Alois' recovery wasn't feeling slow at all. In fact, it was strangely bearable to him. He could still freely move around as long as he was careful to put a hand to the wall and avoid bumping into things as much as he could. He was still able to talk to other people. His family members saw him daily and both the butler and the head of the household were very attentive to him. Perhaps the latter was more so than the prior. The blonde was actually impressed by how determined Ciel was to take care of him, while still doing so in a way that gave him space and didn't make him feel helpless. His husband even got him flowers in an effort to keep his spirits high, which prompted copious amounts of bragging to their mutual friends on the phone. The man smiled while even just thinking about it. Ciel even considered his favourite flower.

By now, Alois' sight had returned, although it was blurry. His eye was still very red, but it was healing fast. He would probably be better by the following day or the one after that. The man was still lazing around whenever he was on his own, although he was still horrendously bored by it. The highlight of his day was still whenever he was able to chat with others and was looking forward to this particular day, as it was Thursday, the day of the week where Elizabeth typically stops by to visit.

She was running a bit late, however, but no one was upset by this. According to Ciel, she had mentioned going to visit Isaac, Arthur, and Richard Hellsing as well. No one could complain when she needed to visit her husband and children on the same day. If one were so selfish, they didn't deserve to be graced by her radiant presence in the first place.

In the meantime, he would have to settle for his ever-attentive husband, who was currently being used as a pillow as Alois reclined in a rather comfortable position on the couch. All the while, the menace was beaming. He was incredibly pleased with the attention he had been receiving from his spouse, so much so that it was almost a shame that he was almost healed! Still, Ciel's world did not revolve solely around Alois. He knew this and did his best not to keep the Watchdog from other important tasks, but couldn't resist being able to lean on his beau while the other man answered work e-mails on his phone. Occasionally, Ciel would break his gaze from the screen in order to bring his husband's hand to his lips in order to inform him that he was still very aware of his presence. After a while, a small smile appeared on his face.

"What are you grinning about?" the Watchdog finally inquired with a light chuckle. "Weren't you complaining earlier about having to put on actual pants or something?"

"I'm just happy." his husband said simply. "I'm comfortable, I have beautiful flowers to look at, I have a handsome man doting on me, what's not to be happy about?"

"Well, your eye, for starters." Ciel replied, but the menace's mood could not be brought down.

"I don't need my eyes to lay back and snuggle. You even wore a really soft shirt today..."

"It wasn't on purpose." the bluenette stated truthfully. Really, he had chosen the plain, navy blue, long sleeved shirt he was wearing because it looked comfortable and he was at home that day, so a little change would not destroy his image.

"Is this one of the shirts I bought you?"

"I think so. That would explain the fitted cut."

"Yesssss…." whispered the blonde, prompting a snort from his beau. Truly, he was content where he was at that moment. There wasn't much that could spoil his mood.

"Does it really mean that much to you?"

"People look best when they wear clothes that fit them." Alois explained. "Besides, you're really sexy and it's nice when you flaunt it a little."

"Well, I'm glad you think so." his husband stated with a light blush dusting his cheeks. "You're very attractive as well."

"Just 'very attractive'?"

"Fine. You're sexy as hell and I often wish to embrace you in a manly fashion. Better?"

"It will suffice." nodded the menace, content with having heard Ciel Phantomhive utter the word "sexy".

"You were so easy to please moments ago. You were just smiling from sitting here. What happened?" teasingly questioned the bluenette with an arched brow.

"I suddenly wanted to hear you say a swear word or just say something that wasn't 'proper.'"

"'Fuck.'" Ciel stated, shaking his head as a fit of giggles erupted from his spouse. It was worthy of an eyeroll, as the Watchdog simply couldn't understand why his beau found this amusing. He knew full well that he did and had known for quite some time, but "why" would remain forever a mystery.

Finally, once his laughter died down, the blonde uttered a long sigh. "We didn't really do much for that mission, but I'm still enjoying the vacation. I'm worried about getting lazy."

