I proceeded to follow the others and obey the boy's barked out orders, but I found that I was stopped. His slender arms wrapped themselves around my leg, and he looked up at me with his large, clear blue eyes.
"Not you, Claude," he pleaded. "Don't leave me all alone."
His plea struck me. This boy was just as young as my mistress Dahlia had been. Though there had been plenty of other masters to serve between now and then, I always found that I had never entirely forgotten her. This boy was the youngest master I'd served since Dahlia, and I'd hardly had qualms about doing so, as Dahlia proved to be a very satisfying mistress- and meal. In so many ways, he was incredibly different. He was boisterous and often irritating, rude, and demanding. Yet, in so many ways, he was parallel. He had the same fear of being forgotten, of being left alone. He was just as fragile, had suffered just as much, and similarly viewed himself as unworthy filth. The part of me that was Dahlia was moved.
I slipped on the thin, silver frames Dahlia had given me, and knelt down to his level. I let words of comfort roll easily off my tongue. I was extremely well practiced with words, always knowing what to say to calm a human's fears. There were seldom times when I meant what I said.
"I am your loyal slave," I found myself echoing the words I had used decades ago, to a young girl in a black gown. I had meant it then, truly. And I meant it now.
But I wasn't as foolish as I had been decades ago. I knew better than to get attached to a human. It created unnecessary emotions. I wasn't about to make the same mistake now. This lost boy reminded me so much of Dahlia- the first human to make me feel anything other than disgust for the human race- and I knew that if I didn't squelch my idiocy now, things would turn out for the worse. His unyielding attachment to me didn't help matters much, either. I would have to be ruthless, underneath of course. I had to make the boy let go. Make him hate me, even if it meant I wouldn't end up with his soul. I had a plan, of course, to give the boy everything he desired-
"You're getting soft, you know," I heard Dahlia's voice ring out clearly in my head. She spoke to me frequently; sometimes her comments were welcomed. Sometimes, they were incredibly irritating. This was one of those times. It wasn't true. I wasn't getting soft. I'd prove it to her.
"No matter how you treat him, I know you'll still care about him in your own way," I heard the smile in her voice. "Lots of things about you have changed since I was alive, Claude, but not this."
Even after all this time, I'd still be willing to sacrifice everything for an anomaly.
A/N: Wow. It's finished! It's kinda weird to have wrapped it all up, though I hope the end was satisfying. I tried to kind of tie Claude's intricate relationship with Alois into the story, but I don't really know if I succeeded in the way that I had hoped :/ I always felt that Claude was such an incredibly complex character. To me, he embodied the ruthlessness of a demon more so than Sebastian, yet at the same time seemed to be struggling with emotions. For me, he was kinda one of those two layer characters; on the surface, they appear one way, but in reality, they're at war with themselves and their nature. For me Claude appeared to be a total douche face in the beginning, but when I discovered his second layer of conflict… I fell in love. I felt that despite everything Claude did to Alois, there was some sort of ulterior motive behind it and that- to some extent- he was able to connect with the boy. Because, truthfully, things couldn't have ended up happier for Alois; he was reunited with Luka and got to be with Hannah (and apparently Claude, too :3). Seems a little too good to be entirely coincidence…. But that's just my humble opinion.
This was probably the most fun I've ever had writing a fic, and I'm so glad that I got the reception I did. Seriously, you guys boosted my writer's self esteem all the time. It was so wonderful! You really read into the story, and gave me your own interpretations, which were beautiful (and told me that you were getting the message I was trying to get across!)! Plus, when I felt like I was stuck as far as which direction to take the story, your reviews and encouragement helped me to think of a new twist. Because, believe me, I had intended on ending this story a little differently [like maybe Caine would have lived… 'cause it really hurt me to kill him. Just so you know. D: Unfortunately for you Dahlia fans, I had always intended on killing her… just because it fit the dynamic of the story better. I can't really explain it…. LoL].
Also, this fic has inspired me to write a oneshot that fits the same storyline, involving our dear friend Vincent Phantomhive, so keep an eye out for that. If you want to, that is. I'm not going to force you to read it. :3 No date estimate at this point, as I have to move in 2 days, and then I start college (woo, I'm all growed up… LoL)!
And now, dear readers and friends, I suppose it is time to bid you adieu! I want to thank you all once more for reading (and confessing when I converted you into a Claude lover! Muahahaha! And to those of you who haven't confessed yet, it's okay. I was a closeted Claude lover for a while. You'll come 'round eventually.) and for your fantastic reviews. This seriously wouldn't have been completed without you. 3 {Aaaand, I'm sorry for the insanely long author's note… huhuhuhu}