AN: prompt from a post on tumblr. this can also be found on my tumblr (username: silverpracticality) and on AO3 (username: therentistoodamnhigh)
"This is utterly ridiculous," Ciel complained as Sebastian tugged fur-lined boots onto his feet over no less than three pairs of thick tights. "Why must I be bundled up in this manner? In fact, why must I go out at all? Why can't I just stay inside?"
"Because you are still recovering from your cold and Lady Elizabeth has insisted that you accompany her on this outing despite the unseasonably cold weather, young master," Sebastian responded as he finished tying Ciel's boots.
"Ah, yes, that's right," Ciel grumbled. The boy rose to a standing position and wobbled slightly on his feet, a bit unsteady in heels and the several thick tights.
Sebastian was unable to hold back an amused smirk as he put a hand on the boy's shoulder to steady him. "Are you certain you can safely accompany Lady Elizabeth today, my lord?"
"Of course I can!" Ciel declared, smacking Sebastian's hand away. "You just insist upon dressing me in all these bloody layers! It's damn near intolerable!" He stalked away from Sebastian towards the door of his dressing room.
"My, my, what foul language, my lord. You will be grateful for all those layers when you get outside; it's below 0 degrees out there." Sebastian pulled Ciel's suit jacket onto the boy's shoulder's, having taken it off to put another couple of layers on the boy beneath his dress shirt after breakfast.
"Ugh. Let's get this over with, Sebastian."
"Yes, my lord."
The two moved down to the foyer where Sebastian began to pile on layers and layers of coats and soft, tightly knitted outerwear like scarves, hats, and mittens. By the time Sebastian was finished, Ciel was bundled in scarves from just below the eye to mid-breast bone, multiple hats, at least two pairs of mittens, and several coats. When Sebastian finished adjusting the scarves, Ciel was quiet for a few moments, glaring at him harshly and looking for all the world like a seething, angry marshmallow.
"Is this really necessary, Sebastian? Is this absolutely necessary?" Ciel asked at length, voice muffled but distinctly annoyed.
"Why yes, of course it is, young master," Sebastian said pleasantly.
Ciel watched as Sebastian put on his coat and switched out his white gloves for black ones. "If I must be wearing this much, I will insist that you, at the very least, also wear a scarf, Sebastian" Ciel called, his voice a bit louder to compensate for the effect of the scarves.
"As you wish, my lord." Sebastian loosely wrapped a scarf around his neck and smiled lightly at his master. "Better?"
Ciel sighed. "I suppose."
Sebastian walked up to the boy and pulled down the scarves enough to reveal his nose and placed a light kiss on the tip of his nose.
Ciel sputtered and blushed beneath the scarves as Sebastian replaced the scarves over his nose and he shuffled backwards with his hands over his nose as if it would undo the action.
Sebastian chuckled. "My apologies, young master. You simply looked too adorable."
"Whatever. Let's just- let's just go and get this over with," Ciel mumbled.
"Yes, my lord."
A little while later, the pair stood inside the entrance to Hyde Park, waiting for Lizzy to arrive. It was snowing and the wind made the cold sharper and more biting and Ciel was secretly grateful for all the layers Sebastian had forced him into, but he would never say it out loud.
Soon, a woman in plain clothes came running up to them, whom the pair recognized as Paula, Lizzy's maidservant. She quickly apologized for making them wait and told them that Lizzy had come down with a bad cold and could not make it. She then handed them a letter from her mistress, which consisted mostly of Lizzie apologizing and promising to make it up to Ciel when she felt better. Having delivered the message, she apologized for making them come out in the cold needlessly and went on her way.
"Well then, as long as we're here, let's take a walk around the park, shall we?" Sebastian offered.
Ciel stared at him for a few moments before conceding to the idea. "Fine. Just not for too long."
Sebastian smiled and gestured to the fork in the paths. "After you, my lord."
"So cold," Ciel muttered as he began walking towards the middle path. He got about four steps in when he lost his balance and his arms began flailing in an attempt to regain it.
Sebastian chuckled softly and quickly righted Ciel with a gentle hand.
"It was just slippery," Ciel snapped before Sebastian could say anything and glared at him.
"Of course, my lord," Sebastian replied, still smirking. A couple steps later, Ciel wobbled on his feet once more and Sebastian steadied him. "Are you sure the ground is slippery, young master? Or perhaps you are simply top-heavy?" Sebastian teased.
