Thunderous footsteps echoed through the halls of Lexington house before finally, at the end of a long hallway, the man responsible burst through the double doors. "Sire! Philip and Farroel are gone!" Feargus declared in alarm. He panted as he waited for his superior to respond, but Abhartach did not look away from what he was doing.

The burly, dark-haired man with scarred fists was carefully polishing a suit of armour and seemed a bit preoccupied as he didn't even flinch. "Oh?" he questioned. "And where have they gone?"

"I don't know, your majesty. Philip's car is gone as well. According to the servants, he had left several days ago."

"Really?" Abhartach questioned, still focusing on his task. "Why didn't they tell anyone?"

"They said that they thought that we were aware." Feargus said, but the other man simply made a small grunt to indicate that he had heard him. "Normally, they would tell us, but I did not hear a thing about it! They are supposed to be back here before the invasion begins so that they can get to safety! It's only a matter of days..."

"How peculiar..." the other man pondered before removing his cloth from the metal before him. Nodding, he said: "If they return, I want them killed on sight."

"Your Majesty?" gawked the faoladh, his eyes widening.

"Fleeing this close to the invasion date is rather suspicious, I think. It is entirely possible that they are talking to someone outside of our circle. I don't like that possibility, so kill them. We don't have time to give them a trial. They are deserters and deserters must be severely punished, don't you agree?"

There was a moment of hesitance where Feargus wished to protest, but he knew his place. "Yes, your majesty..."

"I understand that you're worried about the lack of an heir." Abhartach continued. "As am I. We are both without sons, but rejoice, for not all is lost. They left their brides behind unclaimed. Take my daughter's hand, and you may have whatever fruit she bears."

In an instant, Feargus' hesitance washed away as relief took his face over. With a bow, he smiled. "Thank you, your majesty. I am relieved."

"Good. So I take it that everything will continue to go as planned?"

"Yes, your majesty. The faoladh are ready whenever you need them and the extra forces are getting there as well."

"Do we know where Caesar is, either?"

"No, your majesty. He has been missing since the Gardening Center incident."

"I have no love or patience for traitors." Abhartach said with a frown. "I have seen my share of betrayals, and I do not wish to bear the brunt of any more. If he shows his perverse face around here again, kill him. Consider him dead already. That goes for anyone else who remains unaccounted for since the incident."

"Do you think he might have informed HELLSING of the attack?"

"Most likely. If I were to turn traitor, that is what I would do immediately upon fleeing. HELLSING will be undoubtedly preparing for our arrival in Gehenna, by now, if that's the case." the burly man said before turning around. "Feargus, do you think your girls will be ready if we move up our plans?"

"Undoubtedly, sire."

"Then… How about instead of at the end of the week, we attack in three days?"

"I will start getting everything ready at once."

"It's the full moon. The sun is about to set at any moment. You should change first." Abhartach reminded. "You are excused."

"Thank you, your majesty." Feargus answered with a bow. He quickly made his way out of the room so that he wouldn't get caught out in the hallway when the moon rose. He needed to change clothes if he wanted to keep the ones he was wearing.

Farroel, in his cell at HELLSING headquarters was having rather good luck. The staff at the agency provided him with clothes that would fit him from Andreas' in Gehenna and provided him with more food than usual. He had been moved to the research department before his transformation and was holed up there in a significantly nicer room with extra bedding, a larger mattress, and more pillows than he could possibly use. The research staff was aware that shapeshifting for werewolves was rather painful, if not at least uncomfortable and were more than happy to accommodate him if he was willing to let them do research. It didn't inconvenience him any, but he had to confess, it was a bit embarrassing.

In the hours leading up to the moon, he, like many other werewolves was already experiencing symptoms. He was already a little scruffy, despite shaving that morning, and he was already seeing more hair on his arms, legs, and the backs of his hands. It itched, but that is what happens when hair grows. His teeth were sore to the touch and he felt the usual odd bouts of anxiety, despite there being no immediate danger. The aching of his joints and muscles grew worse, the closer to transformation time he got.

When the sun set and the moon rose, the itching of his skin became almost unbearable as he began to grow hair. His bones began to elongate and reform, stretching his skin as his muscles began to reshape to his new frame as well. The face was the worst of it, however, as the many nerves in his mouth felt on fire as his jaws completely reshaped and his teeth became sharper. He couldn't clench his fists because his claws were still growing, so he rested his palms flat against the floor as he stood on his hands and knees, focusing on his breathing so he wouldn't scream.

The older he got, the more accustomed to it he became. That was one of the perks of being a born werewolf. Those who were bitten were not so lucky. Kristopherson, for example, still dreaded the transformations despite having been a werewolf for a while. It still hurt and it still rendered him exhausted.

Luckily for him, he lived on the bottom apartment in his building and owned the connected basement. Although he allowed the Westley's who lived upstairs to share it as a laundry room, they agreed that the Westleys would only go down there once they received a text from Logan that Kristopherson was done changing. Mister Miles had made a back room in the basement that was essentially his transformation room. He would bring his clothes and other supplies down there and he would transform in a padded, soundproofed room. It was made specifically so he wouldn't bother his neighbors on the top floor and the Westley's were grateful. They remembered the first month when they could hear Kristopherson emitting long, painful groans as he went through the process beneath their floor.

It was a common problem in Gehenna, but there were always notices put up every month around town and in the newspaper when the full moon that month would be so everyone knew and no one would be taken by surprise. Howling could still be heard from the streets until the last werewolf in town was finally done transforming.

Once Kristopherson was done, he laid on the mattress on the floor for a while as he regained his breath before getting up and practically chugging the water he had set aside for himself. Letting out a deep breath, he put on his clothes and made his way back upstairs. The entrance to the basement was down some steps at the side of the building, causing Kristopherson to brave the cold air for a few seconds in just a modified T-shirt and a pair of pyjama pants that didn't cover his ankles. He stepped as lightly as he could, as he couldn't find sandals big enough for his feet. He had to be careful if he didn't want the parts of the sole that stuck out to touch the freezing concrete. Shuddering, he let himself back into his house before laying down in the floor.

