A/N: Hi! I'm so sorry for the delay. RL has been wild these last two months, but things are looking up :)

Thank you for your support and patience! The replies to comments are in the notes after the chapter)

Chapter Six: Hiring. Part 1

"Young Master, I thought we have planned to focus on four specific lines of production for the nearest future. Are you sure that you want to introduce the new type of sweets now? In the middle of the winter?"

Ciel narrowed his eyes, knowing that it would tell Sebastian all that he needed to know. There was a pause and then Sebastian spoke again, in a voice that could barely hide how annoyed he was.

"And you'd like to choose peach as a main flavour?"

"Yes," Ciel snapped. "And to stop you from asking more inane questions, yes, you will have to go and find these peaches. Having a demon for a butler provides me with a great opportunity to get ahead of our competitors. Not everyone can find fruits like peaches in winter, and even less people would be able to afford them. So go and locate a trustworthy supplier."

"Yes, my lord," Sebastian said, and even though his face didn't change, Ciel could clearly see the minuscule signs of irritation. Honestly, Sebastian was absolutely transparent at times and there was nothing Ciel loved more than winding him up deliberately.

"Sebastian," he said when his demon reached the door. Sebastian actually froze before turning, probably thinking his face expressed nothing.

"Yes?"

"It has to be a lot of peaches."

This time, Ciel almost won a glare. He smirked as he watched Sebastian leave, but as the door closed, he couldn't help but wonder what'd gotten into him today.

Sebastian rarely allowed himself to demonstrate his displeasure with Ciel's orders with such clarity. And why? He couldn't be that against launching a new line of sweets. It seemed like he was reluctant to leave, and if he was a human, Ciel would understand. Merely looking at the blizzard outside made him shiver. But Sebastian was a demon. Surely taking a trip wasn't that much of a hardship?

Sighing, Ciel looked at his table, staring at the pile of unopened letters. He loved Funtom, and he started to enjoy and even anticipate the cases Her Majesty assigned to him, but sometimes, the amount of correspondence that came with it was positively frustrating. Now that he had proven that he was a force to be reckoned with, everyone suddenly wanted to be his friend, to ask him for financial support and sponsorship. Half of these beggars were frauds who hoped he was either soft-hearted enough to buy into their sob-stories or greedy so as to invest into companies that didn't even exist in the blind hope to gain profits.

Idiots.

With another sigh, Ciel started to work, turning to glance into the window every now and then.

He wondered if Sebastian was going to find the peaches in some greenhouses in London. Or would he have to go to Asia, or India, or wherever peaches could be growing at this time of the year?

Briefly, Ciel toyed with the idea of waiting for Sebastian's return only to send him after some apricots immediately afterwards, but then he discarded it.

Whether he wanted to admit it or not, he felt calmer with Sebastian by his side. And tormenting him at home, still making him pay for that disastrous birthday party, was much more fun than sending him places.

The floorboards right behind the door suddenly creaked. The sound lasted for a half a second only but it was enough to make Ciel tense, to send coldness down his spine.

It could be nothing. His house was old, full of strange yet perfectly explainable sounds, and if Ciel had reacted to each of them, he would be jumping and flinching all the time.

But he reacted to this sound. Irrational or not, after that day, Ciel tried to listen to his instincts. And right now, they were telling him to hide.

Not letting himself think for long, trying not to imagine Sebastian's face if it was him behind the door, Ciel dived under the table, and the next second, the door opened.

He couldn't see much of anything from here but he sensed how someone stepped into the room. Then an unfamiliar voice spoke, "He's not here. Damn it! We should check other rooms."

"There are too many of them. What if his servants see us?"

"He doesn't have servants, Robert, I told you. There's only his butler and an old man. We'll take care of them easily. Ashton has already gone to check the kitchen."

Panic and anger gripped Ciel instantly, twisting him inside out.

The intruders. Some strangers who came here to hurt him, again. And now they were also planning to hurt Tanaka?

