(Untitled)

[obeymyorder]

Characters: Ciel Phantomhive (obeymyorder) and Londo (proudambassador) / OPEN to everyone.
When: Just Prior to Evening's Fall September 26th
Where: Londo's Casino
Rating: PG-13 ?
Warnings: Possibly IC-drama? Idk. xD
Summary: Ciel came up with the idea of a memorial to anyone who has left Adstringendum, and Londo suggested a Toast. So here we are.

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[bloodseal_soul]

A few minutes into it, Al showed up, wordlessly helping to set out the glasses. If they needed more, well, he'd go make some. There was a half a car down the block with half a windshield still intact. It seemed so... out of the blue that Ciel would be doing something so kind and thoughtful. As far as he'd known, he hadn't been close to anyone that had left recently.

Maybe he actually did care, or maybe Negi was rubbing off on him. He didn't know what to think.

Al gentle nudged Ciel with his elbow as he took down several more glasses, and gave him a small smile.

[obeymyorder]

Ciel only paused for barely a moment, as he saw Al join them, helping with higher-to-reach glasses in Ciel's case, and setting them out upon the tables.

For a moment, the Earl distracted himself by setting up a sort of podium, dusting off the top of a higher set chair and table that might have been used by a Black Jack dealer.

But in the end, Al did get close enough to nudge, earning the boy a soft sort of look. There was no malice, no scorn.. Not even the near-residual scowl the boy always sported.

All he could do, was give the barest hint of a smile.

[bloodseal_soul]

Al tilted his head to the side, and his own smile warmed.

"Did you... know anybody that left?"

[obeymyorder]

He took on a thoughtful look, pausing slightly as he placed a glass down.

"...I knew a few. Not very well; but too many people have left recently. I only thought it right..." He might have another reason, but if he does, he's doing a DAMN good job not leading on.

[bloodseal_soul]

Al hesitated, then reached out a hand, briefly setting it on the young Earl's shoulder.

"... thanks, Ciel. This means a lot to me. To everyone. I've... got a lot of people I need to say goodbye to."

[obeymyorder]

For once, he didn't brush the hand away, walk out of reach or even tense at the connection. Instead he just.. let it be. It wasn't hard for him to do, even if he didn't particularly like physical contact.

"You are welcome, Alphonse. I know a few people are missing... I suppose Alfons might be one of them. I did not know him well, but..." He sighs a little.

He knew the man had been ill, so...

[bloodseal_soul]

Al's face grew somber as he took his hand back, slowly nodding. "And Kaoru," he said softly. "... and Daxter, and Cassidy, and Skyler... and Ginia."

He momentarily turned away, setting the glasses out. His face was blank, a steel mask, his eyes unfocused on anything he was doing. He shifted his shoulders and let out a sigh.

"... how long has it been since you arrived here?"

[obeymyorder]

He watched. Watched Al list off the people he missed. Yes.. They had all been names that Sebastian had mentioned to him in private. He'd been keeping a list, of sorts.

Not that he would ever let anyone else know that.

"Me? Oh I don't know... Three.. Four months perhaps." Gosh, had it really been that long already? Time really did fly...

[bloodseal_soul]

Al shook his head incredulously. So much time... and it seemed like Ciel had arrived only yesterday. Him and Negi both.

"I've been here since the June before last." Quite a while now. Al's fingers ghosted down the side of a glass. He paused so long between that and the next thought, it almost was as if he'd lost his train of it. "There are only a handful of people that have been here longer than me, who haven't ever lost their memories. Ms. Unohana, Vincent, Brother, Shirou Kamui, Kamui..." Al glanced down at his ring, rubbing his opposite thumb across the vermilion jewel and the kanji there.

"A lot of people come more than once. They disappear and come back, and have no idea they were ever here. Sasuke's one. I've been here to help him celebrate his sixteenth birthday... and his fourteenth. In that order."

He had no idea why he was telling Ciel this, he felt a little guilty unloading that on him.

"So when the toast does happen... I just... thanks for this. It really, really means a lot."

[obeymyorder]

Ciel listened. Listened and continued setting tables. It was quite in the large room, footsteps muffled by soft, warn carpets... The gentle clink of glass as it was set down, sometimes brushing against another of it's kind.

Aside from that, Al's voice rang clear, so near to Ciel.

He listened. Took in the different mentions of people. Some whom he could recall, others.. He'd rather not think about.

He had been peeking though, when Al idled a touch against his ring, one brow perking discreetly as he did so; he didn't pry. The Sasuke issue.. He knew vaguely about that.

Don't worry Al. Ciel might not.. really care as much as some people, but he cares enough to listen. That's saying something.

In the end though, he gave a soft nod, walking by the blond on his way to set out a few more glasses. He'd let a hand brush over the small of Al's back in passing. A gentle touch, his sort of comfort touch, you could say.

[bloodseal_soul]

Al had no idea how much Ciel knew. Not a lot of people knew, now. It wasn't widely talked about. The people who needed to know, knew. That was all. They'd all come to terms with it, it had been dealt with. Al almost never spoke of it except in passing, and then only rarely.

Alphonse's eyes nearly closed at the gentle touch, and a smile barely tugged the edge of his lips. He could be really kind when he chose to be. Al squared his shoulders and went back to the cabinet to take down some bottles. He separated the liquor from the nonalcoholic beverages, making sure to carefully read the bottles this time.

"Enough about that," Al said quietly. "This is about memories, not sadness."

[obeymyorder]

A simple nod, perhaps a little smile.

"Correct. Pleasant memories, if that is possible, dear Alphonse." He finished, setting out the last few glasses upon the table. Al could handle the bottles; Ciel wasn't quite tall enough to reach.

[bloodseal_soul]

A smile tugged the edge of Al's lips at the "dear", and he chuckled to himself. It made him want to reach out and mess up Ciel's hair, but he knew he hated that, so he didn't. Ciel always kept him guessing, and he'd never called him "dear" before.

Either he was laying something on thick because he was bad at sympathy, or he meant it, and either was a little funny, and it shouldn't be. It was normally that the boy was so sarcastic... Al sighed.

Al really did like Ciel, alternating between that link and exasperation as if he really were his little brother. Either way, Al gripped the bottle and poured steadily, filling up each crystal goblet about halfway.