As much work as Alois had to do, the image of a suitcase still lingered in his mind. Questions like why the Sudoku Killer would change his modus operandi like this popped up and so did the conundrum of exactly who the ear belonged to was present. Most of all, Alois wanted to know where the bastard went.

It was more than personal to him. It was sentimental. He was especially determined now that Revy had become involved, but it was also his first case. It was his first with Ciel and it was his first altogether, making it special to him. If only the villain could have waited two months before striking, catching him would have made a lovely anniversary present.

Speaking of the devil, the husband of Alois' eventually stumbled into the room. He would have looked more dignified, but the bluenette was still in the process of waking up. Thus, Ciel had to settle for wobbling to Alois' side of the desk in order to greet his spouse for the day. The sight made the menace giggle, but Ciel paid no mind.

"Good morning, sunshine~" Alois grinned while his beau leaned down to kiss him before wrapping his arms around his shoulders.

"Morning..." sighed the Watchdog while keeping a firm grip on the other. "You got up without me..."

"Sorry, baby. I tried waiting on you, but you wouldn't wake up!"

"You could have woke me..."

"And disturb that beautiful sleeping face? That would be criminal!"

"Mmn." grunted Ciel in acknowledgment, resting his head on top of his husband's. Really, he didn't seem to have registered what the blonde said, but he was content here, so that's all that mattered to him.

"Go back to bed, if you're this sleepy!" instructed Alois, only to find that the hold around his shoulders tightened as a result.

"No, I'm fine, here."

"Is it just me, or have you gotten clingier since we got married?"

"I have been taught the pleasures of a good hug and I have absolutely no intention of letting go of that." the bluenette sighed, nuzzling flaxen locks. "Besides, it's not just hard to go to sleep without you. It's hard to wake up as well!"

"God, you're so cute… You're lucky I tolerate this."

"You love it." Ciel accused, hitting the nail right on the head. He couldn't see the eyeroll that his spouse did, but could almost feel it in the air.

"Yeah, yeah… I could move to the couch and bring the laptop so you do have to stand, you know."

"You spoil me..."

"Rich brats like you are used to being spoiled, though." Alois said while standing up, causing his beau to chuckle. The action forced the other to let go, only for Ciel to try to hug him again. He was shooed away, however, as Alois needed to grab his computer. "Go sit down."

Dejectedly, Ciel did as he was told, but he sat in a way that he was taking up most of the couch with his legs sprawled out over the seats. Whether it was an odd act of defiance or not, Alois paid no mind, as he sat down anyway right in the Watchdog's lap before leaning his back against him. Surprised but not ungrateful, the bluenette wrapped his arms around the Lion's middle and pulled him close with a hum, all the while Alois trying not to laugh with him as he sat with his laptop on his legs.

"You're so needy… When did you get this needy? I don't remember you being like this at all when we were younger. In fact, you were hesitant on hugs." the blonde Phantomhive pointed out with a grin. "Used to, it was me who got in the way of your work like this."

"Things change."

"Obviously…. Anyway, I actually do need to finish these emails. Then I'm going to try and figure something up with Sudoku. You can nap or whatever."

"Wake me up when you get to Sudoku." Laying his head down on Alois' shoulder, his breathing eventually became deeper, leaving the menace to try not to laugh aloud as he knew his husband had fallen asleep. Really, if he was this tired, Alois didn't really see why he hadn't just stayed in bed. All he could do was assume that this was just another instance of Ciel's strange ways. Good thing he was comfortable, as when Ciel has him in his grip, even while sleeping, he's not letting go until he's good and ready.

Fortunately, Alois wasn't at all uncomfortable in this position, despite the occasional snoring sound his beau made due to the odd angle. He just carried on, responding to emails about the possibility of green energy being implemented in the town of Pyestock. Alois liked the idea of complete self-sufficiency, but he didn't like the price tag. Still, he decided that in the long-term, it would be the wisest decision, so he made the proper arrangements and gave them the go ahead. He would deal with the costs with his own money, if he had to.

There were other decisions being made as well, like smoothing out problems in the supply chain for the supernaturals who were working so they could eat, and keeping up the morale of everyone involved. He was going to have to make a trip down there in the near future, but hoped to get this nonsense with the Sudoku Killer sorted by then. Unfortunately, the menace didn't know if that was going to be the case.

Eventually, he felt as though he had decided the fates of other people for long enough and decided that it was time for a break. He closed his email and was about to open up another tab in order to mess around a bit on the internet, but the door to the office opened just short of him finishing typing out "Buzzfeed". Now, Alois wasn't surprised that Revy came into the room, but was curious as he seldom did so.

"Hey..." the lad greeted before a look of confusion washed over his face at the sight before him.

