Hello all! I have not written in a while (which is a real shame) but I have just completed a couple of writing courses so hopefully my writing has improved. For those of you worried about Marry Sue's I am going to try my hardest not to insert characters into the story line so as to avoid that kind of a situation at all costs (at least until I can develop a better character).
Also everyone should know that this is somewhere after Madame Red's death (for those of you waiting for the manga to be translated, America is light years behind) but I don't think Agni and Souma have arrived yet. Although that may change if I really want to annoy a certain young one eyed boy (wink wink).
Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji (aka Black Butler), nor any of the characters here in.
Sebastian Michaelis, as per usual, was the first one up in the Phantomhive household. Even though his duties required him to rise early, Sebastian enjoyed the peace that came from the early morning hush. It would be the calmest point of his day, beside the occasional trip out to the garden to see his favorite black cat. Piercing red eyes studied his appearance in the mirror, as Sebastian complained for the millionth time to no one in particular about the injustice of having no control over his own appearance.
"So long as the young master does not require me to grow a beard and moustache, I think this is a manageable look." Sebastian commented, trying to make the best of the situation.
By the time Sebastian arrived at the kitchen to deliver the days assignments everyone was present at the table. Finny, however had already fallen back asleep, his head wrapped in his powerful arms. Baldroy was a hairs breath away from falling asleep on his hand, his cigarette bouncing in time with his slow deep breaths. Mey-Rin was alert and ready to work, trying to read the paper upside down. Mr. Tanaka had already started his tea, and was sipping his first cup of the day.
"Good morning everyone," Sebastian said loudly. Finny nearly fell out of his seat, and Baldroy's head snapped so fast it looked like he might get whiplash. Mey-Rin perked up immediately.
"G-good morning Sebastian! Are you well?" She asked. Sebastian smiled politely at her then set about delivering orders.
"Finny, please trim the bushes in the front lawn, and clean the fountain." Finny made a barely audible noise that signaled he had heard his name, and would most likely need reminding in the next few minutes. "Mey-Rin, the banisters in the hall need polished and the stairs need washed." Mey-Rin acknowledged her assignment and stood up, but hovered over her chair as if she really did not want to leave. "Baldroy, as fall is fast approaching and the weather has turned cool, a nice soup would be an appropriate lunch."
"Yeah, yeah." Bladroy waved his hand at the butler, as good a response from the man as any. Finally Sebastian turned to Tanaka.
"Mr. Tanaka you can continue with what you are doing." Tanaka replied with his usual Santa laugh, and raised his cup an inch in acknowledgement. Then everyone just stood there looking at each other. Another minute went by, then another. Sebastian tried to keep the smile on his face.
"If you all understand your assignments, then please get to work." He placed a little more emphasis on the last three words, which seemed to spring everyone into action. Sebastian sighed. He could tell it was going to be one of those days just by the headache that was already starting to form right at the bridge of his nose.
"Well now we shall start another day. Hopefully the young master will not spring another surprise orphanage visit on me."
Sebastian entered the young master's room quietly at first so as not to startle the boy. He had read in a book somewhere two years ago that a butler was supposed to wake his master cheerfully, without frightening him or causing him alarm.
"Young master it is time to get up." Sebastian said soothingly. Gently he pulled back the blinds from the window. "The weather is nice, although a bit chilly and the leaves are just starting to turn." When Sebastian turned around he nearly fell over in surprise. Instead of the young master just drawing out of dream land, Sebastian found a short letter with a small rose attached. After scanning the note Sebastian became more discouraged.
Dear Sebastian,
I have decided that I wanted to have a sleep over with Ciel, so I have kidnapped him and brought him to my house. If you wish to come find him, please bring the blue outfit I bought him a while back, and his cane. I have made sure the house and the garden are extremely cute so that we can have a picnic before the summer ends.
Thank you Sebastian!
Lizzie
PS. If you could bring the other servants so that I can make them cute too you all can enjoy the picnic with us!
Sebastian could almost feel the sugar and honey pouring out of Miss Elizabeth's mouth as he mentally heard her read the words on the page.
"Well now, this is a tad troublesome. After I just prepared the masters favorite breakfast, it will all go to waste." Sebastian, who really did not care about the food, began hunting through the cloths in the young master's closet.
"Yay, we get to have a picnic!" The servants cheered as they all sat in the coach of the carriage. Sebastian had thought it would be too much of a bother to drag out the servants cart and drive both to the party, so he had settled for allowing Tanaka to drive, and keeping an eye on Finny in the cab to make sure the boy did not punch a hole in the roof. Sebastian smiled slightly at their excitement, seeming as he had neglected to mention who would be hosting the picnic. Although he had felt it proper to tell Mr. Tanaka seeming as the poor old man usually ended up in a blond wig and a dress. The other men could use a shot to their egos, especially Baldroy, but Mr. Tanaka had been through enough in his life without being forced to suffer repeated humiliations. To tell the truth he was a little scared Miss Elizabeth would get the bright idea to put him in a dress and wig. Not that he disliked dresses or wigs, just that having the young master see him as a woman might do years of mental harm to the boy, on top of all the things Ceil had already went through. After all, when Sebastian was dressed in those kinds of cloths he usually flaunted it for all its worth.
"Mr. Sebastian, what are you smirking at?" Mey-Rin asked, snapping Sebastian out of his fantasy about driving Ceil insane.
"Oh uh…" he coughed slightly before replying, "nothing, just a thought." He said, flashing his award winning smile. Mey-Rin blushed deeply and mumbled something about him smiling at her. Sebastian always marveled at how a woman who was so blind she could not read labels had the ability to tell that she had a crush on him. His fantastic charm must be a lot stronger than he thought.
