Word count: 3,056
Rating: K+
Summary: The affairs of children were not simple at all, contrary to what a poet might think.
Pairing: Sebastian/Ciel
Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji/Black Butler nor any of its characters. The story alone belongs to me.
And that was how Ciel Phantomhive ended up falling on his butt with a demon towering over him holding a knife in one hand.
The trouble had started earlier that afternoon, on one of the rare occasions in which Ciel was supervising Finny, Meirin, and Bard's work down on the main floor. The young boy was contenting himself to glancing over some paperwork concerning a new product and passing off the servants' conversation as idle pleasantries. Until a certain word fell on his ears that, being a twelve-year-old, curious boy, he couldn't quite ignore. "Kiss."
"Bard, you got your first kiss from your friend's sister?" Finny was squealing excitedly when Ciel started listening. The childish servant clapped his hands together loudly and laughter erupted from his chest.
Bard scratched the back of his neck, embarrassed. "Well, I just, you know, I was young and curious…"
Meirin snickered, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose. "But you just said she looked like a pig with warts-"
"I was curious!" Bard repeated loudly, and not even Ciel could suppress a grin turning up at the corners of his lips. Bard huffed as Finny promptly fell off the small pillar he was sitting on and Meirin broke her glasses – again – on the wall beside her. "Well, what about you, Meirin? Who was your first kiss?"
"M-m-mine?" Meirin replied, flustered, clutching a hand to her white apron. "Well, um, th-that would be the baker's son when I was ten…" Her face began to take on the maroon shade that her hair had adopted and the two male servants laughed.
"What about you, young master?" Finny asked politely, hoping to include Ciel in the conversation. Ciel looked up and his expression gave away that he was taken aback. "Who was your first kiss?" Finny asked, thinking Ciel didn't understand the question.
The young earl turned away, tapping his cane into the floor. It wasn't that he didn't understand, it was that he didn't have an answer. "I don't have time for things like this," he dismissed, avoiding the question. "As you were." As the young boy marched up the stairs, he took note of the servants' puzzled expressions. Surely not everyone decided to swap saliva with another disgusting mouth before they turned thirteen, did they?
The boy sat down at his office desk and breathed in for a moment, trying to put those thoughts at the back of his mind. "Just ignore it, Ciel," he told himself. "You are the head of the Phantomhive household. You have more important things to be worrying about than the transfer of spit."
A knock came at his door. "Enter," Ciel commanded half-heartedly, mind still not in the right place.
It swung open with only the smallest of creaks, and in stepped a tall, raven-haired man with light brownish eyes, walking with dignity and poise. "My lord," he said, "I brought you your afternoon tea."
Ciel breathed, relaxing. "Thank you, Sebastian," he replied, sinking backward in the chair.
Sebastian's expression turned from content to concern. "My lord, is something the matter? You seem troubled."
Ciel opened his eyes, stumbling over his words now. "N-no, everything's fine."
Sebastian looked as though he would ask further, but then decided against it and picked up the teapot in one hand, a small white cup about the size of Ciel's fist. "Today we have a subtle blend of Earl Grey. I hope that is to your liking?" he asked, handing it to the small boy.
Ciel took the cup and put it to his lips, just barely squeaking out, "Th-that's fine." He nearly chugged the entire cup before setting it down on a saucer on his desk, burying himself in his paperwork.
"Will there be…anything else, my lord?"
Ciel looked up for a moment and then shook his head. "Ah, n-no, that's fine, thank you." They both noticed the change in habit when he said that. Ciel always asked for Sebastian to bring him something sweet to eat with his tea.
"Are you sure nothing's wrong, young master?" Sebastian pressed. "You always ask for me to bring you something with your tea." There seemed to be slight taunting in the demon's voice. Finally catching Ciel in a moment of weakness, it seemed, brought him great joy that he dared not express.
"Nothing is wrong, Sebastian," the dark-haired boy snapped. "Now please, leave me to my work. Do not make me ask you again," he repeated, sounding like a child imitating their parent.
Sebastian grinned, but he complied with a slight bow. "Of course, my lord. I shall leave you immediately." Sebastian picked up the platter he had brought the teapot on and left the room. Ciel found it disturbing how intently he was watching the demon leave. How interested he was with his straight black locks. How deeply the upturn of Sebastian's grin moved him. How deftly his fingers snatched the doorknob and closed the wood door shut.
And more importantly, it irritated him. Ciel angrily threw a fist down on his desk and clasped his head in his small hands. "What the hell is wrong with me?" he moaned, feeling himself succumb to a cloud of self-pity. Not only was he worrying about kissing, of all things ridiculous and meaningless, but it seemed his desires were leaning towards a man. A man! What a disgrace! If anyone outside of the mansion – no, outside of Ciel found out, the entire household could be brought to ruin, he was sure of it.
Furthermore, why Sebastian of all men? Yes, Sebastian was very loyal to him, but that was merely based on the terms of their contract. Aside from that loyalty, Sebastian was a sadistic, rude bastard. Yet…
Well, Ciel would be lying if he didn't admit that Sebastian was, at least, a handsome-looking demon.
