Red Pt.1

London is a cold place during the winter. I thought as I walked through the empty streets.
“Is this where you’ve been all night?” A familiar voice rang out.
Oh great...
“What do you want?” I stopped walking, waiting to see what he’d say.
“William’s been looking for you all night, Essie.” Grell sighed.
“I’ve been putting in overtime,” I protested, pushing my glasses up.
“You’re not supposed to though,” Grell smirked.
“What do you want?” I turned around to face Grell.
“William’s been worried all night long, it’s so cute to see brotherly love!” Grell sighed dreamily.
God he was weird.
“I had souls to collect.” I started.
“Hm, cute.” Grell stepped toward me, his long red hair was pulled up into a ponytail.
“Trying to flirt with my brother, I see.” I crossed my arms, Grell’s crush on my brother was amusing.
“Oh shush,” He blushed, loving the attention. “Now come along, you’re worrying William.”
Grell was never this proper around me. Us Reapers are much more modern than everyone else here in 1888.
“Fine.” I walked with Grell.
“So you were really looking for souls?” Grell asked, he was always curious.
“Yes.” I said.
“Hm, well then.” Grell huffed.
Grell looked me over, his golden eyes flashed. God I hate him... No, I hate his eyes. I hate all Reaper eyes. Reapers have golden eyes-- well, all of them do, except for me. For some reason I was born with cerulean eyes instead of golden eyes. Lucky for me, Reapers wear glasses, thus I wear black shades. Something I had to make myself since the crafters who make glasses couldn’t make these for me.
For a long time I had gotten made fun of for my eye color, but with the glasses people eventually forgot my eye color. I pushed the shades up, feeling worse about my eye color. It was still an insecurity.
“There you two are,” William appeared, pushing his glasses up with his scythe.
“Hey Will.” I said blankly, not looking at him.
“Esther, you need to get back to the dispatch at the end of the day,” William blocked my path.
“I can watch out for myself, thanks.” I jumped up and over him.
“I know you want to be independant but I can’t have you out in London at this hour,” He looked at me, not as a supervisor, but as a brother.
“God William, just pull out the guilt card?” I smirked.
“Esther, I know you’re having a hard time without mom or dad or grandpa, but you have to stop this. You’re going to get hurt one of these days.” He pulled my chin up so I was looking him in the eye.
Why did I have to be so short? Even Grell was taller than me, and he’s as red as a fire. Seriously.
“I’m not a child anymore, William.” I pushed his hand away.
“You act like it though,” He adjusted his glasses.
“Mature people don’t call others children,” I smirked.
William had raised me, so I was using what he taught me against him. At a young age my parents had been killed, for a long time we lived with our grandfather who recently died.
“Don’t argue.” He said sternly.
“You’re not my parent though, William,” I continued walking.
“But I take that role since neither of our parents are here,” He caught up to me.
“Oh stop fighting, you two!” Grell walked in between us, bothered by our pointless argument.
“Okay, okay, okay. I’m sorry,” William sighed.
“That’s nice,” I played with my dagger.
“Essie...” He rolled his eyes.
“Oh look at the time! I must be going, you know, souls to reap, people to stalk,” I shrugged, jumping up and acrobating my way to a roof.
“Esther!” William tried to make me stay.
“Oh William, let’s go back to the dispatch,” Grell grabbed William’s hand and sprinted along the street.
One of those moments where I overlook Grell’s insignificant babble and actually appreciate his existence was one of these moments. Quietly I walked along the rooftop of some home, none of the people here in London were aware of us unless they were apart of a specific underground society that was run by a specific thirteen year old earl.