Midnight Sparkle

Chapter 4

Adrian stops through his front door, shedding his rain-soaked leather trench and squeezing out his hair because fuck Sebastian and his carpet. He strips down in the corridor and walks into his room, tugging pyjamas from his drawer and a blanket. Wrapping himself in the blanket he advances to the sitting room where Sebastian is lounging on the couch drinking a milky oolong. Adrian walks up and crashes into his lap before he can say anything.

"Gah - watch the tea!!" Sebastian yelps. Adrian shuffles further over his lap so his head is buried between Sebastian's legs. "How did it go...?"

"Sebastian!" Adrian wails, clutching his thigh. "It went horribly!"

"He was that ugly huh?"

Adrian shakes his head. "No, oh Lord 'e was so beau'iful! He had this 'air an' his eyes, Sebastian! Oh he was dreamy..."

"Aw, this is so cute," Sebastian pets Adrian's fluffy soft hair. Like a freshly groomed kitty or a cushion. "Are you falling for him?"

Adrian continues to hide his blush in Sebastian's lap but he tenses a little. Sebastian knows... he holds up the piece of paper with Vincent Phantomhive's number on it. Sebastian plucks it from between his fingers. "Ooh I was wrong. He's falling for you!" Sebastian bursts into cackles and claps, tossing the number on the coffee table. "Seducing a client, Adrian I had no idea you had it in you!"

"Shut it!" Adrian glares up at his friend. "I can' dissociate like you can..."

It's true. Sebastian has never been able to fall for or become overly attached to a client from Midnight Sparkle even after one with the alias 'Beast' fell deeply dependant for him. The reason for this is that Sebastian isn't only asexual but aromantic as well. He simply isn't interested in people in that way or in any way really. He can be amused by them, he can observe them with quiet delight but he cannot love them.

That's why he's perfect at his job.

Adrian on the other hand is a hopeless romantic and the Phantom has already stolen his heart.

"Well are you going to call him?" Sebastian teases.

"I c-can't!" Adrian stammers, sliding off Sebastian's lap and curling into a ball. "That's against... ethics... policy..."

"It's my business and I say go ahead!" Sebastian smiles. Honestly it is a grey area but he likes the idea of Adrian finding someone. He'd never even leave the house if it weren't for his work and if that's what it takes to get him someone to love them so be it. Who cares of it's a client? Sebastian takes another sip of his piping hot tea. "Now tell me more about this Phantom,"

*

Vincent wakes up the next morning to a large empty King-sized bed. He used to love this bed but as it's just him sleeping here the size makes him feel lonely. It drives home how empty this large manor is even if there are constantly people here. The staff, Madame Red, him and his sons. It isn't enough people to fill a house like this. "Dad!" Vincent shoots up to a sitting position and sees Junior standing by the end of his bed not wearing his eyepatch and scared out of his mind.

"What? What are you doing awake?" He inquires sleepily. Junior climbs onto the bed and onto Vincent's chest, sleeping on him. "Oh, another nightmare?"

Junior had been home with Rachel when the manor caught fire. His eye had burned out and he watches his mother calmly burn before his eyes. He was then sexually abused by the arsonists. Ever since he has been afflicted with PTSD and the nightmares only seem to get worse. Vincent blames himself and his illicit activities which ultimately led to the crime of passionate hatred. And he still hasn't caught the culprit. But he will. And when he does they will suffer the most brutal death he can provide them without the privilege of an undertaker to ferry them to the other side.

Vincent rub's Junior's back. "Come on, let's go and wake Ciel. I wonder what Bladroy has managed to burn for breakfast this morning..."

"HOW DO YOU BURN CEREAL?!" Ciel demands as they sit at the table. He drives his expensive metal toy locomotive around the round table using the edge as railroad tracks.

"Eh... I tried to boil the milk bu' I burned it so I poured the cereal in it in the pot so save time and...uh..." Baldroy scratches his head, an unlit cigarette having loosely from his mouth. Vincent rolls his eyes and prepares his sons fresh cereal - with cold milk. After the bowls are down, Vincent begins to talk in that weird way grown-ups talk when they are trying to lead you into agreement.

"Boys," he folds over his hands on the table. "I know nobody can replace your mother but... how would you feel if I made a very good friend and that very good friend comes to live with us, like she did?" He immediately thinks of the Undertaker but of course he hasn't called.

"Like another wife?" Ciel asks curiously.

"A girlfriend," Vincent hums. "Or boyfriend,"

"Then he'll be a husband!" Junior announces to nobody in particular and for no reason in particular. A car horn beeps from the front of the house and Vincent hands the twins their schoolbags.

"There's the chauffeur to take you to school. Go on now, don't make him late," Vincent encourages with a kiss to each twin's forehead. He sits at the table while Baldroy does dishes in otherwise silence until he's startled by a buzzing in his pocket. He picks up the phone and it's a number he doesn't recognise. He answers.

"Hello?"

Silence.

"Hello?" He asks more firmly. If this is a cold caller he's gonna be pissed. He's about to hang up when he hears a hissed.

"Say something!"

"B-But..." he smirks. He'd recognise that voice anywhere. His excitement level rises to High he can't help himself.

"Undertaker?!"

"F-Fuck..." whispered. "Um, h-hello... Vincent? I'm Ad - I'm the Undertaker,"

"I know..." Vincent begins. "Why are you calling?" Trying to keep the enthusiasm from his voice. He doesn't want to seem too interested.

"Because... um... you gave me your number,"

"And I said you could call if you'd like to get to know me better. Do you?" He's just torturing the Undertaker at this point but at the same time he really wants the answer to be yes. He just didn't know it.

"Y-Yeah... I do..."

"I love your real accent," Vincent chuckles. "And is also like to get to know you better. Coffee tomorrow?"

"Sounds... um... nice..."

"The Starbucks on Conduit Street? Can you make it there at... how about 1400 today?" Vincent checks his schedule on the fridge. That'll give him enough time to get back when the boys get in from school. If not he can just text Red.

"Yes... th-thanks you..."

Once Vincent hangs up he starts laughing, manically, and tosses the phone into the air only to be clumsily caught by Baldroy. "M-Master!" He gasps, heaving never seen Vincent like this.

"Oh it's so wonderful!" Vincent claps, spinning effervescently around the kitchen counterclockwise like a hyperactive child. "I'm going on a date!"

"A date?!"

"Yes, a date! Now I must go and get ready," he tugs at his blue striped pyjamas. Today is about impressing the Undertaker, he tells himself.