A/N: New story time! This story...this story...XD It took me three months to work out the plot, six months to write, and almost two months to edit. I've been dying to post this story and I'm very excited to finally start. I can only hope that everyone enjoys it as much as I did writing it ^^ Big note! This is a Sebastian/Ciel and Claude/Alois. I promise. Nothing is done by accident in this story.
Many, many, many thanks to Kitty Gets Loose for reading through this story and giving me advice. And to Imperial Mint and Eien. Ni for encouraging me along the way ^^
Warnings: Language, unbeta-ed
Disclaimer: I don't own Kuroshitsuji or any of the quotes in the chapters
As a rule: if you sow the wind, you'll reap the whirlwind ~ Hosea 8:7
Bored blue eyes watched the professor write out an equation on the white board, detailing the order in which the code had to be written. The board was already covered in brackets and equal signs that were used to denote the command that the website would use to run itself on. Complicated strings of numbers and words followed them, and all too soon, another section of board was covered with a command.
Pens scratched against paper quickly as the other students worked to copy down the information. Alois looked down at his own paper and sighed heavily. Already, the code was taking up a full page in his notebook and according to the professor, there was more to come.
He quickly finished writing the notes down and titled the page appropriately before flipping to a clean page. A quick glance at the clock showed that they only had fifteen minutes of class left and Alois shifted slightly in his chair. His bottom hurt and his stomach growled at him, yelling at Alois for skipping lunch.
"This next command is a requirement for your website project that's due at the end of the semester," the professor called from the front of the room and turned back around to write down the newest code.
Grumbling, Alois started to copy the words down and silently cursed the male responsible for the torture he was currently suffering through. Next to him, a blond female was muttering under her breath as well, and her hand flew across the page. She paused and glanced over at him, offering a small, forced smile before turning back towards her paper again.
Alois didn't bother to return the smile, there was no need. If Alois could have his way, then the blond female would be a thousand miles away, rotting in some cell for encroaching on something that Alois considered his. He didn't share well and when someone else stepped too close, he tended to become overly sarcastic and made sure to let that person know he didn't like them by any means necessary.
Cruel words and harsh actions were his choice of weapons, and looking back at the female, Alois prided himself in knowing that she had suffered from his words at one point in time. She was a mutual acquaintance and Alois looked at her through his lashes. Dark circles smudged under her eyes, showing the lack of sleep and Alois couldn't help but chuckle lowly. He had told Elizabeth that dating his friend would end in disaster and true to word, the relationship didn't turn out well.
A month into the relationship, Elizabeth was left on their front doorstep with tears streaming down her face and Alois could only smirk from behind the door. It was sweet music to listen to her beg and sob on the doormat, trying to get his friend to open the door again so they could talk about it.
After nearly an hour, Alois had finally had enough and sent Elizabeth away with the warning that returning would be dangerous for her. It was a threat that he had hoped the female would take, but Elizabeth was back again the next day and Alois had the pleasure of watching his friend completely break her heart.
Sadistic yes, but Alois had warned her and Alois had his own reasons for enjoying Elizabeth's pain and sorrow. In his defense, he had warned the blond female that a relationship with his roommate would end badly for her. It wasn't his fault if she didn't listen and was blinded by fake love.
Now she was stuck in this coding class; a class that she never wanted to take and one that she didn't even need for her major. But at the time, it was the same class as her beloved boyfriend; now ex-boyfriend and she had wanted to spend every possible moment with him. Even if that meant wasting money to take a class that she didn't need.
But it was too late to drop the class for a full refund and she was now stuck with the class. Alois chuckled at the thought, knowing that Elizabeth had gotten herself in too deep and hadn't bothered to think about the consequences of her actions. Her whole class schedule had revolved around his friend and if Elizabeth didn't pass the class with at least a B, her mother would be disappointed.
He hummed silently to himself as he flipped another page in his notebook and continued to copy the notes down. Sometimes the best lessons learned in life were those learned the hard way and Alois took great delight in watching Elizabeth suffer and struggle through a class that she didn't need.
And while his own situation was still grim and his future looked dull, Alois didn't have a mother or father to impress. It was a blessing in disguise in Alois's opinion and the only person he really had to impress was his sister. And Hannah loved him no matter what happened; through all the good and bad she would be there for him.
Elizabeth shifted in her chair and Alois glanced at her again, feeling her questioning gaze but he ignored her in favor of focusing on the last chain of commands. He couldn't be bothered to answer any of her questions if they were all going to be about his friend. It was something he wasn't in the mood to talk about and he pulled out his phone to keep Elizabeth from talking to him.
He looked down at his phone, hoping to see a message from his sister, but his screen was blank, save for the time and date. He should've known that Hannah wouldn't be able to answer right away. She had a meeting today and the chance of her answering his text message was slim, but it was still a small hope.
Pushing a strand of blond hair out of his face, Alois tucked the phone away and went back to his notebook. The professor had added a few more lines on the board and Alois grumbled as he finished writing the code down. It was long and complicated, not something he was looking forward to coding by hand. It would be much easier to use the program that coded for them, but for the first half of the semester, they were required to code by hand. Which was stupid in Alois's opinion but he wasn't the teacher.
Finally, the professor moved away from the board and capped the marker. The entire class let out a sigh of relief, knowing that nothing more would be added to the long and complicated code. The marker tapped against the board and the professor glanced around the classroom. "That's all for today. Make sure you understand this code and read over chapter three for the quiz next week." He paused to glance over the code again. "All of this will be included on the quiz and you'll be required to write out a similar one on the computer. See you next class."
