Remember to Smile... (CielxLizzy)

Remember to Smile...

Elizabeth Midford sat in the tall-back chair, a saucer and a cup of tea in her hands. Her light green eyes were as gentle and childlike as ever, and she smiled at Ciel Phantomhive as he gazed out the window to their left, his expression unreadable and his tea growing cold.

"Ciel, why do you look so sad?" she asked, her expression turning sad as well, as if his feelings were her own. She sipped her hot tea, her eyes searching his face. "Is something wrong?"

Ciel glanced over to her, his blue eye blank. "Lizzy, there is something I think we should discuss." He looked back out the window. "There was a specific reason I asked you here today. There is something we need to...figure out."

"Of course!" Elizabeth said, giving him her bright smile. His hand tensed slightly on his armrest, but she didn't seem to notice. Her face showed she was pleased that he wanted to talk to her. "What is it?"

Ciel slowly inhaled, then turned and stared at her with a cold smile. "Lizzy," he asked calmly, slowly, "do you think I love you?"

Elizabeth stared at him for a second, her eyes full of confusion, before laughing. "Of course I do!" she said, reaching out for his arm. "Just like I-"

Ciel jerked his arm away from her. "Then you're mistaken."

Elizabeth froze, her arm outstretched, then sat back and put her hand to her heart. "C-Ciel," she said with a hesitant laugh, like she hoped he was joking. Her face turned pale when he turned and kept looking out the window, his expression bored. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm sorry," Ciel said, turning back and crossing one leg over the other, his fingers laced together. "Did I not make myself clear?" His expression was amused, as if he was enjoying Elizabeth's shock. "I don't love you. And I have cancelled our parents plans for our getting married." 

Elizabeth was momentarily speechless, then her eyes pricked with tears as she stood up from her chair. "Why?" she asked quietly, keeping her eyes locked on him, hoping that he'd squirm. But he just stared back, his expression unchanging. "What did I do?"

"I was never fond of you in the first place," Ciel said, giving a small chuckle as if it was obvious. Elizabeth just stared, and he continued, "Our parents said we had to play together when we were children. So we did what we were told. Then they said we had to eventually marry. So we did what we were told." He suddenly slammed his hands down on his armrests with a sudden rage that made Elizabeth take a step back in fear. "I'm done with being told what to do!" he shouted, his voice ringing in her ears. "I've put up with you for as long as I could, but my patience has cracked. I don't care where you go, or what you do, as long as you don't pester me any longer!"

Elizabeth stood not a foot away from him, his angry, hateful face inches from hers. "What happened to you?!" she yelled back, dropping her teacup and beginning to sob as she grew more and more upset. "This isn't the Ciel I know! The one I know used to smile, and care about others, and actually not be such a spoiled, selfish person!"

Ciel began to laugh again, and Elizabeth lost her ladylike manner and swiftly slapped him in the face, cutting off his laughter and her sobbing at once. He looked at her, surprise flashing on his face, but it was quickly gone. 

Elizabeth's rage seemed to have taken her over. All the feelings of loneliness and sadness after Ciel's transformation came rushing back, fueling her anger. "Where did that Ciel go, huh?!" she screamed, slapping him again. He was silent, so she slapped him again, hard. "ANSWER ME!!!"

Ciel stared at her, his left cheek red. For a moment, Ciel looked as if he was crying, but she was sure it was just a reflection from the window. "He left a long time ago, Elizabeth," he said quietly. He kept staring at her. She stared back, realizing that even his eyes had changed. They were once the color of a cloudless sky on a summer's day. Now they were an angry sea blue, with no sunshine in them whatsoever. All they showed as darkness. "And he's never coming back."

She let out a choked cry as she pulled away, stumbling a little on the hem of her new purple dress, the one she bought to impress him. She ran to the doorway, then froze, her crying quieting. Ciel wondered if she was going to begin screaming again, but she surprised him yet again. She turned to him, her mouth a broken-hearted  smile, her eyes watery, her cheeks streaming with tears. She whispered, " I hope you'll be happy, Ciel. And remember to smile."

Ciel stretched out his hand. "Lizzy, I-"

He didn't get the chance to say anything else. Elizabeth broke out into loud sobs as she thrusted open the door and ran out, leaving him alone with his cold, cold cup of tea.

He slowly sat back down in his chair as Sebastian entered the room from another door, beginning to clean up the stain on the carpet. "How did it go?" he asked, both of them knowing exactly how it went.

"As planned," Ciel said stiffly, turning his back to Sebastian as he looked out the window. It had began to drizzle outside. He didn't see Elizabeth's carriage anymore. "She won't be coming back."

"How noble of you," Sebastian said, standing up, "to break her heart to protect her from the dangers of being the Queen's watchdog's fiancée."

"Shut up."

"Did I say anything-?"

"Leave," Ciel said coldly, glaring at Sebastian. "Get out of here. Now."

"..." Sebastian stared at him for a second, then bowed. "Yes, my lord."

Ciel heard the door click, then opened a drawer of his desk to reveal a small photo album, which he opened. He stared at a black-and-white picture of Elizabeth and him as children. Elizabeth was leaning over a stack of letter blocks and touching Ciel's small nose, and Ciel was giggling, his eyes closed with happiness.

Remember to smile, Ciel...

A single tear rolled down his cheek, splashing onto the photo.  He didn't wipe it away, but left it there, as he turned and looked out the window, his face looking at the rain. And for a moment, a mere second, his eyes became unclouded.

 And even though the storm was worsening, his eyes were once again, even for the briefest moment, as clear as a summer's day.