Rating: T+

Pairing: Ciel/Lizzy (Alois/Lizzy; Grey/Lizzy; Ciel/Sieglinde)

Genre: Romance, Drama, Thriller

Notes:

And here is the Chapter proper. Quite a few changes here. Funny how much you improve (I hope) in five (5) years since I first published this here. Back then, I still just starting University. Now, I'm working a full time job which I never expected to get. But, my love for writing has only increased, so I hope you all (the three (3) of you that remember this story, like, at all and all my new readers) can enjoy the tale I will tell! So, onwards to plot!

Disclaimer: Don't own Kuroshitsuji / Black Butler / Majordomo Negro

He took simple steps, guided and calculated, because he had no rush. There was no rush. The dead had no movement, and death was the only thing that patiently waited for you, no matter how much time it needed to. The most faithful partner one had in life.

"I'm here Sebastian," Ciel Phantomhive voiced, softly, contemplating his surroundings. The earl of the Phantomhive household, now a young man of eighteen, couldn't see his demon servant in the area, but he figured he wasn't far. He was never far.

It didn't take long for Ciel to realize why he had been sent to this place, a closed up site that had not been used in years. From what Ciel gathered from his underground network, which admittedly had not been the same ever since Undertaker had deserted his role and disappeared from the face of the Earth after sinking the Campania and helping the Weston College kids (almost) get away with murder, this abandoned area had once been used for illegal trade of stolen goods. A popular spot for the wicked and the desperate.

"The stench is strongest here, my Lord," his butler spoke up from what seemed to be directly through his spine, which would have caused Ciel to become ghostly paled had he not experienced this sensation for years by now. He had grown used to it, and tired of it. Tired of all of it. This endless game of cat and mouse that never went anywhere. "My guess would be underground."

"It's the new trend after all," Ciel replied, eyeing the ground with his uncovered eye, still moist thanks to a storm that had hit the upper London area without warning a few hours ago. It had made his search that much harder. He proceeded to hit the soil with his cane, verifying its stability briefly, before turning to face the man in black next to him. "What are you waiting for then?" he asked, irritated at being forced to be out here in the cold and damp weather, even if he had been "promised" he could take the day off by the Queen. "Start digging."

"Yes, my Lord," the demon wearing the skin of a man replied with a soft bow, before proceeding to scavenge the area for what they were searching for. Because there was no one else there, no one else who still possessed a beating heart at least, Sebastian had no need to hide his abilities. It took him seconds to dig a hole ten feet wide and at least fifteen deep. He stopped the moment he uncovered the object.

"That was surprisingly deep," Ciel commented, wondering how they managed to dig so much to hide this thing and then covered it so efficiently. "Is it the coffin?"

"You are certainly welcomed to come down here and see my not so young Master," Sebastian told his Master, still up high and looking down at him, which caused Ciel to frown and glare, both at once. Sebastian just laughed. "You mustn't be afraid of traversing near dark, damp holes Master," he mocked, "least of all so close to your wedding night."

"I'll order you to sleep in that coffin!" his master blasted back, equal parts flustered and annoyed. Such unnecessary innuendo was beneath him, but given the fact that he grew up with a demon as the closest thing to a paternal figure (not the best of role models) he was used to it. "Just open it up!"

"Yes, my Lord," Sebastian replied, mischievous smile still featured, and proceeded to open the coffin. It wasn't locked or sealed in the slightest, so the top easily came off. With it, the stench of the freshly deceased hit everywhere, and Ciel quickly covered his mouth and nose with a handkerchief.

"Is that…?"

"Indeed," Sebastian confirmed, looking inside at the body they found. "Christopher Hummer, aged forty-one, married man, father of two. Time of death, I'd say…" Sebastian verified, as he bent down and opened the deceased mouth, which gave little resistance. "…about two days, with three to four hours at most. The maggots have barely began to feasts, which is a compliment to the maker of this coffin. High quality stuff."

"Could it finally be him?" Ciel wondered aloud, thinking back to the rogue Shinigami that had eluded him for so many years.

"That's a definite possibility," Sebastian considered. "However, our friend Undertaker has never been the only owner of a funeral parlor in all of London, so we can't ignore the possibility of another individual. Or even if what we are seeing is the handiwork of a buyer, not a seller."

