Mademoiselle Renee Lapointe was a vampire who was categorised as one of the few members of the supernatural aristocracy. Really, this wasn't anything significant, as it truly was a somewhat contentious status. No one could really decide what it meant, as there was a bit of a wide range of people who were somehow placed on this subjective list. Families like the Whelan family were in the same category, as they were considered "noble" amoung supernatural society, while families like the Phantomhives and Lapointes had blood that was recognised by the governments of their respective homelands as being "noble." Neither of their families were founded by supernaturals, like the Blake family, but they were still aristocracy, while the Blakes were mere gentry.
These politics came into play often to those in positions of power, but not always. They were still of the utmost importance to Mademoiselle Lapointe, however. She, herself, was not as powerful as she once was, with her home and servants now gone, save for one, as she now resided in Gehenna, but it was still important to her to uphold certain values. That was why, once again, she invited herself to the Phantomhive estate. Ordinarily, it would be absolutely presumptuous for her to do so, given that the Earl was several notches above her in social hierarchy, but this was extremely important! She sat poised and upright across from him in the green room, eagerly awaiting the rather confused demon's response to her proposal. Ciel simply stared back at her for a moment with an eyebrow raised until he finally asked:
"You want me to… what, now?" It was absurd. He really wasn't the person to ask, he felt.
"I want you to give me a list of suitable bachelor's so that I may finally graduate from spinsterhood." she reiterated, holding up a finger before going on to elaborate. "He must be a suitable age—not too old, at least in appearance—and he must be a gentleman. I want my future husband to be trained in etiquette, how to navigate in society, the arts, and how to treat a lady. Landed gentry is fine, I suppose, although I would prefer a blue-blood. Immortals only. I don't want to have to replace him every few years."
"Alright… Slow down… Why do you need my help for this?" Ciel questioned, squeezing his eye shut while rubbing his temple. It was such a bizarre line of inquiry that he still couldn't quite wrap his head around it. "Is there a reason why you can't simply… wait for the right person to come along?"
"I've done my waiting! I'm a hundred and seven! Surely, I would have found someone already by that method if it were going to work!"
"I mean, I'm a hundred and forty-two, and I only started a relationship with my husband less than a decade ago. Until then, I didn't really fancy being with anyone."
"But you like men! Of course you'd have fewer options!" The Earl wasn't quite sure if this was a negative jab at his bisexuality or a reference to him being gay. He hadn't explained his actual orientation to Renee and quite frankly, had no plans to. Knowing her, it may have been more trouble than it was worth. She lamented: "Oh, I simply don't know how I might wait any longer! I've learned all of the essentials, but still haven't been able to find a suitable spouse!"
"Surely, being as involved with the vampire community as you were back home, you would have had offers…"
"True, but they weren't very good." Renee sighed. She was sitting down, but still looked as though she may need a fainting couch at any moment. "Landed gentry, they were, but now, I suppose I must settle."
"Shouldn't you focus on just… finding someone you like?" suggested the bluenette.
"I will! I'll look from the list!" The vampiress practically sparkled while flashing Earl Phantomhive a toothy grin. "I am a romantic, you know. I've always wanted to marry for love, but I'm not opposed to something arranged. Surely I can learn to love him. Most women do, right?"
"Not… necessarily." Ciel treaded lightly, as he wasn't quite sure how she would react to him speaking bluntly. "It works for some people, but for others, it doesn't. It's best to marry someone you have genuine affection for and can work well with as a partner in life. Besides, I can't really think of anyone who fits your criteria. Most of the noble supernaturals I encounter are ones I'm assigned to… 'deal with' by HELLSING."
"What about landed gentry, then?"
"Perhaps… Let me think… Ah!" His face lit up for a moment and he snapped his fingers. "Dafydd Blake! He's a warlock who currently works in the Research Department as an expert in magic. He comes from a family with an excellent pedigree, although they're not nobles. He's privately educated, too. We went to Warwick together. As I recall, he had somewhat of a thing for you."
"Mmm… Yes, he is rather handsome, isn't he? And he has good specifications, but…"
"'But?'"
"While warlocks can live a long time, I'll end up outliving him by an absurd amount, eventually, so I wasn't really convinced I should entertain him." Renee confessed. "It isn't important to me if we're the same species or not, but that is something I must consider."
"Ah… Let's see, then…" The Phantomhive hemmed and hawed over the matter, trying to think of anyone who fit her requirements.
There was the new head of the Lexington family, Caroline, but their family reputation wasn't good and they had lost most of their wealth after surrendering to HELLSING. That surrender, however, was what allowed them to keep any of it to begin with. That said, Ciel wasn't sure how she would feel about Caroline as an option, given that he had spent most of his life as a woman, working as a maid in the mansion, before assuming his current shape in order to claim his rightful place in the line of succession. Moreover, he was an incubus, and Ciel doubted an idealistic lady like Renee would be able to achieve the necessary compromises and understanding in a relationship with one of his kind.
