Chapter One- His Butler, Reading Lines

Ciel needed this. Beyond a shadow of a doubt, Ciel needed to do this audition just right. He needed to convince these producers and directors that it was him who was born to play this part. For what seemed like months on end, Ciel had gone without a paying role. Well, not a good one at least. Everything he had been in was either only a small role for a terrible sitcom or an extra for a movie. Ciel so very desperately needed this audition to go well.

He sucked in a breath to calm his nerves as he walked up to the studio. He stepped into the building, walking up to the receptionist at the desk who, at the moment, was busy on the phone. He waited impatiently for a few moments, making small movements here and there to calm himself. After a moment of Ciel's agonizing wait, he cleared his throat a bit to get her attention.

She looked up to him, pulling the phone away from her ear and resting it on her shoulder. She gave him a rather irritated look. "Can I help you sir?" She said with a sharp tone.

He flinched a bit, swallowing the lump in his throat. "Y-Yes, uh, I-", he coughed slightly, clearing his throat a bit and puffing out his chest, "I'm here to audition for Kuroshitsuji."

The woman stared at him, looking from his eyes down to his feet, then back again. She sighed, rolling her eyes and pointed to the left. "It's down there. Take the first door on your right. When you start seeing people who look as nervous as you do, you're in the right place."

He chewed the inside of his cheek, giving her a small nod, "Thank you Miss." He turned and scurried down the hall.

As he was about to go into the room, he noticed a bathroom. He stopped, looking between the door of the bathroom and the door to his audition. He pulled out his phone, taking note of the time.

"8:20….. I still have a bit of time before my audition. Maybe I should collect myself first."

Deciding that the worst thing during an audition was to be nervous, he turned into the bathroom, running to one of the sinks. He turned the sink on and gathered a bit of water in his palms, splashing it on his face. He repeated this process about two or three times, though he suddenly jolted when he heard one of the toilets flushing.

He made a small squeak, clutching at his chest with wide eyes. He bit his lip.

'What the hell was that?!...Oh, right, this is a bathroom.' He thought

He let out a sigh, running a hand through his hair "Calm down Ciel, calm down." He muttered to himself.

He heard the door of a stall unlock, seeing a man walk out. He was tall and slender, but still with a fair bit of muscle. His hair was the color of the midnight sky and is eyes a dull blood red.

He looked to Ciel, crossing his arms a bit as an amused smile played on his lips. "Well, aren't you frightened easily~."

Ciel swallowed another lump in his throat, looking down a bit "A-Ah, no, not really… Just my nerves, you know…"

He raised an eyebrow "Nerves? Don't tell me you're auditioning for Kuroshitsuji as the Master."

Ciel nodded, "Yes, I am. I really need this part…. Are you here auditioning too?"

He chuckled a bit "Oh no, I'm already cast as the Butler."

"You're kidding me! They already cast you?!"

He shrugged, smirking smugly. "Well, of course. You see, they already cast several people, one of them being me. However, they still needed to find the perfect actor to play the Master. One that really grabs their attention, you know?"

"Ah, I see….."

The man strutted over, leaning down a bit ,"I hate to tell you this, but the director is looking for someone a bit older to play the part of the Master."

"What?!" He gasped, starting to panic a bit.

"Yes. While the part of the Master needs to be young, we were looking for at least someone around 19." He took Ciel's chin between his thumb and forefinger. "How old are you?"

"…I-I just turned 14."

He laughed a bit, letting go of his chin. "That will never work! Who's going to believe a 14 year old contracted a demon to work for him in exchange for his soul?" He tucked his hands in his pockets, "You should try some other part. Maybe you could play the part of the gardener."

He turned to walk out, Ciel standing shell shocked.

No. No! I need this audition! I didn't leave everything behind for this! He clenched his fist tightly, gritting his teeth a bit.

"Well what if I'm exactly what they're looking for!?"

The man stopped, looking back at him. His eyebrow was raised, a looking a surprise on his face. "I beg your pardon?"

