Well! Hello Lovlies!

It's Tuesday, I know, but I really can't help it. I can't be held responsible for these kinds of things.

I would like to first of all thank all of you for helping me achieve more than 100 reviews! It was really exciting for me and I appreciate each and every one of them. You guys are my muse and Trading Mistakes would not be hear without you. Kinda makes me sound like this is the last chapter, but I promise that it isn't! I'm definitely in the swing! My writers block is finally clearing up! However, enjoy the fluff!

I threw a fandom reference in the chapter somewhere o3o Cookie to anybody that finds it.

Also, since I haven't done this in a while, I should probably throw up a disclaimer. I do not own Black Butler/Kuroshitsuji. If I did, I promise SebaCiel would be Canon.

As always, enjoy!

Majix

The next morning went by in a flash. Just as he did every morning, Sebastian woke the Earl at what seemed to be an ungodly hour with the promise of tea and breakfast. As usual, Ciel gave in and his morning continued, faster than usual, but exceedingly ordinary.

However, it wasn't until Ciel sat alone in his study, hunched over business parchment and ink, that he decided to make the day special. To change it and do something different. Neither of them had spoken of it, or even hinted towards what happened the previous night, but Ciel had changed things. There was no mistaking that, and the teen knew it, just as Sebastian undoubtedly knew.

The demon was no longer just another fear behind the glamor of the world, he was a person. Not a human, far from that, but he wasn't entirely invincible now. There was more behind the mask of immortality, and Ciel wanted to do something for him.

The Earl was not a man of sentiment. He usually refrained from buying gifts, or tossing out compliments to easily, and that was especially true for Sebastian. The teen had, never in fact, given Sebastian a gift and the more he thought about it, the more he wanted to do it.

If nothing else, just to see the shocked expression that would undoubtedly cross the other man's face.

The teen thought for quite some time, slowly making circles in his chair before stopping in front of the window. He really had no idea what to get a demon. Human items were so trivial. He supposed that he could go and find some ancient book that the man might be interested in, but that too seemed pointless and lacking.

It had to be well thought out, something that couldn't be casually overlooked. Not that the fact that he was giving a gift at all would be overlooked, but that alone was what made the task even more important.

Before long, a single idea grew within the back of his mind, slowly growing and pushing its way forward until Ciel could no longer think of a more perfect idea, but he wouldn't be able to do it alone.

Another quick glance told him that Finny was out in the garden, so the Earl assumed that all of his other servants were busy as well. He wished that he could speak to each of them without any interference from Sebastian, but such would look extremely suspicious. He never sought out the servants individually, and thus, could not do it this time either.

He needed to be casual as well, to think it through. A brief glance at the clock told him that it was only twenty after ten. Sebastian would come on his own just before eleven to drop off tea and a snack. From there, he would have exactly two hours before the butler came again with his lunch, but the Earl couldn't guarantee that he would be finished before then. But if he waited until after lunch, he ran a high chance of encountering closed shops by the time he got to London. He would have to be creative.

The Earl pondered the issue, tossing around different scenarios before eventually deciding that the best option was to claim sickness and sneak out with the aid of his other three servants.

So, ever the patient being, Ciel sat in his chair and poured over his work, making his reports slightly more detailed than usual, taking just a tad longer to sign his name and give the family's seal. For the rest of the hour, the bluenette played his part, doing things as he normally would, but as the small knock sounded through the room, the teen couldn't help but to feel slightly relieved.

He bid the butler entrance and watched in patient silence as the tea was strained and mixed to his liking. Sebastian never got it wrong, not since the very first cup all those years ago.

The brief thought made Ciel smirk but he ignored the look his butler sent at the coy smile, "Young Master."

The blue haired teen gladly accepted the cup Sebastian offered and he took a small sip, sighing contently as the warmth soothed his nervous stomach.

Sebastian laid a small plate alongside the younger man's work, and it was all Ciel could do to avoid digging in to the cherry tart, "Is there anything else I can get for you, my Lord?"

