Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Perhaps Hannah had not quite expected the ring to have had such an effect on Grell. They'd been dating going on somewhere around 200 years give or take (the exact number was written down on a fresh calendar every year, Grell appreciated that sort of thing). They were as domestic as a couple could get, Grell home from the office every day for dinner and Hannah taking on as hands off of contracts as she could get. It meant that dinner was ready when Grell came home, allowing her pretty reaper to relax and be pampered as she deserved. 

The ring in question was a smooth gold one, accenting the nicely sized ruby in the center. She had had the ring inlaid with amethyst and diamonds on either side, laid flat enough that Grell could slip her gloves over without trouble. It caught the light beautifully on those long, slim fingers. 

Hannah had commissioned it as a symbol more than anything. They were nothing short of a happily married couple, and Grell was one for such large romantic gestures. 

She had not expected Grell to take that specific gesture and run with it.

Or walk with it at least. The running would happen soon. For now, she was content to stroll along with the idea, dropping hints. Eventually, that fiery temperament of hers would force energy to the surface. Then she'd run with it.

"Hannah."

"Yes, love?" 

Grell was twisting the ring about her finger, flicking refracted light about the ceiling and walls. "You know it's legal now. You gave me a ring; maybe we should...ya know..."

She had given Grell the ring at least four years ago. That was a stunning amount of patience for the reaper, to have only just mentioned the subject directly. Two hundred years into whatever eternity they had and Grell was still capable of surprising her. It was lovely.

"Legally, I do not think that is an option, considering you have been dead for over 200 years and I have never existed as a British citizen."

Grell waved off the technicality with a flippant hand, offering Hannah a bite of her cake with the other. "Ya I know but like...we could do the ceremony you know? That sort of thing?"

"Why?"

"Why not? You did propose, after all. It is the logical progression of things." Grell shifted, taking over Hannah’s lap. They had a kitchen table, not that Grell ever ate there. Hannah had never pushed the subject of table manners. The poor thing was exhausted after work most days, and Hannah was fine with letting her put her feet up and eat on the couch. The reaper adjusted when Hannah didn’t move, using her breasts as a pillow and placing her plate on her stomach. Hannah carried on with her knitting. 

“And when would you want to do that?”

Grell grinned, tilting her head to kiss Hannah’s neck gently. “I don’t know. We’d have to have a honeymoon, obviously. I don’t know if Will would give me the time off. Besides, what matters is if you want to.”

“If I say yes, do you promise you won’t go AWOL if Spears does deny you time off?”

Grell huffed out a sigh, pouting up at her. “Haaaannaaaah.”

“I do love you, darling, however; you do have a history of getting distracted and making William come and find you.”

“I mean, he doesn’t have to. That’s his problem.”

“That’s part of his job, love.”

Grell waved a hand idly, ending up with her hand very gently brushing through Hannah's hair. She was distracted with that for a moment, braiding Hannah’s hair for a few moments. “That sounds like a Will problem.”

"It becomes an 'us' problem eventually."

"If I promise not to go AWOL would you entertain the idea of a wedding?"

"Yes, I will." And it was left at that, giving Hannah time to plan and begin getting as many details together as she could while Grell was still fairly at ease about the whole thing. Eventually, she was sure Grell would get anxious about it, but that was to be expected. This would be one of those things the Reaper deserved but had never been allowed and that always tended to make Grell antsy about things.

William met her two days later as Hannah was running errands, collecting the soul of the man who ran one of the cafes downtown after a heart attack felled him in their back room. She didn't feel particularly bad about it; he wasn't the nicest of bosses from what she'd seen. She tipped the barista extra, just in case the poor girl had to go back there and find the man.