Ciel turned around to him, now standing strong, confidence pouring out of every fiber of his being. "You said they were looking for the perfect Master, one that grabs their attention, right? Then maybe what they need is someone younger! It's certainly something I've never seen done before. I'm going to get that part, even if I have to actually sell my soul to a demon!"

The man stared at him wide eyed, really not finding any words to say to him. After a moments silence, another amused smile graced his lips. He walked back over, "What's your name kid?"

"It's Ciel Phantomhive!" He barked, crossing his arms.

The man's smile grew more, "Ciel Phantomhive. That does have a very nice ring to it." He offered his hand to him, "My name is Sebastian Michaelis."

Ciel's eyes narrowed a bit as he looked at Sebastian's hand.

What is wrong with this man?! He knows he just made me upset and now he's trying to be friendly?

Ciel, after a moment of tension, sighed and uncrossed his arms. 'I suppose that he is at least trying to make up for it.'

He took hold of his hand, shaking it "Nice to meet you."

Sebastian got a gleam in his eyes, and Ciel tensed again, but it was already too late to stop him.

Sebastian's hand pulled him forward a bit and he knelt before him, his hand still locked with Ciel's. He placed his other hand over his heart, his head bowed a bit, "And it's an honor to make you acquaintance, my young lord~". He brought his hand closer, kissing his knuckles gently.

Ciel's face flushed up a bright red as he pulled his hand back. He struggled to find his words, but somehow managed to stutter them out.

"Wh-Wh-What the bloody hell was that?!"

Sebastian chuckled, standing up and tucking his hands into his pockets once again. "It's what a good butler always does. I would have kissed your ring, but you aren't wearing one." He smiled, tilting his head a bit.

Ciel's face grew redder, "I came in here to calm down and you're just winding me up again!"

Sebastian shrugged, opening the door and leaning on it a bit. "Well, if you really want this part, your nerves won't matter." He was about to leave when he seemed to remember something, placing a finger to his plump lips and smirking, "Oh, and if you're the eight thirty, you have about two minutes before they call your name."

Ciel stood there for a moment, allowing his brain to process the sentence he just heard. Once his mind caught up with him, he nearly screamed and sprinted to the waiting room, Sebastian laughing a bit as he followed calmly.

Ciel quickly found a seat and sat in it, Sebastian walking into the other room. Ciel clutched his chest, trying to remember how to breathe. Most of the others were looking at him, chuckling at the sight of a young teenager freaking out.

Ciel squeezed his eyes shut, repeating the phrase "Calm down" in his head until the door opened.

A man with pure white hair stepped out, clip board in hand. He looked up, running a hand through his snowy locks, "Ciel Phantomhive?"

Ciel stood up as stiff as a board, "Th-That's me!"

He waved him towards him. "Alright, we're ready for you. Come on then."

He nodded, walking towards him with balled fists.

Ciel, stepping in the room, was met with a cold breeze. He shivered a bit, looking at those inside. There were three people sitting behind a table, talking over a script, pointing things out. The middle one looked fairly young, perhaps a few years older than Ciel, man with golden hair.

In the middle of the room, there was a table with two chairs sitting adjacently from one another. On it was a chess board with a few pieces already in play. A little bit away from it was a plastic gravestone.

There were three other people in a small group talking. One was a woman dressed form head to toe in red, even her hair resembled the color of spider lilies. Next to her was a man with dark skin and purple hair tied up in a ponytail. The last of them was Sebastian. They all appeared to be making small talk, the other two laughing a bit. Sebastian looked over to Ciel, giving a coy smile and waving a bit.

"Alright, here he is." The man with white hair brought him over to the table of three. They looked up at him, the one in the middle standing up.

"Good Morning. My name is Edward. I'm the director of the show." He offered his hand.

Ciel took hold of it, shaking his hand. "Hello, I'm Ciel Phantomhive."

He handed him a script. "Here you go. Take this."

Ciel looked down at it, flipping through it as Edward started to explain how the audition was going to go.

"Alright, so we're just goanna have you read some lines with the other actors." He waved them over, the others walking up.

"This is Angelina Durless-Barnett. She'll being playing Madam Red."

She waved a bit. "Hello."

