riverview | video | un: undertaker

{Victorious, Vincent slides out of bed and quickly makes his way to the bathroom, gathering the brush. He pauses a moment more to right his appearance somewhat - as well as splashing some water on his face - before he returns.}

If I am the death of a Grim Reaper, that will be something else! {He sits back on the bed and gently draws Undertaker's hair into his grip. Once it is resting against the man's back, he begins to brush in careful strokes.}

Rachel used to go on and on about your pretty hair too. I don't think she would have passed up this opportunity either. {He grins at the offer.} You have done enough for me. I can make us something to eat.

{Hopefully? He thinks he remembers how to cook.}

[While Vincent is gone, he takes that time to straighten his shirt, ruffled by sleep. It's more for something to do than anything, but it isn't long before the Earl returns to attack his hair in earnest. It's a struggle nearly immediately for him to keep his eyes open once those hands go into his hair, followed by the brush. Something about those fingers and bristles gently tugging all along his scalp... It's wonderful.]

If you were, you would surprise us both. [He has been around long enough to know there isn't much that can do in one of his kind. Though not impossible, he would more be surprised at why Vincent would want to kill him than he would with that he could manage it.]

Mm... Did she? Here I found myself more envious of her hair than of my own. [He shook his head.] You're truly not bothered by that, my lord? That you're speaking with an agent of death? I suppose it shouldn't come as a surprise, given your history and all, but I'm unnatural. [And that they had known each other and worked with each other for so long! Then again, this was Vincent Phantomhive...]

{While he laughs a bit at the idea of causing Undertaker's death, it is not something he will ever actively seek. In fact, the idea saddens him greatly. If push comes to shove and someone has to die, he would much rather it be him. ~~Which is why he was likely found holding onto Rachel so tightly.~~}

Surprises can be nice, but that is not one I ever wish to experience. {He reaches the end of the strands and lifts the brush, beginning the process all over again.} She loved Ann's hair, Ann loved hers and all of us loved yours.

{Well he can't speak for Ann, but come on. Long silver hair is not seen nearly enough!}

Mm you are a retired agent of death, are you not? {He pauses and leans in closer.} There is nothing unnatural about death. You played a hand in it and saw many souls on their journey. What would have become of them if you didn't do your job?

Edited 2017-12-04 03:47 (UTC)

[Oh no, again? He's turning into goo. His shoulders have already gone slack, and it's getting harder and harder to hold his head up under all of that attention. Even his voice has softened over the minutes, but his lips do manage to quirk a smile.]

You're all such handsome people. What irony that you envied the hair of someone like me. [He'd giggle over it, but he's far to relaxed, soothed by those hands and that brush, to make it happen.]

They would've been eaten by demons. [His grin tightens, for just a second.] Death itself is not unnatural, but what I am is. Grim reapers are necessary, but... Ah, it's a whole bloody mess. Perhaps we shouldn't talk about it.

{It's good he has a soft place to rest in case he loses all solidity, then! Vincent notices the change and he smiles to himself, his voice softening and lowering to match. He doesn't want to spook his poor friend.}

You think you are less handsome? {He tuts.} I can't let you keep that misconception. You are different, that is all, but differences can be beautiful.

{He tucks some hair behind Undertaker's ear once it has been smoothed out.}

Demons? Are they truly that prolific? That doesn't surprise me considering the state of our world. {His thoughts shift to Ciel's eye and he frowns.} Necessary but unnatural? I do not follow. I would like for you to talk about it if you so desire. I had suspicions that there was another world beyond the two I knew, but I never expected for you to be living proof.

[Comforted as he is by the attention to his hair, he doesn't miss the shift in tone, and it pulls a bigger smile from him. The Earl is trying to lull him back to sleep, he suspects, but he resists, letting himself linger just on the edge. Balance is his stopping point, and as long as he keeps himself upright, he'll remain conscious, mostly.]

Not... less handsome. I simply don't care so much for appearances anymore. As long as I'm decent, my job matters more. [That hair is moved behind his ear and he tilts his head to assist it. But it's the shift in conversation that opens his eyes and draws a soft sigh from him and makes him shake off the sluggishness of his pampering, nice as it had been.]

[One look back over his shoulder again at the Earl and he wonders if he has said too much on the matter. Of course Vincent would worry.]

They number fewer than as many humans as there have ever been. I couldn't give you an exact head count, but there's not the real concern. Both sides of the afterworld exist within a balance. They have their rebels, much as you would see in your everyday human life, but all of it is... [He shrugs, shaking his head, for lack of better term.] normal. If you live a normal life.

