Hayato POV
"Now wait just a minute," I intervened coldly, "What on earth are you spouting out of your mouth?"
"You stole my fiancé!" she shrieked tears in the corners of her eyes.
I laughed, "You are delusional."
She looked at the ring in her hands.
"I hate this ring!" she screamed, "Take it!"
She threw the ring onto the ground. Ciel's eyes widened and he went to slap Elizabeth. I stood in front of her and looked Ciel in the eye. Sebastian caught his hand before it was brought down. He whispered something in his ear and he brought his hand down to his side and looked away.
"Forgive my Master, Lady Elizabeth, but that ring was very important to him," Sebastian explained, "No it was not given to him by Hayato, who is indeed just a co-worker of his, but it is a precious heirloom passed down to the head of the Phantomhive family. He's grown kinda attached to it; it's truly one of a kind. Please try to understand why this upset him."
"I-It was that important… And I de-destroyed it?" she stuttered.
I stepped back towards Marie.
"Oh, Ciel, please I-"
Ciel picked up the pieces of the broken ring and threw them out the window.
"Ciel, wait, what are you doing?"
"It doesn't matter. It was nothing but an old ring after all," Ciel said gently, "Even without it… I'm still the head of the Phantomhives, and that won't change! How long are you going to cry?"
"I-I'm so sorry," Elizabeth stuttered.
"Your face is a mess, completely unsuitable for a lady," Ciel held out a handkerchief, "How could I possibly ask a lady with a runny nose and puffy eyes to dance?"
"To dance?"
Out of nowhere, Sebastian got a violin and started playing some sort of waltz. Elizabeth and Ciel started to dance. Elizabeth's smile returned and she was back to her usual self. I was accused of stealing her fiancé away from her… I'm offended. I raised an eyebrow when Grell started singing. I still need to ask Marie about him… Marco and Lydia started to dance as well. Soon Sebastian had a record playing and grinned. He bowed to Marie who was ignoring him.
"Would the wolf like a dance?" he asked offering her his hand.
"Arctic wolf," Marie corrected, "There is a huge difference, crow."
Sebastian chuckled, "Would the arctic wolf like to dance?"
"Not particularly."
"Too bad."
Sebastian took Marie's hand and pulled her close to him to dance. I laughed as Marie struggled and gave up, reluctantly dancing with Sebastian. They're dancing now and we have a ball soon… How idiotic. I walked out the door. I don't like those sorts of things… I walked to the window where Ciel threw the ring out. I picked up the ring and shook my head when it was in one piece. I wonder how many deaths this ring has seen… I put the ring in my pocket and made a mental note to myself to give it to Sebastian to give it to Ciel later. I jumped back through the window and leant on the wall acting as if nothing had happened. The piece ended and the visitors started to arrive. How bothersome…
"Hayato?" a voice asked timidly.
I looked to the side to see that Elizabeth was fiddling with her fingers nervously.
"What is it Lady Elizabeth Ethel Cordelia Midford of Scotland?" I asked in a bored tone.
"I'm sorry for accusing you of stealing Ciel from me," she apologised.
"Whatever."
"Also thank you for protecting me when Ciel was going to hit me."
"Whatever."
She giggled, "You and Ciel are quite alike."
I raised an eyebrow, "How so?"
"I can't put my finger on it," she hummed putting a finger to her chin, "But you just are."
"I smile, he doesn't."
"That's only one difference."
"One difference is all it takes to not be alike. I am a girl, he is a boy."
"That's only gender."
"Our personalities are nothing alike."
"But they are!" Elizabeth exclaimed, "No matter how you look at it, your personality is a lot like Ciel's!"
"If you say so."
"Your eye is very pretty," she complimented, "It must be glass."
I nodded, "Please excuse me. I need to talk to Sebastian."
She nodded and skipped away talking to the other guests. I walked over to Sebastian. I handed him the ring and walked off.
"Wait, Hayato," he called back softly.
I looked back.
"When did you?"
I shrugged, "Do you ever wonder how many deaths that that ring has seen?"
I walked over to Marie.
"Filthy," she muttered under her breath, "Corrupt. Annoying. Idiotic."
"I assume that you did not enjoy your dance with Sebastian," I teased.
