Alois awoke to the sound of the door swinging open and shot up to a sitting position while reaching for a holster that wasn't there. Grabbing nothing but air instead of the handle to a pistol, he took back his hand and looked at his palm, only to find nothing. Then, he looked up to find his husband offering him an apologetic look.

"Sorry." the other man said. "I didn't know you were asleep in here. You weren't in the bedroom, so I thought you were still awake." Now he shut the door behind him gently, although the gesture was a bit too late. After a moment of pause, the bluenette tilted his head. "Did you just try to reach for your gun?"

"I think so." Alois replied with an odd sort of chuckle. He was a little embarrassed, but mostly because there was no gun. Fortunately for him, his husband understood. "You scared me for a second."

"I'm sorry, darling. Go back to sleep, if you want."

"What time is it?" inquired the menace as he watched his beau remove his jacket and disappear into the other room.

"About four in the morning." Ducking his head back into the doorway, Ciel spoke. "They actually let me out early, thank goodness. I was going absolutely mad…"

"Was it that bad?"

"Worse, I assure you. How about you? Are you feeling alright?"

"Huh..." the blonde pondered aloud. "I don't really know. I… I kinda freaked out in the moment and snapped her neck instead of drowning her. I feel bad about that, mostly because that's gonna be a headache later to convince the police to cover it up."

"What about everything else?"

"Other than how pissed off I was when it happened, I dunno. I kinda feel like it was a regular mission. You know, tired and emotionally drained, but still otherwise alright? I am kinda pissed off that people think like that."

"Like what?"

"That people get caught in human trafficking rings because they're dumb. You don't get in them because of anything you did wrong. It's bad luck that's increased with poverty. People just love to pretend that if you just avoid x, y, and z, nothing bad will ever happen to you, but that's a big, fat, lie."

"Yeah. In theory, I should have been the safest person in the world, but that wasn't the case. I hear you." Ciel replied while taking off his belt and looping it over his arm. "It helps them feel superior about themselves and like victims deserve what happened to them, so it's not really their doing. Something like that?"

"Fuckin' trash. All of 'em should just die already." Alois said with a nasty expression. He wanted to spit, but didn't want to have to clean up his floor. "They've even got seventeen-year-old girls indoctrinated into their shitty ideology. Don't know why I bothered thinking about showing mercy..."

"You have a soft spot for impressionable young people. It's not your fault. It is a shame, though."

"If that's England's future, then we're all fucked. Pisses me off..."

"Give me a minute to change." Ciel replied before turning back to the bedroom. "It'll be easier to talk when I'm not wearing gross clothes."

"You're not going to shower?"

"I'd like to, but I don't want to keep you waiting."

"Go ahead. I don't mind."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, you've had to deal with gross people, too, and yours actually threw up and stuff, am I right?"

"You don't know the half of it..." sighed the bluenette. "I was almost thrown up on so many times..."

"Gross. Go shower."

"Yeah, yeah..."

Once the Watchdog was gone, Alois took in a deep breath before letting it back out again in the form of a rather loud sigh. Ciel was still fussy. Even when he was disheveled and looked like he was still going to kill someone, he was still worried about Alois. Then again, murder was quite a few steps up from an annoying party, so maybe that was the rationale behind it. He didn't know. Either way, he wasn't really sure what to think.

More than anything, he was just tired. He felt as though he should be panicking or having another episode, but he felt nothing. It was more like the feeling he got after crying when he was too exhausted to do anything. Surely he should feel something. Surely. He had just killed a person, after all. Yet, there was nothing. Perhaps that was a sign that he was getting better. Or perhaps this particular kill didn't have the right factors to trigger his distress. He couldn't even remember what if felt like to snap that woman's neck. It was so irrelevant to him.

"I'm good at this whole 'killing people' thing…" he mumbled to himself while turning over on his side. "It doesn't bother me at all..."