"Welcome back, big boof." Logan greeted him before sending the Westley's an "all clear" message on Kristopherson's phone. He didn't even bother getting up from the couch as he rubbed the other man's exposed stomach with his foot. "What do you need? Water? Food? A nap?"

"All of the above." Kristopherson replied in a deep, rumble of a voice.

"Well, you can't have the first two at the same time as having the other one." the incubus said. "The ham in the oven should almost be done. Or at least done enough."

"I'm okay with it raw." the wolfman answered, moving Logan's foot out of the way so that he could sit up with a grunt. "I think I'll eat something else first… I kinda want to taste it cooked."

"Well, the fridge is fully stocked. Have at it."

"You should bring it too me, since I'm all pitiful and such."

"No, because then you'll get meat juice on the carpet again. Go eat in the kitchen."

"You're so mean to me..." With that, Kristopherson got up and wandered off.

He crouched down in front of the open refrigerator and scratched his chin as he debated on what he wanted. Settling on a package of pork chops, he cut open the plastic with one claw and began shoveling the contents into his maw. From somewhere behind him, he heard Logan at the kitchen sink, filling a bowl with water before setting it on the counter.

"Thanks babe." Kristopherson said, turning to look at the incubus, only to receive a kiss on top of his head, followed by an ear scratch.

"No problem." Logan replied, snorting at his boyfriend's face. "You got a little uh… Somethin', there." he jested, miming at his own face. Kristopherson, however, was not too tired to joke back.

"Let me give you kisses~!" the wolfman declared, holding out his meat-covered hands and sticking out his tongue. Much to his amusement, however, the incubus scrunched his nose.

"Ew! Stop! You're so gross!" protested the other man, backing away. "You stink like death!"

"But I love you, Logan~!"

"I love when you don't have actual blood in your mouth and on your hands! Don't touch me until you wash your hands and don't kiss me until you brush your teeth!"

Once Kristopherson was done eating for the time being and had something to drink, he actually had the energy to chase Logan around the apartment for a bit while on his way to wash up. From a human perspective, it most likely looked terrifying, but from a supernatural standpoint, it was just a rather mischievous werewolf playing a game. Even after Kristopherson had done as instructed, he still wanted to play a bit. First, he needed to contact his friend about the party that was supposed to be happening the next day.

"Type 'I'll see how I am in the morning, but I'll probably need to sleep. I might have to turn up for the later half of the party, but I'll do my best to be there.'" he instructed, prompting his boyfriend to type away.

"Alright..." Logan trailed off, doing as instructed before showing his boyfriend the phone. "This look good?"

"Perfect. Hit send."

"And… Sent." the incubus notified. "Does Alois know you're having me text for you?"

"Yeah. He knows about the 'claws and fatter fingers' situation, but I reminded him earlier today." Kristopherson stated. "December is honestly the worst time for this lycanthropy shit. There's always parties, and chances are, the full moon is gonna fall on the night of or the day before one of 'em!"

"Yeah, remember the time it fell on Christmas?"

"Yeah, that totally sucked. On the bright side, I have built in present-opening instruments, so did I lose really?"

"By the way, did you get everything wrapped for tomorrow?" Logan questioned, causing the wolfman to frown.

"...Mostly..."

"Okay, so how are you going to wrap presents like this?"

"Well..." Kristopherson hesitated before formulating a plan. "I thought my smart, kind, caring, and thoughtful boyfriend would help me?" he offered while batting his eyes.

"Oh yeah? Where is he?"

"Hey! Theses presents are from both of us! Your welcome I covered for you."

"Fine, fine. What did you get everybody anyway?" Logan questioned while standing up, prompting the werewolf to follow after him so that Kristopherson could show him where he had put everything.

"I got Ciel a tie clip with a skull on it and a leather eyepatch. Then for Alois, some ear cuffs and a box of flavoured condoms- but like, as a joke for him to open later. Then a top for Patricia, this cute, patterned button-up for Travis, a real fucking necktie for Dan, some kind of Legend of Zelda themed shit for Audrey and Luka- I don't remember… And… I think I got Revy a book about punk subculture or something. I dunno."

Kristopherson didn't lie. He had most of it wrapped already with just a few things here and there left to go. They got things wrapped and ready to go in about half an hour, leaving the rest of the evening open to whatever it was they did on full moon nights. Eventually, they both passed out at some point, but not before Kristopherson set an alarm for him to wake up and go back down to the basement before the sun came up in the wee hours of the morning.

It was around that time that Alois woke up, despite not being an early bird or even a morning person, really. He and his spouse had been sleeping soundly, curled up together in their bed until the sound of Alois' alarm started blaring from his nightstand. Ordinarily, he would cringe at it and lay there for a few moments until he decided that waiting for it to go off wouldn't be worth it, but this time, he turned over to turn it off rather quickly. He sighed and rubbed his eyes, trying to wake himself up, but his spouse appeared to have other plans.

With a drowsy groan, Ciel rolled over as well, having realised his spouse was not snuggled against him anymore. He was cold and he was comfortable the way he was before. Alois couldn't leave in time before Ciel sleepily wrapped his arms around the menace from behind, keeping his eyes closed, as he wasn't ready to get up, yet.

"Jimmy, what are you doing?" mumbled the Watchdog in somewhat of a daze. Really, that's what Alois could piece together from his speech, but he very coherently heard the other man call him "Jimmy."

"I have stuff I need to get ready before Sebastian starts making stuff for the party." Alois answered, reaching back to pet the other's hair, but the bluenette only whined.

"Do it later..."

"Sorry, I have to do it now. I wouldn't be waking up this early if I could just do it later!" Prying the Watchdog's arms off of himself despite the rather needy man's many protests and utterances of displeasure, Alois eventually freed himself. Before he left, however, he was sure to turn around and lean over to give Ciel a kiss to his temple, which somehow sparked the other demon to reach around until he finally wound up hugging Alois' pillow. The sight caused the menace to laugh and he couldn't resist taking a not-so-sneaky photo of the scene with his phone.

