TITLE: MALE ORDER BRIDE
SUMMARY: After being raised his whole life as a girl just to be sold as an undercover bride to a rich nobleman with some questionable choices in partners, Ciel takes matters into his own hands and arranges so that his childhood crush serves as his husband. However it's difficult when your fiancé has a boyfriend and next to no interest in your frilly clothes and girly makeup.
STORY PAIRINGS: Ciel+Sebastian, Alois+Calude

PLEASE NOTE: This story is rated M. According to the FF site, that means it has to be appropriate for ages 16+ WITHOUT explicit content, which includes adult language, themes, and suggestions. This story meets those requirements.


CHAPTER 3


When Sebastian came home he found Ciel sitting on the sofa. Her arms folded, a frown on her face. He smiled at her. "It's nice to see you out of your room. Are you hungry?"

He flung his coat across the back of a nearby chair and was in the process of removing his tie when he was hit with a crumpled up piece of paper. It didn't hurt or anything but it did take him by surprise. He leaned down looking at what Ciel had thrown at him and he frowned. "Did my note upset you or something?"

"You can't write things like that down!" Ciel snapped. "If anyone had found that piece of paper—."

"It's not like I left it on a counter top at a public café, it was here. So don't worry so much. Women who worry get a lot get gray hair and wrinkles early in life," he pointed out heading to the kitchen. Ciel jumped to his feet following him. He couldn't believe Sebastian was being so calm. True he didn't know what had almost happened, but still…

"Just stop leaving notes around that mention anything of the sort, alright!?"

"Alright, alright," Sebastian said waving away his words like they were nothing as he got into the fridge taking out some food.

"Sebastian, please don't act like this doesn't matter. It's serious!"

"Man, is it your time of the month or what?" he asked frowning.

"My time of the—. What are you—," he paused. His eyes widening… "Sebastian… do you… You think I'm a—."

Sebastian blinked at him raising an eyebrow. "What?"

Ciel's face suddenly went the brightest red Sebastian had ever seen on a person's face and after that Ciel took off straight towards her room. Sebastian blinked. What was her problem? Sighing he sat the food he had just taken out on the table and walked to her room knocking on the door. "Ciel are you alright?"

"…"

"C'mon, why don't you come out here and eat dinner with me. You must be hungry…"

"…"

"Look it's boring having a housemate I never see and if we're supposed to be pretending to be in a relationship then we should at least converse once in a while…"

Ciel had sunk to the floor sitting with his back against the wall. How had he not known? The site should have explained everything... Had he not read it thoroughly?

He jumped up rushing over to the computer loading up the site he read the top heading.

Male Order Bride

It clearly said Male, but he supposed if you read it through quickly you might not have noticed. He scanned the rest of the paragraphs. It never specifically mentioned that the people shown were actually men. Then again the people who accessed the website should know that… Now that he thought about it, how had Sebastian accessed the website? It was supposed to only be a site for nobles and those of royal blood. He could have sworn he thought about this before but never really gave it much tonight. Now… now he was really curious…

He got up opening the door, Sebastian had already returned to the kitchen. Feeling rather shy now that he knew Sebastian thought he was actually a girl. He felt more nervous being around him. Walking slowly he went into the kitchen suddenly more aware of his body movements and voice. He took extra special care that it sounded more feminine, even though it kind of already did.

"Um… Sebastian."

"Hungry after all?" he asked smiling.

"No… I have a question."

"Shoot."

"How… Um… How did you find the site where you contacted me from?"

"…" he frowned slightly like he was in deep thought. "Well… it was weird. The screen was in my browser History, I check it often cause my boyfriend likes to get on some rather inappropriate sites."

"…That's impossible..." How would that fool have known of a site like theirs? Sebastian evidently thought he was referring to something else for he answered.

"No, not really. I have lots of friends who come in and out all the time, and they get on my computer as they please. One of them probably visited the site. I'm glad I found it though," he said. "You wouldn't be here otherwise."

"You're… you're friends with nobles?"

"Hhmm… not particularly. Though… I don't really ask my friends about their backgrounds. If they wanted to tell me they would," he explained. "Now will you come eat?"

Shit, Ciel thought. This really had been a big mistake. If that site hadn't been in his browser history, Sebastian never would have put in an order and he would most likely be that assholes toy right now...

Should he tell Sebastian? The longer he put it off the worse it would be when Sebastian finally did find out. Did he have to? Perhaps he could just keep it a secret until the whole scam was done. Perhaps… Though perhaps not. What if Sebastian walked in on him in the shower one day or something else along those lines occurred. He didn't want Sebastian finding out in one of those ways. He had to tell him now before this got too out of hand. He had to say something right this moment or he was going to be forced into keeping this secret forever...

He felt something touch his forehead. It was a celery stick. He blinked at Sebastian's grinning face. "C'mon, I know you're hungry."