Chairs squeaked and groaned as students stood up and Alois glanced around the person in front of him so he could finish writing out the last line of code. It was important and without it, the entire layout of the page would look wrong and the page would fail. He didn't blame his classmates for wanting to leave the class right away and Alois quickly finished his notes so he could join them.
It didn't take long to finish writing the last line down and with a sigh; Alois closed his notebook and shoved it into his backpack. It was his last class of the day and he wanted to do nothing more than go home and sleep away the rest of the afternoon. But such a thing wasn't possible and with a silent curse, he stood up and made his way out of the classroom.
The hallways were crowded with other students as they streamed out of the classrooms and moved to the flight of steps that led to the first floor. There were only a few minutes of passing before the next hour of classes started up again and when classes were back to back, it was a rush to make it across campus.
Alois was lucky in that sense and had been able to plan his classes so that the buildings were close together. And as much as he hated early morning classes, they still gave him plenty of time to work his job in the afternoon and that was something he couldn't complain about. Money was already tight and without his job, it would only make things harder.
He paused to look at a bulletin board, where flyers were posted broadcasting internships for the summer months. They were quickly dismissed, as none of them were something he could afford to take at the moment and without another glance, Alois strolled down the hallways. They were empty now that most of the students had already left for their other classes and Alois took his time as he moved down the steps to the first floor.
Bright sunlight streamed through the windows of the McCombs School of Business building and Alois squinted as he made his way to the front doors. Outside, cars rushed by, hoping to beat the traffic light at the top of the hill and one vehicle rolled by with a deep, pulsing bass that vibrated the glass. It was gone by the time Alois made it to the entrance and he pushed open the front doors, letting the wind brush over him. Cold air nipped at his face and for a second, Alois scowled at the sun for creating a false sense of warmth before he stepped outside into the cold weather.
It was cold by Texas standards and Alois pulled the jacket around his body tighter. The wind gusted around him before it settled down again as Alois started walking. Under normal circumstances, Alois would be heading home to his apartment about five miles from the campus. But his life was anything but normal right now.
Too much had happened in the last five years for his life to be considered normal. And Alois doubted that it would ever become normal and stable again. And not for the first time, he cursed the person behind his current misery.
Ciel Phantomhive.
They had grown up together, and Alois had known Ciel since they were both five, only a month separating them and making Alois the older of the two. They had first met in kindergarten and it was hard to hate someone at that age, especially when they were your first and only friend. At that age, Ciel had been energetic and eager to smile, always wanting to play games. It was a time when the future didn't matter and you could be whatever you wanted to be when you grew up.
The cheerful attitude had confused Alois the first time he met Ciel and for the first month of school, Alois had simply watched Ciel from afar. It was something he couldn't understand, as his own personality seemed to be the complete opposite from Ciel's. But something about the happy smile seemed to draw Alois in. He wanted to know what made Ciel tick and wanted that smile all for himself.
So Alois had approached Ciel with a smile of his own. He had every intention of capturing Ciel for himself, even if it meant acting happy and cheerful; no matter how much he disliked it. The act worked though and Alois found himself sitting next to Ciel at lunchtime that day and the days that followed. But Alois had quickly learned that he would always have to act that way, as Ciel had told him early on that he didn't like mean people.
They became fast friends due to Alois's two-faced personalities and Alois found it easier to keep his cheerful façade around Ciel compared to others. Only Ciel was allowed to see that side of him. And once Alois was away from Ciel, his true personality came back out and his vindictive nature once more took over.
But time changes everything as it moves forward and Ciel was no exception. The once wide and cheerful smile dimmed, replaced by a small frown and equally cold blue eyes. And the only type of smile that spread across Ciel's lips was cruel smirks whenever Ciel triumphed over something or someone.
It was a change that took Alois by surprise at first, considering how innocent and naïve Ciel had been when he was a child. But it was also something that he took in stride and he found himself drawn to Ciel even more. The cruel and harsh personality that came from Ciel was refreshing and similar; close to how Alois like to act when he was away from Ciel.
Ciel's new personality drew him in even more, coaxing and pulling him in until Alois didn't know what was truth or what was a lie. At times, he forgot how Ciel could really act until the harsh personality struck, catching Alois off guard.
But he was so far lost in his devotion to Ciel that it didn't bother him and he didn't realize that Ciel was also messing with him until it was too late. By then, he was already in too deep to let such a thing hurt him and the thought of not having Ciel as a friend was something his mind refused to wrap around.
That had been years ago though and it was something that Alois had learned to accept and deal with. Now though, things were different and Ciel was currently the bane of his existence and Alois hated the younger male. Or at least he tried to. After all, it was Ciel who had helped him through school after having to take a few months off from schooling due to his parents and brother's death.
The time off from school almost made Alois fail the grade but Ciel was always there to help him bring his grades up. But once they hit high school, Alois's luck had taken a turn for the worse when the police claimed that Hannah had been behind the murder of their parents.
In the span of one night, Alois's world had turned upside down once more. With his sister in prison and under conviction, Alois was left without a legal guardian and was considered too young to take care of himself.
Ciel, in true best friend fashion had stepped up and offered Alois a place to stay at his large estate with his parents. At the time, Alois had never questioned Ciel's actions, thinking that Ciel was just acting like a friend.
But when that friend came from a family of wealthy, cutthroat businessmen, there's always a catch. And Alois ended up finding that out the hard way and was quick to learn that nothing in life was free.
Alois scoffed at the thought as he continued to walk across campus. Lunchtime traffic was heavy on the crowded streets as he rounded a corner and the large football stadium loomed before him. He regarded it silently before continuing to walk again. He was supposed to meet Ciel at the universities recreation center after their programing class and the younger male would give him grief if he were late.
