So, my Lovely readers, it's really not the end of my holiday, but I wanted to dish this chapter out as a Christmas treat ^-^ For those of you who don't celebrate Christmas, happy Holidays and you guys get a treat too.
I didn't get much writing done, but I'm far from having writers block, dearest readers! I'm really excited to push forward. My New Year's resolution, or at least one of them, is to finish this fic. I planned to anyway, but you know, whatever.
I hope all of your vacations/holidays were wonderful.
NVCiel, you're my Muse, darling.
Hope you all enjoy this chapter,
Ta,
Majix
The Empire at Crystal Palace was brimming with more people than Ciel thought necessary. The Lord's and their respective ladies mingled amongst themselves, wandering around the Exhibit, gazing at the wonders of India. The same could not be said for the Earl of Phantomhive.
While the elephants where quite impressive, and the hand sewn rugs held magnificent patterns, Ciel had enough Indian Culture to last a lifetime. Living under the same roof as Soma and Agni's had made sure of that from the beginning.
The bluenette glanced around, idly searching for not only Agni, but his sponsor, Lord West. However, neither man caught his attention from the crowd.
Despite his recent emotional revelation and Sebastian's close proximity, all the Earl's thoughts revolved around the approaching contest. He would win the royal warrant, securing a position in the food industry while also binding his family name more deeply into Britain's rich and glorious history.
Ciel did not regret selling his soul to a demon. Vengeance coated his veins, and his heart, with driving focus. It protected him like a shield, and though he deeply regretted the knowledge that he would be the last Phantomhive, it didn't diminish his desire for revenge. Within the bluenette's mind, he would've been the very last Earl of Phantomhive with or without Sebastian's help.
However, by walking this path, the bluenette not only guaranteed his retribution, but also gave him the rare and fleeting opportunity to dig his family roots in even deeper. His line wouldn't die out without having achieved the most they possibly could. Not only was Funtom one of the largest toy makers in Britain, but it was steadily branching out. Children all over the world were being introduced to the toys they would all grow to love and adore.
"Ciel Phantomhive, what a surprise!"
The call of his name brought the teen from his thoughts. Just to the left of him, Lord West stood tall and proud, displaying a smile with all the arrogance assured victory brought. His skin was pale, just like many of the other British nobles, and dark golden curls sat prestigiously on the back of his neck. Brown eyes twinkled with upcoming achievement, and Ciel couldn't help but to smirk as he considered how the other would look when he was beaten.
The thought pleased the Earl immensely.
"Lord West, I must agree. It's been quite some time since I last saw you. Last year's social events if I'm not mistaken?"
The blonde chuckled and pulled the black hat from his head, "I believe so."
Ciel surveyed him with a seemingly indifferent gaze as he took in all the details of his competition, "Still wearing a well made suit, I see. Despite not having seen in quite some time, it seems that you haven't changed."
The bluenette gave an innocent smile, as the subtle jab at the elder's maturity laced his words.
West arched a brow, "Is that so? Tell me, Earl, what are you wearing these days?"
The blue haired male gave a backwards glance towards his butler, "I'm not really one for brands. I leave such things to my butler."
Sebastian bowed respectfully at the mention of his assumed title, "My Lord."
Brown eyes glided smoothly from the blue haired teen to the butler in black, Lord West's perceptive gaze taking in the ravenette, "Ah yes, the fabled Phantomhive butler."
Amusement flickered across the Earl's thoughts, but he brushed it aside in favor of his expressionless mask, "Fabled?"
A coy smile reached the blonde's lips, "One does hear things along the grapevine."
"Indeed, they do." Ciel shifted his weight slightly to the left, "I, myself, heard not long ago that you had a break in at your manor. Nothing serious I hope, Lord West."
The elder's easy going smirk fell flat and brown eyes darkened, "I'm surprised you heard about such a thing."
"As am I."
Their eyes met in a dark exchange, neither willing to speak first and Sebastian took the opportunity to clear his throat, "My Lord."