Alois didn't feel bad about it. The punishment matched the crime, after all. The only difficulty came with personal attachment. When he felt, he hurt. When he didn't feel, there was no pain. It was just an ordinary job. While the woman's words still stung, they weren't anything unusual. Ciel was right. People never wanted to consider the fact that it could happen to them, too. Thus, there needed to be a reason to justify suffering. "If only they did this instead," "If only they were smarter," "if only, if only..." It didn't matter. None of it did. With how close Miley Pomeroy was to that world, it was no wonder that she justified her involvement in that way. How else could she go on living, otherwise? Then again, evil will always find a way, with some people. When justification fails, there is always apathy.

He didn't want to dwell on his lack of a breakdown and what it meant. All he wanted to do was enjoy the moment and rest after work. Was there any shame or harm in that? Closing his eyes, he drew his arms in close to himself to keep warm. He couldn't doze any longer. He was wide awake. As warm as he was, however, he couldn't lay there with his back facing the open room, so he switched to the other side so he couldn't be snuck up on. While his senses would pick up on it if he was approached, that didn't help the irrational the worry go away.

Wandering around the room, Alois finally acknowledged how he didn't decorate for Halloween that year. He was simply far too busy with everything that it sort of slipped his mind. The only acknowledgment he made to the holiday was when he realised where his target was going to be on that evening. It sort of disappointed him. They didn't carve jack-o-lanterns or put up any of the spooky decorations in storage. He didn't greet any trick-or-treaters and give out candy from the door of a real life mansion with demons living inside. There wasn't even a moment where he caught his husband swiping at the treats and had to remind him that they were for the kids. He didn't get to go to any parties, either. It was a shame. A real shame. Halloween was a serious bust for the Phantomhives that year. At least the others got to go to Gehenna and have fun. Given the time, they were probably all back by then and fast asleep. He missed it. Alois missed it all. It was all the fault of this wretched mission of his and how focused he was on it.

Now that he thought of it, he had been letting himself slip. Alois didn't visit Kristopherson at his store at all during the past few weeks and Elizabeth didn't come visit, either because he said he was busy. Just how long had it been since he left the house to do something fun? It had certainly been a while. Even those lessons he had attended started to slip away. He needed to do something.

The thought occurred to him that he could always go visit Kristopherson the next day, so he decided he would try that. It was the day after Halloween, as well, so seasonal candy was on sale and he knew his husband would want some. So, while he laid there, he began mapping out plans for the next day while wondering what else he had been missing.

"Jim? Are you asleep?" called a hushed voice as the bluenette Phantomhive tip-toed into the room. Once he saw his husband raise his head, he walked normally, still drying off his hair with a towel.

The menace looked his beau up and down, finding his appearance unusual, yet oddly enticing. It was just a long sleeved shirt with some pyjama pants, but due to the fact that Ciel usually changed into clothes that were only a few notches below a military uniform on the formality scale, the sight felt like a bit of a treat. Ciel then hung the towel around his neck and looked up, revealing that he hadn't even bothered to put on another eyepatch.

"Nah. I'm awake." the blonde replied. "Feel better?"

"Significantly so… That place was absolutely horrid. It's good to be home and away from grabby teens and vomit."

"I bet. Are you going to bed?"

"Not yet. I'd like to sit for a bit, if you don't mind." the Watchdog stated, motioning for the other man to move his legs out of the way so he could sit on the sofa as well. Once he was seated, Alois stretched out again, resting his feet in his husband's lap, but as Ciel leaned back and got comfortable, he didn't seem to care.

"There's a chair over there, you know." smiled the menace.

"Yeah, but I like you and want to sit with you, if that's alright."

"Fine by me, as long as you're fine with my feet."

"Your feet aren't bothering me." Closing his eyes, Ciel uttered a sigh. He was wearing one of the shirts Alois bought for him, so the fit was better than what the bluenette would have chosen on his own, although that also meant it was tighter. His beau could see his chest rise and fall with each breath as he allowed himself to finally relax in the peace and quiet.

Yet, the menace was not yet content. "Hey, Ciel." he called, capturing the other man's attention.

