"I see..." Said a man, standing, not sitting at his desk while he held the phone up to his ear with one hand and fiddled with the chord in the other. The office he stood in was dark, illuminated only by lamp-light. The shiny black floors and the matching desk did nothing to aid this. "No, that's alright. I'll… I'll take care of it. Alright. Thank you very much. Bye." He hung up and leaned with both hands pressed against the desk's surface before letting out a long sigh.

Elsewhere in the room sat a few other gentlemen, seated in the red chairs and matching sofa. Two of them were dirty blond and were around their late twenties or early thirties, while the older blond man seated nearby who looked just like them looked on before finally calling out to the man at the desk.

"So what's the verdict?" he asked. "Can we go ahead with the funeral?"

"We still need to get her body back from the police." the other replied, reaching up to rub his eyes, nudging his glasses out of the way as he did. He was a large man, both in height and in size. It seemed like a sort of miracle that he was able to find a cream-coloured suit that could fit him. Shaking his head, his ponytail waved back and forth with the movement as he took his sweet time in trying to process all of this. "I can't believe it… Please let this be some kind of fluke..."

"Julian, you identified the body. She's gone. Her and dad, and Felix, and his boy, too. All of 'em are done for. The funeral costs are going to cost us a fortune."

The man known as Julian abruptly slammed his fist down on the desk as his immediate reply. "That was my fucking daughter, Ian!" he roared, bearing his teeth. "My only child! She's- Oh, god..."

Just as quickly as his fury came, it melted away. Slowly, he sunk to his knees, leaning his head on one arm over the desk while cradling his own head with the other. "Miley… My baby girl… She's- she's gone..."

Furrowing his brow, the other man looked away with a pout on his face. "Can you pull yourself together for just a second so you can think about the bigger picture, here?" Ian said. "We've got more problems than that. Four deaths in a row and you don't think that's a bit weird?"

"Do you think we're being targeted, dad?" asked one of the two younger men. He was the older of the two and had an odd look about him. His hair was a bowl cut on top and an undercut from the sides. Between that and the soul patch beneath his lower lip, it was a wonder he was allowed in public.

"Could be." replied his father. Ian Pomeroy was a slimy-looking sort with a nasty look in his eyes and a receding hairline. He was the youngest of three brothers- now two, and the father of four children. He was currently rather displeased with his elder brother's leadership of the family thus far, especially how he "refused" to muscle through his grief in order to think "rationally." Ian didn't know what was going on or how it was all happening, but he was incredibly wary of what was going on outside of those walls.

The first two deaths could be brushed off. His father was old and was hospitalised for heart failure, which he then died of. His oldest brother, Felix, jumped in front of a train soon afterwards, although no one left knew why. His nepher, Felix's son, however, was something else entirely. The young man was stabbed to death in his hotel room so violently that blood spatter coated the ceiling. Finally, there was the death of Miley Pomeroy, who was found floating in the river with her neck snapped after having gone missing for several days. All of it together was suspicious. Very suspicious. Ian didn't know what was going on, but he was definitely concerned and warned his own children to be more careful.

"Question is: who?" he continued. "Who have we pissed off and how?"

"Maybe it's… uh… 'you know who..." his son spoke in a whisper. "We were supposed to get that house, but we didn't. Maybe they're mad..."

"Mad enough to kill off the girl who was supposed to be married to one of their sons?" Ian asked. "Probably not."

"I dunno, pops." spoke up the other young man, a rough looking scoundrel by the name of "Dennis." He was a lot better built than his brother, Jared, and proudly brandished a black eye. He was a boxer by trade, and his tough knuckles proved it. On each one, there was a tattoo. On one hand were the letters "K, Q, J, and A" with one per finger, while the other hand had a spade diamond on his index finger, a spade on the middle, a heart on his ring finger, and a clover on his pinky. Dennis folded his arms in a rather serious fashion and leaned back in his seat. "Those guys are bad news. They told us to get the house and we couldn't do it. Maybe they're done with us."

"Can't be. Our deal with them is too good. We're still useful." his father pondered. "There has to be someone..."

"What are we gonna do in the meantime, though?" asked Ian's oldest son, Jared. "They were able to get four people with no witnesses, and at least one of them should've been able to fight back."

"Maybe they're just weak shit who's picking off the weakest links." Dennis suggested while cracking his knuckles. "If they try any shit with me, they're gonna end up dead."

"Don't be fucking stupid!" their father snapped. "If I'm right and none of this is coincidence, then we're dealing with a bona-fide killer! I'm not talking about some wanker with a gun, either. They're trained and they're organised. They're gonna pick us all off one by one if we don't figure something out."

Sighing, he rubbed his chin. "We'd be safe if those guys would help us out, but I'm hesitant to ask in case they kill us instead."

"So in other words: we're fucked." the younger son observed.

"Pretty much."

Suddenly, a heavy fist struck the desk yet again. "So that's it?" Julian Pomeroy questioned. "We're just gonna sit around wait for this fucker to come get us?! We're just gonna sit here and let him get away with killing my daughter, your niece, and your cousin?! When I find the bastard, I'm gonna pull out all his finger and toenails and bash him in the teeth with a golf club!"

"How do you suggest we do that?" asked Ian. "By all means, feel free to share." His brother looked down and clenched his fists with grit teeth. He didn't know how to answer that. He didn't have a solution, really. Instead, all he had was talk and talk wasn't enough.

There was a killer on the loose and they had it out for the Pomeroys. Unfortunately for the Pomeroys, detective work wasn't really their shtick, and therefore, they hadn't the slightest clue as to how to find out who it was. Tapping his fingers on the desk, Julian finally said:

"As much as it pisses me off, we need to maintain those contacts… Ian, can you handle it?"

"What do you mean?"

"You have a daughter too, right?"

"You want me to see if they want her instead?" his brother inquired, arching an eyebrow. "You sure you're okay with that?"

"No." Julian replied, his voice somewhat soft. "But it's all we can do about it. Miley's gone. There's nothing I can do. I don't want to do anything. I just… I need time..."

"I understand." his brother said before standing up with a grunt. "I'll leave you alone, then. Don't worry, I'll take care of everything."

"Thanks, Ian… I'm just… Not in a good place right now..."

"Come on, boys." the younger said, motioning for his sons to follow him out. Briskly, he exited the room with his oldest closing the door behind them. They were sure to walk a ways down the hall before they began to talk.

"How is Sasha gonna feel about this?" asked Jared.

"She'll get over it. Your sister knows what's best for the family." Ian told his son. "Besides, don't all girls wish they could marry a prince? She won't mind."

"What about uncle Julian?" questioned the man with the odd bowl-cut further. "Are we gonna go over his head on this?"

"Julian was always too weak to run the family business. The only reason why he's 'in charge' is because he was born first. He doesn't have the drive. That's why he starts blubbering like a baby as soon as there's any kind of trouble."

"His daughter was killed, dad."

