2. Hero Sanders? Here!

JO here... 

Just a heads up!

This chapter is kind of long and I apologize. I wanted to wrap episode one here so we could get to the good stuff. I also apologize for the lack of action here (it is the first episode after all). Please review. Share your thoughts. Constructive criticism is welcome. Your reviews always inspire me to keep writing! Also, thank you My. Name. Is. What. People. Call. Me. and Kags123 for being the first two people to add this story to their favorites list. You guys rock! 

EDITED: 06/27/23

Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji 

=/=/=

2. Hero Sanders? Here!

=/=/=

.

November 2, 1888 - Outskirts of London, England

.

Soft rays of morning light arrived bright and early with an almost cheerful atmosphere. Everywhere one looked, sleepy-eyed English citizens rose from their simple beds and started their daily routines with the usual gusto. The Phantomhive Manor, a sprawling three-story brick home complete with intricate turrets and brick walls, a lush garden spanning several acres, and merely a stone's throw from London, was no exception.

To everyone, it was just an ordinary Tuesday.

To the Earl of Phantomhive, it would be the beginning of everything.

The esteemed family's head butler was already awake and dressed in a neatly ironed black suit, looking as fresh as a daisy as he gave out the day's orders to the sleepy-eyed servants. As the sun would later rise, so too would their energy. They were an enthusiastic trio that served the manor and its master with much dedication, though it was obvious they lacked skill in domestic matters. Once they had been briefed and dismissed, the servants scattered. Finally free, the head butler in black calmly prepared the morning tea. He placed all necessary gleaming white dishes on the polished wooden trolley and pushed it along to his young master's bedroom.

As usual, the young master's room, a large space decorated in hues of blue and the usual Victorian aesthetic, was enshrouded in darkness where cool sleepy silence greeted the head butler. It was his daily duty to awaken the young master so the day's tasks could begin. He walked over to the heavy curtains and drew them wide apart. Sunlight filtered in, brightening up the room.

"Young master, it is time to wake up," called the butler as he walked over to the trolley and poured the hot morning tea. "Today's breakfast of poached salmon and mint salad has been prepared. Side dishes of toast, scones and pain de champagne have been baked. Which one would you prefer?"

A groan came out as a response from underneath the plush duvet cover. The butler paused in his activity. He glanced at the bed.

That sounded unusual.

"Young master?"

The butler made his way to the bed before lifting the covers back. He blinked in surprise. Well, now, he had certainly never anticipated the sight before his dark eyes.

"My, my, young master," chuckled the butler, a white gloved hand covering his lips. "Just what have you been doing last I saw you?"

Ciel Phantomhive, formally known as Earl Phantomhive to his peers, was a boy of twelve with a very small slender body. He opened one droopy sapphire-hued eye before squinting. The sunlight had touched his face. "Sebastian?"

"Yes, young master?" answered the amused butler, known simply as Sebastian Michaelis to all who knew him.

"Morning already?" mumbled the boy sleepily, burying his face in a red shirt, clearly displeased by the light.

"Yes, my lord. If you would permit me to be so bold, may I ask who it is you are sleeping next to?"

"What?"

Ciel glanced up from his tucked in position and saw who exactly he was holding onto. Apparently, it had no been a pillow like he assumed. He yelped in shock and backed away so quickly that he fell off bed. He got up on shaky legs and pointed a finger to the figure in his bed. His entire round face was completely red with embarrassment and rage.

"What is the meaning of this! Who the hell is that, Sebastian?"

"You do not know?"

"Of course I do not! I did not even know he was in my bed!" Ciel was completely flustered. "Wake him up at once!"

Sebastian smiled as he approached the bed once more, gingerly touching the sleeping figure on the bed. One hand was poised above the throat, ready to kill in a second's notice. He tsked when he noticed the stranger's shoes were still on as well as the hat perched atop their head. Not to mention the strange pillow the stranger was resting on. The cartoons on the material seemed rather familiar...

Sebastian blinked.

Wait, was that a caricature of his face on it? And the young master's too? Before Sebastian could do anything else, the stranger rolled over. That's when he noticed an important fact about their uninvited and mysterious guest.

He straightened with a chuckle. "Young master, I do believe you have had the honor of sleeping with a girl last night. But fret not, I shant tell Lady Elizabeth a thing about this incident."

Ciel's eyes widened before his cheeks reddened.

"A g-girl? What joke is this!"

"I jest not. Even I do not understand."

"Well, wake her up! I want an explanation this instant!"

With a nod, Sebastian proceeded to wake the girl up when she suddenly opened her eyes, revealing warm brown irises. She looked a bit lifeless at first before bewilderment registered on her face. Her eyes flickered towards him, eyes suddenly widening as she smiled.

"Oh," she said sleepily. "You're not Amanda. Guess I'm dreaming. Figures it would have Sebastian in it. To be honest, Sherlock's face would have been nice too."

Said Sebastian merely raised a perfect brow in surprise, partially confused. "Miss, I believe you had better get up. This is quite an inappropriate place for you to be in. Not to mention, you are trespassing."

The girl yawned as she rose slowly. She stretched her arms like a delectable feline before she got off the bed and noticed Ciel.

"Oh! You're here too," she said breathlessly. "I admit I've never dreamed about you guys before, but hot damn! You guys look so realistic!" She frowned. "No seriously, why aren't I dreaming about Sherlock instead?"

"Pardon me miss, but who are you?" asked Sebastian, noticing her peculiar accent. Ciel noticed it too and guessed that she wasn't English. Especially if her looks were anything to go by.

The girl yawned again before she noticed the cart full of appetizing dishes over by the window. "Well, shut the front door! That smells delicious! Could I have some?"

Ciel peered at the cart before he returning his gaze to her. "First tell me your name. Then explain how and why you are here, especially in my bed."

She hid her giggle. "That sounded pretty kinky." Ciel's cheeks flushed red again, anger his predominant emotion. The girl sighed. "Oh chillax. Shouldn't you guys already know everything? You being my dream homies and all that?" They remained silent, partly in confusion. She huffed. "Well, if you feed me first, I'll answer all your questions. I promise. Although, I don't see what good that'll bring."

Ciel contemplated. He was a little irate that the girl had turned the tables on him when he was clearly the injured party. What was her game? If she came to kill him why hadn't she done so before? Should he just banish her from his house? He could do that, but curiosity itched terribly inside the little lord. He wanted an explanation now! And some tea as well…with scones and jam layered atop…as well as the…damn it all. Ciel sighed before giving in.

"Very well. Sebastian, give her a scone or something."

