The Other End of the String

A Dance Partner

By TheYangSistaz

Disclaimer: Kuroshitsuji aka Black Butler belongs to Yana Toboso. Her characters have been borrowed solely for the purpose of The Other End of the String with no intentions of copyright infringement. Any similarity to other fanfictions is purely coincidental and no malicious actions are intended.

Author's Note: Any distribution of The Other End of the String is prohibited without the author's permission. Thank you for your cooperation!

Ciel was surprised to see Lydia tumble head first into his study when Sebastian opened the door.

"Lydia?" he questioned.

He watched as she pushed herself onto her knees and looked up at him. Her expression became thoughtful and she looked as though she was staring into him. Realizing he'd lowered his guard and she might've heard his earlier confession, he glared at her. Sebastian called to her and her attention shifted.

"Lydia, what are you doing?" Sebastian asked. "Weren't you with Lady Elizabeth?"

"Ah…well…" she struggled to explain.

Come to think of it, Ciel remembered that Lizzy had practically dragged Lydia and her supposed sister away. He wondered what she was doing here. Looking her over, he saw she was nowhere near ready for the ball. Perhaps, she didn't want to go to the ball. He figured she snuck out whilst Lizzy hadn't been watching because Lizzy was the type who wouldn't take "no" for an answer. After all, he sure as hell didn't want to go through with the ball but that was inevitable.

"You can help Master with his dance lesson by being his dance partner."

He caught Sebastian's words and snapped his attention to his butler.

"That should be better for you, right, Master?" Sebastian asked despite whatever it was Lydia was trying to say. "Dancing with a lady should be more beneficial, correct?"

Although he didn't want to dance at all, Ciel realized he had no choice. If he wanted to uphold his reputation as a gentleman, he would have to learn sooner or later. He much preferred later than sooner, though. With a deep sigh, he rubbed at his left temple.

"I suppose it will," he offered.

The girl blatantly refused, mentioning that she should have a say when it was her body being used. Ciel suddenly found himself wondering if she even knew how to dance. It would certainly help if she did but—if not—he was certain the lesson would prove disastrous for everyone. Sebastian successfully convinced her to agree and she sighed in defeat.

"I suppose I have no choice," she countered. "Let's get started then."

Lydia approached, entering into his personal space, and he was taken aback. She looked as though she was going to laugh but—instead—took hold of his left hand with her right hand while placing her left atop his right shoulder. Her hand in his was small and its softness surprised him. Looking at their intertwined hands, he realized he'd never had skin-to-skin contact with another woman before. Not even Lizzy. He looked at her face to see she was waiting for him and grabbed her waist.

Ciel noticed the way she stiffened from the contact but didn't say anything. He could feel the tight form of her figure beneath her clothes. Then, he realized she wasn't wearing a corset. Looking at her with scrutiny, he decided that Lydia was—indeed—a strange woman. Then again, he should've known right from their first meeting. The lesson began with Sebastian instructing him on what to do.

He was surprised—apparently, the girl did know how to dance. Unfortunately, they'd only managed several steps before he shifted his leg forward and kicked Lydia's shin. He paused but continued when she gave no reaction. As the lesson continued on, he cursed himself for every little step on her toes and every single kick to her legs. He noticed the way her features contorted in pain with each step and kick. He'd had enough and stopped, receiving a questioning look from her.

"Enough," he announced and pulled away from Lydia.

"You are almost there, Master," Sebastian countered. "I believe one more round shall do."

With a frustrated sigh, Ciel faced Lydia and saw her hesitate. He glanced down to see the bluish-purple colors of a bruise already forming on her legs. His lips thinned as he forced himself to take hold of her once more. This would be the last round and he refused to practice more. With a huff, Lydia placed her atop his shoulder and—looking at her—he gently led her into the steps of the dance. They made it through with no more damage to Lydia's legs or his pride and they immediately parted from each other when Sebastian deemed him well enough to uphold his reputation.

Ciel bowed like he would after dancing with a lady and retreated behind his desk. He was relieved the dancing was finally done with for now and hoped he'd be able to get some paperwork out of the way. He turned to look out the window to see the sun had already begun to set. He heard Lydia mention taking dance lessons with her sister. Then, Sebastian dismissed her and—with a huff—she did. He suddenly remembered the bruises on her legs and called out to her. He glanced over his shoulder to see she was already at the door with her hand on the knob.

"Yes?"

What should he say?

"You should put ice on your…er…legs," he announced but didn't turn to face her. "It would be a shame if you missed the ball later."

When there was no reply, he realized he must've sounded sentimental and sighed inwardly.

"Are you—"

"Lizzy would be upset if you did not make it," he added in an attempt to cover his previous statement. "And you are needed to help clean after the ball."

"You need not worry, Lord Phantomhive," she replied defiantly. "I'm a tough girl."

