A/N: Well, the finale rewrite was supposed to stop there, but then I got to daydreaming and... This happened. First of all, I would like to thank everyone who reviewed and/or added said rewrite and His Butler, Et Cetera (which I really want to get back to) to their favorites, or added me to their favorite authors list or author alert. I feel like I should remember your names, but I don't. Nevertheless, you have my thanks.
So now we're just gonna go on living like Season 2 never happened. Just imagine "His Butler," in front of all the titles.
Now on with the story!
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Warning: Contains Soma being Soma, some Ciel/Elizabeth, possible OOC - ness and many lemons.
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"Good morning, young master" Sebastian lets himself into Ciel's bedroom, "I trust you slept well."
The boy sighs and rubs the sleep from his eyes. Sebastian's smirk as he rummages through the armoire does not escape his notice. "What are you smirking at?" he lowers his eyebrows at him. Sebastian kneels in front of him and strips off his night shirt. "Nothing, young master" he answers, "It's just nice to be able to do this again."
"Idiot" Ciel rolls his eyes.
Sebastian just smiles as he dresses his master in a white shirt and black shorts. "For breakfast today I have prepared Eggs Florentine with a bit of cured ham." He buttons the boy's shirt and gray vest. "As a side dish, I have baked scones with your choice of either strawberry or grape preserves or lemon curd. Which would you prefer?"
"The curd." Ciel lifts his legs to allow for Sebastian to slide a pair of dark gray knee socks up his calves. "Very good" the former smiles. He rises from his crouch and pours the tea. "For tea this morning I have selected New Moon Drop." He bows and hands him the cup. "The scent of it reminds me of the taste of your soul" he smiles. Ciel frowns at him and sniffs the tea. "It smells strange" he comments before taking a sip. Sebastian's smile wavers. "Is it not to your liking?"
"It's fine." Ciel sets the cup on his nightstand and dons his rings. "What are today's plans?"
Sebastian smiles. "You have no lessons or meetings scheduled, and there are currently no incidents requiring your attention. The day is yours to do with as you please." He ties a blue ribbon around his neck.
Ciel stares darkly at him. "What was it you said last night about my having a full schedule today?" he almost growls. Sebastian leans back and smiles widely. "Well, I had to say something to make you go back to sleep" he answers. Ciel scowls at him, and he dips his head and lays his hand over his heart. "But I will be honest with you about such matters in the future."
"See that you are." Ciel doesn't look at Sebastian as he slides his black - and - white shoes on. The latter chuckles. He stands quickly at a sudden knocking at Ciel's door. "Come in!" the boy calls. Maylene nervously pokes her head in. "Young master, lady Elizabeth has arrived."
"Ah." Ciel finishes the last of his tea and stands. "I will see her." He threads his arms through the sleeves of his black - collared blue coat. "Let's go, Sebastian."
"Yes."
...
"CIIIEEEEEL!"
A pink - and - blonde tornado whirls into the foyer and smacks into Ciel's chest. The poor boy has to spin in a circle to avoid falling onto his back. "Too tight!" he groans against Elizabeth's grip. "I wanted to come see you!" she declares with a bright smile, "You're always busy with something! Huh?" She suddenly seems to notice what Ciel is wearing. "Yuck! What's with these clothes?" she exclaims, "They are certainly not cute! They don't suit you at all!"
Ciel glances at his clothes speculatively. "Huh" he remarks, "Perhaps you're right. Maybe I should change, like I did that day."
"Huh? 'Like I did that day'?" Elizabeth repeats, "Ciel, are you saying... You remember?"
"Yes." He smiles charmingly and holds out his hand. "Will you dance with me, Lizzy?"
Her eyes brim with happy tears. "O - of course!" she beams. Ciel dabs at her eyes and they assume a waltz position. "Shall I perform a piece for you to dance to, young master?" Sebastian asks with a small bow. "The gramophone is working fine" Ciel answers decisively, "And besides," - he glances up at Sebastian - "You have a lot of chores to attend to. Right, Sebastian?"
Sebastian takes the hint and smiles before bowing again. "Understood" he answers. He sets up the gramophone on his way out. He stops at the top of the stairs and watches for a moment as Ciel leads Elizabeth flawlessly through the dance. He chuckles quietly as he walks down the hall, lifting his hand thoughtfully to his lips. "So that's what demon blood does to a human" he muses, "How interesting."
...
Sebastian is in the middle of dusting when a ringing bell informs him that his young master needs him in the kitchen. He swipes the dust rag over the mantle once more and readjusts his jacket as he heads downstairs.
...
"You called for me, young master?"
