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Alois Trancy had spent five Christmases in this house. The first had barely counted, as he had nothing to celebrate but being alive— and only barely. Confined to a basement and experiencing untold horrors on the daily, he had barely noticed that Christmas had even passed. His second was better, replacing a cold basement for the cold, expansive halls of the manor and the company of his fellow captives for the company of five strange servants. He received gifts, of course, but only things that he had specifically asked for. While it was a thrill to be gifted opulent things, and many of them, something was missing.
The picture books that Claude sat down with him to read were clearly meant for young children. Nobles, he supposed, learned to read at a far younger age than he had. At eleven, Alois felt embarrassed to be reading stories about talking animals in silly situations. He wanted to read stories about epic adventures and ghosts and supernatural phenomena. As his reading prowess grew, the books available to him did as well.
On Alois’ third Christmas, Claude gave him a copy of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. He looked at the cover, turning the volume around to read the synopsis on the back. “Claude… will you read this to me?”
The tall butler looked at the boy in front of him through his wire-framed glasses. Flickers of light from the roaring fireplace obscured his eyes. “Your highness, I believe this book is appropriate for your reading level.”
“Claude, that’s not what I meant. I can read it just fine . It’s just… it’s Christmas, okay? I know about this story, and it’s often read aloud. I was at the shops with Hannah the other day, and I saw a theatre performer reading it in the square for the children. You know, where the huge Christmas tree is on 108th, by my favorite tailor shop? You do know where that is, right?” His last sentence was spoken softer than those before it. He knew the answer, but he refused to accept it.
Claude simply nodded. “Is that a command?” he asked simply.
Alois sighed. “Yes! I command you to read this story to me!” He pushed the book to his butler, who took it from him and, taking a seat next to his master, started from the first page.
“Marley was dead, to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that…” he droned.
Alois frowned as he listened, frustrated by Claude’s approach to storytelling. He got the job done, but Christ . In another life, Alois was sure he would have been an actor, so he was more discerning of others’ delivery. He snatched the book from his butler, glaring at him. “Have you ever tried anything beyond the bare minimum? Have you ever felt any sort of emotion in your pathetic existence?!” the boy snapped.
“Your highness, my kind is not known for their emotions.”
“Clearly!” He huffed. “This mansion is so cold! I’m so cold all the time, Claude!”
Claude frowned slightly. “I could rekindle the fire, if that is what you suggest—“
“Not physically! God, you twit! I’m fucking lonely! It’s Christmas, and I’ve never felt any sort of warmth from this season! No “magic”, no “cheer”! I’m just cold and lonely. I almost wish I was living in the street again, because at least I had my brother!” His voice shook as he remembered those cold Christmases with Luka, made warmer by his presence. Luka radiated light and kindness, and would always use whatever money he could find to get his brother something— a piece of candy, a pastry, and when there was no money, he would make Alois dolls from grass and sticks. He regretted wishing for more back then. He loved Luka’s gifts, but the two of them always pined for luxuries. Alois only wanted luxuries if he had someone to share them with.
Claude stayed silent for a few moments, finally opening his mouth to speak before Alois cut him off. “You are dismissed. I’m going to bed.” Already in his nightclothes, Alois dramatically lifted his thick wool blankets over his head and plopped himself onto his mattress.
The demon sighed and blew out the candles, muttering a goodnight to his master before exiting the room. Once gone, Alois picked up the book again. The firelight allowed him to read just fine, and he settled into the thin volume. Before him unfolded a tale of greed, remorse, and redemption. He found himself getting angry with Scrooge, having the unique perspective of being a wealthy person who was dirt poor less than two years ago. His heart ached for Scrooge’s workers, for the orphans on the street, and for Tiny Tim, who reminded him of Luka.
But what caught Alois’ eye were the celebrations that the characters threw. He envisioned warm dining rooms, aglow with candlelight and smiling faces, enjoying roasts and wine and stories. He imagined music, dancing, singing, laughter. Joy and togetherness. He usually ate Christmas dinner alone, both he and his staff uninterested in each other’s company. Claude, he knew, was uninterested in the types of meals Alois ate. So he ate alone, usually leaving before the dessert course could be served. He could do without the extra weight, anyways.
Alois’ fourth Christmas was similar to the third. However, he had an unwelcome guest. His uncle, Arnold Trancy, insisted upon dining with him. His maid called Hannah, two days prior, practically inviting him over. Hannah handled the situation with grace, but Alois exploded with anger once he received the news.
