#ciel's memory the big four

[sarahwaraor]

16 March 2023 is the day our next fanart animatic published in Youtube (link above). English dub version of "Ciel's Memory: The Big Four" drama track from Remastered Tracks Rockman Zero, "The Formidable Four".

After "What Comes Before" PreMMZX fanart animatic, I decided to make next animatic shorter than before due to fulltime job. For starters, I pick The Big Four not only I love The Four Guardians, but also this is an intro to them, hence an intro to new VAs for them, and intro to learning how to casting and working together in small group project. It's intimidating, but it comes to fruition.

Big thanks to Luna Love who helped me how the casting and voice acting world in general navigate; which she is the returning voice as Ciel in here!

And another big thanks to Percy Davis (Fefnir), Thea-Solone (Leviathan), and DangwooVA (Phantom)! They did tremendous job as the characters!

Hope you all enjoy our animatic dub stuff!

Below here is bonus: it's the same video, except I put original Japanese audio drama The Big Four one! So you can do comparison for funsies!

Also I'm not sure how to disable the question poll. I accidentally tap that icon. Sorry if it's visible after I post this!

Enjoy!

[raywritessometimes]

How Demons Say Goodbye

Summary: Takes place after season 2 of Black Butler (spoiler warning!). After Ciel is turned into a demon, Sebastian says a last goodbye to Y/N before leaving with the earl.

Grimreaper! reader x Sebastian Michaelis

Wk: 1.5k

TW: slight angst? Kinda fluffy tbh

“Well this one’s got a particularly nasty record, ” Ronald exclaimed, watching reels of film stream from the body on the alley floor. “Murdered his wife and daughter. Tsk, tsk. That’s a big no-no.”

“Oh, that’s nothing. You see some twisted things after being on the job long enough,” you reply. “I once had a doctor who would steal the pinky toes off of newborn babies as payment for their delivery. The problem was that he wasn’t a very good doctor and a lot of children died.” In truth that wasn’t even close to some of the other things you’d witnessed, but scaring off the noobie seemed like a bad idea.

“Why'd he take their pinky toes?”

“It’s best not to question people’s intentions too much,” Will said from where he was inspecting the body on the ground. “Just enough to get an accurate reading on them. It is impossible to completely understand someone, and asking fruitless questions like ‘Why pinky toes instead of big toes’ is-”

“Hello? Are you three done?” Grell whined from her place leaning against the alley wall, watching people pass by on the main street. “It’s one body. Come on, I’m getting bored.”

Thump

“Ooh, a present? Pour moi?” A small table and four chairs had appeared in the alleyway, seemingly out of nowhere, with four cups of tea and a black box set on top of it. “I wonder what’s inside,” Grell said and moved to open the box.

“Would you please go see what she’s on about, Y/N?” Will grimaced, rolling his eyes, and returning to the body. You started walking over and examined the table. It was walnut wood cut to precision, with complimenting high-backed seats. Steam rose from the porcelain cups of tea in the cold London air. Upon closer inspection, the cups were filled with a rosy amber liquid that had been steeped to perfection and emitted the faintest smell of chrysanthemum.

And then there was the black box. The white silk ribbon it had been tied with was now discarded on the table, as Grell had already opened it up and picked out the contents within. You knew who had laid the table. Sebastian Michaelis. The only question left was- 

“CIEL PHANTOMHIVE IS DEAD!” Grell shrieked, as she read off of the card she had found in the box. You grabbed the card from Grell’s hand, and read it again. Ciel Phantomhive is dead. You ran out of the alley, and onto the street, ignoring Will’s calls after you. He could handle the wild reapers for just a moment. It didn’t surprise you to hear that Ciel was dead after all that had happened last night. Memories flashed through your head of the labyrinth, the fighting, and the new contract. You’d witnessed it all until Sebastian had left with Ciel’s body to get his soul back. Maybe Ciel really was dead. Still, it didn’t hurt to double-check with Sebastian, right?

You scanned your surroundings until you found him. His tall figure hurried away along the rooftops, as shoppers and civilians continued their life below. You jumped up onto the closest building and chased after him.

He stopped at the edge above another alleyway when he felt you catch up to him, and you took one last leap to join him on the rooftop. 

“Is Ciel really dead?” You asked.

“I figured you’d already know the answer to that question, Miss Y/N,” he said, turning around to face you. The demon’s handsome face looked at you, and you couldn’t help but admire it as you had many times before. Spotless skin, nearly as white as snow, but with just enough color to seem human. Thin lips which formed a perfectly crafted smile. And his eyes. A beautiful shade of red, like wine spilled after a night of fun.

“Will decided that he’d handle all souls that have been put into contracts,” you replied. “I never got to see the file.”

“I see,” Sebastian said, shifting his head. “No. The young master is not dead. Per Hannah’s contract, he has been turned into a demon, and I am to remain his butler.” You scrunched your brow. The events of last night had been chaotic, to say the least, but you weren’t expecting this. You couldn’t picture the young earl as a demon. He was too young, and his soul was supposed to go to Sebastian after their contract ended. Now if what Sebastian said was true, he was to serve the young demon forever. You knew he couldn't be happy about that, and hoped that he wouldn't come to resent the boy.

"I'm sorry," you reply. "What will you do now?"

"Whatever the young master wishes. For now, that means leaving London."

"Will you come back?"

"I don't know." You felt a small pang in your chest upon hearing those words. You'd become quite fond of the earl, and his butler, and despite that reapers weren't supposed to interact with humans or demons, you felt rather attached to the pair. Specifically Sebastian. You knew that nothing would come of those feelings, but you felt them nonetheless. Sebastian and Ciel would be gone for months at the least, forever at most. Even if they did come back, you might be reassigned to a new city before seeing them again. It hurt to think that this might be your last time seeing the demon.

"Can I do something selfish before you go?" You asked.

"I am merely a butler, Miss Y/N, you can do whatever you want." It pained you to hear him speak like that, knowing that he would never get his freedom so long as he served Ciel. You stepped forward anyway until only inches separated your bodies, and you could see the orange flecks in his crimson eyes. A feeling of lightheadedness washed over you, and you were reminded of the time you and Sebastian danced together at the Trancy Ball. 

You leaned forward and brushed your lips against his cheek. A mere whisper compared to all the things you wanted to do with him, and all the locked-up emotions you wanted to scream from the rooftops. The kiss was so light you barely touched, but at every point your skin met his, it felt like it was on fire.

You pulled back quickly and felt a blush spread across your cheeks. It took all your effort to meet Sebastian's eyes again, and not just stare at his suit, or off into the London fog.

"I'm sorry. I was just worried that if I didn't do that now, I'd regret it in the future," you say sheepishly. Sebastian smirked, and you couldn't help but smile back.

"May I do something selfish as well, my lady?"

"Yes," you breathed out. As soon as you said the word, you felt a gloved hand gently caress your cheek, and another wrap around your waist. Sebastian leaned forward until your lips met his, and then kissed you deeply. Your heart jumped, and your hands shook slightly as you brought them up to cup his face. The kiss was small and intimate, but you could feel everything he intended when he pressed harder into the kiss and lightly sucked on your bottom lip. It was everything you'd hoped it would be and more. You weren't sure how much time had passed, as you relished in his presence and committed the demon’s features to memory. All you knew was that you didn't want it to end.

When Sebastian finally pulled away, your faces remained close. He moved his hand to lay on top of yours.

"Forgive me, Miss Y/N, but I don't want to have any regrets either," he whispered. Your heart burst at that, and you pressed another peck to his lips with a smile.

"You shouldn't keep the young master waiting," you say, and lift your hands from his cheeks.

"I suppose you're right," he replies, and you can't help but notice the small sigh he let out as well. "Goodbye, Y/N."

"Goodbye, Sebastian." The demon turned away, melancholy starting to creep onto his face. You wave after him with a smile, giving him one last picture of you to keep in his memories.

As Sebastian bounds to the next rooftop, you stay standing watching him leave, and can't feel the least bit sad. No, not when the man you'd slowly fallen in love with over the past year had admitted that he returned your feelings.

You returned to where the other reapers were all sitting around the table, sipping their tea.

"We finished with the record. Where'd you run off to?" Ronald asked.

"I tried to find Sebastian, but no luck," you reply, taking a seat next to him, and picking up your cup.

"No! I wanted to see Sebas-chan," Grell pouted. "I need to thank him for the gift."

"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll get a chance to," you say, before taking a sip. You smile into your cup because you know that there is no way in hell that you would let that be the last time you saw Sebastian.

[redrobin-detective]

What exactly is the big plot twist in black butler? Would you mind telling? Wikipedia only has a very short summary that seems out of date?

I'll try and make it quick but its uh messy. Im fact checking dates but as an FYI this is based on my knowledge and memory. Spoilers under the cut.

For simplicity's sake, the big spoiler of Kuro is that the main character we've followed the entire manga wasn't Ciel Phantomhive. That the Real Ciel had an unnamed sickly twin (Our Ciel) who assumed his identity when he made a contract with Sebastian upon Ciel's death from the cult.

For the longer explanation let's wind back the clock a bit to 2014-2015. The Green Witch arc is finishing and the Music Hall arc is starting up. There had been whispers of a theory before the Green Witch arc but that arc really cemented the idea of the Two Ciel Theory (2CT). Prior to the GW arc, I'd heard of the idea but hadn't put much thought into it. This is now Laughably hilarious in hindsight because do you know what was also airing in 2015? Gravity Falls.

The 2CT was floating around at the same time as the Stan Twin theory was gaining traction. I believed in neither (RIP me being team Gruncle for Grandpa). So even after Not What He Seems aired and confirmed the Stan Twins Theory to which me and tumblr lost our goddamn frigging minds, I still did not believe in 2CT.

Eventually as the Music Hall arc continued the clues piled up even as I stubbornly insisted otherwise. I was, as everyone was, devastated by the death of Agni but an unnamed third party. I finally at that point accepted the truth. I still remember the exact panel that finally convinced me

I didn't get the context until later (Real Ciel swallowed the blue Phantomhive ring which Our Ciel cut out of him after being rescued by Sebastian, nasty) but this whole chapter convinced me and sure enough like a chapter later we get this.

So this was revealed in 2015. THIS ARC IS STILL TECHNICALLY GOING ON. In that time I finished college took a gap year did two years of nursing school and now four years of nursing. We still don't know how or why Real Ciel was revived (Undertaker for sure but to what extent), Our Ciel and his servants are still on the run and we've had some interesting but Incredibly Too Long flashbacks on the origins of the servants.

I love Kuro as a tragic, mystery manga but please Yana, pleaseeeee can you move things along a little faster? I'll be in an old age home before we find out Our Ciel's proper name.

[blackbutler-readerinsertsandjunk]

Hey ! You are awesome so I’d like to request —- A FREE BEE FOR YOU!! Any character, any situation, just something you’ve been dying to write or maybe a cute lil idea you’ve had? I love your world building so I know I won’t be disappointed. I hope this doesn’t come across as extra work, but if so then your free bee could be to just take it easy and not write if you want :) have a nice day 💜

FREE THE BEES-

aaaaanywaaaaaay!! this is like handing me a blank check, I hope you know XD

sooooo since you said you love the worldbuilding... I've been wanting to write one of my OCs more, this is Marlowe who's a genderfluid under-butler at the Phantmohive estate!

and, well, this is what happened when Finny first came to stay there :D

also all I heard was "angst me Mommy" so I sincerely apologize but also it's not that sincere =)

The Phantomhive estate is quiet when MARLOWE wakes up.

They sit straight up in bed, unsure of what exactly woke them. A glance over at Mey Rin’s bed reveals that the maid is still asleep, and barely snoring, so it couldn’t have been her. It wasn’t a nightmare of patchwork memories, either.

All they can think of is that perhaps they’re on edge after a new arrival to the manor. A young man that their master gave the name FINNIAN, who has the same loss of hope and want for it in his eyes that Marlowe had once upon a time. (The same that they think Mey Rin and Bard must have had too, and maybe even Sebastian, when they were first taken in.)

This is the first time since they’ve been in Ciel’s employ that someone new has joined the servants’ ranks. It’s only been about six months, so despite being settled in, they’re relatively new themself; twenty-four years of life behind them and the best in front of them. Finnian looks to be at least five years their younger, maybe more than that.

As they slip out of bed, their mind flickers back to the introduction they and the rest of the staff had with him. His hair is incredibly short, like someone cut all of it away and it’s only beginning to grow back. He seems hesitant to make any big movements or show any big emotions.

They remember what it was like when they were swept away to the manor. They were nervous about talking to Mey Rin and Bard. All they could do was follow Sebastian round like a lost puppy, taking his orders and mimicking his actions in the hope that they could become someone worthy of being saved.

They can recall washing seven years’ worth of the East End off them, scrubbing so hard their skin turned red. Changing into the masculine clothing provided for them and the sheer relief at being reminded that they wouldn’t be forced into a dress, because that was not a butler’s uniform.

… The world can be so cruel. Knowing what they went through before they got here, it makes them wonder what poor Finnian has been through.

Their simple silver lighter and a cigarette are both drawn from their bedside drawer while they head out the door. If they can’t sleep, they might as well smoke.

It’s of course not proper to do so inside the young master’s home, especially given his condition, so they always go outside to kill a cigarette. The garden has been their small sanctuary for it during breaks; practically as soon as they step onto the grass, they’re striking their lighter to start the cigarette.

They’ve got a few puffs in when they suddenly hear shaky breathing that isn’t their own. Marlowe looks over toward the rosebush, and their eyes widen when they see Finnian crouched beside it.

He’s just barely missing all the thorns, curled in on himself with tears in his eyes. It’s the picture of someone in distress if ever Marlowe has seen one, and it tugs at their heartstrings.

It wasn’t too long ago that this was them. They recall being up one night sobbing in fear that they’d be kicked out for asking Ciel to refer to them as ‘he’ one day… only for Mey Rin to hold them and stroke their hair and reassure them that wouldn’t happen. Bard once saw their hands tremble as they were looking in envy at his cigarette, and he gave it to them, seemingly able to realize another person who was desperate to numb their pain with something.

Even Sebastian was a comfort, strict as he is. It’s a sharp, powerful memory ― their tears spilled over their cheeks, berating themself for having made a small mistake. And Sebastian’s hands came to rest firmly on their face, and that stern voice of his cut through all their horrible thoughts.

“What did you tell me when you first came here… that you would try hard even if you stumbled? That you would fall nine times, and get up ten? You are no longer that helpless, dirty urchin from the street, Marlowe. You’re better than that now. You are a Phantomhive servant. Straighten your back, fix your mistake, and do what you promised me you would do: make me proud.”

These people have had faith in them. Their fellow servants are becoming their friends, and their master expects the best from them because he knows they’re capable of it.

Marlowe cannot look at someone who was just as lost as they were and simply pretend not to see the suffering. Everyone else here has made them feel welcome. They want to do the same for Finnian. He deserves to be comfortable in his new home.

They quietly walk over, the grass rustling under their feet, and lower themself down to sit on his other side. He startles at the abrupt presence, but all he does is look over them with wide eyes.

Awkwardly, they offer their cigarette in his direction. Though, it doesn’t appear he’s one to smoke. “Oi… want a drag?”

“N… no…” His voice is so small. He shakes his head at them, and scrubs at his tears with the heel of his palm. “M… Marlowe… why are you out here?”

They shrug. “Woke up. Started thinkin’. Decided I needed a smoke. Wot are y’ doin’ out ‘ere?”

He blinks, and the quick, in-and-out staccato of his breathing becomes even more apparent now that they’re closer. “I… I guess the same…? Minus the s-smoking.”

“That right?” They take a drag before blowing out a thin stream of smoke, away from Finnian. “Wot y’ thinkin’ ‘bout that led y’ outside?”

He stiffens up. The tears start to pool at the bottoms of his eyes again, and he buries his face in his hands. “I… I like it here… but… I woke up… ‘n’ I just… felt like I had t’ get outside for a minute. I-I felt… I felt trapped.”

Trapped? In a way, they get it. Except, it feels like something a little different with him. They take another puff, then give his shoulder a nudge with theirs. “I ain’t gonna judge if y’ wanna talk ‘bout it, Finnian. Get it out so it don’t eat y’ up.”

For a long minute, he’s silent aside from his unsteady breathing.

“The… place I was at before. They were doctors. Doin’ experiments on us. They kept us inside, we weren’t allowed to go out.” Marlowe can feel his entire body shuddering with the force of a bad memory. His voice gets progressively harder to understand as he keeps talking, because the crying starts to take over, although they think they get all the important parts.

“I woke up ‘n’ I felt… I felt like I was… in a cage… even though I had room… ‘cause there were walls keepin’ me in! It’s s-stupid, I know it ain’t like it was… but I j… I just… felt like I was… like I was gonna die if I stayed in there… my heart was beatin’ so fast I could feel it in my ears, ‘n’ it was like I c-couldn’t breathe ‘n’…”

Marlowe finishes their cigarette, and tosses it beneath their foot so they can at least attempt to grind it out. No sparks catch on the grass, so it’s fine. They’ll check it again before they take Finnian inside.

With one arm, they drape around his shoulders and gently pull him against their shoulder so the poor boy can cry and be miserable in peace. They notice there’s almost no hesitation when he leans in, pressing his face against them.

Inside, they’re a powder keg waiting to explode. Why does the world have to be like this? Why do people have to be so terrible?

What they went through was bad enough. Finnian’s been through hell, literally being experimented on? Kept inside for his whole life? He’s been tortured. It’s to the point that he’s here, in a safe place, a warm bed and food and people who accept him, and he can’t relax because his mind is telling him something bad is going to happen simply because he’s got four walls and a roof around him.

Anger roils and bubbles inside them as they tuck Finnian’s head under their chin. Like they think they can protect him from his own thoughts and fears.

“Fuckin’ bastards, puttin’ y’ through that,” they mutter. It’s not fair to compare the horrible pasts of anyone here, but at least they can say they’d probably rather have the predictability of their father’s belt and their mother’s starving disapproval than what Finnian’s been through. They suddenly feel grateful for the abuse their parents foisted on them.

That’s fucked up, ain’t it? That’s so fucked up. What I went through was bad too, but… this poor kid.

They hold him as close as they think they can without making him feel confined. That’s part of the problem, right? Too tightly and it will only make things worse.

“Get it out. ‘S alright. Ain’t nothin’ wrong with wot y’re feelin’.” They try to keep their voice soft so they don’t set him on edge.

It’s difficult when they’re so full of rage at what they world has done to him.

And he just continues to wail, holding back the noise as best he can and sobbing into their shoulder. Like he’s used to trying to suffer quietly.

That pisses Marlowe off even more.

“’S alright, Finny,” they repeat, and they don’t know quite why they shorten his name like that. “Y’re safe. Ain’t nothin’ ‘r nobody gonna ‘urt y’ while I’m ‘ere.”

A hiccup comes from him as he lifts his eyes up just briefly. There’s a look on his face that’s almost a smile. “… Finny…? I-I… I like that…”

Of course, just like that, he goes right back to crying as soon as they return the smile.

“Oi, yeah. Don’t worry, Finny.” Their fingers sift lightly through the sparse strands of hair that are poking out from his scalp.

“Stay out ‘ere as long as we need t’.”

Because everything else be damned, they’re going to make sure he feels safe here.

[the-letter-horror-lover]

Take me into your loving arms; kiss me under the light of a thousand stars. Place your head on my beating heart. I'm thinking out loud maybe we found love right were we are." (Thinking Out Loud - Ed Sheeran)

Chapter 11: Ready or not

Notes:

AN: Here we are!!! I think you know what's coming. So a lil warning... semi graphic here, but I tried not to be too icky for you, yet keep it realistic. Oh and fyi, I have no children so I have no idea what this is like so any moms out there I'm sorry if it's cliché, all you ladies have my up most respect. It is something I could not do and don't plan to. Any who as far as warnings I think you should all be fine, any way the moment you have all been waiting for is here, so! Get your sodas and popcorn and hunker down for the big moment. Also! There is some Imagery here that brings us full circle, so if you notice those little easter eggs good for you.