He was forced to leave his spouse, however, as he hadn't much time until Sebastian needed to make his own preparations. After making his way downstairs to the kitchen, Alois put an apron on over his pyjamas and began gathering all of the things he needed. Bowls, measuring instruments, and ingredients were all acquired before he began to measure things out in the increments he needed before he added them. As much as he wanted to work with haste, he knew that patience would lead to the best results, so he did his best to contain himself as he carefully mixed things together. With that all done and the cakes in the oven, he began working on frosting while he waited on it to cook.

What does one give a man who could acquire anything of material value his heart desired whenever he wanted it? It's something that Alois struggled with every year. He realised, however, when he was making those lunches for Ciel when the Watchdog was acting drill sergeant, that he had been thinking about things all wrong. What really tugged at Ciel's heartstrings was not material value, but sentimental value. The knowledge that Alois took time and effort that he otherwise didn't have to in order to do something nice for the bluenette never failed to make Ciel swoon. That combined with the Watchdog's infatuation with sweet things was bound to be a deadly combination. Alois was sure of it!

That said, since Sebastian had dominion over the birthday cake, Alois needed to do something slightly different. It was just simple chocolate cupcakes. There were no frills and no complex flavours because there was no need for it. As long as Alois nailed it, it would be more than good enough.

After a while, Sebastian came in to start his own preparations and by then, the cakes were almost done. Alois was just checking to see how they were coming along by poking them with a toothpick when the older demon walked in. "'Morning, Sebastian." the blonde pleasantly greeted while closing the oven door.

"Good morning, Master Jim. How are things faring?" Sebastian questioned, only to be met with confidence when he expected questions or a request for assistance.

"Very well!" Alois proudly declared. "I just need a few more minutes, and I can take these out."

"Oh? That's wonderful!" smiled the man clad in black. "You're going to finish the decorations when you're done here, yes?"

"Yes! There's just a few finishing touches, here and there. I'll also help set the snack table, if you want."

"That will be most helpful, thank you. I've prepared a few things last night, but it will probably be best to set them out closer to time. The master isn't already awake, is he?"

"He was completely out of it, last time I saw him." informed the menace. "If you watch my cupcakes, I can go check."

"That won't be necessary. Let him sleep." Sebastian said, but little did he know that Ciel was going to be a bit grumpy when he woke up.

Hours passed and Ciel began to stir, furrowing his brows and scrunching his face when he squeezed the pillow he was hugging closer to his body and realised that it wasn't his spouse. That explained why he wasn't very comfortable. He felt stiff at sleeping in an unusual position. One of his legs in particular felt tense at the joints, as he didn't sleep on his back and he didn't get to elevate it using his husband. It felt like his bones were out of alignment, causing him to grunt as he sat up and tried to remember where his beau went.

Despite talking to the blonde briefly, he was still asleep during the exchange, so he couldn't remember it. He did recall the other saying that he needed to get up early to get things ready for the party. Now that he was awake, Ciel felt as though he should probably do the same. After trying to stretch away his tension, he got up and got ready for the day, although he wasn't sure of the dress code. He debated on whether or not he should do something with his hair, or if Alois was in fact serious when he said that everyone must wear a Christmas jumper. Truthfully, Ciel didn't want to, but would if his husband was adamant. In the end, he left it at dress pants and a dress shirt for the time being until he could consult with his beau again.

Before that, however, he needed to go check his e-mail. Now, when he went to the office, one can imagine his surprise at finding his desk had been set upon by another before he got there. Rather, someone set something on top of it. It was a plastic cake container with a lid to keep the contents fresh. On top of it was a blue bow and a note. Ciel already had his suspects, but read it anyway, finding himself grinning uncontrollably at it despite it's brevity.

"Happy Birthday, Ciel! Love, Jim" was all it said in the menace's messy handwriting. It was also stamped with a Phantomhive seal in purple ink, strangely indicating that it was an official document.

Instantly upon opening the container, the Watchdog's day got immeasurably better. There was a moment where he didn't want to eat the cupcakes his beau made for him simply so that he could savour the moment, but that was shortlived. Thus, the bluenette had started his day with a breakfast chocolate cupcakes. He ate two for the time being, and decided he would save the rest for later. Perhaps he would sneak back to the office whenever he got a chance to escape from the party and eat. It sounded like a good plan to him.

He hurried through his emails at record speed before heading downstairs with haste. When he made his way to the ballroom, he found his beau in the process of decorating, without paying much mind to the bluenette walking in. The blonde was on a ladder, putting ornaments on the massive Christmas tree that was in the center of the room as Revy continuously passed him things to hang. Ciel was surprised at how lively the room looked, given the fact that this was one of the handfuls of times it had been used within the past one hundred years. There weren't even people in it! It was all do to the handiwork of both the Mackens and Sebastian. Even Luka was helping, as he began setting food on the snack table, despite swiping a few treats each time he did.

"The place looks amazing!" the bluenette chuckled, folding his arms as he looked up at his beau. "It's not the only, thing, though."

"Oh my God, stop." giggled the blonde, grinning at how blatant his husband was being. His brother, however, was less than amused.

"Yeah. For real. Stop." Revy said, looking over his shoulder as he held up a few more ornaments for the other to put on the tree.

"Very well, then." the Watchdog said, putting his hands at his side before bringing them up again to rub together. "Jim, can I steal you away for a second? There's something I would like to attend to as soon as possible."

Rolling his eyes, Alois hung the ornament in his hand before making his descent. "Check to see if there's any bare patches around the bottom." he instructed his younger sibling before walking off. He wasn't buying Ciel's excuse. There was something about his tone that tipped him off.

The blonde was expecting something nonsensical as he was escorted out of the room and sure enough, once the door closed behind them, he was assailed by the Watchdog. Alois let out a yelp and put his arms around the other man's neck instinctively so he wouldn't fall as the other man dipped him, causing him to laugh. Ciel kissed him and continued to do so all the way until he put the menace back on his feet.