"Then he should have had more."

With that, Jared looked down, allowing the implications of what his father just said to sink in. He was torn away from his thoughts by a punch to the arm from his own sibling. "Jared, you're such a wuss." Dennis said. "We're all gonna be practically royalty after this! You're not gonna puss out on us, are ya? I don't mind taking your share, but c'mon, show some balls. You don't wanna be like Julian, do you?"

"No." Jared firmly stated, looking up again. "I just don't want my sister to be treated like a whore."

"She's not." his brother insisted, patting his shoulder. "She'll be marrying up! She'll be royalty! What more could a girl want?"

"Yeah, you're right." the elder of the siblings replied. "She'll be fine."

"She'll be safe, too." Ian butted in. "We've still gotta up security. I don't want you two making any stupid mistakes. Be suspicious. Be on your guard. This person gets in when you least expect it. Hell, if he can't find a way, He might actually make one."

Dennis looked confused until Jared specified. "The power in the hotel building went out and the killer knew it was gonna go out beforehand. He used it to avoid the security cameras."

"Nobody saw a thing."their father reiterated. "Keep a gun on you. Go places with other people. Make yourself less of a target."

It was a good thought. Many mothers have given their daughters the same advice in regards to men like them, but whether or not it would actually help them was yet to be determined. They were not up against any ordinary assassin. The man is a demon and one with assets and connections as well. If he needs the power go out, he could make that happen. If he needs to pay off the police when caught, he could make that happen. If he wanted to take down one of the biggest crime families in London, then he would do anything within his power in order to make that happen.

He didn't know what they were planning, however. It was something big. The idea that they could be anything other than the usual crime did not occur to the Phantomhive, however, so he was certain that he was merely up against one family. One filthy, disgusting, evil family.

Right then wasn't the time for it, however. It was instead a time for meditation and regaining his inner peace. Alois was making excellent progress in his mission, however, having carried out four assassinations in a month. At this rate, he would be done in no time at all and as guilty as he felt for taking a bit of a break, he knew that he needed it. He would be useless with a shaky hand.

Deadened grass and autumn leaves crunched under his boots as the sound of a stream overflowing from heavy rain roared somewhere off in the distance. Alois was completely alone amongst the trees, but he didn't mind. In fact, he liked going on these walks through the woods. He always had. The Phantomhive Estate had a different forest to offer, but he had gotten to know it well over the years. It was much lighter than the one he had often explored previously. There was no air of oppression or sense of dread for what was hiding beyond one's sight. Here, there was only nature and the occasional landmark. There were a few trees stained with paintballs, and one with initials carved into it.

"A.T. + C.P." it said, but the prior had been crossed out and replaced with "J.M." Had Alois thought to bring a pocketknife, he would have added another correction. "J.M." was now "J.P." but the fact that it had his "maiden" name instead was somehow cute to Alois. It was the remnants of budding, young love before it fully blossomed. There was nostalgia in that. It was evidence of his personal journey.

Alois liked the person he was now. He was proud and he was comfortable with only the occasional creeping in of doubt. He was an upstanding citizen who was admired in his community, he had a good job and a loving husband who he knows for a fact is absolutely crazy about him. In every single way, he was essentially living his wildest boyhood dreams- ones that he had long stopped thinking were even a possibility.

Yet there were still times that he felt that he wasn't good enough. Even right then, as he walked through those woods, he tried and struggled with accepting the fact that all of these lands were partially his fair and square. There was no deception or trickery. They were rightfully his, but no, he was still a pauper in his own eyes, despite his own successes. While he wasn't nearly as wealthy as his husband, but he had certainly acquired the financial ability to walk the walk alongside him without any assistance.

The sun was setting. That meant that Ciel would be back soon. Alois wasn't done wandering, however, and took his sweet time. After all, Sebastian had also agreed that it was best to take a break every now and then. The menace was certain to get back to at least the garden before dark. The pathway was lit by solar-powered lights staked alongside it. They weren't bright enough to show many flowers if there were many to be seen in the first place. Few plants bloomed around that time of year, so the garden was not at its most beautiful just yet. It had a while to go, still, until it finally flourished.

When he reached the back door to the estate, he jiggled the doorhandle, only to find it locked. Alois found it a bit odd, since these doors do not lock automatically, but the problem was so small that it was trivial. It wasn't worth fussing over, as he simply placed his index finger up against the lock and unlocked it with his demonic threads. Stepping inside, he felt that something was a tad "off," but wasn't sure what. It was incredibly quiet.

The house was big enough that it wasn't unusual to not be able to hear anyone, but there was a quiet stillness to it that seemed unnatural. Under most circumstances, Alois would have felt the need to investigate, but on that day, he did not. There was an idea in his head that there wasn't a threat and it was most likely something else, although he anxiously repressed his speculation as to what.

Marching upstairs, he made his way back to the master suite so he could change clothes, only to find the door locked. Once again, he unlocked it with his finger and stepped into the front room, only to find the door to the bedroom locked as well. Shaking his head, he uttered a quick "Seriously?" before unlocking it as well. When he finally got to the dressing room, he preemptively unlocked the door, noticing a pattern, but when he tried to open it, it wouldn't budge.

"I need to change clothes!" Alois declared, already sensing who it was on the other side.

"So do I!" his husband said right back. He was holding the door shut tight, although worried that if they both fought over it too hard, the handle might bend or come off.

"So? Since when do you feel embarrassed about changing in front of me?"

The blonde raised his brows at the sound of a heavy sigh coming from the other side of the door. After a moment of quiet, the voice on the other side told him: "Wait just one minute."

"Alright?" the menace conceeded, unsure of what to make of this. "I'm gonna be timing you, though."

"Please don't..."

"One, two, three, four, five… Better hurry, Ciel!" Alois counted off. "Six, seven, eight..."

A grin formed on his face at the sound of swift movement. He had stopped counting shortly after, but knew that it had taken more than a minute before anything else happened. Eventually, however, a most peculiar sight unfolded. The door opened just a crack and through it came an arm holding clothes on a hanger.

"Put these on." Ciel instructed, trying his best to remain hidden. "Then, go wait in the office, alright?"

Alois was presented with a playful, deep purple suit and all of the encouragements. A white shirt, black vest and green tie with a matching pocketsquare. He was missing a few things here and there, but all of them were things that could be found on the vanity inside the bedroom.

"I still need sho-" he began, only to be interrupted when the arm came back through the door and presented him with a pair of black dress shoes. Preemptively tucked into one of them was a pair of black socks so Alois wouldn't need to ask for anything else.

"Thanks, Poochie."

"No problem." the Watchdog said, although confusedly, since he was the one inconveniencing the menace. "Seriously, though, wait in the office when you're done."

"M'kay~"

Catching on that Ciel was up to something that was more likely that not somewhat silly, Alois humoured him. Putting on the suit, there were slight changes that he would prefer to make, but since his husband picked it out for him, he was willing to go along with it. There was certainly an obvious consideration for Alois' taste, so he was happy with it. He put on his cufflinks, put on his watch and folded his pocket square. He looked good.

