Hiya! I start school next week on Monday. . I'm sad.

As Natasha expected, Nicholas was immediately thrown onto the pavement, resulting in flying debris. Sebastian had, effortlessly shielded his daughter and young master with a silver platter. Ciel raised a brow, but didn't say much, deciding instead to watch the scene play out.

The man was also currently beating Nicholas to a pulp. "You idiot!" he growled, "Mom is losing her shit because of you!"

"B-But I found Sebastian for you!" The younger brother wailed, pointing at the demon.

"Eh?" he said, dumbfounded. "I didn't even notice-"

Seeing that he had calmed down considerably, Natasha burst up from her seat and less than gracefully jumped into his arms, shouting happily, "James! It's been so long since I've seen you! Did you get taller?"

His facade changed considerably and he smiled graciously at the little demoness. James set her down on her feet and then bowed ceremoniously, "Good afternoon, Little Lady. I am glad to see you as well, I trust that you've been having fun?"

James was handsome, there was no denying it. His hair was silver, like his brother's, but more polished. His eyes were a deep red as well, though they had a gentle hue. His face was expertly proportioned and perfectly defined. He was tall, taller than even Sebastian. His build was lanky, but muscular and shown slightly through his clothes. He appeared an intelligent, young gentleman.

"Yes, of course! I am here with my dad," she grinned sheepishly. "Why don't you introduce yourself, butler?"

Sebastian stepped forward, sizing up the new demon and then sighed. He extended his hand towards James in greeting, "You've grown quite a bit, boy. How've you been treating my daughters?"

James grabbed onto Sebastian's hand and was shaking it profoundly. His happy mood changed and within seconds James' cheeks became tinted with pink and he suddenly blurted out, "My lord, I ask you for your approval of my courtship with Scarlett. I know this is sudden, but I've come to terms with my feelings for her and I want her to be my wife someday." His eyes widened comically, as if he couldn't believe what he had just said. "I also think that the girls are very happy with me!"

"Is that so?" Sebastian asked.

The three young ones were having trouble containing their laughter. "Is he an idiot?" Ciel wondered aloud, with a humored huff.

Natasha smacked him lightly on the shoulder and giggled quietly a small, "Only sometimes!"

"All the time, Ciel. All. The. Time," Nicholas chuckled. "Especially when he's nervous, like right now." Realization marked over his face and then he stood abruptly, calling out, "Hey! Sebastian, James! Are you going to fight here?! Can I watch?"

"That's right," Natasha gasped. "They have to fight for Scarlett! I completely forgot about that! Ciel, you're going to see something beyond extraordinary today! It gets very messy, really fast! By the end of it, both participants are usually bloody and everything around them has gone to shit."

Ciel looked at his companion and blinked at her, "Fight, here? In my backyard?"

"It seems that the young master doesn't wish for us to fight, James," Sebastian stated, harboring a smirk. "It appears that you won't have approval on anything, today."

"Oh, I didn't say that you couldn't fight on my property," Ciel answered. "You can fight all you want, but whoever loses has to restore the damage by hand."

Nicholas blanched and stated with a laugh, "You're diabolical!"

James looked down at the sitting boy and asked, "Who might you be, human one?" He held out a hand to shake.

"Ciel Phantomhive," he replied. They shook hands and then Ciel said, "I'm hoping you won't disappoint. I'd like to see Sebastian lose, at least once. Wouldn't that be fun?"

Sebastian smiled at him and expressed dryly, "It would be fun, wouldn't it? But as a representative of the Phantomhive Household, I won't lose."

"That's what I like to hear," Ciel smirked. "Why don't we make this more interesting? A person alone won't be able to repair the damage I'm told will come to my things. . Why doesn't the relative of the loser help him out?"

"That seems fair," James piped up. "I'm sorry, Natasha," he bowed, "But I really want your sister, so I won't lose either."
Natasha shook her head and smiled at him in a very cool, cruel manner, "Sure! Just know, that by betraying me like this you have to buy me something, regardless if you win or lose."

"I won't be losing," Sebastian reminded her. "Do you really think so little of your old man, Natasha? That's depressing."

"So we have a deal," Ciel confirmed. "You can start whenever you want."

Nicholas was stuffing his face with small sandwiches, muttering to himself, "I'm going to fix a yard today. I can't believe my brother is so stupid." He sniffed and pointed an accusing finger at the human, "Ciel, you're evil! What kind of friend are you?!"

"I never said we were friends, did I?" he retorted, resuming his seat. "There's not much to do today, and I was feeling rather bored. Now, things are interesting, aren't they?"

Natasha reluctantly sighed, "I gotta agree with him, Nicholas. I, personally, haven't seen my dad fight anyone close to our clan in a long time, if ever. Besides, although I absolutely adore and approve of James, I want to see if he's worthy of protecting my beloved sister."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever."

"Natasha!" James exclaimed, "Those words. . They were so kind! You approve of me?" His eyes were gleaming and he pointed an accusing finger at his younger brother, "Nicholas! As Natasha is your future wife, you cannot allow her to sully her hands! As your superior, I am ordering you to take her place, should her father lose to me in battle."

Nicholas blanched and yelled out, "What?! You can't be serious! Either fucking way I have to help clean?! That's unfair! She's perfectly capable of doing it herself, don't be swayed by her lies!"

The two older demons looked on in disdain, along with Ciel, who thought himself to be a gentleman through and through. "I actually feel a little sympathy for you, Natasha. Your fiancee would actually make you work in the yard. I mean, even I would never do that to Lizzy. ."