Audrey was a soldier, so he was technically a more "traditional" member of the gentry, although being half human, Ciel wasn't sure exactly how long his life span actually was. Moreover, he wouldn't be able to stand her. Forcing her upon him was downright cruel, as much as he actually wanted a girlfriend. For similar reasons, Revy was out, too. Renee wouldn't want to deal with his baggage along with being the sort to absolutely grate his nerves. Additionally, Ciel wasn't even sure if he held any sort of romantic attraction toward women to begin with and it was best not to assume.
"Define 'landed gentry'…" Ciel finally said, hoping to expand his reach just a tad. Of course, he knew what the word meant and how to define it, but in this case, it was more important how Renee did, especially since the term was outdated to begin with.
"Oh, you know. Someone with status, but isn't necessarily noble! Doctors, lawyers, soldiers… Someone intelligent! Someone who is a productive member of society! Someone with land, more than likely."
"Now, most people don't own the land they live on, these days," the bluenette forewarned. I know many soldiers, but few of them are supernaturals. Although, I know a particular bunch who may or may not mind becoming a vampire, if that's alright with you."
"Isn't that unlawful?"
"Well, yes, but I'm sure I can pull some strings. I used to teach a group of soldiers—many of them single—so I'll add them to the list and I can go through them with you in a moment. Now, I cannot guarantee that any of them will be interested, however."
"Of course! I would imagine so. Not all proposals go as one would hope."
"You aren't going to propose on the spot, are you?"
"Heavens, no! That would be absurd! I'm a woman, after all! Besides, I hear that the courting stage is much longer than it used to be."
"Much. It can last years, you know. Things have changed. Are you sure regular commoners are completely off the table?"
"Of course! There's nothing wrong with… being one of them… I'm not a monster, you know. I would simply prefer someone a bit more refined. Honestly, it would be a bit silly to marry below my status, wouldn't it? Have you ever heard of such a thing happening?"
"Yes, actually. It's exceedingly common," Despite the fact that Ciel was clearly smiling, his demeanor was cold as he spoke. "My husband was born common, in fact. He only became a baronet earlier in the year."
Immediately, the woman's cheeks heated up, turning a bright shade of pink as her stomach dropped. "I… I'm sorry, I…"
"You didn't know. He's a baronet, so you naturally assumed that he was part of the landed gentry, as he is. But, for most of his life, he's been strictly common. I must say that I don't really appreciate that sentiment, but I understand that most nobles aren't aware of the charms a commoner may have."
"My sincerest apologies…" Renee answered, unsure of how exactly she was going to get back in good graces with the Phantomhive after such a thoughtless comment. It was insensitive, yes, and while it was an incorrect sentiment to hold, she had never really been around anyone who felt differently. "I would never have guessed…"
"Yes, as it turns out, commoners are just as capable of refinement as nobles are. If anything, Jim is by far nobler than most nobles I've met. I simply had to snatch him up at the earliest opportunity." A small smile reflexively formed in Ciel's face as the thought crossed his mind. His annoyance at Renee seemed to fall by the wayside for just a moment as he prioritised the thought of his spouse instead. It wasn't like the Phantomhive that Renee knew, so right away, she understood that Jim was important to him.
"He must be really something, then." she observed, leaning forward as her interest grew. "Quite the gentleman, I'd assume!"
"Jim? Not at all—well, when we first met, at least, and when we first started dating… He was a bit of a wild child. He had some very basic knowledge about proper Victorian social etiquette, but I never really enforced it with him. If anything, it was a bit of a relief to be around someone who wasn't so caught up on that sort of thing."
"Really? I can't imagine…" The woman trailed off, not wanting to offend the man again.
"You can't imagine falling in love with someone like that?" Ciel chuckled. "I couldn't either until it happened. But, we had plenty of things in common. We understood each other in ways that are pretty rare and it helped us bond. He does have plenty of good points beyond that, however. He's one of the bravest people I know and he's positively brilliant as well—an excellent fighter, strategist, and agent. He's also kind and has a big heart. I like how nurturing he is toward his family and how he takes good care of others—although he can overdo it, sometimes, and needs to think more about himself. He's witty and is always able to make me laugh… And he's rather easy on the eyes, I will admit," The Watchdog looked away while saying that last bit. There was just a bit of pink lightly dusting his cheeks when he did. It was only just noticeable to Renee, but she still saw it. Pausing, Ciel cleared his throat.
"Anyway," he said, "Needless to say, I love him. The thing is, one doesn't always get to choose who you fall in love with. By all stretches of 'logic,' loving Jim doesn't make much sense, if I stuck with old conventions. Yet, I know I would be a less happy person if I didn't open myself up to that. In turn, I had to work on myself so that I could be a person who was worthy of loving him back."
"How were you not worthy?" Renee questioned. Wrinkles appeared between her eyebrows as she shook her head incredulously. "There are plenty of people who would have had you. If you had to force it, then why did you?"