"Yes, sir," Sebastian turned to the cart.

The girl squealed in excitement when she received her pastry. "Thanks dude! You're the best!" she said as she happily munched on the baked pastry. "I didn't know dream food could be so good! Seriously, wonderful job, Sebastian. The scone is so fluffy!"

"Name?" Ciel prompted impatiently.

The girl looked up and swallowed. "Oh right! Sorry. I feel a lot more alive with food in my stomach, even if it is dream food." The girl took off her hat and bowed low with a flourish. "The name's Hero Sanders, Detective Extraordinaire at your service, my little lord."

=/=/=

Honestly, I never knew dream food could taste so good!

After I introduced myself, Ciel and Sebastian were convinced the impending discussion would be better suited in his study. With that, Sebastian escorted me into another fancy Victorian room in shades of coral where I waited. He later came back with another cart full of food (which I happily indulged myself in) before he left to change Ciel.

I smiled as I sat back against the plush chair, feeling content now that my stomach was full. Best dream ever. Like, seriously. The food was better than anything I could try to cook up and that's saying something because I was the primary chef in the Sander household.

Phil couldn't cook to save his life. He once seasoned our steaks with cinnamon and baking powder. Suffice to say, it was the weirdest steak I ever had. Since then, it's been my given task to be the chef of the house and so far I've been pretty successful. At least I think so.

I got up and stretched my muscles, feeling a little sore around my calves from having stayed in a fetal position inside an oven for so long. I paused before blinking.

Wait, oven? Then it clicked. That's right! 

Last I knew, I had hid in an old oven, hoping the Triband Cat Burglars had left the abandoned apartment so I could escape. I gazed around the room curiously. What a dream I landed myself in! And in Ciel's bed too! I giggled as I recalled his blushing face.

Wow, was he was a real cutie. And Sebastian. Geez, what a sex candy. Like, it was obscene how handsome that demon-man was. Amanda would have been all over him like white on rice.

I started to perform some lunges to warm up my body. Dream world or not, exercising in the morning always helps keep the body strong and alert. I bent down to reach my toes. As awesome as the dream was, it would have been even more ideal if Sherlock had been in it and announced before all that I was his succeeding ward. Then John would congratulate me and wish me luck. Mostly luck. I smiled dreamily. Damn it, why couldn't it have been Sherlock? Oh well.

I should really wake up and get back to reality. Those Triband Cat Burglars must be stopped. Hopefully Amanda was okay and had managed to contact the local police.

I stopped moving and looked around, a little bored if you can believe it, at being left here to wait by myself. And I had no time to wait! Those criminals were at large and they still have my Black Butler merch. I needed to wake up. Maybe when I was safe again, I would try dreaming this place and mess with Ciel some other time.

So, I pinched myself. Rather hard.

All I ended up with was a sore bruise. I frowned. Maybe I needed something else, something solid to really make an impact. I looked around and targeted the far wall. That'll just have to do. I backed up a few paces, focusing so intensely that I didn't hear the door to the room open.

I ran towards the wall.

THAWK! 

…okay…so maybe…that wasn't the best of ideas. No seriously, what made me think it was? I groaned as I rolled over and clutched my head in pain.

OW. Seriously! 

"Well now, I'm not quite sure what you intended to do Miss Hero, but it was amusing nevertheless," came a familiar rich voice from the doorway. I looked up despite my throbbing head and smiled wearily when I spotted Sebastian standing calmly by the threshold.

"Oh hey, Sebastian. Sorry you had to witness such a blonde moment. I was just trying to wake myself up from this dream. It's getting pretty painful to do that."

"That is because this is not a dream, Miss Hero."

I frowned for a minute before my smile resumed. I gave him a knowing look. "Right. I get it. Okay, I'll play along for a bit. Are you here to escort me to Ciel's study?"

Sebastian nodded and I turned to follow him out. The halls looked rather different during the day. They held an elegant vibe rather than a frightening impression of a never ending black tunnel. Here and there, fancy little tables with a vase of flowers would be scattered every few feet with tasteful period paintings or two hung up on either wall. In fact, I was so distracted by a landscape painting that if Sebastian hadn't stopped me in time, I would have crashed into one of the little tables and broken an expensive looking ceramic figurine.

"Sorry, sorry! I got distracted!" I blurted guiltily.

Sebastian just shook his head. "That's alright."

Holding my wrist (probably afraid I'd accidentally destroy something), the rest of the way to Ciel's study was uneventful. Ciel was seated in a large plush chair behind a wide wooden desk. He held some crisp papers in a jeweled hand while wearing a bored expression. He looked up when Sebastian and I came in.

I smiled and gave him a little wave. "Hey Ciel! Working already? You know what they say, all work and no play makes Ciel a dull boy."

Ciel looked a little annoyed, but I continued to smile. Damn, he looked too cute! Ciel cleared his throat as he proceeded with the interrogation.

"You probably already know what I'm going to ask you," he started.

"How in the world I got here? Why did I come here? Why your bed?" I repeated for him.

He nodded stiffly.

"Well, it's simple really. I kind of rolled out of an oven and thought that I had somehow magically appeared at my hotel. Of course, I thought I was dreaming but I suddenly felt way too tired to care. So I just wondered around, trying to find my room, when I guess I stumbled on yours. And honestly, I wouldn't have slept in your bed if I had known it was yours. I just saw another person and assumed it was Amanda."

"Amanda?"

I grinned. "My best friend since middle school and my most unwilling Dr. Watson sidekick, if I might add. We were assigned as roommates at the hotel."

Ciel held up a hand as a gesture for me to stop and wait. "So, you came out of an oven? The kitchen oven?"

"I guess so," I said, still wondering how that worked. "I know it's hard to believe but you know what? It doesn't even matter because this is all a dream. And once I wake up I am going to get out of the oven, escape the abandoned apartment, find Amanda, and get back to the hotel so I can inform the police about the hidden GPS tracker embedded in my luggage bag and save the day. Mostly mine's."

I noticed that Sebastian and Ciel exchanged a look that instantly put me on the defensive. And when Ciel turned back to me, he bluntly said, "This isn't a dream."

I rolled my eyes. "Puh-lease! It so is. Observe," I walked towards Ciel and before he had a chance to react, I glomped him.

"H-Hey! What do you think you're doing?" demanded a blushing Ciel as I aggressively hugged him. "Get off! Sebastian!"

Sebastian just stood by the door, his expression an amused one as he watched his young master get hugged. That's when I noticed that Ciel wasn't a hologram of some kind. In fact, he was very solid, very warm and very angry too. But I ignored that. I touched his hair despite his protests and struggles and noticed how soft it was. Goodness he even smelled delicious.

