Chapter Text
Prologue
In the darkness, you cling to hope. In the light, you fear the shadows.
Falling.
She was falling, but not going down. Her arms were sprawled out on either side of her body, fingers stretched out wide as she clumsily tried to keep herself from spinning. Her legs kicked, and swung through the air, she tumbled through the vortex.
Everything and nothing were around her at once. Her body felt hot and cold at the same time, her eyes saw everything and nothing, time stood still but it felt as if hours past. Eventually she stilled, feeling tired, her body felt both terribly hot, and terribly cold, and yet comfortably uncomfortable at the same time. She realized, after a momentary check, that she wasn't breathing..... her heart wasn't thumping.
.... I'm dead?
She couldn't tell if she was up or down, or if this void would ever end. She wondered if this was the so called "afterlife" and if you were just meant to sit here for all eternity. She couldn't quite classify it as hell, as, despite everything not making any sense, she wasn't in pain, but it wasn't a good feeling either. She felt like she was at the bottom of the ocean, alone, empty, in the darkness. The nothingness, right on the verge of everything.
Was this purgatory? Or was it all wrong?
She thought of her life, as she lay there, between everything and nothing, and wondered if she'd ever get the chance of it again.
Then, she felt it.
Gravity-
Her body was pulled down with a violent, hard tug, and them her back stung as she hit something solid. She let out of sound of pain, the air leaving her lungs-
Air! Breath! I'm alive!
Eyes widening in realization the woman took a deep, greedy breath of oxygen, closing her eyes, she felt relieved she was out of wherever that place was- and relished in the feeling of being alive. Feeling the floor beneath her back, she guessed it was carpet.
I'm in someones house...?
"What in the blazes is that? Who are you? How did you do that?" A child's voice broke the silence, and she felt almost relieved to hear another human's voice. Opening her eyes, she peered around the room, squinting. The room was.... rich. Fine curtains, a large glass window, a carved expensive looking desk. She was sitting on a rather large green carpet. The room looked Victorian to her, and she looked over to the boy sitting at the desk.
He was around 12 years old, with black hair and blue eyes- or.... eye. One eye was covered with an eye-patch. He was wearing a type clothing that vaguely reminded her of Victorian as well. Beside him, was a man dressed in a black tail coat, with black hair as well, and what looked like almost red eyes.
Both of them held apathetic and suspicious looks gaining more so by the minute, with hints of surprise fading away.
"Um.... Hi. I'm Lara." She turned over, and pushed herself to her feet. The boy's eye looked her over with a mix of vague confusion, and distaste. "What on earth are you wearing?" He said incredulously. Lara looked down at her clothing, a simple pair of jeans and t-shirt and converse, then looked back at the boy.
"Obviously, what people where I'm from wear.... as you saw my entrance, you might be able to tell I'm very much not from here.... wherever here is.. " She inspected the both of them further. "Oh.. if I had to guess, I'd say I'm on Earth, in probably the Victorian era, right? Couldn't say which year exactly- but I really hope it's after you guys got the memo arsenic is a bad ingredient for green paint. You're speaking English, so I'm guessing this is somewhere England. So, Earth, England, Victorian era, right?" She looked at the both of them, a smile planting on her face, despite her anxiety increasing. These two, they seemed familiar to her somehow.
"... you are on earth, yes, and this is England. The year is 1888." The tall man spoke, confirming her guessing. Her gaze drifted to him, and the longer she looked at him, the more... off, he looked. He looked too perfect, which gave off a sort of handsome, almost angelic type of beauty but at the same time, there was something outright dark about his entire demeanor. The entire thing gave her an uncanny valley type of feeling while looking at him.
"Oh that's great- I mean, not the best of the Human eras of earth to end up in, but as far as time traveling goes it's not the worst year to end up in." Lara said, nearly laughing at the way she said it, as if she was used to this happening. A false confidence.
"What- time travel? Year to end up in? Are you claiming to come from another time?" The boy demanded. "Yep- see?" She reached into her pocket, and noticed the man's eyes sharpen, watching her movements like a hawk, and pull out her phone.
"What's that?" The boy's eyes were hard, but curious as he stared at the object in her hands. She smiled. "What's your number?"
"... what?" He sputtered, and Lara laughed. "Your telephone number. This, is a telephone. I can call you to prove it."
"The telephone number is ***********." The man told her, and Lara dialed it, silent hoping that her phone would actually call the landline in the 19th century, as she realized as she spoke that it might not work.
That's... well this is gonna be embarrassing.
There was a suspenseful pause, and then someone answered the phone much to Lara's relief. "Yes, Hello? This is the Phantomhive estate, how can I help you?" An older man's voice answered the phone. The boy gasped, and the man looked at the phone curiously. "Fascinating... you were telling the truth."
Lara grinned, and put it one speaker phone. "Hi there! This is Lara, and...." She looked at the others. "Who are you?" Lara asked. The boy sat back and seemed to puff up his chest.
".. I am the Earl Ciel Phantomhive." The boy told her, the name rang a bell, but strangely she couldn't place it yet. "Master Phantomhive?" The man's voice spoke, in confusion. "I thought you were in your office?"
Lara giggled. "He is. Bye bye." She hung up the called and looked at the boy, Ciel. "Well, I've also got pictures if you're not convinced." She told the Earl, who just looked her over. "I don't see a camera, or anything that looks like one- unless it's very small I suppose."
"It's right here. This phone is also a camera. And a calculator. And a clock. And a calendar." She grinned as Ciel looked at it in disbelief, as she approached the two, showing them the various features, and images on her phone.
Then she showed them a video of her waling through the city, and that seemed to blow the boy's mind on some level, while the man just seemed quietly surprised. "My, the development of humans always surprises me, you construct such interesting things."The man commented, and Lara looked at him. He looked back at her, and she frowned, and up close he seemed even less human.
Then, suddenly, everything clicked and her heart dropped. Ice flooded her veins as the memories returned to her.
Sebastian- this man was the demon- Ciel Phantomhive- it's not supposed to be real- that's a demon, that's a demon, who eats people- who kills people- oh fuck-
She backed away, looking at the man- the demon, cautiously, putting her phone back in her pocket. The demon's eyes glinted, amused by her. "What's wrong?" Ciel asked, and she looked at him, then at the demon.
".... uh... that's a.... demon... um.."
She wasn't sure what to do. Running wouldn't work, they'd probably kill her on the spot- and if they didn't Sebastian would easily stop her from running anywhere if Ciel ordered him to- there is not way she'd ever make it even out the door to this room, let alone outside of the mansion.
Ciel looked slightly surprised, while Sebastian gained a kind of amused and somewhat predatory look, his eyes morphing into slit pupils with red, "Why yes, I am a demon." Sebastian said, sounding quite amused with this situation. "Though, I would like to know, what are you? You're not quite human... but you're not a Reaper... or a demon like myself."
Lara didn't know what she was, and she found this quite troubling. "Well, that's complicated. I'm... like.... technically human. I was born human, that much I know... but as to the answer, I actually don't know... sorry, I'm a little new to this." She answered honestly. "Also I think I might have died."
"Died?" Ciel asked. "My heart wasn't beating. I wasn't breathing.... when I fell onto this floor, and took a breath that was my first in what felt like ages...." Lara explained, nervously.
"So, you died, and traveled back in time?" He asked, disbelievingly. "I find that hard to believe that you just, what, returned from the dead?" Lara shrugged.
"Eh, I think maybe when I time traveled, I didn't... die per say, but time stopped around me, since I was moving through it. But it felt like what I imagine death to be like.. I was alone, in the dark, in nothingness, trapped..... I couldn't do anything. Not even scream." She shuddered, not really wanting to remember that feeling.
"I see..." Ciel said, and Lara fidgeted. "Well... uh... sorry for ending up in the middle of your office. I definitely did not mean for that to happen uh... so... I guess I'll just.... be leaving. Again so sorry for the intrusion." She said, and turned on her heel, heading for the door.
"Wait a moment." Ciel said, and she paused. "Yes?" She asked nervously, mentally preparing to run.
"I can't just let you leave." The boy told her, and she huffed. "Why not? I'm not your problem. Bye." She yanked the door open, and stepped outside of the room.
"Sebastian."
A gloved hand reached out, and pulled her back inside, which provoked a yelp from the woman as she instinctively pulled away- but it was hopeless, he was much to strong for her to fight. Still holding her wrist, the demon pushed her back into the room, and closed the door. She stumbled, caught herself, then glared at the demon, who smirked back at her.
"You know to much, and besides, a young woman walking around like that, and speaking of the future, you'll be thrown into an Asylum in no time.... and what if you said something about this? No, you will not be allowed to just leave..." Ciel said, and Lara felt a level of panic rising in her chest as she debated the odds of survival if she jumped out of the window.
"I wouldn't try that. It would be a terrible mess." Sebastian said, noticing where her gaze lingered. She glared at him again, and he continued pointedly, "You can't escape, so just listen to what the young master has to say."
Lara looked at Ciel. "Fine. What exactly are you proposing?" She asked, and the boy shot her a almost greedy look. "You have foreknowledge few could claim, you know things nobody else does, about the future. I believe, that a pawn who can anticipate the future is a useful tool, perhaps you have a place at the Phantomhive estate."
.... a job offer? Really? Is that the best he can think of? .... okay let's see... I could... maybe escape if I pretend to- no no, any betrayal would be met with death- okay but I don't want to be a maid! Dammit!
"And what, let me guess, the alternative is death?" She scoffed at him. "I didn't travel back in time to become part of some scheme. I don't want to be here, and no I'm not going to go around yelling about the future or whatever seriously. I only told you because you witnessed my arrival." Lara felt herself flush in anger. She didn't want to be somebody's servant, she didn't care of that made her sound conceited, being forcefully made a servant is not something she would just go along with!
"If you refuse to corporate we can take drastic measures... even if that means killing you if you make yourself a nuisance." Lara tried to think- she needed to get out there.
She decided to go for it- and darted forward. Sebastian- as she anticipated, reached for her, so she ducked, and pulled out her pepper spray, shooting the demon in the face.
He recoiled away, looking slightly annoyed. She sprung forward, towards the window, grabbing Ciel's chair out from under him and hurling it at the window, which shattered it. She threw herself quickly after it, the feeling of open air around her.
If I died, this isn't real. This is probably just a dream. I'll wake up if I die. She told herself, but a rush of adrenaline told her this wasn't a dream, and she fell fast, plummeting towards the ground.
Oh fuck-
It hurt a lot more than she thought, and briefly, everything went black. She came too, with Sebastian standing over her, looking at her with mild interest, and exacerbation. "If you are so eager to die, you could have just asked, now look at this mess you made." He chided her, and Lara shot up. She felt wet, with sticky warm liquid around her body- she froze.
She looked down to find herself in a pool of blood.
"..... oh..." She gasped softly to herself. "... I can't even die anymore..." She felt a pang of sadness in her chest, as if feeling a great loss. A white hand lowered itself to her face. "Now, come with me." Sebastian demanded.
She crossed her arms stubbornly, feeling burning anger in her chest. ".....No." She refused to be bossed around, and it made her furious that anyone would force her into servitude.
Sure, it might seem like a kind offer considering she has nothing, but it's Ciel Phantomhive. She knows this story, and she wants to get the hell out of dodge before all hell breaks loose. They'll find out she knows more than she's letting on eventually, and that terrified her.
Sebastian sighed. "Really, you are quite troublesome."
He looked down at her in irritation, and Lara sneered at him. "Funny, I was going to say the exact same thing to you."
"I'm not the one making a mess." He replied, reaching for her. She recoiled, holding her pepper spray still. He grabbed it out of her hand, seizing her wrist, lifting her not so gently in the air. She kicked at him.
"If you weren't blocking the door, I wouldn't have had to resort to the window!" She yelled, and kicked, clawing at his wrist. "PUT ME DOWN!!" She screamed in his ear, as he hoisted her under his arm like a sack of potatos. Violently, she kicked at his ribs, and legs. "Will you stop your incessant fit?" He hissed, and she responded by hurling her leg at his face in a harsh kick.
He grabbed it, then she heard a sickening snap, and a searing white hot pain through her body. She yelped in pain, but it didn't last very long as her bones forced themselves back together.
She ceased her struggling momentarily in shock, gasping as her body returned to normal, tears in her eyes. "You heal fast, but you still feel pain like any other human." He squeezed her leg in warning, making Lara flinch.
"I can do that as many times as it takes for you to behave." Sebastian threatened, and Lara stopped fighting, wishing she had super strength instead of healing so she could hit the stupid demon.
"I hate you." She bitterly told him, to which he responded, "there, was that so difficult? Now, I was ordered to get you cleaned up and put somewhere you can't escape until my master decides what to do with you."
He carried her inside, and through the house until she was in a kind of bathroom, then he put her down, then reached for her shirt. She slapped away his hands and stumbled backwards. "Hey- no! You don't need to undress me!"
"How else will I clean you? Do you suggest I just dunk you into the water?" He chuckled as Lara shrieked as he tried to grab of her clothing again. "I can clean myself! You can wait outside the door or something!" She yelled at him. He stepped back, assessing.
"No, there is a window, and if you are left alone you might try to escape." He pointed out, shaking his head. "No, but perhaps a blindfold?" Mused the demon, and Lara went red.
