Crimson Butler

Jareth

"So, what are you going to call me?" Other asks curiously. Ciel thinks for a minute then he looks at the demon.
"Jareth," the name rolls out of Ciel's mouth without him noticing. Jareth nods
"Jareth eh? I quite like it," he gives a large grin. Ciel nods. He looks at William.
"Can we let him out now?" Ciel asks. William looks at Jareth a long moment.
"Yes. I believe he is tame enough now," he looks at Kori. Kori sighs and opens up the isolation cell. Jareth steps out and goes to Ciel. He gives a proper now.
"Don't," Ciel command s Jareth freezes then looks at him.
"Don't bow to me. Ever. Understand? Unless I say otherwise. Understand?"
"Of course sir-"
"Ciel. God it's like retraining Grell," Ciel rolls his eyes.
"Ah yes. That is exactly what it is."
"What's my next riddle. We have to get a move on with the contract," Ciel says.
"What do roses always have?" He asks. Ciel looks a bit confused.
"Petals?" No reply, "stems," nothing, "leaves. Give me a break here!" Jareth starts to laugh. William lifts an eyebrow.
"What?"
"You're over complicating it Ciel. Thing about it," Jareth smiles. Ciel thinks.
"Thorns?" Snap and point. Correct.
"What do thorns have to do with the contract?"
"What are thorns always with but it is not always with thorns?" Jareth asks.
"You're insane," Ciel says a bit bored. He sighs. Jareth laughs.
"Plants?" Ciel asks.
"Narrow it down," Jareth's eyes shimmer.
"Roses?" Snap and point. Correct.
"What about roses?"
"What about them?" Jareth raises an eyebrow, "ring ring," he does the phone sign with his hand. Ciel looks at the reapers in the room, then to the one demon sitting in back looking down and away.
"Tigrin?" Ciel asks.
"Yes?" He asks a bit angry.
"What does he mean?"
"He wants me to tell. By law I'm not allowed to-"
"You have permission," Sean says. The other reapers look at him surprised and confused.
"Why wouldn't you be able to tell?" Ciel asks.
"Grell is never supposed to find out what painting the roses red means."
"It's just a song in a kids book. What could be-"
"It has another meaning in reaper and demon culture. See normally reapers and demons can not intermingle or have any sort of romantic relationship. It's against the rules. It's a taboo."
"You and Undertaker-"
"We broke the rules and committed the ultimate taboo. Even worse then refusing to devour a contact's soul. We painted the roses."
"And? What does that mean?"
"Painting the roses is where a reaper and demon create a multiparty contract. The final part is already decided. The other parts can be made as they go. 6 parts. The last part, 7th part, is always the same."
"What would that ve?" Ciel asks a bit worried.
"A child. But the first 6 parts must be finished before this can be attempted. There's also the issue of gaining favor from either Lucifer or Death."
"How do you do that?" Ciel started to become worried. Part of him didn't want to know.
"A sacrifice. Two actually. The first of blood. The second of soul. One of the two must give up what they are. The reaper tends to do this and becomes a human. As per contract the demon devours the soul of the now human," Tigrin explains.
"And?"
"Do you remember what I was when we met?"
"You were an old man."
"A human."
"So you became a human?"
"I didn't want to lose Adrian, " Tigrin says.
"So you sacrificed."
"I am the child of thorns after all. All who commit this taboo are called thorns. I am the only demon out of the 5 sets to become human." Ciel nods and looks at Jareth. He knocks on the table four times then taps his head. Ciel watches confused.
"What?"
"Can be limber can be quick?" He asks then chuckles.
"Give it to me straight," Ciel says annoyed.
"That's Grell's job. Mine is to be cryptic as all hell," he smiles wickedly.
"I don't know what your hint means."
"It's like purgatory. But not as reapers are purgatory," he says.
"What?"
"Granny makes good soup." William looks up.
"Ring ring," Jareth says. Ciel sighs and looks at William.
"Limbo," he says. Jareth snaps and points to William. Correct.
"There is 4 of something in limbo?" Ciel asks. Snap and point. Correct.
"4 of what?" Ciel asks. Jareth looks at Undertaker and Tigrin.
"Thorns?" Ciel asks hesitently. Jareth gives a wicked smile.
"What about them?"
"You have so much to learn Ciel. Maybe you should take to the flowers on the bushes."
"The roses?"

Sithis sits alone in Undertaker's shop. Ciel and Jareth walk in. He looks up.
"My siblings aren't here yet-"
"That's fine. I just need answers."
"About?"
"Painting the roses red."
"What about it?"
"How the blood sacrifice works."
"You don't want to know."
"But I do. Actually you're right. I need to know."
"You're insane."
"What can I say. Grell and Jareth have rubbed off on me."
"I shouldn't do this," he looks around nervous then to Ciel, "if anyone asks, you didn't get this from me." He removes a necklace from his neck. It's a silver chain and has a small red vial on the end with an odd liquid inside. He goes to ciel and hands him the vial.
"Drink this before you go to sleep. You'll see the memories of a thorn you have met. And remember, if anyone asks you didn't get it from me. My siblings would kill me for giving it away." Sithis looks around then goes and sits on the coffin stack again. He looks at Ciel then shoos him away. Ciel nods and leaves with Jareth. They head to the newly finished Phantomhive manor.
"Jareth, how about you go read or something. I know as a demon you don't sleep at all. I'll be alright," Ciel says. Jareth nods.
"If you need me, don't be afraid to call," he sayx. He goes off to the library to read. Ciel sighs and drinks the liquid. He then lays down and falls asleep. He wish he hadn't.