"Hey" Baldroy growled as he watched the manor house coming closer. "Isn't this that crazy girl's house? The one who's engaged to the young master?" Upon his observation Finny and Mey-Rin became pale.
"What?" They both said at the same time. Sebastian took a second to drink in the fear on their faces before confirming Baldroy's comment. 'Humans are such interesting creatures.'
When they entered the manor house they were greeted by a young man with dark black hair and thin circular glasses. Immediately Sebastian got a chill.
"Grelle Sutcliffe! Good to see you, old boy!" Baldroy said, slapping the sheepish man on the back. Sebastian figured that the reason Baldroy liked Grelle so much was because Grelle made more mistakes than the pyromaniac chef.
"H-hello Chef Baldroy. Maid Mey-Rin. Gardener Finny. Mr. Tanaka." Grelle greeted each one softly before turning an eye to Sebastian. "Sebastian darling!" He shouted, trying to wrap his arms around Sebastian's neck. The black butler side stepped out of the way, the distaste evident on his fetchers.
"Mr. Grelle, what on Earth would you be doing here in the Middleford house?" Sebastian asked nervously. Grelle was already eyeing him like a prized piece of meat, and if Grelle started blowing kisses at him, he was sure that he would send the blood obsessed reaper to hell on the spot.
"Why the Middleford butler has gone into the hospital for a broken wrist, trying to retrieve one of the young Miss's stuffed animals from the chandelier. How she got it up there on her own is a mystery to me, but the house needed a replacement butler for the time being and since the death of Madame Red and my suspension from the reapers guild, I have been currently unemployed." Grelle was cut off at that moment by a loud, high pitched squeal that resonated through the mansion. Everyone shuddered, including the newest addition to the servant list.
"Sebastian, you came! I do hope you brought the outfit I mentioned in my letter! No other outfit will look cute enough!" Elizabeth sang as she dragged Ceil down the main stairs. The young master looked worse for wear than Finny had earlier that morning. His hear was a tangle of large chunks that stuck out at odd angles from his head, barely covering his right eye, and the sign of his contract with the demon butler in the entrance way. Ceil was still dressed in his pajamas as he had no cloths at his fiancés house, and the look on his face made Sebastian wonder how long he had been comatose in order to survive Lizzie's crazy girl talk.
Elizabeth on the other hand was the picture of a young naive lady. Sebastian found her almost as annoying as Mey-Rin, although at least the maid had some use in the mansion. Sebastian would never understand how the ability to make things cute would ever be put to use for anything worthwhile.
"Yes Miss Elizabeth. The young masters cloths are in the trunk that is on the front porch. Would you mind if I took the young master to his room so that I could help him prepare for the picnic?" Sebastian could see the others try and escape the room out of the corner of his eye. "Meanwhile, why do you not dress the others so that they can be read for the festivities?" Sebastian could not help the smile that stretched across his face as Elizabeth caught the others and dragged them off into another room in the house.
"Thank God!" Ciel shouted when Lizzie had finally left. "I thought you had finally taken my soul and I was stuck in hell!" Sebastian shot a look at Ciel from the corner of his eye.
"Does the young master think that I am so soft as to put him in a room that he can escape from? If anything, young master, I would at least handcuff you to your fiancé in order to hinder your escape." Ciel's eyes became as big as saucers as he stared dumbfounded at his butler.
"You wouldn't dare!" Ciel hissed. Sebastian thought to press the issue, but figured that it would be in bad taste to annoy his master.
"No my lord. I would not force you to experience such a mind numbing display of cute for all eternity." Sebastian looked around the hall as he heaved the trunk onto his shoulder. "May I inquire as to where the young master's room is?" Ceil looked around the room.
"I don't think it much matters which room I change in." Ceil said, nonchalantly. Sebastian placed a leveled look on his master.
"Young master, do you forget which room you were given?" Sebastian suggested.
"No! It's just…." The young master trailed off.
"Just what, my Lord?"
"It's just that I…"
Sebastian waited a tolerant ten seconds before pressing the subject.
"Seriously, my Lord, if you do not remember where it was in the house that your room is, I am sure we can use another room." Sebastian said calmly.
"I woke up in Lizzie's room." The young boy blurred. It took Sebastian a couple of minutes to process the information that that statement had implied.
"Excuse me, young master? Do you mean that you and the young Miss shared a room last night?" Sebastian questioned. Ciel began to grow red.
"That is to say… Well yes." Sebastian stifled a laugh before it even reached his throat. He was not at all disturbed by the young master's confession, after all they were betrothed and Lizzie was not the type of girl who did anything with less than pure intentions. No, what Sebastian found so funny was that the queens watch dog, who visited crime scenes and hunted criminals, would be embarrassed about sleeping in the same room, maybe even the same bed, as his fiancé.
"Well my lord, as long as the Marchioness does not find out, I do believe that you should survive the day." Just as Sebastian was finishing that statement, the sound of Lizzie's voice carried through the building.
"Mother! You will never guess who I had a sleep over with last night! Ciel!" Both men in the hall looked at each other in shock and fear. Within the blink of an eye the hall was empty, the two men disappearing into a room to hide.
Anyway….. Well this was my attempt. It is harder than it looks to try and write astutely. I am amazed that Sebastian talks like that all the time. Well if I get enough reviews I will continue, and I could use suggestions too. Please be gentle with the criticisms, but if you have advice, I am willing to hear it. Thanks for reading! ^_^