Okay, I know. It has been almost a year since I've updated. Sorry. I've been busy, and I've been writing other things, plus I became really, really, obsessed with Attack on Titan for a few months sooo...

Anyway here you go.

Unbeta'd

Ciel stared at the door. He hadn't moved from the bed he was provided since being admitted into the duke's house. The bed was grand. Soft down pillows, made only of what Ciel must imagine as the softest geese that had ever roomed the earth. The linens felt like silt, flowing through his hands like water, even his parents hadn't provided Ciel with a bed this nice. He had skipped dinner the first night he had stayed in the bed in favor of getting all the rest he could. Now, as Ciel's stomach grumbled, the boy felt slightly foolish at skipping a free meal. He pinched the linens in his hand, feeling them between thumb and forefinger again. Perhaps saying he made the wrong choice was unfair, but either way he was out a free meal, and he was supposed to leave the manor tomorrow.

Cursing quietly, and with much struggle, the teen finally got out of the bed and headed towards the door. He had spared the door many glances on the first night, walking up from a nightmare he could not remember, confused by his surroundings he would stare at the door until he could remember that his parents weren't going to rush in to comfort him. That they would never again rush in to comfort him.

It was a large wooden door, with carvings of cherubs and fairies in each corner, happily surprising Ciel. He figured a man as cold as Sebastian would never have such childish carvings on any door in his mansion, it made the teen smirk, feeling he was privy to a secret not many others were.

His original plan was to try to seduce the duke, but the harshness of the man left Ciel regretting that thought. He should try something else before that. He did, after all, still have some of his pride on the line. Plus, he had made it into the house. That was the most important thing. If he could earn Sebastian's trust through some other means, the teen was more than willing to try that approach first.

The door creaked loudly as he opened it, struggling as he did so, incredibly heavy, it took him five minutes before he as able to squeeze through the space he had created, and as soon as he did so the door slammed shut again.

It was rather concerning that the door was so difficult to open, but he decided to worry about that later, in the meantime he was going to find himself a snack and consume as much as he could before he would possibly be forced to leave this house.

The large hallways were quiet and empty, as Ciel padded down them looking for the kitchen he began to feel uneasy, he didn't like the thought of a large empty manor. It reminded him too much of his parents' home. Another rumble of his stomach, however, and he steeled his resolve and continued on marching towards the kitchen.

Since he walked through the front door he hadn't seen Sebastian, he had no clue whether the man was even here now or not. When he was first asked his age by the duke, Ciel believed the man was beginning to become infatuated with him, but seeing as the man hadn't even tried to have one of the servants coerce him into having dinner last night the teen was beginning to wonder if perhaps he was being a bit full of himself.

When the slate haired teen had first met the powerful man he had such strong ideas to seduce the man, and make the duke help him seek revenge upon his parents, but Ciel prided himself on being realistic, and Sebastian had seemed like a much more intelligent man than Ciel had first given him credit for. The teen wouldn't be surprised if the duke had his own suspicions about the boy. It certainly would explain why Sebastian hadn't bothered to send in someone to call him to dinner, or to wake him up. The teen hadn't seen anyone since he was brought to his room yesterday afternoon.

Ciel shuddered as he remembered the bath he was given yesterday before being brought to his room. He rubbed the sore skin on his shoulders. Some obscenely strong young man about his own age bathed him. Ciel had insisted he was fine on his own, but the servant was whole heartedly set on bathing the young man. It had been one of the worst baths of his life. After he was deemed clean enough he was dried off and changed into some of the servants clothes. Ciel had blanched when he first heard he would be wearing a servant's clothing, but seeing as all he had were dirty muddy clothes, he didn't have much else of a choice.

"Oh sir! You're finally awake!" a loud squawking female voice practically yelled at him, as the teen began to descend the stairs still in search of food. "We started to worry Finny might've killed you by accident in the bath!" Her shrill, awkward, laugh filled the foyer, and the teen rolled his eyes at her stupid theory.

"Right well I am actually alive as you can see, and I'd really like some chocolate, so," he made his way past her, quickening his pace so as to get away from her faster.

"Oh sir, if you'd like any fancy sweets to eat, I'm afraid you'll have to make it yourself. The master of the house doesn't like sweets."

Ciel's head swung back so fast to face her he lost his footing and almost fell over, eyes wide with disbelief and a silent plea in them as they looked upon the maid.

"No sweets?" His voice sounded weird to his own ears, chocked almost. How could a rich duke not have one sweet thing to eat in his whole manor? It didn't make any sense to the once rich young man. Back before his manor had been burned to the ground the young man survived on tea and sweets. Hearing that the duke didn't have any sweets throughly confused the young man. What was he supposed to eat then?

"No. We usually aren't even allowed in the kitchen. The master is an odd one indeed, he prefers to make his own meals. In fact we are only allowed in the kitchen during our assigned meal times. I'm not sure the duke would take too kindly to you being in there. But you are a guest..."

The teen rolled his eyes again and began to march back up the stairs in the direction of his room. If there were no sweets then he shouldn't even bother.

"Nevermind, it doesn't matter," he muttered as he stalked past the maid, irritation clear in his step.

