Ciel, Freckles, and a 'Special' Performance

Prompt, central concept, and request by: A Group of Anon

Authors Forward:

Hello there Boils and Ghouls, thank you for checking this out, and I hope you enjoy this short story between Ciel (Smile) and Freckles (Doll).

If you enjoyed this work please consider liking it, dropping a kudos, or leaving a comment. And if you enjoyed my prose and want to check out my other works please visit my page!

Or if you'd like to have me write something for you; don't hesitate to DM me on FF or on Twitter.

Lots of love,

VV

Part One of Four

"Wakey, wakey Smile!"

Ciel let out a groggy moan as he threw his thin sheet off of his head. Blinking his uncovered eye open he squinted at the bright mid-morning light pouring through the opening to his and Freckle's tent.

Pushing the slit of the tent open and taking a deep, triumphant, breath was the tomboy herself.

Looking back over her shoulder towards Ciel she let out a giggle that the young Earl was coming to realise was her habit. Despite her rugged outward appearance, and… low manners. Ciel couldn't help but feel somewhat of an endearment growing towards her.

Pinning the opening of their tent to the doorway's side pole the cool morning air began sapping all the heat from the tent and Ciel let out a loud groan of discomfort before wrapping his sheet back around his head.

"No… just a few more minutes."

Shaking her head and moving towards Ciel's bunk she chuckled again as she pulled at the bottom of his blanket.

"Ha, oh no you don't! C'mon now ya lil' lad!"

Yanking the sheet from Ciel's face the Earl tried to temper a growl.

Cocking her eyebrow and quickly reaching forwards to ruffle Ciel's hair Freckles jumped away and back towards the entrance, "C'mon now, we've got ourselves a nice mornin' an' here you are sittin' in bed wastin' it away!"

Reaching over the side of his bed Ciel took hold of his trousers and his daily work shirt.

When not in costume he'd been doing his best to continue fitting in with the rest of the circus. His revulsion and lack of ability with regards to manual labour was a never-ending source of amusement for Freckles.

Despite her many admissions that her latest tease would be the last she'd follow it up later with just as comedic a jab later.

Holding his pants in his hand and shifting himself towards the edge of the bed Ciel looked at Freckle's back somewhat apprehensively, pausing in his movement. Noticing the lack of sound she turned around, smirking, "Oh?"

Holding her hands up in penance she nodded, "Right, right, I forgot you've got them 'sensibilities' fair 'nuff."

She giggled and stepped outside the tent, her voice lowering and becoming a little serious as she offered, "I won't watch, 'promise."

Cocking his eyebrow and entering a brief staring contest Freckles finally gave in, "Oh c'mon… finneee! I'll go see if they've start'd breakfast eh?"

Stepping away from their tent and down the dirt path towards the mess area she raised her voice as she called back, "I'll be sure to grab you somefin! A'right?"

Nodding and clearing his throat Ciel begrudgingly thanked her before waiting a spell.

Once he was sure he was alone he let out a huff and bent over, bringing his trousers up so he could begin putting his legs in.

After he had brought them up to his knees he looked at his sleeping gown and sighed again, the cool misty air was gripping his lungs and he briefly feared another asthmatic attack.

Rolling his eyes and taking hold of the edges of the garment he mumbled his thoughts aloud, "Ugh… that's all I need…"

Pulling the shirt up and off his chest it was nearly free of his head when he heard a muffled giggle.

Furrowing his brow he darted his eye around before seeing that Freckles hadn't left.

Peeking her head around the corner of the entrance she let out a wide grin.

Widening his eyes and covering his bare chest with his work shirt Ciel's face began blushing as he immediately exclaimed, "Y-you said no peeking!"

Freckle brought a hand to her mouth as she let out an involuntary feminine giggle before cooing, "Daww, you're so cute! An' no I said I wouldn't watch, I didn't say noffin' about peekin'."

Ciel looked to the side of the tent as his face continued to heat up and he held his breath nervously.

As she watched Smile's discomfiture increase the levity of the situation fell away and Freckles' own expression faltered. Looking to either side outside of the tent she wet her dry lips before stepping back into the tent.

Taking a moment to collect herself she spoke, stealing his attention, "Look, Smile."

Ciel didn't move his head, but he did shoot his eye over to look at her.

Her voice lowered, and she seemed genuinely penitent this time as she continued, "I didn't mean to 'urt ya? K'ay?"

Kneeling in front of him she reached forwards and took hold of his right hand. The sudden touch startled Ciel enough that he remained still, and merely let out a sharp breath in response.

Looking up at his blue eye Freckles swallowed before furrowing her brow, asking; "Do ya 'member what I said before?"

