A/N - I'm a bitch of an author. I'm one hell of an author. I need to look in the mirror and tell myself that without bursting into laughter at how terrible my lying is.

And thank you to laughs_at_akwardness for the fabulous cover~

R e c a p - Early January, 1890

I made my choice. I was and am, (Y/N) (L/N). Maid of Lord Alois Trancy.

|Learning to Smile :: Step One by cookiecat567|
VI.|My Relationship(s)|

Early January, 1890
Trancy Manor
[Second Person's PoV]

"Hannah?" You asked softly.

She replied with the same gentle tone. "Yes?"

"Why don't you talk more often?"

She stays quiet for a moment.

"I don't know anything much about you."

Hannah speaks up, "My last name is Annafelloz," [Annafellows, Annafeloz? Someone tell me..]

She continued, "I'm a... demon..." she trailed off, eyebrows drawn together.

"(Y/N)! Hannah!" Alois called from downstairs.

And so we came.

I wished a good morning to Claude before passing into the dining room where breakfast was being served.

According to Alois, I was allowed a seat at the table whilst the others stood. At first, I politely declined, but then he started to demand it. Therefore, I took my seat.

I didn't touch the meal Claude and Hannah placed on the table, instead gave Hannah a look of sympathetic sadness.

"So," Alois started. "How are you enjoying being here?"

He seemed so cruel in public, it was almost always so alien to see him be kind. I had to admit though, it was cute.

"It's... nice." I replied finally. "Being here, I mean."

He bit off some of the French toast with a chuckle. "Cute. How old were you again?"

I looked down to my hands, still feeling uncomfortable after already spending a week here. "Fourteen, Young Master."

"Young Master?" He laughed. "I'm practically older than you!"

Well, that's what Sebastian called Ciel, even though he was my age. Younger by a few months, I think.

"Although I'd rather not be called old master, either." he smiled at his own joke.

Seriously, it's like he has personality disorder. I wonder what Ciel's doing––

I balked. Can't be thinking of this now, I've made my choice.

"You want to go back to him, don't you?" Alois hissed, practically reading my thoughts.

"I-!" Flinching, I fell to the ground, now realizing he'd slapped me.

"Yes or no?!" He cried. Alois grabbed me by the collar of my skimpy maid outfit.

I couldn't help it, so I ran. He shouted after me.

I continued to run.

I ran,

And ran,

And ran.

Until I found myself at a tea shoppe.

I was wet due to the rain that'd started during my run.

[Ciel's PoV]

"There's a tea shoppe somewhere around here." said Sebastian. "Perhaps we could take a break."

I nodded.

Grasping the umbrella tightly, Sebastian walked me to a small abode, almost mistaken for a run down old diner. There, sitting on the curb, was a girl with (dark/light) (h/c) hair –– (Y/N).

She looked up at me with a numb face. Eyes glazed, heavy blush and lips parted ever so slightly.

Her lips. I fought the urge to kiss them until they looked bee-stung, until I could carry her home and—

Bloody hell.

She stuttered out my name and I offered her a hand ignoring my previous thoughts.

She stood up and immediately bowed. "Gomen'nasai!" She exclaimed. "I-I'm sorry, I shouldn't have went to Alois, I beg for your forgiveness, Earl Ph–"

In the heat of the moment, I wrapped my arms around her. "I missed you."

She tensed up at the words, and I let go.

(Y/N) looked down, remorse painted on her face. "I... I missed you too."

"Finny had been crying." Sebastian said out of the blue.

She winced, biting her lip in guilt as she muttered another soft apology.

"Well," said Sebastian as he checked his pocket watch. "You can apologize when we get back to the manor."

"You mean," (Y/N)'s eyes lit up. "You're... re-hiring me?"

Sebastian smirked. "Why wouldn't we? There's no one else to keep the servants in check, now is there?"

"Sebastian..." her face melted into a grin as she ran up to hug him. "Thank you!"

Patting her head, my (black) butler smiled his cutesy looking smile.

"This is the second time we'll be bringing you back to the manor, is it not?" I asked.

"Well, I'll be conscious this time." she stated sheepishly. "And, I'm sorry for worrying you before... if I did worry you."

She smiled, a tense one I could recognize from so many other faces.

Lips drawn into a taut line, seeming to nudge up ever so slightly at the corners.

And so, we escorted her back to the mansion.

"Hey, uh... Earl Phantomhive..." she said it as if it were the strangest thing.

I looked back at her, her eyebrows furrowed as she stared out the carriage window.

"I- um... A-Alois..."

"Can we not?" I interrupted. "Save this for another time."

"O-oh." she sounded rather disappointed. "My apologies, then."

My eye(s) scanned over her features, noticing when her (e/c) eyes glazed and filled with tears, or her nervous habit of running her left hand through her shining (h/c) hair.

And, of course, her lips. The ones I had vividly hallucinated about.

[Your PoV]

"Mey-Rin!" I exclaimed, bringing the redhead into a hug.

"(Y/N)!" shouted another voice. "(Y-Y/N)!"

And there was Finny, running at me, stumbling every few seconds.

His eyes were filled with tears as he literally tackled me in an embrace.

"Finny..." My eyes widened, watching him bawl childishly. I helped him up and wiped his tears, kissing his cheek.

"I really missed you." Finny mumbled, his face bright red.

"How cute!" Mey-Rin squealed.

I hugged Finny again, although... I didn't notice the cold stare Ciel was giving me.

I patted Finny's head reassuringly. "You don't need to cry over someone like me."

"But I do!" Finny cried. "How can I not be sad when someone as great as you is gone?"

"I second that." said Ciel.

"A truthful statement indeed," said Sebastian.

Oh... no. Oh, no, no, no, no, no. It struck me.

I quickly thought up a diagram in my head, and realized.

What was my actual part in this? Ciel and Sebastian took likings to me, I think I like Ciel and Finny... I-I think.

"Is something the matter?" Ciel asked.

I didn't respond. So, Sebastian and Finny liked me, Finny big time, whilst Ciel and Sebastian liked to tease me...

I didn't notice myself fall to the ground on my knees, staring off into the distance.

I was planning.

Planning what to do, when to do it and how to do it.

This was only stage on of the insanity I'd later call my love life.

|To be Continued|
Check out "Sit Still, Look Pretty" by Daya.
It has no relation to this story whatsoever but it's a nice song and I like it.
~Em