"My, my, what a petulant child you are. And you are a guest in someone else's manor no less," the slate haired young man could hear the smirk and amusement in the duke's voice before he even bothered to turn and face the person who owned the mansion the teen was staying in.

"What kind of manor doesn't have any sweets? Or a professional chef? What kind of duke makes his own food?" the young man launched into a flurry of questions before he could stop himself.

The duke just ignored him in favor of turning to his maid. "Mayrin, will you excuse us? I'd like to have a word with my guest."

Ciel could feel all the color drain from his face as the maid quietly excused herself and wondered off. He didn't feel at all comfortable being around the duke, being alone with the man. He felt like the man was dangerous, and the foreboding sense he felt right now was hard to shake off.

"So, tonight will be your last night here. I'll expect you out by tomorrow morning."

The amusement that had been in the man's voice moments before was gone now. He sounded annoyed and tired now.

"But I can not go back to those streets. I refuse. Is there any way you'd hire me as a servant?" the teen had to speak through clenched teeth, knowing the embarrassment he would cause his parents at asking if he could be a servant. The sickening smirk the duke gave him only made his stomach twist unpleasantly, as his pride took another fatal blow.

"You refuse to leave? You think you can take on all my servants? You think you can take on me?"

Ciel could feel heat rise in his cheeks, realizing how foolish his request had sounded, without thinking he muttered the first thought that went through his mind.

"Well how many servants are there?"

The amusement was clear on the duke's face, even from the top of the steps, where Ciel stood he could see the amusement dance in the duke's eyes, who resounded at the bottom of the steps.

"Three."

The teen could feel himself blanch again. "Only three? For a manor this size?"

"Three is plenty for someone like me," the way Sebastian had emphasized the last word Ciel knew there was something odd about the whole manor. "In fact, I'd say I have more than enough servants, too many really, so in regards to your earlier question, no, I will not hire you as a servant. Tonight will be your last night in my manor. I have given you one of the best guests rooms in the mansion, much to my displeasure, just to appease the servants and get them off my back. I am not charitable enough to let you stay another night."

The coldness in Sebastian's tone gave Ciel pause. Perhaps his original plan, the one to seduce the duke, needed to be put back into place, even though the thought made bile rise in the young man's throat. His pride and honor slipping with each passing moment.

"Are you positive there is nothing I can do, master?" the teen tried to say the last word as erotic as possible, but was afraid it sounded rather choked and awkward leaving his mouth. But, sparing a look at the duke, and Ciel saw a slight change in the man's eyes. More predatory, more hungry, more lustful. Regret instantly washed over Ciel, how could he handle it if the duke tried to take him up on his offer?

"I-I didn't mean..." He trailed off, eyes everywhere, but Sebastian's face. Ciel could hear the loud echo of a boot meeting the wooden stair, one after another, approaching the young man.

When the duke stood two steps away he finally responded.

"Listen, I know what you are trying to do. You are clearly a smart, young, orphan," he smiled as he said the word, making Ciel heart race with anger, the man took pleasure in the boy's pain. "You can tell I am attracted to you, and you want to try to exploit that, you think you are able to exploit that, but look around you. You are alone with me. I am much larger, and much, much, stronger than you. You are a weak, frail, starved, little orphan. Even in your best health you couldn't possibly defend yourself against me. And yet you have this idea that if I want you I have to ask for permission first."

Ciel's heart was racing now, but with fear, not anger. How could he have been so stupid? He knew better than to trust a filthy old man! Still Ciel refused to take a step back, he refused to run to his room and attempt to lock himself in there. He stood his ground, and intended to face the powerful man in front of him head on. A long slender arm reached out towards him, and Ciel had to breath sharply to keep from stepping out of its path. The long fingers caressed his hair, a soft, loving touch, and if Ciel had not been looking at the duke he might've felt safe, instead of scared, by the gentle touch.

Sebastian's eyes were positively glowing red, joy alight in them, he enjoyed watching the orphan squirm. He relished in the fear those aquamarine eyes held.

Now, the duke was never one to take an unwilling partner, but the fear he instilled in the arrogant brat in front of him was just too delicious to pass up. It was all the nourishment the man needed.

Ciel swatted the hand away.

"Do not touch me," his voice didn't waver, but the trepidation in his eyes, revealed how frightened the young man actually was that Sebastian would do something without Ciel's consent. Sighing the duke dropped his arm, and continued to walk past the young man.

"Relax, I enjoy a bit more of a challenge than that, but I'm impressed that you stood your ground against me. If you can prove you have some useful skill before tomorrow night I will hire you as a servant, if not then you are back out on the streets of Paris."

Once Ciel saw Sebastian go into a room and close the door he let out a breath. How dare he? Still, Ciel was thankful that the man hadn't really done anything, and on top of it he gave Ciel a chance to get in his good graces.

Yes, Ciel realized that it would be practically impossible to seduce the man into giving Ciel what he wanted, the orphan would have to figure out another way to use the man's power to his advantage.

I know it didn't take the turn most of you probably wanted, but I'm not going to make this story just porn with a tiny bit of plot. I want there to be an actual story to this, where minds change, and blah, blah, blah.

That being said, I'm always open to polite suggestions as to what you would like to see happen in the next chapter. I'll try not to take another seven/eight months before I update.