The kindergarten classroom hummed with childish voices and laughter. At a more distant table, alone at plain sight, a boy with blue hair and bright eyes was focused working on his macaroni art.

"Was it like this?" He called out, his voice not catching any attention in the already noisy room.

"The example had that last piece more to the left."

"Ok!"

Humming happily, the child took off the last few macaroni he had placed and began deciding their new location. There was a dark shadow looming over him, even though no one else could see it but him.

"Done!" The boy cheered, turning around and looking up. Red gaze met blue, and a light smile echoed the large, tooth-missing, one.

"It's perfect."

"Grilled cheese sandwich again?"

Sebastian stood by the kitchen table, arms crossed, eyes looking disapprovingly from the unhealthy food choice to the person preparing it.

13 year old Ciel Phantomhive felt the gaze, and gave a weak scowl.

"Don't look at me like that. It's not my fault my mother forgets to buy groceries."

"You have a maid, why doesn't she go?"

"Her job is to keep the house clean."

"I'm sure keeping you alive should be in there somewhere."

"Ha ha."

They fell back to a comfortable silence as Ciel flipped the sandwich over the warming skillet. He didn't know much about cooking (that means he knew nothing) but lately he had been forced to improvise since his maid, Mey rin, had stopped living in the Phantom household. She would go every day but only stayed long enough to clean the house and make a quick school lunch for Ciel. The boy honestly missed having decent dinners.

"Speaking of your mother, where is she? It's getting late." Sebastian asked with a bored tone.

"Her party must have gone on longer than she though it would. I hope she isn't drunk."

"You should go to sleep soon to avoid running into her if that's the case."

"Yeah, that would be annoying."

Ciel began to look for a plate, but opened the cups cupboard instead.

"The one on the left." Sebastian said, teasingly.

"Right." The boy took his plate and set his dinner on it.

"Remind me again why you didn't use the toaster?" A sly grin asked.

"Yeah, yeah, I couldn't find it! Get over it!" Ciel blushed in annoyance. He took a seat at the table and began to munch on his sandwich. The boy was not surprised when Sebastian stayed standing. In all their years together, Ciel had never seen the man sit, or sleep, or eat. It never seemed like something weird; that was just the way Sebastian was.

"How's your heart attack on a plate?"

"Crunchy."

Sebastian watched the boy eat. Suddenly he raised his head slightly to the side.

"Your mother's here."

"Oh, shi-" Ciel swallowed a swear along with the bite he had just taken. "Plan A or B?"

Sebastian listened carefully.

"B."

With that, Ciel quickly threw the plate into the sink before running back to the table and hiding beneath it right on time. The door opened.

"Cieeeeeluuuuu! Are you here darliiiiing!"

The boy gave his sandwich a quiet bite. Sebastian couldn't help chuckle.

Mrs. Phantomhive made her way to the foot of the stairs. She put a hand over her mouth.

"Cieeeeeluuuu! Are you asleep alreadyyyyyy!"

The boy's face twitched, and Sebastian covered his mouth to muffle his laughter.

Well if I HAD been asleep I would have definitely not stayed that way. Ciel thought with annoyance.

After not receiving a response, the woman yelled again.

"Okaaaaay! Goodnight theeeeeen! I'm going to sleep tooooooooo!"

Ciel finished his sandwich as he listened to his mother ungracefully go up the stairs, laughing all the way.

"All clear." Sebastian eventually said. Ciel got out from his hiding spot and stretched.

"Crisis avoided, I guess. Is it safe to go to my room?"

"Yes, she is already in bed."

"Sheesh she didn't even change her clothes."

They walked to Ciel's bedroom, where the boy quickly put on his pajamas and went under the covers.

"You haven't finished your history homework."

"It's ok. It's due till Tuesday."

"We both know Ms. Angela is going to check for progress just to spite you."

"And I'll be a smartass and get out of it like usual."

Sebastian sighed in defeat. He watched as Ciel found a comfortable position to sleep in.

"Goodnight, Sebastian." The boy said between yawns.

"Don't dream with bedbugs."

"I won't."