It was part of the long list of responsibilities that Alois had to carry out in order to pay off an ever-growing debt to Ciel. In a simple sense, Ciel owned Alois and Alois was nothing more than a servant, forced to do Ciel's bidding. The thought didn't sit well with Alois and he grumbled under his breath about the unfairness of it all.
Alois's debt was long and deep. Ciel had put him up for three and a half years of high school and was also currently funding his tuition to the University of Texas. The cost of tuition alone was enough to make Alois cry and only added years to his servitude to Ciel.
And at the rate things were continuing at, there was no chance in hell that Alois would ever be free again. Any and all money he currently earned at his part time job went to paying for his rent and food, insuring that that was one last favor Alois didn't have to pay to Ciel.
The one saving grace was that Ciel wasn't adding interest to Alois's overwhelming debt. At least not yet and Alois could only hope that it stayed that way. As it was now, Alois's best choice for life was to work hard at his classes and get a well-paying job that would help pay off his debt quicker. Because convincing Ciel to drop such a burden was impossible.
The warmer air of the recreation center rolled over his body as Alois stepped inside the building, pulling him from his thoughts. He pulled out his student ID card and gave it to the person at the front desk so he could gain access to the deeper parts of the building. With a quick swipe of the card, Alois was let in and he shifted his bag on his shoulder. He had forty minutes until he had to be at work and it would take at least twenty minutes to fight through Austin traffic.
With one last sigh, Alois trudged off to find Ciel, silently fuming at himself for putting up with everything. Because even though Ciel was putting him through hell, the younger male was still his best friend. And Ciel was still his biggest crush.
Alois groaned and felt like banging his head against the nearest wall. His life was so fucked up.
.:|As a Rule|:.
Heavy breaths escaped the masked face while the sound of fencing sabre's clacked against each other. Two white figures circled each other, each looking to find an opening to score a point on the other. The shorter one lunged and then feinted at the last moment, the tip of his fencing sword poking the other person's chest.
"Point!" someone called from the side as the two figures set themselves up again. The masked faces regarded each other, hiding their true expressions under the wire. Intense focus sparked between the two, each ignoring the small crowd that had gathered to watch the fights that were taking place in the gym area.
A foot was placed forward carefully before the sabre's clashed again, the light clicking sound filling the gym once more. The noise joined the rest of matches taking place and was soon blended together with the rest, making it impossible to separate the matches from one another.
The epee pushed forward, poking into a padded chest and the nearby referee called out the point once more. The male next to the referee glanced at his watch and approached the two fencers. "That's it for today. But we'll practice again on Thursday. Same time and place."
The masks were removed and the two figures gave a small bow to each other before turning to gather their equipment. Damp black locks were pushed out of a sweaty face and blue eyes glanced around the court, looking for a splash of blond colored hair.
A small grunt of annoyance left Ciel's mouth as he wiped off his face with a towel. Alois hadn't shown up yet and Ciel could only hope that the other male hadn't fallen asleep in class like he used to do in high school. If he had, then Ciel wouldn't get the notes for that day.
It was Alois's job to sit in the class, take notes, and get the handouts so Ciel could continue to come to fencing practice. Normally, Ciel would be sitting in class and taking the notes himself, as he didn't trust Alois to take the best notes in the world. But the class conflicted with practice and it was something Ciel didn't want to miss.
School was important, as was good grades, but employers also looked at other, outside activities on applicant's resumes. Vincent had drilled that into his mind ever since Ciel had been a child and fencing was by far Ciel's favorite extracurricular activity.
So when Ciel's class interfered with certain days of fencing practice, Ciel found a way around the problem. Even though Alois's note taking skills weren't the best, they were still good enough to get by. And after all, Alois was learning new skills as well, seeing as he wasn't even signed up to take the class.
Normally, Alois would be getting ready for work at that time instead of sitting in a class that he wasn't even taking. But it was all due to the debt that Alois owed to Ciel that had him sitting there and Ciel couldn't bring himself to feel bad about using Alois that way. Alois was his pawn to use anyway he saw fit and for now, it was to sit in class and take notes instead of enjoying his own free time. Because as Ciel saw it, with Alois owing such a large debt, all of that free time belonged to Ciel anyway.
The towel was tossed back into his gym bag and Ciel glanced around again. His eyes finally settled on the blond haired male and Ciel turned back around to his bag so he could pack his sabre and padded clothes. He wanted to take a shower but the thought of using the gyms showers compared to his bathroom at home was less than appealing.
Lifting the bag to his shoulder, Ciel crossed the gym floor and came to a stop before Alois. "I'm going to change real quick. Hold my fencing bag for me and I'll be out in a few minutes."
"I have to be at work soon, Ciel," Alois said, sending a subtle plea to Ciel to hurry.
Ciel looked unconcerned and shrugged slightly. "You'll be fine."
The bag was passed off to Alois and Ciel walked away without another word, wanting to get the sweaty clothes off his body. Alois would still be there, waiting for him no matter how long it took. Because he didn't have a choice in the matter.
Ciel chuckled at the thought. There had been a time when Alois thought he could live on his own. But after two months of struggling to pay for rent and food on a meager fifteen-hour part time job, Alois had been forced to come back with his tail tucked between his legs. His grades and health had suffered dramatically as well and it had taken a few weeks of intense tutoring to get Alois back up to speed in his classes.
Ciel's lip curled as he peeled the sweaty clothes from his equally sweaty body. Parts of his body were already starting to cool down, leaving his skin chilled even though his body temperature was still hot. For a moment, Ciel considered a fast shower, anything to rinse off the sweat before his cleaner clothes were put back on his body.