She glared at me, "You are quite correct on that manner."
Ciel came over and bowed, "Would you like a dance, Hayato?"
"Not really," I sighed, "But if I must."
I took his hand and Marie giggled. I rolled my eyes as we started dancing.
"You have gotten better," I commented, "You learn quickly."
"So do you. I am sorry that you got dragged into this mess."
I sighed, "Whatever."
"You obviously do not like these sorts of events."
"Obviously."
"Can you for once just answer in complete sentences?"
"I suppose I can," I smiled, "Did you know that you're smiling?"
"I am?"
I nodded.
"So I'm feeling happy?" he asked.
I shrugged, "What are you feeling?"
"Warm and fuzzy in my heart area."
"You'd better ask Sebastian what that means. I don't know what that means."
He nodded and the song ended. He bowed and I curtsied.
"Thank you for the dance, Hayato/Ciel."
We parted ways and I went back to where Marie was. Keyword: was. I looked around and saw her dancing with Sebastian again. She looked uncomfortable. I leant against the wall and closed my eyes. I think I'll leave to my room… I walked out of the room and up the stairs to my room. I got out of the dress and got ready for bed. I lay in be thinking. I felt what Ciel was feeling… Warm and fuzzy where my heart is… I flicked my ears out and closed my eyes, letting my dreams take me wherever the pleased.
Ciel POV
Maybe a ball isn't too bad…I went over to Hayato and bowed.
"Would you like a dance, Hayato?"
"Not really," she sighed, "But if I must."
She took my hand and Marie giggled.
"You have gotten better," she commented, "You learn quickly."
"So do you. I am sorry that you got dragged into this mess."
She sighed, "Whatever."
"You obviously do not like these sorts of events."
"Obviously."
"Can you for once just answer in complete sentences?"
"I suppose I can," she smiled, "Did you know that you're smiling?"
"I am?"
Am I really?
She nodded.
"So I'm feeling happy?" I asked.
I shrugged, "What are you feeling?"
"Warm and fuzzy in my heart area."
"You'd better ask Sebastian what that means. I don't know what that means."
I nodded and the song ended. I bowed and she curtsied.
"Thank you for the dance, Hayato/Ciel."
We parted ways and I went to talk to some of the guests. I smiled… I don't believe that I did. I must ask Sebastian what that feeling was as well.
I was in my room and Sebastian was undressing me.
"It's finally over," I sighed, "What a horrible day it's been."
"You seemed to be enjoying yourself for a while there, my Lord," Sebastian replied.
"Don't be so foolish."
He held out my ring in his hands. When did he?
"Am I the fool here?" he asked, "I know the importance of this ring. And yet you put on that act for Lady Elizabeth. You also smiled when you were dancing with Hayato."
So I did smile…
"When did you retrieve this?" I asked slipping the ring back onto my thumb.
"As a matter of fact, I didn't," he admitted, "But you should take care. It is precious, this ring. It has seen so much."
"That's true. It's always there," I nodded, "The ring has seen the death of many masters. My Grandfather, my Father and eventually the ring will witness my own death as well. It's heard the dying screams of the Phantomhive family for generation upon generation. When I close my eyes, I hear them too… Voices echoing in my head. "If I throw the ring away, I won't have to listen to them screaming anymore." At least that's what I believed. Ridiculous, yes?"
"My look how high the moon has risen. You must get some rest, sir. Don't want to make yourself ill, do you?"
"Who retrieved the ring?"
"Hayato did."
I see…
"Please thank her for me."
"Of course, sir."
"Also, I felt a warm and fuzzy feeling in my heart today. What was that feeling?"
Sebastian chuckled, "In time you will find it out."
"You are not going to tell me?"
He shook his head, "There are some things that you must find out for yourself. May I ask when you felt this feeling?"
"When I danced with Hayato at the ball."
"Well you must get some rest now."
"Sebastian. Stay with me until I fall asleep."
"Goodness… Are you displaying weakness in front of me now?"
"Just a simple order."
"I will stay here. I'm by your side forever, Master. Until the end."
"I'm still the head of the Phantomhives, and that won't change. Stay with me."
I closed my eyes letting the dark take me over.