A.N: So here it is, a brand new story from me. God, do I need to update my other fics...

Anyway, this is a new idea I've been working on for a while. I've got four and a half chapters so far, at the time I'm uploading this, and I'm intent on working on other chapters as soon as possible. I plan to upload the chapters I have and then work on updates for my other works before I continue with this, so I'll space out my updates on this one for you guys.

Enjoy the story!

Chapter One

The Manor Café. A place for people to meet up after work, for people to indulge in their own solitude and... for people to fall in love.

I didn't expect it to happen at first, but it hit me like a ton of bricks when it did.

"Ciel!" My girlfriend, Elizabeth Midford, called out excitedly as she ran up to me. She was wearing a light pink tank top and matching pink jeans, the look completed with a pair of white sunglasses covering her green eyes and a pair of white flats on her feet.

"Elizabeth," I acknowledged her as she threw her arms around me. I returned the embrace, albeit a lot less enthusiastically.

"Ciel, how many times do I have to tell you? Call me Lizzie!"

I rolled my eyes before responding. "What did you want? I'm a bit busy right now."

I was trying to fill out a stack of paperwork that had been dumped on my desk this morning and Elizabeth was, right now, distracting me from doing so. Not filling out the tons of sheets of paper before me could very likely cost me my job.

"I wanted to see my lovely Ciel, of course!" Elizabeth grinned, before pouting. "You spend too much time here."

"It's my job, Elizabeth. I have to be here when I am."

This seemed to go on for a while until my boss, a strict woman- who really just put on a strict façade- called Angelina Dalles, interrupted us.

"Ciel? Didn't I tell you 'no visitors'?" She scolded, though there seemed to be an edge of joking in her voice.

"I-I'm sorry, aunt. Elizabeth just-"

Oh, yeah. I better mention now that Miss Dalles- though she prefers to be called Madame Red- is my aunt. She offered me a job working for her as soon as I was old enough.

"Now, now. Don't be making pitiful excuses. Your sex life can stay at home."

"Aunt!" I exclaimed, heat rising in my cheeks. I looked over at Elizabeth and she was blushing just as deeply, maybe even more so.

"I'm kidding! But, seriously, you're going to need to leave, Lizzie." Madame Red stated.

"Okay..." Elizabeth sighed. She hugged me again before turning to leave.

"You haven't forgotten our date at lunch, right, Ciel?" She asked over her shoulder.

"Of course not. I'll see you then," I replied, watching Elizabeth walk out of the room.

A lunchtime date. It wasn't particularly the usual time for a date, but if it made Elizabeth happy, I had to go along with it.

We were meant to be going to a new café that had just opened down the street from the offices I worked at: The Manor. I was confused by the name at first, but Elizabeth insisted we go there. Apparently, one of her friends had just visited and said it was "the most fabulous experience ever!"

I doubted it would really be that good, but it was worth at least seeing it. The place was close to where I worked and, to be honest, I never really got out much during my lunch break. It might be just what I needed to fill the dull hour and a half I got for lunch each day.

The rest of the morning seemed to pass rather dully. Not much happened, other than the occasional accident caused by the three caretakers of the building.

Mey-rin, Bardroy and Finnian were the three given the job of tending to the office and making sure everything was clean each day. A janitorial team, if you must. Mey-rin had to do the basic job of cleaning, Bard supplied everyone with food throughout the day and Finny kept the gardens around the building looking nice and clean.

They did a good job, to an extent.

The only thing was when they messed up, which seemed to be an awful lot of the time.

I let out a sigh, stretching back in my chair as I glanced out of the large window in my office. The billboard that I could plainly see was one for the company I worked for. Funtom Industries; the country's most well-known brand of toys and confectionery goods.

The company belonged to my mother and father, before they passed. Seeing as I wasn't of age when they died, Madame Red took over the company in my place. By the time I was old enough, though, I decided I didn't want to run the company myself, anyway. My aunt happily accepted to stay in charge; honestly, I just think she likes bossing people around too much.

