Around two months passed. It had been rather awkward between the both of you. Not like anyone would notice, and it was slightly harder to work with him. It wasn't intended,  and it started off small, you'd find yourself thinking about what he did,  then slowly it got worse over time,  growing into baffling insecurity. Negative insecure thoughts swarmed your mind constantly,  no matter how much he reassured you it couldn't stop your overthinking that he'd be doing something you wouldn't approve of while you were asleep or generally not with him. At night you stayed up crying, ridiculous thoughts of him and Mey-rin or some random woman from off the street floating through the darkness. Using his somewhat valid reason as a blatant excuse to justify what he did. All meaningless thoughts, Sebastian didn't even know how insecure you felt, how broken.. like you weren't enough anymore. He did give you your space, probably thinking you were still mad at him, but you told him you forgave him. But did you really, if you did then why these thoughts? You passed Sebastian in the hallway with two men dressed in white while on the way to the drawing-room where you just left the young lord. He beckoned you with a look to follow along.

~

"A dinner party at the Phantomhive manor?"

"Yes, with a particular guest of honour, his name is Herr Georg von Siemens, a notable German gentleman in distant relations with Her Majesty. He's interested in England's industry," the man named Sir Charles Phipps said. 

"But wouldn't he find it a bit disconcerting to be surrounded by strangers on his visit I know I would. Perhaps a dinner with Her Majesty would better suit." He turned the letter around sliding it back towards the men in stark white.

"Refusing? Is that such a good idea? Her Majesty isn't very please with you at the moment. The case concerning the children wasn't very satisfying in your report. Her trust in you isn't very high at the moment," the other named Lord Grey said smirking at the young lord as if he were happy he was losing his favour with the Queen. The gears in the young lord's head were going as he looked over the letter again, slowly sitting back upright in his chair he folded his arms. "The honour would be mine."

They stood up satisfied with his answer and you moved to open the door, "Dont worry we can see ourselves out," Sir Charles Phipps said and he turned back to the young lord, "You have a fortnight,  I'm sure you'll be ready by then."

The young lord stood and stretched, a little irritated with his slip up. "You heard him Sebastian begin preparations for the dinner we want him to feel welcomed."

"Straight away my lord," he bowed.

 "Y/n, invite my usuals after that come straight to me. I have other people I'd like you to write to." You curtsied and hurried to the office to begin writing the letters to Mr. Lau and Baron Diedrich. After finishing them up you went to the young lord's study to see them chatting. "Now go," the young Lord instructed Sebastian and he bowed and left, you approached and showed him the letters. "Diedrich is in Germany at the moment we would've had the dinner before the letter would have time reach him. I'd like Dr. Arthur, you know the one who wrote that excerpt in Beetons. Grimsby Keane, Irene Diaz, Karl Woodley of the Woodley company, and a Mr. Phelps who works at the docks." The door opened with Sebastian coming back in, "It is done my lord."

His face grew serious as he stared at the both of you, "Now, I don't care what happened between you but you will get along at the dinner party. Do not disgrace my family name," he said sternly.

"Oh it's noticeable?" Sebastian asked.

"Don't be a fool. The whole household is on edge when the both of you are in the same room, not knowing if you'll attempt to kill each other or act like some shameless couple."

"Consider it done," you said before Sebastian could have a chance to talk. You could hold your tongue when needed and keep your composure in front of guests, so could Sebastian so it shouldn't be a problem. But of course, who likes to drag things by taunting you, this is Sebastian Michaelis we are talking about. 

~

"Would you-" you began but got cut off.

"Would you care for a drink?" Sebastian asked the doctor as he sat awkwardly, the both of you gave closed eye smiles smiled and offered him drinks and hors d'oeuvres trying not to let that raging fire in your chest get the best of you. He looked up at the both of you with admiration in his eyes and took both a drink and hors d'oeuvres. Walking away you went to fill the tray back up. "You offer the hors d'oeuvres before the drink, not during or after," he came behind you.

 "Are you going to constantly badger me about every little thing? Besides you came after me" you hissed at him, barely moving your lips so no one could notice, they might if they saw the look in your eyes. "About your behaviour in front of guests? Yes. And we walked up together, you'll forgive me eventually you know." 