Chapter Text

Ciel felt restless, he had been lying in bed the last few days and been oddly content to do so. After eight months of pregnancy, one would think staying off your feet would be welcome. It was for a while, he was perfectly fine allowing Sebastian to fawn over him all to the ravens pleasure.

However, now he could not be still.

With a bit of huffing and puffing Ciel managed to heave him upright and take hold of the bed frame, hauling himself into standing position. Moving around with the low hanging weight of four children had become a chore.

"Ciel... are you alright?" Sebastian asked feeling the bed shift; he rolled over watching the silhouette of his husband in the moon light slipping on a dressing gown.

"Yes, yes I'm fine go back to sleep I just need to get some air. Your children are being troublesome."

"Funny how their mine when your annoyed." The ravenette quipped watching as the once human staked out of the bedroom.

The false night in hell has a strange kind of beauty to it, the inky sky above and soft glow of the moon that so mirrored the one in the human realm. It was something that always seems to bring Ciel a sense of peace, so familiar and yet unnatural. The nights in the underworld brought back fond memories of his bonding ceremony all those years ago. If he closed his eyes he could almost ear the sirens songs and smell the incense in the air.

Sitting in the garden in an old swing the neko closed his eyes. The long navy robe he had been wearing fell open illuminating his pallid skin under the false moon, casting the taut creamy flesh in lavender light. Around him, ghost roses turned there haunting white blossoms up to the deep violet sky. Something about this night feels so familiar and yet like a distant dream.

Ciel breathed in the soft fragrance and let it soak in to his lungs, the calming scent easing the ache that had been radiating from his lower back. He ran a hand over his swollen womb, "To think, I was once in an abyss of despair, when chance was offered, the choice to crawl out and I took it. I decided not to give up and reached for it. I thought the greatest gift that demon could give me was revenge...I was wrong. You are all my gifts."

A warm breeze flowed through the garden, swirling through the hedges and blowing the vibrant blue petals of the rose's trough the trees. Ciel watched the cerulean petals dance in the wind, there was something ethereal in it. He could have never believed hell could be so beautiful; truth was life is what you make it. Even in the other world were the inhabitant could simply chose to surround them with whatever they choose. This was a world created just for him, of his and Sebastian's own making. This was in a way there first child; they wove this place. The stone paths of the garden, much like Phantomhive manor, the gates around there home...suspiciously like the gates of London cemetery. The roses, even the swing where he sat now that was much like the one at his Aunt Frances's home, where he and Elizabeth used to play.

Ciel could imagine his children in this garden, four little mischievous toddlers dashing down the walkway. Little girls with long ink black pigtails. Little boys with shining crimson eyes so full of curiosity and wonder. "Look what you lot have done to me hmm?" He said breathing out slowly feeling the twinge in his back wrapping around his lower belly. "You all wreak havoc and make me sentimental...ya know I was once feared, I tamed a demon you know. I was a captain of industry when most boys where occupied with their studies. It only took me a hundred years to grow up, yet it doesn't seem so long now."

The demon sat there in the slowly swaying bench swing for a while longer, leaning back when the tightening in his low abdomen returned. Ciel knew what it was now, but it was to early to bother with it now. He wanted to put of Sebastian crowding him and calling Claudia in. By the neko's calculations, these first contractions were still a good 20 minuets apart. He would be looking at a few more hours yet.

Sebastian was tiding up the bedroom; Ciel never had come back to bed. The elder demon was not concerned, he got a hint of irritation from the other across there bond every now and then but other than that nothing that would cause the crow, any pause.

After leaving the master suite and descending the staircase, Sebastian looked around the parlor and library with no sign of him mate. Ciel had a particular talent in eluding him, Sebastian supposed it was apart of his feline like characteristics. If the bluenette did not wish to be found, he would not be.

However, a search of the patio yielded results. Ciel was laying on his side on a cushioned lounge that over looked the garden.

"Soaking up the morning sun are we?" the elder commented

When Ciel did not answer, Sebastian left the doorway and crossed the stone pavilion. He saw the pinched look on his mates face as Ciel let out a breath slowly. "Ciel?"

"What..."

"Are you alright?" stupid question he realized as soon as he said it.

"Wonderful, just enjoying the view and waiting for your hell spawn to position them selves between contraction. The usual, perhaps you can make yourself useful and make me some tea yes?" The younger man complained

Sebastian folded his arms looking unimpressed, "Why didn't you tell me."

Ciel rolled up into sitting position, hand on the side of his bulky stomach. "What would you have done that I am not perfectly capable of doing now. Entertained me with all your tricks with table wear?"

The raven pinched the bridge of his nose silently reminding himself that it was to hormones talking. "I would have been by your side, just as I always have been."

Ciel waved him off before gripping the fabric of his dressing gown and breathing in sharply. He counted through the rippling cramp, they were getting longer now but nothing he could not handle. When he opened his eyes, they meet with a concerned pair of garnets looking up at him. Sebastian was kneeling in front of the lounge.

"I'm fine."

The ravenette hummed rubbing his mates thigh, "I'm sure your doing splendid, though perhaps you would indulge me and come inside."

"Because I want to, not because your asking."

"Of course Dear."

It had been nine hours since the first contractions started, at this point, the tightening cramps were seven minuets apart and Sebastian had sent for Lady Faustus. Claudia had arrived and looked Ciel over, by now the neko was annoyed and between lying at the foot of the bed and pacing the room, he was nearly growling at everything that moved.

The she demon just shook her head and said "not yet" which earned her some rather colorful language from the once earl. Not that the string of profanity mattered much to her.

Claudia suggested that Ciel lay in some lukewarm water for a while to ease his back and perhaps cool his temper. Sebastian was quick to ready the bath and help his snappish laboring mate into it. Ciel slapped him away when a contraction rippled through him.

The elder demon gave up letting his partner have his solitude in the bath.

Out in the parlor Claudia was as calm as a spring day, sipping her tea and as her fingers idly ran along the stitching of one of the decorative pillows in the living area.

"Forgive me curiosity but how much longer will it be, in your opinion?" Sebastian asked, sounding collected when he was anything but.

The woman looked up, golden eyes regarding the raven coolly, "Could be another hour or the rest of the day. They will come when they are ready, I see no signs that the kits or their barerer are in any immediate danger. The best thing to do is simply waiting, once the first enters transition and descends then the rest will follow. "Sebastian nodded sitting across from her, "And the birth, are you as confident for that?"

"From his exam his birthing stoma has been in place for over a week now and with multiples the individual kits are smaller, I don't anticipate any tearing." she spoke waving a wand dismissively. "This is his first litter, it will be difficult but Ciel is strong. Perhaps more so than I previously believed."

The raven smirked, Ciel was strong - it was something he had known for centuries now. Where others had broken under stress and desperation his valiant little once human had persevered. Like a phoenix from the ashes, the bluenette has surpassed all expectations. He would do so now with no doubt.

"SEBASTIAN!" Ciel was leaning on the bed striped down cursing through every wave of pain. He had been in labor for 15 hours and finally felt the shift low in his belly.

His mate at his side running a gentle hand over the slighter males sweat soaked back, " That's it just a bit longer." This comfort was apparently incorrect as the neko's hand shot out and grabbed the raven by his collar jerking Sebastian in nose to nose.

"You said that three bloody hours ago." the bluenette grit

However, before Sebastian could make a witty retort his mate hunched forward over groaning into the next contraction.

By now Claudia had entered the room drying her hands on a tea towel, "I believe he's entered transition by now, I suspect his waters to break soon, if not I can do so to get things moving along." She spoke mildly unbuttoning her silk blouse leaving her in a cream cotton camisole.

"Yes lets get on with it." Ciel panted fisting his hands into the duvet, he did want to prolong this if he didn't have to.

Getting into position at the end of the bed had admittedly been the least glamorous moment of his demonic existence, yet some how the former earl could not bring himself to be ashamed. Being splayed out like a Christmas goose in front of a Faustus no less, this should have been humorous in a some dark part of his mind. However all semblance of wit left him with the awkward rush of fluid. Blessedly releasing some of the pressure he'd been feeling mount over the last hour.

"When you feel the urge to push do so, when you do bear down with your chin to your chest hold your breath to the count of 10. I will not direct you further, your body knows what it must accomplish." The she demon spoke in her ever even perfect tone as if critiquing a painting.

Ciel was less in the mood to be snaky at the moment, his hands griping into the terry cloth folded beneath him. He felt the steady strong presence of his mate behind him. This was happening, this was real, as real as the bond he shared with his former butler now husband. Real as the tactile sensation of the cloth in between his fingers.

"Ok I'm Ready."

Ciel groaned and cursed, his hair plastered down his back from sweat. Sebastian holding him whispering in his ear as he bore down again unable to hold back a scream that tore through his throat. Beginning to regret his choice not to do this in his demon form.

Then nothing mattered because admits the pain and the sound of his own voice crackling in his ears came clarity. The feeling his first born passing into the world followed by a shrill cry.

"Girl." Claudia said, freeing the last remaining tether between infant and barer. She held he shrieking little one and gently soothed away the blood from birth in the large steel bowl of water.

She was there, their daughter. Soft deep navy whips plastered on her head, her tiny fists clenched tight as she cried.

The demoness placed the little one in Sebastian's arms first. He looked down at the child who instantly called her wails into whimpers at his touch. "Hello Hela, my little girl. You have given your father quite a bit of trouble you know."

Ciel's face softened wanting to hold her and touch her, count her fingers and toes but there would be time for that later as one of his little girls siblings was already eager to follow her lead.

The next hour seemed to go easier, Arielle had arrived during the first birth and by the second the majority of the Michaëlis/Viceroy clan was down stairs awaiting news.

When the second girl, Athena, was born looking identical to her sister Ciel sensed a pattern coming. And sure enough when little Rachel's voice joined the chorus he knew he had a trio.

After Rachel was born there was a lull in his labor, Claudia assured him that was fine and to rest while he could.

"Their beautiful."

Ciel cracked open an eye to see his sister-in-law settle down in the chair next to the bed.

"Of course they are, hey are half Phantomhive." He commented easily. His palm running down over the far less prominent bump feeling a soft tumble beneath his hand of his final reluctant kit.

She chuckled smoothing her hands over her skirt, "Yes and they look it, Sebastian has fawned over them getting them clean and into their first little night shirts. Athena was particularly fussy about that. How are you feeling?"

Ciel looked up at the ceiling, "Fine, I don't know what all the fuss is about really."

Arielle rolled her eyes, "Really now, see because as I recall when I arrived here I heard you screaming a blue streak and threatening fairly sensitive portions of my little brothers anatomy."

The neko glanced sidelong, "It is his fault and I claim temporary loss of faculties."

"Very well, do try and sleep some. I know you want to see them but trust me they are just as tired for now and will be fine until there little sibling is ready to join them." She said patting his hand.

Ciel did not fight her, welcoming the ease of slumber that tugged him down into its depths.

When he woke again he felt hot and the tighten in his lower abdomen screamed with over sensitive nerve endings.

Sebastian opened the bedroom door with Claudia close behind him. "Alright then lets see how your doing" she said tugging the sheet back.

When her face blanched slightly as she looked up to Sebastian, Ciel knew... "What is it" He groaned through the next spasm of his muscles "What is it"

Sebastian took his mates face in his much larger hands. " Everything will be fine." But even as the raven said the words Ciel could tell the man did not believe them.

"The child is coming feet first Ciel..." Claudia's voice drifted up, there was more ... more she wasn't saying. "This will be more difficult but I need you to push and not give up."

"I have never given up in my life."

The child was smaller, Ciel couldn't even control the sob when he heard Claudia say "You have a son."

It wasn't the joy of his first little boy but the sorrow of looking down and seeing the demoness swiftly untangle the cord from around the so small babies neck and rub the child's chest. He was so much smaller, he was so quiet. Ciel tore his eyes away to see the stricken look on Sebastian's face, the soft words that fell from the elder demons lips "please.."

When the little body jolted in the she spiders grasp and whimpered Ciel fell back and covered his face to conceal the emotions tearing through him.

"Playing possum were you little one?" she said with an ounce of amusement as the little boy screamed louder, little limbs kicking as he was washed.

"Loki.. our little trickster." Sebastian smiled Moving to take the child and swaddle the babe in a towel.

Their son was every bit a Michaëlis, ink black hair that curled around his little ears and forehead. Even his little features, long slender face and nose. Ciel held out his arms, his last born was the first he would hold. Loki opened his eyes, blinking long dark lashes to show off his big dark sapphire eyes.

"What color are the girls eyes?" Ciel said as he ran a finger over his sons cheek.

"Hela and Rachel have my eyes, Athena has yours ." Sebastian spoke softly, Claudia slipped out after cleaning up the afterbirth and taking away the soiled blankets.

They were going to have there hands full from now on that was certain, Their homes much like their hearts would be full.

And the room at the end of the hall, would never feel empty again.

"You're the sweetest thing, that I've ever known. And to think that you are mine, you are mine alone. There is no greater love in all the world it's true. No greater love than what I feel for you." (No greater love - Amy Winehouse)

AN: Yes there will be an Epilogue.

Chapter 12: Epilogue: This is us.

Notes:

An: First I would like to thank all of you who followed this journey from start to finish. You all mean a lot to me and I'm so pleased to have given each of you something to enjoy and brighten your day even if it was only for a few moments.

In other news, Expect the Unexpected will be taking over the Sunday update spot. Its another Mpreg Grellium, so if you enjoyed this you may like that one. I also plan on finishing up my Bleach and Gravitation fics soon. So yep Lots will be wrapping up! But do not fear Your Loli is just cleaning up her dashboard for a new set up in 2016!

You can expect more Red Scales, And new Full length fic for Avengers called "Where we land" It will be Stony Ship OmegaVerse. With potential Mpreg haven't decided yet.

Anyhow, I will now give you the goods since I'm sure your tired of reading all this above XD

Chapter Text

"TAG!" Three bright little voices screamed from the end of the hall.

Ciel rolled his eyes looking up from his book shouting "No Running In The House!" over his shoulder. Not that it did any good. A few moments after his warning there was a thumb and whimpering. "Oh for Hades sake..."

A few minutes later, a set of guilty looking triplets came toddling in. Hel had her arm around her little brother shoulders as he cried. The little boy's knees were bright red from tumbling onto the hardwood floors.

"Loki fell daddy..." Rachel said

"Because you pushed him." Athena chimed in, causing her red-eyed sister to scowl.

Rachel crossed her arms with a huff. "Tattle tale"

"Alright, I don't care who did what. I told you not to play rough in the house didn't I?" Ciel admonished his girls. Each of them looking down and away. Rachel the least sorry of the bunch, she was every bit Sebastian's. "Alright you three go to your room."

A chorus of "awww but!"

"But nothing!" He cut them off taking his sniffling little son in his arms. "To your room now young ladies."

The trios mutter and had a pitiful little precession up the stairs.

Ciel shook his head and carried Loki on his hip into the kitchen. "You shouldn't let them goad you into games you know." Ciel said. Of course, he realized why this had happened. His little boy could not back down from a challenge. The apple, as they say, did not fall far from the tree.

"I know..." The little boy sniffled scrubbing little pals over his face.

The bluenette sat the boy on the counter running a damp cloth over the boy's knees. They would heal quickly, it was the sting or perhaps more the bruised pride of falling that hurt the little one more. "Would you like to sit with me until your father comes home?"

Loki nodded and held up his arms to be picked up, the littlest of the littler, he still clung to his barer. Ciel did not mind, if anything he found it oddly comforting that the little one still needed him so much. His girls were very independent already.

Hel was his little thinker, she was smart and cunning. Her crimson eyes observing everything so carefully, she could turn on a smile or a frown at will and had her grandfather wrapped about her little finger.

Rachel was his little aggressive one; she was competitive and loved to show off. Ciel could already see how wild she was going to get once she matured. Thankful he would have a good 100years or so before that happened. However, he did look forward to Sebastian's reaction.

He mate was already proving to be the very protective father.

Athena reminded him much of his sister-in-law. The child was smart and quick-witted.

This was his family, something he never thought he would have again. Ciel smiled to himself looking down at the small child laying across his lap. The little boy smiled, bright blue eyes filled with innocence, he knew then that if all the suffering in his life had led him to this moment it was all worth it.

"We got love, yeah, darling just swear you'll stand right by my side. Be my forever." (Be my forever - Christina Perri)

~FIN~

Series this work belongs to:

← Previous Work Part 4 of Kuro after years

[palaceofpassion]

MAY I stop Time?

A fic done for a friend!  In which May lets her new semblance go to her head.  

“Okay… okay I can do this.”  

Here May rested, her body hanging above the man of her dreams, one of the many people of her dreams but still the only man.  Her eyes gazed upon his delectable form, his toned form gained through months and months of hard work.  His boyish face on the threshold of a chiseled deity.  Nearly losing herself in his gorgeous blue eyes she felt her heart thump in her chest.  Her beloved Jaune rested below her, his body glistening with the sweat of his hard labor.  

Even as she lowered herself upon his lap he made no distinct movements, no signs of noticing her attempts.  In fact he didn’t move at all, neither did the incredibly gorgeous women around him.  Taking the time to handle her nerves she gazed upon the other six figures in the room.  Her pulse raced in her veins as she stared at each of them, bare as the day they were born.  Their bodies much like Jaunes were coated in a thick layer of sweat.  And just like the man below her they made no special attention to her own depravity.  None of them moved, not a single person besides herself were even aware, conscious of her actions.  

Even as she pressed her virgin lips against the tip of his massive cock she couldn’t help but remember the day this all started.  The day that she unlocked her semblance, what felt like so long ago was only a month.  In that month she’d learned to control her powers, learned to use them to their best and make the most out of them.  And what else would she do with them but enjoy her beloveds to their fullest.  And here they all where, here they all sat around her.  

Closing her eyes she pushed down, the memories of yonder days returning to her mind as she did so.

It had been any other day, May had been at the shooting range practicing her sniping, she wouldn’t let that Ruby girl show her up!  Then out of nowhere one of the punks from Team CRDL decided it was a great idea to scare her, so they decided that they’d take a pot shot at her.  In her surprise something happened, before the dust round hit her the world came to a halt, everything slowed till the bullet stopped right in front of her.  

“Wha?!  What’s going on?!”  The normally quiet May couldn’t help but have a minor freak out when she realized the bullet that should have slammed her right in the face had stopped.  After a moment it dawned on her, this was her doing!  Excitement filled her breast as she stared at the bullet, completely forgetting about those jerks from CRDL.  In her excitement she dashed out of the room, not even paying attention to any of the other students as she passed by.  She only had a small group of people she wanted to tell, the most important people in her life.  

With speed that would drive Ruby to envy she found herself in the Library, where she knew her special friends would be.  Spotting them in the distance she made her way forward, the first coming to focus was her most beloved man.  Jaune Arc, the only person who would go out of their way to talk to a wallflower like her.  He’d gone out of his way to talk to her when no one else would at the beginning of initiation.  Being teamed with him had done nothing but cause her near case heart attacks.  She’d pretend not to stare when he’d come out of the bathroom in nothing but a towel.  She was only so strong though, weak willed as she was, she'd gaze upon his figure over and over.  And believe her when she says he’d come a long way.  She still held their first conversation dear in her heart, it was because of him that she’d been able to make such precious friends.  She wouldn’t admit it, but she’d had many an erotic dream about the young blonde… though speaking of erotic dreams she knew she wasn’t the only one.

To his right, was quite possibly the single most gorgeous woman in existence.  A beauty who made lesbians out of even straight women, Pyrrha Nikos.  The all Star Champion, the invincible girl, the untouchable unapproachable or at least that’s what May used to think.  If it hadn’t been for Jaune she may have never seen the real girl underneath, the one who was just as lonely as her, who only wanted to make friends.  They both owed a lot to Jaune, and if she was being honest, Pyrrha was probably her biggest rival for his affection.  At least she would have been if not for her also being a target of May’s pining heart.  The woman was amazing, strong, powerful, glorious, gorgeous!  But more than that she was just a girl, a sweet and loving girl that like herself was just happy spending time with her friends.  