Ciel let his head fall backwards in his chair, allowing himself to calm down simply by breathing. Calm down, Ciel, he thought to himself. This isn't important. You can ignore this. Just relax and get back to work. Just relax…Just…relax…
"Who was your first kiss, young master?"
Ciel's eyes snapped open and he punched the desk again. Why, why, why was that one question driving him so ridiculously insane? It didn't matter! A kiss was a kiss and nothing more! Just two filthy mouths making contact, saliva dripping from one person onto another, end of story! There was nothing special about it! Nothing!
…Nothing special?
Ciel had a thought at that moment. If a kiss was nothing special, then in actuality, there was no harm at all in experimenting, yes? It would just like be playing a new game and seeing if he liked it. That was all. It made so much more sense now. So simple, so easy. He wondered what had had him in such a worried frenzy. A confident smirk crossed the young boy's face.
He could also easily convince Sebastian to give that to him, as well. He owed the demon his soul. This was the least that Sebastian could do in return. Besides, Sebastian was also his butler. Therefore, he had to bow to his master's wishes, whatever they may be. If Sebastian complained, Ciel would simply use that card against him. The earl snickered to himself. He really wondered what he'd been so worried about. This was so perfectly simple, so easy!
Ciel reached over and rang a small bell which would beckon Sebastian back up to the study. He waited a few moments, glancing at the clock every now and then. Approximately three and a half minutes after ringing the bell, Sebastian opened the door again, a pleasant expression on his face. "My lord, have you changed your mind about having something to eat with your tea?" he joked.
Ciel grinned and shook his head. "No, I'm not hungry," he replied casually, resting his head on his knuckles.
"Then what does my lord desire?" the demon inquired.
Ciel got out of his chair and walked closer to Sebastian. "Close the door," he ordered. Sebastian did so, and Ciel was standing a mere six inches away from the demon.
"Yes?" Sebastian asked. "What is it?"
Ciel took in a breath (damn it all, what was he getting nervous about now?) and looked his butler in the eyes. "I order you to kiss me," he said bluntly.
Sebastian's eyes widened and he looked slightly taken aback. "Um, excuse me, my lord?" he asked, shocked, though not willing to lose his composure in front of the young master.
"You heard me," Ciel taunted. "I gave you an order. Follow through with it. Those are the terms of our contract, yes?"
Sebastian scratched the back of his neck, a rather out-of-character action for the butler. Was he, perhaps, flustered? Surely not Sebastian, the most composed and collected (annoyingly so) man Ciel had ever known. "Ah, well, yes, that- that is true, my lord, but, um…Why do you want me to kiss you?"
Ciel swallowed his nervousness and attempted to remain in control. "I'm just curious to see what it's like. To kiss someone, I mean."
"Did your parents never kiss you?" Sebastian asked, half sarcastically and half seriously.
Ciel stopped for a moment. Had they? Then again, the only time he had ever slept beside his mother was on his birthdays…He shook the thought. Now was not the time to think about his birthday. Anything but that.
"No, they didn't," he answered, unsure if he was lying or telling the truth. Regardless of either, it was an answer that would make Sebastian bend to his will, so it suited him.
It worked. Sebastian looked guilty, if only slightly, after hearing that answer. 'Ah…I see. Well then…if that is what the young master wishes, then…"
Sebastian got to his knees to be at face level with the boy. "Are you sure?" he asked, looking Ciel dead in the one exposed blue eye. Ciel couldn't tell if Sebastian was asking because he was concerned, or if he wanted to make the boy more nervous. Regardless, Ciel wasn't about to falter. Not now. Not while he was so close – Wait. When had it become his goal to kiss Sebastian? A part of him inside screamed and slammed his face into a proverbial wall. The affairs of children were so complicated, contrary to a poet's belief.
"Yes, I am sure. Just do it, Sebastian," the boy asserted. He clenched his tiny fist, the cold metal of his family ring digging into his palm. It was now or never. Either he go through with it, or run away with his tail between his legs like a dog (and not like the noble dog of the Queen he was) and show Sebastian that he was only a child.
Sebastian must have sensed that thought, because he protested, "Young master, you are only a boy. I am an immortal being in the form of an adult. This is highly inappropri-"
"Sebastian, shut the hell up and just do what I told you to!" Ciel snapped, feeling a bead of sweat trickle down the back of his neck.
Sebastian blinked, surprised at the young master's sudden anger. "Ah, yes, my Lord."
It could have happened in no less than five seconds, but Ciel's brain must have slowed the entire moment down for him, playing it out in the most sensitive way possible and triggering all receptors in his body. He felt how Sebastian leaned forward towards him, felt the slight movement of air as he lifted his arm up to touch his face, nearly shivered as the demon's flesh met his own and did not slap it away for the first time in his life. Sebastian then leaned forward, tilted his head to the side, and brought his face to Ciel's, his long black bangs tickling the young earl's cheek.
And, swifter than a flash of lightning, Sebastian's lips met Ciel's.
