Somebody Else

The temperature continued to drop, and the leaves change. The warm days were rare, and so were the visits outside. All seemed normal in London because the Queen's letters hadn't come in some time. Ciel filled the empty void of activity with his shooting practice, which Sebastian assisted with. Things had seem to be ok between the servant and his master, yet both were content with getting too close to one another. For Ciel, it was because he didn't know what button he would push next. For Sebastian, it was because he didn't want to get hurt.

"Another!" Sebastian had gone out and purchased new dishes, so they decided to put the old ones into good use. The demon chucks the old dish into the air, and it goes flying. The young Earl, squinting his eyes, readied his aim and fired. The saucer shatters and Sebastian smiles. "Good shot, young master," he spoke as Ciel looked up to watch the pieces scatter. "It isn't too hard." Sebastian readies the next dish and Ciel stops him. "No, not that one!" Sebastian looks down at the piece, then to his master. "Young lord," he spoke, "This dish is very old and chipped." "Not that one," Ciel repeated, "It was my mother's." Sebastian bowed toward him, "As you wish", and placed the plate in the box where the others lay. "Another!" Sebastian picks another one, and throws into the air. And as the young one gets ready to pull the trigger, he hears a familiar voice. "Ciel!" The screech scares him and he fires, missing his target. Ciel turns to see Elizabeth, running from the back porch and coming toward him. He couldn't believe his eyes. What was she doing there? "Oh, I've missed you so, Ciel!" She grabs hold of him and tightens her grip. "L-Lizzie…" Sebastian is also shocked. He hadn't expected her planned surprise visit for another two days. "Ciel, why aren't you holding me?" He stood there stunned, with his rifle in his hand, held against his leg. "W-What are you doing here, Elizabeth?" She pulls away from him and looks into his eye. "I was going to surprise you and was supposed to arrive at a later time. But there was an earlier boat…so here I am." She grabs hold of him again. "Haven't you missed me?" Ciel slowly drops the rifle to the ground and wraps his arms around her. "Hello, Elizabeth," he spoke to her, "I have missed you also." Sebastian smiled as he looked at the young couple embrace. He longed to have the young master hold him the way he held Lady Elizabeth, but he knew it would never be. The butler cleared his throat. "Oh, hello Sebastian…" He walked closer toward them. "Good afternoon, Lady Elizabeth," he said to her, "Your surprise is a little early." Ciel turned to him. "You knew?" He smiled a bit harder. "Why, of course, my lord," he said, "It was a surprise for you. And the Phantomhive butler is the best at surprises." Elizabeth giggled; she was so happy to see him. "I suggest we have lunch a little early, young master," Sebastian stated, "Since Lady Elizabeth is visiting, and this is a special occasion." "Yes," he agreed, grabbing a hold of her hand and walking toward the manor entrance. "Come, Elizabeth. Tell me all about Germany and your trip."

Sebastian prepared and served lunch. Ciel decided to eat with Elizabeth in the dining area. She had pulled up a chair on his side of the table to be closer to him. "Oh, Ciel," she started, "Germany is so pretty this time of year. The leaves are gorgeous, and they have so many different kinds of spices that I've never tried. I have so many friends at school." "Yes, yes," he interrupted, "But what are you doing here? There's no holiday coming up." "Halloween is in two weeks silly." Ciel sat and thought about what day it was. "Ah, yes," he thought, "Madame Red's favorite holiday." He ate another forkful of food and addressed Elizabeth again. "Yes, but that is two weeks from now." She smiled while sipping her tea. "I'm here to pick out a costume," she explained, "They don't celebrate Halloween like we celebrate Halloween. Though there are lots of English children at school, they have all come back early to pick their costumes and I didn't want to alone."