"For your sake I hope your right," Ciel commented, taking out a notepad and writing down the details of their find. "The last thing I need to be reminded of is your pathetic displays against Undertaker."

"…Now that was a low blow," his butler, now at his side carrying the deceased, commented, although Ciel couldn't still fully tell if he had spoken with honesty or sarcasm. Then again, had his butler ever spoken to him openly when it came to feelings? Did the creature even feel? "I protected you, didn't I?"

"An animal will always protect its next meal," Ciel replied, as he returned his notepad to his coat pocket. "Regardless, let's finish up here, I'm freezing. We must contact her Majesty and inform her that our biggest lead in the Spring-Heeled Case has grown cold," he paused, looking at the cadaver. "…Quite literally if I may add, so we might be looking at a few more weeks of research. What we need now is t-"

"Cake," Sebastian mentioned.

"-o find the cake so we can," pause, reflect. "What are you making me say? This is no time for treats!"

"On the contrary," his butler corrected, looking at his pocket watch. "It is definitely time for cake, or rather, it's the time that we need to head back otherwise we'll be late for the cake. Wedding cake of course."

"…Oh," Ciel murmured, frowning.

That was right. He was getting married today.

An event he never gave a single shred of thought to, since ever since he first made contact with the demon that now worked as his servant, he knew he was a dead man walking. A dead child walking. He would live for a few more years, acting the part of what everyone expected of Ciel Phantomhive, until he could get his revenge. For his family. And in his revenge, he would fool everyone, even what was left of his family.

His aunt wrongly believed she had her nephew back, as did his uncle.

His servants believed they were working for the bright future of a young man, when in reality they were simply guarding a dead man's belongings.

Elizabeth…

He shivered. How did it come to this? Was Sebastian simply mediocre when compared to other demons, and little Ciel just never noticed it? The man was absolutely flawless when it came to practically any situation, save for whenever he had to deal with the supernatural. Even then, he always came out on top, his brushes against Undertaker being the sole exception. So why? Why was Ciel allowed to reach eighteen? Why were his parents' killer(s) still out there? Why was he being allowed to actually fulfill his commitment to Lizzy of marrying her?

He had heard her, go on and on, every now and then, about the day they'd marry. About the people she'd invite, about the dress she'd wear (that he was forbidden to see until they were in the church), about how happy and excited it made her.

Poor sweet, little Lizzy, so bright and happy.

She had always looked forwards to that day, to this day. And he allowed her to keep her false reality up, he lied at every opportunity just so she wouldn't feel down. He told her he'd be there, in the best attire he could buy that matched whatever dress she wore, and that he'd take her dancing as soon as the event started and after they both said "I do". She was thrilled the day he said that. She was always happy about the prospect of being his wife, for reasons he couldn't hope to fathom, and even back at the Campania she had been clear on those intentions.

Poor desperate, blood-drenched Lizzy, so serious and fierce.

He shook his head. If there was one image he still couldn't fully process was of that side of Lizzy, even after all these years. Even now, that he was finally taller than her, he was certain she could kick his ass in fencing with her eyes closed. He didn't like his odds in a fist fight either, but that was neither here nor there. She was a horrible shot, if anything.

"I'm getting married…" Ciel muttered, while Sebastian looked on curiously, at his spaced-out Master. "I'm really getting married…" he spoke again, processing the statement. "Oh my God Sebastian!" he shouted this time, his butler scoffing at how contradictory his statement had been. "I'm actually getting married! How the hell did this come to pass? Why? How? I wasn't, I'm not prepared for this day! I-I don't know how to be a husband, I don't know what I'm supposed to do."

"I could show you my Lord, but it would be improper," his butler amusingly stated, which earned him another glare.

"I'm not referring to that!" his master barked back, which comically made Sebastian understand why the Queen appointed him as a Guard Dog. "I was never supposed to live this long! You stinking bastard, you can't even kill me right! I was not supposed to go through this!"

"Oh my, so this is what Bard had mentioned, hmm?" his butler proceed to grab his master by the collar, not in any way disrespectful, but to merely fix what had been ruined thanks to the younger man's fidgeting. "A groom-to-be getting cold feet is nothing to be alarmed about."

"You think this is cold feet?!" Ciel asked as incredulously as he could manage. He knew what that phenomenon was, but that didn't apply here. That applied to a would-be groom, a normal would-be groom, who was not entirely sure if getting married was best for him. If he was really prepared to leave his bachelor's life of women and freedom in favor of a life of monogamy and commitment. If he was really certain, to the greatest of security, that he actually loved his wife-to-be or if he just desired her.

