Hello! Thanks for stopping by to read :) I really, really like this couple and hope it gets hinted at at some point in Kuro II, because, look at Claude! He's an instant Grell magnet! X3 Please drop a review after you read and critique this if you like, I'd like to know how I can improve as an author ^^

Nighttime, when the butler finishes his duties. His Highness Alois Trancy was tucked safely into his bed, and the triplets as well as Hannah were resting in their quarters. Claude would join them in a few moments, after fixing a few things.

Like that annoying tapping at the windows.

Claude had shrugged it off about ten minutes ago, thinking it was nothing more than a squirrel or a pigeon, or some animal of that kind. But it was persistent, and made with rocks – which nixed the woodpecker idea he'd mused on for a moment. Claude sighed, approaching the window with a small candle in his hand. He hoped it wasn't some foolish girl trying to switch the roles of Romeo and Juliet, his Highness really had no taste for girls like that – or women at all, really. But he digressed.

The demon butler opened the window and looked downwards, holding the candle out to give himself a little light. "Hello?" he called out.

"Heell-lo, Sebas-chan~!" a feminine voice called out. Odd. It sounded feminine but Claude got the impression that the owner of the voice was male. And, wait- did he (or she?) say, "Sebas-chan?"

"No one by that name lives here," the butler announced. "You must be mistaken."

The voice stepped into the light. Long, flowing, red hair trailed behind him (all right, so it was a man after all), a woman's coat on his arms, but too small to fit him well, and – was that a chainsaw dangling in his hand? "That can't be, you must be Sebas-" He stopped, adjusting the red glasses that covered his eyes. "Oh. You really aren't Sebas-chan," he corrected himself, pouting slightly. "That's disappointing."

Claude shrugged awkwardly. "Yes, well…you probably should be on your way then." He put the candle down on the windowsill and reached to close the windows before the red-haired man put his hands up in protest.

"Oh, you're just going to leave a delicate lady like myself all alone in the middle of the night?"

"As far as I can see, you are not a woman, and you were alone in the middle of the night before I happened to open these windows."

The red-head pouted further, leaning on his (her? Now Claude was really confused) chainsaw. "Won't you let me inside, good sir?" he (she?) persisted.

Claude looked back up at the stairs, in the direction of his Highness's room. He would be very angered if he discovered that Claude let a strange man- woman- … person, inside in the middle of the night without his permission. But it was late…so…perhaps just this once.

He sighed. "All right. Come 'round to the front door and I'll let you inside."

The red-haired person gave a squeal of delight and bounded for the front door. Claude sighed audibly and visibly. What had he just gotten himself into? He closed the window and picked up his candle, walking to the front door.

As it opened with a creeeak, Claude was surprised to see the red-haired…individual already standing there. "What took you so long?" he asked (looking at the facial features up close, this confused individual was most certainly male), grinning a sharp-toothed grin.

Claude said nothing but stepped to the side. "Enter if you please." The man skipped happily indoors, humming lightly. The butler sighed. This was going to be an interesting night.

"So what's your name?" the man asked. He blinked for a second before putting a black-gloved hand to his chin. "Hmm, now that I get a good look at you, you are a rather handsome fellow…" he murmured. Claude decided to ignore the "handsome" comment and go on with the conversation.

"I am the butler of the Trancy household, Claude Faustus," he introduced himself formally. "And you are?" he asked with sincere curiosity.

"Ooh, the formal type, I see~!" the man squealed, clasping his hands together, his weapon leaning on his hip casually. "I love those kinds of men! Very well, I'll play along, dear~" He stood up straight and mimicked Claude's perfect posture poorly. "I am Grell Sutcliffe, a…god of sorts, actually." His golden eyes glinted. "And you aren't just a butler either, are you, handsome?"

A god? That was interesting. Claude felt he should push that to his advantage, the information could be useful for his Highness. He also had to suppress a shudder at this Mister Sutcliffe's comment. "What do you mean by that?"

The man, Grell, took a few steps closer to the butler. "I'm talking about what's beneath that pale skin of yours," he purred seductively, brushing his fingertips against the butler's cheek. He leaned in, close- way too close. This was getting really uncomfortable. "You're just like my Sebas-chan, aren't you?"

Claude took two steps backwards, away from Grell's advances. "I don't understand what you mean, Mr. Sutcliffe," he said flatly. "And, please do not stand so close to me, I feel- that is, his Highness Earl Trancy would be uncomfortable with such a display."

"Oh, don't play dumb, love," Grell responded, tossing scarlet locks playfully. He leaned on his chainsaw again, showing off the contour of his side, the delicate way in which his body was framed, the soft suggestion of…Dammit! Focus, Faustus! the butler scolded himself. "You're one of them, aren't you?" the Reaper asked.

"Them?" Claude repeated dumbly. Damn, this wasn't going well. He needed to get this man out of his Highness's house, and soon!

Grell rolled his eyes. "Oh, honestly," he scolded. "You're a demon, aren't you?"

Claude bit his lip and nodded. "Yes…" What was he supposed to say? This was a god he was speaking to, after all.