Ciel broke their heated eye contact to look back at his demon, his gaze softening just the slightest amount, but he said nothing, waiting for Sebastian to speak.
"They'll be starting soon, I'm afraid. Is there anything I can get for you before we're to part ways?"
The bluenette looked over at the other servants, each one gawking at their surroundings, before glancing around for Soma. The dark skinned man was nowhere to be found and an irritated sigh escaped the Earl's lips, "No, I'll be fine. However, if you run into our guest, remind him not to wander to far."
Annoyance similar to that of parent with their misbehaving child crossed the blue haired teen's features but he mentally waved it off, assuring himself, for the moment, that the elder teen wouldn't get into to much trouble.
"Of course, young Master."
Sebastian clasped his hand over his heart and offered the Earl a bow, their eyes meeting for the briefest of moment before Sebastian straightened, directing his gaze towards Lord West. He offered the man a slight nod of his head and quickly swept away.
A look of surprise sat stamped on the blonde's face as he watched the butler walk away.
"I was unaware that you were competing in the festivities, Earl Phantomhive."
Ciel offered him a nonchalant wave of his hand, "Yes, well. I've been thinking of moving my company in that direction for some time. What better way to begin than with a Royal warrant?"
Arrogance returned to the elder's face and he glanced down at the teen, "I see. It appears that we're on opposite sides of the board, Phantomhive."
Ciel could agree more. The board already laid set within his mind and the teen could see the pieces slowly making their way across the battlefield. The metaphor that West provided pleased the Earl very much and he couldn't stop the competitive smirk that graced his lips.
"We are. I would say, 'good luck' but I fear it would not be offered genuinely."
Amusement captured the elder blonde's features and he chuckled merrily, "Elegantly blunt, as always, Earl Phantomhive."
West nodded his head in departure before turning and disappearing among the crowd, leaving Ciel to internally celebrate the approach of his sneak attack victory.
It wasn't hard for Sebastian to find the competitors area. The Exhibit was abuzz with emotion. It surrounded the dark creature in relentless waves but the butler paid it no mind, ignoring everything but the guiding beacon of nervous energy. And his hunch did not disappoint.
Four men and a single woman occupied the small space, each fidgeting in their own way. Only Agni appeared calm among them, but as the white haired male laid eyes on the Phantomhive butler, a look of surprised darted across his face.
"Mr. Sebastian!"
The Indian man quickly approached him, the edge of panic never leaving his stance, "What are you doing here? Where is Master Ciel?"
The butler considered appearing shocked to see the dark skinned male but he couldn't bring himself to do so. It was to tedious of a task to do without proper reason.
"Agni, a pleasure." The meticulous butler straightened his jacket, as well as his cuffs, "I can't be entirely sure but I'm assured that my Master is among the crowd awaiting today's competition."
A curious look swept over Agni's features, "Then why are you here?"
Sebastian raised an eyebrow at the obviousness of the situation, "I am here on my Master's explicit order. My Lord has requested that I win the Royal Warrant for him. And as a butler for the Phantomhive household, it would be quite shameful if I couldn't complete such a minor task."
Confusion replaced any sort of panic that the other had been previously feeling, "You're here to compete?"
A coy smile curled the demon's lips, "Of course."
Agni cast a worried look around the room before lowering his voice and directing his attention back to the Phantomhive butler, "If Ciel is doing this for my Prince, if he believes that this will help my Soma, then please! I beg of you, you must leave!"
Sebastian scoffed at the very idea, "My Master has submitted our company for his own benefit. Nothing more, nothing less."
"If the young Master's actions prove to be helpful to Prince Soma in some way or another, then it remains coincidence; nothing more." An amused smirk pulled at the demon's lips as he added that final comment.
A pained look swept across the white haired male's face, "I cannot lose, Mister Sebastian."
Sebastian's smirk morphed into a devilish grin and his eyes flashed in the brief moment that Agni chose to look away, "I know exactly what you mean. I find myself in a similar situation."
