Humbled ((Undertaker X Reader))

Act Seventeen: Love

 "Oh wait, was that the wrong time to say that?"

That voice-!

I raised my head and like I was witnessing an angel, The Undertaker balanced upon the edge of the manor walls as perfect as a picture.

The mere sight of him was so beautiful after so long in the torment. In the slight breeze, his silver hair fluttered, and his confused thoughtfulness was replaced with a smile,

"Ah~ Doesn't matter. I'm sure I still have that power."

"It's you-!"

Disgustingly, Nicholas and I proclaimed at the same time, but for vastly different reasons no doubt. His grip on my hand released and I took the chance to reel away and step away from him.

"Nice of you to finally show up," Ciel interrupted with a sigh instead, "Had to get it working, hm?"

What was he talking about?

The Undertaker reached into his sleeve and pulled out a rather familiar item. Was that... The bookmark Grelle gave me! I forgot I dropped it, how could I have lost it? Still, did that mean it did what she said it would? Did that even count? What the hell did that thing do?

The reaper continued with an unwavering smile,

"It took a while, Little Earl. A working book isn't easy to come by. It was rather lucky you were invited to this, it told me exactly where to send myself. Fighting all those guards would have been ever so inconvenient."

Everything he said gave me more questions and curiosities, but at the moment I didn't care. The only thing on my mind was how much I wanted to go with him.
Without thinking, I moved forward, but was halted as something heavy fell on my dress.
With a quick glance back, Nicholas had dropped a boot on the hem to stop me, not taking his eyes away from The Undertaker for a moment,
"You weren't invited, monster."

How dare Nicholas of all people try to accuse someone of being a monster?! The reaper overacted feeling hurt and shocked only to giggle and drop to the grass below as if he weighed a mere feather,
"You can't possibly imagine how little that matters to someone like myself~ I admire it though; that bravery to argue when you're so sure I'm not a human."
Ciel sighed, but remained quiet. While Nicholas was distracted, I began to try pulling away. His weight was heavy, I could barely get an inch away at all. At this rate I would have to rip the entire dress-!
Actually, that wasn't such a bad idea.

"It doesn't matter what you are," My fiance challenged in return, "Hurting me with witnesses will have an army barging down your door."
The confidence and arrogance made me sick. Not even knowing what being he was, and Nicholas was betting on the power of his title to keep him safe. Who would let an entire army fall at the hands of an immortal for the sake of one nobleman? He wasn't even at the same ranking as the Earl a few meters back, and that was a child!
After the shock wore off, I didn't consider myself afraid of the reaper, or any reaper for that matter. The ones that didn't kill, they only collected.
No grim reaper was as terrifying as the potential of darkness in a mortal heart, I'd learned that much after all this time.
Kill, perhaps not, but if he was maimed a bit, who would really say anything?

The silver tendrils of Undertaker's silky hair covered his eyes, but as he ever so lightly shifted his head, I caught a glimpse of pale green under the sun, shimmering as his eyes captured the light. That light... I wanted to reach out to it, to him.
I wanted to be with him again!
My dress pulled as I resisted, yet it refused to rip. Damn it-!

Rather than answering Nicholas, the mortician offered out a hand. He didn't need to come any closer, I would run to him, like he ran to me. Because there wasn't a shred of doubt in my mind, I was in love.
I pulled against the dress again, but extra weight fell upon the hem. Before I could register it, a strong arm wrapped against my stomach and I stumbled backward into the bastard's hold. No, not this time. This was my escape, screw him!
I intended to pull around and push the man away, but my quick reaction was more violent than I anticipated.
My rage shot to its peak after being bottled up for a week. It squirreled in my mind like a serpent screaming to break free, and in one fell swoop, as I reeled back, my elbow collided with his jaw.
Nicholas released just as fast and fell back in response, leaving me in shock. Did I just do that? I always assumed myself weaker than him. Even after every time I'd blown up, I never thought that I could have physically overpowered him. The times he had pinned me down, looking down at me with that disgusting smile... Yet now it was my turn.
Nicholas wiped blood from his mouth in pain and shock from where he sat on the ground, and admittedly, it felt good.
I hated to admit it, I never thought I would enjoy harming someone else, but if it was someone like him, I wanted to do it more.
I almost did if I didn't have someone waiting for me. He wasn't worth my time, my only wish was to embrace The Undertaker once again.

My attention shifted back to the silver man, who smiled a toothy grin. For the first time in a while, my lips perked into a genuine smile and I started over.
It was a dream, it had to be, I was finally getting out of here. I would survive after all.
I didn't even know what I was going to say first, there was so much I wanted to-

I didn't get very far before something else was stopping me. A tug on the damned dress.
I pulled against the resistance without hesitation, but I was still stuck in place. What was it this time?
I turned around, and my fiance was holding it with all his might, using every bit of his strength to dry stopping me,
"Where are you going?" He snapped between his bloody lips, "I own you. Me. You're my bride, have you forgotten? How dare you try to leave with him when you were born to belong to me?"
His words pissed me off but... No, there was no arguing. No matter what I said, he was delusional. Nicholas would never understand that I was a human with my own feelings.
No amount of arguing would stop him from insisting it was my responsibility to bear him a child.
He gripped the ivory dress so tightly, his knuckles were turning white and he was gritting his teeth. When I gave one final pull to free myself of his annoying grip, I heard the beautiful sound of the hem ripping in two.