Then it hit me.

HOLY MOLY!

And really, I should have already guessed when Sebastian had touched me earlier. I gasped in horror as I flung myself away from the flustered boy. "You've got to be kidding? What kind of a joke is this? Am I on one of those secret reality TV shows I hear the Brits are really good at making or something?"

"Pardon?" Sebastian inquired gently, perplexed at my vocabulary. But I didn't hear him. My head was too busy reeling.

OH MY GOSH, OH MY GOSH, OH MY GOSH, OH MY GOSH! I NEED A PANIC ROOM! STAT!

I looked wildly around until I noticed a large oak cupboard by the wall. I walked over to it and hastily crawled inside, shutting the door firmly.

"What are you doing?" demanded Ciel, sounding both angry and utterly confused as he knocked against the little door.

"Don't mind me! I'll be out in a few!" I said before my head started to race wildly. This can't be happening. This cannot be happening! How in the world is this even possible? Was it really the oven that brought me here? Impossible! There are no such things as magical ovens! I mean seriously, if I was going to get transported into another world than Doctor Who's Tardis would have been much cooler and a less cramped method of transportation.

I shifted my arm to grab my knapsack and rummaged through it until I grabbed my iPhone. The little screen lit the dark cupboard with bright florescent light and for a minute, I thought everything was back to normal. Until I looked at the screen.

NO SERVICE AVAILABLE

I about had a heart attack. Now what am I supposed to do? I've somehow been transported to the world of Black Butler by a magical oven (by the way, how the hell does that even work?) and now I'm stuck here! Could I could go back? Damn straight that confounded kitchen appliance better take me back! I have a life to get back to! I'll have to see about trying it out later once I make it to the kitchen (if I do). And another thing, how the—OH MY GOSH! I SLEPT WITH CIEL PHANTOMHIVE! The realization shocked me like a bolt of electricity. A thrilled rush came over me. I slept with the dumpling! And I met Sebastian! Those little facts hadn't hit me until now and the sheer epicness of what occurred had me feeling giddy. Oh this is so cool!

But no, seriously though, it would have been even cooler if I had somehow been transported into the world of Sherlock Holmes. Oh well, Black Butler was my second favorite universe anyways. I mean, have you seen Ciel and Sebastian? If I had been twelve, I would have surely been a crushing stuttering mess around the blunette. And oh, Sebastian. If only I were old enough. But wait, was this the anime world or the manga world? Or both? I couldn't tell. Everything looked real to me. I sincerely hope this wasn't the anime world cause I'm going to freak the hell out seeing as the Doomsday arc kind of scares me. And let's not even talk about the Titanic arc. That shit disturbed me and left me never wanting to see a zombie movie or get on a ship ever again.

I rubbed my temple as I contemplated what to do.

So I'm here in Black Butler and Sebastian and Ciel are waiting outside. Now what? Those boys must surely think me a weirdo for holing myself in here, but hey, I needed a panic room and small spaces have always been my best friend. Honest. I get uncomfortable if I'm alone in a large room.

I put my cell phone away and pushed against the cabinet door, plopping out into the open. I got up and closed the little door.

"I'm back!" I announced cheerfully, raising my arm and posing, totally trying to hide the fact that I was utterly unnerved.

"Lovely," muttered Ciel in annoyance. "Now quit wasting my time and answer me this: Where did you come from?"

"America," I answered simply, sitting myself back down on the chair by the corner.

"America?" Sebastian said. "That would explain your accent, but not how you came here, assuming you did come from the 'oven'."

"I don't know much about the oven bit either, but let me clarify my answer a little," Oh my gosh here goes... "I'm from the 21st Century. That's right, you heard me right. 21st Century," I stated firmly. "I was born somewhere in Latin America and raised in Florida, which is a state just below Georgia in America. My class in school held their Junior Year Field Trip in London, in honor of the recent Olympics that just finished taking place. Go USA!" I cheered, fist pumping with pride. "That's how I ended up in London. Now here? In your house? The last thing I saw was the inside of an oven, hun."

Ciel rubbed his temple, his face clearly trying to register everything that I had just said. "21st Century. Let say I…believe you. It would certainly explain your eccentric mannerisms and…inappropriate clothing attire, even if it does sound far-fetched."

Inappropriate? It was so appropriate! Freaking London was cold when my class got there! And to a native Floridian who had never experienced a winter below 65 degrees, that place was pretty damn near freezing for me—and it wasn't even snowing! Therefore, my long sleeved shirt, pants, and boots, along with my Sherlock hat were so appropriate (never mind that I always wear my hat when I'm in detective mode). Still, Ciel had a bit of a point. This is the Victorian era, for crying out loud.

"I guess it would be," I agreed reluctantly. "Still, you shouldn't insult me dude. I practically know everything about this world. Well almost everything. But that's not important. How do you think I knew your names straight off the bat?"

"You 'practically know everything about this world'? What do you mean by that?" Ciel asked suspiciously.

"I know that you contracted with a demon and said demon happens to be Sebastian over there," I said calmly, pointing at the surprised Sebastian. "And I know what happened to you during that one month and the tragedy before that."

Ciel flushed angrily. "H-How do you…Sebastian!"

"Relax!" I said quickly, when I saw Sebastian begin to move. "I won't tell anyone, promise. Things like that are sensitive and certainly none of my business, even if I already know. As for Sebastian, shoot, who the hell would believe me? I'm American remember?" That seemed to mollify them for a second. "Anyways, I also know what's gonna happen in the future. Course I have to know what's happening before I say anything," I told them seriously. "I don't want to mess up the time-line or anything."

"My, how interesting," murmured Sebastian, raising a hand to his chin in thought. Ciel looked me over and I tried not to squirm under his serious blue gaze. Like seriously, little kids like him shouldn't have such mature eyes. What was he? Twelve? Thirteen? It's pretty hard to tell seeing as I don't know if he had his birthday yet.

"You are right, Sebastian," announced Ciel at last, his gaze never leaving mine. "Miss Sanders would definitely prove to be a useful pawn. It would be to my advantage to have her around for a bit."

Cool. I wasn't going to get murdered or kicked out just yet then. I smiled.

"Well if I'm staying, please," I emphasized on the please part. "Do not refer to me as 'Miss Sanders'. It sounds weird. Just call me Hero, everyone does."

Ciel nodded, crossing his fingers under his chin. "Very well, you may stay as my guest for the time being…Hero. I'll find a suitable excuse to tell everyone later. You can stay in one of the guest rooms. Also, Sebastian, be sure to have everything ready for Mr. Damian's visit later today."