"So from the chocolate I'm tasting, I take it you found your present?" Alois laughed, only to find his cheeks being kissed as well.

"Yes." the other man giddily answered. "It was delicious."

"So you liked it, then?"

"I love it. I love you! You're the best." Cooed the bluenette as he fawned over his spouse. "You always know what's going to hit me in just the right spot."

"I'm glad. You're always so hard to buy for, so I'm glad thinking outside of the box impressed."

"It's great! For the record, you're free to make food for me whenever you like."

"Is that a not-so-subtle hint?" questioned Alois.

"I think it's too blatant to be a hint..."

"Fine, fine. As long as you don't let it go to your head and start treating me like a housewife, I will consider it."

"A housewife would be such a waste…" Ciel said. "Looks like I'll have to step things up a few notches if I want to keep up with you, though!"

"Get on my level, Poochini. If you wanna win at the game of love, you gotta play hard."

"So this has turned into a competition as to who can out-romance the other?"

"Just like nature intended." the blonde replied. "I'm gonna love and cherish the shit out of you."

"Bring it on, Jimmy. When I'm done, you will feel so loved and so secure that you won't be able to think straight."

"Already there, honey. I never think straight. I'm a wild homosexualist and I'm on the prowl after your heart… Also your body."

"Are you saying you're going to seduce me?" questioned the Watchdog.

"Oh, most definitely."

"Excellent. I'll be sure to work it into the schedule."

At that moment, Alois couldn't keep up the charade any longer and busted out laughing. "Oh, we'll be working it in somewhere, alright."

"Oh my God, Jim..." snickered the bluenette as well. The two of them just stood there, laughing over the blonde's rather rude joke for a few moments before the menace started to nudge Ciel toward the door.

"C'mon, help us finish decorating." insisted the menace, trying to set things back on track.

"Alright." the other agreed. As soon as Ciel put his hand on the door handle, however, a hand playfully impacted with his backside before giving it a squeeze. Hearing mischievous giggling from behind him, the Watchdog looked over his shoulder before addressing his beau with faux-indignation. "Jim!"

"Last hit." was all Alois answered with, quickly removing his hand as Ciel opened the door.

From there, preparations went as planned, with everything ready and everyone dressed with time to spare before the first guests arrived. Ordinarily, it would be Kristopherson who showed up first, but since he needed to recover from his transformation, he would most likely be the last person to arrive. Thus, those who were first to arrive were not Kristopherson and Logan, but instead the Westleys, Daniel and Samantha, who made themselves right at home. They were soon followed after by Elizabeth and Finnian, the latter of whom was rather nervous.

It had been a long time since he had been to the Phantomhive estate. He wondered what all had changed, but also about who else was now in his former masters' life, now. There were new family members as well, so the blond was eager to make a good impression. Already, he wasn't very sure how to interact with the Westleys, although the Phantomhives and Mackens were very welcoming.

The Phantomhives greeted Elizabeth first, both men giving her a hug and kissing her cheek. The level of intimacy changed for Finnian, however. He got a pat on the arm from the menace, as he couldn't shake hands. Finnian's were full as he was holding himself up by his new crutches. Ciel gave him a hug, however, supporting him so that the former gardener could hug back. Both demons were very happy to see him, needless to say, and greeted him with vigor.

"Daniel, I'd like you to meet one of my oldest friends." Ciel began, introducing the two men so Finnian would feel less awkward. "This is Finnian. He used to work for me back in the Victorian era. Finny, this is Daniel. He and I went to school together."

"It's nice to meet you!" Finnian said with a wide grin. Instinctively, Daniel matched him.

"It's good to meet you, too!" Daniel answered, but then he hesitated before adding. "I'm sorry, I'm just human, so I can't pick up on these things, but are you a supernatural?"

"Oh! Uh… No. It's a bit complicated, really..." the blonde began, not even sure of how to explain. He had no idea just how much this man knew or how to even begin! Would he even understand? Finnian hadn't the foggiest clue. Fortunately, his former master was used to this sort of thing, and was able to help him.

"Finny has always been 'unique' for a human. He has the strength of Superman without a supernatural gene in his body. Apparently, his abilities granted him superhuman longevity as well, so he was able to survive all this time. We reunited while I was on a mission. The bad guys we've been tracking have been cloning him because of his abilities, and long story short: he was shot in a tussle, I put his soul in a clone body, and here he is." Ciel expertly stated. His tone was very factual and he didn't stumble on his words even once. "When he was in his original body, he was an old man who used a wheelchair, so now he's relearning how to walk, hence the crutches. He's perfectly fine, now."

Daniel, on the other hand, just stared at the bluenette. He didn't appear to disbelieve the Phantomhive, but he gave him a look that expressed how absolutely unfased by the absurdity of the situation he was. "I know I shouldn't be surprised and I'm not by this- I'm just amazed that you can pack all of that in such a short amount of time. Crazy shit happens to you on a weekly basis and I'm just chillin'. I don't envy you one bit." Daniel bluntly stated.

"Standard procedure. I don't make the rules." the Watchdog replied.

"So let me get this right: who all is invited to this thing? There's four demons already in the house, a revenant, an angel, now a clone…"

"Two vampires, two werewolves, an incubus, a half-grim reaper, a protestant vampire hunter, a jewish author, a female boxer who also writes books, a few high-ranking military officers, a one-handed man, and the national fencing champion." Ciel listed off, shocking Finnian, who had no idea that Ciel knew such people.

"It sounds like the set up for the worst joke ever." the Westley said before noticing Finnian's expression. He patted the other man on the arm and said: "Don't worry about it. There's no point. The faster you can accept that things are bizarre in this house, the sooner you can start having fun!"

"I always thought there was something 'different' about this house, but I never thought it would reach this level." the blond answered. "Back when I was working here, it was just a child Earl, a demon, a Japanese steward, a former sniper working as a maid, and a former soldier who liked to blow things up!"