I nearly lost my footing falling back against the weightless sensation, but before I fell, my back hit the soft touch of the reaper, who in turn held my smaller body in his slender arms.
It was different than the hold of my fiance. Softer, and more protective, I felt safer in the arms of The Undertaker than anyone who had decided to lay their dirty hands on me in the manor.
For the first time in a long while, I felt I could exhale and calm my nerves, but that didn't stop Nicholas from tossing the torn hem aside as he climbed to his feet,
"Alright, run then. Run as far as you want, I'll find you again, and I'll make sure I kill you."

For a split second, our eyes made contact but when I looked into the Lord's dark orbs, there was an expression I had never seen before. An anger so powerful, and hate so present, I'd never seen anyone in the world harbor such dark feelings.
Ciel was suddenly at his feet and the butler belonging to the noble was at Nicholas' side before I could even blink,
"Well, we can't have that," Sebastian almost... Scolded? "A direct threat?"
"You're right," His Master chimed in, "I'd say that's probable cause to detain him for questioning."

The reaper snickered, loud enough that only I could hear thanks to the closeness, but his silence from input was telling enough that he was enjoying the show.
I might've enjoyed it more if I hadn't just been warned of death, but being arrested was a comfort. He wouldn't be able to hurt anyone else from the prison bars.
Like a child, he tried to fight the Butler's hold, which quickly started to escalate with his panicking parents attempting to make sense of what they witnessed as well.
The noise... The voices... It was all too much.
My head was spinning, I couldn't pinpoint a single voice with all the shouting. Did I even want to?
Now that I finally felt safe, every ounce of adrenaline wanted to pull from my body as though I were nothing more than a sponge being wrung out.
I could feel the reaper's hug tighten and didn't think twice reaching up and taking a tight hold of his long sleeve. He was finally within range, and it felt like if I let go for a second, I would lose him again.
"Don't tell me you actually want to listen to this~" The man's gentle whisper was a comfort behind my ear, "My little intern, might I suggest a quieter place to take a breath?"
God, he didn't have to ask twice.
I turned around to wrap The Undertaker in the tightest hug my mortal body could do against a supernatural being, which happened to be very little. He smelled of cinnamon and roses; the smell of the candles that often surrounded the funeral parlor. How I've missed it.

"I don't care where it is I just want to leave. I'm so tired."

This weakness was something I'd refused to show for too long. I could still hear the yelling and fighting, but this time, could I finally say that it wasn't my battle to fight?
Ciel knew the truth and had the means to restrain the blueblood, I was done here a long time ago.

A slender hand wrapped around my back, nails digging into the torn ivory dress. Even as he held tight, it was delicate and careful. Even in such a situation as this, the reaper didn't think twice about containing his strength.
Despite everything, I was still alive. The strange reaper I faced on my way never appeared, was it perhaps then for my parents?
God, no, I wouldn't start overthinking right now. My brain was fried and I was still reeling from the energy of the outside after a week in confinement. I was a bit sad to leave behind the Lord and Lady, they were always kind to me, but perhaps we would speak again in the future.

After the long hold, The Undertaker released to raise the strange bookmark once again. It ended up saving me after all, how funny.
"You found it..." I couldn't bite my tongue on the comment, "Grelle gave it to me a while ago, I thought it was... Just a joke or something, or I would've told you."

The mortician's lips frowned curiously before he shifted to a light smile instead,
"Never fret, little canary. A human wouldn't know about such things normally~ But now I think it's time to leave. There's still so much I've yet to tell you, and so much work to catch up on. How could I do it without you?"
Hardly romantic, but there was a tease in his voice.
The Reaper revealed a dark book hidden within his sleeve. Nary a title nor descriptor, the novel kept its secrets tight.
He didn't need to tell me twice; I was still understanding the concept of the immortal beings, but whatever The Undertaker was, I wanted to trust him and learn.
"Now let's see..." The man slipped the bookmark on one of the pages, "Right here should do it! It's so bothersome to hear their bicker while we're trying to have a moment."

The moment the pink bookmark was placed, the sound of the argument behind me came to a total standstill. Not a stunned silence, but a total abrupt cutoff. What the hell just happened? What did he do?
It was like a scene right out of a photograph when I turned back to look. Everyone was frozen in time, totally oblivious to the powers of the reaper.
Nicholas was being held tightly by his father, restraining him from attempting to fight Ciel while Sebastian prepared restraints. I had to admit, it felt good to see him look so pathetic.
I must've been looking a bit too long, because for a split second, I thought I saw Sebastian's eyes glisten with life. He was frozen, right? Everyone was, so how...
No, I was overthinking.
"Now let's see~" The Undertaker suddenly hummed a playful tune, urging me to look back. He tapped a pencil on the book before suddenly erasing something aggressively and flipping the utensil back around, "Suddenly, the Scotland Yard rode up to the manor gates in silly costumes to arrest the criminal," He read his writing aloud as he scribbled quickly, "Everything would turn out good so everyone all decided to take their leave and go home,"
He paused in consideration, looking up my way, then back down to the book before he scribbled something out,
"No no, we can't have everyone leave just like that, can we? Only the bride decided to go home. (Y/N) didn't say goodbye to the groom before going back to her true home, appearing there out of midair all proper-like."

