Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji.

Pairings: AloisxClaude CielxSebastian

Ciel frowned at the assignment in front of him. "It's a splendid social experiment!" his psychology teacher Mr. Sutcliff declared. With a flourish of his hand he passed the homework (printed on red paper) around the room. While his classmates murmured and laughed about this novel idea, Ciel sunk low into his chair. He wasn't social to begin with. Now his grade was depending upon his ability to connect with another. 'I'm doomed,' he mused.

"Why the long face Ciel?" his best friend laughed as he plopped down into the empty seat beside him with just a few minutes of class remaining. "You look positively ill."

"Thanks for that, Alois," Ciel snipped. The bell rang and all of the students rose, bustling out of the classroom and flowing into the hall. "I've never failed a class before-"Ciel started awkwardly.

"Failed? Hell man, you've never gotten a B! My parents constantly wonder aloud why I can't be a straight A student like you!" Alois whined.

"Well now they have nothing to complain about," Ciel said confidently, "because I can't complete this assignment. It's ludicrous and completely unfair."

"Ciel," Alois giggled, "it's not THAT bad." Pulling out the assignment papers, his eyes roamed over them again. "It's a simple social experiment you know. We just have to befriend someone new. Someone we typically wouldn't imagine associating with. If anything, this will be easiest for you!" He gave his friend a teasing poke.

Ciel easily swatted the offending hand away. "I choose to associate as little with these people as possible," he stated firmly as they stepped outside. "Stupidity is like a disease in this place. The more people you know, the more infected you become."

"Aw, but isn't becoming entangled in webs of friendship truly so terrible?" Alois asked with a smirk as he waved. Racing up to the parked car, he all but dove into the front passenger seat. "You're sooo sweet, picking us up from school!" he gushed as he leaned over to suction his face onto his boyfriend's.

When they came up for air said man uttered a quiet, "you're welcome." Adjusting the rear view mirror, a ghost of a smile crossed his lips. "Ciel, it is nice to see you again."

Ciel mustered a slight smile. "It's nice to see you too Claude. And Alois is right, it's nice of you to pick us up when you could be doing a million other things with your down time from school."

Alois threw his arms around Claude's neck as the elder shifted the car into drive and huffed out a small laugh as he shoved the younger male who was laughing manically back into the passenger seat. "It's because he loooooooves me!" Alois proudly declared. After nearly a year of dating the stoic college freshman had told the high school junior he loved him. And was never allowed to forget it from that point on.

Smiling slightly Ciel slumped into the backseat and watched the scenery fly by as Claude drove them to Alois' home. In the front seat Alois blabbered on and on about the new assignment Mr. Sutcliff had given them. "I already have a few people in mind. You know, a couple jocks that intrigue me," Alois continued. "Since I'm in so many cliques it's tough to think of anyone I don't have something in common with!" he laughed jovially, "and poor Ciel doesn't know what to do because he hates everybody equally!"

Catching Ciel's eye roll in the mirror, Claude interjected, "You know, my cousin is transferring to your school next week." The car was silent as they pulled into the driveway. "I'm not trying to force him on you, or anything of the sort," Claude assured as they all exited the car. "But perhaps it would be easier to get to know someone you don't already dislike."

Ciel had to admit he had a point. Maybe this guy wouldn't be a total loss. He hadn't been tainted by the fools at their school yet anyway.

Being a private school, the class sizes were relatively small. Typically only 80-100 students per graduating class. Which meant everyone knew everybody, and they gossiped to no end about everybody else's business. Ciel loathed their petty conversations and simplistic thought processes, practically counting the days until graduation. Last year he had already begun looking at colleges and universities. Places large and diverse.

"Thanks for the heads up Claude," Ciel said quietly as they entered the house. Instantly they were met by a mirthful older gentleman.

"Home for Thanksgiving break, Claude?" he asked pleasantly. Quickly approaching, they shook hands as Claude's smile broadened.

"Sure am, Mr. Trancy," Claude confirmed. "Thanks for letting me grab the boys from school, it gave me a great opportunity to catch up with them."

Alois stood slightly behind Claude, and Ciel watched as his friend looked annoyed. The blonde hated how his boyfriend spoke of him like a child, however he knew his father was slightly uncomfortable with his homosexuality, and Claude acting like an older brother figure around the house seemed to put Mr. Trancy at ease. Still, Ciel felt a little sorry for him. Just because Alois liked boys, society saw it more proper that he not express his affection or feelings in public, and even behind closed doors.

Moments like this made Ciel even more aware of the fact that to every single outsider looking in, he was basically asexual. Not once had anyone appealed to him. His cousin Elizabeth, who is a year older then himself and attends the same school, was constantly offering to set him up with any friends of hers.

"You have this dark, brooding personality that draws girls in!" Elizabeth explained to him one day. "Girls like boys who are emotionally unavailable. It makes them all the more fascinating!"

"First off, that is the dumbest thing I have ever heard," Ciel complained, which earned him plenty of giggles from his cousin. "Secondly, I'm sure I'd be open and 'emotionally available' if I actually fancied somebody. But no one at our school is worth my time."

Slightly insulted, Elizabeth stood up from her seat on Ciel's bed. "Well that holier than thou complex certainly isn't going to make you agreeable to anyone," she told him snootily. Smoothing her skirt, she walked to his bedroom door. Pausing at the door, Elizabeth cast a look at him that froze Ciel to his seat. "One day, Ciel," she began softly, "you're going to meet someone who will want to be worth your time, because you truly are a good person. I just hope you don't write them off too easily." She left before he could even think to protest.

Shaking himself from this memory, Ciel followed his friends into the kitchen. "So your cousin is arriving at school when we're returning from our break?" Ciel voiced as they scooped fresh fruit from a bowl on the kitchen counter.

"He is," Claude affirmed as he bit into an apple. "His family is already in town though, if you'd like to meet him before your return," Claude suggested, "that way if you don't take to him, you won't have missed much time on completing your assignment."

"That's a great idea Claude!" Alois enthused. "Can we all go see a movie tomorrow? I've been dying to go out on a date with you~!"

"Don't go making this sound like a double date!" Ciel snapped.

The blonde simply stuck his tongue out at him. "So what if I do? Maybe you'll hit it off," Alois teased as he wrapped his arms around Ciel from behind. "What if you like him? What if he's hot for you?" he whispered into Ciel's ear. Blue-grey hair swayed with the breath, and Ciel turned an interesting shade of pink.

"That is NOT going to happen Alois!" Ciel barked as he shook his friend loose. He pegged the blonde with three grapes before turning on his heel and heading for the side door in the kitchen. "I'm out of here," Ciel told the two, grabbing the door knob. "I'll see you two tomorrow. Claude, could you text me with the details? I don't trust this fool to get it right."

Claude chuckled as his boyfriend feigned severe depression. "Of course. I'll speak to Sebastian and we'll make a definite plan."

Ciel nodded once and slipped out the door. 'Sebastian… that's an interesting name.'

Left alone, Alois leered at Claude. "Want to go to my room?" he asked, trying to smile as innocently as possible- and failing miserably.

"Yes, your highness," Claude replied, a naughty smirk forming.