Spears met her at a table, taking the tea she offered. He'd warmed up to her, at least a little, since their first interactions. She'd tried to be friendly with him for Grell's sake. They were friends, after all, and it mattered to Grell. Regardless of how William approached the subject, the truth was they'd spent far too much time together not to be friends. And it mattered to Grell that her girlfriend and her friends could at least exist in the same room together. Sebastian had been the actual difficulty in that regard, rather than William, who Grell had coaxed into compliance for their first introduction through unknown means.

William had become easier to spend time around as the years went on, and as he relaxed a little. At least now he would shake her hand with his own, even as he checked his watch and planner before sitting. "Good morning Miss Annafellows."

"Good morning, William. How are you?"

"Fine, thank you. And yourself?"

"I'm well, thank you."

"A wedding then."

"Yes. It would seem so, anyhow." Hannah sipped from her coffee, watching as William's gloved fingers tapped the table as he calculated.

"I can get Grell three weeks off, but nothing more than that. Can you promise to have her back the very next day those three weeks are up?"

"We've already discussed that, and yes, she will be back on time, I can promise you that. Three weeks is more than I had hoped for, thank you, William."

"Well, she does have a fair amount of vacation days put away. Have her send me the dates she wants when you've both decided." He offered a hand and Hannah shook it.

"You have a deal, thank you again."

He nodded stiffly, taking his tea with him as he stood. "Unfortunately it seems this is not the first or the last deal I've had to make with demons in the past few centuries."

Hannah smiled, standing as well, as one of the workers came out from the back, whispering urgently to another. "Well you haven't made a deal for your soul, so how bad can it possibly be."

"I suppose I have not. Good day, Miss Annafellows."

They turned off in opposite directions at the street, even as sirens came blaring in the distance. Hannah kept an even pace, sauntering along as William took to the rooftops. Hopefully, the cafe would still be open when she stopped by for her usual the next day.

When Grell came home that night, Hannah was waiting, as usual, with dinner prepared and a book in her lap. Grell ignored the dinner, placing her head on the book like a selfish cat and giving Hannah wide, bright eyes and pouty lipstick. 

"Hello love."

"Did you tell Will? He's been on my case all day about making sure I give him three weeks notice before I plan to take off vacation. Like I know I'll forget to but geez."

"I did not. He came to me and had heard about it already."

Grell squinted upwards at her, lips pursed before bellowing out. "Fucking Ronald! I told him to keep his mouth shut. I'm gonna kick his ass tomorrow."

"Maybe don't."

"He has it coming." Grell waved away Hannah's laughter. "Dammit now I'm gonna have to fight Alan for vacation dates, and he's so much better at pulling off the innocent act when Eric forgets to put in his dates."

"Well, I'm sure killing Ronald may make that more difficult as well."

"Ugh fine." Grell shed her jacket, socks and blouse as Hannah got up to retrieve her dinner. When she returned, her lovely reaper was lounging, stripped down to her bra and pants, filing one of her nails idly. She moved over as Hannah returned, cuddling up against her and taking her plate in exchange for a kiss to the cheek. "Thank you, darling."

"Of course, my love. How was work otherwise?" Hannah pulled Grell against her body to cuddle, letting her hands roam the reapers lovely muscled body. There had been some bad times, where Grell had struggled. Hannah had struggled to identify with her at those times, even though at the core of her being, she wanted to help. It didn't matter that they both hurt in those moments, what mattered was that Grell hurt, to her core and Hannah could not fix it.

Modern medicine had caught up, as had attitudes, and with it, the Reaper realm had moved forward ahead of the world as always. Hannah had been there next to Grell, helping her as she needed. It has been nice to see Grell step into her body with more comfort in other ways too. She wasn't afraid to show her physical strength now, and Hannah found she was as attracted to that muscle on her girlfriend, or rather fiance now, as a lot of other women were. And Grell adored the attention other queer women gave her and Hannah was a little jealous, but it was easy to make sure she was dominating Grell's attention the moment they returned home. Not that she didn’t seem to get her own fair share of attention, but Grell certainly had a penchant for stealing the show.