Ciel continued eating his food, as her smile disappeared. "Ciel, I have to tell you something." He stopped, and looked at her. He could tell something was wrong. "What is it?" She moved her hair from her face and took in a deep breath. "There's this boy, Ciel," she started to explain, "And he likes me. We have the same classes together and he's been very nice to me since I arrived." Ciel kept looking at her; he hadn't the slightest idea where this was going. She was a pretty girl, going to a new school and she makes people want to know her with her outgoing personality: what was the problem? "He kissed me…" He dropped his fork and become instantly pissed off. "He what?!" "I told him I was arranged to be married and he apologized but he's so nice. There is a get together soon at the school and that's why I'm here early because my parents will come visit my school with me." His blood boiled; he couldn't get to him and he tried his best not to be upset at her personally. "I wanted to tell you this in person," she added. His hand twitched; he wanted to put it through something. "Is there's more?" he asked. She took in another deep breath and looked away from him. "I-I like him, Ciel…" He punched the table. He felt those words; he knew they were coming before she even spoke them. "We are to be married and you have feelings for someone else?!" He couldn't control this anger. Sebastian had come from the kitchen to make sure everything was ok. For Ciel, this pain was worse than what he felt when she broke his parents' ring for the first time. "Are you angry with me?" "Am I angry?!" His voice reaching its peak, his nerves shaken from this thing that upset him. He pushed his plate from the table, causing it to fly toward the wall. Sebastian stepped in the line of its direction and caught it, inches before its impact. "Young master," he spoke, "I assume you're done with lunch, sir." Ciel looked down at Elizabeth, and noticed that her eyes began to water. He took in a deep breath and unclenched his fist. "Yes," he spoke, "I'm done. I'll be in the study." He began to walk away, leaving his betrothed at the table alone. "I shall come with you, Ciel…" "I want to be alone." He started up the stepped as she released her sorrow. Sebastian walked to the table and handed her a tissue. "Excuse my master, Milady," he said in his master's defense, "He can't control certain things like this. He has come to have the same feelings you have for him and isn't too pleased to know there is competition." Elizabeth began to get herself together. "Is this true? Do you feel the same for me?" she thought, watching the butler clear the table and return to the kitchen, "Do you love me, Ciel?"

Ciel walked into his study, infuriated and unable to calm down. "How could she?!" He kept repeating to himself. Sebastian soon came in behind him and closed the door. "Is something bothering you, master?" the butler asked, not indicating that he knew anything. "Nothing," he fibbed, "Now, leave me alone." "Why do you lie to me, my lord?" he spoke, walking over toward the desk and taking a seat, "I know something's wrong." Ciel tried his best to calm down yet was unsuccessful. "She told me she had feelings for someone else at her school," he stated, "And I'm pissed because I can't shove my fist down his throat without taking a boat ride to a different country or upsetting her." Sebastian grinned. "But why does this upset you, my lord?" he asked, "It doesn't seem as if you care for her the way she cares you." Ciel looked at him. "What do you mean why?" he exclaimed, "She's my fiancée and she has feelings for someone else. I think that's grounds to be upset." "But you don't care for her the way she cares for you," his butler repeated, "Is the reason that the two of you will be married really the only reason you care about this situation?" Ciel slowed his breathing and gave this question some thought. "Well, I…" He didn't have an answer. Why was he so jealous? "Perhaps I do feel the same for her," Ciel confessed, "But I'm not sure of this feeling."

