Gambit

DISCLAIMER: I do not own the characters of Kuroshitsuji, nor am I clever enough to have thought of them on my own. This story contains male/male relationships between an adult and a child—if that offends you, please stop reading now. This story is dedicated to my amazing "husbandou," Dahlia. Without her brilliant ideas, it wouldn't exist!

Chapter 3
His Butler, Amused

"I'll never forgive you for this one," the Phantomhive grumbled furiously as he stood beside his bed, naked with damp hair dripping onto his chest and shoulders. He watched his butler silently from where he stood, eventually crossing his arms over his chest to emphasize how annoyed he was with his devious butler. The small hairs on the back of his neck stood up in a silent rage when he heard the man chuckle softly at his expense from across the room.

"You will, Young Master," that silky voice insisted as gently as ever. "Lady Elizabeth is wearing her cream and pink dress, is she not?"

"I have no idea," Ciel scowled. "Just hurry up, I don't like standing here naked like this!"

Sebastian turned to look at the boy from his place in front of the open wardrobe, and smiled wickedly. His eyes lingered shamelessly on the boy's figure for just a hair longer than was appropriate, finally breaking away when the young Earl blushed and shrank back uneasily. "Forgive me, my Lord," he said, that smile lingering in his voice. He slanted his head thoughtfully as he lifted one ensemble out from the grand collection.

It was primarily black, a color his young master felt most comfortable in at social functions. The vest was lined in a beautiful cream shantung silk that spread onto the lapel in perfect little pleats. The pants were trousers instead of the boy's usual shorts—breaches that reached just below the knee, and ruffled out prettily with that same cream silk. The shantung also ran elegantly up the side seams of the trousers in a perfectly-stitched piping, before meeting up with the waistband. "This will do," the black butler mused happily. He pulled a soft pink shirt from the wardrobe as well and turned to his master with a smile.

"Pink?" Ciel asked, wrinkling up his nose in the most perfect, childlike way. "Are you mad? Why do I even own that…?"

"Lady Elizabeth requested that Miss Nina incorporated pink into your wardrobe, Young Master. You agreed. I believe your exact words were 'anything to shut her up, Nina. Please.'", the butler recalled with a short chuckle. He draped the outfit delicately over the bed and knelt in front of his young master. "Lady Elizabeth asked that you match her tonight for the ball."

The ball. Ciel's eyes narrowed once more and he huffed quietly. That's right—he was mad at Sebastian. "You should have told me about this ball ahead of time! You've known about it for weeks now, haven't you?"

Sebastian's simple smile never left his face as he uncrossed the boy's arms to slide the shirt on patiently. "Didn't I mention it?" he asked.

"No!" Ciel snapped furiously. "You didn't! You know very well that you didn't!"

Sebastian chuckled again as he began to button up his young master's shirt. "Forgive me, my Lord—it must have slipped my mind."

"Che…" Ciel grunted, unamused. "I don't like being toyed with, Sebastian."

Sebastian only smiled more. "It won't happen again, my Lord," he said. He smoothed out the boy's shirt, then snatched the trousers up from the bed and leaned down to lift his little master's ankle and help him step into the pant leg. Then the next leg; and he slowly slid the breaches up thirteen-year-old's perfect slender legs, purposefully letting out a slow breath of air against the child's skin before those perfect thighs were hidden from view. He loved the way poor little Ciel gasped, then quickly looked away to regain his composure.

Sebastian thought humans were so amusing. They wore their emotions so obviously on their sleeve, and yet his little master was different. No one but Sebastian was privy to his sincere reactions…yet he boy tried so hard to hide them from him, to save face. Sebastian loved to see what reaction he would get next. It was a game that he quite enjoyed. A game Ciel didn't even know he was playing.

From then on, Sebastian dressed his little master more efficiently. If there was no more naked flesh to tease, there was no more fun, really. He tied the child's eye patch neatly, and ran his fingers slowly through his drying hair—to neaten it, of course. Next, he placed a full-sized top hat onto the boy's head. It was garnished with a cream silk band and pink and cream flowers.