"That's Soma Asman Kadar. He'll be playing the Prince."

He bowed to him a bit, smiling brightly. "Nice to meet you~!"

"And lastly, this is Sebastian Michaelis. He'll be playing the part of the Butler."

Sebastian bowed to him again. "Hello again."

Ciel chewed the inside of his cheek, giving a bow to them as well. "Nice to meet you all."

"Alright, Angelina, Sebastian, go sit down. Soma, we'll run the scene where you're coming into the master's summer house."

Soma nodded, walking over to the makeshift set. Edward guided Ciel over as he quickly looked over the lines in the script. "Alright, in this scene, you just got home and you had met Soma earlier in the day. You're not very happy about having him here, alright?"

Ciel nodded.

"Alright, good." Edward turned around again and sat back behind the table.

Ciel cleared his throat, looking over the script once more.

"Alright Soma, start with your line."

"Got it!"

"And action."

Soma smiled a bit. "I'd rather have Chai than English tea!"

Ciel seemed to change almost immediately, his back straighter as he protruded more confidence. He put a hand on his head, sighing with an annoyed tone "Might as well." He muttered, though making it clear enough to understand.

He then looked to Soma with a surprised face, "Wh-What are you doing here?!" He stammered, his accent noticeably cleaning up a bit as he spoke.

Soma smiled, walking toward him a bit. "Why, we're acquaintances now~! Don't tell me you've already forgotten!"

"Acquaintances?"

"Yes." He walked passed him, smiling, "And I saved your life too!"

"'Saved'? Excuse me?!"

"In India, its common practice to allow your savior into your house and entertain them. Is it the British way to kick your Savior out into the cold?"

Ciel growled softly, stepping more towards him. "Just who are you anyhow!?"

"Cut!"

Ciel relaxed a bit, looking to Edward. He had turned to the other two at the table, talking over something. As Ciel strained a bit to listen to them, but not too much to make it noticeable, he overheard the phrases –

"He's good."

"Got good enunciation."

"Flows good with Soma too."

Ciel's heart nearly stopped from how well they thought he was doing. He could just feel his confidence getting better.

Edward turned to them. "Thank you Soma, you can go sit down again."

He nodded, bowing to Ciel. "It was nice reading with you Ciel~!"

Ciel nodded a bit and smiled a bit. "And you as well."

He walked off, Edward bringing over Angelina. "Alright, you two go sit at the table. Angelia, we're running the scene with the chess game."

Ciel pulled out the script again, looking over it as he listened to Edward speak.

"Alright, in this scene, you're talking with Madam Red over some very serious stuff. The scene is very tense, and don't forget that in this, she's your Aunt. Alright?"

Ciel nodded. "Got it."

Edward sat down. "Alright, Angelina, read Ciel in."

She nodded, crossing her ankles a bit. "Yes sir."

"And action!"

Angelina pursed her lips slightly,"You must have had other choices than the underworld's guard dog. My sister…. You're mother, would have wanted something better too, Ciel." She balled her fists softly. "And yet you return… Is it because you're trying to avenge your parent's deaths?"

Ciel looked up at her, changing back into character, "Revenge won't bring back the dead, and it won't make them happy but I didn't come back to the house of Phantomhive for their sake." He gave her a stern look, sitting strong and proud. "I did it for myself. "

Angelina made a small sound resembling a, "Hmm?"

Ciel closed his eyes, continuing. "I just want to make the people who betrayed and defiled my family sufferer the same humiliation that I have."

She smiled softly, "I still remember the day you were born…" She got up, walking towards him ."You were so tiny and cute, I thought 'I have to protect him'" She gently placed a hand on his head, "I wasn't able to have children of my own… But I think of you as my own son." She smiled softly, a melancholy remaining in her face. "I want you to leave th-"

Ciel moved her hand away. "Being here is something I wanted, something that I chose." He looked up at her with stern eyes. "I don't regret it and I can't let anyone spoil me."

"…..Cut."

Angelina let out a sigh, "That scene always makes me so tense!" She smiled, ruffling Ciel's hair. "You were marvelous! Best one today~!"