Then there was the girl to his left, the dark skinned beauty Ciel Soleil, her own partner.  She hadn’t really known what to think of the girls when they first met.  But now they were as thick as thieves, even if Ciel rarely ever spoke.  She owed much of this to her previous two teammates, they’d taken the time to get everyone to sit and talk with one another.  She knew that if they’d been left to their own devices then neither her nor Ciel would have taken the time to become friends.  She would have surely regretted that decision.  Despite her cold nature, May knew she cared in the end, she herself was an incredibly sweet woman who May couldn’t help but feel an affinity for.

To Ciel’s own left, there was Penny Poledina, her odd but rather fun friend who had come along with her Atlas.  The two had originally planned to be partners, but because of Ciel accidentally running into May first those plans had become derailed.  Things had worked out surprisingly well as Penny would visit the four of them frequently, becoming fast friends.  May herself was surprised at how quickly Jaune had adapted to Penny’s inquisitive nature, he himself admitted to having seven sisters so he had grown to become rather patient.  She was incredibly adorable, and May couldn’t help but feel her heart flutter every time the inquisitive girl spoke to ehr.

In front of them were sitting the other three members of their little friend group.  One being the second year Velvet Scarlatina, a student who had somehow just kind of drifted into their little group.  May couldn’t even remember when she first showed up, but she was now a full part of their group.  And honestly she didn’t really mind her, though she saw the way she looked at Jaune, not that May could have blamed her.  The girl herself was quite the beauty, her adorable ears expressed a lot of her emotion, and well May would be lying if she said she HADN’T stared at that nice plump rear of hers.  

To her right was another odd one to join their friend group, Reese Chloris, she’d apparently been having issues with some of the girls from team NDGO, and Pyrrha happened to walk by.  Not one to let things like injustice go unpunished, she stepped in and absolutely humiliated them.  It was pretty obvious that Reese had originally joined by the simple virtue of her own lust and admiration towards Pyrrha.  But as time went on she became a genuine friend with the group.  May really liked her style, her mohawk was incredibly stylish, and her slim figure was one that May envied.

Then there was Weiss, the last member of their little group.  Member of team RWBY, Heiress of the Schnee Dust Company, she will never let you forget that by the way.  Or at least she wouldn’t have in the past.  Weiss was honestly the most surprising member of their group, she’d been a pain in her posterior when they’d first met.  Mostly because of how Jaune had been stricken by the young Heiress.  May hadn’t been the only one bothered by this obviously, as Pyrrha despite giving Jaune the go ahead had come to dislike the attention that she had been given.  Then there was the fact that she was quite mean when it came to turning down the young Arc.  He’d only asked her out three times and yet she’d gotten terribly upset with him… she wished he’d been more forward with her or at least Pyrrha or Cie.  Though things turned around near the dance, he’d realized that it wasn’t going to happen he  apologized and even helped push that Neptune guy in the right direction.  That ended up not working out, and well they’d become friends along the way.

She wouldn’t say that she was as fond of her as she was all the other girls, but for what it was worth she was very pretty.  

Even in her excitement she didn’t yell out to them, she hated drawing attention to herself, she was quite literally a wallflower.  Her parents had named her after a mayflower in itself.  Though, as she drew closer she noticed something strange, they hadn’t moved even the slightest.  That… that wasn’t normal, not even in the slightest.  Her confusion grew as she drew closer, finally reaching them.  Then she looked around… no one was moving, not a single person!  “Wha..what?!”  Fear seized her heart as she started to panic, had she done this?!  Did she freeze everyone?!  

“Please go back, please go back!”  Closing her eyes she wished as hard as she could that this was just a dream.  

“May?”  She nearly jumped out of her large jacket, her one good eye opening wide as the other seven individuals watched her with concern and confusion.  “When did you get here?”  Jaune’s warm voice assisted in calming her nerves.  

“I… uhm… I….”  She wanted to tell them about her semblance, this was a big moment!  But… but there was a part of her, concentrating once more she felt the world fall to a halt.  “I… I did do this…”  She’d stopped time!  She wasn’t sure exactly how she’d do it, or what had brought this around.  But this was amazing!  Though… though sinister thoughts fluttered through her mind.  Mustering her courage she walked in between her friends, taking a deep breath she leaned over towards Jaune.  It was quick and small, but she pressed her lips against his offering him a small peck.  

Pulling away she felt her face burn hot, embarrassment flowed through her.  “I… I did it!”  She couldn’t believe she’d done it, she couldn’t believe that she’d managed to kiss the boy of her dreams.  Though one could hardly call it a real kiss, it would suffice for the time.  She wasn’t quite brave enough, nor did she want to abuse these powers.

Moving back to her previous position she concentrated, time fell back in.  “Uh, I… I just wanted to come by and study with you guys… if that’s okay?”

“Of course it is sweetheart.”  Her heart fluttered in her chest as Pyrrha stared at her, her gorgeous emerald orbs peering into her ugly blueish grey.  “We’d love to have you… though it is quite strange how you’d gotten here out of seemingly nowhere.”  

“Yeah dude!  Where did you even come from?”  Reese’ question nearly threw her off.

“I uhm… I just walked over, maybe you guys didn’t notice me? I am really hard to notice. ”  She didn’t mean to get down on herself, and she sort of prided herself in her unnoticeable status.  But there was a part of her that really didn’t like it.

“No… no we would have noticed you.  You’re always noticeable to us.”  All of the girls nodded along to Jaune’s words, and once more May remembered why she loved these people.  All of them, each and every last one of them.  “So what brought you over here in a hurry?”  

“I uhm I!”  In her panic time stopped again, “oh no!”  She’d need to get better control of that, still she watched everyone.  Their lips puckered in worry for her, and then… then a thought hit her.  She could do anything!  Anything at all… so she made her move.  Stepping to Weiss first she gulped, her heavy chest heaved beneath her thick jacket.  Lowering herself she cleared the hair out of her vision.  

With courage that can only be found from her new found abilities she pressed her lips against the Heiress.  Just like her namesake she had a crisp icey taste to her, one that May would very much like to try again in the future.  

Not delaying she pulled away with a small pop, running her tongue around her lips.  

Next came Reese, the exotic girl proved to be quite the opposite, her lips had an earthy taste to them, it wasn’t bad, just completely different from Weiss.  

Next came Velvet, May couldn’t help but giggle against Velvet’s lips which tasted like Carrot Cake.  “Oh Vel~”  Pulling away she couldn’t help but run her fingers through Velvet’s ears, running her nails through her thin fur.  

Penny was next, copper, it tasted a lot like copper… and silicone?  It was an odd combination!  But she didn’t hate it, it was pleasant once she grew used to it and she may have dilly dallied a bit more than she meant to.  She placed another gentle kiss against her forehead before moving onto Ciel.

She took a moment staring at her partners glossy chocolate covered skin.  Oh god she felt her nerves fail as she grew closer.  Unlike the other girls she made sure this one lasted, her lips pressed tightly against the timely strict girl and she kept them pressed for a while.  She enjoyed her flavor most of all so far, it was a cool minty flavor one that sent chills down her spine.  After reluctantly pulling away she moved over to Pyrrha.

Her heart fluttered thoroughly in her chest, like a drum beating rapidly she felt her heart about to explode.  Mustering her courage she actually grabbed Pyrrha’s head.  Puckering as much as she could she pressed her lips, spice and ginger filled ehr senses as she found herself unable to pull away from the exotically erotic woman in front of her.  Running her tongue across her cherry red lips she couldn’t help but enjoy the woman’s plump lips.  

Truly reluctantly she pulled away, her heart thumped louder and louder to the point she swore that she could hear it pumping blood in her veins.  Turning towards Jaune she just went right in, her moist lips crashed against his.  One minute, two minutes, three minutes she continued to kiss him, not even coming up for air her courage turned into a burning fire as she ran her tongue across his teeth.  Pressing on she slipped into her mouth, by this points he was basically tongue fucking him.  She lost count for how long she’d been doing so but she now knew his taste intimately!  Thick ropes of drool rippled down as she pulled away, her tongue slipping out of his mouth last.  “So goooood~”  She wanted more, needed more!  She could always feel the power going to ehr head, but she didn’t care!  For now though… she needed to keep things under control.

Pulling back she made sure to take her original spot, giving herself time to calm her beating heart she finally allowed time to return.  She’d nearly missed it, but several of the girls, and Jaune, had quickly pressed their fingers across their lips.  Velvet herself had slipped her hand across one of her rabbit ears.  Once more time stood still, and a sudden realization hit her, “They can feel it… they can’ feel everything…”  This should have scared her, should have terrified her, but it didn’t, instead it excited her, it sent powerful urges and lit a strong desire inside of her chest.  

Once more taking the time to calm herself, she let time flow again, “I… I just wanted to see you.”  Despite her meek tone she felt far more courageous than she’d ever felt.  The fire that lit in her soul wouldn’t burn away, not for a long long time.  For now though, she’d take the time to practice, to truly get used to her powers.

“Uh… well come and sit down!”  It was obvious that Jaune was trying to get over the strange sensation in his mouth, but bless him for still thinking of her.

A small smile crossed her lips as she sat down with the group, this really was the good life and she wouldn’t trade it for anything… but she wanted more… wanted more with all of them.  It was small, but she knew what she would do.

The sun hadn’t even risen by the time she’d woken the next morning, the excitement of the previous day had truly gotten to her and in her excitement she’d found sleep hard to come by.  Even Pyrrha, Ms. Wakes up before the crack of dawn, was still slumbering, “Mmm~ Jaune not in front of the others~”  

A smile slipped past her lips as she listened to their Vice Leader talk in her sleep, it was a good thing that Jaune was such a deep sleeper.  Though she’d have to talk to Pyrrha about that one day, the girl’s thirst was unquenchable, not like she could blame her.  Jaune was quite the wonderful boy, she’d had quite a few dreams about him as well.

Though… speaking of the boy, her eyes glanced over at his resting figure.  The soft silver light of the moon illuminated his lithe figure.  As her eyes trailed down from his face, to his chest she felt a knot grow in her throat.  Apparently Pyrrha hadn’t been the only one to have an erotic dream that night, with only the moon’s light casting upon him she could still make out his impressive mast standing at full attention.  

Once more she had that sickly thick feeling bundle in her chest, her breathing grew heavy.  Without thinking she slid off her bed, with light steps she made her way over to him..

Activating her semblance the world grew still. Her core grew slick as she drew closer, trickles of warm juices began to run down her inner thigh.  Before she knew it she was already by his side, her hand gingerly pressed against his thick hard member.  Even covered by his rather soft onesie she could tell just how massive it was, excitement began to boil in her core.  

As her gaze fell to his slumbering face she felt herself awash with shame.  Was she about to do this?  This was an invasion of privacy!  Jaune would never do that to her… but… but this could be her only chance… the only times he’d ever get to actually see it.  Then she looked back towards his towering member, she was so very weak.  Pushing past her hesitation she slipped her right hand up his surprisingly firm chest.  Her fingers slowly pinched upon the zipper, the zipper that held her long desired treasure.  

And without even the slightest bit of hesitation or a second thought she slid the metallic key downwards.  As she slowly pulled on the last lock to her goal a thought occurred to her, how was she moving something even when time was stopped?  How could she still hear the sound of the zipper coming down?  She’d have to investigate later, but for now, for now she had a prize to unbox.  

Her heart throbbed in her heaving breast as her goal came into sight, finally she’d pulled that darned thing all the way.  She wanted to enjoy this, wanted to really let the moment sink in.  Bit by bit, she continued.  First her gaze fell upon tufts of unsheared golden fur, “Oh!”  He was as voluminous in the lower section as he was up top.  She’d… she’d love to run her nose across it, take a moment to really enjoy his scent.  

As she continued her venture she felt her boxers wedge into her quivering pussy, she would need to change after this.  Finally she reached the very tip, and with one last pull she allowed it to spring free.  She felt as if she’d used her semblance on herself, her mind went blank as everything stood still.  There it was, in all it’s massive glory, “Could… would… would it fit?”  She couldn’t help but tremble at the sight, both in awe and fear at the mighty shaft that stood at hopefully full attention in front of her.

She couldn’t help but feel in awe of how mighty it was, but at the same time, the very thought of trying to slide it inside of her frightened her.  She would need to practice, need to get ready for when the time came.  But!  That was not why she was here, no she was here to… to… to help her leader!  Yes!  That’s why she’d come this far, he must have been in so much pain, so she as his faithful teammate, had to do her duty and help… help relieve his stress… yes… right that’s what she was doing.  This was for him, this wasn’t for her…  right.  At least that’s what she told herself.  

Once she’d taken the zipper to the very end she had decided on repositioning herself.  Laying herself between his legs, she allowed herself to really get close up and personal with hopefully her future husband’s mighty… p… penis.  She felt her face flush hot at the thought of using the word!  Still… something was odd, she’d tested it before but she could definitely taste things even with time frozen.  But apparently she was also able to smell them, her nose was assaulted by a thick strong musk, one that was mixed with the scent of spice.  That in itself had answered a question that was at the back of her mind, did he shampoo his pubic hairs?  The answer was apparently a strong yes!  

Still… it was impressive, impressive with how even after he’d spent nearly 25 minutes in the shower he still had this strong… powerful… tantalizing… invigorating odor to him!  Pressing her nose forward she pressed herself between his thick heavy sack, and his impressive… massive… gorging c...c...cock… yes that’s what this was!  She felt his flesh move against her touch, she’d almost jumped back when she realized that it hadn’t been as hard as she thought.  Instead she felt warmth, felt his touch against her face.  This… this was good… she’d been worried about how well this would turn out.  But as she took in deep strong breaths she knew it was going to be amazing.  Burying her nose against the base of his penis, she allowed herself the time to take in his scent.  She was practically marinating in it, and she loved every last second.

Her instincts took control of her actions, without realizing it she’d already brought the tip of her tongue to the slit at the head of his massive cock.  Before she could stop herself she’d already moved in to get a taste, running her pink muscle across his sensitive glands, scooping up bits of frozen precum as she dug into the tiny hole.  Once she’d finished she took the moment to savor his thick and natural flavors.  She’d read that most women hated the taste, but she found herself becoming addicted to the salty tangy flavor.  

Once she’d pulled back she took the time to admire the view in front of her.  “I can’t believe I’m doing this… it’s… it’s so wonderful.”  She wanted him, wanted to feel so very full, wanted to slide that thick hard cock between her needy pussy.  She could feel her womb tighten at the thought, begging for her to mount him and breed herself on her unsuspecting love.  

However, she still had enough self restraint, it was too early for that.  She couldn’t let herself be carried away… though… though she could help him out a little right?  He’d been there for her from the very beginning, it would only be right if she were to… were to help him get off.  Just… look how hard… and pent up he must have been.  Right, she was just being a good friend… a good… a good follower!  Yes that’s what she was doing…

WIth her final bits of self control crumbling before her she took the time to move forward.  Once more she placed her nose between his cock and balls allowing his scent to invade her nose.  She couldn’t get enough of it!  She hadn’t realized just how amazing scents could be till today, but here she was stuffing her face into her beloved man’s balls like a… a… a horny little slut… “Ahhh~”  She felt her pussy clench at the thought alone, her body shook with excitement in response.  “I… I’m a dirty… I’m a dirty little slut.”  That crumbling self control was gone, and now only her desires leaked out.  

“I want you to breed me… I want you to breed me!  Breed Pyrrha!  Breed CIel!  Breed Reese!  Breed Penny!  Breed Velvet!  Breed Weiss!  Break all the other girls!”  Her right hand moved to the base of his cock, she swore that the hot burning member throbbed at her touch, but that wasn’t possible.  Her left hand moved between her thighs, slipping between her tight boxers her fingers moved along her plump moist vulva.  Unable to control herself any longer, consumed by his thick musk, she moved her hands in tandem.

Her dainty thin fingers ran along her plump lips squeezing and grinding back and forth.  She could feel herself growing slicker and slicker.  Her nose buried deep between his massive cock and heavy balls she continued to breath in his thick scent.  Her right hand continued to run up and down his thick heavy meaty fat cock, pumping him over and over running her fingers across his thick heavy veins.  Her brain could only think of breeding, could only think of pleasuring the man before her, even if he wouldn’t feel it.  But she did anyways, placing her lips against his thick, full balls she placed several heavy and hearty kisses against them.  From time to time she dragged her tongue across his sweaty savoury orbs.  

She wanted more and more, when her tongue wasn’t enough she wrapped her lips around one of his impressive sacks.  Dragging her tongue against the precious balls of flesh she began to gently suck on them.  Her pumping grew faster and faster, while her fingers continued to explore her nether regions.  SQUELCH SQUELCH SQUELCH   Over and over she ran her thin digits through her plump pussy.  Her fingers began to explore her thin hole, finally penetrating her needy little slit.  She could feel her pussy suck and clench around her fingers, she needed something bigger!  She needed his cock in her, she needed to be bred!  She wanted him to do her, to do so to so many others!  The thought of all of the girls riding this member, while the others watched invaded her mind!  The thought of him putting those nasty girls, those nasty insulting girls that liked to put him down in their place.  For him to have them face down ass up, this MIGHTY cock plunging in and out of their holes as they begged for more, begged for him to breed them like the dirty little breeding sows that they were.  Those thoughts invaded her mind like never before.

She couldn’t believe herself, couldn’t believe how easily she felt she was being corrupted!  But it wasn’t just the breeding!  No! NO! That would imply she only wanted his cock in her!  She wanted other things, wanted to run her tongue through Pyrrha and Ciel’s pussy, to eat them out and savor their flavors.  She wanted to stretch out Weiss and Reese, bend them in positions that only their thin, gorgeous, and lithe bodies could handle.  She wanted to grind with Penny, wanted to get tribal with Velvet!  

Her inner desires burned through, she’d been a good girl!  She was allowed to have these absolutely nasty thoughts!  She wanted more and more AND MORE!  Her suction grew harder till she felt her jaw grow tired, he was so impressive!  So mighty!  Even as she continued to invade her own body, with three fingers invading her needy pussy.  She found herself gazing upon his manly mane, the tufts of blonde hair that called for her to bury her nose into.  Scooting forward she placed her face against his sternum, dragging her nose against his thick fur.  He smelled so good!  The harsh fragrance from his shampoo hit her nose at the same time as his thick heavy musk, built up from the heat of the night.  “Oh god!  I’m so bad~  I’m such a bad little girl.”

She couldn’t stop herself, her cervix opened and closed as she continued to attack her own pussy.  She couldn’t stop, there was no way she could, her juices flowed freely down her thighs, her boxers were practically drenched in her own fluids by this point.  She really couldn’t use them anymore!  It would be too embarrassing, and yet, and yet a thought occurred.  What if Jaune were to catch her like this?  What if she started time up again… oh what would he do to her?  Would he push her down, breed her?  Use her massive ugly tits like… like handles as his thick hard cocked pumped in and out of her nasty… naughty...needy… pussy?  The thought was tempting!  She wanted to do it!  But she knew she couldn’t, she just couldn’t!  She was too scared, absolutely terrified!

Still the thought was there!  The thought that was pushed back into the depths of her mind!  For now though, she felt herself hit her climax, her body shivered and convulsed, her juices oozed down her thighs, her boxers drenched and unwearable at this point.  She fell forward, her chest heaving up and down as she did her best to breath, her nose buried deep against his pelvis.  

As her post orgasm clarity hit her, her face began to burn hot, burned so damn hot.  Her eyes snapped open as she pulled away, nearly tripping as her drenched underwear clung to her body.  Embarrassment consumed her at a realization of what she’d just done.  “I… I… no!  No!  I’m sorry!”  Running towards her dresser she grabbed a clean pair of boxers, she couldn’t believe what she’d just done, what she’d just THOUGHT!  It was… it was so bad!  Burying her face into her clean underwear for a moment she did her best to sling her moist used set down her slick wet thighs.  With a wet SCHLOP her boxers hit the ground.  

She shivered at the sound, her body growing hot as her embarrassment consumed her once more.  Once she’d slipped on a fresh pair, she’d need to make sure that he was fixed as well.  As she began to zip him up once more she couldn’t help but give him one last gift.  Pressing her lips against the tip of his cock she gave him one last kiss.  Once she’d finished setting him up she made sure to hide her… her shameful piece of cloth at the very bottom of her clothing hamper.  

