"Claude, fetch my rain napper, will you?" An excited Alois almost gushed, hand thrown out expectantly to his right.
"Yes, your highness." Said butler drawled monotonously, slipping the green tea coloured umbrella into his hand.
With a twirl of his wrist and a quick swing, the umbrella was high over his head in the buzzing boy's hand.
He bolted out of the door, a bright twinkle on his lips. The gift bags huddled on his arms rustled as he walked, the contents sliding.
Claude had mildly urged on carrying them, but Alois insisted he do it himself as 'he was feeling generous today'.
The bag ribbons strung tightly over his forearms burned as they rubbed his skin over his shirt but Alois paid no heed to it. He felt happy. Excessively happy.
He bore three gift bags, one for his annoyingly monotonous butler; one for his beloved Ciel; and one for (Y/N), the girl he was head-over-heels for(as the Viscount Druitt put it).
Claude's golden orbs flickered to the slight snow pirouetting and curling in the wind. It had been snowing for quite some time now, so the immobile carriages, roofs and pavements were covered ankle-high in the glacial substance.
The thick icy layer crunched beneath Alois' winter boots and for once, Claude didn't completely hate the world around him.
He was a demon, cold-hearted and fake, deft and slick and yet it was pleasantly apparent that every dog had its day. His just happened to be today.
He regarded the soft silver beads, shining eyes following them to their quick end as they dissolved on his tailcoat jacket.
The flakes settled into his dark hair and melted upon the crystalware of his glasses, blurring to small phosphenes when his cesspools of lustrous yellow focused.
Alois slid to an abrupt stop and promptly, Claude followed.
"My Lord?"
"Wha—?" Alois whispered, blowing a hefty sigh from his nose. Wisps of white air curled in the atmosphere where the warmth of his breath hit the cold.
The black clad butler said nothing, merely scrutinised him in confusion.
Alois whipped around one way, and then another, facial expression morphing into that of intense cluelessness.
"I forgot where we were supposed to be meeting." He whined quietly, icy orbs flitting everywhere.
Claude's eyes grew emotionless again. "I believe you are meeting (Y/N) and Ciel at Trafalgar Square, your highness, by the central fountain."
At Claude's recitation, Alois snapped his fingers, eyes twinkling. "I know where that is!"
The butler nodded with a curt sigh. "We go there twice a week to visit the cobbler's."
Alois bobbed his head excitedly, twirling his umbrella in his hands, a spring in his step. Claude eyed the lime parasol inquisitively.
"If I may, your highness," he piped. "why do you require an umbrella when it is snowing outside?"
The first chime of the twelve-o'clock bell breached their ears as Alois pulled a funny face at his butler.
"Because I don't want (Y/N) to think the snowflakes in my hair are dandruff, silly." He stated as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Claude almost pulled a face himself. Squinting, he held in his sigh of defeat. This boy was so... different.
Honestly, he didn't know how to take his bipolar personality. He'd been with the peculiar boy for almost an entire year now, and he still struggled to figure him out.
Claude gripped Alois' arm and pulled him in the opposite direction when he made an attempt to cross the road.
"The fountain is this way, your highness." He assured, and a giddy Alois proceeded to skip across the icy pavement, bags wiggling on his arm.
Claude trailed closely behind, eyes
glued on the platinum boy's form.
The pair arrived at Trafalgar Square's central fountain fairly quickly and Alois' starry-eyed first endeavour was to sprint to the pair awaiting his presence by the fountain.
Though, in the midst of his ideals, his winter boots turned out to be a little less stable than he had imagined.
His foot was thrown in the air as he tumbled backwards on the iced-over pool of former rain. A gloved hand slipped beneath his own outstretched one, holding him firmly in place.
The blonde boy's eyes flickered up to meet those of his butler's. Alois said nothing, merely inhaled deeply in a futile attempt to rid of the blush on his cheeks.
Embarrassed that (Y/N) may have seen his close call, he slowly circled his demonic butler and made his way over to the girl.
"(Y/N)!" He called, reluctant and eager and a lot more cautious as he approached now. Said girl, still recovering mirthfully from his near-fall, enveloped him in a bear hug, a grin on her face.
"Merry Christmas!" She chirped energetically, breaking the embrace to shove a gift bag to his chest.
Alois took hold of it tightly in his umbrella-occupied hand and pried the girl's own largesse bag from his forearm.