"I didn't 'force' it. I already reached the point where I 'liked' him, but 'loving' someone is a bit different. 'Love' just isn't something that comes naturally to most people. It takes effort and communication, not just superficial compatibility. We're partners, not just in duty, but in life as well, so we make the effort together in order to make the relationship work."
"That doesn't seem very like you…" It really wasn't, as far as Renee knew. The Ciel she knew simply didn't have much interest when it came to romance, but she supposed that could be because of this strange philosophy he was spouting. "You had to go through so much trouble, and you still married him?"
"Well, somewhere along the way, I decided that I simply couldn't bear the thought of him not being a Phantomhive any longer," The Earl replied, crossing his arms and haughtily raising his nose into the air. "Isn't that the way that most married people do it these days? Certainly, he has all of the traits that make him a perfect partner to The Queen's Guard Dog. Like I said, he is excellent when it comes to work, and his worldview is incredibly refreshing, but also, I simply adore him and that's that. He may not entirely understand it, but while it may seem a bit silly to him, noblemen have conventions and honour systems that are important to us. To me, sharing my legacy with him was just one of the best ways I knew how to express my commitment. Quite frankly, I don't care whether he's a commoner, a man, a demon, or whatever else and even if it defies all rules or conventions, it had to be him. That's it in the simplest of terms. It had to be him. You may not understand it either, but I'm immensely pleased by it. He's quite the catch."
It was strange to think that Ciel could make such a content expression. If fact, rather than being merely content, he almost seemed like he was being boastful. The arrogant expression he wore on his face lacked the bite that it usually had, making it genuinely appear as though he was truly a doting husband… to his husband? Renee was still somewhat baffled by the particulars of the arrangement. Still, she wasn't completely sold on the idea of obtaining a union with a commoner that wasn't a part of the landed gentry.
"I'm rather surprised by how fond you are of him. I'm glad that you have found someone special to you, even if it isn't me." she diplomatically declared, even if it weren't completely true. It was true enough. Things would be a lot easier for her if Ciel were on the market, but since that was an impossibility, she accepted the fact that she should look elsewhere. The problem was, her options were few—practically nonexistent, really. "I hope I can find someone who I can be fond of as well."
"Well, let me see… Hold on a moment and I'll get something to write this down with." the man replied, abruptly turning his attention to the matter at hand. He had gotten distracted and was a little embarrassed at himself for it. Standing up, he patted his pockets, hoping to have a pocket notepad in one of them. No dice. Instead, he walked over to a table with a drawer underneath it and looked inside at the bits and bobs that had accumulated there. "Ah! Here we are!" the Watchdog declared, shutting the drawer while triumphantly holding his miraculous find up in the air. In his hand was a cheap pen with a slightly worn advertisement for Funtom printed on the side and a beaten up notepad with many pages torn from it. Setting the notepad on the table, he scribbled in the corner to test the ink before returning to his seat, satisfied with his findings. From there, he began to write.
"Human soldiers… Human soldiers… I'll try to come up with some supernatural options, but for now, let's get the human gentry out of the way…" distractedly vocalised the man while keeping his focus trained on the page. After a few names, he looked up again. "Oh, and I must inform you, these men are on-call, which means that when dispatch wants them, they get them. It may be a potential dealbreaker for you, so I cannot in good conscience recommend them without letting you know."
"I suppose that will be alright… It is their job, I suppose. There's honour in that. Although, I would prefer someone who is home. But, beggars can't be choosers."
Ciel wanted to make a comment about that, but he bit his tongue and instead turned his attention back to the list. "Oh! There is one person, although I'm not sure how you'll feel about him…"
"Who?"
"Solomon Danlaw. He was one of the same group of students, but he was bitten by a werewolf. He's now in working in the faoladh platoon. He's a bit wet behind the ears, but he's a good man—a hard worker, very earnest, albeit a bit serious." Ciel said that, oblivious to the irony of that last bit. "In a few years, he will make an excellent leader. His father was in the military before him and so was his grandfather, so he's from a proper military family!"
"Ooh~! How rugged! A soldier and a werewolf!" Renee grinned, finally perking up. "I like the idea of that. He sounds promising!"
"I'll circle him as a person of particular interest." Informed the Watchdog, flicking his pen across the page. "He does come with a few attributes that you may find objectionable, but I'll leave you to make that decision. Let's move on… I'm sure there's some reputable gentlemen in Gehenna somewhere… There's certainly an abundance of vampires and werewolves… I can't really think of anyone I know personally, however. One of Luka's teachers is a vampire, although he's not really landed gentry and I don't really know if he's single… Let me think…"
He paused, pressing the end of his pen against his lips as he balanced his weight on his elbow, resting it on the arm of his chair. The silence that hung in the air was uncomfortable, as it was clear that he really couldn't think of anything. Renee felt like it shouldn't hurt her feelings, but it did made her lose quite a bit of confidence in the entire affair. Finally, the Earl was forced to admit defeat.