"I'm off, then." he said with a knock to the dressing room door.

"Alright. Sorry, Jim!"

"It's okay, sweetheart. I'm sure I'll find it in me to forgive you."

With that, he left to do as he was told and wait inside of the office. He knew that his husband had something in store for him and was trying to keep it a secret from him. All he could do was patiently wait to see what it was. It was a tedious task, however. He was bored out of his mind in the office, knowing that something was in store for him but not being able to find out what it was. It wasn't really that long, but it felt like he had been there for hours doing nothing but twiddling his thumbs. There was a moment when he perked up, having sensed his spouse approaching, only to walk past the office again. It was frustrating. Yet, Alois knew he was a mature adult who had the capacity to be patient.

Finally, at long last, a knock came at the door. It preceded the bluenette Phantomhive walking through it with a smile on his face. The bluenette was all dressed up in one of his nicer suits and had his hair fixed in that dastardly evil way that his husband liked. "Sorry to keep you waiting" he said with his arms open, inviting the blonde in for a hug. When his offer was taken, Alois found that he was even wearing cologne.

"Happy birthday, darling." Ciel said as his smile was matched by his husband's. "I'm sorry I couldn't be here for the entire day, but I hope I can make it up to you."

"You already have." the menace grinned while nuzzling into the other man's shoulder. After a long, firm squeeze, he partially released his spouse, keeping his hands at the man's waist while Ciel's fell at his biceps. "So, my guess from all of the signs I've been given is that you have something planned?"

"I do." his beau stated before arching his brow. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to keep things a surprise with you? You're relentless!"

"And you love me." Alois retorted, placing a kiss to his husband's lips.

"I do. Very much." the bluenette conceded. "Fortunately, I don't have to hide anything anymore. Would you care to join me downstairs?"

"Hold on." Pulling back, the menace released the other for a moment, taking a few steps back. Holding up an index finger, he made a circular gesture with it while saying: "Do a twirl for me real quick."

Although he rolled his eye, Ciel agreed to do as he was instructed, seeing as though it was his husband's birthday. Unbuttoning his blazer, he did a rather surprisingly graceful spin before standing up straight and proper once more and fastening it shut again. "How was that?"

"Mm-hm." the other demon replied, walking back over again to give his spouse one more peck. "Okay. Now we can go."

"Alright." Ciel said, holding out his hand so that he could escort the other. Once it was taken, he quickly pulled it up to his lips so that he could kiss his beau's ring. With that, he began to walk toward the door, leading the way for the other. "You look very handsome."

"You do, too." giggled Alois, putting his free hand on Ciel's arm. "This is mine."

"Oh? I don't feel as though I own you, do I?"

"Yeah, but that's just you." teasingly stated the menace without even the tiniest shred of seriousness. "These sexy arms? Mine. That cute butt? Also mine. And that chest? Most definitely mine."

"What about my wit and dashing personality?"

"Mine. Also that deviously handsome face and that heart of yours are mine, too."

"Is there anything that's mine?" Ciel asked with a chuckle as they made their way down the hall.

"Mmm… Yeah." Alois bluntly stated. "My love, affection, and adoration."

"Oh, is that all?" the bluenette jested right back, only to be shoved with his husband's shoulder.

"Rude!"

At first, the menace expected to be given his coat and led out the front door, but that never happened. Instead, his spouse had escorted him to the seldom used and often empty ballroom, but even thought the door was closed, Alois sensed that it wasn't this time and couldn't help but grin. Letting go of him, the Watchdog reached out to grab both handles and unfastened them before giving the doors a strong push. Just as quickly, Ciel reached around so that he could place a hand to his husband's back so he could push him forward as well, giving the menace a double-doored entrance.

"Happy Birthday, Jim!" let out a chorus of voices with a few "Alois" mixed in. Instead of a date, it was a proper party with cake and presents and with all of his friends and family in attendance.

There were the Essential Eight, sans Cynthia, bless her, and the Garou family. There were the Midfords, too, along with the Hellsings, including Seras. Of course his brothers were there as well, having been forced by Sebastian to dress up just a tad. The same butler that was standing there, too and had also suggested to Alois that he go for a walk in the first place.

"You guys..." Alois laughed, having no other way of initially responding. He was smiling from ear to ear and was genuinely surprised to see them all there. It wasn't just his friends, either, but the whole family in attendance. The ballroom was decorated in all of its splendor just for him after all of this time of going without use. In his shocked state, he somehow managed to turn to his spouse and ask him: "Did you… plan all of this?"

"Well..." Ciel began, putting an arm around the blonde's shoulders. "Obviously, I had help from Sebastian, but I thought this would be better, since we've already gone on a date this week. You like parties and having the family together, so I thought it might be a nice change."

"Jesus, you're too much, you know that? Seriously, the ballroom?"

"You said it was sad that it didn't get much use and I agreed." Taking a step forward, Ciel led his beau further into the room. "Now, as the guest of honour, it is polite for you to greet the guests."

"Happy Birthday, Alois!" Kristopherson exclaimed. His arms were stretched out wide to give his friend a hug and was overall an unusual sight. He had somehow managed to squeeze his muscular frame into a black suit with his signature pink tie, but more astonishingly, he was somehow able to glide rather gracefully while balancing it all in a pair of matching heels. "You have no idea how hard it was to keep my mouth shut!"

"I can imagine." the menace retorted, earning a light punch to the arm.

After Kristopherson, Logan greeted him, along with Daniel, who Alois had guessed had drove behind them on the way over. Then Audrey raised his glass and wished him a happy birthday with his signature dopey grin, while Travis and Patricia followed suit.

"Who allowed heterosexuals in here?" Alois said in jest. "And Patricia Ramirez? Not wearing a hoodie? Is that allowed?"

"It's harder to box in a dress." Patricia replied, soon followed by her boyfriend.

"Happy Birthday, Alois." said Travis. "Also, don't invite me for Christmas unless there's food."

"Right. What all can you not eat again?"

"Human flesh." Mister Sullivan replied without any change in tone. "Just kidding. I'll send you a list when it gets closer to time."

"Got it." Alois replied. He turned away so that he could greet more guests before turning back to Travis. "Wait, so are you saying you can eat human flesh?"

"I hear it's close to pig, so probably not."

"Roger that."

After the Catholic and the Jew came the Protestant. Integra extended her hand for a handshake as she wished the demon a happy birthday. The gesture was imitated by her assistant, Seras, who was a lot more bubbly in her wishing of goodwill toward him. She was outmatched, however, by the angel who threw her arms around the Phantomhives shoulders in a hug so strong that Alois thought that a few of his ribs might break.

"Happy Birthday, Jim!" Elizabeth declared. "I really wish I could have sent you a letter, but that one over there decided to spring this on rather short-notice."

