Sebastian sighed as he put the finishing touches on dessert. He had made a Portsmouth Cake, and was finishing spreading the butter cream over the top and sides. There had been something bothering him as of late; while he had no great want of anything, he felt he was lacking… something. Ever since the battle with that insufferable Grell Sut-

Sebastian paused, realization hitting him. All Grell's lewd suggestions, well, more than suggestions, really, seemed to have had an effect on him. He was now beginning to realize how truly long it had been since he'd laid with anyone and, while he had shared no affection for his partners, even he had needs. As repulsive as he found Grell, now that he was aware of his ailment, Sebastian felt more keenly a need for release.

The tension, however, was bearable, and the butler easily carried a slice of the orange cake up to his young master. His master was slightly irritable, as usual, and made no comment as Sebastian laid the cake on the corner of his desk and, after a brief explanation, took his leave. But he was still afflicted with a slight tension, and, aware that simply ignoring the feeling would lead nowhere, he began reviewing his options.

Mayren was definitely out of the question; firstly, the girl had a terribly obvious affection for him, and Sebastian did not wish to be burdened with her romantic notions. Also, it would be a rather disastrous event if she would happen to become pregnant. No, women were definitely off the list. Sebastian's next thought was perhaps Finnian, but this was also disregarded. The boy was attractive, as well as effeminate, but he was far too naïve. Sebastian would not want word of his doings spreading, and Finnian would not be able to help himself but tell someone. Then there was the young master…

Sebastian smiled as he walked down the hall. Though not naïve, Ciel was young, not that age mattered much to a demon. However, he did not feel as if the young master would appreciate the attentions of his butler; no, certainly not. Despite this, he could not help but imagine the moon pale skin shining with sweat, that stubborn mouth hanging open and panting, those dark eyes burning in-

Sebastian's revere was broken by the sound of an explosion. Rushing to the kitchen before thinking, he found himself stopped in the hallway as Bard stumbled out of a cloud of smoke, waving one hand to clear the air in front of him and coughing into the other.

"What happened?" Sebastian asked, irritation already entering his flawless features. He had been having such wondrous thoughts, and then Bard had to go and… Sebastian's thoughts paused.

"Well, I was making the beef for dinner, and I thought that maybe using a bit of dynamite could, ya know, speed it up a bit," Bard said. The "cook" was looking in the kitchen, examining the damage he'd done. He knew he was in for it; this was the fifth time today he'd blown up the kitchen, and Sebastian had already been in a bad mood lately-

"Pay it no mind; I'll handle everything," Sebastian said, smiling. Bard froze; he had been certain he was in for a lecture at the least… what was that?

"But, uh… okay," Bard said tentatively. "I'm sorry I blew up the kitchen… again."

"I already said, pay it no mind," Sebastian said, guiding Bard into the hallway with a hand on his shoulder. He was still smiling, and Bard was starting to feel as if there was something more behind the look. But he shook the thought from his head as Sebastian returned to the kitchen. There was no way Sebastian meant anything by that, it was just in his head. He'd probably just figured out how to fix what had been bothering him lately, that was all.

As Sebastian began cleaning the kitchen, he began humming to himself. He had indeed found the solution to his problem; and he even knew how to have a little fun along the way.

The next morning, Bard rose early to attempt to make breakfast as usual. Not that he always failed; he was much better than when he had first begun. It was just slow going.

As Bard began dicing meat for breakfast, Sebastian stood next to the doorway. He smiled, considering his first move carefully, as well as happily anticipating his little game. When Bard moved to making batter, Sebastian saw his chance.

Bard held an egg and went to break it open by tossing it in the bowl, when an elegant gloved hand caught his calloused one, and Bard felt heat against his back as Sebastian stood close behind him.

"You need to break the egg outside the bowl first," Sebastian's velvet voice sounded near Bard's ear, close enough that he could feel the butler's breath.

Bard jumped across the room, nearly hitting the wall in his haste. He stared at Sebastian at shock, not sure what the hell had just happened.

