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A/N:
Hello! This is a kuroshitsuji story. I wrote this awhile ago, so it's not the best. It's a little oneshot. I tried my best to keep them in character. I didn't proof-read this, therefore if you point out mistakes it would be appriciated. Please review and enjoy! ^-^
A chorus of sound emits from the busy and crowded London streets as the people upon it, from the high class nobles visiting the luscious candy shops to the beggars who tap their small silver cups in angst, discuss- happily or sadly- the coming days ahead. One man, a noble with a heavy set, round face and thin, wispy grey mustache has plans to visit the owners of a well known culinary franchise, his wife smiles and holds her husbands arm, glancing at the dresses in the windows when he does not (no, when she knows he is secretly) looking at her. After his conversation had ended they go into the shop and the woman casually, as if this was nothing surprising, points out the lavender and blue dress she was eyeing and soon it is removed from its mannequin, then placed in a bag that one of their servants carries while following his master and lady as they continue up the street and into a carriage, as a young girl with curly blond hair almost trips over the hem of her dress trying to get to the store just ahead.
"My- My lady!" Paula hollers desperately after but it's useless, Elizabeth has the dress shop in her sights and she's going there. The clouds move just enough so that the white, marble like streets seem to glisten as Paula caught up to her. Elizabeth's smile stretched from practically ear to ear as she let out a girlish giggle.
"Aren't they lovely?" Elizabeth asked, stretching out a gloved hand and placing it on the glass. Paula caught her breath, then fixed her bandana ever so slightly before smiling in approval.
"Yes, of course they are, but you mustn't run off that way, Lady Elizabeth! It's very dangerous!" Elizabeth was no longer listening as she spotted an interesting figure in the shop, right hand scratching his near-navy colored head as his face clearly showed exasperation. Beside him stood the tall and attractive butler, with pointed features and who was talking rather friendly to the woman in the shop. The short boy beside him then turned sharply and all Elizabeth could see was the side of Ciel's face where his eye was hidden by a dark eye patch. She listened into the glass just slightly, catching muffled bits of the conversation.
"You've got to be kidding me! How on earth is that convenient?!" Ciel complained. The butler let out a chuckle and glanced back up a the dress above the woman tailor, who was fixing a little hem on the elegant dress.
"It is a lovely dress, which was labored upon personally by many talented seamstresses and tailors who designed it for show and appearances sake. It shan't matter to you, my lord…unless you intend on wearing the dress…" The way Sebastian said it, bent down close to Ciel's ear and practically whispering made Ciel shiver. He mumbled something Elizabeth assumed was something along the lines of, 'like I'd ever wear that, Sebastian', to which Sebastian gave his fox-like smile.
"Elizabeth has so many other dresses anyway. I don't see why she needs another one." Ciel continued to be a sour crouch, his arms crossed and his foot, the brown shoes was tapping repeatedly.
"But you're the one who'll be buying it, my lord."
"Shut up! I just…I just didn't know what else to get, okay!" Ciel quickly looked away from his butler and to the woman who was sewing up the folds of the dress.
Outside, it took all Elizabeth had not to giggle frantically and blow her cover. She glanced at Paula.
"Paula! Let's quickly go inside! Before he sees us!" How odd, usually Elizabeth would burst through the window and wrap her arms around Ciel, practically strangling him in the process. Paula smiled and followed Elizabeth inside, while Elizabeth got a better look at the dress in front of Ciel and Sebastian.
It was a long, spacious dress that was cut off just under the collarbone, the light purple sleeves stretched across the mannequins arms and traveled to the elbows, same material fell to the rest of the dress while white skirts were puffed below, silver flowers were at every hem upon the skirt and a silver line was right on the sleeves and over the bodice. There was a dark red ribbon over the waist, with silver flowers that were on either side of the hip. It was a lovely dress and Elizabeth glanced at Paula once, her green eyes sparkled.
"Oh Paula! Isn't it grand!" Paula nodded her approval. "Yes, it is my lady." She said. As Elizabeth watched Ciel go over some paperwork with the woman, she noticed Sebastian glance at her and he held her eyes, the same smile (or smirk. Whatever.) she usually saw on him was there. Suddenly Elizabeth backed up as Sebastian lightly tapped Ciel on the shoulder.
"Young master, I believe your surprise is ruined." he said leisurely.
"What are you on about?" Ciel asked, his face became scrunched up as he thought. He didn't know Elizabeth's exact measurements. He could ask Lady Middleford, Elizabeth's mother, however she'd most likely completely change the dress in its entirety, even though this was the same one he'd remembered Lizzie saying that she positively adored, that one time their carriage drove by the shop. She had discussed the colors and how she'd wanted them changed a tiny bit before she was distracted (as she often was) by Ciel's positively undeniable cuteness. Ciel was still thinking when Sebastian finished his thought.
"Lady Elizabeth is here."