Ciel was a bit surprised. It was wet, like he expected, but not disgustingly so. Sebastian was also gentle in the movement, not pulling him tight and hurting him. Ciel felt his eyes flutter shut and he pursed his lips against the demon butler's, a tingle traveling down his spine at the touch. Yep, there was definite swapping of saliva going on there, but somehow, it wasn't anywhere near as disgusting as Ciel had predicted it to be. It was almost comforting, he thought, to take in a part of another person and hold that inside of you.
But before Ciel could ponder it any further, Sebastian pulled back, letting go of his master's soft face and rising to his feet. "Was that suitable, my lord?" he asked. Was Ciel imagining things, or had the faintest shade of red fallen on the demon's face? Probably imagining things. Ciel's own face, however, felt very, very warm, and it tingled to the point where it was almost painful but not quite.
"Y-yes, that was fine. Thank you, Sebastian." Ciel felt embarrassed. He could still taste the demon on his mouth, and it was all he could do to keep from flicking out his tongue to taste it better.
"Would you need anything else?" Sebastian asked, desperately looking for an excuse to leave the room, Ciel could tell.
"Um, y-you could bring me something sweet to eat," Ciel offered. Anything to get your taste off my mouth. "I-I changed my mind after all."
"Very well," Sebastian replied, bowing a little awkwardly. "I will be back shortly."
"All right," Ciel replied as Sebastian closed the door. When it was shut, he stood there in the middle of the floor for a few moments, rethinking what had just happened. He'd kissed Sebastian. No, Sebastian had kissed him. Oh, but, he was right before, he had kissed him back…
Oh, how he hated being a child! Children were so curious of things they had no place getting themselves involved in, so willing to destroy the innocence that they possessed. Had Ciel lost his innocence? He thought he had when his parents were killed, but this situation was making him wonder if he'd had a small amount left even after that, which shocked Ciel to his core. Ciel, possessing innocence? Was that possible? Or, if he had had innocence, had he just given it away to a demon? Wonderful. Not only had he surrendered his soul to Sebastian, but his body as well? No, no, not his whole body, he supposed. Unless…
Unholy images began to fill Ciel's mind and he shook his head, trying his best to dispel them. Where had that come from?! He certainly had no intention of doing that with Sebastian! Or with anyone, for that matter! He was the head of the Phantomhive household, for God's sake, not a cheap harlot!
Without warning, Sebastian re-opened the door on that thought. "Young master, I brought you a piece of cake. Is that to your liking?"
Ciel jumped slightly, startled by Sebastian's sudden appearance. "Ah, um, um, yes, that's fine, thank you!"
Sebastian breathed a sigh of relief. Ciel began to wonder, had similar thoughts been going through Sebastian's mind as well, by some random chance? He supposed that, logically, they had. Ciel had put him in a very awkward situation. Damn himself and his childish desires.
Sebastian began to pick up a small butter knife to cut the cake he had brought Ciel – he must have felt very apologetic or on edge, as it was Ciel's absolute favorite kind, and relatively fresh – when Ciel decided to reach forward. "N-no, that's okay, Sebast- AAH!"
Ciel, in his haste to stop Sebastian, had misjudged his step and moved too far forward, tripping himself and falling. This is what he got for wearing an eye patch, he supposed. Unfortunately, his slipping had caused his foot to catch the back of Sebastian's ankle, causing the demon to fall as well.
Ciel landed on the floor with a slight whump, right on his rear, with Sebastian toppling right on top of him, his pointy chin digging into the boy's chest. "Ouch!" they both uttered, Ciel's as a yelp and Sebastian's as a grunt. Sebastian looked up at his master, face most certainly flushed now. Ciel knew that his face was just as if not warmer, so he wouldn't hold that against the demon butler. For now.
"Ah, forgive me, my lord," Sebastian stammered.
"N-no, it was my fault," Ciel protested. "I was being clumsy…ah…" The young earl hated to admit it, but there was a growing part of him that rather enjoyed feeling Sebastian's weight pushing him down, his lean arms around him, narrow face just inches away from his babyish one…It caused a pit in his stomach to fill with butterflies. (Ciel had never liked that phrase as a child; he'd always assumed it came from eating caterpillars.)
Sebastian and Ciel were frozen in that position for a moment before the butler regained his composure, righting himself and getting to his feet. Ciel lay there in place for a moment, his mind partially somewhere else, until Sebastian extended a pale hand out to him wordlessly. Ciel took it, noting how his tiny hand could hardly fit around the demon's fingers and being unsure whether to be comforted or threatened by that, and stood up properly.
Sebastian handed him the plate with the fork, mercifully sparing giving him the knife. "If you need anything else, you can call for me," the butler assured the young boy. "I shall go back to my duties now, if everything is to your liking."
Ciel took the dish and fork in his hands, avoiding eye contact. "That's fine," he said quietly. "As you were," he added, louder than his previous comment.
Sebastian nodded and left the room once again, closing the door behind him as he always did. Ciel stared at the cake for a moment and found it disappointing how it didn't make his mouth water as it usually did. He also found it disturbing how the thought of Sebastian coming back into the room did.
Ciel slapped the plate down on his desk and pulled on his coat, readjusting it so it fit properly. "I have no time for such trivial affairs," he said to no one. "I have more important things to do. I am a Phantomhive."