That was not the case for Ciel. He was sure it wasn't. Getting married would not affect Ciel too much, since Lizzy was aware of most things he did as the Watchdog. And everything she didn't know, mostly about Sebastian, they've been hiding it for so long that sometimes he found it hard to believe it was true. And Ciel not once even tried to engage in anything with any other woman. Not Doll, not even Sieglinde and her perverted desires. If he had been like pretty much ninety-nine percent of the Weston boys, he would have taken advantage of his freedom. He knew he was good-looking, and for all of his "better-than-you" attitude, he could understand the allure of a woman. But, as he always thought, if he couldn't ever hope to actually marry Lizzy and make her as happy as she deserved, he could at least be faithful to the very end. Because, when it came to actually loving her, well…

"We should really get going my Lord," his butler mentioned, in a more "move-your-little-butt-young-master" tone that reminded him of when he was younger. "It is not proper to keep a young Lady waiting, much less on her own wedding."

"…This is too much," Ciel mentioned, covering his exposed eye with his palm, trying to calm himself. He refused to look at Sebastian anymore, because he knew he was a prime target for the demon's teasing. So he avoided looking at him, as the still-taller-than-him butler proceeded to take both Ciel and the body they found towards their carriage, whereupon Ciel would return home and Sebastian would take care of the evidence.

-0-

"Would you consider this as adorable, or…?" a wedding-dressed Elizabeth Midford asked, twirling in place as she looked at the mirror, noticing for anything off in the lovely silver-themed dress she was now wearing.

"You are not there to look adorable!" her tailor and friend Nina Hopkins corrected, eyeing Lizzy's body like a hawk for any given imperfections in the dress she had made the lass. "You are there to look stunning, to signify that this is the best, damn thing that has happened in that pompous, little boy's life. And you look the part, and then some!"

"Stunning, huh?" Lizzy pondered, still looking at herself. "Do you think Ciel will-?"

"He'll love it!" Nina finished for her, turning her question into a statement. "Or else," she muttered, to which Lizzy gave her a curiously-looking frown. "I jest."

"I can't help be nervous," Lizzy added, since she knew that Nina meant well. But she couldn't help feeling this way. "I thought this day would never come, that I'd never see us in an altar. I can't help it if I want to faint."

"Just wait until you're both in your room, then faint if you have to," Nina advised, which caused Lizzy to eye here strangely. "What? That'll make it easier for you while he does his thing."

"Nina!" Lizzy's handmaid Paula scolded, as the older woman just shrugged. "No need for that," she continued. "Lizzy, sweetie, you look great, adorable and stunning. Ciel will love it; as he does you. Now, let me see that smile."

Lizzy didn't even need to be told, as she was smiling already, bright green eyes sparkling as she did. Paula just gave the younger girl a warm hug, and allowed her quivering lass to calm herself in her arms, as the celebration was just about to start.

-0-

Ciel surprisingly arrived on time, before the event had officially started, properly dressed in his best black and silver attire, as he had promised, with his blue-ish, raven hair brushed back and his fanciest eye patch in place. He got off the carriage the moment it was opened for him, noticing his demon butler was still not present, which meant he was still dealing with the Queen's men. 'Getting slower in your old age, huh, Sebastian,' Ciel mentally noted.

"And there is the man of the hour," a voice announced, which Ciel had no need to look for to know who it belonged to. His uncle had a distinctive tone of voice, which Ciel could easily identify. As clockwork, his uncle Alexis Leon Midford, alongside his son and Ciel's other cousin Edward and the rest of the British Knights, approached him. The Knights were quick to do a proper salute, save for a frowning Edward (no surprise there), while Alexis quickly took Ciel into his arms for a warm embrace. "Oh my, you look so much like your father it's not even funny. My dear boy, it's so good to see you doing well!"

"Oh, right, erm," Ciel struggled in his grasp. The still taller than him man, which Ciel resented given the fact that almost everyone who had been taller than him before was still taller, had a very tight hold. Again, this was no surprise. "Good to see you Uncle Alexis," he greeted. "And you too, Edward."

