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—
Preparing to host a ball in the late nineteenth century was not an overnight process.
It took weeks to coordinate everything, secure the food, decorations, entertainment, and to deliver the invitations and receive replies.
Finally though, the night of Alois's event arrived and the blonde spent the majority of the day trying on different outfits, combing his hair this way and that, and even practicing what he was going to say in the mirror.
It was all for Ciel.
The ball was just a ruse to indirectly lure Ciel back into his arms and ask her where their romance had gone wrong.
Every outfit that Alois tried on, he was silently asking himself if it would catch Ciel's eye…...
Alois fretted over what way Ciel would think his hair looked best and he tortured himself by imagining different scenarios of how Ciel may react to seeing him again, forcing himself to practice different responses, ones that he hoped Ciel would view favorably.
By the time the guests for the evening started to arrive, Alois was dressed in his usual black and purple suit, with his black neck bow and green striped vest, his hair was combed in the usual way, the way Ciel had always seen it, but the blonde was a nervous wreck.
Alois's heart pounded in his chest whenever a carriage pulled into the Trancy driveway.
Was that Ciel?!
No.
Alois would breathe heavily for a moment as a wave of adrenaline coursed painfully through his veins and then, as soon as the blonde recovered from his anxious panic, to both his dismay and his joy, another carriage would pull up.
Was that Ciel?!
No.
Carriage after carriage arrived, but Ciel was not in any of them.
Trancy manor became so filled with guests that Alois had no choice but to leave his post from watching at the window and mingle with the ball attendants.
After nearly an hour, while Alois was chatting with a few dukes and duchesses, secretly bored out of his mind, Claude walked up behind him and discreetly whispered in his ear, "Ciel Phantomhive is here, highness."
One of the elderly dukes told another dull joke, but this time, Alois laughed exuberantly.
It gave him an excuse to cover up his joy.
Ciel had arrived!
—
"While we're in there, Sebastian, guard me closely." Ciel huffed after Sebastian helped her out of the carriage and sat her down gently on her feet.
"Of course, Bocchan." Sebastian nodded.
Together, Ciel and Sebastian walked towards the front door of Alois's estate.
Ciel grit her teeth.
The bluenette didn't want to be there, she just wanted to go home.
Ciel's pregnancy had advanced and she found herself easily fatigued.
If it wasn't for this stupid ball, Ciel would be in bed asleep.
Sebastian wore a quiet smirk as they walked along.
Sebastian was perfectly aware of Ciel's condition now and how her predicament had begun.
However, it was not Sebastian's place to judge Ciel, and so, he followed her orders as usual.
However, Sebastian couldn't understand why Ciel had declined his generous offer to…..absolve her…...from her problem.
Perhaps it was because Ciel had seen so many innocent people meet their grisly ends, or maybe it was that Ciel didn't want to harm a family member, even an unwanted one.
But, Sebastian wondered….
….Did his master really think that placing the infant in an orphan asylum would be a better fate than death?
Sebastian was shaken out of his musings when Ciel spoke again.
"Stay close." Ciel whispered to Sebastian while they slowly stepped inside Trancy manor.
—
Alois's party was enormous.
Guests from all over Europe were there, aristocrats, dignitaries, important members of the British military, the entire Trancy ballroom was packed with people, wall to wall.
Ciel was dressed in one of her few pant suits that still fit, thanks to Sebastian loosening the seams on her dress shirt and sewing a bit of elastic into her shorts.
To hide any hint of her new figure, Ciel made sure to wear her black cloak.
It was a chilly evening, so the garment was sensible, and it allayed any suspicion.
The night droned on, and fortunately, Ciel did not run into Alois.
Ciel stood beside Sebastian while they mingled and chatted with the other guests.
Ciel had always found idle conversation to be tedious, but at least she didn't have to deal with the blonde….
On the other side of the ballroom, Alois spotted Ciel, and he was trying to make his way over to her, but it seemed as though with each step he took, another guest wanted to trap him in a chat that lasted several minutes.
Midnight came and the Trancy ball was still in full swing.
