De Morte ad Vitam - Ch. 10

De Morte ad Vitam

An Undertaker/Vincent RP (Co-writer: Stickiebun)

Disclaimer: Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler) and all characters therein belong to Yana Toboso. We make no profit from the writing of this fanfiction, and it is strictly for entertainment purposes only.

Chapter 10

~xox~

Early the next day, Sebastian approached Ciel while the Earl was having his breakfast, and the expression on his refined features was carefully neutral. “Young master, you have a telephone call…from the Undertaker. I presume you will want to speak with him concerning your last encounter.”

Ciel looked up, “Yes, I shall take the call. Please leave me to it and go about your chores.” He nodded casually, dismissing the butler with a bored wave of his hand before he used it to pluck the phone from it’s cradle on his desk. He raised it to his ear and waited to hear a click as Sebastian hung up the other line, leaving Ciel alone on the connection with the reaper.

“I expected to hear from you sooner than this, Undertaker.”

"Would you rather it be done fast or done right, little lord?" countered the mortician’s voice with a chuckle. "At any rate, I think you’ll be pleased to hear that I’ve someone in my presence who’s rather eager to meet you. In fact, you could speak to him over the bell if you’d like—oh, don’t look at me like that. If you’re ready to see him in person you’re ready to speak to him on the telephone."

Undertaker’s voice became muffled slightly as he spoke to someone in the background. He resumed speaking with Ciel after a moment. “We need to agree on a safe, neutral location of course. I’ve no doubt Shinigami authorities are having your property watched and I don’t care to risk our mutual friend’s safety by showing up on your doorstep for introductions. Sorry my young friend, but my companion made a valid point a moment ago when he said a phone conversation might not be a good idea right now, in light of that fact. Why don’t you meet me at the bright place you used to like to visit with your parents and I, hmm? You ought to know the one. Think back on the giggles we shared with mirrors.”

"Today?" Ciel asked, struggling to contain the eagerness in his voice. His father…he was getting his father back… or was he? What if something was missing? he hesitated, "…He’s not…like the others, is he?"

"Not a bit," assured the mortician. "Why do you think I worked so tirelessly for perfection, child? There are some very minor physical differences you may notice and some memory problems to work through, but I think you’ll find him to be almost exactly as you recall. Do we have an agreement, young Earl?"

Ciel nodded, though he knew the action would be completely unknown to the reaper, “I can be there in an hour.”

The boy hung up and took a moment to school his features before pushing himself up, “Sebastian.” he waited for the butler to appear, “Ready the carriage. I require a trip to town.”

The butler bowed. “As you wish, my lord.”

As he left to do his master’s bidding, the demon considered what the future may hold for him. It seemed the old reaper had managed to do what he’d claimed he could do, and Sebastian knew that he would have a fight on his hands when the time came to claim Ciel’s soul. He would need to be on his guard. He’d come to respect the Undertaker’s craftiness and prowess in a fight, and there were other ways the mortician might go about robbing him of his meal.

~xox~

"Just try to be patient, love," Undertaker advised his companion an hour later. They were standing near the house of mirrors at the fall carnival, waiting for Ciel to arrive. "I’m sure the boy was able to read between the lines and figure out where to meet us. He’ll come."

Vincent nodded, his form hidden under a large coat with a high collar and a warn, casual top hat that helped hide his face from the public. After all, rumors of a dead man walking around wouldn’t have been helpful for their plot against the queen or staying hidden from the reaper officials.

“I’m sure he will…” he agreed, but he was nervous, his stomach twisting as he stood in anticipation of seeing his son again. He still worried he’d be rejected once the boy did see him.

With a sigh, he leaned against the wall of the hall of mirrors and nervously tugged his white gloves tighter onto his hands.

“But what if he changed his mind? What if he doesn’t wish to see me again?”

The mortician shook his head. “That won’t happen, chap. You’re his father and regardless of how mature he acts, he’s still a boy and he misses you.”

He walked up behind Vincent and he squeezed his shoulders, peering at him through the reflection in the glass. “Just breathe and…oh, I believe that’s him and his butler approaching right now.”

