Reviews and critiques are highly appreciated, but please try not to be offending. I'm also struggling a bit with characterization for Sebastian as a picky, selfish, indulgent master since its been years since I last sat down and wrote any stories, so suggestions are welcome.

Characters are not mine, but Ayano Yamane's.
_

A boy in his thirteen, wearing a well tailored suit walked along the corridors of a huge white stoned mansion, his shoes making a distinct sound on the floor. The little strides his short legs made could barely catch up to the old man beside him, and he's heard that the man he was going to cater to was taller than this one. How could he ever fulfill his duty as a rotten butler that he never wanted to in the first place?

Hold your chin high, and do not waver. Before your master can trust your abilities, you must be able to trust yourself first.

The words rang in his head. He didn't have a choice anyways. He knew he was a brat, but beggars couldn't be choosers. At the start, his pride wouldn't let him do this as gratitude for being picked up off the streets- it made him feel even more weak and he hated it.

But he hated owing favors even more.

A few more turns into the long winding corridors and they arrive at a carpeted hallway in what seemed to be the third floor- he didn't bother well, honestly. He wasn't used to big mansions that seemed to just have floors endlessly stacked every time they went up. He knows he should care, but for now, he'd rather not. Indulging the ignorance he has left, he simply shrugged to himself and was led on to a big wooden door that was indented with a cryptic design.

The old man knocked twice, and slowly opened the door to poke his head in. He stood a few feet away and could only hear hushed voices and soon enough, he was ushered in an elegant room. He could barely contain his awe to see the inside of the room- furnished drawers and furniture were everywhere. There were expensive vases, decorations and even curtains. The floors were polished and his bed- his bed was humongous! If only it was his to sleep on.

"Hello. I assume you're the trainee sent to me?" His head snapped to the side to see a a mysterious, yet alluring man with a tall stature. He exuded power as only the way he stood to greet him, but what truly caught his attention was the man's eyes. It felt as though his ruby red eyes were piercing the blue haired boy's little, frail body.

" The name is Sebastian Michaelis, although you haven't asked." He snapped beguilingly. The blue eyed boy hadn't noticed he was staring and lightly excused himself for his disrespect. "And my servant's name is..?"

"My name is Ciel Phantomhive." He replied in distaste to how Sebastian referred to him as his servant. Although it is true due to the situation, there was this discomfort in him when the man said the word 'servant'. As though reading his mind, Sebastian smiled at him and repeated Ciel's name. He didn't know how to respond and stood awkwardly until Sebastian asked the old man to go back to his own duties.

"Leave us, Tanaka. I'll handle the boy myself." He said politely as Tanaka quietly left the room. Turning back to Ciel, he couldn't help but laugh. The boy was filled with so much pride that it looked like he was even irked at being referred to as anything but his name.

"Well, Ciel. Come, take a seat."

He settled down in a red furnished chair in front of Sebastian's work table. Papers and letter littered the desk and he simply brushed them aside as he sat to talk with Ciel.

"Now, you don't seem befitting of a butler at all. What brings you here?" His voice was laced with amusement as if he was talking to a little kid. But he knew through Ciel's gestures and manners that he was anything but a kid in his mind. Ciel's eyebrows raised in question- was the man taunting him?

"I had no choice. I'd rather do this than to owe the man who saved me from the streets."

"Oh? Why don't you serve for him then? " Ciel's anguish being alone with Sebastian in this room only grew. He wanted to leave the room, but he was trying his best to stay his ground and fulfill whatever duty he had to.

But he will not bow down to Sebastian.

"He didn't want me to. Besides, he intended to turn me into a butler from the very start so that I wouldn't have to live in the slums anymore. But he didn't want me to be his."

"If you don't mind me asking, why did he take you in the first place? You don't strike me as a person who would simply accept help from others." The red-eyed man smirked as he observed Ciel. He looked at him from top to bottom, as if he was assessing his capabilities and what he could do for him in the future. It felt fairly disconcerting to the boy, but he ignored it nevertheless. "Unless you begged for his help-"

He scoffed at his new found master, which was no surprise. "I'd rather keep the details of the events to myself, if you wouldn't mind. After all, I'm here to serve, not tell you stories."

"Oh, but I do mind. After all, a butler is simply supposed to cater to my needs and follow my orders, am I not right?" His mouth twitched in challenge of the blue eyed boy's wit and reserve to keep the private story to himself. Ciel shifted uncomfortably in his seat, but held his gaze.

He quietly refused once more. There was a spark in Sebastian's eyes, and his smiled slowly faded away as his intense stare drilled even more into Ciel's soul. His eyes widened as he was taken aback and he didn't notice his little hands grip the furniture tighter.

"Quite cocky of you, butler. If you expect to stay here, then you will adhere to me. Now, you may be thinking that you won't be staying here for longs since, after all, I am just supposed to be your 'trial'. Your experiment master, if you want to call it that. But do keep in mind that I am quite powerful." Sebastian was calm and composed, but that didn't make his words any less threatening. If anything, it frightened Ciel more that the fine man suddenly relaxed his shoulders and smiled once more.

" I can buy you and completely own you at my whim."