Tanaka was strong, especially for someone his age. Ciel knew he could fight — he had fought the attackers on that fateful night, but he had lost, ended up with a knife in his back. He was still recovering and Ciel doubted he'd be able to deal with the intruders now. He didn't even know how many of them were here.

Gritting his teeth, Ciel thought, 'Sebastian. Sebastian, I need help. Come here right now.'

His mark reacted, but who knew how long it would take for Sebastian to respond to his summons? He'd left about forty minutes ago. With his powers, he could be on the other end of the world now, and even he wouldn't be able to cross this distance in five minutes.

Which meant that Ciel had to come up with his own plans.

Escaping wouldn't be difficult, these morons didn't even bother to check the rooms properly, but what about Tanaka? Ciel couldn't just leave him. He had to distract at least a part of the attackers, to drag everything out for as much as possible, until Sebastian came.

Making sure that there were no more sounds near the door, Ciel crept out from under the table and moved towards the kitchen. He knew his house enough to move soundlessly, bypassing the potentially dangerous places.

The closer he approached, the more sounds he heard. A loud crash and a pained cry of a stranger made Ciel speed up, but when another crash was accompanied by Tanaka's groan, he broke into a run. Anger flared up, making the fear retreat temporarily, pushing him forward without caring about the noise he was making.

He stopped several feet away from the kitchen, thinking rapidly.

He wouldn't last long in a fight, if at all. He wasn't very good at running either, but he had an advantage of knowing the house.

It would have to suffice.

"Hey!" he shouted loudly. "I'm tired of playing hide-and-seek. What kind of amateurs are you? I've been following you all around the house and you failed to even notice it!"

Ciel didn't wait for the reaction. As soon as he uttered the last syllable, he dashed along the corridor, hearing indignant and triumphant yells behind.

He hoped the majority would forget about Tanaka and take a chance to catch him. After all, he was the reason they came here.

And where was this damned demon? How much more time did he need?

Very soon, Ciel realised he'd underestimated the intruders. They were much faster than him, they followed him so closely that he couldn't even pick a room to hide inside without it being noticed, and the distance between them was getting shorter by the moment.

Feeling that his heart was starting to protest against the strain, Ciel threw himself into one of the rooms on the second floor, slamming the door shut. He had about forty seconds, maybe a minute before the attackers broke the door, so he rushed to the window, opened it and shivered when the cold wind crashed into him.

The height wasn't too big but Ciel still hesitated, wondering if he should jump straight into the snow or try to land on the first-floor window canopy first.

The door shook under the rain of blows, and Ciel grimaced, imagining how it would feel to be beaten with such force. Was he destined to go through the same experiences over and over again?

He jumped, not allowing himself to think any longer. Hitting the canopy, he cried out from the impact and hissed when more coldness brushed against him as he slipped down, falling right into the bank of snow.

His back was aching angrily when Ciel stood up and ran to the maze decorating the territory. It wasn't vast or tricky enough to fool his attackers, but maybe it could work.

If only it wasn't this cold.

Ciel took a series of turns he used to take when he and Elisabeth were playing their own version of hide-and-seek, feeling how his teeth began to chatter. By the time he reached his usual hiding spot, he was violently cold. He put his hands around himself, trying to keep the warmth, but it was quickly seeping through his fingers, bringing even more coldness in its stead.

He wasn't sure how long he would be able to hide here, in the snow. Coldness was his curse, and if he got out of this mess alive, he would definitely be sick for several days, if he was lucky, or for weeks if his body let him down again.

It was a usual occurrence, him always getting sick, always being weaker. Another reason why making a contract with a demon wasn't such a bad idea.

Two shots pierced the silence suddenly, followed by screams. They weren't the terrified, Sebastian-is-having-fun kinds of screams, though, so Ciel remained where he was, trying to imagine what was happening. Could those idiots shoot one another by accident? Then again, it was probably too much to hope for.