Finally, Ciel grunted and pulled off the rest of his clothes. He would shower at home where he could actually enjoy the warm water. The sweaty clothes were stuffed into his locker and sweats were pulled out. Within minutes, he was dressed and heading out of the locker room.
His eyes fell on Alois again and Ciel silently let out a sigh, pleased to see the other male standing there still. A small part of Ciel worried that Alois would one day ignore his orders after putting up with them for so long. In a way, the only thing really keeping Alois tied to Ciel was the fact that Hannah was still under police watch.
She had been held in prison for almost three years, but new evidence had been brought to light a year ago. It was enough to release her from prison, but she was under house arrest until the new case was rebuilt and could be brought before a judge again. The courts wouldn't let Alois live with his sister due to her past history and as such, Alois was still staying with Ciel.
"Let's go," Ciel said to Alois as he approached the other male and watched as Alois fumbled to shove his phone into his pocket. He started to walk and listened as Alois hurried after him.
A small frown settled on Ciel's face as he remembered that today was one of many meetings Hannah had with her lawyer regarding the case. And Ciel knew that as soon as Hannah was free of charges and proved innocent, she would take Alois back without hesitation. The woman adored her younger brother and would work herself to the bone in order to pay off the debt.
And with the two of them working together, the massive debt that Alois had accrued would vanish quicker than Ciel was comfortable with. The only thing keeping that from happening was the long process of the courts and the lawyer fees.
The money that was inherited by Alois upon his parent's death was still under lock and key until he was twenty-five years old. And all the money that Hannah had inherited was gone due to the lawyer fees.
The only thing paying those fees was the money that Ciel gave to Alois, adding more to the debt. And that was one fee that Ciel wasn't generous in handing out. The longer it took the courts to declare Hannah innocent, the better. As it meant that Alois would be under Ciel's thumb longer.
And having that kind of control over another person was a heeding feeling that Ciel didn't want to relinquish just yet.
Ciel glanced back at Alois as they made their way to the bus stop. A quick look at his watch showed that it would be there any minute and they stopped at the sign.
"How was class?" Ciel asked as looked down the road for the approaching bus.
Alois winced. "Boring, but I still have all the notes from it. We learned how to code in CSS today and the professor said that it was going to be required for our final project." Light blue eyes darted to the side to asses Ciel. "Do you have any plans for our project yet?"
Ciel snorted. "You say 'our project' like you're taking the class. Remember that you're there only to take notes and collect the handouts." He fell silent as the bus approached them and came to a stop. Without a word, Ciel climbed onto the bus and found a vacant seat while Alois trailed behind him.
The bus lurched forward and Alois stumbled into the seat next to him, looking slightly upset. "I could still take the class if I wanted too," he said softly. "The material is interesting and the class can be used for my major."
Darker blue eyes slid to the side and calmly observed Alois. "You're already taking fifteen hours this semester and you want to add another three hours to that?" Ciel's head tilted to the side to rest against the cool window. "And I don't think I need to remind you how you would be paying for that class."
Alois's hands curled into fists and he shook briefly with anger. "I'm sure you would find a way to remind me whether or not I took the class anyway." His lip curled in disgust. "You find ways to remind me every day already. What more harm could this class do to me?" He snapped.
Ciel turned to look fully at Alois. "You didn't have to go to college after high school. You didn't have to follow me to UT," he stated and raised an eyebrow. This was an ongoing debate between them and was one that never moved forward. "You could've gone to a community college back home or accepted one of the scholarships offered to you at other colleges. But you didn't, so you can't blame me for your choices."
Alois's eyes narrowed but he didn't say a word. He knew that he could've accepted another college and the scholarships that came with it. It would've helped to ease the debt and in theory, a business degree was still a business degree, no matter where it came from. But even knowing that, Alois had still decided to follow Ciel to UT.
Alois's logic had been simple. A business degree from UT would be more likely to get him a better, higher paying job than one at a local college. And that's what Alois had told Ciel when the younger male had asked why. And it was the truth, or at least as much of the truth that Alois wanted to tell Ciel.
He could never tell the younger male that there had been a strong urge pushing him to go to UT. One that whispered to him at night, urging him to pick The University of Texas over the others, with the promise that everything would be better if he did. Because telling Ciel such a thing would make Ciel believe that he was crazy and then the younger male would tease him for believing in fairies again.
"Our stop is next," Ciel spoke up, pulling Alois from his thoughts. The younger male grabbed his bag and stood up as the bus came to a stop. Wind gusted into the large vehicle as the doors opened and they stepped out.
Silence settled around them as it usually did after such a debate but Ciel paid no mind to it. Eventually, Alois would come to his senses and start talking again. There was no need for Ciel to start a conversation just to break the silence.
Four flights of steps led up to their shared apartment and Ciel unlocked the door and dropped his fencing bag on the ground after toeing his shoes off. "Do we have anything to eat?" He asked and padded to the kitchen.
Alois shrugged and headed to the opposite direction. "I don't have time for lunch. I need to get to work."
Ciel waved his hand. "Of course. Have fun playing secretary and doing paperwork today." He reached into the fridge to grab a small container of pasta and chicken, opening the lid enough to sniff the contents inside. Deeming them still edible, he set the container on the counter and continued to look around for something else.
After grabbing the carton of milk and a few slices of bread, he turned back around and started to spoon the noodles into a bowl. He glanced up as Alois's door shut and looked at the older male as Alois entered the dining room, wearing a pink and white tie. "What the hell are you wearing?"
"It's Valentine's Day," Alois stated. "They wanted us to wear something for the day."
Ciel snorted. "You could've picked a red tie at least." The bowl of food was placed in the microwave and Ciel turned back around to look at Alois. "Something on your mind?" He asked, seeing as Alois was still standing on the other side of the kitchen countertop.