Sebastian, a cool expression gracing his features, broke the egg on the side of the bowl an poured the inside in the mixture. He repeated this with the other two eggs, then proceeded to make breakfast as Bard kept his post near the wall. Bard stared at nothing, his mind a blank. When Sebastian swept past him, breakfast one and tea on a tray for the young master, Bard skittered out of the way. Sebastian paused a moment to look at the cook diffidently, then smiled coolly and continued on his way to the hall and then the young master's room.

Neither said a word to each other the rest of the day, and slowly Bard managed to convince himself it had all been in his head, and hadn't really happened. Sebastian didn't act different the rest of the day, reinforcing this thought.

But, as he lay down to go to bed, the quiet of the night caused his thoughts to return to that morning. He still hadn't a clue what had happened. Why the hell would Sebastian, of all people, get that close to him? He wouldn't have minded if it had been Mayren or Finny; Mayren for obvious chest-er, reasons, and Finny was just like a little kid. But Sebastian? Bard sighed, shutting his eyes tightly. He was probably thinking too much; if he waited long enough, he'd just forget about it and things would go back to normal.

The next morning started off as usual; Bard began breakfast by himself and Sebastian came in to prepare the young master's morning tea service a bit later. Although he'd decided to put yesterday behind him, Bard couldn't help but shy away from Sebastian when he got a little too close, or flinch slightly when the butler would say something.

Telling himself he was just acting silly, Bard turned purposefully to walk to the other side of the kitchen, but his foot hit something as he turned, and he ended up falling. Before he hit the ground, Bard found himself hoisted up by surprisingly strong slender arms. The cook looked up out of reflex and found himself looking straight at Sebastian, inches from the butler's face.

"You should be more careful, Bard," Sebastian said, smiling brightly. Bard was paralyzed a moment, and Sebastian's eyes half opened in that time.

Sebastian was truly enjoying his game, and catching the cook off guard again was highly amusing. And Bard was playing his part perfectly as he roughly pushed away from the butler with a muttered half thanks and poorly hidden panic. Sebastian cupped his chin as he watched Bard leave the room a bit aimlessly, wondering what his next move should be against the cook.

Still racking his brain for some kind of sense of the last couple minutes, Bard didn't notice Mayren until he nearly bumped into her, causing her to shout and drop an armload of plates. The plates shattered on the floor as Bard came to his senses and Mayren covered her mouth with both hands.

"Oh, no, not again!" Mayren cried in despair, tears in her eyes. "I told Sebastian I wouldn't break another plate, yes I did, and here I've dropped the whole set!"

"Sorry, Mayren; I didn't see you," Bard said. "Let me help you clean this up."

"Oh, thank you, Bard! But are you okay? You've never run into me before," Mayren said as they both kneeled to carefully pick up the larger plate shards.

"I was… eh…" Bard wasn't sure what to say. "Mayren, has Sebastian been acting weird to you lately?"

Mayren paused, looking up in thought, a large shard in one hand as she put a finger to her chin.

"No, I can't say he has; but he was before, yes he was!" Mayren said, continuing to pick up plate pieces. "Why? Has he been acting strange to you?"

"N-no! I was just, uh, wondering," Bard said. He coughed a bit, still wondering what the hell was going on, but pushing it to the back of his mind. It was all in his head; besides, Sebastian had probably caught him out of reflex anyway…

After a day of avoiding Sebastian with more vigor than the day previous, Bard was exhausted. He sunk into his bed, shutting his eyes tightly against his mind's wandering questions. And, after some restless tossing and turning, he managed to fall into a black sleep.

The three men were fast asleep when Sebastian slid open the door. It was the dead of night. The butler walked over, stopping at the foot of Bard's bed. He smiled, walking to the side of the bed and sitting down. Bard slept on, oblivious as Sebastian leaned over him, one hand pressing lightly on Bard's chest as the butler placed his mouth next to Bard's ear.

