While the new year came by no means "quietly", it did come without too many new developments. H.E.L.L.S.I.N.G. had exhausted the coordinates they were given through various means. They wiped out the Scarlet Order troops that were marked, while visiting the villages that were written down as well.
Many of the supernatural villages were not pleased with the order, as the supplies they were promised began to grow fewer each time they arrived. It was easy to convince them to take down the scarlet banner once they were offered government assistance on the basis that many of these creatures are both important and rare. Some of them sought out new, safer, scenery; Thus, quite a few traveled to England to make a home in Gehenna, although the majority stayed home. Some fled out of fear that the order would come back and attack them for betraying them and saw Gehenna as a safer alternative. Still, they are able to write to their village with ease and even send them items, themselves.
Naturally, the transition was a bit difficult for many. Primarily, the language barrier was the biggest problem, but it was closely followed by culture shock. There were supernatural beings like they had never seen before, here. The only time they saw a few of them was when the order came to see them back home. It was going to be a long while before they adjusted to their surroundings, but they did find comfort in their kin. Even those who had come to Gehenna that did not speak the same language received each other quite well. Still, Sister Dorothy's sign language class for new residents was quite full, and the town was in need of an English course as well. It didn't take long for them to scramble and throw together a quick patch, but many letters were sent to the Supernatural Relations Department about this.
In all of this, the Phantomhives were uneasy. Scarlet Order has now affected their territory with their ruckus, and they knew that it was only the beginning. Something horrible was going to happen in the very near future. Alas, there was nothing for them to do but grit their teeth and brace for impact.
Slowly, it was coming. They just didn't know when. If Preston was going to attack, it was going to be soon in a blaze of glory as he unleashed everything he had on H.E.L.L.S.I.N.G. in a last-ditch effort to win. If it was coming, it was coming this way. It was the only route they could see him possessing other than the order simply simmering out and disappearing on its on from losing so much. This is actually what they expected at the start of it all, but since things turned out differently, they were somewhat skeptical now.
There was no nice way of saying it. Preston was unhinged. He was angry. The man was hurt deeply and this hurt and sorrow turned to rage and hatred. The demons were all too familiar with this way of thinking. Preston's rage had driven him mad, meaning there was no telling what he would do for certain. No longer was he the man they knew. This man was unpredictable, violent, and mad with rage. Preston had a thirst for power at this point. The Phantomhives, however, were convinced that he would be easy to defeat, but finding him was going to be the hardest part. No more letters had come, so they were out of leads.
Even with this looming over their heads, life went on. While the demons were more anxious than usual, they did their best to get through it. Ciel went back to work and Alois went back to school after the break had ended. The pair did their best to ease each other's worries despite their own, and talked about the situation frequently. They were still strong, despite their worry and their guilt. What's done had been done, however, and they needed each other.
They were still going strong, offering support to their spouse when they needed it. The dynamic demonic duo was still an unbeatable team. Sometimes, they needed to be together and sometimes they needed time apart, as well. It was a healthy part of any relationship to branch out and not be completely joined at the hip, after all. Alois hung out with Kristopherson and Logan quite often, and Ciel met with Travis a handful of times. The bluenette also arranged a very long overdo meeting with his good friend, Gabriel Bailey.
Ciel hadn't seen the man in ages, and he felt like a shoddy friend for it. He was a tad surprised when the former detective smiled at him so genuinely as he approached. They had agreed to meet to go to one of Bailey's favourite pubs, but unfortunately, Gabriel was terrible at giving directions. He always was; The skill just never came to him. Thus, they met somewhere nearby that the Phantomhive was familiar with and planned to walk the rest of the way. Bailey was sitting on a bench next to a wall on the sidewalk as he waited, but soon looked up to see the bluenette approaching.
It was quite surprising for the Watchdog to see his former coworker well-rested and not wearing a beat-up, old suit with stains on it. Instead, Bailey wore a more colourful shirt with a casual jacket over it. The man smiled at Ciel, showing his teeth before standing up. It took him a moment, as he wasn't the young man he used to be.