“That bastard thinks he can just let himself in?!” He grabbed Hannah by her collar. “And you did nothing to stop him?! I should have you fired, you useless—“
Claude strode in, seemingly out of nowhere, cool and calm. “Your highness… Arnold Trancy would be a good guest in this house. It is important that you keep your… blood… relations strong. Besides, you so often complain of loneliness this time of year. Maybe it would be good for you to see your uncle.”
Alois scoffed. “No company is better than bad company.” He tried not to think about the irony of his statement. “Greedy old bastard only wants my money. He doesn’t even believe that I’m the legitimate heir. What’s the point in entertaining such a simpleton?” He tightened the bow around his neck and fixed his stockings. “I am the true heir, and I’m tired of trying to prove that fact!”
Claude narrowed his eyes slightly. “Please think it over.”
The boy stormed off to the nearest room, slamming the door. He knew he was overreacting, but he could care less. He wanted someone, anyone , to react to him. Maybe Arnold wasn’t the worst person to do that.
As promised, Arnold Trancy arrived after Alois opened his own gifts, just before dinner. The boy ran up to him, plastering on his signature saccharine smile. “Uncle Arnold, how I’ve missed you! Merry Christmas!” He held both of the older man’s hands in his. “Tell me, how have you been? It’s been ages! ”
Arnold put on a strained smile that appeared as more of a grimace. “Yes, Merry Christmas, my dear boy. I’ve been well, and yourself?”
“Amazing, Uncle Arnold.” He motioned for the triplets to take his overcoat. Leading him into the dining room, he chattered about trivial things, the business he was planning to start, the whereabouts of their cousin, Aleister, and his education over the past few months. “I’m learning piano, and I’m getting to be quite good. I’m also learning French, which is bloody exciting, I can’t wait to travel to Paris next spring.”
“Perhaps you should familiarize yourself more with English, proper English, first.” Arnold smiled, burying the snide comment in a layer of sweetness.
Alois’ smile dropped for a moment as he took his seat at the table. “I’m afraid I already am, Arnold, dearest .”
Arnold cleared his throat. “Yes, well. Alois, I must ask… did you use this type of speech around your father, when you came back to him? Did he condone such harsh words?”
Alois’ stomach tightened at the mention of his “father”. Claude set appetizers down for the both of them. “Harsh words? You jest. Besides, Father loved me, regardless.” He picked at the crust of his bread, swirling his spoon into the thick stew before him.
“Right. I just… feel that you have changed. What happened when you were in that village?”
“Uncle Arnold, I have told you before. The memories are very painful for me. Please, not on Christmas…” Alois looked up from his dish with teary eyes. Whether the tears were genuine or false, he could not tell.
The older man frowned slightly. “I understand. But Alois, some details just don’t add up. My brother never found your village. How did you find your way back home? And I know he was in poor health, but his death was so soon after your return.”
Alois clenched his jaw. “It was one of the servants who found me. When I came back, Father was ill from stress.”
“Besides, your entire staff was replaced after his death. Why?”
“I chose to get new staff. As per Claude’s suggestions.” He glanced at the demon. “Claude has served other nobles before. I gave the others severance pay and chose to start fresh.”
Arnold silently ate his soup, a crease in his brow. Alois’ stomach churned. Of all days, why did he have to entertain these questions? He took a few bites, then motioned for Claude to take his plate. “Arnold, what do you want from me? Why do you only show up to interrogate me?”He gripped his spoon, knuckles turning white. “It’s Christmas.”
The older man sighed. “I just have my suspicions. I know you, and it seems you are being dishonest. Truly, I think you are too young to be responsible for a fortune like this. If only my brother had left it to me.”
There it was. Arnold wanted his money. Again. Alois stood up abruptly, knocking his chair over. “Get out of my house!” He screamed. “And don’t you dare speak about my father or my legitimacy again!”
Arnold’s eyes widened. “Alois, I—“
“Fuck off!” He threw his wine glass at him. “Leave! Now!” He stood there, shaking, as Claude escorted his uncle out, apologizing. Alois ran to his bedroom, barely making it a few steps before falling down as his body was racked with sobs.
Waves of pain rushed through him as he shivered. Everything was cold. The halls, the basement, the feeling of Claude dressing him. All so cold. Bile rose in his throat. He just wanted a happy Christmas. How did he have more pleasant Christmases in poverty than in wealth?