"So it really has always been like this..." the Westley remarked. "What, why snipers and soldiers?"

"I needed an elite team to keep the mansion protected at all times." Ciel nonchalantly stated with folded arms.

"It was a lot of fun, though! They were my life-long friends!" Finnian cheerfully stated while the Watchdog did his best not to look down. "They were all the nicest people you ever met and the mast- I mean, Ciel was always good to us!"

"Aw, so he was a softie back then, too, huh?" Daniel teased while elbowing his friend. "When we were in school, he'd always be really cool like he was untouchable or something. Like, he looked like a fifteen-year-old mobster. He's occasionally show he's a good guy underneath, though, especially around Alois."

"'Alois?'" echoed the former gardener.

"That's Jim's nickname of sorts." Ciel summarised. That was all Finnian needed to know, as his face lit up with understanding immediately.

"Alois was a lot more wild than he is now, but then again, so was I." the Westley continued. "As cool and aloof as Ciel could be, Alois was always the one who could bring him out of his shell and make him do dumb shit. I could tell you stories..."

"Perhaps not."

"I'd like to hear them." Finnian replied, causing a wide grin to spread across Daniel's face while the colour drained from Ciel's. While the Watchdog desperately tried to divert the former gardener's attention elsewhere and Finnian was trying to hold on to Daniel's every word, more guests arrived, starting with the rest of the Midfords.

Samantha immediately trotted up to Geraldine while Alois greeted the others. The demon got a big hug from Sir Rupert Midford, the patriarch of the family as the man apparently tried his best to crush his bones with one arm. Lady Midford did not hug as harshly, while the eldest son, James, just settled for a handshake and so did his wife. Oliver's hand was occupied with holding a few presents underneath his arm, so he came up with an alternative greeting.

"Hey, Jim, 'high five!'" he said, waving his stump at the menace with a laugh.

"This isn't the first time you've made that joke, have you Oliver?" questioned the demon with a smile, but the other blond just shook his head.

"Oh, not at all. I've been making it at every given opportunity. I'm actually impressed, since there's usually this look of horror on people's faces when I do it." the Midford informed.

"What? People never seen a leftie before?"

"No." Oliver laughed. "That's good. I'll have to use that one. But no, it's like, there's the initial horror at the fact I'm missing a hand, and then there's the internal debate- you can see it on their faces- as they try to decide if it's okay for them to laugh or not?"

"Oh. Sorry. I'll try harder next time. f you replaced it with like, a chainsaw or something, then I might arch an eyebrow at you, maybe."

"That sounds awfully inconvenient. I already don't really care for the idea of prosthesis to begin with, but that's next-level..."

"If somebody honks at you to get out of a parking spot faster, instead of the finger, you could give them the chainsaw. Think about it." Oliver could tell from the way Alois said this and the expression on his face that he was in no way serious, but he still shook his head.

"Y'know, I do actually get people at the grocery store who ask if I'm gonna get one with weird attachments, sort of like a 'Swiss Army Arm.' They don't seem to get that I'm fine like this? Whatever… I hear things have been pretty crazy for you too, though?"

"Yeah… Clone shenanigans, amirite?" Alois shrugged before putting his hands on his hips.

"I'm afraid I can't relate."

"Eh, don't worry about it..."

"Is that the guy over there?" the other man questioned while pointing in Finnian's direction.

"Yeah! That's Finny. Want me to introduce you?"

"Sure! Let me put these presents under the tree first."

The items under the tree increased with each person who walked through the door. There was a sort of agreed upon rule that friends of the Phantomhives didn't have to buy gifts for the extended family and vice versa, so buying an extensive amount of gifts wasn't necessary. Employees also didn't have to buy for their employers, so when Charlotte Garou came in, she only really brought gifts for the hosts and the other HELLSING supernaturals that she and her wife were neighbours with, so Seras and Audrey. Amelie Garou, however, was recovering from the full moon and decided to stay home.

Travis arrived in Patricia and the two of them warmly greeted the others. Travis wished them a happy Christmas, while they wished him a happy Hanukkah. Like always, he was going with the flow and wasn't bothered in the slightest by the fact that it was technically a Christmas part, just as he insisted to his non-Jewish friends to assuage their well-intentioned concerns.

"I'm not particularly interested in Christmas, but it's fine. It's not what I'm here for. I'm here to celebrate the birthday of a demon and eat some food, so as long as I fulfill those objectives, that's all that matters." the man stated.

"Why are you wearing a Hanukkah jumper and the… tiny, Jewish hat, then?" questioned Daniel.

"Just to piss you off, personally." Travis said in monotone while shaking his head. "Just kidding. I just wanted to be festive, too. That's one of the reasons I actually like Christmas, though."

"Festiveness?"

"No, Patricia starts wearing Christmas jumpers, so I have my hoodies back for a few weeks. She also goes to her parents' house and I go to mine, so that helps, but even when she does, the rest of the year, she'll still take my damn hoodies with her."

"The unforeseen pitfalls of heterosexuality..." jokingly commented Alois while shaking his head.

"You steal clothes from me all of the time, though?" Ciel replied, giving his beau an incredulous look.

"The unforeseen pitfalls of relationships..." Alois corrected while shaking his head again.

"That's the real question we should be asking." said Travis. "'So which one of you steals the clothes and which one of you gets clothes stolen from them?'"

Eventually, Sir Integra showed up with Seras, although one of them was visibly more excited than the other. Sir Integra was there to socialise with close family and out of obligation, but Seras was genuinely there to have fun. She even showed up wearing a Santa hat that strangely went with her red uniform. She cheerfully socialised with coworkers and family members of her master alike, chatting for a very long time with Charlotte and Audrey, but eventually working her way over to Ciel and Finnian.

"You'll get used to things around here." she told the former gardener, flashing her fangs at him with a wide grin. "Everyone here is really accepting, so I'm sure they're all glad to have you!"

"You think so?" bashfully questioned the man with a chuckle.

"Of course! From the sounds of things, you've already integrated with some of the biggest people. If they think you're fine, then everyone else will follow."

