Ciel Phantomhive hated his birthday.

That was his first thought as he woke up, the young light from the window filtering onto his bed in splotches.

Granted, he hated all holidays and most celebrations of any occasion. He despised the dressing up, the loud racket that accompanied any joy or happiness, but most of all, he hated their smiles. The smiles on their stupid faces. All the ecstatic people.

Sometimes Ciel wondered why he had to suffer. Why did this life have to descent upon him?

He had self-pity, yes, but he would never acknowledge it. There was no point, and it was without a doubt a sign of weakness. So he painted that indifferent frown on his face and reveled in his own power. He didn't need anything else, nothing like emotion or family, when he had the power to move his pawns wherever he liked. He led a comfortable life. It would be nearly perfect if there weren't shadows surrounding him. Shadows from the past and demons that haunted his dreams.

One demon in particular.

Ciel sighed and allowed his fragile, weary body to flop back down against his satin sheets. He didn't feel like getting up just yet. He rubbed his burning eyes with balled fists, not giving a damn if he looked like a child. Nobody was there to see; he could do as he pleased.

His eyes snapped open suddenly.

He should have known.

There was immediately the presence of another in the room with him, and he looked over, heart leaping in surprise.

"Sebastian."

His ever-smiling butler was there, bowing curtly and respectfully, every inch of him trimmed to perfection. He really was picture perfect, cut out of a book somewhere.

"My lord….?" The man spoke in his liquid voice and eased his gaze up to his master, eyes always smiling craftily. Ciel had since become used to the slight melting feeling in his stomach he got when he looked at the servant, and had learned to mask his dusted blush and nervousness. The feeling of butterflies was negligible now, easily ignored and even easier swept away and disregarded.

Ciel looked at the patient man, who raised one eyebrow in waiting. He had been planning on saying something of an accusing nature to the butler, about how he shouldn't just enter his master's room without permission. But then he realized Sebastian had simply been coming to wake Ciel up, and this would be an argument he would lose in the end. Sure, Sebastian would act as though Ciel was unquestionably right, but he knew deep down the damned demon was mocking him. He hated the patronizing way the butler always spoke to him. It was unbecoming of a butler, and downright, god damn annoying.

"…What's for breakfast?"

And don't mention my birthday... he added silently. He felt as though Sebastian knew him well enough by now to not make any fuss. The last thing he wanted was attention.

Ciel listened as Sebastian dutifully listed off the meal planned for him in his slick, smooth voice.

Ciel focused on Sebastian's lips as he spoke. He was impeccable to an irritating degree. As Ciel had suspected, Sebastian made no mention of his master's birthday.

Good.

Ciel had barely noticed in time that Sebastian was done speaking to respond and save his own humility. It had occurred more than once that the young earl had been so focused on his servant that he had become lost in his own thoughts. Sebastian was sassy and rude enough already; he didn't need any encouragement to tease Ciel about fawning over his servant. Really, he got away with behavior totally unacceptable for a butler.

"Does that please my master?"

"Yes, of course." Ciel responded, waving a hand away in dismissal. "Go prepare my food."

Sebastian bowed suavely and glided to the door, a slight smirk on his face the whole time. It seemed to be his resting expression.

He suddenly halted once at the door and turned around to face his master, a gloved hand on the golden doorknob.

"Oh, it may be worth mentioning, master… There is no need to work today. I felt as though you needed a break, so I took it upon myself to take care of all your duties for the next twenty- four hours. No…special reason, of course." He smirked as Ciel nodded after a moment, and was gone.

Ciel watched the door.

He had been meaning to set Sebastian straight, tell him that he thought he was being so clever, and how he should have known that he wanted nothing special for today. But then he began thinking about not lifting a finger all day. And although he cursed himself for it, Ciel let his laziness and weary stress slowly weigh him down into the abyss of temptation.

He lay back on his pillow and waited for breakfast.

Sebastian had been completely true to his word.

The day was almost through, the sky turning a watercolor of yogurty colors. And Ciel hadn't exerted any effort all day.

At first, he had nearly changed his mind, wondering what there possibly was to do besides work. But then he had begun wandering, and found himself in different parts of the mansion, and even the garden once or twice. It was relaxing, as much as he hated to acknowledge Sebastian's being correct (which he never failed to be).

When he saw Sebastian again for lunch, he had a sudden change of heart and almost wanted the man to acknowledge his special day, before remembering himself and instead demanding more salt. Not even the meals themselves had been particularly special. He had wanted a normal day, and he was receiving it.