Undertaker spotted the familiar forms approaching through the crowd for a brief moment, when the carnival-goers parted enough. He smiled at his nervous companion and patted his shoulders. “Turn around so he can see you, love. He’ll recognize you straight off—of that, I’ve got no doubt.”

Vincent’s heart leapt in his chest and he spun around to see the young earl walking through the crowd. a cane in his hand, a blue top hat upon his head that matched his fine coat. A silk black eye patch hid his eye from view, and a sadly serious look showed on the boy’s face.

It was wrong…Ciel always smiling…every memory he had recovered of the boy showed his large, bright smile…and it was missing.

“Ciel…” Vincent took a step forward, paying no heed to the tall butler only steps behind the young nobleman. The demon didn’t matter at the moment…only the boy—his son.

Ciel’s stride faltered and he slowed to a stop, his eyes widening when he spotted the man standing next to the Undertaker. He swallowed and took a deep breath. This was it…his father…back from the dead. A miracle he could have never predicted, even after contracting with Sebastian. Was he ready for it? Suddenly, he wasn’t sure.

"You should go to him," Undertaker muttered to Vincent out the corner of his mouth.

Across the distance, Sebastian noticed his master’s hesitation, and he looked at the man that had sired him with interest. Ciel surely favored the previous Earl in looks, if not in eye color. A handsome, refined gentleman with blue highlights in his hair, dark eyes and a mole beneath his left eye, he cut a dashing figure.

"Young master?" he queried, wondering why the boy hesitated.

"…What if he’s not the man I remember?" The boy asked, more to himself, "…I know I’m not the boy he remembers. What if he’s disappointed in what I’ve become?"

Vincent made himself take a step forward, then he took another step and another. Before he knew it, the former Earl was running to the boy and sweeping him up into a tight hug, tears gathering in his eyes. “Ciel…”

Ciel gasped in surprise, but hugged the man, his own emotions, old ones he’d long buried deep inside his heart and left to be forgotten, overflowed in the form of his own tears, rolling in thick beads of moisture down his cheeks and soaking his eye patch. “D-Daddy…”

Undertaker watched with a pleased grin, secretly relieved. For a brief moment Ciel had looked like he might turn and run away, but it seemed his desire to see his father won out over his uncertainty. As father and son embraced and wept, Sebastian Michaelis’ eyes met the mortician’s across the distance and they glowed briefly, the pupils elongating into slits. His features remained coolly impassive, but that subtle glow betrayed his feelings about this reunion.

~Sorry chap. I understand demons need to eat too, but you chose the wrong meal.~

Undertaker smiled benignly at him and waved hello, unable to help himself. Sebastian nodded curtly in greeting, but his narrowed eyes said that he’d much rather be sharpening his claws on the reaper’s innards.

Vincent lowered the boy to his feet, kneeling before him as he leaned back to take a look at the boy, “…You’ve grown so much…” he said, brushing the boy’s hair out of his face, “…No longer my baby boy… You’ve grown into a strong young man…” and he’d missed it all…

Ciel’s hand, gloved in black velvet, touched the scar left from the bullet that had taken his father from him. proof that the man had truly suffered a fatal wound. He said nothing, in fear of looking himself further. in fear of becoming that same, scared little boy he had been.

Undertaker approached them, not so much to offer any commentary himself but to be close enough to intervene if Michaelis got it into his head to try anything. He could see the gears turning behind the demon’s crimson gaze, and while the constraints of his contract with Ciel wouldn’t likely allow him to harm his father, he was a cunning chap…and he was starving. A ravenous demon was a dangerous creature, indeed.

"I’m sorry…" Vincent whispered when his son said nothing, "I’m so sorry I couldn’t be there for you…Undertaker told me what had been your fate after that night…And I—" his voice cracked as he caressed the boy’s face, "My sweet little boy…I wish I could have protected you from all that…"

Ciel closed his eyes, “There was nothing you could have done. You were gone before they found me—I had seen you in the fire…you were already taken…” he said in a voice that sounded all too adult to the father’s ears.

Undertaker bowed his head, recalling that night far too vividly for his liking. The heat of the flames, the reek of burning flesh, the charred remains of one beloved mortal and the lifeless body of the other…and then the desperate search for their child. How many times had he wished he could truly manipulate time as the mortals of old believed, and wind the clock back enough to make it there to save them all before it was too late?