For a minute or so, there was silence again, and then the screams, the real screams came. Hearing terror on the verge of insanity in them, Ciel smiled in bliss, knowing exactly what it meant.

Sebastian had finally arrived.

Took him long enough.

By the time Ciel forced his numb legs to move, the screams had only gained volume. By the time he found a way out of the maze, they finally stopped.

Cold retreated for a second when Ciel saw Sebastian standing next to dismembered bodies, watching them dispassionately. Despite his calm look, his eyes were flaring bright red and his lips were parted in a fierce snarl. When he reacted to Ciel's appearance by turning to look at him, the snarl stayed, but Ciel was too happy to think about wariness.

"F-finally," he said, though his teeth were chattering so loudly that he barely managed to push the words out. "I g-got tired of w-waiting."

His voice seemed to wake Sebastian from his blood-soaked slumber because he blinked and then moved to him in one speedy motion, grabbing him protectively.

"Y-you should c-check if T-Tanaka's okay," Ciel murmured, but he already wrapped his hands around Sebastian's neck, snuggling closer to him, shivering hard when the first weak flickers of warmth started to course through his body. "Where… W-where the hell... were you?" he asked. "I excpe… expe…" Frustrated with himself, he stopped talking and just sighed, tightening his grip around Sebastian.

He didn't even notice how they moved to the house, and then to his room. When Ciel looked at Sebastian again, he saw that his lips were moving, meaning that he was obviously saying something, but even when he tried, he couldn't recognise a sound. His eyelids felt heavy and his body was still trembling, so he closed his eyes, knowing that he was safe, and that whatever was happening to Tanaka, Sebastian would see to it.

It was good to have such a competent butler, late as he was.

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"This is unacceptable, Sebastian," Tanaka was saying, and Ciel forced himself to open his eyes because he had never heard his ex-butler sound so upset. "Young lord could be seriously hurt. He already was, you know his health is very weak."

"I've managed to reduce his fever," Sebastian replied. "In terms of–"

To Ciel's amazement, Tanaka actually interrupted him.

"It should have never happened. The Phantomhive servants are supposed to protect their Masters, not have their Masters protect them! I believe it is time to expand the household."

"There is no need to—"

"Sebastian, I know you are very capable. The boy also trusts you, and Lord knows, after everything he's been through, it's a miracle. But we still need more servants for the times when you're away. We cannot allow the situation to repeat itself."

More servants?

Ciel frowned, unsure how he felt about it. He appreciated the quiet and exclusive world he had built for himself, with Sebastian as his only constant companion and with Tanaka making brief appearances. Having more unfamiliar people here would be extremely bothersome.

On the other hand, Tanaka was right. If Sebastian was away… If both of them were away on business, someone had to protect the house. It wasn't right to expect Tanaka to do it.

But more people… how could he ever trust them to act in his interests?

Conflicted, Ciel felt how the sleep crept closer again, and then he gave into it, deciding to leave all decisions for when he woke up.

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The first thing he saw upon waking was Sebastian who was sitting by his side patiently, with a small frown on his face.

"Welcome back, Master," he said. "How are you feeling?"

"Did you find the peaches supplier?" Ciel asked sleepily, ignoring the question. It was bad enough that he was confined to bed once again. He wasn't going to waste more time on pointless discussions.

"As a matter of fact, I did," Sebastian replied. "Although you are not in the state to evaluate my choice. You have a severe cold along with nasal congestion. You won't be able to sense any flavours for at least—"

"I understand!" Ciel snapped, shifting and sitting up. "All right. But I'm not going to allow you to proceed without my approval, so the new line of candies will have to wait."

"As you wish," Sebastian raised his eyebrow, as if to demonstrate he couldn't care less. Then his eyes narrowed speculatively. "If I may ask, what were you thinking when you decided to distract the criminals and run outside, in the cold, without proper clothing? Such reckless behaviour seems out of character for you, Young Master."