Hours passed. He forgot when he stopped sobbing and when he just started laying on the cold floor, staring underneath his bed. When he first arrived, he used to fear that there was a monster living under there, despite knowing that monsters tended to live above.
Hannah gently knocked on the door. “Your highness, it is almost eight o’clock…”
“Sod off.” he muttered, refusing to raise his head. “Why are you here, Hannah? I want Claude.”
“Claude… said that he is busy with other tasks. I wanted to check on you.” She kneeled beside him, refusing to look him in the eyes. “Do you require anything?”
Alois felt his stomach turn again. Surely Claude was just busy. His heart ached. All he wanted was affection. He wanted an embrace. From Claude, from Luka, from…
He sat up and hugged Hannah tightly. She smelled of lavender, the soap she used to wash his linens. Tears fell once more, soaking her shoulder. She gingerly embraced him back, stroking his golden hair.
They sat there together until Alois calmed down, drifting off to sleep from exhaustion. He awoke the next morning in his bed with a pounding headache. Blearily opening his eyes, he noticed a bouquet of bluebells in the vase on his nightstand.
His fifth Christmas approached with little fanfare. Alois wanted to ignore the holiday altogether, and his servants decorated merely out of convention. However, something had changed in the past year. Alois had been assigned to work on a low-profile criminal case, assisting a fellow noble named Ciel Phantomhive.
Upon meeting Earl Phantomhive, whom he assumed would be someone his uncle’s age, Alois was shocked to find a boy slightly younger than him, of short stature and thin build. Despite his childish looks, Phantomhive wore a stony expression and a dark leather eyepatch at all times. He was a true professional. Alois was slightly impressed.
By his side stood a tall butler with dark hair and a coy smile. The man reminded him of Claude in more than just looks. Something was off about the pair.
While taking tea in a café, Alois studied the boy before him. He was quite handsome, though his cheeks still held a roundness that betrayed his age. Ciel was enjoying a small chocolate cake, ignoring the sandwiches before them.
“Careful. Enough sweets and your teeth will rot.” Alois joked. “That’s what Claude tells me.” He nibbled a sandwich.
Ciel rolled his eyes. “That’s a myth. I never skip dessert and my teeth are fine.” He adjusted his eyepatch, which had slipped slightly.
Alois titled his head inquisitively. “Were you in an accident or something? Why the eyepatch?”
The shorter boy stopped mid-bite, brows furrowing. “I’m blind in my right eye.”
“Ah. Such a shame.” Alois stared at the eyepatch, a feeling in his gut that something wasn’t right. He glanced at Sebastian and Claude, who had taken a nearby table. Ciel’s butler had dark eyes, a very warm brown. Almost red.
Those two were eerily similar.
“How bad is it?” Alois blurted. “I want to see.” In one swift motion, he reached over and took a peek under Ciel’s eyepatch. He caught a flash of violet. Violet, in the shape of a pentagram, on the boy’s blue eye. “Well, I’ll be damned…”
Ciel shoved Alois away from him, nearly knocking their teacups and tea tray over. “Why are you touching me?”
Alois grinned. “Appears we have more in common than I thought.” He briefly stuck out his tongue, revealing his own contract symbol. “Mine is a little less obvious.”
“Does it… affect anything?” Ciel asked. “Are you able to taste properly?”
“Mm, just fine. Are you actually blind?”
Ciel shook his head slightly. “Please keep your voice down. I would rather not draw suspicion. “I’m sure we have many questions for each other, but please . Not now.”
Alois struggled and sipped his tea. “Whatever works, Phantomhive. You’re a strange one.”
The ride home was tense, the two boys trying to glean as much information about each other as possible while remaining as secretive as they could. Alois knew Ciel was hiding more than just his contract mark. A person of his age and status, contracting a demon to carry out a revenge plot? Surely there was more to it than that. He figured he would get his answers in due time.
Months passed without a word from Ciel Phantomhive. Despite a budding friendship, he had resigned himself to never hearing from him again. That is, until a letter arrived for him one chilly December morning.
“Your highness, this letter is from Lady Elizabeth Midford. I believe she is the fiancé of Earl Ciel Phantomhive.” Claude brought the letter to Alois’ desk.