"You had your eye gouged and were stabbed and shot multiple times. How on earth is that doing 'not doing much'?"

"Doesn't take a lot of effort to get shot or stabbed, Ciel."

The Watchdog opened his mouth to speak, but his words were caught on how in a roundabout way, Alois was correct. Before he could come up with an answer, however, he found himself distracted by the menace reaching up and behind himself to trace his fingers along the bluenette's jaw. While the blonde only intended to do so simply to mess with his beau, he found himself lingering a while longer before sitting up. He actually surprised Ciel by turning around and placing both hands on his cheeks.

"What are you doing?" Ciel questioned at the sudden groping and caressing his facial features. It could only be assumed that it was some nonsense that Alois had fixated on in the spur of the moment, but the Watchdog would rather be specific.

"Your skin is so soft!" the menace declared with brows raised. "I mean, I've felt it before- a lot, actually, but it's still kind of surprising how soft it is on your face?"

"It's all the same skin, Jim. You're so strange..."

"But that's why I'm so likable." Alois replied while continuing his ministrations. He was very focused on studying the other man, feeling his cheeks, his jaw, and even brushing his fingertips against Ciel's ears. It always felt strange, as he could feel the metal of his spouse's earrings when he did. After a while, he couldn't ignore the fact that the Watchdog was still staring directly at him. The bluenette's gaze was intense as always, prompting a smile on Alois' face.

"Do you remember when we first met?" he questioned, seeing a spark of recognition in the other's eye.

"I can't forget it." Ciel answered most surely. "You know that already."

"Yeah, that's true. Were you thinking about it?"

"Perhaps unconsciously." Alois could feel him relax a bit more as he let out a sigh. Needless to say, it was a memory that Ciel was quite fond of. "Were you?"

"Kind of." the menace said. "I remember your hair and skin were soft even then. You were also a lot more tense..."

"It's called 'being cautious'."

"You let yourself be in a closed room alone with a strange person who you could safely assume at least works for your enemy? Very 'cautious'..."

"I was going to just observe you, but I got distracted…"

"Really? What'd you need to observe a cute, blonde, maid for, Ciel?"

Groaning, the bluenette closed his eyes and leaned his head back. "Leave me alone..." he said, only for his eyes to open again suddenly and wider than before when he felt Alois' weight shifting. Ciel's flustered face tinted a darker shade when he realised he was being straddled. The smirk his husband wore on his face made his heart flutter as he was stared at in a more serious fashion. The menace held Ciel's head firmly, paralysing him with the warmth of his hands.

"You're beautiful." the Watchdog spoke before he could be teased. He watched as the other man raised his brows momentarily with a light blush on his cheeks before. Letting out a chuckle, the blonde closed the gap between them and pressed their lips together.

It could have been due to the fact that they had not kissed in such a manner since Alois' injury, but it didn't matter now. The floodgates were open and they found themselves unable to separate. There was no desperation or hunger in the way that they did this. It was just sweet, affectionate, and "simple." Slowly, Ciel snaked his arms around the blonde's middle with a sigh. He was content with this and so was his spouse.

Pulling away for a short break, the pair took the opportunity to look at each other again. With a chuckle from both, their foreheads pressed together and they nuzzled noses. Typical, sickening, stuff that would cause the middle Macken child to wretch. While Alois moved in to start kissing his spouse once more. He flinched, however, when a knock sounded from the other side of the door. His head whipped around to look at it and suddenly, the Phantomhives remembered their appointment. After some shuffling, the pair managed to separate and look nonchalant before the door opened, revealing the family butler followed by Elizabeth Hellsing on the other side. Fortunately, neither of them appeared to suspect a thing, at least on the surface, they didn't.

"Dame Elizabeth is here." Sebastian announced in a semi-formal fashion.

"Hello~!" greeted the Hellsing woman. "How is everyone doing today?"