He placed the celery stick against his lips and feeling slightly annoyed he bit a hold of it taking it from Sebastian he began munching on it as Sebastian went to cutting the rest of the celery sticks for whatever he was making.

Well… perhaps he could keep it a secret for a little bit longer…


The next day around lunchtime the doorbell rang. Ciel felt his heart stop. Grell was already here smothering Sebastian in front of him so it could only be Mr. Gerard. He held his breath as Sebastian headed to the door Grell continued clinging to him.

"Wait, Sebastian. If Grell…" Ciel began.

"I know," Sebastian said prying Grell off and telling him to behave. He opened the door. Ciel couldn't see from where he was so he waited impatiently to hear the person's voice.

"Hello, is Ciel here?"

"Who are you?" Sebastian asked. He was staring a lanky young boy with blonde hair. He wore a pair of pants that fell slightly below his knee. He had on a sweater with large pockets. "I'm her—."

Ciel came around the corner smiling. "Elliot hi, how are you—"

Ciel paused as Elliots face seemed to lose its resolve and he suddenly appeared to be on the verge of tears. "Oh," Ciel sighed grabbing his hand. "C'mon follow me. We'll be a minute…"

With that Ciel brought Elliot to his room closing the door behind them.

"What the hell was that?" Grell snapped glaring towards the door.

"Leave them to their business," Sebastian said heading back to the living room he plopped himself down before the television.

"What if that's her boyfriend? What if she's cheating on you in there."

"Whatever," Sebastian said shrugging. "Technically I'm cheating on her with you so oh well…"

"Oh Bassey! Our love is so romantically forbidden. Let's kiss!" Grell said sitting beside him leaning in for a kiss only to have Sebastian smooched a pillow into his face.


"What's wrong?" Ciel asked having Elliot sit on his bed.

"Whaa! Ciel it's so bad. I'm scared!"

"Scared of what?" he asked raising an eyebrow.

"Mama says… mama says I might have to have surgery…"

"Surgery? Are you sick?" he asked.

"No… but… but…" he sniffed wiping his eyes on his sleeve. "I um… I sort of… Yesterday I started… I…"

"I get it," Ciel said leaning back.

"Ciel…" his face was slightly red upon saying this. "This means my breasts are going to start coming in, and Mama said if I take anything after her they'll be huge… I can't pose as a boy with breasts the size of watermelons…"

Ciel sighed. It was shortly after Ciel had found out he was a boy that his cousin Elliot had been told that he was a girl. Originally named Elizabeth at birth her parents quickly changed it when they realized it would be more profitable to raise her as a boy. So he was from that point on Elliot sometimes called Eli by friends.

"I… I don't want to have surgery…"

"Hhmm…" Ciel sighed. He got up going over to his computer. After a quick search he found out something called a compression shirt. "Here, get one of these."

Elliot ran over to the computer staring at the screen.

"It says they'll work for smaller breasts. Maybe if you try wearing it while they're coming in they won't grow out as much. Though don't wear it 24/7 that'll probably be bad… It's not a complete fix but it should put off the need for a surgery if only for a while…"

"Oh thank you Ciel!" she said wrapping her arms around Ciel's shoulders and hugging him.

"You're welcome," he said closing the screen on his computer. "Have they chosen a wife for you yet?"

"Um…" she looked crestfallen again. "Yea… Do you remember Lady Ermengarde?"

"Uh…" He remembered her. Lady Ermengarde was an older woman with bony old fingers and overly long fingernails. She always hair her hair in a bun so tight that he and Eli would often joke that it had to be that tight to hold her face on.

"Oh God not her!"

"No, her daughter."

Ciel sighed. "Oh that sucks…"

"Yea… But hey. You got someone kinda cute. It's Sebastian, that black haired guy out there right."

"Uh yea…" Ciel nodded.

"You should be happy. I... we knew him as kids didn't we? Yes, I remember now. He was always so nice to us at his father's parties. I miss those days…"

"Me too…"

"You know," Elliot said walking over to look out Ciel's window. "We always talked with our tutors about the day when we would marry a same sex partner, but it almost felt like that day would never come didn't it…"

"Yeah," Ciel agreed.

"Now it's here. I have to move in with my new wife at the end of this week. I'm kinda scared…"

"…" Unfortunately Ciel had no consoling line he could say there.

"Yeah… but hey. You won't be forced to sleep with her until you actually get married right?"

"No we're not supposed to, but you know what our tutors warned us about. It'll probably happen…" she turned to Ciel grinning. "So did you and Sebastian already have your first time?"

Ciel felt his face grow red and he turned away quickly.

"Ah! You did!" she gasped rushing around to see his face and he was forced to turn away again.

"No, no. We haven't done anything like that…"

"Oh, well. At least he isn't what we were warned to be prepared for. Or at least not as far as you know anyway…" she said smiling.