“Fiancé? Isn’t Phantomhive my age? How the hell is he engaged?” He looked at the letter, admiring her careful script. “He seems to be the type who has never even spoken to a woman. Should I be engaged?” Alois half-joked. It was true that he had danced and flirted with women at the parties he threw, but he rarely found anyone his own age. Women thought he was cute, but nothing more. And he was content with that. Unfortunately, grown men were the ones that seemed to fancy him. The concept of marriage eluded Alois.
“It was arranged, I believe, since birth. She is his cousin.”
“Cousin?!” Alois snorted. “He’s going to grow up and have inbred babies with his cousin? Nobles are fucked.” He couldn’t contain his laughter. “Maybe I should marry her.”
“Your highness…”
“Take a joke, Claude.” He finally calmed down enough to read the letter. “She’s inviting me to spend the Christmas holiday with her and Phantomhive. But… we have barely spoken. Why the invitation?”
“I suppose she wants to be in good standing with the rest of high society. I am sure you are not the only person she invited.” Claude stated.
Alois glared at him. “So I’m not special? Maybe she went to one of my parties and thinks that I would be fun to be around. Which I am.” He stood up and took Claude’s hands, humming and attempting to waltz with him. “How could anyone resist me, who’s so handsome and such a good dancer?” He threw himself back in a dip. “I want a new suit made. Emerald green crushed velvet with golden details. Not a speck of red on it, you hear me?”
Claude grimaced at Alois’ attempts to joke with him, nodding stiffly. “Yes, your highness.”
“Thank you!” Alois grinned, making his way over to his desk with a spring in his step. He was going to a Christmas party. A real party, with people who wanted him there. He remembered his dreams from a few years ago of lavish decorations and warm company. He could barely focus on his tasks for the day.
The day finally came. Alois awoke early, without Claude, and proceeded to wash and dress himself. He ate a quick breakfast and practically begged his butler to ready the carriage early. Arriving at the Phantomhive manor, holding a small box, he was greeted by the demon butler who mirrored his own so strongly. Sebastian was a much more cheerful man, everything he said having an air of playfulness. His disposition was much more akin to Alois’, while Ciel shared Claude’s stoic nature.
Sebastian bowed. “Lord Trancy, welcome. I’m afraid our young master is still getting ready— even on Christmas, he is difficult to wake up.” Sebastian looked down at the gift that Alois was holding. “Oh, you needn’t give our master anything. You are a guest in his home.”
“Don’t be silly. It’s Christmas! And if he doesn’t like it, then I’ll gladly take it back.” Alois joked. He strode in, removing his overcoat to reveal his stunning green suit, just to his specifications. He took in the foyer of the manor, decked floor to ceiling in exquisite tinsel and holly bouquets. An enormous Christmas tree took center stage between the two sets of grand stairs. The scent of a chicken roast filled the air, mingling with pine and cinnamon. Alois felt warm. He felt wanted. He felt at home.
The sound of quick footsteps broke him out of his trance. A blonde girl ran up to him, a blur of ringlets and white lace as she caught him in a hug. “You must be Lord Trancy!” She exclaimed. “I’m Elizabeth Midford, but please call me Lizzie. I’ve heard so much about you from Ciel!”
Alois felt dizzy from the sudden embrace. However, he didn’t fight it. It felt nice to be hugged. He laughed a little and wrapped his arms around her, feeling his heart rate slow and a wide smile break out. He pulled away, looking at her. “I am— wait, what has he told you?”
Elizabeth giggled. She was almost as tall as Alois when fully standing, her hair in two low ponytails decorated with holly sprigs on each side. She wore a long white lace and silk dress with a red coat, and her wide eyes held a sparkle to them that he hadn’t seen from another person since…
Luka.
“Oh, he told me about your mission. And you had tea together, and he said you’re an odd fellow. But you’re so cute! May I pinch your cheeks?” She asked suddenly.
Alois laughed. “Sure.”
She grinned and pinched them. “Noblemen always try to make themselves so intimidating. Please, let loose and have fun. I’ve always felt welcome at Phantomhive manor.” She took his hand and led him to the drawing room. “Ciel is still busy getting ready. I’m sure he’ll look so handsome.”
Alois followed her, sitting on the large sofa across from her chair. “Lady Midford—“
“Lizzie. Please.”
“Okay, Lizzie, I can’t believe I’ve never met you before. You seem like someone who enjoys having fun, and I always throw monthly parties to let other nobles mingle. We hire the best bands and my butler Claude is a fantastic chef. You should stop by sometime!”