"…Right," his eldest cousin stated, arms crossed and eyes narrowed. Ciel figured he was not too happy at allowing his precious baby sister to be wed to him. Then again, Ciel himself would not want little Lizzy to marry such a deceiving, murderous corpse-to-be such as himself either if he could, but such a confession would probably kill the mood.

"Don't look so glum, boy," another voice spoke up, this time his aunt, but to his surprise it wasn't directed at him. Edward pouted at this and tried to complain, but Aunt Francis Midford would have none of it. "We are here for both Lizzy and Ciel, so take that attitude elsewhere. Or would you rather Lizzy marry someone who has other intentions for her?"

"Of course not mother," Edward responded, shifting his posture slightly. "The only reason I am even allowing this is because it's Ciel."

"I'd refrain from telling Lizzy that," Ciel mocked, trademark smirk in place. His cousin frowned, but said nothing. "Aunty, how have you been?"

"Just fine," she replied, giving the boy a hug. He was taller than her, at least, so it was easier to manage the hug. Then again, his aunt wasn't as warm as his uncle, so her hug was swifter and shorter. "But look at you, did you get dressed in the carriage? You look like a mess? Where is that good for nothing butler of yours, who I swear, if he doesn't look proper he's not going to be permitted inside."

"I just got back from something," Ciel tried to explain, squirming under his aunt's attempt at fixing him up. He had purposely pushed his hair back to avoid this, but it seemed nothing was ever good enough for her. Again, no surprise. "Very important mission. The Queen-"

"Your only Queen now is Lizzy," his aunt corrected, and Ciel stopped. He didn't respond to this. "So let's focus on this now, okay. And relax will you, even if you're a mess, Lizzy will not see anything but the love of her life standing in that altar. No need to be so tense."

"I'm not tense," he corrected, but the look they all gave him made him guess that they weren't convinced.

After exchanging a few more words with his family, Ciel managed to politely escape from their grasps and enter the church, where the entirety of the guests were moving about, talking and conversing about the event to be. This was too much people. Way too much. He didn't expect to know this many people, and granted, a big part of them were here because of Lizzy, not him. But a number of them were his "friends", which was what they called themselves at least. He immediately noticed the Indian prince Soma Asman Kadar waving frantically at him from the side, with his manservant Agni desperately trying to control his master and inform him of how improper he looked. Another pair waving at him from a far was the Chinese nobleman Lau, alongside his almost always silent personal assistant (assassin) Ran-Mao, to which Ciel just acknowledge with a simple polite nod.

"I had sworn you weren't going to show," a female voice perked up, as Ciel shifted his sight downwards towards an approaching Sieglinde Sullivan. The sixteen year old, once upon a time witch, rolled her wheelchair towards him, much to his amusement. "And here I thought the Earl of Phantomhive didn't have the balls to actually go through with this. Color me impressed."

"Sorry to disappoint," he responded back, eyeing the young lady with a smirk.

"Don't even start," she said, as if reading his mind. "I'm only sitting in this primitive, thing, because Wolfram believes it be weird if I used my inventions to keep me afloat."

"I said improper, not weird," her servant Wolfram Geltzer corrected, as Ciel gave a small acknowledgement to the towering man now before him. "My most respectful greetings, young Master Phantomhive."

"Likewise."

"Right, I guess if a girl is going to show off tonight, it's going to be Lizzy," Sieglinde noted, shifting in her chair. "I saw her just moments ago in fact, she's getting prepped and pretty for her useless fiancé here. She's in for the shock of her life when you can't even properly take her wedding dress off."

"Milady!" Wolfram scolded her, which earned him a defiant "what?" in response.

"I do believe it's not too late to throw you out of the ceremony," Ciel threatened, even if he really had come to accept her more questionable personality traits. If he could befriend Soma, she was nothing. "I hear the weather's very cold and deadly this time of year."

"You can't, I'm a bridesmaid," she announced, sticking her tongue out at him, which was quickly grabbed by Wolfram before she could react. "Ah-Wolfm-mhy-thongue-Ihm-sohmmy-Ihm-sohmmy!"

"Please excuse us my Lord," he said, as he took himself and the tongue-twisted young lady away. Ciel just stared at their retreating forms, wondering where it was his plans went so south that he ended up with such a display of immaturity on the day he was officially supposed to become an adult. It was absurd.