"I guess…" he sighed folding his arms.

"Hey!" she said suddenly clapping her hands together. "You know what would be fun! Let's dress up. You can put on my clothes and I'll try on something from your closet."

"Uh…"

"C'mon, how long has it been since you put on boy clothes?" she asked. "You know you want to..."

"…" He did want to. He hadn't seen his boy self in forever. It would be kind of nice to see it again. Ciel hurried over wiping off his makeup and Eli took off her clothes leaving them on the bed. She immediately hurried over to Ciel's closet picking out the frilliest dress she could find. Ciel took his dress off letting it fall to the floor. They had never been shy around each other, not since they found out what the other one really was. So they would often try on each others clothes in an attempt to see what they could have been.

Ciel walked over putting on her pants and shirt and then tied on her shoes. Elizabeth put on Ciel's dress spinning around watching the skirt flow around her knees. She hurried over to Ciel's mirror and stopped. "Uh, Ciel…"

She turned back to him. "Can I borrow your wig?"

Ciel had almost forgotten about it, he was so used to wearing it. He removed the clips and handed it over scratching his head. Taking his wig off always made his head itch. Elizabeth put it on her head smiling. "I always wondered what it would be like to have long hair…"

She ran her fingers through the strands smiling.

Ciel walked over to the mirror and actually found he felt slightly strange. His boy appearance was so unfamiliar to him it was like looking at a stranger. He wondered if this is how people felt who were born the wrong gender for the way their mind worked.

"Elliot?" Ciel said softly staring at his appearance. "As a girl, would you consider me handsome?"

"…" She blinked up and him smiling. "Yes. You're very handsome Ciel. You would have been a very handsome boy and I'm sure wonderful husband."

He knew it didn't mean much coming from a family member but he felt a little better hearing her say that. "Thanks…"

"What about me?" she asked skipping to the center of the room where she spun around smiling.

"Cute as ever," he answered.

Her smile widened slightly.

"Come here," Ciel said pulling out his desk chair. "I'll do your makeup."

"Really! I've never put makeup on," she hurried over looking quite excited. Ciel took out his makeup kit and began doing up her face. Picking the best colors for her skin tone and everything. When he was done he spun the chair around so she could see herself.

"Wow…"

He grinned. "Do you like how you look?"

"…"

"Um… Eli?"

"…"

Suddenly tears began falling down her face and she folded her arms burring her face in her arms. He knelt down next to her. "I'm sorry…"

"I don't… I don't want to be a boy… I don't want to marry a woman. I… I wish I could look like this every day," she sniffed peeking up and looking at herself in the mirror.

"C'mon," Ciel said, grabbing one of the strands he slowly pulled the wig off her head. "Let's get dressed before Sebastian gets suspicious."

She took her makeup off and put on her original clothes in silence. It felt disheartening to be going back... She walked over to the door just as Ciel was putting the last few pins into the wig to hold it in place.

"Ciel…"

"Yeah?"

"If I do end up having to have a breast reduction surgery, will you come to the hospital with me?" she asked.

"Of course," he said reassuringly. "I'll be right with you when you go in and I'll be right beside you when you get out."

There were medications she could take technically. But while he and the other boys pretending to be girls had to take medicine to keep them looking feminine into adulthood, the girls didn't have the same stipulation because they feared they would become too masculine. It was necessary that the women (even when posing as men) still remained pretty.

"Thank you," she said hugging him quickly before they opened the door heading out into the living room. Sebastian pushed Grell off him rather quickly. It seemed to Ciel they had been kissing. Luckily Eli hadn't noticed. "I'll see you later Ciel."

She turned to Sebastian bowing. "It was nice seeing you again Mr. Michaelis."

"Have we met?" he asked.

"You probably don't remember me. I'm Ciel's cousin Eli."

Sebastian searched his memory and then he remembered. "Oh, you the little blonde kid I'd always see hanging out with Ciel."

"That's me," he said smiling.

"Well it was nice to see you again," Sebastian said getting up and greeting him properly. "You sure have grown. Though you're too thin. You should eat more meat…"

He laughed. "Silly as always Sebastian. Bye everyone!"

She waved before hurrying off. Ciel had walked with her to the door and waved goodbye as she got in the limo waiting for her. He closed the door behind her genuinely missing his cousin now that she had left. They shared a special bond because they were going through the same thing. The only difference… Ciel was cheating…


Ciel knew one thing. He had to get Sebastian to like him so he wouldn't be thrown out at a later date, and he had to hide his gender until he found an appropriate time to tell him. The next day he put on his frilliest dress. He wasn't sure what Sebastian liked in women. Did he like women with long hair? Tight clothing? Heavy makeup? Light makeup? Short hair? Ah! This was confusing…

He was gay though right? After all he was dating Grell…

Maybe he should just walk out and be like, by the way, I'm a boy!