"Of course, young master. I shall see to the preparations at once," Sebastian replied, placing his hand over his heart and bowing slightly before leaving.

Mr. Damian? Where have I heard that name before? Oh yeah! I turned towards Sebastian and asked, "Hey, is Damian the Italian dude?"

Sebastian stopped and turned around. "Why of course. You've heard of him?"

"Duh. Isn't he coming over to try to swindle money out of Ciel?" I informed him, turning towards Ciel's surprised expression. I sighed. "I don't know whether to be glad or upset that this is the anime version. I really wanted the German dude. He looked like fun."

Ciel and Sebastian exchanged a look before Sebastian turned around and smiled pleasantly at me. "Why don't I escort you to your room for the duration of your stay? In there I believe you will find clothes suitable to wear. We'll have Miss Hopkins come and tailor you some appropriate clothes tomorrow."

"And please, be present when Mr. Damian comes," added Ciel, looking thoughtful. "I assure you that tonight's visit will be 'fun' for you."

I grinned, liking where this was going.

"And Sebastian, cancel the rest of my plans for today. I wish to think on this a little longer." Sebastian nodded.

We left Ciel to himself as I followed Sebastian. It didn't take long before Sebastian led me to this pretty little room in shades of yellow and pink with a wide bay window that over looked the garden outside. I looked around curiously, oblivious to the butler in black watching me.

"I hope you will find this room to your liking," he said.

I turned my head and nodded with a smile. "Yeah, thank you. Oh and Sebastian?"

"Yes, Miss Hero?"

"Try not to be too harsh on them. The servants I mean." If this was the very first episode then Bard, Finny, and Mey-Rin were obviously going to mess up. Everything.

Sebastian merely smiled enigmatically. "Of course, Miss Hero. If you will excuse me, I must prepare for today's visit. Should you have any concerns, merely call upon me."

With that, he left, leaving me all alone. I turned back to the room, a little excited, a little nervous, and a whole helluva lot confused.

I sat on the bed and laid back. I still cannot believe I ended up in Black Butler. I'm not even sure how this all happened. Magical ovens seems so far out there, as if whoever was writing the story of my life was really grasping at straws. It just seemed so…random. And what were the chances I'd end up in Black Butler? Not that I'm complaining. Much.

I took off my hat as I sat up and shook my hair, noticing how short it was. I will never in my life chew gum and fall asleep for as long as I live. Nor will I ever go to an inexperienced hair stylist. I took off my knapsack and got off the bed, walking over to the armoire. I opened it and noticed that it was full of fancy dresses. I took one out and instantly knew it was not for me. For one thing it was sizes too big. I could literally swim in it.

I sighed. It sucks being short.

I placed the dress back and took another one out. This will probably fit me. If I could tuck this bit in and rip this thing off…

I immediately set to work, putting to use some of my sewing skills that the nuns at the orphanage had taught me all those years back before Phil adopted me. The rest of my afternoon was spent like this and after I was done, I lifted the dress. Amanda would have been proud, sort of. Our tastes were kind of different.

After rummaging through the armoire, I found some slippers that were my size and matched the color of the dress. I looked back at the dress and back to my own boots. Should I? Fashion was so hard! I usually just put on a T-shirt and shorts and whatever shoes I could find and that was that. Except for flip-flops. They were a no-no for me. I mean, how am I supposed to investigate and run on a moment's notice with flimsy footwear like that?

I titled my head in thought. Oh, what the hell. I'll put my own boots on. They were kick ass and I bought them at the mall for a sweet deal. I took off my clothes sans bra and underwear and placed the dress on. I looked at myself in the mirror and titled my head a little. It was…alright. It's not like I'll be stuck looking like this forever. Sebastian said I would be getting knew clothes tomorrow.

As I tied the laces on my boots, I had to admit, the boots and dress looked good, at least I thought so. The only thing not looking good was my hair.

Ugh! I'll never touch my hair for as long as I live! Luckily there was a brush by the vanity table and I quickly set to work, trying to make my hair somewhat presentable. After I was done, I knew it was high time that I went exploring.

And that's how I ended up lost.

Of course, it wasn't my fault. Everything looked the same to me! Eventually, I stumbled into civilization, or to more accurately put it, I stumbled upon Sebastian discovering Bard, Mey-Rin, and Finny's botched up attempts to help him.

"How in the world did this happen?" He demanded with a smile so sweet and polite it was considered evil.

The three servants shrank in fear.

"I used undiluted weed-killer. I thought it would be effective!" Finny wailed.

"I was trying to get out the tea set we use for guests, but I fell and took the cart down with me!" Mey-Rin mumbled in tears.

"There was some raw meat on the counter, so I figured I'd cook it…uh, with a flamethrower," admitted Bard, shamefaced.

"We're so sorry, Sebastian!" They all cried together while Sebastian just sighed.

I whistled in awe as I approached them, startling everyone. Sebastian turned towards me and merely raised a brow at my dress. I folded my arms across my chest defensively.

"Hey, I tried the best I could, but all the dresses are too big and meant for taller people. Besides, it looks like your plate is full," I said, pointing to the staring trio.

"Indeed it is. I apologize you had to witness this."

"Hey, Sebastian," Finny interrupted. "Who's she?"

"This is Miss Hero Sanders, she's a guest of the Phantomhive's who's come all the way from America," Sebastian introduced.

I waved with a grin. "Hello!"

The trio oh'ed and introduced themselves with a smile. After the introductions, I turned towards Sebastian to find him checking his stopwatch, deep in thought. He was probably thinking how he could salvage everything.

"Hey, Sebastian," I said. He looked up in question. I pointed to Tanaka who was currently in his chibi form (don't ask me how he does it cause I didn't even know that was possible) sipping his tea from a Japanese cup. "When in doubt, or in a helluva lot of trouble, just do as the Japanese do."

That seemed to spark an idea by the look on his face. He clapped his hands, catching the attention of the servants. "Please be quiet everyone. From now on, please listen closely to what I have to say, then carry out the plan." He took Tanaka's cup and showed it to everyone. "This is what we'll do."

After Sebastian gave everyone their instructions, I tugged on his sleeve before he turned away.

"Hey Sebastian, do you know where Ciel's study is at?"

"Of course," he answered. I told him to give me very detailed directions because I was known for getting lost easily in simple places. After that I left him to his work, wondering how he'll get everything ready before the Italian dude showed up.