“Oh, I believe I attended with my brother once.” she mused. “He was in a foul mood, so we didn’t stay long. I’ll be sure to bring Ciel! He needs to loosen up more. Though he’s a dreadful dancer.” She laughed.
“Well, we can’t have that! One of us will have to teach him.”
“Teach me what?” A monotone voice asked. Ciel stepped into the room, wearing an ensemble similar to Lizzie’s. He wore all white with a red overcoat, a small top hat adorned with holly on his head. She gasped upon seeing him.
“Ciel, you look so handsome!” Lizzie gushed. “And you wore the outfit I had made for you!” She hugged him tightly. “Let’s open gifts!”
Ciel sighed. “Right now? I woke up less than an hour ago…”
Alois felt himself grin as he looked at Ciel. During their one mission together and in every subsequent photo he saw of Phantomhive, the boy was dressed in muted, dark tones. It was a treat to see him in white, even with that awful red overcoat. He could pull the color off well. “Phantomhive, I got a gift for you and your bride. You really want to wait?”
Lizzie pushed Ciel into the main hall. “Don’t let Lord Trancy—“
“Alois, please.”
“Don’t let Alois wait! Or me, for that matter, I’d love for you to see what I got you.”
Ciel grumbled slightly, brushing off his coat. The boy was so serious, so stuffy, that Alois ached to see if it was just a front or his true self. He knew Phantomhive held secrets, but how deep did they go?
Once under a smaller tree in the parlor, the residents of the manor joined the three. There was a red-headed maid with large glasses, a gardener who looked only slightly older than Alois, and a chef with an unlit cigarette dangling from his mouth. The three were jolly, wishing their master a merry Christmas and handing him gift after gift. Ciel had a gift for each of them, which Alois found odd. He had never given his servants anything except their pay. He thought twice about commenting on this.
“Young master, please open this one next!” the maid said in a bright Cockney accent. It was small and poorly wrapped, but clearly given with love.
He peeled the paper to reveal a chocolate rabbit. The little rabbit had an eyepatch and vest that resembled Ciel’s.
“Me, Finny, and Baldroy all made it for you! Well, mostly Baldroy, he showed us how to make a chocolate mold. This was our best attempt.”
The thin boy’s eye widened. “Mey-rin, this is… thank you. I wouldn’t even know how to make something like this.”
Baldroy grinned proudly. “It was quite a challenge!” He laughed, his strong American accent hitting Alois’ ears. “Now I know how to make fancier desserts for you. Mey-rin’s quite an artist, so she was a big help. And Finny gathered herbs for the ganache inside!”
The gardener nodded. “And none of them are poisonous, I checked!” He had a soft German accent. Where was Phantomhive finding these servants?
“Thank you all, truly.” Ciel was smiling softly. Alois had never seen a smile break out on the boy’s face. It was nice.
“Okay, now for mine!” Lizzie beamed, shoving a huge box at him with an oversized bow. He untied it, opening it to find a gorgeous lacy black suit with silver buttons. Underneath sat a pair of black heeled shoes. “I know you’re not one for color, Ciel. So I’ll stop forcing you into it. Besides, black flatters you.” She pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek.
Ciel flushed slightly. “I will wear this at New Year’s, if you don’t have something planned already.”
“Oh, I have your New Year’s outfit.” She giggled. “Maybe you can wear this to a party.” She glanced at Alois, who grinned.
“I would love to have you over for a party sometime, Phantomhive. Let me know if you need dance lessons in the meantime.” He winked.
Ciel’s blush spread to his ears. “Right. Yes. Well, thank you.”
Lizzie held his hand as she handed Alois’ box to him. “For both of us, he said. Let’s open together.”
He nodded and lifted off the lid with her. Inside, a pair of brooches rested on a soft cotton lining. They had elegant filigree designs with two birds perched on the edges. “I heard Lizzie likes birds, and you, Ciel, like to go with her to watch them. Seems fitting. Do you like them?”
“Trancy, this is very thoughtful. Even though we are barely acquainted.” Ciel looked at him.
“I make friends fast,” he lied, “everyone loves me.” He grinned playfully, leaning over to pin the brooches to their lapels. “These suit you well.”
Lizzie was beaming from ear to ear. “Alois, you’re so thoughtful! I can’t wait to spend more time with you!”
“And you as well, Lizzie.” He kissed her hand, despite Ciel’s glare in the corner of his eye. “What, you want one too?” He laughed and took Ciel’s hand, pressing a kiss to the back of it. The large family ring on his hand nearly hit Alois’ nose.