{He wouldn't mind tucking him back in; he has some experience doing that with his sons. Really, he is quite good at it too! He repeats his actions with the other side, smoothing out the thick strands and tucking them behind Undertaker's ear again. The little head tilt that follows is endearing and he sets the brush down on the bedding, opting to stroke over the hair with his hand instead.}

For an undertaker, I say you fit the part to a tee. {But he is fond of interesting sorts and while more undertakers might choose a suit for their profession, he likes that Undertaker chooses robes instead.}

What if you do not live a normal life? {His hand stops and it is his turn to sigh.} I'm worried about him and I know I'm only human. I never thought of that as a weakness before now.

Edited 2017-12-04 05:04 (UTC)

[Oh, that hand over his hair. It's so hard to keep his eyes open, and even now his lids flutter, but he keeps them at least half way there through sheer willpower, though it's beginning to sway. The Earl needs him awake, and he needs to be awake, but those fingers will do him in yet if he isn't careful and he knows it.]

What better way to hide myself than right in plain view? [It isn't really a question.]

Then you end up like I did. [He bows his head, quickly dropping the subject, knowing good and well what the man means.] You've every right to worry. Never think of that as a weakness. I once did. But take heart - there are ways to undo what has been done. Your boy had suffered too much before the demon took advantage of his distress to know what he was doing. He may be bound by contract, but contracts can be broken, even demonic ones. He may yet be freed.

You make a fair point. {That is how the Phantomhives operate too. Many would not even think of them as the Watch-Dogs of the Queen, though he suspects, over the decades, it is becoming better known in certain circles.

He doesn't know why those next words make him incredibly sad and...yes...confused. He thinks that death never feels natural even when it is, so how horrible does it have to be in order to be considered "unnatural"? But his heart knows the answer and his touch falters.}

Is that how they all come to the occupation? {Suicide? Vincent closes his eyes and holds onto the back of Undertaker's shirt.} How can I help? Can I help? I want to break it immediately and prepare him better for his duties.

[There's a shift in the mood as he watches the man come to his conclusions. The smile never leaves him, but his body's want for sleep does and he turns ever so slightly to face Vincent.] Initially. Some choose to stay, some get forgiven.

[And more as Vincent questions him about helping with Ciel. His hand moves up to the Earl's shoulder, something there to center and calm him.] What you can do is to be his father, be understanding. It may not seem like much, but these are grounds that even I am new to in some ways. The demon that plagues your son is not here right now, and that is to his advantage. At the same time, so is holding onto the seal. Your son controls it as long as they each hold up their end of the deal, but I've a mind to kill the beast if it strays.

[He gives Vincent's shoulder a squeeze and offers a grin, one light and full of humor and a promise to tear a demon limb from limb if it so much as looks at the child wrong.] But! Here and now, he is safe. You are safe. We still have time.

{The entire scenario makes him miserable, frankly, and he doesn't hide it well. He is like a dog on a leash watching its puppy fall into the clutches of some greater beast. Panicking has occurred to him - frequently - but he is doing his best to hold that in check.

The hand does steady him and he looks to Undertaker for sincere advice on the matter. He is completely out of his depth and he is painfully aware of it.}

Please do. {He leans his head to the side, resting his cheek against the hand on his shoulder.} Do not kill him kindly. He seeks to devour that which is more precious than a thousand of him.

{No, a million.}

Can a demon hurt you? {The possibility undoes any reassurance he may have felt.} Undertaker, if the beast comes here, you know I do not mind playing bait whilst you deal with it.

[Well, so much for soothing his poor Earl and bringing him away from grief over the loss of his dear wife. What good of it all if he has only led him right into the reality of his son's condition? In a way, it's not, but they're bringing up the roots of the man's problems, and Vincent isn't facing them alone anymore. He will worry, as fathers do, but he will not stay up reading books that hold no meaning to him to try and stave it off now.]

[At least, Undertaker hopes he will not. What he does do is scoot a little more to face Vincent fully and gather both hands in one of his own while he lifts the other to cup the cheek nuzzling into him. His voice softens, offering reassurances and certainties that he feels in himself.]

My lord, I will not lie to you on this. It is possible that a demon can hurt me, maybe even kill me. A grim reaper is only a human, killed by his own hand and bound to the heavens. But I am not without my own experience, and I have fought this demon before. It isn't your soul it wants, although it may use you to get the one it needs. If push comes to shove, you would better serve your son to stay far away, and I know you can't do that.