Her nails roamed the planes of Grell's abs as the reaper spoke, cutting off occasionally for bites of food or to giggle at a ticklish spot. "Oh, fine. Nothing out of the ordinary, unfortunately. Is it too much to ask for a little excitement?"

Hannah laughed a little, finding a ticklish spot and digging in as Grell giggled. "Am I not enough excitement for you?"

"Oh, Hannah my love…" Grell set her plate away, turning to maneuver herself onto Hannah's lap. Hannah dug into her sides again with soft fingers, eliciting laughter as Grell used her as a full body pillow. "Oh, I do love you, darling…"

"I love you as well, my sweet." Hannah pulled Grell flush against her, letting the other woman wrap her legs around her waist. Grell grinned viciously as Hannah stood, holding up her lover. 

"Carry me to bed, darling?"

"Of course, my dear." Hannah walked, using her near-perfect memory of their home to maneuver them to the bedroom even as Grell kissed her. Grell had the height advantage, about an inch, and so she wrapped herself around Hannah like a particularly needy little bear. She had a tendency to be as fierce as one too. Grell didn’t release her as they got to the bed, pulling Hannah down with her in a billow of skirts and shirts and sheets. 

There was a sharp grin bearing up at her and Hannah couldn’t help the breathiest of laughs from leaving her lips as she kissed it. “I am glad you aren’t making me wait till our wedding day to share a bed little one.”

Grell’s smile twisted a little to a look of consternation. “Oh.”

“Grell, darling, if you make me wait I will be very displeased.”

“No, no I didn’t mean that.” Grell rolled her eyes and dug her nails into Hannah’s back. “Obviously there’s no turning back that clock. But we’ll have to think up something special for the nuptial night, to make it memorable.”

“Are you asking me to-”

“Oh no, leave it to me please darling. Don’t you trust me?”

“I suppose I rather do.” Hannah kissed softly, biting at Grell’s lower lip for access through her teeth. It was granted and Hannah couldn’t see the hard, sharp smirk, but she could feel it against her lips, and that told her rather enough about the plans forming in Grell’s mind.

Chapter Text

Hannah hadn’t thought she’d needed to say it, which was why it was rather funny watching the obvious dawn in Grell’s eyes. “No, love, I really don’t think that will be a possibility.”

Grell was giving her a little squint, glasses halfway down her nose. She had pulled her hair up into a bun, currently wrist-deep in the dirt of their little garden. There was some innate thing that seemed to eventually take hold in Reapers, and the need to replace all the death they saw with life somehow. Grell wasn’t the only one who seemed to have a precious talent in gardening, perhaps as a contrast to her ability to reap, she had gained the ability to sow just as well. “Is it really that bad?”

Hannah pulled a face and nodded. “Priests especially, I have absolutely no desire to go near them. And could you imagine trying to explain our situation to a priest? A dead woman and a demon walk into a church…”

Grell giggled, tossing the seeds in with perfect accuracy and covering the hole. She poured a little water on it, before digging up the next hole. “Oh come now, we could make a really make a scene with that. Scare a few priests...maybe take down the catholic church…”

“I really don’t think tearing down the Catholic Church and reinstating yourself as Pope -do not look at me like that Miss Sutcliff, I know how you are- would look good on your record, though it would look very good on my resume.”

“Do demons have resumes?”

“Not particularly, but reputations anyways.” Hannah chuckled, leaning over to capture a kiss from Grell gently. “Though it could be rather fun to start showing up to contracts with a resume…”

Grell stuck her tongue out and followed Hannah’s body back for another kiss. “Ha-ha, did you know we technically have resumes?”

“Oh?”

“In case we ever want to take a department transfer or dispatch transfer. They’ll put up postings and we have to apply to our resumes.”

“Would you ever take a transfer?”