Sebastian closed the wardrobe when they were finished, then pulled open the bedroom door for the little Earl, keeping his eyes closed and his head lowered with a quiet smile as the still-blushing teen stepped past him with his walking stick.

Check.

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Ciel swallowed hard as he sat quietly across from his betrothed in the carriage. He glanced out the window and sighed a little. He was anxious about tonight… he hated balls and dancing and frivolousness—all the things his poor fiancé loved most.

"Ciel?"

He wished something unfortunate would happen: a broken tire, a freak storm… a fire. Anything that could somehow postpone or cancel tonight's event so that he could go home and curl up in his bed and not have to be here.

"Ciel~?"

Maybe they wouldn't have to stay long… Maybe he could feign illness and they could—

"Ciel!"

The Phantomhive jumped and tore his eyes away from the sunset to look across from him at his little fiancé's wide blue eyes. "What?" he asked, looking startled.

The girl giggled and leaned forward in her seat. "You look like you're about to jump out the coach door!" she remarked pleasantly. "Please try to have fun tonight—it's my birthday after all!"

Ciel could feel the blood rush into his cheeks as he sat back and cleared his throat. He touched his pocket and sighed. He still hadn't given her the gift… He looked at his betrothed quietly for a moment, and then moved carefully to sit beside her as he pulled the little box from his pocket. He cleared his throat awkwardly and held it out to her. "This…is for you. Thirteen is…an important birthday after all, isn't it?"

Those sweet blue eyes widened immediately, and a girlish giggle escaped the young girl as she took the box. "Oh, Ciel! You are too cute! Did you wrap this yourself? It's so lovely!" she happily untied the bow on top of the box with her gloved fingers. She unwrapped it as delicately as she could, though she was excited to see what was inside. It was unlike Ciel to be so sweet!

When she finally got the box open her excited expression transformed to one of utter surprise. She looked up at Ciel and took in a slow breath. "Oh, Ciel…they're beautiful!" she whispered, looking as if she might cry. She smiled and lifted the earrings out of the box to admire them. "And they match my dress so well! I'll wear them now," she said, tugging off her gloves with excitement and reaching up to take out the little blue studs she always wore.

Ciel was still blushing slightly when she finished putting in her new earrings. "Th-there's more," he told her gently, motioning to the little box. "In the box, I mean…"

More? She hasn't even finished gushing over the earrings, and now Ciel was telling her that there was more? She smiled at the Earl and then looked at the box, gently lifting the plush piece of fabric that her earrings had been resting on. When she saw the beautiful locket with her name on it, the tears finally came. She lifted it out of the box with one shaking hand and gasped softly. "O-Oh…Ciel…"

Ciel tensed up bashfully and looked down. "There's room inside for two pictures, too," he murmured. "I thought it suited you…"

Lizzy giggled sweetly as she leaned over and kissed her betrothed's cheek. "You're so cute, Ciel! I love it so much, thank you! Would you put it on me?" she requested sweetly.

Put it on her? Ciel wasn't sure he knew how. But he nodded and took the necklace gently, looking at it with a frown. How did these things work?

It took him until the carriage stopped to finally get the stupid thing clasped around her neck, but Lizzy was surprisingly patient with him. When the locket was finally on her, she squealed happily and touched it. "It's perfect!" she exclaimed happily as the coach door opened.

Ciel gave a little sigh of relief as they climbed out of the coach. He glanced around and frowned uncomfortably at the scene before him. There were so many people…and he could already hear the dance music playing inside. He offered his arm to Lizzy and shot Sebastian a brief, pathetic glance before leading her inside as he ought.

Lizzy was cooing excitedly over every little thing she saw as they made their way slowly into the ballroom. She pointed out every beautiful dress she could and flirted innocently with anyone who would pay her any mind. Ciel remained by her side, looking irritated…but nodding along with her and even offering a few stale replies. It was her birthday after all…he could at least humor her.

"When are you going to ask me to dance?" the silly girl finally asked, looking at her fiancé with expectant blue eyes. "We are at a ball, you know!"

Ciel could feel his brow twitch at the request. Dance? He loathed dancing… He looked out at the dance floor and groaned quietly. He hadn't even a chance to respond before Elizabeth snatched his wrist and tugged him into the crowd for a dance.