"Good evening, Bard," he said lowly. "You seem tense lately… allow me to offer you my services."

Sebastian let his hand glide softly down Bard's chest, snaking under the blanket and beneath the fabric of Bard's sleepwear. He let his thumb travel down Bard's soft member, feeling down his length to the head. He began teasing the head, watching Bard's face as he did. Bard let out a small groan as he began growing hard under Sebastian's ministrations, eyebrows knitting as tension started building. Sebastian continued smiling as he ran his fingers lightly down Bard's swollen member, then took hold and pumped him. He put a hand over Bard's mouth to keep his moans from being heard, and Bard arched into his hand.

Sebastian stopped just as Bard was about to reach completion. Pulling his hand back, he uncovered Bard's mouth. The cook was panting, and Sebastian lightly brushed the side of his face.

"If you want more, I'm afraid you'll have to ask," he said, then slid to standing, quickly quitting the room with a smile.

Bard woke up feeling like crap. He wasn't sure why, but he felt raw and it was slightly uncomfortable to walk. And he hadn't slept well. He'd woken in the middle of the might with a… problem, which had kept him up longer, because he seemed to be missing something he needed to fix it. And, in addition to that, Sebastian's voice was drifting around his head for some unknown reason.

And that was why he decided to stay completely clear of the butler that day.

However, it was a lot more difficult than he'd though it would be. It seemed like no matter where he went, Sebastian was there. He hadn't realized how often he saw the butler in one day, but he could have sworn it wasn't this much. He was also pretty sure he'd never seen Sebastian smiling so much, either. It was kind of creeping him out.

When he ran into Sebastian (again), he decided to try his luck going outside. Of course, he ran into Finnian outside. Watching the young blonde clip hedges for a few moments, he decided to try talking to him about recent… events.

"Hey, Finny, can I talk to you?" Bard called, walking up. Finnian turned and smiled.

"Sure Bard, what is it?" he asked, big blue eyes curious. Bard scratched the back of his head, not sure how to start.

"Well, ya see… I have this problem," he said, trying to be discreet. "Well, it's not my problem, but my… friend's problem."

"Oh, is everything alright?' Finnian said, all worry and sympathy. Bard held up a hand.

"Yeah, yeah, everything's great, it's just… well, my friend, she thinks this guy might like her, but she doesn't know whether or not it's all in her head or not," Bard said. He figured he might as well leave Sebastian as a guy in this story; then Finnian wouldn't connect it to him at all.

"Well, does she like him?" Finnian asked.

"No," Bard said firmly. Thinking of last night's problem, however, made him doubt, just a little, the truth of that statement…

"Then there's nothing to worry about!" Finnian said brightly. Bard sighed, but he probably should have expected as much.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," he said, patting Finnian's shoulder and walking away. He didn't believe Sebastian actually liked him, he just hadn't had a better way to put the situation. If there even was a situation. Which there couldn't be. Because, really, how could there be a situation?

By the time night fell, Bard still had no answers. His kept rolling over everything that had happened recently, trying to form some kind of coherent conclusion. But, no matter how he tossed and turned and stared at blank space, he couldn't come up with one. With his mind racing, he also couldn't fall asleep, and was still awake by the time he needed to get up to make breakfast.

The morning passed quietly. Bard even made sure to take extra time making breakfast, without using any explosives, to make sure there was no reason for Sebastian to appear. And, when Sebastian did appear, it was at the time he usually did to make master Ciel's morning tea. The butler didn't give Bard so much as a second glance as he left the room, and Bard sighed. It had to be all in his head; it had to be.

And the rest of the day continued much the same; Sebastian seemed to pay Bard no more attention than was necessary, and the cook slowly berated himself for ever believing there was something going on at all. Really, it was like the way Mayren would fantasize about Sebastian.