"JUST turn around and- don't look at me." She huffed, burning up in embarrassment. Sebastian turned, but not before commenting, "My, such modesty from a woman dressed like that."
Lara could not believe the audacity. She just glared at his back.
".... dude, you damn well know clothing changes per country, and time in human culture by this point." As she lifted her shift, she paused, remembering in the manga that Sebastian has multiple eyes.
Wait... what if he's still looking? Does he change his form, or appearance?
"I said no looking." She added, testing. He chuckled. "I'm not." Lara wasn't convinced, but she supposed at this point she was in the best scenario she could manage. She undressed, and carefully sunk into the bathwater. She couldn't really enjoy it, and instead hurried to clean out the blood, while casting an eye at Sebastian every now and then to make sure he stayed where he was.
I'm washing my own blood away...
She shuddered, catching a chill as she finished rinsing off the blood and soap, reaching for a towel. Gingerly, she wrapped it around herself, still wondering why the hell she had to be in this situation.
Sebastian turned once she had wrapped the towel around herself, making her suspect that turning around was not stopping his gaze. She pulled her phone from her pocket of her jeans, noting it was in tack, with a small crack on the frame, and a small amount of blood on the device.
"Come, this way." Sebastian guided her out of the bathroom, to a small, dimly lit room. She noticed it was getting dark. "For now, you can wear this nightgown and housecoat." He told her, gesturing to the clothing in question. "I will wash your.... attire, but do not expect to be allowed to wear it in public. Nobody wearing such unsightly clothing can be seen on the Phantomhive estate. We are having an important guest tomorrow, so you will do your best to remain quiet and out of sight. It should be noted that any further attempts to escape will be punished... like before. Do you understand?" Sebastian asked her. Lara turned away from him, not wanting him to see her upset.
She nodded, and he turned, closing the door behind him, leaving her alone. She looked over at the bed, the small modest room, it seems she's locked in some servants quarters.
The gravity of her situation hit her, and she grasped her phone tightly.
... I'm... alone... in another world... in the 19th century... a prisoner... with no hope of escape.
She felt her legs give way.
I just washed off my own blood-
He snapped my leg like it was nothing-
Oh god I can't die-
...what about my family? What happened? How am I ever gonna get... home?
At that last thought, she felt quiet sobs wrack her body, as she made her way over to the bed, and buried her face in the pillow to muffle the sobs and cries, as the crushing reality hit her like a horrible waking nightmare.
What can I do?
This is a trying something new, kinda thing.
Let me know if it's worth continuing~
Chapter Text
The Bargain
When you think you've hit rock bottom,
only then can you begin to climb.
It has been around a day or two since Lara found herself in this world.
She'd turned off her phone to conserve the battery. She wasn't sure why, it's not like it was useful in this time period, but even still, she wasn't quite ready to let go of anything from her old life just yet.
Ciel hasn't made contact with her just yet, and she wondered if he would. She was starving, and she wondered if because she was presumed "immortal" or undying, that they didn't need to give her any food or water. Or maybe, this was to break her will. Though, on the bright side, because she's been deprived of food and water for 24 hours, she doesn't need to figure out any toilet situation.
It got briefly to a point where she wondered if she could even die of starvation. She considered it, would she be able to die of thirst? How far are the limits to her healing?
Would she live forever? Or would she still continue to age? That does mean that she'll see the 21st century again.... and possibly the century after that. How similar would it be to her own world?
Lara paced around the room, wondering about the possibilities. If she's immortal, that means she will outlive everyone in this Mansion- well, everyone but Sebastian. But, Sebastian is just following Ciel's orders, he doesn't actually give a damn about her. That means, technically she could wait this out.
Vaguely, she recalled the amount of time that had passed in the manga... wasn't it around two years? Yes... it started in 1888... and Sebastian said that was the year! It was kind of cold... but...
Lara walked over to the window, looking outside. Squinting, she could see greenery, and blossoms around the trees, and flowers. It wasn't thickly grown in yet, though. She concluded it must be springtime.
She slumped back onto the ground in a huff. Spring. Lara recalled the Viscount ball was the last of the "Season".
That... if her Bridgerton knowledge is correct, then the "Season" doesn't start until at least May, which means... the Viscount Druit mess doesn't start until August, since his was the last ball of the "Season".
If it's spring now... then she had months before that started. Only with Sebastian gone, did she stand a chance of escaping, although, escaping from the three of those servants will be difficult.
At leas two snipers, and Finny. Well, if I can bare the pain, bullets won't stop me, though I'll have to watch out for explosions. Finny would be the bigger problem, if he grabs me, I won't be able to break free. Sebastian took my pepper spray, and that leaves my phone as my only tool. They've likely been told about me.
.... Damn if this was the anime, then I could wait until the Angel burnt everything down. But there is no angel.... well, there is also that one time with the Circus people. Maybe I could escape then, while everyone is distracted...
Technically, if she did accept Ciel's offer now, then it would make it easier for her to escape..... but then what? What will she do after she runs? Where will she run to? Where can she go?
Escape is easier when you just have to get into society, but she would need to get out of this country entirely.
No, it would be easier to wait Ciel out. Sebastian will kill him eventually, when the end of their conduct comes, then he'll just... well, she's not entirely sure what Sebastian will do after, maybe fuck off back to hell or something.
Lara wondered how she might entertain herself until then.
Her thoughts were interrupted when there was a knock at her door. She stood up, her expression guarded as the door opened, revealing Sebastian. "My master will see you now." She wanted to tell him off for leaving her to starve to death, but kept her mouth shut as she silently walked past him. He lead her through hallways that Lara started to try and memorize.
They entered what looked like a drawing room, and Ciel was there, sat at a chess table. She approached him, arms folded. He looked up at her, and gestured for her to take a seat.
She didn't move at first, but then decided right now wasn't the time to be cussing everyone out. "Do you play?" He asked. She vaguely recalled the phone chess games she used to play on her phone, all against an AI.
"Never with a human before." She felt herself crack a smile, and Ciel looked at her critically, as she pushed her white pawn forward. She decided to use the program's advances, and wondered if she'd be able to beat Ciel.
Unlikely, her mind told her. She never played against a person, they are much different to machines... but she wasn't bad at it. She decided if she couldn't beat him, she would cause as much damage as possible.
She took his knights, pointedly aiming for them over the Queen, or King. He plucked away all of her pawns. She grabbed at his, and then went for his rook. She didn't care how many of the pawns went. None of them spoke during this time, which lead Lara to believe this might be some kind of test. Ciel took her bishop. She had another, and she used it to take his bishop.
He'd lost most of his pieces by now, and so had she, it was down to the last critically moved pieces... then-
"A draw." Lara said, and Ciel looked both infuriated, and slightly impressed. Lara was very glad to have had played that game for hours a day, enough that she was used to beating an AI.
Although, a twelve year old who can keep up to an AI level playing is pretty good, though she supposed it wasn't fair she was using chess moves from a computer. Ciel leaned back, and Sebastian had shown up with tea at some point.
"Well, you're not bad, I suppose." He admitted, and Lara crossed her legs. "I played against AI, which taught me how to win, so it's impressive you didn't lose."
"AI?" Ciel asked, and she nodded. "Hm, it stands for Artificial Intelligence. It's.... a machine that thinks, and naturally can calculate anything in seconds. That's what I meant when I say I never played against a human." She explained, and noticed the biscuits and tea. She grabbed a biscuit and greedily shoved them into her mouth, and then turned to the tea, ignoring how it burned.
"Did they completely forgo table manners in the future?" Ciel wondered aloud, and she glared at him. "You have the audacity to say that after starving me." Ciel paused, looking confused for a moment. "You haven't been fed?"
"No. I've had nothing to eat or drink since you had me imprisoned." She said bitterly, and the boy looked at Sebastian, then let out a sigh. "Sebastian, why did you starve her?" He asked, looking a mildly irritated, like somebody told him inconvenient news.
Sebastian said nothing and had his usual smirk expression on his face. "You ordered me to clean her, and lock her up until you figured out what to do with her, you said nothing about feeding her." Lara looked between the two, still suspicious about the two of them. Why would they not feed her? Did Sebastian have something against her?
Is Ciel trying to make himself look better, like he's kinder so she'll like him better? Is this a bad cop good cop thing? She guessed it probably was that, a manipulation tactic.
She finished the biscuits, and tea, before looking at him. "It's fine, it's not like I can die from it." Well, that was her running guess. Ciel looked at her quizzically. "So, you can't die then? No matter what?"
Lara let a moment of silence hang in the air as she tried to figure out what she should tell him. "Basically. I'm not sure if anything can kill me, but I'm still young. I haven't met anyone like me, and it's not like there's a "humanities guidebook to sudden immortality" laying around." She laughed, trying to shake off any uneasy feelings.
"No... I suppose not." He agreed, and the two of them continue with their tea, and she knew what she had to say. She had to be careful, play her cards close to her chest, but remind the child she's not one for being pushed around.
"But, I can wait you out."
Lara finally bit out, finishing the last biscuit and wondering if it would be the last meal in a long time.
Ciel back at her, meeting her gaze. "I am immortal, and you are not. You made a deal with this demon, which means your life is likely shorter than what you would have lived.... meaning, I can, and will, wait you out if I have to. Because I have all the time in the world, and you......" she adjusted herself, placing her elbows on the table, holding her head in her palms, "don't."
The Earl's eyes hardened, and a glance at Sebastian, then back her passed before he spoke again, "Then, what do you propose? I told you I can't just let you go."
"And I told you, a human who will die before the turn of the century is of no concern to me. I really couldn't care less, and you know, the whole locking me up and starving me thing guaranteed I definitely want to just "cooperate", Lara leaned forwards, "your threat might have worked on a mortal woman. But I am no such thing. I know anything you do to me is temporary. So please, approach me with a bargain worth my time if you're really that set on it."
"Well then, what is it that you want?" Ciel asked, and Lara took a moment to respond. What did she want? ... She supposed she should just lay it out if he wants to know so bad. Maybe they can negotiate.
"What do I want? Well being honest, I want to get the hell out of here. I want to figure out how to get back home, but it looks like I'll have to go the long way round. Second to that, I want freedom, the ability to go where I want and do as I please. I don't want to be bound to anywhere. And I do not want to be a servant- I don't possess the skill-set anyway. In my time you could just use machines for most housework, and cooking." She explained. She really didn't want to get stuck with any housework.
"... what skills do you possess? Perhaps, a compromise can be met. You don't have to do domestic work, but you could have a higher position. Are you educated?" Ciel asked. Lara felt briefly amused, before explaining how things work in the future.
"In my time, 12 school years are mandatory, and then four, to eight additional years in a University in a specialized degree... mine was biology, though I have taken classes other topics such as literature, history, psychology, sociology, geography, ballet, Spanish, and mathematics." She said, mentally listing out everything she had to take in college.
"My, that's quite an impressive amount of topics... biology? Perhaps you could be a governess." Sebastian commented, Ciel considered it. "A governess?" He seemed musing, and Lara decided that wouldn't entirely suck.
"It goes without saying, the majority of things I learned are also far ahead of this time's knowledge, especially when it comes to..." she paused. "Oh.... I guess everything.. no wait, maths. Maths is probably the same... unless we consider physics... but I'm not knowledgeable enough in that to teach it. But Biology would be something I can teach you." She said.
"So a governess.. well, then, if you are as educated as you say, then you could qualify as my governess. Let's negotiate." The Earl said, a grin having made it's way on his face.
Well, this is an improvement from before.
I'm trying to follow the manga more than the anime. There will eventually be spoilers for that, as it's a given.
Chapter Text
The Governess
A spoon full of sugar helps the medicine go down,
in the most delightful way.
-Marry Poppins, Disney
April 5th, 1888
Sebastian was very invasive when it came to personal space, but her room had been upgraded from "the place to keep the prisoner" to "the governess's quarters" so, she guessed this was improvement. He knocked at least, now.
The demon entered her room, holding folded clothing of some kind. Lara guessed it was some type of dress, as so far she'd been running around in a nightdress. "This is something befitting a governess, though it may not fit completely, we will get a tailor in by tomorrow to ensure you aren't wandering around in a pair of strange trousers. Now," Sebastian placed the dress on the bed, and pulled out a blindfold.
"Undress." He commanded with a shit eating grin. Lara sputtered protests, before sighing as he didn't move, she stopped in a deadpan,"..... you really just keep finding excuses for me to strip."
"Does the governess know how to dress herself? Given your simple clothing, you don't know how to dress properly. I will teach you, so you can replicate it yourself." The demon said, although he could just tell her how.
"....you just love violating boundaries don't you?" Lara didn't have the energy to fight again, and she wasn't in the mood to upset the careful alliance she'd just created. She slipped of her nightgown, and felt very, very vulnerable. Sebastian grabbed a white, thin material small dress thing.
"First we start with the chemise, raise your arms," he slipped the cloth over her head, and she felt a little better now that she was covered. He pulled her hair out of the back, and straightened the chemise meticulously.
Then grabbed at her legs. "Now, put on this," He grinned as he yanked up her foot, making her almost fall on her ass, putting a thick stocking on her leg. Lara fell onto the bed behind her, as the demon put on her other stocking, fitting the guarder around her legs. He grabbed her wrist, pulling her to her feet. "Then the corset, turn round." She turned, and he placed it around her waste, mentally bracing herself.
