Anime: Black Butler
Requested by: @lookincooljoker5

(Y/n)'s POV

The touch of a wispy smile graced my face as I descended down the spiralling staircase, which was centred at the ballroom. The guests all turned their attention to my figure as I headed down.

Of course, the eldest of the prestigious (L/n) family would be the central focus of this gala. My parents' goal was to find a suitable heir as well as a loyal person who could become my future husband.

Smiling as the various guests came to greet me, I met my mother's gaze. She nodded discreetly, allowing me some influence as to who I would prefer. Although it would be ideal to choose someone who could provide our family with privileges that benefitted us, to choose someone whom I loved was not something my parents had neglected either.

"(Y/n)-chan."

Hiding the disgust and growing uncomfortableness with a practised yet pretentious smile, I turned towards the blonde male with a slight curtsy as he took a hold of my hand.

"You'll choose me, right?" Alois asked, his eyes wide with hope.
"We'll have to see."
"(Y/n)-chan, it's lonely without a friend. Just say yes and it'll all be over."
"I'm sorry, Alois but it isn't as simple as saying yes to the first person I see."
"You always make things harder for me-"
"And that's precisely how I want it. If she hadn't held back, I believe I would have been unbelievably upset by the fact that I didn't even get a chance to talk to her," exclaimed Ciel.
"Ciel...how nice of you to join us," commented Alois, although I could detect the venom laced in between his words.
"May I have this dance?" Ciel asked me.
"I'd be honoured."
"Eh?! (Y/n)-chan-"
"I'm so terribly sorry but please excuse us," replied Ciel.

Concealing my relief with a forced apologetic smile, I followed Ciel towards the opposite side of the ballroom but neither of us made an attempt to go towards the dance that had just started.

The soft music seemed to paint the atmosphere in a sense of calming relaxation in an attempt to hide the tension rising around us. The time to choose someone was only growing shorter with every passing minute yet my heart remained indecisive. However, I knew for a fact that Alois was out of the question.

"Do you have anyone in mind?" Ciel asked quietly.

Only then did I take the chance to put this question into perspective. No matter how logical it was to consider every possible 'candidate', the one person that stuck to my mind the most was...Ciel.

We had indeed been childhood friends. Our parents were once friends too. We were inseparable in terms of loyalty and bonds but there was an exception to this. Ciel did, at one point, tell me that his fiancé was Lady Elizabeth, which had undoubtedly broken my heart.

"Wouldn't you rather it remain a secret? I will be announcing it later tonight."
"(Y/n), you know I do not like being kept in the dark. Who are you thinking about?"
"The person I'm thinking about...is an impossibility."
"Then why not choose another?"
"Because I cannot help but always think about this one person."
"Then perhaps I can put in a good word for you. Does this person not favour you as much as you favour him?"
"I'm not entirely sure about that. I hate to say this but I doubt...you'd be able to do much to change the situation..."
"Why not trust me on this, (Y/n)? Your life depends on this choice and I have no intention to ruin it."

I looked him in the eye and saw the pain that he had tried to hide away. My words must've been like a stab to the heart. After all, betrayal by a close one was far worse than betrayal by a hundred strangers.

Ciel's POV

She seemed to have noticed the wound she had inflicted on me. I simply brushed it away as nothing but an unimportant feeling with the same stoic expression I'd normally show strangers and the like.

"Ciel...it's you," she whispered.
"Me?"
"I know, it sounds much too ambitious and selfish. After all, you already have a fiancé, do you not? Even if you didn't, I would only be adding to your stress. I couldn't possibly make the burden even worse for you."
"...you've always been able to say stuff like this without getting flustered. I admire you for that."
"W-well, I'd hardly call that a good trait..."
"A-about Elizabeth...I lied about that."
"You...lied?"
"The only thing I can do is ask for your forgiveness. At the time...I was too embarrassed when you asked if I had someone I liked...so I just replied with an answer that didn't satisfy your curiosity..."
"...why?"
"*blush* Because I like you."

I unconsciously bit my lip and looked away from her sincere gaze. All the time seemed to have slowed down save for the fast beating of my heart as I, as uncharacteristic as it was, waited nervously for her to break the silence that had surrounded us.

"Is that true?" she asked.
"It's as true as our unbreakable bond."
"(Y/n)-chan, you're not thinking of choosing Ciel, are you?" Alois asked as he placed a casual arm over her shoulder.
"Why do you care so much about my choice?" questioned (Y/n).
"Because I'm afraid I've fallen in love with you yet he claims to like you as well. I can't have him stealing you away like that."
"Alois, my choice is mine and mine alone."
"But..."
"Also, I would appreciate it if you let go of me."

I clicked my fingers. Within seconds, Sebastian had his hand on Alois's shoulder, yet Claude had also grabbed Sebastian's arm. (Y/n) took this distraction to slip out of Alois's hold before making her way towards her parents after taking a hold of my sleeve.

"What are you doing?"
"I'm going to tell my parents before Alois spreads false rumours about my wanting him. If that gets out, I wouldn't know what to do," she answered.
"And you assumed that I'd just agree to your choice?"
"You mean choosing you? You practically said yes."
"Yet-"
"Stop with the teasing. You will not hear the words you want to hear."
"(Y/n), have you decided?" asked her mother once we came to a stop.
"Young Ciel, is he your choice?" her father asked.
"Yes father."
"And I trust you will not betray my daughter?" he asked.
"I assure you, sir, there is no need to worry."
"Of course you will. Your parents asked us to watch over you and we intend to keep that promise. So I ask that you make us a promise and watch over (Y/n)."
"I will, I swear on my life."