NOT CANON
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The setting elegant, a ball held in the Trancy household, yet wondrous for its place. Smiles all round, dancing, smiles, and laughter filled the main hall. Champagne glasses clicked together, only for its contents to be drank by the holders. The environment seemed almost perfect. Almost, if it hadn't been for the building tension between childhood friends, Earl Ciel Phantomhive, and Countess Hope Everheart.
No argument had sprung (yet), but one could cut the tension between them with a knife. They stood frozen in their spots, staring at each other, as if daring the other to move, after all, to those two, that probably was the game they were playing, which would be the first to break the stare would be the weaker of the two. Sebastian, Ciel's butler, and Rosalyn, Hope's made, stood in utter confusion. Finally, the Phamtomhive spoke, yet not breaking eye contact with his old friend.
"Lady Hope, it's been a while." He smiled, yet his eyes held interrogation, interest. He was curious. Should he be happy, or not? Would she know the secret? Or could she not tell?
"Lord Phantomhive," that only made Ciel's stomach lurch. Hope was a smart girl, he knew she was purposely avoiding using his name. "It has been a while. I was concerned when I heard of your disappearance. Good to see your alive."
And he smiled, a tight smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"And you as well, Ms. Everheart. I was dreadfully concerned. Two years absence, eh?"
And so Hope sulked at him.
"Correct," she frowned at her once close friend. "My, you've changed. Become so... nosy."
"I merely get what I want," the chuckle was forced. "And I use who I must for that... and I have a feeling you do too." A smirk lurked at his lips.
"Excuse me?" Hope didn't bat a lash, skip a beat. She wasn't having this new game of his, of his emotional abuse.
"Well, why else would you be here, other than to grow closer to Earl Trancy?"
"You caught me, I have a fascination with him," she couldn't help the eye roll. "What of it?"
"What of it? Well what is of your interest in him... anything to do with the information he holds as the queen's spider?"
"You think I'm using him?" She wasn't surprised.
"I know you have a finical issue involving your grandparents."
"Well, I'm insulted. I'm simply taken aback by him. Truth be told, I didn't even know he was the Queen's spider until I investigated, dog."
A nerve was hit at that, and so he had to retaliate.
"And I could still make him think he's being used," he chuckles darkly, the smile reaching the corner of his eyes, as he was a sadistic boy. "I could ruin any chance you have with him... therefor, ruining you, Countess."
Hope's eyebrows furrowed, and she stepped close enough so that no one could over hear what was said. And she whispered.
"And I could ruin you, Astre, so please, I want to see who here is more of a saint. I dare you to tell, especially with Ciel not even being confirmed dead. You're just getting away with  this cause only a selective few knew about their second son Astre. Say one word and every News Paper in London will be writing about it."
The Phantomhive winced, and so it was decided between the two to not have a word spoken on either side. One word, and everything for either would be ruined. They had each other at a stalemate