Not that he fantasized about Sebastian! Bard shook his head, trying to get rid of the thought. He had just been making a comparison; he didn't feel anything about the butler. Well, not that he didn't feel anything, he just didn't feel that way about him… not they he was particularly bothered by people who felt that way, he just…

Bard sighed and focused on the task at hand, unaware that Sebastian leaned against the doorway to the kitchen, smiling in an amused fashion as if he knew exactly what the cook was thinking. And, although he knew not precisely what the cook was thinking, he did have a rather accurate idea. Especially since it was all according to plan.

By the time night fell, Bard had managed to calm down and, while he still had some worries, he fell asleep almost instantly.

Near the middle of the night, as soon as Tanaka and Finnian were in as dead a sleep as Bard, Sebastian silently entered the room. He glided over to Bard's bed, sitting as he had before. He smiled as he let his hand ghost down Bard's chest, torso… then continuing beneath the cook's clothing. He leaned by Bard's ear again.

"Were my services not to your satisfaction, Bardroy?" he whispered, voice like velvet. "Please allow me to remedy the situation."

Even unconscious, Bard seemed to shiver as Sebastian spoke, beginning his ministrations as he had before. Almost imperceivably, Bard reacted to Sebastian's touch and voice more readily than before, and with more fervor. Sebastian smiled darkly, well aware of the change thanks to his heightened senses. Just as before, however, he stopped just as Bard was about to reach release; he left a chaste kiss on Bardroy's lips, then took his leave.

The butler continued in this fashion over the next several days; each progressive night visit causing Bardroy to react more quickly to Sebastian's voice and hand. During the day, of course, the butler still continued his game, though less energetically.

Bard, unaware of the butler's intentions, was in tumult. Sebastian showed no outward change, but Bard felt as if he saw the man in a new light. He did his best, however, to tame his reactions to the butler; ignoring the way his skin lit up wherever the butler happened to accidently brush against him, the way he started to get lost in Sebastian's silky voice, the way he could almost imagine Sebastian's hand trailing down his-

Bard stopped that train of thought (again) and accidentally managed to blow up dinner. He blinked and coughed as the smoke cleared, wondering what the hell was wrong with him and why the hell he was thinking this crap now. Thinking of which, since he just blew up the kitchen (again), wouldn't that mean-

"What happened now?" Sebastian asked, frowning slightly as he walked in the room.

"Eh? Well, I just… uh… I stopped paying attention for a minute, and bam!" Bard said. He actually wasn't quite sure himself how he had managed to blow up the kitchen this time; it kind of just happened. Sebastian sighed, eyes closing momentarily. Then he opened them again and walked forward.

"Well, there's still an hour until dinner; I should be able to put this to rights," Sebastian said, taking stock of the damage.

"Ah well, sorry about that," Bard said, scratching the back of his neck. He was looking away, trying not to let himself focus on Sebastian; in fact, using all his will power to focus on a particular bit of ash as it floated in the air. So focused he didn't noticed he took a step or two towards it, or that Sebastian turned at near the same moment and-

Bard and Sebastian ran into each other, coming very close, faces inches from each other. The entire fronts of their bodies came into full contact, and Bard's skin burned as he felt all of where he and Sebastian came into contact; chest, torso, even-

It lasted only a second before Bardroy hurriedly backed away, feeling his face flush as he started getting a hard on. He turned away, hiding his reaction from Sebastian, who stood looking shocked.

"Sorry, I, uh…" Bard tried to cover his tracks, then simply walked out of the kitchen, intending to find somewhere to take care of his problem away from the source.

In his wake, Sebastian slowly began to smile. He began cleaning the kitchen, deciding it was time for the next part of his little game to begin…

That night Sebastian paid the cook no visits.

The next night Bard tossed and turned in his sleep. His dreams were troubled; dark and tense, with his emotions ever seeking, seeking, seeking… looking for something missed, something visceral and powerful… glowing red eyes peered from shadows, a silken laugh echoed faintly, and the essence of Bard shuddered, surrounded but alone…

Bardroy shot up in a cold sweat, panting. After a few moments, he sighed and covered his eyes with his hand. Then he slid out of bed, figuring he would get a glass of warm milk to try and calm his nerves. His eyes were a bit bloodshot from what rough sleep he'd gotten, and he shuffled down the halls still groggy.

