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Sunlight streamed in from a small gap between the curtains, gradually filling the room with the light of morning.

From behind closed eyes, Mia knew it was that time again— the morning. And it was only a matter of time before Mey-Rin would come to wake her. Or, even worse, Sebastian. He never held any sympathy for her in the morning, whereas the maid would sometimes let her get a few more precious moments of sleep if the demon in question was particularly busy.

Therefore she braced for the worst, and was nearly alarmed when there was no sound of a door opening or closing. No footsteps, no curtains being pulled to let in the glaring brightness of the sun. Nothing. Maybe a sensible person would be alarmed, and assume something went wrong.

But, the twenty-three year old never claimed to be entirely sensible, nor was she feeling particularly adult all snuggled up in the comforter.

Screw it, I'm going back to sleep.

As far as she could tell the manor wasn't under attack, or otherwise burning to the ground, so what could it hurt?

By the time Mia finally rolled out of bed (nearing noon) the rest of the house was awake, working on whatever tasks were laid out before them. And she was in pajamas, with bed-head, sitting uncharacteristically quiet at the table in the dining room. Staff weren't technically allowed to sit there, but she wasn't actually staff, therefore it hardly mattered.

"How on Earth are you still half-asleep?" A young kid should not sound that grown up, even if he was sipping tea like a perfect noble, looking entirely too amused at her state.

"It probably had something to do with the lack of a early wake up call. Or, any wake up call. There is such a thing as sleeping too much."

Rubbing her eyes, she could feel the moment he strode into the room, setting down a cup of coffee before her. Strong, judging by how easily the smell drifted upward.

Maybe there were some upsides to this madness.

"Here I thought you would enjoy the opportunity to rest more. I shall certainly endeavor to not be so generous." And there it went.

Blowing a bit on her coffee (which she was sure wasn't even that hot, because he is too perfect at his job to give her coffee that is not exactly to her liking) she hummed faintly, "I don't remember asking you to be generous."

More than used to this particular ritual between the two, Ciel didn't even bother intervening; at least, not yet. While the rest of his staff actively avoided being near the duo in these moments, he found them to rather— enlightening in many ways. It also added a strange sense of normalcy to his home, where less than normal things occurred daily.

His parents, too, would bicker occasionally, as did most couples. Perhaps never to this degree in frequency or intensity, but it was welcomed all the same. While there was time for it, at any rate.

"Even so, you have it. I suggest you pull yourself together as quickly as possible, and eat the meal that has been saved for you in the kitchen. We shall be taking a trip into town to visit someone of importance."

Mind clearing a bit of it's sleepiness, she seems to recall a mention about this little excursion the other day. Looks like we may finally get some answers, good or bad. "It doesn't take me that long to get— wait. Why can't you just bring it out here?"

"Now, that would be generous."

If nothing else, he definitely made top marks for keeping her in a near perpetual state of irritation just in spite of her.

xxx

Twisting the end of her braid, she tried not to feel too weird sitting in the same room as Ciel. Not because he was doing anything odd, but, it was strange to think that — probably sometime soon — he would be dead.

All because of a deal with a demon she was conveniently (hopefully, temporarily) tied to. Her lips pressed into a frown, gaze pointedly focusing at anything in the study but the boy.

Was she was suppose to be okay with this?

"If you continue to make that face, you will be stuck like that forever. At least, that was something I was always told."

It was on the tip of her tongue, things she shouldn't say, because really it wasn't any of her business what he did nor not, and it wasn't her fault if he got eaten. Kids died every day. People died every day. This was no different—

"—Please tell me you smart enough to realize what you're doing is stupid, and you plan on pulling a fast one on Sebastian? He would definitely deserve it. And even if you're an insufferable brat most of the time, I think you deserve to not get dragged to hell with him. Literally and theoretically."

"Why the concern?"

"I've been told I can maternal quite suddenly, and at the worst of times. It's also not a very consistent feeling, but, there you go."