The Earl wanted to groan. There were some things that he couldn't deny, and his childhood love for sweets was one of them. Ciel loved Sebastian's cooking, as any sane person would, but the man's desserts were completely different. They were impossibly perfect and Ciel wanted nothing more than to snag the sweet treat but if he wanted to play his part to the tee, he couldn't.

"Yes, actually. Send up the servants."

With what seemed to be great effort, Ciel pushed the plate away, "I'm not feeling well, it seems. I think I'll go back to bed after I speak with them."

The demon nodded in understanding, "Of course, young Master. I shall lay out your sleeping clothes and send them right up."

Ciel ignored him in favor of pretending to read the next report on his desk, "See that you do, Sebastian. I won't be needing lunch. Wake me before supper."

Sebastian dipped his head in acknowledgment before picking up the untouched treat and wheeling the cart away, pausing only to shut the door behind him.

It took only a few minutes before the tell-tale scramble of uneven footsteps alerted Ciel to the approach of his three misfits. There was a pause just outside of his door and a quick flurry of hushed voices before a tentative knock sounded at the door.

"Enter."

Finny entered first, wearing his trademark smile but he was visibly nervous, followed closely by the ever clumsy Mey-Rin who managed to stumble, almost knocking the good natured gardener down.

"Oi, watch it Mey-Rin!"

The ditzy maid scrambled upright at the sound of Bard's unmistakable voice, a faint shade of pink coloring her cheeks, "Oh my! 'm sorry Finny, I did't mean to!"

The happy blonde offered a forgiving smile, "It's alright Mey, no harm done."

The three suddenly straightened and directed their attention to the blue haired teen behind the desk. The maid's blush deepened as she thought of making him wait, but Bard managed to put them all at ease with a classically American smile.

Ciel looked at the three of them and gave an internal smile. They were incredibly dysfunctional, almost completely useless as servants, but Ciel wouldn't have traded them for anything. They brought life to the manor, and without them, there would be nobody to protect his castle. And as far as protection went, there was nobody better.

"I have a very important task for the three of you, and you can't tell Sebastian."

Three sets of eyes went wide at the mention of the head butler. They exchanged similar looks before May-Rin spoke up, "Beggin' me pardon, Sir, but what if we happen to mess 't up?"

A coy smirk captured the teen's lips as he leaned forward, setting his elbows on the edge of the desk and bringing his fingertips together in a steeple, "Well, you see, that's the point."

The look of confusion upon all their faces was definitely worth the extra time that it took to be slightly cryptic.

"I have a surprise for Sebastian that he can't know about, and in order for me to get it, I need to leave. But he can't know I'm gone, or he'll insist upon accompanying me."

The teen sat thoughtfully for a moment before continuing, "I could, of course, order him to stay here, but that would ruin the surprise entirely."

Rather than the questions he'd been expecting, the Earl's brief explanation was met with three identically mirrored smiles.

The teen continued, "I need you to be extra clumsy, cause excess mischief today, and make sure Sebastian stays busy."

The easy going smiles that'd crossed their features suddenly looked all the more coy and even mildly sinister. Bard and Mey-Rin shared a devious look and Ciel couldn't help but to feel slightly sorry for the butler.

"So I can count on you three then?"

They all turned to look at him before giving a salute, "Yes, Sir!"

Ciel laced his fingers momentarily, considering all that needed to be done before standing from his chair, moving to clasp his hands behind his back, "Excellent. You're dismissed."

As they started to leave, the Earl stopped them one last time with a small cough, "Remember, Sebastian can't know about it. No matter what he says, you three won't suffer consequence."

They all breathed a sigh of relief, giving their Master one last smile before disappearing out the door without another word.

As always, London was covered by a thick blanket of clouds, making the day often appear dreary and cold. To a degree, it was. The air was thick with moisture, not humid necessarily, but enough to offer the timid promise of rain.