"I'm terribly sorry…" he said. "I honestly cannot think of anyone who I'm personally acquainted with. I know that there are lawyers and doctors in Gehenna, but I'm afraid I can't really introduce you to them. You'll probably have to find a way to contact them yourself, if you want to try that route."
"It's alright. You've done what you can…" Renee did her very best to stifle her disappointment and tried to focus on the fact that she had more names than she did when she started. Still, she couldn't help but let out a bit of a sigh. "Things just aren't the way they used to be. It's much harder to meet people, I think. Before, people didn't have to worry about this sort of thing, or risk looking so foolish, asking for help."
"Most people back in those days didn't get to pick their partner, however. Picking is a privilege in its own right. I would suggest expanding your search to perhaps less prestigious but also perfectly respectable occupations. Teachers, policemen, shopkeepers… As long as they're reputable, they could make fine husbands, I'm sure."
"Perhaps… It's such a shame, though. The aristocracy as we knew it is almost completely gone, now. You're probably right, though. I musn't be so picky! Still, there's only so far I can go, as I am right now. I'd rather not wait another hundred or even fifty years for me to change, but if I can't bring myself to choose from the lower classes."
Once again, Ciel bit his tongue, finding it incredibly tempting to inform the woman that she, herself, didn't have that much in the way of funds anymore. Reminding her, even gently, would bring unnecessary grief for the Watchdog, so he carried on, ignoring his desire to correct.
"Well, on that note, let's look from the pool we have right now then, shall we?" he suggested.
The Earl ran through each and every person on that list, giving his acquaintance a run-down of their personality, their marketable points, their qualities that may be deal-breakers, and so on. Every single name, he read off and gave detailed descriptions of their owners, spending a very, very, long time on this entire process. With some, he could actually see the woman losing interest right in front of his eye, causing him to internally beg whatever governing force in the universe that she would find at least one to contact. She did, much to his surprise. In fact, she picked several. The process just took far longer than he would have liked. Ciel wasn't very fond of these strange customs from the beginning, but since he was so young during the time he was actually utilising these practises, his parents had done all of the heavy lifting for him. It took over a hundred years for him to find a betrothed, of course, but he was very happy with his selection. Admittedly, the man found it very difficult to understand why Renee couldn't simply go out any meet potential dates like a normal person.
...Not that the way that he met his own spouse was "normal," by any means. He understood the hypocrisy in that, but he hadn't been actively hoping at the time. To him, it simply made sense that if she wanted a date, she would go out in find one, yes? Perhaps this was far more complicated than he thought it was. Then again, perhaps it wasn't. He didn't really know and had no real plans to find out.
The hands on the clock turned, settling several numbers over by the time Ciel had gotten done with the entirety of the list. A deep sigh involuntarily escaped him. While he hoped he didn't come across as rude, he also wasn't even certain that he would have done this voluntarily for one of his friends or family, let alone an old acquaintance.
"That's everyone." He said, finishing the new, abridged list. "I'll fill them in on the situation and let you know if there are any updates."
"That sounds good. Once again, thank you very much for your help! I really wouldn't have known where to begin." Renee began with a smile. "This really isn't your place or your task, but I don't really have anyone to help me navigate this and advocate for me. This would ordinarily be a job for my parents, but sadly, they're no longer here, for obvious reasons. I suppose I could have asked Serge, but a servant simply doesn't have the connections that you do."
"Maybe not, but I wouldn't be surprised if he did, however. Servants tend to have their noses in places you would never expect." Ciel replied, gesturing with his hands in order to physically move his explanation along.. "I suppose Serge does the shopping for you, yes? And that means that he has to go into town and meet other people—all sorts of other people. I would suggest that you ask him before completely settling on one of these people. You might find a better match much closer to you than you think."
"If only things were so simple. I highly doubt it, but I suppose it cannot hurt to ask." conceded the woman as she stood. She offered the Earl a curtsy as he stood as well. "Once again, I'm very grateful for your help."
"It's quite alright." It wasn't, but Ciel knew he would live. As silly as the situation may seem, he couldn't help but empathise. He, too, still felt the pull of his upbringing at times, even when he knew that more modern attitudes may be better and in fact more reasonable. Old habits really did die hard. "I understand how difficult it is to be displaced in time and company. A little assistance and understanding can go a long way. While I cannot guarantee you the results you want, I will do my best."
"You're a really kind man, my lord. I hope I can one day be as happy and helpful as you are. Then, perhaps I can return your kindness! For now, however, I'll be taking my leave. I'm sorry for intruding on you."
"It's quite alright, Mademoiselle. Think nothing of it. Allow me to see you out."