Ciel and Elizabeth are seated at the table. A plate covered with the remains of eggs Florentine and scones sits in front of the former. "Bring my cane to the foyer" he orders, "We'll be waiting for you."
"Yes, sir" Sebastian bows. He sniggers at the image of a smiling Ciel offering his arm to Elizabeth in the corner of his eye.
...
Sebastian holds Ciel's cane out to him as he adjusts his jacket. "Elizabeth wants to walk in the gardens" he says over his shoulder as he loops his arm with hers, "Have lunch ready for us when we return."
"Yes, my lord" Sebastian bows. Elizabeth leans her head against Ciel's shoulder, and Sebastian turns his back on the two children.
...
The ringing of the phone startles him a bit. He wasn't expecting any phone calls for his young master today. He furrows his brow in puzzlement and lifts the receiver to his ear.
"Phantomhive residence."
"Sebastian!"
"Ah, Agni. It's good to hear from you."
"We haven't seen you or master Ciel in a while" the Indian says cheerfully, "How are things going?"
"I am well, as is my young master" he answers. He can hear what sounds like struggling going on in the background, and suddenly someone is panting on the other end. "Where's Ciel? !" Soma's voice demands, "Is he there? ! How is he doing? !"
"My young master is fine, Prince Soma" Sebastian tries to sound reassuring. He smiles deviously. "His memory seems to have returned in full."
"What? !" the prince shrieks into the receiver. Sebastian's head jerks back out of reflex. "Agni, did you hear? !" he raves, even thought there's no way he could have, "When did he get his memory back? !"
"Around half a week ago" Sebastian answers.
"And you're only telling us now? !" Soma demands angrily, "We're coming over!"
"Wait, my pri - " Agni starts to try to talk some sense into the excitable prince, and the line goes dead. Sebastian is smirking again as he hangs up. "Oh, dear" he smiles wickedly, "It seems I may have caused a bit of trouble for my young master." He lifts a bent finger to his lips thoughtfully. "Perhaps I should inform him that he will have guests arriving later."
He glances out a window to see Ciel and Elizabeth walking through the hedge maze. "Then again," he smiles, "as a butler, who am I to spoil his fun?"
...
Elizabeth turns her head toward Ciel, then looks away, and repeats the action as they round another corner. "Is something wrong?" Ciel finally asks. She seems startled by his question. "Uh... N - no" she says quickly, clutching more tightly onto his arm. "What is it?" he pries. She smiles slowly and looks up at him. "It's just... It's been so long since we spent time together like this, just the two of us" she admits. She hugs his arm tighter as her eyes tear up a little. "I missed it, Ciel. I've missed you."
Her eyes widen a little as Ciel's head touches against hers. "I have too, Lizzy" he answers, "I like it when you come over. Really."
She smiles and leans her head against Ciel's shoulder. "Me, too."
...
"Is lunch ready yet, Sebastian?"
Sebastian is waiting for them on the veranda, at his usual post behind Ciel's seat. "It is, young master" he gestures at the table, "Braised pheasant with candied yams and fresh lemonade for you both."
"Thank you, Sebastian" Elizabeth beams as Ciel pulls her chair out for her. "The honor is mine, lady Elizabeth" Sebastian bows and pulls Ciel's seat out for him. The boy frowns in displeasure. "Understood" he backs away. Elizabeth cuts into a piece of the pheasant as Ciel seats himself. "Mmm!" she exclaims, "Everything you make is always so tasty, Sebastian!"
"I'm flattered" he smiles charmingly and bows, adding to himself that she really shouldn't talk with food in her mouth. Ciel rolls his eyes and goes to work on his own food.
...
"That was delicious, Sebastian" Elizabeth smiles at him as he clears her and Ciel's dishes. "Your praise is well - received, my lady" he returns the smile. He stops behind Ciel's chair on his way inside. "Oh, before I forget, young master," - or give you the opportunity to choke yourself on your drink - "Agni and Prince Soma will be coming over today."
"What? !" Ciel jumps out of his seat, furious, "When? !"
"I'm not sure" the butler answers thoughtfully, "I was expecting them to arrive on or about lunchtime." He beams. "I suppose they could appear at any time."
"Why are they coming over in the first place? !" Ciel demands, storming inside with Sebastian following placidly in his wake. "Agni called earlier and I may have let it slip that your memory had returned" Sebastian answers, smiling brightly. "WHAT? !" Ciel is not pleased. The latter just shrugs. "It was Soma's decision" he says easily, "You know how excitable the Prince can get."
"I like Soma" Elizabeth says candidly, "He's so much fun!"
"CIEL!"