"It's Valentine's Day," Alois repeated and looked at Ciel expectantly.
Ciel blinked and leaned against the countertop. "And?" He questioned. "Surely you weren't expecting me to give you a box of chocolates."
Alois shifted. "Not really. But what if it was the other way around?" He laced his fingers together behind his back. "I know you like sweets."
For a second, Ciel stared at Alois, trying to figure out if he was hearing the other male correctly. "I'd rather you bring me a hot guy instead of chocolates," Ciel finally said. "Or better yet, a hot, naked guy, drenched in chocolate. That would be a nice Valentine's Day gift."
Alois offered a weak chuckle. "That's something I can't do," he said and tugged on his tie. He was going to be late if he didn't leave now. "But if you're just looking for sex…" The words trailed off but Alois held Ciel's eye, wanting the younger male to know that he was serious.
Ciel's fingers twitched and the only sound in the apartment was the hum of the microwave. This wasn't the first time Alois had asked for such a thing and only on rare occasions would Ciel indulge in such offers.
The first time had been when they were in high school and they were fooling around. They had been at that age where they were curious and wanted to know what all the hype was about.
Needless to say, it had ended in a disaster and Ciel flat out refused to let Alois touch him again for almost a year. Simple touches were slapped away and it had been the first time that Ciel had become aware of Alois's feelings for him. Even now, five years later, Ciel still denied Alois whenever the older male offered to help release the sexual frustration through means of sex.
It wasn't that Alois was appalling or looked bad. Ciel was fairly certain that if Alois wasn't pinning after him, Alois would already have a boyfriend by now. But the blond haired male did nothing for Ciel. Alois wasn't what Ciel liked in his partners and their current situation made things difficult.
Ciel refused to allow himself to become attached to his current investment. Which was what Alois was; he was an investment and a source of entertainment. Nothing more and nothing less.
The timer went off behind him and Ciel blinked, the noise drawing him out of his thoughts. "No," he finally answered. "We've been through this before. You can't satisfy me that way. You know my type and you don't fit into it. Simple as that."
Brief hurt flashed across Alois's face before it vanished so fast that Ciel thought he had imagined it. He scoffed to himself, knowing that by now, Alois should already know the answer to such a question. He didn't let it bother him though and turned back around to the microwave, which was still beeping at him.
The food was pulled out and Ciel turned back around to find that Alois was still there. "Yes?"
"There's nothing else?" Alois asked. "It's a special holiday and friends are supposed to give things to each other."
Ciel scoffed before he shoved a spoonful of pasta into his mouth. "Not in this friendship," he finally stated. "We're not friends with benefits. I'm not aroused by you, end of story."
Alois smirked as he circled around the counter and pressed up against Ciel's back. "You sure?" He asked, voice low and husky. His hands circled around Ciel's chest and slowly slid up the shirt. "You can close your eyes and pretend it's someone else."
"Get off," Ciel snarled and jerked his elbow back into Alois's stomach. A low grunt left the older male's mouth but the hands left Ciel's body and Ciel let out a sigh of relief. "You're pathetic. If you're horny, then spend some time with your hand tonight or go look for someone who is willing to fuck. You won't get anything from me."
Alois growled. "Fuck you Phantomhive. With the way you act, all high and might like, you couldn't get anyone either." He moved around the table and pointed at Ciel with a slight flare that reminded Ciel of how Alois normally acted when he thought Ciel wasn't looking. "It's the same reason you're still a virgin and no one will ever date you. Because you're a cold hearted bastard."
Ciel snorted, but his hand curled around the fork tighter. "If I remember correctly, we tried and failed to have sex. Failed because a certain idiot forgot to use lube, thinking that it wouldn't matter and would make things too messy."
"You still screamed and cried out like a bitch," Alois spat, true nature finally coming to surface. No matter how hard he tried to put his best self forward in front of the person he wanted the most, his real personality sometimes crept back. It was foolish and Alois hated himself for acting in such a way, but then again, people always said that love could make even the smartest of people act like fools.
Ciel shot to his feet. "Because it hurt like hell!" He growled. "If you want to have sex tonight, how about you bottom and I'll shove some dried stick up your ass."
Alois scoffed and flounced over to his shoes. "I'll pass. But only because I'd rather be the one pounding your tight ass instead of the other way around." His shoes were slipped on and Alois stuck out his tongue. "One of these days you'll realize how badly you want me and by then it'll be too late. And you'll be left alone and wanting me while I'm off having fun without you."
The door opened and Alois left the apartment, hips swaying back and forth, as though he were trying to tempt Ciel. The action only made Ciel frown even more as the door slammed shut behind Alois, leaving him in the silence of the apartment. Ciel looked down at his meal and pushed the bowl away with disgust.
"He thinks too highly of himself," Ciel muttered. "As though I would stoop that low for such a foul creature." The food was ignored, his appetite gone due to the fight and Ciel walked out of the kitchen with a scowl on his face.
Alois's angry blue eyes flashed through his mind as Ciel settled down on the couch and Ciel smirked slightly. "Idiot," he muttered lowly and turned on the television as his lips curled even more. He knew about Alois's duel personality, how he only acted nice in front of Ciel to stay in his good graces and it only made things even more humorous for Ciel. He had Alois so twisted and confused that he doubted Alois even knew who he really was or what he wanted anymore. The older male was completely dependent and submissive to him.
Ciel chuckled darkly. That's how it was meant to be.
.:|As a Rule|:.
Alois glared at his reflection as he approached the twin glass doors that led to his work. It did nothing but glare back at him and Alois finally glanced away from it, knowing that it was pointless to take his anger out on such a thing. Anger and embarrassment churned in his stomach and for a moment, Alois felt as though he was going to be sick.
