Alois watched as Ciel sat alone on the crumbling, broken wall at the edge of the playground. The younger boy swung his feet gently, eyes glued to the ground beneath them. The triplets whispered to themselves from Alois' side but the blond found he couldn't take his eyes off the other boy.

Ciel was his enemy. And yet, Alois knew how he felt. He knew the pain of losing someone you loved. He knew the feeling of not having a parent around to watch over their child as they grew up. He knew that it was a feeling that would never be healed. Someone who would never be replaced. Claude was supposed to be Alois' father now, and yet he would never replace his real father. Not that he even tried... And Alois doubted that Luka even remembered the man who was supposed to have raised them alongside their mother.

Alois felt the triplets glue their eyes on him as he took a step away from them and began to walk over to Ciel. No, he wouldn't hurt him this time with the encounter he was about to engage. He was usually villainous toward him, yes, but even he had his limitations. He stopped a few steps away from Ciel, and when he got no response of acknowledgement, he took up the space beside him on a part of the wall that looked steady enough.

Ciel didn't look at him. Didn't make any move to get away from him. He didn't speak to him.

"...Listen," Alois finally broke the silence with a sigh. "I'm gonna make you a deal, Phantomhive".

Ciel's gaze flickered toward him for a split second and in that moment, Alois saw all the pain he knew of reflected in those dark blue eyes. He knew that he was doing the right thing. He imagined Ciel's voice didn't trust how it would sound, and so he continued with his proposal.

"I know you're going through a pretty tough time, believe me, so...I'm going to cut you some slack for the next two weeks, alright? That means I won't be mean to you in any sort of way, I promise. And - and I can't believe I'm saying this, but - if I see or hear anyone bullying you in my place, then I'll give them what for. Okay?"

This time, Ciel nodded slightly. A small, curt nod before he went still again. Alois sighed for the final time and patted the younger boy on the shoulder as he dropped down off the wall. "It wasn't your fault you father died, Ciel. If you want to believe anything I have to say then let it be that at the very least, please".

As he dusted off the back of his coat from where he'd been sitting and made his way back to Canterbury, Thompson and Timber, Alois missed the almost longing gaze Ciel had as he watched him walk away.