But even death gods could not stop fate from happening. Alter it at times, yes. Give it a new outcome, yes. But halting it completely was a task beyond anyone.

The resurrected man sighed and kissed his heir’s forehead, “Still…I am your father…you are my greatest treasure…” Vincent looked at the boy with sad, swirled eyes, “…And a part of you had been lost because of what happened…Ciel, I… —Ciel!” he pulled the boy into another heartfelt hug.

"He has become stronger for it," Sebastian remarked softly.

Undertaker looked at him with a brief frown, and then he grinned in a subtly aggressive way. The cockney accent of the mortician came out stronger in his effort to mask his annoyance. “Too right, Mr. Michaelis; but li’l ones shouldn’t have to learn lessons like that before they’ve sprouted enough to take care of ‘emselves. Y’know…without callin’ on bogeymen to do it for ‘em.”

Sebastian raised a brow. “So says the grim reaper.”

"Former." Undertaker shrugged, his grin remaining intact. "And even when yours truly was in the ‘business’, the nippers weren’t the ones that feared me."

"Perhaps they were too naive yet to see you for what you were," suggested the demon.

Undertaker chuckled and gestured at Ciel, still embraced with his father. “Think so, eh? Funny story; your li’l master figured it out when ‘e was still in nappies.”

Sebastian frowned at Ciel. “I sincerely doubt that. My master would have shared that information with me, had he known you were a reaper—at least once you betrayed him.”

The mortician shook his head, his grin going wider with a sly sort of glee. “Oh, ‘e didn’t know what ‘e was lookin’ at, chap. All’s ‘e knew was ‘is ‘Uncle Unnie’ had a funny shadow and could do li’l tricks nobody else could. Didn’t know wha’ a reaper was, I imagine, but ‘e figured out I wasn’t normal…and it never gave ‘im a fright.”

"Would you please stop with that deplorable gutter speech?" demanded the butler with disdain. "We are both already quite aware it is an act, and you sound like a drunken actor in a stage production of ‘Oliver Twist’."

The mortician cackled. “Bother your ears, does it?”

Vincent finally looked up at the demon, his gaze taking in his form as he stood up, still holding his son close, “Ciel was always strong. He didn’t become stronger because of you or what happened to him. He grew up because of what happened to him. He lost his childhood because of those men. I can not blame him…it’s what he had to do. But it is still tragic. Don’t belittle what he went through so easily, Demon.”

Sebastian smirked slightly. “I offer no insult to my young master by stating the obvious. Indeed, I have the utmost respect for him and the strength of his…soul.”

His eyes glowed briefly again, and he looked at Ciel with a veiled, unwholesome hunger that had nothing to do with sexual lust.

"I am quite aware of your intentions. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise to you that I whole-heartedly do not approve." the former earl stated frankly, "And were it up to me I’d have you banished from my son’s side. Starving or not, I’d have you look elsewhere for your next meal. But lucky for you I have no say in this. Therefore, I request that you allow me to spend some time with my son without you breathing down our necks. Unlike me, Undertaker will not be able to bring him back if you take his soul, after all."

The butler looked at the Undertaker, his eyes reverting back to human form in appearance. A wicked little smile curved his lips. “Yes, I imagine he couldn’t. Unfortunately, senior Earl Phantomhive, I cannot acquiesce your desire. Your son is bound to me and I to him…by his own choosing.”

"Things can change," murmured the Undertaker with a toothy half-smirk of his own.

"And I don’t remember asking you to back off your contract. I requested to spend time with my son without having to see you smacking your lips out the corner of my eye.” Vincent placed a hand on his son’s shoulder, “You already aim to take my son from me for eternity. The least you could grant me is a few hours of what little time he may have left on this earth. After all, what have you to fear? I pose no threat to his life. I’d sooner give my own for his.”

"If the young master wishes me to leave his side, I cannot disobey him," Sebastian said calmly. "As you say, sir; you pose no threat to his safety…and I can find him wherever you may take him, should you attempt to hide him from me."

The butler looked at Ciel. “What would you have me do, my lord?”

Undertaker was used to Ciel trying to boss him around, but his true lord was the boy’s father. He looked at Vincent questioningly.