When he walked into the kitchen and found Sebastian there, he nearly walked out again.

"Oh, good evening, Bardroy. Is something wrong?" Sebastian asked. He was just finishing some cleaning, and was actually slightly surprised to find Bardroy entering. Bardroy debated leaving a moments, then yawned and scratched the back of his neck.

"Naw, just having a hard time sleeping," he said, walking to the icebox to retrieve some milk. Pulling out a pot, he poured the milk in and heated up the stove.

"Bad dreams?" Sebastian asked. Bard flinched, and behind him Sebastian smiled. Bard grabbed a wooden spoon and stirred the heating milk a little too quickly.

"Something like that, yeah," he said. Sebastian felt a bit like laughing, but refrained. Instead he lightly crept beside Bard, placing one gloved hand over the cook's to make him pause.

"If you stir it that quickly, you'll surely make it spill," Sebastian smiled at Bard. The cook was shocked a moment, then hastily pulled his hand out from beneath Sebastian's and practically jumped away. Acting almost as if nothing had happened, Sebastian took over stirring for Bard, more slowly.

"Uh… thanks…" Bard said, calming down. He covered the hand Sebastian had touched with his own, trying to erase the feeling it left behind. Sebastian smiled brightly.

"I'm happy to extend my services to you, Bardroy," he said, making Bard frown. He knew that sounded off; besides, Sebastian had never said anything like that before… but, as Sebastian opened his eyes a bit, and they seemed to pulse with slight energy, Bard jumped and pointed accusingly.

"You're doing this on purpose!" he said. Sebastian continued smiling a moment, then made of face of amused concern.

"I'm afraid I haven't the slightest idea what you are referring to," the butler said. "You will have to be more clear."

"I… you… and… " Bard sputtered, face turning crimson as he tried to form a coherent argument that didn't make him sound half mad. Sebastian smiled.

"You and I… what, Bardroy?" Sebastian asked, tilting his head just so, his eyes falling into the shadow of his brows. Bard shivered; Sebastian's eyes were glowing slightly, and it set Bard's insides roiling and his skin begin to heat up. He turned away, unable to master his passions as he stared at Sebastian.

"Nothing… just… nothing. Good night," Bard said, then walked out of the kitchen, leaving the butler to himself. Sebastian frowned slightly. He had been near certain that Bardroy would play right into his hands then; but then he smiled. One small concession certainly did not mean he had lost his game entirely. Although…

He was rather upset that he would now have to pitch a perfectly good pot of warm milk.

Bardroy's sleeping habits did not improve as the week wore on. In fact, he was sleeping less and tossing and turning most the nights; his dreams even became more vivid. In the latest, he was looking out a window, and the moon shone down on a pale figure. Glossy black hair shown, and a bare, slender body stood. Bard's eyes worshiped the man's body with an intensity he hadn't had for even the most beautiful women of his past; eyes trailing up over the form; from the feet, to the legs, the waist, the torso, the chest, the neck, the mouth, the nose, the eyes… the glowing, mesmerizing red eyes…

Sebastian strode toward him. The butler smiled darkly, cupping the side of Bard's face with one hand. He leaned in and kissed the cook, and Bard returned it as Sebastian's other hand slid down his bare chest and torso…

Bard woke suddenly, eyes flying open. The cook lay motionless, letting time tick away as his breath came in short gasps and his heart raced. The dream had been the most intense by far, and he wasn't sure how much more he could take. He groaned into the dark, then half fell out of bed. He picked himself up and gulped, stealing himself for what he was about to do.

He stood before Sebastian's door, but made no move to knock. He simply stood; and had for the past twenty minutes or so. While Bard hadn't been able to stop himself from going to the butler's door, he also couldn't bring himself to take the final step and rouse the man and confess his desires. He stared at the floor, caught in a crossroads.