I rounded a corner and found the purple vase Sebastian told me would signal Ciel's study was just another door down. I opened what I assumed was his door and smiled when I saw him sitting at his desk, more papers in hand. He had a rather sullen expression and I knew why.

"Sebastian said no to the parfait, huh?" I grinned as I walked inside.

Ciel looked up, face unsmiling. But his eyes livened up when he noticed my dress. And not in a good way.

"The dresses were too big! So I had to improvise," I said defensively, then twirled around. "But you have to admit it looks good on me."

Ciel muttered something inaudibly before he coughed and cleared his throat. "We'll have Nina come tomorrow to get you new clothes."

I'm just going to ignore that bit of shade.

"Won't that be expensive though?" I said as I sat back on the chair I had sat earlier. He merely shrugged, as if the matter of money was no problem to him.

"It doesn't matter. I'd rather have you not make a scene in public."

I rolled my eyes. "And here comes the Victorian suppression. It's a wonder your generation even made it through, can't believe your trying to suppress my modern-ness already."

Ciel looked pointedly at my hair. "We could at least start with your hair. The rest looks fine, but your hair makes you look like a boy."

I frowned, fingering my chin length hair. "And what do you think I should do about it?"

He shrugged. "Put a ribbon on it?"

I snapped my fingers. "You're right!"

I ripped a piece of ribbon I had sewn on the dress earlier (Ciel winced at that) and took a few strands of my hair from the left side of my head before I tied it together in a clumsy bow. After I was done, I showed it to Ciel.

"Ta-da! What do you think now?"

He looked, then closed his eye. "Eh. Passable."

I pouted. "You know, if you wanna get popular with the ladies you have to throw much nicer compliments than 'passable'. You'd break Lizzy's heart if you ever told her that!"

Ciel opened his eye and flushed. I laughed. He was too cute! "Oh and have you thought about what you'd do with the Italian dude?"

Ciel coughed a bit, the red in his cheeks receding. "Yes. I know exactly what to do. All I have to do now is wait."

"Which shouldn't be too long," I said, walking over to his window. I looked back at him. "Are you gonna keep working on business and what not?"

He nodded and turned away in boredom. I glomped him.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?" he demanded, a blush creeping onto his cheeks.

"Trying to get a reaction from you. You're too adorable to not mess with," I told him, poking his cheek. I finally got off of him and walked towards the door. "Be a good kid and say no to drugs."

Ciel looked at me strangely, as if unsure what exactly he was supposed to be feeling or reacting to. He looked down, grumbling as he fixed his blazer. "Don't call me kid. You're one too aren't you?"

I stuck my tongue out. "Nope. I'm sixteen. A full fledged teenager."

He looked quite surprised at the news. "Sixteen? I thought you were at least thirteen or fourteen."

I looked smugly at him, tossing my hair back like they do in those shampoo commercials. "That's the power of my Hispanic blood. Or Latina, if you want to call it that. By the time I turn thirty, I'll look like I'm starting my twenties. Asians and black people have this super power too I think."

"Hispanic? You're Spanish?"

"I speak Spanish, yes, but I'm not Spanish, as in from Spain. Though I can't tell you for sure what Latin American country I hail from." The nuns at the orphanage were convinced I came from Central America though. They even suspected I had some Mayan blood in me, seeing as I kind of looked more indigenous compared to the other children. I always thought it was pretty cool at first. But after a while, the uncertainty starts to get annoying.

Ciel looked at his crossed hands. "I see."

"Have fun with your work then. Come get me when the Italian dude shows up, I'll be in my room," I told him cheerfully before leaving his office.

I stood outside his door, not moving. I blinked when I realized I didn't know where my room was. Dammit. But going back after such a cool exit was a definite no-no. Eventually, after much trial and error, I finally found my room and gratefully settled myself in bed. I rummaged through my knapsack and found my iPhone—it still worked, plus the battery was full, thank you God.

I plugged in my head phones and listened to Lady GaGa before sleep tugged at me. After a twenty minute siesta, a knock on the door woke me. I paused my iPhone before yawning and getting up to answer it. Sebastian was there in all his dark butler glory.

"My young master wishes you present. Our esteemed guest of honor has arrived," he informed me. My face lit up. This could only mean dinner was on its way.

"Cool," I said, allowing Sebastian to lead me to the drawing room. I found Ciel and the Italian dude, Mr. Damian, already seated, a board game being set up between them. I recalled it was the macabre game from the first episode. I had always wondered what it would be like to play it. It was probably more fun than Sorry or Candyland—not Clue though, I was a queen at Clue.

I walked inside the drawing room and stopped short.

"You called?" I said in a southern bell accent.

Ciel and the guy looked up. The Italian dude, Mr. Damian, looked at me in curiosity. "Oh and who do we have here?"

"This is Miss Hero Sanders, a guest of mine from America. She's here on business. I asked her to join us for dinner."

I curtsied and gave him my best fake smile. "A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Damian. I do hope you'll enjoy your time here."

"Come Hero. Let us play," Ciel announced and I eagerly took a seat between them. The game was set up and it wasn't long before Mr. Damian began talking about business as the game progressed.

"The progress of spinning technology in East India is truly astonishing. We're also developing quite a top-notch staff—"

Sure you are. I spun the top and saw it land on four. I took four paces and looked at Ciel, who spun and moved his figure accordingly.

"'You are bewitched by the eyes of the dead'," he muttered. "Rotten luck. I lose a turn."

"Now is the perfect opportunity!" continued Mr. Damian, ignoring Ciel's statement. I looked at him with an annoyed expression. Would he just take his turn and hurry up? The game was actually getting interesting. My goth and proud friend Steven (along with his morbid little siblings) would have loved this game. "We'd like to expand our company and secure a labor force—"

"It's your turn," Ciel interrupted, seeing that I was getting impatient and irritated at Damian's dilly dallying.

"Ah, yes," Mr. Damian said. "Then if you'll excuse me…," he spun the top and it landed on five. "All right, five spaces." He moved his piece and resumed talking. "So, if I might ask for your support in the form of another 12,000 pounds…"

There it was. The evil and greedy spark in his eyes; you could tell he was lying. And one of the many things that I disliked the most were liars. Ciel opened his eye and looked at Mr. Damian.

"I believe it would be a profitable venture for you, my lord," continued Mr. Damian, totally trying to suck up. He reminded me of a busted druggie, sleazy and desperate, trying all kinds of methods to get the police to not turn him in. I actually encountered one once with a friend of my dad's. That had been a fun trip. Oh wait, Mr. Damian was still talking. "—I would like to become a vehicle for the Funtom Company," he continued. I mentally giggled. The company name was an ingenious play on words. "To make an even bigger name for itself in South Asia—"

"You lose a leg in the enchanted forest," Ciel interrupted.