"Hm?" Opening his eyes again, Ciel looked in his husband's direction.

His husband laid there, patting his own chest. Strangely, the Watchdog immediately knew what he meant without the use of words. With a tug on the towel, he slipped it from around his neck and allowed it to fall to the floor as he leaned over. Ciel supported his weight on his hands and then his elbows as he laid down with his husband, resting his head on the man's chest and wrapping his arms around him. Immediately, his body relaxed completely with a grunt as Alois held him there, running fingers through blueish-black locks and kissing the top of his head. Now, Alois felt better. All he wanted was a good hug and a cuddle.

"You're such a sweet pup." Alois said to him with a smile. "This is nice. I needed this."

"So did I." Ciel agreed. "This feels good."

It was true, even Alois had to admit. His arms craved his husband just as his husband's craved him. It felt like quenching a thirst that neither of them were aware that they had until that moment. They were fulfilling a psychological need for plain, simple, physical intimacy. Tension was melting away as they regained a warmth that had been depleted over time. Yes, they held one another in their sleep over the past few days and while Alois was upset, but shockingly, it had been a while since they had hugged for no reason other than for the sake of hugging. The realisation struck Alois abruptly and caused him to wonder if Ciel had noticed, too.

There was no way that the bluenette didn't notice. He noticed everything about Alois. When around the menace, Ciel's observational skills were at their peak. Ah, the guilt that this realisation had wrought… The blonde wondered how Ciel was faring. Even though Ciel had accidentally over-implied that he would like Alois to go to the camp that one evening, there were times when Alois felt that his husband could stand to be a little more selfish and remind him of his needs. With the blonde's tunnelvision as of late, he hadn't much time to pay attention, himself.

"Hey, Ciel?" he finally asked, capturing his spouse's attention yet again.

"Hm?" the Watchdog lazily replied.

"Have I been neglecting you, recently?"

"In regards to what?"

"Well, I haven't really been paying much attention to you, lately." Alois said, still stroking his husband's hair. "Have you been lonely at all?"

"A little bit, I suppose, but that's not entirely you're fault. There's also camp and arranging days off is sort of a pain because I'm a replacement in the first place. I'd kinda like to spend more time with you, but it's not all your doing, I promise."

"Yeah, but when you come home, you always gotta deal with my shit, too. Isn't that annoying?"

"Well..." the other man began. His hesitance caused Alois to brace for the worst. "I'd be lying if I said I was always up for it. I know you can't help it and you need me, though, so I don't really mind? You're just more important to me." Pausing, he thought for a moment before propping himself up on his elbows to look at his spouse.

"I'm sorry, have I come across as annoyed?" he asked.

"Well… No… It's kind of the opposite, actually..." the blonde tried to explain. "You're so agreeable that it's sort of hard to figure out what you're actually thinking, sometimes. I know that you love me and want to support me, but you have things you need out of the relationship, too. I've been wondering if it's been a little one-sided lately..."

"I mean… There's things I want to do with you, but it's mostly held up by time." Ciel stated. "What I'd really like is to just… go on a date and spend time with you. I don't really need anything big or fancy. I just want to spend some time with you as a couple."

"And hold hands? Maybe hang off each other's arms a little?" Alois questioned, uncoiling his arms from around Ciel in order to cup the man's cheeks. His fingertips were just underneath Ciel's jaw and his thumbs gently stroked the Watchdog's skin. The blonde's smile widened as his beau raised his brows for a moment as if surprised, before looking to the side for just a brief moment as a red tint faintly began to coat his skin.

"Yeah." the bluenette finally said, now looking his husband in the eyes with a small, yet almost unbelievably sweet smile of his own. "I'd like that a lot."

"What about kissing?" the blonde asked. "Surely, you want to kiss, also."

"I'd like that very much." Slowly, the Watchdog allowed his husband to lead him in closer to lock their lips together.