No… the very idea of revealing that made him feel like throwing up. He would have to get into the whole story about how he grew up thinking he was a girl and well… it was embarrassing enough. He didn't want Sebastian to know. Sebastian had always known him as a girl and for as long as he could manage it he would always know him that way…

Alright so how could he break Grell and Sebastian up? He would have to make Sebastian look at him rather than Grell, and that meant he was going to have to pull out every trick Mrs. Annafellows ever taught him.

"Oh good morning," Sebastian said looking up as Ciel walked into the kitchen.

"Morning," Ciel said walking over the fridge.

"I made extra eggs. Want some?" Sebastian asked.

"Uh… sure…"

Sebastian put some on his plate handing it to him. They both sat down at the time. It was awkward having breakfast together like this… Ciel kept glancing up at him and he kept looking up from his magazine to Ciel's face. When his phone rang at last to break the silence of clanking dishes Sebastian jumped to his feet saying, "Thank God."

"Hello?"

"Oh Claude hi."

Claude was on the road heading in the direction of Sebastian's house. "Hey, listen I just broke up with the guy I was seein'."

"And you're looking for a rebound. Sorry, I'm sorta busy here. You know with my boyfriend and fake wife. That's a lot to have on one plate."

"Ha ha, in your dreams. Listen… my parents are hounding me about marriage again. They made me break up with my boyfriend and there was kinda a huge fight… So can I crash at your place to hide from them? They'll find me at my apartment."

"Sure, it's just me and misses here," he said glancing of at Ciel and smiling. She didn't smile back but rather looked nervously away.

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot. I guess I'll meet her then…"

"Just go to the website like I did. There were lots of girls on there to pick from…"

"No I don't think so, beside I know the type of girls on that site..." he said frowning.

"Hey don't be rude," he snapped. "She happens to be beautiful. Looks almost like a model. A little young but, whatever, she'll grow up…"

"Well whatever, so long as I have a couch to crash on when I get there I don't really ca—"

SCREEEEEEECH! CRACK!

The sound erupted on the other end of the phone. Sebastian felt his heart jump. Did he just hear a car crash on the other end of the line...

"Claude?!"

Ciel looked up at the change in tone.

"Claude?! Hey man, you okay?"

"Yeah…yeah…" groaned the other's voice. "Some idiot being stupid… I'll have to call you back…"

"Uh, okay. You sure you're alright?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'll call you later."

With that he hung up.

Claude had swerved to avoid hitting some punk who had run out in front of his car, and had in turn hit a telephone pole. His wrists hurt, his neck was sore, but more than anything he was pissed that his car was now smoking. Jumping out he slammed the door walking around surveying the damage. Yup… this wasn't going to drive again… He turned seeing the guy he had almost hit who had fallen to the asphalt.

"…and just what the hell were you thinking running out into the street like that!?" Claude snapped glaring down. The kid was clambering to his feet.

"Well?" he barked.

"Well what?" he snapped frowning rubbing small stones off his scrapped hands.

"Why did you—"

But the question was answered for him because just then two men and ran out from an alley nearby. They pointed in the kid's direction and hurried over.

"Just where do you think you're going?" the man snapped.

"Go away! I said I wasn't doing that!" he marched over grabbing the kid by the front of his shirt.

"What's going on here?" Claude asked eying the group. They looked like your usual bunch of thugs. Baggy clothes, overly large shirts. The smell of drugs that caused them to reek more than their body odor.

"None of your business punk," snapped one of the guys glaring up at him.

"It IS my business, this kid just wrecked my car," he snapped indicating the smoking wreck behind him.

"Oh, your boss is gonna be angry," he said shaking the kid slightly.

"Look how about if he gives you a freebie and we all call it even… Huh?" he explained.

Claude was pretty sure he knew what he meant but he decided to play dumb anyway. "A free what?" he asked. folding his arms.

The two guys exchanged looks before the one holding the kid said, "You know, the sort of things you only get done to you if you pay for them. The sort of things one would be too embarrassed to do with a lover…"

The kid looked away nervously, still being held firmly by the man.

"Well, I'm not interested in that. However I think the police will be plenty interested…"

"Crap he's with the cops," one guy barked before taking off. Claude had taken out his cell phone and the other guy took off as well. Leaving him and the kid standing alone. He closed his phone after they had run off. Looking nervous the boy glanced around.

"Uh… well… Bye then," the kid said and began hurrying off.

"Wait, what about my car," he snapped grabbing his arm. "Someone is paying for this…"

"Uh, I don't have any money," the kid said. "Um… I know. How about this… If I can make you laugh before an hours up, then I don't have to pay for your car. Huh?"