It was a familiar feeling, one that he got whenever he had a fight with Ciel and he never knew who to hate more. Ciel or himself. He hated Ciel for putting him in such a position, but Alois hated himself just as much for allowing himself to be treated in such a way. And to add irony to the whole situation, Alois still wanted Ciel.
Scowling at the thoughts, Alois pushed open the door and walked inside. Warm air brushed over his body and the familiar scent of spice filled his nose as he moved through the foyer of the building. It was a lingering scent and told Alois that his fellow co-worker was working the front desk today with him. No doubt the man had been working all day and Alois could just imagine the older male practically wiggling in his seat, waiting for him to arrive.
He nodded at the security man that sat near the front of the foyer behind a small desk. He was given an annoyed look for his efforts but then again, the man had always been a grouch. Without another word, Alois continued to walk through the large lobby until he reached a marble reception desk near the back of the lobby.
There was movement behind the desk, a head of red hair barely visible over the marble surface confirmed Alois's suspicions as he stopped in front of the large piece of furniture. Soft humming of a nearby radio caught Alois's attention and he sighed before shaking his head.
"You're a helpless romantic fool, Grell," he stated and tapped his fingers on the desks surface.
Grell jumped and his head snapped up, only to connect with the underside of the desk. He whined low and clutched his head before his eyes swung up to look at Alois. "My blond cherub," he exclaimed happily and jumped to his feet. Long hair swished back and forth as Grell danced over to the nearby chair and plopped down into it. "How are you on this romantic, lover's day?"
Alois scoffed. "Only you would think that Valentine's Day is a good holiday. And you don't even have a significant other to spend it with." He circled around the desk and dropped his bag on the ground.
Wide eyes stared at Alois. "What's the matter with Valentine's Day?" He asked. "You get to give chocolates, stuffed animals, and other not so innocent gifts to that person you've admired from afar."
"Please tell me that you didn't send sex toys to someone you're not even dating," Alois said flatly.
"What makes you think I would do something like that?" Grell asked and cocked his head to the side, trying to look innocent.
Alois shook his head and he logged into his computer, using his swipe card to gain access to the network. "Because you're Grell," he stated and typed in his password. "It's something that you would do, even if the other person finds it creepy."
Grell pouted. "You're no fun, Alois. And you're supposed to be my cherub; my blond angel of love." He leaned forward. "I'm guessing things didn't go all that well with your crush? You're rather grumpy today. Even more so than normal."
A deep scowl settled on Alois's face. "He's a bastard. There's no other word that can describe him. No matter what I do, he still won't accept my advances." His hand curled into a fist and Alois punched the desk in anger. "I was his first friend and I've been by his side, even after all the hell he put me through."
Tsk-ing, Grell scooted the chair closer to Alois. "It is heart breaking to see you like this, especially when you're so close, yet so far from him." He shook his head. "One of these days, he'll open his eyes and realize what he had, only to find out that you're gone. Such is the tragic story of most romance stories, until they end with a happy ever after. You'll get yours one day though, for your love is strong."
"You've been reading romance novels again, Grell," Alois said, calling the older male out on his not so secret favorite past time. "You know that all those stories are phony. They're made for women who want to believe in the fantasy of a happy ending, when we all know that such a thing never happens in real life."
Grell recoiled slightly from Alois. "You're so cruel, Alois. You just love shooting my hopes and dreams down without a care in the world." He shivered and rubbed at his arms in a mock attempt to warm himself up.
Alois turned to Grell and smirked. "You forget Grell; I'm not a cheerful and happy person unless I'm inflicting pain on someone else." He turned away from the older man and focused on his computer. "Only Ciel is allowed to see the side of me that's not cruel," Alois mused softly.
"That's sweet and all," Grell started and unwrapped a piece of chocolate candy that sat in a bowl. He popped it in his mouth and let the rich taste fill his mouth. "But maybe that's part of your problem. Your whole relationship is based on a lie. Ciel thinks that you're a cheerful and happy person most of the time; he doesn't know your true personality. Maybe if he did, he'd find you more appealing."
Pale blue eyes blinked before Alois turned to look at Grell. "Ciel doesn't like mean people," he stated, repeating the words that Ciel had spoken to him years ago when they were kids. Ciel was a contradiction that way, always the cruel one himself, but never letting others be cruel to him. But it was that same contradiction that drew Alois in.
And then there was the fact that Alois didn't know how Ciel would react to such a drastic change. Their whole friendship was based on a lie and if Ciel were to discover that, he could very well push Alois away. Ciel didn't handle betrayal well, that much Alois knew and he couldn't imagine what would happen to their friendship. If there was one thing Alois feared the most, it was having Ciel completely dismiss him, telling him that he never wanted to see the other male again.
If that happened, Alois would truly be lost and in over his head. Even if Ciel never wanted to see Alois again, the debt would still remain but he wouldn't have Ciel anymore. And Alois would rather have the debt and Ciel, than have the debt and not Ciel. Even after all the years, the same desire and urge to possess Ciel's smile from when they were kids was still there.
"I can't bring myself to do that," Alois finally said. "It would force Ciel away and I couldn't bear for that to happen. I want him but can't have him. He's responsible for my current suffering, but I still desire him."
A small giggle left Grell's mouth and he flicked a piece of hair behind his ear. "You're so cute Alois; I just want to pinch your cheeks. You're so much in love with him and he doesn't even see you as anything other than an investment. It's something movies are made out of." He leaned his head against his hand. "But for all that you want him; you still yearn to break him. Don't you, my little cherub?"