Sebastian's heart sank a little deeper in his chest, yet he couldn't let this be evident. This wasn't about him, this was about saving the young master's relationship. "How do you feel, sir?" he asked. Ciel sat behind his desk and sank into his seat. "Well, you know," he stated, "The way anyone feels for their fiancée." "No, I don't know," he exclaimed, "I don't know how humans feels for someone in this state. Especially in arranged marriages. So please, tell me, how do you feel about Lady Elizabeth?" Ciel got quiet and remained that way for a while. "I-I'm not sure," Ciel spoke, "It's been so long since I've truly loved someone or something, I've forgotten how to love." Sebastian smiled. "You can't forget how to love, young master," his butler stated, "You can only learn to suppress it." The demon looked down at his hands. "After a while, this feeling…it becomes unbearable that you can no longer hold it back." Ciel looked up at him and wondered where these thought had come from. "He did say he had loved someone," Ciel thought, "But that it was a long time ago. Yet, these feelings are still fresh to him." Sebastian looked up to see his master staring at him. "Do you love her, young master?" he asked. Ciel took in a deep breath and took a second to think. "Yes…" Sebastian smiled, sucking in this painful truth. "Yes, I love Elizabeth," Ciel repeated. "Then, tell her," he spoke, "She needs to hear. She doesn't know how you feel, and that's why there are conflicts in her feelings now." Ciel smiled. "I love Elizabeth…" He smiled harder, finally accepting the way he felt about her. "Ok," he spoke as his butler stood, "I shall tell her." "I would hope you tell her right away, my lord," Sebastian spoke, "Her carriage just arrived." Had it been that long? Was this just a short visit? Would she be back?

Ciel ran from his study, heading down the steps to see the door wide open. He hurried to the door to see Elizabeth going down the steps. "Where are you going?" he called out to her. "I have to get back to my mother," she spoke, "We have a lot of shopping to do and I will only be here this week, and my days are full." "Can't auntie wait?" he asked. Her eyes widened, he had never acted like this. "No," she spoke again, turning from him, "I have to go." He walked down the steps and grabbed her hand. "Then, let me do this now before you go," he exclaimed as she turned toward him. He grabbed her cheeks and pulled her in close, kissing her soft lips. Her eyes remained open, her cheeks flamed. Sebastian walked to the door to see them again. "This was all I needed to know," he thought while walking away and beginning the preparations for dinner. He pulled away from her and stared into her jade eyes. "I love you, Elizabeth…" Her heart stopped. He had never spoken those words to her before. With it being so short in time, she couldn't even stay to see if this feeling was real. She backed away from him. "You're only saying that because of what I told you," She stated, beginning to tear up, "You've never spoken this to me before and now that I am leaving, you want to embrace me." "And I am truly sorry for that," Ciel exclaimed, "Ever since that day, I have been so bitter toward you when you have been the only one who has been by my side through it all. I love you so much and will happy when you become my wife." "Ciel…" She began to cry and displayed a smile. "I have waited for you to say that for so long." He put his hand on her face again and kissed her lips again. He truly missed her, and wished she could stay longer. "I have to go." He smiled. "Ok." He walked her to her carriage, and proceeded to close her door. "When will I see you again?" "I can come Friday, when I'm done shopping." His smile remained. "Friday, then." He kissed her one more time, and looked into her eyes. "I love you, Lizze." "I love you, too, Ciel," she spoke as her chariot slowly pulled away.

Ciel headed to his bedroom, his head filled with satisfaction. He had finally remembered what love felt like and he enjoyed it. It made him miss his parents and the way he used to be toward Elizabeth. Sometimes, he felt as if his soul had already been taken; for no matter how much he tried to change his feelings, he always went back to his irritable state. Sebastian entered his room to find the young master, lying on his bed barely awake. "I'm sorry to have disturbed you, my lord," he spoke, beginning to back out of the room. "Please, Sebastian," the young called out, "Stay with me." Sebastian's mind flashes back to his dream and smiles. "Of course, young master." He steps into his room, not hoping for his fantasy to come true, but loving that his master was starting to be open with him again. He sat on his bed and caressed his raven colored hair. "I apologize for the way I've acted, young master," Sebastian said, "It was…beastly of me." Ciel closed his eyes as the demon continued to rub his head. "It's alright," he stated, "Just…stay with me until I fall asleep. I'm very tired." Sebastian smiled. "Of course, young lord," he spoke, "I shall stay by your side until the very end." Ciel slowly drifted to sleep and rested upon his bed, gripping his pillow. Sebastian gently lifted himself from the bed after a few minutes of waiting and made his way toward the kitchen to continue dinner. His smile remained, even as he cooked, thinking of the innocence the young one displayed and wishing he could join him in his bed.