The Reaper Child: Book II [Child!Reader Protagonist]

~Chapter 22~

"That movie was scary even for ME!" Grell expressed as the credits began to roll on the screen. She and Will had spent a couple of hours watching a horror movie that they found playing on TV.

"But good thing I'll have your nice, strong arms protecting me from all those hideous creatures we just say!" Grell added as she brought her arms behind her head and arched her back. "What do you think, darling? Shall we turn in for the night?"

When Grell didn't receive a response, she turned her head to look at Will, whose gaze was still fixed on the screen. "Will?" Still nothing. She leaned over and began to gently poke his shoulder. "Wiiiiiilllll...."

"Hm?" That finally got his attention. "Oh, sorry. I didn't hear you," Will said.

"Something is bothering you," Grell stated.

Will gave her a puzzled look. "What makes you think that? Everything is fine," he insisted. "I'm just a bit tired is all. It's been a long day at work."

"Darling, for as long as we've known each other, I can tell when something is wrong," she told Will gently. "You can hide it all you want, but I can sense it."

Grell then scooted even closer to Will and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. She settled herself so that she was resting her face in the crook of his neck. "You know you can talk to me, right? I'm your wife after all..."

Will let out a soft chuckle and gave Grell's knee a gentle squeeze. "You got me. No use trying to hide it, I suppose." He paused for several moments before speaking up again. "You had that conversation we had one time in my office awhile back? The one regarding me acting more as a proper parent to (Y/N)?"

"I do..."

"Well, I've been trying to create more interaction between (Y/P) and I since then-"

"I've noticed," Grell interrupted him.

"You have?"

"Mhmmm." Grell lifted her head up and smiled. "I've seen the way you've been trying to talk to (Y/N) more. That alone means so much, you have no idea!"

"You don't feel as though it's not enough?" Will spoke slowly.

"Well... I think there could be more," Grell replied honestly. "BUT you're certainly in the right direction! It's the baby steps that count, darling."

"I see. In that case, what do you suggest I do beyond what I am doing now?"

"I can't tell you." The redhead grinned. "Like you said before: You and I are completely different people. I have my ways, and you have yours. And I still have faith that you will find that way."

"That brings up another thing and correct me if I'm wrong: But even with my attempts thus far, there seems to be some "resistance" from (Y/N)'s end. It's a bit obvious that (Y/P) doesn't have much interest in me as a parent, and they seem to be set on it."

"Hmm... Yes, I have noticed that too," Grell said. "(Y/N) is definitely quieter around you. But I think I can help with that. I'll talk to (Y/N) and hopefully get (Y/P) to overcome such stubbornness. But other than that, you'll have to figure out the rest."

Will nodded slowly. "Alright," he said before he and his lover both shared a passionate kiss.

"I wasn't lying about being tired," Will said when they finally pulled apart. "Shall we head to bed now?"

"Only if you carry me up the stairs in your arms," Grell replied flirtatiously.

"Of course." Will stood from the sofa and using both of his arms, he lifted Grell up bridal style up the stairs. When they both made it into their bedroom, he laid Grell on the bed before crawling in right next to her. Once they both got comfortable under the covers, they both dozed off within minutes.

The next day, you were out playing in the backyard after you got home from school. Autumn had come some time ago, which meant the greenery of leaves had faded to various colors of red, yellow, and orange. Quite a bit of trees were scattered around the whole neighborhood, which meant there were several leaves scattered about in the yard. When you saw them, you made a mental objective to create as big of a leaf pile as possible. If you were lucky, you could perhaps try to make a house of them.

You gathered as many leaves as you could in the immediate area and began building. As you were working, the clouds darkened and conquered the sky. It was going to rain soon, but that didn't stop you from your leaf pile goal. You continued building the pile even after the sky began pouring. It didn't matter to you that your clothes were getting soaked by the minute. You had made a decent amount of progress on your pile when you suddenly heard your mother call you from the back door.

"(Y/N)! Get inside, it's raining cats and dogs out here!"

"I can't! I have to make this leaf pile as big as I can!" You responded as you continued on your project.

"What for!?"

"So I can build a house with it!" It poured even harder, but you didn't care. The wind began to pick up speed.

"That's the stupidest idea I've ever heard!"

You stopped building so that you can shoot a venomous glare at the redhead. "It is NOT!" You shouted back, very much offended at her comment.

Grell rolled her eyes. "Just get in here before I come out there and drag you in! You can play outside when it's less dark and rainy!"

Still furious from having both been interrupted from your project and having your project insulted, you threw down the leaves that you had in your hand and stormed towards the direction of the door.

"Yes, I know. I'm just a TERRIBLE mother for not wanting my child to get sick from being in the wet cold," you heard Grell sarcastically say as you practically stomped past her.

"Come on, get yourself upstairs so you can dry off and change before dinner," Grell instructed you.

"Hmph!" You grunted before you continued stomping up the stairs as well. But you didn't change nor dry yourself off. Instead, you took a seat cross-legged on the direct center of your bedroom and pouted.

You weren't sure how long you sat there pouting, probably around half an hour. Eventually, Grell walked in the bedroom and laughed when she saw the state you were in.

"Are you really cross with me just because I told you to come in? You'd much rather be cold and miserable than in dry clothes?"

You responded via silent treatment. Grell was still laughing. She left the room for a moment and returned with a towel in her hand, which she used to dry off your hair.

"You know, you really shouldn't hang around in cold, wet clothes," she said as she helped you into dry clothes. "I'll make a deal with you: If it stops raining after dinner, you can go back outside to play and do whatever you were doing before. The only catch is my supervision and you wearing warmer clothes."

That made the scowl finally fall off your face. "Okay."

"Oh, I just remembered something. There was something important I needed to talk to you about. It's about-" Grell halted when she heard the sound of the door opening downstairs. Will was home with dinner.

"On second thought, we can talk about this later!" Grell then ran out the room down the stairs where you could hear her excitedly greeting her lover.

"Will, my darling! You're finally home!"

Since Grell had destroyed the stove since your first day being here, takeout has mostly been what you all had for dinner unless it was sandwiches or anything that didn't require a stove.

Something was different tonight. For the first time since you arrived here, your appetite was almost completely gone. It took a great amount of effort to get in bites of your meal. And you felt slightly tired, which didn't normally happen until AFTER dinner. But you didn't think much of it. Besides, Grell and Will were very relaxed about whether or not you finished your dinner, which was refreshing as you had experienced some of your former foster parents not allowing you to leave the table until you finished your meal.

"Oh look, it finished raining! And it's still early in the evening," Grell pointed out after dinner was finished. "Want to grab a coat and go back outside?" She asked you.

You thought for a moment. "No, I think I'd like to go to bed now."