Ciel pulled his hand away quickly, turning away to obscure his red face. The group tried stifling their giggles, but it was no use. Soon, Ciel was the only one not laughing, trying to sink into the sofa to avoid being the center of attention.
After a moment, Lizzie wiped her eyes, handing a box to Alois. “Here, from both of us. Ciel had his doubts, but I had a feeling that his is your style.”
Alois grinned and opened the box. Inside was an ascot with a subtle spiderweb design. “You know, Queen’s Guard Dog, Queen’s Spider… and that shade of violet is both flattering on for your tone and easy to pair with a lot of other colors.” the girl smiled warmly. “Alois, Ciel and I both want you over more often. He has a hard time expressing it, but, deep down, he’s a very lonely boy. We would love your company.” she whispered to the other blonde.
Alois felt himself tearing up. He had never experienced such an outright declaration of being wanted before. He always had to guess, had to beg. He never had friends, not like this. He nodded quickly. “Please. At the risk of sounding rude… May I come by for New Year’s?”
Ciel spoke up this time. “Yes. I think you would liven the party up, honestly. And the people around me can’t get enough of you, so…”
The blonde boy felt giddy, the same way he felt when downing a cup of strong coffee. “So that’s in a week, right? Guess I need some new clothes! Claude!”
“Can I shop with you two?” Lizzie asked. “I’d like to think I know fashion pretty well, and you seem to have a good eye too. It’d be fun!”
Alois nodded quickly, his mind racing with upcoming plans. He felt warm and loved. The cozy parlor felt like the Christmas parties he had so desperately wanted to be a part of. As the night wore on, he enjoyed a hearty dinner, mostly succeeding in pushing away his destructive thoughts, and headed to the ballroom to dance with the rest of the Phantomhive household. Ciel, a few glasses of champagne in, was even more clumsy with his fiancé. Alois laughed and showed him the steps carefully, using Lizzie as a guide.
“If you need to practice, I can be the girl,” he offered. Ciel’s already pink face flushed more. “N-no, I’ll just…”
Lizzie pushed Alois at Ciel. “Practice with him! I don’t mind!”
Alois grinned and took one of Ciel’s hands, guiding the other to his own waist. Alois put his free hand on Ciel’s back. “I know I’m taller than you, but so is your fiancé.” he teased. A bit tipsy himself, he was thoroughly amused at Ciel’s inability to have coordination, sober or not. He guided him through a waltz. “It’s a simple box of steps, really.”
Ciel followed, continually stepping on Alois’ foot, mumbling a “sorry” each time. Alois shrugged it off, guiding his partner and remaining patient. “Just like this, see—“
The shorter boy stumbled and fell right on his behind. “Agh!” he exclaimed, frustrated. Alois laughed loudly over the music for a moment before pulling him up.
“Drunk off your arse on two glasses of wine, sad.” He teased. “You’re hopeless. Lizzie! I’m giving you your fiancé back.”
She ran over. “Ciel, are you okay?”
“I’m fine!” He crossed his arms. Ciel really did look like a bratty child in that moment. He was so mature and yet so childish. Alois supposed a demonic contract could do that to someone.
“He’s fine,” Alois repeated with a grin. “Maybe get him some cold water or coffee. Poor boy is so thin and frail, a mere touch of alcohol to his lips makes him faint.”
“Shut up!” Ciel glared at him. He took Lizzie’s hands, attempting to dance with her once more. However, dancing with someone with a long skirt proved to be even more complicated, and Ciel was on the ground once more.
Instead of getting mad, he started laughing. His laugh was low and quiet, but got louder as he lay there. Alois giggled and sat next to him, pulling Lizzie along. The three stared up at the ballroom ceiling with him, admiring the decorations that had somehow been placed up there. Alois laughed to himself, appreciating the superhuman efforts of his butler. Once again, he felt warm.
By the end of the night, Alois waved goodbye to the Phantomhive household and stepped into his own carriage. As he looked upon the English countryside, some of the small houses still lit with candles, a feeling of peace overtook him. For the first time in years, nothing was missing from this Christmas. He looked forward to the year ahead. And, most of all, he felt loved. Wanted. The wound in his heart was slowly starting to heal. He nibbled on a pastry that he had smuggled out, the sweet chocolate that hit his tongue reminding him of time spent with his new friends.
While he was damned, and unsure of how long he had left, he longed for at least one more Christmas with them.