Elegantly, the two made their way to the entryway, their feet practically gliding across the floor as they walked side by side. Truly, they did look good next to each other, even if it was most definitely not meant to be. He was a high-born gentleman and she was a high-born lady—both of them just as refined as the other, carrying themselves with grace and dignity wherever they stepped. Really, it was no mystery as to why Renee wanted someone who was able to match her poise like this, even if the Phantomhive himself saw no need for it. When they reached the door, he pulled her her jacket down from the coat rack and moved to hand it to her, only for her servant to materialise out of seemingly nowhere in order to snatch it out of his grasp. The bluenette couldn't help but feel as though her butler, Serge, was staring him down, there, for a brief moment, only for him to regain his composure as well in order to resume his duties. Serge helped Renee put on her jacket before standing by with a light bow.
"We'll be off, then." Renee looked back over her shoulder at the Phantomhive with a smile. The corners of her eyes wrinkled as her cheeks moved upwards and with a gloved hand, she offered him a small wave. "I'll be counting on you. Goodbye, my lord."
"Goodbye." Ciel waved back as the two vampires stepped through the double doors to the estate. Once they were through the threshold, they were shut. Still gripping the handles, Ciel let out a sigh, his expression melting away. While he didn't detest Renee and Renee was certainly not a detestable person, he still somehow found her somewhat troubling to entertain. The charms of the old world were indeed nostalgic and it was certainly pleasant to reminisce, he was never really suited for that sort of talk. It was difficult and somewhat bothersome to navigate, even when he was human. So, although Renee was a perfectly nice lady—if one was able to excuse some of the less palatable things she occasionally said due to her sheltered upbringing—he did not miss the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Carefully, he folded the list of names in his hand and carefully placed them in his pocket to be dealt with later. For now, he needed to wind down a bit after that. Unfortunately, he was soon faced with a force that set out to deliberately antagonise him.
"Ooh~! What a gentleman~!" his husband's voice called out from behind him, prompting Ciel to roll his visible eye. Upon turning to face him, he saw the blonde staring down at him from the top of the stairs, leaning against the railing while grinning at him like the Cheshire Cat. "You never try to help me put on my coat…"
"That's because I know you're more than capable of doing it yourself." the Watchdog answered back, making his way up the steps to meet his beau. "I wasn't helping her, either. I was merely handing her her jacket and her servant decided that she needed the assistance. She isn't as independent as you are, it seems."
"Maybe that's true. Blue bloods are sort of like that, aren't they? When did you learn how to dress yourself again?"
"Jimmy…" Ciel sternly warned, offering his spouse a half-heartedly cross look to go along with it.
"Now, now, I'm only teasing you. It's my job, you know." laughed the menace as he followed the other man's ascent with his eyes, watching him draw closer. "I'm perfectly aware that you're much more interested in helping me undress, anyway."
Immediately, the Watchdog's cheeks turned a little pink. He cleared his throat and answered: "Yes… Well… Is that really something to advertise while on high?"
"What? We're alone."
"You're terrible." Ciel stated rather plainly as he kissed his beloved's cheek. The other man made no move to meet him, although he readily presented himself to give Ciel better access, grinning widely as the Watchdog's lips brushed against him. "I sang praises of you while meeting with the Mademoiselle, and this is how you treat your dear husband?"
"Oh? Are you boasting about me, husband?"
"Indeed, husband. The Mademoiselle wanted help finding a suitable marriage partner, since she no longer has parents to arrange that sort of thing for her, and I suggested that she broaden her search to commoners. After all, I have had rather outstanding luck in doing so, although, I'm afraid my spouse is a bit rude to me, sometimes."
"Pfft-!" Jim couldn't help but snicker. "Did you really? You know most rich folk aren't as weird as you, right?"
"There's nothing 'weird' about it. Even princes marry commoners, these days. If it's good enough for them, it is surely good enough to me, especially when the commoner I found is far more interesting and well-suited to the role than any noble I've ever encountered." Leaning against the banister with both arms alongside the menace, the bluenette touched shoulders with him. "It's really difficult to find a noble who makes a good partner, really. The traits I desire are incredibly rare amoung them. Somehow, I managed to convince her only slightly. While not a part of the peerage, she will accept members of the landed gentry. Don't worry, I didn't point out Revy and Audrey is safe, too."
"That's good. As much as I enjoy absolutely roasting nobles for being, well… like they are, there's a few that I really happen to like."
"Oh, really? Like who?"
"Oh, you know… The Midfords… The Hellsings…" Jim trailed off, counting on his fingers. He held up his ring finger as well, pretending to stumble over coming up with a third group. "Oh, yeah, and the Phantomhives are alright, I guess…"
"'Alright?'" scoffed his husband. "Why only 'alright?'"
"Because I enjoy pestering you. The Phantomhives are my favourite."
"Even if there's only one?"
"No there isn't!" Ciel raise an eyebrow as the menace quickly wrapped his arms around his waist and rested his chin on his shoulder. With a big grin, Jim spoke rather insistently. "There's two! Weren't you the one who really wanted to make me one? You said you wanted to snatch me up before I could get away, didn't you?"
A bright red blush stained the Watchdog's cheeks as he reflexively looked away from the blonde, staring straight out into the foyer, while covering his mouth. Despite his efforts, Jim could still see that he was smiling. His cheeks were raised and the corner of his eye crinkled.
