A/N: Italics is a person's thoughts.

THE MEETING

Alex awoke to the sun hitting behind his eyelids. His mind was muddled from sleep but he was still able to wonder about the peculiar dream he had the previous night. Walking to the market, sinking into the alley, waking up in another alley, stealing someone's clothes and not being able to find his way home. Caz would surely laugh at him for such a dream. However, as his mind began to clear, he realized that he could see grass. The same grass that he had thrown himself upon last night after his--embarrassing--crying session. He groaned so loud that it might as well have been a short scream. The frustration was nearly enough to send him into another tear fit but he held back. First, he had to find out where the hell he was and how he got here. Second, he needed to find a way back home. Hopefully by now Caz knew that something was wrong and went out to find him or called the police. The keyword being hopefully.

Deciding to get up and meet his fate, Alex hopped to his feet, brushed off his clothes, fixed his unruly hair, grabbed his things and set out once more. He needed to check his surroundings, starting with the house next to him. Maybe the people would help him. He could pretend he was a traveler from America who had lost his way and ask where in the nine circles of hell he was. The only problem was that he had to actually interact with other people. Alex always had trouble speaking up and interacting with strangers. He was awkward, soft-spoken and oftentimes would fidget or advert his eyes in hopes the other person would just disappear. With family members and close friends, he could easily be his loud, idiotic, anime loving self. Being socially-awkward really sucked. But, as a semi-wise man once said, you gotta do what you gotta do.

God, he hoped whoever said that was dead.

The good news was that the black fence didn't go all the way around the house. Which really didn't make sense until he had to trudge through the back where the shrubbery was thicker and some of the low branches of a few twisted trees smacked his face repeatedly. Now, the bad news was that after he got out of the maze of greenery, he was at the front doors. Everytime his fist was raised to knock, he would hesitate then bring it back down. The story he spun was engraved in his mind and he knew what to say but his chest felt heavy whenever the thought of talking to someone he never met before registered in his head. His palms were sticky with sweat and again he raised his fist to knock but ultimately pulled it back down. What was wrong with him? Why was it always so difficult for him to function like a normal human being for once?

A quiet groan escaped him and he let himself fall forward onto the door. What he didn't expect though was for his forehead to make such a loud noise against the wooden door. It almost sounded like a knock. A knock that someone would answer!

'Ah! Shit shit shit shit shit! Okay, maybe no one heard that, it was only once so the owners may think it was a nothing! Please please please plea-'

His internal freak out was interrupted by the double doors opening with a creak. Alex, thankfully, caught the strangled noise in the back of his throat and stared at the strangers rather polished black shoes, determined not to look up.

"Uh h-hello sir," Alex was really just talking to the shoes at this point." m-my n-name is A-alex and I...uh..I wanted to know...wh-where I am?" His nervous stuttering was awful. Why the hell was he whispering? This was it. He was going to die of embarrassment. Might as well start digging his grave now and get it over with. How he wished the ground would open up and swallow him.

For a terrifying moment, the person didn't say anything and Alex was going to apologize and leave until the man spoke.

"You are currently at the Phantomhive townhouse, sir."

That voice was familiar. There was no way in hell that was-

But as he finally ripped his eyes from the ground, Alex couldn't deny the face staring at him. Raven black hair, oval pale face and red ruby eyes confirmed that this was the animated demon Sebastian Michaelis. My god, this was like some cringey fanfiction where the protagonist gets sucked into the anime they were watching and gets to insert themselves in the plotline but try not to change it because of the butterfly effect and all that jazz!

'This is so lame! I wanna go home!'

"Excuse me sir, have you come on business with the Earl of Phantomhive?" Crap, he had no idea what to do now. He wasn't expecting this response! He didn't plan this far ahead! And like every time with his social awkwardness, in tense situations, his mouth decides to flap without his brain's approval.

"Ye-yes! It's a very u-urgent matter that cannot be shirked." He just knew Satan was enjoying his misery.

"In that case, please come in. I shall inform my master immediately." Sebastian stepped to the side of the door and opened it wider, bowing as Alex passed through before closing the double doors behind him and announcing his departure.

Alex fidgeted by the front door, palms sweating nervously and his heart just about ready to burst from his chest. So many questions were floating through his mind but since he hadn't eaten in awhile, a lot of those questions were beginning to turn food related. He wondered where they stored their food here. Did they even have a fridge?

But in all honesty, what the hell was he doing here? This couldn't be real. These things just didn't...happen! Maybe someone saved him from the wet cement or something and he's actually in shock so he's dreaming about all of this. That sounded right. It really was the only explanation. This seemed like something his brain would come up with. Guess he just had to wait until he woke up for something.

The sound of footsteps alerted Alex that Sebastian was back and looking up at the staircase confirmed that the one and only Ciel Phantomhive was with him. At the final step, Ciel stopped and the kid took one look at him and in his posh english accent said, "Welcome to the Phantomhive townhouse. I am the Earl of Phantomhive, what business do you have with me?"