Gently she climbed into her sheets and closed her eyes.  Her power over the world began to vanish, and she’d been prepared to fall asleep when she heard a loud thrashing sound and… and what sounded like a powerful squirting noise!

“NNNNGH!♥!!”  Her eyes snapped open as she stared at the cause of the sound, Jaune was twitching, his upper body jolted upright.  Her eyes glanced downwards as his loud moaning filled the otherwise quiet dorm room.  SPURT SPURT SPURT SPURT!  Her face grew red hot as she realized what was happening!  All the feedback from when she'd been stroking him was finally happening.  “Ah! AH AH!”  Under the silver light of the moon she could clearly see his cock twitching and spurting out thick globs as his onesie became stained in his thick seed.  

“I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry!”  She hadn’t meant for that to happen!  In her own lust she’d forgotten about it!  Now the boy of her affection was having quite possibly the strongest orgasm he’d ever had, and it… it was all because of her!  A sense of pride filled her chest, but was quickly replaced with shame as she saw the distraught face in front of her.  Her instincts screamed to move and comfort him!  But… but she couldn’t bring herself to move, she couldn’t let him know she was awake.  Instead she watched him, watched as he stared in panic at his own sputtering cock the obvious shame built upon his face… it did things to her... things she didn’t want to admit.

“Hah hah hah…”  His panting echoed and sunk into her ears, it was… it was doing things to her.  She could feel her core heat up once more.  “I… why… I… no….”  Despite how terrible she felt, that small tinge of pride still filled her chest.  “Why… I… no… I… they can’t see this… they… they’d hate me…  I can’t… I cant believe I had a… wet dream about all of them… why…”  She nearly flinched when he turned towards her.  “I’m sorry May… I can’t… I can’t believe I… to you…”

Had he been having a wet dream?!  Was she in it?!  Was that why he was apologizing?!  “You… I’m… I’m such a bad friend.”  Even with her eyes closed shut as they were, she could still make out the sounds of him heading to the bathroom, obviously to get changed and to clean off… off that thick… stain on his onesie… that rich… fresh…  and like that the world stopped once more.

Once more she got up, making her way around him she quickly unzipped his onesie, unable to resist the treat in front of her!  Once she’d gotten the zipper all the way down she was treated with his cum coated cock.  She remembered the previous embarrassment!  Remembering how bad she felt!  But how could she resist?!  Quickly she moved, running her tongue along his still thick hard shaft she lapped up his thick honeyed cum.  “Schow good!  You taste schow bery good!”  She couldn’t stop it, she couldn’t stop till she consumed every last bit.  And there was just so much!  So very much very much.  For what felt like forever she continued to lap away, consuming and gulping down as mucha s she could.  Tasting his flavors so directly had nearly lit her fire again, but she needed to control herself.  

Once she’d made sure to have consumed as much as she could, even going as far as to lick what she could off of his onesie she went back to bed.  Letting time return she heard him nearly fall over, “Wha?!”  He’d apparently grown weak kneed with her previous endeavors.  “Wha… what is wrong with me?”  His voice released a hushed whisper, but she could still hear it, hear the embarrassment in his voice.  It… it was so delectable.  She… she was awakening tos something new.  She wanted more… but for now she’d sleep, close her eyes and rest.

[sugas-sweetheart]

Reincarnations || Sebastian Michaelis

A/N: IM SO SORRY I DELETED THE ASK BUT I HAD A SCREENSHOT BECAUSE I GET EXCITED WHEN PPL REQUEST BLACK BUTLER AND SHOW MY TWO FRIENDS - this is also a mix of both but I kinda tweaked it so that the reader doesn’t know Sebastian is their mate as it takes a little time for memories of their past lives to return once meeting him so that I could add a little more to it, I hope that’s okay! Enjoy! I’m also honoured to be the first person you sent an ask to 🥺 And I apologise for how long it took to write and it’s kind of shit oops ahdksnd I’m so so sorry

Request by: @samanthaambrosia

As you mention ‘She’ in the request I’ve made this a Fem! Reader so that I was also able to make her a maid

Upon your arrival at Phantomhive manner you could never have imagined how this would play out.

Entering the large mansion for the first time, you were greeted by the four other working staff; they welcomed you with open arms explaining that the young master and his butler were off on a business trip for the next few days. When the Queen sent you, one of her personal maids, to start working in Phantomhive manner, it confused you. You didn’t know what had prompted this, nor were you really in a position to question it. You thought that as her half angel, half demon maid, she wouldn’t let you stray very far away from her, but alas, here you were.

They gave you a tour of the grand mansion and stopped by your small living quarters to let you settle. Due to your supernatural nature, that they were unaware of, it wasn’t too hard to settle in, especially, after they had tested your reflexes to aid in “the Phantomhive welcome”.

You had been at the mansion for a couple of days now, the Lord himself and his butler were due to arrive anytime from last night. While you knew the Lord could be the tiniest bit caring, you still thought you ought to make a good impression sicne the Queen didn’t care to mention how long you would be here.

The sound of brisk knocking brought you out of your thoughtful daze as you finished buttoning up your shirt’s cuffs. The noise startled you as in your few days at the manor, you were the one to be awake and working before the others.

“Excuse me, may I come in?” A deep voice followed the knocking, which prompted you to step towards the door and open it for the individual outside.

A small gasp left the dark haired males lips as his eyes locked with yours and a sense of familiarity washed over you.

“Oh! Goodmorning, you must be Sebastian, the head butler. I’m Y/N, the maid sent by the Queen to serve the young Lord. It’s lovely to finally meet you, I’ll introduce myself to the Lord when he leaves his quarters.” A smile graced your face as you rambled on, not taking notice of his initial look of shock, and his alluring features studied you.

The familiarity and comfort his face brought you was confusing. Being fairly young compared to other angels and demons, surely you’d remember everyone you’ve met? He had a strange aura, almost definitely supernatural. You couldn’t quite place where you had seen him before and that was going to be on your mind the whole day.

“You are correct, I am Sebastian. Please come to me if you have any concerns or require help. You can continue with your daily duties then and I shall be seeing to the young master now” with a quick bow, he briskly started walking away.

There was a constant elegance to him; it kept your eyes trained on him until he rounded the corner. That feeling of familiarity still lingering within your heart.

Sebastian paused after he had turned the corner to make sure he was out of your view. You had always owned his heart, and you would forever more. The reincarnations of you kept him going through his endless demon life. In this life and the next you two were promised to each other, a constant that you both needed in lives that lasted as long as yours would.

It was just a shame that you were cursed to forget him until you crossed paths, and even then, it took time for you to recollect and gain all your previous memories. He had one item that he had gifted to you in your last existence together, he had to try jogging your memory, right?

As the day continued on, quick introductions were exchanged between you and the young Lord before you were due to get back to your usual tasks. Sebastian by his side sparing glances at you any moment he could get when he thought no one was looking. Unbeknownst to him, a certain Phantomhive was very observant of it all. So he did what anyone would do and asked him about you.

“Sebastian, what is your connection to the new maid?” Ciel questioned, pausing his musical studies briefly to peek up at his butler.

“I don’t seem to understand what you mean, my Lord” the raven haired male sent a quick glance back at the boy before continuing.

“You seemed very distracted by her this morning” the younger male mused before too continuing with his music.

Although Sebastian wouldn’t say it, Ciel was right. You had invaded his head space since his eyes gazed over you this morning and he only wished that you remembered him quicker.

Reaching into his tail coat pocket, he checked that he still had the pendent. He knew it was there, it was just a force of habit that he checked and now it mattered most. He had carried the crimson pendant since your last passing, almost fifty years ago now.

“She’s my mate, my lover. She loves me, and I her, for eternity…” it was only quiet, but Ciel heard it.

“Shouldn’t she be running into your arms then? That’s what most novels say isn’t it?” This situation had peaked Ciel’s interest more so than before, you had only given the butler a few glances when focusing on your formal introduction to the Lord. He would have expected more longing looks for what sounded like such a profound love.

“Not all love stories are that of novels, my lord. There was once a curse placed upon us, she may only regain her previous memories after meeting me again, and even then it must be prompted by something”

“Well? What are you going to do?”

“Ah, always a curious one aren’t you, my Lord? I shall deal with it later, for now you need to get back to your studies” And so he did. Sebastian decided he would confront you later, but now he just needed to figure out how. It’s not a very simple thing to spring upon someone you’ve just met. If you didn’t regain your memories then you’d probably think he was a lunatic, or just a very big flirt.

The day had passed and night was closing in. The raven haired demon had prepared himself for this moment; he had waited patiently for so many years. With his gloved hands tightly clutched around the vermillion pendent, he took cautious strides towards your figure. Your back was turned away from the rest of the room as you dusted a tall cabinet in the corner.

A light tap was detected on your left shoulder causing you to whip your head round and meet the striking blood coloured eyes of the man behind you.

“Excuse me, but I think this belongs to you” he uncurled his fingers as he spoke to reveal a ruby pendant necklace and a tight lipped smile grew on his face.

“I’m sorry, you must be wrong. But as a maid I could never own such a high value item” the very prominent apologetic tone was laced with disappointment, he could tell you were just as infatuated with the ruby as you were when he first gifted it to you those many years ago.

“Oh on the contrary, my love” he reached forward to lightly pull your hand closer to his, placing the chain into your palm.

The look of bewilderment was obvious in your face, he had just addressed you as “my love” whilst giving you a piece of jewellery no maid would own. As he closed your palm around the accessorie it was like a warm familiar feeling filled you. Short memories were unveiled and unlocked in your mind, memories of him.

You began to hesitantly move your free hand to his face to cup his cheek, you had spent decades apart and were finally reunited and it all felt too good to be true.

“Going by Sebastian I see? I could get used to that” a teasing smile broke out on you face and Sebastian’s smile widened as he saw your old self shining through.

He couldn’t wait a moment longer and pulled your face forwards to meet his lips.

You made a mental note to thank the Queen for sending you here, and hoped that you’d be by his side for eternity once more.

[rainiswriting]

I don't know if anyone did this black Butler au before and if anyone did I'll like to read or maybe I'll write some au's like this:

1. The blond kid from the twins memory didn't die and become sacrifice first, r!ciel fearing the same thing will happen to his brother accidentally called a demon and make a deal with the demon.

O!ciel is still alive and try to talk r!ciel out of it but r!ciel is determine so o!ciel and r!ciel maybe makes a deal with Sebastian? Idk I'm still working on it

2. Undertaker and r!ciel convinced everyone that Sebastian manipulate o!ciel and is planning to kill him later on (undertaker and r!ciel don't like the thoughts of o!ciel making a deal with a demon) and forcefully take off his eyepatch revealing the mark but both undertaker and r!ciel said that Sebastian is part of the cult that killed him and o!ciel eye is prove Sebastian manipulate him.

O!ciel order Sebastian to run and hide through their bond and r!ciel kept o!ciel in their mansion to protect him (I really want to write the part in chap 152 but this time all the midford family is there to talk to the twins and witness o!ciel eye)

3. R!ciel is able to run away from the burning mansion with o!ciel and didn't get kidnapped, they meet up outside the manor with auntie ann or the midford family (or both) and o!ciel is passed out because of his asthma and almost die, after recovering and the manor is fixed o!ciel becomes afraid of thr outside world and shut himself in. R!ciel the new Earl let this because he don't want to lose his little brother (brocon r!ciel) (his last remaining family) (mini drabble with Edward talking big bro feelings with r!ciel)

"Ciel..this isn't healthy" ciel holding a tray of food for his little brother stop in his tracks looking at Edward

The midford family visit atleast three times every three months to check up on him since the fire three years ago to help him with his earl duties or just being there for him since there's nobody else in the manor except him, his little brother, Tanaka, meyrin, bard, and finnian

The best people to protect his brother

"I thought we already went over this conversation years ago" the earl glared Edward went stiff a bit but shook it off

"But ciel! He's a kid YOU'RE a kid! You two should run around having fun! Let father and me handle your work and play with lizzy and--"

"Edward! I told you" his voice booms silencing Edward "astre is save here! Outside will only hurt him!" He scoff and continue walking

(Maybe something happens that make o!ciel to stop being a shut in slowly but surely, but I'm still thinking)

(Another mini drabble in the Weston school arc but o!ciel [being called astre] visit his brother to watch him, and r!ciel is so damn proud)

"God only knows, Sapphire Owl!"

Everyone parted and clap as white owls fly down to each students arm in good sync

"This is underwhelming" ciel mumble

"CIEEELL!! SO CUTE DO YOUR BEST!!~" Elizabeth between the crowds scream as energetic as ever, ciel follow her screams and saw her in the back he smiled and nod until he finally realized a shorter boy besides her

"Astre!" Ciel doesn't care if he'll get scolded later astre is here! Watching him as he promise

Ciel waves with a smile and give a 'focus ciel' face

-after the ceremony-

"Now group up! Were holding a meeting--"

"ASTRE!!" Ciel cut off, the blue house froze a bit nobody cuts off a prefect and phantomhive the usually calm one just burst out screaming

"Big brother, calm down--" ciel almost tackle astre but he of course remember that he's the older and stronger twin while astre is small and weak so he didn't crush astre completely

"With my little brother being here I for sure need to win this!" Ciel cheer

"Well isn't this familiar" a women older than them come up behind bluewer

"S-sis!" He gasped as he suddenly surrounded by all his sisters four youngest (two of them are even twins) and three older

'It look exactly like violet drawing' ciel though still hugging his brother close everything and everyone is tuned out by him now all he could see is his dear little brother

"Astre how's the ride? You're feeling okay right? There's so many people here don't forget to tell me if you start feeling overwhelmed--" astre laugh and pat his brother shoulders "I'm fine ciel, calm down a bit"

"My, Lawrence isn't that the phantomhive boy you talk about in your letters?" Suddenly one of bluewer older sister come up to them ciel hug astre closer but keep a smile

"Why hello, Nice to meet you" they shook hands

"Aww! What a gentleman! And a cute one at that"

"His looks, brains, and lineage are all good" another one of bluewer big sister come up to them

"And there's two of them! Say how about taking our little sister as your wife!"

"W-what!? Sister"

Ciel politely hold a hand up another hand wrap around his brother "I apologize madams but I have a fiance and" ciel squish astre defeated face "I'll rather die than hand my adorable little brother to anyone soon!" He claimed cheerfully

"Ah of course the perfect one's are brocon" both ladies sigh as their younger sister scold them for embarrassing her

Eliizabeth sigh with a smile behind them Edward and aunt Francis is there two bored with the scenery

"Ciel, I can't believe you'll rather be with your brother than my adorable little sister you brocon" Francis look at her deadpan "are you hearing yourself Edward"

[artisticestheticreads]

ROXANNE

A/N: So, I have been hearing this song every where and ending up downloading when I got an idea for this one shot. I think I saw a one shot by @hearteyes-for-killmonger​ (I could be wrong though. It was so long ago.) where Erik raced a woman but this is nothing like that. I was just inspired by the racing idea. 

Warning: nothing...I don’t think.

Song Recommendation: ROXANNE - Arizona Zervas

Word Count: 1685

It was a very chill, basic night and Erik was of course in his flashy all matte black Jaguar. He was playing music from the late and great TuPac, bopping his head. Erik was stuck at home but decided to go out for a drive and maybe pull up to the Mexican Food spot.

He was stuck at a red light when a Lambo, all gold pulled up beside him on his left. He was giving the gentleman his props in his head since he couldn’t see pass the other car’s tinted windows. The other driver looked over at Erik as their freshly manicured hands gripped the wheel, revving up their engine.

“This nigga don’t know who he dealing with”, Erik chuckled as he did the same. As the green light flashed, they were off. They both maneuvered through traffic with ease and Erik had to admit he was impressed; Erik took a look at the driver’s license plate and read ROXXX. The other driver spun in a circle making them drive backwards as the top went down and what Erik saw surprised him even more. It was a brown skin woman with auburn hair, blow dried curls with a pair of cute cheeks, and full glossed lips and dimples.

The woman winked as she spun back around, driving ahead of Erik. Erik smirked slyly and caught; up checking her out more before they both stopped at the light. He leaned out his window on his arms and said “what you know about driving like that, little one?” She looked at him as her hands were 10 and 2, looked at him with lustful brown eyes and said “way more than you pretty boy.”

Erik smirked as they still waited; eyes on the lights. He spoke out loud and said “you should give me your number. So we can race again sometime.” She shook her head and said ”only if you beat me. Where ya heading to?”

“The Mexican food joint up the way.”

“Rosa’s?”

“Yeah.”

“Aight, if I win, you gotta pay for my food and I don’t give you my number.”

“What if I win?”

She giggled as she smiled and said “that’s if ya beat me, handsome.” She drove past him and he eventually caught up. They were neck and neck when he looked over at her. The street lights flowed against her exposed arms which were covered in numerous tattoos and look as if she was nude. Her eyes were on the street ahead in the zone when she turned left so he turned right. Erik couldn’t help but think about Roxxx. He barely knew her but wanted to get to at least. Her style in cars and driving techniques were phenomenal and he wanted to just pick her brain. How can a beautiful woman like that be so good at driving? I mean it was 2020 and woman could do anything men did but maybe even better. He also wondered what else she can ride.

Erik pulled up to the spot and noticed her car wasn’t around. He shook his head as he thought she left him hanging. He stepped out of his car fixing his tossed locs and Levi jeans with crisp white tee and all white Adidas. “Finally you got here”, he heard from across the street. There she stood, leaning on her car with arms and ankles crossed. Her shapely figure was covered by a white tube top, a pair of jean shorts and white Converse. Her thigh was home for a panther tattoo and cheetah print on her opposite calf. She threw her sunglasses behind her in the car and began walking towards him across the street.

It seemed as if they were in slow motion because he watched as the bounce in her thighs, chest and hair reflected the headlights of the cars who had stopped. He stood smirking to himself once she got onto the curb. He looked down at her small physique and said “you are a little one, huh?” She looked away smirking then back to him and said “at least I didn’t lose, big man. You own me some tacos.” She walked past and he got the perfect view of her behind. He bit his lip but heard “ya comin’ or you just gonna stare at my ass the whole time, chief?” Roxxx turned to him slightly until he started walking.

  There they stood, side by side looking up at the menu. Erik looked at the 5’6 ½ woman and noticed her beautiful round face as she paid him no mind. She tucked her hair behind her ear and showed off her dagger tattoo on her neck right behind the ear. “Gah damn, this girl is fine as hell. Look at her all bronze and flawless and shit. It was worth losing to her. She probably make a nigga bow down to her Shit, I’m wit it”, he thought to himself. She looked down at her nails and around until she saw Erik who now looked at the menu. ”Hm, damn he is good looking as fuck. He can dress, keeps his nails clean. I don’t see ring on his finger. Look like he can break backs, necks and hearts if he wanted too. Beard full and I know he got a big d-“, she thought but was interrupted by the cashier. “Yeah, my bad. I want four tacos, with everything, carne asada and green chile salsa on the side. Oh and a large pina colada slushie.”

“I’ll get a wet chicken burrito, no beans, extra meat and cheese and salsa on the side with a root beer”, said Erik as he pulled out a roll of money from his pocket. “That will be $24.94” said the man in a think Spanish accent; Erik handed him the exact amount and they grabbed their drinks. She led the way out to the side tables and said on the bench; he sat beside her. “So, who taught you how to drive”, he asked sipping his drink. Roxxx sipped from hers and said “my god mom. She was racer while I was growing up until she got ill. She still around but she ain’t racing no more. What about you?”

“My damn self. I grew up by myself”, Erik said matter of factually. Roxxx pulled her straw in and out and she stirred her drink as he watched. “What’s her name”, she asked and Erik got confused until she said “ya car. What’s her name?” He chuckled and said “you asking my car name but not mine?” She rolled her eyes and looked at him. “Fine, what is yours then?”

“Erik but everyone call me Killmonger.”

“Killmonger? Like the ex vet?” He looked at her with a rose brow and asked “how you know that?”

“You cool with my god brother, D’Angelo. The dark skin with the dark hair and gap in between his teeth.” Erik smiled and said “awe shit. Yeah, I am. We go way back.” Roxxx nodded and said “yeah, I know. I mean you and I never met because I moved around a lot but D used to talk about you a lot until…”, Roxxx stopped at the memory of seeing her late brother murdered in front of his home. She still remembered the new reports saying how he was a blood but that was all fake news. D’Angelo was just a video game nerd who never held a gun outside of GTA. She missed him a lot but the tears wouldn’t bring him back. Erik nodded and said “yeah, I remember when his girl told me. I’m sorry for that.”