Standing up and leaving the office, I picked a small, crimson rose from one of the bushes that decorated the interior of the building as I headed down to the ground floor to meet Elizabeth.

I never really had cared for elevators, choosing instead to use the stairs to get downstairs. It may take longer, but at least it doesn't leave my legs feeling like gelatine afterwards.

Elizabeth ran up to me with a bright grin on her face, enveloping me in a hug almost instantly.

"Ciel! I thought you'd never get here. You used the stairs again, didn't you?"

"You know me too well, Elizabeth," I smiled ever so slightly as I handed her the rose I had picked earlier.

"A red rose; the symbol of passion. Aw, Ciel," Elizabeth beamed. "It's so cute! I love it."

"I'm glad you do," I smiled again, before offering out a hand for Elizabeth to take. She did so, emerald eyes gleaming with happiness.

We walked hand-in-hand down the street, Elizabeth randomly chatting about something or other that happened to one of her friends as we went.

The street seemed busy, but not overly crowded; just a neutral mass of passersby that wouldn't prove too annoying.

"Isn't that right, Ciel?" Elizabeth asked me. Crap. I hadn't been paying attention.

I remained silent.

"Ciel?" She asked again. "You weren't even listening, were you?"

"I'm sorry, Elizabeth, I wasn't. I was too captivated by how lovely you look today."

Nice save, Ciel. Nice save...

"Aw, that's so cute! Alright, you're forgiven."

"Thanks... Lizzie."

"Ah! You called me 'Lizzie'!" Elizabeth exclaimed, delighted.

Within a few more moments, Elizabeth stopped walking.

"We're here!" She exclaimed, pointing to the building in front of us.

It seemed nice and welcoming from the outside, a little wooden sign with the words 'The Manor' inscribed upon it in fancy lettering. The outside of the building had been painted a gentle cream and ivy was growing across one wall in quite an intricate pattern, that had obviously only formed due to careful maintenance.

Inside, however, was a different story. The calm, homely exterior was a sly decoy to the real café.

The walls were painted a variety of rich reds, with streaks of gold flicked almost haphazardly amongst them. Luxurious, dark wooden tables were littered across the marble floor and genuine leather chairs accompanied them perfectly.

The kitchens were tucked away at the back of the building, with a door leading round to them from what seemed to be a bar in front of it.

My jaw dropped in awe and Elizabeth laughed at my stunned expression.

"I told you you'd like it, Ciel!" She grinned, walking over to a table and sitting down.

Like it? The place was absolutely breathtaking!

Behind the bar was a young man, no older than twenty-five, with stunning raven black hair and oddly captivating crimson eyes. He was stunning to look at, his perfectly sculpted pale face being framed by those gorgeous black locks.

"Ciel, do you mind going and ordering our drinks?" Elizabeth asked hopefully. "I'd like a chamomile tea, if that's okay with you."

"Yes, of course," I nodded, walking carefully through the labyrinth of tables to get to the bar at the other end.

The mysterious, crimson-eyed man smiled as I approached the bar. A fake smile, how cliché for a bartender.

"What will you be ordering, sir?" He asked, his voice deep and full of just as much mystery as he was himself.

"Two chamomile teas, if that's alright," I said, deciding to just have the same drink as Elizabeth.

"Yes, my Lord," the bartender nodded, before recounting my order to a redhead that had just walked up to him.

"Oh, Bassy! You're asking for me to help?" The redhead swooned, swaying from side to side.

"Yes, Grell. Now, go," 'Bassy' sighed, gesturing towards the kitchen door. Grell ran off into the kitchen without another word. "I'm sorry about him, he'll be back shortly. Feel free to wait here in the meantime."

I did just that, sitting precariously on top of one of the barstools. This place really wasn't like any café I had been to in the past. It had the aura of some sort of club, but it looked like a normal place to socialise. The staff were mysterious, especially the bartender, and something just seemed... off.