"Hold still," He pulled the laces tight, nearly knocking the breath out of her as she felt completely constricted. "Now as your not used to it, I've left it loser than normal."
This is not lose! Any tighter and my ribs might crack!
"Now the drawers," He pulled out what she could only describe as clown pants, big and poofy. Awkwardly, she stepped into them, and he pulled them to her waste, which tucked the chemise in. "Notice there is a cut in the middle, that is for when you relieve yourself, I could show you-"
"No. I get how it works." Lara cut off coldly, and the bastard smirked at her. "Very well, next this bum pad." He tied what was basically a small crescent pillow to her hips, letting it sit on her ass. "This corset cover, " Sebastian slid a white, thin kind of vest on her arms, buttoning it up.
"Now the petticoat," Sebastian threw a massive white cloth over he head, circling her waste. "And the skirt petticoat," he threw more fabric on her, and Lara wondered how many layers she was supposed to put on before she was just a walking ball of clothing.
Was the demon messing with her?
"Finally, the gown. Arms up." He slid the down over her head, and fitting it on her body, buttoning her up. He tugged at part of it to straighten her out. "I trust you know how to put on shoes, my master calls. We will expect you at 2:30 PM in the drawing room. Don't be late, unless you want another experience." Sebastian left her room, making her shoulders slump forward, feeling very uncomfortable in the clothing she was wearing.
"I swear he's trying to mess with me." She muttered to herself, as she tried to mentally prepare for the lesson for Ciel.
The terms of their bargain was simple, she only had to teach him at 2:30, every Tuesday, and Thursday as a governess. As a "prophetess" she would accompany him to London, where she would have free reign so long as she didn't get herself noticed or in trouble, of the city to do as she pleased unless he required her.
She still had to be his pawn, but this was a better deal, in her eyes. She knew he suspected she knew more about him, because of her reaction to Sebastian. She agreed to help him if he needed it, in whatever way he required when it involved his cases.
Lara knew that was vague, and she might regret it but she also felt like getting to see Black Butler happen might be interesting, and if she had to stick around getting a front row seat wouldn't be that bad. She's immortal, so..... she'll survive.
But now, she needed to prepare the lesson....
"...and the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell." Lara turned back to Ciel, who was staring at the chalkboard she'd set up of a human cell, in confusion. "Wait.. so our cells have organs?" He asked slowly, staring at Lara's illustration.
Sebastian had walked into the room, as the biology lesson was almost over. She had Ciel for about 50 minutes to teach him updated science with a focus on biology. Sebastian, at first, had sat in on the lesson, mildly interesting in what humans had learned in the future.
He left when he realized she was just starting with cell biology. Lara thought, she would work her way up through the human body, starting on basics. Ciel knew basic anatomy thanks to Sebastian, so she didn't have to cover that, although she would go over it encase Sebastian missed anything (she doubted it, considering what he was, but still).
"Yes. It's all apart of a complex machine. I want you to memorize each part of the cell, and how it functions, we'll have a quiz on that next time. There isn't much in this time as far as biology goes in textbooks so I'll have to sort through what's fact, and fiction." She explained. Ciel looked like he regretted taking on this task of learning more, and she supposed the only reason was because he wanted information nobody else had.
And also, they had to make use out of her somehow.
"A test?" Ciel said, and Lara placed a paper in front of him, a small study guide. "Yes, it should be quite easy considering it's just cell biology," she felt herself smirk a bit, and young Earl glared at her. He stood up. "Yes, well, I have other things to do now. You can't expect me to prioritize something so trivial, when would I need to know this?" He picked up a cup of tea Sebastian made, and Lara thought for a moment.
"Do you know how to help yourself on the event of disease?" She asked, and Ciel looked back at her, along with Sebastian. "What will happen if you got sick? I understand your demon is enough to protect you from physical threats, but, I doubt even he could do much should your immune system fail you. I can teach you how to protect yourself, and reduce risks to your health. You already have a delicate constitution, and what with another pandemic coming soon-"
"Another what?" Ciel gasped in shock, looking alarmed. "It's called the Russian Flu, this time, or Asiatic Flu, outbreak starting in 1889 to 1890, worldwide. Among one of the deadliest in history. It kills a million people in just those two years alone, and it infected an estimated 300 million people. It's also airborne, a respiratory virus." She explained, and Sebastian looked slightly, mildly, concerned. "A plague, you say then? When will it reach London?" He asked.
Lara paused, thinking back to what she'd read on the internet for what seemed like so long ago, "Hm... it was around December 1889, when it touches London." Sebastian sighed, and looked at Ciel. "We will have to isolate you, young master during the outbreak."
"What- no, hang on a minute. I won't be confined to anywhere-" Ciel protested, and Sebastian tutted. "You know any order is rendered null if it endangers your life. That is my first priority."
Yeah, because then he'd lose his meal. Hm, I wonder if.... maybe I could....?
"There is a chance I might be able to make a vaccine." Lara spoke up, after thinking on it for a minute. She'd learned how to do it- granted from a textbook- theoretically, she could do it... hopefully...
"You don't sound to sure." Sebastian commented, and Lara shrugged. "Well, I have over a year to figure it out. It would protect you from at least dying." She said to Ciel, who was frowning, looking none to happy about the future.
"Well, that's going to be a while from now, I'm not going to worry about it until it gets here."
Terms and Conditions
of the Bargain
- The Governess will teach Ciel Phantomhive biology
- The Governess will inform Ciel Phantomhive of future events that may effect him
- The Governess will not interfere with anything, and will face punishment if she makes herself a nuisance
- The Governess gets Saturdays off completely, and is not to be bothered no matter what
- The Governess gets to go wherever she pleases on her day off, and he is to order his butler to not track her in any way when she goes anywhere on this day specifically. The Phantomhive is welcome to send anyone else. (Reason being: "I want a demon free day".)
- She gets payed what a man would be payed
- She is given free reign to investigate what she is, and how she got there.
Saturday, April 7th 1888
Lara didn't realize how far away London was from the Phantomhive estate, although she did realize why he had a in town place. It was almost two hours for her to get to London, via a borrow horse.
She was going to a specific place, someone she wanted to visit just for the sake of both finding out more about herself, and having someone who's not a damn demon to talk to. She needed to know things, things only a specific kind of person would know.
A Grim Reaper, and the only reaper that she might find, is the Undertaker.
It didn't take... that... long for her to locate the place, although she did ask around a bit. She knew everything and nothing. There was no freaking google maps to just look the damn place up, and she didn't have the address. Coming to think of it, she barely knew how to properly read addresses without google.
Damn was I technology reliant... I really wish I could take pictures of this.... and google things.... like major historical events.... it's really hard to not reference anything from the manga when talking future stuff to Ciel. Luckily they understand that history doesn't have every detail.
She opened the door to the Undertaker's place, and the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. She wrinkled her nose at the smell, very aware that the decaying bodies were very much the cause.
"Hello? Excuse me?" She asked nervously. Would he know what she is?
"Hehehe.... why hello there miss... how can I help ya? You're a bit to lively to be one of my customers hehehe." Spoke a man's voice, eerily.
Lara saw a man climb out of a coffin, dress in a black kind of robe coat outfit, with long grey hair, and a tophat. His hair covered his eyes a well, looking him up and down, Lara also noted his fingernails were long, and black. "I um... well see.... I... it's kind of complicated... but um... I came to ask something... or ask if you know anything... or about this... or.. what I.. well... it's hard to say..." Lara fumbled, despite not seeing his eyes she felt glued on the spot as he watched her.
"Just spit it out my dear, but I'll let you know any information I have isn't free." He explained. Lara wasn't sure if she would be able to make him laugh, and she wondered if he would accept other payments... perhaps like-
"What if it's something you might not have seen before." She asked, and he chuckled, "There aren't many things in this world that I haven't seen be-"
"I died." Lara said quickly, almost loudly, before she lost her nerve and ran out of the shop.
The Undertaker paused, staring at her. "You died?" His tone was partly incredulous, partly curious, looking at her sharply.
"I jumped out a window." She said,
".... you tried to end your life?" He sounded quiet, and she quickly shook her head. "No-The other option was stay in the room with the demon."
He didn't react to that, and she couldn't properly see his expression behind his hair. "I see, so you believe you fell to your death?" Lara reached into her pocket, revealing a blade. She kept her eyes looking where she thought his might be. She removed her coat, thinking, this will be messy.
"Perhaps proof would settle this," She said, and brought the blade to her neck fast, letting out a grunt of pain at it went into her throat, blood poured from the wound. The Undertaker took a step back, watching her as she felt herself get dizzy- then she wrenched the knife from her neck.
She collapsed to her knees from the pain and blood loss, but her dizziness rapidly faded along with the pain as she healed, and stood. The Undertaker stared at her in shock, and Lara steadied her breath, keeping a level eye at him. "I can't die."
".... impossible... how... what are you?" He took a step towards her, and Lara reflexively tightened her grip on her blood soaked blade. "My name is Lara. I am human, from what I can tell. But, I have three problems. The first, is that I cannot die, it's a troubling issue that I do not know the cause of," Lara explained, "the second, is that I came from another world that is different to this one, and also far ahead in the twenty first century. The third, is that currently I live with a demon. I need to know more about this all, and so I came to you. Because I also know what you are, a Grim Reaper."
"I see... although I am curious how you know about me." His hair had fallen away from his eyes- Lara had to stop herself from drawing in a breath at how attractive he was- and his expression was that of analyzing.
"Information for information, how about that?" Lara countered. The Undertaker let out a low chuckle. "I suppose that is reasonable... for now. What did you want to know?"
Lara hardly believed she made it this far, so she thought for a minute. ".... Do you think... I can die if a demon tries to take my soul, or if a reaper tried to reap it? What about my cinematic record?"
"... I'm not sure actually, I would have to see it myself."
".... oh uh... well..." Lara wasn't sure how much she was willing to risk, but strangely she felt like she needed to know this. "Can you try?" She couldn't believe she was asking this.
The Undertaker outright laughed at this point.
"Hehehe...You want me to use my death scythe on you?" He asked, and she nodded. He stared at her for a moment, then stood up. He walked to the back of his shop for a moment, and returned shortly, in his hands was a large skull scythe. "Last chance to back out." The Undertaker warned her, and Lara shook her head.
"Do it." She said, bracing herself.
He slice her across the chest.
For a long moment, all she felt was blinding pain, then like something was being pulled from her in a rather violent fashion. She let out a pained cry, and felt the thing resist, before being pulled free.
Then everything was empty.
Empty.
Nothing.
Like she was in the void again.
No.
She felt a warmth suddenly spread through her rapidly, engulfing her entirely, and she opened her eyes with a gasp.
Her eyes adjusted, looking around the room, she saw the Undertaker across the room, looking a bit shaken up but otherwise fine. He was agape, looking completely shocked to his core, while eyeing her with a kind of.... curiosity, but darkened, almost greedy, like he stumbled across a great prize.
"What... ugh... happened?" She asked, feeling a bit ill and lightheaded. She felt strange, weird, but oddly.... new? The Undertaker gave her his hand, and pulled her to her feet.
"I took your soul.... and my dear, you made another one."
Lara gasped in shock, staring at him in disbelief. Of all the things she had guessed... that wasn't it. "A-are you sure? Like... how- where is it?"
"It's here, I put it in this." He held up a small ring. Lara stared at it, and the Undertaker handed it to her. "So... can I like... put it back?" She asked, taking the ring.
"Put on the ring, and the soul will return to you, but since you have a new soul, I'm not quite sure what will happen if you do that." He explained, and watched as she, with little hesitation, put the ring on.
She felt heat. Intense head, then the sensation of fullness, then... she was normal again, but much too.... full. She looked back at the Undertaker. "All good."
"Fascinating.... oh and don't worry about your side of the deal, I saw your records." Lara knew he would see them, so now he knows it all. "Thank you, for the information. I'll be sure to use it well.... you should probably get back to the little Earl now, before dark, or who knows what might happen to a young woman like you?"
Lara thanked him, and put her coat back on to hide her... slashed chest and bloodstains.
"What did you do now?" Sebastian asked, as Lara had the bad luck of passing him on her way back to her room. "I met a Grim Reaper." She said honestly, and his eyes narrowed. "I see... I assume your new friend is now aware of your condition?My, at this rate you'll be attracting unwanted guests." He commented, continuing on his way to.... well, she wasn't sure. Suddenly with newfound confidence considering not even a demon could kill her, she spoke back.
"Well, my "new friend" reaped my soul, and I had to take it back. Turns out I can live without a soul." Sebastian stopped in his tracks, and this time turned completely to face her.
"That's why... your soul did seem strange- stranger than before." He said, and started to approach her, looking at her quizzically, as if seeing her for the first time.
"Before?" Lara asked, not liking how closely the demon's attention was focused on her now.
"Your soul is odd." He said bluntly. "Not exactly a bad thing, but curious, considering your so called immortality. Although now... there is a kind of... freshness that wasn't there before... but mixed with your original soul.... it's not bad, actually." Sebastian said, his eyes glazing over red, staring at her in a kind of hunger that made her back away from him.
"Uh... well... I need to go.. change.. out of my bloody clothing so like...." She started to walk but Sebastian grabbed her, yanking her over to him. "Why does it look like your soul has doubled? What are you? Who are you?" She struggled, but against a demon it was fruitless. "Get off of me!"