The tense moment between the two butlers stretched on for what seemed to be an impossible amount of time before the booming voice of the announcer drifted into the room, welcoming the audience, quickly outlining the contest, and introducing the judges.
The demon within his flesh roared in victory as the announcer informed everyone present that the Viscount Druitt had not been able to attend, leaving his chair empty.
A brief flashback of the blonde touching Ciel, binding him, caging him, made the ancient want to growl. Despite having killed the male himself, Sebastian longed to restake his claim over the blue haired teen that bared his mark, a mark that rarely saw the light of day. The demon silently chalked his overly possessive nature towards Ciel as part of the boy's appeal, the sheer potency of his revenge driven soul. It was rare, the boy's soul, his very essence, and it belonged to Sebastian. Nobody, mortal or otherwise would take what belonged to him, but try as he may, the demon could not seem to kick the feeling that perhaps it was something more.
There was something about Ciel that left Sebastian wanting more. So much more. He was annoying and demanding, harsh and revenge driven, but beneath it all, he was something completely and utterly captivating, something that could only be described as purely Ciel.
The Earl of Phantomhive was one of the few mortals with a moral compass that allowed him to walk freely while also doing what he believed to be right. One could even say that Ciel possessed the morals of a demon, not that his kind had any such thing as a whole. He believed in justice, and in doing right by his country, but he also stood tall enough to see that the laws did not guarantee true justice. He knew that sometimes, you had to lower yourself to their level to come out on top; sometimes you had to lie and cheat and even kill to get the job done.
When present, it was quite an attractive trait in mortals.
Without really thinking, Sebastian followed the other contestants, the immortal's thoughts continuing to linger on his Master, even as they stood before the crowd. Maroon eyes sought out the sapphire gaze of his prey, and a bolt of something foreign echoed through him as their eyes met.
Ciel's visible eye was glossed with approaching victory and pride steadily consumed the blackened heart of the butler. He would be the one to bring victory to the teen's feet. The ancient would once again prove himself to be the superior species. Better. In every way.
Sebastian cast a look to his one true competitor only to find that Agni's eyes were on him as well. The need to win flowed heavily between the two of them, but consciously, the demon knew that he would be the victor.
Not only did he have the curry approved by Prince Soma, but he also has another trick up his sleeve.
However, there was something else within that inquisitive gaze, something that made Sebastian pause in question. Agni looked from Sebastian to the tiny blue haired Earl and back again. It was thoughtful and insightful, with the barest hints of surprise. Something was missing, something that was apparently painstakingly obvious to others, and yet he himself was blind to it.
Sebastian looked to his Master and scanned the teen's face. His eyes were alight, the glow of challenge making them sparkle. His brows were relaxed, so he obviously wasn't lost in thought. Fingers were still, not a single fidget while the boy waited for them to begin. His buttons were perfect, his clothes straight, making it highly unlikely that he'd run into trouble, as the Earl wouldn't have been able to correct the errors in the way that Sebastian would. Ciel's body was on the stiffer side, however Sebastian assumed that such was because of his required etiquette as a noble in public rather than stress or heavy emotional turmoil.
All in all, the teen appeared to be fine. More than fine really when considering the current events waiting to unfold before them. He appeared content within the rings of approaching victory, but that still didn't explain that thinly veiled look that'd been cast his way by the Indian Prince's butler.
Neither appeared to hear the announcers calling out their names, as well as their companies, as the time to begin finally arrived but the moment the starting bell struck, both butlers launched into action.
A portion of Sebastian's attention was focused on Agni at all times, carefully keeping tabs on his progress, while the other half was ever mindful of his Master. A faint sliver of his consciousness was focused on the mundane and utterly mechanical task of snatching meats and spices from their dishes, throwing it casually together with practiced ease. It really was too easy. Within his mind's eye, Sebastian could see the effort that Agni was putting forth, the beads of sweat that'd begun to blossom across the white haired male's forehead as he tried to push himself faster and harder than ever before. The demon could feel Agni's focus, pouring from the other male in sharp waves as he too kept a watchful eye on the Phantomhive butler.