"Mail doesn't take weeks to arrive places anymore, Lizzie." Ciel said in his own defense.

"I wasn't talking to you." the angel protested before turning back to Alois with a smile. "So how old are you turning this year?"

"I'm twenty-two, now~!" Alois proudly declared while holding up two fingers.

Elizabeth opened her mouth to say something, but quickly closed it. Eventually, she finally came out with: "I'm sorry, but the inner old lady within me just wanted to pinch your cheeks."

"I'm too old to have my cheeks pinched." the menace stated.

"Saying that just makes me want to pinch them more!"

"No!"

"Just one!" Now the woman was simply messing with him, squeezing her index finger and thumb together at him in a menacing fashion. "Such a handsome young man!"

"No! Piss off, Grandma!" the blonde laughed while trotting away.

"How rude! Don't call me 'grandma!'"

"But you are one! Your granddaughter is right there!"

"Why, you-!"

As the menace laughed and moved to get away from her, he narrowly avoided colliding with another guest, Sir Rupert Midford of the Convention of Twelve. The mustachioed gentleman was able to keep his glass of champagne from tipping over as the menace forgot what he was doing in order to utter an apology.

"Sorry, Sir Midford." he said, only to earn a smile.

"It's quite alright! It's your party! You're supposed to be having fun! But please, just call me 'Rupert.'" Sir Midford replied raising his glass to the demon. "Have a happy birthday! I hope to see you again for Christmas, too!"

"You will!" Reaching up, Alois bashfully rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm a little bit surprised everybody came here for me, though."

"Nonsense!" the older blond said, giving the demon a hearty pat on the back. "You're an important part of the family! You could say that you're the thread that brings us all together, even!"

"I wouldn't go that far." the menace stated before feeling a fist strike his back. Turning around, he saw two of Sir Midford's children, both wearing suits. From the nature of their faces in that state, it would probably be hard for most who didn't know them to tell that they were both of opposite sexes. In fact, they looked almost exactly alike, save for slight differences in hairstyle and the fact that one of them was visibly younger.

"Gerry! Don't punch people!" exclaimed Oliver Midford, shocked that his sister would do such a thing.

"I'm showing affection." Geraldine stated. "I'm not much of a hugger, so I make do."

"You've hugged Ciel before, though, haven't you?" her brother questioned. "You hugged him when we showed up!"

"Yeah, but he has cool points." the younger of the pair said before turning her attention back to Alois. "Anyways, happy birthday."

"Thanks, Geraldine." Alois replied, only to hear an utterance of apology from their father.

"I'm sorry about my daughter..."

"Nah. Everbody here is a bit weird in their own way." the menace stated. "I've accepted that."

"Right on." the woman said, giving a "thumbs-up" to the demon. "I'm going to go talk to Sam, now. Laters."

"Later." Alois answered with a small wave as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world. She turned to leave and walked away with Oliver trailing behind her, nagging at her to be more polite.

While the menace wondered if he should turn back to continue talking to Sir Midford, he heard the distinct sound of footprints pounding hard and fast against the tiled floor. Then, both feet hit the ground and launched their owner into the air. "Sneak attack!" yelled Luka, only to be caught mid-air by the menace.

"Oh, poo..." the youngest of the Macken brothers said before being twirled around. Finally, he wound up hanging upside-down while being held by his ankles, laughing at being caught.

"You know, it's not a sneak attack if you yell before doing it." Alois informed his brother.

"Oh, yeah." Luka giggled before being set down. Shuffling to his feet, he startled the menace with how tall he was getting. The boy had just turned thirteen that year and was growing like a weed. When buying his outfit for the party, Sebasitan speculated that he would outgrow it before the next one. Luka had decided to take his jacket and vest off, and only wear his white shirt, black pants, a pair of suspenders and a red bowtie. The final piece of clothing would most likely "mysteriously" come unfastened before the party was over. Regardless, he gave his older brother a big hug, nearly tackling him to the ground in the process.

"God, what have you been eating?!" the menace demanded. "You're getting huge!"

"I eat supper as the same time as you!" his sibling declared. "You should know!"

"Well quit and stay cute and tiny!"

"No way! I'm gonna be taller than you when I grow up."

"Oh yeah? How do you know that?"

"Miranda used math to figure it out at the doctor's." the Macken told the Phantomhive. "So I'm gonna be bigger than you."

"I'll believe it when I see it, squirt."

"Don't call me 'squirt!' I'm not a little kid!"

"You're little and you're a kid." Alois stated while gently patting Luka on his head. "Seems to me like you're a little kid."

"Revy's right. You are annoying!"

"Huh?!"

"When you and Ciel were my age, you were solving murders and stuff! How come I don't get to do anything fun?"

"No, when Ciel and I were your age, life was terrible. Solving murders isn't fun, either. It's work! My favourite part is coming home and sitting at the end of it! There's nothing wrong with being a kid, so enjoy it while you can or you'll regret that you pissed it away."

"How come you're allowed to say 'piss' but when I say it, I get in trouble with Sebastian?"

"Because you have to learn how to be polite in public and if you get in the habit of swearing, it gets kind of hard to turn it off when you need to."

"I just thought it was because adults don't like being fair."

"That too. Just humour him, okay?"

"Fine." Luka conceded, putting his hands on his hips. "So when are we gonna eat cake? Ciel says we can't have any until you get some."

"Ciel's just saying that because he can't control himself around cake, otherwise." Alois said before gesturing toward the table. "Come on. Let's go get you some."

Walking over to the table of snacks and party food, Alois found that the cake that was displayed prominently in the center was much larger than he had anticipated. He couldn't tell if it was because his spouse was a glutton when it came to sweets or if the bluenette was going out of his way to dote on him once again, but either way, he knew the justification. "There's a lot of people here." Ciel said. "We need to have enough food to feed them."

"Ciel, this is almost as big as our wedding cake." the menace deadpanned, but the Watchdog was unfazed. "Don't tell me that it's chocolate."

"I'm not tacky. It's your birthday, not mine." Ciel informed him, sticking his nose slightly higher into the air with a small pout. "Today is about spoiling you, so I did everything I could to make sure everything was in accordance to your tastes."

"You are so ridiculously extra." Alois laughed. "I'm not sure how I'm supposed to blow out the candles on this, though."

"Wha-?" Blinking, the bluenette looked at the cake again and blushed a bit at his mistake. Sure enough, Alois was right. There was no way he was going to be able to blow out the candles on that large of a cake. The confusion paired with the embarrassment, however, only caused his husband to laugh harder, taking delight in Ciel's dopiness. "I'm sorry about that..."

"It's okay. It's wonderful, pooh-bear." Leaning over to his spouse, the blonde pecked his cheek, prompting a smile to return to the somewhat frazzled Watchdog's face. "You did a really good job. If we put the candles on the top tier, I should be able to blow them out. I might need a stool and a bit of support, though."