"Let me see..." He grabbed her face, forcing her to look closer at him, or perhaps it was for him to look closer into her eyes..
The eyes are a window into the soul.
"Hey, stop- get off! Sebastian-!" His face was much to close now, and he inhaled, letting out a sigh. "Ah... that smell..." He said lowly, almost drinking in her alarm and fright.
She couldn't push him off, and it wasn't until he'd quickly lapped at the blood on her collar did he pulled away. Lara stumbled away from him, glaring in disgust and anger at the vile demon, who looked almost happily pleased with himself.
"It seems I've found myself a little treat." He said, eye still lit up and focused on her.
"Fuck you." Lara seethed. She hadn't expected him to actually want her soul- he was a picky bitch! That was a whole point of the show! A picky ass demon trying to find the right meal!
How was she supposed to know he'd want hers to?!
"Language like that does not befit a Phantomhive governess." He tutted, and she huffed, turning around and taking off in the direction of her room, away from Sebastian, who did not try to pursue.
Fucking shit now what?!
Well, here's another chapter. Let me know what you think!
Chapter Text
So It Begins
A butterfly flaps it's wings,
and hurricane forms on the other side of the world
Lara had fallen into a nice routine, and found herself picking a few habits along the way.
Sebastian was still creepy, but she kept up her routine. She would teach Ciel when she was meant to, and when she wasn't teaching him she was researching, or working on medicines.
She had, with some level of convincing, set herself up a small laboratory where she was in the process of trying to make antibiotics. Thus far, it was unsuccessful for Penicillin, obviously she'd have to be insanely lucky to find the mold. Sebastian certainly had several comments about her "obsession with moldy bread".
It was fun because she could make things- like for example, she made some proper shampoo and conditioner, and a few skin care products for fun. She made some herbal medicines, tinctures, salves, among other things.
Every other Saturday, she'd visit the Undertaker, share her research notes to get his opinion... and let him take some of her blood in exchange for information about demons.
Demons do not need contacts to consume souls, Sebastian only did so because it made it interesting. Demons had no "force" keeping the contract in tact, it was the whim of the demon to decide whether or not to comply. Demons can see people's souls, and require them for subsistence. They can enter churches, and touch holy objects without suffering pain or death.
They can be killed with a death scythe. They are usually ravenous, deceptive by nature and cruel. Demons like to seduce their prey, luring them in with sweet words.
A demon cannot truly access the value of a soul unless they are offered it. They can taste it through blood to some level though.
"He tasted my blood." She'd told the Undertaker, who'd proceeded to warn her to keep herself closed off from Sebastian, and never to even hint at offering her soul to him, even if she didn't think the words implied it, because he could twist it into an offering.
She made a mental note to never discuss soul anything with the demon.
Currently, as she walked down the ridiculous amount of hallways this big ass mansion had, Lara was looking for Ciel.
"Squeek squeek"
"AHH FUCK!"
Lara cursed as a rat ran across her feet, causing her to almost fall on her ass. Finny, Mey-rin, and Balroy ran past her in a hurry after the rodent. She was on her way to tell Ciel that she'd forgotten to tell him about a serial killer, deciding maybe she should mention the super famous serial killer in advance.
That's when she saw somebody sneak up behind the Earl, and grab him. She went to shout- to grab at the man- but something hit her with blunt force on the back of the head, and then all she saw was blackness.
"The backside of Englands public, "the order". Traitors will be bitten to death by our power. By the Queen's Watch Dog. How many street names have they been burdened with? How many families have they crushed? I have come to take over the dirtier part of the government that has spanned many generations, the evil royal family."
Lara opened her eyes, groggy, wondering what the hell, when she heard an annoying voice spilling an evil monologue. She wanted to go and tell him to shut the fuck up, but common sense dictated that was not a good idea.
Sometimes Lara hated common sense, but agreed with it anyways as she sat up, feeling her hands tied behind her back, she looked around the room to see a bunch of men, some guy who looked like the leader, and Ciel, tied up close by.
".... great." She muttered to herself as she watched Ciel and the drug lord talk, or rather, threaten each other. He held up a gun at Ciel, who starred down the barrel fearlessly.
She was impressed, mildly. She knew the kid had a death wish.
The man kicked Ciel in the face, as Ciel mocked him for threatening the Phantomhive staff with death. Lara sighed, and figured she needed to do something. Bracing herself, she bent her wrist until it snapped, sending rockets of pain through her body but she pulled out of her bonds. Her bone snapped back into place.
"Leave him alone!" She yelled, jumping up and lunging at the man, who fired a shot at her shoulder. Lara let out a shout of pain, collapsing to the ground. The man laughed at her, looking at her, before getting a leery look on his face. He grabbed Lara by the hair, pulling her onto her knees.
Lara grit her teeth, struggling, but the pain was making her lose focus. "Maybe I can show you how helpless you are, Phantomhive, and have my fun with your Governess, heh you did pick a cute one, didn't you?" He threw her down, kneeling over her, grabbing at her blouse, ripping it open and tearing her clothing.
She tried kicking at him, but he fired a bullet into her thy, causing her to curl up in pain as he laughed, grabbing at her chest.
She felt his hand pushed around the fabric, before it reached warm flesh, she felt his course touch on her breast, squeezing it crudely, and harshly twisting at her nipple as she kicked back, clawing at him again as he shot her, in the same leg, then in the shoulder. He bucked, harshly, against her, pulling up her skirts, and grinding against her body loud with a moan, Lara turned her face away from him.
Disgustedly, she wondered if vomiting would deter him. She felt her blood pooling around her as she struggled.
How can I be this helpless... Ugh... the bullets... they are stuck.... ack- I need... to get them out- oh god it fucking hurts.
"Hey uh... boss..." Another man directed her attacker's attention to the phone, leaving Lara laying there in a pool of her own blood, in horrible pain. She glanced over to Ciel, who seemed to be in a state as well, but not nearly as bad as hers. He was looking at her with something that seemed like sympathy, and cold understanding.
I want to kill him.
She mouthed that to Ciel.
He seemed to understand.
The man had gotten to his feet, he barked into the phone, demanding updates about the Phantomhives. "You failed? You useless bastards!" He started cussing them out, before he seemed to hear something on the phone. There was screaming on the other side of the phone, before they suddenly went quiet.
"What's wrong with you guys? No seriously what's happening?" The man asked, his face going pale.
"What's wrong? Something a matter?" Ciel asked, only to receive a shoe to the face again, Lara turned from the beating, not wanting to see it and giving Ciel some dignity. The vile man turned back to phone.
"HEY. ANSWER ME. HELLO!?!" He screamed into the phone, then his eyes widened at the answer, growing increasingly terrified. "Woof." Ciel grunted out.
They heard the noise first, before they saw him. First they heard screaming, gunshots, and the sound of falling bodies. Then, everything went quiet, and the door slowly opened.
Sebastian walked in, surveying the situation, seeing Ciel he spoke, "I thank you for looking after our master." He bowed, and then looked over to see Lara. "Ah, that's where you went." Lara glared at him, mouthing "fuck you" to very clearly at him before slumping over, trying to focus through the pain.
She vaguely heard them talking, feeling sick and dizzy and disgusted, she want to vomit. She wasn't sure if it was from... that... or if it was from the pain. She could smell her blood so thickly it was making her feel like she was drowning.
Blood caked her body, pain wracked across it, she groaned when she felt somebody turning her over. "Oh, see Young Master, she's still alive.... oh dear, were they to rough with you Lara?" His voice was mocking, and she opened her eyes to see him, Ciel over in the corner, and the man seemingly dead on the floor.
"... get... the bullets.. out.." She managed to grunt out. Sebastian nodded, looking over her exposed form. "Ah, I see, you can't heal if something is stopping it... I don't see any open wounds... you'll have to tell me where they are."
"One of them... is in my shoulder... and two more in my left thy..." She said, and the demon grinned. "Hold still." She barely had time to brace herself as he cut open her skin, she let out a cry of pain as he held her in place, pulling out the bullets from each spot, taking longer than she thought he should while digging through her flesh.
"Ah, there we go. All done." Lara let out a cry of relief as the last bullet was pulled out, her skin repairing itself, she stood, and realized the state she was in. Covered in blood, her clothing was torn and her breasts were almost on full display, she readjusted her bodice, so that it wasn't so... open. At this point, she barely cared if he saw her, because she was so over everything right now and just desperately wanted to go back to the estate to clean herself.
"Again with the blood." She muttered.
"You do seem to always end up covered in your own blood. Perhaps you should just start wearing black." Sebastian commented. She huffed at him, "maybe it's because I don't want to look like I'm going to a funeral all the damn time."
"Ah, yes, I suppose you would. Still, we'll have to find you another dress, the second one you've destroyed."
"Second one?" Ciel asked. "When was the first?"
"Bad day in London some months ago." Lara replied vaguely, and Sebastian seemed to grin at her, knowingly, flashing the demon eyes of his. Ciel narrowed his eyes, but let it go.
Lara walked past the other servants when they arrived back, and headed straight to her room, pulling off the clothing in disgust. She asked Mey-rin to draw her a bath, and she felt like rubbing her skin raw as she cleaned off the blood, which had dried into her hair at this point.
She still felt his hands on her body, and shivered in disgust.
Fucking hell. I can't end up like that again.... I need to be stronger... I think I might ask... no.. I can't ask him.
Well, there was a bit of sexual violence in this one (but I mean, I assume y'all read the tags) and I will say it's gonna get a hell of a lot worse in later chapters.
Chapter Text
The Reaper
In the end, we are all equal in death,
for the reaper comes for us all.
"And so, the immune system causes a reaction, such as a runny nose, cough, muscle aches, vomiting, diarrhea, sneezing, fever, are not what the virus. What you think of as "sick" is actually not, technically, caused by the virus. In fact, in many cases not having an immune reaction indicates a weakened immune system, although that is not always the case. In those instances it's your body attempting to expel the pathogen from your body. A fever, for example, is your body heating up just a few degrees to kill the disease. That is also why we cook things, because it kills the bacteria." Lara said, lecturing Ciel on the immune system and all it's quirks.
She was just at the summary now, but she figured it was good for him to know this, it was the most useful information she had. Diseases, and the immune system.
Ever since she'd started teaching Ciel about how disease works, he's been slightly more.... what was the word..... vigilant? He washes his hands before he eats now that she gave him a nice long lecture on bacteria.
He makes Sebastian change his gloves more often, much to Lara's amusement, and Sebastian's annoyance.
"The thing is, we're not suppose to be that hot for very long so if it's a tough virus, it will take longer, so it ends up being a game of who's stronger, the body or the virus. If the fever cannot kill the virus, the fever must be brought down. Keeping in mind, if this is done it helps the virus too, which means you'll be sick for longer if your body could take it." She finished her lecture, snatching one of the cookies off the tray Sebastian had brought in.
It's been roughly a month since... the incident. At first, Lara kept having nightmares about the pain. It wasn't so much the actual sexual assault, so much as it was the bullets, and the pain of the demon digging them out of her flesh.
Her helplessness, she couldn't do anything but lay there because of the pain.
Her own senses were crippling her- she didn't even NEED to feel pain. There was no reason for it, she hated it...... so she set herself up with a simple task. To make sure her own weaknesses would not put her in that position again.
To do that, she needed to get over pain. That, was the hard part of her plan. She needed to familiarize herself with the sensation of liquid agony.
The first thing she started doing was breaking her bones, it was hard, every instinct screamed at her to stop. She started leaping from a high spot, at night. Not enough that she'd bleed, but high enough that something would break.
On her fourth night of doing this, Sebastian decided to voice an opinion, which was that she was probably not accomplishing much as far as tolerance goes by jumping off a building, and perhaps she should try soliciting a torturer.
"Although, with your shamelessness you might entice a different kind of soliciting-"
"Go to hell."
"Been there, done that." The demon replied with a smug grin.
He was infuriating. She decided her wording of her opinion to his commentary needed to be more colorful after that, involving many insults to his manhood, his clothing, his hair, and his personality. She cursed him until she went blue in the face.
Then he decided he would "help" her.
He set her on fire.
She screamed.
It was worse than anything- she felt every moment, her flesh was melting, her bones were becoming hot, so hot- every splinter of pain- until she couldn't bare it and fell herself slip, passing out from the pain.
She woke up naked, in a pile of ashes, her nose filled with the smell of burning flesh- her flesh- and Sebastian stood over her with a devilish grin. She covered herself, trying to maintain some level of dignity, and stood. "What the FUCK?!"
"I was only trying to help." The demon offered a shit eating grin at her, his eyes full of sadistic pleasure in her vulnerable state, enjoying the pain he inflicts on her that bares no consequences. No broken human for him to clean up, he can shatter her just for the sake of it, and she'd return just as she was.
Her hair remained as it was before the burning, long and messy, her skin was smooth, although dusted with charcoal, baring no mark despite melting off her bones moments ago. He enjoyed the sight of this, and wondered what her soul might become along the line, licking his lips subconsciously. Lara stared at him, as if she could tell what he was thinking as his eyes flashed in the dark.