Not that that had been the end of it. As soon as more and more people realized the groom had arrived, they hounded him like hunters on their prey, and Ciel had little choice but to be proper and polite and, worse, socialize. This was a nightmare, but he managed. He chatted, joked, acted the part of the Lord who was getting married to the love of his life, speaking fondly of their past while eagerly imagining what their future held.

He knew what their future held, deception and death, nothing else. But now, he had to fake it, say that he was sure they were meant to last forever. And he had an answer for everything, regarding his social standing, regarding his company, regarding his life. The one question which caught him off guard was about children, if he was prepared for any. He quickly changed the subject. A dead man can't create life.

Time crawled by, until the ceremony officially began. The orchestra was in full display, the people seated and excited, the bridesmaids at their place, everything in order. The Phantomhive servants were nearby, seated as guests at his behest, with Mey-Rin already crying at seeing their "baby Master" standing up there like a "man". Ciel resisted the urge to blush when she failed to notice how loud she was saying it. Both Bard and Finny tried to calm her down, but that was useless as just hearing that caused Finny to start crying too. The young man was in his twenties now, yet still oversentimental. Only Snake kept his cool, mostly because he was probably busy keeping his pets in line.

But everything stopped the moment Lizzy came it. Everyone froze.

Ciel felt the urge to run.

She looked at him, behind her veil, smiled, he knew she did, and allowed her father to lead her to him. At all this, his knees would not stop shacking. His demons screamed, echoing inside his head like madmen on the verge of suicide. 'Don't, get away!' the demons inside his head screamed, sounding less like the cries of a vengeful spirit, and more like the plea of a little, lost child that had once played around with the blonde girl approaching him. 'I'll only hurt you, you don't deserve this! Someone, stop her! Get her away from me! I-I can't do-'

"Ciel…?"

Her voice made him react. No one had come to her rescue. There she was, in front of him, sparkling dress and all, still covered by the thin veil, but her worry visible. And it didn't take him long to notice why. He was crying, or at least, tears were coming out of his visible eye. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and spoke. "This is natural, Lizzy," he told her, as softly and as gentle as he could. He was going to hurt her, he knew it, but at least he could give her tonight. "You look absolutely beautiful. T-There's no other way I could possible react."

She looked down at that, her mouth opened briefly as if to respond, but she found herself unable, so instead she shifted her gaze downwards, unable to hide the smile he had gotten from her.

'Give her this much at least,' his demons told him, 'She'll need something to cling to.'

And the ceremony was underway. The pastor spoke, telling them of what a joyous occasion it was, and how the dearly beloved had the best and brightest future ahead of themselves in the name of God. Lizzy was so happy she couldn't keep herself from dancing in place every so often. Ciel could barely hold the urge to just run away, but hold it he did. And soon enough, the moment came.

"Now then," the pastor began his part of his script, as Ciel was sure he had done so many times before that this seemed like any other wedding to him. "Milady Elizabeth, do you-"

"Lizzy," she corrected automatically, which upon realizing she had interrupted, she quickly went red and apologized. "I'm so sorry," she basically whispered. "It's a habit."

"Call her Lizzy," Ciel told the pastor, who simply nodded in response.

"Lizzy," he corrected, to the laughter of the audience. "Do you take Ciel-" he eyed the groom to see if he wanted a correction too, but Ciel said nothing. "-to be your wedded husband to live together in marriage? Do you promise to love him, comfort him, honor him and keep him for better or worse, for richer or poorer-" Ciel instinctively scoffed, which caused the pastor to briefly pause before Ciel shook his head. "-i-in sickness and in health and forsaking all others, be faithful only to him until death do you part?"

"I do!" she practically squealed out, hopping in place.

"Ciel," he turned to the groom. "Do you take Lizzy to be your wedded wife to live together in marriage? Do you promise to love her, comfort her, honor her and keep her for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health and forsaking all others, be faithful only to her until death do you part?"

His sight shifted, from Lizzy, to the audience, to his butler. Sebastian Michaelis. Sitting where he was assigned, eyes fixated directly to match Ciel's own. He couldn't read the monster's expression.

"Until death do you part?"

"…I do."

-0-

"That was brutal," Ciel spoke up as he threw himself into the carriage, exhausted.

Lizzy eyed him as he spoke, taking into account every part of him as she did so. Part of her wanted to feel more worried, or at the very least concerned, but that part was quickly viciously murdered by the other part of her which felt nothing but bliss, ecstasy and glee. But, being the lady everyone believed Elizabeth Midford was, she opted to sound worried. Or at least try.