It was the stupidest suggestion he had ever heard in his life! Did he really think that would get him out of paying for his car. The boy's eyes were looking worried, and he frowned. Judging by the state of the kid's clothes he didn't have much money anyway. Part of him couldn't believe he was going to agree to this, but a small part of him liked the challenge. He wasn't one to smile or laugh much anyway, and he kinda wanted to see the look on this kid's face when he failed. Sighing, Claude released him. "Alright, you got one hour."

"What really?" the boy said blinking, hardly daring to believe it worked.

"Well, if you got any jokes I suggest you start tellin' them…" Claude snapped. There was a siren sounding from down the street and the boy nervously grabbed his arm. "Well let's go!"

"Go? I can't leave my car like this," Claude snapped.

"It's not like it's going anywhere. Especially now… C'mon, my name is Alois. What's yours?" he said dragging him towards the mall he had crashed out in front of.

"Claude," he answered dully.

Once inside Alois dragged him to the puppy store in which he would grab random puppies pretending they could speak. He would make them dance and wiggle their ears so they looked extra cute. All to no avail, and they were soon kicked out of the store when the clerk realized they weren't actually there to buy a dog. Alois then dragged him to the toy section and proceeded to make the toys chime their sounds, and he made Teddy Bears dance. Still to no avail. Getting desperate they were now ten minutes away from the hours conclusion. Alois dragged him into a clothing store and proceeded to try on clothes much too big for him, and one outfit much too small. Claude showed no emotion through it all. Not even a flicker of laughter.

Alois frowned, this was hopeless, "Probably never even smiled as a kid," Alois scoffed while he was in the dressing room trying on the next funny outfit he hopped would make him laugh. Sliding into a blue dress and plopping a girl's wig on his head he twirled out of the dressing room. Claude up until then hadn't given any sign of emotion other than annoyance. He suddenly looked interested. He got to his feet and walked over to Alois who blinked. "Um… what?"

Claude reached up grabbing his wig and pulled it off his head revealing the short blond hair below. Alois blinked, confused. But still Claude did not smile. A few more random attempts at laughter and the hour was up. Claude had not laughed or smiled once…

"Damn," Alois sighed as they left the mall. "Look I don't have any money so… Maybe if I could pay you in installments or something…"

They were walking down the steps and back out to his car when Alois blinked. Claude's car was gone. "Oh… it went somewhere…" he said frowning.

Claude smirked at that, and Alois happily looked at him. "Ah-ha!" he said. "I got you to laugh!"

"Two minutes too late kiddo," he explained and Alois sighed.

"But I have a better idea…" Claude said turning to him. "If you pretend to be my girlfriend I will not make you pay for my car. How's that sound?"

"Pretend to be your girlfriend?" he repeated. "Do I look like a girl to you?!"

"Not now," Claude explained. "But a minute ago you did. So… will you do it or not?"

Alois frowned. Not like he had a choice. It was either that or work to pay off a car that would probably take his whole life to finish paying.

"Ugh," Alois sighed. "Yea, fine."

"Great, well then… I'll just call me a new car," Claude said taking out his cellphone.

Alois frowned. How does one call a car. He had a sudden image of the bat mobile that drove itself to you with the push of a button. But what turned up was another car and a man got out handing him the keys and bowing before just... walking away... Alois raised an eyebrow as Claude climbed in the car. "Get in," he said.

"My," Alois said, climbing in and sitting on the plush leather seats, teasingly he added, "Is my boyfriend rich?"

"Something like that..." he said starting the car and hurrying down the road.

"This is amazing!" Alois said happily looking at all the buttons in the car. "Well, if you're so rich, then can't you pay for your own damn car?"

"I could," Claude said frowning. "But I don't wish to."

"Oh," Alois frowned. Looking around the car he suddenly gasped, "Oh my God does that button do what I think it does?"

Claude glanced to the side to see what he was referring to. "It's a seat warmer."

"Wow, a button just to make your butt happy. Put a vibrator in this thing and you could make some money chauffeuring people around while they have a good time."

Claude rolled his eyes. "Look, don't say things like that anymore. I need you to act a little more classy."

"Sorry?" Alois said frowning before looking out the window.

"I'm gonna buy you some clothes too so you can look the part."

"Aw," Alois said smiling and leaning back in the seat. "Is this gonna be like Pretty Woman? Are you gonna fall in love with me?"

Claude sighed. This might be more trouble than it will be worth...


Clothes shopping was an ordeal! Alois was very much used to buying whatever he saw that remotely looked nice. Clothes to him, didn't have to match and he could completely justify wearing leopard print with stripes if he felt like it. Claude however took him to one of them high end stores. Just like in Pretty Woman and bought him a number of blond wigs in varying styles. Suitable clothes, even a few floor length ball gowns. While wearing a particularly frilly one Alois looked at his image in the mirror, Claude had his back to him paying the woman at the desk when he heard Alois speak.

