#smilizzy

Window

The warm rays of sun gently streamed through the window into Lady Elizabeth's chambers. When Paula, her maid, knocked on the door, Elizabeth was already awake.

"Good morning, Miss Elizabeth. The day is truly beautiful today, isn't it?" the maid asked.

"Good morning, Paula. You're right, it's a beautiful day," Elizabeth's beautiful blonde curls reflected the lovely sunlight, and as she looked out the window and clasped her hands together in a show of excitement, she said effusively, "Paula, I will go to visit Ciel for teatime, please make the preparations and bring a basket of sweets for the afternoon tea." The maid nodded, but as she made a farewell curtsy, Elizabeth added, "Ah! Don't forget to pack strawberry cake, it's Ciel's favourite." Paula smiled and left the room.

It was a peaceful afternoon at the Phantomhive mansion. The young master was playing a soft melody on the violin while Sebastian conducted the song.

Ever since he had returned to the mansion, he had learned to play the violin. An earl of high society must know how to play at least one instrument. The young master liked the duality of the violin, where such rigid strings produced a soft and beautiful sound. It was difficult to learn with Sebastian, his butler and teacher, as his hands turned red from so many missed notes, but today he considered himself an advanced student. He was at the peak of the melody when a loud knock on the door interrupted him.

"Young master!" the absent-minded maid cried out.

"Mey-Rin! These are not the ways to interrupt the young master's lessons," Sebastian snapped angrily.

"It's just that... ah... Lady Elizabeth is here," Sebastian opened his eyes a little and looked at his apprentice.

"It seems that we will have to suspend the lessons," he said. The young master lowered the instrument and let out a long sigh.

"Lizzy is always like this, I have told her she must announce herself before coming" he resignedly looked out the window where the carriage stopped. Sebastian also seemed disappointed; he would have to reorganize the scheduled activities for another day. However, he said, "I know it's an inconvenience, but a true gentleman must attend to his fiancée as he should," Sebastian said as he winked at him.

Lady Elizabeth was waiting for her fiancé in the hall with her maid. Mey-Rin had suggested waiting in the tearoom, but it had been some time since the young couple had seen each other, so Lady Elizabeth was eager to see the young master.

As she saw him descend the stairs, Elizabeth could not contain her excitement and ran effusively to meet him. She hugged him tenderly, trying to contain her emotions. She was no longer a child after all. Her fiancé couldn't help a slight blush on his cheeks at so much emotion. He caught a whiff of the sweet notes of her perfume, and it produced a slight tickling in his belly. Sebastian arched the corner of his lips slightly when he noticed the young master's most vulnerable part.

"Ciel! How happy I am to see you. I haven't seen you in so long," said Elizabeth as she separated from him. When she saw Sebastian by his side, she bowed. "Ah, Sebastian, a pleasure to see you again too, thank you for taking care of Ciel."

"Milady, it is a pleasure for us to receive you in the mansion," said the tall butler.

"L-Lizzy, I told you to let me know when you visit..." He must admit he was annoyed when Mey-Rin announced her, but when he saw her, his emotions changed.

"Forgive me, Ciel, I couldn't resist coming on such a beautiful day. Don't you think?" said the young lady. "I promise I'll give you advance notice next time, okay?" Elizabeth took the young master's hands gently, as a slight sign of apology. Her fiancé lowered his gaze to her hands; they were so soft. Only when he was with her did he allow himself to be in that vulnerable state. It angered him in a way, but on the other hand, he could not help himself.

"I brought cakes and sweets! Shall we go outside for tea while we talk about what has happened in these past weeks?"

The young master could not say no. He never said no to his fiancée, it was part of his duty as a count to make his future wife happy. He nodded his head and looked at Sebastian to take care of the preparations. Sebastian nodded.

"Young master, Lady Elizabeth, I invite you to wait in the parlour while the necessary preparations are made," he said, gesturing for them to go to the room.

It wasn't long after they had been in the room when Sebastian came to tell them to please go outside the mansion as the afternoon tea was ready. The young couple stepped out of the mansion and were temporarily blinded by the sun's rays. It was a warm spring day.

The place was perfect under the shade of a tree. A perfectly smooth white blanket was spread out on the lawn. On top of it were the cakes that Elizabeth had brought on a silver tray, as well as ceramic plates and silver cutlery for serving. The young master sat in one corner while his fiancée sat in the other. Paula was not far from them, contemplating the flowers, while Sebastian pulled out a violin to play a soft melody perfect for the occasion.

