The Phantomhive family hired Sebastian Michaelis, their first and only butler, to help their son be more social. They were successful, in fact a little too successful. Now, the boy would only talk to the butler. When his parents approached him, he said nothing. And yet Sebastian can have long-lasting conversations with him. Ciel Phantomhive became a mute when he was 6 years old. When his best friend, Elizabeth, died in a car accident, he felt as if he had nothing else to talk about. However, when Sebastian came along, Ciel was 7 years old and speaking. Vincent Phantomhive spoke with his wife about this and they both reached the same conclusion: Sebastian had to be separated from their, now, 10 year old boy. It just had to be done.
Sebastian was called into Vincent's study the next evening. The butler noticed how serious the man looked and knew that this visit was not going to be a pretty one. "You wanted to see me, Master Vincent?" Sebastian bowed. "Sebastian, what do you and my son talk about?" Sebastian's eyebrow arched. Was that all? "Pardon my hesitation, Master. This question has caught me off guard." he said quickly. Vincent nodded and allowed him to ponder. Ciel spoke to Sebastian about all kinds of ridiculous things. What should he tell his father? "The young lord and I played chess today. We spoke of books over the game." Vincent kept his same expression; stern and angry. "Books?" he asked. Sebastian nodded. "He seems to enjoy books as much as I do. His favorite at the moment is The Count of Monte Cristo." his boss chuckled at that. It was the same book he loved during his youth. "Sebastian, my wife and I have come to a decision." Sebastian tilted his head, but stayed quiet. "I know you and my son have gotten rather close over the years," Vincent began. "We feel that the two of you are too close. Ciel never wants to be around his own parents, yet he desires a lowly paid butler constantly. Why is that?" Sebastian gasped. Where was he going with this? "Well, Master, when I asked the young lord about that, he claims that you and the mistress are rather troublesome." Vincent's eyes widened. "Are you lying, Sebastian?" he shouted angrily. "No, sir!" "How can we be troublesome if we never see him?" Sebastian just shrugged. "His words, not mine," Sebastian then watched the master calm himself down and then glare into his crimson eyes. "I want my son back, Sebastian." he growled out. "You're fired. I want you gone before I return from my meeting tomorrow afternoon. Is that clear?"
He was heartbroken. Over the 3 years he spent at the estate, Sebastian had grown quite fond of the little lord. Ciel had grown fond of him too and he just knew it. He would never smile in front of his parents. He'd told Sebastian that when the butler saw him smile for the first time. It was ten months ago and Sebastian would never forget it.
Sebastian and Ciel were in the butler's quarters one evening. Ciel wanted him to read a story before he went to bed. Instead of a long chapter book like the boy requested, Sebastian read him a short poem. It was Alone by Edgar Allan Poe:
"From childhood's hour I have not been
As others were; I have not seen
As others saw; I could not bring
My passions from a common spring.
From the same source I have not taken
My sorrow; I could not awaken
My heart to joy at the same tone;
And all I loved, I loved alone.
Then- in my childhood, in the dawn
Of a most stormy life- was drawn
From every depth of good and ill
The mystery which binds me still:
From the torrent, or the fountain,
From the red cliff of the mountain,
From the sun that round me rolled
In its autumn tint of gold,
From the lightning in the sky
As it passed me flying by,
From the thunder and the storm,
And the cloud that took the form
(When the rest of Heaven was blue)
Of a demon in my view."