“What would you like me to do?”

Vincent nodded, “I’m not going to argue with my son’s wishes…the time has passed by much slower for him than it has for me.” He looked down at his son, fondly, “A father-son outing is long overdue. We have a lot to catch up on.”

"Hmm." Undertaker tapped his teeth with his nails, and then he shrugged and smiled, his oversized sleeves flapping with the motion. "Fair enough, my lord. I s’pose Sebastian and I can find somewhere else to busy ourselves for a while. I’ll come back here in a couple of hours and wait for you."

He reached out and unceremoniously slapped Sebastian on the back. “Let’s go, chap. The night waits for no reaper…or demon.”

"Do you honestly believe I intend to go anywhere with you?" scoffed the butler.

Undertaker shrugged again. “Don’t much care where you go, just soes it’s away from the little Earl and his daddy. You can go and brood wherever you please once we’re outside the carnival grounds.”

Sebastian sighed softly, casting his master one last look that said he was not pleased with being sent off with the old mad man. He walked away with the mortician, hunger pangs striking him with each mortal soul they passed. Undertaker evidently picked up on his suffering, for once they were at the edge of the carnival he sat down on a bench and looked up at the demon curiously, his gaze hidden beneath his hair.

"Ever considered snacking on any of them to relieve it?"

Sebastian closed his eyes briefly. “The thought has occurred to me once or twice,” he confessed, “but my meal will be all the more satisfying if I abstain.”

"Hmph…silly demon." The mortician sighed, looking suddenly morose and a bit childish as he folded his elbows over his knees and stared at the ground. "I can appreciate wanting to accept no substitutes, though."

Sebastian smirked. “It must rankle you to be so casually dismissed by the man you moved Heaven and Earth to bring back to life.”

It was the reaper’s turn to betray annoyance. “Shut it, fancy-pants.”

~xox~

In the carnival, Father and son strolled along the crowded paths between the attractions and booths. It was awkward, the two both not knowing how to act or what to say to the other.

But finally, they sat down in a food tent with fatty carnival food, and the conversation they needed to have was finally brought up.

“Did you betray Mother with the Undertaker?” Ciel asked, making Vincent freeze, a chip half-way to his mouth.

The older Phantomhive sighed and lowered the fried potato slice, “…Yes…and no.” he met Ciel’s gaze and held it before explaining, “I grew up knowing Undertaker. He’d been my father’s and my father’s father’s informant. He was a man who had always been in my life…and as I grew into an age where I began to have more…adult feelings, I found I was attracted to other men over women.”

Ciel was still young, but he did have a right to know.

“As a student at Weston, I had relationships with other students in my year, but nothing lasting. After Graduation, I met Undertaker once more and things had long changed since I had been naught but an innocent boy more interested in playing games and causing my father headaches. Things began to happen between us, and eventually…we became lovers—in secret. Then, I had to choose a bride. I met your mother and her sister and I became quite fond of them both. Your mother became my closest friend, and eventually, I took her as my wife. She knew of my relationship with Undertaker, and she supported it, even after she became heavy with child.”

“…And, are you and Undertaker…still like that?” The boy asked.

Vincent frowned, “Not quite. I cannot deny I have feelings for the man, or that they grow stronger with each passing day. But we have not yet engaged in rekindling what had once been. I am not quite all I used to be yet…” he touched the scar on his forehead from the bullet wound, “…I awoke not even knowing my own name. I have spent these past weeks searching my mind for my memories and slowly piecing myself back together like a puzzle. Undertaker knows my wishes to find myself first before we make our relationship official once more. But you—you are the biggest piece. I needed to see you most of all… Ciel…my sweet little boy… You are safe, currently, I know that. But, are you happy?”

Ciel adverted his gaze as he thought, “…No.” he finally said, “I am not happy. I haven’t been happy since before the incident. But I’m not looking for happiness. I’m looking for resolve. Vengeance before my time is up. However…” The boy looked at his father whist a ghost of the smile Vincent remembered, “It does make me happy to have you back, Father.”

~xox~

"I must commend you on your success," Sebastian said to the Undertaker, "and your cunning. You do know this will not end peacefully between us."

