Death's Daughter (Black Butler)

Chapter Thirteen: Interference

Warm sun poured in from the window, bathing the whole room in its natural light. I slowly opened my eyes, my vision hazy due to droopy eyelids and thick lashes. I sat up in my bed, a stupid smile on my lips as I observed my surroundings. Alan and Eric had never gotten around to making other sleeping arrangements when I had stayed with them, so I had to deal with living on their couch for nearly two months. Sleeping in a bed of my own was almost foreign to me. I flipped the comforter back, dangling my legs over the side of the bed. I stood up, jumping slightly when my feet hit the cold wooden floor. I reminded myself to turn up the heat later, it was cold all throughout the apartment. Rubbing my arms with my hands to warm myself up, I turned to face the alarm clock on my nightstand.

I winced upon setting eyes on the time, my body suddenly stiffening up. "Eight-thirty already?!" I gaped, shaking my head in denial. I way always awake by seven, but then I remembered that it was thanks to Eric and Alan rousing me and making sure that I was awake at a reasonable time.Sighing, I rushed over to my closet, only to realize that all I had on hand for clothing were my nightclothes and yesterday's uniform. I mentally scolded myself for forgetting to pick my stuff up from Eric and Alan's the previous night. I decided that I'd have to put up with wearing my used uniform, whether I liked it or not. Haphazardly throwing the clothes back on, I wondered to myself how on earth I would get adjusted to living on my own without the aid of Eric and Alan.

Still fiddling with my tie and throwing on one of my unlaced shoes, I exited my room in a hurry. Buttoning my vest, I made my way over to the door that led to Ronald's room. He didn't strike me as the type who'd be an early riser, so I presumed that he'd need a rousing. I knocked on the door a few times, listening closely for a response from him. "Ronald, it's time to get up. C'mon, we've got things to do. Important things," I emphasized. I waited for an answer from him, but I didn't receive one. I pursed my lips together and furrowed my brows, irritated. I knocked again, only louder this time around. "Ronald," I repeated, a hint of annoyance in my voice.

"I'm up, I'm up. What d'ya need me for that's so important" I heard a voice from behind me. I spun around on my heel, turning to face him. Looking him up and down slowly and cautiously, I felt my face growing beet red. Ronald stood there, running a hand through the back of his hair, wearing nothing but a faded wife beater and a pair of checkered boxers. I opened my mouth to say something but shut it immediately, clenching my jaw. I turned my head to the side, averting my eyes from him.

"I... um, uh, just wanted to make sure you were up," I stuttered. I tried to make it sound like I wasn't totally embarrassed to see him in that state, but my nervous mumbling couldn't have made it any more obvious.

I glanced backup at him, watching him nod. "Yeah, I just got up not too long ago. I thought about waking you up, but I decided that it'd be best to let you sleep a little longer," he said, pausing to yawn. As much as I told myself not to, I couldn't look away. 'Above the waist,' I insisted in my mind, but every now and then I'd catch myself sneaking peeks. It wasn't something I could control, it was like instinct or that a little part of me had been secretly longing to see him like that. Either was\y, Ronald caught me eyeing him and that little smirk of his appeared once again. "Like what you see, eh?" he asked, biting his lip.

"I do not," I lied, becoming flustered. Just when I thought it had left, my blush returned. It wasn't that Ronald was bad to look at; in fact, any girl would have to agree that he was quite attractive. But at that time, I wasn't looking for a relationship or anything of those sorts. I was a girl with goals and ambitions and I wasn't about to cast them aside for a relationship with a co-worker that may not even last. Still, I couldn't help but admire Ronald. Becoming fed up with my internal bantering, I spun on my heel, facing away from him and covering my face with my hands. I groaned and threw my head back towards the ceiling. "Oh my god, Ronald," I laughed, "go put some pants on already, would you?"