Neither of them really understood the extent to which they missed each other until that moment. Something appeared to click into place as the pair embraced each other. One of Alois' hands, which was once firmly on his husband's cheek, wandered to the back of the other man's head, tangling in his hair and keeping him there while his free arm snaked around his shoulders and held him close. Similarly, his spouse held on to him as their lips moved together in unison, softly, slowly, gently, with the occasional tip of the tongue playing at the lower lip of the spouse of its owner. Neither of the noticed when their eyes had been shut or for how long. They were far too enraptured in a world of sighs to be bothered over something so trivial. Oh, how they had missed this. They had kissed, certainly, and many times over the past few weeks, but they hadn't done anything like this. It was the smallest of tastes that started it, but the floodgates were opened, causing them both to feel as though they had just discovered this pleasure for the first time all over again.

"Mmn." the blonde inadvertently hummed into the kiss, prompting his spouse to smile against his lips. After a while longer, the bluenette pulled away and allowed him to breathe, all the while kissing the Lion's cheeks while he panted.

"Hey," Alois said between breaths, "lemme see you."

Obliging, his husband pulled away and looked at him through bluenette bangs. Once Alois moved the hair covering the man's face back, he could see Ciel's funny little smile that he only seemed to share with one other person that the two of them knew of. It was in the eyes. Ciel smiled primarily with his eyes, while his mouth turned upwards only lightly. Gently, he brought a hand to his husband's face and stroked his cheek with the back of his fingers, moving a stray strand of blonde hair behind his ear before leaning back in to kiss Alois again.

"I love you." Ciel mumbled against his beau's lips. They were continually interrupted by fits of giggling on both of their parts, but were having fun with it, so they still carried on.

"Hey, Ciel?" the menace finally said.

"Mm-hm?" hummed his beau in acknowledgment.

"Do you wanna take this a bit further?" The blonde's grin widened at the fact that Ciel actually stopped what he was doing for a moment to process that.

"Certainly." the other Phantomhive stated rather bluntly. "I'm up for it if you are."

Ciel raised his head to look at his spouse when the blonde threw back his own in laughter. "You're so up front about it! Either you've evolving or you've got a serious itch!"

"Jim, you an I have been intimate with each other countless times. I think I can handle talking about it."

"Yet you can't outright say 'we've fucked before,' or even ask for a blowjo- Ah!" Alois let out a yelp as the Watchdog attacked his throat, only for it to turn into a fit of giggles that soon fell into sighs.

The neck was a critical point in combat. One punch to the throat could stun an enemy with ease, requiring barely any force, but in this case, it was a weak spot of the menace for a very different reason. Along his jaw, below his ear, down the sides of his neck and across his throat, Ciel bombarded him with a barrage of passionate kisses and gentle nips, but perhaps the allegory to combat wasn't entirely accurate. Far from it. The Phantomhives were firm believers in the separation of business and pleasure, therefore when they came home, they left the violence and aggression of their line of employment at work and kept it there. There was no room in their relationship for it. That is how the both of them preferred things, despite their playful teasing. Teasing was one thing, while asserting dominance was another and the two of them preferred the prior to the latter any day. It is appropriate for dealing with mobsters and murderers, but definitely not for their concept of a happy home.

Alois was certainly enjoying himself, having relaxed completely at the sensation. He was slightly dissappointed that Ciel had chosen to wear a shirt with long sleeves, as he had to now settle for feeling his arms through cotton fabric. His husband's hands had begun to wander to his lower back and up and down his sides, causing him to swoon. His heart was beating faster by the time that the Watchdog had his hand at the blonde's hip and was giving it a firm squeeze. It was excitement. It was anticipation. He smiled as Ciel hooked his thumb underneath his t-shirt and knew what his next move was. The bluenette was going to run his hand back up Alois' side, taking up the blonde's shirt with it and exposing his abdomen. Yet, when the palm of his husband's hand touched bare skin, he reacted in a way that he didn't anticipate.

