( chapter seventeen ! )
"You look stunning, darling. Just like a princess."
The day is March eleventh, a Monday and Leah Barrett's seventeenth birthday. Decorations cover the halls and rooms of Barrett Manor to celebrate the special day and the front door consistently opens to allow guests to file inside, the elaborate decorations managing to mesmerize some individuals. But the real star is the birthday girl.
Sitting before a large vanity, Leah cheerfully gets the final touches added to her look, her mother stationed behind her with a smile full of admiration. Her dress is one of the largest she has ever worn. The main ensemble is pink and silky, but overtop are lace coverings in whites and yellows, creating a nice contrast that sits well beside her porcelain skin. Even the jewelry is appealing, a necklace full of pearls and gems while her earrings are flowers and dip into a pearl.
A soft and genuine smile covers the brunette's face, allowing her mother to add a floral headpiece to the side of her hair done up in a low, braided bun. "Thank you, Mama."
"It is about time we head downstairs now, can't be late for your celebration!" Vivienne responds as she steps towards the door.
Following suit, Leah waves for Anna who stands in the corner of the room to follow her before boldly stepping out of her room. Her eyes light up at the sight of the decorations, woven through the halls that radiate a magical feeling for the girl. But it isn't until she reaches the top of the stairs and looks down that she is even more surprised.
"There are more people than I anticipated!" Leah stares at the guests in wonder, ranging from close friends to distant relatives. She has not seen most of these people in years, startled at the fact that they even bothered to attend.
Vivienne lets out a giggle. "Well, surely you weren't expecting we would host a celebration this large for the.. five people you speak to? Someone must attend," she shakes her head lightheartedly and sticks out an arm for Leah to grab.
Giving a small pout, Leah takes ahold of her mother's arm and the pair set off down the stairs. Guests turn their attention to the birthday girl descending the stairs, marveling at the size of her dress and knowing that the celebration will now officially commence. It is not until the women reach the bottom of the stairs does the dress shows its true size, nearly half of Leah's height horizontally.
"Let us say hello to—"
Hardly having a moment to blink, Vivienne watches the blur of pink and yellow fly past her.
"Gwendolyn!" Leah calls out, speeding for her cousin with open arms.
Gwendolyn Vásquez, a first cousin of Leah through her mother's side, is a girl who just barely breaches average height. Her skin is naturally tanned and her hair is pin-straight and dark brown, drawing attention to her Hispanic heritage. Most have always found it hard to believe the pair are related, but they remain inseparable despite their rare chances to see each other.
A bright smile flashes on the face of the younger girl, wrapping her arms around the birthday girl. "Leah! It has been so long," Gwendolyn squeezes her with the little amount of might she has.
"It has been nearly a year! I'm afraid that if I want to see you, we may have to start kidnapping Aunt Florence," Leah's tone is joking, although not entirely unserious.
"I can't wait until I marry!" Gwendolyn huffs. "I'll be able to see you much more often."
Nodding, Leah almost smiles knowing that her cousin is only a year or two away from debuting into society. "Ah—"
Vivienne approaches from behind. "Don't spend too much time on one person, darling," she begins to usher the two girls to the ballroom where the guests have moved.
"But Mama!" whines Leah.
"You can spend as much time with Gwendolyn as you would like after you greet your other guests! Have respect for those that have come," Vivienne leads her daughter over to a corner filled with her aunts and uncles.
Grumbling under her breath, Leah begrudgingly shuffles through the large ballroom. "I don't even like most of these people.."
After many reluctant greetings to such an extensive guest list. The room is filled with people Leah can hardly remember, second cousins, family friends, and individuals she only speaks with once a month. All of it leaves her feeling quite drained as she is twirled back into the arms of her father, looking up to a proud smile.
"Are you enjoying yourself?" Lucius asks. "I hope everything is to your liking.." he whispers, recounting the amount of time he spent planning.
Looking up into her father's eyes, Leah nearly pouts and shifts closer further from his arms, feeling his hands settle on her forearms. "Why did you invite so many peop—"
"Papa, where did you get the cake? It's delicious."