"The deal I made with Sebastian is absolute— on both of our ends, as far as I'm aware. I could be wrong, however, I have no intention of backing out. If there ever was a time for that, it's long since passed. I know the consequences of my actions, and I won't regret any of it. I may be on borrowed time that's ticking down, but this is more time than I would have had, were it not for summoning him. The price is far too much for most to pay, but I have nothing else left of true value. To be given the chance to find those responsible for the death of my parents, and rid the world of some other evils along the way, makes the prospect of it all worth it. I barely feel alive as it is; I may as well use this opportunity to my advantage."

"No wonder he came to you: you're both selfish opportunists."

Offense was not taken, nor was it, in all actuality, meant. It was a fact. He was selfish, and he was opportunistic, among other things. "In my line of work, those traits help me make England less dangerous for those who's hearts are too soft for this world. I may not be a bright-eyed, innocent child, but I do what needs to be done."

Who told him he could be so cynical and grown up at his age?

"Yeah, well I'm still going to be pissy about it."

"By all means, do so. It will serve as more proof that I existed."

When the time comes, only memories others held of him would be any indication he was here, that amongst his revenge-riddled plot, he managed to take down some rather unappetizing characters along the way.

xxx

"You certainly had an interesting conversation with my Master."

The carriage seemed stupidly small now, with it's extremely limited options for ignoring the person — being — across from her. "Does privacy have no concept for you, or are you just deliberately obtuse when you want to be?"

Oh, if only his picture of innocence wasn't muddled by entertained, glowing red eyes and pointed teeth. She doesn't recall when he started freely showing bits of his true self around her, but thus far it hasn't stopped making her nervous. Maybe not as much as the first time, where she was sure he was just going to kill her and have it over and done with, but it was still there.

And she was still surprised he hadn't tried to maim her. After all, she had been particularly….rowdy that afternoon, and said a few things she really should not have. Not simply because of what he was, but it was— uncalled for, and he was genuinely offended.

So much so, that the next day he was utterly unreasonable and snippy with everyone. Who knew demons had more than one singular emotion?

She definitely didn't, and realizing it was a bit of an eye opener. A small one, but one nonetheless. That night she apologized, and he was calmer.

Of course, there was still an apology pending on his end. Multiple, in fact; yes, she was keeping count, and no, she wasn't going to forget, much to his dismay.

He was the one that suggested civility; so he would need to put fourth some effort, too.

"Some things cannot be helped. I have excellent hearing. To not eavesdrop, I would have needed to leave the estate entirely. I was not listening in outside the door, like some punished animal seeking entrance. However, I attempted to not purposefully pay attention."

That was something, she supposed. Maybe. "Then you won't mind if I purposefully avoid this conversation. The topic may not be a big deal to you, but it is to somme people."

His head canted to the side faintly, before his posture straightened once more, and she was left feeling very much like a small worm being stared down by a ravenous hawk. "Very well. But, before you further judge what will come to pass between the Young Master and I — think of what your own kind does to survive, and tell me which is kinder."

By some miracle, Mia managed to avoid simply lashing out at him like she wanted to. With a deep, calming breath, she thoughts were organized before she spoke, with obvious restraint. "What you do isn't out of kindness. It's out of selfishness, and you manipulate terrible situations to have hope. But it's falsified, and done with only your interest in mind. You give them more time, a chance to do something they may not have otherwise been able to, but then it's over. And then what? Do you ever think of them again? I'm guessing not. There is no thought given to lives you probably ruined by taking away someone that others may have loved and grieve for. You just move on to the next one who fits the bill, without a care."

To him, she wouldn't be surprised if all the faces had just blended together over the years; none truly more significant than the last. Those moments in time not even worth remembering to someone who was eternity. She didn't know exactly what it meant to be a demon, or who one become as such, but she knew what it was like to be human. To lose someone, or see how others mourned the loss of their loved one— it broke her heart. Maybe she was too human, and he was too demon, detached from the world he plundered.

And she couldn't help being so upset, "Not every person is a saint, but at least some of us have the decency to feel bad when someone dies, even if we had nothing to do with it. You don't do that, or respect anything or anyone. And that's what makes you worse. At least we learn with age, realize our mistakes or how awful we acted before we go. What's your excuse?"

Sebastian opted to refrain from saying anything the remainder of the ride, all the while her words soaked into his brain, replaying over and over— despite his best efforts to get it to stop.

xxx

Undertaker's shop was dark and damp, to say the least, littered with coffins of all dimensions, almost lovingly scattered around. Already fairly silent, it was made more so with the absence of anger-inspiring remarks from the butler behind her, who still hadn't spoken.