"Hey." Alois answered in return. Observing Revy's reaction, he addressed the matter of the Watchdog in the room. "Don't mind him, he's asleep. Whatcha need?"

"How'd he fall asleep like that?" the boy questioned, seeming to forget his purpose for coming for a moment.

"To summarise: Ciel is a big baby who needs coddling. Now I'm trapped."

"Whatever..." Revy said with a shake of his head. "Anyway, I wanted to know if you'd tell me more of this 'Sudoku' bloke, but I see that you're busy..."

"Not really. I'm taking a break, anyway."

"Wait, you were actually working like that?"

"You gotta do what you gotta do." the menace replied, unable to shrug with the head on his shoulder. "Anyway, have you a seat. We'll talk murder."

Somewhat reluctantly, Revy did as instructed, sitting down on the other couch just across from his brother. As he sat, he took in the odd sight before him and wondered why these two were like this. They were almost disgustingly in love, despite their jobs and the past traumas that they endured. Revy wondered what their secret was, if they had one. His thoughts were cut off, however, due to a question.

"So, what do you want to know?" the blonde asked. "What part of Sudoku has you confused?"

"First of all, why's he called 'Sudoku'?" Revy answered with his own inquiry.

"'Cause of his M.O." answered his brother. "The activity book has sudoku puzzles in it and the number is part of the puzzle. Think of a map. They're usually written on a grid, right? The puzzle playing field in sudoku is that grid. And the number corresponds to a place on that field. When a suitcase shows up, that number and that place are a location on the grid. Make sense? This is how we found him the first time."

"Kinda..?" replied the boy, still not quite getting it. He simply pretended that he did so that the other would move along, but the other caught on.

"I'd show you, but I'm kinda stuck at the moment..." Alois said. "See that puzzle book on the table? Open it up to a puzzle." Once the lad had done that, he continued. "Now, pretend there's a map of London, there. See those numbers? Those are a coordinate on the map. Each number represents a spot where the Sudoku Killer has left a suitcase. Now, for this case, the mall you were at would be on there."

"Oh. Okay, I get it now." nodded Revy. This time, his brother believed him. Alois wondered if Revy might be a visual learner and decided to hold onto that idea for future reference. Revy, however, wasn't done yet. "How long ago was the first case?"

"Oh, it was years ago… I was about fourteen or fifteen… It was my first case, so it's a little sentimental, actually. Back then, Ciel and I still weren't the biggest fans of each other."

"You didn't like each other?"

"Ehh… Yes and no? We liked each other a lot better since the last time we met each other and we were getting better. I think that case actually helped us become friends!"

"What happened when you first met?"

"Buddy, we've been in this 'killing people' game a long time. Both of us were manipulated by our respective demons into thinking we were enemies. That was back in the 1800s. I died a little while later, but he's not the one who did it. I am the one who turned Ciel into a demon, though. Never expected to come back a century later as one myself. I expected to have my soul get eaten and that be the end of it."

The way Alois spoke so casually while discussing this stuff as if it were nothing was shocking to Revy, to say the least. Indeed, Revy did hold memories of things prior to Alois death, but he didn't expect the man himself be so nonchalant.

"It's in the past." he said. "Everthing's alright now. Things change."

"I don't think I could marry someone who tried to murder me..."

"It wasn't his fault. Besides, I was tricked, too. Fortunately, Sebastian changed his ways and is a better butler than mine was, or else Ciel would have been stuck with a huge creep!"

"Claude?"

"Oh, yeah… You have some memories of mine… Yes, Claude." The blonde spit the name out as if it were poison. Immediately, he changed the subject. "Anyway, as for the Sudoku Killer, that was also when we found out I'm a demon, too. At first they thought I was an ordinary human."

"How'd you find out you weren't?"

"I was beaten with a baseball bat to the point where a human would have died or passed out, then I regenerated and grew horns and a tail before coming at the bad guys in a blood rage."

"What the fuck kinda shit are you getting up to when we're not around?"

"Bad shit for a good cause, usually. Though, it's been pretty calm this month thus far. Part of me hopes it stays that way, but I also want to get that fucker off the streets as soon as possible."

"How are you going to do that?"

"Dunno, yet. We don't have a lot of information. The police haven't given us access to anything they have yet." Alois stated. "We could get some security cam footage if we splash some cash, but unfortunately, the one who usually takes care of that sort of thing is currently asleep."

Sighing in his sleep, Ciel squeezed his husband tighter around his waist before leaning back and laying down on his back, bringing the menace down with him on top. Poor Alois held up his laptop so it wouldn't fall in the floor. Looking for a place to set it down, he had no choice but to call out to his brother.