Stepping over to the scene is none other than Daniel Barrett, a plate in one hand and a fork in the other. His face is stuffed with chocolate cake, threatening to fall out of his mouth and ruin his suit. But that doesn't stop the boy from talking with his mouth full and ducking away from his curious aunties who pester him about a future engagement.
"You are already eating cake?" asks Leah in exasperation. The celebration began not even an hour ago, so she knows that there is no possible way the cake has already been cut.
Shoving another bite of cake into his mouth, Daniel gives a roll of his eyes. "There are two separate cakes besides the main cake, I will have cake if I want to have cake!"
"He has quite a bit of sass."
"I have sass?!"
"Don't start arguing.."
The Barrett siblings huff in annoyance before their father can scold them, though there is a playful undertone to it. This playful exterior seems to be sucked out of the older boy when he looks at a figure behind Leah, earning a shift in both Lucius and Daniel's moods.
Daniel scowls but it is hard to tell if he is serious or not. "Who invited you?" he chews on another bite of cake.
Clearing his throat, Ciel stands behind his fiancé with a smile plastered on his face, unsure of how to feel with the sheer number of people in the room. He wears a simple but classy suit with a tie matching the pink shade of Leah's dress, his hair done up a bit special for the occasion. When she mentioned the celebration would be grand, he hadn't expected this.
Leah turns around to see who her father and brother are looking at, face lighting up at the sight. "Ciel, you came!" she dives in for a hug.
"I wouldn't miss it," Ciel wraps a firm arm around her waist, trying to ignore the large dress pressing against him. "Lau is here with Ran Mao. And I believe I saw Elizabeth and Prince Soma at the food table."
Pulling away, Leah gazes about the room to spot any of the mentioned individuals. "I will have to seek them out if they don't find me first.. There are quite a few people in attendance, hard to see past all the heads," she pouts, view blocked by the many tall men that fill her family.
"Is it alright if I give you one of your gifts now?" Ciel clears his throat, "I'm afraid it can't wait very long."
"I don't mind!" she flashes a smile.
Watching her fiancé walk off, Leah turns to her father and brother in anticipation of her present. Despite the numerous boxes that litter a table filled with gifts just for her, she has spent the last week the most excited about what Ciel would possibly give her.
Reentering the room, the Phantomhive servants gather in a small group and draw attention from the other guests. Ciel stands beside them and prepares to show off the gift, praying they don't mess up.
Stepping forward, Bardoy is missing a cigarette when he smiles, pulling out a party popper to shoot confetti in Leah's direction. After him is Meyrin who pops up from behind him, singing an off-tune song as Sebastian pulls her into his arms to do a classic waltz. Finally, Finnian steps up last with a basket situated between his arms, sweating nervously but keeping an unwavering smile firm on his face.
Finnian is bold, taking steps closer to the Barrett and lowering the basket to stomach level. At first, the room fills with silence and Ciel's agitation at the poor execution from his servants, awaiting to see what it is in the basket. But it's not until the gardener lifts the top do the guests look in awe at a white-furred dog popping its head out, staring straight up at Leah.
Looking at the dog and back up at Finnian, Leah tilts her head when the little bundle of fur starts trying to sniff her. She has never seen a dog like this before, eliciting confusion but still sending a happy signal off in her head.
"Are you giving my sister a deformed rabbit?" asks Daniel incredulously, ready to start yelling at Ciel. However, it is hard to take him seriously with a half-full plate of cake in his hand.
"Daniel.." Lucius pinches between his brows in frustration.
Ciel deadpans. "It's a dog," he shakes his head at how ridiculous the question sounds. "A Pomeranian to be exact. They are a bit rare and are becoming popular with Queen Victoria."
Bending down to get a better look at the animal, Leah gently wraps her hands around its body to pick it up. She doesn't react at first, once again looking back at Finnian who can only smile in response. But when the dog sniffs her face and gives a lick to her cheek, the Barrett nearly squeals in pure excitement.
"It's so cute!" she tries to avoid yelling, not wanting to hurt the dog's ears. "I shall name you.."
The ballroom fills with silence, anticipating the name Leah will give to the dog. Most know her to be quite indecisive and lack creativity, preparing for a name just as ridiculous as Daniel's previous question. This doesn't waver the girl though, staring at the ball of fluff in thought.