"Huh?"

"It's Hero's turn. I lost a turn, remember?"

Mr. Damian stuttered. "O-Oh, quite."

I spun the top and moved up five paces. My little figure landed on a black hole which Ciel took and slid it down into an underground cave with skulls littered about. I wrinkled my nose and looked at him in question. He smirked.

"It would appear you're stuck in a ditch, Hero. You lose two turns," he said calmly.

"Darn," I muttered as I crossed my arms. I glanced at Mr. Damian. "Your turn."

Mr. Damian nodded and spun. "Right, six…"

"No, that's three." Ciel informed him, hands crossed.

"What? But—"

"You lost a leg, Mr. Damian," I informed him cheerfully. "With only one leg, you move half the number of spaces. Sucks, huh? But at least you're not stuck like me."

Mr. Damian looked confused for a second, but then started laughing. "This is quite a severe board game," he said in his Italian accent. "Isn't there any way to regain my leg?"

Ciel looked serious as he said, "I'm afraid once you've lost something, you can never hope to get it back." Oh no, Ciel was having a moment. He snatched Mr. Damian's figure and placed it on a picture of someone burning on a stake. "Your body is burnt by the raging flames."

Italian dude was looking a little uncomfortable as he gazed at the picture. I looked back at Ciel and frowned for a second before I cheerfully smiled again.

"I guess you're right, Ciel. What is truly lost is impossible to get back. That's why it's better to just look forward and hope something better comes along the way. After all, you placed in your all. So what else is there to lose, right Mr. Damian?" I looked at him with a sly look which he cleared his throat before he agreed with me. "Awesome. Your turn Ciel!"

I glanced at Ciel and was a little startled to find that he was starting at me with an unreadable expression. It lasted for a few seconds, but it felt like an awful long time before he resumed the game. As time went by, I finally got out of the ditch, but every time it was my turn, I would get in some weird situation where I ended up trapped or stuck in something that would make me lose turns, much to Ciel's amusement. Finally, Sebastian opened the door, announcing that dinner was ready. My face lit up like a Christmas tree. Dinner!

"Ah, the dinner in the stone garden? I've been eagerly awaiting it," Mr. Damian said with a smile.

"Oh, but what about the game?" I said. As much as dinner called to me, I really wanted to beat Ciel. He kept giving me these side glances that basically said 'losing was inevitable'. Hmpf! I'll show him the unbeatable power of Hero Sanders, Detective Extraordinaire!

"We'll finish playing later," Ciel said firmly.

Mr. Damian laughed nervously. "I'm not sure we need to finish it; it's clear that I am going to lose, Miss Sanders as well."

Hey!

"This game ain't over till the fat lady sings!" I said haughtily. Everyone gave me expressions ranging from confusion to being weirded out. I laughed in embarrassment. "Oh! It's a just a silly expression in America. Quite common, really. Never mind me!"

Ciel scoffed, but stood up. "It's not my style to abandon a game halfway through," he told Mr. Damian. I stood up as well and followed Ciel, but not before we both, more like three with Sebastian's super demon hearing, heard Mr. Damian mutter "how childish".

Dude, big mistake. I mentally laughed at how the Italian dude tried covering his blunder up. It was such an epic fail that I chuckled audibly as I walked towards Sebastian, who narrowed his eyes at Mr. Damian. And the best has yet to come!

Ciel, Mr. Damian, and I sat outside in the stunning stone garden. I gaped at how elegant and oriental it all looked, very different from just watching everything from the manga and anime. Sebastian was truly a miracle worker! I seated myself next to Ciel before looking at Sebastian as he approached with Mey-Rin in tow.

"On tonight's menu is a finely-chopped raw beef donburi from our chef Bardroy," Sebastian said with a smile.

I had a feeling that Bard merely sliced and layered it. Ciel and Mr. Damian gave Sebastian the "huh?" look as he served dinner. When I looked down and realized that it was raw meat, I mentally blanched.

How could I forget the meat would be raw? I don't mind some adventurous cuisine but this was a leap for my rice and beans and later Americanized food palette. I couldn't even stomach sushi! Amanda had eaten in glee while I suffered hunger pangs for the rest of the day after.

"Don…?" Mr. Damian said in utter confusion. "And this is…dinner…?"

"Yes. Are you familiar with it?" Sebastian asked. "A traditional cuisine passed down in Japan since ancient times! A treat offered to someone who has done work of note as a sign of gratitude and appreciation! That is the food we call the donburi bowl!"

What passion! I giggled. Sebastian continued, looking elegant and refined. "We devised this scheme to show but a small token of our thanks for your devoted efforts on behalf of the Funtom Company."

I heard Finny, Bard, and Mr. Tanaka whispering nearby. I giggled quietly again. I eyed the dish under a new light. I suppose it wouldn't hurt too bad to expand my cuisine adventure. And with Sebastian at the helm, food poisoning didn't seem likely. Also with that type of persuasion, how could I not try it? After all, dad always said don't knock it till you try it.

In the background, I heard Mr. Damian laugh and claim that this was a unique idea and that this was the legendary first-rate Phantomhive hospitality for you. I ignored him and ate, finding the food surprisingly delicious. Hmm, maybe raw meat done like this wasn't so bad every once in a long while.

"We've prepared a wine whose bouquet won't clash with the scent of soy sauce. Mey-Rin," Sebastian called.

Oh-no. Another disaster in the making.

Mey-Rin walked up to Mr. Damian nervously. He was too busy eating to notice the fidgety girl with the wine in hand, her face red as she remembered Sebastian's too handsome face. With her cracked glasses, the poor girl poured the wine onto the table cloth instead of the wine cup and you could practically hear everyone gasp in shock as the stain grew bigger and bigger.

"Mey-Rin, you're spilling the wine!" someone hissed.

Poor Ciel looked done for, but I didn't worry. Not when Smexy Sebastian, quick as a flash, grabbed the table cloth and pulled it off the table with a flourish that not even a professional could have done. Ciel looked stunned as not a thing on the table moved so much as an inch. The water in the cup gently rippled, but remained still. I whistled. This was better than the anime! I just had to give a little clap.

"Bravo, Sebastian!" I said to him with a grin.

Ciel quickly composed himself as Mr. Damian looked down at the table and noticed the missing tablecloth.

"Hmm? Where did the tablecloth go?" he exclaimed in surprise. In the background, Finny and Bard grabbed the flustered Mey-Rin and took her away.

