The Queen's Panther

8. Life at the Circus

I don't own Black Butler and all that. Some lines are from the Book of Circus.

"I never expected to see a Soul Keeper here," Will says. "Much less one of your reputation."

He and Thorne stand a short distance away from the edge of the second-stringer tents.

"I didn't expect a reaper," Thorne replies. "I didn't think the future was enough to get someone like you involved."

"Yet unfortunately, here I am," Will says begrudgingly. "I assume you know who's to die?"

"And I assume you know that may change?" Thorne says.

Will nods. "I excepted as much. Less work for me. What about the devil?"

"What about him?"

"Yes, what about me?"

The two turn and see the demon has joined them.

"My devil," Thorne says with a smile.

"My Keeper," Sebastian replies.

Thorne looks between the demon and reaper, a smirk coming to his lips. "I leave you two to... talk. Try not to kill each other, and I mean that, both of you."

The soul Keeper walks off, stepping into his private tent when he's called by the puppet replica of Joker. Sitting on his bed, Thorne looks through the puppet's eyes, seeing the meeting of some sort the other first stringers are in. All of them except Raven and Snake.

"Listen, all of you," Joker says. "Beast, Peter, Wendy, Jumbo. I spoke with Father. He says we have not yet gathered enough sweets for the main event. We'll collect more tonight, now pass that along to Dagger and Doll, alright?"

Thorne blinks, his eyes narrowing. He'll have to keep an eye of the first-stringers tonight.

⚯

"Ciel was anything but happy when Joker said he would be bunking with Doll," Raven says, walking into Thorne's tent. "And Sebastian was assigned to the same tent as that Grim Reaper."

Thorne snickers, lounging on his bed. "I bet that'll go well."

Raven rolls his eyes. "What's with the panthers?"

"Company," Thorne replies, one hand resting one of the panther puppets in the tent. "Now, Joker's puppet gave insight to an... interesting conversation."

Raven's eyes narrow as Thorne tells him what happened. "Thorne, what happens tonight?"

"You know I can't say," Thorne replies, shaking his head. "Soul Keepers are forbidden to tell possible future events to other beings."

"Please," Raven whispers. "Can you at least tell me if they survive?"

"I—" Thorne sighs. "In few futures do they all survive. I will do my best to make one of them happen."

"Thorne, I'm scared," Raven admits softly. "The guarddog will not let the task go unfinished. They will always be in danger."

"Perhaps not," Thorne replies, grasping Raven's hand gently. "Maybe you can convince him otherwise."

"Me?" Raven asks, raising an eyebrow. "Why me?"

"Sebastian and I both agree that Ciel likes you," Thorne replies. "And I can see that you like him too."

"No one would ever accept us," Raven says softly.

"And why should their opinions matter?" Thorne says. "Who you love is your choice."

"Ciel is to be we to Elizabeth Midford."

"Raven, stop blowing holes in my ship."

"Your what?"

Thorne only laughs.

⚯

"Ready?" Raven says. "We are going to accomplish this this time, I know it!"

"You said that the last time we tried," Thorne replies, arms crossed as one of his panther puppets rubs it's cheek against his leg.

"Well this time it's going to work!" Raven replies. "Now come on!"

Thorne sighs, giving a nod to the three panther puppets. The creatures take their places and the circus pair tries for the tenth time to complete the trick.

Thorne stands on the tightrope, Raven below on the ground. The panthers running around the circus ring, jumping through the hoops set up. As one starts running towards Raven, they both jump. Raven uses the panther like a springboard to launch himself higher, reaching for Thorne's hand. The soul keeper has let himself fall, legs hooked over the tightrope as he swings down to reach Raven.

Their outstretched hands connect, fingers grasping to lock together, but they fail. For the tenth time, Raven falls. He's caught by the panthers, who are unharmed by the boy's weight due to their not being real.

"Damn," Raven curses, getting up and pacing angrily.

"We just need to work on the grab," Thorne says as his wings come out and he flies down to the ground, wings disappearing again. "If you want, I can use magic."

"But that's not as fun as doing it ourselves," Raven whines, crossing his arms and pouting like a child.

"Well, lets take a break," Thorne says. "We can try again later. I have a few souls to create anyway."

"Fine."

⚯

"How interesting," Thorne muses, lying on his bed and watching through the puppet Dagger's eyes. "So it seems they are behind all of this. But for what reason?"

He watches as Doll hesitates to kill the policeman, as Joker kills him instead.

"Dear me," Thorne whispers. "I would have never guessed... They never hint at it... Just how long...? That bloody Baron and his bloody obsession." The obsidian darkness in his eyes fades as he blinks, looking around his tent. "I know you're there, my devil. Come in."

Sebastian steps into the pale purple tent, unashamed of being caught. "What happened?"

"Nothing you need to know yet," Thorne replies, sitting up. "I take it you managed to sneak past William to get here?"

"Actually I promised him I was coming to see you," the demon replies. "I presume he will ask you whether or not this meeting happened or not tomorrow morning."

"Yes that does seem like him," Thorne muses. "Come here, love, it's been a while and I'm tired of this act we play in front of others."

Sebastian complies, sitting next to the soul keeper and basking in the warm feeling being in his arms provides.

"It's absurd," the demon mumbles, thinking aloud. "My kind are not meant to feel like this."

"Yet you do," Thorne says. "And only for me, my devil."

"Only for you," Sebastian agrees, the pair sharing a passionate kiss.

They cuddle in silence for a while, enjoying each other's company.

"How does my creation fair in this new environment?" Thorne asks eventually.

"The young master seems quite annoyed at living this way," Sebastian replies. "I am convinced that he will want to leave as soon as our job here is done."

"Yes I did make him quite a bit spoiled," Thorne says. "Maybe that was a bad idea... but he wouldn't be himself without it, now would he."

"No," Sebastian agrees. "If he was any less spoiled I would think him to be an imposter."

Thorne chuckles, then yawns. "Oh dear, it's gotten quite late."

"This is one of your resting nights, isn't it," Sebastian says, getting an unneeded nod in reply. The demon presses himself closer to the soul keeper, cradling him. "Get some sleep, love. I'll watch over you and be here when you wake."

Thorne smiles sleepily. "I missed this, love."

"Me too," Sebastian replies. "Now sleep."