"I hope so. I sort of feel like I'm intruding when I shouldn't be."

"Your fine! Just chat around! Make friends!" insisted the draculina. "I know! You were a servant here at the Phantomhive's house, right?"

"Right?"

"So was Charlotte! She worked here before she and her wife got a permanent job at HELLSING. Let me introduce you!"

Before the man could wrap his head around the situation, he already agreed and was corralled by the vampiress to talk to yet another, much to the amusement of his former employer, who looked on. Finnian seemed nervous, but seemed to warm up fairly quickly as soon as the conversation got going. Fortunately, both women were notoriously easy to talk to.

"He's really good to work for." Charlotte said, taking a drink from her glass. Finnian didn't want to question it, but it contained a liquid of an unusual consistency. He tried his best to ignore it while she spoke. "He was fine with having supernatural servants, he was fine with having lesbian servants, and he basically did everything he could to accommodate for both of our conditions! Admittedly, Sir Phantomhive seemed a bit cold at first, but I think he does like taking care of people."

"I know! When I first met the master, it was my first time being outside. So, when I came to work here, he made sure I had a job working outside! I was taught to read, speak English, and how to garden… He even gave me my name!" Finnian cheerfully replied. His odd statements would ordinarily cause people to reel back in horror, but everyone at this party seemed unfazed by revelations of his past. They were desensitised to the unusual and it brought the man quite a bit of relief. "I know he picked me because he wanted somebody strong working for him, but he didn't need to do all of that if that's all there was. Sometimes, we'd conspire to steal snacks from the kitchen together and go watch films."

The three of them seemed to radiate a bizarre feeling of positivity that could be felt just by walking near them. They talked about their masters, predominantly, although occasionally, the women would dispense some wisdom about interacting with supernaturals. Sometimes, they would tell the man things they knew about Ciel as well.

Seras, however, was poised to leave soon, as the Hellsings were anxious to get back to the base, as much fun as they were having. They waited until it was time to open presents, however, but before then, Kristopherson and Logan would have to arrive. As soon as they did, it was obvious to the wolfman's immediate friends that he didn't look very well. Despite his glamourous getup, he seemed tired and a little bit paler than usual.

"I'm probably gonna wreck your snack table, but I'll be fine." he warned, but the Phantomhives weren't bothered.

"Go ahead. We're having dinner after this, so you can finish things off, here." Jim replied, patting his friend on the back. "We're opening presents in a few minutes, though, so you might be a bit pressed for time."

"This isn't going to be attractive, but I'm not trying to win any dates." Kristopherson said while cracking his knuckles in anticipation. His boyfriend, however, simply stood off to the side.

"Pre and post full moon werewolves have the worst table manners." the incubus stated. "Somehow, I love him anyway, though."

"It just comes with the territory, doesn't it?" chuckled the demon, but the other only nodded.

"Exactly. Werewolves just need to do it." Logan answered. "Give him a few minutes and he'll be able to curb himself until dinner. By the way, the rest of our presents are in the car. Could I have help getting them?"

"Sure. You have the keys?"

"Yup, but only one stomach."

"Will you be okay during dinner?" Alois questioned as they made their way outside. "You're welcome to sit at the table, you know."

"I'll be fine. There's a few vampires I can talk to while I wait. I'm sure we'll think of something to do." the incubus replied. "It's not rude to not offer me food at all."

"I'm sorry, I have no idea what the polite thing to do in this situation is..." the menace somewhat bashfully confessed, shutting the door behind him. The pair made their way to the wolfman's car and unlocked it before attempting to carry the gifts. Alois had the bright idea of trying to carry all of them at once, but Logan insisted on carrying a few, himself.

"By the way," the blonde continued, "you can use your actual form if you want to. Everybody's in on the secret, so it's fine if you show your horns and such."

"I didn't want to assume..." Logan replied, locking the car back. As he said this, his skin began to change from light brown to light blue and a pair of lumps on his head formed before eventually growing into horns. "I'll keep my tail hidden, though. It's too cold out here."

"Yours doesn't have any fur, does it?"

"Nope. Does yours?"

"Yep. It's been a while since I've had it out, though." the blonde pondered aloud. "It's been a while since I've looked demon-y at all, really."

"Why don't you let loose, too?" questioned the incubus.

"I dunno… It's a little… Spooky? Sexy? Not really right for Christmas..."

"Why's that?" Logan asked, genuinely not understanding. How could he? To him, it was normal. He saw supernatural beings that looked far "scarier" by human standards around Christmas time every year, so it couldn't make sense unless one went into explaining human ideals.

Thinking about this for a moment, the man finally asked: "Do you want to see it?"

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't even a little bit curious." confessed the other man. "I don't think I've ever seen what a demon looks like before."

"It depends on the demon. Some of them just grow horns and a tail, while some of them don't look human-like at all!" the demon said. "If you wanna see it, I can show you real quick."

"Do you need to put down the presents?"

"Nah, I've still got it." With that, it seemed like wind began to ruffle the blonde's hair, tussling his flaxen locks as black flame began to engulf him. The presents in his arms were still visible, however, and weren't being harmed in the slightest.

The fire began to dissipate at the Phantomhive's feet, revealing black boots as it slowly worked it's way up. Soon, a pale-coloured tail swished back and forth and Logan eventually saw a strip of skin revealed on the other man's abdomen, exposing his navel. His shirt was longer in recent years, but it wasn't the only thing altered about the design. Heavy-looking, metal gauntlets with all kinds of strange symbols covered his hands while an attached guard covered his forearms. It was Jarnglofar Mk III and it was a rather intimidating-looking weapon.

The man appeared to have two capes. One small one that covered his shoulders as it wrapped around them before connecting in the back, and a slightly larger one that hung over it, falling off of his shoulders before attaching to the very bottom of his shirt in the front. What was really awe-inspiring was his body, however.

