could you murder an innocent young woman! Murderer! I'm getting the police!" She turned and ran off out of the alley, not looking back at them.
"What the hell are you doing, Reaper? You'll be found out and executed! You've spent four and a half years and barely passed half! Go get her! Kill her while you still can!" Eric stood silent and stared down at the ground, not hearing the demon or the now far off sobs of the girl that ran. Instead he knelt down by the first girl and pulled her body up into his arms. "Tch, pathetic. I'll go get her myself!" Ree glared at him before vanishing. Eric still held the girl tight and buried his face into her abdomen. He'd done it twice, now, maybe more. Cut short the life of a poor girl and her unborn child. He'd never bothered to ask the dying girl if she had been expecting. All he could see was a pure soul for Alan. He shuddered heavily and began sobbing uncontrollably into her abdomen, holding her as tight as he could to prevent the voices suddenly ringing in his ears.
"Murderer...Monster...You lied to me...No one could love a cold blooded killer like you...Liar..."
"Shut up..." He gasped out the words and dropped the body, collapsing on top of the others and continuing to sob, barely covering his ears to muffle them.
"You bastard...I hate you...Not even the devil will forgive you...Your sins can never be washed away..."
"I said shut up!" he growled and curled up in a ball, covering his ears but no luck.
"Why did you do this, Eric?...Don't you love me?...You swore you'd never hurt anyone!...How could you lie to me?"
"Leave me alone..." He shook his head, covered his ears, stuck in his fingers, even started screaming to attempt drowning them out but they still came, accusing, questioning, begging, condemning him to Hell. "Why won't you just go away?" He stood up and ran out of the alley, hoping that getting away from the bodies would make them stop.
"Ronald, have you seen Eric? He's not been home in two days..." Alan glanced out at the pouring rain and cringed a little, hoping that wherever Eric was, he was at least safe and dry. Ronald stared at him for a moment and then shook his head, glancing out the window and running a hand through his hair. "What if something happened to him? What if he's been attacked by demons or killed? We might never find him!"
"Relax Alan! I'm sure he's fine, alright? Eric's a big boy, he can handle himself perfectly well, ok?" The brunette nodded and continued to look out the window.
"He only got over that bout of pneumonia a week ago, if he gets sick again, he could die..."
"Knox! Humphries! Shouldn't you two be working?" Both junior reapers jumped and stared at William, pushing his glasses up quickly with his scythe. "Especially you, Knox. Unless you want overtime again?" Ronald shook his head and stood up, tossing his mower over his shoulder as he and Alan left the office. William watched them leave the office and glanced over to the far corner, scowling when a certain red haired reaper appeared.
"Ooooohhhhh finally all alone, dear William~! I tell you what, before we go collect our souls, perhaps we could—OW! WILL~!" William simply stared at the redhead and brought the pole down hard on his skull again.
"Attempt to seduce me one more time, Sutcliff and I will murder you. Clear? I've told you time and again that I have no interest in you. Besides, what would Ronald say if he knew his favourite mentor was trying to steal his lover?" He smirked and shoved Grell off the desk before leaving the office himself. Grell stood quickly and stared after him, grumbling quietly.
"Make them stop..."
"I can't,"
"Then take me home. I miss Alan, I need him...he's probably wasting away without me there to care for him..."
"What? So you can go home and confess? I told you Slingby, he'll find out anyway and he'll leave. It's impossible to love a murderer," Eric stared at him and snarled, picking up his saw and charging at him. "You really want to kill me? That chain will only get shorter and shorter! The only way you can stop it is to cure him! Save him!" Eric kept glaring at him and pointing the saw at him again. "You have no choice! Whether you save him or not, the voices will remain. The guilt will always hang over you like a shadow. Even if you give him that life, it will drive you crazy, they will haunt you! You will always be a murderer...And nobody will love you. Once Alan knows what you did, he won't stay there by you, nobody will. The only one who will stay there by you will be me. I'll be there, and I will enjoy that twisted, black soul of yours to the fullest. Got it, Reaper?" Eric just stared at him and shuddered, watching the demon walk away to a pool of water.
"Every soul drags you further to hell...We will devour you, reaper...Alan knows...He knows and he'll leave you..." Eric doubled over and covered his ears, clenching his eyes shut and cringing. He shook his head as they continued, rising in volume until they were screaming, piercing his ears and sending him to his knees.
"Shut up! Please! Leave me alone!" He cringed and shook his head vigorously, shuddering. He opened his eyes for a moment to and saw a pair of shoes stop in front of him. He noticed the small embroidered skulls at the tip and realised they were Alan's, looking up slowly until he was face to face with him. Not again...not another hallucination. He shuddered as it knelt down in front of him and stared.
"Eric..." The blond stared at the illusion and swallowed hard. He sniffed and kept an eye on him, furrowing his eyebrows as it grabbed it's chest and started gasping. He winced a little as the chain began burning and growing shorter. He felt the metal heat up to an almost unbearable point, searing his skin and making him cringe heavily. He looked down at the ground again for a moment then back to the hallucination, going wide eyed as he saw black thorns covering his body.
"Oh my god...Alan , please...Don't die, I'm so close! I'll save you! I swear!"
"You're a murderer...You'll be in hell before you can save me..."
"No! Please, hang on until I can save you!" He sat up and tried to wrap his arms around it, falling forwards and tossing his glasses off in some corner, slamming his fists on the ground. "Dammit! Dammit! DAMMIT! I can't do this anymore!" He slammed his fists on the ground again and sighed heavily, tears falling on the ground as he began sobbing. He kept pounding his fists on the ground and gasping, barely registering the demon staring down at him.