The prince in question throws himself around Ciel's shoulders and nuzzles his face into the boy's cheek, eyes streaming. "Ah," Sebastian raises his eyebrows, "speak of the devil." He smirks.
"Sebastian! Master Ciel!" Agni jogs in after his charge, waving at them. He bows quickly to Elizabeth. "It's good to see you too, miss Elizabeth."
"Hello, Agni" she curtsies to him.
"Soma, get off!" Ciel growls, "You're wrinkling my clothes!"
"So -" Soma backs off for a split second, "Then you - You mean - ? Shiva be praised!" he latches back onto Ciel's shoulder, sobbing joyfully, "You really do remember me! Agni, isn't this wonderful?" He sweeps Ciel up into his arms. "We're going out!" he says decisively, "We need to celebrate you getting your memory back!"
"Why? !" Ciel struggles, "There's no reason to celebrate! Let go of me, dammit!"
"How can you say that, Ciel? !" Soma demands, squashing the poor boy further against his chest, "You forgot me, your best friend, and now you remember me! How can we not celebrate that? !"
Sebastian reaches out and puts a hand on Soma's shoulder. "Forgive me, your highness," he says with his trademark smile, "But the young master has had a very hectic few weeks. A trip into the city may not be the best thing for his health."
"Staying cooped up inside all day is worse!" Soma protests. Sebastian smothers the urge to roll his eyes. What exactly does the Prince know about medicine?
"I think that sounds like a good idea!" Elizabeth says brightly, "We could go shopping for some cute new clothes for you, Ciel! It'll be fun!"
"Then it's decided!" Soma turns back toward the door, "Lady Elizabeth and I will take Ciel into town!"
"I mean no disrespect, Prince Soma," Sebastian tries to be polite, "But I think it would be better if you had someone to chaperone you, and I have I have a bit more on my plate than usual." His eyes swivel around in his head. "The staff has been slacking in my and my young master's absence."
A familiar quarter of eavesdropping heads shrinks back behind a corner.
"Paula could come with us" Elizabeth suggests, "We'll all take good care of Ciel!" She salutes Sebastian.
"Right!" Soma agrees, somehow mimicking Elizabeth without dropping Ciel. Sebastian pretends to think for a minute. "Well, I don't any harm in it myself" he decides, smiling brightly. "What? !" Ciel shrieks. "However," he adds, serious, "The final decision is my young master's to make."
Ciel looks from Soma's pouting face to that of his fiancee, hands folded at him as if in prayer, looking like she might start crying, and sighs. "Fine," he concedes, "I'll go."
"Excellent!" Soma grins. He retreats with Lizzy and Ciel toward Paula, who has at some point slipped inside and is waiting by the door. "Oi! Wait!" Ciel orders again, "Would you wait for a minute? ! AND PUT ME DOWN ALREADY!"
Soma finally acquiesces and sets Ciel onto his feet. The boy promptly turns toward Sebastian and beckons with his hand. "Deliver a message to Lau for me while we're out" he orders, and whispers the message into Sebastian's ear. As he pulls back he adds, "I want filet of sole for dinner."
The butler smirks, then leans back and bows. "Yes, my lord."
Paula snaps the reins of the carriage and the four of them leave for the city. "Why don't you make yourself comfortable, Agni?" Sebastian suggests jovially, "I have a small matter to attend to in town. It won't take long."
...
Sebastian eyes the opium addicts sprawled all over the ground and on couches and in corners abhorrently. He's always understood why his young master kept this man as a pawn, but he's never known how he could stand him. The air in here is so thick with leftover opiates he struggles not to fan the air in front of his face. The scent is repugnant.
The man in question is stretched out on a couch with that girl, smoking like everyone else in the room. The girl acknowledges him first before Lau smiles at him. "Well, well, if it isn't Mr. butler. Been a while, hasn't it?" he says lightly.
"It has. I'm glad to see you are in good health" Sebastian lies. "You deserve the credit for letting me go" Lau takes another drag on his pipe, "And I played along with your little charade, so I guess we're even now, huh?"
"I suppose so" Sebastian agrees with another smile. Lan Mao kicks at his face, stopping a few inches short. "Lan Mao" Lau frowns disapprovingly at her. She backs off, but doesn't sit yet. "I've come here with a message from my young master" Sebastian continues when her leg lowers. "Ah," Lau smiles, "it's been a while since I've heard from the Earl. How's he doing?"
"He is well" Sebastian answers, then clears his throat and recites Ciel's message: "I did consider killing you, but decided it would be too much of a hassle on my part. Live as you like, but do it where I can't see."
"Oh, so he's regained his memory?" Lau realizes. He rubs Lan Mao's head. "That's good news, eh Lan Mao?"