[He pauses there, stroking his palm down against Vincent's cheek as he would have done for his son decades ago, perhaps if he'd fallen off his horse or lost a fencing match.] I will keep you in the loop with what I learn, my lord. There are purification rituals that may help here in this world, but I need a little more time to research it all. The texts are very old, and this is not our home. For now, love your son. Love your son as if today is your last with him.

[He can't help the glimmer in his own eyes then, feeling the emotion well up in him, but with a blink it's gone. His smile softens that much more, thumb stroking over the man's cheek once before settling the hand back down on the shoulder again and leaving it there.]

{No, he isn't facing them alone and he is beginning to realize and accept as much. Undertaker has freely offered him and his son relief, information and a home that feels safe. It is remarkable in and of itself that any of them sleep well - or at all - and he owes that occurrence to Undertaker.

Somehow he needs to speak to Ciel about returning the many favors. They might be nobles and they might be spoiled, but they are not blind and deaf.

He opens his mouth to tell his friend to not risk his life, but he can't find the words. Ciel is...one of the two best additions he has ever made to the world. Vincent will never forget the day his little sons were born nor how shocked he had been to see two babies - perfect and whole - instead of one! Undertaker had been one of the first informed of their births and Vincent was delighted when the man visited long enough to join his sons in their adventures.

This is another adventure; an adventure that can turn into a tragedy. His features are gentle and sad, yet he makes himself listen. Only through learning the full truth can he make an informed decision. Now is not the time to fight - nor is it the time to run. He leans in and rests their foreheads together, frowning faintly.}

...I cannot let it hurt him or you. My soul might not be the one it craves, but I can make a pest of myself.

{A small hum follows the stroking and he feels revitalized. They do have time and he can learn how best to trap a demon. The killing he gladly leaves up to Undertaker.}

I will read of them too. I know Latin, German and French. {Actually he would love to kill the demon. Oh he would make it hurt. However that desire pales, for the time being, in comparison to his curiosity.} I will not let him go without a fight.

{It will never be easy to phrase his next question, so he decides to come out with it directly.}

Do you have any sons?

Edited 2017-12-04 06:36 (UTC)

[It won't ever cease to amaze and amuse him, just what humans are and what they can be, from the best of it to the worst. Having lived a mortician's life, he has seen both in their extremes and all in between, and now he is seeing it again. Vincent has no real concept of what he is promising to fight against, but he would do it anyway for his boy.]

[How very touching. It warms a place in him that he knows has always been there, only in slumber until some decades before. He exhales softly at the touch of their foreheads, closing his eyes and letting his fingers knead gently on the skin and cloth they touch in kind for the affection.]

I would ask you not to make a pest of yourself to the demon, but I would be grateful to have the help in my research. I know enough of one or two languages to be a pest myself, but not enough to truly understand it. Most of it is in English, to my relief. But please. The next time I visit the archives here, I'll bring you along.

[That question, as difficult as it is to pose, is as difficult to answer. But really, there is only one answer. He could just as easily lie about it and Vincent would know no different, but it is what it is.] I had one son. Long ago.

{Humans have so many characteristics - some downright heroic and others infinitely cowardly. Vincent will admit to his deficiencies, but he makes no qualms about showing where he is very proficient too. He does not fear death for himself. He had faced the attackers without a shout for help, but time had been so limited. All he had been able to do was shield Rachel and then...

Everything hurt, the blood left him rapidly and he had perished. The memory of that moment - where he felt so heavy and so sick - makes him forget a breath. His eyes refocus on Undertaker and he breathes in a mite sharply, pressing against the other man's forehead a little more.}

I would be glad to come with you. {He frowns faintly, sadly at how Undertaker answers his question. He lifts a hand to smooth over his friend's cheek.} Did you lose him?

[His attention having been all on Vincent, he notices when a breath is missed and wonders what it is going through the man's head at that very instant. It isn't hard to imagine what he might be thinking, but he's curious for the exact thoughts. His head tilts, though he won't ask after them, and he grins against the nuzzle, having nothing against it.]

Then it's a date. I'll be heading that way tomorrow at some time, if you're not busy.

[The hand against his cheek gets a nuzzle of its own and his grin fades again as he considers his response. There is a moment's hesitation before he will answer.] Yes and no. I'm a poor excuse for a father. The boy never knew me, and for that I was glad. He had a better life without me.

