Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji.

"My, my," the Undertaker chuckled. His eyes sparkled with interest as he roved over the still body on the cold stone slab he used to perform autopsies. His smile grew wide as he noted the pink that was slowly forming on pale cheeks and the circular hole—the obvious reason she was here to begin with—closing up. Suddenly the still body released a pained gasp and a pair of dark eyes flew open wide.

At this point the man nearly double over at the irony. How wonderful, he thought. His fits of hysteria came as a slow revelation to the girl on the table her face looking frightened as she took in the man and their strange surroundings. Her slender fingers clinging to the thin sheet draped over her person in an attempt at retaining some modesty.

The man wiped a tear from his eye composing himself to mere snickers in attempt to get a better look at this rare beauty. He was certain by her reaction she was unaware herself of what exactly this meant as she suddenly released a strangled cough, blood spraying from her lips as well as through her shuddering fingers as she spit up the bullet that had brought her here. The sheet long forgotten and left to pool around her hips. The Undertaker smiled moving behind her and plucking the object from her hand just before she could drop it like it was on fire. She shook pitifully as the gravity of the situation seemed to finally take hold.

He grinned reaching out to take hold of the ebony locks that spilled over slender shuddering shoulders pulling her into his chest before taking hold of her quivering body. "What a shock it must be hm?" He could do little to suppress the amused tone he used as she leaned against him no longer comprehending the world around her. She'd gone limp, her mind had cracked. Her wide eyes reflected the light of the candle and the Undertaker smiled recognizing the deep color of her irises, red.

xxx

"I had been looking forward to our next visit Earl! Have you finally come to try out that coffin I made for you?" The Undertaker smiled his usual maniacal grin at the small boy dressed in finery who looked to be more irritated than usual today. He knew why they were there. His eyes flicked to the black clad butler at the boy's side and back to the child. His smile widened as the boy involuntarily cringed at the thought of a coffin for himself.

"I know why you are here," he stated before the little Earl's temper got out of hand. "A copious payment is due before I can tell you a thing!"

And the Earl was shuffled out the door by his butler leaving only he and the Undertaker alone in the small shop. The smooth knowing smiled spread over the raven-haired man's lips. "Am I to assume that you didn't think I would notice, Undertaker."

Said man giggled watching the gleam in the butler's eye. He knew. "Hm, whatever would you be referring to?"

Eyes flashed red dangerously. A warning. "Do you really think I would mistake such a thing? How you have come to have such company in this place," a strange primal expression seemed to come over the demon's face, "care to relate your story to me?"

The Undertaker laughed cackled his grin large. "I'm afraid that for that information you will have to wait."

The black clad butler frowned a still glimmering threat obvious in his eyes. "Perhaps I can coerce it forth then." The unmistakable flash of silver between gloved fingers caught the Undertaker's attention and he cocked his head taunting the demon.

"I have wondered when such a day might come, but you are here for information on the Jack the Ripper. Should not your priorities lie with your master?"

The butler let loose a low growl and the cutlery disappeared back from whence it came. "I'm disgusted to say, but you are right. We will continue this conversation another time then."

That was all it took, that torn look on the demon's countenance and the Undertaker broke into a storm of guffaws. The butler was obviously irritated at having to put his master first when such a tempting opportunity was presented to him. The silver-haired man was delighted, as his lucky find had made for some indeed interesting times to look forward to.

Some time had passed since that day and the Undertaker smiled warmly at the girl who stood over a fresh body examining it in interest. He ebony hair pulled up tame by a pretty velvet ribbon atop her head and her rusty eyes trained on the elegant stitches adorning the corpse. As beautiful as the dead may be, the Undertaker smiled at the thought, this child was by far more beautiful.

"Ah!" she startled looking a little flustered and wringing her hands in nervousness. "I didn't know you were back already! I haven't even had time to cook dinner..." She'd been caught, it was written on her face.

"No need," he said a light laugh rumbling in his chest, "I'm not particularly hungry tonight."

"Oh," her eyes dropped to the floor a pink hue in her cheeks. "Then I'll make some tea."