"Wasn’t expecting it to," answered the reaper with a grin. "We all do what we must, butler. You need to eat, and I need to keep serving the Phantomhives."

Sebastian half-turned to look at him again. “And would your loyalty be as strong if Vincent Phantomhive was not your lover?”

"Probably not," replied Undertaker candidly. "But the whole lot of them have proved interesting, through the years. Acting as their informant has kept me entertained."

He sat back and crossed his legs, steepling his fingertips together. “Some mortals bore my boots off, to tell you the truth…but bless the clever ones, the witty ones…and even the wicked ones. They fascinate and amuse me. It’s what drew me to Vincent in the first place, you know. He’s not a wicked man despite his reputation, but he is one of the most clever men I’ve ever known…and the most ruthless. Kind-hearted though he is, he doesn’t let that get in the way of what needs to be done, if someone crosses him.”

The demon smirked quietly at the grinning mortician. “I take it you are presenting this information to me as a warning?”

"More like a promise." Undertaker’s strange gaze flashed beneath his bangs and he sat forward a bit. "Don’t underestimate him just because the chap’s human…or was. You could always make this easier on everyone and bow out of your contract with the little Earl. I’m sure you’ve heard stories of how Vincent’s previous enemies met their demise, and it took an entire cult of them to finally bring him down."

"Not to mention he has a pet reaper," said the butler dryly.

Undertaker shrugged, un-offended. “He gives me biscuits when I’m a good boy.”

"And other things too, I imagine." Sebastian checked his pocket-watch. "Well, thank you for the warning, but I must decline your offer. Ciel’s soul is mine, and I shall claim it with delight once I have fulfilled my contract."

The reaper clucked his tongue. “Bad idea, chap. What if—oh, bugger!”

Sebastian frowned as the ancient Shinigami suddenly jumped up and hopped over the bench to duck behind some carefully tended park bushes. “You really are a strange—”

"Shut your mouth and get back here with me," hissed the Undertaker, waving a pale hand from behind the bush.

The butler raised an eyebrow and looked around. He saw the reason for the Undertaker’s sudden decision to hide, and he began to smile. “Why, it’s William T. Spears and his associate…oh, dear.”

Grell Sutcliff was with the refined brunet reaper, practically dancing around him with excitement as the two of them approached the carnival from the street just beyond the ticket gate. Sebastian sighed. As much as he would enjoy ratting the Undertaker out and complicating his plans to intrude with his goal, he would rather not deal with the red one. If they discovered Vincent Phantomhive here, he trusted that Spears would not immediately attempt to destroy him, but Grell was far too unpredictable. If he allowed Ciel’s father to be killed, he’d have the boy’s wrath to deal with as well as the Undertaker’s.

With a sigh, the demon abandoned thoughts of calling their attention to his rival and he joined him in the bushes.

"Change your mind when you saw your little admirer, did you?" snickered the mortician softly.

Sebastian compressed his lips. Their presence here could be a coincidence, or someone from their department might have followed him and Ciel here and reported back to them. Either way, he needed to find his young charge and warn him. Despite Undertaker’s jabs, he could sense the tension radiating from him as well.

~xox~

After eating their quick and unhealthy late lunch, Vincent and Ciel had resumed their venture about the fair. With the discussion out of the way, they became much more comfortable in each other’s company and Ciel caught his father up on his life since contracting with Sebastian.

Vincent kept his mouth shut about the queen when he heard of the things his son had to do by her order. None too pleased that the woman had dared use his son as her tool as if she hadn’t been the one responsible for the murder of the boy’s parents. but he couldn’t tell his son he knew the truth. Ciel may tell the demon and then their plans to save Ciel would be ruined. And when the boy had asked him of the night he died, Vincent had forced himself to lie and say he couldn’t remember that night and didn’t know who had killed him. And in truth, he didn’t know who had pulled the trigger. He just knew who was pulling the strings.

“What will you do?” The boy asked after Vincent had won him a stuffed bear on a shooting game, “With your life, I mean. You can’t take back the family lands and titles…you’re dead.”

“That is true, but to tell you the truth, I’m not so sure I would want to be ‘Lord Phantomhive’ again. A simple life…it’s been hard getting used to. cooking and cleaning is harder than one would think, but, It’s been nice…living this way. I’d like to continue it if possible.”