Ciel's slightly smirking poker face came on as he answered, "I saw a speck of dirt on the tablecloth. I had it removed. Pay no mind."

Nice save, little man.

Sebastian bowed. "My deepest apologies, Sir. Please take your time and enjoy your dinner."

Mr. Damian started laughing again. "Well, I'm staggered, Lord Phantomhive. What a truly able man he is."

Ciel smirked. "He merely did what was proper as my servant."

"My master is quite right. You see, I am merely one hell of a butler."

I almost figuratively died from hearing the famous catch phrase in person. Amanda will be so jealous of me when I return home!

The rest of dinner continued in peace and before I knew it, we soon returned to the drawing room. As we sat down, Mr. Damian quickly got to the point.

"Now then, about the contract...,"

Ciel looked up. "Before that, we must finish our game."

I nodded in agreement.

Mr. Damian looked put out before replacing it with a sorrowful expression. "A-Ah, quite, but I'm afraid I have another appointment to go to…"

"Children are avid for games," Ciel explained, he then gave Mr. Damian a knowing smirk. "You know that as well as I do."

The Italian dude frowned, but then quickly recovered. This was like watching a ping pong match. "In that case, might I ask to borrow your telephone for a moment first?" Just as Sebastian walked in with the tea cart, Mr. Damian left. I looked skeptically at the tea he handed me. Another thing I don't do is tea; never liked the stuff. I sipped it a little and had to quickly put it down without making a face. Ciel also frowned as he caught the smell of the tea.

"What is this? The aroma is so weak."

"I brought Italian tea in deference to our guest," Sebastian explained.

"Italian tea?" Ciel arched a brow.

I agreed with him. I couldn't even stand the normal stuff.

"In Italy, coffee is the mainstream drink, so it's difficult to find high-quality teas there."

"Ugh," I mumbled. "I don't do coffee or tea."

"You don't like tea?" Ciel asked, surprised.

"Not unless it has lots of sugar and milk. I'm Hispanic, remember? Tea isn't our thing and I just don't like how coffee taste. Can't even do the McDonald Mocha Frappe," I told him seriously.

It was a sad fact, which allowed my friends to tease me to no end. It also afforded lots of jokes about me being a disgrace to the Hispanic race. Though my origin was a mystery, I knew for certain I wasn't Cuban, Colombian or Mexican. Coffee just wasn't in my blood.

Sebastian merely smiled. "I shall make a note of that for future reference, Miss Hero. And is the tea not to your liking, my lord?"

Ciel glared at the tea. "No. I don't like it at all."

Sebastian got the message. "I shall go prepare the pudding."

I eagerly jumped up. "Can I help?"

Sebastian looked startled before he quickly recovered with a smile. "Are you sure, Miss Hero?"

"Absolutely," I said with a happy smile. "He deserves the best pudding ever."

Ciel closed his eye before an ominous light shined through them. "Yes, use Miss Hero's help. Let him enjoy the Phantomhive hospitality to its fullest."

Sebastian bowed low before revealing glowing red eyes. "Yes, my lord."

=/=/=

Needless to say, it was very funny watching Mr. Damian limp away like a frightened chicken from the Phantomhive Manor. Ciel and I laughed when we heard him scream.

"What an ugly scream. He sounds like a strangled pig," Ciel added as we finished up the game. "He sells the factory without telling me and then says he wants to 'secure a labor force'? Did he really think he could keep that a secret? That stupid trickster."

"Ugh!" I said, reacting to the board game. "I just got stabbed by spikes. Oh well. At least it's better than getting stuck in another ditch."

"There's a simple explanation for it," Ciel said calmly. "It means you're trapped here. And no matter how much you desire to get out and win, you'll fail and remain stuck here, again and forever."

I blinked and looked at him. "Oh...kaaay. As much I wanna prove you wrong, I think you're right. For the moment at least."

I pouted when Ciel made his pawn move to the Happy Ending picture. Game Over. I lost. I pushed back and stretched.

"You know Ciel, even if I am stuck here I'm not gonna mentally break down and start crying. That's not my style. I'm a rather optimistic person and I'm gonna keep moving forward. And you should too," I told him as I stood up.

"What could you possibly understand of what I've been through?" Ciel muttered. "If you know everything about me then you should know this too."

I sighed. I'm so not good at this psychological therapy thing. "You're right. I don't understand, but you know what? Worse things have happened to other people. And they still live through it enough to regain a little bit of what they lost."

Ciel remained silent. "I already told you that once you really lose something you can never get it back. And I'm not like other people." With such a serious face how could I not hug him? He blushed as my face neared his. "Would you stop that? It is most inappropriate! Get off!"

"Ciel," I said as I looked at him. "You're still young. You've got a cute face and your flippin' rich. Yeah, your parents are gone and what happened during that month was horrendous enough to have others committing suicide. But you're here. You survived. You're strong. And most importantly, you're not alone anymore." This was getting too emotional for me. I need to back track. "Erm, so suck it up and be a man," I told him sternly, patting his back roughly. I walked backwards towards the door. "I'm gonna go to bed. You should probably do the same too. Kay? Night!"

=/=/=

Ciel looked at the closed door for a few minutes before returning his attention back to the board game. He fiddled with the little pawn, gaze serious.

At last, he closed his uncovered eye.

"Foolish girl," he murmured before getting up.

=/=/=

I climbed down the grand stair case and spotted Sebastian coming up. "Oh Sebastian!"

He looked up and smiled. "Is something the matter, Miss Hero?"

"I was wondering if you could show me to my room? I only know how to get to Ciel's study."

"Of course." As we went upstairs, I couldn't help but let my mind wander. And where else to wander but to the smexy butler in front of me?

"Hey Sebastian, I have to compliment the way you handled things today," I told him. "You were amazing, but that's to be expected of you."

"Thank you, Miss Hero and you are correct. That is to be expected of the Phantomhive butler," he said.

"I'm curious. If Ciel gave you the name Sebastian, then what's your real name?"

Sebastian said nothing for a few minutes before he finally answered. "Why would you want to know such a thing?"

"I've always wondered. Is it one of those things where the name controls the demon? Sort of like Holly Black's fearies?" I inquired, studying his profile.

"You're rather chatty tonight."

"Curiosity."

"I remember a saying along the lines of 'Curiosity killed the cat'," Sebastian replied, giving me a side-way glance. I grinned.

"And there's another one that says, 'Satisfaction brought it back'."

He chuckled. "You certainly are amusing. And yes. Our name is a powerful weapon that could be used against us. Not even a contract or a summoning spell would be needed."