Sucking a sharp breath through nose, the blonde scrunched his face and frowned. His body didn't react the way that he wanted as his muscles tensed up at the touch. Just as soon as it happened, however, the hand was taken away. The action was not lost on Ciel. He felt it. He heard it. Pulling away, he could see the discomfort on his husband's face.

"Are you alright, dear?" questioned the Watchdog, taking the courtesy of pulling Alois' shirt back down to cover him as well.

"Yeah… Sorry about that." Alois smiled apologetically, only for the other to shake his head with a reassuring expression.

"Don't be. It's fine." Ciel said. "What do you want to do?"

"Uh… Yeah..." Bashfully, the blonde looked off to the side for a moment before looking back at the Watchdog. "I think we might need to take a raincheck on getting busy tonight. Sorry… I was the one who suggested it, and everything..."

"How dare you, you evil man. How dare you maliciously propose sex for the sole intent of making my loins sad." the other jested, completely failing to keep a straight face. His husband laughed, though, giving him a small shove against his chest.

"Ew, don't say 'loins!'"

"'Loins.'" Ciel repeated, intentionally dragging out the word for effect. Still, he was in good spirits and didn't seem at all bothered, even as he sat up and helped pull his husband up with him. "In all seriousness, though, it's fine. I'm just playing with you."

"I know you are. You always are." Letting out puff of air, the blonde leaned his head against the other's shoulder with a pout. "It's been a while, though, so that's kind of a shame."

"You're not on a time limit or anything. There will always be another opportunity."

"Yeah, but it's still kind of disappointing 'cause I actually wanted it. Guess I'm just not ready to get back in the swing of things..."

"Well, you did just come off a mission, so that's not unusual. We never do it immediately post-mission."

"Yeah, but still..." Sitting up again, Alois wore a rather dejected face while miming with his hands. "I wanted to see that chest of yours."

"Don't sigh about that. I don't even have breasts!"

"Pecs! You have pecs! Sexy, sexy, pecs…"

"I know you're trying to get a rise out of me, but that's pretty bad since you'd do exactly that if I talked about your thighs." Ciel accused.

"Thighs are different! They're attached to my ass and are close to my dick! It's dirtier!"

"That's kind of the appeal, Jim. What do breasts have to do with sex?"

"Pecs! Pecs, not tits!"

"You've called them that before! You said: 'Ciel, you have really nice tits' before!"

"I was being funny!"

"You're being full of it."

"Ugh!"


A/N: You know... This chapter was supposed to have way more actual plot going on, but then it just ended up being "plot," if ya know what I mean... It was educational, at least. There was a lot of information about the duo, here. Perhaps too much...

Did you REALLY think I was going to give you a sex scene? Especially at this point in the story with all this stuff going on? Nah, man. That's not my style. At the same time, I feel like it's not a typical "fake-out." If I did that, it would have been like "haha! Here's a dumb interruption! Too bad, so sad!" but no, there's an actual reason for it that is relevant. That was kind of the real point, actually. Notice how they treat each other. I feel like that's important.

What was I even planning to do after this? There's a few things that I need to do, actually. How this works out is basically another fun chapter and then a serious, plot-driven one after that. That's kinda uncertain, though, because these two things need to happen in that specific order, but there might be shit in between. Who knows? It'll happen how it happens.

I'm really dissappointed, though, because I actually meant to write about what was happening with Revy, Gerry, and Sam in Gehenna... But then I added the detail about them all being back by then, so that didn't happen. Maybe I could squeeze in something? Who knows. I certainly don't. I don't exactly plan each and every chapter where I know everything that's going to happen in the order that it happens. I know a vague order in which certain events that I know need to take place have to happen and I have loose ideas with an ending or end goal in mind, but a lot of them aren't solid in my head until about halfway through a chapter. This chapter was actually a weird case where I knew the twist, but then again, it was also supposed to be longer than this.

Writing DLTD isn't an exact science. There are times when I know as little as you do about what the fuck is happening.

On that note, what am I gonna do next? I don't know...

Until the next chapter, my duckies~!