{A weak smile brightens his features, chasing away the shadows caused by one horrible day. His sons' birthdays. What a horrible legacy. And now a demon is taking advantage of the situation? Oh he needs to be disposed of right quick!}

Tomorrow it is then. {As long as he sees to the demands of the ballet and its patrons, his schedule is more or less up to him. He likes the freedom and he prefers it much more than having a desk job.

The nuzzle makes his heart ache and he can't wholly explain why.} I cannot say that is true. He might have taken after you and benefitted from your experience.

[Some part in the back of his mind wonders how long he can really carry this on, beating around the bush with this story, before Vincent or Ciel start to put two and two together. Ciel, at least, knows about the mourning chain and the names upon it. Father and son will talk, and he doesn't doubt that at some point or another, his name will enter the conversation.]

[Not that he'll complain. Not that he'll be angry with them for it. They'll speak of him as they please, with or without him around. But he has to ask himself, just once more, if or not he wants them to know sooner or later.]

[He nods, confirming that they will, indeed, visit the library tomorrow to sift through what they can.]

He did inherit a few features from me, I suppose. No one made a fuss about it, and that's a relief. Everything could have been ruined if they had.

{The truth will be revealed eventually. If not now, then later. Vincent tilts his head, blinking as some of his hair becomes tangled with his eyelashes. That is rather ticklish, though it hardly matters in light of the current conversation.}

Why would they make a fuss? Unless his mother was promised to another? {Undertaker. He sighs and sits back.} The heart can't help who it longs for in the end.

[His hair is long enough it has tickled him just as well time and time again, but it's something he has had to live with while he let it grow out. It wasn't always as long as it is now, but those growing pains come with everything, regardless of individual or time or place.]

[He doesn't blame Vincent for leaning back and away from the mess.]

Oh, but she was. You know as well as I do that women have so little choice when it comes to the way their lives go in our time. She was willful and strong, but she also was betrothed.

{Who knows what Vincent might have done with his if given enough time. He likes his hair on the longer side of respectable - or so Franny tells him constantly - so who knows? He might have grown it out all the way. For now it adds to his mystery~~, which attracts those like Kelvin~~.}

I gave Rachel a choice. We were a good match - everything was as it should be - but if she did not love me then there was no point to it.

{He stretches out his legs and smiles.} She loved you.

[That would have been interesting to see. Vincent with his hair at a length, bound at the back of his head.]

You're also a considerate man, and you have some sway in who you marry as such. Husbands and wives don't often marry for love, they marry for convenience or political or social advantage. The woman I loved was a victim of the same, but she turned it to her advantage, as any smart woman in her position would do. She was attracted to me for certain, but she would never say she loved me, and she would never let me tell her I loved her. We both knew where she would be in the end and she didn't want either of us to regret it. So I gave her and she gave me one night. We loved as if it would never end. [He shrugged.] I never imagined what would come of it.

[He hesitated.] Or, rather, who.

Edited 2017-12-05 03:44 (UTC)

{The tale is too romantic for him to not be moved by it. There are also some curious similarities to his own situation. He favored his mother from birth, yet one would think there would be some resemblance to his father too. However there never was even the tiniest speck of familiarity. After Claudia died, Vincent became even more estranged from his father, finding it difficult - if not impossible - to feel affection for him.

The feeling seemed to be mutual too. He had told Rachel everything and they had decided that he would be very involved in their children's lives. He wouldn't be cold like his father had been - and their children would most certainly favor them both. Once he had seen and held his little twins, Vincent had begun considering a new possibility.

What if his father wasn't his father? Claudia was indeed a willful woman and she knew her mind without question. He took after her in most aspects except...a few.}

...did she know you fathered the child?

[He tilted his head, casting his gaze aside for a a short time as he considered the thought. If Claudia knew, she never mentioned it to him, but he had a suspicion that she thought her son the legitimate child of her husband, if for no other reason than to preserve the family line.]

In truth, I will never be sure if she knew. I've lived a long, long life, but I've never once fathered offspring until my son came along. I may not have known that he was my own until... [Again, he hesitated, for the first time in a long time, felt a nervousness creep in on him, despite the easy smile on his features.] Well. He started seeing things he shouldn't have.

{It's easy to say something is a coincidence and leave it at that. Vincent has a sneaking suspicion Undertaker would allow him to be that willfully ignorant. But he isn't that sort of person.

Neither of them are, really.} ...like strange men in suits? {Is it possible that his father - his true father - has been under his nose this whole time?}

Undertaker, I do not think your name is all that fitting anymore.

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