It was during the brief moment between being yanked onto the dance floor, and then forced to move in sync with the other people around him that he noticed those familiar amethyst eyes looking directly at him. A disgusting chill ran down his spine and he felt his throat tighten up anxiously as he nearly lost his footing in the dance.

The Viscount of Druitt was there…and he was staring right at the young Earl Phantomhive.

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"Those clothes suit you, Young Master," Sebastian said mockingly as he looked across the coach at the little Earl, seated quietly in a pair of low-quality, brown wool breaches with a hole in the knee, a lighter brown vest of similar quality and a slightly-too-large cream muslin shirt that was missing a few buttons. He had a white medical patch over his head and a patchwork baker's boy cap on his head. He looked adorable, and Sebastian couldn't help but enjoy the sight.

Monday had finally come. Elizabeth had gone home the night before, leaving the entire Phantomhive household exhausted. Now it was finally time to start the true investigation on the kidnapped boys and these suspected auctions—something Ciel had been anxious to finally start.

Ciel rolled his good eye with a sigh and glanced out the coach window at the small makeshift stage that was set up in the park. "Shut up."

"You look like Oliver Twist," Sebastian added with a little laugh that could only be described as being an amused… giggle.

The little Earl huffed in annoyance and shot his butler an irritated look. "I said to shut up," he repeated in a low mumble. He slid forward on his seat and looked back out the little window. People were starting to crowd around the stage. "Do you think he'd show his face here?"

Sebastian's smile didn't falter once. He sat back and watched the Earl as he stared anxiously out that small window. "My Lord?"

Ciel sat back and looked at Sebastian, letting the curtain fall closed over the window. "The Viscount," he said, as if Sebastian should have known exactly what he was talking about. "If these boys are being auctioned off…I have a feeling he could be involved. Especially with the way he was looking at me the other night," he grumbled, feeling a cold chill run down his spine.

"I haven't found any evidence that points to the Viscount," Sebastian said, shaking his head. "These people…are smarter than the Viscount. They aren't as sloppy or careless. Furthermore, I doubt that the Viscount would be so bold as to start another auction business after being caught the last time."

Ciel frowned quietly and slouched in his seat. He wasn't convinced. The look in the Viscount's eyes had made the Phantomhive sick to his stomach with suspicion. When people started applauding, he stood up. "I'm going out," he said. "Don't get too close to me. I don't want people to think we're together, it would blow my cover immediately."

Sebastian bowed his head. "Yes, my Lord," he murmured softly as his little master climbed out of the coach on his own and hurried into the crowd. Sebastian followed a few moments later, lingering in the back but keeping his eyes locked carefully onto the back of the Phantomhive's head.

Behind the stage, a fancy blue tent was set up where, it could be assumed, the performers were waiting for the show to begin. It could easily also be a hiding place for kidnapped boys. Ciel had managed to get a place in the very front of the crowd only a few feet from the stage itself. If anything unusual happened, he would surely see it.

When a second round of applause began, Ciel turned to face the stage immediately. A pair of young girls stepped onto the stage in black and white shredded tutus that mirrored each other. Half-striped stockings hugged their slender legs, and mismatched black fingerless gloves adorned elegant little hands. They were beautiful, each with deep blue eyes that seemed completely void of emotion, and lovely blond hair—one with short hair, the other with long. It was obvious that they were siblings, though—twins.

Immediately, their slender bodies bent away from one another and they seemed to bend in half, their hands flat and feet both flat on the ground with slightly bent knees as they posed, belly up, in such a perfect position. Then one leg on each girl lifted into the air and in unison, they each accomplished a perfect split, before flipping over themselves to be once again on their feet, facing each other—now on either side of the stage.

As the growing audience applauded their agility, they each began to move again, contorting their bodies gracefully, though their expressions didn't change once. They looked like marionette dolls capable of smooth, human-like movements. As their bodies moved faster, the crowed clapped louder until finally, the girls threw something onto the floor at their feet. A cloud of red smoke suddenly billowed around them, and as it faded gasps filled the air.