"PomPom!" Leah announces. "Your name is PomPom!"
Living up to her lack of creativity, Leah gives the Pomeranian one of the first names to cross her mind. Not that she cares what others would think about the name aspect. Leah is just glad Ciel showed his face at her birthday celebration and came with a present as cute as this one, as well as more she has yet to see.
She hands the dog off to Daniel who hands it to Finnian and runs over to Ciel, enveloping him in a tight hug. "Thank you so much! It is so cute, I love it!" Leah hops in the spot where she stands.
"It is a male," Ciel gives a gentle correction, slowly wrapping his arms around her in return.
Watching the scene, Daniel is unimpressed. "I still don't believe that is a dog."
Gwendolyn walks over with a shake of her head and takes the dog from Finnian, shaking PomPom lightly in front of Leah. As much as she wants to groan at her brother's words, Leah doesn't let them cloud her feelings for the animal.
"I don't care if he is a dog or not, he is absolutely adorable!" Leah gushes and plucks the dog out of Gwendolyn's arms, holding him close to her chest.
"It looks like a deformed rabbit," quips Daniel.
Turning around faster than one can blink, Leah glares sharply at her brother, PomPom still in her arms. "How is it that you are the heir?"
"What do you mean by that?" Daniel raises a brow.
"I mean that you are simple and wouldn't survive a day running a household," retorts Leah.
Flashing an offended look, Daniel hands off his now empty plate to a passing butler. "I am very much capable!"
"Please never reproduce."
"Now you are just talking to talk!"
"I am talking because I am right! If you reproduce your child will end up simple as well."
"Papa, do you hear this?"
"Do not cry to Papa! Go cry to a woman in the hopes she will marry you."
"Excuse me?!"
All of the guests watch in astonishment as the siblings take a previously light moment and turn it into an argument, silence being the only thing to accompany the voices. It's not until Vivienne harshly whispers to Lucius that it comes to an end.
"Enough! Both of you!" Lucius raises his voice, nearly yelling.
Feigning a pout at her father's interruption, Leah shuffles over to a giggling Gwendolyn who holds PomPom after managing to sneak him out of her arms and tries to strike conversation with Ciel. However, Daniel is relieved by the silence, feeling comfort knowing that his sister can not embarrass him before all of his family members.
Miraculously, the guests return to their previous activities after watching the dispute. Anyone who has visited the Barrett household more than once knows that bickering is a common occurrence between the two "children" of the manor, then proceeding to hug and laugh the next moment as if it never happened. But to those within the ballroom, that is their least concern, focusing on enjoying the prestigious night.
With the situation having cooled off, the fight was practically pushed to the back of people's minds to instead cheerfully celebrate, cutting the main cake. It is triple-decked and covered in intricate designs with the icing, cut open to reveal the vanilla flavor. Leah's favorite as she can't eat anything overly sweet.
Leah marvels at the sight of her cake, though as beautiful as it is, she is conflicted on whether she should eat a peace. Nonetheless, a friend of her's named Henrietta keeps her distracted, pointing out a display of ripe and plump strawberries that the Barrett is sure to adore.
Henrietta Sánchez is a childhood friend of Leah's, the girls have known each other since the age of five. She is of a similar ancestral descent to Gwendolyn, also being Hispanic with tanned skin and hair so dark it nearly appears black. However, unlike the Barrett's cousin, Henrietta is nearly an entire foot shorter than Leah and harbors a more stout build.
"I did not expect you to attend," Leah lifts a strawberry to her lips.
Furrowing her brows, Henrietta cranes her neck to look up at Leah. "Why?"
Leah shrugs. "We haven't had much time to see each other as of late. I thought you might have wanted to do something else instead," she whispers.
"Just because we lack the time to see each other, does not mean I care any less," Henrietta smiles softly. "As long as you attend my birthday celebration as well."
A giggle leaves Leah. "I would not miss it for the world."
Silence falls upon the pair and it is comfortable for them, matching their naturally quiet personalities. This silence is broken though when Elizabeth bounds over at the sight of her friend, dodging anyone who happens to be in her way. She doesn't get noticed until she wraps her arms around Leah a little too tightly.
