21. Cats Need Attention
"Sebastian!" Ciel called to his butler. "Sebastian!"
The demon walked from the hallway, raising an eyebrow to the frown on his master's expression. "Yes, my Lord?"
"What are you doing with that?" he demanded, eyeing Grell, who, for some reason, was latched onto Sebastian.
"Only cleaning, sir." he answered, a faint headache swarming onto him. Sebastian winced as his master shouted for the god to leave. "Heart broken" that Sebastian did not come to his aide, the shinigami left with a pouting lip and a scowling brow.
"Don't spend so much time with him." Ciel grumbled. "You're my butler, not his little toy."
Sebastian's lips were a small line above his chin, watching the small boy cross his arms and legs, a light pink across his cheeks and nose.
"I see." he murmured. "Shall I help you with your paperwork?" Sebastian smiled when the boy's eyes lit up for a few seconds, then were back to the ice cold pools of blue.
"If you must," he answered, sitting up. With a grin most unusually seen on a demon, Sebastian kneeled down next to the over-fluffed arm chair and began sorting out which reports went where.
22. Cats love to be petted
"Maylene, Bard, Finnian!" Sebastian barked. "Please, for just today, do your jobs correctly. The master is in a horrid mood, and I do not want to be the only servant around here. Tanaka, just drink your tea."
"Ho, ho, ho," was the man's reply, and he took a sip of the hot liquid. Sebastian nodded, then returned to Ciel's room. Fully dressed and missing his shoes, his master was back under the sheets, sleeping. His hair (which Sebastian had detangled and slicked back perfectly) was a knotted mess of dark teal strands. Sebastian sighed tiredly; he should start asking for weekends and holidays off.
"Young Master," the butler murmured gently. "Young Master, it is time to wake up. You have documents to fill out and paperwork to sign."
"I don't wanna!" he groaned into the pillows. Sebastian rolled his eyes, grabbed the boy's shoulders, and pulled him up. His eyes were still closed and his head lolled back. Sebastian sighed again.
"Young Master, you slept in all day yesterday, you must get some work done today. You are behind. The Funtom Company has many samples for you."
"I did the same damn thing last week."
"Yes, I know."
"I wanna sleep today.
"You said the same thing yesterday." he said. He dropped the young boy back onto his pillows, blowing back a strand of hair in his face, and he suddenly got an idea. The butler grabbed the brush he had used just not twenty minutes ago, and once again picked up Ciel, this time placing the young boy on his lap.
"What the hell—!"
"Sit still, Young Master, or this will hurt." he warned. Ciel glowered at him from under his knotted bangs, but tuned his head around, crossing his arms. Sebastian began stroking the long locks with his brush. The boy's tense body relaxed as the tangles smoothed from his hair. When the butler was done, he began to move his master. Ciel stopped him.
"Please," he calmly begged, "just for a little longer."
Sebastian smiled at the back of the boy's head, then picked the utensil back up. "Yes, my Lord."
23. Cats hate the cold
Ciel Phantomhive, thirteen year old Earl and owner of the Funtom Company, sneezed three times into his handkerchief. Sebastian leaned down, an expression of worry on his face as he asked, "Are you alright, Young Master? Have you gotten ill?"
"No!" he argued, rubbing his nose with the genteel white cloth. "I just don't like it this cold out. It's always too cold in England this time of year."
"Ah, yes, Christmas is drawing closer. And another occasion as well."
"Shut up."
Sebastian watched his master carefully on their return to the mansion. He would not meet the eyes of his butler. He did not allow him to touch his master. Sebastian felt the emotion many called "rejection" and did not ask his master any questions. Ciel shivered when his butler helped him from the carriage. Sebastian bluntly reminded him of his duties as they entered the house.
"Yeah, I know, I know." he grumbled as Sebastian removed the boy's coat. Maylene, Bard, and Finnian (lined up in that order) all welcomed the young master home. He scowled at them, gave the order not to be disturbed, and shut himself in his office. The servants looked back at the smirking butler.
"When his body temperature drops, the master is a bit ornery. Do not worry, he will feel better in the morning."
24. Cats want sympathy when they feel bad
Sebastian did not think that demons could catch colds. He did no think they could get ill. Yet here he was, shamefully getting dressed after a day in bed with some humanly sickness that made his body ache and his temperature skyrocket.
And now, the young Earl was sick in bed. Influenza, apparently the same thing he had caught. Knowing just how his master was feeling, Sebastian prepared him a hot tea that was sweet, yet held a medicine that would help him recover. It seems that humans took several days to fight off the germ, not the twenty-four hours it took the demon.
"Young Master?" Sebastian asked when Ciel did not answer to his knocking.
"Don't make so much noise." came this rasped voice. "My head hurts."
'Such a childish remark,' he thought fondly, and slowly rolled the cart to his bedside. "Master," he whispered, "you tea will get cold."
"I don't care." Ciel was pale, minus the red across his nose. "I feel awful."
"You are very sick. This drink will help you regain your strength."
"I'm not thirsty, I just ache all over. And I'm cold."
"You have a fever."
"I'm still cold." he growled from between clenched teeth. Sebastian's face fell, and he sighed.
"I apologize, Young Master. Perhaps, this may make it better?" In a swift motion, the butler sat himself on the bed and pulled his master into the swallowtail coat he constantly adorned, buttoning it back up around his master. Ciel began to demand he be released, but then closed his mouth and pressed his forehead to the chest of the demon.