Opened the door for her, yes; gave a vague sound in acknowledgement to her thank-you, yes; but nothing more.

The silver lining was, he did not seem peeved. Deep in thought would definitely be a more appropriate description, though what the demon was thinking about exactly, she wasn't exactly sure she wanted to know.

"Well, well, what do we have here?"

A man with long, grey hair, dressed in robes was a far cry from the Undertaker she had conceptualized in her mind. For one, he was alive (presumably) and not a skeleton with a scythe. He looked normal-ish enough, from the outside. His tone of voice was amused, matching the lazy grin that curled on his features.

Oh, and look—- long nails.

Can nothing be normal?

Sebastian stepped forward, clearing his throat slightly, drawing the other's attention away from her. "We are here on personal business."

"Is that so—?" Undertaker drawled faintly with a laugh, chin resting in his palm, outrageously long nails cradling his cheek. "You know the price for information, butler."

Blinking, she was more than a tad bewildered she suddenly found herself turned around, with gloved hands moving her own over her ears. "I suggest you don't listen."

"Protecting my lady-like sensibilities, are you?"

"Certainly not. You're hardly a lady."

The demon's smile was faintly easing, even though she couldn't tell if it was real, or not. After all, how often has he had to smile because it was expected of him in his human guise?

A tiny part of her hoped it was real.

Pressing her palms against her ears until no sound got through, she couldn't help but think how exhausting it was constantly being at war with him. There never seemed to be any break, with only few small moments of civilized peace.

In those moments, he as actually kind of—okay.

Drumming her fingers on her head, there was no way to tell exactly how much time passed before he removed her hands. But, judging by the giggling, long-haired man bending over his desk, it went over well.

"…..What the hell did you say to him? Or do?"

"Perhaps if you ask nicely, I shall tell you later." He wasn't even mocking her, either; he was being sincere.

Demons and sincerity did not seem like they belonged together; and yet, neither did demons and humans. But here they were, and apparently, it wasn't all that out of the ordinary.

That was something Sebastian had more or less already mentioned, though she hadn't thought it was that common. Just how many demons existed? Clearly a lot, and a good portion of them were in the same boat.

Kind of.

"I truly do not see the issue at hand. It's not as if you are the first to be tied to each other's species, and none of them — as far as my mind can recall — ever had this much trouble getting along." It was then that his grin widened, hidden gaze falling intently between the two. "If only there was some way to channel the tension elsewhere, I'm sure this would sort itself out."

Neither of them missed that suggestion, and Mia didn't even dare to look over at the demon. Honestly, she didn't trust herself not to laugh at the idea — or worse, entertain it, even if not seriously. It wouldn't be good for her mental health (which was already slipping), she was sure.

"Unless I missed something, I don't think we asked for commentary on our nonexistent sex life. All we need to know if it's permanent, or if it can be broken; that's it."

"No one has ever broken the link before, my child. It's simply unheard of!" Scratching his cheek faintly, the shinigami shook his head, utterly astonished at the silliness before him. Perhaps they were too young to recognize, let alone appreciate, the gift that has been given. "Even if there were a way, which I truly think there is not, it would likely be incredibly painful, for the both of you. As it is even I can see the stubbornness between you two is already taking a toll. Perhaps not in the way of pain, but in other areas. An incomplete link causes much more than just an almost annoying desire to be near, it causes instability. Loss of focus, chaos in the mind and body."

All of it sounded far too familiar, because she knew it to be true. There were no mentions of it aloud, naturally, but it hadn't gone unnoticed. Her attitude at the simplest of things, Sebastian's usual sharp nature being just a hair off-point. At times he was even notably distracted.

"The link is meant to bring peace and balance. A life-long partner to share the burden of eternity with."

On paper, it sounded wonderful. Like a pretty fairytale with a happy ending, but that's why they were stories; reality never went so smoothly. It was too much to digest, too much that couldn't be accepted just like that. Soulmates were supposed to complete your life, not completely uproot it in the worst of ways.