When he finished, Ciel had a dark scowl on his face. "Why did you read that?" he shouted and began punching the man's shoulder. Sebastian chuckled. "What is it, Young Master? Did you not like it?" Ciel shook his head, then punch him again. "I just thought it was a good poem by one of my favorite authors. I wanted you to hear it. Is that a crime, sir?" Ciel stopped hitting him and crossed his arms across his chest with an adorable pout on his face. "No, but what is the meaning behind this poem?" he questioned. "Didn't you tell me once that all poetry has some type of meaning?" Sebastian ran his fingers through the young lord's silky hair lovingly. "Yes, My Lord. This poem describes how the author feels isolated due to how he interprets things in the real world. I look in the sky and see a white cloud in the shape of a heart. He looks at the same cloud and sees a demonic face," That's when he heard it. The sweet sound of his master's giggles. Of course the man had no idea what was so funny, but it was a really nice sound to hear. "Why, Young Master, is that a smile I see?" the man said with a playful gasp. "I thought you've forgotten how to do so." Ciel tried to hide it, but ended up laughing his frown away. "Shut up! It's alright if you see this side of me, Sebastian." he cuddled himself closer to his butler. "Can I sleep in here tonight, Sebastian?" Sebastian knew that was a bad idea. His father had caught the two sleeping together before, and Sebastian ended up with a black eye. "I'm sorry, Master. Your father wouldn't like that," that only made the boy crawl on top on him and lay his head on his chest. "I don't care about that." the boy whined. ''I love you, Sebastian. I can't be left alone. Not after Lizzy."
The sulking butler came into his young master's bedroom after that. It was best to get the news over quickly. Imagining Ciel depressed and crying tore him apart inside. What if he doesn't smile anymore? Taking a deep breath, he made his presence known to the boy who was falling asleep on the bed. "Young Master," he croaked out. There was a lump in his throat. Tears were already forming in his eyes and he hadn't even said anything yet. He couldn't cry now; not in front of Ciel. Ciel noticed and sat up quickly. "Sebastian? Why are you crying?" he motioned for the man to sit on the bed next to him. Sebastian sighed and sat down. "I spoke with your father not too long ago," Now Ciel was starting to worry. He heard his butler's voice. "What did he say?" he gripped his arm desperately. Sebastian didn't want to tell him. He didn't want to tell Ciel that he'd be all alone, as always feared. "Sebastian!" the boy scolded. The tears fell down without Sebastian's consent. "Master said that we've spent too much time together." He began, already feeling Ciel tremble. "He doesn't see or hear enough of you-" Ciel snapped. "I don't want to be near him or my mother! I know they hate me as I hate them. They didn't take me to her funeral..." his trailed off. Sebastian learned that Vincent and Rachel kept Ciel away from his friend's funeral services because they believed that he was too young. "So, because he believes that this will give him more opportunities to bond with, he fired me," Soon enough, they were both crying. Sebastian held the sobbing boy closer to him. "I must leave before he returns home tomorrow," he sniffed. "No, Sebastian! God, no! Please don't leave me," his heart clenched when he heard that plea. This was what he'd been afraid of. "I must, Young Master. My job is done."
"Then take me with you!" Ciel said with hopeful eyes. "You know I can't do that," "Why not? You love me, don't you?" There was a silence among them. Sebastian hadn't expected the question and Ciel hadn't expected to ask it. The young lord flinched when he felt him kiss the top of his head. "Of course I do. That's why you can't come with me, Young Master." Ciel clutched him tighter. "I don't understand," he whimpered. "If you love me, Sebastian, then why can't we leave together?" When Sebastian didn't answer, the boy released his grip. "I want to be with you, Sebastian. My parents can rot in hell for all I care!"
Sebastian tucked his master into bed once the boy calmed himself down. Once his candle was blown out, Ciel fell straight to sleep. All he wanted to was crawl into bed next to him. His master just looked so peaceful in his slumber. As he was about to leave, he heard a groggy voice answer his prayers. "Sebastian, sleep in my bed tonight," came the order. A smug smile wide on his lips, he replied back, "Is that an order, Master?" A growl confirmed it. He slid under the blankets, wrapping his arms around Ciel possessively. The boy turned to face him, a scowl present on his face. Sebastian leaned forward and kissed his lips softly. "I love you, Ciel Phantomhive. When I'm gone, there won't be a day that passes where I won't be thinking about you," Ciel laid his head on the man's shoulder. "Don't. You're not going to leave me." Both of their eyes fell closed and sleep took over them.