"I overheard that they were going to target Tanaka."

"Oh?" When Sebastian's eyes narrowed further, for the first time since he woke up, Ciel understood that he was treading on thin ice. His still-clouded mind cleared in a sudden surge of panic as he recognised the warning notes in Sebastian's voice.

He was doing something wrong. He was doing something wrong and he didn't know what, and he had to figure it out before Sebastian understood he was clueless.

"I was under the impression," Sebastian continued, "that your primary concern lies with your revenge. For it to happen, you need to stay alive and preferably healthy. How does your strange attempt to defend a servant fit here? Why would you risk yourself to help him? I don't understand."

Stupid demon. Stupid demon who despised weakness and foolishness and whose respect had to be constantly earned.

Sebastian wouldn't appreciate a foolish, noble attempt at self-sacrifice. Ciel couldn't explain it properly even to himself, he just knew that he had to help Tanaka. He had to, because… because. Tanaka was a part of his life that he didn't want to lose. Tanaka belonged to him like Elisabeth belonged to him. Despite his strength in the past, he was vulnerable after the attack, and at that moment, Ciel viewed him as someone needing his protection.

But Sebastian wouldn't understand. And Ciel couldn't afford to alienate him. The mere thought made his heart freeze in fear.

"As a head of Phantomhive house, I'm responsible for my servants' well-being," he said loftily, hoping Sebastian couldn't hear how wildly his heart was beating. "Sentiments that you imply have nothing to do with it. Tanaka is useful, he has more knowledge about this house and about my predecessor's dealings than I currently do. If I hadn't intervened, he would have been killed. Granted, I wasn't going to risk my life. I expected you to come at any moment because protecting me is your responsibility, Sebastian. Therefore, I simply bought Tanaka some time. It's unfortunate that I got sick, but I believe I will benefit from the end-result eventually."

Sebastian tilted his head, obviously thinking about it, and Ciel allowed himself a tiny breath.

"Actually, I expected you to come sooner," he added shortly. "Before I managed to freeze and get a cold."

"Your health is even more fragile than that of most humans. You would have gotten a cold even if you spent a minute outside, in such weather and without your coat."

Ciel snorted to show the extent of his contempt to Sebastian's insinuations, even though he knew he couldn't argue here.

"You should have still come sooner," he announced moodily.

"I was following your initial order," Sebastian reminded him. "And if Young Master recalls, I was reluctant to leave. We have just finished another case for the Queen. You know that the manor tends to be attacked shortly afterwards."

"Yes, I do know. But I'm not going to let it affect my plans. So, I think Tanaka was right to suggest hiring more people."

Sebastian looked surprised.

"I didn't realise you could hear us," he said, frowning as if the thought displeased him. Was he annoyed that he'd been loud enough to disturb him or that Ciel had learned about Tanaka's suggestion before Sebastian could tell him himself? "Regardless," Sebastian continued, "I have to agree as well. The house of Phantomhives cannot consist of two servants only. While you were resting, I've done a research and composed the profiles of potential candidates for you to look at. Ultimately, though, the decision has to be yours. After all, I'm merely your pawn."

"I'm perfectly aware of it," Ciel said. "And fine. Bring them here."

While he waited, he could feel his confidence return to him.

Sebastian was indeed his pawn, which meant that Ciel was in control. Bad health or not, occasional sentimentality that he hoped to get rid of or not, he was in charge and he was going to act like it.

When Sebastian returned, Ciel accepted the profiles gracefully, wondering what Sebastian's choice of good servants would be. He checked the first one, scoffed, went to look at the second one. Then the third. After the fourth, he threw the files away in exasperation.

"Do you honestly think that some thugs are going to be a good addition to our household?"

"Thugs?" Sebastian wrinkled his forehead in confusion. "I admit that they aren't the best examples of humanity, but they possess considerable physical strength and experience. Lau highly recommended them."