Alois's eyes slid to the side and he glanced at Grell as a small smirk formed on his lips. "Wouldn't you wish to do the same thing?" He asked. "I've been by his side for years now and I've only gone from a friend to an investment. Since the day we met, it's the only thing that I've wanted from him. To possess and break him."
"Were you two ever friends?" Grell questioned and shifted in his chair. "It seems to me as though the only thing that holds you two together is using each other."
A chuckle left Alois's throat. "I'm not sure anymore," he answered honestly. "We've hurt each so much that it's hard to tell where everything starts and finishes."
Grell grunted. "You two are just as interesting as a daytime soap opera," he stated and turned back to his computer as someone entered the building.
"You enjoy it," Alois commented as the visitor approached the front desk. A badge declaring them a guest swung back and forth on a lanyard and Alois forced a smile for the customer. This was the part of his job that he hated, having to deal with everyone that came into the building. It meant that he had to act somewhat civil for them or else he could end up losing his job. And Alois's wasn't in the mood to lose his job when he had worked so hard to earn the spot in the first place.
It paid above minimum wage and was close to his apartment, making it an ideal job for Alois. While Ciel often mocked him, saying that working in the lobby would be the closest Alois would ever get to an office job, Alois was rather happy he didn't have to work upstairs in the tiny cubicles. The men and women that worked there looked miserable and were always loaded down with binders as they left the office for the day. For now, he was content with answering the phone and directing people to the correct elevator. It paid the bills and helped to pay off a little of the debt, and that was all Alois cared for.
He waited patiently for the man to sign the guest book and then wrote down his driver licenses number before passing the ledger off to Grell. The man looked nervous and was probably here for a job interview with one of the many bosses that ran the floors above Alois. He tried to avoid them as much as possible, especially the head boss who controlled the whole company. "You're looking for floor eight," Alois told the man and led him to the correct elevator shaft. "Once you reach the floor, go straight down the hall and take a left. You can't miss it."
The man nodded his thanks and stepped into the elevator. The doors closed behind him with a soft ding and Alois groaned lowly as he turned back around and headed to the desk. "He looked like he was about to pee his pants," he commented and sat down in the chair again.
Grell grinned. "You looked that way when you first came in here to interview for your job," he stated and reached for another piece of chocolate. The shiny wrapper was undone and the candy was tossed into Grell's mouth, the redhead happily munching on it. "But he won't get the job."
Alois cocked his head. "Why do you say that?" He asked curiously and logged in the information before he placed the guest book inside a drawer.
"He doesn't have glasses," Grell commented and pointed to the ones that perched on his nose.
"I don't have glasses," Alois stated. "I'm the only one in this whole building who doesn't wear glasses, did you know that?"
Grell smirked. "You were a special case. We had to make an exception for you."
"Thanks," Alois muttered and turned back to his computer. Moments passed as he typed in the numbers and with each passing moment, he could feel Grell's stare weighing heavier and heavier until he finally turned away from the computer with a low growl. "Can I help you with something?" He snapped, feeling his eyebrow twitch.
Grell nodded. "You can actually." He placed a finger on his cheek in thought. "You see, I was thinking about this while you were helping the guest and I have a proposal."
"No," Alois said flatly, not wanting to accept any idea that was running through Grell's head. "Whatever it is, I don't want to know."
A grunt left Grell's mouth. "I think you do. Especially if it'll help you." He pushed the chair over closer to Alois and smirked. "Have I ever told you about the guy that I'm pining after?"
Alois rolled his eyes and jostled Grell's chair in an attempt to get free. "Only a hundred times; some loser that you call Bassy. What the hell kind of name is Bassy?"
"It's a good name," Grell said, pouting slightly before waving the comment aside. "Whatever his name may be, he's handsome, that much I can say. But he also has a boyfriend; sad for me but good for you."
A golden eyebrow arched slightly. "How is that good for me?" He asked and finally managed to shove Grell away. The chair rolled back enough to give Alois more breathing room and he glared at the older man for acting so childish.
Grell's eyes danced dangerously. "Whoever said that you had to be the cruel one to Ciel?" He stated. "Imagine if it was someone else who was shooting Ciel down; doing to him what he does to you, while you watch and smirk from the sidelines."
Alois froze and slowly turned to focus on Grell, unsure if he was hearing things correctly or not. It was brilliant, what the older man was suggesting, but at the same time, Alois could already pick out several flaws. "And how do you suggest that I get said man to come see Ciel or vice versa?" He asked. "Do you have his number that I can call up and ask 'hey, I'm planning on messing with my friend's heart but I need you; think you can help?' Yeah, I'm sure that would go over well."
Waving a hand, Grell brushed the comment aside. "Does my cherub have no faith in me at all?" He questioned, voice pitched in mock hurt. "I have a plan that covers any and all problems. All you have to do is suggest one little thing to Ciel and the rest of the pieces will fall into play."
Alois eyed Grell, uncertainty coloring his eyes. It was tempting to take the offer and see Ciel suffer, to make him feel all the pain that Alois had felt over the past few years. But there was still something that tickled his mind and made him hesitate. These types of things always backfired somehow and Alois didn't want to have everything fall back on him. "Why are you helping me?" He inquired. "It's not as though you gain anything from it."
Grell smirked and winked at the younger male. "You'll be in a better mood at seeing Ciel suffer, which makes my day easier. And if you two actually hook up, you'll always be in a good mood because all that sexual tension will be a thing of the past." His lips twitched. "Not to mention, I'll get to hear all the juicy stories that will come from this. It'll be better than romance books and have an actual, real world ending."
"That's it?" Alois asked. "You're not going to ask for money or threaten me with blackmail in the future?"