"FUCK YOU. I'M COVERED IN FUCKING CHARCOAL- MY CLOTHING IS FUCKING GONE- I DID NOT ASK YOU TO FUCKING HELP ME YOU FUCKER. YOU SICK FU-" He grabbed her, placing a hand over her mouth. "Hush, your screaming might awakening the young master."
"MHMGMGMGHFUFKCMFKNFGMSHITMOTHFUERKER!!!" Lara continued to curse him out, biting at his hand which resulted in no reaction from the demon who picked her up, moving through the trees and landing somewhere she couldn't make out due to the darkness.
"Now, you need to get that muck off of you, there we go," He threw a bucket of ice cold water across her back, making her gasp, he grabbed her again, pulling her over to him. "So sorry, but you understand on such short notice one cannot expect a hot bath."
Lara shoved at him angrily, and the demon stepped back, the smirk never leaving his face. "GO AWAY." She hissed, covering herself with her arms, feeling tears well in her eyes, from shame, or sheer fucking rage, she couldn't tell. She was trembling, and seething, and all she wanted to do was fucking murder this demon.
Who vanished, leaving her alone, naked in the dark.
.
.
"Here is the paper, young master."
Lara snapped back to the present, looking at the paper in Ciel's hands as she shook herself out of it. Then, she caught glimpse of a title.
TWO MORE VICTIMS CLAIMED BY EAST END RIPPER
She stared at it, in surprise, shock, and slowly forming dread. Oh god was it happening already? Has it already been that long? She thought, and Ciel noticed her staring. "Lara? What's wrong?"
"Jack the Ripper." She said, and Ciel frowned. "Yes... that's what they are calling him-" She cut him off, shaking her head, and objecting rather pointedly, "No no, I mean, I know that case. From the future- it's- well it's famous! Jack the Ripper is absolutely infamous, everyone knows this case!"
"Well, then you should be able to tell us who did it." He said, looking at her expectantly. Lara chewed the inside of her cheek. ".... Eh... well... it's famous for being unsolved."
Ciel sighed. "Of course it is. Well, do you at least know who the next victims will be?"
"Well... not exactly... but there are a couple Marys.... maybe a Catherine...." Lara truly didn't remember the victims names, and she was hitting herself for not remembering. She could save them! But how would she out Madam Red? And Grell?
"So, you know nothing?" He surmised, and Lara flushed, feeling a little bit embarrassed. "I- well- I'll let you know if I remember something, or if something rings a bell."
"Well, you should pack a bag by the way. We're going to London tomorrow." Ciel said as she started to leave.
Oh.... so it's happening... okay then... fuck... it's happening... fucking hell it's HAPPENING! Lara took in a deep breath. "Okay." She turned to leave the room, internalize screaming at the top of her lungs because shit was getting started-
The moment they entered the "city house" the three of them found it to be a complete mess, as a woman dressed in red and two Chinese people seemed to be ransacking it.
"Good heavens, where do they keep the tea in this house?" Madam Red questioned, working on a bookshelf. Lara wondered why she was looking for tea in that particular spot. She eyed the woman carefully, knowing her to be the vicious killer.
Was she looking to see if there was any evidence against her?
Lara paused- and looked around- someone was missing, where was she?
"MADAM RED? LAU? WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?" Ciel shrieked in surprised annoyance while Sebastian pretended like he wasn't super annoyance that he now had to clean up everything, and immediately went to prepare the tea they were so desperate to find.
Lara ignored the demon, and looked for the reaper- spotting her dressed as a butler, Grelle Sutcliff. She felt a chill go up her spine, between Sebastian and Grelle she didn't know which was worse.
No, she did, Sebastian was worse. He was going to eat a kid's soul, at least Grelle wasn't damning them, even if she was killing people it was Madam Red responsible for the whole thing.
Women who were getting hysterectomies so they don't doom children to poverty and misery in the East End, were being murdered by a foolish jealous woman.
"Oh I don't believe we've met, I'm Madam Red. You must be Ciel's Governess. Where did you learn again?" She asked, and Lara looked at her, debating, then decided fuck all. "Oh, you could say I dropped out into his life out of thin air, " Lara laughed, "but I'm originally from the states, I lived in the first state, and was educated by family educators amongst other things. I did a great deal of traveling and scientific research."
"Oh my, that's quite interesting, what kind of research? Where? With whom?" She pried, and Lara eyed her steadily.
"Is this an interrogation, Madam?" She asked Madam Red, who forced a smile onto her face. "Oh no no, I simply wanted to ensure you're worth my nephew indulging."
This bitch.
Lara forced a smile onto her face. "Well, I can assure you, I don't care what you think."
"Excuse me?" Madam Red said, with a hint of outrage.
"It's none of your business who the young master hires. You don't get a say, so don't pretend you do. It's unbecoming. If you actually cared about him you'd trust his judgement. If you think you're morally superior, say so," She leaned towards the woman with a smirk on her face. "Go on, tell me, are you a good person? Are you a person anyone should trust?" Madam Red went pale, sputtering for a moment. "W-why I-"
"Lara." Ciel said, and Lara stood, the smirk keeping on her face. "Oh, so sorry." She said, in a completely apathetic voice, leaving the room. "Lara!" Ciel called, but Lara needed to leave the room before her rage hit nuclear mode.
She really, really, didn't like this woman. Sebastian was one kind of annoyance, but the hate for him was different. He's a demon- to some level he gets some lee way in the kind of things he can do-
But this absolute, inbred aristocratic bitch was out there butchering women because the cunt didn't get to have a fucking baby.
She was vile, as far as Lara was concerned. Tragic, sure, but that gave her no damn right to kill women trying to survive. Her attitude made it worse. High and haughty, the way she was looking at Lara, as if the bitch had any moral superiority.
Not too long after she left, settling herself in the kitchen.
"And what was the cause of this outburst?" Sebastian asked, moving past her, grabbing an assortment of things.
"Jack the Ripper." Lara responded. The demon paused, looking over at her for a moment.
"You said it was unsolved." He said, and Lara shrugged, and decided to lie a little bit.
"Yes. Officially. It's an old case, there were a lot of suspects. But she, is Jack the Ripper. She's the biggest suspect. Plus, the butler is a Grim Reaper." Sebastian sighed, looking mildly inconvenienced. "My, we shall see where this goes. You don't have any proof, so it's not as if we can just tell the young master. And, to accuse a Baroness of such atrocities with no evidence, might not end well for you. But you're welcome to go ahead and try it, I'm sure we'd replace you with a much better tempered Governess." She stuck out her tongue at him.
"Fuck off." She hissed, glaring at him. He flicked some boiling water her way, searing her cheek, Lara let out a choked gasp of pain.
"Did you want another lesson in pain tolerance?" He asked, and she glared at him wishing she could will him into flames. "Do that, and I will cause the biggest most irritating mess I can."
"Oh no, and we wouldn't want that." The demon said sarcastically, leaving the room. Lara decided she was going to make herself some pancakes, fuck them all. She's not in the mood to deal with any of these annoying people and there stupid social rules.
Sebastian poked his head into the kitchen around and hour later, telling her they were going to track down some information. Lara, in the middle of her pancakes, did not want to be bothered, and simply flipped him the bird.
She felt her finger break, and clenched her teeth in pain as Sebastian left, cursing him out in whispered pain knowing the damn demon could hear her just fine.
Hiii so, sorry it's been a minute. I moved. Like, houses, and had no internet for a stupidly long time.
It's been a rough start of the month haha :/
Also, it goes without saying Lara, and I, will be addressing Grelle with she/her pronouns as that's how the author and the character refer to Grelle, but the others will speak as they did in the manga, mis gendering Grelle, just encase that gets confusing later.
Chapter Text
Lord Druid, Lies upon lies
Secrets are never truly secret
they weigh upon the heart, and if one is not careful
they may break out
"..... no."
"Lara."
"Nuh uh. I'm not doing that."
"You're going to help investigate. You're an actual woman, so you're the perfect-"
"No. No. No. I'm not going to dangle myself in front of a perverted rich guy."
"Lara. You're doing it, or I'm taking away your moldy bread."
"......fiiinnnneeeeuuuuuggggggghhhhhhhh."
Lara found herself being shoved into a tight, wildly uncomfortable tight laced corset that was two sizes too small. Her lungs felt like a python was using her as a stress-ball. The dress she was wearing was a pale purple, with white and gold trim, generous frills around the skirt, collar, and sleeves.
Her collar was low, and her sleeves were short and lacy. Around her neck was a golden choker, and her hair was pulled up with golden ribbons. She wore white evening gloves which reached her elbows, with golden lace. In her hand, she held a golden fan.
Behind her was a long train of the purple fabric, which was difficult to maneuver as she was unused to doing so. She never thought she would ever attend a ball, much less one in the 19th century, and as she walked into the ballroom she felt suddenly lightheaded.
She wasn't sure if this was because of the lack of oxygen in her lungs from the tightly laced corset, or because of the fear of this very public outing as many men were starring at her.
Ciel stood by her side, looking equally uncomfortable. Sebastian had a grin on his face, looking like he very much enjoyed their misery and humiliation.
"Alright, we much find the Vicount Druid." Ciel said, trying to appear serious which wasn't really working for him in Lara's opinion because he looked like a made up porcelain doll. She, of course, wouldn't ever voice this opinion because then Ciel would set Sebastian on her. She tried to sigh, but found she couldn't much to her irritation.
"Yeah and get this over with quickly so we can go home and burn these corsets." Lara said vehemently. She didn't mind corsets, but tight laced ones? They were like push up bras. Pure evil.
"Agreed....it's a good thing Elizabeth isn't here..." Ciel mumbled, before they heard a shrill, loud, cheery voice speak behind them. "Oh my! Your dress is sooo cute!!" The grin had fallen off Sebastian's face, and Ciel paled. Lara wanted to laugh at their faces but felt like laughing might crack her ribs under the corset. "Duck!" Lara whispered in a hushed voice, and then dived behind a table.
"Oh no, if Elizabeth were to see me-" Ciel panicked, peering over the edge.
"She would most certainly recognize you," Lara said knowingly, "and are cover would totally be blown."
"Moreover, everyone here would realize my lady is actually my young master.." Sebastian added, and Ciel looked horrified. "If the head of the Phantomhive family is caught dressed like this here of all places- we'd be shamed for all eternity!" He clutched the tablecloth looking absolutely panicked. "I'd rather die than let that happen! She can't-"
"Oh look guys it's a Viscount." Lara said, pointing over at the hot blond guy across the room that a group of women were staring at. She had to admit, he was pretty attractive, at least, for this time period. Now, if she didn't know he was a human trafficker, and misogynistic pervert, and also if Sebastian didn't exist, she might actually have tried flirting with him.
"He's quite young." Sebastian noted. "We can use a greeting as a front to get closet to him- come on Lara." Ciel said, absolutely not wanting to go alone but completely unwilling to admit that. Lara looked at the Viscount and clenched her fist, wondering how she wasn't going to punch this guy in the face for what he was doing to people. "Behave, Lara." Sebastian warned, and Lara rolled her eyes, but threw on a nice small as the two "ladies" approached him.
"Good evening-" Lara started, but then heard Elizabeth's voice shouting over the crowd, having spotted Ciel. Suddenly, she was alone as Sebastian swept Ciel away, Elizabeth walked past her, having not seen Lara before, there was no concern. "Why hello there, little flower." The Viscount Druid had noticed her, having heard Ciel's greeting.
Internally, Lara cursed Sebastian, noting the demon dancing with Ciel on the ballroom floor, evading Elizabeth. She threw the smile on her face, looking at the Viscount. "Hello, my lord." Her gaze kept wandering back to the dance floor, the Viscount noticed, taking her hand.
"What is a sad little wallflower doing over here?" He asked, and Lara realize he must have taken her discomfort for sadness.
"I'm afraid I have no dancing partner, my lord." She replied smoothly, and he grinned, "well, may I have this dance?" He asked, extending his hand to her. Lara felt her cheeks turned red as she panicked.
Oh... crap this wasn't apart of the story... But if I say no, I'm sure to get an earful from Ciel. Ugh.
"Yes you may." She said reluctantly, and he pulled her along to the dance floor. His hand crept down, lower than it should, and he pulled her closer than he should. Lara's cheeks reddened, aware this was a very intimate gesture for the Victorian era. "I've never seen you at one of these, flower."
"Oh, well, I'm from... the states, send here by my mother to... learn the etiquette of high society from my.. godmother... in preparation to marry." Lara made up on the spot, and hoped it sounded convincing.
"I see, so you are engaged?" Viscount Druid asked, and Lara didn't know who she would say she's engaged to so she shook her head.
"No, but my mother hopes this will help me find a match." Lara replied, and he smirked at her, squeezing her hips, his fingers running circles in what she supposed was meant to be a seductive manner.
"Oh, then you are still on the market, well such a fair maiden would find herself stolen away in no time I would imagine." He said, a dangerous implication behind his words. Lara felt herself try to take in a deep breath, but couldn't as the room started to spin. She felt lightheaded.
"Oh dear, are you alright? Come with me, I know somewhere you can... rest." The Viscount Druid pulled her along, to some backroom. Lara felt panicked, resisting a bit as a smell filled the air.
Oh shit oh shit oh shit-
Her vision went black.