"I don't recall signing up for that, and I have my own burdens to worry about, too, you know. I'm not even meant to be here, for one; I have a family, friends and a life away from this. Some people dream of getting married with someone they adore, but that wasn't me — I never wanted to play house. And, in case you haven't noticed, he doesn't want me either. The system is broken."

Storming out wasn't the most mature idea, but her mind was set, and neither of them tried to stop her. She didn't care if they kept talking, they could talk all the wanted; but she couldn't listen to how something she didn't want was good for her. Maybe other people wanted to be in this situation.

She'd gladly trade places with them.

xxx

The following days at the manor were quiet enough, with a few visitors that didn't seem to make it home.

At this point, Mia didn't even want to ask; she didn't want to know. Whatever was going on was, at present, outside her realm of concern. Thankfully she had been allowed a few days off, which were spent — almost exclusively — in her room.

Mey-Rin stopped by a few times, as did Bard and Finny; they even shared a late dinner one night, when everyone else (re: Ciel) retired for the night. Amidst toning down her laughter as they ate, she could feel him outside the door. Not directly, but she knew he was still up and about the manor.

Like a predator patrolling it's territory.

That wasn't far off, in all likelihood, but she attempted not to dwell on it too much, especially when Finny stuck asparagus up his nose. It was meant to get a good laugh, and it did. Yet, even surrounded by these people she was slowly getting to know more and more, she still felt entirely out of place. Quite literally time-tossed, she wondered if it would always feel this way— and if she would ever see her own time again.

Maybe, she thought grimly, undoing her braid after the others had left, All I'd need to do is wait a few hundred years.

Knuckles rapping on the door made her blink, albeit sleepily. Given the hour, there was a very short list of possibilities as to who it would be. So short, in fact, that it only had one name.

"Come in."

Soft footfalls announced the presence, and she didn't even need to turn around to see who it was. The tall shadow in the corner was more than enough. "I've merely come to inform you that tomorrow, the Young Master and I will likely be gone well before you awaken. An urgent case requires the Earl's attention, and we may be gone for a few days yet- on top of that, we've received tickets to see Noah's Ark Circus. I trust you will help ensure his home is still standing upon our return?"

Mussing up her hair with her fingers, the wavy strands fell into a more natural, relaxed appearance. "Yeah, alright."

She nearly winced at how very unenthusiastic she sounded.

"Mia."

"What?"

His fingers twitched at his sides, and she just knew he was resisting the urge to rub at his temples. But that would be too human, wouldn't it? "A little more ardor would be appreciated."

"It's not my job to look after this place, Sebastian." Padding over to the bed, she fluffed the pillows, despite the fact that it was rather unnecessary. Anything to keep her distracted was a godsend, though.

"Yes, I know."

Good lord.

"Don't agree with me, it makes me very uncomfortable."

A light chuckle escaped, and she wondered if it had been entirely accidental or not. It was really difficult reading a demon who was very careful with what he let show, be it verbal or physical, after all. "—Even so, I trust you to do it all the same."

Her hand paused mid-air, eyes slightly wide in astonishment, staring incredulously at the butler, even as he bowed out. The door shut quietly behind him, leaving her stunned.

Not just because he mentioned he trusted her to take care of the mansion (though apparently not bake bread), but because they didn't argue. Not even a hint of one happening manifested.

It was calm; it was civil.

It was— borderline friendly.

Okay, slight amendment: that makes me uncomfortable.

A/N ( 08/13/14 ): I'm always slightly irked when, in similar stories despite how much I adore them, Sebastian's lady ( if not a demon or other supernatural creature ) always pretty easily accepts that their dude kills people, essentially. Granted, yeah, he does need to eat, but I cannot imagine, even if I were madly in love with this beautiful, demonic asshat ( shoutout to you, ARC, for reminding me of my favorite word! ) that I would just be like, 'Oh, OK!'. It would definitely be a process of acceptance, because it does need to happen, but it would still be fairly unsettling for a while. A long while.

Like at least a hundred years, because hey, I'm human, and why would I think like a demon when I'm not? Likewise, it's unrealistic to expect a demon to just turn on a switch and behave like a demon. Growth is possible, but it ain't easy with all these cultural ( & in this case, species ) barriers!

Anywho, thank you all for the feedback, it truly does help keep me motivated!