She was angry, he realized. Why on Earth, he didn't know why nor did he care. She departed from the room with an exasperated sigh. She slammed the door behind her in an unladylike manner. He sighed and moved to sit down. He felt his butler's eyes on him and he glanced up at him.

"Don't," he ordered before turning to his papers.

"Whatever do you mean, Master?"

He tightened his jaw as irritation flashed through him. He knew Sebastian deliberately feigned innocence just to get on his nerves. The behavior frustrated him to no end but he refused to set an order for the butler to stop. It would be a sign of weakness on his part and he refused to be weak in front of Sebastian. Instead, he met Sebastian's eyes with a glare.

"Whatever it is you are going to say," he answered.

"I was not going to say anything," Sebastian replied with a smile.

Ciel sensed the teasing challenge in the butler's voice and glowered with annoyance.

Damn demon…

*/*\*

Ciel watched as Giselle led his fiancée and her maid toward the washroom. He sighed in annoyance but decided he didn't mind the break. As he stood off to the side to observe the other partiers, his mind drifted back to when he'd almost hit Lizzy. Truthfully, he didn't even understand why he had gotten so angry and felt ashamed of himself. As a gentleman, he should never raise a hand to a woman especially his future wife. He glared down at his hand. He didn't know what he would've done if he had hit Lizzy. With a sigh, he lowered his hand and looked up to see Lydia standing not too far away.

Apparently, she could look presentable as well. He looked her over and noticed how well the dress fit to her form. The flow of the dress followed her bodyline and allowed him to see the natural flair of her hips. With an awkward cough, he turned his attention elsewhere but eventually returned to her again. She stood in place and—by the way she shifted—he knew she didn't want to be present. He snapped out of his observation when he felt Sebastian approach his side.

"Lydia looks quite presentable tonight, doesn't she, Master?" the butler commented.

Annoyed that he'd been caught staring, Ciel frowned.

"Why don't you ask her to dance?" Sebastian quipped. "It would be rude not to."

Ciel remained in place mainly because he wasn't sure if Lydia would accept.

"She did give a limb to help in your lesson earlier," Sebastian added. "Make that two."

Ciel gritted his teeth with irritation and strode toward Lydia. He might as well get it out of the way. After all, despite everything, she was a lady and they were at a ball. He approached her only to have her turn and bump into him. When she gave him an expectant look, he was momentarily at a loss for words. Then, remember his purpose, he held out his hand and asked her to dance, his voice softer than he intended. She looked taken aback.

"W-what?"

Exasperated that he'd have to repeat himself, he sighed.

"Will you do me the honor of this dance?" he asked in a voice gruff with impatience.

Lydia looked as though she was at a loss. Then, her expression became distant and he knew she wanted to decline. She briefly scanned the room—he did as well—and saw she was obviously the only eligible woman for him to dance with. She bit her lips and the action caught his attention, sending an unidentifiable urge through him. He was shocked at the sudden feeling and wondered what the hell that had been.

His attention snapped back into reality when he felt Lydia place her hand in his. He tightened his hold on her and headed to the dance floor. Getting into position, he pulled her close—earning a surprised gasp from her. He realized he was smirking and quickly straightened his mouth. She hadn't joined the position and he grew impatient. When she finally did place her hand on his shoulder, he easily swept them into the rhythm of the dance.

Not wanting to subject her legs to more injury, Ciel took extra effort in getting his steps right. Unlike during their practice earlier, he was able to take a closer look at her. He didn't realize her presumed-brown hair actually had a reddish tinge to it and the light of the chandelier reflected the color more thoroughly. He noticed her eye color was a mixture with no definite color but the dress she wore gave them a green tint. She averted her eyes and he realized he must've been staring. With a mental slap, he shifted his attention back to the dance and was glad he was doing rather well.

They continued dancing for a while longer—Ciel didn't notice how long. Lydia suddenly began to lag in the dance. He found himself pulling her along more and more. Eventually, it felt as though he was the only one putting effort into the dance.

"What's wrong?" he asked, feeling slightly irritated. "You're not even trying anymore."

"I am trying," she countered viciously before wincing. "It's just—"

Then, Ciel remembered about Lydia's injured legs. He was taken by surprise when Lydia suddenly stumbled. His instincts took over and he tightened his hold around her waist, pulling her close to him. He took notice that—like during their dance lesson—she wasn't wearing a corset. Because of that, he felt every inch of her soft and pliant figure pressed against him. Once again, he felt the same unidentifiable urge from before slice through him. She pulled back to look up at him and he swore her cheeks were flushing.

"W-what are you doing?" she whispered in a tone that sent his figure clenching in a way he didn't know was possible for him.

"You were going to fall," he answered as he squashed away the strange sensation.

"Um…Master Ciel?"

He knew it was Finny before Lydia averted her eyes and pulled away. He allowed her some space but kept his arm around her waist. He faced Finny who looked as if he wanted to ask a very important question.