"Well, if it isn't my favourite devil!" Bailey declared, straightening his back. "How ya been, kiddo?"
"It's good to see you too, Gabriel." Ciel answered, unable to keep a stern face in his friend's presence. "I've been well."
"That's good. I haven't seen you since the wedding! How's the blonde one? You treating him right, still?"
"Yes, we've been doing well, despite live happening." the Watchdog stated with a small sigh. "Our business has thrown quite a bit at us, but we're managing well, as always."
"That's good to hear." the other man said. "About you and Alois, I mean. Not the other stuff. Good to see that you're handling it, though."
"Life happens, but we're still as strong as ever. What about you? No adventures on your end?"
"'Fraid not. It's a shame, really." Gabriel continued to speak as they started walking down the street toward their destination. "That's the only downside to retirement. There's just not a lot to do! Sometimes, I wish I could go back to work, but then I remember the actual working part."
"Sounds reasonable." chuckled the bluenette. "The job of a homicide detective can be hectic."
"'Can be'? More like 'is and then some'! I don't think I can handle that kind of work anymore. I'm too old and I can't smoke cigarettes."
"You gave up smoking?"
"Yeah. It's been four months, now. Think I'm getting close to cracking, again, though. Nicotine patches just aren't the same."
"You can do it. I have faith in you." Ciel replied, causing the other to laugh.
"Well, if the devil has faith in me, I'm sure I can manage!"
The pair continued on like this, talking casually for the first time in ages. They talked about life and family, as well as their current exploits and adventures. Ciel had always wondered what people do in retirement, and a lot of his suspicions were confirmed. Others, however, weren't. Gabriel wasn't the kind to go golfing or the sort. Instead, he seemed to be moping around the house a lot while he tried to think of something to do. In some ways, Ciel could relate to that. Still, the former detective had a few other stories, like the time he went hunting for biscuits at the supermarket for an adventure, only to end up decking a purse-snatcher upon exiting the store. It wasn't hard to believe, given the man's character. He said that the worst part of it was that he dropped his bag and a few of his biscuits got broken in half in the package!
Once they arrived inside, they seated themselves and Bailey immediately ordered himself a pint. With the difficulty the man had in sitting and standing, Ciel was a bit concerned with his choice. The face he made was noticed by his friend, who was casual about it.
"My knees have gotten bad." the former detective said, pausing to take a sip of his drink. "My left one has been the cheeky one. It acts up at the drop of a hat. My old woman says that I should get a walking stick, but I'm not that old, I don't think."
"It would make it easier to stop purse snatchers." jested the bluenette.
"True, but I don't want one. Could be me being stubborn, though. I am close to my sixties, after all."
"Just do what makes things easier on you." Ciel stated. "If it helps with your joints, then it's worth it, right?"
"Yeah, I suppose..." his friend sighed. "I hate being old… I remember when I first met you. You were a little thing back then, and I was around the age you looked."
"The 80's were not a fun time for a policeman."
"Even less fun for the people we were sent to rough up."
"Thatcher couldn't have left sooner. I almost debated on taking care of her, myself."
"Nobody would've blamed you." remarked Bailey with another drink. "The Americans weren't happy when 'Ding, Dong, The Witch is Dead!' topped the charts when she died, though."
"They seem to be under the bizarre impression that she's some feminist icon, or some nonsense." snorted the Watchdog.
"You're joking!"
"No, I'm not. Just because she was a female prime minister doesn't mean she was a good person. She was a monster, and she's my least favourite prime minister along with Churchill."
"Now, I never understood your hatred of Churchill. What did he do?"
"Supported genocide in India and wanted a third world war, amoung other things." Ciel sighed. "I'm tired of trying to conquer the world. The only amount of land a person needs is enough to live on plus six feet."
"Why six feet?" questioned the other.
"Your body has to be dumped somewhere, doesn't it?"
"Morbid as always, I see..."
"So says the former homicide detective..."