His eyes had changed from their usual icy blue hue to the colour of blood. His ears and his teeth were pointed and he had black horns protruding from his head. They sprouted from the sides, but then bent forward, wrapping around the demon's head like a crown. The fire faded out save for the ends of his his capes, which seemed to be perpetually lit at the ends. For a moment, there was a lurch of instinctive fear that shot through the incubus, but if faded as soon as the menace smiled a sharp-toothed grin at him.

"It's a bit embarrassing like this..." Alois said. "Ordinarily, I only use it out in battle, so like this is kind of weird..."

"Wow, you're handsome!" Logan gawked, causing the menace to tilt his head.

"Why does your tone sound surprised?"

"Oh, well, the way you built it up made me wonder if you looked majorly different. But seriously, you'd probably get hounded if you went to Gehenna like that."

"You don't have to worry about that. I don't really want to." In an instant, the fire built up again, returning his appearance to normal. "I don't feel like explaining it."

"What? You can't be a demon in your own house?" the incubus questioned, wrapping his fingers around the doorhandle.

"No, it's just comfortable like this. Besides, with how infrequent I do it, if I go back in there like that, Ciel might jump me."

"Like a puppy!" Logan said, opening the door and walking through it. Moments later, his friend followed him.

"Yeah, but you can't see his tail wagging, normally."

After the pair were back inside and had the presents under the tree where they belonged, however, Logan began to think that Alois was projecting a bit. As soon as they separated, the incubus saw the man walk up to his spouse while the bluenette was talking to other people and hug him from behind. The incubus shook his head before heading off to check up on his own significant other to see how he was faring.

Ciel, on the other hand, was unfased and carried on like normal, although putting his arm over Alois' with his hand on his hand. "That's the situation as things are, now. As long as we crush them as they're reaching the gates, everything should be alright."

"Exactly. I'm worried, but not too terribly worried." Elizabeth replied, looking up at the man from her seat. She was sitting down with Finnian, who had grown tired of standing on the sidelines of the party. The Victorian trio were catching up on things and discussing current events when the blonde showed up. While the woman and the man's spouse were not distracted by Alois, Finnian, on the other hand, was a bit surprised at the blatancy of the gesture.

"Are you feeling alright, Finny?" the bluenette questioned, having caught the man staring.

"Yeah, it's just a bit different." Finnian replied with a chuckle. "You're being hugged and not even making a face. It's kind of incredible."

"Isn't it?" giggled Elizabeth. "He just doesn't seem to mind anymore."

"It's just Jim, so there's nothing unusual about it. Although..." Ciel said before turning his head to look at the menace. "Why are you cold?"

"I went outside with Logan in order to get the rest of the presents from Kris' car." the blonde informed. "I didn't throw on a jacket, since it would be quick. Luckily, I have a husband, which is just as good."

"Oh. Alright, then." the bluenette answered before moving his hand to cover Alois' a little bit better so that he could warm the man's fingers. With that, however, his attention turned back to the others. "So you'll have forces down there on the day Philip gave us, then, yes?"

"Of course. We're hoping to shoot them down via helicopter first, but if that doesn't work, we'll put people on the ground, too." Elizabeth stated. "I'll be there to back them up. The invitation is open to you if you wish to join us."

"Now I have to go." Ciel stated. "I don't want to leave you hanging."

"I'll go too!" offered his beau. "Sounds like a blast."

"We'll decimate that portion of their forces and weaken them. Then, we'll tend to the rest." the woman informed before looking toward the door as the family butler walked through it. "But first, it would appear that dinner is ready. Shall we?"

"Am I going too?" Finnian questioned. "To the table, I mean..."

"Where else would you sit?" the Watchdog asked in return. "You're a guest, after all. Therefore, you'll sit with the others."

"You can sit in the dining room when you start work, if you want." offered the menace. "It'll be lonely if you have to eat on your own!"

Raising his brows, Finnian stared up at the two Phantomhives. It seemed as though the last of the barriers had fallen between himself and his master. At least, all but a few remained. They were so radiant, the two of them, and so kind. It seemed like the most natural thing in the world. Smiling, the man began to lift himself to his feet.

"Alright, then." he said. "I can't say 'no' to that."

"Need help?" Ciel questioned, holding out a hand, which the former-gardener then took.

"Sure!"

Dinner was a jovial occasion. Everyone ate and was merry, chatting amongst themselves about this and that while the hosts made sure that everyone was enjoying themselves. Alois in particular, made sure that everyone was well fed and got up to check on those who could not eat "regular" food during a lull in the conversation. He was determined that everyone have a good time and was going to ensure it the best he could. As people got done eating, they would excuse themselves to go back to socialising until it was time to open gifts. After that, Sir Integra and Seras would leave for the evening, but not before giving the Watchdog an earful.

Integra got two gifts from the Phantomhives that year. One of them was an ordinary present, while the other was her own lighters being returned to her after years of the bluenette stealing them. She had no idea he had been doing this up until that point and the bickering was as loud as it lasted. One could cut the tension with a knife until Integra agreed that it was slightly funny.

The only other gift that was a bit of an annoyance was the box of flavoured condoms that Kristopherson had given Alois, as he hadn't specified that the menace open them later in private. Instead, he unwrapped the box in front of the whole family, much to the amusement of most and the embarrassment of few. Fortunately, Alois was used to this sort of raunchiness from the wolfman, so he let it glide off his back, although he did give him a good whack to the noggin before moving on.

Overall, it was another successful party by the Phantomhives, marking the second annual Christmas celebration. Now it was bound to become a yearly thing, thanks to the menace, but that is exactly what he wanted. He liked being a part of the family and he liked having everyone together. Both he and his spouse believed that everyone else appreciated it, too. Perhaps it wasn't the typical image of a family, but it was "family," nonetheless. They were all happy together and that is what mattered most.

With so many people in this family who are in almost constant contact with the "extraordinary," ordinary events and evenings like this were greatly appreciated. There were some families who had no contact with the supernatural and either didn't get together or couldn't get together, so it was a great privilege. Some families aren't like the Phantomhives and their extended family. Some families are like the Whelans and couldn't seem to get along, no matter what. Like in most cases, it's the fault of the parents.

