Stretching, the pain in Ciel's arm had subsided almost entirely, despite feeling a tad weak. Today was his first attempt at going without his sling, and it became immediately apparent that he felt a lot more confident. There was a smugness to his expression that was present ever since getting dressed without any assistance whatsoever, although his fingers were still a tad clumsy.

He didn't need them, really. He was able to do what he wanted to at the moment, staying glued to the menace with his arms around his husband throughout the day. Ciel would come up behind Alois and hug him for long amounts of time, he would sit with him, still holding him, or insist that the other man sits in his lap. While it was a minor inconvenience, the blonde Phantomhive understood where it was coming from, so he didn't mind humouring his spouse one single bit. At last, Ciel was able to hug his husband normally. The poor man had been deprived for weeks, now, and was determined to get his fill.

The pair sat on their bed together. Alois was sitting between the other's legs while his back was held firmly against Ciel's chest. Sitting on his own legs was a lap desk accompanying his laptop, where he was working, unlike the other demon. For now, the Watchdog was completely content with what he was doing right then, sighing through his nose with eyes closed while laying his head on the other man's shoulder. Needless to say, he was very pleased.

There was a moment when the bluenette did let go, however. When Alois asked to get up for anything. Ciel would let him go only to grab onto him again when he returned, all without any need for words. This time, when Alois walked back into the room with the flashdrive he needed, the other man even held out his arms to beckon him toward him.

"You're absolutely ridiculous, you know that?" the menace chuckled, still resuming his spot all the same.

"Don't be mean to me. I've missed holding you. Can't a man hug his husband in peace?" half-heartedly whined his beau while snaking his arms back around his middle. He grinned into Alois' shoulder while the blonde giggled at him.

"Is it just me, or have you gotten increasingly clingy over the years?"

"For the past hundred years I have been deprived the pleasures of physical affection, so I am intent on finally getting my fill."

"You're still talking about hugging, right?" teased the blonde, only to squeak when his husband playfully started kissing his neck.

"Of course I am." Ciel stated. "I'll do the rest later. For now, this is what I need."

"This is a long stretch from when you were an assassin with a bad attitude and a distaste for people."

"Now I'm an assassin with a bad attitude and a distaste for people aside from my husband."

"And your friends."

"Them, too."

"And your butler."

"Same."

"And the rest of your family."

"Alright, so I enjoy the presence of quite a few people." the Watchdog was forced to concede. All the while, he was sliding his wedding ring off of his right hand. Alois could see him do this when he looked down, having felt the movement and smiled wider when he saw Ciel place it in its proper spot on his left ring finger. "Your point being?"

"You're so nice~!" cooed the menace before turning his head to kiss the side of the other man's. "Soft, too. You're really cute when you're clingy. I like it."

"I can finally hold you with both arms again. It's nice."

"Well, you seem rather pleased. Do you really like it that much?"

"Yes." Ciel said without missing a beat, but his beau paused, thinking he might continue with something else.

When he never did, the blonde replied: "That's good. I'm happy to help."

There was silence following that as the couple didn't need to be constantly talking. They were really just as fine with sitting quietly as long as they were around each other. In fact, Ciel almost seemed to be dozing off where he was. Alas, he was awakened when his beau needed to move again, having heard his cell phone go off. From the ringtone, both of them recognised it as Audrey. Alois was released so that he could crawl over to the nightstand where his phone was sitting, only to get back into place once he hit "answer."

"Hello?"

"Hey, man." the reaper greeted. "How's it going?"

"Good. Just getting some work done while Ciel's being weird. His arm is better, by the way."

"It's a little sore." Ciel interjected, having been able to listen in due to his proximity. While his husband chuckled, the man on the other end of the line, however, hesitated before speaking.

"Is Ciel there now?" Audrey questioned.

"Yeah. He hasn't let go of me since he found out his arm works. It's disgusting, I know." replied Alois. "Did you need something?"

