Brook X GN Reader || I'm The Grim Reaper

Chapter 76

"They have one of these every few months, love. I don't know why you're so distraught." You say, distracted.

"I am not distraught." Alex defends from the doorway. You glance at him from over your shoulder. "You're pouting." "Okay, so I don't want to go. I've never been required to before. This is stupid." He complained, looking you up and down. You turn back to the mirror and continue to fix creases in your outfit.

"This is the first one since your father died. He was always required to come, and since your sister is in charge and she needs a successor, you have to take over her whole... Thing." You waved your hands in the air dismissively. "Yes, it's unfair, but you agreed to it when Vanessa asked. You have nobody to blame but yourself." You crossed your arms and turned around to look at him. "You let me get roped into it, so I don't want to hear anything at all. Not a peep." He opened his mouth to object and you shook your head.

"At least we'll be there together." He mumbled, rubbing his cheek. You smiled. "Of course, you soppy teenager."

"I'm leaving without you." He didn't bother to wait for a response, turning around and walking out of your door without a word. You let out a surprised sound, whipping around and hurrying to follow him.

He was walking slowly, so you know he didn't actually intend on walking into that room without you. A smile tugged at your lips as you hurried to walk by his side, linking one of your arms in the bend of his elbow. "You never know, it might be fun. Don't they have alcohol? I know we shouldn't drink, but I doubt any of them care. We've done it before."

He hums. "So positive. It makes me sick." You grin. "You know you love me." You tease, poking his cheek with your free hand. He looks at you with a seemingly cold expression and you poke him again. His lips flicker up a little, and you grin wider, feeling accomplished as the sound of chattering and footsteps drift down the hall.

You both stop before you turn the corner, knowing there will be maids and butlers and other rich people there. You glance at one another, take a few deep breaths, and before you run off to cower in his room you pull him with you and turn the corner. Sure enough, there are a lot of different people there, and you smiled at them. Most of them immediately turned their attention to both of you before you had time to process anything. A glass of something was placed in your hand by a butler as you walked past, and shortly after an identical glass was placed in Alex's hand.

When you walk into the ballroom it was easier to tell who mostly resided in the crowd. Most of them were middle-aged men and women who were wearing overly fancy outfits, some dancing and some just talking with one another. A few looked tipsy, but most were completely fine, nursing a glass in their hands and sipping it every once in a while. When they were finished they called for a butler, who would refill their glass or get them a new one.

You both made your way to the front of the room, here Natasha was going to give some sort of speech to the people and let everything begin or continue. Alex and your job were to just stand next to her and look pretty, then enjoy the party for yourself. There were barely any people your age, and especially no minors. Alex was an exception because he was turning 18 soon, and he was going to take over, which needed to be announced.

When you got to the front of the room, you smiled at Natasha. She returned it, and you could tell it wasn't genuine because she and Alex had that same look when they were upset but acted like things were fine. You appreciated her trying anyway.

A hush fell over the entire room and everyone's attention was on Natasha now as she clinked her glass.

The speech was to-the-point and only lasted a few minutes, and you stood next to Alex the entire time with a grip on his arm.

"Sometimes he would whisper something to you, which make you smile or crack up, but you tried your best to be polite for Natasha's sake.

You were grateful when the speech ended and people went back to their conversations and glasses. You led Alex back to where you originally placed your glasses, on the tray of a waiter who was walking by. You picked them back up again, taking a sip and scrunching up your face. "It's the expensive kind that they keep in the kitchen." Alex grimaces but takes a sip anyway. "The kind we buy from that store is better." He mutters, and you agree.

The night wasn't as bad as you thought it would be. You got the fair share of old women coming up to you and pinching Alex's cheeks, and sometimes yours. Some people in their early or mid-twenties came up to both of you to talk for a while, and one of them even tried to flirt with you both. You were lucky you didn't have repercussions here, and you stomped on his foot before walking away as Alex smirked in your direction.

You had a nice chat with this other old woman, who was there with her wife. She spoke to you about queer things and how unaccepting they were in other places, and she was lucky to be here where it's more normalized than it is in other places. You agreed, telling her about a vacation you took where you had to act straight in order to not get executed in front of the entire town. Unfortunately, you did have to leave her because Alex had to go to the bathroom.

The second you both got out of the room and into the empty hallway, you heaved a sigh.

"Bad night?" Alex inquired, knocking his elbow with yours. You smiled. "It hasn't been awful. There are too many people, though, lord have mercy." He snorts.

"Well, can I tell you a secret?" He leans toward you and lowers his voice. "I don't actually have to go to the bathroom." You mock a surprised gasp. "You, Alex? Oh, how could you ever lie to get out of a social gathering? It's unheard of!"

You both crack up, and you link your fingers together and drag him down the hallway.

"We only have about 10 minutes before people, but I think we can make due." You say as you glance down the hallway one way, then the other.

You open a door that fits into the wall perfectly, making it look like he doesn't exist.

"How did you- I didn't even know this existed," Alex whispers as you close the door.

"You know how rich people are. God forbid they have a storage closet in this place."

You shut the door fully, leaving you both in darkness.

"10 minutes, you said?" He asks, a cold hand cupping the side of your neck. "That I did," You confirm, and he leans in before either of you can say much else, hand going to your waist as he pressed you against the wall. You smile into the kiss, undoing the first few buttons because it was getting very hot.

An odd sound escapes your mouth when he kisses along your jaw, then right below your ear. You don't really think much after that.

___

"You are a great person to make out with, but you are way too... Everywhere," You complain when you're both walking toward the ballroom again. You fixed your tie and moved up your collar, watching him rub his lips with the back of his hands. "I can grab you a spoon later, or I can ask Natasha for some makeup." He shrugs.

You pull your collar up. "Not much good that's going to do when we have to walk into that room right now and stay there for the next..." You look at your watch. "Hour." You grumble. "Can you see them?"

He ducks down, smirking.

"Well, don't talk to people who can see under your jaw. Other than that, you're good." You stomp on his foot, hard. "I hate you sometimes."

"I know."

___

in the meantime, Azrael got a date with Celeste if he finishes all this stuff. Finds out about Chase through Bernadette.

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