"Lau!" Ciel exclaimed. "He's our contact in the underworld, not a reliable source of recommendations for something like this! We don't need some brutes who will try to steal my silverware or cut my throat in my sleep after a month of service! I expected better of you, Sebastian. A decision to let someone into the house on a permanent basis is extremely serious. We have to consider all angles and understand what we need before starting searching."

"I thought what we need is already clear," Sebastian said patiently, his voice so condescending that for a second, Ciel wanted to hit him. "Someone to protect the house if the need arises and to help with chores."

"To help with chores?" Ciel snorted mockingly. "What, are you telling me you can't cope with them by yourself?"

Sebastian pursed his lips, looking so insulted that Ciel almost laughed.

"I meant for the times when we are away," Sebastian said icily. "The house should be looked after in all ways, at all times."

Sometimes riling him up was too easy.

"Fine," Ciel said. "But of course, the primary attribute should be their defence abilities."

"Finding trained, physically strong humans shouldn't be a problem, even among non-thugs. If you are dissatisfied with my choice, I'll compose another—"

"Physical strength is only one attribute, Sebastian. I told you, I don't need brutes here. There are many other abilities that could be useful."

"Such as?"

"Well," Ciel paused for a moment, trying to quickly come up with something. "Speed," he offered. "Extraordinary hearing. Military precision. Even something like highly developed intuition might help. And above all, I need loyalty."

"We will compensate them, of course," Sebastian suggested but Ciel shook his head.

"No. Compensation cannot buy loyalty, at least not the type I would trust. For these servants to be loyal, we must offer them something else. Something more."

Sebastian was looking increasingly ruffled at having his ideas discarded, but at the same time, his eyes were alight with genuine curiosity. With a start, Ciel realised that Sebastian was enjoying their conversation despite being unable to understand the main points.

Maybe he was enjoying it because of it. Sebastian was a strange demon.

"Such as?" he repeated.

This time, it took Ciel longer to think of an answer.

"We must offer them a home," he said finally. Sebastian arched his eyebrow sceptically.

"Young Master, do you want me to look for people with defence abilities among the homeless?"

"No!" Ciel yelled and coughed, wincing as it echoed painfully through his body. "No," he said again. "You don't understand. People aren't loyal by default if you fulfil their financial needs. But if they truly like you, if they care about you, they will be ready to do anything to help you. So we have to target emotionally vulnerable people."

"Those who feel miserable," Sebastian said slowly. "Those who don't feel appreciated by others."

"Those who would like to change their lives," Ciel nodded. "Yes. That'd be the most logical course of actions."

"I will start the new search immediately," Sebastian stood up, his eyes still glistening in excitement. "Almost immediately," he amended after glancing at Ciel. "First, I will bring your medicine. Also, you need to eat, Young Master."

"There is no rush. I'm not going to send you anywhere for the time being, anyway."

Sebastian looked disappointed, but then his face evened out and he bowed.

"Yes, my lord," he said.

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"Edward is unstable."

"He corresponds to the parameters you have set, Master."

"He might have been falsely accused of a crime he didn't commit, but his reputation after his release is shaky at best. He attacked two of his employers. That's saying something."

"He could have been placed into position to defend himself."

"Maybe. Maybe not. Also, his name is Edward. In my experience, all people carrying this name hate me. Considering all these flaws, I'm not going to hire him."

Ciel expected Sebastian to keep arguing, but he only sighed and glanced mournfully at the profile he was holding.

They had spent four days on sorting through the candidates. Ciel had no idea where Sebastian found them all, but he had to admit that this time, it was closer to what he envisioned.

If only Sebastian wasn't this focused on physically strong and mentally unhinged individuals. What did it say about him, to be fascinated with the most unstable people? And what did it say about Ciel that he found it funny rather than disturbing?

"What about Baldroy?" Sebastian asked, pushing the file across the table. Ciel looked through it, and the more he read, the more suspicious he felt.