The Earl just hoped that it didn't choose to pour before he got back to the manor. It was this thought that quickened Ciel's steps, pushing him farther away from the main road. It hadn't been hard to find somebody looking to give the things away, even without a previous inquiry.

221B was hidden within the heart of London and by the time the teen reached the weathered doorway, he was breathing hard and cursing the nature of cobblestones.

Ciel lifted the heavy brass knocker and tapped it thrice against the thick wood before taking a step away. It didn't take long for the elderly woman to make her way to the door, calling for him to be patient.

She was short, a bit on the thin side, with curly grey hair pulled back into a messy bun. Age lined her face, but despite her years, she appeared strangely youthful. As soon as she saw him, she smiled, and the teen realized instantly why she had so many wrinkles around her mouth; her life had been one of many smiles.

"You must be here for the little ones, come in, come in."

She ushered the blue haired teen inside, closing the door behind him without as much as a single hitch in her step, "I keep them in the washroom with the warm laundry. Keeps them happy."

The place was a labyrinth of space but Ciel followed the elder woman steadily until they came to a softly lit room at the end of a darkened hallway.

"Let me know if you decide on one, Dear."

She turned, going back the way she came and the teenaged Earl was left alone to enter and search for the tiny things. It wasn't particularly difficult to find them.

All five kittens were snuggled around their mother in a pile of laundry. The soft suckles drew his attention and Ciel watched them with detached interest. They were cute, all of them soft and fluffy looking, and the Earl was positive that Sebastian would love whichever one he chose.

He watched as they eventually tugged themselves away from their mother and started to wander along the sheets. Most of them were clumsy and wobbly, but not the black kitten. She was obviously older than the others, just by a little bit. It showed with the way she walked, the way she strode with intent and obvious purpose. Her strides were graceful, even for a feline.

She idly made her way over to him and sat right before his feet, quickly capturing the bluenette's attention. Without a second thought, Ciel bent down and picked her up, carefully inspecting her.

The feline was black with stark white paws. Her bright whiskers stood out in sharp contrast against her ebony face, and her eyes were mismatched, just like his own; One of them was hazel, while the other was a brilliant shade of green. However, what truly set her apart was the unmistakable sheen of intelligence within those eyes.

"I'm not surprised that you'd take a liking to that one."

The teen looked up in startled surprise to find the grey haired woman standing in the doorway, "She was from the last litter. Well mannered, but very feisty. She just needs to strong but loving hand."

Ciel took one last look into the mismatched eyes of the black cat before returning his gaze to the elder, "How much?"

The journey back to the manor wasn't as terrible as he'd predicted. The cat wandered around the carriage, unfortunately clawing at the upholstery, but not making any move to get out. He'd expected the creature to try and bolt at the first sign of movement, but as the horses were called to attention and the carriage began to move, she merely jumped up beside him and sat patiently.

Ciel looked down at the black haired feline, watching her kneed the velvet covers gently with her claws and he wondered how Sebastian would react to her. He himself, though not a huge cat lover, was quite taken with her already. She just sort of fit their household.

Earlier in the day, the Earl had thought of how impractical the three servants were, but in reality, they were all dysfunctional as a whole, himself and Sebastian included. They were different, but somehow they had all come together and made a family of sorts. Him and his demon, alongside an assassin, a human experiment, and an ex-army soldier with a knack for explosives. But it went further than that. Even the extensions of his social circles had begun to linger a little to long. Though he'd missed it as a child, Ciel now realized the role many of his late father's guests played when they visited Phantomhive manor. Though their visits were frequent, they paled in comparison to the amount of time Ciel spent with them. Characters as slick and treacherous as Lau all the way to the blatantly honest ones such as Prince Soma. They just fit, and as the Earl looked to the sleek animal beside him, he knew that she would fit in as well, in her own corky way.