"Can you set this down on that table for me?" he asked while tilting his head in the direction of the coffee table between them. With a nod, Revy very kindly got up and did just that, closing the device and setting it down gently. "Thanks..."

"Couldn't you get out of there if you wanted to?" the younger Macken asked while his brother struggled to get comfortable.

"Yeah, but I'd hate to spoil it for him." Alois chuckled, patting his husband's arm while he looked up at the other. The poor man's cheeks were a bit pink from the embarrassment of being seen like this. "He might look intimidating to some, but he's a big softie. If you ever need anything, you can ask him for help."

"He tried to kill you when you were younger, yet you want me to trust him?"

"It would make life here a bit easier if you have no quarrels with the family head. Besides, we're cool, now. The best friend I've ever had. It helps to have someone who goes through the same crazy shit that you do. Ciel gets where I'm coming from and has my back wherever I'm going. Right now, though… He has my back a bit too literally..."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I know you don't understand our relationship." the Phantomhive informed the other, looking up at his brother's baffled face from his awkward position on top of a sleeping demon. "I don't really expect you to completely understand it. Not now, or really ever. What you do need to understand is that we're partners in more ways than one."

"I really don't need to know that..." the lad replied, scrunching his face in disgust.

"That's not what I mean." Stumped, the blonde closed his eyes and folded his arms, furrowing his brow as he thought how to explain this. "You know the concept of Yin and Yang?"

"Yeah? Opposites keep balance. Which one of you is which?"

"Both." Alois stated. "It applies not to us as individuals, but vaguely to aspects of our relationship. You've noticed how we are, right? Happy and… mushy sometimes, even though we do what we do for work?"

"Yeah?"

"Those are the opposite forces. We have different needs in and out of the field. We both need someone willing to kill someone, but who is emotionally 'there' for us when we come home."

"You've killed people?" questioned the revenant with raised brows.

"Lots." his brother answered. "But I can't be like that when I come back. I don't want to be like that. As soon as work is over for the day, the violence stays back there with it. I have to kill people in cold blood for my job, but when work stops, I'm allowed to feel. What I want to feel is warm and safe. Ciel can do that. He makes me feel loved and secure, but he also has my back when I absolutely need it. Understand? Nobody can do that for me but Ciel."

"Is this just a long way of saying that you love him?"

"Yeah. So chill out about him, okay? He's a good guy and he makes me happy. That doesn't have anything to do with you."

Pausing, Revy thought about that for a moment. "So… This whole time, you weren't trying to force me to be like you, you were fighting monsterous people, acting as a hitman, in a loving relationship, and really wanting me to accept it?"

"Basically, yeah." nodded Alois. "I was kinda convinced that you hate me. Still am a bit."

"I don't hate you..." groaned the lad as he turned around and to a seat back down on the couch. "I just… I don't get you. You're weird. You're really, really weird. I mean, I'm undead, but I have trouble wrapping my head around the fact that someone like you really exists."

"Am I that weird?"

"Yeah, kinda."

"Good to know."

"Guess I'll leave you to it, then." Revy said as he stood up. "That's all I really wanted to know."

"Alright. You still going over to Geraldine's today?"

"Yeah."

"Alright. Be home by seven, at latest, or else I'll have to come after ya."

"Please don't."

"Then come home on time." Alois warned, wagging a finger at his sibling. "I don't want to employ mafia tactics on my family, but I also don't want to worry about where you're at."

"Yeah, yeah. I'll be here." Revy said, shoving off with his hands in his pockets. "Not sure if you can anyway, with the way he's got you in his clutches."

"Probably a good thing, since that means I can't wallop you for taking a piss." the Phantomhive shot back. Despite not being able to much much, his eyes were still glued onto the lad as he pat his husband's arm.

"Laters, 'bro'." the revenant chuckled, shutting the door behind him.

Rolling his eyes, Alois turned his attention to the laptop on the coffeetable. He still had things to do, so it was important that he got back to work as soon as he could. With a grunt, he reached out but his not even his fingertips could brush against the edge of the device. Alois resorted to trying to lean a little bit closer, but the grip of his husband held fast. He couldn't budge in the slightest and the realisation of that left him in a huff.

"Why do you have to be such a heavy sleeper?" he asked the other Phantomhive, knowing full well that he wasn't going to be heard. "Now I'm stuck here with nothing to do..."


A/N: Kind of a pointless chapter, storywise, but I enjoyed it.

Dunno what I'm gonna do next, but it should be fun.

Ideas are a-brewing.

Also, if you have any questions for character shet, we're running low.

Let me know what y'all think about where this is going. I need to know if I'm heading in the right direction or not.

Until the next chapter, my duckies~!