A/N: Hey, been quite a while, right? No excuses here, just life, and such. I also have been resenting updating my chapter fics because my writing has improved a lot over the past year. It's hard to match the old style! I do plan on finishing this, though, so enjoy the (1,139 word, if you're curious) update~!
THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
"HE'S A CANNIBAL!"
Sebastian's grin was hardly hidden under his gloved hand and facade of indifference. Ciel, on the other hand, didn't even bother attempting to hide his confusion.
"What is he babbling about, Sebastian", Ciel's voice cut into the tense silence. He glared at his butler with intent, suspecting he may have leaked information he shouldn't have.
"I believe Mr Elric here has a false impression of what our deal involves, Master."
Ciel crossed his arms, his initial concern that Sebastian had explained the deal to their guest confirmed in a single sentence.
"So you told him-"
"So you know, then?" Edward cut in, annoying Ciel in a way that seemed constant in their relationship. "That means you're gonna let him... Eat you?"
"No, you indecent moron, and don't interrupt me. You're not exactly supposed to know about this," Ciel said, irked by his guest's rudeness. His fingers grappled for the pastries set before him on the mahogany table, as he lifted his chin to challenge his butler's stare with his own.
"As for you, Sebastian, you have no business going around telling my guests about our deal! Now, before any further confusion ensues, I demand you tell me the circumstances under which you spoke of it!"
Edward snorted at Ciel's brashness, no longer concerned that Sebastian was a cannibal. After all, if he was, would Ciel speak to him so angrily? He clearly was missing something, and, if he played his cards right by staying quiet, he'd certainly be capable of figuring out what it was.
"My deepest apologies, Master," Sebastian said in a smooth baritone, "but you see, Edward here's soul is simply... delectable. I could not help but be attracted to its -while energetic- dark sorrow and regret. But, what sets it apart from other souls is its almost saintly nature, its sweet, giving, and yet spicy and rebellious spark that would taste absolutely endearing..."
"Shut up," Ciel commanded, "and give me a real explanation. I'm supposed to be your Master, you are forbidden to take on a second."
Edward, while appearing to be preoccupied with his stack of spaghetti and beans, was intently analyzing what exactly Sebastian just explained. He took that, basically put, Sebastian was some sort of non-human creature looking to eat his soul because it smelled good.
"Endearing" as he put it... But who the Hell uses the word "endearing" to describe a meal?!
Not that Edward was creeped-out or anything like that -he'd faced his fair-share of Homunculi, back in the day- but he was both curious as to why Ciel would agree to something that would inevitably kill him, and what kind of desperation he might've experienced that drove him to do so.
And, what kind of desperation Edward would need in order to agree to this sort of 'deal'.
Later that evening, following Ciel's reprimanding of Sebastian for attempting the formation of another deal, Edward found himself in the Phantomhive library, (surrounded by a moat of books, of course) reading for about four hours past his assigned 'bed time'.
He read because he wanted to know if this deal-making creature was known of in this world the way Homonculi were known of back in his world.
He read until his eyes went bloodshot. He learned the cartography of this world, the brief recorded-history of England and about the current queen- quite the mixed character, in Edward's opinion, but she certainly was ruling a golden-age of knowledge. He read the philosophy of Thomas Malthus, who he realized was a total moron. He learned that their engineering skills were currently improving in what they dubbed the 'Industrial revolution'. He learned about a country-on-the rise called America, which was stolen from the Natives who resided there years previous and then colonized by the British. Edward suspected that 'America' would be important one day. He learned of Boer war, England's relative peace, Shakespeare, railways, the invention of anesthetic (finally?) and child-labor that sometimes led to prostitution. He read about disgusting practices that laws were being pressed against, and of the 'changing English-mindset'. He heard of feminism (finally?) and China and wars and faith and depression and technology and population increase and Social Darwinism BUT, in no book was there any trace of information suggesting this deal-making creature existed, in neither the science nor the religious-based texts.
Worst of all, the scientific texts were all extremely similar to the religious texts, and based on Edward's extensive knowledge, were centuries behind the one's from his world in advancement.
Meaning? They were no help for him. If he knew more than the text books (even the medicinal texts offered no new knowledge, and that was a branch he wasn't as proficient in), then he'd have to use the human resources around him.
Not his best skill.
(And Truth-forbid he get sick! These people were gonna bleed him?!)
But, he could easily talk to Sebastian about this deal making as if he was actually interested in forging one. Edward secretly wondered if he would benefit from one, and if it could possibly get him out of this Hell-hole filled with ignorance and back to his little brother who needed him.
He let out a deep sigh, though careful not to raise any suspicion from the Butler down the hallway. He decided that spending another hour or so couldn't hurt, as he'd only pulled out the texts most likely to have the information he was seeking. He'd check out some of the other texts - yes, including the religious ones, since often times he found the fairytales were based off of a true account (like that Jesus guy he just read about- what did he do again?)- and then see if they had any information about traveling between worlds.
If not, he realized to himself, he'd have no choice but to figure it out on his own, or make this deal to get help from the devil himself.
A/N: Think he'll make a deal? Or will he discover new alchemy in the books? Will he decide to just stay? Or will he discover a way out? You'll see!
~Let me know what you think, and thanks for the support! :) ~
