"Birthday boy off the port bow! Ready the harpoons!"
"Amelie! Get down from there!"
The lycanthrope stood on top of one of the tables in the ballroom, being rambunctious, as per usual. She pointed as the Phantomhive finally decided to make an appearance at his own party, causing him to almost come to a complete halt as the entire room now stared at him. At that moment, he actually debated on turning right back around and hiding upstairs. He didn't care if he was around friends. Being the center of attention at social events was exhausting.
A hand appeared on each of his shoulders from behind and he was gently pushed forward. He recognised it as the blonde menace almost immediately, but he didn't need to use his sixth sense for that. He heard the man's giggle! Alois simply continued to push him further into the room before taking on of his hands away and pacing so that he now had his arm around the bluenette.
"Don't harpoon Ciel. It isn't nice." The Macken stated. "Congrats on your engagement, by the way, poodles."
"You're getting married?" asked Audrey, looking to his two coworkers with an arched eyebrow. The lycanthrope straightened her back, proudly baring a toothy grin with a small blush on her cheeks. At last, she finally hopped down off of the table. Amelie didn't land with her feet on the floor, however. Instead, she opted to land on her fiancée's back and wrap her arms and legs around the woman.
"Charlotte is my wife!" the wolf-girl declared.
"Not yet, Amelie." Charlotte bashfully stated, placing her hands on Amelie's legs in order to support her. The vampire then turned her attention to the bluenette. "Happy Birthday, Ciel. How old are you this year?"
"I'm one-hundred and thirty-nine." Answered the Phantomhive in a matter-of-fact tone. To that, he was met with an extremely distressing proposition.
"Then we have to sing the birthday song one-hundred and thirty-nine times!" spouted the Westley gentleman from somewhere in the room. He took in a deep breath in order to start singing, but lost it as he was seemingly punched in the stomach by the watchdog's glare.
"Now, now, let's not." Said Alois, placing his hands over the bluenette's ears. "If you try, somebody's gonna end up dead and it's either going to be Ciel from embarrassment, or you by 'mysterious causes', Dan. Do you want the probability statistics on that?"
"Uh… on second thought…" mumbled Daniel, taking a few steps back before hiding behind his faux-blonde flatmate.
"I'm not good at parties in general. Don't make it worse." Ciel bluntly stated, simply waiting until the menace felt like removing his hands from his head. Understandably, it was somewhat difficult to take him seriously in that state. When the blonde finally released him, he continued speaking. "Mostly, I'm just interested in cake."
"So that's why everybody decided to show up…" mused the menace. "Cake is important. But, I'm pretty sure everybody else just hasn't seen each other in a while, and wanted an excuse."
"That makes sense." The bluenette replied. "As much as I'm not too fond of them using my birthday for that, I suppose it was well-intended…"
"Oh, c'mon, Ciel! Can't you just unwind and have fun for once?" asked the Westley again.
"For once, the idiot has a point." Kristopherson chimed in. "You're among friends, here. You should at least try to have fun."
"I still don't like my birthday for personal reasons." Answered the Phantomhive. "You'll have to forgive me if I'm not feeling sociable."
"You heard the man. Let him be grumpy. It's his right." Spoke the menace. He then leaned to face the bluenette. "You can go hide, if you need to. All you needed to really do was show your face."
"I'm aware, and thank you." Ciel replied with a small smile. "I think I'll go do that…"
And with that, he did. First, he acquired a piece of cake, and then he sat on a sofa in a somewhat secluded area of the room away from the action. The Phantomhive simply observed the others and eaves-dropped here and there. It was amazing what all he learned without even having to engage in conversation!
Charlotte and Amelie were getting married, and are currently saving up to do so. They were worried about finding a place and time, with their work and supernatural persuasion and all. Daniel and Kristopherson still weren't together, but are on good terms. They both seemed as though they wanted to advance, but Daniel was obviously afraid of confronting Anastasia about their predicament, and was also still new to the idea of being with a man. His parents wouldn't be too keen on it either.
Relationship gossip wasn't all he learned. Audrey had apparently been moved from the combat division to the intelligence department at H.E.L.L.S.I.N.G. once his skills at acquiring information came to light. Meanwhile, Travis and Patricia talked about the Sullivan's book and how certain characters would engage in combat in various situations. So far, it sounded like an interesting read, although it didn't match Ciel's life exactly. In fact, it was probably better that way. It would be strange to read a summary of everything one has done.
