Note: My number of readers is slowly dropping, it seems... What have I done wrong? D8 And the reviewers are even less. /sad Anyway, here's the next chapter...

Ciel had never imagined that he would be sitting alone in his bedroom with only Sebastian and a baby as company. He was sure that night he would cry again, but for now he was content to just sit with Sebastian and Rose. Elizabeth was nearly forgotten.

"She looks just like you," Sebastian mused. He sat stiffly on the foot of the bed, watching as Ciel irritably tried to keep his bow from being pulled undone.

It was true. Rose had the same large blue eyes as her father, and the wisps of dark blue hair were only a bit lighter than Ciel's. Sebastian had conjured up a frilly blue and black dress for her to wear, and it only confirmed that she was her father's daughter.

"What will we do when the contract is completed?" Ciel asked softly.

"The same thing we were always planning to do," Sebastian said, emotionless. "I will receive my payment and you will die. We can leave Miss Rose to Lady Elizabeth's brother if it is necessary."

Ciel's chest felt tight. Despite what Sebastian had said in the note, he was still a demon. How foolish of him to think, even for a second…

Rose gurgled, wrapping her tiny fist around one of Ciel's fingers. She was so small. Ciel was almost scared that they were just going to lose her, like you might lose an old shoe.

"Will we be hiring a nursemaid, my lord?"

"Can't you do that? There's no need to bring anyone else into this mess, is there?"

Sebastian smirked. "You seem to be missing the point, my lord. If I were to be a butler, a mother, and a nursemaid then I would have no time to be a wife."

"I've already told you I have no interest in a physical-"

"There's more to it than that."

Ciel looked up abruptly, surprised by Sebastian's words. "Pardon?"

"My lord… Ciel…" Sebastian leaned over a bit, his eyes intense. "I've told you about a million times by now yet you still don't seem to understand."

Ciel stared into those crimson eyes for which his – their? – daughter had been named, anxious for him to continue.

"You've made me more human than I've ever been, my lord." His gloved fingers ghosted across Ciel's cheek, softly slipping under his eye patch to slip it off. "Demons are capable of love, but it's often twisted and, well, demonic. I've seen humans in love, and I can't say I understand it, but I'm sure this is what it feels like."

"I thought you said I couldn't make a demon love me."

"This is a decision completely my own. You did not make me do anything."

Ciel's face was burning. "But you're still a demon. So it can't be genuine."

Sebastian frowned. "It's quite possible, my lord. But as I am a demon I know nothing of genuine. However, this is more genuine than anything I have ever felt before."

Ciel leaned into his hand, eyelids lowered.

"My lord… Are your feelings for me genuine?"

He was silent for a moment, looking away from Sebastian to watch Rose's smiling face. "It's a terrible thing to say, but without Elizabeth here to confuse me and pull me off track, yes. Yes, I do love you genuinely."

"And it's the worst thing ever."

Ciel dared to glance back up, but only for a second. He didn't reply.

Sebastian sighed, standing. "I have to prepare dinner."

"What do I do with Rose?"

"Occupy her. She's easily entertained." And then he was gone.

.

Mey Rin and Finny peeked out from the kitchen, praying silently that Sebastian and Ciel, didn't see them from their place at the dining table.

"What is with those two?" Bard grumbled. "That ain't the same silence out there that there usually is. There's something going on."

Mey Rin nodded briskly in agreement. "Mr. Sebastian and the master have been together all day! They just sat upstairs alone."

"I wonder what they were up to…" Bard mused.

"I'm sure Mr. Sebastian was talking with Ciel about Lady Elizabeth. He's a very good listener, and I'm sure he's an even better therapist."

"Oh… the poor Lady…" Mey Rin looked near tears again.

"Miss Rose is really a miracle, isn't she?" Finny said. "She's so strong… She's going to be just like the master one day, I'm sure of it!"

"Hopefully she inherited Lady Elizabeth's ability to smile, though," Bard said crudely.

Mey Rin smiled sadly. "By the looks of it she did. She's very happy."

"Yeah, seems like she really likes Mr. Sebastian," Finny said. "If he wasn't so dedicated to his work I'm sure he would have been a good dad! If he took care of his kids like he took care of Ciel he'd be amazing at it."

.

After dinner Sebastian followed Ciel up to his room, making faces at Rose over Ciel's shoulder to make her laugh. During the day he'd constructed and set up a crib in Ciel's bedroom. He helped settle Rose down before changing Ciel into his nightclothes.

"Sebastian, stay here tonight," Ciel said as the last button was fastened. "That's an order."

"Yes, my lord." Sebastian bowed then stood there with his hands behind his back. Ciel stared at him for a long moment.

"What are you doing?"

Sebastian glanced down at him. "You wanted me to stay here, didn't you?"

Ciel frowned. "I'm asking you to sleep with me, not to stand there all night."

Sebastian smirked. "Is that so? I'm not sure that's the best idea, seeing as we wouldn't want to wake Rose and it would be your first time…"

"It would not!"

"Ah… Pardon." Sebastian drew off his coat and sat down next to Ciel. "It would be your first time with a man. And if you knew anything of how that works, then you would know what I mean."

Ciel scowled. "Whatever. That's not what I meant anyway."

Sebastian chuckled, allowing Ciel to push him down on the bed. "Your actions say otherwise."

"Shut up. I don't want to sleep yet, is all."

Sebastian reached to hold Ciel's face between his hands, but Ciel caught his wrist before he could. Nipping at Sebastian's glove, he drew them off with his teeth, mimicking the same thing that Sebastian often did. The butler laughed, waiting for Ciel to remove the other before pulling him down and crushing their lips together. "How much do you not want to sleep, my lord?"

Ciel thought for a moment. "Not too much. Just kiss me"

Sebastian chuckled, one hand playing in Ciel's hair while the other was allowed to wander. They both kept quiet in fear of disturbing Rose.

Sebastian didn't try and pull away for a long while. "You need to sleep at some point, my lord."

"Who says?"

Sebastian sighed. "My lord, you need rest. It's been a long day and a lot has happened. Please sleep."

Though he was clearly reluctant Ciel repositioned himself to a better spot for sleeping, his head rested on Sebastian's chest. Though he'd never really noticed it before, there was the steady badum…badum…badum of a heartbeat, though it was much slower than that of any mortal. Ciel focused on the rhythmic pounding, drifting to sleep with the comforting feel of Sebastian's fingers massaging his back.

Ciel was barely conscious when the soft massaging was becoming vicious clawing.

He shifted a bit, trying to look at the butler. "Sebastian-?"

"Sleep, my lord."

He couldn't keep his eyes opened any longer.

"Sweet dreams... Ciel…"