"I'll… go get a step-stool..." the bluenette replied, squeezing the other man's shoulder before excusing himself. He relayed his plan to the butler, who only seemed amused by the suggestion and made attempts to suggest alternatives.

It was quite a ridiculous display. It was certainly one that Alois couldn't help but laugh at. What was worse is that a few of his friends took out their phones to take pictures. He stood precariously on top of a step stool, hunched over the cake. Both his husband and the family butler were holding him upright so that he wouldn't fall.

"If any of you sons of bitches try anything funny," he began, addressing a few friends in particular. "None of you will get cake and you may or may not have a gun drawn on you."

There was a small titter until it sank in that Alois actually might not be joking. He wasn't done there, however. "Also, this is making me nervous, so let's skip the birthday song, alright?"

"Blow out the damn candles!" shouted Audrey, the other notorious sugar addict in the room.

"I thought you were trying to cut back?" asked Travis.

"When there's a cake that big right in front of me? Fuck that!"

On cue, Alois took a deep breath and blew out the candles in one go before anxiously being hoisted down again. From then on, it was free game as guests cut their own slices of cake. A few of them even collected larger pieces than the birthday boy himself, but he could only expect so much from those few certain n'er-do-wells.

One of which was his own biological brother, who had not only gotten a piece of cake that was larger than the birthday boy's, but also went against Alois' wishes and had downed several glasses of champagne. As his husband reasoned with him, however, Alois began to only question things further as more questions arose. Walking over to the younger Macken, Alois put a hand on his hip.

"Why do you even bother drinking when you can't even get drunk?" he asked, arching his brow with an incredulous look on his face.

"Free booze, mate." was all that Revy said before cramming another absurdly large chunk of cake into his maw.

"That's not what I asked..."

"For the aesthetic, mum." the revenant stated, prompting the other man to roll his eyes with an audible groan. That only made the revenant grin wider, however, until his older sibling reached over and pinched his cheek.

"You seriously expect to be able to get out there and take care of yourself when you're drinking to look cool? Who are you trying to impress? Snotty fourteen-year-old brats who think you're just so bad?"

"You were a snotty fourteen-year-old brat!" Revy protested. "You were the snottiest!"

"Yeah, I did a lot of shit that wasn't cool, but I did it because it got me attention. I still thought those kids in school were lame."

"Not everyone can live by your standards!"

"Good! They shouldn't! Get a good job that pays well and has good benefits! Move to a nice place that you can afford! Take care of yourself! Have a positive outlook on life!" Alois ordered, seemingly oblivious to just how hard he was holding onto his brother.

"Ow, ow, ow! Let go of me! That hurts, you dick!"

"Aw, I'm sorry." the menace said, releasing him at last. Leaning in closer to his sibling, he took the opportunity to annoy him further. "Want me to kiss it and make it better?"

"I AM MOVING OUT IMMEDIATELY!"

The two fought and bickered, intentionally getting on one another's nerves in a manner similar to that in which all siblings do. It was good to see that Alois was having fun at his party, as his initial reaction seemed more that of disbelief than of excitement. The big three who represented the three most powerful families there looked on quite fondly, but none had eyes that were quite so affectionate as that of the Phantomhive clan. Ciel, Integra, and Rupert had sort of huddled in a circle once the two Phantomhives had split off to go about the party in their own respective ways.

"Is he ever going to get around to opening presents?" asked Sir Midford, gesturing over to the overflowing table of gifts. "You'd think that he'd dive right in!"

"I think he's avoiding it, actually." Ciel suggested. "In his mind, it seems sort of rude, if that makes sense? Like he's only glad for what he can get out of you or some such."

"He has a sort of peculiar way about him, doesn't he?" Rupert chuckled, looking from Ciel to Integra. "Then again, don't we all?"

"I'm not entirely certain that he's sure why we're all here." Integra stated. "He's relaxed quite a bit since the start, but when he walked in, he seemed a little… stiff."

"Jim isn't used to this kind of attention, I don't think." the Phantomhive chimed in with a slight sigh. "I forgot that he might actually question the genuinity of people's intentions. Everyone is here because we all like him as a person, aren't we? He deserves a spotlight every now and again."

"Does he believe he deserves it?" questioned the Hellsing, causing Ciel to pause and put down his drink.

"I don't know." the bluenette confessed. "Sometimes, I think he does feel like a bit of an outsider, even though he really is a part of the family."

"Of course he is! He's an important one, too!" Sir Midford declared. "He was able to get Integra to start sending out Christmas cards! He brings all of us together!"

"Perception is a powerful thing..." Integra remarked. There was a bit of hesitation before Ciel said anything in response. He had to take a moment to mull over whether or not he should say what he actually wanted to.

"I don't know if I should say this, but..." Ciel began. "He really looks forward to the holidays with everyone. Being a part of a big family is fun for him. He's never really had that before so he's always very enthusiastic. I'm really glad you all came. I appreciate it."

Integra looked down at her plate with a nod, acknowledging the Phantomhive's remark before going back to eating. Sir Midford, however, had a bit more of an enthusiastic response. Gritting his teeth, he squeezed his eyes shut. "What a good guy..." he said. "How can a demon have such a pure heart?"

"Rupert, he kills people." Integra reminded him.

"He just wants to live his life!" Rupert declared, all the while being only mildly successful at keeping his voice down. Then, he perked back up again. Opening his eyes, he turned his attention to the blonde menace, who was conversing with other guests in peace up until that point.

"Jim-boy!" he called out. "Are you planning on opening your presents while we're here?!"

Raising his brows, Alois simply told him the truth. "I don't want to make everybody sit around, just watching me open stuff. I'd be worried that you'd all get bored! Sorry, Rupert! I'll be sure to thank all of you properly, I promise!" He waved as he projected his voice across the room in a fashion similar to the older blond.

"What a guy!" Sir Midford shouted. The fact that the menace used his first name just as he had insisted struck him right in the chest, forcing him to clutch at it. "So considerate!"

His strangeness was not lost on other guests, however, and was the cause of some perplexity. "What's his deal?" asked Daniel with an arch of his brow.

"He's got a couple drops of Phantomhive blood in him. Don't worry about him. That's just how it is around here." bluntly stated the menace, having grown completely accustomed to the unusual. His friends were in a somewhat similar boat, however, so they immediately accepted the answer.

"Seems legit." the Westley replied before looking down at his food. He was conspicuously quiet for a moment as he tried to recover from the sugar coating his throat. Eventually, he was able to ask what he needed to. "Unrelated question, but is there any alcohol in the punch over there?"

"I don't think so, but if you wait here, I can ask Sebastian."

"Thanks." Daniel answered with a smile, glad that Alois immediately understood and that he didn't have to explain anything. There were people there who didn't know his business and the Westley was keen to keep it that way. The man had stayed sober for quite a while and was not going to risk it.