"Were you listening to my conversation with the Mademoiselle?" coyly inquired the bluenette.
"Only a little bit. Isn't it normal for me to want to know what my husband gets up to when alone with pretty ladies?"
"Liar. You know me better than that. I would never go back on an oath I was so eager to make, and I would never do anything to purposefully dishonour the family or you. You're also more than aware that she is not at all type. She's not enough of a n'er-do-well for me to hold any interest."
"I'm flattered. How romantic."
"Well, all of this talk of marriage lately has pulled romance to the forefront of my thoughts." Turning to face the menace, Ciel placed his hands on the other man's shoulders. Resting at the base of Jim's neck, the Watchdog's fingertips pressed into the back of it, while his thumbs rested comfortably on Jim's jaw. The smile Ciel wore was purposefully subdued on his part, but not enough to make it subtle. He liked the face Jim was making. Sometimes, he could actually see it registering in the blonde's mind just how much he was loved by Ciel. That alone provided an incentive for the Earl to continue peppering him with gentle touches, turning the surly Watchdog into someone who was rather fond of everyday physical intimacy. It was a vicious cycle, though. Love was expressed, love was returned, and so love was exchanged again.
"I want to take you out sometime." Ciel informed matter-of-factly. "Preferably soon. I've been feeling a bit greedy, as of late, and want to monopolise your attention for a bit."
"Well, you have it." Jim replied without thinking. The words slipped right out of his mouth before he could really think of a more practical answer. "Uh, when do you want to go? If it's during the week, I'll have to figure out what to do about work, so…"
His eyebrows raised as Ciel moved his face closer. Anticipating what was to come next, he closed his eyes and pursed his lips slightly, only for the kiss to not come. His eyes shot open and he looked out, seeing over Ciel's shoulder as he felt the other man's breath against his ear.
"Depends…" the Watchdog whispered. "I'll have to check and see which of the nicest hotels have the earliest reservation open." He could be wicked at times, even toward Jim, and grinned accordingly as he felt the other man shudder. With that, he pulled away in order to see his beau's face, letting out a haughty laugh as Jim's fists struck him in the chest.
"What the hell, Ciel?!" bashfully demanded the menace.
"Oh, you're really red, aren't you? How cute…"
"Shut up! When the fuck did you get like this?! When did you get this good at that?! What the happened to Victorian prudishness and shame?!"
"Oh, it's still there, but Victorian shame can only be trumped by Victorian degeneracy."
"Fuckin' yeah, that's it! It's like the repression makes you all pervy! That's why nobles are all perverts!"
"Ah, yes, yes… I have a voracious appetite when it comes to my husband. How scandalous. When will my savagery come to an end?"
Needless to say, the Watchdog was rather amused by his beloved's pouting. He knew perfectly well how dangerous Jim could be, but he couldn't help but find it cute. Both of them knew the argument wasn't serious, as it was a playful one that they had had before. Many times. Over the past few years, really.
"Stop being sexy!" Jim demanded, pointing his finger accusingly at the bluenette while Ciel casually leaned with one hand on the banister and the other on his hip. "It's not fair!"
"How so?"
"I'm supposed to be the one to mess with you!"
"Too bad. The pact is sealed. You married me so you're stuck with me. That's just tough luck, I'm afraid."
"That's it! You weren't as bold before! You've trapped me and now you're all cocky about it!"
"Not the word I'd use, but alright."
"Shut up!" hissed the cat, hugging himself. "Everybody says that it gets worse or goes away when you get married, but you! You're the opposite! I'm getting my mind blown multiple times a week and I don't think I'll ever be the same again! Take responsibility for it, you high-born horndog!"
"Thank you. I take pride in my work."
The lack of denial or protest gave the menace pause. Ciel had done precisely what Jim had instructed him to do, leaving Jim with no room to really protest. He wasn't really sure where to go from there. Turning up his nose upwards, his hold turned into a fold as he crossed his arms over his chest.
"You're so not cute." he declared with a huff.
"Sorry about that." answered the other man without a trace of sincerity. "Do you think you can you forgive me?"
Lowering his nose so that he could meet his husband's gaze, Jim threw his hands up in the air. "I guess!" he answered, allowing the other man to take his hand and kiss it, regardless.
It was all an act, to him. He was really rather enthused by the whole situation, given how busy with everything else they had been over the past month. Fall and Winter were the busiest times of year for the Phantomhives, given how many holidays that involved sweets and toys falling around the same time, along with the fact that power-hungry maniacs always seemed to decide fall was the opportune time to cause a ruckus. Everything seemed quiet so far, however. It was nice. Even if Jim was realising that this Ciel was no longer quite the same person he was when they first got together. He was still loved and he was still very much in love, no matter how much of a fuss he pretended to kick up.