"Excuese me, do you remember me?" he said looking at his reflection. "No... I was in here Yesterday. You wouldn't wait on me. You work on commission right?"

Was he really? Claude turned around looking at him talking to himself.

"Yes. Big mistake! Big! Huge!" he lifted the skirt a few inches before letting it fall again. "I have to go shopping now."

"Who are you talking to?" Claude asked frowning.

"Myself," Alois said grinning. "I've just always wanted to say that!"

"That's enough," Claude told the woman. "We don't need to see anything else."

She nodded and began carefully putting away the clothes into bags. Alois was looking nervously at the shoes the woman was packing up.

"Are the shoes necessary?" Alois asked. "I can't walk in them."

"You'll learn," Claude said simply.

"Ugh," he frowned.

Twenty minutes later he was back in Claude's car and they were going down the road again. "So exactly why do I need such fancy clothes anyway?"

"My parents are really rich and high classed," Claude explained. I need you to fool them as well as others in my society.

"Ah, so this really is like Pretty Woman…" Alois said smile. "That guy let her keep the clothes when she was done. Do I get to?"

"No," Claude stated simply. "Those clothes belong to me, you're just borrowing them."

Alois frowned. "I can't even keep one?"

"No!" he snapped. "Let's talk about something more important."

"Like what?"

"Like, do you have any diseases I should be aware of?"

"Rude much!" Alois snapped frowning.

"Well, if I'm going to be kissing you in public I don't want to be catching anything at the same time. So do you have any or not?"

"Ugh no!" he spat. "Probably not…"

"Probably? Ugh, you're getting tested before this goes any further."

"Tested?" Alois frowned. "You don't trust me?"

"I only just met you, how can I trust you. Besides, right now all I know about you is that you're a boy, your name is Alois and you've seen the movie Pretty Woman probably far too many times than can be counted."

"You're mean…" Alois said pulling his feet up to his chest. "I don't know anything about you either other than the fact that you're a rich fucker and you're ashamed of your lifestyle. Mummy and Daddy not to keen on their son being gay huh? Let me guess you're an only child…"

"Nope. I have an older half Brother."

"Half Brother?" Alois frowned. "How can you half a brother? The top half or the bottom half? Or is he kinda split down the middle?"

"Half Brother means, you share one parent. But not the other."

"Oh… demi-frère," he said to himself.

"What?"

"Sorry, English isn't my first language… But it's the same in French. I should have remembered…"

"We'll get to know each other better later. For now, I gotta go talk to a friend..."

"Ah, do I have to start acting now?" he asked.

"No," Claude said undoing his seatbelt. "I'm gonna let him in on our secret so you don't have to hide anything here."

"Cool," he said shrugging.

Claude knocked on the door. "But do try not to be so vulgar here okay."

"I'm not vulgar!" Alois snapped as the door opened. Sebastian stood there smiling and looking rather relieved.

"I was getting worried you know," Sebastian said walking away to let them him. "I thought for a minute you had been hurt more than you let on. Whose that?"

"This is my pretend Girlfriend, Alois," he said simply.

"Pretend Girlfriend?" Sebastian said raising an eyebrow and staring down at the blond kid.

"What? You can have a pretend Wife, but I can't have a pretend girlfriend."

"He has a pretend wife?" Alois asked grinning.

Ciel who had been setting out snacks on the coffee table in the living room looked up upon hearing that. A blond boy a bit older than him came running in. "Hi!" he said smiling. "My name is Alois what's yours?"

"It's C—" but he stopped mid-sentence.

He could not believe who followed in behind him. Claude…

"Your… Your highness," Ciel said nervously before bowing.

Claude had stopped dead turning to him... "Countess…"

"Uh, you two know each other?" Alois asked eying the both of them.

"Did she call you highness?" Sebastian asked.

"Oh, I was not expecting this today," Claude said frowning before sitting down on the sofa. He looked tired and he took off his glasses rubbing his neck.

"What's going on?" Sebastian asked. Then… Sebastian didn't know. He didn't know that his friend was… Suddenly the reason as to why his site was in Sebastian's browser history became obvious. Claude must have been on the site.

"Your highness… Can I?" Ciel asked for permission softly.

"You might as well, you already said it."

"This is Claude, he is a Prince of England."

"Wha! You're a Prince!?" Alois said excitedly. "No wonder you're so rich!"

"Wait a minute," Sebastian said walking to stand next to Claude, a frown on his face. "You're a Prince…"

"Yup."

"A royal Prince?"

"Is there another kind," Claude responded dully.

Sebastian stared at him for a few seconds and added, "of England?!"

"Yes," Claude said impatiently.

Sebastian frowned. The wheels in his mind turning, "Sure are awfully Asian for being a Prince of England ain't ya?"