Wait. Correction. Elizabeth Ethel Cordelia Phantomhive-Midford.

She couldn't fake it even if she tried.

"What was?" she asked, even if it sounded more like she was laughing when she asked him, as she placed her little fan across her features to cover the curving of her lips. God. She couldn't stop herself. Pacing a bit, she tried again, as she saw that the boy- No, the young man in front of her was trying to catch his breath. "Do you mean the mission?"

"No, we barely got anywhere with that," he replied, resting his head back. "I meant the reception."

It took her a moment for it to click. Maybe it was because of the fact that they were currently in a carriage out at night which made it harder for her to see clearly. Maybe it was the fact that the wedding had taken a long time, not including the reception, and she was a bit weary. Maybe it was the fact that her husband (damn, it felt good to say it like that) was currently slouched back with his dress hat covering almost half of his face, including his eyes. For whatever reason, it took her a moment to realize that her husband, Earl Ciel Phantomhive, had made a joke.

"Ciel!" she didn't know what she had meant her voice to sound like, but it still sounded too happy… Even if, if, she had every reason to be happy. And she was. And a bit scared too. Marriage changed people…

…Ciel had made a joke.

…Or he was being serious and she was taking it as a joke.

"Lizzy, are you even listening?" he asked his new bride (damn, it was weird to say it like that) since he saw her spacing out, not that he couldn't guess why.

She snapped back, changing her gaze back from the outskirts of the London streets she had grown in, covered by the darkness of night, and back at her husband, who was staring at her with his eye, the other covered up with his most formal eye patch which she had handpicked for him to wear the day before. He had grown, so much, she would usually tell him, even though, in reality, she had barely noticed. She never stopped seeing him for prolonged periods of time, and, after the Campania incident, he told her a bit more about his missions and such. She guessed that with her secret being out and all, he had little reason to keep secrets of his own from her.

Or at least, she hoped.

"As I was saying…" he emphasized the last word, to make sure he had her attention whether or not she would reply. "I wanted to make sure you're okay with all this."

By "this" she assumed he meant the fact that they were going on their honeymoon tomorrow morning, rather than tonight. Ciel had though it would be better to take a train towards where ever she wanted to go to, be it Europe, Spain, India (even if he had practically begged her not there), instead of going out immediately after the wedding. The original idea was for them to take a cruise tonight, but Ciel had clearly stated he rather not set foot in a boat for as long as he lived. Lizzy agreed.

"Of course," she answered honestly, as she didn't really mind. "Once you pick me up we can just carry on as if it were today. Besides, you do look tired."

"The last mission was a bit rough, at such an inopportune time too. Her Majesty doesn't even cut me a break on my own wedding day," he slouched back even further as he spoke, she was pretty sure he had a small migraine or such. Before she could contemplate rubbing his head, he continued to speak. "And Sebastian was going on about not being late for my own wedding, it was annoying."

"What was the mission about?" she asked, hoping maybe she could get his to release some tension.

"Some lunatic wanting to revive the legend of Spring-Heeled Jack," That was all he would say on the case, not mentioning anything about the supernatural lurking found during the case study or about the body they had found, which search nearly cost him the wedding.

That's when it hit him.

"What was it that you just said?" he asked, she stared, and blinked, confused.

"Uh…" she paused, thinking. "What was the mission about?" she quoted herself, wondering why he was asking about something he had already answered. Poor boy must be more tired than he looked.

"No. Before that. You said something about me picking you up?" as he spoke, she realized what he was saying, but not really why. He figured as much. "What I mean is, where are you going?"

"Going?" she was still confused.

"I mean, you're staying in the mansion right? So I shouldn't be picking you up because you'd be right… there," he finished weakly, unsure of how to phrase it.

The message reached her, as now she understood. While the fan hid her blush her eyes still darted downwards, realizing her mistake. "Right," a blushing bride spoke. "I haven't fully realized what we just became. We live together now, right?"

"Yes," he replied. He had been hit even harder than she had, and there was no going back.

The carriage came to a stop, the giant gates of the Phantomhive Manor before them. Slowly, they opened, to allow the couple inside, and within seconds, they were home. For what it was worth, the dark, gloomy manor he called home did light up whenever Lizzy was over. That had not changed in the years that had gone by, so at least he could have solace in knowing that that light was here to stay.

