There Is A Dinner Party Right Across The Hall

[littlest_lord]

Who: Phancyhive and invited/close CR!
When: Wednesday Evening for supper
Where: Phancyhive
Summary: With so many new additions to the household, it's only proper to welcome them with a dinner party.
Warnings: A bunch of crazy people around a dinner table. What could possibly go wrong?

<sub>[Ciel hated parties. Really, he did. They were an unbearable drudgery of having to socialize but he could manage to endure for one night. It was expected of him to host such an event, what with the new additions to the household, so despite his desire to lock himself away in his office, he'd been dressed in lovely clothes and had the whole thing arranged.

The dining room itself was decorated exquisitely and the food that had been set out was unbearably tempting to anyone who'd glance upon it. Hopefully, the whole night wouldn't be an ordeal. The last thing needed was more stress.]</sub>

Comments

[retraced]

[DO YOU SEE ANY ON HIS PLATE. He cringes and shakes his head.]

Mm. I still can't eat them.

[psychopath]

But they're healthy! [Jack...actually pats his head.] You need to eat more of the food you make, love.

[retraced]

I'll eat everything else!

[He glances to the side at the empty chair next to him while Jack pats his head. The spot where Vincent would usually sit and swap vegetables with him. He doesn't say what he's thinking, but from his expression it's clear that there's something 'missing' there.]

[psychopath]

[he notices this, of course, and jack lets out a breath. That thing beating in his chest tightens, and he doesn't want to know why.]

You two were the first ones I thought of when I woke up here, you know.

[retraced]

[He doesn't turn to look back up at Jack, eyes still trained on that empty chair.]

But you remember what happened back then...?

[psychopath]

[he does.]

No, not really, it's all a blur. It's like...I fell asleep and never woke up. Why?

[retraced]

[He frowns.]

It's been a long time, maybe...do you remember waking back up at home? Maybe the Abyss altered your memories?

[An unspoken: like they did to mine.]

[psychopath]

Gilbert.

[his hand drifts to the man's shoulder, squeezing. Oh, if only he knew- Jack would probably take a bullet to the heart, instantly.]

I didn't have a body to wake from. What's the last thing you remember, from home?

[retraced]

[Now that Gilbert thinks about it, Jack hadn't come out in a while, had he? Not since he'd used Oz's hands to kill Isla Yura back then. And before that, no matter how badly Oz had pleaded with him, he hadn't been able to speak. Maybe there really was nothing to wake up to for all that time.]

...I took Oz out to the city to rest for a day, a week after that ceremony at Isla Yura's.

[He leaves out that part about Vincent and Leo for now, but meeting up with them had been the last thing that he truly remembered.]

I haven't been home since then.

[psychopath]

[Jack's face blanks out for a moment. Murmured:]

Oh, after I killed him, then.

[He smiles faintly, as if nothing had happened.]

Does Oz remember the same thing?

[retraced]

[He's still not sure if he should thank Jack for taking over and raising Oz's hand for him, or tell him that his master was strong enough to fight back then on his own and hadn't needed help.]

He doesn't. [Gil answers, plainly.]

He hasn't seen the party yet at all. I haven't told him anything about it...

[psychopath]

[Jack sighs, and shrugs, looking over to where Oz is.]

It might be better if you didn't; you know he has the tendency to blame himself.

[retraced]

As long as he isn't forced to see it for himself, then I won't discuss it with him.

[It's a justified lie, in Gil's mind.]

[psychopath]

[Jack looks at him, and for a moment, looks through him, like he's trying to remember something in the distant past.]

You had always been such a dedicated- servant, Gilbert, but you are much more a considerate friend.

[He pats Gilbert on the shoulder, and withdraws; he'll go see how Gil's doing again, later.]

Now enjoy dinner, love, I'll nag you again later!

[retraced]

[His face goes red at the praise, and he's grateful for Jack's quick retreat. That way he doesn't have to try sputter out some excuse why that may or may not be true.]

Enjoy your meal, Jack. [He answers, head pointed down towards his lap.]