True home? What the hell did that-
I didn't have even a moment to think or question his phrasing before everything around me vanished and shifted around.
Was this the power of the bookmark? I felt weightless, yet at peace.
The garden and scene at the manor melted away like a drenched painting, fading away into nothing at all. In its place, a dark room became clear. The Undertaker didn't specify my true home, did that mean I was going wherever I decided it was? What was my true home?
My anxieties calmed to relief as the scene cleared. Quiet emptiness, the dim glow of filtered sunlight, and...
The smell of the candles became clear when the magic began to fade.
The shop, I was finally back. It was empty, I was still alone for now, but I could wait. Simply being back here again felt like a dream simply too good to be true. Even magic knew I belonged here now!
The tinted windows made it impossible to see outside, but I had to be sure. I ran to the door on unstable heels and flew it open.
The greeting bell jingled and sunlight fell upon my skin.
A few curious people on the street looked at the woman in a wedding dress standing at the doorway to a funeral parlor, but for the moment I cared quite little.
It was real, truly real!

A heavy sound behind me brought my attention back, and The Undertaker stood by the counter with the magic still releasing him from the travel. The door was shut once more for privacy and I let my emotions take over.

Had he been a human, the speed at which I ran up and threw my arms around him might've caused him to lose footing. The hug only lasted a few moments as I let go, just to catch him in a kiss instead.
My eagerness was evenly matched with The Undertaker returning it with the same passion. I would've continued forever if I didn't need air, that was quite clear.
The reaper's smile as we parted was a soft one, not gleaming his sharp teeth. For a wink more, I stood before him to take in every beautiful feature, then hugged him once again.
The past week could've easily melted away. Every lucid dream where I was holding him like this, it only reminded me how much I truly did care for the mortician. Damn him for worming into my heart, but I wouldn't have it any other way.
He returned the hug and I felt the warm embrace of The Undertaker burying his cheek against my shoulder,
"You had me so worried~" He hummed, barely loud enough for me to hear, "Running off like that, I didn't know what to do. You must've been quite shaken."

Shaken was an understatement. My head still spun just thinking about it. I simply wouldn't, it was over with. Nicholas was arrested, and I had plenty of time with my own thoughts to consider The Undertaker's identity.
Deep down, I still felt a hint of guilt for all the women who died, but it wasn't my fault. I didn't do it to them, he did. I pissed him off, but he chose to kill them.
"I'm sorry," It was all I could say. In the moment it was too much to take in, but I should have confided my thoughts. "I was foolish to run off. I was still accepting you were a reaper, then watching that woman die through her own eyes right after, it felt like I was right there in her place. I was scared."
I felt his hug relax until The Undertaker released the hold. His long fingers lingered a bit longer along my skin as he thought carefully.
What could be going on through his head?
The touch was so delicate along my neck, that it tickled. Still, I didn't reel away.
"It's been quite some time since it's felt so solemn in my shop, which is saying with who my clients are" He finally muttered, breaking the silence, "But it's earned here I'd say. You look so tired, I barely want to tell a joke right now, how sad~"
Did I look tired? I didn't even notice.
I tried to shake off whatever he might've been seeing and smile,
"No, I think this is the perfect time for a joke actually. We got away, shouldn't we celebrate? How would commoners celebrate something like this?"

Right after I said that, I recalled meeting Alois. Dancing and drinks sounded wonderfully fun. Now that I thought about it, did I ever see the Reaper drink before?
He grinned wide with his familiar mischievous shark smile as he pulled back, drawing his arms into his own body. I couldn't get a good reading on him suddenly.
His appearance would encourage one to think of him as a holy man, but The Undertaker's attitude and personality were much more devilish.
"Celebrate, so soon?" His voice hummed with interest, "Little canary, there's plenty of time for that, I'll take you to my favorite place tomorrow."
The man paused once more carefully, then finally, with great hesitation, extended out to place his hand atop my head. I could practically feel his tension with it, but all things considered, it was nice. I couldn't deny it, I could use the rest even if I didn't feel that exhaustion yet. My brain was still running on autopilot, the adrenaline was due to run out soon.
Seeing that I wasn't going to shy away, the reaper visibly relaxed,
"Let's get you all cleaned up for now~ Ivory isn't quite your color, now is it? And those heels-"
"I know." I cut him off. I was too used to wearing anything but heels now, "Not ideal. I don't suppose you have flats I can wear?"

The soft joking had me feeling like every weight of the world was falling off my shoulders. Neither of us had to say it directly, I clearly needed to get out of this horrid dress.
Perhaps even burn it if at all possible. I couldn't say I'd ever wear such an awful excuse of a dress again.
It was nice to be back, feeling safe like this and not feeling so... Angry.
Thinking about it now, there was one other place I wanted to go tomorrow.