"How big is your house again?" Gabriel asked. "It was big enough to be a city block on it's own, last time I checked."
"True. It keeps out nosy neighbours, however." Said Ciel. "That's a demon's worst nightmare, you know."
"So demons have fear."
"I have a family, too, you know. I have to make sure they're safe."
To this, the former detective grinned. He couldn't help but let out a small laugh, much to the other's confusion. Arching an eyebrow, the Watchdog asked: "What's so funny?"
"Nothing. It's just that you've really changed over the years." Gabriel mused, resting his elbows on the table. "I remember when I first met you. You were a surly little bugger back then. Always had something to say. 'Step lightly, rookie', or 'don't get in the way'. I remember being so astonished when you finally called me 'Bailey'. That's how I knew you were able of actually liking people. Now look at you. You're a loving husband with people you care about and would never dream of letting anything happen to. You've become quite the softie."
"I could try going back to being mean, if you like." jokingly offered the Phantomhive, but the other refused.
"No, no! I like the new you. You're a lot happier. It's nice."
"I happen to like things this way, too."
"Never expected you to get married, though. That's a good plot twist." abruptly stated Bailey. "Never expected you to be such a dope for your husband, either."
"I wasn't that bad, was I?"
"Well…"
"Don't answer that." The Phantomhive swiftly interrupted, causing the other to laugh.
"I figured you were just a late bloomer when it came to that stuff, or that it was some demonic nonsense." replied Gabriel. "Also, I just couldn't picture you with a woman." he admitted, causing the other man to arch his brow.
"What? Why?" questioned Ciel in response. "Is that why you weren't surprised when I started dating Jim?"
"Dunno. Just a hunch, I suppose. But yeah, I didn't think much of it when you started seeing blondie like that. It all just fit together, kinda."
"You know I find women attractive too, y'know..."
"You better not. You keep that eye of yours on Alois. I don't give a damn if you're a demon, I'll bash yer head in, if you hurt that kid."
"I didn't know you were so protective of him as well." remarked the Watchdog with a smile, prompting the other to grin in return.
"He's a good kid, is all. That one deserves nothin' but happiness, with the shit he's seen."
"Still have a soft spot for kids, I see."
"Kids aren't like adults. They don't see how messed up the world is unless adults do something shitty that fucks them up. In most cases, the kids I've seen as a police officer didn't deserve what happened to them. In most cases, they didn't get a happily ever after. It's nice when one does." As he spoke, Gabriel stared down into his drink and watched the bubbles rise. His friend couldn't say a word. Ciel agreed with him, having been such a child, himself.
Life simply wasn't fair. It wasn't a game of chess. It couldn't be compared to any game really. Perhaps cards; being dealt a good hand was almost a sure way to victory, but even that could be shattered. Ciel knew, coming from one of the most important families in London with a silver spoon in his mouth at birth. It could be taken away just as easily. He had another friend like this, but Preston was currently losing his gamble, it seemed.
"Being a parent must be hard." Ciel said finally, causing the other to look up.
"It is, but it's rewarding." Gabriel replied. "It's also sad, though. My kids are all grown up and they don't need me, anymore. I think I did a pretty good job, though, even if Mike is a little irritating on the job, I hear."
"Just a little. He's even stuffier than I am."
The Watchdog's friend simply nodded knowingly. With a pause, the man asked: "What about you, kiddo? Are you and Alois planning on having kids at some point?" The former detective was rather surprised at the expression his inquiry forced from the bluenette, and he was equally impressed at the shade of red the Phantomhive's face had become. Coughing into his hand, Ciel stalled for a moment to come up with his answer.
"We haven't discussed it." he said, attempting to drop it.
"Well, if you want some, you'd better. Adoption is a tough process. Those forms are hard to fill out, since they make you question your moral character."
"I already do that several times a week."
"That's surprising." The former detective said. "I thought you would be the type to never look back."
