"Rai," She heard her name being called down the hall by a deep male voice. The brunette turned to look down the hall she was currently in, in the middle of helping fold and put the fresh laundry away. She knew she had to go, but she had to put the linens away first. She shrugged slightly as she walked down to the wooden door that kept the linens behind it. Using her right elbow, she opened the linen closet door and used her foot to push it open as she took a step inside. She began to place the bed sheets with the other bed sheets, pillow cases with the other pillow cases, etc. when she felt a demonic male presence behind her, looming a little too closely for her liking, and she began emitting a pissed off aura to him. She had just placed half of the stack away when the male voice spoke. "Didn't you hear me call you?"
"I heard you," was her simple response. She continued to place the linens with the others. She went to pick up one, and found it was not folded properly.
"Well, then what is taking so long?" The male voice mocked, "Surely it doesn't take that long to put something away." Rai sighed as she began to refold the sheet. She let it go in midair and it began to flap itself out and fold itself.
"Look, Sebastian you caught me at a bad time." Rai stated as she turned around, crossed her arms, and faced the butler in the door way of the small linen closet. The sheets behind her began to float and sort themselves out and place themselves along the shelves as if some invisible workers quickly placed them there. "I'm right in the middle of helping with laundry. Which was requested to be done by a certain butler," She stressed the last word to him as the last pieces of laundry found their places to rest. His red eyes glanced behind her to where the stack had been before returning to her brown eyes.
"It seems as if you are done now." His trademark smirk still on his face.
"That was only some of the laundry, crow." Rai stated with slight agitation, giving him a slight glare and drumming her right fingers on the white cloth covered bicep of her left arm.
"Well then, you best leave it to the others to finish up. You are being summoned." Sebastian stated.
"I didn't hear Ciel call for me," Rai responded as she tilted her head to the right slightly. "Last thing I remember is being hounded down by you." Rai gave a lop sided smirk. Sebastian's eyes narrowed slightly, his face still holding that smirk. "Now, my dear Sebastian, if you wanted me to help you out that badly, you should have thought about that before you assigned the chores for today. You know very well that the others can't do anything properly without destroying something, and so that is why you had me help them with this simple task." Rai teased him even more. "You know how incompetent mortals can be." Rai's eyes began to glow their blood red color. Sebastian's eyes began to glow their magenta color as he leaned in, so close that their noses were almost touching.
"My dear," He purred slightly, "It seems you keep forgetting who you are dealing with here." Rai grinned, showing off her canines. She brought her right hand up to Sebastian's neck tie and trailed her fingers slightly along his neck before grabbing hold of the black cloth.
"I never forget," Her voice purred back.
"Sebastian!" Ceil's voice called out down the hallway. Sebastian looked to his left as his eyes faded back to their wine coloring. Rai's crimson eyes faded back to their brown.
"It seems you are the one being summoned now," Rai mocked him slightly. Sebastian glared at her slightly out of the corner of his eye and leaned back before backing out of the closet.
"If you would care to follow me, you help is requested." Sebastian stated before he turned and walked down the hall. Rai stepped out of the linen closet and looked to her right, seeing where he was going. She closed the door and followed him down to the music room.
The room was cleared out save for the piano in the corner by the windows. Ceil stood by the piano impatiently as Sebastian waltzed into the room and Rai shut the door behind her. She stood by the door, arms crossed, waiting to be told what to do.
"Rai, would you please take a seat at the piano?" Sebastian asked. Rai moved over to the piano without a second's hesitation. She pulled out the bench and sat down. "Now, my lord," Sebastian began to instruct Ceil on how to do something as Rai's attention drifted off. Glancing down, she noticed a stray piece of thread on her black pants and plucked it off. She examined the rest of her outfit for imperfections; the white button down blouse, the black waist coat, her black pants, and finally her black paddock boots. After her quick glance over, she leaned her elbow against the rim of the keyboard and leaned her head on top of her hand. She began to drift off until her name was called, "Rai." She snapped out of the daze and looked to Sebastian to her right with her eyes. "Would you mind playing a waltz by Strauss? About 72 if you would be so kind." Sebastian ordered rather than requested. Rai sighed as she sat back, looking at the ebony and ivory keys, set her hands on them and began to play the three fourths time signature of a waltz. She got lost in the music, staring at the piano and her fingers as she moved them along the keys. Only to be interrupted by Ceil's bickering and Sebastian's calm teaching. "You're going too fast, my lord."
