Kuroshitsuji: The Contract from Birth [Ciel Phantomhive]

[41] Her Butler, Tragically In Love || 2

"Well, keep up the grand work," Adelina encouraged, using her free hand to pat both their arms. "You both are doing better than the butlers."

Mey-Rin and Finny teared up at her words and I spun my head to look at her, now irritated.

How dare she be so sweet and so kind at a time like this?

"Th-Thank you, Countess!" they exclaimed, bowing and almost dropping their trays before hurrying off to continue doing their jobs.

"You certainly have some nerve," I muttered as she finally took her seat, refusing to look at her in case she decided to bat those alluring eyes.

"What are you referring to? My pitiful confession or uplifting the spirits of your servants?"

My heart thumped at the mention of the disclosure but I brushed it aside for now, not wanting to ruin the impression we'd both worked so hard for.

"I suppose the latter. Currently, I was referring as to how you could seem so unperturbed given the circumstances."

She chuckled and crossed her ankles. I continued to look away, pretending to find the curtains rather fascinating.

"All the murders? You're taking care of that, aren't you? I trust you with that, so I needn't worry." she said, hand moving around as she spoke. I glanced at her from the corner of my eye and frowned.

"As for being content after not receiving a response to my admission, you must know that I knew nothing would have come from it."

The deep, orchestral music suddenly broke out from the opposite corner of the room, strings plucking and tunes ringing loudly enough to dampen any conversations that weren't inches apart from one another. Men and woman were already stepping up into the middle of the room, taking waists and hands as they spun and stepped around in enjoyment in harmony with the melody, proving that this relief was much needed amidst the massacre.

I smirked.

This was my opportunity to settle things without worrying about being interrupted.

Would it take a toll on my dignity? Most likely.

But I had already been forced into a dress and called a robin, what more could I lose?

...what a gentleman...

...my young Master is always surprising me...

I extended my hand to Adelina and she blinked, glancing up at me slowly, confusion laced between her attractive eyes that I swore I would never fall for.

I hadn't yet. Nor would I ever.

I could not, would not, could not fall for her.

This chess game was not one that allowed such attachments. Even Elizabeth could not elicit such emotions from me.

Why would Adelina be any different?

"Care to dance?"

She turned pink but took my hand, now much shyer than I had ever seen her before. I wasn't going to allow my nerves surface and I quickly pulled her to her feet and to the floor, remembering every excruciating and painful lesson Sebastian had put me through in order to dance properly.

Hand at the waist. Chin high.

"The young Master is going to dance!"

"Not even Elizabeth could convince him to do that!"

I stepped.

Right, left. Right, left.

Spin her. Step.

Right, left.

"I recall you hated dancing," Adelina said, following my movements without a problem. I made sure to stay around the edges of the floor but stayed silent, now unsure how to present my initial reasoning for bringing her here.

As I spun her, I caught sight Sebastian's red eyes glinting devilishly, amused.

My jaw clenched.

"Would you like to actually talk or just state known facts?"

"I suppose the latter," she replied with an infuriating smile.

And in that single moment, I couldn't, for some strange reason or another, stop myself.

All I could see in front of me was an incredibly ardent, prepossessing and maverick young woman who cared for no one but herself, yet at the same time, defended me against by own kin without a second thought or expectancy of a reward. It was slim and entirely minuscule, but she cared for only those in her circle of acquaintances, albeit minute, there was no doubt of her genuine concern.

As my first friend in a long time --besides that idiotic Prince Soma who was foolish enough to propose to her-- our companionship worked well with our mirrored morals and parallel personalities.

Companionship. Friendship. Relationship.

There was no need to admit it, because the notion was already there.

The cello hummed lowly; the flutes played out their last measure. The players held onto the final note and let it ring, long and dramatic like an opera singer's solo piece.

I spun Adelina, grip tightening from both our ends so she wouldn't fall. The two of us exchanged smiles and for once, I let the moment consume me.

Just as Sebastian had taught the me many months prior, I carefully wrapped my arm around her, stepped forward with one leg and let her dip back, supporting her weight entirely. She seemed a bit taken aback by this but when the music stopped, we did as well, frozen in such a position that our noses were centimeters from touching.

She uttered my name softly but I could not do the same.

Above her head, meters ahead from me and past the semi-curtained window that separated the guests from the unappealing rainstorm, there was someone outside, running at full speed in a chase to catch another body that was also sprinting relentlessly.

My instincts acted before I could stop them and I dropped Adelina to the floor, not once looking back at her as I began dashing out to the front doors, seeing Sebastian's tailcoat fly past me in order to reach the perpetrators first.

I gritted my teeth and forced myself to run faster.

Adelina would thank me for catching the party responsible and then we would figure out how to work out our situation. She just had to understand that her safety was, at the moment, more important to me than returning the feelings she had.

I'll make sure Sebastian never lets that bloody bastard see the light of day ever again!

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PREPARE FOR THE ULIMATE OF PLOT TWIST FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER. AND THEN PREPARE FOR THE CIRCUS ARC BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT'S COMING UP AFTER THIS ONE. YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME FOR HELPING ME REACH 601 FAVORITES, HONESTLY, YOU'RE ALL AMAZING PEOPLE. I LOVE YOU ALL AND DON'T BE AFRAID TO MESSAGE ME, I AM VERY FRIENDLYYYY~!

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...My Countess orders, I obey; Anyone who dares interfere, will have Hell to pay...