"Alright, alright! I'll take her place," Nicholas grumbled, "But that means I'll have to be rewarded later, got it?"

"How honorable of you," Natasha dryly commented. "I am most lucky to be the bearer of your firstborn child, definitely."

Nicholas gave her a cheeky grin and then pounced on Ciel with a sudden accusation, "That thing about us being friends was mean, Ciel! Why didn't you tell me you had a fiancee, too?! We can compare of domestic lives-"

"I just met you today!" Ciel fumed, pushing the demon away, "Besides, it's not like I'm actually going to marry her! Did you forget I'm involved in a terminal contract with your father-in-law?"

"Hey-look!" Natasha interrupted, "They started! Wow, I didn't know James could make that kind of face. ."

Indeed, the cheerful-intelligent-looking man who had always seemed cheerful and carefree, to Natasha, at least, looked like a possessed animal. His kind eyes became deadly. They were dilated to the point of almost covering his entire iris. His hands had elongated themselves, showing off long claws. Sebastian showed a similar transformation.

The two demon fledglings and human teen flinched as the sound of tearing flesh and popping bone echoing loudly from Sebastian and James. In that instant, giant, bat-like wings protruded from their backs. Both demons' were snarling from their snapping jaws, exposing menacing fangs.

"Their clothes are ruined," Nicholas murmured, completely mesmerized by how cool his brother looked. I never thought, not even once, that James might be able to pull this off, but. . Maybe I underestimated him. I can't wait to show Ma how ruthless he looks right now. Dad will be proud, too.

"This looks so amazing, doesn't it?" Natasha breathed, "Ciel, don't cry, even if you get scared."

A vein in his forehead throbbed and Ciel was quick to snap at her, "Do you honestly think I would cry because of something like this? Are you an idiot?!"

She frowned at him, "i was giving you a friendly warning! And I am not an idiot!"

"You two are missing it!" Nicholas huffed, pointing at the sky. "Your old man still has it, see!"

Sebastian spiraled a kick into James' stomach at that moment, and in retaliation, was punched square in the jaw. No weapons were being used. Their attacks were strictly hand-to-hand. . or foot-to-mouth.

Without warning, James was sent flying down into the ground, enticing a loud bang!

"Damn. Did you hear that crack?" Nicholas blanched, recalling how his brother cradled his jaw on his way down. "I know it's a right of passage and everything, but this looks serious. ."

"Are you scared that Sebastian will kill your precious older brother?" Ciel laughed, shaking his head.

"Don't worry, Nicholas, he won't," Natasha interjected, wagging her index finger. "James is putting up a very good fight right now and even my dad has to acknowledge that. Most demons my father's age wouldn't last five minutes in a battle with him, and here, James is up to fifteen." She glanced at their makeshift battlefield and nodded, "He's a relatively clean fighter, too. Ciel's property hasn't taken that much damage. The only things that have been tampered with are a few tree branches and the occasional indent of a body in the dirt."

The three of them continued to gaze on at the fight for Scarlett's hand, taking identical sips of tea when an especially painful-looking blow was given.

"Ah," Natasha groaned, taking a violent bite of her miniature sandwich, "This is getting absolutely nasty! I don't even want to watch anymore!"

Sebastian's cheek was torn, having been sliced through evenly. They could all make out the outline of his teeth, gleaning in the sunlight. Slowly, the dead skin peeled off and gave way for new flesh.

"Blegh," Ciel agreed, wearing the same face of disgust. "The regeneration is pretty grotesque, too."

Nicholas remained quiet, with his eyes tightly shut. "Their clothes are ruined with blood, tears and dirt. . My old man's gonna be so proud!"

"It looks like your brother's getting tired out there, actually," Ciel mumbled, eyes transfixed on the silver-haired demon. "That wound sliced on his shoulder is still bleeding."

James was breathing heavily and no longer able to fly in the air, nevertheless, he continued to stagger towards Sebastian. "I can still," he huffed, "I can still beat you! Even though, this hurts, I will win, Sebastian!"

"What an idiot!" Nicholas howled, "He looks half-dead already! There's no way he can even touch Sebastian now, much less dodge an attack!"

Looking thoroughly satisfied, Sebastian grabbed James' head with one hand and squeezed it with enough force to make a ear-splitting crack echo into the air. The defeated demon then, collapsed into the ground. Looking over at him in disdain, Sebastian sighed, "You have my permission, though since you're unconscious right now, you won't remember what I just said."

"I did hear what you said," James slurred, forcing a fist-pump. "I'll have Nicholas clean up the mess later and I get to marry you-" His eyes became hazy and effectively, his worn-out body gave in to exhaustion.

Natasha smirked and said aloud, "Wow, Nicholas! Your brother fought for my sister's hand and earned it fair-and-square! Don't you want to prove yourself to me, your bride-to-be, as well as my father that you're just as capable?!"

Catching on to her cue, Sebastian allowed himself a small chuckled and shook his head slightly at his daughter's antics. "Get your ass out here, boy! I can take you on just fine!" He called out, while grabbing James by the leg and dragging him to where the children were. "What do you say?" he asked, as he stood proudly in front of the demonic teenager.

"I- uhm, I'll have to pass. . I have a stomach ache you see. ."

I've been getting ready for school lately and jeeze, I can't believe I'm nervous. I mean, at my age, really? Anyways, thanks for reading. Slowly, but surely, I'm getting back into this!