Bard flinched as the door opened. Sebastian stood, fully dressed sans tailcoat. His face was blank a moment, then he smiled.

"Is there something I can help you with, Bardroy?" he asked. Bard stared at the floor a moment longer, then looked right in Sebastian's eyes.

"You win," he said.

"Pardon?" Sebastian asked, looking confused.

"I don't know what the hell game this is, but you win," Bard said, looking determined. He clenched his fist to try and hide that his hands were shaking. Sebastian looked confused a moment longer, then smiled darkly, eyes glowing.

In a moment too fast for Bard to remember, Sebastian had pulled him inside and shut the door, the slammed Bard up against it. Sebastian's face was only inches from Bard's as he paused, and took a shakey breath; anxious and yet excited, the mix rolling sickeningly in his stomach.

Sebastian leaned forward and placed his lips against Bardroy's; Bard closed his eyes, feeling the cool, smooth texture of Sebastian's mouth and inhaling the scent that was uniquely him. Sebastian kept his eyes cracked open as he added pressure to the kiss, and Bard yielded to him wonderfully. Sebastian knew he had full command of the situation; it enticed him.

The butler pressed his tongue against Bardroy's lips, and the cook gave him immediate access; Sebastian finally closed his eyes as he explored Bard's warm mouth, pressing their bodies closer at the same. Sebastian let his hands run down Bardroy's sides, making the cook shiver as he subconsciously gripped the butler's shoulders. Sebastian let his hands rest on Bardroy's hips, then gently rocked his own hips forward so that they rubbed against each other.

Bard let out a gasping groan through his kiss with Sebastian as the butler made friction between them. Bard's face flushed as he began to grow hot. Their tongues twined as Bard wrapped his arms around Sebastian's neck and the butler ground against him with more force, making them both give out groans and moans, breath growing heavy.

Sebastian pulled away, and Bard blinked, breathless. Sebastian smiled at his confused expression, then took of his gloves. Bard watched as the tie was removed next, then the vest unbuttoned. The cook was mesmerized, watching Sebastian's pale skin reveal itself as the butler unbuttoned each button. Sebastian slid the shirt, vest and tie off his shoulders, and Bard watched as the garments slowly slid down to the floor with a slight swishing noise, hitting the wooden boards with a whisper of a thump.

Bard took a step forward, fascinated by Sebastian's figure. It was just as pale and perfect as it had been in his mind's eye, and his amazement made him only half aware of what he was doing. His rough hands reached out; one resting on the hallow between neck and shoulder and the other on one slim waist. Bard let out a breath at the velvet, cool feel of Sebastian's skin. His hand trailed down whilst he kissed the hallow between neck and shoulder on the other side. Sebastian tasted of salt, and slightly metallic, like blood, but there was a sweet, subtle flavor laced through, and it made Bard feel heady as he lightly began lightly sucking on the skin and let his hands worship Sebastian's body.

Sebastian began humming lightly, smiling at Bard's activities. His slender fingers worked around Bard's arms to unbutton the cook's night shirt. By the time this was done, Bard was intermingling sucks and kisses on Sebastian's neck and pressing against him, eager for more. Sebastian chuckled, forcing Bard back a bit to push the shirt off the cook's shoulders and letting it fall to the floor. Sebastian looked in Bard's eyes; the blue orbs were in tumult, lust mingled with remorse, pleasure with guilt, pride with yearning. Sebastian paused a moment, he wasn't sure why, then pulled Bard forward by his waist and kissed him deeply. Bard melded to him, wrapping his arms around Sebastian's shoulders. The butler easily lifted him from the ground to move to the bed, laying Bard down without breaking the kiss.