However, poor Edward seems to not be noticed entirely until he speaks up. "Happy birthday, Leah!" he cheers with a bright smile on his face, shifting nervously.
"Edward.." the corners of Leah's mouth pull up ever so slightly. "Thank you very—" she is cut off when the boy's sister decides to speak up.
"Leah, this is the first time I have gotten to see you up close today!" yells Elizabeth in pure excitement. "You look like Antoinette!"
A noise of discomfort escapes Leah, but she smiles nonetheless. "Thank you.."
Elizabeth begins chatting away before she notices Henrietta stationed beside Leah, getting a piece of cake. "Who is this?"
It takes Leah a moment to realize who Elizabeth is talking about. "Ah.. Elizabeth, this is Henrietta Sánchez," she gestures the best that she can while still encased in Elizabeth's arms. "Henrietta, this is Elizabeth Midford."
Thankfully for Leah, Elizabeth pulls away to instead approach Henrietta and happily talks her ear off, giving the Barrett a chance to scope out the room once more. But when she glances at the few people still surrounding the table for cake, she notices Prince Soma happily taking a plate with Agni a few steps behind him.
"Happy birthday, little sister!" Soma flashes his brightest smile before taking a large bite of cake.
Her brows furrow. "Who invited you?" Leah asks before she pauses, realizing how rude it sounds. "A genuine question. I don't recall my father knowing you. Thank you though— for the birthday wishes."
Elizabeth speaks up. "I did!"
Blinking in surprise, Leah nearly responds until she notices Ran Mao in the near distance. She immediately perks up at the sight and disregards her current conversation in favor of approaching one of her other friends, having not seen her in months.
"Ran Mao!" exclaims Leah, her running coming to a stop once she's positioned in front of Ran Mao and Lau. "I am so happy you are in attendance! I had to sneak your invitation into the pile when my father was not looking.."
Taking a bite of cake that she is sharing with Lau, Ran Mao nods. "You're welcome."
"Happy seventeenth birthday," Lau speaks up with a smirk. Though it is clear he mainly came for the food.
Leah gives a tight-lipped smile, starting to feel a sudden exhaustion but still thankful for all of the birthday wishes. "Thank you!"
To no one's surprise, a blanket of silence falls upon the trio. It would be much more awkward if it weren't for the fact that Leah's social battery feels like it is slowly draining before her eyes, threatening to leave her an empty shell of a person. Or that Leah is naturally comfortable with Ran Mao. 'Why are the lights so bright?'
Before Leah is capable of fixing her lips to break the silence, the sound of numerous displeased voices meets her ears. Upon turning around, she notices that the sounds are emitting from the servant's feet away at the food table. At first, Leah can't exactly realize what the commotion is about.
Excusing herself from her 'conversation' with Ran Mao and Lau, Leah takes small steps over to the batch of Phantomhive and Barrett servants. "What is all this noise about?" she asks. 'I am the one who is supposed to act displeased.'
Both Thomas and Sebastian glance away from their scolding. "We were just informing them that they cannot eat the cake. It is reserved for the guests," says Thomas, devoid of emotion and almost making Leah shiver with his stare.
Noticing the disappointed look on Finnian's face, Leah almost feels a form of guilt. "Let them eat cake.." she mumbles, begrudgingly grabbing a plate for Anna when she notices how she stares as well.
"But, Lady Le—" Sebastian attempts to object.
"There is plenty to go around. You all can help minimize waste," Leah says, a ghost of a smile forming when she sees how much happier Meyrin and Bardroy look. "Except Thomas. Thomas gets nothing!" her tone immediately shifts to one that is much more harsh, reflecting her current want to step away from all the people crowding the room.
Finnian looks up mid-bite, face ever so slightly flushed. "Don't you believe you're being a bit harsh, My Lady?"
"He deserves nothing!" Leah repeats in frustration.
Strangely enough, Thomas says nothing in return. He doesn't need to after all. He enjoys the mean words, knowing that her fear and guard around him slowly chip away. After what most would claim are pointless years of serving a bratty daughter of a wealthy family, this has become the demon's normal. Quite pathetic if you ask Leah.