Alois walked away in order to seek out the butler, only to find him loitering around the edges of the party in an awkward fashion. His eyes very diligently scanned the party in search of anything he could attend to. Unfortunately, things were rather self-sufficient, leaving Sebastian without much of anything to do until trash got full or refreshments got low. The butler perked up when Alois approached him, hoping that the menace had a task for him.

"Hello, Sir." the butler formally greeted. "May I be of any assistance?"

"Daniel needs to know if there's any booze in the punch." Alois stated.

"Why? Does he want some?"

"No, actually. He won't drink it if there is any." the menace chuckled, understanding how that could have been gathered. "He's staying sober."

"There isn't any." Sebastian promptly informed. "Is there anything else that you require?"

"You're bored, aren't you?" observed the blonde with a knowing face. "Do demons like you not like parties or something?"

"No, that isn't the case in the slightest. I've danced the night away plenty of times in the past, but right now, I am a butler and it is not my place to do so."

"So? I don't care if you play around a bit. It's worse to see you by yourself. Why don't you chat with Seras?"

"She is a guest and I am a butler. I understand that you have a certain disdain for social hierarchy, but this is the place where I feel as though I am most useful."

"Alright. Thanks anyway." Alois knew that the butler wasn't going to budge from the start, but figured that it was worth a shot. Before he could turn to walk away, however, Sebastian piped up with something else to say.

"Where are you going?" he questioned. "I have yet to wish you a happy birthday."

Suddenly, a smile appeared on the menace's face at that. His eyes were earnest as looked to the butler. He was sincerely happy. "Thanks, Bass-man."

"You've grown into a rather remarkable young man." Sebastian informed, smiling at his master. "By this time next year, who knows what you will have accomplished? I'm proud of you."

Four words. That's what did it for the blonde. His smile grew even wider than initially thought possible as at last, his eyes began to water slightly. Sebastian was not generous with his affection. His tact was lacking and he didn't understand it half of the time. Thus, his words of sentimentality were rare, but Alois reveled in them when he heard them. After all, the butler was in a way, the only real father that Alois ever knew. He was close enough, at least, having raised him without any cruel intention, sincerely, so that he would become the man that he was that day. And the blonde loved him in a way that he imagined would be similar to that of father and son.

"Thanks!" the menace beamed, only to be genuinely astonished when a pair of arms wrapped around him.

"Come now… Why are you crying?" Sebastian questioned. "This is a party! You're meant to be having fun, aren't you?"

"I know. It's just a little overwhelming, I guess." the Phantomhive replied. "It's hard to believe that all of this is real."

"Oh? Why's that?"

"I'm not used to being all important and stuff... I'm having a really good time, though!" the menace quickly insisted. "It's just a lot."

"Come now..." the butler began, pulling away while still holding onto the other demon's shoulders for a moment. He then immediately began to straighten Alois' suit for him. "Is that any way for one of the heads of the Phantomhive estate to talk? The hero of Gehenna? The one who everyone here credits with bringing the family closer together? You have severely underestimated your own importance, Sir."

Finishing up with his fussing, the butler made one last move to straighten Alois' tie before concluding. "I think it's high time you get back out there and continue having a good time. Mister Westley is waiting on you after all."

"Oh, shit! You're right!" The blonde was so distracted that he had actually forgotten what he had come over there for in the first place. "Thanks a lot, Sebastian."

"You're very welcome, Master Jim." Sebastian replied with a slight bow. With that, Alois lightly wiped his eyes and they parted ways for the time being. Sebastian returned to his duties while Alois returned to Daniel with the information he needed.

Occasionally, he felt the distinct impression that he was being watched, but brushed it off as he occasionally locked eyes with the person gazing at him. There were times throughout the party while they were apart, where Ciel would look for his husband in order to quickly check on him to see how he was doing. To be perfectly fair, Alois did the same thing in return! Ciel was very keen to talk with Sir Midford and Sir Hellsing, and his cousin, Lizzie. Sometimes he would break from that momentarily in order to talk to other guests, particularly his friends from school, but he would always wind up right back to talking to his group of "old people," as the others liked to tease him with.

"...So we're considering heightening security in that area." Integra concluded with the Phantomhive only catching the tail end of it. When he returned from the group, he felt as though he had missed something very important.

"Increased security? Where?" he questioned. "Should I be concerned?"

"We aren't sure yet, to be honest." the Hellsing woman replied. "It could honestly be nothing, but there's no harm in being over-prepared. Intel has picked up several inquiries to both various universities all over the world, as well as into search engines about diabolical objects. A lot of them line up with myths, but a few of them are concerning."

"The Book of Akeldama?" Ciel inquired further, already knowing what would happen if the location of the artifact is revealed to be his home.

"Not yet. One object, however, the Camera Obscura, is in our possession, along with a few others. One of our surgeons has had personal experience with the object and is actually the person who gave it to us upon entry into the organisation."

"Doctor 'Tutankhamen.'" Elizabeth chimed in. "The one who wears the bandages all over his face. We'll be interviewing him again to see if he knows anyone else who might know about the camera's existence."

"That is not his name." Integra corrected. "That's a nickname the staff have given him."

"Why the bandages?" Ciel inquired, arching an eyebrow. "Has he been injured?"

"Only psychologically. His name is Doctor Turner and he has a phobia of seeing his own reflection. His condition is directly tied with his experience with the Camera Obscura. In fact, it's dangerous enough that we must consider destroying it as soon as we are able to safely do so."

"So when do I come in?"

"Hopefully, you don't. We would much rather settle this quietly. If things get loud, it shouldn't happen for a while."

"Good. I'm busy with the camp." the bluenette reminded. "I'd rather see this through to the end, seeing as though suddenly changing instructors on the recruits toward the end may affect their performance."

"Tell yourself whatever you like, Phantomhive. We know the truth." Elizabeth giggled, already knowing just how attached the man was to his troops. "Leave it to us in the meantime. We handle missions every day, just like you."

"Can you handle a mission involving a diabolical object, though?" Ciel inquired only for the angel to send him a questioning look in return. After a few seconds, it occurred to him that this was in fact his answer. "Oh, right. Sorry…"

"I'll keep you updated in case we need you. Besides, it's family gossip!"

"It is not family gossip." her granddaughter replied. "It is highly classified information and a very delicate process that needs as little interference as possible."

"So family gossip, essentially." Sir Rupert chimed in, gesturing around the small circle. All the head of the HELLSING organisation could do was sigh.

"I suppose..."

"As long as it stays between us, it's safe. I'll inform Jim tomorrow, however." Ciel stated. "Just in case."

"Why not now?" asked his fellow eyepatch-wearing compatriot..

"It's his day off." the bluenette stated. "He should enjoy it."

"You are far too soft."

"You'll understand eventually, if you ever find a husband." Elizabeth said.

"I have never wanted a husband before and at this rate, it's most likely going to stay that way." her granddaughter bluntly retorted. There wasn't a single moment of thought, there. It was obvious to everyone that Integra was perfectly serious and not simply putting up a front.