"He seems surprisingly normal," he commented dryly. "Especially in comparison to others you have found so far. But what's so special about him? He's just a soldier."

"A soldier who was the only survivor in the last three campaigns. Surely you don't think it's a coincidence," Sebastian retorted, and even though Ciel hated being argued with, he chose to let it go.

Sebastian was acting bolder these last few days, at least during their discussions. Ciel would have warned him against it but for some reason, he enjoyed the atmosphere of easy camaraderie that reigned in his office. Sebastian was so focused on their task that he forgot himself occasionally, arguing and pushing, and Ciel simply watched, amused, without saying anything.

Sebastian treated him like an equal in these discussions, forgetting his age, forgetting their status. While Ciel held the power in their agreement, he couldn't delude himself by thinking that it would last. Sebastian might be his pawn, but it was temporary. The truth was, Sebastian was much stronger, much smarter, and much colder than Ciel could ever hope to become. And being treated like an equal, feeling Sebastian's respect, knowing that Sebastian seriously considered his thoughts instead of merely indulging him was so addictive that Ciel was willing to overlook these brief displays of impertinence.

"You mentioned the extraordinary intuition as one of the abilities you were interested in, Young Master," Sebastian said. "Besides, Baldroy has a personal history similar to what you've described. His house was destroyed in one of the military raids. His family was murdered and after this, he couldn't find a place to settle. He willingly joined the military, presumably to affect the decisions his generals make and to avoid the destruction of civilians' villages. However, even though he's rumoured to be a skilled fighter, he isn't popular among others because of his straightforwardness and insubordination. It appears that his generals try to get rid of him by throwing him into the most violent and dangerous spots. Baldroy was still alive when I checked it, and I believe he would be a valuable asset."

"You just said that he was insubordinate," Ciel pointed out and watched how a thin, cunning smile touched Sebastian's lips.

"Perhaps he has simply been in the employ of inferior commanders," he uttered. "In addition, if there is an attack, Baldroy will be able to group other servants. He has good leadership skills and experience."

"I'll think about him," Ciel relented, glancing at the profile and putting it to his left. "Who else?"

"Mey-Rin. She's a professional sniper and an assassin known for her extreme visual acuity. There are myths made up about her vision — however, she has a disadvantage. Her vision is the only attribute she can boast of and she's soft-hearted to a degree, which makes her an unreliable assassin. She cannot always kill her targets, not if she finds something likable about them."

"Well, what if she finds something likeable about those who attack my house?" Ciel demanded.

Sebastian shrugged.

"The majority of her victims do end up dead, so I doubt it would be an issue."

"Having a sniper with acute vision could be just what we need," Ciel glanced at Mey-Rin's profile again. Someone who could see the danger from afar was invaluable, he had to give Sebastian credit for this one. "Since you've picked her, I take it she's also emotionally vulnerable?"

"Her story certainly isn't the healthiest," Sebastian agreed. "She had a complicated childhood. She had to work from the early age to support her mother and siblings, which pushed her to becoming an assassin when she was thirteen. As I said, it was the only thing she was good at. Her mother and her siblings are all dead now, and while she has a chance to live for herself, she continues to work aimlessly. She doesn't even touch the money she earns for the most part. She's not a smart human, but she has potential."

"If her eyesight is that good, it might pose a problem because she'll be able to see every little detail," Ciel frowned thoughtfully. "She would also probably notice how your eyes change shades. If we are going to hire her, we will have to come up with something to temper with her vision, at least on a temporary basis. She can't know the truth, none of them can."

"So, you are considering hiring her?" Sebastian's face brightened, as if he was pleased with finally picking someone Ciel approved of.

"She has the abilities I need, she's a killer, and she longs to belong somewhere. Yes, I think she'll be a good fit."

"Excellent," in his excited anticipation, Sebastian moved so quickly that Ciel didn't even catch how he went from sitting on the opposite side of the table to standing next to the door. "If you approve of her candidature, then I'll contact her immediately and offer her a position."