"Stop it!" Ciel snapped looking angry. "Don't be so rude to him! He is—"

Claude however interrupted him. "Well aren't you delightfully racist."

"Claude is the second son of Queen Elizabeth's son, but from an illegitimate wife. He has an older brother who is in line for the throne hence why you probably haven't heard of him," Ciel said softly.

"Not to mention, you can't really display an Asian man as being one of the people in line to potentially rule England. Thus my family has been pretty secretive about me. It's good though, I get all the perks of royalty with none of the responsibility," he pointed out.

Ciel frowned nervously looking away. How could Sebastian be friends with Royalty!? Claude would know about his being a boy too. If he said anything to Sebastian!

"So, what about you Ciel," Claude said falling on the subject of him far too soon. "I didn't realize when Sebastian told me he had gotten a Bride from online that it would be you… Wait a minute." Suddenly coming to an understanding, he added to Sebastian, "You went to the site I was on didn't you?"

"I found the site in my browser history," Sebastian explained. "Were you the one who had gotten on it?"

"Just for fun I wasn't seriously thinking about getting one. You do realize the hor—"

"Can I get you some tea!" Ciel asked suddenly.

Claude looked back at her, "No, thank you."

He turned back to Sebastian. "That site is supposed to be for royals only. The whole system will be in serious trouble if that leaks out."

"What that royals are buying off other royals for their children? No offense but everyone already knows that royal kids get betrothed to people for money and political reasons. It's not like it's that big of a shock," Sebastian pointed out grabbing a few M&M's from the bowl Ciel had set out.

"Not that big of a shock, Sebastian. You don't understand. If word got out that royals were having same—"

"Are you sure!" Ciel suddenly blurted out. "I could make some up really quick."

"No, I'm fine," Claude said getting impatient now. He turned back to Sebastian. "If word got out that—"

"Claude," Alois said looking at him.

He was getting upset now from being interrupted so many times. "What?" he snapped looking at Alois.

"Shut up," Alois said and with a tilt of his head he indicated Ciel who was seated with her fists on her knees. The knuckles of which were turning white. He was giving Claude a pleading look and suddenly Claude understood. Sebastian must not know… He must not realize that Ciel is a boy. He sighed. Well that was going to cause all kinds of problems. Why hadn't he told him?

"What?" Sebastian asked looking around the room. The definite sense that he was being left out of something hit him. What were they all talking about?

"Yeah, so hi," Alois said looking to Sebastian. "I am Claude's pretend girlfriend. Basically a male prostitute. Now, discuss."

Ciel looked at Alois. It seemed Alois realized the only way to get on a new topic was to bring up one far more scandalous then the current one. Catching Ciel's eye Alois winked at him.

"He's a prostitute?" Sebastian asked.

"You're a prostitute?" Claude asked.

"What?" Alois said blinking. "All my Pretty Woman references throw you off?"

"I thought those guys had just been picking on you."

"No, they sort of manage my client list…"

"Why if you have access to a site of pretty royal girls, do you pick up some male hooker brat off the street?" Sebastian asked.

Why? Because he knew what the people on that site had to go through from a very young age, he knew about the things Ciel himself had had to endure up until now. He wouldn't have got someone off of there if his life depended on it. But he couldn't mention that without revealing to Sebastian that Ciel was a boy…

"Oh gee, I don't know. I'm just crazy like that I guess…" Claude said shrugging and getting to his feet he went into the kitchen. Sebastian followed him quickly.

Meanwhile Alois slid down the couch towards Ciel.

"Sooooo," he said. "You must actually be a boy huh?"

"Ugh…" Ciel looked down nervously.

"And your boyfriend there doesn't know…"

Ciel shook his head nervously.

"Ah, don't worry I won't tell. But you gotta tell me how you walk around in those shoes, only Claude wants me to dress up and pretend to be his girlfriend for parties and shit. Only I can't walk in heels so…"

"You can't date Claude," Ciel pointed out.

"Huh? Why can't I?"

"Did you not hear me earlier? He is a Prince! He may not be directly in line for the throne but he is still royalty and therefore he has to have a royal bride. You are not royalty. There is no way he can date you!" Ciel pointed out.

"Well, that was rude. Especially after I just saved your ass back there…" He snapped folding his arms in a huff.

"I'm not trying to be rude, but this just isn't applicable. You're not going to be able to even be in public so why is he even asking you to pretend?" Ciel frowned. If Claude wanted a boy he could just use the site to get one. They would be visually female and with status. So… this didn't make sense.

"I don't know why and I don't care. I have to do this to pay him back for the car I made him crash today…" Alois said frowning.

Ciel gasped. "Oh yeah… the Prince was in an accident!"

That's right how could he be so stupid. He had heard the phone conversation earlier. He just didn't know that Sebastian's Claude was their Prince Claude. Oh this was bad. He should have asked if he was feeling alright.