The young couple were silent. They hadn't seen each other in weeks and yet nothing came out of their mouths. Suddenly the teenager remembered when Edgar Redmond had asked him if he had already kissed his fiancée. He instinctively looked at her lips, soft and small. Elizabeth fixed her gaze on him, to which the count looked away and his cheeks took on a pale pink colour.

"Lizz-"

"Ciel-"

The two young people interrupted each other. Elizabeth began to laugh; she was more nervous than usual because they hadn't seen each other in so long. However, once she started asking Ciel about his adventures at Weston College, they didn't stop talking. The young man only told her about the superficial adventures of course, the prefects, the tournaments, and his discovery about his father's attendance. Trivial things he could tell his fiancée. She was amazed, so many adventures he had to tell. Her brother had told her some of them, but he didn't have the same perspective. Ciel is a much more interesting person than his brother. She knows he is not very social, so him making friends is a great surprise for her. They also talked about what Elizabeth had been doing. Her fencing classes and chess classes.

"This time I'm going to beat you, Ciel!" she said confidently. Her fiancé always beat her no matter how many times she tried. But she was better than her aunt Ann, so she had a chance.

Elizabeth gazed upon the tray still filled with strawberry cakes that she had brought for Ciel. The only ones missing were the chocolate ones. Something stirred in her mind, but she brushed it aside, as always. Suddenly, a memory shook her mind.

"Ciel, do you remember that spring day we spent here with Aunt Ann?" The young man looked into the distance, trying to hide his expression, knowing that he could be in trouble if he answered incorrectly or expressed his true feelings. Every time his fiancée reminded him, he tried to ignore the question for obvious reasons.

"Ah, of course, how could I forget?" he replied, avoiding her gaze, and trying to conceal the evasion in his voice.

"That day I baked cakes for you, but they turned out really bad, fufu," the young woman chuckled softly as she looked at her fiancé. "It was right here where you tasted them and said they were really bad." Her fiancé turned to look at her with a smile.

"Yes, and then Tanaka brought us some very delicious cakes for eat instead," Elizabeth was a little startled. That indeed happened.

"Exactly! Then mother scolded me because my stomach hurt from so many cakes we ate, haha," Elizabeth laughed softly, "it was a wonderful day."

He had not been with them in person of course, but he remembered that day because he always observed them from afar. Just behind his fiancée was the window through which he watched them play. As a child, he longed to play with his brother and his fiancée, but because of his weak body, he had to stay at home most of the time. He was just like his mother. But he was grateful to have watched them from the shadows of the mansion, so he could always imitate Ciel almost perfectly. Besides, his brother always told him what happened during the day, so he always ended up hearing all the details.

"Ah, and through that window he was watching us--" Elizabeth interrupted herself, then immediately regretted bringing up the topic. She knew she shouldn't have talked about him, but she missed him too. She wasn't going to marry him, but they still spent a lot of time together. Both of them easily beat Elizabeth at chess. He understood Ciel much better than she did. She was even a little jealous, but he was family, just like Aunt Ann, who had taught her so much. An uncomfortable silence fell. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..." Elizabeth twisted her hands in the handkerchief on her lap and bit her tongue.

"My brother? I didn't know he was watching us," he lied.

"I-I'm so sorry, Ciel. I didn't mean to..." Elizabeth said, looking down.

"Don't worry, Elizabeth, he's not here anymore," the young man said, looking intently at her. "But I am," he said, placing his hand on his chest. "Ah, Lizzy, don’t cry" he noticed that a couple of tears were falling down her face. She hated herself for opening old wounds. She just wanted to create new memories with Ciel, not make him remember the bad ones.

He took out a handkerchief from his jacket and wiped his fingers on it while passing it over her face. She felt his fiancée's hand on her cheek, wiping away the tears.

"How do you remember that Lizzy?" the young man asked.

"I-I always saw him watching us through the window, even though he would hide every time I caught him spying," Elizabeth let out a small nervous laugh. The young man smiled. Perhaps it was one of the few stories they had together as kids, and the young master being, well, not Ciel.

Elizabeth ceased her sobbing.

"Forgive me for crying so much," the blonde said.

"Forgive me for making you cry," the young man replied.

"No, it's not your fault," she said while shaking his head in denial mode, then she smiled at him. "Thank you for sharing this day with me, Ciel," the young man smiled back. Sebastian witnessed the situation with curiosity. He learned something new about the young master, something that he could use to bother him later if needed.

