Masquerade ( Kuroshitsuji Fan-fiction )

That Butler, so skillful

" Who do you bet will win ? " Ciel whispered in my ear as he stared at Sebastian, then at the ' most experienced master of Chinese fighting in the whole world ' before he laughed softly. 

" Sebastian. No doubt but I think you'd want the other to win right ? " I hid my gigle behind a small cough as the ends of my mouth twisted into a smile. 

" Who in the right mind would want to do Sebastian's reviews and tomorrow's pre-lesson ? It's so hard ! " Ciel grumbled as he took a small sip of the drink Tanaka had prepared and almost instantly, started choking on it so hard his face turned blue for a temporary moment and he slammed the cup back onto the table. It was still 5 minutes to noon, 5 more minutes until an obviously short fight starts so I had time to run through just yesterday's events in my head. Just yesterday, the letter which I had received  told me I was going to be killed unless Ciel gave up on all the stocks in his company. The worst came to the worst so Ciel had arranged for me to come back living at Phantomhive mansion again. Since Father and Mother weren't here anymore, I'd found it just ok to come back here to live. 

The sound of a gong echoed in the air as the so-called ' Master of the Chinese arts ' did a whole lot of weird positions and shouted some random scuffle of names before he rushed at Sebastian who only stared at him with an eyebrow arched. It was totally amazing how Ciel knew that Sebastian would most definitely win yet challenge Sebastian to these things, knowing the most he would be able to do was to drag time. Sebastian had never lost a single match anyway.

" Young Master, because I won, you'd like to immediately proceed onto doing the reviews and tomorrow's pre-lesson immediately. Young Mistress, I think the Young Master would be glad if you would company him because I know at times he can be very, very ... stupid, " Sebastian smirked as Ciel glared daggers at him behind his back before he stood up and admitted his defeat with a sigh.  I saw Sebastian scream at 3 of the servants who worked in the Phantomhive household as we passed, on the way to Ciel's office or his study-table, as Sebastian called it. 

- - - - 

" I never asked before but how was it running away from us at the age of 5 ? " Ciel asked jokingly as he tapped his ballpoint pen against his chin and tilted his head slightly. 

" Mm ... it was quite fun. I was small enough to squeeze into cracks and the captains often let me onto the boats if I just started crying with some made-up lie. Food could be easily gotten if I just entered any store and asked, " I laughed as I turned the paper over and helped Ciel fill in some of the blanks which he was pondering over before passing the completed sheet of paper back to him. 

" It's interesting how you learnt so much more, how did you do it ? Even with home tution, I am still this clueless over some questions, " Ciel remarked as he stared at the answers in slight awe. 

" I dressed as one of the teacher's daughter and joined in some lessons discreetly. The children of the town gave me old, unused uniforms to blend myself in at times, " I explained as I stared at Ciel who turned to check the time again.  Obviously there was someone who was going to visit again, I couldn't help but wonder if I was going to be locked up in a room and forbidden from going out just like last time. 

" Let me guess what your thinking. Your thinking whether you would be locked up in a room just like last time when visitors came over, " Ciel mused and snapped me out from the thoughts which were running wild in my head. 

" I can't deny that, " I answered calmly with a poker-face I had hastily put on.

" I'm not Father. The person we're meeting is Sir Clause from Italy is coming directly to England, directly here because he got ahold of some goods so we're going to negotiate the prices. You can come alone if you want, " Ciel said as he rapped the edge of the table twice and Sebastian came in instantly, like he had been waiting beside the door the whole time for just the rapping sound from Ciel so he could come in immediately like what Ciel liked. It wasn't any surprising though, Sebastian was one hell of a butler after all. 

" Yes Young Master, Young Mistress ? " Sebastian asked with his usual politeness and I watched as Ciel and Sebastian got into a mini-argument over what Ciel could and could not eat since it was only 3 hours away until Sir Clause came over. 

Once Sebastian had left the room again, there was the immediate sound of crockery crashing and screams before there was quiet. Ciel and I shared a look of amusement before he leaned back casually in his chair. 

" So how's the eyepatch going ? I don't have any your size, I'm really sorry, " Ciel apologized as I consciously touched the eyepatch over my left eye lightly and nodded. I would have forgotten if Ciel hadn't bothered to remind me. I had forgotten to mention, yesterday Ciel told Sebastian to form a contract with me as well so after a few hours of pain and pictures of Ciel's life rushing into my mind, I was back and better again. Ciel said it would be easier if I made a contract since should I be captured somewhere, it would be much simpler for Sebastian to locate either one of us. Two souls bound by a single red string, It sounded interesting. 

" It's fine, the colour of that eye scares me though, it'll take some time getting used to, " I murmured and Ciel stared at the clock absent-mindedly again before he asked me to help him finish the last 2 questions in 25 minutes before we left to welcome the guest. It appeared that Ciel had dripped so much ink onto the question accidentally that it couldn't be seen anymore and if Sebastian figured how it had happened, he'd be punished with a whole extra stack which could take him a whole night to do alone. 

I glanced out of the window and saw Sebastian laying the table Japanese-styled in the courtyard, later would definitely be fun, fun and interesting if what Ciel told me was true. 

+ + + + 

" Buona Sera Ciel ! It's been quite a while since I came to England, who's the pretty young Miss over there ? " some man with a hat beamed as he came out of a long black limousine which appeared in the distance and rolled to a stop at the gate. Sir Clause briskly walked over and hugged Ciel who looked a tinge annoyed from a distance before he stepped up to me and lightly kissed the back of my hand. 

" Alice Phantomhive, she is my sister Clause so I suggest you try not to get so friendly with her, " Ciel commented simply and Clause stopped eyeing me from head to toe straightway and I gave a thankful nod at Ciel who smirked back. I gave a mental sigh, Ciel would most likely get me to finish another worksheet for him as some repayment for helping me. I guess it couldn't be helped, I would actually rather do questions than have someone like him look at me for what seemed like forever, like a pervert would. 

" Sir Clause, if you wouldn't mind, would you please proceed to the courtyard now ? I have to make dinner preparations, " Sebastian bowed again and Sir Clause, Ciel and I just followed behind Sebastian as he pulled out the chairs for us to sit on around the long dining table set in the middle of the courtyard, a vase of irises placed in the centre to balance everything out --- the dead trees, the  flowers, they were all decorated so the courtyard now looked like a Japanese rock garden, a serenely place.

" Our evening meal is Beef Donburi to show our gratitude, " Sebastian smiled and nodded slightly as he placed bowls of donburi, a Japanese meal consisting of beef and rice and some other ingredients I couldn't quite place my finger on. Sir Clause and Sebastian jabbered away in the distance while Ciel and I slowly ate the food, not finding the need to interrupt their discussion. 

A lilting melody, soft like the tinkle of bells ... 

Putting down the bowl hurriedly, I excused myself and ran up the stairs, skipping up the steps two at a time. The door to the rooftop was already in sight and I flung it open, taking in a sharp intake of breath as a girl with two cat ears and a tail smiled and disappeared out of sight, leaving behind one body painted in blood and a silver flute together with a card which spelled,

' Illusion was here. '