Ciel smiled a bit. "Do you really think so?"

She nodded.

Edward looked over to Sebastian. "Alright, you're up."

He nodded, walking over to Ciel.

Before Angelina walked off, she gave Ciel a thumbs up, smiling. "Break a leg~!"

He nodded and rose out of his chair, looking up at Sebastian.

Sebastian smirked a bit. "Two in a row and you haven't even broken a sweat. There's potential in you." He leaned down, whispering in his ear, "But just keep in mind this is what decides everything. I'm your butler in this. You spend more time on screen with me than anyone else. If you can't flow just right with me, you can kiss this part goodbye~."

Ciel shivered a bit, his words frightening him slightly. That was true. If he couldn't do this just right, it was back to bad sitcoms and lingering in the background. Ciel looked into Sebastian's eyes, seeing a playful look in them as he stood straight again.

Ciel stood up straight and took in a breath, smirking a bit. "What, are you trying to rattle my nerves Mr. Michaelis?"

Sebastian smirked a bit. "Just getting you ready is all~"

Edward walked over. "Alright, Sebastian, we're gonna run the grave scene. Ciel, in this, Madam Red has died. You just lost the last bit of family you had left in the world and you're visiting a grave of a victim the night you found out Madam Red was Jack the Ripper."

Ciel nodded, swallowing his nerves as Edward went back and called action.

Sebastian walked up behind Ciel, looking down at the grave. "You are Kindhearted."

Ciel looked back at him, his eyes barrowing a bit. "Don't make me repeat myself. I'm not Kind-"

"Yes you are." He insisted, leaning down and smirking. "If you aren't, perhaps that means you're weak."

He glared at him "Why you-"

"Why didn't you shoot?" Sebastian asked, his tone becoming more serious.

Ciel made an inward gasp, turning more towards him.

Sebastian smirked, "'I let my own flesh and blood die'? I take a very dim view of lies you know. If you wanted to shoot her then, then you could have, but you didn't. Even when I urged you, you refused to draw your gun. Why? Were you afraid to kill her yourself? Do you mean to tell me you can kill a stranger, but not your own kin because it was your job?"

Ciel tilted his head up a bit. "I thought you could protect me, even if it cost you your own life."

Sebastian made in inward gasp himself.

"That's why I didn't shoot." Ciel looked back to the gravestone."Our contract demands you serve me. That you do not kill me until my goal is met. I imagine a creature like you has no such principals or loyalty. All you have is aesthetics…. And so for your own aesthetics sake, you will protect me no matter what. Am I wrong?" he looked back at him.

Sebastian tilted his head slightly, raising an eyebrow. "Then why did you stop me?"
Ciel looked to the grave again, "I saw a flash of hesitation in her eyes as she moved to kill me… I thought she wouldn't be able to kill me, her own kin….." He closed his eyes, standing straight once again, "One wrong move cost her her life….. Just like in chess. She hesitated and lost sight of her next move… That's all there is too it…." He turned and started to walk and as he walked, he said proudly. "So I won't hesitate!"

Sebastian gasped, turning around to stare for a moment before his lips displayed that ever so satisfied smirk. "That's what I like to hear. Always skillfully manipulate your chess pieces and survive. Use me, Madam Red and any other pieces. Even if the bodies of your pawns pile up at your feet, because if the king falls, this game is over."

Ciel clenched his fists, "I won't stop moving and I won't regret the steps I've taken…." His voice grew quieter but then grew loud and demanding. "So, this is an order:" He turned to him, standing firmly "You are the one man who is not to betray me! Don't leave my side. Ever!"

Sebastian extended his hand and knelt before Ciel, placing the hand over his heart. "Yes, My lord."

The entire room was hushed, not even the breathing could be heard. Sebastian staid knelt in front of Ciel, Ciel standing tall and trying to remain calm.

'Nobody is talking….. Why isn't anybody talking? Did I flub a line? Was I not emotional enough?! Someone speak! Anyone speak!'

Edward stood up, slamming his hands on the table and looking to the man with white hair. "Ash, go into the waiting room and tell everyone else to go home!"

"What?! Are you sure?!"