“Absolutely not.” Grell looked absolutely affronted. “Could you imagine this potential put to waste in administrations? Ugh. Absolutely not, do I look like I want to deal with Will’s amount of paperwork. Gross. And I would hardly want to leave the London dispatch, we’d have to move, and that’s annoying. The house is finally perfect.”

Hannah rolled her eyes a little and brushed a bit of dirt from Grell’s forehead. “I suppose it’s rather not worth moving. But yes, no priests. And a church would be rather uncomfortable for me, my apologies darling.”

“No, no that’s quite alright, but I really don’t know how to replace the look a cathedral could bring...what is the issue with churches though?”

“Blessed ground. It burns my feet, which I would do for you, but I would prefer not to.” She rose, brushing off her apron lightly to get more seeds and refill the watering can. “Is that alright?”

“Yes, that’s fine, hadn’t thought about that...tsk, I’ll have to find a different location. Who are we going to get married by then though?”

Hannah returned, brow creased. “Would you like it to be someone ordained?”

“Would that cause problems for you?”

“As long as they don’t bless anything or try an exorcism, no. I can’t be exorcised from my own body but it is a bit painful regardless.”

Grell flicked her gloves to clear them of dirt and pursed her lips. “Well, give me some time. I need to think about it.”

Grell had not anticipated that this would lead her to stand in Will’s office, the door closed and blinds down and blocking the door. But it had, and here they were, and if she had to pin him to the wall until he agreed, she would. 

“Grell, let me leave.”

“Nope. Absolutely not. Please, Will?”

“No! We have had this discussion in its entirety, I am not going to do that.”

“Please? If you won’t, I’ll have to convince Eric to get ordained and that’s a whole other issue and I want him as my best man.”

“Ask Knox or Humphries then.”

Grell pouted, leaning delicately against the door and smacking the handle hard enough it fell off. “You’re coming regardless, please just do this for me?”

“Sutcliff! I never agreed to come to your wedding and move so I can force that door open now that you’ve broken it!”

“Ya, ya, you’re coming if I have to drag you there and you know it. Just this one favour, I’ll even work a week of overtime for the whole office, no pay.” Will only raised an eyebrow and Grell glared, swiping at him lightly with her chainsaw as he made a move to force her away from the door. He had a good three inches dodge her scythe and did so successfully. “It would mean a lot and be so nice for Hannah. Then she gets peace of mind too. I know you like her, you want us both to be happy don’t you?”

“I see absolutely no reason for that to be any of my concern.” He hadn’t drawn his own death scythe properly yet, and Grell took advantage of his momentary distraction in pushing up his glasses to advance her position forward a little and give Will less room to move.

Will glared, brows furrowed, looking sideways as if he was considering the window as an escape route. Grell switched her grip, making it clear she could get there faster than he could. “I won’t ask for another favour regarding the wedding. You gave me the vacation time and if you do the ceremony that’ll be it, I promise. I won’t even make you come to the reception, but you’re welcome to. Pleeease?”

“I suppose.” He sighed, pushing up his glasses and closing his eyes as he spoke as if he didn’t want to see the words hit the air. “If you find a ship, I will officiate, but I am considering this a favour I can call in later.”

“Thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Grell leapt forward, scooping him up for a hug and Will went stiff for a moment before relaxing and awkwardly patting her back.

“If you ever bring up the fact that I used to be the Captain of a ship to anyone who isn’t at your wedding I will have you drowning in paperwork Sutcliff.”

“Fair enough. Thank you, Will.”

“You are welcome. If I may ask, how did you find out?"

Grell demurred a little, putting her death scythe away and batting her lashes a little. Will didn't respond to it all, unfortunately, as it was trick that worked on Hannah rather consistently. "It's in your file, which I got to see when we took our exams. And then Eric brought up that the Captain of a ship can marry people when I mentioned the problem to him...I connected the dots."

"Of course you did. Now please break down my door so we can leave.”

The door went flying and nearly took out Ronald on his way by, but Grell considered the whole thing, in general, a smashing success.