"Oh. That's nice." Ciel mumbled, not really listening. Sebastian questioned in his mind whether Ciel ever listened. Then, it hit.
"Wait, what?!" Ciel asked, turning towards Sebastian. Sebastian pointed to where Elizabeth was. Ciel followed with his gaze, frowning at what he saw.
Elizabeth had pulled on an old Victorian styled wig and put on Paula's apron over her red and white dress, her back was facing Ciel but the tuffs of curled, blond hair stuck out obviously. The wig looked so out of place, too…honestly, sometimes Ciel questioned Elizabeth's judgment. He knew from her ramblings that her servants spent a good ten minutes doing her hair at the earliest. Paula was pretending to be a mannequin. Badly. Ciel fought the urge to roll his eyes and walked over to her, as his footsteps grew louder then silenced Elizabeth's heart pounded. Ciel placed his hand on her shoulder lightly.
"Elizabeth, why are you here?" he asked. It came out like a sigh. Elizabeth swallowed and clapped her hands.
"Who is Elizabeth? I am…Paula!" Elizabeth said the first name on her mind. Paula sneezed lightly, nearly blowing her non-existent cover. "Paula….Fitzgarnial." the last name was pure gibberish. A for effort, anyone?
"Elizabeth, I know its you. I'm not mad or anything."
Elizabeth sighed and turned around, taking the wig off and placing it back on the formerly bald mannequin Paula stood next to. "I'm sorry, Ciel, I was just walking by and saw the dress shop, then I looked in the window and I saw you, so I decided to come in…" Elizabeth glanced at Paula. "Paula, you can come down now, if you'd like."
Paula slowly climbed down, her boots had left a slight trail of dirt so she worked to brush it off. Her brown hair was thick and tangled now, taking care of Lizzie was a rigorous job. Obviously. Paula smiled weakly at Ciel, who did not return her gesture.
"it's fine. All you did was ruin the surprise. Besides, this way you can approve the dress and make sure it fits."
Elizabeth's eyes lit up and she wrapped her arms around Ciel, squeezing him so suddenly he had to step back a little and put his hands on her waist to stop both of them from stumbling to the floor of the shop. The tailor woman blinked slightly, Sebastian smirked, and Paula stuttered, "M-my lady!" However Lizzie was unfazed.
"Elizabeth, people are staring! What did Aunt Frances tell you?" A tired sounding Ciel asked.
"I told you to call me Lizzie a long time ago! And I don't care, I'm so glad Ciel would do this for me~!" Elizabeth showed no sign of freeing Ciel's helpless neck.
"Uhh, just, just go get your measurements, okay! And let go of me! I can barely breathe!" Elizabeth's glance lightened before she smiled at him, then ran over to the lady waiting with the measuring tape. Ciel dusted his shirt as Paula followed Lizzie, making comments about the dress and as Lizzie continued to talk, Paula made inputs when necessary to keep Elizabeth happy. Ciel unconsciously glanced back at her, a tiny grimace-looking expression on his mouth. Now, Sebastian didn't like to gloat- wait, scratch that yes he DOES- but he'd known his master for quite the while.
Elizabeth was the last link to Ciel's happy childhoods that was left practically unscratched, her lovely and happy personality seemed to keep Ciel at least partially away from the darkness that Sebastian pulled him into constantly. Sebastian pondered this and felt the smallest of similes, or smirks, play upon his lips.
"Love is a funny thing, is it not, young master? He asked as Ciel finally focused his full attention on him. The expression he had made Ciel's mouth open just slightly and his eyebrows twitch beneath his hair.
"W-what? Don't go assuming things! Besides, why would you know! Demons can't love!" Ciel hissed under his breath. However he was looking down, faintest of red on his cheeks. Sebastian was half tempted to pinch them. To see what Ciel would do about it. But teasing Ciel this way was much more amusing.
"What did I assume, young master? It's far obvious that Elizabeth feels strongly for you." Sebastian was now walking towards the mannequin with the dress on it, as to help the woman hold it up when it wobbled and shook. She said a bright thank you to which Sebastian replied, "I'm a butler of the Phantomhive family. What could I do if I couldn't do something like that?" Causing Ciel to roll his eyes (or, well, the only visible one) very dramatically. Elizabeth giggled brightly, her usual ear to ear smile plastered upon her face. Ciel glanced at her again. How could she smile so brightly like that; a carefree face. How he wished- yes, he did wish that he could be carefree like Elizabeth, who's smile was even extending to Paula now, as she helped hold the tape measure for the seamstress. Ciel then turned around slightly, tapping his cane lightly on the ground in front of Sebastian. Sebastian's eyes were fixed on the door outside, where a young and carefree child followed its mother gently, a porcelain, doll like hand with thin fingers wrapped on the grey shall in front, as the woman knelt down and patted the blond head.
"What are you looking at?" Ciel asked his distracted butler.
"Nothing. I am just deciding on the best choice for the nightly tea." He said, with a smirk that made Ciel think otherwise.