The girls were gone, and in their place was a tall, handsome man with snowy hair pulled back into a lose ponytail in the middle of his back. His eyes, magnificently, were red as he smiled and held his hands up to applaud his girls. He bowed then and removed his tall black top hat. He twisted it in his hand and with the blink of an eye, it was gone, only a red silk cloth left in his hand. He chuckled and shook the cloth, then tossed it into the air. It vanished the second it left his hand.

"Thank you!" he called; his voice deep and strong—just what you would expect from such a performer. He motioned to two tall shapes covered in red velvet. He grabbed the fabric in each hand, tearing it off to reveal two perfect glass coffins. Inside, stood the twins from before, which made the crowed cheer again. The magician laughed as the girls climbed out of the box. "Welcome, welcome! I am Hasani Agamemnon! Allow me to introduce my lovely assistants, Johanna and Faustine!"

As he continued to speak, Ciel turned to look back in the crowed. He leaned up on his toes to catch a glimpse of his butler, standing obediently in the back. Their eyes met briefly before the Earl turned back to the stage. He had missed something; hands were flying up all around him. He blinked and looked around with a wide-eyed look on his face. He should have been paying attention. When he saw Hasani picking people out from the crowd, he realized that the man had asked for volunteers…and they were all boys his age. Without thinking, Ciel threw his hand enthusiastically into the air and stepped forward.

When Hasani looked at him, the man's pleasant expression changed and his eyes widened. He looked short of breath for just a moment before he smiled, and motioned for Ciel to come up on stage with the other boys. The Phantomhive quickly climbed onto the stage and joined the small group of boys. He scanned the crowd again for Sebastian, frowning quietly when he couldn't find him. He looked back to Hasani, but paid little attention as he went through different magic tricks with cards, handkerchiefs and other props with the boys up on stage. After each trick, the crowd cheered as the volunteer ran off happily with a shiny new gold coin.

Ciel was last. The magician approached him with a broad smile and squatted down a bit to look at him. "And what's your name, young man?" he asked warmly. Ciel could swear he saw the man shiver…

Ciel pretended to look nervous when he was asked to give his name. He lifted his chin and tensed up his shoulders in a surprisingly adorable way. "Finny," he announced.

"Finny," Hasani repeated; that smile never leaving his face. He held his hand out and stood again. "Let me see your hand, Finny. I'll read your palm."

The Earl wrinkled his nose briefly and glanced out at the crowd again. What a crock. He held his hand out to the man reluctantly, palm up.

As soon as the magician touched his hand, he felt a sudden urge to tear it back—but he remained still and watched with feigned interest. Hasani's touch made him uncomfortable in the same way that the Viscount's eyes did. He swallowed hard as the man removed one glove to stroke his palm. Ooh, how he hated being touched. He did his best not to grimace as those red eyes lifted to look at his face once more. "Finny," he purred suddenly. "I can see that you're going to become a successful businessman someday. You'll be the envy of the nation."

Ciel couldn't help his honest reaction—that blue eye widened considerably and he looked down at his palm. Where did it say that? All he could see was dirt that Sebastian had insisted he rub onto his skin to hide the soft, cleanliness he was usually so proud of. He took his hand back to look at it immediately. Hasani and the audience both laughed at the honest response—accepting it as endearing inquisitiveness instead of apprehensive astonishment.

"Come, Finny," Hasani said through his laughter. "Such innocence," he said to the crowd, taking the Phantomhive's hand once more and leading him to the center of the stage. He knelt onto one knee beside the boy and touched his shoulders with a smile, leaning too close for the Earl's comfort. "You're going to get inside the glass box here to our right. I will then send you from that box…to this chamber over here on our left. You'll come out unscathed."

He stood up and smiled down at Ciel. "And as a reward for being a good participant… you'll receive this," he purred, running his fingers through Ciel's soft dark hair only to produce a perfect, shining gold coin from behind the boy's ear. He flipped it expertly from knuckle to knuckle and then held it in front of 'Finny.' "Would you like this, Finny?"

Not really… Ciel looked at the coin he was being offered and then lifted his blue eye up to the magician's face. He forced a sweet little smile and nodded his head. "Yes," he said with a nod.