“With the Undertaker?” Ciel asked, and watched as his father nodded with a small smile on his lips.

“With Undertaker.” he confirmed, “I have only two people in the world I care about. The first being you, the other being Undertaker. And…should it be possible in some way…I’d like to save you from that demon. I wouldn’t tell you how to live…but, I’d like it if you would live with me…as you would have had that dark night never happened.”

“Father, I—” Ciel cut off, in the distance seeing a flash of bright red. with a groan, he grabbed his father’s arm and pulled him between tents and out of sight.

“Ciel?”

“Shh! There’s a rather annoying death god out there.”

~xox~

"Grell, do contain yourself," admonished William with a sigh. Oh, how he wished he could have brought Ronald or Alan or Eric with him, but all three of them were busy researching the case. When word got back to him that the Earl and his butler were going to the carnival, he had no choice but to check into it himself…and Grell was the only officer available to accompany him in the event that things got rough. He could call for backup at any time, but he would rather not interrupt his associate’s work unless it was necessary.

The brunet kept a cool, sharp eye out, suspecting that if the Undertaker wished to contact Ciel again, he would be clever enough not to do so at his home. “This is not an outing, Grell Sutcliff. We are here to investigate and detain a fugitive, should he make an appearance. Please conduct yourself with a measure of control and keep your guard up.”

"Awwww come on! it’s a carnival! This place is designed for fun! No harm in a little fun while we search for Unnie! Come on~ It can be like a date~" The redhead cooed, linking arms with the supervisor and leaning in uncomfortably close, "Please?"

William withdrew his arm from Grell’s hold and he pressed his glasses further up on his nose with a sigh. “Again I remind you that we are here with a purpose. ‘Fun’ is not part of that. You can have your fun on your own time, Sutcliff. Now help me search for the Earl.”

~xox~

In the bushes, Undertaker and Sebastian watched the two Dispatch agents walk by and the mortician slowly stood up when they were far enough away.

"We’ve got to get to the little lord and his father," whispered the mortician to his demonic companion.

Sebastian also straightened up, brushing his tuxedo lightly to clear away the leaves. “Indeed.”

"You go left, I’ll go right?" suggested Undertaker.

Sebastian nodded his dark head. “We have an accord.”

They parted ways then, both doing their best not to be spotted by William or Grell as they searched for the young Earl and his father.

Vincent and his son were not within sight. Undertaker moved through the shadows to avoid detection from his fellow reapers, searching the tents, booths, and show rinks for his reborn lover. But his search turned up empty, even after he exited the hall of mirrors where he and Sebastian had left the two Phantomhives. He sighed, tapping his chin with his long nail as he racked his brain for where else Vincent and Ciel may have gone to.

As he did so, a hand shot out from between tents, clamping across his mouth and using the element of surprise to yank him back off-balance and into the shadowed crevice between a large show tent and a tent selling refreshments.

“What the? I told you no annoying reapers! We are trying to stay out of sight, dad!” Ciel gasped.

Vincent, being the man who had successfully captured the silver reaper, looked over at the boy with a small mock-pout, “But this one is my annoying reaper.” he pointed out, “We can trust this one, unlike the ones that spooked you into hiding.” he said, hand still over Undertaker’s mouth, and hugging the man to his chest, holding him up in his half-fallen state.

Undertaker gently pried Vincent’s hand off of his mouth and he righted himself, unable to stop grinning despite the precariousness of their situation. “Your annoying reaper, eh?” he whispered.

He nearly kissed him, but then he remembered his son and thought better of it. Wouldn’t do to traumatize the boy. “Well, I’m relieved I found you—or you found me, as is more accurate. I s’pose you noticed the Dispatch agents in the area, then?”

"Ciel did." Vincent nodded, helping Undertaker stand up properly, "Seeing as you are the only reaper I have ever knowingly met before, I wouldn’t have known. He pointed them out to me."

“Grell Sutcliff and William Spears.” Ciel stated, crossing his arms, “The latter is a standable man, but Grell is overly annoying. But either way, while they can do nothing to me, it would not be ideal if they were to see my father.”