"We-well, I'd like some advice on something..."

"Sure thing. Need me to shoo him away?"

"U-uh… If you wouldn't mind?"

"Alright." quickly answered the menace, reaching down and untangling the others arms from around his waist. Once he was free, he place his palm on his husband's forehead and pushed gently, coaxing the other man to fall backwards on the bed with a laugh. Alois then placed a hand on the Watchdog's knee, rubbing it lightly as he addressed their friend once more. "He's taken care of. What do you need?"

"Well… It's kind of dumb..." Audrey said, obviously stalling. "I really should know how to do it, already..."

"What is it?" pressed the blonde. "How to do taxes? Talk to a girl? Host a dinner party?"

"Well, close, actually."

"You're gonna have to ask Ciel for two of those things, 'cause I don't know shit."

"I meant the girl." Audrey huffed, leaping without looking. "I want to know if you know how to ask a girl out on a date."

"Oh! That's easy." Alois began. "Get out a pen and pencil, 'cause I'm about the blow your mind. First: think of a place that you think she would like to go, or an activity that you think she'd be interested in doing, preferably with you..."

"Okay?"

"Then you go up to her..." he continued, trailing off to make sure the other was still following.

"Yeah?"

"…Look her in the face..."

"Alright?"

"...And ask her to go with you."

"That is not what I wanted to hear..." Audrey stated, causing the other to shrug.

"Dunno what else to tell you. That is the quickest and easiest way possible."

"What if she says 'no'?"

"Then she doesn't wanna go?" Alois informed. "Like, I get that it's scary, not knowing if you'll get a date from your crush or not, but I can guarantee you that if you don't do anything at all, your chances plummet."

He could hear sighing on the other end as that truth struck Audrey upside the head. "I guess..."

"I with I could give you some trick, some cheat code, some whatever to guarantee you a night out, but I can't. If she doesn't see you like that, that's the end of it. Thanks for playing."

"No, I get it, it's just that..." Audrey took in a deep breath. "I always get nervous. I get right up to the point where I ask, and then I wuss out."

"Audrey, you're a soldier who has fought vampires trying to murder the fuck out of you. I think you can handle it." the menace insisted. "Absolute worst-case scenario? She says 'no' and you remain friends. You can't die from rejection."

"Baby animals, can."

"Are you a baby animal?"

"...No."

"Then suck it up. You won't die." the demon said, gently brushing the fabric of his husband's pants with his nails. "There's nothing else that can be done. You can wait until you've built up courage, if you have to, if you don't have any competition."

"Not that I'm aware of..." his friend answered. "I know it's stupid to be nervous..."

"Not really. It's perfectly normal to be a little bit nervous about asking out a potential date, but it's somethin' you gotta do. They need to know that you're interested before you can date them."

"Okay. I'll try..."

"Remember: you're a badass who shot a demon in the face and fought vampires and shit. You can do this. Rehearse it, if you have to."

"Alright, alright..."

"...Or if it's a chore, you don't have to go on a date at all..."

"I didn't mean it like that." the reaper insisted. "Sorry, I didn't mean for it to come out like that."

"It's fine. I get it." Alois said with a smile, although the other couldn't see it. "Just set aside a day to do it and practise."

"How did you know I wasn't going to try today?"

"Because I know you need to mentally prepare yourself for stuff like that. Presentations, too."

"I don't know why they make me give presentations. It's not like I'm anybody important."

"Audrey. Mate. You found three aggressive vampire sightings in a week. That's more than some people do in a month."

"I know, but it doesn't mean I'm somebody."

"I really don't know what to tell you, Bones." the menace said with a short sigh. "You're incredibly efficient at your job. You're worth about five regular operatives."

"Am I irritating you?"

"No. Not at all. You're worried about stuff and you can't help it. It's hard to be irritated when it's something like that."

"Thanks." From the way Audrey said that, it sounded like he was going to add more to it, but instead, Alois heard shuffling around on the other end.