"If Renee manages to find someone who loves her even a third of how much I love you, I'm sure she'll be fine." smiled the Watchdog, pressing his lips against his husband's ring. The facade broke and Jim finally had to crack a smile.
"You're so mushy…" Despite his put-on attitude, Jim still readily hugged his beau, giving him a firm squeeze while letting out a sigh.
"I'm hopeless. I feel rather peaceful, these days, though, so I have time to be. Apparently, I've become so soft that I'm being asked to help other people get married."
"Well, maybe you'll find the ability to tear your eye off of me long enough to be a decent matchmaker." Jim teased. "You already helped Travis get to know Patricia, and look where they're at!"
"That was an accident and it's unwise to provoke deadly supernatural forces on purpose."
"Well, Renee's a supernatural, so maybe you need something more human?"
"Perhaps, but I'd really rather not deal with the 'deadly' part, still. Have I become lazy?"
"Hm, a little bit, maybe? In a good way, though. You're a lot less tense, I think."
"Hm, yes, quite…" Ciel looked up and pondered that for a moment. Indeed, the menace was right, he felt. "It only took me a hundred years or so. I do worry about becoming a bit boring, however. I still don't think I could ever live without some sort of stress. The lack of it would only make me anxious."
"Same." Jim nodded along. "You're not going to get too fancy for me though, are you? You're already matchmaking for posh people..."
"If I wanted to marry a blue-blooded woman with all of the trimmings fit for presentation in high society, I would have done so by now, so don't you worry about that. Quite honestly, I can't really say I approve of this method of finding a marriage partner, so I highly doubt I will ever get to the point where I'll be any good at this. I'm sort of at a loss, really. You know I do love Lizzie, but going through the motions like that where everything is predetermined and based entirely on pedigree is a little… Oh, how can I put this nicely?"
"Boring?"
"Not the word I wanted to use, but a little, yes. I would have gone through with it, of course, had I remained human, but… I prefer this." Reaching behind his back, the Earl placed his hands over Jim's and pried his arms from around his waist. He intertwined their fingers, allowing them to hang freely together at their sides. "It feels natural that you're here. We're both complete people on our own, but together, I believe that we're complementary. You make me and my life better by being here and I hope that I am able to do a bit of the same for you. There is simply more to this than any pedigree could substitute for, so I find it hard to imagine how anyone would rely on such a thing while trying to find the person that they intend to spend the rest of their life with."
A giggle escaped the menace with that. Ciel had explained all of this to him a thousand times before, but it was always pleasant to hear. Jim didn't know if it were possible for him to ever hear it in excess. "You're a hopeless romantic."
"I'm a gentleman." playfully corrected the Earl. "Nothing more, nothing less."
"Well, your kind is a bit rare, these days." Jim reminded. "It's gonna be hard to find somebody up to snuff for the Mademoiselle. Luckily for me, I don't have to look."
"You weren't even looking for my 'kind' in the first place."
"That doesn't mean that I don't appreciate the benefits of being married to a gentleman—especially one with your hyper-specific philosophy."
"A modern gentleman can never be the same as one from the past, and that's a good thing. An old-style gentleman lacks any sort of charm or appeal. How can I hope to keep your eyes on me like that?"
"I'm not sure if you could. I'm not into that sort of thing. You're doing a great job, though."
"Thank you, darling."
"Now if only you could be so considerate as to move the conversation off the landing and to somewhere with chairs." pondered the blonde aloud, letting out a fake sigh of exasperation. Immediately, his beau's cheeks heated up.
"...Sorry."
"Don't be!" Jim laughed, flashing his teeth as he gave a great big grin to the other man. "I like how you can get so caught up in flirting with me that you forget about your surroundings, sometimes. It's cute."
"I thought you said I wasn't cute?"
"Well, I lied, obviously. You're very cute. Super cute. The cutest. You can carry on all you want about how you've landed yourself a catch when you married me, but I still think I won out in all of this."
"Really, now? Care to elaborate?"
"You're cute. You're sweet. You make me feel all sorts of things." said the menace. "I'm not really good with making pretty words like you, but you can just give me a look and I'll know you love me. I'll admit, the mansion and all is nice, but I kinda feel like I'm home wherever you are." Letting go of one of Ciel's hands, the menace reached up and rubbed the back of his own neck, tilting his head with a bashful look about him. "See? It doesn't really work when I do it. It doesn't really make sense…"
"I understand."
"Really? You're so much better at it than I am…"
"No, Jim. I understand." reiterated the Watchdog. "I feel the same way."
Pausing, the menace pondered this for a moment. He let go of his beloved's hand for just a moment in order to rearrange the grip and brought Ciel's knuckles to his lips. It was a gesture that Ciel often did, so when Jim did it, it was just unexpected enough that it made the bluenette's cheeks a shade pinker. Jim expressed love by hugging, kissing, holding hands, and clutching onto his beau's arm. The only place he could fall asleep was right beside Ciel and the only way he could express himself sometimes was through gesture. Not being much of a sweet-talker, when his feelings were too much for him to voice, he simply stayed close and fawned over the object of his affections. Sometimes, he really wished it was the other way around, since he loved hearing Ciel say all of the loving things he did each day. Sometimes it was frustrating, only being able to come up with "I love you," since there were times when he really wanted to say more.
