Game.

"Chess?"

The innocent question was welcomed by a slightly surprised tone and a lifted eyebrow from the blue haired boy. Almost as if he was expecting it was some kind of joke. In front of him, Alois made a childish small dance, joy beaming from his clear eyes

"Yes! Don't you want to play? It'll be fun!" His overhappy voice, which screamed fakeness with each word that fell from those young lips, annoyed Ciel far beyond his comprehension, and yet he had never made a move in order to avoid it. That only served to make the Earl even more uncomfortable, since he was used to control everything around him, and for some strange reason, the other kid seemed to be always outside the line of his reach.

"I don't have time to lose with you. I even doubt you know the rules."

The blond acted as if he was hurt by the other's comment and pouted. "Of course I do! Or could it be..." the previous pout disappeared instantly, being replaced by a soft smirk that had a barely noticeable evil dring to it "...that you are afraid of losing to someone like me?"

Ciel, who had started walking away in his proud manner, stopped dead on his tracks, but made an effort to control the indignant "what?" his mind had shouted at the statement. He turned around carefully, maintaining his cool attitude and his voice steady, or so he thought. "Of course not. I never lose. Are you going to leave me alone if I beat you mercilessly at chess?"

Alois laughed cheerily, the malignant light in his eyes and smirk all but gone, as if it had never existed. "Let's go!"

...

It was a sunny afternoon, and the flowers and bushes Finny looked after (some times with more success than others) practically shone the infinite shades of greens, blues and many other colours they possessed. Birds' chattering could be heard coming from the surrounding trees, and the atmosphere was so peaceful one could almost believe those children walking down the stone path were as pure as the fresh air and sunlight that wrapped them.

Ciel had always liked that small, guarded canopy in the far end of his garden. It was far enough from the windows of the distant manor so as to provide some privacy, and he had always felt he could be less Earl and more Ciel there. It ended being the place where he spent his few idle afternoons, reading, playing cards or chess, or simply admiring the blue vastness of the English sky above him, sometimes clouded or grey with thick fog. He had also told Sebastian to keep away if he went there. Masters need a to get a rest from time to time, too, and more if we are talking about the master of a demon.

He was not pleased at all when his loud companion chose that same place for their game to develop.

The two children sat at the opposite sides of a tiny, square garden table, both with their expensive shoes swinging a few centimeters from the ground, because their heights weren't enough to reach the floor yet. The chess board occupied almost all of the surface of the table, and the heavy chess pieces, embellished by skillfull hands, were placed carefully in each of their positions. Two small armies confronted under the command of two small boys, but with sharp minds and eyes to their avail.

"You often play this, don't you? Aren't you bored of winning old gramps and presumptuous women one after the other?" Alois had somewhat affected manners, and he lifted one of his white pawns with a strangely graceful movement of those pale, thin fingers. When Ciel realised he had been staring at the digits, he mentally scolded himself, missing the quick sparkle that crossed his opponent's eyes.

"No. They are way better at chess than you, anyway, so I wouldn't talk so proudly." He didn't know exactly why, but he didn't feel the need to talk as politely as he used to with this odd kid sitting in front of him.

"I only lack motivation. I don't get anything if I win this game, for example." Again, that soft grin on the blond's face.

"Are you seriously planning to make a bet on something you are going to lose?"

"Why not? Or is it that you are going to make me do something nasty?" Even if these words hadn't been accompanied by a suggestive glance from Alois' eyes, Ciel would have caught the undertone immediately. He was slightly startled by the turn of the conversation, but he was no innocent kid, after all, and he dismissed the issue indifferently.

"You'll only discover it if you go on with this. What do you want us to bet?"

Alois smiled brightly, discarding the awkwardness he himself had created moments before.

"What about a cliché? ... Like, the loser will be under the orders of the one that wins. Let's say, he'll have to oblige to his commands for a brief time," the blond explained, once again putting on his carefree, childish facade. If seen from a distance, one might have thought he was talking about giving sweets to a good friend.

Alois grinned even more widely when he saw the defiant glare Ciel shot him across the table with a single eye as blue, but darker than his. He liked to play, not chess, but other kinds of games, and knew perfectly well what would, and what wouldn't, arise the competitiveness of the Earl.

"Don't complain when I finish you, then" was the cold answer. So easy to read, so easy to provoke despite that strong aura of ice.

...

"Checkmate"

"Fiuuu, that was haaaard...!"

Alois sat back on his chair, stretching his arms and sighing tiredly as if he had just ran a marathon instead of being sitting relaxed under the fresh breeze of the garden. He didn't seem very disappointed about his lost game, although he cared to wear a face of mock sadness.

"I already told you, didn't I?"

It had actually been more difficult to win Alois than Ciel had expected. Despite the fact his pride and confidence had kept the Earl from fearing an imminent loss, he had undoubtedly found a rather impressive resistance from the blond, who played in an erratic, disorienting way, breaking every scheme he had foresighted for him to follow.