And as the night went by, that shadow stayed looming over the boy.

"Ciel… Ciel… You slept through your alarm again."

Blue eyes snapped open. Ciel almost fell as he tumbled off his bed.

"Whyyyyy!"

Sebastian watched with amusement as the boy hurriedly got ready for school. He opened his mouth to say something but then seemed to decide otherwise.

"I'm so late! Let's go!" The boy quickly made his way down the stairs. He entered the kitchen, a plate of breakfast already waiting for him before an empty seat.

"Good morning, young master!" Mey rin said cheerfully. She handed a cup of water and a pill to Ciel's mother, who was sitting next to his designated seat.

"Ciel!" She looked up at her son. "Good morning, sweetie. I hope I didn't bother you last night again." She asked worriedly. Ciel forced a smile.

"Don't worry, mum, I didn't even hear you come in."

"That's good." Relief flooded her features, but was quickly switched with confusion. "Ciel… is that a new fashion statement or something?" She pointed at his tie.

"What?" He looked down and saw that he had put on his tie on the wrong side. Ciel heard a small snicker behind him. The boy maintained his smile. "Thanks for telling me," he said looking back at Sebastian with a glare. "Mother."

"Young master! Eat quickly or you will be late!" Mey rin called out, exasperated. Ciel's eyes widened as he remembered that fact.

"Right!" He quickly took a seat and began to stuff scrambled eggs and bacon into his mouth.

"How ungentlemanly." Sebastian said with a shake of his head.

"Shut up." Ciel mumbled between bites.

"Hm?" His mother asked. Ciel paid her no heed. He ignored her gaze as he focused on not chocking.

"Done! Let's go!" He stood up, pulling his backpack along with him. He yelled thanks to Mey rin as she handed him his lunch, and ran out the door. "Bye, mom!"

Mrs. Phantomhive stared after her son, a distant look on her face as a memory resurfaced.

A younger Mrs. Phantomhive kneeled down before her 6 year old son, squeezing his shoulders encouragingly.

"I know daddy isn't home, but mommy has a very important event she has to go to. Mey rin will be here soon so I promise you won't be alone for very long. "

Innocent blue eyes blinked up at her.

"I'm not alone, mama: Sebastian's with me." He said as a matter of fact. The woman frowned.

"Sebastian…" She wrecked her brain for understanding, then it hit her: her son had an imaginary friend. Her eyes softened. "Oh… that's nice, sweetie. Go play with him until Mey rin gets here, yes?"

Ciel flashed her a smile before running off. The woman stood up and began to walk out the door, feeling glad that her son wasn't lonely, yet guilty that loneliness had been the cause of it.

"I left my son so alone that his mind had to make up for it…"

"I need to stop relying on you to wake me up!" Ciel cursed as he ran to his school. He felt frustration fill him as he turned his head and saw Sebastian walking calmly yet somehow having no trouble keeping pace with the boy.

"There's no shame in some assistance."

"Shut up, I know! There are just certain things one should be able to do on their own." Ciel felt Sebastian's incredulous gaze.

"… you have a maid."

"Shut up!"

"You can't cook."

"Sebastian!"

"The only thing you do for yourself is go to school because it is a block away."

"I really hate you."

Suddenly Sebastian raised his head.

"The bell."

"Shit! Was that the first or second one?"

Ciel watched as Sebastian listened. Looking at him, the boy became dazed as he was reminded of something.

The man sighed and pushed up his glasses as he looked at the 8 year old boy before him. The child was avoiding his gaze, staring at the wall over his shoulder.

"Silence again, Ciel?" The man mumbled. The boy gave no reaction. "You know we will never advance if you don't cooperate."

Ciel stayed staring at that spot on the wall. Sebastian stood next to him, looking bored.

"Your mother is very concerned about you." The therapist tried a different approach.

"Well he's persistent, we should give him that." Sebastian mused. Ciel couldn't stop his lip from curving up for a second. The man caught sight of it like a hawk, thinking what he had said had touched a nerve.

"Yes, your mother! We both know this all began because when you were younger. Your father was always working and your mother was never with you."

Ciel hissed, pointedly looking away.