"Should we get going, Milady?" Ciel said, noticing that a cold breeze was starting to blow.

"Ah, yes," the young man stood up first and then helped his fiancée to her feet. Sebastian headed to the spot to pick up the picnic things with Paula. On the way back to the mansion, Elizabeth stopped to look at the window where the younger brother used to watch them. Her fiancé was a little ahead when he noticed that Elizabeth had stayed behind. Turning around, he saw the young woman with a nostalgic and sad look. The Earl felt a strong heartbeat in his chest. Perhaps it was because he never thought she noticed him. She missed him. Really missed him. He felt a small emotion. But then he remembered where he was, he was no longer the replacement for his brother, he was his brother. He was Ciel, Ciel Phantomhive.

"Lizzy," he said. The young woman snapped out of her thoughts and ran to his side. As they reached the mansion's stairs, Lizzy made a small farewell bow, but before she could turn around, the Earl stopped her.

"Are you leaving so soon? I thought you intended to show me what you have learned in chess, did you not?" The young woman's face lit up and she joyfully hugged her fiancé.

"Gladly!" his future wife replied.

And so, they spent a wonderful afternoon at Phantomhive Manor. His fiancée left late, and she had drained all his energy to continue with his duties. Because only when he was with her did he relax to the point of exhaustion. While Sebastian changed his clothes, the young man brought his fingers to his lips, gently touching them. Sebastian noticed this and smiled.

"Thinking of someone special, young master?" The young man snapped out of his thoughts and blushed violently.

"W-what are you saying, Sebastian! Don't be insolent, finish quickly and let me rest." The black-clad butler couldn't help but chuckle.

"Ahh, this is so annoying." The Earl jumped onto the bed and covered himself up to his forehead. Sebastian didn't stop laughing until he closed the door to the young master's room. Deep down, he knew he had a good day.

It was a typical day in the Phantomhive mansion. Mey-Rin was cleaning the silverware (with shoe polish), Finnian was trimming the greenhouse plants (more than he should have), Bard was trying to cook an old recipe (which ended up burnt), Mr. Tanaka was doing ‘the usual’, and Sebastian… well, he was taking care of the mess caused by the other servants.

Earl Ciel Phantomhive was in his study, reviewing various documents related to his duties as a count, as well as his role as the owner of the Funtom toy company, letters, invitations, and other matters. After two hours of intense concentration, he stretched and let out a long yawn. In the upper corner of his desk was the book "The Picture of Dorian Gray" by Oscar Wilde, which he had started reading some time ago. Although it was not a novel for someone of his age, the young master had to compete in an adult world, so it was important to stay up to date with literary works, no matter how dark they were. After reading for ten minutes, there was a knock on the door.

"Come in," said the young master.

"Excuse me," responded Sebastian, his butler, as he walked towards the desk. "Young master, the activities for the afternoon are as follows," but before he could name them, the tall butler leaned in with curiosity to see what book his master was holding. "Hmm, 'The Picture of Dorian Gray'. It's a somewhat crude reading, but it has been read throughout England. What do you think of it?" asked the butler.

"In my opinion, the ideal of achieving perfect beauty seems absurd," responded the young man sincerely. "However, it accurately reflects what happens in aristocratic society. They only talk nonsense about who ages worse and flatter the youth of the youngest while envying them behind their backs. The fate that awaits the protagonist will be the one he himself gradually built."

"I expected nothing less from you," said Sebastian, pleased with his master's response. He raised his gaze slightly. Another book was on the desk, but this one was not part of the adolescent's collection of books. "Forgive me for asking, but what about this book, young master?" he asked as he took the object in question in his hands.

"Ah, it's a book that Lizzy forgot the other day while we were reading. I remember she told me it had become one of her favorites," the young man closed his current reading, left it on the table and paid attention to the butler.

"Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen," Sebastian said aloud. After bringing his right hand to his chin and trying to remember where he had read that title before, he suddenly did. "Ah, I remember now. This title is indeed very popular among young ladies of the country. It is a romance novel that dates back to 1810. Would you like me to give you a summary?"

"Romance?" asked Ciel, with surprise and a hint of panic in his voice. However, after his reaction, he remembered that his fiancée was no longer ten years old, but fourteen. And with her age, her beauty became more apparent before his eyes. The young master tried not to think about it, but his youthful hormones had already begun to wreak havoc inside him. There were days when even a slight sweet aroma reminded him of her.

His perception of his fiancée had changed over time. When he returned to the mansion as Ciel Phantomhive, he found it difficult to see Elizabeth as anything more than a matter of diplomacy. But over time, his feelings had slowly blossomed. This caused curiosity from Sebastian since the young master never lost his composure, except when he was with her. The few genuine smiles he had seen on the adolescent and the sudden childish blushes were in those situations. Therefore, the butler could not help but curve the corner of his lips into a smile while planning a new way to tease the young master.

"Of course, young master. Lady Elizabeth is fourteen years old, it is natural for her to have an interest in such readings," responded Sebastian, while circling the young man's desk to admire his innocent expressions. "Does it intrigue you, my lord?"

"I-I do not read romance novels, Sebastian. Leave the book in the drawing room for when I see Lizzy again," the young master snapped while looking away, somewhat nervously.

"I understand, but wouldn't Lady Elizabeth be pleased if you read one of her favorite books? Besides, a count should be well-versed in all types of literature," Sebastian placed his index finger to his lips. He could see a slight blush on the young count's cheeks.

"I said no," the young master ordered firmly, turning his chair halfway around.

"Very well, my lord. I will leave it where requested," after clearing his throat, the butler recited the planned activities for the afternoon to the young master.

Night fell and after dinner, a thirteen-year-old boy was tired from his hard work as the Phantomhive mansion's count. Sebastian escorted him to his chambers, assisted him in changing into his nightwear, and departed as soon as the count's breathing grew heavy. After approximately half an hour, the young man opened his eyes, got up and left his room to the first floor. Not even the flutter of a butterfly could be heard. He quietly entered the drawing room, where Sebastian was supposed to have left the book, and approached the table.

It wasn't there.

He felt a presence behind him that made him shiver.

"Looking for this, young master?" asked his butler as he held Miss Elizabeth's book in his hands.

"SEBASTIAN!" shouted the young man, once again underestimating his butler. "Yes, I was looking for it, give it to me." he ordered as he snatched the book from Sebastian's hands. Sebastian couldn't help but laugh.

"D-don't laugh!" exclaimed the angry young man. Embarrassed, with the book in his hands, he headed to his room.

"Ah, humans are truly interesting," Sebastian said out loud while recovering from his laughter.

The next day, the young master yawned during his riding lessons, which made Sebastian stricter with him.

"Did the reading keep you up, young master?" asked Sebastian in a mocking tone, but slightly annoyed. "If it continues like this, I'll have to be even stricter," he said as he slapped the animal's thigh, causing it to run off with the count on its back.

"Sebastian! WAIT! NO! AAaahh…" shouted the count as he tried to control the horse that was galloping at full speed. Sebastian grinned, amused by taking advantage of the young master.

A couple of days later, the Phantomhive earl left his mansion for London to inspect the toy stores branches of his company, accompanied by Sebastian. As he walked down the street, he heard a familiar voice behind him:

"Ciel?" someone called. He turned around and saw that it was Elizabeth.

"Lizzy?" the young lady's face lit up, and she ran to meet him. The count instinctively closed his eyes, waiting for his fiancée's embrace. But it never came. Elizabeth stood in front of him, making a polite bow with her maid, Paula. He snapped out of it and made a bow along with Sebastian, with a strange sensation.

"I'm so glad to see you here. Do you have business nearby?" the young lady asked.

"I was attending to some company affairs, and you?" the count replied.

"I came to pick up a bespoke dress I ordered for tonight's ball, but I stopped by to see the new toys you've put in the stores. Will you go tonight?" the young lady approached the young man with curiosity. Her eyes shone with the hope of an affirmative answer.

"Yes, I will. Moreover, I will come to fetch you before nightfall." The young master hated balls. He was as stiff as a tree branch, but he knew they were necessary for making new connections and, besides, his fiancée would be there. After hearing the count's reply, his fiancée's face lit up.

"Really? I can't believe it, how wonderful," she exclaimed, clapping her hands. "I'll get very pretty for you, Ciel." Inside, the young man wanted to tell her that she was always pretty, but he didn't. Between his bold thoughts and his fiancée's words, a small blush formed on the count's cheeks. Of course, Sebastian noticed it, but said nothing. Before the count could say anything, the young lady exclaimed:

"Oh! Ciel! Did I happen to leave a book at your mansion? I haven't seen it in days, and I remembered that I visited you recently." Lizzy looked up at the sky and took her chin with her right hand in a thoughtful expression. The young lady didn't dare ask if he had read the book, as she didn't think it would be to her fiancé's liking.

"Yes, you left it at the mansion, I was planning to give it to you today at the party," the young man replied.

"Great! Well, we have a lot to do with Paula before tonight's dance. See you, Ciel!" Elizabeth exclaimed effusively, taking Paula by the arm, leaving.

"Well, that was strange," Ciel said, voicing his thoughts aloud.

"Was it because she didn't jump on you as usual?" the butler asked, with a hint of jest. The young master sighed, adjusted his hat, and continued his way, confirming the butler's suspicions.

The evening was falling as the Count Phantomhive headed to the Midford’s mansion in his carriage. He was wearing one of the suits that Nina had tailored for him some time ago. While looking out of the window, Sebastian broke the silence.

"Young master, what did you think of Miss Austen's novel?" he asked, intrigued by the Count's response. The butler held Miss Elizabeth's book in his hands.

"I found it to be foolish," the young man snapped as he crossed his arms. "It's just a fantasy for women who aspire to marry an aristocratic nobleman who doesn't exist, keeping their hopes up. That doesn't happen in real life," he asserted as his right hand drifted through the air.

"And what do you think of Mr. Darcy?" the butler asked in response to such a statement. The Count was a very interesting human being, and Sebastian never missed an opportunity to learn from his behaviour.

"I find it ridiculous that Darcy abandoned his commitment for a commoner," the Count tilted his head to one side, "I mean, he had everything. A good life, studies, education, and he decided to throw it all away. It's stupid," the young man said as he closed his eyes in disgust. Sebastian looked at him with curiosity.

"Do you think feelings are foolish?" Sebastian asked to the air while arching an eyebrow. The Count opened his eyes and looked at his butler.

"Yes, they are. They interfere with the right decisions," he said firmly. Sebastian snorted. He knew that his master was telling the truth, but his actions in his life said otherwise. He had decided to stay with Snake, he had saved people on the brink of death, but above all, he had saved his fiancée more than once. He decided not to press the issue any further.

After some time had passed, they arrived at the Midford mansion. It was appropriate for the young aristocrats to pick up their fiancées to attend the ball. As he descended from the carriage accompanied by Sebastian, Elizabeth was waiting for them.

"Ciiiieeeeeel!" exclaimed the young lady effusively as she approached her fiancé. Just like the last time they had met; Elizabeth performed a small curtsy. "You look quite charming, Ciel." The young man wanted to compliment her on how beautiful she looked in her new dress, but, again, the words didn't come out as he noticed Elizabeth had not styled her hair into two pigtails as usual, but instead into a single bun pulled back. Loose curls fell down her shoulders and back. Sebastian noticed his master's surprise and smiled slightly.

"Miss Elizabeth, it's a pleasure to see you again," interrupted Sebastian before the young master could say anything while performing a bow. "Here is the book you left at the mansion during your last visit," the butler handed the book to the young lady.

"Oh! Thank you very much, Sebastian! Paula, please take it to my chambers," Elizabeth requested, while the maid took the book in her hands and curtsied.

"My dear nephew!" exclaimed the Marquess Midford, approaching and hugging his future son-in-law tightly.

"V-Viscount Midford, it's good to see you," said the young man trying to get out of the embrace.

"Dear!" retorted Frances, the young master's aunt. "Don't be rude," she scolded her husband. Behind her stood Edward, Elizabeth's older brother.

"Elizabeth, Aunt Frances, Edward, it's lovely to see you," the young man performed a bow to the family. Everyone was dressed formally for the party.

"Ciel," greeted Edward, crossing his arms.

"We're on time, but we'll need two carriages," said the aunt, indicating that it was time to depart.

"I'll go with Ciel!" exclaimed Elizabeth.

"A-and I'll go with Ciel too!" replied Edward. "I can't leave my little sister alone with him."

"I'll accompany them, Master Edward. I'll escort you to the party," said Sebastian while performing a bow.

"Very well," said Frances. "You'll come with us, Edward."

"WHAT?" protested the young man incredulously.

"Edward, don't be rude!" Elizabeth responded. The earl quickly exhausted his energy with his fiancée's family. Everyone had a such a unique personality. After the servants bid the family farewell in unison, the family and the couple boarded their respective carriages and departed.

Elizabeth and her fiancé were sitting together in the carriage, conversing about the events of the past few days. Despite his reserved demeanor, the young Earl always added interesting comments to the conversation and was paying close attention to every word his fiancée uttered. After all they had been through together on the Campania, they had learned to be more open and honest with each other.

Time flew by quickly. The Grenville mansion was located on the outskirts of London, so there was no need to stay at his second residence. The bright entrance dazzled guests as they arrived, contrasting with the dark colors that loomed in the sky. Once the Earl, his fiancée, and his family got out of the carriages, the butler approached the young master stealthily and whispered in his ear:

"Young master, please forgive my boldness, but an English gentleman should always praise his fiancée before a dance," the young man looked at him angrily.

"I already know," he snapped.

"The carriage will be waiting outside when you want to leave. I must go and take care of the mansion and ensure that everything is in order." Sebastian made a bow, bidding farewell to the family, got into the carriage, and left.

"Shall we enter, Lizzy?" said the Earl as he offered his arm to his fiancée. Elizabeth smiled.

"Delighted!" And so, they entered the grand mansion.

As expected, the salon was huge. A large chandelier hung from the ceiling, illuminating most of the room. Other lights and candles accompanied the illumination. The women wore striking and beautiful dresses of different designs and colors, while the men wore formal but elegant dark-colored suits. The live orchestra could be heard throughout the ballroom from behind the curtains, playing classic songs from that era, preparing to play the first dance songs. Elizabeth couldn't contain her excitement at such a scene, loving the pretty dresses and heels.

"Ah! It's so beautiful, Ciel," she said with excitement, her eyes shining as she brought her hands to her face in a charming way.

"Of course," the Earl said, although he hated balls. He wouldn't go if it were up to him, and if he had to go, he would like to be a flower in a vase. The real reason he had attended? During the Count Ridley's party in Brighton, which he had attended with Elizabeth, she expressed her desire for him to invite her to these types of events more often since he didn't do it regularly. The young man replied that he would consider it for the future. Nevertheless, he believed that it was a bunch of aristocrats saying useless things. And on the other hand, his coordination was terrible. He had dance lessons with Miss Maryerl every week, but he simply didn't like it. Even so, he had worked hard to improve, not only to dance with his fiancée but also to show that he was a true English gentleman to society and not be the laughingstock.

"To Aunt Ann, these parties were a delight," Elizabeth recalled with nostalgia.

"Yes, she was the center of attention at these parties," her fiancé replied, smiling slightly and nodding his head. "Shall we get something to drink, Elizabeth?" he suggested. As they headed towards the nearest table, the Earl came across a familiar silhouette.

"Lau?" the Earl exclaimed in surprise.

"Oh, Earl Phantomhive!" the manager of the Shanghai branch of the Kong-Rong Trading Company responded joyfully. He was, as always, accompanied by his "little sister," Ran-Mao, who nodded her head in greeting.

"What brings you here?" the Earl asked.

"Well, you know, business here, business there," the Chinese man commented with a melodic intonation.

"I see," the young Earl replied, looking around for familiar faces from the underworld.

"And she is… Ah! Miss Elizabeth! It's a pleasure to see you, you look splendid tonight," Lau said, bowing.

"Lau, Ran-Mao, it's nice to see you again," Elizabeth responded, bowing in return.

"New hairstyle? It looks excellent, I didn't recognize you," Lau noted.

"Y-yes, thank you for noticing," the young woman replied, touching the curls that fell on her shoulder. Ran-Mao approached to touch her curls out of curiosity. While Elizabeth talked with Ran-Mao about her dresses and the evening, Lau approached the Earl and whispered in his ear, "Young Phantomhive, take care of what's yours or it could be taken away. There are many young men in this room willing to dance with your fiancé tonight," Lau said in a teasing tone. The young Earl glared at him.

"Don't meddle in my affairs," he replied.

"Ah! There's that look, as expected of the Earl," Lau said, shrugging his shoulders. "It was a joke, a joke, don't take it so seriously, haha," the merchant laughed.

They were discussing business when the Earl Grenville arrived to welcome them.

"Earl Phantomhive! Mr. Lau! It's a pleasure to see you in my humble home," the host of the soirée said. "I hope you have a wonderful evening; I was waiting for your arrival."

"Thank you very much for the invitation," the Earl replied, bowing.

"Now that you have arrived, shall we begin the dance, don't you think? You are our special guest, could you do us the honor of performing the opening dance?" the young Earl froze like a stone. If he already didn't like to dance, it was worse in front of an audience. He could feel a small smile on Lau's face, but he didn't look at him, he had to remain polite. Besides, the Earl of the Phantomhive family had to live up to these requests. He felt Elizabeth's gaze on him.

"It would be an honor," the Earl replied.

"Marvelous! I'll go give the welcome speech, if you'll excuse me." The host walked away from them until he reached the stairs of the hall, where he greeted the guests and wished them a good evening. At the end of his speech, he announced that the opening dance would be performed by Earl Ciel Phantomhive. All the guests applauded and looked at him, who was near the entrance. The young man approached his fiancé, and as he extended a hand, he asked, "Lady Elizabeth, would you do me the honor of dancing with me?" His fiancé felt her heart racing with excitement.

"Delighted!" she replied enthusiastically.

The two young people made their way to the center of the ballroom to begin the dance. Although the earl tried to hide it, he was nervous. He had to show all the aristocrats there that he was competent enough to perform something as trivial as a dance. Still, in his head, he could hear and feel Sebastian judging him with a small smile, which annoyed him greatly. To get rid of these intrusive thoughts, he took a deep breath and gazed fixedly at his fiancée before bringing her close to his body. With his right hand, he encircled his fiancée's waist, while she placed her arm on his shoulder. His left hand took hers and raised it up. Elizabeth felt her fiancé's determined gaze on her and blushed with tenderness. As the music began, they both started dancing a beautiful waltz while they made their way around the circle of people surrounding them. Elizabeth seemed to float with excitement. She never took her eyes off her fiancé. They were almost the same height, so looking at him wasn't difficult, but she couldn't escape his gaze either. That deep blue eye and the patch that covered the eye that the flames engulfed three years ago. She had never wanted to ask him what had happened that day. She believed it was too painful to remember. She didn't deny that she had tried multiple times, but perhaps deep down, she feared knowing the truth.

The earl's decisive and precise steps made it seem like he had been dancing for years. Elizabeth knew her fiancé didn't like to dance, but she knew he was trying to appear as a man within society, before all the spectators' eyes. After all, she was also doing her part by not wearing heels. In fact, for brief moments, he seemed a bit taller than her.

They performed perfect turns and didn't bump into any guests. As the song changed tone, the guests began to join them in the waltz, with them in the center.

"I wish we could freeze time forever," the young woman thought.

After a final turn, the song ended with a sudden cut. All the guests applauded in amazement. The earl felt Edward's fierce gaze and the approval of his uncles. With one hand, he led his fiancée out of the dance circle.

"Earl Phantomhive, that was truly impressive," Lau said, applauding when the couple reached his side.

"This was nothing," said the earl smiling, but immediately excused himself and went outside to the patio. Elizabeth felt worried at such action, had she upset him again?

When the young man was outside, he touched the marble railing that overlooked the garden and let out a deep sigh.

"Ah… what a spectacle, everyone was gazing at us dancing, and Elizabeth… Elizabeth…" thought the Earl with flushed cheeks as he gasped for breath. He thanked the universe that Sebastian hadn't seen him in those moments of vulnerability.

"Ciel?" he heard Lizzy's voice behind him. "Are you okay?" The Earl quickly turned around.

"Ah! Lizzy! I'm sorry, I needed some fresh air," he said as he tried to control his ragged breath. His fiancée arrived at his side, leaned her lower back against the marble structure, and looked inside the mansion with a sad expression. The two fell silent as they calmed their breathing.

"I'm sorry for bringing you here, Ciel," the young woman commented to the air, smiling nervously, and looking at her hands, "I know it's not your thing, and you always agree to do what I say to make me happy," her bangs slowly covered her eyes. She knew her fiancé didn't like dancing, attending these stupid balls, or talking to aristocrats. She felt guilty. Every time she tried to cheer him up, she ended up putting him in an uncomfortable position. The Earl was confused, where had she gotten such ideas? He separated from the railing to look at her.

"Lizzy, look at me," the Earl ordered as he took one of her hands, "You don't bother me," the Earl responded, softening his features in his face, because he had hurt her with his reluctant attitude. He meant it. Yes, his fiancée's overwhelming energy and emotions could create chaos, and they could sometimes have some arguments, but he really appreciated everything she did for him. She was the light in the darkness in which he was immersed. "If I do something with you, it's because I really want to do it," the young man said sincerely. "Is that why you've been distant today? Because you think you are bothering me?" the young Earl asked.

"I-I—," the words wouldn't come out of the young woman's mouth. She tried to hold back her tears, but she couldn't help the drops that accumulated at the corners of her eyes. She hated herself for it because she knew Ciel didn't like weeping girls. "I always bring you problems, Ciel," she began to say, "I wanted you to see that I have matured, that I'm not a girl anymore. I don't want to keep bothering you, causing you problems, or even embarrassing you," oh, now the Earl understood. They both tried to make the other happy. He let out a sigh and brought his right hand to his fiancée's face. With his thumb, he wiped away the beautiful tears that were flowing from her emerald eyes.

"Lizzy, you don't cause me any problems, let alone embarrass me…" the Earl took the young woman's chin and made her look at him, "so you can keep being who you are, okay?" Elizabeth nodded. The Earl pulled out a handkerchief from his suit and gently wiped away the traces of tears. "Don't cry anymore, you'll ruin how beautiful you look today with that hairstyle," he said. Ah, he had said it. His fiancée always brought out his most vulnerable side.

"D-do you mean it, Ciel? Do you think I look pretty?" Elizabeth asked curiously, leaning closer to the young master's face. At such an action, he blushed.

"Of course, you look pretty, you always look pretty," the young man said without thinking. His own words made him blush even more. Ahh, again, he was grateful that Sebastian wasn't with him at that moment. He would surely laugh in his face. But he didn't want to think about his butler at that moment. He was with his fiancée after all. The person he would protect without hesitation.

"You make me so happy, Ciel," Elizabeth said seconds before hugging him tightly. Instead of staying still, the young man wrapped his arms around her and dropped his head on her shoulders. A feeling of tranquility invaded him.

They returned to the dance. The earl invited his fiancée to dance several times, even though his feet hurt from doing so. Elizabeth was exhausted. She danced and shared the whole evening with her fiancé and the other guests until Elizabeth's parents decided it was time to leave.

The carriages were waiting for them. As his fiancée's family headed to the carriage, the earl gently stopped his fiancée before she continued forward. Elizabeth turned around and looked at him directly.

"Lizzy, I must confess that I did read the book you left at the mansion," he said as he cleared his throat and looked out into the horizon.

"Really? I didn't expect you to read a silly romance book," Elizabeth responded.

"Is it one of your favourite books, am I mistaken?" the young man asked.

"Well, it is," Elizabeth said somewhat excitedly and embarrassed that her fiancé had read something like that. "What did you think of it?" she asked.

"It's nonsense," her fiancé replied.

"Fufu, I knew it, Ciel," she said with a small laugh. "It's not your type of reading at all!"

"No, it's not. However," the earl paused as he looked into her eyes. "I think after dancing with you tonight, I can understand Darcy's feelings for Elizabeth a little more," the young man said, smiling shyly. Usually, he was the one who blushed at his fiancée's displays of affection. But he was not someone who showed his love physically, but rather with actions and words. This was one of them. Elizabeth blushed at her fiancé's words.

"W-what do you mean, Ciel?" Lizzy brought her hands to her cheeks. Her fiancé sighed as he closed his eyes.

"May I escort you to the carriage, milady?" the earl asked politely, offering her his arm.

The Earl helped his fiancée into the carriage and said goodbye to the rest of her family. The carriage started moving and Elizabeth waved goodbye to him from the window. Sebastian was waiting for him with the carriage ready.

"How was your evening, milord?" asked Sebastian, bowing in greeting to his young master.

"Excellent," said the young Earl, smiling as he got into the carriage. Sebastian followed him.

The night was cool. During the ride, the Earl fell into a deep sleep, while a gentle waltz melody filled his mind. Sebastian noticed his young master was tired but had a soft and warm expression that would have produced tenderness if he wasn't a simple one hell of a butler.

*A/N: In one part, I mention Brighton's mansion. Please refer to the game Kuroshitsuji: Phantom & Ghost for further information. In my universe, that game is canon cause there is a lot of material for o!cielizzy XD. That's where I got o!Ciel's thoughts about taking Elizabeth to dance, hehe >w< (he says explicitly that he'll take consideration on Elizabeth's request).

Heyo~, hope you sweeties enjoyed this new chapter. OMG, I've been struggling for more than a week to finish this. It takes a lot of work to get into the minds of the character's creators (Yana Toboso). Of course, I can create situations in which we have already seen how a character reacts in canon in order to replicate their behavior in a similar way, but what happens when it's situations we haven't seen frequently, like a dance, the thoughts about a book, or deeper displays of affection from another character? (a.k.a. Elizabeth)?? I asked myself all that during this week. That's why I sincerely hope Ciel's attitude makes sense to you and that it didn't turn out as OOC (out-of-character) and, above all, that you liked it!

Please, leave a comment if you are so kindhearted;w; See you~