"And how's the happy couple doing?" Sebastian opened the carriage doors with a smile, which caused Lizzy to immediately perk up with glee. Ciel just stared. In all the years working alongside his butler, Ciel had yet to fully grasp his ability to appear at the worst possible time with that damn sly smile of his and yet sound almost, almost sincere.

"Sebastian!" Lizzy cheerfully jumped up and hugged the older man, who merely held her with his available hand which was not holding to the carriage's door. Despite what Lizzy had grown, Sebastian was still way taller, and he could and would carry her with ease. "Oh Sebastian, where were you during most of the wedding? I mean, I saw you I think it was during the vows, but it was like you just appeared and then disappeared. I was meaning to ask you at the reception but you looked too busy."

"I didn't worry you now, did I? That's the last thing I would ever hope to do to you, especially on such a joyous occasion," Sebastian characteristically stated, ever keeping up his butler persona. Ciel was hardly ever fooled.

"Of course I'd worry," Lizzy shot back, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"My apologize Milady, but you shouldn't," he replied. "I saw the whole thing. Just that as a mere servant I couldn't possibly get in the way of such an event."

"Nonsense Sebastian," the seriousness of her tone caught the demon slightly off guard, as he was used to receiving only a cheerful attitude from the young lady. "You're practically family. I mean, I bet Ciel almost sees you as a parental figure of sorts."

Ciel scoffed.

"That would be news to me," he flashed a grin as he spoke, the mere sight of his fangs causing Ciel's skin to crawl. He felt his eye burn, in that weird, hollow kind of way it always did when his butler got too close. Serving to remind him on just who it was that he had already given his life away to.

Until death do them part.

"Lizzy, don't jump into wild accusations on my account," Ciel spoke up, deciding to end the charade. "And Sebastian," he turned to the butler. "You were at the wedding, right?" He knew he had been there, but like Lizzy, Ciel hadn't seen him there either until the weddings vows, afterwards the butler simply vanished until now. Sebastian merely cocked his head to the side slightly and took out a large photograph taken at the wedding.

"Observe. That's the photo of everyone there prior to the reception," he spoke as he showed it to them, Ciel looking around for a speck of black but finding none. "Here are the two of you, after that grade-schooler-like kiss…" Lizzy smiled at the comparison; Ciel frowned for the same reason. "And over here…" he continued as his long gloved index finger traced through the photo towards the upper right corner. "-is me upside down pocking my head through the window."

Silence. From Ciel. And Lizzy.

Especially Ciel.

There was his damn butler, upside down for some reason, looking through the window, smiling like an idiot! The businessman part of Ciel though that trying to find a hidden person in a picture through an immense crowd would an appealing game make, but he dismissed that notion. Instead, he merely cleared his throat and exited the carriage. This was too much stupidity for one day.

Once they got off, as Ciel waited for his bride to follow, they made their way inside. They were received with a warm welcome once the entered the premise, as all of the servants were quick to gather round and greet the newlywed couple since they didn't want to cause much of a stir at the wedding itself or at the reception. So they had avoided approaching their Master or his bride, however, in here it was another story entirely. Baldroy was quick to pat Ciel on the back and give him a wink and a thumbs up while "hinting" at the bedroom with as much subetly as expected from an American cowboy. Finnian looked like he had meant to say something, but could only blurt out a "You" before he became a waterworks show of tears. Mey-Rin quickly grabbed one of the two complimenting how pretty she looked in that guzzling dress and that she was a picture-perfect fairy tale princess, only to be corrected by Ciel as she was currently grabbing him. Snake merely bowed and told them, or was it supposed to be one of his snakes, Oscar, that he was happy for "Smile" and his Lady.

The final servant required some assistance to approach the two, despite the fact that Ciel had motioned at him to stay there and wait. Sebastian, regardless, assisted the elder Japanese manservant Tanaka, by giving a gentle push to the now wheelchair-bound elder man. Still looking pale and rather sickly, completely unlike any and every memory Ciel had of the once strong individual. Tanaka was the strongest man he knew, before he met Sebastian he believed Tanaka to be unstoppable. Even now, a part of him still believed that Tanaka in his prime could take on Sebastian if needed.

