♔: “I never said I was that person, I just wondered if you’d met him. Besides, you never answered my question…”
Alois genuinely wanted to believe that Ciel would recognise him. He hated those memories, but he would cling to the prospect of knowing someone, anyone, who shared them. Although he most obviously craved attention, he also craved sympathy and, more specifically, empathy. If someone knew what he had been through they were more likely to know how he felt, to feel sorry for him, to relate to him and therefore to understand him.
But he couldn’t just confirm that he used to be known by the name Jim Macken— although that was a name he didn’t think was at all fitting and would rather forget once belonged to him— without Ciel confirming that he’d known him. He couldn’t just endanger his noble name like that, and put his social standing on the line. He knew Claude would take care of any complications, especially just a young noble, but he’d rather not have to chance it.
“Phantomhive, just tell me…” he insisted. He shouldn’t be impolite just in case, but at this point, he was nothing short of desperate for an answer. He was so close those memories, he could almost grasp them and in his mind they became something close to tangible in this boy before him.
♕ || Alois was right, Ciel hadn’t answered his original question, that was deliberate, but in truth the question was really a simple yes or no one, he could always refuse to elaborate if this was one giant ruse to get information on him. Ciel’s cynical side just wouldn’t quit.
The truth was Ciel did recognize him, now that this third name was brought into the equation, Ciel was almost positive this was who he thought it was. All he needed was for Alois to confirm it was him, but why on Earth would he have either given Ciel a false name or changed it from what it was? That much Ciel didn’t understand in the least.
The shorter Earl regarded Alois for a second, then he gave a single nod, followed up by the answer Alois wanted so desperately.
Yes, I knew someone by the name Jim Macken. Once, but it was probably about two, if not three years ago, and it wasn’t around here where I met him. And….how exactly do you know him Alois?