Leah grabs a grape from a bowl in agitation and stuffs it in her mouth, unknowingly giving Anna a signal that she might be set off soon. Thankfully, Daniel comes to the rescue. But it is far from intentional, as he is grabbing his third slice of cake.
The voices of the guests drone in Leah's ears as her eyes fall upon Daniel, blinking wildly. "You are having another slice of cake?" she asks incredulously.
"Yes," Daniel playfully giggles in her face and brings the cake to her lips, letting her take a small bite. "Papa says in half of an hour all of the guests are going outside to see something in the garden. I believe it is just to show off the flowers in bloom," the boy rolls his eyes.
Leah's eyes glaze over, hardly paying attention to half of her brother's words. "Well, I shall spend some time in the garden before then. I cannot handle all of these people."
"Don't take too long, I need someone to talk to so our aunts stop pestering me about an engagement.." he glances around the ballroom in a paranoid manner. "Oh, and your rabbit peed on Gwendolyn's hand."
Not having it in her to argue or react, Leah sighs through her nose as she begins to walk off. "It is a dog.."
Initially, she worries that it will be hard to escape from the room given that she is the center of attention. And her humongous dress. But to Leah's relief, the number of people makes it hard to easily spot her amongst the heads blocking anyone's view, allowing her to swiftly duck out of the door. Though Thomas is not particularly pleased with her departure.
Outside in the halls, the sounds of the ballroom fade the farther she gets, the noise of her heels clicking against the floor slowly taking over. Most of — if not all — of the people inside the manor are in the ballroom, including the guests, which leaves the building feeling very desolate despite the shining decorations. Something Leah is accustomed to.
Leah eventually speeds up her steps once the double doors to the garden come into view, pushing them open and feeling a wave of relief wash upon her. Making her way over to the gazebo, she shakes her head in an attempt to clear her thoughts. 'Why can't I handle social interaction like a normal person?'
Gleams of moonlight shine down on the garden and reflect on Leah's skin, making it appear as though she is emitting a glow. The sounds of rustling leaves fail to calm her down, unlike how it normally does. It is such a lovely day but she can't keep her emotions in check.
Her hands grip the railing of the gazebo and she tries to close her eyes, taking deep breaths to steady herself. 'Why is it that everyone suddenly feels so annoying? Or that it is too loud and the lights begin to hurt my eyes? Everything is so exhausting sometimes..' Leah fights the urge to take her hair down, choosing to stare ahead of her at the colorful flowers.
'The quiet is always—'
The sounds of rustling footsteps pull Leah from her thoughts, almost earning a noise of irritation. Those footsteps belong to none other than Ciel Phantomhive, peeking his head over a tall bush and approaching when he notices his fiancé.
"I thought I saw you leave," his voice cuts through the air as he comes to stand beside her.
Throwing Ciel a glance, Leah prefers to keep her gaze trained in the general direction of the moon. "I was beginning to feel uncomfortable.." she mumbles.
Ciel's brows furrow. "Uncomfortable with what?"
"Interaction I suppose. I spoke to too many people for too long— it is overwhelming," there is a waver in Leah's voice.
Silence falls upon them when Ciel takes a moment to think, observing her face from a side angle under the moonlight. "You haven't smiled much as of late," he points out.
"This is the normal amount in which I smile," she retorts.
"Yes, but normally—" Ciel can't finish his sentence.
Leah gulps, fidgeting with her fingers. "Because I thought you would like me more."
The rustling leaves fill the stunned silence as Ciel thinks of what to say. "What do you mean?" he asks.
"I thought if I acted more like a desirable lady— more like Elizabeth, you would like me more. But it has never worked. You look at me no different," Leah's voice shakes when she says these words, unable to bring herself to look at Ciel.
Ciel's eyes soften with a turn of his head, looking down and placing one of his hands on Leah's. "I like you the way that you are. I just struggle to express myself," he whispers, leaving out the part of how he knowingly pushes others away.
Lifting her head, tears prick Leah's eyes when she looks into Ciel's blue ones. "But you have always shown a preference for Elizabeth.. You are always much kinder to her."