“Don’t be. Shit happens. D’Angelo actually thought convinced me into get Goldie over there. That’s was his name for her but I thought it was a cheesy name so I named him Angel”, she sipped her drink with a small smile and he did the same. “So, what you do”, he asked and she told him “nothing much. I race every once a week for tons of money. I usually get top three and get at least 200,000 for a race.” Erik nodded and said “that’s a shit ton of money.” She giggled and said “that’s why I do it, Killmonger.” They smiled at one another and soon ate when the employee came out. They talked more and after they ate, they did more. “So, you telling me Love and Basketball is wack”, Erik asked and Roxxx nodded. “It would still be good if they didn’t outplay that shit on BET.” Erik chuckled as they dapped one another and Roxxx watched him. “Does your girl watch it”, she asked making Erik smile. “I don’t got one.”

“Why ya lying” I know you got plenty of women on ya dick, 24/7.”

“Nah, I ain’t feeling it. What about you? With how ya looking, I know you got niggas drooling when you come their way.” She smirked and said “nah, I just let ‘em drool.” They began walking towards his car and stood there for a couple of seconds. “Thanks for the food. I’ll check ya around”, she said about to walk away but Erik pulled her back gently to him. “So, you ain’t gonna give me ya number”, he asked and she shook her head. He pressed his tongue against his cheek shaking his head and she smiled. “But I’ll take yours.” She pulled out her phone, unlocked it and handed it to him so he can put his number in. She looked down at the number and texted it with a car emoji. She shook his hand slowly and said “good night, Killmonger.” “Good night, Roxxx.” She saluted him and went to her car getting in and he followed; he realized something as she pulled away and followed behind. Both stopped side by side at a red light and he hollered “you never told me ya name.” She smiled, looked over and said “my name is Roxanne.” The both smirked at one another as she drove off heading home, leaving him with nothing but hope to see her again.

*𝕋𝔸𝔾𝔾𝔼𝔻 𝕃𝕆𝕍𝔼𝕊*

@muse-of-mbaku @im5ftbutmythroat66 @chaneajoyyy @melanin-samii @theunsweetenedtruth @doux-ciel @unicornluvin8765 @vikkidc @wakandantings @thadelightfulone @mzamethystp @simbiann @tropicalsun10 @babydoll756​ @notoriouslynay @vminax @quinsly @pinkdemolition @quietstorm-73​ @chaoticcashfancroissant @bugngiz​ @chocolatedippedinhoney​ @yafavcocoa @lostgalaxies​ @mbakuwife @youreadthatright​ @babygotl01292003 @acceptyourselfloveyourself @madamslayyy​ @yoyolovesbucky​ @theogbadbitch @wakanda-inspired @bitchacho25 @toniilaney @wakandascrystal​ @girlsneedlovingfanfics @raysunshine78​ @melodyofmbaku @hearteyes-for-killmonger @silenceisplatinum @thickemadame​ @shookmcgookqueen​ @heykillmongerluhme​ @fonville-designs @cutewylie @allhailqueennel @10bsatatime @nickidub718 @lildashofmelanin @allhailqueennel @amirra88 @hakunalive4eva @thickemadame​ @ghostfacekill-monger @cherrystainedlipsbaby

[plague-of-insomnia]

A WDH Christmas

{pops out of a gift} Hi 👋🏻! I know you’re all wondering if Santa or the three wise men are going to bring you the next chapter of Where Demons Hide any time soon....

Well, no. (Not yet.)

But @luci-on-the-moon and I do have a little Christmas ficlet about how Sebastian, Bard, Ciel and Finny usually celebrate the holidays.

The pic and ficlet can be a very very late 12 Days of Sebaciel entry if you want, for Dec 8, Traditions.

@griever-bit-my-finger @chaotic-orangegod @chromehoplite

Sebastian didn’t grow up celebrating Christmas, so he and the boys came up with their own traditions. Joker throws a big party for all of Circus every year, but Christmas is a busy time for collections. Plus, the distraction and fanfare of the holiday is the perfect time for covert missions. (It’s easy and amusing to kill someone as a slutty santa. Do you know how many stripper Santa outfits Luci has?)

During the holidays, Sebastian and Bard are busy, so a day for just the four of them—Seb, Bard, Ciel and Finny—is a nice respite. (Everyone ignores the occasional black eye or healing scabs that Bard and Sebastian usually sport. It’s just part of the holidays for them. Wouldn’t be Christmas without some bruising and bloodshed.)

Finny loves Christmas. We’re talking—starts singing carols in September, going all out with decorations, baking tray after tray of sugar cookies—loves Christmas. Drives Ciel bonkers, “bah humbugging” about all of it, often shutting himself away in his room, headphones on, drowning himself in a video game to escape painful memories of the family he lost. (Though the cookies always seem to “disappear” rather quickly.)

Sebastian throws himself into ensuring each of their yearly celebrations are as flawless as possible—to make Finny happy and cheer up Ciel—cooking a delectable feast that he spends all his free time perfecting up until the big day.

Bard claims he’s only there for the food. (In his defense, Sebastian’s Christmas dinner rivals even the best Joker’s chefs can offer.) He grumbles the entire time, chewing on his cigarette since Finny refuses to let him smoke, insisting he only came so “all that food don’t go to waste.” (But everyone knows better.)

Other than cooking, Sebastian does have his own holiday tradition: each year he wears a Christmas sweater and matching skimpy bottom with a blatant festive innuendo.

One year, he wrapped a bow and some mistletoe around his waist so the plant rested above his cock. Another year, he decorated the thong with two large jingle bells that tinkled with every movement, and a sweater that announced in script, “Jingle my Bells.”

He’s also done “I’ve been naughty,” with a reference to the two large lumps of “coal” in his stocking (thong). Another year the writing on the back of his sweater announced, “Stuff my stocking” with one printed on the ass of his bikini bottom. Seb still laughs (and Bard groans) about the year he wore a tight fitting, V-neck and red with white-trim booty shorts with a slutty Santa and “ho ho ho” on the sweater.

Since none of the boys had their own family traditions (or, like Ciel, wished to forget their past), Finny has created their own, with a “schedule” that he enforces each year. First, dinner, then presents, dessert, followed by holiday movie watching fest.

Gathered around the TV, cuddled up in blankets, Finny directs the movie marathon despite Bard’s grumbling, “Can’t we just watch football?”

Sebastian almost always falls asleep within thirty minutes, with Bard following soon after. Ciel still teases the buff blond with pictures he took one year, when an exhausted Sebastian stretched out with his head on Bard’s thigh, hugging it tight while Bard snored away, sound asleep, sitting upright.

Lately, Sebastian crashes with his head in Ciel’s lap, the flashing lights of the TV illuminating his sleeping face as his boyfriend gently combs his fingers through inky hair.

If you look closely, you might even see a smile.

Of course, with Lau back, this year’s holiday may be far more bloody...

[royz-yade]

Royz Tomoya Rock and Read 064 Interview (English Translation)

Magazine: Rock&Read 064 Release Date: February 2016 Type of Interview: Personal Interview Scans by: kiba153chan (thank you!!) Translator: VerwelktesGedicht for Royz-yade

– Tomoya-san, were you living in Osaka all the time until you moved to Tokyo? No, I was born in Sakai, Osaka, but during my 2nd year of elementary school we moved to Okayama. I lived there for five years and returned to Sakai in my 2nd year of middle school.

– Aren’t there any memories you have from the time before you went to Okayama? There are! I was very lively and was a kid that hurt himself a lot (laugh) When I realized “It’s raining!!” I ran around at the corridor, bumped into the sink and got a wound you had to stitch up. This started around the first year of elementary school.

– You were wild (laughs) So you were playing outside a lot? Yes. I liked competitions and I hated it if someone was faster than me. I didn’t want to lose to anyone. I also didn’t like it when I lost at swimming, so I practiced a lot. Since a long time ago I hated to lose.

– And then you moved to Okayama. In Okayama as well I ran around a lot (laughs) In front of our house there was a river and I went fishing. I also played a lot at the kindergarden. I liked the playground of the nearby kindergarden more than the one of my elementary school.

– What could you do there? There were many things to do. There was a net you could climb at and there was a climbing pole and the slide was going round. It was like a jungle gym.

– You where sporty, weren’t you? Yes! I liked it a lot! I even got along very well with the teachers there.

– That’s nice (laughs) Do you have siblings? I have a five-year-older brother (onii-chan). Back then I went fishing with the friends of my brother but when he entered high school they made fun of me a lot (laughs)

– Did you listen to music a lot? I was a kid that barely listened to music. Even though I did go to karaoke with my parents all we sang together were songs like “tentou mushi no samba”.

– That’s a wedding song!! (laughs) Somehow I remember that quite well (laughs)

– You said you learned swimming but did you also do other sports? In my fourth year of elementary school I started athletics in school. Not a particular type, we rather played tag or cops and robbers. It was that kind of club (laughs) But at the sports festival I thought I should do something and I took part in a relay race.

– In elementary school doesn’t a relay race mean that you were a hero? Yes, it should mean that!? Isn’t that normal? I wasn’t at all (laughs)

– Why!? (laughs) I don’t know (laughs) Being able to run fast in elementary school should make you popular… But actually I was just a kid who wanted to do sports.

– But in middle school, when you hit puberty, a couple of things have changed, haven’t they? Not much changed. I still went to the playground.

– You loved playgrounds so much (laughs) Well, I just liked moving around (laughs) And I went on a long trip with my bike. And after that, at a Game Center, I played “Dance Dance Revolution”.

– It’s said that people being good at this game already left the sphere of being human. That was the next part of my life.

– Really!? When I went to professional school I entered the Top100 of Japan [in this game].

– I have the impression that you do that with a really high speed. Hahaha. I was really slow.

– Unexpected (laughs) You returned to Sakai (Osaka) then. It was lonely, wasn’t it? Yes. I already had many friends [in Okayama] and there came so many to our house for my goodbye party. When they left in their cars, I ran behind them. It was really like a dorama about youth (laughs) But when I returned to Sakai the circle of friends from my elementary school has gotten bigger. My best friend from kindergarden had become a yankie and didn’t go to school anymore but when I came back that friend started to go to school with me again. But when I got more friends that person started not going to school again.

– A nice person! Yes, it was so nice! But since he was a yankie, I also became part of the yankie team (laughs)

– I see. How did this work out with your school life? Even though it was Sakai we lived quite at the countryside. In Okayama I participated in high jump but after returning to Sakai I started with hurdling. Actually I wanted to do sprint but there were so many people who could sprint well and I thought that it’s too difficult and that it’s not the level we had in Okayama! (laughs) I started hurdling that nobody did. I had pretty good results in the qualifying test and was among the Top 8! But when it got serious I lost by far (laughs)

– Because the hurdles were so high (laughs) Did you already start to listen to music at that time? During the end of middle school I was interested in A cappella. I wanted to take part in “hamonepu” (a tv programm) and gathered my friends around me for that. But they weren’t interested in it at all and we never made it to practice. Then, when I graduated from middle school, there wasn’t really anything special I wanted to do, so my parents told me that it would be better to have a job. That’s why I went to a technical college. But then I realized that this isn’t what I want to do and when they introduced the club activities and I watched my Sempai making pop music I wondered if I can do that also with A cappella. My advisory teacher also told me that this would be completely fine and so I joined. But… there weren’t any people who wanted to do A cappella (laughs)

– Well, they want to play an instrument (laughs) I wanted to do voice percussion and when I told them that they said that that the closest to that would be drums and if I don’t want to try. That was the time I came into contact with drums for the first time. And unexpectedly I could actually hit them well. Even the 8beat I could do right away, so I thought that this might really work out!

– And then you were in a band. What songs did you play? We only did cover songs. We often played songs of MONGOL800-san and L’Arc en Ciel-san. From there on we went with X JAPAN and played more and more Visual Kei songs. My Sempai who played the guitar had to repeat a year and I thought I can just jump in and did so along the way. But that guy liked Visual Kei and brought songs by Raphael we played. At that time we still didn’t use any kind of make up though.

– So the reason you started with Visual Kei was thanks to your Sempai? Yes. And the bassist also liked it.

– Did you already hold lives back then? We did at many events from our school and also had a session band with people from another school and performed at our city festival. We started playing original songs around my third year of high school.

– With all these songs you played, was there some that clicked? L’Arc en Ciel was a big thing for me. Regarding the drum phrases, there were some really difficult ones but also some for beginners, so they really helped me. And I practiced playing two bass drums with X JAPAN songs.

– Did you have drums at home? I had part time jobs and bought a drum set for beginners for 50.000 Yen. I closed the thin paper doors and hit the drums.

– Where there people who complained about it? There were. But my mother was on my side (laughs) I didn’t show up [at the door then] but she told me light-heartedly: “There were complains again.”

– She didn’t tell you to stop? She did say that I have to stop late at night or when we have guests but except for those times she let me hit the drums the whole time. She just said things like “I can’t hear the TV~~” (laughs)

– Hahaha. And did you think at that time that in the future you want to be a drummer? No, I didn’t. Rather than thinking “I want to become popular and sell my music!” I just enjoyed playing it. That’s why when we had to decide for our future path I said that I want to go to a music college because I liked hitting the drums. Right away they told me “No.”. But because I continued saying I want to go my parents gave in.

– And you went to music college. Before I went, I didn’t think I was good at playing the drums. But when I joined, our class got separated into something like “good”, “normal”, “horribly bad”. I was sorted into the middle class and this showed me how reality was.

– The middle class was probably the most difficult one. Yes. I didn’t feel like giving up but the people in the better class were really awesome guys. I didn’t know what was the best to do. Also, in the end it wasn’t like “school”. In the first year I had to study so much because I didn’t know any basics. I came to like it less and less. I didn’t like the classes. And because of that there were also times when I even started to dislike playing the drums.

– But you didn’t think about quitting. Back then I already was in a band and thanks to that I continued playing. After joining that college there was a meeting right away about people searching for members. That was how I joined the band and we even already used make up and held lives. After getting into college I started coloring my hair. People looked at me and said right away “This guy is Visual Kei!” and that’s how I entered that world. I wanted to try on Visual Kei as well and because I thought that coloring my hair was kind of Visual Kei-ish, I did it (laughs)

– What a success! But that band disbanded and I was in about four bands during my college years. I also helped a bit as support member and for recordings. I asked my teacher and there were also tests that introduced me to many different things. I accepted them and they turned out to be positive. My parents also told me to do many different things.

– You can move your body in a good way… That’s how you got that amazing score at Dance Dance Revolution (laughs) Yes (laughs). I stopped doing that once. When I started going to college I realized that I have improved a lot, so I started again. From that time I told my friends that I would be super happy if in the future our songs could be chosen at Dance Dance Revolution. With Royz I made that dream come true.

– Ooh! But you still can do that for Guitarfreaks and Drummania. But probably… When it comes to Dance Dance Revolution and Visual Kei there was only Golden Bomber-san. By the way, they let me compose the most difficult notes. I thought that I’ll make them complicated! (laughs)

– They really seem to be difficult (laughs) Coming back to the original talk, you had quite a couple of bands. My time as support member was the longest time though. I even made the experience that not one single person came to see us live. We even were the headliners but the people who came to the live all returned home and we were asked that evening: “Even if there is no fan left, are you still gonna perform?”

– And did you? We did but it was rather practice. The vocal was encouraging the live house’s staff. Like: “Are you ready?!” (laughs) Departing from that band, I tried it one more time with the guys from my local high school. When we started searching for members, I met Kazuki.

– And you felt like this band didn’t make any steps forward? Yes. We had twin vocals but why were those two always screaming “Voy Voy!” together (laughs)

 – So it wasn’t that one of them sang the melody and the other one did the shouting… (laughs) There was completely no meaning in having two vocals. When we disbanded Kazuki and I wondered if we shall try to form a new band together. We realized that we wanted to have a band that has more songs with melody.

– And that’s when you started Royz. But before starting band activities with Royz we were actually active underground for about one year. That time we had many member changes. Kazuki departed once and only Koudai and I were left. Before Koudai became our bassist we had about three other guys and about 3 or 4 guitarists. Subaru was our 2nd vocalist. There were so many changes that we really wondered how we can do that. That was all while working part time. The shop owner asked me if I don’t want to work there properly full time and I was considering it a lot.

– We’re considering those things when there are times we’re unsure about everything. Yes. My parents also asked me what I want to do and I decided on an age limit. If I can’t reach anything until that age, I would start searching for a proper job.

– And you made it in time. No, it was already the time when I really properly considered if I shall accept a job at a particular company or not. But I had a good feeling [about the band], so I told my parents to let me do this just a bit longer. And it made me think that my parents are really so nice.

– Looking back at it now, do you think you were a bother to the people around you? Yes (laughs) I think I asked many selfish things.

– So, you set up a time limit for yourself. Did you also get the feeling that because of this, Royz would be your last band? But since I was working a lot, it’s not that [the money we gained with the band] really saved me (bitter laugh) Koudai was properly active with the band. When Kazuki left I was alone, just like in the beginning, and there were days when I really wondered if I can do this.

– Kazuki-san and you formed this band. What did you think when the conversation about him leaving came up? Hmm… Somehow… I thought that this was the only thing to do. It made me go “seriously??” but since he decided for this, there was nothing I could do. And of course I was afraid of how things would go on.

– But there was nothing left to do but look forward. Yes. I’m that kind of person. I think I’m a mentally strong person. People are being stopped when they feel stress but I’m an optimistic person, so it didn’t make me depressed.

– Doesn’t your way of thinking save many people? Smoothing the tension, when you start talking the atmosphere changes. That’s why during interviews with you, I’m also not nervous. Hahahahahaha.

– I don’t think the other three are like that, so it makes me think that this ability is very important to keep the balance in Royz. Aah. That’s also something the other members told me. “If you weren’t here, we definitely wouldn’t have come this far.”

– I think the same. But it also led to troubles in the past. When our Tears-tour started, I was pretty serious.

– What happened? I think it’s super childish. I wanted to do this and wanted to do that. Even though the members‘ steps should be together, there were many times when I talked to the label alone. That time was hard.

– When did that start? I think after we turned into a 4-member band. But even before that I also think that we all somehow felt that something was about to change. But people don’t change that easily. I’ve learned a lot back then. We did talk about it and realized that we are about to change. We were also told by the people around us that we have changed but we ourselves didn’t properly know it.

– But the harmony didn’t really change. No (laughs) That was still left.

– But your works and lives did change. Yes. The relationship with our fans is pretty good. In the beginning it was “I!”. That feeling was very strong. Now it’s “What can we do, so that our fans have fun?” That feeling has priority now. But of course, if we don’t enjoy it, our fans wouldn’t either. That’s why we continue doing things also we enjoy.

– Last year you went on 47-prefecture-tour. Was that something big for you? It was huge. Until that time the longest tour was 30 concerts. It was a completely different thing to make it 47. There were also more and more places we’ve never been to and fans were waiting there for us. While we were giving concerts these people were smiling in such a wonderful way. It felt like this was a tour during which we felt like returning to this fresh, new feeling we had in the beginning. That’s what we were hoping for. Of course we were also happy that many people came to see us but those shining smiles that were telling us “I was finally able to see you live!”… I really liked that. Also the places we’ve been to before… I came to know them in a more deeper way and also the communication between us and the fans got stronger. We also went to see the famous places of those cities when we had a bit of free time.

– The four of you together? Yes.

– You’re really good friends, aren’t you? Hahahaha. You can also see it in our documentary (this interview has been held in mid-January) but it’s really amazing. I was usually driving the car and we really made it to various places. I also wanted to take a photo together with our Royz-go [the car], so I used it for this time’s photo shooting.

– You did. But speaking of this change, that you changed or didn’t change, I’d rather call it “growing”. That would be nice. 

