{ Video; UN: potentia.regere }

[earlofphantoms]

What am I to make of this? {The voice of this new user is entirely too calm; too collected considering the circumstances. But he has been uniquely trained by, shall we say, a vibrant life? Which, incidentally, ended abruptly (and painfully) in his memory.}

An introduction, perhaps? All of those start to sound the same, I imagine. {He finally comes into full view, smiling in a way that could be polite - if it weren't for the mischievous glint in his eyes.} Something like: I am Earl Vincent Phantomhive? Does that suffice? Should I add "of England"?

{He gives a light chuckle before remarking:}

I must say this is the queerest afterlife I can imagine.

Comments

[earlofphantoms]

{He won't even tug. The soft silver hair is very fetching and since Undertaker has grown it so long, it's basically asking to be touched. Or so that is how Vincent thinks anyway.} I can ask for no more. An illness can be a fine teacher. He will need patience, perseverance, cunning. He must be the calm in the midst of a stormy sea.

{Little Lizzie has his fondness. Her golden ringlets and fierce fencing skill have ensured she will be a great Lady Phantomhive.}

She can help him. You wouldn't believe the things that girl can do.

[somakemelaugh]

[He won't mind a little exploration. Too much and he'll be tempted to drop into a pile of boneless flesh, but he won't mind that either, so long as they get to the young Earl first. Vincent doesn't yet know where the Funtom business is headquartered, after all.] Eloquently put.

[He is well aware of the girl's "hidden" skills, but even if she is quite formidable an opponent on the fencing ground, he still has his sights on Ciel.] I might, I might. If she thinks he is your intended Earl, I imagine she can. I'm told love can heal in ways no one can understand, or is that too fanciful a thought?

[earlofphantoms]

{Vincent has a penchant for pretty hair. He won't stop at fiddling with a braid if the Undertaker doesn't complain. But, yes, his sights are set on his son. Once he has had a good assessment of him, he will feel far more like his playful self.}

Eloquent or not, it's true. I thought his character might be too weak, but he is a Phantomhive after all.

{He lifts his hand and studies his wedding ring.} No, it isn't fanciful at all. Those we love can represent better parts of ourselves and they can serve as reminders of who we need to be.

[somakemelaugh]

[That certainly sounds nice. Maybe one time, he would have been envious of that. Now, there's just a little hollow pit inside where that part of him should have been.] Whatever else you might think of him, milord, he is you and he is your wife. You know them both better than I ever could, so you know what he can become.

[He lets his gaze lower as they walk, watching the sidewalk pass beneath their feet.] Sounds nice, that. Maybe she can do that for him one day.

[earlofphantoms]

{A hollow that surely can be comforted if not filled. Vincent isn't terribly spoiled - only mostly - and he likes seeing his friends genuinely happy.} He is more Rachel in appearance. Those eyes of his can surely win over the hearts of some of his competition.

{And his sons are just plain cute. Vincent never saw himself as cute.} She will. I knew Francis would raise a lovely daughter. I couldn't have her married to anyone else.

[somakemelaugh]

[He won't hold his breath for it, even if he is already dead.] Whichever of you he takes more after, he's you. He'll make someone very happy one day, whatever happens.

[He'll say nothing more on it for a few minutes. They've come to a corner and here he takes the turn needed, giving Vincent more than time enough to follow his lead.] Not far off now.

[earlofphantoms]

{Don't make it sound like a challenge. He can hardly say no to one of those!} He already has. {Says the slightly overly biased father. Vincent might sound like he is hard on both his sons truly, but it is only because he has to be. If he is too soft, he might lose sight of reality and put them in danger.}

I do believe I am nervous. {He chuckles at the uncomfortable feeling, but his steps do not slow.}

[somakemelaugh]

[He held onto a mourning chain for a reason. It's not a challenge it's a matter of self preservation that he can't seem to commit to. But he won't comment on that. He knows daddy dearest is quite biased.]

Ah, milord, don't be. It's only awkward at first, but you've much to discuss. Just a few bumps in the road and you'll be just as you were. [As if it's that easy. It won't be, but he can talk like it is and maybe Vincent will follow.]

[earlofphantoms]

{That's the problem with getting attached to humans. Nothing is permanent; nothing is without some stipulation. He might do better loving some quiet mountain hermit than the Phantomhives.}

I hope I do not frighten him. {He would be uneasy - happy, but uneasy - to see his mother, for example.} Am I asking too much of him? But to not see him would be an insult to the gift we have been given.

[somakemelaugh]

[It wouldn't matter. They'd all still be human, and they'd all die one day, and he'll still be there to watch them die while he no longer can, even though he was once human himself. Sucks to be him.]

I don't think of it as asking too much of him as a need for both of you to know that the other is real. I can hardly believe those little network devices myself sometimes even now. If you need time after that, you know you can always give it that.