Who does this guy think he is! He doesn't know anything about me!

"She feels so bad about it, Ciel. But she's going to be with you all the time now. You can let go… you can let him go…"

The boy winced and covered his ears.

"Shut up!"

Sebastian glared daggers at the therapist, who suddenly felt a chill run through him but paid it no mind. He felt like he was finally making progress.

"Remember what I told you yesterday? It is you who is creating this person. You are old enough now to see the way things are. All you have to do is will it to go away…"

"That's not true! That can't be true!" Ciel suddenly pulled his hands away and glared at the man, fire in his eyes. The therapist felt his excitement rise. "It's not my mind! He knows things that I don't! He can hear things that I can't! It isn't my mind!" The boy was trembling lightly. Sebastian watched him in silence.

The man smiled with victory before leaning in closer.

"I am going to tell you this because I know you are a very intelligent young boy, so you will understand me. All of those things he tells you: you only think you don't know them! It is the way your subconscious releases information! You are not aware that you know it, but it is there!"

Ciel shook his head violently.

"You are wrong! I don't want to hear you anymore!"

With that, the young boy got off the couch and ran to the door, the therapist calling after him.

"Ciel!"

"Ciel!" The boy blinked as he snapped out of his thoughts. "It's the second bell! Hurry!"

"Gah!" He quickly ran what was left of the distance between himself and the school gate. Automatically, he ran through the halls towards his first class of the day, not watching where he was going.

"Ciel!" Sebastian suddenly called out but it was too late. The blue haired boy crashed into another tall, black haired one. The impact wasn't strong enough to push either of them to the ground, but dazed the smaller boy lightly.

"Late again, Phantomhive?" An annoying voice said with a rude snicker. Ciel cursed as he recognized it as the voice of the boy who was the son of his father's biggest competitor. That boy who loved to bully him yet he literally knew nothing about.

"Well unless you are just enjoying the view of the lockers you are probably late too so lets just get out of each other's way, huh?" Ciel muttered before trying to walk around the taller boy.

Immediately he followed Ciel's movements, blocking his path.

"Don't even pretend like you care about school, scum."

"You definitely don't. That's probably why you almost got expelled last year."

The black haired boy cursed and gave a step forward with the intention of taking a hold of Ciel's shirt. The smaller boy easily evaded him and used the movement to his advantage as he found a slit to pass through.

"You better watch it, Phantomhive! I'll get you good someday!"

"That boy lacks all forms of mannerism." Sebastian said with a bored yet hard tone.

"Right?"

Class was uneventful. Ciel lost interest soon enough and instead turned to have a staring contest with Sebastian. They always did that when they had nothing to do, and Sebastian always won. Ciel was determined to beat him some day.

After the contest, the two of them would entertain themselves by simply staring into each other's eyes (no, it's not the same thing!). Ciel found it more interesting than looking out the window, anyway. He would let himself be lost in those pools of red and think of nothing for some time.

"Mr. Phantomhive!" Ciel turned to the teacher. "Maybe you should spend less time day dreaming and more paying attention! Come to the board!"

The boy muttered under his breath as he stood up and walked to the front of the class, Sebastian following him. He took the smartboard marker that was offered to him and he began to read the problem.

He had no clue how to do it.

"Come on now, Ciel. We saw this yesterday. " Sebastian teased, arms crossed. Ciel's hand clenched over the marker.

You good for nothing-

Ciel changed his position to make it seem like he was thinking. Sebastian sighed.

"Maybe this is a sign I should resign and you should get an actual tutor."

Ciel's shoulder's tensed. Sebastian could tell he was nearing his boy's patience.

"Fine, fine." The boy quickly followed Sebastian's directions and soon had the answer on the board. The teacher looked frustrated at his success.

"That is correct. You may take a seat, Phantomhive."

The blue haired boy turned back towards his desk, walking by Sebastian.

"You're welcome." He said cheerfully.

Ciel didn't look at him, and instead said "Curse you" in the hand gestures they had created when Ciel had turned 10 (in preparation for his first 'work meeting' with his father's company, which was obviously just going to have him sitting there doing nothing. It also proved useful for when Ciel's asthma would act up, leaving the boy too ill to speak. Also it is a little less weird to make hand gestures to thin air than to talk to it).

