Shinigami Marching Band (Black Butler)

Prologue

Guys im putting this on AO3 and Fanfiction.net as well. So go find me there if it's more convenient. Username is the same on all 3 sites.  NOW ON TO THE PROLOGUE!

It was the first day of the second week back at school. Most of the summer-time feeling had worn off and most everyone was getting excited for Friday would be the first football game of the season. The pep-rallies had been interesting enough and it was clear to see the cheerleaders didn't do cheer camp this year because a lot of them fell and messed up in a hilarious scene that wouldn't soon be forgotten. The ever flawless marching band, however, had been working for half of the summer on preparing their field show, knowing full well that they still wouldn't have it complete in time for the half time show for the game. They would have to perform anyway and just deal with what they had. They had never had a truly horrible show even if it was unfinished and they were known for bringing in first and second place trophies. Regardless the students never received any praise from their peers on the matter.

The football game, and the cheerleading failure would have been the talk of the school, as would jokes about the band not being totally ready, but that wasn't exactly the buzz going around the school lately. They were talking about the male, colorguard captain and the only boy on the team and not in the nicest of ways.

"Oh my god, you heard about that too? Is it true then, is he .....?"

"Yeah. He's obviously a fag. There's no way any normal guy would dress up and dance around in a frilly outfit twirling a flag. Straight guys just don't do that crap."

"What a faggot. Not to mention he's like a super ginger. That hair color can't be natural. He has to dye it. Just another way he's like a girl."

"Hey, don't look now but there he is, probably on his way to his fag boyfriend."

"Shhhh. Act cool. Don't even acknowledge him. Wouldn't want to catch the gay. It's probably contagious the way he radiates it."

The rumors were getting more popular and the comments even more harsh. School had barely started and the redhead already wished he had been homeschooled this year. People may have thought they were being discrete and quiet with their whispering, but he always heard their comments and was always hurt by them. He wasn't going to start anything because of it though, he wouldn't bother to pick fights with people who didn't know what they were talking about half the time. It wasn't worth it. He could just as easily brush it off and act like everything was fine. He almost made it all the way to lunch without showing any signs of being bothered. Almost.

Ron and Grell sat down at the same table they had sat at for the past three years and remained in mutual silence until Ron spoke up. "Hey Grell, .... uh, ha- have you heard what people have been saying today?" he asked carefully, concerned about his usually charismatic and bombastic friend. The redhead had been acting strange all day and he knew it was probably because of the rumors. He picked at his food and began eating as he breached the subject.

Grell looked up and answered a little too quickly, a knowing recognition behind his tone. "No."

Ronald put his plastic fork down and looked at him with the 'don't-give-me-that-bullshit' look.

The redhead sighed because he knew that Ronnie saw right through his lie. "Yeah, I have. I'm okay though. It's just their opinions, why would that matter to me? I don't even know most of them." He said while trying his best to smile. Right as Ronald was about to respond, their other friend William sat down next to Grell and across from Ronald.

"Know most of who?" William asked, setting his tray down.

"Nobody." Grell said softly as he tried to drop the subject.