Then, the treat had come at the end of the second meal of the day.

As Sebastian reached from behind Ciel to clear away his dishes, brushing his arm and giving the boy butterflies, he leaned forward and breathed quietly, "I have a special gift for dessert tonight."

As much as Ciel tried to fight his curiosity and tame his wandering, pre- pubescent mind, he kept returning to one thought. Over and over again.

He refused to admit to himself how much he cared about Sebastian, or how much the butler made his heart soar. But now, all these feelings were out in the open of his mind, sensitive and exposed. Of course, only he could see the self- imposed, embarrassing expectations for Sebastian's "present", but that was enough to color his cheeks slightly. He could, of course, only thing of one thing. But he convinced himself he couldn't be blamed for his dirty thoughts. Sebastian must be doing this on purpose. Planting ideas because he knew how Ciel felt. That must be it.

Now Ciel waited in his room, on the bed, clenching the top sheet in his fists involuntarily. He chewed his bottom lip and urged himself to retain some dignity when Sebastian came in. Ciel had argued at first, telling Sebastian he didn't want anything, but his retorts had been weak from the start, seeing as he did want a present from Sebastian.

He really did.

The door creaked open a moment later, and in came Sebastian with a rolling cart about half Ciel's height. He was wearing his familiar smile and a white suit with a black tie, the opposite of his usual attire. His handsome figure caused Ciel's breath to catch in his throat, and he cursed inwardly.

Sebastian's black gloves held the silver platter on the cart delicately as he guided the whole thing over to Ciel's bed across the dimly- lit room, closing the door with his foot on the way over. It was a gentle, quiet gesture, but it made Ciel's heart skip a beat.

The butler, still not having said a word, grasped the handle of the tray tenderly, and lifted to reveal….

A chocolate cake.

One candle, flickering steadily.

And a rose.

It looked good. Of course it did, Sebastian's food was good (only because Ciel had taught him how to cook properly, of course). But Ciel couldn't help the small lump of disappointment in his throat. And quickly following that, an internal scolding.

You idiot. What were you expecting? He's just a butler, for God's sake.

Ciel looked down at the cake, then back up to the smiling butler.

"Thank you, Sebastian. It's… nice." He reached for the fork as if to punctuate this.

"Ah, ah, ah…" Sebastian warned teasingly, but warmly. Ciel stopped and looked up at his butler with a half frown.

"I want to eat it, Sebastian."

"I know, my lord, but please wait…"

The coy man pulled out a scarlet handkerchief. Ciel's first identification was that it was a napkin. But as he looked closer….

"…A blindfold? Are you mad?!" He shrugged away as Sebastian advanced a little.

"Please master, the present will not work if I don't apply this."

"I've already seen the cake, Sebastian." Ciel said dryly, glaring up at the man.

"Master…"

There was a moment's pause, Ciel being slightly upset. Was it from disappointment? He liked to think not.

"….fine."

… Had the great Earl Phantomhive just…agreed to being blindfolded? By a servant?

As Sebastian's nimble fingers fastened the blood red cloth over his master's eyes, Ciel decided that he had lost his last ounce of dignity to this demon.

There was the sound of the clink of a fork. Sebastian had picked it up.

"Sebastian, what-?" He was cut off by the sound of a small piece being cut off the edge.

Ciel frowned and listened intently, and after a moment he realized… Sebastian had eaten a bite! What the bloody hell was the devil playing at?

He had barely opened his mouth to ask just that when Sebastian's lips met his.

He jerked back a little in shock, but his mind was butter and his stomach fluttered as his butler kissed him, moving gently against his lips. He could taste the chocolate on the demon's breath, which somehow enhanced the reaction occurring in the depth of Ciel's stomach. He found himself leaning forward a little as Sebastian kissed him softly, and Ciel could feel the smirk on Sebastian's lips as they worked on his.

And suddenly, just as it had begun, the kiss was over. The contact was lost and gone.

"S-Sebastian…." Ciel gently pushed the blindfold off himself to find that he was alone in the room. Sebastian had disappeared.

He didn't know what to think. His mind was still jelly, and his breathing was fluttery and irregular. Every emotion ranging from anger to longing for more flickered through Ciel's mind, when he finally settled on breathless contentment.

He looked down at the platter and the simply chocolate slice, one bite neatly cut out from it. He picked up the rose fragilely as if it was a precious jewel, and a slight smile graced his lips.

Hm.

He placed the rose down and finished the rest of the cake.