"Knew it. My friend is into this kind of stuff so I was merely wondering. Also, I remember something about demons and how they value their aesthetics, but have you ever done something that you yourself enjoy?"

"I myself enjoy?"

"Like if I was a maid, on my off days I would go and help at the local orphanage. That would be something I enjoy doing."

Sebastian looked at me with an unreadable expression before smiling. "Why, serving the young master is what I enjoy doing the most."

"Really? What about the cats?"

Surprise captured his features. "You know about that?"

"Of course. I know everything, almost. Hey, is that the door?"

Sebastian shook his head. "That door leads to the billiard room."

Billiard! Dude I love playing that! I'm a total whiz! I've even hustled some arrogant people out of their dough before. One of the older boys from the orphanage taught me. The older boys were always nicer like that. I smiled, hoping I could play soon and maybe beat Ciel.

"Oh well," I said. I turned back to Sebastian and continued my "Get To Know The Real Sebastian Michaelis" interrogation. "Have you ever loved before? Or had a girlfriend?"

This time Sebastian stopped walking, causing me to bump into his back. He turned around and stared at me in question.

"What?" I said. "It's a legit question! Fanfiction will do that to a girl! I've read far too much to not ask this question. So spill."

He arched a brow.

"Oh, don't tell me no because demons can so love. It's a universal emotion that even God himself feels. You can't escape its clutches," I said defensively.

Sebastian merely sighed, placing a hand on my back as we continued walking. "If it'll make you stop asking these infernal questions. It's not impossible for demons to love but if we have felt it, we wouldn't even be aware of it. Our purpose is to lead humans astray, to tempt them. Some of us probably don't even know what 'real' love is. It's such a flimsy sentiment. They could mistake the feeling with their obsession of the soul. It would be a very rare thing to see a demon tamed by a human, with such a fragile emotion."

"Tamed?" I mused. "That's a funny way to put it. What could possibly tame a demon?"

"Something like a demon mate, but that's the stuff of legends."

"Demon mate? Like a soul mate? Demons have those? Oh cool. But what do you mean, stuff of legends?"

"Exactly what it sounds like, Miss Hero. Apparently every demon has his or her demon mate. The mate that will balance out one's power yet make that demon stronger then never before. Once found, they feel complete. But the chances of finding one's demon mate are slim to none. I've only met one couple but that was centuries ago."

"Huh," I said in wonder. This certainly wasn't in the manga or anime. "How can you tell if a person is your demon mate?"

"It's said that there will be a mark on them that belongs solely to their demon. The mark looks identical to ones used when contracts are made. Only it's white and meant to represent an unclaimed mate. Once claimed, the mark turns black. I had my fair time of searching, but I stopped looking after a millennium." He stopped talking, as if realizing that he had said too much.

I grinned. Yup. I did that to people, made them too talkative. Another skill I got from being a Detective Extraordinaire.

Sebastian suddenly spun me to a door. "And here is your room."

"Oh. Thanks Sebastian!" I turned and gave him a little wave. "I enjoyed our talk. We should do it again sometime. Night!"

I disappeared behind the door.

=/=/=

Sebastian rubbed his forehead with the back of his glove as he stared at the wooden door Hero disappeared into.

He hadn't anticipated how tiring catering to their time traveling guest would be. Nor did he anticipate telling her so much about himself. Why did she wish to know anyhow? The amusement he had a feeling she would bring forth was worth it.

But still, there was something odd about her. It wasn't her mannerisms or what she said, but something odd about the girl herself. He knew she was a human to the core so he couldn't fathom what he sensed from her. Putting that aside, Sebastian walked away, ready to prepare the young master for bed.

=/=/=

It was probably around ten o'clock at night and I still couldn't sleep.

I was very lucky that Sebastian had my Black Butler pillow brought here, otherwise I wouldn't have bothered sleeping. I wonder what they thought of it. I wouldn't be surprised if they thought I was some sort of obsessive stalker. I tossed to one side of the bed, staying still for a few minutes before turning to the other side. No matter what I did I couldn't even feel a smidgen of sleep.

I sat up, annoyed with myself. It was the bed. It had to be, I mean, it was too darn big and…

…okay, so maybe it wasn't the bed. I have a queen bed at home, after all.

I sighed.

Okay, I'll admit it.

The problem is that ever since my days back at the orphanage, I've always had to share a bed with another girl and rather than feel cramped, I actually felt comforted. For some strange reason the feeling of loneliness always seemed to cling to me like a second skin. It was odd and never truly went away. The feeling became worse at night. Even after I got adopted, dad had a Rottweiler named Noodle and Noodle always slept with me on the bed. Not a night goes by where someone (usually Amanda or my Chinese friend Pepper; the girl practically lives in my house since we're both next door neighbors and she has five brothers she's desperate to get away from or risk sending one of them to the ER, something her mother definitely wouldn't approve) or something (Noodle) isn't sleeping in my bed.

Yesterday night was fine for me because Ciel was there, but now…I sighed audibly before laying back on the bed with a groan. Ten minutes later, I got up off the bed.

That was it! Ciel's just gonna have to deal with it. I'm too old to grow out of this habit by now.

I grabbed my Black Butler pillow and marched down the hall, guessing where the boy's room might be. After a few doors, I finally found it.

The blunette seemed to be sleeping rather peacefully when I entered. How lucky for him that he doesn't have this habit of mine. I crawled under the covers and adjusted my pillow, feeling a lot more comfortable and a lot sleepier.

Ciel turned and brushed his hand against my cheek. I moved it away, feeling sleep claim me when I felt him sit up suddenly. Ugh. I groaned and turned over.

"Hero? W-What are you doing here?"

"Go to sleep," I mumbled.

"But this is my bed! You can't sleep here! It's inappropriate!"

I sighed and rolled over to face him. His expression was rather adorable. "Chill Ciel. I can't sleep without someone else sleeping next to me. It's a habit that's formed since I was small. And since I'm pretty sure you won't get me a dog, you're just going to deal with it, my little victim."

"But this is my room!"

"Which has a huge bed. Relax, if an intruder comes, I'll protect you. Though I'm sure Sebastian will have dealt with that before it even becomes a serious matter."

"But I'm a boy and you're a girl!" He insisted, face still red.

I ruffled his hair playfully. "I'm pretty sure I can handle myself in bed. And you're like the little brother I never had. Now go to sleep," I said, yawning and closing my eyes.

I didn't see Ciel frown, confused and deep in thought. Eventually, his blush subsided and he sighed.

"Very well, you may stay, but don't expect this to be a regular occurrence!"

I didn't hear him. I was fast asleep.