– This year as well you will go on a 47-prefecture tour following your new album. And the place we were shooting today was the hall of the tour final at Odaiba. Since our Supernova-tour we are holding our tour finals at Zepp [DiverCity]. For our THE BEGINNING final we had more people come to our live than before but we still couldn’t make it being sold out. Right now, rather than walking forward as a band, we want to make this place being sold out. That’s why we decided on this place.

– Making Zepp DiverCity being sold out is a goal you can reach soon. But you don’t think that it’s enough now? I wonder if it is. Since THE BEGINNING we’ve decided to properly tell our fans what we are feeling in our heart. The concerts are important but is it really that important? We started to think that way.

– Explaining your thoughts and feelings is the most important task Subaru-san has to do, isn’t it? Yes.

– But Subaru-san holds really good MCs now, doesn’t he? Yes! Recently they are really good! We’ve learned a lot during our “FAMILY PARTY” time – also personally. At the previous countdown live Junji-san (Kiryu) let me play on his drumset but it really made me think: “It’s so different!”. When you’re sitting there, there is a lot of space in front of your eyes and I could see the fans so well. My drumset has cymbals in front of my eyes, so I barely see the fans. I changed that this year. I tried different things because I thought I want to bandy looks with the fans more often. You can’t convey anything if nobody can see your face, so I thought it would be nice if I can see more. I’m a person that people around me can’t see often.

– This isn’t only about your drumset, is it? Correct. But I get told that often (laughs) When I’m concentrating on something, I don’t have any interest in anything else.

– Maybe that also reflects in your drumset. I really think so (bitter laugh). I arranged it in a way that it was easy for me to play the drums. But I thought it would be better if more people can see me. Somehow I missed the timing and didn’t talk about it until now but actually I’m the band’s leader now.

– What?! Since when? Since quite a while (laughs) Koudai who used to be our leader for a long time gave this title to Subaru and Subaru gave it to me. (laughs)

– I see! (laughs) When the topic of who will be the leader came up, we were lost for while but in the end we needed to change it. Around that time I was told that people don’t really see me and I thought that might change if I become the leader. That’s why I said I’m gonna do and want to try it. But actually… it hasn’t changed for me (laughs)

– Well, it will happen little by little. It’s awesome that you feel like people come to see you. Yes! For me it’s my weakness (laughs) If I can achieve that, I think I can become a great person. All of the members complement each other. Right now it feels like we have a perfect balance… But I’ll still give my best to become a great person (laughs)

[chibimyumi]

Hi Chibi, I love your blog! Thanks for taking yor time to bless the Kuro fandom with your translations and with Furukawa ❤ I always wondered what Yana thought about the anime and you mentioned in a post that she doesn't seem very pleased with it. Can you go more in depth about it and bring some examples?

Hello Anon,

First of all, thank you for your sweet words! ^w^

There is not a lot more about the anime coming directly from Yana herself other than the things I already said in this post you are referring to.

As Yana’s old blog is gone, I only have her Twitter left, but this gives us a fairly good picture as well. Though, please note that Yana is a person who is incredibly kind with words, and most of all, morally obliged to stay diplomatic. Considering her position as well as the nature of Japanese language, the key here is to read between the lines.

Toboso Yana

“I don’t know who was right or wrong in the past, but as the original creator myself I also can’t determine what was right anymore, oh, Circus Arc. During the time the Circus Arc was being serialised in GF, the first season of the anime was in full swing. Regardless, Squair Enix still allowed this content [of the Circus Arc] to be published, and I am just so grateful, really.”【Toboso】

Note: The anime was very popular during its run, but during the Curry Arc already, the story was making a clear split from the original content. Normally it is considered risky if the canon content would blatantly “contradict” what is considered popular. Blatant contradiction might risk the anime (which often starts with a bigger fanbase than the manga) being accepted as ‘canon’ at the expense of the original content.

“When I look at the art of the first episode of season 1 it really brings back memories and I almost want to cry ～～ 😭 Please look at episode 1 of the anime version, [it] is great.”【Toboso】

Note: Japanese is a null-subject language, and therefore what Yana refers to by [it] is unclear. It could be the story, it could be the art. But as Yana explicitly referred to the art of episode 1 being great, (and not the episode itself, or the rest of the season), it is not unreasonable to assume that [it] refers to the art alone.

Explicit Opinion through Editor K

While Yana is kind with words, Editor K is significantly less gentle in expressing his opinions. The following are Editor K’s words about the Furukawa era of Kuromyu wherein he also represents Yana. Source

“During the year 2009 when the first musical was running, the spectators were still not used the the concept of 2.5D. The anime however was a big hit, and the musical staff were all hyper-conscious as not to give the audience the disappointment of “the characters feel different”. I remember that Mr. Matsushita received the instruction to thoroughly incorporate the factors of the anime, and not of the manga, such the way of talking and voice. That went very well, and the musical of ‘Kuroshitsuji’ was well received in the aspect of betraying neither the original- or the anime-content fans.”

“When talking about ‘the original canon’, then the Sebastian played by Mr. Furukawa Yuta is the absolute closest. It is a bit hard to bring this up, but when ‘Kuroshitsuji’ was to get an anime adaptation, the timing was sooner than even what is normally the standard for the collecting of original content. As such, people who believed the anime Sebastian was canon, and the people who regarded manga Sebastian as canon were pretty much divided in halves. In this sense, Mr. Furukawa is closest to the canon, probably because he disregarded any information from the anime and solely approached Sebastian from the manga.”

Host: “[Mr. Matsushita] followed the anime Sebastian strongly, right?

“That’s right. However, Mr. Furukawa’s approach for Sebastian was different. There was not a trace of the first musical Sebastian in him. If I may quote Ms. Toboso here, “he let me taste the beast-like sides and the non-human aspect in Sebastian that I have been holding so dear”. Without fearing to cause a misunderstanding, we could totally imagine [Mr. Furukawa] going on all-fours and crawl. He reminded us of the image we had of Sebastian during the time the ‘Red Butler Arc’ was made, before the anime adaptation, shall we say? Especially at the beginning when he was summoned by Ciel, before he appeared, he ‘breathed as the soul of a beast that just escaped’. Mr. Furukawa’s Sebastian appeared as he grunted: “Haa――”. I said that I found that so refreshing, but Ms. Toboso said: “No that is not ‘refreshing’, if anything, this is exactly what it was always supposed to be”. The script of ‘The Lycoris that Blazes the Earth’ is the same as the one Mr. Matsushita held last year, but I am shocked to see such immense difference. Not saying who was better, just that I was stunned.”

So yeah, despite their moral obligation to stay as diplomatic as possible, the roundabout-ness in both Yana’s and Editor K’s words tell us a clear story. I hope this helped ^^

[i-prefer-the-term-antihero]

His Butler, Cemetery: Chapter 2

Fic Synopsis: Four visits to the cemetery, each growing in emotional intensity, and spanning backwards in time.

Chapter Title: The Problem of the Ghosts

Character Focus: Ciel

Spoilers for the current arc!

Notes: I have just learned that posts with links will no longer show up in searches 😠😔 So I’m going back and reposting all my fanfic posts without links, just to make sure people can see them.

I started writing this fic a while back for Kuroinktober 2018 Prompt 17: Cemetery. I thought these chapters were short enough to just post on here, but if you enjoy this I would really appreciate it if you also left me a comment on Ao3!! The fic is under the same name, and my username there is I_prefer_the_term_antihero

Chapter 2:

There are no such things as ghosts.

His father told him so.

When they were young, and every shadow was a dark presence, when every creak was a footstep, every far off noise a wail, their father would come, called by their terrified voices, and sit by their bedside to tell them there were no such things as ghosts.

When Auntie Red told him that sometimes people who die in big mansions stay a little longer, and isn’t your mansion rather big? their father told her to stop teasing them, and there were no such things as ghosts

He promised.

The boy knows now there are demons, and even reapers, (even if he wouldn’t have believed in them either, back then) but he puts that record on repeat: There are no such things as ghosts. There aren’t. Father promised. There are no such things as ghosts. No such things as ghosts. No such things as ghosts.

He needs it to be true.

But when he first lays down at night, sometimes he can still feel his mother’s touch.

Her hands are soft, and her words are softer as she leans in to kiss him goodnight. Her kisses are like raindrops, like butterflies. He can still hear her say sweet dreams my little angels.

And he hopes to that means he’ll dream of her.

Because dreaming of her means dreaming of purity and love, of one more candy couldn’t hurt. Dreaming of her means dreaming of pretty white dresses, and frills in the wind. Dreaming of her means dreaming of the way her face lit up whenever she saw them, especially at times like their birthday; when the Christmas tree glittered with a thousand lights, and the ribbons on their presents shone beneath them. It means dreaming of how excited she was just to say those words: happy birthday. And with her smile, they believed it would be happy, that they were the most important people in the world to her. Dreaming of her means dreaming of someone who knows what it’s like to be sick and frail, and less than I should be, but loved, and loving, all the same.

And those are sweet dreams.

But when he feels her touch, when he dreams of her, now, she haunts him.

Dreaming of her now means dreaming of the last time she kissed them goodnight, and the last morning the called their names with bright eyes. It means an echo of her voice that seemed so strong then, and so fragile now. Dreaming of her now means listening to her say what a wonderful celebration the evening will be, and dreaming of her now means dreaming of her silence at the time when the ‘wonderful’ should begin. Of the ticking minutes by when she didn’t come, and feeling each tick twisting his gut. Of walking downstairs, alone—alone, so very alone—to see the lights of the tree, the reflection of the presents, flickering, breaking, and going dim. To see the world torn apart, painted red. Red lips, to even more red on her clothes, in her eyes, on the floor. A red embrace of death. Dreaming of her now leaves a hollow ache where love was. And it is worse to feel her touch in that space between sleeping and waking now, because her hands are cold and her voice colder, and it is not the comfort of a mother’s touch he feels, for his mother is no longer real, and if she is here, now, she is something else entirely.

There are no such things as ghosts.

But sometimes, as he’s trying to fall asleep, he can still hear his father’s words of wisdom.

He can still hear his voice, so full of confidence when speaking to all the other nobles; all those who wrong him, and right him, all the friends, and all the fakes. He didn’t care. Nobility was in his bones, and nobility poured from his lips, shone through his eyes, was in every syllable he wrote.

He can still remember the warmth he felt when they sat on his lap, and he read them bedtime stories by the fire, and how they begged for just one more.

And when he says don’t grow up too fast, he hopes he’ll grow up to be like him.

Because growing up to be like him means devotion, determination, and gentility.

Growing up to be like him means winning despite the odds, it means having a kindness about you that is palpable, and a dignity and grandeur in every motion that he hopes he can one day embody.

And, in that case, it is a good thing to grow up fast.

But when he remembers those words now, they haunt him.

Because he has grown up too fast. Forced into a mold, taken from the toys and candy, to paper and a forked tongue. Growing up is not a privilege, it is a chain. Growing up to be like him now means cheating and lying, manipulating the rest of the world, and bending it to go his way, because otherwise it won’t. It means his laugh is coarse, and his smile is a mask for the world to call him by. The dignity and grandeur are manufactured, a reflection of something that once was real, that he can never emulate himself.

And when he hears those words of wisdom before sleep, they are a curse. They are not his father’s teachings, they are a restless toll for his sanity, telling him he got it all wrong, that he was never supposed to be the one to gain the title.

There are no such things as ghosts.

But sometimes, when he wakes up in the middle of the night, he can still see his brother’s eyes.

Blue and glimmering with hope and heroism. Eyes whose light never seemed to falter, no matter the circumstances, and became brighter whenever they turned to him. Eyes that urged him to be stronger.

And when those eyes, full of tears, say the words We’ll be together forever, he hopes it’ll come true.

Because being together forever means innocence and bravery. It means he can take on the world, as long as Ciel is with him. There is no such thing as failure, and no such thing as sadness. Together forever means laughter and candy and chess. Together forever means that childhood never has to end. And while Ciel will be the earl, his brother will be no less, and he will be protected. He will have a reason to get back up when he falls, and keep standing. And he will have a reason to do something, be something, too.

And when they were in those cages, when they were tortured and branded and scarred, it meant that the ending could still, even then, at its worst, be a happy one, as long as they were together. They were together. We will always be together.

Like the sky and the stars.

All it took a merciless hand, and a knife, to rip out the last pages of the story with the words written: happily ever after. And we’ll be together forever means a bloodstain big enough to cover the world. And it does. It covers his entire world. It never leaves him. Being together forever is a ring Ciel swallowed, the one that said that he was the heir and the earl, the one they had to rip back out of his dead body. Being together forever means seeing those blue eyes go dim on that alter, just like those on the Christmas tree (and he doesn’t believe he’ll be happy anymore). And it means seeing those eyes staring back at him in the mirror every day, but their light has flickered and died in him too, and they are now brimming with darkness rather than light. The same eyes, but, of course, not the same. He was stained that day too, and one is not blue at all anymore, it is violet, and it does not glow with inner innocence, but with demonic intent.

Being together forever is this name, this title he carries: “Ciel.” And together forever means he will always be a mirror, a tainted reflection. Never himself. Always this faded copy of Ciel.

Together forever is this false image of someone who is not, and can never be, Ciel. Who is branded by the bloodstain, by the ring, branded by his brother, and his demons, who will never leave him as long as he lives.

These creatures, whatever they are, don’t just come every once and a while. Their existence doesn’t ebb like the tides, or phase like the moon. Every night these images, this world of hurt, will not leave him. They burn, and they do haunt him. These images, these voices, these feelings… when there is nothing there.

He tells himself that: there’s nothing here. I’m alone. He puts that on the record too.

But the more he hears himself think it, the less he believes it.

Every night his mother is at his bedside. Her hands are so soft you’d think they’re made of ashes. Her voice is so thin; you’d think it was just the wind.

Every night his father stands before him, and his comfort crackles like fire, his eyes spark, but his form so dark you’d think that’s all he was made of: darkness.

And worst of all, every night, his brother lays beside him. But he is not a living, breathing thing, but a bloodied corpse, animated by some sick puppet strings; a life severed, a life he stole for his own.

And it is the demon’s fault. He will not deny the existence of demons. Not anymore. He won’t even try, won’t even start. It is the demon’s fault he’s dead. They wanted him there. Those people—can he even call them people?—wanted power, prowess, fame, money. But it was his brother, and his words that brought the evil into this world.

Maybe he could have refused. Maybe he could have trod the path of innocence still. Kept his heart clean.

But he took the demon’s hand.

And now, he asks the demon to stay. When animate memories kneel by his bed, stand over his head, when they bloody his sheets, he asks the demon to stay with him. Not to kill them, because he knows they are not real. He just asks him to stay, because maybe the presence of something else real, even if it is a demon, makes him feel like maybe his father was right, maybe they aren’t real after all.

But they still come. No matter what he tells himself, or what he believed the night before, tonight is another story.

And he asks the demon to stay, because the demon is kinder than the ghosts are.

When he goes to the cemetery, he isn’t sad for them, not anymore. He is too numb for sadness. He isn’t sorry, even if she should be.

No, this is a much stronger, darker emotion. Something like anger, but colder. Something like distain but warmer.

When he goes to the cemetery, it is not a question of his sorrow, it is a question of his sanity. As if he is trying to tell himself, this is what’s real. These gravestones. These names. This is where they lie. And they do lie.

It is not for them. He is not coming to pray for their souls, or mourn them.

He doesn’t ask the demon to take him there either. He isn’t sure why. He wouldn’t have questioned it if he did, and that may have been faster than this secrecy. Maybe it’s because it makes him look weak; like he cares, or like he needs someone to take care of him, or that he can’t talk to the dead alone.

He’s been doing that for far too long.

Maybe because this is one of those things he has to do alone. Something he has to convince himself, and anyone else’s presence will make it harder for him to argue with his past.

He comes to the cemetery to beg the ghosts to leave him alone. He leaves flowers to give them something to tie them to this patch of earth, rather than his house.

He might have screamed if he truly was weak, or hadn’t grown up in the way he did. Screamed, not because he was sad they were gone, or wished they would come back, but screamed at them for staying with him for too long. But he was stronger than that, so he stood, and stared, and looked on. As always, never letting them know there was anything darker in him.

But they never answer his requests.

He knows they are not there, beneath the ground. He knows that the headstones are just some trophy for dying, where they write your name in stone, but it could have belonged to anyone else, if you had won the race a little sooner, or a little later.

He goes there because he knows that his father was wrong. Because they are not beneath the ground; they are in his house, in his head. His mansion is haunted. Those who died there do linger. Every shadow is their presence, every creak is their footsteps, every far off noise is their wails. He is sure of it. And though they may only exist for him, inside his head, it does not mean they are not real.

One day it will get better. As time goes by, the ghosts’ visits will become less frequent, and he will believe in them less and less, convince himself once again that they are not real. That they may not be in the ground, but they don’t need to be inside his head anymore either, and the more he lets them take up space in his head, the more they distract from his mission now. So he breaks their hold on him, and they shatter like glass, and he continues on. He takes the demon’s hand, and the future.

One day he will convince himself once again they are not real. But another day he will see a living ghost, outside his mind. He will see his brother, his brother’s corpse, animated. He will see all the dreams, nightmares and memories breathe again. And he will start to wonder once more if maybe it wasn’t all in his head, if maybe all those things he saw and felt were real after all.

And it won’t just breathe either, the ghost will kill, and it will speak. It will voice all his insecurities and lies, and expose him for the copy he is. That just when he has started to believe the lie, (he’s always known, when you believe a lie long enough it becomes the truth), he will be reminded that he is not Ciel, that he never has been. And those words we’ll be together forever echo, and resound, and haunt him all over again.

But on that day, he will also realize that to say ghosts are real is only half the story. The living can be ghosts too.

In fact, the living are the real ghosts. They may walk like everyone else, and talk like everyone else, but their bodies are haunted, dead, but alive, and they bring destruction wherever they go. They are more deadly than the dolls, and more ephemeral than the ghosts.

And his mansion is not, and never has been, haunted by their souls.

It is haunted by his own.

[antihero-writings]

His Butler, Cemetery (Chapter 2: The Problem of the Ghosts)—Black Butler Fic for Kuroinktober Prompt 17: Cemetery (Full Chapter)

Fic Title: His Butler, Cemetery

Fic Synopsis: Four visits to the cemetery, each growing in emotional intensity, and spanning backwards in time.

Spoilers for the current arc!!

Chapter Title: The Problem of the Ghosts

Character Focus: Ciel

Notes: This is a repost of an old fic!

Chapter 2:

There are no such things as ghosts.

His father told him so.

When they were young, and every shadow was a dark presence, when every creak was a footstep, every far off noise a wail, their father would come, called by their terrified voices, and sit by their bedside to tell them there were no such things as ghosts.

When Auntie Red told him that sometimes people who die in big mansions stay a little longer, and isn’t your mansion rather big? their father told her to stop teasing them, and there were no such things as ghosts

He promised.

The boy knows now there are demons, and even reapers, (even if he wouldn’t have believed in them either, back then) but he puts that record on repeat: There are no such things as ghosts. There aren’t. Father promised. There are no such things as ghosts. No such things as ghosts. No such things as ghosts.

He needs it to be true.

But when he first lays down at night, sometimes he can still feel his mother’s touch.

Her hands are soft, and her words are softer as she leans in to kiss him goodnight. Her kisses are like raindrops, like butterflies. He can still hear her say sweet dreams my little angels.

And he hopes to that means he’ll dream of her.

Because dreaming of her means dreaming of purity and love, of one more candy couldn’t hurt. Dreaming of her means dreaming of pretty white dresses, and frills in the wind. Dreaming of her means dreaming of the way her face lit up whenever she saw them, especially at times like their birthday; when the Christmas tree glittered with a thousand lights, and the ribbons on their presents shone beneath them. It means dreaming of how excited she was just to say those words: happy birthday. And with her smile, they believed it would be happy, that they were the most important people in the world to her. Dreaming of her means dreaming of someone who knows what it’s like to be sick and frail, and less than I should be, but loved, and loving, all the same.

And those are sweet dreams.

But when he feels her touch, when he dreams of her, now, she haunts him.