A large hand settled on her head causing the girl to look up into bright green eyes. His lips curled up softly as he appraised her. Her skin was flawless porcelain, her lips like that of a pale rose, her neck... he traced it with his fingers romanticizing how lovely it would look with stitches. He noticed her cheeks heat up even more. She was still so young, there was so much potential. "I would rather... experiment this evening." She swallowed the hesitation visible on her face. "Don't look like that little one. You never fail to take my breath away as a corpse."

He didn't spare another moment before taking a scalpel and slitting her throat. Blood seeped out languidly and the Undertaker smiled as she slumped to the ground his heart beat heavy in his chest. He was always exited to see her like this. Laying at his feet, her heart stopped, her breath gone, blood usually everywhere. She was still naive, he'd made sure of that. He felt though, soon this little game would come to an end. The very thought made his chest tighten in jealousy as he thought back to the Phantomhive butler. So meddlesome, that demon, even going so far as to destroy his precious bizarre dolls. He'd had to close up shop and move not once but twice now. Damn butler was always spoiling his fun.

Just as the scowl had made itself comfortable on his lips he felt her stir. Sitting up she gingerly held a hand to her throat and stared up at him in mild irritation. She was still feeling the pain. He knelt down pulling her into his arms. She was slowly warming from the clamor of death again. Her heart was in overtime trying to keep up with mending her body so often. She'd become tense in his grip still ready for him to do something else, but he was done for now. Once was enough for today.

The time that they had spent together up until now he'd found himself a friend. At first she'd been a bit like a zombie. He smiled in remembrance. Her expression often empty, her sudden resurrection breaking her mind to pieces. She'd come around though like he knew she would. She had been curious of this stranger who had cared for her all this time unquestioning despite how impossible her existence was. She'd told him about how she'd come to be there soon after. Her family, that of a craftsman had two daughters, one herself, another her sister who was engaged. Her beloved sister who had shot her the night before the wedding ceremony. The finance had been giving the dark-haired girl unwanted attention and so her sister had murdered her in jealousy. It seemed a petty reason to him, but he was grateful for it nonetheless. If it weren't for that incident he would not have her with him now. Then she had begun to smile again and took to housework to keep herself busy. Of course they had grown comfortable with one another... perhaps that was inaccurate, as she often became a flustered mess under his curious fingers or his gaze. She mistook these for advances of course. The Undertaker petted the back of her head giggling to himself once again. Humans were such droll creatures, and she thought like one. He looked at the girl in his arms. Her face was scarlet. He knew she would grow out of such human emotions eventually. Modesty, humiliation, nervousness all for such minuscule reasons. Perhaps he should tell her, he mused.

The silver-haired man knew she must be confused. Despite their strange relationship and as many times and ways that he'd killed her to amuse himself, she trusted him. Theirs was a bond that did not require names, or pasts even if he did know hers and knew more about her than she herself did. He untied the back of her now blood soaked dress as she clung to the cloth with thin fingers. He could feel her back heat up as he unlaced the dress further. Chuckling he wondered how long it would be before someone like her would no longer feel uncomfortable under the gaze of another.

She couldn't have been older than seventeen, an age quite ripe for marriage by human standards. Oh the irony, he thought comparing the infantile amount to that of any shinigami. He let his fingers ghost over her own as he freed the fabric from her grip. "Would you like me to bathe you?" He couldn't help but to tease her. Flustered and horrified she shook her head scampering away from him into the powder room to clean herself up.

Smiling to himself he tossed the bloodied dress into the fireplace enjoying the musty smell as the fire gobbled it up. This makeshift place was getting on his nerves. He missed his old shop, but for now... He pouted in the direction of his operating table which was nothing more than an ordinary dining table, this would have to do.

He'd cleaned the blood from the floor when she'd come back into the kitchen to get a drink for herself, dark hair still damp and hanging freely down her back making her petticoat transparent where it fell. "I still find it funny," he began startling her. She didn't know he'd been watching her. He stifled a giggle at her expense. She frowned back at him her hand over her heart. "That you would act so human, but I guess it's all I can expect at this point." The girl watched the Undertaker in silent confusion. "Do you really feel the need to drink, to eat, to sleep?"