He wouldn't lie, the fact that the familiar voice of Ciel Phantomhive addressed him nearly gave him a heart attack. While Ciel was just a child, the kid had major issues that Alex wasn't so sure how to deal with. Having a twelve year old with a demonic butler next to you is different from watching them from a screen. The fact that this was a dream did help a bit with the odd situation though. However, even if it was all just an illusion created from his brain, he decided that not standing out was still the best way to go.

"Uh...W-well you s-see-" What the hell was he supposed to say!? He hadn't planned things to go this way! The whole situation was a mess and Ciel's hard, cold stare was not helping matters. He already told Sebastian that he was here on important business and no doubt that the demonic butler told his master as well. He could lie about it but who knows how that would backfire on him? Could he run? What if Ciel sent Sebastian after him? Pain was still pain, dream be damned!

"-I j-just...uh what I m-mean...YOU'RE NOT REAL!"

Oh my god he just said that. He just YELLED it. Okay, he could fix this though.

"Ha ha ha, no. W-what I meant was that I never thought I would get to see someone of your...caliber? So it just seems as if you're not real. Which you totally are! You have legs...and a brain so you...are...real..."

He could not fix this.

Ciel was looking at him as if he just inhaled a shit ton of crack. It certainly felt that way to Alex anyway. However, the earl just silently observed him for a second atop of the final step--which added a bit of height to the short lord--before turning away. Sebastian bowed his head as Ciel looked at him with one crystal, blue eye and yet again in his posh accent said, "See to it that you escort this man off my property, that is an order."

For a second, Alex could see those red eyes glow and the sudden image of his mangle corpse being thrown into a ditch because a hungry demon decided that no one would miss him suddenly entered his mind. That could have been his anxiety and over-dramaticness/low-key trauma from watching too many Criminal Minds episodes and gory anime but he wasn't taking any chances. Begging it is then.

"Yes, my l-"

"PLEASE! I'm just a helpless kid who needs work because they decided that traveling would be amazing but it turns out you actually have to pay for things in the world and your parents have been sheltering you this whole time! I can't cook, garden or know any sort of martial arts but I can clean! I'll scrub your floors with a toothbrush if I have to but help me!" He couldn't see their reactions to his rapid begging since his eyes decided to permanently stare at the crisp, leather shoes of Sebastian Michaelis but it didn't make any difference. Alex could feel the stares trying to bore holes into his body.

Another uncomfortable second of silence nearly sent him into another panic babble but the clearing of a throat had Alex peeking up cautiously. The demonic butler had a smirk on his face and Ciel just looked down at him in vague annoyance. Perhaps he caught the temperamental child on a good day or maybe God decided to pity his sorry ass but the earl sighed and turned towards his butler to whisper a few words into his ear. Sebastian bowed, exited the room and wandered off to who knows where.

"Let us take this matter into the living room," Ciel said. "This way."

Alex nodded dumbly and followed the young earl into his living room, which had been to his left this whole time. It was neat and tidy but felt oddly cold. Alex studied the room as he sat down on one of the--probably worth more than his life--chairs. There were no portraits, knick-knacks or creepy monochrome photographs. It felt as if nobody lived here. While Alex knew that Ciel was...well the way he was, he'd think that maybe the little demonic kid would have something to personalize the place.

"Now, I am not currently seeking help," Alex wilted considerably at the statement. "However, I can refer you to someone."

Alex didn't really know how to feel about being shoved off to someone else. If his anime addicted brain decided to create a situation in which he wouldn't be with the main characters throughout the whole dream, it had to mean trouble. Right?

"What is this my darling nephew? A handsome young man! Perhaps he would like a check-up as well?" Alex stiffened as the voice of none other than Madam Red echoed in his ears and up to his brain. The blob of red in his peripheral vision only confirmed that a murderer was no less than six feet away from him.

Alex could admit that he jinxed himself on this one.

"Madam Red, Lau," Oh that guy was here too." I apologize that our earlier discussion was interrupted but I recalled that one of you had mentioned that you were in need of a servant?" Ciel said.

"Well, I was hoping for a woman. But he looks slim enough to pass off as one." Lau commented, chuckling a bit at, no doubt, Alex's perturbed facial expression. Like hell he would get stuffed into a skimpy dress and be selling opium to some sketchy men in a damn drug den!

"Grell has already filled the position for a butler," Madam Red explained. " but I just can't say no to that cute face! Maybe that incapable thing will learn a thing or two from this young man."

Looks like it was between working for a woman who kills prostitutes with a Grim Reaper--who had teeth sharper than Rin from Free or cross dress for a man who hands out opium like it was candy.

Alex stood and faced Lau with determination.

"So about that dress.."