A.n: Nice to see you all again! Sure has been a while. I hope you all had great holidays and HAPPY NEW YEAR WAHHH

!This chap has a bit of a different style than the last one, due to suspense and it needing more of Ed's inner thoughts. !

Enjoy the chap. Thanks for the lovely reviews, please continue! :D

"I could take a huge leap and become your Butler as well."

Edward's mouth felt dry. The request made little sense to him, as he was unsure of the significance involved with forming a deal with Sebastian.

Who cares if he's serving me? I'm not a stuck-up little boy!

The deal meant nothing to Edward. Yet, here Sebastian stood, gleaming eyes and sinister smirk painted across his porcelain features, making this insignificant 'deal' seem like some life changing experience.

It wasn't.

Was it?

I feel like I'm being pursued by the Devil.

But why is this such a big deal? He's just a Butler, right?

...Right?

Again, Ed felt unsure. And, when Edward Elric was unsure of something, he absolutely had to figure out why.

Meaning, he had to figure out Sebastian.

-which was difficult given that he didn't trust him enough to make this deal with him.

"...Well?"

Edward narrowed his eyes, weighing the pros and cons. The pros being the oppertunity to understand Sebastian (and have a personal slave), the cons being... well, nothing, at this point.

But he was still so suspicious.

Why does he look so intense?

He's just a Butler, right?

...am I wrong?

"What will I get out of this?", Edward asked cautiously.

Sebastian's grin widened.

"I'm glad you asked, Mr Elric-"

Why the formalities?

"- As I'm sure you know, a Butler's duty is to serve his Master by assisting in cooking, cleaning, and maintaining the Manor. In addition, it will be my duty to wake you, dress you, and help you go about your day-to-day business at the shop."

While Ed was not so keen on the dressing idea, he didn't dismiss Sebastian's idea entirely.

"That sounds about the same as what you've been doing for me already." Edward chuckled while speaking. "I'm not sure that this is in my best interest, since it seems that the only changes this will be making is the formality of my name. And, of course, since there's gotta be something in it for you."

Edward was not stupid. He was well informed on the concept of deal making: There always seemed to be benefits, when in reality, there was an equal amount of draw backs involved. This was equivilant exchange.

(And, most of the time, the supposed 'equal' amount of draw backs seemed to outweigh the benefits. Though, Edward would never admit this, his loyalty to Alchemy's core concept blinding him to the Truth.)

(How ironic.)

"Well aren't you so cautious," Sebastian said sweetly. "So much so that you didn't give me a chance to tell you of all the benefits involved in this agreement."

Oh, so now it's an AGREEMENT!

Edward snorted; "Whose benefits, yours or mine?"

"Well, yours of course."

It was too good to be true, so Ed became more wary.

Sebastian continued; "I can tell there's something you want, Edward. Your deepest desire. If you become my Master, I can fulfill this desire."

Edward cocked a brow. Sebastian had no idea how crazy his deepest desire was.

How impossible it was.

This only made Edward crave Sebastian's 'agreement' more. And, Sebastian noticed.

"I can do anything, Edward. Anything you want: I'm here to fulfill."

He could almost beleive him, Sebastian sounded so honest.

Edward was smarter than that, though.

"What are you getting out of this, er, agreement, Sebastian?"

Sebastian's voice was like a sweet velvet cupcake as he softly said, "I will eat you."

When Ciel finally walked into the dining room for supper, he was met with a stiff, eerie silence. Sebastian, he noticed, seemed unusually excited, staring intently at their guest as Edward himself seemed to inch away from the stare with either disgust or fear.

It was an unusual sight to behold.

"What in bloody Hell is going on down here?!" Ciel demanded, his pitchy voice startling Edward and forcing Sebastian's attention to his Master.

"I apologize, Master. I was observing our guest's rather odd behavior. Wouldn't you agree that Edward has been strange lately?"

Edward glared at the man for blaming the situation on him, then returned his attention to Ciel.

"Sorry, I guess...?"

(What. He didn't know what to say!)

Ciel sighed, pretending not to notice Edward's confusion. It was an odd state of mind for a kid like him to be in.

He was such a smart ass.

"Well then," Ciel began, "I suppose we should eat. Sebastian, I assume dinner's been prepared?"

"It has, Master." He responded.

Somehow, Ed felt like he was assisting the Butler in an affair. He hadn't even said yes to this deal!

(Who'd say yes to something like that? To be eaten?)

(Who'd make a deal with a Cannibal anyway?)

(Would Ciel?)

"Then get it, Sebastian!" Ciel shrieked.

The Butler disappeared into the kitchen, the soft clanging of pots and pans sounding stale in the dead air.

It'd been too long since the boys had seen one another.

"So," Ed started, his voice rejecting him with a small crack from being shaken up, "where the Hell have you been?"

Ciel crossed his arms, remarking under his breath on Edward's rudeness, "as usual".

"I've been too busy to entertain you, Elric." He spat, barely bothering to spare his guest a glance.

"Hey now, that's no way to be treating your precious guests, is it? I mean, I thought you were notorious for your class, Phantomhive?"

"Why you-"

"Dinner is served!" Sebastian interrupted, sparing the children more frustration. Upon seeing the meal, the two were instantly silenced, seemingly calmed by the prospect of eating. This was due to Ciel not eating for the past four hours, and due to Edward's, well, Edwardness.

While dining, Edward observed Sebastian discreetly: His eyes that travelled between each head of the table, his subtle lick of the lips when he neared Ciel, his quiet glances at his Master every so often.

It was weird. Edward could only imagine what was going through his mind.

...And wondered if Ciel knew, too.

He felt like the tension was escalating, to the point where he couldn't stand it.

This man was disgusting.

Suddenly, his fork was thrown to the floor with a ear piercing clatter.

"Sorry! It just jumped out of my hand!" Ed laughed, tensely, moving to pick it up.

"Tch, don't bother." Ciel grunted, "Sebastian! Go clean it off or get him another!"

"Yes Master."

Once again, the two were alone. And it wasn't as though Ciel didn't see Ed throw the fork.

He wasn't stupid. Ed didn't drop it.

"What." Ciel was tired of tiptoeing around this kid.

"Whattaya mean, what?"

"WHAT. DO. YOU. WANT?!"

Ed put his hands up in mock surrender. He heard Sebastian's footsteps in the kitchen, and the soft acoustics of a running faucet.

Now was his chance.

"Ciel," he whispered, hoping Sebastian would take longer than necessary in the kitchen. He could already make out the faucet being shut off, meaning his time was running out.

"Yes? Finally talking?"

"Ciel, look, I'm... concerned about your association with your Butler. He's..."

He trailed off, the footsteps in the kitchen increasing in volume making his voice seem even softer.

"He's what", Ciel deadpanned.

Where is he going with this?

"He's! He's a...!"

"Spit it out!"

But it was too late: Sebastian entered the room with a fork in hand, placing it before Edward and graciously returning to Ciel's side.

Ciel cocked a brow at Ed, indicating he should speak despite the man's presence. Edward glanced at Sebastian, but his face held nothing but amusement.

And even though his heart was thumping in his ears, Ed spit it out anyway.

"HE'S A CANNIBAL!

AN: Haha. Probably not what you were expecting! I could almost apologize!

(I'm also probably going to go back and edit this chap. Not sure I like the pacing. What do you guys think?)

Anyway, I hope you liked the chap, and if you did be sure to let me know! Thanks for all the loving support. Happy New Years, all!