Claire had awakened after taking a while to recover from her own change and got prepared to get back to training with the rest of the group. The invasion of Gehenna was moved up by a few days so they all needed to work harder if they were going to be successful. Dutifully, she walked down the hallway out to the practise field with her head high, chest out, and shoulders back, just as she was instructed to by her father in order to give a tough appearance. She had honed her resting glare over many years and was considered to be one of the most frightening of the faoladh girls on the field. She was known for practising longer, harder, and more viciously than anyone else, but it wasn't surprising. After all, she had her father to impress.

Walking past the study, she saw that it was open but kept her gaze forward. It was used by the leaders of the Philosophers and it was not her place as a mere footsoldier to listen in. One can only imagine her surprise, however, as she heard a voice call out to her from within.

"Claire?" it called out, sending a chill down her spine. She would not show fear, however. "Claire, come here. I wish to speak to you..."

Turning, the woman walked into the office before stopping in front of the desk. She kept a respectful amount of distance between her and the burly man who sat on the edge of it, staring at her with blackened eyes. Like a good underling, she stood at attention for him.

"Yes, your majesty?" she questioned, but the man only smiled at her.

"Such lovely eyes..." the man observed. "Dutiful and alert without a trace of deceit. It is a downright miracle that it is so in a place such as this. Such lies escape the lips of those who dwell here. Sadly, it is my own fault for surrounding myself with those who are just like me in many ways."

Standing up, he approached the woman. In one swift movement, he had the blade against her throat. It took a lot of willpower to deny her reflex, but she stood still and did not flinch. She knew what was expected of her and her lack of action caused the man to raise his brows.

"How peculiar..." Abhartach noted, "Why do you not move away? Do you wish to die?"

"No, your highness. There is no reason to move." she answered, continuing to stare ahead. "I have faith that you will not allow me to die."

"On what basis?"

"If that is what you wanted, you would have already done it. You wouldn't leave me room to escape like this, either." Finally, her eyes looked up at the man before her. "I have faith that my king has the best interests of his subjects at heart."

With a chuckle, the man reached down to hold onto one of the woman's hands and brought it up to view. "Such a good dog..." he said. "Loyal, you come when you are told and bare your fangs when you are told… But..."

Opening her palm, he placed the edge of the letter opener against it pulling it quickly across her skin, causing a thin crimson thread to form and blood to ooze out. She winced at the sting of being cut by her king. She tensed up when the much older man ran his tongue across her wound. It was warm, wet, and made her uncomfortable as the man's beard tickled her hand.

"...Still too sweet." Abhartach continued, letting go of her. Her lycanthropy allowed her to heal her injury instantaneously, but it did not allow her to wipe her hand in front of her king. "Your skills are suited for the battlefield, yes, but you have never seen it. You have spilt blood, yes, and I am grateful, however… you are not ready."

"Sire?" Claire inquired, but she didn't need to wait long for an explanation.

"You will not be a proper leader until you can handle war. Your father is the same way, but he is weak by nature. It is all self-inflicted, however. That is why he is not suited for his position."

She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her father? Weak? That was impossible, with how fearsome he was. He was so frightening, that her king holding a knife to her neck did not frighten her, but the very sound of the head of the Whelan family's booming voice calling her could make her flinch. It was impossible as it was confusing. She was supposed to have faith in her father and her king, yet, she believed in one moreso than the other and it made her feel guilty.

"But… Farroel is gone..." she said, looking down. "We don't have a replacement. There is no heir left until father remarries."

"True. Farroel is gone, but you are here." the man stated. "You are the one who is next in line."

"Your majesty, I am… confused." Claire answered, choosing her words carefully. "I'm a woman. I'm not suited for the position, since I cannot produce an heir, so how can that be?"

"There is a way, despite your father failing to teach you." the man stated. "How else could the faoladh survive for so long?"

"If that's not true, then why would he not tell us?"

"'Why,' indeed? For what purpose is there for such a deceit? Why would someone betray one's own kinsmen with a lie that would restrict their growth?"

Pausing, Claire looked down with a furrowed brow. She concentrated hard on seeking an answer. Then, a thought came to her, but it was unspeakable. She knew her father to be lacking in kindness at times, but she knew that she was required to place her trust in him. The thought shook her, as it made so many things snap into place, but it couldn't be true. She did not want it to be true. Looking up at her king, she searched for a different answer.

Yet, the man only smiled at her before placing his hands on her shoulders. "I will explain all to you in time. All that I ask in return is that you bring me victory in Gehenna and a bowl of the enemy's blood. Show me that you can bear the burden of being my right hand. After that, we will talk."

Letting go of her, he left the woman silent as she had much to think about. Proving herself would mean improving her own position and gaining favour with her king, but at the expense of her father. She would have betrayed him on the behalf of her lord, yet was that not an unforgivable sin to Abhartach? Did he not despise traitors? If it was he who gave the order, however, she was left with no choice but to trust it as she trusted her king.

"You wish is my command, your highness." she replied. "If that is what you require, then so be it."

"Good soldier." Abhartach replied. "You are dismissed."

Bowing to him, the woman then turned on her heel and walked out the door before attending to her usual duties. It was true, Abhartach did not like traitors. He did not like it when his subjects turned against him, but if it was against one another, that was a completely different story. As long as his dogs were loyal, they would continue to be fed and taken care of. If they were not, they would need to be replaced before they bite the hand that feeds them.

"Blood of the battlefield is thicker than the water of the womb." he said to himself, running his fingers along the side of his blade, collecting the blood off of it before sticking them in his mouth. "Also, more delicious…"


A/N: Oh, so you made it? 10,000+ words, y'all. We're getting this shit out of the way right now so the real party can start~!

It's hard for me to keep track of everything without notes, so I can only imagine what it's like to the readers... Y'all hanging in there okay?

There has been no blood or decapitations in SO LONG! Where. Is. The. Violence?

I'm working on it...

Until the next chapter, my duckies~!