"Careful," Lizzy softly whispered, worried at the elder man's resolve, but he merely gave her a knowing look.

"Now, now, Lizzy," he spoke up, his voice still strong even in sickness. "I'm not quite done yet, and if I held on this long, it is for this very day. Milady, and my Lord. I hope it was everything you dreamed off and more."

"…It was," Ciel answered, softly.

"We brought photographs," Lizzy mentioned, before twirling around. "And I haven't taken off any part of the dress yet, this was how I looked."

"Absolutely adorable," he mentioned, and she cheered. Ciel simply stared at the deathly pale servant, who for medical reasons, could not make it to the wedding. Ciel and Lizzy had tried everything, from having the wedding at the Manor, or having Sebastian assist twenty-four-seven, but Tanaka refused. He said that it would have been the worst of his failures since the incident were he to change even a single aspect of Ciel and Lizzy's dream wedding. He even refused allowing any other servant to stay with him back at the Manor, forcing Ciel to hire a nurse just for the occasion.

Ciel didn't know why this affected him so. Death came to them all. Sometimes dressed as an illness. Other times dressed as a butler. But it always came, and yet, he couldn't even think about it now. So he didn't; and proceeded to hug the elder man.

Ciel said nothing. Only Tanaka did.

"Your parents would be so proud."

-0-

After the group dispersed, and the best wishes and good-nights were said, the new Mrs. Phantomhive found herself alone in the bathroom closest to the Master's Bedroom, where she had bathed, played and once even peed herself on the floor as she grew up within these walls. Yet, now for the first time in her life, she was in here as Ciel's wife. This was now her Manor, not just Ciel's. She didn't need to beg her mother to allow her to visit Ciel, or force Ciel to let her stay over "just one more day". She now lived here, with him. And it was her wedding night, and Lizzy couldn't feel more lightheaded even if she spun around and banged her head onto a wall.

Lizzy had some idea of what came next after the wedding, limited as it may have been. Her father and brother were very proper when she was around, so they didn't really talk about stuff like that while she was in earshot, or at least, while they believed she was in earshot. So she had heard a few things here and there. Her mother, while similar, was just more on point. Simply informing Lizzy that Ciel would, should, know what to do and that she would probably bleed. Not much else. What little she did know came from the streets, where most people learn, and regardless, it didn't mean she felt ready for it no matter how much she knew or how right or wrong she was. Still, she had practically insisted that she and Ciel share a room, as he had been willing to just let her use her old guest room, so she couldn't just back down now.

She gave herself one last look in the mirror, her candlelit reflection staring back at her wearing only her undergarments and a thin robe. She felt her heartbeat on her throat. Her hands cold as ice as they turned the handle and opened the door, to the slightest creep which echoed throughout the now pitch black mansion. She made her way, in simple steps, to the Master's bedroom. Her bedroom. And without thinking too much into it, she opened the door and peaked inside. As she peaked into the room, the sole sight she could see was Ciel lying on the bed, his head glancing towards her. She froze, but he did not speak.

A small candlelight was all that illuminated the room, with a little help from the near moonless night sky, which didn't allow her to see his eyes, his eye, very well. What was his expression like?

Was he eager?

Was he worried like her?

Bored? She hoped not.

She walked a bit, trying to be elegant and fight the desire to turn around and run. Still, she couldn't do that. Not to him. Not to Ciel. She would do anything for him. And let him do anything to her. She swallowed. 'You've waited so long for this day,' she told herself, fighting the panic. 'You've got this…'

"Ciel, I'm ready," she spoke softly, taking a seat on the other side of the bed, waiting for the moment his hands would take her. He would take her. She closed her eyes for the briefest of moments. Then spoke in the most seductive manner she could muster out, which granted, with her still childish voice wasn't much but at least she tried. "Ciel…"

Ciel shifted his position, she tensed her body, and…

…he began to snore softly.

She laughed to herself, softly as to not wake him, while she shifted into a more proper position. Guess they couldn't just outgrow their childhood in just one night after all. So she laid next to him, caressing his face ever so slightly, as she tried to drift herself to sleep. Her nervousness had not subsided, but she could do little else. And as night fell into the Phantomhive Estate, not a creature stirred in the darkness, and the two young lovers interwoven by God's name and fated to be torn apart by the Devil's slept like the had since they were kids.

One last time as friends, before it all went to hell.

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