"We're doing just fine~!" Alois replied, mimicking her sing-song tone of voice.

"That's good! I take it you're feeling better, then?" Elizabeth inquired while setting some flowers on the table. It would seem as though Ciel wasn't the only one who came up with the idea, but both were appreciated.

"Yeah. I still can't see too well and it's kind of red, but it doesn't really hurt nearly as bad anymore."

"It still hurts?" Ciel questioned, raising his brows. "I thought you said it didn't?"

"Oh, well..." Suddenly, Alois realised that he had been caught in a little white lie. "In comparison to how it felt before, it doesn't."

"I see..." Skeptical as he was, it didn't seem like the sort of thing to discuss while company is present. "Anyway, please do sit down, Lizzie. I'm sure Sebastian will prepare tea as soon as he can, yes?" He turned to his butler, subtly giving him an invitation to leave.

"I will have it up momentarily." Sebastian replied, placing a hand on his chest with a slight bow. "If you'll excuse me..." He turned and left, closing the door behind him, leaving the others to converse about this and that.

"You're looking rather smart today, Ciel." the angel brought up while placing a finger to her chin. "Something seems different..."

"He's wearing a shirt without a collar." answered the menace, prompting the woman to grin. "Yes, it is possible for him to dress down on occasion."

"Am I not worth dressing up for?" the woman questioned.

"Why is everyone picking on me today?" scoffed the Watchdog, although he didn't seem too cut up about it. "Jim is the one who hasn't thanked you for the flowers yet. If anything, it is he who is committing the social faux-pas."

"Thank you for the flowers, Lizzie. They're beautiful." Alois said, correcting his mistake.

"It's perfectly alright." spoke Elizabeth with a wave of her hand. "Your health is a much more important topic than the flowers. I see that I'm not the only one who thought to bring them, however! I was beaten to it."

"Ciel surprised me with them after coming back from an errand I sent him out on. Aren't they wonderful?"

"What kind of flower are they? Bluebells? That's sort of an unusual choice." the woman remarked before turning to her cousin. "I thought you were a romantic, Ciel! Though, I suppose it's a bit too much to expect a man to be fluent in flower arranging." she jested, only to barely register the look of confusion on the bluenette's face due to how brief it was. He didn't look at her and instead turned his head to face his husband as if checking up on him.

"I think they're perfect." the menace stated. "It's the thought that really matters when it comes to gifts in general."

Satisfied with this, Ciel relaxed somewhat and returned his gaze to Elizabeth. "I must be doing something right, then."

"Have you been taking good care of Alois, then?" Questioned the woman. "It's a spouse's duty, you know."

"Yes, yes, I've been taking care of him. Do you question my capacity to do so?"

"I'm just worried, is all. A lot happened." Sensing the mood, however, Elizabeth dropped it. "But let's not talk about the past. What about the future? You were going to have that charity game to round up some extra money for Gehenna, weren't you? Is that still going to be on?"

"Mm-hm! I should be all fixed up by then, so it's still on, as of now!" Alois replied, pumping his fist in the air. "It's gonna be an American baseball game, since the rules are easier. Just hit the ball and change bases. We have uniforms and everything."

"Really? Do you have team mascots as well?"

"It'll be the London Phantoms against the Gehanna Lions." Ciel chimed in, finding the names to be a bit silly. "Basically, the two of us and our supernatural friends are going to be playing against some volunteers from Gehenna."

"You wanna play too, Liz? We could always use more people."

The woman pondered her in-law's inquiry. "That would be a bit silly, wouldn't it?"

"Why? You're good at swinging a sword, so why not a bat?" Ciel questioned.

"Well, it would just be me and a bunch of men, wouldn't it? I would sort of stand out."

"Seras said that she would play, and there's women on the other team, too. It's alright if you don't want to, though. I really don't mind."

"Well, if that's the case, then sure. I'll move my schedule around." Elizabeth replied with a bit of excitement in her eyes.