When she woke, she was in a cage, blindfolded. "... and these lovely beauties, going for 4000 pounds-" Lara felt groggy, and mentally prepared herself to break out of her bonds. She snapped her wrists, clenching her teeth, she noted it didn't heard as badly as it used to. "Fucking bastard." She whispered, wanting to murder the Viscount.
"Lara... is that you?" She heard Ciel's voice next to her. "Yes, what- how are you-" She questioned, baffled because she didn't think he'd go an get himself caught too! Not after she did!
She decided it was Sebastian's fault.
The cage they were in wasn't very big, but leaning against the bars told her that no amount of anything would get them out, short of dismemberment.
"Once he took you in the back, he approached me, and... well, drugged me." Ciel replied, sounding slightly embarrassed. "Perfect, so we're both kidnapped.... Sebastian is going to be insufferable now." Lara grumbled. This is the second time they've both been snatched. Sebastian was not going to let her live this down.
"Yes.. well.... Sebastian. End this."
They heard screaming, and bodies falling and thudding to the floor audibly across the room. "Yes... my lord... my... it seems you two have grown fond of being captured. What shall I do?" The demon spoke, mockingly as they heard his footsteps approach them.
"Just get us out of this damn cage." The sound of metal screeching against a brute force made her jump, and Lara ripped her blindfold off. Ciel had his off already, and Sebastian reached in, pulling the child out.
Lara stood, stepping out of the cage. "I've notified the yard, they will be here soon." Sebastian explained. "We should get going now.... Lara. Grab on. Quickly now. We can't have you being caught here as well." Sebastian scooped up Ciel, and turned, glancing back at her. Lara reached up, grabbing hold of his neck.
She clung tightly as he jumped through the air, adrenaline jolting through her veins she instinctively wrapped her legs around his waste. She reminded herself if she fell she would not die.
It would hurt, though.
Lara was tired, and wanted nothing more than to get the gown off. They'd returned, Ciel thinking he'd done a job well done, completely certain of his victory, and very ready to change back into trousers.
The immortal woman wanted to get something to eat first though, because due to the stupid demon and the stupid demon snack she didn't get to have ANY of the fancy free party food - which meant she had to cook her own damn food because it's the stupid 19th century where EVERYTHING NEEDS TO BE COOKED BECAUSE 'NO LARA YOU CAN'T EAT RAW CHICKEN EGGS'- oh goody pickles, Lara thought, plucking up the jar without question and yonking off the lid to enjoy some pickle goodness.
She paused, mid bite. slightly wilting as she realized, oh god this is where I'm at warm pickles with nothing. Welp. Oh well.
"Oh, there you are." Lara would have jumped but at this point it was practically tradition for Sebastian to try and scare the living shit out of her by materializing out of fucking nowhere. Lara finished her pickle.
"What." She grumbled, not wanting to have her peace interrupted for some demonic torture bullshit.
Sebastian smiled that shit eating grin which meant something was clearly up. "How did you know?" He asked, and Lara blinked dumbly.
"What?" She asked, confused. She felt her stomach twist with unease with the way the demon was looking at her, she set her pickles down. What was he talking about? Sebastian took a step closer, the look on his face remaining the same despite it appearing to darken significantly.
"You hadn't met Lady Elizabeth, yet you seemed to recognize her instantly, and knew it was the Young Master's fiance...." The demon trailed off. Lara felt her stomach drop, her face going pale as she realized her mistake. "Well... I'd heard of her. Yeah- I looked into it you know, I didn't want to be out of the loop encase she ever arrived while I was present."
Sebastian stared at her, looking unconvinced. "There is also the matter of when you first... appeared. You knew something. You instantly recognized me as a demon. You know something, even now. You are hiding something.... what is it?"
Lara stared at the demon, weighing her options. She didn't- she couldn't- reveal everything. Not right now. But the demon had no proof, her next reaction was everything. Of course, did he even need proof or was suspicion enough?
A terrible thought occurred what if they lock me back up?
Lara pushed down the flicker of icy panic in her veins, leveling her eyes with the demon. "What exactly, is it that you want, demon?" She questioned, her voice was small, but it didn't waiver. Lara steeled herself, standing up, but unable to meet him eye to eye as he towered over her. She didn't waiver despite her heart pounding in her chest in panic. "Does this questioning come at the behest of your master, or is it for your own sake?"
Sebastian eyed her, tilting his head slightly. "Well, the young master hasn't yet caught on, this inquiry is mine yes." His eyes flashed red, and he watched as Lara crossed her arms, noting her defensive posture.
"Then I will tell you what you really need to know, and that is: no, I do not possess any hidden agenda, or information that will endanger your... meal." She told him, pausing at the last bit, because she knew that his interests came before Ciel's at the very end of this, at least in the demons mind.
"... I see.. well, then I suppose it's not necessary to bring it to his attention, although if asked-" Sebastian started and Lara snapped at him.
"If asked, you can tell him that I told you I wanted to be prepared on the event that she visited, because I did. It's not a lie, to your knowledge, and it IS why I know her. A governess should know how to greet their student's fiance," she said, and Sebastian smirked.
"Hm... I suppose that is the truth... at least, that is what you told me is the truth. Still, it is awfully tedious maintaining such an elaborate ruse...." The demon said, and Lara glared at him, then sighed knowing she was going to regret asking.
"What will keep you quiet?"
"... well," Sebastian leaned down towards her, "perhaps a little taste." The demon was much to close, and suddenly all the hairs on the back of Lara's neck were stood up. She jumped away from him, nearly falling over her own feet, her face red. "Taste?" she sputtered, looking at him in disgust, suspicion and fear,"Explain. With words. Now." Did he want a taste of her soul? .... her body?!
The demon chuckled at her reaction, stepping closer to her again but just slightly to the left -noticeably blocking the exit- like a predatory stalking it's prey. "I would like a taste of your soul, through your blood." He clarified. Lara didn't feel calm at this information, despite rationally she knew technically he couldn't hurt her, that didn't change the idea of a demon lapping at her blood any less terrifying.
It's almost like a violation, in Lara's eyes, because according to undertaker her soul was her very essence, it was her..... life, and he would be tasting it. She felt like it was a personal intrusion.
But if she didn't agree.... she'd have to tell them the truth about how she knows things. She can't do that- nobody can know that, well, she told the undertaker but that was different than telling a child eating demon.
Sebastian was waiting for her response, looking down at her with a lustful- no- hungry- expression. He looked starving, she thought, as his eyes changed to the red slits. Transfixed, she reached up with curiosity, because it didn't look real to her. Her fingertips touched the base of his cheek, moving over to the corner of his mouth, which then opened slightly, corners widening beyond what a human mouth would allow.
She saw his fanged teeth, and without thinking, ran her finger along the canine, resulting in a quick prick of her index finger, pooling droplets of blood, she withdrew her hand quickly- before Sebastian caught her hand. He tightened his grip as she tried to pull away, his tongue lapping out to lick the blood off his lips, and her finger. He stared down at her as he brought her hand to his mouth, fangs now grotesquely extended, Lara felt a pang of terror as she uselessly tried to wrench her arm away, but the demon seemed unbothered by her struggling.
In fact, she noted, he seemed to enjoy it.
Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck shit shit shit fuck shit fuck oh shit no shit why did I do that shit fuck fuck why fuuuuckkk AHHH OOOWWWW FUCK- Lara watched, somehow unable to scream, profanities, of course, at him as he grazed her arm, creating small cuts which he lapped from, getting a sick kind of enjoyment in her suffering. The starving demon was tempted, Lara could do nothing as he stared at her, and she felt suddenly very much like a rabbit cornered in front of wolf- or a mouse ensnared by a cat, being toyed with.
He was still, she was still, motionless. Lara felt her heart beating like a drum in her ears, her stomach was rolling threatening to come up as everything felt so wrong- she felt trembles across her body, she felt lightheaded- she couldn't think straight at the only thing running through her mind was oh god he's going to eat me oh god-
He smirked, and without warning, lunged forward like a savage animal. Lara screamed, which was immediately muffled by the demons claw- hand- something- she couldn't breath behind it and his fangs- his teeth were in her shoulder viciously biting into her ripping, tearing skin of her shoulder- neck-
Sebastian pulled back, and lapped at the blood, watching the wound heal from his mutilation. Lara felt tears streaming down her face, as she shook uncontrollably in fear and anger, black spots in her vision from oxygen deprivation as she suffocated. She felt her strength fading with her consciousness, before Sebastian removed whatever was blocking her airways, dropping her to the ground she sucked in a deep breath of air.
She coughed, and gasped, trying to regain her senses, but not daring to look up at the demon, who's voice was suddenly close to her ear.
"Thank you, for the meal, enjoy yours..." He put the pickle jar next to her hand, before he stood, the sound of his foot steps getting quieter as Lara sat motionless on the floor, processing what just happened. She looked at the pickle jar, having lost her appetite and need for a midnight snack.
The pickle jar..... Lara felt like laughing for a moment as a thought popped into her head.
"..... that bitch.. really... came to the kitchen... for a fucking snack...." She laughed, but her face fell as she stood. She curled her arms around herself.
How much of me will this demon demand? How much will he take?
She shivered, and turned, heading to her room.
After undressing, she curled up under the covers, feeling a false sense of security under the blankets she felt the need to stay under them until dawn.
She could almost hear the demon laughing at her.
I'm alive! Hahahaha :I
No but senior year is exhausting... after a move... mannnn.... I'll try to update but I've got so many exams already....
Let me know if Sebastian is acting demony enough for ya. I promise next chapter is the end of this arc.
Chapter Text
Jack The Reaper
Madam, don't you see,
you're going to fall,
and you don't even realize,
you're within death's sweet embrace
She walked along in the cold streets of London, the warm August weather having cooled into the chilly September, it was a cold year, if she remembered anything from the history classes, this was a time when it got so cold the Themes would freeze over.
Lara was going to confront a reaper, and not the reaper Ciel and Sebastian were going to battle with tonight. She hadn't been invited, and only just realized where they'd run off too.
It was her day off, and as she demanded she spent her time trying to clear her head of what happened with Sebastian. It had been weeks since... the incident.
How was she going to get away from them? How was she going to escape... him?
What would happen if... if she just ran? If she waited for the right moment, there were a few "right" moments she could think of. When Ciel and Sebastien leave on the Campania, that could work. She just... even if she managed to not get herself on board of that mess, she might able to.... but then where would she go?
How the hell did she even get here? Why here?
Lara's thoughts dwell on the possibilities, before moving onto figuring out what her next move was.
She stepped in front the the Undertaker's shop, standing still as she debating going inside, before stepping through the door. She was hit with the familiar smell of sweetness, mixed with touches of death. A combination that often left her feeling sick, despite her regular visitation. "Ah, I was wondering when you'd be back." The Undertaker spoke, amused as he emerged from one of the back rooms.
"I... well, if you saw my memories you know what is going to happen to Madam Red." Lara twisted the gloves on her hands, and the Undertaker hummed thoughtfully, and Lara the side of her cheek, anxiety bundling up inside her chest, she felt a pit in her stomach.
"Yes... interesting, even though she probably wasn't meant to die tonight." He said, and Lara blinked, confused. "But she is, it's apart of the story. It has to happen..." She said, because, it was wasn't it? It was some fucked up mess that was her life now, watching the manga she's read, the manga with no ending, the anime that perverts the story, she's living in the fantasy of some japanese woman and she can't escape. Madam Red dies, that's what happened, she can't change that!
The Undertaker looked at her, leaning against a coffin, he countered. "And whoever said that? Just because it's written in a book means it has to happen?" The words were quiet, but they were loud to Lara.
"But she's going to die, and what if she doesn't die? What does that mean- wouldn't she go to prison? Wouldn't she kill again? And if she's meant to kill again then, doesn't that mean other things have be interrupted- Can this even be prevented?" Lara rambled. If she could, if she could change that- what then? What would happen? How could she possibly save anyone? She's barely been able to sa- no she hasn't even saved herself! She's died, dozens of times by now, if it wasn't for whatever the hell was wrong with her she would be long dead so how on earth was she supposed to save anyone?!
"Have you tried?" He asked, "have you even tried at all? Stopping something?" He said it like it would be so easy, and she supposed for a god of death perhaps it would be. But HE could do something, but he can't, can he?
Lara went quiet, feeling a mixture of anger, gritting her teeth.
"Er, well, no." She admitted, bitterly. "I've been to focused with trying to figure out my own mess that I.. it didn't occur that I could change anything-" She realized they would staking out right now, waiting. A rush of panic flooded her as turned, wondering if she could make if she ran- if she just rushed there right now would she-
Madam Red had hours left-
"I- they are there right now-" She turned, and the Undertaker grabbed her shoulder. "Hold on a moment, you'll never make it in time." He pushed passed her, opening the door, they both stepped out into the street, and he lead her into an allyway. Lara felt as if she should be alarmed, but she only felt that anxious guilty feeling eating away in her chest, to distracted to be bothered by anything the Undertaker might have planned.
"But I can't just-" She started, and he shushed her. "Oh, no, I have an idea." He offered his hand, grinning. She looked at him warily. "... why?" She felt something was off. This wasn't normal for him to be involved, and least of all, helping anyone. The Undertaker's lips turned upwards in a grin, a look in his eyes that seemed almost positively dangerous, Lara felt her heart skip a beat.
"I'm curious."
Lara stared into his eyes, and they urged her to take his offer.
