I can't help but think about little o!Ciel, who didn't have any friends besides his brother, and how much he's been able to grow since then.
People in his life have learned to love him for who he is, instead of for the title he holds.
For starters, the phantomhive servants absolutely adore him, their gratitude running so deep they would willingly put their lives on the line for the earl.
Each of them proves their unwavering loyalty through their own arcs, showing a love so fierce they’d go through hell and back if it meant restoring their young master’s dignity and rightful title.
Unlike Sebastian, whose loyalty is bound by contract, the servants offer something far rarer: sincere care for o!Ciel’s emotional state, watching over him with loud, human devotion.
Every servant developed a unique and meaningful bond with our earl because he saw them as individuals: not just staff.
He valued their strengths, understood their roles, and treated each connection with respect, making their loyalty personal rather than just professional.
They are o!Ciel’s chosen family, the ones who see him not just as the Earl, but as a boy carrying more than he should. They offer a kind of love he’s rarely allowed himself to hope for.
And on a small side note: Tanaka, having known o!Ciel since before the tragedy of December 14th, he maintained deep affection for the young earl.
Their bond is so special to our earl if we consider he's the only person that o!Ciel genueinly ran to hug him after a month in captivity. He didn't hug madame red back, nor Elizabeth (considering that as a kid, he was sort of...pushed aside in comparison to r!Ciel.)
But he did hug Tanaka and that single, wordless embrace speaks volumes about the unique safety and unconditional acceptance the butler represented, perhaps the last remnant of true warmth from the world he'd lost.
I would contend that Tanaka harbored a particularly tender soft spot for the boy, his service always carrying undercurrents of paternal warmth and profound respect for him.
Even now, as Tanaka stands dutifully by r!Ciel’s side, his anguish is palpable; a silent testament to the boy he still honors in his heart.
He clearly contineus to hold so much regard and respect for o!Ciel. (look at the way he proudly talks about o!Ciel's toy company im gonna cryyyy, it's literally the only time he's smiling as he works under r!Ciel)
Then of course, there’s my girl Elizabeth. Yeah, she stuck around because she thought o!Ciel was r!Ciel—but somewhere along the way, she connected with him. And that bond? It became something honest and deeply hers.
o!Ciel saw Elizabeth for who she truly was: fierce, dedicated, and far more than the delicate lady she pretended to be for his sake. He saw her strength, her loyalty, and the way she loved with her whole heart.
and he embraced all of who she is, there never was a single ounce of disgust in him as he did so. Only quiet admiration, maybe even awe, for the girl who never stopped fighting for him, even when he couldn’t do it for himself.
While Elizabeth was basically groomed into the title of fianceé and loving her betrothed blindly ,she genuinely grew to feel comfortable and connected with o!Ciel, despite his deception.
o!Ciel, who, albeit unintentionally, gave her the space to express herself and her feelings, even though he wasn’t who he claimed to be.
And even after discovering his lies, she understood why he’d kept them. Their connection was genuine even as their foundation was false
Then of course, I have to add Elizabeth's brother, Edward, into the mix, who learned to truly see o!Ciel's hardwork and respect him for it
Though his approach is steeped in tough love, the blonde's deep regard for our earl shines through whenever he speaks of him. There's an unmistakable pride in his voice as he recounts his cousin's merits.
In a rare moment of vulnerability, Edward entrusts o!Ciel with his deepest fears about his own morality, and in turn, the young earl offers him something precious: reassurance.
With words that carry both wisdom and compassion, o!Ciel reminds Edward that he is, at his core, a good and respectable man.
Edward holds so much respect for o!Ciel and trusts him enough to ask for help as well.
And I want to make it clear, Edward didn't do this because of o!Ciel's name and who he believed he was, but because he’s witnessed firsthand what o!Ciel is capable of. This is trust forged in action, not obligation.
let's not forget Prince Soma!! he really is the first real friend in our earls life. He just waltzed in and molded himself into our earls heart so flawlessly lmao.
Prince Soma appreciates o!Ciel deeply and continously does everything in his power to make this boy feel safe and cared for, he's always offering and encouraging stability, care, and above all, a sense of security the young earl so desperately needs.
Soma’s loyalty to o!Ciel is simple, there’s no grand justification, no hidden agenda, not even the pretense of obligation.
He simply looked at this guarded, grieving boy and thought: You’re my friend now. No lies, no calculations. Just stubborn, sunlit devotion, offered freely because Soma decided it should be.
And though our earl would sooner swallow his own tongue than admit it aloud, he lets Soma care for him, grumbling all the while, but never with real venom.
For all his bristling, he permits the prince’s relentless sunshine to shine quietly through the earl, and that silent permission speaks louder than gratitude ever could.
And even Soma's butler, Agni, deeply cares for and respects o!Ciel.
Agni is completely loyal to Soma first and foremost, but he also genuinely respects o!Ciel. Even though o!Ciel's dark nature troubles him, Agni still looks out for the earl's wellbeing.
His care for o!Ciel is real - he checks on him, protects him, and treats him with honor, not just because of his title, but because he sees value in him as a person.
The butler is always excited about the concept of Prince Soma and o!Ciel together as genuine friends. While part of this is because it's what Soma wants, Agni also recognizes that o!Ciel needs this friendship too. He understands that despite o!Ciel's tough exterior, having someone like Soma by his side is good for him.
We can't forget that one of Agni's final acts - just minutes before his death - was carefully intending to piece together a burnt photo of o!Ciel's childhood. He did this even after the earl had been harsh and confrontational with him.
This gesture proves Agni never truly held anger toward o!Ciel. Despite everything, he still cared deeply for the boy.
And last but not least I want to mention Sieglinde Sullivan, who is also another person that came to quickly harvest affection for o!Ciel.
The earl was her first ever friend, and while his intentions were always manipulative, you can't deny he really did inspire and motivate her in ways no one ever did.
He’s also brutally honest with her—warning her to watch out for people who might use her, even telling her to be cautious about trusting him.
It’s not cynicism, but a genuine attempt to shield her from the same manipulation she’s endured back in her village.
She saw him and tended him at his most vulnerable state, so he will always hold greatfulness for her even if he never admits it.
He formed that bond with Sieglinde simply by being who he is. The fact that he both encourages her and looks out for her in his own way—without pretense—naturally deepened their connection. It wasn’t forced; his genuine support created the perfect conditions for trust to grow.
and there's many other characters whom adore o!Ciel who i wanted to add but...I think the tangent is long enough to get my point across :)
Our earl is genuienly so loved and cared for, and if it weren't for Sebastian and the contract hes bound to, he might have found real healing in this carefully woven safety net of devoted allies - a chance to recover from his pain rather than be consumed by it.
I think that's one of the biggest tragedies of our earl's character, he has so much capacity for love and warmth, yet the very darkness that forged him prevents him from accepting it.
This is his cruel paradox: A boy who kindles fire in others' hearts
while his own soul burns for the demon's feast.
He was made to be loved, but his fate averts him from keeping it.
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