He was rough around the edges, yes, but when he tried to be suave in a more traditional sense? It hit Ciel a bit differently, but he did not appreciate it any less. Although it was somewhat chaste in comparison to a typical gesture from the menace, his husband was able to understand it. There was effort in it to bring himself to Ciel's level so that they were on equal footing. He wanted to speak Ciel's language and let him know that he was important to him. Of course, Ciel already knew that, but being told, even without words, made him happy. As gentlemanly and courteous as he was, he, too, liked to feel a bit special.
"Ahem." came the sound of a younger man from the corridor, reminding the lovestruck pair that they were in fact, not the only two people in the world, or even in this house. Jim's eyes darted over his beau's shoulder, prompting Ciel to follow them and see Luka standing behind him.
"Get a room, already." said the youngest of the Macken brothers as he walked toward them with his hand on the banister, hoping to turn the corner and head downstairs. "Other people need to walk through here."
"We're not blocking your way. You can get through just fine." informed the menace, childishly sticking his tongue out at his sibling. Given his proximity to Ciel, the contract on it was there, clear as day. "And it's our house. If we want to act lovey-dovey, we can and there's not much you can do about it. In fact, what are you even still doing here? Don't you have school?"
"It's Saturday, so no." Luka answered, taking his first step down the stairs. "I'm gonna go watch TV."
"So it's okay to watch anime with girls with big boobs, but I can't kiss my husband's hand?"
"I do NOT!" the younger of the two brothers barked back, furrowing his brow with a blush. "I don't like that stuff! I like girls, but I don't like-! Ugh! You're just messing with me again!"
"It's my job. I have to annoy you, Revy, and Ciel, or else I've failed as a big brother and a husband."
"Well, quit it! Unless you're giving me another training exercise, then I don't wanna hear it!"
"Okay, then. Run ten laps around the house." Jim stated, placing his hands on his hips.
"What?"
"All of it. The whole building. Go out and run around it ten times."
"Why would I need to do that? How is that useful?"
"You're gonna do a lot of running in the Juniour camp, so you might as well work on it, now. Besides, it's really important on missions to have some endurance so you can keep fighting or fleeing until either the job is done or you've made your escape."
Luka paused and thought about that, soon nodding in agreement that the explanation made sense. However, he then thought about just how big the mansion was. Ten laps didn't seem like a lot on the surface, but when considering the size of each lap? It made his shoulders slouch a bit.
"The whole building?" he asked.
"The whole building." Jim said.
Luka paused to consider that, furrowing his brow in concentration. "Can I do five instead?"
"Fine. Start with five, and then if you're still feeling good, go for a few more. You need to be tired by the end of it."
"Okay~" Luka replied, his tone typical of a teenager while turning his head to start descending the stairs again. His train of thought was interrupted, however, when he was called out to again.
"Oh, Luka, I have a question for you." Ciel began, making the lad stop again. Looking up at his brother-in-law, Luka listened carefully to what he had to say. "Do you know if your teacher is single?"
"What?" immediately, the boy's face shifted. The skeptical look he wore somewhat took Ciel by surprise, but to be fair, it was a surprising line of questioning coming from the Watchdog as well.
"Your teacher… Mister Blackwell?" the Watchdog said again. "I have an acquaintance who is looking to get married, but she's only looking for people of a certain social class, or with certain occupations. I'm trying to come up with eligible bachelors that meet her criteria and am running into a bit of trouble. Is Mister Blackwell seeing anyone that you know of?"
The boy did not reply right away. Instead, he stared at the Earl, wondering just what sort of nonsense he had gotten himself into this time. "Dunno." he finally said while turning back around to leave. He started down the stairs a bit faster than before. "I'm going outside."
A/N: Hello~! How is everyone? It's been a little while, hasn't it? I'm really sorry about the lateness on this one... A bunch of jobs I applied for months ago had apparently gotten together and decided that these last two weeks? Yeah, this is the time for all of them to schedule interviews! I'm honestly happy to have interviews, but at the same time, every time I come home after one, it feels like I've been gone for three years...
I feel like this chapter isn't really worth the wait... A lot of it is just the duo flirting lmao and that's a lovely thing, but still! I was trying to figure out how the new, Chill!Ciel acts with Jim. I kind of wonder if he'll eventually start acting like his parents? Pfft! Good luck figuring out which parts of his personality are which. Without the angst, what is he? We're still figuring that out. I don't think his existential crisis over it is done with, either. He's just kinda rolling with it, I guess.
Anyway, I hope the next one comes out faster. I hate not updating quickly. It feels bad. I'm still debating on which thing I'm gonna write about in the next one, so I'll probably start on it Monday.
Until the next chapter, my duckies~!