They were both hard, their enclosed erections grinding together through the rough fabric of their clothes. Sebastian swallowed Bard's moans, forcing the cook's hands off of him. He pulled back slightly, and Bard kept his eyes closed, panting. Sebastian kissed a line down the side of bard's neck, stopping to suck at the hallow of his neck. Bard groaned softly, one hand cupping the back of Sebastian's head and the other burying itself in the bed sheets. Sebastian separated their waist, using both hands to rid first himself, then Bardroy of their pants, managing to remove his shoed in the process. Bard gasped loudly and arched up Sebastian held their erections together and began pumping them. Sebastian hummed, the vibrations against his neck adding to Bard's pleasure. Sebastian lightly pressed his fingers to Bard's lips, and the cook grabbed his wrist and sucked as expected. Sebastian was a bit surprised at the feel of Bard's tongue so skillfully wetting his fingers; he imagined the warm lips parted against something else, and Bard groaned against Sebastian's fingers as the butler grew harder at the thought.

Sebastian reclaimed his fingers, then pushed up to kiss Bard as he pressed his fingers into the cook. Bard moaned as Sebastian played with his entrance, pumping and scissoring to prepare him. Bard arched into Sebastian's touch, and the butler smiled through their kiss as he added a third finger. Bard flinched, then moaned more loudly as Sebastian pumped his fingers rhythmically in and out.

After a few moments, Sebastian removed his fingers, and Bard grunted at the discomfort. He stilled a moment as Sebastian's head pressed against his entrance. They were both panting now; and Bard looked into Sebastian's glowing red eyes as the butler pressed into his tight hole; head, then shaft, half way, three quarters, to the hilt. Bard was shivering, in both pain and pleasure, anticipation and slight fear. Then Sebastian smiled and Bard closed his eyes tightly and buried his head in the crook of Sebastian's neck as Sebastian began thrusting.

Bard found himself biting the pearly skin against his mouth, whining against the pain as Sebastian plowed into him. Sebastian noted this, his smile dropping. He altered his angle, trying one way and another. When Bardroy cried out; body arching against Sebastian and arms wrapping around the butler's shoulders, Sebastian's smiled returned. The butler slammed into Bard's prostate, making the ma beneath him writhe as he met each thrust, in part guiding Sebastian to that one spot that made the cook's eyes go blurry and head become empty of all but an overwhelming amount of pleasure. And, when Sebastian began stroking Bard as well, the cook lost it, coming harder than he could remember with a heavy cry. The release caused the cook to clench all his muscles; Sebastian thrust hard into Bard's tight hole, coming with a grunt inside the cook.

The two men staid as they were a moment, panting. Then Sebastian make a small noise, and pulled out slowly. Bard grunted as he did, then opened his eyes to look at the butler. Sebastian looked back down at him; they're expressions were surprisingly similar; both were a bit dazed and surprised, but also content. The Sebastian smiled and shifted to lay next to Bardroy on the bed. Bard half turned to curl against the butler, and Sebastian threw a careless arm around him. With some tricky maneuvering, the butler also managed to pull the blankets from beneath them and over them. The two laid in the dark for a while as their breathing leveled and hearts slowed down, the silence lulling them closer to slumber as Bardroy at least was exhausted.

"Bardroy," Sebastian started. He needed to disillusion any romantic notions the cook might have, before they managed to change the current situation.

"You don't have to say anything; I get it," Bard said, eyes half closed. Sebastian blinked, tilting his head uncomfortably to look at the cook.

"Do you?" he asked, curious. Bardroy snorted.

"You're not the first demon I've come across, Sebastian," Bard said, making the butler's eyes widen. "I get it; I'm just a means to an end."

Sebastian stared a moment, then sighed and smiled, adjusting his hold on Bardroy. It wasn't long before the cook's deep, even breathes let Sebastian know he had fallen asleep. Sebastian shifted himself so that he was laying facing Bard. The cook's face was calm in sleep, and Sebastian thought of the man's words as he brushed the back of his fingers against the cook's face.

He was right. Bard had been a means to an end for Sebastian. As a demon, there was nothing more a mere human could be for him. Because he was a demon, he only used humans to his own needs, what ever they may be. So Bard couldn't be more than a means to an end.

It was impossible.