"Yes." he murmured in a low voice that was hard for even Sebastian to catch. "Much better."
25. Sometimes, cats don't think
Ciel poked his lunch with a fork. It jiggled. Since when did steak jiggle? Was that even legal?
"…Well?" Bard asked with a prideful grin. Sebastian looked closely at the meal placed before his master, a repulsed expression when he caught scent of what Ciel was raising to his lips. Sebastian stopped him, and the steak shifted its weight. The shock made the young Earl drop his utensil.
"Bard," Sebastian said in a velvet whisper, "you are not allowed to cook for the master from now on."
"But—!"
"I'll let you know when I will allow him to eat his dinner while it walks off his plate…Young Master, put that down!"
26. Cats love treats
Sebastian had not met a child who loved anything with sugar more than his master. The way his eyes glowed at each new creation the demon came up with him gave him a sense of pride as he calmly took a bite, eating it with a pole up his butt, but clearly enjoying the treat. Though, he seemed to detest anything sweet when the Funtom Company had more candy samples they asked for him to taste.
"Honestly, it gets tiring." he grumbled, picking up a small, round, red sweet and then dropping it back with its buddies, then picking it up again, all in an unending cycle.
"Master, the work load will not lessen if you procrastinate."
"I still think tasting a few different samples from a few different batches is boring. Almost makes me hate sugar."
"How about I help you?" Sebastian offered, stepping beside the Earl. He picked up the abused candy, placing it between his lips. With a smile, he offered the sweet to his lord. "Does this make it better?"
Ciel did not answer, just reached up to take the candy. His tongue received more than the awaiting sweet.
27. Cats are messy eaters
It seems Ciel dived into every cake or pudding or sweet the butler served him. Every time, there was something on his face or even behind his ear (not found until bath time). He did not know what his master did with the treats. All he knew was that half of it ended up on the young Earl's face.
"Young Master," he began, that evening finding hardened chocolate in his hair, "can you not eat without turning yourself into a napkin?"
"I can too!" he argued.
"Then why not?"
A blush crept up the boy's cheeks, and he lowered himself nose-deep into his bathwater. He answered the question, but all Sebastian understood was the deep rumbling of bubbles.
"Can you please repeat that?" he taunted. Ciel glowered at him, lifting his head out slowly, like a jittery mole who had just been granted another day to live.
"I said, because your treats are really good." he growled, then dove back into the water.
28. Cats are easily distracted
A floating flower petal. A loud gust of wind. A crash from below his floor. His master's attention was stolen from whatever previous engagement he was in the middle with. At times, Sebastian thanked whoever created the boy he was so easily swayed.
Yet, as he danced holding Ciel in his arms, the boy looked away from the butler to the window. A blue bird rested on the sill, chirruping a shrill song. Ciel stopped moving, watching the animal with juvenile fascination.
"Young Master? We need to continue the lesson."
"Yes, I know." he answered, embarrassed that he had gotten distracted. They started once again twirling, until the bird's song began again. Ciel stopped moving and once again watched the window. Sebastian, knowing this lesson was going nowhere, sighed and offered they rest. Ciel was keen on the idea, until Sebastian sat in his overstuffed armchair and pulled him onto his knees. Ciel was ready to argue, but the butler slid him back against his chest.
"Is something the matter, Young Master?" he asked with an innocent air.
"…No." he answered, leaning against the broad front of his demon butler.
29. Cats will let you know when they are hungry
"Sebastian. Sebastian? Sebastian?!" Sebastian!"
"I heard you, Young Master." he sighed, bowing before the thirteen year old child. "Is there anything that you need?"
"I'm hungry."
"But, Young Master, it is only one-thiry. You ate lunch at twelve."
"I don't care about what time I ate and what time it is now. I'm hungry. Make me something sweet."
"*sigh* Yes, my Lord." he answered, bowing, and made his way to the kitchen, shedding his coat. He rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, wasted twenty minutes trying to throw his devoted fan out the window, and finally got started on the dish. It was a simple chocolate cake with a sweet glaze on top.
"Sebastian, what's taking so long?" he heard the Master's voice from behind him. Lookig over his shoulder, the young Earl stood proudly, a frown on his lips and his arms crossed over his chest. Sebastian smiled.
"I am sorry, it seems I was a little late in starting your snack."
"It's almost two, and I'm still hungry."
"Perhaps a glass of milk will help the wait." Sebastian gave the glass to his master. He took a drink of it, wiping the excess liquid from his lips with the back of his hand. 'Every day I watch him, this human is more like a child.'
"What are you making?" he asked, with genuine curiosity. Sebastian smiled at his master. "It's a chocolate cake with a simple white glaze. After all, your dinner is not too far off."
"I don't care about my dinner. Bard will probably poison me again."
"Which is why I will cook you meal." was the demon's reply. The smell of baking cocoa filled the room as Ciel finished off his milk, and the butler opened the stove. The cake was ready. He pulled it out, and set to adding the melted butter to a measurement of powdered sugar in a bowl. Ciel watched with fascination at the grace and precision Sebastian prepared the topping for his treat. He set the bowl down on the table without looking and headed to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of milk. Without even measuring, the demon poured in the liquid and began mixing them.
"Now, here's my secret." he told the star struck boy, with a wink. He grabbed a bottle of vanilla and a bottle of almond extract. He added a fourth of a teaspoon of each into the bowl. "It adds a nice flavor." He took the bowl, once his concoction was thick and sticky, and slowly drizzled every drop he could scrape onto the pastry