Rachel Phantomhive went to her son's room after Vincent informed her about Sebastian being fired. Her heart soared with happiness even though it was 7 in the morning. She thought about how Ciel will just have to come to her when the butler leaves. They'll be a real family when that bastard of a butler leaves. However, when she opened the door to her son's room, her elated attitude faded. What she saw nearly turned her stomach. "SEBASTIAN!" she roared. "How dare you sleep in my son's bed, you bloody pervert!" the man rose up from the bed with a yawn. At the same time, they noticed the empty spot next to the butler. "Where. Is. He?" Rachel said through gritted teeth. Sebastian shrugged. "Forgive me, my lady, but the last time I saw the young lord was when he was asleep next to me," that did no good. Rachel's scowl almost looked demonic. "Why was he sleeping next to you in the first place?" she shouted. "It was an order. I apologize in advance for this confession, my lady, but Master Ciel said that he was in love with me," She scoffed. Did he really want her to believe that? Her son is only ten. He was no idea what love is. "Ciel is just a boy. The hasn't even reached puberty yet, you sorry excuse for a man!" as she continued to snarl insults at him, Sebastian found the energy to stand up and stretch. The names the mistress called hurt him, but not as much as what she'd said last. "Even if he loves you, you're just taking advantage of him! You don't love him,"
For the first time in the three years he's worked for her, Sebastian frowned at the mistress. Thanks to his strong will, Rachel was still standing and alive. "Pardon this outburst, mistress. How in the hell would you know what I feel? I've watched over this boy for three years. I bet you don't even know why he doesn't speak to you, do you?" he stopped to take a breath. "You didn't take him to her funeral. That's why. And to counter that statement, I do love him. With every part of my existence. And I know he loves m-" a hard slap to his face ceased his rant. The Phantomhive mistress was crying. Sebastian smirked. She was crying because she knew he was right. "Finny and Bard have packed your stuff already, you canker-blossom. I want you out, now!" she snapped and pointed at the door. With his head held high, Sebastian walked out of his love's room. Just before he closed the door, he made sure Rachel heard him say, "A Phantomhive butler who can't please his master isn't worth his salt."
The other servants were sad to see him go. They knew that the mansion wouldn't be the same without him. Sebastian Michaelis was the only one who could make the young master smile. No one predicted this at all. Rachel's demonic frown was the last thing he saw before the boat he was on left the shore and away from the city of London. That was it. He was never going to see Ciel again. There was a gaping hole in heart. It felt as if his whole body was aching. Sebastian was going to return the old life he lived before the Phantomhives. He lived in a tiny house in Munich Germany. This was not something he was looking forward to. Though he won't admit it, Sebastian hated being lonely in that house. The only companions he had were the thousands of books his father passed down to him.
He was jolted from his sulking when he noticed one of the suitcases shaking. It flipped and rolled around on the ground. As it was about to fall off the edge of the boat, Sebastian caught it in time. Just what was in this thing anyway. Sebastian unzipped the black bag and screamed. "Young Master?!" his hand immediately went to clench at his chest. The little Phantomhive rose from the bag with a smile. "Hello, Sebastian." he said it like it was normal for him to hide in suitcases. "What are you doing, sir? You almost fell into the ocean!" Sebastian scolded. "Where are we?" the boy asked, looking around at the shiny blue water. "I think we're somewhere in Denmark... but that doesn't answer my question!" Sebastian pulled the boy into a tight hug, still not over the fact that he almost killed him. "Where are we headed?" "Germany. Munich to be specific. Why would you do this?" Ciel stood on his front toes and kissed the man's cheek, since that was the only thing he could reach, sweetly. "I said I love you, didn't I?"
"What about your parents?"
"What about them?"
Sebastian frowned. Ciel's not going to tell him anything any time soon so he decided to let it go. I just hope they don't think I kidnapped him.
Ciel's parents searched for him for no longer than an hour. Rachel begged her husband to search longer, but he refused. "He's probably in Germany with Sebastian." he said to his wife once he sat down on their son's bed. The mistress arched an eyebrow. "Why would he-" "I was listening to their conversation through the door last night. Ciel truly loves that damned butler," Vincent growled. His wife started sobbing, cursing Sebastian's name while she did so. "We have to go and get him!" she shouted. Vincent shook his head. "If he wants Sebastian that badly, then he can have him."