Ciel's heart was beating harder and harder and his eye widened as Freckles moved his pliant arm towards her.

Quietly Ciel whispered breathily; "N-no, don't…"

Yet his token protest fell on deaf ears.

Freckles pressed his hand to her chest purposefully; more serious than the first time she had done such a thing.

Under his fingers was her shirt, and under that, barely giving his touch resistance, was the soft bosom of a girl.

"Feel tha'?" she asked.

Shaking his head and trying to move his hand away Ciel stuttered embarrassed, "Y-yes yes! You've done this once before! I-"

Shaking her head Freckles quickly interrupted; "No. No' tha. I meant my heart. You feel that?"

Ciel stopped.

Looking up and meeting his eye to hers he swallowed a nervous gulp.

Slowly Freckles moved her hand off of his and left Ciel's atop her breast.

Inside her chest Ciel could feel the thundering pounding of her heart, and her voice lowered as she repeated her question, but this time there was no trace of teasing. Her voice even quivered slightly in uncertainty.

She cocked her head to the side, struggling to get the words out as she carefully met her eye to Ciel's.

"Do you feel that Smile?"

Finally the young earl nodded, "I… I do."

Slowly he moved his hand away from her chest and she let out a nervous laugh.

"I… ha, I never felt that before. I mean." She shook her head and stood up, turning around to pace the small tent.

"When I first was doing tightrope, an' the first times I do somefin new, like some crazy idea or suggestion from Joker an' them, sures! I get a 'lil nervous, but…"

She looked back at Ciel and darted her eye down, before finishing "N-not like this."

The boy swallowed and remained still as he listened.

Smirking and drawing a sharp breath Freckles brought a hand to her forehead as she let out a groan, "Ugh! Here I am, soundin' like a bloody idiot! Spillin' meself to the likes of you?"

She turned towards the open doorway and put her hands on her hips.

"Bloody hell, I mean, Christ! What the 'ell am I even saying!?"

Swallowing and nodding Ceil pulled his shirt over his head and stood, leaning to bring his pants up before Freckles turned.

"Freckles…" he began.

Standing up from the bed, and with his clothes somewhat dishevelled the young Phantomhive Earl cut a striking, and entertaining figure, one that ought to have elicited a laugh from the girl.

But, instead she looked at his face, her expression nervous and vulnerable, as she expectantly waited for his words.

"I think, I…" nodding and straightening his back Ciel forced himself to continue, "I understand what you mean."

Immediately averting her eye and bringing a hand to rub the back of her neck Freckles let out a laugh in disbelief, "Wha? N-no… you… you… do?"

Ciel nodded.

Letting out a curt laugh Freckles swallowed before lowering her voice and repeating, "You do?"

'Remember the job, remember your duty!' Ciel's mind howled at him, 'You've got to keep up with the investigation! And if that means more of this to maintain trust and the whole operation, then you'll by rights do it!'

Without a trace of his inner monologue bleeding through Ciel agreed; his voice as quiet and vulnerable as hers.

"I do…"

Pursing her lips and nodding Freckles let out a laugh-like sigh of nervous relief before stepping forwards, "W-well in that case I-"

Behind her and interrupting her words came the loud, bombastic, voice of Joker,

"Good mornin you two!"

Both Freckles and Ciel let out high pitched startled yelps of surprise.

Laughing and shaking his head Joker brought a hand to his mouth as Freckles turned around, her face beet red, as she and Ciel stared back at him.

"Ha ha! Oh my goodness, I hate to be interruptin' you two!"

Immediately Ciel began with an excuse, but so did Freckles. The two voices started with conflicting stories before stopping and they looked at one another, horrified.

Joker raised his brow and continued to smile in perverse entertainment.

Raising a hand he chuckled, "It's alright there you two, I was jus' jokin'! Breakfast is nearly ready by the way, ha, but afterwards I've got some special news."

Furrowing her brow Freckles shook her head as she tried to force her words out, "Wha? Wait special news?"

Ciel nodded, before nervously following up her words, "W-what kind of special news?"

Joker stepped away from the entrance and down the camp's path.

Waving over his shoulder he merely laughed, "You'll see!"

Once Joker left Freckles furrowed her brow and averted her eyes from Ciel.

Yet, despite the awkward silence between them the young earl spoke, asking, "What was it you were going to-"

Before he even finished Freckles shook her head and stepped out of the tent, "Noffin!" she laughed nervously, "See you at breakfast, eh?"

Starting into a jog the plain clothed girl sprinted down the path as Ciel hopped towards the doorway.