“Or Undertaker.” Vincent nodded in agreement, glancing at his lover.

The mortician straightened his hat. “Indeed. I think we’d best portal out of here, love. Ciel, your butler should find you directly—”

No sooner did he say that then Sebastian appeared right behind Ciel in a burst of black feathers. “Young master, Dispatch is here…oh. I see you have already noticed.”

Undertaker nodded. “That he did. Now I hate to cut this reunion short, but it’s better for all of us if Vincent and I take our leave. They’re bound to sense it when we portal out, so you two might want to skedaddle off. Not that I’m worried they’ll try to do anything to you, but they’re sure to ask questions if they find you near the portal energies. We can arrange another meeting later…hopefully without the snoops following to interrupt it.”

Ciel nodded and looked at his father again. The man smiled and knelt down to his son, kissing his forehead after pushing his bangs out of his face, “Take care of yourself. I’ll come see you again when I can. Promise.”

Ciel hugged his father, not speaking until he pulled away and looked at Sebastian, “Lets go so they can.”

Sebastian nodded. “Of course, my lord.”

The demon cast one last look at the Undertaker and Vincent, and then he walked away with his small master. The reaper waited until they were several booths away before activating the portal that would open up just outside his and Vincent’s cabin. He put an arm around his companion and urged him toward it.

"Time to go, darlin’. We can contact your son again soon."

Ushering Vincent through with him, the Undertaker stepped through the portal and it closed behind them as soon as they were through.

~xox~

William stopped in his tracks and frowned, looking around as he reached out with his senses. “Sutcliff…did you feel that?”

"The pull of fate urging us to become lovers? Every single second, darling~" Grell giggled, wiggling his hips, though he knew very well the man meant the portal that had just been opened. He grabbed William’s hand and yanked him towards where he felt the portal was located, "Lets go find a romantic place to finally make love~"

"Stop your playing," snapped the brunet, yanking his hand out of Grell’s and readying his scythe. "And be ready for—"

They made it behind the house of mirrors and William sighed. “A fight,” he finished pointlessly. Whoever had created the portal was already gone. William grimaced with frustration and nudged his glasses with his scythe, looking around.

"Well, we were too late. I believe we should locate the Earl, if he and his butler are still about. They may have had contact with the fugitive and though Phantomhive is unlikely to cooperate, we should still attempt to question him about it."

"I wasn’t playing! I was teasing while being completely serious!" the redhead protested, "Why do you think i was pulling you towards the portal! Rhea, can’t you ever just trust me or go along with a little fun?” He pouted, crossing his arms and pouting.

"As I said before," reminded William, "we are not here to have fun, Grell Sutcliff. Our purpose was to attempt recapture of the fugitive that somehow escaped from us. That incident reflected badly on our entire department, and I for one would prefer to redeem Dispatch in the eyes of our superiors. Now come along, so that we may locate and question the Earl, should he still be here."

"You take work way too seriously!” Grell grumbled, walking back towards the carnival’s activity, his hips swaying as he shrugged dramatically. “Spoils all the fun of investigation work. Just leave it to me. I can find Sebby-darling myself.”

William regarded him warily. True, it might prove more efficient for one of them to speak with the Phantomhive boy and his pet demon while the other left to file a report, but could he trust Grell to do either one on his own? He’d turned his last report into some ridiculous poem, and William knew how he tended to behave around Sebastian. Leaving him to take care of it unsupervised might spoil any chances that the boy or the butler would share any information.

"I am going to give you this opportunity," said William carefully, "but allow me to make one thing very clear: you are not to throw yourself at that demon. I realize that you cannot help yourself to a certain point, but there will be no unwanted physical contact on your part. You will at least attempt to conduct yourself with some sense of professionalism, understand?"

Grell waved a hand at him, only half listening, “Darling, if you want me to get them talking leave me to my own devices. Believe it or not, sometimes my methods work better than yours.” he said before disappearing into the crowd, which was surprising given his brightly colored hair.

William sighed and looked up at the night sky. “Styx help me,” he muttered. He then portaled out to file his report of the investigation. He only hoped that he was not making a mistake in trusting Grell to handle Ciel and Sebastian.

~xox~

-To be continued