"What is it, Finny?" he asked.

The gardener went on with a string of mumbles that quickly irked Ciel's nerves. He reiterated his question harsher than he intended but the man was taking too long.

"Ah, well…I was wondering if I could dance with Miss Lydia?" Finny asked.

"Of course, you can, Finny," Lydia answered.

She turned her attention to him as if to ask if it would be okay. Ciel was hesitant to release her because—he told himself—her legs were hurting. He looked between her and Finny before he shook his head. It wasn't his problem if she wanted to continue torturing herself.

"What are you asking me for?" he snapped.

Pulling away from Lydia, he turned to leave only to pause and look back when she thanked him for the dance. He contemplated telling her to rest but decided against it. Acknowledging her with a nod, he departed from the dance floor and went to stand by a pillar on the far side. He saw Lizzy dancing with Sebastian while Giselle stood off to the side chatting with Bard and Tanaka. His attention soon returned to Lydia and Finny and he saw she was struggling.

He watched as Finny led—more like dragged—Lydia along in their dancing. He could see how much pain the girl was in and wondered why she had subjected herself to such torture. He was tempted to go over and order Finny to let her rest. Then, as if he heard Ciel's thoughts, the gardener pulled away from Lydia. He watched as they briefly spoke before Finny led her toward the nearest chair. He continued to fuss over Lydia but eventually left the girl to her own thoughts.

Not wanting to be caught observing her, he shifted his attention to see Lizzy had finished dancing with Sebastian. She was trying to convince Finny to dance with her and it proved to be successful when the gardener finally agreed. He noticed Giselle making her way to Lydia's side only to be stopped by Sebastian who promptly whisked her away into a dance. He looked back at Lydia to see her testing her legs and headed toward her with a sigh.

"Did you put ice on them like I told you to?"

She was startled by his presence. Then, her expression became thoughtful. He wondered what she was thinking about when she suddenly frowned. He saw the evident anger in her eyes before she looked away with a sigh. What was wrong with her now?

"Of course not," she stated matter-of-factly as if he should've known. "After your dance lesson, I had to help finish preparing for the ball."

"You weren't able to find the time at all?"

He found it hard to believe. After all, his dance lesson had been no more than half an hour—45 minutes at the longest. That left her with several hours to do whatever she pleased. Had it really taken her that long to prepare for the party? Even so, she could've at least taken some time aside to care for her legs.

"You don't have to worry, my lord," she snapped which brought him out of his thoughts. "I'll be fine to clean up." She shot to her feet and he moved to catch her when she nearly stumbled but she kept her balance. "If you'll excuse me, then…I wish to start cleaning now."

Ciel watched as she walked away and realized why she was upset. With a sigh, he rubbed at his temple and wished for the night to be over already. Unfortunately, the ball continued until late into the night. He danced with Lizzy several more times and—despite the fact he felt the day had been wasted—he figured it wasn't too bad since his fiancée enjoyed herself. After seeing her off in the carriage he'd ordered Sebastian to retrieve, he headed back into the manor. As he approached the stairwell, he remembered what he'd wanted to do earlier and turned to look at the older woman he'd brought home today.

"Miss Giselle, I expect to see you in my study after you have settled in for the night," he stated, making sure she knew he wouldn't take "no" for an answer.

"Yes, Lord Phantomhive," she replied with a curtsey.

He faced Sebastian, "Sebastian, escort her to my study when she is ready."

"Yes, my lord."

With a nod of approval, he headed up the stairs and made his way to his study. Although he didn't understand why—nor did he want to—he suddenly remembered Lydia's injured legs. He wondered if she had treated them yet. He realized she was probably on her way to start cleaning. A sudden guilt weighed upon his conscience as he remembered how she'd struggled to continue dancing. With a sigh, he stopped and turned to head toward the kitchen. He stopped when he almost bumped into Sebastian who gave him a questioned look.

"Master," the butler inquired. "Where are you going?"

"Erm…I was…" Ciel was at a loss for words; then, he realized it would be strange for him to go himself. "Take some ice to Lydia; make sure she takes care of her legs." He turned toward his study only to stop at the door and looked back at Sebastian who was already headed toward the kitchen. "Sebastian."

"Yes, Master?"

"Tell her she doesn't have to help the others clean."

With those final words, Ciel entered his study.

Author's Note: As a small token of celebration for this story's one-year anniversary, we decided to post a special for The Strings of Fate but from the heroes' POV. We thought it would be nice for our readers to have a look into someone else's mind besides our heroines. As stated in the summary, this is a companion to The Strings of Fate and it will always be about what our heroes are thinking during certain situations from the main story. This will probably be updated less frequently but do expect a chapter every now and then. We hope readers enjoyed this small excerpt into the hero's mind and hope readers will look forward to more! Please let us know your thoughts and what you would like to be included in future chapters! Thanks for all the support!