She took the gift gratefully with a smile and a chirpy word of thanks.
Alois and Ciel also swapped gifts, and the posse then proceeded to perch on the edge of the fountain and unwrap them.
Claude held his own gift, not making any attempt to even look at it. Alois' umbrella lay stiffly in his other hand and as usual, he looked as if he wanted to be anywhere but there.
Ciel lifted his blue present from Alois and shook the contents, listening closely. A slight jingle and a cushioned thump made him frown.
"You bought me my newest teddy design." He mumbled, pulling the box from his ear and squinting at the blonde-haired boy.
"Yes," Alois confirmed cheerfully before his emotions flickered. "and it was bloody expensive, too!"
(Y/N) grinned and then glanced at the taller boy inquisitively. "We're supposed to guess what they are?"
Alois nodded quickly and then returned to his bipolar rant. "You need to bring the price down a little bit, Ciel! £9.50 is way too much for a three-inch teddy bear. I could've bought a jammy pair of shoes for that!" He scolded.
Ciel averted his eyes in annoyance and plopped the unwrapped present back into the bag. "Why would I need one of my own teddies?" He mumbled. "I bloody manufacture them."
(Y/N) giggled, ringlets of her (H/C) hair falling into her face. Alois reached over and pushed them back, a pout on his lips.
"I thought it'd be funny." He droned, withdrawing his hand without even so much as a glance in her direction. The girl's face went up in flames. "Honestly, you don't appreciate anything."
(Y/N) fanned her cheeks and stared at the clueless boy, exasperated. Heaving a deep sigh, she lifted her present to her ear and shook it.
The contents made a soft thump. Untying the purple velvet ribbon and pulling away the golden paper, she stared at the medium-sized box.
Alois watched her face intently. He wanted to know how she felt about it.
Slowly, she pulled off the lid, eyelashes tickling her skin as her (E/C) eyes widened.
In the box lay a soft-looking snow-coloured bunny teddy. It had long, fluffy ears with floral patterns on the undersides and two small, beady eyes.
A soft little pink nose protruded slightly from the teddy, and its short limbs folded in her hands as she lifted it from the box.
On the left paw, beautifully embroidered in cursive, elegant letters was her name.
(Y/N) gaped. It was so pretty.
(a/n: they sell these in a really expensive shop near me and they are just the cutest things ever!)
Alois fumbled with his fingers nervously. "Do you like it?" He mumbled out.
(Y/N) nodded vigorously, hugging it close to her chest and admiring it. Alois gave a soft smile.
"Claude and I made it. Well, Claude did, but I..." he trailed off, flushing embarrassedly. "I tried." He eventually whispered.
Only then did she notice the many small bandages on the tips of his fingers and the pinpricks of blood that had seeped through the fabric by the needle wounds.
Smiling ever so gratefully, she leaned over and gently gathered his hands in hers.
Ciel awkwardly reached over and picked up her teddy in fear it would fall from her lap. He cast a glance of discomfort to Sebastian who lucidly returned it.
"I love it so much." She told him happily before leaning in further and pressing a light kiss on his cheek. She felt his skin heat beneath her lips.
Alois stuck his bottom lip out unconsciously, cheeks heavily dusted with scarlet. "Even though Claude did most of it?" He questioned quietly.
(Y/N) giggled softly. "Even if Claude did most of it." She confirmed.
The pair sat silently for a while, gazing into each other's starry eyes. When Alois made an absentminded move to lean in for a kiss, a distressed cough roused the pair from their perfect reverie.
They sprang apart, blushing furiously.
It had been Claude, the monotonous, uncaring demon who was surprisingly embarrassed to witness such an awkward moment.
Ciel and Sebastian, too, stared on with uncomfortable eyes.
"S-sorry!" (Y/N) spluttered, waving her hands frantically. Alois shied away in embarrassment.
The posse gave short snorts of awkward laughter.
-
1558 words, a/n not included.
unedited
I'M ONE MINUTE AWAY FROM UPDATING LATE HHHHH IT'S 11:59pm
I'm so sorry I've updated so late! This was really rushed. I may have to edit it later if it doesn't make sense, so I apologise in advance!
Christmas is so busy over at my house, I have so many people over haha
The next few days will also be busy for me, but I'll try to publish a special new year's chapter.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!🎉🎄