Dreaming of her now means dreaming of the last time she kissed them goodnight, and the last morning the called their names with bright eyes. It means an echo of her voice that seemed so strong then, and so fragile now. Dreaming of her now means listening to her say what a wonderful celebration the evening will be, and dreaming of her now means dreaming of her silence at the time when the ‘wonderful’ should begin. Of the ticking minutes by when she didn’t come, and feeling each tick twisting his gut. Of walking downstairs, alone—alone, so very alone—to see the lights of the tree, the reflection of the presents, flickering, breaking, and going dim. To see the world torn apart, painted red. Red lips, to even more red on her clothes, in her eyes, on the floor. A red embrace of death. Dreaming of her now leaves a hollow ache where love was. And it is worse to feel her touch in that space between sleeping and waking now, because her hands are cold and her voice colder, and it is not the comfort of a mother’s touch he feels, for his mother is no longer real, and if she is here, now, she is something else entirely.

There are no such things as ghosts.

But sometimes, as he’s trying to fall asleep, he can still hear his father’s words of wisdom.

He can still hear his voice, so full of confidence when speaking to all the other nobles; all those who wrong him, and right him, all the friends, and all the fakes. He didn’t care. Nobility was in his bones, and nobility poured from his lips, shone through his eyes, was in every syllable he wrote.

He can still remember the warmth he felt when they sat on his lap, and he read them bedtime stories by the fire, and how they begged for just one more.

And when he says don’t grow up too fast, he hopes he’ll grow up to be like him.

Because growing up to be like him means devotion, determination, and gentility.

Growing up to be like him means winning despite the odds, it means having a kindness about you that is palpable, and a dignity and grandeur in every motion that he hopes he can one day embody.

And, in that case, it is a good thing to grow up fast.

But when he remembers those words now, they haunt him.

Because he has grown up too fast. Forced into a mold, taken from the toys and candy, to paper and a forked tongue. Growing up is not a privilege, it is a chain. Growing up to be like him now means cheating and lying, manipulating the rest of the world, and bending it to go his way, because otherwise it won’t. It means his laugh is coarse, and his smile is a mask for the world to call him by. The dignity and grandeur are manufactured, a reflection of something that once was real, that he can never emulate himself.

And when he hears those words of wisdom before sleep, they are a curse. They are not his father’s teachings, they are a restless toll for his sanity, telling him he got it all wrong, that he was never supposed to be the one to gain the title.

There are no such things as ghosts.

But sometimes, when he wakes up in the middle of the night, he can still see his brother’s eyes.

Blue and glimmering with hope and heroism. Eyes whose light never seemed to falter, no matter the circumstances, and became brighter whenever they turned to him. Eyes that urged him to be stronger.

And when those eyes, full of tears, say the words We’ll be together forever, he hopes it’ll come true.

Because being together forever means innocence and bravery. It means he can take on the world, as long as Ciel is with him. There is no such thing as failure, and no such thing as sadness. Together forever means laughter and candy and chess. Together forever means that childhood never has to end. And while Ciel will be the earl, his brother will be no less, and he will be protected. He will have a reason to get back up when he falls, and keep standing. And he will have a reason to do something, be something, too.

And when they were in those cages, when they were tortured and branded and scarred, it meant that the ending could still, even then, at its worst, be a happy one, as long as they were together. They were together. We will always be together.

Like the sky and the stars.

All it took a merciless hand, and a knife, to rip out the last pages of the story with the words written: happily ever after. And we’ll be together forever means a bloodstain big enough to cover the world. And it does. It covers his entire world. It never leaves him. Being together forever is a ring Ciel swallowed, the one that said that he was the heir and the earl, the one they had to rip back out of his dead body. Being together forever means seeing those blue eyes go dim on that alter, just like those on the Christmas tree (and he doesn’t believe he’ll be happy anymore). And it means seeing those eyes staring back at him in the mirror every day, but their light has flickered and died in him too, and they are now brimming with darkness rather than light. The same eyes, but, of course, not the same. He was stained that day too, and one is not blue at all anymore, it is violet, and it does not glow with inner innocence, but with demonic intent.

Being together forever is this name, this title he carries: “Ciel.” And together forever means he will always be a mirror, a tainted reflection. Never himself. Always this faded copy of Ciel.

Together forever is this false image of someone who is not, and can never be, Ciel. Who is branded by the bloodstain, by the ring, branded by his brother, and his demons, who will never leave him as long as he lives.

These creatures, whatever they are, don’t just come every once and a while. Their existence doesn’t ebb like the tides, or phase like the moon. Every night these images, this world of hurt, will not leave him. They burn, and they do haunt him. These images, these voices, these feelings… when there is nothing there.

He tells himself that: there’s nothing here. I’m alone. He puts that on the record too.

But the more he hears himself think it, the less he believes it.

Every night his mother is at his bedside. Her hands are so soft you’d think they’re made of ashes. Her voice is so thin; you’d think it was just the wind.

Every night his father stands before him, and his comfort crackles like fire, his eyes spark, but his form so dark you’d think that’s all he was made of: darkness.

And worst of all, every night, his brother lays beside him. But he is not a living, breathing thing, but a bloodied corpse, animated by some sick puppet strings; a life severed, a life he stole for his own.

And it is the demon’s fault. He will not deny the existence of demons. Not anymore. He won’t even try, won’t even start. It is the demon’s fault he’s dead. They wanted him there. Those people—can he even call them people?—wanted power, prowess, fame, money. But it was his brother, and his words that brought the evil into this world.

Maybe he could have refused. Maybe he could have trod the path of innocence still. Kept his heart clean.

But he took the demon’s hand.

And now, he asks the demon to stay. When animate memories kneel by his bed, stand over his head, when they bloody his sheets, he asks the demon to stay with him. Not to kill them, because he knows they are not real. He just asks him to stay, because maybe the presence of something else real, even if it is a demon, makes him feel like maybe his father was right, maybe they aren’t real after all.

But they still come. No matter what he tells himself, or what he believed the night before, tonight is another story.

And he asks the demon to stay, because the demon is kinder than the ghosts are.

When he goes to the cemetery, he isn’t sad for them, not anymore. He is too numb for sadness. He isn’t sorry, even if she should be.

No, this is a much stronger, darker emotion. Something like anger, but colder. Something like distain but warmer.

When he goes to the cemetery, it is not a question of his sorrow, it is a question of his sanity. As if he is trying to tell himself, this is what’s real. These gravestones. These names. This is where they lie. And they do lie.

It is not for them. He is not coming to pray for their souls, or mourn them.

He doesn’t ask the demon to take him there either. He isn’t sure why. He wouldn’t have questioned it if he did, and that may have been faster than this secrecy. Maybe it’s because it makes him look weak; like he cares, or like he needs someone to take care of him, or that he can’t talk to the dead alone.

He’s been doing that for far too long.

Maybe because this is one of those things he has to do alone. Something he has to convince himself, and anyone else’s presence will make it harder for him to argue with his past.

He comes to the cemetery to beg the ghosts to leave him alone. He leaves flowers to give them something to tie them to this patch of earth, rather than his house.

He might have screamed if he truly was weak, or hadn’t grown up in the way he did. Screamed, not because he was sad they were gone, or wished they would come back, but screamed at them for staying with him for too long. But he was stronger than that, so he stood, and stared, and looked on. As always, never letting them know there was anything darker in him.

But they never answer his requests.

He knows they are not there, beneath the ground. He knows that the headstones are just some trophy for dying, where they write your name in stone, but it could have belonged to anyone else, if you had won the race a little sooner, or a little later.

He goes there because he knows that his father was wrong. Because they are not beneath the ground; they are in his house, in his head. His mansion is haunted. Those who died there do linger. Every shadow is their presence, every creak is their footsteps, every far off noise is their wails. He is sure of it. And though they may only exist for him, inside his head, it does not mean they are not real.

One day it will get better. As time goes by, the ghosts’ visits will become less frequent, and he will believe in them less and less, convince himself once again that they are not real. That they may not be in the ground, but they don’t need to be inside his head anymore either, and the more he lets them take up space in his head, the more they distract from his mission now. So he breaks their hold on him, and they shatter like glass, and he continues on. He takes the demon’s hand, and the future.

One day he will convince himself once again they are not real. But another day he will see a living ghost, outside his mind. He will see his brother, his brother’s corpse, animated. He will see all the dreams, nightmares and memories breathe again. And he will start to wonder once more if maybe it wasn’t all in his head, if maybe all those things he saw and felt were real after all.

And it won’t just breathe either, the ghost will kill, and it will speak. It will voice all his insecurities and lies, and expose him for the copy he is. That just when he has started to believe the lie, (he’s always known, when you believe a lie long enough it becomes the truth), he will be reminded that he is not Ciel, that he never has been. And those words we’ll be together forever echo, and resound, and haunt him all over again.

But on that day, he will also realize that to say ghosts are real is only half the story. The living can be ghosts too.

In fact, the living are the real ghosts. They may walk like everyone else, and talk like everyone else, but their bodies are haunted, dead, but alive, and they bring destruction wherever they go. They are more deadly than the dolls, and more ephemeral than the ghosts.

And his mansion is not, and never has been, haunted by their souls.

It is haunted by his own.

[nntheblog]

Blonde Hair Anime girl : Our Top 45

Golden lock, what else can we hope for? Blonde hair anime girl are important to anime and have a particular quality to them we love. They have a wide range of different styles of characters, from beauty to tsundere, to complete and completely intoxicated but we love each single one! They appear to be very well-endowed, with a reason, too ... however, not that we're aware of that's for sure! It's common to encounter cute, sweet Kawaii female in Anime TV shows, and at times, it's the reason why you're viewing the program. However, I love doing these, but I'm not certain why. In regards about hair I see many colors and hues of the skin. And one can discover all sorts of shades in anime. However, I'd probably fail if you asked me to name a haired anime girl from memory. There are many new anime girls , and I have been watching anime. These lists are extremely interesting for me.

45. Ravel Phenex from High School DXD

Ravel Phenex is an evil demon who has an enormous crush on the main character Issei Hyoudo. Even though she is only a teenager, Ravel is far more knowledgeable than the other demons, and is able to outwit her adversaries. As the principal strategy for Issei's peerage Ravel manages his army of monsters to victory. She's just not the tougher battle-type. In addition, Ravel is the eldest of four Phenex siblings, and that shows. She's stubborn, yells at her parents and always gets what she wants and is lucky that she gets what hero desires!

44. Biscuit Kreuger from Hunter X Hunter - The best teacher among blonde hair anime girl

Biscuit is a girl who prefers to be known as Bisky is a small tiny, adorable girl with curly pigtails that are long and long. But she's not. She's actually a 57-year large bodybuilder of a woman who is several times her normal size. She has pecs as big as her entire body. She's also keen to remain young. And who would not? A sly trickster and a highly experienced hunter (she even conducted the exams) She uses her diminutive form to trick opponents into thinking that they underestimate her. But then she'll revert to her true appearance and slay them all.

43. Suzuka Darienji from Tokyo Ravens

Suzuka Darienji , aka 'The Prodigy' is among the "Twelve Divine Generals". In the anime , it is the best of Japan's Onmyouji - magicians. The prodigy was dubbed the name because of her intelligence, despite being only a teenager, her talent were not without cost. The Brutally Experiment was encouraged from an early age by her father's sadistic son to develop magical geniuses she was successful... However, her brother was not so lucky and passed away young. Perhaps that's the reason the two of them are both sporting curls of blonde curly... Suzuka attempts in the hope of reviving her father however, she fails to summon the ghost of his body. Death is death even for magicians.

42. Elizabeth Midford from Black Butler

Elizabeth Midford is cousin to Ciel Phantomhive Black Butler's favorite and real master of the "black butler," Sebastian Michaelis, the monster Sebastian Michaelis. The experience of growing up in Victorian London isn't easy for girls. It's a common practice to be feminine and weak so that men will love them. It's not a lot of influence given to you because you're expected to be a listener to men around you. Elizbeth however, is able to play the game inside. She is a girl who loves femininity. She is a lover of cute things. even decorated her room with ribbons to his dismay. But she keeps her intelligence hidden. She's extremely clever with a shrewd, savvy, loyal character and can easily defeat any foe with her dual-wield twin swords.

41. Harime Nui from Kill la Kill - The craziest blonde hair anime girl

Harime Nui is a major character in the film Kill La Kill. Her adorableness is disguised by an unhinged, dark manner of speaking. Created completely synthetically from life-fibres that come from other species, Harime is one of the show's strongest characters as well beating virtually every character one-on-1 fight. Not just that, she frequently break the fourth wall - the only person to do this. She relies on subtitles and interrupts credits at the end and causes chaos for the remaining cast members as well as the audience. Only Ryuko's scissor knives are able to scratch in her. This is assuming she can even get to Harime.

40. Milly Ashford (Code Geass)

Milly Ashford is another support character from this list. in Code Geass - she's one of the "school" mates of Lelouch Lamperouge who likes to play around and is sometimes humorous. In addition, she's the president of the student council. If you take away all the humor that came with her character as a character in Code Geass, especially early on, she's got strong head on her shoulders and is more intelligentthan she appears.

39. Irina Jelavic (Assassination Classroom) - The most seductive blonde hair anime girl

Irina Jelavic plays The "teacher" in Assassination Classroom and she appears occasionally with Koro Sensei. The main character. If you're notbeing being snubbed by students due to her name and is in no waypissed of her appearance, she's a woman who has enough experience to draw anyone's at. Her field of work is linked to murders and assassinations (hit-woman) So it's a given. Despite her gorgeous, modest appearance.

38. Mitsuba Sangu (Owari No Seraph)

Mitsuba Sangu, one of "Tsundere" types as an anime character who is blonde. Like Kirisaki Chitoge. However, unlike it being a "rom com " series, it is not like Nisekoi. Owari No Seraph is an anime based on violence and trauma. Mitsuba's personality is shaped by her personality. If she's angry it's because she takes careabout someone else more than they think. She would like others to feel secure and safe And her anger, however subtle, is a reflection of her loyalty to friends and colleagues.

37. Beatrice (Re:Zero Starts Life In A Different World)

Beatrice is a nickname for betty. is a bizarre Loli character that's in factolder than she appears. In actual fact, she has an unsettling amount in power, for someone that is tiny and fragile on the outside. But , you don't witness much of it until in the later episodes as she's a supporting character. A memorable aspects concerning Beatrice is her expression: "I suppose". It is a staple of nearly every wordshe speaks during the course of a conversation. It's the only factor that has made Beatrice so beloved, famous and well-liked in the world of anime, blonde characters and Mages.

36. Ikumi Mito (Food Wars) - The most gourmet blonde hair anime girl

Ikumi Mito is the renowned chef who has a specialization on "meat" and carvery in Food Wars. There's no doubt about it in this particular area of knowledge. She's tanned and wears the same style of dress as Yoko Littner, who is from Gurren Lagann. I'm assuming that I suspect that the "Mito" part of her name may be a play on"meat" or "meat", and is intended to be a reference to her cooking style on the show.

35. Maria Oosawa (Canaan)

Maria Oosawa is an optimistic kind of person who feels a sense of HYPE over the small aspects of life. For instance, taking pictures of the scenery or snapping a photograph of her or someone else. Or even meeting her friend: Canaan. Whatever the occasion, Maria is happy, caring and has a positive attitude sopositive that it's infectious. Because of that, she's different all together, compared to the typical black hair anime girl.

34. Rio Nakamura (Assassination Classroom)

Rio Nakamura's optimism shines. She'll never neverlet you feel down and down. She's just too positive and cheerful to let this occur. This is what you will appreciate the most about Nakamura In Assassination Classroom. This level of confidence is hard to resist because it's so inspiring.

33. Jeanne D'Arc (Fate Apocrypha)

Jeanne D'arc similar to Saber is based on mythology and the past. Similar to Saber and Saber, she's done things which her "somewhat" regrets in the beginning, yet she is able to endure and eventually over comewith her determination and determination. determination. She doesn't boast about her strength, or boast about how strong she is, however she's able to back it up in the event of needing it.

32. Violet Evergarden - The most unforgettable blonde hair anime girl

The most mysterious black hair anime girl Even before Kyoto Animation released a teaser trailer, I knew I was in for a thrilling ride. Violet's character idea is flawless and KyoAni's stunning animation in that show puts the best part. Violet is an incoming member of the CH postal service, Auto Memory Doll.  She was looking to learn the meaning behind "any words" she had received from Gilbert when she was serving as a soldier. Violet has the characteristics that I have admired from other choices. Violet has gorgeous hair, beautiful blue eyes as well as her expressions on the face can be worthy of a million words.  Her story has brought me to tears, anger, sadness, joy and all the other emotions that define us as human. Violet Evergarden is a rare gem in anime -- and the same is true for the protagonist.

31. Sana Kashimura (Alice & Zouroku)

Sana Kashimura has the power to explode the entire planet into thousands of pieces if she wants to. Because she has the ability to make anything with her imagination. In the anime, it's known as "dreams of Alice". Sana is a slave who has run away who escapes from the lab that's experimented on her to serve their own purposes. She is later adopted by an affectionate family, where she is taught to feel joy, happiness and happinessfor for the very first time during her life.

30. Anzu (Hinamatsuri)

Anzu of Hinamatsuri is so innocent it makes you want to kick yourself. Yet, at the same time Anzu is extremely confidentand filled with energy that you are intrigued and enthralled by her character. In the beginning, you may feel frustratedby her manner of being. Then she will warm up to you in the later stages, when things become more emotional, and the feelingsstart to take hold of you. Anzu is thetype of person. The type of character whose heart is so large and unprejudiced that there's no room to accommodate it. It's a plus that she's well-written and well-written.

29. Sachiko Tanaka (Denpa Kyoushi)

Sachiko Tanaka is a reminiscence of me. She's an artist and doesn't have a problem with selling her work or being paid for it. She is adamant about her work often and the majority of her energy and time is spent becoming betterand doing what she enjoys more than any other thing. It's the reason she skipped school often in the show: Denpa Kyoushi, and I'd probably do the same in her place.

28. Alicia Florence (Aria The Animation)

Alicia Florence is the one you'd like to have that is always available to listen when you're having concerns you'd like to talk about. Also, that "mother" like-figure who will take good care of you and will give everything she has to ensure that you're satisfied all the way around. She's the main character in Aria The Animation nearly everyonelooks at with admiration. Due to her charming persona, and her kind, humble manner of being. Like the majority ofcharacters in this genre there's much for you to take away from her wisdom.

27. Shiemi Moriyama (Blue Exorcist)

Shiemi Moriyama appears the younger and slightly vulnerableversion of Alicia Florence. She's kind and thoughtful of other people always smiling and kind. Even if you happen to be her foe. This is the pure heart of Shiemi's a character.And she's had the occasional moments of Blue Exorcist where she "shines". Blue Exorcist wouldn't be the the samewithout Shiemi's presence.

26. Hikari Takanashi (Demi Chan)

Imagine that you're feeling bored and you're sure there's oneperson who you can depend on to keep you laughing or cheer you up or make your life more cheerful. That's right, that describes Hikari Takanashi in the simplest terms. She's thekind of person, and she's full of sarcasm and occasionally somewhat of an antagonist (antagonizes the people). When she's not fumbling around or bouncing off walls due to her being so lively, Hikari is always there to help you have an enjoyable time.

25. Misa Amane from Death Note - The most engaged blonde hair anime girl

Misa is a well-known model actor, singer, and actress. She is a massive fan of Light Yagami. In third personperspective, she typically prefers calling her "Misa-Misa" and appears to be extremely active. She's acting as a second Kira to draw the attention in the initial Kira.  Since the beginning, she was shockingly determined to Light when she realized that she was indeed the real Kira. Misa is willing to perform the dirty job of Light in order to be with him, even if it involves killing people. Misa displays a distinctive kind of yonder bipolarity. She is very affectionate and compassionate toward Light however, she is very unfriendly when she writes name names in the Death Note. Finally, Misa is unnecessarily enamored of her boyfriend and wildly jealous. And she ends up leading to Light an unstoppable snowball. If she wasn't an obstacle to Light's hopes, she could be much easier to accept.

24. Shinobu Oshino from Bakemonogatari

Shinobu is a mysterious vampire girl, as well as cute anime girl with blond hair . She acts as Meme Oshino's mate in the ruin of Eikou Cram School. In the next episode She is within Koyomi Araragi's shadow all daytime.

