STEPH: First, i want to thank everyone who has reviewed my stories so far, and also wish you a happy new year. I present to you... another..well last of my GAME series. This should be my fourth one and last GAME one-shot. ^^. I think I'm better at one-shots than lenghty stories *sweatdrop*.

This piece may be hard to understand.. i guess.

Please Read, enjoy and don't forget to Review *love*

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GAME: PLAGUING.

Earls, knights…peasants. Sebastian, do you believe there are people much lower than this order?" Ciel asked, dropping the sheet he was reading before stretching his hand forward to accept the laced glove through his fingers. The demon smiled, with obvious amusement now painted over his features.

"But of course Young master. Why do you ask?" Sebastian smirked, his curiosity to know the nature of the young Earl's thoughts getting the better of him.

"No reason exactly. Just wondering…" the boy sighed, feigning disinterest in further discussion, and slowly retreating his gloved hand back to his bed for support. His butler opened his palm to accept his other hand.

"Well there's you, Young master. There's the Knights, peasants…and plagues. But that's according to me, My lord." He breathed over the skin of the back of Ciel's palm, before softly kissing it. The earl furrowed his eyebrows in slight annoyance but didn't bother saying a word, afterall...

Everything from this stage was pointless.

"And what caliber of people would you consider as plagues, Sebastian?" he asked once again, hoping for any word to completely reassure or divert him from the many thoughts compiled in his mind, now that his years were winding faster into days...and hours...and seconds turning shorter than ever imaginable.

"Ah, those kinds we have encountered quite regularly. Isn't the reason for our contract to free the young Earl from his plagues?" the demon whispered behind his ear, swiftly knotting Ciel's eye patch in place. The young earl managed a light nod in approval with his servant's opinion. He was unsatisfied with Sebastian's words, though it was the truth, and that's all he always wanted to hear. But yet...

It once used to sound relieving to hear that the people who painted the Phantomhive house in bloody red were gradually drowning in their own flames, but now it made him almost shiver to hear his own favorite lullaby. These plagues were rapidly extinguishing even at this hour, one by one... and there was only two hopeless existences left to uproot.

An involuntary sigh escaped Ciel's throat, and he could feel cold fingers softly caressing his cheeks. He lowered his eyes to Sebastian who knelt below him, looking up at him with an expression that seemed to breed concern.

"Are you alright, Young master? You look quite pale" he said, placing the back of his palm over the boy's forehead. Ciel ignored him, looking towards the window to avoid the demon's gaze.

"I think you should take a rest for today. Your body needs it." Sebastian insisted, resting Ciel's foot back on the carpet and tucking his socks into his shoes, in an attempt to urge the boy to take his suggestion.

"I'm fine Sebastian!" he scowled, raising his foot back and placing it on his servant's palm. The demon sighed, ignoring his master's intent glare, but continuing as wished.

Ciel exhaled, turning his eyes back towards his former point of interest; the window. It was just afternoon and yet the skies were turning into such dark shades of blue and grey, he tried to observe. He didn't want Sebastian to know what was on his mind. It wasn't the thought of death that bothered him, it was in fact befitting to some extent that his life would end in this manner.

It was just this one thing he wanted to fulfill in order to complete his life's puzzle. He was capable of moving every piece into whatever situation he felt was deserving, but this one made him feel he'll be burned once touched.

But it burned from the start...Ever since this lone piece subjected himself to him, temporary as it may seem. Ciel smiled pitifully, the realization striking him. If it already burned, then he should stretch his hands deep into those flames and grab its core, and look into those red eyes and make their gaze fall first, because he was the one who controlled this game-

"Is something plaguing you...Young master?" the demon asked, smiling lightly.

Ciel frowned, looking down at his butler once again.

"You..." the earl whispered almost to himself, tracing his laced finger over his lips observingly.

" Have I done anything to cause your discomfort, Young master?" he inquired, carefully retreating his hands from Ciel's foot before raising his eyes to observe the boy. He could almost feel the amusement tickling against his skin from the young Earl's words and reactions. He understood, he understood, almost every move the boy made...why he made it and he could read into the message Ciel seemed unwilling to convey. He watched quietly as the boy conjured a forceful frown to his face, in order to avoid him from seeing the light blush which was already playing on his cheeks.

"No. I'm fine. Go get the carriage ready. It seems we're running out of time." Ciel sighed, standing up and walking to his dressing table and raising his leg to the top of the table to begin tieing his shoelaces as the demon stood up. He looked in the mirror, removing his eyepatch, and checking the shelf below to look for another one, since something was causing his eye discomfort.

"Of course, My Lord." Sebastian said bowing before turning his back on his master, and towards the door.

"Sebastian." the teenager called. His butler turned back to face him, his usual facial composure unaltered.

"According to me, there are three plagues left."

Sebastian raised an eyebrow slightly, allowing himself a few seconds to grasp his master's...theory. Ah. A plague;a persistent annoyance. Destructive...greatly infectious, eventually fatal. The demon raised his eyes to meet Ciel's. It was a gorgeous compliment, a compliment to him, afterall he was a twisted being in the highest sense. As well crafted as the Earl attempted to wrap his meanings behind the word plague, it still unravelled before his eyes, and he couln't help but smirk.

Why would anything wish for a plague to befall it, and willfully take it in, let it crawl against its skin, and find a way in and in, with the full knowledge that one day...it shall claim it's life?

How helpless, how careless...so human.

He smiled, fixing his gloves without letting his eyes tear away from those of the young Earl, from that eye that bore the sign of their contract.

"I wouldn't be a demon if I thought otherwise. Thanks. My Lord." Sebastian said, bowing once again, before closing the door behind his master.

Ciel stared in shock at the recently closed door, slowly altering his gaze to the mirror he was standing in front of. The whole time Sebastian had been looking at his right eye, as though trying to convey something...something important, like a reminder of something he had never been told before...and he like always, had let his gaze fall first.

A plague. It controlls its victim.. essentially takes over. Slowly but surely.

I wouldn't be a demon if I thought otherwise. So sure of that alluring but destructive power, so sure of its efficiency in gripping its victim completely. So sure that surely...

And then it struck Ciel.

He was the one who controlled this game-
-Sebastian.

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FIN.

The two existences left are the Queen and the white butler/Angela. Incase anyone wanted to know ^ ^.

Hope you enjoyed the last of this series ^ ^. Reviews are very much appreciated.