All to soon, the manor came into view from within the trees, and even before the teen made it a quarter of the way up the drive, Sebastian was waiting at the front door. The bluenette couldn't see his face yet, but he had a sneaking suspicion that it was going to be on the stern side.

Ciel was more than positive that Sebastian had noticed his absence by now. He hadn't expected the servants to keep him distracted indefinitely, that would've been foolish. Despite their talents, they were only human after all.

As the carriage drew closer, the Earl was able to confirm his suspicions, noting the irritation that darkened the man's features and for the first time, wondered if this somehow wasn't a good idea.

The blue haired male turned to the cat, "Pay attention."

He couldn't help but to be surprised when the black feline lifted its head and looked up at him, almost as if to say, "Yes? What can I do for you?"

The Earl cleared his throat, suddenly feeling very self conscious about talking to a cat.

"When we arrive, don't jump out and rush off. Do you understand?"

The cat just stared at him, making the teen feel like more of an idiot than before. She finally broke their shared gaze and settled back down, laying her head on the cushion.

They eventually pulled to a stop and Ciel took a deep breath before opening the door and stepping out.

"Young Master. You've returned."

The younger man almost flinched at the silent accusation, but his pride kept him still. The demon was angry. It came as a bit of a surprise to the teen and he wasn't sure what exactly to make of that knowledge. Sebastian was there for his safety, Ciel usually insisted that the butler follow him absolutely anywhere, but he was not limited to such company. The Earl was free to wander as he so chose, but he hardly ever exercised that right. Instead, Ciel preferred to have Sebastian at his side, following his lead, keeping his thoughts straight.

The teen wondered offhandedly if the butler was irritated that Ciel hadn't taken him along. However, it was much more likely that Sebastian was angry that Ciel had lied to him. Not only lied, but asked the servants to keep him occupied.

A small voice at the back of his conscious reminded him that if anybody had recognized him, he could have been injured, or, more likely, kidnapped. But as Ciel looked back towards the carriage, remembering what sat within it, he steeled himself against Sebastian's disappointment

"I have."

Ciel watched the man with interest, he could see the tension in the elders face as he fought to avoid demanding where the teen had gone. However, that wasn't the butler's place and it would appear unprofessional, especially in the company of others.

In turn, the blue haired male found himself wanting to apologize and clear the air rather quickly. He cast a look to the carriage driver before focusing back on the grumpy demon.

"Turn around."

Twin eyebrows shot up in surprise, "My Lord?"

The Earl raised a brow, ever the player of his status. He said nothing to the ancient, simply waiting, until finally, Sebastian turned from him.

The bluenette turned back to his coach and peered inside, easily finding the troublesome gift. He picked her up with care, watching her for any sign that the creature was going to make noise. Her mismatched eyes flew open but she made no sound, watching him with what appeared to be curiosity.

A quick nod to the driver had the horses off in a flurry, and the younger man turned back to his companion, looking down at the small creature that he'd gone to all the trouble to get, but her eyes weren't on him. The feline only had eyes for the man in black, and Ciel instantly knew that he'd made the right choice.

His mouth felt dry as the bluenette considered the elder man, and he struggled to find the words to not only to present the cat, but also to repair the damage he'd done. It occurred to Ciel that such things used to be below him, and he wouldn't have cared what Sebastian thought about his little disappearing act, but as the Earl looked to the cat, he also realized that he wouldn't have bought his butler a present either. His demon butler.

Things were different now and they would never be the same. It didn't matter if he connected with Sebastian, or if the man ate his soul without a care, because the past was lost. And as he'd always believed, once something was lost, it could never be returned; and really, what was more impossible to reclaim than time? The choices of his path. This was what he'd chosen, what he was currently choosing.

"Sebastian."

Ciel watched the elder's spine stiffen, "Young Master."

A frown made its way to the blue haired teen's features as he heard the chill in the butler's tone. It made him look to the unnamed feline, as if she could help him, but she took no notice, staring intently at the ravenette.

"I lied to you this afternoon. And I apologize. Please turn around."