23. Mashiro Shiina of Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo (The Pet Girl from Sakurasou)

Mashiro Shiina plays the principal female protagonist of the story . She is located in Room 202 of The Sakura Dormitory. Mashiro is a renowned artist who moved to Suiko as a second-year student to master drawing. She hopes to draw manga.

22. Tsunade from Naruto - The oldest blonde hair anime girl

Naruto isn't devoid of beautiful blonde women. That's a sign of something. My top choice in this particular series is the spirit-loving Tsunade who was Konohas' Hokage as well. I'm sure many of you will remember her for her amazing physical abilities.  However, she still makes plenty of laughter even when she's not submerged in alcohol. Tsunade is everything a leader is supposed to be -- friendly and patient, but in a position to take on enemies with his own hands. Read the full article

[dragonsploosh]

Sebaciel Advent Calender

The Corpse Groom

Based on Tim Burton’s ‘The Corpse Bride.’

Chapter one

*

"Smile."

Ciel blinked, pulled from his reverie by the gentle voice. He'd been staring listlessly out of the carriage window for hours, just watching the grey English countryside roll by, and only now did he notice his mother staring at him with concern.

"Smile, Ciel," Rachel continued. "This should be a happy day for you."

Ciel swallowed the lump that had been building in his throat for most of the journey."Happy," he repeated, bitterness thick in his tone.

The boy's father, Vincent, didn't seem to have picked up on the mood. He lowered his newspaper, eyes sparkling with mirth. "Ahh, to be young again. I remember when your mother and I were due to be wed. Did I ever tell you how I managed to sneak away the night before the ceremony, all the way to the East Wing where Rachel's entire family were staying and -"

"Vincent!" Rachel snapped, elbowing her husband and looking a bit pink in the face. "This is about Ciel's wedding, not ours."

"Right, of course," Vincent agreed, waiving one black-gloved hand obligingly.  "And I'm sure the day will go just as smoothly for him, nothing to worry about."

Something snapped in Ciel; it could have been the casual way his father spoke, or the way his mother expected him to smile like this was all a big treat. "At least you got to choose who you might wed," he snarled.

There was icy silence for a moment within the carriage.

"I thought we were past this," said Vincent quietly. The jovial tone had gone from his voice.

Ciel recognised the danger - his father was an accomplished leader and a great role-model, but nobody ever talked back to him. The boy set his jaw in defiance. "I just don't understand why -"

"Your brother understood."

"My brother isn't here," Ciel retorted.

"No, he is not. And that is why you must take up his mantle, as the sole heir to the Phantomhive name. It should be a privilege, to take on the role of Earl."

"I just don't see why I need to marry Elizabeth now." Ciel persisted, changing tactic. "Can't it at least wait a few years?"

It was Rachel that answered this time. Her voice was softer, but the message was still the same. "Our families need to merge, Ciel. This has been the plan from the start, you know that."

'Almost the plan.' Ciel thought bitterly. It had been his brother that was meant to wed their cousin, not him. He barely even knew the girl. Ever since his twin's death a year ago, all the responsibilities of the future Earl had fallen to him, including this marriage.

"Phantomhive's never go back on their word," Vincent said firmly. He looked at his wife and something seemed to pass between them. "That's why everything -"

She nodded. "Every last little thing -"

"Must go according to plan," he finished.

Their tone was final. This wedding was happening, whether Ciel wanted it to or not.

***

Midford Manor looked different to how Ciel remembered it. As the carriage pulled into the forecourt, the boy peered curiously out of the window and up at the vast mansion. He hadn't visited for a while - family visits had grown sparse in the time since his brother's death, and it seemed a lot had changed in that time. Where once there were rolling lawns and bright flowerbeds, now there was gravel. The grass that bordered it was thick with frost, and it certainly wasn't the neatly trimmed affair that Ciel was used to.

The Phantomhive's coachman helped the family from the carriage, bowing politely before going to see to the horses. Ciel and his parents made their way unescorted up the few stone steps to the front door, where Vincent took the large bronze knocker in gloved fingers and rapped smartly at the wood.

They didn't have to wait long. The door creaked open on slightly rusted hinges to reveal the grand entrance hall, the Midford butler, Emil, greeting them politely as they made their way inside. Coats were taken despite the lingering chill, and Francis and Alexis Midford descended the central staircase wearing what looked like their most formal attire.

"Good afternoon. I trust that your journey was favourable?"

"Sister," called Vincent merrily, though Alexis was the one to bound forward to greet them.

"There's my nephew!" He said exuberantly, pulling Ciel into a one-armed hug. The boy was always taken aback by his uncles enthusiasm, and he didn't even return the gesture before Alexis was hugging both Vincent and Rachel, crinkling his suit in the process.

"Alexis," Francis hissed. Unlike her husband, she wasn't very keen on what she termed 'improper behaviour'. She turned to her brother and sister-in-law, ignoring Ciel completely, and inclined her head. "We'll be taking tea in the Dayroom," she announced formally.

"Excellent," Vincent replied. "I'm parched."

The adults all started to make small-talk about the weather (it had started to snow) and the Midford's Christmas decorations (a sparsely decorated tree in the corner which Rachel proclaimed as "lovely.") The four all started to make their way towards the Dayroom as they spoke, though Ciel lingered behind, certain that no one would notice his absence. They didn't.

Alone, Ciel peered more closely around the entrance hall. It seemed bigger than his last visit; everyone had still been in their black mourning clothes then, and he'd spent the day in the music room, away from everyone else. He hadn't even spoken to Elizabeth that day - it hadn't occurred to him, back then at the age of seventeen, that he'd be marrying her just a year later.

Family portraits still lined the walls, a vase of lilies set on a round table next to the staircase, but otherwise there was very little in the way of furniture. Ciel remembered a grand piano taking up the space by the far wall, a massive crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling, but both were now gone. Instead there was a simple candelabra, and the piano had been replaced with another instrument. Beneath the portrait of his own family rested a small violin, the bow laying across the strings in a facsimile of a cross. The violin had once belonged to Ciel's brother.

He peered up at the portrait as he approached; it depicted a happier time, where all four Phantomhives smiled back at him, his twin wearing an identical outfit to himself. He picked up the violin reverently, touching the fine maple neck and losing himself in memories. Ciel was always the least skilled of the two when it came to music. Still, that didn't stop him from raising the bow and positioning the instrument, playing a tremulous note and listening to it linger.

He drew the bow across the strings again, as if in a trance, and soon found himself playing a melancholy tune, one of his own composition. His fingers were quick, the notes true, and it almost sounded as good as his brother. Almost.

"You play beautifully," came a voice from behind him.

Ciel almost dropped the violin.

"Elizabeth!"

There she was, looking exactly the same as the last time he'd seen her, yet somehow everything was different. Her hair was pulled back, the usual blonde ringlets tamed into a high bun, and her dress was formal but fashionable. The usual bright colours she preferred had been traded for a more pastel tone, the pale pink of it making her look older. More grown up.

"In view of the circumstances," she said, "it might be more fitting that you call me 'Lizzie'."

"Lizzie. Of course."

Lizzie had been his brother's name for her. The word tasted like ash in Ciel's mouth.

"I'd always dreamed of my wedding day," Lizzie said wistfully, gazing up at the portrait. "Of walking down the aisle in my mother's dress. Of all the guests smiling - him waiting for me. Silly, isn't it."

"Yes, silly," Ciel replied. "No - I mean, not at all." He set the violin back on the ground, feeling stupid. "This just isn't how any of us imagined it."

"I suppose we should make the best of it then."

Ciel glanced at her and was horrified to see tears threatening to overflow, her lower lip quaking. They hadn't even gotten married yet and already he'd managed to upset her.

"Indeed - that is to say, I'm sure it will be fine." As if 'fine' was an adequate way to describe a marriage. Ciel mentally kicked himself. "So, uhh," he went on, trying to diffuse the conversation. "Do you still play piano?"

"Not of late," Lizzie replied, clasping her hands in front of her. "I've been busy with fencing practice. Mother says that one must be steady with the sword - calm. Music is far too emotional."

Ciel wasn't quite sure how to respond to that. "Ah. And how is fencing?"

She looked away, her face going slack. "It was going well for a time - the Queen was even considering me to become part of her personal guard. I would have been the first woman to ever serve royalty in such a way, but it wasn't to be. There have been so many misfortunes in our family lately, such terrible-" she cut herself off, eyes widening. "I'm sorry - that was insensitive."

"It's quite alright," Ciel said, inclining his head. "I couldn't help but notice -"

He was cut off before he could finish that thought, Francis's thundering voice echoing around the room.

"What impropriety is this!"

Lizzie took a guilty step back as the four adults came into sight, Francis leading the charge.

"No chaperone! Where's Paula?!" The woman snapped, fixing her gaze on her daughter.

"I just -"

"You just nothing, young lady! Now, back to your room - we have a rehearsal to prepare for, and everything must go according to plan."

***

The rehearsal took place that evening. Ciel barely had time to change out of his travelling clothes and into a tailored suit picked out by his mother; the subtle lines of the expensive charcoal-grey fabric accentuated his slim figure, the colour making his smoky hair look darker and more refined. His cravat was a dusky blue that made his eyes stand out, or so he was told, but he didn't care about any of that. As the carriage pulled up in front of the church, it rather felt like he was arriving at his own funeral.

They were greeted by a small gathering of guests who had arrived early to make the most of the holiday. With the wedding to be held on Christmas Day, two days from now, the crowd was abuzz with merriment. Ciel's heart sank when he realised there'd be almost twenty people witnessing the rehearsal, though that paled in comparison to the expected turnout of the actual day.

"Ciel!" Someone called, and the boy was almost knocked off his feet as someone barrelled into him.

"Argh! Get off!"

"My friend, I'm so happy for you," a familiar voice sobbed next to his ear.

Ciel managed to extract himself in an almost-dignified manner, rearranging his cravat and directing a scowl at Soma.

"At least someone's happy," he muttered, before spotting the Prince's butler behind him and inclining his head. "Hello Agni," he said, slightly louder.

"May the great God Ganesha bless and watch over you in this joyous time," Agni replied, smiling.

"Yeah. Thanks."

"Ah, Ciel," said another voice, two new faces joining them. "Good to see you."

"Grey. Phipps," Ciel greeted, noting with some curiosity that there was a small chicken on Phipps' shoulder.

"Sorry to hear about our Lizzie not making the Guard. Still, no hard feelings, ay?"

Charles Grey smiled brightly while his companion kept a polite silence. The two had been in Elizabeth's fencing class for as long as Ciel could remember, and Ciel grimaced on his cousin's behalf.

"Sure. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll just -"

"Boy, there you are!"

Family get-togethers were always exhausting, Ciel thought, but this one was especially excruciating.

"Hello, Baron Kelvin," Ciel answered, his hand getting swept up in a formal handshake.

"What a marvellous day for a wedding," the Baron informed him.

Since the snow was beginning to settle, white flakes covering his shoulders and making him shiver, Ciel couldn't disagree more.

"EVERYONE! CAN I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION!"

Vincent Phantomhive seemed just as flustered as Ciel, the onslaught of well-wishers obviously taking him off-guard.

"The rehearsal will be commencing now, if you would all just take your seats."

Ciel turned back to the church doors and joined the throng of guests as they began to file in, that sinking feeling returning to the pit of his stomach. Candles lit the pews already, casting a warm glow in the otherwise cold church, and Ciel could see the Midford's near the altar already, conversing with the vicar. Vincent gave Ciel a firm nod before taking his seat, and the youngest Phantomhive was left to make the rest of the journey down the aisle alone.

*

"Let's try it again."

It wasn't going well. The guests were all seated and hushed, and the vicar was looking at Ciel with barely concealed exasperation.

"We'll take it from the start," he said, speaking extra slowly. "Repeat after me:

With this hand, I will lift your sorrows                                                                                                                                 Your cup will never be empty, for I will be your wine                                                                                         With this candle, I will light your way in darkness                                                                                       With this ring, I ask you to be mine."

Ciel heard the words, but it was as though he was in a dream. This didn't seem real. Lizzie was stood next to him, her own vows recited perfectly, and she kept glancing at her mother as if begging for help.

Ciel cleared his throat, wanting nothing more than to just get this over with.

"With this hand, I will lift your sorrows," Ciel said, discreetly wiping his sweaty palm on his trouser leg before reaching for Lizzie's. Judging by her expression, Ciel would say she'd noticed. "Your cup," he began, trying not to think of how uncomfortable he felt just touching her hand. "Your cup will never be empty." She felt clammy. "For I will be your wine."

The vicar cleared his throat.

Ciel's face grew hot when he realised that he should have released her hand and prepared the wine instead. He snatched his hand away so violently that he almost upset the metal chalice that sat on the low table.

"Move on," commanded the vicar.

"Right, yes. With this candle," Ciel blustered, skipping the wine entirely to hold a stem of tapered wax to the flame beside the chalice. The wick stubbornly refused to light. "I will light your way..." He tried engulfing the candle at every angle, growing more frustrated. "In darkness," he finished, still unsuccessful in lighting the thing.

The vicar sighed. "Do you even want to be married?" He asked in a low voice.

"No, no," Ciel replied, beaming when the flame finally lit. He caught the vicar's eye and realised what he'd said, hastening to amend himself. "I mean, no of course -"

"Tell me you've remembered the ring, at least," the man said, unamused.

"Yes." The band of gold was fished from his pocket, and he held it aloft for all of a second before his sweaty palms betrayed him, the ring slipping from his grasp and bouncing onto the ground.

Some of the onlookers gasped as Ciel scrambled onto all fours, candle and all, crawling after the ring which had rolled under the table. Ciel snatched at it, knocking it sideways and bumping into the table leg for his efforts, which sent the wine flying.

"My shoes," came a high-pitched squeal, closely followed by the sound of running footsteps.

Ciel successfully closed his fist around the ring this time, backing up reluctantly to face the damage. His foot hit something soft just as he was free of the table, and he spun around on one knee.

Right into the voluminous folds of his Aunt Francis's dress.

This would have been embarrassing regardless, but since Ciel's left hand was still clutching the lit candle, it quickly became a disaster. The dress caught faster than a pile of kindling, and he stared dumbfounded as smoke began to pour from the fabric.

"Mother!" Elizabeth cried.

She rushed forward just as Ciel leapt into action, the two of them making to pat out the fire, though they only succeeded in butting heads instead. The heavy 'thump' was hard enough to make Ciel see stars.

"Ouch!" Lizzie yelped.

Ciel backed away as more of the guests raced down the aisle, smothering the flames with jackets and shawls while the boy edged towards the door. He blew out the candle, tossing it away from him as though hiding the evidence, though everyone had already been witness to the calamity.

"BOY!" Vincent yelled back at him.

"I'm just... uh, some fresh air," Ciel called back, groping for the door handle. "I'm sorry," he added to Elizabeth, who was looking as though she might cry again.

The last thing Ciel heard was the vicar shouting angrily at him to learn his vows, before he hurtled into the night and away from the second-worst experience of his life.

***

The youngest son of the Phantomhives was not born for greatness. Unlike his brother, he lacked the ambition to become the great leader their father was. Ciel had once had dreams of opening a toy shop, of leaving the family Manor and moving to the city. Always the quieter twin, he'd thought about having his own little town house, a log fire burning in the hearth and a whole room filled with books where he could just read, undisturbed.

That dream was dashed just over a year ago, when his brother was found dead in their shared bedroom. The covers had been thrown off Ciel's bed too, his pillow shredded, but he hadn't been there. He'd been sick that night, raiding the pantry for honey to help dull his cough.

He knew his parents hadn't forgiven him. He could see it in their eyes every time they looked at him - why had he survived, - the weak, younger twin - when the Phantomhive heir had been left to die?

The killer was gone before the body was discovered. Full resources had gone into the investigation, but it hadn't been any use. Nobody knew who had targeted the Phantomhive's like this, or indeed, why.

*

Ciel shivered. He'd taken refuge on a stone bridge at the edge of the village, the river looking black as it rushed along beneath him. He thought about throwing himself into those icy depths - just letting go and allowing the river to take him. It was just a thought, however - he was too much of a coward to ever really do such a thing.

Instead, he turned to face the forest on the other side. It looked gloomy and dismal, which was just what Ciel needed right now. A thin layer of snow glittered in the moonlight as he made his way past the tree line, his fine leather shoes precarious on the frosted moss. Ciel didn't care. He walked faster, replaying the last half-hour over and over in his head.

"With this hand, I will lift your candle," he said aloud, picturing the blaze. He realised then that he'd said the line wrong and huffed at himself.

"With this hand, I will lift your sorrows," he corrected. "Your wine will never be empty, for I will cup your... Oh, dammit."

He needed to clear his mind, but it was almost impossible. He tried to focus on the gnarled trees instead, walking faster and taking a deep breath.

"Your cup will never be empty, for I will be your wine," he said perfectly, hopping over a fallen log and feeling emboldened. He snatched up a twig, holding it aloft. "With this candle, I will light your way in darkness." In his mind, the wick lit easily. "With this ring," he continued, throwing it and catching it easily in his palm. "I ask you to be mine."

He gracefully placed the ring on a dead branch jutting from the ground, satisfied that he could say his vows just fine without the impending prospect of actual marriage. If he could just shut off his mind on the day, then things would surely run more smoothly.

The ground shook under Ciel's feet and he blinked. Earthquakes were not exactly a regular occurrence in England, though this certainly felt like one.  Powdered snow began to drop from the nearby branches as the tremors grew, and Ciel took a step back, eyes darting around wildly.

It was as if the very earth was caving in on itself. The branch that held the gold wedding ring stirred and icy dirt fell away, a wide hole forming as everything shifted. Ciel watched, frozen in horror, as something rose from that hole - a figure, dressed all in black.

It appeared to be a man, though it wasn't like any man Ciel had ever seen; his skin seemed far too pale, his eyes an unnatural shade of red. Hair as black as ebony framed his face, sooty lashes blinking down at Ciel, but that wasn't what unnerved they boy - while this stranger certainly radiated an ethereal beauty, his most prominent feature was probably the gaping hole in his chest, or perhaps his missing left arm.

"Excuse me," said the stranger, reaching down and snagging up the branch - or at least, it used to be a branch. Now, instead of twisted brown twigs, there was a set of bones; a bleached white arm, the hand still sporting the golden wedding ring. The man proceeded to shove the entire humerus up into his gaping sleeve before jerking his shoulder and making a satisfied 'ahh' sound.

That skeletal hand gave a test wriggle, and the strange man gazed down at the wedding ring with a curious expression on his face. "I do," he said.

Ciel ran. He didn't even think about it; his feet moved almost as fast as his thundering heart, carrying him deep into the woods and away from that eerie figure. He didn't even know where he was going - the trees all looked the same, branches snagging at him as though they were trying to hold him back. He only ran faster, the blood rushing in his ears, breath burning in his lungs.

He hit a patch of ice and his foot slipped. It hurt. He turned his head and saw that the man was still pursuing him, a dark shadow amongst the trees. With his feet back under him, Ciel managed to make it away from the ice and up onto a small bank decorated with dozens of huge stones.

He dodged the first few before realising what they were. Gravestones jutted out of the ground around him, some of them looking so old that they were crumbling to pieces. He carried on running, zigzagging past the graves and feeling like this night couldn't get any worse when a crow flew low overhead, cawing. It was followed by an entire murder, the black birds flying right for Ciel. He threw his hands in front of his face and ducked, changing course hastily and blundering onwards.

He only slowed down when he heard the sound of the river. That rush of water was so welcome, the promise of safety just beyond the bridge. Ciel gasped and panted as he broke free of the trees, dodging the crows as they swooped and cawed overhead, his feet finding the solid ground of the path as he made it to the crossing.

He was going to make it.

And then he heard a noise behind him, a sort of grating noise, like the whisper of old parchment. He spun around, back knocking against the stone wall of the bridge, and that figure was on him. A skeletal hand wrapped around his wrist, the sheer height of the man dwarfing Ciel, and he tried to scream but no sound came out.

The man pressed closer, his head tilting down. "Let us seal our marriage with a kiss," he murmured, his voice surprisingly deep, and that was the last thing Ciel knew before something cold touched his mouth and the world went dark.