The rest of the day passed fairly quickly, which Ciel was glad for. They walked home in silence, Sebastian watching the boy like always. He never tired of it. So many years at the boy's side and Sebastian was still as interested as ever. An echo of the past crossed his mind.

"Sebastian?"

"Hm?"

"Are you real?"

The question had caught him off guard. The Ciel asking this was 7 years old: one who had not yet been forced into therapy, and had never been worriedly questioned by his mother.

Sebastian had not expected for the boy to think he wasn't real, but as he quickly thought about human psychology he saw what would have made Ciel come to that conclusion. His eyes softened.

"Even if I said yes, it wouldn't mean anything, would it?"

Even in the dark he could clearly see Ciel's eyes as they stared into his.

"No… I guess not…" The boy laid on his back and looked at the ceiling before closing his eyes. "Goodnight, Sebastian."

"…Good night."

"Sebastian?"

"Hm?" He acted as if he had not just been forced out of his thoughts. Ciel watched him curiously.

"What were you thinking about so hard? Don't even try to deny it."

Sebastian wondered sometimes if he should have distanced himself from the boy a long time ago. Ciel knew him too well. Sebastian could have easily watched the boy without letting him know, yet for some reason he let their interactions continue for years.

"Funerary arrangements. They may be necessary if you continue to have grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner. I think you'd look rather dashing lying over a bed of white roses."

"Oh shut up. Maybe my mother is home and we can go to a restaurant." Sebastian snorted in response. Ciel gave him a weak glare. "Wow thanks for all the positivity."

The boy looked up at the sky, lost in thought. Sebastian watched him carefully.

"We could… go on an adventure? Just keep walking until we find somewhere to eat? I might not know the way back, though."

Sebastian smirked.

"What do you mean? Have I ever let you get lost?"

Ciel glared.

"Yes."

"Oh, but that was once! And you have to admit it was quite funny."

"It was pitch dark! And on Halloween!" Ciel scowled, resulting in a snicker from Sebastian.

"It's alright, Ciel. After all, I would never let anything happen to you."

The boy looked down at his shoes.

"I know."

Some walking later, they came across a coffee shop. The moment Ciel opened the door, his eyes widened like a child's on Christmas.

"Cake!" Ciel ran to the counter where there were many different types of cakes behind the glass. Ciel stared dreamily at them. Mey rin was not a good baker, and although his mother actually was she was never around, so cake was a rare treat which Ciel adored. As the boy fanned over the desserts, Sebastian gave him a look that any outsider would have described as fond. Ciel turned to him.

"Which should I choose!"

Sebastian's response, which was along the lines of "cake isn't much healthier than grilled cheese sandwiches, and you aren't being careful at all about talking to thin air", died on his lips as he saw the boy's bright expression. He sighed before speaking.

"You have enough money for 2 slices, do you not?"

"You're right!" Ciel cheered, which earned him a few raised eyebrows. "I'm going to get those two then!" He pointed through the glass.

"Good choice."

Once served, Ciel moved to a little table, Sebastian standing at his side.

"Here I go!" He cut a bit of the first piece and passed it through his lips, savoring it. "Gah! I wish so bad that my mom would make this more often! The last time I had cake was on my birthday!"

Sebastian remembered clearly how happy the boy had been with his red velvet cake from his mother. His own present had been telling the boy the answers to all tests that took place that day.

This lead him to a very peculiar memory…

"-eba-tian!" 3 year old Ciel yelled out as he neared him. The child still had problems pronouncing the "S" correctly, which Sebastian still found ironic. He kneeled down to be as close to eye level with the boy as possible.

"What is it, Ciel?"

"Itu-going to be my bir-day choon!"

"Yes, I am aware."

Sebastian stared at those eyes that seemed to sparkle.

"And you?" The boy asked. Red eyes blinked in confusion.

"What about me?"

"Your bir-day!"

Surprise filled Sebastian's face. The boy smiled, excitedly waiting for an answer.