He may start to say something else, but Sebastian is already gone.
...
Agni, Bard, Maylene and Finny are working on dinner by the time Sebastian returns. He sighs and ties an apron around his waist. "I really should keep you around more often, Agni" he remarks as he juliennes a few vegetables, "That's the only time anything seems to get done with everything intact."
Agni just laughs. "It's been so long since we've heard from you and master Ciel" he says, "What have you been doing, if you don't mind my asking?"
"Not at all" Sebastian answers, "We've been busy with Earl Trancy. He had been harassing my young master for a while, so that had to be cleared up, and was. Recently we were called by the queen to execute the Trancy butler. It turns out he murdered the young earl."
"How terrible!" Agni exclaims. -Like hell- "It is" Sebastian agrees, "Her majesty ordered the extermination of the entire Trancy faction. Apparently there was an inheritance scam in the process." That's the official story, anyway.
"How horrible" Agni sighs and sets his knife down. "I really do pity master Ciel sometimes, Sebastian" he looks deeply at him, "He doesn't lead a life any child should."
"Don't let him catch you talking this way" Sebastian jokes. He looks pensively out the window. "Speaking of whom," he muses, "I wonder how he's holding up out there?"
...
Two hours away, in a clothing store he didn't bother to take the name of, Ciel is standing in the middle of Elizabeth talking with the tailor and Soma and Agni arguing over ridiculous patterns. Paula's arms are piled high with sets of clothes for both him and his fiancee. All the while he keeps his gaze fixed firmly ahead, not even bothering to hide his annoyance.
He hopes Sebastian can pick up on the 'You are a dead man' vibe he's putting out.
...
"You've arrived just in time for dinner" Sebastian bows the quartet in later that night. Ciel stops and glares up at him, at which Sebastian only smiles again.
"Can you help me carry these outfits inside, Sebastian?" Paula calls to him. Sebastian tries not to balk a the three - foot stack of hat boxes in her arms.
...
"I hope whatever punishment I know you have in store for me can wait until after dinner, young master" Sebastian says, turning towards the table, "Agni and I have prepared filet of soul over julienned vegetables, with cherry cider to drink."
Ciel pulls Elizabeth's chair out for her again, at which Soma mutters something about how smooth his best friend has become with women. Sebastian gnashes his teeth together to keep from laughing at that.
...
"I have prepared a lemon meringue pie for desert" Sebastian says as he and Agni clear the dishes away, "Can I tempt any of you?"
"No thanks, Sebastian" Soma stretches his arms over his head, "We have to be on our way. It's been busy today, right Agni?"
"Yes, my prince" Agni agrees, as always.
Ciel dips his fork into his own slice of pie.
"Lady Elizabeth, you should be getting home, too" Paula adds, "It's a rather long drive back to your estate, and I'm sure your mother will be worried."
"I guess you're right" Elizabeth sighs. Sebastian pulls her chair out for her, and Ciel stands and offers her his arm. She accepts and lets him lead her to the door. "Aren't they just precious?" Paula gushes, following briskly after her charge. Sebastian only smiles and follows after them all.
Elizabeth crushes Ciel in another hug. "I had a lot of fun today, Ciel" she smiles at him. "So did I" he returns the smiles and hug, "We'll have to do it again sometime."
Elizabeth grins and runs down the steps to her carriage. She waves to Ciel until her carriage is out of sight, then he sighs heavily and runs his fingers through his hair. "I believe a bath is in order" Sebastian states neutrally. Ciel brushes roughly past him.
...
"The young master is quite adorable when he shows his flirtatious side" he teases as he buttons his nightshirt, "And your dancing has improved greatly."
"Find a better use for your time than to spy on me" Ciel scolds him as he strips his rings off, "That's sleazy even for you."
"You really should invite Lady Elizabeth over more often" Sebastian smiles and turns the covers down, "You certainly seem to enjoy spending time with her."
"Oh, shut up." Ciel climbs into bed and Sebastian tucks them back over his shoulders. "What should I do about your new outfits, young master?" Sebastian asks as he takes the candelabrum. Ciel considers it for a few seconds. "Put them in the back of my wardrobe" he finally decides.
"Such a dutiful fiance" Sebastian smirks. He hasn't gotten nearly enough teasing in today, he thinks. "Already allowing her to twist you around her little finger and she hasn't even come out yet."
"Oh, shut up!" Ciel hunches his shoulders and closes his eyes. Sebastian chuckles as he blows out the candles.
A/N: Gotcha B}.
HA! Teasing fangirls is fun XD! Don't worry, the interesting stuff starts next time.