"I do not have a preference for Elizabeth," Ciel corrects. "And I am only more kind because Elizabeth can be quite emotional. You don't cry nearly as much as she does."
Leah blinks, a wave of stubbornness overcoming her. "But—"
"No buts," he grabs ahold of both of her shoulders before she can testify, staring into her eyes. "I chose you. I sought you out and harassed your father just for your hand in marriage. If I liked Elizabeth more than you I would not still be in this arrangement."
The Phantomhive's words echo through the wind, causing Leah's ears to ring. She stumbles over her words and cannot find a proper response, an inner battle taking place within the confines of her head. Blinking past the light shining into the side of her eye, she shakes her head with parted lips.
"It is not as if you can leave this arrangement," she whispers. "If you were to break off a second engagement, your reputation would be in shambles. You are stuck with me regardless of how you feel," Leah seems set on finding any possible reason she can find to back up her claims, regardless of how ridiculous she is starting to sound.
The grip on her shoulders getting ever so tighter, Ciel releases a shaky breath. "I want to be with you! What part of that do you not understand you stubborn girl?!" he raises his voice into a near yell and his cheeks have a faint flush.
A sound rivaling that of a gasp escapes Leah, staring up at Ciel as her eyes dance across his face. Her chest heaves with heavy movements as she tries to maintain her breathing, pushing against the corset molding against her waist and bosom.
Chill air encases the pair, adding a dreamlike atmosphere amidst their moment. 'Certainly this is not real?' Leah's hands twitch as she feels the warmth of Ciel's on her shoulders, causing her to take a small step closer. It isn't until she is nearly pressing against him that the blue-haired boy almost comes to his senses.
Settling onto her toes, Leah brings her face closer. It doesn't make much of a difference to the height gap, due to the heels, but it is effective in making Ciel's breath nearly stop. A long pause comes over them before the Barrett brings her lips crashing onto his in a soft, but chaste kiss.
When they pull apart, they stare into each other's eyes, the darkness making it harder to see. Neither Ciel nor Leah are sure of what to say, both closing and opening their mouths in the manner of a fish trying to find even just a word to say. 'This is real..'
"Ciel.." Leah decides to be the first to break the silence, slowly dropping from her position on her toes.
Unlike the Barrett who feels a slight sense of bliss, Ciel is unsure of how to feel. "Leah," he murmurs, feeling conflicted.
Lips parting, Leah's pale cheeks burn up with the way Ciel stares down at her. "I—"
She is quick to cut off her sentence at the sound of approaching footsteps, practically throwing herself away from Ciel in favor of planting herself at the other end of the gazebo. Through the moonlight, Daniel shows his face and stops at the entrance, eyeing both of them up suspiciously.
"What are you two doing?" he asks with a raised brow, looking back and forth between the betrothed pair.
Leah shakes her head frantically. "Nothing! I came out here to think, Ciel merely ended up following me."
"Are you trying to compromise my sister's virtue, Phantomhive? Just because you are betrothed does not mean you can—" Daniel raises his voice into a yell, a protective urge overcoming him.
"No!" Ciel shakes his head and takes a step back. "It is nothing like that! We were just having a conversation," his voice is clear to appear more confident, almost startled by the bulkier figure of the heir to the Barrett name.
Daniel doesn't respond when he hears the faint sound of voices getting louder, squinting his eyes in an attempt to intimidate Ciel. "The guests shall be out here any moment now. I wanted to warn my sister," he adjusts on his feet.
"Well, I suppose we get a head start on the view!" Leah laughs oddly, earning a look from her older brother.
There isn't much left to say about the situation between the three, Daniel simply waves his sister over to follow him. Leah obeys despite her wish to stay and talk with Ciel about what just happened, picking up the skirts of her dress to step forward, slightly haltered by the lowered hems she isn't accustomed to.
Stepping past Ciel, she stops beside him subtly to gently smile up at him. "Thank you.. truly," she whispers.
Ciel doesn't have a chance to respond before a voice cuts through the air, the sounds of the guest's chatter also growing louder.
"Leah!" calls out Daniel, waiting expectantly for her to follow in his trail.
Turning her head around to face her brother, she smiles and lightly jogs after him.
"Coming!"