"Well, not a bad one," Alois said shrugging. "I mean his car was totaled but—"

Ciel jumped to his feat suddenly hurrying in the kitchen where Claude and Sebastian were talking at the counter. "You Highness, are you feeling alright?"

"Yeah why?"

"Your accident, should I call a doctor?" he asked walking up to him.

"Oh that, nah. I'm just a little sore. It's no big deal…"

"You're not bleeding at all are you? I could get a first aid kit and—"

"Ciel! Stop! I'm fine," Claude said. Ciel suddenly felt something cold on his neck and he jumped a mile spinning around to find Sebastian had touched him with a wet wash cloth.

"What?" Ciel asked upset slightly.

"There is something on your neck, come here."

Ciel started to move closer and then quickly remembered just what was on his neck. "Uh, it's nothing…"

Alois who had wandered into the room was staring at him. "It looks like a hickey to me."

"A hickey?" Sebastian repeated confused. "How the hell do you have a hickey?"

"You didn't give it to her?" Alois asked raising an eyebrow.

"NO!" he snapped. "Of course I didn't!"

"Sure you weren't just drunk and don't remember," he asked eyeing him even more suspiciously. Sebastian actually paused a minute as though he was considering it...

"Okay, I think it's time to leave," Claude said grabbing Alois' shoulders and turning him around. "We'll come again another time."

"Weren't you spending the night?" Sebastian asked, but Claude waved his words away.

"Bye Ciel! If you're cheating on Sebastian I suggest you quit. Rich fuckers get jealous really easily!" Alois pointed out before Claude could push him out of the kitchen. They heard the door to the house close. Ciel sighed as Sebastian turned to him looking curious.

"How do you have a hickey? You didn't have one when you came here…"

"What? You're allowed to see someone else but I'm not?!" Ciel snapped suddenly.

"No, of course not. You can see anyone you want…" Sebastian said looking a little surprised and slightly hurt. "I just wanted to make sure you weren't being hurt. That's all…"

He put a hand on Ciel's head briefly before walking back into the living room. Ciel felt his heart grow heavy. He couldn't let Sebastian believe that! He was supposed to be trying to win him over. So he wouldn't be tossed aside... Lying about this on top of the biggest lie of all would be too much. He decided to tell the truth…

"Sebastian," he said softly walking around the corner. Sebastian had been almost back to the chair. He turned.

"Yeah?"

"I'm not seeing someone… But… someone did come over here to the house the other day…"

"Who?" Sebastian asked.

"One of my other choices for husbands," Ciel admitted miserably. "He wanted to meet you, but… you weren't here."

"So you made out with him? Do you like him? Was he your first choice or something?"

"No!" Ciel answered quickly. He definitely couldn't let Sebastian think that! "No. No he was my last choice... I didn't..."

"Then… he forced himself on you?"

"Not… exactly…" Ciel sighed, and then it all came flowing out like a wave. "Ugh, you had that stupid note on your fridge and he wanted to get a drink. But I couldn't let him see the note so I stood in front of it, and since I refused to move he took that as an open invitation and it just sort of happened okay. Look, you know how he is…"

"I know? How would I know how he is?"

"You've met him before. Gerard remember?"

"Who?"

"At one of your father's hotel parties… You don't remember? He took me upstairs to his room when I was little and… you gotta remember he punched you rather hard." Sebastian looked at her. What was she talking about? But then slowly, the memory of that day crept back into this mind. That perverted man on top of Ciel when she was so little… He blinked.

"That… was the same guy?" Ciel nodded. He felt awful. How could Sebastian have forgotten about such an important event? Hardly a day had gone by when Ciel didn't think about how Sebastian had saved him.

"Ciel…" he said softly. "I'm sorry…"

Ciel blinked. He hadn't expected that.

"That's why you got so upset about the note when I returned home…" Sebastian said softly frowning. "I didn't realize you went through that… There was no excuse I shouldn't have put you in a situation like that."

"You didn't put me in—" Great! Now Sebastian thought he blamed him...

"I will be more careful from now on (like you said) about anything I write down, and I won't go anywhere without taking you with me."

"But…"

"There is no excuse for a man not protecting a woman in danger. None at all. I'm sorry…" he said walking up close to her. Now Ciel just felt bad. He had only wanted to tell the truth so their wouldn't be yet another lie between them and instead he had made Sebastian feel guilty…

"No," Ciel said looking down. "I should have done more to not let him in the house..."

He felt Sebastian's lips press softly against his forehead and his face grew uncomfortably hot. "No, all the blame is on me okay. I don't want you thinking anything like that..."

With that he smiled and went over to the couch. "Wanna watch a movie?"

"…" Ciel blinked feeling his forehead with his hands. "Okay…"


Hope you're all still enjoying!