Moments ticked by before Sebastian turned back to his Master, the demon within his flesh growling with aggravation. He longed to throttle the boy, to demand where he'd so foolishly ran off to, to teach him a lesson about lying with some well placed barbs. But the moment the elder turned around and laid eyes on the sleek black feline in Ciel's arms, all thoughts disappeared.

He couldn't stop the look of bewilderment from crossing his features, the absolute and utter surprise that betrayed his true emotion. The very last thing Sebastian had expected to see was Ciel, looking so utterly worried, as he held a calm black kitten in his arms.

The creature was small, but unnaturally well manored by the looks of it. She sat tall, or rather, as tall as she could in the arms of a nervous human. The cat's ears stood at perfect attention, a focus that was being completely directed towards the butler. It took a moment for the demon to take in her mismatched eyes, but the moment he caught sight of them, he froze.

They were absolutely beautiful, so similar but ever different. Just as she was undoubtedly different. The feline's gaze glittered with intellect and Sebastian found himself utterly speechless. She was lovely.

Ciel looked down at her before taking a couple steps towards Sebastian. There was so much he wanted to say, and yet he knew that much of it would never be spoken of. It had become the secret of his breast. The heart remained an ever present sanctuary for the deepest and darkest parts of ourselves, the shadows that affect us most. And what could be darker than loving a demon?

But that was what he'd done, and it grew ever more apparent with each passing moment.

No doubt, that some of his feelings would die with him, unspoken, but Ciel knew that something needed to be said, "I was nothing when you found me Sebastian."

The words tasted foreign on the bluenette's tongue. His pride would normally have choked him long before saying such a thing, but as the teen looked to Sebastian, he realized that there was nobody else who would ever play a bigger part in his life. The ancient being was his redemption, his savior, and would eventually be his death. But before that darkness, Sebastian would protect him with his very life. The demon would follow him absolutely anywhere that he wanted to go. There was nobody that would ever be more loyal.

"I was scared. More scared than I'd ever been in my life, Sebastian, but you saved me from it. You gave me my revenge, my pride, and you promised me vengeance. Never once have you failed me. Not then, and not now."

Ciel offered the cat to the visibility startled male, "I apologize for lying, but I wanted to surprise you."

Mechanical fingers reached out and wrapped themselves around the kitten's soft middle. There wasn't a single thing Sebastian could think to say. Such was becoming a regular occurrence. Never had the demon experienced anything similar to this. His contracts didn't just give him things, they didn't speak to him in such a way, sober at least.

Maroon eyes turned to faintly glowing slits of the purest carmine. This was Ciel Phantomhive. And what an interesting human he'd become.

"You don't need to say anything, but I want you to have her. You deserve her company."

A small smile claimed the Earl's lips before he became very stern once more, "But that's the only one, Sebastian! If I ever find another cat in here, you'll regret it."

The teen smirked to himself before going around his stunned butler, walking calmly up the steps to the manor.

Sebastian turned, automatically keeping the teen within his sight before his train of thought finally found the correct track, "Young Master?"

The blue haired male stopped and looked over his shoulder to the ravenette butler, "Yes, Sebastian?"

"She's beautiful."

Ciel grinned, instantly knowing that all was forgiven, "Of course she is. She's going to be living in the house of Phantomhive. We couldn't be seen with a scraggly cat running the grounds."

The bluenette turned his back to the demon and started back up the stairs, "I hope you haven't forgotten about my dinner, Sebastian."

Even with his back to the elder man, Ciel could almost feel the radiating smirk of arrogance, "I would never do such a thing, Master."

"And dessert?"

Ciel looked over his shoulder a second time as they reached the door, finding himself confused at Sebastian's absence.

"For you, my Lord, always."

The teen jerked around only to find the demon standing at the door, holding it open for him, a smile of endearment crossing the ancient lips, and despite the ridiculousness of it all, Ciel finally felt like things were as they should be.