A small laugh left Grell's mouth and his shoulders shook with mirth. "That's rich," he stated and adjusted his glasses so he could wipe away a tear. "Money's no problem, so you don't have to worry about that. But if you must know, I also have my own, private reasons; none of which though, will affect your relationship with Ciel."
Alois grunted, not happy with the answer. But Grell had no reason to blackmail him and Alois seriously doubted that Ciel would believe Grell even if the older male did try to blackmail him. "Fine," he stated and waved a hand at Grell, telling him to continue. "Tell me your brilliant plan."
Grell sat up a little bit straighter and straightened his glasses. "The guy that I'm after, Bassy, is very loyal to his boyfriend, Claude. They've known each other for years and have been dating for about three. There's no way that he'd leave Claude if Ciel tried flirting with him." He paused and tapped his fingers on the marble surface. "But the thing that's going to make him irresistible to little Ciel, is that Bassy's a cowboy."
There was a pause, in which Alois could only stare at Grell, a look of disbelief on his face. "A cowboy?" He repeated. "A fucking, cowboy. With the whole ranch, cows, and a horse?"
"Everything," Grell answered. "He raises and breeds cattle and also performs in the rodeos."
"As a rodeo clown?" Alois asked, snorting slightly.
Grell shook his head. "He competes in several things. Cutting, roping, and team roping with Claude; that's how they met in the first place." He leaned forward slightly and smirked. "Now, imagine what happens when little Ciel sees Bassy. A handsome, Texas cowboy, working the animals and showing off a little muscle. He'll want him, but Bassy will turn him down in a heartbeat and there's nothing in the world that Ciel can do to make him say yes. Short of rape of course, but Bassy is rather good at avoiding that sort of thing."
Blue eyes stared at Grell, noting the pout that had formed on the redhead's face. "You tried that, didn't you?"
"No," Grell answered quickly and wiggled in his chair.
Alois shook his head and leaned forward, resting his weight on his elbows. If Alois wasn't such a cruel person, he'd pity Ciel for what they were suggesting to do to him. Only a few people knew that Ciel had grown up with country music and rode horses when he was younger. Alois was one of them and he knew that a sexy cowboy would be something Ciel wouldn't be able to pass up. It was as though this Bassy person was made especially for Ciel.
A brief wave of jealousy flared up in Alois before it was crushed. There was nothing to worry about. If he was as loyal to his boyfriend as Grell said he was, then he wouldn't cave to Ciel. And that would just kill the younger male, to see something that he couldn't have. It would drive him insane.
"So how do you suggest that they meet?" He questioned, trying to work out the kinks in Grell's plan. "A cowboy isn't just going to come down to Austin and walk into a business class. And I doubt he's going to be riding in the rodeo that's in San Antonio right now." A scowl formed on Alois's lips.
He had complained to Hannah about Ciel throughout the winter break during one of the few times that he was allowed to stay with her. She was upset of course; he was her little brother, and swore that she would help anyway she could. A few weeks later in January, he received a text from Hannah, saying that he should take Ciel to the rodeo, as it was something friends could do, but was also romantic without seeming like it.
Alois had dismissed the idea right away. He didn't like events such as that and there was no way he would be caught at one in an attempt to woo Ciel. Not when there were other and better ideas. But Hannah was persistent and finally, Alois had lied and said that he would take Ciel, just to make her stay silent on the subject.
Grell laughed, pulling Alois from his thoughts. "What makes you think that? Claude and Bassy are top rated in the country for their team roping. This is a perfect place for them to showcase their skills and talk with buyers." He smiled. "And I know for a fact that he's there and performing."
"You know this how?" Alois asked, a smirk crossing his face.
The older male glanced at Alois. "I might've gone to see Bassy perform last weekend when the rodeo opened." He closed his eyes and sighed. "And may I just say that he looked pretty damn good in that black hat and leather chaps. Hugged his ass just right."
Alois stared at Grell again. "You're a stalker, you know that?"
Grell sulked. "I am not. I'm a trained people watcher, certified by the University of Texas." He held his fingers up in the traditional UT style. "Hook 'em horns!"
"Please don't," Alois mumbled and pinched the bridge of his nose. "You're an embarrassment to the school.
"All that aside," Grell said, trying to get Alois back on track. "Ciel will want Bassy; I have no doubt in that. All you have to do is get little Ciel down to San Antonio and nature will work its course."
A small hum left the younger male and Alois leaned back in thought. No matter how he looked at it, there wasn't a flaw in the plan and it was rather simple. Ciel would see the cowboy, lust after him, only to find out that he couldn't have him. Short and simple. Cruel yes, but there was only so much that Alois could take before he snapped and this plan ensured that he wouldn't be the one acting mean to Ciel. It was a win-win for him.
"Do you have any ideas for convincing him?" Alois asked.
Grell nodded and reached into his bag. "I have just the thing. Last month I found a flyer advertising the rodeo." He pulled out a binder and flipped open the cover. "I'll lend this to you, but I want it back. It's a good picture of my Bassy."
The flyer was passed over to Alois, who rolled his eyes at the older man's actions before he looked down at the picture. Piercing red eyes looked back at him from the glossy image and Alois felt his lips curl into a smirk. Black hair blended into an equally black cowboy hat and dark red eyes were narrowed in concentration. A rope was gripped between white teeth and the words 'Let's Rodeo, San Antonio!' stretched out across the top of the page.
Alois's eyes trailed down the flyer, taking in the white words that spelled out a name and his smirk grew. This would work and Alois found that he would be able to stomach the rodeo for a day if it brought Ciel to his knees. There was no way this plan would fail. "Sebastian Michaelis," he murmured. "You will do nicely. Thank you for volunteering."