"Oh," she sighed. He noted she was too used to him asking this question.

"You and I different from them," he continued, "I know you know that much. Even when you know this you insist on terms like sister or eating their food, drinking their tea."

Large rust eyes blinked at him when she seemed to comprehend a little of what he was saying she nodded. "I know I'm not normal." He frowned. She was just brushing him off. "I can't die."

At that he grinned. "Oh no, on the contrary my dear, you can die. I'm aware of how to put you to sleep permanently, but it's more fun to see you come back over and over."

The cup she'd been holding fell to the stone floor shattering to pieces and sending a beautiful magenta all over her feet. She stared at him with an expression of fear he hadn't seen since she'd first woken up on that cold stone long ago. He'd never shared that tidbit with her before had he? Oh well. "What a waste," he tittered.

"Then why? Why do you... you said yourself you prefer me dead so why don't you..." Her lips were trembling.

"Would you like to know why it is I won't kill you?" He'd crossed the distance between them, his shoes were coated with the hibiscus that painted the floor. "And now you're crying!" he laughed brushing the tears from her cheeks with the back of his hand.

She laughed a little with him and reached up to wipe her eyes. "I still can't believe it myself. I'm not human. And now you're saying you know what it is... what I am. It's almost too much to handle," she sniffed. Reaching out to push his hair to the side and stare up into his eyes caused her anxiety to vanish only to be replaced by a smile that only one like her could muster. "I wish you'd tell me I was a death god too, but I don't have such pretty eyes so I know better."

No. He pushed her hand away. She wasn't a shinigami. The temptation that she unknowingly presented to him made it obvious what she was even if he hadn't known of the other signs. He could understand why a human would try to bed her, everything about such a creature screamed fertility and lust. He would have actually been surprised if she hadn't had quite a few human suitors herself before her charade of a sister had blown a hole in her pretty head. She even appealed to him, though mildly. He wasn't a fool. He had no use for intercourse if not for creating offspring and the two of them were incompatible. It would be like trying to mate a dog to a cat. But like hell if he was going to give up his new found plaything when that blasted butler showed his face. Though he knew little of demons, he did know that females of the race were rare. Surely it would only be a matter of time before the raven-haired demon met him again, and there had already been a close call back at Weston College. He'd hardly had time between acting as principal and his bizarre dolls to keep her hidden from that damnable creature with all the skulking around he'd been doing posing as a teacher.

"Hm, well I will tell you if you can give me what I want." He watched her smile drop into resignation. He knew what she was thinking, he's going to kill me again. He shook his head watching her close her eyes and wait for death to take her, yet again. "Not that way little one. As enjoyable as it is."

"What then?" she asked causing him to grin.

"You are far too young to venture out on your own yet, allow me to act as your guardian until then. During that time you must remain at my side and in return I will protect you."

She smiled up at him softly her eyes warm. "Where else would I go, a strange case like me? You make it sound like have a lot of options."

"Then?" he pressed straight-faced for once. Startled by his odd behavior the girl took a step back. He merely captured her arm and pulled her toward him. The Undertaker stared into her eyes for a long moment awaiting her answer.

"Y-yes?"

"Good." She was flustered again. He smirked. "You my dear, aaare..."

Her blush faded as irritation replaced it. She wasn't very patient was she? "What? Spit it out!" Undertaker motioned for her to get closer she obliged now frowning. Her neck, he mused again, would certainly look beautiful covered in stitches.

In an instant he'd placed a chaste kiss to her cheek before pulling back to leave the now scarlet girl alone in to slump against the counter. It took her mere seconds to realize he'd weaseled out of telling her but by that time he'd disappeared completely from the abandoned house they took residence in.

Standing on the rooftop of a chapel overlooking Big Ben, the Undertaker frowned. He'd decided not to tell her after all. There was no point in giving her a reason to seek out answers for the questions she would undeniably have from elsewhere when she realized he couldn't provide them for her. No she was his and he was not letting go of her.