"But you're almost forty!" Dame Hellsing replied, causing the two men in their circle to struggle not to spit out their drinks as they wondered how on earth that was possible. She certainly didn't look it, but then again, Integra has looked around the same age for decades. Perhaps her hair had gotten a bit lighter, but it was pale enough to start with that it was virtually unnoticeable. She was certainly human, but there were times where even Ciel had called that into question. "How is the Hellsing name supposed to continue on without an heir, hm? Who will run the organisation when you're gone?!"

"I assumed that you would, since you're immortal." Integra answered, jumping to the most logical conclusion. "You're a blood relative and you have managed it before. I felt like that was a given."

"New people bring in new perspectives and have new things to bring to the table. That's why a consistent stream of family heads is important. I am thinking about the longterm wellbeing of the organisation."

"And I have to suffer for that to happen?"

"You won't suffer! Marriage is a wonderful thing! Tell her, Ciel!"

"I'm staying out of this." the Phantomhive deadpanned, having visibly taken a few steps back since the topic came to this.

Fortunately, the iron maiden had a will that matched. "No thanks." Integra reiterated. "I'm not interested in your archaic perceptions on how I should manage my own life."

"'Archaic?!'" gawked the older Hellsing as her grandchild began to cooly walk away, having not once raised her voice throughout the ordeal. "Integra!"

"I'm done with this conversation."

"Integra!"

"No."

"Integra!"

"No."

And then, two remained in the circle, finally allowing Ciel and Rupert to let go of a breath that neither of them were aware that they were holding in. Of course, they were both on Integra's side, and would talk to her and her grandmother separately on the matter at another time. In the meantime, they simply went back to trying to enjoy the party.

The pair talked for a while, but there came a time when he sort of wanted to talk to his spouse instead. After all, it was Alois' birthday. It wouldn't be right for the Watchdog to ignore him throughout the entire party. Right when Ciel was just about to excuse himself, however, the menace stopped by one of the tables near him with a few of their other friends. With the demon's superior hearing, he was able to eavesdrop at that distance and was sincerely glad that humans lacked the same ability very quickly.

"Shower sex is overrated." the menace said, nearly causing Ciel to spit out his drink. "You see it all the time in movies, but in reality, it's just a good way to crack open your skull."

"Right. There's just no good way of maneuvering it!" Logan agreed, oblivious to the fact that his boyfriend's face was growing a bit more pink with each passing moment as he sat by him.

"For real?" questioned Audrey. "Well, I guess you do kinda need good balance, I guess. Then there's the water, and that probably doesn't help."

"It doesn't! It just makes things a hell of a lot worse!" Alois carried on before delving into a much more "intricate" description. At last, Ciel knew how the menace talked when he wasn't around, but he was more mortified at the thought of Sir Midford overhearing as well and did everything he could in order to keep him distracted!

"...Making out is really fun, though." the blonde Phantomhive finally concluded. "But, that usually leads to feeling up, and that usually leads to something else, and then by the end of it, you have to shower again, anyway."

"Can't you just keep your hands to yourself and shower like a normal person?" the reaper inquired, not quite buying it.

"Audrey, know know I don't believe in God, but Ciel and his muscles and scars with water running down them? I'm almost persuaded."

"We get it, you want the Watchdog's bone." Kristopherson said in perfect monotone.

"His bone and his pups." Alois would have carried on in his playful but crude fashion, but the attention of everyone at their table suddenly became distracted by the sound of broken glass. Collectively turning their heads in the direction of the sound, they saw the bluenette himself standing a ways off with an empty hand held out as though he was holding something at some point. Next to his feet was a broken champagne glass and a puddle mixed with the shards.

"Oh, bother! Is something the matter, Ciel?" Rupert asked, looking down at both of their feet.

"No. Everything's fine." the Watchdog insisted, shaking his hand out. "I was thinking about something and accidentally squeezed the stem too hard. I just don't know my own strength sometimes, I'm afraid."

The smile on his face appeared genuine to almost anyone who saw it, but there were a few people who could see past the surface layer at the truth. Instinctively, Alois covered his mouth as his mind processed the situation. A slight rosey tint dusted his cheeks at the thought and upon considering the bluenette's feelings, and it wasn't lost on the Essential Eight's resident expert on pink.

"Wow~ Ciel's so strong and dreamy~" Kristopherson teased, resting his chin in his palm. "Isn't that right, Alois?"

"Kiss my ass, Lon Chaney." huffed the blonde in return. He folded his arms in order to close himself off, but he was unaware that he had still left himself completely wide open.

"Why? I thought we've established that it's that pooch over there whose bone you wanted?"

"He certainly wants something hard and white, at least." said Audrey, earning a few arched eyebrows from around the table.

"'Something hard and white?'" indreduously echoed the wolfman.

"I mean… Ciel is pretty white." the reaper stated. "Like, super Caucasian. He wore sweatervests outside of our posh rich kid school. Now admittedly, I'm not an expert on white people penises."

"What kind of penises are you an expert on, Audrey?" Kristopherson asked, feigning a serious expression.

"A single, half-white, half-asian one." Audrey replied. "Careful about your next joke. If you think it might be kind of racist, I'm afraid I'll have to glass you like Bigby Wolf."

"I don't get it."

"It's a game reference… With a werewolf in it... Goddammit, you guys need to be nerdier sometimes. I know I'm funny."

"Racist werewolves?"

"I mean… The place I work at fought a Nazi werewolf before… The chick who lives down the hall from me is the one who did it..."

"Well, while you boys talk about white supremacist furries, I'm going to get more punch." Alois said, standing up. "Anybody else need anything?"

"I need you to stop calling werewolves furries, first of all." Mister Miles chimed in, pointing his finger at the menace accusingly.

"Sorry. 'Lyacanthropes.'"

"That's better."

With that quick exchange, Alois left the group and made his way across the ballroom to the refreshment table. Right away, he could see Luka standing directly next to it while shoveling food into his mouth. The boy always got excited when copious amounts of food were presented to him and was always keen to eat as much as he could. Alois theorised that part of it was growing up the way he did- without a steady supply of enough food to live on. The blonde understood that well and was still tempted to stock up, himself. His other theory, however, was simply that Luka was bored because this was an adult party with no other kids around Luka's age attending. Either way, the menace felt bad, but personally saw no harm in it, so he was willing to let his brother go about his business uninterrupted.

On the other side of the table were beverages and where Alois was headed. There was someone else at the table, however, debating on what to drink. This person, lord have mercy on him, was Alois' absolute favourite person to annoy. Moreover, his back was turned! Ah-ha! It was the perfect opportunity!

Silently, he tip-toed with his empty glass in hand, hoping to take the other Phantomhive by surprise. He had his sights on Ciel's lower back, particularly, his sides, if he could manage it. Ciel's arms were at just the right angle so that they were out of the way and there was an opening! It was as though the Watchdog wanted to be pestered!