 "Don't be so cheeky. Of course correct me but not while we have to serve. And if you think getting on my nerves so I completely forgive you is supposed to be cute then you're sorely mis-"

 "I told you to desist, I won't stand for this anymore! Keep your hands off me!" Your hushed conversation was cut short by your heads turning to see Ms. Diaz yelling at Herr Seimens who was drunk and pink in the face. "But my dear looked at how you're dressed. How is a man supposed to help himself?" He grabbed her shoulders and she slapped him. "You should be ashamed of yourself you cur!"

 "How dare you speak to me like that you strumpet?!" He angrily grabbed a glass of champagne and tossed it at her. Luckily or unlucky depending on how you viewed it, the liquid hit the young Lord as he stepped between them. Gasps were heard from the guests and you were surprised Sebastian had let it get this far. Your eyes darted to the left of you only to find he had disappeared. "Please, this is a party, for the sake of the other guests I ask both of you to step away-" the young lord was cut off.

 "You disgusting old codger, I'll teach you to touch what doesn't belong to you! " Yet another drunken man causing a scene, Mr. Keane grabbed the extra bottle of wine that was left to chill and threw it at the honoured guest. Sebastian grabbed the wine bottle mid-air and landed on a ladder next to a tower of crystal glasses that had seemingly magically appeared.

Pop!

He began to pour the bubbly wine into the topmost glass letting it cascade down into each lower glass. "Here we have a rare wine from the village of Purcari in Southeast Moldova, we do hope you'll enjoy a glass with us this evening."

 "It smells wonderful. I'll take a glass," Lord Charles Grey exclaimed. "I will as well," the drunk German stated. You and Mey-rin went around serving wine to the guests, avoiding Herr von Siemens unless he directly called you, he had also taken a liking to Mey-rin and was all over her. 

You walked by the young lord talking to Sebastian while on your way to refill the tray "... ah oui, comme ci comme ça. Il est frappé d’une maladie que les médecins eux-mêmes seraient désespérés de devoir traiter."

(...ah yes, neither good nor bad. He is stricken with an illness that the doctors themselves would be desperate to have to treat.)

"Ah ah ah my lord, c'est impoli de parler français devant des anglophones," you tsked. He smirked at you as you walked by and Doctor Arthur laughed, he probably understood.

(... it's rude to speak in French around English speakers.)

~

Herr von Siemens was shamelessly drunk and asleep after causing such a scene. Snoring quite loudly the young Lord had enough. "Help him Sebastian."

"Going to sleep my lord? " Lau asked. 

"Yes it's high time for children like me to sleep. Y/n with me, Sebastian will be too busy putting him to bed. Do enjoy the rest of the party." Tanaka held the door open for the three of you. Sebastian had the unconscious man on his back, who was three times his size. You walked behind the both of them silently. "You're loathed to be seen as a child until it's convenient."

"Shut it you."

You giggled at them and branched off from Sebastian and Herr von Siemens. His clothes were laid out in the bed so you set to undressing him straight away. "Tell me my lord, is this simply a dinner party? Quite specific guests for you to invite," you asked knowing full well there is a method to the Queen's madness, inviting such specifics to a dinner party made to welcome a foreigner.

"Yes this one is just a simple dinner party. Her Majesty wanted to make our honoured guest feel welcomed here in England and since our little mishap with the circus and the missing children she felt like giving me a simple task to earn back her trust."

"I see. You should wipe down with a hot towel, champagne can be sticky." 

"Fine," he stated in a bored voice. You grabbed a towel from the bottom of his wardrobe and took the heated jug of water and poured it over the towel. You began wiping him down when there was a knock at the door. "May I come in my Lord?"

"What is it Sebastian?"

"Y/n has work to attend to in the kitchen my lord," he shut the door behind him keeping his distance while you slopped his arms in his night shirt.

"So do you. We may not be in front of guests but you two still need to act properly. You will go down to the kitchens together and you will finish your tasks for the night. After that you will fix whatever it is that's going on that is an order," the seal on his normally covered eye glowed purple indicating he was serious as you were buttoning his shirt You sighed, you wanted to let it die out instead. "I'm tired of it, now leave me."