"And whose fault is that?" Ciel snapped.
Sebastian chuckled. "I suppose it would be mine," he conceded.
The time passed in a similar fashion: Ciel would take a couple steps forward, waddling slightly, and begin to tip over, arms flailing adorably at his sides. Sebastian would then make an amused noise and place a hand on Ciel's shoulder to steady him and Ciel would grumble irritably in Sebastian's direction. Once, when the boy really did slip on a patch of ice, Sebastian simply let him fall over into the snowbank next to the path.
"Sebastian!" Ciel shouted. "You're supposed to catch me!"
"The snow caught you perfectly fine, didn't it? You didn't need me to catch you," Sebastian responded pleasantly.
"That's not the point!" Ciel struggled to sit up and tried in vain to stand, failing miserably. He flopped back into the snow. "Somebody could've seen! And now I can't get up!"
"Nobody saw, my lord. Your reputation is perfectly safe," Sebastian reassured him, making no move to help the boy stand.
"What are you doing just standing there, you great dolt?! Help me up!" Ciel demanded. He thumped his mitten-covered hands into the snow, sending up a small puff of snowflakes into the air beside him.
"Yes, my lord." Sebastian bent down and grabbed both of Ciel's hands, pulling him to his feet in one swift motion. He brushed off the snow covering Ciel and, when he was certain nobody was looking, pressed a quick kiss to the space between Ciel's eyebrows.
Ciel scrunched up his face in response. "Stop that," he grumbled with no bite to his words. "Somebody could see, idiot. You better make some hot chocolate when we get back. It's so bloody cold."
"Of course, my lord," Sebastian replied.
After that, Sebastian kept nearly even with the little lord and placed a hand on his shoulder to keep the boy from toppling over frequently, switching from one shoulder to the other as they encountered people. When they came back around to the front of the park, Ciel demanded that they go home, complaining of the cold.
When they returned to the manor, Sebastian got out of the carriage and scooped up Ciel to carry him inside, much to the boy's chagrin.
"You'd just fall over trying to get out of the carriage and we can't have that, now can we, Young Master?" Sebastian said.
"No, absolutely not." Ciel agreed grumpily.
Sebastian carried the boy straight to his rooms and stripped him of all his outerwear and the extra under-layers, putting him in a fresh suit that would be more comfortable indoors.
"Don't forget the hot chocolate, Sebastian," Ciel reminded his butler once he was redressed. "I want it in the library."
"Yes, my lord." Sebastian bowed and left to prepare the treat.
When Sebastian brought the drink into the library, Ciel was already sitting on a couch across from the fire, reading a book. "Did you enjoy yourself today, Young Master?" Sebastian draped a blanket across Ciel's lap and began pouring the hot chocolate.
"It was alright. Could've been less cold," Ciel said dismissively, setting the book aside.
"High praise, I see. I'm glad you enjoyed yourself, my lord." Sebastian handed the cup to the boy.
"It wasn't that great. Don't get ahead of yourself. Ah, you remembered the cream this time, good." Ciel began to sip at the chocolate and settled himself deeper into the cushions.
"I'm glad you are pleased, Young Master. If that is all, I will leave you to it." Sebastian bowed slightly and turned to push the trolley out of the room.
Ciel turned quickly just as Sebastian began moving and caught one of his coattails. "Wait."
"My lord?" Sebastian turned around to face him.
Ciel tugged on the coattail. "Come here."
Sebastian moved back to the side of the couch.
"Come here." Ciel tugged more insistently on the sleeve of Sebastian's suit jacket, pulling him around to the front and down onto the cushions next to him. "Stay," Ciel said, shifting on the cushions to cuddle up right next to Sebastian's side.
"Ah, I see now." Sebastian put an arm around Ciel, pulling the boy closer to him. "Of course I'll stay, my lord."
Ciel turned back to Sebastian and tugged him down by the tie for a slow, sweet kiss. "See to it that you do," Ciel murmured, releasing Sebastian's tie. The boy's words were commanding, but his tone was soft and content. Ciel snuggled back into Sebastian's side, resting his head on his butler's shoulder and looking into the fire. His face was smooth and relaxed, a rarity for the boy.
Sebastian's smile was somewhere between affectionate and wicked. He pressed a soft kiss to Ciel's hair.
"Yes, my lord."