Raging thunderstorms scattered thought the London area, dousing the city in only minutes after it had begun. Loud and rather intimidating thunderclaps could be heard all throughout the small towns and big cities of England, as it had been struck with the deadliest and most dangerous thunderstorm in centuries. The townsfolk cowered helplessly in the confines of their homes, seeking shelter and protection from perhaps the scariest storm they will ever see in their lifetime. While most of the citizens had families to comfort them, one little boy in particular did not.
This was no ordinary boy, however; he was one of the most important people in the British government. His name was Lord Ciel Phantomhive. He was only thirteen years old, and the CEO of the most popular candy and toy manufacturing companies in the world. Yes, this boy was only thirteen, had no parents, and no family. All he had for company was his four servants; three of which (in his opinion) were complete imbeciles, and one of which was his head butler, who goes by the most regal name of Sebastian Michaelis.
The three "imbeciles", as Ciel likes to call them, we're all asleep in their quarters, paying no mind to the passing storm. His butler, Sebastian however, was cleaning and completing his normal tasks as scheduled. Although his hands worked, his mind wandered elsewhere.
As the butler worked, the young lord cowered in his bedroom, taking refuge underneath the covers of his bedsheets. He was extremely terrified of thunderstorms, and had been ever since he was a small child. Hearing just the harsh drops of water rain down onto the roof of the manor was enough to frighten the young lord.
This is truly his only weak state, as he is normally a strong and disciplined young male, and his morals prevented him from ever showing weakness. His efforts to be fearless were futile. Here he was, cowering like a child at simply a thunderstorm that would soon pass.
Yet another loud thunderclap sounded from outside, causing the manor to shake ever so slightly. The already frightened boy yelped in fear, pulling the bedsheets on top of him tighter and curling into a ball whilst hugging his knees. This storm was the scariest one yet, and he was certainly not ready to face it when it came without any warning at all. He whimpered like a small puppy, feeling trapped with nowhere to go. He felt helpless in this state, knowing there was nothing he could do to fix his problem. A lone tear fell from his purple eye before closing them in attempt to calm his nerves.
Wiping the dining tables and dusting the wall lamps, the butler felt a pang of worry for his young master. Knowing he was in pain and suffering, the butler ran up the stairs and down the hallway to his master's bedroom. Ciel's whispering and soft crying was just barely audible to the butler as he stood in front of the door, knocking twice.
"My lord...may I come in?" The butler cooed in the softest and calmest voice he could muster. The last thing he wanted to do was frighten the poor boy even more. The light from another lightning strike brightened the room before hearing another thunderclap sound soon after. A moment passed without either of the two saying a word. The only sounds were of the rain smacking against the windows, and the thunderclaps far in the distance. It took all of his strength, but Ciel gathered the courage to speak.
"C-come in..." The boy's voice was weak and raw from crying. Sebastian took the doorknob in his hand, slowly turning it until a click sounded. He pushed the door in as slow was he could and took a peek at his young lord. He was still under the blankets, shivering from fear, cold, or both. The butler felt a sting of pity for the boy, but quickly pushed the feeling away before he thought deeper about it.
Peeking over the blankets slightly, the boy caught a glimpse of the raven-haired butler, and for some reason, it instantly soothed him to see a familiar face. Sebastian met his gaze and walked towards the cowering boy, kneeling before him next to his bed. Ciel uncovered his face and his torso, folding the blanket in front of him to look at his servant.
"Go on, laugh at me; tell me I'm being weak and acting like a hypocrite. You know you want to..." Tears welled up in his multicolored eyes as he stared at his servant, who still held a concerned expression.
"My lord, I will not, nor do I desire to do such a thing. Even though I might be living without a heart, that does not mean I do not understand the feelings and emotions of human beings. You are only human, my lord, and there is nothing wrong with having a fear. Having a fear does not make you weak. I will not laugh at you for being what you are, a human." Ciel stared at him at first, almost shocked at his reply. As there stared into the other's eyes, another round of thunder sounded from outside and illuminating the room with beams of white light. The boy, frightened once more jumped into the protective arms of his butler. Ciel have him a warm hug, still sniffling from his previous crying fits.
"Thank you for being here for me, Sebastian...I...I don't know what I would do without you and your selfless acts of loyalty to me and my family name..." He almost whispered his thanks to the butler, his voice soft and quiet.
"If I couldn't do this much for my young master, well then what kind of butler would I be? After all, I am simply one hell of a butler..."
Sebastian sat on the edge of his master's bed, holding the young boy in his arms. It stayed silent as the boy closed his eyes, and thought only of the loyal, caring and protecting butler that was holding him so tenderly. The storm passes slowly, and so do their worrisome thoughts.