"I bet you'll look super cute in the uniform." grinned the menace. "The lions are gonna have to cheat hardcore with you on the team. Aren't things a little overpowered on the Phantom's side?"

"We'll dial it back some so it's fair." his beau insisted, although it was ambiguous as to whether or not he was completely genuine. "There's no need to throw pitches so hard that they break the bat, right?"

"Yeah, Ciel. It's not fun anymore if the pitcher goes too hard and breaks somebody's bat." Alois smirked as he waited for his words to register in the minds of his compatriots. As if on cue, Elizabeth giggled into her hand with a light blush on her cheeks while his husband simply sighed.

"You're going to make jokes like that the whole time, aren't you?" Ciel shook.

"Ciel, I'm wounded. I thought you knew me better than this? How could I not? I'm pretty sure everyone is going to be making jokes like that, not just me."

"Not true. Lizzie wouldn't."

"I must concede that Ciel's correct in this." the woman said while stifling her laughter. Mustering up the most serious of faces that she could, she added: "For that, I'm afraid that I'm simply playing for the wrong team."

Now it was the menace's turn to cackle. Elizabeth made an alteration to make it work, but it still made him laugh. Meanwhile Ciel simply didn't know what to do with all of this. Was Alois corrupting her or was she simply revealling an already-present aspect of herself? Either way, it didn't really matter. She was having fun and that was the most important thing, so he didn't need to question it further.

"Is this how you two talk when I'm not around?" the Watchdog inquired, running a hand through his bangs.

"Depends on who I'm talking to. With Kristopherson, it's a lot worse. This is still tame for me." Alois bluntly stated.

"I've found that people appreciate a good sense of humour, and now that the standards of behaviour have changed, it's much easier to speak freely." Elizabeth chimed in.

Accepting this, Ciel nodded. "Ah, that makes sense. I guess I'm just not used to it yet."

Suddenly, his cousin's face became quite serious. "Ciel, I don't mean to alarm you, but I am an adult who has known a man in a biblical fashion before." She held up two fingers and added: "Twice, even, and that's just what you're aware of."

"Gracious..." To this, the man's face flushed and his palm met his forehead. He had honestly not thought about Elizabeth in such a way in over a hundred years, dating all the way back to when they were betrothed. Now that the thought had surfaced, however, he found it extremely unpleasant. At least the blonde gentleman who was completely losing it while seated beside him seemed amused.

"Ciel, chill. I'm sure she's accepted the fact that you get it on too by now." cackled his beau, only to look over at the Hellsing woman to see her mirroring Ciel's gesture and expression.

"Good God..." spoke the angel. "Please spare me..."

Alois looked at her, watching her intently. Then, he turned his gaze to Ciel. Then back again. Reading the situation, he did the very best thing that he could think to do and put his own head in his hands. "Sweet, merciful, Mother Mary..."


A/N: Just two words from 3,000, and no more chapters until 500. Is there a limit to how many chapters you can post? Let's find out.

Do I want to dive into some bullshit in the next chapter, or do I wanna stall? I feel like I should do something special? It's the 500th chapter, after all! That's half of a thousand!

A thousand chapters, you say...

Shockingly, I haven't written a thousand yet, even when you combine the two fics. We'll see about that...

So yeah, baseball. Would they realistically be playing baseball in Britain? I don't fucking know. Probably not. It's just that I kinda know the basics of that shit, so that's what I'm going for. In actuallity, they're more likely to be playing soccer- sorry, "football." I don't know how you even END a football game of either kind, so fuck that shit. I used to know how to count down til the end of an American football game, but that's because I was in marching band and was required to go to them. Also because I was bored out of my fucking mind.

So I'm gonna do some dumb shit because reasons, basically. That's kind of how things go around here. I'm sure y'all have figured that out by now, though. I mean, you've read, like, what? 952 chapters, already?

Land O Goshen, that's a lot of chapters... I'm so sorry...

Until the next chapter, my duckies~!