"Wait," Ciel stopped him. He wasn't sure what he had in mind yet, but he knew he wanted to check everything before hiring anyone, especially an assassin. "First, let's devise a test for her."

"A test?" Sebastian stepped back to him, intrigued.

"I want you to hire her. Pick somebody innocent as her target. For example, some happily married man. Make sure Mey-Rin sees him interact with his family. If she shoots him without hesitation, we will have to re-consider hiring her. If she refuses to pull the trigger, we'll also have to re-evaluate her candidature. However, if she hesitates and then still tries to do her work… then you can offer her a position."

"That's an interesting test," Sebastian said slowly, and Ciel nodded, secretly bathing in the waves of approval he could feel emanate from Sebastian. "I'll make sure it's done right away, Master."

Sebastian turned back to the door, this time with a normal, human speed, and Ciel suddenly realised that he had possibly sentenced an innocent man to death.

What if Mey-Rin pulled the trigger? What if Sebastian failed to stop her? Sebastian loved sadistic games. He would enjoy it if Ciel became responsible for the death of an innocent, especially if Ciel felt upset about it.

But he couldn't stop him now, could he? Sebastian would view it as weakness again. Ciel was already on a shaky ground after what happened with Tanaka.

He clenched his jaw, burning Sebastian's back with his eyes, and then he commanded sharply, "Sebastian!"

When the demon turned back again, Ciel cleared his throat. Who cared what Sebastian thought? There were boundaries that Ciel wasn't willing to cross.

"No matter what decision Mey-Rin makes," he said, "don't let that man die. It's an order."

The surprise that flashed across Sebastian's face was undeniable and Ciel cringed, understanding that Sebastian hadn't even considered toying with him, at least not now.

Still, he made sure to keep his gaze hard and unrelenting, and Sebastian bowed.

"As you wish, my lord," he replied tonelessly.

A/N: Replies ;)

22rubens, thanks so much for your amazing words! I *love* Harry Potter universe, so this is a really huge compliment to me :D I'm obsessed with complicated relationships, so imagining how one between Ciel and Sebastian could develop is really intriguing to me. I hope you'll enjoy the rest!

TheLizard-ling, thank you! This kind of words mean so much to me. I'm happy you're enjoying characters' development and think it's realistic, that's the most important thing to me. I'm always disappointed when I start reading a story where the characters are basically unrecognizable expect for their names. And I'm so flattered you like my style of writing! :D Not being a native speaker, such words always make me incredibly happy. Thanks again, I hope you'll enjoy the next chapter!

James Birdsong, thank you, I'm so glad you're still reading!

SB3mr, HraMunro,777angeloflove,Afys59, thank you guys so much for your kind words and your support! It's invaluable and I hope you'll continue enjoying the story!

Madame, as always, your comment has left me speechless and ridiculously happy. Thank you so much! And yep, I totally agree with your thoughts about Francis being more disturbed with Sebastian as a person who dresses Ciel like that. It's never mentioned or focused on in canon, but I think it could be one of the reasons for her wariness. When I was watching Black Butler with my brother, he kept saying how provocative Ciel's clothing looks, and I had to agree with him. Then I saw Yana's comment about Sebastian dressing Ciel that way because he considers it beautiful (and by definition, he considers Ciel beautiful when looking like that). It's interesting to explore it, and I certainly see someone as old-fashioned as Francis seeing it as vulgar and thus indecent.

Sebastian's 'mephistophelian' gentleness'? Oh my, I'm totally in love with this! This is like my new favorite phrase now. Seriously, it sounds amazing and *so * inspiring, I can't even describe it!

Sebastian is always trying to be perfect at all times, isn't he? And I can bet he can't always keep it up.

And yes, both Sebastian and Ciel will definitely end up in hell, sooner or later :D Literally.

Thank you so much again, I love your comments!