The Phantomhive also watched how Revy and Luka were raiding the snack table. Revy was eating everything that had meat in it, while Luka was gorging himself on sweets. Ciel shook his head lightly as Sebastian intervened in order to scold them.
While all of that was happening, the blonde menace made his rounds, acting as the party's "host" in the place of the bluenette. Alois was talking, joking around, and interacting with guests with utmost ease. Since they were among friends, it was to be expected. At least the menace seemed to be having a good time.
Ciel was just about to get up and rid himself of his empty plate when the Macken began walking his way. The Phantomhive simply waited for Alois to sit down. A grunt escaped the other man when he did and the blonde leaned his head back over the back of the couch.
"Hello."
"Hi." Ciel said. "Having fun?"
"Yeah. Bit weird, though, trying to host someone else's party." Admitted the menace.
"I'm not the one who wanted it. That was all Daniel." The Phantomhive reminded. "Besides, you're better suited for this type of thing. I'm simply terrible at it."
"No you're not. You're just not used to the situation. If you were to spot one of the others in public, wouldn't you say 'hello'?"
"Probably." Ciel replied. "When it's a party, though, I feel as though I have to be entertaining."
"I think you're plenty entertaining, but then again, I'm pretty biased." The blonde jested, reaching out to play with his beau's hair.
"I can see that." Chuckled the watchdog, allowing Alois to do as he pleased. Soon the bluenette found his hair being braided by the other man, but he didn't mind in the slightest. This sort of thing was normal Alois behaviour, so naturally Ciel didn't think much of it. He simply closed his eyes and enjoyed the feeling of his beau's fingers running through his locks.
"You can go hide upstairs, if you want. You don't have to stay here." Alois said. "Aren't you bored?"
"It would be rude to just leave you here to run everything on your own." His beau replied. "Shouldn't I at least pretend to be interested?"
"My, such a gentleman you are!"
"I try."
"I don't really mind. I just want you to have a good time." Spoke the menace, letting go of the other man. He left the braid for the bluenette to remove at his leisure. "You spoiled me rotten on mine, so I should do the same for you!"
"You've already done plenty." Ciel said. "I'm really impressed at how extensively you planned this, and your execution was perfect."
"Yeah, and then this party got in the way…" pouted the Macken. "Way to go, Dan…"
A chuckle escaped the Phantomhive at his beau's reaction. "And what would you have lined up instead, had we not been surprised by this? I'm curious."
"I don't know. I'm no good with romantic stuff…"
"Really? I thought you were pretty romantic earlier."
"Ciel!" the blonde said scoldingly, slapping the watchdog's arm in a playful manner as the other man laughed.
"I liked that part, too, though. That was a very good present."
"Yeah, but we do that all the time, so it really doesn't seem like much. Besides, isn't it kinda… y'know…"
"Not really. I had lots of fun." The bluenette said. "But, if it makes you feel uneasy, then we don't have to." He reached down to grab the blonde's hand and intertwined their fingers.
"I just like spending time with you without having to solve murders, exterminate covens of vampires, thwart terrorist attacks, and that sort of thing." He continued. "It's nice."
"I suppose so. Sometimes I just forget how sweet you are like that. When I do, I guess it just turns into a game of how I can match you." Alois replied, looking down at his feet.
"Don't do that. You do your best when you do things your own way. You don't have to prove yourself to me or anything. You already have!"
"I know, I know… I just can't help it sometimes." The blonde tilted his head to look up at his beau again. "You'd feel that way a bit too, if your boyfriend was a blue-blooded noble who owns the house you live in and has an impressive business, and is completely capable of getting almost anything he wants on his own."
"Perhaps so, but that isn't likely to happen, seeing as though the only one I want to be with is you." Ciel replied, leaning closer to the menace. "Out of anyone and everyone in the world, is has to be you. No one else is capable of being at my side."
"See? You are the romantic one!" giggled the blonde, grinning from ear to ear. He opened his mouth to continue speaking, but was cut off by the sound of Ciel's phone ringing. The bluenette looked to him apologetically, waiting for the blonde to offer him permission to answer it.
"Go ahead." Alois stated, making a shooing gesture at the other man. The older demon the proceeded to reach into his pocket and pull out the device. When he looked at it and read the name, his other hand came up to rub his forehead.
"It's Junior." He said.
A/N: Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuugggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... I miss updating everyday...
I really want something BIG, y'know? Something pretty grandoise in scale... (This chapter was really kinda shitty...)
These murderers ain't doin' it for me at the moment.
Eh, I'll sleep on it and see what I can come up with...
Until then, my duckies~!