"Did I stutter?! Do it!"

Ash ran out, Ciel looking around in a panicking manner. "Wh-Whats wrong?! Was my performance not good?! I'm sorry, please let me give it another g-"

He was silenced by a hand clamping on his mouth. He looked to see Sebastian a few inches from his mouth. He smiled gently. "Ciel. When a director is screaming for everyone else, whose auditioning for the same part you are, to go home, it means you've gotten the part."

Ciel was silent as Sebastian's hand dropped from his mouth. He stood there dumbfounded before it finally clicked.

"I-I got the part?!"

Edward walked over to him, "Ciel, I have seen over 500 people within the span of a week audition for this part, and none of them conveyed the emotion that you just did and none of them could resonate with Sebastian like you. It just…. It works!" He took the small script he had given Ciel and give him a thicker one. "These are the lines we'll be doing for the first episode. Study and memorize them and we'll all meet back here in a week an a half."

Ciel looked down in his hands to the script, clutching it tightly in his hands and pressing it to his chest."Th-Thank you…. Thank you so much!" He bowed, his body shaking from excitement.

Edward put his hand on his shoulder. "No, thank you. I'll see you in a week and we'll start to rehearse and film. Alright?"

Ciel nodded. "Yes, Alright. Thank you again!"

Ciel ran out of the building, smiling brightly and holding the script in his trembling hands. He nearly fell to his knees and cried with tears of joy. He looked to the script, running his thumb along the front page before flipping the pages a bit.

He smiled gently and pressed it against his forehead softly. "….I did it….. I knew I could do it." He straightened and put the script in his bag carefully. As he was about to walk off, he heard footsteps running towards him and a voice calling for him.

"Ciel! Hold on a moment!"

He turned back around to see Sebastian running towards him. He stopped a few inches away from him, panting. "You're a fast little thing!"

"Is there something you needed?"

Sebastian caught his breath, smiling a bit. "Your hand."

Ciel blushed. "M-My hand?!"

"Yes, your hand. Give it here. Don't make me yank it away from you." He chuckled a bit.

Ciel shyly gave him his hand. "O-Okay…. Like this?"

Sebastian pulled out a Sharpie, uncapping it with his teeth and grabbing his hand. He started writing on it. Ciel blinked. "What are you- ah! Haha, it tickles a bit!"

Sebastian recapped the Sharpie, stuffing it along with his hand into his pocket. He smiled a bit. "There you are."

Ciel looked to his hand. On it was Sebastian's name and a phone number.

"…..Um, what is this?"

Sebastian smirked. "My cell number, of course~."

Ciel flushed up slightly. "I-I could tell that! Why did you write it on me?!"

Sebastian rolled his eyes, chuckling softly. "My goodness, you're dense! First of all, we're going to be spending quite a bit of time together, running lines, make up, stunts, the whole nine yards. Plus since you're obviously new to this, you'll be needing help. So, here's my number. If you have any questions or feel the need to run any lines, don't hesitate to call or text me."

"Oh….. Well, thank you then." Ciel smiled a bit at him.

Sebastian took hold of his hand again, kissing his knuckles once more and looking up to him. "Anything for you, my lord~"

Ciel blushed and pulled his hand away. "Stop doing that!"

"Then buy a ring for me to kiss~" He chuckled.

Ciel turned around, his face beet red. "I'm leaving now! Goodbye!"

Sebastian smirked, waving goodbye. "Goodbye, my lord~."

Ciel stopped once out of his sight. He panted and looked up to the sky.

"Well, I got the part. That's good. It's great~!... And I have a pervert of a coworker." He sighed, leaning on the wall of a building. "Well, once things for certain…. No matter what, I'm going to be the greatest actor this worlds ever seen… and I'll start with Kuroshitsuji!"

A/N: All dialog used for scenes are directly pulled from the anime. I do not own Kuroshitsuji or any of its characters, scenes, or any plotline from the original story.

Fan fiction written by Shiro Writes

Edited by Cloudbella

Follow me on Tumblr at shiro-scribbles

Follow my Editor on Tumblr at cloudbella