Sebastian could almost feel the exact moment that the other man recognized the trouble he was in. There was a flux, a sudden ripple against the sea of unending determination, before flashes of nervousness broke through.
Quick fingers pinched at the spices, spreading them evenly across the tenderized chicken, no longer paying as much attention to Agni. It was effortless. Everything felt more like autopilot than true competition, and Sebastian internally sighed at the tedious nature of it all. The flush of victory was always pleasant, however, it dimmed ever so slightly when he played against mere mortals. How could any of them ever hope to compete against a creature such as he?
The crowd watched on with breathless abandonment, all of their attention focused on the two males at the end. Even the competiting chefs were casting Sebastian and Agni looks of utter awe. But Ciel only had eyes for his demon.
The bluenette watched on as Sebastian set the sauce to a medium boil, adding in the chicken right on time. He stirred slowly, making sure each and every bit of his creation was thoroughly mixed. It was then that their eyes met once again and Sebastian pulled the chocolate bar from his breast pocket, crumbling the smooth cocoa in his palm and letting it drop into the pot.
Ciel could hear the murmurs of disgust all around him as the audience caught sight of Sebastian adding chocolate of all things to his curry. Even the judges seemed weary, quickly convinced that it was merely a publicity stunt, but the teen also caught sight of Agni as he paused in astonishment. The white haired male seemed to be thrown for a loop, instantly understanding the truth behind their secret ingredient.
A sly grin captured the teen's lips as he looked back to Sebastian, pride weaving through the steady thrum of his heart. He had no doubt that Sebastian had done something to one-up his discovery of the chocolate, the Earl would be astonished if he hadn't, but in the present, as he watched Agni stumble, looking for something to set his curry apart even more, Ciel couldn't help but to grin. That was his doing, the sudden panic, the scramble.
But Ciel wasn't the only one to notice the change. Sebastian had also noticed Agni's behavior, as well as that of his Master and the butler couldn't help the smug look that crossed his features. Even he had to admit the the chocolate was clever. Such an idea would've taken him ages but if Ciel was anything, he was clever. Exceedingly clever in fact. So clever, that he'd outsmarted a demon, and that alone was no easy task.
Minutes ticked on and as they did, Ciel found himself wondering where Soma had run off too. A quick look around proved him right in assuming that the elder teen had disappeared for the time being. The Earl cast Sebastian a look, staring at him for a few brief moments before the demon caught his gaze, discreetly looking up from the kneeding of his dough. The bluenette dipped his head in acknowledgment before turning from the crowd and making his way through the exhibits, looking for the eccentric foreigner.
He wove his way between the many attractions, paying their contents little mind as he sought the Prince. The Earl could feel his annoyance begin to grow, and just as he'd made up his mind to return and watch the ending of the contest, he spotted the familiar robes of his guest.
Ciel turned his attention to the Prince and noticed, for the first time, that he was hugging a slender woman with Indian features. Ciel could only assume that the woman must be Mina. She was tall, almost as tall as Soma was, with long locks of the richest brown and her skin was the color of dusted cinnamon. She appeared surprised to see the elder teen, and as Ciel watched from afar, he could only frown as her beautiful features twisted into an ugly sneer.
She shoved the Prince away, and the blue haired male could see the shock that action brought to Soma. Ciel was to far away to hear what was being said, but the mere body language between the two of them spoke volumes. She was angry, unhappy to see him, and though Ciel had no doubt that whatever she said would be some variation of the truth, he was also more than positive that she spoke it in such a way to hurt Prince Soma as much as possible.
In a flurry of gestures and the swift turn of her heel, she was gone, set off in the other direction and disappearing within the crowd. Soma stood still among the constant bustle of moving bodies, paying them little mind as he stared after the woman he had traveled so far from home to seek out.