Once he was close enough, Alois decided that it was now or never and struck with lightning speed! He aimed right for his target and was bound to hit it, except, alas, he was dealing with a particularly dangerous demon. Alois should have known better. It was going to be very hard to catch the Guard Dog off guard.

Ciel turned around, swatting Alois' hand out of the way in the process and grabbing it in one move. With his free hand, he took the blonde's glass from his hand before using the momentum from his swipe in order to twirl the menace a few times. Gently, Ciel set down the glass on the table without looking at it before finally stopping the menace, putting his arms around him and dipping him lightly so that they were both face to face.

"Good evening." the bluenette smugly greeted, charming his beau. "Come here often?"

"God, that was smooth..." Alois gawked, sincerely impressed. There was a light blush on his cheeks and his heart fluttered a bit while being held like this. "I was wondering what this party was missing. Got any music?"

"Of course, but would you do me the honour of sharing a dance with me?"

"That's what I was getting at." While he was being tilted upright again and set on his feet, the blonde couldn't help but giggle. It was simply too much fun. "Though I don't suppose you know how to do anything that's not a waltz, do you?"

"I can slowdance just fine." Ciel informed. "But if you're holding out for a dancing queen, then I'm afraid you'll have to look elsewhere. I might still remember a few moves from the forties and fifties, however."

"You danced in the forties?"

"I was forced to. Just one of the many reasons why I hated the officer's parties. No one would let me be a wet blanket."

"I'm not gonna lie, I'm kind of jealous." Alois confessed. "You're telling me there's girls who have seen you do dance moves that your husband hasn't?"

"Is it too late to start?"

"Nah. Show me your sweet moves, baby."

Smiling, Ciel took his husband's hand and led him over to the middle of the room. He realised that he might be a bit embarrassed, since there were other people watching, but it was but a trade-off. It was going to be perhaps the first time ever that he danced in this particular style and actually enjoyed it. He wasn't sure. He might still hate it. But it would make Alois very happy and that was good enough. Thus, he locked eyes with his butler from across the room and signaled for him to start up the music. Once he received a nod, he turned his attention back to the blonde, taking the other Phantomhives hands and getting into position. He took a moment to take a deep breath and shake off the last of his nerves, much to the amusement of the blonde. Somehow, Alois' giggling made it seem better, not worse like one would think.

"I love you." Alois smiled.

"I love you, too." the other demon said, leaning forward to peck his husband's lips mere moments before the music started up.

It was a far livelier tempo than Alois was used to dancing with Ciel. It was a welcome change, although it took a little adjusting to. He was surprised at how much of his sixth sense he had to use in order to match up with Ciel's movements, but it was fun. There was lots of twirling and the blonde couldn't help but suspect that every single time Ciel pulled him back in close again, it was simply to hold on to him instead of just his hands. How badly Alois felt as though he had been missing out! HE hadn't the slightest idea his husband could do all of this before!

Other couples soon joined in around them, each seemingly creating their own interpretations of the tempo. Kristopherson and Logan, Travis and Patricia, Charlotte and Amelie, Sir and Lady Midford… Alois wondered if his eyes deceived him, but he thought he caught a glimpse of Oliver and Samantha, although with as fast as he was spinning, it could have been Samantha and Geraldine instead.

The blonde laughed and smiled from ear to ear. The lion was having a roaring time and his enthusiasm only emboldened his spouse and helped him gain confidence with his moves. Yes, Ciel was having a good time, too. Honestly, Ciel wasn't much of a dancer and never had been. In fact, every time he had to, it felt like a punishment, in most cases. Yet, there was just something about dancing with Alois that made it fun. The fact that he loved him probably had a little something to do with it. Either way, he was smiling too along with Alois, but eventually came the time to wind things down and start moving slow again. They took turns leading, sometimes enjoying being the dashing dandy, and other times simply wanting to close to close their eyes and listen as their spouse whispered sweet somethings in their ears.

It was a good birthday party. It was one for the memory, to Alois. He was incredibly impressed with his spouse and eventually came to terms with the fact that everyone there was keen on seeing him and wishing him a good time. Jim Phantomhive was a valuable and well-liked member of the family. Sure, he married into it, but that didn't make him any less so. He knew that now a little better, although he didn't understand the true extent of it. He was happy. He was really, really, happy. It felt like a dream he didn't want to wake up from. Sometimes, he worried if that was the case, but it was real. It was very, very real.

Having spent a good portion of the party apart, they joined together and hardly left each other's side for the second half. It was a good way for Ciel to regain his strength and for Alois to feel special. They took a rest from dancing, sitting down again side by side with their fingers tangled together. Alois even had the audacity to lean his head on his shoulder, but it was fince, given how his husband took the opportunity to rest his own on top of those flaxen locks. Yes, it was a happy birthday. It was one in a long, long line of them, too. Alois only hoped that they would be half as fun as this one.


A/N: This shit is 24 pages. I need to be stopped pls...

I'm only doing the A/N this time because y'all sent A LOT of questions! I love them! It's just four in the morning and my brain is fried upon actually finishing the chapter... I'll do my best, though! Pray 4 me

"I remember you saying somewhere that Dan does eventually becomes Prime Minister. Is that still cannon? Just curious because he has changed so much since you said that" by Guest

I think I probably did say that, but I find it unlikely that it would happen, still. Maybe past Dan could have done it, but current Dan? He's got better shit to do tbh. Leave that crap up to somebody else.

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"Hey! I was rereading DLTD again and in chapter 237 in the character shit, someone had asked Ciel what would he do if Lizzie came back as an angel and still loved him. I was wondering if that question inspired you a bit for when you brought back Lizzie later?" by animegeek00

Could be! It's entirely possible! The truth is, I don't actually remember the specific inspiration... It is absolutely entirely possible that that's where I got it, though.

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"Lovely chapter x I've always wandered... Does Ciel ever wander what happened to his servants after he left. Or like visited their graves or anything? I think that would be interesting to mention..."

Oh, most definitely. It's one of the things he absolutely regrets. It's like, way up there on "shit he really wishes he looked into or just didn't do at all." He has absolutely no idea what happened to them and no idea how to even begin tracing it. Like, he realises WAY too late that they were his family. Like, honestly, and truly, his first family after his parents died. They loved and cared for him and it's like he just threw them away? He was a stupid, impulsive baby-demon who didn't appreciate what he had and didn't think it through, and it is one of the WORST mistakes that Ciel has EVER made. Like, it's one of those things where he will straight up say: "Yeah, if I could do it over again, I would have taken them with me and told them the truth." and that's a pretty rare thing for him to give a direct and sure answer on how he would have righted a wrong in the past.

I actually do have a vague idea as to what happened, though. I might get to reveal it one day, I might not. It's one of those things, though, that I'm gonna keep hidden in my pocket just in case.

That's all for now until next time, I guess. God, I'm tired...

Until the next chapter, my duckies~!