*Disclaimer- I don't own Kuroshitsuji*

The reviews… are appreciated! Seriously! Sometimes I feel as though I can't stress that enough…

Xavier POV

"-We should get tuna…" Sebastian speaks slowly as he eyes one stall before heading over to it. I follow him, holding the kitten in my arms. But, as I walked, she started to squirm and meow.

"Wait a minute kitty, Sebaton is getting you food…." I try to comfort the cat, to no avail. She meows and struggles, and I look up at Sebastian. He's talking to the owner of the stall. Shrugging to myself, I take the cat out of my coat.

"Meow!" Her tiny voice makes one final noise before running away behind some crates.

Oh, no. Frowning, I rush after her. "Kitty! Kitty!" I glance behind the crates, spotting an alley. It is long, with uneven cobblestones under my feet. I rush down after the kitty, which disappears around another corner.

"No, Kitty! Come back! Kiiiiitty!" I call out as I run as fast as my legs will allow. The cat runs down another lane that curves, and I only get a quick glance at the kitten's tail as she periodically disappears and reappears. My breath fogs the chilly air, though I am not tired.

"Kitty…" I freeze when I see her. She has stopped in front of a wall, which creates a dead-end in the lane. There is some discarded food on the ground, which she nibbles at contentedly.

"Kitty… you can't just run away…" Smiling, I go over to her, and she looks up at me and meows again before licking what looks like fish. She bites a tin can, then meows and paws at it when it isn't food. "Kitty… Sebaton would have gotten you food."

Giggling, I kneel on my knees next to her, and she comes over and nudges her head against my leg, my hand, whatever she can. She purrs, and I pick her up to cradle her. "Little kitten, something might happen to you…"

Alright, so I had her… now what? I look around, realizing I couldn't remember the way back. I bite my lip and chew on it as I slowly stand with her in my arms, and I take a long look around. "…Sebaton?"

I know he probably can't hear me, wherever he is… "S-Sebaton?"

"Meow. Meow." The cat looks at me, her eyes large. "Meow. Meow." She seems to pick up that we are lost… and in a lot of trouble.

"Don't worry, kitty, I can find the way back…" I swallow the lump in my throat, and begin walking slowly down the back lane. Alright, so this one is curved… and before that I took a right, so I should take a left… I end up at another dead-end. Alright, so maybe a right…?

"Meoooow..." The cat makes long, whining noise as she snuggles in my arms, and I wonder how hungry she must be. I am intent on finding Sebastian, but only succeed in finding another closed-off lane. The kitty meows once again, perhaps with a hint of fear.

My voice contains a bit of fear as well when I try and console the bundle I am carrying. "Don't worry kitty, I'll protect you. I won't let anything happen to you…"

"Hehehee….." a laugh that is slow reaches my ears, and I hear the drawling voice. "Why worry about a kitten when much more terrible things await a small child, and such a special one at that?"

I spin around. The voice belongs to the strangest looking man, who actually perches up on the closed-off wall. Black robes, black boots. A gray shawl, light hair. And the eyes... they give away that he is a being like my parents.

"What… is your name?" I speak slowly, cuddling the cat closer. He laughs and jumps down, approaching me with slow steady steps. A smile plays on his face, and his bangs fall down to cover his eyes.

"You are a curious one, aren't you?" His hand reaches out to pet my hair a bit, and I don't flinch. My curiosity peaks a bit, and I stare up at him.

"I am?"

"Yes. But then again… you always were." The strange man breaks into another fits of giggles, making me blink. After a few seconds, his attitude elates me as well, and I giggle. This causes him to smile down at me. "It seems as though you have a certain… flair for laughter."

I blink as I listen to him. "… a… fware for laughter? And… what do you mean? Do I know you?"

"Well… in a way. But your parents didn't trust me a lot. At least, your father didn't." He say father with a hint of distaste in his mouth. "That man doesn't know how to laugh…"

"You know my parents?"

"Well, yes, they came to me to ask about what you are."

"What I am?"

"Yes. I presume Sebastian already told you…"

"Huh?" I frown with confusion right as the cat jumps down from my arms to approach the guy, and rubs up against his legs meowing. I watch her carefully as I ask another question. "You know Sebastian…?"

"Yes, I do. And I know he is with you." Smiling, the man bends over to pet the cat, and I notice his long black nails. "But let's just say me and Sebastian are at odds."

"… You said you know what I am." I step closer to him; close enough to see the piercing eyes behind the bangs. He keeps on that sly smile.

"Yes. What you are…"

"What am I?"

"Don't you know?" He shrugs and stands, and the cat sits patiently in front of him before deciding to come back to my side.

"I… don't know… what you mean…" I frown.

"Do you know what I am?"

"…A… Snowgimmick?"

My response causes him to start laughing again, and he clutches his chest. I stare in wonderment at this funny man.

"So… you aren't? Are… you… and angel then?"

This only causes him to laugh harder, and he moves to support his shaking frame against a wall. "I am not an angel. And it is pronounced shinigami… you are a funny thing, do you know that Xavier?" He smiles, tilting his head.

"I am? And... how do you know my name?"

"Well, that was the name your parents bestowed on you, right? Xavier… T…. Spears… it suits you. And yes… you are a joy." He leans with his back against the wall.

I bite my lip again before walking slowly forwards to him, standing in front of him again. "… and what is your name… funny man?"

"'Funny man'?" he laughs some more before kneeling down to my level, the yellow-green eyes glistening with mischief. "My name… hmmm… well, you can call me… Undertaker."