Sebastian had found himself obligated to dance with a debutante that he and Ciel had just been speaking to and with a reluctant nod, Ciel gave Sebastian her permission.
Not that Ciel had much of a choice, it would have been rude for her to refuse.
Sebastian smirked while he waltzed the beautiful, young girl around the ballroom and Ciel put a hand to her head.
Ciel was so tired….and she and Sebastian couldn't leave yet.
Ciel wandered over, out of the ballroom, down a dark hallway, and found a purple velvet armchair in a nearby sitting area.
Ciel was so exhausted that she almost felt sick to her stomach and she nearly collapsed into the seat.
Ciel's feet ached and her back smarted, she was just going to close her eyes for a moment or two…
But before Ciel had time to fight it, her drowsiness overcame her and she fell into a deep, heavy sleep.
—
"Ciel! CIEL!" Alois called desperately.
The blonde's attempt was in vain.
Although Alois had drawn closer to Ciel, he was still crowds away from the bluenette, and over the loud music and the deafening chatter, there was no way that Ciel could hear him.
"CIEL!" Alois shouted as he watched the bluenette walk out of the ballroom.
Sebastian swirled past with his dancing partner and Alois's eyes widened.
Sebastian was distracted.
Now was Alois's big chance!
Alois shouldered and pushed through the crowd as politely as he could and he burst out of the ballroom, into the hallway.
The hall was black, but Ciel couldn't have walked far in a few moments.
Where could she have gone…..?
"Ciel?" Alois called while he walked down the hallway. "Ciel?"
Alois turned his head and his heart leapt with joy.
There, in one of his purple velvet chairs, sat Ciel.
Ciel had propped her head up with one arm so Alois didn't notice that she was asleep at first….
"CIEL!" Alois cried triumphantly with a happy grin as he raced over to the bluenette and knelt down at her feet. "Oh, Ciel! I'm so happy to—"
Alois's voice broke off when he realized his lover was resting.
Alois clamped a hand over his mouth, silencing himself, before he pulled it away and smiled, whispering as he went on, "Oh my darling, I'm terribly sorry! You know I'd never disturb you, I'm just….I'm just so happy to see you again! I've missed you so much!"
And with that, from his kneeling position, Alois reached forward and gently hugged Ciel with his eyes closed.
Right around her waist….
Alois's ocean-blue eyes blinked open and his lips parted in confusion.
Something felt odd.
Alois scowled and pushed Ciel's cloak aside.
The blonde's eyes widened in disbelief and he quickly unfastened Ciel's dress shirt, pushing her shorts hastily but gently out of the way.
A dry gasp escaped Alois's lips.
"C-Ciel…" Alois stammered in a hushed whisper.
Alois felt his heart pounding in his chest as waves of shock rolled through his veins.
With his hands trembling, Alois reached out and placed his palms over Ciel's rounded belly.
Alois breathed a shaky breath as his hands slowly circled Ciel's abdomen, tears welling in his eyes as a small flutter pressed lightly against his palm.
"C-Ciel….." Alois whimpered, his tears starting to pour down his cheeks as he pressed his face against Ciel's belly. "C-Ciel, oh my….."
Ciel was…...Ciel was…...Ciel was…. pregnant.
….How could this be?
Why hadn't Ciel told him?!
Alois drew in a sharp breath and his eyes narrowed as he thought.
Sebastian!
That had to be it.
Ciel's stupid butler was always getting in his way.
Alois knew that surely Ciel still loved him!
As quietly as he could, and without wasting a single second, Alois called for Claude, who came walking down the hallway a moment later.
"Yes, highness?" Claude asked.
"Keep Sebastian busy. I've got to take care of Ciel, she needs me." Alois said dramatically.
"Very well, highness. I shall make sure Sebastian Michaelis does not interfere." Claude replied, adjusting his glasses before he turned and went on his way.
Alois frowned in sympathy and walked over to the purple velvet chair.
The blonde gently and lovingly scooped Ciel up into his arms.
Alois's heart melted when Ciel instinctively laid her head on his chest, still asleep.
"Don't worry, my darlings." Alois whispered to Ciel, his eyes soft and still teary. "I'm going to take such good care of both of you!"