Grell Sutcliff awoke from his peaceful slumber several hours after passing out. It was nice to awake in a four-poster bed draped in red sheets. Grell didn't remember them being red before he went to sleep. The red head supposed it was the little Brat's way of thanking him.

Sitting up, Grell decided it was time for a bath and was delighted to find a bathroom with a bath already hot and waiting for him, as ordered by Ciel out of gratitude. Red candles were lit along the floor and a red towel was draped over the back of the door.

Grell hesitated before undressing and sinking into the water. Dried blood swirled turning the water red. The reaper closed his eyes and silently thanked the young Phantomhive and his butler. Lover.

To be honest, Grell wasn't surprised Sebastian and Ciel had become lovers. It was obvious Sebastian cared a great deal for his young master, as made evident the first time they had met under no false pretends that Grell was a butler, when Sebastian had risked his arm to save the boy.

Though that had been part of the contract, Grell had known that the contract had very little to do with the old demon's actions. After all, Grell had seen the expression on Sebastian's face when it looked like the scarlet woman, affectionately known as Madam Red, was going to kill Ciel.

And, by subtle hints, it was obvious that Ciel felt just as passionately about his demon.

Grell was envious.

He had come out as a homosexual several decades ago and he still wasn't in a relationship and there those two were barely out and they were already bathing in the brilliance of first love.

Grell smiled as the memory of how intimate the two had been when he had entered the study only a few hours before. It had been so romantic.

When Grell was dressed and ready to live for another day, not that he had a choice, he ventured down the stairs to find the two love birds who were still in the study. Talking.

". . .it's ridiculous. So the man healed after I touched him. It could have been a delayed reaction. Don't reapers heal quickly?"

"Not when they are shredded by my kind, they don't." Sebastian said. "He would have had to go through Satan's Pit itself to find out what he did and I refuse to tell you what that's like."

"You mean, you've been to the Pit before?" Grell asked coming into the room.

Sebastian didn't answer, he only winced.

"Oh, Bassy, you poor thing."

Ciel let out a sigh and rolled his eyes. "You know, Reaper, if you weren't constantly flirting with my man, I might actually like you." he mused with an amused smile, his visible eye twinkling with a tender light.

The other two males in the room looked at the young Phantomhive as if he had gone insane.

"Young master, are you feeling alright?" Sebastian asked.

Ciel smiled became softer and Grell suddenly saw the appeal the little Lord had for the older demon. The sweet, tender side that was usually hidden beneath a wall of dignity and pride. A wall that was cracking some, allowing a little of the warm heart that lay behind to shine through.

And, my, is it bright.

"You really are something, Phantomhive." Grell said with something like admiration.

"You too, Sutcliff." was the response the young Lord chose to give.

Grell laughed.

It was a surprise to Grell, how much he didn't want to leave but leave he did and only a few minutes later. It was lovely to find that he and the Phantomhive could be such good friends even after the episode with Ciel's aunt, Madam Red.

"You didn't have to, you know. Go into the Pit for information." said an all too recognizable voice. "It would seem you have a tender heart after all, Sutcliff."

Grell span around to see William T. Spears standing casually against the wall, pushing up his usual glasses. "William, what. . .what are you doing here?" Grell said, surprised making him sound almost breathless.

"I'm here because you're here." William said calmly. "You've caused a lot of trouble, going into the Underworld like that. Despite your forwardness and your flirtatious ways, there are people that care about you, you know. God knows why. Plus you've given me more over time."

Grell rolled his eyes and put his hands on his hips. "Really?" he said as the other reaper pushed up from the wall. "Is over time all you care about?" Before Grell knew what was happening, he was being pinned to the wall by none other than William himself.

"No." William replied somehow managing to sound perfectly dignified but Grell could see a spark in the elder Reaper's eyes. "That's not all."

Grell found he couldn't move, he could hardly breathe, he couldn't even speak and his heart was racing in his chest.

"What's this? Do I render thee speechless?" William teased as a red hot fire danced in his eyes.

Grell felt his face flush pink.

The other reaper chuckled and trailed kissed down the red head's neck before pulling away and walking off.

Ciel lay on his stomach, on the floor, reading every book he had on mythology.

There was very little on phoenixes and even less on The Great Phoenix.

He rolled onto his back to read a relevant paragraph.

"The Phoenix is an ancient Greek mythological being. . .burst into flames when they die. . .reborn from the ashes up to a thousand years later. . .tears hold healing powers. . .able to carry weights ten times its body weight. . .mates for life. . ."

The young Lord stopped reading.

It was giving him a terrible headache.

Reading could get so very boring.

And Ciel was so very tired.

So very sleepy.

He could just. . .

"My Lord?" Sebastian said unable to locate his master under the stacks of books Ciel had been reading through. "My. . .oh." Sebastian found Ciel fast asleep with a book resting on his chest. Careful not to wake the young Lord, the elder demon picked up the book and read the page it was still on. "I believe you found something, my Love." Sebastian said softly as he read the paragraph. ". . .mates for life indeed."

"S. . .Sebastian?" came the scared little voice of the butler's master.

Sebastian looked at him to find Ciel still asleep but his face was distorted into the very picture of pain and fear. "Ciel?" Sebastian said, crouching down and moving the books out of way.

"Seb. . .Sebastian!" tears were escaping from the corners of the young one's visible eye and the eye patch he was wearing was quickly getting soaked.

Sebastian pushed away the books, no longer caring if they got damaged in the process, in order to get to his lover. He grabbed the lord, awaking the frightened young master, and pulled him into a warm embrace. Ciel's chest heaved as he sobbed, shaking uncontrollably. Sebastian buried his face in the young one's soft black hair and just held the little Lord as he calmed.

Oh, Ciel. . .

It didn't take long for Ciel to calm enough that he was no longer crying. He stayed perfectly still, relaxing into Sebastian's arms. "I'm sorry." Ciel said softly, noticing Sebastian was shaking.

Sebastian pulled away enough to look at the young Earl's face. "What on earth have you got to feel sorry about?" he asked.

"You're shaking."

Sebastian blinked.

I should have known you'd be more worried about me, you daft thing. . .

"Ciel, the only one with any right to worry is me and about you." Sebastian said. "Are you alright?"

Ciel nodded.

Sebastian let out a sigh. "What am I going to do with you?"

"Kiss me?"

Sebastian laughed and was only too happy to oblige.

For those that don't know what 'daft' means, it's an english word for silly or unreasonable. In the context used here, it means the first of the two.

Continue reading until I deem it complete, pretty please.

I'll tell you what the 'K' in my name (if you've been on my profile) stands for if you do.

I know things are a little blury and I appologize but everything is this blury to the other characters too.

Love you all so so much.

S.K. Foan