[earlofphantoms]

{On the bright side, this place has proven that death need not be permanent? Learn its secrets, Undertaker. But Vincent will still be ash.}

True! I will feel better once I see him. He must endure a parent's fussing. {Something his little son would have enjoyed...before.} I want to protect him - even if I must do so from a distance.

[somakemelaugh]

[Already on it. He's tired of this whole people he cares about dying thing. Just let him perfect it before he even thinks about trying to fall in love again.]

[Also welcome to the club. He's thinking about making shirts.]

Oh, always. There isn't a parent alive who hasn't wanted to fuss at their child in one way or another. He'll appreciate it somehow.

[earlofphantoms]

{Just remember that souls are perhaps more fragile than bodies.

They do need shirts. And hats.}

I will not stop even if he complains! {Vincent, that isn't exactly the best parenting strategy.} He deserves to know that my feelings have not changed.

[somakemelaugh]

[He's not playing with any that matter to him anyway, so there's that?]

Ah, we'll let it be what it is, my lord. There are a few things I'd like to give you a forewarning about, if you don't mind. His manner aside, you'll notice an eyepatch over him that he likely won't let you remove. It's nothing to be alarmed over [Not yet at least.] but try not to mention it to him, if you can. He's quite sensitive about it.

[earlofphantoms]

{Good job, Undertaker. Leave those you care about for later when you've perfected the method.}

Ah? {He listens, expression unchanging, not revealing what he truly thinks of his son's...injury? Shouldn't he be alarmed his child lost an eye? There must be some other explanation.} I will remember. He need not show me any of his scars; I am sure he has others.

{Yet. One day, Vincent wants to see. To know.}

I am a selfish creature, but I try to be less so around him.

[somakemelaugh]

[He's good at that. He's had time enough to know how to do things right while he's figuring them out.]

In a way, we all do. We're not immune to that ourselves. [I mean, have you seen his face lately?]

What father isn't? The good of it is you do so for his benefit and not always your own. I've known fathers who didn't deserve the title.

[earlofphantoms]

{That's the plus side of living, basically, forever?}

Certainly not. Our skin is not made of steel. {Yet he is as handsome as ever!}

It comes from love and that emotion cannot be selfish if it is to remain pure. {His babies deserve the purest of love.} I like being a father.

[somakemelaugh]

[That and it's terribly boring doing the same thing again and again.]

Not even in this day and age, it seems. There are ones here who have their own and I've not seen it all, but it would be terribly impolite of me to ask. [Oh stop looking in the mirror.]

You're a good father, I think. Better than that. Your son appreciates that in a way he might not be able to understand now, but he will one day. You were young once, you know what that's like.

[earlofphantoms]

{Yes, he becomes bored easily too.}

Impolite or not, I would have a hard time not bringing it up. {He is actually looking at Undertaker! Vincent has a fine eye for beauty in men and women.}

I do. But it hurts to know I will not be around for him to grow or to see any of his future endeavors. Appreciation would be nice, yet it matters little compared to simply living in the same world as him.

[somakemelaugh]

[This is why they get along so well.]

Then bring it up as you will. They're not so sensitive here sometimes that they won't answer a question or two from a stranger. [Well then.]

[He could comment, but really, as the survivor of so many he cared about rather than it being the other way around, what would he know, other than a light sympathy for the matter?] We have this place, milord. We have now, and no knowing when we may be sent home again. For now, this place is home, and your son is here for you to see him as he is now and what he will become.

[earlofphantoms]

I have often thought if you cannot speak of your demons, they hold far too much sway over you. {Of course he is speaking...metaphorically...maybe? The Phantomhives are a special, singular family.}

I will cherish who he is now and who he will become. {Undoubtedly.} I admit I am pleased he is still small enough to hold.

[somakemelaugh]

[There's an interesting way to put it. Too bad he's still holding onto his, quite literally, at times.] That or they're something no one else should ever know. I guess it all depends on your demons though.

[To that, he simply hums and nods. He can't rightly comment on how small Ciel actually is still, but he still hasn't quite hit his growth spurt yet. May just simply be a late bloomer, and with everything the boy has been through in life thus far, he wouldn't blame his hormones for that.]

[earlofphantoms]

{Vincent has had to look his demons in the face and let them go. He is all for conquering them, but that isn't always possible or the best solution to a problem.} Mine will help me when the time comes.

{Revenge is a messy business. He will need his metaphorical demons to remind him to not show the least softness or sympathy for his enemies - no matter who they might be.}

[somakemelaugh]

If they're to your benefit, all the better. [Maybe Vincent should hold onto them, if that'd be the case, but he couldn't help noticing the irony of the conversation at hand. Both father and son with their own demons, what forms they took. It wasn't that they were alone or unique in that, but the phrasing...] Just like you Phantomhives.

[earlofphantoms]

What ever could you mean? {He smiles - all innocence and benign charm.} I only wish to cut deep when I strike. That can be hard to do when you're on your own.