She grabbed his hand, after a moment of deliberation, and was pulled to his side, wrapping an arm around her waste tightly, he jumped. Lara held back a surprised yelp, and she clung onto him, fearing she would fall, but he held her steady. This was so unlike when Sebastien had carried her- well more like she clung to him. She didn't know how reaper's got around, but they seemed to possess superhuman abilities.
He danced across the rooftops.
"What's the plan for when you get there my dear?" He asked, and Lara didn't have a plan, she wasn't very sure of what she was even doing.
Or how the Undertaker knew where they were going.
"Um... well, I need to stop a chainsaw." She said, because that much was true. She knew how she might do it too..... and it was going to hurt.
"What is a chainsaw?" The Undertaker asked, and Lara was reminded she wasn't in a time where stuff she knew was common knowledge.
"Big loud slicing thing." She summarized, thoughts racing. Depending on when they got there.... she could maybe stop Madam Red by tackling her? That way nobody had to get sliced open-
Oh.
Lara realized it with a pang of panic.
She can't get sliced by the scythe. If she did that- they would know!
They would see her records!
"Shit." She cursed under her breath, and the Undertaker raised an eyebrow.
"Something wrong?" He asked, and Lara tried to explain. "Uh... well, so, basically do you- Madam Red dies by getting cut-" The Undertaker cut her off, a look of amused realization across his face.
"You want to block it with yourself." He said, and Lara nodded. "... well, I was thinking but I can't because then... well.."
"Your records will expose your secrets, yes. That is a problem, oh dear." The Undertaker sounded completely unbothered by this. Lara felt irritated by his apathy. "Well what am I supposed to do?" She demanded, getting irritated.
"You could try hiding them." Lara stared at the Undertaker. "That's... that's an option?" She asked incredulously. That was never brought up by anyone in the manga.
"Well, no, humans can't usually limit what reapers can and cannot see, however, you are quite unusual. I think you might be able to pull it off." He told her, and Lara was about to respond when she heard the revving of the chainsaw.
They had arrived, and the Undertaker dropped them in the ally nearby. Lara peaked out, and saw Grell, and Sebastian fighting, the chainsaw cutting through Sebastian's shoulder. Lara felt a level of satisfaction upon seeing the demon's blood drawn.
The bastard deserves worse.
Her attention turned to Madam Red, who had Ciel by his neck, with a blade ready. Sebastian lunged for her, Ciel screamed at him to stop. Lara tensed, her heart pounding in her chest.
"How do I control what they see?" She whispered.
"Focus on what you want them to see." The Undertaker whispered back.
"What use do I have for you if you're just another woman?!" Grelle lunged at Madam Red, and Lara ran forward in a full sprint, heart pounding, she threw herself in between the reaper and the lady.
The chain saw entered through her chest in a bloody mess of pain, Lara bit down on her cheeks bloody to stop from screaming but ending up making a mangled whimper. All parties involved looked on in shock, and Lara's vision went white.
She faintly heard Ciel shouting.
Then everything went black.
"Hey Lara, can you get the kettle?"
"Mom?"
She was home, in her kitchen- no, this wasn't right. She wasn't there. She was watching herself. A kaleidoscope of her life, spinning and dancing all around her, she watched herself. She was home in her kitchen and her mother was making tea. Her brothers were playing outside. Her father, he was watching tv.
Emotions Lara had kept buried began to bubble furiously to the surface. "Mom?" She whispered, and something inside of her burned in her chest, as she remembered this was something she would never see again.
Mom... Dad... I can't get back to you. I'm trapped. I'm alone.
Lara felt a sob threaten to spill from her lips, which she sealed shut. "Lara?" Her mother's voice echoed in her ears, and all Lara could focus on was that she'd never see them again. She never get to go home again.
Stop it.
She watched more of her life, more happy painful memories that reminded her of what she had lost.
Stop it..
Stop IT
STOP IT
Lara screamed, and the world around her exploded.
Hey.... I know it's been a hot minute but hey! I'm back! Well, semester is almost done so I'll probably update in another couple of weeks or so. Hope you like.
Chapter Text
The Reaper's Warning
You sway your prey with sweet words,
all the while dragging them into the darkness.
Lara's eyes were blurry and out of focus, her life having flashed before her eyes, she groaned as she felt her soul nearly torn from her by the reaper's scythe. She blinked, and became vaguely aware of her surroundings.
She was on the ground, the cold stone beneath her, she faintly heard somebody yelling. Slowly, tenderly, she pulled herself upright, blinking.
In front of her, Sebastian stood, blocking Grelle from attacking her, she wondered why before she noticed Ciel next to her. "Ciel?" She asked, and the boy looked pale, but slightly relieved, and shocked. "You're alive."
"What about your Aunt?" Lara asked, hoping this ordeal hadn't been for nothing, because if it was she was going to ring that stupid Reaper's next.
"Sebastian restrained her, she's fine." Ciel explained, and Lara nodded. "Good... because I am not doing that again." She looked down, and noticed the large gash on her chest, which had healed, now revealing her bare skin. Slowly, she stood, glaring over at the reaper.
"BUT LOOK WHAT SHE'S DONE! IT'S BROKEN!!!" She finally caught what Grelle was saying as she wailed at the demon, who just looked amused. He glanced over at Lara, giving her a small nod. "Oh good, you're awake. It seems you're full of surprises."
Lara was confused, until she saw what was in the reaper's hands- the chainsaw- it looked.... mutilated. Bent, and snapped in half, pitifully Grelle clutched it as she glared daggers at Lara. "... I did that?" She gasped, wondering what this meant. "How?"
"The hell would I know how it's possible! Your stupid soul is all wrong! It broke my death scythe!" Grelle said scathingly. ".. my soul can break death scythes?" Lara asked, completely baffled.
Huh, probably safe from Sebastian then, unless he wants major stomach problems. Lara thought, amused at the thought. But it didn't make any sense, when she was reaped before, she just made another soul.
Was it because she was willing? Was it because she fought back? She would had to ask the Undertaker about this. She wondered if he had watched, and was lingering, hidden in the shadows.
"Well, what do we do with it, Young Master?" Sebastian asked, gesturing to the reaper, and Ciel hummed, looking at Grelle. "I can't really kill you. ... or is that possible, to kill a grim reaper?" He pondered, and Grelle shranked back, "no, please, I'm sorry- I'll be good!" Grelle begged, backing away as Sebastian pulled his glove tighter. "I'm not sure, but I would think they can if you try hard enough."
"Sebastian, this is an order, capture the reaper." Ciel said, pulling off his eyepatch. Madam Red, who had since been quiet, looked shocked at her nephew.
Lara wondered if they were going to explained that Sebastian was a demon and that Ciel was his long term meal plan. She found herself surpressing a laugh at that, because, well, Red would have a heart attack. And she's have a Sebastian hate buddy.
Maybe she should start a club. William could probably be vice president. She remembered the reaper dislikes demons, strongly.
Suddenly another reaper appeared , a tall man with grey hair and glasses. "There you are! What the hell are you doing, Grelle? And, is that a human?!" He asked, shocked, and Grelle looked sheepish, "oh, uh, hi William." She said, nervously.
Lara rolled her eyes. William eyed the reaper, then his gaze went to the demon. "What are you doing with the likes of that? And...." William said, sneering at Sebastian like he was somebody's wet dog who's tracked mud into the house. Then, his expression switched to shock, as he saw Grelle's chainsaw broken in half, "what happened to your death scythe?!" He exclaimed.
"THAT WENCH BROKE IT!!!" Grelle shrieked, pointing at Lara, who shifted, uncomfortably.
"You broke a death scythe?" William asked, looking baffled, and curious. Also a bit irritated if Lara was being honest. "Yes, but to be fair, the damn reaper was trying to kill us. My soul broke it if we're being technical. It was not the intention. I apologize for the inconvenience but please, do try to control your colleague so they don't go on serial killing rampages."
William looked somehow, more annoyed, and turned to Grelle. "Do you have any idea how much paperwork this is going- the overtime alone.."
"Well," Sebastian interupted. "Not that this hasn't been lovely. But you'll be taking that with you?"
"Yes, it will receive punishment for it's actions, don't worry. Killing people not on the to die list is a very grievous offense to reapers. I apologize for there actions... honestly, apologizing to the likes of demons like you...." William went on, grabbing Grelle like last week's laundry and dragging her away while she wailed about it not being her fault. He paused, however, and then addressed Lara.
"I would tread carefully, if I were you.... that demon is only bound as long as he chooses... and your kind are always prey to such as his." William said, lowly, but the demon of course could totally still hear him despite this. Lara's eyes widened at his words.
"... wait... my kind?" She asked, but the reaper ignored her, leaving her with the dysfunctional mess that was the Phantomhive household.
Lara turned to the group, Madam Red still in shock, Sebastian looked fine, Ciel was deliberating what to do with Madam Red.
Madam Red is off the hook. Lara was a bit peeved, because this bitch did kill a bunch of innocent women. But, she supposed, nobody in the mansion, or family, was innocent.
They had a demon, so...
The story was that, Jack the Ripper was dealt with. Madam Red was threatened into behaving, and was slightly disturbed by Ciel's... entire personality flip once you were in the know. She knew, of course, that this was the deal with the Phantomhives. She had loved them. She was not innocent to their dealings.
Lara found herself out on the roof, staring up at the sky, wondering about her existence. What was she? Would she live forever? She might make it back to her time... but even then, what then?
She wondered what she should do after Ciel gets eaten by Sebastian... or if he'll get eaten. She doubted that the Undertaker could save him, but if they could figure out what to do about Sebastian then, they could save Ciel.
Maybe they could seal him? Or just straight kill him. But that did leave the other problem, who wanted the Phantomhives dead? Ciel and his brother were abducted and sold, so clearly, this wasn't a family wipe out. They'd have killed them at the scene of that was the case.
So, perhaps it was personal, just specifically for Ciel's Dad... Lara couldn't remember what his name was, but she knew he'd have made a lot of enemies. If it was a personal attack, perhaps Ciel was safe.
Well, not entirely, Ciel made a lot of enemies by himself, and not to mention... not to mention without Sebastian he'd be dead fast. But perhaps.... that's... the plan? When the Undertaker brings back Ciel, Real-Ciel... taking back everything, officially announcing himself... he should know that wouldn't last.. the boy is dead. He can't age.
Lara decided... if Ciel, if the Undertaker, wasn't going to take advantage of the twin, she was. She figured, it would be smart to use the R-Ciel as a way to kill him off, let him be announced, dead, have the funeral, forge the death, and have O-Ciel, off the hook. He'd be free.
Get rid of the demon, then, fake his death.
That could work, Lara supposed. Undertaker certainly isn't stupid, but he is heartbroken... but she didn't know how far his delusions went. Would he try to preserve the other twin? She knew he would be trying to save the last living Phantomhive, with how obsessed he is with them.
Or, is he the culprit? Is he the one who caused all of this? Why? There wasn't a motive that Lara was aware of.
"My, this is an interesting place to sleep, or are you going to keep throwing yourself off the roof?" Sebastian's voice interrupted her thoughts. She cringed, and huffed, looking over at him. "What do you want?"
"Oh, nothing, merely wandering about the mansion, as I do each night, the better question is what you are doing up here?" He asked, approaching her. Lara sat up, leaning on her forearms. Sebastian remained standing, and she couldn't picture him really, sitting.
Actually.... had she ever seen him relax, even once?
... even acting?
"Contemplating my newfound immortality." She replied, keeping her gaze up at the bright sky. Sebastian chuckled. "Newfound?" He quirked an eyebrow at her, and she huffed again.
"It's just..... it didn't... I never really took a minute to actually think about it. I wasn't always like this. I was mortal. I was supposed to grow old, and die... I... I'm from the future, and one day, I'll be back in my own time.... but then what? I don't even know what I'm going to do for the rest of... forever. What am I supposed to do with that?"
"... I admit, I do not know. Demons live eternally, but most of us spend our days seeking out meals." Sebastian said, and for once, she saw him move to her level. She laughed, at the idea of food being everything. That's.. a baseline. Not a life. Not her life.
"Hah! That's something. I feel like that would get boring... no wonder you make a game out of it." She replied, leaning back a little bit, stretching.
"It does ease the boredom." He agreed, and he'd gotten closer.
"Maybe I could try global domination." She joked. Sebastian out right laughed. "That... would be interesting." He said, sounding like a parent when they hear their kid wants to be a superhero, or princess.
"You don't think I could do it." Lara said accusingly, scooting away from him just a little.
"Not at all." Sebastian smirked at her, teasing, and moving towards her. She stiffened, as he was terribly close now. "There are other ways.. to ease the boredom...." He said, his voice low, looking at her with the same predatory look he did before he did something horrifically sadistic.
"... can you not do something violent tonight I already got ripped apart by a damn death scythe." She said, and he paused, tilting his head.
"Hm... well, perhaps another thing comes to mind... something not violent.. unless you want it to be.." He reached towards her, pushing her down suddenly. Lara's eyes widened, and she tried shoving him off.
"What the hell are you doing?" She demanded. Sebastian leaned towards her neck, taking a deep inhale. "It's quite a shame, you would have been delicious, but it seems as though I should take careful steps... with this meal... there are other ways to sample.." He stroked down her side, making her side tingle, and Lara flinched. "Wh- no!"