"Audrey?"

"Sorry, my boss almost caught me slacking off. I'm gonna have to hang up."

"No problem. Get get 'er, tiger."

"Thanks again. Bye."

"Bye." With that, the menace hung up and tossed his phone, somehow managing to make it land on the nightstand without breaking anything. He turned back to open his laptop, only for the other demon in the room to spring up and grab him.

"Look at you, mister dating expert..." playfully teased the Watchdog with an almost wicked grin.

"Well, I am one of the only two married people in our friend group." his beau replied. "I'd say I'm one of the most successful at it out of all of us."

"Second most successful." Ciel stated with a peck to the other's cheek. "I married The Honourable Jim Phantomhive."

"Oh yeah? Well I married Sir Ciel Phantomhive." Alois jested right back. "Beat that."

"Psh, he's lame. Jim is way better."

"You wanna fight, mate?"

"What? You mean wrestle?"

"Yeah. I ain't gonna let you disrespect my man like that." the menace declared, trying not to smile at the laughter he received from his spouse. Alas, he failed.

"Fine. Move your computer and we'll go." instructed the Watchdog, prompting the other to do just that. Picking up the device, Alois crawled over to the edge of the bed before resting his chest against it so that he could set the laptop down as gently as possible.

Unfortunately, in doing this he left himself open to attack. Suddenly, without warning, a hand swiftly gave his backside a firm pat followed by a squeeze. Looking back over his shoulder, he tried to shoot the other man a glare. All he was met with, however, was the bluenette staring back with him with a smug expression as if challenging him to do something to remove Ciel's hand.

"Ooh, you're gonna get it, now!" declared the menace while sitting up. In a flash, he lunged at his partner and tried to shove him onto his back once more. Ciel held fast, however, refusing to budge.

"Not if I get you, first!" The Watchdog's arms closed in around the blonde, trapping him so that Ciel could push their lips together. Yet, Alois retaliated, kissing back between giggles just as the bluenette did.

When Ciel's hands traveled lower, he grabbed onto the menace more firmly and lifted him. He turned the both of them around so that he could lower Alois' head onto the pillows, but quickly realised that this wasn't going to work. It was too late. With a grunt, Ciel's arm gave, dropping his husband prematurely and causing the back of the Lion's head to hit the headboard hard.

"Ow… Be gentle with me..." groaned the menace, propping himself up on his elbows while rubbing his aching skull. When he didn't hear an apology, he opened his eyes to see his spouse bent over with his rear in the air as he clutched his arm and hid his face in the mattress. It was obvious that this was something serious, given the way that his beau spoke.

"Fuuuuuuucccckkk..." Ciel moaned. Unfortunately, it was in pain. He could feel a tear sneak into his eye before wiping it on the bed. The soreness in his arm had returned in full swing as it really did not appreciate the bluenette picking up his beau.

"Are you okay?" questioned a rather flustered Alois, sitting up and rubbing the other's back in a soothing fashion.

"My arm did not like that..." the other managed to get out. With a grunt, he lifted his head enough to look up at Alois slightly.

"Well, you're still recovering. You're a lot better, but please don't push yourself too far..."

"I wanted to be on top..." pitifully complained Ciel. Unfortunately, this only elicited a stifled chuckle rather than sympathy.

"You still can. Just be careful with the arm..."

"Thank you..."

"No problem?"


A/N: Doin' too much... It'll kill ya...

There's many things going on here... So many...

God, these two are fucking idiots...

I'm sorry this took so long... I had to do the whole "Christmas" thing with the extended family. I'll have to do more with the other side later...

I'm here, though.

Let's see... What else...

Uh, my car stopped running on my way to a dentist appointment today. There's that. It's fine now, tho...

We haven't done character shet in a while, have we? Do y'all have any questions?

I remember when the characters used to get a slew of dirty ones. Anybody else remember that? Ya nasties...

It was a dangerous time...

Until the next chapter, my duckies~!