"It's cause you're too damn tall!" Ceil's voice caught Rai's ears.
"Please pay attention and make sure you stay light on your feet, try not to step on anyone's toes." Sebastian explained. Rai just kept playing until she was told otherwise. "Make sure not to be too rough, especially when guiding a young lady."
"You're not a lady," Ceil muttered. Rai couldn't help the smile that came to her face. Finally, Sebastian's sigh signaled Rai to stop playing.
"Young master, what are we going to do with you?" Sebastian asked. "You need to learn to guide the woman you are leading gently. Not pull her along." Sebastian looked back over at Rai. Rai nodded and began to play another waltz, same time signature, same speed. After some more bickering, Rai started to tune the two out, it wasn't until her name was brought up that she began to pay attention. Sebastian sighed, "Maybe, we should have Rai dance with you." Suddenly the beautiful music hit a nasty hard cord as Rai's fingers fell heavy on the keys and stopped playing. Sebastian and Ceil both looked at Rai, while she looked at them out of the corner of her right eye from the piano. Rai's thought bubble appeared above her head as she mentally measured herself to Ceil, he was at the perfect height for her chest.
"No," Rai muttered as her thought bubble popped and a pulse mark with stress sweat became evident on her temple. Unfortunately, that went unnoticed and Sebastian walked over to the piano and shooed Rai away from the seat towards Ceil. "I don't know how to dance," Rai muttered to Sebastian in a slightly annoyed sing song voice.
"Don't worry," Sebastian whispered back. He gave her a slight shove towards Ceil and Ceil offered his hand to her. She took it, bowed and placed her other hand on his shoulder. She knew it, exact height. Ceil fought a blush from forming on his face. Sebastian began to set a nice rhythm on the piano. Ceil tried to lead, and Rai tried to follow. Some of his movements were uncertain and jerky. It lacked the fluidity it normally would with years of practice. Rai found herself being pushed, pulled, and toes stepped on. She just kept her stoic face and moved on. "Gently guide her, gently!" Sebastian's voice stated over the music. It finally stopped, "No, no, no my lord. You have it all wrong." Sebastian stood up and walked over to Ceil as Rai moved away from the young boy. "You have to guide her gently, be confident in your movements, and she will follow." Rai quirked an eyebrow at this as she leaned against the piano and crossed her arms.
"You're forgetting who my partner is," Ceil stated, crossing his arms. He was referring to Lizzy.
Sebastian sighed, "Women are delicate creatures that need to be handled carefully." He explained. Rai scuffed and shook her head. Sebastian glanced over his shoulder at her. "Allow me to demonstrate," He held up his left index finger as he reached behind him and grabbed Rai with his right hand.
"Huh?" She asked as his hand grabbed her left wrist and yanked her to him. "Whoa!" Her body was suddenly caught and held closely by Sebastian's, her left hand unconsciously going to his shoulder to support her after the sudden movement. "Hello," Rai muttered as she looked up at Sebastian, who looked down at her with a slight smirk on his face. She stared up at him with slightly wide eyes and a slack jaw. Just as she began to realize where his hands were placed, right on her waist and left holding her right, Sebastian began to move to a silent steady beat in his head and Rai was gently, but unwillingly, coaxed along.
"Now, master, you must guide her gently, gently." He took time to stress this as he moved fluidly, allowing Rai no time for error, on her end, but just to follow. It felt weird for her body not to be under her control. If he went to move his right leg forward, her left leg immediately went back. He kept looking over to Ceil to make sure he was paying attention. He was, but didn't seem too enthused. "When you are confident, she will be more willing to follow." Sebastian took a short stride, enough for Rai to finally get her feet underneath her and for her to control. She purposely took her right heel and dug it straight down into his left foot, making sure she felt some popping of his tarsal bones. Sebastian's closed eyes opened slightly as he looked down at her, his expression never faltering.
"I. Don't. Follow." Rai stressed each word through gritted teeth and a glare up at him.
"Especially, this one," Sebastian mentioned.