She pushed him off, and rolled away from him, jumping to her feet. "Not happening!" She said, and he caught her wrist, appearing at her side again, pulling her closer, ignoring her shoving him off. "I could ease the boredom, from time to time.." He said, and she stared at him, slightly horror struck as he traced the flesh on her wrist.
He was behind her, an arm wrapped around her to keep her close, he held her wrist. She felt him buck his hips just a little, grinding into her in a kind of teasing way, while he leaned to her ear. To her alarm, she felt something, and struggled uncomfortably against him.
He whispered in her ear "you could scream for mercy on my cock while I fuck you senseless." His hand had moved upwards, a little, so he palmed the underside of her breast while he spoke.
Lara recoiled, cheeks heating up as gave a noise of distress and mild disgust. She also had to admit, she was a teeny bit turned on by the way he said that but no way did she want.. that.
Not from him.
"... not happening." She said, again, firmly, but barely a whisper, there was a tinge of rage behind it. Sebastian hummed, his lips on the pulse of her throat, teeth grazing her neck teasingly.
"One day," he let her go, "you'll beg for it." He said it like it was a fact, as true as the sky is blue. She decided she despised him for that. For how he made her feel, to how he could play with her like puddy, while she helplessly endured. He could do anything and she could never hope to stop it.
"When hell freezes over." She hissed, wrenching away from him.
Sebastian flashed her a wicked smile at that, before vanishing.
Lara found her way back to her room with no further encounters, and wondered, how can she get in on the murdering Sebastian plan... and if there was one, cause if not, she was going to concoct it.
Heyyyyy
yeah... it's been a minute hasn't it?
..... it's not even been that long but damn as everything been extremely busy.
Chapter Text
Creator is noted on the watermark.
"Bye."
Lara felt like the last couple days, being Ciel's birthday, were absolute chaos. Lara was forced to dress "appropriately" which meant hers and Sebastian's hair had to be perfectly pulled back. Lara wasn't sure what Francis had against loose hair.... she did not get why she had to be "custey".... although the image of Sebastian in a pink bow will now be her new favorite memory.
Currently, she was now dragged to the "townhouse" which was basically another mansion, and Lara is very much in a "eat the rich" mood because all she could afford was maybe a single room.
Not in the same neighborhood. Actually based on her salary, she'd earn about 100 pounds, per year. She was told that this was actually the top salary for her position. She would like to add that she was being paid, three pennies a day.
It was wildly dumb in her opinion and she hated this time period with a burning passion. In particular, she hates that fact that she's freezing her ass off, because it's December, in the UK, and no matter how "advanced" these imbeciles claim they are her room is still very much NOT comfortably heated the same way it was in the 21st century.
She fairly certain her toes are going to freeze off, just because, once again, Sebastian had decided to be a sadistic bastard and throw her off the roof, and into a pile of snow. He didn't bother to pick her up, and left her outside. She suspected he was upset because she had made the suggestion to Elizabeth to give Sebastian a new uniform.
Why had she been on the roof?
Well, Sebastian had asked her to come and look at something. Then the motherfucker pushed her.
Honestly it's not his best work and she made sure to mention her thoughts the next day.
He really didn't appreciate it.
Which is why she's absolutely certain he's using some kind of demon bullshit magic to make her room extra cold.
Lara pulled the blankets closer, and vowed vengeance (she's aware that it's pure delusion). There was another thing Lara was vehemently ignoring, which was their current guest.
The Prince Soma, who she decided was single-handedly the most annoying person she ever met. He was entitled, and oblivious in the worst ways. Lara decided to limit her interactions with him until reality bitch slapped him in the face. She was largely uninvolved for the little food baking drama, spending her time largely in a state of repetition.
She'd wake up, get ready, then do some chores and research. She was very irritated with how misogynistic and racist the biology books of this time period were, so she spent a lot of time flipping through them and correcting them by crossing out anything stupid.
Entire pages were ripped out because they contained nothing useful, so Lara had saved up to buy a journal were she decided to write everything correctly. Some things were so basic.
For example, the excuse that men's heads were larger and therefore they were more intelligent. Mens heads are larger than womens because they are larger than women, and mass does not equal density. Lara wanted to smack her head on the table reading some of this nonsense. They completely ignore proportions!
Then, there was germ theory, which barely- Lara couldn't deal with it.
Of course, while Ciel and Sebastian knew she knew her stuff, everyone else, didn't. Including that Prince, the freaking asshole even tried perpetuating the idea that women were just more emotional and hysterical because of some imbalance or whatever- Lara had stopped listening because she didn't want to insult the Prince by correcting him.
Because also, apparently correcting anyone with a penis- and a crown- is the same as calling them a cunt-
Lara couldn't believe the demon was now the least infuriating- to talk to at least- person- sorta of person- in her life. Am I spoiled to have only be in the company of intelligence until this point?
The immortal had to keep her mouth shut around the prince. Luckily, she almost slept through the entire mess with Soma. It was basically a long weekend. They were back to the estate the next week.
The most frustrating thing about knowing everything is when nobody else believes what you say. She guessed she had been lucky that she hadn't been dismissed by everyone else. Although Madam Red had tried to dismiss her.
Madam Red.
She had saved the woman. A woman who was meant to die.
What if she’d disrupted something she wasn’t supposed to? What if one changed death led to others? Could she stop worse deaths next? Or would everything collapse because of her interference?
Her thoughts turned to the children—those children, the ones Ciel would order burned alive in Baron Kelvin’s manor. The pedophile. That couldn’t be allowed to happen. She had to intervene. No matter what.
Even if it meant putting a bullet in the baron’s skull herself.
She had a plan.
The Undertaker. He might help. He was interested in experiments—maybe even the idea of defying death. If she could convince him to help her find the orphanage and manor, she might be able to save the children. Joker, too—she knew if he saw the truth, if he understood what the children were being used for, he might turn. He had freaked out in the manga when he discovered his prosthetic hand’s origin.
It could all go horribly wrong. But she had to try.
Above all, she had to keep Ciel from that room. If she could do that, the children might live.
After that... well, the Campania arc loomed. Titanic with zombies. Lara had already decided she would not be attending that mess.
She didn’t do boats. Or the undead. No fucking way.
Next would be the school arc. Hopefully, she’d be left out of that too. Maybe a small reprieve from Sebastian she looked forward too at least.
Then... Emerald Witch.
Technology. Danger. Modern weapons.
And then he would arrive.
The one who changed everything.
Whose side would will I choose?
She pushed the thought down and focused on the lesson at hand. She’d given Ciel a pop quiz earlier. He had done well, until the final question.
“What chemical gas do humans breathe in, Ciel?”
“...Oxygen, isn’t it?”
Lara folded her arms and faced him directly. “Not exactly. We can’t breathe in pure oxygen. It’d kill us. The air we breathe is mostly nitrogen—about 78%. Oxygen is only around 21%, and even that is heavily diluted. There’s also argon, water vapor, carbon dioxide... and all the pollutants we don’t talk about. Dust, methane, pollen, smoke.”
Ciel frowned. “But if we breathe out oxygen too... why do you say we breathe out carbon dioxide?”
“Because carbon dioxide is what plants use. It's what matters for the ecosystem. But we actually breathe out a mix—around 16% oxygen, 4% carbon dioxide. The rest is other gases. Trees are essential to us. We? Not so much to them. Nature doesn’t care about us. We’re parasites on our best days. A plague on the worst.”
She sighed, rubbing her temple. They had no idea. She hadn’t even begun to explain nuclear weapons, or robots on Mars. How do you even start?
Sebastian chuckled softly. Ciel shot him a sour look. “What are you laughing at?”
“Oh, nothing,” Sebastian said, ever-smiling. Probably comparing humans to grasshopers again.
Lara ignored him and launched into an explanation of climate change. Ciel took it... well. He was a child, and he’d be long dead before the worst of it.
Still, something about that irritated her. So she casually dropped a bomb.
“After the Second World War ended in 1945—”
Ciel’s teacup froze midair. “Second? A World war? And there’s going to be a second one?!”
Lara felt her lips twitch as something wicked, demanding smug satisfaction, swirled in her heart. “Yes. First starts in 1914, ends 1918. The second kicks off in 1939, more or less officially 1940.”
He stared. “Who’s involved?”
“Complicated. The first one starts when an Austrian duke is assassinated. Then everyone joins in. Europe becomes a battlefield. Asia’s touched. America? Untouched in the first. In the second, Japan bombs a harbor in a state that doesn’t exist yet.”
“How do they get to America?”
“Oh, they fly.”
“...What?”
“Airplanes. Flying machines. They drop bombs from the sky. London will be hit hard in what’s called the London Blitz. It’s chaos.”
She watched Ciel process that.
“Germany... dictatorship, fascism, genocide. They call it deportation, but they’re sending people to camps—extermination or labor camps. Men, women, children. Gassed. Burned. Around six million Jewish people killed. Not counting Romani, Black people, and others.”
She looked down at her lap, voice even. “The camps are mostly outside Germany. That made it easier to hide the truth.”
When she looked up, Ciel was pale. “How can you say that so casually?” Lara sighed, and leaned back. It wasn't abnormal, he was a child still. While he had witnessed horrors, she suspected the scale of this was what shocked him.
“Because... what else is there to say? People forget. Or ignore it. History repeats itself. It just wears a new name next time," it felt damning to say that, a pessimistic thought and line. But it was true nonetheless.
Sebastian’s voice cut in, calm, with a cruel mocking tone as if chiming in on the weather. “Hardly unusual behavior for your species. Mass extermination? I’ve seen it a dozen times. The Transatlantic Slave Trade, for example—so efficient. So profitable. Or when Europeans landed in the Americas. Ten million? Twenty? Gone.”
He smiled, eyes gleaming. “Freedom for the enslaved, wasn’t it? A noble slogan. But no punishment for the guilty. What does that say about the victors?”
Lara’s stomach churned.
She had started this conversation. She forgot her company. Ciel looked shaken. Sebastian? Amused.
She stood up.
“That concludes today’s lesson. We’re done.”
Sebastian’s eyes followed her as she left. She could feel the heat of them burning into her back.
“Do you have any special skills, Lara?” Ciel asked without preamble the next day as she stepped into the drawing room. He didn’t look up from his tea, but his tone carried an edge, as if weighing her like a piece on a chessboard.
Lara paused mid-step, one eyebrow twitching upward. Oh fucking fantastic, that means shits going down.
“...I can break a death scythe with my soul,” she said dryly, arms folded. “Depends on your definition of ‘special.’”
Sebastian’s low, amused chuckle stirred from behind the young earl’s chair. “An impressive talent. Though rather niche.”
Ciel set down his teacup with a faint clink and finally looked at her. “Sebastian and I will be infiltrating the Noah’s Ark Circus. Given you are not currently assigned to the defense of the manor, it may prove...efficient to take you along.”
She blinked. “You want me to join a circus?”
“You do have a flair for the dramatic,” Sebastian offered lightly, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. “And frankly, I find your accidental chaos quite crowd-pleasing. Especially the fire.”
Lara shot him a narrow-eyed glare. “You are the one who set me one fire.”
“Twice,” he reminded her, cheerful as ever. Lara wished she could set him on fire.
“I’m not a performer,” she said flatly, turning her attention back to Ciel. “I can’t juggle, I don’t like clowns, and I’d rather eat glass than dance in front of strangers.”
“No one asked you to enjoy it,” Ciel replied coldly. “But I’ve seen you scale the manor rooftops, and your ability to move unseen is... not inconsiderable. Sebastian claims you are proficient. Acrobatics, stealth, observation, those are what matter.”
Lara shot the demon a withering glare, because this was completely his fault, before turning her attention back to Ciel.
“And if I say no?”
There was a pause.
Ciel’s gaze hardened, subtle but unmistakable. “Then I would assume you have something more important to do. Something more valuable than aiding in the Queen’s work?”
Lara bit her lip, tension building at the base of her spine. She hated being backed into corners. But she wasn’t stupid, she could see this wasn’t a casual suggestion. This was a test.
And if she refused now, then when the undead started crawling out of ocean liners later, she might not have any cards left to play. She had a feeling she could only outright refuse once. She needed to save it for the zombies because that's just a hard pass.
“Fine,” she muttered, in defeat.
“Excellent,” Ciel said with cool finality, already returning to his tea, "We're leaving tonight."
Well, look who's back!
Yeah I know it took forever to update, but, I'm watching the new Black Butler and honestly the hype hit me. I figured I should get myself through the arc- really it was the whole Soma thing that's been clogging me. Things will start to go away from cannon. Really that's kinda thing that's blocking me a bit, very little creative freedom I've given myself by trying to stay dedicated.
Then I remembered that doing so is optional, and now I am full of devious ideas.
And boredom.
Guess who has two thumbs, an no job? This writer!
Honestly I started doing a book, like a real book. Boy has that been... something. A woman moves in with a vampire and doesn't realize he's not just really goth, and just thinks he's weird because he's a rich lonely dude. He thinks she's in the know, but won't phrase it directly so she just keeps thinking he's talking about weird culty sex stuff. Also witches. And maybe demons. Very, Dracula meets Glinda vibes.
Possibly some fae lore but idk about that. Maybe I might publish, maybe I might throw it on here, maybe I won't. Idk.
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