"You know, you really should see this place at night," the bartender began. "It's truly something else."

"Oh, really?" I asked, my interest instantly directed.

"Just come here at ten. Then you'll see," he winked, handing me the two mugs of tea as Grell strolled back out with them.

"I think I will," I muttered, taking the tea and walking back to Elizabeth.

"So, Ciel... Do you think you'll be coming back here?" Elizabeth asked as she took her cup of tea and I sat across from her.

"Yeah. I think I will."

"Great!"

9.50pm.

I was ten minutes early, but I was already outside The Manor.

'Should I go inside, or just stay out here for a bit?' I thought to myself as the wind seemed to pick up, chilling me slightly.

A blond, roughly twenty years of age, a year older than myself, hurried up to the door of the café. He stopped with his hand on the door handle and looked straight at me, cerulean eyes boring into my own azure ones.

"What are you doing out here, standing around like an idiot?" He asked, looking at me incredulously.

"I- um... I..."

"Come on! You're gonna be late!" The blond exclaimed as he grabbed my wrist and dragged me into the building with him.

"Late? Look, I think you're confusing me for someone."

"Sebastian asked you to come here at ten, didn't he?" The man, who still had a grip on my wrist, asked.

"The bartender?" I asked, receiving a nod. "Yeah, he told me to come at ten. Why?"

"Welcome to The Manor," The blond beamed, making a grand gesture with his spare arm. "A place of fun, danger and..."

The blue-eyed man leaned in dangerously close to my ear, before seductively whispering:

"Love."

My eyes widened as I took in the sight of what The Manor now looked like. The red and gold walls still remained intact, but the tables and chairs had been moved to one side of the room. To the other side, attatched to the base of the wall perpendicular to the bar, was a stage of sorts.

Dancers of both genders stalked around the stage, providing background entertainment to a singer that seemed to be holding quite a few people's attention.

I noticed the mysterious bartender, Sebastian, still at the bar like he was this afternoon. It was as if he hadn't moved, but I knew he must have. He was dressed in a different outfit.

Rather than the casual shirt and trousers he had worn earlier, Sebastian was now wearing a formal white dress shirt, long black trousers and a black tailcoat. I chuckled a little. He looked like a butler, dressed like that.

"Oh, yeah!" The blond snapped me out of my thoughts. "We still haven't got your name."

"Ciel Phantomhive," I replied as coolly as I could manage.

"Nice to meet ya, Ciel! I'm Alois Trancy, main attraction at The Manor here at night time."

"Pleasure to make your acquaintance, too," I replied.

"You really do talk posh, don't you?" Alois laughed.

"I can clearly tell that you don't," I responded, sighing a little. "So, why am I here?"

"Simple," I heard a new voice chime in. Looking up, I saw Sebastian all but towering over me from where he stood. "You're going to be working here from now on of a night."

"Excuse me?" I choked out, taken aback. Working there? "I already have a job!"

"I'm sure it won't interfere with this one. Welcome to the Manor, Ciel."

My eye widened and I felt myself being ushered forwards by Alois.

"Come on... We open in a minute."

I glanced up to the clock that hung above the bar.

10.20pm.

It had really been half an hour already?

"What am I even meant to be doing here?" I asked.

"You're gonna be working the same job as me. Singing and dancing to entertain," Alois explained simply.

"What?" I choked again, that being the second time I had been shocked in the space of five minutes. "Look, Alois. I don't sing... Or dance."

"About time you learned then, Ciel," Alois smirked.

The redheaded male I'd seen earlier today came walking up to us.

"This is him?" He asked, strangely excited. "Ah, I'll make you look beautiful!" His yellow-green eyes sparkled mischievously and I deadpanned.

Just what was I getting into?

A.N: There you go! Chapter one, done. I'll try and upload the next chapter when I find the time to, so sometime during the week.