Grell squealed. "Ooh, are all of you so wonderfully handsome and dashing? So far not one of you has fallen below my expectations of a good man~!" Claude was becoming more and more uncomfortable. Was this man…attracted to him? Impossible. Claude had no time for things like that. And, besides, a man…?

"Ah, Mister Sutcliffe…"

"Yeees~?" Grell blinked, batting fake eyelashes at the butler. Fake eyelashes? Really? "And do call me Miss Sutcliffe, darling, I am a lady."

"Ah…" Claude fumbled for the words. "What…exactly are you doing here?"

"Me?" the Reaper asked. "Well, to be honest, I mistook you for Sebas-chan, but when I saw you in that window, you were so handsome, I just had to meet you in person! And what worked out for me is the fact that you're the kind of man that always shows kindness to a lady~"

"Ah…y-yes, I see." He cleared his throat, looking awkwardly at the ticking grandfather clock. It was about midnight, he really should be resting, else he would most likely fail in his duties in some way. But this Mister- Miss- Grell, this Grell, had only just come inside. It would be awfully rude to ask him- her- Grell to leave so soon. "Ah…can I fetch you something?"

"Oh, no, dearie, but thank you for asking~" Grell sighed, clasping his- her- whatever. Hands were clasped over … their heart, as if it might break out of … their chest. Although, if the confusion in gender bothered Claude as much as he thought it did, then why did he feel his own black heart begin to beat a little differently?

Claude coughed again, unsure of what to do with himself. This was awkward. Really awkward.

Grell mimicked the cough, bringing Claude's attention back to his guest. The Reaper was busy fiddling with the buttons on his vest, already having undone two of them and popping the third. The butler's eyes opened wide and he raised his hands in protest.

"Ah, please, stop that!" he sputtered, but that only got him a little chuckle from Grell.

"Oh, dear, does it trouble you?" the reaper purred, letting the vest fall open and beginning to work at his shirt.

"Y-yes, it does trouble me, and if his Highness sees this, I'll be punished! Please stop!" Claude was getting both desperate and angry now.

Grell threw both the coat and the vest to the floor and threw himself at the butler, snaking his arms around his neck. "Darling, isn't your master but a child?" At Claude's shocked expression, Grell's smirk grew wider. "Oh yes, I saw – which is why I mistook you for my Sebas-chan at first. But…" The Reaper trailed thin, delicate hands down the butler's sides, and sneakily grabbed hold of the demon's rear before continuing. "I like you a lot better. You're cuter."

Claude blushed and tried to push the Reaper away, but to no avail. He- she- whatever. Grell was strong, and it would be foolish to try and break free of the god's grip. "Please let me go," he asked, trying to sound stoic and failing.

"Now, why would I do something like that…?" the Reaper asked, pressing his- her- no, his, definitely his- face close to Claude's, so close that the butler would have been able to feel each inhale and exhale of breath, but seeing as the Reaper was already dead, such acts were not necessary. But still, it was uncomfortable…and warm…No, no he would not, dare not succumb to temptation!

Just as the butler was thinking those thoughts, the Reaper placed his lips to Claude's, smirking at the butler's sudden intake of breath. Claude wasn't entirely sure what happened after that. Somehow that lead to more kissing, inappropriate touching, falling on the bed in his private chamber, and then…

"Claude! Wake up! What the hell do you think you're doing!"

The obnoxious voice of his Highness jolted the butler from his sleep. Morning already? What happened? He threw off the sheets to get into his work clothes, only to look down and realize that he was…naked? What in the name of-?

"Morning, sleepyhead~" a warm voice cooed.

Claude looked over his shoulder and widened his eyes. The Reaper! "What-what are you doing here, Mister Sutcliffe?" he asked, flustered.

Grell pouted, his long red hair mussed and knotted beyond recognition. "You mean to tell me you don't remember? Oh, but it was such a wonderful night we had together, and you slept so soundly afterward…I wanted to wake you up when the others did, but you just looked so cute, I just couldn't do it!" The Reaper grinned devilishly (wasn't that supposed to be Claude's job?), using the sheets to cover himself.

"Oi, Claude, what's the matter with you? Don't make me have to punish you!" the young Trancy called. Claude sighed in frustration.

"I'm going to pay for this dearly…" he moaned, holding his face into his hands. He felt a hand touch his shoulder and looked to see the Reaper draping himself over him.

"I'll let you go do what you have to, all right, love?" he purred, kissing the butler's cheek boldly. Although, considering what apparently happened last night, a kiss on the cheek was very tame. "Buuuut~" He poked the butler in the stomach affectionately before continuing, "you should take heed to open the windows more quickly tonight, a gentleman never keeps a lady waiting~!"

Claude sighed, but he allowed a small smirk to play across his face. "If you insist, my lady." Might as well humor him, although, now that he recalled the night's events, there should be no doubt in his mind that Grell was in fact a male...

"Claude!"

"Ah! Y-yes, your Highness!" the butler stammered before grabbing his clothes. He looked back over his shoulder, expecting to see the Reaper grinning like a cat, but he was gone. Vanished, without a trace.

Wait, then why does he insist on throwing rocks at the window?