Bailey and Phantomhive talked for hours about everything their minds wandered to. Sometimes, they talked about philosophy, politics, or about their family. Sometimes, it was a mixture of all three. Ciel was having fun. He hadn't realised just how much he missed his former coworker until then. He had simply gotten used to the idea of dealing with a Bailey that he didn't like as much. It pained him deeply to hear about how his friend was growing old, as he knew what age brought. Gabriel's bones were starting to ache, and he was much more tired than he used to be. Ciel would often forget that he wasn't the young buck that he used to be, even while they were working together. The Phantomhive looks back fondly on a Detective Gabriel Bailey who just got promoted to detective and was still wearing nice suits while in the field.
Those days were over, now. Now they spoke like old men. Being the old soul that he is, however, Ciel found it extremely refreshing, and almost didn't want the conversation to end. It had to, unfortunately. Gabriel was getting tired and needed to go home. The poor man cursed his tired body, but it couldn't be helped. The pair did agree to meet up again in the near future and talk about life.
Ciel returned home to his husband, satisfied with the company he had with the former detective, regardless of how brief it was. His family was waiting for him. The bluenette knew that if he stayed out too long, his spouse would start to wonder where he was. Thus, he returned home with a smile and kissed his husband on the cheek upon walking through the front door. Life goes on, no matter what was happening in the world, and Ciel was determined to keep things that way. No matter what their enemies would bring, Ciel had things he cared about, and was going to keep them safe no matter what.
A/N: Hello, hello... I missed Bailey Sr. That was the whole point to this chapter. Thank you for coming.
I wanted to make a "No Country For Old Men" reference in the title, but I think I already did that in Dance...
Anyway...
I feel like I kinda poked fun at England a bit much in this chapter, though... Ciel has some serious disdain for Thatcher and Churchill. I've joked about him disliking Churchill, but I don't think I did Thatcher. I was actually very hesitant about including that bit because I'm not exactly well-acquainted with English politics and history, being a 'MURRICAN, and all.
A lot of Americans really do think that she's like some kind of feminist icon, though. We haven't had a female president yet, so that idea is kind of revolutionary to us. I think that may be why? We're also separated by a big-ass puddle of water, so a lot of Americans just don't know about "Margaret Thatcher, milk snatcher".
My lack of history knowledge is actually why I never update "Patriot Days" *sobs*.
Until the next chapter, my duckies~!
CHARACTER SHET
Question: "Sebastian: I mean yeah, you said you don't feel romantic love, but suppose if you did (SUPPOSE) what kind of a woman or man would you choose, keeping in mind you are (more or less) Revy and Luka's dad (in a way)?" by me
Sebastian: "I'm not certain. Probably someone I have romantic feelings for, for a start."
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Question: "For Preston, Did I hear right? You gave your genes, care to elaborate what you mean? You nasty." by Socially Awkward
Preston: "It's just as I said. It's an odd issue that sounds kind of horrible when said aloud... With several species, there is a disproportionate ratio of males to females born. Elves just happen to be one of them. Some villages we went to only had one or two men. There was one that didn't have any at all! In the olden days, elves would capture human men to keep themselves from dying out, but most villages have stopped doing that. (Some still do, however.) As a result, their population has shown a decline, even though elves live for a really long time. They can still die of other things.
Anyway, this is why in addition to supplies, men were also a viable resource. We try not to be scummy about it. There is a process, and not just anyone is eligible. Certain species and certain temperaments, only. Even then, there have to be volunteers, and even THEN, they have to be chosen and consent in turn. There is a lot that goes into this, actually. Lots of planning.
Admittedly, I did this with a few women, but we only know that the one is mine because I was the only one to have sex with her. She's a very nice woman. Her name's Sigrid. She decided that she doesn't want me to have any sort of contact or involvement with the child, which is fine with me. I was just there to provide a necessary ingredient and show her a good time. I do get updates on how she's doing, though. Don't get the wrong impression; we aren't anything intimate and have no emotional attachment to one another in the slightest. I would say that we're more like 'business partners', but that makes me sound like a prostitute, and I don't much care for that..."