Ciel approached the other teen and stood silently beside him, choosing to glance up at the dark skinned teen rather than speak. Normally happy brown eyes swam with sadness and the Earl of Phantomhive could see twin pools threatening to overflow. Shock was still evident among his features, but there was also relief; a relief so profound and overwhelming that Ciel had to raise an eyebrow in question.
The Prince said nothing for a good long while, choosing to stand in comfortable silence beside his unspoken friend. The bluenette, too, was at ease with the option.
They stayed like that for several minutes, ignoring the momentarily blatant stares of others as they passed. Normally, the teen's pride would have hindered such a thing, and prevented him from remaining for longer than strictly necessary, but there was something deeply emotional that kept him rooted beside the slightly older boy.
Ciel turned his head as a chorus of surprised gasps met his ears. The group sound came from the direction of the competition and, if he was forced to guess, the blue haired male would've assumed that Sebastian had finally showed his upper hand. By the steady stream of murmurs growing in volume, Ciel was forced to admit that the butler's idea was, most likely, brilliant. It was no secret within the Phantomhive residence that Sebastian held a certain theatrical flare for creativity, and if Ciel ventured a guess about anything at all, it would be that whatever Sebastian revealed to the judges, as well as the crowd, was utterly spectacular.
The Earl's movement seemed to pull Soma from his silence, and as Ciel turned away from the vocalizations of the crowd, the Prince glanced down at him, "Sebastian was right."
Ciel raised a brow but didn't turn to look at the other male, "Was he now?"
The elder nodded and wrapped his lengthy arms around himself, "She left the palace to search for a noble Englishman to marry."
A flicker of pity flashed through the bluenette's gaze as he took in the sight of his dark skinned companion. The way he held himself reminded Ciel, quite thoroughly, of himself after a particularly bad nightmare; as if the teen was ready to fall apart at the seams and only his arms were keeping him solid.
"She hated it there, hated me. Detested our time together."
The teen frowned before letting his arms fall to his sides. Soma glanced over his shoulder, and Ciel could see the physical change as something uplifting took hold of the other's spirit.
"Agni didn't want me to know. He didn't want me to find her."
The last piece of the puzzle instantly clicked into place and what was once murky and muddled became incredibly obvious. Agni was protecting Soma, protecting his heart from the venomous poison that only other human beings could bring. Soma, who had saved Agni's life, who had eventually become the man's lover. Agni had hurt his Prince, hurt him to save him from a horrible truth that he had found out anyway.
The tragedy of it all was tedious to the Earl. He enjoyed literature, and the creativity behind the great tragedies, but within real life, they meant nothing to him. So while he was glad, to some degree, that Soma was pleased with the real truth, he couldn't bring himself to appreciate the painful beauty behind all of it. Not like he did when the pain was merely expressed through ink on parchment.
Focus on the present once again returned as the judge's booming voice echoed throughout the building, "And the winner is.. The Funtom Toy Company!"
A coy smile captured the teen's lips and he looked up just in time to see Lord West slipping angerly from the crowd, pulling a slender Indian woman he assumed to be Mina by the wrist behind him. Their eyes met for the briefest moment and Ciel could see the flames of rage before the noble smothered them with indifference.
Ciel let his coy smile morph onto a full blown grin that screamed of his victory as he also caught sight of Sebastian approaching the two males, holding a trophy in one hand and a small sugar coated bun in the other that the Earl guessed was the butler's ingenious idea.
As his demon neared, Ciel dropped the smile and looked to his dark companion, "Checkmate."
He knew that nobody else would be able to hear him. Not Soma, who was becoming reunited with Agni, not the servants, who were chattering excitedly amongst themselves, and certainly not the crowd around them, all of whom were still buzzing with excitement that Funtom had won a Royal Warrant for an industry they weren't even involved with.
But Sebastian heard. Sebastian always heard what he had to say, and in the end, that made all the difference in the world.