"Fantastic!" Hasani cried out. He fisted the coin and then opened his hand to reveal that it was gone, before touching Ciel's cheek. He slid his thumb over the boy's perfect cheekbone, just under his eye socket and the grin on his face widened almost menacingly. He released the Earl's face and then stepped back as the twins came up beside Ciel and each took one of his hands.

"Now Finny," the magician started in a low, smooth tone. "I want you to relax. Relax, Finny…"

Ciel watched the man quietly and took in a deep breath. As he repeated over and over for the boy to relax, he felt his body and eye lid growing heavier. He sighed quietly and let himself be led over to the first glass…coffin. That's what it was—a coffin. He was placed inside it and seconds later it was shut and locked. Almost immediately, he was engulfed in darkness.

Inside the tent behind the stage, Sebastian had been snooping around in search of any kind of information about the missing boys and auctions. He was well aware of his master's presence on stage. It wasn't until he heard the entire audience gasp, and the shattering of glass that he ran out from the tent and back to the audience. The crowd was cheering enthusiastically within seconds, as the red velvet on either side of the stage was swiftly torn back.

On the right of the stage sat a pile of broken glass, where his young master had been standing only seconds before. On the left, the little Earl was standing wide eyed and panting, his palms pressed firmly to the glass of the box he had been somehow transported to. He could clearly see beads of sweat as they trickled down from the frightened boy's temple. Sebastian frowned and sighed quietly, shaking his head. How reckless...

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"So we're back to where we started…" Ciel groaned quietly as he climbed into bed. "If you couldn't find anything inside the tent, and I didn't see anything suspicious on stage, we're stuck."

"It seems that way, my Lord," Sebastian said softly. He waited for his young master to get comfortable before kneeling onto the bed and leaning forward to untie the boy's eye patch. He slid it off his face and brushed the boy's long bangs from his beautiful eyes.

"And the other boys who were on stage with me?" Ciel asked, looking up at his butler.

"They left with the rest of the crowd," Sebastian murmured. He set the boy's eye patch down on his bed table beside the gold coin he had been given by Hasani and the child's rings. He lifted the coin and smirked a bit. "You looked quite surprised when they revealed you in the second chamber."

Ciel scowled quietly at the demon still kneeling on his bed. "I felt the glass shattering around me," he said. "I don't like trickery like that."

Sebastian chuckled and set the coin back down. "Forgive me; it seems you don't like anything that eludes you, my Lord."

The little Earl rolled his eyes and lay back against his pillows. "I'm tired, get out."

The handsome butler couldn't help but laugh softly once more. "Yes, my Lord," he murmured with a bow. He tucked his little master in gently, and then blew out the candles beside the bed. He turned to leave the room, stopping briefly to push the window by his small balcony closed.

"Leave it open," Ciel mumbled from his bed. "It will get too hot otherwise."

Sebastian looked over to the boy's bed and nodded reluctantly. "Yes, my Lord," he said softly. He pulled it open once more and glanced outside as a warm breeze pushed its way into the room. He turned away from the window, then, and left the boy's bedroom silently.

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"Is this really the place…?" a soft voice asked as two small figures stepped up to the gate of Phantomhive Manor.

"There's no denying it," the second voice said. "It's here." Faustine turned to look at her twin sister. "Let's make it quick… Master Hasani wants us back soon."

Johanna looked back to the mansion and nodded a little. She grasped the gate and hoisted herself up over it effortlessly, landing with perfect grace on her feet in the soft lawn. Her twin sister followed immediately before they ran silently toward the house.

WHEW! Sorry I'm updating so late! I had really wanted to have this published on Sunday, but this chapter gave me some trouble... Sorry for the lack of impropriety! =3 It's coming though. And it'll get good soon. I like teasing you guys!

What do you think of Hasani so far? I know you didn't really get to know him yet, but he's an interesting character. He's not mine either, Dahlia created him! I hope you think everyone is in character enough, I'm trying soo hard to keep them in character! PS: the twins are creepy xD

PLEASE REVIEW! I really want to hear what you think! Is there anything you'd like to see happen? Hoooo, the Viscount is being a creeper... I'm thinking about bringing him in later for some fun. What do you think of that? Yes? =D

- Lo