Shoving his feet into his shoes and hopping along awkwardly he followed while yelling, "Wait!"

"Freckles! W-wait!"

Seeing her back as she got closer to the populated mess area and realising she wasn't about to stop and come back the young earl let out a sigh.

Bending over to properly put on his shoes, Ciel shook his head before whispering to himself, "What hell was that?"

…

Freckles invited Ciel to sit beside her for their humble morning meal, but she remained quiet and distant. Occasionally Ciel would catch sight of her glancing at him as they socialised and spoke with the other circus members, but she only sparingly spoke to him.

After washing up Joker waved to the pair with a smile and they followed him towards the circus' main tent.

"Alright Freckles, Smile…" he smirked at using Doll's pseudonym, "I've got some good news. Like I said…"

Ciel nodded and looked to his side at Freckles, she too nodded, focusing on Joker intensely.

"So we've got to throw on a special performance tonight."

Ciel furrowed his brow in surprise.

Freckles opened her mouth an immediately spoke in a half-whine, "Wha? Bu' you said we'd not be doin' anythin' strenuous today! You said so!"

Joker raised a brow and threw his hands up comically, in self-defence, chuckling he spoke "Steady on Doll! It's not that bad, in face it could be really good for us."

Freckles paused and pursed her lips.

"Understand?"

Letting out a sigh and cooling down she nodded, reluctantly.

Ciel felt compelled to interject, "Uh, hey sorry but, what are you talking about Joker?"

The tall man smiled, "Well, I got contacted by a couple rich blokes eh? And these chaps said to me, that they were looking for some entertainment, we were suggested by a friend of a friend sorta deal, understand?"

Ciel nodded, and Freckles folded her arms. Her body language suggested she had familiarity with this practise.

"So a couple of these rich chaps are gonna be stopping by to watch us, an' if we're good enough we'll get the job."

Nodding Freckles asked, "Is it a party-like deal?"

"Mhmm, yep. From what the gent told me it's a real roaring kind of event. They often seek more risky and high-wire kind of things, you know?"

Freckles pursed her lips and tilted her head, "So let me guess, we're gonna be pushin' the edges again?"

Joker nodded.

Ciel kept quiet as he watched.

"I promise no fire's involved in your act Doll! Cross m'heart!"

Freckles looked away from Joker and eventually met her eye with Ciel's.

Smirking she nodded, "Well, you up for a day of intense practising?"

Ciel gulped and cringed internally, but nodded and smirked boastfully, putting on his best cockney accent as he declared, "Right on!"

Joker let out a howl of laughter before smacking Ciel's shoulder, "Ha! You'll become one of our own yet!"

Freckles smirked and her cheeks blushed somewhat before she nodded and echoed his words, her voice lowering as she agreed; "Right on…"

…

Swinging through the air, his eyes wide and his chest rising madly, Ciel extended his arms towards Doll as she caught his hands and they finished the last of their swing-rolls.

Lying down on the wooden platform and shutting his eye Ciel panted and struggled to catch his breath as Freckles watched on.

"You're actually getting' pretty good at this! Sure we've been at it all day, but still… You're getting' better!"

Ciel let out an uncharacteristic laugh before opening his eye and looking to his 'partner', "Try not to sound so surprised."

Freckles at first pursed her lips before letting out a laugh of her own, "Ha! Oh man, you know… you're…" her voice trailed off and she furrowed her brow as she looked past him.

Ciel pushed himself off the platform and looked at her concerned, "What's wrong?"

Below them Joker had arrived into the tent and was waving his hands above his head, trying to get everyone's attention, as he yelled "They're on their way! 'Erry body! Our guests a' comin'!"

Freckles' face dropped and she opened her mouth, cupping her hands around her lips she began yelling down to their ringleader, "Wha!? Whatcha mean, 'they comin'!?"

Joker shook his head, "No time to explain! Erryone; costume, makeup! Let's go!" Clapping his hands and waving everyone towards the backstage exit Joker repeated, his voice rising, "Let's go, let's go people!"

Ciel watched as Beast, Dagger, Jumbo, Peter and Wendy moved from where they were, leaping and running towards the exit.

Freckles nodded, "Come on Smile! 'ang on!"

Wrapping her left arm around Ciel, Freckles reached for and took hold of a free swinging rope. Knocking its wooden peg-lock out of its holder Ciel let out a protest as she forced them off the edge of the platform to swing towards the ground.

"W-wait we can climb dowwnnnn!"

Letting out a howling laugh Freckles merely 'yippied' in response as they flew through the air.

…

Authors note:

If you've got any suggestions, or want to point out any errors please don't hesitate!