"I do not have one." He responded. Ciel gasped in a child's version of utter horror.

"No! Thatu not good!" He pouted, which brought a soft smile to Sebastian's lips. The boy crossed his arms and looked away for a second before turning back with a determined expression. "Then we'll chair!"

This shocked Sebastian greatly.

"What?"

Ciel was smiling again.

"My birt-day will be your bir-day too, ok?"

He knew not how to respond, all he could do was watch as the child ran back to his toys with a gleeful laugh.

So each December 14, Ciel would give Sebastian something too. Like how on his fifth birthday Ciel convinced his parents to buy him a cat because he knew how much Sebastian liked them. Sebastian was honestly overjoyed, but it soon became apparent that Ciel was allergic to cats. They had to return the feline, which had the poor blue eyed boy crying and apologizing to Sebastian wholeheartedly. Although he had truly been disappointed, Sebastian was touched by Ciel's gesture.

Each year Ciel found a way to surprise him. Whenever Sebastian though the boy would run out of ideas, he didn't. Ciel's last birthday had been the one that surprised him the most…

"Gift time!" Was the first thing Ciel said the morning of his 13nth birthday.

"That was fast."

Ciel stood up, clearing his throat and looking very serious all of a sudden.

"I don't remember very well how it happened… the day I gave you your name…" Sebastian remembered perfectly, but he stayed quiet. "I was so little then. So recently I realized something," Ciel looked right into his eyes. "I didn't give you a surname."

Although he didn't express it, Sebastian was shocked. There was a moment of silence.

"Michaelis." Ciel smiled in the closest thing to fondness that he had ever expressed. "Sebastian Michaelis."

Sebastian stayed quiet, expressionless, but there was a strange clenching in his chest. The room was silent for some time until Ciel seemed to lose his patience.

"Well! What do you think?"

"… You are still such a child." He said, eyes soft. Ciel scowled, looking away as a light blush appeared on his face.

"S-shut up! I thought really hard about this, you kno-!"

"Ciel." The boy blinked and looked into the other's eyes. "It's perfect."

"We need to come here more often!" Sebastian blinked as he watched Ciel happily take the last forkful of his second slice of cake.

"You will get fat."

The scowl Ciel gave him was as if all the sugar in his system had suddenly become sour.

"Curse you! I wont!" He exclaimed. That was when he realized that all the talking in the establishment had stopped and everyone was looking at him. He blushed and stared at his empty plate.

"This is why we can't go to nice places." Ciel heard a teasing voice behind his ear. He slammed his hand against the table, making many people jump. He stood up, apologized for the trouble, and got out as fast as possible.

"So much for going more often. I think I won't be able to show my face in this part of town again." The boy muttered, defeated. He sighed. "I really loved those cakes…"

Sebastian chuckled. He was about to speak when his movement suddenly stopped as if he had hit a brick wall. His eyes widened for a second before narrowing dangerously.

Ciel had kept walking for a few seconds until he noticed.

"Sebastian?" He waited for a moment before slowly walking back to where the other was. "What is it?"

But Sebastian didn't seem to hear him. His eyes were unfocused, like he was looking at something that was worlds away, and his body tense.

"Seba-!" Suddenly his head turned sharply towards Ciel.

"Let us go home. Now."

Ciel nodded and practically ran as Sebastian asked him to quicken his pace. Once they were in the Phantomhive household, Ciel supported himself on his knees, catching his breath. He looked up at Sebastian.

"What happened?" He asked between breaths. "What's wrong?"

They made eye contact, a million words expressed through them, but none deciphered.

For the first time, it was Sebastian who looked away. Ciel felt his chest clench.

"Come on! Spit it out!"

The boy forced himself to stand upright. Sebastian clenched his fist before turning calmly to look at him. For the first time since he could remember, Ciel couldn't read his expression.

"Ciel…" The boy's eyes widened, maybe in unconscious fear of the words to follow. "I didn't think It would be necessary for me to tell you this… but I assure you that it is of the uttermost truth," Without meaning to, Ciel held his breath.

"…I am most definitely not imagined."