Ciel admitted grudgingly to himself that part of it all had been his own fault. After many played games, he had developed an accurate observing skill that he used in order to analyse the opponent and use each tiny detail his expression or movements revealed to his advantage. But observing Alois, automatically at first, had proved to be rather distracting.

The other child had been constantly blabbing about random things during the whole game, swinging his scrawny legs under the table, brushing the Earl's skin ever so slightly from time to time. He had chosen to ignore it, but it had become alarmingly disturbing. He had also surprised himself staring more than once at how the other's fingers worked, moving the pieces with elegance or going up to curl absentmindedly one of his blond strands. Every time the young Phantomhive lost his concentration, his guest's amusement grew larger and larger.

Seeing that Ciel was lost in thought now that the game had finished, Alois saw the opportunity to rise smoothly from his chair, and walk the short distance until he was by the other one's side. The table was in his way, so he pushed it carelessly, making the chess board and pieces fall down with a cascading clatter he found delightful. They pooled in the floor around them like fallen petals left to rot.

"What the hell...?"

"My, I would have never thought our little earl would become so badmouthed when given the opportunity to be my master for a brief time." Ciel's head jerked up, staring in disbelief at the blond who stood right beside him. His words had been downright poisonous. "I need space to obey your commands, you know. It's annoying to have things like those between us. Now that we have finished the first game, let's start this other interesting one." He got closer with every word, casually, almost as if it was just a coincidence and there was no purpose behind his actions. Ciel was able to see the cursed mark on his tongue every time he opened that sinful mouth of his. "Say, what do you want me to do?"

For the first time in ages, Ciel Phantomhive didn't have a witty, cold response at hand. His mind collapsed when it occurred to him that there were actually things he wanted that boy to do for him, or to him. Nothing like this had ever happened before. Alois was truly annoying, with that crazed and sadistic mind of his hidden behind a childish, playful behaviour, often managing to get through his defences with his not-so-harmless tricks. However, Ciel was used to that kind of darkness, for there was some -not as much, but some- of it inside himself. They were intoxicating, those wicked glances and suggestions, the way the blond had teased him during the chess game, the violence and despair underneath those happy smiles and carefree expressions. It all had the same kind of beauty Sebastian, or anyone evil enough, possessed.

Amused, Alois could read the confusion going on in his newly acquired master as easily as if it was written across his face. It made him immediately hungry.

"Since you don't seem to be able to speak, shall I guess what your orders might be?" It was so fun to talk with the voice of a curious child. With this, Ciel's mind snapped back into reality. He was not going to let the other do what he pleas-

His angry intentions went blank when his guest ducked to kiss him.

Grasping forcefully the other's shirt, Ciel tried to push him back with all his might, but Alois had grabbed firmly his hair and clung his other arm around his back, making him fail in his attempts. Half-fighting, half-kissing, the blond sat in his lap and straddled his hips, while he used his lips and tongue ferociously, never considering to kiss sweetly or gently, just searching for pleasure and pain, playing. Feeling the other boy's hands trying to get under his shirt was what gave the Earl extra strength to finally get him off his lap and to the floor, where he fell loudly, scattering chess pieces all around him.

"Ouch!"

"Don't... you dare... do that ever again." Ciel hated the pants that shook his words and the red, angry heat he felt spreading over his cheeks.

"You didn't have to-" Ciel's foot stamping on his chest cut Alois' complaints, obliging him to remain on the floor.

"Shut up." The dangerous edge of these words would have scared many people, but they made the boy being ordered smile mischievously with his ravished lips turning redder by the moment. "You seem to have enjoyed the kiss, though, master. Or should I say something like..." he lifted a hand to caress, with a single finger, the skin of the leg that was keeping him on the ground "... my Lord?"

If Alois expected these words to upset Ciel even more, they had the opposite effect. His angered expression cooled down gradually, as his glare got colder and less passionate and hateful than it had been, although it didn't weaken. His voice gained a nearly freezing shade when he spoke again.

"Fine then."

It was the blond's time to stutter, eyes opening widely. "W-what?"

"I have won. You'll obey me until we get into the house for supper." The blue haired boy was the one who crouched down this time, after retiring his leg. He pulled up Alois' chin in order to make contact with his eyes, which looked at him expectant, starting to gleam with darkness once again. "Start by licking the skin your filthy finger has just touched. Then I want your mouth to go higher. Understood?"

Soft lips on his skin were his answer. Ciel could feel the smile they formed as they ascended slowly, leaving a trail of saliva. He didn't move. The hate, the pain, the cruelty, the shame, everything wrong and disgusting. He would welcome it all and be engulfed by it.

...

So that's it XD

English is not my mother tongue, and any correction will be welcomed. I'm looking forward to hearing your opinions (: