𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕼𝖚𝖊𝖊𝖓'𝖘 𝕷𝖎𝖔𝖓: 𝕮𝖔𝖛𝖊𝖗𝖙

Home Sweet Home

Even at night, the streets of London could be full of life. There were couples and groups of friends wandering down the roads, looking for pubs and stores to spend their hard earned money. And if you squinted, you could see the occasional prostitute and hustler waiting to pick up customers on the street corners. Cabs and their horses clopped down the cobblestone streets and their hooves and wheels working against the rock was like music to Y/N's ears. Due to what had happened last time Y/N was left to her own devices and was kidnapped as a result, Sebastian escorted Y/N not just to the door of the Dozy Dog but to a seat at the bar to wait on Alice to greet her. Y/N managed to convince Ciel and Sebastian that she did not require constant supervision, so she would be left alone during her time at the Dog, but Sebastian would return at a set curfew to retrieve her.

Due to a new pesky curfew, Y/N managed to convince Sebastian to take her to the Dog much earlier than usual. This also meant she'd get to spend more time with Christopher before it was time for him to be sent off to bed. Y/N was practically buzzing with excitement as she was walked to her bar stool. She waved Sebastian goodbye and waited for Alice to notice her favorite customer had returned. "Be with ya inna moment!" Alice shouted from the back of the pub. She was taking the order of a group sitting in one of the back booths. Y/N watched with a smile as Alice tended to the customers. It looked like the dinner crowd had just started to pour in. Y/N was ready to put her old apron back on and get to work once more as a waitress, though she doubted Alice would let her.

"Alright, I'll get that order in as soon as possible," Alice smiled as she slipped her notepad into the pocket of her apron and dashed over to the kitchen window to slip Rosina the paper before she dashed over to the bar. She didn't even notice it was Y/N as she slid to a stop behind the counter. "What can I get started for ya-" Alice looked up and her face completely froze. Y/N couldn't help the massive smile that broke out across her lips.

"Surprise," Y/N said a little nervously as Alice remained frozen in place with a look of pure shock. "I can expla-"

"Y/N where the Hell have you been?" Alice shouted as she nearly leapt across the bar to throw her arms around Y/N's neck and shoulders to pull her into a back-breaking hug. "We've all been worried sick about you! Don't you ever do somethin' like that ever again, ya hear me?" Alice scolded Y/N as she hugged her back. Y/N could hear the way Alice's voice was cracking and how her breath was slightly ragged.

"I promise," Y/N murmured as she hugged her friend back just as tightly. Both the women had tears brimming in their eyes and were trying to look up so that they didn't fall and streak down their faces. "I wasn't supposed to be gone for so long, I just... And I would have come to see you but..." Y/N's voice shook and she knew if she said another word, she would start to cry.

"I don't give a shit," Alice whispered as she hugged Y/N even tighter. "I'm jus' glad you're back." After another few moments of the two hugging, Alice finally pulled back. But not before announcing, "Y/N's back, everyone!" to the entire pub.

Several people cheered, and Y/N could recognize the faces and voices of several regulars. They all whooped and hollered and a few even clapped. Some got up from their seats and came over to welcome Y/N back. Many of the elderly regulars gently embraced her and spoke about how wonderful it was to see her youthful face again. While the younger crowd didn't hesitate to smack her joyfully on the back and spout remarks about how they were afraid she had begun working a corner one too many streets down. Y/N laughed with them until her sides hurt and her smile felt like her face was on fire.

But there was no one more excited to see Y/N than Christopher. The second Y/N's name left Alice's lips, Christopher shot down the stairs that led up to the loft and bowled his way into Y/N's open arms, all the while chanting her name. There was no one more excited than he that Y/N had walked back through the door of the Dog. Even when the regulars came to give Y/N their greetings, he stayed planted in her lap with his arms around her neck and his face buried in the crook of her shoulder. Y/N patted his back reassuringly the entire time. God she had missed him so much.